Hindi na ako makatulog. After that revelation about Hiro ay hindi na nakapahinga yung utak ko. Nakaupo lang ako ngayon sa sahig habang piapanood kong matulog sina Akane at Riye.
Naisip ko naman bigla ang serial murder case. Wala pa rin kaming matukoy na suspects pero may clues na kami sa mga pagpatay. If Hiro's deduction was correct, the next murder would happen at 7 A.M. In addition, the things related to number thirtten really bothered me. Why would the killer do that? Gusto niya bang magpakilala by using that method? Or was he just teasing us?
Ni-review ko ulit yung mga nangyari kahapon. The first victim was Mr. Victor Delima, 43 years old. The cause of death might be because of poisoning or he was stabbed to death. The second victim was Ms. Reynalyn Geronimo, 37 years old. The cause of death was also poisoning but she was hanged when we saw her. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kailangan pang gawin ng killer ang pagtatago ng totoong cause of death pero siguro akala niya ay mga normal na pulis at investigators lang ang mag-iimbestiga sa mga pagpatay niya. Hindi niya alam na kayang tukuyin nina Riye at Ken yung totoong dahilan ng pagkamatay ng mga biktima.
"Still can't sleep?"
Napalingon naman ako sa kama at nakita kong gising na pala si Akane. Ni hindi ko man lang naramdaman ang pagkagising niya. Bumaba naman siya sa kama at sinamahan ako sa lapag.
"Naba-bother lang ako sa case na 'to."
"Yeah. Me too. Pero sa totoo lang, nag-iba talaga ang pakiramdam ko noong nasa 14th floor na tayo kanina."
"Dahil ba kay Ms. Reynalyn?"
"Hmm, maybe? Pero bago pa man tayo pumasok sa room niya ay iba na ang pakiramdam ko."
"Anong ibig mong sabihin?"
"I mean, it felt like someone was watching us that time."
To be honest, I felt that, too. Iba ang pakiramdam ko sa building na 'yon at alam kong hindi lang 'yon dahil kay Ms. Reynalyn.
"Sa tingin mo, 'yong killer ang nakabantay sa atin?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"Ewan ko. Baka. Or worse, it's a Shinigami."
"You mean, Shinigami ang killer?"
"No, that's impossible. Shinigamis are silent killers and skilled assassins. They won't leave too much evidence and loopholes in their killings."
Bigla akong kinilabutan nang marinig ko 'yon. Nakakatakot talaga ang Shinigamis base sa mga naririnig ko sa kanila.
Sakto namang nagising si Riye kaya sumama na rin siya sa usapan.
"May mamamatay na naman ba ulit?" malungkot na tanong sa amin ni Riye noong nasa lapag na siya.
"Let's just hope Ms. Reynalyn was the last. Pero hindi tayo sigurado. We need to be prepared," sabi ni Akane. "Shall we go to Miyu? Mukhang tulog pa yung mga lalaki. I can hear them snore."
Nag-prepare muna kami bago lumabas ng kwarto. Pagtingin ko sa relo ko, 5:30 AM na. Dumaan kami doon sa creepy hallway tapos lumabas kami sa agency. Nakakatakot nga dahil madilim pa at wala pang mga tao. Nakita namin si Miyu na naka-park doon sa labas kaya agad kaming pumasok.
"Welcome, Master Akane, Master Riye and Master Akemi."
Nilatag ni Riye ang pictures na kinuha niya during the investigation at nag-discuss ulit kami ng possible scenes na nangyari during the crimes.
"Sa tingin n'yo, saan mangyayari ang next crime, kung meron man?" tanong ko sa kanila.
"Based sa places na pinangyarihan, I guess the number 13 should be involved. The first murder happened at the 13th Avenue while the second crime happened on the 13th/14th floor of a building."
"We should monitor those areas associated with the number 13," Riye suggested. "Miyu-san, track all those places please."
"Yes, Master Riye."
The van's interior illuminated and several video feeds were suddenly projected on the sides. Sa pinakagilid naman ay naka-project ang mapa ng buong city. Akane tapped one dot and it zoomed out into a street, where we could see people and buildings real-time.
"You girls are early. Himala," komento ni Ken pero walang pumansin sa kanya. Busy si Akane sa pagtingin sa map habang si Riye naman ay sa pictures. Ako naman ay nakatingin lang sa kanila. "And yes, I'm talking to myself."
"It's okay, Ken, you can talk to me," Reiji said with a deadpan expression which made it funny.
Pumasok sina Ken at Reiji at naupo sa tabi namin at nahuli naman si Hiro. Napatingin ako sa kanya dahil bigla siyang humikab at ang gulo ng buhok niya. He looked like he just got out from bed. Pagtingin ko, 6:45 A.M. pa lang pala pero doon ko rin naalala na maaaring 7 A.M. mangyari ang susunod na pagpatay.
Halos umikot naman ang paligid ko nang biglang umandar si Miyu. Pagtingin ko ay natumba rin silang lahat. Tiningnan namin ang main screen at may nag-blink doon sa radar.
"Killing intent, detected. Approximately one kilometer from here," Miyu reported.
Agad namang tiningnan ni Reiji ang map para i-compare sa radar.
"Here," sabi niya kaya lumapit kami sa kanya.
He zoomed in a street where a guy was walking and someone was following him. We couldn't clearly see the face of the guy at the back since he was wearing a cap, shades and face mask. Pati ang gender niya ay 'di namin matukoy dahil sa coat na suot niya. Bigla namang lumiko ang lalaking sinusundan niya kaya gano'n din ang ginawa niya at pagkatapos no'n ay wala na kaming makita.
"Oh, no."
"Miyu-san, speed up!" sigaw ni Riye at muntik na naman kaming matumba dahil sa pagbilis ng takbo ng sasakyan.
Umupo na lang muna ako para kumalma. Oo, ilang beses na akong nakakakita ng mga patay pero hindi ko pa rin mapigilang hindi matakot every time na makikita ko sila. Hindi ko lubos maisip na may mga taong kayang pumatay nang ganun-ganon lang.
'Get used to it.' Napatingin ako kay Hiro. He was in my mind again. 'Humans are naturally evil. But some of us can hide it or even oppose it.'
'Pero nakakalungkot pa rin,' I said. 'I know that we are sinful by nature pero hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit kailangan pang umabot sa pagpatay ng mga tao.'
'They must have their own reasons. Some are nonsensical but usually, they are driven by primitive emotions. Love. Pain. Anger. Emotions that can easily fuel revenge. When people are hurt, even if they don't admit it, they want to get back to those who hurt them. To make them feel what they have gone through. That's how humans think.'
I know that. Deep in my heart, I knew what he meant but it was still hard to accept ngayon.
Napatingin na lang ako sa labas habang hinihintay na makarating kami sa place na nakita namin kanina. Mula kasi sa loob ng sasakyan ay kaya mong makita yung labas. The surroundings from the outside were reflected on the van's interior so it felt like the vehicle became transparent.
Bigla namang may nahagip ang mga mata ko. She was holding a suit case and the same business attire. But what surprised me was the fact that she was staring at me. I thought I was just imagining things but I realized I was inside the van and it would be impossible for normal people to see us.
Siya 'yong businesswoman na nakasabay ko kahapon sa elevator. But why was she staring at me? Why was she here?
"Nee-chan!" sigaw ni Riye at doon ko lang na-realize na nakatingin na silang lahat sa akin with worried expressions on their faces. "Ayos ka lang ba?"
"Y-yeah. I'm...I'm fine."
Bigla namang huminto si Miyu kaya nag-alala kami dahil wala na siyang nade-detect na killing intent. Agad kaming lumabas at hinanap ang alley na nakita namin sa feed kanina.
"Shit! Shit! I smell blood!" sabi ni Ken kaya lalo pa naming binilisan ang pagtakbo.
"There!" turo ko sa harapan namin. About 200 meters from here was the alley we saw a while ago. Nauna na si Reiji habang gamit ang sixth sense niya at sumunod naman kami sa kanya.
We ran as fast as we could but I halted when I saw someone familiar walking near us. It was the the guy from the elevator. Bakit din siya nandito?
"Akemi!" tawag sa akin ni Akane at medyo malayo na sila sa akin kaya tumakbo na lang ulit ako pero agad din akong napahinto dahil kumpleto sila rito. The cool guy in the elevator was also here and he was smiling as he walked with his head down.
Napakunot ang noo ko pero agad din akong natauhan nang nakita kong nakahinto na sina Akane. Tumakbo ako papunta sa kanila at nanghina ang mga tuhod ko sa nakita ko dahil mas disturbing iyon kaysa sa dalawang nauna.
Deep in the alley was the lifeless body of a guy, a knife impelled through his throat, holding a weird knotted metal.
***