A Scandal in Nueva Aurora

009. Goodbye, Virtuoso

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RAINE

I took my phone and typed the numbers of my sister who always spends her time alone during Christmas time.

"Pick up," I murmured as I waited for her to answer, not wanting anyone to notice my mixed emotions boiling up as I bit my lower lip.

It was at my third ring when the call was finally answered. "Hello?" her voice on the phone asked, seeming to be annoyed by the sudden message.

"Glad you answered," I replied, trying to sound casual.

"You know how much I hate it when someone disturbs my solitude during these hours?" she asked in her impatient voice.

"But you are awake and you must be celebrating there somehow," I said.

"Why did you call?" she asked.

"Elizalde managed to get a container with the same tablets that the victim took before the combustion," I answered. "I don't know if I am looking at her original food supplements or the evil pills that took her lights out."

"Oh really?" she asked.

"And I have this feeling that something must have happened to him," I answered.

Zane saw me, tapping my back, with no idea of what I just figured out.

"What happened? Was that your sister?" he asked.

"She just... Well..." I stammered, unable to identify the words I should say.

"What's that?" he asked once more.

"Pills," I replied. "I will examine this later today."

"But are you alright? You seem a little... pale," said Zane, brows furrowed in concern.

I took the wrapper with the coldness of the midnight hour accompanying the shivers I felt down my spine. I placed it back from the small box where it came from, putting it on a table beside me.

"Come on, dear. Let's pray first before eating," said Mrs. Nuñez as she stood beside me and Zane, organizing the food at the table with the other folks.

After the celebration where I tried to hide my guilt and conscience, I finally went towards the library again, away from Zane to gain solitude.

࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

THE afternoon arrived and I came upon the private hospital owned by my Ferrer cousins. All alone I went there to test the pills I gathered, with the box, wrapper, and container sent towards the other free workers for examination of their own.

With the help of trained two private doctor working at the hospital, the truth is that it was indeed a newly invented drug which triggers a combustion when mixed with a certain amount of water plus organs inside the body.

"Promise me you'll keep this a secret, Doctor Fajardo," I spoke towards the doctor as we finished writing papers for the experiment inside an isolated laboratory where we were the only ones inside.

"I promise," the forty-year-old man replied. They were the best in chemistry according to my observation and I knew I couldn't do the examination without experts. I had no choice but to gather people I trust most at the hospital where I mostly go ever since I was a little child, testing my discoveries.

Just as we were about to wrap things up, the other doctor, Doctor Padilla, who I entrusted with the other stuff came knocking at the door.

"I'll get it," said Dr. Fajardo as he went to the glass door and removed the lock before sliding it open.