I'll fight your fight

Pro Bono

"Pro Bono." Jema said.

Pro Bono means denoting work undertaken without charge, especially legal work for a client with a low income. In layman's term, free.

"What?" Deanna said in disbelief.

"Yeah, Jema. What?" Bea said surprised too, on what she offered.

Jema cleared her throat. "Pro bono means.."

"I know what it means." Deanna said. "You just wasted 2 minutes."

"Well.." Jema was about to defend but Deanna talked.

"What is this Bea? I told you not to get involved in this case. You, of all the people in this room, know what Maddie is capable of."

Jema looked at Bea in askance and the latter ignored her.

"And now you are bragging... her into this?" Deanna said and pointed Jema.

"Wow, you can't even say my name." Jema said in disbelief.

"Jema." Deanna said and looked into her eyes. They were practically on a stare down and nobody plans to give up until Bea cleared her throat.

"Deanna..." Bea said.

"I don't want to be your charity case."

"It's not a charity case." Jema corrected her.

"Then what is it? Pity?" The room stays quite for what it felt like 20 years. "10 minute's up. Don't show your face here again." She nodded to the guard and went out of the room.

--

"Pro bono? Really?!" Bea exclaimed at Jema while walking back and forth. "Do you know how much is she worth?"

"50,000."

"Oh God. You didn't went through the files."

"What files?"

"The boxes at the back! I told you, the folder I gave you were just the initial rulings!"

"The financial statements in those shows she only have 50,000 on her bank account. Where would she get the money?"

"She's a millionaire. You ask for 20 pesos she'll give you a thousand. That how wealthy she is."

"She's a criminology graduate."

"She's an undergrad."

"A what?" Jema asked Bea.

"After her mother died, she was... she was devastated. She's a mommy's girl. She dropped out of school."

"What does she do for a living?"

"Nobody knows. Well, nobody that I know, knows."

Jema frowned her forehead in thoughts when something popped into her head. "She works for the Madayag's."

"No." Bea immediately shut down the idea.

"It made sense. The sudden wealth, her connection to her."

"No, because the Madayag's killed her mom." Jema taken aback with Bea's revelation, was mum. "Allegedly, not officially, they ruled it as accident. Car accident. But that's what Deanna told me. They covered it up."

"Damn."

"So no, I don't think she works for them."

"Who is this Maddie anyways? I mean I hear her name but..."

"When her brother got shot, she was just mayor. She is now a congresswoman, rumors said that she's eyeing for senator. So that means in no time, she'll run for presidency. And if she wins, all the things that this country have gained, will all go to waste. That's how shitty she is when it comes to politics."