Chapter 25 - Detective

"Foul play?"

I asked and was immediately cut off when he pulled us away and towards an alleyway of a building.

"Wait, wth--"

We were slammed lightly towards the wall as we're encaged by his arms and black cloak, with his strong perfume lingering around the air.

"Listen up" He uttered..

"There's something stinking inside our department"

Brows furrowed and questions started popping out of my mind as my eyes collided with Ava with her eyes color starting to change.

"You're the detective working with the case right?" Ava asked.

He nodded to her slowly while removing his hands that's enclosing us.

"I knew from the first time that there's something wrong with this station"

Their eyes stuck staring at each other with Ava analyzing him from top to toe. I looked towards her direction was shocked when her blue eyes were clearly showing towards him.

"The autopsies, reports and people from the station that were working for Dale's case.. it feels like they have been doing something off"

"How can you say so?"

Ava asked cutting him off.

He let out a smirk towards her question as he back up a little and lowered his stance.

"I can tell a lie Ms. Gale and trust me, I trust my guts more than any human being"

Dead cold eyes and a blank emotion, yet a strong impact was felt around the atmosphere.

His presence is suffocating.

He immediately avoided his glance from us and let out a small sigh while fixing his black tie.

Fascinated and confused by what he was saying but my attention was more caught by Hunter's pale reaction a minute ago when Ava and him were staring at each other.

Is he not surprised by Ava's eyes changing color?

"I can't trust them handling this, especially escorting you. I know you're not the one who did the murder"

I immediately went off mind gazing and my attention were caught by what he said.

So he trust me now, huh.

"The moment I heard that they're were suspecting kids? It kinda caught me off, but they made me believe that even students like you could create this kind of murder"

It kinda weirded me out too though when they accused us for the murder. Not even a single suspect was an adult or a stranger but was the three of us..

Ray, Lucas and me, HAHAHA.

"I know you know what really happened to Dale"

He uttered as he laid out his right hand towards his chest.

"I can't trust the Municipal Station anymore. It's very air inside is filled with lies, It's suffocating, it's off, it's wrong"

He held tight from something inside his chest as it was showing out from the fabric of his clothe.

"Their lies are covering something, their actions are hiding someone.. I don't know but I think.."

He let go from holding his chest as he faced towards us with his pale and cold eyes.

"Everyone of them are hiding the real murderer"

Hands grip from anger as he clicked his tongue. He's angry but his emotions are not showing from his face nor his expression, but from his eyes..

It's getting more cold..

But burning..

Burning cold, it's freezing.

I redirect my glance towards Ava as our both eyes collided. We were both not surprised nor shocked from what he said.

We were actually expecting this to happen.

"I don't know what happened to Dale but I know for sure.. Higher's the one to blame"

Elmer said as he pulls out something from an envelope.

"NM Police Station.. the one's handling the case"

He dropped a piece of paper on the table and a picture of the police department.

"For sure the Higher's are tapping on to their systems"

"What? But how?"

Ava asked as Elmer smirked to her.

"How, you may ask? Well, the Higher's infested almost the whole of this city.. believers, followers, The Higher's.. They're called by those 3 names.. they're the people that are under the so called 'Arthur's' Commands.. they'll do whatever the supreme ask.. including Dale's case.. just one command to cover his murder they'll do, tamper 'suicide' on his file report"

Tsk.

I sighed, breathed in and out as I was holding on to myself.

It's kinda making my heart beats fast.

It's still terrifying to think that a whole organization.

Are after us.

"This is classified but I have no one to trust from the station and my agency is far to reach for they have hold of our communication and.. tch as if they would believe me"

He said strongly and sure as if he's talking to an adult or an experienced detective.

"I need to defy their systems flow and I need talk some things to the both of you but.. not here"

Popping his hand bubbles and turning back, strolling his eyes around like there are someone listening.

He seems tensed but at the same time is calm.

Now how the fvck does he do that?!

"Come on, let's take the both of you home--"

"Wait"

I resisted his pull and shooked off his hand holding my wrist.

His brows furrowed with his cold eyes striking deep inside me, tsk.

I really hate his gaze.

"Why all of a sudden you're asking help from an 18 year old teenage kids?!"

His tongue clicked as his momentarily closed his eyes while letting go of Ava's wrist.

"Haven't I told you? You know something"

"But how did you know?"

Word redundancy HAHAHA.

Shut up, can you be silent? Play dead.

Wao, aso.. arf arf!

"They were pointing the case blame on you"

My eyes shrewd from what he said cause the first time we met, he's pointing his fingers on me too.

"And you don't believe them?"

"At first, then everything went sideways.. I saw very odd police reports, picture of the place, weird stupid lies, shredded papers and.."

He stopped and closed his mouth as he stared blankly to us.

I noticed Ava's blue eyes becoming more intense from my peripherals as his brow was raising towards Hunter.

He clicked his tongue again and bit his lips as he brushed up his messy hair.

"It's just a hunch but.. at the crematorium, I followed where his body was burned to dust and I saw a strand of cotton stucked in a door of a mortuary cabinet where he was put into"

I shrugged to what he said as I let out a small confused smile.

"So what?"

I asked in pure awe as he clears out his throat and shooked his head a little.

"I've already seen many crimes and knew different schemes from just my 1 year experience Mr. Evans and that cotton.. is the cleverest trick I've ever known"

He uttered as I felt thirst again deep inside me, I felt the hunger again for answers, my curiousity was caught by what he's saying but..

I'm not kinda liking it when i'm like this..

Knowing too much of this is awful..

Finally you understand!!

"Dale's dead body could be a fake and just a stuffed cottoned dummy"

My face lit up and was shocked from what he said as hope was flashed right in front of my eyes.

"So he could be alive?"

"I'm not guaranteeing you that, Evans"

And as I had my head up high I got immediately cut off when he answered me bluntly.

Shet.

"But there's a 50-50 percent chance that he is"

He uttered as some of my light was kinda restored.

"I believe it's not a suicide.. it is really a murder. They maybe hid the real dead body and replaced it with a fake one hanging from the ceiling to cover up that he was really killed.."

An interesting hunch and conclusion was spitted out on our faces but it felt more than just a straight up guess, it seem so accurate.

"Or.. on the other side of the 50-50.. Dale could've escaped and didn't died but if he really did, he should be reaching out for help now or even showing up to his family or to you.. his friends"

"Sorry, I didn't saw you because of the crowd.."

"It's alright"

He muttered that was like a whisper more than..

I slightly lower myself to see his face that was being blocked by his..

"Oh sorry, I was just a--"

I was cut off and my eyes widened when his hoodie suddenly fell off from..

Wth is this real or am i?

"Hey Dale!"

I shooked my head and blinked many times as I wake myself up from thinking.

I couldn't say that what I saw was true.

I could just be hallucinating from his lost cause it made a huge impact on me too.

Aish.

"And like I said you're friends with Dale it means you know something from what happened, plus.. Mr. Cohen put securities on the both you, why is that?"

He asked with his calm face, no emotions but his eyes are talking and reaching out to me.

I sighed.

"Do you happen to know him?"

"Mr. Cohen?"

I nodded and he looked back and sideways again looking for someone that may be listening.

"I've been in this town's police sation for only 5 months, i've been assigned by my agency here for a case"

He reached in inside his coat and revealed us an ID.

"My station is in Manila but since my hometown is here near your town I accepted the offer"

Damian Ames "Hunter" Carter

"Detective"

-Zele Investigators-

Taguig, Manila

Damian.. he finally revealed his name.

"I worked here for a student's case and coincidentally, he's from here.. Ava University"

I was shocked and in awe. Here in our campus? I didn't heard some investigators nor police coming here for a case before.

"Mark Tyler Grant.. he's a student here and I investigated his case just this pass summer"

Oh, Grant.. the ssg officer

Ava's eyes and mine collided as we're both thinking the same thing.

"His brain's screws lossen and kinda went off the rails. He kept saying his life is in danger that someone is coming after him but they doubted him cause he's really crazy and devoloped a mental disorder called schizoprenia, hallucinations and stuffs, he said he kept seeing butterflies but still they hired me to investigate then things happened just this past May.."

"He died"

Ava muttered underneath her breathe as the atmosphere gets heavier around.

"Oh so you knew.."

We nodded to him as he cleared his throat.

"Mr. Grant's was my first failed case.. I was top of my 1 year Detective career and it had made a mark on me.. I swear to do my best more next time.."

I sighed heavily as I feel my shoulders becoming weak because of the tension.

Grant's story has been a gossip throughout the campus, he's a well known ssg and probably the best of his batch and what happened to him brought the whole school into mourning.

It was really a terrible event that alarmed the whole school making them focus on their students mental health.

If I didn't warned you.. you'll end up the same fate as him.

Lol, you're my mental disorder a-hole i'm just lucky I got along with you and haven't let you control me.

"Mr. Cohen is our corporate partner on that case and my station said that he has been a loyal customer since from the start helping people cases"

Elmer reaches out to open eyed people, to special persons like us who is awake and knowledgable of the surroundings.

So he really is helping.

"That's why I was curious when he puts securities on you, too bad he doesn't know that the station cannot be trusted so I reached out to him and talk him out so I can replace the position"

I sighed as questions kept invading my head.

Elmer knows, he warned us about the fraud of the station's system that the Higher's could be tapping on them.

Yet he gave us securities from that same place? Maybe not everybody from there is a liar or a fraud like what Hunter sensed. Maybe just some of them. Elmer must have a reason why.

"So from now on, the both of you are under my custody"

He uttered then walked towards ouside of the alleyway while signing us to follow.

Hays, things are getting more and more fvcking complicated. It's exhausting, hearing these things.. these answers that raises more questions rather than the legitimate truth HAHAHA shet.

You'll never be satisfied.

And You'll never shut the fvck up.

Ooooohhh, i'm humiliated HAHAHA

Psh.

"Thank you for your warm welcome, it's highly appreciated but I won't stay for long"

He uttered and smiled slightly while Mom were serving him coffee and snacks.

Weird.. he smiled.

"Oh, thank you HAHAHA ano ka ba wala yon"

She laughed while holding the kettle standing awkwardly close to him.

Silenced filled the spaces between us momentarily as I looked towards Mom's direction and noticed her behavior.

Why the hell is she blushing?

"Ooh oh, sorry"

She immediately apologize as she wakes herself up from daydreaming. Jusq, Ma.. May pamilya ka na! Geez HAHAHAHA.

Picking up the coffee mug and the foods she brought while shame was displayed in her overall. Hays, geez Ma.

"Thank you again, I'll be leaving"

He said as he stands up from the chair and walks towards my direction into the House's door.

"Stay safe while i'm away Aiden, we'll never know what will happen"

I was left staring at him as he walks out the gate and away from my position.

His brushed up hair was flowing with the wind same with his black coat as each step from his shoes makes echoes around the village and again..

I felt his coldness back..

It was kinda better seeing him smile and a little joyful a while ago but..

Maybe a detective is just that.. they maybe needed to be that way..

Or do they?

Dudey

Dudey

Dudey

Oh, for crying out loud. Shut up!

HAHAHAHA.

"Your new teacher is kinda young and hot huh, Aiden.. oh"

She immediately covers her mouth and avoided my gaze as her face was like burnt from the sun because of the redness HAHAHA.

"Jusq Ma, pag nalaman laman yan ni Dad HAHAHA"

"Lah, it's nothing"

I laughed and smiled as I walked straight right at my bedroom.

Weird, where's Liam btw?

I stepped in front of his bedroom as I slowly opened it and peeked inside. It's dark and only the lampshade were visible as it gives off star-like lights towards the ceiling.

Constellations.

I redirected my gaze towards the bed and I saw Liam fast asleep HAHAHA. He's really a heavy sleeper pagod nanaman siguro to galing school.

I immediately closed it and walked away as I enter my room.

Agad agad den akong bumagsak sa kama as I felt my shoulders heaviness sksksks. What a day again, when will I ever get rest huh HAHAHA.

When you die.

Wow, thank you.

What? It's true? HAHAHA.

Be silent for a moment please.

Okay zeer HAHAHAHA.

I sighed and closed my eyes as I just cherish this whole peaceful time. Finally.. HAHAHAHA.

Minutes passed and my mind is just empty as same as the surroundings around me. It's beautiful, I almost forgot the feeling of this being calm without anything bothering me.

"Dale's case is their demise"

I was shocked as i opened my eyes and immediately stood up from laying down as soon as I heard a voice and quickly strolled my gaze around the room and my attention got caught from my desk cabinet.

"The thing you can do now is to focus on the case"

I stood up and walked towards it as I opened it up and a paper was presented in front of me.

"I cannot investigate it on my own, it will be too obvious for the Highers"

Aize

I picked up the letter and slowly unfold it up again.

"This might be too much to ask but.."

I sighed and sat down towards my bed as I felt something heavy again pulling me down from my chest and towards the entirety of my body.

"I need the both of you to be Detectives of your own.."

He uttered while looking at us as sincerity was showing from his eyes.

I looked towards Ava as our gaze collided and was feeling the same thing like something heavy was put into our shoulders.

"Only you can help us bring the Highers down"

I sighed sharply as my heart beats wildly.

So that was his plan.

I sighed heavily as I tried to calm myself.

Hays, that is the plan.

...