Devil 24: The News

Heart's Pov

Napabuntong hininga nalang ako nang makitang umalis na ang kotse ni Zeck.

Medyo naguiguilty ako sa ginagawa ko sa kanya ngunit kailangan kong gawin ito upang kahit papano ay mayroon paring nagmamahal sakin.

"Okay, let's begin."

Napatingin ako kay Jillian na nasa monitor at kanina pa naghihintay sa gagawin namin ni Ethan na noon ay tahimik lang na nakatingin sakin.

He knows about me and Zeck but he never comfronted me about him even when we still together because he trusts me.

He's Ethan Perez. The ultimate player of basketball team and a captain too. He's always silent and mysterious. He doesn't have much friends. Hindi rin masyadong kilala ang pamilya niya.

Nagkakakilala kami three years ago when I first selected as president of sports club.

Sa unang pagkikita pa lang namin ay nahulog na ang loob ko sa kanya. Hindi sya makwento at hindi rin mahilig lumabas or gumimik. Akala ko dati ay anti-social lang talaga sya at di marunong makipag kaibigan.

Ngunit naging classmate ko sya at dun na kami nagsimulang magpakilala sa isa't isa. At dahil kilala na rumored girlfriend ako ni Zeck ay patago kaming nagkikita at hindi naglaon ay naging kami at minahal ang isa't isa.

Until Jillian came into my life.

Nang makipag break ako sa kanya ay labis ko syang nasaktan. Ilang beses syang lumapit sakin at humingi ng paliwanag ngunit sinabi ko nalang na napapagod na ako sa relasyon namin na laging tinatago sa iba.

I know I hurt him so much that time.

I never saw him again until he showed up with Jillian's side and obey him without hesitation.

Nung una ay parang hindi ko na sya kilala dahil para syang walang emosyon sa tuwing magkikita o magtatalik kami. Parang balewala lang sa kanya ang lahat ngunit nitong mga nakaraang session namin ay unti unti na ulit syang bumabalik sa dati.

"Hey Ethan, what are you waiting for? Begin the session guys or should I come there and watch you personally?" Anang naiinip na si Jillian.

Ethan heave a sigh before he stands up and walked towards me.

Napalunok ako nang makalapit na siya at pinakatitigan ako.

"Let's do the wilds way." Ani Jillian.

I know what he means. He wants us to have sex wildly.

Ngunit hindi namin iyon magagawa ng normal lang kaya naman kinuha ko ang pills na nasa bag ko at binigyan ng isa si Ethan.

It's kinda drug that Jillian's gave us to perform the session perfectly in a way he want it to be.

Naghintay pa kami ng ilang minuto bago sinimulan ang session.

We kissed each other passionately like we used to do everytime we start this session.

Ngunit ganun nalang ang pagkagulat ko nang biglang may kumatok sa pinto.

"What the fuck! Get out of there! Now!" Matigas na utos ni Jillian bago in-off ang monitor.

Dali dali naman kaming nag ayos ni Ethan at niligpit ang mga gamit. Patay ang ilaw dito sa loob kaya baka akala ng nasa labas ay walang tao rito ngunit maabutan kaming narito ni Ethan ay tiyak na iba ang iisip ng makakakita samin kaya naman mabilis ko din syang hinila papunta sa CR at nilock iyon.

Sino kaya ang nasa labas? Hindi kaya ang mga officer din? Pero kanina pa sila umalis. Meron kaya silang nakalimutan?

Sumigid ang kaba ko nang bumukas ang pinto ng office namin at kahit nasa loob kami ng CR ay alam kong pumasok na sa loob ng office ang taong iyon.

Malakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko at hindi ko na namalayan na napakapit na ako ng mariin kay Ethan na noon ay tahimik sa tabi ko.

He held my hand and hold it tight kaya napatingin ako sa kanya.

He looked at me and mouthed something that makes my tears drop.

'I love you'

Ethan.

Sa pagkakataong iyon ay parang nawala ang takot ko at napasandal nalang ako sa kanya ay napayakap ng mahigpit.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto kaming nasa loob ng CR bago umalis ang kung sino sa office at muling sumara ang pinto.

Muli akong napatingin kay Ethan at medyo nagulat pa ako ng salubungin niya ako ng maalab na halik sa labi.

Hindi naman ako nag atubiling tugunin ang mga halik niyang iyon.

We shared sweet kisses and treasured each others desire that night inside the restroom which no one's watching us.

--

Shane's Pov

"Is she okay?" I asked Tanda as I entered the lab looking at Jack inside the glass.

"Yeah, she just need a rest." He responded and look at Jack.

She's been there for almost a week. Nagising lang sya kanina at ang weird lang na gusto nya agad makita si Natsu kaya hindi namin sya napigilang pumasok sa school. But after that ay muli syang pumasok sa tube glass upang magpahinga.

She had an accident after her meeting with Natsu a week ago at akala ko talaga mawawala na sya samin when we found her.

On her way home that night, she encountered three shadow hunters and she fought with them, unfortunately they're not as weak as the first two hunter that we fought in Natsu's house kaya nagawa nilang sugatan si Raygun and coz an accident to Jack. Jack was not in her mind that night for some reasons that happened to her and Natsu. She lost conciousness and can't fight those three hunter's properly. Luckily that Raygun had a spare brain so she didn't get Jack into a massive accident. Just a scratch but a deadly one. Fortunately, James and I was arrived at the perfect time. It was pitch black and shadow hunters have their weapon to weakened Jack's power and increase the wargon strength to wake them. And she almost lost herself that night. Luckily that we defeated them.

After that fight. Draco and Kurt was arrived with a shocking news about Heart and Jillian.

Even me can't believe about them.

We know Jillian. And I can't believe na buhay parin pala sya after what Jack did to him three years ago.

He's a sadist business tycon. A young bachelor man who always gets what he wants. A man who's been madly inlove with Jack even before we came here in the Philippines. We didn't know that he's here also.

And to my shocked. Heart is his slave.

I can't believe it. He still the same as ever even Jack erased his memories. But how can Heart being a slave with that man? What about Zero? I thought she loves him dearly as much as Zero loves her.

Now I understand why Jack's eager to stay Zero away from that girl. She wants to protect him.

But what happened that night?

Why Jack was so sad after that night?

Is something happened between her and Zero?

Did Zero do something to her to make her sad like that? Or, did she do something to Zero to make her sad for him?

Even Zero was sad everytime I saw him.

I know something happened that night. But nobody talked about it. It's like nothing happened. Maybe Zero covered it up and never exposed it to anyone.

"Shane." Tawag sakin ni Tanda kaya napatingin ako sa kanya.

"What?" Sagot ko saka bahagyang lumapit sa kanya.

"Tumawag si Dr. Snyder kanina."

"What? Really? Nandito ba sya? Ano pang sinabi nya?" Excited na tanong ko. Bahagya syang natawa sa sinabi ko.

Alam nya kasi kung gaano ako kaclose kay Dr. Snyder. He's like a father to me. And he's the person who saved us when we escaped in Russia.

Dr. Simon Snyder. Kilala syang magaling na doctor sa buong mundo lalo na bansang Englatera dahil sa dami ng kanyang natulungan at napagaling na tao. Magaling talaga syang doctor maging sa larangan ng medisina o ng syensya. Sa katunayan sya rin ang unang nagpagaling kay Jack matapos naming tumakas noon sa Russia. Sya rin ang nagbigay ng mga recipe of wargon blood kay Tanda at kung paano ito gagamitin.

Palagi syang nasa business trip kaya naman hindi namin sya madalas makasama noong tumira kami sa bahay nya. Wala siyang pamilya dahil namatay ang asawa nya sa isang aksidente at sa kasamaang palad ay buntis ito at nawala rin ang sanggol sa sinapupununan nito.

I was only twelve years old nang mapunta kami kay Dr. Snyder. At sobrang bait nya, itinuring ko narin syang tunay kong ama. Sya rin ang nagturo kay Tanda pagdating sa larangan ng Physics and other experiments. Habang si Jack noon ay nasa tube glass at nagpapagaling mula sa pagiging wargon nya.

At halos dalawang taon na rin mula nang huli naming makita si Dr. Snyder kaya naman medyo naeexcite akong makita sya.

"He will be here on weekend to attend a party of his collegue." Ani Tanda.

"Wow, makikita natin sya. Ano pang sabi nya?"

"Tsh. Oo na at kinakamusta nya ang bunso nyang anak." Ani Tanda na bahagyang naiiling.

Napangiti ako sa sinabi nya at lalo lang naexcite. Ako ang bunsong anak na sinasabi ni Dr. Snyder.

"Pupunta ba sya dito? Saan daw tayo magkikita?"

"Hindi sya pwedeng pumunta dito sa bahay dahil maraming mata ang nakabantay sa kanya. Kapag pinuntahan nya tayo dito malalaman agad ng mga shadow hunters na may koneksyon tayo kay Dr. Snyder at baka pati sya ay madamay." Biglang seryosong turan ni Tanda.

Bahagya akong natigilan dahil may point sya. Kilalang tao si Dr. Snyder at nag iisa lang sya sa buhay. Hindi ko rin naman gugustuhin na may mangyaring masama sa kanya.

"Pero paano natin sya makikita?" Pangungulit ko.

"Well, I'll find a way." Turan niya.

"Then what are we gonna do?"

"The only way to see him is we go to that party too." Aniya.

Napataas ang isang kilay ko sa sinabi nya.

"How? We will just going to crash a party like that?"

"Of course not. That's why I'm trying to figure it out." Aniya.

Napahinga ako ng malalim.

"Where is that party anyway?" Nababahalang tanong ko.

Ngunit nagulat ako sa sagot niya.

Akmang magsasalita pa sana ako nang tumunog ang cp ko kaya naman agad kong tiningnan ang tumatawag at napataas pa ang kilay ko nang makita ang pangalang Mr. Perfect sa screen.

Ano naman kaya ang kailangan nya?

Napabuntong hininga ako saka naglakad palabas ng lab at sinagot ang tawag.

"Yes?" Casual na sagot ko.

"Miss Gravalez." Anang baritonong boses mula sa kabilang linya. Hindi ko alam pero gusto ko ang kalmadong boses nya kahit minsan ay nakakainis sya.

"What do you want Mr. Perfect?" Sarkastikong tanong ko. I heard him sigh. He doesn't want me to call him that way kaya mas gusto ko syang tawaging ganun.

"About the conditions. Do you have anything in mind now? Coz if you do...can we do it now?"

Medyo nagulat ako sa sinabi niyang iyon dahil hindi ko inaasahang sasakyan nya ang sinabi ko. At hindi ko rin inasahan na sya pa mismo ang tatawag para lang alamin kung anong conditions ang gusto kong gawin nya dahil lang sa pagpayag kong dalhin si Jack sa school.

Flashback a week ago...

I was in a parking lot and preparing for my bike when someone approached me unexpectedly.

"Miss Gravalez!" Tawag nya sakin na kahit di ko lingunin ay alam ko kung sino.

Taas ang kilay na napalingon ako sa kanya.

"Wow, the perfect guy approached me without irritation written in his face. What a surprised Mr. President. How may I help you?" I said sarcasticly.

He clenched his jaw as he glare at me.

He's kinda a cute when he did that.

"I need to ask a favor." He said directly.

"Wow, is that a reason why you approached me nicely? To ask a favor? But as far as I know you supposed to be my slave coz we won the game remember?"

"Tss, As far as I know I supposed to be your slave for a month after you won the game but that month was already been due. And that deal was already closed coz you haven't been here for a month." He said confidently.

Sabagay may point din naman sya. Dahil pagkatapos ng game namin ay nawala kami ni Jack ng halos isang buwan at ngayon lang ulit ako nakabalik sa school dahil kinailangan kong bantayan si Jack at tulungan si Tanda.

I heave a sigh and rolled my eyes.

"Okay, consider that deal was already closed. So, what now? What do you want?" I ask as I folded my arms.

"I need your help to bring Jack tomorrow night at the gym."

I frowned my forehead.

"Why do I have do that? What do you want from her?" I ask suspectedly.

"It's just that.. Zero needs her tomorrow night. I don't know what he's planning to do but he said that he needs Jack to be here for his peace offering to the girl he hurt bigtime."

Napaisip ako sa sinabi nya at mukhang alam ko na kung anong pinaplanong gawin ni Zero. At mukhang wala pang alam si Mr. Perfect sa nangyari kina Zero at Jack.

"Really? But why Jack?" I ask inoccently.

He shrug his shoulder.

"I don't know."

"You think I'm gonna buy that?" I said while smirking at him.

" I know you won't.. that's why I'm asking you nicely, if you could help me to bring Jack here tomorrow night." He said nicely. But I know that he's just trying to control himself for being rude.

"Oh really? I can see that. But you know also that I don't do favors without anything in return do you?"

He suddenly paused and frowned but then rolled his eyes as he gets what I'm trying to say.

"Yeah, of course. What do I expect. Just tell me about it." Waring naiinip na tanong niya.

Bahagya akong napangisi sa tinuran niya. Mukhang hindi siya sanay na binibigyang ng conditions.

"I'll think about it." I said at sumakay na sa bike ko upang umalis ngunit nagulat pa ako ng biglang may humawak sa mga braso ko.

"I can't wait for you to think about it. I need your confirmation now. Just tell me about your conditions and I'll do it nicely. Promise." He said while staring at me.

I was caught off guard with his action.

"O-okay." Wala sa sariling nasabi ko.

"Okay? What do you mean okay?" Aniyang bahagyang naguluhan.

"I'll bring Jack tomorrow night." I said.

Medyo lumiwanag ang mukha nya sa narinig.

"And what about the conditions?"

"For that matter, can I think about it?" I ask him and look at his hand wich still holding my arms. Wari namang napansin nya rin iyon kaya agad nya akong binitiwan.

"Well, yeah. Of course. Think about it. You can take your time and please don't be too hard for me." Aniyang waring nataranta.

"Did I just heard you say 'please' to me?" I teased him.

He rolled eyes again and shake his head.

I grin at him and start my engine.

"I promise to bring Jack tomorrow night but you have to promise also that she'll gonna be fine."

"Of course."

"And about the conditions...just be ready for it."

He just nod at me and shrug his shoulder.

End of Flashback...

"Miss Gravalez, still there?" Anang kalmadong boses sa kabilang linya.

"Yes, I am."

"So, can we talk about your conditions now? Have you think about it?"

Napatingin ako sa lab at bahagyang napangisi.

"Yes I have. Actually, you are the perfect person for it coz ONLY. YOU. CAN. DO. ABOUT. IT."

****

Matapos naming mag usap ni Drew ay muli akong bumalik sa loob ng lab at medyo nagulat pa ako nang makitang nakalabas na ng glass si Jack.

"Jack? Are you feeling better now?" Agad kong tanong sa kanya.

She heaved a sigh and turned to me.

"Yes. I feel great today." Aniya saka bumaling kay James.

"James, I need you to do something about that thing." Aniya saka bumaling ng tingin sa dalawang ex-enemy ni Zero.

Takang nagkatinginan kami ni Tanda.

"What do you mean Jack? What am I going to do with them?" Tanong ni Tanda.

Hindi siya sumagot bagkus ay sinenyasan niyang lumapit ang mga minions nya.

"Master." Panabay na bati ng dalawa at lumuhod pa na akala mo'y sumasamba sa kanilang panginoon.

"Aren't they too formal?" Ani Jack.

"Because they were designed to be that way." Sagot ni Tanda.

"I need you to fix them. I'm not their master. I want you to make them as what they used to be."

"You mean...when they're still human?" Takang tanong ni Tanda. But that's impossible. Their brain was from shadow hunter and all shadow hunters are just like that.

"Yes." Sagot ni Jack habang inaayos ang kanyang wargon blood na nasa steel cabinet.

"But that's impossible Jack. I couldn't do such a thing unless they have their own...brain." Ani Tanda.

"I know. But you don't need their own brain. All you need is their memory and I can help you with that." Ani Jack at napasinghap ako nang makita ang isang bagay na lumulutang sa kanyang palad.

It's like a bead. It's glowing and it has something...something noisy in it. It's like, someone's memory?

"What is that thing Jack?" Takang tanong ko.

Napangiti siya sakin at lumapit sa isang minion.

She caress his face and I thought she's going to kiss him but she whispered something to him. And the next thing she did was shocked me even Tanda.

Jack was just cut the face of her minions using her bare hands and put a glowing things in his brain and closed it like it was just a box.

Her hand.

She just used her hand like that. Jack never did that before.

She never transformed her wargon hand with that normal state.

How can she do that?

"Jack, how-?" Di rin makapaniwalang bulalas ni Tanda at bahagyang umatras at sinenyasan akong umatras din.

"I know." Ani Jack. "You don't have to be afraid James. I just discovered it recently. And not only this I can do." Aniya habang nakatingin sa kakaiba niyang kamay.

"Somehow, I can just transformed into something which still holds my human brain. Isn't it amazing?" Aniyang nakangiti.

"But you know it's dangerous Jack." Ani Tanda.

"I know." Ani Jack at muling bumalik sa dati ang kanyang kamay.

"What really happened to you? And since when did know about this kind of transformation?" Ani Tanda.

"A week ago I think." Aniya.

"Maybe when you fought with those shadow hunters a week ago." Turan ko saka lumapit kay Jack at hinawakan ang nagtransformed niyang kamay.

"No." Sagot niya kaya agad akong napatingin sa kanya.

"What do you mean? Then what is it?" Tanong ko.

She looked at her hand with a sadness on her face.

I just noticed that Jack can shows different emotion recently which she never did before not because she doesn't want to but because she just can't.

"I think when I saw sadness in Natsu's eyes . I felt something in my heart that almost make me want to hurt myself because I know I hurt him that time." She said.

Napatingin ako kay Tanda at ganun din sya sakin.

"What really happened that night Jack?" Tanong kong muli. I know something happened about her and Zero that night. And whatever it is. It affects her so much.

Napangiti siya ng mapait saka tumingin sakin.

"You know I'm not a good story teller Shane. Just ask Raygun about it. Besides, I'm hungry." Aniya at bahagya lang akong tinapik sa pisngi.

Oo nga pala..she hates to tell a story.

"I'll prepare something you can cook." Ani Tanda at pinandilatan ako ng mga mata dahil sa kakatanong ko kay Jack. Iningusan ko lang naman sya at mabilis na hinanap si Raygun.

--