Chapter 26

“Cemetery Gates”

Val told herself as she slowly crept her car towards the now sleepy part of Batangas city. Since the raid has started, the local authority of Batangas has declared a lockdown of the areas around the docks. Unlike in the Metro where the curfew has been lifted, it seems that the areas around the docks are still under a strict schedule.

‘We got a checkpoint’ Lorna radios in, alerting Val from the lead as she puts her hazard on stopping behind Lorna’s car.

‘Time to use your daddy powers Lor.’ Val said, hearing a stern curse coming from Lorna as a reply.

It was a tense minute but somehow they were let through. At first Val thought that she did use her name to get past them but Lorna used another name to get in.

‘Well I AM Monster’

She said through the radio.

‘Wait really?’

‘Yeah… the mayor’s dickhead son owes me some favors after the last kerfuffle so getting in is easy.’

Val was surprised with what she heard, but it still bothers her that Lorna would give away her position that easily.

‘Well whether he owes you or not it still doesn’t ease the fact that they know we’ll be snooping around.’

‘Y-yeah… about that… we have a stop to make before scooby dooing inside the docks.’

‘There we go.’ Val replies with a sigh, knowing that Lorna went in recklessly as usual.

‘Honestly Lor did you have a plan?’

‘Yes I do.’ Lorna replies with a haughty tone. ‘I pulled you with me then we wing it.’

‘So far stage 1 of the plan worked, so I’m confident we can pull off stage 2.’

‘Oh goodness Lor…’

Val rolls her eyes as they make their way into a classy looking suburb. With each turn of the wheel her heart beats faster tensely anticipating the worst case scenario as they roll inside enemy lines.

‘Seriously Lor, what are the chances of us pulling this off?’ She nervously spoke, being unable to keep her composure.

‘Oh come on Val d’you forget what you learned in Kabukicho?’ Lorna asked as Val racked her memories for an answer.

‘Violence is a business, Trouble is bargaining and--’

‘And chaos is a way of life so take advan-- yeah I know I remember…’ Val answers, annoyed that she forgot, but remembering those words suddenly sent chills down her spine knowing what it all meant.

It certainly didn’t help in easing her mood.

Another ten minutes had passed before Val could spot the welcoming sights of streetlamps shining from the horizon as they approached what looked like a small gated community but as they arrived she was surprised it was just one huge compound, only housing a single mansion.

The both of them rolled into the gate and were welcomed by two armed men in plain clothing, smiling and waving at them as they passed by as she sensed they were expected to appear.

Lorna advised her to delay her entry by a few minutes as she watched her walk away from where they parked by the garages, escorted by a few men. Val timed herself for three minutes before following suit. Surprisingly no one was present to escort her, but she can’t shake the feeling that she was being watched as she heads for the only area lit at the moment. A lowly door beside the garage area. It led into a large storage room for dry goods, a large pantry- she thought, while she noticed a lot of spices and condiments from different countries she’d never known of.

‘Ah Miss Fe, we are expecting you. Please this way.’

A butler in formal uniform greets her as she exits the room, leading her further inside the residence.

‘Have you met the monsieur?’ The butler asked, stopping her right before the door.

‘No I believe not.’

‘Then, one thing I must insist.’ He said as he fixed his bowtie. ‘Keep yourself in a cheerful mood. It doesn’t matter whether you’re smiling or not, believe me the monsieur can sense a fake once he sees one.

Be preppy and jolly, the monsieur does not take kindly to those with negative vibes.’

The butler opens the door after parting with the words. Inside she can see Lorna sitting on a sofa adjacent to a man wearing a medical mask. Val expressed a concerned look in her eyes as she got a glimpse of this strange man. She had seen him multiple times before in the news but for some reason he was lacking the usual glow that he usually gives.

‘Ah Manu, this is an old friend of mine, Valentina Fe.’ Lorna stands as she introduces her to the man she’s speaking to.

‘From Japan I assume?’ Mr. Manu responds.

‘Yes, though I am quite surprised you know of our history.’ Val interjects as she takes a seat beside Lorna as they both face the man in the mask.

‘Well how couldn’t I? Afterall I do have business with your boss.’ He replies which made Val react with a searing glare, visibly alarming Lorna.

‘Oh apologies, Former boss…’ The man corrected, happily taking a sip from his champagne.

‘Another apologies, you see, I am not well. I am with cold this week but I’m gracious enough to take precautions with my guests. I am hoping to get the same treatment.’ He says whilst looking at Val who seems to have forgotten to remove her glare; a thing that Lorna corrects by giving her a light nudge.

‘Anywho… as to why you are here… Lorna you said you both would want to inspect the docks that my father owns correct?’

‘Correct Manu, Now just to get things up to speed I need to tell Val here our “connection”

‘Ah yes, go ahead.’

Val’s eyes widened as a thousand theories popped up inside her thoughts on what Lorna meant. But eventually things got settled when she uttered the words.

‘Spy’

‘Wait what?’ Val asked, visibly confused.

‘I am an envoy for my father, doing his dealings and such, and because this family honors professionalism above all else; I am an employee first and son, second.’

‘Which means he cannot deny or go against his Father’s will.’ Loran added.

‘Exactly! Which is where you and Lorna come in.’ Manu says with a spring in his step as he pours another glass of champagne for himself.

‘I explained it before and I’m gonna explain it again.

I had a change of heart.

Originally I liked my father’s plans so I never questioned them but with the recent turnout of events, that has changed.’

‘The raids.’ Val said.

‘Correct.’ Manu answered. ‘It was an inhumane act to pin the blame on certain personalities for certain strong “reasons”; in short a false flag operation.

‘False? Wait… you mean they know about him coming here?’ Val answered, seemingly able to put some pieces together.

‘To answer the first question back at the coffee chop Val, It’s Jun.’ Lorna said as Val sat back, stunned, but then again it’s not like it was much a surprise knowing what she knows.

‘It seems that the stars have aligned.’ Manu said as he sips through his third glass of the night. ‘At first I had some of my informant’s spy on Lorna here and what she was doing but when the raids came it all went topsy turvy and now I find myself working with the enemy.’

‘Surprised it was me and not some brute ace driver turning the wheel?’

‘Fifty fifty, afterall only a woman can drive with such grace.’

‘Liar.’

‘Anywho, about the culprits, My Father and I, know for a fact that Jun also works for a man named Mr. Asia. He is just a thug we hired that can get the dirty work done so we didn’t care, but.’

He pauses as he waves his maids to leave, sealing the room from anyone outside the three of them.

‘When Carbine came to our family with a deal we cannot refuse, he somehow seemed “too supportive” of the decision.’ He said as he looked at the other two who were intently listening to his words. ‘I have a speculation that he has a third employer that I cannot prove. This is part of my deal with your request tonight.

And I am sure your former boss would like some confirmation as well.’

‘What about your father?’ Val asks, breaking the silence.

‘After the raids; I do not care about my father. Mainly because he approves of this. He does not care about violence, only the results, anything else is collateral. This is also part of our deal moving forward.’

He inhales deeply, before taking another sip from his champagne.

‘I will guarantee you and your subordinates, protection from anybody in my faction.

And I mean “anybody”. He said, his eyes glaring at the two from across the room as silence filled the air around them. Nothing else was spoken, but everyone inside knew they had reached a conclusion.

Two hours later they arrived unopposed and unguarded inside the docks, moving in and around the area without restrictions.

His parting words to them before disembarking were.

‘Beware of Project Eight Two. I don’t know what it means but father always mentions that it was always watching us. Be well.’

…

…

‘That turned out too well…’ Val says as they walked around the huge containers that populate the docks as they try to find Lorna’s last clue. Building 44.

‘It did… but my other plan would’ve been fine though..’

‘Which is?’

‘Tell the truth… that he’s doing something fucked up and that he should change his ways.’

Val was shocked to hear such an absurd claim that her expression churned at what she had just heard. She was thinking Lorna had more of an elaborate plan than just plain saying things but, once again she manages to surprise her with her absurd way of thinking.

‘Are you seriously trying to win this with the power of friendship Lor?!’ She replies, irate at what she had just heard. ‘We’re not in a fucking anime!’

‘Idiot! I know how that asshole works. He absolutely loves being the white knight even though he’s just as slimy as the rest of them.’

‘The rest of you…’ Val corrects.

‘Whatever! But I was surprised that his white knighting had evolved, and that he actually took initiative this time.’ Lorna replies as she checks her phone for the pictures that Lando took beforehand. ‘I wasn’t counting on him growing up and growing a pair, but it was a nice surprise nonetheless.’

The pair found a stationed golf cart near one of the customs offices and were astounded that it had the keys plugged in. Figuring they’d rather drive the long walk instead of actually walking, they took the cart for a ride, confident that no one was going to apprehend them. It only took a few minutes before arriving at their destination. To their surprise, it was empty.

‘Well a lot of time had already passed, it figures that this place was empty.’ Val said as she looked around the huge empty space surrounding the both of them.

‘Let’s go to the next one.’ Lorna replies.

‘Lor..’

‘My sources have records in three more warehouses. We need to check them out.’

‘Fine.’

They both checked into the adjacent buildings 45 and 43, both coming up empty, but Lorna could spot building 42 from a distance, with cargo still on its dock, which looked promising.

The pair arrived at the building 42 docks to check the cargo first. It was heavily padlocked. Lorna grabbed her rucksack and pulled out a pair of compact bolt cutters to free the cargo from its locks.

‘Gimme a hand in opening this.’ She asked Val after struggling to pull the lid open.

They shine their flashlights inside the container and within it are huge stacked rolls of carbon fiber laminates.

‘Well this is different.’ Val said as she inspects the contents of the cargo container.

‘No this is correct.’ Lorna answers. ‘If they’re sending a bunch of raw materials, it only means they’re manufacturing something somewhere near. I mean look, they even have barrels of bonding agents included in here.’ She says as she reads the labels on the chemical barrels that were shipped inside the same container.

‘Why? What are you speculating?’ Val asks.

‘Remember the electric cars we were chasing last time?’

Val pauses for a moment before a chord struck within her.

‘They’re making them here?!’

‘Most likely. One of my informants also confirmed carbon composite based prosthetics being manufactured near the raid’s ground zero. It wasn’t set up properly yet, meaning the raids got to them before they could start operations.’ Lorna said as they took some pictures of their findings.

‘So they’re making cars and prosthetics? I don’t get it?’ Val asked scratching her head try to connect the clues.

‘Me neither, until I had that talk with Manu.’ She said while she scrolls around her phone and dials a number. ‘Pictures sent Detective, looking forward to what you’ll find.’

She puts her phone down as she looks back at Val, who was staring at her with a confused look.

‘Look Val this is something even the police don’t even know, so keep this between us okay?’ Lorna said as Val gave her an assured answer.

‘The Carbine deal that their family got was originally supposed to be for their robotics section. They have four sectors in their company and the Batangas Mayor, Manu’s father, got a deal that they could setup a sort of “franchise” for manufacturing their robotics parts.’ Lorna said as she taps Val’s shoulder urging her to walk with her towards the entrance of the warehouse.

‘Halfway through the deal, the CEO of Carbine, contacted him and added a new deal on top of the old deal and sent him an offer to their automotive department. The Mayor who was probably seeing dollar signs in his eyes quickly accepted without paying attention to the catch. The part that Manu hated about the whole ordeal.’

‘Which is?’

‘That they give all Carbine shipments full security exemption from the Bureau of Customs. Giving them full rights to ship whatever they want without getting the contents of their cargo inspected. The CEO’s excuse was that they were testing new components in their automotive division that would surely get delayed or banned if ever found out.’

Val looks at Lorna in horror as she continues to tell the info that Manu had provided. Val could only think of all those illegal things that were shipped in, knowing that most of it might be harmful chemicals that might start fueling terrorist intentions if anybody found out.

Lorna takes a deep breath before speaking once again. ‘The reason the Port races were switched under my nose was because the Mayor wanted to see if the tech was real. Which is why the race was held here and not in Tondo.’

‘But if it was switched under your nose how’d you arrive in time for the race?’ Val asked.

‘I have connections in the police, thankfully one of them is obsessed enough with what was happening that he knew the afternoon before the race was held that it was switched. He confirmed it first before he called me, but I barely got in time to the start line. The grid had already sped off by the time I got there.’

‘Well lucky you then, but did you really need to be there?’ Val asked as they opened the door leading inside of Building 42.

‘Well If I didn’t then I wouldn’t be in Manu’s good graces.’ She answered.

‘Oh so you saved him from the cops I’m guessing? So what about Jun? Wasn’t he supposed to be his bodyguard?’

‘Jun ran off with the Mayor when the sirens came, leaving Manu alone in the area, they must’ve known he was against their plans so they left him to the cops, which would’ve cleared an obstacle for them if I hadn’t saved him. So it’s a win-win in my opinion.’

Just as she finished uttering those words the door closed behind them as their eyes finally registered the interior of the building as the only thing they could fathom was a sea of black stretching from their position, all the way to the other end of the building. A flat sea of nothing but cars. The same cars they had been chasing after the raids.

‘What in the?’ Lorna uttered as she stares at the breathtaking scene. Both she and Val were silent, until Val takes a curious closer look at one of the cars.

‘These are used…’ She said. ‘These might be the same ones we were racing with.’

Lorna breathes a sigh of relief. ‘I thought we were too late…’ She said, wiping the sweat off her forehead. ‘So these are the first batch of cars, the one’s Carbine sent as proof of concept.’

She leans in to take a closer look at one of the cars and sees the wear and tear around the tires and fender areas suggesting that they have already been driven profusely in the past months.

‘We still have time. If this is the case then it would mean their using this building as a parking area for their trial units. They still haven’t set up their manufacturing facilities yet.’ Lorna said as she picks up her phone once more, taking pictures of the scene and sending it to her contact. The next thing she pulls out was the one that caught her attention. It was the embodiment of the phrase:

“Mischief managed”

She hands two blue sticks to her and tells he to plant it on the two corners of the building. In her hands were two portable charges of lithium ion compound 9 nicknamed “Lichen”. In other words: an EMP bomb.

‘I am afraid I cannot allow you to do that!’

A voice echoes from behind as she hears a gun cocking behind her. Val turns around and sees a man with a gun aimed towards her forehead.

‘Who are you?!’ Val shouts at the man threatening her. Observing his face and mannerisms, burning his image into her mind, which was something she learned back when she was young. “Never forget the face of those who try to kill you.”

The man in front of her was middle aged, long and scruffy hair and a full beard. His movements were precise and uncanny as she looked at the hand that held the gun. It was metallic in composition. She had a few theories brewing in her mind, but Lorna set out to confirm it, throwing an ignited stick of Lichen towards him.

Both had run off to take cover, but the man had lightning reflexes and caught the Lichen mid air as he crushed it with his bare hands, preventing it from detonating.

‘It’s no use hiding ladies, I can find you easily, resistance is futile.’ He said as he walked towards Lorna’s last known position.

‘I am sure you are aware of who I am. I believe Manu has already told you about what I am.’ He continues as he jumps at Lorna's hiding spot only to find it empty. He smirks finding it fun that he’s playing a game with his victims as he stands up and starts calculating her possible escape routes.

‘Let’s make a deal!’ He continues as he turns his gaze exactly where Lorna is hiding. ‘If the both of you come out, I'll tell you everything about me.’

He jumps up and lands his feet on top of one of the cars in the middle of the lot. His eyes still fixated on Lorna’s position.

‘Everything, about Project Eight - Two.’