Chapter 5

The sun shone a light on Alex's face. After watching the movie last night, Alex slept at the guest room.

A knock on the door was heard. Mark enters with a tray filled with food. "Morning, babe."

"Oh, morning." Alex stood up and fixed the bed. She went inside the bathroom to wash her face.

"Who's this?" Mark asks

"Hmm?" She simply replied while washing her face.

After wiping her face with a towel, she went to the room. She raises her brows at Mark.

Mark shows her the phone, and saw that the unknown number left her a blank message.

Alex knitted her brows. "I-It's probably nothing." She took her phone.

"Yeah. I guess that's nothing. Some people might just want to get close to you, but can't say anything, right?" Mark said while preparing the table for breakfast.

"Y-yeah." She opened her phone and saw that blank message.

"We're really having breakfast here?" Alex saw that the table was full of food.

"My parents are at the dining room. I know they'd ask you some questions you'd feel awkward answering." He laughed.

Alex smiled. Alex did experience that sort of situation with Mark's parents. One time, they asked her if she'd try living with them for a while. Obviously, that was weird for her, but Alex was grateful they think of her as their own daughter.

Alex started to eat the pancakes. "Hmm. The syrup's good. Both mango and chocolate flavor?"

"Yeah. Uh hey. I wanted to discuss something." Mark looks at Alex. She does the same.

"First. Please don't get the wrong idea." Mark started but hesitated to continue talking. "I- We are headed to different universities, right? We always talked about being fine with having a long-distance relationship. But- I I had a talk with my parents and I think this is for the best."

Alex felt confused and uncomfortable with what Mark is saying. "What are you saying?" Alex asks.

Mark sighed. "I decided, with my parents, that.. I'm going to the same university with you!" Mark exclaimed and laughed.

Alex widened her eyes feeling both shocked and excited. "Don't scare me like that! I thought you'd say something that would make me punch you in the face!" She mildly punched him in the chest.

Mark chuckled and gave her a hug. "I'm not leaving you, Lex." He planted a kiss on top of her head.

Alex hugged him back. "You're seriously going with me? I thought going to the other university was your dream." She let go of the hug.

"That university isn't the only school for law, right?" He smiled

Her phone suddenly rang. A call from another unknown number appeared. Ugh. Is this John again? She thought.

She answered the phone, "What's the problem!?" with frustration.

"Alex?" The voice sounds like a lady.

Alex was taken aback. "I-uh, yes. Who's this?"

"It's Detective Edith. Alex? Is that you?"

"Detective? Uh yeah. It's me." She responds.

"I think we need to talk. Can you come at the police station now?" Said the detective.

"What's this about?" she asks confusingly. Mark looked at her with curiosity.

"We need to talk in private. An incident occurred last night. I'll tell you about the situation once you'll get to the police station." Said the detective

"What incident?" asks Alex

"It's best to talk in private. Kindly be at the police station as soon as possible."

"I-uh sure." Alex looks at the clock on the wall. "By 9, perhaps." She said

"I'll be waiting." Said the detective. "Oh, Uh be careful on the way, ok?"

"Yeah. I'll see you then. Bye." Then she hung up.

"What was that?" asks Mark.

"I'm not sure, but that was Detective Edith. She said to meet her at the station." She finishes eating.

"Why? What's it about?" Mark asks

"I don't know. Seems serious, though." She stood up and went to the closet grabbing some clothes. "She said to meet her now."

Alex removed her pajamas and just wore skinny jeans and a shirt. She has her own clothes at the guest room since she's coming by more than often.

After preparing at the bathroom, she went out and saw Mark changed his clothes, too. "I'll come with." He said.

"Oh, ok. Let's go."

They arrived at the station which was just a couple of block away from Mark's house. As they knocked on Detective Edith's office, Edith already opened the door. "You're here! Thanks for coming. Come in." She offered them seats. "I knew you'd come, too." She smirked at Mark.

She called someone who was passing by at the office and instructed the guy to give the documents she's holding to their chief.

She then turned to look at the two and locked the door. "Please bear with me. What I'll be discussing with you is an ongoing investigation. Please do not in any circumstances share this with others." She took out a folder from her desk. "Being in the interrogation room would look like you have something to do with the crime, so we're just going to talk here, for your parents won't like it if you'll have that sort of image."

She opened a folder and showed a picture to them. "Do you know him?" ask the detective.

Both Alex and Mark looked closely. "W-what's this? Who's this!?" Alex felt confused for what she saw is a picture of a dead man's body.

"That's what we're figuring out, too." The detective put back the picture inside the folder. "This body was found at an alley last night. Witnesses said they heard a gunshot and then when they searched where the shot was heard, the body was found dead." She explained.

"Just last night? That's horrible. But, what do I have to do with this?" Alex asks

Detective Edith hesitated but she puts down the file. "A phone was found inside the body's pocket. Thankfully, I was able to open it. But, the only contact number in it is your number." She closely looks at Alex. "We tried to identify him through his fingerprints but there was nothing. No files appeared."

Alex clearly shows she's confused. "W-what?"

"So, I ask again. Do you know him?" the detective shows her the picture again.

Alex takes it and sees it closely. "I-I really don't know." Alex shakes her head.

"May I?" Mark asks to take a look at the picture. "A phone was the only thing in his pockets? No wallets or anything else?" Mark asks.

Detective Edith nods. "Yeah. Just a single phone."

The detective flips another document on her hand. "These are the characteristics of the man. 6 foot 2. Weight 63 kilograms. Blue eyes. Black hair. Has a-"

"Wait." Alex interrupted her. "Blue eyes?"

"Uh, yes. It's kind of unusual, actually. No one in this town has blue eyes, so he must be from somewhere else." The detective commented.

Alex knitted her brows thinking it through.

What the detective said about the description was quite similar to John, Alex thought. She looks at the photo again and saw that there was no scar so she thought it couldn't have been him. But John told her he had a brother. She shakes her head in disbelief about her own thoughts.

"Do you really not know him?" ask the Detective.

"I-I'm not sure. I stll—"

BOOM! An explosion was suddenly heard that likely occurred near the police station.

The three stood up at once. "Ok. You two, evacuate now. You know what to do." Said the detective.

The two nod at the detective. Alex and Mark exited to the back door with some of the officers. A building was seen on fire but fortunately, it seems only a few people was near it.

"C-come on!" Mark grabbed her.

The two went far from the building but it can still be seen from a distance. Then Mark's phone rang. He sees it but ignores it.

Alex keeps looking at the burning building. It was the first time in years since she saw this kind of incident in person. She somehow feels a pain in her heart. "Hey, you ok?" ask Mark.

Alex simply stayed quiet as she keeps looking at it. She took a deep breath and exhales. "Let's go." She looks at Mark.

"Let's take this way." Mark said going into a different path.

Alex knitted her brows but just goes with him.

As they were on their way, a group of people stood in front of them. All four of them were wearing masks. Mark slowly puts Alex behind her.

Alex looks at them carefully and not one of them seems from around the town. Who are these people? Alex thought.

"Fellas. Don't. You'll regret it." Mark said.

The group just smirked. "I believe you're the one who'll regret it." The middle one speaks.

He suddenly attacks and Mark easily put him down with just a knee jab. The next scenes were unfair to Mark since it was three against one. Mark was clearly at the disadvantage so Alex had to interfere.

Both Alex and Mark tried their best to fought all of them.

Alex faces a man about an inch taller than her. She keeps on attacking but the other man was just simply defending her. She felt annoyed with each attack, he easily defends himself. She thought of a plan.

"You really must be proud of yourself fighting with a girl." Alex smirked.

"This clearly isn't a fight-." Alex saw this chance to attack him once again. She swiftly kicks both of his sides and ends with a back flip kick. Jerk, Alex thought to herself.

She turns around and saw that Mark was smiling at her. "That's my Alex."

However, Mark's smile suddenly changes to shock. "Behind you!" Mark yelled.

As Alex was about to turn around, her mouth was covered with a cloth containing chloroform. She struggles but the grip seems was too strong for her. The last thing she saw before passing out was Mark running towards her.