Chapter 249 - The Islet Mystery 65

The island guards proceeded to the cave with hearts pounding against their chests. They were afraid that like Marco, Alvin would also take suicide and suddenly come back to rain bullets on them. However, Ryan was with them, and so were most of the police officers. Yet, what worried them the most was that anything could happen. What if some of Marco's men posted on the exit of the cave?

Turning on their flashlights, they made their way inside the cave. Ivory-colored and crystal-clear stalactites and stalagmites greeted them. Dry ground spread before them, but wild plants on pots spread at all corners. The sound of squealing bats pierced into their ears as well as the thuds of their bodies hitting the rocky walls broke now and then.

Once they reached a bamboo shack, Ryan knew they reached his parent's home. Lumps formed in his throats as he tried to hold back his tears. He lived in the comforts of beautiful houses and expensive hotel suites, but his son and his parents suffered in this stinky place, deprived of comfort and good food. The smell of damp soil and scattering bat droppings and urine almost turned his insides up. His hatred at Mr. Te now escalated further that he couldn't wait to file another case against him, grabbing his chance for parole.

"Sir, they are not here!" spoke the captain who opened the shack. "It's impossible because the old couple can hardly walk."

"How about Yanyan?" Ryan asked, and his knees started to tremble. A sense of panic began to spread within him.

"No worries for Yanyan because he comes and goes out of this cave."

"But the three of them not here is already suspicious," one of the guards voiced out his fear, making Ryan's worries leap higher.

"Relax, you're making Sir Ryan worry. Let's trace them down to the exit," the captain scolded as he glanced up and saw Ryan's terrified expression.

"Perhaps, Yanyan got afraid of the shooting and he took them out."

"Could be," another seconded.

The team then split themselves into groups. One followed the trail towards the exit, another remained on the main entrance, and others took their boats to get to the other side faster.

_______

"He fainted, ma'am!" the boatman yelled, squatting the next second to pick the boy up in his arms.

Shiela got scared and began to cry. "It's because he is sick. We had him treated at the clinic, but he escaped."

"Yes, ma'am, he is burning with fever," the boatman confirmed as he winced at the scalding heat of the boy's body.

"Quick, please, I beg you. Let's bring him back to the clinic," begged Shiela in a terrified voice. The doctor's words echoed in her mind again, and she got afraid.

As quick as a blink of an eye, the boatman laid Yanyan on Shiela's lap. Before he started the engine, Yanyan moved and opened his eyes.

"Where am I?" he asked as he ran his eyes around and attempted to sit up. He looked terrified and confused.

"Yanyan, it's me," Shiela tried to calm him down.

"Let me go. Mama and papa are waiting for me at the cave!" he said, forcing himself to get up. The boatman also held him down since he attempted to jump off from a boat.

"No, you're sick! Don't worry because we will also bring them with us."

Yanyan wriggled in protest. "You don't understand. I don't want them to worry!"

"Okay, boy! Hold on. I'll go and get them. I'm stronger than you, and I am healthy. How far are they from the cave?" offered the boatman as he saw that there was no way they could convince Yanyan to go first.

"You don't know where it is!"

"We do because we were there a while ago. We were looking for you!" explained Shiela as she held his arm firmly, her heart aching at his son's thoughtfulness.

"Really? You were looking for me?" asked Yanyan, his eyes grew wide in both surprise and disbelief.

"Yes, because we got worried. You are so sick, but you escaped. Second is, we had been looking for you for a long time already." Shiela's voice started to crack.

Shiela wanted to tell him at that very moment that he was her son. However, she got afraid that Yanyan may not be able to accept it. She saw his firm devotion to his grandparents even as young as he was. He fled from the clinic because of worries for them, and now, he wanted to jump off from the boat to go back to them.

"You are looking for me?" Yanyan asked, his eyes turning red. He quickly smiled to conceal his emotion, then rubbed his eyes vigorously.

"A dust gets into my eyes," he lied, and Shiela wondered what made him get into tears. Was it because he was moved at the thought that somebody cared for them? Or, he got overwhelmed because, aside from their offer to help him and his grandparents, they also thought about him. Shiela's heart sank again at this thought.

"Shiela!" his father's voice and a roaring engine disrupted her train of thoughts.

"Yanyan, do you see him? He's my father. He is here to help your mama and papa," Shiela exclaimed happily as she pointed her finger towards the coming boat.

The boatman jumped off from the boat right away as soon as Joey anchored his boat next to them.

"Sir, come with me. Let's go down to the cave and bring the boy's grandparents here."

"No!" Joey protested as he saw the boy on Shiela's boat. He then looked around before he spoke. "They should not be in one boat. It would be dangerous. The guards are everywhere.  Go ahead while I go there myself and get them. Be back right away."

Yanyan was about to protest, but he heard Joey, and he got his point. He gazed at the man with his black and round eyes, wondering if he was sincere. Joey must have read his expression that he chuckled before he spoke.

"Yanyan, trust me," he said, looking into his eyes without blinking."I will make sure they are safe. We had been looking for the three of you for so long because you are important to us."

Yanyan remained staring at him with his innocent eyes, and Joey almost got tempted to hug him tight. Yet, that could wait. What's more important as of that moment was to get the old couple out.

"You have to go now so that the boatman can come back to assist me, okay?"

Yanyan nodded. By looking at the man's eyes, he knew he could trust him. And he also knew that he was his other grandfather.