CHAPTER 7

It's lunchtime, and I'm done taking my lunch, I'm now sitting on a back-to-back bench and I sat on the bench that was facing away from the campus. That, that dream, it's weird, who's that man? What does that dream mean? I don't know why but my tears started falling. I think I'm going crazy, cause I'm crying without knowing why.

"Penny for your thoughts? Or you'd prefer a handkerchief?" Said of a man whose hand is offering me a handkerchief, when I look at who it was, it was Andrei a.k.a. Captain Sota.

"Thanks, I don't know why they fell though, I think I'm going crazy," I said while laughing. And he chuckled and sat beside me.

"You can tell me anything you know, besides, I'm a captain too, so I could understand, being a leader of a group is stressful, maybe it's getting you." He said. Huh, a captain to captain talk.

"Thanks, Andrei, maybe it does get me a little," I said and smelled the bracelet he gave to me, I'm loving the scent.

"You like it huh." He stated.

"Yeah, it's relaxing, thanks again," I said.

"You're always welcome. Xyryl, there's something I want to tell you." He said.

"Yeah? What is it?" I asked.

"Uhm, A---"

"Hey, Andrei! Coach called, said it's urgent." Said by the group of boys that passed by, maybe his football team.

"Eh? O-okay." He stood up and faced me.

"Maybe next time." He said and left with his teammates.

I let a sigh out. I was reminiscing when I remembered the times that I felt mom's love for me, even though I'm just assuming that she loves me. I felt that my tears are falling, I let them fall this time.

"Should I give you another handkerchief then?" Said by a man on my side-, maybe. I thought it was Andrei again, but when I realized the cold tone I already know it's Blake, Andrei and he has the same voice, the difference is that Blake's voice is cold. I wiped my tears and faced him.

"Were you watching us?" I teased him.

"Yes." I was shocked, I m just joking.

"You're my stalker now huh?" I said.

"What's the problem?"

"None of your business, it's not personal though." I lied.

"Then what? You can tell me." He said, and I sighed.

"I'm just stressed out, being a secret detective, a captain, and being a regular student. Like what if someone knows about the existence of SDO because of me? What if I'm not the rightful captain of our team? And what if I die on a mission? What if I won't pass the licensure exam after graduating? What if, what If... Nevermind." I said. It's a lie, a white lie though.

He grabbed the side of my head and leaned it on his shoulder. I sighed again. Good thing that I have someone like him to talk to, he's a good listener, and he doesn't talk too much. Well, he's always not talking too much. He's like my boy best friend, we are close, very close, I guess. We became close the moment we realized that we have so much in common. We are both hard-headed we understand each other even though we don't speak, were like spiritual brothers and sisters.

My watch and so is Blake's. I stood up and faced him.

"Let's go," I said and we both ran to the forest.

***

"In all fairness, the police also wants to investigate the scene because the suspect told them he did not kill the victim, but his blood and his DNA was confirmed that it was on the gun used to kill the victim, the suspect got his time for us to investigate this because he hand so much blood in his hand but the murder weapon is a gun so it's far too messy, and can be staged." I read the report.

"Guess the suspect knows about deception huh?" Rize said.

"Yeah, and what he was saying has a possibility, a gun murder can't be too messy in the hands, that's why they built guns. And if he ever moved the body, why does he need to move it to the bathroom? For a brain like him even in a critical situation, he would never hide a victim in its own house, that's how a criminal thinks." Woah! I mean, WOAH! That was the longest sentence he said.

"Maybe will just leave you about criminals so that you would say long sentences again next time." I teased him. "Right guys?" And the two of them nodded. He remained cold, as always so we continue our investigations.

"Let's just see the victim's body." He coldly said.

We checked the victim's body and we saw two bullets from her body, we checked the bullets and we confirmed that they are from different guns.

"Two bullets from different guns, yet the forensics team only has one gun, the suspect should be suspects," Armin said.

We went to the police and tell them about the guns and yet we found more useful info, they found the other suspect. And she's a woman.

We asked the police if we could interrogate the suspects and then we went to the interrogation room.

"What is your motive in killing the victim?" Hide started to ask.

"Sir, I didn't kill her, I don't even know why my DNA is on that gun since I haven't touched a gun in my whole life, I'm too scared to hold it!" The woman said.

"Sir, I have told this to the police and I think me and my girlfriend are framed, I don't know why though, we are not even involved in political issues, we are just normal citizens, we don't have a youtube channel, TikTok, even Twitter! We're not famous, our jobs are not connected to any criminology. Please tell us what is happening." The guy explained.

For the record, a 'normal citizen' like him is so intelligent, Why didn't he took criminology instead. He's very suitable for it.

"Okay, Rize, Armin, escort them to the police and tell them to keep them for now," I said after Hide looked at me. Hide and I was left in the room.

"Something doesn't sit right huh?" I said.

"Yeah, like something odd is going on and we're involved." Hide said.

"I was thinking the same thing. Do you think..."

"Yeah, I think so." Hide agreed to my thoughts.

"We should tell them," I said.

****

"What?" Rize said. "Are we in danger now?" She asked.

"No, no, we are not. If it's true, they must've done it to us." Said Armin.

"God! You sound like Vice Capt." Rize said which made us laugh. Well, except for hiding, as usual.

"We have no enough proof though so we have to investigate further," I said. "Rize and Armin, stay here and investigate more further," I said and left, Hide maybe read my mind so he followed me.

"Wait, where are you two going?" Rize asked.

"We're going to pay that supplier a visit," I said.

***

Hide and I arrived at the police station where Mark Flores, the supplier is jailed using the van.

"Excuse me, sir. This is the NBI." I said and we showed or fake i.d. "We are here for Mr. Mark Flores for another interview."

"Oh, sorry ma'am but Mr. Flores died last night." He said. We weren't surprised by that news though.

"Oh, thank you by the way," I said before we left.

"I think we're right," I said. He just nodded as a response.

We went back to where Rize and Armin said what happened to the supplier.

"How's yo6u investigation?" I asked.

"Looks like those two are innocent. They are framed and they are now free." Rize said.

"Good. We need to keep going. We have a syndicate to chase." I said.

****

"Okay, let's bring out our facts of them being a syndicate," I said.

"First. The death of Mark Flores. All syndicates always kill their henchmen when caught except if he or she is really good." Armin said.

"And. A syndicate could only frame one or two persons at the same time. Unless a man is so clever." Rize added.

"All syndicates usually work with chemical labs." Hide said. We turned out to gaze at him. I raised a brow to him, I mean, seriously?

"Really? That was the latest book that you've read." I said. I'm also reading his books.

"It's reasonable though." He coldly said. Does this guy know how to joke without any expression on his face, WTF?

"Hahaha! You really on another level V. Capt." Rize said while laughing. And we all laughed.

"Okay. Syndicate's henchmen always have the creepy vibes and suspicious actions and they don't work alone in where they are destined to work." I said.

Hide and I look at arch other and I grinned, while Hide nodded.

"Is there something between you two that we should know, something romantic?" Armin asked.

"Hahaha! This guy? Nah! I don't want my life a living ice!" I said, and the both of them laughed. Hide on the other hand is busy maintaining his dead face.

"Oh sh!t! It's already 8:40 pm. We must continue this tomorrow. Let's just send the report of the first case." I said. They all agreed and we went back to Atom.

***

"Are you sure about that?" HG Nasuna asked.

"Yes, ma'am we are. We just can't continue it tonight." I said.

"Okay."

"Thanks, Ma'am."

"By the way, would you like a field trip?" She asked and I grinned.

"It sounds fun, I know them into that too," I said.

****

"What did HG said?" Rize asked.

"Tomorrow, we're going on a field trip," I said. And given the excuse letters, HG Nasuni gave me.

"Hey, Azumi!" I looked for the one who's calling me and I saw Sota.

"Yep?"

"I've heard that you are going to investigate a syndicate." He said.

"Yeah, we are," I answered.

"Here, I made this formula so you could detect the other men on the syndicate, put it to the one you suspected as one of the members, if he'll go near his or her constituents it'll change its color. Just a small amount will hold on to him or her, just make sure it's on her skin, not clothes."

"Wow, your very good at your specialty, thanks, this is a great help," I said.

"Thanks, and your always welcome Azumi. Take care okay?" He said and went to his team.

"Ehem. Is there something we don't know about, Capt.?" Rize asked. I thought of it for a while but I don't recall hiding from me, well, except for my problems, wait, did they know my problems?

"I don't recall anything," I said.

"Duh! Is there something going on between you and Sota?" She asked me like it's the most obvious thing to notice. But it just made me frown in confusion.

"Me and him? What are you talking about?" I asked confusedly.

"Ouch! Looks like a one-sided love. Pure guy." Armin said.

"Are you guys crazy or you're just being weird?" I said.

"Sigh! What we mean is that Captain Sota is hitting on you. Don't be numb!" Rize added.

"She's right, but it looks like the feeling is not mutual," Armin added.

"Hitting on me? Haha! That's new. He's not hitting on me, it's just a captain to captain thing." I explained.

"No, they're right. He's too obvious. And you're too oblivious. Open up your eyes sometimes. You'll see a lot better." Hide said.

"Wow, your observation skills are improving, I'm proud of you man!" I said and we all laughed. Well, except for Hide of course, as always. Tss, KJ.

***

I handed the letter to mom. It says that we'd be gone for one week, which means the SDO gives us one week to catch the syndicate.

"Be at your behavior, I don't want you to ruin my name. Understood?" She said.

"Yes, mom," I said and went to my room to pack my clothes. I will be staying at the Atom tomorrow until the weekends.

The field trip was just our cover-up but my whole class would go on a field trip so there are no parents that will be suspicious about us. I dropped my body to my bed after packing. This day is so exhausting. Sigh! I accidentally looked at my mother's eyes again, and my tears are starting to fall. I can't stand mom's gaze at me, even before, like she's always staring at me blankly, I could never find love from those eyes, I would just walk away so I won't be hurt anymore. I'm so busy solving the mystery of others while my mystery is still unsolved. I hope one day, I will found the reason why my mother is acting like that towards me. I just hope.

****

There's the man again, smiling at me but it's still blurry.

"Do you like your new toys?" He asked.

"Yes, Dad! Thank you so much!" The little girl said.

Even though it's blurred, I saw the man look back at the street, and cursed.

"Holy Sh!t." The man shouted and he turns the wheel to the other lane but they were still caught by the explosion.

"Daddy!!!" The little girl shouted.

I got up from my bed panting, that dream again. Why do I even have these nightmares? Is it connected to me? But I don't recall that, an event happened to me, my memory score is high so it has no sense of forgetting. Suddenly I felt goosebumps, what if it was a lost spirit that's asking for my help? And that dream was its way to show me what happened to them. I laughed at myself for thinking it that way. As if. But that's a Mystery, I have to solve it. But before that, I will first solve the mystery of this syndicate we are after.