NEAR THE HEAVENS (Read this first before "The Unknown dream")
"Ruthie, where are you staying at?" asked Mark, a classmate of hers from the Asian Institute of Management – Washington SyCip Graduate School of Business, while they stay in school canteen photocopying a business manual given by their teacher.
"I'm living on the 65th floor of the Grand Hyatt Manila," Ruthie replied, arranging the photocopied papers in order while they wait for the rest.
"Wow! You're living in heavens?? That's the highest building here in the Philippines- you must be rich!" Mark exclaimed.
"It is my brother's, not mine." Ruthie smiled before being caught off guard from stopping a sneeze - which failed. Thinking about when the last time the school janitor cleaned the dusty xerox machine.
Amazed by what Mark found out, he told her what he knew about the place. "My uncle is one of the engineers who built it. It is truly high consisted of 66 floors- which is 318 meters tall. The highest in the Philippines."
Toot....toot... The ring of Ruthie caught their attention. "I'll take this," Ruthie hastily told Mark and left to answer the phone.
"Hello?" Ruthie said.
"Ruthie! How are you? I missed you, sister. I heard you are enjoying Manila. How's everybody?" Jacky blurted out excitedly.
"Hey, Jacky! You haven't called for a while. You see, my dad, Tony, is the manager of our house here in Manila. He works with his 5 inhouse employees, He also has an export office for the Goldenfruits Inc, exporting organic fruits and food products hehe. We're staying in a condominium now," replied Ruthie.
"Social- and how's Paulo?" Jacky asked.
"He's busy at his gallery. The 'Gallerias Mama Martha', we should visit it sometime. He has about a thousand paintings and sketches on display. He even has pictures of you, on the farm, do you remember? He also has workshop helping local artists and showcasing their work in his gallery" Ruthie said.
"Yes, how can I forget. He took stolen pictures of us through his paintings and sketches. I'm excited to see that, I really am. By the way, speaking of 'Us', your Kuya Juan- he never returned my calls lately, is he that busy? Jacky asked.
"His work is so risky now, sister. You know, lawyers prosecuting criminals. He got threats. I wanna help but I can't do anything about it so I just pray for him," Ruthie said.
"I will too, and tell him I'll be calling him soon. Both of us are in the busiest stage of our careers, I just hope that someday we can have the time to go on a date...hahaha!" Jacky said chuckling, but she couldn't mask the sad tone in her voice.
"I know right... I miss you both though!" Ruthie responded sadly.
"Don't worry, sis. God has a plan, so let's just wait," Jacky assured her. As they continue their conversation, Mark approached Ruthie who noticed the stack of papers he's carrying. After giving Mark a thumbs up, Ruthie bid Jacky her goodbyes and promised another call. Ruthie told Mark about who she had a conversation with, which led to talking about how different urban life is from the farmhouse and the nipa hut that she grew up to.
Meanwhile, from the comfort of their home, Atty. Juan Tera sat down for coffee. Followed by his assistant, Matthew, sitting on a vacant chair while scanning their today's schedule. "Matthew, call Atty. Glen to follow up on our witness for the rape-murder case we're currently working on. Oh, and we'll be meeting in the office at 3:00 PM, right?" He asked, before taking another sip of his coffee.
"Yes, Sir! I have called him already. And yes, the meeting will be at 3:00 PM. What snacks would you like for me to order, sir? If you're hungry." Matthew said with a swift nod.
"Serve some chocolate mousse and yema cake from Merco along with the milk tea I ordered from that restaurant we went on last Wednesday," Juan said, before unfolding the newspaper he took under the coffee table.
"Uh, Sir, Mr. Richard Tan called a while ago," Matthew said looking at his phone before looking back at Juan. "He said he needs to talk to you, Sir. Would you like to go now or wait until the end of the meeting?"
"Let us go now. Wait for me outside while I change my clothes," Juan said before heading to his bedroom.
A couple of minutes later, Juan appeared on the front door wearing corporate attire. Being the retainer lawyer of the person he is meeting. Mr. Tan, the president of the biggest export-import food company in the Philippines.
Riding his Audi e-Tron, the new electric sports car, they drove to the Export Plaza Building in Makati, the meeting place he and his client used to meet. When they reached the place, they went straight to the elevator that took them to the fifth floor, where Juan had to scan his hands and enter a PIN to authorize entry, while Matthew stayed to wait.
As the door opened, two guards in tie and suit greeted him for inspection. They made him surrender his wristwatch and mobile phone before entering the place. And there he was, standing in a room with a large sofa arranged for a conference setup. Mr. Richard Tan sits in the center looking at some paperwork, asking him to come in.
"Good day, Attorney. I was thinking that we need to expand our exports to Japan... what do you think? Can you give me the legal requirements and preparations for our first export there?"Mr. Tan said, after shaking each other's hands.
"Sure sir, just give me two days," Juan said with a nod in response.
"I have a buyer in Japan and they said they want me to take care of the logistics and quality preservation during transit. They are paying us premium which, you know, is a big volume." Mr. Tan dropped the paperwork and leaned forward, clasping his hands together. " So, Atty. here are four hundred thousand pesos from your 1.8 million pesos share - I will transfer you the rest next week." The president handed him a briefcase containing a small percent of his share.
Juan accepted the briefcase as he gives his thanks to Mr. Tan, and after a few more discussions, "That is all there is to discuss, you may go." The meeting finally ended. Juan walked out the door, handing the briefcase to Matthew.
From the stack of paperwork on the table, Richard Tan took a letter of recommendation that he got from his friend in the past, which came with a file he was reading before the attorney arrived.
"ATTORNEY JUAN TERA, President of TERA LAW FIRM, composed of about 300 lawyers holding the rising law firm that holds most of the cases in Metro Manila. With some cases from the provinces and even from Cebu, Davao, General Santos City, and Cagayan de Oro.
His office is situated on the 10th floor PBCom Tower, Ayala Avenue, Makati."
Juan's connections with Politicians, Businessmen, and the Military are getting stronger due to the cases that he won. But at the same time, his principles are getting resistance and enemies from the crooked criminals he prosecutes, mainly because of denying what he thinks are false cases.
Matthew ran to the car and held the door of the backseat open and as soon as Juan climbed in, he went to the driver seat and sped off. On their way home, Matthew gave Juan a few briefings of their schedule for the whole week. Juan looked out on the road listening when all of a sudden a bullet hit his window, the tip of it managed to penetrate it. If the gunman would have been any closer, the bullet must have hit his head. He must remember to give his thanks to the company that installed his bullet-proof windows.
When Matthew looked at what happened, a few more bullets hit the car. "Ambush!!!" He yelled. Juan who had a military background from CAT and ROTC and his trained assistant knew exactly what to do. Matthew stepped on the gas to take Juan to safety but after a few more hits, the bullet-proof window looked like it wouldn't last any longer, and then a bullet hit the tire.
The speedy car swayed as Matthew tried his best to get themselves to safety. When the shooting had stopped, he made a turn to a place covered by another building. The smell of burning tire and the sound of an approaching vehicle made them crawl out into the next building as fast as they could.
When they successfully got in, Juan slumped back on the wall for support, trying to control his breathing. Matthew carefully peeped at a tiny space that can see the place where they left their Audi. A black van stopped a couple of feet away from the car before a couple of men armed with heavy guns rained it down with bullets until it burned into flames and exploded. The men hopped back in the van and sped off. Things happened so quickly, they thanked God for surviving such events.
"They thought I was in the car," Juan mumbled. "Matthew call General Shaundrey of the police force and give him the details of what we just experienced. Get all the CCTV footage surrounding the area of the buildings here- from the very first bullet down to the massive explosion. We have to identify who the assailants were, and also, send me one of my cars- not the fancy ones- and replace the one I just lost," He added. "They will pay for this at a very high price."
Matthew didn't say anything but nod in agreement, hastily picked up his phone, and do what he was asked. After a couple of minutes later, a BMW X1 driven by Juan's father came to fetch him. He climbed in and greet his dad, leaving Matthew to the authorities.
"Are you all right, son? What just happened- Who are those bastards??" Tony asked, concerned.
"I don't know, yet. Thanks, Dad, but let's talk about this later. Please send me to PBCom Tower."
Tony drove his son to his office and went back to the Hyatt condominium. As soon as he got in, Juan asked his IT personnel to review the CCTV footage in the ambushed area.
He had developed a CCTV system that can cover almost every street, avenue, and important buildings in the city and have his dedicated and able IT personnel who have coordination with the police and the military to help in crime prevention and prosecution monitor it. But this project is confidential and considered Top Secret.
"Sir, we are now identifying the shooters. We will make a report tomorrow." Robert, his IT supervisor said. And even after the life-threatening experience, Juan continued the scheduled meeting, praying before it started. Then he asked the attorneys assigned in each high profile cases and discuss the plans to be implemented.
A newly hired lawyer admired the office, "This is the best office in Makati that I knew existed, so far." Catching his supervisor's attention. "This is the highest income-generating firm and is very advanced in data collection," he said.
A client entered Juan's office and asked about the firm, which was answered by Juan instantly. "Tera Law firm has the most advanced computer, with database and processing machine, connected to the crime laboratories, medical technology laboratories, autopsy laboratories and other related evidence preservation and determination such as DNA, finger and handprints, ballistic and gun prints identification," and after discussing a few more things, the client walked out satisfied.
Juan was just about to call Matthew when a sudden knock on the office door announced his return. "I'm back, sir. I have talked to General Shaundrey and did what I had to do with the authorities who went to the scene.
"Good, and tomorrow? I must know who attacked me. Juan said, pointing at Matthew, who replied with an assumption. "Sir, we have the reason to believe that the Zendong drug syndicate is responsible," Matthew replied.
"I see..." Juan leaned on his desk, fixing a picture frame. "If that can be proven, they will rot in prison. If they think that killing me can stop the law, then they are very much mistaken." Juan said.
The office eventually filled with clients going in and out of the firm, witnesses who looked so jumpy and lacking good night sleep, and government officials, policemen, detectives, and employees doing their jobs with their best.
And meeting after meeting, the clock said it's already 7 pm, meaning it's time for Juan to leave the firm. Matthew brought Juan's Rolls Royce Cullinan to fetch him. A car with 565 horsepower that is 53 million pesos worth.
"Sir, I had been thinking about this question for a very long time, would you mind if I asked you?" Matthew said before starting the car and speeding off. "I don't, so ask away."
"Even after the BAR exam, sir. Why are you still single?" Matthew asked, even when he knew how demanding his boss' work could be. Juan explained and said, "There are still many important backlogs in my life." He sighed, reminded by Matthew's question.
"My mother that I miss, my trip to the moon- I must put some precious time on this, I promise. Thanks for reminding me, Matthew." Juan added.
"Trip to the moon?" Matthew was hesitant to ask but he did it anyway. Juan remained silent and looked out the window, reminiscing about the days in the past when had an unknown dream...
Juan is humming and singing in a whisper...
Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On a, Jupiter and Mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, baby, kiss me
Fill my heart with song
And let me sing for ever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Ebed_Doulos
Ebed_Doulos This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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