Chapter Twenty One

An hour after breakfast, Jasper arrived, he and Eugene left home and went to the city. She wanted to ask Eugene what was happening but she couldn't find the timing and it always slipped her mind. She couldn't think of anything but him when he's with her. 

She had a hunch that Eugene's business had to do with the shooting incident that happened in her shop. Vodka can feel that Eugene knew something, now that she thinks about it, Eugene's not telling her a single detail about the threat in her life. He promised when he brought her to her house that he will take care of anything and that she doesn't need to worry much. 

Somethings not right with Eugene. He was supposed to be curious and bombard her with questions. 

With a troubled mind, she went inside Eugene's room and sat on the bed. Namula ang kanyang mukha maging ang kanyang leeg ng makitang iba na ang kulay ng sapin sa kama. Eugene must've changed the sheets, and she knew why. 

Vodka smiled bitterly. 

VODKA was determined to confront Eugene. She waited for him to arrive home and had late dinner with him at quarter to ten. 

"What did you do the whole day?" she asked while looking at him. She was currently sitting on top of the island counter while he was washing the dishes.

It took Eugene a minute to answer her question as if he was contemplating what to tell her. "Nothing much," he answered wearily.

Vodka sighed, he won't tell her anything. She decided to confront him tomorrow since it was already ten in the evening and he sounded and looked exhausted. Maybe tomorrow he'll tell her. 

She remained silent the next minutes until he was done doing the dishes. He stepped closer to her and settled himself between her parted thighs. 

Pumaikot ang braso ni Eugene sa beywang ng dalaga at pinatak-patakan ng malulutong na halik ang mga labi nito.

Hinawakan ni Vodka ang magkabilang pisngi ng binata at bahagya itong inilayo sa kanya. Tinitigan niya ito sa mga mata, though weary, his eyes were telling her he wanted her. 

Hindi niya alam kung ano iyong ginagawa nila, o kung tama ba. Though she can't deny the fact that she loved having sex with him, he made her felt so alive, so... ecstatic. 

"Don't think," Eugene uttered. Perhaps he saw the anxiety in her eyes. "I know you want it too, just let the tide decide where it brings us. Let it be, Hermosa."

Vodka was still contemplating what to respond to him when his mouth already delved on hers. Feeling his warmth on her body, she finally made up her mind. She wrapped her right arm around his neck, fondled his hair and pulled him closer as a response.

She decided to let the tide decide where it'll take them. Just go with the flow, for now. 

TUNOG ng cellphone ang nagpagising kay Vodka. Agad niyang kinapa ang kabilang bahagi ng kama ngunit wala na roon si Eugene. 

Umupo siya sa kama at hinanap ang pinanggalingan ng tunog. Sa ibabaw ng bedside table, naroon ang isang cellphone, napakunot ang kanyang noo ng makitang kanya iyon. Ang cellphone na iniwan ng tauhan ni Felix noong gabing muntik na siyang madukot. Bakit iyon na kay Eugene? Hindi na niya iyon nakita simula nang mangyari ang pamamaril sa kanyang shop. 

Dinampot niya ang aparato at agad na sinagot ang tawag nang makitang mula iyon sa kapatid. Napakagat labi siya nang malulutong na mura ang sumalubong sa kanya, ngunit agad namang humupa ang galit sa boses nito at napalitan ng pag-aalala. 

She wanted to bash her head on the nearest wall for forgetting about Felix. He must be very anxious during those times that he can't reach her. 

"Where are you? You didn't even text nor give me a ring!"

She sighed before answering, "I'm safe, don't worry my limbs are still complete," she said humorously. Ngunit tila hindi natutuwa ang nasa kabilang linya nang marahas itong maghugot ng hininga. "I'm sorry, hermano, for not calling you. I lost my phone and I only found it now."

"I'm going to get you from where you are right now, you have to- What?" singhal ni Felix sa kabilang linya at sandaling may kinausap sa wikang espanyol. Rinig ni Vodka ang inis sa boses nito habang kausap ang kung sinuman. "I'll call you back," paalam ni Felix sa kanya bago patayin ang tawag.

"Wait-" Ngunit tuluyan nang nawala ang nasa kabilang linya. 

Isang pagkalalim-lalim na buntung-hininga ang kanyang pinakawalan bago bumaba ng kama. Hindi na niya pinagkaabalahang magbihis at lumabas ng silid na ang tanging suot ay ang damit ni Eugene. Bitbit pa rin niya ang aparato habang hinahanap ang binata. 

She called his name but no one answered. She looked for him in the kitchen but he wasn't there. She was about to go back to the room when she saw the door of the bathroom ajar. She tried to look for Eugene inside but he wasn't there also.

Iyon ang unang beses niyang makapasok sa loob ng banyo na katabi ng silid. Walang pinagkaiba ang mga gamit at disenyo roon sa banyo na nasa loob ng silid ni Eugene, bagaman ay mas malaki ang una. 

Lalakad na sana siya palabas nang mapansing ang bahagi ng pader malapit sa shower faucet na hindi pantay. Tila may tinig sa kanyang tainga na nag-uudyok sa kanya na lumapit doon at itulak ang bahaging iyon ng pader. 

Vodka gasped loudly when that part of the wall moved. Like a turnstile, the wall turned one-eighty degrees, revealing a path to the underground. 

She used the flashlight of her phone and descend the stairs slowly. Her heart was pounding too fast. Anong meron doon?

Pag-apak ng kanyang mga paa sa sementadong sahig ay hindi na siya nagdalawang-isip at humakbang upang tuklasin kung ano ang meron sa lugar na iyon. The hallway she was walking in was quite narrow. Hindi pa man malayu-layo ang kanyang nahakbang ay naaninag niya ang ilaw na nagmumula sa tatlong naglalakihang monitor. 

Lumapit siya sa mga iyon habang mahigpit ang pagkakahawak sa kanyang cellphone. Umawang ang kanyang mga labi nang makita ang iba't ibang footage na nasa mga screen. May kuha sa loob ng silid ni Eugene, sa sala, sa kusina, sa labas ng bahay, sa may gate, sa likuran at maging sa madilim na bahagi na kagubatang nakapalibot sa kanila. 

Nang makarinig ng tunog ng telepono ay napukaw niyon ang kanyang pansin. Naalis ang kanyang mga mata sa mga monitor at hinanap ng aparato, hindi galing sa cellphone niya ang tuhog. 

Sinundan niya ang ingay hanggang sa mahanap niya kung saan iyon galing. She knew it was Eugene's phone, the caller Id was named superior. 

"Report to the headquarters at seven, Lorenzo," agad na bungad ng nasa kabilang linya nang sagutin ni Vodka ang tawag. "The briefing for your new assignment will be tomorrow. Stop obsessing with that woman, your assignment with her is already done. We already-"

Naagaw ang pansin ni Vodka nang bumaha ang ilaw sa loob at biglang hinablot ng kung sinuman ang aparatong hawak niya. Nang tingnan niya kung sino iyon ay agad na sumalubong sa kanya ang pamilyar na lalaki. 

Magkasalubong ang kilay ni Eugene at puno ng emosyon ang mga mata, naroon ang galit, pagsisi at takot. Ibinuka nito ang bibig ngunit walang tinig na lumabas. 

Vodka looked at him with disbelief and anger. Then she chuckled hollowly. She kept on chuckling while roaming her eyes inside the underground. 

Bukod sa tatlong naglalakihang monitor na ginagamit sa surveillance ay mayroong isang maliit na kama doon na may isang unan at kumot, mayroon ding mesita na may nakapatong na isang klase ng baril. 

Pinahiran niya ang luha na namuo sa kanyang mga mata dahil sa pagtawa. She looked at Eugene and she saw regrets in his eyes. 

"Wow!" Iyon lang ang nasabi niya at nawala ang ngiti sa mga labi. She made her expression colder and stared at him for a while then turned her back to get out of that place. It was suffocating her. "Let go of me!" piksi niya nang hawakn ni Eugene ang kanyang braso. 

"Please..." pagsusumamo ni Eugene.

Malakas na hinila ni Vodka ang braso at itinulak ang binata palayo sa kanya. "Don't," mariing aniya at nakaduro ang isang daliri rito. "Don't touch me!" She then clenched her hands into a tight fist to stop herself from trembling in anger and the feeling of being betrayed. He knew her all this time, she was his mission. He fooled her. "Come to think of it, I don't really know you, Mr. Lorenzo. Now I regret trusting you! Bastardo!" 

Vodka turned her back at him harshly and stormed out. She was so mad that she might hurt him and cry at the same time. 

"Won't you let me explain?" sigaw ni Eugene na nakatingin sa dalagang paakyat na ng hagdan. But she did not listened at him. Eugene let out a weary sigh and tousled his hair roughly. "Screw it!"