Chapter 3 - Just a Spoonful of Chaos (Part 1)
1357 Words
WARNING: This chapter contains scenes depicting violence. Reader's discretion is advised.
Tahimik na sinindihan ni Yalmar ang sigarilyo habang nakahilig sa hood ng kanyang itim na Corvette Stingray. Nauna silang dumating ng kanyang nakakatandang kapatid na si Yves sa lumang bodega na siyang nagsisilbing base nilang mag-aama. Kung ano naman ang kinahinahon ni Yalmar ay siya namang pagkaaligaga ni Yves.
He knew that his brother would rather spend the evening snuggled up at home next to his wife but duty, no matter how shady it was, still took precedence. Their little rendezvous was all due to a series of gang fights that broke out in several territory borders and the recent explosion on their biggest shipment of the month. Walang duda na Red Serpents na naman ang sa likod ng mga gulong iyon.
Even if Marco Vescozar struck an accord with the Serpent chapter leaders, there were still quite a few who were willing to disrupt their relative peace. The news of Yalmar’s engagement to Sabrina brought positive fruits from their allies but all their enemies are scrambling to prove that the Vescozar’s illusion of control and peace is not as stable as they want everyone to believe.
Marahas nanapabuga ng usok si Yalmar at kunot-noong bumaling sa kapatid na kanina pa palakad-lakad sa harap niya. “Would you please chill the f**k out? Here have a stick!”
“Alam mo na tumigil na ako magyosi simula nang kinasal kami ni Mitch.” Yves just crossed his arms and snapped at his brother.
“Well, she’s not here, is she?”
Yves just scoffed at him and returned to pacing back and forth which made Yalmar roll his eyes.
Unbelievable!
He couldn’t even fathom how p***y-whipped his older brother has become. Parang kalian lang ay si Yves ang typical fuckboy sa kanilang magkakapatid. Yves used to sleep around recklessly with different women and he wasn’t even discrete about it. Minsan napapaisip na lang si Yalmar na tila himala na wala pang nabuntis or napulot na kakahawang sakit ang kuya niya.
Laman si Yves ng mga high-end clubs bawat weekend, may kaakbay na modelo bawat gabi, at walang kahit na anong bisyong inaayawan. And then came Mitch and it was a slow and agonizing process but Yves eventually cleaned up his act to become the husband that he is now. Of course, it was beyond what Yalmar could even grasp. Hindi naman kasi siya ikakasal para sa pag-ibig kagaya ng nakakatandang kapatid niya.
Tinapakan ni Yalmar ang upos na sigarilyo nang agad na dumating ang isang itim na SUV. It parked just right at the entrance and tried to avoid the small puddles of water on the worn-down concrete floor. His father emerged from the passenger seat wearing a heavy coat and pinstripes suit. The next one to get off was Yohann who drove the car and it seemed like his two other brothers couldn’t be bothered to come.
“It was Ravenite dock that got blew up together with almost 15 million of our revenue.” Hindi na nagpaligoy-ligoy pa si Yohann at agad na nilahad talagang dahilan ng pagkikita nila sa bodega.
“Do we have clear information about the mastermind behind the explosions?” Yves asked.
“Don’t be stupid, Tres. Of course, it’s the Serpents” Yalmar bitterly spat and turned to his father. “I can’t believe you even have a truce with them. Hindi pa ba maliwanag sa pangalan nila? Puro mga ahas! And Benard Hidalgo is the biggest snake of them all.”
“How many men did we lose?” Marco asked his eldest.
“Two, Kiko and that new guy Jay.”
Marahas na napahilamos naman si Yalmar. “This a declaration of war. We need to respond with a greater show of strength.”
Marco just sighed heavily at his son’s rage still starting to boil. Natural na kay Yalmar na karasahan din ang sagot sa karahasan pero hindi ito ang pagkakataon para roon.
“Try to calm yourself, Sinco. Mainit ka pa sa media ngayon lalo na at nalalapit na ang kasal mo. Starting a war with the Serpents will make matters worse. You can’t lose control. That is exactly what they want from us.” Yohann tried to talk some sense into his head and attempted to grab Yalmar by his shoulder.
“Don’t f*****g touch me!” He flinched. “They were the ones who started the war with that f*****g explosion. We lost two men! Kiko was one of them! Look me in the eyes and tell me that we should just let their death go in vain.”
Neither of them could meet his burning eyes. Rage was always his essence of being but Yalmar also valued loyalty to the core. Kiko was one of his trusted men and they all grew up with him. Now his service got him in a body bag with his face wrecked, everyone doubt even his own mother would recognize his corpse. That was something Yalmar was not willing to look past.
“Naiintindihan ko ang galit mo, anak. But your anger will prove more useful to us some other time. But for now, I need you to direct it at something else.” Marco c****d his head and Yohann was quick enough to open the trunk of his car. “Or rather, someone… else.”
Marahas namang hinatak nang nakakatandang kapatid nito ang isang lupaypay na katawan ng lalaking nakagapos. The man was bruised and peeled like a fruit, his mouth gagged, and his whole body heavily bound. Yohann propped the man up on his knees and a smirk was etched on Yalmar’s face almost instantly.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Blaine Hidalgo. This should be interesting.” Yalmar fisted his hair and yanked his head up.
“How did you manage to hunt Bernard Hidalgo’s bastard?” nagtatakang tanong ni Yves.
“We got stuck during a crossfire in one of the recent gang fights just a couple of days before the Ravenite explosion. He got shot in his right shoulder and one of my men recognized him, figured he could be of some use.”
“Give that guy a raise.” Nanatiling nakangisi naman si Yalmar at marahang inikutan ang nakaluhod nilang bihag.
“He will serve as an insurance claim until a negotiation with the Serpents happens. We can’t have them continue to blow things up while we’re planning a wedding now, can we?” Marco told his sons and quickly turned to Yalmar. “But all this nasty business can wait until you tie the knot. In the meantime, I need you to find out everything that he knows.”
Yalmar just chuckled. “Hmmm… I thought you’d never ask.”
“Why don’t we wrap this up? Huh?” Tila walang ganang nag-unat pa ng mga braso si Yves. “My wife is supposed to cook roast beef for me okay. And don’t get too busy with him, Sinco. You’ve got a big day tomorrow.”
The youngest Vescozar just rolled his eyes. As if anyone would let him forget that his fiancé is about to move in. Alas, they have to cut everything short.
Just before anyone could pack up, Yalmar crouched down to Blaine’s eye level. Even beaten and bound, the young Hidalgo’s eyes were still furious and his spirit still unbroken. Yalmar knew it wouldn’t be long until then.
“Mr. Hidalgo, shall we play a game?” With a blink, Yalmar landed a solid cross punch at Blaine’s face and knocked the side of his head on the concrete floor. Yalmar just breathed in deeply in exhilaration.
“Hey, easy now!” awat ni Yohann. “Isasakay pa natin ulit yan. Kaninang umaga lang ako nagpa-carwash.”
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- Writer
