Chapter Twenty Two

Vodka slammed the door, hard, when she entered Eugene's room, then she locked it.

Sumampa siya sa kama at marahas na pinahiran ang luhang pumapatak mula sa kanyang mga mata. She doesn't cry without a reason. She was so angry with Eugene, but she hated herself for being hurt because of what he did.

Sa simula pa lang ay alam na nito kung sino siya, hindi niya alam kung hanggang saan ang nalalaman nito tungkol sa kanya pero nasisiguro niyang mlalim iyon. Malinaw niyang narinig ang sinabi ng lalaki sa kabilang linya, misyon lang siya ni Eugene. Marahil ay isa itong alagad ng batas at may kinalaman sa pagkakapatay kay Patrick Castillo ang tangi niyang naiisip na dahilan upang lapitan siya nito.

Pagkalipas ng ilang sandali ay narinig ni Vodka ang mga katok at ang boses ni Eugene sa kabilang panig ng pinto. Subalit hindi niya ito pinansin at nagtalukbong ng kumot. She doesn't want to see him now, she was mad and in pain.

KINABUKASAN ay maagang bumangon si Vodka, agad siyang pumasok sa walk-in closet ni Eugene dahil naroon ang kanyang mga damit. Inimpake niya iyon at nakasukbit sa balikat ang travelling bag na lumabas ng silid.

Hindi niya pinansin o tinapunan man lang ng tingin ang binatang nakahiga sa mahabang sofa na nakaharap sa salaming dingding. Tuloy-tuloy siyang lumabas ng bahay. Ngunit hindi pa man siya nakakalayo ay naabutan na siya ni Eugene at pinigilan sa braso.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Let go of me, Mr. Lorenzo. I'm leaving," she uttered coldly.

"No! You're not leaving! Hindi ka ba nag-iisip? Someone's out there who is desperate to kill you! The moment you walk out here, you'll die!" Eugene snarled. The dogs from nearby, who witnessed their heated argument, barked at them.

"I'd rather die than to stay here with a lying manipulative bastard! I hate you, Eugene Lorenzo!" she cried. She couldn't contain the trembling of her voice.

"I'm just trying to protect you!"

"Protect me?! By what? By not telling me the truth?!" Sabay duro niya sa dibdib nito. "That you already know me before all these things happen, that you approached me for a reason, that I am only your mission!" Her voice broke and a hot stream of grief poured from her eyes. She wiped them harshly. "Stop obsessing with that woman! Your assignment with her is already done! That's what your superior exactly said. You're done with me, Eugene, let me leave!"

Lumambot ang ekspresyon sa mukha ni Eugene nang makita ang luhaang mukha ng dalaga. He pulled her closer and enveloped her in a tight embrace. Hindi niya ito pinayagang makawala sa pagkakayapos niya kahit bayuhin pa nito ang kanyang dibdib.

For the third time, Vodka let herself cried in Eugene's arms. Nang bahagyang humupo ang damdamin ay itinulak niya ito ngunit kagaya kanina ay ayaw siya nitong pakawalan. Tumingala siya kay Eugene at sinalubong ang mga mata nito.

"I want to go home," she uttered weakly.

"No! You're staying here. You're staying with me, I won't let you anywhere but here," Eugene said with conviction.

"I'm not your responsibility. I know what is good for myself and you don't own me, Eugene Lorenzo!"

"I'm making it my responsibility because I like you!" Eugene announced and shook her body as if he was trying to put some sense on her head, making Vodka astound and lost for words.

"N-no..."

"Yes! I like you, Vodka Rodríguez... Hermosa..." Eugene's voice softened and caress her cheek. Her mouth was slightly agape, her eyes were filled with confusion and disbelief.

Then Vodka started to became angry to mask the overwhelming emotions in her chest. "You're lying! You're a liar, stop-" Vodka's next words were trapped in Eugene's mouth when he captured her lips.

It only took a minute or two for Vodka to stop resisting and answered his kisses while tears brimmed from the corners of her eyes.

"IT'S NOT my intention to fool you, or hide the truth, I have no choice. You have to believe me-"

"That's not what I want to hear, Eugene," she said formally. "Who are you? Why are you doing this? How did I become your mission? Is Eugene really your name? Answer me!"

"Okay," he conceded and raise both his hands in defeat. "For the record, everything you know about me is real, I am Eugene Lorenzo, Tammy and Matthew are my siblings and Jasper's my friend. The first time we met in Tipsy Talk, it wasn't staged, I have no idea that time that you will become my mission the next day." He paused for a moment then sighed. "I am a secret agent of the NBI, my identity is hidden and well protected. I gather pieces of information that the government needed to protect the country, I often go on undercover missions, staged as a member of a terrorist group, a street vendor, a janitor, a human trafficker...

"I've been doing this job for six years now. A year after I've graduated law, I decided to be a secret agent, I'm still practicing law but I only take cases when I don't have a mission, I'm one of the medical lawyers in Lorenzano Medical Center."

Vodka was in awe, the things she knew about Eugene were only the tip of the iceberg. She didn't know that he's a lawyer and a secret agent. "How old are you?" And she doesn't know his age.

"Thirty-three."

"You're old!" she hissed, making him astound.

"Am I supposed to be insulted?" he asked in amusement.

"You're thirty-three and I'm twenty-four..." Vodka said instead of answering his question. "I had sex with an old man," she added, mostly to herself.

"Now, I feel insulted. Thirty-three isn't that old, hell, I'm not old. And besides, age is just a number." They both smiled at Eugene's cliché remarks. "It doesn't matter, what matters now is I like you and I'll do everything to keep you safe."

The smile on Vodka's face die down, her face softened when he caressed her cheek. "You can't like me, Gin."

"I already do. I like you. Very much. I know that it is too soon, but I know myself better than anyone."

Vodka kept on staring at his eyes, and she can't see a hint that he's lying in them. He was staring at her the way a man stared at the woman he likes.

Isang tunog ang kumuha ng kanilang pansin. Mula iyon sa relo ni Eugene, katunog iyon ng isang alarm clock. There was also a red blinking light on his watch.

"Stay here," Eugene told her in an alarm voice. Umalis ito mula sa pagkakaupo sa ibabaw ng sofa, tumalungko at may kung anong kinuha mula sa ilalim ng sofa.

Nangunot ang noo ni Vodka nang makitang ang itim na brief case na inilabas nito, hindi niya alam na may ganoon pala sa ilalim. Ang pangungunot ng kanyang noo ay napalitan ng pagsinghap nang makita ang laman niyon. That brief case was a gun case. Isang baril ang inilabas nito roon at nilagyan ng bala ang magazine.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Stay here," mariing ulit ni Eugene. He kissed her forehead before going out of the house, leaving Vodka dumbfounded.

Napatayo si Vodka at nagpalakad lakad sa sala. Hindi niya alam ang gagawin. Eugene told her to stay there but she was worried.

Hindi siya nakinig at lumabas ng bahay pasunod dito. Napakalawak ng lawn kaya hindi siya kaagad nakarating sa gate kung saan nakita niyang lumabas si Eugene kanina. So she ran.

Dahan-dahan niyang itinulak ang nakaawang na pantaong-gate na hindi nakasarado at lumabas. Napasinghap siya nang makita ang dalawang lalaking parehong ay hawak na baril at nakatutok sa isa't isa.

"Put your guns down for Pete's sake!"

"Go back inside, Vodka!" mariing utos ni Eugene habang hindi pa rin inaalis ang tingin sa lalaking nalabasan niya kanina.

Humakbang palapit si Vodka sa dalawa at hinawakan ang braso ni Eugene. "He's my brother," she said and Eugene looked at her, frowning. Pagkatapos ay muling tumingin si Eugene lalaking kaharap, nang mabistahan ng mabuti ang itsura nito ay ibinaba ng binata ang baril na hawak. Ngunit hindi si Felix na nanatiling nakatutok ang baril.

"What did you do to her?" Felix asked dangerously and pulled Vodka's arm.

Napangiwi si Vodka dahil sa ginawa ng nakatatandang kapatid. Inilayo siya nito kay Eugene.

Nagtagis ang mga bagang ni Eugene nang makita ang ginawa ni Felix kay Vodka at muling itinutok ang baril kay Felix. "Let go of her arm, you're hurting her!"

"You don't get to tell me what to do with my own sister!" Felix answered with the same anger.

Hinawakan ni Vodka ang kamay ng kapatid na nakahawak sa kanyang braso at marahas iyong binaklas. "Go on! Kill each other! Idiotas!" naiinis niyang aniya at nagmartiya paalis. Muli siyang pumasok sa loob ng gate at naglakad papasok ng bahay habang walang tigil sa kamumura sa dalawang lalaki.

Umupo siya sa sofa at humalukipkip. Hinintay niyang pumasok ang kapatid at si Eugene sa loob ng gate. Masama pa rin ang pagkakatingin ni Felix kay Eugene, ngunit tila kalmado na ang huli. Pinanood niya ang dalawa hanggang sa pumasok sila sa loob ng bahay.

"Get up, I'll take you with me. We'll go home," Felix said with conviction in Spanish.

Biglang naalarma si Vodka sa sinabi nito. Isang lang ang tangi niyang naiisip sa binanggit nitong salitang home, it's in Bogota, Colombia. "No! I'm staying here, you know I can't go back to Colombia, I won't."

"You're not safe here! Someone's after you and you didn't know if this asshole can be trusted!" Felix snarled, trying to put some sense on his sister's stubborn head.

Eugene who was in one corner, watching the two who were arguing in Spanish, felt alarmed and pissed at the same time. He had been studying Spanish these past few days and he can now understand the language though he wasn't that fluent in speaking.

"She's staying," sabat niya. "This is the safest place for her now. I'll make sure of that." Eugene didn't cower and stared at Vodka's brother in the eyes. Felix's eyes were blazing in controlled anger.

"Yeah? You'll make her safe, a prey like you will make my sister safe!" from sarcasm and back to anger. "And you'll ask for her body in exchange!"

Nakita ni Eugene ang pagtaas ng baril ni Felix ngunit hindi siya kumurap o kumilos man lang, hanggang sa ipaputok nito ang baril.