Fatal Attraction

Chapter 6

5:00 p.m.

"Brady?" May tumawag sa kanya mula sa likuran.

He whirled and found NBI agent Taylor Mortiz standing tall behind him.

"Ayos ka lang?" untag nito.

Napatango siya rito. Tangina, kung kalaban lang talaga si Taylor ay siguradong tigok na siya ngayon dahil sa palagi nalang siyang nahuhulog sa malalim na pag-iisip. "Hindi ko alam kung mangingialam ba nito ang NBI, pero ikaw lang kasi ang mapagkakatiwalaan ko sa ngayon. Salamat at mabilis kang nakarating dito."

"Pamilya na ang turingan natin sa isa't isa, Brady. Kaya't opisyal man na trabaho o personal ang hihingin mong pabor sakin ay sisikapin ko para matulungan ka."

"Talagang na appreciate ko yan, bro." Malugod niyang sagot.

He could handle this assignment for the short term. Protect Savina and help her regain balance - from a safe distance. He would not get involved. Wouldn't let it turn personal.

If God willing, they'd both live to fight another battle...another day.

He briefed Taylor Mortiz without mentioning the late Senator Miranda's mystery package. He could disclose that later, or not. Depende na rin sa magiging sitwasyon, kailangan din kasi niya ng isang NBI agent sa kanyang team.

Kung isang mabuting alagad ng batas at may integridad lang ang pag-uusapan. Pasadong-pasado talaga si Taylor. Wala na kasi siyang ibang tao na maaasahan pa. Brady was taking zero chances with Savina's life.

As Brady led Taylor into cubicle, Dr. Miranda moved to the head of Savina's bed. She sat on the gurney dressed in blue scrub pants and his cammo shirt, having her blood pressure taken by a nurse. Her face had regained color and was shielded in tough-girl attitude. "I see you're still around."

Okay, maybe he actively avoided the commitment trap, but that didn't make him a total bastard. "Sinabi ko na 'yon sayo, ayaw ko ng magpaulit-ulit pa."

Her bare feet swung nonchalantly, but she hugged his shirt tightly around her. "Yeah, in Dimples standard time, you said that you'll stay awhile."

Her false bravado reminded him so much of her being the little Savina before. "Kamusta ka na? Anong resulta sa mga test mo?"

"I'm fine. No concussion, no internal bleeding, no stitches." She gave him a sweet smile. "And they have photographic evidence that I actually possess a brain."

"Good to know." He returned her a sweet smile, too. Hang in there, sweetheart. He'd bet she had a hell of a headache, and her body language was scared and vulnerable. But she was playing it cool for her father and coworkers. Ina-apply din kasi niya sa sarili ang taktika na yan. Her strong, stubborn spirit manifested in more than competitiveness. Siguro dahil bata pa lamang itong namatay ang mom nito, o di kaya dahil mataas lang talaga ang expectation ng ama nito sa kanya. She had always refused to cry in front of anyone, although she had let go with him a few times. And she resolutely kept her pain to herself. That's the thing they had in common.

Napabaling naman ang atensyon ni Savina kay Taylor. "Hello, at ikaw si?"

Si Brady na ang sumagot. "Remember Taylor Mortiz? Siya ang kababata ni kuya Lance. Nagtatrabaho siya sa NBI ngayon."

"Taylor?" She blinked. "Sorry, pero hindi kita matandaan."

Napangiti rito si Taylor. "Hindi mo na talaga ako matandaan pa ma'am, kasi sobrang payatot ko noon."

"Ah..siguro ikaw 'yong cute na kasa-kasama ni kuya Lance noon sa bahay nila."

"Eherm..." Taylor cleared his throat. " Kung ganon, ang ka cute-tan ko pala ang napapansin mo sakin noon, ma'am."

"Ang coincidence naman at nagkita ulit tayo rito."

"Parang ganon, pero ang totoo--"

Brady's violent coughing spell interrupted Taylor. Hindi na kasi pwedeng malaman pa ni Savina na humingi siya ng pabor dito. Mas makabubuti kung sa kanilang dalawa nalang ni Taylor 'yong pinag-usapan nila. Ayaw niya kasing mag conclude si Savina na masyado na siyang nangingialam sa buhay nito.

Savina slanted a sideways glance at the staff nurse. "Jenny, bigyan mo sila ng maiinom, please."

"Water would be fine." He eyed Taylor.

Taylor took the hint and pulled up a chair, then withdrew a notebook from his leather jacket. "Savina, maari mo bang isalaysay sakin ang nangyari sayo."

Brady stalked the perimeter of the small room and gulped water from a plastic cup as Savina spoke. When she reached the part about knowing she would almost die and hearing the gunfire, her voice caught and her words stumbled.

Kinuyumos tuloy ni Brady ang empty cup, nagtatalo kasi ang damdamin niya kung e co-comfort ba niya ang dalaga, o susuntukin ang dingding hanggang sa dumugo ang mga kamao niya.

Natapos din sa wakas ang pag i-interview ni Taylor sa dalaga. "I have all I need for now. Tatawagan nalang kita."

Dr. Miranda's stern face creased in a smile at his daughter. "I'll get your pain medication and discharge papers." He strode out, leaving Brady and Savina alone.

Iginala naman ni Brady ang paningin sa paligid. "Nasaan ang sapatos mo? Hindi ka pwedeng umalis dito na nakapaa lang. At hindi ka rin maaring tumuntong sa bago kong bahay na walang sapatos."

"Nasa ilalim ng bed. Teka, tama ba ang narinig ko na dadalhin mo ako sa bago mong bahay? As in...tayong dalawa magkasama sa bago mong bahay?"

He bent and scooped up a paper bag containing her purse and shoes. "Pumayag na ang dad mo na ako ang--" Natigilan siya ng maalala niyang ayaw na ayaw pala ni Savina ang magkaroon ng isang bodyguard, o isang asungot na palaging sumusunod sa kanya kung saan naroroon siya. "Sa tingin namin ng dad mo na hindi makabubuti sayo kung nag-iisa ka lang hangga't hindi pa natin matutukoy kung sino talaga ang nasa likod sa tangkang pagpatay sayo."

"So nagkasundo kayo ni dad na ikaw na ang magbabantay sakin?" She rubbed her arms. "Paano mo naman nakumbinsi ang tigasin na 'yon?" Anito sa mapanuring titig. "At kailan naman matatapos ang arrangement ninyong dalawa?"

"Hanggang sa matuklasan namin kung sino talaga ang may tangka sa buhay mo. Then you can go back to your normal life, at ako naman--"

"Lilipad ulit sa malayo?" Bumaba ito mula sa kanyang bed at hinawakan ang kamay niya. "Thanks for the gallant sacrifice but no thanks."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Clueless much, Brady Roque?" The sparks in her eyes had him backing up. And moving the equipment tray out of her reach.

Bakit kaya ito bigla nalang nainis sa kanya? "I won't get in your way. Aalis din naman ako as soon as--"

Napameywang ito sa kanya at matalim na napatitig. "And they claim women send mixed messages."

He flung his hands in the air. "Kailangan ko pala ng isang navigational chart para malaman ko 'yang train of though mo."

"Sa isang minuto, nakangiti ka pa ngayon sakin habang pinalilitaw mo 'yang dimples mo, at sa susunod na mga minuto nasa ibang hemisphere ka na pala."

Tila tinablan yata siya sa parinig nito, ngunit pinili niyang ignorahin na lamang ito. "Okay, let's get you home first, fed and rested. Saka nalang natin pag-usapan ang ilang mga bagay."

Umiling ito. "Mas mabuti pang iwan mo nalang ako at pabayaan."

"What was I supposed to do? Iwan ka at hindi na ako muling babalik pa? Iyan ba talaga ang gusto mo?"

"Mas mabuti pa, dahil para sayo, isa lang naman ako sa trabaho mo, di ba?"

"Teka nga lang, bakit ka ba nagagalit, huh?"

"Alam ko kasi na kapag mababagot ka na nitong babysitting job mo ay maglalaho ka rin na parang bula."

"Nakakainsulto ka na ah."

"Ah..naiinsulto ka pala sa sinabi ko. It's not like you haven't done it before." Anito sa nanginginig na mga labi, marahil ay sa panggigigil nito sa kanya. "Wag kang mag-alala, hindi naman kita pipigilan kung aalis ka."

Tuloy parang tinablan ng konsensya si Brady sa sinabi nito. Eh tama naman ito - he was a clueless moron. She had reason to doubt his dependability. Though he'd acted in her best interest, but from her perspective he had run out on her. Hindi lang isang beses. Kundi maraming beses na.

*****