"That guy is a scum alright." A man in police uniform said soon as he entered the office of the regional police director.
His body is a bit lanky but packed with muscles. What stands most in his face is his barely opened eyes.
"There are too many people outside the building protesting on why Anzai Escarra didn't make an appearance in the trial but we still made his getaway." He walked towards the chair in front of the director.
"His attorney said he still has a mental trauma of what happened. That is a good reason for the trial to be adjourned." The director finally replied.
The director has an average body but he has this intimidating aura in him that made him look respectable.
When the police hear it he sighed.
"Like anyone would buy that. You know about the bombs that many criminals use right? Where do you think it came from?"
"We didn't find any evidence that will prove that he was the one manufacturing those bombs. We can't just make an accusation to him."
"But if keep it like this the trust of the citizens in this region will keep on getting smaller."
the police chief stands. He headed to the window and slightly opened it. He peeked at the people outside.
"This is what we got for abandoning our duty."
The police averted his eyes away from the director to the frame in his table form when he got assigned to be the regional director of Region 8.
"I heard that you're going to be a father soon. Congratulation."
The director gazes at him for a minute then turns back his eyes outside.
"Thanks."
A moment of silence befalls the room. The director was in his early thirties. The man on the table look a bit older than him, but their age wasn't that apart from each other. Both of them entered the military in the same batch and graduated in the same year. However, for his latent ability and courage, the director got promoted to a higher rank before him.
Both of them quit the military for their own reasons, and now servicing the people for being a policeman.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The silence in the room broke as three knocks sounded from the door.
"Enter." The director said.
One of the police outside pushed the door and enter.
"Sir!" He said then saluted. The director responded with a salute.
"The principal Miguel Cinco of the Villaverde Private High School was here. He said that e already gave you prior notice."
"Let him in."
The police director said then turn around and walked back to his desk.
The police walked out then two people walked in next. One was a bald guy wearing a polo shirt the other was a teenage girl with short cut hair that don't reach her shoulder.
When they reached the table the officer offer the principal his chair while the girl sit on the other.
"I apologize for bothering you when you have many things to deal with." the principal said.
He has somewhat a gentle posture and high pitch voice for a man.
"It's fine. More importantly, what can I do for you?"
"Right. We just wanted to know how's the investigation going? You see my stepdaughter here seems to be worried about it for some time." The Director turns his head to the girl. "I can't blame her though. It's been a year since that incident happened. But it seems like the case didn't get anywhere."
The police director listens to them. After the principal stopped talking, he shot a glimpse into the police who were standing at the back of the principal.
"Many apologies for it. We knew that we already spent too much time in this case yet…" the police director lowered his head. "… until now. We still didn't get any evidence for the—"
"I know something." The girl mumbled.
The police director and everyone in the room looked at her. ]
"Come again?"
The girl looked at the director.
"I- I know something."
She stuttered as she talked.
The principal's eyes widen in his surprise at what he heard.
"You do?" The principal asked.
The girl started trembling.
"What is it?"
The director asked.
The girl didn't say nor do anything. She just kept on shaking while staring downwards.
"There's no need to rush take your time."
The principal closed his eyes and make a warm smile on his face.
"Go on. Just remember that this is for you and your sister's sake."
The girl look at him and nodded. She took her phone out.
"Here." She extended her arm towards the Police director.
The director reached for it. The phone has a video on it. He pressed the play button then got shocked by what he saw.
"That is the time when I become part of a gang. We sell drugs like cocaine, ecstasy, and shabu. We the members also consume these drugs, and most of the members are minor just like I am."
The director looked back to the phone playing. The girl stood then she paused the video. She zooms in the video into the two people who passed by at the back of the wild partying people.
"That man over there is the leader of our said gang. That woman he's with is my mother, Elena. She's the secretary of Anzai Escarra."
"I see. It is indeed an evidence we can use to show the connection of the Escarra Company to some criminals. Does this gang your talking about is doing other things other than selling drugs?"
"I don't know."
The director closed his eyes.
"Sorry, but I don't think we can use this yet."
The girl widened her eyes and made a disgruntled face.
"Why?"
"For starters, though this evidence shows her secretary talking with the leader of your gang, it doesn't really mean that the Escarra Company is involved in it. It can be assumed that your mother is just there for personal business." A wrinkle appeared between her eyebrow. "Second the Escarra company is being accused of selling bombs, why would small-time drug pushers need it for?"
The girl calmed herself and sat down in her chair.
"But… can't you do anything about it?" She clenched into her jeans. "I want justice for my mother."
"If we can find more evidence this video of yours will be a great asset. We just need to find more information that will cover the holes in it. But right now let's refrain from taking action, I don't want to overestimate him but the man was up against is the same man who almost took over the entire region. We need to think more of our next move."
The girl didn't say any more words. After her mother died she had been troubled about what is she going to do. She wanted to give her mother the justice she deserved. That is her way to show her love for her mother, which she failed before. But she also worried, because the person who serves to be the reminder of her mother, her little sister might suffer from the threat of her spitting the whole truth.
The principal stood up and walked towards his stepdaughter's back to rub it gently.
"I'm sorry. You must be disappointed. But don't worry it will all be okay. Just leave it to the authority."
Even after she muster up her courage of taking the risk, she still couldn't get justice for her mother. It's normal that she'll be disappointed. As a father, he's just doing what her daughter needs right now. Despite the fact that this girl didn't recognize nor accept him as one because of his uncertain gender.
"I'm fine." She said.
The principal took his hand off her. "Okay." He walked back to his seat.
"Miss?" The director asked.
"Zephiria Flores." the girl answered."
"Ms. Zephiria write down your phone number or email so we can contact you if we got more details."
He slid a slab of one-fourth size index paper. The girl nodded and wrote down her number on the paper. After finishing it she slid it back to the director.
"Thank you. And there is still one thing. Can you give us the only copy of the video?"
The girl paused as she looked at the director for seconds.
"I might sound like a paranoid but if this information leaked you might get into danger, and everything we planned will crumble. Because of that, I can't just entrust you with it. I trust you but not I didn't recognize your skill in protecting it."
"But as long as no one would ever talk about it to anyone it will be safe."
"As long as. But are you sure no one around you would?" the director shifted his eyes to the principal.
The girl also shot a glimpse. She stepped forwards and gave the memory card in her cellphone to the director.
"Thank you for trusting us."
The director said as soon as he received in his hand the small card.
After that, the two turn their back and exit the room. The police whose just standing in the side the whole time watching them as they go to the exit.
"They're gone," he said. "You already have your evidence." he turned his head back to the director. "What are you going to do?"
Soon as he turned his head the director held the disk in the thumb and index finger in both hands. He can't turn his head away, as the director broke the card. He just stood there astounded with how the director swallowed the words he said to that girl earlier. But instead of confronting him he closed his eyes and shut his mouth.
"By the way, the Tacloban Police branch requested an assist from the task force restoration to the raid against the Mio. Bring the special forces and give them our assistance."