When Two Hearts Meet

PAGPASOK ni Mikael sa kanilang bahay, nadatnan niya ang kaniyang magulang na nag-uusap sa living room. Halatang seryoso ang pinag-uusapan ng dalawa dahil ang seryoso ng mukha ng kaniyang magulang. “Mom, Dad,” he greeted his parents. “Hey, son. You’re home early.” Anang kaniyang ama. “Maagad pong nagpasundo ang kambal.” Tugon naman ni Mikael sa ama. His twin siblings are now in college, but they are still being babied by him. Yep, he likes spoiling his siblings. Then he looked at his mother. “Mom, are you okay? You looked sick.” As usual, Evelyn smiled. “I’m better now. Inalagaan ako ng daddy mo.” Maverick smiled and kissed his wife’s forehead. Tumikhim naman si Mikael. “Dad, can you please stop being lovey-dovey to mom.” Reklamo niya. “I’m right here, you know.” Maverick chuckled. “Want to know how you were made?” Mabilis na tinakpan ni Mikael ang dalawang tainga. “Please, dad, maawa ka naman sa tainga ko. My poor ears.” Maverick could only shake his head. “Puro ka reklamo ngayon pero sisiguruhin ko sa ‘yo na hindi ka na magrereklamo kapag nahanap mo na ang babaeng para sa ‘yo.” Mikael just rolled his eyes. “Wala akong planong maghanap, Dad.” Napailing si Maverick. “Kailan mo nga ulit sinabi sa akin ‘yan, Mikael? Sasabihin ko sa ‘yo ngayon kakainin mo ang sinabi mo.” Napa-‘tss’ na lang si Mikael saka sumeryoso. “Ang seryoso po ng usapan niyo kanina?” Maverick looked at Evelyn, asking for help. Napailing naman si Evelyn. “Matanda na ang anak mo, Mavy. Kaya na niya ang sarili niya. At nakalimutan mo na ba na sa ‘yo nagmana ‘yan? You two think the same. Sabihin mo na lang sa kaniya. Consider it as part of his training to become the Chairman of our Empire.” Maverick looked at his eldest son before he sighed. “Dealing with a syndicate is not a training, my darling wife. No, I won’t let my son face such danger.” Seryosong sabi ni Maverick. Evelyn just rolled her eyes. “Training makes someone be experienced. Wala ka bang tiwala sa anak mo?” “I…” nawalan ng imik si Maverick saka napatingin kay Mikael. “Dad, ano ba ‘yon? Kung delikado ‘yan, it’s okay. I can manage. You taught me, remember?” Ani Mikael. Malalim na napabuntong hininga si Maverick. My son has really grown-up now. “So, anong problema, Dad?” tanong ni Mikael. “I found out that there is a Mafia Group operating inside the business industry. They are bribing and taking down some companies. Sa una makikipag-deal sila at sa kalaunan ay papabagsakin nila ang kumpanya.” Kumunot ang nuo ni Mikael. “Bakit naman sana nila gagawin ‘yon, dad?” Napabuntong hininga si Maverick. “I wish I knew, son.” Umiling siya. “We ended up with some speculations. Pinapabagsak nila ang mga kumpanya upang sila ang manguna sa mundo nating mga negosyante.” “Nalaman niyo po ba kung sino sila?” tanong ni Mikael. Umiling si Maverick. “Hindi, anak. Masyado silang maingat sa mga bawat hakbang na ginagawa nila. They have eyes everywhere. I even received death threats.” “Dad, that’s serious. Bakit ngayon niyo lang po sinabi sa akin?” tanong ni Mikael. Ngumiti si Maverick. “Are you worried?” Hindi makapaniwalang tumingin si Mikael sa ama. “Syempre, Dad. Mag-aalala ako.” Tumingin siya sa ina. “Mom…?” “Your dad told me not to tell you. Sumunod lang ako. I’m innocent, anak.” Sabi naman ni Evelyn saka napailing. Nang-aasar na nginitian niya ang asawa. Mikael took his father’s facial features. Talagang makikita mo na mag-ama sila. At talaga inasahan na niya na makukuha ni Mikael ang ugali ng ama nito. Hindi nga siya nagkamali doon. “Dad, this is serious. Let me help you.” “Mikael, I want to find out about the Mafia Group operating inside the business circle. Marami silang illegal na negosyo at iyon ang gusto nilang ipasok sa sistema natin. But I won’t allow it. Many businessmen will suffer if it happens.” Seryosong sabi ni Maverick. Tumango si Mikael. “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll help you.” Ngumiti si Maverick. The father and son helped each other to secretly investigate the Mafia Group operating the business circle. But just after a week, his father was sent to the hospital because someone put a hit on him. Mabuti na lang at hindi napuruhan ang ama niya. Kaya naman bantay-sarado ang hospital na kinaroroonan ng ama niya. After his father was discharged, it took him one month in the hospital, sa rest house muna ang mga ito. Mikael hired skilled people from the security agency to protect his parents. Sa nangyari sa kaniyang ama, mas naging determinado si Mikael na alamin kung sino ang nasa likod ng Mafia Group na ‘yon. He knew he was young and didn’t have much experience, but he was willing to learn and risk his life to find those people who tried to kill his father. He would never let them go so easily. Kapag nagpatuloy ang ginagawa ng Mafia Group na pagpapabagsak sa mga malalaking kumpanya, hindi siya uupo sa isang sulok lamang. Salazar’s businesses were already all over the world, and it was now called as Salazar Empire. Siguradong target rin sila ng Mafia Group na ini-imbestigahan niya. Napabuntong hininga na lamang si Mikael matapos marinig ang report ni Gabriel sa kaniya. They were inside the car, heading home. “Masyado silang magaling magtago, Boss.” Sabi ni Gabriel. “Sa pinuntahan namin ng mga kasama ko wala kaming nalaman.” Mikael blew a loud breath. “Dad was recuperating. Though he was recuperating, he was still working. Thanks to mom, siya muna ang gumawa sa mga trabaho ni dad sa Empire. I’m worried. They targeted him because they knew that my father was an influential man and powerful. At alam kong alam na rin ng Mafia Group na ‘to na nag-iimbestiga kami kaya nila gustong patayin si Dad.” “Anong plano mo, Boss?” tanong ni Gabriel. Umiling si Mikael. “They put a hit on Dad, and I’m sure they wanted to take down our Empire. Kailangan kong gumawa ng paraan upang hindi mangyari ang gusto ng Mafia Group na ‘to.” Aniya. Tumingin siya sa labas ng bintana at hindi sinasadyang makita niya ang isang lalaki sa gilid ng daan na mukhang nahihirapan. Sa tulong ng liwanag ng lamp post sa kalsada nakita niya ang duguang katawan nito. “Gabriel, itigil mo ang kotse.” Mabilis namang itingil ni Gabriel ang kotse. “Bakit, Boss?” Isinenyas ni Mikael ang lalaki sa daan. “Boss, alam ko ang gusto niyong gawin pero hindi kaya delikado ito? The Mafia might plan this to get you.” Umiling si Mikael. “Malakas ang kutob ko na hindi to pakana ng Mafia.” Mabilis niyang binuksan ang pinto ng kotse saka bumaba. “Boss – “ Napabuga na lamang ng hangin si Gabriel saka sumunod sa Boss niya. Tinulungan nila ang lalaki at ipinasok sa loob ng backseat ng kotse. “Boss, dadalhin ba natin siya sa hospital?” tanong ni Gabriel. Umiling si Mikael. “Hindi. Masyadong delikado. Sa condo ko na lang. Tatawagin ko na lang ang family doctor namin.” Bahagyang tumango si Gabriel saka pinaharurot ang kotse patungo sa condominium ng Boss niya. Pagdating nila sa parking lot, para hindi hindi makita ng mga tao na duguan ang kasama nila, ginamit ni Mikael ang sarili niyang coat para takpan katawan ng lalaki. They took the man to Mikael’s apartment and called the family doctor. “He was stabbed. Mabuti na lang at mababaw lamang ang sugat niya.” Sabi ni Dr. Glenn. “Young Master, you didn’t get yourself into trouble, right?” “I didn’t. He did.” Sabi ni Mikael sabay turo sa lalaki na walang malay. He sighed. “Just prescribe some medicine for him, and you can go home, Doc.” “Ang sama talaga ng ugali mong bata ka. Pinapaalis mo na agad ako. Hindi ka man lang ba magpapakape.” Sabi naman ni Dr. Glenn. He disposed the surgical gloves he used. Mikael rolled his eyes and looked at Gabriel. “Gumawa ka ng kape.” Gabriel slightly bowed his head before he went to the kitchen to make some coffee. The man they saved woke up the next morning. Ang una agad nitong hinanap ay ang back pack nito. Ibinigay naman ni Gabriel ang back pack ng lalaki. Now they were in the kitchen and eating. Tahimik lang naman ang lalaki na kumakain. Sa tingin ni Mikael ay hindi nalalayo ang edad nilang dalawa. Pero sigurado siya na mas matanda ito ng ilang taon sa kaniya. The man sighed and stopped eating. “Bakit mo ako niligtas?” Nagkibit ng balikat si Mikael habang patuloy na kumakain. “Hindi ko rin alam. You needed help, so I helped you.” “Paano kung isa akong masamang tao?” tanong pa ng lalaki. “I don’t care.” Tugon ni Mikael. “Now that you’re saved, you can leave. In case you are in trouble. Madadamay pa ako.” Ngumiti ang lalaki. “Mr. Salazar,” banggit niya sa apelyido ng taong nagligtas sa kaniya na ikinatigil naman ng huli. Gulat na napatingin si Mikael sa lalaki. “Kilala mo ako?” “Walang hindi nakakakilala sa pamilya mo, Mr. Salazar. Your father is an influential man, well-connected and powerful. Napalago niya ang Salazar Empire sa sarili niyang pagsisikap. Of course, your father became a thorn in the Mafia because he was investigating them, and they wanted him to die. So, I advise you to stop investigating the Mafia before it is too late.” Kumuyom ang kamay ni Mikael. “You are part of them.” “Was,” tugon ng lalaki. “Sorry, but I won’t stop investigating them.” Puno ng determinasyong saad ni Mikael. “They wanted to kill my dad, and they wanted to destroy our Empire and other companies. I won’t allow it to happen.” “Determination,” the man said, and continued eating. Nagkatinginan naman si Mikael at Gabriel. That day, they left the man in Mikael’s condo. But when they came back, the man was gone. Ang tanging naiwan lamang sa lamesa sa kusina ay ang isang Black Book na may kasamang note. And the note says, ‘Keep this Black Book and never give it to anyone else until I come back to get it myself. And in the meantime, stop investigating the Mafia. It’s for your own good.’ Nagtaka si Mikael kung ano ang mayroon sa Black Book at ganun na lamang gulat niya nang makita ang laman nito. The Black Book contains the members of the Mafia Group. “Boss?” “Keep it in the family’s safe vault.” Gabriel nodded. “Yes, Boss.” At that moment, Mikael decided to keep lie low. Now that he has the Black Book, he must protect his family and their Empire first, before anything else.