Chapter 33: Revealed

~RYU~

I always tell myself that I fear no one but my body contradicts that statement as of now. Bilang ang mga hakbang ko patungo sa silid kung nasaan si Homer Vander. Sa tuwing dinadalaw niya kami noong mga bata pa lamang kami ay nababalot ng takot ang buong mansion. I never thought that he still has the same effect on me ngayong malaki na ako.

“What does that old man wants from you?” tanong ng pinsan kong si Cooler. Nakatayo siya sa labas ng pinto at tila inaabangan talaga ako.

I sighed. “I don’t know,” sagot ko sa kanya at tinapik ang kanyang balikat. “I suggest you should leave.” I have the slightest idea of why he wants to see me. Hindi iyon dahil sa kabastusan ko kanina na bigla-bigla na lamang umalis sa meeting. I know this matter is different so I need Cooler to leave.

He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll back you up like we always do kapag dumarating siya dati.”

Ihindi ko maiwasan ang mapangiti. We used to call old man Homer as monster na sa tuwing darating siya dati ay kailangan naming iback-up ang isa’t-isa. “I can handle this matter,” sagot ko sa kanya.

He sighed deeply bago tumango at nakapamulsang umalis doon. Tinanaw ko siya habang papalayo. May ideya kaya si cooler sa pagiging bahagi ko ng Lupin? Cooler has an advance way of thinking. Siguro iyon ang namana niya sa ama. He has good preempting skills and he always read the situation well. Not to mention that he has a strong gut feel.

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa doorknob. I counted three bago tuluyan iyong binuksan. Ang unang natanaw ko ay ang matandang nakaupo sa harap ng mesa. His wrinkled face screams authority kahit pa lumpo siya. His smirk exudes wickedness.

“Ryu, apo,” makahulugang wika niya. “How have you been?”

“I’m good. Can we get straight to the point here?” diretsahang wika ko sa kanya.

The old man laughed like crazy. “I like that attitude Ryu, so much suitable as a Vander. I know you know why I called you here.”

I stood unmoved. “I have no idea,” pagmamang-maangan ko.

Tumawa ulit siya at inilapag ang isang sobre sa mesa. My forehead creased before I took a step forward at inabot ang sobre. Nang buksan ko iyon ay naglalaman iyon ng mga lumang larawa ng tatlong tao.

“The Black Diamond,” wika niya. “That’s the Black Diamond.”

Napaawang ang mga labi ko habang tinitingnan ang mga larawan. I think I know exactly who the youngest man in the photographs. Nalipat ang tingin ko sa mga larawan sa kanya. “Bahagi ka ng Black Diamond?”

Homer laughed casually. “How do you think I was able to establish our line of business this big without funds? Unlike you, I’m not born with a silver spoon on my mouth. I worked hard to steal with the Black Diamond. I worked harder to establish the mafia.”

Biglang pumasok sa isipan ko ang sinabi sa amin ni Mimo. The Black Diamond is consists of the members Jack, Ace and Clover. Clover killed Jack and he wanted everything for himself.

“Ikaw si Clover?”

“Hello, hello.”

I drew out more air. “And you killed the other members.”

“What can I do? Gusto nilang magpakabayani. They will steal items to distribute it to the needy? Meh, I didn’t sweat and risk my life to become Robinhood.” Old Homer rested his head and looked straight to me.

“You’re brothers!” I hissed at him. Paano niya naatim na patayin ang kanyang kapatid?

“Not by blood,” sagot niya. “Sila lamang ni Ace ang magkapatid even though they always tell me na kapatid na rin nila ako. Basing on the attitude, I am different from them. Wala akong balak na magpakahero gaya ng gusto nila. Huwag mong sabihin na iyon din ang intensyon mo kaya mo pinasok ang Lupin?”

I cocked an eyebrow. “You know much about us? Ikaw ba ang Nakatataas?”

He shook his head kasabay ng pag-iling. “If I would have think about recruiting you in a group sooner before whoever did, edi sana ay hindi na umabot sa ganito. ”

“Kung gayon ay sino? At bakit ang dami mong alam tungkol sa amin?” alam kong dahil sa pagpapakilalang ginawa ko ay marami na ang nakakakilala sa Lupin but Homer’s knowledge is more than what I broadcasted.

“Do not underestimate a Vander, Ryu,” sagot niya sa akin. “I have my ways. Now the reason why I called you here is simple. Do your things as a Vander.”

Malakas ang kutob ko na hindi ko magugustuhan ang nais niyang ipaabot sa akin. My fist slowly clenched but I maintain my cool. “Anong ibig mong sabihin?”

“Simple lamang apo. Do your thing as the hacker of Lupin but at the end of the day, make sure the linchpin is with you and then we will find the rest of the valuables.”

Hindi makapaniwalang tumawa ako sa sinabi niya. “You mean you want me to betray the members just like what you did to the Black Diamond?” tanong ko sa kanya. Hindi ko na kailangang itanong iyon dahil tiyak kong iyon naman talaga ang nais niya but I need to hear it straight from him.

“Ryu, Ryu, Ryu,” he sang my name as he moved his wheelchair towards my direction. “The world is small and consists of two kind of people- mga taong kailangan ng kayamanan at mga taong hipokrito. And I am not a hypocrite. I am certain I can use it all well.”

Hindi agad ako nakapagsalita. I was disgusted to his idea. Yes I am wicked at times but I never betray my team. Not even the people around me. Betrayal is one of the worst that things that can happen to someone. And I don’t want that to happen to me.

“Kung hindi lang sana tinutulan ni Jack ang nais ko, he would have been my partner in underground business. Sa aming tatlo, si Jack ang pinakamatalino. He thinks ahead of time and I envied such intelligence. And you know what? Hindi lamang mga valuables at buhay ang kinuha ko kay Jack. Even his ideas. He wanted to create an organization that aims to help the poor and in need. An anonymous organization na makikilala lamang dahil sa Greek codenames nila at dahil sa pagtulong nila,” wika niya. “That was a very great idea except the objective.”

I gritted my teeth. “Now I know why Vander Mafia is coded in Greek deities.”

Mahinang tumango ang matanda. “Now back to the reason why you’re here, you have to find the everything ahead of everyone. Be it Lupin or Lupin III.”

“Napabuga ako ng hangin. “You really know so much. Maging ang mga impostor ay kilala mo.”

Homer laughed. “I have a reliable source. Go find the linchpin.”

Nagpakawala ako ng hilaw na tawa. “I thought you know a lot about us. Hindi ba nasabi ng “reliable source” mo na hindi namin mahanap ang linchpin na ito? All we know is that her name is Victoria.”

Homer let out a smirk. “That’s because you’re on the wrong track. The kid is not named Victoria. Her name is N. Jack’s daughter is named N.”

Mas lalo lamang napakunot ang noo ko. “N? You saw her before?”

Homer shook his head. “I didn’t. Sa tingin ko ay may ideya na si Jack na papatayin ko siya noong pinuntahan ko siya sa bahay niya kaya tinago niya ang anak niya.”

My teeth dug deeper on my lower lip as I tried to digest everything he said. Naguguluhan ako sa sinasabi niya. “Then how do you know that the kid’s name is N?”

“Apo, mukhang hindi na matalas ang memorya mo. Of course, you played with her that day and you asked her name,” he sighed as he shook his head. “You seem to forgot a lot of things after the accident with your mother.”

I don’t know what to think right now. Everything is just so confusing.

~SA-EL~

Naramdaman ko ang mga luha sa mata ko habang pilit kong inaabot ang lalamunan ko. I pressed my finger inside at biglang nasuka. I throw up on top of the table at agad kong hinanap mula sa inilabas ko ang maliit na memory card. Nang makita ko iyon ay mahigpit na hinawakan ko iyon at humarap sa laptop ko.

I need to prove myself well lalong-lalo na kay V. Gusto ko rin ipamukha sa iba na hindi ako ang taksil sa team. Yep, I mostly play while on the work but my loyalty is never impaired. Inaasahan ko na ang laman ng memory card na ito ay mga files pero natigilan ako nang mapagtantong video iyon ng pag-uusap ng congressman at taong hindi ko makita ang mukha dahil nasa dilim. I cracked my knuckles before I played the video.

“Hindi biro ang halaga ng yaman na makukuha natin kung sasarilin natin iyon. Huwag na huwag mong sasabihin kay Homer ang nalalaman mo,” wika ng congressman.

“Basta ba maipapangako mo na paghahatian natin ang lahat. Fair and equitable,” sagot ng kausap niya. Hindi ko rin matiyak kong kilala ko ba ang boses na iyon. What the hell? Who’s Homer? And who’s this guy in the shadows?

“The linchpin is no other than Victoria, the one that Sherlock raised and not his daughter Gia.”

Tumawa ang congressman. “Kung nakakalimutan mo, tiningnan na ni Margaret ang likuran ng Victoria na sinasabi mo.”

“But what if it’s not in her back?” sagot ng lalaking nasa dilim. “I’m 100% sure that she’s the linchpin.”

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mararamdaman. Agad akong napatayo at kinuha ang susi ng sasakyan ko. I need to find V as soon as possible! At mas lalo lamang tumindi ang kagustuhan kong makita si V lalo na nag mabasa ko ang pangalang Vander sa files na mga transaksyon na kasama ng video.

Crap, that hacker is a Vander! Ibig sabihin ba nito ay… damn, I really need to see V!

~VICTORIA~

Napabalikwas ako ng bangon nang muli na naman akong nanaginip tungkol sa batang si N. sa panaginip ko ay umiiyak siya nang pinatay ang kanyang ama. Pawis na pawis ako at habol ko ang paghinga. Mabilis ang tibok ng puso ko kaya nagmamadaling bumangon ako mula sa kinahihigaan at kumuha ng tubig.

Magulo ang isipan ko dahil sa napakaraming bagay na nais kong gawin at malaman. Gusto kong mahanap si Victoria- ang tinutukoy nilang linchpin. Gusto kong malaman kung sino sa amin ang traydor. Gusto kong malaman kung sino ang “Nakatataas”. Gusto kong malamn kung nasaan na si Gia ngayon. Gusto kong malaman kung bakit ko napapanaginipan ang batang si N.

Hindi ko maiwasang isipin kung bakit ganitong buhay ang kinasasadlakan ko ngayon. Pinagkaitan ako ng pagkakataong makilala ang mga magulang ko. Pinagkaitan ako ng pagkakataong mamuhay ng normal at hindi ganitong nagnanakaw. Pero iyon ang buhay na kinagisnan ko, at iyon pa rin ang buhay na tatahikin ko kahit na may choice akong magbagong buhay.

Ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko at sinubukang magrelax. Bigla na lamang pumasok ang napakaraming alaala sa isipan ko. Naputol lamang iyon nang makarinig ako ng sunod-sunod na katok sa pinto. Napabuga ako ng hangin at inayos ang buhok bago lumapit sa pinto upang buksan iyon. Pagbukas ko ay ang seryosong mukha ni Sa-el ang nsumalubong sa akin.

“Sa-el,” wika ko at binuksan nang malaki ang pinto. “Tuloy ka. Anong sadya mo?”

Humakbang siya papasok at hindi siya nag-aksaya ng panahon. Hinawakan niya ng mga balikat ko at hinarap sa kanya. “V, you’re the linchpin. Ikaw ang Victoria na hinahanap natin. Alam kong medyo magulo but you need to trust me on this. And by the way, do not trust the hacker.”

“And why is that?”

Napatingin kami ni Sa-el sa pinto kung saan nakatayo doon ang hacker. Gaya ni Sa-el ay napakaseryoso ng mukha niya. Humakbang siya palapit sa amin at diretsong nakatingin sa akin.

“I don’t know if I should trust you Verona, but I will tell you right now that she’s not the linchpin. Someone is trying to misdirect us and made us think na isang Victoria ang hinahanap natin. We’re looking for N and not Victoria.”

~RYU~

I was torn between trusting this guy or not but at the end, I decided to trust him. Maybe the reliable source that Homer said isn’t a member of Lupin at niloloko lamang niya ako upang mapasakanya ang loyalty ko. I know how wicked guys like him think.

“I saw the video hacker!” singhal ni verona sa akin. “And I saw the files. The name Vander is evident there. Ikaw ba ang hudas sa Lupin?”

I can’t help but smirk at him. I will never betray anyone. Never. “You saw the video but I talked with the member of Black Diamond,” sagot ko sa kanila. Parehas silang natigilan ni v.

“Member ng Black Diamond?” pag-uulit ni V sa sinabi ko.

Dahan-dahan akong tumango. “Homer Vander, my grandfather is a member of Black Diamond.” Gaya ng reaksyon ko kanina ay nagulat silang dalawa. Of course, who wouldn’t be surprised? “So let’s look at this matter at a different angle. We will not look for Victoria, kailangan nating hanapin si N. Homer said I met her before kaya posibleng makilala ko siya.”

Sa kanilang dalawa ay si Victoria ang unang nakabawi. Her forehead creased as she looked at me, staring at me directly. I am used to being stared at pero hindi ko alam kung bakit naiilang ako ngayong direkta akong tinititigan ni Victoria.

“What?” I asked with a smirk.

She didn’t reply. She just stood still at patuloy akong tinitigan. Saka lamang ako naging komportable nang muli nang hinawakan siya ni Verona at pinaharap sa kanya. “We should start looking for that N kung sakaling nagsasabi man ng totoo ang hacker or stick to what I figured out, you know we cannot trust anyone these days.” He glared at me like he’s angry. Sa tingin ko ay ayaw niyang tinititigan ako ni V.

Pareho kaming natigilan ni Verona nang magsalita si Victoria.

“Hindi na kailangan Sa-el,” wika niya sa buong boses. “Nasa harap niyo na ang hinahanap ninyo.”

“I told you it's—” I stopped when I saw how serious she is at the moment.

“Klaro na sa akin ang lahat. Ang mga panaginip ko at lahat. Ako ang hinahap natin. Ako si N, o Nike,” wika niya na halos hindi rin makapaniwala. My eyes slowly widen when it processed properly in my mind.

Now it’s also clear to me. It just reminded me of what old Homer said.

“And you know what? Hindi lamang mga valuables at buhay ang kinuha ko kay Jack. Even his ideas. He wanted to create an organization that aims to help the poor and in need. An anonymous organization na makikilala lamang dahil sa greek codenames nila at dahil sa pagtulong nila. That was a very great idea except the objective.”

Tama ako na si N which stands for Nike, ang linchpin. At tama rin si Verona na si Victoria ang linchpin. Victoria means victory. And Nike is the Greek goddess of victory. Damn.

#

A/N:
Thank you for your patience in waiting for the update!