CASTIEL

IF I had a gun with me, I might shoot without any warning, as long as I deemed my target worthy of being shot. Why warn someone that something was coming their way when you could surprise them instead? Yet, for some reason, I opted for the opposite. I gave a warning before taking aim.

It had been weeks since I resumed presiding the LEXECOM sessions. Masyadong na-enjoy ni Alaric the Prick ang pagiging chair pro tempore na akala niya yata'y sa kaniya na ang upuan ko. He could have my swivel chair, but the gavel remained mine. Thankfully, I did not need to ask him to vacate. Siya mismo ang kusang tumayo at bumalik sa upuan niya.

As a precaution, I disinfected not only my chair, but also the gavel which had been handled by his dirty, blood-soaked hands. I feared his touch might infect me with bacteria that could devour what little remained of my soul.

When today's session concluded, I remained seated in my small throne. I instructed Daphne, who accompanied me here, to return to the USC office ahead of me. Everyone at the decagonal table and in the gallery departed, except for one person: Alaric the Prick. He asked his partymates to leave without him. Like me, he stayed in his seat. Neither of us stood or moved for a minute or two.

My left hand trembled as it grasped my left leg, a surge of pain shooting through it. The intensity grew now that I was alone with him. Those aware of my beef with this prick would have never advised me to be in the same room as this guy. Mas gugustuhin nilang may kasama ako rito. But the conversation that was about to take place would be best conducted between just the two of us.

After another minute of silence, he swiveled his chair backward and stood. His smug expression, ever-present, adorned his pale face. My left eye twitched more intensely as he approached. I raised my head and met his gaze as he stopped to my left.

"How may I assist you, Mr. Vice President?"

"Oh, please." I scoffed. "Drop the act, Alaric. We're alone here. No audience, no cameras. No need to feign respect."

He perched on the edge of the table, his arms crossed and his cold silver eyes fixed on me. If I were susceptible to intimidation, his stare would have sent shivers down my spine. "I have classes at six. If you have something important to say..."

"Before the impeachment trial, you were so merciful and benevolent that you offered us a way out," I reminded him, retrieving my cane from my right side. Dapat handa ako sakaling kailangan ko siyang hampasin nito. "I considered returning the favor."

"Favor?" His lips curled into a smirk. "Could you elaborate?"

"Reject your party's nomination for USC presidency and repent your sins." I stared directly into his eyes. "Otherwise, prepare to face ruin."

He met my gaze for a moment before bursting into laughter, the sound echoing through the empty session hall. I remained unamused, waiting for him compose himself.

"You think you were doing me a favor?" he asked between chortles. "I never imagined you would be this desperate, Cas."

"Don't call me by my nickname!" I snapped. "I never gave you permission."

"Sorry, Mr. Vice President," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "But did you really expect me to accept your offer? Because if you did, you don't know me at all."

"You know I have a silver bullet loaded in my gun," I hissed, my voice turning more serious and threatening. "Once I fire it, you're finished."

He leaned in closer, his smile disappearing instantly, replaced by a cold stare. "Are you willing to risk it? You know what will happen if you do."

"If it means taking you down for good, I will," I replied, maintaining eye contact. Despite the pain in my leg, I stood my ground. "You know how dangerous a man with nothing to lose can be."

His icy gaze held mine for a moment before he pulled back. "Go ahead, then. Do your worst."

"Don't you care about being ruined?" I squinted at him. "About bringing shame to your family name?"

"No offense, Mr. Vice President, but that's none of your concern."

Was he truly unafraid of my next move, or was he bluffing? Baka may nakahanda na siyang pangontra kaya ganito siya kakompiyansa? Once the truth about him surfaced, he would not escape unscathed.

"Well," I pushed myself up from my seat using my cane, "I knew you wouldn't accept it. But I would be surprised if you had."

"Then why make the offer at all?"

Standing face to face, I gripped my cane firmly. "Because when all is said and done, I want you to look back at this very moment and wonder why you refused to walk away with your dignity intact. I want you to feel not just guilt, but regret... that you had a chance to make things right, and you did nothing. I offered you a way out. Don't tell me I didn't."

I turned my back and limped toward the exit. The pain in my leg was worsening, making my face twitch. But I refused to show weakness. Almost there.

"One last question, Mr. Vice President."

My hand froze on the door handle. I glanced back. "What is it?"

He stood upright, hands in his pockets. "How would you feel if you found out one day that you're part of something larger?"

My eyebrows knitted. What the hell is he talking about?

"I know what you're planning. I know what you're hoping to accomplish," he continued, approaching me casually. "Let me just say, I wish you nothing but success. I expect you to put up a good fight, so may the best player win."

"If you're trying to mess with my mind, try harder next time," I replied, pulling the door. "Turn off the lights before you leave."

That prick probably wanted to have the last word in our conversation.

"TODAY IS a historic day as not only for the SALVo party, but also for Elysian University," Avrille Mae Padilla announced to the seated crowd in the auditorium. "We're pleased to announce our party's presidential nominee for the upcoming student council elections."

After six weeks of absence, it felt good to be back in the game—now with a renewed mindset and enthusiasm. A void remained in my heart, but I kept it under control. I had lost my raison dêtre, but its spirit lived on with me.

"And it's my honor to introduce your current and future president," she declared, gesturing to us stage right. "Priam Torres from the College of Arts and Sciences!"

Spotlight descended upon Priam as the crowd erupted in applause. He walked onto the stage, accompanied not just by cheers but also by Fabienne, who waved and blew kisses to the students. After shaking hands with Avrille, Priam approached the lectern. His First Lady gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving him alone. The SALVo party chair crossed the stage to join her two fellow party members and fellow CSC chairpersons on the left.

"Good afternoon, my fellow Elysians!" Priam greeted with a newly lightened aura, at least to my eyes. "When I faced the question of seeking reelection, I was torn. On one hand, I want to continue and finish what I have started. On the other, I wanted to step aside and pave the way for someone to carry on our legacy or offer a better alternative."

Fabienne returned from center stage to stand beside me. She watched her boyfriend from a distance. "Are you sure it's okay for me to be seen with him?"

"You two together will send a strong message and make a perfect combination," I replied, glancing sideways at her. "News outlets will find something usual and boring to report, while the entertainment folks will have something juicy and entertaining to gossip about. You will dominate the news cycle until tomorrow, which is exactly what we're aiming for."

"It might be seen as an official endorsement," she said worriedly, then brightened. "But I'm gonna endorse him anyway!"

Since our falling out, my relationship with Fabienne had gradually healed. I acknowledged I had gone too far with the rumor I spread about her last year. There were other ways to achieve the same result, but I chose the quickest one.

Understanding my scheme's emotional and psychological impact on her, if I could turn back time, I would not do it again. For a while, I feared she would never forgive me, no matter how much I repented. Fortunately, she was gracious, merciful, and mature enough to look past the incident. In return, I promised never to repeat such actions.

Priam and Fabienne gave me a second chance. I would be foolish to squander it.

"Will it be a concern in your upcoming play?" I glanced at her over my shoulder. "Last time, muntik nang maging issue 'yon, 'di ba? The Repertory Theater might caution its actors against political engagements."

"Luckily, the new theater director is lenient," Fabienne replied. "Natanong ko nga sa kaniya no'ng isang araw kung magiging problem ba kung i-e-endorse ko ang boyfriend ko. He said it's perfectly fine. A political expression is free speech daw, and he respects that freedom. Galing siya sa isang state university kaya naiintindihan niya ang sitwasyon ko."

"Mabuti pala't umalis na ang dating director, 'no? If he were here, he might have banned you from endorsing or even appearing with Priam."

"It also helps na 'di natuloy ang pagsali ulit ni Priscilla sa production. She was the one keen on censoring me and promoting my partnership with Colin."

Since she and Priam officially became a couple, Oplan First Lady was effectively scrapped. Its main premise was for someone like Fabienne to pretend as Priam's girlfriend, which became obsolete with recent developments—except for the part where Fabienne secured the USC scholarship.

"By the way, thanks for persuading Priam to seek reelection." I raised my voice slightly so she could hear me clearly. "He was hesitant before, but now he's fully committed."

"Wala 'yon." She waved off. "He deserves it. The student body is better off with him than the other guy. Kaya nga gagawin ko ang lahat para ikampanya siya. Kung kailangan kong kumain ng buhay na manok para i-convince ang mga botante, gagawin ko."

I chuckled, unable to hold back a smile. "You're not serious, are you? Because I might actually ask you to put on that performance during the campaign."

"Uy, joke lang!" Marahan niyang hinampas ang braso ko. "If I saw it in him, maybe the students will see it, too. 'Di ko na kailangang mag-perform gaya ng mga politiko tuwing kampanya. Pero gagamitin ko ang aking voice para i-promote siya just in case may mga 'di pa nakaaalam kung gaano siya ka-deserving."

I was grateful that these two lovebirds had sorted out their feelings and decided to make their relationship real. Hindi na namin kailangang maging masyadong maingat sa mga mapanuring mata ng student body at ng mga kritiko. Hindi na rin namin kailangang mag-isip ng susunod na gagawin sa script.

There were numerous ways we could capitalize on the student body's fascination with our First Couple. I had brainstormed several gimmicks to further engage students interested in their relationship. However, there was no need for me to contrive scenarios anymore. Everything had to unfold naturally, beyond my control.

Hopefully, nothing from the past concerning that plan would come back to haunt us.

I was also grateful that Fabienne had landed her third lead role in theater. This would keep her in the spotlight until the student council elections. While I refused to exploit her like a pawn, we could leverage her star power to rally more students behind our ticket. She was one of our trump cards, and her supporters could swing the election in our favor regardless of their college affiliations.

"If you grant me a second term, I promise that we will do more than what we have been doing and what we have achieved," Priam continued in his speech. He did not need a teleprompter as every word came from the heart. "And if you place your trust in me, I also ask you to place your trust in my runningmate."

I glanced at the person about to take center stage.

"That's why I am delighted to introduce my partner in leading the student government," Priam announced, motioning to a female student on our side. "Tabitha Rustan from the College of Business and Accountancy!"

Warm applause greeted Tabitha as she joined Priam at the lectern. He shook hands with her before gesturing to the lectern. Our treasurer took the spotlight as the president took a step backwards.

"Good afternoon, my fellow Elysians," Tabitha greeted with a strained smile. "Priam and I have worked together in the USC, and I'm deeply honored to be offered the vice presidency."

In truth, her reaction to the offer was far from honored. We had included the word in her speech to convey gratitude and privilege, but she was actually appalled by the idea. She would have preferred eating balut—something she had never tasted—over accepting it.

I recalled the meeting in the USC conference room when we offered her the vice presidency. It took considerable effort to convince her.

"ME AS VP?!" she exclaimed, turning to me with furrowed eyebrows. "Are you freaking serious? Cas, I thought we're done with this nonsense?"

"You're our most strategic choice, Tabby," I replied calmly, trying not to match her intensity. "Our best path to victory happens to include you."

"We've been down this road before. I've told you countless times that I'm already satisfied with being the treasurer. Ayaw ko ng promotion! Why not choose someone else? What about Val again? I'm sure she'd be willing to redeem herself from that controversy."

"Val was actually our top choice, but she declined the nomination," Avrille interjected. As the party chairperson of SALVo, she joined us in the meeting. "Magiging liability raw siya kapag siya ang ni-nominate natin. She expects AEGIS to weaponize her involvement in the Chevy controversy."

"But she's already vindicated, tama?"

"She's not comfortable being VP anymore. She suggested we choose someone with a spotless record. Besides, she's considering running for CAMP-CSC chairpersonship."

It could not have been easy for SALVo to agree to our demands. Nagmatigas kami ni Priam na hindi niya tatanggapin ang nomination kung hindi siya ang mamimili ng kaniyang runningmate. Eventually, they agreed to our condition. If they wanted to secure power, they needed to make some concessions.

In a sense, we had somewhat hijacked their party. Priam initially feared we might have to conform to their party's ideologies and policies. Being independent granted us the freedom to make choices without such constraints. I reassured him the party would align with our ideas, not the other way around. The nomination marked just the beginning. Soon, we would have a firm grip on the entire system.

"What about Cas?" Tabitha pointed at me as if I were a suspect the police had been searching for. "He's already Priam's VP. He should be the nominee!"

"I'm already damaged goods," I replied. Literally and figuratively, if I might add. "My stint as acting president was divisive and chaotic. Gaya ni Val, ayaw kong maging liability sa candidacy ni Priam. I'd only drag him down. Besides, it's better if the president and VP don't come from the same college."

"That's why our party has agreed to Castiel's recommendation to make you our nominee," Avrille interjected again. "We've already locked in CAMP kaya hindi strategically sound kung galing sa college namin ang VP. CAS is virtually locked in as well, kaya walang ambag kung galing din doon ang runningmate ni Priam."

"If you become the nominee, we can chip away at Alaric's support in CBA." I dropped the A-word to get her interested. "We can dent his base. If we want to win the USC presidency, it's our best shot."

"Don't you have other plans to ensure his loss and secure our win?" Tabitha's left eye twitched at the mention of that prick's name. "Kung oo, 'di n'yo na ako kailangang idamay para makakuha ng votes mula sa college ko."

"We're aiming for a decisive victory this time," I replied firmly. She was playing hardball, but we would not relent. "To make that happen, we need to attack him from all angles. This is one area where we can weaken his hold."

"We are not just choosing you because you're from CBA and we want to siphon votes from Alaric," Priam finally spoke up. "You have done an excellent job in auditing the college student councils and uncovering corruption. That's a pillar of our reelection campaign, showing our committment to good governance with tangible proof."

Tabitha looked away, sighing heavily. It was three against one, yet she remained defiant. "Being VP means added duties and responsibilities. 'Yon ang isang reason kung bakit ayaw kong tanggapin 'yan kahit no'ng in-offer sa 'kin ni Cas pagka-resign ni Val. I'll have to preside over LEXECOM every week, right? My goodness! Paano na ang ibang commitments ko sa mga araw na 'yon?"

"Saan ba 'yang commitments mo?"

"Sa parlor, sa spa, at sa iba pa! We only have twenty-four hours a day, kaya I have to make sulit of the time."

I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a sigh. Mahilig nga siyang pumunta sa mga gano'ng lugar kapag tapos na ang mga task niya sa USC.

"We're aiming to win majority of the CSC chairpersonships in the upcoming elections," Avrille revealed. "Kung mako-control ng SALVo ang lima sa siyam na seat, you can leave everything to the majority leader who's automatically the chair pro tempore. If Val decides to run for CSC, we want her as the majority leader. Hindi mo na kailangang mag-preside weekly. Maybe kapag may important bill na kailangang ipasa, doon ka mag-a-attend."

She leaned back in her swivel chair, arms crossed. Silence filled the conference room as we waited for her response.

"Fine," Tabitha sighed, leaning forward to meet Priam's gaze. "Just promise me that if we win and I become VP, my role will be like a spare tire that won't be used throughout our second term."

A meaningful glance passed between me, Priam, and Avrille. We nodded in agreement. "We give you our word."

Ideally, the vice president must be someone hungry for the role, ready to step up should anything happen to the president—similar to Priam's situation last year. Tabitha was clearly reluctant, but once in the role, her perspective might change entirely.

Nang ako ang napiling vice president ni Priam, tumutol ako noong una dahil hindi ko pinangarap ang posisyong 'yon. Nang may nangyaring masama sa kaniya, wala akong nagawa kundi yakapin ang posisyon at gampanan ang tungkulin ko. It was not the proudest moment of my student life, but it was fun.

AND THAT'S how we convinced Tabitha Rustan to be Priam's vice president. She was not the ideal choice, but she was the most convenient and strategically sound one for now. Without her, we might not be able to prevent Alaric the Prick's ascent to power.

"Under Priam's second term, we will not only continue our campaign for good governance, but expand it to encourage our student leaders to be more responsible," Tabitha declared in her speech. "A vote for the Torres-Rustan ticket is a vote for an honest student government."

"Do you think magiging okay lang si Tabitha bilang VP ni Yam?" tanong ni Fabienne sabay sulyap sa akin. Ramdam ko ang pangamba sa boses niya. "No offense, but I can't feel any sincerity in her words. Parang napilitan siyang magbasa ng speech at wala ang puso niya ro'n."

"Tabby hates this kind of attention," I replied. "Mahilig siyang magreklamo kapag may ipinapagawa sa kaniya, ngunit laging maayos ang trabaho niya. Kapag nandoon na siya sa posisyon, baka maging one hundred percent committed din siya. You don't need to worry."

I once considered floating Fabienne's name as Priam's VP. The President and the First Lady running together? They would be unstoppable—a literal power couple! But campus politics here at Elysian University could get ugly. Natuto na ako sa pagkakamali ko noon. Ayaw ko nang malagay si Fabienne sa isang posisyon kung saan sisiraan siya at pagpipiyestahan ng mga walang magawang matino sa buhay. So I dismissed the idea of a Torres-Lucero ticket as soon as it crossed my mind.

"Hello, Fab. Hello, Cas." Lavinia appeared right behind us. Kasama niya sina Sabrina na may hawak na programme at Rowan na nakatutok sa phone nito. Our three junior officers were awaiting our instructions backstage. "It looks like everything is going smoothly."

"So far, overwhelming ang positive reactions at comments sa livestream natin." Ipinakita ni Rowan ang video na naka-display sa phone screen niya. Bumabaha ng hearts at thumbs up doon. "Iba talaga kapag nag-collab ang USC, SALVo, at ang First Lady natin!"

"Paano kaya matatapatan ng AEGIS 'yan?" tanong ni Lavinia habang nakatanaw kay Tabitha. "They must be thinking of gimmicks right now to outdo our party nomination announcement."

"I hope ours goes smoothly until the end." I sighed. There was an uneasy feeling, as if something might go wrong today. "We can only call it a success once it's done. We still have, what, fifteen minutes left? Alaric and the AEGIS might have a surprise for us."

If I were in their position, I would drop a bombshell during the nomination announcement. That's what I would do as a campaign strategist—rain on someone else's parade. Would I execute that strategy once AEGIS made their move? Nope. It's all about timing, and I must wait for the perfect moment.

"By the way, I heard you're not going to reprise your role as chief-of-staff next term," Lavinia whispered in my ear as she leaned closer. Fabienne and Rowan conversed beside us while Sabrina listened intently. "Don't you want your old job back?"

"Someone competent has taken that position already. Why would I take it from her?" I side-eyed her. "Besides, I was promoted to vice president and served as acting president. Parang downgrade kung babalik ako sa pagiging chief-of-staff."

"Do I have your approval to remain on board as chief-of-staff then? Not that I need it, by the way."

"We have to win the election first." I smirked. "But if our ticket wins, I can rest easy knowing the council is in good hands."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Uhm... excuse me, Kuya Cas and Ate Lav?"

Lavinia and I turned to our junior officer Mignonette Nievera who had approached us unexpectedly. We had not called for her yet, so was there an emergency? She held a folded piece of paper in her right hand.

"Yes, Minyo?" Lavinia asked. As the chief-of-staff, she was responsible for overseeing the junior officers.

"Magre-resign na po ako bilang junior officer." Iniabot ni Mignonette ang nakatuping papel. "I wanna thank you for my almost three months of experience in the USC. I've learned a lot from my ates and kuyas!"

"You're resigning?" Lavinia unfolded the letter. I leaned over her shoulder to read it. "Ayaw mo bang tapusin ang pagiging JO mo hanggang sa katapusan ng academic year?"

"Gusto ko po sana, kaso magkakaroon ng conflict," nahihiya nitong tugon.

"Conflict?"

"I've been approached by AEGIS to be their public information officer if their candidate wins the USC presidency."

"A-AEGIS?" My mouth hung open in disbelief while Lavinia's eyes widened.

"Yup!" Mignonette exclaimed. "Actually, Kuya Alaric asked me to apply for the USC's Junior Officership Program para magkaroon ako ng actual experience and exposure sa pagiging USC officer. Salamat po sa opportunities na ibinigay n'yo sa 'kin, nagkaroon ako ng name recognition at nakapag-build ako ng network."

My right fist clenched, and I tightened my grip on my cane. That prick! Tabitha might have been right when she said she randomly picked three application forms from the junior officer hopefuls! If she had done proper vetting, she would have discovered that Mignonette was a snake!

"Kuya Alaric sends his regards po pala," dagdag ni Mignonette. "May surprise gift din po siya sa inyo. Check n'yo raw po ang account ng Gotcha in... two minutes!"

Gotcha?! I knew it! May pasabog ngang naghihintay sa amin!

I pulled out my phone and opened the SchoolBuzz app. Gano'n din ang ginawa ng katabi ko. Agad kong chineck ang account ng Gotcha! at paulit-ulit na ni-refresh 'yon. Priam was back at the lectern, this time with Tabitha.

"Magpapaalam na po ako!" Yumuko si Mignonette. Pag-angat ng ulo niya kasabay ng kaniyang twin tails, may nakaaasar na ngiti sa mga labi niya. "Good luck sa 'tin! May the cleanest and honest candidate win!"

"Teka, Minyo—"

I bit my lower lip, anxiously waiting for Alaric the Prick's surprise. Come on!

"May problem ba, Cas?" Lumapit si Fabienne sa 'kin at sinilip ang naka-display sa screen ko matapos niyang makipagdaldalan kay Rowan. "Parang 'di ka mapakali riyan?"

"May regalo raw sa atin si Alaric." Inilapit ko ang aking phone sa kaniya para hindi na siya mahirapang sumilip. "I'm not sure what it is yet, but if it's big enough, it could overshadow our announcement!"

As my thumb dragged the screen down for the nth time, a new post appeared on the feed. I noticed other attendees checking their phones, whispering to each other while showing their screens—foreheads creased, brows furrowed, and mouths agape.

I read the latest post on Gotcha. To my surprise, it was not just text—it had an audio clip attached. And the caption ran this way:

EXCLUSIVE: THE FIRST COUPLE'S RELATIONSHIP IS A HUGE LIE!
It's all a scheme for the president's reelection bid! Former USC VP exposes the juicy details of the so-called Oplan First Lady in a one-on-one interview with a Herald reporter.

I cursed before taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly through flared nostrils. That freaking prick!

♔

NEXT UPDATE: EIGHT CHAPTERS LEFT! The USC and SALVo think of ways to keep the raging fire under control.