Encoded

Chapter 13 : Unlucky

CHAIN

"Aiden, Tatawag ako ulit..." I ended the call and sat down. I cupped my face with my hands. Trying to grasp the situation and take it all in. It slowly sunk in...

Inspector Arcilla's dead. He's gone.

"Shit..." I heard Mhorein's room open.

"Chain? Why are you still up? Nagugutom ka ba, Hon?" She yawned.

"No..." She looked at me, concerned.

"Chain? Is there something wrong?" Umupo siya sa tabi ko. Sinimulan kong pagisipan ang mga salitang lalabas sa bibig ko at kung paano ko sasabihin ang nangyari. I don't think I have the heart to tell her what happened.

"Chain... Tell me what happened." Medyo lumakas ang boses nito.

"No... You stay here. You need to rest. May kailangan akong puntahan." Her eyebrows met.

"Ano? I cant stay here!" I remembered the email.

If I leave her alone, He might hurt her. If I take her with me, It might be a trap. What if he follows us? Masyado nang malalim ang gabi.

"Chain. Tell me. Ngayon na. Anong nangyari?" She ordered with a firm voice. I faced her and held her hand.

"Mhor... Inspector Arcilla's not with ud anymore..." She knit her eyebrows.

"What the hell are you talking about, Chain? Hindi nakakatawa yan ah." She tried to laugh it off.

"Im serious. Aiden called... Apparantly Daniel Lucas crashed the police car they were in and escaped before he burned it. They dont know where he is." Within seconds Mhorein was burried in my chest, Sobbing uncontrolably.

"That fucking bastard... I'll find him. Chain. We'll find him right? Hindi mo ako pipigilan diba?"

Even if I wanted to protest, I couldnt bare to see her like this. Naiintindihan ko ang nararamdaman niya. After working with Inspector Arcilla for multiple years, Parana siyang ama sa aming dalawa.

"Oo... We will. Of course we will." Tumayo siya at pinunasan ang mga luha.

"Where are they? We have to go." Tinignan ko siya. Alam kong kailangan kong magdesisyon. Maybe it is safer if I take her with me.

"Get dressed, Mhor." I faked a smile. I knew that any moment I'd burst into tears. Pero kung bibigay ako lalong maaapektuhan si Mhorein.

Tinawagan ko si Aiden upang masabihan ito na papunta kami.

Sinubukan ni Mhorein na tumahan, But the moment she got into her room and locked it I heard her sobbing again. Hindi ko narin napigilan at pinabayaan ko na ang sarili kong umiyak. I had a feeling Acros and Daniel Lucas are working together. Posible ring iisa lang sila.

I quickly dried my eyes when I heard her open the door. Hindi na ko nagabalang magpalit dahil suot ko parin ang dami ko nang galing kami sa hospital.

As Im driving, I kept glancing at Mhorein. She stared at the glass window.

"It's not fair... Chain, Napakadaya..." I kept my eyes on the road.

Thinking, If she reacts like this to losing Inspector Arcilla, What if she loses me? Kakayanin niya kaya? I pursed my lips and started to pray in my mind.

God, What ever happens. I need you to look after her.

Pinabayaan kong tumulo ang mga luha ko dahil nagiging dahilan ito nang paglabo ng mata ko.

"Napaka-daya!" Sumigaw si Mhorein at lalong lumakas ang paghikbi.

"Hon, Calm down. Nagmamaneho ako. Please." I tried my best to focus on driving while hearing Mhorein sob again.

We got to the hospital in less than an hour, With no traffic.

Aiden was waiting outside. I saw him from the car window, Sitting down with his head on his knees.

Lumabas kami nang sasakyan at agad naman kaming napansin ni Aiden. Mabilis itong tumayo bago kami lapitan at yakapin.

"Guys, Wala na siya. Wala na si Inspector Arcilla." He cried. I pursed my lips trying not to cry with both of them.

"Asaan... Asaan siya?" Mhorein had the courage to ask.

"Nasa morge, Tara na." Nauna si Aiden. In a distance I saw a pregnant woman with another child in her arms.

"Kayo ba si Chain at Mhorein?" Tanong ng babae.

Her eyes were swollen from tears. She's standing infront of a metal door.

"Ako si Jane Arcilla, Im his wife." Mhorein was quick to give her a hug.

"Condolence... "

"Pwede po babkaming tumingin sa loob?" Tumango lang ito.

The three of us entered the room. The ambience of the room mixed in with the dim lights. Infront of us is a body covered in a while sheet.

Mhorein just stood there frozen. All of us were used to seeing dead bodies. Pero wala sa amin ang may tapang na i-angat ang tela. Ang kapal ng hangin sa paligid, Para akong nasasakal.

A couple more minutes of silence passed by until I held the end of the sheet, Slowly revealing a burnt almost unrecognizable face. The sheet fell of my hand when I got to the neck. I couldnt handle it.

"Oh my god..." Mhorein gasped and covered her mouth. Aiden immediately screamed. Both of them were crying and sobbing.

Tahimik akong umiyak. Frozen. Looking at the dead and brutally killed body of what once was someone we knew. I breathed in. Mhorein put her head on my shoulder. I felt her tears through my shirt.

Aiden kneeled down and lied his head on the metal table where Inspector George Arcilla was.

"Sir... Sir... Gumising na po kayo, Please. Sige na, Sir. Maawa na kayo sa amin." Pagmamakaawa ni Aiden kahit alam naming lahat na wala na kaming magagawa upang mangyari ito.

I held Mhorein's hand.

I felt that all of us couldnt take any more emotional hits. We were all drained, Mentally, physically and emotionally.

Even with his dead body infront of me, I couldnt fully wrap my head around what was happening. But I had a strong feeling all of this is connected to one specific person. We just to figure it out.

In my head, Im ruling out the pro's and con's of desicions I have to make at some point.

Dapat ko bang isakripisyo ang buhay ni Mhorein para sa mga taong hindi na naman namin maililigtas? Dapat ba akong maging makasarili? Kakayanin ko bang bitawan ang lahat ng ito at iwang sa ere ang mga buhay na nawala, Dahil hindi ko kakayaning si Mhorein ang mawala?

"Mhorein, Chain. Gagawin naman natin laaht diba? Diba? Guys..." Aiden looked at me, Begging. It made my thinking more biased.

"Gagawin natin ang lahat."