Tantei High (Erityian Tribes, #1) | Published under Pop Fiction

Chapter 22 - Second Case: The Mark of Thirteen

Nang huminto na si Miyu ay nakita ko agad mula sa projections dito sa loob kung nasaan kami. We arrived at a compound.

"Stay alert," Hiro said while we were approaching the place.

"Even the apartment's number is thirteen," Reiji commented.

"Palabas na siya," mahinang sabi sa amin ni Akane noong nakapwesto na kaming lahat sa may pintuan. After two seconds, biglang bumukas ang pinto at bumungad sa amin ang gulat na mukha niya.

"W-what the hell?!" sigaw niya sa amin.

"Yes, you are definitely going to hell," Ken retorted and he pushed the person inside his apartment. Sumunod naman agad kami at sinarado ni Reiji ang pinto para hindi siya makatakas.

"Anong ginagawa n'yo?! At bakit kayo pumasok dito sa bahay ko?! Pwede ko kayong kasuhan ng trespassing!" bulyaw niya sa amin.

"Oh really? Then shall we arrest you for three counts of murder?" Akane taunted and the color drained from his face.

"What the fuck are you talking about?!"

"We are talking about you, Mr. Serial Killer." Pumagitna si Ken sa kanya at kay Akane saka niya nilabas ang ipinakita niya sa amin kanina. Nanigas sa kinatatayuan niya ang murderer at nakatitig lang doon.

Ace of Spades. That was the card Ken was holding.

"Ace Francisco, you are under arrest," Ken said as he threw the card at him.

"A-anong pinagsasabi n'yo?! All of you are crazy!" sabay tawa niya nang malakas.

Bigla namang lumapit si Riye sa kanya at hinawakan ang dibdib niya. "Your heartbeat accelerated and your stomach muscles became constricted. You are also experiences shortness of breath. Signs that you are anxious, Mr. Ace."

Ace suddenly raised his hand and I was just about to shout Riye's name when Reiji interfered. He held Ace's arm and completely stopped its momentum.

"Ugh, what the fuck!" he cursed as he jerked in pain.

Reiji's sixth sense stimulates his muscles to extremities. Kaya siguro kahit mas malaki ang katawan ni Ace kaysa kay Reiji at kahit isang kamay o isang daliri lang ang gamitin niya ay mananalo pa rin siya. Pero binitiwan din siya ni Reiji at agad silang lumayo ni Riye sa kanya.

"Hindi ka pa rin aamin?" tanong ni Ken pero umiwas lang ng tingin si Ace. "Kung hindi ka aamin, then let us reveal what you did and tell us if we got something wrong."

"All of the killings are connected to number thirteen," panimula ni Akane at naglakad siya sa isang table kung saan nakapatong ang deck of cards. "So you like to play cards, Mr. Ace? And I presume you already know that each suit contains 13 cards. You used this concept to kill them just to satisfy your obsession with cards? What an outrageous fellow."

Hinugot naman ni Riye ang apat na cards mula sa deck. "Mr. Ace, you also used their names as the basis for killing, right?" saka itinaas ni Riye ang apat na cards—The King, Queen, Jack and Ace of Spades. "King for Victor. Queen for Reynalyn. And of course, Jack for Jackie. When these three cards are gone, the most powerful card will be..." Riye's voice trailed off as he showed him the remaining card. "...the Ace of Spades."

"And I'm guessing the four of you are members of a club or an organization," dagdag naman ni Reiji habang nakataas ang phone niya. Naka-display doon ang drawing na nasa card ni Mr. Victor at ang design sa damit ni Ms. Reynalyn. "The thirteen dots signify the thirteen cards in a suit. And it wasn't a heart-like shape. If you turn this upside down, it would be a spade. In addition, the word passed at the bottom can be read as spades if you rearrange it. So I guess the four of you are into playing cards."