Chapter 5
My heart fluttered. Damn. Parang normal lang talaga kay Riel na magpakilig. Napailing na lamang ako. Napansin kong nahuhulog na yung cold compress kaya tumabi ako sa kanya at hinawakan ito sa mukha niya.
Sumandal ako sa katawan ni Riel upang hindi ako mangawit. Hindi ko namalayan na unti-unti na rin akong inaantok. Makakatulog na sana ako nang biglang tumunog ang cellphone ko.
Inilabas ko ito mula sa bulsa ko at chineck. I can't help but groan when I saw the familiar sender.
From: Unknown Sender
Sorryy! Di ko nainform sayo na hindi pupunta yung drug overlords kasi nalaman nilang pupunta kayo
Napabuntong-hininga ako. Wow, thanks so much for that info, tech-guy.
To: Unknown Sender
Paano nila nalaman?
From: Unknown Sender
Hindi lang naman kayo ang may mga mata at tainga, future FBI agent. Syempre pati sila may mga specialists since napakalaking krimen ang ginagawa nila. I'll try to give u the correct info next time.
To: Unknown Sender
Why are u even helping me?
From: Unknown Sender
That's a secret, princess. Just be thankful I'm willing to be ur eyes and ears. Watch out tho, nasa iyo ang isa sa mga pinahahalagahan ng drug lord. Be careful, ok? Cya.
Nasa akin? Na-realize ko ito nung napatingin ako sa kwarto ko. Si Ramon. His father is one of the dealers. I think trying to get close to him would do me a favor.
Ibinaba ko na ang phone ko sa table. At sumandal ulit sa nakahigang katawan ni Andriel.
I just hope this isn't as crazy as it looks.
I woke up the next day feeling tired. And hungry. And then naamoy ko pa yung nilulutong scrambled eggs ni Andriel. Pagdilat ko ng mata ay natagpuan ko na lang ang sarili ko na nakahiga sa sofa at wala na doon si Riel.
Yep, he's definitely cooking breakfast.
I stretched my arms and yawned. Until I realized something. "O-EHM-GEE, naiwanan ko yung baby ko!" pasigaw kong sabi. Mabilis akong dumiretso sa banyo upang maligo para naman makadiretso na ako sa headquarters.
Kaso nga lang may tao na roon. At nakalimutan niyang mag-lock ng banyo.
"Oh shit!" Di ko maiwasan ang mapamura nang nakita kong naliligo roon si Ramon. What the hell, bakit naliligo pa to rito?!
"Crap! Kumatok ka naman next time, Heaven!" angal niya habang ako ay tumakbo palabas ng banyo.
"Wow ah! Bahay mo? Kahiya naman sayo!" inis kong sabi at padabog na sinarado ang pintuan. Sumilip si Riel na nasa kusina.
"Everything ok?" tanong niya. I gave him a thumbs-up. "Ano nga palang kinapuputok ng butchi mo at ang aga-aga ay sumisigaw ka na?"
"Naiwanan ko yung baby rifle ko sa HQ!" paiyak na sabi ko.
"Oh. You mean that rifle?" sabi niya at tinuro ang isang briefcase na nakalagay lang sa itaas ng drawer. Nanlaki ang mata ko at binuksan ito upang i-check. Yep, it's my one and only baby.
"Oh my god, thank you!" masayang sabi ko at otomatikong niyakap ang briefcase.
Nakalabas na rin ng banyo si Ramon at nakita kong nakabihis na siya. "Bilisan mo at may test tayo ngayon, Ven," sabi niya na parang normal lang ang lahat.
"Ay teka lang!"
"Saan mo ko dadalhin?" seryoso ang boses ko. Mabilis lamang akong naligo at kumain. We headed straight out the door, pero alam kong hindi kami pupunta ng school ngayon. Andriel doesn't know that, though.
"Uh, my house? Do you want to come or nah? I just want to introduce you to my dad," sabi niya. He's acting different. He's like a freaking professional actor. No trace of that sweet Ramon that I knew. Isang arogante at sarkastikong lalaki lang ang nakikita ko.
"Why?"
"Stupid. My dad's a drug dealer. Don't you want to capture him?" sabi niya na para bang napaka-bobo ko para di malaman ang dahilang yon.
"You're going to give up your dad?" hindi-makapaniwalang tanong ko.
"Yes. Afterall, isa siyang malaking hadlang para makapasok ako sa kompanya. Get him out of my way and I would give you no trouble at all. Although, I owe you. Just give me a call if you need anything," nakangising sabi niya.
Gusto ko siyang murahin ngayon. Sino tong taong nasa harapan ko ngayon? He's like a completely different person!
"It's actually my luck that I was able to know you personally, you know. Hindi ko naman alam na masasangkot ka sa gulong ito. At mas lalong di ko alam na magiging FBI agent ka. But I'm not complaining or anything. It made my escape much easier," sabi niya. Pumasok kami ng elevator at sumarado ang pinto. "I'm still courting you though."
"You're still going on about that?" I groaned. "Dude, I already like someone else, ok?"
"I know you do. Still not giving up. Your presence is already affecting me greatly. I think you're the one for me," nakangising sabi niya at kinindatan ako. Ok, please, please give my sweet Ramon back. Ayoko ng isa pang kauri ni Andriel na demonyo.
"Yuck, kilabutan ka nga," sabi ko.
"Call your team now, we're heading straight home."
"Ok, don't boss me around, Ramon."
Paglabas namin ng apartment building, nagulat na lang ako nang may pumaradang puting kotse sa harapan namin.
"Get in," sabi ni Ramon at binuksan niya yung pintuan sa likuran ng kotse.
"Nice one. Still a gentleman, I see?" pabirong sabi ko at pumasok na sa kotse.
"Nah, I'm just trying to win you over. Is it working?" Sumunod siya sa akin at tinabihan niya ako. "To my dad's place, Lando," sabi niya sa driver. Nagsimulang umandar yung kotse.
"A big nope," sagot ko at nginitian siya ng matamis.
After that, hindi na kami nakapag-usap. I realized Ramon is a very busy guy. Puro pagsagot lang sa kanyang mga phonecalls ang ginawa niya the whole ride. But it was very quick though. 30 minutes lang at nandito na kami sa mala-engrandeng bahay.
Nauna ng bumaba si Ramon at sumunod naman ako. "Wow, why didn't you invite over to your place?" sabi ko habang manghang-mangha na pinagmamasdan ang paligid. Typical rich kid place. Isang magandang mansion. Napakagandang garden. Napakalaking gate. Damn.
"You didn't want to, remember?" biro niya.
"I should've agreed," natatawang sabi ko.
Dumaan ang isang guard. "Hey, is my dad here?" tanong ni Ramon sa guard. Tumango naman ang guwardiya at naging seryoso na naman ang lahat ng ito.
Tinawagan ko muna si Raphael bago pumasok. "Hey, you guys ready?"
"Yeah, ikaw na ang bahala kung kailan kami susugod," sabi niya.
"Sure thing," nakangising sabi ko. Ibinaba ko na ang telepono.
"It would be a peaceful arrest if you could infiltrate the place when my dad's asleep," suhestiyon ni Ramon at tumango ako. Pumasok na kami ng mansyon at di ko maiwasan ang mapatulala sa ganda ng bahay.
Witwew.
"Here, let's go to my dad's office," sabi ni Ramon. Sumunod ako sa kanya paakyat ng napakalaking hagdanan. Kung saan-saang pasikot-sikot ang dinaanan namin para lang makarating sa office ng dad niya.
Until we finally reached it. "Oh fudge!" sabi ko.
"What?"
"I forgot to bring a weapon," nag-aalalang sabi ko. Of course, it's for emergencies.
"Jesus!" inis na sabi ni Ramon at naglabas siya ng isang handgun na nakaipit sa pantalon niya at ibinigay niya ito sa akin.
"Oh. Thank you," nakangiting sabi ko at kinuha ko ito.
Binuksan na ni Ramon ang pintuan at nakita namin ang isang mapormang lalaki na nakaupo sa isang swivel chair at naninigarilyo. He looked like he was in his 60's. Kalbo siya at mayroon siyang suot na sunglasses.
"Oh! Hey son! Minsan ka lang bumisita dito ah?" nakangiting bati niya.
"Dad, I'm here to ar—"
"Who's that gorgeous girl beside you?" pagputol ng kanyang ama sa sasabihin niya. Ngumiti ako ng pilit.
"Ah! She's my girlfriend dad!" proud na sabi ni Ramon. Hindi ko maiwasan ang batukan siya. Pesteng to! "Aray! I mean, I'm courting her," pag-iiba niya.
"I see you have good taste in women like me, son," natatawang sabi ng dad niya.
"Anyway, dad. She's here to ar—"
"Have you heard the news lately?" pagputol na naman ng kanyang ama. This time, I couldn't bring myself to stop him because he looked really sad. Napansin kong magsasalita sana si Ramon kaso pinigilan ko siya.
"A mother stabbed her own child to death. Her own child!" maluha-luhang sabi ng lalaki at tumalikod siya mula sa amin.
"Dad?" tawag ni Ramon.
"Goodness! And it was my entire fault! That poor innocent child, killed by her own mother! My fault!" He was getting dramatic. Kaso hindi ko napigilan yung awa ko.
"Why is it your fault, sir?" mahinahong tanong ko.
"Dear, she's one of my regular customers. It was my fault that that child got killed. If only—if only I didn't sell her anything that night! Or if only I didn't sell anything at all, then nobody's life will be at cost! It was my entire fault!" mangiyak-ngiyak niyang sabi.
"It wasn't your fault dad. Maybe the woman really had a violent streak in her. Maybe she didn't take the drug!" sabi ni Ramon na halatang nag-aalala rin para sa kanyang ama.
"Oh, but she did, Ramon. Autopsy results said so," malungkot niyang sabi. "I don't deserve to live at this planet."
"Dad...?"
"Son, I have a party this weekend. Could you attend for me please? Ms. Liza knows about it so you should ask her. Farewell."
My heart beat spiked up. I think I know where this is going. I have to stop it! I ran towards him as fast as I can, but I wasn't fast enough. The moment I turned his swivel chair around was the moment he pulled the trigger from his revolver. I stood in shock as his head went boom and his blood splattered on me.
"Dad!" I can hear Ramon's footsteps getting louder but the shot from the revolver was still ringing in my ears. I watched as Ramon tried to carry his dad's lifeless body. I watched as guards of the house came rushing in the room, along with the FBI team. I watched as they tried to pry away Ramon from his body. I watched, even though I was being dragged away from the room. Until I got outside and they closed the door of the room.
Napatingin ako kay Ramon na galit na galit sa kanyang sarili habang sinusuntok niya ang pader.
"No! No! Wala siyang karapatan para mamatay na lang ng ganon kadali! Fuck you dad! Damn you!" malakas na hiyaw niya habang nagwawala siya sa tabi ko.
"Heaven!" May biglang humapit sa akin at niyakap ako. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at napayakap na rin ako sa kanya. Otomatikong bumuhos na ang luha ko.
"Andriel . . . Andriel. I could've saved him! I could've saved him! I was so close!" mahinang sabi ko habang tuloy-tuloy ang pag-agos ng luha ko mula sa mga mata ko. Hinawakan ni Riel ang mukha ko at pinunasan niya ang magkabilang pisngi ko. "If only I was faster for even one second! I could've saved him!"
He gave me a pitiful smile and hugged me again. "Hush. You can't always save everyone, Heaven. It's ok." He kept stroking my hair, trying to calm me down. He gave me a kiss on my forehead and kept whispering that it wasn't my fault.
"Hey, Raph! Mauna na kami!" paalam ni Riel. Inakbayan niya ako at sinigurado niyang hindi ako matutumba. But my knees are already so weak.
I stopped in front of Ramon. "Tell me all about the party this weekend," I said with determination. Pain still lingered but I want to change things. "Especially if your dad's drug dealer friends are gonna be there."
I noticed the smile from Riel's face and Ramon's awed look. "Sure thing."
***
A/N:
Hi guys-eu! Join my FB group! Mga Abnormal Peeps. Welcome kayo don ;)
Anyway, here's the update. Thank you for reading!