Got Me Captive (Got Me #1) | ✓

41

"I have told you enough," sagot ko sa kanina pa nila paulit-ulit na tinatanong.

Para akong nagmamaktol na bata habang iniinteroga. Nasa tapat ko ang dalawang lalaki na ngayon ay parang kakalbuhin na ang mga sarili sa pagka-stress. The woman broke out and skedaddled. 

"You could've told us everything, geez!" Anakin frustratingly uttered.

"Yeah, and you could've done worst!" sagot ko.

"You could have put these people in danger, Xantelli," dagdag pa ni Posadaz.

Stupid. "She didn't have anything with her but her voiceless mouth, Posadaz," inikutan ko sila ng mata.

Nagmistulang bata'ng sinesermunan ang eksena sa headquarters ng The council. Ganoon na lang ang gulat nila sa ginawa ko dahilan para makatakas ang babae kasama ang isang bata mula rito.

Sinubukan pa nilang habulin sila ngunit ako na mismo ang humarang sa kanila. Binilinan ko na din sila na huwag nang hanapin pa ang dalawa dahil hindi na namin sakop ang kung anong dahilan ng babae. She was so uptight.

"We'll leave now," ani Posadaz. "Tighten the security this time, Archer."

Nagpaalam na din kami agad sa kanila pati na ang mga bata. Hindi pa rin maganda ang timpla ng mukha ni Posadaz hanggang sa makalabas kami ng lugar na iyon. The kids were with Caliber earlier so they didn't what actually was happening.

As observers as they were, I know they noticed the quietness of their father. Hindi pa nga nakaligtas ang pagtataka ni Thorn sa ama.

"Are you mad, Dada?"

Napasulyap ang lalaki sa anak nito. Nakita ko kung paanong lumambot ang emosyon ng mukha niya nang masilayan ang anak. He really couldn't resist his daughter's charm. 

"Dada's just starving, kid," sagot nito tsaka umiling. "Where do you want to eat?"

"Jollibee, Dada! I missed that red bee!" she gleefully said.

"Where is that, Ma?" I heard Xanti quietly ask.

"Oh, you'll see, Brother! You'll meet him!" Thorn answered for me.

Kita ko namang similay ang galak sa mukha ng anak kong lalaki. Sumulyap ako sa matandang Xanti at nakitang nakabusangot pa rin ang mukha nito. He looks so worn out. 

"Let's move on, People. There's no peace in violence," pagpaparinig ko.

"Shut it," he hissed. "We're no near done yet."

I shrugged my shoulders. Despite the formidable demeanor, he has the whole ride, he managed to send us on our path stress and harm-free.

He held Xanti and I have Thorn with me. Naghahagilap ng makakainan. He wasn't in the mood but he had to act up for the sake of not worrying the kids. I purposely held Thorn so that she wouldn't ask a million questions about her father.

I got on his wick, I know. Wala siyang ideya sa nangyari o sa dahilan kung bakit ko iyon ginawa. Wala rin akong balak ipaliwanag ang ginawa ko. If it really bothers him, he could find the girl and ask her himself.

We finally found a restaurant to fill these two little empty stomachs. Halos ikutin pa namin ang buong mall sa dami rin ng tinuturo ng babae'ng bulinggit.

We sat. Ordered. Enjoyed the food. I fed Thorn and Posadaz fed his little boy. Habang sinusubuan ay may naalala ako. On our way to that facility, ilang oras rin ang babyahe-in para makapunta roon. This mall was the nearest place to that facility, though.

"Was that facility on Bataan?" I asked.

Inangat niya ang mga mata niya sa akin. "Yes. Why'd you ask?"