Where is he? (2)

The man who installed the air cooler inside Zoey's house secretly layout the building inside his mind. "Now, I know how I can get in and out this building without anyone noticing it." That man has been observing the said condominium and Zoey's day to day life. He was just waiting for the right time to execute his plan in destroying her life.

Two days had passed but Nickel is still nowhere to be found. Even May is already looking for him because he needs to look and sign the final touches for the summer outing they planned for all the employees of ASC.

They wanted to have their summer outing before holy weeks starts and the best dates available were two weeks from now. May needs to send her budget proposal to the accounting department but before she does that Director Fuentes needs to check it first.

"Zoey is Director Fuentes there? I need to show him my summer outing proposal." May phoned Zoey and asked her if the person she needed is there. "That was also my question to you. It has been three days but Director Fuentes hasn't shown up." Even Zoey doesn't know where he is. She is already worried about that guy but until now her pride still top her reasoning why she hasn't contacted him to know the details.

"I think I'll just send it to his email and I also think that it is about time for him to have his own assistant. It's hard to play hide-and-seek with Director Fuentes. Also, why don't you try contacting him, isn't he your neighbor?" Even May reminded Zoey that she can dial his phone number and ask him, what is the essence of them being floor mates, right?

"I'm shy," she said. "Maybe Director Fuentes is in an important out-of-town meeting that is why we cannot see him around. Let's just wait for him to arrive."

May returned to her station and decided that sending him her proposal will be the last option for her to do. In less than an hour, she received a reply from Fuentes.

Subject: Summer Outing Itinerary and Budget Proposal

Approved.

She only received one word to her almost essay type of message to her boss. "Unbelievable! I wonder if he really read it and check my proposal." She said to herself.

Nevertheless, it is still an approval from him so May thinks that it's an all go for them to have summer outing.

She forwarded the message chain to Zoey to check her budget proposal. May also her a hangout message.

Subject: Re: Summer Outing Itinerary and Budget Proposal

Liao: As summer is fast approaching, we, the HR department, wanted to give everyone from Asian Sealed Corporation a time to relax and enjoy the company of all.

…

…

…

Please see attached file for the summer outing itinerary we prepared as well as the budget proposal.

Thank you.

Fuentes: Approved.

--

Liao: Imagine my perfect essay piece. He only replied it with one word Zoey. One word.

Alcantara: Yes is still a yes. Why? What is expecting to receive? Compliment? Catfishing. May Liao is catfishing.

Liao: Excuse me! I just want some words or feedback to my work. What if something is off to my proposal? Will he blame me later on?

Alcantara: Director F isn't like that. And if he is, blame him instead. He approved it without checking, it's his fault.

After the hangout chatting, Zoey felt unease because she feels like she was bad-mouthing Nickel while he is not around. And because of that, she slapped her mouth three times as punishment for herself.

Suddenly, she thought that if Nickel can reply to May, it means that he is okay. Maybe her suspicions that he is in an out-of-town meeting is correct.

It has been three days already and Nickel wouldn't move a muscle. For those three days, he was just laying down his bed, sleeping, and resting.

Due to his all-nighter last Friday night, stress, fatigue, and minor colds, Nickel now evolved his colds into flu. His immune system gave up protecting him due to his lack of rest.

Within those three days, Nickel struggled to feed himself, but he still managed to reply to all messages he received. He signed in his company email thru this phone a month before that, good thing he did that because he cannot use his laptop due to his severe headache.

Living along in this country is the same as how he survived life when he was still in Montana. Just like what he used to do. Whenever he got he will just lay there sleep, rest and drink medicine. For him, sleeping will do the magic of medicines. But it's already been three days and his fever keeps getting worst.