Twenty five

SANTIAGO

I ran my hands through my hair and stared at my desk in growing frustration. I was pretty sure that I had come home with those documents yesterday, or was I? I frowned, trying to remember, trying to recall all I had done prior to coming home.

The recollections were vague at the least, pretty inconclusive. Again, I carefully went through the documents on my desk. I studied the documents minutely, so I didn't get to miss anything.

When I was done with that, I got to my feet and surveyed my study, asking myself where I had dropped it. Working from home today would be futile if I were not in possession of the files.

I went to the cabinet in the corner and searched through it. Nothing. Then I searched my briefcase, also my drawers. I grew more frustrated after every search.

This was the time I could have better employed working. Eventually, I searched every nook and cranny of the study. I was about to go over to my desk again when I stopped myself. It was obvious now that what I was looking for wasn't here. It was undoubtedly back at the office.

"So much for working from home today," I muttered to myself and angrily kicked the shelf.

"Who are you talking to?" I turned to see Glenn standing at the doorstep, looking at me curiously.

"No one," I said, smiling sheepishly.

"But I heard-"

"I was just muttering to myself, that's all." I paused. " Are you here for what I promised? "

" Not really. " She replies.

She looked around as I whistled softly.

"This place is a mess, Santiago. It looks like a hurricane hit the place. What happened here?"

I looked around. It was indeed messy.

Drawers were wide or partly open. Pieces of papers were strewn over every surface. Most of the larger books on the shelf were open.

"Yeah, it's messy all right," I agreed. "I will put it to rights soon. I was searching for some documents I thought I brought home yesterday. I could not find them."

"Oh." Glenn walked further into the room. "Let me help, then. Two hands are better than one."

I shook my head. "Thanks, but no. It's no use. I already went through this place with a fine toothed comb. I am sure that they are not here. I must have left them at work."

Glenn frowned. "Oh. Do you really have to get them today? Is it that important? Maybe you find a way to do your work without them."

"I'm afraid that is not possible. Without it, I won't be able to get a job done today."

"Oh, that's frustrating."

"Tell me about it," I said wryly.

"So what are you going to do now?"

"The obvious thing, of course. I am going to the office to get them." I stepped away from the shelf and began to hunt for my car keys. "You will come with me, of course. We can-"

"Sorry, no."

I stopped in the act of peering under a book and looked at Glenn in surprise.

"Sorry?"

"I said I won't be able to come with you."

"Why not? We will be back home in no time. I hope it's not because you think I'm going to do anything at the office. I will just get the documents and we'll beat it. Simple as that."

Glenn was shaking her head before I had finished talking. "No, Santiago." She came over to me and patted my arm. "You go on.

Maybe I will help you clean up this mess before you get back." She squinted, and seemed to spot something on my chair.

She picked it up and pressed it into my palm. "Go on now. The sooner you leave, the sooner you will return home to do whatever it is you have to do."

I nodded my thanks for the keys and left.

****

There was a little traffic on my way to the office. This was somewhat expected though. It was early in the afternoon and a lot of people were hurrying to several places.

I kept impatiently glancing at my watch from time to time. The drive was also now taking my time.

I just hoped that when I eventually got the files, the roads would somehow be free, making heading home easier on me. I heaved a sigh of relief when I eventually turned down the street that led to the office. I parked my car outside the gates and went in on foot.

The facility had a sort of abandoned look to it. Before I even made a move to go in the direction of my office, I moved cautiously around.

I kept my eyes peeled for any form of activity, specifically for cops. I was actually not supposed to be here and I didn't want to answer a lot of awkward questions from them if I could help it. I walked in and out of some offices, the reception area, then peered around the block.

The scorching sun beat down on me and by the time I had finished looking around, I felt hot and sticky.

My shirt even stuck to my back a little. Before I started working, a quick shower would definitely be on my agenda by the time I got home. After satisfying myself that there were no cops stationed around, I made my way to my office.

The entrance was crisscrossed with yellow, reflective tape that is issued the command ''DO NOT CROSS."

The corridor and the other offices along it looked like they hadn't seen a human presence in a long time.

I eyed the tape barricading the door to my office as I figured out the best possible way to get in without accidentally snapping off the tape. If the tape appeared disturbed, the police could station someone to permanently stand on guard.

And then what would I do if I were in dire need of something from the office like I am now?

There was a spot that was not so closely sealed off as the others. I went there, slowly and carefully eased my body through while I held open the tapes on either side of me. I blew out a breath when I got in without incident.

Inside, I walked more freely. I moved around and tried to remember the exact location of the documents with certainty.

These files were definitely in here somewhere, but I didn't want to waste more time on some more fruitless searches. I just wanted to get them and get going as soon as possible.

I started searching at the drawer of my desk and before I got to the bottom, I found what I was looking for.

"There you are," I sighed in relief.

I sat on the now dusty desk for a while, as I quickly went through the files, roughly counting their number so I didn't leave any one of them behind. They were thankfully complete.

A glance at my watch told me I had been here for about ten minutes. I arranged the files, placed them carefully in an empty folder and started to head out.

At the tapes, I once more stopped. I threw the files through a gap and went out the same way I had come in. I dusted off the files and went on.

On my way out of the building, I had to pass the laboratory where the major break in had happened. A gust of wind blew in as almost all the doors and windows were open.

The breeze made the open door creak softly. The sound was almost disturbing in the dead silence of the facility. I became doubly conscious that I was the only one here.

As if to further intensify the creepy feeling I had begun to have, outside the wind blew again, making a whistling sound as it rattled and disturbed anything that was loose.

Suddenly realizing I had unwittingly slowed down, I hastened my steps and had almost passed the laboratory when out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a dark shape pass.

I stopped walking immediately, wondering if someone was here after all. I retraced my steps, moving carefully so as not to make any noise.

After a moment's hesitation, I peered into the laboratory. My eyes bugged with surprise at the sight before me.

I blinked. At first I thought what I was seeing was a massive dog. It took a while for my brain to process the fact that what I saw was no dog. It was a huge, gray wolf which was prowling around and sniffing at things.

I went very still, praying that it wouldn't notice me. Suddenly, it's head whipped up. Its ears became erect. It looks several steps backward as if charging at something.

Then it rushed forward, straight into the glass window which shattered. When I blinked again, it was gone and all that assured me that I wasn't dreaming were the shards of glass around the window. I stood frozen in shock.