All is sorted now. The company's finances were all placed in an off shore bank account. The one hundred fifty employees we had, were all taken care of. Some will be migrating to the States while some would just stay in the country and work in another firm. I have all the necessary documents to prove that we're closing without any debts and loans. The contracts that we haven't finished has been transferred to other firms that were still operating. Andres' beach house was closed and locked up. We will be out of the country for the next ten years, maybe. Just until the election comes and the new administration is in power.

Andres was surprised that I was able to take care of all of the documents we needed for closure. A lot of people were interested to buy our company but we declined them all when the last document of business closure was signed.

I received a tip that I may be arrested as the rumors spread that I am leaving the country because of debts. Until on the last day before Andres and I were supposed to leave. We were both arrested for cases we don't know. It's either we join them or we will be killed in our home. I instructed one of our maids to call Mateo in the Spanish embassy to look for us and make noise in the media if he won't contact us in a few hours.

"Pancho, what do you think you're doing?" Andres asked me.

"Calm down Andres. I knew that they would do this to us. If not supporting a fascist will lead to our arrest. So be it." I replied.

The police pointed a gun at me, then cuffed our hands, and tied our eyes and brought us in an unfamiliar place which took approximately an hour to reach.

"You're a couple of tough men aren't you. Now let's see if you old men can keep up." One man said as he removed my eye cover. We were in a distant place. I can smell leaves, and fresh cut grass. We couldn't be in the north or south because we won't reach a place like this in such short travel time.

I wasn't saying a word and so did Andres. One of them punched my stomach and I fell on the ground. I heard Andres got furious and someone punched him too.

"Stay quiet! We will let you go if you will just agree that you will sell your company, your assets, and your building." One of the men said.

"I have nothing to sell to you. It's closed now, and that building? My brother built it on our pápa's land. So it will never be yours." I replied. Somebody punched me once more before Andres started to agree with them.

"Okay! Okay! I will sign everything you want me to sign, just please stop punching my brother!" He said.

"Andres! Do not sign anything!" I said.

I talked to him in Spanish so the men will not understand us.

"Preferiría morir que mostrar lealtad a los fascistas." I said.

I told him that I would rather die than show my allegiance. He replied that he won't let that happen to me.

"Speak in something that we can understand!" The guard said before letting another blow on my belly.

"Solo confía en mi." I said. I told him that he just has to trust me and he needed to stall them. Make them believe you want to sell them the company.

We were placed in a room right after Andres agreed to do it and removed our handcuffs. The next day, the headlines contained our disappearance, I heard it on the guard's radio. The plan is working. The man who was guarding us gave us food. I knew this would happen so I had a sedative syringe in my pocket that I immediately injected on his thighs. He lost consciousness and we caught him to prevent making a noise. They underestimated two men like us who grew up in a war. There was only one guarding us and we were able to escape. The building had a phone and I immediately called Mateo to let him know our location.

"I saw trees and smelled fresh cut grass. There were people speaking the same language so we haven't gone too far. We may be in the east because we reached the place away from our home in an hour more or less. I need you to rescue us now." I said to Mateo hurriedly before someone might see us.

I saw an electric torture device that they might use on other prisoners that may be used on us. The next day, Mateo found us. He was with the media and they covered our recapture. The international community was pressuring the police that we should be let go because of our age and our sickness. I told Mateo to spread the news that I have lung cancer even though I don't have and how Andres had a stroke experience. The media never left us until they set us free.

"Pancho, the flight to Hong Kong tonight is all set, they bought your health issues so they set you free. You will be tried soon if you won't leave right away." Mateo said as he walked next to me when we got free. Mateo was in a disguise to make his identity anonymous.

Mateo sent us home to get our luggage and we're bound for Hong Kong that same night.

"Thank you Mateo. We wouldn't make it here without you. I don't know how to repay your kindness and loyalty as a friend." I said, then shook his hand.

"It's already been paid Señor Pancho. He said. Then he paused.

"It's already been paid when you sent me to school and helped me change my life." He added.

Mateo handed us Spanish passports with different names. The immigration officers didn't notice us since we have just seen on the TV that day and Andres and I went to the airport by ourselves on different cabs to prevent suspicion. I put on a fake mustache to disguise myself.

"Mr. Samuel Perez-Carter?" The immigration man said as he compared my passport photo to my face.

"Yes, sir." I replied. He looked so bored with his job and didn't even bother to check my other documents nor asked me what's my purpose of visit in Hong Kong. He paused and looked at me and at my passport. He stamped my passport and let me go. Andres was able to pass too. While waiting for the plane to board, Andres and I pretended to read newspapers and blended with the other Filipinos and Hong Kongers in the benches.

We left at exactly 2235H as stated on our tickets. Like always, Philippine Airlines never failed to impress me with their punctuality. I just miss the fact that Andres isn't the company's president anymore. I let out a deep breath after the plane took off. At around midnight, we arrived in British Hong Kong territory. By six in the morning we left for our flight to Madrid via Cathay Pacific.