Hera: The Hacking Goddess [Completed]

SPECIAL CHAPTER

(Senator Rodriguez Murder Case)

"THIS is the evidence I got from Buencamino, Brylle."

Kunot noong kinuha ni Brylle sa kamay ni Ethos ang isang manipis na syringe na nasa loob ng isang zip lock. Mayroon pang kakaunting likido na natira sa loob n'on.

"I think from there, alam mo na kung anong nangyari, tama ba? Muling sabi ni Ethos at naupo sa maliit na sofa na nasa kanan ng kanyang hospital bed.

He gritted his teeth. After a while, he let out an exasperated sigh. "He was poisoned."

Tumango si Ethos sa kanyang sinabi at naupo sa sofa sa gilid ng kanyang hospital bed. "That chemical inside the syringe immediately makes someones blood pressure to rise up to the point that he will have a cardiac arrest when injected."

Kasalukuyan pa ring nasa hospital si Brylle. Its been two days since the incident in the train station happened. He is still recovering from the wounds he got and luckily, hes healing fast.

Ethos and Red have been busy settling things about the Black Leafs case. However, Red told him earlier that he will be immediately flying to US tomorrow due to an emergency call from his work.

Hera is still in coma and all of them are really worried about her. Brylle knows that Red doesnt want to leave Heras side especially this time that she hasnt awaken yet but he doesnt have a choice but to leave the country immediately.

"How did they execute it?" Tanong niya kay Ethos.

Matiim siyang tinitigan ni Ethos at kapagkuway nag-umpisang magkwento, "as per Buencamino, everything that happened to Senator Rodriguez was planned from the very beginning." Tumayo si Ethos. Matapos ay lumapit ito sa kanya at tumayo sa gilid ng kanyang kama. Humalukipkip ito. "N'ong araw na mamatay ang senador, Mrs. Rodriguez was kidnapped by the Black Leaf. And Senator Rodriguez didnt know it until he was contacted by them."

Bahagyang nagulat si Brylle sa narinig. Kapagkuway isang ideya ang pumasok sa kanyang isipan.

"So, thats the reason why Mrs. Rodriguez didnt want an autopsy before." His idea is a little bit vague as the information isnt complete yet. However, he surely knows that Mrs. Rodriguez knew what happened that night.

Tumango sa kanya si Ethos bilang pagsang-ayon. "That syringe in your hand was already planted in Senator Rodriguez before he went back to his room that night after his dinner by Buencamino himself. Sinabihan din siya ng mga ito na dali-dali ring kunin ang syringe kapag nadiskubre agad ang pagkamatay ng senador in case the senator failed to comply in throwing the evidence outside the window." Ethos paused a little as he shook his head as if he remembered Buencaminos face as he told him the story. "He said that he was threatened by the organization. Ang sabi niya sa akin, pinagbantaan siya ng mga iyon na mamatay siya pati ang kanyang pamilya kung hindi niya susundin ang mga ito.”

Naikuyom ni Brylle ang kanyang mga kamao at napatiim-bagang muli dahil sa narinig.

"And this was their set-up: that organization called Senator Rodriguez that night while he was doing his paper works. The call was to inform him that his wife was kidnapped and so he needed to follow their instruction. I think the Senator didnt believe them at first so he was instructed to check his laptop which by then was already hacked and showed a live video where his wife was and her current condition."

Realization came through to Brylles head. The telephone booth, the messy working table and laptopSo, thats the story behind those evidences...

"I think the organization was asking for the evidences that the Senator Rodriguez had but he refused to give it. Or maybe, he lied that he didnt have it by that time which put the organization to the edge and asked him to kill himself by injecting that syringe in his body. He was forced to do it because he was threatened that his wife will die in place of him if he will not do it.”

"Those assholes!" Brylle cannot help but to curse. Their evilness really doesnt know boundaries!

"Wait...is the syringe placed in the bathroom?" An idea popped up in his mind. The morse code left by the Senator...

Tumango sa kanya si Ethos bago nagsalita, "according to Buencamino, yes. It was placed inside a flower vase."

"I knew it!" Bulalas niya at napakuyom ang kamao.

Napakunot ang noo ni Ethos sa sinabi niya. "You know what?"

Now the puzzles in his mind already fit in to their right places.

"Remember, what I told you about Senator Rodriguez case before? About the clue he left in the bathroom?" Sagot niya rito.

Tumango sa kanya si Ethos. Kapagkuway bumakas sa mukha nito ang realisasyon dahil sa sinabi niya.

"Since, the senator didnt have a choice on how to leave a clue dahil alam niyang he was monitored even inside his room because of that laptop or maybe there was a hidden camera in the window near his working table and was only given a limited time to pick up the syringe from the bathroom, ang pag-iwan na lang ng morse code through water droplets ang naisip niya kahit na alam niyang theres a chance that it will dry immediately if no one noticed it,” pagpapatuloy ni Brylle.

"I believe Senator Rodriguez took a leap of faith on the way he left the evidence and prayed that someone can immediately noticed it so we can immediately know what his case is all about," dugtong naman ni Ethos na nagpapatunay na nakuha agad nito ang gusto niyang ipunto.

Tumango-tango si Brylle sa sinabi ni Ethos. Kapagkuway isang tanong ang pumasok sa kanyang isipan na naging dahilan para kumunot muli ang kanyang noo.

"Papaano palang nakabalik agad sa bahay nila si Mrs. Rodriguez kung kinidnap siya ng organisasyon?" Tanong niya kay Ethos.

Bakit hindi niya naisip ang tanong na iyon noon? He was informed before that Mrs. Rodriguez was in her daugthers house in Taguig and it will take her more or less one hour to travel from there pabalik sa bahay nito. And weirdly, nauna pa itong dumating sa kanya roon. He wasn't able to check that aspect. If he did before, maybe, it will be a little easier for him to get more clues so he can solve the case.

Or not. Remember, it was carefully planned. And even the clues you have just lead you to the dead end, bulong niya sa kanyang isipan.

"The reason was Mrs. Rodriguez was hidden by that organization few blocks away from this subdivision," sagot ni Ethos.

Bahagyang nagulat si Brylle sa narinig na sagot ni Ethos at kapagkuway napatango. "Then, thats explain why..." Pero isang tanong na naman ang muling nabuo sa kanyang utak. "Why did the organization let her live, Ethos? She is a witness and yet she was freed by them?"

"I think its because they believe Mrs. Rodriguez knew where her husband hid the evidences. And if they kill her also, then, it will be harder for them to find those evidences. Isa pa, you know how popular Mrs. Rodriguez. She was an influencer and a heiress. I think the organization wanted to use her before to market the victorem and also, to get a support by using her assets."

"And so she was threatened not to say anything about her husbands case," Brylle gritted his teeth.

Now Brylle knows what actually happened to Senator Rodriguez, pakiramdam niya ay nabunutan na siya ng tinik. Though, he wasnt able to personally conclude his case, hes happy that the senator and even his wife can also get the justice they both deserve.

"When are you going to surrender this to the police?" Mayamaya'y tanong ni Brylle matapos dumaan ang panandaliang katahimikan.

Later, sagot nito at bumalik na sa kinauupan kanina. Ill bring that including Buencamino.

Tumango-tango si Brylle. "I hope we can wrap up this case fast."

"Oh, we will. I will not let anyone who is included in that organization be free. They need to pay for their actions," puno ng kumbiksyon na sagot naman ni Ethos. I wont let Hera, even you and the others sacrifices put in vain."

Muling tumango si Brylle sa sinabing iyon ni Ethos at kapagkuwa'y bahagyang ngumiti. Finally, Senators Rodriguez murder case will be closed in no time.

***