Hunt Down Rose

Chapter 4: Night Life (Part III)

"What do you want?" he gave in faster than I thought.

"Tell me who you guys are working for. It is as easy as that.'

"As if you can squeeze that information out of me!"

"I actually can, though it will be the hard way for you," I said to him stabbing his right leg twisting the knife for further pain.

"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you please stop!!" He said to me with both his legs bleeding.

And just when I was about to get the information I need, his partner with almost all of his strength stood up and shot his partner straight in the head.

"You won’t get anything from us cowboy!! You will be part of a very interesting endgame for our boss, hahahahah!!" Then he also shot himself in the head.

Surprising to see that response from both of them; their boss must be as crazy as his men would be. Loyalty is such a hard thing to find nowadays, and the best examples are both dead at my feet. This encounter only shows what the threat level of these people. For Mr. Hassif, he doesn't have the capabilities to run a whole gang of thugs and order someone to kill directly from his office. Only someone with extreme influence and business expertise can do such a thing from his subordinates.

"You're fine as hell kid." holding his wounded leg Calvin kept his composure, laughing his wound off. 

"I want to ask you a few questions by the way? Since this would probably be the last time you’ll be seeing someone like me. What is it with the paper they were talking about?"

"Wait a minute? You can hear the entire scenario and you didn't do anything to save me?!"

"If I did then you'll be dead in just a matter of seconds seeing another guy trying to take them down. It is a good thing we made things clear though with a few painful experiences. "

"You are a real pain in the ass."

"That is one thing I will definitely agree with you." I replied to him sliding my hidden knife back to my sleeve." So can you state some information about this so-called signature of yours?"

“Why should I tell you?”

“It’s because I’m the one that saved you.”

“Even if you did it won’t count. These guys tried to squeeze me out with me willing to do for the information.”

I started to scratch my head with his fallacies running all over his reasoning. “First of all these guys came after you for your signature, second I’m here for some information. There’s a big difference between my initiative and theirs. You might as well tell me who hired these guys.”

I can sense some self-realization at his face amidst the pain he has on his thighs, bearing the pain while thinking over his words would be a drawback on the accuracy of his answers. It would be best if I take advantage of that by using his life as an excuse.

*Sigh* he took a deep breath thinking about his situation

Looking at me, he started to pull something out of his drawer.

“I don’t sense malice in you. If you wanted you could’ve killed me on the spot.”

Calvin paused for a bit, hesitating to give some ideas but later on spoke and spilled everything to ease his burden.

"The signatures they were talking about belong to the people, those people Mr. Yun entrusted his money. There are only three actually and apparently I am one of them. Mr. Yun created a fail-safe system for his money with a specific key in which he hid somewhere in his mansion. A few clues were given by him in order to find out the location of the key but some say it is within the grasp of the bank's security. Nevertheless none of these rumors we're found to be true so the only option that they have to acquire the shares of the company is by completing the signatures, the Chinese character for prosperity. 

Calvin scratched his head, trying to remember something. Then he continued,  with his eyes full of reminiscing,"It was named by Mr. Yun in relation to the bonds and memories of their relationship to each other, including his mistress. One cannot simply acquire any amount of nickel or dime from his name without the approval of those three sides via signatures. The only thing that bothers me is how the hell they got the two preceding signatures now that Mr. Yun is dead and his mistress still in prison."

Calvin clenched his fists, with despair written all over his face and continued talking, “Those men… Those people that promised me that they will help me build my businesses instead of getting spoon-fed by Yun… At first, it was working perfectly because the papers were set accordingly and there were no flaws… But as time went onward the pressure started to build up… They knew that Yun trusts me especially the details of the papers, they knew everything from the beginning…”

From the way he states it, he was eyed and manipulated all throughout. Plucking the most gullible amongst the flock.

“Where there any names of sorts?” I asked

“No… The only people who I was in contact with were these two ever since…” I could hear the bartender looking for me in the halls. In response, Calvin used his office microphone to redirect his focus by asking for a cocktail.

"So they had him sign the papers when he was still alive?" I said to him, disregarding the distraction outside.

"It might be but he never gives any details to anybody except for us."

"Well, I guess you guys are not the only one who has the idea about that."

"But how could that be?"

"As far as I know, the family's riches started during the dictatorial reign. So someone could be a part of the company's existence the same way his father did. The only thing that’s certain now is that Yun’s son would be in great danger soon enough once these guys do their move.”

 "So do you have any plans?" 

"Yes. Thanks to your cooperation I'll be able to put the pieces of the puzzles altogether."

"You seem to be enjoying this are you?" His smirk is still embellished with pain due to his wound. Interesting that he is able to keep up and stay in check.

"Not really, I'm just here for the cocktail," I replied to his joke.

“By the way, are you a regular here? I seem to have noticed your application form yesterday.”

“I guess so. I just have a bad habit of meddling with other people’s lives whenever I feel like it. Also, burn the paper with the signatures if you don’t want it to fall in the wrong hands again like this.”

“True enough. It’s about time the police reach this place and for me to give you an award.”

“No need for that, I just need to get out of this place.”

I said to him leaving the place along with the keycard I acquired on the bar. Wearing the same disguise I used to get inside in order to get myself out of the club without prohibitions. I should’ve used a random disguise so that I won’t get compromised. Too bad the person left to suffer is this guy who as a matter of fact just applied yesterday. It would be a problem for him, along with the stolen keycard.

Riding my car I turned the G.P.S. on to check for near hotels for the rest of the night. I'll be staying for just one night before I return to the purgatory collecting the stuff I'll be using to confront Mr. Hassif. After a couple of minutes locating the nearest one I finally reached the hotel in Kalayaan Avenue somewhere in Makati. The place is cozy enough to consider my taste of the surroundings. Nevertheless, it would still be a fine day to enjoy this damp weather and the street lights glowing.

Parking my car inside I immediately bought a reservation on had my stuff carried to my room. As I got to my bed, I threw every file that I have on my table just to check if I miss anything. Scanning all of the papers that I got I noticed something different on the back of a certain file. A microchip attached at the back of the paper, placed with a lid to hide it. 

"This is Melissa's doing," I said to myself compiling the papers while getting a piece of scrap metal scraping the microchip off of the paper. Since it is a tracking device, I am no longer invisible to the eyes of the N.B.I. I should take my actions carefully or I might have a little bit of a problem once I head back to the office.

Mr. Galvez will kill me for sure once he hears what I've done. Knowing that he has sent other agents on the field secretly, he shouldn’t be aware of what I’m doing or else, he’ll be sending over some backup and my entire plan would be ruined for the next days of work.  

Setting my mindset tomorrow morning for advance preparations, and since I am already detected, the first person I will expect to see in the next five minutes would be the one behind this tracking scheme. Waiting patiently for that person's arrival I began to look at the clock staring at the movement of its hands.  The N.B.I. isn't that dumb to manipulate my routes from where ever I go. 

Taking my shirt off, I immediately went to bed closing my eyes for some rest for all of the day’s work. Imagining the possibilities of what I could do once this case is finished. Like strolling down the park eating some ice cream and playing console games for the rest of the month could be a great vacation for the meantime. 

My files arranged for compilation on the information department and everything is as fine as the burning daylight. And just when I was about to imagine the things I'll be doing in the series of days someone knocks on my door. 

 "Room service!" coming from the person outside with an elderly tone.

Without any hesitation, I opened the door and a woman wearing a white uniform enters with a food rack and cleaning materials on her waist belt.    

(To Be Continued)