OBSIDIAN ISSUE #1: PUSHED

FIFTEEN

"So they better not shit in our territory," Kier cursed after a long drag of smoke from his cigarette.

Ako ang nagmaneho ng truck patungo sa isang abandunadong warehouse sa Hilaga ng siyudad. Doon ang drop off ng mga kahon na karga namin sa likod. Whatever happened to Felipe was our dead concern. Sa kabuuan ng biyahe ay pinilit ko si Kier na isalin ang paguusap nila kanina.

"Akala ko ba friends kayo?" I swerved the wheel to the right when I found an exit to the traffic.

"Friends? This business doesn't care about other people's feelings, Aleah. They import the goods to us. That is all there is to it. Kailangan lang nating makisama kung ayaw nating mapahamak. You see what he did there? Felipe told me that you were too calm for a guy who's about to die. Hadn't I interrupted, I'd be driving home alone with a dead body."

Yeah, I can only imagine. Nasa likod ng cargo na 'to ang duguan kong bangkay. Pumikit ako at pinanginigan sa naisip. Tinuon ko ang atensyon sa pagliko ng sasakyan.

"That's why you spilled that I'm Fazio's daughter."

"I had to, or otherwise." The aftermath of that 'could have been' was on his thoughts when he looked at me.

Huminga ako nang malalim. Sinikap na hindi itulak ang diwa sa pagiisip sa lumipas nang posibilidad.

"Hindi ba niya alam na dalawa tayong susundo?" tanong ko.

"Ako lang ang kilala niya. My only guess is that your father didn't mention to him that I am going to be accompanied by his daughter which is you."

I suddenly stomped on the break. Tumili ang gulong kasabay ng pagmumura ni Kier na muntik nang tumilapon sa dashboard.

"What the fuck?!"

"'Di ba ako dapat ang kikita kay Felipe? You're here to assist me. That was the plan." Mabilis ang aking pananalita. Marahan na humihingal sa gustong abutin na sagot.

"Nope. Both of us were planned to meet him, Aleah. Iyon ang gusto ng daddy mo. You can't speak Spanish and he knows that."

Kumunot ang noo ko. I want to stop the truck for a while and solve what's bothering me. Hindi talaga ako mapakali.

"When was my father's last contact with Felipe?" kabado kong tanong.

There is something going on here I can feel it. Hindi ako mangangamba nang ganito dahil sa wala lang. The awaiting answer is trying to tease my brain.

Hinagis ni Kier ang kinain na burger sa gilid at sinubukang tanggalin ang mantsa ng nabuhos na softdrinks sa marijuana shirt niya. His brows are furrowed while the lips are protruded.

"Hindi si Felipe ang kausap niya. He only owns the plane so he was tasked and got paid a great deal to fly the goods to us."

"Then my father's dealing with who?" I quickly followed up.

Lumamig ang mukha nito. " Let's not speak of names. Basta hindi si Felipe ang kausap niya."

"Kailan nga sila huling nag usap ng kasosyo niya?" panunulak ko.

Lumukot ang tamad na iritasyon sa mukha niya nang tignan ako. "I believe Saturday. He told me about the final instructions."

The sharp in my inhale scraped my lungs. Pasalamat sa traffic dahil kailangan kong ibagsak ang buong likod ko sa upuan. Niluwagan ko ang kapit ng seatbelt. One by one, I slowly get the logic behind why I almost said hi to my demise a while ago.

I talked to my father on a Thursday night. Kung sino man ang kausap ni daddy ay pinagsabihan na niya itong huwag akong banggitin kay Felipe. My father plays his games very well and for him to win, he will stop at nothing to fish at the deepest sea for the players' information.