6 An Item To Take

The sound of my footsteps can be heard when I entered the staffroom. Indicating the silence the staffroom bears. Chills ran through me as I entered it because of the air con. I shivered for a moment. I stared at the interior of the staffroom. A room made for teachers to do their work and wait for their class sessions. A place that is prohibited for students since it resides a lot of files and exam papers. A fridge stood next to the door. I opened it and grabbed a coke out of it then put some money on top of the fridge. I brushed my hand against the teachers' dividing wall as I march to my objective. I heard a noise. A teacher, packing up her stuff.

"Hi madam, is there anything I can help with?" I greeted.

"Eh!" she flinched then turns her head towards me. "Charle. What are you doing here?"

"I want to check on something."

"I see. Don't worry," she smiled. "Go to your dormitory after you've done your work. Make it quick."

"Did anything happened?"

"Don't you know?" she stopped. Her eyes peeking for other teachers. Then, she sat on her pink chair. "Something happened today at Pelintang Lab."

Pelintang Lab or what people would call Pelintang Institute of Research. It was one of our country's main research centers until Niagara X took its place. Even after 5 years after its closing. There is still some speculation saying it is still operating secretly. Pelintang Institute piqued my interest. I look at her with determination to find the truth.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I don't know. Reports are saying the building burnt down," she said with a stressed expression. "But there's no alarm. They suspect it's a terrorist doing. We need to be prepared if anything happens."

Surprised, I tried to process what happened. The world had been living in peace for the last 5 years after the Treaty of the United Nations. The treaty that changed our life drastically. From that point, war, conflicts, hunger, and poverty vanished from the world's problem as the treaty called out every nation to work and support each other. This story of Pelintang Institute went aflame then speculated as a terrorist act is something that would smack the media.

"I see. Alright, madam. I'll take my leave. Take care," I nodded to her before letting her pack her things, leaving her.

As I approached a door at the right side of the staffroom, I took out a key. A key used to open a compartment locker. I unlocked the door with the same principal's code. The insides are pitch black. I switched the light switch positioned next to the door. The lights were turned on. Revealing what's inside. A lot of steel cabinets containing folders and exam papers. Ignoring the folders and exam papers, I walked towards where my 'secret cabinet' resides. As I was strolling inside the folder room, a small cylinder-shaped robot came to me.

"Hello. What can I help?" with a cute robot voice.

"I want to find the principal's cabinet," I replied while swirling the key

An LED blinked on top of its head. "Follow me!" it said while strolling to the principal's cabinet... When we arrived at the administrator's locker section, the robot stopped and turned."Here you go!" pointing a door to the principal's locker room with a laser.

"Thank you," I thanked it.

"Your welcome," it responded.

The robot leaves the room. My purpose of coming is not the principal's locker but a custom locker I made myself on the wall. I stood next to the wall. Pictures and flowers are placed as decoration. I removed the Shakespeare portrait. Exposing a small locker behind it. I put the picture beside the wall then I took the key and inserted it into the hole.

A click sound can be heard indicating the locker had unlocked. I opened the locker, examining the stuff inside it to confirm if anything is missing. All items are present. I reached my hand inside the locker, took a phone, a motorcycle key, and took my debit card that I unintentionally left while hiding my phone and motorcycle key. There's a part I didn't touch. I had nothing to do with the stuff inside it, not yet. I closed the locker, put the Shakespeare photo back, then left the staffroom through the emergency door.