Investigation (I)

10:27 P.M. 

Manila National Police Station. 

July 20th, the year 2018. Friday. 

Marcus went over to the Formal Bureau of Investigation's office since he was the head. He took the right hallway towards the office. He nodded repetitively. Marcus didn't notice someone who bumped into him. 

"I'm sorry," Marcus apologized. He saw a hem of the black hoodie's jacket where he bowed his head down. Marcus looked up as it walked away fast. They draped the hood of his jacket over his head that made Marcus knuckled his fists right away. He stove up fast and punch him right by his elbow, which made him fall on the floor. 

Marcus retrieved another set of handcuffs from his pockets. He gripped the man's right wrist over his back as he screeched out in pain. The hood of his jacket wore off, and Marcus got astonished with it. A civilian who was passing by with a black hoodie on his head. Marcus quickly stood up from sitting down at his hips. 

"What the hell are you doing?!" the civilian screamed as he tried to wriggle out of the handcuffs that Marcus put on earlier. Marcus was as strong as usual and crouched down. He observed the face of the civilian and can't help but wonder what he was doing here, over the hallways of the FBI. 

"I should ask you that. What are you doing over here? Over the hallways of the FBI?" Marcus asked, which made the civilian glare at him while still wagging her hands over the cuffs. He bellowed out in pain as he felt it got tighter and tighter when he moved his wrists. He stopped and scowled right through Marcus, who was raising his eyebrows. 

"I was gonna visit the leader of the forensic team. She is my girlfriend," the civilian admitted. He laid down on the floor. The officers peeped over the main hallways and wondered what was happening. Marcus grabbed a hold of his hair and raised it. It made him cry out in pain. 

"Ms. Feliciano is your girlfriend?" Marcus asked, surprised at what he heard. The civilian was forming the words in his mouth when Marcus heard a scream right through the end of the hallway. It was Ms. Feliciano, running over the steps and panting as she halted right on the feet of her boyfriend. Marcus released the hair as Ms. Feliciano opened her mouth wide towards him. 

"Lieutenant Marcus," Ms. Feliciano said as she saluted and gasped at what she saw. She crouched down, asking if her boyfriend was okay. Marcus sighed as he realized that the one he handcuffed was actually saying the truth.

"What happened to you? Lieutenant Dela Rosa, did you... did you handcuff him without notice?" Ms. Feliciano asked him, as Marcus retrieved the key from his pockets and unlocked the cuffs. Ms. Feliciano guided her boyfriend to stand up. She furrowed her eyebrows at Marcus. 

"I'm sorry, I mistook him for someone else. I thought he was the one we needed to catch over the murder case," Marcus pertained to the civilian. The man bowed down his head and accepted his apology right away. Marcus turned to Ms. Feliciano and asked her something. 

"Are they now barricading the scanners after weeks? We needed that for our investigations. Did Lieutenant Lirio drop by earlier to check the results?" Marcus asked what his business was. Ms. Feliciano nodded right away while pursing her lips. 

"Drop by in the office, Mr. Lieutenant. I will hand over a copy right away at your office. If you need to check on something, you can ask my team about it. They will give you the files straight away," Ms. Feliciano explained. She glanced over at her boyfriend. She motioned for her boyfriend to stay over the bench. 

The civilian massaged his wrists. He walked towards the bench quietly. Ms. Feliciano glanced at Marcus again. 

"Ms. Feliciano. About the evidence the other team retrieved from the crime scene of Margo Monteverde. May I see it and check if there is anything wrong with it for now? I have the right to see it," Marcus indicated as Ms. Feliciano opened her mouth slightly. 

"I am afraid that I can't release any copy for you, Lieutenant Dela Rosa. The chief of the police strictly watched us with that piece of evidence. Even if you're the head of the detectives over the FBI, you're not allowed. The results were only handed towards the chief of the police. Of course, to Lieutenant Jacob, too," Ms. Feliciano explained. 

Marcus knew the truth behind that bracelet. He knew that the chief of the police was hiding something from them. Ms. Feliciano fidgetted over the hem of her coat that made Marcus look up at her again.

As Lieutenant Jacob said, there was something suspicious about transferring the case. In fact, that they should place the murder cases over the Major Crimes Division. Marcus blinked as Ms. Feliciano swallowed. Marcus squinted his eyes towards her face. It looked like she was in a bothersome state after he asked about that evidence. 

"Can I ask you something, Ms. Feliciano?" Marcus narrowed his eyes. It made Ms. Feliciano beads of sweat on her forehead fall down instantly. She's nervous now. She was hiding something, and he was so sure of it. 

"Did you know the reason for transferring the case and what will happen to the results? Or they only ordered you to do something that was way out of your decisions?" Marcus asked while raising his eyebrows towards her. Ms. Feliciano stared right through his eyes and she widened it as soon as Marcus hit something. 

"You know you can't hide everything with your eyes. Those were the ones who spoke something that you don't even want to convey. Just by looking at your pupils, Ms. Feliciano. I knew right away that you were hiding something," Marcus turned his face into a serious one. Ms. Feliciano swallowed right away. She's busted. 

She bit her lip right away and looked up again at Marcus. He pocketed his hands over his jeans. Marcus beamed to himself. He always won mind games towards the officers and the forensics. 

He always tried to question something about the suspects or everyone. By a single question, he would have attained what answer he wanted. 

"So tell me, Ms. Feliciano, are you hiding something from the head of the detectives standing in front of you or not?" Marcus stared right through the depth of her eyes. Ms. Feliciano creased her forehead towards him. She clutched the hem of her coat tightly as she exhaled. 

"Lieutenant Dela Rosa. We should talk in a private place, not here," Ms. Felician gritted her teeth. They both seriously breathed out of the hallways. The officers were taking their turns saluting to them. Ms. Feliciano nodded over to her office, which was next to the testing room. 

Marcus followed her, and they both went into her office. He closed the door gently behind his back. Ms. Feliciano let out a breath of disbelief over Marcus. She laid down what she was feeling over their conversation outside. 

"Lieutenant Dela Rosa, someone might hear us over there. Be careful what you were doing, every hallway has its own ears and eyes. We couldn't say no one was watching us right now," Ms. Feliciano stated. Marcus furrowed his eyebrows towards her. 

"How can you be so sure that we were being watched right now?" Marcus asked right away that made Ms. Feliciano pursed her lips. 

"I knew all along that Mr. Rosario received a threat, even before Lieutenant Jacob reached out to you. Lieutenant Jacob said that I should hide this from you, Mr. Dela Rosa. You attain those results by your own hand." Ms. Feliciano sighed. Marcus placed his hands on his hips. 

"Attain? What are you saying? Do you mean that---" 

"We knew all along that you would command a police officer to spy over the forensic team. You are what you are, Marcus. You are an honorable lieutenant who didn't want to go down without a fight," Ms. Feliciano said. Marcus got puzzled. 

"Now, before you even mentioned something way out of the line. I would like to say that I will follow your lead no matter what, Lieutenant Dela Rosa." Ms. Feliciano smiled with satisfaction towards him.