Falling for Her Shadows

CHAPTER 4

NAPATITIG si Nylah sa encrypted message sa kaniyang phone. Since she lay low, she seldom does any mission. Kadalasan ay ang mga kasamahan na lamang niya sa Black Lotus ang gumagalaw. At kapag mahirap ang misyon saka lamang siya kokontakin ng second-in-command niya.

Now that she has received the encrypted message again. It seems that the mission this time was high-profile. Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga bago ito binuksan. Her eyes narrowed as she read the message from her subordinates.

Kael: Chief, we’ve got a hit. Target: Silas Luca. He’s an Italian high-profile criminal. He escaped prison two weeks ago. The police couldn’t track him down, but Silas Luca had managed to kill two high-ranking government officials last week. It was a government contract. They want him to be taken care of — dead or alive — before he crosses any more borders. Intel says he’s already here in the Philippines.

Umigting ang panga ni Nylah. She remembered that name. Silas Luca — the man responsible for the riot five years ago in one of her missions. The riot left several people dead. He was violent, unpredictable, and a man who thrived in chaos.

Tama siya. It was a high-profile mission, which is why Kael contacted her. Silas Luca needs to be silent.

Isa pang mensahe ang nagpakita sa screen ng cellphone niya.

Kael: Chief, payment is double. They’re desperate. Do we accept?

Nylah’s finger hovered over the screen. Kapagkuwan napadako ang tingin niya kay Evron. Nagbabasa pa rin ito ng almanac. She was softened at that sight. To anyone watching, she looked perfectly calm, but inside, a storm was brewing.

She typed back quickly.

‘Gather the team. Pull all intel — routes, hideouts, associates. I’ll make the call by midnight.’

Ibinalik niya ang cellphone sa bulsa at tumingin kay Evron nang marinig niya ang boses nito.

“Momma, look!”

Nginitian ni Nylah ang anak. She walked to him to admire his drawing, as if nothing had just shifted in her world. But inside, her mind was already running scenarios.

Silas Lucas was a dangerous man. They have fought once, and he was a lethal man. Hindi niya alam kung bakit ito narito sa Pilipinas. Hindi niya alam kung narito ito para maghiganti sa kaniya.

But no one knows that she was here in the Philippines.

If Silas Luca was in the country, there was no telling how long before he caused another bloodbath — or worse, came near her carefully hidden life.

Humugot ng malalim na hininga si Nylah.

Her fingertips slightly tap the counter. She looked at her son. When Evron was born, she promised herself not to engage herself too much in the organization. She wanted to give her son a peaceful and normal life. Pero may mga pagkakataon na hindi niya maiwasan, katulad ngayon.

Dangerous mission is meant for the Chief of Black Lotus — her, especially high-profile cases.

“Momma, ano pong iniisip niyo?” tanong ni Evron na hindi napansin ni Nylah na bumaba sa stool na kinauupuan nito at yumakap sa binti niya.

Gumuhit ang ngiti sa labi ni Nylah. “Just thinking what to cook for dinner, Baby.”

“Pasta!” Evron exclaimed.

Natawa na lamang si Nylah sa anak niya. “Okay. Pasta it is.”

Kapagkuwan tinignan ni Nylah ang oras sa suot na relong pambisig. “Dex, Rita, mag-ayos na kayo. Maaga tayong magsara ngayon.”

“Yes, Boss.”

Tumango si Nylah.

After the last customer had left, Dex had turned their signage to ‘CLOSED’ at the door. Nag-ayos sila sa coffee shop bago sila umuwi.

Walking distance lang ang apartment ni Nylah at Evron mula sa coffee shop kaya naman lagi silang naglalakad papunta at pauwi sa kanilang tinitirhan.

“Momma.”

“Hmm?”

“The man named Ashriel — ‘yong kumausap po sa akin kanina.” Sabi ni Evron. “I like him.”

Natigilan naman si Nylah. It was rare for her son to like strangers at first meeting. Maybe it was fate. “You like him?”

Tumango si Evron. “He taught me of way how to memorize the planets so easily, Mommy.”

Ngumiti si Nylah. “Then talk to him more often if he comes to our coffee shop next time.”

Evron nodded and smiled. “Yes, Momma.”

Hinaplos ni Nylah ang buhok ng anak. Nang makarating sila sa apartment nila, umakyat sila sa hagdan. Nasa ikalawang palapag ang apartment nila.

The apartment was cheap, but it was in good condition. Maayos ang lahat ng mga kagamitan.

As they entered the apartment and closed the door, pumunta si Nylah sa kusina upang magluto ng dinner nila ni Evron. Her son was watching her as if he were memorizing every step she took.

Nylah could only smile.

MEANWHILE, Ashriel let out a small breath as he stepped out of his car. Kakarating niya lamang sa bahay ng kaniyang mga magulang. Her parents were leaving by the seaside. After their retirement, dito nila napiling manirahan.

Ang nakababata naman niyang kapatid ay nasa Paris para sa Masteral degree nito. He will come home in few months.

Her mother called her for dinner. Syempre, hiling ng ina. Ayaw naman niyang magtampo ito sa kaniya kaya pumayag siya. Matagal na rin mula ng huli niyang makasamang kumain ang kaniyang magulang.

“Mom!” Tawag niya sa ina nang makapasok siya sa loob ng two-story house. Though they have a mansion, his parents prefer to live in a simple house. And they wanted to enjoy their old age.

“In the kitchen, anak.”

Ngumiti si Ashriel saka naglakad patungo sa kusina habang hinuhubad ang suot na coat, pati na rin ang kaniyang necktie.

“Mom.” He kissed his mother on her cheek.

Ngumiti si Isabella na ina ni Ashriel. “Mabuti naman at umuwi ka.”

Napakamot ng batok si Ashriel. “Tinawagan niyo po ako, eh. Baka mamaya magtampo na naman kayo kung hindi ako uuwi.”

“Hmm… buti alam mo.”

“Si Dad?”

“Nasa labas. Nag-iihaw. Gusto raw mag-ulam ng inihaw na isda.”

Naglakad si Ashriel palabas ng backdoor. Nakita naman niya ang kaniyang ama na nasa harapan ng grilled stand.

“Dad.”

Lumingon si Sebastian. “Oh. Hey, son. You’re here.” Muli itong humarap sa iniihaw nito.

Natawa na lamang ng mahina si Ashriel saka naglakad palapit sa ama. Tinignan niya ang iniihaw nito. Natawa pa siya nang makita ang isda na nasa pinggan. “Dad, you’re not professional when it comes to grill.”

Sebastian looked at him flatly. “Sige, mang-asar ka pa. Bakit marunong ka ba?”

Nagkibit ng balikat si Ashriel. “Hindi.”

His father snorted. “Then don’t complain about the fish I grilled. Hindi kita bibigyan, eh.”

“You won’t. Mom will,” Ashriel said, full of confidence.

Napabuga na lamang ng hangin si Sebastian saka napailing. Kahit kailan talaga, hindi siya mananalo sa panganay niya. Tama nga ang kasabihan — the student was already better than the Master.

Nang nasa hapag-kainan na sila, si Ashriel ang naging sentro ng usapan.

“Anak, magpapaalam ka nasa kalendaryo sa susunod na taon,” wika ng ina ni Ashriel. “Kailan mo ipakilala sa amin ang magiging manugang namin ng daddy mo?”

Napatigil si Ashriel sa pagsubo. “Not again, Mom.”

“Anong not again ka diyan? Kailan?”

Umiling si Ashriel. “Wala naman akong girlfriend.” Nagsubo siya ng pagkain.

Isabella sighed as if she was being burdened by the world. “Anak naman… wala ka bang balak mag-asawa? Mahirap ang walang kasama sa buhay.”

“Son, never mind the background, as long as she has a good character,” sabi ni Sebastian na sinang-ayunan naman ng asawa nito.

“Tama ang Daddy mo. Character is the most important,” Isabella said. “You hate women being close to you. Pero anak, wala ka naman sigurong balak na maging matandang-binata ‘no?”

Uminom ng tubig si Ashriel bago nagsalita. “If that’s my fate, then it is.”

Hindi alam ni Isabella kung maiiyak ba siya sa inis o ano dahil kay Ashriel.

Nagpatuloy naman si Ashriel sa pagkain. Hindi na niya pinansin ang pagrereklamo ng kaniyang ina at ang sermon nito na kailangang mag-asawa na raw siya, o di kaya maghanap ng girlfriend.

Tahimik lang naman ang ama ni Ashriel na kumakain. Hindi na siya nakisali sa usapan ng mag-ina niya pero naaawa siya sa panganay niya dahil lagi itong napagsasabihan tungkol sa lovelife nito.

Sebastian looked at his eldest son. Pati siya nagtataka rin kung bakit wala pa itong pinapakilala sa kanila. Or maybe his son had not yet met the right one.

After dinner, Ashriel stayed with his father on the balcony. Mula sa kanilang kinauupuan, naririnig ni Ashriel ang mga alon na humahampas sa dalampasigan.

Isabella had already gone to rest.

“Anak, umamin ka nga. Babae o lalaki ang gusto mo?”

Ashriel looked at his father flatly. “Dad, what kind of question was that?”

Sebastian shrugged. “Hindi ko rin alam. Hindi mo naman ako masisisi. Nagtataka lang kami ng mommy mo.”

Napailing na lamang si Ashriel. Pumasok sa isipan niya si Nylah. Sa lahat ng mga nakita niyang babae, si Nylah lamang ang nakakuha ng atensiyon niya.

“Soon,” he said.

Tumaas ang kilay ni Sebastian. “Soon?”

Ngumiti si Ashriel. “I met someone recently, Dad. I think she was different from those women who only seek wealth, money, and power.”

Sebastian studied Ashriel for a moment. Mula sa liwanag ng ilaw sa balcony nakita niya ang ngiting nakahugit sa labi nito… ngiti na hindi madalas ipakita ni Ashriel sa ibang tao kahit pa sa kanilang dalawa ni Isabella.

At mukhang malapit na nga ang ‘soon’ na sinasabi nito.