Chapter 8: A Credible Stand

A loud thud caught Van and I’s attention, and it came from another room in the depth of this stinky laboratory-like. Van cautiously leads the way, making me hide behind his back. With the signal being jammed, there is no way that we could call Atty. Salvatore.

Van slowly opened the door, a silhouette of a man welcomed us. He was wearing a hooded jacket in broad daylight along with a surgical facemask to cover his face, and his hand was protected with leather gloves. My eyes gradually drifted to his pocket; a syringe with a small amount of blue liquid was visible on it. Without any warning, Van charged towards him.

I screamed out of surprise. Siguro nakakahiya ‘yon pero wala naman kaming audience kaya okay lang. Bago pa man makakapit sa railings ng hagdan ang lalaki paakyat, ang kamao ni Van ang sumalubong sa kanya.

Halos mapangiwi ako dahil pakiramdam ko’y ako ang sinuntok. Ang sakit no’n, gago.

Basang-basa ang inis sa mga mata ng lalaki, nang mapansin kong balak niyang kuhanin ang syringe na may kaunting laman pa sa kanyang bulsa ay agad nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

“Van, be careful! ‘Yong syringe—” I covered my mouth when Van suddenly kicked the man to his stomach, making him drop the syringe.

I was about to run towards the syringe when Van looked at me and gestured me to stop from getting closer to them. The mysterious man robs the chance to take his revenge on Van. He punched Van across his face.

I don’t know how heavy the man’s punch is, but I can tell that Van’s world might be spinning after slamming his back to the ground. But it didn’t hinder Van from letting him escape, and he pulled the man’s hood—tons of glass vial dropped to the ground from the man’s pocket. Most of them shattered, the hues of electric blue liquid scatter to the ground, making the man anxious.

“Shit. Thea, run—”

Muling sinaktan ng lalaki si Van sa pamamagitan nang pagsipa rito. Hindi ko magawang makalapit sa kanila dahil ayokong masayang ang effort ni Van sa pagpapanatili na ligtas ako, ilang beses niyang sinipa si Van hanggang sa lumuwag ang hawak nito sa kanyang pantalon.

At nang binalak ng lalaki na kuhanin ang iba pang glass vials, isang modified na boses mula sa kanyang bulsa ang aming narinig.

“Did you successfully put Dr. Tuazon into slumber?”

Nagtama ang mata naming dalawa, isang sandali pa’t humawak siya sa railings ng hagdan at nagsimulang umakyat pataas ngunit bago siya tuluyan na mawala sa aking paningin— rumehistro sa akin ang isang kakaibang ngiti sa kanyang mga mata na tila ba’y sinasaulo niya ang aking itsura habang siya ay nakatingin sa akin.

“Van!” Kagat-labi kong tinulungan si Van na tumayo, dumudugo ang gilid ng kanyang labi. Saglit niyang minata ang naiwang ebidensya ng lalaki saka tumingala, “You’re wounded—”

“But it doesn’t mean that we will let a criminal escape, Thea.”

“Van—”

I frustratingly bit my lower lip when he determinedly walked upstairs; I was defeated by his will, which made him scoop his arm around me to help him by lifting his weight to mine. After reaching the last step, a sunny breeze welcomed us. I roamed my sight around, not a single sign of the man queen be seen aside from a clean and untouched rooftop.

“What the hell…” he mumbled.

Saglit kong binitawan si Van, ginala ko ang paligid at sinuri ang bawat kantuhan. Wala sa sarili kong dinungaw ang labas ng rooftop at muntik pa akong mapamali ng hakbang, ngunit dahil din sa katangahan na iyon ay may napansin akong kakaiba.

“Blood…”

Sinilip ko si Van sa kanyang puwesto, may dugo iyon ngunit tila ba’y napunasan ang ilan do’n. Muli kong ginala ang paningin ko, napaliliguran ng matataas na puno ang lugar ngunit hindi naman siguro tanga ang taong iyon upang tumalon.

Muli akong napakagat sa pang ibabang labi ko, dahil ang munting signal ay bumalik na sa dati ay agad kong tinawag si Atty. Salvatore.

“Dela Vega! Where have you been?! Kanina pa namin kayo tinatawag ni Van, bigla na lamang kayong nawala—”

“Attorney nasa security room ka ba?” Tanong ko.

“Kanina pa kaming umalis do’n simula noong hindi namin kayo ma-contact ni Santiago. Nasaan ba kayo—”

“Nasaan kayo ngayon, Attorney?!”

“Outside of Balencia Building. The security guard is searching—” Shit! That’s what I’m missing!

“Get back inside! Get back! Van and I are on the rooftop, and we have a crime scene! Divide yourselves into two groups— security room and rooftop!”

Sana mali ang nasa isip ko. Sana mali. Mabilis akong pumunta sa puwesto ni Van saka siya inakay, nang bumukas ang convenient na lagusan patungo sa rooftop ay agad kaming sinalubong ng nagtatakhang abogado kasama si Asher.

“What happened?!” Asher asked.

“We found Mrs. Enrile’s secret room,” I answered.

“And you didn’t even inform us? What kind of—”

Van cleared his throat, “Dude, that’s my fault. And if we didn’t barge in, baka hindi namin naabutan ‘yong suspect.”

“What do you mean?” Attorney Salvatore asked.

Van and I slowly eyed the secret passage, “Just like what I’ve said… we have a crime scene,” I murmured.

Masama ang tingin na pinukol sa amin ni Asher, kinuha niya sa pagkakaakay ko si Van saka naman ako bumaling kay Atty. Salvatore. Pinakita ko sa kanila ang crime scene, ang mga likido na magsisilbing ebidensya namin, maging ang lumulutang na katawan ni Dr. Tuazon.

“Do you think it is the guard?” I asked.

Atty. Salvatore amusedly smiled, “No.” He pulled a walkie-talkie out of his pocket, “Detective Castillo, how is everything there?”

“The guard is dead, Attorney.” A long deafening silence suddenly embarked. I was about to ask something when the static jammed from his walkie-talkie, “Attorney, half of the guard’s face is melted… all the way down to the stomach. This sight is hideous!”

“Is the feature similar to the Oblivion 13 case?”

“Yes.” I witnessed how Atty. Salvatore’s eyes darkened for a moment after hearing Detective Castillo’s confirmation. “Aside from that?”

“The entire CCTV footage from the second floor is deleted.”

The suspect escapes from the windows. I glanced at Atty. Salvatore and drifted my attention to Dr. Tuazon’s floating body. Why did they kill her? Why did they kill the guard?

“I am dropping this case.”

My eyes widened, and I looked at him with disbelief. On the other hand, Asher and Van seemed not to mind.

“But Attorney—”

“Allaine lied to me.” Atty. Salvatore cut me off, “I will let the CIDG handle this case.”

“Mabubulok lang ang kasong ‘to, Attorney. Lalo na’t kasama nila si General Fuentes!”

“Dela Vega, I am not a detective nor an inspector. This is not my job. I am an attorney— I defend my clients.”

I was about to speak when Asher pulled me. I was anxious and irritated when the police arrived— I never hated the police even though some of them are neglected their duty. But knowing that General Fuentes is the ruling among them, it is irksome and unpleasant that this case will be buried.

I irritatingly crossed my arms. They are already inside the van while I was leaning my back in the opened door of the vehicle. Atty. Salvatore was talking to the police together with Detective Castillo.

“Thea…” I heard Ethan called.

“He’s stupid.” I squinted my eyes at Atty. Salvatore’s direction is not so far away from us. And out of frustration, I went inside the van and sat next to Ethan, who was befuddled by my actions.

“You’re also stupid,” Asher beamed.

I rolled my eyes at him, “When I become an attorney. I will never leave a case hanging like this.”

“You’ll finish it, huh? What if isa sa amin ang nagkaroon ng kaso na katulad ng kay Mrs. Enrile? Pero not totally like hers—”

“Battered wife? Sexual assault? Name it, Tori. I will solve it.”

Van tilted his head along with an annoying smirk plastered in his face, “Malay mo si Ethan pala ‘yon.”

“Dude, I will never be charged with sexual assault. I have morals among the women.” Ethan hissed.

“Kahit si Ethan pa ‘yan or ikaw ‘yon, Van. I will do everything to defend as long as you’re not the one at fault,” I mumbled, “And I promise that.”

“E, si Asher ba?”

Saglit kong ninakawan ng tingin si Asher, “Nope. Not him, I hate him.”

“Wow. As if I would like to be defended by you.”

“Tanungin mo muna kung gusto kung ipagtanggol ka.”

“Tanungin mo rin muna kung gusto ko na ipagtanggol mo ako.”

“Ah! Sullivan, kaya ka naman nasusuntok e! Puro ka katarantaduhan!” Pagnmakatol ni Tori, “Sinabi ko na sa’yong huwag mong pag-uulutin ‘yong dalawa.”

“They are hilarious. I can’t help it.” Van laughed.

The moment of rowdiness seizes when Atty. Salvatore and Detective Castillo came inside the van. I went back to my seat, next to Tori, with my eyes still locked to Atty. Salvatore.

Hindi ko pa rin matanggap na basta na lamang niyang iiwan sa ere ang kasong ito. Seryoso na ba siya sa gusto niya?

“Dela Vega, what do you want?” Atty. Salvatore asked.

I took a deep breath, “Are you really sure of letting this case go?”

“Yes.”

Silence once again devours us. My eyes drifted to the detective next to him, who was somehow reading the atmosphere. After a moment, I glanced again to Atty. Salvatore and looked at him, eyes to eyes.

“I see. You’re afraid.” A glint of surprise surfaces Atty. Salvatore, after hearing my remark. They say that eyes never lie and that’s what I saw looking at his, “You don’t have any intention of letting this case go.”

“I already called Allaine. I’m dropping this case—”

“Sinungaling.” Mas lalong sumimangot si Atty. Salvatore kasabay nito ang tingin niya kay Detective Castillo.

“Dela Vega, that’s enough.” Dinig kong sambit ni Asher dahilan upang mapabuntong-hininga na lamang ako.

“Siguro… kailangan na nating umalis dito para mahimasmasan ang mga—”

Tumikhim ako dahilan upang tumahimik si Detective Castillo, diretso akong tumingin kay Atty. Salvatore habang siya ay umiiwas sa akin, “Oblivion 13 is your only unsolvable case. All the parents involved in that case came running to you… without having a single clue who did it.”

“Thea… stop getting on Attorney Salvatore’s nerve,” Tori whispered.

“You have no intention of letting this case go… now that you have evidence, a clue about what might have happened.”

Buntong-hininga si Atty. Salvatore at pinagtuunan na ako nang pansin, “Hindi ko alam ang sinasabi mo. Ask Detective Castillo— binigay ko na sa CIDG ang kasong ito. I don’t have any concerns about this case.”

“Really?” Isang tawa ang kumawala sa akin at mayabang akong sumandal sa aking upuan, “Why would I believe a lie?”

“Thea, just believe him. Atty. Salvatore wouldn’t lie,” Van stated.

I eyed Atty. Salvatore with intent. As tension surrounds us, the words I wouldn’t want to utter will soon be escaping my mouth.

“Eloise… Eloise Salvatore, your daughter, is one of the thirteen victims in the Oblivion 13— the main reason why I wouldn’t believe your lie.”

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