BHO CAMP #4: The Retribution

CHAPTER 5 ~ Visit ~

"For good?"

Nag-angat ako ng tingin. Hindi man niya sabihin pero alam ko na alam na niya ang sagot. Nila. "I'm thinking about it."

"Paano ang BHOCAMP?"

"I'm quitting."

"Hermes-"

"Ayoko na maging buhay ni Ale ang naging buhay ko at ng ina niya. I know that we all wanted it when we were children but I don't want it for my child."

"There's nothing wrong with being like us."

"You're right. There's nothing wrong with it." I said quietly. "But I don't want the time to come that he'll know that her mother's life was taken because of her job. Because of our job. Dahil pilit nating inililigtas ang ibang tao pero iyong mga taong mahal natin hindi natin mailigtas. Because we keep giving people their happiness back while taking crack on our souls for the rest of our lives."

"It is the right thing to do."

Hindi iyon ang tamang sabihin at alam ko na na-realize niya iyon ng tumalim ang mga mata ko. "For who?!" tumataas ang boses na tanong ko. "Para kanino Phoenix? We can save the people but we cannot save our own comrades? Do you know how fuck up this life is?!"

Bahagyang nilingon ni Phoenix si Ale na nakangiting inaabot lang ang mukha ni Miming na nakikipaglaro sa kaniya. "Alam ni Storm kung ano ang ginagawa niya noon."

"Yeah? Alam niya ba na kapalit sa paglitas sa babaeng kailangan naming iligtas sa mission na iyon ay buhay niya? That she'll get tortured, raped and killed in the process? We all saw it. You saw it. Kung paano bumalik sa BHOCAMP si Storm pagkatapos niyang mawala ng matagal. Wounds on her body, broken ribs, and she lost herself, Phoenix. Then she was gone again, and this time, for months. And she went back...just to get killed because of it. She was shot multiple times and that car exploded! It exploded in front of my eyes! Tell me. Does she knew all that? Was saving that girl worth her life?"

"It is." Malakas na napamura ako sa sinabi niya pero bago pa ako makapagsalita ay naunahan na niya ako. "Iyon ang trabaho natin. Trabaho natin na tapusin ang mission natin, na iligtas ang kailangan iligtas, kahit kapalit niyon ang buhay natin. That is our job, Hermes, and you know it. Alam mo na tama ang ginawa niya. Ang ginagawa natin."

"Alam ko noon pero hindi na ngayon. Naiintindihan ko noon pero hindi ngayon. It was right for me because she was there. And now? Nothing will ever feel right again."

Malalim na bumuntong hininga ang binata. "Fine. Do what you want to do. Alam mong susuportahan ka naming lahat."

Tahimik na pinagpatuloy namin ang pagkain. Nang matapos kami ay nagtungo kami sa living room at naupo roon. Tinignan ko si Phoenix na ngayon ay nakasandal sa sofa at nakapikit. He looks tired.

Bahagyang napakunot-noo ako ng may maisip. "Nasaan si Snow?"

He opened his eyes ang looked at me. "HQ."

"Bakit hindi mo kasama?" Bukod sa ilang mga mission ay ngayon lang umalis ng BHO CAMP si Phoenix na mag-isa. Lagi niyang kasama ang bestfriend niya na si Snow Night.

Nagkibit-balikat siya. "Saglit lang naman ako at babalik rin ako roon. Isa pa ay bonding day daw nila ngayon ng mga kapatid niya."

Tumango-tango ako. "Paano mo nalaman kung nasaan ako?"

"I didn't."

"What?"

"May mission ako malapit dito. May pinababantayan sa akin si Dawn. I was surprised when I saw you. Sakto naman ng bumalik ako ay nakita ko si Tita Hurricane. She talked to me about the dog and I said I know where you are."