Chapter 86: Marco Junior Disappearance in China

Shanghai, China

"Oliver, please call Marco Junior to prepare his things to be sent in a cargo going to the Philippines. Also kindly prepare the secret room for video conferencing with CIA Headquarter."

"Yes Sir." Oliver looked at Janet Liang with excitement in his eyes.

Janet said to Oliver, "Yes Oliver I'll call Marco Junior now." She dialed Marco Junior's number, but nobody's answering. She looked at Oliver and mimicked with her hands in the air.

"Sir Marco, no answer for Marco Junior. I suggest, we have to visit him on his apartment?"

"Yes Oliver, by the way, what happened to Benjamin Gustilo?"

"Our source said he disappeared without a trace even his apartment was closed."

"Did Marco Junior meet his grandfather?"

"I don't know Sir, but it's better we have to go there now."

"Where's Anne Rose?"

"She's still in her room sleeping."

"Okay Oliver, Janet, Let's go!"

When Marco Senior, Oliver, and Janet arrived at Marco Junior's apartment, it was locked and there was no sign of him. Marco Senior called Marco Junior but he got no answer. Marco Senior decided to go back to his apartment and video conferencing at HQ.

"Oliver, Janet, prepares everything and open the monitors. You two are just here by my side while we talk."

"Okay sir."

The monitor opened and Marco Fernando Senior's direct officers began to appear.

"Good afternoon Officers. Today I am reporting to you after my rescue, but my source said Benjamin Gustilo disappeared, my son Marco Junior too and my daughter Anne Rose Fernando, still here on my apartment. I would like to know the updates for my mission?"

"Your assignment was carried by another operation officer, and your daughter will accompany you to the Philippines, and report here in HQ afterwards. Your businesses around China will be carried by your daughter until it will be offered for sale or other ways to dispose of it. You are a Billionaire and your cover is very dangerous now, especially Benjamin Gustilo knew about your status."

"Sir I would like to go to the Philippines as what you ordered, may I know what's my next mission?"

"No, you will visit us here at HQ and your next mission will be given to you. The same is true with your daughter, Anne Rose Fernando."

"Thank you Sir, bye!"

"Thank you."

The screen went dark and Marco Senior looked at Oliver and Janet when his mobile phone rang.

"Hello, this is Spider, from another operation officer. We have news for you that your son Marco Junior was spotted boarding the plane going to the Philippines. Thank you."

"Thank you for the news update." Marco Senior closed the mobile phone and faced Oliver and Janet. "Marco. My son was spotted boarding the plane going to the Philippines. Why?"

XXX

Manila, Philippines

When Marco Junior learned that his grandfather suddenly disappeared, he decided to return home to the Philippines to study Law and be with Hershey. He did not inform his father so that his decision in his life would not be affected. He wants to study Law in the Philippines.

Hershey Villamor Harus sat in the Bachelor of Arts Major in History course, she was bored to study, maybe to death. She had already learned everything about Philippine history and thought she didn't really need to take this course on the structure of the Philippine colonies. An entire course devoted to the Philippine colony? She will not work in Philippine Colonial History. She is more focused on the reconstruction period of the modern Philippines and civil rights.

That's what she wanted to do. Sighing, she leaned back in her chair, pretending to concentrate, but her mind was actually staring into space.

"You do know that he likes to call the students from time to time, right?" A voice whispered from beside her. Hershey jumped a little, startled. Looking up, she smiled at the woman who spoke. "Really? Have you observed him before?"

The girl shrugged, dark makeup around her eyes, "Professor Owen Aguilar, you will learn to despise him."

Hershey laughed softly, "Hershey Villamor Harus"

"Jade Alberto," said the girl with a smile on her face.

"Which is the first name?"

"Of course my name is Jade, my last name is Alberto. I'm not a boy, what? I'm a gurl."

"Oh, wow. Your name is beautiful."

Jade laughed, "Yep. I was told that when I was young." She whispered.

"Where from?" Hershey asked curiously.

"I'm from Negros Occidental, Bisaya really. But my mother is Egyptian."

"Your mother is Egyptian? Maybe she's beautiful like you." Hershey whispered.

Jade laughed, "My mom is beautiful. They were looking for something unique and a friend of theirs suggested the name. It was good and lucky, but then I looked it up and whola! I guess I was lucky in that aspect, because I didn't my family is poor."

Hershey smiled, "Cool."

"Hershey, Jade, would you two like to explain what's catching your attention?" Hershey closed her eyes, feeling a blush.

"Oh, we're just introducing ourselves Professor Aguilar."

"Try to do this on your own time and not mine Ms. Hershey, Ms. Jade, you know the rules." Professor Aguilar said in a crisp tone.

Jade greeted the professor, "Sorry about that, Professor."

The professor stared at the two women before returning to his lesson. The class's attention immediately returned to the board.

Jade rolled her eyes, "L.T.L."

Hershey's eyes narrowed, "What's LTL?"

"Let's talk later."

Hershey smiled, "Cool."

After class, Hershey puts her papers in her bag and zips up the contents. Pulling the straps over her shoulders, she stood up from the desk and walked out of the classroom. As soon as she did, Jade met her at the door.

"So, where did you go to school?" Jade asked.

Hershey shrugged her shoulders, "I'm from Bacoor City, Cavite where I lived now. When I was 16 years old I studied at NYU. I returned to Bacoor last year and worked."

"You really look like you're in New York, you're beautiful. Why are you here today?"

Hershey made Jade angry. "Because I like it here."

They walked together in the hallway and out of the H (History) building.

"Ha, ha, ha. I mean, what brought you here, to UST?" Jade stated, her light brown eyes looking at Hershey's coffee browns with a strange interest. Hershey sighed, "Well, I've been there for about four years. I came here a year ago with my mom and step dad along with my sister Vicki. I always planned to go back to New York but life interfered with me and here I am."

Jade sighed, "That was fun."

"What other class are you?" asked Hershey.

"Anatomy, is next, beyond that point, I really don't know. I only have two courses today. Tomorrow should be three, but I'm not sure which three."

"Oh. How many times a week do you go to school?"

"Tuesdays and Wednesday. Anyway, enough school chitchat. You going to the party their throwing tonight?"

Hershey narrowed her brows, "First day of school and they're throwing parties?"

"That's college life, are you going or what?"

Hershey sighed, "Maybe not, I have class tomorrow and I have to study."

Did Jade raise an eyebrow? "Study? Why do you want to do that when you can party?" Hershey laughed as the two girls walked across campus to their cars. When they pulled up next to each other's cars, Hershey raised an eyebrow, looking at Jade's car. A red and white 2000 Saturn. "Looks like we parked next to each other," Jade said with a wink.

"Yep. Pretty cool."

"So, you're going to the party tonight?" Jade asked one last time before opening the door to her Saturn.

"No, homework." Hershey said, opening hers.

"Ahk, you need to have fun, do something, homework's not due till Friday."

"And, we still have to finish it."

"Hershey, you have at least one week to finish the assignment."

"I know, but I want to do everything early. Well, I don't really want to party."

"Why not? You might really enjoy it."

"I've never been a party girl."

"Never been a party girl?"

"No. I mean I don't have a reason either."

"Well, shit girl, you need to get your experience before you graduate."

"It's cool. I don't feel like a party anyhow. I'm going home and studying."

Jade shrugged, "Suit yourself darling, but please note, I will have a blast. See you next week."

"Yes."

At the end of the conversation, the two girls got into their cars and closed the door, driving in different directions.

Hershey opened her dorm door and looked around. Two beds sat on one side of each wall, far from each other, while a table sat in front next to the wall connected to the door. Closing the door and walking straight to the two beds, Hershey entered a room with a door to the right of the entrance. Inside that door is a bathroom. Her roommate had placed peach-colored decorations in the bathroom, a rug, shower curtain, and two towels hanging on a towel rack located next to the door. The bathroom is small.

There is a bookshelf located at the bottom of the room with two books. The bookshelf is large enough to carry many books. Hershey nodded his head, thankful that she had a place to put her books. Turning her head, she noticed a wall covered in a light gray color, which contrasted with the beige carpet.

There were two small gray-blue lounge chairs, one in each corner of the room, with a tall lamp located between them. Hershey went to the lamp, flicked the switch, and watched as it illuminated the room. Shaking her head with a smile, she sighed, not bad. Not bad at all. He turned off the light and then headed to the last room of the place. There is a small counter and sink with granite countertops A microwave is built into the middle of the cabinets located above the sink. Hershey raised an eyebrow in surprise. A microwave built into the middle of the cupboards? That she didn't see.

Sighing, she turned from the room and walked back into the living room and then into the bedroom. She put her things in the drawers attached to the bed. Sighing, she lay down on her well-made bed and sat there staring at the ceiling.

Thinking, she thought of the invitation to the party that Jade Alberto had given her. When was the last time she was happy? It wouldn't kill her if she went, because she had tomorrow and the rest of the week to do her homework. She was startled by the ringing of her phone inside the purse that she placed on the bed. Reaching inside the bag, she pulled it open and opened the lid, "Hello?"

"Hey, baby." The deep voice on the other end smiled.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Marco Junior let out a sad sigh, "Well, I made it back to the Philippines."

Hershey laughed, "Are you serious?" Her tone was happy.

"Yes I'm serious. I left Shanghai without a word."

XXX