Who are you, Aira?

Chapter 18: Brother

"What?!" I asked Kwin when I went to her condo. Fuming mad. 

"I'm sorry, I don't know what happened. I went upside to buy food because you're coming and then when I came back, it was all gone!" I looked at her intently. She was panicking when she went to her drawer - trying to find the envelope that was missing.

Napahilot ako sa sentido ko. What happened?

"Did you checked the CCTV?" I asked.

"Yes. It was all clean." She said while biting her lip.

Fuck.

"Kahit yung mga kalapit na store? Houses? Parked car? Anything na may camera?"

She nodded.

Napamura ako ng bahagya at nag-isip. 

Bakit parang saktong sakto naman ata na nahanap niya yung information tungkol sa suspect ng pumatay sa nanay ko, nawala ang envelope na naglalaman ng information tungkol sa nangyari noong araw na 'yon, pagkatapos, wala ni isang footages ang nakita. 

Para bang planado lahat. Parang ayaw ipaalam ng kung sino man ang nasa likod nito. 

Napatigil ako nang may naalala. 

"Kwin?" I asked her again. 

"Yes?" Mabilis naman siyang lumingon sa akin habang naghahanap pa rin doon sa table kung saan niya nilagay yung envelope.

"Did you checked your system? Maybe we can print it again."

Doon lumiwanag ang mukha niya. Dali-dali siyang umupo sa harapan ng computer niya. Sobrang bilis ng pagtipa niya sa keyboard. May mga codes na lumabas doon, hindi ko maintindihan dahil mabibilis gumalaw ang number at letters doon na parang siya lang ang nakakaa-alam.

It was all green and black until something popped up asking for the email and password. 

Kwin entered something but it was failed. She tried it again many times but no avail.

Napakunot ang noo ko.

"What the fuck..." She whispered. 

"What? Why?" I asked. Getting curious.

Napatingin naman siya akin habang kagat ang labi. Kaba at takot ang nakita kong emosyon sa mga mata niya. 

"I think..."

"What?!" I asked getting impatient.

"I am blocked in their system. Nalaman na ata nila na illegal ang email at password na ginamit ko. I am sure that they know I am an outsider so they trace my IP address, got the paper I printed and delete all the footages..." Mahinang sabi ni Kwin habang tulala.

Last. Last question. I balled my fist.

"Haven't you read it?" I asked hopefully.

She turned and then I knew just by the look of her eyes that somehow, we lost.

"No... Ikaw dapat ang unang makaalam at hindi ako." 

Mas lalong dumiin ang pagkuyom ng kamao ko. Nararamdaman ko na ang pagtusok ng kuko ko sa palad ko. 

I was so close. 

I was so close to finding the truth.

So close... 

So fucking close...

But someone messed it up. 

Dumilim ang mukha ko.

That someone will pay.

***

I was busy scrolling my social media sites when Kwin texted me.