Chapter 4

Leo Saldivar

Leo didn’t know what to feel and what to do. Hindi pa rin pumapasok sa isip niya na ang babaeng hinahanap nila ay pinsan niya pala. Walang kahit na anong nabanggit ang ama niya tungkol sa mga kamag-anak niya mula sa side nito. Halos lahat ay sa ina lang niya at pinagsisihan niya na ngayon niya lang ito nalaman. 

“Cris is missing. What the hell?” utas niya. Pumasok  ulit sa isip niya ang babaeng sumigaw mula sa basement ng bahay nila.

“Oh damn it! Please tell me I’m wrong.” He’s thinking if the girl in the basement was his cousin. He got to see Cris once but it was in the picture and she’s facing the other side.

He sighed once again and saw himself driving towards Daniel’s house. He's gonna tell them what he heard and saw. His thoughts are clouding up but it only leads to the thought that she’s being imprisoned, in his own basement.

“F-ck,” In a couple of minutes, he reached Daniel’s condo unit. After three knocks, his friend showed up in his pajamas and sleepy eyes.

“The f-uck, Leo. It’s already midnight and what are you doing here? Hindi ba pwedeng bukas na lang ‘yan?” He yawned and was ready to close the door but he stopped him and entered his room without his permission before he talked.

“About my dad,” Sandaling mariing napapikit si Daniel bago bumuntonghininga.

“Okay,” Dumiretso sa sala si Leo habang kumuha naman ng maiinom si Daniel.

“What about your father?” Humugot ng malalim na hininga si Leo bago nagsalita.

“In our basement, I heard a girl screamed for help when I was about to go out and when I go back, I see no one. That’s the first time I got there,” Mula sa pagkakatitig sa magkasalikop na kamay ay tinignan niya si Daniel na nakatingin sa iniinom nito. “I don’t want to assume anything but I just can’t. Naiisip ko na baka ang --,” Matunog na ibinaba ni Daniel ang baso niya sa lamesa dahilan para matigilan si Leo sa balak na sabihin.

“You’re trying to tell me that your cousin might be in your basement?” seryosong tanong nito.

He nodded. “Yeah, but I’m not sure,” He heard him cursing and turned his head a little bit. “When did that happen?” Daniel asked.

“Remember the day I called you Dan and asked how’s the company? It was that day,” Leo just looked at him but he showed no emotion. It seems like he knows already that something is bothering him.

“Don’t tell me that your dad knocks on your door that day?” He just bowed his head and felt guilty. He can’t deny it since it’s true.  

“Why now?” Daniel asked in a low but serious tone. 

“I’m afraid that Dad has ears anywhere that could get us into trouble,” Leo said.

“We’re already in trouble, Leo. If you think that I, or our other friends, might do something to your father then think again. Your father wouldn’t let you go there if it’s not important for you to see, right?” Daniel said as a matter of fact but Leo just couldn’t feel at ease.

“Stop worrying about him. He will not get hurt,” pagpapakalma pa ni Daniel.

“Thanks. I know my father isn’t like that. He’s not a murderer,” Iyon ang pilit na sinisiksik niya sa isip niya para hindi na mag-isip ng kung ano-ano. “I’ve got to go. I’ll tell these tomorrow to others, don’t worry,” He said while smiling.

“Alright. Drive safely,” Iyon lang ang sinabi ni Daniel at agad na ring umalis ang kaibigan.

Daniel Lee

Paglabas nito ay imbis na bumalik sa pagkakahiga ay dumiretso sa kanyang study room. Humarap siya sa door knob na nasa loob, hinawakan iyon at itinaas at mula doon ay makikita ang kulay berde na pindutan. He pushed the button and from the door’s side, the wall open and showed a down stairs. 

He entered the room and the lights are automatically opened. Lahat ng gamit ay may taklob. Magabok at marumi ang paligid. Ang mga ilaw sa kisame ay halos hindi na maaninag dahil sa mga dumi na nakabalot dito. Matagal na niyang hindi ito nabibisita dahil simula ng lumipat sila sa basement ni Tim ay doon na sila namalagi.

Mula ng makatanggap siya muli ng impormasyon sa pagkawala ng dalaga ay naisip na niya ang pagpaplano pero ngayon lang siya nagka-oras ulit. He go near the furnitures and moved the fabric that’s covering it. Dahan-dahan niyang inilagay sa gilid ang telang marumi at inilibot ang paningin sa lugar na madalas niyang tambayan noon. 

Yes, he was focused on achieving his goals and rejecting Cris was part of it but he never said that he didn’t like her. He just wanted to be perfect, successful and worthy of her affection and that time isn’t the right time for both of them. 

The room he’s standing right now witnessed how he loved Cris before and until now. His friends didn’t know it because it was well hidden.

He walked near a thick frame and with all of his strength, he pushed it and the frame automatically moved backward and another frame coming from the upper wall showed. It’s the compilation of his pictures that he captured with Cris in it. He really took the pictures secretly and he made it as her inspiration and motivation to be what he is now.

And now she’s missing, he needs to plan how to get her back. Nang mawala ang dalaga ay hindi na natahimik ang isip niya sa kakaisip ng posibleng nangyari rito kaya ngayong may impormasyon na sila ay hindi na niya patatagalin pa. If his plan didn’t work out, he will proceed to plan b which is to coordinate with his team. 

He knows that he should be with his team but he insisted that he should do this alone first. Hindi na niya nakausap ang mga kaibigan tungkol dito at alam naman niyang malalaman rin nila ito mula sa namumuno ng organisasyon nila.

Katulad sa una niyang ginawa ay muli niyang itinulak ang frame nilang dalawa ng dalaga patalikod at lumabas mula sa taas ang frame na may rosas sa loob. 

Lumapit siya sa board na nasa harapan, hinawakan mula sa baba at inikot niya patalikod. Showing the green board he used to post his plan for whatever he’s planning. Ngayon ay gagamitin na niya ulit ito, hindi sa organisasyon niya kung ‘di para sa paghahanap kay Cris. 

He started putting different colors of post-it notes on the board.

“She’s in the basement,” He wrote the phrase ‘Cris on the basement’ in a white post-it note.

 He’s now thinking of who will be might connected in her case. Kinuha niya ang chalk na nakatago sa drawer niya at isa-isang inilista ang mga posibleng kasangkot, nangunguna na roon ang ama ng kaibigan niya.

He located their house and plot where he should go when he entered the basement. Since he knows his friends’ house well because he’s been there, he put a color red dot on the secret passage indicating that it’s the way to go out if things go smoothly as he planned. Blue dot for the entrance of the house and green dot for the emergency exit. Pagkatapos niyang magplano ay pumunta siya sa likurang bahagi kung saan siya pumasok. Doon nakahilera ang iba’t-ibang uri ng baril na nagagamit niya sa bawat misyon nila. Kumuha siya ng isang Beretta M9A3 FNX-45 Tactical na parehong may silencer at puno ang lalagyanan ng bala.

Itinabi niya muna ito at lumabas ng silid. He goes straight to his walking closet. He changed his clothes and changed it to a gray v-neck shirt and tight pants. Nagsuot siya ng body bag at ang laman ay ang telepono, pera, card at ilang smoke bomb kung sakaling habulin sila ay madali silang makakalabas dahil sa usok.

Tinignan niya ang relo. “12:45 na, siguradong tulog pa sila.” Kilala naman siya ng mga gwardya kaya sigurado siyang papapasukin siya sa loob. Nang pumatak ang 12:50 ay isinukbit na niya body bag, inilagay sa likod ng pantalon ang mga baril at kinuha ang susi sa lamiseta ng kwarto niya. 

Mabilis siyang nakalayo sa condo niya at pinaharurot ang sasakyan papunta sa bahay ng kaibigan. Kampante siyang wala roon si Leo dahil inaasahan na niyang nasa bar ito at doon nag-iinom dahil gano’n ang gawain nito kapag may problema o ‘di kaya ay nakapagsabi na ng problema.

 “As usual,” ani niya ng makita ang mga gwardya na nakabantay sa labas ng gate. Iyon ang madalas na nakakausap at nakikita niya. Tumigil siya sa harap ng gate at lumapit sa kanya ang isa sa mga gwardya.

“Oh! Sir Lee? Hating gabi na po ah, ano pong pakay nila?” tanong ng gwardya.

“May usapan kami ni Mr. Lee about sa share na hold ng anak niya. Nandyan ba si Leo?” 

“Wala dito si Sir. Daddy niya lang. Sige po, pasok na po kayo.” Katulad ng inaasahan ay madali nga lang siyang nakapasok. Ipinarada niya ang sasakyan sa harap ng bahay at hindi na siya nag-abalang pang ayusin ang pwesto ng sasakyan dahil mabilis lang siya.

He ringed the bell three times until a maid show up. “Oh iho? Anong ginagawa mo dito ng ganitong oras? Aba’y madaling araw na.” Nginitian niya lang ang matanda atsaka tumuloy sa pagpasok sa loob ng bahay.

“Nang, Sir Lee told me to bring food to the basement. Is it ready?” Hindi niya alam kung sinuswerte siya sa araw na ‘yon dahil napangiti ito at sinabing may pagkain ngang pinahanda.

“Hanggang doon ka lang sa gate, iho. Ibigay mo na lang iyan sa mga bantay doon,” saktong-sakto ang mga bagay na dala niya at tingin niya ay hindi siya mahihirapang sagipin ito roon.

“Where’s the entrance to the basement?” tanong niya sa matanda.

“Kumaliwa ka sa kusina at may pintuan na kulay brown doon malapit sa pintuan ng banyo,” sabi nito habang itinuturo ng kamay ang direksyon.

He said thank you before holding the tray and started walking. While he’s on his way to the basement, he’s still thinking of other possibilities from saving her and escaping with her. Sa iniisip na baka hindi maganda ang datnan niya roon ay pasimpleng napakuyom ang kamay niya na nakahawak sa tray ng mga pagkain. They better not hurt her or hell will pay for what they’ve done.