"How the f*ck he died?!"
I flinched when Flare's heavy hands dropped down the wooden table. Nasa loob kami ng opisina niya sa SSC kasama sina Lucas, Yna at Friar. Friar is leaning on the back of the closed door with crossed arms, Yna sitting on the side couch, Lucas is crossed-legged next to Yna and I am sitting on the chair near Flare's desk.
Nakatayo na siya ngayon habang masama ang tingin kay Friar na nakatingin din ng diretso sa kanya.
"I just received the message early this morning. Huwag mo akong tingnan ng masama. I just delivered the message to you, brother."
"Oo nga, Sherlock wannabe. Makukuha din natin kung bakit ang Walter na 'yon namatay," pag-segundo ni Lucas. "Anyways, I had received information from Tyrone. Mayroon kang panibagong kaso na i-so-solve, Sherlock wannabe."
Napaupo si Flare at napahawak sa kanyang sintido. "Not now, Lucas," inis niyang sabi.
"But it has a connection to the--"
"One of our leads just f*cking died!" sigaw niya na ikinagulat naming lahat. "We can't find another one once those pathetic lower rank informants give their job a good execution."
"Hoy, 'wag mo namang isisi sa mga lower ranks ang mga kapalpakan nila. All the counterattacks we tried to give to them are rendered useless because of the alternate attacks of our foe organization as well," reply sa kanya ni Yna. Napatayo na nga ito. "Hindi mo pwedeng sabihing kasalanan nila na hindi pa sila nakakakuha ni isang impormasyon tungkol sa whereabouts ng ating kinakalaban. We're all trying our best here."
Matalim ang tinging iginawad sa kanya ni Flare. "This is not a game, Yleena."
"Yes, I know. That's why we must stay calm on this situation," kalmado niyang sambit dito at tumango kay Lucas.
"So, about the case na sasabihin ko sana para kay Sherlock wannabe," lumingon siya sa akin at ngumisi. "Sa'yo ko na lang sasabihin, assistant ni Sherlock wannabe."
"My name's Mavis."
"Alam ko," nakangisi niyang sabi. "I just like giving you a new nickname. Suits you, by the way," dagdag niya sabay wink. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "Okay, going back na nga. Mayroong binigay sa aking kaso si Tyrone. It has a connection with our foe organization."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Flare at umiwas ng tingin kay Lucas nang marinig ang balitang 'yon. He got embarassed. Ha, serves him right. Nawala ang pagka-rational niya sa sitwasyon nang sinabi lang namatay isa naming lead.
"It has nothing to do with the police inspector Sherlock wannabe's familiar with. Galing siya sa station ng kinamumuhan niyang inspector pero kailangan ng tulong ngayon ng officer na 'yon kaya pinadala siya sa mansion kaninang madaling araw."
"Ha, refuse that case. I would not like to get involved with someone who aren't giving serious actions in a case. And..." Tinutuok ni Flare ang daliri niyang parang baril sa temple ng ulo niya. "... a crackhead like him would be easily greeted by his partner death."
Friar gasped. "Brother!"
He shrugged his shoulders and leaned in his chair while looking away, silencing himself once again on his own world.
Napailing-iling ako at lumingon kay Lucas. "Continue, Luc."
"There has been a chain of cases about this information."
"Chain?"
Tumango siya. "For an odd reason, lagi raw considered as a suicide case ang mga nakitang biktima. May mga nakakita raw kasi habang nangyayari ang pagkamatay ng mga biktima. One or two witnesses maximum are always in each case. The latest one is a woman dressed in red dress that fell on a bridge. There's two couples that had seen the woman fell. She has no sandals. As for the testimony given by the witnesses, it seems like there's no other person who pushed the woman but only herself. Buti na lang daw may mga malapit na pulis at kaagad na naisalba ang babae pero hindi na siya humihinga."
"Like someone just pulled a string behind all of this," Friar murmured. "Is this the unfinished case of the marionette?"
"Marionette?" kumot-noo kong tanong.
"Yeah, Marionette." Lumingon sa akin si Friar. "Nakatanggap din kami ng mga ganitong cases para kay Flare two years ago. Tapos na sana ang kasong 'yon dahil nahuli na ang suspek no'n pero makalipas ng dalawang linggo, biglang bumukas na naman ang kaso. That time, nagkaroon ng complication between my brother and that certain inspector that he loathe and that's the time that the case became complicated because of too many misleading strings that that inspector gave. Hidi na masyadong pinansin ni Flare ang kasong 'yon dahil sabi ng inspector na kaya na niya but look now. He asked for my brother's help. Such a scoundrel. He has no dignity on him."
Friar clicked her tongue as she recalled the bitter taste of the marionette case she's referring to. The irritation is visible as she stomped her feat numerous times on the wooden floor.
"Ano naman ang tungkol sa kaso ng marionette?"
"Oh, the suspect was a Theatre owner. He had run many puppetry all around the world. He was famous for his astounding plot lines and realistic actions with his puppets. Pero pala ang kinalabasan, ang mga puppets na ginagamit niya ay tao. He put the victims in a large LNG vertical storage tanks full of water to make them drown and drugged them with hydroflouric acid to melt their tissues and bones."
Her face scrunched in disgust and stick her tongue out.
"Eurgh, to think about the faces of the victims... Nandiri ako nung sumama ako kay Flare no'n eh. The suspect's doing that on his hidden warehouse far from the city. Nalaman lang namin ang address sa isa niyang kasambahay dahil lagi raw may dumarating na bisita sa bahay ng kanilang amo at pinapadala raw doon sa address na iyon. May nailigtas kaming isang biktima niya, isang batang lalaki. Buti na lang, hindi pa nalulunod masyado pero mayroon ng tubig sa baga niya. Onti lang naman kaso delikado na para sa buhay ng bata. When you go inside the warehouse, you could see people being held upside down by big hooks attached to the roof and slit cleanly on the center of their backs. May mga reserved doll eyes sa gilid na mayroong different sizes. I guess it is from his previous victims. Nakakadiring isiping binaboy niya lang ang mga tao para sa sarili niyang ambisyon."
"He had an illness, that's why the owner did it," pagpapatuloy ni Flare. "He wanted to be a puppeteer someday with his father and yet, his father died. His ambition take toll on him. Dangerously. And darkly. His first victim was his father. To create his dream into reality, he took his father's body, cut him open, and made him a realistic human doll. He dropped his father's body in a container full of celluloid to create the perfect shiny skin like celluloid dolls have. It takes a huge experimentation to create such drug but he did. He was studying science to be a scientist that time and he took advantage of his ability to create a horrible crime."
"Pero parang walang relate naman ang kasong sinabi ko sa in-explain niyong kaso," sabi ni Lucas.
"There is," ani Flare.
"Ha?"
"The suspect from two years ago had a son. A college student. He inherited his father's house and the lot where the old puppet Theatre is. He had no mother because her mother died after his father was held captive by the police two months later. The son was obsessed with puppets as well. He might inherit his father's abused dream and continued the horrible legacy of it."
"Huh? Anong ibig mong sabihin doon, Flare?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"I meant what I meant, song thrush." His voice is unusually colder and eyes were like icy lances as he looked at me. "I have no further information to speak of."
"Flare!" pagbabawal ni Friar sa kanya. "Ano ka ba?! Why did you give Mavis that attitude?"
"Parang sumosobra ka na ah, pre," ani Lucas at nakangising nakatingin kay Flare habang ang mga kamay ay nasa likod ng kanyang ulo. "Quite amusing. Getting into a lover's quarrel quickly, my friend?"
Napabuntong-hininga si Yna. "Hindi na talaga ako maka-catch up sa atmosphere dito," sabi niya.
"I'm fine, Lucas, Friar," nakangiting sambit ko sa kanila. Ngiting reassurance para 'di sila mag-alala.
Nawala ang panuksong ngisi ni Lucas sa gulat pero si Friar ay nandoon pa rin ang pag-aalala. Wala na siyang sinabi at bumalik sa kanyang posisyon pero ramdam ko pa rin ang pagbabantay niya nang iniyuko niya ang kanyang ulo.
Lumingon ulit ako kay Flare at nakita kong nilalaro na niya ang maliit na hourglass galing sa kanyang desk.
"So, ang ibig mong sabihin mayroong nakuhang gamit ang anak ng suspect two years ago nang ma-inherit niya ang mga ari-arian neto. Gano'n ba, Flare?"
Hindi siya sumagot sa akin at binaba lang ang hourglass. Nagsisimula ng bumaba ang buhangin sa loob niyon. Hindi lang simpleng pagbaba 'yon, may pananda 'yon. Mayroong magsisimula ngayong araw na 'to at hindi maganda ang kutob ko.
Third Person' s View
In one of the buildings at the backstreet, a lampara is lit bright as footsteps echoed upon the walls of the narrow passage of the building. Two shadows come forth the walls as the lampara's fire reflects them.
"The materials were delivered this morning to cause a huge deal on our organization," pagsasalita ng isa.
Mayroon itong matinis na boses pero makukuha mo pa rin ang halong pagkababa ng kanyang tono, tanda na lalaki ang nagsasalita.
"And? Did you receive her?"
"Why, yes, she has only been delivered a while ago. Hindi na naging mahirap dahil nasa madaling lugar siyang makuha," sagot nito sa kanyang kausap.
Huminto sila sa pintuan. Iyon ang nasa dulo ng buong eskinita. Nang buksan, nakita ang isang madilim na kwarto na ang tanging ilaw lang ay ang nagliliwanag na lampara na hawak-hawak ng lalaki. Pumasok sila sa kwarto at itinapat ang lampara sa isang gilid ng kwarto. Doon, makikita mo na mayroong isang bonfire, magagarang gamit sa gilid at isang kama.
"Hm..."
Lumapit ang misteryosong figure sa babae at umupo ng eye-to-eye level nito. Ang babae ay nakaupo malapit sa bonfire, namumutla at halatang wala sa sarili.
Unti-unting nag taas ng tingin ang babae at bumulong, "P-Pres...?"
"It's alright. You could sleep..." The girl's head slowly lowered and dozed off as the mysterious person smirked. "...for eternity."
"Void..." the girl muttered as she completely dozed off to an unconscious slumber.
Mavis' POV
T
he old grandpa clock chimed at exact 6 o'clock in the afternoon. Nasa club ako ngayon at mariin pa ring iniintay si Flare na sunduin ako. He told me he wanted to meet me in the club after school time.
Tch. Kailan pa kaya lilitaw ang lalaking 'yon? I tap my fingers on the arm of the couch impatiently. Pinaghihintay ang isang babae. Hays, walang bahid ni isang pagka-gentleman. Kukutusin ko sa ulo iyong yelo na 'yon 'pag dating niya eh.
And as if the reality is connected to my thoughts, the door of the club opened with a hard slam and Flare went in. With a silent yet noticing rage, that is.
"Flare, ano bang problema mo at—"
Hindi ako nakatapos ng pagsasalita ng bigla niya akong tinulak paupo ulit sa couch at nilagay ang kanyang dalawang braso sa magkabilang side ng ulo ko. Malalaki ang mga mata kong nakatingin sa kanya sa kanyang ginawa.
"Flare, anong—"
"Why did you give that smug a f*ckin' nickname?!" galit niyang sabi.
Parang nabuhusan ako ng malamig na tubig sa kanyang sinabi. I blinked numerous times before the words came to process on my brain.
Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "Iyon lang ba kinaugalian mo kanina kaya binibigyan mo ako ng cold treatment, ha?"
"That's not fair!" he pouted. "He got a nickname while I got none!"
"Mayroon ka naman ah. Bangkay at malamig na tao."
"That's not what I meant!" His upper cheeks were red. "A cool name is what I want!"
Natawa ako sa kanyang ninanais. Parang bata ito, gusto mabigyan ng mas magandang nickname kaysa kay Lucas.
"Yeah, yeah. Got it. Now, move out of the way." Tinulak ko siya at inayos ang damit ko. "Wala namang masyadong meaning ang binigay kong nickname kay Luc. Besides, that's Friar's nickname for Lucas. Ginaya ko lang."
Naghalukipkip siya at sumimangot. "Still," mariin niyang sabi at umiwas ng tingin sa akin nang nagtatampo.
Mavis' Diary Secrets: Flare acting like a kid for the first time in front of me.
"Hey, I know you're thinking that I'm acting like a kid right now!" sigaw niya sa akin.
Mas lalo lumakas ang tawa ko. "Yeah, because you're really acting like one, Flare."
He sighed and looked at me with palms inside his trouser's pockets. "Time is running," aniya at lumingon sa grandpa clock. "We have little time to rescue the next victim."
"May next victim?! Agad?" gulat kong tanong.
Tumango siya at hinawakan ang kamay ko saka ako hinatak palabas ng club.
"Explanation would be rendered useless. I will put my words straight."
Tumingin siya sa akin ng seryoso at mayroon sa mga mata niya na ngayon ko lang din nakita. Lusting for a kill like a hungry wolf ready to hunt.
"Yleena became tee target," pagpapatuloy niya.
"Oh, now that you mention it. Sabi ni Friar nawawala si Yna simula nang matapos ang usapan natin galing sa SSC Office. She got in one of her class pero absent na raw siya sa halos lahat ng afternoon classes."
"Tch. There's a spy on our school about that freakin' suspect."
"Eh sino raw?"
Nasa hagdanan na kami at hatak-hatak pa rin ako ni Flare.
"Tyrone tracked the location for us. We must get on there right now to save—"
Napahinto si Flare sa pagtakbo. Binitawan na rin niya ang kamay ko at naka diretso siya ng tingin sa kanyang harapan.
"Ha? Eh, kung na-track na ni Tyrone ang location, bakit ka huminto?" kunot-noo kong tanong sa kanya.
His panicked face turn calm as he sighed with relief. "So, you finished the case..." Sinundan ko ang tingin niya at unti-unting nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "... Ruxinaire."
"The case is like a piece of cake, sir," sagot niya nang makalapit sa amin dala-dala ang walang malay na Yna. "Well, I saw Miss Yleena got scammed by two students during the first half of the afternoon classes. I excused myself to the teachers to sneak in and I'm too late on catching up pero sinabi ng dalawang estudyante na dadalhin daw siya sa backstreet kaya natagpuan ko rin si Miss Yleena agad-agad. "
"And the suspect?"
"Oh. I got him into the custody of the police. Don't worry, sir. Nilagay ko siya sa kustodiya ni Inspector Reed para makausap ninyo."
Napakamot siya sa kanyang ulo at akward na tumawa.
"Sorry for the sudden move, sir. I just received a message from Void that Tyrone located Yleena in an odd location and that's when I found out na mayroong mangyayaring masama kay Miss Yleena."
"No, you did the right thing," sabi ni Flare at bumuntong-hininga. "But I'm seriously ashamed to not catch the criminal by my own hands."
"You're upset after all, sir."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are, sir."
"No, I'm not."
"So, case closed na ba?" tanong ko na ikinalingon ng dalawa sa akin. "So, case closed na ba?" tanong ko ulit sa kanila ng tinitigan lang nila ako.
"Not yet," sagot ni Flare. "I need to visit the suspect on the police's station. And you," lingon niya kay Ruxinaire. "Take Yleena to the mansion and treat her." Ruxinaire nodded and hurriedly went out of the school. "And you, Mavis, are coming with me."
~***~
"Kailangan mo ba talaga ako dito, Flare?" tanong ko sa kanya nang huminto ang sasakyan. "At bakit tayo nasa backstreet?"
Bumaba na siya ng sasakyan at pinasabi sa driver namin na umuwi na sa mansion.
"Mavis, let's dive in to the crime scene. We might unfold something more malicious crimes than what we have heard."
Kaagad akong lumabas ng sasakyan at nagpaalam sa driver bago sumunod kay Flare.
Madilim na ang langit kahit na hindi pa pumapatak ang seven o'clock sa relo. Dumaan kami sa ilang pasilyo. Parang alam ni Flare ang bawat daang tinatahak niya dahil walang alinlangan ang pagliko niya.
Huminto kami sa isang pintuan. Napataas ako ng tingin at nakitang medyo magara ang itsura ng bahay. Hindi siya katulad ng mga gawa sa scraps na bahay na nalagpasan namin ni Flare.
This is really suspicious.
Kumatok si Flare sa pintuan ng tatlong beses nang may marahang katok. Ilang segundo ang pananahimik namin bago niya pwersang sinira ang pinto. Pagkabukas, malalansang amoy ang bumungad sa aming mga ilong.
Napaubo pa nga ako dahil sa usok na nanggaling sa pagsira ng pintuan. Nang mabuksan ko ang mga mata ko, biglang kumlaro sa isipan ko kung saan nanggagaling ang malamang amoy.
"So, it is still present within this day," ani Flare at naglakad palapit sa chop-chopan ng apaka-casual.
He put gloves on and took one flesh to examine. Napaiwas naman ako ng tingin sa ginawa niya.
"Hm... Certainly, this is a flesh of a woman," sabi niya. "It is an old victim though. Maybe range mid 30s of age. Based on the cut of the flesh, it was supposed to be delivered to the black market yet it was postponed due to Ruxinaire's actions."
Binaba niya ang flesh at tinitigan ang iba pang mga nakasukbit na "baboy".
"Besides faking suicides on the bridge with manipulated females, he did this, huh? And, hm?"
Bigla siyang lumuhod sa sahig at tiningnan ang baba ng butchery kitchen at napasigaw ako ng malakas nang makita ang isang ulo ng babae na nakatitig sa akin.
Napabuntong-hininga si Flare at kinuha ang ulo saka nilagay iyon sa taas ng kitchen at tinitigan 'yon.
He's really weird sometimes. Parang hindi na detective ang pagtingin ng pugot na ulo ah.
"This is the same woman whose flesh been butchered. Here," tinaas niya uli ang flesh na kanina niyang hawak. "This matches the woman's head."
Parang ako masusuka sa nakikita ko. When I am doing something like this, I could not feel my stomach churning. But now, I think I could feel the acid rising up.
"I thought you're a killer, why are you looking like you are going to throw up here?" naiiritang tanong ni Flare at narinig ko siyang napabuntong-hininga. "Come on. We're leaving."
Hinatak niya ako palabas ng bahay na 'yon na ipinagtaka ko. "Flare, bakit—"
"You're scared, that's why I pulled you out," putol niya sa dapat katanungan ko. "We're going home."
"Ha? Bakit?"
"I will finish the case. You rest. I don't want you messing up my pace any further."
I felt like cherry blossoms suddenly bloomed into me as he said that. Parang nakakita ako ng field ng cherry blossoms sa paligid namin habang hatak-hatak niya ako paalis ng lugar na 'yon.
Sinundo kami ng driver at umuwi ng kanilang mansion pero hanggang ngayon, kahit na nasa loob ako ng guest room, bumabagabag pa rin sa isip ko ang cherry blossoms na 'yon.
Like I was pulled by a string. A string of unfamiliar bloom.
Third Person's View
"Bakit mo hininto ang imbestigasyon mo nung time na natakot si Mavis? That's even your chance to see if there's more to that building," ani Friar.
She is leaning on the door's side while looking at her little brother, who's busy with the laptop in front of him.
"Her mental health first. She is my top priority."
She laughed through her nose and burst out laughing. "Don't make me laugh, brother. You? Putting a woman as a top priority? Huwag mo akong loko-lokohin. You are truly, slowly going head over heels on her. I thought na ayaw mo ng pag-ibig, ano ang nangyari sa'yo? Did you just eat your words, brother?"
"I'm not head over heels and I do not have such romantic feelings for her."
"Oh, so it's just like a heroic love maybe? Not that right. Maybe, a friend feelings?" Tumawa siya. "Pero hindi rin pwede. Mas bagay talaga ang romantic feelings sa mga ginagawa mo."
"Puppeteer Grimm had records in the black market."
Napairap si Friar at lumapit sa kapatid niya para tingnan ang naging resulta ng paghahanap niya.
"Of course, he did have reputation on the black market. He is the usual seller for the organs."
"What I mean is, most of the records are being spelled with a package of one female, healthy heart. No, male. And the odd thing is, the son of the puppeteer did the same thing as his father did but just a had taste of blood type AB."
"Pero napaka-rare ng AB blood type."
"Exactly. So how did he know if his victim is a blood type AB?"
"Pretending to be something less suspicious of, a pretend nurse in different hospitals."
Tumango si Flare at nag ki-click na naman sa kanyang laptop. Pictures were opened in folders in a rapid pace.
"Different hospitals with different registration of names but same category."
"Kahit na iba-iba pa ang pinapagawa sa kanya bawat ospital, may isang job lang na hindi maiiwan sa schedule niya lagi sa pagiging nurse. He could do blood testing."
"Exactly. All her victims were from different hospitals as what the data says. So, how does this connect to the Marionette case? Well, her mother was an ex-nurse. Their family have contribution to hospitals as part of the contribution on one of the supportive programs they established. The mother was oblivious on the illegal job, which is the warehouse butchery and sending goods to the black market. The son took advantage of those connections to execute his scheme. The building that I went in with Mavis is a hidden butchery. It is the side plan if the victim got snapped out in the effect of opium to early than the alloted time."
"So, he got rid of the useless huh?"
"Indeed."
"So, he put opium on his victims." Napabuntong-hininga siya. "Like his father's case."
"But he didn't drown or stitch them as dolls to play with in a Theatre. He put opium on them to dance like a marionette."
"A dancing marionette... What a horrid thing to do," ani Friar. "It's like his father's case."
"If relates to the drug, yes, and to the butchery. Agreeable."
"Ano ang makukuha niya sa ginagawa niya? His father is already dead. Matagal ng namatay sa kulungan ang tatay niya dahil sa ginawang krimen nito. Wala siyang makukuhang kahit ano, kahit man lang revenge sa ginagawa niya."
"They're the same blood. He inherited his thrill of doing butchery in humans. Being used when little is a different influence. Probably he got used seeing Puppeteer Grimm running that warehouse many years ago."
Suddenly, a mystical siren was suddenly heard. Like a song of a mermaid echoing on the ocean.
Kunot-noong napatingin si Friar sa likod at unti-unting binuksan ang pinto. Mas lalong lumakas ang himig.
"Someone's singing," bulong niya sa kanyang kapatid.
Sinarado ni Flare ang kanyang laptop at lumapit sa kapatid niya. Mas lalo niyang binuka ang pintuan ng kanyang kwarto. They've been in his room in all that time.
"That's Yna," reply ni Flare rito at lumabas ng kwarto.
Sinundan naman siya ni Friar sa likod at nagtataka ng tumingin si Friar sa kanyang kapatid.
"Si Yna? Paano?"
"Probably, the effects of opium has been activated within her consciousness. She don't know what she is doing while she's high on that drug."
At nang makaliko sila, saktong nakita nila si Yna na delikadong bumabalanse sa manipis na barandilya ng Second floor habang naka giting kumakanta ng walang liriko na kanta.
Napatingin ito sa direksyon nila pero hindi man lang kumaway o tinawag ang pangalan nila. Nakangiti lang 'to at nakatitig ang mga walang muwang na mga mata.
"Like a marionette... Huh, I think this creeps me out a little," sabi ni Friar.
"Well, who wouldn't? A chain of suicides leading to a hidden vigorous, bloody crime is probably one of the most terrifying things I had ever encountered in the world of investigation. Just stay there, dear sister, and we're gonna save a pity lamb with no directions as it sleepwalking."
Lumapit si Flare kay Yna nang may mabibigat pero mahihinang pag yapak sa wooden floor ng mansyon.
Nagpatuloy sa pagkanta si Yna at sumssayaw na naman sa delikadong ritmo sa barandilya nang walang naapakan ang isang paa nito at walang muwang itong nagsimulang mahulog.
Hindi na nakaabot si Flare kahit na nakaabot na ang kamay niya para mailigtas si Yleena.
"Yna!"
Napatingin ang kambal sa baba at nakita roon si Void at nasa mga kamay niya si Yna. Huminga ng maluwag si Friar at si Flare ay parang huminto ang pagkabog ng malakas ng puso niya sa kaba.
"Thank goodness at nasalo ni Void si Yna," sabi ni Friar at naka ngiting tumingin kay Flare. "Well, I guess that proves all of your data?"
"I shall search more and then, I could go through the police station tomorrow for file sending."
The next day, Flare submitted the reports to the police for additional information about Mr. Grimm, who is the son of the pupeeter.
As the sun came by the middle of the sky, Flare pulled Mavis in the campus to survive the hellish activities.
###