Leanna-Chapter 245: [EMERY] 1

Year 2027

I glanced at my tattered, outdated ’wanna look like rich’ fake Patek Philippe watch.

[7:04]

Jackson is late.

The supposed meeting time was six in the morning.

I roamed my eyes around inside the small shabby looking eatery I was in. It was your typical rundown place, ’sari-sari’ store with a small eatery. A common store or ’karenderia’ was what we call it in our country.

The place was so deprived it looked like it would crumble at any moment. The walls were dilapidated that anyone could see the rotten wooden studs inside the drywall. The floor wasn’t even tiled or at least cemented. It was just pure dirt.

Everyone had to watch their steps if they didn’t want to walk on an unidentified poop or saliva or chewing gum while different insects and rodents raced all around. The roof was a mix of scraped metals put together, and the only light was from those holes on the broken roof and the bare front wall.

But the worse part was the food mixed with flies, cockroaches, or even worse –– drowned rat.

Well, what else would you expect in the slums?

I sighed and took a long glance at the people around me.

Two of my long-time friends were seated in front of me without a care in the world, happily chatting together, both have beers in hand.

"Hey, guys! Sorry, I’m late!"

The three of us glanced at Jackson, who finally arrived together with an unfamiliar man with glasses.

Jackson and the unknown man pulled a chair and sat at our table.

"Jackson, you asshole! You finally decided to show up. The nerve of you to set the meeting time at six in the morning when you’re going to be this late!" one of my friends said with a laugh.

Jackson just grinned. "Sorry, John’s plane here arrived a little late, so I had to wait for him a little longer in the airport."

"John?" I frowned and looked at the man beside Jackson.

Now that I took a closer look at him, I noticed he wasn’t a local here with his tall and more bigger built and white skin and blonde hair.

He must be a foreigner.

"Right, guys let me introduce you all to our employer. This is John. John, meet my friends, Caloy, Boboy, and Lance," Jackson announced, pointing at each one of us.

"Hey, everyone. It’s nice to finally meet ya’ all," John said in an enthusiastic voice as he removed his sunglasses, and dark shades of blue stumbled our view.

Yep, that accent and color of eyes. Definitely a foreigner.

"WOW! A foreigner! Man, never thought I would meet one, and you can understand our language?" Caloy asked, starting a conversation with the foreign man.

I couldn’t exactly blame them. It’s not every day a foreigner would chat with people in the slums.

"Yes, I can understand and speak your language since my mother was born here," John answered, smiling.

There was nothing out of the ordinary about him. He must be in his thirties. Short hair, small stubbles along his angular jaw, well-built as his arms coated in tattoos. He was ragged, and there was something dangerous about him.

"That’s so cool! You look nothing like us, though! Where are you from? Are you here on vacation? Is it the reason why you want to hire us? Jackson said, you wanted some locals to show you around."

Boboy continued to fawn over the man before Jackson decided to stop them when John was beginning to get irritated. I would be too if I was barraged with so many questions all at once.

"Guys, enough," Jackson reprimanded and shot John an awkward smile, showing his yellow, tattered teeth. "Sorry ’bout that. My friends are not used to seeing foreigners much."

John stared at us for a moment. He then flashed us a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "That’s alright. If you don’t mind, I will now explain the nature of your job."

Finally!

I was getting annoyed. First of all, I waited for more than an hour. Second, I had to get to my janitorial job at eight. At the rate this was going, I’d be late –– again, and it would be my fourth late this week, which meant a week of suspension without pay.

"As you know, I contacted Jackson here to find me, someone who knows this city like the back of their hands and someone who knows a secluded province away from here," John started.

I didn’t know how exactly this man and Jackson met since Jackson hadn’t told us anything about this guy until a week ago.

"So you wanted us to be your guide then? Don’t worry. Me and Caloy were practically born here all our lives. We know everything that is to know. The places, the roads, the shortcuts, and every twist and turn. You won’t be disappointed!" Boboy exclaimed with a smug smile on his face, smacking his chest along the way.

Jackson chuckled as he too joined in. "John, leave the province to us. Me and Lance were born in a field three hours from here. We know a place that is off the map. No one can find it."

My forehead crumpled. I didn’t have to say that was suspicious. Questions after questions arose in my mind, but I remained quiet.

Firstly, I trust Jackson. We were friends for more than ten years. We were those few from our group who left our province to try our luck in the city.

And second, I needed this job.

Jackson said all we had to do was show this man our province and a place to stay and would automatically be rewarded with one thousand fucking dollars. I know this money wouldn’t last long, but it was enough to cover me for at least a month.

I was ashamed to say that at my age, where I should already pay for myself, I still depended on my sister’s allowance to pay for my rent and food since my meager salary as a janitor couldn’t sustain me. It all went to booze.

That’s the downside if you hadn’t finished college.

You’re stuck with miscellaneous jobs that paid like shit.

Ever since my parents and twin brother, Lawrence’s death, my alcohol addiction got worse to the point that my body could no longer live a day without it. I think it was my coping mechanism since the depression would go away, at least, when I was drinking.

"I’m glad to hear that. If the operation goes smoothly, all of you will get an extra thousand dollars each." John’s eyes glint. It was rather scary, but it was gone the moment I blinked.

Somehow, I had a bad feeling about this.

While my friends happily laughed, feeling elated that they could get easy money from being a simple guide. I, on the other hand, grew suspicious by the minute.

"Excuse me, but I have some questions," I said, couldn’t take the nagging feeling that something was not right.

All of them stopped and glanced at my direction while John arched an eyebrow. "Yes, what is it?"

I cleared my throat and looked at the foreign man straight in the eyes. But not even a second, I retreated when I could not stand the intimidating air he possessed.

"I’m curious, why us though?" I asked.

As expected, my friends frowned, and each took turns to glare at me. They must be scared that John would withdraw his offer. After all, what they cared about was the money, they didn’t care about the details.

I was too. If not for this continuing bad feeling that bothers me.

"Lance, what are you talking about? We should be happy that Mr. John offered this job to us. Helping us in the process," Boboy barked, and I was so sure he was drunk from the high frequency of his voice.

"Don’t get me wrong. I am grateful you hired us." I defended. "But why us and not an agency? And what exactly do you want us to do? Is it just being your guide? Or are there some more to it?"

Since the pay is too good to be true for a simple job. I mused to myself.

"And why a secluded place in the province?" I continued asking, not minding the murderous glares of my friends.

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, John gave out a laugh. "Ahahahaha. It’s nice to know that someone is still using their brain."

He then leaned forward and crossed his fingers on the table, looking relaxed. "If you let me, I will further explain the specifics of your jobs."

I didn’t like the arrogance in his tone and the words he said, but the kick I received under the table shut my mouth tight.

"Your job won’t be a tour guide," John started, "I specifically requested for locals because you know all the alleyways and secret roads as well as every twist and turn in this city."

He then focused his eyes on Boboy and Caloy as he continued, "You two will show me that. Those hidden routes, roads, and alleyways as well as shortcuts."