The Loyal Servant

Chapter 7: Staff only room

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, events and incidents in this story are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental

With crossed arms, Mr.Calixtro leaned his back to the car’s seat, waiting for the driver to enter the car. He watched Fernand as he got out of the car, he couldn't stop his lips to form a little smile when he saw Fernand pout. He’s cute. He thought but frowned at once as he realised what he had done.

The driver entered the car and asked, “Sir?”

“Let’s go, “ Mr.Calixtro ordered.

Without a word, the driver starts the car and drives. It felt quiet as soon as Fernand got off, Mr.Calixtro closed his eyes and rested a bit. “No wonder that Lisa loves her brother, he just can't live without her,” he said. The driver peeks at him from the mirror and shakes its head. Who would have thought that their boss would argue with a 20-year-old just because he can’t answer it’s question. He could easily point a gun on him and shut his mouth.

They drove along the manila road, with some cars honking angrily due to the traffic. The Heat and noisy environments made the drivers furious, , but this is a great opportunity to sell for the people in the street. There’s children with a box in straps hanging in their neck, while crossing the road and knocking in the cars, selling cigarettes and candy. One young girl wearing a worn shirt knocks at Mr.Calixtro’s car.

“Do you like to have cigarettes?” the young girl said while knocking at the car’s window.

The window slowly opened revealing the face of Mr.Calixtro. Mr.Calixtro looked at the young girl and examined her. The girl is wearing a torn shirt and a pair of broken sandals. Her hair was in a ponytail yet it looks messy and what is more interesting is the scar of the girl in her neck that is shaped like a flower, more specifically sampaguita.

“Mister, would you like to buy some cigarettes?” the young girl asked again.

“Nope,” Mr.Calixtro said bluntly and ordered the driver to close the window.

The window was closed again and the young girl moved on to another car. Two more children with the same scar knocked at Mr.Calixtro’s car, but he still chose not to buy. The scar surely is from the burning iron that sampaguita put on their underlings and those kids are surely from one of the Sampaguita’s gang. “ Kids huh? They really went too far, “ Mr.Calixtro said as he rejected the last kid that knocked in his car.

The traffic lifted at last, the stranded cars immediately drove fast. It’s been an hour and Mr.Calixro is surely late to his appointment. The driver entered an underground parking lot and parked the car in a reserved parking space.

“Sir, we’re here,” the driver said

Mr. Calixtro tapped the driver’s shoulder and said with a poker face, “do I look blind?”

The diver swallowed his saliva. The car’s aircon is still on yet the driver’s hands are sweating even though his neck feels wet. The driver breathed as if it was the last breath he would be inhaling. The tense got down as Mr.Calixtro got his bag from the passenger seat and said, “just kidding.”

Mr.Calixtro got out of the car and walked towards the basement elevator. He pressed the level ten and stood still at the left corner of the elevator. He humm as he waited for the elevator to reach his office floor. The elevator stopped and opened on the second floor, three men wearing suits and ties entered the spacious elevator . The guy with the glasses pressed the twelve floor button and went back beside his co-workers, it looks like they did not notice the guy standing on the edge. The three men started to talk but Mr.Calixtro didn't bother to overhear their chitchats, he stayed on the edge while waiting for his floor.

“I think Mary has the look,” the guy wearing white polo said in confidence.

“I still think Melisa has it,” The guy in the glasses said.

The two men shrugged at once, “hmm.”

The guy in the glasses suddenly stopped talking, he put his hand on his chin and suddenly exclaimed in excitement. “Speaking of Melisa, have you heard? Melissa is missing,”

The two men asked in unison,“Melisa?”

Hearing Melisa’s name, Mr.Calixtro’s eyebrows frowned. Her attention immediately went to the three men conversation.

“Yes, Melisa. The Ceo’s secretary?” the guy in glasses said while waving his hand in the air.

The two men looked at each other and widened their eyes as they realised who Melisa is.

“Oohh!” they both exclaimed.

“You mean that tan sexy girl with angelic voice?” the guy wearing a blue suit .

“Yes, that's it!” the guy in glasses exclaimed, he looked at the two guys facing the left part of the elevator. “They said she was missing a day after Mr.Calixtro-'' the guy didn't finish his words as his eyes noticed the guy in the reflection, Smiling while looking at him directly in his reflection. He got goosebumps as soon as it waved at him. He turned around in terror and bowed, “Mr.Calixtro g-g-good afternoon.”

The two guys bowed their heads as well when they finally noticed the guy on the edge of the elevator. Mr.Calixtro smiled at them and walked towards them. “What a rumour you brought here, Denver,” he said and tapped the shoulder of the guy in glasses. The elevator stopped on the tenth floor and Mr.Calixtro walked out from it. The three men still had their head face on the ground, sweating and regretting their topic a while ago.

“Raise your head and continue your chatting, don’t mind me,” Mr.Calixtro said and wink at them as the elevator door closed. The three men swallow in unison while their body is shaken in fear. Mr.Calixtro shrugged his shoulders and turned around to walk toward his office. He was about to enter his office when suddenly a man appeared in front of him.

A man wearing white polo and a trouser, greeted Mr.Calixtro. “Good afternoon Sir,”

Mr.Calixtro looked at the man from head to toe. Its black hair is stroked back with a pair of shining bright eyes and pointed nose, it has muscular arms but a slender waist. Though the trouser highlighted it’s tights, it also made its outfit more aesthetically good. Mr.Calixtro nodded his head with a scrunchy lips when he looked at the shoes. “Makati shoes, aren't they?” he asked.

The man smiled and nodded, “ Yes sir. By the way, I'm your new secretary, Claire Ethan Rodeiguez, Cale for short.”

Cale extended his arms with a smile on his face waiting for a hand shake, but instead Mr.Calixtro handed his bag to him and said, “thanks.” Cale blinked multiple times , confused why Mr.Calixtro handed his bag to him. His eyes followed Mr.Calixtro as it continued to enter his office and sat straight in his chair.

Mr.Calixtro eyebrows raised as he noticed the young guys still standing in front of his office.“Are you working as a guard? Or as my secretary?” Mr.Calixtro asked. Cale immediately moved his body and put Mr.Calixtro’s bag on the couch near Mr.Calixtro’s table.

Three hours passed and Mr.Calixtro still read and signed a lot of paper, he already ordered Cale to make a coffee twice yet he still felt sleepy. After he finished drinking the last sip of his coffee, Mr.Calixtro immediately called his new secretary.

“Cale,” he called

Cale, without hesitation walks from his station on the left side of the office to the table of Mr.Calixtro, “yes, sir?”. Mr.Calixtro raised his eyebrows with Cale's rapid action. “Please pour me another coffee,” Mr.Calixtro ordered that cale immediately followed. Cale left the office leaving Mr.Calixtro signing papers.

Not so long when a loud knock from the door awakened Mr.Calixtro’s sleepy soul. He ordered it to come in. The door opened as the guy with brown hair entered the room. It is wearing a black shirt that emphasises it’s big and muscular arms and tight pants. Mr.Calixtro’s forehead curls as he sees a man he didn’t expect.

“What is it ralph? Do you have my coffee?” Mr.Calixtro asked while flipping the papers in front of him.

“We found her,” the Ralph guy said.

Mr.Calixtro’s lips formed a mischievous smile, “take me to her,”

Mr.Calixtro put away all the papers on the side, he immediately got his bag and put all his things in it. Cale, who just got to the office, was surprised by the presence of big muscular Ralph in front of him, “sir?” Cale asked while holding a hot cup of coffee in his hand. His eyes are turning back and forth to Ralph and Mr.Calixtro.

After Mr.Calixtro gathers all his things, He walks towards Cale and taps it’s shoulder, “take the coffee, you'll be having a half day.” Mr.Calixtro said and left, Ralph followed him leaving Cale confused about the situation. “What should I do with this coffee?” Cale asked the air, he shrugged his shoulders and gathered his things. “At Least i have a half day,”

On the other hand, Ralph leads Mr.Calixtro to the basement and opens the door of a parked Toyota Red vios car and enters, Mr.Calixtro also gets in the car and sits in the passenger seat. Ralph starts the car then drives it to one of Phoenix head's basements in Ermita. They arrived at an old mini store along the highway.

Though the store is old, it still has a lot of customers that buy goods from it. Mr.Calixtro and Ralph go inside the store, some of the customers turn their heads at them but the two are not bothered by the eyes following them.

All of a sudden a Chubby old man appeared on their front. He called himself Rodrigo and introduced himself as the owner of the store. “What brings you here Ralph?” it asked while looking at Mr.Calixtro. Ralph leans towards Rodrigo and whispers, “ Is she there?”

Rodrigo smiled and nodded, “follow me,” he said. The two follow Rodrigo in a room with signage, Staff only. After entering the room, they saw two stairs; the left stair leads to the second floor while the right one leads to the basement of the store. They walk towards the right stair. “She was a clever girl, it took time before we calmed her down.” Rodrigo said. When they reached the end of the stairs, Rodrigo opened a door.

Mr.Calixtro and Ralph are welcomed with a sound of clanking metals and a loud noise of male voices, when they look at the right side of the room there’s a couple of men wearing a black shirt and shorts playing poker. Rodrigo rebukes them and the men immediately stand and cover the poker they’re playing. Rodrigo looked at Ralph and Mr.Calixtro, “I’m very sorry , they ju-'' he was stopped from explaining by Mr.Calixtro’s hand in the air. “I have no time for that, where's the girl?” Mr.Calixtro said with a poker face.

“There,” Rodrigo said and pointed to their left. A girl sitting in the very edge of the room is tied in metal chains to her foot and wrist, her head bowed down and there's a trace of bruises in her arms and legs. Mr.Calixtro walks towards the girl and grins as he recognizes it. “Melisa, hi” he said.

After the day Fernand become Mr.Calixtro’s personal assistant, Melisa acted weird. She was initiated to help Fernand even though Mr.Calixtro let her stay at the office. Mr.Calixtro didn't find it weird but when Melisa walks out from his office two days before she went missing, without his permission, he suspects her. His office is clean yet the files are ruined inside his cabinets. A report immediately came to him that three of his casinos are under police watch.

He ordered around to search for Melisa, a day gone but not even silhouettes of melisa were found. Now that the girl is infront of him, he still could’t believe that he became dumb for four years.

The girl raised her head and laughed as she met the eyes of Mr.Calixtro. “N-no wonder i-it s-smells like s**t here.” Melissa stuttered while clenching her fist. Her hair was messy but the beauty of her face still remained remarkable.

“You dare to talk bravely huh?” Mr.Calixtro asked and pulled Melisa's hair with his left hand. The room filled with the echo of Melisa’s scream. Mr.Calixtro looked at her bluntly, “I thought you're a tough one.?” Mr.Calixtro said and gradually pulled out a bunch of Melisa’s hair with his right hand. Melissa screams on top of her lungs as she feels her hair pulled out from her scalp. Her eyes become watery and her scalp becomes red in colour. Mr.Calixtro stopped as soon as Melisa’s scalp bled.

“Does it hurt?” Mr.Calixtro said and released the head of Melisa.

Melissa breathed distinctively while she grinned her teeth. “f**k you,” she said with all her stregnht. Melisa’s beautiful black hair almost becomes bald from Mr.Calixtro’s pulling her hair, her eyes are crying yet she still gathered her strength to not fall on the ground. She uses her hand to support his body that is still sitting.

Mr.Calixtro shook his head, “wrong answer,” he said and walked towards ralph. He pulled the gun from Ralph and turned around to Melisa again. “Did Gregorio threaten you? Is that why you get such important documents?” Mr.Calixtro asked Melisa.

Melisa looked up as if she was thinking, she smiled and looked at Mr.Calixtro, “Maybe.” She said and laughed.

The sound of a loud bang covers the entire room. Melisa screamed in pain as she felt the numbness in his thighs. Blood flows continuously in her numb tights but none of the people looking at her help, thus they just look how Mr.Calixtro deals with her. She cried and bent her shaking body, Mr.Calixtro felt pity for her however, his anger is still there. He walked towards Melisa and pulled her hair . He didn’t expect the smile on Melisa's face as he pulled up her head.

Melisa spit on Mr.Calixtro’s face, which made him furious. He pointed his gun to Melisa's throat and said, “do you think Gregorio will help you, if you act this way?”

Melisa clenched her teeth, “ he wouldn’t,” she said and took a breath, “but he also wouldn’t let you live after you killed his son.”

Mr.Calixtro paused for a moment. Melisa grinned as she saw the distractive look of Mr.Calixtro. “What? Are you now regretting pulling your gun on him?” she said. Mr.Calixtro tightly grips his gun and pushes towards Melisa’s throat. His veins are popping on his head, mixed emotion is taken over his mind and body. “Shut up,” he said.

Melisa cackle, “ I really don't know why you didn't believe Lisa back then,” she said and swallowed her saliva, “she knew about me,”

Mr.Calixtro tightly grip the gun's handle, and press hard to Melisa’s throat, he grit his teeth trying to calm himself. He closed his eyes and inhaled some air, thinking that he could calm the anger inside him but Melisa took this opportunity to steal the gun. She held Mr.Calixtro’s gun in his hand swiftly and with all her strength she tried to push the gun. Mr.Calixtro got alerted and immediately put all his force to the gun, Melisa accidentally pulled the trigger, good thing she avoided it quickly. However her ears heated and produced an uncomfortable noise, she can’t help but to release her hand from Mr.Calixtro’s gun and cover her right ear.

Melisa screeches while holding her bleeding ear. “Fuckkkkkk,!” she blares repeatedly.

Mr.Calixtro stroked his hair back in frustration, he reloaded the gun and pointed it to Melisa’s shaking body. Melisa looked at him with narrowed eyes while still holding her bleeding ears, “ go on… shoot me, just like how you did to Adriano.” she said and took a breath.

“I-I” Mr.Calistro stummered as he pointed the gun to Melisa’s head. He licked his lips and looked straight into Melisa's eyes. “I did not kill him,” Mr.Calixtro said and pulled the gun’s trigger.

Melisa’s body falls down on the floor with blood flowing from her body in the blink of an eye. Her smile slowly lost as she ran out of breath. Mr.Calitro turned around and handed his gun to Ralph. “Clean this and make sure to give her a burial.” he ordered. Ralph nodded and went towards Rodrigo. While Mr.Calixtro walks out the store. He got in the car and dialled a number.

“Hello?” the person on the line asked as soon it answered the phone.

“Have you already called all the gangs?” Mr.Calixtro asked.

“Yes sir, they’ll be waiting for you here.” it replied.

“Good, wait for me.”Mr.Calixtro said and hung up the phone.

Mr.Calixtro takes a deep breath, he is still thinking why he killed Melisa. Is it because of his rule that everyone who betrayed him must be killed. “Or is it because I felt guilty?” he said out of nowhere and took a sight again.

He set aside his thoughts when Ralph suddenly opened the car door, “sir,” he said and handed Mr.Calixtro a phone. The phone shows the recent message of Melisa to one of the Sampaguita’s gang. “They already track Lisa.” he said and threw the phone to Ralph. “What should we do sir?” Ralph asked.

Mr.Calixtro smirked and said, “point our guns at them.”