Tease Out the Truth

Kabanata XXII: Before the Storm Hits

Chris

"How did they know that we're here?" nagtatakang tanong ni Dave.

Napatingin kaming apat sa dalawa na maging sila ay naguguluhan na.

"Hindi niyo ba sila sinabihan?" Zanaya asked.

Dave shook his head and looked at the student council members who were approaching us now.

"So it must be Terrence?" hindi siguradong banggit ni Zanaya, "But why?"

"Imposible. Bakit naman niya sasabihin?" Arya speculated.

Nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad ngunit iba ang kutob ko sa mga nangyayari lalo na't nandito na naman ang pinsan ni Zanaya na always present na yata sa lahat ng mga cases na hinawakan namin. And Zanaya was always involved. He must be really concerned. But how did he know that we were here? Who told him? Or did he find a way to track down his cousin?

Lumapit siya agad kay Lopez at sinuri pa kung may galos pa ito. Nang makuntento na ay napasulyap siya sa amin.

"Bakit hindi niyo agad sinabi sa amin na dinukot na pala ang pinsan ko? Paano kung may nangyari sa kanyang masama?"

Mariin itong nakatitig kay Dave. Hindi naman nagpatinag ang isa at inayos pa ang tindig nito.

"I don't want to ruin our plan. I don't trust the coveted student council organization. What if there's someone in your group who would turn down everything? I can't just disclose information to anyone," Dave countered with conviction.

Iyon na yata ang pinakamahabang tinalak ni Dave. Grabe naman yata ang effort niya para magpaliwanag sa pinsan ni Zan.

"But I'm her cousin, I deserve to know."

Nakita kong hinawakan ni Zanaya sa braso ang presidente para pigilan na ito.

"Kuya, enough. I'm fine. By the way, how did your group found out that we're here?"

Natuon ang atensyon namin sa tanong na iyon.

Nico stepped forward and being the president himself, he seemed like he's about to give his State of the School Address. Kulang na lang ang platform.

"I'm the president. I have lots of connection. A reliable source told me that my cousin was abducted and so we began searching for her."

"Si Terrence ba ang reliable source mo?" biglang tanong ni Arya.

Nagulat kami sa tanong ni Arya. What was she trying to say? That Terrence guy want to be caught? Or was she suspecting that Nico was involved with Terrence the other way around? I didn't want to entertain the thought.

"Terrence? Is he one of the School paper staffs?"

"Yes," si Zanaya na ang sumagot.

"He's not my source," kaagad na sagot ng pinsan niya.

"Then who?"

"Mang Pio, the janitor. Kahit tanungin niyo pa siya."

Naniwala naman kami dahil sa maayos naman ang lahat. He's just concerned after all.

Zanaya must be so important to him to the point that he would do everything just to keep her safe. She's lucky to have a cousin like him. I know for a fact that she's just an only child and her childhood days must be sad. Nevertheless, I didn't see anything that's unusual to her, or am I just too blind to see?

Ilang buwan na rin ang nakalilipas mula nang dumating si Zanaya sa paaralang ito, at ni minsan, hindi pa siya nag-open up sa amin. Kaya naman, isang misteryo pa rin sa amin ang totoong siya. Tanging si Dave lang yata ang may alam sa kapiraso ng pagkatao niya.