First Meet-Up

Lifeline (noun)

a thing on which someone or something depends or which provides a means of escape from a difficult situation.

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EXT. CRIME SCENE, DAY

Alex T.

The sound of my stepping on debris was putting me back to my sense that I wasn't dreaming. It's the first time I covered crime-related news that's personal to me. My phone kept buzzing. I have been ignoring calls from Pinky. I broke her order to head straight to the crime scene. I went straight to the hospital instead. I guess my heart was in full control of my hand.

I stepped out of my car and my eyes immediately reached the scene where the accident happened.

"Miss, you're not allowed here," the police said.

I flashed my press ID but it didn't work.

"We'll brief the press in a while. You can stay there while you wait," he pointed me to the media corner. "Move away," he said sharply. But my eyes were glued at the car, imagining all morbid things in my head; my heartbeat drummed loudly that I couldn't hear what the policeman was saying until someone interrupted us.

"Alex Tapang?"

Who's that? I shot him a look. He called me as if he knew me from way before.

I know her. He mouthed and motioned a thumbs up to the police. I walked past the barricade tape that fenced the crime scene. I hurriedly approached the central area that I even walked past the guy who just gave me a free pass. Looking at the car this close made me imagine how horrible the accident was. Alex's black Nissan Almera was half-wreck.

Ehem. Oops. I forgot. That guy.

"Hi. Sorry. Do I know you?" I asked.

"No. You don't. But I do know you." He charmingly said. "You're the star from PH today, right?

"Star?" I squinted. Awkward.

"I meant. Star journalist. Sorry for the fanboy terms. I am Jake Lennon, NBI." He extended his hand. I shook back. Of course. Courtesy.

"Good. I need details." I positioned my phone near his mouth.

He gave me his flat smile and nodded his head. "Oh. Right. Journalist. Well, I can't tell anything yet. There's no CCTV in the area. Foul play wasn't suspected. The police ruled it out. They're convinced it's just an accident."

"But what do you think. I mean. As a detective?" I pried.

"I suggest we inspect further." He said while rubbing his chin. His dimples are too distracting, too. He kept using it to shy me away.

"What do you mean?" I insisted.

"Is this on the record or off the record? Listen. I think this is going to be a high-profile case so I have to be careful." He whispered while his eyes constantly checked our surroundings.

"Fine. Off-the-record."

"Okay. Cool. Look, there's a laptop bag inside the car but there's no laptop. We didn't recover Mr. Esteban's phone, too. So I believe this case isn't just an accident. Something that the higher-ups have been scripting since last night."

"Do we have leads? Handprint? Anything?"

"Wait. Wait. Easy. Easy. Look, Alex? Can I call you, Alex?"

I nodded.

".... Okay, cool. Alex… don't worry. I'll give you an update. Is this your new investigative case for PH Today?"

"Ahhhh. Yeah. I think so." I sounded unsure. I haven't talked to Pinky yet about it.

"Cool. So….." He opened his palm, and it took a while before I got it. "You have a calling card?"

"Oh. Shoot. Right. Sorry."

"No. No. It's fine!" Jake laughed. "Sweet," he reacted as I handed my card. "I mean… Cool. I'll call you as soon as possible."

INT. DREAM ARENA, DAY

Alex E.

"Now, I'm done!" Alex's voice echoed in the room, upset to find out that his life is on Alexa's hand. He stamped his hands on the table. MD and Usher pacified him.

"Sorry! I have anger issues. But I am not sorry for feeling this way! My mission hasn't started yet but I know how it'd end!!"

"Relax. The Dream Council knows what they're doing. There's a reason why she's your lifeline."

"Trust me, she's not gonna take it!!!" Alex was so sure. He recalled his last conversation with Alexa before his accident. Last time they shared the same air, it was terrible. Imagine the storm if they have to work together for 40 days.

The stories of his mom, Diane, are still fresh in Alex's head. It's like a floating storyboard with images of people who had a hand on his family's mess.

Eric Chen — Alexa's biological dad — was Diane's manager until she transferred to Dave's agency. Diane was accused of being ungrateful because it was Eric who helped him nail a career in showbiz before the Dave and Diane phenomenon. Their love-team followed the Guy and Pip tandem which was also a hit during the 80s.

Not everyone knew that it was Eric's strict measures and mismanagement that made Diane transfer. His team-up with Dave was an opportunity for her to shift management. At the height of Diane's transfer came another controversy. Diane was pregnant. That was the biggest plot twist in Dave and Diane's careers. And, Eric Chen's biggest heartbreak.

Eric was secretly in love with Diane. Even while Diane was in a relationship with Dave, he did everything he could to ruin the love-team. Heartless and bitter, Eric took advantage of Leila Tapang — the only person who showed nothing but genuine love to Eric. Leila was a well-respected TV personality and news reporter.

When Diane and Dave's career was going downhill, it's an opportunity for Eric to taint the image of Diane using Leila's voice as a news lead. It's a hardcore character assassination especially when Dave died. Leila gave her 100% to Eric even at the expense of her values as a reporter. Sad love. Bad love. And the fruit of that sad love was Alexandra.

"It's not going to work." Alex felt defeated.

Purpose, purpose, purpose. MD kept on telling him that this mission has its purpose.

"It needs to work. For a chance to live."

A chance to live. Alex felt weak. It's like he's already saying goodbye in his head. Lord, why her? Lord, why me? Alex looked up, mentally asking God about his misfortunes.

"Can we just wait for her to sleep? It's not yet a done deal until she said no. Relax."

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Restless. Alex tapped his foot on the glass floor like it's a sign of boredom and anxiety as he waited for Alexa to sleep. He rubbed his hand on his head. Make it work, make it work — he whispered like a daily mantra.

"What time is it?"

"Mr. Esteban, you have to understand that your girl is — "

"She's not my girl!"

Anger Issue. Prior to supervising this mission, MD already reviewed Alex's profile so he knew how to handle his leads.

"Okay, I meant.. your lifeline..."

"NOT YET."

"Okay, okay... What I want you to understand is.." MD explained like a teacher lecturing his stubborn student. "Ms. Tapang is a journalist. More often than not, they sleep late. So you really have to wait."

It's 9 PM. There's no time difference between the Dream Arena and the Real World, FYI. MD opened the R Screen to calm Alex's ass. The widescreen flashed Alexa who's inside a conference room, in an editorial meeting with her colleagues in PH Today.

~

"Mickey, your entertainment headline must be Alex Esteban's story. Pull out all throwback stories and angles — about his family, about his past, about his mom. Make it relevant."

That was Sinta. She's mandating her entertainment team to focus on Esteban's story. Alexa paused for a bit but continued typing her notes on her laptop. And that didn't sit well on Alex who's watching her on the R Screen.

"Entertainment News? So they're gonna do another showbiz circus?!! And look at that girl..." Alex pointed at Alexa who looked unaffected. Stoic. Poker face.

"That's what she likes! I told you, this is not going to work. May I at least choose my lifeline? Come on, do I have to go up there an ask the Dream Council or whoever is in charge? Tell me what floor?!!"

Alex was frantic. Desperate to talk to the Dream Council. Anyone but Alexa. He insisted.

"No. We can't change or challenge their decision. As I said, there's a purpose behind this assignment. Just trust the process."

"Trust???!! MD, how can I trust her? I don't want to trust her — like how my mom trusted her mom during that interview that her mother twisted and manipulated? Like how my mom trusted her dad? I can't do that. You're asking for too much."

MD switched off the R Screen.

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