Capitulo Viente Ocho

"You were brought back to the Macedonian dynasty after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. Cleopatra was the queen of Egypt probably 70 B.C. So you have entered the dimension in 70 B.C."

Natahimik ito at inalis ang tingin sa kaniya at tumitig sa hawak nitong baso, iginalaw-galaw nito ang laman nitong alak.

"You're right.. I've met Julius Caesar's nephew I looked exactly like him, I couldn't believed it, he tried to kill me but he failed, I killed him first he will not be able to stand against my guns. That was when Caesar was assassinated."

Nanatiling tahimik si Kallyra habang nakikinig sa kwento ng kaibigan. She remembered Julius Caesar, asawa ito ni Cleopatra, at mayroong anak ang mga ito na ipinangalan nito sa kapatid nito at sa asawa, naaalala rin niya ng mga panahong namatay si Julius Caesar nakilala ni Cleopatra si Mark Anthony.

Nanlaki ang kaniyang mga mata ng may ma-realize. Si Mark Anthony ay pamangkin ni Julius Caesar. Kumabog ang kaniyang dibdib, parang nahuhulaan na niya ng nangyari sa kaniyang kaibigan. He said na kamuka nito ang magiting na heneral.

Kumunot ang kaniyang noo, was it coincidence na may kamukha din siya sa time laps na aksidenteng napasok niya?

"I act as him... I took up the administration of the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire, and I summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus that's when I met her. She.. she was so beautiful and alluring..." muli itong tumigil, tila ba binabalikan ang ala-ala nito ng makilala ang Queen ng Egypt.

"She tried to seduced me, she was using her beauty to gain power, I loathed her for that. I married Octavia instead." patuloy nito.

Kilala niya si Octavia, kapatid ito ni Octavian na anak naman ni Augustus Caesar na siyang hari ng Roman Empire ng panahong iyon.

"We've been together for a short period of time because I'm in love with somebody else... She got pregnant but I'm sure it wasn't mine because I never touched her."

"You're in love with Cleopatra."she said. Mapakla lamang itong ngumiti subalit hindi pa rin tumitingin sa kaniya. Hindi siya makapaniwala na kaharap niya ngayon ang lalaking naging kasintahan ng reyna ng Egypt. Si Mark Anthony...

"I separated from Octavia and traveled east, arranging for Cleopatra to join me. I cannot keep my feelings for her anymore. I loved her even though she's wicked. I married her, I violated the Roman Law restricting Romans from marrying foreigners and we had twins.."

A small tear drops on the glass he was holding. Humalo iyon sa alak na laman noon. She bit her lower lip to stop her own tears, nararamdaman niya ang sakit na nararamdaman nito. Hinayaan niya itong patuloy na magkuwento.

"They hated me for marrying her, they send me to battles, I was not able to see her again. I did my best to win the war against Armenia and so I could go back and be with her. I missed her so much. I thought I had my happy ending then."

Alam niyang sa panahong natalo ng Heneral ang mga kawal ng Armenia ay nagdeklara ng digmaan si Octavian sa mag-asawang Cleopatra at Mark Anthony. She really don't remember why, probably because Mark Anthony break his sister's heart o dahil hindi pa din matanggap ng mga ito na nagpakasal ang binata sa isang dayuhan.

"Someone suspected that I was not the real Mark Anthony... They spread rumors about it and told Octavian that I am an Alien. And I intend to deliver the Roman Empire to alien hands. So he declared war against us. When we are about to lose the battle, my wife left me... "

Marahas nitong nilagok ang alak nitong may patak ng luha. His jaw clenched at humigpit din ang kapit nito sa basong hawak. Akala niya ay hihinto na ito sa pagkukwento subalit nagpatuloy ito.

"I followed her, I broke in to the enemy line and followed her ship. I heard that my disheartened fleet that remained surrendered to Octavian. And a week later my land forces surrendered. It takes me a month before I found out that my wife took refuge in the mausoleum she had commissioned for herself. I did not confronted her for leaving me..."

He stop for another minute, pinagmasdan niya ang paglalim ng hinga nito at ang pagpula ng mga mata dahil sa pinipigilang luha.

"She told me she don't really love me and that she really loves Octavian from the very start, even before she married Caesar... She begs me to free her on our marriage." tuluyan ng pumatak ang mga luha nito.

"D-did you really killed her?" mahinang tanong niya. Ayon sa kasaysayan ay pinatay nito ang reyna ng Egypt subalit nabuhay ang huli. Sa kabila ng mga luha at ng kalungkutan ay nagawa nitong ngumiti ng payak at inihilamos ang dalawang palad sa mukha upang mapahid ang luha.

"I didn't, she wants me to tell everyone that I killed her or she will kill herself. I had no choice but to do what she wants and leave, I was not planning to go back here, i planned to stay and love her from afar. As long as I can see her, I will be contented and happy."

Parang may maliliit na karayom na tumusok sa puso ni Kallyra. Ashton's love for Cleopatra was selfless. Unlike her, she chose to leave Lucas because she's afraid and hurt, she was selfish she cannot bare to see Lucas with someone else. She only think of herself. What if Lucas loved her like how Ashton loved Cleopatra. He probably more devastated than her, he probably felt the same as Ashton.

"Then why did you leave..." lumunok siya upang alisin ang bara sa kaniyang lalamunan.

"She seduced Octavian after he won the war but he resisted her charms. And you know what happened next its in the history..." nagpakawala ito ng sarkastikong tawa.

Yes she knew what happened. Cleopatra committed suicide on August 12, 30 B.C., possibly by means of an asp, a poisonous Egyptian serpent and symbol of divine royalty.

Muling naghari ang katahimikan sa pagitan nila.

"How about you? What dimension have you entered?" basag nito sa katahimikan.

"Year 18 hundreds a.c... it was not that interesting." Umiwas siya ng tingin, she don't want to talk about her experiences there. Hindi niya gustong malaman nito kung gaano kababaw ang dahilan niya sa pag-alis at pag-iwan sa lalaking mahal na mahal niya.

Bumigat ang kaniyang dibdib at marahan siyang tumayo. "Thank you for sharing your story, I didn't know that you are that selfless. If I have known I will be more nicer to you. Or I would probably say yes when you asked me to be your girlfriend." biro niya dito.

"Hey.. that was when I thought you're cool and hot." nakangising wika nito. "I stopped following you around because you're so stiff and cold." dagdag pa nito. Pagkatapos ay biglang sumeryoso ang mukha. "You should not let anyone knows what happened to us Kallyra." May babala sa mata nito na matamang nakatitig sa kaniya.

"Of course." Matigas niyang wika bago tuluyang nagpaalam at iwan ito.

Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga ng makapasok sa sariling silid. She suddenly wants to go back, she wants to see Lucas again. Nanginginig ang mga tuhod na napaupo siya sa gilid ng kaniyang kama. She promised herself hindi niya pagsisisihan ang ginawang pag-alis.

Subalit uni-unti ng gumuguho ang itinayo niyang paninindigan. After hearing Ashton's story agad siyang nagsisi sa ginawa niyang pag-alis. She thought she was strong and brave for leaving him, subalit isa pala iyong kaduwagan.

Takot siyang masaktan ng sobra at baka hindi niya kayanin. She was such a coward she don't deserved him. Nagkamali siya, Lucas was not the coward and weak one, dahil matapang ito at hindi duwag. He agreed to marry his childhood friend kahit hindi niya ito mahal. For her that's braveness.

Kapalit ng sariling kalayaan ay ang kasiyahan ng taong mahalaga dito. Even sacrificing his own happiness. That's how brave he was and she hated him for that, kase makasarili siya. Kung hindi siya umalis maaring nakaisip siya ng paraan upang mahinto ang kasal ng dalawa.

Ngayon ay hindi na niya alam kung papaano makakabalik kahit gustuhin pa niya. Itinaas niya ang dalawang kamay at tinakpan ng nanginginig na palad ang kaniyang mukha. Ibinuhos niya ang lahat ng kinikimkim na luha.

Nakatulog siya matapos ang mahabang pag-iyak. Her face was still wet when she woke up, siguro ay umiiyak pa rin siya habang natutulog. She had a dream last night, she saw Lucas there, sana ay hindi na lamang siya nagising.

Nararamdaman niya ang muling paninikip ng dibdib. Tumagilid siya ng higa at bumaluktot. Mariing pinikit ang namamagang mata, pilit na binabalikan ang nakangiting muka ni Lucas sa kaniyang panaginip.

Another batch of tears come out of her closed eyes when she cant see his face clearly, a sobs came out of her lips. No... she can't go on like this. She have to go back, kahit na hindi na sila, kahit wala na siyang babalikan, kahit kasal na ito kay Mariya. Ang mahalaga ay makikita niya ito palagi.

With a new found courage, bumangon siya at inayos ang sarili. Lumabas siya ng silid. Kinontact niya ang isa sa mga personel ng ship. Nakasalubong niya ito at kaagad na bumati sa kaniya. She did not stop walking at tipid na bumati dito.

"Where's captain? " sumabay sa mabilis niyang paglalakad ang personel na nag-assist sa kaniyang capsule papasok sa loob ng malaking ship.

"He was in the control room, maneuvering the ship into the Galaxy I direction." agad na sagot ng personel na kausap.

Nakasuot ito ng body fit jumpsuit na kulay itim. Muscles are visible, napanatili nito ang pagiging physically fit dahil mayroong gym sa loob ng kanilang ship. That was one of the requirements para makasama sa expedition na ito. You should also have combat skills and you should know how to use weapons like guns.

Even their programmers are not exempted because they have to be ready on what might they encounter during the expedition like what happened to her.

"Call Jake and the rest and tell them to go to the 8th floor west wing, sa conference room no. 32." utos niya dito, pumasok siya sa kabubukas lang na elevator.

"Yes Professor." anito nanatiling nasa labas ng elavator at bahagyang yumukod ng kaunti.

Nakita niyang tumalikod na ito patungo sa direksyon ng forensic room bago tuluyang sinara ang pinto ng elavator. In just few seconds bumukas itong muli. Lumabas siya at naglakad patungo sa nasabing silid.

Her stance are strong and steady, no emotions on her face. She's also wearing the same black body fit jumpsuit that emphasize her curves. Nakapusod ng mahigpit at mataas ang mahaba at brown niyang buhok. Her lips is bloody red. She looks like a leading lady sa isang sci-fi movie.

Nang tumapat siya sa silid kung saan niya pinapupunta ang kapwa niya mga scientists ay itinapat niya ang kanang mata sa eye scanner at maging ang kaniyang palad sa hand print scanner.

Bumukas ang makapal na metal door ng silid at agad siyang pumasok. It automatically closed right after she was able to get inside.

Isang mahabang built-in table ang nabungaran niya. The table is actually a computer screen. Kaya nitong magpalabas ng hologram. Mayroong labing dalawang built-in chair sa palibot ng screen table.

She touched the surfaced of the table and the power automatically on. A blue light, light up the whole screen and it bathe on her.

Narinig niya ang ugong ng pagbukas ng metal door na pinasukan niya. Her head whipped into the direction where the sound came from. Sunod-sunod na pumasok ang mga scientists na pinatawag niya.

"Kallyra, long time no see sweetheart!" si Trevor, astronomer like her, handsome and billionaire, ex FBI agent and a proud playboy. Nginitian lamang niya ito.

Nagsi-upo ang mga ito sa naroong upuan. Sinimulan na niya ang pulong, pinag-usapan nila ang mga nakalap na data at nagpalitan ng mga impormasyon. Looking at their eyes she knew they all have secrets that they don't wanna share. And she respected that, matapos ang kanilang meeting ay nagsi-alis na ang mga ito upang magtungo sa kani-kanilang capsule.

Nagpaiwan si Nikita upang tulungan siyang mag-save ng mga data. Isa itong surgeon. One of the best sa field nito.

Matangkad din itong katulad niya, balingkinitan, singkit ang mga mata at maputi ang malaporselanang balat katulad ng kambal nitong si Sakura.

"You probably know my secret." si Nikita. Patuloy ito sa pagsi-save ng mga data at ganoon din naman siya, she saw her stopped kaya tumigil din siya.

"I do.." alam niyang ang tintukoy nito ay ang kasinungalingang ikinuwento nito sa mga officials. "Let's not talk about it." aniya. Bumuntong hininga ito at napatuloy sa pagco-code.

Nang matapos sila ay kaagad nilang pinatay and server.

"Nikita.." tawag niya dito ng akmang lalabas na ito. Lumingon ito at huminto. "I need your help for something..."