Driver

Chapter 28. Driver

JUST as when Romano was about to go to sleep, he received a video call from Stone Herrera.

"Speaking of the devil," bulalas niya at umupo saka sumandal sa pader. Nakadikit kasi ang kama niya sa may pader dahil sa tuwing matutulog ay gusto niyang nadidikit ang kaniyang mga paa, o likod sa malamig na pader.

Sinagot niya ang tawag, pero ang bumulaga sa kaniya ay ang biluging mukha ni Nami. He saw on the screen how she slowly frowned as she grimly stared at the screen, too. Gusto sana niyang tuksuhing bumilog ito pero naalala niyang ilang buwan na rin silang hindi nag-uusap nang matagal. It may be awkward if he made that joke.

"I knew it. Iniiwasan mo ako," bungad nito.

"Where's Stone?" Why are you together? Wait, are you inside a room? Just the two of you? Gusto niyang idagdag.

"Why aren't you answering my calls anymore?"

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin sa lente ng camera ng kaniyang phone at humiga sa kama. Noong unang buwan ay lagi niya itong nakakausap, but later on, his conscience ate him up.

"Are you still mad at Glaze?"

"No," he hoarsely replied. That's the reason why he started avoiding Nami, too. Ni hindi pa sila nagkakausap ni Glaze, pero ang dating ay parang pinopormahan na niya ang kakambal nito.

"Then, why didn't you see her before? Wala man lang closure kung nag-break ba kayo o ano?"

"Why are we talking about Glaze?" he mumbled.

"Because you left, remember?"

"Why does that concern you?"

"I-I..." Kumunot ang noo nito. "You're still mad, aren't you?"

"I said no."

"Bakit ka nga umiiwas? Pati ako, iniiwasan mo na. Akala ko pa naman, close na ulit tayo."

Hindi siya makaapuhap ng salita.

"Sige na, mukhang ayaw mo talaga akong kausapin."

Hindi siya kumibo. Naglalaban ang utak niya kung ano ang sasabihin para mapahaba pa ang usapan nila.

"And... I called because I miss you."

Bumalik ang tingin niya sa screen. "Anong sinabi m—" However, the video call ended even before he could clarify what he just heard.

He called Nami's Messenger account and she immediately answered.

"Got you!"

"Huh?"

"I knew you would call right after. Anyway, I really want to get in touch with you because I'm coming to Italy next weekend. May shooting for the upcoming movie, then, I was granted to have a week vacation. Gusto ko sanang magpunta ng Switzerland, pero dahil nandiyan na rin naman ako sa Italy by that time, I'll just spend my free time there, and I want to ask if can you go with me—"

"Wait, you're speaking too fast, I'm not getting any of it."

HINDI namalayan ni Nami na halos kinakain na pala niya ang mga salita kaya hindi siya maintindihan ni Romano. Ang bilis din kasi niyang maglitanya, paano'y bigla siyang kinabahan kaninang nakita niya ito via video call. Ngayong voice call naman, hindi siya mapakali dahil narinig din niya sawakas ang tinig nito.

I give up. I really miss you, She wanted to voice out.

"May lakad ka ba? I can just call later, or just chat me once you're done so I can call already."

"Hindi ka na galit?"

"Who said I am mad?"

"Wala kasi akong ibang maisip na dahilan... Well, then, okay." What okay, Nami? "Anyway, I'm just asking if could you be my driver? I'll pay for the car rental fee—"

"A what?"

"Driver. Magmamaneho ng sasakyan."

"I know what that means. Pero bakit hindi ka na lang mag-hire ng driver?"

Napabusangot siya pero hindi niya pinahalata sa kaniyang boses. "Baka makatipid kasi ako kung ikaw ang kukunin ko, 'di ba?"

Bumuga ito ng hangin bago nagsalita. "You could've just ask me to accompany you."

That's what I about to ask though... Saan ba kasi nanggaling ang driver?

"And you don't have to mind about the rental fees, we can use my car, you know. And you can stay in our house as well."

That's what she wanted to ask, too, since she wanted to be with him. "Oo sige. Para m-makatipid ako."

Bumuntong-hininga lang ulit ang nasa kabilang linya.

"Sige. Aalis na ako, salamat! I'll just chat you later."

"Why are you with Stone though?" habol nito.

"Pinuntahan ko siya para ma-contact ka."

"Inside a room?"

Inilibot niya ang paningin. "Oo." Nahuli niyang nakakalokong nakangisi si Stone sa kaniya na nasa pintuan na pala. She made a face to shoo him. "I'm in his room. Tulog pa kasi kanina kaya ginising ko. Anyway, payag ka na, ah?"

"Oo."

Ang tipid naman. Pero nagpaalam na rin siya dahil may schedule pa siya sa araw na iyon. She clearly told him before ending the call that she'd wait for his call later. Kahit chat lang, aniya.

Pagkapatay ng tawag ay napangiti siya. Though, she didn't expect their conversation would be that simple, she's still glad she finally had the chance to regularly contact him. Hindi iyong nag-aalangan siya kasi naramdaman niyang umiiwas ito.

She opened her Twitter to tweet something. She wanted to tweet "I'm coming to _____!" but ended up tweeting "I'm coming!" out of excitement.

Ayun at nagfi-fiesta na naman ang mga basher niya sa paglalagay ng maruming kahulugan sa tweet niyang iyon.

Kinagabihan ay nag-club sila ng ilang mga agents—para sa isang misyon—pagkatapos ay may isang lumapit sa kaniya sa gitna ng dance floor. Nakilala niya ito, isang reporter sa TBS News. Dati itong pulis. Sa isipan niya ay tagumpay siyang napangisi. Hindi na pala niya kailangang um-effort para sa misyon ngayong gabi.

"So, this is what 'I'm coming' means, huh? Do you want to come with me?"

She rolled her eyeballs when he moved closer to her, making it looked like they were havung their own world at the dance floor. Hindi naman niya ito pinahiya, bagkus ay kumapit sa batok nito habang nagsasayaw ng slow dance kahit pang-headbang ang tugtugin sa club.

"Your place or mine?" he whispered, and obviously, he's drunk. "I'll make you cum and wreck your pussy all night."

"You know what? I could've just spelled coming with a u and double m if I wanted to cum. And... no, hun, my pussy doesn't want to be wrecked by you. I'd rather musterbate."

She stepped out the dance floor and was immediately followed by the reporter, Jo Lewis.

Kunwaring inayos niya ang takas na buhok at inipit iyon sa kaniyang tainga, pero inayos lang niya ang suot na earcomm para marinig ng maayos ang mga kasamahan.

"Target secured," nakangising bulalas niya. "Tell them we're changing plans." Ang orihinal na plano kasi ay sa club nila ito huhulihin. Pero nakakuha na sila ng atensiyon kanina kaya mahihirapan sila. "I'll lure him out, we will drive at the Sandoval. Make sure you wait for us in the parking. Clear the way right now since the hotel is just near."

"Why did he approach you though? Wasn't he supposed to be dealing the asset?" asked Dice who was busy in front of the computers. She didn't need to guess, it's obvious by the sound of the fast keyboard tapping she's hearing in the background.

Ang tinutukoy naman ni Dice ay ang pakikipagkita kanina ni Lewis sa PDEA asset na kasama nila para makuha nito ang mga ecstasy pills na in-order nito sa asset na nagpanggap bilang isang drug dealer. Kuhang-kuha sa hidden camera na balak 'ulit' nitong gamitin iyon sa susunod na ramp modeling. He'd spike the models' drinks an hour before the ramp, and everything would be a mess. At iyon ang gagamitin nitong scoop para mabaling ang atensiyon ng madla sa balitang maingay sa bansa ngayon—tungkol sa isang mayamang negosyante na nakapag-bail sa kaso kahit hindi naman bailable iyon.

And that's their mission. To catch the person who loved to publish fake news, and manipulate news.

"Tapos na ang deal," sagot niya. "Hindi na siya maco-corner dito kasi nga marami nang matang nakatutok sa amin ngayon."

"I got it."

Hindi na humaba pa ang usapan nila dahil nakalapit na si Jo Lewis.

Umalalay kunwari siya rito hanggang makarating sila sa harap ng Mustang nito. Napasipol siya sa ganda ng sasakyan nito. Kabaliktaran sa tunay ng ugali ng gurang na kasama niya. He's middle-aged, had family, was well-off, and yet, still doing lots of dirty things.

While she was driving, his hands kept on traveling on her thighs and her right arm since he's sitting in the passenger's seat. Siya kasi ang nagmaneho ng Mustang nito. Wala siyang tiwala rito lalo't mukhang naka-high ito.

She parked to the emergency parking, and he must've thought they'd have sex right at that moment. Hell, no!

So, she knocked him off at once by using Throat Stab technique.

"Hack the CCTV here at Cloverleaf Emergency Parking," aniya kay Dice na nasa kabilang linya pa rin, naka-standby. "You know what to do."

Mas mabibilis na tunog ng pagtipa sa keyboard ang narinig niya, at wala pang isang minuto ay natapos na ito.

"Ang galing naman pala talaga!" puri niya rito.

They went on with the new plan, and, the operation was successful.