“Did you find any clue?” Naramdaman ko ang mahinang pagtapik nang braso ni Xavien. “Is there anything unusual about them?” He was referring to the four suspects in the profile case that we are up to right now.

Nasa coffee shop kami ngayon at hindi ko ma-appreciate ang ambiance na mayroon dito sa loob dahil mas nangingibabaw ang kaba at pressure sa utak ko. Hindi ko yata kayang i-solve ang kasong ‘to.

“It's not that hard, Amie. Relax, huwag ka masyadong ma-pressure,” Larken added, flashing a confident half-smile, and softly chucked at us. Nanunudyo pa talaga siya!

I forced a nod, yet my thoughts were already wary of the twists unfolding in this case. Masyadong malalim ang kasong ito kaya kailangan naming imbestigahan agad ito. And of course, there was an authority for us to unravel this case at para mahanap ang totoong dahilan ng pagkawala ng isa sa mga estudyante rito.

Isang malakas na buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan ko bago ibinaling ang tingin sa lalaki na tila nakakunot-noo ngayon sa papel na hawak niya.

Kung madali para sa kay Larken na i-solve and kaso na ‘to, pwes, sa akin hindi! Six months pa lang naman ako rito sa Amethy High at marami pa akong matutuhan sa mga kasong hahawakan namin.

Gustuhin ko mang tumanggi kay Detective Mori, wala na rin akong nagawa dahil sa dalawang makukulit na lalaki sa tabi ko na pilit akong kinukumbinsi na isingit sa kaso nila. Busy na nga ako sa mga school project namin tapos idadagdag pa nila ‘tong kaso!

I mean, I love solving cases, but not the ones that derail my studies. I understand the thrill of a good mystery solving with my friends, yet I simply cannot let these investigations interfere with my academics.

I let out a deep, weary sigh, for the nth time. “Kahit isang clue wala pa talaga,” I muttered. “Hindi pa man tayo nagsisimula, sumasakit na agad ang ulo ko.”

My eyes were focused on the notes that we had written while talking to Laiza Nicole Andrade, seventeen year old TVL student. Hindi kalayuan sa building kung saan kami namamalagi. Siya rin iyong babae na nasa profile case na binigay sa amin kahapon ni Detective Mori.

As I expected, siya na rin ang una naming nilapitan para kausapin tungkol sa nawawala nilang kaibigan. Nasa cafeteria siya non at saktong mag-isa lang na kumakain. Agad din namin siyang nilapitan at nagpakilala.

“I thought, hindi niyo pa nabalitaan ang nangyari,” saad ni Laiza habang marahang iniikot ang tinidor sa spaghetti nito.

Naupo ako sa tabi niya habang kaharap namin ang dalawang lalaki na may parehong hawak na maliit na notebook.

“We're just busy handing some cases, but news like this isn't new to us,” Larken muttered. “May pakpak talaga ang balita rito kaya nalalaman din namin agad.”

A little devil smirk came out of his pinkish lips. I just ignored it and proceeded with my questions.

“Ikaw lang ba ang huling nakakita sa kanya na pumasok sa dorm bago siya nawala?” I asked.

Laiza immediately shook her head. “Hindi, kasama niya pa sina Andrea at Klay na pumasok dahil magkakalapit lang naman ang kwarto nila,” paliwanag niya. “Atsaka, malayo ang dorm namin at mahigpit rin ang security kaya hindi ako gaanong nakakadalaw sa kanya.”

Bigla kong naalala na magkahiwalay nga pala ang dormitory ng mga STEM students sa ibang mga strands, kaya impossible na isa siya sa pwedeng maging suspect sa pagkawala ni Jairah. Nonetheless, it's our job to find the culprit.

The one that is missing is her friend Jairah Asuncion Dominguez, Grade 11 STEM-4 student and a mystery that at first glance, seemed straightforward. Based din sa file na binigay ni Detective Mori ay magkasing-edad lang silang tatlong magkakaibigan, maliban kay Andrea.

"Uhm… wait, kailan nga ulit siya nawala?" Larken asked absentmindedly, his pen tapping lightly against the page of his notebook. "Two days? One week? One month?"

His brows furrowed in concentration as he scribbled something down, though I couldn’t tell if he was actually taking important notes or just doodling random thoughts. Either way, he looked completely absorbed in whatever he was writing.

Laiza shifted her gaze toward him, her lips pressing together before she answered.

"Mahigit isang linggo na rin," she said and heave a sigh. "Sinusubukan din naming i-contact ang parents niya, pero… hindi rin sila sumasagot." Her voice were slightly filled with frustration and worry that is lacing her words off.

That detail made my stomach knot. If even her parents weren’t responding, then something was definitely wrong. Hindi lang ito simpleng kaso ng pagkawala ni Jairah.

"Have you tried tracking her location?" Xavien asked, his brows knitted together, showing that he was trying to figure out a solution to the case.

Laiza shook her head. “Her phone is dead. Hindi rin namin siya ma-track,” her voice was filled with concern and anxiety as she bit her lips and nails.

Bigla na lang hinawakan nang babae ang kamay ni Xavien. Marahan pero bakas ang panginginig sa kanyang kamay. “Please, help us find her. Baka kung ano na ang nangyari sa kanya,” pagmamakaawa niya.

She swallowed hard, pressing her lips together as if trying to hold back her emotions. "Ayokong mag-isip ng masama, pero habang tumatagal ang pagkawala niya, mas lalo kaming kinakabahan," she added, her grip were tightening for a moment before slowly letting go, as if dreading the worst possibilities.

Xavien exhaled sharply and gave her a firm nod. "Don't worry. We'll do our best to figure this out. We’ll get back to you once we find something that can help unravel this mystery," he muttered.

Laiza nodded in response, though the anxious way she fidgeted with her fingers gave away just how restless she was these past few days. My gaze dropped to her hands, noticing how her nails were jagged and uneven, the edges rough as if they had been chewed on repeatedly.

I narrowed my eyes slightly. Does she always bite her nails when she’s nervous, or was this something more?

I immediately shrugged it off. Nauna nang maglakad sa amin si Larken at habang pababa kami ay nakatuon ang atensyon namin sa kanya na nagsasalita pa.

"Kailangan pa nating kausapin ‘yung dalawang babaeng huling nakasama ni Jairah," Larken said, his voice steady as he flipped through his notes. "Maybe they know her whereabouts. It's just a simple missing person case. Mas madali nating—"

Bigla siyang natigilan nang marahas na sumingit si Xavien. The sudden shift in atmosphere made my eyes flick toward him instinctively.

“Baka naman kasi hindi talaga siya nawawala," Xavien muttered, his gaze darkening as he crossed his arms. "What if she’s hiding on purpose? Maybe something—or someone—is making her stay out of sight. A threat, perhaps.”

It also piqued my thoughts. Bakit hindi ko naisip ‘yon kanina? It made perfect sense. If Jairah was in real danger, running away would be her only option.

Larken let out a quiet hum, his lips curving into a thin smirk as he closed his notebook. "Then, we’ll know if your hunch is right after we interview the two main suspects here," he said, tucking his pen into his pocket.

His tone held a challenge, but there was also a hint of intrigue—like he was already anticipating what they would uncover next.

Pagkalabas namin ng canteen, hindi na kami nag-aksaya pa ng oras at agad kaming nagtungo sa dormitory. Nang marating namin ang ikatlong palapag, sakto namang nakita naming papasok sa kanilang kwarto ang dalawang babaeng huling kasama ni Jairah.

Their alibi's would be a big help to us to solve this case. Kung inosenste nga sila at walang kinalaman sa pagkawala ni Jairah noong gabing nawala siya.

Xavien didn’t hesitate. “Andrea! Klay!” he shouted their name that echoed throughout the whole floor.

Parehong napalingon ang dalawa, at sa sandaling nagtama ang mga mata namin, agad kong napansin ang bahagyang pag-igting ng kanilang mga ekspresyon.

Nang sandaling makalapit kami ay bahagyang tumaas ang kilay ng isang babae. Andrea crossed her arms, her lips curling into a half-smirk, though I could tell she was forcing herself to look composed.

"So, you're all here to investigate what happened to her?" she uttered, her tone was sarcasm. May bahid ng pagka-irita ang tingin niya sa amin, para bang nainsulto siya sa presensya namin. "And let me guess—we're the suspects now?!”

“No. We just need your alibis to prove that both of you are innocent at wala kayong kinalaman sa pagkawala niya. Besides, you should be worried that your friend is missing, right? Bakit parang wala lang sa inyo ang pagkawala niya?” I muttered. There was an irritation in my voice at nahalata naman nang dalawa iyon.

Klay, standing slightly behind Andrea, shifted uncomfortably, her fingers clutching the hem of her sweater. Unlike Andrea, who was putting up a defensive front, Klay’s anxious eyes darted between us, almost as if she wanted to say something—but didn’t dare to.

I exchanged a quick glance with Xavien and Larken. Sa mabilis pa lang na sulyap ng mga mata namin ay parehas na ang nasa isip naming tatlo.

Andrea scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she leaned against the doorframe. "Of course, we're worried. Kaibigan namin siya, and she's freaking one week missing," she said, though her tone lacked any real urgency. "But what do you expect us to do? Mag-panic? Cry in the corner until she magically appears?”

Kung wala lang talaga ang dalawang lalaki sa harapan ko ay baka nasampal ko na siya dahil sa attitude niya! I don't like her tone nor her aura!

“Look, we're not here for trouble, Andrea. Just state your alibis and we're good to go,” walang buhay na sabi ni Xavien. His eyes were focused on his own notes.

Ano naman kaya ang sinusulat niya?

Klay shot her a warning glance, clearly uncomfortable with Andrea’s dismissive attitude.

"Uhm… w-we already told the authorities everything we know," Klay interrupted, her voice soft and closely hesitant. "We were with Jairah that night. Nagkayayaan kaming apat kasama si Laiza na kumain sa labas at gumala. Until we went back her at the dormitory past eleven o'clock pero umalis na lang bigla si Jairah mag-isa. She said she had s-something important to do.”

Larken took a step closer, his sharp eyes locking onto hers. "And you didn’t think it was strange? Hindi niyo ba tinanong kung saan siya pupunta?" His tone was calm but firm, and the weight of his question made Klay swallow hard.

“Hindi na namin siya tinatanong dahil maaga pa ang pasok namin kaya nauna na rin kaming pumasok sa kwarto,” paliwanag ni Andrea. “Nagmamadali na rin siya kaya hinayaan na namin.”

“Y-yeah, hindi na rin namin siya na-text. And the next thing we knew—she’s missing,” dagdag pa ni Klay.

"And that doesn’t bother you?" Xavien cut in, arching a brow. His hands were in his pockets, but there was an unmistakable edge in his voice. "You’re telling us that your friend just walked out late at night, obviously in a rush, and none of you found that suspicious?"

Sinubukan kong hawakan ang kamay niya para control-in ang mga sinasabi niya, but he didn't give me a single glance. Larken, beside me was just smirking as if he's anticipating it.

Andrea let out an exaggerated sigh. "Look, Jairah does what she wants. She’s always been secretive to us," she said, rolling her eyes. “At isa pa, naibigay na rin namin lahat ng kailangan niyong malaman sa mga awtoridad.”

I narrowed my eyes. "Then, if you have nothing to hide, give us your exact whereabouts that night. Every single detail. We’ll check if your stories line up," I said, crossing my arms. "Unless, of course, you’d rather be treated as suspects than witnesses.”

The way they brushed it off so easily—it didn’t sit right with me. Was she hiding something? Maybe it's her attitude that made her our main suspect here. Halos tugma ang mga pangalan na isinulat naming tatlo sa papel.

Missing Person:
Jairah Asuncion Dominguez

Witness: Andrea—Laiza—Klay

Ayon sa sinabi ni Andrea, halos alas-onse na nang makauwi silang tatlo kasama si Jairah. Matapos nilang maglakad pauwi mula sa isang mahaba-habang lakaran, nauna nang nagpaalam at umakyat ng hagdan si Laiza. Samantalang sina Andrea at Klay ay magkasama pa ring naglalakad, ngunit may isang bagay na hindi ko maintindihan sa ekspresyon ng kanilang mukha—mukhang wala silang pakialam sa kung anong nangyayari sa mga oras na iyon.

"Bakit hindi mo tinanong kung saan siya pupunta?" Larken asked, intimidated by Andrea's statement.

Andrea shifted uncomfortably, her shoulders slightly tensing at his question.

"Well, like I said, she was in a hurry. Hindi ko na in-interrogate." She shrugged it off, her voice was a little higher than usual, betraying the discomfort she felt under my scrutiny.

Klay, on the other hand, remained unusually silent—her eyes darting around.

“It wasn’t a big deal, honestly," she said, trying to smooth over the tension. “She probably just needed some air or something.” Her nonchalant tone didn’t seem to ease my suspicions. Parang may gusto silang sabihin sa amin pero may pumipigil sa kanila.

“Pero… ‘yon ang akala namin noong gabing iyon. Hanggang sa nagulat na lang kami dahil nagmamadaling magpabukas ng pinto si Laiza and she told us that Jairah was missing,” Andrea retorted.

“You didn't search for her?” I seriously asked. Sa toni kasi nika parang alam na nilang mangyayari ito.

"We tried to search for her whereabouts, but in the end, we ended up with nothing," Klay muttered, her voice low and defeated, like she was trying to mask the frustration that was clearly starting to creep in.

Andrea, who had been unusually quiet, glanced at her before speaking up. "We even asked around, pero… no one had seen her after she left. Akala namin she'd be back by now, but…" She trailed off, her eyes darting towards the ground as if she was avoiding the reality of what was happening.

I couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling at the back of my mind. Something wasn’t right.

Why hadn’t they been more worried when she left in such a hurry? Why didn’t they try harder to find her? The more they filled their alibi's with questionable truth, the more questions we had on our thoughts.

“We will check her room if there's anything suspicious. For the meantime, you can help us by checking the CCTV footage here,” saad ni Xavien.

Wala nang nagawa pa ang dalawa at agad na tumungo pababa kung saan makikita ang Control Room sa lahat ng dormitory rito sa Amethy,

Wala nang nagawa pa ang dalawa at tumango na lang sila. Agad silang nagtungo pababa, patungo sa Control Room kung saan naka-record ang lahat ng CCTV footage sa buong dormitory ng Amethy.

“I wasn’t convinced. There was something they weren’t telling us—and it's obvious, something deeper than just a missing person case,” Larken stated.

Marahan din akong napatango sa sinabi niya, my eyes narrowing in agreement as I processed the situation. Even Xavien, usually the calm one, nodded slightly, a contemplative expression on his face. He agreed with Larken’s remark.

“Neither do I. This case is much deeper than I thought,” Xavien muttered. “The more lies they keep, the deeper they dig into their own grave. May pinagtatakpan sila kaya hindi nila masabi ang totoo.”

“If they're not telling the truth. Ibig-sabihin ay gawa-gawa lang nila ang alibi nila kanina?” kunot-noo kong tanong.

“No, they use it as their defense. Para hindi sila mapaghinalaan,” Xavien retorted.

Tumungo na kaming tatlo kung saan ang kuwarto ni Jairah at pagbukas pa lang namin ay bumungad na ang magulong gamit nito. There's something about this room that felt us deliberate—like she wanted to leave a trail for someone to follow. Parang clue na gusto niya kaming pahulain at isali sa sarili niyang laro.

Sa desk nito ay may mga iilang skincare, nail care at mga makeup set na katabi ng mga libro niya. It wasn't odd to me, pero habang maingat kong minamasid ang mga gamit ni Jairah, bigla na lang may nalaglag na notebook mula sa isang nakapatong na mga libro sa mesa niya. Napalingon tuloy ako sa tunog ng pagbagsak nito, at agad nitong nakuha ang atensyon ko.

A brown notebook fell on the floor. Mabilis akong yumuko at pinulot ito pero nang buksan ko ang pahina, nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Isang sulat ang naiwan sa loob ng notebook—at may bahid ng dugo sa papel!

“Guys, I found a note!” sigaw ko. My voice felt rush and shaky. Dali-dali naman na pumasok sa kwarto ang dalawa lalaki para tingnan ang nahanap kong papel.

The paper was filled with some blood, but our attention was on the rumbled letters, codes and symbols.

UAQQA $T#@W TV LL!K ML!

“Something here just doesn’t add up,” Larken stated, his eyes were darting between the ciphers and Xavien’s furrowed brow. Kahit ako ay hindi maalis ang tingin sa papel.

Why would Jairah left a cipher note on her dorm? Ang mas nakakapagtaka pa riyan ay kung bakit may bakas ng dugo sa ibabang sulok ng papel.

"We need to find out who’s behind this," Xavien said. "And why are they threatening her. This cipher might help us to find her whereabouts.

The note was more than just a clue—it was a red flag. Whoever was involved, they were watching Jairah, and now, us.

❛━━━━━━•(🔪)•━━━━━━❜

We had already spent hours piecing together every possible clue we could find—scouring the dorm, the library, and even the abandoned parts of the school. Each note led us in circles, but we kept pushing forward, determined to unravel what happened to her.

While I sat back for a moment, massaging my temples to ease the headache from hours of searching, my eyes inadvertently landed on a crumpled slip of paper that we found earlier—the unknown cryptic message from Jairah.

"Xavien, check this. Baka clue na nga ito," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper as I held the paper out to him. The slip was worn and creased from being handled, the words barely legible. It felt like a strange, sudden rush of realization.

Xavien looked up from his own notes, his brow furrowing as he reached for the paper. His fingers brushed lightly against mine as he took it from me, his gaze immediately narrowing on the familiar symbols and letters that adorned the paper.

“The truth is hidden in plain sight.”

UAQQA $T#@W TV LL!K ML!
- JAIRAH

I leaned closer, biting my lip as I stared at the cipher. My mind was racing as fragments of previous codes we had deciphered flashed before me. If I wasn’t mistaken, this could be a new clue—something we had overlooked earlier. Parang alam ko na kasi kung anong cipher ang kailangan naming gamitin at kung paano ito ma-de-decipher.

"Wait," I said, slowly piecing together my thoughts. "Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, this pattern... it’s similar to the one we used with the other notes. The way it mixes symbols and numbers.”

“Yup, it's Vigenère Cipher. A method of encrypting alphabetic text by using a simple form of polyalphabetic substitution,” Larken quickly halted befor gazing at me with his dark-thin smirk. “It always uses a keyword, which is repeated over the length of the plaintext, and each letter of the plaintext is shifted according to the corresponding letter in the keyword.

“Look at this,” Xavien pointed out the words that he's trying to decipher. “I noticed that the symbols were scrambled backwards, and when I rearranged them, the word I got was W@#T$, which, when deciphered, becomes W-A-N-T-S. It became even easier for the remaining four words because if I simply reverse them, I immediately get the word K-I-L-L.” After he explained it to us he jotted down all the codes on his notepad.

“WANTS AND KILL?!” sabay naming saad.

Xavien smirked as he stared intently at the paper in his hands. “Sa palagay ko, ang pangalan niya mismo ang ginamit niyang KEY para ma-decode ito,” he said, tapping his finger lightly against the paper as if to emphasize his point. “And if we use the Vigenère Cipher, this could be the complete encryption of her cryptic message.”

We all leaned in closer, watching as Xavien methodically broke down the string of symbols and letters. Inisa-isa niya ang lahat ng letters at symbols. Tinitingnan lang namin siya sa kung paano niya ito i-decode. We remained silent, simply observing the way his eyes scanned the paper and his fingers moved across the symbols, deciphering them with ease.

Namamangha pa rin ako sa kung paano naglalaro ang bawat letra at simbolo para mabuo ang totoong salita ng message na galing kay Jairah. And my eyes widened when Xavien already completely decipher it.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, Xavien looked up, a satisfied grin playing on his lips.

“Already got it!” Xavien muttered under his breath, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of success.

“I thought it would be an easy case. I guess I underestimated your ability,” Larken remarked with a small shake of his head, glancing over at the now—decoded message.

U-J-L
A-A-A
Q-I-I
Q-R-Z
A-A-A
$T#@W- W-A-N-T-S
T-J-T
V-A-O
LL!K- K-I-L-L
M-J-M
L-A-E

DECODE: LAIZA WANTS TO KILL ME!

“Well, this case isn't over yet. Hindi pa natin nahahanap ang culprit,” Xavien said.

Then, without another word, Xavien abruptly stood up, his movements swift, almost impatient. His eyes darted toward the door.

“I’ll check the Control Room and look for some evidence we can use,” he declared. “Pumunta na kayo agad sa kabilang dorm kung nasaan si Laiza. Huwag niyong hahayaang mawala sa paningin niyo ang babae hangga’t wala pa si Detective Mori.”

Larken let out a low whistle, the corner of his lips curling into an eager grin.

“Gotcha!” he responded, the excitement was evident in his voice and face.

It was rare for him to take anything too seriously, but this time, I could tell he was ready to take action. Parang handang sumabak sa giyera kahit walang dalang armas. I mean, they are Valmoris at isang galaw mo lang sa pamilya nila ay tuluyang maglalaho ang angkan niyo—without a single evidence that they did the crime.

Medyo malayo rito ang dormitory ng mga TVL student kaya natagalan kami sa paglakad-takbo na ginawa namin. My sweats are all dripping at basang-basa na ang uniform ko. Hanggang sa makarating kami sa ikalimang palapag sa pinakadulong bahagi ng dormitory ang kwarto ni Laiza.

“Ako na ang mauuna na,” saad ko, saka mabilis na nagpunas nang pawis. Dali-dali kaming tumakbo papasok sa kuwarto niya.

As I opened the door, I immediately stepped back, my stomach twisting at the sight before me. Laiza's bed was drenched in dried blood, the deep crimson stains stark against the pale sheets. My pulse quickened as my eyes trailed to the walls—smudged handprints marred the surface, dark and eerie, like desperate cries frozen in time.

"What the hell happened here?" I muttered under my breath, trying to steady my breathing.

The room was disturbingly neat, except for the bed and one other thing. On Laiza's usually pristine desk, something caught my eye. As I stepped closer, my gut clenched at the sight—a scattered pile of fingernails. Some were jagged, others unevenly torn, all stained at the edges as if they had been ripped straight from the flesh.

“W-what the fuck?!” I exhaled sharply,  slightly uttering because of shock.

Larken stood beside me, his brows knitting together. "Shit! Those look… bitten," he murmured, his gaze flickering to me.

A memory surfaced, one that sent an uneasy chill creeping up my spine—Laiza's habit of chewing her nails. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, she did it all the time. A nervous tick, or so I had thought?

But standing here, staring at this unsettling pile, it didn’t feel like just a habit anymore. It felt like a message.

A shuffling noise came from the other side of the room, and I turned to see Larken crouched near the bloodied bed, his sharp eyes scanning every detail. His fingers ran along the wooden frame until they paused at a small crack. He frowned and pried something loose, holding it up toward the dim light filtering through the broken window.

"Amie!" Larken called, his voice edged with intrigue. "Check this! Baka clue na ‘to.”

I stepped closer as he turned his palm toward me. My stomach lurched.

It was a fragment of a fingernail—jagged, uneven, unmistakably bitten.

“We need this as evidence.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small plastic evidence bag. He carefully sealed it inside before glancing at me."We need to run a DNA test,” he muttered.

His grip on the bag tightened slightly, as if we were already anticipating the worst.

Yeah, I thought this was just a “missing person” case but we get deeper, the more it tells how dark this person is—Laiza Nicole Andrade.

A slow realization crawled over me, cold and suffocating. "If this matches Laiza’s DNA…" I swallowed hard, my voice barely above a whisper. "That means… she was here."

"And if she was here…" Larken mumbled, his voice became smooth, yet weighted with meaning, "then she may know exactly where her ‘missing’ friend is.”

Laiza wasn’t just a concerned friend.

She was a key to solving this case.

❛━━━━━━•(🔪)•━━━━━━❜

“Someone left again a cryptic message,” saad ni Xavien nang magkatagpo kami sa labas ng control room. “Also… all of the records in the surveillance have been deleted since the day that Jairah went missing. This was a fucking set-up, and we're just playing in her own game!”

“Another cryptic message?!”

Nang iabot niya sa akin ang papel ay agad ko rin namang naintindihan ang cipher na nakalagay dahil naresolba niya na agad ito. She used playfair cipher at pamilyar na ako roon kaya naging madali na lang din ito sa akin.

“She used her name as a keyword, that's why I'm able to decipher it quickly,” Xavien stated, flashing a serious face.

EB OV  VX D  SG TB 
XG WC  MK QS  OS DF 
MR FG  MR AB  OS CG 
TB CR  FL QN  OL

I-F
Y-O-U
W-A-N-T
T-O
S-A-V-E
H-E-R,
T-H-E+N
M-E-E-T
M-E
A-T
T-H-E
S-T-O-R-A-G-E
R-O-O-M.

Hindi na kami nagsayang pa ng oras at dali-daling sumugod papunta sa storage room. Xavien’s gaze swept across the room until we all froze for a moment.

In the farthest corner, huddled against a pile of boxes, naaninag namin ang isang pigura ng babae na nakaupo at halos natatakpan ng dilim.

At nang malapitan namin ito ay agad din namin itong namukhaan—It was Jairah!

“Jairah!” I called out, rushing towards her. The girl lifted her head, and tear-streaked face pale under the dim light. Her wrists were also tightened.

I immediately knelt beside her, quickly untying the ropes. “It’s okay, we’re here now. Hindi kana niya masasaktan.”

Jairah’s lips trembled as she tried to speak. “I-I tried to escape, but she… she always comes back.”

As soon as I untied the ropes her eyes suddenly widened in shock.

“N-No!” Jairah shouted.

Before any of us could react, a heavy object smashed into the back of my head, hanggang sa unti-unting lumabo ang paningin ko at hindi rin nagtagal ay tuluyan akong nawalan ng malay.

And I thought… I already died.

Nagising na lang ako sa malamig na sahig at ang ulo ko ay halos pumipintig sa sakit dahil sa lakas ng paghampas sa matigas na bagay. Hindi ko naaninag ang taong nagtakip sa akin bago ako tuluyang nawalan ng malay.

I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the dim light. Until, I heard faint footsteps, a quiet shuffling sound, and then… a soft chuckle—that was familiar to me.

Sinubukan kong imulat nang maigi ang mata ko at igilaw ang katawan mula sa mahigpit na pagkakatali at nang subukan kong gumalaw para makatayo ay bumungad sa akin ang isang pamilyar na babae. Hindi nga kami nagkamali ng hula kung sino ang nasa likod ng pagkawala ni Jairah.

Si Laiza!

She stood a few feet away, twirling something between her fingers—something small and jagged. A fingernail.

I struggled to sit up, my wrists bound tightly together. My heart was also pounding rapidly when I saw Xavien beside me, still unconscious, and his hand was also tied. While Jairah was whimpering from the corner, still too weak to move.

"I thought my trap wouldn't work well,” she muttered, crossing her arms. "It took you long enough to guess the real culprit. Ang tatanga niyo! Nasa harapan niyo na ako pero hindi niyo pa napansin lahat. Yes, all of my statements were just a lie—she didn't bid goodbye to us because the moment she stepped at her freaking door, I already managed to knock her up.”

A chill crept up my spine. “You kidnapped Jairah over her nails?” I mockingly said.

Laiza let out a small, breathy laugh. “You make it sound so insane. But I was just… preserving her beauty.” Her fingers twitched as she stared down at her own nails, then at mine. “Yours too, Amie. You always keep them so neat. Bagay na pwede kong ipalit sa kuko ko. Isn't it nice?”

Then she laughed hysterically like a psychopath.

I heard Larken’s groan, shifting slightly, his jaw clenched in pain due to the impact that Laiza did to us.

“Untied me you little bitch!” asik ni Larken.

She tilted her head, considering. Then she picked up the metal rod she had used to knock us out and took a slow step forward. But before he could smack us, I heard Xavien's voice beside me and that jerk's grin made our way to buy her some time.

She set-up us a trap… and we all know it.

“You think you're smarter than us?” Xavien said, mocking her with his piercing smirk.

Laiza let out a soft chuckle, her smirk widening as she knelt in front of Xavien, tilting her head like a predator sizing up its prey. The dim lighting cast eerie shadows across her face, her dark eyes gleaming with something twisted—something unhinged.

“You, Larken, and Amie…” she murmured, her voice laced with mockery. “You always think you’re so damn smart. Always one step ahead. Always playing the role of the brilliant detectives.” She let out a scoff, shaking her head slowly. “But this time, Xavien?” Her voice dropped to a whisper, dripping with venom. “You’re fucking too late.”

She leaned in closer. “You’re not as good a detective as I thought you’d be,” she muttered, her lips curling into a sneer.

But Xavien… he only smirked back.

His expression was unreadable, his sharp eyes watching her with an unsettling calm. And then, ever so slowly, he lifted his hand—just enough for me to catch sight of the small, flickering device between his fingers.

Laiza’s smirk faltered.

“Or…” Xavien’s voice was smooth, controlled, and dangerous. His thumb hovered over the button. “So you thought?”

Before she could react, before she could even breathe, he pressed it.

A thunderous explosion erupted from outside the storage room, shaking the walls with violent force. The impact sent crates toppling over, dust raining down from the ceiling as a deafening boom filled the air

Laiza’s eyes widened in shock. “What the—?!”

Xavien’s smirk deepened as he pushed himself up, towering over her. “Did you really think we walked in here without a plan?” His voice was sharp, every word was cutting deep. “You were never in control, Laiza. We were always one step ahead.”

Before Laiza could even process what was happening, Quade immediately stormed in first. “Don’t fucking move!” he barked, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Behind him were Athena and Qurie followed in swift, precise steps, their weapons drawn and eyes locked onto their target. Sakto rin ang pagdating ni Detective Mori kasama ang iba pang mga pulis at crime investigatives.

“N-No… shit!” That was the last thing I heard from Laiza.

Her entire body trembled, her grip on the rod tightening—for a second, I thought she might fight back. Then, her shoulders sagged. The weight of her defeat finally settled in.

“Laiza Nicole Andrade,” Detective Mori called out coldly, stepping forward with the authority of someone who had done this a hundred times. “You’re under arrest for the kidnapping and false imprisonment of  Jairah Asuncion Dominguez, as well as the assault of three Amethy High students.”

I heave a deep sight after Athena untied my rope at agad niya akong sinunggaban ng yakap. “Akala ko hindi na kayo makakalabas eh. Kung hindi pa tumawag sa amin si Larken, tiyak akong naisahan na kayo nung baliw na babaeng ‘yun!” bulalas pa niya.

Narinig ko pa ang malakas na bulungan ng mga estudyante dahil nagdagsaan din sila nang marinig ang malakas na pagsabog.

“Shit si Laiza nga!”

“Gosh! ‘Yan yung baliw na babae na palaging nakabuntot sa'kin. Ang creepy talaga niya!”

“Psychopath!”

“What the fuck?! Kanina ka pa pala nakaantabay sa ‘min?” bulyaw ko kay Quade.

Napakamot na lang sa batok si Quade habang nagsasalubong ang dalawa kong kilay sa inis. Pwede niya naman pala kami iligtas agad hinintay niya pa talagang sumabog ang pintuan!

“Sorry, late na naman yata ako. I already miss the exciting part,” pang-aasar niya pa. “Ang tagal kasi magbigay ng signal ni Xavien.”

“Shut up, jerk!” Xavien muttered.

“Peste ka talaga!” inis kong sabi at hinampas siya sa balikat.

Sa kaloob-looban ko ay may namumuo pa ring takot at kaba dahil kung hindi sila dumating ay baka tuluyan na kaming napatay ni Laiza.

Jairah, who's still shaking, let out a small sob. I immediately turned toward her, and instinct to comfort her was overpowering.

“You’re safe now,” I whispered.

Larken groaned, rolling his shoulder. “Next time, can we not get knocked unconscious during an investigation? Tangina ang sakit non sa likod ah! Tapos‘di man lang ako nakabawi sa babaeng ‘yon!”

Xavien let out a breathy chuckle, exhausted but relieved. “No promises.”

Quade grinned, patting his high-tech device. “Well, at least we got it all on tape.”

I let out a shaky breath, glancing toward Jairah. She clung to my arm, still trembling, her eyes filled with fear but also relief. Detective Mori had already started making arrangements to clear the investigation, but for a brief moment, everything felt... quiet.

But then, I felt it. A gentle touch at my back—and for me moment, my eyes widened in shock when Xavien’s warm hand found its way to my shoulder, guiding me gently towards him.

Before I could process what was happening, he pushed me lightly against his chest. I felt the light of his steady thrum of heartbeat through his shirt.

Dumadagundong din ang tibok nang puso ko dahil sa ginawa niya. Hindi ko mapatigil ang pagbilis nito at ang nararamdaman ko ngayon ay mas guminhawa.

“I fet relief that you're safe. Is your wound okay?” he asked, concerned to me.

“I feel relief that you’re safe,” Xavien murmured, his voice a low, raspy whisper. His fingers slid up my arm, a quiet tenderness in his movements. “Is your wound okay?”

I nodded slowly, my throat tightening as I met his gaze. There was so much I wanted to say. I wanted to tell him how terrified I’d been—how every moment felt like it might be the last. How I never thought we would actually make it out of there… safe.

Before I could utter a single word and glance at his teary eyes, his hand quickly lingered at the side of my face, his thumb gently grazing my cheek. His touch was so gentle, so different from everything else. It felt like a balm to my battered soul.

Then, his eyes softened, and I saw something there—something unspoken. Something that pulled me in.

And before I knew it, he leaned in.

My breath caught in my throat as his lips brushed against mine—soft at first, almost tentative, like a question. His lips were warm, pressing gently against mine, as if he was afraid of breaking the fragile peace we had finally found.

Tangina! Ayaw pa rin tumigil ng dibdib ko sa sobrang lakas ng tibok!

Then, slowly, he pulled back, his forehead resting against mine.

“I'm safe with you…” I mumbled without hesitation.

He smiled. “That's what I'm trying to do. To always protect you.” His voice was filled with concerned and contentment. “I don't want to lose someone that is special to me—I don't want to lose you.”

With him, solving cases has been an easy task for me—for us. His presence in all the chaos that my life has gone through since I started studying here has made everything bearable.

That moment, those heavy cases we solved, will be engraved in my memory. It's not just about the kiss, but the feelings he has for me that allow him to remain his usual self—the Xavien I know, and the version of the jerk that I care about.