Game Over

Chapter 50

Chapter 50

I was in the middle organizing the evidence that we'll be using for the massacre case. It's slowly coming all together... pero parang may kulang pa rin. Lui told me that he's working on something. I badly wanted to ask him kung ano ang ginagawa niya, but I just told myself that he'll tell me himself kapag tapos na siya. I just couldn't bring myself to demand more from him gayong alam ko na kung gaano kadami ang ginagawa niya para sa kaso na 'to.

I wanted to tell myself that he's doing this because this is the right thing to do... but then I'd be lying to myself.

He's doing this for me—he didn't give a damn about those people nor justice.

And it's been weighing on me... na kapag may nangyari sa kanya, dahil 'to sa akin. I couldn't even tell myself that if he dies, he died doing something right...

Because for him, it's all about me.

I quickly told myself to stop bago pa kung saan mapunta iyong iniisip ko. Lui told me that he's being careful with gathering information. Wala pa namang nakaka-alam sa ginagawa namin—at most ay sina Vito lang, but I highly doubt that they'd tell anyone else about this. Kung may mas gusto mang maka-bawi sa mga Villamontes kaysa sa akin, si Vito 'yon.

"What?" I asked nung tumawag sa akin si Achilles. Hindi naman siya tumatawag lang randomly kaya alam ko na importante iyong sasabihin niya sa akin.

"I heard they're consulting with all top law firms," he mentioned.

"That's expected," I replied.

I already knew that they have almost all the top firms in their pocket. Heck, kahit iyong dalawang pinanggalingan ko dati, may kapit sila—to think na galing ako both from private and public employment. Their claws dig deep. Kahit ngayon, hindi ko pa rin alam kung sino ang pwede kong pagka-tiwalaan kaya kaunti lang ang pwede kong kausapin tungkol dito.

"May balita ka ba kung sino ang gagamitin nila kapag nagfile na tayo ng kaso?" tanong niya.

"No idea," I replied.

"Ask Lui."

"He'll tell me kapag alam niya."

"What's he up to?" Achille asked. I didn't like his tone. I really try to understand where he's coming from. Of course, after everything that's happened to Mauro, magiging protective siya sa kanya... but damn, sometimes, he acts like kahit kaming dalawa ni Lui ay kaaway niya. His walls were dangerously up there—like no one can climb them.

"Again, he'll tell us when he tells us," I replied as calmly as possible... but who the hell was I kidding? Patience was never my forte—kaya nga napapa-resign ako sa mga trabaho ko kapag hindi ko na mapagpasensyahan iyong mga ka-trabaho ko.

"Look," I began. "Lui's doing everything he can. You have to understand that he can't just waltz in their functions and demand those demons to turn over files that will incriminate them. We both worked for the prosecution—we know how this goes."

Hindi agad siya nagsalita.

"I understand," sagot niya.

"Good," I replied. "How's the case?"

We discussed for a while iyong kaso na hina-handa niya. We previously agreed na sa tax evasion cases siya magfo-focus. Mauro's working for the Congress and helping him gather information na magagamit namin. They're making huge progress na mukhang malapit na ring ma-file iyong kaso kaya lang ay napagkasunduan namin na mas maganda na sabay namin 'tong gawin.

I didn't think I'd hear from Lui for the next few days until I saw him outside my door. I didn't know what I expected, but it felt a bit weird to see him so... normal?