Eastwood Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(ECDCP)
4:32 p.m.

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The assistant left the room half an hour ago. Since then, Detective Nico Yukishito and Detective Briannova Carlos stood in front of a large glass window where their witness kept pacing the sterile room.

'Damn Sherlock! We've wasted enough time here.'

Sa loob ng kahalating oras na 'yon, nakakapikon isipin na wala pa rin itong nabibigay na impormasyon para matukoy ang pagkakakilanlan ni UD. From the corner of his eye, Nico saw Nova shift uncomfortably, knowing the virus that killed the victims was potentially inside the man they've been interrogating. Sa kabila ng mala-military-style isolation ward ng ECDCP at mahigpit nitong health protocols, the thought of being this close to an unknown virus is reasonably alarming.

Napabalik na lang ang atensyon ni Nico kay Benet nang muli itong magpaliwanag. His voice crackled through the speakers, "I-Iyon lang talaga ang naaalala ko, detectives..."

"What about his complexion? Moreno? Maputi? Any identifying marks? Brand of clothes you're familiar with?"

"Hindi ko nakita ang mukha niya, but the man was tall---"

"How tall?" Nico sharply interrupted, pressing the button that allowed them to communicate without risking an infection.

"Hindi ko alam---"

"Mas matangkad sa'yo? You're a 5'7. So, perhaps, the suspect's height is around 5'8? 5'9?"

"P-Paano mo nalaman ang height ko?"

"Trabaho kong alamin ang lahat," Nico boredly stated. "Now, either give us an estimate on his height or give us something useful to work on."

Bahagyang napaatras mula sa salamin ang lalaki. Kung na-intimidate man ito sa detective o sadyang nainis sa tono nito, he didn't show it. For the nth time that afternoon, Nico frowned when Nova stepped in (again) and took over the interrogation. Tinapunan muna siya nito ng matalim na tingin.

"Tinatakot mo siya!"

"He wasn't being cooperative," he shrugged.

"Nico, you can't just intimidate the information out of people..."

"It's actually an interrogation and interview technique."

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ang dalaga. "Ugh. Remind me to never let you handle interrogations, again." Kaya wala nang nagawa si Nico nang siya na mismo ang pumindot sa button at kumausap sa lalaki. Sa kabila ng stress at pagod, pinilit pa rin niyang ngumiti.

"Benet, please... We need you to give us all the details you remember. Maraming buhay ang nakataya rito, at kung 'yong taong nakita mo sa shop nga ang killer na hinahanap namin, it will save us a lot of time and resources, as well. Kung hindi, baka marami pang matulad sa sinapit ng pamilyang Chua..."

Nang marinig nito ang pangalan ng mag-anak, agad nilang napansing nanlumo ito. Benet took in deep breaths and nodded, looking like he was about to breakdown any moment. Base sa narinig nila kanina, sinubukan pa nitong dalhin sa ospital at iligtas ang bata, pero huli na ang lahat nang makarating doon ang mga awtoridad at ang mga tauhan ng ECDCP. They saw him cradling the corpse of the dead girl, not knowing he'd be infected, too.

"Matangkad... Siguro nga nasa 5'8 o 5'9. Nakasuot siya ng sunglasses, kaya hindi ko napansin ang mga mata niya. The guy wore a brown coat and carried a small crate with him. Hindi ko nakita ang laman nito... Tapos---Tapos parang may dala-dala siyang mga susi," Benet paused, as if realizing this just now. "Natatandaan kong parang may kumalansing mula sa bulsa niya nang mabunggo ko siya. Iyon lang talaga ang alam ko..."

Nico watched Nova took out her notepad again, hopefully for the last time today, and wrote down the details. Maya-maya pa, bumalik sa pagkakaupo nito sa  gilid ng kanyang maliit na kama sa loob ng isolation ward. Benet buried his head in his hands and silence fell upon them.

"May lunas pa ba ito?"

'Depende sa virus,' Nico thought. Hindi lingid sa kaalaman ng iba, wala pa ring lunas sa karamihan ng mga virus. Isang halimbawa na rito ang tinatawag na "human immunodeficiency virus" o "HIV" na nagiging sanhi naman ng "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome" (AIDS)---thus the term "HIV/AIDS"---which caused about 32 million deaths since the disease was first recognized in the 1980's. Currently, there's no cure for HIV and a licensed vaccine is yet to be created.

One interesting fact is that you can be infected with HIV but not develop AIDS, but the other way around isn't possible.

Sandaling sumulyap si Nova sa kanya, trying to search for answers that were nonexistent at this point. Bumaling si Nico sa salamin at sinalubong ang takot sa mga mata ni Benet---ang takot ng isang taong alam niyang malaki ang posibilidad niyang mamatay. 

This is exactly the reason why Nico didn't choose the medical field---he hated giving people "false hopes" and believing in these delusions, too.

May lunas pa nga ba ito?

"Let's just hope so."

*

They decided to call it a day.

Sa dami ng mga nangyari mula pa kaninang umaga at sa paminsan-minsang panghaharang sa kanila ng media sa lansangan, all the stress of this new mystery is finally taking its toll on them.

'Sinong mag-aakalang isang araw pa lang namin iniimbestigahan ang kasong ito?' Detective Nico thought and buried his hands in his jacket's pockets, fondling with the new stone they recovered at the Chua's apartment. He stood in the middle of the sidewalk, right outside his apartment. Sa kabilang banda, nakaparada pa rin ang kanyang partner sa gilid ng kalsada. From inside the car, she sighed and said, "I'll try to check on the Chua's background and see if they've come across with anyone from Mrs. Taves' contacts. Update na lang kita agad kapag may nahanap akong kahina-hinala."

"Okay."

Nova raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, you aren't very talkative this afternoon. Ganyan ba talaga kapag kulang ka sa kape?"

"Ganito talaga kapag kasama ko ang isang SHADOW agent," he smirked, showing off his dimples.

Napapailing na lang si Nova at sandaling sumulyap sa kanyang cellphone sa dashboard ng sasakyan.

"I better get going. Idadaan ko lang saglit sa opisina ang recording para sa kaso ng creative director then I'll drop by the ice cream parlor near the elementary," She hesitated. "My ex just texted me. Kasama niya si Nirvana."

Hindi umimik si Nico.

'It looks like that attorney's still head over heels for her.'

In the end, Nova just bid her goodbye and drove out into the streets. Tahimik namang dumiretso sa kanyang apartment ang detective kung saan siya sinalubong agad ng golden retriever.

"Arf! Arf!"

Nico smiled and patted her head, "I hope your day wasn't as exciting as mine, Goldilocks."

"Arf! Arf!"

Matapos niyang isara ang pinto, agad na nilampasan ng detective ang kalat ng journals at pinaglumaang mga dyaryo sa kanyang sala. Nico took off his brown leather jacket, tossed it to the nearest chair, and started making himself some coffee.

Recalling the intruiging bit of  information Maestro provided them earlier, Nico knew his day is far from over.

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