REVALAUN

"Revalaun!" 

Nagulat ako sa malakas na paghampas ng kamay sa lamesa. Gulat akong napatingin kay Detective Davis na nanlilisik ang mga mata at tinuro ang tray ng pagkain sa harapan ko.

Hindi ko napansin na napatulala na pala ako sa kalagitnaan ng pagkain. Hindi kasi mawala sa isip ko ang nangyari kagabi.

"Lalim ng iniisip mo ah?" She sound sarcastic like she's always been. "Kumain ka na at huwag mong paghintayin ang pagkain!"

Mahinang natawa si Gavin. Ang nanlilisik na mga mata ni Detective Davis ay napunta sa kanya.

"Sus, sabihin mo na lang na concerned ka kay Revalaun," aniya.

"Hindi ako concerned! Pake ko ba kung mamatay siya ngayon sa harap ko? Sa akin lang, bilisan niya na at lumalamig na ang pagkain. Ang ayaw ko sa lahat ay ang makitang may nasasayang na pagkain."

Napatingin ako sa tray ng pagkain sa harapan ko. Hindi ko pa nagagalaw. Wala akong gana.

Pagkatapos masaksihan ang pagiiba ng kulay ng buwan, nakaramdam ako ng takot sa hindi malamang dahilan.

"May problema ba?" Narinig kong tanong ni Taylor. Napatingin ako sa kanya.

Ibinaba niya ang nga kubyertos at kumuha ng tissue para punasan ang kanyang bibig.

"Is there something bothering you?"

A lot! Namomroblema ako kung saan na ako kukuha ng pera para sa paggagamot kay mama at kay Katrina. The book I was asked to write. The revelation behind my father's death, and his possible connection with Riley Hyde. And the fact that I'm seeing things. Not only the bloody moon but I'm also seeing a girl... in my dreams!

It's not like I can tell them that any of that. They'll think I'm crazy.

"No, it's nothing. I'm just tired," sagot ko.

Tumango siya pero hindi pa rin maalis ang mapanuring tingin niya sa'kin.

"So..." he cleared his throat before continuing, "... the book you're working on for Magdelene Rice. Kamusta naman?"

Tumagal ang tingin ko sa kanya. Iniisip ko pa kung bakit itinatanong niya ang tungkol doon.

"Honestly, I don't know where to start," sagot ko. "Unfortunately, the library archives had nothing about her."

"You'll find answers soon," he assured me. "You should just focus on your book."

"Riley Hyde's case." I brought up. Their eyes immediately glanced at me. "I want in. Gusto kong hulihin ang babaeng 'yon."

Namayani ang katahimikan sa sinabi ko. Gavin looked dumbstruck. Detective Davis shot me a look and pushed her tray away. Meanwhile Taylor only stared at me.

Pagkatapos ng ilang segundong paghihintay sa sagot nila. Malalim na humugot ng hininga si Gavin. He tapped the edge of his tray using a spoon then leaned forward to catch my stare.

"You know we can't do that, Revalaun," he reminded me.

"I'll be a consultant like Taylor then," sagot ko. "I am more involved than you think I am, Gavin. Riley Hyde threatened my sister's life. Isn't that enough reason for me to want to find her?"

Taylor slowly stood up from his seat, and dropped his spoon on his empty tray. The sound of the spoon on the tray made us jolt in surprise.

"That's exactly the reason why we can't let you. Your feelings are too involved in this," he told me. "Who knows what you'll do if we did find her? Your feelings might get in the way of our work."

Napaawang ako ng bibig. What I'll do to her? Sa tingin niya ba kaya ko siyang saktan?

"Bullshit!"

"You should rest. We'll talk later."

I was about to say something but Detective Davis slammed her hands on the table again. 

"Aalis na kami," Detective Davis said with finality. The glare in her eyes told me to back off.

"Call us if you need anything," Gavin reminded me. Sandaling nagtagpo ang tingin nila ni Taylor, pero agad siyang kumalas. "Taylor's right. You should focus on your work, and we'll deal with ours."

Taylor pushed himself up from his seat. Sumunod sa kanya ang dalawa at sabay silang umalis sa table. Gavin was looking over his shoulder, probably to check if I was still watching them. When he noticed my stare he immediately looked away.

The smallest details are everything when it comes to figuring someone out.

They're hiding something from me.

"Revalaun, alis na kami!" sigaw ni Gavin. "Pahinga ka muna, huwag ka munang mambabae ah?"

Detective Davis slapped his arm. The three of them left after that, didn't spare me another look.

Galit akong napatingin sa tray ko. Tuluyan nang lumamig ang pagkain ko, dahilan para tuluyan na akong mawalan ng gana.

Padabog kong tinulak ang tray. Gulat na napatingin sa'kin ang babaeng lumapit para sana ligpitin ang mga kinainan namin.

Tinalikuran ko siya at naglakad palayo. Ramdam ko pa ang pagtitig niya sa likuran ko, sinusundan ako ng tingin.

Diretso ang lakad ko hanggang sa makalabas ako sa fast food chain na kinainan namin. Nasa second floor kami ng mall kumain, mula rito kitang-kita ang tanawin labas na puro mga sasakyan lamang at tao.

When you're standing this far, everyone and everything seems so small and unreachable. That's not the case though. No matter how far you've gone, and no matter how little they look from the distance, everything's still fucking the same.

Napatingin ako sa repleksyon sa salamin.

When I saw my eyes glaring back at me, I realized something. The dark eyes, the crease on my forehead, and the lips pressed together into a thin line resembles my father. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa nakakuyom kong mga kamao at ang pandurugo nito. The white bandage wrapped around my hand dyed red and the blood dripped on the marbled floor marking them with red dots.

Hindi ko nakita ang sarili ko sa salamin. Ang tanging nakita ko ay ang imahen ng aking ama.

Siguro tama sila, wala akong pinagkaiba kay Papa.

***
---

TAYLOR ESCOBAR stared blankly into the elevator door, quietly listening to the two detectives' bickering. He'd be happier if only the two would just let the day go by in peace.

They heard a 'Ding!' followed by the opening of the elevator door, and Detective Gavin Marco's whistling. "Umamin ka na kasi, may gusto ka kay Revalaun, no?"

"Bakit ako magkakagusto sa hayop na 'yon?"

When Taylor Escobar rolled his eyes to his right, he wasn't surprised to see Penelope Gio hiding behind one of the potted plants by the entrance of the hospital. Taylor recognized her even from that distance and didn't hide the fact that he did.

Taylor squinted his eyes at Penelope, and didn't break from her stare. He recalls his conversation with her. When he noticed that someone was listening to their conversation, he came out of the room to follow her. The shadow he saw under the gaps of the door gave the eavesdropper away.

Taylor was worried that she's intending to tell her brother about what she heard.

Without telling his friends, he followed her but to his surprise, he heard something interesting from the two friends who were talking in the hallway.

Penelope and the nurse, Daphne, were crying when he finally came to a decision to reveal himself. He was done hiding, now he's out to do some bargaining.

"You know it's rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversation," he told them, taking three easy strides towards them.

"I could say the same." Taas-noong sagot ni Penelope.

Natawa ng mahina si Taylor.

"Penelope, why don't you and I grab a cup of coffee?" he offers, then looked at his wrist watch which showed the time. Four in the morning.

"Nasaan si Kuya?"

"Umalis siya kasama si Davis."

Smirking, he tugged at his shirt's sleeves and rolled them up. Penelope and Daphne silently watched him do that, both were confused.

"I think it would be best if we take this conversation elsewhere," Taylor suggested.

"Hindi ako aalis hanggat nakausap ko na si Kuya," Penelope replied with a raised eyebrow. "I'm not going anywhere with you. Kung tatanungin mo ako kung ano ang narinig ko. Narinig ko ang lahat!"

Ah, this girl is as stubborn as her brother.

Taylor's not someone who keeps his patience at the surface. He doesn't like it when people doesn't give him what he wants. Right now, what he wants is for Revalaun's sister to cooperate and listen to him. But what do you expect from a child?

"Fine. Then I'll cut to the chase." Taylor gave up and dropped his hand from rolling up his sleeve. "Keep your mouth shut. It will save us all from trouble."

Their conversation was brief, but he wasn't sure if Penelope heed his advice. The memory of their meeting was also a passing blur, he couldn't remember if Penelope directly agreed to what he told her. The thought of the girl not abiding to his demand made his anger bubble inside him.

You're a weak man. Taylor stopped in his tracks when he heard that. He knew it was all in his head, but he couldn't ignore. The four words reminded him of his father, who killed himself and left him an orphan.

He got out of his trance when he heard the female detective's voice, roaring with anger and desperation. "So there is someone else who staged the bombing other than Riley Hyde? Who is the bastard?"

Judging from the way Detective Blythe Davis' tone escalated, the woman is angered by the notion that there was indeed an accomplice behind Hyde's 'mass execution' at Tartarus. The bombing incident killed everyone who was sent to that facility to engage the lockdown including Davis' father who was in command.

Taylor acknowledged the idea of Hyde having an accomplice for her plan to be put into action but he never knew there was a certain truth behind it.

Hindi magagawa 'yon ni Hyde na walang tumutulong sa kanya! He thought when he heard what happened to the facility. At sa huli, kung ano man ang nahanap ng mga tauhan ni Davis, tama ang hinala niya.

"Kid Schneider?" Blythe Davis gritted her teeth together as she heard the name, "And he's nowhere to be found?"

Apparently, there's no sign of the accomplice. When the police went to his neighborhood, his neighors said he hasn't been home for days. Nang pumunta sila sa bahay niya marami na ang nakatambak na mail sa mailbox niya. Ang mga pagkain niya sa ref ay pumanis na, at ang mga iniwan niyang mga kubyertos sa lababo ay nilalakaran na ng mga ipis. At yung mga tirang pagkain sa mesa ay inuuod na.

The culprit is in hiding which frustrated Detective Blythe Davis even more.

"The gun retrieved from the crime scene matches Schneider's. Tobi had the ballistics to confirm the owner by identifying the gun's serial number and fingerprints." Detective Blythe Davis explained with a creased forehead.

Taylor watched Gavin as he watch her putting a hand on her hip, while the other rummaging inside Schneider's drawer.

When Detective Blythe Davis found nothing, she pulled back her gloved hand and turned to rummage through the piles of porn CD's which Gavin turned to with sparkling eyes.

"The man has good taste."

Lahat sila ay napatingin kay Gavin Marco. Kasali na ang mga tauhan sa forensics at iilang police officer na kasama nila.

"Detective Gavin Marco," Detective Blythe Davis hissed, she stood upright. "Kailangan mo pa ba talagang magkomento?"

"Sorry," Gavin chuckled. "I can't help but compliment the man's choice in—"

"Bakit ikaw pa ang ipinartner sa'kin?" sigaw ni Detective Blythe Davis, hinubad ang suot nitong gloves at binato kay Gavin.

"I really want to find my father's killer!" Natahimik ang lahat. "So please, Gavin. Magseryoso ka naman just for once!"

"I'm sorry."

Padabog na umalis ang babaeng detective at marahas na pinalis ang kanyang mga luha.

Hinubad ni Gavin Marco ang gloves na suot at ibinigay sa isang tauhan bago sumunod sa partner niya.

Napatingin siya sa mga tauhan na natigilan dahil sa biglaang pag break down ni Detective Blythe Davis.

"Let's get back to work," he said.

Pumunta siya sa kwarto ng suspek at hinalughog ang kama. Hinila ang mga unan at bed sheets, at kinapa pa ang foam. Wala siyang naramdaman na bulk doon na indikasyon na may itinago sa loob o sa ilalim nito.

Nilibot ni Taylor ang magulong kwarto, at hinalughog ang lahat ng gamit na naroon. Kinuha niya ang mga damit na nakatambak sa isang sulok at kinapa ang mga bulsa. Wala siyang nakuha bukod sa mga candy wrappers at pakete ng sigarilyo.

Ang sunod niyang ginawa ay hawiin ang kurtina. Bumungad sa kanya ang maraming mga larawan na nakadikit sa bintana.  Mga larawan ng iba't ibang babae na kinuha sa iba't ibang anggulo. Base sa paraan ng pagkuha at kalidad, isang propesyunal ang kumuha ng mga larawan.

Taylor saw dozens of pictures of women wearing bikinis, or a close up shot of their thighs or their cleavage. There is even a shot where you can clearly see the woman's underwear. Napailing si Taylor sa nakita. Nang napalingon siya sa ibang larawan na nakapaskil sa bintana, doon siga natigilan at pumunta sa banda na 'yon para makita ng malapitan.

"Riley Hyde?" He squinted his eyes at the image, he took the photo from the glass window and examined the picture once more.

The image was of Riley Hyde being escorted from Psyche Hospital. Taylor thought that the picture must've been taken when Hyde was scheduled to be taken to Rise Institute. He wondered about that for a while. Some men were standing behind her while she stood side by side with her doctor, Dr. Tammy Corazon. The men were keeping their distance from her while the doctor had her hand on the girl's shoulder.

Kung totoo nga na si Schneider ang accomplice ni Hyde, may kinalaman din kaya ang lalaki sa nangyaring aksidente sa Infinity Bridge bilang isang paraan para makatakas si Hyde?

Imposible. Napailing si Taylor. Hyde did it all by herself, they said Hyde stabbed the driver using a pen that's why the driver lost control of the car and caused the accident. If Schneider really was the accomplice, what would he gain from helping criminals?

Hindi maintindihan ni Taylor kung bakit magkakasama ang mga serial killers na 'yon. At kung paano napasama sa kanila si Schneider.

Binalik niya ang tingin sa bintana. Sa parte kung saan niya kinuha ang retrato, nakita niya ang pulang linya sa salamin. Kinuha niya pa ang iilang larawan malapit sa unang kinuha niya at lumabas doon, pinakita doon ang letrang 'e'. 

Binitiwan niya ang mga larawan sa kamay, at pinagtatanggal ang mga nakadikit na mga larawan sa salamin ng bintana. Nang nakalahati na siya, nakita niya ang buong nakasulat doon: 'I will do anything for Riley Hyde.'

Taylor continued removing the photos from the glass window pane. When he removed almost all of it, he took a few steps back to look at the overall writing on the glass window.

Scribbles written in red almost covered the whole window. Napakuyom siya ng kamao nang mabasa ang mga nakasulat doon.

'I love you, Riley!'

'She's mine.'

'I love you. You're mine.'

'Forever with Riley.'

They were written repeatedly on the glass window without missing a beat. Nahilo si Taylor kakatingin sa mga nakasulat dahilan para mapahawak siya sa sentido niya at muling napaatras. Paulit-ulit na lumalaro sa isipan niya ang mga letrang nakasulat sa bintana.

He suddenly couldn't breathe. He began to clutch at his shirt to pull it away from his chest.

"Taylor?" Napahilamos siya sa mukha niya. "Taylor? Akin ka lang, Taylor 'di ba? 'Di ba?"

Lumalakas ang boses na naririnig niya kaya napatakip siya sa kanyang tenga. Hindi totoo ang naririnig niya, ngunit para bang nasa malapit lamang ang babaeng naririnig niya. Nanumbalik lang sa kanya ang mga alaalang pilit niyang kinakalimutan.

"Akin ka lang!" Kasabay ng sigaw ng babae sa kanyang isipan, ay ang pagbukas ng pinto.

"Taylor?" This time, the voice was real. "Taylor, anong nangyari?"

Mabilis na lumapit si Gavin sa kanyang kaibigan at hinawakan ang magkabilang balikat nito. Tinawag niya muli ang pangalan niya ngunit hindi siya sinagot at nanatiling nakayuko.

Lumuhod si Gavin katabi ni Taylor, tahimik na hinintay ang pagkalma ng kaibigan. Napatingin siya sa bintana kung saan maraming nakasulat na mga salita. Doon niya napagtanto kung bakit nagkaganoon si Taylor.

They were similar words that a stalker of Taylor's had left in his apartment years ago.

"She's coming back," he heard him mumble. "I can still hear her."

Hindi sumagot si Gavin. Nanatili siyang nakaluhod sa tabi ni Taylor at tinatapik ang balikat niya, tila isang bata na inaalo para kumalma.

"Don't worry, Taylor," he said. "Hindi ka na niya malalapitan. She's dead, remember?"

***