The Escape

"Dino, would the 'friends' know that I am one of those who send you the information? " Allie referred these people from the black market as friends.

"You have been living in that place since you were a child and all the people in the community are known to protect each other since most of them are related through kinship."

"They do not know about our friendship, as well, since I never went to your place. You were just a freshman when our friendship started and I was in fourth year. Eversince I move to uncle's house, we only communicated through phone and social media accounts in pseudo names. And though we meet sometimes, they couldn't possibly relate it to our connection. "

Allie was a little relieved but she just couldn't simply take her worries away.

"Do you have relatives working in the plant? " An idea came to Dino while he was also thinking hard if Allie could really be spared from this trouble.

"Yes, from my mother's side."

"Are they your neighbors?"

Suddenly, Allie's face lit up. Why had she thought about this only now?

"They are renting in Kuya Ben's boarding house near the factory."

She enthusiastically replied, thinking that this fact could get her out of their suspicion. Who would sell out a good relative?

"If he knows that they are your relatives, they would not suspect you. " Dino also sighed in relief.

"What about the latest video? Won't they wonder why it is taken in close proximity to the object? "

Dino also considered this. He knew that he couldn't disregard this matter knowing that he could never eliminate the possibility of betrayal from any of the anti - drug team. If ever there was any traitor from the team, they would dig out the possible sources of information.

In a criminal case, the prosecution must disclose information that forms the basis of its case. While normally prosecutors have to disclose all witnesses who are relevant to the case , whether or not those witnesses will testify, they often don't have to reveal the identity of confidential informants.

"Allie, I will never drag you into this. I will set up false leads since we also sent spies into these plants in the disguise of suppliers, messengers and workers."

"But to be safe for the mean time, why don't you take a vacation for a while then transfer to a bigger university in another city?"

Kamelyo, a name branded by its local residents, was one of the districts of a certain smaller city of Cebu. The whole metropolitan area consisted of 7 neighboring cities and 6 municipalities and the provincial capital is Cebu City.

"That's a good idea but how can I support my studies in a bigger city? "

Allie replied sadly since financial matters would be a hindrance to the plan.

"I will ask uncle to help you with his recommendation for a scholarship program for you. Send me your papers and we will help you with the processes," Dino assured her.

He went ahead. "Allie, I'm afraid that if your whole family will leave, it would create some suspicion. But I promise to protect your parents and let them leave before the raid."

After talking to Dino, Allie discussed this matter to her parents.

"Where will you go? I and your father grew up in this city! " Her mother started to panic, too scared for the life of her daughter.

"The possibility of being traced is very less, ma. " She tried to comfort her, being guilty herself for doing it.

Yet, she understood that if no one would be willing to take the risk to solve a crime, more and more lives would be destroyed.

"Start finding a place to stay in the big city so that you can move as soon as possible. " Her father was already angry with her stupidity.

"Ma, I have a plan. I want to spend my vacation in the place of Ate Elsa's sister. Kuya Leo and his son will be secretly released today and will be sent back home. If you will allow me, I will go."

Allie's parents were reluctant at first but having nowhere to go, they consented in the end. Besides, Elsa had already been their close friend for a long time and that she had also told them many good things about her sister's family.

Dino planned the exit of Leo and Ajie carefully so as not to create any suspicion . Allie also announced her plan to her neighbors, especially Ate Elsa, that she would be enrolling in a bigger university and that she would be leaving as early as now to apply for summer job the university was offering. None of them suspected that she took a bus, instead, that would take her to the northern port of Cebu.

Molave, the home of Ajie's family, was like a hidden paradise in Allie's eyes. The magnificent views of hills and valleys, of fountains and waterfalls, of green farmlands and colorful gardens brought her peace and relaxation her city life had never given her.

Because of her industry, her enthusiasm to help around the household chores and her excitement to help Ajie's routines in the farm, she was instantly loved by his parents. Not only that, they saw that Ajie was happier.

They heard him laugh hard at Allie's simple jokes. They heard him giggle over petty things. They saw how his eyes flickered as they rode on a horse together.

The moonlit nights in the garden, the afternoons by the waterfalls and the mornings in the fountains were witnesses of a beautiful affection that blossomed in the young hearts of these lovely creatures.

When the opening of classes started, they both went back to the city and enrolled together. They stayed in the same boarding house which accepted only few student lodgers, though their rooms were separate. Nevertheless, Allie cooked food for both of them and they ate together. Whoever of them had more time, would do the laundry for both of them, press their uniforms or wash their dishes.

Things went out so well and they became each other's shoulders to lean on. Not long after, their friendship grew stronger and bloomed into a beautiful relationship.

Meanwhile, Kamelyo was cleaned out from all illegal activities. Those troops of drug mules, who swallowed hundreds of drug packets to transport it to different places, were all arrested including those drug lords who were mere frontiers of more powerful individuals who comprised the massive drug cartel.

For a week, all broadcasting networks and tabloids created a great noise upon the capture of 12 foreigners and 3 local citizens who were sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of P10 M each.

The mega lab, which operated underneath the big plants, where found to have plenty of machineries which could manufacture large volumes of illegal drugs. There were also tons of unpacked drugs which were yet undisposed.

Among those who were arrested were Ben and many of Elsa's relatives. Some were also Allie's maternal relatives who worked in that factory.

___

Two years after, when Ajie turned to 18, he proposed a marriage to Allie. When his parents and Elsa's family came to their house for the engagement dinner, Allie's mother fainted. When she felt a little better later, her rough words made Allie felt sicker than how she felt the moment she saw their unwanted guests.

"Allie, you're still too young, and besides, we could never accept anyone from this family. You know very well that they are all uneducated and are thorns of the society. What would be your future in their hands? " Blinded by her anger, she scolded her in front of Ajie's family.

Ajie's family just held their silence as they listened to all the degrading words Allie's parents ranted towards her. Though not thrown towards them directly, her words were like bee stings, hurting them so badly.Of course, they knew their sentiments. It's because all the chaos and riots, which stabbed their hearts in fear for many years, were all caused by Elsa's relatives. They wrongly accused them that the blood of the trouble makers were naturally flowing in their veins all throughout their generation. Ajie was not an exemption.

Allie trembled in shame upon hearing this. She knew that Ajie's family was different and that they lead a noble life. They held a high reputation in the whole district of Molave and throughout the neighboring barangays as good - natured and generous family who owned hectares of farms and land properties.

Feeling shamed and insulted, Elsa's family got angry. Just who was Allie's mother to judge them? Her own relatives were even also among the drug mules!

The tension between the two families intensified when other relatives of both sides meddled and interfered. Because of this, Allie's family decided to move to other place later due to worsening threats between the families.

Ajie and his parents were also greatly humiliated. Yet, out of respect, they talked to Allie sincerely before they left.

"Allie, just hold on until you can be legally married without parental consent. You'll parents will later understand that Ajie is not how they accused him to be. However, as of now, he is so greatly humiliated that he decides to continue his studies in Manila. Let's just hope that everything will turn out fine for both of you in the future."

Allie cried her heart out for many nights. How could she hold on to Ajie's promise? He wasn't even able to fight for her against her parents. How could he vouch for his strength to fight against temptations in the future? Yes, their union had been too sudden and so their story would also be short-lived.

With such uncertainties and the contention between her families, she lost the courage to tell him that she was already two months delayed in her monthly period.