Nagmamadali at aligaga silang lahat habang tinutulak and strecher na kinalalagyan ni Athena.
Ng tuluyan iyong makarating sa emergency room ay pinigilan na silang lahat para dumiretso pa.
Tahimik ang buong paligid at walang naglakas loob ng nag ingay. Theh are all sitting at the waiting corner while Cyril's front leaning at the ER room.
Ang puting tuxedo na kaniyang suot at nagkulay dugo narin.
Cyril closed his eyes and his hands also closed into a fist. His whole body's shaking and trembling. Habang bumabalik sa kaniya ang alaala at itsura ng kaniyang asawa na duguan at bumagsak sa kaniyang mga bisig, hindi niya mapigilang makaramdam ng pinaghalong takot at galit..
He's frustrated, nervous and furious. Sa halo halo niyang nararamdaman, hindi niya na alam ang gagawin.
Malakas nalang siyang napahampas sa pintuan ng ER. Gusto niyang lumabas at hanapin ng gumawa nito pero ayaw niya namang iwan ang asawa. Hindi tulad ng dati niyang ginawa, na iniwan niya ito para patayin ang bumaril sa kasintahan, iba na ngayon. Asawa niya na ito at hindi niya kayang iwan ito kahit nagsisiklab na ang galit sa loob loob niya.
Napalingon siya sa likuran ng may tumapik sa kaniyang braso. "You need to calm down, son. Hindi ka makapag iisip ng maayos pag ganyan ka." Athena's father whispered to him.
"How can I calm down when I just saw my wife getting shot multiple times?" his voice is shaky but his teeth keeps on gritting.
Plano na sanang sumagot ni ama ng asawa ng may nagmamadaling tumakbo papunta sa kanila at isinigaw ang pangalan niya.
Napatingin silang lahat doon. It's his friends.
Tinapik ni Michael ang kaniyang balikat. "Don't worry, kami ng bahalang humanap sa gumawa nito. Think straight and stay with your wife. She needs you most right now."
Sunod na nagsalita si Brent. "We'll find who did this as soon as we can. Kaya ang asawa mo na lang ang isipin mo. Wag kang mag alala, sasabihan ka namin pag may nahanap na kami."
And he heard Christian chuckled. "The one they hurt is the Underground Society Princess, who did this better hide well right now."
Naglipat lipat siya ng tingin sa mga kaibigan. "Okay. I trust the three of you but please, be…be safe." bulong niya na nginitian ng kaniyang mga kaibigan.
Nagpaalam na ang mga ito sa kaniya, pati na rin sa mga magulang nila ng kaniyang asawa.
Niyaya naman ng ama ni Athena si Cyril upang umupo and he followed without a word. Katabi niya ito sa upuan sa kanila nito ay ang ina ni Athena na sobra sobra na ring nag aalala.
As looking at his wife's mother, hindi parin siya makapaniwalang ito ang nasa posisyon niya noon. The etiquette and gentle woman is also the strongest in the Underground Society at her time? So impossible.
But as the quote says, impossible things tend to happen.
Napayuko si Cyril habang bumabalik na naman sa isip niya ang itsura ng asawa kanina. His wife was shot multiple times and as he saw clearly, the shooter tends to shot her vital parts.
Sana nga lang, hindi ito nagtagumpay.
But then something strikes him. Asawa niya lang ang binaril kanina. Eyerone is safe at ipinagpapasalamat niya yun but the idea that his wife's the only one shot makes him realize the truth.
That the one who did this really wants to kill his wife. Napagtanto niyang ang asawa talaga niya ang balak niya.
Nung una, akala niya'y siya ang punterya pero kung talagang siya ang habol ng mga ito, dapat siya ang nasa loob ng ER ngayon. The one who did this can easily kill him by shooting him directly in the heart pero hindi nito ginawa.
Ang binaril nito ay ang asawa niya at ilang beses pa itong umulit, sinisiguradong mamamatay talaga ang kaniyang asawa.
But he knows better. Alam niyang malakas si Athena at hindi ito kaagad susuko. His wife's strong and he's sure that she won't leave him like this.
"Do you think Diablos have to do with this?" napalingon siya sa gilid ng magsalita ang ama ni asawa. "Do you think…they are the one who did this?"
Hindi niya alam ang isasagot. He just said what's in his mind. "I know that Diablos have a big rages towards me but I don't think that they will step this low. And if they really are the one who did this, then I should be the one inside that emergency room…because they won't waste a chance like that to kill me."
Napabuntong hininga ang kaniyang kausap. "Yan din ang gumugulo sa isip ko. I know that something's not right here. But what if there plan is to use my daughter against you to kill you mentally and emotionally?"
Napatingin siya dito dahil sa sinabi nito. "There's a possibility but it's too low. Kilala kung kumilos ang Diablos. They don't shoot their victims' vital parts if they really want them dead, instead they shoot the head." he stopped for a second before continuing. "But that's too different from the actions the Diablos usually do. It's too obvious that the asshole who did this planned to kill my wife!"
Hindi niya napigilan ang pagtaas ng boses. He's now torturing that asshole in his mind.
"Anak, ayos ka lang ba?" his Mom asked. He nodded. "I am, Mom. I will be."
Ngumiti sa kaniya ang ina na para bang pinapalakas ang kaniyang loob. Nginitian niya naman ito pabalik bago umiwas ng tingin. Of all people, alam niyang ang kaniyang ina ang sobrang nakakakilala sa kaniya. She knew if he's okay or not, if he's lying or telling the truth. She knew by just looking at his eyes.
Kaya umiwas siya ng tingin kanina because he don't want to worry his mother too.
Muling tinapik ng ama ni Athena ang kaniyang balikat. "I know what you feel. Nag iisang anak ko yun, iho. Hindi ko palalampasin itong nangyari sa kaniya. I won't deserve my title in Underground Society if I can't even protect the people I love."
Natahimik na lang siya sa sinabi nito at muling napayuko ng may maalala siyang muli. "The bullets." he whispered.
"What are you saying, son?"
Mabilis siyang muling lumingon sa ama ni Athena. "The bullets. We need the bullets that the gunman used. Papa, can you take the bullet that the doctor will get off of Athena's body?"
Kumunot naman ang noo nito. "Yes, kaya ko. But why?"
Napatingin siya sa malayo. "Malalaman natin kung Diablos ba talaga ang gumawa nito…using that bullet."
"How?"
"Diablos have their own customized bullets that they use."
Napatango tango ang ama ni Athena. "Okay. I understand. Ako ng bahala doon."
"Hmm."
Silence have occupied them. Lahat sila ay tahimik na nagdadasal, even him. Aaminin niyang hindi siya madalas magdasal but now, begging is not enough word to describe what he's doing.
He closed his eyes and put his hands together. 'I know that I'm a bad person, a monster rather. I don't know how many I've killed since I join the Organization and I don't usually pray to You. But please, my wife don't deserve any of this. Ako na lang. Ako na lang ang pahirapan Mo, not my wife. Ako yung masamang tao, ako yung pumapatay ng iba, ako yung maraming kasalanan so I'm begging You right now, please, please, save my wife.' he plead and tears starts flowing from his eyes.
Siya lang ang makakapitan niya ngayon. Siya lang ang masasandalan niya.
But he immediately stands up when the ER door sprung open. Lahat sila at napalapit sa doctor ng kakalabas lang.
From the moment he saw the door open, he wants to run inside to see his wife but he stopped himself. Just like his friends said, he need to think straight.
"H-How's my daughter?" kinakabahang tanong ng ina ni Athena. Everyone of them are nervously waiting for the doctor's answer.
But they feel already alright just seeing the doctor's smile. "She's now safe. Maayos naming natanggal ang mga bala sa kaniyang katawan. It almost hit one of her vital parts but thankfully it didn't. She's lucky because I thought she won't make it, masyadong maraming bala ang nakuha namin sa kaniyang katawan that she almost give up but at the last moments, she fought to live."
Lahat silang nakahinga ng maluwag sa sinabi nito. And what the doctor last said made Cyril smile. 'Of course, my wife's strong!'
"T-Thank you. Thank you so much for saving our precious daughter." pagpapasalamat ng mga magulang ni Athena sa doctor.
"It's my pleasure. And you should also thank her, she's really the one who saved her life. You daughter is a tough woman, Ma'am." huling saad nito bago nagpaalam sa kanila.
Napapunas siya ng luha sa mga narinig at tumingin sa itaas. 'Thank you. Thank you so much.'
"She's now, fine. She's now fine." kausap sa kaniya ng ina na umiiyak na rin. Mabilis siyang yumakap dito at naramdaman niyang tinapik siya sa balikat ng ama. "Y-Yeah. My wife's fine, Mom. She didn't leave me."
Niyakap rin siya ng kaniyang ina at hinaplos ang kaniyang likuran. "Of course, she won't leave you. Your wife loves you so much and she fought to still be with you."
Hindi niya pinigilan ang mga luha na tumulo sa mga mata. He become vulnerable inside his mother's warm embrace. "And I love her too, Mom. I love her so much."
Ng tumahan siya, humiwalay siya sa ina at pinunasan naman nito ang mga luha sa kaniyang mata. "So be strong for her too. Protect her with all you can, son." nakangiting tugon ng ina sa kaniya na mabilis niyang tinanguan.
"Now, why don't you stop crying like a baby and go to her?! But clean yourself first and be fast. Sigurado akong namimiss ka na ng asawa mo."
'Asawa ko...fuck, that sounds good.' sa isip isip ni Cyril bago nginitian ang ina.
And just like what his mother said, mabilis siyang lumabas ng ospital at kinuha ang extra clothes sa kotse niya. Buti na lang pala lagi siyang may stack na damit sa sasakyan.
Mabilis siyang nagbihis at nagmamadaling bumalik sa loob. He texted her mother and asked where is Athena's private room.
Ng sumagot ang kaniyang ina, kaagad niya iyong pinuntahan. And when he reached his destination, he slowly opened the door.
Bumungad sa kaniya ang asawang nakahiga sa kama at maputla ito. He roamed his eyes around the room at ang kaniyang magulang lang ang nakita.
Lumapit siya sa mga ito. "Mom, where is Athena's parents?"
"Umuwi sila, anak. Ang sabi nila sa amin ay may gagawin lang raw sila. Maybe they'll change?" sagot ng ina.
Gagawin? Bakit pakiramdam niya ay iba ang ibig sabihin ng sinabi ng mga ito? Are they going to move and track down who did this?
Tinanguan niya lang ang ina at mukhang hinarap ang asawa.
"By the way, son, uuwi rin muna kami ng Daddy mo. We need to change too." saad ng ina na tinanguan niya lang at hindi inalis ang tingin sa namumutlang asawa.
Ng marinig niyang bumukas at sumara ang pinto, doon siya dahan dahang naglakad papalapit sa asawa, humila ng isang upuan at inilagay yun sa tabi nito.
Then he sat on that chair. Mabagal niyang kinuha ang kamay ng asawa na natatakpan ng kumot at hinawakan yun ng mahigpit.
"Hey, love." he whispered. Pakiramdam niya'y naninikip ang dibdib niya habang nakatingin dito. Her hands are cold but at the same time, if feels warm. Her lips are dry, her eyes are closed and her skin is really pale.
Inilapit niya sa labi ang kamay ng asawa at hinalikan iyon. Nasasaktan siyang makita ng ganito si Athena. He hates himself for being at her side but can't do anything to make her feel better.
Pinikit niya ang mata at paulit ulit na hinalikan ang palad ni Athena. He hopes that by doing those simple things can make her feel better. He wants her to know that he's on her side. That he's not going to leave her, ever.
And he'll protect her with his life.
He promise to do anything just so his wife won't be hurt again. Gagawin niya ang lahat para protektahan ito. At kung kinailangan niyang umalis sa Organisasyon, gagawin niya.
"Just be safe and stay by my side...that's more than enough." he whispered bago ibinagsak ang ulo sa gilid ng kama ng hindi binibitawan ang kamay ng kaniyang asawa.