Love for Ransom (Tagalog)

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?" diretsong tanong ko.

"I won't beat around the bush. We need your help. 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. Madalas, in sync sila. Gano'n siguro talaga kapag kambal.

"Have you mentioned this detail before?" tanong ko pa at sabay silang tumango. "Really? How can I miss it?"

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 mansion 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," sabi naman ni Johan kaya tumango na lang kami para maipagpatuloy niya ang tungkol sa sinasabi niya.

"Gio, she's 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," paliwang 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 they can do good as well," dagdag ni Shaun. "But, the only problem that we had before 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 for 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. He's 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. I'm the second in command to the boss."

"Teka nga! Magulo pa rin!" lito kong sabi. "Get straight to the point. In what way do you need my help?"

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

"They are a very powerful and influential criminal empire which made them 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 pouring in. 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 am 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.

"WHAT?! 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.

"Dude! Anong laban ko sa mga 'yan?! That's an empire according to you! I don't want to get into this mess!" tanggi ko.

Nababaliw na yata ang mga 'to. Why would I sacrifice? Even if it's their sister that we're talking about, she's a stranger to me. Why would I want to burden myself with her as my responsibility?!

"Ayaw namin siyang madamay sa gulo na 'to. She knows nothing about this," iling ni Johan. "So, please... do this for us," pakiusap niya pa.

Ngayon na lang ulit siya nakiusap sa akin, hindi ko tuloy alam kung paano ako tatanggi. Minsan lang sila humingi ng pabor sa akin. Ang problema, this is beyond what I can do for them as their friend.

I may not know a s**t about mafias and crime families but I know that this is dangerous. Agreeing to this would have to mean that it might cost my life in the process because I am already involved. And I am not sure if I can handle that.

Isa-isa ko silang tinignan. Hinintay ko kung may tatawa para sabihing joke time lang ang lahat pero wala. Lahat sila seryoso habang naghihintay ng sagot ko.

"Fine! I'll do it," pikit-mata kong sabi. I'm damned.

Para silang nabunutan ng tinik nang marinig nila ang sagot ko. They sighed with relief.

"Thanks, dude! We owe you one!" 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 naaksidente ako kanina dahil sa tawag ni Nikko.

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

"Good. I don't want to be involved too much," sabi ko naman. "My safety is also at stake here. Baka madamay pa ang family ko," nag-aalalang dagdag ko.

"We'll protect you and your family, Gio. Don't worry," Johan assured me. "We'll assign our soldatos and capos to look after you."

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

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

They laid out their plans in front of me and I was sweating the whole time while taking notes.

This will be a hard mission, that's for sure!