After taking a drink, Minnesota headed straight to the next patient she was about to check up on. Humikab ang nurse at inayos ang kanyang mask, careful not to appear too tired.

Bakit ba kasi hindi siya makatulog nang maayos kagabi?

'It's only around 10:00 a.m., Min. Hindi ka pwedeng antukin!' She mentally scolded herself and entered the room.

A lot of thoughts ran in her mind, flashing what occured in the last week ever since the UD case started.

Lutang niyang ginawa ang kanyang trabaho, but Min couldn't help but notice the way the other occupant in the room stared at her and studied her every move. Sa kabila ng paminsan-minsan nilang pag-uusap tuwing bumibisita siya rito, Min still couldn't shake the weird feeling she has.

Siguro nga, napapagod lang siya.

*

Malinaw pa sa kanyang mga matang bumalik ang mga imahe kay Nico. It was as if his mind instantly conjured up the crime scenes in full detail, one by one...

"Sa kaso ng mga Taves, nabanggit ng ilang teachers ng magkapatid na nagiging sakitin sila and they even mentioned how Mrs. Taves would even take them to see a doctor---you---and accompany the kids everywhere. Kung infected na rin ang mga bata dahil sa ibinigay mo sa kanilang prutas o kung si Mrs. Taves mismo ang kumain nito dahil hindi mahilig sa prutas ang mga anak niya, either way, you successfully exposed the family to these horrors by offering them these fruits. And might I add, sa crime scene sa Taves' residence, a bowl of fruits were at the living room, right next to the broken mug and the mother's body. That alone gives the impression that someone in the house consumes fruit on a regular basis, most likely Mrs. Taves herself, and you knew it...

Sa kaso ng mga Chua, it was a similar case for their daughter, Molly, wasn't it? Appointment and manipulation and offering her something to eat. Sa kaso ng mag-amang namatay sa mall, since their financial status is a problem, you could've easily took advantage and volunteered to do check ups on the kid out of a 'good heart' and found a way to infect him, too. Maganda ang reputasyon mo sa Eastwood, kaya hindi kataka-takang pinagkakatiwalaan ka ng marami. With your line of work, it would be easy for you to execute your plans on the others---sa batang sakristan at sa batang may dala-dalang mangga sa parke," Nico finished and eyed the killer.

Nakayuko na ito ngayon at mukhang malalim ang iniisip.

*

Nakayuko ngayon si Atty. Lelouch habang binabasa ang mga dokumentong nakalap nila sa isang flashdrive sa opisina ni Dr. Fabella. They were in his office at the ECDCP, investigating the attack on Dr. Almeida.

Dahil hindi available sina Detective Yukishito at Brian para tingnan ito (and upon Inspector Cordova's insistence), they decided to take matters into their own hands. Kung na-distract man siya sa tawag kanina ni Omari, now the attorney's full attention is on the screen in front of him.

"Pero bakit naman ito itatabi ni Dr. Fabella?" Lelouch skimmed through the files and read them thoroughly. From the looks of it, the director carefully hid this from plainsight.

But why?

Sa labas ng opisina, in an adjacent hallway where the attack happened, abala pa rin ang ilang officers sa pangangalap ng mga posibleng ebidensya laban kay Tiffany. So far, they never found the weapon or any footage to use as reference.

"Inspector Cordova! N-Nahanap na si Dr. Fabella!"

Narinig ni Lelouch ang malalim na paghinga ng inspector bago ito nagpaalam kay Chief Inspector Ortega na kanina pa nito kausap sa telepono.

"At saan naman siya nagtago?" Inspector Cordova asked coldly, knowing the director had been missing for a couple of days now.

Sa pagkakaalam ni Lelouch, maraming may galit sa director ng ECDCP magmula noong lumabas ang balitang kinukunsinti pa nito ang mga kilos ng mayor at pinipigilan ang paghihigpit sa Eastwood. His disappearance from the case only added fuel to everyone's frustration.

Pero napalunok na lang ang officer, ninenerbyos.

"Parang hindi siya nagtago, sir.. Nakita lang siya kanina ng janitor sa cleaning supplies closet. Wala siyang malay."

What the heck?

Without second thoughts, Atty. Lelouch left the laptop and followed them to the said closet. Hindi makapaniwala ang abogado sa kanyang narinig. Ano namang ginagawa ni Dr. Fabella roon? Bakit siya nawala? Why did he hid those records in a flashdrive?

'At ano ba talagang nangyayari ngayon?'

*

"Ikaw ang iligal na nag-iimport ng mga hayop mula sa Africa para i-test at maghanap ng carrier ng Marburg virus. Your charm as a female and as a professional can easily get you what you want without ticking off any alarms. You rejected those that didn't 'meet the standard' such as the African green monkeys that were sold to Todd at his exotic pet shop, and kept the bats to yourself to extract their contaminated saliva. Tungkol naman sa crates, dahil magiging kahina-hinala ang pagbili ng maraming prutas---para ipakain sa mga alaga mo at ipakain sa mga bata---you stole the wooden crates for the Chinese wines at the port and used them to carry fruits. Naging susi rin ito para frame up mo ang owner ng resto at nakahanap ka ng pagkakataong ikulong ako sa container. Base sa educational records mo, kamuntikan ka nang mapunta sa field of virology, but you discarded that for pediatrics," Nico walked towards Tiffany. If his intimidation was working, it seems like their suspect had more fortitude than he gave her credit for.

Hindi pa rin umiimik ang pediatrician, palipat-lipat ang tingin sa kanila ni Nova at sa baril na nakatutok sa kanya.

Nico had enough of these games.

"You were probably tapping into our phone calls, that could only explain why you knew things. Bukod pa rito, ginamit mo pa ang kaibigan mo at inatake siya kagabi para mawalan ka ng 'koneksyon' sa kaso," he finished. "Just like how you broke into ECDCP and killed Benet. How convenient! The ECDCP building is just in this vicinity."

Kasunod nito, napuno ng nakabibinging ingay ng pagkabasag ng fruit bowl ang clinic nang mabilis itong tinabig ni Tiffany.

CRASH!

This bought her enough time to kick Nico's knee and slip under his arm, bolting through the door.

"She's getting away!" Nova panicked, her grip on the gun almost faltered as Nirvana cowered behind her.

"Damn Sherlock!" Inis na napamura naman si Nico at hinabol si Tiffany.

*

After wearing his protective gear, Omari slipped into the empty house, studying the furniture and the books carefully placed on the shelves. Pinasadahan niya ng tingin ang paligid hanggang sa makita nito ang isang maliit na device sa ibabaw ng coffee table.

He stared at it a moment longer, wondering why anyone would have a portable voice changer.

Screeches.

The screeches and pings and battering of wings amplified as he neared the back of the house.

Nang marating niya ang basement, doon tumambad sa kanya ang dose-dosenang Egyptian fruit bats na nakasalambitin mula sa taas nito. Dahan-dahan siyang umatras at inilibot ang mga mata sa basement.

'This is worse than I thought.'

Dried fruit seeds scattered on the ground.

A large door with a hatch on one side of the room.

Laboratory equipment neatly stored in a corner, complete with vials of what appears to be their saliva.

At noong mga sandaling 'yon, naunawaan ni Omari na hindi lang niya nahanap ang lungga ng mga fruit bats---nahanap rin niya ang lungga ni Unknown Disease.

*

"Can I ask something? Ano pala 'yong iniwan mo noon sa harap ng hospital room ni Detective Yukishito? I noticed you left a box there, but I was too preoccupied to approach you back then," Min casually let the words out, kahit pa alam niyang dahil lang 'to sa mga misteryong kanina pa niya iniisip.

Oh, God. She shouldn't even be asking, should she?

'Maybe I'm just overthinking? Naku, baka kung ano pang isipin ni---'

"It's something I want to leave behind."

"L-Leave behind?"

Kumunot ang noo ni Min sa sinagot ng pasyenteng nakaupo sa kama. Kasalukuyan itong nakatanaw sa bintana, na para bang may inaalala. There was a haunted look in her eyes, the sunlight catching the freckles on her weary face.

"Sabihin na lang natin na marami akong bangungot sa lugar na 'to. During this season, everyone's expected to feel joy, happiness, and... love. Pero para sa'kin, nagiging trigger lang ang lahat ng 'to sa masasamang alaala," she added. "Pinapaalala lang ng lugar na 'to na wala na dapat akong binabalikan pa rito."

The nurse stared at her, not knowing how to react. "I-I'm sorry to hear that... Pero sigurado akong maraming nagmamahal sa'yo. With everything you've contributed to the case, I bet your family is proud of you."

An enigmatic smile crept on the patient's lips, her eyes hardened but didn't glance at Minnesota.

"I have no family, not anymore."

*

The chase was something they were already anticipating.

Hindi pa man nakakalayo ang pediatrician, hinarangan na siya ng ilang police vehicles. Hingal na napahinto si Tiffany, staring at Chief Inspector Placido Ortega who got out of the passenger seat.

"Kung ako sa'yo, susuko na lang ako, UD. Masyado nang malaking gulo 'tong dinala mo sa Eastwood," sabi ng hepe.

Tiffany stepped back, just in time to collide with Detective Nico Yukishito. Bago pa man makapag-isip ng paraan para makatakas ang pediatrician, she was held by Detective Briannova Carlos, disguise now discarded on the ground.

"Wala ka nang tatakbuhan, doc," Nova reminded her while keeping her arms locked.

Sandaling tumahimik ang paligid, everyone's eyes focused on Tiffany. Ilang sandali pa, humagalpak nang tawa ang pediatrician at ngumisi nang nakakaloko sa kanila. There was hatred brewing in her eyes, an unspoken determination.

"Fine. You win," Tiffany grunted. "Ano, masaya na kayo? Nahuli niyo na ako! Congrats! Now, go ahead and put me in jail, you shitheads."

Every officer in the area visibly relaxed.

Everyone except Nico.

Matagal niyang tinitigan si Tiffany, inaaral ang mga reaksyon at kilos nito. 'Damn, ano pa bang ginagawa ko? She already confessed. Case closed,' his brain argued. Dapat masaya siyang, sa wakas, nabigyan na ng katapusan ang kasong ito. Hindi man nila maresolba ang virus, at least half of their problems is already out of the way.

But then again, something felt off...

*

Dala-dala ang basong naglalaman ng tubig, Minnesota carefully opened the door to her room again, trying not to spill the contents on the polished floors.

"Here you go, Dr. Almeida. Sana hindi ka nainip sa..."

Minnesota's hand slipped.

The glass fell and shattered beneath her feet, the polished floors be damned.

Their resident virologist, Dr. Jane Almeida, was gone.

---