Unlocking His Past

CHAPTER 31

—BLAIRE'S POV—

We arrived at the headquarters at quarter to 6 pm. It was me, Rio, Irill and one of his colleague, Dane who were present in the head office. They were discussing something about the Clan.

Dapat ay si Rio lang ang pupunta rito dahil na rin sa siya lang talaga ang kailangan ni Dad dito. Hanggang ngayon kasi ay parang wala pa akong consent kay Dad na p'wede nang bumalik dito. Besides, I want to personally talked to him and uncle Irill. Hindi ko naman siya naabutan sa bahay dahil halos dito at kumpanya lang siya palagi.

"Naparito ka, Gold?" tanong ni Tito Irill pagkatapos nilang magkausap ni Dane na nagpaalam naman agad itong umalis.

Tumango lang ako sa kaniya saka umupo ako sa pinakamalapit na couch. This office is quite big, there's a formal table for meeting purposes on the right side and on the left side there's a mini living room, where you can just read books or like chichat with someone. The design is quite an old-fashion but has this very dark aura. You can also see different kinds—brand, sizes, colors of guns on the top of the displayed skull of a bull. Dad loves to collect that stuff.

Unlike Dad, I prefer knives than guns. I don't know. Knives are handy and easy to hide in any parts of my body.

"I'll go on the ground. I'll ready our equips," Rio bid his goodbye.

While waiting for Dad and for their meeting, we decided to have a shooting practice, which will be held in the ground, the secluded part of this headquarter.

"About the mission. I want it back. It seems like there's still no progress with it, so I think you won't mind it, Uncle?" Pagbasag ko sa katahimikang namutawi sa aming dalawa.

I heard him sigh, my eyes still focus on the guns displayed infront of me.

I wonder why Dad loves that kind of thing. Everybody actually prefer that thing.

"Did you tell your Dad, Gold?"

"No." Wala naman akong makitang rason para hindi niya ibigay pabalik sa akin iyon. It's Tito whom I have a problem, I think.

"Why do you want to have it back?"

"It's because—wait, do you have his information?" I quickly asked him as soon as I remembered asking him Nerd's information yesterday.

"Yeah," naglakad ito papunta sa isang may kaliitan na metal na cabinet. Sinundan ko lang siya ng tingin hanggang sa may kinuha siyang isang itim na plastic folder. "Here."

"There's nothing more interesting about him. He's living with his old dad, in a small apartment in the Alegre's side town. Isang simpleng nerd na nagpapart time job sa isang book store. Anyways, what's the matter? Why did you ask for his information?"

Inisa-isa kong tignan ang mga papel na napakaloob sa folder. Walang pinagkaiba sa mga information na binigay sa akin ni Rio noon. I remembered asking Rio too about Nerd's information but I found nothing that interest me or something can be connects to Dyrelso Clan.

I'm sure that tattoo is real and Nerd's telling me the truth.

Is he really telling me the truth?

Tsk, he seems to know nothing about the Clans. And I never had encountered that there are other more Dyrelso in their bloodline, except for Anderson and his sons but a possibilities is still present.

"Does Anderson Dyrelso had a brother? Or nephew?"

Rinig kong napasinghap si Tito Irill kaya awtomatikong nabaling ang atensyon ko sa kaniya.

"Bakit mo natanong, Gold?"

I studied his face—his expression before answering. "I told you, Tito, I want the mission back. I need to know more about Dyrelso. So I can finish as soon as possible."

"At ano ang kinalaman ni Reiz diyan?"

I forced a smile and a shrugged my shoulder.

"No. I was just curious to Reiz. It's not that I'm linking him in the Dyrelso. It's like I'm just interested to know him."

"Is he bothering you or something?"

Umiling ako. Sana naman ay maniwala na siya, halatang hindi kapani-paniwala ang reason ko. Pero ayokong isangkot sa Clan at ilagay si Nerd sa kapahamakan nang 'di nakakasiguro kung sino siya at kung totoo man hinala ko sa lahat ng 'to.

"I'm just really interested to know him more." I again tried my best to lie.

"Okay, but about the mission. I can't give it back to you. There's a progress, I assure you. Besides Venom seems to lie low again, there's no threat—"

"At bakit hindi niyo ibibigay?"

"It's your Dad's order. I must obey to him, not to you."

What the f**k?

"But—"

"Irill is telling you the truth. You can't have that mission back nor have any mission in connection to our Clan, Gold." I startled upon hearing Dad's authoritative voice.

Napatayo agad ako at napalingon sa kaniya. Naka-business formal attire pa siya at nasa tabi nga niya si Rio at may seryosong mukha.

Lumapit si Dad sa akin at tila hindi pinansin ang pagtataka sa mukha ko. Inihapit niya ang ulo ko at marahan akong hinalikan sa noo.

"You don't need to worry about the Dyrelso Clan. We are handling the situation in accordance to our benefit."

"But Dad, please?"

Bago magsalita ulit si Dad ay sinenyasan niya sina Rio at Tito Irill na lumabas muna, agad naman nilang sinunod iyon.

"Look, Gold, just trust me. Everything is under control."

"No, Dad! You trust me. I think I know something and I need to find it out through that mission."

I feel like this is the only way I have to uncovered everything—from the death of Mom to Silver and Nerd's being a Dyrelso. A seem to ba unknown one.

"I'm sorry, Gold. May decision is final. Irill will take good care of it. You stayed out of Clan's activities. Focus on your study and life."

"But, Dad—"

"Just listen to me, Gold. I don't want to lose my child," he went and reached out to me. His two big hands cupped my face and said. "Not again. I've lost enough, my child."

IT'S SATURDAY, Rio and I are here on the headquarters again, in the boxing area. Siya ang ka-sparring ko ngayon. Suot any boxing gloves at headgear tuloy kami sa pag boxing. Panay batuhahn kami pareho ng kamao at salag din.

"But he's a Dyrelso!" Saglit pa akong tumigil at tumayo sa pagkakatumba. "Nerd is a Dyrelso but he seems to know nothing."

Kinwento ko sa kaniya ang tungkol kay Nerd. Ang tungkol sa pagkakaroon niya ng tattoo at ang posibleng relasyon nito sa kay Anderson,

"Dad dismissed your mission, Gold." Mabilis akong umiwas ng isang uppercut ang gagawin niya sana. Patuloy siya sa pagsuntok sa akin, pawang depensa lang ang ginawa ko. "You very know that once Dad decide, it's the final decision."

That's my problem. There's something wrong in everything that is happening now. Dad kept me away from the Clan. I'm sure this isn't just a small thing. One more thing, Rio and Tito Irill, I think they have something to do with this mission. I can't just figure what is it.

Nitong mga nagdaang araw ay hindi pa rin ako makapag-isip nag maayos, masyadong kumplikado at magulo ang nass isip ko. Hindi ko rin alam kung dapat ko bang sabihin kay Dad o hindi ang katauhan ni Nerd. Kaibigan ko siya pero—

"Aray!" asik ko nang maramdaman ang mabilis na pagdampi ng kamao ni Rio sa mukha ko.

Tangina, ang sakit. Pakiramdam ko tuloy ay umikot ang paligid. I didn't saw that coming.

"Your defenses are getting weak, Gold. Don't tell me your getting attached to that Nerd?" He's serious.

Aside from being my best friend, he's like my older brother to me and Silver. He's older than me for 3 years but he just look so young.

"It's not like that, Rio. There's something to all of this." After that, I hurriedly punch him in his stomach. Too late to defend his self tho', he almost fell down, good think he manage to lean on the corner of the room.

That was a dirty move but his punches was hurt like hell too.

"Then what it is? What is bothering you? Is it just because of him being a Dyrelso or there's something more?"

"I don't know. I don't know where did I exactly felt this weird feelings to these shits in my life."

That's basically not a good answer for his questions. f**k! I don't know what's happening to me.

"You know what, Gold. You are more likely destructed because of that fact. Just mind whatever business you are dealing now. If you're out of that mission, then be out of it. Your relationship with Dad is getting better, if you want it to last, then better side with him now. Ayokong mapahamak ka tulad ni Silver." Tumigil siya at tumayo ng tuwid. Kahit may head gears ay pansin ko ang pagkaseryoso ng awra niya. Siguro ay inis na inis na 'to sa akin.

"You know it's not only about the mission."

"Then what's your other reasons?"

He stood up beside me. Bumuntong-hininga naman ako at isa-isang inalis ang parang lock ng gloves ko gamit ang bibig.

"His eyes. Nerd's eyes. I'm not sure but I felt like it was almost the same with the one who killed Silver." Rio frozed in where he was standing. His eyes bulged with disbelief. Nang matapos kong alisin ang gloves ay ang headgear naman ang inalis ko.

I received nothing as response from him so I made my way down from the boxing ring. Nang makababa ay saglit akong tumigil at nagsalita ulit.

"I saw it on Reiz's eyes. They have the same black eyes. He's a probably Dyrelso because of the tattoo on his back. And he might be the one of the lost heir of Dyrelso Clan who I assumed killed Silver."

Nerd might have used contact lense that night or maybe it was because of lightnings, but I need Rio to know this. In order for my plan to work. If Dad won't really give the mission back to mr, then I'll go in the other path.