The Benefits of Lucas Montemayor

003

Irene's Point of View

Lucas' gaze went to the flowers and to the paper Lestrade was talking about. He crumpled it and threw it into the trash can.

“Don't tell me Manipulator X was behind the threats?” Lestrade asked, looking for an answer, but he didn't get an answer from Lucas who was busy roaming around the room.

Johnny came with the four suspects who were Sierra, Sera, the janitress, and the director. Sierra was frowning while Sera was complaining. “This is what they said in the report,” he said and opened his notebook.

“Why did I become the suspect here? It's Sera! She's angry because she became a sidekick because of Irene,” Sierra answered.

“Why me? As far as I know, that janitress is angry at Irene because she always orders her around!” Sera angrily said.

“I didn't do anything. Ma'am Sierra and Ma'am Sera were the people who were angry at Ma'am Irene because Irene got the role they wanted,” the janitress calmly said.

"I don't have any comments. Besides, who will give death threats to anyone who is working for them? It's not me," the director said. Lucas sat and whispered to Johnny.

“Can you please show us your hands? So we could finish this investigation,” Johnny said, but one doesn't want to show her hand.

"Why, Sierra? Why are you afraid to show your hands?" I asked her. She didn't answer.

"Because she's the one who sent the death threat to you. Afraid of getting noticed by your wound that you got because of the broken vase?" Lucas asked, which shocked me. What does he mean?

"What are you saying! I got this because I slipped my bottle, right, director?” she asked and the director nodded.

"She's right. Her bottle fell yesterday,” he said but Lucas only laughed.

“Did you see that she got wounded?”

“No I only saw the bottle fall,” the director said. We all looked at Lucas.

“Then you guys will not see that a plastic bottle won't break,” he said.

Sierra answered, "well, you don't have any evidence that it is a plastic bottle!" she shouted. It echoed in the room.

"I have," Lucas calmly said. Lestrade showed up while holding Sierra's bag. He took the bottle Sierra always bring and threw it to the ground. It didn't break.

“Of course, I brought a new one after the rehearsal,” she reasoned. Johnny gave something to Lestrade that he would bring to forensic science.

The piece of the broken vase and her bottle.

“We'll see once your fingerprint matches the fingerprint on the vase and the plastic bottle,” Johnny said.

Sierra suddenly sat and cried. “I am angry at you, Irene. Since we were young, all the roles I wanted were always offered to you. What's so special about you? What's something you have that I don't? Can you please say it to me?” Sierra angrily said. Johnny went to her and cuffed her hands.

“Sierra,” I said, but Lucas cut me off.

"The only difference between you and Irene is she's not jealous over the success of other people," Lucas said. I looked at him and smiled slightly. The case was solved and the death threats will end, but we all got shocked when Sierra laughed hysterically.

“It's not going to end here, Irene. Let's say, Manipulator X is not done with you yet,” she shouted. Lucas walked to her.

"Tell me, where is he?"

Music came from Sierra's phone

"Field of suffering, filled with sins.

Tinkle's death will come in wit.

Show no mercy, pay your debt.

Range inferno glad to wait."

The song was strange, but what's more shocking is the phone on Sierra's body, and there's a countdown.

"Lestrade, take the bomb off her!” Johnny shouted, but it's too late.

"Manipulator X will always win, Montemayor," she said. Lucas carried me and ordered everyone to leave the room.

"Torture, torture, yell of pain.

Will gladly put you in vain.

A song of death will come to arise,

waiting for you to compromise.

Torture, torture yell of pain,

all your deeds result in your gain.

Little devil stops the blame,

be ready and feel the flame."

When the song ended, my room exploded, including Sierra. Larry's mouth was hanging because of what happened.

I saw Lucas. His back was facing us. Anger was evident in him. Anger for Manipulator X.

But everything's not clear to me. Who's that Manipulator X? Why is Lucas so angry with him? And why did Sierra mention him before she died?

Sierra became my friend somehow. Even when she sent me death threats, Sierra doesn't deserve this. This is Manipulator X's fault! The man behind everything!

We're in Lucas' apartment now, but I still can't talk to Lucas. He was busy doing something on paper.

I prepared coffees and gave those to the three. "What do you want, black coffee or hot water?" I asked them. Johnny and Larry laughed, but Lucas didn't even look at me.

I gave the coffee to Lucas. I smiled at him, he looked at me, but he didn't smile back. “What are you doing?” I asked and he answered. Compared to his usual serious voice, I can sense sadness from his voice.

"I'm decoding the bank's security," he said, which made me laugh. He pouted.

"You don't believe me?" he asked. I shook my head.

“I trust you. My trust was even bigger than you,” I said and flicked his forehead.

“We're here, Ms. Irene,” Larry joked and I laughed.

We all looked at Larry when someone called to him that he answered quickly.

"The results came out!" he shouted, which caught Lucas' attention.

Lucas and I were walking to the spare theater room because the original one was affected. Lucas went with me because he said that it's his obligation to protect me. Because until now, Manipulator X is still not caught. And besides, we heard about Jack the Ripper who kills women that's why Lucas was overprotective with me.

We have not walked that far when a man showed in front of us. Lucas' forehead creased. “What do you need, Mycroft? Get out of my way,” Lucas seriously said. The man in front of him quite resembles him. But he's wearing business attire, while Lucas was in his detective attire.

“I don't need you, Lucas. You're the one who should get out of my way. Oh, Ms. Irene, it's my pleasure to meet you,” Mycroft said. He was about to kiss my palm when Lucas blocked him.

“Don't lay your f*cking mouth on her!” he shouted.

“Oh, I don't know that my brother is protective of a girl,” Mycroft said that shocked me. Lucas is his brother?

I didn't answer because Lucas is angry. He held my wrist and walked past Mycroft. A minute later, our walk slowed down. “Are you okay?” I asked him. He just nodded.

We reached the theater room. This is bigger than where we are doing the practice. The director called us and told us to prepare.

“Irene, how are you? I heard about what happened to Sierra,” he sadly said. He will portray Sherlock Holmes, he is also the leading man of the show.

“I'm fine. Lucas saved me,” I said and smiled at him. I looked at Lucas and he was looking at us.

“So, is that weirdo your boyfriend?” he asked. How dare he say that word to him? He's just intelligent.

“You don't stand a chance, Cedric. You're just a little bit of Sherlock's memory and—”

Lucas cut me off. “Stop, Irene. Don't fight with him if I can do it for you,” he said. I don't know what to feel. I shouldn't expect because it's his job to protect me.

“How did you hear what we're talking about when you're there earlier? Don't tell me you have special powers?” Cedric nervously asked. I laughed. Even I didn't know how Lucas heard what Cedric said.

“I just read how you open your lips. To inform you, I don't have any special powers. That doesn't exist, only children believe in that clichè thing. I'm not a weirdo, you just don't understand me. You like Irene. Ask her if she likes you,” Lucas said. My mouth gaped. Wow, he's incredible.

Cedric was about to answer when the director spoke. “Guys, listen to me. I know we're all sad about what happened to Sierra. She was a great actress, but we can't stop the show because of that. So, while we're looking for a girl to replace her, we decided to continue the rehearsal. Now, Ms. Irene and Mr. Cedric, let's start the rehearsal, shall we?” the director asked. I nodded. Lucas sat on his chair and watched us.

We started to practice again when I noticed that something was off in the lights. The director signaled us and nodded. “Take one!” he said and we started acting.

“I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been hurt. I don’t think Kate caught your name,” I said.

“I’m so sorry, I’m—” he said. I cut him off.

“Oh, it’s always hard to remember an alias when you’ve had a fright, isn’t it?” I said and took the clerical collar from him. “There. Now, we’re both defrocked, Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” I added.

“Ms. Adler, I presume,” he said and the scene ended well.

“That was great, Irene!” the director praised me. Looks like my acting was good now compared to my performance earlier.

I looked at Lucas. He looked bored. I walked to him and tapped him. “I'm sorry, but I think we'll stay long here.”

He only gave me a forced smile and spoke, “That's fine. I can wait.” While everyone's busy, I gave him a quick kiss on his cheek and ran to the stage.

I didn't turn my head to Lucas because of what I did. I felt embarrassed. Our practice continued until the director announced a break.

Lucas went to the stage. “Irene, there is something unusual on the lighting,” he said while looking at the lights when the lights one by one fell. Lucas carried me away from there. The director and the others went to us and asked if we're fine.

There's something in here. I can feel it.

I saw the lighting director. He went out of the theater room. “Wait!” I shouted but he didn't stop. I ran after him. I saw Lucas running after the lighting director, too, and held him.

“I don't have something to do with it,” he nervously said.

Lucas was right. The threat in my life will not end. And I don't know when this will end. But I'm sure that as long as Lucas is here, nothing will harm me.

“Why not check the lights?” I asked. He didn't answer until a sound echoed. It's the sound we heard from Sierra's phone.

What's happening?