CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains content that might be troubling to some readers, including, but not limited to, depictions of and references to death, self-harm and suicide, graphic violence, sexual assault, strong language and more.

Please be mindful of these sensitive themes and other possible triggers. Remember to practice self-care before, during and after reading.

LORELEI

"YOU HAVE come here to talk about my younger brother, haven't you?"

Napalunok ako ng laway. Mukhang alam na niya ang nangyari sa kaniyang kapatid.

"Thanks again for the help last time." Nginitian ako ni Emeraude bago lumingon sa kaniyang second-in-command. "Luthor, do you need to talk to her in private?

Sa isang tango ng vice president, tumayo na si Emeraude at lumabas ng conference room. Gaya nga ng sinabi ni Loki noon, talaga yatang puppet ang student council president habang kuya niya ang puppeteer.

"Please take your seat," alok niya nang nakaalis na ang kaniyang mga kasama.

Habang papalapit ako sa kaniya, lalong lumakas ang lamig na naramdaman ko. Parang tumatagos hanggang buto. Unlike in the gym, mas maliit ang espasyo rito kaya damang-dama ko ang kaniyang chilling aura. Call it an exaggeration, but that's what one would exactly feel when meeting the Luthor Mendez.

"Paano mo nalamang pupunta ako rito at kung ano ang pakay ko? The secretary said that you were expecting me." Nagbato na agad ako ng tanong pagkaupo ko. Loki was only taken away around thirty minutes ago. Wala ring binroadcast si Inspector Morales na meron nang person of interest sa kanilang custody.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere, Lorelei." Tinawag niya ang pangalan ko sa malamig niyang boses. I got goosebumps all over my body. "I do not believe that my brother is a murderer. He may have the necessary knowledge and skills to be one, but he would not use them for that particular purpose."

Tumagal ang titig ko sa kaniya habang umiinom siya mula sa isang teacup. Kahit saang anggulo ko tingnan, hindi ko ma-imagine na kaya niyang pumatay ng tao. Loki described him as a manipulator—a puppeteer who would pull the strings on his marionettes—but never a murderer. If he ever entertained the idea of murder, he would ask someone else to do it for him. He would never do it himself.

Para sa ikatatahimik ng isip ko, kailangan kong alamin kung may alibi siya noong oras na sinaksak si Monica Segundo gamit ang icepick. After getting his answer, I could leave this place and escape from his intimidating aura.

"Your silence is disturbing, Lorelei. Is something wrong?"

Muli akong napalunok ng laway. "I hope you don't mind me asking kung nasaan ka noong pinababa ang mga estudyante dahil sa bomb threat kaninang umaga?"

The teacup was just an inch away from his lips when his hand froze. Sumulyap siya sa akin, pero mabilis akong umiwas ng tingin bago magtagpo ang mga mata namin. I could not stand staring at him any longer.

"Do you suspect that I am the one behind the attempt on Monica Segundo's life?"

"I want to know if you have any alibi. Whether your name stays on the list or not depends on your response."

Ibinalik niya ang tasa sa saucer nito. "I was here in the student council room the entire time. The bomb threat was only a hoax. A student who wanted to skip his morning classes or postpone an exam was probably behind it."

Magkapatid nga silang dalawa ni Loki. They thought alike. "Meron bang makapagte-testify na nandito ka talaga sa loob at hindi ka lumabas?"

"I was alone in this room." Natuloy na ang pag-inom niya ng tea. "My fellow student council officers complied with the evacuation protocol. I asked them to lock the door so it would appear that no one was left inside."

"Your answer doesn't make you less suspicious. If the other suspects have alibis and you don't, you will be at the top of our list."

"If you consider me as the most capable, you have to prove that I committed the crime."

Hindi ko naiwasang mapabuntonghininga. Kahit walang alibi si Luthor, hindi ko pa rin maisip na siya ang Bastien copycat. Ayaw ko ring isipin na involved siya sa kahit anong paraan sa organisasyon ni Moriarty. Sa tatlong suspek namin, sana'y may mas kahina-hinala pa kay Luthor. I doubted that it was Rye since he's an execom member and one of our allies. It could be the corps commander. Only Alistair's and Jamie's findings could clear their names.

"Maiba ako. Wala ka bang balak na tulungan si Loki?" tanong ko. "He's probably being interrogated why his fingerprints were found on the weapon and the note."

"This is where I draw the line, Lorelei," sagot niya. Nangilabot ulit ako sa pagbanggit niya sa aking pangalan. "I have the utmost confidence that he will manage to find his way out of this mess. He is a detective after all. Unlike in his previous predicaments, there is no need for me to intervene."

Makailang beses na niyang iniligtas ang kaniyang nakababatang kapatid. When Loki was suspended, Luthor met with my dad to ensure that his younger brother would not end up in jail. When Loki was being accused as a blackmailer, Luthor ordered the execom to do an emergency fire drill and retrieve his brother's laptop from the Clarion's office.

He did almost everything for his brother. But I never heard a single "thank you" from Loki. Maybe he was not that expressive to utter those words, especially to the guy whom he had described as evil incarnate. Kahit hindi niya lantarang sabihin, I hoped that he appreciated his brother's efforts.

"Is there anything else that you would like to discuss, Lorelei?"

"That's all. Thank you for your cooperation."

Tumayo na ako at nagmadaling lumabas ng conference room. Hindi ko na rin nakayanan ang lamig sa loob. Before I could turn the doorknob, I heard the vice president speak again.

"Be careful, Lorelei. You, my brother, and your club. A storm is coming. You better brace yourselves for it."

Storm? What kind of storm? Hindi ko na siya ni-reply-an pa at tuluyan na akong lumabas. That was my third private conversation with him. The atmosphere had not changed.

Dahil mabilis na natapos ang interview sa naka-assign na suspek sa akin, ako pa lang ang nakabalik sa clubroom. Habang naghihintay, nakipaglaro muna ako kay Freya. She must have missed Loki kahit halos isang oras pa lang mula nang umalis siya.

"Meow!"

"Babalik din siya kaya huwag kang masyadong mag-worry sa kaniya. Okay?" Niyakap ko siya nang mahigpit katulad ng ginagawa ng magulang sa anak. Nanatili siya sa aking dibdib. "Gagawan natin 'to na paraan."

Napaisip ako sa mga huling salita ni Luthor. Ano kaya ang tinutukoy niyang paparating na bagyo? Did he know something that we were not aware of? Like his brother, he was enshrouded in mystery. Like a code, he proved to be quite difficult to crack.

Sampung minuto pa ang lumipas bago nakabalik sina Alistair at Jamie. Mukhang productive ang kanilang pakikipag-usap sa mga suspek.

"Rye Rubio was assisting some CAT officers during the evacuation." Binasa ni Alistair ang nakasulat sa kaniyang notepad. "Two to three CAT cadets can confirm that he was with them the whole time."

"Mukhang gano'n din ang case sa corps commander ng CAT." Hindi na kinailangan ni Jamie na mag-take note sa papel o phone. "He was making rounds on every floor kaya nakita siya ng ibang officers niya. I confirmed it with his colleagues. Hindi raw siya nawala nang matagal sa kanilang paningin."

"How about you, Lori? How's Luthor?" tanong ng kababata ko.

Nakasimangot akong umiling. "He didn't have any alibi. Mag-isa raw siya sa student council office no'ng ipinapa-evacuate ang mga estudyante."

"He didn't try to lie about it?" kunot-noong tanong ni Jamie. "It would be much easier for him to say that he went outside and joined the students on the campus field."

"He could have lied to me, but he chose not to."

"Parang ang hirap isipin na siya ang Bastien copycat." Napahaplos sa kaniyang baba si Alistair bago umangat ang tingin sa akin. "Kung siya nga, ibig sabihi'y finrame-up niya ang kaniyang kapatid."

"Which doesn't make sense." Maingat kong binuhat si Freya at ipinatong sa lap ko. "Luthor did everything to save his brother and our club from trouble before. Why would he drag him into this sort of mess now?"

Beep! Beep!

Huh? Inilabas ko ang aking phone nang naramdaman ang vibration nito sa bulsa ko. Nag-pop up sa screen ang pangalan ni Loki kaya nanlaki ang aking mga mata. Mabilis kong binuksan at binasa ang message niya.

PS. COME AT ONCE. TNX.

"Si Loki dear ba 'yan, Lori?!" Nilapitan ako ni Jamie sabay hablot sa aking phone. Napatakip siya ng bibig nang nabasa ang message. "Oh my—Mukhang okay naman si Loki dear! Pinapupunta niya tayo sa—Teka, ano'ng PS?"

"Police station." Sumilip si Alistair mula sa balikat niya. "Tinatamad na siguro ang club president natin na i-type ang buong pangalan ng lugar."

Knowing him, he would prefer to use abbreviations. Ni hindi nga niya naisipang mag-effort para i-spell out ang "Thanks." Not surprising though. He was just being the typical Loki.

"Let's go?"

Gustong sumama ni Freya, pero sinabihan ko siyang hintayin kami rito. Baka hindi siya papasukin sa campus police station. Sakaling may muling manloob sa clubroom, baka matulungan niya kaming i-trace kung sino 'yon. Nagpaalam ako sa kaniya bago kami nagmadaling bumaba ng hagdanan. We wanted to know how the interrogation went with our club president.

Nang nakatuntong na kami sa ground floor at paliko na kami sa hallway, biglang huminto ang kababata ko. Saglit din kaming napahinto ni Jamie.

"Ano 'yon, Al?" tanong ko. "May nakalimutan ka ba?"

"May ise-set-up muna ako sa clubroom natin." Tumango siya bago humakbang paurong. "Mauna na kayong dalawa sa police station. Susunod ako."

"Sige. Mag-ingat ka, Al."

Pinagmasdan ko ang pagtalikod niya at muling pag-akyat sa hagdanan. May kakaiba akong naramdaman. Parang gusto ko siyang pigilan. Parang gusto ko siyang pabalikin. Baka dahil ito sa warning ni Luthor kanina.

Sa bilis ng lakad namin, agad kaming nakarating sa police station. Hinabol muna namin ni Jamie ang aming hininga bago kami pumasok. Saktong nakasalubong namin si Loki sa entrance, mukhang walang kakaiba sa itsura niya. Hinawakan niya kaming dalawa sa balikat at ipinaikot pabalik sa pinanggalingan namin. Parang mga tanga kami na kapapasok lang 'tapos biglang lalabas.

"Mabuti't pinayagan ka na nilang lumabas?" bungad kong tanong. "I thought they would keep you there the entire day."

"Isn't this the part where you should ask me if I'm okay?" Napapalatak siya. Mukhang walang epekto sa kaniya ang interrogation. "By the way, where's Alistair? Shouldn't he be with you?"

"May sinet-up siya sa clubroom. Baka makasalubong din natin siya rito." Inunahan ako ni Jamie sa pagsagot. "Kumusta ka naman, Loki dear? May ginawa ba sila sa 'yo? Sinaktan ka ba nila? Pinagbantaan? Alam mo ba kung gaano ako ka-worried?"

"As you can see, I'm absolutely okay! In fact, I've had a productive conversation with the inspector."

"You managed to convince them that you're not the one who attempted to kill Monica?"

Umiling siya. "I didn't have to convince him or anyone."

"What do you mean?" Halos nagsalubong ang mga kilay namin.

"Officer Estrada is right." Binilisan ni Loki ang kaniyang lakad kaya sinabayan namin siya ni Jamie. "Inspector Morales is, without a doubt, a sharp policeman. He never believed that I was involved in any of those cases."

"E, bakit parang kriminal ang trato niya sa 'yo kanina?" reklamo ni Jamie. "Kung 'di ka siguro voluntary na sumama sa kaniya, baka kinaladkad ka niya palabas ng clubroom."

"It's all an act. The inspector suspects that whoever's behind those incidents wants to pin the blame on me. I'm being framed."

"Kung gano'n, bakit ka niya hinayaang lumabas ng istasyon?" ako naman ang nagtanong. "His act was ruined the second you stepped out of that building."

"My suggestion. I will be more valuable to the police if I walk free and vulnerable to be targeted."

"A-Are you planning to lure out the Bastien copycat?"

"Excellent, Lorelei! You've almost understood how my brain works. The months you've been with me are paying off."

May masamang kutob ako sa balak niyang gawin. Geez. Bakit ba lalong lumakas ang kaba sa dibdib ko? Parang may mangyayaring mali.

"Remember Moriarty's golden rule?" dugtong pa niya. "Thou shall not be harmed. The Bastien copycat may be making moves without the approval of the mastermind, but he won't dare to do anything that might anger his boss. Speaking of the copycat, have you narrowed down the list of suspects during my absence?"

"Yes, thanks to Alistair. We're down to three."

"I knew he can lead the investigation even without me."

Speaking of my childhood friend, hindi pa rin namin siya nakasasalubong sa daan. Nakabalik na kami sa school building at nakaakyat na sa third floor, pero wala ni anino niya ang naaninag namin. Maybe he chose to stay in the clubroom at hintayin kami roon kasama si Freya?

"It's high time to solve this case once and for all!" sabi ni Loki sabay pihit sa doorknob ng clubroom. "Let's unmask the copycat."

The moment it swung open, parang tumigil ang mundo namin. Nanlaki ang aming mga mata, halos nag-pop out na mula sa mga socket. Napatakip ako ng bibig. I wanted to scream, but no voice would come out. Nanatiling deretso ang tingin ni Loki habang tumingin sa ibang direksiyon si Jamie.

No, it can't be.

No.

It can't be.

Nakahandusay sa sahig ang kababata ko, may pool ng dugo sa bandang ulo niya. Agad akong pumasok at pinuntahan ang walang malay niyang katawan. Loki said something about not contaminating the crime scene, pero hindi ko siya pinakinggan.

"A-Al? Hey? Alistair? Please answer!" Marahan kong sinampal ang pisngi niya para siya'y magising, pero hindi siya rumeresponde. "Hey, Al! Wake up!"

Hindi ko namalayang tumutulo na pala ang mga luha mula sa isa kong mata. Iniharap ko ang kaniyang mukha sa akin at doon pumatak ang mga luha ko. His eyes were half-closed and his mouth was half-open. Niyugyog ko ang katawan niya, umaasang babalik ang kaniyang kamalayan.

"Hey, Al? Sumagot ka, please! Al, please!"

Inihiga ko ang kaniyang ulo sa aking hita. Wala na akong pakialam kung nabahiran ng dugo niya ang uniform ko. What mattered most was the life of my friend. My only trusted friend.

"Al, naririnig mo ba ako? Sumagot ka, Al! Please?"

Tuloy-tuloy na ang pagtulo ng mga luha ko, parang isang dam na bumigay. Kahit anong kagat ko sa aking labi, hindi ko na napigilan ang pag-agos. Muli ko siyang sinampal sa mukha, pero wala talaga.

"Don't worry, he's still alive!" anunsiyo ni Loki matapos i-check ang pulso ng kababata ko. "Call an ambulance immediately! We need to bring him to the hospital as soon as possible!"

"C-Copy that, Loki dear!" garalgal na sagot ni Jamie bago inilabas ang kaniyang phone. Nanginginig na nag-dial ng numero ang mga daliri niya. "H-Hello! May medical emergency kami rito sa third floor . . ."

Please let him live.

Please. Let him live.

"Ugh . . ."

"Al!" sabay na bulalas namin ni Loki nang bahagyang bumukas ang mga mata niya. Muling bumalik ang liwanag at pag-asa sa mga mukha namin. The heavens must have heard my plea!

"L-Lo . . . ri . . ." Bumuka ang bibig niya, pero sobrang hina ng kaniyang boses.

I shushed him before he could complete my name. "Reserve your strength! Please hang on!"

Gumalaw ang nanghihina at nanginginig niyang kamay. May itinuro siya sa ilalim ng mesa. Sinundan ko ng tingin kung saan siya nakaturo.

Bumuka ang aking bibig. Gusto kong sumigaw, pero walang boses na lumabas. Natulala rin ako sa aking nakita. Kahit masakit tingnan 'yon, hindi ko nagawang kumalas ng tingin. Sa pangalawang pagkakataon, halos nadurog ang puso ko.

Freyawas covered in blood, lying frozen on the cold floor. 

q.e.d.