Project Indigo 24 The Killer At Liberty High

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Chapter Nineteen

The Killer at Liberty High

NAGISING ako dahil sa kirot na nararamdaman ko. Lalo na sa braso ko. Minulat ko ang mga mata ko at agad kong nakita ang mga kapatid ko kasama ang mga magulang ko.

Wednesday gasped, "si Friday, gising na!" She exclaimed.

Isisang lumapit sa akin ang mga kapatid ko at magulang ko. "Friday! How are you feeling, baby?" Nag-aalalang tanong ni mommy.

I gave her a rea.s.suring smile. "I'm fine. Anong nangyari?" Tanong ko.

Monday squeezed my hand. "Nagliyab ang cabin na tinutuluyan niyo. Buti nalang ay nakita kayo ni Daeril at mabilis na sinagip kayo. Tumawag agad siya ng pulis."

Nang marinig ko ang pangalan ni Daeril, kaagad ako tinablan ng kaba. Daeril..he was there at paniguradong siya ang nagimula ng apoy. Malabong siya ang tumulong sa amin. "Nasaan ang mga kasama ko?" I asked.

"Si Effie, nandito pa sa hospital at nagpapagaling. Sina Chaos at Matix naman ay madischarge na." Sagot ni Monday.

k.u.munot ang noo ko. "Paanong nadischarge agad sila? Hindi naman siguro ganun kalala ang lagay nila?" I asked.

Wednesday smiled softly. "Two days ka nang walang malay, Friday. Kadidischarge lang nila kahapon."

I gasped. Paanong..ganun ba kalala ang kondisyon ko? "Ano bang nangyari sa akin?"

"May first degree burn ka sa braso mo at malakas ang impact ng kung anong nahulog sa ulo mo dahilan para mawalan ka ng malay." Ani daddy.

Huminga ako nang malalim. "Pwede na ba akong makalabas ng ospital?"

Umiling si mommy. "Hindi pa tayo makakasiguro, anak. Kakausapin muna namin ang doktor na tumingin sayo." Lumabas sina mommy at daddy para siguro kausapin ang doktor. Naiwan ang mga kapatid ko.

Wednesday gripped my hand. "Ano ba talaga ang nangyari, Friday? Wala kaming maibigay na maayos na statement sa mga police dahil hindi naman namin alam ang nangyari." Aniya.

I heaved a deep sigh. Sasabihin ko ba? Kaso, ayokong masira ang image ni Daeril sa mga kapatid ko. "W-Wala yun. Aksidente lang siguro ang nangyari." Sambit ko. They might not be ready for the truth.

Nilingon ko si Monday. "Okay na ba si Effie? Bakit hindi pa nakakalabas ng ospital?"

Monday smiled. "Maayos na lagay ni Effie. Kagigising lang niya kahapon." Aniya.

Huminga ako nang malalim at pinikit ang mga mata. Sana makalabas na ako rito. I need to talk to Daeril. Kakausapin ko siya ng masinsinan. Kung siya nga ang beast, edi siya ang may pakana noong nakidnap ako.

"By the way, babalik na tayo sa Manila." Ani Monday na napamulat agad sa mata ko. "Tapusin mo muna ang semeser tapos ililipat ka kaagad ni dad sa Manila."

"Why? Masaya na ako rito sa Laguna." Saad ko.

"Hindi mapakali si Mommy at Daddy na dito ka sa Laguna. Simula noong lumipat ka, ang dami nang nangyayari sayo. Mas mabuti na itong ganitong set up. Mas mababantayan ka namin nang maayos." Aniya.

"Monday, hindi ako lilipat ng school." Giit ko.

Hindi na nagsalita sa Monday at umusbong ang katahimikan sa buong kwarto. Nawala lang iyon nang b.u.mukas ang pinto at pumasok ang mga magulang ko. Nakangiting lumapit si mommy sa akin. "Pupunta ang doktor dito mamaya at ieexamine ka. Kung maayos na ang lagay mo, pwede ka nang madischarge."

Tumango ako at pinikit ang mga mata. Gusto ko nang makalabas dito. Gusto ko nang tanungin si Daeril. Para na rin sa hustisya ng mga estudyante at mga guro na namatay sa ma.s.sacre ten years ago. Lalo na sa pamilya ni Chaos.

~~

"ARE YOU really okay?" Chaos asked. It's been five days since the incident in Baguio. After ko madischarge, nagpahinga ako ng dalaw.a.n.g araw saka pumasok na sa Liberty High. Noong una ay hindi ako pinayagan ni daddy na pumasok pero nagpumilit ako.

"I am okay. Sapat na ang dalaw.a.n.g araw kong pahinga." I smiled.

"I'm sorry about what happened. Cabin namin ang nasunog at pinagmulan ng apoy. We will take full responsibility—"

"It's not your fault, Effie. It was Daeril's." Sambit ko na ikinagulat nina Effie at Chaos. Si Matix naman ay nakatingin lang.

"Daeril? Hindi naman porket siya ang beast na hinahanap natin ay siya na ang may pakana nun?" Effie asked.

Umiling ako. "Before I pa.s.sed out, nakita ko si Daeril na nakatingin lang sa atin habang nasasaktan tayo dahilsa sunog." Sagot ko.

"Friday is right. "Matix spoke. "Nakita ko rin si Daeril bago ako mawalan ng malay. He didn't even help us." Aniya.

Tumingin ako kay Chaos. "We need to talk to Daeril."

Tumango siya. "But first, we need to think of a plan."

CHAOS POINT OF VIEW

I entered the student council office to talk to Daeril. Ever since I found out that he was the one responsible for my parents' and sister's death, I am trying to be calm outside but deep inside, I wanted to punch the h.e.l.l out of him! But thinking of his age, malabong siya ang hinahanap naming beast.

When the ma.s.sacre happened, I was six years old and he is eight years old. How?

"Chaos.." he uttered. Tumingin ako sa ibang student council members. We can't talk if there are students here.

I spoke, "we need to talk. Alone." I said. Tumango lang siya so I signalled him to follow me.

We reached the computer lab. I locked the door and faced him. Nakapamulsa siya habang mataman na nakatingin sa kaniya. He doesn't have his mask on kaya kita ko ang mapilat niyang mukha.

But something is not right. Something feels weird in this room.

"Let's talk." Sabi ko.

Daeril shrugged. "I'm all ears."

I heaved a deep sigh. Pasimple kong binuksan ang phone ko para irecord ang conversation namin. "Are you really the beast?" I asked.

"Yes." Daeril simply answered.

"Are you the same person who killed my family?"

"No." Daeril replied.

k.u.munot ang noo ko. "Then who?"

"My father."

"I thought he's dead? You told Friday that he's alive." Puna ko.

"He is alive. He was the one who told me to go after you."

Huminga ako nang malalim. "Were you the one who kidnapped Friday and Effie?"

"Yes."

"Were you the one who pushed Hazel at the rooftop?"

"Yes."

"Were you the one who killed the couple?"

"Yes."

"Were you the one who killed Rhoanna?"

"Yes."

"Were you the one who killed Mary Rose Aquinns?"

Daeril didn't answer. He was silent for a couple of minutes before answering, "yes."

Pinatay ko ang recorder ng phone. "That's all I wanna hear..for now." Pinakita ko sa kaniya ang recorded conversation namin. "See you at the precinct, Daeril." I smirked but it faded when Daeril replied with a smirk with the same intensity.

"I suggest you review the recorded conversation before you hand it to the police. Kung ako ikaw, ayokong napapahiya sa harap ng nakatataas." He grinned.

k.u.munot ang noo ko na pinlay ang recorder. I was expecting to hear our conversation but no, there were no sound. Tinaasan ko volume ng phone ko but still, no sound. Smart a.s.s!

"What did you do?!" Galit na sambit ko. The only evidence we have about the beast is gone! Wala na kaming ebidensiya laban kay Daeril. The hope of bringin justice to my family is gone!

"I was expecting you to talk to me after what happened. So I made sure to mess the noise signals in each rooms at Liberty High. While you were at the hospital, I hired workers to install acoustic board in the room to block sound waves."

My eyes widen. "Did princ.i.p.al albert knew this?"

Daeril put his hands in his pockets. "Oh, he knew. He said it's a better way para hindi masira ang image ng school."

"You really are a beast." I uttered.

"I know." He said.

"Come with me." Utos ko.

Daeril furrowed his eyebrows. "Where? To the princ.i.p.al's office?" He snorted. "You don't have evidence against me."

This time, I smirked giving him a creepy vibe. "I think you underestimated me, Daeril. You underestimated my group's capability. I have Matix. If you can block noise in this room, he can unblock it in seconds." Pinakita ko ang maliit na recording device sa collar ng uniform ko. The same device I used when Friday was kidnapped.

Daeril looked shock. Mukhang di niya inaasahan to.

The plan worked.

Knowing he is the beast, and he is always one step ahead, we taught of turning the table around. I acted as if I was mad that our conversation is gone.

I grabbed him by the hand at hinila patungo sa katabing room. The chemistry lab. We entered the room. Matix is there while sitting, facing his laptop. Si Effie ay nakaupo sa desk at si Friday ay nakatayo. They faced us. SinuG.o.d agad siya ni Friday. "How dare you! I treated you like a friend tapos ipapakidnap mo ako? Ipapagahasa mo pa ako sa mga lalaki roon!" She shouted while punching Daeril on the chest.

Inawat ko siya. Daeril is just staring at nakapamulsa ulit. "I will explain." Simpleng sabi nito.

"You better be." Ani Matix. "May ebidensiya na kami. I recorded the whole conversation with you and Chaos."

Effie is silent while staring intently at Daeril. Umupo si Daeril sa isang desk. We were sitted across him.

"As I already said earlier, My dad is the one responsible for the ma.s.sacre. He is a police." Tumingin ito kay Friday. "When we went to the precinct, tinago ko kaagad ang file ng dad ko. That explains the missing file I told you."

"Why would you tell us that the file you stole is missing?" Friday asked.

"For a believable story." He simply said while caressing his neck.

"When Effie was abducted, you were there, with Arius and Mr. Albert." Friday uttered.

Tumango si Daeril. "That was after I had a little talk with Effie." Tumingin ito kay Effie while still caressing his neck.

Effie looked at Daeril with furrowed eyebrows. "But the way you treated me..you were soft. Not the beast I pictures." Aniya

"I'd hate to hurt you nor Friday, Effie." Daeril answered while still caressing his neck. Mataman ko siyang tinignan. No, he was not caressing his neck.. he was caressing the necklace around his neck!

"But why kidnap us?!" Friday shouted.

"Because I don't want you involved. Si Chaos lang dapat, eh. Ayokong madamay kayo. Kahit si Matix." Aniya habang hinahawakan ang necklace.

It wasn't a normal necklace. The necklace is think na may malaking brillantes sa gitna. He looks gay while wearing it.

"Why did you become the beast?" Matix asked.

Daeril was tapping his fingers on the desk while answering. "My father's orders. He wants to kill Chaos as well but with a little fun." Aniya habang tinatap ang desk.

Of course, being me, I took a pen and a paper, trying to write down the way Daeril tap the desk with his fingers.

Tap...tap...

Oh. It's morse code!

I quickly wrote down the way he taps the desk. Friday, Matix and Effie continue to ask questions.

-. . -.-. -.- .-.. .- -.-. . ·-·-·-

The code translates to "Necklace".

Looking at him with furrowed eyebrows, he gave me a quick glance before tapping again na mabilis ko naman sinulat.

.... . .-.. .--.

The code translates to "Help"

Agad kong sinulayapan ang necklace niya. The stone is blinking. It's blinking red. Something is not right. "Your necklace, who's it from?" I suddenly asked.

"Just someone." Ani Daeril.

I continue to stare at his necklace. It's rapidly blinking. Pinagpapawisan na si Daeril. He looked nervous. Isa lang ang naiisip ko. It might be a bomb.

Friday spoke, "is something wrong with your necklace?" Looks like she noticed his necklace.

Napatayo si Matix. "That's a bomb!" Sigaw niya. Napapikit sa takot si Daeril. "How would you know?" I asked.

"Because that's my dad's invention! It's limited edition used for military purposes." Matix answered.

Napatayo na rin si Effie at Friday. "Do you know how to defuse it?" Effie asked.

Tumango si Matix at pumunta agad sa likod ni Daeril para idefuse ang bomba. After a few minutes, biglang natanggal sa leeg ni Daeril ang necklace. Nakahinga ito nang maluwag.

Maingat ko iyon pinulot. "Why are you strapped in a bomb? Tell us the truth or ikakabit ulit namin sayo 'to." Sambit ko

"Are you really the beast?" I asked.

Daeril was silent but after a few minutes, he answered.

And his answer made us shock and lost.