Kill For The Gangster King's Throne (2016)

Chapter 22 - Don't Talk To Strangers

Chapter 22 - Don't Talk To Strangers

THIRD PERSON POV

"Fres Evangelique Hanzelle..." wika ng isang 'di pamilyar na boses.

Napalingon si Fres at hinanap ang pinagmumulan ng boses. "Sino ka?"

"Ako si..." bumaba ito mula sa puno na kinauupuan at dahan-dahang lumapit kay Fres. "Herand."

Umatras si Fres. "Anong ginagawa mo rito? Do you know that what you're doing is trespassing?"

Nagkibit-balikat ang lalaking nagngangalang Herand. "So? I just want to see you..."

Kumunot ang noo ni Fres. She doesn't even know the guy. Baka isa 'to sa mga sumali sa palaro ng kanyang ama at natalo. Kawawa naman pala.

"Now, I understand why you're doing this..." sabi ni Fres. "But you have to accept the fact that you lost."

Herand's face was blank. "...what?"

Nagkibit-balikat si Fres. "Sumali ka sa palaro ng Daddy ko at natalo, 'di ba? Just accept that you already lost, and then leave."

"Pfft..." Sinubukang magpigil ng tawa ang binata ngunit hindi niya nagawa. "HAHAHAHA!"

Kumunot ang noo ni Fres at parang tila nainsulto sa tawa ni Herand. "Why are you laughing?" mataray na tanong nito.

Pinigilan ni Herand na tumawa. "Oh, I... I'm sorry. It wasn't a joke?"

Sinamaan ito ni Fres ng tingin. Hindi niya maintindihan ang lalaking ito. Hindi ba kaya nandito ito ay dahil sa isa ito sa mga sumali sa palaro ng tatay niya, natalo, at ngayon ay nilalapitan siya para magkaroon ulit ng tsansa para makasali sa laro?

"Akala mo talaga na kaya ako nandito ay dahil sa kalokohan ng tatay mo?" Herand composed himself. "Well, wrong guess."

"Then... bakit sabi mo gusto mo akong makita?" naguguluhang tanong ng dalaga.

Humakbang palapit sa kanya ang lalaki. Walang nagawa si Fres nang mabilis nitong haplusin ang kanyang pisngi.

"Don't touch me!" Kinakabahan itong umatras. Ngayon lang nangyari sa kanya ito, ang kabahan in a bad way nang dahil sa isang lalaki. Most of the time, she's confident around boys, especially if they're enemies.

Ngumisi ang lalaki. "I wanna see you because I wanna... kill you."

Hindi nakagalaw si Fres sa hindi malaman na dahilan.

"FRES!" sigaw ng mga pamilyar na boses. Nagtataka lang si Fres kung bakit parang nanghihina ang kanyang pandinig at kung bakit lumalabo ang kanyang paningin.

Lumapit sa kanya si Herand at bumulong sa tainga nito. "Patikim pa lang 'to, Hanzelle. Get ready for our more deadly and beautiful revenge."

He then stepped back and ran.

"Habulin niyo siya!"

"Fres, damn!"

Fres can feel her body falling and her consciousness fading, pero bago pa siya tuluyang mawalan ng malay ay naramdaman niya ang pagsalo sa kanya ng isang katawan. Mainit ito at nakaramdam siya ng seguridad dito.

"Evangelique... Don't worry, you're safe now."

***

HANJ QUIEÑO

Halos mabaliw na kami sa kakahanap kay Fres at siguro kung hindi pa dumating ang daddy niya para kamustahin kami ay hindi namin siya mahahanap. Seems like King Train already knew that this would happen kaya nilagyan niya ng tracker ang binigay niyang necklace kay Fres.

At buti na lang din, we found her immediately. Though I don't know if we found her on time...

"What happened to my daughter?" kalmadong tanong ni King Train kay Code. Nandito ulit sila dahil pinatawag sila ni King Train. Si Fres ay nakahiga sa isang hospital bed at nakapalibot sa kanya ang mga gangmates ni Code, doing their job and healing her.

"She was poisoned." sagot ni Code. "Obviously, the weapon that was used by the attacker contained poison."

"Kaya niyo ba siyang gamutin?" tanong ni Pin na nasa tabi ko lang, his eyes never leaving Fres. Pansin ko na kanina pa siya nakatingin sa kanya. Huh, I think he already fell for her, too. Great. More competitors.

Bored na tinignan siya ni Code kaya napatingin siya rito. "That's why we're here. Because we can do what normal doctors can't." sagot nito.

"At hindi kami gumagamot ng pasyenteng alam naming wala nang pag-asang magamot pa." sabat ng isa sa kanila. Jay, I think? I can't remember their names.

Binaling ni Code ang tingin niya kay King Train na malalim ang iniisip. "Tito, do you have any idea kung sino ang pwedeng gumawa nito sa kanya? This is a very serious offense."

"Kasi?" tanong ni Zeron habang nakahalukipkip, beside him was Lomi who closed his eyes.

"Because this poison is also a drug. I've seen it before." sagot ni Code.

"Wait..." Tinignan siya ni King Train. "Is that the drug that was used on KC's son?"

Code nodded grimly. Nagkatinginan kami nina Miiko, Pin at Geo. Zeron's face was blank. Wala kaming ideya sa pinag-uusapan nila.

"Quilium." Karma said. "It's that drug, right?"

Napatingin sa kanya sina Code at King Train. Tumango ang mga ito. Napansin yata nila na naguguluhan na kami sa mga pinag-uusapan nila kaya...

"Quilium is an illegal drug. Pinagbabawal itong gamitin kahit nating mga nasa gangster world. Dati ay may nabiktima na ito. He was only a child. They brought him to our hospital and we conducted an operation. It was something like this, too. The boy was the adopted child of the Trese Crimson King's 13th member, Klein Chance Rochefort." paliwanag ni Castor. "By the way, Queen, we could really use some help."

"What happened?" tanong ni Code at lumapit sa mga ito.

"Gentlemen, we have to talk." seryosong sabi ni King Train. "Follow me."

"Yes, King." sagot namin at sinundan siya.

I looked back at Fres.

Please be okay, my princess.

***

THIRD PERSON POV

Tahimik ang kwarto nang pumasok sina King Train at ang mga binata.

Nagpakawala ng mahabang buntong hininga si King Train.

"We're sorry." paghingi ng tawad ni Hanj. He bowed. "Dapat ay binilisan namin ang paghahanap, dapat una pa lang ay hindi namin hinayaang makatakas siya... None of this would've happened if–"

"No. No, don't worry about it, Hanj. Nangyari na ang nangyari. We can't do anything about it." Ngumiti si King Train. "But since it is obvious that someone is attempting to kill my daughter, I would have to make some... changes."

"Like what?" Geo asked.

Tinignan sila isa-isa ni King Train. "I want Fres married right away. So, I'm giving each of you a whole week with her to get to know each other better."

"Starting with whom, King?" seryosong tanong ni Lomi.

King Train looked around. "Starting with Mr. Hanj since he was the last one to kiss her."

Hanj secretly smiled and bowed in gratitude. Umirap naman si Zeron sa kawalan. Pin's shoulder slumped, he suddenly wished he kissed Fres last. Miiko shrugged. Geo just nodded in amusement. Lomi and Karma? Well, ano pa ba? Eh 'di pokerfaced pa rin.

"Kailan po ang simula?"

"Tomorrow." King Train smiled. "Good luck, everyone."

Umalis na ito sa kwarto at naiwan ang pitong binatang mag-aagawan sa puso ng isang dalagang ayaw magpaagaw.

"Well, may the best man win, guys."