✔ 03 | Point of Exposure

CAPITULUM 50

Baker's Apartment
11:21 p.m.

---

Nico stared at the stone, his empty coffee mug left discarded somewhere near the laundry basket.

315

Pax. A Mayan Zodiac sign that translates to "planting season".

'Makes me wonder if the killer chooses these symbols out of significance,' isip-isip ni Nico at ipinikit ang kanyang mga mata. Agad na naglaho ang magulo at tahimik niyang apartment, his mind easily recalling the image of Eastwood's map.

"315°, that'll be be South-East relative to the other locations..."

Mukhang sa Night Raven's Park niya inaasahang abutan ng kamatayan ang susunod niyang biktima. As clever as this scheme seems, alam ni Nico na hindi isang diyos si Unknown Disease---imposibleng malaman nito kung sino at saan eksatong pupunta ang mga na-expose niya noon sa virus.

Dagdag pa rito, imposible ring malaman ni UD kung sino ang mauunang mamatay sa kanila.

Iba-iba ang immune system ng tao, at maaaring hindi pare-pareho ang pagkalat at bilis ng epekto ng Marburg virus sa katawan ng mga ito.

The timing is nearly perfection.

"We already know he's been keeping a close eye on them," Nico mumbled to himself while fumbling with the rock. "Like an obsessed nuthead, this killer waits, observes, and orchestrates these events. Hindi na ako magtataka kung nata-track niya ang lahat ng nauna niyang in-expose."

Pero sa paanong paraan?

Napasandal na lang sa kanyang upuan si Nico, dumako ang mga mata sa natutulog nang aso. Tonight, Goldilocks chose to snuggle in his favorite blue couch with a sunflower chew toy Minnesota bought her.

'Paano ka nakakakuha ng updates sa mga biktima mo?'

The wall clock ticked.

Kanina, nang matuklasan nilang patay na si Benet, ang kaisa-isa nilang witness para sana matukoy ang katauhan ni UD (not that he was helpful, by the way), agad silang nagpunta sa ECDCP building. Thankfully, their destination wasn't too far from the church, kaya naabutan pa nilang sariwa ang crime scene.

And indeed, it was a crime scene.

"Approximately two hours dead. Mukhang nagsimula na rin ang autolysis," Nico said.

"Autolysis?" Dan asked, scratching his head.

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ang detective at ipinaliwanag, "Stages of human body decomposition. Ang unang stage ay ang tinatawag na 'autolysis' o self-digestion, which happens a few minutes after a person dies. Once someone's heart stops beating, wala na ring oxygen na dumadaloy sa katawan niya. This causes the cells to become deprived of oxygen, hence, the 'acidity' inside these cells increase. Kumbaga nagiging toxic by-product na ito ng katawan, usually starting in the liver and the brain... Mula rito, sunod-sunod nang nagbe-breakdown ang mga cells at tissues ng bangkay."

Interestingly, human decomposition begins around 4 minutes after his death.

"Ah! Okay, gets ko na. Salamat, lodi Yuki!"

Dan's eyes sparkled, as if amazed with the discovery. Minsan talaga hindi maunawaan ni Nico kung bakit hindi niya alam ang mga ganitong bagay, even though he was sure it was mentioned during the lectures.

Ibinalik na lang niya ang kanyang atensyon kay Benet.

Meanwhile, Nova was already taking photos and taking notes. Typical.

Nakasuot sila ng standard biohazard suit ng ECDCP dahil delikado pa ring lapitan ang bangkay ni Benet. Not when he was tested positive for the virus after being exposed to that kid back at the Mockingbird Apartment crime scene.

"Pinatay siya. I can see the puncture mark on his skin..." The pink-haired detective observed. "Probably injected some fast-acting drug such as propofol to make the kill easier. Sa tingin mo ba kagagawan ito ni UD?"

"Yup."

"That's a pretty straightforward answer, Yukishito."

Nico circled the body and started scanning the room. "Sa mga nangyayari ngayon, mas magugulat pa ako kung hindi siya ang mismong gumawa nito, Nova. From what I can deduce from his personality, UD works alone and finishes the job himself."

Napahinto si Nico nang makita ang CCTV camera sa isang sulok ng silid, pointed just enough to view the glass window separating Benet's mini-quarantine cell from the rest of the room.

"Pinatawag na namin ang technicians para alamin kung paano napuntirya ang CCTV system," Dr. Almeida replied when Nico asked about it. Sa kanyang tabi, nag-iwas ng tingin ang kanyang assistant na halatang nai-intimidate sa presensiya ni Nico. Nico swore he saw him before, but was abruptly held back when Dr. Almeida added, "Sinusubukan ko pa ring tawagan si Dr. Fabella, pero ang sabi ng secretary mamayang tanghali pa raw matatapos ang meeting nila."

"That's bullshit. May namatay na sa gusali niya, and yet your director can't even call off a stupid meeting?"

Minsan talaga hindi maunawaan ni Nico ang priorities ng ibang tao.

"Arf! Arf!"

Nico was pulled out of his flashback when Goldilocks suddenly jumped to the seat next to him. Sinulyapan ng aso ang lamesa at agad niyang sinunggaban ang burger na nai-take out kanina ni Nico noong dumaan sila sa isang convenience store.

"Arf! Arf!"

The detective smirked and got up, about to get ready for bed.

"Sige na, ubusin mo na. I'm not even hungry."

With the stone in hand, Nico stopped in front of his apartment's foggy window. Hindi na niya matandaan ang huling beses na napunasan niya ito. Not that it really matters. Noong mga sandali 'yon, isang tanong ang nangibabaw sa samu't saring mga bagay na kailangan niyang isipin...

"Why did UD even bother with Benet?"

Bakit pa niya kailangang patayin ang taong alam naman niyang infected na? Why not let the virus do the bidding for him?

Napasimangot si Detective Nicodemus Yukishito. He feels like the pieces are already laid in front of them, but he just can't see the bigger picture yet.

"Not yet," he sighed and threw the stone at the window.

CRASH!

What? He needed to destress.

---