Plotted

Chapter 30. Plotted

NALAMAN ni Dice ang totoong dahilan kung bakit ganoon na lang siya ayawan ni Katerina del Rio. It started back in Senior High School, wherein he became one of the reasons why people strongly believed that rumor about Kanon really sold herself to the Castillos.

"That Lemuel Castillo brainwashed her. Lalo na noong maging girlfriend niya si Kanon del Rio kung saan nakuha niya ang loob ng mama nito," pagpapatuloy ni Kieffer. "He told her mom that your father was the reason why he had to plot that fake scandal with Ms. del Rio, and that the threat from before was sent by your father as well. Pinaniwala na parehong sinisira ang Castillo at del Rio ng mga Usui."

"What threat was that?"

"It's a copy of a hidden camera footage wherein Kanon's parents were talking about her, being their daughter, that it shouldn't be publicized. That was a setup made by the Castillos in order to frame up your father into sending that video to the del Rios."

He never knew about that thing. Pero alam niya kung sino ang tunay na ama ni Kanon. Nalaman niya noong ipaimbestiga niya ito nang magkita ulit sila matapos ng ilang taon. He was only checking if she's still single, but the investigator went in depth and that's how he knew about her whole clan. Katwiran nito ay wala itong magawa dahil hindi pa makapagpinta. The said private investigator was a renowned painter.

He was still wondering why did the Castillos have to frame up his father so he asked, "Why?"

"It's because your Logistics company was on top and that, your father was planning to crush all the courier companies in the town. Pinalabas ng Lemuel Castillo na iyon na ikaw ang susi ng ama mo para makipaglapit kay Kanon noong mga teenager pa kayo."

Umigting ang panga niya.

"Remember when the Castillos went bankrupt years ago?"

He knew. He was still college back then and that was one of a heck big news to the industry that time.

"That was also Lemuel's doing. He plotted all of it. Pinabagsak niya ang sariling kumpanya para makuha ang simpatya ang mag-inang del Rio. Dahil nga naman iisipin ng mga ito na mas importante ang girlfriend kaysa anomang bagay. Kaya madaling namanipula ang dating matinik na police detective na si Katerina del Rio."

"Why the fuck are those connected to these?"

"Because he knew that FastEx will go big someday. His father knew. And one of their employees, which was their distant relative, was the primary suspect why Karina Flores died, too."

Why were they talking about Kanon's late aunt?

"We've learnt that the Castillos plotted the murder of Karina Flores—the evidences were manipulated but it was clear that she was pushed on that cliff while hiking with someone, and that someone was that distant relative of the Castillos. But, the investigations showed that she was all alone and accidentally fell on her death, so the local police ended what happened as an unfortunate accident. Kaya nga ora mismo, ang empleyadong iyon ng Castillo Courier na namataang huli niyang nakasama ay nalinis ang pangalan."

"Why would they... Fuck! Are you telling me... Fuck!" Napamura siya ng paulit-ulit nang makuha ang dahilan.

"Para mapunta kay Katerina del Rio ang pamamalakad sa FastEx. At kalauna'y ang anak nito ang mamamalakad niyon na girlfriend na ni Lemuel Castillo noong mga panahon iyon. And the reason why we sent Maricar to the del Rios months ago was for us to verify all of these things. She injected her an ample dosage of truth serum and asked her about all of these things. She even did hypnosis and asked the same questions after a few days. And Katerina del Rio answered everything accurately."

He must say, magaling tumrabaho ang Maricar na iyon dahil nalaman nito ang mga impormasyong kailangan. Duda siya kung Maricar nga ba ang ngalan ng babae lalo pa't alam niyang kadalasan ay nagpapalit ng identity ang mga undercover agents.

He then remembered one thing. "My girlfriend isn't the COO anymore, so why is that bastard approaching her again?"

"Sa ngayon, hindi siya ang COO," makahulugang sambit nito. Damn, these agents think way too ahead.

Saglit siyang natigilan para iproseso ang lahat hanggang sa magpatuloy ito sa pagsasalita.

"We have a hunch that the Castillos might do to the current COO of FastEx the same way they did to his mother."

So, they're really going to kill Daniel Flores, huh?

"Let me join this mission," pinal na desisyon niya.

"You're already a part of this mission even before you joined Phoenix, Dice," sabad ni Rexton na kanina pa tahimik.

"I want to officially join this mission," paglilinaw niya.

Naiintindihan niya kung bakit hindi sinabi sa kanya ang tungkol doon, at kung bakit pumayag ang head ng Phoenix sa kondisyon niyang hindi seseryosohin ang pagiging agent noong pumasok siya sa agency—dahil siya ang magiging susi para mas makalapit ang mga ito sa mga del Rio.

Ilang sandali ay may pinindot si Kieffer sa laptop at katakot-takot na mura ang narinig niya nang i-on ang speakers.

"The line got disconnected! Ang akala nami'y may nangyari nang masama riyan! I even sent some of our people inside that goddamn suite just to find out nothing!"

"Easy, we needed some privacy, so—"

"Fuck privacy! Fuck all of you! Go here and we'll have a briefing about this mission now! Pinaiinit ninyo ang ulo ko!"

The call got disconnected right away.

The two senior agents just shrugged. "Nabasted na naman siguro ng ate mo," komento ni Kieffer nang bumaling sa kanya.

"Well, I'm his sister's ideal man, so... can I call you brother now?" bulalas naman ni Rexton.

Hindi siya nakisakay sa biro ng mga ito at tumayo siya para makaalis na. Bago makalabas ng pinto ay bumaling siya sa mga ito. "Thanks, men! Kayo na muna ang bahala."

Nakuha kasi niyang kaya pinutol ang tawag ay para hindi ma-record ang usapan nila, dahil wala sa planong sasabihin na ng dalawa ang totoo sa kanya.

But he knew now and he would do everything to protect his loved ones.