Hunter or Hunted?

ลำดับตอนที่ #3 : CHAPTER 2 KRISTEN VALDEZ

CHAPTER 2 KRISTEN VALDEZ

            The most hurtful picture of Kristen life would not be seeing an F in her report card, seeing her gold fish died, nor losing some of her cosmetic, but it is seeing her boyfriend jumped out of the 60^th floor building. She tried to catch his hand and ran after him, but he was much faster. She tried to hold the raining tears, while she looked down from the balcony. Jason was diving down to the ground with no way he can survive. Get away from me as fast as you could, Jason’s voice echoed in her head. She regained her courage, then ran back to the living room and found the remote that Jason was holding. She grabbed the remote and backed away from the platform, then, she pressed the red button. The platform flipped and her birthday present reappears again.

            She noticed that on the rear window, a note was attached on the windshield wiper. She opens the note which says, Happy birthday Kristen, I’m sorry for the incident that happens so often. I promise I will make up to you when we’re together again. Love, Jason. (P.S. Get in the Panamera and press the green button.) Kristen got into the car and pressed the green button like Jason said.

            The car made a loud Beep! And start the engine by itself. A holographic window appeared on the driver’s windshield.

            “Verify your identity,” an electronic voice asked Kristen.

            “Uh…Kristen. Kristen Valdez,” she said to the microphone on the console. Then, a laser beam was shot out of the steering wheel to scan her eyes.

            “Verified,” then suddenly, the car drove by itself and broke the glass door that leads toward the balcony. It accelerates by itself so fast that can’t be stopped. Only a few meters left before it crashes on the rail, Kristen guessed what it will do. She tightened the safety belt and closed her eyes. With the speed of 120 miles per hour in a few seconds, a white-pearl Panamera flew out of the Golden Pelican.

            “Hover Mode,” the electronic voice said. Then, all the wheels flipped, facing to the ground. The engine shook a bit and all the wheels let out a plasma beam which carries itself with Kristen inside. She peeked outside the window wishing that she would not she Jason’s body crushed on the ground. Fortunately, there was nothing on the ground. Maybe Jason made it, Kristen thought hopefully.

            The Panamera traveled in the air with the speed of 250 miles per hour.

            “Where are we going?” Kristen asked the car.

            “Awaiting command from Agent J,” the electronic voice said. Kristen smiled for Jason’s addiction for the movie MIB (Men in Black).

            “So…what should I call you,” she asked.

            “Call me Rex,” the car said.

            “Is Jason alive?” she asked again.

            “…” Rex didn’t answer. Her heart shook. She started sobbing softly on her hands. Suddenly, Rex made a loud Beep! Then she beamed out happily.

            “Kristen! Oh thank God you’re with Rex,” Jason shouted from the phone call from the car. He sounded safe and playful as ever.

            “How did you survive the fall?” Kristen asked.

            “It’s a long story. Right now I have to get you to a safe place. I’m sure you have a lot of questions for me right now, but we will meet up, soon.” Jason said with a tiresome voice.

            “Where’s Dad?” her voice trembled.

            “He’s with me,” Jason said and passed the phone to the old man. Kristen calmed down again.

            “Krizten, I want you to go to Asia,” the old man said.

            “Seriously?!” she yelled, “I don’t wanna see mom right now. She’ll kill me.”

            “Just go. For your own sake.”

            “So, Are you two gonna be okay?” she worried aloud.

            “Of cuz, honey. See you in Thailand,” the old man said and hung up.

            Kristen gave a sigh, and relaxed on the comfortable seat. The holographic window appeared next to her and showed all the countries in the world in a world map. On the top left corner says, ‘Choose your destination’. Oh well, she thought and pressed Thailand. Rex made a Beep! And change its course towards the east

She tried to steer the steering wheel, but the car won’t move as she does. At last, she turned on the radio and lay down on her back. The 90’s music was so nostalgic that it reminds her of her childhood times with Jason. She closed her eyes and many pictures started getting in her head. She saw two cute little kids, a brunette-haired girl and the ink dye haired boy. They were about 6 when Jason faced his second near death accident. The two kids walk together in the peaceful woods in the late morning. Little Jason looked on the trees and watched the birds chirping as he walk along side with little Kristen.

The two kids seemed familiar with the woods around here. On one hand, Jason was holding his Teddy Bear and Kristen’s hand in the other hand. The Teddy bear was one of the things he can’t live without. It was bond to him, he said. One time, he lost it in his bedroom. Suddenly, he fell into coma and was sent into hospital for almost a month, and this was his first near-death incident. The doctors, including his mom who was a nurse, can’t find the cause of this sickness. When his mom looked at her son on the bed, she realized what was missing in the picture, the Teddy bear. Then, his dad and mom searched the whole house and found the bear. They hurried and brought the bear to Jason. Within 2 hours, his sickness that was troubling him for almost a month disappeared. The doctors and his parents were amazed with the miracle they saw. After that incident, Jason never lost his Teddy bear again and took it everywhere he goes.

The winds blew Jason’s and Kristen’s hair softly as they walk together. Then, Jason saw something under the tree. It’s a dark hollow that leads to somewhere beyond human knowledge. He walked closer, pulling Kristen like he was hypnotized by the darkness.

“Jason,” Kristen called out his name, “that looks dangerous. I want to go back to daddy now.”

“Oh, uh…okay. I will…” before he finishes his sentence, a wine caught him in the leg and pulled him in the hollow.

“Jason!!” Kristen cried out loud and started crying.

Jason went deep down in the hollow and screamed all the way, trying to hold his Teddy bear. The thorns and the rocks gave him some bruises and cuts. He finally fell on his butt and found nothing but darkness. The poor boy started crying and closed his eyes tight. He hugged his knees and sobbed on the Teddy bear between his legs.

“Auntie!!! Uncle Alonso!! Help!!” he yelled as loud as he can and continued crying.

Kristen heard his voice and shouted back to him, “I’ll go get daddy!! You wait there okay?!”

“Okay!! Hurry!!” Jason replied with a shout.

Then, Kristen left him to the darkness of the hollow. Jason wasn’t brave enough to look around him. He only felt the cold dirt and a scary chill on his backbone. His imagination led him to an even scarier atmosphere. He thought of a demon with black cloak and a scythe walking towards him slowly and gave him a signal that he will take his life, soon. Then cold chill that is getting harder, made him trembled more with fear.

Then, a voice appeared out of nowhere, “Jason…hahahaha my new hero.”

He cried so hard and wasn’t able to answer the voice.

“Don’t you recognize this voice? I’m the one who made a bond between you and the Teddy bear, remember?” the voice echoed in his ears

“I don’t know you! Get away from me!” He screamed with his tears.

“I was here to remove the bond from the Teddy bear by the order of your highness.” When the mysterious voice finishes his sentence, the Teddy bear starts to burn. Jason threw it out of his arms with shock and saw the bear burns. The flame made the whole hollow visible for half a minute, but Jason saw no one. When the darkness returns, he sobbed on his knees even more. The voice disappears and late at noon, he was saved by Uncle Alonso, Kristen’s dad. He told the whole story to Uncle Alonso and Kristen. First, they’re not sure whether it is true or not, but they realized that his Teddy bear was missing and he was still standing on his legs. For 14 years, this story has been kept as a secret. They believed that the person who talked to Jason was some spirit which was not really beneficial. To make it simple, that thing is a bad spirit sent to Jason by the Demon himself.

Jason never believed he met a black angel. He was determined that he imagined the voice by himself and had left the Teddy bear in the cave. He also insisted that the bond between him and the bear never exist and pretended to forget the sickness he got from losing his teddy bear. But, deep in is heart, Kristen knew that he know the truth. From that day on, Jason, Kristen, and her dad went to church every Saturday and the two kids were baptized at the age of 10.

The memory that ran through Kristen’s eyes made her fell asleep.            

Back at the penthouse, the 4 agents that captured Jason this morning was searching his whole house. They are not zombies with rotten wounds and leaked brains, but they are back at their normal state. All their wounds disappeared like they were not there at the first place. Especially the big guy, he doesn’t seem to be hurt after the raining gun fire on his back. They savaged every part of the house and found nothing they want. The piano was broke apart; the kitchen was searched roughly, including the toilet. Argus entered the penthouse and gripped his forehead like he was disappointed in something.

            “Dammit!” he kicked the dining room’s chair across the house, “nothing?! Really?!”

            “Yes sir,” said the man with the scar.

            “Argh!” he clenched his fist so hard that the bones made a cracking sound.

            “But, we found this in his bedroom, sir,” one of the twins took a photograph out of his pocket and showed it to Argus. Then the anger in his eyes disappeared and he broke a smile. He grabbed the photo and kept it in his pocket.

            “I’ve got a plan…hehehehe,” said the bald guy and an evil laugh. “We will capture the girl and make her a bait for Jason to come in our trap.”

            He didn’t know that while he was talking, the bug or the voice receiver recorded all the things they’ve been talking.

The Panamera made a sound to wake Kristen up after 5 hours of traveling. It’s about  She got up looked around and found out that the Panamera has landed in a gas station somewhere. The buildings around them looked familiar, somehow. The buildings were decorated in the Renaissance age of British.

            “Where are we Rex?” she asked.

            “London,” the car replied, “you should get food supply. Your hunger rate is critical.” Then it showed a graph that was going down from 100% to 10% over time. Rex made a soft siren to make her go and get something to eat.

            “Oh…okay,” she got out of the car and walked towards the restaurant in the gas station. The name of the restaurant, made out of neon lights says, London Lounge. She went in and found an old style bar with scarcely people sitting. Kristen sat down on one of the chairs and ordered a sandwich. She took out her phone and found out that it has been turn off. She tried to turn it on, but it won’t start up.

            After half an hour, she finished her dinner and went outside to use the payphone. She dialed Jason’s emergency number. This number was only for an emergency incident when two of them really need to separate or to keep distance for Kristen’s safety. She waited for half a minute then Jason picked the phone call.

            “Hey babe,” Jason’s warm voice gave Kristen warmth in her heart, “how’s London?”

            “Yeah, it’s beautiful. Are you okay now?” Kristen asked with a worrisome voice.

            “I’m okay, but uh…Uncle Alonso, Kristen’s on the phone,” Jason called out to her dad.

            “Krizten,” her father said. “I’m glad you decided to go to Thailand.”

            “It’s for your sake dad, not for mom’s” she said with arrogance.

            “Yeah yeah, stay with mom when you reached there okay?”

            “Okay dad, love you.”

            “Love you, too” then, he gave the phone to Jason.

            “Hey listen, uhh, it’s pretty risky for you to go to Asia because Rex is not an official and a licensed vehicle, so don’t make contact with anyone except your mom, okay?” Jason explained.

            “Alright, when are we going to see each other again?” Kristen asked sadly.

            “Sigh…I’m not sure. We’re not safe here, yet. But, I promise…I’ll meet you soon.”

            “Okay…love you honey,” she said with a tear drop.

            “Love you too…be strong,” and he hung up.

            Kristen wiped her tears and hurried back to the Panamera which was waiting for her at the lounge door. She got in the car and fastened her seat belt ready for anything that might come with harm.

             “Rex, does this vehicle have any arms?” she asked frankly.

            “Of course ma ’dam,” then, it showed her a long list of arms with pictures and description of weapons through a large holographic window.

            “That’s good…now I can kick some ass, too”