Chapter Two

IGNACIO

“Why are we doing this in the first place, Ignacio?” anas ng aking kaibigan.

He is also my right hand. It’s just a small syndicate, but I used my men to secure the specific child.

I sighed boredly at him. “She begged me to save her daughter.”

“Ysabelle Monteverde? That hot momma?” naniniguro niyang tanong sa akin.

I shot him a glare. He chuckled.

“Why? I am telling you the truth, man, she’s hot and pretty.”

“Can you stop thinking of her in some lewd stuff or what? You’re disgusting.”

“The fuck are you saying, gago? I respect the woman, I find her hot, okay!” pagdepensa pa niya sa sarili niya pero hindi na ako sumagot.

“I don’t care, stop mentioning her, you are staining her using your filthy mouth,” I said coldly.

He laughed. “You got this so bad, siya na ba?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about, I am just helping her.”

“That’s not so you, you have your governor’s men, but you resorted to using your own men, for her child?”

I glared at him. Kahit ako, hindi ko alam kung bakit agad akong pumayag sa gusto niya. I could just easily give her the money para matubos niya ang anak niya, besides, money is not the problem.

Barya lang naman sa akin ang limang daang libo, but there is something about her that I cannot explain. Na parang hindi ko mapapatawad ang sarili ko kapag may nangyaring masama sa anak niya dahil hindi ko sila tinulungan.

“Damn, natutala na siya, nababaliw na.”

Hindi ko pinansin ang madaldal kong kaibigan. I fixed my gun and put it on my back.

We are currently on the outside of the syndicate’s lair, they are just waiting for my signal. I looked at the disgusting place.

“One thing I wanna know, why they chose Ysabella’s child? Mukha nga namang mayaman iyong bata,” kibit-balikat na sambit ni Red sa akin.

Hindi ko na siya sinagot, I signaled my men to surround the place, we cannot slack off, may batang pwedeng madamay kapag pumalpak kung sino man ang isa sa kanila.

“We will rescue the kid, while our men are stationed at the syndicates’ spots,” seryosong turan ko kay Red.

Sumeryoso ito at sabay na kaming bumaba. I chose to go at the back, maingat ang bawat hakbang ko.

Isang abandonadong building na walang kwarto ni isa, kita ko agad ang mga sindikato na nakabantay sa anak ni Ysabella. The child looks okay, but I can see her crying.

She may look okay on the outside, but I know she is not.

At dahil pare-parehong nakatalikod ang mga bobong ‘to sa akin, dahan-dahan akong naglakad para lapitan ang bata. Nakaupo itong mag-isa malayo sa kanila, kaya nang makuha ko ang bata ay agad kong tinakpan ang bibig nito.

“Shh, shh, I am here to save you,” bulong ko sa kanya. Napatingin ito sa akin at agad na umiyak.

I signaled my men to fire.

“Kalaban!” sigaw ng isa sa mga sindikato.

Itinago ko ang bata sa likod. Umiiyak pa rin ito habang mahigpit ang kapit sa akin.

“P-papa,” humihikbing sambit niya habang nakahawak sa akin, kunot-noo ko itong tinignan.

“I am not your dad,” sambit ko sa kanya pero umiling naman ito sa akin.

“No! You are my dad! You saved me!” makulit nitong sagot sa akin.

Agad naman akong napangiwi sa sinabi niya. Binuhat ko ito at umalis na kami roon, at dahil maliit na sindikato lang naman iyon ay hindi na nahirapan ang mga tauhan ko na ubusin sila.

“That’s so easy, man,” bungad sa akin ni Red. Agad namang bumaling ang tingin niya sa batang nasa bisig ko.

“She really looks like her mom, a mini version.”

“Have you been fantasizing about her mom, Red?” napipikon kong tanong dito.

Tinaas niya ang dalawang kamay niya, as a sign of surrender.

“Damn! Why are you so pressed about this? I told you, I find her pretty, that’s all.”

“P-papa,” mahinang bulong nito sa akin. Problemado naman akong napapikit.

“Papa? Where’s your papa?” tanong ni Red, na ang atensyon na ay nasa bata na.

“Him, he is my papa, he saved me,” nanginginig pa ring sagot ng bata sa amin.

Hindi makapaniwalang tumingin sa akin si Red.

“Really? Your dad is so cool then!”

I glared at Red. Ginagatungan niya pa ang sinasabi ng bata.

Napabaling kami ni Red dito nang bigla itong humikbi.

“Why? What’s wrong?” natatarantang tanong ni Red.

“M-my papa doesn’t want me!” halos hindi na ito makahinga sa kanyang pag-iyak. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko.

I’ve never been with a child before.

“Gago ka! Patigilin mo ‘yan, baka may hika pala, wala pa naman tayong medic dito!”

“Come here, what’s your name?” nakangiting tanong ko sa bata. Umupo ito sa tabi ko.

“Celestine Monteverde.”

“Wow! Your name is so pretty, Celestine, just like you!” nakangiting sambit ni Red sa kanya. Nakita ko ang bahagyang pagngiti ng bata sa sinabi ni Red.

“Were you scared a while ago?” tanong ko rito habang hinahaplos ko ang buhok niya.

“Kinda, they held some knives and guns and they threatened to k-kill me if mommy won’t pay them.” Bahagyang nanginig ang kamay nito kaya hinawakan ko iyon.

“Stop asking her about what happened, Ignacio. She might be traumatized, that’s why she is calling you papa right now,” pabulong niya lang na sinambit ang huling sinabi niya.

Napabuntong-hininga ako sa sinabi niya at sinenyasan na ang driver na magmaneho na pauwi. Tahimik kaming tatlo sa sasakyan habang nasa biyahe.

Pagkatapos kausapin ni Red si Celestine ay natulala na ito sa harapan, we tried talking to her but she wouldn’t just respond.

“She might be in shock.”

“Should we go to the hospital first?”

I shook my head. “We need her mom’s permission first.”

Red nodded and busied himself on his phone while I busied myself staring at Celestine.