"PROSECUTOR NEWT DAHMER, YOU ARE UNDER ARREST."
My eyes widened.
It got accompanied by a deafening silence as if everyone just zoomed out.
Heinz dropped the bottle he was carrying, didn't know what to say or react.
In a sudden, Newt got stupefied. He wasn't even uttering anything, he had no facial expression as well, he was just staring at Tyler, his eyes were glaring.
"No wonder why you were always the one who first discovered your so-called hints. You implanted them and spied on us. The fingerprint did not match any residents here because aftervall, they were all yours."
Tyler's eyes were flaring with anger.
"It's been a while, you fucking snake."
Newt wasn't saying anything, he was emotionless for few seconds, until in a snap, a dark smirk flashed on his lips.
"As expected from you, Tyler. You never disappoint. You caught me."
Just then, the police handcuffed him and he was dragged out of the room. Everyone was looking at us, trying their best to have a grasp of the situation.
In a snap, Tyler, Heinz, and me were left in the room, no one can talk between us. Heinz even lost his strength and almost stumbled, his jaw partly dropped.
Tyler then turned his back to walk away along with the authorities when I halted him. He just looked at me professionally and smiled.
"I think that's self-explanatory," he said before he walked away.
Just like that, Heinz and I were left in the room. Pareho kaming gulat at hindi makakibo.
So it was Newt, all along...
But...
But how can he?!
I mean, yes, he had a history of betrayal, like of what he did to Courtney and Traise pero 'yung aabot sa ganito katindi na he will kill people and will conspire to kill people?
That's when things came to me like a wildfire. I held my chest as the pain started to swallow me.
What the hell?!
The emotions that I felt were coming to me all at once and I can no longer handle them.
All this time the killer was with us.
The human eye made sense.
He was watching because he knows what we are doing.
The time, he was telling us perhaps that it will take us forever to capture him since he was having fun fooling us.
The 'I am in between'. He was always the thirdwheel and he had long been hinting about it!
The 'I watch over you' because whenever we argue, he was just there, sitting, observing.
The 'I am part of the whole.'
Why were we so stupid to make sense of it in a deeper scale when it literally suggested that he is one of us?
During the time that we were joking bout it, was he laughing because of the jokes or because he was mocking?
Natatawa ba siya dahil napakadali na ng mga clues pero hindi pa rin namin napapansin?
I felt as if something just pierced my heart.
I treated him like a friend, like a brother I genuinely care about, only to get played and betrayed this way.
Is this God's way of punishing me when I conspired to fool Courtney before?
I can remember how I was laughing seeing her getting fooled by someone she trusted the most.
Now it happened to me.
The hell.
Heinz and I looked at each other, tears visible in our eyes.
"It's over..." he said and smiled weakly. "It's over now."
For the following days, it was chaotic. The whole building seemed depressive, since they also felt betrayed.
Imagine, nasa loob lang pala ng office ang salarin at wala kaming ka-ide-ideya.
However, some felt happy. Kasi sa wakas, hindi na kailangan ng iba na mangamba pa kapag umuuwi sila ng gabi.
They deducted that with the capture of the mastermind, matatakot na ang mga kasama n'ya na gumawa pa ng krimen dahil kahit papaano ay ipinakita namin na may pangil nga ang batas.
The following weeks, a lot of things happened. There were celebrations and praying sessions to pray for the soul of the victims.
On the other hand, just few days ago, I found a significant improvement in me.
I JUST WON A CASE.
Heinz helped me a lot in the process and all those sleepless nights paid off. I never thought that love can affect us this significantly. It made me realize that you will really glow different if you are with the right person.
This made me think that perhaps, Tyler's sacrifice was worth it.
Speaking of Tyler, after the capture of Newt, mas lalo siyang naging busy. He wasn't releasing anything since ilalabas niya lahat sa korte.
Tyler and I barely see each other. Sometimes, we'd just walk pass each other and will smile. No talk at all. In fact, as far as I can remember, the last time that we talked casually was when he let me go that night. After that, we bounced back to being colleagues.
Until one Saturday, he personally told me to go to the rooftop since he has something to say. Soon as I went there, I saw him looking at the sky.
My heart froze.
The sun was setting again.
When he looked at my direction and saw me, he waved his hand and smiled. I approached him.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," I replied.
"Why do we suddenly look so awkward? Loosen up!"
We laughed.
From that moment, a song played in the store in front of our office.
It was If by Bread.
"It's a nice song," he said, smiling weakly.
"It is," I said. "A themed song in what movie again?"
"Taking A Step Closer To You," he said. "By Josh Gonzales."
"Oh, yeah, I remember now," I said, fighting against the awkward atmosphere.
"Traise and Courtney will arrive here tonight for an event," he said.
I looked at him.
"Cool," I just said.
"Don't you like to see them?"
I gulped.
Am I really ready?
Am I really fully healed?
"I don't know," I just said.
He laughed silently.
"You know they're not coming just for the event, Avery. It was to see you."
"I know," I said as I smiled weakly. "But I'm afraid, I have a date tonight."
He went expressionless until he smiled again.
"It's nice to hear that you're happy now."
"W-What will you do here, then?" I asked to change the subject. "W-Will you go back to Manila?"
"I have to," he said and looked at me in the eyes. "Afterall, I no longer have any reason to stay. All was well."
It was a good news, but I felt a pain inside me.
I smiled weakly as the song played again. I saw how it affected Tyler's emotion as well.
"Avery..." he then said and looked at me with face full of pain and longingness.
"In Taking A Step Closer To You, there was this famous scene..." he said.
He then looked deeply in my eyes.
From then, he took a step.
"One step," he said.
"Two steps," he said as he took another one.
"Three steps," he said and he took another one.
"Four steps," and from then, we were now facing each other, looking at each other's eyes with tears building up in them.
"How many steps do I have to take for you to know that I love you?" he asked and his voice cracked.
"I'm just wondering," he said. "If I went here early or if I solved the case faster and I focused on showing you how much love I have for you, would you feel confused still?"
"Tyler..." I just uttered as his voice had so much pain in it.
"I'm sorry, Avery," he said, more tears forming in his eyes. "I'm sorry for coming late..."
His tears fell.
In a moment, I was walking now in the amusement park when I saw a familiar figure. I smiled as I saw him with his usual sweater.
He was there, squatting as he was petting a stray cat.
His eyes smiled along with his lips when he saw me. With one last stroke to the cat, he stood up and ran to me.
"I'm glad you came," he said and he gulped. "I was... scared..."
I met his eyes.
"About what?"
He smiled weakly.
"You talked, right?"
I didn't answer.
"I was... I was overthinking that maybe... maybe you've...you've changed your mind..."
I smiled at him.
"Do you think I'll go here if I didn't choose you?"
I was expecting him to smile but he was rather shocked. From then, I saw his cheeks turned red again that made me laugh.
Next moment, we were holding each other hands as we walked. At first, it was awkward dahil nagdidikit daliri namin, not until he personally grabbed my hand and held it, intertwined with his.
I never thought that it can feel this good. That someone can make you feel safe and sound by just holding your hand.
"What ride do you want?" he asked me. "You may ride that, that, that, and that," he said pointing at different rides until he pointed himself, "Or me. No pressure."
We ended up laughing.
For the whole 3 hours, we were just enjoying the every moment like a little child.
Until the amusement park closed and we didn't wanna go home yet.
We were walking in the street when he spoke.
"Avery, thank you."
I looked at him. "For what?"
"For letting me come inside your heart."
I just smiled.
"Avery, I... I have long been wanting to say this," he said.
I looked at him.
With his serious face, panicking eyes, yet burning cheeks, he said,
"I love you."
He then gulped.
"I know it's too early but you made me feel the things than no one else did. You seemed like my exposition, you introduced me to different kind of feelings, you awakened my long dead heart, you made me start a new worth living life."
His eyes were expressive.
"You are my rising action, you keep on triggering me to do things only associated with you. You're my climax, everything you do caught my interest and the thought of you always, and never failed, to excite me."
I felt my heart just waved.
"You're my falling action, seeing you crying makes me weak, seeing your smile makes me weak as well, everything you do makes me weak, like you're my kryptonite but in a good way. You are my denoument, my resolution. You make me wanna quit everything and just be with you, you make me think of my future with you, to abandon everything and run away with you and to settle down with you."
He then smiled, "If you ask me to runaway with you tonight I might even will."
I smiled weakly, my eyes getting emotional.
"You're the every element of me, Avery, you composed me. You are a part of me, a part of my system, you're inseparable with me. If you'll break my heart, I'll still pick them up and will give them back to your hands. That's how much love I have for you."
"Heinz..." I uttered.
It felt great.
To be loved and valued the way you should be.
I smiled back at him.
"I love you, too..."
For few seconds, we were just staring at each other's eyes and from then, the rain suddenly dropped.
"T-There's no available transportation at this hour. My parent's house is just around the corner... w-would you like to... to spend the night with me?"
I looked at him.
I suddenly remembered his trauma about that house.
"Don't worry," he said. "It's time to face my fear, I guess. But this time, with you..."
In a snap, we were inside their house. It was a really huge and cozy house.
"I hired a caretaker," he said when he noticed that I saw how clean the house was.
"It was my only way to honor my parents," he said.
I nodded understandingly.
"Do you need anything? A drink, maybe?"
"Sure," I said.
He just smiled at me and walked away.
The thought of we will be spending the night together made him panic.
Isn't that cute?
Suddenly, I heard him played a song on the music player. Probably to lessen the awkwardness. I somehow laughed.
I sat on the couch and finally opened my phone. I turned it off para walang abala kanina.
Just then, a notification from my email popped up. It was from the police station na pinag request-an ko ng copy ng 911 call ng last victim.
Awit sa inyo ha, sarado na ang kaso tsaka kayo nag send.
As curious as I was, I listened to it.
"1:18 D-1 unit return to department headquarters," said by someone who I think was a dispatcher, the one who answer the calls.
"Copy that," said by the other line.
"1:18 receiving call, add to log. This is 911, what is your emergency?"
I put my ears away from my phone when someone let out a high pitched scream.
"MAY PUMASOK SA BAHAY! PAPATAYIN NILA AKO! TULUNGAN NINYO AKO!"
"Ma'am, can you please calm down. What seems to be the problem?"
"MAY GUSTONG PUMATAY SA 'KIN! DALAWA SILA, MAY... MAY DALANG KITSILYO. TULONG..."
She sounded scared and panicking.
"Ma'am, it is hard for me to help you if you can't talk normally. Slowly yet clear, can you tell me your name and tell me what happened?"
"I-I am Ysha and... and... OH MY GOD THEY'RE COMING! THEY'RE FUCKING COMING PLEASE HELP ME... PLEASE..."
"All units close to the area, we have a possible 169, ears out for address once obtained. I repeat we have a possible 169, ears out for address once obtained. Any unit close to the area respond STAT once address is given!"
The dispatcher's voice then softened.
"Hello, Ysha arw you still there? Cou give me your address?
The woman atated it.
"All units, I repeat all units, those that are close to the address respond to the scene as soon as possible. Anyone who can hear me?"
"Unit A-4 is close to the address. On route now."
"Copy that A-4."
The dispatcher then responded to the victim.
"Okay, Ysha, an officer is on their way to your house, you have nothing to worry about. Are you hiding right now?
"Y-Yes..."
"Okay. Now you have to remain there until the officer comes, okay? Can you tell me what happened?"
"Someone broke into our house and they tried to kill me with a knife but... but I was able to run away and now I'm hiding in the CR..."
The woman then screamed.
"They are here! They know I am here! They are trying to open the door OH MY GOD PLEASE HELP ME!"
The loud banging on the door can be heard.
"FUCK OFF!" the woman shouted, crying.
"Miss, can you hear me?" the dispatcher.
"Y-Yes..."
"Can you see a window there?"
"Yes..."
"Do you think you'd be able to escape from there?"
"I-I'll try to..."
A loud banging on the door as if destroying it can be heard.
"OH FUCK THEY'RE COMING!"
"Okay, Ysha, just... tdy to escape from that window, okay? Do it now."
Just then, a sound of a woman openimg a window can be heard but it got accompanied by loud screams from her as per someone as if was waiting for her to open it.
"PLEASE DON'T CALL ME PLEASE AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH PLEASE FUCK OH MY GOD DON'T... DON'T STAB ME PLEASE AAAAAAAH."
"Oh fuck," the dispatcher, "Any other units nearby, proceed to the address! WE NEED BACK UP!"
"Dispatch, we are near the residence, will backup A-4 as soon as we respond to a message we received.
"This is A-4, Approaching scene now."
"Copy that A-4."
But then, they all got halted with the victim's final scream.
Everything went silent.
"Y-Ysha... a-are you still there...?"
Suddenly, someone picked up the phone.
"Death is inevitable," said by a dark masculine voice. "So are we."
It ended there.
I was left staring at the ceiling, didn't know what to say or to react.
That was...
Disturbing.
Imagine Heinz dreamt of this kind of thing EVERYTIME HE SLEEPS?
SHOOT.
Natigil ako nang nag-ring ang phone ko. As I looked at it, it was a call from Tyler. I answered it immediately.
"I KEPT ON CALLING BUT ALL MY ATTEMPTS ARE UNSUCCESSFUL, WHERE ARE YOU?"
"I was on a date. Why?" sagot ko.
"I DID IT! I CRACKED THE CODES!"
"Need pa ba 'yan? Eh nahuli na natin ang mastermind. It was Newt."
"AVERY, LISTEN. THAT WAS JUST A SET UP. A PSYCHOLOGICAL GAME!"
"What do you mean?"
"IT WASN'T NEWT. IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE SO NEWT AND I PLANNED THIS TO SEE THE OFFICE'S REACTION."
"WHAT?!" I exclaimed.
"YES," he said. "NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THE CODES MEANT."
I felt my legs were trembling.
"THE EYE. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE KILLER WAS WATCHING. IT WAS LITERALLY AN EYE, THE LETTER I."
I gulped.
"Next the wrist watch stuck at 11:59. It's not about we are running out of time. 11:59 is the time before noon. IT IS THE AM IN 11:59AM!"
Oh, damn...
"Next, the Z1K1H. This is what I found tricky! The killer used binary code for alphabet. Z means Zero, 1K means 1000 and 1H means 100. If you'll combine them, it's 01000100, the binary code for letter 'd."
DAMN.
THAT WAS THAT?!
"Next is the 'I am in between. I watcher over you'. As I searched it up online, I found out that in Christian beliefs, there is something that stands in between of God and the human, and each of them was assigned to each human to guide and watch over them. Guess what that is? AN ANGEL!"
My eyes widened.
"And lastly, the 'I am part of the whole'. As I asked for my linguist friend, there's a preposition which stands as something that is part of a whole. And it's the preposition 'of'"
Tyler was tensed.
"And lastly—"
Just then, the call got disconnected.
"Hello?" I asked.
So he decoded it.
The eye as in I.
The 11:59 as AM
Z1K1H as 'D
I am in between, I watch over you as ANGEL
I am part of a whole as OF
Then together, that will be,
"I am the angel of—"
"DEATH."
My eyes widened as Heinz suddenly showed up with a glass of water in his hand.
"It was I am the angel of death..."
My eyes grew more bigger.
He smiled at me widely, until in a snap, the smile faded. He turned dead serious, totally dark and emotionless and he glared at me.
A smirk suddenly curved on his lips.
"What took you so long to find out..."