Persona Non Grata

Scene 7 - Plans and Discussions

It was almost the dead of night when I heard sounds of galloping outside on the street. I took a gander from my window to check who it was, and I saw a familiar carriage parking by the entrance of the hotel. Only this time, there seems to be a different cochero driving it - a frail man in a camisa wearing a salakot.

A few seconds passed and Basilio exited the car, who then proceeded to have a few words with the new coachman before sending him on his way. He then looked up facing the window of the room I am observing from and gave me a slight nod before proceeding to the hotel entrance.

It did not take long before I heard a knock on the door. I then immediately released the lock to grant Basilio access to the premises, who then came in storming like a madman and shut the door with a loud bang.

"Goddamn it. We have a problem." Basilio exhaled as he stowed away his coat and revolver near his bedside table. He then proceeded to get a clean glass from the dining table and filled it with the remaining contents of the bottle of sherry I drank earlier.

"I had assumed that whatever arrangements you had with Placido was concluded successfully judging by the lack of the members of the police on our doorstep." I jested. "Sit. Tell me what happened."

"I'd rather stand, Isagani. Thank you. It...helps me gather my thoughts." answered Basilio as he took a huge sip of wine. "The bastard has been keeping the letters of our correspondences around with him, and he's using it to blackmail us."

"And how in the world can he do that?" I asked in a skeptical tone. "Those letters are purchase orders of weapons that are clearly addressed to him. Is he mad? He might as well turn himself in while presenting those letters as evidence. How is he supposed to blackmail us with that?"

"He says that the new Captain-General is already on his tail." Basilio answered. "According to his spies, a secret police force has been allegedly established to hunt him down. By the way he puts it, it seems that they are already picking up on the evidence of black market firearms sale that are pointing towards him, and he wants us to track down all of its members. He threatens to give us up if he's discovered and caught."

"Tinamaan ng-! We can't do what he wants! Our spies are already stretched." I protested. "Can't he do that on his own? I mean, he already discovered the secret police. Why stop there?"

"I don't think he'd be this desperate if he can handle this by himself." argued Basilio. "Let's play along for now. After all, it's to our best interest that he isn't caught. We need his weapons."

"Ugh. Fair enough." I conceded. "I'll see if I can hire more people."

Basilio then proceeded to finish his drink in one big gulp. "How about you? Anything of note that happened while I was away?"

"Indeed." I told him. "Paulita came here earlier in the afternoon."

"Well, what an interesting thing indeed!" noted Basilio. "Did she say what purpose she had for visiting? Was she accompanied or was she alone."

"She came alone...or so she says. She asked on behalf of Don Timoteo Pelaez if we could meet him in San Diego for a business proposal. The old man knows of our project to build a schoolhouse there."

"And?" Basilio urged, as if expecting more from my answer. "Come on, my friend. You and Paulita were the only ones talking in this room, aren't you? I refuse to believe that those were the ONLY things that transpired in this room."

"Oh, you bastard! You and your innuendos." I jokingly scoffed. "Nothing of the kind, I swear! We cannot afford a scandal."

"Really?" Basilio snickered. "What she did, talking to you alone and in private is a scandal in itself." Basilio argued. "You're lucky the attendants here are not people who like to talk. Y-you do realize that she is just playing with you, right?"