Act 1 : Chapter 4

I received a notification saying that I have a message.

“Hey Aeina this is the mission guy. Can we meet today?”

“Hey Mission guy. Sure yeah we can, how about in mall?

“Sure. I’ll be at the Dairy Queen. It’s my treat. Bring also the tablet.”

“Thanks! Will do”

I withdrew money from the nearest ATM machine. I’ll be using the money to bet for Skye. I walked at the 3^rd floor of the mall to find “Mission Guy”. I was the first one to arrive. I texted him back saying I’m already here at the meet up place he said. No more than five minutes, Mission guy arrives.

“I’m sorry for earlier, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Dominique Knight.” We shook hands.

“Aeina Beatrix Augustos. It’s nice to meet you.”

“So what’s up? Care to fill me up?” I added.

“You see here. I haven’t binded yet my tablet; I wasn’t sure what mission this is, but the one who gave me this said that s/he needs to find someone from the past. And I need to meet someone named “Aeina Beatrix Augustos”, you’re the one who knows where we’re gonna go. You see, Nueva Ecija was the location of someone we need to find. I’m from the future and I was the one responsible placing that tablet inside the unit of someone that is very close to you.” He explained thoroughly.

“So you want to go at Nueva Ecija? Then we will look for someone there? I have no clue who that is.” I ended up giving him a sigh.

“But I have a clue. You see here, there was an accident that happened 18 years ago. Your Dad, Mom and their friends got caught up on iut. The code s/he left was “Moonlight’s Shadow.” We need to witness the accident and who’s the mastermind of it.”

“Was the one we’re looking is a person?” I asked.

“Yes, but he or she isn’t alone. Maybe that Moonlight Shadow is a code name? I dunno. The maker of this “machine” wanted you to become my partner because you’re the one who is close with the involved.”

“My memories are fuzzy. Since I was a child; I frequent hospitals like Mom.” I answered to him while I took a bite of Cookies and Cream he gave.

We talked about all the possible person(s) that’ll be a suspect. One of the suspects he has was Aunt Mavis Nana. She’s the best friend of Mom since they moved from Nueva Ecija.

Out of the blue I quickly asked him what’s been bothering me.

“Why do you look like my Dad when he was a Teenager?”

“Whoa there Ms. Augustos!” He exclaimed.

“Look.” As I hand him the photograph of Dad with Mom. Dad told me that this picture was taken when a triple date happened with Aunt Jeanne, and Aunt Mavis. Aunt Mavis was the photographer.

“You’re just whiter than Dad but he has more muscles that you. You’ll break a bone when someone punched you. I dunno. Guess that we need to try it.” I laugh.

“But your twin loves your Dad more than anything else. She can lose anything she has just not your Dad, right?” He said like he knew us from the very beginning.

“How’d you know that? She hides it very well when someone’s around. It’s a family secret to us.” I explained while I wondered.

“I told you, I can be anywhere.” He answered laughing.

“Oh shit I have to go. We have a race later. I’ll call you I guess? Don’t worry I’ll bind the “machine” later when I got to the unit.”

“Don’t bet on Skye. She’ll lose this one on your sister. There’s someone who will bet Five Hundred Thousand on Skye. Go bet on your sister about the same. She’ll win it.” He advised.

“Is that so?” I wondered if it was true.

“Also take the detour. Don’t take the main road. There’s gonna be a raid on the streets, I’m telling you this because I have some exception on rules of the “machine”.

“Okay? I’ll tell Aeira about that too.”

I bid goodbye to him and I returned on the unit and saw Uncle Jheck watching TV Shows.

“Hey Pumpkin, where were you?" He asked while watching.

“I just took some money at the bank, where’s Aunt?” I asked.

“She’s at her Mom’s place. She took Aurora there, her Dad was there so yeah.” He answered.

“I have to go Uncle. Did you catch Aeira earlier?”

“Yes, she just left. She said that she’ll wait for you at Visayas Street. What business do you have there?”

“I’ll be betting five hundred grand on Aeira.” I answered him while laughing. I took my bag and then tapped on the “yes” button on the tablet then it became a ring after shining. I put it on my Thumb finger.

“Just don’t get caught or else your parents will be mad at me for not looking at you!” He exclaimed.

“I have to go Uncle! Bye!” I said while I’m wearing this jacket that lacked fabric. I like my hoodie more than this. I have a feeling that they can saw right through my soul when wearing this.

“I thought you’ve just left a while ago ma’am!” The guard exclaimed as I exit the building.

“Hey Chief! That’s not me! It’s Aeira, my twin.”

“Oh my god! Sorry that I wasn’t used to see you both!”

“I have to go now! Thank you as always!”

“You take care Ma’am.”

I took the high way then detoured at the nearest Mall. I think Dominique was right; there are a lot of cops wondering around. And a miracle happened today, the traffic seems to be light. I called Aeira while I was driving.

“Hey, where are you?” I asked.

“Visayas Avenue; Jolibee. This fast food is too small and there are a lot of people.”

“There are a lot of cops wondering on our tracks.” I advised her.

“Shit. Good thing I’m on the second race. Well, good luck to them. Are the cops in squad?

“Not really. Can you withdraw four hundred grand now? I’ll be betting half a million to you.”

“Are you serious!?” She exclaimed over the phone.

“Like really? Five Hundred thousand?” She added.

“I trust you. You can win this Five KM straight race.”

“Shit. Are you for real sister?” She still can’t believe.

“I am! You hold my card right? Withdraw from the counter please.”

“Alright. There’s a near bank here. Stop by there, you’ll need an ID.

“Yes. I will. That’s along my path right now. I took the detour.”

In no more than 15 minutes I arrived at the said bank. The guard turned pale when he saw me. I entered the bank and I saw Aeira in the line. We wore the same outfit. It was both ripped jeans, and red converse shoes. Maybe the guard turned pale because he thought that I was a ghost? I don’t know.

“Hey! Your hair color is great! I like Pink too!” I exclaimed when I saw her.

“It was Aunt Paine’s idea.” She answered with long face.

“Dad will hate you, you know that. He doesn’t like the idea of coloring hair. Remember when I colored my hair too?” I sarcastically asked.

“It was Aunt Paine’s idea!” She said with a loud and angry tone.

“Hey! Don’t throw tanrums here! I was just joking.” I whispered at her.

“Really? Do you mean it Aeina?”

“I’m serious! Just keep quite will you? Please? Daddy’s girl.”

We don’t have a bag so we asked for a brown envelop to put the money inside. The bank also verified the withdrawal that happened and we waited 30 minutes for Skye’s crewmates to arrive.

“Sis!” Skye shouted on us when she saw us.

“Hey!” Aeira shouted back at her.

“There’s someone who’ll be betting five hundred grand on me.” Skye said.

“Call. Bring him or her here.” I answered.

Skye then whistle loud. A fat guy came near her and counted the money on our faces. The “broker” or middle man then grabbed our cash. I then said to Aeira that; “You can win this just do your worst.” Then she entered her car with her helmet intact.

She rode her Ford GT, it was full of stickers of her mechanic. Inside of the car was only one seat. The entire chair was removed to make the car lighter. There are also a lot of safety measures inside; like pipes that are barred near the driver’s chair. The seat belts are also heavy duty. The car was also lowered to max that the asphalt is already touching the side skirts of it.

We didn’t used the Flare Gun because of the cops that are wondering around in the vicinity. We used a DIY pipe that create noise when you pour alcohol on it and then ignite it with lighter. The race wasn’t even at the middle when Skye’s mechanic called us via radio that Skye’s engine overheated that result a win to my twin. Dominique was right. My twin won this race. The fat guy who bet on Skye in on tears while handing the money.

“I have one hundred thousand on Aeira for her effort while I was throwing away some cash on the top of my car. I was the only one who bet on my twin. I jumped on my car to enter it and then drove fast. Aeira then called me and said that she’ll be returning at the Unit of Aunt Paine.

I arrived faster than usual. Aunt Paine was making food for Laureen; while Uncle Jheck was talking to Eisen about girls. Aunt Paine was kind of shocked when she saw me with Aeira.

“Aunt Paine, can we go tomorrow at the bank to deposit?” As I put down the paperbag that has money on it.

“Did Aeira won?” She asked.

“Hey! Give some for us!” Shouted by Uncle Jheck and Eisen in the living room.

Mom was calling at FaceTime so I answered it quick.

“Mom.” I greeted her.

“How are you both? Are you good?” She asked with a worried voice.

“We’ve won! Five Hundred Grand in just thirty minutes!” I said while laughing.

“Oh! That’s why the bank called me earlier.”

“I’ll be quitting Drag Race from now on Mom.”

“Why? Didn’t loved it?” She asked.

“Yes Mom, but I think I’ve had enough. Ten win streaks is enough for me.”

I then saw that Dad was jumping on the video feed at Mom’s office.

“Are Dad and Aeira talking Mom?” I asked.

“Ah yes. We can’t eat dinner and the call was like fifteen minutes ago and counting. Aeira wanted to to go home since she said she misses Dad. Are you coming home? Or just Aeira?”

“Well, Aunt Paine and the gang just arrived from the gig yesterday. We can.”

“Alright! Shall I cook?” She excitedly exclaimed.

“Yes Mom! Please! We will be there in the jiffy.”

I called Aeira and told her that we need to go home, and said yes. I made Dad the bait for her to come home. I told her that Dad will be cooking for us; for her, Dad’s cooking is the best. I can’t deny that though. Dad’s cooking skills are on par with Mom’s. I bid goodbye to all of the people inside the unit due to us coming home earlier than expected. I grabbed all of our things and then Eisen came running because I forgot the money.

Aeira waited for me at the gas station. She was ahead of me. I showed her the staged picture of Dad cooking and then she told me that she won’t eat anything on the road.

It took us just two hours to arrive at home.

When we arrived, we saw Mom wearing her usual attire along with Dad. Aeira then almost jump when she saw Dad. She’s like a child lost in the park and just saw her parents for the first time.

“Dad! What did you cooked! I’m starving!” Aeira exclaimed.

“Let’s go at the dining area shall we?” Dad then proceeds to walk at the dining room along Aeira telling how she won the race.

“Aeina, you should dress like that more often. For the first time you don’t look like an uber driver.” He laughed on his own joke as Aeira giggles.

Mom then winked at me then replied with a smile.

“You both look like an idiot right now; I can tell.” I said while I rolled my eyes. Dad was with Aeira eating while sharing the same plate like lovers.

“I’ve won! And this is the reward!”

“I get it? I guess.”

We ate as usual. Aeira ate the most due to it being “cooked” by Dad. I just hope that she doesn’t found out about it. Mom can’t stop giving me a smile while we were eating earlier. I messaged her that her cooking is the best compared to Dad’s. Then the ring vibrated. There’s a hologram display on it that only I can see.

“New Phrases can be inserted! You’ve encountered a place that unlocked where you can warp!” says the notification at the hologram.

Here in our own house? What’s with this house? Then I proceed to message Dominique about it; but I received no response from him. I walked on our street and the ring won’t stop sending me alerts. “New Key Location found!” “New Event can be seen in Ethereal Form!” “New Phrases can be Inserted!”. When I was near at the front gate of Aunt Paine’s house there’s a new message from the hologram screen. “Memories of Light” can be viewed here. “Memories of Music” can be viewed here!” You’ve obtained a key Memory!” I tried to call Dominique but he didn’t answer. I was returning home when Aeira called me.

“Hey sis, Dad told me that do get some pictures of our old house. It will be renovated into a commercial space.” I said okay then the call ended. Then a new message came.

“New Key Location found!” “New Event can be seen in Ethereal Form!” “New Phrases can be Inserted!” “Memories of Shadow can be viewed here!” “You’ve obtain a Key Memory!” “Twin Memories Unlocked!” “You’ve Unlocked 2 of the most important memory in this mission!”.

Maybe Dominique was on the “future”? But then I argued on myself. He told me he can be anywhere from me. I just messaged him all the information I knew. I said to come over here so we can see what this “Memories” are.

I was near at our gate when the ring vibrated with a message saying; “Do you want to view “A Dog’s Memory from The Past(?)”

I tapped yes and the blinding light blinded me again.