Twisted Fascination

Kabanata 2

Sweat started to form on their back as they stiffened at the Don’s words. Alam nila. Alam nila dahil hindi agad nilang nahanap ang kapatid nitong si Alexiel.

“Bilial,” tawag nito sa mababang boses.

Bilial stepped forward. Kakaiba si Bilial. Oo, nakakatakot ang Don nila but they are trained not to stepped back if it's needed. Isa sa mga rason kung bakit napabilang siya sa famiglia na ito ay dahil sa hindi ito umaatras basta-basta.

“Where did you leave Alexiel?” Ang consigliere ng Don na si Riego ang nagtanong kay Bilial. Masasabing si Riego ang pinakamatagal na nakasama ng Don sa organisasyon na ito.

“Reporting, consigliere. We stopped on a highway and left him inside the forest where the place was surrounded by trees. His tracker indicated that he was still in the forest pero nang dumating kami ay nakuha lang namin ang tracker at hindi siya,” paliwanag nito.

The Don snorted. Pinatay nito ang sigarilyo gamit ang pag-apak sa yosi nito. The man with imposing aira tilted his head and said, “I’ll give you twenty-four hours to find your underboss, if you go back here without his body— dead or alive, I’ll help you go on a trip in hell, inteso?” (Understood?)

Tinapunan nito ng matalas na tingin si Bilial at Gab bago umalis.

In the De Luca Mafia, the Don is in charge of the entire organization; the boss is a tyrant who has the authority to dictate anything from anyone in the company. He is the one who makes all of the crucial decisions. Their subordinates hold them in high regard and fear them. The Don are practically untouchable and unstoppable. He is tremendously powerful, influential, and successful, as well as vicious, dangerous, and widely feared.

Under him is the Underboss, his brother, who is Alexiel. In the organization, he is second-in-command. His level of control differs from family to family, but he is always willing to fill in for the head. The underboss can easily find himself at the helm of the family in the violent, vicious, murderous, deadly, destructive, and volatile world of the Mafia, so they are typically nurtured for an eventual takeover, — especially if the boss's health is failing or if it did appear that he is headed for a long prison sentence. The Don now have taken over the organization because the former Don was dead.

The Don's right-hand man is the consigliere. Although the Consigliere is not a member of the Mafia's official hierarchy, he plays one of the most crucial responsibilities in a crime family. He is the family boss's closest confidant and loyal friend. All of the members of the De Luca famiglia never really knew Riego. Only the Don knows his identity.

The Mafia’s soldiers are the organization's henchmen who do the majority of the work, such as making deliveries, picking up money, murdering, assaulting, bomb attacks, arson, targeted killings, drive-by shootings, evidence tampering, killing jurors.

Naalala pa noon ni Bilial nang naging miyembro siya ng pamilyang ito. They must take an Oath of Omerta: "If I betray the organization or my comrades, may I rot in the underworld with all posterity," which is a vow of silence and secrecy to never admit the Mafia's existence, never betray, always be loyal, kill for the organization and be ready to die for them, always be prepared to defend the organization and the fellow members at all costs, and lastly, always put the organization first above everyone else. This is the oath that every member of the Sicilian Mafia should never forget. Hindi man makapaniwala pero parang isang pamilya talaga ang mafia na ito kumpara sa tunay nilang pamilya.

Marami ang sumubok na talikuran ito ngunit bago pa man nila magawa iyon ay napunta na sila sa impyerno. Lahat ng galaw ng isang tao sa labas o loob man ng organisasyon ay may mata ang Don. He never made an appearance publicly and always had to be lowkey.

“Ano pa ba ang tinutunganga mo d’yan, Bilial? Narinig mo ba ang sinabi ng Don?”

Nabalik sa realidad si Bilial nang tapikin siya ni Gab sa balikat.

“Narinig ko.” Kinuha nito ang jacket at sinuot. “Halika na. Baka hindi pa tayo nakakatapak pabalik dito ay abo na tayo.” Kung kailangan nilang libutin ang gubat na ‘yon para lang makita si Alexiel ay gagawin nila. Either he is dead or alive, kailangan maiuwi ang katawan nito.

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“Okay na ba ito?” tanong ni Alexiel na naitak n’yang kahoy panggatong. This is a struggle! Walang stove ang pamamahay ng dalaga. Hindi naman siya nag-reklamo dahil sinagip siya nito. But he comes to like this place dahil napakatahimik at kahit walang aircon ay napaka-presko naman sa labas at loob.

“Okay na ‘yan,” sagot ng dalaga bago pinunasan ang mukha nito ng puting towel. Unti-unting nakikilala ni Alexiel si Uriel. Mabait ito at tila ba walang pinoproblema. He wants to take her outside and tour her in the city. Hindi ba ‘to nababagot sa lugar na ‘to? Tanging aso at pusa lamang ang nakakasama at kinakausap pa na pra namang sasagot ito in human language.

Nagsimula na silang maglakad pabalik kasama ang pusa at asong nakilala niya sa pangalang si Nissan at Nissin. Hell! It is the brand of a car and if he remembers, the Nissin is a name of food.

Ngayon na rin siya aalis sa gubat na ito dahil siguradong pinaghahanap na siya ng kanilang tauhan patay man o buhay.

Nasa kalagitnaan sila ng paglalakad nang may marinig si Alexiel. He suddenly grabbed Uriel’s arms and made her stop from walking.

“Anong—”

“Shh.”

Alexiel’s senses are sharp kaya naman rinig na rinig niya ang ingay na ‘yon na tila ba ang naglalakad patungo sa kinaroroonan nila. Bawat pagtapak nito sa sanga at tuyong dahon ay hinahanap ng kanyang mata hanggang matapat ang mata niya sa isang matayog na damuhan. He can see a man’s black hair, as if looking for him. Hindi niya malaman kung kakampi niya ba ito o ang humahanap sa kanya. He stepped backward at binaba ang dalang kahoy.

“Sino ‘yon?” bulong ni Uriel.

Hindi ito tiningnan ni Alexiel ngunit sinagot ang tanong nito. “Hindi ko alam. Mauna ka na, Uriel. Susunod na lang ako sa’yo.” Tinulak ng mahina ng binata ang babae palayo.

“Hah? Paano ka? Alam mo na ba ang pabalik sa amin?” nag-aalalang tanong ng dalaga. Baka maligaw ito at mas lalong hindi makalabas sa gubat.

“I can take care of myself. Sige na.” Nang sabihin iyon ni Alexiel ay siya namang pagtama ng mata niya sa mata ng lalaki.

He cursed. “Sh*t!”

“Boss, nandito!” sigaw ng lalaki at tinuro ang direksyon niya. Kinuha ni Alexiel ang kamay ni Uriel at tumakbo sila. Kaya niya ito malabanan ngunit narito si Uriel, baka ito pa ang makasagabal sa kanya.

“Damn!”