Chapter Twenty Four

"Does he make you happy?"

"He makes me feel safe."

Sandaling tinitigan ni Felix ang mukha ng kapatid na dalaga bago nagpakawala ng malalim na hininga. "Go to him, I'll have to call someone."

Vodka nodded. Tumayo siya at lumakad patungo sa loob ng kusina. She leaned on the island counter and watched Eugene cooking. She felt the urge to embrace him and seek comfort from him, but she stopped herself from doing so.

He caught her staring but she did not shy away. Instead, she smiled at him faintly.

"Are you okay?" asked Eugene.

"A little," she answered honestly.

"Come here." Bahagyang hininaan ni Eugene ang apoy sa kalan at ipinaloob ang dalaga sa mga bisig nang makalapit ito.

Vodka sighed contentedly when she felt the warmth he emitted. She was certain that she really liked Eugene.

THE three of them had lunch together. Vodka was thankful that it seemed like the two men already hit it off. Felix wasn't indignant to Eugene anymore, the conversation was calmer and casual.

After lunch, they went to the underground. Eugene said that he had always been a security buff that's why he built it. It was serving its purpose now.

There were CCTVs around his property and inside his house. Vodka can understand why he had to put heavy surveillance around him, with his job, it was possible to have an enemy.

Inalis ni Eugene ang nakatakip na puting tela sa isang tila investigation board na may nakalagay na mga litrato ng iba't ibang tao, ang iba ay kilala niya.

"I had been investigating for days, since the Castillo's murder. Patrick Castillo's father is a good friend of our director, he secretly asked for his help to find his son's killer. Then the director leaves the assignment to me, I was reluctant but when I saw the pictures of the persons of interest, I decided to take it." Eugene looked at Vodka in the eye for a moment before continue speaking. "The night after your car incident happened, I received a call from the director informing me that the killer surrendered. Isabella Meyer surrendered."

Pinuno ni Vodka ng hangin ang kanyang baga bago tiningnan ang dalawang lalaking kasama niya roon sa naguguluhang mga mata. Kay Eugene na nakatayo sa gilid ng investigation board at kay Felix na nakasandig sa ibabaw ng lamesa kung nasaan ang mga naglalakihang monitor.

"I... I don't believe that she killed Patrick. She's my friend, I lived with her, I know her and I know that she's not capable of killing someone," she said almost in frantic. "Fine, I... I heard her voice that dawn. She was there at the nightclub when Patrick died, but she couldn't have do it, she... she didn't do it."

"If she did not then she'll have to prove it, the truth will prevails," saad ni Eugene ngunit ito man ay naroon ang alinlangan sa boses at mga mata.

"Let's talk about the person behind my sister's incidents!" sabat ni Felix na tila nauubusan na ng pasensiya. "No matter how hard I think about it, I know that a big group is behind it. The men I sent to protect her couldn't handle them." Seryosong sinalubong ni Felix ang mga mata ni Eugene na puno na ngayon ng determinasyon. Kapagkuwan ay tinitigan ang mga mata ng kapatid na kahit anong pilit na itago ang takot sa mga mata ay nakikita pa rin ni Felix. "Those men died, Hermana."

Vodka gasped, horrified. Then she clasped her hands together to stop them from trembling. The situation she was in was very serious, considering everything that happened. She's starting to get really worried, scared. Scared for her life and the people around her.

She looked at the two men. What if they'll die for her sake? She shook her head in agitation. "No!" wala sa loob na bulalas niya.

"Yes, Hermana! Damn it! Those men who were guarding you, they all died! Even the ones who saved you that night when you are being abducted." Felix was torn between anger, frustration and worriedness. "That's why I'm telling you to come home with me, you're safer home."

She shook her head again and looked at Felix with determination in her eyes, pushing all the negativities away. She needed to be calm and smart. "I will never be safer anywhere knowing that someone is desperate to kill me. And for what reason? I don't know!"

And she can't seemed agree to the idea of leaving Eugene. They've just met and she wanted to deepen what they have now. She'll gamble with the physical attraction he had for her.

And Eugene said he likes her and she won't refute that she likes him too. Very.

Eugene walked towards one of the monitors and did something with them. Then the next, footages appeared on the monitor.

Vodka was shocked by the things that Eugene confessed. Though she already knew what his job was, she still couldn't help herself but be astonished. He had been following her since she became part of his mission. He was monitoring her movements.

Ang unang kuha ng CCTV na ipinakita nito ay mula sa isang restaurant katapat ng Tipsy Talk. Kuha iyon noong gabing may sumira ng brake ng kanyang sasakyan. Ilang sandali paglabas niya ng sasakyan at nang makatawad sa kabilang kalye ay may lumapit sa kanyang sasakyan. That man did something to her car and manipulate the brake.

Ang isa pang footage ay alam niyang kuha mula sa CCTV cameras ng shop niya dahil sa anggulo niyon. Doon ay kitang-kita ang dalawang lalaking nakasakay ng motor na huminto sa tapat ng shop at ang ginawang pagpapaputok at ang pagtakbuhan ng mga taong dumaraan.

Ang panghuli ay kuha sa condominium building na tinitirhan niya, sa hallway ng kanyang unit. Tatlong lalaki ang puwersahang pumasok sa loob at ilang sandali ay muling lumabas.

Lahat ng mga lalaki ay hindi makilala dahil pawang nakatakip ang mga mukha. Eugene showed them those footages to point out something.

"Those men had the same tattoo! A very familiar one!" Felix blurted, frowning in confusion.

"I'm sure you heard about them..." May inilabas si Eugene na isang envelope at mula roon ay inilabas ang ilang mga larawan.

Tiningnan ni Vodka ang larawang nasa mga kamay. It was a scorpion, like the tattoos the men had.

"What has my sister got to do with them? Is all of this got to do with Piero?" wala sa loob na tanong ni Felix nang makita ang larawan. Hindi siya maaaring magkamali, kilala niya ang simbolong iyon, ang simbolo ng tattoo.

"I still don't know, I still couldn't find answers."

Marahas na napatingin si Felix sa gawi ni Eugene. "How much did you know about her?!"

"I gather information and intelligence for a living, though it was hard digging about her, I still managed to. I know a lot of things about her," Eugene answered honestly.

"I could kill you right now," si Felix bagaman ay nabawasan na ang bagsik sa boses ay matatalim pa rin ang mga matang nakatingin sa binata.

"What's happening? Am I the only one who doesn't have an idea what's happening? Care to tell me what you're talking about? This is about me, I need to know everything!" she half scream.

"Based on the tattoo, they are part of a mafia organization, a big organization that has members in different parts of the world. Different governments from different countries had attempted to catch them, some almost got them but failed in the end. They are called Guerriero Scorpione," Felix supplied.

"Guerriero Scorpione, scorpion warrior, t-that's Italian! You mean they are from an Italian mafia? P-Papá's enemies?" nanlalaki ang mga matang tanong ni Vodka.

"The organization was founded in the 1980s by a certain Italian conglomerate, in secret. At first, they only operated inside Italy but as the organization grew larger, they expanded their operation in their neighboring countries, then later dominated the illegal operations in the different parts of the globe. They became famous for their drug cartels and numerous trafficking. I still couldn't link the incidences that happened to you to your father's... job. I couldn't find a clear motive," Eugene supplied.

Nanghina si Vodka sa narinig mula kay Eugene. Her mind was exhausted of everything that was happening to her, her life turned three sixty degrees overnight. She doesn't know what to think or feel.

Things were becoming more complicated.

HINDI na mabilang ni Vodka kung pang-ilang buntung-hinanga na iyong pinakawalan niya. She wanted to sleep to give herself a breather, but she can't.

Bahagya pa siyang napapitlag nang maramdaman ang brasong biglang pumalibot sa kanyang katawan. Ni hindi niya naramdaman ang pagpasok ni Eugene sa loob ng silid at pagsampa sa kama.

Kanina, pagkatapos nilang maghapunan ay agad siyang pumasok sa loob ng silid ni Eugene. Ang dalawang lalaki naman ay nag-usap nang makaalis siya, hindi nga lang niya alam kung ano ang pinag-usapan ng mga ito.

She sighed, again, when she felt his lips on her shoulder. Then he caressed the wound that was still covered with gauze, it was almost healed.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"You know a lot of things about me," Vodka said in almost a whisper. "You know my papá."

Ilang sandaling natahimik si Eugene bago sumagot, "You mad at me?"

Vodka shook her head. Tumihaya siya ng higa at sinalubong ang mga mata ni Eugene. Nakatagilid itong nakahiga sa kanyang tabi, ang isang siko ay nakatukod sa unan at ang ulo ay nakapatong sa ibabaw ng kamay. Umangat ang isang kamay ng dalaga at marahang isinuklay ang mga daliri sa makapal nitong buhok.

"You're not... disgusted at me?"

"Why?" Eugene asked, frowning.

"I'm my father's daughter, Gin."

"I like you, it doesn't matter whose daughter you are. You're different from him, you're you."

Lihim na nakahinga ng maluwag si Vodka dahil sa sinabi nito. Hindi pinigilan ni Vodka ang sarili sa gustong gawin habang nakatingin dito. Hinila niya ang buhok ni Eugene upang mapalapit ito sa kanya at agad na sinakop ang mga labi nito. He groaned and answered her almost frantic kisses. Vodka was kissing him aggressively, her other hand went to his chest and explored his body in a rough way.

Gumawa ng landas ang kamay ni Vodka patungo sa kaselanan ni Eugene ngunit bago pa iyon makarating sa pinatutunguhan ay hinuli iyon ng binata. Bahagyang inilayo ni Eugene ang mukha ngunit mariin siyang hinila ni Vodka at muling pinaglapat ang kanilang mga labi.

"Hey, hey." Hinawakan ni Eugene sa balikat ang dalaga upang bahagyang mailayo sa kanya. Nagsalubong ang kanilang mga mata, nawala ang pagkakasalubong ng mga kilay ni Eugene nang makita ang pagkikislapan ng mga sulok ng mga mata ni Vodka.