Tough Hunks Series 13 : Guiller The Avenger

Chapter 1

Acapulco, Mexico

Isang pagkakamali ito.

Ina Reyes took one look around the dark, smoky bar and nearly sprinted right out the door. It took her a second to gather her composure, to force her feet to stay rooted to the dirty floor. Hindi na kasi siya pwedeng umatras. She'd already come this far, traveled over seven thousand miles and crossed two continents to come here.

Kaya dapat wala ng atrasan pa.

Squaring her shoulders, she drew air into her lungs, only to inhale a cloud of cigar smoke that made her eyes water. Napakurap-kurap siya ng ilang beses, trying hard not to focus on the dozen pairs of eyes glued to her. Iyong iba naman mapagpuri kung tumingin sa kanya. Pero mostly, nagdududa sa kanya ang klase ng pagkakatitig ng mga ito. Well, hindi na siya magtataka pa - this place didn't seem as though it catered to many law-abiding citizens. She'd figured that out when she'd first spotted the dilapidated adobe exterior with its crooked wooden sign.

The interior only confirmed her original assessment. The bar was small and cramped, boasting a wood counter that would probably give her splinters if she touched it and a handful of little tables, most of them askew. Across the room was a narrow doorway shielded only by a curtain of red and yellow beads that clinked together. All the patrons were men; a few wore sombreros, several didn't have any shoes on, and all were looking at Ina as if she'd just gotten off a spaceship.

Minabuti naman ni Ina na ignorahin ang mga malalagkit na tumitig sa kanya. She made her way to the counter, her sandals clicking against the floor. Her yellow sundress clung to her body like wet plastic wrap.

The bartender, a large man with a thick black beard, narrowed his eyes at her approach. "What can I do for you, señorita?" tanong nito.

He'd spoken in Spanish, and she answered in the same tongue. "I'm looking for someone."

Napakindat ito. "I see."

"I was told he's a regular customer here," she hurried on before the bartender misinterpreted her intentions. "I have business to discuss with him."

Gone was the playful twinkle in the man's eye. Tila nagdududa na ang klase ng pagkakatitig nito sa kanya. Acapulco, a beach resort town on Mexico’s Pacific coast, is set on a large bay backed by high-rises and the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains.

Sa nakalap na research ni Ina, the crime level in Acapulco is high, but resort areas and tourist destinations are not prone to violence and serious crime. However drug-related violence has been increasing in Acapulco, so tourist should be vigilant in their safety.

"I'm afraid you'll need to be more specific," the bartender said curtly. He swept an arm out. "As you can see, there are many men here, almost all of them regulars."

Napalunok siya. "The one I want goes by the name Tatum."

Natahimik bigla ang buong silid. Kahit nga ang nakakabinging musika na pinatugtog kanina ay bigla na lang huminto. At 'yong mga nagtatawanang lalaki ay bigla na lang naging seryoso. From the corner of her eye, Ina noticed that the gray-haired man at the other end of the counter had blanched, his tanned leathery skin turning a shade paler.

Mukhang tama nga ang napuntahan niyang lugar. Batid niyang kilala ng mga ito si Tatum. At natatakot sila sa lalaking iyon kaya ganoon na lang ang kanilang mga reaksyon.

"I take it you know him," she said to the bartender.

Nanlaki bigla ang mga mata nito. "Actually, I can't say I've even heard that name before."

She suppressed a sigh and reached into the green canvass purse slung over her bare shoulder. She fumbled around until her hand roll of dollar bills she'd secured with an elastic band. Ipinatong naman niya sa ibabaw ng counter ang five hundred-dollar bills.

Laglag naman ang panga ng bartender nang mapatingin ito sa dolyar.

"What about now?" Malumanay na tanong niya rito. "Have you heard of him now?"

Greed shown into his harsh features. "No, I still didn't know him."

She added three more hundred dollars to the pile.

Smirking, the bartender pocketed the cash and hooked a thumb at the doorway in the back. "I believe you'll find Mr. Tatum at his usual table, stealing money from poor, hardworking souls."

With a quiet thank-you, Ina headed for the doorway and slid through the string of beads.

The corridor was narrow, illuminated by an exposed light bulb that dangled from the ceiling on a long piece of brown twine. Only one other door in the hall, all the way at the end, and she heard muffled male voices coming from behind it. May humalakhak ng tawa, meron ding napapamura sa wikang Filipino. At sigurado na nga siya na si Guiller Tatum nga iyon.

Ina's legs felt unusually weak as she made her way down the corridor. She instinctively reached into her purse, tempted to grab her cell phone and call the babysitter just to make sure Rafael was all right, but she resisted the impulse. Kaya minabuti na lang niyang gawin ang pakay niya sa pagpunta niya sa lugar na iyon para matapos na, at mabalikan niya agad ang anak niya.

Still, she hated leaving Rafael alone even for a few minutes, let alone the two hours she'd already been gone. Masyado kasi siyang nag-aalala na kapag mawalay sa kanya ang anak niya kahit ilang sandali lang ay hindi na niya ito makikita pang muli.

Alam niya kasi kung anong kayang gawin ng ama nito makuha lang nitong muli ang anak.

Her stomach clenched. God, what a fool she'd been. And as humiliating as it was to admit, she had nobody to blame but herself. Siya kasi itong umalis sa magandang buhay niya sa New Jersey para lang mag volunteer sa isang relief foundation. She was the young and idealistic fool who'd actually believed in Victor's cause. Isa siyang napakalaking tanga at nagmahal siya ng isang tiwalag na tao.

Pero ngayon na ang pagkakataon na makalaya na siya mula kay Victor Ortez. Matapos ang tatlong taong pagtatago, after five close calls and half a dozen fresh starts, she finally had the opportunity to vanquish her personal demon once and for all.

At nag assume ka nga na tutulongan ka ni Mr. Tatum? Of course.

Tucking the strand of hair behind her ear, she approached the door and knocked, then opened it without waiting for invitation.

"Who the hell are you?" a rough male voice demanded in Spanish.

Ina did her best not to gape. Her gaze collided with four men sitting at a round table littered with colorful poker chips and a pile of crumpled cash. Dalawa doon sa apat na lalaki ay kayumanggi ang balat. Iyong ikatlong lalaki naman ay parang karakter ito sa isang Mexican cartoon, mataba at may malalaking mga mata.

Pero ang nakakuha talaga sa kanyang atensyon ay 'yong pang apat na lalaki. Prente itong nakaupo at masasabi niyang matangkad talaga ito na lalaki dahil sa haba ng mga binti nito. Kahit nakasuot pa ito ng camouflage na pantalon. Nakasuot din ito ng puting t-shirt na hapit sa katawan nito, the sleeves rolled up to reveal a pair of perfectly sculpted biceps. His dark-brown hair was in a clean cut, and his face was ruggedly handsome.

Sa deskripsyon pa lang ng lalaki, mukhang ito na nga ang hinahanap niya na si Guiller Tatum. Postura pa lang at sa pagiging matikas nito ay mapaghalataan na itong sundalo.

"Tell Pablo thanks, but we don't need a w***e," maangas nitong sabi.

"I'm not a w***e," bulalas agad niya.

She'd spoken in English, and she noticed his eyes widen slightly, then narrow as he studied her. Nakatuon lang ang mga titig ng lalaki sa laylayan ng maikling damit niya, pataas sa cleavage niya, at doon nga napatitig ng matagal ang lalaki sa parteng iyon ng katawan niya. Hindi tuloy niya masisisi ang lalaki na mag-isip na isa siyang bayarang babae. Sa lugar kasi na kagaya roon, skimpy clothing was really one's only option.

"Who are you, then?" demanda sa kanya ng lalaki. "And what do you want?"

She took a steadying breath. "Are you Tatum?"

Natahimik bigla ang buong silid. The two men with shaved heads exchanged a wary look, while the chubby man began to fidget with his hands.

"Who wants to know?" he finally asked.

"Me," medyo nauutal niyang sabi. "I have something extremely urgent to discuss with Mr. Tatum."

Napabaling ulit ang lalaki sa kanya.

To her shock, Ina's heart did a tiny little flip as he once again slid his sultry gaze over her. Hindi talaga niya inasahan na kung ito nga si Mr. Tatum ay napakaganda pala nitong lalaki. Her uncle had told her that Tatum was rumored to be a deadly warrior, and granted, he sure did look that part, but the s****l magnetism rolling off his big body was something she hadn't counted on.

"Look," pagpatuloy pa niya, "my name is--"

He held up a hand to silence her. "Let us play out this hand and call my amigo." Napataas ang kilay na saad nito na tila hindi nga ito interesado sa pakay niya. Pero hindi siya susuko, bumyahe pa siya ng malayo para lang makita niya ang lalaking ito, at hindi siya makakapayag na wala man lang siyang mapapala rito.

There was a beat of anticipation as both men prepared to reveal their cards. Tatum went first, tossing a pair of aces directly on the pile of cash in the center of the table. Then the Mexican threw down his cards and scraped back his chair.

"Tomorrow night, same time," pakli no'ng isang lalaking payat.

Tila pinigilan naman ni Tatum ang sarili na mapangiti. "Sure thing, Jorge."

Ina resisted the urge to tap her foot as she watched Tatum reach for the money he'd just liberated from his fellow card players. Ang nakakatuwa lang dahil nakuha pa niyang bilangin iyon.

Just as she was about to voice her frustration, he shoved the cash in his pocket, glanced at the other men and nodded at the door. The trio shuffled out of their chairs and hurriedly went outside the room.

Hindi naman maitago ni Ina ang paghanga niya agad sa lalaki. "They're terrified of you, you know," she remarked.

Umangat ang isang sulok ng labi nito. "As they should be."

She suspected the warning had been aimed to unnerve her, but she received a strange sense of comfort from those four lethal words. Oh, yes. Ito nga ang lalaking kailangan niya. Tama nga ang tiyuhin niya tungkol dito.

"So you are Tatum, then," she said bluntly.

Napatango ito at iminuwestra siyang umupo sa bakanteng upuan. "I am. Now why don't you have a seat and tell me what the hell it is you want from me."

Unfazed by his short tone, she sat down, crossed her ankles together and met his stormy gaze head-on. "I have a proposition for you."

Mahina itong napatawa sa sinabi niya. "Proposition, huh? Well, like I said, I'm not into w****s. But--" napapailing ito. "--maybe I'll make an exception for you. How much, sweetheart?"

"I'm not a p********e! My name is Ina. Ina Reyes. Isa rin akong Filipino. And I traveled a long way to find you, so please, tigilan mo na ang pag assume sa'kin na isa akong prostitute."

Those brown eyes twinkled for a second, then hardened into stone. "Paano mo ako natagpuan dito, Ina? I'm not exactly listed in any phone books."

"I heard rumors about you." She rested her suddenly shaky hands on her knees. "May nagsabi kasi sa'kin na ikaw lang ang makakatulong sa'kin, kaya hinanap agad kita. Im...well, let's just say I'm very skilled when it comes to computers. Computer Science kasi ang natapos ko sa New Jersey."

"So galing ka pa sa New Jersey?"

"Yes. Pero hindi ako doon ipinanganak. My parents decided to move to the States when I was twelve years old. Sa Pilipinas talaga ako lumaki." Natigilan muna siya dahil napagtanto niya na masyado na yata siyang madaldal. Hindi naman siya pumunta ng Mexico para lang sabihin dito sa lalaki ang talambuhay niya. "Look, none of this is important. Ang mahalaga ay ang natagpuan na kita."

"Yes, at sa tingin ko ginamitan mo nga ang paghahanap sa'kin ng abilidad mo sa computer," pabirong saad nito.

"I'm good at what I do. Nagsimula nga ako sa paghahanap sa'yo sa military base sa North Carolina."

His jaw tensed.

"Ang alam ko rin na magaling kang sundalo," she added with grudging appreciation. "You left so many false trails it made me dizzy. But you slipped up in Colombia. Dalawang identity lang kasi ang ginamit mo, kaya natagpuan kita rito."

Tatum let out a soft whistle. "I'm impressed. Very impressed, actually." He made a tsking sound. "You went to a lot of trouble to find me. Siguro ito na ang tamang oras para sabihin sa'kin kung ano talaga ang sadya mo sa'kin."

"Sinabi ko na sa'yo - kailangan ko ang tulong mo."

He raised one large hand and rubbed the razor-sharp stubble coating of his strong chin.

A tiny thrill shot through her as she watched the oddly seductive gesture and imagined how it would feel to have those callused fingers stroking her own skin. Gosh! What was it about this man that made her so darn aware of his masculinity?

Napapailing siya sa kanyang ulo at pilit na winawaksi ang kaharutan sa isipan niya. "Kailangan ko ang tulong mo," pag-ulit niya.

"Oh, really?" he drawled. "Ano naman ang maitutulong ko sa'yo?"

Her throat tightened. God, could she do this? Paano kaya niya sisimulan sa pag approach ito?

"Putragis naman oh, sinasayang mo lang ang oras ko. Sabihin mo na sa'kin."

Napalunok muna siya ng dalawang beses. Saka akmang papatayo na ang lalaki sa kinaupuan nito. "Screw it. I don't have time for--"

"Ang gusto ko na patayin mo si Victor Ortez," sabi niya sa wakas.

*****