Chapter 15: Mission

IT'S been a week passed since Tita Elene died. And now I am currently here in her grave to pay her a visit. Katabi ng kanyang libingan ang libingan ng isa pa niyang anak na si Sunny at maging ang asawa nitong matagal ng patay. Nagtataka na ang iilang kamag-anak ni Tita Elene at kita ko ang pagdadalamhati nila nang mga panahong nililibing nila ang matandang dalaga.

"Kawawa naman ang pamilyang Montecillo. Lahat patay, wala ng itinira sa kanilang buhay."

"Ang report pa nga ng mga pulis, may pumapatay sa kanila at kusa nga nilang hinahanap kung sino ang murderer."

"Grabe naman. Ang malas ng pamilya nila. Siguro isinumpa talaga sila ng kamalasan."

Napatigil ako sa mga naririnig ko mula sa mga nagtsisismisang babae sa likuran ko. Gusto kong mapailing sa mga pinagsasabi nilang walang katuturan subalit naisip kong ipagsawalang-bahala na lang iyon.

No one knows the truth behind this except me. I am the only one who knows the reason why they got killed. I am the witness of all deaths happening inside or outside the university.

Ako rin ang nakakaalam kung ano ang wangis ng lalaking pumatay kay Tita Elene. Hindi ko man maaninag ang mukha nito dahil sa suot nitong maskara pero malinaw sa akin ang amoy ng kanyang pabango, isang amoy na parang napakapamilyar sa akin.

Iyon lang ang tanging clue na hawak ko. Tiyak rin akong ang lalaki din iyon ang pumatay kay Sunny at ang nagtangkang kumitil sa buhay ni Tiffany.

Muli sumagi sa isip ko ang napag-usapan namin ni Kris, isang linggo na ang nakalilipas...

ITINULAK ko si Kris palayo sa akin matapos niya akong halikan. Pinilit kong maging pormal at kalmado pero deep inside, naghuhuramentado na ang sistema ko. Is it because I am already love him? Why I should be bother by this damn feelings? I need to know the truth first before this stupid acts.

Sinalubong ko ang tingin niya. "I will follow your rules if you are going to tell me the truth. I want truth this time." Mariing tanong ko rito at isinawalang bahala ang nararamdaman.

He chuckled. "Chill, my princess. I will going to tell you my reason behind this." Sumeryoso siya bigla.

"And I want it to be a secret between us. No one should know about this." Tumayo siya pagkatapos. Pumamulsa siya at tinitigan ako.

"Meet me in my mansion. Tomorrow. Around 6 pm. I'll tell you everything."

Iyon lamang at bigla siyang umalis at naglakad palayo sa akin. I was left behind in confusion. Why it should be keep as a secret? May traydor ba sa grupo?

I sighed then shooked my head. I should calm my head for a little while until tomorrow comes. Hindi ko puwedeng istressin ang sarili ko. Sa ngayon kailangan kong pairalin ang kaisa-isang rule ko base sa banta ni Kris.

Trust no one more than yourself.

It's already six in the evening. I fixed myself for my appointment with Kris Wu. Yuri was confused on where I am going but she managed not to talk since she knew that she couldn't able to get some answers from me.

Even the Elites doesn't know about this. Sinunod ko ang sinabi sa akin ni Kris Wu na walang ibang makakaalam patungkol sa mga sasabihin niya sa akin.

"I'll be going." Sambit ko kina Yuri at Taeyeon na abala sa paggawa ng mga homeworks nila.

Yuri smiled at me. "Okay. Take care."

"Shut up and leave, bitch." Pagtataray sa akin ni Taeyeon.

"Shut your mouth also, bitch." I smiled at her then opened the door of our dorm and I even heard them arguing but I didn't pay attention on that and took a step to leave.

"Miss Jessica, saan ang punta natin?" Sage greeted me with a smile nang makita ko siyang nagbabantay sa gate.

"I just want to pay a visit at Tiffany's grave." I lied. Mahirap na baka mabuko ako.

"At this hour? It's dangerous, you know."

I plastered a smile. "Kris will be with me." Pagkasabi ko niyon ay biglang may pumaradang makintab na itim na kotse sa harapan ko. At kahit hindi ko makita kung sino ang driver ay kilala ko na ito.

Bumaba ang windshield ng kotse at bumungad sa akin ang guwapong mukha ni Kris at nakashades pa ang loko. Gabi tapos nakashades? What kind of outfit is that?

I saw him smirked when he saw me staring at him. I raised my eyebrow then rolled my eyes. Nagsisimula na naman ang kayabangan niya.

"Don't open your mouth like that, babe. You will going to drool if you will continue that." Bakas sa boses niya ang pang-aasar na siyang ikinainis ko.

Ugh! Ang yabang talaga ng lalaking ito kahit kailan!

"Whatever. Just let me in to your car." Hindi na ako nakipagtalo pa. Alam ko namang mapupunta lang sa asaran ang pagtatalo namin. Tsk.

He winked at me. "Sure, my princess." May pinindot siya sa dashboard ng kotse niya at biglang bumukas ang pintuan ng kotse sa front seat.

I rolled my eyes again for the nth time but before I going in to the car, I glanced at Sage which is now smiling while looking at us. Sa klase pa lang ng ngiti nito ay paniguradong may iniisip siya.

"I'll go ahead, Sage. Please take care of them." Utos ko pa dito at pumasok na sa loob ng kotse.

"Masusunod, Miss Jessica. Enjoy your date." Ngumiti ito sa akin at kay Kris na tinanguan lang ito.

Nag-init ang pisngi ko sa sinabi nito at laking pasasalamat ko na madilim ang paligid kaya hindi nila makikita ang pamumula ng pisngi ko. Like hell! Ayokong makita nilang nagbublush ako no' lalo na ng mayabang na lalaking katabi ko. Tiyak na mang-aasar na naman ito.

"Shut up, Sage. It's not what you think." I maintain my calm composture.

"Okay, Miss Jessica." Binalingan niya si Kris. Ngising-ngisi ito. "Take care of my goddaughter, Kris like what Chanyeol did on their date."

Napansin ko ang biglang pagkuyom ng panga ni Kris dahil sa sinabi nito at napatingin sa akin. He was raising his eyebrow right now. Tsk. Nagsusungit na ulit siya.

"Sure. I will gonna take care of her more than what any men could do to their wives." I can sense the hint of jealousy in his voice and I couldn't help but to hissed.

Nagpaalam na kami kay Sage. Tahimik kami sa loob ng kotse habang binabagtas namin ang daan patungong mansion niya.

"You and Chanyeol had a date, huh? And he take care of you." Siya na ang naunang nagsalita.

"It's just a friendly date. Don't act like some stupid brats na akala mo ay naagawan ng paboritong candy. It was also your fault kaya sumama ako sa kanya." Hindi ko napigilang sumbatan siya sa kanyang naging kasalanan.

Inirapan niya ako at itinutok ang tingin sa daan. "Kaya nga magpapaliwanag ako diba?"

"Oo na. Just keep continue on driving." I ordered kaya nagpatuloy na siya sa pagdadrive.

Nakarating na kami sa kanyang mansyon. Wala pa ring ipinagbago iyon tulad ng dati. Magarbong tingnan pa rin at parang palasyo kung titingnan mo at kung papasok ka sa loob ay parang nasa Paris ka.

Sinalubong ang kotseng sinasakyan namin ng lalaking naka-men in black nang pagbuksan siya ng gate. Binuksan ni Kris ang bintana ng kotse niya at may inihagis siyang susi ng car niya.

"Take this car to my garage." He said seriously before we leave the car. Inalalayan niya ako pagbaba at pumasok na kami sa mansyon niya.

Nang makarating na kami sa balkonahe ng mansyon para mag-usap ay tumikhim muna siya bago magsalita.

"Hindi na ako magpapaligoy-ligoy pa, Jessica. I will explain right now what is the reason behind all of my lies. It's my idea, anyway."

"Spill it already." I said. "Why did you lied to me and pretend that you didn't know that Tiffany is alive? Where is she? Bakit ayaw niyang magpakita sakin?" Sunod-sunod na mga tanong ko.

Narinig kong humalakhak si Kris kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. May nakakatawa ba sa sitwasyong ito? Hindi talaga ako makapaniwalang nagagawa niyang tumawa sa Iikod ng seryosong sitwasyon.

"Ang sama naman ng tingin mo, my princess. Just sit and relax while listening to my explanations." He grabs the cup of tea in the table na ipinahanda niya pa sa mga katulong at uminom siya dito.

"Okay." I said and sighed heavily.

"About your bestfriend's death, she was supposed to be dead.. mas tamang sabihin na kung hindi niya ako tinawagan at hindi ako umabot ay maaaring patay na siya ngayon.."

"What do you mean?"

"Before she got attacked by the murderer, she sent a SOS message to me and I know na nakatanggap ka rin ng ganoon. She knew that she will be in danger in that day so that before the murderer approach her house, she texted me and talked to me about the pretend thing. We already planned it out from the start since she was part of my undercover mission. The Tiffany you saw that day? That's fake. It was just a replica made by my genius organization. Sage already knew about this plan."

Oh, alam na pala ni Sage? Hindi na ako magtataka dahil magkasosyo ang Jung Clan at ang Wu Organization. And about Tiffany? Hindi ko talaga alam na isa siyang member ng nasabing organisasyon. Marami talaga akong walang alam sa kanya or baka alam ko na ito sa simula pero hindi ko lang maalala dahil sa amnesia ko.

Shit! Having an amnesia is like hell!

"I can't believe on what have you revealed to me. It's overacting but I know that you wouldn't make up a lie." I commented that made him chuckled.

"What about this undercover mission? Why is it needed for my bestfriend to pretend that she was dead?"

I sipped a cup of coffee and then listens on what he said next.

"We are doing this to revealed the council's and headmaster's very deepest secret that the others didn't know. We are doing a mission to collect some evidences about their stupid plan." He paused. "As for Tiffany, she pretended to be dead to keep her identity to be safe and to outsmart the council. We know that Cedric Delacroix is a genius one and no one could surpassed him even me so we think a plan to tricked them for making our mission to be completed."

"Deepest secret?" What the heck is their doing now this time? This school was really a mess!

"Yes. This is the reason behind those killings happening in this school. Kung bakit naging legal ang pagpatay, kung bakit gusto nilang baguhin ang mundo, at ang tunay na rason kung bakit gusto nila ng kalayaan. They are doing this for them to rule and dominate the whole world.."

"Dominate? What? I don't get it!" Pagrereklamo ko pa.

"The Delacroix family was planning to turn the dead back to life not as a human but as a humanoid. They are planning to create another life by the means of their shitty hypothesis and experiments."

Halos magimbal ako sa sinabi ni Kris. A humanoid? Creating another life? What the heck?!

"Bakit kailangan pa silang gawing humanoid? Bakit hindi na lang puwedeng buhayin lang sila? And is that even possible?!"

"Didn't have I told you? They want to control humans and the world that's why they are doing this kind of thing. Tiffany was currently investigating on it kaya wala pa kaming nakukuhang sapat na ebidensiya bukod sa voice recorder. We need to expose their immoral and unrightful doings and find their labaratory but before we could get into their lab, we should at least fight their wall of defense."

"Wall of defense?"

"Those are the hired people who have the job to assassinate or kill a person or the whole gangs. And it turned out to be na isa sila sa mga gangs dito sa university." He paused for a bit.

"And that gang was Sunny's former gang. They are called the Knights of the Round Table and the one who are responsible for Sunny and Elene Montecillo's death. They are also the one who attempted to kill Tiffany after knowing her intentions in the school."

And his last words made me trembled in anger and in shock. Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Halo-halong emosyon ang pumupukaw sa dibdib ko.

Hindi ako makapaniwala sa lahat ng mga narinig ko.

"They are the Delacroix ultimate weapon and they are the one who stopping us to reach our main goal. And they already assasinate two thousand students in this university since the day that Cedric Delacroix was crowned to be the student council president."

So they are doing the murderous killings from the start? I want to kill them now with my bare hands because of the anger that I've feeling but I managed to calm myself. Wala akong mapapala kung hindi ako magiging kalmado pagdating sa ganitong sitwasyon. I need to balance my emotions and instinct to kill.

"Who are the members of that gang?" I asked.

I heard him sighed and then shooked his head. "I'm sorry. They are wearing a mask to hide their identity that's why I failed to get their names and check their backgrounds."

"Plus, they are being protected by the most powerful in this university which is Cedric Delacroix and I don't have any power to fight him because if I try, I will loss my position and expelled in this school and the operation might be failed but I'll try my another way to defeat him." I  can sense his voice marked with determination and passion in doing his role.

No wonder if he was crowned to be the most powerful and dangerous mafia boss in the mafia world. He knew how to cope up with another plan if his old plan will be failed. He can think straight and smile despite of the dangerous situation that we've been encountering right now. Hindi siya tulad ng iba na  basta-bastang aatake na lang bigla. He got something up on his sleeves.

I admire him right now. And an idea pooped up from my mind. I want to be like him. I want to fight in his side.

"I am doing it." Napatingin siya sa akin nang sabihin ko iyon.

"I am the one who will fight Cedric Delacroix and his men. I will be your wall of defense and besides I want to punch them straight from their face because of their unrightful doing." My voice was marked with finality right now.

Nakitaan ko ng pag-alala ang mukha ni Kris at pagkagulat sa sinabi ko. "Are you crazy? You can't win to them! Delacroix family are more powerful than what you think so leave all this things to me. I'll handle it alone." Frustration dipped into his voice.

Wala akong balak matalo sa lalaking ito kaya nagsalita ako. "I am not doing this to help your mission. I am doing this for all of the souls that've been passed away because of their stupid experiment! I am doing this for Tiffany's family sake."

Walang mababakas na takot at pagkamuhi sa aking boses. Kalmado iyon at parang hindi ako ang nagsasalita ngayon.

"Even though I don't have the strength na katulad ng lakas mo, lalabanan ko pa rin sila. If it may cost all of my life to save those thousand souls, I will not hesitate to fight. My experience taught me on how to be a strong one though I was just a woman and not as powerful like you.."

"I don't have any weapons right now but I believe that I can defeat all of them not as the typical Jessica but as the daughter of the former mafia king."

"You are just putting your life into risk." Kontra niya sa sinabi ko.

I smirked. "Haven't I told you? I am Jessica Jung and trouble is my middle name that's why whenever I go, trouble will surely following me."

I saw Kris sigh in defeat. "Fine. But don't do another reckless thing alone."

I smirked because of what I've heard. "I won't promise you that thing but I make sure that I'll be survived."

"Then it settled now. You and I are going to fight them." And smirk suddenly appears into his face.

"Yeah. And I will make sure that they are going to pay from what they've done." I said then sipped from my coffee.

"Hey. Don't forget about me." A voice from behind made us to stiffened. Sabay kaming napalingon roon at nakita ko ang seryosong mukha ni Junmyeon kasama ang kanyang co-member na si Chanyeol.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Junmyeon? Chanyeol! How did you get there?!" I stood up from sitting in the chair and face them.

Ngumiti sa akin si Chanyeol. "I am an investigator, you know? Pinagsususpetsiyahan ko ang mga kinikilos niyong dalawa at sinusuri ko ang mga kilos niyo. I also overheard your conversation yesterday that's why I followed you here."

Muntik ko nang makalimutan na  isa palang magaling na detective si Chanyeol. Masyado akong nagpabaya sa sarili ko at ang sikretong bagay na ito ay nalaman na nila.

"And we already knew the truth." Junmyeon said then looked at me. "Hindi mo man lang sinabi sa akin na nagdate na pala kayo ni Kris."

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi nito. Umiwas ito ng tingin at nagsalita. "Nevermind."

"So, what's the plan?" Chanyeol asked then put a glance at Kris who is currently sitting in the chair na para bang wala lang sa kanya na mabuko kami.

Kris sipped his tea. "Can I trust the both of you? I can't put your trust to the both of you since you are not part of my gang. Besides, it's better that only few person should know about the university deepest secret."

"Bakit hindi nila kailangang malaman ito?" Junmyeon asked.

"There was a traitor in the Elites and you should learn not to put your trust in your co-members even me."

Hearing those words from Kris made me feel sick. A traitor, huh? I am expecting this but why I am hurting like I can't accept this painful truth.

AFTER that serious and tired conversation, we made a pact for the four of us. Junmyeon and Chanyeol almost swear that they didn't tell it to others but I can feel the serious tension biding up from the two after learning that there is a traitor in the group.

But who might it be? Who is this wolf that is pretending to be a sheep?

Hindi pa rin matukoy ni Kris kung sino ang traidor. Wala rin siyang sapat na  ebidensiya liban na lamang sa mga ikinikilos ni Cedric. It turns out na may alam ito sa mga nangyayari sa paligid niya and it makes me think also na may traitor nga sa grupo.

If there is none, hindi sana malalaman ni Cedric ang tungkol sa mga plano namin at sa mga pinagagawa ko nang oras na hindi ko pa alam na buhay si Tiffany.

And whoever is that traitor is I just want to know all of his reasons of why he was doing this. Or maybe he is a part of Sunny former gang.

Sumagi sa isipan ko ang pamilyar na amoy ng taong pumatay kay Tita Elene. It was familiar and I am feeling nostalgic like I was reminiscing from the past. Posible na ang taong pumatay kay Tita Elene ay isa sa mga Elites.

And I shouldn't learn on how to trust others that much.

I touched Tita Elene's grave and waves of a thousand memories with the Montecillo family strikes my head. I am no Ionger crying right now because of those hard things that done in my life. I am now become an emotionless and lifeless person. With no emotions nor feelings.

I can control my own feelings right now.

"Tita Elene and Sunny, thank you for coming into my life and for taking care of me. I wish you could find your hope in the heaven and please give me a permission on killing some people so that I can save your souls." I put the boquet of white roses in her grave and a three white roses to Sunny's grave.

With determination and courage, I stand up and started to walk after bidding them a goodbye.

But before leaving the cemetery, I accidentally bumped into a guy.

"Sorry." He mouthed and then continue to walk passing me.

I frozed after hearing his voice and upon recognizing his smell. Hindi ko man makita ang itsura niya dahil sa suot nitong hoodie jacket pero pamilyar sa akin ang kanyang amoy.

This smell. This scent. No, it can't be! This is the smell of that person.

The person one who killed Tita Elene.

Napatingin ako sa direksiyong dinaanan ng taong iyon at hinagilap siya ngunit hindi ko na siya makita. Mabilis siyang nawala sa aking paningin.

But one thing came out from my mind.

Anong ginagawa ng culprit dito?