CHAPTER 5: Starbucks Shooting

Enzo's POV

I sighed. "What a tiring day!"

I am drying my wet hair using the face towel as I got out of the bathroom.

Meanwhile, I am standing before the terrace while sipping my dark coffee. It's seven in the evening and I am expecting to see my ex girlfriend again. Before seven, I need to be here so I could see Dina go out of her house because she has a work, at the night club.

I was having a momentum in the balcony and under the moon lit night when Lira barged into my room without knocking the door. "Who are you looking at? Your ex?" she asks freshly.

I ran towards her and immediately hit her head using my knuckle. "You dork! Learn how to respect private spaces or at least learn how to knock!"

"That's hard, bro!" she exclaimed while rubbing her head, trying to ease the pain.

"Because you're a stupid dork! Errant."

"At least I am not hopeless romantic like you!" she backfired before storming out of my room.

"And so if I am hopeless romantic?!" I shouted on top of my lungs although she's already gone through the door.

When she's no longer around, I spend a little more minute to wait until Dina finally went out of her house but what made my brows furrowed was when I saw his boyfriend leading the way for her while holding her waist. She's wearing a silver slutty dress that almost showed her big boobs.

My eyes widened when the old man kissed her on the lips while they're crossing the road because his car is on another side.

"Tsk, kissing in the middle of the road? In front of my dark coffee? How inconsiderate they are," I said, annoyed with my eyes rolling in clockwise motion.

I stayed up here in my place while watching the two boarding the car. As I look at them, my mind starts to create ideas or judgments to be specific such as she, having a relationship with that rich old man for the sake of his money as a change and also it's Dina's cup of tea to date old guys for it gives thrill to her life particularly in sex aspect.

If Dina really likes the old guy, I think that's the end of the game.

I was cut to my judgmental thought when my company phone rings on top of the table.

"A message?" my face contorted in confusion when I saw an incoming message from the Director.

Starbucks, 7:00 PM.

"Why did he text me at this hour?" I frowned. "Shall I meet him at Starbucks?"

Nonetheless, the message sounds urgent so I need to hurry myself. When I tidied up myself already, I immediately went outside of our house without disturbing my mother in her sleep and wait for the tricycle to come.

"Where is our destination, sir?"

"Starbucks," I answered before getting into the tricycle. Just so you know, the Starbucks is actually a twenty minutes walking distance so I don't have to mind the time because it is impossible for me not to be on time.

It's just nearby.

Copy, I'm on my way sir.

I texted back the number telling that I am off to Starbucks. After almost ten minutes of traveling along the hustle and bustle of the highway, we finally made it to the Starbucks. I has not yet descended from the tricycle when I saw the beautiful man named Aiden and... Chairman?

"Why is he with Chairman?" Asking under my breath, confused.

I was about to leave the tricycle and get inside the coffee house when the driver spoke himself, "Hijo, your fare!"

"Oh, I am sorry, I forgot." I hurriedly gave him my fare and then went inside the Starbucks.

Before I could finally present myself to my bosses, I fully made sure that I am neat and presentable enough. I cleared my throat first before greeting the two of them.

"Good evening, Chairman and Director!" I bowed my head a bit in front of them to pay respect.

"Please have a sit." the Chairman kindly pointed the chair opposing his direction.

"Thank you."

"Good evening, Enzo. Now that you already knew about the hidden laboratory of Gomez Robotics, you are already part of the mission."

"What do you mean by mission, Chairman?" and now my mind starts to collect confusing ideas again.

My focus shifted to Aiden when he answers my question, "Just like what I've said earlier in the main laboratory, only the three of us knew about the hidden laboratory or the life of the company. Furthermore, the Gomez Robotics has tons of competitors inside and outside of the industry, personal and non-personal attack and once they get to know our strength? They will use it to disintegrate us into dust."

It's an Aiden thing when he's trying to be serious while being not serious at all. What a talent.

"What is the mission, then? Is it dangerous?" there is a hint of fears in my voice.

If the mission is dangerous enough to kill me, then I think this job is not for me. By jus thinking of my mother and sister being left behind pains me already. I can't leave them.

They exchanged glances as if they're secretly talking in front of me and based on their eyes, they really are talking.

"To tell you honestly, your life will be in danger," said Chairman in whisper.

"What?"

The silence engulfed our atmosphere until I break it.

"If that so, I am sorry but I think this is not the job that I have signed up for."

"Don't worry, you are protected by the Gomez Group. You know, it's been a long time since I sat on this position and now that I am too old to run the company, I need to pass it as early as possible to my one and only option and he is Aiden."

"But, sir, how sure are you that my life will not be put in peril? I have a family who's waiting for me at home." pins and needles starts to grow in my chest by just thinking of my life being in a place of danger.

"Mr. Romero..." he looked at my eyes meaningfully. "I know who are my traitors. Yes, I'm getting older but my mind would stay sharp just like before," the way he said those words made my hairs stood their ends.

"Chairman, I think I couldn't go on this job. I'm sorry." I took the company phone inside my front pocket and leave it on the table facing Sir Aiden position.

I stood up and tilted my head a bit to pay respect. I was about to leave them when Chairman speak again.

"I will allow you to leave if you really can't do this job, but let me open this one for you, if ever we're killed by our traitors at least there is one person who knows the truth and that is you, Enzo." he's saying the line while I am not facing their direction. I got nervous too when I heard the words of Chairman.

I didn't respond to that statement but rather continued walking out of the Starbucks store.

"Was he trying to make me feel guilty?" I murmured.

I walked through the road whereabout is the terminal of tricycle.

"Our destination, sir?"

"San Antonio," was all I said before I hop in the tricycle.

We're not yet moving in our place when I heard multiple gunshots from somewhere else. Because of the abrupt and shocking sound, the driver started the engine and leave the terminal immediately.

"We need to leave as fast as we can so we could avoid danger."

"...if ever we're killed by our traitors at least there is one person who knows the truth and that is you, Enzo."

"Stooop!"

"What?"

"I said stop!" I shouted at him and there he stopped the tricycle.

Without thinking the danger, I descended from the tricycle and ran as fast as I could until I reached Starbucks.

There are bunch of people in the place, gossiping around the incident.

"What happened?" I asked while my hands' shaking in nervousness and worriedness at the same time.

"Someone just got shot!" the girl answered.

My eyes dawned to the table where the Chairman and Aiden used to sit on but what made my eyes wide open when I saw Chairman sitting on the floor while holding Aiden's on his lap because the Director was the one who received the bullets. Fortunately, he's still alive.

"What happened, Chairman?" I am panicking but the Chairman didn't acknowledge my concern.

"Janus! Help me carry Aiden to the car!" I responded too even if I wasn't asked to help.

Sir Aiden was soaked in his own blood. To fully make sure the safety of Aiden's life, Janus compressed the time and hurriedly drove the car to the nearest hospital.

"Aiden, how's your feeling?" asked Chairman. Wait, is he really concern about his grandson?

What confuses me right at this moment was the way Chairman deals with the situation. You cannot see any worriedness or even fear in Chairman's face. I better conclude that Aiden inherited it from him. It seems like this happening is all normal for them.

"Chairman, why do you look unbothered in this near death situation? Just plain curious."

"Do you still have to know?" was all he answered.

I was halted upon his question and felt ashamed. Because of that, I decided not to ask any more question but rather help the Chairman to stop the bleeding of Aiden's wound.

"Don't you dare touch my skin or else you will be in the same situation as this!" he threatened while showing his austere face.

"What the heck? I'm just trying to help?!"

My voice escalated because of his uncouthness and never thought that he's my boss.

"You left, remember?"

I looked at him menacingly. "Such a baby," I said in whisper.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing." I lied.

We're bickering like we're just the two of us here inside the car.

We waited for another minutes until the driver said that we're already at the hospital. The nurses greeted us with the stretcher bed so Aiden could get inside the hospital more safe and faster.

We followed the nurses from their behind until one of the nurse advised us to wait outside the emergency room.

I hope Director Aiden will be fine.

Hours passed by but still we're at the waiting area outside the emergency room waiting for the doctor to come out. It's already past eleven in the evening and I am starting to yawn in drowsiness here in my sit.

"Hello, CK?" my drowsiness faded away when I heard Chairman's voice. He's talking to someone over the phone. The way he talk seemed like he's in the middle of the meeting when in fact his grandson is in critical condition.

"You need to talk to me later." after saying the line, he ended the call.

"Ah, Chairman?"

"Yes?"

"I hope you don't mind me asking but who is CK?"

"I will allow you to know if you will also allow yourself to work with us. But first and foremost, once you accept the job, I will make you as our personal programmer and a personal security of Aiden which means, you need to look after him all the time."

"What? I applied for being a programmer and not a security." because of these sudden changes in the environment, I can't help myself but to laugh at out of it.

"I have seen how worried you were to my grandson that was why I jumped to a decision to appoint you as my grandson's personal security."

"Chairman, I'll repeat once again, I did not apply for Gomez Robotics just to be a security guard." I explained slowly so he could understand.

"I'll double your salary then, my grandson's security is way more important than anything else." and at this moment, I finally have seen emotion on his face. His eyes says it all.

They need someone to help them pass this storm of their life. He just want to make sure that Aiden would live a peaceful and safe life.

"I am in total lost of words, to be honest." I sat myself on the chair at the waiting area.

It feels like I was drained.

"Enzo, I believe that you're trustworthy person. I believe in you, so once you accept the deal you'll know every single detail of our lives." the utmost sincerity in his voice made me shut my mouth.

The conversation was cut when the doctor came out of the emergency room and interrupted us.

"Mr. Gomez?"

"David, how's my grandson?" the way he called his name seemed like they've been and seen each other for many times.

"He's stable now, Chairman. We successfully removed the two bullets on his right arm."

"Oh, thank God! Where is he?"

"You can now visit him in his private room. But before that, Chairman please be extra careful next time. We never know what's going to happen next time. Anyways, I have to go." the doctor reminded before leaving us.

The other nurse was left with us to help us find the private room whereabout Aiden is resting at.

"This is his room."

"Thank you." then, I opened the door and let Chairman go inside first before me.

I was halted upon walking inside in unison with gulping my own water when we saw Aiden being topless while standing before the whole body mirror. He's checking his body, I guess.

What the hell? How come this man can be both handsome and gorgeous at the same time? His built is really good too.

To tell you honestly, his body looks like being taken care of at the gym whole day but what caught my whole attention were the four bandages in both of his arms.

"How's the feeling of my grandson?" asked Chairman, sincerely.

"I'm already fine, Chairman. Don't worry about me, I know my body." he gave his grandfather a sweet smile so he wouldn't worry anymore.

But because of my confusion, I decided to interfere their conversation.

"Director, can I ask a question?" then I scratched the back of my head because of shyness.

"What is it?" he responded errantly as if he's getting annoyed at my presence. Likewise, bruh.

"As far as I remember, you have received two bullets in the Starbucks shooting." I keep on scratching my head because it's really giving me pins and needles and nervousness at the same time.

"Where's the question there?" still inexorable.

"Wait, are you in a hurry?" I fueled, "Why do you have four bandages if you just got two bullets at the shooting?" there's a hint of mockery in my voice.

He wasn't able to explain when Chairman interjects, "Enzo, Aiden is in danger. There are people who wants to shoot him down. It has been four years since it started. If you're still confused about the wounds, Aiden was shoot four times within two weeks."

I am in dire flabbergast when I heard the reason why.

"And our alleged suspect is my freaking step brother, CK!" he retorted as if he get used to him.

CK? As in the man who had a quick phone call with Chairman?

"That's why I need your help." Chairman added.

I released heavy breath once again because of pressure. You know what was holding me back to agree with the deal? The security guard thingy, every time I remember that one, it makes me hesitate.

"Why don't you try to hire agents to protect your grandson? This one is a better option, though."

"No, no, no, you're not getting the point, Enzo. Once the board of directors get a hint about Aiden's situation, they will use the opportunity to ruin his name so they would have bigger chance to manipulate the company and soon run it themselves. The reason why we're choosing you is because we want to process everything smoothly all at once. Protecting Aiden and finishing the humanoid robot at the same time and that is possible when you're with us."

I massaged both of my temple because I am having vertigo right at this moment.

"This is hard." I murmured.

"But if you really don't want to get the opportunity, you can leave now." said Aiden without tearing his focus on the mirror.

"What if I accept the deal?" both of them looked at me in chorus.

"Well, congrats," he greeted lifelessly.

"Your life is in my hand now." there is an emphasis in Chairman's voice.

Do I make the right choice or not?

<a novel written by kuyasitan>