Open fire

Chapter 4

I was gasping for air when I arrived at the spot.

Jeth assisted me while walking up the stairs.

"He is a serial rapist." I muttered.

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Change your clothes then go to bed early. I'll be talking to Null later."

"Bakit?"

"Matulog ka na."

Time" 7:28am

"Business man & serial rapist found dead"

Jeth was actually reading the paper that moment. I rubbed my eyes profusely and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"Ano?!"

"Putek, yung pinatay mo kagabi nasa papers na." Sabi niya at uminom ng kape.

"Okay? Business man, big deal ko ba yun? Hindi ko nga napaglaruan." I sighed and sat down beside Jeth.

"May mga pulis na nag question dito."

"And..?"

"Well, I think they were having a hint. Isang witness ang nagsabi na may parang babae siyang kasama kagabi."

"Malay nila transgender."

"Four magseryoso ka naman. Di naman lahat ng members ng SAA bayani para ipagtanggol ka."

"I didn't say you have to protect me right?"

"Pero sabi ni null."

"Oh for the world's sake!" I put down my cup of coffee creating a quite loud clang and rushed upstairs.

"And by the way..." I stopped on my tracks while muttering those words.

Jeth dazed at me. Alam kong nag-aalala siya sa akin. Pero hindi naman nila maging OA.

"I don't want you to get worried about me. Jeth. By weekend titira ako malapit sa school kung yun ang kailangan."

***

Nakabingi ang katahimikan samin.

Buong time na nagttravel kami papunta ng school hindi kami nag-uusap ni Jeth.

Maraming bagay ang nakakapagpagulo ng isip niya. Simple lang naman gusto ko eh.

"Four..."

"Hmmm?"

"Wag ka mangtarget ng hindi sinasabi sa iyo."

"Kahit?! Kahit bonus task sa atin iyon ni boss?!"

"Hindi yun yon. paalala ko lang."

"K."

Hindi mo pla alam ang totoo.

...

...

...

...

***

Ako si Four, AKA, Katherine Grace Marcos ng 1C. Monica Alfonso talaga pangalan ko. Ulila, pero isang kilabot na elite ng SCAA. Isang secret society na umiikot ngayon sa pamamahala ni Rigel Alexis Fuerte. AKA, Null, o ang tawag sa kaniya ng ilang awtoridad, Black Justice. Sa rason na nagbibigay siya ng hustisya sa pamamagitan ng pagpatay sa nagkasala. Since here in the Philippines, hindi uso ang death penalty. Kinatatakutan siya, pero walang nakakaalam kung sino siya liban sa mga members ng samahan.

Bakit nga ba ako napunta sa puder ni Rigel?

Nagkaroon noon ng malubhang car accident na nagresulta ng matinding karambola. Maraming namatay, nasaktan, at katulad ko, NAIWANAN

I suffered from a coma that lasted for 4 or more months. Sila ang nag-alaga sa akin pero ang naging kapalit noon, ay ang serbisyo ko sa SCAA.

Noong nagising ako, ang una kong nakita ay ang ama ni Rigel, na pumanaw, si Sir George. Mabait siya. Malayo sa ugali ng anak niyang si Rigel. Pumanaw si sir George pagkatapos iAssasinate ang birthday party ng pamangkin ni Rigel na namatay din kasama ng lolo niya. Si Sir. George ang ama namin. (para sa mga naiwan).

That started to bring him to the brink of insanity. Kaya kinailangan ko siyang kausapin.

"Boss..."

"Call me Rigel."

"Uhm... Sir Rigel..."

"Rigel only."

"Rigel,"

"It sounds pleasant. Lalo na kapag sa iyo galing."

"Uhm... Thanks."

"You're gonna marry me anyway."

"What?"

"That was the purpose of saving you from the accident. You saved my nephews life. However, he was still caught of death's hand."

"But.."

"I searched everything about you. For me, you were perfect. And I learned that you ran away from your family..."

"Nagka Amnesia nga ako pero hindi ko magagawa ang ganoong bagay!"

"Yeah. Amnesia means your memories are lost. for some unknown reason."

I gasped. Then he started talking again.

"Monica, I'll give you a chance to escape my lewd talons."

"In what way?"

"I need you to find the damned person who killed my nephew and my father. I need that person alive, awake and moving. I want to kill him slowly."

"Madali naman akong kausap eh. Yun lang pala gusto mo. Basta walang kasal ah. Walang ganoong pang black mail doy."

"Ha, you're really funny. Minsan mahirap din magdesisyon. Kapag di mo nagawa iyan within 2 years, I won't let you leave and remove the inserted drug in your body since your awakening. You owe me a loyt. I'm not as kind as what you think." He said looking deeply at me.

I dazed. Words won't fall from my lips.

"That's why you're too addicted to fights and blood." He added.

Natulala talaga ako ng araw na iyon. For 2 years, I'll suffer.

Jeth was my best friend. He heard our talking that day. And up until now, he's helping me. Ako ang sakit niya sa ulo. Siya naman ang kanang kamay ni Rigel. Rigel commanded him to take care of me, and the rest of the SCAA members.

That was a pretty long flashback of my progress as of today. Nakatingin lang ako noon sa bintana. Lutang.

Biglang tumigil yung van. Napatingin ako kay Jeth. May kausap siya sa phone.

"Uhm. Yes sir. "

At natapos ang conversation.

"Four, you'll be leaving my house today and live somewhere near your school." He said abruptly.