Murder Case #201

CHAPTER 2- VICTIM'S VOICE

"I'm asking you, Miss. Do you know Kira?" the male detective asks me.

The male detective bombards me with questions, his piercing gaze locked onto mine, as if trying to unravel the truth hidden within my words. My mind races, desperately searching for a way to convey the inexplicable phenomenon that plagues my existence. How can I possibly explain that I hear voices echoing from far away, whispering secrets and foretelling danger? How can I make them understand that it was through this uncanny ability that I recognized the imminent threat surrounding Kira?

The weight of their skepticism hangs heavy in the room, suffocating the air and dampening my hope. Doubt creeps into their eyes, their faces a tapestry of disbelief. If I were to speak the truth, I fear they won't believe me. They would brand me as insane, dismissing my words as the ramblings of a troubled mind. But I cannot let Kira face the danger alone, her safety hanging by a fragile thread.

"Call Kira," I demand, my voice resolute, fueled by an unyielding determination to protect her. The detective hesitates, uncertainty flickering across his features, his hand hovering over the phone. Beside him, Lesia's brow furrows with a mix of concern and doubt, mirroring the conflicting thoughts that plague her mind.

Feeling the urgency mount within me, I gather my courage and propose an alternative. "Let's go to her," I suggest, desperation lacing my words. Perhaps by physically being by Kira's side, witnessing the peril that I perceive, they will finally begin to comprehend the extraordinary nature of my predicament.

"Lynn, what's going on? Can you explain it to us?" the female detective asks. "We're detectives, and we'll understand."

"Kira's life is in danger. Someone is trying to kill her," I reveal.

The male detective is incredulous. "What are you talking about? Is your friend crazy, Lesia?"

"Ace, watch your words. Just call Kira and check on her," Lesia snaps, her voice tinged with a mix of impatience and concern. Her words hang in the air, a gentle but stern reminder of the delicate nature of the situation. Despite the frustration gnawing at me, I take a deep breath, bracing myself to navigate the challenging path ahead. The weight of their disbelief rests heavily on my shoulders, a burden I must bear alone.

Observing the detective's actions, I watch as he takes hold of the cell phone, his fingers dancing across the screen as he dials Kira's number. The anticipation swirls within me, a mix of hope and trepidation, as I await the outcome of this crucial connection. Two rings echo through the receiver, each one amplifying the palpable tension in the room.

Then, as if a lifeline has been thrown to me, a voice breaks through the silence, answering the call. It's Kira's voice, a familiar sound that resonates deep within me. The voice I heard before, resonating from afar, revealing a sense of urgency and danger that I alone seemed to grasp.

"Ace!" Kira greets, her tone a welcome reassurance in the midst of my turmoil. My heart quickens, and I can't help but compare the voice on the phone to the one I had heard earlier.

"Daxxe..."

"Ace!"

As I strain to discern every nuance in Kira's voice, a realization strikes me: there is an uncanny consistency to her tone, unwavering whether it carries strength or vulnerability. It remains resolutely unchanged, devoid of any hints of distress or the ominous weight of death threats. It's as if the voice I heard earlier, laden with urgency and warning, is a distant echo fading into obscurity.

Doubt and confusion creep into my thoughts. Could I have been mistaken? Was my perception clouded by my own fears and paranoia? But deep within me, a nagging feeling persists—a flicker of intuition that tells me there's something amiss, something concealed beneath the surface of this seemingly ordinary conversation.

"How are you, Kira?" the detective asks, breaking the silence that hangs in the air, his gaze shifting from me to Lesia, searching for confirmation or contradiction.

"I'm fine," Kira responds, her voice laced with cheerfulness that belies any troubles. "My shift is almost over. Are we still on for dinner?"

The male detective's face contorts into a subtle smirk, his gaze drifting away from me. It's a look that speaks volumes, implying a dismissal of my earlier claims as mere figments of an overactive imagination. In that moment, it becomes apparent that I must gather irrefutable evidence to bridge the divide between my reality and their skepticism.

"Lynn, it's getting dark outside. You should go home and rest..."

"Les, we need to..."

"Kira is fine, okay? Ace has a short fuse, so won't repeat what you said. Go ahead, go home first."

Hope completely deflates in me. I thought everything would be okay now that I found my subject. But not. Now I have to prove to them that what I'm saying is true.

Without saying anything, I leave the station and hail a taxi.

"Where are you going to drop off?"

"Sir, just follow the white car in front of us. The owner is still inside."

"That's Detective Ace's car. Are you sure it's okay to follow him?"

"Do everything you can so he won't notice us. If we get caught, I'll take care of it. I know him anyway."

The driver sighs as we wait for Ace to come out and follow his car. We trail him to a flower shop, where he stops. We have no choice but to wait as well.

Questions swirl in my head. Is Kira his girlfriend? Who is Daxxe?

As I catch a glimpse of the driver through the rearview mirror, he blurts out, "Looks like Ace is smitten with someone."

"We don't have any kind of relationship," I corrected him. He seems unsure if he should laugh or not.

"Ace is a good guy. He has solved a lot of cases. I don't understand why his rank hasn't gone up yet. He deserves to be promoted."

I'm not interested in his promotion. I'm more concerned about his girlfriend's safety now.

Time is running out. The 1% chance of stopping Kira from disappearing from this world is also decreasing.

"Don't be so stupid, Detective Ace. Now it's your girlfriend who needs saving," I think to myself.

"Driver, Ace is coming out now," I signal to the driver. He had been inside for about 15 minutes.

As we follow Ace's car, it suddenly slows down and comes to a stop. I exchange a perplexed look with the driver as we try to make sense of what's going on. Without warning, Ace jumps out of his car and waves at us to stop.

Confused, I realize that we have no choice but to get out of the taxi. I quickly hand the driver some cash and gesture for him to leave before Ace approaches us.

The driver hastily speeds off, leaving me alone with Ace on the deserted street.

"Look who's here. Are you going crazy? You heard Kira's voice earlier, didn't you?" he says.

"Why don't you believe me?" I ask.

"Who's crazy enough to believe you, Ms. Ainslynn Quezon?"

My heart races as he utters my full name. The sudden use of formality makes me uneasy, and his irritated tone doesn't help. I rack my brain for ways to convince him, but nothing comes to mind. If only I had a recording of Kira's voice, I could prove that I'm not just making things up.

"Detective Ace..."

"Admit it to me," he says with doubt and takes a step closer to me. I step back.

He really is a bit crazy.

I step back again, but I can't move forward because of the high curb of the street.

"Are you doing this because you like me? Are you using Kira as an excuse to stalk me, huh? Wow, Dammon Academy teachers are truly aggressive, aren't they? The rumors are true."

It's Dammon, not Damon, idiot!

I quickly lunge forward and strike his knee with a swift kick, eliciting a sharp wince of pain from him. My determination is unwavering - I've come too far to give up now. With Kira's safety on the line, I can't afford to fail. She can't be just another name on the long list of victims I couldn't save.

"If anyone owns my attention right now, it's Kira, not you. Give me her address, and I promise not to bother you anymore."

"Oh, so there are a lot of women veering off course now? Who should I save? You?" he says insultingly. I don't like his sharp tongue at this point.

"Think whatever you want to think. If you're really a detective, save her! If you persist, Kira won't be alive for you to save."

In an instant, he has me in a chokehold. "Who are you to predict someone's death?" he asks through gritted teeth. It's like seeing a different Ace.

Tears stream down my face. I hear fast footsteps again. Based on the sound of the footsteps, it's not Kira, but it's from where the crime is going to happen.

3, 2, 1... Along with it comes the sharp scream of a woman. The chase begins.

Kira, I'm sorry. This is as far as I can follow your voice. Even if I fail to save you now, I promise to bring justice to your death.

"Detective Ace!" That is Lesia's voice. My friend immediately pulls me away from the man. I am gasping for breath and coughing due to his tight grip on my throat.

"Your friend is a real psycho!"

Psycho... That word is not new to me, but the pain I feel every time someone calls me that is always fresh and new. It cuts through me like a jagged blade, leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable. It's a label that latches onto my identity, defining me in the eyes of others.

But behind that label is a complex web of emotions, thoughts, and experiences that few bother to understand. The word "psycho" reduces me to a caricature, stripping away the nuances of my existence. It's a reminder that society often prefers to simplify and judge, rather than empathize and embrace the complexities of human nature.

"Watch your words, Ace! Is it normal for a detective to strangle a civilian?" Les shouts. "Not just Ainslynn who is a psycho here, but you too! You're unbelievable, Detective Ace!"

A brief silence falls between us. I try to push away the voices that are slowly creeping back into my ears.

"If something bad happens to your girlfriend, no one should be blamed but you, Detective Ace. I hope you don't regret not trusting what I said." As I say that, I immediately pull Lesia into her car.

"Ainslynn, what's really happening to you? Did you follow Ace?"

"Please drive," I replied curtly, urging Lesia to start the car and get us on our way as quickly as possible.

"What?"

"Just drive, Lesia Abellana! Even just this once, please believe me!"

I hear her gulp before starting her car. "O-kay. I'll trust you, Lynn. Where are we going?"

"Where can we find Kira?"

"I don't know where Kira is now."

"What hospital does she work in?"

Lesia seems to be thinking before speeding up her car.

"All I know is the hospital where she works. It looks like Detective Ace is following us."

I shut my eyes tightly, attempting to summon the voices that guide me before, but my connection to Kira seems to have faded away.

"Lynn, can you tell me what's going on? I don't want to work without knowing anything."

"All I know is Kira is on the brink of death. We only have a few hours left to save her."

"How did you find out?"

Because I heard it. I witnessed her suffering until her last breath.

"In a way you wouldn't believe."

Lesia gasps. Soon, she stops the car in front of Xell Hospital. "We're here."

I quickly get out of the car and run inside the building. I go straight to the front desk and immediately ask the first nurse I see.

"Miss, has Miss Kira checked out yet?"

"Are you referring to Doctor Kira Dizon?"

"Yes," Lesia answers.

"Let me check, please." The nurse makes a call. When I look back at the entrance door, I see Detective Ace walking in too.

"Doc. Kira hasn't signed out yet," the nurse informs us. I can see the worry in her eyes.

"Is there a problem?" Lesia asks.

"Her out time was supposed to be earlier, but the nurse I talked to said that Doc. Kira just asked to go to the CR. Until now..."

We don't hear the nurse's complete sentence because Detective Ace suddenly runs upstairs using the stairs.

To see is to believe. Are you going to believe me when Kira's dead already?