"Are you ready, son?" Tegur Datuk Khairy. Aidan terkejut dari lamunan. Dia sedang di mejanya apabila Datuk Khairy datang menegur.
"I'm ready, Datuk." Jawab Aidan. Dia segera mengemas mejanya dan bangun.
"Awak nak pergi mana ni? Our press conference is scheduled to start this afternoon. You looked very worried. Apa yang awak tengah fikirkan? Don't worry, awak cuma datang untuk teman saya je kat press conference tu." Kata Datuk Khairy sambil menepuk belakang Aidan. Aidan cuma mampu senyum sambil menahan malunya.
"Don't think too much. Concentrate on your work." Datuk Khairy berjalan balik ke biliknya.
Aidan duduk semula dan terus mencapai sebatang pensil. Dia seolah-olah sedang cuba mengingati sesuai.
"Hannah Hanan." Sebut Aidan sambil menulis nama itu di atas sekeping kertas. Tiba-tiba telefon Aidan berbunyi.
"Hello. Oh, Winnie. Kenapa kau call aku? Nak lepak malam ni? Kat mane? Ok set, nanti kau usha Daniel. Sekarang tak buat ape-ape lagi, petang nanti press conference tu. Ok, see you tonight." Aidan meletak telefon bimbitnya kembali ke atas meja. Kertas yang tercatit nama Hannah tadi dilipat dan disimpan ke dalam kocek bajunya. Jam menunjukkan pukul 11.00 pagi.
********
Aidan sedang berdiri keseorangan di lobi utama hotel Palace of The Golden Horses. Dia sedang menunggu kedatangan Datuk Khairy dan ahli-ahli konsultasi 'Project Paradise' yang akan menghadiri sidang akhbar terbuka kepada pihak wartawan.
"Ashraf Aidan! I dah agak dah akan jumpa you kat sini hari ini." Aidan menoleh ke belakang. Kelihatan Illy berjalan menuju ke arah Aidan.
"Illy? Apa you buat kat sini?" Tanya Aidan.
"Saya datang ni, just want to see you. I see you come prepare, with all the documents that you bring." Cakap Illy sambil tersenyum. Aidan juga turut tersenyum.
"Document ni semua Datuk Khairy yang suruh bawa. I'm just a humble assistant of Datuk Khairy." Jawab Aidan sambil mengangkat beg bimbit yang dibawanya.
"So the rumor was true. You will be directly involved with this huge project." Illy berkata. Aidan terkejut mendengar pernyataan Illy.
"Dari mana you dengar rumor tu?" Aidan bertanya kepada Illy.
"You know, I got my source." Jawab Illy sambil ketawa.
"By the way, you look beautiful today." Aidan memuji kecantikan Illy. Baju rekaan sendiri Illy amat sesuai dipakai oleh dirinya. Tiba-tiba Datuk Khairy datang menegur Aidan.
"Aidan, awak dah bersedia? The press conference would be start any minute now and who is this lovely women here? Ini mesti girlfriend awak." Datuk Khairy sempat bergurau dengan Aidan. Muka Aidan merah padam tanda malu.
"This is Illy Ilyas, my friend. Illy, this is Datuk Khairy, CEO of Khairy Kaharuddin." Kenal Aidan. Datuk Khairy menghulurkan tangan untuk bersalam dengan Illy.
"Illy Ilyas? Fashion designer yang terkenal di London tu? Wow, tak sangka awak kenal with this talented women. You know, my wife and my daughter really love your design. Kalau boleh, every collection from you, both of them nak beli." Kata Datuk Khairy. Illy senyum mendengar pujian Datuk Khairy.
"I ni taklah terkenal sangat but if Datin and your daughter really like my design, I can specially design some for them. This is my card." Illy menghulurkan sekeping kad kepada Datu Khairy.
"Thank you, Illy. Aidan, saya rasa kita patut masuk sekarang. Let's go." Datuk Khairy berjalan memasuki dewan diikuti Aidan dan Illy.
Aidan berjalan ke arah pentas di depan dewan. Kelihatan Datuk Khairy bersalaman dengan beberapa orang lagi yang berada di atas pentas. Aidan berjalan ke arah Datuk Khairy dan terus duduk disebelahnya. Di depannya terdapat banyak wartawan yang sedang giat mengambil gambar mereka yang berada dihadapan termasuk dirinya sendiri. Mata Aidan liar mencari Illy. Akhirnya, dia menjumpai Illy yang sedang duduk di penjuru belakang dewan.
"Thank you for coming. We will start our press conference now." Pengacara majlis diam sebentar. Semua wartawan dan para hadirin duduk mengambil tempat.
"I would like to call upon the project leader of 'Project Paradise', Datuk Zabry Zuhaili to tell us more on this national project." Semua para hadirin bertepuk tangan, mengundang Datuk Zabry untuk berucap. Datuk Zabry bangun dan menuju ke arah rostrum sambil senyum. Cahaya kamera memancar beberapa kali, menerangi pentas dewan tersebut.
"As we know, 'Project Paradise' is a mega project headed by the Malaysian Government in pursuing our former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir vision which is Vision 2020. The main objective 'Project Paradise' is to construct and develop a smart system within a cybernetic city that emphasis on technology, education as well as environment. Here, we bring you the main people behind the implementation of this high-tech project, The Paradise Team. I, Datuk Zabry Zuhaili will act as the project leader and the direct link between this project with the government of Malaysia. Beside me, there are 5 more important people within this Paradise Team and I assure all of you that more people will be involved in this mega project, after we assess the project sites, costing and planning. Any questions?" Datuk Zabry menjelaskan dengan panjang lebar. Seorang lelaki mengangkat tangan.
"Datuk tadi ada menberitahu kami yang terdapat 5 orang penting dalam Paradise Team. Boleh tak Datuk memperkenalkan mereka kepada orang umum?"
"Of course. All of them are here. Datuk Khairy Kaharuddin will supervise on the urban development, architectural and planning, while Mr Chen Chung Chang, a Sarawak construction tycoon will manage on the construction for the project site. Mr Durgesh Danushan here will be monitoring our budget. We also have hired two international consultant that will give us their brilliant opinion and advise to make our project better and run smoothly. The first one is Mr Eugene Eisenhower, which is from USA and the second one is Benjamin Benzema from France." Sebaik sahaja, Datuk Zabry menyebut nama Benjamin, Aidan terkejut dan melihat sekeliling. Dia sedang mencari Benjamin namun lelaki perancis itu tidak kelihatan.
"I'm sorry for being late. I got some problem with the traffic just now." Tiba-tiba Benjamin muncul dari belakang dewan. Semua wartawan bergerak ke belakang dan mengambil gambar Benjamin. Benjamin berjalan ke depan pentas dan terus duduk disebelah Encik Eisenhower. Keadaan menjadi tenang semula. Semua wartawan tadi bergerak semula ke tempat masing-masing.
"I have several questions to ask." Seorang wanita berkaca mata dan bersanggul tiba-tiba bangun dan bergerak ke depan.
"What are your questions, miss?" Datuk Zabry menyoal wanita tersebut.
"Tirana, Miss Tia Tirana from the Metro Daily. My first question is why did you choose Datuk Khairy Kaharuddin? There's a lot more suitable people that have the capability in handling such a high profile project. I'm stating this based on the fact that Datuk Khairy's achievements and resume was not that impressive compare to others." Tia Tirana mengutarakan soalannya. Soalannya yang panas telah menegangkan suasana. Kedengaran beberapa orang wartawan berbisik sesama sendiri. Datuk Zabry hanya mampu diam.
"Maybe I should emphasis that Datuk Khairy is your brother-in-law and the status between both of you definitely, with no doubt effect your decision on choosing him rather than others." Pernyataan Tia Tirana itu membuatkan muka Datuk Zabry merah padam.
"Miss Tirana. The people in front of you here have been chosen because they have the effort and talent to do this job. We are professionals." Benjamin bersuara mempertahankan pemilihan Datuk Khairy.
"Talented? Professionals? I think not. Ok, that's all for my 1st question. Second question, the landslide accident last week. Is it really a natural accident or incompetence of the people at the site? 6 were killed on site and 2 more are still missing under the rubble or rocks and soils. Care to explain?" Tia Tirana mengujakan satu lagi soalan panas. Kali ini Encik Chang mengambil mikrofon yang berada di depannya.
"It is an accident. The heavy rain from the night before causing the soil to become lose causing landslide the next day. Don't you dare to mock my people as incompetence. I've lost 5 of my workers there too. I'm sorry for the lost but the accident can't be avoided." Encik Chang menjawab persoalan Tia Tirana.
"6 bodies was recovered from the landslide these past week, 5 were identified as your workers. The last body was one of the environmental officer and 2 more, also environmental officers are still missing." Belum sempat Tia Tirana menghabiskan soalan Encik Eisenhower pun bercakap.
"Our workers on site, with the help of local police are still looking for both of the missing person. Although the possibility of both of them still alive are very low but we will keep finding until we found any evidence indicating the other way around. Did I answered your question, Miss Tirana? If that's it, can we proceed with the video presentation of 'Project Paradise'? We're wasting our ample time arguing on speculated theory rather than facts here. Shall we?" Encik Eisenhower memberi isyarat kepada pengerusi majlis. Keadaan dewan menjadi gelap. Aidan melihat Tia Tirana bergerak keluar dari dewan. Sebaik sahaja Tia Tirana keluar, seorang lelaki datang mendekati Tia lalu menghulurnya sekeping sampul. Aidan mengenali lelaki tersebut. Pintu dewan pun tertutup.
"Razdan. Aku rasa lelaki itu tadi adalah Razdan." Kata Aidan dalam hati. Dia melihat ke arah skrin untuk menikmati persembahan video 'Project Paradise' namun fikiran memikirkan kejadian yang berlaku tadi.
********
Semua wartawan sudah mula bersurai selepas menikmati sedikit minum pagi. Aidan pula masih duduk di meja bersama Datu Khairy dan Paradise Team.
"So, Khairy. This is your young prodigy. Son of talented lawyer, Ariffin Ardan and his beautiful wife, Norlia Nasrul." Datuk Zabry bertanya kepada aidk iparnya.
"Yes, this is Ashraf Aidan. I totally forgot to introduce him to all of you." Datuk Khairy berkata. Encik Eisenhower cuma diam dan melihat Ashraf dengan tajam. Pandangan Encik Eisenhower ke atas dirinya membuatkan Aidan berasa takut dan bimbang.
"Where is Benjamin?" Tiba-tiba Encik Eisenhower bertanya.
"Last time I saw him, he was being interview by that Tirana girl. Then he went out with his fiancee and never come back." Kata Datuk Khairy.
"That reporter girl sure make me angry. I feel like I want to..." Belum sempat Encik Chang menghabiskan ayatnya, Encik Danushan memukul perlahan belakangnya.
"I think that's enough Mr Chang. Excuse me guys, I have an appointment after this. I have to go." Encik Danushan berjalan meninggalkan dewan. Pembantu Encik Eisenhower berjalan mendekati meja sambil membawa tongkat dan topi Encik Eisenhower.
"I think I will make a move also." Encik Eisenhower berdiri diikuti oleh Datuk Zabry, Datuk Khairy dan Encik Chang.
"Aidan, nanti kita jumpa kat office. Tolong bawa sekali document saya tu." Datuk Khairy memberi arahan kepada Aidan. Semasa Aidan sedang mengemas kertas-kertas dokumen yang berselerak di atas meja, dia menoleh ke arah pintu dewan.
Kelihatan Encik Eisenhower dan Datuk Zabry sedang berjalan beriringan, diikuti oleh Datuk Khairy yang sedang sibuk bercakap melalui telefon bimbitnya. Encik Chang pula sedang berjalan di belakang sekali. Namun, perkara yang dilihatnya selepas itu membuatkan diri Aidan terkejut. Dia mengosok matanya untuk mendapat kepastian.
"Betul ke apa yang aku nampak ni? Hannah?" Aidan bingung. Dia sekarang sedang melihat Hannah berjalan sambil menoleh ke arahnya di belakang Encik Chang. Hannha senyum ke arahnya. Dia melambai ke arah Aidan. Dengan pantas Aidan mengemas dokumen tersebut dan berlari mengejar Hannah. Hannah sudah berjalan keluar dari dewan.
Sebaik keluar dari dewan, Aidan terlanggar dengan seseorang. Dokumennya tadi jatuh berselerak. Hannah kini hilang dari pandangannya.
"Ini document 'Project Paradise'? Boleh saya temuramah awak?"
Aidan yang masih mencari-cari Hannah terkejut mendengar permintaan perempuan yang dilanggarnya tadi. Dia menoleh ke arah perempuan tersebut.
"Awak ni Tia Tirana kan?"
Coming Soon...!!!
Chapter 13 - Soal & Jawab
