Chapter 47: The Secret Invitation

In Dubai City, United Arab Emirates, I continued my successful business endeavors through which I molded my empire and siblings for the coming years of their lives. Beneath the success, I felt something was within my reach but cannot decipher what it was that was in-store for me. The rigors of my undaunted dedication to growing made me continuously search for excitement and challenges in life. I never gave up hope even in the midst of my age; to help my children's future.

Looking at the glass wall of one of the famous buildings in Dubai where I viewed the city as the most modern metropolis in the world. "This is where I started with my dreams, really Dubai is the City of Dreams," I thought.

I fingered my modern-diamond-encrusted mobile phone, looked at it with excitement, and dial a number, "Okay, meet me at the Gold Souk in Deira, at ten in the morning. I'm wearing blue jeans, a royal blue T-shirt, a black bull cap and a black men's shoulder bag. Bye."

I returned the mobile phone to its case but changed the SIM card to another one. Get the other extra mobile phone and replace it coming from the diamond-encrusted mobile phone. Filled the wine glass with a shot of whiskey and gulp it. Opened the latest component theater systems, connect the USB, and play. The video played the actual footage of a woman conducting a meeting with a bunch of young male and female aspirants for the job. A secret job...

I viewed this video even before, studied, and decided to meet the American guy. My conclusion - is that I must get involved through the love of my children. They made their own lives and each one of them fully knew the rough roads ahead. Completed with their schooling and personal interests, I thought that they can resolve any obstacles and anticipated pain while reaching their successful careers.

I started to wear my prosthetic mask, dressed in blue denim pants and my favorite royal blue T-shirt, a black bull cap, and a men's shoulder bag. I usually wore this outfit when I wanted to camouflage my identity; a routine that I never forget when meeting other people outside of my family circle.

This meeting is very important for me, as what I concluded and decided, thus, a vital gesture for my cooperation and an important value for my family.

I secured my condo on the 100th floor, Burj Khalifa, before leaving, rode in a lift going to the basement where a taxi cab was waiting for me.

"Sir Marco, good morning, I am ready," Oliver Luna greeted me. I smiled and lightly pat him on the back saying, "Okay, let's go, Mike...Oliver!"

"Sir... Oliver's my name...not Mike."

"Okay Oliver...yes, Oliver."

The incident that took place a few years back flashed into my mind. I stared at Oliver Luna's face, the lone son of Mike Luna who helped my destiny in Manila. I remember Mike, as always, as my best friend, personal aide, and even a brother. Mike wished to his son and wife as I promised...to take good care of them...a secret promise.

Mike Luna had been with me since my wealth increased a hundredfold, always on my side but betrayed me until he shot himself...in my presence...in front of my family. His memories are still chained inside of me. I hired his son, Oliver Luna, as what I promised and as what I wanted to.

I checked his background before hiring him. Oliver Luna graduated from the famous university in Manila as Computer Engineer. He divulged his time learning this trade and working in a large American Corporation until I hired him to work in Dubai. He knew in advance of the meeting with an American guy as I instructed. He's always ready for this kind of meeting his mindset was to defend me at all costs. But I always called him Mike to refresh the memory of my best friend Mike Luna.

"Mike...Oliver, careful....especially the local authorities of Dubai..." I said while eyeing the traffic along Al Maktoum Bridge.

"Yes Sir....thank you," Oliver answered as always.

We waited for a few minutes because that's the natural thing to do instead of finding a way that can change their luck.

It was really our lucky day today, especially for Oliver Luna who met a beautiful Chinese girl, Janet Liang, a businesswoman, the other day with a penchant for a Filipino guy like him. They met according to the lucky charm she was wearing at that time, a necklace given by his father when she reached her womanhood at 18 years old. A lovely thing she cherished for herself and her future. She has the elegance that could make a man follow her to heaven.

The car moved to its course heading to Deira Gold Souk where I disembarked at the corner of the street while the white car followed me behind. I checked myself carefully including the mask I'm wearing, concentrated on the surroundings, and spotted a white man. He's wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt too; normal casual wear worn by western tourists wearing sunglasses and carrying a postman bag.

The white man looked at me for a few seconds and then entered the gold shop where an Indian guy attended him. He asked for an 18-K gold ring that exactly fits his finger and asked for the price. I followed through inside the shop beside him waiting to be served by the Indian guy but saw the sealed envelope fall on the concrete floor. I checked the environment for any CCTV. I hastily picked it up and put it inside my bag.

"Hey! Hurry up man! I'm waiting..." I said to him doing my antics to distract the people around.

"What the hell are you doing man? Wait for your turn, okay?" The white man said to me while pinpointing his finger to my face.

"Oh, my turn? It's inside my bag bastard! Bye!" I said while leaving the gold shop heading to another shop, buying a set of Indian-inspired solid gold bangles with an intricate design. I paid in cash and hurriedly went outside the shop walking briskly.

Along the narrow alleys, I find my way up to stores selling spices of different kinds, bought some of them, and carried them through the main street where the bus terminal was stationed. I positioned myself on the sidewalk waiting for a taxi cab where the same taxi cab halted in front of me. I opened the door and said, "Back."

"How's the meeting Sir, fine?" Oliver asked.

"As usual, the heaven's been good to me." I said in a usual voice. "Back to the condo..."

"Yes sir."

The taxi cab moved slowly as per the city's traffic regulation heading to the new tallest building in Dubai City. As per our usual way of getting positive results; Oliver and I have our own chores to do after completing a mission. That's the thing it made us click with each other, oneness and togetherness.

Oliver Luna has the abilities, skills, and intelligence like me. A true-bloodied bastard like his father...like me; studied every facet of being a billionaire...of being like me and more than that, Oliver's computer genius of his generation. They have similar physical features, flare, poise, and even personality. A natural-born of similarities that amazed me by what I observed about Mike Luna's son. Oliver knew that even before I hired him, he has the time to study his father's best friend and his personal idol too. Sometimes, Oliver thought that he envied his father being with him roaming around the world, enjoying life without any qualms, and living the way they wanted it to be. But deep inside and it's always on his mind; "I'm different from my father."

Oliver lived with me together inside this elegant way of living which made him know the difference between a rich man and a poor one. But he can blend easily at any moment at any place all the time as what I wanted him to be and the loyalty that he promised and honored through his father, for me alone.

I got numerous collections of masks that suited him too when he wanted them in a given place and time. It's imported from the US and supplied as per my request. The company offered me the latest invention, flexibility, durability, and the skill to wear and transform without hassle on my part. The modern technology-driven masks were being manufactured for me alone. A tailor-made mask for changing my identity, anytime and anyplace.

As I opened the remote-controlled door of the condo, I suddenly halted when I noticed some fingerprints at the base of the door. Oliver took the tiny cam and aim for the smudges. These must be known for our own security and safety. Every minute detail was very vital as our motto while living together and outside of our habitat means; planning to be our enemy, already an enemy, or friends that change their feathers as time goes by.

"Oliver checks that and gives me the result," I commanded him seriously.

"Okay, right away Sir Marco," he said right away.

I opened the sealed envelope with printed words "Burn After Reading," check the contents and jot it down on the writing pad. I totally deciphered the contents, connected the USB to the PC, and began to watch.

After watching the video, I decided instantly to report to CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, United States of America. I thought that this was the time to fully know why the CIA kept on sending video footage of my children. My children were fully educated privately by the American instructors at home, and according to my wife Ayah Isabel, they were connected with the CIA. I really wanted to know why.

XXX