Love is War

Chapter 11

“John,” I called my friend busy writing something in his notebook, probably some notes for the plan. The date of the upcoming shipment is coming near and preparing ourselves would be a reasonable action, but not today for me.

“What do you need?” he asked and sounded like an old grumpy man and I chuckled softly.

“Nothing, I will just go out to take some fresh air in a nearby park,” I informed him so in case that father asks on my where about they can easily know where I am.

“Okay,” he said cheaply staying focused on his notes and if I am not mistaken, he has a training scheduled on Nab later. I turned my back on him letting him be himself, I went straight to our garage where my bike is parked. Yeah, my precious car was in wreck after that encounter with the berserker. My poor car.

On the bright side, riding a bike is bit more refreshing and fun sometimes and I can avoid tight traffics. Oh yeah, I know where to go now, there is a grand opening mall right now on the border of our territories. We call that place borderlands. That’s where all peace meetings are held between gangs and organizations. It’s peaceful there and an attack there is forbidden and if one group breaks that taboo, they will face the wrath of the world organization. Majority of the civilization in this country was established there especially those who are privileged and the business men.

Well, I think it’s not harmful to give visit on that place, I’ve been there only once and I never came back. That time the reason of my trip there is a mission, to scout the meeting of the Smiths. Now, no mission just me killing time, I want to take a tour. In my social media accounts, I saw most of my internet friends posting a picture of them in a beautiful place. If I have time, I think I will go here everyday to satisfy my eyes.

Sadly, people are afraid to step out of the borderlands, and I can’t blame them since they care for their lives. The poor and some of the middle classes are left inside our territories and it’s up to us how we govern them since politics in these kinds of areas are just a show to cover what is really happening. Fortunately for those people who remained inside our territories, especially the poor have given better lives. My father is like a benevolent king to those who are pure in heart, they are given their own homes and they established a community where they live peacefully. Father forbid our men to meddle with them or cause any trouble, we just let them be and to avoid them from any disarray. I don’t know how other gangs or organization handle their own citizens, and thinking about just makes my head ache.

Woah, I’ve been thinking so deep lately, I did not notice that I am in my bike right now. The wind sure feels great today, I drive my bike in a moderate speed to enjoy this wind. Our territory is surrounded with trees that’s why the wind is cooler here than those in rural areas.

Hmm, I don’t know where to go first when I reach that super mall. Ever since its news of establishment until now, that place always makes an uproar and very controversial too. It says the first in the world and in the country. I don’t know what’s inside the mind of the owner to try and build a business in a troublesome place, if it is her or his first time.

The mall boasts of being technological unlike other malls in the past, and will surpass them. They require fewer human employees and the whole place will be run by artificial intelligence. When it comes to technology people sure are attracted with it easily. To the masses its like a magic, full of wonders and it has so many capabilities. It makes the impossible, possible, just like what Rose is. Her tech is impossible in weaponry in earlier days but thanks to technological advancements, I can be of use to my father and utilize my capabilities in the battlefield.

I think I will just go to a computer store and check if they have the latest graphic card on sale. Well, I’m a dedicated gamer at heart and in this era, gaming community revolves around latest graphic technology. VR (Virtual Reality) gaming which I enjoy the most because I can move my body freely while seeing realistic animated surroundings. I like shooter games, especially competitive first-person shooter games, and there is this game that I am hyping for, but it requires the latest graphics card for it to run. I think if I saw many good parts I will build a new pc just for that game. Well, my father allows me to indulge myself in that kind of games for hours since it can train my shooting skills. For me it has no difference with real life shooting, and the only difference is I can disable blood in games.

All I gotta do right now is to hope that I brought my credit card with me, because if I don’t goodbye GRX 9090. That card will be out of stock immediately so I must buy it today. I can’t turn around now since I am a mile away from my home., there is no turning back now. God, I really hope that I brought my credit card.

Ah suck it! I parked my bike on the side of the road and I checked my pockets in my jacket but I did not feel a smooth plastic rectangular treasure. Oh god, this time I felt so much pressure in this point of my life. I am done checking all the pockets in my jacket but there is no credit card. Oh, I can feel the tears swelling up in my eyes. Please be there, please be there for me! There is still hope, I still have my pockets in my pants. I felt something hard when I reached on one of the pockets. It’s very thin so my hope was rekindled. I closed my eyes and my heartbeat is the only thing that I can hear. I pulled that thing outside my pocket hoping that it is my credit card. Please be my credit card. Please be my credit card. Please be my credit card. Please be my credit card.

When I managed to pull it out, I slowly open my eyes to check if its really my credit card. I peeked and saw a glimpse of blue coloration and my temper can’t hold it anymore so I opened my eyes immediately. To my joy it is actually one of my credit cards. YES! I can buy it right now.

I immediately board my bike and started its engine to continue my drive towards the borderlands. I forgot the name of the super mall that I intend to go, no matter I can identify it easily when I get there. Many people, huge uproar, that’s gonna be it.

Hours later, I finally reached the borderlands and it sure is huge for being a border for peace. Time to find my treasure, but I was interrupted when I felt my phone ringing in my jacket. I pulled it out from the pocket and I checked my phone. John is calling, I thought he does not care. I answered it and I plugged my ear plugs that intercept foreign signals so no one can over hear our conversation.

“Where are you?” he immediately asked me.

“I think you said earlier that you don’t care,” I joke.

“Forget about it,” he ignored my joke and he sounds so serious. “Where are you right now?” he asked the same question again. So pushy.

“I am currently in the border, why?” I answered his question then followed by a question.

“Oh s**t!” he said in panic. “Why didn’t you tell me that you are going there?” he questioned my actions. “That’s far from being a park,” he said noting my reason earlier. I really said that I am going on a NEARBY park, so my bad in that part.

“You’re so busy earlier so I thought that its best to leave you be,” I reason out.

“Your father is going to kill me if something bad happen to you,” he whispered. “Wait for me and don’t do something stupid while I’m gone,” he told me, and he sounded like a parent. “The Smiths are there right now so stay low until I arrive there,” he informed and I was surprised that he has that information. “Where are you right now?” he asked me.

“I’m in the mall, the new one,” I answered him just giving him the details because I forgot what it is called.

“Got it! Don’t go anywhere,” he reminded me and he immediately cut the call. Such a worry wart, but will remind myself to be careful and to stay low, now that I know that they are here. Their grudge over us is so damn huge that they might break the taboo if they see me or my father, but my identity is unknown to them, so staying low is my best course of action. Just gotta make my way towards that computer shop and take my fill.

I parked my bike in their parking lot and I took off my helmet exposing my face to the people around me. As how I expected it to be, they just completely ignored my presence and I noticed some girls looking at me, might be attracted to me, can’t blame them. I am blessed with handsome genes. I winked at them and I make my way inside the mall.

It actually turned out to be jam packed with people, and in the entrance, people are lining up. Damn! That’s a long line-

“Sorry,” I immediately apologized to the girl that I bumped. Wait, she looks familiar and we stare at each other for a few seconds.

“Miss Nova!” someone called to her and she ignored my apology and run straight to the girl who called her. Well, I think it’s just some Déjà vu.