Tantei High (Erityian Tribes, #1) | Published under Pop Fiction

Chapter 22 - Second Case: The Mark of Thirteen

Pagkasabi ko no'n ay sabay-sabay naming binuksan ang mga isip namin and we let our deductions flow into each other's brain. We quietly read and listened to each other as Miyu drove us to the agency. After some time ay huminto si Miyu sa tapat ng Police Headquarters kaya agad naman kaming bumaba pero nagulat kami nang nakita naming nagkakagulo ang officers sa loob. I was about to ask them about it but Akane grabbed my arm and the four of us headed straight to Tantei Agency.

"You guys are late," bungad ni Ken habang nakaupo siya sa couch.

"Anong nangyari sa inyo?"

Nagtinginan lang sina Hiro at Ken na parang may alam sila na hindi namin pwedeng malaman pero wala ring nagawa si Ken dahil kinulit siya nang kinulit ni Akane hanggang sa ikwento niya ang nangyari.

"Sinusundan namin ang isa sa mga suspect pero bigla na lang naming nakita na may dalawang lalaking nakatingin sa amin sa gilid. We were surprised to see their green eyes. Unang tingin pa lang, alam naming hindi sila Senshins. No Senshin would dare to show their eye color to the public. At noong sinundan na ulit namin ang suspect ay bigla na lang silang sumugod kaya napatakbo kami dahil alam naming hindi namin sila kaya."

"Why?" tanong ko.

"They have guns," sagot sa akin ni Hiro.

Nakita ko ring puro galos silang dalawa at buti na lang talaga at appropriate ang sixth sense ni Riye for medical purposes kaya siya na ang nag-apply ng first aid sa dalawa.

"You already know the killer's identity," Hiro stated and I noticed that I forgot to close my mind.

"Yeah," sabi naman ni Reiji.

"You mean, alam n'yo na rin?"

"Yup," sagot ni Ken habang nakangisi. "Bago pa kami habulin ng mga Shinigami ay alam na namin kung sino ang pumapatay."

He pulled out something from his pocket and we all smiled because we also had the same killer in mind.

"Shall we go? Baka mamaya makatakas pa siya," sabi naman ni Akane.

"And we should go right now." Napatingin kami kay Reiji tapos hinarap niya sa amin ang phone niya. "This phone is connected to Miyu's system, and according to her, the murderer has a flight to Palawan at 11 A.M."

Pagtingin ko sa relo ko ay 10:30 A.M. na kaya nagmadali kaming lumabas. We went to Miyu and Reiji started inputting the needed coordinates.

"But that person . . ." Akane's voice trailed off. "His way of thinking is too twisted. His ideas are so imaginative and scary."

"Maybe his past with those victims would tell us why, nee-san."

"We'll know once we see him," dagdag ni Ken.

Tahimik lang kami ro'n habang hinihintay na makarating sa tinutuluyan ng murderer at unti-unting bumibilis at lumalakas ang tibok ng puso ko. This was just my second time to solve a crime but I was already involved in a serial murder case. Mapapaisip ka na lang kung bakit may mga taong gano'n lang ang tingin sa buhay ng iba. Ang dali lang sa kanilang kunin ang buhay ng isang tao.

'Once your emotions conquer you, hasty decisions are made. Many people won't use their brain and they will just do what their heart desires.'

'The desire to kill people?' tanong ko kay Hiro sa isip ko.

"Yes. To satisfy and pacify their emotions. Their rage. Their emptiness.'

Hindi na ako nagsalita sa isip ko. Siguro nga may kanya-kanyang reasons ang mga tao pero nakakalungkot pa rin na umaabot sa ganito. Kung dumating kaya ang time na gano'n din ang mangyari sa akin, makakapatay rin kaya ako ng tao? Iniisip ko pa lang, hindi na kinakaya ng sikmura ko.