CHAPTER 18
1116 Words
(FLASHBACK…)
MALALIM na ang gabi nang makarating si Evron sa kanilang mansiyon, ngunit gising pa ang kaniyang ina sa mga oras na ‘yon.
Tahimik na ang buong paligid.
Most of the lights were already off, but the living room was still on.
Nakita niya ang ina na may binabasa habang nakaupo ito sa pang-isahang sofa.
“Momma, why are you still awake?” he asked as he walked towards her and kissed her on the cheek. “Gabi na po.”
“I’m waiting for you.”
Evron smiled. “Hindi na po kailangan, Momma. Malaki na po ako.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” sabi ni Nylah. “Are you hurt?”
Umiling si Evron. “Not mine,” he said as he pointed to the blood stain on his sleeve. “They can’t hurt me.”
“Good.”
Then Nylah sighed. “Kailan naman kaya na hindi ako ang nandito at naghihintay sa ‘yo? When will you marry Blythe?”
“Momma, bata pa si Blythe. Hindi pa namin iniisip ‘yan.”
It already crossed his mind, though.
But he was thinking of Blythe. Ayaw niyang matali agad ito sa isang responsibilidad. He wanted her to enjoy her life first and do all the things she wants.
“Eh, ikaw? Evron, anak, hindi ka na bata.”
Evron rolled his eyes. “Mom, I’m just twenty-six. Bata pa ako. Marriage is a commitment. Ayaw kong pumasok sa isang relasyon na hindi pa ako. Just let me and Blythe enjoy our relationship first.”
Nylah let out a small sigh. “Akala ko pa naman mahahawakan ko na ang apo ko sa susunod na taon.”
Natawa nang mahina si Evron saka napailing.
Nasulyapan naman ni Nylah ang hawak ng anak. “So, may pasalubong ka sa akin?”
Bahagyang napangiwi si Evron. “Sorry, Momma. I was thinking of Blythe. I forgot about you.” Aniya, saka napakamot ng batok.
Nylah dramatically sighed. “Totoo nga ang sabi nila. A son will soon forget his mother once he has a wife.”
Evron only smiled.
Nylah removed her glasses as her face turned serious. “Tell me, what about your mission this time?”
“You’re going to interfere, Mom?”
Umiling si Nylah. “No, but your new mission caught my interest. Ask me.”
Bahagyang nagsalubong ang kilay ni Evron. “Mom, do you know about Arnoux?” he asked as the symbol appeared on the screen of his phone and showed it to his mother.
The thorned eye.
“Arnoux…”
Sumandal si Nylah sa kinauupuan.
“Anong organisasyon ito, Momma? Even my elite, skilled intelligence couldn’t find out anything about them. And now, we encountered them again.”
Sandaling natahimik si Nylah. She sighed before speaking. “An organization older than most underground syndicates. They don’t seek power publicly. They create it from shadows. I learned about them when I was still the Chief of Black Lotus. And one of their men infiltrated Black Lotus.”
“Momma, was this the time when Neriah was abducted by them?” tanong ni Evron.
Tumango si Neriah. “Bata ka pa noon, kaya hindi ko masyadong sinabi sa ‘yo ang lahat.”
Evron remembers that time—the year when his mother was so busy after rescuing Neriah, his mother destroyed a building, killed a lot of people, and even destroyed half of that organization’s resources.
Hindi niya ito pinagtuunan ng pansin dahil nakapokus siya sa pag-aaral, pero ngayon, napagtagpi-tagpi na niya ang mga pangyayari noon.
Laging abala ang kanilang magulang at siya ang laging nagbabantay sa kaniyang mga kapatid kahit pa marami ang mga Black Lotus member na nagbabantay sa kanila.
“They’re in special control,” pagpatuloy ni Nylah. “Political influence, human conditioning, and assassination programs. They are more modern when it comes to technologies, but not far from us.” Kapagkuwan, tumalim ang mata niya. “But they are more focused on experiments—human experiments.”
“Human experiments?”
Tumango si Nylah. “There were rumors years ago of missing children, recruited subjects, and psychological conditioning. And no evidence was ever found.”
“Because they move without traces.”
“Yes.” Nylah said and then sighed. “Kung hindi nila na-kidnap noon ang kapatid mo, malamang hindi ko pa malalaman ang tungkol sa kanila. At napasok na rin nila ang Black Lotus.”
Evron sighed heavily.
“Anak, ngayon na ikaw na ang Chief ng Black Lotus… make sure that they won’t infiltrate us again."
Evron looked at his mother.
“After I destroyed their headquarters in California, they disappeared again without a trace. We have expanded Black Lotus, and we already have a headquarters in Asia. Alam kong ganun din ang Arnoux. At sa tingin ko, babalik sila upang maghiganti. Evron, anak, always be careful.”
Tumango si Evron bilang tugon. “Don’t worry about me, Mom. I can take care of myself.”
Ngumiti si Nylah.
“If they ever come for revenge, then I must face them. If they will hurt my family, I will give it back ten times the harm they have done.”
Nylah stared at her eldest.
Sinong mag-aakala na ang batang paslit noon na ang hilig lamang ay magbasa sa isang sulok ng café ay isa na ngayong Chief ng Black Lotus. Evron was even more ruthless than her.
As a mother, she was proud that Evron was her son.
“Momma, is there a time that you choose between Dad and Black Lotus?” Evron asked, suddenly out of nowhere.
Natigilan si Nylah sa tanong ng kaniyang panganay, ngunit ngumiti siya. “Once.”
“Whom did you choose?”
Ngumiti si Nylah saka tumayo. “Guess,” she said as she walked towards the stairs. She took a step before facing her son. “If you choose between Blythe and your responsibility one day, make sure you will choose the right one now. Panindigan mo kung ano ang pinili mo at huwag kang magsisisi dahil laging nasa huli ang pagsisisi.”
“I didn’t say it was her, Momma.”
“Son, your face says it all.” Nylah chuckled.
Napakamot na lamang ng batok si Evron.
Humarap si Nylah sa hagdan at nagsimulang humakbang habang nagsasalita. “I chose your father over Black Lotus. I can lose anything, but not your father.”
Napatitig si Evron sa ina at hanggang sa mawala ito sa paningin niya, nakatitig pa rin siya sa dinaanan nito.
Then he smiled before picking up the cooler, and he went to his own room to rest.
Tomorrow, he will meet his special someone.
- Writer
