"Do you think he's telling the truth?"

Nilingon ko si Atticus na noo'y tila malalim ang iniisip habang nagmamaneho. Ilang segundo pa ang lumipas bago niya ako sagutin.

"I have my own principles as a lawyer." aniya at maingat na iniliko ang sasakyan. "I swear loyalty to my clients and put all my faith on their words until the very end."

"Regardless of the truth?" I queried curiously.

"Yes, Stellar. Regardless of the truth." he reiterated.

Umiwas ako ng tingin. "Is that even okay? If you disregard the truth, then that means you're willing to defend someone in the court even if he's the obvious culprit."

"If my client insists that he didn't do it, then I have to believe him. In this profession, the truth barely matters." seryosong sambit ni Atticus nang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa kalsada. "Either you distort the existing facts or you create your own version of truth to get the verdict that you want. That's how we work."

I shook my head in dismay. "That's so dirty."

"I have no objections on that. It's the dirtiest profession."

Napangiwi ako. "Alam mo naman palang madumi ang trabaho ito, bakit pinili mo paring maging abogado?"

He smirked. "I love debating with people and trampling on their opinion, especially if it's opposite to mine. It always feels nice to win an argument." Atticus explained with pride, not even bothering to hide his nasty attitude.

"Ang sama ng ugali mo." napapailing kong sabi.

Tinawanan lang niya ako.

Mabilis lamang ang naging pagdalaw namin kay Conan at pauwi na kami ngayon. Kung tutuusin, literal na umupo lang naman kami pero pagod na pagod ako ngayon.

My encounter with him drained the life out of me.

"Anyway," Atticus continued when we arrived at the parking lot. "Hindi naman ako humahawak ng kaso na alam kong matatalo ako."

I listened to him with mild interest.

"At mas lalong hindi ako humahawak ng kliyente na alam kong may sala. I know a criminal when I see one."

I blinked twice. "Why is that?"

"Wala. Magaling ako eh."

Napairap ako sa kayabangan niya. He chuckled then took a business card from his coat. Ibinida niya sa akin ang nakasulat doon na Atty. Atticus Sylvensen VII with 100% Winning Rate.

"See? I have never lost a case before. Wala rin akong balak na magpatalo sa kasong ito. Kapag sinabi kong ilalabas ko si Conan, ilalabas ko siya." he stated with oozing confidence.

His determination put a smile on my face. Pakiramdam ko nagkakaroon na ng progreso sa kaso ni Stellar Lumina. Alam kong makukuha ko rin ang hustisya. Hindi madali pero makukuha ko iyon.

"Persons of interest."

Inilapag ni Sandro sa mesa ang isang kulay puting folder na naglalaman ng iba't ibang profile ng mga tao. I quickly ran an eye over the files, but none of the prospects were familiar to me.

"Where did you get that?" Atticus asked.

The secretary shrugged. "Kay Aster."

Kinuha ko ang folder at tinignan ang mga laman nito. Kada lipat ko ng pahina, may larawan ng mga taong tinutukoy. Nang tignan ko si Sandro, bakas ang pagmamalaki sa mukha niya dahil nakakuha siya ng ganito kahalagang impormasyon.

"Anong kinalaman nila sa kaso?"

"Mga bisita sila ni Solaire noong gabing pinatay si Stellar."

Tinignan ko isa-isa ang mga larawan. Dalawang babae, tatlong lalaki. I tried recalling whether I've seen them before or not, but my memory was just a mess.

"Useful." Napatalon ako sa gulat noong may bumulong sa tabi ko. Nadatnan ko si Gabriel. Gosh, this guy is giving me goosebumps! Nagtaasan ang mga balahibo ko sa takot!

Sandro looked at me then raised a brow. Mukhang napansin niya ang pagkagulat ko kaya binigyan niya ako ng nagtatanong na tingin. I waved my hand. "Wala. Hehe,"

Mabuti na lang at busy si Atticus sa phone niya kaya hindi niya napansin. Sandro shook his head in dismay. Tinignan ko naman nang masama si Gabriel na noo'y panay ang tawa sa tabi ko.

"Can you please stop appearing out of thin air? You're startling me!" mariin kong bulong at mas lalo lang niya akong tinawanan. Sumayaw-sayaw pa siya at tila tuwang tuwa na naiinis ako.

"Okay. Let's make these fuckers talk. Tignan natin kung gaano sila kagaling magsinungaling." May bahid ng galit sa boses ni Atticus kaya napalingon ako sa kanya.

Mukhang seryoso ang pinag-uusapan nila ni Sandro kaya naman lumapit ako nang konti upang pakinggan sila. Katulad ko ay naki-tsismis din si Gabriel sa kanila.

"Malakas ang pakiramdam kong hindi sila magsasabi ng totoo kahit anong pamimilit natin." Atticus seemed convinced by his own speculation. "Of course, they would want their hands clean as much as possible."

"What should we do, then?" Sandro inquired.

Pinaglaruan ni Atticus ang mga labi niya habang nag-iisip. "Again, we'll make them talk. If sweet words don't work on them, then we'll have to do it the hard way."

Napasimangot naman ako nang tumango-tango si Gabriel sa tabi ko. Halos labasan ko na siya ng pangil sa kakulitan niya. Napaamang naman siya sa akin at inosenteng nagtanong.

Inaano kita?

I averted my gaze from him, only to find Atticus staring at me, slightly weirded out. Patay-malisya naman akong napaubo. "Bakit?"

"Sino bang kausap mo?" iritado niyang tanong kaya napaawang ang bibig ko. Nagkamali ako nang isipin kong hindi niya napapansin ang pagtataboy ko kay Gabriel!

I gulped. "Wala! Kayo, kausap ko kayo!"

He shot me one last glare before turning to Sandro. Nag-usap na ulit sila kaya pasimple kong pinandilatan ng mata si Gabriel.

He burst into laughter once more. "Chill, Stellar!"

"Ano ba kasing ginagawa mo rito?" inis kong tanong dahil kanina pa siya nandito at palakad-lakad sa unit namin.

His countenance changed from playful to serious.

"I came here to warn you." he said in a low monotone.

Tumindig ang mga balahibo ko sa sinabi niya. I looked at him and he was still smiling, but the wary and cautiousness were evident on his eyes.

"Of what?"

"Your life is in danger. I want to help you but intervention is considered a grave sin to the likes of us." Gabriel placidly explained to me. "Listen. I won't be able to show up because I have to face a punishment for telling you this."

My heart raced wildly. No matter how much I chastised his childishness, I wouldn't deny the fact that Gabriel was someone I needed. He was my guardian. He was my friend. The thought of not seeing him makes my heart clench.

"What kind of danger, Gabriel?"

He pursed his lips. "Auxen. Beware of him."

Everything happened so fast. Gabriel fell face-first on the floor, like someone batted him from the back of his head. I stood rooted to my position, unable to react, my mouth frozen in fear.

Gabriel looked up to me then smiled, like he was assuring me that he would be okay.

But his face told me otherwise.

Because I saw the excruciating pain in his eyes before he completely vanished into thin air. And then I thought to myself... You'd really go that far to help me, Gabriel?

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