Chapter 18
“THE drug test for all the women is ongoing,” Policewoman Miranda Bray at the PNP station informed Agent Euclid Mercado. “The other captured criminals were in the separated cell. Do you want to interrogate them now?”
Euclid shook his head. “I need to get some sleep first. Otherwise, I might kill them,” he said, not taking his eyes off Maria to the corner of the prison cell. “Can you give this to that woman?” He pointed to Maria, who was still covered by the suit that he and Frederick gave her.
The policewoman knotted her forehead when he gave her a piece of cloth facemask. “To the popular Magdalene?” she asked. “Why? You cared for her privacy?”
“She requested to hide her identity,” he replied. “I need her—we need her in our investigation.”
“You’re spoiling her,” Miranda smirked. “Is she that really essential to your mission?”
“She has the information that we need,” he said and clenched his jaw when he remembered that their target had escaped. “Protect her while she’s here.”
“Ten-four,” Miranda said and went towards the prison. “Hey, give this to Magdalene.”
“Agent Euclid,” Agent David approached him with a chagrined expression on his face.
“Are the blood samples completed?” he asked, restraining himself from scolding him for not securing the whole area during their raid a few hours ago.
David scratched the corner of his brow. “We have a problem, sir.”
Euclid’s brows furrowed. “Another problem?” He grunted. “What is it?”
“The last girl on the list refused to give her information and doesn’t want to cooperate with our med techs,” David answered hesitantly.
“Who’s that stubborn tramp?” he asked, starting to lose his patience. He had so much disappointment today that he might kill somebody that dared to obstruct their mission.
“Sir, it’s Magdalene,” David replied in a lower voice.
Euclid paused upon hearing Maria’s stage name. He heaved a sigh and caught his head. “Okay, I’ll make her talk. Bring her to the interrogation room.”
When Agent David left, Euclid looked at the prison cell again, where Maria was in. From his direction, he can see her sitting on the corner, holding the suit over his head tightly. The other women inside—that are also caught in the act of human trafficking—were busy talking as if it’s just nothing to them that they were being detained in the Police Headquarters. Unlike Maria, who was quietly seated by the corner, not even talking or moving a bit. Her silence is clearly showing her reluctance to him and to his team. Euclid can’t see any fear in her eyes, even when he pointed his gun at her.
Euclid wondered what was on her mind now. Or how she felt when their eyes met? Is she surprised to see him? Did she also feel the same feeling of longing when she found out that it was him in front of her? Maybe not, because what he saw in her eyes are hatred and pain.
‘You made me do this…’ Those words echoed in Euclid’s mind and were the reasons why he was restless. He doesn’t understand why she said it to him, it was as if she was telling him that it was his fault why she became like this… a prostitute.
Euclid’s chest tightened because of his thoughts about her. He knew that he shouldn’t be thinking about this now. He’s in the middle of a mission that was still unfinished. But he can’t help it. He just can’t ignore his feelings that have started to ponder again because of her.
“Dude, I heard Magdalene doesn’t want to cooperate with our team,” Fred told him when he saw him walking outside the police station to smoke. “What are we going to do with her?”
Euclid didn’t answer. He reached for his partner’s breast pocket and took out the cigarette box. “She’s a pain in the ass,” he said in a neutral tone and lit the cigarette stick. “She deserved to be punished—”
“Maybe she’s still shocked,” Fred cut off. “Give her time.”
“We can’t delay our mission because she’s still shocked,” he countered, brows furrowed. “And, based on her criminal profile, she’s good at hiding and pretending. If I know, she’s just showing us her drama skills.”
Fred looked at him. He watched him puff on his stick of cigarette and blew the smoke harshly. When he can’t take the way he studied him, he scowled at him. “What?”
“It’s not you, Euclid,” he said and tapped his shoulders. “Dude, don’t be so hard on yourself. Take it easy. I know there’s a reason why your paths crossed again—”
“I have no time for your bullshits,” he muttered and turned his back. But, his eyes found Maria being ushered outside the prison by one of his agents. When she was about to look at him, he quickly turned his back again.
Euclid thought his heart was about to come out of his ribcage because it suddenly jumped. He shut his eyes and cupped his forehead. His body has learned to disobey his commands.
“Love is really complicated,” Fred commented as he watched Maria being taken away from the prison. “Look how Billy held her arm. He’s pulling her with gentleness and care, unlike how you treat her. You just dragged her out of the room as if she’s an animal—”
“Shut the fuck up,” he cut off and threw his stick to the nearest bin. “Prepare your incident report, after I interrogate her, I’ll collect all your explanations.”
“What? Euclid, it’s four a.m in the morning! Can you give us rest first?” Fred complained, thumping his feet like a kid.
“Do you think we deserve a rest after knowing that some of our targets escaped?” he said gravely. “This is not an accomplished mission!”
Frederick crossed his arm on his chest. “And, who’s a fault it is? Who made a terrible mistake by bidding a million to get the star dancer? Our targets took a hint by that action, dude! Don’t blame us for your mistakes because you let your emotions meddle with the mission.”
Euclid clenched his jaw as he glared at his partner. But, he’s right. It was all his fault. When Fred left him, Euclid walked towards the interrogation room. He heard Miranda call him, but he ignored it. He needed to talk to Maria now. And, he knew that is what she wanted too.
***
