NES #5: Million Fingerprints

02

Mission 2: Cold Wrath

Maven's POV

I scratched the back of my head when I heard Alison's voice on the other line. I just woke up and it's still nine in the morning. I still want to sleep, my eyes are still heavy and I want to sleep more.

"What do you want, Ali? I still want to sleep, It's still early," I said in a sleepy voice. "If you're bored then go out and have some fun but don't bother me."

I didn't hear anything from her after that, she ended the call and I went back to sleep. When I woke up it's already twelve at noon. I immediately took a bath and got my phone and sling bag, I am already hungry. I glance at Alison's room but it's closed and I think it's also locked.

I shrugged off my shoulder and went to the elevator, the restaurant isn't that far because it's only in front of the building. When I entered the place, I could hear all people talking in own their languages and some of them looked foreign too but mostly were Filipino.

"Alam mo yung balita? Yung lalake sa daan na pinatay ng walang kaawa-awa may fingerprints pa sa tabi nito."

I glanced at the three women on the other table when I heard them talking. They look like a titas and they're mostly talking about the fresh news here in the Philippines, I guess this is normal here in the Philippines. Hindi kana magugulat kong sa magkabilang tabi mo may nag-uusap na.

Hindi ko nalang sila pinansin at kinuha nalang ang atensyon ng waiter para sa order ko. I don't want to look like that I am listening to their conversations. I opened my phone just to see the messages of Alison and her updates.

Alison Andadre:

I am heading to
Las Incógnitas, Luzon.
Zhou Zhangwei is with
me so please, don't
worry about me.
10:34 AM

Alison Andrade:

gising ka na.
10:45 AM

Alison Andrade:

it's already Eleven in
the morning!
11:32 AM

I guess she will report and show her presence, para hindi naman maging awol ang babae. I am also planning to report maybe later. Kakain muna ako kasi gutom na ako at naghihilab na ang aking tiyan.

"Excuse me, Ma'am,"

I was in the middle of my peaceful eating session when I heard a voice from my side. Agad na kumunot ang aking noo sa lalakeng nasa tabi ko. He's politely smiling holding a camera and an index card and a pen on his chest.

"Yes? How can I serve you?" I asked, don't have any idea what he's going to do.

"Just want to ask your permission to interview you about the Philippines as a tourist," I blinked my eyes rapidly when I heard him.

"As a tourist?" I wanted to be clear. Am I considered as a tourist here in the Philippines even though I have Filipino blood?

"Umm, yes as a tourist, Ma'am, aren't you a tourist here?" Tanong nito sa akin and I don't know who to answer him. "Paano ba ito? Dumudugo ilong ko sa babaeng ito,"

I chuckled to him "Alright you can speak Tagalog, I can speak tagalog and I can understand very well,"

I saw how he looked at me with a shocked face "You're a Filipina?"

I nodded "I was born in Japan but I was raised in Greece but I have a blood of Filipino and I learnt about its language,"

He inhaled "Okay, hindi na masyadong dudugo ilong ko. Sorry po ah, sa research lang po kasi namin ito,"

I nodded in understanding to him "Let's start so we can finish immediately,"

Agad naman siyang nagsimula, he explained everything about their research and their surveys. May iilang kasamahan din naman sya na syang kumuha ng mga litrato sa kanya habang kinakausap niya ako. But while he's interviewing me, I am eating of course, I am hungry!