The Ilokana

Chapter Fourteen

"It's just to get the laptop, you said." Michael said as he paced the small hall of the provincial hospital. "It will be easy, Manong, you said. And what happens?" Scowling on one of the hard, metal benches was Victoria, sporting a freshly bandaged head covering several stitches on her left temple hairline, numerous bandages on her bare arms and legs, and a tight wrap around her throbbing ankle.

"We didn't know we were going to be followed. Someone must've seen us leave from Lucap," Victoria said in a low voice. "Besides, we got the laptop."

"You got the...!" Michael's voice trailed off in a horrified stutter. "Anya nga laptop!?" He demanded, waving one hand to the still sopping wet, blue dry bag that had three bullet holes and rags spilling out of it. "Datta!?"

"Manong, calm down," Victoria said, looking around the waiting area. Most of the people who were there had already left, but the staff didn't need to hear him ranting.

He wasn't the one being shot at, but she knew he was worried. He arrived on the island screaming for her and was in tears when he found her. The armed men he was with scoured the island and found the bodies of the two men who followed them.

The one who fell from the cliff broke his back, but was still alive. Michael wanted him taken into their custody. The other was found near the first, dead from the fall and the Brillantes men, seeing Michael so frantic, assured him they'd take are of it as procedure dictated and to take the injured to the hospital.

Michael was so distraught, Adrian had to carry her to the boat. She was in a bit of a daze, bleeding from a cut on her head and fixated on Adrian above her. She wasn't sure if it was the fall, the concussion, or the water inhalation that put her in a daze, but she could've sworn he answered to Tomás.

Then again, perhaps she was getting reality and her dreams mixed up.

That wasn't good.

When they got to shore, a car was waiting and they drove back to the hospital. The drive calmed Michael enough for him to make more phone calls while they were being patched up. Victoria went first, having gotten the brunt of the injuries. It seemed the contents of Richie's dry bag stopped the bullets from actually coming out the other side, effectively shielding Adrian. His injuries were from the rocks, but nothing serious.

Still, she was anxious to see him. He hadn't come out yet.

She shifted on the bench, waiting to confirm with her own eyes that he was fine.

"Sorry it took so long." His voice came from the hall and she shot up to her feet, forgetting about her dizzy spells. An arm shot out and grabbed hers, keeping her up and propping her against them. "Vic, don't strain yourself. Sit down. I'm fine."

Michael gave Adrian a once over and then nodded. "I'm going to settle the bill. You two sit here and wait."

"Yes, Manong."

"Thanks, Michael."

With an arm around her shoulder, Adrian eased her back on the bench. "They told me you got stitches?"

"A few, it's not the first time," she said. Victoria looked him over. Most of his scraps were left open with a thin film of antiseptic while the deeper ones were bandaged up. He probably felt the same aching all over that she did, as well. "I'm so sorry...."

He chuckled a little, his arm still around her as he leaned back. "It's not the first time for me, either. I've taken nastier spills."

She looked at him with disbelief. "From a cliff?"