Arrange Marriage to the Mafia Boss

Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Rage

Mula pa kanina, hindi ako mapakali. Siguro dahil sa nalalapit na operasyon.

Nakahiga lang ako sa kama ng hotel, pero hindi ko maramdaman ang lambot ng kutson. I stared blankly at the ceiling, while the weight of the world slowly buried me alive. My fingers were intertwined, resting against my chest, habang pinipigilan kong bumigay ulit.

Naalala ko na naman ang mukha ni Rage na sugatan, na para bang sirang plaka na paulit-ulit na nag re-replay sa loob ng utak ko.

Napakagat ako sa sariling labi.

No mother should ever have to see her child like that. No mother should ever have to beg the universe to let her son breathe for one more day.

Napalingon ako nang bumukas ang pinto. Si Thunder, kasama ang dalawa niyang tauhan. He had changed into black — combat pants, a fitted shirt, boots. His eyes were hollow. May dala silang laptop at may mga earphones na naka kabit sa mga tenga nila. Tahimik akong tumayo, hinihintay ang sasabihin nila.

"We traced the background audio," sabi ni Leo, isa sa mga tauhan ni Thunder. "The sound of a train horn matched an area near an abandoned factory sa outskirts ng lungsod. Malapit din doon ang riles."

Tumayo si Thunder sa gilid ko, pero nakatingin lang ang mata ko sa laptop ni Leo.

I sat up. "You're going?"

He turned to me, slowly — he nodded.  "They're moving tonight."

Napahawak ako sa bedsheet. "Sasama ako."

"No." Mabilis niyang sagot. "You can't, Amora."

“Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do. Anak ko si Rage.” Napapikit siya nang mariin sa narinig.

"Trust me on this one. You stay here." Agad na nagkasalubong ang dalawang kilay ko.

Humarap ako sa kanya. "He's my son, Thunder. At kung iniisip mong uupo lang ako rito habang nililigtas mo siya, then you don't know me at all."

Tumitig pa ito ng mariin sa akim bago nagpakawala ng buntong-hininga. "Fine, but promise me to not act recklessly. I need you to be alive for Rage, okay?"

"I'm not a liability, Thunder. You should take care of your own." muling napabuntong-hininga ito, na para bang sukong-suko na siya sa naririnig sa akin.

Agad na nilatag ni Leo ang isang papel. He pointed at three possible entry points. "There's a guard post here," his finger tapped a section near the east gate. "Snipers might be positioned around this tower. There's another opening here... behind the storage garage. That's where we go in."

"How many men do you have?" tanong ko sa kaniya.

"Ten. All trusted."

"Is that enough?" I whispered, my voice tight with dread.

He met my eyes. "It has to be. We can't have more men with us, it will be risky. But rest assured, we have back ups."

Huminga ako nang malalim. "What if Rage isn't there?"

"He is," he said, almost to convince himself. "They wouldn't risk moving him too much. They know we’re tracking."

We planned in silence. Every detail, every shadow, every second counted. Nakakabingi ang tunog ng  orasan habang hinihintay namin na maayos ang lahat ng gamit.

I promised myself na hindi kami uuwi nang hindi siya kasama.

By midnight, we were already on the road.

I wore black jeans, a dark hoodie, boots, and tied my hair tight behind me.

Thunder sat beside me inside the black SUV. He hadn't spoken for ten minutes now. Ang lalim ng iniisip niya.