Simply The Best

50

EMBER wanted to work and felt like she needed to. Hindi siya sanay na walang ginagawa. Hindi niya gustong lumipas ang maghapon na walang ginagawa. Her unit was a well-oiled machine and she trusted each and everyone would do the their best work even if she was on leave. Iseli was a very capable second-in-command.

But she still wanted to do something. Tinawagan niya ang primary sa kanyang case at nadismaya nang malaman na walang gaanong bago. Walang solid lead. May parte sa kanya na nakakaunawa dahil alam niya ang trabaho. Alam niya kung gaano kahirap minsan.

Pero bilang siya ang biktima, hindi napigilan ni Ember ang mainis. Gusto na niyang malaman kung sino ang gustong magpapatay sa kanya. Gusto niyang malaman kung bakit. Gusto niyang mapanagot ang mga tao sa batas. There was a shooter out there. Kailangan nitong mahuli dahil baka sa susunod ay hindi na maging mapalad katulad niya ang biktima. Baka may mapatay na.

And Ember didn't like being a "victim." She hated the word. She had worked so hard to be more than that. She had been a survivor and she believed she was also more than that.

Ibinahagi rin sa kanya ng primary na nagpunta ito sa bilangguan kung saan nakakulong si Rod para ma-interview. The man was something, he had said. He was still a piece of shit, Ember had imagined. The primary was looking hard on him. He was currently the prime suspect.

Sumagi sa isip ni Ember na magpunta nang personal sa bilangguan para tanungin si Rod. She would look at his eyes and she would know for certain if he was guilty or not. Mariin niyang naipikit ang mga mata. Sa palagay niya ay hindi niya kakayanin. Hindi na niya gustong makita kahit na kailan si Rod.

Kung ang lalaki man ang may pakana ng pamamaril sa kanya... hindi pa niya sigurado ang gagawin. Something felt off somehow. Sure, he wanted her dead but somehow, she was not very convinced he had anything to do with this.

Kaysa isipin pa masyado si Rod ay itinuon muna ni Ember ang atensiyon sa ilang reports. Mukhang maayos ang lahat sa kanyang squad. They were all doing their jobs. Binasa niya ang mga report at pinigilan ang sariling i-micromanage ang ilang bagay dahil lang wala siyang gaanong magawa nang araw na iyon. Kailangang matuto ng mga tao niya. They were on the right track. They could close their cases.

Kaya tinawagan niya si Miko. Umasa siyang may nahanap ang kaibigan kahit na paano, pero muli siyang nadismaya. Pero naiintindihan din naman niya. She needed something particular to look for. There were just so much angle to look into. There was so much things to consider. There are plenty of people to suspect.

She also had tried searching and looking but she found nothing.

"I've already checked on Rod's known's associates' bank accounts and records. I've searched as far as I can. Maging mga offshore accounts ay sinilip ko. There's nothing significant," sabi ni Miko.

Bumuntong-hininga si Ember. What Miko had done was illegal. She hacked into people's account to look for a money trail. She had also tried but she didn't go deep. Alam ni Ember na hindi niya makikita ang money trail.

Alam naman ni Ember na hindi dapat ang ginagawa nila ni Miko. Dapat ay dumaan sa proseso. Pero parte siya ng sistema at alam na alam niya na minsan ay kailangan niyang mag-venture sa gray areas, kailangan niya ng unconventional methods minsan. Minsan ay nagi-guilty siya pero hindi ngayon.

"Thank you, Miko. Huwag ka nang gaanong mag-abala."

"Puwede ba naman 'yon? If that bastard had tried to get you killed—"

"Kinausap na siya ng primary. Hindi na niya gaanong idinetalye sa akin pero ang sabi niya ay kinalimutan na niya ako. Hindi na ako importante sa buhay niya."

"I highly doubt that, Em. Kahit na maraming taon na ang lumipas, hindi ako naniniwala na hindi na siya nag-iisip pang paghigantihan ka. Ikaw ang dahilan kung bakit siya nasa kulungan. Ikaw ang sinisisi kung bakit nawala sila sa puwesto. Alam mo ba na plano na naman nilang tumakbo sa eleksiyon?"