Evidence Of Us (ENG VER)

Chapter 2

The city was alive with its usual chaos-car horns blaring, neon signs flickering against the twilight sky, and people rushing through crowded streets. In the midst of all the noise, Engfa and Patcha sat inside their patrol car, parked on a dimly lit street in Manila.

"Eng, are you sure you're not hungry? We still have time to grab some coffee," Patcha teased, leaning back in her seat and trying to get comfortable.

Engfa shot her a sharp look, her hands steady on the steering wheel. "This isn't a coffee run, Patcha. Focus."

Patcha grinned, tilting her head toward her partner. "I don't know how you manage to keep your intense work mode all the time. Relax a little!"

"There's no 'relax' on duty," Engfa replied, her eyes scanning the streets outside.

This stakeout was part of their operation to catch the suspect behind a string of burglaries in the downtown area. If their hunch was correct, the suspect would appear tonight. Engfa had good instincts-she trusted them-but the tension of waiting always gnawed at her.

"It would've been better if Charlotte was here with us, right?" Patcha said slyly, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Then the whole team would be complete."

Engfa didn't answer right away, keeping her focus on the window. She hated how the mention of Charlotte's name made her heart race just a little. "She's in the lab, doing what she's supposed to," she muttered, more to herself than to Patcha.

"Sure, sure. But admit it-you're glad she's involved in this case," Patcha teased. "There's something there."

Engfa gave her a warning glare. "Patcha. Focus."

"Okay, okay!" Patcha raised her hands in mock surrender, though the playful grin never left her face.

An hour passed, then two. The silence between them was heavy, broken only by occasional radio chatter. The neighborhood was eerily quiet, save for the occasional hum of passing tricycles.

Just as Engfa leaned back to stretch, a shadow flickered at the corner of the street, right near the suspect's house.

"Patcha. Look over there," Engfa said, her voice low but urgent.

Patcha immediately straightened, her eyes following Engfa's gaze. A figure wearing a hoodie-just like the neighbors had described-was sneaking toward the house they had been watching.

"Bingo," Patcha whispered, excitement flickering in her voice.

Engfa's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "This is it. Call for backup."

Patcha grabbed the radio and quickly reported the situation. "Unit 52 to HQ, we have visual on the suspect. Requesting immediate backup."

The figure moved closer to the house, crouching by one of the windows. Engfa's pulse quickened. Stakeouts always carried risks-the suspect could run, or worse, things could spiral out of control in an instant.

"Eng, can we wait for backup?" Patcha asked, a note of concern in her voice.

Engfa's jaw clenched. "We have to catch him now. If he escapes, we're back to square one."

Without waiting for backup, Engfa quietly opened the car door and motioned for Patcha to follow. The cool night air brushed against their skin as they crept toward the house.

"Take it slow," Engfa whispered as they moved closer.

They were hiding behind a tree near the house when a door swung open, and an old man's voice yelled, "Hey! Who are you?!"

The suspect bolted-exactly what Engfa had feared.

"Run!" Engfa shouted, immediately chasing after the figure.

The suspect was fast, darting through narrow alleys and jumping over low fences. But Engfa wasn't going to let him get away. Her heart pounded as she pushed herself harder, adrenaline fueling her every step.

"He's going left!" Patcha called from behind.

Engfa swerved into a side street, her eyes locked on the suspect just a few meters ahead. They were closing the gap, little by little. She stumbled at one point but quickly recovered without slowing down.

"Stop!" Engfa shouted, her voice sharp and commanding.

The suspect glanced back in panic, and that brief hesitation was all Engfa needed. She surged forward and tackled the man to the ground.

Patcha arrived moments later, panting as she helped restrain the suspect. "Nice one, Eng! You're quick for a sprinter!" Patcha teased, still catching her breath.

"Thanks," Engfa replied dryly as she cuffed the man. "You're fast, but not fast enough."

After handing the suspect over to other officers at the precinct, Engfa and Patcha headed to the forensics lab, where Charlotte was waiting.

Charlotte looked up from her microscope as they entered, her eyes lighting up when she saw Engfa. "How'd it go?"

Engfa shrugged, though the adrenaline was still buzzing in her veins. "We got him. It was exhausting, but worth it."

Charlotte smiled warmly. "Good job. I'll check the evidence we collected from the scene to make sure everything matches."

Engfa nodded, that familiar warmth creeping into her chest again. "Thanks, Charlotte. We couldn't have done it without you."

Patcha cleared her throat dramatically, grinning wide. "Ahem. I exist, by the way."

Both Charlotte and Engfa laughed, the tension between them lifting.

As Charlotte returned to her work, Engfa lingered for a moment, watching her. There was something about the way Charlotte focused-efficient and calm, yet gentle-that made it hard to look away.

"Need anything else?" Charlotte asked, glancing at Engfa over her shoulder.

Engfa shook her head, forcing herself to break her gaze. "No. Just... keep me updated."

Charlotte smiled softly. "Of course."

Later that night, as Engfa and Patcha sat in the break room with cups of coffee, waiting for updates, Patcha couldn't help but poke at her partner.

"Eng, just admit it," Patcha said with a teasing grin. "You've got a crush on Charlotte."

Engfa scowled. "What crush? We're working."

Patcha chuckled. "Sure, sure. Work... but you look at her differently."

Engfa opened her mouth to argue but closed it again, realizing she didn't have a solid response. There was truth in what Patcha said, even if she wasn't ready to admit it yet.

The night dragged on, but Engfa couldn't shake the feeling that something was changing-not just with the case, but between her and Charlotte.

Maybe, just maybe, things were about to get a lot more complicated. And for the first time in a long while, Engfa didn't mind.

A/N: Please do vote for my story!