66: Strip it to find it.

CAMERON'S POV

Ilang minuto na ang nakakalipas since the impossible woman had left but still, I can't take my eyes off at the gate as I just stood there at the doorway.

I thought she was going to ask me to come with me to the office but how wrong I was! She hadn't even showed any interest on it and just leave me like that without even bothering to take her breakfast and yelled at me dahil sa pagkulong ko sa kanya rito kagabi.

That insensitive woman!

Now I really wanted to regret why I had even like that woman!

With clenched teeth, I turned around and just rushed off to where I had left Mason and Liam awhile ago just to see here out.

She seems she was in a hurry and I wonder why it was. Well, probably to search for that file again.

That damn file again.

Pero dahil malalaman at malalaman ko rin naman kung saan man ito pupunta ngayon, so I'm confident she wouldn't be in danger this time. I had made sure that anyway.

"Where's Samantha? Hindi pa rin ba nagigising hanggang ngayon?"

I groaned when Mason had greeted me with that question pagkakita nito sa'kin, reminding me with her absence. He was still sitting at the long couch in a slouched position with his cup of coffee at the center table before him. Just wearing his same shirt yesterday habang bakas pa rin sa mukha ang hang-over nito. I wonder where's the other asshole this time.

"She left." I grumbled with clenched teeth as I sat down at the other couch right across him saka matalim lang na nakatingin sa mesa with crossed legs.

Disappointment was just an understatement to explain how I feel about her leaving.

"It's okay, del Fuero. Mabuti nga 'yong umalis muna siya rito because I'm fucking certain Liam would freak out once hed saw her again with her gun!" And then the idiot laughed out loud.

I throw him a murderous glare while he just kept laughing, looking so amused with it.

This idiot!

"Mason?"

"Yes?" agad na sagot nito while still chuckling at it, irritating me more.

"Bat hindi nalang kaya ikaw ang umalis rito ngayon? Isama mo na rin ang tarantadong Liam na'yon before I'd throw you two out of here myself!"

The moment I'd hissed that, his laugh died down in a second as he straightened up on his seat. Clearly not liking my kind suggestion.

"o-okay.. Mukhang mas mabuti nga siguro kung nandito si Samantha because I'm sure siya lang ang makakapagpapalamig niyang mainitin mong ulo." agad na bawi nito, putting up a straight face.

The clenching of my teeth tightened with my fists ready to punch him on his gut anytime.

"Mason.." I warned in between with bared teeth.

Himdi na had to umimik when I warned that. Siguro dahil nakikita nitong konting asar nalang at mauupakan ko na talaga ito ng di-oras.

"Guys? Look what I've got here! A book! An MJBs book!"

That made us suddenly turned our heads to that booming voice and then the other asshole appeared at the door habang nakangisi itong lumapit sa'min. A book was in his hand. Unlike Mason, walang pang-itaas na suot ang tarantado and just wandered around my house like that habang magulong-magulo pa rin ang buhok nito.

"Cam! Look at this book. Di ko alam na nagbabasa rin pala ng mga ganitong libro si Samantha.."

I frowned when he had said habang pasalampak na umupo ito sa tabi ko.

"What book?"

"This book." He said while showing the cover page of that book.

WHERE THE SUN DOESNT SHINE

I frowned when I get a close look at it. This is the same book in her dad's office. Kung saan ko nakuha ang family ng mga Romero noon.

"Where did you get that book, Liam? Bakit nasa sa'yo 'yan ngayon?" nagtatakang tanong ko rito as I just stared at it with furrowed brows.

"Oh. Nakuha ko 'to kahapon sa silid na pinanggalingan niyo kahapon ni Sam. I think it was her dad's study room. Nakita ko lang ito sa sahig kasama ng mga librong nagkalat doon.. " He continued with a shrug saka parang tuwang-tuwa ng binuklat-buklat ito.

"So you had stolen that book from her house?"

Napasimangot agad ito when I'd accused that.

"Of course not! Hiniram ko lang 'to ano! I just happened to see this yesterday. This is one of MJBs best books, Cam and I'm just fan of his works."

"MJB? What does it mean?" I asked at him in confusion, not because I'mm interested to know who that author is but because that three letters just sounded so familiar to me.

"Marvens Jeff Bonhomme, del Fuero. Thats what MJB means. Pangalan ng author ng librong 'yan and if you're thinking that he stole that, then you can just tell Samantha about it."

When Mason butted that in, a protest groan instantly came out from Liam while glaring at his way.

"Shut up, Mason! I didn't steal this one.." I heard them continued their bickering but my mind was just too piqued by those initials now to even mind them.

That initials of a book na posibleng hinahanap namin. Gaya ng code na nahanap ko sa loob ng study room ni papa.

Excited by that possibility, I quickly snatched that book from him. Causing him to pout like a child being deprived with lollipop. Hindi ko na ito pinansin saka maigi lang na nakatingin sa librong 'yon, studying its book cover under my scrutiny.

Marvens Jeff Bonhomme and MJ.Bpg-206..

"Sa isang libro."

"Tama ba'ko, Mang Doming? Nasa libro ang hinahanap namin, 'di ba?"

"Tama ka, Ms. Samantha... Makikita mo nga sa isa sa' mga libro ng daddy mo ang hinahanap nyo."

Nang maalala ko uli ang naging usapan namin kay Mang Doming, napapatigil na lamang ako as my eyes slowly widened in realization.

Because hell! It is possible that this was what we were looking for.

"Cam? May problem ka ba sa librong yan? Ba't ganyan mo nalang 'yan titigan ngayon?" I heard Liam asked beside me but I paid no heed of it and just flipped the pages of that book.

Walang ibang librong tumutugma sa mga initials na nasa code na'yon ayon kay Ms. Javier but just this.

With bated breath, I kept flipping through the pages but I frowned when I've found nothing in it na maaaring file. But with my eagerness to find that damn file from this book, ginawa ko na naman uli iyon. I just kept flipping through it all over again.

I can feel the curious stares Liam and Mason were throwing at me now, probably wondering why Im doing all this like a desperate idiot.

"Del Fuero? Ano bang hinahanap mo diyan?"

"Yeah, Cam. Ano bang hinahanap mo diyan ngayon? Ba't hindi mo kaya sabihin sa'min? Malay mo, matutulungan ka pala namin." Segunda naman ni Liam sa tabi ko, but I just continued on it without answering them.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I can see Mason just shook his head while Liam blow out a loud sigh beside me.

"Okay. I guess he had finally gone out of his mind now dahil iniwan na naman ito ni Samantha. That stubborn a.k.a savage woman---"

He paused and grinned at me when I throw him a deadly glare, challenging him to continue that, calling her with names.

"I mean that gorgeous woman na muntikan na'kong taniman ng bala sa ulo ko kagabi was making him act like an idiot now." Pang-aasar na pagpapatuloy pa nito na agad namang tinawanan ng isa pang tarantadong Mason.

"And I guess magkakandarapa na naman siyang hanapin and babaeng 'yon mamaya.. That woman he had sworn na hinding-hindi niya magugustuhan." Mason seconded and then with that, the two burst out in laughter again. Making me to just heave out an exasperated breath while stopping myself to murder them.

"I even wondered kung ano ba talagang nangyari sa lakad nilang dalawa doon sa Mindanao dahil base sa sinabi niya sa'kin before going there, 'Wala akong planong mag-asawa at mas lalong magkaanak man lang, Corteza. So don't even think na maiinggit ako sa'yo.' The heck!!"  He added, mimicking my voice na siyang ikinahalakhak pa lalo ni Liam, much to my annoyance.

"But now, mukhang malabo ng mangyari 'yon, Liam because I think he was done eating his shits now!"

"Baka his words ang ibig mong sabihin, Mason.. Not his shits!" And then again, the two had laughed out loud. Stretching my patience to its end.

At dahil sa inis,  galit ko ng naibalibag sa kanila ang mga unan na nasa tabi ko.

"Get out of my house this instant!!!!" nanggagalaiting sigaw ko sa kanila while I kept throwing them with pillows.

Pero sa inis ko, the two just kept laughing while trying to deflect the pillows. Clearly enjoying my outburst!

These assholes!

"I could really kill the two of you kung hindi niyo pa'ko titigilan ngayon!"

"Calm your horses down there, Cam! Binibiro ka lang naman namin. Di ka naman kasi mabiro eh!"

"Yes, del Fuero. Ano ba naman kasi 'yang tinitingnan mo sa librong 'yan? Why dont you just tell us about it? Malay mo, baka matulungan ka talaga namin diyan."

I just growled at them while still throwing them a deadly glare while heaving up with breaths.

"I was trying to find that damn file na hinahanap namin but you two just kept on disturbing me!!" I hissed at them while still tightly clutching the book.

Hearing that from me, their laugh instantly died down as their brows instantly furrowed in curiosity.

"The file? In that book?" Mason queried while pointing at the book na hawak-hawak ko.

"And why would you think na nasa librong 'yan ang file na'yon, Cam? May clue ba kayo na sa libro nga na'to makikita ang bagay na'yon? Seriously??" Liam curiously added, now his stupid grin was gone in a second.

Gusto kong bulyawan ang mga ito and throw them out of here but seeing them back to their self now, napapabuntong-hininga nalang ako ng malalim.

I straightened up on my seat and heaved in another deep breath before I answered them. Dahil malay natin, these idiots could help me out with this.

"MJ.Bpg-206, 'yan ang nakuha naming code sa mga gamit ni papa. At ayon kay Mang Doming, sa isang libro nakatago ang file na'yon. Isa sa mga libro ng dad ni Ms. Javier.."

"Isa sa libro ng dad ni Samantha? Then does that mean, that book," Mason answered while pointing at the book in my hand. "was his dad's?"

I just stiffly nodded at them while throwing him a pointed look. Agad naman itong tumango-tango in understanding.

"Baka naman nasa ibang libro ang hinahanap niyo, Cam."

"But Ms. Javier couldnt find any book na tumutugma sa code na'yon, Liam but just this." I firmly insisted while raising the book.

"MJ.B could be the initials of this book's author---"

"And pg-206 could be page 206, kung saan mo pwedeng makikita ang bagay na'yon, del Fuero."

That made me snapped my head to Mason across us, dahil kahit na naiinis pa'ko sa kanya hanggang ngayon, hindi ko maikakailang may silbi din pala ito minsan.

Yes. That was it! And he could be right with that.

Now excitements crept into me. And without any words, binuklat ko na naman uli ang libro diretso sa pahinang yon.

Page 206.

Liam was just beside me, sticking his head out on me to check it as well. 

But to my dismay, wala namang kakaiba sa pahinang to. Bukod sa medyo makapal at naiiba ang pahinang 'yon sa iba pang pahina, wala ng iba pang kakaiba rito. It contains words at wala man lang palatandaan na may file na nakatago rito.

"Wala namang meron sa pahinang yan eh.  Mukhang hindi nga ang librong 'yan ang hinahanap niyo, Cam." Dismayadong saad ni Liam while shaking his head.

Kahit ako, nadidismaya narin. Muhang nagkamali nga'ko ng akala

"Baka naman nakatago lang diyan, del Fuero. Tignan mo pa ng mabuti."

I looked at Mason with creased brows. Kampante lang ito sa inuupuan nito habang kibit ang mga balikat at nadekwatrong nakaupo ito ngayon. 

"What do you mean, Mason?"

He just shrugged before he answered.

"Simple. Baka may nakatago diyan sa ilalim ng pahinang 'yan. Ally used to do that before. She always kept a tiny letter for me in my books.  She used to attach it in every book cover of my book before. And with how perfect she had done it, you can't actually notice that thing until you'd look more closely into it."

"Nakatago sa ilalim ng pahina? Are you nuts, Mason? Eh ni hindi nga halos magkasya ang isang papel sa liit ng pahinang to eh." Reklamo agad ni Liam which made Mason to groan.

"Hindi ko sinabing isang buong papel ang ilagay mo dyan, Liam. But just any tiny thing na kakasya diyan." Mason pointed out.

Liam just snorted while shaking his head.

"Ang weird pala ng babae mo, Mason. Nagtatago ng love letter sa mga libro mo? Tsk, tsk,.. I don't want a woman like that." Panunuyang saad nito which made Mason to growl in disapproval.

But my attention wasn't on them anymore kundi sa mga naunang sinabi ni Mason habang matiim lang na nakatitig sa pahinang yon.

Medyo makapal ang papel ng pahinang yon  and there's nothing wrong if I give it a try..

Nagsisimula na ngayong magbangayan ang dalawa but I just ignored them kahit pa magpatayan pa ang mga ito.

I quickly tried to strip the other half layer of that page and to my surprise, it had stripped easily like I was just striping some wallpaper in a wall.

And what greeted mes was the sight that I hadn't even thought would be there.

"Wag kang maniwala kay Mason, Cam.. Impossibleng may nakatago sa papel na 'yan at----"

Liam had stopped talking pagkalingon nito sa gawi ko at sa maliit na bagay na 'yon.

"Holy shit!" Liam exclaimed with utter surprise habang mabilis namang lumapit sa'min si Mason, wearing the same expression that we had in our faces.

"Isang sd card??" takang tanong nito pagkalapit.

"Obviously, SD card nga 'yan at hindi love letter gaya ng inaasahan mo, Mason."' Came Liam's sarcastic remark which made Liam to throw him a glare.

Nagsisimula na'kong mainis sa mga gagong 'to ngayon.. But to know what was in this card is my top priority for now.

Mukhang ito na nga ang matagal naming hinahanap.

Ignoring the two, dinampot ko na ang bagay na 'yon saka tumayo na.

"Where are you going, Cam?"Liam queried when I was just about to exit that room.

"Kailangan kong malaman kung ano ang nasa loob nito. This could be that file na  siyang hinahanap namin." And then with that, I took my leave and rushed off to my study room at the second floor.

While heading up to that way, I quickly dialed a number in my phone.

In just one ring, sinagot na nito agad ang tawag ko.

"Where is she?" I asked without any greetings.

"She was heading now to Tagaytay, Sir."

"Tagaytay? And why would she be heading to that way?" kunot-noong tanong ko rito as I halted with my steps.

"Hindi ko alam, sir.. Her car was just heading to that way at kanina ko pa ito sinusundan."

Napapatango na lamang ako rito. Her aunt is in Tagaytay so it was possible na doon ang punta nito ngayon.

"Okay. Just keep following her and never let her out of your sight. At kung maaari, don't even let yourself be noticed by her dahil tiyak tatakasan ka niya agad kapag nagkataon." Tanging paalala ko nalang dito and when he answered 'yes sir', I quickly ended the call saka nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad.

Whatever is in this card, kailangan kong makausap agad ito mamaya. If I have to fetch her up from there myself, gagawin ko. At kung sino man ang ituturo ng nilalaman nito, he better be prepared to pay what was due to him for almost getting us killed! 

~~~~~~~~~

RICO'S POV

"Saan siya papunta ngayon?"

"I think to her aunt, Sir dahil papunta ito ngayon sa Tagaytay. Today is the death anniversary of her parents kaya naman nandito ito." I informed habang maiging sinusundan ang lumang kotse ng pesteng babaeng 'yon. Tailing her throughout here in Tagaytay and making sure to keep a good distance from her car para hindi nito mahahalatang may nakabuntot rito.

Now that no del Fuero was around to keep meddling with my plan, this is the best opportunity to execute my plan against her.

I heard him make a groaning sound from the other line saka ito sumagot.

"oh... anniversary ba kamo?" Amused can be detected in his voice. 

"Just keep tailing on her for now, Rico and wait for the time na makaalis na siya mula diyan before you'd take an action of what I had ordered you to do to that woman. Siya lang ang makakapagturo sa'tin kung saan itinago ng magaling niyang ama ang pesteng bagay na'yon!"

I slowed down when I noticed her car doing the same. Tanaw na mula rito ang bahay ng tiyahin nito kaya naman minabuti kong dumistansya rito.

"Masyado na'kong natatagalang hanapin ang bagay na'yon. Kung noon ko pa sana nakuha 'yon mula kina Ronaldo at Nickandro, then probably I would've been one of the most powerful man in the world by now, Rico!"

With him sounding so desperate now, mas lalo pa'kong naiintriga kung ano ang meron sa bagay na hinahanap nito noon pa man. Parang hindi man lang ito nag-aalala na baka makuha 'yon ng ibang tao. 

The file that could surely sent him to prison 'pag nagkataong mahanap 'yon ng babaeng 'to at maibigay 'yon sa mga kamay ng batas. There's no doubt he'd go straight to the jail kahit wala pa mang paglilitis na gagawin dito.

Minsan, nagiging pabaya talaga ito..

At isa na doon ang pagpapabaya nito sa asawa nito noon. If he hadn't just let her wife na maibigay ang file na'yon sa kalaban nito, edi sana wala na ang file na'yon and I shouldn't have to keep following this woman now.

"Rico? Nakikinig ka ba sa'kin?"

"Yes, sir. I heard you.." sagotko agad rito as I parked my car now just a good distance from the small mansion nearby.

Making sure to park at a safe distance and away from that house and from their view.

From here, I can see Samantha Javier now being hugged by Roselyn Romero, her aunt...

When Mr. Enriquez ended his call, I just stayed there habang maiging pinagmamatyagan ang mga ito.

Last night could've been the perfect time para gawin ang mga plano ko when she was all alone at her abandoned house... Kung hindi lang sana dumating ang Del Fuero na'yon kasama ang mga kaibigan nito, then she would've been dead by now.

"Sir? Hindi pa ba tayo kikilos?" I smirked as I turned to Hugo beside me. Halatang kanina pa ito naiinip at naaatat na sunggaban ang babaeng 'yon.

Ito lang ang isinama ko rito because the two of us were enough to get that woman.

"Kalma lang, Hugo. Darating rin tayo diyan.. later. Just later."

He groaned saka patalim ng tumingin sa labas. Sa dalawang taong nasa 'di kalayuan.

Without taking our eyes from them, nag-antay na' kami sa loob ng sasakyan, waiting for her when she'd go back to Manila and when is best to attack.

~~~~~~~