Private Affairs by Libby Lestrano (free books to read txt) 📕

short while, Michelle Yuen, another Chinese, came with her usual fashionable look. She towers at 5'8 yet she wears shoes with five-inch heels which made her look like the tallest in the group. She is a black-belter in Karate and is an expert in guns. She's one of the best shooters in the whole organization that's why she's been taken as part of the operations team. The only girl on the team working on the field. The third to arrive is Henry Barnes, the half-British, half-Chinese guy from London. He is exceptionally handsome. He is fair-skinned and is 5'10 in height . He is as serious as Johnny Chan and is expert in sword fighting.

Colin Freeman, the American nerd. Arrived seconds after Henry Barnes. He's wearing glasses which makes him look obviously the smartest among the five. He's a real weirdo but is also an expert in Karate and guns.

After a long while, Gabe Wu, the Taiwanese Wushu expert arrived late as ever. He is the tallest st 5'11 and the biggest among them all yet he moves swiftly. He completes the five members of the operations team which works in EIO's big cases.

They tackled about their plan in the conference room. The drop will be made that night at Luneta Park and Cornelia is tasked to make the drop. They discussed about their integration, the process of the drop, their exit and how will they rescue the girl successfully. After the discussion, they readied themselves. They took out the P50 million ransom which was given by Mr. Watkins. They put on proper attires and readied all the equipments they will need including the armaments if circumstances will push. Cornelia put on plain clothes. She's going to make the drop as an ordinary citizen.


They were already at the venue before nine. There are a lot of people in the park. Most are lovers wandering around. Some children and adults were sleeping in some corners of the place. For others, Luneta serves as their home. People from different places fill it everyday. And this time, it will be used in a rather different transaction.

At 10:30, Cornelia positioned herself in a bench. It was the only set which nobody was occupying although someone was sleeping at the back. She looked like she came from the church judging by her green dress. The kidnappers wanted a Filipino woman to make the drop. Mr. Cheng didn't know why. Maybe they want a little talk with the agent.

Henry and Michelle disguised themselves as lovers. They were at the leftmost corner of the park. Johnny was inside his own car parked at the building outside the site. Cornelia couldn't see him. Colin was with JC ad Gabe was infront of the pub facing Luneta.

“Hello, Castro!” It was the voice of JC Lo from her earpiece. JC is the operator at the control cab. He and the entire organization except Mr. Cheng knew her in the name of Digna Castro. You enter and exit EIO without your real persona being involved.

“Yes,” she answered.

“He's coming. They called a while ago and we told them your location. He's on your left side.”

She looked at her left side without tilting her head. She saw a man walking briskly into her direction. “I see him,”she told JC. The man is slender but very tall. He's wearing dark jacket and cap. She readied herself.

“Cornelia!” She almost jumped of fright. She looked at her right side and saw somebody approaching her. The last person she wants to see.

“Lucas!” She was both confused and frightened. “What are you doing here?”

“Ain't I the one who should ask you that?” he asked sternly. He moved closer. He looks extremely handsome in the beam of streetlights and with his sharp look. He's wearing brown leather jacket which made him look chunkier and dangerous.

She remained motionless for a few seconds. “Digna! What do you think you're doing? Get that Lucas out of your way!” It was JC already pissed off. The team was watching her from the cab. Cornelia remembered her task. She looked at the man. It stopped walking toward her and remained in the shade of a tree.

“Cornelia, are you listening to me?” Lucas asked as he noticed her not paying attention to him. She kept looking at some direction.

“Digna, are you listening to me?”

“YES, I SAID!” she yelled. He man sleeping at the back got up and after realizing the source of the voice, murmured something and went back to sleep. She looked sharply at Lucas.

“Okay! You don't have to get mad,” Lucas calmed her. “I was just asking you.” He hadn't seen Cornelia get enraged before.

“You don't have to shout Dig. I can hear you clearly. Now do your task. The man's about to go.” JC pointed out. He was shocked to hear Digna yell at him.

Cornelia was so confused. She looked at the man again. The man was turning his back. He's about to go! Cornelia was startled. She rose up from her seat. She took the money-filled briefcases along with her and was about to follow the man but Lucas held her arm.

“You're not going anywhere!” he uttered firmly. What is wrong with this guy? She thought.

She gave him a rigorous look. “Excuse me Luke, but I have a very important business to do.” She struggled to loosen his grip. Finally, Lucas freed her arm.

Cornelia went quickly into the man's direction. The man's walks faster than her. She tried to catch up with him but he had gone out from her view. She looked around.

“No, no, no Digna! Don't follow him. They might corner you and get the money. Okay...Now, just come back in the car and let the team follow him.” JC tried to calm his voice.

She went back into the cab scolding herself. She thought it will be her first and last assignment.

“Who's that man?” Colin asked referring to Lucas.

“He's a...a family friend,” Cornelia answered without looking at him. She handed the cases to Nicole, JC's assistant. “I'm sorry. I messed it all.”

They remained silent. Nobody said a word. They didn't even dare look at her. Cornelia stepped into the cab sluggishly. She knew she'd just messes up a big case. And it should have been a big catch for all of them. They all get paid out of the cases they solve and from some financial assistance from outside the country. She wanted to ask JC what had happened to the man and if the team continued to follow him, but she doesn't have the guts to ask. She didn't even want to go back to EIO office yet. She wants to go home and rest, but she didn't think that will lessen the trouble she'd made.

“I'm...sorry?” she whisper-muttered to Mr. Cheng as soon as she entered his office.

“Are you asking for an apology, or you're asking yet another question?” Mr. Cheng narrowed his face.

“I...I'm sorry Sir.” She didn't look Mr. Cheng in the eye.

“Well there's nothing we can do with that. I guess you don't get well on the field. That's the trouble when we hire a citizen of the country. There's always a family,s a friend, a colleague...” She lowered her face. Cheng went back to face his computer. “You can go.” And Cornelia went out of the room. She is thankful Mr. Cheng didn't yell at her. He composed himself.

Cornelia went home directly. She didn't do much but she feels so tired. She should have felt much better if she was able to do her job. It was all ruined.


“What do you mean the police took him?” Mr. Cheng asked furiously. He got up from his seat and tried to control his temper but the idea that the whole case can be ruined forced him to raise his voice.

“We followed him, but before we could get near, the police arrived and picked him up. “It was Johnny explaining as if trying to convince somebody that it is not his fault.

“It's not the police. It's the NBI.” Michelle stepped in.

Mr. Cheng tried to calm himself. Whether it's the police or the NBI, I don't care. Now, what I'm trying to point out is how did any one of them figure out the drop?” He looked at each one of them gradually. Nobody said a word.

“What do you mean? That somebody's disloyal to EIO?” Colin snarled breaking the silence.

Cheng just gave a shrug and went back to his seat. He wants his men to answer the question themselves.

They looked at each other as if speaking without any words. Finally, Johnny grunted, “I guess that would be impossible Sir. You see, this is the first time a case turned out like this. And besides, we're all working here for quite a long time.”

“So what are you trying to point out?” Cheng asked. “That these are all coincidence?”

“No,” Johnny muttered without looking at his boss' face. “I think the FBI has finally found us here. They already know we're doing our business here.” He looked each one of the guys in the eye.

“I believe we've overstayed in the Philippines.”

Imprint

Text: Cover Illustration by Lavish Sarael
Publication Date: 12-09-2010

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To those who've encouraged and supported me, God and Lyresa.