POSSESSIVE 21: Knight Velasquez

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 28

"I CAN'T say, Knight," wika ni Shun na kausap niya sa video sa loob ng Security Room ng HQ ng Organósi sa Pilipinas. Malapit nang mag-isang linggo mula ng makabalik sila galing Hong Kong. "Ginawa ko na lahat ng magagawa ko, pero wala akong mahanap ni isa. There is a House of Lopez in Spain but everything about that house is blank. Like every record of a family member has been erased. I can't find anything, Velasquez. I tried. And you know me, I won't tell you any of this if I'm not sure."

Knight sighed. "And this Don Ambrose César? May nalaman ka ba tungkol sa kaniya?"

"He's a Dignitary in Spain."

"In Spain..." ulit niya saka bumungong-hininga, "bakit hindi ko siya kilala? I know every noble family there is in Spain and I'm a Count. If he's a Dignitary, then our paths would have crossed a long time ago."

"He went off the radar twenty-seven years ago." Wika ni Shun, "bigla lang siyang nawala at sumulpot lang isang taon na ang nakakaraan."

Isang taon ang nakakaraan? Hindi ba isang taon na rin ang nakakaraan mula ng akalain ni SM na patay na ang mga magulang nito?

So, when SM's parents 'died', this Don Ambrose resurfaced? Too much of a coincidence.

Mensajero to the House of Lopez.

A Dignitary as a messenger? What kind of family does SM has?

"Kumusta na ang paghahanap mo sa mga magulang ni SM?" Tanong niya kay Shun.

"I pulled out an old photo of his father from the company he was working for a year before he 'died' and I search every data base I know but nothing, Velasquez. I didn't find anything after he died. His records ended in the Philippines."

"Pero buhay siya..." aniya na puno ng pagtataka. "Paano siya nakakagalaw na walang iniiwang bakas?"

Shun shrugged, "bud, we both know the answer to that."

Bumuntong-hininga si Knight, "fuck."

"Only powerful people can move without a trace, Velasquez." Shun chuckled. "Looks like your girlfriend have that kind of family— you know, the kind that makes you feel like you're an ant even when you're a Count?" Shun laughed. "That rhymes."

Knight blows a loud breath. "Can you dig deeper?"

"Susubukan ko." Ani Shun na nagkibit-balikat. "Pero hindi ako nangangako. It's like the family members of the House of Lopez doesn't exist."

"Maghanap ka ng ibang data base." Suhestiyon niya, "napaka-imposibleng wala silang record. It's just there, hidden somewhere, we just have to look harder."

Shun looked at him incredulously, "you mean, I have to look harder."

Knight nodded without a humour. "I have to know what's going on."

Napailing si Shun, "you really don't like being blind, huh?"

"Who does?"

Bumuntong-hininga si Shun, "kumusta na pala ang girlfriend mo? Is she doing fine?"

Sa tanong na 'yon ni Shun, napatitig siya sa monitor kung saan naroon ang live footage ng CCTV sa bahay niya. And he can see SM on his room, sitting on the sofa and just staring at the wall while she keeps on sighing.

Back in the infirmary, she didn't chose. Tumahimik lang ito hanggang sa magsabi si Don Ambrose na bibigyan ito ng ilang araw para mag-isip.

He knew she wanted to see her father— hell! She thought her father was dead! She has all the right to want to see her father. Gusto rin niyang makita na nito ang ama, hindi niya ito pipigilan kahit pa nga gustong-gusto niyang ipagdamot si SM kahit sa sarili nitong ama. Pero alam niyang hindi puwedeng ganun siya. He's still SM's father.