My Damsel in Shining Armor

CHAPTER 22 - Over Protected

CHAPTER 22

"Charlie, will you please relax? Lalo lang akong napa-paranoid sa ginagawa mo," saway ni Joax.

Balik-opisina na siya pagkatapos nilang madiskubre na maaring isa sa mga tauhan niya sa SJC ang nagtatangka sa buhay niya. But from the time they got through the entrance doors of the building ng opisina ay nag-iba na ang pagkilos ni Charlie.

She was standing unfamiliarly close to him, her body tensed and alert. Her eyes were scanning their surroundings at matalim ang tingin nito sa lahat ng taong nakakasalubong nila. It was like she was expecting somebody to come out of nowhere and shoot him.

Nahuli pa niyang may empleyadong nagtangkang bumati sa kanya pero napaatras nang iharang ni Charlie ang sarili nito. He also knew that she had a gun strapped to her belt and hidden under her leather jacket.

Alam niyang mabuti naman ang intensiyon nito, pero it was making him on edge and he was going out of his mind. Hindi niya gusto ang pakiramdam na hindi siya makagalaw ng malaya dahil nakatutok ito sa bawat kilos niya. He felt like a bird trapped in a cage with very little room to move. It was starting to get suffocating.

"Teka, Joax, sandali. 'Wag ka munang pumasok sa loob," pigil nito sa kanya when he got off the elevator and was making his way to his private office.

"Charlie, pwede ba? Hindi ba pina-check mo na kahapon itong opisina. You told me this morning that it was safe to come here because you didn't find anything suspicious. Ngayon, ano 'to?" iritado niyang sabi. He didn't mean to snap at her, but he was starting to get really annoyed.

Sa huli ay napabuntong-hininga na lamang ito at tumango. Walang imik niyang nilagpasan ito at pumasok sa opisina niya. Padabog niyang isinara ang pinto at nahahapong naupo sa swivel chair niya. He had a feeling that it was going to be a very long day.

He was worried about how much more of this he can handle. Sa tingin niya ay hindi luluwag si Charlie hangga't hindi nila nalalaman kung sino ang traidor sa kumpanya niya. Ang numero kasing nakuha nila mula sa mga pulis ay ang company number na nagagamit ng halos lahat ng empleyado.

Siya at ilang mga executives lamang ang may private numbers. Hindi pa nila nare-retrieve kung anong extension number ng kumpanya galing ang tawag upang matukoy kung saang department o kanino mismo ito nagmula.

Natatakot siya na baka mawalan siya ng pasensiya at ito pa ang maging dahilan ng hindi nila pagkakaunawaan ni Charlie. Nanalangin siyang sana ay matapos na ang lahat ng ito nang makabalik na siya sa normal niyang buhay.

All the threats and the dangers were wearing him out and he just wanted it to end. Gusto na niyang makapagsimula ng bagong buhay kasama si Charlie. Pero alam niyang hindi niya magagawa iyon hanggang isang 'assignment' pa siya para rito.

He decided to get to work and was about to get started nang pumasok si Nick sa opisina niya. Because of his military training, halos walang tunog ang mga yabag nito. Nagulat siya nang imbes na lumapit ito sa desk niya ay kinuha nito ang isang upuan at pumuwesto sa tabi ng pinto.