Ace The Wager (TO BE PUBLISHED)

Chapter 26

IT TOOK ME A WHOLE THREE MINUTES before I got to fully process everything that's happening right in front of me. My brows furrowed. "Bakit...?"

Loki grinned. "Kanina ka pa?"

"Why did you say you were going to be a part of the defense counsel? Pwede ka naman maghintay sa labas–"

"I am a part of your counsel," aniya.

Mas lalo akong naguluhan. "But you said–"

"I was going to take his case."

Mas lalong nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Ano daw?!

Humakbang siya papalapit sa'kin tsaka humigit ng upuan para dalawa na kami na nasa harapan ni Haji ngayon.

Napakurap-kurap ako bago bumaling sa kaniya. "Pero sabi mo-"

"I realized this is what we do." Tiningnan ako ni Loki bago umupo. "We defend the guiltless or we make the guilty ones innocent."

Nakita ko na bahagyang umirap si Haji bago tinuon ang naiinip niyang mga mata sa 'min. "You really won't take my case?"

"Siobhan got a higher ranking in the BAR exam. Between the both of us, she's more qualified to defend you."

"Then what the fuck are you doing here?"

"To get you out of jail, asshole. You thought I'm here to play skipping rope with the chains of your handcuffs?" pabarang na sagot ni Loki. "You look awful, by the way."

Kumunot ang noo ni Haji bago siya bumaling sa'kin. "Is he allowed to say that to his client?"

"For the record, you're Atty. Thiago's client," Loki interrupted. "I'm just a part of her defense counsel. So, talk to her about your case."

Napatingin ako kay Loki ngunit kinindatan niya lang ako. He's nuts. How the hell are we going to win this if two amateur lawyers handle this? I was aware that I was practically doing suicide but I didn't think Loki would join me. Wow... we really are bestfriends.

"Tanga ka ba?!" singhal ko.

"You're mas tanga." Inirapan ako ni Loki. "This will get you kicked out of that firm you're working for. You know that."

I pursed my lips before nodding slowly. "I'm aware."

"Yet you're still eager to take his case," he added quietly, masking the irritation in his voice.

Hindi ko na siya sinagutan. Kahit anong sabihin ng iba, akin na ang kasong 'to. If we win, then thank God. But if we lose, then it probably means karma is making its way to Haji. Heaven knows he deserves it anyway.

Kinuha ko ang laptop ko tsaka binukasan ito para makapaghighlight ng interrogation na 'to na pwedeng makatulong sa kaso namin. We need Haji's full statement so that we can create a concrete story. So far, walang ebidensya pa na direktang nago-operate si Haji sa warehouse na 'yon. As far as luck goes, we were safe. But Haji needs to give us every detail to avoid surprise evidences.

"Why are you doing this?" biglang tanong ni Haji.

May tina-type pa 'ko kaya hindi ko siya tiningnan ngunit sinagutan ko naman siya. "It's my job as an attorney."

"It's not," sabat naman ni Loki. "You're a private lawyer working in a large law firm. You're not a public defender, Siobe. You can drop this. Resign from it. Let me handle this instead."

"Yeah," Haji seconded. "Go live your life. Why fuck it up because of an asshole like me?"

At least inaamin niya.

Umirap ako. "No."

Loki scoffed. "Then why? Just let me take this, Siobe."

Tiningnan ko si Haji na mukhang naghihintay rin ng sagot sa tanong ni Loki. Nakatitig lang siya sa'kin habang nakasandal sa upuan niya, naghihintay ng sagot.