She Who Got Rejected ✔️

Chapter 24

Naglalakad kami sa isang masikip na trail habang sinusundan ang track ng mga werewolves ni Kaizon. Hindi kalayuan mula rito, may malawak na daanan, at halata na pinili ito ng mga biktimang werewolf sapagkat may pinagtataguan sila.

This narrow path is surrounded by tall hardwood trees. Sa kapal ng dahon ng mga 'to, konting sinag ng araw lang ang pumapasok at tila nababalutan kami ng higanteng anino. Sa gilid ng mga matatayog na puno ay palibot naman ng mga malalagong damo. Walang matinik na halaman at mga hayop na gumagapang lang na hindi madaling makita dahil sa kapal ng damo at lilom ng paligid ang palaisipan.

Sa kasikipan ng agwat ng tubo ng mga puno, naka-isang linya kaming naglalakad. Nasa unahan si Kaizon at likuran ko naman si Alekxus. Both of them are serious. Pasalamat akong walang asaran ang nagaganap. However, at the same time, this seriousness is suffocating especially in case of Alekxus.

I must have really messed up when I ate his sushi. Halatang hindi pa rin ito nakakamove-on sa pangyayaring iyon.

We reached the end of the narrow path and it led to a swamp. Sa 'di kalayuan tanaw ang isang matayog na building na may maraming palapag, The Council's Headquarters.

Nagpahinga kaming tatlo sa mga puno ng mangroves at naupo sa makakapal na sanga nito. All three of us drink water from our bottle occasionally.

"Hibiscus Pack, wala naman tayong napala sa kanila." saad ni Kaizon, pinagmamasdan ang palangoy-langoy na mga isda.

One of the packs we passed by to interrogate, Hibiscus are known for their passion in drinking liquor. Halos gabi-gabi, nag iinuman ang mga miyembro ng pack na 'yon, kaya naman nang dumating kami, ni-hindi namin sila makausap ng maayos dahil sa hang over.

"It could be them. May mga pagkakataon na nakakagawa ng masama ang mga lasing nang hindi nila nalalaman." mutawi ni Alekxus habang nakatitig sa boteng hawak niya.

"It's also possible that they're too drunk to even move." komento ni Kaizon. "Cocoa Pack, meanwhile, has a concrete alibi."

Cocoa Pack is well-known for being business-minded werewolves at dahil dito isa sila sa pinakamayaman sa Forest. Their territory is mostly covered by Cocoa trees na ginagamit na ingredient sa paggawa ng chocolate.

"Busy sila sa factory and since everyone in this pack are required to work, their whereabouts is always recorded." sabi ko. Kahit pagpasok sa sariling quarters, may biometrics ang mga taga Cocoa.

The night when those werewolves were killed, based on their records, walang miyembro ng Cocoa Pack ang nasa labas ng territoryo.

"And then there's the Torenia Pack." banggit ni Alekxus.

Werewolves for hire. Members of this pack can be bought to do anything. They can be even hired to do dirty jobs. "'Yon nga lang, tinanggi nila na may kinalaman sila." They even showed their recent job records. "But I doubt that those records are everything. Hindi mapapagkatiwalaan ang Torenia. Lahat ng may kaugnayan sa kanila ay pwedeng mabili given the right amount." dagdag ni Alekxus.

"Nothing is definite," I concluded, "We need more clues." The three of us nodded at each other. "At least, we're headed somewhere."

Napalingon ako sa direksyon ng Headquarters. The last time I'd been there was for an interrogation as Red Hood.

The Council, makikinig sila sa'yo pero mas pinakikinggan nila ang sarili nila. Minsan hindi ka pa sigurado kung talaga bang nakikinig sila. They can be cruel once their laws are violated. Those laws aren't really bad. Nakikita ko ang purpose ng mga 'yon. Those laws are there to create peace and order.

Saka nang kinukwestyon nila ako bilang Red Hood, I was released after I described my abilities and made my purpose clear, and ever since then, they stopped interfering with my mission as Red Hood.