The afternoon sun was high in the sky by the time Jerry and Rommel returned to the shop, parking the old Montero near the entrance. They began unloading the items, bringing in Zark's requested computer components and the bags of groceries they had purchased.
Zark, noticing their arrival, quickly approached.
"Let me help with that," he said, taking some of the bags from Jerry's hands.
Together, the three of them carried the items inside, setting the computer parts in one corner and the groceries in the kitchen area.
"Thanks, Zark," Jerry said, dropping the last bag onto the counter.
"We'll sort these out now. You and Thadz can start setting up your rig in the room."
"Got it," Zark replied with a nod, as he and Rommel carried the computer parts into his small room.
It wasn't much space, but it would do for the setup. The two of them began unpacking the equipment, organizing everything on the desk they had squeezed into the room earlier.
"It's a bit of a tight fit in here, huh?" Rommel commented, adjusting the monitor on the desk to make space for the keyboard.
Zark shrugged.
"I've worked in smaller spaces," he said with a slight grin.
"As long as it works, I don't mind."
While Jerry put away the groceries in the kitchen, he glanced over his shoulder at the two in the room.
"I'll get started on dinner in a bit. By the way, Zark, what's your favorite dish?"
Zark paused for a moment, thinking back to the days when his mother used to cook his favorite meal.
"Adobo," he replied softly.
"My mom used to make it all the time."
The mention of the dish brought a wave of nostalgia and a slight ache in his chest.
Jerry gave him a warm smile.
"Adobo it is, then. I'll make it extra special," he said, turning back to the kitchen as he started preparing the ingredients.
As Jerry began cooking, the sound of chopping vegetables and sizzling meat filled the air. Thadz was crouched near the corner of Zark's room, carefully running the network cable from the main shop's router down the hallway and into the small space.
"I'll make sure you get the fastest connection possible," Rommel said with a grin.
"We don't want any lag when you're doing your thing."
"Sounds good," Zark replied, sitting at the desk with a pen in hand, jotting down the steps he needed to take to secure their network. As Rommel continued with the wiring, Zark worked on a list of configurations and firewalls to implement for added security.
"We can't be too careful. Even here, we need to make sure our connection is bulletproof against any prying eyes," he remarked.
Rommel nodded in agreement as he tightened the last few connections.
"Yeah, better safe than sorry," he said, his voice slightly muffled as he double-checked the cable connections.
"Almost done with the wiring. Just let me know if you need anything else."
"Will do," Zark said, glancing up at Rommel with a nod of appreciation.
He then returned to his notes, mapping out how to implement an anonymous VPN configuration and setting up multiple layers of encryption to mask their online activity.
"It's going to be a bit complex, but once it's done, we'll have a rock-solid setup," Zark explained, more to himself than anyone else.
"You sound like you've done this a million times," Rommel observed, standing up and wiping his hands on his jeans.
Zark chuckled.
"Well, maybe not a million, but I've been doing it long enough to know what works," he said.
"I had to learn the hard way. When you're a freelancer dealing with sensitive data, you don't really have a choice but to get good at this stuff."
As the afternoon wore on, the sky outside darkened, and the smell of cooking filled the air. The aroma of soy sauce, garlic, and vinegar wafted from the kitchen, making Zark's stomach growl. By the time everything was in place, the deep colors of dusk had already set in.
Jerry emerged from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel.
"Alright, boys, dinner is ready! Let's eat."
The three gathered around the small dining table, where Jerry had set out steaming plates of adobo.
"Hope you like it, Zark," he said as they sat down.
Zark took a bite and closed his eyes, savoring the familiar taste.
"It's perfect, Jerry. Thanks," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Glad you like it," Jerry replied with a satisfied nod.
"It's been a while since I made adobo. It was a staple dish back when I was growing up."
"Did you and Jojo learn to cook it together?" Zark asked, remembering that Jerry had mentioned he was Jojo's twin brother.
"Pretty much," Jerry said, taking a sip of water.
"We had to figure a lot of things out on our own. It wasn't easy, but we managed."
"You two must be pretty close, then," Zark said, looking at Jerry curiously.
"Yeah, we are," Jerry admitted.
"We don't always see eye-to-eye, but we've always had each other's backs when it counts."
After their meal, Rommel stretched his arms above his head.
"How about a drink to celebrate the new setup?" he suggested, already heading toward the kitchen.
"What are you thinking?" Jerry asked with a grin.
"Gin with a mix of pomelo juice," Rommel replied, pulling out the ingredients and setting them on the counter.
"Sounds good," Jerry said, and Zark nodded in agreement.
Rommel quickly set to work, mixing the gin and pomelo juice in a pitcher with some ice, then pouring it into three glasses. He handed one to each of them before raising his own glass.
"To new beginnings and successful setups," he toasted with a grin.
"Cheers!" Zark and Jerry echoed, clinking their glasses together.
As they settled in with their drinks, a sense of camaraderie filled the room. For a moment, it felt like everything was falling into place.
"So, Zark," Rommel said after taking a sip, "what's your plan now? I mean, you've got the setup, but what's next for you?"
Zark took a moment to think before answering.
"I'm not entirely sure yet," he admitted.
"I want to stay sharp, maybe work on some personal projects while things are quiet. Can't just sit around waiting for something to happen, you know?"
Jerry nodded in agreement.
"That's a good mindset," he said.
"Better to stay busy than to get rusty."
"What kind of projects are you thinking of?" Rommel asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Mostly stuff related to network security and programming," Zark explained.
"I've been wanting to explore some more advanced exploits and encryption methods. There's a lot I still need to learn."
"Well, you've got the perfect setup now," Rommel said with a grin.
"And if you need any help with hardware, you know where to find me."
"I appreciate that," Zark replied, raising his glass again.
"To learning and improving, then."
"To learning and improving," Rommel and Jerry echoed, clinking their glasses once more.
As the night wore on, the three of them continued their conversation, sharing stories and enjoying the rare moment of relaxation.