CHAPTER 52: Saving Avery Part 2

Marius

"Listen, men, this island is big. We will walk by foot. We cannot afford the enemies to detect us. Always keep a watchful eye over the surroundings. We don't know yet if they knew we were here or not considering how smart Haize is," sabi ni Sarge pagdaong ng aming speed boat sa pampang ng Bean Island.

Hindi ko mapigilan ang hindi kabahan. Lalo na sa isiping ilang kilometro na lang ang layo nina Avery sa akin. Gustong-gusto kong sumugod na ngunit pinigilan ko ang aking sarili. I have to prolong my patience. If I become a wreckless bastard, then I'll be a goner bago pa ako makapatapak sa hideout nina Haize. I'll settle this between him and me. We will end this today.

"Bro, okay ka lang? Nasa gitna ng gubat ang hideout nila. Ngunit kailangan pa rin natin mag-ingat kahit nasa advantage tayo at nasa atin ang element of surprise," sabi niya. "This is Duke's property. Kahit sabihing hugas kamay siya sa operasyon na ito, hindi natin alam kung ano ang nandito sa isla na ito bukod pa kina Haize," sabi pa niya.

Tumango ako sa kanya bago isinukbit sa aking balikat ang strap ng armalite na hawak ko.

"Pairalin mo ang rational na pag-iisip mo bro. Huwag ang emosyonal. Tandaan mo, buhay nina Avery ang nakasalalay dito," sabi pa niya.

"I know that, bro," sagot ko.

Nagsimula na kaming lumakad papasok ka kakapalan ng mga puno.

Ayon sa mga naririnig ko, Duke purchased this island from a family of Royals. It was said that after purchasing, lahat ng mga nakatira doon ay pinaalis nina Duke. Dito raw sila nagsimula hanggang sa dumami ng dumami ang mga sumanib sa kanila. Rumors said that whatever illegal business that Duke and his men were doing there, nobody knows.

"It's a good thing that Duke no longer wants to do anything about Haize. This will make our job easy," sabi pa ni Sarge habang naglalakad kami. "He is feared by everyone including me," sabi pa niya.

Napatingin ako kay Cole. He is the one who knew Duke back then. They were classmates during middle school. He said Duke was always with his twin brother named Jaxon. Both of them are identical at halos lahat ng style ng damit at buhok ay magkatulad to the point that he can't tell who is who. Wala raw sa itsura ni Duke ang violent. In fact mas pasaway pa nga raw si Jaxon kesa sa kanya. One day, biglang hindi na kasama ni Jaxon si Duke sa pagpasok. And when he ask him, sinasabi nya lang na nasa malayo na daw ito nag-aaral dahil pinaghiwalay sila ng kanyang Papa. Since then, wala ng naging balita kay Duke. He was completely gone without a trace maliban na lamang sa mga pictures na ipinapakita sa kanila ni Jaxon.

It shocked him when he heard that Duke took over his dad's group after he graduated college. He became the most ruthless and dangerous man of the Mafia. Hindi ilang beses na nasangkot ang kanyang pangalan sa illegal na gawain pati na rin ang mga patayan even if he's just eighteen.

"What happened to Jaxon back then and now?" tanong ko kay Cole habang nakaupo kami sa isang patay na sanga ng puno na natumba. Dito kami magpapalipas ng gabi habang ang iba ay nightwatcher.

"He became consigliere of the group as well as taking good care of their family business. I mean their decent family businesses that are not related to the Mafia," sagot niya. "But well, Jaxon changed as well," sabi pa niya maya-maya.

Totoo, swerte na kami dahil hindi makikisali si Duke sa operasyon namin sa kabila ng kanya ang island na ito.

Kinabukasan ay hinayaan muna naming makatulog ang mga hindi natulog kagabi.

"We're still hundreds of kilometers away from the heart of this island," sabi ni Sarge.

"This island is huge and that explains why," sabi ni Cole. "It would be a good idea kung may sasakyan. I'll only take an hour or so bago makarating sa hideout nina Haize. But also it's a wrong idea," sabi pa niya.

"Move out! Move out!" sigaw ni Sarge pagkagising ng mga natulog at nakapaghanda na. "My calculation is that we will reach our destination in two days by foot. By then, we will be facing death. This is a notorious group that we are up to. Remember our priorities, men. I can't guarantee the safety of each one of you or we can get out of here alive. We've been into a lot of missions and this is not the same. We are one step closer to death. This is the duty we are sworn to do, I hope everyone is ready," mahabang speech ni Sarge.

I remember my first time joining this team. I was eighteen back then. My parents don't want me to join since I haven't met my fated pair yet. But I insist. I wanted to be in the army or the police back then. Cole then followed me after. I remember killing someone. As I pull the trigger of the gun I was holding back then, I can see my target so clear. In one second he was alive and he'll gonna shoot me and the next second he was dead lying in front of me. His eyes are dilated and the wound on his head is visible and blood gushing out of it. Hindi ko kayang hindi titigan ang katawan ng lalaking iyon. He is probably the same age as me.

"What have I done?" tanong ko sa aking sarili.

I just killed a man. Nabitawan ko ang baril na hawak ko. At nanghihinang napahawak ako sa aking tuhod but my eyes still fixated to the dead boy.

"Damn it Marius! Get it together. Move or you'll die," sigaw sa akin ni Cole habang patuloy na nagpapaputok ng kanyang baril.

Nararamdaman ko pa na hinila niya ang aking damit at hinila palayo sa warzone kung saan patuloy na naglalaban ang pwersa ng united armies ng mga royals.

Maybe that Is the reason why I developed severe bipolarity.

"Bro, look," sabi sa akin ni Cole na siyang nagpabalik ng aking isip sa kasalukuyan at siniko-siko ako.

Tumingin ako sa direksyon ng kanyang mga mata.

"Sarge," nakangiting bati ng isang lalaking matangkad at may kalakihan ang katawan. "It's been a while," sabi pa niya.

"Who the heck is that?" tanong ko kay Cole.

"That's Lemuel. Duke's right-hand man and an omega," sagot sa akin ni Cole.

"What?!" gulat na gulat kong tanong sa kanya. "An omega? An omega with that dangerous appearance?" naniniguradong tanong ko sa kanya.

"Yes. Nakakagulat hindi ba? Malayo sa omegang tradisyunal, hindi ba?" sagot niya. "But, don't let your guard down because he's just an omega. He would be Duke's right hand man if he's weak," aniya pa.

"What the hell is he doing here? Akala ko ba hugas kamay si Duke sa mission na ito?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Relax, he's with us. Siya ang nagtip kay Sarge kung saan ang hide out ni Haize," sagot niya sa akin.

"Anong ginagawa niya rito?"

"Well, nasabi niyang may sarili raw siyang agenda dito at hindi siya nangingialam sa ating misyon," sagot niya.

Nakahinga ako ng maluwag.

"Haize's expecting you," sabi niya kay Sarge habang naninigarilyo. "In fact he knew everything about this plan. He had a mole inside of your organization," sabi pa niya. "But I killed it before coming here," sabi uli niya.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Cole.

"I owe you two," sabi ni Sarge.

Ngumiti ito. The omega part of him showed on his face when he smiled.

And here I am. I thought that nothing is omega in him and just the gender but no. Kahit sandali lang ang ngiti na iyon at iyon lang ang bahagi ng kanyang pagkatao ang masasabing malambot sa kanya.

"Na ah. I did that because I'm helping my prey," sagot niya bago tumingin sa akin. "Oh.. your grace," sabi niya sa akin bago nagbow. "Duke Marius of Bree, it's nice to see you here. My name is Lemuel from a non-monarchy country," sabi pa niya.

"Hello Lemuel," bati ko sa kanya.

"How lucky your mate is to have a mate like you," sabi pa niya sa akin. "Anyways I have to go," sabi lang niya bago ito naglakad papasok sa mas masukal na najagi ng gubat.

"What the? Wala man lang bang back up ang isang iyon, Sarge?" tanong ni Cole sa kanya.

"No need. That bastard is a machine. He can take down anyone who comes on his way," sagot niya. "Let's go!" sigaw niya giving us signal to go.

I felt uneasy when Lemuel said Avery's name. Parang alam niya ang nangyayari dito kahit na wala siya sa hideout ni Haize.

"Relax," sabi ni Cole sa akin. "I can feel your stress again. Focus on this mission and be done. Huwag mong isipin iyong sinabi ni Lemuel. He loves teasing alphas," sabi ni Cole.

"He's not afraid of Alphas?"

"It's only Duke who he is afraid of," sagot niya. "The rest? He preyed on them. Mindi you, his sexual preference is being the top. He doesn't do bottoming," sagot nito sa akin.

"Huh? That's abnormal."

"Well, everything about him is abnormal. He's like a wolf in sheepskin. But I wonder who is the prey he is helping right now," sabi niya.

"Maybe an alpha who needed his help," sagot ko.

"Oh yeah. Probably," sabi niya.

Alas otso na ng gabi ay nagpasya kaming magpahinga. Ako ang nakatokang maging night watcher habang ang iba ay tulog. Habang nakaupo ako sa isang nakausling ugat ng puno ay napatingala ako sa mabituing langit. Hindi ko alam kung makakalabas pa ba ako ng buhay dito sa islang ito at maiuwi ko ang aking mag-ina. Hindi bale ako ang hindi makauwi ng buhay basta ang mahalaga ay buhay sila.

Simula ng napanaginipan ko na duguan ang aking tiyan ay inihanda ko na ang aking sarili. I already told dad if something might happen to me, I'll let my eldest son have my position which is rightfully his. Hindi ko sinasantabi na baka may mangyari masama.

If only... if only this didn't happen. I could picture myself and my family together. Napabuntong-hininga ako.

Bang bang.

Tunog ito ng baril na siyang pumunit ng katahimikan ng gabi.

"Sarge! Code red. Code red!" rinig na rinig mula sa radio phone ang sabi ng ibang grupo na nasa kabilang bahagi ng isla.

"Shit! Prepare men!"