#DDMS19
❧
FEUILLE
I FUCKING FROZE.
Anxiety slowly crept in from the tips of my toes up to the strands of my hair, engulfing my whole body with fear that got me on chokehold.
Seeing my brother reminded me of my family who I thought I have finally escaped from—the blood-curdling Guivellnovas.
"P-paano mo nalaman kung nasaan ako?" Halos hindi marinig ang boses ko dahil sa sobrang panginginig nito. "At k-kung sino ang kasama ko?"
Fuck. Fuck. Hindi puwedeng malaman ng pamilya ko ang tungkol kay Xantiel!
"Oh my naive little sister . . ." Zilvane brushed his hair upwards before setting his elbow on the window sill. "Sa tingin mo ba ay hindi kita pinasundan noong pinapunta kita sa lokasyon ng computer shop?"
Shit. Damn it. I was too fucking careless.
"A-ayokong umuwi," I demanded, but my weak tone wasn't too convincing.
Nakita kong napako sa 'kin ang mga mata ng aking kapatid.
"Well, if I give you up to Mom and Dad, who knows what kind of reward I'll receive? They'll fucking offer me cities to rule." May katotohanan ang kaniyang sinabi. After all, what's a mere city to a Guivellnova?
Pahabol ni Zilvane, "But how about you, Feuille? What can you offer me in exchange? What's your counter-offer? Alam mong labas ako sa problema niyo, kaya kung kanino ako mas makikinabang ay doon ako kakampi."
His lips formed the most sly smile I've ever seen. He crossed his legs and clasped his hands as he waited for my answer.
What could I possibly give him?! I have fucking nothing.
"Give me your Vouganville. I know him. Xantiel's talents would be useful for the National Security," suhestiyon ng aking kuya. "And his skills are worth more than fucking cities."
Kumulo bigla ang dugo ko. "No fucking way! I won't let you use Xantiel!"
He has been through so much already. He has been used for countless of times by countless of people already.
"Try using your head, Feuille. Kapag nahanap ka ng magulang natin, sino sa tingin mo ang malalagot?" pagbabanta ni Zilvane. "Do you want your precious engineer to end up like Flume?"
My heart dropped.
The mere mention of Flumerys made my stomach turn upside down.
Ayoko mang aminin, pero tama siya. This manipulative and conniving brother of mine is a slightly better choice than my merciless parents.
"One week. You have one week to decide, Feuille." Zilvane pressed his cheek against his closed fist, supported by his elbow on the car's window sill.
Wala akong naisagot kung hindi mabagal na pagtango.
Ngumiti ang kapatid ko sabay tango sa taxi driver. "Go on. Tell the driver where you're heading. Ihahatid ka namin sa pupuntahan mo."
***
NAMAMAGA pa ang mga mata ko pagbalik sa mansyon dala-dala ang mga pinamiling pagkain. Pinunasan ko ang mukha ko gamit ang manggas ng suot kong jacket para hindi mahalata ni Xantiel ang pag-iyak ko.
I saw him from the gap of the door, looking very focused and concentrated on cracking the phone.
My chest ached once more. I can't fathom what my family might do to Xantiel.
It's either him or me.
And I won't fucking give him up to my brother.
So I think . . . it's best if I go alone than have both of us suffer.
If I couldn't save us, then at least I could still save him.
"Feuille?" Xantiel noticed me standing by the door and walked towards me. "Everything okay? Are you crying?"
Umiling ako't ngumiti. "H-hindi! Let's just focus on the mission, Xanti. Mahalagang masagip natin agad si Dillian."
Nagmadali akong maglakad papunta sa counter kung saan iniwan ni Xantiel ang phone ng biktima. I inhaled sharply to force my tears to vanish. "So, any leads, Mr. Stranger?"
Noong una ay parang ayaw lumapit ni Xantiel, halatang nag-aalala para sa 'kin. Ngunit kumilos na rin siya at ipinakita sa 'kin ang mga online conversation na nabasa niya sa phone ni Dillian.
Dillian Francisco:
Mahilig ka rin sa soccer? Weh, 'di nga?
Sent January 20, 8:15PM
Niguel Bacchiraño:
Yes. I'm a fan of the PH team!
Sent January 20, 8:21PM
Dillian Francisco:
Uy may tickets ako sa game nila ngayong weekend. Gusto mo? May extra ako.
Sent January 23, 8:09PM
Niguel Bacchiraño:
Libre? Oo ba. Kunin ko sa 'yo bukas? Saan tayo magkikita?
Sent January 23, 8:10PM
Dillian Francisco unsent a message.
My curious eyes met with Xantiel's blue-gray pools. We stayed staring at each other for a few seconds before I began to speak. "Kung magkikita raw sila kinabukasan ng January 23, ibig sabihin ay January 24 iyon. Sakto, 'yon ang araw kung kailan nawala si Dillian!"
"Yeah," the engineer agreed while looking at the phone. "This Niguel person is a viable suspect."
Xantiel slid back Dillian's phone inside a secured plastic. "Let's go, time to interview this Niguel person. I'll search for his address while drivi—"
May bahid ng kapilyahan nang aking kinawit ang susi ng kotse na nakasabit sa kaniyang pantalon. Inagaw ko ito't ipinaikot sa 'king daliri.
That's right, Feuille. Act normal, or else he'll find out that something's wrong.
"Will you let me drive today, Daddy Deux?" I bit my red-glossed lips. "Ako na ang magmamaneho para maipagpatuloy mo ang pag-imbestiga sa phone ni Dillian."
Binilog niya ang kaniyang kamao at itinapat sa bibig para tumikhim, sabay pikit upang iwasan ang pagtingin. "O-okay, boss."
Cutie.
I won't let this precious person get hurt. I promise that to myself.
***
WHILE driving, I slowly took in the quiet sound of Xantiel's breathing in my right ear, as my bum relished the heat he left on the driver's seat, my nose inhaling his manly scent mixed with the car's perfume, and my hands feeling the rough texture of his steering wheel. Fuck, I'm gonna miss all these when I'm gone.
Xantiel navigated as he adjusted his seat from the passenger's side, instructing me with the direction towards Niguel Bacchiraño's house. Hindi siya nahirapang hanapin ang address dahil nakalagay mismo sa profile ni Niguel ang kaniyang location: Lucia City.
That narrowed down the different Handy Hands convenience store locations—which Niguel mentioned has just been built beside his house in a status he posted last month. Yes, people should be really careful about what they casually post on the internet.
"I mentioned our update to Officer Lildon," pag-ulat ni Xantiel habang nagmamaneho ako ng kaniyang sasakyan. "Missing person din daw si Niguel. That adds to our suspicion na magkasama nga sila ngayon ni Dillian. He might be taking her as a hostage."
Isang kanto na lang ay mararating na namin ang bahay ni Niguel.
Isang linggo na lang ay hindi ko na matutulungan si Xantiel sa kaniyang mga misyon.
I only have one week left to spend with him.
"Feuille, stop!" biglaan niyang hiyaw kaya napaapak ako nang wala sa oras sa brakes.
His loud yelling startled my deep thoughts. "B-bakit? Halos nasa bahay na tayo ng suspect!" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.
Xantiel bit his lip as his eyes fixated on Dillian's phone screen, his fingers swiping slowly.
"I just noticed something weird . . ."
Pagkaparada ko sa gilid ng sasakyan ay pinakita niya sa 'kin ang Telegram ni Dillian. Hiwalay pa ito sa Messenger Chat na nakita namin ni Xantiel kanina, kung saan nakausap ng biktima si Niguel.
Nakakapagtaka dahil tagong-tago ang app na iyon sa loob ng maraming folders. Doon sa Telegram ay may iba pang mga conversation si Dillian sa iba't ibang mga tao.
And in every private chat, Dillian told all of them that she has free tickets to the soccer game, inviting each one to meet up in different places.
"G-ganoon ba karami ang free tickets na meron siya?" kinakabahan kong tanong.
Xantiel then showed me the last line from all those inbox messages.
Dillian Francisco unsent a message.
Dillian Francisco unsent a message.
Dillian Francisco unsent a message.
Dillian Francisco unsent a message.
Tuwing tinatanong ng ka-chat ang lokasyon ng kanilang pagkikita, laging burado ang mga mensahe ni Dillian.
Ngunit ang pinakanakakatakot sa lahat . . .
Some of those chats happened after January 25, the date when Dillian went missing.
"What does this mean, Xanti?" I asked with a nervous gulp.
The engineer slouched back on his seat, reclining it downwards as he stared at the car ceiling, thinking. His long leg bent upwards with his foot resting on the edge of the seat. His fingers were playing with a pen he took from the glove compartment.
"It means that . . ." Xantiel looked at me with an expression as dark and ominous as the night. "Dillian might not be the victim. She might be the bad guy here."
#DDMS19