✔ 01 | Crime Of Passion [Published Under PSICOM]

Capitulum 50

DEATH's headquarters, Eastwood
1:00 p.m.

"Nakatakas ang gunman. Ang sabi ni Inspector Ortega, may tumulong sa kanya. Nagtext rin ba siya sa'yo?" Nag-aalalang tanong ni Nova matapos basahin ang mensahe sa kanya ng hepe ng Heraldic Eastwood Local Police.

Detective Nico Yukishito nodded, deep in thought. "Kasalanan nila 'yan. What kind of police department wouldn't even recognize if the escort vehicle was theirs or not? That's just plain stupidity." At humigop muli ng kape. Nasa cafeteria sila ngayon ng DEATH at katatapos lang nilang mananghalian. But of course, anytime is coffee time for Eastwood's greatest detective.

"Hindi ka man lang ba nag-aalala? He could be our lead to the Heartless Killer case! If he had met Cassio Salvador personally, he could tell us what he looks like. Malalaman natin kung kaninong maskara nagtatago ngayon si Cassio."

Nico waved a hand dismissively, "Naisip ko na 'yan, but there are two flaws in it: first, siguradong napagplanuhan na rin ito ni Cassio. He wouldn't risk sending out his gunman to kill us if it didn't cross his mind that he might expose his identity if the gunman failed. Paniguradong may backup plan si HK para siguraduhing walang 'loose ends' ang kaso."

"And the second flaw?"

"What's done is done. Nakatakas ang gunman sa ilalim ng kustodiya ng HELP, at wala na tayong magagawa. Sa reply ni Chief kanina, ni hindi raw nila nakuha ang plate number ng sasakyang tumangay sa gunman at walang CCTV sa lugar. I---"

"WE!"

"---We just need to find another way to solve this." Pagtatapos ni Nico.

He watched Nova frown and pushed aside the meat on her plate. Kanina pa niya napapansin ang diet ng dalaga. "You're a vegetarian."

"Paano mo nalaman?"

"Lucky guess." He shrugged and leaned his back on the uncomfortable plastic chair, "May kamag-anak kang nagta-trabaho sa Eastwood Asylum, 'di ba? Think you can get Cassio Salvador's private files from him?"

Nagulat si Nova sa sinabi niya. The female detective tore her attention from the screen of her phone and eyed him suspiciously, "I'll just pretend you aren't acting like a creepy stalker. Oo, nagta-trabaho doon ang pinsan ni papa. Bakit mo naman kailangan ang private files ni Cassio Salvador? Hindi ba't may nakuha ka nang basic medical and mental records niya?"

"I just need to confirm something. Kailangan kong tingnan kung tama ang hinala ko."

Huminga nang malalim si Detective Briannova Carlos at nag-ipit ng buhok. She ignored the way Nico eyed her while doing so and nodded, "Fine. Ako nang bahala. Tawagan na lang kita. See you tomorrow?"

Nico smirked, "Getting excited to see me again? Baka naman may crush ka na sa'kin."

Namula si Nova sa narinig. She had a furious expression on her face, "We're working on a serial killing case, you air-headed emo! We have no time for silly things!"

'Silly things, huh?'

Natawa ang binata at sinabayan siya sa paglalakad palabas ng cafeteria. Pinagtitinginan na sila ng ilang detectives. It was a rare sight to see the infamous Detective Nico Yukishito laughing. "Just teasing, no need to get all defensive. Call me when you get the files." At naglakad na siya sa pabalik sa kabilang pasilyo.

Maya-maya pa, sumigaw si Nova. "Hoy! Hindi mo ba ako ihahatid man lang palabas?!"

"Nah. Kung nakakaya mong lumutas ng mga murder cases, sigurado akong kaya mo ring hanapin ang daan palabas. Like a detective, just trace back to the places you've been to, and you'll find yourself where you should be." At naglakad na papalayo si Nico habang nakapamulsa. He could almost see her fuming in irritation and that amused him.

'She's tea, I'm coffee. There's a significant difference between us.'

They'll never "fully" get along---and that's what makes this case more interesting.

*
Since the cafeteria is located at the ground floor, kinailangang umikot ni Nico sa mga offices ng kompanya habang pinapanood silang natataranta sa mga ginagawa nila. Mga amateur case lang ang hawak ng mga empleyado rito, habang ang ilan naman ay nag-aasikaso ng paperwork. The top ranking detectives who made a name in the investigation industry have their own offices at the top floors. 'A bit discriminating, but I can't do anything about it.'

Pasipul-sipol pang dinaanan ni Nico ang isang bahagi ng pasilyo kung saan matatagpuan ang ilang mahahalang silid at ang conference room. A particular vault caused him to stop in his tracks.

"Void," wala sa sarili niyang sabi at sinipat ang makapal nitong pintuang gawa sa metal. It was guarded with the best high-tech security systems money could buy. Iilang tao lang ang pinahihintulutang makapasok sa loob nito.

This is the first time he's noticed this vault since his first day on the Heartless Killer case. Masama ang kutob niya rito, noong unang araw pa lang. Pero ano namang kinalaman ng high-tech storage room ng mga dokumento sa kasong hawak niya ngayon?

"This is really giving me a headache."

Tumuloy siya sa paglalakad at pumasok na lamang sa elevator. Huminga siya nang malalim at ipinikit ang mga mata. His mind is automatically repeating the information, and that little piece of poetry Cassio Salvador sent him. Unti-unti na niyang nauunawaan ang tula.

'It's a riddle, not a poem.'

More importantly, it was a challenge.

*
"Nico."

Pagkapasok na pagkapasok pa lang ni Nico sa kanyang opisina, sumalubong agad sa kanya ang isang imposibleng tanawin. Nakaupo sa tapat ng kanyang mesa ang CEO mismo ng DEATH, ang kanyang tiyuhing si Xavier Alcantara. Uncle X smiled at him, but there's something off about it. Binalingan nito ang fruit basket na pinahatid kay Dan kanina, "Mukhang si Dante lang ang kumain nito ah? My fault. I forgot that you don't like fruits or vegetables."

"Stop playing games with me, uncle. Kilala kita. Hindi lang mga prutas ang laman ng basket na 'yan," Nico narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the basket.

Mahinang natawa si Xavier at tumango sa pamangkin, "You really are the greatest detective in Eastwood, Nico." Ilang sandali pa, sumeryoso ang ekspresyon ng nakatatandang lalaki at may kinuha mula sa loob ng basket. Sa ilalim ng mga prutas, iniangat niya ang isang baril at inilahad ito sa pamangkin, "You might find this handy in the near future. Before it's too late, that is."

Naikuyom ni Nico ang kanyang mga kamao. Noong una pa lang, nararamdaman na niyang may hindi sinasabi sa kanya si Xavier.

"Uncle, ano ba talagang nangyayari?"

"Sa kompanya?"

"Sa'yo."

Napabuntong-hininga si Xavier at ibinalik ang baril sa ilalim ng mga prutas, "There are issues that shouldn't be brought up. Mas mainam nang hindi mo alam. Stop thinking too much, naii-stress ka lang."

"Damn, Sherlock. Who the fuck wouldn't be stressed out with this shitty case you made me work on?! Tapos ilang buwan kang nawala sa kompanya nang walang rason, and to top it all, I had to handle all that shitty paperwork!"

Sa sinabi ni Nico, kumunot ang noo ng kanyang tiyuhin. Nagbago ang ekspresyon nito at tila ba may iniisip. A few moments later, Xavier frowned at him, "Mauunawaan mo rin kung bakit, Nico."

At naglakad na ito palabas ng opisina ni Detective Nico Yukishito.

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