POSSESSIVE 20: Andrius Salazar

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9

KUMATOK MUNA sa pinto si Andrius bago pumasok at sumaludo sa Heneral na nakaupo sa swivel chair at may hawak na folder. "Sir! Lt. Cor. Salazar, reporting for duty, Sir."

Sumaludo si Heneral Veracio saka iminuwestra ang kamay sa visitor's chair. "Have a sit, Lt. Cor. Salazar." Pormal nitong sabi sa kaniya.

He called him by his rank. This must be serious. "Sir, yes, Sir." Aniya saka ibinaba ang kamay na nakasaludo.

Tuwid siyang naglakad at umupo saka hinintay na magsalita ulit ang Heneral.

"I called you here because the PNP needed our assistance in their case. Alam kong on leave ka pa rin pero ikaw ang napagkasunduan namin ng ibang Heneral na tumulong sa kasong 'to. I, ahm, actually recommended you." General Veracio smiled. "This could serve as your promotion as well."

"Anong klaseng tulong ba ang kailangan ng mga Pulis, Sir?" Tanong niya. It must something different.

May inilapag ang Heneral na envelop sa ibabaw ng mesa, sa tabi niya. "This is a special case, Lt. Cor. Salazar. PNP ask for our cooperation and help to solve this case and we agreed to help confidentially. Tanging ikaw at ilang Heneral lang ang may alam na tutulong tayo sa mga Pulis sa kasong ito. A few years back, the PDEA and Police had been doing a great job in stopping Drugs from polluting our streets, citizens, and economy. But as of this late, we found out that Drug dealers now have other ways to transport their products from one place to another or from one country to another undetected for months now and that is through airborne.

"I don't know how they operate, how they manage to make it work and that's where you come in. Investigate what's happening in the air, find the location of the transport, find out who makes the delivery and who picks it up. You will have a partner in the Police Department so don't worry. You will assist him with airborne matters and he will assist you with other things." General taps the envelope. "Nasa loob ng envelop na ito ang lahat ng kilangan mong malaman at kung saan ka puwedeng magsimula sa imbestigasyon mo."

"Yes, Sir. Uumpisahan ko kaagad ang pag-i-imbestiga." Kinuha niya ang envelop saka tumayo at sumaludo. "Permission to leave, Sir."

Tumango ang Heneral saka ngumiti. "Huwag kang mag-alala, Andrius, hindi kasama ang ina mo sa iimbestigahan mo. Tinanong ko na siya nuong isang araw, wala daw siyang kinalaman sa nangyayari pero alam kung may alam siya, hindi lang siya nagsasalita. You know how stubborn your mom is."

Tumango siya. "Yes, I know how stubborn she can be."

Ngumiti ang kapatid ng ina niya. "Good luck, Nephew. And by the way," he frowned like he's confused "I heard ikakasal ka na raw?"

Napatigil ang pagkurap ng mata niya. "Saan mo naman nalaman yon, Uncle?"

"From your mother."

"Oh." Napailing siya saka tipid na ngumiti. "Yes, I'm getting married. But its an arranged marriage...I think."

"You think?" Tumawa ang Uncle niya, "kailan ka pa hindi naging sigurado sa mga bagay-bagay?"

He shrugged. "Ayokong magtanong sa fiancé ko, pero sigurado na ako. I don't need a confirmation from her. Noon, nagtatanong pa ako kung bakit gusto niya akong pakasalan, pero nang makausap ko ang ama niya, na realise ko na mukhang pinilit lang siyang pakasalan ako. What I'm interested to know is why?"

"You know that something is up, Andrius," sumandal ang Uncle niya sa likod ng swivel chair at matiim siyang tinitigan, "why do you still want to marry her? Alam mo naman pala na napipilitan lang siya katulad mo—" bigla itong napatigil sa pagsasalita saka mahinang natawa na umiiling, "oh, boy, hindi ka napipilitan no?"