Chapter 3

Black Gambetto

It just took me four days inside the rehab, I know it should be longer than that but I just can't stay any longer when it doesn't do the same anymore. It makes me worse, my head's goin' all around and I can't bear just to do something to make it go away when later, I am spaced out and then, I'm in the urge to do something bad, really, really, bad.

I meet Nurse Nancy at the Baggage area where I surrender most of my things. I decide to get out early. Making a lot of time in rehab will help me but thinking that there is still a problem outside will be a reason to get it out of my head. This is still because of Lany, she would still have been here.

"Are you sure you're okay now?" she asked.

Napangisi naman ako sa tanong niya. "I was never okay..."

"Hope you get your help outside," dagdag pa nito. "Something that could ease out your anger."

Hindi na naman ako nakapagsalita sa sinabi niya. I know it was intended noong nakaraan nangyari sa amin, she's into me, I never know that until now. She handed over my sling bag. I checked it, phones, wallet, ID's, keys are still on it.

"Thank you." I smiled before I turned back on her.

Before I left she called me back and hurriedly came to me, and the next thing she did was shock me. She kissed me. I'm confused about that. She bowed her head.

"Call me if you need help," she said, and that's my cue where I left the place.

I didn't know how to react to her, she must have been wanting to do that for a long time. Maybe this isn't the last time I will come here, maybe soon, this will be my home. Forever.

I fetch out my car on the sidewalk. I get my phone, crack the SIM card, and throw it away. They shouldn't know I'm out, this is on me. I must take care of this on my own. But I don't know where to go, that's been my problem. There's no home for me here. Not at all.

I headed to a private club, no one knew me there, even my friends didn't know that club existed. It is like an underground club where most of the people with power come to play. But I don't have the power, but I came to play.

When I came to the place, you could see it as like a twenty-four-seven convenience here but it has a dark side. I check in with the guard who's letting people come and go. It checked my ID and without anything to ask, he let me in.

"Enjoy the night," he said.

I walked down the stairs, the music was so loud that no one heard it from upstairs making it soundproof at all. As I look around, I can see VIP people, men from the black market, celebrities, and normal people who want to break out from their problems. But I know this is the place where I can find them, I just don't know yet, but I will find them.

I ordered a drink at the counter, the bartender immediately gave me a bottle of beer.

"Can I ask a question?" I said to the bartender he just looked at me while cleaning the wine glass. I took a thousand bills from my wallet and showed it. "Just a question."

"Okay." He nodded and I handed over the money. "Just what I know, I can give."

"Do you know the Black Gambetto?"

He stopped for a second, I know he knew that name. "Yes, the gambits."

"Where can I find them?" I asked.

But he just looked at me, and then I handed over again a thousand bill. He got a paper and pen, wrote on it, and gave it to me afterward. "That's where you will find them."

"32nd North Destine."

"Where is this?" I asked once more when he couldn't say another answer word. "Fuck you, I'll handle myself."

He laughed and entertained other customers. I look back and forth to the paper he gave to me. I don't have any idea where this is. When I looked around to see the faces of people who were having their time, someone caught my eye, it wasn't because of some lady who wanted to get bed, but a familiar face some years ago who was with the killer.

I immediately stood up from my seat and headed my way to the table where this man, having his night at best when he was an accessory for murder.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, getting their attention, and as I got his. He is shocked to see me standing right in front of him. "I know you remember me."

He's looking back and forth to the men at his table and at me. "H-hey, okay, I get why you're here but that was a long time ago!" he reasoned. "And I have nothing to do with that!"

I smirked. "You don't? Really? Because in just what I remember, you were there, standing beside him."

"But I-I didn't shoot!" he said. "It wasn't me!"

Mabilis naman akong lumapit sa kanya at hinigit ang kanyang shirt. Pero mabilis ding tumayo ang mga kasama nito at tinutukan ako ng baril. Hindi ko mapigilan ang galit sa dibdib ko pero isang bala lang ang makakatapat no'n sa akin. Binitawan ko rin naman kaagad ito, saka sunod nitong binaba ang baril.

"Look, from that day, I quit the Black Gambetto. Killing isn't my forte. Sorry, but you don't have anything from me. And easily, you can't hurt me," sabi pa nito sa akin.

"Then where I can find him?" I asked.

He shrugged. "That's your problem, dude."

Muli naman akongt tinutukan ng baril no'ng kasamahan niya at pinapaalis ako sa pwesto nila. Bumalik na lang din naman ako sa bar counter at tinuloy ang pag-inom sa beer.

"You're really brave to face those HighDevs, huh?"

I looked at him. "What do they do?" I asked, but for that, he was just waiting for another bill so I shook my head to ignore him.

Mayamaya lamang ay naghiwayan ang mga tao sa loob. Nagtaka pa ako kung anong meron, iyon pala ay dumating na ang mga hookers. Isa isa naman silang nagpuntahan sa mga table, kanya kanya silang pili ng customer hanggat sa isama nila sa mga private rooms.

"Yes, Miya baby! Come let's get it on!" I heard it from somewhere. Mapapailing ka na lang talaga dahil kung tutuusin lahat ng mga tao na nandito ay pagpapakasarap lamang ang kagustuhan.

Paalis na ako sana ako nang biglang may humarang sa akin, naka-maskara ang parte sa mga mata nito kaya hindi ko makuha ang histura nito. Alam ko na rin naman kung anong gusto nito, kaya agad kong inilingan at tanggihan pero mabilis nitong iginapang ang kanyang kamay sa balikat ko hanggat sa pinadalos niya hanggat sa dibdib ko.

"I'm not interested," sagot ko sa kanya.

Hindi naman ito tumigil kundi ipinasok niya ang kanyang kamay sa loob ng shirt ko, mabilis ko namang inalis ang mga kamay niya. Pero nang biglang pumasok sa isip ko ang ginawa ko noon, natigilan ako bigla.

Unti-unti niyang inangat ng daliri niya ang ulo ko, pinalakad niya ang mga daliri sa aking mga labi hanggat sa lumapat ang kanyang mga labi sa akin.

"I know you're not interested but you're hard enough to deny that."

Kinuha naman niya ang mag kamay ko at idinala niya ako isa sa mga private room. Nauna akong pumasok sa loob ng kwarto, ilang saglit lang din ay sumunod siyang pumasok sa akin. Nakahiga lamang ako sa kama, dim ang lights kaya hindi ko maaninag ang mukha ng babaeng papalit sa akin.

She slowly came into my top, she held and gripped my both hands and kissed me like there was no tomorrow to give in. I know the drink hit me, and I can't even open my eyes wide. She started to undo my shorts, pull down my jeans and watch her strip down her hooker costume. Her boobs dipped on my face and it feels like heaven. Her hands were inside my underwear, squeezing like it was lemon. The next thing I knew, I was inside of her, she was on top of me.

"What does that feel like, huh?" I chuckle.

"Good..." she moaned. "You're so huge."

I just laughed at what she said. I thrust towards her, feeling the flesh of her. When I was about to explode, she immediately put her head down on my soldier and waited for the fountain to drop white slimy yummy. I felt the rush and exhaustion but it is good, I never have done it for a long time.

"You need to go, baby, no sleeping!" aniya saka niya ako inalalayan na bumangon sa pagkakahiga. She handed over my clothes and wear it tired. "Where d'you live boy?

I smirked. "You don't wanna know that."

And so before I left the room, she kissed me one more time and that makes me wake up—or something that I've felt before.

Pagkalabas ko naman ng private room. Sumalubong naman sa akin ang mga nagwawalang grupo, umiwas naman ako sa kanila, pagkalabas ko naman ng underground ay bumili muna ako ng sim card sa convenience store saka bumalik sa sasakyan ko. Nang maayos ko naman ang phone ko, nang kukunin ko na ang papel sa bulsa ay wala akong makapa.

"Shit!" Nasuntok ko na lamang ang manibela sa sobrang inis.

Hindi ko na naman inisip pang balikan iyon. Hindi ko rin alam kung makakapagmaneho ako ng maayos. May pagkakataon din talaga iyon, sa araw na iyon, hindi ko na papalagpasin iyon. Nang ini-start ko na ang sasakyan ay bigla namang may dumungaw sa bintana ko.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"Calm down, I know what you want," he said, more like trying to persuade me. "Give me one reason why you hunted down the Black Gambetto?"

I smirked. "I know you know it."

He nodded. "Okay, if that's really what you want."

Bigla naman siyang lumipat sa kabilang side ng sasakyan saka siya pumasok sa loob. "What are you doing?"

"I'll be your human GPS," sagot nito sa akin. "You want the person dead, I'll deliver you to him." Hindi ko sigurado kung maniniwala ako sa sinasabi niya. "Now, go!"

Agad naman akong umilig sa kanya. "Not this time." Tinulak ko naman siya palabas ng sasakyan. "You're still not getting away with this."

He raised his both hands in the air. "Okay, whatever... it's your choice."

Sinundan ko na lang din naman siya ng tingin papasok muli sa loob ng convenience store, hindi ko alam kung kailan ko makukuha ang hustisya sa paraang ito pero alam ko darating din na luluhod ang taong iyon para magmakaawa para sa buhay niya.

Pinaandar ko naman ang sasakyan papunta sa apartment na tinitirhan ko. Pagkarating ko naman doon ay bigla akong napahinto ng makita ko ang isang tao na nakasuot sa damit ni Lany. Nang unti unti namang lumabas mula sa dilim iyon ay nakita ko kung sino iyon.

"What the hell?! Why you're wearing Lany's clothes?"

She cupped my face. "You forgot to pay me last month that's why I came here to get my payment."

"Remove it," I command.

"I'm your landlord." She strips off the clothes. "You know, our age doesn't quite much of a gap."

I smirked. "please... I'm tired of this." I gave her ten thousand to pay my rent last month. "Just get out please."

She removed the clothes in front of me leaving him naked and running down the stairs. I picked up the clothes and folded it back to the drawer. I headed to the bedroom and lay on the bed, and something dancing in my head... like 32... oh, what is that?

And some nights, that's just how it ended. A goner.