THE HUNTER'S TRAP (frankiana)

Chapter 21

Diana's POV

Two days later, I finally got it! The

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XVI°XIIX°V°IV°I°XX°XV°XIIX°XIX ]

[ 15 21 20 19 13 01 18 20 09 14 07
16 18 05 04 01 20 15 18 19 ]

These symbols represent the number of order of a letter in the alphabet.

1=A 
2=B
3=C
4=D
5=E
6=F
7=G
8=H
9=I
10=J

etc.

When you convert it, it says: OUTSMARTING PREDATORS

And it matched!

Nang mabuksan ko na sa wakas ang file, nagulat ako sa nakita ko. It's a book entitled The Hunter's Trap and it's written by Frances Margaret Russell AKA Franki.

Binasa ko ang first chapter, and there it is. The exact murder plot na nangyari kay Gregorio Herrera.

So, all of what's written here are her collections of murder plots that she planned to kill those people. The method she needed is like how a hunter catch its prey, by trapping them.

Outsmarting Predators is what makes humans on top of the food chain. Humans are smart enough to protect themselves and prevent being eaten by predators. It's through the art of deception, preparation and time.

The only way to stop a person from killing you is to kill them first and that's the strategy she used.

Big Brother
Gregorio
Frederic
Emma
Dimitri
Carter

May napansin ako.

B, G, F, E, D, C

That order. Could it be--

Siguro nga, Franki is not the person I know she is. Everyone was right about her all along.

Alam na kaya nya ang pinaplano ko?

So if letter A is missing in order of murder then by now, tinawagan ko agad si Argel but he's not answering. So I called sir Gino.

Sir, andyan ba si Argel?

Wala. Umalis. May importante lang daw na pupuntahan.

San naman daw po?

Dun sa warehouse kung saan namatay si Sir Russell. Iniimbistigahan niya kasi yun.

Sht.

Bakit?

It's a trap!

Ano? Anong ibig mong sabihin?

Sir, nabuksan ko na po ang file. Si Franki ang killer. Nandun po lahat sa file na yun ang plot na ginawa niya para patayin ang mga biktima.

S-sigurado ka ba dyan?

Opo. At si Argel. Kailangan po natin siyang iligtas. Sya na ang susunod na target.

Sige sige. Magtatawag nako ng iba.

Sige po.

Nauna na akong pumunta sa warehouse at hindi nga ako nagkamali. Naabutan kong bugbog sarado si Argel habang nakaupo at nakatali sa isang upuan.

Nasa likod ako ni Franki. 5 meters away. Tinututukan niya ng baril si Argel.

"..kulang pa yan! Hayop ka! Pano mo nagawa sakin to?! I trusted you!." Galit na galit na sabi ni Franki.

"You killed my father!." Putok niya malapit sa paa ni Argel which is kinatakot ko kaya tumakbo ako palapit kay Franki at inagaw ang baril at tinapon ito palayo.

Sobrang lakas ng ulan sa labas. Pakiramdam ko kaya late ang mga police is because bumabaha na ngayon dun sa may tulay at hindi sila makatawid.

"Diana.." nagulat siyang makita ako.

"Franki. Tigilan mo na to. Hindi sagot ang pagpatay--"

"Talaga lang ah? Kung hindi sagot ang pagpatay, bakit pinatay ng hayop nato si Daddy?!."

"Franki. Matagal nang patay ang daddy mo. Namatay siya sa sunog." Paalala ko sa kanya.

"Hindi. Hindi siya namatay sa sunog. He escaped. I saw it with my two eyes Diana because I was there when he killed Big Brother." Paliwanag ni Franki.

"You know that your father is alive and he's the killer pero di mo sinabi sa mga police?! Franki, you could have get away from the trouble."

"Because I believe na magbabago siya. I've known my father my whole life Diana and hindi ako makapaniwala na kaya nyang gawin yun. I know nagbago na siya but then this monster stopped him from giving himself a second chance! Ate Sophia witnessed how Argel killed our father!."

"He's not your father!." Sigaw ni Argel.

"What?."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you. Hindi siya ang daddy mo!."

"Sinungaling ka!."

"I'm not lying Franki. Matagal ko nang iniimbistigahan ang kaso ng daddy mo. At nalaman ko na he's long dead before the fire in the warehouse happened."

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?."

"His identity was stolen. That guy murdered a lot of people using your father's face."

"Kung hindi siya ang daddy ni Franki, sino siya?." Tanong ko. Naguguluhan na ako sa mga pangyayari.

"My father." Biglang sumulpot si JM.

"Former Senator. Ring a bell? He escaped prison and stole your father's identity Franki. He had a plastic surgery before he killed your father. And also your father too Diana. He found out about that that's why my father killed him the same with his plastic surgeon Dr. Dimitri."

"Alam mo lahat ng to but you didn't tell me?."

"Because saka ko lang nalaman nung pinaimbestigahan kita isang araw. Am I right, Police Lieutenant Diana Cariaga Mackey?."

"Diana. P-police ka?." Gulat na tanong ni Franki.

"Oo Franki. I'm sorry--"

"So, lahat ng nangyari--"

"Yes. It's just part of my job. I'm sorry we have to come this far."

Biglang dumating ang mga police at pinosasan si Franki,

"Miss Frances Margaret Russell, inaaresto ka namin sa pagpatay sa anim na biktima--" huli sa kanya ni Banjo.

I'm sorry Franki, I have to betray you.

..

Franki's POV

Yun yung mas masakit. I trusted her. I fell for her tapos all of it was just for show lang pala?

All those moments we had together, hindi pala talaga totoo. Niloloko niya lang ako.

Nakulong ako at naging miserable ang buhay ko. How did I let Diana ruin me like that?

Lumipas ang isang taon at napawalang sala narin ako. Inamin na ni Argel na naging  kasabwat siya ng namatay na ama ni John Medina sa mga pagpatay na nangyari. I'm innocent but the murder plot I made for entertainment purposes ang nag gising sa mabuting si Argel to be the monster he is now and I find myself guilty because of that.

He did all of it because former Senator Medina brainwashed him from thinking that I would love him if he'll kill those people who made my life miserable.

I can't believe that someone could actually do that for the sake of love.