Several brisk knocks on the door interrupted our conversation. I had more things I wanted to say to Jay but I guess that conversation would have to wait.
"Come in. Sam! How did you get here? Are you sure you weren't followed? Any updates on the thumb drive? Have you started the digital scrub? Any leads?"
Sam held up a hand and handed Jay a printout.
"I know how to be careful. I don't think anybody could have followed me here unless they have the means to rent a chopper. And from what I know of your so-called friend, he doesn't."
Jay grunted in response as he was already busy scanning the document. Sam rolled his eyes then turned to me.
"I spoke to your second in command, Nic. I showed her the results of the digital scrub as well and they're already hard at work triangulating the closest possible locations where the child is being held."
"Good. I'll be heading my team during the rescue operation. Nicolas and Castillo will take over for me here. We'll—"
"ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY NOT!"
Sam and I both turned just in time to see a purple-faced Jay get off the bed and march angrily towards us.
"Are you out of your mind, Mendoza? You are NOT going anywhere near that lunatic. No. Scratch that. You are NOT going anywhere. Period. I forbid it. Between our combined security teams and the additional support of the police, I'm confident they ca—"
"You forbid me?"
"What? Yes. I forbid you. I don't want you gett—"
"Samuel, did your idiot boss here just tell me that he FORBIDS me to do my job?"
I watched as a very confused Sam looked from me to Jay and back again.
"I don't— uhm.. what am I missing here? What's happening right now?"
Squaring my shoulders, I stood toe to toe with Jay and glared at him.
"You don't tell me what to do, Faulkerson. You're not the boss of me."
He smirked.
Aba gagong to. Sapakin ko yang smirk mo eh.
"On the contrary, Miss Mendoza. I AM the boss of you. There's even legal documentation that corroborates my statement. You are contractually obligated to do as I say. And I say, you can't go anywhere or do anything that would put you in harm's way."
I reached up and thwaped him on the side of the head.
"Aray! Kingina! What was that for!?"
"That's for being a shithead. You know I'm the most qualified person to lead the team! Don't you want Seb to come out of this unscathed? Don't you want to make sure everything goes as planned with as few casualties as possible? Is your ego really more impor—"
"IT'S NOT ABOUT MY EGO!"
From the corner of my eye, I saw Sam pick up a bunch of grapes from the fruit bowl, sit down then put his feet up.
"Then what, Faulkerson? What can be more important than making sure Seb's rescue is successful? Your company's repu—"
"YOU!"
Ansabe?
"I love Seb. I do. God knows I will do everything in my power to get him back home to his parents, safe and sound but not at your expense, Nic. I don't know what I'll do if anything happens to you. Baby.. what if things go horribly wrong and I lose you and Seb? What—"
A noise that sounded like someone choking made Jay and I look over to where Sam was seated.
"Ahm excuse me lang ano? Baby? Sino si Baby?"
I reluctantly raised my hand at the same time Jay pointed to me.
Sam broke into one of those face-splitting grins.
"So you guys are doing it, huh?"
I looked at Jay just as he smirked and wiggled his brows at Sam.
Smug doofus.
I stomped on Jay's foot and glared at Sam.
"Can we please focus on rescuing Seb?!"
Sam waved his hand dismissively at us.
"Fine, fine. I expect to be briefed about this whole baby situation AFTER Seb's rescue. In the meantime, I'm just going to step outside to make a few calls. Finish your discussion. Make a decision. Stop making googly eyes at each other. Faulkerson, dude. Seriously. Stop."
As soon as the door closed behind Sam, Jay turned back to me.
"Mendoza."
"You know I'm right, Jay. I know you do. Don't you trust that I can do this better than anyone else?"
His shoulders slumped as he sighed.
"I don't doubt your expertise and capabilities, Mendoza. Far from it. I trust you completely. If anyone can carry out a successful rescue operation, it's you."
"But...?"
"But I don't trust everything else. Juan Carlo is smart. And deranged. And the way he sounded in the video, it seems he knows he has nothing to lose. That makes him really dangerous."
The man has a point.
I was about to counter his argument but he smooshed my lips closed with his fingers.
"Before you say anything else, I have a plan."
I nodded.
"We'll both go."
My eyes bugged out but still couldn't say anything.
"Teka muna. Before you react violently, hear me out first."
I nodded again.
"Like I said, Juan Carlo is smart but you and I, together we're smarter. He's deranged but we're cool under pressure and well... I don't know about you but I have everything to lose."
Gingerly, he let go of my lips.
"You won't lose everything, Jay. Your company, your family... everything will remain inta—"
"YOU! I WILL LOSE EVERYTHING IF I LOSE YOU!"
Now is not the time to swoon, woman. Pull yourself together.
Just then the door opened and Sam came rushing in.
"We know where Seb is!"
*•*•*
Author's note: Wala dapat update today because I wanted to draft a few more chapters over the weekend para may ipon ulit but then this happened...
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So... to thank you guys for the reads, the votes and the comments, I'm publishing this update now.
