Chapter 34: Game On

Every step I take towards the clubroom of the Book Club is getting my heart lighter. It feels like something is off my chest and now I am able to breathe freely. I made a good decision, I know. I decided to step into the light than doing a stupid move. Gray is right, Cooler, Ryu, Zywon, Math... Lahat sila ay tama. Revenge does no good because it will only turn me into a monster that I cannot imagine I'll be.

Maybe the best revenge isn't death dahil alam kong pinaghandaan na iyon ni Detective Tross. He is death himself kaya hindi magandang paghihiganti ang pagpatay sa kanya. Ah, maybe my existence will irk him and I will be slowly closing the curtains for him and his organization. I will still be a reaper but of justice.

When I reached the clubroom ay may iilang studyante sa labas at namataan ko ang isang babae na umiiyak habang inaalo ito ng kasama nito. I walked towards the door at nang matapat ako sa kanila ay masamang tingin ang ipinukol sa akin ng babaeng umiiyak.

"Bakit nandito ka? Ikaw ang dahilan kung bakit nagpakamatay si Jessie kaya kasalanan mo ang lahat! Dapat kang makulong!", the girl screamed at me. Kung ibang pagkakataon ay baka tinaasan ko na siya ng kilay at inirapan gaya ng ginawa niya but I don't feel like doing those things.

"I believe that it is only possible if I am the one who killed him- wait. Nagpakamatay? It's a suicide?", I asked calmly at sinagot naman iyon ng isang babae.

"I apologize in behalf of Dina. Apektado kasi siya sa nangyari sa kanyang boyfriend", sagot nito at inilahad ang kanyang palad sa akin. "I'm Eva Madrio, the president of the book club at ito naman si Dina."

I smiled at her at tinanggap ang palad niya. "Amber Sison."

"Eva wag kang makipag-usap sa kanya! She forced Jessie to commit suicide!", galit na wika sa akin ni Dina. Mukhang ano mang oras ngayon ay handa siyang makipagsabunutan sa akin sa paraan ng pagtitig niya.

"Dina!", saway ni Eva. She smiled apologetically at me at inayos ang kanyang suot na salamin. "Pasensya na Amber."

"It's fine. But did you say it's a suicide? I thought it was murder?", tanong ko. I remembered it right, Jeremy said that the serious situation here is a murder.

"That's what the Detective Triumvirate thought too. Nasa loob na sila at nag-iimbestiga habang papunta pa lamang ang mga pulis. We found Jessie hanging on the ceiling and lifeless samantalang nakabukas naman ang kanyang laptop and he was about to email you ngunit wala namang nakasulat doon. The Detective Triumvirate started their investigation while we keep this matter from others para na rin sa reputasyon ng Bridle lalo na at may mga potential donors and sponsors ang nais na tumulong sa Bridle", Eva said.

I tried my very best not to make my brows furrowed. She mentioned the nonexisting Detective Triumvirate twice at sabi niya ay nasa loob na sila, which my mind beg to disagree but refused to correct her. I am here and Math is not part of the Detective Triumvirate! No way!

Uh, why am I making a fuss over this nonexisting Detective group? Argh! Naiinis ako kapag sinasabi niya na nasa loob na ang Detective Triumvirate at nag-iimbestiga! Math is the plus one so hindi siya kasali sa- okay. I am not making any sense.

"I think I have to go inside", wika ko sa kanya. I excused myself from them and completely ignoring the glares that Dina was throwing me. Pinihit ko ang nakasarang pinto ng book club at nakita ang tatlo na nag-oobserba sa paligid. When Math wiped her handkerchief on Gray's face ay nabitawan ko ang pinto at lumikha iyon ng tunog which caused them to look at my direction.

Math just smiled habang patuloy ang ginagawa niyang pagpunas sa mukha ni Gray. Gray had this serious expression that he has been wearing since this morning while Jeremy glared at me. Hey, what was that for?

I looked down at my foot and then back to them. Inaamin ko na hindi naging maganda ang pagtrato ko sa kanila lately. I became so mean and they have to cope with me. I guess they deserve some apology. I took my steps towards Gray and Math. Gusto kong balian ng braso si Math dahil sa ginagawa niya pero bakit ko naman gagawin iyon? Maybe she's just being a good Samaritan and offered Gray to wipe his face lalo na at mainit dito sa loob ng clubroom at naliligo na ng pawis si Gray.

Nang makarating ako sa tapat nila ay si Math ang unang ngumiti sa akin. "Hey Amber."

Sinagot ko siya ng ngiti at humarap kay Gray. "I made my choice."

"Good to hear that", sagot niya at hindi ma lamang nagbabago ang ekspresyon ng kanyang mukha. Lumapit si Jeremy sa akin at hinila si Gray palayo sa akin. Eh? What's wrong with him?

"Nandito ka ba para- you know. God, I cannot even bear to say it", wika ni Jeremy at sinamaan ako ng tingin. What's with people and their glares lali na at hindi mo alam kung nay nagawa ka bang mali sa kanila.

"Para?"

"You know it kaya wag ka nang magmaang-maangan pa Amber Sison", Jeremy said. Nagtatakang napatingin sa kanya si Math at Gray. He didn't address me as Bestie and called me Amber Sison instead kaya ibig sabihin ay seryoso talaga siya.

"Jeremy, anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"Puns?"

"Je? Why?"

He took a deep breath as his piercing eyes bore through me. "You are a therapist. Are you here to rape us?"

What the hell?!

Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko at napabunghalit ako ng tawa, to the surprise of the three. I never laughed like this these past few weeks, thanks to Jeremy for making me laugh.

"It's the end of the world", wika ni Jeremy sa mahinang boses.

When I realized that I was the only one who was laughing ay tumigil ako sa kakatawa at hinampas si Jeremy. "Silly. I am not a therapist."

"Pero sabi ni Gray na isa kang reaper- ah alam ko na! You do rap kaya isa kang reaper! Like kung gusto mong lumigaya ang iyong buhay, humanap ka ng pangit at ibigin mong tunay", he started laughing and pointed at Math when he said "Pangit."

I laughed again samantalang binatukan naman siya ni Math. Fine, they were really some times that I found Jeremy's puns so funny.

"Umamin ka nga, where did you put the real Amber?", tanong ni Jeremy.

"I am Amber."

"Hindi no. Bestie doesn't laugh. She glares and frown or smirk but she never laugh kaya umamin ka na. Sino ka at bakit nasa katawan ka ni Amber?"

Wow, do I really glare and frown and smirk? Err, maybe those things are involuntary for me. Just maybe.

"I am here to help with the case at gusto ko ring makausap si Gray", wika ko sa kanila. Gray wasn't surprised but Math frowned a little. Ngumisi naman si Jeremy ay hinila si Math palayo sa amin.

"Hali ka na Maya, let's examine the body", wika niya at naiwan kaming dalawa ni Gray.

I took a deep breath at nag-ipon ng lakas ng loob na magsalita. "I made my choice", pag-ulit ko.

"I see you did and it is a good one", wia niya at bahagyang ngumiti. I know that it is a forced one but at least it is a smile of relief.

I know I have been the meanest person lately so I have a lot of apologizing to do. Marami din akong dapat ipagsalamat sa kanya para sa lahat-lahat ng ginawa niya para sa akin.

"Gusto ko rin sanang magpasalamat", wika ko. My voice was shaking and my hands are cold. Bakit ba ako nanlalamig?

"For what?"

"For everything."

Unti-unti siyang napangiti- a real smile. Muli ay inihanda ko ang sarili sa sasabihin. I want to invite him for a date to catch up the lost time between us. Palagi kaming magkasama but there is a great loss of time between us because of my brattiness.

"Gray if you don't mind, I want to-", hindi ko na natapos ang sasabihin ko dahil tinawag ni Math ang pangalan ni Gray.

"Gray!"

Sabay kaming napalingon sa kanya. She was standing on the table habang tinitingnan ang leeg ng nakabitin na biktima. "He really didn't commit suicide. He's murdered! Tingnan mo ito!"

"I'll be there Math", he said ay bumaling sa akin. "Sorry, what were you saying again?"

I shook my head. Maybe the date could wait kaya sa ngayon ay kailangan muna naming magfocus sa kaso. "No, nothing. I think we have to see the dead body too."

Pumunta kami sa direksyon ni Math at tiningnan siya. Bumaba siya sa mesa at agad na lumapit sa amin. "Obviously this is murder. If this was a suicide, the mark on his neck must angled upward."

"And?"

"Kapag sinakal siya gamit ang isang lubid, the marks would be straight across and this guy got both marks", wika ni Math.

"Which means he was strangled first before he was hang. The killer might had strangled him and used suicide to cover this up", Jeremy said.

"Unfinished emails and straight marks. We had a killer on the loose", wika ni Gray. Bigla na lamang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok ang ilang pulis.

"Sorry kids but you have to leave this room now", wika ng isang pulis na hindi nakauniporme- which happened to be Detective Adler. I glared at him bago sumunod kina Math na lumabas ng silid. They didn't resist so I figure out that they had gathered enough information regarding this case.

Bago ako tuluyang makalabas ay tinawag ni Detective Adler ang pangalan ko. "Sison." He walked towards me habang nag-uumpisa na ang ibang pulis sa kanilang ginagawa. C.S.U began sweeping the area at ibinaba naman ng iba ang katawan ng biktima. "You can stay and help."

Why is he talking to me like we are the best of friends? Let me remind him that we are not in good terms because we mutually don't like each other.

"Why would I stay?", I said with a brow raised.

"Because you are a big help."

There's a catch here, I know it. "That's not the reason. We both know that Gray is the person who could be of help, a big help." And then there's Math who claimed to be so good but I didn't dare to say her name. "You are up to something."

Detective Adler grin boyishly. "So you figure it out."

"For a self praising detective like you, I know it must have stained your ego to ask for help from a student like me." Yeah, his tagline says I am not a detective for nothing.

"May narinig ako na may mga possible investors and sponsors ang Bridle and I have a hunch that it would be the mafia. I cannot ask a Vander directly", wika niya.

"So you're using me?"

"Not really using you. We both can benefit here", wika niya. Lalo tuloy akong naiinis sa kanya. Je just can't take his hands off the mafia and I exactly know why. For fame.

"Suit yourself detective. You are not a detective for nothing according to you so you can do it by yourself", wika ko sa kanya at agad na lumabas ng clubroom. The three was waiting for me outside at mukhang pinag-uusapan na nila ang susunod na hakbang para sa imbestigasyon.

"Let's split up", Math said. "Gray and I will question his classmates and girlfriend at kayo naman Amber at Jeremy ay magtanong-tanong sa club members. Check out all their alibis." She pulled Gray away bago pa man kami makapagprotesta sa sinabi niya.

"She's being bossy", wika ni Jeremy. "She's not even part of the Triumvirate."

"Pabayaan mo na, magtanong-tanong na lang tayo. Let's start with Eva", wika kk naunang maglakad. We found Eva on the convenient shed near the clubroom. Hindi na nito kasama si Dina, marahil ay kinakausap na ito nina Math.

"Eva."

She looked at us at agad na ngumiti. "Hey", she said and offered a seat.

"Pwede ba kaming magtanong ng ilang bagay tungkol kay Jessie?"

She was not surprised to hear it at agad na sumang-ayon. "Sure I don't mind."

"So wala ka bang napapansin na kakaiba sa kanya lately? Like something is bothering him or is he distracted?", tanong ni Jeremy. Eva shook her head.

"None. He acted pretty normal lately."

"May mga nakaaway ba siya? Mga hindi kasundo na miyembro ng book club?", I asked.

"A lot."

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa ni Jeremy. "A lot?"

"Yes. Jessie is the rogue type of guy. Minsan nga ay naiisip namin na dapat doon siya sa club ng mga katulad niya, you know like those guys in the kendo club. He is bossy at madalas na napapasok sa alitan. Masama ang ugali and everything but his passion in books, there's no doubt about it. He loves books as much as he loves himself", sagot ni Eva.

"Do you know any dispute that he had lately na maaring umabot sa ganito?"

"Oh my God, so he is really killed?", nanlalaki ang mga mata na wika ni Eva.

"We think so."

"I remembered. Kahapon ay may nakaalitan siya! They were arguing about something and he was shouting like I cannot do this anymore. Nakokonsensya na ako. I want out and stuff like that", Eva said. "And then this guy said, do it or you will pay the consequence."

"And who is he arguing with?"

"Jimmy. Jimmy Bardoquillos."

***

"Hindi ko maintindihan Bestie eh. Something doesn't add up", wika ni Jeremy as he shoved a slice of chocolate cake in his mouth. Nasa cafeteria kami at kumakain habang hinihintay sina Math at Gray na nagtatanong pa rin sa mga kaklase ni Jessie. Natapos na naming ang paglilibot upang kausapin ang ilang mga miyembro ng book club at gaya ng sinabi ni Eva, hindi na nakapagtatakang maraming kaaway si Jessie.

"What doesn't add up there?"

"Rogue guy but a book club member", he said. "We've been nerds but we didn't join the club."

I made a face when he said "We". Yup, we've been nerds and being a member of book club doesn't justify us being once nerds.

"I think I should say bookworms", wika ko sa kanya. Dumating na sina Gray at Math at agad na umupo sa mga katapat naming mesa. "Hey, how does it go?"

Gray puffed his cheeks. "Dead end. Nakausap na namin ang mga kaibigan at kaklase niya. Maraming kaaway si Jessie but none of them showed any sign to take it to this level. How about yours?"

"Same as yours."

Napasimangot si Math at nagpasalampak sa mesa. "This is not taking us anywhere."

"But..."

"But we got a name of someone who argued with him lately", wika ko sa kanya.

Math rolled her eyes at us. "Yeah and we did too. Nakausap din namin sila and none of them showed any peculiarities that they might have known about Jessie's death. Even the girlfriend told us nothing useful. Like I said, we're not going anywhere in this case."

"Nope, I think this one's different. Ang pangalang nakuha naming ay iba", nakangising wika ni Jeremy.

"Iba?"

"Hindi katulad ng ibang nakaalitan ni Jessie, the guy that we got which is Jimmy Bardoquillo is not from Bridle. We checked every class list but no Jimmy Bardoquillo here. At sabi na rin ng kanilang club president, this Jimmy is someone that she doesn't recognize."

"Paano naman niya nalaman ang pangalan nito?"

"In his planner", wika ko. It's hard to believe that this guy is a little bit organized too despite being a rascal. He kept a planner for his daily things to do at ang pangalang nakalagay nga sa planner niya ay isang Jimmy Bardoquillo.

Gray cleared his throat at nagsalita. "Kailangan nating mahanap ang Jimmy na iyan. He might lead us to the killer or he might be the killer. Ngunit may isang bagay na bumabagabag sa akin."

"What?"

Napakunot ang noo ni Gray habang nag-iisip at tumingin sa akin. Eh? Why at me?

"Do you know that guy Jessie?", he asked.

Agad akong umiling. Hindi ko kilala si Jessie at hindi ko rin siya madalas na makita sa campus-or maybe I did but I just don't care. Hindi naman ako mahilig na kilalanin ang bawat mukha na nakikita ko dito sa Bridle. "I don't know him."

"But why was he supposed to send you an email? Kaya lang ay pinatay na siya bago pa siya makapag-type ng kung ano man ang nais niyang i-email sa iyo."

It bugged me to think about it too. The victim's laptop was open at gumagawa ito ng isang e-mail, addressed to me but the subject and content were left empty, which means that Gray is right. He was killed before he can type something for me. But why would he email me gayong hindi naman kami magkakilala? If this is all about Genesis, they started the game and I am on. This time I will surely take the lead in this game.

"Let's build a theory", wika ni Math. "What if this guy is someone who likes Amber? So he was supposed to write an email for his but the killer killed him before he could do it."

Seriously? That guy might like me? Uh, I don't really peg myself to be a likeable girl at school.

"The guy's a jerk. If he like Bestie, edi sana nilapitan niya. So ano, he hides his identity and decided to email her, ganoon? That's too gay. You can just approach the girl you like you know", Jeremy said.

"Jeremy hindi lahat ng lalaki ay may lakas na loob na magsabi ng nararamdaman nila in person", Math debated. "What if this guy Jessie is stalking Amber and sends her messages always?"

"Err, I have no emails like those."

"Baka naman ngayon pa lamang niya sisimulan ang pagpapadala ng emails but unluckily, his first attempt happened to be the last too."

"Hindi Maya! Jessie got a girlfriend!"

"So what? Not because you have a girlfriend doesn't mean you can't like other girls. Side dishes kumbaga", wika ni Math at patuloy lang sila sa palitan ng teorya nila ni Jeremy at nagkatinginan naman kami ni Gray. Why are they arguing about me and this guy whom they theorise as an admirer? Really?

"Pwede ba tumigil nga kayong dalawa", saway ko sa kanila. "You are limiting your theory. Think outside the box. What if the email for me is not connected to his murder?"

Natahimik naman ang dalawa. Math glared at Jeremy and the latter stuck his tongue out. Geez, so childish.

"Amber is right. Maybe our lead now is this Jimmy. Let's try to find him after our class", wika ni Gray sa amin. "I checked his laptop kanina and he had no suspicious emails except an email to an anonymous account and it was deleted. I also checked the phone and it seems like he talked to an unregistered number two hours before his body was found."

"That means that he was killed after he received that call", wika ni Math. Two hours? Paano naman niya nalaman? Did they check on the crime scene and ask the police about the time of death?

"How do you know?", nagtatakang tanong ni Je.

"Basing on the body's lividity and stiffness", nakangiting sagot nito. What the hell? Since when did she become a medical examiner? Basing on its lividity and stiffness huh?

"I got the number and the email. Math can you try retrieving the email and we'll try calling the number, can you trace it?"

Math smiled sweetly at him. The heck?

"I think I can do the tracing of the call but the retrieving? Not my forte."

Bigla na lamang tumunog ang cellphone ko and when I check who called it was Zywon. "I think I know who can help us with the retrieving thing." I raised my phone and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Just Amber", wika niya sa kabilang linya.

"Yeah, you called on the right time. I need your help", wika ko sa kanya. I heard his groan from the other line and he sounded so frustrated.

"Is that Ryu?", bulong ni Math and I shook my head.

"Listen Just Amber, I need your help too and it's urgent", wika niya. He sounded uh, how should I put this, worried?

"Mine's urgent too. I need you to help us retrieve a deleted email", wika ko.

"I will if you will help me too. There's an auction for a cause tonight", wika niya. "Accompany me."

Hindi ko mapigilang tumaas ang isang kilay ko. Does he mean that he wants me to be his date for an auction tonight?

"Bakit ko naman gagawin iyan?", I asked at sumimangot sa tatlo na nakatunghay sa akin. Too bad they cannot hear Zywon dahil hindi iyon naka-loudspeaker.

"Because you need my help too. It's just a symbiosis, Just Amber. Do not think that I like you to be my date for tonight", he said and I picture out his face every time he says that I am not his type. This one's similar to that only that he changed how he put it into words.

"I'm not thinking about that one!", I hissed. Meh, who am I kidding? But there's no way I will admit it.
"So do we have a deal?"

"Fine."

"Okay, see you tonight. we will talk about your favour too later tonight", wika niya at agad na pinatay ang tawag. Bumaling ako sa tatlo na nakatunghay sa akin.

"Done. I found someone who can help us retrieve the email", nakangiting wika ko at itinago sa bulsa ang cellphone but the three were still looking at me like I am an out of this world creature. "What?"

"Sinong kausap mo Bestie?"

"Si Zywon."

Gray's forehead wrinkled. "And he is the one who will help us retrieve the email?"

"Yup."

"But I thought Ryu is the hacker?", bulalas ni Math at bigla na lamang nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Right. They didn't know about Zywon being Trojan and I should keep it as a secret.

Argh! Silly me! I picked up the glass of water at agad na sinaid ang laman niyon. "Y-yeah. Ryu.. is the... I mean Zywon.." How could I be so stupid? "Zywon will help us convince Ryu", I blurted. "Right. That's it. They're sibling so.. so maybe he can convince him." Yeah right. Maybe this excuse would do.

"Oo nga pala", wika ni Jeremy.

"That's it for now. Kailangan na nating bumalik sa klase natin. The police still got nothing too", Gray said at agad na tumayo upang bumalik na sa classroom. We did the same and went straight towards our next class.

#

-ShinichiLaaaabs