Moonstruck: Divulgence

DIVULGENCE 29

𝓙𝓪𝔂𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝓩𝓪𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓼

Another day came, pero gaya kahapon ay wala namang ibang kakaibang nangyari. Normal lang ang buong maghapon pero dumating pa rin sina Ruce at Saurus.

Argus came to update me. Kararating niya lang at mukha namang hindi siya nagmamadali dahil nakuha niya pang pakialaman ang coffeemaker.

"You want some?" he asked while busy manipulating the coffeemaker. Inisang lingon niya ako pero agad ding binalik ang atenttion niya sa kapeng ginagawa. Too much caffeine will kill him. Nakasanayan niya ng magkape at hindi matatapos ang araw niya ng hindi siya nakakasimsim ng kape.

"No, I'm fine," ngiwi ko at bumuntong hininga.

"Okay,you said so." He shrugged his shoulders and licked the spoon he used to mix his coffee.

He sat on the visitor's chair, facing my direction, and sipped his coffee. Linapag niya ang mug sa office table bago sumeryoso. "Chief Gusion is planning to announce the incident here in ACIS, which is the serial killing," he quoted the word 'serial killing', "on media. Since the serial killer was already determined, he will close the case as soon as your daughter is arrested." He spoke as if he is worried about my feelings and my reactions.

"No, he won't do that. He's just provoking me-"

"Tsk." I was cut by him when he hissed. "You don't understand, do you?" inis na tanong niya at sumimsim ng kape.

"What do you mean?" I asked in perplexity.

"Parang hindi mo kilala si Chief," makahulugang saad niya at nilaro ang bunganga ng babasaging puting baso. I do know Chief Gusion, but I don't know his wicked schemes.

"He is a fucking useless cop. He was being paid to close the case without conducting an investigation. However, that only happened once," mahabang litanya niya. Seryoso siya at hindi niya ugaling magbiro kapag trabaho ang pinag-uusapan.

"Okay. Wait. Wait. I don't get you," naguguluhang saad ko at itinaas ang kanang palad ko. Anong kinalaman no'n sa kaso ng anak ko ngayon? What I need is an assurance that my daughter won't be put behind bars.

"Are you familiar with the 2008 kidnapping? Of course, you are!" he asked and answered himself.

Natahimik ako ng mabanggit niya ang insidenteng iyon. I'm not that stupid to not realize what he's trying to say. He mentioned Chief Gusion earlier as a useless and paid cop. May kinalaman ba siya sa pagkaka-kidnap ng anak ko? I balled my fists and clenched my jaw.

"Deputy, chill. Hindi pa ako sigurado. Narinig ko lang ang impormasyong iyon sa mga dati ng pulis sa HQ. Wala akong ebidensyang de papel na makakapagpatunay na may kinalaman siya doon. Ang narinig ko lang na usap-usapan ngayon sa HQ ay binayaran si Gusion para itigil ang pag-iimbestiga at ibaon na lamang ang kaso," he explained, trying to calm me.

I took a deep breath and tried to manage my emotions. I'm mad as fuck, not to anyone but to myself. Every time na nababanggit ang 2008 kidnapping, pakiramdam ko ay wala akong kwentang tao. Hindi ko man lang naprotektahan ang anak ko.

I took a nap and pulled some strands of my hair out of frustration. Hindi ko gustong ipakita kay Argus ang side ko na 'to, pero hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko.

"This is awkward. I don't know what to say. Maybe I will search for some advice on Google so I'll know what to say next. Let's change the topic," he said after a minute of silence.

I composed myself and leaned on the backrest of my swivel chair. "I'm sorry for that," I said, facing him. My forehead wrinkled as I waited for his statement.

"Let's have a deal," he began. "You know my brother, right?" he asked. He's definitely referring to Deotoronomy Vander.

"What deal?" I asked, annoyed. His bother's name irritates the hell out of me.

Argus crossed his arms and formed his lips into a thin line. It seems like he doesn't know where to start. He opened his mouth, then closed it. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"What now, Argus?" naguguluhang tanong ko. He is weird as fuck.

"I like Jayshie--"

"The hell, Argus! Are you out of your mind?" I was enraged and breathed heavily. Napatayo ako at isinandal ang dalawang kamay sa lamesa. Fuck! Ano bang nasa isip niya? Makikipag-agawan din ba siya sa pinsan at kapatid niya? But there's no way I'll allow them to court my daughter!

"Argus," mariing banggit ko sa pangalan niya at tinapunan siya ng nakakamatay na tingin. "Get out!" sigaw ko at pinanlakihan siya ng mata.

"No! You don't get it!" he defended, shaking his head. Iniiling ang ang dalawang kamay at tumayo na rin.

"Get out!" I enraged and pointed the door.

"Listen first, okay? It's not what you think, but yes, I do like your daughter for my brother, not for myself!" he shouted. Mabilis niya 'yong sinabi kaya hindi ko naintindihan.

"Pardon me?" I'm still irritated, but I managed to calm down. I sat down and leaned on the backrest of my swivel chair.

"I like Jayshie for my brother." His eyes were like begging, and he's trying to act adorable to please me. But those eyes will never fool me, and he fucking looks like a shit. It doesn't suit him.

"No thanks," maagap na sagot ko.

He hissed. "You don't understand! This is the first time he felt something, and that's because of your daughter!" he half-shouted. I can feel the tension in his aura. The audacity! He is the one who's asking for a deal, he should be polite.

"I don't really understand," I said submissively, shaking my head.

"Yeah, I should not be asking for this," sarkastikong saad niya at padabaog na tumayo pero maayos niyang isinara ang pinto pagkatapos lumabas.

Hindi ko siya maintindihan at hinding-hindi ako makikipag-deal sa ibang tao lalo na kung ang mga anak ko ang pinag-uusapan. Huminga ako ng malalim at pinagpatuloy ang trabaho ko bilang Dean. Mabilis akong nagtitipa sa keyboard habang binabasa ang soft copy ng bagong transfer na estudyante.

Kung ako ang tatanungin at masusunod at hindi ako tatanggap ng transferees hangga't hindi pa nareresolba ang kaso, pero wala sa akin ang desisyon kundi nasa higher ups. Ang trabaho ay sumunod sa kanila. Basically, I'm their errand boy at the moment.

Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na buntong-hininga at pumikit. Inayos ko ang pagkakasandal sa swivel chair, balak kong umidlip dahil wala rin akong naging tulog kagabi dahil sa sobrang pag-iisip.

I fell asleep and woke up to three knocks on the mahogany door. The knock was light and didn't startle me. Tumikhim ako at umayos ng upo at tindig. "Come in," sabi ko sa mababang boses.

𝚁𝚢𝚔𝚎𝚛𝙼𝚘𝚘𝚗