The Science of Spying (Erityian Tribes, #4) | Published under Pop Fiction

Chapter 42 : Meeting Midnight

Nigel's body slumped to the ground as blood gushed from the large cut on his back.

"Nigel!" I yelled as I ran toward him. He groaned while he tried to get up but I had to keep him down or else he'd lose more blood.

My body was shaking from shock and anger and it wouldn't do good if I couldn't control my emotions. I gripped my dagger so hard that I felt my skin getting bruised from the friction.

"As expected from a member of Team Magnus," he smirked as he wiped Nigel's blood off his face.

He walked toward Zeno's direction and stood beside him. I stared at him, hoping that this was just some kind of diversion for his counterattack but deep inside, I already knew it wasn't.

He betrayed us. And that was the truth.

"Lord Midnight, let's go," Zeno said as he draped a cloak around his shoulders.

Midnight. Hearing that alias shattered my soul. Rage and agony churned inside me. I wanted to make him pay for what he did but Nigel reached for my arm and tugged it with the little strength left in him.

'Don't,' he warned and my heart broke when I saw how badly hurt he was. 'You'll die.'

'I won't!' I exclaimed. 'He needs to pay for this! He betrayed us! He—!'

'I know, but you can't kill him, Nel.'

Tuluyan nang tumulo ang luha ko nang marinig ko 'yon. I already knew that. But after what he did to Nigel, I had already accepted the probability that I'd lose my life today.

"How could you?" one of the Executives growled while glaring at Midnight and I had never seen him this serious. His presence screamed danger and being near him made it harder to breathe.

Midnight flashed a gentle smile, as if he just reverted to his old persona, but his eyes clearly showed malice. Zeno stepped forward, his gun pointed at the Executives.

"Stop," Midnight ordered and Zeno immediately pulled back. "We must hurry. Dealing with them is just a waste of time. Let's go."

"Yes, my lord."

"I trusted you," I said, breaking the unbearable tension between us.

"Trust?" he scoffed. "Trusting someone is what weak and naïve people do. I am neither of them, Penelope."

Hearing my name from his mouth sent shivers down my spine. It doesn't sound the same anymore and it will never be. Just then, I realized how eerily similar his voice was with the one who called Onyx a while ago.

"I never knew all of you trusted me this much," he said while flashing an apologetic smile. It hurt to see him act like the same old person we knew. "It just shows how credulous you all are."

It was that moment that my displeasure and resentment overwhelmed me and took over my reasoning. Tumayo ako at sumugod papunta sa kanya pero agad din akong napatigil nang bigla na lang may kung anong dumaan sa magkabilang-gilid ko. The next thing I knew, weapons were already clashing against each other, their animus and grace were activated and another Class-S battle had commenced.

However, what surprised me was the fact that Nigel was also fighting. Pagtingin ko, huminto na ang pagdudugo ng likod niya. Saka ko na-realize na handa nga siya para sa pagkakataong 'to. He, too, must have taken an antihemorrhagic drug to stop the bleeding of his wound. But still, being able to fight, let alone move in that state was unbelievable.

Seeing them fight with their former comrade was painful to see. Akala ko, kahit papaano ay may chance na matalo ang zuersts dahil dalawa lang sila pero doon ako nagkamali. My head would be rolling on the floor had I not activated my grace few seconds ago. Mom just dashed through the hallway with unthinkable speed and swung her butterfly swords toward me.