Kabanata 6

Kabanata 6

MATAPOS maidala ni Ramirez si Veronica sa banyo at nasigurong wala nang ibang papasok, doon lamang pumunta si Agent Romani. Ayaw na ayaw niya sa lahat ay iyong biglang sumusulpot si Veronica kapag nasa ganitong sitwasyon siya lalo at dalawang lider ang naririto. 

Who knows if Chrome is inside the place, too? Malilintikan sila ni Ramirez. Idagdag pang may mga Wildflower agents na maaaring nakakakilala kay Veronica. They'd be in big trouble! Kahit naman sabihing sinisisi niya ito sa pagdedesisyon ni Tejano na sumapi sa MI6, hindi niya ito pwedeng hayaan na lamang na mapahamak. 

He made a promise to his brother's grave that he will keep her safe as much as he can, kaya lang minsan ay matigas ang ulo at nais talaga siyang puntahan. Gumagamit ito ng koneksyon para malaman kung nasaang lupalop siya ng mundo.

Pinuno niya ng hangin ang kanyang dibdib. He needs to deceive her. Of all people, si Veronica ang numero unong kailangan niyang malinlang. Kaya nga pinalalayo niya rin ito dahil siguradong isang maling galaw, maaari siyang mabuking. Hindi nila sigurado kung nakaninong panig ba talaga si Veronica. He cannot put his identity on the line.

Tumikhim siya at tinulak ang pinto bago ito ni-lock, ngunit agad na yumapos sa kanya si Veronica mula sa likod.

He stiffened when she rested the side of her face on his back while her arms are curling around his waist as tight as possible, na tila wala itong balak na pakawalan siya.

"Emeraudo, I know you said that girls like that are part of your job but... I'm so sorry if I'm getting jealous." She sniffed. Umiiyak na naman ito. "I miss you so much. I miss my husband so much."

Umigting ang panga ni Emeraudo. She's referring to Tejano, his brother, but since Tejano used his name when he married her, it sounded like it's him who's cheating on his brother's wife. Parang kasalanan pa niya na sobrang na-attract siya kay Stelle at kahit narito na siya, gusto pa ring humakbang ng mga paa niya pabalik kay Stelle. Ano bang nangyayari sa kanya?

Sinara niya sandali ang kanyang mga mata upang ipunin sa isang sulok ang iba pang emosyong lumulukob sa kanyang puso. He needs to be in character. He needs to be the Emeraudo his brother had introduced to Veronica. The soft one. The man who never wanted his wife to get jealous on anyone.

Kinalas niya ang pagkakayakap ng mga braso nito sa kanyang baywang saka niya ito hinarap. When he finally faced her, siya na muli ang bersyon ng asawa nito. I will keep on deceiving you until you spill the truth.

Matipid niya itong nginitian saka niya kinulong ang mukha nito sa kanyang mga palad. Marahan niyang pinunasan ang mga luha sa magkabila nitong pisngi gamit ang kanyang hinlalaki bago niya hinalikan ang tuktok ng ulo nito.

She held on his wrists and gently caressed his skin. "I'm sorry if I'm too stubborn. I just wanted to see you. It's already been six months, love. I can't take it anymore." Frustrated nitong sabi.

Well you should really be sorry. You just put us both in trouble. "It's okay. It's my fault but next time, let me know if you're coming so I can secure the place. This area, it's almost impossible to get here. How were you manage to get inside?"

"I had my own ways." Hinawakan siya nito sa pisngi at masuyong hinaplos habang nakatitig sa kanyang mga mata.

Hindi alam ni Emeraudo kung bakit tila gumuhit ang kirot sa mga mata nito. Umiwas ito ng tingin at yumakap na lamang sa kanya, binabaon ang mukha sa kanyang dibdib.

"I missed you. I missed you so much."

He sighed and hugged her back. "Missed you, too but you know how hard things are right now. Didn't you see Gresso? He's here. What if he saw you? We don't even know yet who planted the tracker on your back and who really ambushed our house in Astoria. If you will keep sneaking in places like this, I'll be really mad."

Humigpit ang yakap nito sa kanya. "I'm sorry..."

Palaging ganoon. Sandaling panahon lamang siya nitong makakasama pero halos kalahati ng kabuuang masasabi nito, sorry. Puro sorry. The exact word Emeraudo actually hates. Sorry comes with a responsibility to not do the same mistake again. Para sa kanya ay tulad din ito ng tatlong salitang hindi niya pa nasasambit sa buong buhay niya. 

Tahimik siyang bumuntong hininga saka niya hinagod ang buhok nito. Ano pa nga bang magagawa niya? She knows him as the soft Emeraudo. Hindi niya maaaring sabihin dito ang mga sarili niyang prinsipyo dahil taliwas iyon sa kapatid niya.

"I'm just really worried that they'll catch you. Just stay in the shadows as much as you can and I promise you that once this is all over, I'll come for you...or, you can just tell me why people are after you. I ain't forcing you, love but," peke siyang naging malungkot bago ito hinawakan sa mga braso. "if you trust me enough, you will let me know the secrets you hold. Don't you see that this is the only thing that's keeping us apart?"

Suminghot ito. "I told you. If I'll tell another soul about what I know, we will all die." Umiling ito habang lumalandas ang mga luha. "We will die..."

"I can protect you if you will just be honest with me, please."

Umiling itong muli. "I'll keep it to myself. If you will find out on your own, it's better. I... I wanna be with you and have our own family but...I can't let the truth to be revealed by me. I can't risk more people."

Kumunot ang kanyang noo. "What do you mean?"

Lumunok ito at nanatiling tikom ang bibig. Mayamaya'y ilang kalampag sa pinto ang umalingawngaw. Napaigting ng panga si Agent Romani. Humarap siyang muli kay Veronica ngunit bigla nitong hinawakan ang kanyang ulo saka siya hinalikan sa labi.

Natigilan siya. Hindi pa rin talaga siya komportable kapag hinahalikan siya nito. Wala siyang maramdamang kahit ano. It's just a physical contact with no sparks at all.

Humiwalay ito at mapaklang ngumiti. "I'll see you again soon, my love."

She ran towards the exhaust fan. Binaklas nito iyon saka mabilis na umakyat upang doon dumaan palabas.

Bumuntong hininga si Agent Romani bago niya binalik ang pagkakasara ng exhaust fan. When he already fixed himself and removed Stelle's lipstick stains on his lips, binuksan niya ang pinto ngunit naroroon na ang magaling na myembro ng Wildflower. Sinasabi na nga ba niya.

He groaned. "Really, Tori? You really have to point your jade gun at me?"

Naningkit ang mga mata nito sa kanya. "Don't tell me you just let your wife get away? Again."

Umismid siya. "Don't preach at me, Tori. We both know what kind of skeletons you're hiding in your closet." He fixed his coat and patted her shoulder. "Enjoy the champagne, and don't let me kill your boyfriend tonight." Kinindatan niya ito saka siya nakangising nagmartsa palabas, ngunit wala pa man sa pinto ng party, umaalingawngaw na ang mga putok ng baril.

"Shit!" He ran and pressed his wristwatch to connect to his partner. "Ramirez!"

"Uh, a little help. Agatha just arrived...and she's so fucking angry at Roscoe."

Kumunot lalo ang kanyang noo kasabay ng kanyang pagbukas ng pinto. "Help with what?"

"With the artifact." 

Hinagod niya ng tingin ang nagkakagulong paligid bago niya hinugot ang kanyang custom made slim gun na nakatago sa swelas ng kanyang sapatos.

Nang makita niya si Ramirez ay tumakbo siya kaagad patungo sa direksyon nito. The Wildflowers are taking over. Umuulan ng bala at nagtatalsikan ang mga tinatamaan ng suntok at tadyak ng mga myembro nito.

He suddenly remembered Stelle. Bigla siyang kinabahan at hinanap ito sa paligid habang nakikipagpalitan siya ng putok sa mga tauhan ni Gresso at Roscoe.

"Tejano, Foda-se! What the hell are you still doing?!" Asik ni Ramirez sa kanya.

Muli siyang nagpaputok ng baril. "The girl! Have you seen her?!"

"The red haired girl? She already left so get your fucking ass over here now!"

Damn it! Ano ba kasing pakialam pa niya? Nasa gitna siya ng trabaho pero inuuna niya pang hanapin ang hindi naman bahagi ng pinunta niya rito.

They took down some men protecting the room. Nang makapasok sila, agad binalik ni Ramirez ang artifact sa case saka sila lumabas habang nagkakagulo.

Bitbit ang briefcase na naglalaman ng artifact, nakipagpalitan sila ng putok sa mga kalaban. They did their usual routine, tatakbo ang isa at cover ang isa, pagkatapos ay magpapalitan sila at ipapasa ang gamit na pinoprotektahan.

Nang malapit na sa salaming pader, binigay niya ang signal kay Ramirez. Their back up shot the walls from the outside while on a chopper. Nagtago silang pareho hanggang sa huminto ang putok, at sa senyas nila sa isa't-isa, sabay silang tumakbo patungo sa basag na pader at tumalon.

The helicopter maneuvered towards them. Humawak sila sa bakal at kumapit, at sa tulong ng mga kasamahang naroroon, sinampa sila papasok ng helicopter.

Ramirez heavily breathes out and punched his arm. "I almost died. Clary will surely kill you if I did."

Umismid siya. "As if you'll die easily. Masamang damo ka."

Ramirez sighed again and laid on the floor of the chopper. "Oh, by the way, I was lying earlier. I didn't see your flirt mate leave."

Nanlamig ang kanya buong katawan at hindi napigilang suntukin ito sa pisngi. "What the fuck!"

Ramirez chuckled. "Gago 'di ka na mabiro." He smirked in a meaningful way. "Don't tell me you're really into that woman? May asawa ka na."

Napaiwas siya ng tingin at tinanaw ang pinanggalingang lugar. As long as he's living as his dead twin brother, wanting that woman will always be cheating to other people.

Gusto na lang magmura ni Emeraudo.