✔ 03 | Point Of Exposure

CAPITULUM 43

10:45 p.m.

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'Ano nga ba ulit 'yong laging sinasabi ni Nicodemus?'

Hindi na niya pinansin ang nakasulat sa karatula.

CLOSED.

"Ah... Damn Sherlock," Scorpio muttered before slipping inside the shop. Napangiwi siya nang muntikan pa niyang mabunggo ang aquarium sa gilid.

'That was easy.'

Kani-kanina lang ay pigil-hininga pa siya habang kinakalikot ang kandado sa pinto. Sa ilang taon niyang pagtatrabaho sa forensics, ni minsan hindi niya inakalang magagamit niya ang lock-picking skills niya sa ganitong bagay.

In fact, the only reason he learned this was because he had been locked out of his own laboratory several times in the past.

"Dapat yata isang dosenang duplicate keys ang pinagawa ko," Scorpio said while standing outside the door. Bakit ba kasi niya laging nakakalimutan kung saan niya nilagay ang mga susi niya?

A part of him wanted to blame his age, but denial tasted like bile in his mouth.

Mahinang natawa si Nico. Maya-maya pa, narinig na niya ang mahinang "click" sa kinakalikot nitong lock na sinundan ng pagbubukas ng pinto. The young detective shrugged. "Or I could teach you how to pick these locks. Mas masaya."

"Ang hilig mo talagang pahirapan ang sarili mo, hijo."

"Maybe. Pero malay natin? It might come in handy someday..."

Returning to the present, Scorpio sighed. Ano na lang kaya ang magiging reaksyon ni Nico kung malaman nitong sa ganitong paraan niya nagagamit ang tinuro nito? Breaking inside a pet store and fishing around for any evidence that can help the case.

Scorpio started his search, the light of the small flashlight illuminating several cages. Sinimulang mag-ingay ang mga hayop, nabulabog sa kanyang presensiya. Mabilis siyang dumaan sa ilang aisle at hinanap ang kulungan ng mga unggoy.

'Mabuti na lang at may family dinner ngayon ang pamilya nila,' Scorpio thought, recalling  what Andrew told him yesterday. Sa pakikipagkwenthan nito kahapon, napag-alaman ng matanda na magbabakasyon ang mga 'to, kaya napagdesisyunan nilang maagang i-celebrate ang birthday ng bata.

Nakokonsensiya man siyang gawin ito at samantalahin ang pagkawala nila, Scorpio once again convinced himself that it's for the greater good.

The noise of African green monkeys rattling their cages disturbed him. Their black faces stared at him in curiosity.

Cercopithecus aethiops.

"Found you."

Sininagan niya ito ng flashlight at wala sa sariling inayos ang suot niyang facemask. The first cases of Marburg disease which started in Germany had been linked to African Green monkeys, noong nagkaroon ng contact ang mga empleyado ng Behringwerke and the Paul Ehrlich Institute sa dugo, organs, at culture cells ng mga unggoy na 'to.

Nilapitan ni Scorpio ang mga unggoy, his hand holding the flashlight already shaking. Who wouldn't be nervous when you're possibly a few feet away from being exposed to the virus that's plaguing Eastwood?

Kung mapatunayang sa mga unggoy na 'to nanggaling ang sakit, it will be enough to raise suspicion and pin the pet store owner down.

"Is Todd the Unknown Disease?"

Only one way to find out.

Inilapag ni Scorpio ang dala-dala niyang sako at sinimulang buksan ang lock sa kulungan ng mga unggoy. Naging dahilan ito para lalong magwala ang mga African green monkeys, their screeching sounds almost damaging his eardrums. Sinubukan niyang abutin ang isa sa kanila.

He knows that taking one of them will cause alarm to the store owner, but Scorpio silently hopes that the lab tests will be out before he could even face legal charges for this.

"Konting na lang---ARAY!"

Scorpio recoiled, the flashlight tumbling out of his grip. Nanghihina niyang tiningnan ang kagat ng unggoy sa kanyang kamay, the wound deep enough to draw out blood. His eyes widened in horror, knowing all too well that this wasn't part of the plan.

Noong mga sandaling 'yon, biglang nabuhay ang mga ilaw sa shop.

"PAANO KA NAKAPASOK DITO?!"

From the storage supply room, Todd walked out, dropping the bags of bird feed when he spotted the old man.

Natataranta namang tumayo ang matanda at sinubukang tumakas. Kamuntikan pa siyang matisod sa nagkalat na food bowls ng mga aso. Kabadong tumakbo papalayo si Scorpio, not minding the angry voice of his neighbor behind him.

Bumilis ang pintig ng puso niya nang tuluyan na siyang nakalabas ng shop.

Hingal siyang tumawid ng kalsada, hindi na nag-abala pang tumingin sa daan.

BEEEP!

The honking of a car blared on his left, causing him to back away in terror frightened like a deer caught in the headlights. Maya-maya pa, tuluyan nang nawalan ng balanse ang matanda at bumagsak sa gitna ng kalsada. His eyeglasses cracked with the impact.

The noise around him drifted out of focus.

Someone got out of the vehicle, asking him if he was hurt.

'Ano bang ginagawa ko? Baka nga kailangan ko nang magretiro...'

Scorpio's thoughts scattered everywhere as realization finally caught up to him. Ginagawa niya ba 'to para makatulong sa kaso o para sa sarili niyang interes? He was scared to accept the answer, just as he was scared to admit that he really was too old for all this action.

Nanlabo ang kanyang paningin. Staring up the sky, he noticed the dark outline.

Bago pa man niya ito makilala, narinig niya nang malinaw ang kaisa-isang boses na nangibabaw sa ingay ng lansangan. Ang boses na ilang taon na niyang kilala.

"Scorpio!"

'Well, I was suppose to visit you at the hospital, pero mukhang magiging baliktad pa yata ang sitwasyon natin, anak.'

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