Blood Sucker [Completed, Editing/Revising]

Blood 38 - unedited

"Did...did I hear you right?"

He nodded. His face showed nothing. "We should kill her. At this stage, ito na lang ang tanging paraan."

Halos gumuho ang mundo ni Adrienne sa narinig. It's like her capability to comprehend every single words they're saying fell into a straight line. She did hear it right, but her mind can't accept the cruel information. She didn't want to because she loved her. Elisse...she vowed to protect her at all cost. Kung mawawala lang din naman ang pinakamamahal then she's better off dead, too—with her.

"Kailan tayo kikilos?" her father asked. He's serious as hell, para bang hindi nila makakabangga ang ina niya, na asawa nito. Is this what they call war?

Fighting each other.

Betrayals.

All bullshit.

Rain walked out along with the twins. Asha cried on her wife's shoulder. Samantha bowed her head, her shoulders shaking—crying. She wants to cry, but she's too exhausted. Napatingin siya sa Dean. Bago pa nito tuluyang mabasa ang nasa isip niya ay umalis na agad siya. She needed to be alone. Kailangan niyang iayos ang sarili.

Naniniwala siyang hindi sila basta tatraydurin ni Elisse. Pamilya sila nito. Hindi sila ipagpapalit ng dalaga dahil sa mga nalaman nito. Alam niyang masakit, dahil kahit siya ay nahihirapan sa mga natuklasan. But she knew she has her reason. Reason which she didn't understand yet. But maybe...if she can just be with her right away, maybe, she'll be able to help her.

Pagkapasok sa kwarto ay agad siyang nahiga. She still needed to wait. A few minutes from now ay magagawa na nilang ma-trace ang location nina Haru. She knew they can do it. And with a little help, kung naisip nina Haru na hamunin sila ay malaki ang posibilidad na ang mga ito na mismo ang kusang magbigay ng kanilang kinaroroonan.

Based on the plan, it'll be worldwide. There's a big possibility that the guardians will be assigned to different countries. Maybe, her plan can work. Kailangan makapunta siya sa lugar ni Elisse. Kailangan niyang mauna bago pa sila makarating.

Makalipas ang ilang minuto ay muli siyang lumabas para puntahan Dean. Maybe he can give her the coordinates. Kung hindi naman, siguro siya na lang bahalang mag-track. She decided to take a visit first to the conference room. Wala nang tao.

She took a deep sigh as she scanned through the monitor after she booted it open. She rammed continuously on the series of files displayed after she got the access of the latest video call's information. Using the installed application, it became easier to make access. Once getting naked with the needed information, she turned off the device and silently got out of the room.

Mabilis siyang naghanda. Kailangan niya nang umalis bago pa siya maabutan.

Elisse, pupuntahan kita.

___

Pinagmasdan ni Elisse ang braso niya. Kanina lang ay puno ito ng maninipis na tubo na waring umuubos sa dugo niya. But now, there's no evidence left that she just participated to their plan. She knew it. Nagkausap ang mga ito kanina. Nakapikit siya pero gising ang kanyang diwa. She heard it all.

And she heard her voice. Adrienne...as much as she wanted to open her eyes and tell her she's fine, she just can't. May kailangan pa siyang unahin. She didn't know what will happen next after this plan. Maybe they'll be planning to kill her, she didn't know. And maybe, hindi imposibleng maglaban sila ni Adrienne.

Kailangan niya lang ng oras. Hindi niya alam kung tama ba ang ginagawang pagtulong pero tingin niya ay iyon na lang ang natatanging paraan. She didn't know what she can do sa oras na mangyari na ang lahat. Pero susubukan niya. Mamamatay na lang din naman siya.

It felt...heartbreaking. Knowing na baka hindi na niya sila makasama. Silang lahat. Siguro nga, walang nagsabi sa kanya ng totoo, pero alam niyang may dahilan ang mga ito, kahit na naguguluhan din siya.

She walked through the lonely hallway. Tahimik pero alam niyang may mga nagmamasid sa kanya. Based on her observations, lahat ng mga tauhan ni Haru, they were all lingering everywhere like predators.

They were all given neither good nor bad predictions towards the future of both race. It can work. But somehow, the flaws were inevitable. The possible outcomes can be temporary and destructive at the end. Siguro naisip na nila 'yon at siguro, malaki ang tiwala nila na masosolusyonan nila ito.

Just like what she'd been planning.

Napadpad siya sa kinaroroonan nina Haru. The rooms were filled with different apparatus. Tubes lingered and scattered, there were several connected to those newborns who were lying like a sick patient on the white bed. She watched the big screen at the top middle of the room, those were the footage of different areas they're observing.

"Oh, Elisse," Haru glanced at her and smiled proudly. "Look, we're on the move. Our pawns our now at the perfect positions to attack the enemy. Beautiful, isn't it?"

She mentally gulped. She watched and nodded with an empty answer. Deep inside, she's kind of worried if she's too late to do something.

"The first batch was sent at the South." He pointed at the screen, the footage were cut into several scenes taken in different areas. They're attacking the division first. "Mabilis ang pagkalat, Elisse. All thanks to your blood."

She looked at him. Then her gaze landed to Miss Rei who's looking at her, too.

"Rei." She didn't reply and so Elisse continued. "To whom your loyalty lies?"

"To the plan."

"Not to him?" She asked, pertaining to Haru. Rei shook her head. "If ever Haru and the university have the same plan, will you still be with them?"

"It is possible." She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm just too exhausted with all these wars."

She can see her point somehow. "Do you love your family?"

"I do." She glanced at the newborns. "That's why I'm doing this."

Hindi na siya muli pang nagtanong. It was enough, enough not to doubt her. Elisse understood her. Ganoon siguro talaga.

Mapatao man o hindi, lahat ay magkakaiba ng pananaw. Maging tama man ito o mali. Because in this world's full of sins and chaos—what is righteous could be wrong, and what's wrong could be the righteous thing to do.

Napatingin siya kay Haru. Bumigat ang nararamdaman niya. She wanted to accept him but...maybe, this was not the right time to consider those abstract things.

Hope.

Freedom.

Peace.

All's nothing but an abstract belief of one's own mind. And yet, all living beings cling to it because it gives everyone the reason to live and move forward. Maybe, that's the reason why war exist.

"Master, may nakapasok po sa teritoryo natin."

Kaagad siyang napatingin sa isa sa view sa screen. Nanlaki ang mata niya nang makita ang nilalang na bumaba sa isang motor. Bakit...bakit nandito siya?

"Who?"

Desperation and heartache filled her system. She felt like it's been a millennium since she last saw her. She's happy and afraid at the same time. For her safety.

"One of the guardians."

She should not be here.

Adrienne.

_____