Team Alpha

Chapter 22

'Nature of Men'

XIN

"Ikaw? 'San ka ba galing?" Tanong ni Jayden sa kanya matapos nilang ipaliwanag ang nangyari sa akin kagabi. Seth had to interrupt for at least a few times just to react on why no one responded immediately when it's actually my fault. A surprise or unexpected attack is one of my weaknesses that I'm still working on for the past years.

Tiningnan namin si Seth na naging malikot ang mga mata dahil kung saan-saan siya tumitingin.

"Don't tell me that you were with Addie while our sister almost became a feast for vampires—no offense, Jun." Itinaas lang ni Jun ang dalawang kamay niya bilang pagsang-ayon sa sinabi ni Jayden.

"I was with her—for an hour. Tsaka na ako pumunta sa Olympus. Zeus called me in." Pagdedepensa ni Seth sa sarili.

"But you were still with Addie." Sabi ni Hoshi na nandun sa gilid at pinaniningkitan pa si Seth kahit singkit na ang mga mata niya. Seth just shrugged his shoulders and admitted to his doings. "Bakit ka nga pala pinatawag ni Zeus?" Tanong ni Baxter kay Seth. Seth then looked at us and cleared his throat.

"Remember our first mission with Xin?" Tanong niya at tumango-tango lang kami bilang sagot maliban kay Hoshi na parang nag-iisip pa. "Ahh! 'Yung golden katana!" Sigaw niya at tumayo pa. Vernon had to pull him down to sit again at ngumiti nalang si Seth at tsaka tumango-tango.

"We had three particular mission during Storm's command. First, the golden katana. Second, the black mirror and lastly, Poseidon's trident." Sabi ni Seth habang nagsusulat siya dun sa board. Tiningnan ko lang 'yung iba na naghihintay sa punto ni Seth. They usually don't question him until he's done talking about something. "Zeus told us to return those things." Sabi niya dahilan para mahinang matawa si Jayden at tinakpan ang bibig niya tsaka yumuko.

"What? Now he's telling us to return the things that we stole?" Tanong ni Jayden at isang tango lang ang binigay ni Seth sa kanya. Jayden's giggle and smile faded away at nagseryoso na siya. Tiningnan naman namin si Seth na nagsusulat na ng plano dun sa board habang nakatingin lang 'yung team dito. Naghintay lang kami sa kanya na matapos sa pagpaplano.

Nung tapos na siya ay ibinaba niya na ang marker at tiningnan kami.

"We leave by dawn." Pagtatapos niya sa meeting at sinabing pwede na kaming matulog. The team quickly scattered and went on to their respective rooms. Tiningnan ko nalang si Jun na nakaupo parin dun sa kinauupuan niya. Pumunta nalang ako sa kusina at binuksan ang ref tsaka kumuha ng isang apple. Bumalik ako sa sala at tinawag si Jun.

Tumingin siya sa akin at tsaka ko tinapon sa kanya 'yung apple na hawak ko at sinalo niya naman ito. He muffled a 'thank you' under his breath and just looked at the apple. I just pursed my lips and looked at him.

"You can tell me whenever you're ready. I'm not in rush." Nakangiti kong sabi sa kanya at tsaka na umalis pero narinig ko pa ang bulong ni Matthew nung dumaan siya sa tabi ko.

"What a damn lucky guy." Bulong niya sa sarili na narinig ko naman at tsaka na siya tumakbo at inakbayan si Walter na naglalakad papunta sa taas. Binalewala ko nalang 'yun at umupo sa sofa habang nakikinig kami ni Milo ng jazz music. It soothed me.

We're finally going on a mission after a long time. The memories of that night came back to me. How we jumped from a jet, how I discovered what Jun was, how he almost killed me that night and how I saw Wolfie transform for the first time.

I am in an awesome team. And even though we're having little glitches right now, I don't mind.

After a doze of music, I decided to go to bed. And this night, the routine changed. I woke up not feeling Jun's arm on my waist because he was just sitting on the chair, reading a book. The room was dark kaya ini-on ko ang ilaw.