Taste of Hell

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"Yeah. I'm visiting my mother's grave today." I told Nikov.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" he asked.

Marahan akong tumango. "I'll be okay. At isa pa may bodyguard naman ako. You don't have to worry too much, Nikov." I said, convincing him. "Maybe next time you can come with me?" nakangiti kong suhestyon.

Bumuntong hininga siya at saka tumango sa akin. "Okay, fine."

"I'll see you later." I said and then kiss him.

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko kaya napahinto ako at nilingon siya.

"Take care. I love you." he said sincerely.

Napangiti ako. "I love you too, Nikov."

Pagkatapos kong dalawin ang puntod ni mama ay dumaan ako sa isang mall. And then I told my bodyguard to go and buy me a drink hindi naman ito naghinala at agad sinunod ang utos ko.

As soon as my bodyguard disappeared from my sight lumitaw agad ang ama ko siguro ay kanina niya pa kami sinusundan.

We go to a quiet place hindi na ako natakot para sa sarili ko ng sumama ako dito sa kaniya dahil matagal na akong nabubuhay sa takot at isa pa kung balak niya akong patayin siguradong kahit anong ingat at iwas ko madali niya lang maisasakatuparan ang balak na pagpatay sa akin.

"What is it that you want to meet me?" he asked right away.

"I have a lot of things to ask you. Pero gusto kong malaman mo na hindi ako nagtitiwala sa iyo."

He nodded as if he understand that.

"Fox wants to meet you in person..." I paused. "You know him right?" sumulyap ako sa kaniya.

Mabagal siyang tumango at parang may malalim na iniisip.

"That man..." he said. "Do you really love him?" tanong niya.

Si Nikov ba ang tinutukoy niya? Akmang sasagot na sana ako ng muli siyang magsalita.

"You think he loves you deeply to accept you are my daughter?" he asked me again.

Somehow what Fox and him told me connects.

"Did you hurt one of the Gustaf?" kahit natatakot ako sa maaaring isagot niya naglakas loob pa rin ako. I want to know the truth.

"Hurt?" ulit niya. "That wouldn't enough to describe what I've done to that family." he shooked his head.

"W-What have you done?"

Tumingin siya sa akin. "Alam mo ba kung sino ang nagpakulong sa akin?"

Umiling ako.

"I've been free for years...no one had put me behind bars except for one person, Gustaf." aniya.

Ang mga Gustaf ang nagpakulong sa kaniya?

"Ask me other things. Huwag na lang iyon, mas magandang wala kang alam para hindi ka na madamay."

"Pero kahit alam ko o hindi damay pa rin ako dahil..." I paused, swallowing the lump on my throat."...dahil a-anak niyo ako."

He stared at me for too long.

"What will you do if you find out? Will you tell him? Iiwan ka niya kapag ginawa mo iyon."

"A-Ako na ang bahala roon." I stuttered.

Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko o kung ano ang dapat kong gawin. Nanginginig ang buong katawan ko hindi ko alam kung paano ko pa nagawang maglakad ng diretso.

Nahigit ko ang hininga ko ng sumulpot sa harapan ko si Nikov, siya ang taong pinaka gusto kong huling makita sa mga oras na ito.

"Hey," he caress my cheek. "What happened?"

"W-Wala naman." I stared at his clueless face. "Nikov." tawag ko sa kaniya.

"Hmm?"

"That p-person who killed your m-mother..." nakita ko agad ang pagkislap ng galit at puot sa mga mata niya ng banggitin ko ang tungkol roon.

"What about it?" nag-igting ang panga niya.

"What will you do if y-you see him again?" parang kakapusin na ako ng hininga habang naghihintay sa isasagot niya sa akin.

"I'll put him behind bars again." he answered. "I'm actually looking for his daughter. I heard he had one."

"W-What will y-you do to her? Bakit hinahanap mo siya?"

He's sturdy figure makes me tremble even more.

"I'll have my revenge."

R-Revenge? What would he do to me if he finds out?

"I'll kill her." he added.

Oh God!

Fox give me a nod and smile a bit.

"You have trouble in sleeping?" he asked when he see my face.

Isang iling lang ang isinagot ko sa kaniya.

"Okay. If you need help you can call me." akmang papasok na sana siya sa loob ng bumalik siya at huminto sa harap ko. "And thanks for this. I owe you one." he winked at me.

Hanggang ngayon hindi ko pa rin nasasabi ang totoo kay Nikov. Aaminin ko na naging makasarili ako dahil hindi ko masabi-sabi sa kaniya ang totoo.

When we talked about it last time sigurado akong hindi niya ako mapapatawad.

What am I supposed to do? Tell him the truth and let him kill me so it could end? Is that the only option I got?

Ilang saglit pa ay lumabas na rin si Fox may bitbit itong envelope paglabas niya na kanina namang pumasok siya ay wala siyang dala.

"I'm going now." paalam niya sa akin. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Nikov's been looking for his daughter for years. But unfortunately everything that leads to that person suddenly vanish into the thin air. As if the thing that connects to him and to his daughter was erased on the data on purpose." he suddenly spoke.

"Paano mo nalaman na..." hindi ko na tinuloy ang sasabihin ko.

"Oh," he chuckled. "Ranger Demus is the name he used when he works for the government. But he let you use his real last name. Nahirapan din akong makakuha ng impormasyon tungkol sa isang Harbinger Astof. I guess I was just lucky." He shrugged his shoulders.

"What do you want from him? At kung alam mo na pala na ako ang anak ng tao na iyon bakit hindi mo sinabi kay Nikov?"

"I just want an information. You see there's this woman in my life and I promise to her that I will kill those bastards who murdered her family and it happens that it is one of those people, the assholes highers abusing their power." sagot niya. "At tungkol naman doon sa pangalawa mong tanong I just found out recently. Nikov is happy with you so I thought about that it will be better for the two of you if he wouldn't know."

"He said he will kill the daughter of that man." nahihintakutang pagkukuwento ko.

Hindi siya umimik pero ilang sandali pa ay nagsalita na rin siya.

"Then you just have to make him fall for you so bad...so bad that he could bend his beliefs for you."