The Truth Berries

XX

       Helen spent the rest of the night packing her things. Her research was done and there was nothing left to do in Washington, so she had already booked herself a seat at the 9 a.m. flight to Manila. There’s not much for her to bring home, just a few relevant books that she had accumulated over some time and a selection from her wardrobe which filled a typical camping backpack. She decided to leave some of her things behind for there was no more room for everything. All in all, she ended up with a full backpack of clothes, bulging travel bag and her personal shoulder bag. But packing all of those was not the real challenge, it was the chest itself. How could she make sure that the chest would make it to her country with her?

       She considered her options. Of course, there’s still the same package delivery company who brought it from the Philippines to the United States. She could call them again and ask about their VIP express delivery service, if the thing really existed. The chest and the seed went through The Customs before without any trouble. All she had to do was exactly the same thing that Nadia did just to avoid too much suspicion- declare the thing as jewelry. But she knew that things were not the same as before. That plan worked before because no one else knew about the package’s true nature and its existence. Now, she had other people chasing her because of it. She remembered Dr. Curtis’ warning, telling her to be more cautious now, and that they were everywhere. Could it be that Dr. Curtis was referring to The Seekers as the ones being everywhere? Did he knew about them too? If that’s the case, then they could also be waiting for her at the airport, jumping at her at the very last minute. But then, they could also have their own men planted inside the delivery company. Wherever they were, they must have been already alerted by the higher ranks to watch out for an Asian woman travelling to the Philippines or a mysterious package sent there. For sure, that he would mean hundreds or even thousands of parcel monitoring, but she was certain The Seekers could find a solution to that. She was starting to have a serious migraine due to overthinking. How she wished it was as simple as the movies. Helen was stopped on her tracks.

       “Maybe that’s it, just like in the movies – covering things with something that X-ray cannot penetrate!”

       She knew the basics of physics and chemistry but she was no expert so she took her phone and searched the internet. The Internet suggested a lot of possible materials but the lead foil looked the most promising to her. Helen wasted no time. She went out to buy a roll of it along with some clear duct tape. When she got home, she retrieved the case from its hiding place and brushed the thin layer of dust on it. She unfolded the papyrus and returned the seed to it before folding it and finally putting it back inside the chest again. Helen performed the whole procedure with surgical precision and care, for the papyrus was starting to show early signs of wear and tear. Then she started making cuts of the lead foil. She prepared six cuts, each one enough to entirely cover the chest, making it six layers of lead foil altogether. Helen learned that the thicker the material was, the more impenetrable it became. She was just putting the finishing touches on it when her phone started ringing, making her jump and drop the roll of duct tape she was using. It was Dr. Winson.

       “Hello, Dr. Winson. I was about to call you before I go to the –“

       She did not have the chance to finish her words because Dr. Winson cut her off furiously.

      “You lied to me, Helen!”

       “What do you mean, Dr. Winson? I lied about what?”

       “I asked you yesterday if there was no one else who knew about that chest, and you said no.”

       “That is true!”

        “Then who was Dr. William Curtis’ visitor yesterday? Was it not you?”

       Helen felt her tongue suddenly shrink.

       “I forgot about that.”

       “Oh great! You just freaking forgot about that! Well, guess what? He was found dead at 1:25 this morning. Police says it was suicide, some kind of drug overdose. But I’m telling you don’t bet on it. And that’s because you talked to him, got him involved in this and somehow, someway, you casually forgot about all of it. Great, just great!”

       “He’s what? Oh my God!” Helen’s voice started to c***k.

       “He’s dead and your god cannot just stop them. These men are killers, Helen, cold-blooded killers! And they will do everything to get what they wanted.”

       “What do we do now?”

       “There is no more time to think and there is nothing to think about. Pack up and go home, return that thing to your friend and forget everything.  There are only three persons left who are standing between them and that goddamn chest. You, me, and your friend. Bless her for this s**t now. Those men had found me but they got nothing out of me. Yet they knew we have talked, remember? I’m guessing they don’t have any information about your friend for now, but they will surely have it, I’m telling you. So that leaves out you. You think they are not coming for you?”

       Helen was speechless. She was still in shock on hearing Dr. Curtis’ demise.

       “Me, I’m off to a secluded island in the Caribbean. Or am I? I’m not telling you, I don’t trust anybody anymore. I say you start doing the same thing now. Run now, Helen, and run fast!”

       With that, he was gone. Helen tried to speed things up but the heavy feeling of guilt from Dr. Curtis’ death broke her down into tears. She was deeply sorry, she wanted to tell him but she knew it was impossible already. So she took a deep breath and she tried to compose herself. There was only one thing to do to make his death a worthy sacrifice. She had to bring the chest and the seed into safety and she had to make sure The Keepers shall never get their hands on it.

     Ten minutes have passed and Helen was ready to go. She called for a taxi and instructed the driver to bring her to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The driver helped her with her luggage and opened the door for her. When she was already seated, the driver ran around and took his seat behind the wheels.

       “Sir, I’ll give you twenty dollars extra if you could drop me to a jewelry shop first and wait for me as I buy something for my mother. The store is just eight hundred meters away from the airport itself and it’s on the same route too so it must not be a major delay. I promise I won’t be long.”

       “Make it thirty and you’ll get a deal.”

       Hell, she should have offered him ten instead.

       “Done.”

       The morning traffic going to the airport was non- existent so in just a couple of minutes, the taxi dropped her in front of a big jewelry store. Helen ordered him to keep the engine running before stepping out, bringing her bag with her. She couldn’t risk letting her eyes wander off of it even for a few seconds for all of her efforts would just go down the drain if she lost it. The sound of a small bell resonated pleasantly inside the store when Helen entered. She has never been to a true jewelry store in her entire life and that made her feel uneasy walking inside that one. Around her were genuine jewels and precious adornments she had only seen on magazines, the kinds that hung around actresses’ necks and ears. Her uneasiness must have been very obvious because the lady at the counter asked her if she was okay.

        “Uh yeah. I was wondering if you have a jewelry box of some sort. I needed one for my mother. It’s for her 50th birthday this coming Friday.”

       “We have many kinds of jewelry boxes, Ma’am. What specifically are you looking for?”

       “Anything. You know, with earrings, or necklace. Or even both. Something special”, she stammered.

       “No offense Ma’am, but is this your first time buying a jewelry, Ma’am? You look real nervous right now”, the woman smiled amiably at her.

       Helen smiled back and did not deny it, for she would look more ignorant than she already did if she would pretend. She thought it would be best to be honest with her. The lady, in turn, offered her some of their best ones but it would cost her twice of her remaining money, including the small amount in her savings account.

       “I’m sorry, miss, but do you have something that’s more . . . affordable? Those ones would cost me my arm and my leg quite literally.”

       She smiled as if she knew it from the moment she entered the store. The woman went to the other glass case across the room and showed her a square jewelry box with two pairs of earring and a lovely necklace with it.

       “This one is reasonably lower because it is not entirely made of gold. Only the earrings and the necklace are of pure gold but the box is only gold-plated.”

       Helen saw it and she figured the chest should fit in it with little room left. The chest could be put in first, then the jewelries after. Helen asked how much it was and paid it with just an arm. Her leg got spared after some fruitful negotiations. She repeatedly thanked the woman when she handed the jewelry box to her in an elegant paper bag. Helen started walking out of the store, but when she was halfway to the door, she returned at the counter and asked the woman.

       “Excuse me, miss but does the store offer gift wrapping services?”

       “Yes mam, we do.”

       “Wonderful! Where is your Gift-wrapping Station?”

       The woman smiled at her again.

       “I am the Gift-wrapping Station, Ma’am.”

       “Great! Quite a woman you are! Sales and gift-wrapping in one.”

       The woman asked Helen to follow her to a glass table at the corner. Then she showed Helen several designs of gift wraps to choose from. Helen picked the birthday-themed one. The woman returned the other designs and started to unroll the one she had chosen. Helen then held her hand lightly and asked her something in a whisper.

       “This might sound strange to you and I’ll understand if you refuse. But my sister and I are planning to do some kind of a prank on my mother with that. Would you mind if I put something inside that first before you wrap it?”

       “No Ma’am, I don’t. Besides, I love doing the same thing to my Mom, so I get you. Can I have it now?”

       She carefully gave her the wrapped chest and the woman took it with both hands.

       “It’s quite heavy. Can you tell me what’s inside?”

       “A bunch of pebbles.”

       The woman lightly laughed so she did too. Helen watched as she expertly wrapped the jewelry box and taped every corner neatly. When she was done, it looked nothing special than a usual birthday gift. The woman put it back inside the elegant paper bag and returned it to her. Helen offered a twenty-dollar tip but she refused to take it.

       “Just tell your Mom I did that for her, Ma’am.”

       “I certainly will. Thanks again.”

       The first half of her plan was done. The second half now rested on her acting skills. Helen was hoping this trick of her would just go smoothly. But she braced herself for the worst. Once they held her for that gift, she would immediately transform herself into the kind of woman she dearly hated – intimidating and arrogant. She would make a scene, if that’s what it needed. Helen would raise hell until they let her fly with that chest, or she’s not flying at all. She went back to her cab and off they went to the airport.

       Ten minutes later, the driver opened the door for her at the airport’s main entrance and helped her with her luggage again. She thanked him and paid her fare, along with the additional thirty dollars. This is it, she nervously told herself. She took a seat and waited for the PA system to finally announce the instructions to board. Five minutes later, the notice was given and Helen prepared to board. In a sudden, an airport official picked her bag and opened it. Then, another asked her if the bag belonged to her. When she said it did, she was escorted to an isolated room inside the airport where a very strict-looking man was waiting for her. Her gift was sitting on the table across and the man questioned her about it.

       “I’m sorry mam. But we have to know what’s inside this box. The scanners detected something suspicious.”

       “That is a gift for my dying mother, Sir. She’s at a hospital in Manila right now and I wanted her to have that before she passes away.”

       “Can you please open it for us?”

       “Is that really necessary, Sir? I’m racing against time right here, can’t you see?”

       “Ma’am, please. We’re just doing our jobs here.”

       “And I’m just doing mine, trying to grant my mother’s final wish. Please, Sir, I’m just doing my responsibility to her. I’m trying to fulfill my duty to my mother who’s currently dying of cancer as we speak now. Don’t you have a mother, too? I have the papers to validate what I’m saying, Sir. Here!”

       Helen shoved the jewelry store’s official receipt under the man’s nose. Helen took a step backwards and crossed her arms, and then she struck the most pitiful look that she could muster. She waited impatiently as the man scrutinized the paper.

       “Please, Sir. I don’t want to miss my scheduled flight. I may not see her alive again, for Jesus’ sake! You have the papers there, and I swear on my mother’s life that it’s nothing but the jewelries she wanted to wear on her burial. Just some cheap earrings and a necklace a dying mother wished before she closes her eyes for the last time. I’m begging you, Sir. Please!”

       Helen started to cry and the sight of her crying made the man feel uncomfortable. She slumped on a chair and she hid her face in her hands. She was already shaking, but not because of her supposedly dying mother for she was orphaned when she was just twelve. She was shaking out of fear and anxiety because she had given her best shot already, but the man seemed to have a heart of stone. By that time, she was starting to truly cry for she thought her plan has failed. Until he felt a hand over hers and heard the man’s voice as he spoke again.

       “It’s alright, Ma’am. It seemed there was some kind of a glitch in our system. You may take this to your mother now and please tell her how lucky she is to have a loving and caring daughter like you. You may go now, please. I’m sorry for the untimely delay and enjoy your flight.”

       Helen could not believe it. She has pulled it successfully. She stood up and embraced the man tightly. She kissed his left cheek before taking the gift back to her bag. It really worked and now she’s taking the chest and the seed to safety. Everything’s going to be fine now because she’s giving the chest back to Nadia. So, after all those tragedies, it still ended well for her because she was going home now.

       Little did she know that there was no more Nadia to see back home and it was just the beginning for her.