Third Person's Pov
Naghahapunan sina L nang may biglang dumating na bisita at alam na nila na masamang balita nanaman.
Afterall, Liam Giovanni always brings bad news.
"Ano nanaman?"
Liam turned to L and got straight to the point.
"Brendan De Lucci." Sabi niya na hindi na ikinagulat ni L na nalaman niya ang tungkol doon.
"L didn't kill him." agad na depensa ni Klent.
"I know." sagot ni Liam at inasahan na ni L ang sagot niya. Sinabi na ni Klent ang hinala niya sa kung sino yung dumating.
"At alam mo kung sino." Klent stated na parang bored na siya sa ganitong mga usapan nila ni Liam.
"One of my men did." Sagot ni Liam na parang wala lang sakanya ang pagkamatay ni Brendan De Lucci.
"Inutusan mo?"
"No but he acted as was expected of him." sagot lang ni Liam like Brendan's death wouldn't spark war between the De Lucci and us. Someone has been talking and spreading rumors about who killed Brendan. They blamed the Vermillion. "But his job was just to monitor you and not to interfere."
"You're paying people to stalk me now?" Hindi mapigilang sabi ni L at napatingin silang lahat sakanya. "Kaya pala nararamdaman kong may sumusunod saakin. Mga tauhan mo pala Liam."
"Afraid I'm going to change sides Miss Carminatti?" tanong niya at hindi nalang ako sumagot. "Because these past few days the Giovanni were the one's saving your life. Imagine if I were your enemy."
Parang naging malamig sandali ang buong paligid and they all had goose bumps.
"Ano nang balita?" tanong nalang ni L and Liam turned to her. "Sigurado namang hindi para magkamustahan ang pinunta mo dito."
Napangisi si Liam, that typical Liam smile.
"The Four Families had a meeting."
"Imagine how that turned out." Sarcastic na komento naman ni Klent. "Marami bang bangkay na kinailangan mong linisin Liam?"
Hindi lang siya pinansin ni Liam at napatingin ulit kay L.
"They want a new Boss for the Vermillion." Sabi niya.
"L will be the new boss." Sagot ni Klent and they all agreed but Liam remained silent before regarding all of them with a look.
"They have someone else on mind."
"Hindi papayag ang Vermillion kapag ibang tao ang namuno sakanila." Sabi ni Klent, afterall siya nalang ang natitirang may alma ng lahat ng pinaplano nina Domenic at Sedric noon pa.
"This isn't a choice. Believe it or not, some of us want to end this bloodshed." Sagot ni Liam. "Gusto nila na ang magiging boss ng Vermillion ay mapagkakatiwalaan nila. Someone they know enough not to put a bullet behind their heads at the first chance."
"Ang gusto lang naman naming makuha ay si Don Cartino. Kung wala na siya ay siguradong magiging mapayapa na ang Five Families." Sabi ni L at alam niyang hindi ganoon ka simple. They were always laws to be followed.
"At kung hindi kami papayag?" tanong ni Florence.
"Alam niyo na ang mangyayari."
Alam nila na kapag hindi sila pumayag ay magkakaisa ang mga natitirang Sicilian Family para ubusin ang Vermillion. Si Don Cartino lang naman ang kailangan mawala. This war was all Cartino's fault anyway.
"And where do you stand in this Liam?" tanong ni L at kinakabahan silang lahat sa isasagot niya.
"I didn't keep you alive just to throw it all away." Sagot niya.
Kung ano man ang gustong mangyari ni Liam ay hindi na muna importante. All L need is the reassurance that Liam wants to take the Don down from his place.
"Who do they have in mind to take the Vermillion?"
"Drei Lance Davino."
Ang lahat ng mahinang usapan at bulungan sa loob ng silid ay agad na natigil. All eyes were on Liam and then L.
"The Boss of the Davino Famiglia." Sabi ni L.
***
Pinalabas na muna ni L ang lahat. She wanted to talk to Liam alone. Hindi na nila kailangan pang malaman ang tungkol sa itatanong niya. This was personal.
Mga ilang segundo lang bago sila lumabas ay kita parin ni L ang mga anino mula sa pinto. "No eavesdropping!" inis na sigaw ni L sakanila.
"Hindi mo ba pinagkakatiwalaan sila at pinalabas mo?" biglang tanong ni Liam.
"None of your business Liam plus this is personal." Sagot lang ni L sa tanong niya at diresto na sa gusto niyang malaman. "Pinaimbestiga mo ang nangyari noong nabaril si..."
Natahimik si L at napalunok.
"Ang Zeigren Boss?" he offered.
"Si Shin."
"What about it?"
"Sinong pumatay sakanya?"
"You're finally asking who shot him?" tanong ni Liam. The bastard new but he didn't say a thing.
Napakumo nalang ng kamay si L habang pinipigilang hindi sugurin si Liam.
"Is it true?"
"Is what true?"
"Wla akong oras sa mga laro mo Giovanni." Nagpipigil parin ng galit na sabi ni L.
"You should be more specific L. Ano bang katotohanan ang gusto mong malaman?"
Hindi alam ni L ang sasabihin niya. Ano pa bang ibang tinatago ni Liam?
"Any minute now."
"Ang lahat ng alam mo. Gusto kong malaman ang lahat ng alam mo."
"Alam ko tungkol sa?" Liam said casually. "I told you to be more specific. Kung tapos ka nang sayangin ang oras ko ay kailangan ko nang umalis."
Tumayo na si Liam nang pigilan siya ni L.
"Tungkol sa pagkamatay ni Shin." Agad na sabi ni L. "Sabi ni Brendan na hindi si Klaus ang nakabaril sakanya."
"Baka naman si De Roussou."
"Sabi niya ay isang Merc."
Napangisi lang si Liam. "Yan ang sinabi ni Brendan De Lucci sayo?"
"Just answer the question Liam."
"Rumor is that it was Faust who shot him. A mercenary." sagot ni Liam.
"Who ordered the hit?"
"Was it? L? A hit on the Zeigren Boss?" tanong naman ni Liam and smirked. "Iniisip mo na baka si Don Cartino ang nag-utos. Pero ano naman kayang makukuha ni Don Cartino sa pagkamatay ni Zeigren?"
L really hates it when Liam gets into her head. May alam pa si Liam. Sigurado si L at malalaman niya rin kung ano yun. Sa ngayon ay kailangan niya munang pabagsakin si Don Cartino.
"Think on it. And L, I do hope you make use of the address I gave you." Sabi niya at palabas na nang magsalita ulit siya. "In this game, truth can cost you more than you bargained for."
"This is not a game Liam."
"Oh but it is L." Nanlamig si L sa tono ng boses ni Liam. "It's a game of life. A game of chess. One bad move, everyone dies."
"And what am I in this game?"
"You are a pawn." I could almost hear Liam's smile in his voice. "A pawn who rose up to be a knight. And if everything goes well? You will become a queen."
"And your role in this game?"
Nilingon siya ni Liam.
"I am the man who moves the pieces."
Napatingin nalang si L kay Liam at naalala niya yung lahat ng nawala sakanya.
***
Paglabas ni Liam ay mga ilang minuto lang ay pumasok si Klent.
"Don't let Liam get into your head L." sabi niya.
"Maybe when you stop Liam from manipulating every situation, Klent." Sabi naman ni Dylan at pumasok na rin ulit.
"Hindi mo kilala si Liam, Dylan." Sabi ni Klent na parang may naalala pero umiling nalang. "When he wants something, he makes sure he gets it. Walang makakapigil sakanya. Not even a gun on the head."
"He's a boss with a lot of power." Dylan said what everyone knows and is thinking.
"Regardless of his reason ay kailangan natin siya." Sabi ni L.
"I know. I just don't like it when he manipulates people, especially you." Sagot nalang ni Dylan.
Pero tama naman si Liam. If playing dirty can win this war then two can play this game.
T