Chapter Nine

Lihim siyang nagngitngit. May alam na pala ito sa kaniya bago pa siya pumunta rito. At pinahirapan pa siyang sumagot nang sumagot gayong alam na naman pala nito ang kaniyang kakayahan.

And the case ended on her own hands.

"Oh before I go out. You should know about cleanliness." Sabi niya rito bago dire-diretsong lumabas.

***

"What the hell are you talking about? How did it happened?"

She raised her eyebrow. Muntikan pa silang makasagi ng motorbike sa kalsada dahil sa biglaan na paghampas ni Clint sa manibela. Gumewang ang sinasakyan nila. She heard him cursed.

"We'll be there." Sabi nito at pinatay na ang tawag. Nilingon siya nito na madilim ang mukha.

"What's goin' on?" Takang tanong niya.

"The dead body was gone. The cops are already searching Santi."

Nag-apoy ang galit sa dibdib niya. Alam kaagad niya na ang killer ang kumuha rito. Pinapahirapan talaga siya nito. Pero hindi siya madadala nito sa ginagawa nitong panggigipit sa kaniya.

It's almost 11 a.m nang makarating sila sa Santi. Nagkalat ang mga pulis sa paligid maging sa loob. Wala pa rin lead ang mga ito kung nasaan ang bangkay at sinong kumuha roon.

She sighed with disappointment. Kararating pa lang niya kahapon pero sumalubong kaagad sa kaniya ang ganito.

"I'm taking a break when one of my staff informed me that the body was gone. I assigned him to check the but it's already gone." Dr. Fred said. His face shouts frustration.

"Not a chance that there's a lead or anything that will help us? Paanong nangyari na nalusutan kayo?" She asked irritatedly.

Santi is a high technological facility. Kaya hindi niya alam kung paanong nakalusot ang killer para itakas ang katawan. Wala namang maisagot si Dr. Fred sa tanong niya. Dahil kahit ito mismo ay hindi rin alam kung paano nangyari iyon.

9:30 p.m

Everyone's busy. They exerts too much effort to find the dead body. Sumunod kaagad si Team Manger Eris sa kanila sa Santi. Bumalik kami sa Lilac upang doon isagawa ang operasyon sa paghahanap. Until one of the agents locates a signal, a very strange signal. Nakuha nito ang atensyon ng lahat ng agents.

A blue map that covers the wide screen lays on a high technological table. It was built and developed by one of the highest rank here in Lilac. The blue map gives information about the places in the whole CALABARZON. And the other map, the green map gives access to the places in the Philippines.

"There's a signal located at Crimson. There's a high possibility that it's the signal we're looking. Call all the cops in that place. Tell them to secure all the possibilities areas and ways there. I may not say this, but I think it's the killer who took the body," Team Manager Eris said.

Ngayon mo lang napagtanto? Are you really the Team Manager here? Uyam niya rito sa kaniyang isipan.

Dahil kanina pa niya naisip na ang killer ang kumuha. At walang duda iyon. Ang kailangan na lang nilang gawin ay alamin kung saan mismong lugar nito dinala ang katawan. At kung bakit nito kinuha ang pinatay mismo nito.

They got alarmed when the red dot that used to be the signal starts to move from one place to another place.

Damn! She can't wait any longer.

"Fucking asshole," she murmured. Unfortunately, the Team Manager heard it. Parang nakikita niya ang pagbabaga ng mga mata nito at pag-usok ng ilong.

"What?" She asked, trying to act innocent. "It's just that, we cannot find what's the real score if we're just gonna stand here and wait for the information at Crimson. We're fucking agents. We have so many ways to arrest that fucking bastard. Why don't we do it now?" Hindi na niya mapigilang ibulalas ang kanina pa kinikimkim.

She saw the shockness of the agents when they heard her cursed. But she's used to it. It's her when she's really frustated and irritated.

"Don't expect me to clap my hands and praise you on whag you've said. You're just a newbie here and stop trying to be cool. We don't need that kind of attitude here." Kastigo ni Team Manager Eris.

Hindi niya ipinahalata na tinamaan siya sa sinabi nito.

"Well I'm not trying to be cool. And you're wrong. I'm not a newbie. Maybe here, yes. But in the term of being an agent, it's a no," sagot niya.

"Sorry for this. But the process here are not moving. Why? Because of the way you used to. Waiting, waiting and waiting til there's an update. Why don't we change that? Instead of waiting, we can make our own decision, our own action." Patuloy niya sa pagsasalita.

Walang nakaimik pagkatapos noon. Hanggang isa-isang nagpalakpakan ang mga ito. Si Clint na kanina pa siya nginingisihan ay nakipalakpak din. Tumingin siya sa kanilang Team Manager, nakatingin ito sa blue map.

"Gather your team. We'll take in charge of this even if there's no update from Crimson." Napabaling siya sa nakatingin na ngayon na Team Manager nila. "And Agent Bria, you're officially the Team Leader of Lilac Unit I."

Napanganga siya sa tinuran nito. Maging ang mga agents na kasama nila ay walang nasabi. Pero ganoon na lang ang tuwa niya sa narinig. Finally, she can move freely on this case.

Wait for me, Moni. Mame will come. I love you.