Raid
I have no idea how the negotiation started, but Diana seems less interested in it as she tours me around, probably just wanting to distract me.
The beach was kind of peaceful, but the few people, which I could sense were Trison's men, or more specifically, their men, were eyeing us surreptitiously.
Nahuhuli ko minsan ang paghaplos nila sa baril na nakausli sa gilid at nagmamatyag nang maigi.
I sat on the shore and let the waves crash against my bare feet. Mabato ang ilang parte at walang naliligo. Maybe because they closed it for this reason?
"Edi bukas... maraming tao sa... Resort?" I asked.
Diana nodded. "Oo. Pang distract lang in case may raid na mangyari."
"Isn't it more... uh... dangerous?"
"It's just to make sure that they won't shoot. They won't find out who's part of the syndicate and who's not. At sa mga ganoong raid, mahalaga rin sa kanila na walang madamay na inosente."
My shoulder loosened. "You are siding with them, Diana. This isn't right. Imagine if... innocent people would... get tangled by the sudden raid..."
Umupo si Diana sa gilid ko.
"It's actually Trison's plan..."
Namilog ang mga mata ko. "H-His plan?"
Tumango siya. "For distraction. Most of their successful shipment and illegal activities were successful because of his tactics."
Nanginig ang kalamnan ko. I cannot picture it now, even if I saw it with my own eyes. I've witnessed it.
Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa dagat at mas lalo lang gumuho ang katiting na pag-asang kinapitan ko. Diana rested her head against my shoulder as we watched the sunset over the horizon while the cold air played with our hair.
"You think this is still because of his mother?" she asked quietly.
Parang sinaksak ang dibdib ko. Hindi ko na rin alam kung dahil ba roon. Dahil parang hindi na.
"Minsan nga iniisip ko ibang tao siya. Ibang iba siya sa kilala nating Trison. He's so mysterious, Ayeselle. Kung nakabisado ko siya noon at mabilis na nababasa, ngayon hindi na. Even Russel doesn't know anything about him. He finds him a puzzle even though they're best friends."
Lumunok ako. He found another family in the darkness. Another friends. And how about his other friends in Caraga? Tinalikuran niya na rin ba?
"What Russel hates about him is that he has no conscience. He always treats everything with no emotion at all. Minsan kasi, gusto ni Russel na makisimpatya siya, pero madalas, walang pakialam si Trison."
"What do you mean?"
"He always loses his team. Nang-iiwan siya sa ere. He doesn't care."
Naalala ko nga 'yon. He ditched his team because it slowed him down.
"Ayos lang naman kay Russel na ganoon si Trison lalo na't nagbibigay naman agad ang ama niya ng bagong team. Pero... para kay Russel, parang... kahit siya... baka iwan din ni Trison sa ere?"
Kumunot ang noo ko at lumingon kay Diana.
"But Trison cares for him. They're like brothers. Trison was jailed and he found Russel's father there. When Russel's father escaped, dinala niya si Trison. Which coincidentally, was his father's right hand. Kaya... ang papa ni Russel ang naging daan para mahanap niya ang papa niya."
"Hindi niya naman siguro iiwan si Russel sa ere. They're best friends..." sabi ko, tila ba normal na relasyon lamang ng pagkakaibigan ang pinag-uusapan namin at walang ilegal na kasali.
