"What incident?" Kunot-noong tanong ni DK na siya ring tanong sa isipan nina Mentos at Yusue.
Bahagyang namilog ang mga mata ni Yazafra nang mapagtanto ang tinutukoy nitong 'insidente.'
'Could it be really about that?'
"Ano!" Hindi makapaghintay na bigkas ni Mentos.
Hindi na nagdalawang isip si Kano na sumagot, "The encounter between the Mafia Verde and the thirteenth generation agents."
Kumunot ang noo nina DK at Mentos at duda rin si Yusue.
"What? That's like almost ten years ago. Ano 'to, revenge?" napangiwing bigkas ni Mentos.
Ang thirteenth generation ay ang henerasyon na sinundan nila kung saan kabilang noon ang ina ni Yazafra na si Danisha Loverde at ang ama ni DK na si Inspector Alexopoulos.
Ang tinutukoy na enkwentro ay isang pangyayaring hindi inaasahan. Isang union na nauwi sa patayan. Maraming bilang ng mga Verde ang nasawi. Ngunit wala iyon kumpara sa mga nasawing agents.
Yazafra suddenly remembered her grandfather. She felt uneasy. "If this is related to 'that' incident, then maybe yes, it could be for revenge," saad niya.
"Yes," pagsang-ayon ni Kano.
"Paano niyo naman nasabi?" Mentos.
Nagkatinginan sina Kano at Yaza. They knew something the rest doesn't.
Si Kano ang unang nagsalita. "Among the thirteenth generation, there is an outstanding woman belonging to the Acrochordus Guild. During that encounter with the Verdes, she managed to save more than forty agents before she was brutally murdered. Her death was the most grieved upon but I didn't know that it's the same until now..." on Zacharius Volcov's part.
"Who was she?" DK asked.
"Rubiana Volkova," Kano answered.
Nangunot ang noo ng tatlo bago sabay na napabaling kay Yazafra.
"Volkova? You mean..."
"Yes, she's my mother's older sister," pagtuloy ni Yaza kay DK. "We can't rule out this possibility since..." she stopped what she was about to say.
"Since what?" Tanong ni Mentos at bumaling kay Kano upang humanap ng kasagutan.
Napabuga ng hangin ang huli bago sumagot, "Rubiana was killed right in front of Zacharious Volcov, her father. And those who killed her are still ruling the mafia until now."
Matapos ang usapan na iyon ay umalis na ang mga lalaking Venenatus sa mansyon ng mga Rodrigo.
Napamulsa na lamang si Andros nang makita si Nerium sa may hardin mula sa malaking bintana. Nasa malalim na pag-iisip ito.
Sa hardin ay napahinga ng malalim si Yazafra bago unti unting inilabas ang mabigat na hangin.
'I never thought of that possibility. Since my grandfather is not the revenge type. But now that I'm starting to envision aunt Rubiana's face especially from those photos I've seen at home, I think it's possible. She was the most beloved. She was irreplaceable. Those words were from my mom.' Hindi niya mapigilan ang mapapikit ng mariin. 'Now I know my own mother was lying to me all this time. She definitely knew everything. Kung ito man ang totoong dahilan sa likod ng misyon ng mga Pythons, ibig sabihin nito ay hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin buo ang puso ng sarili kong lolo. Damn that old man. He's been hiding his pain all these years.'
[VOLCOV HEADQUARTERS]
"Remaining bases?" Tanong ni Zacharious Volcov sa mga Pythons. Nakaupo ang lahat sa harap ng mahabang table.
BINABASA MO ANG
Nerium oleander: The Deadly Flower
General FictionYazafra Loverde, A member of The Venenatus Guild, is a so called emotionless señorita. She was a born agent. The Venenatus Guild is the fourth highest ranking guild. The Volkov guild being the first, The Kinghawks being the second and The Pythons be...
