Chapter 5: Intrigue

Rain woke up with a heavy head on Raven Gonzales' office at Gonzales Medical Hospital. Nasapo niya ang kanyang noo at naiinis na bumangon. He can't believe it that he slept on the hospital after saving a weird woman. Akmang tatayo na siya nang pumasok si Raven na may dalang chart.

"You're leaving?" Tanong ng kaibigan niya.

He nodded. "I have an important meeting today with the board, dude. I can't skip it," nababagot niyang wika bago isinuot ang kanyang coat.

Tumango naman ito. "By the way, aren't you gonna ask the examination result of the woman you brought here?"

He shook his head. "I'm not interested, dude. Just send her to her home once she's awake. Give her money if needed. I'll just wire the payment."

Bumuntong hininga naman ang kaibigan niya. "Okay, dude. Take care."

Tinapik niya ang balikat nito bago lumabas ng silid. He didn't understand himself but his feet brought him infront of the strange woman's room. From where he is, he could fully get a view of her. Her midnight black hair is what would caught anyone's attention. Napakunot noo din siya ng makitang napakaputi nito o baka mas tamang sabihin na sobrang putla. Napailing na lang siya. He was about to leave when he felt Raven stood beside him.

"I think that woman is a victim of violence, Rain."

Napalingon siya dito. "How do you say so?"

Nagkibit balikat naman ito. "Nevermind. You aren't interested, are you?"

Tinaasan niya ng kilay ang lalaki. "Fucktard!"

Raven chuckled as he shook his head. "Kidding. But seriously, I think my hunch is right."

"You're messing with my head. Tell me what you did find out about her condition." Nayayamot niyang wika. He doesn't like it when someone leaves him hanging.

Raven heaved a deep sigh bago inilinga ang tingin sa paligid. They are on VVIP ward kaya halos walang tao sa floor na iyon. Raven's eyes fixed on the woman who was unconsciously lying on the hospital bed.

"She has scars and bruises on her back. Some are already healed, others are still in the process while there are also new ones," panimula nito.

Napatango-tango siya.

"Are you sure you're not the one who did this?" Raven asked without hesitation.

He scoffed. "It's not really me, Rave." Mariin niyang taggi.

"How about your alters?"

"None of them either. Calder told me she came from the auction and it happened when Hawk was conscious and incontrol of my body. That's where he bought that woman. Maybe she was tortured before selling her."

He heard Raven's multiple curses. Well, what would he expect from a doctor friend? They are full of fucking humanity. "Is that all?" Tanong pa niya.

Raven shook his head. "Her ankles seem chained for a very long time. This is by far the worst. Her left rib cage is somewhat broken but I think it happened a long time ago too since the flesh already developed on the broken part. The rib just healed but misaligned," dagdag nito.

His forehead creased. What an unlucky woman. "So what about her pale skin? I'm sure it wasn't normal," komento niya.

"I can conclude she's unexposed from sunlight for a very long time that's why. She's also very malnourished." 

"Then feed her vegetables," agad niyang turan.

Natawa naman si Raven kaya binatukan niya ito. "What's wrong with my suggestion, you idiot. It was thought in the class particularly on our first grade to eat vegetables. Nag-aral ka ba talaga? How did you become a doctor?"

Pinigilan naman nitong matawa. "Damn. It wasn't funny at first but when those words casually comes in your mouth, I find it amusing."

"Tss...Crazy doctor." He scoffed.

"Never knew that Rain Azrael Velasquez has a nutritionist side too." Ani Raven at umayos ng tayo. 

Naiiling na lang niyang ibinaling ang tingin sa babaeng nasa loob ng silid. She seems very intriguing.

"One more thing, the tissue lining on her anal part is heavily damaged."

Marahas siyang napalingon sa lalaki. "You mean she's doing anal sex?" Kunot noo niyang tanong.

"More like being forced. She has semen on her anus and there is forcible entry that caused laceration but on top of that, her hymen is still intact which was a bit questionable for someone who was sexually abused."

Mariin siyang napapikit. "Did you examined everything about her?"

Inosente itong tumango. "You told me to do so. Or hindi ba ikaw yung kausap ko kagabi?"

Buntong hininga siyang umiling. "We are co-con." Tanging naisagot niya.

"So are you gonna bring her home with you?"

Nakasimangot siyang umiling. "What for? I already did my part Raven. I already saved her. I think that's enough."

"Oh, I just thought that you will shelter her since you saved her last night—"

"It's not me alone, dumbass," he hissed that made Raven chuckled. "And besides, ba't ko ba siya isasama. That woman is so weak that I might end up babysitting her, which isn't my cup of tea."

Raven heaved a deep sigh. "Okay. Then I'll just ask Isaac for that woman's identity so I can send her home. You'll pay for Tuazon's service too."

Mariin siyang pumikit. "Can't you hire other PI? Mahal ng singil ni Tuazon basta kaibigan. Napakaabusado ng hayop na yun." Maktol niya.

"Tsss...I heard you got billions of money from selling two luxury cars to Terrence last week. Yun na lang ang ibayad mo kay Isaac. Milyones lang naman yung sisingilin niya sayo." 

"Tsk. Nosy." He wrinkled his nose.

"Zeus was nosy, idiot. He was the one who spread the news to the gang para pagtawanan si Saavedra."

Naiiling na lang siya. He took one last glimpse of her before turning his back pero bago paman siya makahakbang ay sinalubong na siya ni Julie ng may masayang ngiti sa labi.

"Rain, Raven..." Tawag nito sa atensyon nila.

Julie Casimero is their childhood friend. Mula paman noong sampung taong gulang pa lang silang dalawa ni Raven ay kilala na nila ang babae. Her family is close to his grandfather too and she was the only woman he was close with. Not that close but not too far either.

"What are you doing here?" Tanong niya. Julie is a pediatric doctor which made him throw  his earlier question at her. She should be on another floor.

"I heard you two are here kaya pumunta ako," masigla nitong sambit bago dumako ang tingin sa  silid kung saan sila nakatayo. "Who is she?"

"I don't know," he answered nonchalantly.

"Oh, so do you two want to have a coffee with me?"

"Nah, I still have rounds Julie," tanggi ni Raven.

Dumako naman ang tingin nito sa kanya. "How about you? Don't tell me you're busy too. Ilang buwan na tayong hindi nag-uusap ah." Himig tampo nitong bigkas.

"I am busy indeed. I have a meeting and I can't ditch it. I need to go," paalam niya.

Sumimangot si Julie na ipinagkibit balikat na lang niya. Both of them are used to each other. His phone vibrated as Calder's number appeared on his screen.

"What is it Calder?" Bungad niya.

"Mattias men are coming up, Sire," anito sa kabilang linya.

Kumunot ang kanyang noo. "Why?"

"They are after the woman."

Marahas siyang napalingon sa babaeng nakaratay sa hospital bed. What's going on? Why are they after her?

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, in fact a lot of them are checking the room downstairs but some are going upstairs now," tugon ni Calder.

Mariin siyang napapikit. Mattias won't waste his time with a woman like her if it's just about damn sex. There must be something with this woman that he even sent bunches of men to locate and get his hands on her. He smirks.

How intriguing indeed.

"Okay, prepare me an exit Calder. I'm bringing her with me." Aniya at pinatay na ang tawag.

Both Raven and Julie are staring at him as if waiting for him to share what's going on. Napabuntong hininga siya bago sinipat ng tingin si Raven.

"I need your coat."

Kinunutan naman siya nito ng noo. "The hell? What are you going to do with this one?"

"I need to escape or your hospital will be in big mess," naiinip niyang wika at siya na mismo ang naghubad ng suot nitong doctor's coat.

"Fuck! You're not gonna kill somebody using my coat, are you? You're gonna revoke my license Velasquez," Raven hissed in annoyance.

"I'll try dude." Tinapik niya ang balikat nito bago pumasok sa loob ng silid ng babae.

Siya na rin mismo ang nagtanggal ng swero nito na kamay. Ramdam naman niya ang pagpasok ni Raven at Julie kasunod niya.

"Be careful Rain. You might break the needle."

"C'mon Rave, she's not gonna die on that," aniya at tinakpan ng puting kumot ang mukha nito bago sinimulang itulak ang hospital bed na de-gulong.

"W—wait! I thought you don't know her," harang ni Julie sa kanya.

Naiinip niya itong pinukol ng tingin. "I really don't that's why I'm bringing her with me."

He saw her scoffing. "You said you can't ditch a meeting in exchange for a coffee with me and here you are—"

"Just fucking move, damn it!" He scowled.

Wari natakot naman ang dalaga sa kanya kaya umalis ito sa daraanan niya. "Take her with you Raven and leave this floor. It's code red."

Raven nodded understandment. "Take the fire exit, dude. You can use my car."

He tapped his shoulder before going out bringing the woman with him...