Nemesis (Taglish)

Prologue

"Neo, you really disappoint me..." Napapailing na sabi ni Mandy sa kausap sa telepono. Kanina niya pa inaantay ang kasintahan pero hindi ito dumating. She was totally burned out, it seems na busy na naman ang lalaki sa trabaho nito. Sobrang busy na nakakalimutan na kahit ang mga naka-schedule nilang dapat na lakad.

She heard him explaining on the other line. May trabaho raw ito na kailangan gawin. He said na hindi ito maka-focus hangga't hindi nahuhuli ang psycho killer na gumagala at nagbibigay ng kilabot sa karamihan.

"Stop it, Neo. I am done with your alibi. Paulit-ulit na lang eh," she muttered while opening the door of her Ford Eco-Sport. Alam naman niya kung gaano ka-busy ang nobyo pero nasasaktan pa rin siya dahil nagmumukha na siyang tanga na mag-isang umaasikaso sa kasal nila. As if naman na kulang na ang detective ng NBI para makapagpahinga naman ang nobyo niya.

Kanina ay maaga siyang umalis sa ospital kung saan siya may clinic as a neuro-surgeon. Tanghali pa lang ay nagsabi na siya sa secretary niya na hanggang alas-dos lang siya ng hapon dahil may schedule sila ni Neo sa wedding coordinators na kausap. Natuwa naman siya at kahit paano ay wala siya masyadong pasyente na nagpakonsulta sa araw na iyon.

"For the nth time, Neo. You left me alone at nagmumukha na ako lang ang may gusto matuloy ang kasal natin." Ayaw niya mang-away, she was a very considerate person pero palagi na lang na kapag may meeting sa mga wedding coordinators ay siya lang mag-isa ang humaharap. Kanina ay hinanap na naman ng mga ito ang mapapangasawa niya para makapag-desisyon na sila kung saan talaga sila magpapakasal. She ended up choosing alone. Ayaw na niya pahirapan pa ang mga ito sa paulit-ulit na reschedule dahil sa reason ng nobyo. 

Last year pa sila dapat nakasal but Neo's workload as one of the top detective in the country ay nagpabago ng schedule nila. Nauunawaan naman niya ito talaga at naaawa rin siya dahil kadalasan ay hindi na ito makatulog sa kakaisip kung paano masolusyunan ang kasong hinaharap. The serial killer also made her feel terrified. The killer was really creepy.

She was still thinking about the killer when she heard Neo's voice again saying he really needed her understanding.

"I know how busy you are pero sana naman iparamdam mo naman sa akin na kasama rin ako sa priority mo..." her voice broke on the last six words she said. Nasasaktan na siya pero kailangan niya pa rin umunawa. 

She heard him saying 'sorry' to her dahil alam nito na naiiyak na siya. He said na babawi ito, he promised that. 

"Yeah..." napapatango niyang sabi. She nodded na para ba naman makikita nito ang pagtango niya. "I'm gonna drive, see you na lang kung kailan mo ako mabibigyan ng oras," masama pa rin ang kalooban na sabi niya rito.

She ended the call after Neo said he loves her, she didn't reply as she was really hurting.

******

He kept on watching her kanina pa, nakita niya itong pumasok sa isang coffee shop at may kinausap na dalawang babae. They talked for an hour. Nakita niya na may ipinakita ang mga kausap ng babae, a brochure or catalog perhaps. He saw her turned pages and then she stopped and showed the page to the two women in front of her.

They were all smiling but he noticed the sadness in her eyes, paulit-ulit itong lumilingon sa glass wall, mukhang may inaantay at inaasahang dumating at paulit-ulit rin itong nabibigo.

After a while ay nakita niya nang nagpaalam ang mga kausap nito. The woman shake their hands and muttered the word 'thanks.' Nakangiti namang umalis ang mga kausap nito but the smile on the woman's face immediately gone nang nakatalikod na ang mga kausap.

She stayed there kahit umalis na ang mga ka-meeting nito. It was obvious that she was still waiting for someone by the gesture that she was unknowingly doing. She is constantly looking at her phone and wrist watch. It is very obvious that she was checking the time every now and then.

After another hour of waiting ay tinawag na nito ang isang waiter at hiningi na ang bill, she paid that and then left the coffee shop. He kept on following her at nakita niya ito pumasok sa isang clothing store. She was obviously just killing her time then decided to walk out the store. He followed her hanggang sa parking area. 

Kitang-kita niya nang kunin nito ang mobile phone mula sa bag at may tinawagan. He saw how she looked like someone who try to hold her emotion.  Nasa itsura nito na para na itong maiiyak then he saw her open the car's door and enter the driver's seat.  She started to drove her car and he started to follow her. He will definitely follow her then he will do what he wanted to do na dapat kanina niya pa ginawa. 

The plan is... He will abduct her.

******

Mandy kept on driving, ayaw niya pa umuwi. Wala naman siya uuwian dahil for sure na nasa NBI pa ang nobyo. For sure na hindi na naman ito makakauwi. 

They are living together sa condo unit nila na binili two years ago. That was their first investment together. She met Neo through a common friend when it was her last year in medical school. She tried not to fall for him dahil gusto niya muna makapagtapos at maging lisensyadong doktor bago magplano magkaroon ng boyfriend but things didn't went that way.

She fell in love and being alone in the Philippines dahil ang mga magulang ay nasa America na ay lalong nagpalapit sa kaniya sa binata. He was a very handsome and charming detective at maraming kinikilig dito na kaklase niya noon sa med school at maging sa ospital kung saan siya nag-resident doctor.

They were very good together as years passed by, they were already four years together at two years na silang nagli-live in. She really love him and she promised that she will understand his kind of work. Ipinangako niya na hindi magiging reason ang trabaho nila pareho para magtalo sila.

With that thought ay napangiti siya, why she kept on depressing herself kung alam naman niya na mahal na mahal siya ng mapapangasawa. She then decided to go to the favorite restaurant nila ni Neo and buy him foods, pupuntahan niya ito sa office para hatiran ng pagkain dahil for sure na ginugutom na naman nito ang sarili sa sobrang workaholic nito.

She stopped in the parking area of the restaurant and bought some food. After the take-out order was delivered ay lumabas na siya ng restaurant. She was walking closely to her car when she saw a man na papalapit sa kaniya. 

The man was wearing a hooded jacket. The darkness of his aura made her feel the eerie atmosphere. She wanted to run fast to her car but the man with long limbs was faster than her. He immediately grabbed her waist and instantly injected her with some drugs that made her feel drowsy. She fought it but the drugs worked on her system fast. Her eyes started to close as drowsiness succumbed to her but before her eyes shut closely, she saw his face and was shockingly terrified of his appearance.

"I got you, sugar."