Moonstruck: Divulgence

DIVULGENCE 04

𝓙𝓪𝔂𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝓩𝓪𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓼

I formed my lips into a thin line, trying to calm myself. My patience for him is just a short, thin thread. Konting-konti na lang ay masisigawan ko na siya. Alucard hissed and shook his head.

"Umupo ka na lang kung ayaw mo lumabas ka na," I gritted my teeth while my jaw was clenched, implying something. I hope he gets it, but of course, he won't.

"What? Pinapalabas mo ba ako? Kaya kong bilhin ang buong coffee shop-- Oh! Bakit hindi ko na lang bilihin para hindi na cheap? What do you think, dudes?" he queried with a glee.

"Bakit mo ba isinama 'yan?" Alucard shook his head and sipped his coffee.

"Hindi ko siya sinama, basta na lang siyang sumakay sa sasakyan ko," paliwanag ko at pinaikot ang daliri ko sa bunganga ng babasaging baso.

"Excuse me?" kunwaring naiinsultong tanong ni Vale at humawak pa sa dibdib at umarteng nasaktan.

"You're excused," magkapanabay na sabi namin ni Alucard. Vale tsk-ed at me and sat beside me.

"So? Let's start-- What the fuck? What the hell is this? Is this even a coffee? It looks cheap, and the mug—it's not even branded!" he reacted so overrated while scrutinizing the mug. He's hopeless.

"Vale, may pag-uusapan kaming importante, okay?" inis na sabi sa kaniya ni Alucard. Ngayon ko lang siya nakikila at mukhang magkakasundo kami kapag si Vale ang pinag-usapan.

"Fine!" he said, seeming to fit tantrums like a kiddo.

"I have a favor, and I'm not going to ask for your approval. Let's just say it is neither a favor nor a request, but rather a command," he began, eyeing me seriously.

A police detective is commanding and mandating a Deputy Police Chief. That's new. Note the thick sarcasm. I just nodded and signaled for him to continue.

"Detective Granger, my senior, doesn't want me to investigate and stick my nose on the serial killings in WCIS. In that case, hindi na ako makakatulong at hindi pinapayagan ng pamunuan ng paaralan ang mga parak o detective na makapasok kaya I'm suggesting na mag-apply ka bilang Dean," mahabang paliwanag niya. We're in the same boat. Naisip ko na 'yun kahapon pa kaya nga ako hihingi ng tulong kay Vale.

"Yeah, we have the same idea." I smirked and agreed. I like the way he thinks. He is younger than me, and he's still a junior, but I can see that he'll be an excellent detective someday.

"Really, huh?" he asked, amused. "Since Vale is a big fish, you're going to use him--"

"Excuse me, that's rude. I don't like users. They are cheap," Vale buts in and sends us blazing glares.

"It's not what you think, dude. We need your help, ikaw ang magpapasok sa akin sa ACIS," I elaborated some stuff. Tamang hinala kasi siya, hindi muna magtanong. Tsk.

"How? Wala akong connection or share sa ACIS. Besides, I'm a prosecutor, kilala ako ng lahat dahil sa galing at talino ko--"

"Cut that part." I cut him off, bago pa niya purihin ang sarili.

Vale hissed. "I'm a prosecutor, kung hindi nila pinapapasok ang mga parak malamang ako rin," saad niya na parang ang bobo namin ni Alucard sa part na 'yun. Okay, he has a point there.

"Makinig ka nga muna. You are going to use your money. You're going to invest and send me as your representative. Did you get it?" I cleared our subject.

"Hmm. I get it now," he shrugged his shoulders. Kinuha niya ang kape at tinignan lamang 'yon, halata ang pagkadisgusto niya sa cheap na kape. For me, those coffee aren't cheap as well as the coffee shop. He is the problem here. Can you name a cup of coffee as cheap when it costs almost a thousand peso?

"So? See you when I see you, Alucard." I shook his hand. We both bid our goodbyes since he needed to leave. He still has his flight to London tomorrow. South HQ and his senior were too determined—no, desperate is the right term—na ilayo si Alucard dahil interesado ito sa kaso.

"Alucard didn't bother thanking me, huh?" Vale spoke, annoyed, as he watched him leave the coffee shop.

"Bakit naman?" nagtatakang tanong ko.

"Dude, if I don't give your number to him, he won't meet you. And if he doesn't meet you, the case in ACIS will be buried and will be a cold case, you know. So show some gratitude," he said normally. That's his normal, anyway. What should I expect from him?

"Whatever, dude," nababanas na usal ko at tinapik siya sa balikat bago ko siya lagpasan.

"Wait for me in the car. Kakausapin ko lang ang manager ng coffee shop na 'to. Napaka-cheap--"

I was about to leave him pero nagbago ang isip ko. Binalikan ko siya at tinakpan ang labi niya kaya hindi niya na naituloy pa ang sasabihin. Gagawa lang siya ng gulo kaya kinaladkad ko na siya palabas bago pa niya maipatawag ang manager. Nakakahiya.

"Damn dude!" singhal niya at sinamaan ako ng tingin. "Baka cheap ang ginagamit mong hand sanitizer, or worst, baka madumi 'yang kamay mo!" He showered me with his burning glares while wiping his lips using his Gucci handkerchief.

"Tsk," I hissed, and doing the same thing, I sent him blazing glares.

Pinara ko ang paparating na taxi at tinulak siya papasok siya backseat kahit na nanlaban at nagreklamo pa siya. There is no way in hell that I will drive him to his condo unit after what he said. He insulted my Maybach by calling it cheap.

DEAN ATLAS CHEN'S office looks expensive. Malawak ang opisina niya, may sariling banyo at kwarto, parang condo unit lang ang dating. I divert my gaze to the aquarium, where there are three goldfish. Kawawa naman sila, iniwan na sila ni Atlas.

Kinuha ko ang boteng may maliliit na pagkain ng isda at pinakain sila. Mabilis silang nagsilapitan sa pagkain. Tahimik ko lang silang pinanood na kumain at lumangoy.

Pinalabas ng mga shareholder na naka-vacation leave si Atlas para maiwasan ang pambabatikos at komosyon. Ang dating tuloy sa mga estudyante ay nagtatago ito at iniwan ang responsibilidad.

So here I am, the representative of Dean Atlas. They call me Deputy Hanzo, just as my colleagues call me. Deputy means a substitute, and I'm his substitute, Dean.

I'm glad, because nakapasok ako sa WCIS ng walang hastle. Thanks to Vale Havier. Kanina lang namin to napag-usapan pero nandito na ako ngayon.

"Deputy Hanzo," Abby called after knocking three times. Nakilala ko siya at ang buong SSG officers kanina. She looks terrified and anxious. Hiningal siyang naghabol ng hininga.

"What's the matter?" I quaked worriedly. Something is wrong, I can feel it.

"S-Si Sir Bert Sun po, naka-hang sa stadium," nagkada-utal-utal na usal niya.

Malalaki ang hakbang ko para tunguhin ang stadium. Gaya ng sinabi niya ay naka-hang si Bert Sun sa stage. "Go back to your classrooms and classes, now!" I commanded in a firm voice and full of authority.

"Yes, Deputy," sabay-sabay nilang sagot at umalis sa harapan ko. They are trembling and affronted by what they just witnessed. Hindi dapat sila nakakaranas at nakakakita ng mga ganitong bagay.

"Excuse me, sabi ko bumalik kayo sa mga classrooms niyo," solidong utos ko sa dalawang lalaki at babaeng studyante.

𝚁𝚢𝚔𝚎𝚛𝙼𝚘𝚘𝚗