The moment Nico stepped out of the shop, he immediately saw the female detective standing to one side and talking to an old man. 'She still has time to be a good samaritan while working?' he frowned at the thought. He waited for the old man to get away before speaking.
"Their family has just moved and she's asking for directions. She's looking for the hospital where her son works." Nico was unaware of those words coming out of his mouth.
Nova immediately shot him an incredulous look. "How did you know that? You could've been eavesdropping."
Nico shrugged without emotion. He doesn't have time wasting his saliva on an amateur who can't appreciate the art of deduction. He reminded himself that he had to talk to the old HELP chief to remove this woman from the case. 'She's just a weight,' Nico thought.
They were just walking quietly when he suddenly stopped. Nova immediately noticed this and turned to him, "What is it?"
"On the count of three, run behind that black Audi." At the same time, he pointed to the car three meters away from them.
"A-What?"
"One two---"
"We don't have time for pulleys ---!"
"THREE!"
But instead of following, the girl just stayed where she was. Nico cursed under his breath and grabbed his gun from the inside of his jacket. Things went fast, he immediately pulled Nova away and fired the gun in a certain direction.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Damn Sherlock!"
He was almost hit by a bullet. Nico hurriedly took cover behind a rusty old pick-up truck, his senses alert. He glanced at the gunman's position, but he could no longer see from it.
"Looks like we've got attention," Nova said incredulously as she stared at the spot where she had been standing earlier. A bullet marked the spot where she was supposed to be. The girl immediately stood up, "We can't let him get away!"
Nico watched as Nova hurriedly ran out into the empty parking lot. He hasn't caught up with it yet. Moments later, he heard the sound of gunshots again, along with the sound of the alarm systems of some vehicles.
BANG!
"If she dies, I hope those SHADOW bastards won't pin the blame on me." Nico tightened his grip on his gun and tried to pinpoint the location of the shooter at them. A few spaces away, he saw Nova running towards an alley, her own sleek black gun in hand.
BANG!
Nico could have done nothing if he had not followed it. "This is exactly the reason why I don't want to have a tag-along!" He said angrily and observed the surroundings. There were some civilians running away, bewildered and scared. Another gun shot erupted through the air, and Nico just realized that his companion had knelt down near an alley.
"Shit!"
He hurriedly ran towards her. "You still alive?" He sighed questioningly here. Nova winched in pain and shot him an irritated look, "I didn't catch up with that man! Gosh! I've got a bad feeling that this has something to do with the case we have on our plate." Nico turned his gaze to the path Nova had pointed out. With the crowd there, whoever tried to kill them would've easily blended in the crowd.
'A death threat delivered on our very first day on the Heartless Killer case? Not surprising, 'Nico internally mused. He took a deep breath and, using the gun, pointed to the part where the bullet had hit the female detective's body. "Maybe he didn't try to kill us. He probably knew you were wearing that ..."
"Of what?"
Nico narrowed his eyes, "Don't play dumb, Ms. Briannova Carlos. I know you've been wearing that protective gear ever since. You had to take extra caution while meeting up with an agent from your rival company. Looks expected I'm really going to shoot you today. Sorry to disappoint you. "
Nova was silent for a moment and glanced at the locust that was about to sink into her stomach. He sighed and carefully removed the bullet proof vest he had earlier been wearing under his coat.
They don't trust each other. That's the only fact Nico and Nova can agree upon.
---
Minnesota Gervacio stared at the blank walls once again, her mind completely at peace. She didn't know but since she was a child, she could feel peace in the white rooms and smell of antiseptic. When her father had been hospitalized, the hospital became her second home.
'So maybe nursing is what I took,' he sighed and finished taking a patient's blood pressure.
"110/80, ma'am. It's normal."
The ale who was busy texting just nodded. Min held back the stare. He couldn't really understand why people who didn't seem to care about their health were still checking up. Nowadays, idiots would call themselves "healthy" despite the fact that their cellphones practically became an extension of their own bodies!
During his breaktime, Min immediately went to the front desk where the friend who looked engrossed in watching the small TV was.
"Alden's really handsome, be! I should really be the one he loves! If only I could be an actor?"
Min ignored the friend's cruelty and took Mr. Chips that seem to have long been forgotten by Feralda since the said actor's face was flashed on the screen.
"Fe, has mama arrived yet? I can't contact her."
Fe was momentarily pulled out of her fangirling mode, "Nothing yet. Isn't your cellphone working? It's just a new purchase ah!"
Honestly, it didn't matter if what he gave the mother was new or not. The word "cellphone" is enough to make her mother's eyebrows furrow. Minnesota teaches this, but the mother seems to have a hard time keeping up with modern times.
"She's still confused about texting and calling. She always has a different number to contact." Min remembers tutoring her mother last night. He even accidentally dialed the number of the police station in their area. 'Generation gap,' Min repeatedly reminds herself whenever the mother complains about her iPhone. Honestly, who could resist a brand new iPhone? Only her conservative mother.
"Minnesota, your mom is here!"
The girl turned to shout at the guard. He smiled when he saw his mother carrying another plastic bag that he knew contained his briefcase. "Mom! It's good you didn't get lost?" Min greeted the old man. Her mother flashed her an elderly smile. "Eh, it's a good thing there's a kind woman who taught me here, son. If not, I might end up in another town!"
"That's good, ma. Why don't you just take a taxi?"
"Eh, alas! Taxi-taxi yet. You know the modus operandi right now!" It is tempting to say.
"Hi aunt!"
"Wow! Feralda, you're big enough. What a nice kid!"
"Hahaha! Auntie!"
Minnesota left the television and joined them. He kissed Min's mother and talked to her.
She sighed. He will admit that he was pulled by a thorn. Her mother tends to be a little reckless sometimes despite her age. He simply took the plastic bag in its hand and watched the two gossip in the waiting area reserved for the patients 'relatives.
---