37 The Seventh Deadly Number

Volume 2

Chapter Ten

The Seventh Deadly Number

Part One

• • •

"Maybe X has been secretly calling him?" Tanong ni Effie habang sumisimsim ng milkshake.

Nasa isang cafe kami ngayon. Si Effie, ako at kasama si Twilight. Ang iba? Ayun at nasa kabilang table.

Twilight was hungry kaya inalok niya kaming pumunta ng isang cafe. Of course, her brothers won't allow her to go out without them.

The weird brothers are in another table with Matix and Chaos.

Kinuwento ko kina Effie at Twilight ang tungkol kay Chaos.

"Sasabihin naman ni Chaos yan sa akin. Lalo na't tungkol ito kay X." I confidently said.

"You may never know. Baka binibigyan siya ni X ng death threats." Twilight answered.

I just sighed and glanced at Chaos who's eating a waffle. Mukhang naramdaman nito ang tingin ko at tinignan ako. Agad naman ako lumihis ng tingin. I felt uneasy.

Though I just hope that everyone will be safe. Especially Chaos who's been very mysterious lately.

Speaking of mysterious, we haven't seen Seven since the death of the librarian. The police didn't believe us even though we shown and explained the clue that the librarian left. Hinanap namin siya ng araw na iyon but he went missing.

Natigilan ako nang lumapit ang tatlong weirdo na magkakapatid sa table namin. "Hey! This table is for girls only." Twilight exclaimed.

Rebel rolled his eyes. "I know, brat. Our boss just called. Another undercover mission."

Sina Matix at Chaos ay lumapit din sa table namin at kumuha ng upuan para umupo.

"What's wrong?" Chaos asked.

"Wala kami for the whole day. We have a mission." Ani Midnight.

Matix whistled. "Ooh, an undercover mission. Count me in!"

"Me too!" Effie exclaimed.

Rebel refused. "No! You don't know anything about undercover. Mabubulilyaso ang cover namin."

Effie frowned. "We'll just follow your lead. Besides, we have Chaos in our team." Tinuro nito si Chaos na nakatingin lang at nakikinig.

Slate looked at Chaos. "You're in?"

Chaos leaned back on the chair. "If my team wants to join, why not? Mukhang masaya naman ang ginagawa niyo."

Rebel looked at Chaos, shocked. "Masaya?! What we do is like a life and death situation!"

Chaos just shrugged. "So, what do we do?"

The rest also sat down. "There's an illegal gambling center in Makati. Apparently, one player there is a governor who steals the government's money to play in this gambling center." Midnight explained.

Slate continued, "we have to go undercover as players there. We need to fake our IDs, documents and of course, we need to bring money."

"Saan naman tayo kukuha ng ganun? At tsaka, illegal din naman ang ginagawa natin ah? That's fraud!" Effie exclaimed.

"It's not illegal if we won't get caught." Slate grinned.

"The organization provides our fake IDs and documents and also the money." Rebel said.

Twilight spoke, "do you guys know how to gamble?"

We all winced. "Nope." Sabay naming sagot.

Matix then, grinned. "Don't worry, I'm here. I will give you each my father's ear comms. Twilight and I will guide you through gambling."

"Marunong kayo?" Gulat na tanong ni Effie.

Umiling si Twilight. "That's why we'll work behind the scene. We'll use our computers to search for every possible gambling moves and techniques. Kayo naman, pakikinggan niyo lang ang sinasabi namin through the comms."

The rest of us nodded. "So yan ang plano?" Tanong ko.

Slate then showed us his tablet. "Effie and Rebel, you play blackjack. Twilight will guide you through it. Habang naglalaro kayo, observe every player. If this man," may pinakita itong litrato ng isang lalake, "is also playing blackjack, offer him for a game." Tumingin ito sa amin. "Same goes for you all. Kung sakaling makita niyo siya, alukin niyo ng isang laro then we unleash his dirty secrets up on his sleeves."

"Midnight and Friday, you play poker. Twilight will guide you two. Chaos and I will play Roulette Royale. Matix will guide us."

Chaos immediately raised his hand. "Friday should team up with me—"

"The teams are settled. We'll meet infront of Liberty High by 6pm." Ani Slate who tuned out Chaos.

Somehow, thinking of an undercover mission excites me. And to think of it, ngayon ko lang makikitang magtrabaho ang Agati Siblings. They look weird and all but they might give a different impression when working.

"See you infront of Liberty High, guys." Ani Twilight at naglakad na paalis ng cafe kasama ang mga kapatid.

Matix clasped his hands together. "I'm excited for this undercover mission." He grinned.

Effie grinned as well. "I know, right? It's risky but that's what's making it exciting." She grinned as well.

I smiled. It sure is exciting especially for us who only solves crimes and murders.

"Don't go near Midnight." Sabat naman ni Chaos na ngayon ay katabi ko na.

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Bakit naman?"

Chaos sipped some milkshake. "Nothing. Call me when something happens." He left.

I just nodded habang tinitignan ang papalayong bulto ni Chaos.

"Still no feelings for him?" Effie whispered.

Tumingin ako sa nilabasan ng Chaos. "I...I don't know."

Effie grinned. "Alam mo, hindi iyan ang sagot mo noon. You said you have no feelings for him. Pero ngayon, mukhang nagaalinlangan ka na."

I let out a deep sigh. "Ano namang gagawin ko? He's trying." Sambit ko.

"Let him be. It's his way of winning you."

Napangiwi ako. Do I really need to give him a chance?

I breathed heavily. Bahala na. What I'm feeling, I'll just let it flow. If the time comes that I'll like Chaos, then be it. Kung wala pa rin, I'll talk to him myself.

• • •

"Here are your comms." Ani Matix habang binibigay ang nga comms sa amin at tinutulungan kaming ikabit sa tainga namin.

"Just press the button on the comms and you'll hear us and we'll hear you." Aniya at may ibinigay na necklace sa amin nina Effie.

"What's the necklace for?" Tanong ko.

"That necklace has cameras so we can see the progress of the game and Twilight and I can easily guide you." Ani Matix.

Napangiwi si Midnight. "Don't tell us we'll wear necklace too."

Twilight snorted. "What are you, gay? You'll wear contact lenses with a camera in it." Aniya.

Manghang napatingin si Slate kay Matix. "Your father's inventions are cool," them he frowned, "I still don't like you for my sister."

"Twilight is just a friend!" Matix defended.

"Tumahimik ka nga, kuya!" Twilight shouted at Slate who's taken aback.

Nakahawak si Slate sa dibdib nito. "Why are you mad at me? Bakit mo ko sinisigawan ha?"

Twilight showed him her middle finger at nauna nang sumakay ng van na provided na din ng organization.

That organization is so cool. I wonder what is its name? Sino kaya namamahala doon?

Slate looked at Midnight and Rebel who's laughing at him. "Did you see that? She fucking told me fuck you using her finger!" Madrama nitong sambit.

The two just tuned out Slate kaya naman sunod nitong pinuntahan si Effie na naguguluhan sa nangyayari.

"Effie you saw that, right...?" Anito.

Humarap sa akin si Rebel. "Remember to observe and find a man named Allan Formoso. He's a mayor who'd been stealing government funds for gambling. Keep that it mind." Aniya na ikinatango naman namin ni Chaos.

Then Chaos's phone rang. Nakita kong dinecline niya ang call pero tumatawag pa rin ito. He looked irritated as he keep declining the call.

"Take it. Baka importante." Sambit ko.

"No. It's not important. Let's go." Aniya at akmang sasakay sa van nang tumunog ang phone nito.

He received a message so he checked it. I can clearly see how his face paled when he read the message. Kaya lumayo ito saglit at may tinawagan.

I sighed. Chaos, what are you up to?

• • •

Wearing our luxury dress provided by the organization, we elegantly entered the gambling center. Mabuti nalang ay napapayag nila Twilight ang organization na sumama kami.

"Comms in." Ani Slate.

We pressed the buttons in our comms at agad naming narinig ang boses ni Matix.

"Just walk down the hallway. May guards na nagbabantay sa labas ng pinakagambling center. Present to them your IDs." Anito.

"Roger that." Rebel whispered.

We walked towards the long hallway until we reached the end of it. May dalawang bantay nga sa labas. Agad naming binigay ang IDs and documents namin.

The IDs and documents states that we're legal and eligible to play because of our wealth.

"Password?" Tanong ng isang guard which caught us off guard.

What password? We're not aware of this!

"Shit! We have no idea that there is a password to enter." Ani Matix mula sa comms at nagpapanic.

"Guys, we have to wait until a member comes in. For now, pretend that you are missing something. Maybe your phone or anything. Wait until a member comes in." Ani Twilight.

Midnight immediately spoke. "We'll stay here for a moment. We have to wait for someone."

The two guards nodded. "You have 10 minutes. Kung wala pa ang hinihintay niyo, we'll forcefully kick you all out." One gaurd threatened.

Tumango naman kami at tumabi at nagpapanggap na parang naiinip sa kahihintay.

"Matagal pa ba?" Effie whispered.

"I see one coming in through the entrance's door." Ani Matix.

Matix was right. A woman in her michael kors bag and gucci dress with louis vuitton sunglasses entered the hallway.

Binigay nito ang mga ID at dokumento. The guards asked for a passcode.

"Allan Formoso." Sagot nito. The guards let her in.

Allan Formoso? That's the name of the mayor!

"Wait for another five minutes before you enter." Utos ni Matix.

Wenwaited for another five minutes until the guard spoke. "Asan na ang hinihintay niyo? Lumipas na ang sampung minuto."

Chaos crossed his arms. "We just received a text that he's not coming. We're sorry for the delay." Anito.

"Password." Utos ng bantay.

"Allan Formoso." Slate answered.

The guards finally let us in.

The loud music and the sound of coins welcomed us.

"It's time to go to your stations. Each teams, go to your respective games." Matix said through the comms.

Midnight and I immediately walked away para hanapin ang lalaruin naming poker.

Habang hinahanap ang station namin, Midnight spoke, "so, you and Chaos?" Tanong nito.

Napangiwi ako. "We're not like that. Magkaibigan lang kami."

He snorted. "Yeah, right. I don't think he feels the same way. He thinks of you as more than a friend."

Umiling ako. "We're friends. Yun lang yun. Wala naman nagbago sa pagtingin ko sa kaniya."

"Do you know about Chaos?" Midnight asked.

Natigilan ako. "What about him?"

"He'd been receiving phone calls and texts since last week. Matix told me that Chaos had been receiving one every night and Chaos turns pale whenever he receives the call."

Tumango ako. "Yan din ang pansin ko. But Chaos won't tell me anything."

"It's Chaos. He's very secretive eversince."

I raised my eyebrows. "Magkakilala na ba kayo dati pa?"

Midnight chuckled. "You'll be shock how connected we are to each other. Twilight and Matix are childhood friends so does me, Rebel and Chaos."

Nagulat ako. "Rebel? Really? Mortal na kaaway ata ni Chaos yun eh."

Midnight laughed. "Nah. Chaos doesn't probably remember. We used to play as kids. Our father just had to force us to leave to join this organization."

"He'll remember you, soon." Ani ko para pagaanin ang loob niya.

Then Twilight spoke. "You guys talking?" Biglang tanong nito.

"Oh, Twilight, nandiyan ka pala?" I asked.

"Duh, kanina pa ako nakikinig sa usapan niyo. Buti nalang nadisconnect ko ang line ni Matix sa comms niyo. He didn't hear what you said about me and him as childhood friends." Aniya.

"Hindi ba kayo magkasama?" I asked.

Twilight answered, "magkasama. We're on the car. Nagcr lang siya saglit."

"Oh." Was all I answered.

Midnight tugged my dress. "Look. The poker station." Aniya.

I breathed heavily. Mukhang oras na para maglaro.