S A T U R D A Y
May 23, 2020
Night Raven's Park
5:45 p.m.
Among all places, Detective Briannova Carlos didn't know why she chose to spend her last hours in Eastwood in this place. She sat by the stone bench, watching the sunset in the horizon. Hues of orange and purples were more vibrant that usual, as if bidding her farewell. Hawak-hawak niya ang imbitasyon sa Insula Diaboli, pilit isinasawalang-bahala ang katotohanang maaaring ito na ang huling kasong mahahawakan niya.
She's determined to make it out of that Devil's Island alive, but the fear of leaving behind her loved ones still anchors her.
Kanina lang ay nahirapan pa siyang ipaliwanag sa pamilya niya---lalo na kay Nirvana---na mawawala siya ng ilang araw dahil sa isang kaso. Even Olympia had a similar reaction yesterday when she called her. It was nice to know that people were concerned about it, but it makes a detective's life both worthwhile and risky to everyone around her. Maybe that's the reason why she wasn't returning any of Olympia's calls or text messages anymore. Hindi na siya nagulat na sinusubukan siya nitong kumbinsihing 'wag umalis, but something feels off about it...
"A detective getting some fresh air before the trip? If I didn't know any better, I'd assume you have seasickness."
Nova turned to her left, the silhouette of the last person she wanted to see today before her departure.
"Hello, Rizee. At ano namang ginagawa ng isang district officer dito?"
Instead of wearing her usual police attire, Officer Rizee Mariano wore casual---ripped jeans and a white cropped top paired with an army jacket. Doon niya lang napansin na may hawak pala itong sigarilyo sa isa niyang kamay, habang ang kabila naman ay nakapamulsa sa kanyang jacket. Nova watched her take a drag of her cigarette and blow off smoke before replying, "Can't a girl get a day off? Madalas akong tumatambay sa parkeng ito tuwing Sabado dahil walang tao nang ganitong oras."
"So no one can spot you smoking?"
"Bingo."
Naupo si Rizee sa kabilang dulo ng bench, eyeing Nova's car parked a few meters away.
"We'll handle things in Eastwood while you're away. I gave Yuki my number just in case," Rizee stated. "The ECU is already going their job with the pelvic bone after we sent the sample yesterday. I-update na lang namin kayo sa makukuha nilang resulta."
Nova nodded. The Eastwood Crime Unit (ECU) works hand-in-hand with HELP in cases like these, and although her partner is still hesitant in trusting them, it's not like they have much of a choice. Kailangan nila ng lahat ng tulong na kaya nilang makuha para sa kasong ito.
They don't even know what or who they're up against, after all.
"I better get going," Nova finally said and stood up. "The dock's still a half an hour drive from here. We'll keep you posted."
Pero bago pa man tuluyang makapaglakad papalayo si Nova, Rizee's words made her stop in her tracks.
"I also heard that Yuki brought company..."
Oh, gosh.
"It's none of your business."
Kailan pa ba naging tsismosa si Rizee?
Maya-maya pa, tumayo na rin ang officer. Sumeryoso ang mga mata ni Rizee sa kabila ng makahulugang ngiting ibinigay nito sa kanya.
"Pareho tayong babae. Wag na tayong maglokohan dito, Detective Carlos. The way you look at him is a confession on its own. You're right, it's none of my business," Rizee took another drag of her cigarette. Nova can imagine that it was a habit the other woman developed since breaking up with her bastard of a boyfriend. O baka dahil sa stress nito sa trabaho? Either way, it looked like it wasn't her first time.
"It's not my business... but it's definitely yours."
Rizee walked away.
And just like that, Nova was left standing alone in the middle of the park for a few moments. Napabuntong-hininga ang dalaga at dumiretso sa kanyang sasakyan. As much hates to admit that Rizee's words had a certain gravity to them, alam ni Nova na marami pa siyang kailangang isipin at problemahin.
Number one is to get to the dock on time.
*
At exactly 7:00 p.m., the black ship emerged out of nowhere.
"Just in time," she heard Nico commented. "You know it's a bad omen when something arrives on time. Bibihira na lang ang punctual sa human race." He smirked before standing up, straightening the new brown leather jacket he wore just for this occasion.
Just a moment ago, the detective was lazily lying down on the dock, not caring about anything. Sa kabilang gilid ni Nova, napansin niya ang pagkamangha nina Min at Clyde sa kanilang nasilayan.
A reaction that mirrored her own.
Tila ba kasabay ng paglubog ng araw ay ang paglitaw ng barkong maghahatid sa kanila sa isla. A chill ran up Nova's spine as she stared up at the black cruise ship. It was on the smaller end of the spectrum with a capacity of about a hundred. Still, it was no less elegant and lavish, shining under the moonlight.
If anything, it actually looked new.
That's odd.
Soon enough, they carried their luggage and onboarded the ship. Sa iritasyon ni Nova, walang lumabas para tulungan sila sa kanilang bagahe.
'Bastards.'
It was a bad idea to carry a suitcase and several extra bags anyway, Nova realizes. Dahil sa dami ng props at make up na kailangan niyang dalhin para sa kanyang "transformations", minsan nakakalimutan ng Mistress of Disguise na hindi talaga ito praktikal sa lahat ng pagkakataon.
"Here, let me help you."
Clyde Snow suddenly appeared beside her. With a friendly smile that reached the pair of brown eyes behind his glasses, he helped her carry her suitcase and began walking beside her.
"Thanks."
'Well, at least one man is being helpful around here,' she thought. From the corner of her eye, she saw Minnesota and Nico conversing in a corner. Averting her eyes away, she took her suitcase and bid the friendly anthropologist farewell. Nang mailagay na Nova ang kanyang gamit sa kanyang kwarto (na may gold plated name sa pinto nito!), she quickly made her way to the deck.
Mag-isa na si Nico na nakadungaw sa dagat, nagsimula nang lumayag ang barko.
Papalayo sa Eastwood.
Papalapit sa trahedya.
"Rizee said that ECU is already doing tests on the bones," bungad ni Nova at tumabi rito. "Kokontakin na lang niya tayo kapag may resulta na."
Ni hindi inalis ni Nico ang kanyang mga mata sa tubig. "Oh? Mauuna pang ma-resurrect ang dinosaurs kaysa magkaroon ng results ang ECU. Those nutheads can't even do their jobs properly even if their lives depend on it. Sayang taxes."
"Nico!" She scolded. In the end, Nova sighed. She new that he always had a problem with the authorities---everyone and every agency he (has) to work with in general. Being put on a pedestal, Nico's ego is already inflated to the size of Jupiter by now.
Tempted man siyang itulak sa dagat ang isang 'to nang mahimasmasan, Nova's already been with him long enough to know that that's just the way he is.
He's a natural born jerk with questionable morals, but a passionate detective at heart.
"Then do you have any hunches on who's bones those are?" She inquired.
"As a matter of fact, yes."
"Really?"
Nico answered casually, as if she just asked him about the weather. "Ang unang misteryo ng kasong ito ay nasa imbitasyon mismo. Matagal nawala ang Insula Diaboli's Ball at matagal nang walang nakakatanggap ng imbitasyon mula sa may-ari nito. One theory I'm leaning on right now is that those bones belong to none other than the owner of the island herself, Madame Amara Hartwick."
---
BINABASA MO ANG
04 | Bones Of Terror
Mystery / Thriller"Nico, she's been dead for over a decade! Mahihirapan tayong i-identify ang biktima." "Well, we have no choice, Nova," the greatest detective in Eastwood said as he studied the remains of someone long forgotten. "Dahil ang taong pumatay sa kanya ang...
