Dare Me To Love You (ITL Series #1) |COMPLETE

Dare 22

CHAPTER 24

GABRIEL

IT DIDN'T take too long for me to mend from my fever. Our doctor said that it was nothing serious plus, Mom took good care of me so no doubts I recovered that fast.

And as what Dad promised, he let me go with him... the 'business' Mom talks about for days. As the Chevrolet Camaro drove along the unfamiliar road, I can't stop thinking about what is his other business further than Royalé.

My eyebrows creased when we stopped at one of the branches of Royalé located in a very small town. Why are we here? For years while growing up, Dad let me visit every branch of our banks. Kahit pa nasa London o sa ibang lugar but this... I've never been in this place before. Neither I know where is this located.

"What are we doing here?" tanong ko kay Dad habang tinatanggal ang seatbelt. Binuksan ni Daddy ang pintuan at ganon rin ang ginawa ko. I let my eyes roam. There were trees at every store. Iba ang stores nila dito. In the city, shops and stores were big and air conditioned. But in here, parang palengke—except the smell a of rotten fish.

Hindi siya nag-salita at sinundan ko na lang siya papasok. The employees greeted him, if I'm a normal person depositing here I would think it's normal but there was something about how they greet Dad, something suspicious. I shrugged the thoughts off, siguro ay masyado lang akong tinamaan ng sakit ko kahapon.

Daddy led me to a room exclusive for employees and I think it's too wide for workers working in a very small building. Mas malaki pa ang kwartong ito na para lang sa mga empleyado dito kesa doon sa main branch.

Nagtungo pa kami sa isa pang kwarto na may nakadikit na sign printed in bold letters that says, 'Do not enter!'. The door moved open when Dad pressed some buttons. Hindi na lang ako nagsalita at hinintay ang susunod na mangyayari. This seems fun.

I just realized that this room is an elevator in disguise. I've watched action and thrilling movies, I always see elevators like this but experiencing riding one amazes me. Parang normal elevator lang sa loob, it was still closed.

But I'm really confused. Bakit kailangan sobra ang security ng lugar na 'to?

And it hit me. This is a f*cking bank, Gabriel. what do you expect? People would enter and get the amount of money need in the safe vault? What an idiot.

Pumasok nanaman kami sa isang pinto at parang isang board room ang naroon. May mga nakaupong lalaki't babae sa mga upuan at mukhang naghihintay. They were all wearing a black suit and with an ID clinging on their neck, they look so serious... so plain.

Obviously it's a meeting, this is my first meeting to attend. Dad won't let me enter a board room when a meeting is being held.

Tumayo silang lahat at yumuko, showing respect to the boss, my father. Hinubad ni Daddy ang suit niya at tinaas ang sleeves ng polo hanggang sa siko niya. Sabay-sabay silang umupo sa mga upuan.

"I would like you to meet my younger son, Gabriel." so what I've heard is real. I have a sibling. Pinakuha ako ni Daddy ng upuan at umupo ako sa tabi niya. We were at the center of the table. I felt like a boss, too.

"Did you already found Gavine?" Dad's elbow were placed in the wooden table, he asked in an authoritative tone. He sounds so bossy, gone the soft man in front of me and my Mom. Ibang-iba siya ngayon.

"Sir there is still no traces of the tracking device on your child's necklace." Parang nagre-report na sabi ng isang babae na tatlong upuan ang layo sa amin. Despite of the straight face, I can see her fingers fidgeting.

"What?! My son was missing for almost twelve years! How come you still can't find him?" nagagalit na sabi ni Daddy na kulang na lang ay baliktarin ang wooden table. Maging ako ay halis mapatalon din sa gulat ng sigaw ni Daddy. I've never seen him like this. Dahil sa bahay ay tahimik at palangiti siya sa harap namin ni Mommy.

"But we found something interesting, sir..." naka-ngiting sabi pa ng isang babae na may hawak na folder. Sa mga tingin pa ng babae ay alam kong may gusto siya kay Daddy. Her eyes were seductive and it even landed on me. She smiled and bit the corner of her lips, I winced; cringing at her.

Siguro kung nasa harap lang namin ni Dad si Mom at tumingin siya sa akin at kay Dad ng ganyan, it's the end of the world.

I can't deny the fact that my father is charismatic. He was handsome and has a nice built at the age of 32. Fashion companies still sends him offers to model.

"Don Valencio's rebel daughter is currently living at your villa." Sabi nung babae at binigay ang folder kay Daddy.

"Lexi Martin?" patanong na sabi ni Dad at nag-angat ng tingin sa babae.

"But she was using Lina Johnsons as her name in disguise. She's with her son, Lexther Martin."

"Lexther?" singit na tanong ko. Napatingin silang lahat sa akin at kinunutan ako ng nuo ng karamihan.

"You know him?" tanong ni Daddy.

"I have a classmate named Lexther, Aron Lexther Young. He's at the same Major as mine. You know Monica, right?" bumaling ako kay Daddy.

"Ramirez's daughter?" tanong ni Daddy at tinanguan ko lang siya. "Lagi siyang may dalang gamot na nakalagay sa isang sachet. But the last time, crashed sleeping pills lang ang hawak niya ayon kay tito David when I sent him some examples. Though... the sleeping pills are not yet out in the market and I think it's being sold to black markets. May chemicals lang na nakapag-kumpirma na sleeping pills nga iyon." I said and gritted my teeth when I remembered him.

"Just like what your son said, Lexi Martin also invented and makes drugs that are not yet out in the market. At karamihan ng bumibili ay ang mga kidnappers at gangs because most of her made drugs were dangerous, it can kill a person in less than 24 hours." Sabi ng isang lalaki na malaki ang pangangatawan.

Bumuntong hininga si Daddy at napahilamos ng mukha gamit ang dalawa niyang kamay. "Huwag niyo siyang gagalawin hangga't hindi natin nalalaman na isa siya sa dahilan kung bakit nawawala ang anak ko. But keep an eye on her and her son." I can feel Dad's frustration.

I reached my phone inside my pocket when it vibrated.

From: Tito David

Gab, where did you get this drugs?

To: Tito David

Why, tito?

From: Tito David

This one's deadly. It can kill a person within an hour. This definitely not sold in the market.

"F*ck!" I whispered. If Monica took the drug, she'll die. F*ck.

"Why?" Dad looked at me with confusion.

Napatingin ako kay Dad, "Can I ask a favor?" Dad lend his hand in front of the board, signaling me to talk.

I faced the people in front of me and said, "Keep an eye to Monica Ramirez. Make sure to keep her safe. I don't care if I'm not one of you, but I am willing to paint my hands with blood for her." I gritted my teeth. I can feel my knuckles moving and the muscles in my whole body tensing. I texted Tito David back and looked at the board back, "I owe you all a life."

To: Tito David

Thank you, tito.

Their meeting continued but I can't find the courage to focus anymore. All I could think right now was Monica. What if she's crying again? Aron's issue is not yet finished, may mga screenshots pa rin ng post at nirere-post.

Lumabas kami ng meeting room matapos ang ilan pa'ng paguusap. "I thought you'll answer all of my questions, Dad?" tanong ko dahil hindi pa rin malinaw lahat. Ang alam ko lang may kapatid ako na nawawala at ang mga Martins.

"Tss. You're too slow, Gab. I'll make the long explanation short, your father—me, leads an organization, willing to kill just to have justice. Huwag na huwag mo akong tatawaging mafia boss, the last time I called myself like that, your mother teased me for years." He explained and unwrap a lollipop.

"Don't worry, hindi lang naman tayo ang may ganitong grupo. Your friends' parents, too, I don't know. The last time I checked, Retz is both Montenegro and Takahashi. It's the biggest gang in the world. And also your best friend, Jeus-"

"Jeus is not my best friend." I bluntly said and frowned.

"Whatever." Sabi ni Daddy at natawa.