End of the Road

Part III

"This is your first and last chance. Don't disappoint me, Keandra."

Kanina pa ito tahimik sa tabi ko. I sighed and tapped her head and ruffle her hair. Agad naman itong pumiksi at marahang tinanggal ang kamay ko sa ulo nito. Nababasa ko ang kaba sa mukha ng dalaga. But this is what we planned, kailangan nutong sumind or else habang buhay na tong makukulong at magiging pambenta ng hayop nitong ama.

"I know. Thank you for helping me. But I'm afraid, Ty. Paano ka kapag hinanap ako ni dad? Hindi ka ba madidiin? Kinakabahan ako sa maaari niyang gawin sa iyo."

I enveloped my friend with a hug to assure her that everything will be alright. Ang plano pupunta kaming Barcelona to celebrate our engagement. Pero pag dating sa Barcelona ay sasakay na ng ibang eroplano si Keandra para makatakas. Totoong hindi ko alam kung saan ito pupunta kaya i-torture man ako ng hayop nitong ama ay wala akong masasabi.

"It's now or never. You need to gamble for your freedom and happiness. You have everything with you right now which is the money. Please be careful."

Tumango ang dalaga at determinadong sundin ang orihinal na plano. "I will do my best to hide, pero hindi ako mapakali sa kaisipan na dinamay kita dito. Minsan masama din sa kalusugan ang maging matulungin. Hindi naman halata sa mukha mo pero feeling ko nauto kutang tulungan ako dito."

Napa ikig ako at napa nguti sa pinag sasabi nito. "You're crazy. It just happen that I love playing dirty, and this is kind of exciting. Aside from that, gusto kitang tulungang makalaya. Kailangan mong umalis para hindi ka matunton. Sa oras na mahanap ka nila, babalik ka sa Pilipinas ng naka posas na naman at sunod-sunuran sa lahat."

Tumulo ang luha sa pisngi nito ngunt mabilis na pinunasan ni Keandra iyon gamit ang panyo. "Are you sure that you will be safe?" There's hope in her eyes .

"It's your father who will be not, don't worry too much. Just do your part and be brave."

Tumango-tango ito bilang pag sang ayon. Nag check-in kami sa hotel na malapit sa airport pagka lapag namin ng Barcelona. Her father called to check on her and to verify that we really in the hotel he booked for us. That's how cunning he is. Pero kahit gaano ito ka gago mas gago pa din siya.

Then Keandra left exactly twelve midnight on that same day. The cctv shows her footage going out of the premise with her luggage. I reported her disappearance when I woke up. I called my parents and Keandra's dad. I know how shrewed tat man is but I am wiser than him. I made sure that the airport won't spout or share any information about Keandra's whereabouts. I paid hefty for that. Good thing connection works wherever part of the world I am.

This is getting interesting, money versus money. But I have brains which I doubt he had.

Umuwi ako ng Pinas na mag-isa at nakaka hinga ng maluwag sa kaisipang malaya na ang dalaga ngayon. That's the end of our engagement as well. Walang balitang kumalat tugkol sa pagkawala ni Keandra. Ngunit ang ama nito ay matinding galit ang iniharap sa akin. He is threatening and trying to intimidate the hell out of me. But I'm stern and not easy to swayed. I just shrugged my shoulder and act worried for his daughter's disappearance instead.

"I'll find her and drag her back here in Philippines. Sa oras na mangyari iyon ay ikakasal kayo kaagad kagaya ng naunang plano. And transactions will still continue no matter what."

I shook my head and laughed silently. My parents seems not bothered at all. Liyah was quiet all the time. She didn't even asked me about Keandra. Maging si dad ay ganuon din. It's a fool proof plan that I created for her freedom. Pero may hinala ako na alam ng parents ko ang lahat. My father is shrewed too and so my mom, she's scary and smart. Kahit gaano kabait ito ay hindi ito basta-basta malilinlang. But they respected what I did back then.