Chapter 3

Ayashi's POV

Nagsalubong ang dalawang kilay ko nang mahuli ko si Calvin kanina pa panay titig sa akin, tinaasan ko siya ng kilay dahil doon.

"Do you know what you did the other day became the hot topic inside the campus?!" Binalatan ko ang lollipop tsaka ko isinubo yun sa bibig. "Grabe Ayashi, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwalang ginawa mo yun.”

"I'm not here to talk about what I did," I crossed my arms, "ang gusto ko lang marinig ay ang mga impormasyong nakalap mo.”

"Sabi ko nga." Luminga-linga siya upang tignan kung may iba pang estudyante sa classroom o wala.

"Spill it."

"Hindi ko alam kung coincidence lang ba na nakita ko si Linette noong araw na yun, I saw her approached Rhea the first thing in the morning. I heard them talking but it's not really that serious, parang nagpapasalamat si Linette sa mga ginawang mabuti ni Rhea para sa kanya. I feel something is off pero binalewala ko lang. Tapos around 8 ng umaga nakita kong inapproach niya rin si ma'am Cassandra—"

"Why is she close to Ma’am Cassandra?"

"Maybe because si ma'am Cassandra kasi yung nagsusupport sa pag-aaral niya, they are not related pero dati kasi nalaman ni ma'am Cassandra na naghihirap ang pamilya ni Linette kaya hindi masusustentuhan ng mga magulang niya ang pag-aaral niya. So ma'am Cassandra helped Linette with her payment in school. She became her scholar.”

"Is that so? Then narinig mo ba yung pinag-usapan nila?"

"Unfortunately, no." Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin, "But I asked her after school yesterday and katulad lang din kay Rhea, nagpasalamat si Linette sa ginawang tulong ni ma'am Cassandra sa kaniya."

That's odd. She didn't talked to them about something, does that mean she didn't have any problems at home or at school?

"How about that boyfriend of hers? Hindi ba sila nag-usap?" I asked.

"Well, that same morning ay magkasabay kami ni Linette pumunta ng school kasi same block lang kami nakatira. So I'm pretty sure that they do not have any conversation that day well, if they have, maybe they talked through phone." Paliwanag ni Calvin.

"Are you certain that they didn't saw each other the day after the incident?"

"I talked to Paul and he said they haven't. He look very sad tho." 

Tatawagin ko pa rin ba siyang chismoso o stalker na lang? Ang dami niyang alam, kulang na lang ikwento niya ang buong buhay ng biktima.

Pero hindi ko pa rin maintindihan, if Linette approached those people that made her life precious then why didn't she approach her boyfriend? Maybe she contacted him?

Paano ko naman malalaman yun kung nasa mga pulisya na ang phone niya?

"Nga pala, si Kaitlyn ang huling kausap niya bago siya namatay." Nakuha naman agad ni Calvin ang atensyon ko, "Unlike Linette's conversation with the others, sobrang seryoso ng pinag-usapan nila. Hindi ko na sila nasundan kasi nagbell na sa mga oras na yun."

"Where did you saw them?

"At the rooftop."

This is still confusing to me. I need to make sure that this case isn't just like a typical love triangle drama.

"By the way, maputla ba at nanginginig si Linette nang makita mo siya? Or did she went to her locker?" Kunot noo kong tanong.

"Nope, hindi siya pumunta sa locker area sa umagang yun. Hindi rin siya maputla, masigla pa nga siya eh. Bakit?"

If she didn't went to her locker that day, then who did I saw?

I don't believe in supernatural things but, is there a possibility that what I saw in the locker area is Linette's soul? 

Kinuha ko ang susi muli sa bulsa ko tsaka yun inilapag sa desk niya, taka naman akong binalingan ng tingin ni Calvin.

"We need exactly two things to put all the pieces together," I said with a serious expression on my face, "first and the most important thing, we need Linette's phone. Second, we need all the things inside her locker."

"I will give you two obvious difficulties that we might face if we wanted those things in our possession. I just want to remind you that Linette's cellphone is already in the possession of the police officers, and we don't have the key to her locker so it's impossible for us to obtain the things you just said."

"The cellphone is my problem so you don't have to worry about it, I have my ways." Sumandal ako sa upuan, “And with the locker? You can have a free access to it using this key."

Ang mga mata niya ay agad dumako sa susi na nasa desk.

"Paano mo nakuha yan?" He asked.

"Let's just say, Linette herself wanted this case to solve immediately." Or if there is something deep into it.

Naibulsa agad ni Calvin ang susi nang makarinig kami ng malakas na kalabog galing sa labas, napatingin kami sa lalaking kakapasok lang. Calvin quickly tensed up when he saw Giovanni walking towards our direction.

Malakas niyang hinampas ang desk ng upuan ko tsaka niya ako tinitigan ng mariin, those green eyes that stares coldly at you that makes your soul frozen into place.

"Well hello President Giovanni, do you have anything to discuss with me?" I can taste the sweetness of the lollipop inside my mouth, "I thought you're busy on the investigation? We made a bet, right?"

"That's why I'm here." His voice is colder than usual, I wonder why.

"You wanna talk about the bet—"

"I want to stop the bet." naningkit ang mga mata ko dahil sa sinabi niya.

I looked at him in his eyes.

"We already seal the deal Mr. Giovanni," I crossed my arms under my chest, "or do you want me to repeat it again so you could remember it. I won't mind."

All of the students outside started whispering with each other, anak ba sila lahat ni marites? 

"Don't be stubborn and listen to me—"

"We already seal the deal," tumayo ako upang bahagya kaming magkapantay, "are you backing out now?"

"I just don't want a weakling like you meddling with this kind of job—" naputol ang pagsasalita niya nang may ipakita ako sa kanya.

A deal is a deal, and it's kind of upsetting to hear him calling me a weakling.

Hinila ko siya papalapit sa akin gamit ang necktie niya. "Weakling? Hmm, I was hoping you could use a better word than that. If you wanna push me out of this case, you need to play your cards right."

His eyes darted on the ID that is on my desk. It's my ID from the private organization where Tita Ysabel is working , I didn't mention it before but I also worked for that same organization as an investigator, I investigate and gather evidences. I started working for them when I was 13, I just got my official ID when I left Japan.

I serve both the government of the Philippines and Japan.

"You seem to be an interesting subject to investigate on." He whispered in my ears that give me shivers.

"Don't change the topic here Giovanni," I pat him on his head, "if you wanna get rid of me, you should start thinking of ways to win."

He smirked at me before he distanced himself.

"I guess there is nothing for me to worry about, you're a sly vixen to begin with."

Inayos ko ang pagkakalagay sa necktie niya. "I'm not named Vixen for nothing."

Nginitian ko siya ng matamis tsaka ko sinenyasan si Calvin na tumayo na agad naman niyang sinunod.

"Good luck Giovanni, you will definitely need that." I said before I left the classroom together with Calvin.

What is he worried about? As if danger is new to me.

"Let's meet up in the central plaza once you finally obtain the belongings of Linette inside her locker," inayos ko ang pagkakasukbit ng bag sa balikat ko, "and use some gloves to get it, we don't want to leave any fingerprints behind."

Uwian na kasi kaya naghahanda na kami ni Calvin sa pwede naming gawin.

"Yes boss, pero nga pala paano mo kukunin ang phone ni Linette?"

"Ang kulit mo rin ano? Sabi ko problema ko na yun kaya mag focus ka na lang sa pinapagawa ko sa'yo."

"Oo na."

Napadako ang tingin ko sa isang itim na sasakyan na napansin kong kanina pa nakaparada sa labas ng paaralan, I can feel a pair of eyes looking at me.

"Sige na Ayashi umuwi ka na," sinamaan ko agad ng tingin si Calvin dahil tinutulak-tulak niya ako.

Tinampal ko ang kamay niya. "I can walk on my own."

Sumakay agad ako sa sasakyan na kanina pa naghihintay sa akin, kinawayan pa ako ni Calvin habang papalayo na kami.

"Who is that young boy?" Tita Ysabel asked as she looked at Calvin's reflection on the side mirror, "Is he a new friend of yours?"

"You can put it that way."

"Look at you trying to make friends.”

I crossed my arms. When I was still living in Japan, I didn't have friends. I can't actually call myself as a loner since I can't find a vacant time in my schedule to socialize with others. Especially that I'm maintaining my grades, spending most of my time in learning judo, samurai and karate, and I always filled my schedule with my work for the organization.

Why is it important to socialize with other people tho? Do you really need friends to mourn for you when you die?

"I always keep my promises, Tita."

"You're just like your father, always a man with your own words."

If I'm like my father, then would my fate be like his too?

Na-alerto ako kaagad nang mapansin kong nakasunod na sa amin ang itim na sasakyan na kanina ko pa pinaghihinalaan and to make it even worse, they are starting to shoot on us.

"What the hell is their problem now?" Tita Ysabel quickly drove faster but the one who is following us is keeping on pace.

Sunod-sunod na napamura si Tita nang may dalawang taong nakamotorsiklo ang nasa tabi na namin. Just what are they after?

Kinuha ko ang baril na nasa ilalim ng inuupuan ko bago ko yun kinasa at inumpisahang pagbabarilin ang mga humahabol sa amin.

"Why are they following us?" Inis na singhal ni Tita habang patuloy pa rin sa pagmamaneho.

I roamed my eyes around the area and I just recently notice that there are no vehicles around except for us and to those dimwits that are chasing us. 

"Tita, do you have any grenade launcher?"

"Yeah, but do you know how to use that? You know that youngsters like you that works for the organization prevents you from learning how to use a grenade."

"Let me just say that I'm having a training of my own."

Nakita ko naman agad ang grenade launcher na nasa bag lang na dala ni Tita without any word, I throw the grenade in the direction of the car that's following us. Hindi na nagtagal pa ng ilang segundo at sumabog ang sasakyan nila.

Now all we have left is this two punks riding the motorcycle.

"Why won't they fuck off—" napatigil ako sa pagsasalita nang makita ko ang isang nakamotorsiklo na pinagbabaril ang ibang nakamotorsiklong nakasunod sa amin.

The rider is shooting at them without any hint of difficulty, pati rin si Tita ay nagulat.

Tinignan ako ng lalaking nakamotorsiklo, kahit na nakahelmet siya ay nakaramdam ako ng panlalamig dulot ng pagtingin niya. He then drove off like nothing happened.

Itinigil saglit ni Tita Ysabel ang sasakyan upang siguraduhin ang kalagayan ko.

"Are you okay, Ayashi?"

"Yeah."

I never knew someone would plan an ambush like that, in my three years of service in the organization—I never encountered anything like this.

"I'm just gonna call the organization to clean the dead bodies. You stay here." I nodded as she step outside of the car to make a call.

As I was relaxing my body, my phone beeped.

From: 09876543210

How was that for a surprise?

I smirked.

To: 09876543210

I suggest that you should try harder, that didn't startle me even just a little. What exactly do you want?

From: 09876543210

You should give up that case if you still love your life.

To: 09876543210

Sorry to disappoint you, but I never love my life. So if you can do harder, kill me if you can.

Tita Ysabel went back inside the car.

"They will clean the mess a few moments now, we should go home."

"Yeah, we should."

If this is the danger waiting for me, then I'm even more excited for the danger that is yet to come.