Seventh Agent (Tantei High)

Twenty-Three

Akemi.

We are all shocked. Inalis nila yung nakababad na mukha niya sa may fountain. Kanina kausap pa lang namin siya, ngayon she was not breathing. The murderer is here, and his or her tactic is killing us one by one when he gets the chance to.

"This is sick! What are we going to do now?" sabi ni Sean, ang anak ni Mr. Tan. Nakahawak siya sa ulo niya na parang it's throbbing in pain caused by the situation.

Una, nawawala si Josie. Ngayon, si Georgina Zeus natagpuan naming lifeless sa may pool. Nakakasakit talaga ng ulo, palagi naman eh. Lumapit ako sa body niya kahit na hirap na hirap akong lumuhod dahil sa dress ko, kailangan kong tignan kung may pag-asa pa na ay katiting na chance na mabuhay siya.

It would be a disgrace to Josie's family dahil may isang guest na namatay sa party niya. Tsaka, malaking kawalan sa company nila yun dahil si Ms. Zeus ang pangalawang pinakamaraming stocks. Pinakamarami sila Mr. Tan.

"Let's just wait for dawn inside," sabi ni Reiji at ngumiwi naman silang lahat.

"And what, wait for our turn to die?! I'm not letting that happen!" sabi ni Mr. Tan na parang frustrated na sa nangyayari.

"It's the only option we have right now, mas hindi safe kung you will separate," kalmadong sabi ni Angelo.

Come to think of it, hindi ba siya nag-aalala na may gumagalang murderer dito and anytime pwede na siyang mamatay? Well, kung ako rin naman si Angelo I would rather pick death as an option than live with your Father na ginagamit ka for business purposes. Hindi ko alam kung paano niya natitiis na sa bawat kilos niya controlled siya.

Tumahimik na din sila Sean at sumunod nalang kami kay Reiji sa loob habang si Ken, Riye at Akane ay binabalot yung bangkay ng kumot. Kesa naman iwan namin siyang walang buhay doon diba?

May lead na akong suspect but hindi pa ako sure kaya ayaw ko munang mag-sabi. Baka naman mali pala yung hinala ko, it would be embarassing.

Pinagpyestahan nila yung photo album na nasa may ilalim ng coffee table nila Josie. It was as if they went on a trip to memory lane dahil bawat picture alam ni Sean or Angelo kung ano yung hapoenings noon.

"Ito, this was the cruise ship!" Raikon exlaimed at mukhang siya lang yung natutuwa, "This is where bad and also good memories occur last 3 years," nalukot din yung mukha niya na parang may naalala siyang masama doon.

"Out of place naman kami dito, mind telling the story?" tanong ni Riye or Maisie professionaly. Bibigyan ko sia ng beng beng mamaya, ang galing niya!

'Nee-san, kinakabahan na nga ako eh,'

Nagpigil naman ako ng tawa sa sinabi ni Riye sa akin. I left my mind opened again, nagiging madalas ito ah? Anyway, bigla namang nag-tinginan yung nasa room I can feel the tension between all of them.

"I think it's best if we bury it, after all it's all in the past," Mr. Tan said at um-oo nalang si Riye. Though, I might have a feeling na relevant ito sa case. Pero, paano?

Ganoon ba kalala yung nangyari sa cruise ship 3 years ago at sobrang sensitive pag-usapan? I suddenly thought na baka may naghihiganti ngayon mula sa nangyari 3 years ago. But why is the suspect have to wait 3 years bago pa makapaghiganti?

Ang dami ng tanong sa isip ko and ang makakasagot ng suspicisions ko ay kung ikwe-kwento nila yung 'cruise ship incident'. Kailangan kong humanap ng segway para mapunta doon yung usapan at mapilitan silang sabihin yung nangyari. I think I just need to wait, this thoughts need to wait.

"Let's search for Josie again, ngayon wala ng maghihiwalay," sabi ni Ken or Leighton with authority. He's right, pero mas mapapabagal yung operation. It's better than risking someone's life again kapag naghiwa-hiwalay pa kami.

"I think I'll stay," naptingin naman kami kay Akane or Maebel na hinihilot yung ulo niya, "I think stress is making my head ache, I better stay here," she added.

"Samahan niyo na po siya, Manang." Ken interupted at um-oo naman yung si Manang, yung matanda na nakita namin sa bathroom.

"Let's get going?" tanong ni Reiji at tumabi ako sa kanya habang naglalakad kami palabas ng venue.

I can feel his worry towards the case, bestfriend niya kasi yung pwedeng mamatay dito. And I think, gusto niya munang ma-resolve yung misunderstanding nilang dalawa bago pa man mamatay yung bestfriend niya.

"Everything will be alright, Reiji," sabi ko and tapped his back.

Hindi ko sinabing 'Reiji, hindi siya mamatay' kasi alam kong may possibility na pwede nga siyang mamatay. I just said everything will be alright, dahil there's always a rainbow after the rain. We just need to get pass this journey.

Tumango naman si Reiji sa akin and gave me a genuine smile so I smiled back.

"Tara na," hinila ako ni Hiro palayo kay Reiji at sumabay ako sa lakad niya. Hala, problema nito? Bigla-bigla nalang nanghihila.

Lumabas na kami and searched everywhere, including the trees and such. After ng ilang minutes na paghahanap sa labas, nag-hanap ulit kami sa loob ngayon. On the way naman papuntang sala yung mga restrooms kaya iyon yung tinignan namin.

"Wala dito," sabi ni Sean habang tinitignan yung bathtub. Iba kasi yung bathtub nila dito, may takip kaya kailangan mong buksan. Tumango naman kami.

Habang naglalakad kami sa corridor, biglang nag-sara lahat ng ilaw. We stayed alert, may night vision akong reading glasses kaya I put it on. Lumakad-lakad kami at biglang may may nabasag. Agad-agad kaming pumunta doon at ng makarating kami sa banyo napasigaw nalang ako ng malakas na malakas.

"Maebel!" sigaw ni Ken. Lahat kami na-shock and all mouths are all agape.

Nakita kasi namin si Akane na nakalublob sa sink. Inalis siya ni Ken doon at ginising kaso ayaw niya. Chineck nila yung pulse at tumitibok naman ito so we all sighed in relief. Pero, bakit ayaw niyang gumi-

"I think someone put sleeping pills in her coffee," sabi ni Hiro na nakasagot sa suspicions ko. Wow, this guy knows how to solve a case. Ang galing.

'Don't be impressed yet, darling,'

Umangat naman yung dugo ko sa mukha sa sinabi niya. Bwiset, kailangan may darling? Urgh! Sana close by default din yung utak ko. I remebered na sabi ni Papa na kaya ko daw gawin yun, I just have to learn it.

Sige, pagka-uwi namin sa Tantei I'll go borrow every book that contains everything about the inner voice para naman hindi na nai-invade yung privacy ko.

'Yabang,' I snapped back at nag-smirk lang siya sa akin.

"But why her?" nabalik naman ako sa real world nang magsalita si Ken habang nilalagay si Akane sa may couch at pinupunasan yung mukha niya.

This is my chance! "I think telling the story about the cruise ship can help solving this case," sabi ko sa kanila nd they all agreed. Nagbuntong-hininga si Raikon and started telling the story.

"It was in June 2012, everybody went cruising at nasama yung anak ni Manang na si Lacey. She was everybody's favorite kasi madali siyang pakisamahan. Then one fateful evening, the engine of the cruise has a technical problem and the boat started sinking. Napalayo sa amin si Josie. So, Lacey being kind, hinanap niya si Josie carrying one safe vest...," napabuntong hininga nanaman siya and pulled a sad face. 

"Dumating si Josie, safe and sound. Pero, Lacey wasn't there, Josie was with Georgina Zeus. Tinanong namin sila where Lacey is and sabi nila hindi man nila nakita. They said someone offered them a lifeboat and a safe vest galing sa mga rumorotondang lifeguards," 

All of my thoughts are now answered, all is left is to find the suspect.