Chapter 32: Strangled and Naked (Resolution Chapter)

"Bestie..."

Jeremy was the first face that I saw the moment I opened my eyes. Napahawak ako sa leeg ko and I felt some pain there. Oh, yeah. The last thing I remembered was that the lights were off and someone grabbed me from behind and does the throttling.

"Je? How long have I been unconscious?", tanong ko sa kanya. I looked around and noticed that I am in one of the rooms of Tita Anablle's house.

"Fifteen minutes or more, I guess", wika ni Jeremy. "Are you fine now? Do you remember who attacked you?"

I shook my head at him. "I have no idea Jeremy. Where's Gray and Math?"

Naupo siya sa kama. "Investigating the case. By the way, the blackout was caused by some intrusion in the beaker which was on the hallway. Ibig sabihin ay planado na talaga ang pag-atake sayo."

"Then the culprit must be one of those four!", I exclaimed.

"Exactly. That's why Gray already called the police and they're downstairs, investigating the case", sagot ni Jeremy. Nagulat itong nang tumayo ako sa kama at nagtangkang lumabas.

"Hey, saan ka pupunta?"

"I will help in identifying the culprit. Maybe I will recognize him or anything about him by seeing those four", I said. As much as possible, I don't want anyone to become another victim of the killer.

"No. you stay here. You're almost killed a while ago and now—"

"Ganoon nga Jeremy. Just almost. Don't I deserve some justice and help in identifying the culprit?", tanong ko sa kanya. Jeremy stared impatiently at me. He must be thinking how hard-headed and stubborn Amber Sison is.

"Bestie you're ALMOST KILLED. Anong mahirap intindihin doon? If you didn't surviv then maybe by this time you're already a cold corpse lying on the bathroom floor naked and uh, Gray will be the first one to discover your body—"

"Jeremy!"

"I'm just stating the possible scenario", he said at nagpout. "Awat na muna Bes. Wag mo munang ipahamak ang sarili mo. Hindi ka ba na-trauma?"

"Of course, that made me shocked and upset but I'm fine. I guess the fifteen minutes rest that I had is enough to recover my strength. Come on Je, let's help them", wika ko sa kanya. I held his arm at hinila siya patayo. Wala na itong nagawa kundi ang sumunod na lamang sa akin.

Pagdating naming sa ibaba ay may tatlong pulis na naroon at kasalukuyang kinakausap ng mga ito ang mga suspect. Of course, Kuya Arnel cannot be asked properly by the police dahil sa developmental disorder nito.

"Amber! Bakit ka bumaba? Are you fine now?", Gray asked nang lumapit ako sa dako niya.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me.  I just lost consciousness dahil sa kaba but so far, I don't think I had some physical damages or bruise caused by that attack", pagbibigay alam ko sa kanya. I'm glad that he's concern about my welfare and well-being. Even Math, she's not around dahil nasa crime scene siya at tumingin sa nag-iimbestigang pulis doon.

Gray was busy listening to the statements of those people who were interviewed by the police. Tinanong ang mga ito kung nasaan sila ng mga panahong namatay ang ilaw ang someone attacked me.

"So, balik na tayo sa tanong ko", wika ng isang pulis. "Nasaan kayo ng mangyari ang pag-atake?"

"Nasa servant's quarter ako. Busy ako sa kaka-chat sa chatmate", sagot ni Leo. Nag-alangan pa ito sa kanyang sagot at bahagyang yumuko.

"Paano mo mapapatunayan iyan?", tanong ng isang pulis sa kanya.

"Pwede ninyong tanungin ang chatmate ko", he said but the police isn't satisfied with his alibi. Kapag tinanong ang kachat nito, maaring nasabihan na niya iyon ng mga pwedeng itanong and asked her to fabricate some lies and he can commit the crime during that time.

"Ako naman ay may chine-check ang mga dala kong animal manure sa kwarto ko. I usually bring home some works and research at madalas na ikinukulong ko ang sarili ko sa silid upang makapag-focus. I'm wearing this disposable gloves and I can't remove them because they're kind of hard to wear back. Medyo mabaho din ako so please bear with me", wika naman ni Doc Rosauro. He really stinks. Kaya pala iba ang amoy ng dumating kami ni Jeremy doon.

"Wala rin bang makakapagpatunay na totoo ang sinasabi mo?", the police asked.

"Like I said, I prefer to work alone and I don't want any disturbance so I'm afraid no", sagot ng Doctor.

The last one to answer was Eric, the emo guy. "I'm lying on my bed at ni hindi ko alam na nawala pala saglit ang kuryente. I prefer to have my room dark so I don't usually turn on the lights kapag wala akong ginagawa."

"So katulad ng dalawa ay wala ring makakapagpatunay sa alibi mo? Ang anak niyo po Maam?", the police asked Tita Anabelle at tinuro si Kuya Arnel na nasa tabi.

"Nasa sala lamang siya at naglalaro sa kanyang Rubik's cube", sagot nito and the police noted every statement from the suspects.

"Amber? Ayos ka na ba?", Math asked. Kadarating lamang nito mula sa banyo.

"You got anything Math?"

She shook her head. "Wala. I'm confused with everything. What if we bring Amber back there? Baka may maalala siya."

"No, we can't. Bestie might be under some trauma at baka maging hysterical siya kapag nakita ang crime scene, right Bestie?", Jeremy asked and I frowned at him. I wasn't trauma of such event kaya ayos lamang sa akin nabumalik kami doon.

"It's fine with me. Let's go and check the area." I walked my way at agad naman silang sumunod sa akin. When we arrived at the bathroom, it was dissimilar with the one I saw before I was attacked. Yep, the same CR but the things are messed. Nagkalat sa sahig ang bote ng mga body wash at gamit sa paglalaba. There was even a cap less bottle of Zonrox on the floor. Marami pang mga bote at lalagyan ng mga panglinis ang nagkalat doon.

"The killer must have touched all of these but we can't look for fingerprints since the bathroom commodities are for common use", Gray said as he tried to pick a bottle of a bodywash but he protected his fingerprints with his handkerchief. He stared at the things on the lavatory and on the floor at nahulog sa malalim na pag-iisip.

"It seems like something's missing", bulong niya sa sarili but I was able to hear it.

"And dami kayang bote at lalagyan diyan and I don't think something's missing. Nagsobra pa nga", wika ko sa kanya ngunit mukhang may bumabagabag talaga dito.

"Bakit walang takip tong Zonrox? Nasaan kaya ang takip nito?" Jeremy started searching on the floor. "There! I found it!"

Biglang natigilan si Gray as he stared at Jeremy picked the cap. Ilang saglit itong tila nag-isip bago ako tinanong. "Do you think you spoiled some things on the culprit?"

"I don't know, maybe.  When I struggled to breathe ay nasangga ko ang mga gamit causing it spill so he must probably spilled with some. I was able to scratch him too but I'm not sure", sagot ko sa kanya. Gray grabbed my hands and he stared at my nails.

Nagulat na lamang kami ng bigla itong tumakbo palayo sa amin. We ran back towards the living room kung nasaan ang mga suspect at kinakausap ng pulis.

We followed him at napansin kong tila maingat na tinitingnan nito ang bawat isa. They're still on the clothes that they wore during dinner kaya kung may conclusive evidence mang naiwan mula sa mga damit nila, it must still there.

"Sandali Inspector. Sa tingin ko ay alam ko na ang salarin including the one responsible for the murder of the three women on this street", Gray said with a mischievous smile.

"Alam mo na? Teka, ikaw ba si Khael o si Gray?", tanong ng isang pulis sa kanya. Uh, those two must really be famous especially to the police officers.

"I'm Gray Ivan Silvan and I know who was the culprit behind this frustrated homicide and the previous homicide which is the strangled and naked case."

"Ano? Ibig sabihin ay ang nangyari ay pagtangkang pagpatay gaya ng mga nauna ng biktima? Pero paano?", tanong ng pulis.

"Exactly. Basing on the hobbies and attitudes, they are both qualified for the naked mannequin case but as well as also to the homicide cases. Mula sa pagpatay ng ilaw, the attempt to strangle, walang duda na pattern nga iyon ng pagpatay ng salarin", wika ni Gray. He looked at us at nakatunghay lamang kami nina Math at Jeremy sa kanya. I guess he will own the stage of deduction tonight.

"Sino?"

"If Tita Anabelle didn't send the mannequin away, the murders would possibly not occur. Probably the culprit has some illness, a psychiatric illness which gives him the homicidal urges and the urge to see a naked body. They like dark and furtive area that's why he always stripped the mannequin at night and in the dim area of this shop so that he was able to satisfy this urges", panimula ni Gray.

"Kung ganoon ay gusto ng salarin ang mannequin at dahil wala na ito, he opt to looking for a  fresh female body particularly as skinny as a mannequin, tama ba?", tanong ni Math and Gray still flashed his smile.

"Exactly."

"Kung ganoon ay sino?", tanong ni Jeremy. Kahit ang mga pulis ay nakinig kay Gray as he's about to reveal who was the culprit.

"The veterinary doctor did it."

Nagulat kaming lahat sa idiniklara ni Gray and even the doctor. Bigla na lamang itong napataayo mula sa upuan at bahagyang natawa. "Nice introduction kid, but why do you say it's me? Kung tungkol iyan sa alibi ko na walang makakumpirma, wag mong kalilimutan na lahat kami ay hindi nakumpirma ang dahilan."

"No, I didn't base it on that. I have a more concrete evidence of your crime", wika niya at nagulat naman ito at hindi halos makapagsalita.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"Look at your shirt."

Napatingin ito sa suot niyang damit. It was a black shirt at saka ko lamang din napansin na nakasuot din ng itim na damit sina Leo at Eric.

"Ano bang problema sa sa itim? If that's your basis then this is a waste of time. You see? Both of us are wearing a black shirt", mahinahon nitong wika. It seems like he's used in dealing with a stressful situation like this.

"That's not it too. Look at your shirt. There's a little part which turned brown at dahil iyan sa natapon na Zonrox when the Amber knocked the bottles during your attack", wika niya. He was staring fearlessly at him and at the same time, he was in his usual boastful face.

Nagulat si Doctor Rosario at bahagyang tiningnan ang kanyang suot na damit. There was really a brown stain which was probably a reaction of the black shirt to the Zonrox!

"Just because of this mark? Matagal na ito. Nahalo ko kasi sa mga puti", pagdadahilan nito. He was not showing any signs of uneasiness or anxiety.

"There's more."

"What?"

"It's all spilled on you. The one thing that was missing on the bathroom", Gray said and stared straight at him. He's waiting for him to confess his act ngunit hindi pa rin nito ginawa at sa halip ay mas tumanggi pa ito.

"Ano ba ang pinagsasabi mo bata? Look, this conversation is so useless. I have a lot of things to do so why don't you catch the real culprit? He's probably still lurking around here looking for his next victim. Kung ako sa inyo ay siya ang pagtutuonan ko ng pansin", wika nito.

"You're not really going to confess, are you?", tanong ni Math sa kanya. "I guess I know what the concrete evidence that Gray is talking about. Such evidence is perishable and we can't risk losing it tonight."

Napatingin ako kay Math. He agreed also that Rosauro is the culprit? No matter how I look at it, I cannot identify who among them attacked me. Pilit kong inalala kung ano ang nangyari. The police haven't questioned me yet but they listened to Gray's findings about this case."

"What are you two talking? Are you saying that I'm the one who grabbed that girl from behind and –"

"Your word against you. How do you know she was grabbed from behind?", Gray said at nagulat kaming lahat. He was right! Paano nito nalaman na ganoon nga ang nangyari not unless he did it himself!

Tumawa si Doc Rosauro. "So you're using my word against me, alright? Simply because she doesn't know who attacked her kaya madaling sabihin na she was attacked from behind."

"No. The lights were off kaya malamang ay hindi rin niya malalaman kung sino man ang umatake sa kanya", paliwanag ni Math. "Now why don't we go straight to the concrete evidence? Police officers, smell him. He smells so sweet other than the stinks from his gloves. And you know where does that sweet smell came from?"

Sweet smell? I tried to let my olfactory nerve function well and there is really a sweet smell from the room. The same smell that I smelt when I was attacked.

"Anong ibig niyong sabihin?", tanong ni Tita Anabelle. "What smell?"

"The smell of the shampoo that was spilled on him. It's the only missing bottle on the bathroom. Kung titingnan mo ang mga gamit doon, napakarami niyon but a shampoo was missing and that's very unusual. I suspect that the shampoo is not a local brand kaya kakaiba ang matamis na amoy nito. Amber unconsciously poured him the shampoo, leaving the scent probably on his arm. He cannot risk leaving the bottle behind so he brought it along with him upang hindi iyon makita ng mga pulis, tama ba Doc Rosauro?", wika ni Gray. Hindi pa rin napapanas ang ngiti nito and also his bratty attitude whenever he got a case solved.

"Totoo ba ang sinasabi nila?", tanong ng pulis at napatangis ang bagang ng veterinary doctor but he still didn't turn himself in.

"Normal lamang na mag-amoy shampoo ako! I washed myself using the shampoo matapos kumain!", pagtanggi nito. He was getting furious this time. Namula na ito at nagalit.

"So where's the shampoo bottle then?"

"I don't know! Baka tinago ng totoong salarin to frame me up!", pagrarason nito.

"May iba pa akong ebidensya", wika ni Gray at napatutok ang lahat sa kanya.

"Ano?"

"Bakit ba hindi mo magawang hubarin ang suot mong disposable gloves?", tanong niya sa doctor. He stared at his hands for a while. Yes, he was wearing it all the time.

"Gaya ng sinabi ko kanina, I don't have spare gloves at mahihirapan na akong suotin ulit ito kapag hinubad ko! Aren't you listening to me all the time here? Pinag-aaksayahan niyo lamang ang oras ko!! He gave Gray and the police his deadly gaze.

"Is that really the reason?"

"Of course! Ano naman ang magiging posibleng dahilan?" His face was read at mukhang anytime ay sasabog na ito.

"Really? It's not because you were trying to hide something?", he said, challenging the doctor.

"Oo naman! I wasn't!" He hissed.

"Or was it to hide the scratch marks that Amber left on your skin?"

Napaangat ako ng tingin at napatitig sa doctor. I remembered what happen a while ago. When he strangled me from the back, I tried to free my neck from his grip but I can't so I tried to scratch his hands! Nang makasigaw ako at sinakal niya ako mula sa harapan, I did the same too! Kaya pala bigla na lamang tiningnan ni Gray ang kamay ko kanina. He must be looking at my nails!

Napakuyom ang kamao ng doctor. He lifted his head down and when he raised it up; his eyes were dark and full of anger.

"Kasalanan mo to Tita Anabelle! I used to satisfy my homicidal urges using that mannequin but you sent her away", wika nito. Tinanggal niya ang suot na gloves at may mga fresh scratch marks nga doon. "I only satisfy my urges with that mannequin. A mannequin who had a flawless skin and would stare directly at me without blinking and cringing. It's been a routine for me for nights but one night that mannequin was missing so I have to find someone to satisfy my needs. I now hungers for flesh more than just a mannequin!" Napaupo ito sa sahig at umiyak na para bang bata. He's too old to cry in such way but we all understand since he had some psychiatric problems.

"We have to go with us then at saka ka na magpatawag ng sariling doctor mo", wika ng pulis. They picked up Doc Rosauro and brought him to the station. The case was solved and the fear for the strangled and naked case was vanished.

Nagpasalamat si Tita Anabelle sa amin as she walked us towards Gray's car. It's five minutes past ten and for sure ay makakabot pa kami sa Bridle bago pa man ang curfew. Agad kaming umuwi and luckily we made it before the curfew. Nagpaalam na kami ni Math Kay Gray at Jeremy and we headed towards our respective rooms.

When I reached our room ay nakapatay na ang mga ilaw, tanda na maagang nagpahinga sina Andi at Therese. I changed my clothes after cleaning my body at nahiga sa kama ko. I was almost killed tonight but it wasn't the one bugging me. It's my conversation with Zywon. I lie on my bed at nakatingin sa kisame habang pilit na inalala ang usapan namin kanina.

"Listen Just Amber. What you are about to hear is like a bomb dropped right in front of you..."

I made a face at him. "Stop the dramatic introduction Zywon and go straight to the point. Who's their Head Financer?"

He exhaled and looked straight at me. "It's a man with the name Rovan Allejo III."

"Who cares?"

"You do, I think."

Tumaas ang isang kilay ko sa kanya. "Me? Why?"

"Because Rovan Alejo III's name now is Bernard Sison", wika ni Zywon and when I heard the name, everything seemed to stop. Ilan bang Bernard Sison ang kilala ko?

One. Just one. Only one.

And it's my Dad. Wait, did he say Head Financer?

I gave him a fake laugh. "That's a good practical joke Zywon. I'm waiting for the cameras of Wow Mali or Yari ka to show up. So, where are they?" I roamed my gaze around the fastfood, trying to calm myself.

"I'm not joking Just Amber", seryosong wika niya. "He's your dad, right? Your dad is the organizations head financer and was actually Brain's right hand. "

"That's interesting Zywon. I want to meet that guy who had the same second name with my dad", wika ko sa kanya. Tsk, it's impossible that my dad is part of the Genesis. Impossible! Very impossible!

He got his bag at naglabas ng isang litrato na nakaipit sa kanyang ntebook. Inilapag niya iyon sa mesa at agad ko namang kinuha iyon. I was surprised to see the man in the photo. It has the same face with my father and it's a bit younger.

Natatawang ibinalik ko sa kanya aang larawan. "I really want to meet that who got the same name and face with my father."

"He's really your father Just Amber and that photo is taken few years ago. He's the Head Financer and someone one of the highest positioned member", wika niya. Hindi ko alam kung paniniwalaan ko ba ang sinasabi nito. My father is the most kind and lovable person in the world so it's impossible that he belonged to any organization which will harm people.

"That's amazing Zywon but how could my father be the head financer? We're not incredibly rich as you. Ni wala nga kaming mansion, just a small house from a subdivision na kasalukuyan pa nilang hinuhulugan and I really don't think that it's my father. He's a small time businessman and he cannot afford to finance a big organization as the Genesis. Surely those drugs and the hiring of the highest paid chemist and physicists in the country and abroad cost a lot", paliwanag ko sa kanya. What I'm feeling right now is a little gloomy. Hindi ako naniniwala kay Zywon but I'm still affected with his words informing me about the father. Or was it because I just missed him? Maybe I should go home some other time and spend some time with them.

"I'm telling you the truth Amber", wika niya sa akin. Nabuhay ang galit sa dibdib ko. He's miserable with his life dahil wala na siyang ina so maybe he wants me to do the same kaya marahil dinamay niya ang ama ko.

"Stop telling lies, Zywon. Hindi ka na nakakatuwa!", I hissed at him. "Kung wala kang magawa sa buhay mo, leave me alone."

"I'm just telling you the truth."

"Bullshit! Walang totoo sa mga pinagsasabi mo!", napalakas na ang boses ko kaya napalingon sa amin ang ilang naroon. They may be thinking we're some sort of couple who's quarrelling or probably breaking up.

Tiningnan niya lamang ako ng diretso and his dark piercing eyes stared straight at me, like he was telling me to believe him because he was telling the truth. My mind seemed blocked and I cannot think straight. Paulit-ulit kong naririnig ang sinabi ni Zywon tungkol sa involvement ni Dad sa Genesis.

"Given that those are true, paano mo naman nalaman ang tungkol doon?", wika ko sa kanya.

"I'm one of them."

Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. "What?!"

"I'm one of them. I belonged to the organization." His face was very serious ngunit tinawanan ko lamang siya.

"Really huh? Then how come you don't know the organization's name?"

"I'm a new recruit for the purpose of spying Athena highschool", wika ni Zywon. "I got the codename Cyanide."

"Ikaw si Cyanide?"

"You heard of that?"

Mahina akong tumango. Kung gayon ay alam niya ang tungkol kay Phobie but –

"Were you pretending to help us in finding Phobie when in fact you knew all along that she's the organization's captive?"

Napasandal siya sa kanyang upuan. "Listen carefully Just Amber. Their name is confidential so not all members of the organization knew about the Genesis, just those on the high position. I was recruited when I saw a doctor in the lab, doing something. I told him about my family background and I fabricated a story similar to the one that I really hard, showing how I hate Vander Mafia and then I was hired. My job is to lure away loyal regents of mafia from the laboratory. During your stay at Athena, I'm not really aware of what they are doing and for what. That's when Phobie disappeared. I'm not an important member and it seems like I don't even exist so naghanap ako ng paraan upang mabawi si Phobie without them losing their trust on me as Cyanide."

Naalala ko ang sinabi ng babae sa warehouse. Cyanide told them that no one read the notebook yet but alam ni Zywon na may nabasa na ako doon but he remained silent, ibig sabihin ay pinrotektahan niya ako.

"Ibig sabihin ay ikaw ang kumuha sa notebook mula kay Khael?"

He shook his head. "Of course not. Someone stole it and it's not me."

Everything is really confusing now. So again, there's another party who have stolen the notebook from Khael. Ngunit sino? Who could it be?

"I think it's the scarred man."

Napaangat ako ng tingin sa kanya. "Si Ryu?"

"I guess."

"Paano mo naman nasabi?" Ano ba ang pakay ni Ryu sa Athena ng mga panahong iyon? He is looking for something there yet what he had found was the files of the Vander mafia reapers.

"Just a guess."

"Look Zywon, thank you for sharing that information but I think it's really impossible that the right hand is my father. Maybe he's an impostor. That's what crooks usually do. They assumed other people's identity to put the blame on them and my father is one of those unlucky people."

Hindi talaga ako naniniwala sa pinagsasabi nito. Bernard Sison is the epitome of a perfect father, the one that everyone wished to have. He never fails to show his love on me and my mother. We're not super rich but he gave us a life that is satisfying. He's a good disciplinarian too. Hindi ito nagkulang sa pagtuturo sa akin ng mga magandang asal mula pa noon and he always share success stories to me upang maging inspirasyon ko. He values family. Despite his busy schedule for his business which just started to boom, he never failed to reach out to us. Kaya kung ano man ang pinagsasabi ni Zywon ay hindi ako naniniwala doon.

Tumayo ako at nagpaalam sa kanya. "Thank you for the information. I have to go."

Bago pa aman ako makatatlong hakbang ay tinawag niya ang pangalan ko. "Just Amber." I stopped but I didn't look back. "Think about it. I guess you can do something about it, I mean we. We can do something about it."

"Zywon this is what I will tell you. Yes, we're on the same game but different stages. We're on the same hell but we're dealing with the different devils. Kung totoo man ang mga sinabi mo, I don't think infiltrating the mafia is the possible solution for that even if that's what you did on your case. Remember that you cannot apply the same treatment to different illness."

Agad akong lumabas ng fastfood at napara ng taxi upang magpahatid sa Bridle.

I blinked my eyes many times as I stared at the ceiling. Paano kung totoo nga ang sinasabi ni Zywon? What if dad is really a member of Genesis? But no, I hardly believe it. Naisip ko noong mga panahong nagtataka pa ako sa identity ni Zeus. I didn't expect that it's Cooler and the same with this case. There's a big possibility that it's true.

I closed my eyes and let go of the things that bothered me. I think I need a long rest bago ko isipin ang tunkol sa bagay na iyon.

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—ShinichiLaaaabs