40: The Golden Retriever and the Black Cat

The SOS they wrote on the paper lunch box has reached a homeless person foraging in the garbage. He borrowed a cellphone and contacted Drino’s parents with the phone number written on the paper box. He read the SOS note and told them where he picked the paper packaging. Drino’s employee, who was tasked to drop the cash at the designated place the kidnappers instructed, also shared the info about the kidnappers with the authorities.

The police detectives then investigated and connected the clues presented to them by Drino’s employee and the homeless man. The investigation narrowed to three abandoned buildings with a basement within a certain proximity. The police team immediately went to the three location and one of them is the place where Drino and Ashmille were placed.

The four kidnappers were caught. Ashmille and Drino have gathered a lot of evidence to lead to the four culprits. They have the gun, the four cellphones, the black van, the door and car keys, kidnappers’ saliva and blood on their clothes from the punches and actions they did.

The fourth kidnapper, who drove a Drino app’s car, wasn’t the real driver, so the Drino company didn’t capture the culprit’s identification. The real Drino driver of that specific car unit was put to sleep, and the real culprit stole that Drino car that night.

She is a jealous, possessive Drino fan, a Drino company’s lead systems engineer in security systems, who became Drino's driver to stalk him. She even moved in and lives near Drino’s house. She worked at his company to be near him. But all she could do was be his employee. She couldn’t bear to see the rumors that Drino has been dating a non-showbiz girl who’s not even Drino’s official employee, unlike her. But she didn’t know that Ashmille was her college classmate, and she works for Drino personally and for his agency, not under the Drino app.

Doofus was confirmed to be the same motorcycle driver Ashmile rode with the first time she saw Drino on a digital billboard. Now, Drino’s company is doing its best to resolve Doofus’s concerns about using the app while he is in jail.

Witz and Tres were convicted of multiple crimes, such as theft, kidnapping, fraud, possession of illegal firearms, and cybercrimes. They have been wanted for a couple of years and were in and out of prison.

The police team was able to apprehend the suspects earlier because Anthasia reported the incident promptly.

Drino and his team's innovative advertising strategy is improving the Drino app. They used Drino’s kidnapping case in promoting the app, claiming that the Drino app is living up to its reputation of fast booking because the ride arrived swiftly, which is why Anthasia caught up to them and witnessed the kidnapping. Because of Drino’s fast booking feature, a kidnapping case was solved.

His co-founder and programmer, Tim, was hesitant to turn his trauma into a marketing scheme because it might put others off, but it turned out well. Guess people have a sense of humor.

After all the trouble of escaping their kidnappers, the conflict doesn’t end here. They might still be alive, but news and rumors have spread like a fire that will eat them alive.

Gendo and his team started their usual day at the office, but without Ashmille because she had emergency leave. He read the latest headline online and shared it with the team. They are all shocked by the news.

Not long after, Ashmille arrived at the office. She saw her team looking at her.

“Good morning,” she smiled at them. “Sorry, I was absent for two days. I finally recovered. I’m going to make up for those tasks I missed. How are you?”

“Ashmille, were you the girl who was with Drino?” Feviah interrogated her right away.

“Uh, w-why?” she was stunned.

“Tell us the truth!”

“Yes…”

“My gosh, thank goodness, you’re alive! You made us worry us big time,” Feviah hugged her. “We saw on the news a CCTV screenshot when you were abducted and thrown into the van! We zoomed in on the back of your clothes and saw our company logo and your backpack! The police contacted us before we saw the CCTV and confirmed it was you. Why did you hide that you were with Drino Montezales?!”

“And I’m sorry for keeping it to all of you, especially you, Feviah.”

“You know that I worry a lot, right?”

“It was a horrible case. We’re glad you both made it,” Doctor Janeth embraced her.

“You were a civilian walking around his village near his house, and you got involved in the abduction case because the kidnappers thought it was Drino’s wealthy childhood friend.” Gendo summarized the news they read and heard.

“Eh…” Ashmille mumbled.

She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to correct the news, but maybe it’s for the best to keep their work relationship. And she is his character partner who got invited to the debut party, not a random passerby.

“Are you Drino’s fan? Is that the reason why you kept hiding this from me, because you thought I’d be mad at you for liking him, too? Is that the reason why you were at his village? Is because you were stalking him and being a silent fan all this time?!”

“W-What? Where did you get that idea?”

“Read this,” Gendo handed his phone to Ashmille and read the headline. “Is that you?”

A Fan Turned Threat? Drino Montezales Kidnapped with a Fan in Disturbing Inside-Job Rumors

“There’s no way that’s me. It was the fourth kidnapper who was the culprit and a fan,” Ashmille announced. “And no, I am not Drino’s fan at all.”

Ashmille was two days late to read the headline that was released two days ago. She ditched using social media for a while to rest her mind after the kidnapping.

News headlines can be misleading at times. It means that a workmate and a fan, turned into a threat by being one of his kidnappers. However, that statement can point to the real culprit, or to Ashmille, who also works with Drino, can be mistaken as a fan, and was at the debut party, who pretended to be kidnapped but was actually part of it.

“We believe that you’re not a kidnapper or a robber, Ashmille. But you don’t have to deny that you are a fan.”

“Feviah, calm down.” Doctor Janeth interrupted Feviah’s interrogation. She held her hands. “Ashmille, we are here for you. As a psychometrician at this school, I was tasked with checking on your well-being after the incident and determining the cause of the incident. Remember that I am also your friend. We welcome your feedback. This is a safe space. Anything you’ll share with us will be treated with confidentiality.”

She heaved a sigh. “I’ll only tell you once. It’s up to you whether you believe or not. I am not Drino’s fan. I don’t like him, so you can have him, Feviah. Yes, simply got involved in the kidnapping because the kidnappers thought of me as someone else. I got invited to his debut party, so I am not his stalker.”

“Why did he invite you?” Gendo asked.

“We were classmates in college. We've been acquainted for three years, ever since we collaborated on our thesis. That’s all.”

“Oh,” Gendo mumbled. “That makes sense. Such a horrendous incident. You were mistaken for the same rich girl they were supposed to kidnap. A waste of effort for the kidnappers,” he commented. “You are brave to save yourself and Drino. He should reward you for it.”

Ashmille didn’t bother telling them the whole truth. Maybe this is enough as long as she’s still telling the truth.

“Thank you for sharing that. How are you feeling?” Doctor Janeth asked.

“Thanks, everyone, for worrying about me. I’m alright. I’m back on track, that’s why I’m here,” she smiled.

Feviah hugged her. “I’m truly deeply sorry, Ashmille, for being like that.”

“I understand.”

“I didn’t mean to pry on you.”

“It’s okay.”

“But it’s fine with me if you’re his fan, too, okay? No need to hide it! I would be happier to talk with someone about him.”

“I’m really not…” she whispered.