The Phantom Detective ✓

Chapter 07.5: Brain

BRAIN

MY GAZE was drawn to the city's landscape behind the glass wall before the couch I am sitting at. The skylight is already splitting in two—a dark dreamy night and a warm orange of sun set. There was a glass of champagne being held by my right hand as I shake it gentler than dealing with a new born offspring.

Such a great city. Variety of beings residing—innocuous people wandering around with a huge smile painted on their faces and wicked ones lurking behind the curtains.

"Any report, Hand?" I asked placidly when I heard the door swung open.

"Brain, George Dalida's elimination was successful." I heard my friend said as he was confronting the back of my head. I can explicitly feel the composing that he was making. I didn't see a tinge of his face but I do know how it is like—an excellent poker face.

"However?" I glanced sideways to show him my enthusiasm for his next words. I knew there was something—other than what he told earlier which is an obvious case in my sight—news for me.

"However, he played with some teenagers before his death."

When he means 'played' and the subject is that expendable Georgie or whatever he is called, he must've referring to setting riddles and bombs. I've known that grunt for so long. His handmade bombs have been very useful.

Nevertheless, I haven't heard any news from medias that there were a bombing incident occurred.

"Did the teenagers made a way out? Or cracked the stupid riddles?"

"Yes. And perhaps you would be surprised to know who did—"

"Wendy Chavez, Brain! Chavez!"

After a creaking sound of the door, a voice of a woman had interrupted our conversation. I heard she slammed the door behind her as she approached me, probably like a female model on a runaway—again, I didn't get a glimpse for assurance but let's settle on the idea of 'I know them better than anyone.'

"Naaalala n'yo ba 'yung bitch na 'yon? Whitney Chavez. At malamang! Huh! Anak n'ya 'tong Wendy na 'to." She stood in front of me, blocking my sight from seeing the spectacular view of the city.

I drank a tinge of champagne before saying, "Who was the other one?"

"Kentonni Serrano. Another familiar name, Brain," he said behind me. "His uncle just died—got eliminated recently and his pendant was sold in auction triumphantly."

"Serrano and Chavez," she spitted. "Grrr! Mga walang hiyang peste sa mundo. Brain, bakit parang lahat yata ng hina-hire mo ay pumapalpak?"

I blinked once. No, twice. I ascended my coldblooded eyes to meet hers. "Are you doubting me, Eye?"

Eye, Brain, Hand and such are our codenames. As a group, we are much like parts of a body with different tasks to perform. However, we still sometimes hire people to do some public legwork and give them a genuine ruby pendant as a payment. To be simply honest, we only have 5 members that gladly eligible for our group name: Quintuple Ruby.

"Hindi naman. Ang kaso... baka naman tayo ang bumagsak kapag—"

"We are never alike to the first generation. We will never fall." Hand cut her off.

"Si Brain ang kinakausap ko, hindi ikaw. Sabat ka nang sabat."

"Stop being childish, Eye."

"I'm not childish. Baka ikaw 'yon. Parang batang nakikialam sa usapan ng matatanda."

I just listened to their clash of words, though they serve anything but nuisance. Human beings tend to defend themselves—whether the accusations are true or false. Ofttimes, they would even cross any line just to survive. My ears can miraculously withstand their barbs, probably because they had been my friends for years and the bond that we share are thicker than blood.

"How was the Phantom Detective's doing?" I asked out of the blue. I received a grin from Eye's face as she sat next to me and as well enjoyed the landscape of the city. There were tall buildings visible, too, making people from ground look like ants.

"Ayos naman siya. Ayun, naging friends na rin ata nina Chavez at no'ng Serrano. Nabisto niya nga si George Dalida pero buti nalang walang siyang sinabing major info tungkol sa 'tin."

"Zen Vergara had been even more cheerful than before, if that's what you mean, Brain," Hand answered. "For some unknown reason."

Unknown? No, I know exactly why he was blissful than before. I can see it crystal clear. There's nothing unknown to me except X—a very enigmatic human being, even his existence is being doubted.

"How about X? Anything to report about X?"

The room was filled with deafening silence right after I brought the matter up.

"Brain..." Eye whispered underneath her breath. "Do you seriously believe in him? Para siyang si Santa Claus, children's fairy tales, you know."

"I do believe in him," I firmly responded with no any signs of doubt lingering in the deepest corner of myself. "After all, he was the most intelligent man I've ever encountered."

Truth be told, my path has never crossed X's. Nor have I ever met him, because it feels like light years afar from my sight.

"Oh. Another report. Feet has succeeded the infiltration."

Those words are music to my ears. Little by little, we are stepping closer to our objective. Our efforts will not be in vain, no matter what class of hindrances we might attain in the future. We are the inevitable despite of the world's deviation towards us.

"Actually..." I started. "I should've been in Feet's position, doing the infiltration thingy, but I'm too old for that matter. I owe Feet an apology."

"Not at all," Hand argued. "Feet is grateful."

"Mas bagay sa kanya 'yung nga gano'ng trabaho. Buti hindi mo naisipang mag-hire ng tao para sa infiltration kundi back to square one nanaman tayo.It's not like I don't trust you-"

I glanced over my shoulder and threw her a nonchalant glare, "Eye, I am the Brain."

"Fine fine, whatever."

"Zen Vergara's getting closer to us." I heard Feet's voice. We didn't notice his presence right away until he makes us do so. I think he deserves the award of the best tiptoe expert, tresspasser, sneaker and the likes of the century. In preferable and precise description, invisibility has been his specialty.

"Kakagulat ka naman, Feet! Magparamdam ka naman kapag pumapasok ka." Eye demanded but Feet only knitted his brows.

"Hindi ko kasalanan kung manhid ka."

"How close is he?" Hand asked in a monotonous tone as usual.

"One step closer, I guess?"

The words made my lips curve and form a deadly smile. Youngsters are indeed energetic these days, aren't they? I honestly admire Zen's talents and intel par with mine. I respect him from the bottom of my heart. Though, his habit of not showing himself off made him turn into a phantom whom everyone looks up to, I know he had a separate character in which his boastfulness decends. Double life, as they call it.

"One step closer to death? Nice, I'm all fired up!"

"No," my quick rebuttal had brought them a surprise. "Do not get rid of him, nor that Chavez and Serrano. They might come in handy one of these days."

I raised the glass of champagne, leveled with my eyes. The skylight's had turned into a dark navy blue filled with nightmares beneath. The end of the day and beginning of a new tomorrow.

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