Chasing the Void (Magnates Series #3)

Kabanata 42

Kabanata 42

It was a foolish decision, that's surely how anyone would perceive it. Sa mga sumunod na araw ay ilang ulit akong nakipagkita kay Captain Burgos para sa plano. Alam kong walang kasiguraduhan itong gagawin namin pero desidido ako.

I don't want to just wait and watch as Navis is slowly being destroyed. Alam ko naman na kaya ng mga Velarde kahit mawala man ang isa sa malalaki nilang kompanya pero maaaring maging daan ito para madamay pati ang iilang mga negosyo at kompanya na hawak nila.

Media really is a scary platform, it could easily twist anything in just a short span. People could easily conclude anything with just mere speculations.

I laughed bitterly.

I was no different. I easily assumed that the Velarde's use their power to hide the truth, for their own sake. Just to save their reputation and to avoid tainting their name. At mabilis akong naniwala kaya gumawa ako ng plano para siraan sila.

If I found out about the truth, and if they have other reasons for doing it back then, would I still change my mind? Kaya lang ba ako naging ganito dahil lang sa konsensya ko? Dahil ba minahal ko si Draisen kaya sa isang iglap nagbago ako? 

No.

What I've done is unjustifiable, resulting for this to happen. But I never regret loving him. Not now, not ever. And I chose to be drowned by my guilt and it made a way for me to rebuild myself. The darkness was inevitable. It will always be there and it's okay. 

Nakaupo ako ngayon kaharap si Captain Burgos. It felt relieving to have someone's help. Kung dati ay todo tanggi ako sa tuwing may gusto mang tumulong dahil sa takot na hindi nila maiintindihan o madadamay ko sila kapag tinanggap ko.

Now it felt okay to ask for help. It's okay to ask for help. 

"Ito ang nakita at ang tanging naisalba na maaaring magamit bilang ebidensya." si Captain Burgos na nilapag ang isang zipper storage bag na naglalaman ng mga kagamitan. "Nahanap ito malapit sa engine room kung saan nagsimula ang pagsabog." 

Nanatili ang tingin ko sa pamilyar na mga gamit na naroon. Naramdaman ko ang pagbilis ng tibok ng puso ko.

"It was difficult to find evidence especially for an explosion that burnt almost half of the ship to ashes. Most of the casualties are the ship workers since they were near the engine room." 

"Paano po natukoy na si Kuya Axel ang may gawa ng pagsabog?"

"Each of the Navis ships carries extra fuel tanks in case of emergency. The cause of the explosion is the leakage of fuel in one of the tanks." paliwanag niya. "Pero sa sira na nakita, imposibleng magkaroon ng damage ang isa sa mga tank dahil sinusuri muna lahat ng makinarya bago kami magpaandar ng barko." 

He got the things out from the bag and I saw a familiar wallet and watch. He even got some documents and showed some pictures of the inside of the ruined cruise ship. Hindi ko inasahan na marami pa lang nakuhang ebidensya na itinago lang.

"Sa sira na nakita sa tangke, malaking posibilidad na hindi lang iyon natural na pagkasira, may nagsadya ng damage kaya nagkaroon ng leakage." sabay pakita niya ng litrato. "At may bakas din na mga nagkalat na fuel oil sa buong engine room bago pa man mangyari ang leakage, patunay na hindi sa mismong tangke nagsimula ang apoy." 

Ang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko habang pinapakinggan ang eksplanasyon niya. 

"One of the interns assigned for the bunkering operations the day before the celebration was him." binuksan niya ang wallet at napasinghap ako nang makita ang mga IDs na pagmamay-ari ni kuya. "And it was enough lead since his things are left near the engine room, and we also found some pieces of fabric from a formal clothing similar to what he's wearing that night."