Master of Deception

Chapter 10

Mas naging kalmado ako ngayon kumpara kanina. I admit that I was so tensed when the game started. Gregorio had the advantage of being titled as the best in the field of chess. Maybe not around the world, let’s say one of the best. Zyan was known as a shooter not a chess player. Knowing that he has the advantage in the game now makes me feel confident.

Kung kanina ay si Zyan yung pinagpawisan, ngayon ay si Gregorio na. I heard that he don’t do cheating so kampante akong hindi siya magloloko sa laro. Besides, cheating means that you don’t trust your capabilities. Who would want that? A guy with that kind of title same as Marcos Gregorio wouldn’t do that. And if he do, it will be a big slap on his ego.

Pero hindi dapat ako makampante. Baka kasi bumaliktad yung laro. Baka makabawi si Gregorio tapos nag-expect ako na mananalo si Zyan. Pinapaasa ko lang sarili ko kapag ganun.

Pero dapat din hindi mabawasan yung tiwala ko kay Zyan. He is trustworthy. He told he don't want Gregorio to feast on me tonight, and he proved it. He was fighting for me. Well, not fornme alone. Of course para din makuha ang key of the west.

Bumuntong-hininga si Gregorio at ipinatumba yung King niya and handed out his hand for a handshake. Hindi nagdalawang-isip si Zyan na tanggapin ito.

“It was a nice game,” sabi niya.

“Indeed, it was,” sagot naman ni Zyan.

Nagpalitan sila ng ngiti but I doubt that it was real. Naguguluhan ko silang tiningnan. Anong nangyari? Did Zyan win already?

“What happened?” tanong ni Cosmo sa kabilang linya.

“Tinumba ni Gregorio yung King niya. What does that mean?” I whispered.

Hindi ko talaga alam yung nangyari. Basta-basta nalang itinumba ni Gregorio yung King niya. I'm sure Finn knows what happened.

“Yes!” I heard their shouts from the other line.

"Narinig mo 'yun? Itinumba daw ni Gregorio yung King niya!" sabik na sigaw ni Finn.

"Narinig ko yun. Hindi lang ikaw yung may earpiece. Tsk. Ang laki talaga ng bunganga mo," suway ni Cosmo.

"Alam mo ba kung bakit itinumba ni Gregorio yung King niya? Alam mo ba kung ano ang ibig sabihin nun?" makulit na magkakasunod na tanong ni Finn.

"Of course I know. He resigned. Kaya niya itinumba yung King niya dahil sumuko siya. Hindi ako bopols para hindi ko malaman yun," sagot naman ni Cosmo na siyang ikinasakit ng damdamin ko.

Bopols ba tawag sa akin kasi hindi ko yung alam? Ang unfair naman ng world! Hindi ba pwedeng ko lang talaga type ang maglaro o pag-aralan ito?

They were like bickering on the other line and I wasn't there to stop them. But then, for the nth time, it didn'y bother me. Bahala silang mag-away diyan. Parang aso't pusa.

I don't have time to be bothered because my head was occupied with Zyan's win. Hindi ako nakaramdam ng ganitong saya dahil sa pagkapanalo. Kapag kasi manalo ako sa match ko ay expected na na ako na yung panalo.

Mataas tingin ko sa sarili ko kapag nasa loob ng ring. Tsaka at the end of the match masasabi ko naman talaga na ako yung panalo kasi alam ko I've shown a great performance. Alam kong hindi ako nagkulang sa suntok o sipa. I'm Britta Zermeno.

Ngayong nakompirma ko na na panalo si Zyan ay para akong nabunutan ng tinik. Makakahinga na talaga ako ng maluwag at matapos nito i-t-treat ko yung sarili ko. May ambag naman ako diba?

I got so overwhelmed. From Zyan's slightly curved lips to the victory shouts of Finn and Cosmo on the other line, who wouldn't?

Humakbang ako papalapit kay Zyan na nakatalikod sa akin. Nakangiti kong tinapik siya sa balikat.

“Good job,” I whispered behind his ear.

Hindi ko maitago ang masaya kong ngiti. Finally! I don’t have to feel anxious about sleeping with this man right here. Mas gusto ko pang mamatay keysa matulog sa iisang kwarto kasama ang lalaking ‘to.

“So tell me,” Gregorio paused at sinindihan yung sigarilyo niya. “You never told me what you want in return. What do you want?” he asked curiously.

Binalot ng katahimikan yung paligid— hinihintay kung ano yung magiging sagot ni Zyan. Pati ako kabadong hinintay yung sagot niya. Hindi ko kasi alam kung ano yung magiging reaksyon ni Gregorio kapag sinabi na ni Zyan yung gusto niya. I'm sure the key is with high possession.

“Key of the West,” diretsong sagot ni Zyan.

Napahinto si Gregorio at ibinaba niya yung dala niyang sigarilyo. Hindi makapaniwala niyang tiningnan si Zyan.

“You want what?” he laughed. “Young man, what you asked for is too much. How about I shower you with my wealth? Isn’t that what you want?”

“I don’t need your money,” sagot ni Zyan. “I came here for one thing and I’ll leave this place with that thing under my possession.”

Wealth. Rich people get everything they want because they have money. Masaya sila dahil dun. Kaya nga kadalasan sa kanila minamaliit yung mga mahihirap. I'm not generalizing, okay? I just pointed out the sad fact.

Pinagsiklop ni Gregorio yung dalawang palad niya. “That key is of high importance not just to me but to the community. I’m afraid that I can’t give you what you want. Please leave,” he dismissed us as he waved his hand on the air.

“We’re not leaving without it,” I butted in. “We came all the way here for it.”

“I told you that I can’t. Now leave,” minuwestra niya yung kamay niya sa mga tauhan niya saka nila kami iginaya palabas.

But I’m not a quitter.

“What happens if the world knows that the great Marcos Gregorio was beaten by a mere stranger and didn’t gave him the reward that he wanted?” I jested.

Living with three men under the same roof for a month taught me a thing or two. The best way to get to a man is through its ego. Sa pagkakilala ko so far kay Gregorio ay mas pinahalagahan niya yung image niya. Wala pang nakadungis sa record niya kundi si Zyan kaya ang pangyayaring ito ay sobrang nakakaapekto sa kanya. Plus, hindi pa niya kayang ibigay ang gustong kapalit ni Zyan. What could be more stressful?

Napahinto si Gregorio at napaisip. I knew that he would take it into consideration. Knowing modern technology, news will spread in just one click. Narinig ko siyang bumuntong-hininga.

He signaled his men to let us go which they did obediently. Lumapit din sa kanya ang isa sa kanyang mga tauhan at inabot sa kanya ang isang briefcase. Inilapag niya ito sa mesa at binuksan.

The thing inside it was so tiny. Hindi ko in-expect na sa laking yun ng briefcase ay isang maliit na flashdrive and nakalagay. It had the symbol of a skull on it. It must be that precious.

“I honestly didn’t plan to keep this forever,” sabi niya habang nakatingin pa rin sa flashdrive. “It was only given to me at ang sabi ay pangalagaan ko daw ito. Wala akong alam kung ano ito nor its importance. It’s just a mere flashdrive,” he chuckled.

Hindi siya nag-iisa. Pati kami hindi alam kung bakit namin ito kailangang kunin at kolektahin lahat. Ginagawa lang namin ‘to kasi wala kaming choice. It’s either we do it or face death. Yun lang yun. I don’t know what Eustace saw in this that he wants so bad.

"Didn't you thought of opening it? Discovering what's inside?" I asked curiously.

Kung hindi niya alam kung anong alam hindi ba siya mate-tempt buksan yun? I mean kung ako yung nasa posisyon niya binuksan ko na yun.

"I tried," he paused.

He tried? Meanibg he was not successful in opening it. I wonder what could be the reason. I want to stay silent and wait for him to continue, pero mukhang wala siyang planong magpatuloy kaya nagtanong ako ulit. Pabitin siya.

"And then? What happened? Anong laman?" tanong ko ulit.

"It was encrypted. Hindi ko mabuksan-buksan," he replied.

Kaya naman pala. May password pala. Pero kung may password, siguradong alam ni Eustace kung paano ito buksan. Napaisip nalang ako. Bakit pa ninakaw mula kay Eustace ang apat na susi 'e hindi naman pala ito mabubuksan?

“You can have it,” sinarado na ni Gregorio yung briefcase at inabot kay Zyan. “Just don’t let anyone know that I gave it to you, okay? If ever people will try looking for it, I’ll simply say that I lost it,” he smiled.

“It was nice doing business with you,” nakipagkamayan si Zyan sa kanya. Nginitian lang siya ni Gregorio bilang ganti bago ako nilingon.

“Too bad I can’t spend a night with you,” lingon niya sa akin. Agad akong kinalibutan sa sinabi niya.

“You wouldn’t want to spend a night with me,” I smiled bitterly at him.

Hinding-hindi talaga mag-e-enjoy kasama ako kasi sisiguraduhin kong puno siya ng pasa kinaumagahan.

“Your character makes me want you more,” ngisi niya.

Hinawakan ni Zyan yung pulsuhan ko at itinago niya ako sa likuran niya. “I’m sure you’ll find someone who loves your money. Stop harassing my wife,” gigil na sabi ni Zyan.

Hearing him now calling me his wife sounds legit. Kikiligin na sana ako kung hindi ko lang nakalimutan na nagpapanggap lang pala kami. Hindi ko alam na magaling pala siyang um-acting. Tingnan niyo na. Hindi lang pala ako amg artistahin.

Try ko kayang mag-audition? Hahaha. De joke lang!

“I’m sorry. How rude of me to say that in front of the husband,” he apologized.

“Now that we’ve got what we want, we’ll go ahead,” pagpaalam ni Zyan at diretsong tinalikuran si Gregorio habang kinaladkad ako papalayo.

“Hoping to play with you some other time!” pahabol na sigaw ni Gregorio pero hindi na siya nilingon pa ni Zyan.

Zyan reached for the door knob and opened it himself. Nung nakalabas na kami ay agad isinara ni Zyan yung pinto.

Hinawakan niya ako sa pulusuhan saka nagsimulang maglakad. Wala sa isip akong napatingin sa kamay niyang nakahawak sa akin.

His hands were rough and warm— just the way I like them. Kung titingnan mo lang yung pagkawak niya sa pulsuhan ko ay parang mahigpit. Pero hindi. It looks like it but he was so gentle and careful. Parang mine-make sure niya na hindi ako masasaktan sa hawak niya.

I can hear my heart thumping against my chest. My forehead furrowed. Nasobraan ba sa kape? Hindi naman ako uminom ng kape pero bakit ang bilis ng t***k ng puso ko?

Ipinilig ko yung ulo ko. Kahit ano nalang yung lumalabas sa isip ko. Puros kalokohan. Ibinalik ko nalang yung atensyon ko sa paglalakad.

Wait.

Paglalakad ba ito? Tumatagal nang tumatagal parang bumibilis yung maglalakad namin.

“Slow down,” reklamo ko pero hindi niya ako kinibo. Hala ano 'to? Bingi siya?

"Zyan, slow down," ulit ko pa.

“Bilisan mo ang paglalakad,” sabi niya saka niya binitawan yung kamay ko.

Nanghinayang ako nung binaba yung kamay ko. Nag-enjoy na sana ako. Hmp!

Binilisan ko nalang din yung paglalakad ko gaya ng sabi niya at naglakad sa tabi niya. Nagulat ako nang inilabas niya yung baril niya.

“Bakit mo nilabas ‘yan?” tanong ko sakanya.

“Be cautious,” he paused. “I smell danger.”

Pagkasabi niya nun ay agad akong kinabahan. Nilingon ko yung likuran at nakita kong nakasunod sa amin yung mga lalaking nakaitim kanina. Gaya namin ay mabilis din silang naglalakad.

“We’ve been chased,” bulong ko sa earpiece.

“Get out of there. Fast!” utos ni Cosmo.

Hindi ko alam kung ano yung unang gagawin. Sasabihin ko ba kay Zyan na tumakbo na kami o huminto saka harapin yung sumusunod sa amin. Hindi tayo sure kung kami ba yung sinundan. Baka naman nagmamadali lang.

Pero iba e. Iba yung paraan nilang tumingin.

At dahil sa kaba I dragged Zyan and started running.

“Run!” I yelled at him.

Sorry na. I thought it was the best thing to do. To run.

I was unlucky enough to wear this kind of clothing and this killer high heels! Why do I have to portray this kind of character? Argh!