10 “A Gift”

Within an abandon room a crumbling building, the group of men gathers together sharing information.

A dark and gloomy place as one man starts searching, hacking to be precise. While his other five companions resting at the corner, two women who seems to be repairing a suit while the three men lazily sleeping leisurely resting at the wall leaning while the last person sleeps in a decaying sofa.

"So who's the person?" says the women repairing the suit. "Just give me a minute" said the man dabbling with the computer. His hand was twitching taping the keyboard, "gahhh… this might take a while".

-Back at the cafe-

Lara was still teaching me how to utilize the phone, but in truth I wanted to test something, if I can enter the main system and hack the main frame enables me to gather data.

"Initiating tactical mode", before I could enter the system and dive in to the internet Lara stand up clapping her hand and said, "Let's go shopping then…". Just like that she was already befriended Arishok.

Before I could decline her offer Nira accepts her request. Her hands grab my wrist and force to drag me out, "wait the bill" I say being drag by her. "That's alright I've already taken care of it" she said smiling back at me.

I couldn't help but go with the flow. But still I was on defensive mode not letting my guard down and if someone might get a toe to toe to me well it might get a little bit bloody.

My eyes were looking left and right looking for any signs of threat nor provocation. I was at the back walking behind Lara and Nira who seems to be enjoy talking with each other.

"Hey what place shall we go first" Lara said to Nira. Thinking while pressing her lower lips Nira replies her, "well…" she stops at the moment turning around facing me. I was in my own world ignoring their conversation looking around ignoring their words. Before I take another step I realize they are waiting to speak my thoughts, "what…" I said not knowing what the situation was.

Nira left out a breath, *sigh*, "big brother Arishok where do you want to go shopping". "Shopping??? Didn't we already bought food" I said, "haa… never mind" Nira says somewhat dumfounded.

Seeing those two like brother and sister Lara giggles but somehow jealousy. Breaking our conversation, "well why don't we go first to that shop".

Upon entering the building full of phone and gadgets the atmosphere was cold suited to my likings.

Lara was searching for a high-quality phone; it wasn't for replacement nor to buy another one but she wants to gift Arishok, it was her first time to gift something for someone she just twice met.

I didn't follow them instead I waited leaning right beside the exit door comfortably mesmerizing with the air-condition. Crossing my arms closing my eyes standing asleep, Lara and Nira didn't notice with their busy searching for a brand quality phone.

As they were talking to each other they heard something, it was a saleslady who somehow talking to Arishok but he didn't flinch nor being distracted. They were dumfounded after seeing the saleslady trying her hard waking Arishok and for Nira she was embarrassed so she quickly came towards to his direction.

Her hands grab my shirt and abruptly shakes me till I slowly open my eyes. "What?" said to her not knowing my situation. Nira sigh and calmly apologize to the saleslady.

Lara wasn't embarrassed by the two of them but she giggles happily enjoying, watching them as Nira calls to her brother but jealous in a different way. She couldn't help but distance herself looking at them like a family, she always wanted this moment of someone you have a dearest person close to you.

Turning around facing the shopkeeper for some good and high quality smartphone. The shopkeeper went and search, by his return, showing her the good-looking smartphone. "I take two then" she said giving him her gold credit card. I quick slide was enough to pay.

She didn't want to give him the phone yet but waiting for right moment and right time. Casually she walks towards us, "did you find what you want" I said to her in a dead tone. In calm and cheerful reply, she nods and said "mhh… yes".

I thought that it was over but… somewhere I was in another place full of clothing, "the hell". I couldn't help but keep myself silent following them as they search and search for a cloth to wear. We walk around the mall finding clothing, but they just bought only five or six pairs of clothing.

I was tired and bored to walk around and back again and went another path it was a tiresome but I was surprise that they didn't get tired of shopping walking checking the clothes. Finally, we walk towards the counter and I said happily, "heavenly be saved, good finally". But after stashing the clothe to the counter manager they again went back to search for something before they could finished their shopping.

Raising my eyes, "c'mon". I gave up and take the clothes they bought and ask the counter person if I could wait them outside holding a bag of cloths. The counter agrees she already know my situation so she ask me to wait for them near the exit door where I could sit at the bench and wait for them. The humidity was cold same as the other shop we first went.

After an hour of facing the computer hacking without interfering the alarm. The man finally obtains the data, he was tired of breaking the defense system but in the end he got what he wanted for.

They wanted to know who the person was that guards their target. A picture was taken clearly showing the face of Lara, Nira and Arishok. He scans the image and let the computer do the job comparing every data, the man said "guys this might be hard". The man sleeping resting at the decaying sofa slowly calmly awoken to his slumber and said, "is that so…".