Chapter 56: Safe Deposit Box

Nang iginiya kami ng security personnel patungo sa safe deposit vault ay trumiple yata ang kaba ko. After Victoria showed up with the name "Attorney Nathalie Enriquez", we were able to get through the manager to let us access the box. I don't know how it happened but Victoria really sounded so convincing a while ago. Halos hindi ako makapaniwala na natutunan niya lahat ng pinag-aralan namin! Everything was so fast as she tried to explain to the manager which sounded so sensible!

Hinawakan ko siya sa braso habang nakasunod kami kina Zywon at sa security. "What do you think you're doing?" I whispered.

"Tumutulong."

"Victoria, kapag nabulilyaso tayo..." I stopped when Zywon glared at us. Marahil ay napalakas yata ang boses ko. "What are you even doing here?"

She winked at me at makahulugang ngumiti. Don't tell me...

"Is this the bank that you're about to be robbed?"

"Tapos na."

"That fast? At bakit tila hindi man lamang nagkagulo rito?"

"Hindi pa nila alam. At hindi pera ang sadya ko rito, iba. Paalis na sana ako nang marinig ko kayo kaya nagpasya akong tumulong na lamang. Sandali, maayos ba ang pagkakagaya ko sa isang attorney?" she whispered. Uh, it was so flawless that it made me wonder if she was really not a lawyer.

Isang makahulugang tingin lamang ang naisagot ko sa kanya dahil narating na namin ang naka-grills na pinto. The guard opened it and let us in.

"Aling box, Sir?," tanong ng guard kay Zywon. The latter checked the key that I gave him.

"Box 97," sagot niya at agad na lumapit sa guard nang matagpuan nila ang box. Gamit ang susi ng guard at susi ni Zywon ay nakuha namin ang box. The guard told us to get inside the private room where we can open it.

All I can hear is my heartbeat and our footsteps. Matiim na tiningnan ako ni Zywon bago niya dahan-dahang binuksan ang box. He removed the lid and we all saw what was inside it.

Parehong nagbago ang ekspresyon ng mga mukha namin nang makita ang laman ng safe deposit box. My jaw dropped and it took me seconds to redeem myself. Kahit si Zywon ay napanganga while Victoria was grinning.

"Nag-ingles na ako at lahat, para lamang sa isang...Bibliya?" She asked nang makita ang laman ng safe deposit box. Yep, we've gone through all trouble for a Bible.

"No, there must be something inside", wika ko at agad na kinuha ang Bible. I scan through the pages hoping to find a flash disk, memory card or whatever disk that we can use to crash the organization's system ngunit wala.

"Hindi ko ito inaasahan", wika ni Zywon nang tuluyan siyang makabawi sa pagkatulala nang makita ang Bible. "Does this mean that only God can defeat them?"

I rolled my eyes on his remarks. We have to do something! Marahil ay may ibig itong ipahiwatig. Otherwise, why would Trojan-Emerald Deltran put a bible inside a safe deposit box and keep it there for years? Why would Phobie gone through all risk just to relay me a message about something that Dad left? Ngunit hindi ko pa rin maisip kung tama nga ba ang tinatahak namin. Are we really on the same track as the Phobie's notebook instructed?

"Baka naman nais ni Emerald Deltran na mag-pari ka," biro ni Victoria kay Zywon na sinagot lamang nito ng simangot. "Sa tingin ko ay kailangan na nating umalis dito bago pa nila malaman na nagsisinungaling lamang ako kanina."

Tama si Victoria. We need to get out of this bank before they discover everything. Bitbit ang Bibliya ay niyaya ko nang umalis doon si Zywon.

***

Gaya ng madalas kong sabihin dati, ayoko ng atensyon. But that is what I always get. Nang binansagan akong si Amber, the Nerd dati, it feels like I was not existing (or I am because they gave me a nickname). Dati ay naglalakad ako sa hallway ng Bridle na tila walang pumapapansin and then there comes a point where I always got attention, thanks to the person I am always with who really enjoys the spotlight. Gray Ivan Silvan.

Naglalakad ako ngayon sa hallway ng Bridle and this time, I get so much attention. Not because of a case or what but because I was back. Sa ilang linggo na hindi ko pagpasok ay malamang ida-drop na ako ng mga guro ko. But that wasn't my concern now. I have other things to attend here.

Tinahak ko ang pamilyar na daan, the last way I vividly remember before I completely disappeared at school. Ang daan patungo sa SSC Office. I have to swallow all my pride and decided to come here, bringing the Bible with me.

Yes, I will consult with the persons I think who can give me sensible reasons that I couldn't think of about how a Bible can help us. For now, I think the best person to help me would be Gray or Khael. At kahit na nakakainis isipin, maybe Math can give me logical theory about these, too. And Jeremy-oh, never mind.

Huli kaming nag-usap ni Gray ay noong nasa restroom ako ng bar. He explained everything to me and I forgave them, although I didn't forget how painful it was for me. Tumanggi akong makaharap siya ngunit ngayon ay ako na mismo ang lalapit sa kanila.

Nang marating ko ang harap ng pinto ay huminga ako nang malalim bago itinaas ang kamay upang kumatok. Bago pa man lumapat ang kamay ko sa pinto ay bigla na lamang iyong bumukas at ang tila inaantok na mukha ni Jeremy ang bumungad sa akin.

His face which was a little bloated lightened. Kinusot niya ang mga mata at ilang beses na kinurot ang pisngi, which I found weird. Napasimangot siya sa sakit na dulot ng pagkurot niya sa sarili bago muling tumingin sa akin.

"H-hello..." Hindi ko natapos ang pagbati ko dahil bigla na lamang niya akong hinila at niyakap.

"Bestie!!!!!!!"

Maybe this is what they call a super hug because it was super tight and super long. Sa sigaw niyang iyon ay napatakbo patungo sa pinto sina Math at Gray at nang makita nila ako ay hindi rin ako makapaniwala. Nakayakap pa rin ng sobrang higpit si Jeremy sa akin ngunit bigla na lamang lumapit si Gray sa kanya at kinatok siya sa ulo.

"Tama na 'yan, Puns." I saw him frown and then he looked away.

"'Wag kang makialam dito, Abo," Jeremy replied at mas hinigpitan pa ang pagkakayakap sa akin. Isinubsob niya ang kanyang mukha sa leeg ko ngunit bigla na lamang siyang napabitaw nang piningot siya ni Math sa tainga at hinila palayo sa akin.

"Let her go, Jeremy! She can't breathe!" Math said.

Math's statement just made Jeremy looked at me with shining eyes. "Uh! I love you too, Bestie!"

Napakunot ang noo naming tatlo sa sinabi ni Je. I love you too-err, ano raw?

He was about to hug me back ngunit inilagay ni Gray ang palad niya sa mukha nito upang pigilan ito sa balak na paglapit sa akin. "Tama na 'yan, Puns!" Gray looked at me with his serious expression. I hate it when he is flashing a face like that. I cannot read him. I don't know what he is thinking. Nagtagpo ang mga mata namin at ako ang unang yumuko at itigil iyon bago pa ako tuluyang malunod sa kanyang mga tingin.

Nagulat na lang ako nang bigla rin akong niyakap ni Math. "I'm very sorry, Amber. Hindi namin sinabi agad sa 'yo, but don't think that it was to harm you o kaya ay gawin kang masama. Gusto lang naming protektahan ka kaya nagawa namin iyon."

Unti-unting itinaas ko ang isang kamay ko at tinapik ang likod ni Math. I can feel her sincerity and I know that she really mean it. Nasabi na iyon ni Gray sa akin at maganda pala sa pakiramdam na marinig mula mismo sa kanila ang paghingi nila ng tawad. It feels like my pain wears off and the only thing I feel right now is longing.

I longed for them. I miss them so much.

"I k-know. I'm sorry, too," nakangiting wika ko. "I jumped into conclusions."

Math pulled herself from me ngunit nakahawak pa rin siya sa kamay ko. "Mabuti naman at bumalik ka na. The Detective Triumvirate plus One wouldn't be complete without you."

Nahihiyang ngumiti ako sa kanya. "Actually, I came here for something. Aalis din ako."

"Hindi ka babalik sa klase? March na Besti, ngayon ka pa ba titigil?"

"May mga importanteng bagay lang akong aayusin," sagot ko sa kanya. Jeremy looked at my hand which was holding the Bible.

"Nagpunta ka rito upang...upang mag-preach? Bestie, magma-madre ka?" I glared at him and he only grinned. Isa ito sa mga rason kung bakit na-miss ko sila, Jeremy and his nonsensical thoughts.

Hinila ako ni Je at pinaupo sa isa sa mga upuan doon. Nang makaupo ako ay iginiya ko ang paningin sa loob. Naroon pa rin ang investigation board kung saan maraming mga teoryang nakasulat, timeline ng mga krimen ng organisasyon and the victim's photo including a photo which looks like me.

"Na-miss talaga kita, Bestie. Nang mawala ka, nalungkot talaga ako. Pagkatapos ay may tumawag pa sa akin. He said he kidnapped you at nanghingi siya ng ransom," seryosong wika ni Jeremy.

"What? I wasn't kidnapped!"

"But I thought you were. So I negotiated! At humingi sila ng pera."

What? Hindi naman siguro iyon si Victoria! But why would someone knew about my disappearance and then asked for ransom from my friends? "What the...and how much did you offer?"

"Sinabi ko sa kanya na tutubusin ka namin sa halagang five hundred thousand, Bestie."

My mind began to panic. Five hundred thousand?! Malaking halaga rin iyon kung ibinigay nga nila.

"And then what?"

"Ayaw niya,' wika ni Jeremy at napasimangot. "Sabi niya, dapat daw milyon ang halaga. So I offered an amount in million at pumayag siya."

This is really too much! Kung sino man ang nagpanggap na kidnapper na iyon, I will look for him! "How much?"

"Kalahating milyon!"

No! This is...wait. Five hundred thousand at kalahating milyon? Isn't that amount the same? Nang napatingin ako kay Jeremy ay bigla na lamang itong napabunghalit sa tawa.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I got you there, Bestie!" Heck! Some people never change. Nang napatingin ako kina Math at Gray ay pareho nilang binabato ng masamang tingin si Jeremy na hindi pa rin tapos sa kakatawa.

Umupo si Gray sa harap ko. "Anong meron sa Bible na 'yan?"

"Ang susi na iniwan ni Daddy ay susi ng isang safe deposit box, na pag-aari ni Trojan ng Genesis. We accessed the box thinking that it must contain the thing that Phobie wrote in her notebook."

"At Bibliya ang laman ng box?"

"Yeah."

Inabot niya ang Bibliya mula sa akin at sinipat iyon. Just like what I did, he did a scanning on the pages at maging ang hardbound na cover ay pinisil-pisil niya sa pag-iisip na baka may nakatagong anuman doon ngunit gaya ko ay wala rin siyang nakita.

"Paano makakatulong ang Bibliya sa pagpuksa sa Genesis?"

I saw Math tapped on her temple as she tried to think something. "Baka as reference. Ano ba ang bagay na inaasahan mong laman ng box Amber?"

"I was thinking of a kill code, a flash drive or anything that will crash their system."

Muling napaisip si Math at pagkalipas ng ilang segundo ay bigla na lamang siyang napatayo. "What if it's a reference?"

"Reference?" magkasabay na tanong naming tatlo.

She went to her table at kinuha ang laptop niya. "Yup, reference. Just like mine. My password is Isaiah 43:7. My password hint says: "Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him." What if same thing goes to Genesis? Ang ibig kong sabihin ay, what if the kill code that you are talking about ay nasa system lang nila and then that Bible", she pointed the Bible that Gray is holding. "Shall be used as reference. What do you think?"

Nagkatinginan kami ni Gray. May punto si Math and it makes sense. Maybe there wasn't anything like a flash disk or whatever. Posibleng nasa system lang nila ang algorithm na sisira roon and all we need to do is use this Bible as reference!

"Maya! Napakatalino mo nga! Apir nga tayo!" Jeremy said at lumapit kay Math at nakipag-high five dito. Looks like the two of them get along well nang wala ako. Nang matapos silang mag-high five ay bigla na lamang napahawak si Jeremy sa ulo at beywang niya. "Aray! Nag-apir tayo, Maya, tapos sumakit ang ulo ko at sumakit ang beywang ko. Sexbomb na ba ako nun?" For the second time ay blangkong napatingin kaming tatlo sa kanya samantalang bumunghalit naman siya ng tawa. I think he has worsened lately.

"Maaring tama si Math," pagsang-ayon ni Gray. "Ngunit kung ano man ang iniisip mo ngayon, Amber, do not do it alone. Alam kong iniisip mong pasukin ang kuta ng Genesis. Kailangan muna nating makasiguro."

Gray never fails to see me through. Yup, gaya ng sinabi niya ay iniisip kong pasukin ang Genesis in case we cannot tap into their system. If Math is right, I need to have direct access to their computers and enter the kill code

"Maybe I will ask Zy- somebody to snoop into their database bago ako gumawa ng hakbang," wika ko sa kanya. He looked at me worriedly and I gave him a reassuring smile.

Jeremy snapped his fingers in front of me. Kinuha niya ang Bibliya mula sa kamay ni Gray at inilapag iyon sa mesa. "Mamaya niyo na nga 'yan isipin. Why don't we grab some good food now? This calls for a celebration!" He looked at me at hinila ako patayo. "For Bestie was dead and is alive again; she was lost and is found! And we will begin to be merry! Let's go prodigal Bestie!"

Math laughed on his Prodigal Son reference at agad na lumabas. Nauna sila ni Jeremy at nang palabas na rin ako ng pinto ay pinigilan ako ni Gray sa pamamagitan ng paghila sa braso ko. Nagtatakang napatigil ako at tumingin sa kanya.

"What?"

He pouted and looked away like he's embarrassed kaya inulit ko ang tanong ko. He took a deep sigh bago at tiningnan ako sa mata. "It's unfair. Those two got..." Tumigil siya at kinagat ang pang-ibabang labi.

"Got what?"

Nag-iwas ulit siya ng tingin at hindi man lamang sinagot ang tanong ko. Whatever was bothering him, he must be shy to say it. Sinubukan kong kumawala sa pagkakahawak niya ngunit humigpit lamang iyon.

"Ano nga kasi?"

"Those two hugged you!"

Hindi ko inaasahan iyon kaya nagulat ako sa sagot niya. "That's it? Akala ko naman-"

Hindi ko na natapos ang sasabihin dahil bigla na lamang niya akong hinila palapit sa kanya at mahigpit na niyakap.

It was even tighter and longer than the two others gave me.

#

-ShinichiLaaaabs