Rosa, Carlos Ryan accompanied by the police car arrived at the apartment of the homeroom teacher. The police brought out the teacher from the car and they walked with him to the apartment. He stood at the entrance and looked at Rosa who was at his side.
''Are the girls inside here?'' Rosa asked him and he nodded his head. ''Open it'' she commanded him and he pressed the pass code and the door opened.
Rosa was the first to go into the apartment followed by the rest. ''What is all this?'' she looked at the room stack with pictures of teenage girls and turned to the man, ''are you into child prostitution?''
''This, Cherry was the one who introduced me to this a year ago. She is the mastermind behind all of this'' the homeroom teacher confessed.
''Where are the girls?'' Rosa asked.
''Inside the storeroom. I was supposed to send them to the capital through shipping tonight''
''You animal'' Rosa was about to hit him when Carlos Ryan stopped her. Let's get the girls and go. You can interrogate him thoroughly at the station''
''Lead us to the storeroom'' Rosa said to the man and he did. When they entered the storeroom, they saw the girls sitting on the floor. They were tied up and couldn't scream. When the girls saw them, they started humming for help. Carlos and the other policemen untied them and helped them to stand on their feet.
….
At the Prosecutors' office, the parents of the girls and some reporters gather in front of the building waiting for the van of Rosa to arrive.
As soon as they saw the van pull over they rushed forward and started asking questions while the parents of the girls started weeping hugging their daughters.
''Prosecutor Ann, this could be considered your first big case after returning in five years. How do you feel about the success?''
''Prosecutor Ann, how were you able to crack this case? Can you share with us how you went by it in just 24 hours after receiving the case?''
''The official statement will be released via the Chief Prosecutor, thank you'' Rosa replied simply and walked away. When she got to the stairs before the entrance, she saw the chief Prosecutor and a few others looking at her.
Rosa got to them and bowed to the chief Prosecutor who looked at her for a brief moment and said, ''good work done, Prosecutor Ann''
''Prosecutor Ann is becoming the star of the Prosecutors' office after returning. I thought you would have a lot of difficulty navigating through but it seems you have a solid support and is doing well?'' one of the senior Prosecutors at the side said.
''Thanks to your guidance I am doing well'' Rosa replied politely while her hand remained at her side.
''Did you get hurt?'' The Chief Prosecutor asked looking at her side.
''Just a little''
''You didn't beat the suspect up like you did to the other man, right?''
''I dare not. I will take my leave now''
''You can take the rest of the day off. go and get that treated. You can start interrogating the suspects tomorrow''
'Thank you, sir'' Rosa walked into the building leaving the three Prosecutors.
''Doesn't she remind you of someone who used to work for the Judges' office twenty years ago? what was her name again?''
''Anna Dewayne?'' the Chief Prosecutor mentioned the name and looked at the two senior Prosecutors.
''Yes, it's unfortunate she died so early. She used to be a total headache like Prosecutor Ann. I wonder if they are somehow related''
''Let's go for some drinks'' the chief Prosecutor said, not wanting to discuss the issue anymore and walked away.
…..
Rosa packed the last barge of cases she had to work on and left the office. It was already pass evening time but Carlos Ryan was still waiting for her outside. When he saw her coming towards him with the files, he went forward and took them from her.
''Get in, we still have to dress your cut before it gets infected''
''Right, the cut. I almost forgot of it'' Rosa got in and Carlos drove the car away.
The soon reached their apartment and got down. Carlos Ryan took the files and carried them with him as they went up the stairs to her room.
Rosa opened the door and they went in and he placed the files on the table and pulled her to sit on the couch.
''Sit down, where do you put your first aid?'' he asked her.
''Under the bed'' she pointed at her bed and leaned against the couch tiredly. She was now feeling the impact of all the running she did earlier on.
Carlos Ryan brought the first aid box and opened it. He took out cotton and disinfected it before turning to her, ''roll your blouse up a little''
''Huh?'' Rosa looked at his hand and sat up. She rolled the blouse up leaving her fair skin.
''Excuse me'' Carlos said and touched the cut and she stiffened before relaxing her body. ''It will pain a little. Close your eyes and hold unto me if it gets painful. I have to disinfect the cut before applying a band aid.
''En'' Rosa nodded and watched as he started cleaning the blood around the cut first. When the cotton was soiled, he changed a new one and repeated the same actions until the cut was cleaned.
''It looks deeper than I thought'' Carlos sighed, ''you just never listen to me'' he looked at her face and noticed it was red. Her ears were also red and she blushing.
''Are you done?'' Rosa asked looking away. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She felt her heartbeat increasing the more he touched her like that.
''No, I am not done'''he removed the band aid and ointment from the box and opened the ointment container, ''make sure water doesn't get to it today or it will open''
''How am I going to make sure it doesn't get in contact with water? I still need to wash up'' Rosa yawned and placed her head on the couch head.
''You can wet a towel and clean yourself for two days'' Carlos applied the ointment as he spoke to her. When he heard a sudden soft breathing, he looked at her and saw her sound asleep. He chuckled looking at her.
''Rosa, you can still sleep under this circumstance? You must really be tired'' he put the band aid on her before closing the box and pushed it away. He stood up and lifted her up, taking her to the bed. He gently placed her on the bed and turned to go when she held on to his hand tightly murmuring.
''I don't know why, but after I received the cactus from you. as I took care of it, it gave me warmth. Thank you for coming back, Carlos Ryan'' she said in her sleep and he looked at her before sitting by her side.
''How could I not return, after what you did for me, Prosecutor Ann? I just hope that this time around, I can also protect you'' he brushed her locks away gently looking at her pouted lips. After a while, he stood up and went to the balcony. He saw the cactus plant he gave her that year and chuckled.
''You really took good care of the plant, Rosa'' He was about to close the door to the balcony when he saw someone standing outside the apartment looking at him. The person wore a mask, so he couldn't see him. Carlos looked at Rosa's sleeping body before jumping down from the balcony and the man ran away. He gave chase out of the building and followed the man. they ran around the other buildings in the area until he saw the man ran into an uncompleted building and he followed him. The man ran and entered the rooftop of the building and Carlos Ryan followed behind. He saw him at the edge of the roof top and got closer.
''You shouldn't have followed me here, Carlos Ryan'' the masked man said to him.
''What? Who are you?''
''If you don't return, Prosecutor Ann will be gone in the next five minutes'' the man said and chuckled. ''You two really think you can outsmart the boss, right?''
''Who is the boss?''
''Prosecutor Ann is the boss' woman. You shouldn't mess with her or you and her will die''
''Prosecutor Ann isn't an object. She doesn't belong to anyone''
''We will see about that. I told you, you shouldn't have left her alone. She might be gone by now'' the man said before jumping on to the nearest rooftop behind him and ran away. Carlos Ryan came back to his senses and cussed before running off.
He ran all the way back, feeling desperate and anxious. When he finally got to the apartment, he rushed in and saw Rosa gone from the bed and the room.