142 Gallante's Party 2

Mr. Gallante's mansion was situated in Maria Luisa, one of the wealthiest neighborhood in Cebu. Beauty's catering staff had to be in the venue since morning to set up the tables, chairs, and others before the party would start. Diane, John and the rest carried boxes, chairs, and other party stuff all the way to the garden. They were wearing working clothes to decorate the whole place.

Beauty and Clarence, who was wearing a button camera, carefully looked around the garden, where the reception would be held. The party theme was ballroom dancing. Behind the garden was a newly built ballroom decorated with lights and prepared for the dancing contest. Mrs. Gallante loved ballroom dancing and she hosted an annual party for that purpose. Tonight was special, alongside her birthday, a priest would bless the ballroom hall to be used for the first time.

Off to the right, the domed shape of a large iron-and-glass greenhouse loomed and was enclosed with flowering trees of various colors.

They also surveyed the pocket forest behind the greenhouse. No one stopped their walk, per instruction of Mrs. Gallante, to help Beauty adorn the place for the night. What the camera caught were viewed by Leonard and Paul inside the alleged restaurant's catering truck.

Leonard's men, including John and Diane, wore their earrings and other gadgets on their bodies. They brought in pen-like stun guns and torch to be fastened on their shirt breast pockets. Some wore button cameras. Real guns were hidden in the truck when necessity called.

John hesitated to let Diane join but she insisted. So, he had to be there as well, to disguise as an usher with Diane. Clarence assigned his restaurant staff to look after the distribution of food.

As nighttime fell, cars and people swarmed the gate. Here and there lighted lanterns bobbed in the garden, illuminating the place, giving off the feeling of an old historical street scene. Long red carpet blanketed the pathway guiding the guests to the ballroom.

In the middle of the garden, two large circular tables stood. The first was laden with cooked food ready for the taking. Stoves and raw meat, fish, shrimp, and others laid on stainless containers enclosed by crushed ice occupied the second. A standing menu board was beside it. Chefs stood within the second circle. So, if the guests wished, the chefs would cook the requested dishes written on the menu.

Tables and chairs filled the rest of the garden. Colored lights flashing above the dance floor.

The restaurant staff and Leonard's team changed to all-black formal serving uniforms.

Diane, John, and four more individuals welcomed the guests entering the garden. They ushered them to their allotted tables but John and Diane sneakily avoided Gallante.

At first, Diane had to hold herself from laughing out loud when women started grouping around him. But as women continued to flock on John, her annoyance slowly came out. Until such time, she pulled him out and exited the area when the ballroom contest started. The rest of the team also went to their respective places, in search of clues.

"Let's leave them and search the area assigned to us," said Diane. The greenhouse had no lights that night, so they went their way easily and searched inside. They walked calmly and found the place half empty. The plants occupied up to half of the front but the back was barren.

Some plants were as tall as a man while some were half of it. There were also a few crawling on the ground.

They walked stealthily passed a steel worktable when they reached the bare area. Pots and bags of soil covered one side of the empty lot.

"There's nothing here," said Diane, thought of giving up after minutes of unfruitful search when suddenly, the worktable rose and an elevator slowly moved up. John pulled Diane down for cover behind the tall plants. The elevator's door slid open and the light from it partly filled the place. John and Diane crouched where more plants shadowed their presence.

Two men came out, Gallante and another man. Diane gasped after the light revealed the man's face. John hurriedly covered her mouth. Thankfully, the elevator's whirring noise reverberated as it closed and descended, deafening her sound. The steel worktable was back in place.

Diane knew the man. It was Jun Peralta, assistant manager of the insurance company. This man worked with her father, Robert Castillon, before.

"I really need the other half of the money now," said Jun to Gallante.

"I already told you, Panther won't pay more after the other insurance was not claimed," Gallante replied.

"But you promised."

"The promise was after you completed the job but you failed halfway."

"How am I supposed to pay my debts now?"

"That's your problem."

"If you won't give me the money, I'll report to the police and disclose everything, including the death of the four agents and Robert Castillon."

Diane was stunned to hear her father's name. She abruptly felt stabbing pain in her breast and hastily clasped her chest while tears moistened her eyes. John saw her difficulty and covered her mouth and wrapped his arms around her. She tried to hold the sobs that were about to explode.

"What about that Castillon?"

"Listen, I know he hid a list of Panther's partners. So, if I bring that out, you know what that means."

"I won't do that if I were you. Panther won't be merciful. Even you're in jail, his men would still reach you." Gallante warned Jun, his thumb drew an imaginary line on his neck and walked straight to the ballroom.

"Shit!" Jun kicked a pot and stomped on it, cracking it to pieces. He charged out with angry steps.

After Jun left, Diane let out a cry and vomited.

"Leonard, did you get that?" said John.

"Affirmative," Leonard's voice sounded from John's earphone.

John held Diane's shoulders. "Can you stand? We need to leave before someone notice our long absence"

She nodded.

They hastily walked out all the way to the gate. John's arm was around her waist. They met the guards standing before the closed gate.

"She is ill, I need to bring her out," said John. Diane cringed her face. So, they opened the gate for them.

John brought her to his car and drove away from there. Diane sobbed the whole time until they were far away.