Chapter 45: Work Mode
As she opened the room, Ben was standing by the doorway and looking at her. He steps back and lets her in. She pulled her shirt down to straighten it before walking in with a serious expression. He then closed the door and turned off the lights.
“Why do you have to turn off the lights?” She asked in annoyance. And he pointed to his computer, it was now glowing. Since all of them had knowledge about hacking especially Lora, Ben let them use his other computers.
“Benjamin Leonardo,” he introduces himself and offers a handshake.
“Loraly De Jesus.” She knew how to be professional and she saw him being like that so she accepted the handshake. Ben was in the middle while Loraly sat on his right and Nick sat on his left.
“As for now, we all had her personal information and basic details. Unless you know something that could up that could be useful.” Ben said and it was obvious that he was talking to Lora. Even if it was Nick who was desperate to work on it. He had less knowledge of what he should do. Both Ben and Lora are professional and had a background.
“She’s an orphan and she only had Fred as a relative. Fred’s parents are dead too. Or his father only, I haven’t seen his mother. Everyone thought that his mother is dead but I doubt that. She barely had a life since she was well protected by her parents and prohibited almost everything. Lost her mother at the age of five, started working at the age of nine, and lost her father a few months ago. That’s it.” She said straightly without second thoughts while Ben was typing the information.
“How often does the abduction occur?”
“Abduction attempts almost twice a month but never actually happened until her father died and was captured two times.” Their computer is connected so they all have access to the information.
“Name some active enemy or threat.”
“The Hernandez, Constancio, the black organization who was her father’s ally before, and someone unknown I couldn’t trace who was tailing Nick.”
“Why am I on the list?” Nick couldn’t believe that Ben still accept his name as one of the enemies.
“You’re not the only Hernandez, man.”
“My grandfather has nothing to do with this.” But he was ignored and Ben continues recording.
“What’s up with Constancio?”
“It was Nick’s mess so she fixed it, and now Constancio knew about what she did.” She said which widen his eyes in realization.
“It was her.” He gasped as he realized it, she saved him, and now he was more determined to help her.

“I heard about this,” Ben commented. “This organization had nothing to do with her unless they were asked to, right? They are after the money but not, particularly her downfall.”
“I think so,” She answered.
“Down to someone who was tailing Nick.”
They are both typing codes and hacked the surveillance camera where were Nick and his last trip. They saw that Nick was often in her apartment. They also saw him visiting his grandparent’s house but no one was following him. The only one who was watching him often was his landlady.
“Some footage was corrupted.” She said and that was the only trace that proved someone was watching his movements.
“Someone was expecting me to go and get the footage of her at their guard house.” The footage of that event was missing and he knew he never deleted that.
“Someone was expecting you to investigate.” She said and she tried to hack her computer at her working place. Then she share her gathered information about Fera’s activity.
“Do you assure that your admirer Mikaela Jade Mendoza has nothing to do with this?” She asked him but he instantly shook his head.
“A hundred percent sure, she doesn’t even know Fera. I went to visit her yesterday, was that unknown knew about that?” Ben started typing and saw the footage, it was clean and flawless. But it was impossible that he missed that.
“He or she has enough connection. He can watch you flawlessly with or without technology.” Ben said and let a long sigh. “We can’t catch it that quick.”
“We need to focus on how to defend her during the hearing. Evidence and statements. That night was the clean and seemed planned if it was set up. They were alone that night and Fera was seen walking away that night.”
“What if the killer did not use the car?” Nick suddenly spoke he was pertaining to the black organization that his father crossed.
“You mean the killer of her father and the one who was playing behind the curtain aren’t the same?” Ben asked and he shrugged his shoulder.
“It could be, so it’s a raise to the information?” She spoke but her cellphone suddenly vibrated.
“It’s Fred.”
“Is this a personal matter?” Ben asked.
“We have nothing to talk about a personal matter.”
“Can we listen to it, then?” She answered it and click the louder speaker.
“Where are you?” His authoritative voice was there.
“Sounds like my father, what do you need?”
“What the hell is going on? Fera is in jail accused of killing her father. Who was this idiot creating stupid fuss?”
“That’s the problem I am trying to fix, sir.”
“Do I need to cancel my business trip or you can fix this alone?”

“I promise to fix this soon as possible, sir.”
“That’s good to know, pay her a visit. She needs you. I can’t just drop this trip, I’ll be back soon as I can.”
“Okay, sir.” That ended shortly and she saw them looking at her.
“How can he leave in this situation? His only family needs him.” Nick said and looked back to his monitor.
“I didn’t you were polite sometimes, and you change your voice, you like him?” She has thrown Ben a glare but he only chuckled and proceed to what they were doing.
“You’ve given me so much attention, Ben. Be careful,” she said and it was her turn to smile.
“I’m not into oldies, don’t worry.”
“I’m not into immature either.”
“Yeah cause your type was an old widower such as Mr. Fuentes.” She raised her eyebrow and looked at him.
“As is I am the only one who had admiration towards him. It is normal for a woman like me to admire a man. Ask yourself if you are a woman.” He lost his cool when he realized that she was saying he was gay.
“It wasn’t romantic as you do.” He harshly said which made her smile even more.
“Yeah, you were dying just to get his autograph.”
“I am not.”
“Yeah?”
“I was too young back then.” He gave up and sighed. “I at least didn’t have a hidden desire for my boss.”
“Yeah, ‘cause you are unemployed.” He took a long breath and turned to Nick.
“Tell her, I am taking Fera’s case and you are paying me.” He sounds like in tantrum little boy.
“We need to make Mr. Dominggo drop the case so you could take over,” Nick answered and
“We can hire an experienced lawyer for her. I don’t think he’s capable of doing it.” She glared at him and started searching for a suitable prosecutor for Fera.
“That’s insulting, I may be inexperienced but I know I can win this case.” And her chair moved to face him.
“Whatever makes you sleep at night, Benjamin.”
“Alright, Loraly.” They never failed to annoy each other.
“Alright, back to work mode. What is wrong with you guys? Did you have past issues?” Nick didn’t help to ask.
“Have you seen her reaction when she saw my house? She was beyond disgusted, she even said this was a haunted house. ” Ben even pointed to her which made her roll her eyes.
“Which is true and he is too immature to let it pass.”
“I am not immature, I just don’t like you.”
“I don’t just like you, I hate.” Nick fell in silence as she was looking at them, he remember how they first met and it was the same level of intensity of their argument.
“We started like that.” He suddenly said and watched them freeze then saw how they cringed their face in disgust.
“Nothing would go the same.” She declared and saw her phone lightened up.
“Definitely.” Ben agreed while Lora almost dropped her phone as she read the message.
“She…she needs me.” And she ran out of the room. While they were left in the room.
“As if she had a ride,” Ben said and sat on his chair. But then Nick pulled him up and pulled up.
“Fera needs us.” He said and they ran to follow her. When they went down to the garage they that she started Nick’s car already.
“This dim-wit!” Ben cursed and ran to stop her. Then they went knocking on the window.

“Open the door! Open the door!” Good thing she instantly unlock the door and they both got in. Ben was in the passenger seat while Nick was in the back seat.
“You thief!” He exclaimed and she spoke none. No one spoke after that when she started driving, both men were holding tight their selves and holding their breath.
“What happened?” Nick asked.
“She was sent to the hospital just now.”