When Jiyo Kael and Benjamin Gustilo got back to the boat, the boatman was sitting on a pile of old sacks, snoring holding his hand to his chest, his loose top loosening with every gust of wind. Jiyo Kael jumped up and assisted Benjamin in firing the gun. Their loud entry woke the boatman from his slumber and he suddenly woke up. "Ahhh—" he muttered, shaken before struggling to his feet. "Oh, you’d come back," he whispered. "I thought you'd stay there all bloody night." Jiyo Kael and Mr. Gustilo smiled at each other. Then finding a place to sit among the crates and lobster pots scattered on the deck, they made themselves as comfortable as they could. The boat headed for mainland Cagayan, its noisy engine emitting thicker black smoke. Jiyo Kael hopes it will make it all the way to the beach. The sea was fiercer now, the boat was rolling in the waves, and he didn’t like the prospect of being stuck in it while waiting for the coastguard to rescue them. "You didn't even tell me how it a
After booking at a local hotel, Jiyo Kael spent the rest of the night calling several contacts he knew in mainland Cagayan, and Manila, arranging for a small group of builders to be sent to island soon in the next few days. Jiyo Kael finally fell asleep around two in the morning, tired but satisfied that he had made a good start. He found sleep deprivation and woke up in the morning with dark eyes and thick headaches. Looking at the miniatures lined up in the bedside cabinet, he saw why that was. He had not drunk for several years and the alcohol had gone straight to his head. Brushing his teeth, he decided that now was not a good time to go back to old habits. After a hot shower and breakfast, he spent the rest of the day renting a suitable room near the port of Cagayan, that he could use as an office, buying some office furniture from a local store second hand, and met his builders outside the province. For the next six weeks, Jiyo Kael was barely on the island, only returning to
Marco Fernando Senior POV Marco Senior sat on his study table, near the living room, thinking about another facet of the project of Benjamin Gustilo that has been created illegally in one of the small islands. Analyzing very carefully the job of Benjamin Gustilo in Shanghai, it came to the core understanding of the spy world, that this project before was a premise in creating new creatures for other projects in the future. Benjamin Gustilo was recruited by his brother in Shanghai to carry underground jobs and to collect information as much as possible, and to report to his brother secretly. It has been the aim of former Governor Benjamin Gustilo to amass wealth and power when he was in the government service. Now, as what he aimed for, and the death of his lone daughter Danielle Gustilo gave him to decide to stay at Shanghai. Carrying secret jobs to fulfill gave him wealth and power overtime, and enticing his grandson, Marco Junior to stay and study at Shanghai University of Politic
“Hello, state your name please?”“Hello I am Mrs. Fernando from the Philippines. Who is this? Where is my husband, Mr. Marco Fernando?”“Why you call this number and how you got it, from whom?”“Please I want to talk to my husband. This is the emergency number my husband gave it to me, in case I will call him for emergency purpose. And, this is the first time I used it.”“Mrs. Fernando, this Oliver Luna, son of Mike Luna and Lina Luna. Do you know my mother?”“Yes she’s working with me, in Makati City, here in the Philippines. So, you are Oliver Luna. Yes I knew you, Lina told me that you’re with Marco in Shanghai. Where is my husband now and why you are the one answering this phone?”“Mrs. Fernando, actually, it’s confidential and your husband is taking an operation at the other place. Can I get your message to him?”“Oliver, kindly tells him that I will call again tomorrow. Tell him to take good care always because I loved him. And, my concern is about our children. Thank you Oliver
Marco Fernando Junior POV “Hershey Chocolate, how are you?”“Nice to hear your voice, Marco! I’m happy that you called! Yes, it’s very exciting and at the same time, grueling time to prepare what I need for my schooling in NYU. You remember I told you about my scholarship? You will pursue your Law study in NYU too?”“Good to hear about your plan will push through. But, for me, a lot of negative things going on here and I think, my plan is being stalled for the meantime. My father disappeared last week, and I have to stay to help find him.”“What? What do you mean disappeared?”“He was taken forcefully from his apartment by some men and I called my grandfather Ben about it. He did not elaborate to me why and he said to forget the incident. But, his Personal Assistant Jiyo Kael told differently. I was confused Chocolate.”“Marco, I’m with you and if you want I could travel to Shanghai, just for you?”“No baby, don’t’ ever do that. Please bear with me. I have to stay for a month to deci
Marco Fernando Junior POV“Follow me,” Jiyo Kael stood up and rush to his car at the parking lot near my car. I followed him forgetting the group of Anne Rose. I opened the other car door and hurriedly put my seatbelt.“Jiyo where to?” I asked him seriously while the car sped-up at the main road.“To my place where no one’s dared to watch, and of course, to plan the rescue of Billionaire Marco Fernando Senior, your father.”“Why are so concern in helping me? Or do you know my father personally?”“Yes, we met before and I must admit, he has this aura of a gentleman and very sharp. But, he has also a place inside his heart, the frontrunner, his family first even though he was away for too long.”“So you knew him before, I mean my father, and my grandfather too?”.“Yes throughout my service to your grandfather.”As we travelled along the highway and along so many structures, I viewed a dilapidated warehouse at the far side.“Jiyo is that the warehouse where they kept my father?”“Yes,” h
Shanghai, China“Oliver, please call Marco Junior to prepare his things to be sent in a cargo going to the Philippines. Also kindly prepare the secret room for video conferencing with CIA Headquarter.”“Yes Sir.” Oliver looked at Janet Liang with excitement on his eyes.Janet said to Oliver, “Yes Oliver I’ll call Marco Junior now.” She dialed Marco Junior’s number, but nobody’s answering. She looked at Oliver and mimicked with her hands on the air.“Sir Marco, no answer for Marco Junior. I suggest, we have to visit him on his apartment?”“Yes Oliver, by the way, what happened to Benjamin Gustilo?”“Our source said he disappeared without a trace even his apartment was closed.”“Did Marco Junior meet his grandfather?”“I don’t know Sir, but it’s better we have to go there now.”“Where’s Anne Rose?”“She’s still in her room sleeping.”“Okay Oliver, Janet, Let’s go!”When Marco Senior, Oliver and Janet arrived at Marco Junior's apartment, it was locked and there was no sign of him. Marco
"How long have you been back?" Hershey asked, pulling her legs up onto the bed. Entering his flat, he was silent. "It's been about a week now."Hershey laughed, "No way.""Sure. Why didn't you call me?""For good?" She asked, her heart racing a thousand beats per minute. "I just tried to be busy moving things and living here in Manila." His tone was filled with pleasure."Where are you? I want to see you.""I'm at UST and registering for my classes." Hershey's eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious?""Yeah, I decided I might as well forge ahead with my education too. I won't allow you to beat me there. And we're at the same university."Hershey laughed, "Yeah, I bet." She stood up and left her dorm. Closing the door, she locked it with her key. Hanging on her shoulder was the wallet that she took from her cell phone. "So, do you know what you're getting?""Yep. I'm going to major in Criminal Justice, minor in Political science and then Law school." By the time he finished that se