CHAPTER 23: THE ASSISTANT

If only Francis knew what Marco was thinking, he might cuss himself for asking for a VVIP card.

"I need a laptop, I did not bring mine," he said, still sitting on the couch and playing with the USB drive in his hands.

Marco glanced at Anthony and gave him a nod. Anthony hurried out of his boss's office to get a spare laptop in the secretary's office. Marco started reading the documents while they waited for Anthony to come back.

Francis did not dare bother him; instead, he turned on his cellphone. As soon as he switched it on, the ringing did not stop. Although his volume is not loud, it is enough to get Marco's attention.

Marco knitted his brows and said, "answer it!" in an annoyed tone.

Francis mouthed the word 'sorry' and answered the phone. Anthony turned the knob of Marco's office door and entered the room when Francis was on the phone.

Francis suddenly stood up and walked to the door in a hurry. He waved his free hand to say goodbye and gestured that he would take care of the videos. He then turned around and quickly left.

Marco and Anthony were dumbfounded when he just left like that. Anthony feels like someone poured ice on him when the temperature drops suddenly. He looked at his boss, and his eyes turned cold. 'No wonder I felt the chill,' Anthony mumbled to himself.

"S-sir..." Anthony tried to get his attention and to know what he needed to do next.

"I need the result today. If Francis cannot, give it to someone else!" Marco said in a stern voice. He was pissed that he suddenly left without explaining why he had to go. But, deep within him, Marco had an idea why. What annoyed him was the way he just waved and left. He could have said that he had an emergency at work.

"Y-yes, sir!" Anthony bowed and turned around to give Francis a quick call. Francis is the only one he knows that can do the task. If he cannot do it, he will have difficulty finding someone they can trust.

When Anthony returned to his office, he sat down on his swivel chair and tried to calm himself down. He inhaled and exhaled until his heartbeat became normal. Every time his boss released the cold aura, it made him so nervous that he wanted to hide. His boss has a strong personality that even a man like him became scared of him.

He picked up his phone and called Francis's phone. He tried to call several times, but no one answered. He then thought of calling his office in the hospital, and luckily it was responded to by his nurse.

"Hello, this is Dr. Francis Guzman's office. I am nurse Patricia, how can I help you?" Said the woman in the other line.

"Hello, I'm Anthony Perez, is it possible to speak with Dr. Francis?" Anthony replied politely.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but Dr. Francis is currently in the operating room. He won't be out until the operation is over. If you would like, you can leave a message for him, and I can relay it to him." She said while hoping that this guy would hang up. She went to Dr. Francis's office to get something, but his office phone suddenly rang.

"Please let him know to call Anthony Perez asap, thank you." He said and hung up without waiting for the woman's answer. He is too eager to inform his boss of the reason why Dr. Francis left suddenly. And maybe, he will forgive him and won't be so angry anymore.

He left his office and knocked on Marco's office door.

"Come in," Marco is confident that it is either his assistant or secretary, so he does not bother to look up. No one dared to come to his office without an appointment unless they were closely working with him, and he asked them to go to his office.

"Sir Marco," called Anthony. He is more convinced that his boss will let Francis finish his duty as a doctor before he pressured him with the surveillance video.

Marco put his pen down and looked him up. "Anything you need to say?" He asked. Though there is still a cold aura surrounding him, his office is warmer than earlier before he left.

"Dr. Francis hurried back to the hospital because he has to operate on someone immediately," he sighed after saying what he needed to tell his boss.

"Okay," he replied. Marco then continued signing the documents that he was reading earlier. Though he got angry earlier, he's not senseless. His friend is a doctor, and it's typical to receive a call even if you're not on duty, especially if they lack people.

Anthony got confused with his reply, 'that's it?' he thought. He was waiting for his boss to say something more. He decided to stay and did not move at all.

After signing the papers, Marco stretched his arms and saw his assistant standing in front of his desk. His brows knitted, and he asked, "Is there something else you need to tell me?"

"Huh?" Anthony was so busy thinking of something that he did not realize that he was like a statue in front of Marco.

"N-no sir, I'll go back to my office," Anthony slightly bowed his head and turned around to leave.

"Whew!" He patted his left shoulder and said to himself, 'you're good Anthony, you're good!'

Baltazar's hideout

Benjamin Baltazar received a tip that the International Police have gotten information about his illegal activities and are now searching for his location. Since he can't leave City S, he decided to find a hideout for the time being, and he still needs to see that woman. He gritted his teeth as the thought of that bitch came to his mind. It was her who took that information.

Since Interpol is involved, he must be careful with his every move. He dialed his adopted son's number. He's the only one who can help him find that woman and be out of here since he has the means, unlike his useless nephew Anton Baltazar, who is only good with women and alcohol.

The phone on the other end only rang twice and was answered.

"Hello, Dad," said the person on the other end.

"Son, you will need to help Dad find a woman. She took important information from me, and the Interpol is now hunting me." He said aggrievedly.

"Do you have the name and picture?" His son asked in an assertive tone.

"No, but I managed to have someone sketch how she looks front and back," Benjamin was still upset that his men could not fix the video that they had gotten.

"Email it to me, and I'll take care of it," He said without emotion.

"Thank you, son! I know you will help me! I'll have my assistant send it to you right away," Benjamin's mood lightened, and he signaled his assistant, who was standing in front of him, to start working on it.

"Okay, Dad. If there's nothing else, I have to hang up," he's not interested in helping him, but he had a plan.

"Okay, son," Benjamin hung up and squeezed his phone hard. "Bastard! Who do you think you are!" He roared angrily. If he only has a son, he won't bother to adopt that boy.

"Are you done?!" Benjamin turned his aggressiveness to his poor assistant, who almost peed his pants when he roared angrily moments ago.

"S-s-sir, I just f-finished scanning the p-picture. I-I'll email it to him n-now," he said, stuttering.

"Leave when you finished!" Benjamin flips the newspaper that was on the table. He was trying to find out if there was news about MC Group.

"S-sir, it's m-my room," he murmured to himself. But because the room is small, Benjamin could hear what he said though he was stuttering.

Benjamin gave him a fierce look, threw the newspapers on his face, and left his room violently.

Nilo was twelve when Benjamin Baltazar terrorized the orphanage where he was staying. He gathered all the young boys, including himself and his adopted son. Benjamin took all the boys from the orphanage, ages eight to twelve, and trained them to fight. Since he was the skinniest, Benjamin introduced him to his former assistant to be his trainee.