Chapter 34: Bullets and Bombs
 

IT WAS exactly 3 o'clock in the afternoon when we got out of that room. I was so shocked when Relliana opened the guest's room door with her hair all over her face.
 
Did she even brush her hair? Napansin ko agad ang damit niyang suot. A black crop top shirt paired with white jogger pants. Nakatsinelas lang din 'to, malayong-malayo sa kalimitan kong nakikita sa kaniya na palaging maganda at elegante ang damit.
 
Relliana yawned, not bothered by how big her mouth was. Tila nakikita ko na yata ang utak niya sa paghikab niyang iyon! Napakamot ulit siya sa ulo at sinundot ang ilong ng hinliliit, tila may kinukuhang kung ano sa loob.
 
Hindi niya yata ako napansin.
 
"Good morning!" alanganing bati ko.
 
"You look like a mess, Real," Agon commented.
 
Doon niya na lang kami napansin at nanlaki ang mga mata. Pinitik niya muna ang sa kamay bago itago iyon sa likuran niya.
 
The sight of her like this is very unusual. I had always seen her as elegant and demure, but now? It seems like a side of Relliana that Romanov sees every single day.
 
I did not expect that Relliana has a side like this!
 
"Oh! Hi, Jey! Good morning to the both of you." She yawned, looking bored. "Uh, Romanov is still sleeping inside. He banged me really hard after the party."
 
What do I expect from Relliana? Of course she's always blunt and direct to the point, not minding what people will think about her.
 
Agon chuckled when I glanced at him. This silly mafia boss!
 
"Oh! Before I forget, I'm really sorry that we broke your bed. My tiger was really wild. We will just pay you for the inconvenience."
 
Napailing si Agon. "Don't mind it. Just leave it there."
 
Naglakad na kami pababa, pero naunang maglakad sa hagdan si Realliana. We were at the back when Agon slapped and squeezed my buttocks. I shot a glare at him, but he didn't mind it. Nakaloloko lang siyang ngumisi at umalalay sa 'kin pababa ng hagdan.
 
"Manyak!" I whispered and rolled my eyes.
 
"Hey! Good morning, ladies! Did you have some fun last night?" nakalolokong tanong ni Nick.
 
"Kape?" alok ni Raji.
 
"I want to sleep more. Inaantok pa ako!" Ardeen complained. Napapapikit pa 'to habang nakasandig ang ulo sa sofa at nakatakip ang braso sa mga mata.
 
Napaupo ako pero agad na napangiwi ng maramdaman ang hapdi sa pagitan ko. Hindi ko 'yon pinahalata pero hindi pa rin ako nakatakas sa matalas na paningin ni Raji.
 
He raised his brows and smirked as if he knew what happened between his friend. Iniwas ko ang tingin sa kaniya at tinuon iyon sa kapeng tinimpla niya para sa'ming tatlo.
 
I know Agon will not dare to brew coffee again. His coffee skills don't match his expertise in guns and business.
 
"I thought you went home last night?" Nick asked Relliana.
 
"How can we? Besides, it's great to be here. This feels home, hmm." Inamoy-amoy ni Relliana ang kape niya bago tikman 'yon.
 
"Where's Romanov?" biglang tanong ni Ardeen.
 
"Uh, sleeping. He's tired," makahulugang sambit ni Relliana na ikinatawa nina Nick, Ardeen at Raji, tila alam na alam na ang ibig sabihin niya.
 
Our conversation turned to something serious when Relliana mentioned our enemy—Jandron. I held my cup while listening to them, exchanging words, and hated when we saw Romanov getting down here.
 
"We can't underestimate Jandron. Jogo is in their group right now. He's unpredictable," Agon said while swirling his coffee in the cup. It's half full.
 
"That cockroach was getting bolder, huh?" Nick moved his head sideways.
 
"He seems quite these past months. I know he's skimming something." Si Ardeen na ngayon ay uniinom na ng kape.
 
"What did I miss here?" Romanov asked as Relliana handed him her coffee. I notice a visible hickey on his neck—not one but five!
 
Parang wala lang sa kaniya na nakikita namin 'yon!
 
We're enjoying the moment when suddenly a defeaning sound shattered the calmness between us. Gunfire roared through the mansion, and a bullet struck on the glass.
 
Naglikha iyon ng maliit na crack, pero hindi tuluyang pumasok sa loob ng mansion. All the windows are bulletproof! I was shocked, dahil ngayon ko lang nalaman 'yon sa tinagal ko rito.
 
This mansion is not just an ordinary home! This is built to protect everyone to withstand an attack. I glanced at Agon, I'm sure he planned all of this.
 
Everyone reacted for an instance as they pulled their guns on their pockets, sleeves, and waists at the same time, except Romanov, Relliana, and Agon.
 
Nick and Ardeen are smiling widely, thrilled for what is happening.
 
"This is ambush!" namamanghang sabi ni Nick.
 
Ardeen laughed. "Our mansion is bulletproof, asshole!"
 
Agon and Romanov's men alerted outside.
 
Tumunog ang radyo na hawak ng isa sa mga tauhan ni Agon na narito sa loob.
 
"Walang nakapasok. Nasa labas ang kalaban."
 
After his men said that, a series of explosions erupted in the front yard that echoed in our ears, sending chunks of soil and concrete debris flying all over the place. We felt the vibration through our feet.
 
A smoke surged after the explosion, creating a dense sheet of smoke that enveloped the entire place, making it difficult to see what's happening outside.
 
I felt Agon's arm wrapped around my waist as he pulled me closer to his body. "Stay close to me," he whispered in my ears, which brought a tingling sensation through my system.
 
God! I know that he's not flirting with me right now, but just hearing his voice and feeling the warmth of his breath sends me to heaven for a moment.
 
As the echoes of bombs, gunfires, and shouts of people outside, Agon walked towards the monitor. He checks what's going on outside.
 
"Fuck that Jandron!" he cursed when he saw him on the monitor.
 
"Hey, stop. Is that. . . L-Levin?" Raji anxiously asked.
 
Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya at napatuon sa tinuro niya sa monitor. Doon ko lang na napagtantong wala nga rito si Levin sa loob ng mansyon.
 
My heart stopped for a moment when I recognized him, Karen is with him, and 3 men are with him—protecting him.
 
"Levin!" Agon called his name with horror. His calm composure shattered in an instance, and panic surged through him. "Fuck! Fuck! I will kill you, Jandron! Fuck! Why did I forget him?" He disheveled his hair. "Let's go."
 
"I'll take cover," Raji said with a calm voice. He handed a caliber 45 to Agon.
 
"Dito ka lang, 'wag mong tatangkaing lumabas. Delikado sa labas. You're safe here," Agon ordered and glanced at me.
 
"Be careful," sambit ko ng lumabas na silang apat.
 
Nanatili sina Romanov at Relliana sa tabi ko. Napakagat ako sa hintuturo habang kinakabahang nakatingin sa monitor.
 
Agon, Nick, Ardeen, and Raji are covering each other, taking down the enemies one by one who dared to enter the gates.
 
Romanov and Relliana are guarding the door, and if someone dares to get inside, they will die immediately. My mind was so focused on the monitor that I wasn't able to react, for instance, when Relliana shouted my name.
 
"Jeykcil!" she shouted when I heard gunfire. I looked at her with horror in her eyes.
 
Noong una ay hindi ko na-realize ang nangyari, pero nang maramdaman ang sakit sa sa kaliwang balikat ay roon ko lang napagtanto na ako ang tinamaan.
 
My blood was dripping from my left arm, staining my white clothes. Napasapo ako sa balikat na tinamaan ng bala.
 
"Get down!" Romanov shouted as he fired two consecutive shots near the corridor where two masked men are hiding.
 
I take cover at napadapa sa sofa. Agad akong dinaluhan ni Relliana. "Are you okay?"
 
"I can move," I answered.
 
As I moved, a sharp pain was taking over my system. I can feel the bullet striking my flesh. Blood continued to ooze, soaking half of my white shirt.
 
"Bakit nakapasok sila rito?!" inis na sambit ni Relliana. "I thought this mansion was heavily guarded?!"
 
"Or else a traitor let them in." Romanov glared at the enemy. "Die, worthless shits!" Pinaulanan niya ng putok ang kalaban at hindi nakabawi sa ginawa niya at nagsibagsakan na lang sila.
 
Nanlaki ang mata ko sa narinig. Agon's men are loyal to him and his friends, who would dare to turn their back on us? They know exactly what will happen to them if Agon discovers it.