355 For Life

Chapter 40. For Life

"I'M at LAX now, I'll be there in a few hours. Sunduin mo ako, mag-uusap tayo." Hindi mahimigan ni Sinned ang alin mang emosyon kay Arc nang ipaalam nitong personal na pupunta ito sa San Salvador. Kung siya man nga, kahit hindi niya kapatid si Rellie, ay agad-agad siyang maghahanap ng flight nang walabg ibang iniisip. Kaya hindi na siya nagtaka nang sabihin nitong nasa airport na. Hindi na rin siya nagtaka kung bakit nasa California ito ngayon. Wala kasing direct flight mula Pilipinas patungong El Salvador. So, the latter took a flight from Manila to Los Angeles; then, from L.A., he would take a direct flight to El Salvador International Airport.

"What time?"

"Six."

He checked the time difference on the internet. Advance ng isang oras ang El Salvador sa California kaya tinantiya niya ang oras nang pagpunta niya sa airport.

At dahil alas quatro pa lamang ay nagpasya siyang magmanman na sa tirahan ng mga Lestrange. The exterior of the two-story house was made from adobe bricks and it's kind of mixed with modern designs. Nagmatyag pa siya roon at napansin niya kaagad na napaliligiran ng CCTV cameras ang bahay at sigurado siyang maging sa loob ay mayroon niyon.

He called Rexton and informed him that. However, he got a sarcastic reply.

"If you stayed longer, you would have heard about all of our plans."

"I don't need to hear any of those. Walang koneksyon kay Rellie ang mga iyan."

"Mayroon. Baka nakakalimutan mong dinukot ng mag-asawang Lestrange ang paborito mong pintor?"

He sighed wearily.

Rex sighed as well. "Don't worry, buddy, we will find her."

"What if—"

"No what ifs. Come back here, we're going to talk more about our plans tomorrow."

"I'm going to the airport. Going to fetch Arc."

"Why?" tanong nito pero kaagad ding napa-"ah" nang makuha kung bakit. Pagkuwa'y pinatay na ang tawag habang siya ay naglakad-lakad muli sa paligid.

It was quarter to seven when he arrived at the airport. Sakto lang ang dating niya dahil napaaga rin ang dating ng flight galing sa Los Angeles at kaagad na nagkita sila ni Arc.

"You shouldn't have came. You aren't supposed to be in this mission. Matagal ka nang wala sa Phoenix," he told Arc as a matter of fact. At isa pa, nag-aalala siya sa pamilya nito lalo pa't pumunta ito roon na gamit ang totoong pagkakakilanlan nito. Isang pagkakamali lamang ay mahahanap kaagad ang pamilya nito.

"Why would I give a damn on your missions? I'm here because of my sister. And, what's taking you so long? Bakit hindi mo pa mahanap-hanap? Pumurol na ba iyang utak mo?"

He just clenched his jaw and sarcastically rebutted, "You should've taken a flight the moment you knew she was gone."

Sinamaan siya ng tingin. "Isa ka ring gago, ano? You think that'd be easy? I had to call for a lot of meetings for two consecutive days just to make sure I can take an indefinite leave. Ayaw kong wala nang balikan na trabaho si Rellie sa museum kung sakaling nagpabaya ako."

He did not respond to that. Oo nga naman, kung nagkataong umalis kaagad ito ay maraming maiiwang trabaho. That could be taken against the Priettos and the Andersons would certainly meddle in to get the board of directors' favors to oust Arc and Rellie because of their negligence.

"Let's go to your place first and give me all the details about your mission. I want to know everything."

"Why did you not ask Rexton?"

"I did. But he told me to stay out of it. That you alone can find my sister. Pero, ano ito? Ilang araw na!" iritadong saad nito.

Napalingon siya sa paligid at napansing nakakuha na sila ng atensiyon. There were even some securities coming towards them. It was to probably stop them or escort them outside the premises.

Marahas siyang bumuntong-hininga at sinabi ritong umalis na sila roon.

Pagkarating ay binigyan niya ito ng isang bote ng beer, kumuha rin siya ng kaniya at naupo sila sa sofa.

"Tomorrow, they will save Bree and Hugh," panimula niya.

"They?"

Inilatag niya ang plano bukas.

"How about you?"

"I'll just be with them at night, in case our backup plan won't work, I can think of another way."

"Join them tomorrow morning as well."

"No—" tanggi niya kaagad. "—I will continue looking for Rellie."

"I will look for my sister, too."

"Then, let's find her."

"Paano kung mabulyaso ang misyon ninyo? Hayaan mo na akong humanap sa kapatid ko, tutal ay wala ka namang nagawa."

As he sighed harshly, he shut his eyes to calm himself down. Ayaw niyang magsakitan sila nito dahil wala namang kahihinatnan iyon.

"Napipikon ka?" sarkastiko nitong tanong. Nagmulat naman siya at pareho silang uminom ng beer. "Bakit ka napipikon? Mawawalan ka ng paglalaruan?"

"Bullshit!" That's where he lost it and threw a punch on Arc's face. Nabitiwan nito ang hawak na bote ng beer at tumayo.

"We have to make sure that we're going find her. That she will go back to us alive. If not, I think I'd kill you for letting her suffer throughout the years, instead of her, enjoying her life before it was already too late."

Isang suntok pa ang dumapo sa panga nito at nagmura siya. "Will you shut the fuck up? You shouldn't be thinking that she didn't make it! We will, and we can save her!"

"I'm just preparing myself for the worst." Lumamlam ang mga mata nito.

Muli siyang nagmura at dumiretso siya sa banyo saka padabog na isinara ang pinto.

"There's no fucking way Rellie would leave me alone!" Nasuntok niya nang malakas ang pinto pagkasabi niyon.

They would still get married! He was still going to woo her for life.

The next day, he was with Arc and they went to MARTE. By using Arc's connections, they managed to get inside the control room or the CCTV room. Kahit ilang beses na niyang na-check iyon ay nagbabaka-sakali siyang may makitang muli kahit maliit lang na detalye.

Then, they went to the police station. Kahit alam nilang walang halaga sa ngayon ay inihayag ni Arc ang nalalaman tungkol sa exhibit na iyon.

Pero halatang hindi interesado ang mga nandoon. They truly believed she was part of it.

Nagtagis ang bagang niya at bago pa makapag-amok ay napigilan na niya ang sarili. However, Arc, grabbed the collar of the Officer. Kaagad na inawat niya ito at pilit na pinahingi ng tawad sa Officer.

"Why did you stop me?" masama ang tingin na tanong nito sa kaniya pagkalabas nila ng istasyon.

"Don't act like a fool. Baka pati ikaw, maging criminal dito."

"Tss." Dire-diretso itong lumakad papuntang parking lot kung saan naka-park ang sasakyang gamit-gamit niya roon.