DOUBTING THE TRUTH
Rhian lowered her gun, but Vahn still didnʼt lower his gun and aimed it at the woman. “Sir Vahn, now that you know... now that I have explained everything, I hope you believe me,” sabi ni Rhian.
When Vahn observed the girlʼs expression, it was very serious and without any doubt. He slowly lowered the gun he was holding, sighed, and put it in his pocket. “Itʼs not all because of the novels Iʼm working on. Itʼs all about my life at the moment.”
“Ngunit... b-bakit?” pagtataka ni Vahn. “Kung sino pa ang pinagkakatiwalaan ko ay sila pa ang... magiging kalaban ng lahat?” Naguguluhan siya sa lahat ng mga ipinaliwanag ni Rhian.
“Sa totoo lang, napakapalad ko dahil nandiyan ka, ang isang magiting at may responsibility sa kapuwa tao at mamamayan, even though we also have a different race of origin. Sir Vahn, help me change all this. I am worried for the safety of my cousin Felix; naiimpluwensiyahan na siya ng kaniyang ama, na uncle ko.”
Vahn didnʼt answer, just staring at the girl as if he were thinking carefully before he could finally utter a word. In a secluded area, after he came from Rhianʼs house, he went straight to that abandoned cemetery.
He has nowhere else to go or where he can vent his anger, but is he really angry now, or is he still confused and perplexed by what is happening even with what he has learned? “Vahn...” When he heard the familiar voice, he was stunned and didnʼt need to turn around.
Kilalang-kilala na niya ang boses na iyon. “Saan ka galing?” tanong sa kaniya nito. “And why are you here at this hour of the night?”
“Galing ako kay Ms. Luther,” maikling sagot ni Vahn. “I wonʼt even wonder why, at this hour of the night, you're still here, Director Alvarez.” At that time, he was able to look back at that person, but Director Alvarez was stunned when Vahn pointed the gun at him.
“Hindi ko akalaing... ikaw ang magiging malaking kalaban ng lahat pagkatapos ng sampung taon na namamayagpag ka bilang unknown serial killer, and within those six years I have been blind to who you really are,” sabi niya.
Hindi nakapagsalita si Director Alvarez. Kahit hindi na siya magtanong, alam na niya kung ano ang nangyari dahil kasasabi lang ni Vahn na nanggaling siya sa bahay ni Ms. Luther, kaya naman kung ganoon ay bumalik na ang mga alaala ni Rhian.
“So, ipinagpapasalamat ko ang aking pamangkin na nakabalik na ang kaniyang memorya after all,” sabi ni Director Alvarez. “Dahil ito na rin naman ang pagkakataon na may kailangan ka rin namang malaman tungkol sa pagkatao mo, Vahn.”
Bahagyang napakunot ang noo ni Vahn, nagtataka naman sa sinasabi nito na kailangang malaman din niya ang tungkol sa kaniyang pagkatao. “Vahn, my son, do you miss me?”
He was stunned by what Director Alvarez said when he called him “my son,” and he felt a rush of blood, but even then he had already felt it; he just didnʼt know why.
“Ano bang pinagsasabi mo?!”
“Vahn Darrel, I gave you that name after your mom gave birth to you.”
Vahn immediately shook his head, was confused, and was unable to explain what was happening around him on this night with the full moon. “Donʼt make up a nonsense story! Itʼs impossible that you gave it; why? Are you my father?”
“Thatʼs why Iʼm telling you, Vahn.”
“Sinungaling! I will never allow you to be the real father that I have been looking for for so long! Patay na siya, at wala na akong pakielam sa kaniya!” Vahn tightened his grip on his gun while keeping his eyes on Director Alvarez.
“Before I left your mother, she was already pregnant, at ikaw ang kaniyang ipinagbubuntis, Vahn. Sa katunayan nga ay pareho kayo ni Felix ng edad, kaya hinding-hindi kita malilimutan, Vahn.”
Susubukan na sanang lapitan ni Director Alvarez si Vahn, pero hindi naman hinayaan ni Vahn na makalapit sa kaniya ito. “Huwag na huwag mo akong lalapitan, Director Alvarez. Ang dami mong ginawang kasalanan sa lipunan natin, maging sa mga inosenteng tao na walang kamalay-malay; tapos sasabihin mo sa akin ang mga bagay na iyan? Na wala nang halaga para sa akin na malaman ko pa kung sino ang aking tunay na ama?!”
“Even if you turn the world upside down, Vahn, everything will never change. Iʼm still your father, whether you like it or not.”
“Wala akong kriminal na ama at mamamatay-tao!” Vahn was about to fire his gun when suddenly they heard gunshots from someone else who had arrived.
Vahn screamed as he was hit by a bullet. And when they both realized it, they were both surprised that Felix did it. “I canʼt believe it either, Dad... that you could keep these things a secret from me, that I thought your first family meant nothing to you anymore!” Felix said it angrily.
“Wala na akong pakielam doon, Felix! Bakit mo ginawa iyon? Bakit mo binaril ang iyong kapatid?!” sambit ni Director Alvarez.
“Kapatid? Kaya ba siya ang hinirang mo bilang team leader ng task force agents kasi alam mo nang matagal na anak mo siya, huh?!” Felix clenched his fist, holding his gun and shaking from the anger he felt.
“Pwes, gagawin ko pa rin ang lahat para maging sa akin pa rin ang huling halakhak!” Felix quickly aimed his gun at Vahn, but before he could pull the trigger, they heard another gunshot, and this time Felix was hit.
They heard a few more gunshots, which is why Director Alvarez quickly hid in a tree—even Felix, who already had a shot. “Detective Vahn!” Vahn looked up at the man who came, and he didnʼt expect his arrival at this time, especially since they were in a secluded place.
“Tara! Ihahatid na kita sa rest house mo,” sabi nito.
“Teka, p-paano mo...” Before Vahn could continue what he was going to say, the two of them found that there were two more men who were stunned and stopped.
“Sir Vahn!” Nagkatinginan sina Cyruz at Lloyd nang makita nilang may tama ang kanilang kaibigan.
They hurried to leave that place; fortunately, it was the man who drove Vahnʼs car to his rest house to deliver and treat him immediately. “How did you know I was there, doc?” Vahn asked as he sat in the shotgun seat.
“Dating gawi. I just remembered something, so I went to that place to find a real-life mysterious and secluded place, so I tried to study the place, and then suddenly, I heard a gunshot, so thatʼs when I became alert,” pagpapaliwanag ng lalaki.
“Pareho kayo ni Rhian,” bulong niya, pero hindi iyon masyadong narinig ng lalaki. “Dapat nag-iingat ka pa rin. Alam mo naman ang panahon ngayon, lalo paʼt...” He was shocked at that part, and after he found out the truth, he didnʼt want to believe anymore.
He took out his phone and called Cyruz and Lloyd, who were riding in the car just behind them. “Umuwi na kayo, huwag kayong mag-alala, at magiging maayos naman ang aking kalagayan,” sabi niya sa mga ito.
“Ano bang nangyari? Kanina naman, napakatahimik sa buong paligid. Ni hindi ko alam na mayroon palang tao, at... kayo ʼyong maaabutan ko,” sabi ng lalaki matapos niyang alalayan si Vahn papasok sa loob ng rest house; inihiga niya sa sofa si Vahn.
The first aid kit was in the kitchen, and when the man got it, he immediately cleaned Vahnʼs wound. “Ngayong alam ko na kung sino ang serial killer, hindi ko na alam kung ano pa ang susunod kong gagawin, lalo naʼt siya rin ang tunay kong ama, na matagal ko nang hinahanap,” sabi niya.
The man immediately stopped when he heard what Vahn said. He frowned slightly and looked at him. “Anong ibig mong sabihin? Ang tanging nakita ko lang doon ay sina Detective Felix at ang kasalukuyang NBI director.”
“Director Alvarez is the one I considered my real father, but in a real-life situation, I canʼt seem to accept the fact that he is the one Iʼve been looking for for a long time,” Vahn said, not looking at him but only in company while he lay down.
“From whom did you get the information that Director Alvarez is indeed the serial killer who has been murdering for ten years?” muling tanong ng lalaki.
“Kay Rhian Luther.”
“W-What?” Hindi siya makapaniwala nang marinig niya ang pangalan ni Ms. Luther. Napaiwas naman siya ng tingin kay Vahn. “Kung ganoon ay bumalik na ang mga alaala ni Rhian, at ang lahat ng mga impormasyong nakuha mo sa kaniya ang base sa kaniyang statement noong mga araw na nawala siya?”
“Hindi lang iyon,” muling sabi ni Vahn. “Director Alvarez is her uncle; Felix is her cousin.” He paused for a moment, analyzing the things he found out and all of Rhianʼs returned memories today.
The man who was with him, who was a young doctor, immediately continued to treat his bullet wound and the scratches he sustained.
Vahn frowned slightly when he realized all the connections and involvement of the Gorbachev family with Director Alvarez and Felix, who is my real father and Felix is my half-brother.
“Then Rhian is also my cousin,” he said softly, but the young doctor also heard it.
A few minutes later, the treatment of his wound was finished. His friend helps him go up to his room to rest. “Sorry for the trouble, doc. I never expected this to happen,” sabi niya, pero napailing naman ang binata.
“Ano ka ba, wala iyon. And then itʼs also my job to treat someoneʼs wound. Hindi naman puwedeng pabayaan na lang kita, Detective Vahn,” sabi ng doktor. “Since my dad introduced you to me, I really want to get to know you better.”
Napangiti naman si Vahn at tumugon ng, “Napakabuti mong kaibigan. Tulad ka ni Dr. Reynaldo, tunay na maaasahan sa oras ng tulong ng isang tao ay nariyan lang kayo.”
“Of course, Iʼve dreamed of being like my dad for a long time,” nakangiting sabi nito. “But you know, my sister also idolizes you. Actually, she is also studying at Hyder University, like Ms. Rhian Luther. Ever since I heard about what happened to her, I have been very worried about my sister.”
“Donʼt worry, I will find a way to end all of this,” seryosong sabi ni Vahn.
“Detective Vahn, nandito lang ako, o kami ni Dad para tulungan ka, okay?” sincere na sabi nito, at hinawakan ang balikat ni Vahn. “Tutuloy na ako.”
“Mag-iingat ka pauwi.” Tuluyan nang nakalabas ang lalaki sa kaniyang kuwarto.
Vahn just leaned back on his bed as he continued to think about Director Alvarez, Felix, and even Rhian. He went back to what they had talked about earlier as the two of them faced each other.
“Sir Vahn, tulungan mo akong ipaghiganti ko ang aking ina. Director Alvarez killed my mother, and I have no hesitation, even though he is my own uncle,” Rhian said, as if she were begging him to cooperate with her again.
“I know we both want to solve the case and the problem of our country. Ituloy natin ang laban, Sir Vahn.”
His phone rang, and when he saw Director Alvarezʼs name on the screen, he frowned, doubting whether to answer that call or not.