Chapter 21

Kursk

Something's unsettling in this island. That's what I heard from the tourists here and even from the people living in the island.

Hindi ko alam ang iisipin. Pag-aari ang islang ito ni Theos. Hindi ko alam kung anong nilagay o ginawa ng gunggong na 'yon dito para mabahala ang mga residente. Ang sinasabi nila, walang may alam kung ano ba talaga ang mayroon, basta alam nilang may mga taong basta-basta na lang nawawala rito. Sinasabi nila, iyon daw 'yong mga taong nakadiskubre sa sikreto ng isla kaya naparusahan at pinatay.

It sounded like legends and myths to me but there are some points that made me raise a brow.

Guns. Bullets. Grenades. All used up and found buried in a cave. The one who found it died a few hours afterwards but the rumors didn't die down with him. He managed to spread the word through the island but when people went to the cave, walang nakitang kahit na anong nilarawan ng lalaki.

Something's really wrong then. Inisang lagok ko ang wine na kanina ko pa sinisimsim. Tatayo na sana ako nang mahagip ng paningin ko ang sekretarya slash manager ni Sirin na si Delia. May kausap itong lalaking nakasuot ng cap at nakasuot ng all black.

I want to read their lips but only Delia's mouth is visible. Nakasuot kasi ng face mask ang lalaki.

Nandito. Oo. Ihanda mo na.

Iyon lang ang nakuha ko bago tumayo si Delia at umalis na. Tinitigan ko muna nang mataman ang lalaki bago ako sumibat. Hindi ko alam kung bakit binundol ng kaba ang dibdib ko.

Kailangan kong makita si Sirin. May nararamdaman akong kakaiba sa sekretarya niyang 'yon. She's hiding something.

Nagmadali ako sa pagpunta hotel at tumakbo papunta sa isang elevator. Agad kong pinindot ang fifth floor. Para akong sinisilihan habang tinitingnan ang floor number na nalalagpasan.

"Fuck! Ba't ang tagal?!"

Nang bumukas ang elevator, patakbo akong lumabas at hinanap ang suite namin. Ilang beses pa akong napamura dahil sa pagkakataranta.

When I reached for the door of the suite, the system asked for the password. I quickly punched it in and opened the door, though I halted when I heard Sirin cursing.

"Shit, Theos! Bakit?! Bakit mo 'yon ginawa?! Ano bang makukuha mo?!" Sirin shrieked.

Oh? Anong ginawa ni Theos? I leaned a little and tried to listen to their conversation.

"Nothing but satisfaction," kalmanteng anang boses ni Theos. "Siguro nasanay lang ako."

"I'm not my sister, Theos Argos Clemente!"

Kumunot ang noo ko.

"I know."

"Then why do it?! Years, Theos! Years! Matagal na pala!"

"It's my own decision."

Anong desisyon?

"You're just wasting your time. Marami ka pang pwedeng ibang gawin maliban sa ginagawa mo!"

"Look, Rini. Huwag nating pagtalunan 'to."

"At bakit hindi?! Buhay ko 'to!"

"Fuck, I'm just protecting you, okay?"

"Hindi mo trabaho 'yon! It's Kursk's job!"

Yeah, that's right!

There was an abrupt silence before Theos spoke again.

"Sa tingin mo ba may alam si Kursk sa talagang nangyayari? He doesn't even have a clue why he has to protect you!"

Fucker, what?!

"That's none of your business. Why are you even doing this?!"

"Para matahimik ako, okay? Hindi ko naproteksiyunan si Annais noon. I'm just fulfilling my promise to her."

"Not that word," tila nahihirapang sabi ni Sirin. "I-I hate that word."

Pabalibag ko na binukan ang pinto para malaman nilang dumating na ako. What the fuck are they talking about?! I was about to cuss at them when I was stunned to see Sirin unmoving and pale as she tried to catch her breath.

Napahawak siya sa dibdib at unti-unting napapikit ang kanyang mata.

Blood rushed to my ears when she slowly fell to the floor.

"Fuck!" Halos liparin ko na ang kinaroroonan niya dahil sa bilis ng tibok ng puso ko. Theos slowly reached for her but I smacked him in the face. "What the fuck did you do to her?!"

...

"Huhuhu! Ma'am Sirin!" histerikal na sigaw ng sekretarya niya habang nginungudngod ang mukha sa kumot ng babae. "Patawad po at na-late ako!" Iyak nang iyak ang babae habang may kasama pang hiyaw.

I stared at her intently. I'm still thinking about the scene I saw at the bar with this secretary talking to a suspicious-looking man. My eyes turned to slits when I saw how overacting she was and the fuck?! Are those fake tears?

What is she planning to do really? Will it endanger Sirin?

There's so many things going in my head, including what made Sirin lose her consciousness. Tsk. Ang tagal naman kasing dumating ni Theos mula sa pakikipag-usap nito sa doktor. Buti na lang at may ospital sa islang 'to dahil baka napatay ko na si Theos sa galit.

Bumukas ang pinto kaya agad akong napatingin doon. Theos was wearing this unreadable expression in his face when he went in. When he found my steely gaze, he beckoned me to follow him outside.

My brows furrowed but decided to follow him. When he walked towards who knows where, I went to his side and asked.

"What's wrong with her?" kunot-noo kong tanong at sumimangot. "Did you do something?"

"This is not the right place to talk about this." His voice was grave so it immediately hinted my senses that something's up. "Mahirap na. Baka may bug pang nakakalat."

"Bug?" I frowned. "Who would fucking bug a hospital? Especially your hospital? Did you fucking do something wrong?"

"Not now," tipid na aniya at nagmadali sa paglalakad. "We'll have to go to a room where we can safely talk without anyone eavesdropping."

He was so serious that I was quite bothered by it. I wasn't used to him talking about precautions. Tahimik ko na lang siyang sinundan at natagpuan ang sarili ko na nakaharap kay Theos sa loob ng isang makalat na opisina.

The place was a wreck and Theos said that this room is what he called as unbuggable. May sensors dito para sa mga ganitong sitwasyon. Apparently, he doesn't trust anyone so he installed them himself. Syempre, ginawa na rin niya itong soundproof.

"What now?" I frowned and sat on a couch covered with white bondpapers and dust. "Tell me what's happening."

Theos sat on the table and stared at the closed blinds before he closed his eyes for a few seconds and opened them again. He exhaled a heavy amount of air before he looked at me and calmy gave me a sentence that almost destroyed my mind.

"She's pregnant."

She's what?! I chuckled and threw a scornful grin at him.

"Don't fuck with me, Theos. Seryoso ako. Anong nangyayari? Start talking or you'll die here in your hospital," pagbabanta ko at nilabas ang baril na nakalagay sa gilid ng bewang ko. "This is not a time for your fucking jokes."

Kumunot ang kanyang noo at napasapo rito. His hands then dropped to his side and balled into fists.

"What am I going to say to make you believe me, Kursk?" Desperado ang kanyang boses at tila nanginginig. "She's pregnant. The doctor told me that she's three weeks pregnant." He bit his lips. "Did you do it Kursk?" Unti-unting lumakas ang kanyang boses na may himig na pagkabahala. "Did you fucking touch her?" Hindi ko alam kung ano ang naging reaksyon ko sa oras na iyon dahil biglaan na lang akong sinugod ni Theos at kinuwelyuhan. "Why the fuck did you do it?! Hindi mo talaga alam kung anong ginawa mo, ano?!"

Nagbabaga ang kanyang mata pero hindi ako nagpatinag at marahas siyang sinapak. Napalayo si Theos at nanlilisik na tumitig sa akin.

"Stop your acting, you shithead," bulyaw ko bago nagtiim-bagang. "I-Imposibleng mabuntis si Sirin." But even I am not sure of that now. Theos' face was fucking screaming that it's the truth, that Sirin is really—oh shit.

"Fuck. Bakit ba ayaw mong maniwala?!" aniya at marahas na napahilamos sa mukha. He gave me a hard look and grimaced. "Fine. If you do not believe me, then get out and go fuck yourself."

"To hell I'll do that," I scowled and crossed my arms indignantly. "Paanong nabuntis siya? Isang beses lang 'yon ah!" Napamaang ito sa akin at tila humanga pa saglit bago niya nilabas ang gitnang daliri at nilabi ang malutong na fuck you. "What?"

"One fuck?" he asked and chortled. There's this annoying smirk on his face. "Ano ka sharp shooter? Kung sharp shooter ka, baka marami nang babaeng nangungulit sa'yo na akuin ang mga anak nila! Hahahaha!"

Anak ng—

"Tangina. Anong akala mo sa akin?! I always use condoms for fuck's sake!"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Theos. Ang walanghiya natutop pa ang sariling bibig. Ang mga mata niya ay tila sumisigaw pa ng "Di nga?!"

Ang walanghiyang gago.

"So..." he trailed off and tried so hard not to laugh at my face. "It was your first time fucking someone without using condoms?! You're unbelievable!"

I scoffed.

"I'm hard to please," I said and grinned. "My cock is as precious as my face and lips. That's why I fuck women before with their backs in front of me and I never let anyone kiss my gorgeous lips."

Amazed na amazed ang pagmumukha ng gago at akmang luluhod pa para magbigay pugay. Tiningnan ko ito nang masama kaya ngumisi na lang si Theos.

"Pero binuntis mo si Sirin at nagpahalik ka sa kanya at harapan mo siyang pinasarapan."

I smirked.

"That's right!" At unti-unti kong natutop ang bibig ko at nanlaki ang mga matang napatitig kay Theos. "I-I mean..."

Humalakhak ang gago at napahampas sa mesa nang ilang beses, tuwang-tuwa.

"Fuck, baby boy. I don't know you're the kiss and tell type!" sabi nito at nilabas ang phone. He tapped the screen and loud voices filled the room. "Sirin is going to kill you when she knows this! Hahahaha!"

Iilang boses lang iyon pero ang lakas-lakas ng mga mura mula sa mga walanghiya.

Rhaego. Ivo. Frey. Lynch. Verdandi.

Naka-video call na naman si Theos.

Fuck. I'm so screwed.

But I'm more screwed when the fact dawned on me.

She's pregnant and I'm the father. Somewhat, I feel proud of that but there's this pit inside my chest that kept on saying to run and to never look back.

Because...

I hate responsibilities.

I loathe commitments.

I never wanted a child.

Bago pa ako makapagsalita, tumahimik ulit ang room. Parang ini-end pa yata ni Theos ang video call kaya nagtataka akong tumingin sa kanya.

"You don't like to have the child," he stated, his voice sure and contemplating. "I could understand that, Kursk but you have to face the consequences."

"O-Of course."

Tumitig siya sa akin at napabuntong-hininga.

"Are you thinking about running away?" Umiwas ako ng tingin at wala sa sariling napayuko. "And the reason?"

"My job." That was the truth. "I've never imagined myself building a family since I chose this bloody path, Theos. Alam niyong lahat iyon." I looked up and stared at him. "At the very second I decided to seal my life with blood and danger, I was long dead."

Theos blinked.

"May mga taong pumapatay, Kursk pero hindi pinagdamot sa kanila ang magkapamilya." Mapait akong napangiti. "You don't really mean to leave the child without a father, do you?"

Naalala ko bigla ang pamilyang kinalakihan ko at mapaklang natawa.

"Why can't I?" I grinned. "Isa pa, three weeks pang buntis si Sirin. Walang kasiguraduhan na mabubuhay ang bata." Kumunot ang noo ni Theos. "Marami pang pwedeng mangyari. Pwede siyang makunan o 'di kaya'y maaksidente."

Unti-unting dumilim ang kanyang mukha at nakita kong nag-igting ang kanyang panga, tila nagpipigil sa kanyang sariling sumugod.

Come on, Theos. Punch me. I badly need that right now.

"You're mad." His eyes were like daggers that pierced through me. "Are you choosing your fucking job over your family?!"

"Family?" I mocked. "I never had a family and never will have that kind of distraction in my life."

His eyes changed. Tila may biglaan siyang naalala. May pag-unawa na sa ngayo'y kalmado niyang tingin.

"Alam ko kung saan nanggaling ang sinasabi mo, Kursk. Kung dahil ang lahat ng ito sa nangyari sa mama at papa mo, huwag mong idamay ang buhay mo." He sighed. "It's your life, man."

"This is what I chose to have," I said with conviction.

"Why do you do this exactly?" Theos mumbled, his eyes narrowing.

I slowly sneered.

"I enjoy what I do."

"You enjoy getting paid for following orders and killing people?" Matiim siyang tumitig sa akin. "And there's someone I know who'll pay with her life just to never do that again." Kumunot ang noo ko at magsasalita pa sana nang biglaang umilaw ang isang pulang lamp sa isang sulok. "Fuck! They're here!"

"What?!" sigaw ko nang biglaang gumalaw si Theos at pabalibag na binuksan ang pinto. Naguguluhan ko siyang sinundan.

"Fuck, Kursk! For once, do your beloved job right and protect Rini!" Nagitla ako nang makitang may nilabas siyang dalawang baril mula sa kanyang magkabilang gilid. Alerto ang kanyang mga matang tumingin sa akin. "Now, you'll begin to understand everything you missed, you incompetent bodyguard."