Of Love and Politics I: Juego Limpio - Completed

CHAPTER 20

"Bakit wala ka sa school kahapon?"

Her brother Nathan immediately stood on the middle of the stairs to block her from going down.

Kumunot ang noo niya. Bakit nangingialam na ngayon ang kuya niya? Hindi siya kumibo sa sinabi nito. What should she say? Hindi niya alam kung paano siya mag sisimula. At susuportahan ba nito ang desisyon niya?

Hindi niya alam kung saan siya mag sisimula.

"And the next day and the next day. Talaga bang itatapon mo ang buhay mo?"

Alana closed her fists. So her brother is spying on her too. Sinong nag utos dito, ang dad nila? She was not attending school dahil ilang araw na siyang nag hahanap ng ebidensiya laban kay Mayor Saavedra but when she checks on his activities that night. Matibay ang alibi nito na inihatid pa nito si Helen sa club. At ayon sa mga nakasaksi ay buhay pa nga daw ang dalaga. But there was something off about all of it. Hawak ng Mayor ang buong tauhan nito. She had no way to know for sure. So she asked the other prostitutes.

Ubos na din ang pera niya sa kakakalap ng impormasyon kay Elena. But there is no solid evidence to say that he really was the one behind Helen's death. But her gut tells her that he is the one who killed Helen, pero bakit? At paano niya iyon mapapatunayan? But there is a lead that she will investigate.

"Why do you care, Kuya? I'll study when I feel like it."

Nilagpasan niya ito but her brother held her arms tight. "Sa ating dalawa. Ikaw ang mas may gustong maging doktor. Gusto mong makatulong sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan dito sa Probinsiya ng Atega. Itatapon mo lang ba lahat ng pangarap mo?"

Nakipag sukatan siya ng tingin sa kapatid niya. She searched his eyes. Yes, she wanted to help the people of Atega and those who are living in poverty who can't afford medical expenses but she also wanted to find Helen's killer. Right now that's her priority more than anything else. She wanted justice for the woman she loved. Pero kaya niya bang i-sakripisyo ang sarili niyang pangarap para sa pag hihigante?

"Kuya if you have seen what I have seen. Hindi lang siguro yan ang sasabihin mo at gagawin mo. He killed a woman! He is a murderer!"

Kumunot ang noo nito. "Sino?"

Napayuko siya. Should she really tell him? Maniniwala ba ang kapatid niya sa kanya? She wetted her lips and search her brother's eyes. She had known him for her whole life. He was a very dear brother. Alam niyang kapakanan niya ang mahalaga dito. But does he care enough for a woman he didn't know?

"Sino?" He sighs. "Tell me at nang mapayuhan kita."

She closed her hands tightly into a fist. "S-Si Mayor Saavedra. He killed Helen Alegre the woman I loved."

Sa naisip ay automatikong tumulo ang luha sa mga mata niya. Sa tuwing naalala niya ang mukha at itsura ni Helen ay nag iinit ang dibdib niya. Bumibigat ang dibdib niya at hindi siya makahinga. To think that she can't kiss Helen's lips and feel her warmth again. It made the lump on her throat settled heavily on her stomach. Hindi niya makalimutan ang itsura nito.

Her kuya Nathan pursed his lips and looked at her searching her eyes. "You never told me about her before."

Tumingin ito sa paligid nang makarinig ng mga boses. "Let's go upstairs. Baka may makarinig sa pag uusapan natin. This is a heavy accusation Al. Do you have enough evidence to stake your claim?"

She bit her lip. "I know."

He brother looked down and saw their father. Hinawakan siya nito sa braso at hinila paakyat sa kwarto nito. Nagpahila siya dahil alam niyang tama ang kuya niya. This is a big accusations and it won't be a light matter at all. But she wanted justice for Helen.

"Kuya. I saw him with Helen the night before she was found on the river."

Hindi ito kumibo sa sinabi niya. He bit his lip hard and put a hand on his chin. Nagpalakad lakad din ito sa harap niya. Bumaling ito sa kanya pagkatapos ng ilang minuto.

"Pero nakita mo ba na siya mismo ang pumatay kay Helen?"

Umiling siya sa sinabi nito. Hinawakan siya nito sa balikat. "Al. Kung hindi mo nakitang siya nga ang pumatay kay Helen. Then there's a possibility he didn't kill her. Maaring iba ang nakapatay doon sa babae. The Mayor wouldn't risk himself knowing he has a reputation to protect."

Sa sinabi ng kuya niya ay nakagat niya ng mariin ang labi niya. "But what if he could protect his image by silencing the people around him? Lalo na ang mga tauhan niya. They wouldn't tell me anything. He also controls the police, Kuya!"

"It's because they have to, Al." Her Kuya Nathan held his chin. "Wag mong ipahalata kay Dad at kay Mayor Saavedra ang lahat ng ito, Al. I'll help you gather evidence. Wag mo lang pabayaan ang pag aaral mo at ang sarili mo. We will make him pay for his crimes if he commited any. Can you do that?"

Napatitig siya sa kuya niya. He is Nathan, her brother who always cares for her and protects her. Pero kaya ba talaga nitong gawin iyon para kay Helen? Or is he doing this for her?

"A-Are you sure Kuya?"

He nodded his head. "Yes, mag babayad ako ng investigator. He'll report to me. So please wag ka munang kumilos nang ikaw lang."

Her shoulders fell. She doesn't know if she'll be able to let someone else handle this. Helen is important to her. Gusto niyang malaman kung sino ang nag papatay dito at makamit ang hustisya para dito. Pero tama ang kuya niya. She couldn't do this on her own. She needs someone to rely on. But she'll have to hold on to the things she had from the crime scenes dahil wala pa din siyang tiwala sa ibang tao. For now, she had to depend on him.

"Ok, kuya."

Her brother smiled at her and tapped her shoulder. "Pumasok ka na, ok?"

"Alright." She bit her lip and nodded her head. Kinuha niya ang bag niya sa kwarto niya at nag tungo na sa sasakyan niya.

Pagdating niya sa university ay agad siyang nangulila kay Helen. The place reminded her so much of her. Paano na siya makakapag aral nang maayos kung wala ito sa tabi niya? There's no one now who will bandage her bruises. There's no one who would care enough for someone like her.

Helen...I'm sorry... Nag init ang sulok ng mga mata niya but she can't let her emotions show.

Pumasok siya sa klase but her mind is not present. She felt like a zombie. Wala pa siyang masyadong tulog at hindi niya din maiwasang hindi maiyak dahil sa mga alaalang naiwan ni Helen sa buong paligid.

Iniiwasan niya na din ang likod ng Med building dahil doon sila unang nagkita ni Helen. She just let the days passed by as she waited for her brother to say something about the investigation. For now, she'll just hold on to the pictures she took on the evidences and what she found on the scene of the crime.

Nagtagis ang bagang niya nang makita ang anak ni Saavedra na nakangiti sa kaibigan nito. Her blood is boiling. Gusto niyang saktan ang ama ni Lily, because she knew that he was a monster to Helen. Pero heto at nakakatawa pa din sa harap niya ang anak nito. It's unfair!

Tumalim ang mga mata niya. Helen. I'm sorry you have to go through that, but I promise. I'll make him pay. I'll start with the most precious thing to him.

His daughter, Lily Saavedra.