Love For Ransom

Ransom - 6.

GIO

Mahimbing sana ang tulog ko kung hindi ako naabala ng tawag ni Johan. It's almost three in the morning for fuck's sake!

Napaisip tuloy ako kung gano'n ba ka-importante ang tawag? But knowing him, it probably is. Johan has been a man of a few words since the tragedy happened, hindi niya ako kakausapin kung para sa wala lang.

"Hello, Gio?" rinig kong sabi ni Johan sa kabilang linya. He was unsure with his tone, parang nangangapa kung may malay tao na baa ko.

"Yo?" naghihikab ko namang balik.

"You're on loudspeaker, Gio. Naririnig ka ng kambal," Johan informed me, then I heard the twins shouting on the other line.

"HI GIO! GOOD MORNING!"

"What now!? Ang aga-aga! Hindi ba makakapaghintay 'yan mamaya?" iritadong balik ko sa kanya.

"Gio, we're doing the plan," kalmadong sabi ni Kuya Johan. "Now," he added with more authority in his voice.

Sandali akong natahimik. Pagkalipas ng ilang minuto, gulat akong napasigaw at napamura nang maunawaan ko ang sinasabi nila.

"SHIT! A-ANO?! NGAYON NA? BAKIT NAMAN BIGLAAN?!"

"We're running out of time," sagot ni Johan. "You can't back out now, Gio. We need you."

Agad na kumunot ang noo ko. May desperasyon sa huli niyang sinabi na para bang nakikiusap pero nakaramdam ako ng kaba. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit ako pumayag, at kung talagang handa ako na ibuwis ang buhay ko para sa kapatid nila.

I understand, she's important to them. But to risk my life for a stranger? God, I wished I thought about this more before giving them my answer.

* * * Flashback * * *

SHAUN

"We'll go ahead, bro. Don't forget our plans," paalala ko kay Gio nang lumabas kami mula sa bar.

"I better get going too. Inaantok na ako," sabi niya naman at tinapik niya pa kami isa-isa sa balikat. "Oo na, hindi ko kakalimutan."

We saw him off when he hailed a cab. Nasa casa na ang sasakyan niya para sa repairs kaya nag-commute muna siya.

I watched his cab fade as it drove farther from us. While I'm glad that he said yes to us, I am not sure if Gio completely understands what he's getting himself into. We tried to explain everything to him, and assured him of safety. But as a friend, of course we didn't want this to go as far as involving someone who's innocent—like him.

"Shaun, let's go," Nikko even playfully pushed me towards our car. My twin's a little tipsy now, I bet. "Naghihintay si Mika and you know her, she will have a mouthful of things to say if we make her worry," paalala niya pa.

We parked somewhere far from the bar where we had our drinks. Walang bakante'ng slot kanina kaya kinailangan pa naming maglakad. Until we noticed some shadows—people are following us.

We stopped on our tracks. It isn't fair to make the chase longer when we're perfectly aware of the unwelcomed presence—a bunch of them, almost twenty men dressed in black suits, against the three of us.

They really don't play fair.

"Let's cut to the chase," diretsong sabi ni Kuya Johan sa kanila. "What may we do for you?" tanong niya pa.

Mukhang seryoso sila sa pagpapatahimik sa amin. Noon, puro death threats at videos lang ang natatanggap namin mula sa kanila. But now, this is different. This is a warning that they're really after us, after Mika.

"You know why we're here," ngisi ng isang miyembro sa amin. "Stop meddling with us and our transactions. Or else..."

"...or else what?" my twin finished with a sly smile. "Is this all you can do? Threaten us? Couldn't you come up with something better?" hamon pa ni Nikko.

"We're not threatening you, we're reminding you of your place," diretsong sagot ng isa pa. "And you know that we are really after your sister, not you three. So if you don't stop this, you already know what will happen to her," dagdag niya pa. He even licked his lower lip, implying that they will disrespect our sister in ways I would never imagine.

In ways we would never allow. The Arias' will never get near her.

The three of us clenched our fists. If a reminder is what they want, then we will give them a night to remember. A place where they all should be—we'll give them hell.

"Not our sister, you fuck!" galit na paalala ni Kuya Johan bago siya sumugod.

"Hey, not my face!" sabi naman ni Nikko nang may akmang susuntok sa mukha niya. If he was tipsy a few minutes ago, he's sure as hell sober now.

"Oh, so this is how you want to play?" mahinahon kong sabi nang tutukan ako ng baril. When I saw that he was about to pull the trigger, I kicked the gun out of his hand.

"Not so fast," I smirked before throwing a punch. He fell to the ground and when he tried to pick the gun up again, I stomped on his hand.

"You're alright..." hinihingal na sabi ni Nikko. He was trying to help me but I handled it on my own.

"Of course," I told him proudly.

Sabay kaming napalingon at nakita namin ang mga nakahandusay na katawan. We were outnumbered but they were no match from us. At hindi pa natapos si Kuya Johan, kinuwelyuhan niya pa ang isa sa mga miyembro na nagbanta sa kapatid naming kanina.

"Don't you even try and lay your filthy fingers to our sister! Don't even try to go near her!" banta ni Kuya Johan bago niya itinulak nang malakas ang lalaki. Mahina na rin siya kaya bumagsak agad.

"And tell your boss that we're not going to stop meddling with your transactions until you're caught!" duktong ni Kuya Nikko at hinila ko na sila ni Kuya Johan palayo.

"Let's go. We have better things to do," huling sambit ko bago kami sumakay sa sasakyan at umalis.

* * * End of flashback * * *

"Gio? Are you still on the line?" pangungulit ni Shaun sa kabilang linya.

"What the actual fuck!" mura ko habang sinusubukan ko pa ring unawain ang kuwento nila.

"What?" sabi naman ni Nikko.

Fuck! I may know how to defend myself, but my skills are nothing compared to these three. They are trained for this! While my skills are only by instincts—basag-ulo sa mga tambay lang yata ang aabutin.

Pero ano namang magagawa ko para sa kapatid nila? Bakit nga ba ako!?

"Gio, are you still in?" tanong ni Johan. "You gave us your word..." duktong niya pa.

Wala naman akong sinabi na aatras ako. But that thought crossed my mind! A hundred shitload of times! Dahil hindi ko yata 'to naunawan nang lubos. The danger this entails... what I am truly risking.

I groaned out of frustration. I am a man of my words, hindi man halata. And I always stay true to my promises, as long as they keep theirs—I want my safety, my family's.

"Make sure that you will keep us safe... me and my family," paalala ko. "And that I'll be done after this stint. I don't want strings hanging over my shoulders."

"You will be protected, including your family. That will be arranged," they promised. "You won't be identified. You won't be involved."

"I better not be," pag-ulit ko.

"You won't," Johan assured me. "Now, pack your bags. We're leaving," sabi pa niya. I sighed and ended the call.

While I am a man of my words, I could really be stupid in choosing what to honor.