Chapter Text
"Malayo pa ba?"
"Konti nalang."
Jose grinned cheekily at his small group of friends as they made their way through the road leading to the next town. He was thirteen and carefree, not a care in the world. He did not even fear the fact that their parents would be running after them in worry if they found out what they did.
Deft fingers brushed away some tree branches that blocked his way. He turned back to the rest of his friends - all four of them. "Makikisali lang naman tayo sa mga palaro at sayawan. Uuwi din naman tayo pagkatapos noon. Ni hindi man nila mapapansin na nawala tayo ng panandalian!" He was saying that to reassure himself as much as his friends, of course.
"Lagi mo namang sinasabi yan pero napagagalitan parin tayo ng mga magulang natin," Julian del Pilar noted. The two of them were of the same age and yet Julian always acted like he was the older one.
Jose laughed. "Ngayon sigurado akong hindi tayo mapapagalitan!"
He regarded his friend like a king with his most trusted council. It had always been the five of them - he and Julian and Catalina and Tina and Goyong. They were always getting into all sorts of mischief especially during lovely summers such as the one that they had that year and he wouldn't have it any other way.
Sunday, 02-14-16, 7:15 PM, Brgy. Pulung Bulo
Nilipat ang katawan mo mula sa ibaba ng simbahan at papunta sa bakuran ng Pamintuan Mansion.
- P
Jose was staring blankly at the sheet of paper, nigh oblivious to his brother's gaze. He wasn't sure why his hands were trembling. After all, he already got what he needed from his grave already - his memories. There was no more need to search for his grave anymore.
Then again, he recalled that small detour he took with Goyong the night before their Pangasinan trip last January, where they returned to the grave that he now knew to be empty. It still felt important to him - as if there was a more important reason for him to search for his grave.
He couldn't understand what was going on but he supposed that listening to his instincts wouldn't exactly be a bad thing.
"Tignan mo to," he finally said, handing the piece of paper to Manuel.
Manuel stared at the picture with a small frown before turning it over to look at the message. His frown deepened as he read it. "Pamintuan Mansion?" he asked. "Dito nakikipagkita si Dolores kay Gregorio, hindi ba?"
Jose felt the goosebumps creeping up his arms as he remembered that night in Baguio. The mansion would be quite important but he had to lay off his investigation - at least until Tuesday.
May nalalaman ba si Dolores tungkol sa lugar na ito?
Manuel glanced at the paper grimly. "Kahit gustuhin man nating tignan yan o ano, mukhang delikado naman kung umaaligid doon si Dolores."
"Alam ko." Jose sat down by the bay window with a huff. He stared at the dusky scene outside and an idea struck him. "Teka, may ibang paraan naman para makahalughog ng information."
Manuel inclined his head curiously. "Paano?"
A brilliant grin lit up Jose's face as his thoughts strayed to her yet again. "Si Catalina Garcia, head ng archives sa Museo."
Monday, 02-15-16, 9:00 AM, Museo Ning Angeles
It really was lucky that they already had enough working students to help out in the book shop. That left him with enough time to actually do other things - such as visit the museum and interrogate a particularly pretty employee who happened to be the archive head too.
Bugallon was hanging around in the main office alone, engrossed in a particularly thick book about mythology. He looked up as Jose opened the door and smiled. "Ambilis mong bumisita ah! Parang naimbitahan ka palang ni Ate Cat kahapon."
"Ganyan talaga ako," Jose replied with a smile. "Maagap."
"Maagap... o may gusto ka kay Ate Cat?" Bugallon set down his book and regarded the older man with a shrewd look. "Sakto, wala naman siyang boyfriend oh."
Jose felt the heat creeping up his cheeks. "G-Ganun ba agad ang dapat kong ipunta dito?" he demanded.
Bugallon looked absolutely confused by hsi statement. "Hindi ba?"
"Hindi." Jose snorted. "May kailangan lang akong itanong."
The shrewd look came on Bugallon's face. It seemed like he wasn't convinced at all. Despite this, he still guided Jose to the archive room, where Cat was busy arranging some old books on the shelves. She looked up as the door opened and smiled brillantly.
Hindi parin nagbabago yan, ano?
"Bumibisita ka kahit working hours?" she chirped as she headed for her desk. "Mukhang importante ito ah."
"Medyo." He glanced at Bugallon before turning back to Cat. "Since history major ka... siguro napansin mo na may kapangalan ako."
Cat nodded. "Captain Jose Bernal, aide de camp ni General Luna. Descendant ka ba niya?"
"Parang ganoon na nga." Jose knew that he was descended from one of the surviving Bernals, but he wasn't sure who. Family history was a little murky. "Nabasa ko kasi na dito daw siya pinatay sa Angeles."
Cat made a face. "Oo, pero... teka, bakit mo naitanong?"
Jose wondered how much of the truth he could reveal to her. "Medyo nautusan ako para magresearch ng konting... familiy history. Hinahanap namin yung libingan niya."
She seemed amused by that. She headed for the shelves that were labeled to be about the Fil-Am War. "Ah, family history. Una, mga descendants ng original Joven Hernando yung humihingi ng tulong - ngayon naman descendant ng mga Bernal. Interesting ba lahat kayong magkakaibigan o ano?"
He leaned forward and smiled. "Interesting?" he purred.
His lame attempt at flirting didn't seem to work on her as she continued sifting through the books - or maybe she just wasn't interested in him.
"Hindi ko naman kabisado yung archive, siyempre, at medyo madaming content." Cat turned to face him. "Di rin kita mahahanapan agad ng sagot pero I'll try my best."
"Willing naman akong magbayad ng, uh, professional fee o ano man yung tawag diyan," he offered.
She shook her head. "Trabaho ko naman talaga ito, ano ka ba." She grabbed a pad of paper that was jutting out of a nearby shelf and a pen from her pocket. "Pahingi naman ng number mo oh, para matawagan kita kung may update."
Giving his phone number out for strictly professional purposes never crossed his mind and he berated himself for his foolishness.
He scribbled his number and thanked her profusely for her help before stepping out of the archive room. Disappointment and annoyance with himself mingled in his thoughts. Pero ano pa nga bang magagawa ko, ano?
Monday, 02-15-16, 9:15 AM, Tea-rad Pass
He expected himself to stay in the museum for a long time so he suddenly found himself with a lot of time in his hands. He spotted the Pamintuan Mansion in the distance and frowned. He felt the hair on the back of his neck begin to prickle as he realized that Dolores might be lurking there, waiting to pounce on Goyong - or any member of the team who might stray there, for the matter.
He headed off to get a quick drink from the cafe first before deciding on what to do with the rest of his day. He would definitely not spend it being holed up at home.
That was when he spotted the doppleganger.
The man was standing on the other end of the museum courtyard, dressed in a plain white shirt and camo pants. He was standing in a nonthreatening manner, arms crossed as he leaned against the antique lamppost. Even from the small distance, Jose could recognize him as the one that Aurora Aragon sketched for the team - Selong del Pilar's doppleganger.
Jose stared back, not sure if he was supposed to fight or just turn away and leave. He was unarmed, after all, and knew that the dopplegangers always carried their odd, black knives. He would probably get turned to mincemeat if he decided to face one of them head on.
He turned his back on the odd man and began to walk swiftly, making his way to the cafe in a record time of five minutes.
His throat was constricting in suppressed anxiety by the time he finally reached the cafe. He could feel people staring at his sweaty, flustered look but he didn't even care. He had to let his friends know about what he saw - and also about the message he received the previous day.
He headed straight for the counter, which was being manned by Jay, who inclined her head in surprise as he placed a quick order for an extra strong espresso. "Hindi ka naman malakas magkape ah. Atin ka waring problema?" Meron ka bang problema?
Jose nodded as he sat by the bar, wedging himself between Joven and Etong. Goyong was busy setting up his order, looking as baffled as Jay did.
"May problema to. Babae ba?" Etong asked with a smirk. "Mukhang nagiging close kayo nung ategirl sa Museo nung nasa Baguio tayo eh."
"Pakyu din sayo, bro," growled Jose. He caught Goyong staring and decided to cut to the chase. "Nakita ko yung kalokalike ni Tito Selong kanina sa labas ng Museo eh."
"May ginawa ba?" asked Goyong.
Jose shook his head. "Wala, pero not good, bro. Not good."
Joven nodded grimly. He gave Goyong a pointed look. "Medyo malapit nga naman sa Pamintuan Mansion yung Museo kaya baka lookout yun. Nagaabang siguro kung magpupunta nga doon si Greggyboy."
"Subukan lang niyang pumunta doon," grunted Etong. "Iha-handcuff ko sila ni Jay."
"Bro, di ba masyadong kinky yun?" Goyong asked, turning red as he turned to work on a new customer's orders.
Their banter was at least good enough to get rid of Jose's anxieties - not just over Dolores and the dopplegangers, but also Cat. He stared at his friends sagely. "Ikaw pa yung may lakas ng loob na magsalita tungkol sa pagiging kinky? Kung alam lang nila yung mga ginagawa mo sa mga chickababes mo sa kampo..."
"Matitignan ko din kung gaano talaga karaming kinks yan," Jay scoffed with a mischievous grin. "Abang abang lang ng unti."
Everyone burst into laughte at her words, aside from a flustered Goyong.
Bonus
Monday, 02-15-16, 4:15 PM, Pamintuan Mansion
Jay gave her friends the slip and left to meet with Dolores instead of Goyong.
She knew that it was probably a foolish idea, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity to actually find Dolores. Her confidence was bolstered by the fact that she was armed not only with her agua bendita blessed dagger, but also the amulet against witchcraft that Paco passed over to them. She hoped that they would be enough to protect her against their enemy. Besides, what could Dolores do in the middle of a bright afternoon and in front of a very busy street?
Dolores was waiting right across the street from the mansion's balcony, standing beside the abandoned old building that once housed the city's Central Bank. She was dressed in a plain white shirt and red skirts, her demure appearance masking her nastier side. She smiled sweetly as Jay approached.
"Kay tagal ko ring naghintay bago ka masilayan ng maayos, Poleng," she said.
Jay stopped just a few meters away from her, her hand tugging at one of the concealed knives on her sleeve. "Hindi ako si Poleng. Ako si Jay. At nandito ako para sabihin sa iyo na di ako natutuwa sa pananakot mo sa boyfriend ko."
Dolores narrowed her eyes unpleasantly. "Bakit hindi na tumatalab ang kapangyarihan ko sa iyo?"
Jay smiled. Magicians do not tell their secrets, bitch. "Ngayong nagkakaintindihan na tayo, lalayo ka na ba sa amin?"
"Nahihibang ka na ba?" Dolores asked through gritted teeth. She flicked her hand, and a small flame began to snake its way to Jay - only to be put out a couple of inches away from Jay's face.
"Bakit mo naman natanong yan?" Jay let out a small, elated laugh. She felt a cold tingle in her pocket as Dolores glared at her. Was she trying the evil eye again? It didn't work, if that was the case.
Dolores bowed her head and began to chant something in a language that sounded eerily ancient. Jay decided to move before her foe could do anything else and whipped out her knife. She made her way to Dolores - who stopped chanting and looked up, looking absolutely different. Gone was the sweet face that she had. It was replaced by a young but otherwise unsettling face with yellow eyes.
Hands grabbed Jay and hoisted her up, stopping her in her tracks. She looked up to see two men restraining her - the doppleganger who bore Selong del Pilar's now familiar face, and another one who could only be Goyong's.
Jay kicked and struggled, but their grips were firm. Dolores moved forward with a dark smile. She murmured something in that ancient language again and touched the side of Jay's neck, making it erupt in fiery pain.
"Ah, hindi ka naman pala protektado sa lahat ng kaya kong gawin sa iyo." Dolores smirked.
Ang tanga ko. Ang tanga tanga ko talaga.
Jay did not cry out, though, merely watched defiantly as Dolores pulled her hand away, easing the pain. The witch leaned forward and pressed her lips against Jay's ear.
"Sabihin mo sa minamahal nating si Gregorio na hindi ko siya tatantanan hangga't hindi niya isinusuko sa akin ang sarili niya," she whispered.
She unzipped her foe's jacket and grabbed the knife that Jay dropped as she struggled. Jay watched as her shirt was cut down the middle and her own knife was pressed against her chest.
"Paano ko ihahatid yung mensahe mo kung papatayin mo ako?" she asked with morbid amusement.
"Hindi pa naman kita balak patayin." Dolores smiled as the dopplegangers tightened their grip. "Sabihin mo sakanya na tataningan kita ng limang buwan. Mamamatay ka kapag hindi pa siya sumuko sa akin sa ika-labinglima ng Hulyo."
The knife pricked Jay's skin, and everything suddenly went black.