CHAPTER 41

HINDI MAPAKALI SI HAPPY habang palakad-lakad siya sa waiting area sa harap ng operating room. Panay ang tingin niya sa pinto ng OR habang panay ang hinga nang malalim. Naiiyak na siya sa takot at kabang nararamdaman dahil sa kalagayan ng isa sa pamilya niya.

Puno siya ng pag-aalala sa kalagayan ni King na ngayon ay nasa loob ng OR at inooperahan ni Blaze.

A long sharp glass from the house window pierced through King's shoulder, near his heart. Dahil sa pagsabog kaya tinamaan niyon si King.

And Blaze didn't let anyone touch King when they reached the hospital. He promised her he would never give up on saving King and she knew that Blaze really wouldn't give up. She could see determination and desperation in his eyes.

King is gonna be okay.

Happy kept on taking deep breaths to calm herself. They were all worried of King. Yrozz was trying to figure out who blew the house, Blaze was saving King as of that very moment and she had to pull herself together and do her job.

Mabilis niyang sinagot ang tawag nang tumunog ang cell phone na hawak. Nanlalamig at nanginginig ang kamay niya. "Knight, nagawa mo na ba ang utos ko?"

"Yes," sagot ni Knight. "Napapalibutan na ng mga miyembro ng Organisasyon ang buong ospital. May nakabantay rin sa loob at nakahanda na ang ICU na gagamitin ni Mr. Zabat pagkatapos ng operasyon. Snipers were also deployed to check the parameters around the hospital and I already coordinated with Khairro Sanford and Andrius Salazar to make sure that everyone in the hospital will be check and cleared for everyone's protection."

"Thank you, Knight," sabi niya, saka maingat na humugot ng malalim na hininga.

"No worries," sagot ni Knight. "By the way, have you read the list of names I sent you an hour ago?"

"Yes. I have." Her lips thinned when she remembered seeing that name on the list. "I know that we plan the clean up in the middle of this week but let's start it now. Pull some people from Australia and Europe to help with the clean up. Let's start the names from the very beginning on the Asia's list."

Agad na sumagot si Knight. "The first name is from Singapore, the second is from Macau, third is from Indonesia, fourth name is from Hong Kong, fifth name is from Philippines and so on in so many countries in Asia. At lahat sila pinuno ng bawat headquarters ng Triad. This is going to be bloody, Lady Happy. Can you handle it?"

Tumango siya. "I don't care, let it be bloody. We will make a statement. Do what you have to do. Make sure to erase their existence and report back to me. Kailangan nating ipakita sa kanila na hindi tayo basta-basta matatakot nang dahil lang sa pagpapasabog nila sa bahay namin."

Natahimik si Knight ng ilang segundo bago nagsalita. "It could be an inside job. Kane was my father's soldier."

"No," she immediately defended Kane. "Hindi 'yan magagawa sa amin ni Kane. I believe in him. I'm sure he's worried of King now. I already informed him of what happened. He's just busy."

Knight took a deep breath. "If you say so. But if it's him, be ready to take him out." Bumuga ito ng marahas na hininga. "Kilala ko si Kane, isa siya sa mga kinatatakutang tauhan ng ama ko. At the age fourteen, he was already a deadly fighter and a killer. He was the one who trained Midnight and trust me, you will not see him coming if he was ordered to kill you. Kane is a monster."

Hindi siya sumagot, hindi siya naniniwalang kaya silang saktan nang ganoon ng Kane na nakasama nila. Kaya naman pinatay na lang niya ang tawag at tumingin uli sa pinto ng OR.

King was inside because someone blew up the house... and it was not Kane. It could be the Triad. Kane would never put King in the hospital. King had been with Kane since day three because Kane couldn't sleep. King had always helped Kane understand things and they had bonded. It might not seem like it but King treated Kane like a little brother. Kane was like a little brother to everyone. Especially to her.

She wouldn't give Kane the benefit of the doubt because there was nothing to doubt. Kane was a good man and he was on their side.

They were family. Kane knew that. And family didn't hurt one another.

Humugot uli ng malalim na hininga si Happy habang pabalik-balik na naglalakad sa harap ng pinto ng OR at napatigil lang sa ginagawa nang tumunog uli ang cell phone niya.

It was her father.

Mabilis niyang sinagot ang tawag. "Daddy."

"How are you, princess?" agad na tanong ng ama niya, may pag-aalala sa boses nito. "We heard what happened from your tracker."

"I'm okay," agad niyang sabi para hindi na mag-alala ito. "Nakalabas kami bago pa sumabog. Sorry, Daddy, hindi ko agad nasabi sa iyo. We have to rush King to the hospital and I was busy ordering my men to secure the parameter and I was so worried I can't think right—"

"It's okay, princess. You're in loudspeaker now. How's King?" Ang ama niya pa rin 'yon. "Klaus is here."

"How's my son, Young Miss?" Uncle Klaus asked in a calm tone but she could sense worry in his tone.

"He's in the operating room. A window glass pierced his shoulder near his heart." Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga. "Blaze is operating him as we speak. He promise to take good care of King."

"My son will keep his promise, Klaus," puno ng kumpiyansa na sabi ni Tito Von. "He's a good doctor."

"Mr. Zabat, whoever did this to King, I'll make them pay," pangako ni Happy.

"I know you will, Young Miss," sabi ng ama ni King. "Thank you for taking good care of my son."

"He's family. But I failed him." Nakagat niya ang pang-ibabang labi bago nagsalita uli. "Please tell Tita Beth that I'm sorry about the house."

"Don't worry about it." Boses iyon ni Tita Beth sa kabilang linya. "Bahay lang 'yon. Ang importante ay ligtas kayo."

"Salamat, Tita," sabi niya, saka ang ama naman ang kinausap. "Dad, ipinasa sa akin ni Knight lahat ng pangalang nakalista sa Triad's book na galing kay Lucky at nabasa ko lahat ng pangalan. Helena was on the list, Dad. Tama ba ang iniisip ko?"

Ilang segundong natahimik ang ama bago sumagot. "Yes, princess."

Nagtagis ang mga bagang niya. "And she's really my mom?"

"Yes."

Natahimik siya.

"I'm really sorry, princess." Puno ng pagsisisi ang boses ng ama niya. "Ayoko lang na isipin mo na inabandona ka ng sarili mong ina at iba ang pinili niya kaysa sa pamilya natin."

Humigpit ang hawak niya sa cell phone. "Did she betray you?"

"Princess..." Her father sighed. "Please don't ask me that."

Her lips tightened. "Hindi mo na 'yon kailangang sagutin. She betrayed you. She betrayed our family.

"Princess—"

"She choose the Triad over you... over us."

Her father let out a loud breath. "Yes, princess. I begged her not to but I guess we're not enough for her to stay."

Happy could feel her heart tightening in pain. "Then she didn't just betray you, she betrayed us... me."

"Princess... "

"Kaya lang siguro siya lumapit sa akin because she knew you perform a rite of passage for me," madilim ang mukhang sabi niya. "Siguro she wants to fool me into believing that she's a good person."

"That's what I told your father." Boses iyon ni Tito Von. "Be vigilant, Happy. I'm sorry to say this but your mother is a bitch."

Gumalaw ang panga niya. "Hindi niya gugustuhing galitin ako, Tito Von. Hindi niya magagamit sa akin ang parent card because as far as I know, I only have one parent and that's you, Daddy. She wasn't there when I was in coma and when I woke up. It's just my daddy. I will not endanger my family. Not again. Pagkatapos ng nangyari kay King, natuto na ako. Wala nang makakapanakit uli sa pamilya ko. Papatayin ko silang lahat. No threats, no misplaced kindness and I'll make sure that if the war is gonna be bloody, it will be theirs and not ours."

"Have I told you how proud I am of you, princess?" biglang sabi ng ama niya sa kanya pagkatapos niyang magsalita.

Napangiti si Happy. "Yes, Daddy. A couple of times already."

Mahina itong natawa, kapagkuwan ay sumeryoso ang boses. "Anyway, princess, whatever you decide about your mother, I'll support you. I'd been dying to stab her in the heart anyway."

"And then behead her afterwards," dagdag ni Tito Von. "For betraying my idiot friend here."

"I'm not an idiot!" her father hissed.

"Why are you reacting? You're not even my friend," sabi ni Tito Von sa sarkastikong boses.

"Jackass," sabi ng ama niya.

"Dick," sagot ni Tito Von.

"Then we will dance on her entrails," biglang dagdag ng ama ni King. "That bitch won't see it coming. Payback is indeed a bitch."

Napailing siya sa pinagsasasabi ng tatlo. "Does Blake know about what happened? And Lucky?"

"Alam na ni Blake pero hindi namin sinabi kay Lucky," sagot ng ama niya. "Her heart is weak, princess. Tiyak na mag-aalala 'yon kapag nalaman ang nangyari sa iyo. She has to focus on getting better. Though Blake was worried of Blaze. Kumalma lang nang sabihin namin ngayon lang na hindi naman napaano ang kakambal niya."

Napatango siya na para bang nasa harap niya ang mga kausap. "Mas mabuti nga sigurong huwag n'yo na munang ipaalam kay Lucky. I'm sure she'll be worried." Bumuntong-hininga siya. "By the way, is Tita Beth still there?"

"I'm still here, Happy," sabi ni Tita Beth.

Huminga siya nang malalim bago sinabi ang pakay niya rito. "Tita Beth, hindi ba naging espiya ka ng organisasyon sa isa sa boss ng Triad dito sa Pilipinas?"

"Oo," mabilis na sagot ni Tita Beth.

"Is it okay if I ask you some questions about the names on the book that Lucky had given to Knight Velasquez? Baka mga kilala mo sila at may ideya ka."

"I thought you'll never ask." May saya sa boses ni Tita Beth.

"Ayoko lang po na baka isipin n'yo na I'm using you."

"Silly," natatawang sabi ni Tita Beth. "This war, we're all in this together. Your fight is mine as well. I had a firsthand experience on what the Triad is capable of and I don't want anyone to suffer the same fate I did."

"Beth is right," sang-ayon ni Tito Von. "Yes, we are retired but we can still help. Your old man is not a legend for nothing."

Kahit paano ay nagawa niyang mapangiti. "Idol nga po ni Knight si Dad. I'm so proud of you, Daddy."

"Don't make your daddy cry now, Princess."

Napailing siya, saka nagpaalam na sa mga kausap. "I'll call you back later. Kapag may update sa lagay ni King, tatawag ako agad."

"Sige, princess," sabi ng ama niya, saka nagpaalam na rin. "Ingat ka riyan. If they try to hurt you again, give them hell and don't hold back, okay, princess?"

Happy nodded. "Yes, Daddy."

Nang mawala ang ama sa kabilang linya, halos isang oras pa siyang nagpalakad-lakad nang pabalik-balik sa harap ng OR bago iyon bumukas at lumabas doon si Blaze na nakasuot pa ng mask at surgical cap.

Happy could only see Blaze's eyes but it was enough to see that he was worried and tired. Ilang oras din itong nasa loob ng OR.

"Blazey..." Sinalubong niya ito.

Inalis nito ang mask na suot bago siya kinausap. "I lost him a couple of times but he's now stable."

"But?" tanong niya nang makitang nag-aalala pa rin ito. Hindi siya makahinga nang maluwag. "You still look worried, Blazey."

He sighed heavily. "I've stabilized him but... he's still in a critical condition. I tried... I did everything I can, baby... I did everything I can... fuck... I did everything I can..."

Inisang hakbang niya ang pagitan nilang dalawa, saka masuyong niyakap ang asawa. "I know... I know you did everything you can. At magiging okay lang si King. He'll recover. He will. He has to recover. Hindi niya tayo iiwan," pampalakas niya sa loob nito habang hinahagod ang likod nito. "King will be fine, you'll see. Bukas na bukas, gigising din 'yon agad at magbabangayan na naman kayo na parang mga bata."

Yumakap sa kanya si Blaze at dahan-dahang isinubsob ang mukha sa leeg niya na parang pagod na pagod at takot ito. "I did everything I can..." he whispered, "but I'm still worried as fuck, baby. The glass was so near his heart. Fuck!"

Happy kept on caressing her husband's back. "King will be fine. You'll see. He'll get through this."

Alam niyang doktor ang asawa at alam nito ang tunay na lagay ni King pero 'yon lang ang kaya niyang sabihin sa mga sandaling 'yon. Kahit walang kasiguruhan 'yon, wala siyang pakialam. 'Yon ang paniniwalaan niya kasi naniniwala siyang hindi sila basta-basta iiwan ni King.

Hindi ito mawawala sa kanila.

"Whoever did this to King..." Matalim ang galit na boses ni Blaze. "I will kill him."

Pinagsalikop ni Happy ang kamay nila nang ilang beses itong huminga nang malalim na parang pinapakalma ang sarili.

Nanatiling nakayakap sa kanya si Blaze habang magkahawak ang kamay nila hanggang sa ilabas ng OR si King at dineretso ito sa ICU.

"Is he going to be okay?" Yrozz asked Blaze as they stood outside the ICU—outside the glass wall—while looking at King. Unconscious.

Hindi sumagot si Blaze kaya siya na lang ang sumagot kay Yrozz.

"He's gonna be fine." She forced a smile. "He's in a critical condition but he will be just fine. He'll survive this."

Nang bumaling siya kay Blaze, panay ang tagis ng mga bagang nito at mahigpit na nakakuyom ang kamay.

At napansin 'yon ni Yrozz.

"He's not fine, is he?" he asked again.

Umiling si Blaze. "He's dying," he whispered while gritting his teeth. "My butler is dying and you better find out who fucking did this so I can put a bullet in his head."

Yrozz sighed. "I already found who did it."

Sabay silang humarap ni Blaze kay Yrozz sa sinabi nito.

"Sino?" tanong ni Blaze.

"Who?" tanong din niya.

Yrozz sighed before cradling his laptop on his arm—the monitor facing them—and turning it on. "I put my laptop in a bulletproof and waterproof case in case of an emergency. Watch the footage."

Kumunot ang noo ni Blaze. "'Di ba nakakonekta ang CCTV ng mansiyon sa monitors na nasa kuwarto mo? Na-retrieve mo?"

Yrozz nodded. "I synced everything to the Org's system. But this footage came from the secondary CCTV," sabi nito, saka mabilis na nagpaliwanag. "Those are hidden cameras installed by Phoenix for emergency purposes as well and the footage goes directly to the Org's server and to my laptop."

"And?" Happy was impatient. "Who was it?"

"Magaling siyang umiwas. Hindi siya nakunan ng footage sa secondary CCTV dahil alam niya kung saan nakalagay ang mga 'yon pero hindi siya nakatakas sa primacy CCTV." Yrozz sighed before opening a folder on his laptop, showing them a video.

It was Kane... and he was burying something on the flowerpot before moving them inside the house.

Bumagsak ang mga braso niyang nakayakap sa mga braso ng asawa bago inutusan si Yrozz. "Zoom in on what he's holding, please," sabi niya na nanlalamig ang kamay sa pinapanood. "The thing he was burying on the pot, what is that?"

Yrozz automatically zoomed in the footage and they saw Kane holding a small rectangular black box.

"What is that?" she asked, frowning.

Blaze answered. "Explosives."

Umawang ang mga labi niya habang umiiling. "No... Kane will never do that to us... N-no..." Umiling pa siya. "T-that's not true. M-maybe it's an edited tape. Maybe someone set him up. Maybe someone made him do it? Maybe... maybe... maybe..." Humarap siya kay Blaze. "He's a good guy, Blazey. Hindi niya kayang gawin 'to."

Yrozz closed the laptop before looking at her and Blaze. "Boss, I don't want it to be Kane either, but the video... I rechecked twenty times if it was tampered. Inisip ko na baka nagkakamali lang ako o may nag-set up sa kanya pero wala akong mahanap na ganoon. I'm trying to see a fault in the video, but all I can see is Kane planting a bomb to kill us."

Umiling siya. "Kane... I trust him."

"He was family," Blaze whispered, livid. "We treat him like a family and he put King in the hospital." Masuyo siya nitong niyakap para aluin dahil nanunubig na ang mga mata niya. Mahigpit lang na nakakuyom ang kamay nito at panay ang tagis ng mga bagang. "Maybe he's not that good as we want him to be."

Nalaglag ang luha sa mga mata niya habang parang pinipilipit ang puso niya. "But I trusted him... he's like a kid."

Hinagod ni Blaze ang likod niya. "We all did. Now King is paying for that trust."

Marahas siyang umiling. "This is my fault. Ang dali kong magtiwala. And now King is paying for my mistake."

"Sshh..." Inaalo pa rin siya ng asawa. "This is a lesson, not just to you but to all of us. And we will learn from it, okay? Pull yourself together and don't let our enemies see you like this. Alam kong mahirap sa sitwasyon natin ngayon pero kailangan mong maging malakas at kailangan nilang makitang matatag ka at hindi basta-basta makakayang patumbahin. Kaya mo bang gawin 'yon, baby?"

Kumawala siya sa yakap ng asawa habang tumatango at tinutuyo ang luha sa pisngi. "I can do that." Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga, saka kinuha ang cell phone sa bulsa at tinawagan ang pinuno ng mga ultor. "Nysza, I have an order for you."

"At your service, Lady Happy," agad na sabi ni Nysza sa kabilang linya.

"Kane Spiros—my ultor—seize him. I have a question for him," utos niya. "And Orlando, the fourth Arkhon's Ultor... kill that son of a bitch and make sure he suffers before death."

"I'll arrange it immediately," sabi ni Nysza.

"Good. But I have another order and I'm giving it to you. You will take care of this personally."

"What is it, my lady?"

"Kill the fourth Arkhon," walang emosyon ang boses na utos niya. "And don't tell a soul about it. If you do, I'll kill you too."

"Consider it done, my lady."

"Thank you," sabi niya sa mababang boses at pinatay ang tawag.

"Ako na lang sana ang inutusan mo," wika ni Blaze. "Kaya ko namang gawin 'yon."

"I know." Humarap siya sa asawa. "Pero mas kailangan ka ni King dito. At inumpisahan na namin ang paglilinis sa mga pangalan na nasa Traid's book. I will need you here with me, Blazey, to protect me—King and Yrozz—because the Triad will retaliate, and it will be bloody. And I don't want it to be our blood."

Blaze took a deep breath before sighing. "So much for the honeymoon."

Natawa na napailing si Yrozz. "That was the worst wedding I'd been invited too."

Natawa na rin siya kahit wala namang nakakatawa sa sitwasyon nila. "That makes two of us."

Napailing si Blaze, saka nilapitan siya at hinalikan sa noo bago hinawakan ang kamay niya kung nasaan ang wedding ring niya. Dinala nito iyon sa mga labi at hinalikan habang matiim ang titig sa kanya. "I promise na sa susunod na ikasal tayo, wala nang ganitong gulo."

Nginitian niya ang asawa, saka masuyo itong hinalikan sa mga labi. "Sana..."

"I'll make it happen," Blaze promised.

Akmang hahalikan niya uli si Blaze dahil kahit paano ay gumagaan ang pakiramdam niya nang may nurse na tumawag sa atensiyon nito.

"Doc. Vitale, the patient is going into cardiac arrest!"

Mabilis pa sa kisapmatang nawala si Blaze sa harap niya at mabilis itong tumakbo papasok sa ICU.

Pareho tumutok ang mga mata nila ni Yrozz kay King na sini-CPR.

Happy kept glancing at Blaze from King and King to Blaze.

Blaze was frantic and worried as he shouted to the nurses as he gave his orders.

Seconds later, Blaze used a defibrillator on King, shocking King's heart for a couple of times. Blaze didn't give up on King. He kept on going, trying his hardest to save King until her own heart sunk when she saw the heart rate monitor.

King's heart... flatlined.

CECELIB | C.C.