Chapter Three
Proving the Innocent
~~
Ten years ago...
"WALA KASING magbabantay kay Chaos." Masuyong paliwanag ng ina ni Chaos habang siya ay nakaupo sa silya ng faculty room.
His mother continued, "nasa probinsya ang mga magulang ko at nasa London ang mga magulang ng asawa ko. Kaya pasensiya na kung kailangan kong isama rito ang anak ko. Hindi naman makulit na bata si Chaos."
Ngumiti nang bahagya ang isang guro. "Okay lang yun, ma'am Salazar. Mababantayan din namin itong si Chaos. Tsaka napakacute na bata. Guwapo rin."
Ngumiti ang ina ni Chaos at nagpatuloy sa pagtatrabaho habang nagbabasa naman ng libro ang anim na taong gulang na si Chaos.
"Mom, Where's dad and Chloe?" Tanong ni Chaos na tinutukoy ang ama at nakakatandang kapatid nito.
"Daddy is teaching while your ate Chloe is in her classes. Kaya dapat behave lang tayo rito. Mommy is also working." Sambit ng ina ni Chaos na si Emma.
Tumango si Chaos at nagpatuloy sa pagbabasa. Pagkalipas ng ilang oras, wala na ang mga kapwa guro ng ni Emma at silang dalawa nalang ng ina ang natira sa faculty. Bumukas ang pintuan ng faculty at pumasok doon si Chris na ama ni Chaos at si Chloe na sampung taong gulang na.
"Daddy!!" Chaos shouted in glee. Mahinang tumawa si Chris at binuhat ang anak. Si Chloe naman ay lumapit sa ina at niyakap ito.
"Ang bigat mo na, anak." Giit ni Chris kay Chaos.
Chaos pouted, "kasi po lagi niyo po ako nipapakain." He said in a cute childish tone.
Tumawa si Chris. "Dahil diyan, kakain tayo sa labas mamaya." Anito saka ginulo ang buhok ng anak.
Habang si Chloe naman ay pinapakita ang matataas na exam scores sa magulang at si Chaos naman ay patuloy na nagkukwento ng kung ano-ano.
Patuloy na nagtawanan ang magpamilya hanggang sa biglang bumukas ang pinto at may tatlong lalake na nakamask ang pumasok sa faculty na kaagad kinuha ang mga magulang niya.
"Chaos! Chloe!" Sigaw ni Emma habang kinakaladkad ito palabas ng faculty.
Mabilis na umagos ang luha sa mga mata ni Chaos hanggang sa pati an kaniyang kapatid ay kinaladkad palabas.
Akmang kukunin din siya ng mga lalake nang biglang pumasok ang isang lalakeng matangkad. Hindi niya makita ang mukha nito dahil sa ilaw at sa sobrang tangkad nito.
Sinenyasan ng lalake ang mga naka-mask na lumabas at kapagkuwan ay masuyo siyang hinila patungong rooftop. Malaki ang rooftop na kakasya roon ang halos fifty na estudyante at guro. Hindi maipaliwanag ni Chaos ang nangyayari. Hindi niya maintindihan ang nangyayari sa paligid niya. Nakikita nalang niya ang mga estudyante na nakahilera at sa harap ng mga ito ay may mga taong may hawak na baril.
Hindi nakatakas sa paningin niya ang kapatid na nakayuko at umiiyak. Akmang pupuntahan niya ito nang pigilan siya ng lalake. "Don't move or else I'll kill you with the others." Sambit nito.
Chaos stilled and was forced to follow the man around. "Where's mommy and daddy?" Tanong niya.
The man smirked and pointed at the right side of the rooftop kung saan may mga guro na naroon kasama na ang kaniyang mga magulang na nagmamakaawa. He wanted to shout and call out his parents but he remembers the man who's standing beside him. The man he describes as a beast who manages to laugh while watching the brutal death of many.
"You're a beast.." mahinang sambit ni Chaos habang kinukusot-kusot ang mga mata.
Humarap sa kaniya ang lalake. "Soon, you will understand the reason why I did this. Soon, you will be the reason of my downfall. Because you," dinuro siya nito sa dibdib, "you will bring justice to your family. If you failed to bring justice to them, I will find you and kill you the way I killed your parents and sister."
The man left him. He left Chaos watching the brutal death of his family; and giving him a taste of what he's started.
~~~
Present time
NASA CAFE ako ngayon at nagtatrabaho. Abala ako sa pagtatake ng orders ng customers at paminsan minsan ay ako ang nagseserve.
"Friday, pakiserve naman 'to sa table fifteen." Utos ng manager namin. Agad akong tumango at kinuha ang tray na may lamang waffle at coffee.
Nang iserve ko yun sa table fifteen, bumalik agad ako sa cashier at nagtake ng orders.
"One strawberry cake and one caramel macchiato. Medium sized." Anang isang costumer. Hindi ko siya tinignan at tinipa nalang ang order niya sa computer.
"It's three hundred—" napatigil ako sa pagsasalita when I saw my sisters.
"M-Monday? Wednesday?" Tanong ko.
Monday grinned but with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "It's us."
I gaped then smiled in glee. Binigay niya sa akin ang bayad at agad kong binigay ang resibo. "Upo muna kayo."
Nilingon ko ang kasama ko sa trabaho. "Jana, ikaw muna bahala sa counter."
Giniya ko paupo ang mga kapatid ko. "Bakit kayo napadalaw sa Laguna?" Tanong ko.
Nagkatinginan muna sila bago magsalita si Monday. "Si dad kasi.."
Kumunot ang noo ko. "What happened to dad?"
Si Wednesday ang sumagot. "Dad is under custody of the police. He was accused of the murder of his co worker."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "What?!" I half shouted.
Tumango si Monday. "Dad's mistress Ermie left him dahil sa nangyari and mom won't even bother visiting him and finding him the best lawyer."
"Have you talked to mom?" Tanong ko.
My sisters nodded. "She said that she's humiliated that her ex-husband is a criminal."
I sighed heavily then palmed my face. "Friday..."
I looked at Monday who called me. "Why?"
Nagkatinginan muna sina Monday and Wednesday bago magsalita. "We heard what happened to your school. Yung pagkamatay ng classmate mo and the news that you solved the case."
I shook my head. "I'm not the only one who solve the case, ate. Chaos also did."
"Then I'm asking you a favor. Please work with him again and find out if dad is really a murderer or he's innocent." Utos ni Monday.
Ako? Asking for Chaos's help? Naalala ko tuloy ang sinabi niya sa akin nuong isang araw. He's asking me to join him to catch his parents' killer and I said no. Simply because I want a peaceful life. I don't enjoy detective works. Isa pa, trabaho iyon ng nga police. Let them do their work.
But for now.. my dad's reputation got ruined. Simply for a crime he didn't commit.
I nodded. "I'll ask him." I said.
~~
"NO." Madiin na sagot ni Chaos nang tanungin ko siya kung pwede niya ba ako matulungan.
Bumagsak ang mga balikat ko. "Just because I turned down your offer doesn't mean hindi mo na ako tutulungan."
"There's that and also, ayokong makisawsaw sa family issues niyo."
"Please. I really need to prove that my father is innocent."
Umaktong nag-iisip si Chaos. "Fine, I'll help you but it comes with a price." He smirked.
"How much? I'll pay you." I desperately said.
"I don't need your money. What I want is for you to join me and catch my parents' killer."
Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko. "It's the police's job—"
"Friday, hindi sa lahat ng oras ay tama ang ginagawa ng mga police. You can't simply rely on their job especially when what they're doing goes againsts the human rights. Just like in your situation, the police arrested your father because they are told to do so. Did the police confirmed if your father really is a killer? No. They're just following orders around their chief. Not that heroic."
I gulped. Somehow, Chaos is right. The police arrested my father. I can't rely on them to bail my father out of jail.
I breathed heavily. "Fine. I'll join you."
Chaos grinned, "ecstatic."
~~
"Have you talked to the police?" Chaos asked habang nasa kotse kami. I asked mang Danny to drive mo to my father's workplace. Pareho kaming nasa passenger's seat ni Chaos sa likod.
"No, but I talked to my sisters. They said he was accused of his co-worker's death."
Tumango-tango si Chaos. "Call your sisters."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "What?"
"If you want to solve this case of proving your father innocent, might as well ask your sisters to join. This could be a nice family bonding." Chaos inwardly smiled.
I breathed heavily. "No. My sisters might be busy and—"
"Then I turn down your offer.."
Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko at tinignan siya nang masama. "Don't blackmail me! Fine, I will call them."
"Good job, Sunday."
"It's Friday!"
Chaos ignored me at naglagay ng earphones sa tainga.
Naiinis na kinuha ko ang phone ko at tinipa ang number ni Monday. Nang magring at may sumagot, nagsalita ako. "Monday, is Wednesday with you?"
"Uhm, yes. Nandito kami sa isa kong condo unit. Why?"
Tinignan ko muna si Chaos bago magsalita. "Can you come with us at dad's workplace? We could really use some help."
"Oh. Sure!" Mabilis na sagot ni Monday at narinig niya ang boses ni Wednesday na nag-oo rin.
Pinatay ko ang tawag at kinalabit ang natutulog na Chaos para magising ito.
"We're here."
~~
"WHAT ARE you doing here?" Nakangiwing tanong ni Chaos kay Daeril na kinakausap ang mga police.
Hindi naman kami nahuli ng dating dahil saktong pagdating namin, may mga police pa rin pero wala na ang katawan ng biktima.
"I'm here to solve a case—"
Chaos snorted. "What are you, a detective?"
"Then why are you here?" Tanong ni Daeril.
"To help Sunday out on a case."
I rolled my eyes. It's Friday! Hindi ko alam kung totoong nakakalimutan ni Chaos ang pangalan ko o pinagtitripan niya lang ako.
Tumingin si Daeril sa akin. "You could've asked for my help instead—"
"You're not capable of solving crimes that's why Sunday didn't ask for your help."
Daeril shrugged, "atleast I can call out her name correctly."
Nagsalubong ang dalawang kilay ni Daeril at humarap sa akin. "Friday, tell me the details of this case."
Wow, biglang tumama na yung pangalan ko ha?
"What happened to Sunday?" Nanunuksong tanong ko.
"Shut up." Naiinis na sabi ni Chaos.
Nauna nang lumapit si Chaos sa ladies restroom kung saan naganap ang crime scene pero biglang lumapit ang isang police at pinigilan si Chaos.
"I'm sorry, kid. Di ka pwede rito." Sabi ng police.
"I'm here to solve a case—"
"Trabaho na iyan ng mga detectives. Mag-aral ka nalang."
Tumingin si Chaos kay Daeril. "I'm with him." Sabi niya na nakangiwi at halatang diring-diri sa sinabi.
Kaagad na dumepensa si Daeril. "I don't know him, officer. Hindi ko nga alam kung sino ang nagpapasok diyan," lumapit sa akin si Daeril at inakbyan ako, "I'm with Friday here, so let her investigate the scene."
Gusto kong matawa sa itsura ngayon ni Chaos. Namumula ang buong mukha sa galit, literally.
"I'm sorry, we're late!" Biglang sigaw ng isang boses.
Paglingon ko, it was my sisters. I grinned at sinalubong sila ng yakap. Humarap si Monday sa akin at bumulong, "which one is Chaos?"
"The one with gray hair and slightly slanted eyes." Sagot ko.
"Chinito pala." Monday smiled at tinignan si Daeril. "Who's that good looking guy?"
"That's Daeril. Kaedad mo lang siya kaya hindi ka maleleft out." I let out a soft laugh.
Tumango-tango si Monday at pinakilalako na sila kina Chaos at Daeril.
"Daeril, Chaos, meet my sisters," tinuro ko si Monday, "this is my older sister, Monday," tinuro ko naman si Wednesday, "and this is my youngest sister, Wednesday."
Binalingan ko ng tingin si Chaos at nang nakita kong nakangiwi siya, nagtanong ako. "Bakit ganiyang mukha mo?"
Chaos grimaced, "there's too many of us. I suggest that one must leave the group and I suggest it must be Daeril."
Natawa nalang ako. Bakit kaya ang laki ng galit ni Chaos kay Daeril? Maitanong ko nga yun mamaya.
"I got here first." Daeril defensed.
"Ma'am Monday, Ma'am Wednesday, bakit po kayo narito?" Tanong ng police na sumuway kay Chaos kanina.
"We're here to solve a case." Sagot ni Wednesday.
Tumango-tango ang police at hinawakan sa braso si Chaos. "Sinabihan na kitang umalis dito, diba? Bata, ako ang malalagot kapag hinayaan kitang manatili rito."
Daeril chuckled. "The police wants you to leave, Chaos. So I suggest that you be the one to leave the group."
"Oh, officer, he's with me. Hayaan niyo na siya." Utos ni Monday na kaagad namang sinunod ng police. "Sige po, ma'am."
"So, let's start solving!" Monday exclaimed.
~~
BC SAYS:
I love Chaos and Daeril's relationship. Hahaha!
~~
CHAPTER THREE: PROVING THE INNOCENT PART TWO WILL BE POSTED SOON!