They thought her death would mark the end of the case. 

Pero mukhang may ibang plano ang tadhana ngayong gabi, dahil habang inaayos nila ang paglilipat sa bangkay ni Clouie at pag-contact sa mga magulang nito, unti-unti ulit nabulabog ang kaninang tahimik na lawa.

"K-KATAW!" Naythan screamed and hid behind Nemesis, alerting the rest of their clubmates.

'Pero hindi siya natakot kaninang sumisid sa lawa? Hay naku!'

Meanwhile, Nemesis stared in disbelief as the form emerged from the waters. The surface rippled as if it were obeying an unseen master, someone---or something---causing the disturbance.

Napuno ng tensyon ang paligid nang tuluyan nang magpakita ang nilalang na nanggugulo sa lugar. Fish-like scales adorned its large body. A pair of abysses for eyes. Its gills on its neck moved, sensing the change in environment. Sa palibot ng kanyang katawan, lumulutang ang maliliit na butil ng tubig, reminiscent of falling raindrops...

'If raindrops moved upwards instead,' Nemesis thought as she watched the droplets float in midair.

"Sorren, take the girl's body away," Damien commanded. To Caelum, he scowled, "I just hope Magno fed you enough paranormal encyclopedias, Agustin. Dahil kung hindi mo pa napapansin, wala tayong laban sa teritoryo ng mga kataw---!"

SLAM!

Nagulat sina Nemesis, Rio, Naythan, at Caelum nang bigla na lang lumipad ang katawan ni Damien. The waters slammed his back against a nearby fishing boat, sending buckets flying around because of the impact, knocking him out cold.

Nemesis sighed. 'Well, he did deserve it for being a jerk.'

Did she pity the rich kid?

Hell no.

Pero nang akmang isusunod na sana sila ng kataw, biglang umurong ang tubig bago pa man ito makaabot sa kanila. From behind her, Naythan furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Umm... Bakit 'di niya tayo masaktan? Favoritism?"

"No, it's because of this."

Nemesis held the medallion against her neck, remembering its protection. Tinanggal nga pala ni Damien ang kanyang medalyon ka kanina noong nalaman niya ang katauhan ni Caelum. Kung nagdududa man sila kanina sa authenticity nito, now there's clearly no doubt of it.

'Paano naman namin mahuhuli ang kataw?'

"N-Nem?"

"...."

"Nem!"

"Naythan, pwede bang mamaya ka na mangulit!"

"NEM!"

"Damn! Bakit ba?"

Instead of speaking up, Naythan pointed at something. Agad na sinundan ni Nemesis ng tingin ang tinuturo nito, at para bang naubusan siya ng hininga nang makita ang tanawin sa lawa. Behind the first creature, another one appeared. It was smaller and skinner, but its scales and black eyes carried the same peculiarity.

"Dalawang kataw?" Caelum studied them in interest. Ni hindi ito umalis sa kanyang kinatatayuan. "One is already a problem. Paano pa kaya natin mahuhuli ang dalawa?"

Hindi pa rito nagtatapos ang kanilang kakaibang gabi.

Dahil lalong nabahala ang Eastwood Paranormal Investigators' Club nang sinimulang atakihin ng ikalawang kataw ang nauna. Their monstrous noises made the surface of the lake ripple, tiny waves crashed the shores to and fro. Hindi makapaniwala si Nemesis sa kanyang nasasaksihan.

She stepped away as the waters became more violent.

Unti-unting natabunan ng makakapal na ulap ang kalangitan, hanggang sa tuluyan na nitong itinago ang buwan sa kanila.

"Caelum, anong nangyayari?" She asked, starting to get worried.

The nerd shook his head. "H-Hindi ko rin alam... Kataws aren't known to be violent with their own kind. Baka may kinalaman ito sa pag-angkin ng teritoryo ng lawa, but even that seems unlikely."

Nem's eyes then drifted to the bow and arrow Damien dropped earlier. Agad niya itong kinuna bago pa tangayin ng agos ang mga ito. It felt unbreakable and genuine under her touch, just the kind of weapon Damien would choose to dump his money for.

'I hate you for buying such a ridiculously expensive weapon, Alcott.'

She raised it and closed an eye, aiming at the pair of paranormal creatures. Alam niyang napagkasunduan nilang "manghuli" ng kataw ngayong gabi para na rin sa research purposes ni Damien, but Nemesis won't miss out on an opportunity to end this.

Even if it meant going against the initial plan.

'Two fishes with one arrow.'

"Nemo, sandali!"

Rionach suddenly ran towards her before she could take the shot. Bakas ang pag-aalala nito.

"Rio, bakit? Anong problema?"

The psychic's cat-shaped earrings dangled as she smiled sadly. At nang ipinaliwanag nito ang lahat sa kanya, kamuntikan nang mabitiwan ni Nemesis ang pana. Wala sa sarili niyang tinitigan ang ikalawang kataw, hindi makapaniwala. Paano? Paano naging si Julian ang isang 'yon? She wanted to laugh and treat this as some sorta shitty joke.

Pero hindi nagbibiro si Rio.

And somehow, she knew her clubmate would never joke about this.

"Okay."

Nemesis took in a deep breath, regained her composure, and released the arrow.

As expected, the arrowhead that was made out of imported material impaled the first creature. Agad itong na-distract sa pana na naging dahilan para kumawala sa kanyang hawak ang ikalawa. Walang inaksayang pagkakataon ang maliit na kataw at itinarak ang kanyang kamay sa dibdib nito.

Black blood bursted out of its flesh, mixing with the scales.

The kataw roared in pain, the same time the heavy rain poured down over the lake.

Tila isang unos ang dumaan sa lawa na nagtagal ng ilang minuto. Humampas sa kanila ang naglalakihang mga alon, pero bago pa man sila lamunin ng mga ito...

The sky and the waves and the noise suddenly stopped.

Calm washed over them.

When they opened their eyes, the waters finally stilled. Ibinaba ni Nemesis ang weapon at tinitigan ang natirang kataw sa lawa. Tila ba malungkot lang itong nakatanaw sa tubig, mag-isa at wala nang lakas para lumaban. The creature then gazed at them, offering a smile.

A smile that almost looked human. It was miserable.

'Julian?'

At imbes na atakihin sila nito, tahimik lang itong tumalikod at bumalik sa ilalim ng lawa, leaving them with an solved yet unsolved mystery.

*

"I can't imagine how disappointed you must be right now," Nemesis said as she handed him his bow and arrow. Katulad ng iba, basang-basa rin siya ng tubig-ulan pero sa mga sandaling ito, wala na siyang pakialam. She held Damien's gaze and added, "Hindi mo naman siguro ipapahuli sa butler mo si Julian, 'di ba?"

Damien took the weapon from her and frowned.

"I have to admit, it is quite an inconvenience. Ito na sana ang oportunidad na aralin ang mga kataw at alamin ang mga 'kapangyarihan' nila," sagot niya. Sandaling sumulyap sa Eastwood Lake ang bilyunaryo. His expression was unreadable.

"But I guess that would be dishonoring the course of nature."

"And dishonoring Clouie," she replied. "Baka multuhin ka niya kapag nalamn niyang ini-experimentuhan mo si Julian."

Damien nodded. "That too."

A while ago, after Damien regained his strength, Rio had to retell the story to them. Noong una, nahirapan silang paniwalaan ang nangyari kay Julian, pero kalaunan napagdesisyunan nilang wala naman talagang dahilan para hindi maniwala---not when you're surrounded by the paranormal.

Kung anuman ang nakitang potensyal ng naunang kataw kay Julian kaya siya nito binigyan ng bagong katauhan, tanging ang lawa na lang ng Eastwood ang mananatiling piping saksi nito.

When dusk came, they had to clean up the mess and inform the fishermen of the tragedy. Hindi malilimutan nina Nemesis ang pagluluksa ng pamilya ni Clouie dahil sa sinapit nito. All the while, Rio kept to herself and fumbled with the charm Clouie's family allowed her to have.

Nang makasakay na sila sa limo, hindi na siya nagtaka nang mapansing naroon pa rin ang mga pilat na iniwan ng kasong ito. It was just their second case together, and yet Damien and Caelum aren't even acknowledging each other's presence and Rionach was dealing with the aftermath of Clouie's death. Suot na nito ang mutya ng tubig sa kanyang leeg, kapalit ng karaniwan nitong mutya ng bulalakaw sa kwintas.

'It's just our second case, and yet things are getting too intense.'

Napasandal na lang sa upuan si Nemesis, beside her she knew Naythan was feeling the awkwardness, too.

"Ano kaya sa tingin mong susunod nating makakaharap?"

He paled. "N-Nem naman! Uso rin magpahinga!"

Nemesis Silverio smiled. Kailan nga ba sila magkakaroon ng matinong pahinga sa Eastwood?

---