Red Hawks Brotherhood Confession:Rebel's Confession by Jhade Patricio

Way Back Home

CHAPTER EIGHT
"Sgt.Renato Cardenas saved you from attempted gang rape, that's the story" si General Lutgardo iyon habang iniaabot sa kanya ang isang selyadong envelope.
"Sgt.Renato Cardenas,sir?" kunwa'y tanong ni Xybel.She have heard of his name before.Infact,it was never forgotten.
"He's a military agent under the rebel name Ka Bagni. Once in every three months, bumababa sila sa kapatagan para sa kanilang mga suplay, doon ka eeksena,Marasigan.Capt.Clavel will help you get there.I am counting on you,Lieutenant.The operation had been long overdue and I think we'll have them this time.Use your charm to get the commander's interest, clear?" General Lutgardo's menacing eyes were on her face, waiting for response.
Capt. Clavel...
Xybel closed her lips firmly, brought her knuckles at her back... clenched so tight.
She had to do that, or Lutgardo would have her head.
It's been months since she started tracing that name.
'Poker face, Xybel' she reminded herself.
"Just tell me Lieutenant if you can carry out the mission, or not" nang walang mahintay na sagot ay untag kay Xybel ni General Lutgardo habang pinagmamasdan siya nito.
Apat na buwan na siya sa loob ng kampong iyon at apat na buwan na din magbuhat ng ma-promote ang dating major dahil sa mga sumuko umanong mga rebelde dito.
Lihim na napaismid si Xybel nang maalala ang araw na aksidente niyang matuklasan ang katotohanan sa likod ng promosyong iyon.
Hindi niya sukat akalaing may mga taong katulad ni Major Lutgardo na handang gumamit ng mga ng sundalong eskalawags upang magpanggap na mga sumukong rebelde. Para lang bumango ang pangalan nitong napag-iinitan,at upang tumaas ang rangko na hindi naman nararapat dito.
"Kaya ko,sir" salat sa emosyong sagot ni Xybel dito.
"Bweno,nasa envelope na iyan ang kabuuan ng misyon mo.Basahin at intindihin mong mabuti.Report to me early in the morning tomorrow for orientation and debriefing,is that clear?" tanong nito na animo isang ulirang opisyal.
"Sir,yes sir!" sagot ng dalaga kasabay ng pag-angat ng kanyang kanang kamay sa ere upang magbigay pugay.
Pagkalabas ay saka pa lamang tila nakahinga ng maluwag ang dalaga. Sa apat na buwan niyang pamamalagi sa loob ng Fort Bonifacio at sa pagsubsob sa office works ay hindi niya kinaligtaang ipatupad ang mga plano niya.
Wala siyang inaksayang oras upang i-trace si Clavel.
She found him.
Capt.Wilfredo Clavel,208 IBPA,Cordillera.
Imagine,nasa Kordilyera pa rin pala ang taong malaki ang pagkakautang sa kanya?Kaya pala siya nahirapang i-trace ito ay dahil nalipat ito sa ibang yunit.
Xybel's lips formed a satirical smile as she stared in no particular direction.
'You'll be directly under the command of Capt.Clavel of the Bravo Company,208 Infantry Batallion,Miss Marasigan" nananantyang saad ni General Lutgardo sa dalaga kanina habang hindi inaalis ang matiim na pagkakatingin sa kanya.
She smiled again.
Payback time.
Napapagod na siya sa kakapanggap na kabilang sa sirkulo ng mga taong nandoon.Sa pakikipagplastikan sa kung sino-sino.
Sabihin nang hindi lahat ng mga taong nandoon ay masama,dahil may mga nakasalamuha din naman siyang mabubuti ang loob, mas lamang pa rin sa mga nandoon ang walang laman ang utak kundi ang kanilang bloated testosterone.
Sa hindi iilang pagkakataon ay marami ang nagtangkang ligawan siya.She just turned them down politely.
They are of no use to her.
For her, every one of them just wanted to have a piece of her, to get under her skirt.And under circumstances a fact will always remain a fact;she will never fall for the likes of them.
Not even then.
She had had suitors in Russia,too,during those four years she stayed there.An Elite member to be precise.She could have tried to gamble a new life with him,if only for the sake of lessening her pains...
She just couldn't.
Someone had even told her she's as good as dead.A zombie.And she could not rebut on that because at some point, it's true.
Her heart already died more than four years ago with Rayver. Right there she knew she had lost capacity of feeling anything near to love the day her heart stopped beating.Pakiramdam niya ay wala na siyang kakayahang magmahal sa iba.
Not until God performed a miracle.
Four months ago her heart started to live again.Started to dance in frenzied beats only Rayver could conjure unto her.
Buhay si Rayver.
When this will be over, she'd find him. Do whatever it takes to have him back into her life...again.Gagawin niya ang lahat upang muling maging kanya ang lalaking minamahal.
Nakakasiguro ka bang binata pa siya?
Natigilan si Xybel sa pasundot na tanong na iyon.
Binata pa nga kaya siya? piping tanong ng dalaga sa sarili habang damang-dama ang matinding pagtutol sa kanyang dibdib dala ng posibilidad na baka may asawa na ang binata.
Sa nagdaang apat na buwan ay hindi lang iilang beses niyang itinanong sa sarili kung kagaya ba niya ay siya pa rin hanggang ngayon ang itinitibok ng puso nito?
Gabi-gabi magmula nang matuklasan niyang buhay ito ay tinatanong niya sa sarili kung hinanap din ba siya nito.If he did cried for her when she was reported missing without a trace, and maybe eventually thought she was dead.
The loud chanting of the soldiers nearby stopped Xybel from drifting off her thoughts.
Napapabuntong-hiningang napatingin ang dalaga sa kanyang relo.How long had she been out-of- control?
She shook her head.
'Focus...' Xybel reprimanded herself as she drove her car out from the camp.She needs to get back home and pack.
Habang daan ay nagpaplano ang dalaga.
Nagbunga na ang paghihintay niya,at hindi niya sasayangin ang tsansang ito.Hindi niya bibiguin ang kanyang mga magulang,si Rayver,at ang mga Elites na nagpusta ng kanilang kakayahan, talino,at paniniwala sa kanya.At higit sa lahat,hinding-hindi niya bibiguin ang kanyang sarili.
'Could you?' mocked the tiny,militant voice in her head.
Xybel ignored that pinching guilt.
'They deserve to die in a manner more inhumane than what they did four years ago' she argued to herself. Yes, as much as she felt remorse to herself for having been gravely contemplating murder in revenge after all these years,her guilt never failed to rebuke her in dispute.
Binilisan ng dalaga ang pagmamaneho,hindi inalintana ang ilang beses na pag-oovertake sa ibang sasakyan.She dared them to beat her,in fact.She
needed that to cleanse her thoughts and stay firm to her perspectives.
It was nearly dark when Xybel reached home. After driving the car to the garage, she made her way to the liver-shaped swimming pool.She chose to lie down a bit on the lounger and let herself be mesmerized with the beautiful structure of her "house" at twilight.
Nabili niya ang bahay na iyon sa pera ni Anthony.
Masuwerte siya kung tutuusin dahil bago pa lang ang bahay. Kailangan lang talagang ipagbili na dahil aalis ang may-ari patungong ibang bansa.
It costs them few million but it's worth it. The place was peaceful and the security was tight. It's the perfect place for her.
Nang tawagan siya ni Anthony pagkalipat nila ni tiya Marla, sinabihan siya nito na magpagawa siya ng sekretong armory room.
"I don't see the need to have one,old man" she remembered telling him.
"Oh, come on dear.Give this old man a peace of mind" he answered back.The voice was as expected.Firm.
"Alright" she said indulgently.
"Make it a promise,Xybel.I know you" Anthony growled.
Her eyes rolled ceilingward.Of course,bakit ba niya inisip na mapaglalalangan ang kanyang ninong? Ito na yata ang may pinakamatalas na utak sa lahat ng mga nakilala na niya.
"Just like Pandora?" she chose to teased him.Pandora was her godfather's one of a kind armory room.Lahat ng de-klaseng armas ay nandoon na.
"If it's necessary" he joked.Soon they were already laughing.
Napahinga ng malalim ang dalaga nang maalala ang ninong niya.
How she adore the old man.
Not that she could not defy him,she just wanted him to stop checking on her like World War III is coming.Pinagbigyan niya ito.
The armory costed her quiet a fortune as she filled it with high-tech weapons.Oh,not that she needs them all,but she really have this penchant for guns she could not stopped herself from collecting from one store to another.
"Dumating ka na pala,iha" bungad ni tiya Marla habang may hawak na walis tambo sa isang kamay.
"Tiyang,ano na naman ba iyang hawak ninyo?Hindi po ba sabi ko ay huwag kayong masyadong nagpapagod?Nandiyan naman si Melay" tumayo ang dalaga mula sa pagkakahiga at kinuha sa tiyahin ang hawak-hawak nito.
"Ku,itong batang ire,aba'y nananakit na ang katawan ko kapag hindi natatagtag. Alam mo naman na hindi ako sanay na walang ginagawa.Kung sana lang ay nasa farm..." kusang napatigil ang tiyahin sa sasabihin nang marahil ay maisip ang tinutungo ng mga salita.Lalo na nang makita ang naging reaksyon niya.
"Tiyang,namimiss na po ba ninyo ang Baguio?" mahinang tanong ni Xybel.
How silly of her to ask that.Of course she does.Bakit ba hindi niya naisip iyon?Buong buhay ng tiyahin niya ay sa flower farm nila ito nakatutok.Mas pinili pa nga nitong palaguin iyon kaysa ang asikasuhin ang sariling love life. Kaya nga ito inabot ng ganoong edad na hindi na nakapag-asawa ay masyado itong nalibang sa negosyong iyon.
Natural na hinahanap-hanap nito ang mga bulaklak na ito mismo ang nag-aalaga kasa-kasama ang ilan sa mga tauhan nila.
May nadamang sundot sa kanyang kaibuturan ang dalaga.
Come to think of it,she had been so drawned in her own misery,so busy contemplating her revenge that she totally overlooked her aunt's emotional needs.Had she been so selfish?
By the thought of it,guilt flooded her heart.
"Anak, gustuhin ko mang sabihin na oo dahil iyon naman talaga ang totoo,alam kong hindi pa ito ang panahon. People would ask.And I know you're not yet ready to answer them" nakakaunawang sabi nito sa kanya.
"I have a new field assignment ,tiyang. Mountain Province_"
"You wouldn't dare!" her aunt almost screamed, pointing her forefinger at her. Evident fear surfaced on tiya Marla's face as she surveyed a trace of infirmity in Xybel's eyes.
The old woman shook her head in strong refusal when she failed to see that as Xybel purposely gave her the impression her mind was already fully made up.
"I accepted it. It was bound to...and you know that" she said faintly as though she's just telling it to herself.Ayaw sana niyang makaramdam ng ganoong takot ang tiyahin niya pero ano ang magagawa niya?
"Ikaw na lang ang natitira sa akin,Xybel..."halos bulong na lang na sabi ng tiyahin niya. Tila tumanda ng ilang taon ang hitsura nito,nanggigipuspos na napaupo sa kaibayong lounger.
"Patawarin po ninyo ako,tiyang. Ang mabuti po ay ihanda na rin ninyo ang mga gamit ninyo.Babalik na tayo ng Baguio.You will be the queen of Marasigan Farm again" pang-aalo ng dalaga dito.
Hindi umimik si tiya Marla. Nababaghan pa rin ang mga matang nakatingin sa kanya.
Xybel groaned inwardly.What was she thinking bribing her like a three years old kid? Of course, tiya Marla could give up everything for her, and she damn knew that!
Nang iwan nila ang Baguio ay ipinagbilin ni tiya Marla sa matalik na kaibigan ang farm.Ang tanging sinabi lang ng tiyahin dito ay lalayo muna ito upang makalimutan ang trahedyang naganap.Na hindi sinabi ni Tiya Marla na buhay siya,at kasama nito sa paglayong iyon.
"Gusto kong isipin na wala ka ng puso,Xybel. Ano't naging sarado na iyan sa pagpapatawad? Sa paglimot? Bawat lumilipas na segundo ng buhay mo ay wala ka nang ginawa kundi ang magplano...ang masuklam.Hindi mo man lang inisip na hindi lang ikaw ang nawalan.Nawalan din ako ng kapatid,ngunit ipinagpasa-Diyos ko na lang ang lahat..." nanghihinang sabi nito kapagkuwan.
"Tiya, hindi ikaw ang binabangungot sa gabi.Hindi ikaw ang halos panawan ng katinuan noong mga panahon iyon.Someone has to make a move to give them justice,and that's me.Even if it means taking the last recourse to fulfill it..." lumapit siya sa tiyahin at niyakap ito.
Gumanti ng mahigpit na yakap ang tiyahin niya.
"Hindi pa rin ako kumporme sa mga plano mo, Xybel. I never was. Pero mag-iingat ka.Sana ay makialam ang Diyos upang huwag tuluyang mailagay sa iyong mga kamay ang batas" sa huli ay sabi nito habang palihim na nagpunas ng mga luha.
Xybel didn't answer.She choked trying hard not to let her sobs out.
"Sige na tiyang,kailangan na po nating kumilos.Bukas ng hapon ay tutungo na ako ng Mountain Province.Bukas ng umaga ay ipapahatid kita sa asawa ni Melay patungong Baguio" humiwalay na siya dito.
"Paano sina Melay?"
"If they want to come and stay even atleast one or two months with you,that would be better" she made a mental note to talk with the couple about it that night.
Alone in her room, Xybel dialed Anthony's number.
"I'm going to Mountain Province tomorrow, old man. It's going to be a rough battle.You are right, I might get killed. But I am not going to die a futile one.Not without them" she cutted the preliminaries and casually told him that.
"Do you want me to come, princess?" he said after a full minute of silence.
"No,I just want you to promise me one thing. Should I not make this out,promise me you'll look after my aunt" she wasn't pleading,she's leaving an unbendable order.
"Hush,Xybel. You'll make it because the Elites and I trained you_"
"Promise me" she stopped him from the obvious diversion.
Napabuntong-hininga ang kanyang ninong sa kabilang linya.
"You know I loved you like a father would love his child,Xybel.You're the daughter I never had.Your family is my family. Marla and I get along well..." his voice trailed off.
"Why, I sense a romance there,Anthony Evazckov" Xybel managed to tease him,breaking the tension building up on the air.Why, the old man sounded like he had just spilled a big secret. At kung tama ang sapantaha niya,makakabuti iyon upang hindi na siya gaanong mag-aalala para sa kanyang tiyahin sakali mang magkaigihan ang dalawa.
Sakali mang di na siya makabalik...
"Scxianz!"
Sa kabila ng panganib na nakatakda niyang suungin,hindi napigilan ng dalaga ang mapahalakhak.
Kapag kasi tinatawag siya nito ng ganoon ay alam niyang may natumbok siya.
Formidable as he was,Anthony Evazckov was after all so human.