04 | Bones Of Terror

CAPITULUM 09

XAVIER Alcantara.

The CEO of DEATH.

Uncle X.

A martial artist, an ex-agent, a boss, a relative, and most importantly: a pain in the ass.

"Hay! Mas marunong pa yatang maglinis ang mga Grade 1 kaysa sa'yo. Are you sure you graduated from elementary?"

Napasimangot si Nico sa sinabi nito at umayos ng pagkakaupo. He glared at his uncle's happy-go-lucky demeanor and replied, "I doubt a mere elementary student would be able to solve murder cases. That makes it even. At ang akala ko ba may meeting ka ngayon?"

Uncle X chuckled.

"Rude. Is that the proper way to talk to your boss?"

"No, but it's the way I talk to my uncle," walang-ganang sagot ng detective bago ko sinimulang ayusin ang mga papeles. Damn, he forgot about that report he needed to turn in. Ilang araw na bang lumipas mula noong nag-deadline yun?

Nang mapansin niyang nakatingin lang sa kanya si Uncle X at mukhang wala pang balak umalis ng opisina (o baka naman gusto lang siyang panooring magdusa sa dami ng mga pinapagawa nito), Nico cleared his throat.

"Do you mind? Because if you're planning to watch me until I finish cleaning this mess up, you might as well set up a camping tent because that's gonna take a looong time."

Nico can imagine the years finally catching up when Uncle X sighed and took a seat across from him, the same one Film sat in a while ago. Hindi na siya nagulat noong sumeryoso na rin ang ekspresyon nito. Not that he can barely see him from the mountain of trash and papers in front of him anyway.

"Nico, hindi na ako bumabata. I can't monitor you keeping yourself alive despite all these bad habits you have."

He knew this was "the talk".

"Finally acknowledging the elephant in the room, I see." He started and leaned against his swivel chair. "Uncle, hindi mo ako obligasyon. You don't have to be worried about me killing myself with my lifestyle or my field of work."

"Kaya ba tinanggap mo ang imbitasyon sa Devil's Island?"

Natahimik si Nico. Walang ibang dapat nakakaalam nito bukod sa techs ng DEATH, sina Rizee at Nova, at...

"Chief."

Uncle X nodded, "He called me up at lunch. Ikinuwento niya ang tungkol sa parcel, sa mga buto, at sa imbitasyong natanggap ninyo ni Detective Carlos."

"Nosy as always."

"He's worried, Nico." Mariing sabi ni Uncle X bago tinulungan ang pamangkin sa pagsasalansan ng mga folder. "We're all worried. Bakit hindi mo 'to sinabi sa'kin? Alam kong desperado kang makakuha ng kasong makapagbibigay ng 'challenge' sa'yo, but jumping into the unknown in an unknown island that we have no info about isn't a smart move. It's a risk!"

"Risks are what keeps a detective's life worthwhile. Don't pretend like you haven't had your fair share of risky cases in the past, uncle," Nico pointed out. "You among all people should know that."

Pero sa kabila ng lahat ng sinabi ni Nico, napailing na lang ang kanyang tiyuhin. Suddenly, he felt like there was something more to it. Something he wasn't telling any of them.

"I'm just saying this is a bad idea, Nico. Hindi mo alam kung anong mangyayari pagkatapos ng kasong ito o kung mabibigyan mo ba talaga ng kasagutan ang misteryong matagal nang ibinaon sa limot. What will you achieve by solving the mystery of these bones, if there's any to begin with?" This time, Uncle X looked more like the past detective he is, rather than the CEO of DEATH. "There's something I need to confess... Alam kong nakakaramdam ka na rin dito, pero habang tumatagal mas nagiging unstable ang agency natin."

This is the first time Nico was hearing this. It intrigued him.

"You mean financially unstable?"

"More than that," Uncle X stared off into a distance, out Nico's office window with the view of the city. "Eastwood needs you right now, Nico. In fact, it needs both you and Detective Carlos. Hindi niyo na kailangang ipahamak ang mga sarili ninyo sa Insula Diabolis nang dahil lang sa mga buto at mamahaling imbitasyon."

A moment of silence passed between them.

Nico considered his uncle's words. This is the first time Xavier Alcantara became anxious about anything since the Heartless Killer case a year ago. Pero sa huli, alam nilang dalawa na kaninang umaga pa nabuo ang desisyon ni Nico, at wala na siyang magagawa para baguhin ang ito. Not Nova, not even his own uncle.

"Look after Goldilocks for me. If anything happens to me, kindly tell her I've already written my last will entrusting her with my apartment and all the dog food inside the cabinet."

Goldilocks, Nico's pet golden retriever.

Mahinang natawa si Uncle X at itinaas ang dalawa niyang kamay, finally surrendering to his nephew's stubbornness.

"You're impossible. Tsk! Kanino ka ba nagmana ng katigasan ng ulo mo?"

"And you should know better than to talk me out if it," Nico said and stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a few errands to run before meeting up with my partner."

"What?! And you'll leave your unfinished reports again?"

"Yep. Bye-bye!"

Bago pa man makakapagreklamo si Uncle X, mabilis nang lumabas ng kanyang opisina si Nico. He smugly walked with his hands in his pockets, exiting DEATH's headquarters.

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