Emperyo Lazaro

07:

" Anong nasagap mong impormasyon sa Villa? " sabi ng aking amo.

" sinabi ho ng anak ninyo kay Ephraim na balak ninyo daw ho sila patayin. Sabi din ho ng anak- "

" Wala akong anak na bastardo! Wala akong anak sa labas! " giit nito at inihagis ang kopita.

" nakita ka ba nila? nahalata ka ba nila? " sabi nito pagkatapos nito sumindi ng sigarilyo.

He inhales and exhales, the smoke coming out of his nose and mouth, his breath smells of nicotine as well.

" Are you gonna answer? Or does it have to go the vile way again, hija? "

he puffs out another smoke, nananadya talaga.

" n-nakita ho ako, señor. "

his eyes are in rage, and screams terror, pero 'di niya ito pinahalata ng gaano.

He went to his desk and grabbed the gun. Alam kong doon nakatago iyon dahil ginalaw ko na ang desk nito dahil sa pinapahanap niyang blueprint ng Villa.

" you've failed me twice, and now you chose to fail me again? Only a miracle can save you now. " ramdam ko ang nguso ng baril sa gilid ng ulo ko.

" give me one good reason to spare your life. Now. "

I froze, hindi ako makaimik, nanginginig ako sa takot.

" you can't kill, Lucius. Alam mo yan. Hanggang salita ka lang. "

Nakatutok parin saakin ang baril, pero hearing the shrill voice of a woman gave me hope. Umaatras din pala bayag nito ni Lucius.

" Ima! What are you doing here? " binaba niya ang baril sabay inihagis sa gilid.

" Iko, alam kong 'di mo kayang pumatay, that's why you let your minions do the dirty work for you. Takot ka sa dugo. " the woman, Ima as he call it, said.

" Come on, 'neng. Have a tea with me downstairs. " ani ng matandang babae, she looks inviting pero wala parin ako tiwala sa pamilyang 'to.

" naku, hindi na po. I have some errands to do pa po, pero thank you for the offer. " pagkuwan ay umalis na ako.

That was a close call of death.

" Kira! " Manang Elaine calls.

" bakit po? " sagot ko. Baka 'di nanaman ako pansinin neto.

" Pinapatawag ka ng Uncle mo. Punta ka na sa study room. "

Tanging tango na lamang ang nasagot ko, dahil pinagtutulak na ko ni Manang na pumunta na roon at sa dahil na maiksi ang pasensya ng Uncle.

Upon going up the stairs, i can't help but reminisce the horrid past events that occur in this very household.

Watching how my parents died, seeing my Uncle even beg to spare my Mother's life and just take his.

Seeing the faces of the vile murderers who killed my parents and my ambition to go further in life died with them.

" You didn't kill them, Kira. Get ahold of yourself. Hindi ikaw ang pumatay sakanila. " i heard my Uncle's plea in my head, when he saw me almost pulling the trigger of the gun.

At age 8, i tried to kill myself. To set my mind in peace and to loose the grudges, Uncle Ephraim told me there was another way.

And that was to search for the people who killed my parents.

The people who killed my ambition.

" Kira? Are you all right? "

It was Uncle, he got his hand in my shoulder.

" thinking about Mira and Cairo, again? "  he pertains to my parents.

" I didn't help them, kung tinulungan ko man lang kayo, buhay pa sana sila ngayon. " i said, this is the only time i get to be this vulnerable in front of him.

" Kira, walong taong anyos ka lang noon. 21 ka na. It's been 18 years since the incident. Hindi pa tapos ang paghahanap natin sa mga hayop na yon. "

" then why are you so hard on me? "

Napatingin lamang ito sakin, nag-iisip ata ng explanation.

" long before they pass, they already want you to take over the family legacy. That's why i'm hard on you, tignan mo ako, wala akong sinasanto na mga kumpanya, kung umalis sila, edi umalis sila, kumpanya ba natin ang babagsak? Hindi diba. " he said, looking at the large portait of my parents.

" What about the underground business? Who will take care of it? "

" i will still manage it. Pero the Lazaro Group of Companies will be yours. Siguro one day, ipapatigil ko na ang operasyon ng drug business na mayroon tayo. " sabi ni Uncle.

This is the only time that i got to talk to him like this, not grumpy, or high. Just him. Ephraim Lazaro as a sober human being.

" For the better good, right? " i said, this time nakatingin na ako sa kaniya. This is the only time na napansin ko na may hawig sila ni Mommy, the eyes and nose says it all. Hindi malayo sabihin na magkapatid sila.

" yes, hija. For the better good. "

For our better good.