✔ 03 | Point Of Exposure

CAPITULUM 16

After Detective Briannova Carlos dropped by her office, lalong dumoble ang kanyang kaba nang malamang wala roon si Olympia. In fact, one of the agents told her that she called in sick that afternoon, but that only made Nova worry even more.

Sino ba namang hindi kakabahan kung may takot ng nakamamatay na virus sa paligid?

'Why aren't they warning the public yet?' Nove thought in frustration as she drove past the park. Mula rito, nakikita niya ang gusali ng ECDCP, a steel colored tower with a thousand windows catching the last rays of sunset. Noon lang niya napagtantong nasa timog na bahagi lang nito ang elementarya---meaning the first and second crime scenes were a few blocks away.

A lump formed in her throat.

'Stop overthinking, Brian. Wala nang mae-expose...wala na dapat ma-expose sa virus na 'to.'

Nova took in a deep breath as she parked the car in front of the ice cream parlor Lelouch texted her. Huminga nang malalim ang dalaga at sandaling sinulyapan ang kanyang repleksyon sa salamin. Nova cringed at how haggard she looked. Not that she minds, though. Wala naman siyang pakialam kung hindi siya presentableng tingnan sa ex niya, unlike some ladies.

"Makes me wonder how he knew Nirvana was at school," Nova murmured to herself.

Akmang lalabas na sana siya ng sasakyan nang mahagip ng kanyang mga mata ang bulto ng lalaking bigla na lang naglaho sa isang eskinita. For a fraction of a second, Nova was certain that the man was staring at her car's direction.

'Fishy, fishy.'

She narrowed her eyes and made sure her gun was in its holster. Naghintay siya ng ilang minuto bago siya lumabas ng kotse at maingat na tumawid ng kalsada. Nonetheless, the detective's senses became alert, stealing glances of the alley from the corner of her eye. 

"ATE!"

Napapitlag si Nova nang bigla na lang siyang tawagin ng kanyang kapatid. Mabilis niyang tinanggal ang kanyang kamay sa baril at ngumiti sa kanya. Nova flashed on an award-winning smile, "Halika nga rito, may ice cream ka pa sa labi."

Nirvana pouted and turned away before she could even wipe it off. Para bang ngayon lang nito naalalang nagtatampo siya sa kanyang nakatatandang kapatid.

"Ang tagal mo po. Di mo ako nisundo. Hmph!"

"Sorry na."

"...."

Nova sighed. "You know a detective's job is really important, right? Medyo naging busy lang kami ng Kuya Chinito mo, pero susunduin na dapat kita kanina."

Nang marinig ng bata ang palayaw niya kay Nico, agad na napalitan ng kuryosidad ang ekspresyon nito. Her brown eyes sparkled with interest, and at times like these, para bang naaalala ni Nova ang kanyang sarili kay Nirvana.

"Tapos na po yung kaso? Did you catch the bad guy, already?"

'How I wish we did, Nirvana... How I wish we did.'

"Say," she started. "Mamaya ko na lang ikukwento sa'yo sa bahay. Maggagabi na rin, kaya siguradong hinahanap na tayo nina mama. Pagkauwi natin, I'll even let you braid my hair. Sounds good to you?" Tulad ng kanyang inaasahan, kuminang ang mga mata ng bata. Nirvana nodded enthusiastically, and that's when Nova noticed the other kid approaching them with Lelouch.

"Ate, sumama rin pala sa'min si Andrew!"

The boy with freckles waved his hand shyly at her. Sa kanyang tabi, mahinang natawa si Lelouch at nagsalita, "He's a shy one. Ganyan rin siya sa'kin kanina... Ihatid ko na kayo pauwi?" The attorney stared at her like he was about to add something, pero mas pinili nitong ngumiti sa kanya.

Nang mapansin niyang dumako ang mga mata nito sa kwintas na bigay niya, Nova quickly responded. "It's fine, Lelouch. May dala naman akong sasakyan. Masyado ka na naming inabala."

"Brian, it's---"

"Getting late," Nova forced an awkward smile. Magmula noong natapos ang kaso ni RA, napansin niyang sinusubukan ulit nitong mapalapit sa kanya. One day, she just realized that she wasn't prepared to face the inevitable situation with him, so she stopped responding to his messages. Isa pa, naging busy na rin siya sa dumaraming kasong natatanggap ng SHADOW. "Thank you for looking after them, Lelouch."

Nova turned to leave with the kids in tow, pero bago pa man siya makasakay sa driver's seat, narinig niyang tinawag siya ng abogado.

"Can I still text you?"

"I..."

"You don't have to text back. I know you're busy," his sincerity caught her off guard. Isang matamis na ngiti ang sumilay sa mga labi nito. "But I just want you to remember that if you need any assistance at all or just someone to talk to, I'm always just a text message away."

Huminga nang malalim ang dalaga. 'Hindi talaga siya titigil, 'no?' Pero sa kabila nito, she was really grateful to have him.

"Thank you, attorney."

Matapos nito, agad nang sumakay ng sasakyan si Nova at hinatid ang kaibigan ni Nirvana. Siguro nga pagod lang siya kaya bumabalik ang isip niya sa tagpo nila ng dating kasintahan. Finally, Andrew announced, "Dito na po!"

That caused Nova to park the car in front of the blue gate. Agad na napansin ng dalaga ang karatula ng shop na katabi nito. 'An exotic pet store?' Agad siyang bumaling sa batang mabilis na nagpasalamat sa kanya at nagpaalam kay Nirvana. Andrew got out of the backseat and ran towards the man who was waiting for him in front of the pet store. His father, maybe? Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Nova nang mapansing may sawang nakapulupot sa leeg ng lalaki.

"Dating zoo keeper ang papa ni Andrew! Nung lumapit sila dito sa Eastwood, they started the store," Nirvana briefly explained.

Wala nang nagawa si Nova kung hindi tumango, kahit pa nakapako pa rin ang kanyang paningin sa samu't saring mga hayop na nakadisplay sa likod ng salamin. It took "exotic" to a whole new level! May nakita siyang ilang ahas na mukhang kayang lumamon ng tao, tarantulas, pirahnas, at...mga unggoy?

'May permit ba sila para rito?' Nova thought, distracted.

Ni hindi na niya narinig ang sinabi ng papa ni Andrew, but from what she can infer, it was just a quick 'thank you'. Nang pauwi na sana sila, bigla namang napansin ni Nova ang dalawang taong naglalakad sa gilid ng kalsada, papunta sa pet store. Wait, she knows that girl! Sa katunayan, naka-nurse uniform pa ito.

"Fe?"

From the passenger's seat, Nirvana followed her line of sight and nodded. "Kuya po ni Andrew yun! Hmm yun po siguro yung nililigawan niya."

Hindi na nakaimik si Nova hanggang sa tuluyan na silang makauwi. The whole night, she's been kept awake by these strange connections and the vague puzzles UD left them to solve.

---