Red Threads

Someone at Nagra Apartment

“The recording does not exist. Already deleted!"

Mika who had been busy observing the images on the monitor screen on the wall, immediately fell silent when she heard that. He immediately approached Raga to find out something had happened. His breath was held for a few seconds when he learned that the CCTV recording storage folder was empty that day. The footage could not be found anywhere. The tape's gone.

"Why did it disappear?" Mika's voice sounded vibrating. He bit his lips firmly, enduring the tightness and disappointment that enveloped his heart.

"don't know. I just found out about this, too" Kara Raga. He was still trying to find the video in every folder on the computer.

Mika's shoulders were bowed limp as Raga finally gave up. The guy shook his head slowly while patting Mika on the shoulder. Instead of making it calm, it actually makes Mika's mind more tangled. He was busy guessing who had deleted the contents of the tape. If there really was someone else who intentionally erased, then that person already knew about his plan and Raga today. However, who? Didn't he say that to anyone?

“Gue ask to security first. You wait here.” Raga moved from her place. Half ran out of the room.

Mika shuffled up onto the chair. His hands moved quickly, looking for footage that Raga said no longer existed. He still refused to believe, despite seeing with his own eyes. A minute later, he was frustrated. The tape does not exist. Anywhere.

“Where, Ga?” Mika turned to look at Raga who had just returned to the room with a breath of breath.

“They don't know. We were told to see CCTV footage a few minutes ago around this room.”

Mika got up from her position. Giving space to Raga to investigate the disappearance of the tape.

There's some CCTV footage on the screen. Raga chose the location of the recording closest to the room.

Mika squinted her eyes. Someone was walking towards the room. A guy, sturdy body with a black jacket, black hat, and sunglasses that are also black. The guy's moves are suspicious. Every now and then, his head turned to the left, right, and back. As if to make sure that no one else was in that place.

“See, right? He's coming into this room!” Raga exclaimed, when finally the suspicious guy opened the door of the room. They don't know what happened after that. The man closed the door of the room after being inside.

Raga returned the video lap of the footage to a few seconds earlier. He paused the video on the part the guy was watching around. Then, it zooms in on the existing image.

They look closer. Observing every inch of that guy's appearance. Black jackets, hats, and sunglasses are matching in color. But after a few seconds had passed, they found absolutely no answer as to who the person was.

“Continue, now what? If the tape is lost, we won't be able to know who came to Nagra's apartment that day.” Mika sighed uneasily. His teeth bite the inside cheek. Things he often did, whenever he felt angry.

“You are calm yes.” Raga rubbed the back of Mika's hand on the back of the chair she occupied. Trying to calm the girl. “I tried asking my neighbor. Maybe he has a copy of that tape.”

Mika forced herself to nod and believe. After all, now there was nothing he could do but obey Raga's words. At the very least, the guy had more access in this place than he did.

They came out of the room with a tangled and half-curious face. Mika followed behind Raga with an indeterminate thought of direction. Has Nagra had enemies? Did someone deliberately foil his plan? If so, how did that person know about his plan?

Raga asks Mika to wait on the sofa of the waiting room, while she approaches a security guard who is near the entrance. They seemed to be talking seriously, though occasionally Raga seemed to be chuckling. Almost five minutes passed, the security guard finally gave a flash disk that Raga immediately received with a cramped face.

“I've already got the recording video.” Mika welcomed the statement with a feeling of relief that doubled, making her almost jump off the sofa. “We are back in the room to see the contents.”

“Satpam it knows, who is the guy who entered the room earlier?” mika asked, as they walked towards the CCTV recording storage room.

“Kok weird ya.” Mika scratched her head, looking like she was thinking hard.

“Any, why?” Raga stopped her steps and turned the body, facing Mika.

“Ya is weird. Why is this room not locked? Isn't that a real danger, huh?”

“Maybe they forgot. The security guard who came in and out of this room is not just one time, Ka.”

Mika chooses to agree to Raga's presumption, not wanting to extend the time any longer. Rather than debating why the room was unlocked, knowing the CCTV footage of the day was far more important. Mika sped up the pace following Raga into the room.

Mika's heart was like it was about to jump, while waiting for the video to play. Several times gulps and bites the inner cheek, hoping the video loading process ends soon.

He held his breath, as the video finally spun. The video begins with the recording in the corridor, when he arrives. Then, move on to the room in Nagra's apartment. The room was a mess. Many packs of cigarettes, instant noodles, and dirty clothes were strewn across the floor. Exactly as he had seen. Suddenly, the computer screen went dark for a few seconds. And, it was just back on when he saw Nagra in the corner of the room.

Everything in the video is still the same as when he arrived. His quarrel with Nagra, as Nagra drags him out, even as the boy escorts him towards the parking area. There is still nothing suspicious.

Mika sharpened her eyes as the video footage began to switch. Nagra has returned to his apartment. The corridor remains the same. Slender.

Nothing suspicious yet. The video only records Nagra tidying up the apartment. Two minutes later, something started to happen.

Nagra who had just finished putting the dirty clothes in the sink, stepped towards the front room door. Looks like, there's someone in front of that guy's apartment.

The door opened, revealing a tall man in a black hat—like that belonged to someone who snuck into the CCTV recording storage room today. They look very familiar. Nagra even hugged the guy. Like the embrace of a friend who has not met for a long time.

They talked for a few minutes. Then, Nagra went to the kitchen to make a drink.

The guy in the black hat did nothing. He just looked down while playing his phone.

A minute later, when Nagra was busy making drinks in the kitchen, the guy just intended to take off his hat. Perhaps, he felt sultry or disrespectful wearing a hat in the room.

Mika held her breath. His eyes were focused on every move the man made.

But just before the man put the hat to the table and showed a face, someone opened the door of the room. The creaking sound made Mika and Raga flinch, and spontaneously turned towards the door.

A security guard Raga had met near the entrance, standing in the doorway. The look on his face was panicked, with sweat drenching his forehead.

“Sorry, Ma'am. The apartment owner is here. Mas same Ma'am should leave this room immediately,” he said in a voice that was really panicked.

Raga grunting. Mika was disappointed. Inevitably, they should refrain from seeing the continuation of that video tomorrow. Anyway, it's starting late afternoon. Mika still has to see Kai to say goodbye to the guy. He had decided to stay at Anggita's house for a few days.