Episode 13

HANK LOOKED AT THE CEILING. He knew there was a ventilation duct. He frowned, concluding:

"It must be a rat passing by."

"Hello, boss…" Irina opened the door slightly. "So, it’s confirmed that Ruy and I will return to Brazil in a few days."

"Did you receive the ticket by email?"

"Of course."

"When was the last pest control done in this place?"

"Hello?" Irina frowned. "It hasn't been long… Why?"

"There’s a rat running through the ventilation duct" Hank’s voice was a little harsher. "You know how disgusting that is, right? So call the team again to disinfect this place, at least the upper part."

"Yes, sir."

"I’m leaving. I need to sleep."

Irina and Hank leave the office.

...****************...

AS SOON AS JANINE left the duct, she breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want to experience the horrible feeling of almost being caught by the boss — she had deduced it was him and so believed she was right. For a millisecond, Janine thought she wouldn't make it out alive — if they had seen her inside the duct, trying to escape, they would have killed her.

Still sitting on the floor, after replacing the grate, she took out a notebook and pen that she had managed to get from the sewing room to her lodging. She started to draw what would be a duct, with the slit that gives a view into Hank's office. Then she drew another line and a question mark.

"I need to know what comes after this…" Janine muttered thoughtfully.

...****************...

NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. Pedro Henrique was at the international departure lounge. Boarding starts in forty minutes. The flight will probably be full, thought Pedro Henrique, letting out a breath. That’s what happens when you buy a last-minute ticket. But it was the necessary thing to do. He had leads to follow. Tired of wandering around, he sat down in the waiting chair to make a call.

"Alex?" He said as soon as his call was answered on the other side. "I’m here in the departure lounge."

"I know" On the other side of the line, Alex was using the speakerphone while typing something on the computer. "By the way, are you going to stay in a hotel or hostel… What will your stay be like there?"

"I got a four star hotel" Pedro Henrique was looking at the runway where there were several aircraft. "Very good, by the way. I don’t really like luxury or anything like that, so as not to attract attention."

"Good job" approved Alex. "And I suppose it’s well located."

"It is very well located, yes. It’s in the central part of the city. That might be why Janine went there last time."

"Good boy. You’re going to update me on every progress you make there, right?"

"Of course" Pedro shrugged. "I’ll send a message on WhatsApp. Don’t mind the accumulation of information."

"All right. Is your boarding close?"

"It’s less than thirty-five minutes now. I’ll let you know when I get there. I have a connecting flight in Lisbon."

"I got it" Alex paused and continued: "Just be careful when following the trail there. Barcelona could be the starting point for ambushing the victim of slave labor, following this line of reasoning."

"I know" Pedro said. "First I need to know who picked up Janine at the airport and where she was taken. And which hotel she was taken to before being searched for another transfer."

"Try to follow up to the hotel where she probably was last time" Alex instructed. "As soon as you have the name of the hotel and the next clue in hand, you come back here. You won't give in to continue this investigation alone."

"All right then" Pedro frowned. "You intend to set up a task force, then…"

"Depending on what you find along the way…"

"Okay" Pedro nodded. "I’ll take care to discover a key clue that will move the case forward."

"And avoid going around in circles" Alex agreed.

...****************...

PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING WAS going into the moving truck, which was parked in front of Hugo's condominium. He felt a twinge of satisfaction — that everything was working out — and anxiety too, for having little or no idea what might happen in his new role and in the city of Sao Paulo. As he stood thinking, a hand rested on his shoulder.

"Chiara!" Hugo turned around. "You're here…"

"Yes!" They hugged in greeting. She completed: "I saw a truck, I saw you out here and I got curious."

"It’s the final stage of the move" Hugo saw the last crate leave the entrance. The two boys put it inside the truck. "All that's left is to hand over the apartment. Shall we go up?"

"Of course!"

HUGO WAS STANDING at the window, thoughtful. He remembered the strange movement in the street last night. Chiara took a tour of the empty apartment.

"It feels so strange here, lifeless…" she commented, looking at each compartment. "The next tenant who comes here will want to change something. The color… I don't think so. The color is beautiful, I think."

She finished the comment by putting her hands on her hips, and observed the classic chandelier hanging from the living room ceiling.

"I think this is beautiful."

Until his gaze landed on Hugo, still thoughtful.

"What is it, friend?" She approached. "Did something happen?"

"It happened. Last night."

Chiara leaned back against the window, her gaze level with his.

"Tell me."

"Yesterday I saw a car parked, parallel, at my window" he began. "I thought it was a normal car, parked there. But after a while, I went to the window and it was still there. I kept watching, as if I didn’t want anything. About ten minutes. The guy started the car and left. I didn't see anyone come in. I don’t think anyone stays in a car with the engine off and the tinted windows closed for more than ten minutes. It may be my impression… But it was the only car on the street."

"Did you get a good look at the car? The plate?"

"A black Corolla. I couldn't see the plate very well."

"Bizarre" Chiara frowned.

"But never mind" Hugo gestured with his hand. "Must be a thing of mine. Aron is not crazy enough to try to do something against me."

"You’re sure he doesn't know anything about you moving to Sao Paulo, right?"

"I believe not. David wouldn’t have the courage to talk to him about this."

Hugo remembered the last conversation he had with the boy in the park. Maybe he wouldn't find him anytime soon.

"I want to have a coffee at the bistro" Hugo suggested. "Coming with me?"

"Only if it's now…"

...****************...

JANINE TOLD VALQUIRIA about the conversation she overheard. The woman was horrified. The two shared this information in the concrete bleachers, while sunbathing on a cool afternoon in the complex.

"This human trafficking ring doesn’t intend to stop anytime soon" Valquiria stared into space. "As long as they make a profit at the expense of our suffering, they will lure more people into this ambush."

"We have to put an end to this" Janine spoke with conviction, catching Valquiria's attention.

"Be careful, girl" the woman whispered, a little apathetic. "You were almost caught in the middle of the night…"

"Listen to me" Janine interrupted, calmly. "Listen to me at least just now. Please."

She took her new friend's hands.

"I spent all night thinking about an escape plan" she began. "That ventilation duct was a find. I’ll find out how far it goes" she paused and concluded: "We’re getting out of here."

***This work has been signed with NovelToon, and piracy such as reprinting without permission is strictly prohibited.***

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***