Prologue: Spectrum

spectrum \ˈspek-trəm\

noun

- the group of colors that a ray of light can

- an entire range of light waves, radiowaves, etc.

- a complete range of different opinions, people, etc.

_____

Manila, 2223H

Stars starts twinkling as the night is getting serene. More business establishments close, that adds to the darkness of the night. The traffic is getting smoother as well, for the vehicles that are passing through the major highways are getting few.

After he had some puff from his electronic cigarette, he hopped into his red luxurious car, the 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby, and started the engine.

The night is getting dark and he was driving on his way home. He could feel the tiredness from his eyes, so he was grateful for the night for Buendia's roads are wider than it was 5 hours ago. He can go back to Quezon City with an ease.

"Finally, a well-deserved rest. Our family had been busy this week." he thought.

A rang from his phone to his bluetooth headset was heard. He immediately answered it.

"Hey babe. I miss you."

That voice, that woke up his tired senses.

"Don't you understand? We're just not meant to be."

"Huh? We're not even committed YET." the voice answered with the last word emphasized.

He sighed deeply. "That's the point Ace, we can't be together. I'm sorry." and he dropped the call.

His phone rang again with another phone call, and he answered it with a tap of his finger.

"Hey Ace, would you please stop calling me?" he ordered annoyingly.

"Hey hey Mister Carlo Fulgenzio, I'm not Ace. Well, almost." a manly voice answered calmly.

He shook his head in realization. "Oh Axis, is that you? I'm so sorry man."

"That's fine. Uhm, can we meet in your headquarters tonight? If you don't mind." Axis asked.

"Are you sure? The night is getting dark and I'm driving to Quezon City. You'll have a long way to--" Carlo answered but it was interrupted by Axis. "No problem! I'm already in EDSA-Ortigas. Hintayin nalang kita." and Axis suddenly dropped the call.

"Thankfully, the traffic's so smooth. I can get there in a few minutes." he thought himself.

And after a few minutes, he arrived at the heart of Cubao, in which the Fulgenzio Headquarters stand. He immediately parked the car inside the building, took his phone and got off, and went to the nearest elevator. He pressed the number 18 and the elevator doors closed.

"Buona sera, Signor Fulgenzio."

Two of his staffs greeted him in perfect Italian at the hallway in unison.

"Aren't your shifts over?" he asked them.

One of them answered. "No sir. There would be a video conference meeting later on."

He nodded. "Okay. Have a good night then." and walked away casually.

"Thank you sir!"

They replied as he headed on the posh private lounge. He opened the door himself and sat on the gray sectional/modular sofa.

He searched for Axis' number on his contacts, and called him using his bluetooth headset.

"Hello Axis, where are you?"

"Already in front of the private lounge. Wala bang butler o armed guard nakaabang?" Axis replied.

"Wala because their shift for this private lounge is over. Pasok ka na."

Axis entered the lounge as ordered. He sat beside Carlo, whilst respecting his personal proximity.

"So bro, what's with the urgent personal meeting?" Carlo asked Axis.

"It is something that I've been thinking for months now, and I want you to be a part of it." Axis answered in hintful tone.

-----

Singapore, 0037H

The night's getting dark, and she haven't found the target yet. She has been barhopping for almost 2 hours and she haven't spotted someone to quench her so-called thirst. On the bright side, the drinks are bomb and the music is damn lit that you could get drunk with it.

As she entered the room with blinding lights flashing all around her and beneath her skin and her red loose top, she whispered to herself;

"Oh Clarke Quay, you never change."

She sat down by the bar and ordered something to drink. As she waits, her phone rang from a familiar number that is straight from the Philippines.

She answered the call after a sip of her Manhattan, hoping she could hear the voice on the line clearly despite of being in the club.

"Hello?"

"Hey Maryl! Are you still in Sing--" the voice in a common London accent over the phone stopped for a while in realization. "W-wait. Wait. Are you in a club?"

"Yeah? I'll just finish some business matters before my flight tomorrow. No worries Reign." Maryl answered calmly yet confidently.

"What business matters?" Reign asked quizzically. "Eh nasa nightclub ka? If you wanna flirt, don't get drown on alcohol too much kundi nako." her accent shifted when she started speaking in Tagalog

"Pffft." Maryl reacted. "You know I'm not some sort of a tramp. I'll be fine, don't worry."

"Hey pretty lady, mind if I disturb you for quite some time? For it's pretty unusual for a young woman to drink Manhattan." a guy with somewhat creepy tone approached Maryl.

At least creepy, in her opinion. She's very cautious about talking to a potential sexual predator.

"The newest victim just came. We'll talk later pagkauwi ko." she told Reign.

"Uy Maryl Juneaux w-"

Reign was about to tell her something, but it was stopped for Maryl dropped their call.

"I found you last night on Tinder and gave you a swipe right, I didn't know you're more stunning in person." the creepy guy told Maryl

She looked onto his appearance and told him; "Oh, I didn't saw you there."

But the truth is, she did, and it was almost six months ago when she wasn't interested on him yet so she swiped left. The words she uttered are a fruit of lowkey sarcasm.

"Oh what a bummer." he told her and proceeds to an introduction. "I'm Bryan, Bryan Lee. I know your name is Maryl but what might your whole name be?"

She had another sip of her Manhattan, gave him a sultry look and answered him in a provocatively. "Oh dear, I wanna keep my full name a secret."

He smirked. "Keeping that mysterious vibe, eh? That makes everything hot baby."

Minutes after some sexy persuasion, he drove her to the nearest high-class hotel. They got into the smallest room available and she pushed him to the bed.

Since her initial plan is a success, Maryl swore to herself that this will be the last mindf*ck and she mentally prayed to the heavens that this wouldn't be the Fall of Bataan.

Or Fall of Singapore.

As she seduced him to oblivion, she stretched her arms to her back, and tapped a "go" signal from her watch.

"When are you going to take off that top baby?" he asked.

Maryl gave him the sweetest smile and a sexy tone "But first, I have a surprise for you." she got off from his top and stood her with her arms akimbo. A loud kick from the door was heard, and the National Bureau of Investigation, together with Singapore Police Force showed up with their guns pointed at him.

"Mr. Bryan Lee. You are under arrest for cyberterrorism against the Philippines, and its people."

"What?! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Really? What about March 18, 201*, 219.**.**.**, Singtel Fibre Broadband, in a latitude of 1.**** and longhitude of 103.****, that launched a cyber attack on the Philippine Embassy, and tried to hack their way to the government database with an intention to reset?"

Bryan was shocked of what Maryl just uttered. "How the f*ck did you know that? And I as if I did that crime in the Philippines!"

The Singapore police are handcuffing him without saying anything, for Singapore has no Miranda warning, nor Right to Silence warning. For them, it is a hindrance in investigation.

Which makes sense, anything that is uttered by an offender can be used against him, right?

"First, your hacking skills are lame, noob, and stupid. Second, you were deported back here for the crime you did in the Philippines, it is clearly stated on the Chapter 1, Section 2 of The Criminal Code of the Philippines; that "crimes committed within the Philippines or against a government facility of the Philippines abroad, including its embassy, diplomatic or consular premises regardless of the location of the perpetrator or when the effects happen in these places". And yes, that is verbatim." she answered whilst looking at him being dragged out of the room.

"Maraming salamat and tinulungan niyo po kaming itrace yung suspect, Miss Liu." an NBI agent approached and thanked her.

She looked at him genuinely and smiled "Anything for my second home, sir."

He bowed for courtesy and left together with his posse.

Maryl is left in the room, she used her own force to lay herself on the bed and sighed deeply.

"Such a good riddance." she thought.

-----

Translations:

(It.) Signor - Mister

______

Next chapter