The Ace of Hearts

Chapter 25: Mour

Smoking within the dark room, his muscular body is only seen as a  silhouette. All four corners of the room are covered by red lights, not enough to light up the whole room. Nakaupo siya sa isang upuan na nakapwesto sa tabi ng pader ngunit sa bandang gitna. He's completely topless, only wearing his black pants, a sweat streaming from his visible six-pack abs.

The cigarette he's taking is currently visible inside the room, illuminating through the red lights. Sa likuran ng kanyang kinauupuan ay may kulay pula ring ilaw kaya halos anino niya lang ang natatanaw mula sa harapan. Yun lang ang pinaka-malinaw at hindi na makikilala ang mukha nito maliban sa kanyang postura at malaking pangangatawan. Nakapatong ang kanyang mga kamay sa magkabilang armchair ng upuan.

Bumukas ang pintuan, isang lalaki ang pumasok. He's wearing a white long sleeves with his black neck tie and a black slack, "Bonjour, our men are here. They're bringing someone," umupo ito sa kanan ng lalaki sa gitna. He seems younger than the man sitting in the middle.

"Who brought them here?" the man in the middle's voice is deadly, serious and calm but brings an extreme danger.

"Hart. I was told na inaalam ng lalaki ang tungkol sa kanya and even about the organization. He finds him risky for his casino, kaya dito niya pina-diretso," paliwanag ng lalaki dito.

"Where's he?" lumanghap ito ng usok mula sa sigarilyo.

"A friend of him has been taken into the hospital so he won't be able to make it in time. Aside from that, he has lots of errunds to run in his casino. You know him, Mour. Hart is an extremely workaholic person."

Pumasok ang dalawang lalaki na malalaki ang katawan. May hawak-hawak silang isang lalaki na kasalukuyang namamaga ang mukha at halos hinihila na lang ito dahil tila nanlalambot ang mga paa sa sahig. Tumigil sila nang marating ang gitna at sinipa ng isa ang binti ng biktima dahilan ng pagluhod nito sa sahig.

"That's him?" nagpakawala ito ng usok.

"Yea," tumango ang katabi nitong lalaki.
Inabot sa kanya ang sigarilyo na hinawakan naman noon.

Tumayo ang lalaki sa gitna at lumapit sa tatlo kung nasaan ang duguang biktima, "I've been told by an executive member that you have been collecting information about us," iniluhod nito ang isang tuhod sa harap ng lalaki, "Could you tell me more about it? You can even ask me questions, para hindi ka na mahirapan," that voice remained calm, yet intimidating.

Tumingala ang lalaking duguan. Saktong tumapat sa kanya ang mumunting sinag mula sa pulang ilaw. Kitang-kita ang pamamaga ng mukha nito, "F*ck all of you, Connoisseur."

"F*ck all of us?" tumango-tango ang lalaki habang tumutulo ang pawis sa matipunong katawan, "Do you know that this room will be your last destination?"

"Ano bang kailangan niyo sa akin?" the victim asked.

"As far as I know, it is you who need something from 'us'. Now, tell me what you need," kalmado lang ang kanyang boses na mas inilapit sa biktima ang mukha.

"Mour, do we really have to waste our time para lang sa lalaking 'yan?" lumapit ang lalaking nakaupo sa kanan kaya sa kanya napatingin ito.

"Yeah, Hart wouldn't inform us about this man if he never saw him as a threat. I trust his instincts. He won't use our men and informed them to bring him here if he didn't find anything suspicious or detrimental to the org."

"He never told me anything about that man aside sa inaalam niya ang tungkol sa organisasyon," the younger man is standing tall while the older one remained on his knees.

"Hart would never waste his time so he wanted us to act on our own. This man is an offer, not someone to kill," the older but muscular man slightly smirked.

"Ah yeah, he did mention we can use this guy here to find out everything," saglit na sinulyapan ng mas batang lalaki ang biktima. 

"Bunso is always leaving us with questions in our head. He's such a headache. Call him," humarap sa gilid si Mour at tinignan ang kasama nitong nakatayo pa rin.

"Roger," kumuha ito ng cellphone at saka may tinawagan bago itinapat ang cellphone sa pagitan nilang dalawa. 

"C-El?" sagot mula sa kabilang linya.

"Hart, you don't know I don't like ambiguous plans. Tell me anything about this man." -Mour

"He has been taking commands from a group called 'Jokers'. Lately, their plan is to take the casino down and gather information about the V.Connoisseur."

"So, they wanna start with you?" hinarap ni Mour ang bugbog na lalaki.

"Yes. I am being watched, Mour. Which is why I cannot make any contact with you nor visit the headquarters. Now, I am using my old phone to avoid them from tracking our conversation."

"It must be so risky reaching you out now, Hart."

"Yes."

"Then we won't be calling you for a couple of days and months. Any idea why they think you are one of us? Don't tell me sa talino mong magtago ng ebidensya, nagawa pa nilang makakuha ng impormasyon," nasa biktima ang buong atensyon ni Mour habang may kausap sa cellphone.

It took a few seconds bago nakasagot si Hart, "They became dependent with the probability that I have connections with the org. That's all I could disclose for now."

"Do everything to stay your casino out of this matter, Hart. Call me if assistance is necessary."

"Yes, Mour."

"The man you brought here. I'll be setting him free," nakaluhod at nakayuko pa rin ngayon ang lalaki sa harapan niya.

"Up to you."

"Seems like you just found out what's my plan for him. Has he involved anyone important to you?"

"No," sagot nito agad.

"C'est bon à savoir," nagkatinginan si Mour at ang kasama nito bago pinatay ng lalaki ang tawag.

"We can still use him to track them down. Keep watch over Hart, they might be secretly invading his casino sooner," ibinalik ng lalaki ang cellphone sa bulsa at ibinigay kay Mour ang ipinahawak nitong sigarilyo. Tumayo at bumalik si Mour sa kinauupuan nito at muling humithit ng sigarilyo.

"Leave at once. Imprison him," kalmadong saad niya na agad nilang sinunod. Nagsara ang pinto ng tuluyan silang makalabas.

"C-El," tawag ni Mour. Umupo na rin 'yon sa kanyang kanan, "Hart is hiding something. Maybe, even protecting someone from us. That guy may have involved someone important to him and that person must have known something about us. Investigate about it and inform me who was his last victim bago siya pinadala ni Hart rito," may isang babaeng pumasok matapos magsalita ni Mour.

She's wearing a shiny black short tube paired with a shiny black short skirt. Saktong-sakto 'yon sa kanya. Her short black hair is as shiny as her clothes which completely matched her white glistening skin. Hanggang balikat ang buhok niya at may bangs ito, yet she looks baby-face but at the same time, mature.

Sinenyasan siya ni Mour na lumapit sa kanya gamit ang dalawa nitong daliri. Sumunod ang babae, "What if importante nga ang tao na 'yon kay Hart? We can't lost him, Mour."

Hinila niya ang babae at pinaupo sa hita nito, "I know. Just do as you told, C-El," hinawakan niya sa leeg ang babae gamit ang isang kamay at inumpisahan itong halikan ng marahas.

"I'm leaving," tinalikuran na sila ni C-El.

3ieguno...

(You are reading a story written in the year 2023.)