Juniors Decode: Navigate Atlantis [COMPLETED]

Chapter 17

"Naughty girl,"  Neil hissed and ruffles Suzy's hair.

"Hey! Hey! Ano ba?! Magugulo 'yung buhok ko!"  angil naman ni Suzy, sabay hampas sa kamay ni Neil.

Natawa na lang kami ni Genesis sa inasal nilang dalawa. Si Ele naman ay umiling na lang at muling tumingin-tingin sa mga crafts.

Naglakad-lakad ulit kami habang pinagmamasdan ang samu't saring mga sasakyang pandagat na narito sa daungan.

Habang naglalakad, isang amerikanong ginoo ang lumapit sa'min at nagpakilala.

"Excuse me,"  he said.  "I just noticed you recently. Are you looking for a sailboat to be borrowed?"

"Ah... Yes."  Ele faced that man with his formal posture.   "Are you one of the owners? Can you lend us a hand to find a good craft?"

Napaka-fluent ng pagi-english niya. Nakakamangha.

"Oh, yes! Yes! I'm one of the owners. The name's Fred Halton. But you can call me Fred."  

Nakipag-kamay 'yung nagpakilalang Fred sa club leader namin. Nang maghiwalay ang kanilang mga palad, saka muling nagsalita si Ele.

"So, uh, Fred... What craft could you suggest for us?" 

"Well, it depends..."   Fred answered.  "But before anything else, I would like to show you, first, my own property boats."

Nagliwanag ang mga mukha namin nang sabihin 'yun ni Fred. Suddenly, we felt excited and honored, as well, to behold a new owned craft.

"We would be delighted!"  Suzy gladly replied.

Dahil doon, mas lumaki ang ngiti sa mukha ni Fred.  "That's good. Now, follow me. This way."

The craft owner, Fred, led the way as the five of us tail him from behind. Naglakad kami sa mahabang wooden platform ng dock.

Marami kaming nadaanang mga marine crafts. Marami rin kaming nakasalubong na mga foreign people. Mahaba-haba ang nilakad namin, sa totoo lang.

Hanggang sa mayamaya pa't huminto na kami sa bandang dulo na nitong wharf, kung sa'n nakaparada sa gilid ng daungan ang dalawang makikinang na yacht, saka isang chopper... Yes, a chopper... na naka-park sa ibabaw mismo at nasa pinakadulo ng dock's platform.

"Viola!"  Fred proudly presented.  "These two watercrafts are for rent. Even that helicopter is also for rent."

Turo niya sa dalawang makikinang na yate, maging sa chopper na nasa dulo ng platform.

"How much's the cost if we rent this for a whole day?"  Genesis asked, scanning his eyes at the couple white yachts in front of us.

"Those yachts? 2000 US dollars for a whole day,"  Fred simply responds.

2000? Eksakto na 'yong price na 'yun kung tutuusin. Pero hindi ko lang alam kung pasok ba ang gano'n kalaking pera sa budget namin?

"2000, huh? Do you have anything lower than that?"   Ele frowned.

Napakamot ng sentido naman si Fred, saka nito tinuro ang chopper na naka-park sa kaniyang likuran.   "That helicopter is worth 1500 US dollars for one day rent."

Dahil doon, lahat ng mga mata namin ay nabaling mula sa yate 'tungo sa lumang chopper na tinutukoy ni Fred.

"Why is it cheaper than these two?"   Neil questioned, comparing the yachts and the chopper.

"Hmm, honestly, this helicopter is a bit older than those watercrafts,"  Fred stated.  "That's why it costs a little downer."

Napatango na lamang kami bilang pag-intindi sa tipid na paliwanag nito.