Episode 9

What a way to start a new year. Datu Paul ponders. As he sits on the couch of the second floor’s living area, with the rest of the inspection team.

Bae Asuna: What a way to start the year.

Datu Paul: Oh, please. You’re being condescending. Stop patronizing me okay.

Bae Asuna: No I mean it. I envy you having a case like this. My administration was pretty boring, this is like a show stopper or, or a, sure shot for the next election.

Datu Paul: Really, easy for you to say. I am not even thinking about it. Anyway, I’ve called for a council meeting, an emergency meeting. I’ve also called for all employees to attend, I am pretty sure that the Directorate would question all of us. Best that we all hunker down until the Criminalist gets to interview all of us.

Bae Asuna: I have no problem with that, since you are buying dinner.

Datu Paul: Oh shit!

Bae Asuna: Hahaha, too bad, you're the sitting Datu, a tradition is a tradition.

Wednesday

Camp**Maxim**

Lt. Col. de la Cruz arrives at his office with newspaper in tow. The Free Forgers regional paper’s headline, “Who Killed Jenny”.

Lt. Col. de la Cruz: Hey, Nuñez, I need some coffee, obviously, but is Lt. Berdin here yet? I’d like to go over him with something, and I’ll need Herasta too.

Officer Nuñez: Yes sir, they just got back from breakfast. I’ll call them in.

Lt. Berdin goes in first, followed by Lt. Herasta.

Lt. Berdin: You read the news right?

Lt. Col. de la Cruz: Notice anything off?

Lt. Berdin: I have not counted yet, but right off the vat it is pretty damn suspicious.

Lt. Col. de la Cruz: I guess CIID is handling the case, I’ll have their commander and Lieutenants come in, this way we can share data. Right now. Where is Jenny’s phone. Have the Communications Commission trace it ASAP.

Lt. Berdin: Right away sir.

Lt. Herasta: I think this is under the City Directorate, we should bring them in on this.

Lt. Col. de la Cruz: It will not be for long if we have another evidence. CIID will directly handle this, of course they may take the lead.

Kris Plaza Hotel, Forge Island

A Press Conference

The room is a buzz, with reporters. There is a buffet table as some are enjoying their meal provided by the host of the conference. Tianzon, Archibald, owner of Tamsi, a microblogging app.

The in house master of ceremonies announces the arrival of Mr. Tianzon. And the crowd applauses.

Mr. Tianzon: Thank you everyone for coming, please settle down now, please do take your seats. I will be visiting the town for a couple of days as we scout a place for our branch office. Oh, wait… My apologies, we will be launching an office, which is just about ready. Maybe in the next couple of days. I’ll answer a few questions, I hope the meal is satisfactory, we have lunch, if so you decide to have lunch here, and of course our agents who would answer more of your questions about our app. So questions anyone?

Tianzon points at an old timer.

Bobby Singson: Bobby Singson from F.I.N., Mr. Tianzon, I have never really understood the idea of your program, and even other social media. Would you please enlighten me or even the rest? How do you earn money? What is in it for us? When, if you do make money, only you make money. Why would people want to use your app?

Mr. Tianzon: Oh… Straight to the jugular are you. Well I think those were a bunch of questions, you are making me faint. I’ll answer one question because we do have other reporters here. I make money out of Advertising. Next.

Archibald Tianzon, smiles as he continues to answer questions from other reporters. As the other reporters continued to throw their questions, Bobby Singson withdrew himself to the side of the stage, where the buffet was served..

Bobby Singson: Hey Senen, these billionaires are full of hot air, I still don’t get it. Do you?

Senen Solon: You had to ask a battery of questions.

Bobby Singson: I thought the fucking guy is a genius or some sort. What a farce.

Senen Solon: Beats me Bob, I have my own blog. I get paid through adverts.

Bobby Singson: I mean, why would an average Joe, of course not like you and I. Would ever want to use his program. I just don’t get it.

Senen Solon: I’d say Bob, the average Joe ain't that average anymore.

Camp**Maxim**

10:00 AM

Lt. Col. de la Cruz: Officers, thank you for coming over. I’m sure you are aware of the situation on the murder of Jenny Lynn Villamar. I’ve called in CIID Commander in lieu with what may perhaps be a developing crime and spill over from our jurisdiction. I understand this is clearly a Kris City Homicide investigation. But we may have more to show you. We called in CIID to make recommendations on how we must proceed. But first our data.

Present in the meeting are Kris City Directorate Chief; Col. Mantalaba, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Division Chief; Col. Antigua, and Homicide Department Chief Major Yap. Along with the local top brass are their lieutenants.

Lt. Berdin: I am Lt. Berdin and I shall present the raw data that we have on Jenny Lynn Villamar. I’ve submitted a copy of the complaint filed by a councilman against her. This was just a few days ago. As you can see, the defendant in this case Jenny, was able to post a few more blogs on her TheDagWay account before she was found dead. We’ve initially put two and two together, we think right now that Jenny may have already been dead a few days. Of course, we would like to confirm it with Homicide, then we can go to our next theory.

Major Yap: Coroner’s estimate is about four days.

Lt. Berdin: Why was someone still using her phone two days after her estimated time of death? I’m sorry let me rephrase it, who is pretending to be her after her estimated time of death? In this case we have identity theft for now.

Major Yap: So you want us to figure it out who?

Lt. Col de la Cruz: That is your end, we would like to know who would likely be within that Community Hall who would want to kill her. However we can give information on what they have been doing on social media and trace their smartphone location if we can retrieve it.

Col. Antigua: You guys need a referring agency to coordinate your data. Someone who is impartial and neutral, and John you seem to be suggesting that we are the neutral party here.

Col. Mantalaba: Everyone hold on, I guess I will agree that we should have someone from the region, but we call the shots, we will create a task force on this. We will provide a coordinating office. John if you say that the phone was used after Ms. Villamar was probably dead, so where is the phone now?

Lt. Col. de la Cruz turns to Lt. Berdin.

Lt. Berdin: It is still active, it is imperative that we get to that location right away. It is on Gotiaoco Extension Road.

Lt. Berdin points to the map on his phone where the triangulation result is, and puts it on the table for everyone to see.

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