The Bar Files 2.2

Anselmo and JT led the girls to a table, as sitting near the bartender was turning into a crowded affair. The conversation was getting warmer and it became necessary to find a place where there was more privacy. As the four of them were getting to know each other a little more intimately, Celine put her right hand on JT's left shoulder and her left hand on his chest. He, in turn, put his left arm around her waist. 

Liza wrapped herself around Anselmo's right arm. He, on the other hand, drew her close.

"So," asked Celine. "What does a lawyer do at night when he's not working on a case?"

"A lot of things," replied JT. "Sometimes I go out to meet people. It takes away a lot of the stress."

"What kind of people?"

"I don't know... Interesting people."

Their faces drew closer to each other. "Like me?" she asked.

"Yeah... like you..."

Their lips met.

"I've been working really hard to get where I am right now," said Anselmo. "And one day, I'll take my place among the great families that rule the EOGC."

The great families were the EOGC's rulers. There were fourteen families, collectively known as the Great Houses, that owned the EOGC's corporations an a host of lesser families, known as the Minor Houses, who worked in the upper management echelons of the corporations. And towering over the great and minor houses was the Ong family headed by Eric, the supreme ruler of the EOGC, the Taipan.

Even though becoming one of the minor houses was the objective of many working in the EOGC's member companies, holding on to such a position was harder than remaining in the lower levels because of the success-oriented system. What was unusual, however, was that a culture of intrigue was almost totally absent among the great families because being a sycophant was branded as a weakness by the EOGC. This same attitude even carried itself into the other non-member corporations that set up business in the EOGC Territories.

"Ooh, I hope you'll get there," said Liza. Her hand went down and her fingers lightly touched something.

Anselmo was a bit taken aback. "Hey, slow down," he said to her. He turned and noticed JT was already In Celine's face. It was dark in the bar and people were enjoying themselves either at drinks or waiting for the curtains on the stage to part.

"Oh, well, why not?" he remarked after a moment's pause and wrapped his arms around Liza.

A little kissing here, a little hugging there, he thought. Then it's off to somewhere private where no one can see us. Just the two of us.

His lips touched hers. His hands were wandering. Her hands were wandering. Sugar and spice and everything nice. he thought.

Images were going through his head... strawberry sundae... champagne... mochi cakes... hardboiled eggs... sausages...

Sausages?

Anselmo started. He looked down and saw what his hand had been touching.

JT and Celine were rather busy. JT's mouth came down to her neck while his right hand ran through her hair and... net?

Something fell off, or rather came off. Hair... net... Hair? Net? Hair + Net = ?

JT gaped incredulously. He lifted his hand and noticed that the wig was stuck in his fingers. Trembling, he turned to look at the hand, then to Celine, who was smiling sheepishly.

In a fright, he turned to Anselmo. The latter did the same. They looked around and saw strange sights.

Anselmo went pale. "Hey..." he mumbled. "Don't tell me this is a-"

Presently, the curtains came up on on the stage appeared a handsome, skimpily-dressed... man.

"A gay bar?" Cardinal Zhang asked, wide-eyed in disbelief as he set his teacup onto its saucer.

"Yes," said Lorenzo, matter-of-factly, and sipped his tea.

They were in the cardinal's office, doing overtime examination of the cathedral's accounts.

"You did try to warn them, did you?" asked the cardinal.

"Of course I did," replied Lorenzo irritably.

"Don't worry," said a voice.

The two turned to see Sister Catherine Hayashi, who was also seated at the table. Sister Cathy, as she was called, also worked with the archdiocese and was almost always seen smiling. In fact, almost nobody saw her not smiling but nobody seemed interested in annoying her.

"By this time, I'm sure they'll find out," she continued. She then sipped her tea.

The cardinal felt as if the room went dark and smoky balls of blue-white light were hovering about.

JT and Anselmo crashed out of the bar, shrieking. Blindly, they dashed out into the street. They ran into a convenience store, collected a lighter, mouthwash, toothpaste, toothbrushes and several bottles of gin and continued running and screaming in the direction of Cagayan River.

On Isla de Oro, long abandoned since the Takeover, at the water's edge, they stuffed their mouths with copious amounts of toothpaste and mouthwash, took their clothes off -making sure none of their valuables were in the pockets- and doused them in gin and set them alight. 

"We're going home after this, alright?" said JT

"Yeah," agreed Anselmo.

"We don't talk about this to anyone."

"Uh-huh."

So at the banks of the Cagayan river, at the water's edge, were two men in briefs who had just escaped from one of the most horrifying experiences in a straight man's life.

"Well," declared JT. "That's that."

"Yeah," agreed Anselmo. "Let's get out of here before somebody sees us."

"Where's the car?"

They had parked it near the bar's entrance.