Austin's POV
The witness left the interrogation room and I can sense the cold gaze Aaron was giving to me. I know seeing someone the same way as they saw me will result in some misunderstandings because it looked like I was caught red-handed. But still, I was framed! How can something like this happen to me? I tightly closed my fists, I should put my emotions first before thinking objectively. I should think of a way for me to be acquitted in this kind of unbelievable accusations.
"Trace the person who keeps sending me those messages." I ordered to Aaron.
"You know that's not easy."
"Come on, I did not kill that suspect! I am innocent." I plead with him.
"You can appeal when you were forwarded to the prosecutor." He said then left the room. I can't believe it, how can he be that cold to me.
"Sir." Jason called me as soon as he entered the room.
"How can you do that, sir." He said then sat in front of me.
"I was framed. I did not kill him." I answered him.
"I know." He answered.
"What?"
"I believe in you, sir." He said.
"I want you to do me a favor." I said to him.
"Anything sir."
"Trace the number and report to me your findings." I said and he just nods.
Jason's POV
I went to the storage room and look for sir's phone as it was confiscated when he was detained. When I saw it on the box, I grab it and hide it from other police who are going in and out of the room. I hurriedly went to the cyber team and let them analyze the messages and history in the cellphone.
"Sir, we tried tracing the phone but it constantly resulting to one place." The staff said.
"Where is that?" I asked.
"This place, sir. The police station." How could that be?
"Who's sending it?"
"Wait a minute, sir." He said then start typing on his keyboard.
"Sir, it says here that the owner of the phone is sending these messages to himself." The staff answered which makes it more complicated. How in the hell did it happen?
"Check if the phone was hacked or manipulated by other parties." I ordered again.
"No sir, the message was only sent through a single line and it was still this phone."
"Alright, for now, I got it." I said then left the department when I got back the phone. This is beyond impossible.
I was absent-mindedly walking through the hallway of the station when I realized that I am here at the detainment cells of the station. I saw Sir Austin sitting at the corner of the cell alone and seems like very frustrated in his situation. I need to help him.
I drove my car to the place where we've caught the suspect and where Sir Austin was witnessed 'killing' the suspect. I walk around the lake when I saw stones were tainted with the blood but already dried and cannot immediately be seen. I wear gloves in case I may contaminate the evidence then put it inside the zip lock bag for forensics. The stone was only meters away from the actual scene and looks like this is the only stone here that has blood on it. I also get some water samples from the lake, if my hunch is right, the actual scene is not the place where the suspect was attacked and in the case of blood it was flushed by the water in the lake. After some checking, I drove back to the station, I need to prove his innocence after all.
"Where were you?" Aaron asked.
"Sir, I went back to the crime scene and I gave some evidence samples to the forensic for them to analyze."
"What? Why did you not say anything?"
"Sorry sir, I just want to help." I answered.
"Okay, I got it. Call me if you heard from them." He said then left me.
After an hour…
*Phone rings*
"Is this detective Jason?"
"Yes, speaking. Do you have now the results?"
"Yes sir, I will send them by fax now."
"Okay, thank you." I said then ended the call. The fax machine releases some documents and after the beep I got all the papers being printed.
I look each detail about it and when I saw the result I hurriedly run to Aaron's desk.
"Aaron." I called.
"What do they say?" he asked and I just handed the documents.
"They saw another fingerprint and the stone I sent seems like the murder weapon used. The shape of the wound matches the edge of the stone as well the blood is the same as the suspect. We need to release him," I reported to him. I saw he was silent for some minutes and after that, he signaled me to release me.
When I got to Sir Austin's prison cell, I saw him lying on the floor facing his back on me.
"Sir, you're released." I said and he automatically looked back.
"What? What happened?" he asked then stood up.
"I saw another evidence to prove your innocence." I said then opened the door.
"I knew it! you're the best, brother." He said to me then hug me.
"They may saw us, Austin," I said then remove his arms.
"Come on, they all know that we are half-brothers. Don't be so shy." He is such a prankster.
"Don't be so lovey-dovey there." We looked at the person who talked to us and it's Aaron.
"See? I told you! I am innocent!" Austin shouted like he's blaming everything on him.
"Yeah, I got it. just don't be suspicious next time." Aaron said then left us.
"It's not my fault for being suspicious!" Austin shouted.
"Let's go sir." I said to him.
"Don't call me sir, I want to have a drink. Won't you buy me some tofu?" he said then put his arms on my shoulder.
Quianna's POV
"You don't have to go to the office today." Dylan said to me on the phone.
"Come on, I am absent for a week. They may forget me." I said jokingly.
"You've sent your father recently. They can understand it." he still insists.
"Come on, Sir Dylan. I need to work for my living." I said then enter the parking lot of the company.
"But, you should be resting." His voice is lowered down.
"I am here, you can't do anything." I said then ended the call.
I got my bag on the passenger seat and left upon putting an alarm on it. I rode the elevator up to the 10th floor where is my office and I suddenly got a message. Looking at the fact that it is an unregistered number, I guess it is the same as when dad died and the flowerpot incident. Not believing and expecting anything but I still opened the message and read it.
'There'll be a terror attack, Dylan will save you from a gun firing'
Do I need to believe in this nonsense? Why in the world would have a terror attack in the company? We are not in any political or diplomatic situations where our behaviors can offend someone.
I just disregarded the message and entered the office, it looks like an unfamiliar place as the place is somewhat busy and everyone is in a hurry.
"Quianna!" I heard the team leader yell.
"Yes, ma'am!" I answered back and she just stares at me.
"Do your work at your desk, I will call you if I only need your help." She said then left me hanging. I follow her with my eyes, and I saw how she scolded our team member.
"Stella! I said I need you in 5 minutes! Why are you still sitting here?" I heard the team leader shouted.
"Sorry, ma'am. I haven't finished the first task you ordered."
"What?! Don't you know how hectic and busy our team today? We got many complaints!" when I heard it I approached the team manager.
"Ma'am Scarlet, what do you mean complaints?" I asked then she looked at me again.
"Quianna, please go to your desk only." She said. She seemed so calm with me, why is that?
"Stella, what does she mean complaints?" I asked the member.
"These past few days, we got calls that our product has poisonous components in it." she answered.
"What? That can't be. We are complete with sanitary and health documents." I said then check her desktop.
"Yes, but haven't you seen the news?" she asked.
"What news?" then she showed me her phone.
The news reported that our lunchbox product introduced last month and was given through a charity program results in accidents having 10 casualties and 10 are still hospitalized.
"This is impossible." I said to her and contacted Dylan.
"Hello, Dylan. Where are you?" I asked him but his background seems like there are some ruckus or something.
"I am at the lobby." He answered.
"What is happening there?"
"People are having their protests about our product and I will talk to them." He said. That's when I remembered the message.
"Wait, Dylan! Hold up, I will go down there with you." I said.
"What? I can't hear you. I'll call you later." He said.
"Dylan? Dylan!" I shouted but he already ended the call.
"Stella, I need to go somewhere." I said to her.
I hurriedly run towards the elevator and I saw the signage 'under maintenance'. I just rode it a while ago, why it is suddenly under maintenance? I have no choice but to take the stairs. From the 10th floor, I run downstairs as fast as I could, when I got there, I saw many people holding their cardboards and even throwing eggs on the guards. I saw Dylan walking towards the door and the crowd.
"Dylan!" I yelled but he did not hear me. He has already gone out of the building and trying to calm the people down.
"People! We are innocent! Our product has no problems with it, you can check our documents in it." he explained.
"How could 10 people die in just one day if your product has no defect?!" some guy shouted.
"My son just turned 15 and he has undone dreams! You stripped his right to dream!" some woman shouted and it results in more ruckus.
"Please! Hear us out." Dylan said but I just grabbed his wrist towards me.
"Yana! What are you doing here?" he asked.
"You need to go inside!" I insist.
"But, I need to talk to them." He excuses.
"I just got a message, you'll be shot!" I said to him.
"Please, this is not the time to believe in those messages!" he yelled and walk towards the crowd. I just saw a man walking out from the crowd wearing all black and looking so suspicious. I stare at him and I saw him taking out a small gun, he pointed it out to Dylan who did not see him.
"Dylan!" I yelled and I just felt myself lying on the ground.
Austin's POV"Austin! We have a case." Aaron said to me."There's a terror attack at the Blue Square building, there's one casualty." Jason explained."What? Let's go!" I said then wear my jacket."Austin!" Aaron called me and threw me a taser."Use it accordingly." He warnings."I know." I said then chuckles. We all run towards the car and Jason put the siren on.After some minutes we arrived at the building and we saw that there's still a crowd even though there's one casualty."Let us through, we're the police!" Jason shouted and we saw a woman lying on the ground, she was bleeding badly and unconscious."Have you seen the culprit?" I asked to the guy who's holding the woman."No, I was looking at her and she suddenly run towards me and shot by gun. Everything happens so fast." He said hysterically."The ambulance is here, sir." Jason said and I give way to the rescuer who's holding first aids and other
Quianna's POV"Quianna, be the witness." He said with seriousness in his voice."What are you talking about?" I asked."You have to tell me every time you received a message, by that you would not be involved in any of it." he explained."But why would I do that?" I confusedly asked."Cause, I am with the police and you're just a civilian?" he answered"I can protect myself." I said to him."Yana, I think I should go." Dylan suddenly entered the room."What's with this atmosphere?" he asked."I shall go also, seems like I got her statement completely." Austin said to us."I got it, thank you very much, sir." Dylan answered and Austin left the room."Dylan, I thought you'll be going to?" I said to him."Right, I should go. Rest well." He said then smiled at me.Now that I am alone in the room, I can have peace and think about his offer to me. To be honest, I am tempted, I also do want to know w
Austin's POV"You are alone inside and before entering the elevator, sir." He reported."What are you saying?" I asked."What is it, sir?""Nothing, I got it." I just answered him but still confused about who is that woman. I did not saw her face as she's still looking downwards while still talking to me.I walk towards the room of Quianna, but peek first to see if she's with someone inside. Upon seeing that she's alone lying on her bed, I entered the room and checking the place."What do you want?" she said while facing her back on me."I just got a report that the assailant went in this hospital." I answered."What? Did you catch him?" she immediately asked."Not yet, but our team is tailing him now, you can hear good news later." I answered."About my offer, have you thought about it?" I asked to him."I am still not sure. I can ask help with my best friend." She answered."But he's not a police o
Quianna's POV"Then I am just stuck at being your friend?" Dylan said to me."Are you drunk?" I jokingly said to him."I did not drink." He answered, another silence happened between of us."But why are you acting like a drunk?" I asked him."Who's drunk? I am not drunk!" Aina suddenly intervenes and collapsed after she said that."Yana…""Just go home, Dylan. I just want to breath fresh air." I said then get my jacket.I left Aina's apartment and sat on the wide bench here. I looked up and I saw a lot of stars shining at the dark sky. They looked so beautiful together, then this crazy idea suddenly crosses my mind, what if those stars are actually planets and people lived there, our parallel selves living at one of those stars choosing the things we do not do at this planet we currently live. That's so amusing, people are the same, but their lives differ on what choices they apply."What are you thinking so hard
Austin's POVI arrived at the station before the dawn breaks, I saw some constable moving around the whole place."Sir, you're early." Jason greeted me."What are doing here? Did you not go home last night?" I asked him."Aaron won't let the team go home until we found the suspect." He answered and started drying his hair with his towel."That guy, where is he?" I asked to him."I think he's at the evidence room" upon hearing it I went upstairs and go directly to the evidence room. I entered in and I saw him watching something on the monitor."What are you staring on, too early in the morning?" I said to him, and I realized that he's sleeping soundly."How dare you sleeping in here while the team is up the whole night?!" I yelled at him and smacked the back of his head."Austin! That hurts!" he shouted when he woke up."That hurts? Get a grip Aaron. I'll be out later." I said to him."Where are you going?"
Quianna's POVI saw the rescuers immediately responded to where the driver is. They are preparing for moving the victim out of the car and I just watching them silently and still worried about how badly that woman got injured."Ma'am are you sure someone is here?" one of the rescuers approached me and seriously asked me about it. I looked at him confused and glance at the driver's seat side of the car."Yeah, she's badly hurt. She's bleeding all over her face." I explained to him, and I saw him looking very confused like what in the world I am talking about."But, no one is here, ma'am." When the rescuer said that words to me, I felt my senses left my whole body. I feel numb, I definitely saw someone in there, bleeding badly."What are you talking about?" I just said to him and run towards the driver's seat. I looked at it and saw the seat was empty but there were traces of blood on some parts."Maybe somebody helped her to get off from the
Austin's POVI am standing here in front of the Imperial Hospital, Quianna should insured her life as she's always entering hospital since the day we've met. I directly headed towards the information desk and asked the room of Quianna. When the lady gave me the room number, I immediately walked towards the elevator and calmly pressed the floor button where the room is located. This time, I think we should stop thinking that everything is happening unusual, for it was really unusual. We should start asking how it happened and who's behind it, that's my agenda with Quianna today."Come in." she said upon knocking once."You knew that I'm on my way here?" I asked her immediately and put a basket of fruits on the table beside her."Yeah, Dylan told me." she answered and scanned the basket."You don't have to bring something like this." She said and started picking the grapes."This will be the last, can you stop going to hospital?" I sarcastical
Quianna's POVAfter Austin left, I think about all the things he said to me. Should I really need to leave the company for good? Do I have I focus on investigating my father's case? When should I tell of this to Dylan? I know I should trust my best friend but there's something about him that kept on telling me not to spill every detail that Austin and I have. I felt somewhat bored as I stare at the four-cornered white walls of this hospital room. I stood up and pull the dextrose stand with me as I walked through the hallways, it was a night of quiet and chilling place for me, this is the reason why I hate hospitals, I hate places that have no person in it, I hate to be alone.I continued walking and I reached the end of the side of the hospital where the rest place was located. It is a huge place enough for people who are visiting their loved ones in this floor, it also has tables and chairs used mainly by the doctors and nurses who are staying all night just to attend
Quianna’s POVI started driving quick beyond the maximum when Austin texted me the location of the accident. I was nervous, scared and even unstable at the same time, but I do not have the time to be weak. I thought I already overcame those struggles, Aina lived after that day, Austin also lived even though I am not still sure if he died in the other world. But Dylan, he do not have the right to feel comfortable or even relaxed knowing that there is no direct evidence, in the beginning. But now, Aina got another one, but her life became in danger, I do not deserve to be called as her best friend or even the one to receive those messages.I arrived at the location of the accident, and I saw a car parked in the middle of the road and somewhat little smoke was coming out from the front of that car. I quickly get off and run towards the driver’s seat to check if Aina was still there, but she was not. I was in mental breakdown, do not know what to think, my mind
Quianna’s POVI stayed on the ground as long as I wanted, my tears were already dried because of the cold gusting wind of the night but I am still here on my knees. I looked up in the sky and it was dark grey in color, despite of the night being calm, I could still sense its gloominess. I slowly stood up as I decided to go back to the ward, I should be doing another plan of catching Dylan’s tail instead of sitting in this place alone and crying. I do not have the time to feel the pain, to feel the sadness, to feel the pain that both of us were having.It was all pointless.I walked towards the door and turned the doorknob slowly, when someone at the other side pulled the door and I forcedly let the door opened without me exerting any kind of effort. I stood firm as I looked of who could that person be. I smiled weakly when I recognized his cold face staring back at me. He slowly walked towards me and I was just waiting for him to arrive in front of m
Quianna’s POVI sat on the couch here in the VIP ward where Austin was resting, I personally asked for this room as a private place for the four of us to talk about the plans. In this separated room from the others, as well as from the other wards, no one could ever notice the people who would go in and out from this place of the hospital. This is exclusively made for the family, a ward that all of the relatives could go whenever something happened- and now that I do not have any family now, I could use this to whoever I wanted.I looked on Austin and he was comfortably lying on the bed while sleeping. It is already past midnight but I cannot sleep. I have to think straight and plan my next move, the enemies would not stay still knowing that their mission of killing Austin, the thing that they expected will happen did not take place in this version of the parallel world.I heard pairs of footsteps from the outside and walking towards this direction. I quic
Quianna’s POVThe clock struck on midnight and I am the only one staying in the house. Because of the conflict that our group made, every one of them has their own thing to be done, or to do just to save me in this hell. I was sitting on the cold tiled floor at the living room and leaning my back against the couch I am trying to fit myself in between the glass centerpiece and the long couch in this part of the house. In front of me was a huge transparent fiber glass window, but it was open halfway leading the cold evening breeze coming in as the white plain curtains were moving in the shadow. It was pitch black inside the house, I have been here since Aina left hours after Aaron and Jason did, she said that she has something to do for the case that he now has to leave.Not saying anything to me or even a hint, she left without turning back. I only kept on staring blankly, letting out deep sigh of worries and frustrations not only for the situation we are in but m
Austin’s POVI looked around the crime scene, just judging by the look of the room, I guess there had been a fight that leads for his demise. Aaron keeps walking around even if the only thing that he should be checking is the drawers of this table, I searched all of it, even the insides and under of the furniture, to check if there could be any secret compartment- but there is none. The forensics might also get the results from the prints they got in this room, Aaron is glancing over me and I realized that we got the conversation we are needing right now. I nodded at him and both of us went out from the room, stood by the end of the hallway and even look around checking for people who might eavesdrop from our conversation.“What happened?” I asked to him and leaned on the wall.“When Jason and I got in the room, he is already dead.” He answered to me.“Not that one.” I said and he looked at me.“What
Austin’s POVIt was a brief confusing moment for me, why the regional office would open that case again, and on top of that, it looks like a confidential and close investigation to me. She stares at me as I looked at her in my puzzled look, I do not want to any anything, as I might say something that I was keeping to myself- Yana’s case is not known to anyone, especially to the police force. As what Yana said to all of us, this case is extra special, not only that it does not have a direct suspect, but at the same time evidence are difficult to find.Child murderer, that is the name of the case in which Dylan was connected to. Based on the database, he is the victim of that crime but the name was telling something otherwise. His mother committed suicide but the only one who witnessed that crime was himself, Dylan- in which should be the witness not labeled as the murderer.“Why would that case resurface again?” I asked to her and she plai
Austin’s POVI am frustrated, that is for sure. I am mad to myself that I cannot accept the fact that Yana is saying the truth and probably the most plausible thing to do in this case. I left the house and decided to have my adventure on my own, just only this time. I need time to be alone and think of the possible ways to solve everything. I know parallel world is something that was not yet taken seriously and is still not normal in law and even in the society. I went back to the police station and they were looking at me, I am still not yet back in the force but I do not care on any of that. I will still go back in here, investigate like my badge was still active and order these juniors who has been slacking since Aaron got another case- and that was Yana’s.As soon as they saw me, they quickly moves and started to act like they were busy looking on those documents who were just nothing but empty papers piled. I walked towards them and stood firm as I ser
Quianna’s POVAina and I were only looking at him, he is totally out of his mind and he wanted to sacrifice the life of his daughter when he said that it is the sole reason why he is doing this study. I just cannot understand how his mind works, he initially wanted to save his only daughter and now, he is willing to give her up just to prove his theories. I looked on Aina and she was silently watching his own father being mindlessly rummaging through the files and looking like some crazy scientific man who gave everything up for his own discovery.But I wanted to correct my word for that, this is not his own discovery- he just stole it from my dad.I stood up and started walking towards the door, I cannot waste my time here watching and even babysitting some insane person, I need to know more or even everything about this place. I successfully went out but I felt that someone got the door behind me, I looked back and it was Aina. She smiled at me and nodde
Quianna’s POV\I looked again on the message and glance over to Aina sitting on the couch, how could I protect her when I just asked her to observe those people? I just let out a deep sigh and trying to rack my brains out to think the possible solution for it. I still believe these messages; I still want to believe in these things. I stood up and decided to go to the Sekai Organization, I noticed that she also stood up and followed me, I abruptly stopped and looked back to her.“You have to call Jason.” I said to her and she looked shocked.“Hey! I told you, I do not have anything to say—” I did not let her finish her sentence and showed her my phone.“You are dying.” I said to her and she went silent.“What do you want me to do?” she seriously said and put down my phone.“Do you want to go with me?” I asked and she smirked.“Of course.” She said and I