Chapter 9 || Gamaliel

Philippines, 1962

JANE and the kids felt safer once they were inside the Laurencio ancestral house. She let the two children in before locking the door behind her and kept the curtains down. She then leaned against the wall, trying to compose herself.

She must admit, Jane was aghast by what had happened. She never had felt fear before and she knew this had to do when children were involved in a shooting.

The house was silent. Grandma Laurencio must have been sleeping, unaware of everything that was looming ahead of this family. She had called Amara and Gamaliel along the way home. The distance from Amara's company and the house was close and so she knew they arrived before the three of them did.

Jane cleared her throat and walked after Bernard and Maeve. They went to the family room where she heard noises inside. Perhaps, the whole family was waiting for them anxiously.

~O~O~O~

WHEN Jane brought the kids to the ancestral house instead of the office as instructed by Amara, Gamaliel knew something had happened. This was confirmed when his men from the police station where he was assigned called on the phone and told him that two shooters were subdued by Jane Gregorio and now in their custody for interrogation.

It was Grandma Laurencio who was first to react when Bernard and Maeve started shouting their names. "Bernard! Maeve! We're here, love," she called from the family room.

The two children popped into the door and they rushed towards her. Jane was following them. Amara quickly went to them and hugged her children. Grandma looked up and stared at Jane, frowning. The eyes that held the wisdom of old had worry etched in there. "Jane! What is it? What's wrong? You're as white as chalk."

Amara released her children and went to Jane. "What happened? What has upset the three of you?"

Gamaliel stood in the center of the family room and wondered how to tell his mother and wife without causing them any panic. It seems that he was the only one informed. He saw Amara looking at the young woman with an expression of deep concern.

Jane Gregorio was left in the Laurencio Family's charge when she was still a girl, after her mother's death. Her father, a devoted Chief of Police was the one Gamaliel succeeded after four years. Amara had promised to look after Jane until she got married. Although she was an informant and an office assistant, she was treated as though she was a family member.

Jane took a deep breath, and she began to give them a summary of the incident. "Two men in a motorbike shot the car when I was coming to get Maeve and Bernard."

"Oh, good Lord!" Amara cried, and the sense of dread came back like a strong current inside her. She collapsed on the love seat in front of Grandma.

The elderwoman attended to the children who were still pale and terrified. Maeve wouldn't budge from Grandma's side. She was still quivering but not as much as earlier, knowing that she was now safe and sound within the four corners of the ancestral house.

Grandma brought the kids out of the family room, thinking that the adults would want to talk about what happened with the children out of earshot.

The whole family was horror-stricken, even for Jane who was already survived such encounters numerous times and was used to it.

"Did they shoot at you randomly or was it you who they shot at specifically?" Mark asked, still couldn't comprehend of what was going on.

Jane shook her head. "The car was just the same vehicle used to fetch Bernard and Maeve. When the motorbike arrived, they positioned between the children and the car and started to shoot at the windshield." She turned to Amara who was already closing her eyes in prayer. "It's a good thing that Madame was not the one in the car. The men took me as Amara Laurencio."

"When Jane called, the police station reported to me," Gamaliel decided to step in. "Two of my men guarding Bernie and Maeve were there. They said that the men didn't know who Amara Laurencio was. They were just ordered to shoot the car with the plate number used to get the children, possibly kill the driver."

Mark crossed his arms across his chest and fell in a deep thought. "Whoever ordered them to do so, they must have known Amy will be the one to get the children."

"Me!" Amara brought a hand to cover her mouth. Targeting the car with the plate number was one thing; Amara as the main target meant something entirely different - and much more dangerous.

Gamaliel was aghast throughout this conversation. He knew something would happen but he wasn't able to accept the possibility that this incident will ever happen.

Abruptly Amara said, "This is just the beginning."

"The beginning, Madame?" Jane asked.

There was a silence enveloping the four of them before Amara replied in a sorrowful tone of voice, "The beginning of the end of Laurencio family in the Philippines."

~O~O~O~

AFTER Jane had retreated to her suite in the ancestral house to rest, Amara, Gamaliel and Mark sat together on the lounge of the family room, analyzing the events that occured today and trying to understand what they could predict for the future.

Throughout the long silence, Gamaliel was thinking of what he could do for his whole family. His love for his country was his basis for the desire to protect it from the worst people that came to mind. Rapists, white collared thieves, murderers, drug syndicates that led the youth astray. He was even positive with the death penalty via 'silya elektrika'.

But could his love for his country exceed his love for his family? For sweet and intelligent Maeve? For smart and talented Bernard? For beautiful, elegant Amara?

He was sure a devoted and patriotic man of his country but he was also a devoted and a leader to his own personal unit.

Amara sighed and turned to Gamaliel, saying, "You're trying to shut me out again by not telling me what you were thinking just to protect me, Gamaliel. Please stop it. I'm far too intelligent to be left in the dark, most especially by my own husband."

Mark snorted from the other side while Gamaliel let out a faint sigh. "Yes, you are."

She held the glass of water in her hands tightly and after a while she muttered in a voice choked with emotion, "We have to leave, Gamaliel. Let's leave this ancestral house. Let's leave the Laurencio Enterprises, leave your job, leave all our possessions and go. We have to get out of the Philippines, Gamaliel."

"Yes, yes, I know," Gamaliel answered with a nod. He sighed once again. "The entire family must leave. Jane will come with us. I must get visas for everyone."

"How?" Amara asked. It would be very difficult now that there were eyes watching their every move.

Indeed how, he thought to himself, but he said to her, "I don't know yet, Amara. But I will find some ways. I certainly have one thing in my favour." He glanced at Mark who understood the look in his face and grinned.

"What is that, 'Maliel?" Amara probed.

It was Mark who answered her. "Money."

~O~O~O~

"Excuse me, Sir," one of the few maids, who entered the chamber he and Amara shared, apologized for disturbing him.

Gamaliel looked at him from the Narra wooden writing desk at the far corner of the bedroom, where he was working with his papers at home. "It's fine, Elena. What is it?"

"Sir Elias Osmeña and the Vega is in the family room, Sir."

"Please bring them into the library and offer them coffee. I'll just finish this in a moment." With a small smile, he continued, "Thank you, Elena."

Elena backed out and quietly closed the door behind her. Gamaliel arranged his papers, folding some of it before sliding it into the bottom drawer of the desk and locked it. He smoothed the creases of his gray collared shirt with both of his hands as he went towards the door of the suite.

He ran a hand through his dark hair and strolled from the bedroom towards the library which was just five doors away from their suite. He glanced at the grand clock which was located just a few steps away from the library and at the terrace of the grand staircase of the ancestral house.

It was still seven o'clock in the morning. To have Elias, Louise and Antonio come at such an early hour. They obviously heard about what happened and came out of concern for them.

He pushed the double doors of the library and Louise ran to meet him. "Gamaliel! Sorry for bursting in your house for an early visit but we wanted to speak to you urgently."

"Where's Amara?" asked Antonio. Louise had her arm linked to Gamaliel as she dragged him quickly to the two other men.

"Mark brought her and the kids to Divina's place. Amara had been going through hell," Gamaliel answered as he sat on the sofa, facing the three guests.

Looking at Gamaliel closely, Elias said, "What happened to Jane in front of the school was just the beginning. I overheard General Bermonte and two of the senates talking privately in his office. They mentioned about the possible action so they could put the 'scoundrels who tainted my name', as General Bermonte put it."

"You must make plans to leave the Philippines as soon as possible, Gamaliel. It's not safe here anymore," Louise insisted.

Gamaliel shook his head. "He couldn't touch me with the law. He can kill me and my family through extra judicial murder but not through death sentence. Either way, it will just taint his name even more. Amara and I has more of enough evidence against him."

"That's the problem," Antonio countered. "Mark my words, Gamaliel. Senator Ferdinand Marcos will become the president. They will wait for him to rise, and you and your family will have nowhere to hide."

Louise leaned forward and took Gamaliel's hand. "Antonio and I suspected that they will find a way for the Constitution go against you."

"That's impossible," Gamaliel protested, his voice rising. "I gave everything I had for this country. I sacrificed my time for my children and served the country with all my heart. I can't..." His voice trailed off helplessly.

"General Bermonte will aim to try." Elias' tone became grim. "We never expected this to happen. No wonder why there were not one Chief of Police to survive. There's a monster among us."

Tears welled up in Louise's eyes. "I don't want anything to happen to you and Amara!" she cried. "I love Amy, and you and Bernie and little Maeve. We will do anything we can to help you leave the Philippines. And you must save yourselves."

Gamaliel nodded his head as he stared off the distance, obvious sorrow visible in his light brown eyes. "Yes."

Antonio stood and went to the window of the library. "The Vega Company has a private runway in Pampanga." He turned to Gamaliel with a determined look. "We can use that to bring you out of the country."

"But Antonio and I want you and Amara to come with us in our home in Pasay City," said Louise. "There, any eyes who follow you will think that you will try to escape through Manila International Airport."

Gamaliel cleared his throat and responded in a calm voice, "That's kind and thoughtful of you, Louise, Anton. But putting you at risk is much more dangerous. I don't want to put much burden on your shoulders. I know Amara wouldn't want that, too."

Elias smiled at his friend. Truly, Gamaliel was an honorable man. He wouldn't want to put his friends in danger. "Think of the safety Maeve and Bernard will have, Gammy," he said.

Gamaliel was still uncertain. "Let me think about it."

Louise nodded and rose from the sofa. Elias followed and so did Gamaliel. They shared handshakes together and the latter walked them to the door of the library.

As they piled out, Elias swung around. "Calling you a scoundrel is funnier the more that I think of it."

Gamaliel couldn't help laughing.