The Princess of Thieves

Chapter 11

Trace

I stopped reading an article when Cole suddenly throw a crumpled paper on the table. Tiningnan ko siyang nakakunot ang noo.

"What the fuck is your problem?"

"Suko na 'ko. Pare, dalawang araw na tayong nandito at hanggang ngayon, wala pa tayong lead kung nasaan ang babaeng yun. Sa laki ba naman ng Roma san natin siya makikita? Pambihira naman." he said then let out an exasperated sigh.

Yeah, I'm tired too. Two days is like months for me. Parang ang tagal na nang pamamalagi namin dito. At sa loob ng dalawang araw na yun, halos nakatungatunga lang kami sa loob ng apartment na inupahan namin.

"Don't you think I'm a bit irritated too? Makaasta ka parang ikaw lang 'tong malapit nang maubusan ng hininga." I then shiftly averted my attention on the monitor of my laptop. I've been searching thoroughly about Drey this past hours. Hoping to find a little bit information about herself. Like, facebook or instagram accounts, pero ako lang pala ang nagsasayang ng bula sa kilikili ko kasi wala nga akong makita. The only information I've read about her was the Heist history she pulled off in England.

Nalaman 'kong nahuli siya ng mga awtoridad nang di pa niya na nanakaw ang painting. She then spend a good long time in quod. It almost took her six months to be bailed out by a certain Erick Hidalgo. Nakalabas na siya ng prisinto pagkatapos nun. A year later after that, nalaman na lang bigla ng may-ari na peke pala ang painting na nakasabit sa dingding niya. Later then it realized that the real masterpiece is really stolen. Agad hinanap ng mga kapulisan si Drey but she was never found after that. I even search for the name Erick Hidalgo. Nagbabakasakaling makakita ako ng lead kung nasaan ngayon si Drey but, I found out that, the Erick Hidalgo name was just fictional. Naloko pa 'ko. Well, not me alone. Kahit ang mga kapulisan na nagpapayag sa tauhang dinadala ng Hidalgo na yun ay naloko din.

So technically, we are dead end. No clue of Drey's whereabouts. Naiisip ko nga na ang talino talaga niya. She escaped the Bristish prison without even noticing everyone that she already won the British heist at the very start. Naisip ko ring baka may mga koneksyon siya sa labas kaya nakalabas siya ng prisinto ng matiwasay. I just wonder, why it took her six months before she got out of the cell, when she can go out even sooner.

But it doesn't matter now. Laos na ang balitang yun, tatlong taong nakalipas. The real problem here is, her real location. Kung nandito nga siya ng Rome, siguro naman palakad lakad lang siya ngayon sa tabi-tabi. Ang tanong lang, kung kailangan ko ring bang magpalakad-lakad para makita siya o hanapin siya sa kasulok-sulakan ng Roma para malaman lang kung nasaan siya ngayon.

I was scrolling down an article from the internet when suddenly, an ad caught my attention. It says that, there will be an Annual Auction Sale this upcoming 20th of the month.

"Know what? Maybe I should go out to do some bachelor things. Malay mo, makita ko lang bigla si Drey na nagbabar. Swerte pa yun. Sige, pare." he was about to stand up so I immediately stopped him.

"Teka lang, Cole. May alam na 'ko kung saan natin makikita si Drey."

"Oh yeah? Well, I listen to it later. Alis muna ako."

"May I remind you, that we're not here to get laid, Cole. Nandito tayo para magtrabaho." I explained briefly at him.

"Yeah, I get that. But who told you that, we can't get a fuckin' break after all this shits? I just go grab a KitKat, so calm your freakin' tits. Babalik naman ako. Di kita iiwan. . Mahal kaya kita. ." he teasingly said at me. Umismid naman ako sa kanya bago nagsalita.

"Fuck you, Dude. At salamat, mahal ko rin naman ang sarili ko. But Cole,you should really see this." I motioned my Apple to his goddamn face. Tiningnan naman niya yun, at pagkalipas ng ilang segundo nangunot lang ang noo niya.

"Ano naman yan?"

"This is where will be Drey's location two days from now. A-attend siya dito, sigurado ako."

"Ako ba pinaggagago mo? Magnanakaw siya, Trace pare. Hindi siya bumibili. Nagnanakaw siya." He said with a scowl written on his face.

"I know that. Pero di naman siguro sa lahat ng panahon, nagnanakaw siya. She's maybe an art collector so, I'm a hundred percent sure that she'll attend. Trust me."

"Yeah, she's an art collector. She collect valuable arts by stealing. Di siya bumubili."

"We're not so sure about that. So, we have to be here. Wala namang mawawala kung susubukan."

Bumuntong hininga naman siya at mariing pumikit saka binuksan ulit ang mata.

"Fine. As if, I have a choice. Screw this."

"Yeah, fuck you." I cursed at him then gaze at the annual event on my monitor.

Wait 'till we met, Drey. . .

*

Drey

I cocked the gun I've been assembling a moment ago, then aim it directly at the target. I immediately fire four bullets to it, and realized I only hit one at the center. Nagpaputok ulit ako ng apa't pang bala, pero katulad nang kanina, walang nangyari. Isa lang ang tama ko sa gitna. Mariin kong binaba ang baril at tinanggal ang earpads na nasa magkabilang tenga ko. Tinanggal ko rin ang goggles at nilapag yun katabi ng baril.

"You shouldn't stress yourself, Drey." Nilingon ko si Max sa kabila na nagtatanggal rin ng earpads sa tenga.

"I can't help it." I sighed and lean at the wall just few meters from me.

Franco's been giving me shits this past few days. Rubbing intently on my face on how stupid I am. Hindi ko naman siya masisisi. His organization is in danger because of me. Nung nakaraang araw lang kasi namin nalaman na hinahanap na nga daw ako ng mga awtoridad. Especially, Amelia.

Fuckin' bitch.

Nagpatong pa talaga siya nang halaga sa ulo ko. Ang kapal ng mukha. . Kasalanan naman niya kung bakit na nanakaw ang art sa kanya. Ang bobo kasi. . Ang bobo, sarap hambalusin ang mukha. Putcha.

"Why don't we ge wasted tonight? I'm sure it will lessen the stress." She said then sit on one of the chairs inside the room.

"Ayoko. Hangover lang ang aabutin ko jan."

Yeah, I made an oath to myself, that if possible, I must avoid drinking alcohol. I learned my lesson last time I got drunk. Imbes na pampawala ng problema, dumadagdag pa sa problema ko kinabukasan. I have a low tolerance in alcoho--

"Hi, you Pilipino?"

I was drag out of my dark thoughts when a girl sitting just meters away from me asked.

Tiningnan ko siya. She has a black hair and wearing a trench coat beneath a shirt and a jeans. I averted my gaze at Max. Silently saying:

We're busted.