Chapter 8 || Gamaliel

THE Manila International Airport was the main aerial runway of the Philippines in 1962. At that time, Filipinos and foreign guests came to and from countries through this airport.

It was sunny and hot, although it was not summer at all. Mark Laurencio stepped out unto the heat and walked down the stairs of the plane. Passengers started to stream towards the departure area; they couldn't wait to either go back home to their town or explore the beauty of the Pearl of the Orient Seas.

Donned in a simple shirt and blue pants and dragging his suitcase with him, Mark followed the crowd towards the departure area where families and friends were united. He took a longing gaze at the crowd, trying to spot those people who supposed to meet him here.

A young woman in a black business coat and pants stood at the side of the exit and was looking shamelessly at him. "Mark Laurencio?" She seemed positive, used to authority, but friendly.

"Yes," he answered, nodding.

"I'm Jane Gregorio. Your flight is late," she added without enthusiasm.

He smiled apologetically. "There was an air traffic."

Jane nodded her head. "Traffic is normal." She led the way to a jeeplike vehicle and opened the rear door. There were already two people inside, relieved that he finally turned up.

"Mackie!" a pleasant voice in the midst of the heat of the weather exclaimed.

His eyes crinkled as his smile widened across his cheeks. He hauled his suitcase inside the backseat and climbed in. "Amara, 'Maliel. I thought you're not going to come."

"We supposed to come," Gamaliel answered in his grim voice. "But we were cautioned not to appear in public, not this time while everything's in the heat."

Mark nodded his head in understanding. He heard what had happened and what was bound to happen. Alarmed that his brother and his family will eventually be in danger, he decided to come home and enforce the plan to bring them back to London.

After Gamaliel mentioned the sensitive topic, Amara went silent. So did Gamaliel. The atmosphere seemed to grow an intense quality that dried up conversation. It was as if something from the air was scowling at them right now.

~O~O~O~

"I'M glad you told Elias we had to leave early that night," Amara said, looking across at her husband. They sat across each other while Mark was sitting at the recliner just beside Gamaliel's seat. "I would have been dead from uneasiness."

Gamaliel nodded. "Surprisingly, the same goes for me. But Elias gave a grand party." He turned his head to his brother. "It's a relief to have you here, Mark."

The said man flashed them a wide grin. "I've always been your savior, Mal."

There was a knock from the door and Jane went inside with a tray of coffee mugs and brewed tea. She set down the tray at the corner table and handed them down the coffee and tea.

"Mrs. de la Rosa was waiting outside, Madame. She had some important things to discuss. She wouldn't disclose the matter with me and said it's confidential."

Amara stood and smiled at Mark. "I will have Jane bring the kids here after their class so they could keep you company."

Mark nodded and they watched her strolling out of the office with Jane following her. He then proceeded to spread his arm behind the recliner.

Gamaliel was younger than Mark with four years gap between them. They both had dark hair and light brown eyes but it was the way they held themselves were different. Gamaliel was much more disciplined in nature, taking his responsibilities and his duties in life seriously while Mark was a casanova, a man who just went with the flow of his life.

His handsome face turned from being carefree to being serious as he stared at his younger brother. "I warned you about this, Gamaliel. You really did bump into a rougher road."

Gamaliel nodded as he leaned forward and took the mug of coffee from the table. He didn't speak and continued to blow at the hot caffeine before sipping from it loudly. "It wasn't a rougher road when I was assigned to subdue those in the list of drug syndicates," he admitted. "I was confident in General Bermonte's credibility."

"If you haven't sailed off to being a police officer, as you always wanted to do," Mark shot back. "Are you still planning to continue this run-and-gun game?"

Gamaliel frowned. "The death sentence through electric chair is far from happening for General Bermonte. The senate favoured him over anyone. But I have a friend in the Senate who has a tight connection to a higher position in British Royalty rank. He assured us for a protection in case things goes worst."

Mark shook his head and sighed. "I can bring Amara and the kids to London. But even that wouldn't be too easy."

Gamaliel stared at Mark with a question in his eyes before his eyebrows raised and he nodded with apprehension. "Is it because of Ferdinand Marcos' possible presidential candidacy?"

"I heard that man's a genius. He's a family friend of General Bermonte's."

Gamaliel didn't answer and drank his coffee in silence.

~O~O~O~

JANE Gregorio was twenty eight years old, young and alluring in her generation. She was a secret agent for an intelligence department of the Manila Police Department but she was solely loyal to working for Amara and Gamaliel Laurencio as an office assistant.

Working with Amara and Gamaliel was a thrilling journey for Jane. For five years, she had been their informant and a bridge for brokers where they gather relevant information about the assignments Police Chief Inspector Gamaliel had.

Jane had a small heart-shaped face with natural pink cheeks and plump lips. Her love for the Laurencio kids was like a love for nephews that she didn't had. As much as she loved her work as an intelligence agent, keeping a low profile is more important so she could continuously work for the Laurencio family without putting their lives on the line.

The young woman went to fetch Bernard and Maeve from their schools in a black tinted glassed Toyota car as instructed by Amara. This car was used whenever they fetch the kids from their schools. Usually, it was Amara who would come but seeing that the lady Laurencio had some business to attend with Divina de la Rosa, she gave this task to Jane.

Maeve and Bernard were waiting at the gate with two of their personal bodyguards close to them. These bodyguards were basically police officers in their civilian clothes to keep a close eye to the siblings. They were prohibited from bringing the kids anywhere, considering the danger they were in right now.

Jane parked in front of the gate and rolled down the window. Seeing that it was the car that usually fetch the kids, the two bodyguards caught the attention of Maeve and Bernard who were engrossed in an inanimated conversation. The two proceeded to race towards the car.

A motorbike suddenly stopped between Jane's car and the children. Two men raised their hands, carrying a gun with them. It was Jane who was quick to shout at them.

"Bernie, Maeve, duck!" she commanded and all of them quickly ducked for cover as the guns finally resounded in the air.

She heard little Maeve screaming. The little girl must have been terrified. Driven by the adrenaline rush, Jane stepped on the accelerator and manuevered the car towards the place where the motorbikers were.

They continued to shoot at the black car's windshield before getting out of the way. Jane pressed the brake with her foot and closed her eyes. She felt the hood crashing against the motorbike, pushing it for a few meters and then skidded to a stop.

Jane felt her breath hitched. She immediately went out and saw Maeve and Bernard in a corner, the older Laurencio hugging his younger sister tightly. The two police officers were successful to subdue the shooters and were putting handcuffs behind them.

Jane went to the two shooters, unable to control herself. She couldn't stay low-profiled forever. If it was Amara, who had no knowledge about self-defense, then she would have been killed in the instant. Hell be damned, she wanted to know who was behind the shooting. She closed their distance with quick steps and grabbed the collar of one of them.

"Who ordered you to shoot the car?" she demanded.

The man didn't answer but he was smiling. "Amara Laurencio, you're alive now but for sure you will not escape the death sentence they will give you and your husband."

Jane's eyes went wide open as she stared at the man non-plussed. Surely this man was delusional. Didn't he know that she was not Amara Laurencio? Her hold tightened, choking him a little. "What are you talking about?"

The other man guffawed and struggled at the tight hold of the police officer to no avail. "You will wish you died now, Mrs. Laurencio. This is your husband's fault."

"Ma'am," one of the police officers called out to her. He was glancing at Jane with a meaningful look and shook his head. It was a signal to calm down and release the man she was choking.

Jane gritted her teeth before pushing him away and stepped back. She heard Maeve's cries and the woman was brought back to reality. "Bring them to Gamaliel," she told the two police officers who nodded quickly.

Jane went to the two kids and breathe in relief whens he saw them safe and sound. Only that Maeve was crying. She knelt before Maeve and Bernard and put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Let's go home, okay?"

Bernard nodded his head and helped Maeve stand up.

It was the first time someone attempted against the Laurencio family and Jane knew this wouldn't be the last.