Solving Origins

Prologue

A room filled with lab equipments, the scent of mixed liquid and burning charcoal surrounds the place. A pair of tired eyes stares at the eyepiece of the stereo microscope as it focuses on the specimen held in its stage.

Strands of hair-like structures, the leaf can trap down both water and insects.

As soon as she sees the stromata of the leaf, a smirk creeps into her face. Moving onto the compound microscope, she switched the leaf into the stage before observing the cells compound.

"Brilliant! This is brilliant!" Sigaw ng isang boses dahilan para mapapitlag sa gulat ang babae. Mabilis siyang lumingon sa gawi nito sabay sinamaan ng tingin ang bagong dating na lalaki.

"Anong kailangan mo?" Agad niyang tanong habang tinatanggal ang gloves sa kanyang mga kamay.

"Nothing, I was just curious about your research." Kibit balikat na sagot nito bago marahang lumapit sa kanyang gawi.

Wearing a long white coat and gloves in his hands, he switched positions from her and used the compound microscope. Attending to her own research.

"Hindi ko kailangan ng tulong mo." She exclaimed. Looking at the man observing the leaf under the microscope.

A smile curled into his face as he focuses his eyes on the subject.

"Okay, you got me." Natatawa pa nitong sagot bago lumayo sa kanyang research at napabuntong hininga. "Hanggang kailan mo ba kasi kailangang gawin 'to? Don't you want to focus on something else other than this?" Tanong pa nito bago banatin ang kanyang magkabilang braso at ituro ang buong laboratoryo niya.

Kumunot tuloy ang kanyang noo, sinamaan niya ng tingin ang lalaki at hindi maiwasang mainis.

Ano ba namang masama sa kagustuhan niyang maging ganap na detective?

"Listen, Jade." Paninimula nito dahilan para tumingin siya rito. "Alam kong passion mo talaga ang ganitong bagay. Pero mas mabuti sana kung itigil mo na 'to. Wala ka namang magagawa kung may totoong krimen na mangyari." Paliwanag nito sa kanya dahilan para mas lalong kumunot ang kanyang noo.

"I don't need your opinion" Malamig niyang sagot rito bago tumalikod. May punto naman ang sinasabi nito. Wala nga naman siyang magagawa kung sakali mang magkaroon ng biglaang krimen.

Wala siyang pangalan at mas lalong wala namang maniniwala sa kanya kahit na sabihin niya ang kanyang nalalaman.

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ito sa pwesto nito saka marahan nitong hinubad ang suot na lab coat. Rinig niya ang mararahang yabag ng paa, unti-unti itong humihina.

"I'll leave you for the meantime. Pag-isipan mong mabuti 'yung mga sinabi ko." Ang pahabol pa ng lalaki bago niya unti-unting narinig ang pagbukas-sara ng pintuan mula sa kanyang laboratoryo.

Left alone in her lab once again, silence reigned upon her as her experiment remained untouched. She took a deep breathe before sighing heavily to herself.

Her brother had always been against her going through her passion. Hindi nito gusto na maging ganap siyang detective dahil sa mga panganib na pwede niyang harapin.

Trying to regain her motivation, her eyes wandered around her laboratory before her eyes landed on a sketch pad.

A small symbol, no --- a small tattoo drawn in an unsketchy way was all it had.

"Ano 'to?" Tanong niya pa sa kanyang sarili habang tinitignan ang hindi pamilyar na guhit. Isang bultuhin ng araw na may walong maaalon na galamay at mata sa gitna. Hindi niya lubos maisip ang simbolo nito at ang malaman kung saan ito nanggaling.

Dahil sa kanyang kuryosidad, itinago niya ito sa kanyang bulsa bago lisanin ang kanyang laboratoryo at balak puntahan ang kanyang nakakatandang kapatid para magtanong.

On second thought, hindi na siguro niya kailangang tanungin pa ang kanyang kapatid kasi siguradong pagbabawalan lang siya nito. Mas mabuti pa sigurong siya na mismo ang mag-imbestiga sa kung ano ang mayro'n dito.

*****

Ipinaalam kay Leidon ng kanyang uncle na isang detective ang mga detalye ng hawak nitong kaso sa isang paaralan. His uncle trusted him so much, that he thought Leidon can be a could good help to solve the case faster. Maalam si Leidon pagdating sa mga pag-so-solve ng mystery. Matalino at magaling makahanap ng lusot pagdating sa mga logical thinking. Not to mention, mahilig siyang magbasa ng libro ukol sa cases and even 'self-studied' the Criminal Laws and 1987 Constitution Law of the Philippines kahit na hindi naman siya nagtapos bilang isang criminology or law student.

Tinanggap ni Leidon ang hamon ng kanyang uncle at ipinaubaya sa kanya ang kaso bilang 'Consulting detective' nito. He entered inside the school and pretended as a student.

Pagpasok pa lamang niya ng nasabing paaralan ay sinalubong na siya ng listahan ng mga unsolved cases na hindi magawang matukoy ng mga pulis o maging ng mga detective ang pinagmulan.

'2 students found dead in the comfort room. Soaked in blood. No signs of being hit or stab.'

'1 student found dead at the rooftop and decapitated.'

'3 students found in three different laboratory rooms, alive but in a critical condition.'

Lastly, the school principal found hanging in the ceiling of her office. Homicide.'

Habang nasa loob ng paaralan, napansin niyang may kakaiba. Maging ang mga detalyeng ibinigay sa kanya ay parang may mali. Parang may kulang at parang may sobra.

And whatever it is, he must find out.

Leidon just loves mystery cases and he would do anything to uncover the truth.

• Solving crimes in a limited amount of time, he strikes down all his enemies as she collects all the clues.

• Piercing together those mysteries, two detectives take all risks. Competing on who's going to solve it first.

• Uncovering the truth, unmasking the murders and crimes.

They were born to become detectives.

Together, as partners, they will find the answer with their united ways.                  Leidon and Jade would act as one to solve the origin and to unravel the mystery behind the school.

Solving Origins.