✔ 03 | Point of Exposure

CAPITULUM 21

"Zoom in."

Nova paused and shot him a look. "Nico, ilang beses na ba natin 'to pinapanood? I don't see the point in wasting anymore time with these footages."

"Just do it and thank me later," kalmadong sagot ng kanyang kasama.

'Ano na naman kaya ang nakita niya?'

Sa huli, wala nang nagawa si Nova kung hindi pagbigyan ito. She played the video caught by the CCTV camera again and clicked on the mouse. Bumalot ang katahimikan sa loob shop habang pinag-aaralan nilang dalawang ang video na ni-request nila kani-kanina kay Inspector Ortega. It was yesterday, just outside the store where Benet encountered the Unknown Disease.

Hindi na namalayan ni Nova kung ilang minuto na silang nakaupo lang dito, but it doesn't appeal to her. Who knows how many people are being infected by the Marburg virus outside?

The pink-haired detective was about to voice out her thoughts when Nico leaned in and clicked on her laptop. Sa pagkakataong ito, isang malawak na ngiti ang gumuhit sa mga labi ng detective habang tinititigan ang screen.

"You're welcome, Miss Carlos."

Nang sulyapan ni Nova kung ano ang nakapukaw sa atensyon nito, she instantly noticed the crate the killer was carrying. Sa kasamaang-palad, balot na balot nga ito kaya hindi nila maaninag ang kanyang mukha, but the angle of the camera seemed to be good enough to give them this little clue.

"Dala-dala niya kaya diyan ang source ng virus?"

Nico shrugged. "Probably. But it doesn't make sense, does it? Kung ako si UD, I wouldn't be foolish enough to waltz around with an evidence that can give me a one way ticket to jail."

"Then maybe he's foolish."

"We both know he isn't, Nova. Or else we won't be seeing this..."

Ininuwestra ni Nico ang bintana kung saan natatanaw nila ang mga taong nakasuot na ng face masks. Some of them looked agitated while the others simply looked scared. Napabuntong-hininga na lang si Nova at muling ibinalik ang atensyon sa screen. The longer the killer and the virus are out there, the more anxious she's becoming.

"A standard wooden crate. Mukhang binura niya rin ang anumang markings. There's no way we can pinpoint what he's carrying inside!" Nova stated the obvious, just in case her partner is being delusional again.

'Gosh. Is this another dead end?'

"YUKI!"

Napalingon silang dalawa sa boses ng bagong-dating. Nang makita nila ang lalaking kakapasok pa lang ng Night Sparrow, agad na kumunot ang kanilang mga noo. 'Another DEATH agent, huh. Ano bang ginagawa niya rito?' But before any of them can ask, Dan already sat down in between them and grinned like a kid.

"Sweet! Detective meeting ba 'to? Teka, bakit ba sa isang tea house kayo nag---Ah! Alam ko na," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Kayo ha! Nakukuha niyo pang magharutan sa gitna ng imbestigasyon? I didn't know you had it in you, Yuki! Hahaha!"

Nico sighed, clearly unamused. "Kung manggugulo ka lang dito, pwede ka nang umalis. See that door? Don't expect me to escort you out."

Dan pushed his thick-rimmed glasses up his nose and smiled. "Sino bang may sabing manggugulo lang ako? Hinanap kita kasi may pinabibigay sa'yo ang uncle mo." Inangat nito ang paper bag at binigay kay Nico. Dan added, "Ayoko sanang guluhin kayo, but the CEO told me it was important, so..."

When it looks like Nico didn't have any plans to open it, si Nova na mismo ang kumuha nito at sinilip ang nilalaman. Hindi niya alam kung dapat ba siyang matuwa o matawa sa pinabibigay ng CEO ng DEATH.

"A watch?"

Dan nodded. "Baka early Christmas gift? Swerte."

"O baka pinapaalala lang ni Uncle X na nauubusan na tayo ng oras," Nico stated and didn't even bother looking at the object again. Nang makita ni Dan ang naka-flash sa laptop, umiral ang pagiging detective nito...

"That's a crate!"

"Obviously."

"No, I mean... Just look, Yuki! Hindi ba ganyan ang mga crates ng wine na pinapadala sa Chinese resto sa Eastwood China Town? What's the name again... Ye Ba, Ye Ti, Ye Ma---"

"Ye Hua?" Nova supplied.

"Oo! 'Yon nga." Dan nodded, a faint blush on his cheeks when he addressed her. Samantala, mukhang kinonsidera na ni Nico ang ideyang ito. Makalipas ang ilang sandali, napailing na lang ang detective. "Imposibleng wine ang source ng virus."

"Bakit naman?" She inquired. "Hindi ba nabanggit ni Dr. Clover na direct contact ang Marburg virus? Doesn't ingestion count?"

"Yeah! Teka... Pwede bang magkaroon ng virus sa wine?"

Nico sighed. "As Benjamin Franklin once said, 'In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria'. Turns out, it's scientifically proven that pathogens can't survive in wine because of it's alcohol, high acidity, and low pH level. Kaya imposible kang magka-virus sa pag-inom ng alak."

Well, that's a relief. Pero dahil nabuksan na rin ang posibilidad na ito, saka lang naalala ni Nova ang tungkol sa bagong putahe sa menu ng restaurant.

"How about in bat soup?"

Nico cocked an eyebrow, "Bat soup? Hindi ko sigurado 'to, but I doubt it."

"Kasama sa menu ng Ye Hua. It's a new addition. O kung hindi naman sa mismong soup nakukuha ang virus, posible kayang may ibang laman ang crates na ini-import nila? The wine might just be a cover-up."

Sandaling natigilan si Nico na para bang kino-konsulta muna ang kanyang mental storage cabinet. Hindi pa rin niya inaalis ang kanyang mga mata sa screen ng laptop. If looks can magically kill UD in this footage, Nova was sure he'd be dead by now.

"Should we pay them a visit?"

Tumango si Nico at tumayo, tuluyan nang hindi pinansin ang tsaa sa kanyang harapan. "I think we should."

"Hey! What about me?" Dan raised his hand up like a kid eager for recitation points. "Anong pwede kong gawin? Kung hindi niyo natatanong, magaling din akong detective."

Sinimulan nang ligpitin ni Nova ang kanyang laptop. She was barely listening to their exchange dahil ang buong akala niya ipagtatabuyan lang ng kanyang kasama si Dan. Kaya't ganoon na lang ang gulat ng dalaga nang marinig niya ang sagot ni Nico...

"I have something I need you to do for me, Dan."

---