Chapter 7 — I Return From The Deep

“Find a safe place to keep it, don't leave it at the motel.” I heard him typing on the keyboard, "I'll ask someone to do something for you tonight."

“What?”

"Extract all the camera tapes from that day in the laboratory. Not the kind of screenshots that Tong Uyen Nghi gave to the media—but the full version. The process of swiping her visitor card to enter the building, the system has a trace. She entered through the official door, opened the old locker, took out the old document with the name Trieu Dung."

He spoke very quickly and clearly.

"Putting these things together, it's no longer theft. It's taking back a relic belonging to your instructor."

My grip on the phone loosened slightly.

“Luc Tham, why... why are you helping me?”

The other end of the line was silent for a while. Then he said: "Before Tieu Ho went to prison, he was my brother. I will take care of the people he told me to take care of." Then he said: "Besides, the Song family and I also have some old grudges." No further explanation.

“Give me the original tomorrow, I'll save it for you. Just concentrate on preparing for the testimony next Monday.”

“Okay.”

Hang up the phone. I took a deep breath, fished my phone out from under my pillow and looked at it. Giang Tu Hanh sent more than a dozen text messages. Last news was 5 minutes ago:

"Niem So, I read that news. Tell me what you came to the lab to do, I'll deal with it."

Are you going to solve it? Solve what? Help Tong Uyen Nghi clean up the mess? I don't answer. Delete messages, set an alarm. There's still work tomorrow. Let's sleep. Early the next morning, I put the original in a canvas bag. Wait for Luc Tham's car downstairs at the motel. Today he wore a black T-shirt and still wore black-rimmed glasses unlike those intellectuals. I gave you the bag. He took it and put it in an iron box with a password lock in the trunk of the car.

"Don't worry, you can't lose it."

I nodded.

"How are the preparations for the testimony?"

"Almost done. Chronology, chain of evidence, table of contents of Ms. Trieu's notes, USB data. Professor Wen helped me create a complete presentation outline."

“Do you have a lawyer?”

I shook my head. Can't rent. He looked at me, pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it over.

"Lawyer Chau, specializes in resolving academic disputes. I've already said hello, you don't need to worry about the cost."

I looked at the business card, but didn't accept it.

"Luc Tham, you've helped me too much. I have no way to repay it."

He slipped his business card into my hand.

"Who is forcing you to pay? Just live first. Only then can you pay."

I held the business card, my fingertips were cold. He didn't say anything more, started the engine and took me to the bus stop.

“Next Monday I'll take you to school.”

“No need——”

"It's not a negotiation. Tong Uyen Nghi will definitely be there that day. You go alone, if she does anything, there's no one to watch over and help you."

I looked at him. This person never talks in circles. Never gave me a chance to refuse.

“…Okay.”

The next days, I didn't go anywhere. Huddled in the motel preparing documents for testimony. Wen Nhuoc Duong calls me every night to help me organize the logic. Lawyer Chau also contacted me and held two online meetings to advise me on what words to say and what not to say. speak.

"The most important thing is not to get emotional," he said. "The council only looks at evidence and logic, not tears. You just need to lay out each fact."

I remember well. Giang Tu Hanh hasn't texted in recent days. Unusually quiet. I know what he's doing——he's definitely investigating. With his personality, after reading that news it was impossible to do nothing. But what results he finds out depends on who he believes.