CHAPTER 4

ATLAS COLLAZO

I slowly opened my eyes and found out I was sleeping on a soft mattress. I'm already in my room, resting. Kumunot ang noo ko at nanatiling nakatingin sa puting kisame habang pilit na inaaalala ang nangyari.

Gunshot. Blood. White haired woman... and my wife, Sienna. I thought she's going to take me so we can be together again—

"Atlas?"

I quickly turned around when the door suddenly opened. Ria came in carrying a silver tray. Tipid niya akong ningitian at maingat na sinarado ang pinto bago lumapit sa 'kin.

"Sino nagdala sa 'kin dito?" kunot noo kong tanong.

Ria took a deep breath before she spoke. "Si Red ang nagdala sa 'yo pabalik dito sa warehouse, Atlas. Muntik ka ng maubusan ng dugo kung hindi kita agad naasikaso. Kailangan pa namin tawagin si Helios dahil kulang ang nakatagong blood bag sa main hall ng lab para sa 'yo."

"Where's Red?" I asked.

She placed the silver tray she was carrying on the bedside table and took some medicine before giving it to me. I accepted it when she handed it to me along with some water.

"Nasa taas. Siya muna ang bahala sa main lab ngayon habang wala pa si Hexia. Hexia already emailed me that she's on the way here," tugon niya.

I nodded slowly.

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa aking tyan. Wala akong sout na damit. May benda ng nakalagay roon at sa tingin ko ay mukhang kapapalit lang din.

"Hindi kana namin dinala sa mga available na room sa itaas kasi alam naman namin na mas prefer mo sa sarili mong kuwarto," bigla nitong sambit. "Let me check your wound again."

Lumapit siya sa 'kin at maingat na tinanggal ang benda. Pinanood ko lang siya sa ginagawa nito at hinintay na matapos. She also check my vital signs before she bid a goodbye and left.

"Please tell Red to come here when you saw him," utos ko sa kanya.

"Sure," sagot nito at lumabas na sa aking kuwarto.

After Ria left my room, I stood up and walked towards the bathroom and took a shower. Tuluyan ko ng nakita ang sugat sa akin tyan sa harap ng salamin ng tanggalin ko ang benda. Mukhang magaling na rin ito kaya makakakilos na ako ng maayos.

Napapikit ako at tinukod ang dalawang kamay sa pader habang hinahayaan na dumaloy sa aking katawan ang tubig na nanggaling sa shower head.

There are so many things that are bothering me and coming into my mind right now. I'm already old, I think my purpose in my life is already done when I finally be with my son.

I know I'm going to die because I lost a lot of blood, and I also saw Sienna. But why? Why am I still not dead?

Do I still have to do with my life? Is my purpose of living here in the world not done yet, now that I've achieved it? I know that my purpose in my life is to be with my son, to reunite with him. Mayroon pa bang pahabol ng hindi ko alam?

I let out a sigh before finishing my shower. Sakto paglabas ko ay narinig ko na may kumatok sa pinto, I think it's Red.

Dumampot ako ng itim na bathrobe sa labas ng shower room at sinout bago lumabas sa banyo para buksan ang pinto.

"Red," tipid kong wika.

Isang tango lang ang binigay niya sa 'kin bago siya pumasok sa loob. Dumiretso siya sa pang isahang upuan at doon naupo.

"You've been unconscious for almost one and a half weeks. Yung blood bag na nakatago ay hindi sapat para sa 'yo kaya kailangan naming tawagin si Helios para bigyan ka ng dugo," panimula niya.

Nagkibit balikat lang ako at nagtungo sa harap ng salamin para tignan ang sarili.

"Buhay pa rin naman ako kaya huwag na kayo mag alala," tugon ko. "Ria already told me about that. Thank you."

"It took us longer when I picked you up. Luckily, Oceanus quickly connected your earpiece line to me before it suddenly had an error. Natrack ka agad namin—"

"Yung bahay ng babaeng puti yung buhok," bigla kong wika sa kanya.

Nanatili akong nakatingin sa harap ng salamin. My beard is slowly growing, I was thinking if I'm going to trim it or not. Ang ilang puting hibla ng aking buhok ay nakikita na rin, humahalo na sa itim kong buhok. I should dye my hair black again to get rid of this.

"What about her?" Red asked.

"She's the one who saved my life," sagot ko at hinarap siya.

"About that, it's a good thing that she called my number but what she did is very dangerous. She doesn't know what we are doing and what we're working for, Atlas."

Hindi agad ako nakasagot sa kanyang sinabi. The woman with wavy white hair. It's like a character from a series I see Hexia watching whenever I visit their house with Helios.

If I'm not mistaken I think it's Khaleesi from Game of Thrones. Gano'n ang kulay ng kanyang buhok.

She's too kind to help me, but if she keeps doing that, she could get hurt. I didn't know there are still people like that today.

"Atlas."

Even though everything that happened that night is blurry in my mind, I can't remove from my head how her face showed concern.

"Atlas, are you okay?"

Her long white wavy hair was down, almost like a curtain as she bent down to me. Pilit niya akong kinakausap para manatili akong gising. Ang ilang hibla ng kanyang buhok ay nakadikit sa kanyang noo dahil sa pawis.

I don't know if it was from nervousness or fear. She's probably regretting why she brought me to her own house.

"Atlas."

I was brought back from my deep thoughts when I heard Red's voice. Naramdaman ko rin ang kamay niya sa aking balikat at hindi napansin na nasa harapan ko na pala siya.

"What?" kunot noo kong tanong sa kanya.

"You're spacing out," sagot nito. "I said are you okay? Gusto mo patignan ulit kita kay Ria?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm okay now, Red. Don't worry."

Tinalikuran ko siya at nagtungo sa lalagyan ng mga damit na nakatapat sa dulong bahagi ng kama. I just took a white cotton shirt and placed it on the small table, beside the large cabinet.

"I know what you're doing, Red," sambit ko habang naghahanap naman ako ng itim na short. "What's her name? Kahit hindi mo sabihin sa 'kin alam ko na agad ang ginawa mo."

"Nagpatulong ako kay Pallas para ma-reboot ang cellphone mo. She used your cellphone to call my number that night. What if may nakahack ng cellphone mo pagkatapos ng event noong nabaril ka. That woman might be in danger If I didn't do that," sagot niya.

"And?" kalmado kong tanong at hinarap siya. "After that, what did you do?"

"I just got curious and found her name."

The corner of my lips lifted. I carried the clothes into the bathroom to change. Nag-iwan lang ako ng konting siwang para marinig ko pa rin ang boses ni Red.

Mabilis lang ang pagbibihis ko kaya nakalabas na agad ako.

"What is her name?" tanong ko ng makalabas.

"Avah Sienna Andrada," mabilis nitong sagot.

Natigilan ako sa kanyang sinabi, lalo na sa second name ng babaeng tumulong sa 'kin.

Avah Sienna? Sienna?

SHANGPU