Tough Hunks Series 13 : Guiller The Avenger

Chapter 3

"Hindi ko gusto ang ideya na 'yan," deklara pa ni Deanver Magtanggol. "Sigurado ka ba na hindi ka niloloko ng babaeng iyon?"

Tatum downed the rest of his beer and set the bottle down on the ledge. "I'm not sure of anything. That's why I'm running this by you boys."

"Sa tingin ko isa 'yang bitag," Dean said flatly. "Baka alam na nga rin nila kung nasaan tayo."

"Pwedeng hindi rin nila alam," Pierre Paredes chimed in. "Baka gusto lang talaga ng chicks na ito na mabura sa mundong ito si Ortez."

Tatum swallowed a groan. Hindi na siya nabigla pa na magkaiba talaga ng pananaw sa isang isyu sina Magtanggol at Paredes. Ganyan talaga ang dalawang iyan, palaging opposite ang opinyon sa isa't isa. Magtanggol said up, while Paredes said down. Magtanggol wanted to go, Paredes wanted to stay. Out of all the men he'd commanded over the years, these two knuckleheads were the most difficult, stubborn and unbelievably exasperating.

But they were also loyal, intelligent and absolutely deadly when circumstances called for it.

He glanced from one man to the other, his chest going rigid with regret. Dalawang tauhan na lang ang natitira sa kanya, matapos ang malagim na pag ambush sa team niya. Sa walong tauhan niya. Sina Magtanggol at Paredes lang ang tanging natira.

"Or she's dangling a carrot under the captain's nose," Dean grumbled in reply to Pierre. "The jackasses after us have to know that Ortez is his weak spot. This is all just an elaborate trap."

"The captain's not an idiot. Kung alam niyang binitag nga siya nito, then he's not going to walk into it. Pero kung may tsansa nga na makuha nito si Ortez..."

With a snort, Tatum held up his hands to silence them. "The captain is standing right here. Tigilan niyo na ang pag-uusap ninyo tungkol sa'kin na parang wala ako rito sa harapan ninyo."

They immediately went quiet, each one turning to gaze at the scenery below. Tatum rubbed his temples and stared out as well. The view, no matter how breathtaking, was just another reminder of how dire their situation was.

Nagtatago kasi sila ngayon sa ibabaw ng bundok. Pero para sa kanya perpekto talaga ang lugar na iyon upang hindi sila matunton ng mga kalaban. Ever since their hideout in Cuba had been compromised, they'd been searching for a new hideout, and this place had been a lucky find. They'd been holed up here for four weeks now, living on the mountain like a rebellious group.

Akala talaga niya na ligtas na ang lugar na iyon para sa kanilang tatlo, but clearly he'd been wrong. Dahil natagpuan na sila ngayon ng isang babaeng nagngangalang Ina Reyes, at malamang pati na rin ang mga kalaban nila ay baka natagpuan na rin sila.

"I think I might have to work with her," matigas niyang wika sa mga ito.

Dean's head swiveled around in surprise. "Nahihibang ka na?"

"Hindi, praktikal lang ako." Kibit-balikat niyang sabi. "I don't think she was sent her by the government, but if she was, then we can't afford to let her out of our sight. Kailangan nating malaman kung sino talaga ang babae na 'yon at kung bakit nandito siya sa lugar na 'to."

Dean made a frustrated sound in the back of his throat. "Mawalang-galang na po, sir, but...don't freaking patronize us. This has nothing to do with keeping an eye on that woman, and everything to do with avenging Wilson's death."

"Eh ano naman ang masama ro'n?" sabad pa ni Pierre. "Syempre, kapatid ni Captain si Wilson. At matalik ko rin na kaibigan. Nararapat lang na mabigyan ng hustisya ang pagkamatay niya."

"Patay na siya," Dean said bluntly. "At kung nasaan man siya ngayon, I doubt kung iniisip pa rin niya ang hustisya sa pagkamatay niya, and I seriously doubt na gusto ni Wilson na ibuwis pa natin ang ating mga buhay para makamit ang hustisya na 'yon."

Napapikit na lamang si Tatum sa kanyang mga mata, at pilit na nilalabanan ang sakit nang mabanggit ulit ang pangalan ni Wilson. Labing-isang buwan na ang nakalipas nang masaksihan niya ang walang awang pagpatay ni Ortez sa kapatid niya. Parang kahapon lang kasi nangyari 'yon. Na hanggang ngayon sariwa pa rin sa isipan niya.

Tama nga si Dean. Baka ayaw nga ni Wilson na ipaghiganti pa ito. Sobrang bait kasi ng kapatid niya at mapagpatawad kahit hindi nararapat sa taong iyon na patatawarin.

The memory had Tatum gritting his teeth so hard that his jaw twitched. And he sure as hell that he wasn't going to let Wilson's murderer walk free, not if he had the chance to change that.

"Tama ka," aniya habang sumabad siya sa mainit na argumento ng dalawang tauhan. "Hindi ito tungkol kay Ina. Ito ay tungkol kay Ortez. Dean, ang totoo, nangangati na ang mga kamay ko na patayin si Victor Ortez."

"Paano na lang 'yong iba pa nating mga kasamahan na nasawi?" Dean pointed out. "Paano na lang sila? Ipagwalang-bahala mo ba ang pagkamatay nila?"

An arrow of agony pierced Tatum's chest. Sobra din kasi siyang nasaktan nang masawi ang lima pa niyang mga tauhan na napalapit na sa kanya ng husto.

"Walang awang pinatay din sila," dagdag na sabi ni Dean.

"Tama na," awat niya rito. "Oo, alam ko kung paano sila namatay. Your constant reminders won't bring them back."

Napasuntok naman sa mabatong lupa si Dean. "Diyan tayo dapat magpokus."

"The mission," Pierre said wearily. "We know it has to do with the mission."

Babalik na naman ba sila sa usapin na 'yan? The mission that still made no sense to Tatum. His orders had been to rescue an American doctor being held hostage by the rebels, but the doctor was already dead when Tatum's team arrived the location, along with the hundred or so villagers living there, and before Tatum could even begin to figure out what had gone wrong, the unit had been recalled back to the military camp for debriefing.

Rage and frustration coated his throat, thickening when he remembered his own close call with death. Paalis siya no'n sa kanyang apartment nang may maka engkwentro siyang kalaban sa daan. Buti na lang at natakasan niya 'yong gunman kahit nadaplisan man ng bala ang balikat niya.

Pero base kasi sa imbestigasyon ng mga pulis na baka napagkamalan lang daw siya ng gunman. May shooting na raw kasing naganap bago pa lang siya dumaan sa lugar na iyon. Kaya masasabi talaga niya na hindi biro kapag makipaglaro na sayo si kamatayan. Hindi.

Katulad na lang sa nangyaring ambush, at pangalawang attempt na 'yon sa buhay niya. Only Dean, Pierre and himself were left, and then the three of them had promptly disappeared after it became obvious they were being hunted down. They'd spent the past eight months trying to figure out who was after them and why.

With so many unknowns hanging over their heads, Tatum had received great comfort from the one piece of knowledge he did possess.

Brutal na pinatay ni Victor Ortez ang kapatid niya. At sisiguruhin talaga niya na pagbabayarin niya ito ng mahal.

"We'll figure out why they want us dead," he said, his voice low and even. "Oo si Wilson nga ang kadugo ko, pero lahat naman kayo na tauhan ko ay para ko na ring kapatid sa dugo. At hindi ako titigil hangga't hindi ko rin nakakamit ang hustisya para sa kanila."

"Pero..." pakli sana ni Dean.

Napabuga ng malalim na hininga si Tatum. "But I can't let this opportunity pass me by. Kung si Ina Reyes nga ang paraan para matunton ko si Victor Ortez, pwes susundin ko ang lahat ng gusto niya."

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