✔ 02 | Flames Of Madness [Soon To Be Published Under PSICOM]

CAPITULUM 50

DEATH headquarters
10:07 a.m.

---

3rd floor.

Nabibilang lang ni Nico sa mga daliri niya sa kamay kung ilang beses na siyang napadpad sa ikatlong palapag ng gusali nila---well, it's not he has interest to go to other places aside from his office. Kahit na binigyan siya ng kanyang Uncle X ng kalayaang gumala kahit saan sa agency nila, Nico chooses not do.

"And waste my precious time? You have to be delusional, uncle."

Plus, he doesn't like socialization.

'But I really have to give them some credit.. sa lahat ng levels dito sa DEATH, maliban sa underground weaponry chamber, itong third floor ang pinaka-interesante.'

Nico walked through the busy hallways. Kamuntikan pa niyang mabunggo ang ilang mga scientists, technicians, at kapwa detective na abala sa mga imbensyon nila. Hindi tulad normal na mga opisina, yari sa plexiglass ang karamihan ng mga dingding.

'Plexiglass, or polymethyl methacrylate.. isang matibay at makapal na uri ng plastic na madalas na ginagamit bilang substitute sa totoong salamin. How ironic that it's called plexiglass, but it's not even a glass.'

Beyond the plexiglass walls, the DEATH technology team worked with their inventions. Dito nila dine-develop ang iba't ibang uri ng mga gadgets na makakatulong sa kanilang mga agents, lalo na tuwing may mapanganib silang mga assignments. Behind one wall, Nico watched as a man was climbing the wall, while his assitant recorded something on a clipboard. Napangiti ang  detective nang makilala ang pares ng mga gloves na suot ng lalaki.

'Spiderman gloves.'

Who could forget those awesome gloves?

"Good morning, Detective Yukishito!"

"Yow, Nico!"

"Malapit mo na bang mahuli si Robinhood Arsonist, detective?"

Nico nodded and walked passed them. Hindi sila ang pakay niya rito. It's best not to get socially distracted a.k.a. "too friendly". Nang marating na niya ang kulay pulang pinto na may karatulang "KEEP OUT" sa magulong penmanship at itim na marker, hindi na nagdalawang-isip pang pumasok si Nico sa loob.

"Horrible handwriting, Film. If I didn't know better, I'd assume that a three-year-old wrote that. Nasiraan na ba kayo ng printer?"

The teenager almost jumped from his desk when he heard Nico's voice. Naging dahilan ito para aksidenteng sumabog ang kemikal na maingat niyang isinasalin kanina sa isang test tube. Nang lumingon si Film kay Nico, napapailing na lang ang detective nang makitang naging kulay itim ang buong mukha ng tech geek.

'A tech geek wanna-be scientist. Now, he's doing chemistry? He's nuts.'

In a good way, of course.

Craziness is equivalent to brilliance.

"Nico! Damn, you almost gave me a heart attack, dude! Tsk." Tumayo ang binata at kinuha ang malinis na towel sa tabi ng samu't sariling microchips, hard drives, cable wires, at screwdrivers. Nang mapunasan na niya ang kanyang mukha, bumalik siya sa kanyang upuan. "You're here for that, right? Just in time!"

"Just make sure that it won't blow up my face."

Pagak na natawa ang binansagan ni Nico na "Hari ng mga Tech geeks" na si Rayleigh Filmore. At first glance, he looks unreliable and too young to take on such a job at a prestigious detective agency. Pero sa katunayan, maituturing na isang henyo ang lalaking ito, who even declined an invitation to study at Oxford University! 'Looks can really be deceiving.'