CHAPTER 7- DETECTIVE JAMESON

"Shhhh, stop talking. It seems we missed a heartwarming moment today," Matthew whispered as he entered the room first.

Matthew motioned for them to come closer, so as not to disturb Sarah and Mark's slumber. "Mark's fine. I think He's just exhausted from everything that's happened. Sarah was here to comfort him, and it looks like they both fell asleep."

Ynna and Ywen quietly approached the bed and set down the gifts they had brought for Mark on the nightstand.

Lyrisa sat down beside Matthew

and smiled at the sight of Sarah and Mark, who were still asleep and wrapped up in each other's arms

"I think I need a hug right now, I feel jealous of them. They look so comfortable and peaceful together. I want that too." Lyrisa said with little sadness in her voice.

Matthew noticed her tone and tried to cheer her up. "Don't worry, Lyrisa. You'll find your special someone someday," he reassured her.

Lyrisa gave him a half-hearted smile. "I hope so. But for now, can I just have a hug?"

Matthew grinned mischievously. "Of course, you can, but you have to kiss me first," he teased with a wink, before laughing softly.

"That's why I like you," she said with a weird smile and

Lyrisa pinched his side in response, causing him to wince.

"Ew, you're such a pervert," Lyrisa retorted, making Ynna and Ywen laugh.

"Ouch! Stop it, please," Matthew pleaded, still grinning.

Mark began to stir and woke up. "Hey guys, how long have you been here?"

Matthew and Lyrisa, who had been playfully fighting, stopped when they heard Mark wake up. Lyrisa moved closer to Mark's bed and tapped Sarah to wake up

Sarah jolted awake and stammered out an explanation. "Oh, hey guys hmm. I..-I was just trying to make Mark more comfortable."

"Yeah, we know that you're just comforting Mark, Sarah. Did you sleep well?" Lyrisa teased with a grin.

Lyrisa grinned mischievously. "Well... we couldn't let you have all the chances to cuddle up next to Mark."

Sarah felt embarrassed and responded, continuing to explain with a blush on her face and getting out of bed. "No, you're wrong. When we were talking, Mark fell asleep on my shoulder, so I let him rest to make him feel better."

Everyone laughed at Sarah's reaction, and Mark turned his attention to his twin sisters and began to ask, "So, what did you discover at the mall today?"

The twin sisters recount their experience with Lyrisa and Matthew. Ynna and Ywen were animatedly describing the shops they had visited and the things they had seen, from the colorful displays of candies to the latest gadgets at the electronics store.

Ynna and Ywen came closer excitedly showing him the gifts they had brought.

"Kuya, we brought you a new mobile phone," said Ywen with a big grin.

"And I brought you a book we can read together," added Ynna with enthusiasm.

Matthew and Lyrisa listened with interest, occasionally interjecting with a joke or a comment, while Sarah chimed in with her anecdotes and observations causing everyone to laugh. The twins eagerly showed Mark the items they had brought for him, a new mobile phone from Ywen and a book from Ynna.

The group chatted for a while longer, sharing stories and laughter, before someone entered the room.

[He was a tall man, standing at 5'10 with a lean build. His hair was long and tied back in a neat ponytail, and he had a clean-shaven face with sharp cheekbones, a pointed nose, and a defined jawline. He wore a crisp white long-sleeved polo with a black necktie, paired with black trousers. His eyes were a piercing blue, and his gaze was intense and focused, reflecting his sharp analytical mind.]

"Pardon me for a moment, I'm Detective Jameson. Could you please give us some privacy? I need to ask Mark a few questions," he said in a deep voice, flashing his badge.

Ynna's voice turned fierce. "Hey, mister, what do you want with my kuya? I won't let you touch him."

Ynwen agreed with her twin and pointed her fist. "I'm here to protect him too."

Mark reassured them, "It's okay, guys. I don't think he will hurt me."

"Can you all please leave the room for a bit, together with my siblings?" mark said to his friends

"Let's step outside for a moment. Don't worry, your Kuya is in good hands with him," Sarah reassured the twins. Then everyone leaves the room.

"How do you know me?" Mark asked

"Anyway, I'm the one handling your case, I'm here to ask you a few questions related to it," Detective Jameson stated.

"So, Do you have any updates on my mother?" Mark asked.

"I'm sorry to say that we don't have any leads yet," the detective replied apologetically.

"Can you walk me through what happened before you entered the Midlight Tower and how you ended up getting shot?" Detective Jameson inquired.

"I'm not entirely sure what happened that night, but in my dream, I saw a big guy dressed in a black coat grab Her. I wanted to save my mom, but suddenly I woke up," Mark explained.

Did you recognize the man in black or anything else about him?" he inquired.

Mark shook his head. "No, I couldn't see his face. And I don't know what he wanted with us. It was just a feeling that he was important to my mother's disappearance," he replied with a hint of frustration.

The detective nodded sympathetically. "I understand how you feel, Mark. We'll do everything we can to find your mother and bring her back to you," he said reassuringly.

"What about when we found you unconscious in the lake?" "Can you tell me more about what happened? How did you end up there unconscious?" the detective asked with a serious expression.

"I don't remember what happened, " Mark answered with a sigh.

The detective nodded sympathetically. "I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you, Mark. But I want you to know that we're doing everything in our power to find your mother and bring her home," he said with a reassuring smile.

"Can you remember anything else that could help us with the investigation?" the detective inquired.

Mark shook his head. "No, that's all I remember," he replied, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Well, we'll keep working on it. If anything else comes to mind, don't hesitate to reach out to me," he said as he stood up to leave.

As Detective Jameson turned to leave the room, Mark suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head. He instinctively grabbed his forehead and closed his eyes, trying to steady himself. Flashes of memories flooded his mind, making him feel disoriented and dizzy.

He remembered the night His mother cried and called his name

"Mark! Run! " "Please let him go!"Pleading with his release

and also the memory of being chased by someone mysterious and getting shot in the back then plunging into the cold, dark lake came rushing back to him. He tried to shake off the memory and focus on the present, but the pain in his head persisted.

Suddenly, Detective Jameson and His friend heard a sound from inside

The door burst open and Detective Jameson, followed by Mark's friends, rushed into the room. "Mark, what happened?" Sarah asked with concern, while the others gathered around him, trying to comfort him.

"Are you alright, Mark?" Detective Jameson asked, noticing his discomfort. The memories had caused Mark to break down in tears.

Mark looked up at his friends, trying to compose himself before speaking. He wiped his tears and took a deep breath.

"I...I remembered something," Mark finally said, his voice shaking. "I remember being chased by someone and getting shot in the back, and then falling into the lake."

Sarah put her arm around Mark's shoulder, trying to comfort him. "It's okay, Mark. We're here for you," she said softly.

Mark tried to recount the memories, but the pain in his head became unbearable, and he suddenly lost consciousness, collapsing onto the ground.