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The story is becoming appealing although I feel sad because I think most of my stories are underachieving since they don't get publicized more. I think it's because my summary has not enough keywords in them. There is the system hits, right? It's when you search with keywords and the story summaries that have the word you search appear. Okay, maybe I am just a little paranoid. It's just that I am leaving soon and I would really like to have readers who will introduce themselves and not just read my stories without the appropriate acknowledgement of them. I would really like it if you just don't add me in your favorites without introducing yourself to me or reviewing my works. I am leaving soon and I may not be able to update anymore. One of these days, it will just happen so let us all make the most of my presence. I live for writing for it is the oxygen of my life. I should really publicized myself from now on. I feel like, not to sound pompous, I must have more readers than the regular. I always make it to a point to talk to every reader who shares a review to me since I am a sucker for affirmation. I am really open to everybody, writer-to-reader, that is. I also treat anybody as friends. Shit, I have to stop moping and be grateful to have a tantalizing audience. BTW, I am cocky and we all know it.
I would like to thank and welcome kaitou angel, amwong88, Intertwined-Destiny17 and fanXforever. You guys just made my day by appearing here and sharing me your thoughts. Of course, I won't stop writing this but there are some things that are not in my control. My visits here in fanfiction might become once in a month or so. Bear with me. For now, let us again indulge the appetite for enigma.
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Lectures on Friendship with Gummy bears and worms
If a man approaches you and hands you a heavy brown paper bag, your first reaction is to look inside. I did not do that. I just held it away from me and gave a disgusted expression. You should never look inside a bag that a stranger handed to you because it was never gonna be good. It might be a bomb or something, right? The man who handed me the brown paper bag was one of Special Agent Naomi Misora's men. I found her at last among the crowd of other men looking for something that is definitely not treasure to anybody. I looked around me and could only shake my head when I saw that this is a deserted forest area. The woods are thick and suffocating. I made a smug face and started walking to Naomi. She gave me a small nod and ordered the men to widen their perimeter. When I was a yard away from her, I held the brown paper bag and tried to beg her with my eyes to take it away from my possession. Naomi sensed it and giggled a little. It was a grim giggle because she knew nothing about this is amusing. She took the paper bag at last and handed it to Near. The boy looked inside and nothing registered in his face when he said, "Yup, that's a foot, all right."
"Thank you for informing about that I would be dealing with cadavers from now on."
"That is a very offensive remark to coroners, Luisa." Near answered me gently as he put on some gloves before taking the foot out of the paper bag. He placed it above a clean white sheet and started examining it.
"You could do that somewhere else private, you know." I looked away.
"How many of these have you found yet, Agent Misora?"
"About thirty." Naomi answered with a formal tone. "We found his liver, two of his kidneys, his ears, his eyeballs, hands, one leg and so forth. We still don't have his head though."
I closed my eyes. "Naomi, how long have you been searching?"
She looked at me and replied. "A week now. The first one we found is his ears and it was a positive DNA match."
"How about his penis?"
We both looked at Near. Naomi answered. "No sign of that too. We will keep looking."
I watched as Near put the severed foot inside the paper bag. He carried it around as if it's only grocery. We followed behind quietly when he started walking. We arrived just an hour ago after Near collected information about my brother and he would not share his findings with me. It was L who personally brought us here while piloting a helicopter. As we landed and were about to go down, I managed to kiss him goodbye and said, "Well, I really do have a pilot boyfriend after all."
L smiled and waved at us as he launched up the sky and flew away from us. I heard Near chuckle slightly. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Jealous, Near?"
"No," he said with a cold smile. "Just watching."
So after that we went to find Naomi. As I walked beside while we follow Near, she shared me the details of her investigations. "I arrived here about the same day you did. I kept an open connection with Agent Kroiger as well. I was surprised when I found out that the body was chopped up in pieces and we only have another week to find all of it."
"Why another week only?"
She looked at me sadly. "The Saudi Arabian government would not allow us to stay here any longer. L made a promise that we will leave in just one week, with or without Leonard's complete body."
"Do you know him?" I asked.
She let out a smile. "Not really but L really liked him. I guess I want to treat him the way L treated him even now that he is dead and brutally murdered. It's the least we could do for him."
"I read about the case file." I pointed out. "Leonard Telesco is an achiever with a lot of published books and articles. He had been an anthropologist for twenty-seven years now. How did L meet him?"
"Through Quillish." Naomi replied. "Leonard used to visit L when he was younger and they talk about geology and forensics. He always tells me whenever we just meet for casual visits that Leonard is a friend to him always. When he found out what happened, I don't think he could forgive himself."
"Anybody would react the same way." I looked down. "Do you have any leads on who might have murdered him?"
"So far no physical evidence on the killer which is odd. We cannot place anybody at the scene."
"According to your case file, you explained that Leonard Telesco went to his office that morning and did not have his lunch. Why didn't his secretary check on him?"
"We believe that she was murdered first." Naomi answered. "A one bullet to the head. Then the killer hid the body and waited for Leonard."
"He must have killed her the night before," I added. "And then when his target arrived, he must have made sure that he has all the time in the world. Are there any signs of torture in the body parts that you found?"
"What we could detect is his eyeballs were the first to be removed. We also found out that he was bound meticulously with some type of wire since there are marking on the wrists we found as well as the ankles of the first foot we found. Near was examining the marks on the other foot just now." Naomi explained. We entered the big tent and found Near sitting on the floor.
"Is there any reason why we are here?" I asked him.
"We need more men to search," Near answered. "I am now looking at the list of body parts that you found in a week. If my hypothesis is correct, we could find the rest in just three days."
"Three? Do you have something planned?" Naomi smiled at him.
Near twirled his silver hair and looked at us. "First we need to deal with a certain visitor who just arrived here after Leonard Telesco was murdered."
"Who may that be?"
Near lifted up a piece of paper. "Let's see...Nicoline Garboux."
Naomi wrote the name down and started to leave, "I will bring her for questioning. It would only take me an hour."
When she left, I looked at Near firmly. "What the hell are you up to?"
"I was wondering what your friend is up to as well," Near answered. "I could hardly believe that it is a coincidence that a young French girl decided to come over. Besides, I have surveillance that she visited Telesco's wife three days after he was supposedly murdered."
"What are you saying?" I tried to remain calm.
"She might know something although I would not eliminate her as a suspect until I interrogate her."
"Can I--"
"No, you may not." Near shook his head. "You could watch us however."
"Okay," I did not have the energy to protest. "What does she have to do with your being able to find the rest of the body in just three days?"
Near sighed. "I perform miracles myself. I am, after all, L's successor."
He did not entertain any of my questions after that. I decided to wait in the room he asked me to. It was on the side of the interrogation room where he would take my friend. I could hear and watch them from here. It has been almost a month since I saw her and I have no idea that she might now the Telesco family. Is it really that of a coincidence or there is something going on here that I wasn't exactly informed about my dear friend? I was worried and I couldn't hide it. I did not pace around or fidget. I normally show the signs of my anxiety by sitting completely still with hands clutching my knees and eyes downcast. It was only after twenty minutes when Naomi Misora opened the door and led Nicoline inside. I walked over to the glass and saw her there but she could not see me. She looked at the mirror in front of her and expected that she were being watched so she gave a small smile. I felt my chest ache slightly for no reason. Naomi left and I got to examine Nicoline closely. She was the same, as ever only now she wasn't wearing glasses. Her long brown hair was not in a ponytail. She looked like she was going to a business function: blue suit and neatly ironed white polo shirt, black skirt and brown stockings, black high heels. I could tell since she started to stand around, looking at nothing on the wall. Then she sat down again. Naomi was already behind me.
"I heard that she's a friend."
I nodded. Naomi placed a hand on shoulder. "If she is innocent, we will let her go."
"I don't care about that," I said indifferently. "I just want to know why she is here of all places."
"Do you think that she is capable of deception?"
I looked at Naomi steadily. "All of us are capable of deception. It depends on what type we are talking about here."
"The heaviest type of all, deceiving a friend."
I shook my head. "That I could not answer now."
We saw Near enter and Nicoline greeted him warmly. Near just nodded and sat on the opposite chair, his back turned away from us as he faced Nicoline. I push a button so I could hear them talk.
"What is your relationship with Ingrid Telesco?"
"My family sells her jewelry for two years now." Nicoline answered. "If you like me to pull out her file, I could easily do that."
"Did she recently buy something from you?"
"Not exactly," Nicoline replied. "She asked me to personally polish her late husband's wedding band."
"Did you know Leonard Telesco?"
"I never met him." Nicoline smiled blankly. "I heard he was a wonderful man. Many people grieve after what happened to him."
"Do you know the circumstances of his death?" Near stood up and kept twisting a strand of silver hair in his finger.
"No," she said. "I just came here yesterday. I did not have the time to watch the news. Do I need to know?"
"We are having a search party for his missing body parts."
"Oh, he was chopped to death then?" Nicoline was too calm. Near sensed that easily and he was now preparing to circle the prey.
"You did not know him personally but how come you were inquiring about him?"
Nicoline said nothing in her defense so Near continued. "Furthermore, you were the one who delivered an anonymous call about where his liver is a week ago so you have been around here for a very long time. You left and came back yesterday. Why, Miss Garboux?"
Nicoline examined her nails. "Well, I certainly did deliver a phone call."
"Why, Miss Garboux?"
"I was also looking for Telesco's remains, sir."
"Why, Miss Garboux?"
Nicoline looked at Near. "I was assigned to."
"By who?" Near suddenly smiled as if he knew something else.
Nicoline looked directly at the mirror. "I was assigned by L to go to Saudi Arabia to secure a journal of Leonard Telesco and bring it to him. Instead, I told him that Leonard Telesco is murdered and that the journal is missing."
"Are we to believe that the journal is the reason why Telesco was murdered?"
"He was tortured horribly, sir. They wanted something else. They didn't get it so they took the journal instead, hoping it may lead to the thing they are looking for." Nicoline spoke in an impassive way.
"May I see your ID, Miss Garboux?"
"It's Special Agent Eva Jorgue, French intelligence, sir." Nicoline answered as she handed her ID so Near could look at it.
"You were evaluated by Agent Penbar, am I correct?" Near asked.
"Yes, he is my partner." Nicoline smiled politely. "It was L who assessed me."
"Ray is so dead for this," Naomi scoffed as she crossed her arms together. "I am personally going to nail his ass for not telling me that another adolescent agent is interfering with my case."
"You should tell L about this," I answered her, not taking my eyes off Nicoline. "Adolescent agent? You don't like me?"
"Her order is only to secure the journal not help finding the bodies." Naomi replied. "And no, I do like you and Agent Jorgue as well but not her partner."
"She did leave an anonymous call, Naomi so it is obvious she doesn't want to meddle in any territory." I pointed out.
"So I will have the both of you here now, right?" Naomi was a little angry. "So this is what Near meant when he said we could find the rest of the body in only three days."
"You were supposed to be celebrating." I answered.
"Well, I don't like Ray Penbar." Naomi scoffed again. "I don't like him around me."
I grinned at her. "Lovers' quarrel?"
"Shut up, Luisa." Naomi raised an eyebrow. "You don't seem to have a problem with this."
"She is meant for this force too," I replied. "I knew L would want her in the force."
Naomi sighed. "You trust people easily, Luisa."
I laughed. "Actually, I don't. I'm just comfortable now with the fact that everybody lies and nobody can be trusted now all I have to do is deal with it with pride."
Near left and went to the opposite room with us. He looked at me and said. "I am very sorry you have to know it in this way. Both of you, I mean. I know that Ray Penbar has an issue with you, Naomi."
"Hell yes," Naomi put her hands on her waist. "Do not expect me to be nice with him. We are not colleagues."
"That is some show you put in there, Near." I said when Naomi came storming out of the room, shouting to 'prepare the rat hole, somebody is sleeping there tonight and he is an arrogant ass.' I have to meet this Ray Penbar.
"Thank you, I hope you like it." Near just smiled creepily again. "Do you wish to speak with her, Luisa?"
"I am all atwitter." I left him to confront to Nicoline. I opened the door and greeted her, "Good afternoon, Agent Jorgue. Killer legs, by the way."
She rolled her eyes. "You never changed your lesbian ways, Francesca."
I laughed and hugged her. She hugged me back. We held onto each other longer than expected. When we managed to pull away, I teased. "French intelligence. Gosh, you are finally going to get laid for that title."
"France is filled with gorgeous men, Cheska, if I want to get laid, I have been already when I was fourteen."
"You really needed to stop whining like a Catholic summer girl." I sat on the table. "So L assessed you too, huh?"
"It was only like yesterday when we are in class and he is being omniscient." Nicoline smiled dreamily then she made a smug face. "Although I will kill him if he wants me to start writing on the white board again with the word 'strawberry' as my cue."
We laughed. She looked at me sweetly. "So how are things between the two of you?"
"Pain in the ass," I complained. "We could never have sex at all."
Her smug face was back. "Put an ice on it, Cheska."
"What's with the new look, by the way?" I inquired. "You are dressed to kill now. Where do I buy your wardrobe?"
"You look nice." She said, looking at me thoroughly. "Did you even comb your hair?"
"I also gained two pounds." I added. "And I discover I have a taste for redheads."
"Speaking of which." Nicoline pulled out something. "Remember how we used to enjoy candy corner so much? I brought gummy bears and worms."
"My favorite." I took a worm and held it up as I placed it in my mouth. "I always imagined being a fish and have one of these as bait used by fishermen so they could catch me. Once I bite on its juicy body, the hook attaches itself in my mouth and I get pulled out from the sea, feeling the air leave my gills while I'm desperately wanting freedom I will never have again."
Short pause. "Did I just say that out loud?"
"You could at least say you just love gummy worms, you know." She shook her head good-humoredly. "I miss this."
"Watching me pig out or watching me bitching?" I took another worm and ate it in the same fashion.
"Both," she smiled as she consumed a gummy bear and then she took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad we are working together now. Let's have dinner tonight."
"Okay," I smiled back and held her hand tightly. "I love you."
"I love you too."
I gave her my own smug face and then stood up to get away from her. "Is that why you want to take me to dinner? You're unbelievable!"
I turned around and said. "Don't watch my ass while I leave."
Nicoline giggled as I closed the door behind me. After feeding my ego and sexuality like she always do through having me personally attack hers, I gave a sigh of relief and just stood there outside the door. Near was already there, playing with a violet game boy. He said. "Matt said I could borrow this in case I get bored with people."
"Good for you, playing with toys again instead of people."
We both looked up when we saw Naomi being followed around by a handsome young man with blue eyes. She kept her arms crossed as the guy chased after her.
"Let me guess, Ray Penbar." I said to Naomi when she brushed passed me.
Naomi just scoffed and the man said, "Oh come on, Nawi, you know I am just looking for the right timing to tell you. You know how I work."
"Hey, Ray." I grinned at him when he passed by me.
"Hey back but I don't you."
"Luisa!" I called out when he was far.
"Nice to meet you!" he answered back from afar as he continued following Naomi.
I looked at Near who was now playing again with the game boy. "I think they are going to get married someday."
"Yeah," Near answered, his game boy making bomb noises as he pushed the buttons. "When crabs will learn to fly a helicopter as good as L, they will get married without a question."
"That is possible."
"Like becoming a fish and eating gummy worms, huh?"
"Yeah, like eavesdropping is the same as peeping tom, Near."
Well, Ray Penbar is introduced. There will be more of them. I hope that all of you could still remember Nicoline Garboux. I really like her. Do you? Thank you for all the meaningful reviews. When I get depressed, I just read them and I happy again. I know it sounds odd but I live for writing and affirmation.