The Healer

Chapter 29 : The Infiltration (Part I)

THE WIND IS CHILLY despite the thick coat I am wearing. The streets are very quiet, as people are still in their slumber. Stores are still closed and the only one open is the 24-hour convenience store up ahead which is a few meters away from us. The roads are dark since it's still dawn.

Luca puffed a smoke. I didn't know he smokes. Well, I've never seen him smoke before. I figured he smokes when he's stressed or wants to clear his head. We're doing something big today after all. 

"Don't you think if they see you smoking they wouldn't want you?" 

He puffed a smoke before giving me a sideward glance. "Darling, you have no idea how much guys like wild girls." He winked and gave me his sweetest smile accentuating his full red lips. Despite the cold, his short skirt didn't bother him. I didn't think he could pull off a girl's clothes because right now, I'm seeing a very beautiful woman, Luca St. Delphi. 

"Why are you doing this?" He asked, looking up ahead. 

"Is there a reason why not?" 

He chuckled and dropped his cigarette bago niya to tinapakan. He faced me, his height looming. Despite his womanly features now, I don't think his built could trick the kidnappers. 

"First off, you're a healer. You're not used to things like this. Second, though it's fake, you're the Duchess. Third, you're exactly what they want and you're going right into their hands because of this mission. Fourth, Exene will kill me if something happens to you." 

I wrapped the coat tightly around me and looked at him straight in the eye. "Healers can fight too. I am the Duchess and even if it isn't true, that's what the people believe and a Duchess can't just sit and watch as innocent people get treated like animals. These pirates-- I am what they want that's why we're doing this. And besides, I am not fighting this battle alone. You all have my back. So I am quite confident we'll win this one. " 

It took him a few seconds before he sighed and combed his long brown hair. "My, my. You really speak like a Duchess now. Are you are you're just pretending?" 

I chuckled. "Hundred percent." 

Napatingin ako sa malaking orasan an naroon. Any minute now, they'll be here. Davis tailed Apollo's men before during that time he was always away. And he found out, they've been posting job offers for women. Interested women are welcome to apply without knowing what's waiting for them. That's what we're doing now. We're pretending to be interested for the job. As for our clothes, Luca insisted it would be helpful so I went with the flow. 

There were a lot of discussions while planning for this. Exene had an initial plan but it wasn't enough. I couldn't let them do it by themselves. After all, I am what they want. Doing the opposite of what the enemy wants is like going straight to their trap. So I'm going to infiltrate the boat. I will go straight to the enemy. A surprise attack as to how Levi described it. It took a long time before we get to decide who's going. Exene was strongly against it, and surprisingly, Black was too. 

I was about to turn to Luca when I heard a click of a gun. Luca pulled me close. 

"This is them," he whispered. I took a sharp breath. There are three men are walking towards us. Where they come from, hindi ko alam. They just appeared. 

I couldn't see their face clearly because of the dark and they are also wearing masks. 

"Are you the ones who sent an application yesterday?" asked one of them. Luca nudged me gently. I have to do the talking. 

"Yes. We saw the poster and we're interested--"

"Tie them," sabi ng isa. Luca nudged me again.

"Tie? Why do you have to tie us--"