Chapter 4- Allen Marque

*Allen Marque*

I was wandering outside the house when I saw Troy sitting on the corner of the swing. He looked so serious staring somewhere.

Sinundan ko yung way kung saan siya nakatitig. And then I saw Ady wearing an armour having a shadow sparing with Sebastian.

Lumapit ako kay Troy na mukhang di na maalis ang tingin sa dalawa.

"Is that even worth staring for?" I asked him as I sat beside him.

"Yeah I guess." he answered without even looking at me.

"Arrgghh!" we heard Sebastian's whined.

I saw Sebastian facing the ground as Ady twisted his arms and placed it on his back.

"Weaklings.." Troy murmured.

"Don't underestimate that Ady girl. I fought with her at the elevator the other day. She may look so weak but she's a strong opponent." I said with a thought of our fight. A curve drawn at my face while watching Ady helping Sebastian to stand.

"Maybe you just let your guard down because she's a girl." Troy insisted.

"Why don't you just give it a try?" I suggested. He seems to have become interested in his environment lately. Troy is an introverted person. We've finished studies together and accomplished missions before but I see no changes in his personality. We became friends for a reason and I'm glad to be on his side up to now.

"Grabe ka Ady! Nabali ata yung kanang kamay ko eh." Sebastian claimed as he keeps on checking his right hand.

"Sabi ko naman kasi huwag mo na akong hamunin eh." Ady's jokingly stated.

I turned my sight to Troy who's still looking at Ady.

"Ady!" I called her. Lumingon siya and gave me a 'What do you want?' look.

"Si Troy daw ka-sparing mo."

"Huy!" sita sakin ni Troy na nginitian ko lang naman.

"What? Anong kinakatakot mo diyan? Babae lang naman siya di ba?" natatawa ko pang dagdag.

He gave me a sharp look then we both look at Ady who's waiting for her next opponent.

Lumapit sa kanya si Troy at isinuot ang armour na binigay ni Sebastian.

Sumunod ako sa kanila to check kung nakakabit ng mabuti ang armour nila.

"Troy mag ingat ka." Paalala ni Sebastian habang hawak pa rin ang kanang kamay niya.

"Di ako kasing hina mo." sagot sa kanya ni Troy.

Hindi ko ba alam pero parang kahapon pa may away sa pagitan nila ni Ady.

"Di rin naman masungit yang best friend mo no?" tanong ni Sebastian sakin.

"Masasanay ka rin diyan." sagot ko.

Ady is standing on the right corner and Troy is on the left. They're both ready for the fight.

Ady closed her fists as she started to hit Troy with a right hook, the latter grabbed her hand to block it on purpose but Ady didn't stop from there. She threw non-stop punches like what she did on the elevator. Troy keeps on blocking her attacks. Ady grabbed Troy's right hand and his shoulder and in a moment like that she twisted his arm and stepped towards him and immediately turned her back to lift him and bare his weight and smashed him on the ground.

"Wuhuu!" Sebastian screamed like he was cheering Ady. Parang na eexcite siya sa nakikita niya.

I saw Troy's face. He's frowning.

I clapped as I saw Ady stretched her right hand to reach Troy. She's offering help. She was smiling brightly, and looked like winning a fight made her the happiest.

Troy smiled at her and grabbed her arm.

Akala ko tatayo na si Troy nung inabot niya yung kamay ni Ady. Nagulat ako nung bigla niyang hinila si Ady sa ground.

He rolled up and pushed Ady down. He placed his left arm on Ady's neck as the other hand supported his weight.

Nagpalitan sila ng tingin ni Ady. Just like me, she didn't expect the turning of tables.

Troy smirked and finally got up. He fixed himself before he left and as for Ady she's still shocked about what happened.

Lumapit kami ni Seb kay Ady para tulungan siyang makatayo. Troy stopped from walking away and walked towards Ady.

"Are you hurt?" tanong niya dito.

"I'm fine." she answered.

"It's almost a good fight." he said as he finally left the scene.

"Compliment ba yun?" tanong ni Seb na napatanga kay Troy.

"That's his way of expressing his thoughts. Sa taong katulad niya bihira kang makarinig ng compliments." Sagot ko.

I've noticed that Ady was still looking at him.

"Okay lang yan, bawi ka next time." I stated. Baka kasi nadown yung ego niya sa ginawa ni Troy.

"You think di ako makaka move on? Para yun lang?" she said as she follows Troy.

"Bakit kapag nasa iisang space tayong apat parang hindi ako makahinga?" sabi ni Sebastian.

"Loko." sabi ko sa kanya.

Sumunod si Seb sa kanila habang ako naiwan pa doon habang pinagmamasdan silang tatlo.

Hindi na mahirap basahin si Sebastian, madali siyang magtiwala sa mga tao. Pero si Ady?

I still doubt her. I don't trust people easily but I made sure that that won't affect the mission.

I am very passionate about my job. I can't stand failures. I need to know if there's a possibility of having hindrances on the mission.

I've felt a vibration coming from my pocket. It was my phone receiving a text message.

I read it.

From: BARON

"I never enjoyed eating dinner alone! Minding early delivered ice cream?"

It would be so much appreciated. Thanks.

I sighed as a thought came into my mind. He's still a child. Napabuntong hininga ako sa naisip ko.

Sinundan ko na yung mga kasama ko at nadatnan ko sina Ady at Seb na nasa kitchen area, mukhang naghahanda sila ng makakain. Si Troy naman hindi ko alam kung nasaan na.

"Ah guys may gusto kayong ipabili?" tanong ko sa dalawa na mukhang busy masyado sa pagluluto.

"Gusto ko ng ice cream." sagot ni Seb nung mapatingin siya sakin.

"Ikaw Ady?" tanong ko kay Ady.

"Wala." sagot niya.

"Gusto daw niyang lukutin yung mukha ni Troy." sabi ni Seb pagkatapos ay tumawa siya ng malakas na halatang ng aasar.

"Wanna die?" tanong ni Ady sabay tingin ng matalim kay Seb.

Ay naku heto na naman sila, si Ady lahat na lang inaaway.

"Sige, lalabas na muna ako." paalam ko sa dalawa. Hahayaan ko na sila dun, hindi naman siguro sila magpapatayan.

I went to a department store to buy an ice cream. It's kinda weird that Baron wants to eat ice cream right now. While looking at the freezer full of Ice cream I realized something.

Magkakahelera ang mga gallons ng ice cream sa may freezer at lahat ng simula ng pangalan nito ay nakasulat sa capital letters.

Magnolia

Selecta

Nestle

Did Baron give me a code to crack?

Muli kong ini-scan ang message niya sa inbox ng cellphone ko.

His message was,

"I never enjoyed eating dinner alone! Minding early delivered ice cream?"

It would be so much appreciated.

There's a quotation in his first paragraph.

What could be that thing that he would appreciate so much?

Magnolia

Selecta

Nestle

I knew it! This was like the simplest form of a cryptic message. It is where the proceeding letters will be omitted and only the first letter will be left to form another sentence. And it goes something like this:

I stared at the message and found out the answer.

"I never enjoyed eating dinner alone! Minding early delivered ice cream?"

It would be so much appreciated.

If those first letters in every word combined it would create another sentence.

I-N-E-E-D-A-M-E-D-I-C

I NEED A MEDIC!

So that's what he really needs?

After figuring out what it is I immediately went to a drugstore to buy all the things he may need and also the Pentagon members'.

******An hour later******

"Who wants ice-cream?" I said as I raised my hand holding a plastic bag with a gallon of ice-cream inside.

"Wow anong flavor nito?" Sebastian said with full of excitement as he welcomed me to the house.

"Hindi ko na chineck basta binili ko na lang. Nagmamadali kasi ako." sagot ko sa kanya.

Inabot ko sa kanya ang plastic bag na may lamang ice-cream at saglit na napalinga sa paligid.

"Where's Ady?" I asked.

"Well, she's in Troy's room." Sebastian answered.

"She's what?" gulat kong tanong kay Sebastian.

Tumingin sa akin si Sebastian na may nakakalokong ngiti.

"Ginagamot niya si Troy. Ikaw ah! Kung anu-ano iniisip mo." pang aasar niya sakin tsaka umalis papuntang kitchen area.

Napasulyap ako sa maliit na plastic bag na dala ko.

Naglakad ako papuntang kwarto ni Troy, kakatok na sana ako nung matigil ako. Kusa kasing nagbukas ang pinto at bumungad sakin si Ady na mukhang nag aapurang lumabas ng kwarto.

"What happened to Troy?" I asked her.

Pulang-pula ang mukha niya at nag iwas lang siya ng tingin sa akin.

"What's wrong with you Ady?" Tanong ko ulit sa kanya.

"Troy needs your help."

She said as she walked out of the scene.

Pumasok ako sa kwarto kung nasaan si Troy at naabutan ko siyang nagtatali ng bath robe na mukhang kaka-suot niya lang.

"Anong nangyari dun kay Ady?" I asked him.

Tulad ng expression ng mukha ni Ady kanina ganun din ang itsura ni Troy, namumula.

"Hoy anong ginawa mo?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Pwede ba? Wag mo akong tanungin na parang masama akong tao." he said as he placed himself on the bed.

"Okay, Chill lang." I said.

"Ano yan?" tanong niya matapos niyang ituon ang atensyon sa hawak kong maliit na plastic bag.

"I've gone to a drugstore and bought some stuff that the members will be needing soon. Sa tansta ko kanina sa pagbagsak mo mukhang di maganda ang lagay ng likod mo." I said as I gave him the bag.

He scanned it before he said a word.

"Thanks but I don't need these. I already put a hot compress at my back with Ady's help." He said.

I looked at him while wearing a not so naughty smile.

"Oh with Ady's help. That's good." I said as I ran out fast before he could throw the plastic bag towards me.

I was laughing in the hallway and started texting Baron. I just want to know if he's already fine.

Me: Are you really okay?

But I didn't get any reply from him.

Ang sakit talaga minsan ng ulo ko sa kanya. Hindi ko lubos maisip na nakayanan kong mabuhay kasama siya.

But if anything bad happens to Baron, I will not forgive myself.