Màu nền Màu tối Mặc định Xám nhạt Xanh nhạt Xanh đậm Vàng nhạt Màu sepia Vàng đậm Vàng ố

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Unti-unting bumabangon ang team. May kaunting tensyon at ilangan pa din but at least, wala nang nag-aaway and we are making a progress now. 

L was back on being quiet again. Kung hindi ko lang sya kilala bilang isang tahimik na tao at hindi palasalita ay iisipin kong naiilang sya. But looking at him as he watched Aius writing on the transparent glass booard, I could say that he's being himself. Kung minsan pa ay nakikita kong nakikipag-usap na sya kina Fourth at Tracer.

Maging ang mga corny jokes ni Archer ay bumalik na rin.

I smiled. I'm glad that we're back at being a team again. We are slowly gaining each other's trust again. We need it. Malapit nang matapos ang laro at ang isa't-isa na lang ang mayroon kami.

Afterall, we're not just a team. We are a family.

As soon as we settled everything about the issue, we started making a plan. But we all agreed that we should talk and clear everything about the game para alam namin kung anong pinapasok namin. Hindi kami pwedeng gumawa ng planong pagsugod lang. We should at least try to know all about the game and why it hapened.

If anything, we might find something that we could use against the gamemaster.

"How about the owner of the voice?"

I looked at Hoax when he asked that question. He was looking at Aius and his eyes were serious. Naninibago tuloy ako. Naaalala ko kasi 'yung panahong muntik na kaming ikasal. We were engaged for awhile but I enjoyed his company. Lalo na noong nagpupustahan pa kami sa mga babae nya.

Hoax couldn't give much help when it comes with his fighting skills. He didn't undergo any intense training, pang self-defense lang. Maybe his father wanted him to have a normal life. I dont know...

But Hoax is trying his best to help the team. Sa ibang paraan sya tumutulong. Katulad ng pagbabantay nya kay Ishtar at ngayon na tinutulungan kami sa pagpaplano.

"Is it a part of the Red Faction or is it helping us?" dagdag tanong nya.

"We got caught in the enemies trap." Plutus said. He was standing on the back while he's leaning on the wall. Nakahalukipkip sya. "There's a big chance that it was all the plan of the Red Faction."

"That was just a mere assumption, Attorney Villaraza." Si Archer na naging paborito na yatang umupo sa baitang sa hagdan. "Hindi 'yan tatanggapin sa korte. We're lawyers. We look for evidences."

Plutus looked at him. The annoyed expression on his face is so evident. "Wala tayo sa korte."

Archer laughed before he shrugged his shoulders. "Wala lang. Para may masabi lang."

'Ayan na naman sya.

"But Plutus has a point." Death said. Bumaling ako sa kanya na nasa tabi ko lang. "Alam ng Red Faction ang magiging kilos natin. They moved and took Alter. It's like they knew that we won't be in the hideout by that time."

"And they were aware that we'll be in their hideout." Fourth concluded. He was sitting in a one seater sofa. Looking at him now, parang hindi ako sanay makita na wala si Eresh sa tabi nya. "It was all planned."

"Pero 'diba sinabi ni Eresh na sigurado syang hindi ang gamemaster ang may-ari ng boses?" it was Archer. "And remember what the voice said? 'Pinahanga nyo ako so I still wanna help you.' Do you really think that the enemy would praise us and say things like that?"

Napaisip ako doon. Archer has a point as well. Nasabi ni Eresh na sigurado syang hindi ang gamemaster ang may-ari ng boses dahil sa huling mga sinabi noon. And that's also the reason why we got convinced that it's really helping us.

"Maybe it's was of the enemy's tactic to confused us?" Hoax said. Iniintindi ang lahat kahit hindi masyadong makaintindi ng Tagalog.

I shook my head. "No." they all looked at me at medyo nataranta ako.

I remember the last mission I did as a part of the EL Ordre. Iyong ako mismo ang gumawa ng plano. Minsan na nga lang ako magplano para sa team pero pumalpak pa!

Merda! Ngayon tuloy ako nainggit sa pagiging matalino ni Eresh!

I cleared my throat. "I've been fighting against the Red Faction for almost my whole life. I know their moves, their plans. And it's close to impossible for them to say something like that."

"Maybe because we were against Eresh that time? The Red Faction plan-maker." Tahimik na sabi ni Tracer.

We've gone silent. Ito yung mahirap sa amin kapag gumagawa ng plano. May ilalabas kaming isang ideya pero mababalewala iyon ng isa pang bagong ideya. And it's hard. Parang nagpapaikot-ikot lang kami at wala nang mapupuntahan.

I heard Aius sighed. He was wearing a simple v-neck black shirt and a black ripped pants. Nagpapakita ang tattoo nyang Queen chess piece na pangalan ni Angela in a cursive sa kanang braso nya. Nakatayo sya sa harap at nagsusulat sa glassboard para i-konekta ang mga ideas namin. But it looked to me that he's having a hard time as well.

"Let's leave it as that. Hindi natin makikilala kung sino ang nagmamay-ari ng boses na iyon sa impormasyong meron tayo." he said. "But let's still regarded those ideas. Na baka kakampi natin o kaaway ang may-ari ng boses."

We all agreed on that. Isa pa, Eresh said that she's sure that it wasn't the gamemaster. Among all of us, sya ang may pinakamaraming beses nang na-encounter ang bored na matandang 'yon.

"The Red Faction took Alter as they knew that she's the only one who can put up a fight against Shielder's hacking skills." Pinagkonekta ni Aius and pangalan ni Alter at Shielder sa isang linya gamit ang pulang marker. "As well as the fact that they can use her to lure Eresh."

This time, pinagkonekta nya ang pangalan nila Eresh at Alter gamit ang blue marker.

"They planned to take them so they can use them against us." sabi ni Fourth na mariing nakatingin sa glassboard.

Aius nodded on what he said. "'Cause Alter and Shielder knew that we treat each other as a family. They are attacking us using our emotions. Gaya ng ginawa sa atin ni Eresh noon."

"I don't think that they ever plan to hurt them." Plutus said as he fix his vape.

"What makes you say that?" Hoax asked pero si Fourth ang sumagot.

"Eresh won't let them." he said. "I'm sure she knows that we're making a plan to save them so she will do her best to protect herself and Alter. She won't let them touch even a single strand of their hair."

I admire how Fourth talks like he really knows everything about Eresh. Like he really understands her. Kaya kahit na alam kong sobra syang kinakabahan at nag-aalala para sa fiancee nya, he's still trying to keep his cool and calm down dahil alam nyang hindi hahayaan ni Eresh na may mangyaring masama sa kanila ni Alter while waiting for us to save them.

Especially that she's pregnant.

I admire how their mind works. Na parang kahit magkalayo sila ay magkakonekta naman ang puso at isip nila.

They really are for each other.

"Plus the fact na mawawalan ng purpose ang paggamit sa kanila laban sa atin if something bad happens to them." Kuya Vander added.

"Did any of you think that it's all part of the gamemaster's plan? For Alter and Eresh to join the EL Ordre?" tanong ni Fourth maya-maya.

We all looked at him. Karamihan ay hindi nakuha ang sinabi nya, but Aius seems to get it so well. I even heard him heaved a deep sigh. He closed his eyes tight as he pinched the bridge of his nose while looking up. Parang nananakit ang ulo ss sobrang dami ng nangyayari.

"Damn..." he even cursed.

"Come to think of it..." L muttered. "He never made any move to bring them back to the Red Faction. Ngayon lang."

"Precisely." Fourth said.

"So parte ng plano ng gamemaster ang mapunta sina Eresh at Alter sa atin?" Archer asked. Mukhang naguguluhan. "Pati ang mainlove sina L at Fourth sa kanila?"

"Maybe it wasn't." it was Aius. "Pero nang makitang nangyayari na nga iyon, he just let them be. Maybe because he realized that it's better that way."

"'Cause he can use them against us someday." Plutus puffed on his vape. Coffee scent immediately fille the room. "Kaya hinayaan nya lang na mangyari ang lahat."

"Ah... shit." si Archer na mukhang nakukuha na ang lahat.

"But why?" Hoax asked who's the only one who still looked confused with what's happening.

"To ruin EL Ordre." it was Aius who answered him. "The gamemaster wanted to ruin EL Ordre."

"Eresh was right when she said that the gamemaster favors the Red Faction." Death said.

"Pero bakit ba parang galit na galit sa atin ang gamemaster?" inis na sabi ni Archer. "'Yung Red Faction ang maraming nilabag na rules! Also with the fact that they started the game without a King!"

"Putangina kasi ng matandang 'yon." Plutus cursed as he puffed on his vape again.

Aius sighed again. Tinitigan nya ang glassboard pati na rin ang mga linyang nakakabit sa bawat pangalan na parang pinagkokonekta ang lahat. I saw him frowned like he's having a hard time connecting all the dots. And I think that if we're the only one who will try to figure this out, mahihirapan talaga kami.

We need help.

"This is the second Bloody Human Chess Game, right?" Aius asked nang muli syang humarap sa amin. "The first game was with our parents as the chess pieces."

"Yeah. Pero hindi pa madugo sa kanila noon. It was just a friendly game with them at first." Kuya Vander said.

"And Tracer's parents were both Rooks." Archer said. "Kung napapasa ang posisyon, magkapatid o magkadugo sila kung may nauna pang human chess game bago ang sa kanila."

The sides of Aius' lips rose slightly. "That would be incest."

Archer laughed. "Kaya nga sigurado akong ang mga magulang natin ang unang naglaro ng Bloody Human Chess game."

Aius laughed with him. Mukhang nagkasundo ang dalawa na hindi nagustuhan ni Tracer. He frowned as he looked at his two friends.

"Fuckers. Anong problema nyo sa mga magulang ko?"

Aius and Archer laughed again. Naiinis na binato ng throw pillow ni Tracer si Archer na syang nagpasimula ng lahat.

"Fuckers! Hindi magkapatid ang mga magulang ko!"

"Alam namin!" natatawang sabi ni Archer na tinamaan sa mukha ng throw pillow. He pointed at my Kuya Vander. "Unlike him."

"Mga putangina nyo talaga. Bakit nadamay ako?"

"Diba si Carmilla?" si Archer na ayaw pang tumigil. Kuya Vander glared at him.

"Tangina mo."

The fucker friends laughed. Nakisali na din si Tracer sa tawanan nina Aius at Archer na kanina lang ay sya pa ang iniinis.

I shook my head in disbelief. But somehow... I am thankful for them for being like this. Mas nababawasan ang tensyon at ilangan sa grupo. I even saw L made a small smile sa pagbibiruan nila.

"We need the help of the former chess pieces." pagbabago ni Fourth sa usapan. Natigil sa tawanan ang tatlo.

Tumango si Aius. "That's what I'm thinking. Kailangan natin malaman kung paano at bakit nahati ang grupo. Maybe we can find something that we could use against the gamemaster with that."

Yes... That's what I'm talking about. Kailangan namin ng tulong ng mga magulang namin.

But we can't talk with Fourth's father anymore. I know that the Duke is willing to help us. Pero masyadong halata ang presensya nya, given that he's a royalty kaya baka mapahamak na naman sya.

This is my chance... to talk with my father again. Hindi naging maganda ang huling pag-uusap namin. I still have a lot to say to him.

Slowly... I raised my hand. Napatingin silang lahat sa akin. Aius smirked at me like he already knew what I'm going to say.

With a determined voice, I spoke.

"I'll talk with my father."