"So? Hindi ba nakita ang mukha nung babae?" Ken asked as he hurriedly paced towards the security room kung saan matatagpuan ang mga screens nang CCTV footages.
"N-no sir. But we could hardly assume kung sino yun since klarado naman ang buong katawan ng babae." The frail guard also walk behind Ken na parang hinihingal na dahil sa bilis ng paglakad ng nasa unahan niya.
"That's more than enough. Baka pwede na yun makatulong."
"Oh? Ken!"
Napatigil agad ang dalawa nang may tumawag sa kanya. It was Cody na kasama si Arvin.
"Chris. Arvin." Ani niya as both guys paced towards them.
"Mukhang busy ka ah. Dahil ba 'to sa nangyari kanina?" Agad na tanong ni Cody saka inayos ang tiklop ng manggas ng polo niya.
"Absolutely." Sabi ni Ken saka nagpatuloy sa paglakad and he let out a sigh. Sumunod naman sina Arvin.
"Saktung-sakto nga eh. Kung kailan pa ako ang pinasahan ng trabaho ni Uncle, ngayon pa nagkaproblema." He continued.
"Yeah. On top of that, sina Kale pa ang napahamak." Cody agreed saka tumingin sa hallway.
Nakasunod lang si Arvin at walang kibo. He was just listening to the two and can't stop on glancing on the frail guard na nasa side niya. Nanliit agad ang guard nang yung tatlo ng bigatin tao sa hotel ang kasama. His whole body trembled dahil sa takot baka siya ang mapagtripan ng tatlo.
Ken sighed again as he remembered Kale and Elisse.
"Am I that incompetent?" Napakamot siya bigla as he ironically smiled.
Arvin's eyes quivered saka napatingin sa mukha niya. Ibinalik niya agad ang tingin sa daan at binilisan ang paglakad to pass both the two guys.
"Ahaha... Ano ka ba? Nagkataon lang 'to." Biglang tinapik-tapik ni Cody ang balikat ni Ken as he gave him a wry smile.
"Yan nga ang nakapagtataka eh. Is it really an accident?" Napakunot bigla ang noo ni Ken as his fingers cupped his chin ska inisip ang possibilities na rason sa incident kanina.
Arvin suddenly glanced at him using his peripheral vision.
"Hmm? Ba't mo naman naisip? Are you thinking na sinadya yung nangyari kanina?" Napakunot din ang noo ni Cody saka niya sinulyapan ang kasunod nilang guard.
"I am not really sure. I'm still confused. Pero sino naman kasing tao ang aalis ng warning sign ng under maintenance na elevator, di ba? That's only the thing that doesn't add up. And also, I am still wondering, if it is really an accident, because if it is, then why is that girl wore a hoody tas sabi daw almost all of the cctv cams, naiwasan niya." Creased on Ken's forehead was formed kasabay ng pagclench niya ng kamao.
Napakunot ang noo ni Arvin as listened to what the guy in a pink jacket said. He can't even deny na hindi siya nag-agree sa sinabi ni Ken.
"G-girl? Babae ang tumanggal ng warning sign? Woah." Cody's eyes widened habang tinitigan si Ken whom immediately nodded.
"Come to think of it, I really heard you kahapon while you're on the phone with Mr. Simone patungkol sa elevator." Cody said nang ibinaling niya ang tingin sa broad shoulders ni Arvin.
"Yeah. That's the time na ininform niya ako patungkol sa maintenance."
"Talaga? So? Na identify niyo ba yung babae?" Cody added. Arvin suddenly glanced at Ken while walking towards the west wing elevator.
"No. Not yet. Papunta palang kami sa secu. section."
Pumasok sila agad inside.
"Talaga? Sama kami."
"Yeah sure. If you want. And I think I could use some help too."
"Our pleasure."
"..."
"..."
Biglang natahimik sila nang pinindot na ni Ken yung button ng elevator. Their eyes were fixed sa reflection nila sa car door. They only saw a four blurred figure na nakatayo. A guy wearing pink jacket in a jeggings, one wearing a polo with a shorts, then another one with jeans at ang last ay ang nakapang-guard uniform na nakasiksik sa corner ng elevator car.
Kunti na lang at maiihi niya sa pressure na binibigay ng tatlo. His eyes kept on glancing towards Arvin. Siya talaga ang kanyang pinakakinakatakutan. Wala siyang ibang maisip kundi ang nakapangingilabot na mga mata ni Arvin na kung saktong magkatingin kayo'y maninigas ka't magiging bato. Nanginig bigla ang binti niya saka biglang napailing. Sinulyapan niya agad Si Arvin.
"...."
His eyes suddenly widened saka biglang nagyelo ang buo niyang katawan nang nakita niyang nakatingin sa kanya si Arvin in a piercing look. Napahinto siya sa paghinga saka dahan-dahang itinutok ang tingin sa side niya habang panay nginig ng labi.
Ting!!!
The elevator door opened.
"Phew!" Biglang buntong hininga ni guard saka nauna agad sa paglabas.
"Ah. S-sir K-ken. Mauna na p-po ako. On d-duty pa po kasi ako." He said as quickly bowed towards the three.
"Ah. Sige sige. Salamat." Sabi bigla ni Ken saka lumabas na rin and paced towards the security section.
"S-sir Ken!" Napabulalas na sabi ng isang lalaki na nakasuot ng navy blue guard uniform at unang mapapansin sa kanya ang malaki niyang tiyan.
"Chief Jose. How is it?" Dagli tapik sa balikag ni Chief Jose.
The whole room felt really cold at nakalinya ang limang computers with 5 people na ang bibilis magtype. Tapos may isang corner na puno ng screens ang dingding. Sa unang sulyap, agad malalaman kung para san iyon.
CCTVs.
"We were still searching for matches nung babae sa ilang cctv footages last few days at baka meron po kami makita. Lalo na po yung black jacket na suot niya." Chief Jose immediately headed towards the screens.
"Where's the girl?" A crisp cold voice resounded. It was Arvin.
Napatingin agad silang lahat sa kanya as he coldly stared at Chief Jose na na-startle agad and immediately glanced towards Ken. Looks like there still a person pa rin naman na hindi kilala sina Arvin.
"Ah. How ill mannered of me. Chris. Arvin. This Chief Jose. Chief of Security Section dito sa buong resort. And Chief Jose, sina Arvin and Christian Cody, they're my closest friends tyaka business partners."
As soon as Ken mentioned their names, nanlaki agad ang mga mata ni Chief saka biglang nagbow.
"I am very sorry po. I didn't think na kayo po pala sina Sir Arvin at Sir Cody."
"Ahaha." Natawa nalang bigla si Ken saka napatingin sa dalawa.
"Ahaha. Don't worry. Don't worry. We don't mind it." Agad na sabi ni Cody as he waved his hand.
"Thank you po sir."
Inangat agad ni Chief ang mukha niya saka ibinaling sa screen ang mukha.
"Ito po yung babaeng nakacapture ng camera. She was wearing a black jacket tyaka nakahood po siya kaya hindi na capture ang mukha niya." He continued as he hit the play button.
The four of them patiently looked at the monochrome screen. It was the fire exit ng 10th floor. Biglang bumakas ang pinto ng exit saka pumasok ang isang figure na nakaitim na jacket. Sa unang tingin malalaman agad na ang physique niya ang pambabae.
"..."
As soon as the girl entered, Arvin's eyes quivered.
"Woah. There she is." Napaturo agad si Cody sa screen.
"Hush. Cody. Hindi kami bulag." Napakunot ang noo ni Arvin as he coldly said.
Napatingin naman agad si Cody kay Arvin saka nakasimangot na ibinalik ang tingin sa screen.
The girl swiftly strode towards the lobby na walang nakapansin na isang tao man lang.
Napakunot ang noo ni Arvin.
"She seems to know the cameras."
Napatingin agad sa kanya sina Cody and Ken.
"Exactly po. Here. Take a look." Chief said saka itinuro ang sunod na screen kung saan sumunod sa cctv cam na kuha ang exit.
"Oh." Cody reacted as he realized it too.
"You see?" Saka agad na pause ni Chief ng footage.
"Yeah. It's clear na alam niya kung na saan nakalagay yung camera. The way she turned her head away from the screen says it all." Sabi ni Ken as he caressed his chin.
"Yes po."
"It that's the case. Then, sinadya niya talagang tanggalin yung warning sign?" Cody's eyes widened as he gazed at Chief. Binato rin siya ng tingin ni Chief.
"We should not assume first. Continue, Chief." Agad na sabat ni Arvin habang nakakunot ang noo.
"Y-yes sir." Agad naman siyang sinunod nito.
Nang makarating na ang babae sa lobby, dun nakita nila ang isang clerk na kausap ang isang binata't isang dalaga. They were actually standing beneath the camera. Sakto't nakatalikod ang clerk sa daraanan ng suspek but not the cam na nakatutok sa hallway at elevator na merong nakalagay na warning sign.
"Ah. Meron naman pala talagang signage eh." Cody said.
"Meron po talaga." Chief cannot agree more.
But...
All of the three's eyes suddenly widened nang muntik ng ibaling ni girl yung tingin sa camera. But she immediately retreated her head nang makita ang clerk nakatayo.
"Wha-!" Napaturo agad si Cody sa screen.
Agad naman pinause ni Chief ang video.
"That angle ang pinakamalinaw but still hindi pa rin namin mahanap kung sino talaga yang babaeng yan." He continued.
Sabay-sabay na kumunot ang noo ng tatlo nang tinitigan nila ang figure ng isang babae na nakahood sa likod ng clerk.
"She seems familiar to me." Sabi ni Ken as he tilted his head thinking about who she is.
Arvin suddenly glanced towards Ken at sumunod naman sina Chief.
"Tch. San ko ba siya nakita?" Sabi ulit ni Ken.
"Well, this is what she did after." Sambit ni Chief. The video played again.
The girl just continued pacing towards the elevator saka agad na walang pasubaling kinuha ang signage at barricade on the elevator saka dagling bumalik papunta ng exit.
"Oh!" Naputuro ulit si Cody as the girl tried to looked at the clerk na nasa direction ng camera. She immediately retreated her gaze again nang muntik na siyang mapansin ng binibini.
"Sayang yun ah." Napiling agad siya as Chief paused the video saka tiningnan ang tatlo.
Napabuntong hininga si Arvin as he pinched his forehead while gazing his shoes.
"The intent was clear." His voice cracked icy cold when he slowly gazed towards Chief Jose.
Chief immediately nodded nang maintindihan ang sinabi ni Arvin.
"Yeah. She already know what she'll do. And parang planado na."
"..." Ken just stared at the screen. Sumakit bigla ang ulo niya nang inisip kung sino ang babaeng nakaitim.
"Oh? Is that...Kale and Elisse?" Cody said.
Ken's eyes suddenly widened saka napatingin agad kay Cody. Nakaturo siya sa screen sa taas ng tintingnan nilang screen kanina.
There they are! Elisse and Kale na kakaalis palang nang mga rooms nila.
"Oh? There's Bea too." Sabay turo na naman ni Cody sa screen few screens below kila Kale. Yeah, it was me habang hinahaplos ang full na full na tummy ko. Gosh! Kakahiya. May CCTV pa pala sa elevator.
"Nasa west wing elevator na siya?" Sabi ni Arvin.
"Probably. Because I told her about the maintenance."
"So that's what happened." Napatango nalang si Cody.
As soon as I got out of the west wing elevator nakaliko na sina Elisse and Kale sa hallway papunta ng east wing elevator. So that's why hindi ko sila nakita.
Cody and Ken fuzzed about sa mga videos namin nila Elisse kung ano ang sunod na nangyari.
But Arvin's eyes were fixed on the girl in black na dala-dala ang signage at barricade behind the smiling clerk.
Napakunot ang noo niya.
"Is that a C-cheng feng's dragon logo?" Sabi niya. Napatingin agad sa kanya ang lahat.
"C-cheng feng?" Sabi ni Chief kay Arvin. Nagkatinginan ang mga nasa ng kompyuter wondering kung ano yung term na yun.
Shocked sa sinabi ni Arvin, minadaling tiningnan ulit nina Cody and Ken ang babae.
"Oh?" Napanganga si Cody as he realized it was really a Cheng Feng's design.
"It is really a Cheng Feng's Dragon." Kumunot ang noo ni Ken saka siya napatingin kay Chief who was still in a blank face.
"This was actually a designers logo. Limited edition na jacket sold online. Kaso ang nakapagtataka is that inirelease lang 'to last week. Kaya napakarare makakuha nitong design. Dagdag pa, if I am not mistaken, only hundred of them was released by the designer. I was really into the girl's face kaya hindi ko agad napansin ang suot niya." Explain ni Ken as he looked at the other footages with that girl.
And yes, there was a golden dragon logo sa likod niya. It was not really clear yung details but kitang-kita sa screen ang parang chinese na alphabet beneath the dragon logo.
"But from what I know..." Arvin cleared his throat. Saka napatingin sa kanya si Ken whom his eyes suddenly widened. Mukhang nabasa ni Ken kung ano iniisip ni Arvin.
"...that only person na nakabili na 'to is..." Ken paused as he can't believe kung sino ang nasa isip niya.
Napakunot ang noo ni Cody nang hindi siya nakasabay sa dalawa. He stared at Arvin then back to Ken. Ilang segundo pa'y nanlaki na rin ang mata niya.
"D-don't t-tell me? I-it's... Mary Rose?!" Napabulaslas bigla si Cody saka niya ibinalik ang tingin sa camera.