Hidden Heiress

Forty Two

Forty Two

Ilang araw akong nanatili sa bahay para pag-aralan lahat ng plano. Both my mom and dad are still hesitant to my plan pero dahil sa determinasyon ko sa lahat, wala silang nagawa. Ilang araw na akong walang tulog because everytime that I tried to sleep, mukha ni Lennox ang nakikita ko, his eyes who's screaming for my help.

Dad took over the company while I was in distress. Hapon nang nakatanggap ako ng text galing sa kaniya.

Dad: Ryker will go there, dala niya ang mga kailangan niyo para sa mission.

Nagtipa kaagad ako.

Ako: Thank you Daddy.

Dad: Make sure to eat and sleep well, Keisha.

Ako: Okay po Daddy, thank you po.

Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang aking mga bodyguard na may kanya-kanyang pwesto sa library room ni Daddy. Lahat pagod at nakapikit, tahimik akong naupo sa swivel chair ni Daddy habang pinaglalaruan ang aking cellphone.

I tried to make my phone active for the past few days at nagbabakasakali na makatanggap ng text mula kay Lennox, but there was just none. Gabi-gabi 'rin akong umaalis sa bahay para magpunta sa unit niya, nagbabakasakaling makita ko ang nagmamatyag sa akin doon--pero wala pa 'rin.

Then I realize something, bakit hindi ko ito naisip noon. I look at Yen and Reyla who's half asleep due to exhaustion.

"Yen!" tawag ko ng pansin niya.

"Yes?" maagap niyang sagot.

"You remember the girl who's my schoolmate back then, right?" tumango siya.

"Maybe we can have her information and track her. She's my stalker! Damn it! Ngayon ko lang naisip ito." Mabilis ang galaw ni Reyla at Yen dahil sa sinabi ko.

"Siya 'rin ang nagtutok ng baril sayo hindi ba?" si Reyla na agad kong tinanguan. Both Yen, Lia are now calling someone. Naging abala silang lahat while I analyze the white board clearly. Halos wala ng mapag-sulatan ang naroon. We brainstorm everything and we hope that we didn't skip even a little information.

Napag-alaman namin na ang lahat ng mga Dela Vega ay hawak ng terorista, kahit ang kapatid niya at asawa nito. Gagawin talaga nila ang lahat para may mahawakan sila sa pamilya nila Lennox, be it him or his brother.

Now for sure they are torturing him to accept his destiny. Naikuyom ko ang aking kamay dahil sa mga naiisip. Makaraan ng ilang sandali, niluwa ng library room namin si Ryker na ang lapad ng ngiti habang bitbit ng mga bodyguard niya ang kailangan namin.

"Hi my dear cous..." natigilan siya sa paghakbang at masuring tiningnan ang isa sa aking dalawang bodyguard. Kumunot ang noo ko sa ginawa niya, I traced his line of vision, he is a bit shocked while looking at Jhana.

They must know each other. I look at Jhana who's also shocked while looking at my cousin.

"Dala mo ba lahat ng kailangan ko?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Hindi pa siya agad nakapagsalita bago unti-unting tumango sa akin. Huminga ako ng malalim at iniwas sa kaniya ang aking paningin. Hindi nagtagal, lumapit sa akin si Lia.

"I know where she is right now." Kaagad nagpantig ang tenga ko sa sinabi niya.

Halos lahat ng tao sa loob ng room ay nakatingin na sa iba-balita ni Lia.

"Where is she?" tanong ko, hindi na makapaghintay.

'She's outside..." Lia sighed heavily. "Based on her phone tracker, she outside watching you." napalunok ako sa sinabi niya. Hindi ko maiwasang hindi mapangiti dahil tama nga ang hinala ko, that terrorist girl will never ever leave me alone especially now that they're holding Lennox.

"What's your plan?" tanong ni Reyla sa akin. Sandali akong nag-isip. Bigla kong naramdaman ang presensya ni Ryker sa tabi ko at mariing binabasa ang nasa whiteboard.

"What are you doing Keisha? Why is the picture of your bodyguard in there? Akala ko ba umalis na siya?" sunod sunod na tanong niya sa akin. Mariin ko siyang tiningnan at hindi nagsalita. Pagod na pagod ang isip ko at utak para sabayan ang pangungulit ni Ryker sa akin, he left the library room without getting an answer from me.

Napahawak ako sa aking sintido sandali, kitang-kita ang pagod sa mga mata ko.

"Magpahinga ka na lang muna Keisha, we understand your determination in saving Lennox, pero baka ikaw naman ang bumigay dahil sa ginagawa mo. Look at yourself." galit na sambit ni Reyla sa akin. I look at her a bit weary at pagod na pagod na tinitigan ang litrato ni Lennox sa whiteboard.

Nagbabadya na naman ang luha sa mata ko and in the end, I sighed and leave the library room so I can sleep even for a bit. Papasok na sana ako sa aking kwarto ng mapasulyap ako sa kwarto niya. I unknowingly walk towards his room at binuksan 'yon. Bumuhos ang luha sa mata ko habang naalala ko siya 'rito. How I watch him sleeping soundly on his bed, how he kisses me...all of it are hunting me.

I've realized how much I loved him now that he disappeared. I realize how I am willing to fight for him. Hindi ko ito maamin sa kaniya noon dahil nasa harap ko siya at alam kong hindi niya ako iiwan. I was so confident that he will never slip away on my hands because he's so in love with me... but now that God test us with this kind of problem, hindi ko maamin sa sarili kong hindi ko pala kayang mawala siya sa akin.

In our relationship, I was the one who's always teasing his love for me. Ito na ata ang ganti sa akin ni Lennox, he is now teasing me with this suicidal mission. I didn't even know if he's still breathing, right now? Or fighting for his life.

I crawled on his bed while the tears were still flowing.

I took my phone out to give him an update of what I am doing, afterall I promised this to him.
Ako: I'm on your bed, missing you.

I backtrack all my updates on him. Lahat hindi niya nababasa. Tuloy-tuloy na nagbagsakan ang luha ko as I read again my updated on him.

Ako: Lennox where are you?

Ako: I can't sleep, nag-aalala na ako sayo.

Ako: Hindi na ako pumasok sa office dahil mas pinagtutuunan kita ng pansin. Please Lennox, please be safe until I go there and save you.

Ako: Where are you? I miss you badly.

Ako: You're so unfair, sabi mo mag-update ako, but why am I not receiving anything from you.

Ako: If I will save you from that terrorist, I will break up with you. Mark that!

In the end I type in what I am feeling right now.

Ako: I remember how you always texted me way back then and this is what it feels like to be ignored. I'm sorry if I ignored all your messages back then. I promise to be active in texting you from now on, just please...please be safe Lennox. I miss you so much, my parents are worried. I'm not sleeping or eating well and I am deeply worried about you.

Nakatulugan ko ang takot sa lahat ng mga nangyayari. Paggising ko isang malakas na ulan ang sumalubong sa akin. Agad akong nakatanggap ng tawag kay Reyla.

"Where are you, that girl is moving." kaagad akong napabalikwas sa aking pagkakahiga at dali-daling lumabas ng kwarto ni Lennox.

Patakbong kong tinungo ang study room ni Daddy at tinitigan ng maigi ang tracker na gumagalaw. After I analyze it, lumabas ako ng kwarto upang makapag-handa.

I took a shower and changed my clothes. I braid my hair so I can move freely without the hindrance of my hair. I wear my black cargo pants and white racerback with a black leather jacket. I put on my running shoes bago bumalik sa study room.

I smiled weakly at all of them.

"I will be a bait, ready our chopper." seryosong sambit ko.

"Are you sure?" singit na tanong ni Lia. I nodded. Dinampot ko sa table ang earpiece na hindi halata sa aking tenga and put it there. Reyla also gave me a gun that has a full bullets.

"I never said that you use it, just for your defense." aniya na nginitian ko.

"Make sure to always contact us Keisha, your earpiece will be our communication. Dont ever dare to turn it off." He slid something in my pocket. "It's your locator if ever na mawalan kami ng contact sayo, they will never know what it is, they will think it's just a simple pendant." tumango-tango ako.

Yen put a cap on my head and smiled wearily.

"We will be on your back, once they captured you, lumaban ka sandali, let them feel that you didn't have any agenda, or you didn't plan any of it. Be vigilant Keisha..." lahat sila ay halos kinakabahan nang umalis ako sa silid. Nakasalubong ko pa si Mommy na halos naiiyak sa may hagdan. I gently hug her tightly.

"Don't cry Mommy, I will be back safe and sound. Ililigtas ko lang si Lennox sandali, and then I will make sure to introduce him to you." Mommy nodded hesitantly.

"Please be safe, Keisha. We will never forgive ourselves and even that Sergeant if something happens to you." I chuckled and nodded. Hinawakan ni Mommy ang kamay ko, I felt how she didn't want to let go of it. I smiled assuring her and she let me go.

I am on my Ducati while all my bodyguards are keenly watching me on my back. The rain turned into drizzle. For the last time, I wave my hands as a sign of goodbye. I buckle myself up and put my helmet on. Dire-diretso ang pagpapatakbo ko while I felt a black car following me. I smirk as I proceed on my plan; to go to Lennox unit so they can capture me.

Hindi ako nagpahalatang nakukutuban kong may nakasunod sa akin. I open Lennox unit and felt someone beside me.

I touch my ear so I can activate the earpiece.

"They're here." sambit ko bago ko hinarap ang nakaitim na lalaki sa aking likuran.

"Fight Keisha, where in the basement. For sure they are informed that you were trained in close defense." boses ni Reyla ang narinig ko. Hindi pa man tuluyang nakakapasok sa loob ng unit.

That boy suddenly holds my shoulder but I was fast so I can easily access his arms, dahilan kung bakit naingudngod ko siya sa pader. I corner his two hands at mariing hinawakan sa likod niya, I twist it, narinig ko ang paginda niya sa ginawa ko.

"Where's Lennox?" unang tanong na kumawala sa bibig ko.

I heard that man chuckled and smirked, and on the other side, I felt someone...and then he abruptly corners me with a towel on his hand at tinakip sa aking bibig. The smells of it are making me dizzy that it controls my system to sleep in a span of seconds.

Before I became unconscious, I heard someone.

"Napatulog na po namin. Opo, aalis na kami bitbit ito. Hindi po namin gagalawin. Sa dati parin po ba? Sige po, pupunta na kami diyan." that man said.

"Tangina, ang lakas palang ng babaeng ito. Ang sakit ng kamay ko."

And the black image is all I can see, a shadow of darkness that I never felt will surface again in my life.