The Infamous Captain Falls in Love

Chapter 5

CAIUS

“ARE you sure, you’re okay?”

Tinanguan ko lang si Dana at akmang kukunin muli ang bote na nasa side table nang kunin niya iyon bigla at ipinatong sa lamesa na malayo sa akin. I shook my head and let out a deep sigh, closing my eyes. My jaw clenched when I remembered my encounter with Lieselotte earlier.

How the hell she can do it? Making me hard in an instant? Her natural body scent, her skin, and even the smell of her breath was so f*****g arousing.

“Caius?” Dana called out my name again. I open my eyes and rested my back on the headrest.

“I’m okay, Dana. I’m getting better,” I assured her. I’m indeed getting better. After five months of being a f*****g crippled and having erectile dysfunction, that woman, Lieselotte, manage to make me sexually attracted to her despite her being naive and innocent.

Dumako ang tingin ko sa pinto nang may sunod-sunod na katok ang aking narinig. Hindi pa man ako nakakasagot ay pumasok na si Lieselotte na may bitbit na ice pack at isang baso ng tubig. Napalunok ako ng laway nang malakad siya palapit sa akin. Bahagya siyang yumuko para ilapag ang mga dala sa sidetable dahilan para bahagya kong makita ang puno ng kaniyag dibdib. I can feel my buddy rose again like a damn flag pole because of that view. Pasimple kong ipinatong ang unan nang sa gayon ay hindi niya iyon mahalata.

I cleared my throat and looked away when she stood up and offer me the glass of water.

“Sir, kung may gagawin po kayo, p’wede niyo po akong tawagin—“

“Haven’t I told you that you’re not allowed in my room,” I told her ignoring the glass of water in her hand.

“Sir Caius, trabaho ko po na tulungan kayo. Kaya nga helper ako eh, edi sana gardener na lang ang binigay niyong trabaho sa akin para kahit saang parte ng bahay kayo mag-swimming ay hindi ko kayo papakialaman kasi hindi kayo garden,” lintanya niya habang nakapameywang. Hindi ko naman maiwasan ang mapakunot ang noo at mapailing sa lawak ng pag-iisip niya.

“Just leave us alone,” singit ni Dana na inirapan lang si Lieselotte. “You’re interrupting us.”

But instead of following Dana’s order, she just stood still.

“Bingi ka ba? Ang sabi ko lumabas na ka lang—“

“Narinig po kita, Ma’am. Pero hindi naman ako pinaalis ni Sir, at hindi po ikaw ang boss ko,” sagot niya. Napayuko ako at hindi ko mapigilan ang mapangiti.

Damn.

“Ano?! Kilala mo ba kung sino ako?”

Umangat ang ulo ko at napabaling kay Dana na namumula ang mukha dahil sa inis. And that’s her, pikon. I shifted my gaze to Liesolette who looks determined not to get stepped on by anyone. Brave girl.

“Hindi ko kayo kilala, Ma’am. Ikaw kilala mo ba ako?” sagot ni Lieselotte na ikinangiti ko muli.

Damn, Dana will get furious. She walked closer to her and before she could even touch Lieselotte. I meddled.

“Enough.” They both look at me.

“What? Seriously, Caius?” Disbelief is written on Dana’s face.

“Lieselotte, you may leave,” utos ko na agad namang niyang sinunod. Bumalik ang tingin ko kay Dana na pabagsak na naupo at masama ang tinging pinupukol sa akin.

“Fire her, Caius. I will find you another helper, more respectful than that b***h!”

I sighed, shaking my head. “I can’t.”

“Why? Dahil si Cascade ang nagpakilala sa kaniya? I will talk to him, Caius. Sasabihin ko kung gaano ka walang modo ang nahanap niyang helper mo,” she said, anger may trace in her voice.

“It’s not about it,” I answered making her forehead furrow. I looked at the door where Lieselotte went out. “She can help me recover fast.”

Lalong lumalim ang kunot ng noo ni Dana nang lingunin ko siya. Akalain mo nga naman, ang simpleng mukhang pera na babaeng katulad ni Lieselotte ay malaki pala ang magagawa para muli akong makalakad. That wicked, greedy woman will be the key to make me walk again.

“I don’t understand, Caius,” Dana questioned.

“You don’t have to understand. You just have to agree and leave her alone.”

Masamang tingin lang ang iginanti niya sa akin at saka tumayo. Nang akmang maglalakad papunta sa pinto ay siya naming pagbukas niyon at iniluwa si Cascade, Cali at Hunter na mukhang kakagising lang dahil sa magulo nitong buhok. I saw Dana froze while staring at Cascade, she didn’t expect their arrival and so I am.

“Anong ginagawa ninyo dito?” tanong ko at sinundan lamang sila ng tingin. Naupo si Cascade at Cali sa mahabang upuan samantalang pasalampak naman na humiga sa lapag si Hunter. Si Dana ay paatras na bumalik sa inupuan nito kanina.

“I called Lieselotte—“

“How the hell did you get her number?” I asked with a serious tone. I don't know where the anger in my voice is coming from.

“Ohh! That sounds possessive,” Cali interrupted. I looked at him sharply to shut his mouth.

Cascade chuckled. “Ikaw ang tinawagan ko pero mukhang ibinigay mo ang temporary number mo sa kaniya. She told me what happened to you.”

“Sana ikaw na lang pumunta. Bakit sinama mo pa ang dalawang ulupong na iyan?” tukoy ko kay Hunter at Cali na umaktong nasasaktan.

“Actually.” Nilingon niya si Dana at nginitian ito at nagpatuloy, “we have important news for you.”

My back straightened and looked at him directly to his eyes, crossing my arms on my chest. “What is it?”

“Mazuko is back.”

Rage runs from my heart down to all parts of my body, making me clenched my fist harder as if it will make me calm down. Hindi ko mapigilan ang magtiim-bagang dahil sa galit nang bumalik sa isip ko ang mga kasamaang ginawa ng Mazuko. That criminal group ruined me, ruined everyone who tried to stopped them from spreading their supremacy.

“What about them?” mariing tanong habang mariing nakakuyom ang kamao.

“Hunter, the flashdrive,” utos ni Cascade na agad sinunod ng isa.

Kinuha ni Hunter ang flashdrive sa bulsa nito at lumapit sa TV na nakasabit sa pader saka isinaksak ang hawak. Si Cascade naman kinuha ang remote at binuksan ang folder kung saan ay tumambad ang iba’t ibang litrato ng mga babaeng nawawala. He clicked the next folder and show the pictures again of the same missing women in the first folder, but this time, they were dead, mutilated, and the others are severely injured.

“Oh, my gosh!” Dana exclaimed with fear in her eyes.

Mariin kong pinikit ang mga mata ko dahil sa galit na nararamdaman at muling tumingin sa screen. Those women have children, spouse, parents, siblings and future, and Mazuko cut not just part of their bodies but their life too. I took a deep inhalation to calm and ease my anger for it won’t help me to focus.

“Where did you get all of these?” I asked Cascade. It’s been five months since the last time I encountered the Mazuko group. Ngayon ay mukhang lumalabas sila muli para guluhin ang bansa.

“From an informant inside Mazuko’s hideout,” singit ni Cali. The team leader and captain of the surveillance team.

“Informant?”

Cali straightened his back, staring at me. “Hindi siya nagpakilala sa akin. Iniwan niya lang ang flashdrive sa middleman na si Pietro.”

“Pietro? The old guy? The owner of the old bookshop?” singit ni Dana.

Cali nodded. “Hindi ko alam kung kalian ulit magbibigay ng impormasyon ang informant o marahil patay na siya. Hindi natin alam.”

Lumapit naman si Hunter sa akin at umupo sa lapag. “Si Bright? Yung kapatid niya, sa tingin ko ay Mazuko ang kumuha.”

My forehead creases. I don’t know why I suddenly feel anxious and shifted my eyes to the door. Why am I thinking about that woman, Lieselotte, in the middle of this meeting?

“Caius?” Cascade snapped.

“Cali, when the informant appeared again, I want you to follow him,” I ordered and looked at Hunter who is the Ace of the surveillance team. “You too.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” nakangiting saludo ni Hunter. The youngest member of the Sigmund Organization, aside from the new recruit, Bright.

Bumaling ang tingin ko kay Cascade, the vice-captain of the tactical team which is my team too. “How’s the kid?”

He sighed. “He is a twig, Caius. Theodore won’t like him,” aniya. I know, Theodore Sigmund hates weaklings.

I smirked at him. “He is useful to us, Cas. He f*****g opened my gate without a sweat, and besides, he has the motivation to fight Mazuko. For her sister. Ako na ang kakausap kay Theodore tungkol doon. Just, train him.”

“P'wede si Bright sa team ko,” singit ni Cali, “I can use his flexibility and knowledge about opening locks.”

“Mas flexible pa rin ako,” nakangusong singit ni Hunter.

I sighed. “Bright is mine, Cali,” I told him and shifted my gaze to cascade. “You will train him. That's an order.”

He nodded. “Sinabi mo eh, but I won’t be easy to him, Man.”

“Do whatever you want, just don’t kill him,” sagot ko at kinuha ang aking cellphone at binuksan ang application kung saan makikita ko ang kabuuan ng bahay gamit ang mga CCTV sa paligid.

I sighed in relief when I found Lieselotte in the kitchen. Nasa harap siya ng lababo at mukhang naghuhugas lang ng pinggan. But when I tried to zoom it in, I saw her holding a knife, gripping the handle really hard. I swallowed a lump and cursed under my breath. I can’t walk, f**k!

“Cascade.”

“What?”

“Run to the kitchen,” utos ko habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa video kung saan nakikita ko si Lieselotte.

“Ha? Bakit—“

“Just f*****g run,” I looked at him. “Now.”

Damn!