Chapter Four

“NEXT time you do that trick, I deserve a little warning.”

Tahimik na tinanggap ni Tennyson ang tubig na iniabot sa kanya ni Alvin at sa kabila ng matinding panginginig ay ininom niya iyon; nearly finishing the entire bottle kung hindi lang muling inagaw sa kanya ng binata upang bigyan siya ng oras para huminga. 

“Breathe.” He hissed at her at ng agad siyang tumango ay ibinalik nito sa kanya ang bote ng tubig. Inabot niya ang bag na nasa lapag at kinuha doon ang bote ng pills niya; popping two tablets into her mouth and swallowed it with water. 

When she turned to Alvin ay sinikap niyang maging mas kalmado. “I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted. Now, tell me, anong nararamdaman mo?”

Hindi na gusto pa ni Tennyson na ibahagi sa binata ang nadarama niya. Ngunit alam niyang wala siyang ibang pagpipilian. She chose to work and train under Alvin and it also means na kailangan niyang harapin ang mga bagay na hindi na niya gustong harapin pa. Isang buntong hininga ang pinakawalan niya bago muling binalingan ang bangkay na nasa kama. 

The screws in her head started spinning once again habang nakatitig siya doon—or what’s left of Rosalyn San Juan. There was blood kahit saan siya tumingin; but most of the blood was pooling—and has been soaked—sa kama ng dalaga; where she was obviously killed. The woman was wearing a silky nightgown na ngayon ay nababalot na ng dugo nito; turning the silky white into something dark red—the color of death. The smell of her blood was strong and permeating in the air at ilang EMTs na ang nakita niyang nagmamadaling lumabas ng silid and to the nearest restroom to do God knows what.

Slowly, Tennyson snapped her eyelids shut; removing the presence of people in the room. She breathed in and out between forty-five-second intervals at ng magmulat siya ng mga mata ay siya na lang ang tao sa loob ng silid. There was no blood scattered on the walls of the bedroom… no blood pooling on the bed and no dead body na nasa gitna ng kama. It wasn’t even afternoon anymore but nighttime. 

Rosalyn San Juan lay peacefully asleep on her bed—and very much alive. 

Tahimik na tumayo si Tennyson mula sa kinauupuan niya; dropping her bag on the floor at naglakad ng patalikod patungo sa pintuan, standing in front of her closed dorm room for a few minutes. She stared at the doorknob at pinihit iyon, realizing it was locked before she went outside the building and behind; staring at the open windows of her room. In the darkness of the night ay maingat niyang inabot ang pulldown stairs at sumampa doon, climbing and breaking into Rosalyn’s bedroom ng hindi kinakailangang dumaan sa main door. Looking down at her hand, she found a huge Chef’s knife with a 12-inch blade. 

Muli ay bumaling siya sa dalagang mahimbing na natutulog at lumapit dito. The strong urge to stab the life out of the young woman is spiraling out of her control. At bago pa man magbago ang isip niya ay wala sabi-sabing hiniwa niya ang lalamunan nito. 

Rosalyn let out a startled gasp; clearly surprised by the unexpected attack ngunit hindi makasigaw dahil pinutol niya ang vocal chords nito; preventing her from screaming for help… but making sure she will be alive to feel as she tortures her—as she skins her alive. Agad niyang pinakubabawan ang dalaga; grab her arm while her foot was stepping on her other arm upang hindi siya maitulak o makalmot nito. She sliced her skin off at ng naka-angat iyon ay walang sabi-sabing hinila niya pababa; peeling her skin from her elbow down to her wrist. 

Muli ay napasinghap ang dalaga at hindi nakaligtas sa paningin niya ang luhang tumulo sa mga mata nito. Tennyson was breathless with excitement as she continued peeling her skin off her flesh. When she resisted, she drove the knife to her stomach bago muling binalatan ang dalaga. And every time she would resist, she would stab her—which had caused the blood on the walls. It took her a good fifteen minutes hanggang sa hindi na gumagalaw ang dalaga. Ngunit hindi siya tumigil. She continued skinning her; removing every skin na makikita niyang naiwan sa dalaga and when she was done, she was drenched completely in blood. 

Pinahid niya ang dugong tumalsik sa mukha niya bago umalis ng kama at nagtungo sa banyo; ipinatong ang kutsilyo sa toilet cover at naghugas ng kamay. When she was clean enough ay muli siyang bumalik sa silid and stared at what’s left of Rosalyn; her pretty face remained untouched. She would never hurt her face—not her face. 

It has meaning for her. 

“Tennyson?”

Tennyson blinked and in an instant ay nasa loob na muli siya ng silid; seated on the chair na pina-okupa sa kanya ni Alvin with the very man in front of her; looking curiously and patiently at her. Muli ay kumurap-kurap siya at nagpalinga-linga; realizing a few moment’s later that she was back in her reality. “Identity.”

“What?”

“Her face—the killer did not touch it.” Aniya bago agad na tumayo upang sipatin ang biktima; steeling her stomach upang hindi niya ilabas lahat ng kinain niya ng araw na iyon. Kinuha niya ang rubber gloves at isinuot iyon bago hinawakan ang mukha ni Rosalyn; it was pale—a ghastly color of death. Mula sa magandang mukha ng dalaga ay bumaba ang kamay niya sa lalamunan nito at itinuro iyon kay Alvin. “The first wound.”

“Upang hindi siya makasigaw.”

“She had stab wounds as well.” Bumaba ang mga kamay niya sa ilang bakas ng saksak sa dalaga: one on her stomach, one under her ribs, and one on her chest right above her heart. “Every time she would struggle, the killer would stab her.”

“Anong mayroon sa mukha niya?”

“Identity.” Ang muling sambit niya bago bumaling sa mukha ng dalaga; gently caressing her frozen cheek at hindi napansin ang pagkunot ng noo ni Alvin sa tinuran niya. “And a challenge.”

“Challenge?”

“Kung kanino ay hindi ko alam. This is not going to be the last.” Nilinga niya ang binata na matiim na nakatitig sa kanya. Some unnamed emotion was present in his eyes ngunit hindi niya magawang pangalanan iyon. “The killer is… challenging someone—this is a game. Gusto niyang habulin siya ng taong hinahamon niya.” 

“What about identity?”

“This is humiliation.” Itinuro niya kay Alvin ang kasalukuyang estado ng katawan ng bangkay. “She stripped her of everything—literally. Pero hindi niya ginalaw ang mukha ni Rosalyn. It could only mean na regardless of stripping her of everything, the killer wants to preserve her identity.”

“For what purpose?”

Isang buntong hininga ang pinakawalan niya. Iyon lang ang nag-iisang katanungan ng binata na hindi niya mabibigyan ng sagot. “I don’t know.” 

And regardless, Alvin didn’t look nor sound disappointed. “And the murder weapon?”

Muli ay nilinga ni Tennyson ang katawan bago inabot ang braso nito; where the skinning started. “It could only be a Chef’s knife; probably between eight to twelve inches—but I’m guessing approximately twelve inches.”

“The killer is a woman.” 

This time ay siya naman ang gulat na bumaling sa binata; taimtim nitong pinagmamasdan ang katawan ng biktima. Alvin leaned forward and touched the stab wounds. “Paano mo nasabing babae ang suspect?”

“Rosalyn was stabbed a total of six times.” Anito na tila ba dapat ay alam niya ang sagot sa sariling tanong. “She’s a big and tall woman. Kung sinusubukan niyang manlaban, it means the killer can’t fully restrain her—hence, she needs to be stabbed. If the killer is a man, kayang-kaya niyang hawakan lang ng isang kamay ang dalaga to subdue her.”

“I see.”

 “Anything else you want to tell me?”

Tennyson wanted to tell Alvin na gusto na niyang lumabas ng silid; that the smell of blood and the sight of the dead was making her excited ngunit agad niyang pinigilan ang sarili. Instead, she said, “This is her first kill.”

Awtomatiko ang pag-angat ng kilay nito. “Why do you believe so?”

“This is… sloppy. She will get better at killing—she’s going to evolve dahil may hinahamon siya.”

“The law?”

“No. This is not about breaking laws. This is an invitation to someone.” When her stomach started churning once again ay agad niyang hinubad ang duguang rubber gloves at itinapon iyon sa basurahan. She got her bag from the floor at isinukbit iyon sa balikat at muling hinarap si Alvin matapos igala ang mga mata sa buong silid. She could still feel the leftover sensations of excitement and exhilaration in the room. “She’s enjoying this.” Marahas niyang ipinilig ang ulo. “The killer is enjoying this.”

“Why do you have to put emphasis on the word killer. Alam ko kung ano at sino ang tinutukoy mo.”

Tennyson stared intently into Alvin’s eyes and wondered if she could trust him. Muli ay may kung anong emosyon siyang nakita sa mga mata ng binata bago bumuntong hininga. “Because I’m enjoying this as well.” 

Iyon lang at tinalikuran na niya ang binata at dali-daling lumabas ng silid. 

—

ALVIN stared at the preliminary reports bago nilinga ang profile ni Tennyson.

The woman was clearly right on most of the things na sinabi nito sa kanya sa crime scene—from the location of the first wound to the possible murder weapon na ginamit. Dropping the initial report about Rosalyn San Juan ay kinuha niya ang CI report na ipinagawa niya tungkol kay Tennyson. 

He stared at her face at isa lang ang emosyon na nakirehistro sa mukha nito: she looked haunted. Kung saan ay hindi niya alam. As much as she couldn’t read him, he couldn’t read her as well; kahit pa dalawang beses na niyang hinawakan ang dalaga. There was something else about her—a shield. 

Tennyson Montessa is very… cautious. Was it because she thinks like a killer kaya pino-protektahan nito ang isip nito from any outside influence? Is it for her own safety… or for the safety of her potential victims?

Ng makita niya ang profile ng dalaga ay alam na niya agad na kailangan niyang mag-ingat dito. There was something equally breakable… and dangerous about the woman. One of his most trusted members warned him about having Tennyson in the team. Na bagaman isang valued profiler ang dalaga, the fact will always remain that she’s very much unhinged. But it didn’t deter him from pursuing the woman upang maging miyembro ng unit na itinatayo niya. 

Muli ay ibinalik ni Alvin ang mga mata sa larawan nito. Despite the haunted expression on her face, she was still beautiful. Thin and perfect eyebrows, large eyes with clear brown orbs it was almost gold—a conflicting shade of summer and autumn—with a dark ring sa paligid nito; giving more emphasis to her hidden fierceness. Her lips a dark shade of pink and sharp cheekbones. Ang buhok nito ay mahaba at alun-alon sa gitna; a few tendrils kissing her skin in careless abandon. She was unnaturally pale at mas pinaigting ang pagiging maputla nito ng nangingitim na mga mata nito; a clear sign of sleepless nights. 

Slender shoulders, small-breasted and barely five feet and two inches. She also looked pretty much underweight for her built and age. But it doesn’t change the fact that she was attractive despite her obvious flaws. 

“Looks dangerous to me.”

Nilinga ni Alvin ang bagong tinig bago isinara ang folder containing Tennyson’s CI. “It’s not like it’s a family secret.”

“Ano na ngang tawag sa kanya? The lunatic Montessa heir?”

“The media can be very unforgiving, Mav.” Aniya sa binata bago pinagmasdan ito; leaning over the rails of his second-floor library sa loob ng opisina niya. 

Maverick Faulkerson is an outstanding man with equally exceptional skills. With his hard background and military training, kahit sino ay gugustuhin na kakampi ang binata sa kahit na anong away o gulo. He was an expert in guns, a sharpshooter, and a black-belter. He is someone who can inflict pain on someone… and heal himself kahit pa gaanong kalalim ang sugat na tinamo nito. 

He is also someone who can identify if someone is a psychic.  

Tahimik itong bumaba mula sa library niya; jumping off the rails and landing silently in front of him bago muling kinuha ang folder ng dalaga. With a critical eye proficient on spotting errors and flaws ay pinagmasdan nito ang larawan ni Tennyson bago muling isinara ang folder at ibinalik sa mesa. “Well deserve.”

“A pure empath.”

“A gifted telepath, a clairvoyant, and someone who possesses an impenetrable shield.” Dagdag pa nito sa bagot na tinig. “I was watching her—as instructed—ng magpunta siya sa crime scene yesterday morning. She seemed very… connected to the world.”

“Well, she told me na nae-excite siya ng makita niya ang crime scene—and the dead student.” Nagkibit balikat si Alvin. “And even in her most frail moment, I can’t get past her shield.”

“I told you. It’s impenetrable.”

“There’s no such thing as impenetrable, Maverick.” Aniya; hindi pinansin ng paikutan siya ng mga mata ng binata. “I’m sure may dahilan kung bakit sarado ang utak niya; why it’s guarded the way it’s guarded.”

“The woman has ADHD and OCD, Alvin. It can be a contributing factor.” Muli ay nagkibit balikat si Maverick. “She couldn’t stay put in a single place. Worse, she has intrusive thoughts. Natural lang na po-protektahan niya ang utak niya especially at ganito ang field of work niya; regardless if unofficial. She’s pretty much exposed. Kung ako sa iyo ay huwag mo ng subukan na i-penetrate ang harang niya sa utak. There’s a reason why the world did this to her. And if you pushed her, things can get dangerous. Hindi lang para sa kanya kung hindi para sa iyo na din.”

But Alvin wasn’t about to rest his case. 

Iba ang interes na nadarama niya para kay Tennyson. The moment he laid his eyes on her, he knew na kailangang maging miyembro ng unit niya ang dalaga; regardless if her mind is derailed. The strong urge to control her was getting out of his hand at mas lalo lang napag-igting ang kagustuhan niyang manipulahin ang dalaga—at ang abilidad nito—when he’d seen her into action sa crime scene kahapon. 

Worst, it excites him to see her excited about the crime scene; about the murder. 

She had that dangerous glint in her almost honey gold eyes at gusto niyang muling makita iyon; knowing the potential danger na dala ng dalaga which also brings out her natural investigative and critical skills. 

“Is that obsession na nakikita ko sa mga mata mo, Alvin?”

He turned bored eyes to Maverick’s direction. “I don’t know kung anong sinasabi mo.”

“Of course, you do. You’re not an idiot. Word of the wise? Avoid this woman.”

“Dahil?”

Nagkibit balikat ito. “I’ve been trained all my life to know who’s bad news and who’s not, Alvin. And my gut is telling me that this Tennyson Montessa is not just bad news—but plain danger. Kung gusto mo siyang maging miyembro ng unit ay wala namang problema. But I suggest you stick your interest in her on the professional side. I can’t promise that I won’t take her down if she as much as puts you in harm’s way.”

Tuluyan ng lumabas ng opisina niya ang binata at hindi na rin niya pinigilan ito. 

He didn’t want Maverick messing in his head samantalang mali naman ang hinala nito sa kanya. He stared once again at Tennyson’s candid photo bago isinara ang folder nito at itinago sa desk drawer niya.

For now, he needs to get the damned woman out of his head.