Book 2 : Chapter 50

I tuned in a sharp ear while I was sipping from my cup, listening to their conversation. Pretending to be occupied, I picked up a magazine from under the table. These men were just a few meters away from me, though a pillar blocked me from their view. I knew they saw me, but perhaps thinking I was harmless, they did not seem to mind my presence.

"Have the troops arrived already?" one of the men asked, his voice louder than a whisper. But because of the deafening silence of the place, you can hear even a needle dropping.

"Yes, they are already surrounding the forest of Kalasag."

"How far is it from here?"

"It's the next hill from here."

So, I am now in a resort close to Kalasag, Sean's homeplace. Mr. Ian and all his allies must have brought me here to blackmail me into selling the other half of my shares by using Sean as a pawn. But of all places in the face of the earth, why does Mr. Ian choose it here?

"Is our target already there?"

"Yes. Our spy saw him entering the forest this morning."

"But what if Mr. P will release the bugs?"

President Abella broke out into a devilish laugh. I watched him tossing his head backwards through the glass wall in front of me that reflected his monstrous image. They got so carried away by their topic that they forgot their confidentiality.

"Don't worry. Someone has successfully entered his territory by pretending he is from the UN troops. Before our men make their moves, our spy will release the jar of the wildest Bronca bugs. And soon, they will be feasting on Sean and Patrick's flesh while he takes the exit," said one of them, completely disregarding me. Perhaps, these men were drunk, and the alcohol took their rationality off their minds.

From what I had gathered from the pilot, Sean had informed the UNO about the real situation. And perhaps, they had intervened since it was expected that the task forces would be loyal to President Abella. He still had everything in his power to control them as the country's president. After all, the current issues about him were still speculations. Bribery was even highly possible. And at the back of my mind, I could see those foreign militaries in black and camouflage uniform, pitching at the outskirts of the forest; their white, freckled faces tanned under the sun.

"Man, don't you look like a scared kitten! Everything will go as carefully planned."

Oh, my heart! It's now pounding like a gavel against my chest. Are they planning to trap Sean and Patrick in that forest and assassinate them! Even if Patrick may have anticipated this or set those virulent bugs to swarm the whole place once he senses the threat, I must do something to save Sean!

I then heard the order buzzer's sound as it vibrated on top of the men's table. The manager in a waiter's uniform then came, holding a menu book in his right hand. I saw him glancing at me, but he went directly to the men's table. In the next moment, I heard him taking orders from the men who took their turns in stating their request. This was finally my chance to take a silent exit.

I went directly to my room while I racked my mind on whom to call for help. I no longer knew whom to trust—all of them were all traitors to me. Then, I remembered Dr. Fabella, the hospital's chairman, whom I thought was the one appointing me as TAG Medical Center's new president.

"Dr. Grey," the chairman's voice floated in my ear as soon as I pressed the tip of my finger into the screen of my phone.

"Chairman, I need your help. You must have heard the news. President Abella's men are now plotting something to kill Sean and Patrick. His men are already surrounding the forest, perhaps trapping the three inside, including Patrick's wife." My voice was already quivering, and I didn't know how long could I hold before I break down and cry.

"Dear, don't worry. Patrick is not an ordinary man—he's a genius. And your husband is just as brilliant as him. They have already seen these through."

"But chairman, someone has entered the territory, and from what I know, he is pretending as one of the UN's troops. He even knows how to release the bugs," I reasoned out. From my experience with these jars of Bronca bugs, there must be a proper method for releasing them without harming the people around.

The chairman must have understood my worries that he chuckled loudly, his sweet voice convincing me a little that I was only exaggerating everything in my mind.

"Dear, it's one predictable step. They always knew that one of the ways they could win is to send some spies."

I ended the call politely as I saw that the chairman merely comforted me. I would have wanted to hear him say that he would find a way to communicate with the leader of the UN Troops, but to my dismay, he did not. I delved into my suitcase and picked up a pair of rubber shoes. I also changed into a stretched denim pants, then paired them with tight-fitting sweaters. With a black windbreaker to shield me from cold and possible Bronca bug bite, I hurried to get out of the room. In my mind, I could still remember the secret path that led to the heart of the forest.

Just when I stepped out of the room, I saw the manager immerging from the elevator.

"Ma'am, are you going anywhere?" he asked; the sharpness of his stare told me he was suspicious of my moves.

"You said my husband went out, so I will go out and find him!"

"No, ma'am. It's so dangerous. He instructed us carefully to keep watch over you. You're not allowed to go anywhere as of the moment."

I knew what was going to happen next. Either they would hold Sean as their captive or kill him; their plan would just be the same. They would force me to give away my inheritance.

"We have surveillance cameras installed around the surroundings. Would you like to take a look and see what is happening at the outskirt of the forest?"