⍟HARLEY⍟
"You're here? you should be in bed." Nag-angat naman ako ng tingin sa nagsalita and I saw Jaypee.
"And you're also here. I'm surprised you tracked me." I answered. Naupo naman ito sa tabi ko at saka ipinatong ang paa sa coffee table.
Ngayon ko lang napansin na may hawak itong beer in can.
"You know, Falcon's Army has its own powerful tracking system." He muttered.
"I know, kasi isa ako sa nag-program non." Sagot ko naman and that made him chuckle. "I heard that Jack fought a guy for a piece, is he okay?" I asked.
"I trained him, don't worry."
"You mean, Gemma trained her."
"Sabi ko nga." He said and pursed his lips at dahil naman doon ay bahagyang natawa ako. "So, are you still mad at her?" He asked.
"Who?"
"Gemma."
I gulped at saka sumandal mula sa kinauupuan ko and I started to play with the pebbles that I picked from the bowl on the coffee table.
"Did you know that she saved me when we first met?" I said then chuckled when that memory played in my mind. "Before Jaylene, she became my inspiration to keep going on the training. I am grateful na nakilala ko siya." I muttered.
Hindi naman sumagot si Jaypee but I know that he is listening.
"I...I am torn, s-she has this secret that might be the answer about who I am."
"Hindi mo ba tinanong yung dating kumupkop sayo? what's his name again?"
"Felix." I muttered and let out a sigh. "Kailangan ko na bang maghanap ng Ouija board para makausap ko siya?" Natatawang tanong ko sa kanya and he also chuckled.
Katahimikan naman ang bumalot sa aming dalawa, tanging mga kuliglig lang sa paligid ang maririnig mo.
Pero hindi katagalan, binasag ko ulit ang katahimikan na iyon.
"I want to know where I came from actually." I said at mukhang naagaw ko naman ang atensyon ni Jaypee mula sa bowl na nasa coffee table dahil tumingin ito sa akin. "I've been looking who am I since I started to work at the Falcon's Army." I added.
"That's why you can't go back." He said at tumango naman ako.
He sighed at saka inilapag ang beer in can na hawak nito bago ako niyakap. A small smile crept into my lips at saka niyakap pabalik ang binata.
"You will still the Harley who threw a keyboard in my face when I first met her." He whispered at bahagyang natawa naman ako sa sinabi nito.
Humiwalay naman ako sa kanya at pabirong sinuntok ang braso nito.
"Kidding aside, you know." He said at saka sumandal ulit sa sofa. "Kahit ano pang malaman mo tungkol sa pagkatao mo, you will still be the Harley that I've saved for so many times because of her recklessness."
I chuckled.
"Thank you, Jaypee."
"Anytime, Harley."
///
"So, this is the location?" I asked.
"Uhhh, yeah, according to the map here." Jack answered.
Jaypee leaned forward from his seat at saka tumingin sa harap namin.
"This is a company building." Jaypee said.
"I know Jaypee, I am not blind." Pambabara ko dito at nakatanggap naman ako ng sapok mula sa binata na nasa passenger seat. "You fucker." I muttered at saka mahinang sinuntok ang lalamuna nito and that made him cough.
"Are you two planning to kill each other here? should I call for the police and funeral home?" Jack asked
Umayos naman kaming dalawa at saka tinitigan ang building na nasa labas.
"I don't have a plan on how to enter that building, meron ba kayo?" I admitted at saka tumingin kay Jack na nasa shotgun seat. He is currently reading the journal that I found.
"Let's make our way inside." Jaypee offered.
"No, last time na ginawa natin yan pareho tayong napadpad sa presinto." Pagkontra ko dito.
"Right." He muttered.
"How about we sneak in?" Jack suggested.
"Sneak in? don't you see that security in front?" I asked.
"Well, I bet someone here has experience on pickpocketing." Jack answered.
Pareho namang tumingin sa akin si Jaypee at Jack at bahagyang napa-awang ang labi ko.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" I asked at pareho namang tumango ang dalawa. "Can't we just wait until it's evening? Ayokong mandukot." Tanong ko naman sa kanila.
"Then it will be harder for you to find where is it, according to this journal Felix gave the pieces to the people who he knows personally." Jack explained.
"Mas bet ko ang pickpocketing Harley, mas mapapadali pa buhay mo." Jaypee adviced.
"Eh kung mas padaliin ko kaya ang buhay mo?" Banta ko naman sa kanya.
"Oh hush, get out from this car come on." Jaypee said and forcefully pushed me out from the car.
"Motherfucker." I mumbled.
///
Umalis naman ako mula sa pagkakasandal sa pader kung saan ako nakatambay then I walked towards the female that I spotted.
Sinadya ko namang banggain ang balikat nito, I immediately told her that I'm sorry bago lumakad palayo sa kanya.
I glanced at my car na naka-park di kalayuan sa akin at saka ipinakita ang ID na nakuha ko mula sa bulsa ng babaeng binangga ko.
"And that's what I am talking about." Ani naman ni Jaypee mula sa airpods na suot ko.
"I'm going in." I said.
"Wait, di ka man lang magbibihis or what?" Dinig ko naman na tanong ni Jack.
"Hindi ko naman sinabing sa harap ako dadaan, dzuh." I mumbled at saka lumakad papunta sa back entrace.
Bago ako naghanap ng makukuhaan ng ID, I scouted the whole area and I saw the back entrace kung saan dumadaan ang mga delivery men at ibang empleyado. I also saw na hindi ganoon kataas ang security.
And there is a chance na makapasok ako nang hindi nahuhuli.
"Just say the code word kung kailangan mo ng tulong." Jaypee said.
"Wait, where are you?" I asked.
I heard his groan then I heard the weight of a sniper rifle.
"Nasa katapat na building lang ako, sa rooftop. I see you." He informed.
Tumigil naman ako sa paglalakad at saka tumingin sa katapat na building, I squinted my eyes before I raised my middle finger.
I know that he saw it.
"Hey! I can shot you right now. Alam mo ba yon?" Banta naman ni Jaypee.
"Sure, basta ba ready kang mabitin patiwarik ni Gemma." I said at saka ipinagpatuloy ang paglalakad papunta sa back entrance.
I am glad that I chose to wear a coat that reached on my knees, mas mukha akong office worker and that means less suspicion.
"ID" The guard mumbled. Ipinakita ko naman ang ID na nakuha ko, he just glanced at it then pinapasok na ako sa loob.
"I'm in." Bulong ko at narinig ko naman ang sigh of relief ni Jack mula sa kabilang linya. "Now, where should I start?" I asked at saka pumasok sa CR ng babae na nakita ko.
"Maybe start at the CEO's office." Jaypee suggested. "I think it's on 10th floor." He added.
Tinignan ko naman ang Id na nakuha ko and it states that the woman is working on 10th floor.
"Tignan mo nga naman ang tadhana." I mumbled at saka lumabas mula sa CR.
I used the fire exit since masyadong risky kung mage-elevator ako.
"Harley, are you still there?" Pagtawag naman ni Jack.
"I can hear you." I said and huffed habang umaakyat sa hagdan.
"I just found out that the CEO of the company is mute." He informed.
Napahinto naman ako sa paglalakad. "Are you fucking serious?" I asked.
"That's what it says here on their company website." Jack answered.
"Oh come on Harley, siguro naman inaral mo ang sign language right?" Jaypee asked.
"That's the problem." I muttered. "I skipped that class." I added.
Ipinagpatuloy ko naman ang pag-akyat, bahagyang napangiti naman ako nang makita ang malaking 10 sa tabi ng pinto, meaning ay nasa 10th floor na ako.
Binuksan ko naman ang fire exit and to my surprise, tahimik ang hallway doon. I can hear the non-stop typing of the people in the office.
"Where's the CEO's office?" I whispered.
"On your right." Jaypee answered.
I turned to right at saka tinahak ang direksyon na iyon.
"Jaypee, can you see me?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"Pray for me." I mumbled.
Tumingin naman ako sa paligid at nang makita ko na walang tao, dumiretso ako sa pinto ng opisina ng CEO.
It was now or never.
Nag-angat naman ng tingin ang lalaking nandoon sa loob ng office, sinalubong ko naman ang tingin niya as I closed the door behind me.
"Tsk, careless as ever." Jaypee commented.
Inalis ko naman ang suot ko na airpods at saka inilagay sa bulsa iyon.
"I'm Harley and I am looking for something." I said.
Surprisingly, the man didn't picked up the phone and call for the security, instead, he leaned back to his swivel chair at mukhang hinihintay ang mga susunod na sasabihin ko.
"You know Felix?" I asked.
My gaze found his finger and I saw that he is tapping. I smirked when I realized what he did.
Morse code.
"Is he your friend?" I asked again.
He tapped: Yes.
"Did he gave you something? Like a piece of an object or some sort like that." I described.
He tapped: Yes, but you should look for it.
"I know, because I know Felix and he is a little bit...eccentric." I said and that made him chuckle.
He tapped: He told me to give you a challenge, I hope you are ready.
"Sure, give it." I said.
He tapped: Imagine that you are in a video game and this building is your playground. There will be guards around so you should be careful.
I groaned cracked my neck.
"I swear, I will wake up Felix from his grave and I will kill him again." I said.
He tapped: Around the building, you will find unusual objects. Use it as your clue. It will point you to where the piece is.
I nodded at saka isinuot ulit ang airpods.
I saw his finger moved and after that, an announcement from a speaker came.
"Attention everyone, an outsider infiltrated the building. If you see an unfamiliar person, report immediately to the nearest guards around." The announcement said.
"I guess that's my cue." I said at kaagad na lumabas ng opisina, I saw a group of guards walking towards my direction kaya kaagad na tinalon ko ang front desk na nandoon at saka nagtago.
Buti na lang at walang tao doon.
Nang marinig ko na lumayo na ang mga yapak nila, lumabas naman ako sa pinagtataguan ko at mabilis na tinungo ang elevator.
Isinuot ko naman ang ID na nakuha ko and I grabbed the random papers na naka-display sa labas ng opisina and I acted na para bang doon ako nagta-trabaho.
Inalis ko naman ang airpods na suot ko at pinalitan iyon ng isang wireless hearing device na na-imbento ng isa sa mga member ng Falcon's Army.
"What happened?" Jaypee asked.
I let out a sigh at saka tumingin sa paligid.
"It's a game on." I muttered.
///
"Mas dumami yata ang guards na naglalakad?" Jaypee asked.
"Because they knew that there was an outsider." I said at saka naupo sa hagdan. "I need to look for unusal things around me, the CEO told me na ituturo ako noon kung nasaan ang piece." I explained.
"Let me look." He said and I hummed in response.
Tumingin din naman ako sa paligid and my forehead furrowed when I saw a cart that is filled with hotel's products.
Which is unusual.
Tumayo naman ako mula sa kinauupuan ko at saka nilapitan iyon, inalis ko naman ang telang nakatakip doon and I saw a paper in the middle of the soaps. Kinuha ko naman iyon at saka binuksan.
It was a Hieroglyphics.
"Jack, can you hear me?" I asked.
"Crystal." He answered.
"I will send you a picture and translate it immediately." Utos ko naman sa kanya, I immediately took a picture of it and send it to Jack's phone.
My eyes widened when I heard an upcoming footsteps, mahinang napamura naman ako at kaagad na ibinalik ang nakatakip na tela doon sa cart.
Then I squeezed myself under the space of that cart.
"Negative." Ani naman ng isa sa mga guards.
"Look around the area, for sure dito lang nagtatago yung taga-labas na yon." Utos naman ng isang guard.
I closed my eyes at paulit-ulit na minura si Felix sa isip ko. Wala akong pake kung nasaan ka man, fuck you and your creative imagination.
Ilang minuto naman ang itinagal ko doon sa ilalim ng cart na iyon pago tuluyang umalis ang mga guards na naka-paligid. I let out a sigh at saka tinignan ang paligid bago tuluyang luamabas kung saan ako nagtatago.
"Jack? Any answers?" I asked.
"Yeah...uhm...it states that...3rd floor?" Jack answered.
Hindi naman ako nag-abalang sumagot at kaagad na inakyat ang hagdan papunta sa 3rd floor.
"Ayo, I spy a mascot on 3rd floor. Weird." Jaypee informed.
"Why do I feel na nasa Running Man ako ngayon?" I huffed at saka dahan-dahan na binuksan ang pinto ng emergency exit.
I look around at tama nga si Jaypee, may mascot sa dulo ng hallway. Tumingin naman ako sa kaliwa't kanan bago lakad-takbong tinungo ang mascot na iyon.
Akmang kukunin ko sana ang scroll na nasa lamesa malapit sa kanya ng bigla nitong hawakan ang braso ko, I tried to pull it pero mas malakas ito.
"Ah gusto mo ng away ah." I said.
"Harley, no, hinding magandang--"
"Then I will give you a fight." I muttered and launched myself to the mascot.
End of Chapter Twenty-Five