FYI, 'Piler' is Rita's mother's name.
}{}{}{}{
"Allleeexxxx!" the door went on rattling. "Why you bolt the door!?"
Corey! Alex's bracelet beeped at full speed. Could this get any more complicated?
"This was supposed to be the easy part." Benjie hissed. Darna pulled Rita behind the counter, hand over her mouth. Ulan hastened Alex toward the front. "Get rid of her."
He'd been trying since moving here! Angling his injured hip out of sight, Alex undid the bolt. "Alright! Geez, Corey!"
He peeked out at his huffy landlady. She glared over her thick glasses, foot tapping. "What's this about!? I hear you take Monday OFF!?"
Alex massaged his forehead on the door. "I'm helping Piler out. Rita's got a field trip-"
"That's teacher's job!" Corey's hands jumped to her hips.
"It's fun for the kids." Alex stated; something he'd cared little about an hour ago. "If there's not enough adults, they can't go!"
"Awww," Corey waved at the floor. "I need to mop up after your bleeding heart!"
"Well her mother can't take her!" Alex glared, indicating with his eyebrows. Corey gasped, crowding the door. "I no slave driver! Finest benefits of all business; all get personal days!"
Alex held the door, even as she pressed her weight on it. She lingered back, features softening. "It's not like I encourage more work than play. She chooses this... gives her focus since Lester."
She sighed at the sadness of it, trying the door again. Alex barred her entry. Instantly, her eyes narrowed. "What? We come in, discuss this problem."
"There's no problem." Alex insisted, breathing through the jar to his hip. Just you being here.
"I come in, anytime I please." Corey stepped back. Alex didn't move. "Well, this isn't the right time."
"Why you..." Her eyes ballooned and a finger jabbed his chest. "You have woman in there?"
"Corey..." Alex closed his eyes, purging his mind of her suggestion. "That is one topic you and I will never discuss!"
"My land!" Corey reminded him, hitting the door again. "My concerns for what happens on top of it."
On top- Alex grunted. "No woman, Corey! Just messy with inventory and-" he waved his bracelet at her. "Look at that. My heart rate, blood pressure, you just knocked it all out of whack. I need to meditate."
He shut the door, easing everyone a little.
"Lock it." Ulan ordered as Corey's footsteps left the porch. Alex hesitated; eyes hard on him. "You need to leave."
Ulan merely bolted it himself, pulling Alex back to the middle of the gift shop. He didn't miss the look between Benjie and Darna as Rita shoved away from Darna. Disruption in the ranks...
"C'mon Ulan." Benjie urged, stepping closer to the door. Darna nodded. "We've wasted enough time."
"Yeah," Alex took Rita's hand. "Go and make your buy... don't want to be late."
Darna started zipping up the duffels while Ulan worked his jaw... longer than Alex was comfortable with. Ulan smirked. "You think I'm some kind of joke, huh?"
Yes.
"No." Alex said carefully, nudging Rita behind him. "Just want to get back to my day."
"You're bad for business." Rita added in, getting a chuckle from Darna. "Forget it, Ulan. We've got work to do."
Benjie agreed, mentioning something else in Filipino. The location for the buy? Alex felt Rita's hand suffocating his, attesting to the tension. Ulan retorted at Benjie, his eyes made the taller guy back off. They were in a triangle, closer than ever... but still no way Alex could take one without the others firing.
"Maybe our business with you isn't done DEA." Ulan was in front again, nozzle denting Alex's chest. His eyes begged Alex to try him. If that was how he planned to get through life, the kid wouldn't make it to twenty-five. Alex drew up another inch, face like steel. "Get out of my shop."
His tone was felt by all of them. Ulan's entire body trembled, fighting the fear he needed to heed. Stay smart-
Alex caught Ulan's fist; leaving him open to a pistol whip. He staggered back, black dots going across his vision. Ulan wrenched loose, then flashed a cold smile. A punch came to Alex's hip, sending Alex to his knees. Ulan soaked in this discomfort before his eyes shifted. "You wanna know something, Rita?"
She started back, but Ulan grabbed and shoved her toward the duffels. Alex sprung after them. "Hey!"
Benjie's gun came down on his neck, but he sensed the hesitation. Benjie stood over him, wavering. "Ulan-"
"We need to go." Darna pressed, eyes showing caution. Ulan ignored her, holding Rita close. He nodded at the pills, lying pristine in their plastic bags. "This has been stressful, right? Scary."
Rita held herself straight, fists clenched. "Please... leave."
Ulan only chuckled at her. "You know what to do when it gets hard?"
Rita paled, leaning back from him, eyes welling. Alex's rage was going red-hot, measuring the distance between them. He got his footing and a punch to the throat was all he needed. Naw; I want more!
"The problem is..." Ulan gestured at Alex. "They won't let us make it better. DEA, teachers, your mother... don't get it."
He picked a bag out, opened it. He practically held the pills under her nose. Rita batted it away. "I get... that I don't want to be like you."
Alex growled at Benjie's gun in his back. "Rita-"
Ulan's chin jutted, turning her hand over. She resisted. "I don't-"
The pills sprayed the floor as Alex rammed him across the counter.
}{}{}{}{
"Clear." Kai lowered her weapon, frustrated at the lack of ANYTHING in Benjie Obillo's car. Ernesto shared her sentiment over the hood. He sheathed his gun, looked back over the parking lot they had found it sitting in. Kai looked out, eyeing the Paradise Resort- or the back of it at least. Hands down, it was the mainstay of the island. "If they're hiding the drugs in there, it might be to blend into the crowds."
"With two duffels of narcotics?" Ernesto shrugged. "Clever, but also risky... they the type to go for that?"
Kai shrugged, mind cranking over the few facts they had gathered. They could read over the rap sheets of Ulan, his associates, but little intel on how any of them thought. She circled the car and continued to skim the horizon. He likely thinks he deserves some recognition. Like his uncle.
She knew she needed to drop the chip growing on her shoulder, but the situation was too much to stomach. Years of catering to Ocampo's orders for a single chance at some true detective work... and now she was expected to bail him out for the kind of recklessness HE expected from her! Kai about bumped into Ernesto, who remained unmoving by the back fender. She tilted her head, knowing that look. "What is it?"
Ernesto kept hsi tongue in his cheek, eyes narrowed away from the hotel and pool. "It's like you said, 'why here?'"
Kai followed his gaze; same horizon, only stunted by Alex's gift shop. She grimaced. If he sees us here, we better have a good excuse.
Her light-hearted jab went cold as Ernesto turned uneasy. "You only steal drugs if you plan to use or sell."
"Ulan was living off burner phones for two weeks, having someone else drive him... a buy's most likely." Kai reasoned. Her expression widened, a realization hitting. Ernesto started walking faster. "If Ocampo showed off Aviation-"
"He'd definitely brag about recruiting a DEA agent." Kai finished. Ernesto tensed. "When I talked to Alex... he mentioned salad."
They stared a second, stunned. Then ran across the grass. Kai didn't know which she would prefer; to be wrong and have Alex laugh or to be right and rub a save in Alex's face. Seconds into their sprint however, a shot ran out. Kai pulled her weapon flawlessly as a young woman scrambled out the front of the shop. "Mactan PD! Lower your weapon!"
"On the ground!" Ernesto commanded. Kai watched the flicker of indecision on her face. She then complied and Ernesto nodded Kai forward. As he proceeded to arrest her, Kai mounted the steps, sighting beyond the doors. "Mactan PD!... Alex!?"
"Clear!"
She released her breath at his answer, entering. No surprise, Benjie Obillo lay unconscious amid upturned racks, while Ulan was curled against the jewelry cases, holding his arm. Alex stood over him, hovering a gun to the kid's head. Kai's first thoughts went to a crying Rita, until she registered the look in Alex's eyes. "Hey... Alex!"
He didn't budge, breath heavy through his nose. Ulan breathed back, aware of the bullet that could claim him. "Back off, huh?"
Unyielding, Alex only pressed the gun into his forehead. His fingered curled the trigger, just enough to worry Kai. What had happened?
"Alex!" Kai tried again, getting nothing. What more could she say? Don't do it! But since when does he listen?
"Mr. Alex," Rita wiped her eyes and stood up. Alex didn't answer, so she touched his free arm. "Please... the amusement park."
That broke Alec's trance, grip relaxing as he looked at Rita. Kai moved in, spinning Ulan around to cuff him. Wondering what damage had been done... and how long the cuffs would actually stay on.