8 Surprise Visit

The previous happy mood was gone, replaced by bewilderment. Someone randomly blurting out a few words without reason can be easily ignored but it unsettled me for some reason. I looked back but she was already far away from us.

What if it was a warning?

No matter what, it was better to look into it first even though it may turn out to be nothing at the end.

"Please bring me the latest data for the factory in F city, especially the evaluation checks this year. Also, find out which employee was that," I instructed Heather before going inside to the office.

After a few minutes, she went in and said, "I sent the information to your email. Also, it looks like the lady earlier was a manager from the Production Department."

"This factory and now this Production Department," I muttered, already deep in thought while I reviewed the documents.

"I noticed that the factory didn't have any problems at all from the past months based on the evaluation," she observed.

"It's doing too well in fact. They might as well copy paste all the remarks from all these evaluations. They're all exactly the same. Find the pattern in the remarks and let's see where it all started," I told Heather sharply when I checked.

My forehead knitted to the thought of what this situation might imply. Restlessly, I took my coat and bag and went out of my office again.

"Heather, cancel all my appointments today. I'll go to the factory right now. Tell Ethan the address and to meet at the parking lot. Send me the documents and I'll review them in the car. Also, if anyone asks, tell them that I went home early," I hurriedly told her before rushing off to the elevator.

When I arrived, Ethan was already waiting there with the car running. I sat on the backseat and took out the tablet to check my email for the documents from Heather.

"Did you get the address from Heather?" I asked Ethan though my mind was half preoccupied with evaluation checks.

He nodded, "Yes."

"Alright. Let's go then."

My phone buzzed with a reminder I put early this morning to call Quinn regarding the news. I dialled her number and put it on speakerphone so I could read while waiting.

It was endlessly ringing until Quinn's voicemail sounded out, "Quinn Hawke here. I'll call you at my earliest convenience or whenever this party where I am is over."

Ethan coughed violently all of a sudden.

"Are you alright?" My eyes darted to his direction in surprise.

"I'm fine. I just choked on air," he replied after clearing his throat, without looking at me.

I ended the call without leaving a message for Quinn. I'll just have to call her back later.

"It will take around two hours since it's in another city. Do you want me to put on music?" Ethan asked, glancing on the rear view mirror.

"I don't mind as long as it isn't too noisy," I replied and then went back to reviewing the documents.

I didn't know how long we were on the road but I suddenly noticed that the car was parked and Ethan wasn't in the driver's seat. I glanced outside the window and saw him coming back with a paper bag and coffee cups.

"Heather told me that you still haven't taken lunch so I thought I should get you at least a sandwich and coffee since we're in a rush to go to the factory," he passed me the food.

The smell reminded me that I was indeed hungry but too distracted to even feel it.

"Thank you. Did you also get something for yourself?" I spoke but my eyes were glued to the coffee he gave me.

"I already ate lunch before and a coffee is enough for me. Also eat the sandwich first before drinking the coffee or you'll hurt your stomach," he told me while putting his cup of coffee to the holder beside him and started the car again.

After being sated with food and coffee, I grabbed the tablet again and dug further to this troublesome hole that was getting deeper the more I discovered more.

I already had a hunch but I would need to see the factory myself and get solid evidence before I can pursue it to the end.

Soon enough, we arrived within the vicinity of the factory. I seemed to be transported back in time. I saw the renovated buildings but what popped in my memory was a solitary red building that was in dire need of repairs. It filled me with a bout of nostalgia.

We stopped at the gate where a security guard approached our car. I lowered my window and handed an ID.

"Ada from the Production Department in HQ," I introduced myself.

"Go ahead, Ma'am," the security nodded and gave back the ID.

I saw Ethan looking at me with a question in his eyes.

"We can't have the mouse that we're trying to catch get a wind of a surprise visit though this time I'm afraid the people here are the victims," I muttered in an explanation.

"I'm surprised you have a fake ID with you," he smirked.

"Except for the name, this is actually a legitimate ID issued by the company. I used it when I was trying to learn about the company incognito."

Ethan pulled up in the parking space in front of the main building. I looked at it for a moment before finally entering. In this building, the memories of my father were stronger.

When we got inside, various machines filled our sight with busy people flitting about back and forth throughout the whole floor. Colors were everywhere as the raw materials got processed to the next step.

I wanted to see more of it.

I headed for the short stairway at the right side and climbed the few steps leading up.

"You know the way?" Ethan asked, following me while looking around with curiosity.

I reached the landing and headed for the edge with the glass where an uninterrupted view of the previous floor was in sight.

"How could I not? I grew up here though it was a bit run down back then. My childhood was accompanied by old looms, weaving fabrics and watching all those textiles get developed into something beautiful or useful," I murmured as if I was talking to myself.

It was as if it was just yesterday when I watched my dad walk through this floor like those people downstairs. Building his dreams bit by bit while I follow him like a shadow everywhere. I was feeling a bit sentimental but I haven't forgotten my purpose of coming here.

I looked around and saw the elevator by the corner, "Let's go."

We went in and I pressed the button for the 3rd floor for the office as indicated in the wall beside the elevator doors.

The elevator climbed upwards shakily then thudded to a halt between floors. I looked at Ethan in disbelief as the lights above us flickered erratically before finally going out.

We were bathed in total darkness for a whole minute before the situation sunk in.

"Are you kidding me?" I exclaimed in disbelief while Ethan filled the whole space with laughter at the same time.