A/N: The fourth day of the second wave of updates! 

LORELEI

"MAYBE WE'RE looking at this case from a wrong angle."

This is what I had to say when we resumed discussing about Augustus' switch. Inulit ko ang mga sinabi ni Luthor nang ma-share ko sa kanya na we hit a deadend yesterday.

Speaking of Luthor, he didn't answer my question on whether or not he'd be succeeding Stein just in case the latter falls. If that's the case, he may be aware that the title of "Moriarty" can be passed from one person to another. He already acted like Moriarty, kaya doon siguro niya nakuha ang idea.

When his dull eyes regarded me coldly, nanumbalik ang hinala ko sa kanya. Loki said that his brother is the manipulative bastard of the highest order. He might have manipulated me to believe and support him. That's a possibility that I do not want to entertain. Nang magkausap kami sa island, he sounded so sincerely concerned about his brother, about how he wanted to protect him.

I have no idea what he's planning to do or what game he's playing at. That's why I'm clueless. When I thought repeatedly about what his plan might be, two angles presented themselves. Una, he might want to succeed Stein para he can take down the organization from the inside. Pangalawa—and I hope this isn't the case—he might have been converted to the dark side and he wanted total control of the organization for himself.

Still I am inclined to trust him. The Luthor that I know protects his brother. The Luthor that I know wouldn't turn into a monster that Loki would have to slay in the end. That would be tragic.

If I doubt every person around me, how could I enjoy my life?

Back to the execom office, nag-meeting kaming anim — me, Loki, Jamie, Alistair, Maggie and Rye — pagsapit ng lunch time para muling pag-usapan ang search namin. We only have twenty-one hours left before the secrets get leaked in the campus. We have to hurry.

"What angle should we be looking at?" Maggie asked, folding her arms.

"We've started our investigation thinking that Augustus entrusted his box sa pinagkakatiwalaan niya," I recalled. "We immediately assumed na posibleng kapwa campus journalist niya ito sa Clarion o classmate niya. We also assumed that the switch might be around his age, probably a student."

"Pero so far, wala tayong napala sa kakatanong sa kanila," dismasyadong sabi ni Jamie. She twirled her braided hair out of boredom. "I already used my charms to extract information from his acquaintances, kaso wala talaga. Imposibleng hindi sila tablan no'n!"

That, she did. May pa-puppy eyes, pahawak- pa ng kamay, pa-lambing ng boses pa siyang ginawa habang kausap ang mga interviewee namin. Loki and Alistair also observed back there to look for any hint that they might be lying. But they noticed nothing.

"So the switch might not be a student or within the same age bracket as Augustus," Alistair deduced, touching his chin. "They must be an adult already."

"Naisip ko na posibleng nasa labas ang confidant niya," dagdag ko. I tried to think like the late editor who wanted something to be done without being interrupted. "If the switch is out of our reach, kumpiyansa si Augustus na hindi natin mahuhuli o mapipigilan ang balak niya. While we're on a wild goose chase in the campus, the confidant must be preparing to execute Augustus' will."

"Aha!" Jamie snapped her fingers as if an idea popped into her head. "Kung talagang outsider ang switch nitong si Augustus, there's only one man that I can think of. Remember the general manager of the printing press? Sir Arturo?"

"Of course," I nodded. I had the pleasure of meeting him twice. First in my regular uniform, the second while in disguise as Lorenz. "His name's on the top of my list when I considered this angle."

"Kasabwat itong si Arturo Manalo sa pag-embezzle ng pondo ng ating student publication," Jamie pointed out, sounding so confidently. "It makes sense kung sa huling gimik ni Augustus, kakuntsaba niya rin ang lalaking 'yon. Who will suspect that person, right? Tama ba ako, Loki dear? That's a brilliant deduction, isn't it?"

Nakaupo lamang sa kanyang upuan si Loki at nakatulala sa pader. He had his fingertips together like a steeple. That's his usual thinking post. Akala ko nga'y nakatulog na naman siya, but I doubt that he'd doze off in a discussion that would stimulate his brain.

"That theory makes sense," he said, rolling his eyes to Jamie. "Before we exposed the discrepancy in the Clarion's budget, Augustus was confident that we wouldn't find something off in the records because he's conniving with the general manager. A partner-in-crime."

"If he trusted the general manager with their embezzlement scheme, posibleng ipagkatiwala rin ang box sa kanya," Alistair added, nodding. "Maybe we should really look into that angle."

"May concern lang ako." Maggie raised her hand. "I heard from Sir Jim that the general manager was arrested on the day that Augustus was killed. The school acted immediately after learning about their illegal money-making scheme."

"If he's still detained, I doubt he could make any move while in prison," Rye added, throwing the lollipop stick into the trash bin. "If he's really the switch, hindi niya basta-basta mapipindot ang button na mag-e-expose sa mga sikreto rito sa campus, tama?"

"Let's confirm kung naka-detain pa rin siya," utos ni Maggie kay Rye. Tumango ang kanyang kanang-kamay at nagmadaling lumabas ng office. "Kung nasa detention facility pa siya, malabong makapunta siya rito sa campus para personal na gumawa ng expose. Malabo ring bigyan siya ng access sa phone o laptop at internet doon."

"Kung siya nga ang chosen one ni Augustus, then all secrets are safe!" Jamie exclaimed. "Oh, please, let him be the one."

That sounded like good news. If the general manager was still in jail, he couldn't have access to the box. And as long as he doesn't have access to the box, the secrets would remain secrets.

"What if it's not him?" Loki asked. "What if there's someone else? What if Augustus trusts another person aside from that general manager?"

"Then the danger still exists." Alistair clicked his tongue as he shook his head. "Who else can he trust? Someone like that general manager?"

Loki shrugged his shoulders as he reclined to his seat. "I don't know? Maybe one of the people who spoke fondly of him?"

"You mean, those who delivered their eulogies earlier?" I asked. Halos lahat ng mga nagsalita kanina ay mga Clarion staffer at classmate ni Augustus. The rest? His two advisers in Clarion and two class instructors.

"Augustus trusts that person. It's safe to assume that that person also trusts Augustus," Loki reasoned. "That person may be fond of him too. So among those who delivered their solemn speeches, who's the most likely candidate? Sorry, I was asleep the whole time so I had no idea."

"The adviser of the Clarion," Alistair said, his mouth gaped. "They are adults and they worked with Augustus professionally on publication matters."

"What's his name again?" Loki asked, his eyes squinted. "Sir Friedrice?"

"Friedrice?" natatawang sabi ni Jamie. "Gutom ka pa ba, Loki dear? Kumain ka naman kanina, ah? Gusto mo bang bumili ulit tayo ng pagkain?"

"Friedrich," I corrected him and ignored Jamie's remarks. "I know that he said some nice words about Augustus, but I don't think he's the switch."

"How can you say so?" Loki asked, giving me a look that spelled intrigue. "Are you saying that because he's made an offer to you?"

"Well, no—wait, what?" kunot-noo kong tanong sa kanya. "How did you know—"

"I saw you looking at a business card with his name on it while you were searching for your purse in the cafeteria," sagot ni Loki na napangalumbaba sa mesa. "A business card means, obviously, business. He asked to talk to you alone, didn't he? He might have given you an offer that you're seriously offering."

Wala ba akong maitatago sa lalaking 'to? Lahat na lang, napapansin niya.

"Really?" pagulat na tanong ni Jamie. Tila nagningning ang kanyang mga mata. "Ano'ng offer niya sa 'yo, Lori? Kukunin ka ba niyang mag-artista? Pwede mo ba akong i-recommend sa kanya? I have experience in theater, you know. That can be a plus."

Of that, I have no doubt. Siguradong pasok na itong si Jamie kung acting-an ang labanan. What's the use of her title as the "Madonna of the Repertory Theater" if she'd fail in that regard? "No, he's not asking me to be an actres—"

"Baka naman model?" pangungulit ni Jamie. "I don't usually share this to anyone, but I maintain a very delicate skincare routine kaya kitang-kita naman kung paanong mag-glow ang skin ko. I look pretty in camera too! Can you put in a good word for me?"

"No, he's not asking me to be a model too," nayayamot kong sagot. Kasalanan ni Loki kung bakit umabot dito ang usapan. "Can we please go back to the topic? And no, his so-called offer to me has nothing to do with my opinion about him."

"Then why?" Loki asked.

"Sir Rich seems to be a good man," I explained. Noong una'y pinagdudahan ko siya, but every time na nagkikita at nagkakausap kami, unti-unting gumagaan ang loob ko sa kanya. "Remember na tinulungan niya tayong mapabagsak si Augustus. He gave us quotations from other publishing houses as references! We didn't ask for it, but he still volunteered."

"I heard that he was the one who convinced the general manager to come clean about the embezzlement," dagdag ni Maggie, inayos ang pagkakalagay ng kanyang salamin. "The affidavit helped us in driving Augustus into a corner. Mukhang concerned talaga siya sa Clarion at gusto niyang maitama ang mga mali nito."

"But there's really something off about him," Alistair muttered, looking down. "I can't wrap my head around it. Oo, tinulungan niya tayo, pero parang may iba akong nararamdaman sa kanya. My gut feeling tells me that we shouldn't trust him too much."

Sa kabila ng mga ginawa ni Sir Rich na pagtulong sa amin, Alistair still couldn't shake off his suspicions on him. Bigla tuloy akong kinutuban. Whenever my childhood friend says something's wrong, something might be wrong. I don't wanna easily dismiss what he thinks.

"Kaya Lori," tawag niya sa akin. "Whatever that offer is, pag-isipan mong mabuti."

It's only a publishing offer. I can't see what might go wrong about it. But I would take his advice to heart.

"What makes me certain na hindi siya ang switch ay ang kanyang tenure dito sa Clark High," I went on to defend the Clarion adviser. "According to what he told us, three weeks pa lang siya rito sa school. Maybe magpo-four weeks na siya ngayong linggo. Do you think that he had enough time to make Augustus entrust him with his last will?"

Also given his recent actions, I doubt that he'd do something so evil or wrong. Gaya ng sinabi ni Maggie, he was trying to correct the mistakes of the past.

"If Augustus is a cautious man—and I think he is—he wouldn't fully trust someone whom he has only met four weeks ago," Alistair said. "And working with Sir Rich for three weeks isn't enough to forge a bond between the two. It might need months or years."

"Kung hindi si Sir Rich, then it must be the former adviser!" sambit ni Jamie. "His name's Ephraim Quirino. He said that he's known Augustus for two years and he's like a mentor to him."

I nodded. "Sir Ephraim spent more time with Augustus than Sir Rich. He's gonna tick some boxes in our switch checklist. 'Di malayong siya ang pagkatiwalaan niya."

"Didn't Sir Rich tell us na naaksidente itong si Sir Ephraim three weeks ago?" tanong ni Alistair na napatingin sa akin. "Kaya nagkaroon ng vacancy sa English faculty at nakapag-apply siya?"

Nasabi nga 'yon ni Sir Rich nang magpakilala siya sa amin bilang bagong adviser ng Clarion.

"Now I get it! Kaya pala naglalakad siya nang may hawak na cane," komento ni Jamie. "I really feel sorry for him, but if he's really the switch..."

"Sir Ephraim resigned after he had been discharged from the hospital," Maggie shared. "Kailangan niya kasing mag-attend regularly ng therapy sessions for his leg injury. Baka lumala ang kondisyon niya kapag nagpatuloy siyang magturo dito."

"So he's the more likely suspect then?" Loki asked. "This Sir Refrain or something."

"We need to know more about that former instructor," Maggie said, standing. "I bet he's close with some faculty members. I'm gonna ask Sir Jim kung matutulungan niya tayong kumalap ng additional info."

"Do you want us to come with you?" tanong ni Alistair na akmang patayo na rin.

Maggie shook her head slowly. "Normally, I would ask you to do the legwork, but I also have another business in the faculty room before the afternoon period starts. You can stay here and theorize until it's time for your classes."

After saying "catch you later," Maggie left the execom office. Kaming apat ang natira dito.

"So we're looking at two persons of interest," Alistair resumed the discussion. He raised two of his fingers. "First, Arturo Manuel, the general manager. Second, Ephraim Quirino, the former adviser of Clarion."

"Looks like we have the upper hand against Moriarty..." Loki smirked. The search for the switch was like a game for him, so I understood his tone. "...if they haven't arrived at the same conclusion."

"Maybe they took the same approach that we had at first," I muttered. That approach yielded no result, which could delay Stein and his minions from catching up on us. "Baka inuna nilang chineck ang mga estudyanteng naka-interact ni Augustus."

"So what do we do exactly?" nagtatakang tanong ni Jamie na naningkit ang mga mata. "Kung ang general manager ay ang switch, we have nothing to worry about, right? He can't make an expose while in jail."

"Whoever the switch is, we have to retrieve the box from them," Loki answered, crossing his arms across his chest. "It can be a physical storage device or a virtual cloud storage. We might have to break into their homes. Do you have any objection, Alistair?"

Alam niyang aangal na naman ang childhood friend ko dahil may balak na gawing illegal itong si Loki. Breaking into the Clarion's office was one thing. Breaking into other people's residence, which is trespassing and punishable by law, is an entirely different thing.

"Given the situation, I'm open to expedient methods," Alistair answered. The words seemed to almost stick to his throat. It must have been a struggle for him to submit to Loki's suggestion. "I would suggest reporting to the police that the switch has a storage of child pornography so they can raid and seize all devices in the house, but time is not on our side."

"Oh, I thought your suggestion is to talk nicely to the switch and knock on his conscience," Loki quipped. Sunod siyang napatingin sa akin. "How about you, Lorelei? You have any objection?"

"Basta ako, wala akong objection sa suggestion ni Loki dear!" sagot ni Jamie kahit hindi siya ang tinatanong.

Time is of the essence. Ang importante'y makuha namin ang storage device bago pa maikalat ng switch ang mga laman nito. Fine, I'm also giving in to Loki's method.

"I prefer the method na magbibigay sa atin ng higher chances na mapigilan ang leak," sagot ko. That's all that matters right now. "Satisfied?"

"Since the consensus is unanimous, we shall proceed with trespassing into the switch's residence," Loki declared proudly. He must be so happy because this was the first time no one openly opposed his suggestion. Not me. Not Alistair.

"As long as we don't get caught and no one gets hurt, I'm okay with it," Alistair replied. Naging seryoso ang tono ng kanyang boses. "We have to make it clean. Understood?"

"Trust me, Alistair," Loki assured him. "This is like the mission to break into the Clarion office. But this time, we don't know much about the target and we have no idea about the layout of the house. That's where Maggie will fill in the blanks for us."

"So we have to act this afternoon or evening then," I said. "If we don't—"

Nahinto ako sa pagsasalita nang may marinig kaming tatlong katok sa pinto. Loki and Jamie were seated nearest to the door. Nang sumenyas ako sa kanila para buksan ang pinto, umiling silang dalawa at iniwasan ako ng tingin.

Si Alistair na sana ang tatayo, pero inunahan ko na siya. I went to the door and opened it. I wonder who has business with the executive committee during lunch time?

"Hi, Lorelei! It's been a short while! May I come in?"

Nabitawan ko ang doorknob at napahakbang paurong. Of all the students in Clark High, I never thought that this person would be knocking on our door.

"Who's that?" Loki asked.

"This feels like the good old times, huh? The four of you back again in one room!"

Stein Alberts was all smiles as he stood at the doorway. It's really been a short while.

"How are you, Loki?" he asked as he went inside, waving his right hand. "Did you miss me?"

"Oh, hello there, M's successor," Loki blurted out.

q.e.d.

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