✔ 02 | Flames Of Madness [Soon To Be Published Under PSICOM]

CAPITULUM 05

Jones' residence
7:50 a.m.

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"That's just crazy."

Mahinang bulong ni Detective Briannova Carlos nang makitang nawawala ang isang mata ng negosyante. Just like what Nico said, his face was smashed with a blunt object and barely recognizable with the burnt flesh. Halos malglag na rin ang isa nitong mata na kamuntikan nang ikinasuka ng dalaga. 'Gosh! Maisusuka ko pa yata ang inalmusal ko.'

"Looks like the work of another psychopath. Mukhang mabilis kumakalat ang lahi ni Heartless Killer." Hinimas ni Inspector Ortega ang kanyang bigote, his eyes assessed the burnt corpse before them.

Pero nakatitig pa rin si Detective Nico Yukishito sa nawasak na bungo ng bangkay. Ilang sandali pa, bahagya itong bumaling sa kanya.

"Nova, make yourself useful and get that steel tray over there."

Napanganga si Nova nang utusan siya nito. 'Aba! At sino ba siya sa inaakala niya para utusan ako?!' The pink-haired detective feels damn irritated again. Ni wala man lang "please"! No one---and she means, NO ONE---bosses her around like that. Her pride wouldn't let it.

"Go get it yourself."

"What in the name of Sherlock?" Tumalim ang mga mata ni Nico, "This is exactly the reason why I don't want to have a partner."

"The feel is mutual, you air-headed emo."

"Tsk! Quit being such a brat, Nova."

"I-I'm not a brat!"

"You are."

Napapahakbang na lang paatras si Inspector Ortega. Maging ang mga ECU personnel, pinagtitinginan na ang pag-aaway ng dalawa sa pinakamagagaling na detectives sa Eastwood.

They must think Nico and Nova are both childish.

Huminga nang malalim ang dalaga. Mukhang kahit na case closed na ang Heartless Killer case, hindi pa rin sila matututong magkasundo. 'Walang patutunguhan ang imbestigasyon namin kung palagi na lang kaming mag-aaway,' she stubbornly thought. Mukhang kailangan na nga muna nilang isantabi ang pride nila, or atleast one of the should. The pink-haired detective was about to get the steel tray for Nico when someone spoke.

"Here."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Nova nang may nag-abot na ng steel tray kay Detective Nico. Tinitigan niya ang babaeng maikli ang buhok at may kulay asul na highlights. Her blue eyes were sharp and assessing. She wore a brown bomber jacket with the crest of the Eastwood Police on it.

'She looks familiar...'

Walang reaksyon namang tinanggap ni Nico ang tray at sinimulan na ang kailangan niyang gawin. Gamit ang tweezers mula sa kanyang personal tool kit, maingat na kinuha ng detective ang isang kakaibang bagay na nakapasok sa ulo ng bangkay ni Mr. Jones. Nang lapitan ito ni Nova, her eyebrows furrowed upon seeing it..

"A golden rosary?"

Natigilan silang lahat.

Whoever the arsonist is, he must be a twisted devil to do such crime.

Seryosong pinagmasdang maigi ni Nico ang ginintuang rosaryo. "Looks like another lunatic wants to mock us again. How fortunate!" Ngumisi siya at ibinigay na kina Inspector Ortega ang nahanap.

Habang abala ang mga ito sa pag-uusap, ibinalik ni Nova ang kanyang mga mata sa bangkay. She doesn't want to imagine how this man burned. Ever since she was young, she felt uncomfortable around fires. Kung pwede niya lang lumayo sa anumang klase ng apoy, gagawin niya.

'Another case, another criminal to catch.'

But something caught her eye.

Sa sahig sa ilalim ng bangkay, sumilip ang ilang mga numero. Maingat niyang kinuha ang latex gloves sa kanyang bulsa at inusog ang katawan ng patay. The smell of burnt flesh almost made her sick again, but she forced herself to focus.

"Ano naman ang mga 'to?"

Numbers.

Scribbled on the floor in blood..

-1 2       7 -1      6 -1     4 -1

'It looks like some kind of code?' Masama ang kutob ni Nova dito. Kung isa nga itong dying message ng biktima, kailangan nila itong i-decode agad. Binalingan niya ang kanyang partner, "Hey, Nico? You need to see this."

*

"Hey, Nico? You need to see this."

'If she's just gonna annoy me again, I might as well leave her and grab a cup of my beloved coffee.'

But something in his head is telling him that this is important. Nang makarating siya sa kinaroroonan ni Nova, agad na kumunot ang noo niya nang makita ang mga nakasulat sa sahig.

"What in the name of Sherlock?"

This case is getting more and more interesting!

Napabuntong-hininga si Nova, "Do you think the victim wrote this for us?"

"No."

"Huh?"

"Nova, Mr. Jones was already dead when he was dragged inside his mansion. Walang sinumang mabubuhay matapos halos wasakin ang bungo nila nang ganyan kalala. A lot of blood was lost and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be able to write down codes and hide it under his dead body. Kung magsusulat man siya ng dying message at itatago lang din niya ito sa sahig sa ilalim ng kanyang katawan, I'm pretty sure Mr. Jones would just write the name or description of his killer."

No. This wasn't written by the businessman.

"Malamang ang arsonist slash murderer mismo ang nag-iwan nito para sa'tin," binasa ulit ni Nico ang mga numero at kumuha ng ballpen mula sa kanyang jacket. Isa-isa niyang sinubukan ang mga alam niyang ciphers at codes, pero wala siyang mai-decode sa mga ito.

"Damn this.."

Paniguradong may gusto ngang ipahiwatig sa kanila ng arsonist. 'But what does these numbers mean?'

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