The Mafia Teens

TMT - 15 : Their Task

“GOOD morning,” I greeted Zeus, he was standing on the balcony of our room while drinking coffee for a morning. Naglakad ako papalapit sa kaniya at sumandal sa batong harang ng balkonahe. “What will be our next action? Hinayaan mong magpakasaya tayo kahapon, but I know deep inside you, you're worried about the painting we need to find very soon.” Tumingin ako sa malayo, maganda ang pag-akyat ng araw ngayon at sakto lamang ang klima at panahon.

“Seki, we can't get an accurate information if we remain doing stupid things like paying people to give info, because apparently people will be tempt to lie for money.” Malalim ang ginawa niyang pagbuntong hininga at umupo sa isang stool na nasa gilid niya. “Ano nga pala ang dapat na sasabihin niyo ni Sere last time?”

“Oh, yeah i'm planning to find someone who will give us accurate information about those coming auctions here in Cebu.”

“Someone? How and who?” He was really confused and looked at me. “I remember you mentioned the top list of famous bidder here.”

“Yeah, actually sinubukan na namin ni Dwight na maghanap kagabi lang. Maaga kayong nakatulog kaya naman hindi na namin kayo inabala.” Pumasok ako sa loob at naramdaman kong sumunod siya sa akin. Inabutan namin si Dwight na bahagya pang nakatingin sa malayo at bagong gising. “Dwight, show us what we had done last night,” wika ko na nakapagpakunot ng noo nito ngunit agad ding nakabawi at tumango. Mukhang sandaling nag-load ang utak niya at na-realize kung ano ang tinutukoy ko.

Kinuha ni Dwight ang laptop niya at ipinatong sa binti nito. Lumapit kami ni Zeus sa kaniya habang si Stravens at mahimbing pa rin na natutulog sa itaas ng double deck kung nasaan kami nakaupo.

“Here are the top ten person on the list but Seki and I decided to select the first person on the list,” paliwanag ni Dwight sa kung anong napag-usapan naming dalawa kagabi. “Here he is, Ethan Zeigler. I tried to do research about him and I found out he is the famous author of the book ‘Policy’ and he's a business tycoon. Such a big person.” Tumikhim si Dwight at tumingin sa akin.

“What do you think Zeus?” I asked Zeus.

“I'm not sure Seki, he's too huge.”

“We have to do it, note that we are going to do it for the sake of the painting that you lost.” I smiled at him.

“This is our way too to prove our parents we no longer a kid and we can be better than they were in our age,” seryosong wika ni Dwight at malalim na bumuntong hininga. “I came here in Cebu with you because I want to prove something. I want to go out of my own comfort zone, I want to show my parents I can stand alone.”

Tumango si Zeus. “I understand, i'm just really worried about what might happen next to us. If ever it gones wrong, I will surely going to regret that I asked help from my friends.”

Hinawakan ni Dwight si Zeus sa balikat at tinapik. “We will help each other to succeed. Mababawi mo ang painting bago bumalik ang mommy mo sa Pinas. Take note of it.” Humarap muli si Dwight sa kaniyang computer. “We have to monitor and study Ethan Zeigler. His daily routine and everything about him. Siguradong sa laki ng taong ito, siya ang unang makatatanggap ng invitations sa mga darating na auctions.”

“Then let's start today,” Zeus said.

“Yeah we will, pero masiyado tayong marami kung magkakasabay nating gagawin ang isang misyon. If we will going to monitor Zeigler together, a big possibility he might notice us easily.” Nag-isip ako saglit. “Kaya Zeus and Dwight, you will assign to watch him.”

“Easy,” Dwight mouthed and smiled.

“And I will try my best to deceive him today.” Ngumiti ako.

“What do you mean? Anong plano mo?” tanong ni Zeus sa akin habang may pag-aalala sa kaniyang mga mata. He's too worried about us.

“I will meet him today, I'll act like I was his fan?” patanong kong tugon, “Well, definitely i'm not.” Tumikhim ako at natawa. I have to study that man and deceive him. “He might be a big person but I believe there is a small opportunity for us to get what we want from that man.”

“How about our girl friends? When we will tell them? I mean, do we need to tell them?” Tumingin sa akin si Dwight, mukhang nagdadalawang isip siya kung dapat ba naming sabihin sa mga babae naming kasama ang naging desisyon naming tatlo.

“You can tell them, but I won't give them a task for this case.” Tumayo ako at nag-unat ng kamay. “Kumain na ba kayo? Let's eat in the lobby.”

“Hindi pa, let's go?” Nauna nang maglakad si Zeus palabas ng kwarto namin ngunit huminto at tumingin sa amin.

Nagsuklay naman ng buhok niya si Dwight gamit ang mga darili nito. “I'll brush my teeth first, wait for me.”

Tumango kaming dalawa ni Zeus at naupo sa couch. Binuksan niys ang TV at isang television na nakadikit sa pader at nanood. Hindi ko nagawang sabayan siya sa panonood nang may maalala ako. I remembered the girl from last night, masiyado siyang maganda para maging ganoon kasungit at kaseryoso. I wonder why she was sitting on the sand that time and seriously looking at nowhere. Her expression, and the way she looks really caught my attention. Kakaiba rin ang mga ikinikilos niya kumpara sa normal na mga babaeng nakikita ko. She's kinda interesting.

Napangiti ako at inilabas ang susi ko kung saan nakasabit ang keychain, makailang ulit ko nang tinignan ito ngunit hindi ako napapagod na alalahanin ang mukha niya sa tuwing nakikita ko ito.

“Ano ‘yan? Why are you smilling with that keychain?” takhang tanong ni Zeus habang nakatingin sa akin nang seryoso.

“What?” I chuckled and swirls the key on my finger. “Hindi ba't ang cute niya?”

“It was just a bowl of noodless and chopstick? I can’t see anything unique about it, or cute rather.” Nagkibit balikat si Zeus at bumalik na lamang sa panonood.

...

NASA LOOB ako ng isang sasakyang nirentahan ko nang lumabas ng building ang lalaking kanina ko pa hinihintay. Ayon sa nakuha kong information siya ang nagmamay-ari ng gusali ng kumpanyang ito kung saan ako kasalukuyang naka-park sa harapan. Dalawang oras na akong nasa loob ng kotse ngunit ngayon lamang lumabas si Zeigler. Sinubukan kong pumasok sa loob at makipagkita sa lalaking ito ngunit mahigpit ang seguridad nila, I need to get an appointment before I could talk to that big person named; Ethan Zeigler.

Ibinaba ko tinted windshield ng kotse kung nasaan ako at hinabol ng tingin ang lalaking ito na nababalutan ng kaniyang mga tauhan. Nasa anim na lalaki ang kasama nitong sumakay sa magkahiwalay na sasakyan and if I am not mistaken they are his bodyguard, sa mga suot pa lamang nitong mga damit sigurado na ako.

“Too impossible,” I mouthed myself. Hindi ko tiyak kung sa papaanong paraan ako makalalapit sa lalaking ito. Aabangan ko na lamang ang balitang ibibigay sa akin nila Zeus mamaya. Binuhay ko ang makina ng sasakyan ko at nagmaneho pabalik sa resort kung saan kami nag-stay.

...

“SEKI? Nasaan sila Dwight at Zeus?” tanong ni Stout nang makabalik ako sa silid namin. Lahat sila sa girl's room ay nandirito sa kwarto namin maliban kay Daphnise. Si Stravens naman ay natutulog pa rin sa kama nito, mukhang nagising na siya kanina at natulog ulit.

“They have task today,” I said and sat on the couch beside Coco.

“You mean they are working without us? Bakit?” Humarap sa akin si Coco nang nakakunot ang noo. “Sinama niyo pa kami dito kung wala rin naman pala kaming gagawin.”

“No, it's not like that Hershey.” —I called her first name, which is I usually do to stop her over think— “I'll give you a task today, but that is after I got the information from Zeus and Dwight. We can't work togther on the task I gave them. Mahahalata tayo sa dami natin.”

Nagkibit balikat nalang si Coco at inalis ang kunot sa kaniyang noo. “Okay, pero anong ibinigay mong task sa kanila?”

“To be a spy,” I answered her. Pumikit ako at inihilig ang likuran ko sa backrest ng upuan kung nasaan ako. I'm planning what to do next.

“What time is it?” tanong ni Stravens na kababangon lang sa kama matapos bumalik sa pagkakatulog.

“It's time to start,” wika ni Daphnise na diretsong pumasok sa loob ng silid namin at umupo sa isang single couch katapat ni Cross, nakangiti si Daphnise bitbit ang laptop ni Dwight. Wait what? Laptop ni Dwight?

“Here it, I gathered some information about BBB their plan habang inaantay natin sila Dwight kanina,” wika ni Daph at inilapag sa center table ang laptop ni Dwight na naglalaman ng mga sinabi niya. She crossed her arms and looked at me straight. “Do you have plan to tell us aboit it Seki Schoen?”

Mukhang naunahan ako ni Daph na malaman ang lahat bago ko nagawang sabihin sa kanila.

“What's happening?” Stout asked us.

Malalim akong bumuntong hininga at umayos ng upo. “I have plan to tell you this, is just that i'm waiting Zeus and Dwight.”

“Then anong plano mo ngayong alam na namin na si Ethan Zeigler ang taong napili niyo upang imbistigahan at pagkunan ng impormasyon tungkol sa auction?” Pinaningkit ni Daph ang kaniyang mga mata habang nakatitig pa rin sa akin.

“Alright, I get it now. Let’s not pressure Seki. I believe he has reason why he keep it secret to us temporarily.” Ngumiti si Coco. “So let's start? Ano ba ang meron kay Zeigler?”

Tumango ako at naghugot muna ng malalim na hininga. Wala ba akong magagawa, mukhang mapapabilis ang proseso ng mga plano ko ngayon. Natawa na lamang ako sa naisip.

“Beside of his popular Identity of being an author and an auction bidder, Ethan Ziegler is also known as a lord of a big organization, I can't tell kung anong organization ito but masasabi kong it's also an underground org, same as our parents,” Daphnise explained kaya naman napakunot ang noo ko.

“He's joining an underground auctions, so i'm sure he really a big person underground. Mukhang espesyal din siyang tao, biruin mong nasa top 1 ng listahan.” Mahinang tumawa si Stout habang umiinom ng kape.

“What was that? Anong pinag-uusapan niyo?” Lumapit si Stravens at naupo katabi ni Cross.

“Anyway, I don't care if he's big our not. Black Phoenix is a big organization too.” Ngumisi si Coco.

“Yeah, we don't care about it,” pagsang-ayon pa ni Stout sa isinagot ni Coco.

“Okay, continue Daph,” I said kaya napatango nalang sila at nakinig. Tinignan ko si Cross mukhang naikwento na nila Zeus sa kanya ang lahat dahil prente na lamang siyang nakikinig, si Stravens naman ay hindi na nagtanong pa.

“I don't think we can approach him as easy as we thought. Ethan was surrounded by his men and a very exclusive security system on his office even on his house,” dugtong ni Daphnise sa ipinapaliwag niya kanina lamang.

“Oh, then we need a high class pan from Mafia Teens.” Stout smiled at us.

“The coming auction here in Cebu is private and protected by underground security. No public publication about the information it means the auction is too sensitive.”

Napatingin kame kay cross ng mag salita siya at tumayo. “If you really want to get inside the auction, you have to deceive that man not just to get information about the auction but also to copy the invitation and verification card na siyang magagamit nating lahat to enter the auction,” dugtong ni Cross sa sinabi niya, “Excuse me.” Lumabas si Cross ng kwarto namin.

“She's right, we'll be needing the copy of the invitation at ang verification card para maka pasok tayo sa auction as one of the guests,” I told them. Naalala kong may mga ganitong bagay noon sila Daddy sa tuwing magtutungo sila sa mga auction kasama ang Mommy at sila Uncle Zack.

“So what's the plan?” Coco asked.

“First we have to study Ethan Ziegler hard, which is Zeus and Dwight task for today.” Ako na ang sumagot sa tanong ni Coco.

“And know the person surronded him, we can use them if needed,” tugon ni Stravens at lumapit kay Cross na bumalik sa silid habang may dalang suitcase. Nang makaupo ay binuksan ni Cross ang suit case na dala niya at tumambad samin ang maraming gadget na kinuha nya sa Seven Dwarf.

“Let's start the plan,” Cross said.

“Seriously Cross, did you bring some clothes?” Tumawa si Coco nang pagak. Hindi namin naisip na ang laman ng bag niya ay puro gadgets.