C4 Still Running With My Daughter?

"Aira wakes up...quick," whispered to her but with urgency. She followed what I said where I gathered my things, especially the backpack. It's always ready and handy. We groped our way to the back door in the kitchen going to the concrete wall where I pushed her up totally into the other side. I carefully lifted her up for easy access to the narrow way going to the other street. We ran as fast as we can, going to Roxas Boulevard but the assassins were following us. They're not together on this pursuit but instead allowing themselves to run after us.

As we ran farther from them heading to the corner of EDSA and Roxas Boulevard, we turned right going to EDSA-Pasay Rotonda, where I decided to enter a Beer House. But the assassin fired a shot at us and a customer was hit in the stomach. The Police Patrol car arrived at the Beer House that we distanced ourselves from the place. We continued running even though dangers were looming over us.

I stopped a taxi cab which gave us the freedom to go wherever we want, but it was I who would decide for this game. My planned travel going to Bacolod City was finally materialized for this event. Even though I'm not sure which way I'll decide to go, still, my conscience dictated me to proceed.

The thing that kept on bugging me was the way the assassin stared at Aira when we were in the Beer House. I knew it, Danielle, alone, but why she's acting that way?

"Brother, take us to Manila Domestic Airport...hurry please..."

"Okay sir."

We disembarked at the taxi cab, went inside an open restaurant, and were seated in the secluded area near the restroom. I ordered two meals for us and wait.

"Don't make a move that betrays me okay? Behave...if you don't, there's no other way but put this in your wrists."

"Okay sir...I'll behave as what you've said."

Our food arrived after ten minutes and I asked the waiter, "Friend, is there a travel agency here that's open this hour?"

"No sir...just ask the one in charge inside that terminal...if you can avail as a chance passenger."

"Okay thank you."

We ate our food without saying a word, just glancing at each other once in a while. I don't want to reveal my true self to her. And, why do I have to do it? She'll ask me if she wants something. I looked at her, observed, and gobbled up the remaining burger.

"You want some more?" I asked her while my mouth was full.

"I'm full...sir..."

"Don't be shy...I want to eat some more..."

"And why you're eating that much? Are you going to die?"

"I'm doing this as a game to excite me."

"Life is beautiful, do you know that sir? Like this one, eating our food to live...for tomorrow."

"Are you hoping to live when your life is in danger?" I asked her with a sarcastic tone.

"You see, we eat our food as much as we want.... to live. Our lives depend on what we decided upon for ourselves....."

"Maybe....maybe not....it depends...," when my mobile rang, disturbing my thoughts about life. "Hello...Mike, what's up?"

"Marco, where are you now?"

"In Manila, why? Is there an update?"

"Yes Marco, I disposed Roger's body secretly...and...everything's okay according to our agreements...and...Danielle asked me your whereabouts?"

"As what I've said....heading to where I've studied my college education...Mike, did Danielle hired another assassin for this game?"

"No, I think....none...any whatsoever..."

"Okay bye! I trusted you Mike about this game."

"Bye."

We waited until office hours to book our flight going to Bacolod City. I brought Aira on my own accord I greatly took care of her even in a single minute. Inside the plane, I thoroughly watched her but she slept all throughout our travel. I, on the other hand, felt extreme emotional worry that I cannot explain. The thing that bothered me was unknown to my conscious mind, but I anticipated this deep inside.

After disembarkation, we went to the city center, looked for a hotel, and rest until lunchtime. I chained Aira to the bed and went outside the hotel to buy her personal supplies. When I'm back, she was sitting looking at me and I put the plastic bag in front of her saying nothing. I gave her wrists the freedom to check the content of the bag.

"Can I have a bath now...," she said while taking her clothes off. I answered, "Yes," in a manner that I felt awkward about her actuation. She's young and beautiful I knew that from the start. I was not inclined toward her situation. All that mattered to me was the game that excites me, and the energy that was being released by my body when in danger. I needed it; I knew it.

I saw her come out of the bathroom wrapping her body with a towel. She went directly to me sitting on a sofa.

"Where's my new dress? You bought some personal hygiene only?" She demanded like a child in front of me. I got surprised by her action that I stood at once and held her arms.

"Don't worry...I'll stay with you until the end." She surprised me again when I went outside the hotel and bought her a pair of jeans and T-shirts. I came back hurriedly, opened our hotel room, and find her in the kitchen making smoothies for both of us.

"Where did you get that stuff?" I asked her.

"Inside the fridge, why?"

"Nothing...is it fresh?"

"Yes...try this..," as she gave me the drink. I tasted it and gulped instantly.

"Do you trust me now sir?"

"Why I have to do that to you?"

"Because I liked to be with you...I mean....always be with you. You know, I'm longing for my father for a long time now. My grandfather wanted us to forget him."

I kept silent thinking of my situation looking at her while she was talking; when a sudden banged at the door made us both be near each other and hide at the back of the fridge, where the towel wrapping her naked body dropped to the floor. I hastily got the towel in a crouching position and gave it to her. I fingered the gun that I kept inside my pants.

"Marco, I know you are there...where's the girl? Let's stop this craziness of yours!" I heard Danielle shouting at the other end of the dining hall. I knew it was her.

"Why you wanted the girl?" I shouted back at her and my energy started to rise.

"You don't know? I saw her in Manila..... I'm sure she's my daughter! Don't be a fool Marco!"

With my amazement at what I'd heard, I suddenly looked at Aira who was looking for me too. "Danielle...your mother...," I whispered to her. She nodded positively. "Why my mother's here?"

I was caught by the sudden emotion that I held Aira's body to stand up, clamped my left hand over her shoulder, and made her a shield from Danielle.

"Are you alone? Show yourself at the open! Now!"

I viewed Danielle aiming a gun, eyes on us, and ever ready to kill. I estimated my position to her angle and anticipated the recourse in defending Aira too. My conscience was to defend Aira, not as a shield but as bait for Danielle to come out openly.

"Now Danielle, who is this girl I'm holding?"

"She's my daughter Shaira!"

"Our daughter...?"

"Yes Marco!"

I whispered into Aira's ear, "Is she your mother?"

"Yes...," she started to cry and said, "Why the two of you are fighting each other?"

I didn't answer Airas' question instead, I asked Danielle,

"Where's Roger Ferrer....your husband?"

"He's with Mike Luna at your house."

"He's alive?"

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"I said yes!"

"Then why you're alone in pursuing me?"

"Because I want to get my daughter....that Roger didn't want me to!"

"Why?"

"He wanted the money only....not my daughter!"

All of the sudden, I saw Danielle fall to the floor and blood started to spread onto the carpet. Aira cried miserably, ran into Danielle's lifeless body, and shouted in pain. I pulled her shouting, "Come...quick..."

We ran outside the hotel's room, up to the exit door, and find our way through the vacant lot. We hid for a moment at the back of the mango tree and climbed onto the concrete fence. The bullets still followed us I couldn't decipher where they came from and who was firing at us. But I knew that this was still part of the game. At the other end, I saw the narrow way and hastily pushed Aira inside while I came after her. The smell of the place cannot stop us from escaping the route. We finally got the chance to run freely into an open road and grabbed a taxi cab heading to the southern part of Negros Occidental.

"Just drive us south...money is not a problem." I said to the driver.

XXX