Maverick Niccolo Morelli

WMS32:Gabrielle

"Gabrielle!"

"Yuan!"

Mabilis na sinalubong ni Gabrielle ang lalaking tumawag at papalapit sa kanya. Agad siyang bumeso dito nang tuluyan itong makalapit.

"How's your trip?" agad nitong tanong pagkatapos kunin sa kanya ang kanyang maleta.

"Good!"

"Anyway, who is that?" Tanong ulit ng lalaking nagngangalang Yuan pagkatapos mabilis na nilingon ang mga lalaking papalayo.

"Nothing! Maybe some passengers na kasabay ko ring dumating at nagmamadali. It was my fault though kaya nagkabanggaan kami. I'm busy looking at my phone to check your message," tugon ni Gabrielle.

"He was quite familiar but Im not sure since you guys are far from me," dagdag ni Yuan.

"Forget about that. So, where were going now?"

"We'll go straight to the station. I just took a break to pick you up from here."

"So, after doon at saka ako pupunta ng hotel?"

"Anong hotel? Does Tito didn't tell you that you will be staying at the accommodation provided by the agency?" kunot ang noong tanong ni Yuan.

Napatampal naman sa kanyang noo si Gabrielle.

"Oh my! Sorry, I forgot about it."

"Sus! Nakabungguan mo lang 'yung pogi eh nawala ka na sa sarili," panunukso ni Yuan sa kanya.

"Anong pogi? Eh, ang tigas pa sa pader ng ekspresyon niya paano naging pogi 'yon. Pakiramdam ko nga nasa ilalim ako ng balon sa coldness ng aura niya," napangusong pang depensa ni Gabrielle.

"Talaga lang ha!" wika ni Yuan na nakaguhit ang mapang-asar na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi.

"Wait! I thought, hindi mo siya namukhaan? How come you know that he is good-looking?"

Napahalakhak naman si Yuan sa katanungan ni Gabrielle.

"See! You just admitted it! Pogi ang nakabangga mo."

"Kaasar ka talaga!" muling wika ni Gabrielle kasabay nang paghampas sa balikat ng kausap.

Napuno sila ng tawanan hanggang marating ang sasakyang dala ni Yuan para sunduin si Gabrielle.

Gabrielle and Yuan were cousins. They have the same line of work. The difference is, Yuan is based in Italy. Doon ito ipinanganak at lumaki. Nag-aral din siya sa Pilipinas kasama si Gabrielle pero muli itong bumalik sa Italy para magpatuloy ng pangarap niyang kurso ang maging isang alagad ng batas. Nadestino ito sa international crime and investigation unit ng kanilang ahensya.

Samantala, sakay ng isang limousine sina Maverick papunta sa Questura o estasyon ng pulisya kung saan ipinatawag siya para sa shipment nilang hinarang ng otoridad.

"How many of my men are being held by the authority?" tanong ni Maverick sa lalaking sumundo sa kanila sa airport.

He is Giuseppe Lorenzana, Maverick's lawyer. Ito ang agad niyang tinatawagan kapag involve ang kanyang mga legal na negosyo. Isang de-kalibreng abogado na nakabase sa Amerika pero lesensyado din ito sa iilang bansa kung saan may sangay ang law firm na kanyang pinagsisilbihan kasama na dito ang Italy. Halos kaedad lamang ito ni Maverick pero malayo na ang narating sa pagiging abogado.

"There are five of them," tugon nito.

"Have you talked to them? How did it happen?" muling usisa ni Maverick sa abogado na hindi man lang ito tinapunan ng tingin.

"The authorities said, there is someone who reported them that your shipment contained contraband so the Capo della Polizia immediately released a warrant to search and hold your items including your men," salaysay ng abogado.

"Damn it!" galit na bulalas ni Maverick. "And who reported it?"

"I think your men are doing their job now to find out who was behind it."

"Brando, where is Hayes?"

"He is on his way to meet you, boss," wika naman ni Brando na kanina pa kinontak ang bagong kasamahan. Wala siyang ideya kung ano ang kailangan ng amo sa bago nilang kasama na kasalukuyan pang sinasanay sa kalakaran ng kanilang grupo.

"Tell that punk to wait until we're done at the police station," Maverick commanded Brando.

"Yes, Boss!"

When they arrived at the police station, the group was greeted by the police chief at the entrance.

"Mr. Morelli, good to see you here," agad na bati nito kay Maverick na inilahad ang kamay para sana majipagkamay pero nilagpasan lang ito ng binata.

"Release my men and I will let this pass," wika ni Maverick na tumigil ilang hakbang pagkalampas sa opisyal.

"Come on, Morelli! Do you think you own the authorities?"

Maverick turned quickly and meet the officer's stare.

"Do you want me to remind you everything just to release my men?" Maverick said intensely, hands put in his pocket.

The officer's eyes formed a thin line and clenched his fists simultaneously to control his anger toward Maverick.

"Uhm, officer, I came here with my client to settle the problem or otherwise, he can file a case of kidnapping and serious illegal detention against you and your men for detaining those men without proper evidence and depriving their rights to freedom while you are investigating the case," Lorenzana said to the police officer.

"Know your place, men," tugon nito na nang-uuyam.

"Don't you dare, Mr. Officer, or all those insignia's on your uniform will go forever," napangising tugon ni Maverick.

Biglang lumambot ang hitsura ng opisyal sa sinabi ni Maverick. He knows what Maverick is capable of. Not just one but two high-ranking officials have been removed from their positions because of him. But, no one could prove that it was him because of the absence of concrete evidence. Malinis itong magtrabaho.

"Follow me to my office," wika na lamang ng opisyal at naunang lumakad patungo sa kanyang opisina.

Maverick and Atty. Lorenzana followed him with Brando and two other men. The rest of Maverick's men stayed outside as a lookout.

"Since we weren't able to seize the illegal goods that have been reported to us from the shipment of your products, we, the authority decided to release your men, Mr. Morelli. This includes the impounded trucks that were park outside," mahabang wika ng opisyal habang binabasa ni Atty. Lorenzana ang nilalaman ng dokumento at pinapapirmahan kay Maverick.

"So, why does you need me to come if that's the case," Maverick asked with his brows knitted in annoyance. Para kay Maverick, bawat oras niya ay mahalaga kaya hindi maiwasang makaramdam siya ng inis lalo na sa pagkakataong ito na hindi naman pala talaga siya kailangan pero bakit siya pinapunta.

"Mr. Morelli, we are here to file an immediate release for your men," sabad ni Giuseppe.

Maverick widened his eyes as he turned to his lawyer.

"What?!"

"Boss, we need to follow the due process—

Maverick cut off Brando's words.

"Due process? They arrest my men without arrest warrant and detained them for 24 hours without concrete evidences; is that a due process?" malakas at galit na putol na wika ni Maverick.

"Oh, instead of filing their immediate release, I think it's better to file an illegal detention to you, Mr. Officer and your men," napangising dagdag pa ni Maverick.

"Mr. Morelli, I think you are aware of the so-called warrantless arrest for some specific reason," wika rin ng opisyal.

"And what reason? That you received a report, is it?"

Tumango-tango ang opisyal bilang pagtugon sa kanyang mga sinabi.

"And, right there and then, after you find out that it was a false report, you could have release my men but you choose to make it a big deal, Mr. Officer. Who was behind it? Are you with them?" kalmado ngunit may diing wika pa ni Maverick.

Siya namang hakbang ni Giuseppe sa harapan nito at hinarap ang opisyal.

"Sir, sorry about it. My client at some point was right but, we'll settle this. We'll discuss it," Giuseppe said to stop the tension between Maverick and the police officer.

Meanwhile, at the same police station, Gabrielle and Yuan arrived.

"What are we going to do here?"

"The director assigned me to get something from the chief of police here before we go to the bureau," tugon ni Yuan.

"Is it your job to get it? Besides, there is Fax or Emails to do that."

"Gab, this is confidential, and digital ways of communication sometimes is at risk. They're not safe. Alam mo naman siguro na may hackers sa panahon ngayon, 'di ba?" paliwanag ni Yuan kay Gabrielle.

"And speaking of the job, yes, it is my job and yours too. We will handle this case that is why you are sent here," dagdag pa ni Yuan.

"Yeah, I know! Let's make this tandem the best among others," Gabrielle said, full of determination.

"I don't want to think negatively but this is quite difficult assignment," Yuan stated.

Napadilat naman ang mata ni Gabrielle na inaantay ang iba pang sasabihin ng pinsan habang tuloy ang lakad nila papuntang opisina ng chief of police.

"What I mean is, malaya ang taong 'to na nakakagalaw kahit napapabalitang lider ito ng sindikato."

"What?! Akala ko ba nasa Pilipinas lang ang. . .ouch!"

"Oopps!"

Napasinghap si Gabrielle nang may sumalo sa kanya nang bumuway ang kanyang lakad. Papaliko sila sa pasilyong binabaybay nila papunta sa opisina ng opisyal nang bigla siyang nabangga sa isang matipunong katawan.

She subconsciously closed her eyes but opened it abruptly when a masculine scent permeated her nose. She gathered herself quickly before she got intoxicated with the scent that sent shivers down her spine.

"Aherm!"

Without a second thought, Gabrielle immediately gathered and removed herself from the stranger's arms. She was about to thank the stranger from saving her to fall but her eyes bulge in surprise to recognized the man in front of her.

"You?!"