"A secret makes a woman, woman"

-Vermouth

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Chapter 6:
Shadows of the Past

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ZANE

"You? What do you think?" Her direct question took aback me. My mind reeled as her gaze fixed upon me. "What do you think?" she repeated.

"M-Me?" I stammered, surprised by the sudden attention.

"We don't have time for that, Mr. Nuñez. We only have a few minutes before George's colleagues ask us to leave," she explained briskly. "You wouldn't have pursued a major in science if you weren't naturally curious, right?"

A chill ran down my spine. How the heck did she know about my college course?

"Time's running out," George reminded us.

I turned my gaze towards the woman lying before us. "What do you think of all this?"

The sight of tears in her eyes was the first to catch my attention.

"Any interesting findings?" George inquired.

"She has tears in her eyes. While I can't determine the exact cause, it's possible she cried before her death. Alternatively, it could be due to bodily fluids from changes in pressure and decomposition," I explained.

A faint smile touched George's lips, though he didn't meet my gaze. Instead, his attention stayed fixed on the corpse.

"Time's up! Hurry, get out of there!" the man who had stayed outside the room called, interrupting our examination. "We'll be the ones to solve the case first, George."

"We're being ushered out, sir. Best of luck," Raine said to George with a fleeting smile, which she immediately returned after stepping away from him.

As I was about to exit through the doorway, a hand touched my shoulder, stopping me. I turned to see George standing behind me. "You did an amazing job in there," he said with a slight smile.

"It was nothing, uh... sir," I replied, feeling slightly awkward but appreciative of his acknowledgment.

"How did you come to know Raine?" I intended to catch up with my companion, who was already striding away, but I couldn't resist answering the policeman.

"I stay in the same flat," I replied.

"So, does that mean that..." George trailed off, giving me a cryptic smile before releasing his grip on my shoulder. "Alright then. Go catch up with that girl."

"Sure thing," I responded, mustering a smile.

Stepping outside, I scanned the area, but Raine and the car that had brought us were nowhere in sight.

"Are you looking for Ms. De Verra?" A woman guarding the premises approached me.

"Uh... yes," I confirmed.

"Ms. Santiago already took her home," the woman informed me, appearing to be in her thirties.

"The woman in the car parked there earlier?" I pointed to the place where the woman had parked the car earlier.

"One of the officers. The car you're pointing to was already gone a few moments after you arrived," she confirmed.

"I don't have a lot of information about this place," I muttered under my breath.

As the woman prepared to return to her post, I seized the opportunity to ask, "Is there a nearby highway or terminal? Even a tricycle ride would be a great help."

"Where do you live?" she asked.

"At..." Once again, my memory failed me, and I couldn't recall the name of Aunt Clara's place. However, one detail stood out - "Clara's Coffee Shop."

"Ah! Clara's Coffee Shop is just a few minutes away by ride. It shouldn't take more than five minutes if you would," she informed. "If you prefer a ride, you'll need to walk a bit to the right."

"Okay, thank you," I responded with gratitude, preparing to walk away before her words stopped me.

"Are you the new flatmate of Ms. De Verra?" she asked, smiling kindly at me.

"Yes," I confirmed weakly. It was only my first day at the city, yet it seemed I had already caused confusion multiple times.

"Nice to meet you," she greeted warmly before returning to her post. "Be careful, alright?"

Be careful? Where? On the road or with Ms. de Verra?

"I need you now more than ever," I murmured into my phone. "With my companion suddenly gone, I rely on you, especially since the road might be dangerous for me."

A bell chimed from the house across the street, where a sign indicated a charging station.

"That's exactly what I need!" With determination, I entered a mini mart. The bell jingled as I went towards the station beside the glass door. It stood before me, its coin slot demanding five pesos.

I patted my pockets but found no change or cash. "Without money, I can't catch a ride home or charge my phone. Darn it, this is so annoying!"

With a frustrated sigh, I was about to return my phone to my pocket when a woman kindly took it from my grip and plugged it into the port.

"Thank you," I muttered, about to glance at my helper's face when sudden darkness engulfed my vision.

"Are you okay?" I could still hear the murmurs of concern about me, but they grew increasingly faint over time.

࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

A bright light ahead drew me in, and I struggled to lift my heavy eyelids.

"Good morning, Mr. Nuñez."

Before me stood a blurry figure, gradually coming into focus as I blinked away the dazzle.

"I'm sorry I had to do this," she added. "And don't be silly; of course, I know it's evening now."

"W-Who are you?" After a few blinks, her playful smile came into view. She wore a formal coat and trousers, seated in front of me on a wooden chair with no armrests.

"Let's just say that I'm always watching," she replied cryptically.

As my senses returned, a sense of unease settled over me. I sat before her, hands on my lap. "What do you want from me? I have nothing to give you. We don't have money!" My heart pounded, yet my body remained oddly calm.

"I know you don't have money, Zane. Or rather, not much, as you struggle financially," she remarked.

Her eyes remained focused towards me with her gaze that seemed to penetrate my very being. Try as I might to avert my eyes, they always returned to meet hers.

I recalled her voice — the same one that had aided me in charging my phone earlier. "Don't worry, your phone is in your pocket now, and it already has a little charge," she assured, still wearing that mysterious smile.

Slowly, I lowered my hands, confirming the presence of the phone tucked in my slacks pocket.

"If you don't breathe a word about me, I won't hesitate to call the police," I warned, clutching onto the device hidden in my pocket.

"Oh, I wouldn't mind," she responded calmly. "Are you Lorraine's new flatmate?"

Lorraine? "Lorraine de Verra?" I asked.

"Yes, that's her," the woman confirmed, crossing one leg over the other.

"What if I am?" I challenged.

"So, it's official," she remarked, her earlier smile replaced by a sympathetic expression. Breaking eye contact, she turned her attention to our surroundings.

What might be her problem? What's happening?

"So soon after the last one," she added with a sigh.

What did she mean by that?

"Did she have any previous flatmates?" I inquired, feeling a sense of urgency to leave, yet hesitant to go into the darkness outside. Getting lost would only put more difficulty in the situation.

"She had a few," she responded, shifting her posture and fixing her gaze on me once more, with her expression hard to identify.

"What happened to them? Where are they now?" I pressed for more information, hoping to glean some insight into the situation.

If Raine is indeed involved in something illegal, I'll definitely leave the apartment. Why did those people leave her there? Did they abandon her, or did they depart willingly?

"Let's just say they were cowards, so they just left that flat," the woman responded.

Cowards? Did their leaving have anything to do with Raine's activities? Do they know about it?

"How about you, Mr. Zane Jamieson Nuñez?" she continued. "Are you a coward too?"

I swallowed hard, feeling a knot in my stomach. "Why— How can you say they became cowards?"

She gestured towards her right, summoning another unfamiliar man dressed formally. He approached, handing her a white envelope before disappearing into the shadows of the building.

She extended the envelope towards me. "What's this?" I asked with apprehension creeping into my voice.

"Scholarship, Mr. Nuñez. I know your parents will be pleased," she replied with her mysterious smile.

My eyes widened in disbelief. I had applied for college scholarships countless times, but success had always failed me. Gradually, I extended my hand to take the envelope.

"Take it. It's your first reward," she urged. As the envelope brushed my fingers, I snapped back to my senses.

"What's the catch? Who are you?" I demanded, pushing the envelope away from me.

"She calls me her greatest enemy," she confessed. "But don't worry, it just happens inside her mind, especially if she doesn't want the presence of someone."

"And what do I owe in return for whatever's inside the envelope?" I inquired cautiously.

"You'll simply provide me with information about her activities," she explained.

"Why?"

"She prefers not to acknowledge my existence. I require insights from the one she's always with," she explained. "This young lady is already on her college journey, and what if all her hard-earned victories vanish because of her activities?"

I don't know how to respond. Why is she giving me money if what she's asking for isn't significant? Did she do this to the previous occupants as well?

"Don't you want it?" she inquired.

I mustered a smile, though I felt hesitant despite the tempting offer. Anything involving money still feels risky.

"Well, alright. Give me some time to consider your offer," I replied. She stood up and slipped the envelope into her coat pocket. "My companion will escort you home to your unit. Liberty Street, right?"

The man who had given her the money earlier reappeared before us. He wore a black tuxedo and black glasses, despite it being nearly nighttime. "Let’s go," he stated.

Although I didn't know them, I had no chance but to just comply. Just for safety, I knew I had to stay vigilant.

We entered a car that promptly left some kind of terminal for cars. Silence enveloped the vehicle until I felt my phone vibrate.

Taking it from my pocket, I found it already opened after it shut down earlier. None of the apps I had accessed appeared tampered with.

A message from an unknown number illuminated the screen.

This is Raine. I don't know if you remember the long name you mentioned earlier, but just to remind you: L.A.V.

As soon as I finished reading this, another message arrived.

Hurry up. Go home! It's important!

It didn't take long before I felt the car slowing down. Peeking out the window, I saw it had stopped in front of Auntie Clara's apartment building.

Every minute counts!