36: The sneaking mission

SAM's POV

"I'm sorry po, maam. Pero busy po ngayon ang may-ari ng cafe na'to. He already had an appointment with someone today kaya hindi niya po kayo mahaharap ngayon."

An exasperated sigh instantly escaped from me when the manager unfortunately informed me that.

Kung minamalas ka nga naman ano. After Reading that letter, I hadn't slept a wink last night with it kept plugging in my head. I'm just too curious with that letter para mag-antay ng matagal and just sat idly at my apartment.

Kaya naman kahit alas syete pa lamang ng umaga at hindi pa nagbubukas ang lugar na'to, pumunta na agad ako rito thinking I'd be lucky enough to meet the owner. But as unlucky as I was, eto, it was already eight in the morning and I've been informed with this news.

Bweset!

Tumango na lamang ako rito then with pursed lips, I stiffly turned and walked back to where my car was.

I have to find another way to get that damn footages ASAP!

I get into my car and then stayed at the driver's seat for awhile while glaring at the cafe outside.

It's a two-storey building kaya naman posibleng nasa second floor ang control room ng cafè na'to.

My gaze moved back to the ground floor. More and more customers came in, mostly office workers. Probably to have a quick breakfast meal kaya naman busy lahat ng staffs catering those hungry and in hurry customers.

With gritted teeth, I just keep tapping my fingers at the steering wheel habang nakamasid parin sa labas.

Hindi ko na dapat ipagpabukas ang bagay na'to. I am just too eager now to even do that.

I took a quick glance at my wrist watch.

8:26am.

All staffs would be very occupied with their customers until nine kaya naman may higit kalahating oras na lamang akong natitira to do what I am about to do right now.

To sneak inside and stole that video footages.

Hihiramin ko lang sana ito pero dahil parang wala namang balak magpahiram ang may-ari ng cafe na'to with him always unavailable, tingin ko mas mabuting nakawin ko nalang yon.

That way, walang disturbong mangyayari sa sched nito.

Yeah, right!

Without giving it another thought, agad na'kong lumabas uli ng kotse and then with hawk eyes, I scanned the place around and then the outside.

Two cctv cameras were installed outside at sa pagkakatanda ko, lots of cameras were installed inside.

Inhaling deeply, Dali-dali na'kong naglakad papasok ng Cafè with purposeful strides, determined to do my mission today. Pagpasok na pagpasok ko sa loob, I quickly locate the way to the second floor.

And there it was, at the right far corner of the place, may hagdanan nga na nandun that obviously the way up to the second floor.

Kailangan kong makaakyat sa hagdanan na yon without the staffs noticing me.

Scanning the place again, I searched for the only person na pwedeng makatulong sa'kin dito. Pero nang hindi ko iito mamataan, another frustrated sigh escaped from me.

I think wala ngayon dito ang hinahanap ko. Shit again!

Parang ako na yata ang isinumpa! Sobrang malas----

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted when my eyes caught someone na palabas pa lamang ng banyo malapit sa hagdanan na'yon.

That someone na syang hinahanap ko.

I felt like a torn was being pulled out from me when I saw her in her usual uniform, pink jacket and black cap around her head.

With hasty steps, agad ko na itong nilapitan before she could even walk away.

"Suzane!" I called up when she was about to head to the counter.

Lumingon agad ito pagkarinig sa'kin then smiled at me when she spotted me.

"Sam! Anong ginagawa mo rito? May imemeet ka na naman bang tao rito ngayon?" Masiglang bungad nito sa'kin nang makalapit na'ko rito.

"No. Wala akong imemeet ngayon dito but I need your help, Suz." i said in a straightforward manner with low voice, just enough for her to hear me.

Agad namang kumunot ang noo nito dahil sa sinabi ko.

"Help? Sure. Ano bang pwedeng itulong ko sa'yo ngayon? I'll gladly help you kahit ano pa yan. Wag lang tungkol sa pera dahil alam kong alam mo na na gipit na gipit ako ngayon."

"No. It's not about that Suz." I answered her with a smirk, amazed with her joke.

"Kailangan ko ang tulong mo.."then I leaned against her before I continued in a whisper.

"na makapasok paakyat sa ikalawang palapag ng building na'to without anyone noticing it."

The frown in his face deepened at that in confusion.

Sighing, hinila ko na lamang ito papasok sa loob ng banyo and quickly checked the insides kung may iba pang taong nandun sa loob and when I found none, I quickly locked the door.

"This is just part of my new case, Suz. Kailangan ko lang makapasok sa ikalawang palapag to search for something---"

"Hindi mo na kailangang\ pang sabihin 'yan, Sam. You're an investigator so I know what you're gonna do there. But don't you think hindi safe para sa'yo para gawin yan ngayon lalo na't kasalukuyang nasa loob ng office ang boss namin ngayon?"

I can't help but felt awed with her. She was indeed an intelligent young woman.

"Ako ng bahala dun. Ang kailangan ko lang ngayon was to get to the second floor without them knowing it or suspecting me."

"Pero paano? Tiyak mapapansin ka nila agad with the outfit you're wearing right now. Lahat ng empleyado rito are in their uniforms so----"

"So that's why I need your help." Agad na putol ko rito with a knowing smirk in my lips.

"Kund pwede sana, hihiramin ko lang sana sandali 'yang suot mo."

"My uniform?" Maang na tanong nito sa'kin.

"Ahuh. Your uniform. That's the only thing I know na gagana sa plano ko." i answered while waggling my brows.

For a few seconds, nanatili lang itong nakatitig sa'kin, probably weighing my point or maybe, iniisip na nababaliw na'ko. Well, baliw na kung baliw, wag lang eww.

Pero mga ilang sandali lang, she finally nodded in understanding.

"Okay. I got it. Kahit na delikado 'tong ginagawa mo at lagot ako sa manager ko nito." Then he take off his jacket and then her cap, revealing her long brown hair in a ponytail.

I suddenly felt guilty for her pero wala na'kong ibang maisip pa kundi ito lang.

"Here. Suotin mo na'to, Sam. I'll just tell my manager na nadumihan tong uniform ko." Saad niya as she handed her uniform to me.

kinuha ko na agad 'yon then smiled at her guiltily.

"I owe you this one, Suz."

"No. I owe you my life last time." Agad na sagot nito. "Kung hindi dahil sa'yo, I would have been dead by now. So go now. I know this is an important mission for you. Mag-ingat ka lang."

My heart swelled up at that. I suddenly felt thankful na nakilala ko ito kahit sa di kaaya-ayang sitwasyon kami nagkakilala.

"Thank you." I answered with a grateful smile saka isinuot na ang uniform at cap niya.

"You're welcome. Go now."

I just nodded at her saka lalabas na sana mula dun but before opening the door, I turned to her again which made him frowned.

"May nakalimutan ka ba, Sam?"

I just smiled at him before I uttered the words I wanted to tell her before I'd go.

"No. I just wanted to let you know that from now on, you can call me as one of your friend kung gusto mo. Minsan ko lang 'to gagawin, Suzy but rest assured, you can call me anytime if you need some help. Yan lang. Bye!" Then without waiting for her response, agad na'kong lumabas and pulled down my cap to hide my face. Mahirap na.

With purposeful and hasty strides, agad na'kong dumiretso sa may hagdanan saka dali-daling umakyat habang pigil ang hininga. Hoping against hopes na wala akong masasalubong sa hagdanan.

And good thing, wala nga akong nakasalubong na kahit sino until I get to the second floor. I was able to let out a sigh of relief at that.

I quickly took a quick scan of the place around. No one was in there. Halatang busy lahat ng staffs sa baba dahil sa dami ng customers nila rito.

A closed door with a Main office signboard on it from my left habang ang katabi nitong pinto ay walang anumang nakasulat dito. Probably it's the stock room. Another closed door from my right, probably it was the owner's office.

I have to find the control room. That's for sure where I could find the thing I want.

But how? Tatlo lang naman ang mga silid na nandito.

I suddenly felt frustrated with it.

Well, ba't hindi ko nalang alamin yon by checking each room?

With that thought in mind, I quickly walked towards the main office's door pero bago ko binuksan yon, I made sure to lean my ear against the door para malaman kung may tao ba sa loob. And when I heard nothing, I slowly pushed open the door then peek through the small opening with my eyes only.

Mga mesa lang ang nandun with some papers on top. No other indication that the control room was this room.

Cursing under my breath, I quickly headed to the next door. Tahimik lang din ito kaya nasisiguro kong wala ring tao sa loob.

Tsk, tsk... Kung sinswerte ka nga naman----

"At kailan naman kaya posibleng tatawag ang tauhan mo, Max? They should be hurry dahil hindi na'ko makapaghihintay ng matagal to get to talk to that man."

That made my eyes widened nang marinig ko ang boses na 'yon. It was obviously came from the owner's office. At sa tingin ko, it was just from behind the closed door.

Don't tell me may lalabas mula sa pintong---

Hindi ko na natapos pa ang iba ko pang iniisip nang bigla ng bumukas ang pintuang 'yon.

Dali-dali ko ng binuksan ang pintuang nasa harapan ko saka pumasok sa loob.

"They're already doing their best kaya maghintay ka lang. I assure you that he won't fail you.." Narinig ko pang sabi ng isa sa nandun before I could finally shut and locked the door.

Halos di na'ko makahinga ngayon with the loud thudding of my heart.

Muntikan na.

Blowing a sigh of relief, Inayos ko na muna ang sombrero ko and then scanned the details inside of that room.

And I was awed when I finally took in what was inside of it.

Walang bintana sa lugar na'yon and lots of computer monitors were displayed before me with CD racks sa may bandang kanan with lots of CDs were neatly stacked on it.

From here, makikita mo ang lahat ng mga nangyayari sa baba just watching at the monitor. Lots of customers occupied the first floor of this building habang nagkandarapa naman ang mga staffs sa pag-ientertain ng mga taong 'yon.

Ohh. Hindi pa naman pala ako ganun kamalas ngayon. I've found this room after all.

Without wasting a second, agad ko ng sinimulan ang paghahanap ng bagay na syang ipinunta ko rito.

I started with the CD racks. Tiyak nandito ang bagay na hinahanap ko.

Maraming CDs na nandito with code attached on it.

1119, 1019, 0919, 0819....

Pagkakita ko palang sa first CDs in a horizontal pile, agad na kumunot ang noo ko.

What's this? Anong ibig sabihin ng mga numerong 'to? Hindi naman siguro lotto numbers to ano? Tsk, tsk.. Mukhang mahihirapan ako nito.

Still confused, I checked the other CDs na nasa pangalawang pile and then the other sa baba.

1218, 1118, 1018, 0918...

1217, 1117, 1017, 0917...

1216, 1116, 1016, 0916...

1215, 1115, 1015, 0915...

The sequence was just like that. The last two digits were the only numbers that changing in every pile as I studied it closely. And there were only twelve CDs in every pile except the first one in the rack na nagsisimula sa 11.

Hmm, 12 CDs in every pile....

Pwedeng mga buwan ito. A year was composed of twelve months so it was possible. One of the basic rules in filing.

12 for december, 11 for november and so on. At dahil buwan ng december pa lamang ngayon at hindi pa ito natatapos, that's why the first pile starts at 11.

And If the first two digits was the month, then this means that the last two digits could be the year. Kung anong taon nangyari ang buwang 'yon.

Yes. That's right.

I can't help but smirked at that. Happy to decode the information behind those numbers.

With hasty moves, I quickly locate the CDs na maaaring buhay pa ang dad ko. I'm sure before his death, maaaring nakipagkita siya sa kaibigan niya. And as far as I can remember, dad had met someone at the same day of our accident. At malaki ang posibilidad that that someone was the same person na may-ari ng file na 'yon.

I mentally agreed to that idea, convinced that my deductions made sense.

It happened more than ten years ago now so it's possible na nasa..... Then my hands slowly moved down and then stopped right at the CD tapes with number code 0209 and 0309.

Agad ko ng kinuha ang mga 'yon and then I was about to open it to try it at the computer to check the footages but I was stopped when I heard footsteps and voices na palapit sa pintuan ng silid na kinaroroonan ko.

Oh hell.

"Why don't we watch the actual video footages then, Malay natin, kilala mo pala ang taong 'yon."

Pagkarinig sa boses na 'yon, the thudding in my chest came back.

I quickly looked for any place na pwede kong pagtaguan if they ever get into this room.

Monitors on top of the table, the same CD rack na kinunan ng mga tapes beside it. A large cartoons were neatly piled malapit sa may pintuan and nothing else.

Oh my God! I can feel my sweats started to trickle down my brows now but I paid it no heed. I have to hide my butt now before I'd be caught here!!

"Sure. Remind ko lang sa'yo, Max, No one should know about this. Alam kong nasa tabi-tabi lang sila at naghihintay kung kailan susunggab."

"Rest assured. Walang ibang makaka---"then came a twisting of the doorknob. Dahilan para mas lalo pa'kong mataranta when the people from the outside of the door tried to open it.

"Wait--- ba't nakalock ang pintong 'to?"

"You haven't locked this room pagkaalis mo rito kanina?"

The man in questioned just groaned then attempted to open the door again.

"Hindi."

"Then maybe your staff had stupidly locked that pagkatapos mong sabihang bumaba muna kanina."

Hearing that voice sa malapitan, I think I've already heard it before from somewhere. Pero dahil hindi yan ang priority ko ngayon, I just ignored that and just find some place instead kung saan pwede kong pagtaguan.

"Well, it's possible. Good thing I have brought the master keys here with me." Then came the shingling sound of keys.

Triple shits!

At nang marinig kong tinatry na nilang buksan ang pinto with the key they have, my eyes widened in alarmed habang bitbit ko parin ang mga CD tapes sa kamay ko.

Wala na'kong ibang choice ngayon kundi magtago sa bagay na'yon. Then without giving it a second thought, Ibinulsa ko na ang mga tapes na nakuha ko and then silently ran to the direction of the piled box.

Di bale na! Kahit bangkay pa ang nasa loob ng box na 'yan. I DON'T CARE! Yakapin ko pa nga yan e. As long as I have something as my hide out.

Binuksan ko agad ang box na'yon and felt relieved nang makitang may konting space pang nasa loob with few papers inside. A space just enough to hide my healthy butt. Malaki ang pwet ko but I preferred to call it healthy than fat.

At bago pa man bumukas ang pinto, agad na'kong pumasok sa loob ng box and then hid in it.

"You've secured the footages here?" The familiar voice of man said pagkabukas ng pinto. I could hear their footsteps na papasok ng silid na ito.

"Yes. At bago ko makalimutan, Henry, my manager here informed me na may isang babae raw na nagtatanong tungkol sa footages noong isang linggo. Asking if she can set an appointment with me to---"

"A woman? At anong footages naman kaya ang itinatanong ng babaeng 'yon, Max?"

I frowned when I heard them talked about that 'woman'.

I think ako ang pinag-uusapan ng mga ungas na'to ah!

"Henry said, naglalagi ang ama niya rito noong nabubuhay pa ito and she just wanted to know kung sinu-sino ang kausap nito noon everytime he's here."

Walang duda! Ako nga ang pinag-uusapan ng mga kumag! Kahit na gusto kong mag-umpugin ang mga taong 'to, but with my condition right now, as a magnanakaw, I have no choice but to just grit my teeth with passion.

"You should set an appointment with her as soon as she came here again. Malay na'tin, may binabalak pala ang babaeng yon at isa yon sa mga galamay ng kung sinong gustong magpatumba sa'kin. Especially with the new progress of this case."

I can imagine him now walking towards me with his footsteps na papalapit ng papalapit sa direksyon ko.

Well, noon, wala akong balak pero ngayon, meron na and hey! Flash news mga ungas, tapos ko na pala itong gawin! So--

Napahinto nalang ako bigla nang bigla nalang yumugyog ang box na pinagtataguan ko. It was obviously done by someone in purpose!

Diyos ko po!

"Anong meron sa box na'to, Max? Ba't parang ang bigat-bigat naman yata nito." The same familiar voice said habang niyuyugyog parin ito.

This shit! Ang sarap tirisin! Kung nasa tamang kondisyon lang sana ako ngayon at kung nandito lang sana ang baril ko, kanina ko na sana tinapos ang kung sinumang gagong yumuyogyog ng pinagtataguan ko ngayon!!!!

"Don't mind that box there. I have already made an order to Henry na idispatsa na ang mga yan ngayon."

Dispatch?? Seriously?!

"Oh. that's a good idea then. I think you need to dispatch it right away. May naaamoy akong 'trouble' mula sa box na yan" he said , emphasizing the 'trouble' word.

This shit!

I'm sure as hell na narinig ko na ang boses nito noon. And everytime na naririnig ko 'to, I always have the want to kill him!

"Don't worry, Cameron. Mga ilang sandali na lang siguro nandito na si Henry with the other men staff para kunin na ang mga box na yan mula rito."

When I heard that name, mas lalo pang tumindi ang inis ko.

Sabi ko na nga ba! Kaya naman pala pamilyar sa'kin ang boses na 'yon and the reason why I have this strong urge to murder him now!

"Why don't we just watch the video now and try to identify his face kung nakita mo na ba ang taong yon noon?" The man with a name Max said with amusement can be detected in his voice.

"I think sa susunod nalang, Max."

"Sa susunod? Why? Are you----"

"Next time, Max. May kailangan lang muna akong asikasuhin ngayon and it need not to be delayed.

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