Chapter 53

Napa-tingin ako kay Lui nang abutan niya ako ng baso ng tubig. We were in his condo. Sa isang araw na iyong schedule ng unang cross-examination. The pre-trial was done the other week. It was brutal. I already expected Iñigo to put up a fight, but you'd think his family's being threatened with the way he was trying to fight every evidence that I submitted.

At that time, when Iñigo was trying to get almost all evidence thrown out and declared inadmissible, did I appreciate all the groundwork that Lui did for this case... Kasi tama naman siya. Itong ginagawa ko? It was one thing. It's one thing to fight this inside the court. Iba pa rin iyong nangyayari sa labas. He had to work magic para makuha lahat ng ebidensya na meron kami—and not only that—ebidensya na admissible sa korte.

"I'm fine," I told him.

He didn't say a word. Tumingin lang siya sa baso ng tubig na inabot niya sa akin. I gave in at saka ininom ko iyon. Naramdaman ko iyong panunuyo ng lalamunan ko. I'd been grilling the witness for hours. Kailangan ko na walang butas sa magiging testimony niya. Alam ko na magkaroon lang ng kaunting butas, Iñigo would kick the door wide open. I would not grant him that opportunity.

"Do you wanna roleplay?" I asked.

Agad na napa-tingin siya sa akin.

Agad na natawa ako dahil sa reaction niya.

Pero agad din akong napa-tigil dahil sa tingin niya sa akin.

"Not what you're thinking," I told him, straightening my back. "I mean, you play Iñigo's role as the opposing counsel."

I didn't know if it was relief that I saw on his face. Ewan. Ayokong mag-overthink. There's a space and time for that and that obviously wasn't now. There were far more important things that we had to focus on.

But... with the amount of time we're spending together, it was so tempting to slip back in the nostalgia and sense of familiarity.

The walls were slowly breaking.

Nakakapagjoke na nga ako—no matter how morbid and dark they sometimes were.

With no one talking, sabay kaming bumalik sa kwarto kung nasaan iyong witness namin, si Noel. Ni hindi man lang siya tumingin sa gawi namin nung buksan namin iyong pinto. He looked so tired—kami rin naman. Sino ba ang may gusto nito? Parang lahat ng buhay namin ay naka-binbin sa era hanggang hindi natatapos ang kaso na 'to.

"One more round," sabi ko kay Noel.

Imbes na tumingin sa akin ay kay Lui siya tumingin. "Iyong pamilya—"

Lui cut him off with a single nod. "Basta sabihin mo 'yung totoo, wala tayong magiging problema," simpleng sabi ni Lui. Those were just his words... it could've come off as friendly, but I knew better. Those simple words were laced with threats. And as Lui told me that push comes to shove, he definitely would be shoving.

Noel nodded, but even with a simple nod, I felt the fear that was swallowing him alive. Minsan, hindi ko talaga maintindihan... Mukhang mahal na mahal naman niya iyong pamilya niya. Ang mga Villamontes din ay halata na mahal nila iyong pamilya nila to the point na pagtatakpan nila ang isa't-isa. Pero hindi ba nila naisip na may pamilya rin na nagmamahal sa mga taong pinatay nila?

I would never—never—understand.

"From the top," sabi ni Lui habang naka-upo sa may upuan sa harap ni Noel. It was like I was thrown back in the past. Ganito iyong itsura niya kapag nasa korte kaming dalawa. Dati, iniisip ko kung paano kung kaming dalawa ang magkalaban sa korte. Nung na-experience ko na, hindi pala masaya. Kahit pa gaano ko sabihin na trabaho lang, pagdating sa aming dalawa, nagiging personal talaga.

I guess that with him, I could never fully separate business from pleasure.

"You ask questions—I'll object," sabi ni Lui.

I looked at him and raised a brow. "Really? You'll object?"

Tumango siya. "Yes," he said with a small nod. "Let's see how good you are at asking questions."

Bahagyang napaawang ang labi ko. "Seriously?"

"You've been at arbitration for a while," he replied. "Who knows what happened to your litigation skills?"

I wanted to argue some more na kaka-panalo ko lang nung sa kaso ni Assia, but I didn't want to ruin his... seemingly jolly mood. Once in a decade lang ata 'to magpakita kaya ayokong istorbohin.

"Fine," I said. "Kailan mo unang narinig na magplano sila tungkol sa massacre na naganap?" I asked Noel for the hundredth time.

"October 2."

"Saan naganap 'yung unang pagpa-plano ng massacre?" I continued, adding the last word to see if he'd call me out on that.

"Objection," Lui said. "Question calls for a conclusion of fact." Bahagyang napa-kunot ang noo ko. "What? This is how Iñigo plays—you saw how he is nung pre-trial," he continued. "Give him a hand and he'll tear off the arm."

I pressed my lips. "Fine," I said. "Saan naganap iyong meeting na 'to?"

"Sa loob ng Hacienda ng mga Cantavieja."

"Tungkol saan ang naging meeting na 'to?"

"Sa pagpa-plano tungkol sa ambush—"

"Objection," muling sabi ni Lui. "Calls for speculation. We can't conclude that they really met and if they did, that they did so with the plan to carry out the crime of murder. This is purely speculative on the part of the witness."

If I'm being honest, he's being an ass with this line of objection... pero pakiramdam ko ay ganito nga ang gagawin ni Iñigo—kasi ganito rin ang gagawin ko.

"You know the drill," sabi ni Lui sa akin. "Ask him about what he knows—about what actually happened. Don't give him the chance to speculate. 'Wag mong bigyan ng chance si Iñigo na mag-object."

"I know that."

"I know you know," Lui said. "It's just nerves, Tali. I know that this is important to you, but treat this like any other case—just do your cross like usual and you'll be fine."

Tumango ako. Humarap siya kay Noel.

"Sumagot ka nang maayos. 'Wag kang magbigay ng opinion. Kung ano lang 'yung tanong, iyon lang ang sagutin mo," paalala niya ulit. Isang maling sabi niya lang, pwede na 'yung magbukas ng pinto para kung anu-ano ang itanong ni Iñigo sa kanya.

We continued with our rehearsal. Halos mapaos na ako nung natapos kami. Ang daming input ni Lui. Akala ko dati ay hahayaan niya lang ako sa kung anuman ang gagawin sa loob ng korte. For the longest time, I actually did convince myself that he's just doing this being I wanted this—that he didn't actually care about what happened... but hearing his line of questioning? Him actually dissecting the facts and questions?

I was almost convinced that he did care.

He just didn't want to admit it.

But why?

I left them for a while para initin iyong dinner namin. Pagbalik ko para tawagin sila, malayo pa lang pero ramdam ko na na seryoso iyong usapan nila. I knew that I shouldn't eavesdrop, but I did, anyway.

"Iyong pamilya ko, sir, ha..." sabi ni Noel. "Kahit 'wag na ako. Wala akong pakielam sa pagiging star witness ng prosecution. Basta iyong sa pamilya ko, sir. Wala naman silang kinalaman dito."

I waited for Lui to say something, anything, pero maliit na tango lang ang binigay niya na sagot. But even that was enough to send shiver down my spine.

Paglabas niya ay bahagya siyang natigilan nang makita niya akong naka-tayo doon. I wanted to ask him, but I stopped myself. Did I even want to know kung bakit takot sa kanya iyong lalaki?

"Papunta si Achilles," sabi ni Lui.

"Dito?'

He nodded like he was even offended with the insinuation na siya ang pupunta kay Achilles. When this is all done and over, I'd pay to actually see them in a room and watch them interact. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit mainit ang dugo nila sa isa't-isa.

* * *

The day of the first cross, sabay kaming pumunta ni Lui sa court. There were lots of media outside. I gave them the usual answer—na hindi ako pwedeng magcomment dahil ongoing pa iyong kaso. I tried my best to remain neutral because public perception is still at play.

"Nasan na si Noel?" I asked Lui.

"On the way," he replied.

"Bakit kasi hindi na lang sumabay sa 'tin?" I asked again, getting a bit agitated. May trauma na talaga ako sa mga witness. Palagi na lang may nangyayari sa kanila.

"Not an option."

Agad na napa-kunot ang noo ko sa sinabi ni Lui. "What do you mean—" I paused. "Is there a threat?"

"There is always a threat—he's the star witness. The whole case is basically hinged on his testimony about his participation," sagot niya sa akin. I was about to utter a protest, but he quickly stopped me with a single stare. "He's already on the way. I just can't risk him riding with us."

"Because you think something will happen," I told him.

He gave me a look. "I don't know," he said. "But as I've said—I'm not risking it. End of discussion," he continued with finality.

Lui wanted us to wait inside the court room. I insisted na dito kami sa labas maghintay. Kulang na lang ay tawagan ko mismo iyong si Noel para tanungin kung on the way na ba siya, kung buhay pa ba siya. We're too close already—ang lapit-lapit na namin. Gusto kong matakot sa mga possibleng mangyari, pero alam ko na kaya ako natatakot ay dahil alam ko na malaki iyong posibilidad na manalo kami.

He just needed to be here... I will do the rest.

I kept on looking sa daan kung saan dadating sila. Dumating na si Iñigo. We both gave each other curt nods. Dumiretso siyang pumasok sa loob at hindi na hinintay pa iyong kliyente niya na i-de-deliver ng mga pulis. Hindi na rin ako masu-surpresa kung bukod sa wheelchair ay baka may naka-sunod na rin na oxygen tank sa kanya. Sabi nga nila Lui, it's all about the theatrics. I could already imagine a lot of Filipinos na naaawa sa kanya dahil bakit nga ba hindi ko pa tigilan e matanda na siya? I'd dare them to say the same thing kung kasama iyong mga kaanak nila sa mga walang awang pinatay.

"Finally," I said when I saw the SUV on the driveway.

"I told you," Lui said like I was worrying over nothing.

Tumingin ako sa kanya. "Can you blame me?"

"It's gonna be different this time," he replied.

"I hope so."

"I say so."

Pigil ang hininga ko habang naghihintay ako na lumabas ng sasakyan si Noel. Naunang lumabas iyong security team. Tapos ay siya. Kitang-kita ko iyong kaba sa mukha niya habang naglalakad siya sa likuran nung security. Sino ba naman ang hindi kakabahan? Alam ko na nandito lang siya dahil sa banta ni Lui sa pamilya niya... pero sana ay maintindihan niya rin na tama iyong ginagawa niya.

The Villamontes family has terrorized a lot of people for a long time already... Panahon na para may tumapos sa lahat ng kasamaan nila.

I was about to approach Noel para sabayan siya na maglakad papasok sa korte. Lui stopped me na para bang sinasabi niya na dito lang kami sa loob ng korte. Na mas secured kami dito. Minsan hindi ko maintindihan iyong paranoia niya dahil maraming pulis at media ang nasa paligid ng korte.

My eyes wouldn't leave Noel's every move dahil gaya nga ng sabi ni Lui, sa kanya naka-base iyong buong case namin. Pero nandito na siya. Everything will be—

Noel continued to walk.

And then he grabbed something from his back.

Hindi ako naka-galaw nang makita ko na itutok niya iyon sa akin.

Hindi ako naka-hinga nang makita kong bigla na lang siyang bumagsak siya sa sahig matapos kong makarinig ng malakas na putok.

Lui quickly grabbed me and enveloped me inside his arms. Hindi ko maintindihan iyong mga nangyayari. Nagkaka-gulo iyong lahat. Mabilis na pina-pasok kami ng pulis sa loob ng korte at sinabihan na hindi kami pwedeng umalis hanggang hindi kami nakukuhanan ng statement—hanggang hindi nakukuhanan si Lui ng statement dahil siya iyong bumaril kay Noel.

"Y-yung w-witness—"

"You're fine... You're fine..." paulit-ulit na sabi niya habang naka-yakap sa akin. "You're fine..."

Tumingin ako sa kanya.

Naramdaman ko iyong pagvibrate ng cellphone niya.

Kinuha ko iyon mula sa kamay niya kahit na nanginginig iyong kamay ko. I kept on trying to breathe, but my chest wouldn't let me. I felt like I was in shock—na kung dati ay naririnig ko lang na namatay ang witness ko pero ngayon... ngayon, sa harap ko mismo nangyari.

'You took care of the problem you created. You can't play this game better than us.'

Napa-tingin ako sa kanya. Rinig na rinig ko iyong kabog ng dibdib ko. Hindi ko pa rin maintindihan lahat ng nangyari. Alam niya ba? Kaya ba ayaw niya akong paalisin sa tabi niya? Sino iyong nagtext sa kanya?

"Why... did you do that?"

"He would've shot you—"

"He wouldn't—"

"He would have," he said. "This is not child's play, Tali. This is real life. People killed for a lot less. He would've shot you. I know it. I am not risking your life," he said, staring straight into my eyes. "I would never."

We were both breathing deeply.

"I will find you another witness," he told me. "Hell, I will be your witness. I promise, everything will be fine," he continued as he cupped my face and looked straight into my eyes. 

**

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