Chapter Three

GIO

Mabilis kong siniko si Shaun para alisin ang kamay niyang nakaakbay sa balikat ko. Ang sakit na nga ng katawan ko, nagpapabigat pa ang isang 'to.

"What are you trying to say, Johan?" curious na tanong ko.

"I won't beat around the bush. We need your help. And it's about our sister..." panimula ni Johan at nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko.

"You have a sister!?" gulat kong tanong sa kanilang tatlo. "We've been friends for three years and I'm only hearing this now?"

"Nakalimutan mo?" sabay na sabi ng kambal, like they’re made to be in sync. Gano'n siguro talaga?

"Have you mentioned this detail before?" pagka-klaro ko pa at sabay silang tumango. "Really? How can I miss that?"

I can't believe that I didn't know about this! Ni minsan hindi ko nakita ang kapatid nila. Where is she hiding? Palagi naman akong nasa mansyon ng mga 'to. Maybe she's the morena girl in their pictures? Pero hindi nila kamukha 'yon, and I wasn't really interested to ask about her so I didn't.

But now that I think about it, I remember them telling me that their mom died after giving birth to their youngest sibling. For sure, siya ang tinutukoy nila. Dahil alam ko, naabutan pa ng kambal ang mommy nila.

"Will you let me finish? I'm trying to explain things," inip na sabi naman ni Johan kaya tumango na lang kami para makapagpatuloy siya.

"Gio, our sister is in danger. We have to hide her as soon as possible," dagdag niya nang muli niya akong hinarap.

"What do you mean?" nalilitong tanong ko.

"Our dad's best friend was a mafia boss. When he got sick... prostate cancer to be specific, he talked to our dad about the mafia that he leads," paliwanag ni Johan at nakinig naman ako.

"Ibinilin niya ito kay Dad dahil wala na siyang pamilya. It was his last wish before he died last year. And our dad, being a good guy that he is, accepted it. Kahit hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin niya sa mafia," pagpapatuloy niya.

"When we found that out, the three of us volunteered to handle the mafia. We did our research and trained to know the ins and outs, and then we decided to change their ways. Kung kaya nilang gumawa ng masama, we are sure that they can do good as well," dagdag ni Shaun. "But... the only problem that we had is if they are willing to change their ways."

"Of course, it was hard to convince the members at first. What made them say yes is the fact that they will still be able to use their skills and earn money. But this time, not from illegal transactions, but for the legal ones," paliwanag naman ni Nikko. "From there, we have assigned the new ranks to organize the system again since their boss died."

"For you to understand it better, I'll explain the hierarchy," pagpapatuloy ni Nikko. "Kuya Johan's the boss, he leads us. Shaun's his consigliere, the right-hand man. He's the advisor and he aides in meetings with other families—crime families—who have decided to change their ways as well. And I'm the capo bastone, the second in command to the boss."

"Wh-a.. what the fuck!?" wala sa sarili kong sabi. "Teka nga! And where am I needed in that picture!? Ano’ng ambag ko?”

"There's this one crime family, the Arias'..." panimula ni Shaun.

"They are a very powerful and influential criminal empire—our next target. They are involved in drug trafficking, loan sharking, gambling and fraud," paliwanag niya. "Eventually, when they found out that we're after them, that's when the threats started. Pero hindi para sa amin, kung hindi para kay Mika."

Nag-iwas sila ng tingin sa akin, bakas sa mukha nila ang pag-aalala para sa kapatid nila. She's the only girl in their family, I will be worried too if I’m her brother.

"Sinasabi namin sa'yo ang lahat ng 'to dahil kailangan ka namin. You have to keep her safe while we finish this business," sabi naman ni Johan at napatanga na lang ako.

“Why... me?" tanong ko. "I can't keep her safe... mas kaya niyo 'yon. You have the skills and I don't! Baka mas mapahamak lang siya sa akin."

"Yes, we have the skills. But as long as she's near us, she's not safe. That's why we need you," giit ni Nikko. “She’s not getting involved in this. She can’t be.”

"Bro, ano’ng laban ko sa mga 'yan!? That's an empire according to you!” I pointed out. “If you don’t want your sister getting involved, then what about me? I can’t be involved in this too! I don’t know shit!” tanggi ko.

Nababaliw na yata sila. Why would I sacrifice for a stranger? Even if it's their sister that we're talking about, and the three of them are my friends, she's a nobody to me. Why would I want to burden myself that way and risk my life?

"Ayaw namin siyang madamay sa gulo na 'to. She knows nothing about this..." mahinang sabi ni Johan. "So, please... I hope you can help us. I hope you can do this for us as a favor, and we will forever be indebted to you..." pakiusap niya pa.

Ngayon ko na lang siya ulit narinig makiusap, and it was a desperate plea from someone who is already marked by loss. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung paano ako tatanggi sa isang beses na pakiusap, pero may bigat.

But I know that this is beyond me, and what I can do for them as their friend.

I may not know a shit about mafias and crime families but I know that this is dangerous. Agreeing to this would mean that it might cost me my life, my ow family... and that is something I am not ready to sacrifice.

Isa-isa ko silang tinignan. Hinintay ko kung may tatawa para sabihing biro lang ang lahat pero wala, lahat sila seryoso habang naghihintay ng sagot ko. Na para bang ako ang magsasalba sa kanila, na para bang ako lang ang solusyon sa problema.

"Guarantee the safety of my family... and my own," pikit-mata kong sabi. I'm damned. “Do not promise me... guarantee it, and I will help you.”

Para silang mga bata na napibigyan sa gusto kahit na may kondisyon pa. They sighed with relief before nodding, like they are ready to give me all that I will ask for.

"Yes, yes. Of course, Gio. We’ll take care of everything for you," sabi pa ni Shaun habang yakap nila ako ni Nikko.

"Masakit!"

Pilit ko silang itinulak palayo at pabiro kong pinagpagpag ang suot ko. Nakalimutan yata nilang may minor accident ako kanina.

"Thank you for doing this, Gio," dagdag ni Nikko nang tapikin niya ang likod ko. "This will only be for a month or so... pagkatapos, makakabalik na tayong lahat sa normal."

"Good. I don't want to be involved with your... thing, whatever that is," sabi ko naman. "Ayaw kong madamay, pati na ang pamilya ko..." nag-aalalang dagdag ko.

"We'll protect you and your family, Gio. And this is not a promise, this is an assurance," Johan replied. "We'll assign our soldatos and capos to look after you and them, of course."

"Dapat lang," tango ko. "So now... what's the plan?"

"This is how we'll do this..."

They laid out all their plans and I was sweating the whole time while taking notes.

And thinking if I really did the right thing by agreeing to something that might kill me.