Book 2 : Chapter 52

I ran to the window and parted the curtains to the side. I looked over the direction of the Kalasag Hill, and just as I anticipated, I saw black clouds of smoke rising from the forest. Instead of losing my strength in fear, I felt an adrenaline rush from within me. I stormed out of the room, and without heeding the manager's yells, I ran towards the direction of the forest.

I felt within me a prodigy of strength that none of the resort's staff was able to stop me. Not long after, I heard the sound of the galloping horse's hooves.

"Ma'am, hop in!" the manager yelled at me while I moved to the side to give way.

I saw him pulling short both the reins. Then he braced one hand on the horse's neck, holding the rein tightly and grabbing its mane. Raising the other rein up and back, he then pulled it toward his shoulder.

The manager then got off quickly from the horse as soon as it pulled to a stop. Without waiting for his instruction, I raised a leg and mounted on the horse. It's a skill I learned from dad ever since I was a child.

"Ma'am, it's really dangerous to go there, but since I don't want you to faint on the way, I have made up my mind to bring you there. But please promise me that we will just take a peek," the manager said once he mounted himself on the horse.

I did not say a word because I had other plans in mind. Once we passed by Sean's house, I recalled the path that led me to the cornfields, the clearing, and then to the forest entrance. Sean had told me before that the path I went through was the shortcut to Patrick's hideout.

To the manager's surprise, I took over the reins. I was not in the mood to dictate the path we should take because my mind ran some scenes of how to get through Sean. Once the thick rows of trees appeared before me, I knew we were close.

The sound of the fleet of helicopters buzzed in my ears. I lifted my eyes to the sky, and my heart lightened in seeing the helicopters' fast fire buckets bombing tons of water into the forest. Some of those airbuses were even using that Fire Attack Kit where a rigid, external tank was attached under the helicopter. It was equipped with a pumping hose that fetched water from small reservoirs, such as a shallow stream.

I appreciated how these UN Troops prepared for this scenario. They had stopped the fire before it spread and caused great harm to the forest. I waited until the helicopters went away and until I saw some men entering the woods. Before Patrick's territory would be congested with those men, I decided to reach the area first.

"Sir, please come down. I don't want to put your life at risk also," I said, turning my face to the side to meet the manager's eyes.

The manager stared at me for a moment before he opened his mouth to speak.

"I'll go with you," he said, glints of fear flickering in his eyes.

I didn't know what was his greatest fear at that moment. Whether it was the danger that lay ahead or the fear of letting me go. If something bad may happen to me, his boss would surely kill him because I held the trump card that would make his wish come true.

"Sure?"

"Sure."

I bent forward and whispered into the ear of the horse while pressing my calves against his body.

"Go!"

The horse then swung his hind legs forward, and soon his four hooves left the ground at the same time. We entered through the secret path, and in a few minutes, we reached the areas we just saw in that surveillance room. The ground was thick with mud, but the forest's soil apparently swallowed the deluge of water pumped into the ground by the helicopters. I loosened the reins to slow us down to a trot, afraid that there may be some embers from the explosion. Yet, I was also confident that this place had lots of rain in this season of the year that would help control the spread of the fire.

"Ma'am, the Bronca bugs!" the manager exclaimed as he saw some of them starting to fly in our direction.

I pulled the reins tighter again, and together with our voices that might have given cues to the horse, it galloped towards Patrick's wooden house. It had already crumbled due to the fire caused by the explosion. We jumped off the horse and tied him off to a tree. I also noticed that the bugs didn't follow us. Then I saw hanging bottles around the area, and I understood that it must be some bug repellents. I knew Patrick would always make some ways to protect themselves.

"Let's look for them," I said, scanning the area with my eyes.

"They must be somewhere near here," the manager replied, letting his eyes roamed around the place also, looking for signs of their presence.

The chairman's assurance to me that Patrick had already foreseen this scenario replayed in my mind. And I remembered that behind this wooden house was a huge, unchartered cave. They must have run inside!

"Let's pull off these burnt woods and clear the area," I told the manager.

He stepped forward quickly and began pulling away from the crumbled wooden frames. It wouldn't be too difficult to use bare hands because the wooden entrance was just as large as any lawn gazebo.

Just as we were done clearing the cave entrance, I heard voices coming closer to us. And I recognized the owner of that voice—it was President Abella!

"Release the horse!" I ordered, and the manager stood frozen for a while, staring at me before his mind processed the meaning of what I said. I wanted to set the beautiful horse free before I pull him into the entrance of the cave.

As soon as he untied the horse, I turned my phone's light on and opened the door. Just as we slipped inside and slammed the door close behind us, I hear the president yelling.

"It's Red, catch her! She must be the one seen riding a horse. What the f…!"

My heartbeats started to race again. The president would not come in this place unarmed. Just as I predicted, the sound of cocked guns pierced in our ears. I glanced at the manager, and I saw the color draining from his face.

"What are we going to do, ma'am?" he asked, his voice quivering.

I ran my lights around the surroundings, and to my relief, I saw those big barrels at the sides. I understood that Patrick placed it here to prevent those armies from following them inside the cave. And I concluded that it must be the fiercest and the most lethal bugs that Patrick had reserved.

Just as the sound of the fired gun rang across the cave, I handed the phone to the manager. I swung a wooden plank I brought along with me and hit the barrel's lid with all my might. I then pushed the manager inside, and I ran after him. However, after a few steps, I heard a buzzing sound in my ear, and soon I felt a sharp prick at the crook of my neck.

"Sir, I got a bug bite. Run for your life, and don't mind me. I will die soon, anyway!"

The manager stared at me for a moment, his eyes growing large. As the truth finally sank into his mind, hr immediately lifted me in his arms and turned off the light. He perhaps thought that the bugs were attracted to the light. He walked forward, and soon I heard him breaking into a loud wail.

The venom of that Bronca bug that bit me must be so lethal. I got dizzy right away, and then I felt my strength leaving me. Before I lost my consciousness, I heard a familiar sound.

"Dr. Red, hold on, please." It was Philip.