NOT A LONG WAY FROM THE HEART

CHAPTER 4 SKILLET II

It's the next day, after a great feast, barely anyone is out, and it's 9 am, except for the Amigo and Fabio with their men discussing Skillet findings on the slight changes in numbers, which is alarming because it's either someone is stealing products or there's something else going on with the numbers. Either way, there's a problem with the business which has to be handled as fast as possible.

Fabio leaves to check on Bolita and see how she's doing. She's already up and working on what she'll need for her class. Fabio's glad to see her looking better, and she appreciated him with a tender hand touch, which he suspected to be a bit flirtatious, but knocked it off with a smirk. He insisted on walking her to her class. On their way, they came across Amigo, who was waiting by the school vicinity for Bolita, as he wanted to see her because he had heard about her being sick during the feast yesterday. Fabio wishes her a good day and tells her to call if she needs any help. Amigo really looks happy to see Bolita doing okay, and she appreciates his concern towards her, as she claims to be better now, thanks to the care she received and he leaves her to her business.

Andrea calls Fabio and tells him that she's looking to settle down with her boyfriend whom she's been dating for over 3 years now, Fabio tries to convince her that she shouldn't rush into such a decision but she said they're both in love and that it's not a fling or anything like that. Fabio loves his sister and won't try to stand in the way of her happiness, but he asked her for an audience with him, so she agreed to tell him to call if he won't scare him or do something that will make him uncomfortable. Fabio agreed to do nothing of the sort.

Fabio might seem okay, but deep down, he hasn't fully accepted his sister's decision. Skillet is still locked up by a small group of people who see him as a threat because he showed up at their doors without any knowledge of where he was going. Skillet knows he's in a real mess now, with only a prayer to God or hopes that he will be rescued either by Fabio, who doesn't know of his situation, or that his captors will let him go.

Amigo knows about Skillet's situation but needs time to come up with a plan to cover his tracks before everything is found out by Fabio or anyone. Fabio has already been asking for Skillet, and everyone claims not to have seen him, but one of Fabio's men claimed to have seen him working on the numbers discrepancy, which has unknowingly led to his disappearance.

Fabio has sent in orders that Skillet should be searched for, if in 24 hrs nothing is heard from him, and Amigo is also aware of the same but isn't at the moment pressured to take any action, as things are still developing and nothing crucial is at stake yet.

With each passing time, Skillet's life is hanging in balance with no apparent hope of survival, and Amigo is kind of hoping on that thread, but he'd rather have certainty, which is a far safer option in this business.

But a wait-out is necessary because a scheme is needed for action to be taken to avoid a backfire.

Nothing could be found on what Skillet was working on before his disappearance, Fabio can't wrap his head around it exactly and feels very worried about it because he did not give enough attention to what he was told by Skillet. 24 hrs is almost up and nothing still from Skillet. The search has just begun. Amigo sent his men along to update and see what the search unravels.

Amigo knew this was the start of a blood war if it wasn't handled properly and slowly. The pimp business is up for a start from the looks of the blueprints, but not practical yet. Everything is in a crucial state and not just for Amigo but for the whole of Dexce.

Fabio is on his way to see Bolita as she didn't even call for an assist, and receives a call from Indris, who is Andrea's boyfriend. Fabio remembers his promise to his sister and gently asks him if he truly intends to marry Andrea and if he's sure he won't change his mind later, or break her heart. Indris responded with certainty in his answer which gave Fabio some relief but not entirely. Indris went further to say to him, that he doesn't need to bother about any hurt or anything at all happening to Andrea. Fabio tells him he's giving him a chance.

So far, efforts to find Skillet haven't yielded results yet, not to mention how early it is since the search started.

The attention span of Fabio is at its limit so he has to be back on business with a full stretch on everything.

Fabio knows very well that it won't take long before people start showing up at Dexce. With the media really catching up on things like flies to honey.

Bolita finally calls Fabio, but he is engaged in an important discussion, so he asks one of his men to help her out with whatever she needs.

Fabio decides to call a meeting for everyone concerned with the business. He started by saying their most sacred motto, and he further states, “ When things aren't going your way in life, you have to seek out the why's”. Fabio can't understand how this is happening because Skillet's importance is gravely required. And not just for helping solve the unknown position of the numbers. Work has already been carried out on the school renovation with a lucid expansion involved in the project.

Fabio plans on owning the school, but he'll hand out the management to someone, and that person to give it to hasn't been chosen.

Skillet has been treated like a threat by his captor, who barely gives him anything to eat or drink to break him down and weaken him. Survival is beginning to look bleak for him as he still hinges on hope.

Bianca hasn't been pleased with the way Fabio has been treating her, and she feels he doesn't give her a chance to say what she's saying. Fabio knows that sooner or later he'll have to face some of these matters with an answer.

With every second, hour and minute that goes by, Skillet knows his timing is ticking and hope gets tinier but that's all he can do, to hope. He hopes to see his family again, at least.

Amigo is really cooling off his stress with 2 ladies attending to his needs as one sucks his phallus while the other washes his feet like he is some Prince. For things to be properly settled without Fabio having knowledge of what's happened, Skillet needs to disappear for good, and Amigo knows that, but he's trying to tame himself with a bit of entertainment.

A young man walks into the Inn in Dexce, asks for a drink first before he starts asking questions about another young man whom he is looking for. That young man he is looking for is Skillet, and the person who came looking for him turns out to be his brother, Taniro.

Taniro has no idea of what has happened to Skillet, which is why he is here, but his sudden arrival might make things troublesome for Fabio and difficult for Amigo, who would rather have no loose ends. Trusting his gut, Taniro suspects that Skillet might be in danger or that something bad has happened to him.

Bianca was on her way to tell Amigo that she was really leaving because her main objective which is Fabio isn't working out and it doesn't look like it will, As she was just about blasting out on him she hears a voice, It's Amigo talking with one of his men about the Skillet situation and what the next move should be.

Violence suddenly erupted so quickly; Skillet has 2 weeks to survive while the projects are commencing in an hour. The reporters were here in Dexce prepared to do the recording of the events as they happened.

Fabio is really eager to see how things are coming along. Amigo is also having a busy day of his own, to make sure the Skillet plan is still going well, especially now that activities are at their possible peak in town.

Bianca went to see Bolita, as she had started feeling a sense of friendship towards her from the first time they met. She saw Bolita, and immediately she smiled and Bolita smiled back too. Bianca told her that she might be leaving soon for another assignment. Bolita admits that she's going to miss her since they just started bonding and how interesting things really felt like. Bolita brought out drinks to entertain themselves.

Amigo had just killed one of his men because he felt he didn't trust him anymore, and a top came in of him trying to snitch to Fabio about what had happened with the products and Skillet's sudden disappearance. Amigo knows that more bodies bring more problems, and he doesn't want that, but he knows it's a better resort than the alternative. So their bodies get chopped into tiny bits to avoid anything that could result in a problem for business.

The media reporters have just left Dexce after reporting for over 2 hours on this milestone of impact happening right here in Dexce. Fabio feels a bit let down by Amigo, who's been missing from his place of duty of late but he hasn't read anything into it as of yet.

Andrea, very much so unexpected, showed up in Dexce to see Fabio, and the work he's doing in the town as she's seen the initial report that was televised.

Fabio, though appreciative of the care, would rather not have his sister here right now with everything that's occurring. But Andrea's surprise visit isn't a short one, which is going to be more problematic for him.

Fabio takes his sister to the Inn where he told her of how busy things are here and still insisted on how appreciative he would have been if she informed him of her visit. She sadly responds to him because she feels he's been a little harsh to her. Fabio would rather have his sister under watch than alone, so he tells her he would assign one of his men. Andrea was reluctant to it at first, but she later accepted because he gave her an ultimatum.

Fabio decided to ask Bolita for a favour, letting his sister stay in her place just for the day. On his arrival, he met Bianca and Bolita having fun together; they were tipsy from the drinking they'd been doing.

Andrea seeing this exclaimed, what a good time she would have staying in Dexce as she's only barely been in the town for a few hours and now she meets her best friend.

Fabio introduces Andrs to Bolita, Bolita is happy to meet Andrea, and she agrees to Fabio request of accomodating Andrea as the three ladies look so excited to form a clique of their own. Fabio leaves them to their business. With the media coverage on what's happening in Dexce, Fabio's phone has been busy with calls from prospective buyers not his personal phone alone but his company as well, for those who don't have his personal contact.

Taniro is doing is his search for his brother without any idea of where he could be, Amigo knows of this and has attached a watch on him to see what he finds.

The products movement to the Amigo's buyers is still very much in operation without an hiccup especially now that the Skillet problem has been partly solved thanks to his captors.

Amigo held a scheme meetunh with his men that are involved in handling the Skillet situation and mission is extermination with the deadline set at the day after tomorrow so it has to be a clean work.

Fabio needs a couple of bottles to relieve himself from the day's stress and from the Skillet situation too, which no positive outcome is found as of now. This matters more to him than the projects even as it entails Skillet being a live or not, and if he will ever be found.

Taniro came into the Inn and sat next to Fabio, he apologised for intruding, Fabio said it was not problem that infact he thinks he needs the company. Taniro, in a sad time started off with his clueless he is as to the whereabouts of his brother, Skillet. He went on to talk about how when they were little, Skillet will protect him from the other kids that just like being bullies, a normal story, the run of the mill kind of tale. But he made it clear of how much he admired his brother, not to mention his intellectual aptitude which made him very admirable.

Fabio also concurred to the undeniable intellect of Skillet and how greatly affected he is by this whole situation and can only hope for his safety at best for now since nobody knows of his location. Taniro asked, if his brother could be in any sort of trouble which has led to his abrupt disappeance, Fabio declines such assumptions, he tell Taniro that he doesn't think anything of that nature is the case here as they only do legit business. Taniro never fully understood the scope of his brother's job or what kind of workplace he worked at but he always felt disturbed about it.

Time is running out on Skillet as he's been in his captors hands for over 40 days and about 24 hours his life is probably at its end because Amigo's men are coming to make sure he is silenced for good this time.

Fabio is back to another busy day with renovatige constructions taking place at the school and the “dream ace” which is what the pimp house is called. Some of the prospective investors have called in to make a visit to discuss their interest as they see potential profit in the project carried out in Dexce.

The town is at its happiest with what Fabio is doing and they couldn't have asked for a better person if not Fabio, whom they all love and hold in high regard. Fabio sees out another busy day while Taniro goes on his fruitless search for his brother, whose time is numbered and has just hours to live unknown to him..

It's finally the day that sets Skillet fate. A big day for Amigo on the other hand.