No Escape Series #2: No Resolve

Chapter 32: The Bullet (Felix)

Felix grew even more angry; he didnʼt hesitate to fire his gun one after another and let go of bullets. On that occasion, when Gregory arrived, he even witnessed how Felix killed Director Alvarez, his own father.

The police arrived, and even Vahnʼs team of task force agents and Rhianʼs captive friends were released. When Gregory remembered his sister, he immediately approached Yanna and hugged her tightly.
 
The rescue team also arrived to take Rhian to the hospital, and except for her, no one else was injured or hurt. Rhian also lost consciousness after witnessing what happened, and Gregory and his father, Dr. Reynaldo, took care of Rhian when she was taken to the operating room.

Nasa labas si Vahn at gusto niyang magbantay at maghintay hanggang sa matapos ang operasyon. Maya-maya pa ay lumapit sina Cyruz, Lloyd, at ang ilang team member ng task force agents para may sabihin na importante. “Sir Vahn, maayos na ang kalagayan ngayon ng magkakakaibigan,” sabi nito. “Na-surrender na rin ang mga tauhan ni Director Alvarez pati ang bangkay niya.”

“It's good then,” Vahn answered sparingly, still restless at the thought of whether Rhian would be okay.

Napahinto siya sa paglalakad nang pabalik-balik nang hawakan ni Cyruz ang kaniyang balikat. “Bro, magiging ayos lang ang kondisyon ni Rhian. Isang tama lang naman ng bala ang natamo niya kaya huwag kang mag-alala.”

They heard that someone was coming; they could hear the footsteps of it running towards Vahn. “Sir Vahn!” They all looked at who it was and realized it was just Yanna. “I really thought you could kill Rhian,” sabi niya.

“And why would I do that to my own cousin?” sabi agad ni Vahn. “Pinagplanuhan na talaga namin ni Rhian ang lahat at masasabi kong... scripted ang pagtutok ko ng baril sa kaniyang ulo.”

Bumuntong hininga si Yanna, tiningnan ang pinto ng operating room. “Huwag kayong mag-alala, gagawin naman nina Kuya Greg at Dad ang kanilang makakaya para mailigtas si Rhian. Siyempre, hindi rin ako papayag na mawala siya, lalo na't espesyal siyang kaibigan sa akin.”

Napangiti naman si Vahn at hinawakan ang kaniyang balikat. “Sana nga, Yanna.” Muli niyang ibinalik ang tingin kina Cyruz at Lloyd. “Siya nga pala, kamusta si Felix? Nasaan siya?” tanong niya, pero nagkatinginan ang dalawa at hindi agad makasagot.

“Hindi namin alam, Sir Vahn. Hindi na namin siya nakita pa noong ini-rescue na ang magkakaibigan at nadala rito si Rhian,” sagot ni Lloyd.

He looked away from them, wondering what drove Felix to do those things they had witnessed earlier—how he could kill his own father. The father he had been looking for for a long time had been with Felix for a long time.
 
Vahn knew how much Felix loved Director Alvarez, even when he first served as an NBI agent. The two of them felt the real union of a son and father that he had always wanted to experience.

He bowed. Now he has announced that everything will be nothing when he is with Director Alvarez if his evil continues to spread as the top-rated criminal serial killer in the entire Philippines.
 
After more than an hour, Drs. Rey and Gregory came out of the operating room. “Vahn...” He stood up from his seat when he saw the two together. “Stable na ang kalagayan niya. Hindi mo kailangang mag-alala,” sabi ni Dr. Rey.

“Pero dapat ay magpahinga ka na lang muna. Hindi mo kailangang magbantay rito; trust us, magiging maayos ang lahat kay Rhian,” dugtong ng doktor.

“Alam ko naman po iyon, Dr. Rey, pero ayos lang po ako. Hihintayin ko na lang siyang magising,” sabi ni Vahn.

Nagkatinginan ang mag-ama saka tumango-tango. “Sige. Mauuna muna ako,” sabi ni Dr. Rey at naglakad na palayo sa kanila habang naroon pa rin si Gregory sa kaniyang harapan.

“Hindi ko alam kung paano kita pasasalamatan, Detective Vahn. Kung hindi dahil sa mga plinano mo ay... baka tuluyan nang mapahamak ang kapatid ko,” sabi ni Gregory.

“Hindi mo kailangang magpasalamat, dok. Trabaho ko naman na gampanan ang tungkulin ko; at isa pa, gusto ko nang matapos ang kaso maging sa problema ng taong-bayan tungkol sa serial killer na siyang nagtatago sa pagkatao ni Director Alvarez,” sabi niya.

“Siguro nga ay pinagtagpo kami ni Rhian para sabay naming wakasan ang problemang iyon. Nang dahil sa kaniya, naging bukas ako sa real-life situation dahil hindi lahat nagtatapos ang storya sa isang fictional scenario lamang.”

Gregory grinned. He understands what Vahn is saying because Gregory is also a writer, and you may remember that he was Rhianʼs partner in a writing community collaboration. “But I just want to ask you, Vahn, are you really all right?” tanong niya.

“Oo naman, bakit mo natanong?”

“I mean, sa puso mo, hindi ka naman nag-aalinlangan na wala na si Director Alvarez. Naisip ko lang ʼyong sinabi mo sa akin na... gusto mong makaranas ng pagmamahal ng isang ama,” sabi ni Gregory.

“Hindi ko masyadong dinadamdam ang pagkamatay ni Director Alvarez. Ayos lang naman ako at isa pa, tama si Rhian,” sabi niya.

“He will never really be given a chance to change his life if he suffers in prison for a long time, paano na lang kaya kung lumabas at makalaya siya? Paniguradong ganoon pa rin ang magiging patakaran ng buhay niya bilang isang serial killer.”

Napaiwas siya ng tingin kay, Gregory. “Ang mas inaalala ko lang, si Felix. He has been with Director Alvarez longer than me. Thatʼs why, when I saw that the gun was pointed at him, he just closed his eyes as if he were ready to catch the bullets that Director Alvarez will release.”

Muli niyang ibinalik ang tingin kay, Gregory. “Nakita ko ang sincerity niya kaya nakiusap siya na sumuko na lamang, but in the end, he still chose to kill his own father without a doubt. I can clearly see the anger, hatred, and resentment he feels.

I have been with him for six years. I didnʼt expect to see his dark side, which was far from the Felix I knew before, nang dahil sa naimpluwensiyahan na siya ng kaniyang ama.”

Gregory was the one who was able to look away from Vahn because he remembered what happened before he went with the task force agents to the location they had traced. He was able to talk to and face Felix like that. “Well, itʼs grateful for him, Vahn,” sabi niya, saka hinawakan ang braso nito at tinapik-tapik.

“Magkapatid kayong dalawa, ano nang gagawin mo?”

“Hindi ko alam. Gusto ko siyang kausapin ng masinsinan, nang sa ganoon ay magkaroon ng kaayusan ang pagsasama namin at mabalik sa dati,” tugon ni Vahn.

“Because I know... thatʼs what Rhian wanted too, so she didnʼt give up on Felix, because she still wonʼt forget him as a cousin.”
 
After he and Gregory talked, he went inside Rhianʼs room for a few moments, but while waiting for her, he took a nap. Rhian slowly opened her eyes when she felt someone by her side.
 
When she turned her head from his left, there was Vahn, bent over and just sleeping, so her smile flashed. “Sir Vahn...” Vahn immediately became distracted when he felt something move in his head.

When he raised his head, he saw that Rhian was awake. “Youʼre awake!” He shouted to call the nurse. After checking Rhianʼs condition, Vahn sat down in the chair again so he could talk to the girl.

“Hindi ako makapaniwala na aabot na tayo sa ganitong sitwasyon. Ngayon ko lang naramdaman ang tunay na sakit kapag... natamaan ng bala,” sabi ni Rhian.

“Hindi biro ang matamaan ng bala, Rhian,” sabi ni Vahn. “A lot of people die because they canʼt handle the bullet hitting them, but itʼs good that you survived.”

Rhian just smiled, but when she remembered the last thing that happened, she witnessed the death of Director Alvarez, her uncle, because of what Felix did. “Nasaan si Felix?” tanong niya.

“Hindi na siya nakita pa simula nang ma-rescue kayo. Baka siguro umuwi na sa kanila. Hindi biro ang nangyari, malamang ay malaking epekto nito sa kaniya,” sabi ni Vahn, at sumang-ayon naman doon si Rhian.

“Pagkalabas na pagkalabas ko rito, gusto ko siyang makausap,” sabi niya, at muling tiningnan si Vahn. “Gusto kong magkaayos na tayong tatlo. ʼYong sa amin ni Felix, at sa inyong dalawa.”

Tumango na lamang si Vahn.