INDIRECT ATTACK
Grace stepped in, trying to diffuse the tension. "Officer Martin, is there any way we can assist in finding more evidence? We're willing to do whatever it takes to help with the investigation."
The detective hesitated for a moment, considering their offer. "I appreciate your willingness, but I can't ask you to involve yourselves further. It is too risky. Let us handle this."
Gia clenched her fists, her frustration at the lack of progress palpable. "Hell no! I am not folding my arms and waiting for things to be resolved for me. I won't sit idle.”
Grace turned to her sister. "But what can you do in this situation? Gia, we just have to wait until Deep’s condition improves so that he can say what really happened.” He said this, trying to calm her sister down.
“And you think Ejay will be sitting around waiting for that to happen? Do you think he will let us have any peace?” Gia scoffed.
“Well, the more reason we have, the more reason we should be careful, right? We don’t want another deep situation.” Grace said.
“I don’t want that either, but I won’t just sit down and let that son of a bitch slap me with another tragedy,” Gia affirmed, sounding bold and determined.
“But the more you go after him, the more you will aggravate him, Gia. That will surely call for more attacks from him.” Grace said.
“I know. That is why I am changing the tactic for now. I will attack him indirectly.” Gia said, her words echoing in the barren corridor with strong echoes of determination and boldness and incredulity in the ears of her partners.
Grace and Martin traded inquisitive glances for a while, failing to understand what Gia meant. Grace then turned to her sister after failing to get anything from Marting. “How?”
Gia looked at them, her voice calm and stern as she spoke. “I will fight the source—the source that is giving him all this guts to shake the world like this. Once he has no power, I will have crippled his wings, and he will come crawling out of his hiding place like an enraged lion. And I will be waiting for that sick bastard to kill him a second time. This time, I will ripple his head into tiny, denumerable pieces to make sure he does not survive death again.”
Her words caught Grace and Martin’s breaths for a while. She sounded so deadly serious. And that scared them to the core. “By that, I hope you are not thinking of going against the general, Gia! I have warned you about...
Gia shot Martin a deadly, silencing glare that choked words back to his stomach, giving utter attention to what Gia had to say. “It is none other than him. I have a strong hunch, and I am not overlooking it. My gut tells me to look closely into him, and he will be the one to lead me to that monster, and that is what I am going to do. And you, Martin, you are going to help me.” Gia said, her cold glances fixed on Martin as if daring him to refuse.
“No! I am sorry, Gia, but I am not going to entertain what you are suggesting. It is risky, and I want to be a part of it.” The officer stated this, stepping away from Gia.
But Gia had made up her mind, and there was no stopping her. She took slow steps, sealing the gap that Martin had created, Grace following suit, the fear of what Gia was about to do weakening her bones. But she knew her sister. She was bullheaded and hardcore. Once she had her mind made up, there was no one who could change her. The only thing she could do was pray that the course would not land Gia into serious trouble like before when she sneaked her way back to Ejay.
Gia stood before Officer Martin, her gaze unbroken. Not even in a bling. “I understand that you are worried about the consequences of going up against your boss, but I am not asking for too much, Martin. It's just a very simple thing.
Martin looked back at Gia, sensing the intensity of her daring look in her eyes, and asked in a faint voice. “What do you want?”
Gia did not take even a single second to think. “Secure me that call with the general, and leave the rest to me.”
“That can still get me into trouble. If I push him too much, he will think that I am helping you by pressuring him.” The officer said
“I have your back covered. Just do that one thing only, Martin, and you will see how it will even be easy for the police to work on this case.” Gia assured her words without even a single tinge of doubt.
The officer nodded, sending a ray of hope into Gia’s heart. “I will try.”
“Don’t just try; do it, officer. You also have the right, as an officer, to demand the truth. Remember, if in the end it turns out that I am right about this man, it will not only be his name that will be stained but that of the entire police force.”
That touched Martin’s heart, hoping that Gia’s hunch was all wrong.
“But Gia, you know that the officer can only do what is within her jurisdiction. The general is his boss. He cannot force him to do anything. What if the man still plays tough and refuses to see you?” Grace spoke.
Gia shoved her hands in her pockets, looking through the slightly open window behind Martin. “If Mohammed plays hard and refuses to go to the mountain, then the mountain will show its face to Mohammed.”
“You…you will go to look for the general?” Her sister asked unbelievably. “There is the risk of encountering Ejay on the way, Gia.” She added.
Gia looked back at them. Her face was adorned with an expression that could not be interpreted. But it was all so scary. “I do not have to move a muscle from here. I can ruin him from the comfort of my room here. He better not dare me, because he will not like my ways of exposing him. I just don't want to do anything without giving him the benefit of the doubt. But if he refuses to see me this one last chance, it will be me against him!” Silence befell them, the two pairs of eyes staring at her while hers found their way into their own world.
