At all Cost

Chapter 01

"Venzon Timmone Suarez, 28 years old. A civil engineer and a business tycoon, he was the son of Timothy Venitto Suarez, does the name ring a bell?" Mr. Andrei Pelenio asked as he put down the file to the table across me. He's my boss from the agency I worked in.

An agency which denounces people involved in trading on the Black Market or in the Underworld. In other words, drug lords and mafias as well as powerful people. Why does Mr. Suarez got involved with such kind of organization? What do I expect from one of the most powerful man here in our country and most known to other country? Hindi na kataka-taka kung isa siyang kasapi sa nasabing organisasyon.

"What do you want me to do to his son, abduct him?" kinuha ko ang file at binasa ang nakapaloob doon. From what I am seeing in his profile here, I can tell that he's handsome...sinfully handsome, but those smirk I think he's just like those some spoiled kid who gets what they wants and will surely go tantrum when they didn't get what they want–typically the rich kid.

I flipped another page and almost crumpled it when I read some words indicating there. They are the owner of the private school I am working at as an English teacher, damn! Bakit hindi ko man inalam ang bagay na iyon noong pumasok ako two months ago? Ibinalik ko sa mesa ang file. Umayos ako ng upo at mataman na tumingin sa boss ko. He's not the real boss, I mean he's my boss but there is someone who is higher than him here in our agency and that's the real boss. Ang boss ng lahat. Hindi ko ito kilala o nakita man lang kahit isang beses at isa pa wala na rin akong balak kilalanin pa.

"No, look after him."

"What?"

"Subaybayan mo siya at kung may makikita kang kahina hinala, eliminate them."

Napatayo na ako ay sabay hampas ng mesa. This is absurdity! My job here is to catch those people who's involve with Black Market, not to protect and look after them! Nabago na ba ang patakaran sa ahensya? Naging kasapi narin ba ang mga ito? I don't get it?

"You wanted me to protect that guy, that son of a criminal?

"Where did you get such kind of idea, Zanaira! Watch your mouth! Hindi mo kilala ang mga taong iyon!"

Iritadong bumalik ako mula sa pagkakaupo. I leaned my back at the backrest as I crossed both my arms and legs. Tumikhim ito at tumayo. He then faced the wall made from a fiber glass, at mula sa kinatatayuan niya ay makikita ang buong lungsod. Nagtataasan at naglalakihan na mga establishemento ang kapansin pansin at kung titingin sa baba ay iba't ibang klase ng sasakyan ang paroo't parito. Gayundin ang mga abalang tao na paroo't parito. At ang mga iba't ibang uri ng shop na nagkalat sa paligid.

"I catch bad people, not look after some spoiled kid."

"He's not a kid, remember he's way older than you."

"Sorry to say this Sir, and I won't repeat myself... I won't accept the job." lumingon ito sa akin ngunit mabilis din na bumalik ang atensyon sa labas.

"Alam kong iyan ang sasabihin mo Zanaira, but you can't say no to this, especially the highest rank appointed you in this job."

"Gusto ko siyang makausap!" I blurted out making his body tensed up. He faced me with horror written on his face. Dali dali itong lumapit sa akin ay hinawakan ang magkabila kong balikat. Nanlalaki ang mata nito.

"Nahihibang kana ba? Sa tingin mo pag aaksayahan ka ng oras ng taong iyon?" he hissed through gritted teeth. Kahit ako ay nagulat sa ibinigkas ng bibig ko. Sometimes I just can't stop myself spilling what's running inside my head, then at the end I am going to regret what I just blurted out.

Inalis ko ang kamay nito sa balikat ko ay bahagya itong pinagpagan.

"Why me? There's a lot of skilled agent there who's been better than me that can guarantee the safety of that spoiled kid, so why me?"