A Case of Love (COMPLETED)

Chapter XL

"What the hell were you thinking, Aga?! You chose that shooting incident over this highly important mission?!" his uncle, Edwin, bawled him out since he arrived this morning. He's cleaning the stinging gunshot wound on his shoulder all by himself as it's no longer new to him while hearkening to Edwin's berate. Aga knows his uncle has all the rights in the world to be apoplectic so he just kept his mouth shut. Though the gratitude of leading this significant mission was granted to other agent instead, he's apathetic. He saved the little girls and that equates to a mission accomplished. In fact, it's the best and most fulfilling mission, albeit its peculiarity, he has ever accomplished. The grip of their little hands on his arms to prevent him from leaving left an invisible mark there. He badly wanted to stay and validate this oddness invading his whole system if it was not of his devoir.

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The authority came with rescuers to bring them off from that place but the kids won't let go of their tight embrace. Their shivers are palpable that he could feel it more than the spasms of pain on his shoulder. The reddish faces they're on clutched his heart while the rescuers gently unclasped their arms around his neck.

His heart melt down, "It's alright. I'll handle this". He signals the rescuers to stepback and volunteers to bring the kids himself.

"It's okay, babies. It's okay. They won't take you from me", he adds to calm them down. He rose from that position and takes the kids' hands to step out of the gruesome scene. They passed by the series of messed up classrooms, blood stains on the walls and floor caught the kids attention but he covers their eyes.

"Mr. Morning, are they bad?", Nathalia asked him while they carefully takes each step down the stairs. She's on her calmer tone now while Isabelle remains silent.

"Those guys who had guns, yes. They're very bad but those men who came to rescue us, nope. They're not bad. They just want to help us", he explains in a way their innocent minds could understand.

"Our momma is brave, too. If she's here all those bad guys will pee on their pants in fear", Isabelle, finally, joins in the conversation. He chuckled and nods in agreement. The school ground is crowded by worried parents and injured students, teachers and staffs. Rescuers and authorities are doing their rounds while a number of ambulance line up to take the victims to the nearby hospital. He roams his eyes around to look for their nanny and instantly saw her running on their direction.

"Nathalia! Isabelle! Are you okay, ha? Are you hurt?", she's down on bended knee, scanning them to assure they're free from harm.

"They're fine. Natawagan mo na ba ang parents nila?", Aga asked the nanny while he cups his gunshot wound with a hand.

"Hind parin ho sumasagot si maam, eh. Malamang nasa meeting po yun, tatawagan ko po si maam ulit ngayon. Sir, maraming salamat ho. Naku! Ang tapang niyo po. Kung di niyo po sila pinuntahan, baka ano pong nangyare sa kanila. Salamat po", their grateful nanny is in relief seeing the kids safe without any scratches.

"It's nothing" he glances at his watch and mentally cussed. It's an hour passed since their meeting begun and for sure, definitely sure, his uncle is in rage.

"Babies, Mr. Morning needs to leave now", he's down on bended knees to bid his goodbye.

But the little girls pouted, "what if the bad guys will come back? Our momma is not yet here", Nathalia on her downcast face on.