Black Ring
Padarag kong isinara ang pintuan ng kotse at tinahak ang daan papasok sa isang boutique. Isang saleslady ang sumalubong sa akin.
"Good afternoon, Ma'am. What can I get you?" She asked.
Hindi ko siya pinansin at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad patungo sa isang kwartong may nakapaskil na: Office of the Manager.
I opened it and closed the door behind me.
"What happened!?" Salubong niya sa akin.
"This is your... f*cking fault... Did you text me this?" I said and throwed my phone at him.
Nasalo niya iyon at tinignan ang mensahe. His eyebrows furrowed.
"My phone's been missing." He said and putted my phone on the table.
"Bullshit!" I said and sat on the sofa.
"How did you escape?" He asked.
"I think they're some thugs." I said.
Kinapa ko ang baril sa aking tagiliran at inalis ang natitira nitong bala.
"Umuwi kana. I'll send someone to follow you. Rest, Val, rest." He said and held the telephone on his ears.
Hinayaan ko siyang gumawa ng tawag at umalis na roon. Agad kong tinahak ang parking lot.
Nang makarating sa bahay ay nagbabad ako sa bathtub hanggang sa makatulog.
Weeks have passed and everything was blown like a wind. Dyma was always pestering me and Baltimore, for some reason, wasn't visiting anymore.
I received a message from Alejandro that he was going to give me my mission today. So I went off work early and was prepared.
"How are you, Val?" Panimula ni Alejandro.
I looked at him. He was wearing a coat and tie in red.
"Get to the point." Seryoso kong sabi.
He looked sideways before saying that we should discuss this in his car. Pumayag ako at nagtungo sa kotse niya.
He opened the door for me and then go around to get inside.
"I'll just fix this." He said at kinalikot ang dashboard camera.
Nang maayos niya ito ay umayos siya ng upo.
"You know, I always dreamed of passing informations like this..." Humagikhik siya.
I rolled my eyes and checked our surrounding.
He cleared his throat and begin speaking.
"You remember the recent killings that was leaving a rose as a signiture?"
Tumango ako.
"We have received an information and as we are investigating it, we found out that our hunch was right." He said and let out a sigh.
Tahimik akong nakikinig habang hinihintay ang susunod niyang sasabihin.
"The Blacks, as expected, were the ones responsible for this. Their current leader was their father, which means, that it will soon pass through the men of their family. It could be Logan, Givanne... or Damian."
Pagkasabi niya ng pangalang iyon ay parang nalukot ang puso ko. I can't believe it.
"And for your mission, you have to find solid evidence for us to catch them. Meaning, you'll have to stay close to them. But I advise you to be very careful. Black Ring's killing people merciless." He said and then started the engine of the car.
"Ring?" I asked.
"You know, association of criminals." He said and turned the car to the left.
Kinabukasan, I went to work with the motivation of getting close to one of the Blacks'. And the one in my mind, was Dyma.
Another news have been reported in the morning. The Fiego family was murdered mercilessly and the signature was the same.
"Fine morning, is it not?" Givanne said while reading the scrolling his iPad.
"Fine, it is." I replied and went to my seat.
He smiled and continued scrolling on the iPad.
The door opened and I almost jumped to my feet when I saw Baltimore emerging from it. With his usual strawberry milkshake and cake.
"Hi." He said and went to Givanne and next to my desk to put the milkshake.
"Thanks." I smiled.
"Anything for you, Bella." He winked.
Doon ko napansin ang isang kalmot sa kaniyang pisngi. Namumula pa ito na para bang bago lang.
"What happened to your face?" I asked.
"Nothing. It's just... uhm... my cat was a bit grumpy lately and this... happened." He laughed and putted the cake on my desk.
"Cake, chocolate flavor and no peanuts at all." He said.
I laughed at him. Simula nang samahan niya ako noong nagpunta ako kay ate'y gumaan na ang loob ko sa kaniya. He's like my younger brother. I suddenly missed him, Bladimir.
