Please note: This story may contain errors and grammatical mistakes. Your understanding and patience are appreciated as this is a work in progress.
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Third Person's POV
It was a quiet weekend morning, but for Maxine, Cole, Skye, and Gian, it wasn't a day to relax. Instead, they were out in the city, tracking the members of the new organization they had been investigating for weeks.
Aiesha, Yves, Solace, and Shee had stayed back at the headquarters, preparing food for everyone and waiting for their return with whatever new information they could gather.
The plan was simple: follow the members, observe their movements, and gather whatever intel they could without drawing attention.
Binaba ni maxine ang cap niya at tumingin sa gilid niya kung asan si cole habang nakatayo naman sa hindi kalayuan si skye habang si gian naman ay medyo malayo sa kanila malapit sa exit kung sakaling tumakas ang minaman manan nila.
Her eyes followed the man she had been trailing simula nang dumating sila sa location ng target nila, a tall guy in his mid-thirties.
Parang normal lang ito na tao na nakikisabay sa mga normal na tao mag lakad, habang sinusundan nila to huminto ito sa isang cafè.
Maxine paused, her gaze sharpening. "He's going inside," she murmured into the small communication device in her ear, alerting the others.
"Copy that," Cole's voice came through, steady and focused. "We're staying back. Don't get too close."
Maxine nodded, adjusting her jacket before casually walking to a bench across from the café. From this angle, she had a clear view of the man. He stepped inside and approached the counter, ordering something. For a moment, everything seemed routine-until he raised his hand to take his coffee from the barista.
Agad na napansin ni maxine ang tattoo nito sa kanang braso nito. It's spider tattoo.
Agad na bumalik sa ala-ala ni maxine ang nangyari kung saan nakita na niya rin yung tattoo na yon. It's the unknown men who had tried to take Aiesha. She remembered knocking the guy down, but it wasn't until now that she recognized the tattoo.
'It's him,' she thought, malakas narin ang kabog ng dibdib niya.
Maxine quickly grabbed her phone, pretending to scroll through social media while she discreetly took a photo of the man's wrist.
Napakalinaw ng tattoo ma yon sa pwesto niya, kaya madali lang niya ito na kuhanan ng litrato.
"Maxine," Skye's voice came through the comms again. "Everything good?"
She took a breath, her voice low and controlled. "I've got something. I'll explain when we regroup."
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, glancing at the message from Gian.
Across the street, the man with the spider tattoo was talking on his phone, unaware of the eyes watching him.
He seemed relaxed, casual even, but Maxine knew better. People like him didn't let their guard down unless they were sure they weren't being followed. She kept her distance, watching every move he made.
"He's on the phone now," she reported quietly. "We might be able to get more out of this."
"Good," Cole replied. "We've got some leads too. Let's not make any sudden moves."
Ilang minuto rin ang lumipas na pinapanood lang ni maxine ang bawat galaw nito na hindi siya nahahalata.
And finally, he got up from his seat, tossing a few bills on the table before walking out of the café.
She quickly followed at a safe distance, noticing that Gian had already started tailing him from the other side.
They were getting closer, slowly but surely.
After a few more blocks, lumiko yung lalaki sa isang eskinita at nawala na ito sa paningin nila.
Maxine stopped in her tracks, signaling for the others to hold. It wasn't worth risking their cover to follow him too closely.
Instead, she pulled out her phone and checked the photo she had taken earlier. The spider tattoo was clear as day.
Sapat na yon para makakalap pa sila ng impormasyon, lalo pa at konektado ito doon sa mga taong gustong kuhanin si aiesha...
"We're done here," she said into the comms. "Let's regroup."
Tumingin muna siya sa eskinitang nilikuan ng lalaki bago bumalik sa sasakyan nila. It wasn't long before Cole, Skye, and Gian caught up with her.
Cole gave her a curious look. "What did you find?"
Maxine handed her phone to Cole, showing her the photo of the spider tattoo. "He's the same guy from the park. The one who tried to take Aiesha."
Nagulat naman ang tatlo sa narinig "You're sure?" tanong ni gian dito.
Maxine nodded. "Positive."
"Ang gulo naman, bakit mag iinvest ang mga alvarez jan sa mga tao na gustong dumakip sa anak nila?" naguguluhang saad ni skye.
Maxine sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know, that's why we need to dig more"
With that, they made their way back to the headquarters.
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Back at the headquarters, Aiesha, Yves, Solace, and Shee had prepared a spread of food on the long dining table, eagerly waiting for the others to return.
As soon as Maxine and the others walked through the door, the atmosphere shifted. They could see the tension written across their faces.
"What did you find?" Aiesha asked, her eyes darting between Maxine and the others.
Maxine took a breath, setting her phone on the table with the photo displayed. "This guy-he's the same one who tried to take you at the park."
Aiesha stared at the screen, her expression hardening. "Him?"
Yves furrowed her brows, leaning over to get a better look. "This is more serious than we thought, dahil kung kalaban nga sila ang bilis nilang napasok ang mga alvarez"
"Exactly," Cole said, crossing her arms. "They're not just any organization. They're connected, and they're making moves."
"We also got some names," Skye added, handing a piece of paper to Solace with a list of members. "They're all part of the new group."
Solace studied the list, her face unreadable. "We need to dig deeper into these people. They're clearly not just investors."
Maxine nodded in agreement. "Kailangan maging handa tayo sa mga susunod na mang yayari, simula pa lang to"
As the group settled in, Maxine's mind raced with possibilities. They were closer to the truth, but with every new piece of information came a new threat.
And deep down, she knew that protecting Aiesha was becoming more difficult with each passing day.
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