"I have no idea what this symbol means."

"And yet you've been staring at it for more than an hour," kinuha ni Nico ang bato kay Nova at ibinalik sa bulsa ng kanyang jacket. "For a moment, I was worried you'd swallow it and yell 'Darna!', or some shit like that."  

Mahinang natawa ang mga tauhan ng ECDCP sa sinabi ng detective. Pero agad rin silang tumahimik nang dinapuan sila ng masamang tingin ng dalaga. It was clear that nobody else would dare test the pink head's temper. To her partner, she said, "Ngayong malinaw na hindi isang 'aksidente' ang pagkaka-expose ng biktima sa kung anumang pathogen ang pumatay sa kanya, it'll only be a matter of time before the killer strikes again."

Detective Nico leaned against the taxi and watched the biohazard personnel at a distance.

"What are you suggesting?"

"Simple," she crossed her arms over her chest. "Kailangan nating ipaalam sa city hall ang potential risks nito sa bayan. Kung sakaling lalala ang sitwasyon, at least they'll be able to come up with a plan as early as possible. Lockdowns, community quarantine guidelines---"

"The last time I checked, we're detectives, not medical experts. Isa pa, baka lalong mataranta ang mga tao kapag nalaman nilang may kriminal na gumagamit ng virus na pakalat-kalat sa lansangan."

Besides, on several occasions, Nico had already encountered the mayor. At base sa assessment niya rito, he's not the kind of man to jeopardize the economy of Eastwood based on anything less than concrete facts. Hindi na niya kailangan pang idagdag ang pangungumbinsi rito sa trabaho niya.

Nova rolled her eyes and pointed at the crime scene. "Don't you think it's too late for that? Ngayon pa lang, 'natataranta' na ang mga tao, Yukishito. Now if we don't warn them about god-knows-what virus is on the loose, baka marami pang mawalan ng pamilya itong darating na Pasko."

'For once, can't we just agree on something?'

Napasimangot si Nico, hindi dahil hindi siya sang-ayon sa opinyon ng kanyang kasama; kung hindi dahil alam niyang tama siya. His eyes scanned the neighborhood, silently watching the nearby residents gaze curiously at the scene.

The weight of the situation dawned upon him.

Dahil ngayon, sa ayaw at gusto nila, kailangan nilang iligtas ang mamamayan ng Eastwood sa dalawang bagay: sa isang serial killer at sa isang nakamamatay na infection.

'It's unfair. Sherlock never solved any cases that concerns a deadly pathogen.'

He sighed.

Sino bang nagsabing madaling maging detective?

"Gotta go. Tawagan kita kapag naalala ko."

Natigilan si Nova sa kanyang sinabi. Before she could even stop him, Nico casually walked past the guys wearing biohazard suits. Hands in his pockets. 'Matatapos lang ang lahat ng ito kapag nahuli na namin nang maaga ang killer,' isip-isip niya, making sure he still had the potential evidences.

It's time to pay the old man a visit.

From behind him, Nico can hear his partner's irritated voice.

"You airheaded emo! Iiwan mo talaga akong mag-isa sa lunch?! Hoy, bumalik ka rito!"

But Eastwood's greatest detective only gave her a backhanded wave before blending in the crowd.

*

Ye Hua Chinese Resto
1:00 p.m.

--

"---unlike bacteria, viruses need living cells to replicate. Kapag patay na ang 'host', hindi na sila makakapag-replicate."

"Pero pwede pa ring makahawa?" Inspector Ortega asked, leaning in. Kung interesado siya sa mini-lecture ni Ms. Almeida o sa alindog nito, mahirap sabihin. Nonetheless, the virologist seems too oblivious to this as she nodded, "It's just a matter of 'how long' these viruses can still be infectious to other people. Hindi pa nakatulong ang lamig ng panahon. In general, viruses tend to survive better at colder temperatures and lower humidity."

From stabbing a piece of her Chinese pepper steak, Nova's attention turned to Ms. Almeida.

"Sa ngayon, sigurado tayong isang virus ang ginamit ng killer, 'di ba? Based from the symptoms the victim's husband mentioned during the interview, do you have any guesses on what kind?"

Dahil kung matutukoy nila kung anong klaseng virus ang ginamit sa krimen, malaki ang tyansa nilang ma-trace kung saan ito nagmumula. And by doing so, Detective Nova hopes that they'll be able to narrow down the suspects.

But Ms. Clover Almeida shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, detective, pero common ang mga sintomas na nabanggit ni Mr. Taves. Hangga't hindi pa namin tapos ang tests, the virus in question can be as relatively less lethal as coronavirus or as deadly as Ebola."

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ang dalaga.

'It looks like we have no choice but to try to decipher that rock.'

And speaking of that little "clue", hindi pa rin siya tinatawagan ng magaling niyang partner. Kung saang lupalop ng Eastwood na naman ito nagpunta, she has no idea. Subukan lang talaga niyang solohin ang kasong ito at baka ipalunon niya pa kay Nico ang batong 'yon.

"Detective?"

Napalingon si Nova sa kabilang gilid ng mesa nila. Two women wearing nurse uniforms stood and smiled at her. Agad na napawi ang inis ng dalaga nang makilala niya ang dalawang ito. Oh, how could she forget them when they seem to always find themselves tangled in their cases?

"Minnesota and Feralda... It's nice to see you two, again! Kumain na ba kayo? Tara, libre ni Inspector."

"A-Ano? Detective Carlos, wala akong sinabing---"

"Hindi na po. Kakatapos lang din naming kumain, at medyo napatagal na nga yung pagtambay namin dito," Min laughed. "We were just about to go back to the hospital."

"Are you working on another case?" Fe asked in excitement. "Pwedeng maki-tsismis?"

Nove shook her head, not wanting to dive into details. Hindi naman sa wala siyang tiwala sa dalawang ito, pero sa dami na ng mga pagkakataong muntik na silang napahamak dahil sa mga kaso nila ni Nico, it's best to keep information under lock and key. Or at least until they know what and who they're up against.

Nang maramdaman ng dalawang nurse na wala na siyang planong i-elaborate sa kanila ang kaso, nagkatingin ang dalawa at tuluyan nang nagpaalam. Strangely, Min's eyes lingered on their table, as if searching for someone in particular.

But Nova's attention was already at the family who was eating behind where Fe and Min stood earlier.

'Wait, is that bat soup?'

Naningkit ang kanyang mga mata. Sa pagkakaalam niya, may tourist attraction ang Eastwood. Isang bat cave sa hilagang bahagi ng bayan. Could it be...?

"Hay! Heto na naman ang media," Inspector Ortega suddenly bursted, making Nova half-listen on their conversation.

"Bakit?"

"May nag-leak ng mga detalye ng kaso. Now they're all over the new killer who they baptized as the 'Unknown Disease'... Kalat-kalat na naman ang balita at siguradong may dose-dosenang reporters na namang nakaabang mamaya sa labas ng presinto."

But Nova's mind was already wandering through endless possibilities. Some more terrifying than the others.

'Unknown Disease, huh?'

UD.

That made her smirk.

Yup, Nico would surely hate the name.

---

Note: I had to republish the other chapters dahil nagulo ang arrangement. Thanks for reading! We'll update POE more frequently from now on. —Nox