A/N: And I'm back again! Expect a wave of updates this week! I'm gonna call this the "November rush"!

LORELEI

TODAY WAS a sad day. There's no better word to describe it. The sky was gray. A sea of mourners wore black as everyone donned their mourning dress. Silence. I could hear nothing but silence... and chirping of the birds, which was only interrupted by occasional sobs.

I wouldn't be surprised if the heavens mourn with us at this hour. After all, we lost a great student leader.

Days after her untimely death, Margarette Fernandez, the late chairwoman of the Clark High's student executive committee, was being laid to rest in Pax et Lumen Memorial Park. This is the second time that I visited this place. How I wished it wasn't under these somber circumstances. Noong una akong pumunta rito, sinamahan ko si Loki para bisitahin ang puntod ni Rhea. I saw with my own eyes how much he really cared about her.

I honestly did not think I'd be coming back here, not to pay respect to someone's grave, but to attend someone's burial. I hope I did not have to. I hope this would be the last time.

But alas, here we are. A melancholic feeling crept inside of me. Maggie and I may not be that close, but her passing shattered my heart into pieces. You wouldn't know someone's impact to your life until you lose them. Everyone must be sharing that heart-wrenching grief.

May guilt pa rin akong nararamdaman sa sarili ko. Hindi ko maiwasang isipin na hindi hahantong sa ganito ang sitwasyon kung hindi dahil sa aming dalawa ni Loki. Maybe if we didn't give Maggie the chase, she wouldn't have crossed the pedestrian. Maybe she wouldn't have been hit by a fast-moving car. Maybe she would still be alive today. Maybe we wouldn't be here. Maybe—

So many maybe's. But we have to accept the bitter reality. Maggie is dead. We wouldn't be seeing her again, especially her smiles. We wouldn't be hearing her bickering with Loki or any of us.

There surely could have been another way that this story ended. But we had to deal with the most tragic one. And it wouldn't be that easy.

Jamie locked arms with me as we listened intently to the priest leading the prayer. I wiped my nose with my hanky, pushing back the sunglasses that I wore to hide my eyes wet with tears. Alistair asked me if I was okay, to which I responded, "Yes." I could still manage myself. Medyo emosyonal lang ako sa mga sandaling 'to.

Kaming tatlo lang ang dumalo. Loki didn't attend the ceremony. He still locked himself in his bedroom. May times na hindi na siya kumakain, kahit ilang beses siyang kausapin ni Tita Frigette. He's taking Maggie's loss too seriously. I didn't think it would come to this point.

But I somehow understand him. Maggie is Rhea's best friend. She reminded him of her. Now that she's gone, another fragment of Loki's precious memory disappeared. He's losing the people that he deeply cared about. For someone like him, it must have been so devastating.

Hindi lang kaming tatlo ang dumalo rito. Rye Rubio, Emeraude Emerson, and some student council and execom officers also attended the ceremony. Kasama rin namin si Sir Jim Morayta na siyang tumatayong adviser namin at ilang faculty members ng Clark High.

If there's someone I expected to be here but was a no-show, that's gonna be Luthor Mendez. Vice president of the student council and probably one of the people that Maggie trusted in Clark High. She trusted him so much that she couldn't entertain the possibility of Luthor working with the people behind her best friend's death.

Tita Frigette came here on behalf of him and the Mendez family.

"I'm sorry, but my Lulu won't come to the ceremony," she told us when I asked where her son was. "He thought it's safer for him if he doesn't go out of the hospital."

"Gano'n ho ba?" Alam kong nagre-recover pa siya mula sa pagkalason, pero hindi ko naiwasang medyo mainis sa kanya. This would definitely be the last time that he'd see Maggie, yet he chose to hide behind the walls of that hospital. Couldn't he spare at least an hour? May bodyguard naman ang daddy niya para siguruhing ligtas siya.

Minutes later, I realized that I might be becoming a little insensitive. I admit that I have no idea how he's coping with Maggie's death. Hindi ko nga alam kung ano ang naging reaksyon niya nang mabalitaang wala na si Maggie. Like his younger brother, he might also be taking it seriously. He might be using the "for security reason" as an excuse to grieve in private.

Isa-isa kaming pumila sa harap ng coffin ni Maggie na naka-ready nang ibaba. People before me each threw a white flower at the casket. When my turn came, I took a pause and offered a quick prayer.

I hope you find peace in the afterlife.

I'd like to think that she's gonna be happy there, lalo na't makasasama na niya si Rhea. Whatever burdens she carried when she's still alive, she wouldn't have to bring them there anymore.

"I hate this," Jamie muttered as her eyes looked away. "I hate seeing this."

This must be triggering whatever sad experience she had in the past.

When everyone was done, we silently watched as the coffin was being lowered into the ground. Maggie's mother couldn't hold it anymore and broke into tears as we all took a final glimpse of her daughter. Her husband embraced her and tried to soothe her by whispering some words in her ear.

How I wish I wouldn't be attending to any more of these ceremonies in my lifetime.

As it came to a close, we approached the Fernandezes and offered them our last words of condolences. Alam kong hindi magiging madali ang mga susunod na araw para sa kanila, pero sana kahit paano'y maibsan ng aming mga salita ang kanilang mabigat na nararamdaman.

"Thank you for coming," Mrs. Fernandez told me, giving me a warm embrace. Basa ng luha ang kanyang mukha. Sunod niyang niyakap sina Jamie at Alistair, at pinasalamatan sa pagdalo.

Nagpaalam na rin sa kanya si Rye at iba pang execom members. Sir Jim and other faculty members came to her and also bade her farewell.

"I still can't believe it," Jamie said, her eyes looking down. "Wala na ang madam chair natin. Alam kong naging rocky ang relationship natin sa kanya nitong nakaraan, pero love na love ko pa rin siya. She'll be sorely missed."

"Honestly it hasn't sunk in to me." Alistair shook his head slowly, sighing. "She was gone too soon. Who would have thought na may mangyayaring masama sa kanya? Magkakasama pa lang tayo, nagtatawanan sa hospital room ni Luthor. Para siyang masamang bangungot."

Sana nga, bangungot lang ito. Sana nga, pwede pa kaming magising at baguhin ang reyalidad. But that wasn't the case.

"Dear, gusto n'yo bang sumabay sa akin?"

Marahan akong hinawakan sa balikat ni Tita Frigette. Hindi ko siyang namalayang lumapit sa amin. Hindi ko rin siya agad nakilala dahil nag-iba ang hairdo niya. Nakalugay ngayon ang buhok niyang laging naka-crown braid. "I can drop you off sa mga bahay n'yo."

Nagkatinginan muna kaming tatlo bago ko siya sinagot. Medyo namumula ang mga mata niya. "Hindi na ho kailangan, tita. May sasakyan naman po si Alistair. Sa kanya po kami sasabay mamaya."

"Baka makaistorbo pa ho kami sa inyo kung may pupuntahan pa kayo," dagdag ni Jamie. "Pero thank you po sa offer."

"Very well. Itse-check ko lang kung kumusta na si Luthor sa hospital," tugon ni Tita Frig na napatingin sa malayo. "Pagkatapos dadaanan ko si Loki sa apartment. Sana naman, kumain na siya kahit kaunti. Mas mangangayayat niyan siya. Worse, baka magkasakit pa siya."

I hope so too. Iniwanan ko siya ng lunch kaninang tanghali at sinabihan na rin si Tita Martha na i-check siya from time to time. He's not in his usual self so it's better keep an eye on him.

Tita Frig gently patted Alistair on the shoulder. "Ingatan mo ang pagda-drive, ha? See you three around."

"Ingat din po kayo, tita."

Sinundan namin siya ng tingin hanggang sa pumasok siya sa kanyang red na SUV. It must be heartbreaking for a mother like her to see another mother mourning and burying her child.

"May gusto muna ba kayong puntahan bago ko kayo ihatid sa inyo?" tanong ni Alistair, iginala sa aming dalawa ni Jamie ang kanyang tingin. "Alam n'yo na. Pamahiin."

I heard from some people na kailangan munang mag-pagpag kapag galing sa isang lamay or burol. I wasn't a superstitious person. Pero wala namang mawawala kung susundan namin ang pamahiin.

"Maybe we can grab a bite sa isang fast food resto?" suhestiyon ko. I looked at Jamie for an agreement. I was thinking that she might be hungry too. "Gusto ko ring bilhan ng pagkain si Loki. Baka gutom na rin siya pagdating natin."

"Aprub ako riyan." Jamie lazily gave me a thumbs-up. She sounded less enthusiastic today. Walang kinang sa mga mata niya. She looked like she wasn't herself too. It's understandable. The mood in this memorial park was depressing. What we also witnessed here was heart-breaking. "But do you mind kung may daanan muna tayo sa memorial park na 'to?

"Saan—"

"Hello~"

I was startled when I felt a minty breath behind my ear. Nanindig ang mga balahibo ko na parang may dumaang multo sa aking likod. I recognized not only the voice, but also the singsong tone.

Quickly I turned around to see who tried to spook me. Bumati sa akin ang nakangiting mukha ni Hel. Behind her was also a familiar face, then-inspector and now Officer Gareth Estrada. He was clutching a folder in his right hand.

"Kumusta kayo~?" nakangiting bati ni Hel sa amin. Normally I would return that smile, but I wasn't in the mood. "Before anything else, I want to offer you my condolences. I didn't know her, but she seems like a good girl."

"Ano'ng ginagawa niya rito?" pabulong na tanong ni Jamie. She nudged me with her elbow and I shrugged. Bahagyang nanumbalik ang sigla sa boses niya. "Invited ba siya? Bakit parang 'di ko naman siya napansin kanina?"

Maggie's burial ceremony wasn't a private one so anyone who wanted to pay respects could come here. Hindi naman siya by invitation only. But I could see where Jamie was coming from. It's her way of saying that she wasn't pleased to see the girl in front of us.

Iginala ni Hel ang kanyang mga mata sa amin at sa mga papalis na dumalo sa ceremony. She then looked around the area. Her smiling face instantly flashed a confused look. Muling nagawi sa akin ang tingin niya.

"Uhm... Where's my dad? I don't see him anywhere. Didn't he attend the service?"

"He's..." I took a pause as my eyes looked down. "...still grieving about Maggie's passing. He couldn't make it here. Nasa apartment pa rin siya."

By "dad," Hel wasn't talking about her biological father. She's talking about Loki, who in the Norse mythology, shares the same name with the father of her namesake goddess of death, Hel.

"Oh, I thought he'd be with you here," Hel muttered, looking disappointed. "I expected him to be grieving with everyone else. But I guess I was wrong~ It happens sometimes."

"Paano mo nalamang nandito kami?" nakapamewang na tanong ni Jamie. Medyo palaban na ang tono niya. "Ini-stalk mo kami, 'no?"

"How did you know about Maggie's death?" I don't think any of us here was that close to her para sabihan siya tungkol sa nangyari sa kakilala namin. But still she found out about it.

"You saw that video on social media, didn't you?" Alistair asked.

"Uh-uh!" She took her phone out, made a few taps, and showed us the screen. On it was a video with a familiar scene: Loki and I standing over Maggie's body at the pedestrian lane in front of a hospital. Nakaramdam ako ng kirot sa puso habang pinapanood 'yon. Muling nag-flashback sa isip ko ang mga nangyari.

"I saw this video clip and tried to find out more about it!" Hel explained, withdrewing her phone. "I stalked the parents of the girl and learned about today's interment. That's how I found my way here~ Also thanks to Officer Estrada for giving me a ride."

I cut away my gaze from her and landed my eyes on the police car parked nearby. I hope she's not using that vehicle as her personal transport and the police officer as her chaffeur. Abuso na 'yon.

"Gusto ko sanang makausap si dad kasi hindi kami nagkita noong pumuslit ako sa school n'yo—" Biglang napahinto si Hel nang napansin niyang dumaan sa gilid si Rye at iba pang execom members. She covered her face using a hand. "Oh, wait. Isn't he the one pursuing me when I trespassed into your campus grounds? Thank God I'm not wearing my uniform today! He might have recognized me."

"What do you want?" I asked, getting back to the topic. "Bakit gusto mong makausap si Loki?"

"Hindi lang si dad ang gusto kong makausap. Kayo rin~" sagot ni Hel, isa-isa niya kaming tiningnan. "We haven't talked about the murder in the apartment, have we?"

Sandaling pumikit ang mga mata ko. I almost forgot about that incident. Sa dinami-rami ng mga nangyari nitong mga nakaraang araw—mula sa pagkasunog ng unit ni Rosetta at ang fake death niya, ang pagkalason ni Luthor hanggang sa pagkaaksidente ni Maggie—natambakan na ang kaso ni Sir Ephraim.

"We're hoping that you can finally tell me and the officer over here what you saw that night," Hel went on, jerking her thumb to the man beside her. "We want to solve and close this case as soon as possible. We can no longer delay justice, can we?"

I exchanged glances with Jamie and Alistair. Seeing Hel here was a big surprise. Talking to her about that case was definitely not in our schedule for today.

"I'm well aware that solving the case is important, but do you mind kung sa ibang araw na lang tayo mag-usap?" I asked. "Pasensya na. Wala pa kasi kami sa mood na sumagot sa mga tanong mo. So many things happened this week. I hope you understand."

"We're still mourning for Maggie, you see?" Jamie added, sniffling as she wiped her nose. "I hope you know how to read the room. Well, there's no literal room here since this is an open space. But you know what I mean."

"Baka pwede nating i-schedule kung kailan tayo available lahat?" tanong ni Alistair. "Para masinsinan nating mapag-usapan ang circumstances ng case."

"How insensitive of me~" Hel bowed, looking slightly embarrassed. "I sincerely apologize for approaching you in your moments of mourning. I got carried away by my desire to solve this case already."

In a strange way, Loki's really her dad. Paano ko nasabi? He sometimes fails to read the mood. He tends to say some insensitive things in the least appropriate moments. Sablay siya sa timing minsan. But I wanted to think that he had somehow improved. Mas may kaunting sensitivity na sana siya sa mga ganitong bagay ngayon.

"Is tomorrow okay with you three?"

Lumingon ako sa aking dalawang kasama. I'm free on Sunday, but I don't know if they were too. It's not my decision to make. "May gagawin ba kayo bukas?"

Jamie and Alistair shook their heads.

"Sunday's fine with me. Nasa bahay lang ako maghapon."

"We don't have any projects to finish kaya pwedeng-pwede ako."

"Great!" Hel clapped her hands once, smiling. "May I have your number so I can text you the details of the meeting?"

Ibinigay ko sa kanya ang aking contact number. An alert crossed my phone as soon as she saved my digits. It's a text message from her.

"Thank you so much!" Hel replied. "We won't be bothering you three anymore. Just send my regards to my dad. Please tell him to take care of himself. I look forward to meeting him again. Hopefully tomorrow~"

Kumaway rin sa akin si Officer Estrada bago siya nagpaalam. Pahakbang na sana silang dalawa palayo sa amin nang muling tumalikod si Hel para harapin kami.

"Officer, shouldn't you be giving them that file?" tanong ni Hel sa kanyang kasama, sabay tingin sa hawak nitong folder.

"Ah, oo nga pala!" Lumapit sa akin si Officer Estrada at iniabot sa akin ang folder na kanina pa niya dala-dala. "Hiningi sa akin 'yan ni Loki noong nakaraang linggo. Ngayon pa lang ako nakakuha ng kopya kasi nahirapan ako sa pag-request. Pakibigay na lang sa kanya. Para yata 'yan sa isang case na iniimbestigahan niya."

I saw the logo and the name of the Traffic Management Bureau on the front cover. Something related to car accidents, huh? What could this file contain? Ang unang sumagi sa isip ko ay ang recent road incident na dahilan kung bakit nandito kami ngayon: ang pagsagasa kay Maggie. But Loki was down in the past few days. He couldn't have any opportunity of asking for this file that quick.

Why don't I see the answer for myself? Binuksan ko ang folder at iginala ang aking tingin sa unang page nito. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang mabasa ang details ng taong involved sa aksidente.

"Ano'ng meron diyan, Lori?"

Mabilis kong isinara ang folder nang tinangkang tingnan ni Jamie ang laman nito. Bumilis ang pagtibok ng puso ko at lumakas ang pagkabog nito. Kahit hindi gano'n kainit, parang namawis ako. Sinubukan kong ngumiti sa kanya para mapalitan ang aking pagkagulat.

"Si Loki lang siguro dapat ang makakita nito," pilit-ngiti kong sabi sa kanya. "Wala naman siyang nabanggit sa akin o sa atin na may iniimbestigahan siyang traffic-related accident, 'di ba? This must be personal to him."

"Pwede naman nating silipin, 'di ba?" pagpupumilit ni Jamie. "I don't think my Loki dear would mind if we take a peek into an incident that he's interested in. Baka nga pwede pa tayong magbigay ng valuable insights sa kanya."

Sinubukan niyang abutin ang folder mula sa akin, but I kept it out of her reach. "We must respect Loki's privacy. Ise-share naman niya ito sa atin kung gusto niyang hingin ang tulong natin."

"Yeah, but—"

"Tungkol ba sa laman ng report 'yan?" tanong ni Officer Estrada. "Bale hiningi sa akin ni Loki ang isang vehicular accident report na nangyari noong—"

"Officer!" I tried to cut him off by raising my voice. "Wala ho ba kayong ibang pupuntahan ni Hel? You might be needed elsewhere. My friends and I will make sure na matatanggap ni Loki ang file na 'to."

Hel squinted her eyes as she cast a suspecting gaze at me. Matapos ang ilang segundong pagtitig sa akin, nanumbalik sa dating laki ang mga mata niya. "Yeah, officer! We still have to get back to the police station. Aren't we going to review the surveillance footages we collected?"

"Ay, oo nga pala, 'no?" Napakamot ng ulo si Officer Estrada bago muling kumaway sa amin. "Sige, mauna na kami sa inyo. Paki-kumusta n'yo na lang ako kay Loki, ha? Mag-iingat kayo lagi."

Pasimple akong bumuntong-hininga. The officer almost spoiled the contents, or at least the gist, of the document to Jamie. Hel gave me a wink as she turned around and followed behind the officer. Alistair tossed me a glance that hinted he's wondering why I reacted that way.

"Ano kaya 'yang file na ini-request ni Loki dear?" nagtatakang tanong ni Jamie sabay tingin sa folder na hawak ko. "Teka! Baka 'yan ang report tungkol sa aksidente ni Maggie?"

Mabuti't iyon ang unang sumagi sa isip niya.

"Pero nahuli na 'yong lalaking nagmamaneho sa sasakyang nakasagasa sa kanya, 'di ba?" paalala ni Alistair. He's really sharp. "It's a closed case already. So why would Loki still ask for the file?"

"Ay, oo nga, 'no? Baka may tinitingnan siyang ibang angle? Like baka sinadya ang pagbangga kay Maggie?"

Sorry, Jamie. I can't let you see this report. I can't let you take a hint that we are suspicious of your late brother.

Loki must have suspected something kaya humingi siya ng tulong para makuha ang file na 'to. He probably asked for the vehicular accident report as soon as we pieced together that clue about Jaime Santiago being an important of the mystery that is M.

That's right. It's been a week since we knew that Jaime is the founder of M's organization. It's been days since I figured out that the late student council president, whose legacy was being lauded by the likes of Jamie and Luthor, was not clean at all.

Hindi ko pa nasasabi kay Loki kung ano ang theory ko. He's still mourning for Maggie, and I didn't want to add something to his plate. Gusto ko munang malampasan namin ang pagsubok na 'to bago kami muling mag-usap.

At this very moment, only the two of us knew that Jaime was suspicious. Only I knew—in case Loki didn't know yet—that Jaime wasn't the virtuous man everyone thought he was. He was flawed like everyone else, but way darker than the rest of us.

Jamie believed that her brother was a man with a strong sense of justice. She portrayed him as the best brother that one could ever hope for. That may be half right, but there's a lot to uncover. Who knows? Jaime being an ally of justice was only a mask. Once you rip that facade off, you'd see the real face of a rotten person with a twisted morality.

Mluling nabaling ang tingin ko kay Jamie. Meron siyang sinasabi sa amin ni Alistair pero pasok sa isang tenga at labas sa kabila ang mga salita niya.

Sa dami ng mga twist sa pagkatao niya, hindi ko alam kung dapat ba siyang pagkatiwalaan. Gusto ko siyang tanungin kung alam ba niya na ang kinikilala niyang mabait na kuya ay may sikretong itinatago. Parang ang hirap paniwalaan na wala siyang kamalay-malay sa mga ginagawa ng nakatatanda niyang kapatid lalo na kung lagi silang magkasama.

I guess the questions that I wanted to ask her were: How well did she know her brother? How much did she know about him?

But those were topics for another time. Hangga't sa hindi ko pa nakauusap si Loki tungkol sa subject na 'to, mas mabuting itago ko muna ang aking nalalaman. Once we're back to normal, we could continue discussing the Jaime case again.

"... my brother."

Nahimasmasan ako pagkabanggit ni Jamie sa salitang 'yon. It sounded like a magic word that snapped me out of my daydreaming.

"Your brother?" I echoed. Did she read what's on my mind? That's impossible. Malabo ring nasilip niya agad ang laman ng folder.

Kumunot ang kanyang noo. "Are you with us, Lori? Parang ang lalim ng iniisip mo? Ang sabi ko, daanan muna natin ang puntod ng kuya ko tutal nandito na tayo."

"Oh?" My shoulders relaxed. Minsan napa-paranoid na ako. Ang akala ko, medyo nakahalata na siya.

"Saan ba banda ang puntod ng kuya mo?" tanong ni Alistair na napatanaw sa malayo. "Do we need to ride in my car? Or can we walk over there?"

"Walking distance lang siya," sagot ni Jamie sabay turo sa may 'di kalayuan. "Let's go?"

Alistair and I nodded before we went on our way to another grave. The memorial park was so quiet and peaceful that only birds chirping could be heard. Nakaka-relax kahit paano ang atmosphere dito, lalo na't medyo mabigat ang nararamdaman namin.

I held on the folder tightly. Baka biglang agawin ito ni Jamie habang nakababa ang guard ko. Again, I couldn't let her suspect anything.

The walk took less than five minutes. Pagdating namin doon, natagpuan namin ang isang basket ng bulaklak na nalanta na. Someone came here a few days ago and left those flowers. Meron ding kandila na halos natunaw na. Kanino kaya galing 'to?

"Sino kaya ang bumisita kay kuya?" kunot-noong tanong ni Jamie habang nakatitig sa bulaklak. So it wasn't her, huh?

"Jaime Santiago," I read the engraving on the tombstone. He may be dead, but his presence and legacy lingered on. If it weren't for him, our high school lives would have been entirely different. We wouldn't get ourselves entangled into these mysteries.

I wonder what else he was hiding.

Loki's theory—which I was led to believe—goes like this: Jaime is the king of M's organization. When he met an accident two years ago, Stein succeeded him and took control of the kingdom.

But something's strange, now that I thought of it: Jamie she suspects that there might be a foul play in her brother's death. Iniisip niyang may kinalaman si M sa pagkamatay ng kanyang kuya. That was truly odd and confusing. If Jaime's really M, there's no way he could be behind his own death, right? It doesn't make sense.

There's another explanation that popped into my mind.

What if Stein orchestrated Jaime's accidental death? Maybe Stein wanted to be the king so badly, he thought of eliminating the current one. But would he actually do that? Could he? He was just fourteen and fifteen two years ago. Nagkaroon na ba agad siya ng gano'ng ambisyon?

Maybe the vehicular accident report could shed some light into what happened.

Jamie sat on her heels in front of her brother's grave. She put her palms together and closed her eyes, offering a minute of player. Alistair and I looked down and respected the silence that ensued. Nang matapos na siya sa panalangin, tumayo na si Jamie. Napansin kong may nangilid na luha sa kanyang mga mata.

"Where my brother is, I hope he's doing well," she said, wiping the tears in her eyes.

He's doing well, but where? In heaven or in hell, if they do exist?

"Oh? Ang akala ko'y umuwi na kayo?"

Jamie, Alistair and I turned around to face the man who spoke with a familiar voice: Sir Jim Morayta. Imagine my surprise when I saw him there, standing before us, with his hands inside his pockets.

"How are you, sir?" Alistair asked.

"I'm still sad about what happened to Maggie, but I'm trying to feel better."

What was he doing here?

"Ito yata ang second time na pumunta ako sa memorial park na 'to," kuwento ni Sir Jim. May kalungkutan sa kanyang mga mata at boses. Lumapit siya sa puntod ng kuya ni Jamie. His eyes looked down as his spectacles gleamed. "In my first visit here, I came to attend the burial of the late student council president."

Jamie sniffled as she kept her gaze at our Math instructor. "I do remember you coming to my brother's funeral, sir. 'Yan din ang polo na suot n'yo noon."

Malamyang ngumiti si Sir Jim. He must have been amazed by Jamie's sharp memory. Kung ako ang nakakita sa kanya noon, hindi ko na siguro tanda kung ano ang suot niya.

"Your brother was a good student of mine. He was president of the Math-Physics Society before he ran for the student council presidency."

Oh? I didn't know about that. Well, to be fair, we don't know that much about him. He's a man shrouded in mystery that even in his death continues to mystify us.

"Were you too quite close, sir?" curious kong tanong.

Sir Jim shook his head gently, shutting his eyes for a while. "Hindi ko masasabing close kami. Pero mukhang comfortable siyang kausap ako. Siguro dahil hindi masyadong nalalayo ang edad at itsura ko noon. Ako kasi ang pinakabatang high school teacher sa Clark High. I was twenty-three, if I'm not mistaken."

Lumuhod siya sa tapat ng puntod at inayos ang pagkakalagay ng mga nalantang bulaklak doon.

Baka pwede ko pa siyang tanungin tungkol kay Jaime. Not now. Not in the presence of Jamie.

Ngumiti si Sir Jim, napatingala sa langit at tila pinanood ang mabagal na pagkilos ng mga kulay gray na ulap. "Natatandaan ko pa ang isang tanong niya sa akin noon. His question baffled me at the time. If one well-intentioned person kills one bad person, will the number of bad people in the world decrease? Or will the number remain the same?"

My eyes slowly squinted at him. He's right. That question was baffling.

"It isn't a question of mathematics, but a question of morality," he went on. "Hindi ko pa rin alam kung bakit niya tinanong 'yon."

"What did you answer, sir?" tanong ni Alistair.

Sir Jim blew his cheeks and let out some air. "The number remains the same. That person, no matter how well-intentioned he is, replaces the bad one in the equation. Pero sa tingin ko, walang definite na sagot sa tanong na 'yon. It's a matter of perspective. Magdedepende ito sa paniniwala at moral mo."

Napaisip ako sa sinabi niya. Kung tutuusin, masama ang pumatay o manakit ng kapwa. But if you did it for a reason—let's say, to save someone's life—would it make the killing justifiable? Kunwari napatay mo ang isang masamang tao dahil ipinagtanggol mo ang iyong kaibigan mula sa kanya. Masasabi mo bang masama ka na ring tao gaya niya o mabuti ka pa rin dahil sa intensyon mo? A food for thought.

"I still remember his reply." Sir Jim cleared his throat as his voice cracked. "Even if the number of bad people in the world doesn't change, at least, the number of people we can save increases. Tinanong ko kung paano. Ang sagot niya? Dahil hindi na raw makakapanakit pa ng inosente ang isang masamang tao."

Listening to that exchange gave me a feeling that Jaime was manifesting his twisted sense of justice. That must be the founding principle that led him to creating the organization.

Tumayo na si Sir Jim at inayos ang kanyang polo. "Sayang dahil hindi namin nakita kung paano niya pamumunuan ang student body sa kanyang buong term. He had some good ideas. Shame that they didn't materialize."

Unfortunately, sir, one of his ideas didn't seem to be good at all.

Kumaway na nagpaalam sa amin si Sir Jim. I stood there as I watched him walk away from us.

We spent ten more minutes in front of the grave. Jamie recalled some of her favorite moments with her brother. Nabanggit niya ang kanilang family trip noon sa beach kung saan sinagip siya nito mula sa muntikang pagkalunod. If it weren't for him, she said, she wouldn't be with us today.

Nang ready na kaming umalis, Jamie shot one last glance at her brother's tomb. Sabay-sabay na kaming naglakad pabalik sa parking lot kung saan iniwan ni Alistair ang kanyang sasakyan.

Gaya ng napag-usapan, dumaan muna kami sa isang fast food resto para mag-merienda at bumili ng snacks para kay Loki. I don't know if he ate the food that I left him this noon, but if he didn't feel like eating it, I'm giving him an alternative. Mahilig kasi siyang mag-order ng fast food.

"Pwede bang mag-stay muna kami sa apartment n'yo?" tanong ni Jamie na nasa backseat at kumakain ng fries. "Gusto ko muna kasing samahan si Loki dear. This must have been hard for him. I know because I've been there. I wanna cheer him up."

"Sure, I don't mind," I replied as I glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Baka makatulong kayo para bumalik na ang dating sigla niya."

"Hindi ka naman nagmamadaling umuwi, 'no, Al?" tanong ni Jamie. "Kapag kasi umuwi ka agad, walang maghahatid sa akin. Ayaw ko pa namang mag-commute pauwi sa amin."

'Don't worry." Alistair smiled, looking up at the rearview mirror where their eyes met. "I'll be with you."

Alistair pulled his car beside the apartment building. Bumaba kami ng sasakyan at umakyat sa third floor. I clutched on the folder that Officer Estrada gave me and the burger that we bought from the fast food resto.

Just when I was about to turn the knob, I noticed the door slightly opened. Ang alam ko, ini-lock ko 'to bago ako umalis. Could it be Tita Frigette? No, we didn't see her car parked outside. Could it be Tita Martha? No, she wouldn't leave the door this way lalo na ngayong may mga akyat-bahay.

I pushed the door and walked inside, with Jamie and Alistair following me behind.

My eyes widened in shock as I saw something I didn't expect to see.

"Loki..." I mumbled, dropping the folder and the burger on the floor. My jaw dropped as I stared at him for a moment. Then my consciousness snapped back to the present. Why was he...

"LOKI! LOKI!"

We all rushed to Loki's side when we saw him lying unconscious on the floor.

q.e.d.

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