⍟HARLEY⍟
Inihinto naman ni Jaypee ang kotse nang makapag-park ito sa bakanteng parking lot sa harap ng hospital.
Ang hospital na siyang huling lugar na nasa mapa.
Then mula dito, ilang minutong pagmamaneho lang ay mararating mo na ang Port.
"Okay, how are we going to go inside ng hindi nahaharang ng mga nurse?" Jaypee asked.
"How about I stab you then kunwari isusugod ka namin?" I suggested.
Jaypee looked at me from his seat since nasa passenger seat ako and he is unimpressed by my suggestion.
"What? I am just suggesting." I defended.
"Ikaw na lang kaya kaya saksakin ko?" Jaypee asked.
"Okay! Hold on, di na kailangang umabot sa saksakan." Awat naman ni Jack sa amin. "We can just tell them that we are visiting someone." He suggested.
"At kaninong pangalan naman ang sasabihin natin?" I asked.
"Yan ang di ko alam." Jack said.
I chuckled at saka tinignan ang building sa labas.
"I think I can sneak at the back." I said.
"Then Jack and I are going to the front, separately." Jaypee suggested.
"Okay, I'm in." Jack agreed.
"And let's waste no time, let's go." I said at sabay-sabay naman kaming lumabas ng kotse.
"We'll see you later." Jaypee said.
"Likewise." I answered before I run towards the exit habang sila naman ay lumakad papunta sa front entrance.
Umupo naman ako sa bench na nandoon at pasimpleng nagmasid sa mga pumapasok at lumalabas sa back entrance.
As usual, may guard doon ang ilang nurse na mukhang sinamahan lumabas ang mga pasyente na pwede ng umuwi.
My gaze went to the truck that just reached the area then an idea came into my mind.
Tumayo naman ako mula sa bench at saka lumapit sa truck, sakto naman na nagsisimula na itong mag-diskarga ng mga laman sa loob.
And of course, being the greatest pretender. I pretended to be one of the delivery guy at kumuha ng box mula doon.
Kalmado namang nilagpasan ko ang guard at pumasok sa loob ng hospital, mukhang wala din namang pake yung guard since busy itong makipag-landian sa isang nurse doon.
I mean, sino ba naman ang magta-tangkang pasukin ang isang hospital? Anong mananakaw nila dito? mga gamot?
I let out a sigh at saka tinignan ang isang bulletin board doon kung saan nakatala ang mga floor at kung anong floor ang nandoon.
Then I saw an 'archive room' which gathered my attention.
"Archive room it is." I mumbled at saka lumakad papunta sa fire exit.
Hello old friend.
Nang makarating naman ako sa floor kung nasaan ang archive room, iniwan ko ang box na dala ko sa isang tabi bago lumabas ng fire exit.
My eyes widened at mabilis na pumasok ulit sa fire exit ng makita ang pamilyar na mukha at may kausap itong doctor.
Icarus.
I fished out my phone and immediately sent a text message sa group chat naming tatlo nila Jack
Terrible Trio
Me: Careful, Icarus is here.
Hindi naman nagtagal ay naka-receive ako ng reply mula kay Jack.
Jack: Where is he?
Me: In the floor where the archive room is
Jaypee: Archive room? may ganun?
Me: Look at the bulletin, idiot.
Jaypee: 👀
I rolled my eyes at saka sumilip mula sa kung nasaan ako and they are still there, talking.
Base sa body language na pinapakita ng doctor, mukhang tinatakot ito ng lalaki.
I sighed at saka tinignan ang box na dala ko kanina bago binuksan iyon. The box contains some disposable face masks and gauze.
Kumuha naman ako ng isang facemask at saka sinuot bago tumayo at sumilip ulit sa labas.
Icarus and the doctor walked away from where they are talking awhile ago and I took that chance to get out from where I am hiding.
Napahinto naman ako ng madaanan ang isang kwarto and I saw a woman inside of it, mukhang nanghihina na ito base na rin sa mukha at sa putla ng balat nito.
The woman opened her eyes and her gaze found mine.
Her eyes widened and later on, an emotion passed through her eyes.
It was like she's saying that she's sorry.
For what?
Hindi ko naman pinansin iyon at saka ipinagpatuloy ang paglalakad habang tinitignan kung nasaan sila Icarus at ang doctor.
I stopped infront of the door and it states that it was the archive room.
Pasimple namang hinawakan ko ang doorknob and thankfully, bukas iyon.
Pumasok naman ako sa loob at tahimik na isinara ang pinto.
I am not afraid that someone will lock me from the outside, may sign naman doon na nagsasabi kung may tao o wala.
Tumingin naman ako sa loob ng archive room and there's a lot of boxes.
But the bulletin board there caught my attention.
Lumapit naman ako doon and I scanned through the papers that was pinned there.
And among the papers, there's a map there.
Akmang kukunin ko na sana iyon nang biglang may kumatok sa pinto. My eyes widened at saka tumingin doon.
"Dra. Del Mundo? are you in there?" Tanong naman ng kumakatok mula sa kabilang panig.
"Uhh...yeah, bakit?" I answered loudly, hoping na hindi niya mahalata ang boses ko.
"Meeting will start in an hour, are you coming?" He asked.
"I-I'll be there in a minute...or two..." I said.
"See you there." He said.
I sighed nang hindi na ito nagtanong at mukhang umalis na yata.
Or so I thought.
"Dra. Del Mundo? you're here?" Ani naman ng lalaki mula sa kabila.
"Yeah, kakarating ko lang." Sagot naman ng panibagong boses sa kabila.
Oh shit.
Mabilis naman na kinuha ko ang mapa na naka-pin doon sa bulleting board at saka binuksan ang maliit na bintana doon.
"Then, sino yung nasa loob?" The man asked.
Hindi ko na hinintay ang sagot ng babae at isinuot ang sarili sa bintana na iyon.
I gasped nang ma-realize kung gaano kaliit ang space na pwedeng lakaran doon.
My phone vibrated at kinuha ko naman iyon saka sinagot.
"Jaypee I'm kind of busy right now."
"What the hell are you doing!?" He exclaimed.
"Wait, you can see me?" I asked at saka tumingin sa baba and I saw him and Jack looking at me from there. "Hi, enjoying the show?" I asked at saka dahan-dahan na lumakad papunta sa susunod na bintana.
"Do you understand kung gaano kataas ang paglalag-lagan mo kung sakaling mahulog ka diyan!?" Jaypee scolded.
"That's why I need you to shut up and trust me." I said bago ibinaba at tawag at saka isinuot ang sarili sa unang bintana na nakita ko.
Thankfully, it was open at ang pasyenteng nasa loob ay tulog.
I let out a sigh at saka inilagay ang mapa na nakuha ko sa bulsa ng coat na suot ko bago lumabas ng kwartong iyon.
Ilang minuto lang ang itinagal bago ako tuluyang makalabas sa hospital. I threw the facemask that I wore at saka ngumiti kanila Jaypee at Jack na mukhang naubusan na ng dugo after makita ang stunt na ginawa ko.
"What!? the risk I took was calculated." I defended when Jaypee threw me a glare.
"What do you mean calculated? What if you slip up there? you can die in an instant." Jaypee answered
I shrugged my shoulders. "I never said I was good at math." I said at saka lumakad papunta sa sasakyan.
///
"Are you kidding me? you just robbed a hospital!?" Felix exclaimed and that made me roll my eyes.
"You're acting like I stole a gallon of isopropyl alcohol." I retorted.
"What did you stole?" He asked na para bang nag-shoplift ako ng biscuit mula sa convenience store.
"This." I said at saka ipinakita sa kanya ang mapa na nakuha ko mula sa archive room. To be honest, kanina ko pa siya tinitignan pero di ko siya ma-gets.
Kinuha naman niya ang mapa mula sa kamay ko at saka tinignan iyon.
"It is the San Luis Port." He said at saka naupo sa sofa.
"Yes." I answered. "Are you sure na hindi mo talaga alam kung nasaan ang vault na sinasabi mo?" I asked.
"No little shit, napag-utusan lang din ako na itago ang mga piraso ng insignia na nakuha mo." He said.
"Sino ang nag-utos?" I asked at kita ko namang napahinto siya dahil sa tanong ko.
Hindi naman ito sumagot at nanatiling nakatingin sa mapa.
"Old man, I asked you a--"
"You didn't need to know Harley." Pagputol naman niya sa sasabihin ko.
"And why?"
"Because!"
"Because?"
"Because."
I pursed my lips at pinigilan ang sarili ko na sugurin ito, napaka-tino niyang sumagot, pramis.
"How are you so sure na ligtas ang ginagawa natin?" I asked again.
"Because I know them personally." He said at saka sinulatan ang mapa na hawak niya. "Here, nandito ang vault." He instructed.
"Wait, how did you know?" I asked at saka tinignan ang X na nasa mapa.
"Coordinates." He said at saka sinapok ang ulo ko. "Di ka kasi nakikinig sa AP class mo noon, lagi kang nagka-cutting." He added.
"I am not!" I defended and later on I realized something. "Well, you're right at the cutting part." I mumbled.
"Where is Phoenix and those two J's?" He asked nang mapansin na kaming dalawa lang ang nandoon sa bahay.
"Phoenix offered to refill the groceries here so he asked the boys to come with him." I answered.
As I placed the map on the coffee table the encounter with Icarus a while ago.
"Felix, do you know Icarus?" I asked.
"The one who shot you? Yes. I know him...personally." He admitted.
"Well, I saw him a while ago on the hospital." I said and I can sense a worry from him. "Don't worry, we didn't saw each other." I added.
"He must be visiting his wife."
"Wait, he has a wife?" I exclaimed.
"He is just a human being and he can fall in love Harley, come on." Felix said.
"Mukhang kilala mo talaga siya." I acknowledged.
"He used to be a member of the gang." He said and let out a sigh. "I guess, the gang isn't enough to support his sick wife that's why he accepted some mercenary jobs." He added.
The woman that I saw on the hospital cross my mind.
"So she's the wife." I mumbled.
"Who?" Felix asked.
"I saw a woman in the hospital a while ago, she looked at me and it's like...she's saying sorry." I said.
"Kaye is a good woman and I don't know why she fell for Icarus." Felix said and lightly chuckled. "I even tried to convince her to leave him." He added.
"Wait, don't tell me..."
"I fell for her? Yes." He admitted and later on, he let out a sigh. "I can't help myself okay? She is so kind...so pure and..."
"I understand." I said. "Tao ka lang din Felix, nagmamahal." I added.
He chuckled at saka ginulo ang buhok ko.
Akmang magsasalita sana ako nang biglang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok mula doon si Phoenix kasunod sila Jack at Jaypee.
"Aloha my brother and my niece! Let's have some barbeque!" Masayang bati naman nito sa amin.
Nagkatinginan naman kami ni Felix and we both shake our heads as we follow them to the backyard.
///
"It seems like it is in the middle, kailangan natin ng mga diving equipments para diyan." Phoenix said before he took a bite from the kebab that he holds.
"I got it." Jaypee said.
"The what?" Phoenix asked in confusion.
"The diving equipments, I got it." He said and grinned. "I'm kind of diving enthusiast." He added.
"He is." I commented.
"Okay then, let's have a plan." Felix said at saka binilugan ang land side ng map. "Phoenix and I will be your backup in the land while you three will be the one who will dive." He said.
"Wait, Jack, are you coming? It's not safe." I said.
"Oh for fucks sake, he is not a toddler Harley, have a faith in your man." Phoenix said.
"He's not my man." I answered.
"Not yet." Felix said at saka binilugan ang isa pang parte ng mapa. "Here is here Phoenix's men will position and scout for any danger." He added.
"Danger?" I asked.
"I'm sure that the news has been spread already, the news of you finally completing the pieces."
"I don't understand, it is just a memory card what is--"
"It is a memory card from The Empire." Singit naman ni Jack. "Everyone wants to have it because they think that they are able to control such a huge organization...but the truth, they can't." He added.
"Let's call the gang, they can help us." I said to Felix but he just shakes his head na ipinagtaka ko naman. "Why?" I asked.
"We can't trust the gang anymore, especially Matias." Felix said na mas ipinagtaka ko.
"W-what do you mean?" I asked again.
Felix let out a sigh at saka inilapag ang pentelpen na hawak nito.
"Matias formed an alliance with Icarus and his men."
End of Chapter Twenty-Eight