(Hi guys, if you happen to encounter some conflicts with this part. Please do tell me. Good luck! :)
Pagkapasok pa lamang niya ay bumungad na sa kanya ang mga taong nag-aabang sa pagdating nito. Apat na lalaki ang nakaupo sa kanang-bahagi ng isang mahabang lamesa at apat na lalaki rin sa kabilang banda. May mga baso rin na naglalaman ng likido- partikular na ang alak na nakahapag sa mismong harapan ng bawat isa. Bukod pa doon ay nasa tabi rin ng mga basong 'yon ang mga lalagyan ng pupos ng sigarilyo.
Bumungad sa kanya ang isang napakadilim na kwarto kung saan madalas makipagkita ang mga nasa posisyon ng samahan. Madilim man ngunit natatanaw niya ang bawat isa sa mga ito lalung-lalo na ang iilan na abala sa pag-inom o paghithit ng sigarilyo. Hindi malinaw ang mga mukha nito ngunit hindi balakid sapagkat pamilyar siya sa bawat taong nasa loob ng mismong kwartong 'yon. Lahat sila'y nakapormal ang suot. Ang magkahalong amoy ng alak at sigarilyo ang siyang pumupukaw sa mainit na simoy ng hangin- kasimbigat nito ang presensya ng mga taong nakaupo.
Dahil sa ginawa nitong pagpasok ay napunta sa kanya ang atensyon ng lahat kasabay ng pagsasara ng pintuan. Siya lamang ang nakatayo habang tinatanaw siya ng mga taong nasa posisyon, "Finally, we were waiting for you," saad ng ika-siyam na lalaking may edad na nakaupo sa pinakadulo- his position clearly says that he is much higher than any other men around him.
Hindi niya magugustuhang sumibol pa ang galit ng matanda lalo na't iba ang tingin nila sa kanya kaya tinahak niya ang upuan sa mismong harapan nito dahilan para magkatapatan pa sila ng lalaki- one end to the other end.
"So what happened, Senator? I thought you already had a clean-up about the mess?" tanong ng lalaki at natanaw pa ng senador ang paglabas ng usok mula sa bibig nito dahilan upang mapayuko siya ng bahagya.
"Yes we did," magalang niyang sagot.
"Pero bakit buhay pa?" napatingin ang senador sa lalaki at sandaling napalunok. Kung maaaring maging pamatay ang tingin ay kanina pa siya nakahilata sa harapan ng lahat.
"Don't worry, Chief. We will definitely fix this. Hindi ko hahayaang masira ang plano lalung-lalo na ang samahan."
"What about the man who yields a lot of power and influence?"
"I already convinced him."
"Siguraduhin mo lang na hindi tayo papalya sa isang 'to, Senator," sagot naman ng isa pang lalaki. Kahit madilim ay halatang nakangiti ng masama sa masunuring senador. Kung may kakayahan man ang mga senador na impluwensyahan ang napakaraming tao lalung-lalo na ang publiko ay mas may kakayahan ang mga taong nakapalibot sa kanya ngayon sa pamamagitan lang ng isang salita.
"Make sure that he'll join us," pahayag muli ng matanda.
"You know me very well, Chief. Malinis akong gumawa ng trabaho at walang pangakong napapako."
"Pero sa asawa mo, hindi mo nagawa?" saad pa ng isa sa tonong sarkastiko.
"I can't believe this na sa dinami-rami ng magiging kahinaan mo, ang sarili mo pang asawa, Senator? Noong nasa poder mo siya, bakit mo hinayaang malaman niya ang napakaraming bagay? You were not being careful, weren't you?" dagdag pa nito.
"While she was still in your territory, I already warned you to keep her in silence yet you didn't do anything."
"Come on, gentlemen. We don't want Philip to get in trouble, right? Hindi lumalabas ang asawa niya dahil ikinukulong niya ito so how could you expect him to kill her? Gusto niyo bang masira ang reputasyon na matagal niyang binuo? Maraming tao ang sumusubaybay sa bawat kilos at galaw ng senador. It won't be that easy for him to kill his wife dahil siya ang pagbibintangan ng lahat," saad ng matandang lalaki na nakakataas sa kanilang lahat.
"Then what happened to your power and influence, Senator? Ang akala ko ba sa isang salita lang, mapapasunod mo na ang lahat? You can just tell the innocent public that she committed suicide, right?"
"Suicide is an innate yet conservative and tedious topic. It's very common and people won't believe that. They knew my wife well that she can't do such thing. I had to isolate her in order to shut her mouth. She didn't just contain words in her mind, gentlemen. She had evidences. I'm telling you, my wife is intelligent. She wouldn't dare to speak without enough evidences." -Senator
"And how did your wife manage to get evidences against us? Not unless you gave it to her or were you just being careless all this time?" mapang-asar na sagot ng isa.
"Pardon but I'm not like any of you, na kayang maging traydor sa kahit na kanino just for their own sake- " naputol ang sinasabi ng senador nang harangan siya ng lalaking nasa kanan nito.
"We joined this organization because we had our own purpose, primarily for our own sake: power, money and influence, right?" isa-isa naman nitong tinignan ang mga kasamahan niya. Ibinalik nito ang tingin kay Philip dahilan upang magtama ang mata ng dalawa.
Their gazes were like a thunder, strikingly and overly destructive.
Without a second, the senator just diverted his gaze towards the man on the other end of the table, "You don't have to worry, Chief. Everything is under our control. You clearly know me that much, never have I ever failed to accomplish my task nor have I dissappointed you in any other way just like the others, right?" taas-noong saad ng senador na nginitian ng masama ang mga kasamahan nito, it's just obvious na pinapatamaan nito pabalik ang mga kasama.
"Very well, Senator. I'll give you another chance to fix this matter."
"With the help of the army- "
"Yet... " natahimik si Philip nang magsalita pa ulit ang lalaki, "Huwag mong isali ang militar sa usapin na ito. I already did you a favor Philip, but not this time," saad pa niya na ikinabigla ng lahat kaya napatingin sila sa gawi niya. It was his first time saying that thing which they never thought could have happened since from the first place. The senator couldn't even recognize what did the chief mean by that 'favor'.
"What do you mean, Chief?" tanong ng isa.
"Leave them out of this matter. Walang pwedeng makaalam tungkol sa samahan na binubuo natin. Everyone's watching the military, particularly the army. Hayaan ninyong gampanan muna nila ang tungkulin nila sa bansa."
"But isn't it better if they will be in company with the Senator's plan of cleaning up the mess again, Chief?"
"You don't really know how this society works, don't you?" this Chief intertwined his fingers and laid it on the table infront of him, for a reason na gusto niyang lapitan ang nagsabi noon upang tapatan ito. His sarcastic smile will never be imagined by the public. Katulad ng Senador ay paniwalang-paniwala ang lahat sa kanya.
"Not everyone included in the militar is either clever or nothing in knowledge at all. There are those who always listen but there are also those who are in silence, pero gumagana ang utak. Hindi lahat mapapasunod natin, that's why I am informing you, my gentlemen, that we have to be more careful. Trusted persons can always be the traitor. We don't really know if one of the underground organizations already managed to enter the society in disguise, especially El Nostra," saad nito na sumandal naman sa kinauupuan niya.
"But how about the other side of El Nostra, Chief?" napatingin ang lahat sa isang lalaking nagsalita.
"What do you mean? Speak, Alberto."
"I happened to find out that aside from El Nostra, there are actually two underground organizations composing of different crime families under the command of what they call LaCosta Saoirsa originated from Lisbon, Portugal. This is also where El Nostra originated," nagkatinginan ang lahat dahil sa sinambit nito habang tahimik naman ang senador. Both him and the general are already aware about the other organization though it was particularly unseen. They were also keeping a secret from their own secret organization.
It was actually their first time hearing that kind of information, as all along all they knew is that El Nostra is one of their biggest and powerful yet secretive enemy.
"The LCS Organization?" tanong ng matanda na ikinatango nito, "Definitely."
"Give us more information about them," saad pa ng matandang lalaki. Bigla na lamang sumibol ang kuryosidad sa bawat isa sa kanila.
"For now, I can't really mention a lot of things about that organization. All I am aware of is that El Nostra is the first organization, the second and the third one is somehow... " sandali itong natigilan sa pagsasalita na tila naghahanap ng salitang sasabihin, "Out of sight I think."
"How come?"
"El Nostra willingly revealed themselves, but the other two remained and have kept themselves hidden."
"What could they be doing right now? The other two?" napahawak na rin ang matanda sa sentido nito dahil sa mga impormasyong narinig, ganon na rin ang mga kasamahan nito.
"I don't know their purpose, but we'll try to dig deeper. Aalamin ko kung ano at sino sila. But for sure, they won't yield power without a real purpose. One last thing that I found out about them is that, even though they follow commands under the LCS Org, those three organizations have gaps with one another. They don't seem to be working together, seems like they are mortal enemies in money and power but companions by name. Maaaring gumagalaw rin ang dalawa ng patago."
"If they are really doing something underground, we'll have to find out. I'm sure they had someone to enter the society, particularly the politics, the government or the military. Then you have to find out whoever that person is, dig underground and pull them up."
"What about the case of the missing Detective Ronan Silverio?" tanong ng isa pang lalaki.
"Someone is handling it, a newly appointed Detective for that job."
"May kinalaban ba ang El Nostra sa pagkawala niya?"
"Who knows? As far as I know, he was on Levistre Street before he was gone missing, obviously finding evidences against El Nostra. Maaaring may nalaman siya o nakuhang ebidensya laban sa kanila, that's why there must be no doubts that they were the one who abducted him. No signs of him for the past few months, base from the information taken by this new Detective, up until now there are still no evidences and proof that El Nostra abducted the old Detective. It was just a theory made by everyone dahil wala namang ibang pwede gumawa noon sa Detective kundi ang tanging organisasyon na 'yon na mismong kinakalaban niya."
"And who is this new Detective?" may kuryosidad na tanong ng matanda bago uminom ng alak.
"Detective Terrence Black."
"Oh I see. That kid is quite interesting. Sa ganoong edad ay nakakaya na niyang humawak ng napalaking mga kaso. Would he be willing to join us?" saad pa nito na muling uminom. Napatingin naman ang lahat sa kanya nang may pagtataka, "What do you mean, Chief? Don't tell me... "
Ipinatong ng matanda ang baso sa lamesa, "He's the most clever young detective in this country. It's impossible that up until now, he can't still find out anything... unless he's hiding something," napangiti naman ito ng masama at kinuha ang sigarilyo sa lamesa.
Pagkatapos gamitin 'yon ay ibinalik sa kamay niya at inilabas ang usok, "I want you to dig more information about Terrence Black. Magmula sa pagkabata nito hanggang sa marating niya ang posisyon niya ngayon. Kung saan siya umuuwi at madalas na pumupunta maliban sa kampo ng mga militar at bahay ng Heneral. Pati na rin ang mga taong may koneksyon sa kanya. Did you somehow sense that Terrence Black might be up to something, Philip?" nabigla naman ang senador sa biglaang pagtawag sa kanya.
"General Vincenzo trusts that Detective too much. He is the army's most trusted ally," napatango naman ang matanda, "I see. But still, I want to know more about him," napatango naman ang senador.
Sabay-sabay silang napatingin sa pintuan nang bumukas ito at pumasok ang isang lalaki, "Pardon my intrusion, Chief. But the General is already here," magalang na saad nito.
"I guess, I have to leave now. Marami pa kaming kailangang pag-usapan ng Heneral, if you may... " sabay tayo ng senador habang hinihintay ang sagot ng matanda na agad namang ginawa nito, "Of course you can leave now, Senator. Huwag mong kalimutan ang napag-usapan. And please, pakilinis ang kalat. Handle your wife for now while we come up with a plan to eliminate that video footage dahil hindi 'to dapat na kumalat pagsapit ng araw. Ipapatawag ulit kita."
Tumango naman ito, "Yes, Chief. Makakaasa ka." Pagkatapos sabihin 'yon ay tinahak na ni Philip ang daan palabas hanggang sa makita ang heneral sa ibaba na hinihintay siya, "It's already hours after midnight, Philip. What took the Senator so long? May nangyayari bang hindi maganda at kailangan kong maghatid ng tulong? Hindi pa tayo nakakapagpahinga matapos ang nasirang selebrasyon," saad ng heneral habang naglalakad sila ni Philip papunta sa sasakyan nito kung saan nakaabang ang mga guwardiya niya.
"I was glad that the Chief gave me another chance for us to clean up the whole mess, General."
Pinagbuksan nila ng pintuan ang senador at ganon rin ang heneral na pumunta sa kabilang banda upang pumasok sa loob ng sasakyan, "Is it about your wife?" hinarapan naman ni Philip ang heneral.
"Yes," sandaling nagkatitigan ang dalawa bago muling itinuloy ni Philip ang pagsasalita, "They want her gone," at napako naman ang tingin ng heneral sa kanya, "All this time, we thought that we already managed to eliminate her but how in hell was she able to be alive?! Nagawa niya pa talagang makapagtago sa atin and who exactly even dared to help her?!" galit na saad nito habang pinipigilan ang sarili sa pagsigaw at napatingin sa harapan ng sasakyan. Everything must remain as a secret. Sinong tao ba ang gugustuhing lumabas ang baho nito?
"I can't also believe this. Nagawa niya tayong matakasan sa mismong araw na dapat ay nagbubunyi tayo." -Heneral
"Dahil sa kanya, nasira ang araw na matagal nating pinaghandaan, heneral," napansin nito na kumuyom ng mahigpit ang kamay ni Philip, "I will never waste this another chance to settle things," inilipat nito ang tingin sa heneral kaya sumalubong sa kanya ang nag-aapoy na galit ng senador, "We have to find Gale and make sure that she will totally disappear on our hands, infront of us. Ako mismo ang magdadala sa malamig niyang katawan sa harapan ng nakakataas."
Tumango naman ang heneral, "She knows almost everything kaya hindi pwedeng hayaan na lang natin siyang makapagtago sa atin. She will use those para pabagsakin tayo. Chief is right," sumandal naman ang heneral at nagpakawala ng malalim na buntong-hininga, "We must find her immediately and kill her again... " ibinalik nito ang tingin kay Philip, "For the second time."
"Let's go," saad pa ng heneral sa driver ng senador.
Buong biyahe ay halos mabingi sa katihimikan ang dalawang guwardiya ni Philip dahil mula sa salamin ng sasakyan ay kitang-kita nila na nakatingin sa magkabilang direksyon ang dalawa, may galit sa mga mata at halatang nag-iisip ng malalim.
NANG makarating sa kampo ng militar ay bumaba ang dalawa sa sasakyan at tinahak ang daan papunta sa opisina ng mga heneral at iba pang may posisyon sa militar. Sa pagdaan ng dalawa ay natitigilan ang ibang mga kasapi ng militar upang magbigay galang, "Magandang umaga po," habang ang iba naman ay binabati ang dalawa ngunit pansin ng lahat na tila hindi maganda ang madaling araw ng mga ito. Napapansin na rin ng dalawa na tila iwas ang iba sa kanila at nagbubulungan.
"Senator, we have a problem," salubong ng isang heneral pagkapasok ng dalawa sa kwarto. Kasama rin nila ang dalawang guwardiya ng senador. Bahagya pang bumagsak ang pintuan dahil sa pakabig na pagsasara ng senador dito. Lumapit sa kanila ang pangalawang heneral kaya bago sila nagtanong ay inilibot ang tingin sa paligid para makitang silang tatlo lang ang nasa loob- upang makapag-usap ng maayos, pasikreto at mas malaya.
He's Lieutenant General Armando Negranza, the second general, obviously the second in command of the five star General de la Roche and probably 8 years younger than him.
Nagkatinginan ang heneral at senador dahil halatang hindi maganda ang balita na sasabihin nito, "What is it, Lieutenant?" -Philip
"The media caught a sight of the army and the senator's security running after a car right after your missing wife had shown herself declaring that her missing case days ago was your deed. Many people believed her at usapan na may balak kayong hindi maganda kaya hinahabol niyo siya noong oras na 'yon," pahayag nito sabay abot ng tablet nito kay Philip kaya napatingin siya dito.
"The media is in chaos. Pinag-uusapan kayo ng iba while others... naniniwala silang inosente kayo kaya dumedepensa sila at nakikipag-away," sandaling natigilan ito kaya tinignan siya ng dalawa, "And then?" tanong ni Philip.
Napalunok muna ang lieutenant bago muling nagsalita, "Marami na rin ang nagbigay ng pahayag ukol dito. Some also published articles right after the live broadcast on television."
The Senator unexpectedly gritted his teeth in anger, they never knew that things and issues like these would actually rise up given that there were already expected circumstances. It was all actually unexpected. Never been anticipated and never been planned.
"That's why we have to tell them immediately na huwag magpakalat ng kahit na anong balita tungkol dito!" galit ngunit pabulong na saad ni Philip sa dalawa. Kulang na lang ay sumabog at manginig na ito sa galit, "Find the particular media who released this," saad ni Philip sa dalawang guwardiya nito sa likuran niya at inilahad ang tablet sa kanila kaya kinuha nila 'yon.
"Tell them to stop releasing sh*tty and unconfirmed news! Kung kinakailangang takutin niyo sila gawin niyo," malamig na utos nito na sinunod naman nila at mabilis na umalis, "And please Lieutenant, do something to stop the media. Hindi na pwedeng kumalat pa 'to sa pagsapit ng umaga."
"Of course I would, Senator. But the problem is, it became the trend in social media at halos pinag-uusapan ngayon. News companies a few seconds ago desperately wanted to have an interview with you to be featured in public televisions yet the president stopped them. Hindi raw maganda na dumagdag pa ito sa isyu ng bansa. And one thing, there's a video. At hindi maikakailang kayo ang nandoon."
"Guess I will be needing to cover up all of this," napahawak si Philip sa ulo nito nang marinig ang sunud-sunod na balita. One thing that makes it even harder for him to stay calm is because of his supposed to be dead wife. He desperately wants to kill her to prove his loyalty and capability to his Chief and because he's afraid that Gale must have been up to something, she has all the evidences against all of them. Isang ebidensya mula sa kanya ay masisira ang lahat ng pinaghirapan nito.
"May nalaman na ba kayo kung saan maaaring nagtatago si Gale?" tanong ng heneral.
"Not yet, General. We can't still track her."
"And why?" pagtataka niya.
"It's hard to track someone when his or her exact location in the current time is not specified on the map."
"So it might be true that someone helped her out, kaya natakasan niya tayo at ganon kalakas ang loob niyang harapin tayo?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Philip.
"Gale wouldn't dare when she knows that she will definitely lose. Siguradong may tumutulong sa kanya, Heneral," dagdag pa nito. Sabay-sabay silang napatingin sa telepono ng sirain nito ang pasikretong usapan ng tatlo.
Lumapit doon ang lieutenant para sagutin, "Lieutenant General Negranza speaking," pahayag niya at hindi nagtagal ay inilipat ang tingin sa heneral, "Yes, the General is here," saad pa niya kaya lumapit naman ang heneral sa kanya, "The inspector would like to have a word with you," kinuha naman sa kanya ng heneral ang telepono.
"Yes?"
("We're very sorry to interrupt you as of this time, General de la Roche. I am Inspector Trayvon Floyd from the Higher Police Department and I have to tell you something regarding your daughter, Serenity Gale.")
Napatingin naman ang heneral kay Philip na nakatingin din sa kanya, "What is it?"
("As you requested, we inspected the old and abandoned office of missing Detective Ronan Silverio.")
"And what did you find out?" nagpapalitan naman sila ng senador ng tingin habang may kausap ito sa telepono.
("We found a locket with the logo of El Nostra imprinted on it. Pinuntahan namin kayo pero ang sabi sa amin ay baka nasa bahay kayo ng Senador kaya pumunta kami doon pero hindi na namin kayo naabutan. Isa sa mga kasambahay ang lumabas ng mansyon ng Senador na may dala-dalang isang kahon. I asked her and found out na ipinapatapon pala ng anak ninyo at ng Senador ang iba pang mga gamit na hindi na nila kailangan. The maid was a bit careless kaya nahulog ang mga laman ng kahon. The problem here is, I saw another locket from your daughter's old properties, same features and design with also the logo of El Nostra imprinted on it, so could you please tell me now, may koneksyon po ba o nagkaroon ng koneksyon ang anak ninyo sa organisasyon na 'yon?") halatang naghihinala na rin ang inspector mula sa kabilang linya dahil sa tono ng pananalita nito.
("Pardon if I had to say this and intervene with your personal life General, the police department is fully aware that you are secretly handling the case of El Nostra because of their illegal undertakings yet I think we had to interfere now as we are the ones responsible for the case of Detective Ronan Silverio at kailangan naming kalkalin lahat ng koneksyon na meron siya, that includes El Nostra which links your daughter to this case if she was really having a secret connection to them. Don't you think there's something going on between your daughter, the missing Detective and El Nostra?")
"Pinagbibintangan mo ba kami, Inspektor?" -Heneral
("Absolutely not, General. I was just asking if you happened to know something about that locket, kung bakit may ganon ang anak ninyo?")
"Actually, walang ganyang gamit ang anak ko... " sandaling napaisip ang heneral, "But I think there was an instance where she got it."
("Then where and when can I meet you, General?)
"Well, we can meet now if you may," sabay tingin ng heneral sa relo nito kahit wala pa silang pahinga ng senador.
("Of course, thank you for allotting time with this matter. Guess the police and military have to work harmoniously. But can you please also contact Detective Terrence Black? We couldn't reach him as of the moment.)
"Obviously, he's having a rest at this time and it would be risky for him to get back to work again."
("I see,") napabuntong-hininga ang inspector na ipinagtaka ng heneral.
"Is there a problem?"
("He went to the old Detective's abandoned office months ago and clearly reported here that there were no evidences found linking to El Nostra yet it was impossible na hindi niya nakita ang locket. We'd like to have a word with him also. I think he already found something but chose to keep it by himself,") ipinagtaka na lamang ng heneral ang sinabing impormasyon ng inspektor bago siya nito pinagbabaan ng telepono.
Continua...