Encoded

Chapter 34 : Scarlet

MHOREIN

"Mhor, I found something-" Chain stopped in his tracks when he saw him.

"Guys!" Halos tumalon na papalapit sa amin si Aiden para lang mayakap kami.

"Sobra ko kayong na-miss..." Bulong ni Aiden. He let go of us.

"Sabi ko na nga ba magkikita tayo. Mabilis ang chismis dito sa Lezran, Narinig kong andito kayo." Ngumiti si Aiden. Ang laki na ng pinagbago niya.

He sported his natural brown curly hair and a more muscular body.

"Damn. You look good, man." Chain commented. Aiden just smiled.

"Sus, Lagi naman." He looked at the body.

"Anong nangyari?" Tanong ni Aiden.

"People found him dead. We checked and he doesn't have any of his things in the room. He doesn't have any form of I. D. Either." I explained.

"And he left a note in his shoe as well." I handed them the note. Aiden gulped.

"Hindi ko alam kung kaya ko bumalik ulit dyan, Guys..." He looked at us.

"Come on man, We went all the way here to find you. So you can help us." Chain put his hand on Aiden's shoulder.

"Teka, Kaya ba kayo nandito sa Lezran?" We nodded.

"Yeah... We thought maybe... You know. " I sighed. I understand why he doesn't want to.

"Im in." I looked up.

"You are? Really?" Aiden nodded.

"Hindi ko naman kayo matitiis, Eh." He smiled.

"Akala ko ba kinausap ka na ng agency?" Chain asked.

"Huh? Hindi. Wala pa kong nakakausap na kahit sino sa Leounet. Kayo palang ulit." Aiden looks as confused as we were.

"They lied to us." Tinignan ko si Chain.

"They really want us to take this case." I found it weird that they practically lured us unto doing this.

"As I was saying, I found something." Chain and Aiden went to the bathroom while I talked to Inspector Vanadel.

"Mind if I borrow an officer?" I asked. He sipped on his coffee.

"Bahala kayo." I smiled.

"We'll take it from here, sir." Inspector Vanadel shrugged and left the room. I followed Chain and Aiden to the bathroom.

"Ano yan?" I walked in on Aiden asking Chain.

"I don't know, Aiden. Mhorein knows everything." Chain said sarcastically.

"What did you find?" I asked.

"Tignan mo ito." Chain pointed at the flush.

I walked towards them and checked. It's a needle. I examined it. The needle was surrounded with a yellowish clear liquid.

"Is that venom?-" Then realization hit me.

"It's not poison. It's venom. He must've not noticed the needle. He pricked his finger while flushing the toilet. It's a Viper Snake's venom. Explains the weird finger." I explained.

"Woah." Aiden looked at me.

"Hindi parin natin alam kung sino iyan." Chain reminded us.

"Right... We could call every number on the list from a day ago." I put my hand on my chin.

"Paano kung nung isang linggo pa siya nandito?" Aiden asked.

"Im ruling that possibility out. Since he's only here to spy on us. He's been here for as long as we were." I sighed heavily.

"Only three people checked in this week. No one on the same day as we did. The latest was a day before us." Sabi ni Chain habang binabasa ang listahan.

"You think the police can handle this?" I asked.

"Pwede naman nilang tignan ang fingerprints o hanapin siya sa files ng gobyerno." Aiden seconded.

"You think they're smart enough to mess with that?" Chain asked.

"Hindi ko alam... " I walked out of the bathroom and went to the body. I saw CSS taking photos.

"Excuse me." Lumuhod ako at tinignan ang kamay nito. Bakit hindi ko ito napansin kanina?

"What is it?" I heard Chain behind me.

"Fingerprints are burned off."

I examined face. Arched eyebrows that doesn't look natural. He's dead, How does he looks so fucking angry? I opened up his polo shirt and checked his stomach. I went lower to the bikini line. There it is... A scar.

"Wala na tayong magagawa dito." I stood up. Chain looked at me.

"This is the best we can do. They killed someone just to send a message. He's had plastic surgery."

"What kinds?" He asked.

"There are signs of liposuction and a facelift. But Im certain that he's had more to alter himself definitely." I sighed.

"How many of these people do you think they have?" Chain asked. I looked down.

"Hindi ko alam..."

"Give me a number from the list and you guys call one too. Make this faster." Chain handed me his phone and I quickly dialed a number.

Chain and Aiden did the same.

We stared intently at each other while the other line is ringing. I tapped my foot in anticipation. I held my breathe when they answered the call.

"Detective?" My eyes widened. The condescending yet sophisticated voice that greeted me sent shivers down my spine.

"Who is this? How did you know Im a detective?" I asked. I had a hunch on who it is.

"Kanina pa namin hinihintay ang tawag niyo. Kagabi pa, Sa totoo lang. Paglagay pa lang namin ng karayom sa hotel room, Naghihintay na kami." I can feel the goosebumps on my skin. I gulped.

"I know, I wouldnt get an answer to who are you. But what do you want?" Chain and Aiden stared at me.

"Scarlet. Nice to meet you..." Something about her voice... It seems so familiar yet so distant. Intimidating yet graceful. Something is hesvily wrong here.

"What did you do to this man and why did you do it?" I gripped my phone.

"Isusumbong niya sana kami. Hindi na siya nagkapagasang tawagin manlang kayo." She laughed. I felt shivers once again. I looked around the room, Paranoid.

"Answer me!" I can barely breathe properly.

"Makinig kayo, Detective. Katulad niyo wala rin akong alam sa gusto at plano niya."

"Pero siya, Alam niya ang lahat. The criminal mastrmind himself, Acros. But he gave me a job to do." I stopped myself from throwing the phone across the room.

"Tumingin ka sa paligid mo. Somewhere in that room is another code made by yours truly. Harder than what you're used to, But it will very much help you on your next case. Goodluck, Tryhards!" With that she hung up.