CRIMES AND MYSTERIES 4: BATTERY

XVI. THE RETURN

XVI. THE RETURN

<FILLE>

Lou and I were leaping from building to building when a distraction came.  Nakita ko si Mondael na nakaupo sa isa sa mga buildings.  Hindi ko na pa naman siya balak pansinin, pero biglang tinawag siya ni Lou.  Biglang bumilis tuloy ang tibok ng puso ko.

“Mondael!” tawag ni Lou.

“What are you doing here?” maang na tanong ni Mondael.

“We’re helping people, not avoiding them…” I said.

“You’re a leaper and a mind-hearer and you’re just sitting there?  Ni hindi ka man lang interesado na tumulong matigil ang mga ganitong uri ng krimen?  Isa lang ang masasabi ko sa ‘yo!  Duwag!” galit na sabi ni Lou.

“Stop doing what you’re doing.  You’ll just get hurt,” payo ni Mondael.

“It’s better to die helping people, than to live and do nothing at all,” sabi ni Lou.  “Tara na, Fille.  Marami pa tayong gagawin.”

“Wait…” Mondael said.

Napatigil kami ni Lou sa paglalakad palayo.

“What?  You’re gonna… help us?” tanong kong umaasa.

“Ako sapatos,” mahinang sabi niya.

Ako sapatos?  How did he know that?  It was Erno’s code for “I miss you”.

Me shoe, ako sapatos, I miss you.

+Leaper and mind talker, ako sapatos.

I heard Erno’s voice in my head.

“Erno?” I asked, shocked.  Nanghina ang mga tuhod ko.  I was about to cry.

+Sixth note scenery leaper.

Tumulo na ang luha ko.  It was another code.  La view.  I love you.

Biglang niyakap ako ni Mondael ng sobrang higpit.  The time stopped, literally.

I stared at Mondael with tears in my eyes.  For the first time I noticed he has the same eyes as Erno.

“I miss you so much, Fille.  I miss you…” garalgal ang tinig na sabi niya.  “I love you.  I love you so much.  I’m sorry I have to do this to keep you safe.  Matagal ko na ‘tong pinapangarap… na mayakap kita ulit.  Matagal na kitang tinitiis…”

#Don’t believe him so easily, Fille.  This could just be a trap.

Nagulat ako nang marinig ko ang boses ni Lou sa isip ko.  Akala ko ay huminto rin siya kasabay ng paghinto ng oras.

“I don’t know if I could trust you,” mahinang sabi ko kay Mondael.  He removed his necklace and it became a camera!  I have never seen Erno transfigured anything before.  Was Mondael really Erno like what he is claiming?

Inakbayan niya kami ni Lou, and he took a picture of us three.

There.  In the picture I saw the face of the person I miss and love so much.

Yumakap ulit ako kay Mondael.  “I love you!  I love you when you were Erno… I still love you for being Mondael… alam mo yun…” I accused him.  “Pero bakit… bakit kailangan mo pa akong lokohin… at ipagtabuyan palayo?”

Ipinaliwanag niya ang lahat ng naging desisyon niya habang magkayakap kami.  Pinili niyang makasama si Dominika noon so she would let us live.  Kaya pala… kaya pala nakaligtas kami sa malagim na karanasan namin sa ‘School of Excellence’.  Pero pagkalipas daw ng maikling panahon, nakaisip siya ng paraan para makatakas kay Dominika.  Kaya binago niya ang pangalan at anyo niya para hindi na siya nito muli pang mahanap.  He chose to be distant with us so we wouldn’t know his secret.  He didn’t want any of us to get hurt again.  Especially me.

“That’s why I’ve given up on us, Fille.  We can’t be together.  Not in this lifetime…” Mondael said gloomily.  “But… I lied to you, Fille.  Ellie Mae doesn’t really mean Leave Me Alone.  It stands for Love Me Again.”

I sobbed.

“Bakit hindi mo siya harapin?  Hindi ‘to matatapos kung magtatago ka lang.  Kung hindi mo siya kayang harapin mag-isa, isama mo kami, ang CMG.  We’ll all face her together,” marahas na pahayag ni Lou.  “You’ve already caused Fille so much pain.  Don’t ever think of doing it again!”

Hindi ako kumalas sa pagkakayakap ko kay Mondael.  Maya-maya pa, biglang nag-ring ang cellphone niya.  He talked on the phone for a while, then he hung up.

Lou and I gave him a questioning look.

“Si Nastja,” he said, alarmed.  “Kailangan niya ng tulong.  Nasa panganib rin daw ang iba pang members ng CMG.”

“Let’s go!  Lumaban na tayo.  It’s either we survive or die trying.  That’s the CMG’s motto,” matapang na saad ni Lou.

Without saying another word, hinawakan ni Mondael si Lou pati ako.  We walked in an incredible speed.  In just about a minute, we were already in an unfamiliar place.

Nastja was supposed to be there, but I couldn’t see her.

“Nasaan si Nastja?” I wondered.

Nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad.  Hanggang sa makita namin ang umiiyak na si Nastja.  Niyakap siya ni Mondael.

“Anong nangyari, Nastja?  Tell me…” tanong ni Mondael.

“Anjo is… dead.  They killed him.  And Robin and Kei are in critical condition…” Nastja cried.

I almost collapsed upon hearing the sad news.

“Sino?  Sino ang gumawa no’n sa kanila?” Lou asked.

“The… the negative force.  They’re inside the tunnel.  Please, guys.  Don’t enter.  Natatakot akong… baka mapahamak rin kayo,” pakiusap ni Nastja.

“It’s our job,” Lou replied shortly.

Lumapit muli si Mondael kay Nastja.

“Wait for us here.  Don’t cry.  We’ll be back, okay?” bilin ni Mondael dito.  Tumango si Nastja.

Lou, Mondael and I entered a house that looked like an abandoned castle…

---