The Devils Mayhem (Devils #3)

Chapter 1

__Victorique's POV__

THE hallway is quieter than I remembered it to be. Kung aalisin mo ang dumadagaundong na boses ng isang guro na kasalukuyang sinisigawan ang kanyang mga estudyante, marahil ay ang tunog mula sa lumilipad na lamok na lamang ang iyong maririnig.

Mula sa aking dinadaanan ay may dalawang estudyante na naglalakad, ang mga tawa nilang tahimik ay nakarating sa aking pandinig. From their conversations, a sad smile broke into my face.

Crushes...

Such innocence, even I became quite jealous. They just looked cute being so innocent. Back then, naalala ko noong nanonood ako ng mga pelikula, at ang kailanagan mo lang gawin upang maging kaakitakit ka sa harapan ng crush mo ay mag-aktong insente ka sa mga bagay-bagay. But now, even my stomach would not take it if I just pretend.

Anyways, I am not here to just dilly dally about their innocent high school girls living in rainbow fantasies, sadly, I am here to look for someone.

Hinawakan ko ang face mask na may anime character at itinaas ito sa aking ilong.

Should I try cosplaying sometimes? Maybe a cosplaying that requires a character that had a mask on, in that way I could blend into the crowd by attracting too much crowd but not alerting suspicion at the same time.

Kung iisipin, ano nga ba ang unang gagawin ng taong nagtatago? Syempre gagawin niya lahat upang hindi mag-stand out. Being hostile is not that much safe. No culprit would have that much confidence to just show off their appearance in public, right?

Tumingin ako mula sa aking relong pambisig. Mga ilang minuto pa bago matapos ang huling klase ni Elle.

I sighed and grabbed the can of energy drink from the vending machine. Bago ko buksan ang lata ay napatingin muna ako sa mga produkto na nakahirera sa loob, at isa mga ito ay ang matcha drink.

Ngunit hindi ko na ito pinansin at nagsimula nang uminom sa lata. Naghintay ako sa tapat ng classroom ni Elle at doon ay ipinagpatuloy ang pag-inom ko.

It was the most dreadful five minutes, more dreadful than when I was attending school, waiting for dismissal so that I would get spared from the presentation I forgot to make. Old times...

When at last the bell rang, I pressed the can against my palms and threw it at the trashcan.

That's when Elle emerged from the classroom. Her expression went from surprised until she finally got over it and gave me a smile.

"V-Victorique?" Her voice was sounding unsure but definitely loud. I just nodded to respond. "O-oh!"

I did not say anything but I gestured for her to follow me. Once we arrived at the rooftop, I stopped my footsteps. The whole time I had my back on her. The mask on my face felt heavier so I removed them and counted to ten before deciding to turn around.

Ngunit bago pa ako makaikot paharap sa kanya ay sinalubong na niya ako ng yakap na muntikan ko nang ikabagsak. Mabuti na lamang ay nasalo ko ang timbang naming dalawa.

"Oh my god, Victorique. Saan ka nanggaling?! Maayos ba ang kalagayan mo?" Niyakap niya ako ng mahigpit saka niya inangat ang paningin sa akin ng may luha sa kanyang mga mata. "I missed you. I don't believe anything they say about you."

Her eyes were unbelievably expressive and sadden to the extent that her face was pulled down in a deep crease.

I managed to conjure a smile as I hesitantly snaked my arms around her back.

I said a simple, "Thanks."

She went on. "Akala ko hindi na kita makikita. Si Yna. Si Ynalee nawawala din, hindi ko na alam kung ano ang nangyayari sa inyong dalawa. Nakita mo ba siya? Magkasama ba kayo ngayon?"

Umiling ako. "Hinahanap ko pa siya."

Napahiwalay siya mula sa pagkakayakap sa akin saka ako tinignan sa nanlalaking mata. "Paano kung may nangyari na sa kanya? Wala kang kinalaman sa nangyari sa kanya diba? I believe you."

Huminga ako ng malalim saka bahagyang lumayo sa kanya.

"As I said, I didn't do anything. And I am still searching for Yna."

Hindi siya nakapagsalita. Time went on and only awkward silence came upon the both of us, but I noticed she was a bit fidgety, her eyes kept darting from side to side and her fingers are fumbling at the zipper of her shoulder bag.

"You are my only friend now, Elle." I said dryly. "I have no one to go to."

Bigla ay napaangat siya ng paningin sa aking gawi, marahil ay hindi inaasahan ang aking sinabi. Nanatili lamang akong nakatayo sa harapan niya, tinitigan siya ng mariin.

"You are the only one I could trust. So, I want you to help me."

Unti-unting nanlaki ang mga mata niya.

"Help?" Ulit niya. "Saan kita matutulungan? Hindi ko alam kung kaya kitang tulungan. What can I do?"

I bit the inside of my mouth and stared ahead, stared far away, beyond the place where I could see. Probably something very impossible to see, but I knew there is something really black welling up inside me.

"I want revenge," I said with clear distaste in my mouth. "Those f*ck*ng a**holes is going to pay! And I am not going to spare anyone, every single one of them!"

Biglay sumagi sa aking utak ang mukha niya. It was like a splash of cold water to my steaming anger.

But he's one of them. And that's not going to change.

Huminga ako ng malalim at sinubukang kontrolin ang aking emosyon. All the man I've ever fallen for were all j*rks, that's when I knew that I am better off not loving anyone. I would never involve my feelings again.

"I-I need someone." Ipinagpatuloy ko ang aking sinasabi, ang bosses ko ay bahagyang naginginig ngunit mas kalmado na ako ngayon. "Someone who could get inside the police station without any worries."

Napatingin siya sa akin. "Police station? What are you planning?"

Ikinuyom ko ang aking magkabilang kamay saka ibinulsa ito. Tinitigan ko siya sa mga mata.

"I've finally found out whose helping them, among the law, there are what they call protectors," I said. "Sila yung mga nagbibigay alam sa puno sa bawat galaw na isasagawa ng mga pulisya."

Muli na namang nanlaki ang mga mata nito, halatang hindi makapaniwala sa aking mga isinabi. Tumikhim ako at tuluyan na siyang hinarap.

"Bibigyan kita ng isang araw upang pag-isipan ang--"

"Pumapayag ako!" Agad na sansala niya sa iba ko pang sasabihin. "Ano ang kailangan kong gawin?"

Unti-unti akong napangiti sa sinabi niya saka sumandal sa railings at pinanood doon ang basketball court kung saan ay may mga naglalaro ng badminton. Ang pigura ng shuttle c**k na pinagpasa-pasahan sa ere ay nakangisi kong pinanood.

"Kailangan kong malaman ang mga koneksyon na mayroon si Alex, kung magagawa kong makuha ang kanyang phone upang makita ang kanyang mga contacts, malalaman ko ang sindikatong kasangkot sa grupo niya."

"T-teka." Agad na pigil niya sa aking sinasabi. "Paano mo naman ito makukuha?"

Tumingin ako sa kanya at muling nilingon ang mga estudyanteng naglalaro.

"Alam kong ang pinaka-ligtas na lugar kung saan niya ito maaaring matago ay sa kanyang katawan. He must be holding the phone anywhere he'd go."

Mabilis ang kanyang pagtango-tango.

"So, what do I do?"

Nag-isip ko ng malalim.

"Since hindi ako makapasok sa loob dahil sa strict security at dahil hinahanap ako ng mga pulis, ang gagawin mo ay papasok ka at i-report mo na nakita mo ako. But you must not completely reveal my entire look."

Hinagod niya ng tingin ang aking buong pagkatao saka siya muling tumango. Seemingly eager to know more about my plan.

"But you must not announce this in front of the station, talk to him in private, lure him outside. Talk to him while I sneak in and knock him out. That's when I'll copy all of his contacts."

She's not saying anything nor is she giving any suggestion, just obediently listening to all my orders.

"Do I need to repeat the plan?" Tanong ko. Umiling naman siya saka siya na mismo ang nag-repeat ng mga sinabi ko.

Nakangiti akong tumango saka hinugot mula sa bulsa ko ang isang ear piece. I handed it to her which she accepted. Uncle Drozell gave this to me to communicate with him quietly, and without anyone noticing we are talking to each other.

"Here, test it. Tell me if it still works."

"S-sure."

She immediately grabbed it by my hand and without any hesitation placed it over her ear and pressed one button.

"Hello?"

Her voice went over my ear pods.

Tumango ako saka muling ngumiti.

"Huwag mo ito ipapakita kahit kanino." Sabi ko saka umalis na mula sa pagkakasandal sa railings at tinignan sa baba ang naglalaro ng badminton. Just in time the shuttle c**k went down to the ground.

"Victorique." Elle called.

"Hmm?"

"S-saan-- May tinitirhan ka ba ngayon?"

Tumango lamang ako.

"Maayos ba tinitirhan mo? Gusto mo sa amin ka muna tumira?"

"That'll be impossible." Sabi ko.

"Then okay lang ba sa'yo na bisitahin kita paminsan-minsan? I just missed talking to you."

Umiling-iling ako. "Right now, it's isn't safe, for you and for me."

"For you?" Para siyang natamaan sa sinabi ko. "Why? I thought you trust me?"

"No. I trust you...," I turned my head on one side and paused. "Completely. But it's the people around us, I don't trust them. What if they followed you?"

She seemed a bit disheartened with my words, but for some reason, I found myself not caring at all.

"But once everything is safe, I will tell you where I lived. Besides after tomorrow, I will still be needing you one more time. I don't want you to be too involved in this though."

Mula sa aking kinatatayuan ay lumapit siya sa akin at hinawakan ng mahigpit ang isa kong kamay at ikinulong ito sa kanyang makabilang palad.

"Everything's going to be alright. But are you sure you want to do this. Killing other people won't bring them back. Justice will be served, everything will go well." Her smile was so sweet. "Just trust me, okay?"

At first, I couldn't move, there wasn't anything I could say. I couldn't even begin to be thankful.

"I know." I just said, and it went out from my mouth naturally. "But nothing's going to be alright when the ones who serve 'justice' are the one's who shouldn't be trusted."

Inalis ko ang kamay niya na nakahawak sa aking kamay saka ako naglakad palayo. This talk is already over, I have already said what I needed to.

"I'll give you the meeting place tomorrow."

Iyon lang ang sinabi ko at naglakad na ako palayo at iniwan siya sa rooftop.

Muli kong isinuot ang mask at ang aking hood at iniwasan ang mga estudyante. I pulled out the other piece of the ea pod and checked it out. It was quite unnoticeable if you don't look carefully, but it has two buttons and it is shaped resembling a ring, something like you could fit on your pinky finger with small chains dangling around it.

One could mistake it for a ring instead.

Well, not that anyone would be mistaken by it at a second glance.

HINDI alam ni Elle kung ilang minuto na siyang nakatayo sa kanyang kinaroroonan. What approach she should in order to solve this problem. Hindi dapat siya paligoy-ligoy.

If Victorique has a plan, she should also formulate her own or she’ll have to pay the consequences. Reaching for her phone, sweaty and trembling fingers start to search through the contacts. It was almost rare that she would even bother to speak to him.

She kept pacing back and forth, just waiting for the rings to die down, all the while chomping down on her newly-manicured fingernails.

Nang may sumagot na sa kabilang linya ay agad siyang napangisi at tumigil sa kanyang kinatatayuan.

"Hello." Elle said with a grin. "I know where Victorique is. Her appearance completely changed, brown hair, shoulder length and a tattoo by the neck. But that's not important for now..."

Tinignan niya ang ear piece na binigay sa kanya ni Victorique.

"I think I know what she's planning."