"Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Declan's POV
Wasak ang mukha, sabog ang bungo at nagkalat ang mga dugo at laman ng utak ng tao.
Iyon ang nakikita ko sa mga litratong nakahilera sa harapan ko. Sa isang litrato naman ay ang babae na nasa kama na dilat ang mata at nakabuka ang bibig. Nangingitim ang mukha gawa ng pagkaka-suffocate sa kung anong bagay.
The name of the victims were Ian and Rhian Benavidez. Newly-weds. They just got hitched three months ago. They came from their honeymoon when the killer struck and killed them both.
"Kailan nangyari 'to?" Nanatiling nakatingin ako sa mga litrato at sa initial investigation na nakuha ng agency mula sa mga pulis.
"Last night." Malalim ang buntong hininga na pinawalan ni Chief Coleman ng XM Agency. Alam kong banas siya sa akin dahil makalipas ang ilang linggong paghahanap niya sa akin, ngayon lang ako nagpakita sa kanya. Kung hindi talaga nangyari ang insidenteng ito, hindi naman talaga ako lilitaw.
Paulit-ulit kong tinitingnan ang mga litrato. Pilit na hinahanap kung may naiwan kahit katiting na ebidensiya ang killer na iyon. Hindi puwedeng wala. Kaya ko nga siya nahuli noon dahil naging kampante siya. I knew his name. I found him once and I know I will find him again.
"I received a call that this killer was your mission before. You nabbed him. What happened?" Ramdam na ramdam ko ang pagpipigil ni Chief Coleman na bulyawan ako.
"He got away. That happened," maikling sagot ko.
Malakas na pinukpok ng may-edad na lalaki ang kamay sa harapan ko.
"Putangina, Laxamana! That's what you're going to tell me? That happened? That fucking son of a bitch got away because of you. Same with Martin Darke. Same with June Mangayam!" Bulyaw nito sa akin.
Napangiwi lang ako at sumandal sa kinauupuan ko.
"What can I do? I am getting rusty," sarcastic na sagot ko.
"You are not getting rusty, Declan. You will never get rusty. I watched you go up the ranks. You have something in your mind, and you don't want to share it with the agency. What is going on?" Sa pagkakataong ito ay bahagyang kumalma na ang boss ko.
Nagkibit lang ako ng balikat. "Nothing."
Naupo na ito sa harapan ko. "Is this about Jay's death? I've read your reports at wala naman akong nakitang mali doon."
"Wala akong pakialam kay Jay. Namatay siya dahil sa kagagawan niya," matigas na sagot ko.
"Then what is going on right now? What happened to June? Did you kill her because you found out that she was hunting you?"
Tumingin ako sa kanya. "At alam mo ang tungkol doon?"
Lalong sumama ang tingin sa akin ng head ng XM. "I am the head of this agency of course I will know it." Napapailing na sagot nito. "June was, is- fuck!" Napahinga ng malalim si Coleman. "Just tell me what happened to her."
"I don't know what happened to her. Okay? She almost killed me. We had an accident and when I woke up, she's gone." Tumitig pa ako sa mata ng kaharap ko. Ganito ako kagaling magsinungaling. I can look straight into someone's eye and tell them a complete lie.
"Si Martin Darke? Paano siya nakatakas?"
"He punched me, and he ran away. Dustin was there. He saw what happened. Didn't you read my report?" Nanatili akong nakatingin sa mata niya nang sabihin iyon.
BINABASA MO ANG
COLLIDE (Complete)
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