04 | Bones Of Terror

CAPITULUM 07

"SAME CONTENT. Nakatanggap ako ng parehong imbitasyon kaninang umaga," Nova muttered as she read through the words Nico found. "Pero bakit parang ngayon ko lang narinig ang tungkol sa event na ito?"  

Nico figured as much.

Because in reality, the Insula Diaboli's Ball isn't something just any person knows about. In fact, if Nico didn't store that tiniest bit of information he read from an old article off the dark web (kids, don't try it) ages ago, wala rin siyang magiging clue kung ano ang event na ito.

"You haven't heard of it because this event isn't publicized. At this point, I doubt even the authority knows of its existence," Nico mused, a distant look in his eyes. "Especially with its unusual nature. Sa mga nabasa ko dati, misteryosong ipinapadala ang mga imbitasyon sa mga elitista... to those whose power and influence can trample down society with just a flick of their thumb. Walang malinaw na guidelines sa selection process ng kanilang mga bisita, lalo na sa kanilang guests of honor. Conspiracy theorists believe that there's something more to this ball, especially since nobody knows the exact location of the island mansion. Ang tanging alam lang nila ay pagmamay-ari ito ng isang bilyunaryang nagngangalang Amara Hartwick. Some even speculate she sold her soul to the devil in exchange of that fortune... Insula Diaboli does mean 'Devil's Island', after all."

Bakas ang kaba sa ekspresyon ni Nova nang marinig ang tungkol sa isla. "Devil's Island... hindi ko alam kung anong nangyayari ngayon, but if these bones are any indication, I don't think we should accept the invitation, Nico. I have a bad feeling about this."

With every valid and sane reason, she's right.

They shouldn't.

But what Nova didn't know is that Nico has already decided. From the moment he laid eyes upon the macabre invitation, his instincts and thirst for adventure already kicked in.

"I'm going to accept it."

Napanganga si Nova sa sinabi niya. He can't really blame her, though. Ito ang unang pagkakataong mapapalayo si Nico sa mga kaso sa Eastwood, kung saan siya inaasahan ng CEO ng DEATH (at ang kanyang tiyuhin) na si Uncle X, at ng mamamayan nito. But as time progresses, Nico admits that the cases they've been receiving are becoming a little less challenging to him. Isang halimbawa na rito ang nangyari kanina na naging sanhi para dalhin pa siya sa presinto.

And don't even get him started with the more absurd cases like rescuing a kitten from a tree and finding out how children were stealing coins from a local candy machine.

'Damn Sherlock... Ano ba kasing pumasok sa kukote ng mga tao at nagsasayang lang sila ng panahong ilapit sa detective agencies ang lahat ng problema nila sa buhay? It's ridiculous! Tsk.'

No, Detective Nico Yukishito wasn't meant to solve those stupid and nonsensical problems. He knew he was meant for so much more.

Can he really pass up this opportunity?

"What the fuck, Nico? Nababaliw ka na ba talaga o kinulang ka lang sa kape ngayong umaga?"

Hindi pa rin makapaniwala si Nova sa kanyang narinig. Nakahalukipkip na ito at sinamaan siya ng tingin. "Hindi natin alam kung anong naghihintay sa islang 'yon! We can't just accept an invitation just because of a dead person's bones---"

"Just because I'll accept my invitation doesn't meant you have to accept yours too, Miss Carlos."

"W-What are talking about?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

Simpleng sagot ni Nico bago tinupi ang imbitasyon at isinilid sa bulsa ng kanyang pajama pants.

Sandaling natahimik si Nova.

The event is in two days.

Marami pa siyang kailangang gawing preparasyon at kailangan pa niyang tawagan ang numero. He also needs to pick up something from their office and finish those boring paperworks on his desk before Uncle X can nag at him again.

"I'll get going. I can't say it was nice seeing you again but---"

Hinarangan siya ni Nova sa pinto.

The Mistress of Disguise glared at him from under her lashes, leaning on the doorframe with a hand on her hip.

With an intensity that rivals his own.

"And there you go again."

"What?"

"Sa ilang kaso at krimen na nating magkasama, ang buong akala ko nalinaw na natin 'to: this is our case, so we're in this together," she bitterly reminded him. "So don't you dare give me that attitude and fly solo again, Yukishito. We received invitations addressed to the both of us and whoever sent them clearly found out about us through the past cases we solved together."

Point taken, but...

"Iba ito sa assigned cases sa atin, Miss Carlos. Wala tayong obligasyong magtrabaho nang magkasama. Like you've said, the person who sent these invitations know about our cases, so it's more dangerous if we come in pair," he smiled innocently, but his eyes asked her an unspoken challenge. "Who knows what dangers await us in that Devil's Island..."

A challenge she gleefully accepted.

"The credit and the burden aren't yours to bear alone. If you accept yours, I accept mine."

She held her ground.

The two detectives glared at each other.

The tension between them stretched beyond those few seconds.

"Tsk! Fine. Do as you please." Finally, Nico shrugged and walked past her... but not before Nova saw a ghost of a smile on his lips.

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