Juniors Decode: Navigate Atlantis [COMPLETED]

NYC:7

NYC : 7

EUREKA'S POV

New York City is so... Breathtaking!

I can't put it into words! It's so civilized and very much alive! Habang umaandar ang taxi namin sa gitna ng kalsada, natanaw ko mula sa bintana ang mga nagtataasang buildings na naka-align sa gilid ng bawat lane.

Those buildings are so tall! Halos lagpas  twenty stories ang isa sa pinakamaliit na gusali rito, pa'no pa kaya ang mas malalaking gusali? Plus, napaka-modern ng mga architectural design nito. Those towers, with digital billboard flashing an advertisement, are looming over the lively streets.

Foreign citizens are crowding outside, right at the sidewalks. They have this kind of different clothing styles. Revealing, or should I say, maiiksi ang mga damit ng mga taong naglalakad sa kalsada. They are not conservative people, unlike sa pananamit ng mga Filipino.

White skins, some blacks, and most of them are super tall. Everybody is busy, like no one has the plan to pause for a second nor to take a rest.

Indeed, this is the city that never sleeps.

Huminto ang taxi namin sa tapat ng isang five-star hotel. Jonathan gave the payment to Mr. Driver, saka kami sabay-sabay na bumaba ng sasakyan. Tinulungan pa kami ng driver na ibaba sa compartment ang mga bagahe namin.

Afterwards, the driver went back to his car and drove away. Kaming tatlo naman ay dumiretso papasok ng hotel.

The guards greeted us when we passed through the principal's entrance. As we laid our feet on the very first floor, we all dropped jaw in awe.

"Oh... Sweet,"  Jonathan mumbled.

Hindi ko alam kung hotel pa ba 'to o palasyo! The marbled floor, the reddish bronze interior's design, the very tall ceiling dangled with chandeliers, the walls with framed abstract paintings, the elegant furnitures like lamps and couches on the waiting corner, and the people walking back and forth inside this big hall.

Now this is what I really call FIVE-STAR hotel.

"Good morning, ma'am and sir."

May lumapit sa'ming isang lalaki. He wears a uniform and an ID, which means he is one of the staffs here.

"Does Mister Morgan brought you here?"  the staff asked.

Jonathan stepped in with a smiley face.  "Yes, he did. Actually, I'm his nephew. And these are my companions."

He even jerked his thumb to me and to Ele. And so, the staff nodded his head.

"Mr. Morgan reserved a room for the three of you. Right here, please..."  and the staff gestured his hands.

Dinala ni kuyang staff ang maleta ko, saka ang duffle bag ni Ele. Jonathan insisted that he can carry his own satchel bag, kaya naman hindi na s'ya pinilit no'ng staff. But I know that Jonathan is just being careful. After all, nasa loob ng bag n'ya ang milyones na kwintas.

Tapos, iginiya na kami ng staff papunta sa'ming reserved room. There's an elevator nearby and we hopped into it. The staff pressed the 7th floor button, then the elevator's door closed.

Apat kaming nakasakay sa loob ng elevator, kaya medyo masikip. At dahil tatlo silang lalaki, isa lang akong babae, medyo sumiksik ako sa sulok para dumistansya sa kanila.

Napalingon sa'kin si Jonathan, napansin n'yang nagkaroon ng space sa pagitan namin at mukhang naintindihan n'ya naman kung bakit. I just smiled at him and he smiled back.

Ele, on the other hand, ay kanina pa pala nakatitig din sa'kin. 'Yung titig na walang ekspresyon. I mouthed the word "what," pero hindi n'ya iyon pinansin at mas lalong kumunot ang noo niya, saka umismid at tumingin na lang sa harapan.

Problema n'ya? 

Ting!  Bumukas ang pinto ng elevator. The staff leads to the seventh floor, while the rest of us follow him. Naglakad kami sa engrandeng hallway. May red carpet pa ito, saka magagandang paintings na naka-display sa pader. Mataas ang kisame at medyo yellowish gold ang ilaw. 

Huminto kami sa pintuang napakalaki at double-door ang style. The staff opened it with a key, then the door swung open. Naunang pumasok ang staff sa silid, saka ibinaba ang aming mga bagahe sa gilid ng doorframe.

Then the three of us entered the suite. Napanganga ako sa ganda ng interior design nito. Hindi lang pala ako, dahil pati si Jonathan ay nanlaki rin ang mata. Ele remains cool and composed.

Anyway, this suite is so stunning and definitely spacious. I can smell luxury. There's a furry carpet on the marbled floor. The ceiling is high enough to hold the gorgeous chandelier. There are furnitures at the corner like sofas, center table, and a TV set. The air ventilation was attached above the transparent window covered by a white curtain. And there is another door aside from the main door, it is the bathroom's. Plus, there are exact three beds aligned on the other side of the room. Each bed for one of us.

Bumaling sa'min ang staff, saka nito inabot ang duplicate key sa akin. Tinanggap ko naman ito kaagad.

"If you need anything, please let us be informed. Enjoy your stay,"  sabi ng staff.

Eventually, umalis na rin si kuyang staff at sinarado ang pintuan ng suite. Naiwan kaming tatlo nina Ele at Jonathan sa loob.

"Sir Morgan was serious when he said he'll prepare everything we need, huh?"  Ele said as his eyes roam around the corners.

"Well, what do you expect from my uncle?"

Ngumisi naman si Jonathan, saka lumapit sa isa sa mga kama. He sat on the bed's corner, then took off the satchel from his body before unzipping it.

Nilabas ni Jonathan ang black-box, saka ito binuksan. The diamond necklace is still very much secured inside of it. That makes me feel relieved.

"Still has it,"  ani Jonathan. Muli niyang sinara ang box at sinilid ulit ito sa kaniyang satchel bag.  "So? What now? Tambay muna tayo dito hangga't hindi pa nagte-ten o'clock?"

"Yup, we should probably rest. Mayroon pa tayong... Um..."  Sumulyap ako sa'king orasan.  "...five and half hours para magpahinga. This trip exhausts me and I badly need to recover my energy."

Nagtungo ako sa pinakadulong kama at doon umupo. Tinanggal ko muna ang aking suot na sneakers, saka 'ko humiga sa ibabaw ng napakalambot na kama. Aah! Sarap magpagulong-gulong dito!

Ele, on the other hand, silently walks toward the window. Hinawi niya ang kurtina, kaya naman pumasok ang liwanag sa loob ng suite. As he exposed the transparent windowpane, he leaned closer to it and stared outside the glass.

"New York..."  Ele stated.

Without a doubt, I can say that he's now looking down the vicinity of Manhattan outside that window. Skyscrapers and small establishments were bunched everywhere. The streets are never empty, but always crowded with vehicles and pedestrians. The astir cityscape only proves the New York's best nickname: the city that never sleeps.

I saw how Ele smirked, seemingly fascinated to it.  "We've finally arrived."

Yes, we just did.

And I wonder what will happen next?

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A/N:

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