Chapter 241 - The Islet Mystery 57

Ryan pulled out his phone and walked a few steps away from anyone who might hear him. He already sensed Yanyan's reluctance in letting them come to his place. A child is never conscious of what his home looked like, except if he was hiding something.

"Uncle, prepare for a back-up," he instructed, causing Joey a sudden worry."

"What is it all about?"

"We are going to rescue your grandson!"

"What?" Joey's overwhelmed reply almost broke his eardrum.

"Let's talk about it once it's over."

"Give me an idea of what you are planning," Joey insisted, stirring a sense of impatience from Ryan, but since Joey had proved himself right for countless times, he sighed and conceded.

Ryan gave him a brief overview of what was happening and told him that they were about to go after him.  Yanyan was just using a boat while they would go after him using a motor-powered craft.

"Don't chase him!" Joey said, explaining right then the pros and cons. "You would scare him away, and if your father has indeed kept them, I am sure he is assigning some people to look after them. The chase may cause an alarm and endanger the chance we have at hand."

All Ryan and Shiela wanted at the moment were to run after the child and keep him forever. He was already close to them, but fate allowed him again to slip away. Ryan wanted to argue, but he understood Joey's point.

"Use the technology in tracking him down. What's important is that we know that he is alive and that they are within our reach."

Shiela approached Ryan when she sensed that there was something that troubled him. She couldn't wait for them to hop into the boat and hug her son finally. She was now willing to go back to UAE wi after this with Yanyan and allow Ryan to settle his issues with Jullien peacefully. She may lose Ryan over to Jullien forever, but what mattered most was that she found her son already.

"What's wrong?" she asked impatiently and pulled Ryan by his upper arm toward the boat.

"We can't go," Ryan shook his head and looked at her sadly. He knew she couldn't wait anymore.

"What?"

"I am talking to your father, Shiela, and I agree with what he suggests. We can't go after him out of impulse, or we may lose the chance of having him back."

Shiela instantly screamed inwardly, embarrassed at his father's advice. For her, they were only causing delays. "Neil, Yanyan is sick. What if he'll get worse? The doctor said his body is so weak because of poor nutrition. Don't listen to papa!"

Ryan laughed and switched the phone into a loudspeaker mode. Joey was listening throughout her argument with him.

"Shiela, dear, don't be impulsive. I know you're dying to have your son back, but please remember that he is under Mr. Te's control. We must do careful planning in taking him back."

Shiela understood their point, but her frustration gripped her so much that she cried hard again. It broke both Ryan and Joey's heart, but they had to endure a while longer rather than risk the slim chance they were now holding.

"What do we do now?" Shiela asked, her sobs returning as she spoke.

"Let's wait for uncle Joey here."

______

"Alvin? Who are you?" Mr. Te yelled into the phone's mouthpiece.

"Sir, I'm one of  the guards you assigned to watch your parents."

"What about them?" he asked, his impatient tone made Alvin frown.

"That boy was probably stranded on another island due to the tropical depression, and the elderlies have no more food."

"It's not my problem. Go and find ways to feed them."

Silently enraged by Mr.Te's indifferent attitude towards him, he bit his lower lip and clenched his fist, trying to control his emotion. He swallowed his pride and thought of appealing for his long-forgotten salary.

"Sir, if you don't mind, I am going to ask for my salary again. It has been three months already since I last received my pay."

"Are you complaining?" came the mocking reply of Mr. Te.

"No, sir. I'm just asking for your consideration."

"I hate people who could not wait. Do you understand?"

Mr. Te dropped the call impolitely, and Arvin felt insulted. He stared at the phone in his hand and pushed it back to his pocket angrily. Just as he pulled out his hand from his pocket, his phone rang again.

"Alvin, our three children are sick. They need to see a doctor already. It's been three days since the fever started," Alvin's wife spoke into the line right away.

"I have no salary yet. I have asked my boss about it again, but he said I'd just have to wait," explained Alvin softly, but his blood boiled in anger already as he thought about his boss. He had been loyal to him for many years, but he never paid it back even just with an ounce of thoughtfulness for his family.

"Alvin, go home. We need to talk about this. I know someone whom we can ask for help, but you should be here."

"Do you want to die? I'm already tired here, should you care to know. Yet, I endure it because I want you all to be safe." Alvin ranted back; his frustration was pressing him down already.

It's just the same. Your children and I are  dying anyway."

_____

After an hour, Alvin arrived at their house. His wife's last statement persuaded him to go home.

"Where are the children?" he asked as soon as he stepped into their bamboo staircase. His wife already saw him while he was still approaching.

"Sir Ryan ordered to have them brought to the doctor's clinic. He also left us money to buy food. Aside from that, he paid all your salary and even increased it."

Alvin took a deep sigh. He already knew that Ryan was the name of his boss' son.

"Alvin, sir Ryan told me to keep the matter between us only. He said, if his father gives us your salary, then we should accept it.  He even covered a whole year for your increase."

Alvin did not know about Ryan's offer to the whole island dwellers since he stayed as a close watch at the cave where Mr. Te's parents live. His instruction was clear; never allow the old couple to escape. No stranger should be allowed to get near them, and only the child could go in and out to fend for their basic needs. Failure to do his duty would also mean his family's death.

Just as they were talking, someone knocked at the door. Alvin's wife opened the door and saw their neighbor standing outside. He was their district captain.

"Alvin, you need to go to the clinic to personally watch your children so that your wife can stay with your youngest child."

"Cap, how about my job? You know very well the consequence."

"I'll take over. Stop worrying and make your family a priority."