Chapter 18

SHE HAD a great night and a nice moment to start her day. Malaki ang expectation ni El na magiging maganda ang buong araw nya pagkatapos nilang magka-ayos ni Fourth. 

Pero kahit isang araw man lang ay hindi talaga sya lulubayan ng reyalidad nya. Tumalikod lang sya sandali ay bomba na ang tinapon sa likuran nya. 

And it wasn’t just a simple bombing. How did a bomb passed their security in the first place? 

Tuloy ang pagtipa ng mga daliri ni Eleanor sa mesa habang nakikinig sa mga paliwanag ni Sky. 

“The bomb was ours. Kaya naka-pasok ito sa main gate,” anito, “But after we investigated, we found out na hindi natin tauhan ang nagdrive ng mga supply ng bomba.” 

“He passed the main gate’s identity verification using one of our employee who’s in charge of driving that truck for supplies,” dugtong ni Cloud at may pinindot sa computer nito. 

A face of their employee then flashed on the screen, Raynan Abansado. After a click, the screen showed another image. Kuha ito ng CCTV sa main entrance ng Scarletti. 

“He passed the ID verification, fingerprint scanner, and… the face recognition scan.” Lahat ng ito ay nagpop-up the screen. 

El looked at the face detected on the scanner and then, to their employee’s profile. She can’t tell that they’re two different person. Natigil ang pagtipa ng mga daliri nya.

“I can see that you can’t also differentiate them, Empress.” Tingin sakanya ni Sky, “This scheme was so good- I admit.” 

“I agree, this person looked like he had a plastic surgery, when the truth is, it’s just wax.” Tango ni Cloud.

“This is the only evidence they left us. A torn fake face.” Inilapag ni ito ni Sky sa mesa. “Our clean up crew found this on the 15th floor of SB-3. Kung saan sumabog ang bomba.” 

“The real Raynan Abansado filed a sick leave a week ago, I ordered one of his superior to check on him earlier and found out that he’s indeed sick, and he’s at the hospital.. still recovering at the moment.” Paliwanag pa ni Sky.

“Whoever this guy is, his goal doesn’t involve harming our people. Dahil wala ng tao sa floor na yun nang pinasabog nya ang bomba. The bomb used can be activated by a remote. One click, at sasabog kaagad ito.” He added.

“It was aimed for distraction. Kasabay ng pagsabog bomba, my team’s sytem got hacked. And a woman suddenly barged in my room. Can you believe it? She entered my hideout so easily without being detected by my cameras! And even gave me this!” Turo ni Cloud sa blackeye nya. 

Parehong napangiwi si El at Sky. Tinukso kaagad ni Sky ang kakambal nya. 

“That woman started punching me the moment she kicked my door. Another thing! She kicked my door open!” He whined once more. 

“It’s fine, my dear twin. It’s not the first time you got defeated by a woman.” Tukso ni Sky. 

“I told you Twinnie, that woman’s physically stronger than El.” Seryosong aniya, “Her combat skill was good, I can’t even hit her once! It’s creepy how emotionless her eyes were will throwing me punches. I didn’t even saw her blink! She moves so fast.” Pagkukuwento pa nito. 

“Did you saw her face?” Tanong ni El sakanya. 

Umiling si Cloud, “Half of her face was covered with a black cloth,” He chuckled by the thought, “I got a chance to grab it but, she immediately sprayed something to my face. And when I woke up, the tiara was gone.” Bumaba ang tingin nito, “Tinawagan ko kaagad si Twinnie nang magising ako.” 

Bumaling ang tingin ni El kay Sky, “Where were you last night?” Kyuryusong tanong nya. 

He faked a cough, “I-I just fulfilled the order you gave me before, Empress.” 

Kumunot ang noo ni El, napa-isip kung anong utos ang tinutukoy nya. She gave him a questioned look, but he just gave her a ‘you already know it’ look. Binaliwala na lamang nya iyon at bumalik sa main topic ng meeting nila.

“Segurado ba kayong wala na silang ibang ninakaw maliban sa tiara?” Naniniguradong tanong nya sa dalawa.  

“Besides your grandmother’s tiara and the 15th floor of SB-3, everything’s in their normal places.” Sagot ni Sky.

“I checked every inch of my system, Empress. I didn’t find any traces of hacking, wala ding nagalaw sa mga importante nating files.” Cloud answered after. 

Eleanor felt uneasy. Hindi sya mapanatag sa mga sagot ng kambal. After a little pause from this kinds of events ay heto na naman– the Scarletti’s enemies to be precise, are making their move again. 

A silent sigh escaped her lips.

She stopped tapping her finger on the table and slowly stood up from her chair. 

El held the top of her swivel chair and spoke, “I want everything to be checked again,” she pointed at Cloud, “Especially your computers, Cloud.” 

“Have you already identified which group they belong to?” Baling nya kay Sky.

Tumango ito sakanya ay bumaling sa kakambal. After he gave him a nod, Cloud clicked his laptop and the thing she needed flashed on the screen. 

“Their group does not belong to any of our enemies, nor our allies.” 

Isa-isang tiningnan nang maigi ni Eleanor ang mga ito. She read each persons’ name and memorized their information. Napatagal ang titig nya sa dalawang naroroon. 

They looked familiar to her. And El thinks that, she saw them before but can’t recall that memory. 

“Walang pangalan ang grupo nila, which made them more mysterious and not easy to reach.” Pagpapatuloy ni Sky, “Sikat sila sa Underground, kahit sa black market ay nakakarinig ako ng mga usapin tungkol sakanila.”

Napataas ang kilay ni El, “Are they one of those groups who accepts works from others?” 

“You got that right, Empress. They have the minds and skills for their job.” He answered.

Pareho silang sumang-ayon ni Cloud sa sinabi ni Sky. Well, they won’t have a chance to enter Scarletti’s domain if they don’t have those qualities. And it should be more than the normal. 

Most especially, they have the courage. 

They’re not the first group who tried to enter the place, pero sa tinagal-tagal simula ng umupo si El sa puwesto nya ay sila lang ang nagkaroon ng lakas ng loob na pasukin ang Scarletti. 

“How are you able to obtain their profiles?” She turned to Cloud.

“I’m curious about that too, twinnie. Ang bilis mo naman atang nahanap ang mga ‘to.” Turo ni Sky sa screen, while giving his brother a playful smile.

Cloud just rolled his eyes at his twin and ignored him. He began clicking this on his keyboard and another batch of images and video clips popped on the large screen. 

“I know you’ll ask me to find this infos immediately, kaya tinrabaho ko na agad–“

“Oh, really…” Pang-aasar sakanya ni Sky.  

Cloud gave him his warning look. Napapailing nalang si El habang pinapanood ang dalawa. 

“Sky.” She warned. 

Sky raised both his hands in surrender while surpassing his chuckle. 

Wala na talagang magbabago sa mga asaran nilang dalawa. El doesn’t have a problem with the twins’ ‘kulitan’ moments even if its during at times like this. She understands how Sky wants to break his twin’s ice wall and she knows how he tries so hard. Eleanor is the witness.

She let out a fake cough to take them back to their original topic. Bahagya syang lumapit sa screen para tingnan ng mabuti ang mukha ng mga naroroon. Her eyes focused on two faces. Napayuko sya habang inaalala kung saan nya nakita ang mga ito. They looked really familiar to her. 

“El…” Tawag sakanya ni Cloud. 

“Your phone’s ringing, Empress.”

Saan nya kaya nakita ang mga ito? She stopped trying to recall that certain memory when she finally noticed her phone ringing. Sinagot nya ang tawag at tumingin kina Cloud at Sky na kyuryusong nakatingin rin sakanya. 

“Hello El? Papasok ka ba sa school ngayong araw?” Bungad ng boses ni Flare.

Her brow flashed up together with the memory she tried to remember. Tumaas ang gilid ng labi nya bago sumagot sa tanong ng kaibigan.

“Yes, why? Papasok ka na ba? Ayos na ba ang paa mo?” 

“Yep, hindi naman kasi sya ganoon ka lala, plus tudo asikaso ni Mother.” She playfully answered.

“Segi, itetext nalang kita ‘pag nasa school na’ko.”

“Wala daw si Prof sa first period sabi ni Malyn, kaya sa library nalang tayo magkita. Natawagan ko na rin yung ibang group mates natin.”

She nodded, “Ok, I’ll just text you later.”

Parego silang nagpaalam sa isa’t-isa bago ibinaba ni El ang linya.

“You’re leaving?” Cloud asked. It’s unusual to see their Empress leaving right in the middle of an important meeting.

Tumango si El at sunod na humarap kay Sky. Awtomatiko itong tumayo at umalis— receiving the signal for her command. 

"Spread our men in every possible entrance and exits of the city. And keep a close eye on each air and seaports."

Lumapad ang ngiti ni Cloud sa mga narinig nito. "So the show's starting?"

"Maybe?" Aniya saka lumapit dito. "Can you put our school's map on the screen?"

Nagsimula kaagad itong tumipa sakanyang laptop. Eleanor picked up the stylus pen and walked up to the front of the huge screen. Saktong pagkalapit nya rito ay lumabas ang mapa ng University kung saan sya nag-aaral.

Tiningnan nyang mabuti ang buong mapa. She analyzed every routes, amd memorized them. Pinaikot nya ang hawak na stylus at nagsimulang gumuhit ng mga marka sa mapa. 

As she mark some places on the map she thought, 'What's their motive?'. Hindi sya kumbinsido na ginawa nila ang mga ito para lang sa korona. That crown is has the 'price', but she's sure that it's not their main goal. 

'Then, what is it?' Their files? Her information? 

Konektado kaya ang mga ito sa hinahanap nilang kalaban? Eleanor's so curious. At gustong-gusto na nyang mapunan ang kyuryusidad nya. 

Nang matapos na ang kanyang ginagawa ay umatras sya para makita ng mabuti ang mapa. The pen keeps on spinning on her hand. Sinegurado nyang kompleto ang mga lugar na dapat nyang markahan. Pagkatapos niyon ay humarap sya'ng muli kay Cloud Kristos.

"Drop the bikes in each places that has a blue mark on the map." Turo nya sa mga ito.

"Your bikes? Or the Scarletti's?" Paunang tanong ni Cloud. "Oh, I forgot, we can't use your bikes." He remembered.

"Just the Scarletti's, Cloud." Sagot nya rito saka nagpatuloy sa pagbibigay nya ng instruction, "These ones with the green marks, yan ang mga lugar na dapat mong lagyan ng cameras mamaya." 

"Are those the places without cctv cameras? I already accessed the cameras in your school." 

Tumango si El. Lumapit sya sa isa sa mga drawers at kumuha ng earpiece doon. She put it on her puckett.

"Kapag nag-start ang isa sa mga bikes mamaya, connect to this piece. I'll need some help with the routes." 

Tumango lamang si Cloud. He doesn't know what her whole plan is, but it's Healia Eleanor. Segurado syang alam nito ang mga ginagawa nya. 

But he can't help to stop himself from asking, "What are we up to this time, Empress?" 

Lumapit si Eleanor sa mesa at pina-ikot muli ang stylus bago ito inilapag doon.

"We're gonna catch some hyenas." Sagot nya at naglakad papalapit sa pintuan. 

"And make them see that they ganged up the wrong den."