L O R E L E I

"Lorelei, wake up. Nandito na tayo."

Naalimpungatan ako sa mahihinang tapik sa aking balikat. Pagmulat ko ng aking mga mata ay nakita ko ang childhood friend kong si Alistair na bahagyang nakangiti sa akin. I gave back a small smile at iginala ko ang aking paningin. Nakita kong nasa tapat kami ng isang napakatayog na gate, all made of brass and steel. Gawa sa purong adobe ang mga pader na pumapalibot sa buong villa. Mula sa malayo ay natatanaw ko na ang isang malaking bahay-- halos kasinlaki na ng aming mansyon. Mas tamang sabihin na tila iyon isang kastilyo. It was situated at the top of the hill, maybe 2 to 3 kilometers away from the gates. Nagmistulang walled city ang lugar.

Halos hindi ko namalayan ang byahe, pero laking pasalamat ko pa rin na naging mabilis ito at hindi kami masyadong inabutan ng traffic dahil sa Christmas rush.

Muli akong luminga sa paligid at napagtanto kong kami lamang pala ni Al ang naiwan sa sasakyan. Gamit namin ang asul niyang Subaru sa pagpunta sa isang liblib na lugar dito sa Cavite.

Isang jacket ang bahagyang dumausdos mula sa pagkakatakip sa akin. My eyebrows creased as I wonder whose jacket is this. Hindi ko natatandaang nag-empake ako ng ganito. At sino namang naglagay nito sa akin?

"That was Loki's." Al answered. He must've seen the confusion in my face. "You were beginning to feel cold earlier. Hihinaan ko na sana ang aircon but then he's made his action." Isang tango na lang ang isinagot ko sa kanya. I should say thanks to Loki kapag ibinalik ko na ito sa kanya.

"This is going to be fun!" Tili ng isang boses babaeng pamilyar sa akin. Binuksan ko na ang pinto sa passenger side at bumaba na ako, gayundin naman si Alistair. As usual, parang koalang nakakapit si Jamie sa aming walang kabuhay-buhay at mukhang bored na bored na club president na si Loki. May bago pa ba doon?

The cold December air was crisp and cruel, especially in the morning. Kinipkip kong mabuti ang jacket ni Loki na isinuot ko muna. Might as well use it since he sort of lent it to me. Nilingon kami ng dalawa. "Good morning, Lori!" Bati ni Jamie sa amin ni Al. "Good morning." Iwinaksi na nila agad ang kanilang tingin sa amin, but not fast enough as I was able to see the ghost of a smirk pulling against Loki's lips. It was very slight, but I'm sure of it.

Bakit pa kami bumaba? Iyon ay dahil sa kailangan naming magpakilala isa-isa at magbigay ng password bago kami makapasok nang tuluyan. Hindi ko rin alam kung anong pakulo ang naisip ng nag-imbita sa amin.

Nakasaad lahat ng detalye sa isang mensaheng natanggap namin sa apartment namin ni Loki noong nakaraang Linggo.

FLASHBACK

Maaga akong nagising nang araw na iyon kahit na halos hindi pa ako nakakatulog. The sudden revelation about my real relationship with Dad still bugged me even after weeks. Ang daming tanong na nabubuo sa isip ko and yet I don't how or where to find the answers.

Ipinilig ko ang aking ulo at lumabas na sa aking kwarto. Wala pang tao sa sala, marahil ay tulog pa si Loki. I made my way to the kitchen and began heating water. Maybe I could use a cup of coffee before I proceed to work. Balak ko kasing maglinis ng unit. I need to keep my mind busy dahil sasakit lang ang ulo ko thinking about the matters on hand.

"Lorelei? Loki? Gising na ba kayo?" Boses ni Tita Martha ang nagpabalik sa akin sa kasalukuyan. I didn't realize I was spacing out. Kaagad kong pinagbuksan ng pinto ang tiyahin ko.

"Good morning, tita." Isang ngiti ang isinagot sa akin ni Tita Martha bago iabot sa akin ang isang maliit na kahon ng regalo The box was wrapped with Christmas wrappers of green and red. "Nakita ko ito sa may mailbox kanina, eh napansin kong sa inyo naka-address, kaya dinala ko na. Urgent daw eh." Indeed, written on the card in bright red and bold letters was the said word.

Weird. Sino namang magpapadala ng ganitong regalo sa amin ni Loki? At isa pa, maaga pa para sa Pasko. Nagtataka man ay nagpasalamat na lamang ako kay Tita Martha. Kasasara ko lamang ng pinto ay siya namang paglabas ni Loki sa kanyang kwarto My eyes darted to his back. Inabangan ko kung may kasunod siya, baka kasi natulog ulit si Jamie sa kwarto niya nang hindi ko nalalaman. Buti naman wala.

"Morning." Himala, siya ang naunang bumati sa akin. Suddenly, his eyes were fixated on the small box I was holding, questioning as to what it is for.

"Sabi ni Tita Martha, this is for the both of us." I shrugged my shoulders and left the gift on the table. Turning the stove off, I started making my own cup of coffee. "Could you please make me one cup too?" Sambit ni Loki na ikinagulat ko naman. He was very particular with the taste and flavor of his favorite drink so this request of his was definitely unexpected. Gayunman ay ipinagtimpla ko pa din siya.

Inoobserbahan niya ang kahon nang iabot ko sa kanya ang tasa, his fingers tapping the edge of his chin. He gave a small nod as acknowledgment, bago muling bumalik sa pagtitig sa box. "I can't hear the ticking of a clock so most probably this is not a bomb. But we must not be so sure."

Inilapag ko ang tasa ng kape bago sinimulang buksan na ang regalo. Nakita ko pa ang pagtutol sa mukha ni Loki pero nasira ko na ang gift wrap.There was this odd logo of a white rabbit on the top. Binuksan ko ang box at may isang tablet akong nakita doon. Kinuha ko ang gadge at binuksan iyon.

Greetings, Q.E.D Club!

This riddle is easy, you need not worry!

Though the clock is ticking, use your brains quickly!

The train is coming, you have to hurry!

Ibinaba ko ang tablet upang makita din ni Loki ang nakasulat. Maya-maya pa ay nagta-type na siya ng sagot, which is Chess. Wala pa yatang dalawang minute at nasagutan na niya ang riddle. Well, this is Loki we're talking about. The riddle was really easy for him, as the message said. "This is a double-coded riddle, using Rail Fence and Viginere cipher." Loki didn't mind elaborating further, na okay lang naman sa akin. I understood the reason behind Rail Fence, anyway. As long as the answer was given already, walang problema.

Congratulations! You are among the few chosen to participate in the first ever Amazing Race: The Sherlock Holmes Edition! Enclosed within the box are the map to serve as a guide, and the key cards which you shall use in the duration of your stay in the villa. I am sincerely hoping that you will come and meet the challenge. But of course, you will. 'No' is unacceptable as an answer. See you soon, detectives!

The Grandmaster

Villa Del Mundo

P.S This device will self-destruct in five seconds. J Dispose properly!

True enough, there were four gold cards inside the box, and the map as well. Isang bayan sa Cavite ang pupuntahan namin. Sinubukan kong hanapin sa Google Maps ang lugar ngunit kakatwang walang kahit anong lumabas na nagngangalang Villa Del Mundo.

"We should go." There was this amused smile on Loki's face, and I knew right there and then that the event caught his attention. "Wala din naman akong gagawin ngayong Pasko, so this Amazing Race whatever might be a productive thing to do."

I also thought about it. Dati-rati, kahit wala si Dad ay sa bahay ako nagpa-Pasko. Pero sa mga nangyari noong nakaraan, maybe I needed to get away, so I can breathe fresh air. I don't think Dad will mind, anyway. Mas mabuti na rin siguro ito para sa aming dalawa. I gave him a go tapos ako na din ang nagpaalam kina Alistair at Jamie. The trip would be a week from now.

And that's how we ended up here today. Nagsimula na kaming magpakilala isa-isa doon sa parang scanner na hindi ko nakitang nasa gilid pala. "Welcome, Q.E.D Club." An electronic voice spoke up from the machine, then it asked for the password after. No one dared to step up to do the task. I rolled my eyes as I volunteered myself.

"Goat laugh."

I sounded unsure that time."Access denied. Didn't you read the parentheses?" Ugh, this is frustrating! Seriously, do they really think I'm doing this? Muli kong tiningnan ang mga kasama ko, ngunit nag-iwas lamang sila ng tingin. Even Al! Kung hindi lang talaga ako nagugutom na...

"Mehehehehe."

"Access granted."

The gates opened as if they were controlled electronically by remote. Unti-unti hanggang sa tuluyan itong bumukas. A girl, probably 12 years of age appeared before us, a wide grin etched on her lips. Marahil ay nasa limang talampakan lamang ang height ng babaeng sumalubong sa amin, siguro'y nasa elementary pa lamang ito. Tinitigan ko siya and I noticed something familiar about her. Saan ko ba siya nakita noon?..

"Hello po! My name's Rhea, and I will be your guide all throughout your stay here. Welcome and enjoy Villa Del Mundo!" Halatang scripted nabati niya sa amin. Rhea...

Almost immediately, I felt Loki stiffened as she heard the girl's name. At isa pang nakakagulat na fact, aside that she's bearing the same name with Loki's special friend, is that she looks like an exact copy of Rhea in her younger years, except the hair color. This Rhea has a pure jet black hair, and like the older one, her hair was tied in a braid and was hanging over her shoulder. Hindi ko man lubusang nakilala ang dating Q.E.D club member, no one can't deny the uncanny resemblance between the two. Natatandaan ko pa ang selfie na ipinakita ni Loki sa akin the day Jamie applied as a member of the club.

Nanatiling nakatitig si Loki sa bata, at tulad ng kanyang naging reaksyon noong makilala niya si Jamie, nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata, and he became as pale as a sheet of paper. Maging si Jamie ay natigilan sandal noong makita niya si Rhea, ngunit kaagad din iyong nawala. Hindi na ako nag-abalang magpaliwanag kay Alistair na halata namang clueless sa naging reaksyon namin, but I knew he saw how Rhea somehow resembled Jamie.

Great, we have two Rhea look-a-likes now. I just hope this girl would behave properly, unlike our former theater actress. May pag-aalalang tumingin ako muli kay Loki, and he seemed to have gathered his thoughts. I wonder how's he going to be as we go along this trip.

Nagtataka naming napakurap ang mga mata ni Rhea, palipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa bawat isa sa amin. "Ah, may nasabi po ba akong masama?"

"No, no, it's not like that. We just remembered someone..." Ako na ang sumagot kay Rhea dahil natahimik bigla si Loki. Well, as if he talks a lot.

Bumalik muli ang masayahing mukha ni Rhea at patalon-talong tuluyan nang lumapit sa amin. "Hi, are you Lorelei Rios? Can I call you Ate?" Napakalapad ng ngiting ibinungad sa akin ni Rhea. Medyo nakatingala pa siya ng konti sa akin dahil may kaliitan siya. She's so cute! Lalo na ngayong natitigan ko siya sa malapitan. That porcelain white skin, chinky eyes, and dimples on both of her cheeks...she's plain adorable! Parang nakikita ko si Freya sa kanya.

"Of course you can. Ilang taon ka na ba?"

"I'm 16!" Hyper niyang sagot, na ikinagulat ko din naman. I thought she's just 12 or something, turns out she's just two years younger than us. Pardon me for judging her that fast, pero iyon kasi ang idinidiktang hitsura at kilos niya. Totoo nga ang kasabihang 'don't judge a book by its cover.'

The lass just beamed at me, as if she knew what's running on my mind that moment. Waving her hand dismissively, she continued. "I heard that a lot already so no need to sweat, Ate Lorelie. Besides, I like looking young, works to my advantage most of the time." She ended her statement with a playful wink.

Bumaling naman ang kanyang tingin sa dalawang lalaking kasama namin. With her hands on her back, she glanced at the two of them, though mas nagtagal kay Loki, like she was analyzing him. Rhea tilted her head to the side, and then smiled warmly before the two. "Hi Kuya Al, Kuya Louis!" May kasama pang pagkaway na bumati si Rhea sa kanila. Kumaway pabalik ang aking kababata habang nanatiling nakatulala lamang si Loki.

Teka, how did she knew about Loki's real name? "Nag-research po ako tungkol sa inyo, Ate Lorelei."

Wala pa naman akong itinatanong ah? How did she—oh no, don't tell me we've got another mind reader here. "You're like an open book, Lori. At least sometimes. And I guess Rhea here is a smart and observant girl, kaya siguro nabasa niya ang mga kilos mo." My childhood friend, Alistair spoke from behind. His gaze was soft as he looked at me, before he messed Rhea's hair slightly and smiled fondly at her. Parang bata kung ituring niya si Rhea.

"Naisip ko po kasi, ilang araw din po tayong magkakasama-sama, dapat po siguro ay may nalalaman din ako sa inyo as a guide." She gave me a knowing look, as if saying there's more to her than meets the eye. Maybe I should watch out for this girl.

Huli niyang tinapunan ng tingin si Jamie habang nananatili sa kanyang pwesto. "Hi Rhea, ako si Jamie. You're so beautiful, just like me!" She was giggling as she introduced herself. Surprisingly, the cheerful greeting was left ignored, and Rhea's face was blank. Isang pilit na ngiti ang iginawad niya kay Jamie, bago muling bumalik sa harapan ko. From my peripheral vision, I can see Jamie's jaw dropped at the sudden hostility towards her. Just like Freya everytime Jamie tries to pet her, though Rhea was a bit nicer dahil kahit paano ay nagawa niya itong ngitian kahit hilaw.

"Tara na po sa loob! Siguro po'y nakahain na ang almusal. Maaga po ang naging byahe niyo kaya baka gutom na po kayo." Anyaya niya sa amin.

"Why don't you join us in the car, Rhea? I believe we still have some space for you at the back." Ngayon lang ulit nagsalita si Loki, siguro'y nakabawi na sa shock kanina.

"Thanks for the offer Kuya Louis, pero kaya ko naman po. Sa susunod na lang po siguro." Saglit pa niyang tiningnan si Jamie before going back inside the gates. Kami naman ay bumalik na rin sa Subaru ni Al. Lalakarin lang kaya ni Rhea hanggang sa mismong villa? That's too far for her.

An engine roared, and we witnessed as Rhea started driving a motorcycle. Isang malapad na ngiti muli ang iginawad niya sa amin at muling kumaway. "See you on the villa! Yeeha!"

And she started speeding up through the woods, leaving a whirlwind of dust behind. It was a good thing the windows of our car was closed.

What a weird girl.

---

To say that the villa is beautiful would be an understatement. The whole place screams of elegance and luxury. Expensive-looking ornate chandeliers were hanging from the high ceilings in the first floor. Mula sa labas hanggang sa loob ay punong-puno ang bahay ng Christmas decorations na may temang White Christmas. Marami ding antique pieces na nagsilbing decorations ng buong bahay. There were even several paintings I could recognize as something valuable. Just how rich the owner of this villa is?

"Villa Del Mundo was built during the early 1900s, and was passed down to generations. Continuous renovations were made in the villa, but the original aesthetics were preserved." Rhea started the brief introduction, as if she was reading an invincible paper on her hand. "The entire lot covered within the walls was estimated to be 50 hectares, including the forest you have seen on your way here."

Iginiya niya kami sa living room ng villa, which was enormous enough to accommodate a hundred or so people. There was also this giant Christmas tree filled with lots of balls and garlands standing proud against the fireplace. Several gift boxes like those we received are adorning the pine tree. I'm sure it was authentic.

"There are five floors to this estate, you can use either the elevator or the stairs, whichever you prefer. 50 rooms at least, each with its own living room complete with the whole entertainment set, a walk-in closet, a mini-refrigerator, bathroom, Jacuzzi, a king-sized bed...basically everything you need is within arm's reach. Mamaya po, ituturo ko kung saan ang kwarto niyo, but for the meantime, breakfast shall be served."

The four of us followed Rhea through a hall until we reached the said dining room. Staffs were scurrying here and there, placing different platters of food on the 16-seater table. Pagkatapos ay pumila sila sa magkabilang hanay ng mesa at yumuko sa amin. Alanganing yumuko din ako bilang pagbati. Someone snapped a finger and in the blink of an eye, they were gone except for the two maids na marahil ay mas matanda lamang ng ilang taon sa amin.

Napakadaming nakahaing pagkain sa lamesa gayong lima lang naman kaming kakain. Sayang naman dahil siguradong hindi namin ito mauubos.

"Enjoy the breakfast!" Nauna pang pumwesto si Rhea sa left side ng mesa. Nag-umpisa na din kaming maghanap ng aming mauupuan. "Loki dear, tabi—"

Before Jamie could finish her statement, Rhea interjected. With her puppy eyes, she pleaded towards Loki. "Kuya Louis, tabi tayo please? Dito ka po sa right side ko. Please?" Hindi na nag-atubiling umupo si Loki sa upuang katabi ni Rhea, and there was a smile etched on his lips. Tuwang-tuwa naman si Rhea sa naging pagpayag ni Loki. "Ate Lorelei, dito ka na po sa left ko. Okay lang?" Tell me, how could I say no to this cute little girl?

Hindi ko man siya direktang tinitingnan, ramdam ko ang pagngingitngit ni Jamie sa nangyari. And I know that most of it was directed to me. Pinabayaan ko na lang siya dahil wala naman akong ginagawang masama. Padarag siyang umupo sa upuang katapat ni Loki bago napapailing na lamang na sumunod si Alistair at tumabi sa kanya. We said our graces before delving into our own plates. Stealing a glance at Rhea, I can see the corner of her lips pulling up into a smirk bago ito tuluyang naging isang ngiti. Magana kaming kumain lahat and for awhile, the table remained silent, tanging tunog lamang ng mga kutsara at tinidor ang maririnig.

After satisfying our hunger, sandali pa kaming nanatili sa lamesa. Alistair spoke up, his eyes darted towards our guide. "Ang alam ko ay isang race ito, Rhea. Where are the other participants? It seems like we are the only ones here."

"All other four teams have arrived a day before, Kuya Al. By this time, maybe they're still asleep, or doing other extracurricular activities. Anyway, bukas pa naman po ang start ng race so this day is free for you. You can use it for resting purposes. Kung gusto niyo naman po maglibot, I'd be more than willing to tour you around. Lagi niyo lang po dadalhin yung gold cards for easy access and identification."

---

The lukewarm water of the Jacuzzi was very necessary to soothe me down. We spent the whole day exploring different parts of the villa, at hindi sapat ang isang araw lang para mapuntahan namin lahat ng rooms. Nalaman din namin na may Olympic sized swimming pool sa bandang likod ng villa at napagkasunduan naming puntahan iyon sa last day namin dito. Anyway, we have two days more at isang araw lang naman ang race, so we can spend the Christmas Day as to how we like it.

After half an hour of soaking and taking a bath ay lumabas na ako sa bathroom. Nagpalit ako ng isang kumportableng pares ng pajama bago ko pinatuyo ang buhok ko gamit ang blow dryer. Totoo ngang halos nandito na sa room ang lahat ng kailangan namin. Even the fridge was full.

Dahil hindi pa naman ako masyadong inaantok at hindi rin naman ako nanonood ng TV, lumabas muna ako sa veranda na kanugnog ng kwarto ko. Muli kong isinuot ang jacket na ipinahiram ni Loki sa akin kanina dahil talagang malamig sa kinaroroonan naming ngayon, idagdag mo pang nasa 4th floor kami. Our rooms are just adjacent to each other, although hindi ko alam kaninong kwarto ang katabi ng sa akin.

May naramdaman akong pagkaluskos sa bandang kanan ko and I was surprised to see Loki. Our verandas were connected, I see.

Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kinaroroonan niya bago humilig sa railing. Nakita kong napatitig pa siya sa suot ko bago siya muling bumalik sa pagtitig sa kalangitang puno ng bituin.

I tried opening a conversation. "Is it okay with your family that you didn't get to spend this Christmas with them? What did your father and Lucian told you?"

Kumunot ang noo ni Loki. "Lucian? I didn't know you guys were close despite the numerous times I told you to stay away from him, Lorelei." There was an obvious hint of disgust in his voice as he spat those words out. Nagkibit-balikat ako. Hindi na yata talaga magbabago pa ang tingin ni Loki sa kanyang 'despicable wizard' and 'apocalypse' of a brother.

"As answer to your question, they didn't mind. We spend the season every year on our own, so this is not new. What about you?"

There was this unspoken question about me and my Dad. "It's just the same as yours. And I needed to get away even for awhile. It would be suffocating for me and him to stay in the same house." I heaved a small sigh before remembering that I have to ask him something.

"Don't you find this Rhea weird? I mean, isn't it so big of a coincidence that she looked and was named exactly like your special friend? Isa pa, I can't place it properly but I feel that we need to watch out for her." I was talking about the sudden shift of her mood when we encountered her brother earlier.

We were passing by the ballroom when a tall and handsome man passed by us. Rhea introduced him to us as Ezrael, her older brother, and the guide of the team somewhere from Visayas. He gave each of us a handshake until he settled on me. I don't like this guy. He was checking me out, I can feel it. "Hi gorgeous, what's your lovely name?" Really, I wanted to wipe off the stupid smirk on his face so bad.

"For goodness sake, Kuya Ez, stop hitting on Ate Lorelei!" Bahagya pang natatawang sambit ni Rhea sa kanyang kapatid. Ngunit ang mayabang na lalaki ay patuloy sa kanyang kakaibang pag-ngiti at tingin sa akin. Seriously, he's creeping me out. Naramdaman kong nilapitan ako ni Alistair at pumwesto siya sa bandang unahan ko, and he was in his protective stance. Si Freya na nasa aking mga bisig ay nanlilisik ang mga matang nakatingin kay Ezrael at akma pang kumakawala sa aking hawak, siguro ay upang kalmutin ang lalaki. She began to calm down after I started rubbing her chin. It works almost all the time. Nagulat din kami na makitang kasunod na namin ang aming club cat after we finished eating our meal.

Bahagya akong napalingon sa kinatatayuan ni Loki and he was just there, wearing his usual impassive face. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero nakaramdam ako ng disappointment.

Narinig kong tumigil na sa pagtawa si Rhea. Pumormal ang kanyang mukha, tila nagyeyelo ang titig na ipinupukol nito sa likod ni Ezrael. "I'm giving you three seconds to get away from her, dear brother. You surely don't like it when I'm mad, so quit pushing my buttons."

Gone was the cheerful and bubbly Rhea that we met awhile ago. Sobrang seryoso niya kung titingnan, tipong hindi mo nanaising biruin pa siya. Her eyes full of warmth were now giving glares as cold as ice. Mabilis na napawi ang ngisi sa mukha ni Ezrael at parang nahihintakutang lumayo bigla sa akin. Nagmamadaling lumapit ito sa kanyang kapatid at nakayukong umiiwas sa mga mata ni Rhea.

For a moment there, she was so scary. Medyo kinilabutan ako sa bilis ng pagbabago ng kanyang mood, mas mabilis pa yata sa kung paano magpalit ng katauhan si Jamie kapag nasa paligid si Loki. I never thought that with a girl her size, may lalaking mangingilag sa kanya, and to think that Ezrael was two years her senior and a foot taller than her. Tumingin ako kay Alistair at alam kong may naramdaman din siyang kakaiba kanina.

"She's awesome.." May bahid ng paghanga sa boses ni Jamie habang nakatingin sa magkapatid, lalo na sa babae, though I can feel she's also a bit intimidated, judging the way she's hiding from Loki's back.

Rhea turned her back to us and whispered something inaudible to her older brother before we saw him disappear into a corner. Sa kanyang paglingon sa amin ay nakalarawan nang muli sa kanyang mukha ang kasiyahan, acting as if the previous encounter never happened.

"Ang galing ko pong umarte 'no? Natakot si Kuya Ez sa akin." Humahagikhik na bumaling sa amin si Rhea. "Balak ko pong mag-try sa theater kapag nag-college na ako."

Jamie, despite the attitude Rhea has shown to her earlier, could only agree more. "You have the makings of a good actress, Rhea. Alam mo bang I used to be part of the repertory in our school? You can be sly and vicious like a fox with that talent of yours."

Muli ay nakita ko ang pag-ngisi ni Rhea kay Jamie, na ngayon ay hayagan na niyang ipinakita. "Takes one to know one, right? Ang magnanakaw, galit sa kapwa niya magnanakaw. I could say the same about chameleons hiding in their perfect disguise, blending in the environment as a piece of cake. People who have lots of secrets they hide within them."

And for the second time, Jamie was left jaw-dropped by Rhea's burning remarks.

"We can trust her, Lorelei. No need to worry about her." Loki's gentle yet dull voice snapped me out of my reverie. "Rhea.." The name was softly spoken. I can see that Loki has been fond of her, because of the way he talks about the girl. "...can even be useful to us."

It's not that I don't trust Loki's judgment, but how can he sound so sure about our little guide? As if reading my thoughts, he tilted his head and answered. "Do you trust me, Lorelei?"

"Of course I do!" was my abrupt answer. Matagal na rin naman kaming magkasama sa club and I had known that he won't do anything stupid. He may be cunning and a little bit obnoxious but he's definitely one to be trusted.

"Thank you, Lorelei." His gaze softened as we looked into each other's eyes. "Someone I knew very well told me that Rhea is not harmful. And I knew that person is telling nothing but the truth." The staring contest took awhile before Loki broke the connection first. "We should rest. We need all the energy we can save for tomorrow's events."

All I could do was nod at him. If he says that Rhea is okay, then I believe in him.

"Good night, Loki."

"Good night, Lorelei."

---

By 7 am, everyone of us has already eaten our breakfast. We are now gathered in the villa's living room. Nakita kong muli si Ezrael and not once did he cast a glance on me again. Good. I need to focus today. Naipakilala na din sa amin ang ibang teams and they were plain civil. All other guides including Rhea and Ezrael were orphans and were nurtured by the grandmaster. Si Rhea ang bunso sa kanilang lima.

"Good morning, detectives!" A man in his thirties greeted us. He has this jolly personality you can compare to Rhea's. "Welcome to the first ever Amazing Race: Sherlock Holmes Edition! I am Sherdan Willock, your grandmaster for today's events. I am very happy that each and everyone of you has come and appeased to this old man's whims." Siya lamang ang natawa sa sarili niya. Old man? He calls himself that?

"You see, I am a very, very big fan of Sir Sherlock Holmes, and one day I thought, 'Why not gather detectives from all over the country and see how skilled they are in this field?' And so, here you are people. You are carefully picked and chosen, well-known to your areas as great solvers of conundrums. Yet still, we have to know who's the best among the best, right?"

"Now, as a great motivator for you to work hard today.." He clicked his fingers and a man handed him a golden envelope. "Inside this is the diamond card, possessed by only a few people in the whole world. Dangerous, no? This little thing, in case you win them, could grant each member of your team a wish. Whatever it may be, as long as you think it's possible, then you shall have it."

Nang ipakita ni Sir Sherdan ang laman ng envelope ay doon na napako ang tingin ng lahat. Nandoon nga ang isang diamond card, which was literally made of diamond. I don't know how it happened, but it was real.

"Today's goal would be to find your team flag and bring it here in the living room, and finish the race by answering the final question correctly. It's the only way that this diamond card will be in your possession. If it happens that everyone of you were able to find the flag but no one has answered the question correctly, then say goodbye to this precious little thing."

The Grandmaster waved his hand accordingly. "Now, the first clue. Follow the white rabbit. Good luck, sleuths!"

---

I don't know how but we ended up following Rhea everywhere she goes. Nang mapansin niyang sinusundan namin siya, or more like Loki following her and us following him, ay nagsimula na siyang tanungin kami.

"Bakit niyo po ako sinusundan? 'Di ba po ang sabi, follow the white rabbit?"

"You are the white rabbit, Rhea." 'Yun ang narinig kong sabi ni Loki. Huh? How did she became—oh. Now I see.

"Was it because she's wearing all white today, and she has a rabbit tattoo on her left shoulder?"

Puro puti nga ang suot ni Rhea ngayong araw. White crop top, white washed jeans, including the rubber shoes..all white. At kung hindi pa nalilis ang suot niyang damit ay hindi pa namin makikita ang tattoo.

"You're learning a lot from me, Lorelei. Precisely the right reasons."

Napapalakpak at manghang-mangha naman si Rhea sa aming little deduction show. "You two are so cool! Ang bilis niyo naming na-gets ang clue. Si Grandmaster ayaw maniwala sa akin na masyado siyang madali." I could see a pout forming on Rhea's lips, earning a light chuckle from me. I ended up ruffling her hair a bit, and she could only beam back.

We found ourselves inside the ballroom where we met Ezrael. There were people clad in gowns and suits, and some of them were dancing. There was also a banquet prepared at the side. Parang nagkaroon bigla ng party.

"Kayo na po ang bahala rito." Our guide gave way and stepped aside, proceeding to the banquet and grabbing a plate. Mukhang kakain muna siya habang naghihintay.

"Nga po pala, you need to dance in pairs for you to find a clue. Sadie Hawkins dance style!" Pahabol na sigaw ni Rhea sa amin. As if on cue, every girl in the room asked a man to be her partner in dance. And automatically, Jamie grabbed Loki's arms and parted from us. I ended up being in the arms of my childhood friend.

"Don't you want me here, Lori?" Alistair asked as he placed both of his hands on my waist, mine encircled on his neck. Mula sa pagkakatingin ko sa pwesto nina Jamie ay napatingin ako kay Al. I shook my head. "Of course not, Al. There's no one else here I could ask for a dance without it being awkward."

Akma pa sanang magsasalita ang aking kapareha, pero hindi na niya itinuloy. Nagsimula na kaming magmasid sa paligid para sa susunod na clue. Si Rhea naman ay tahimik na kumakain sa isang table, pero masama ang tingin niya sa pwesto nina Loki.

A soft tune began resonating throughout the room. At first, it was all but a luscious melody but then...

Matapos ang ilang sandali ay hinila ko na si Al upang puntahan sina Jamie. Halfway there, we met the said couple. Napangiti ako kay Loki. "You heard it too?"

"Heard what?" Litong tanong naman ni Jamie. Loki ignored her question and smiled back at me. "As always, you have keen observations, Lorelei. Let's go!"

Muntik na naming makalimutan si Rhea, who was still busy eating. Seriously, she has that monster appetite? Punong-puno ang plato niya ng iba't-ibang klase ng pagkain. Hindi pa ba siya nabusog sa almusal kanina? "Rhea!" I caught her attention. Nagmamadali siyang lumapit sa amin. "Nakuha niyo na ulit ang clue? Grabe kayo mga ate at kuya! Tara, saan po ba ang susunod?" She wiped her mouth clean using the back of her hand before leading us outside.

"Let's check the kitchen."

---

"Are you sure you don't know about the clues scattered around the villa, Rhea?" Nang-aakusa ang tonong tanong ni Jamie.

"Well, if you don't know what the word 'guide' means, then I suggest you consult the dictionary, Miss Jamie." Loads of sarcasm laced her voice as she retorted back at Jamie. "Ginagawa ko lang kung anong trabaho ko. Besides, kahit pa alam ko, does it change anything? Do you think I would tell you? What would the essence of the game be?"

I still don't get it why Rhea's being hotheaded against Jamie. She just knew us recently, so there's no reason for her to hold grudges, right?

"Nagtatanong lang naman ako eh. Loki dear, inaaway ako ni Rhea!" Parang batang nagsumbong si Jamie. Bahagya namang nangunot ang noo ni Loki, though he kept looking around for any possible clues. Rhea was about to reply yet with just one glance from Loki and she zipped her mouth shut. Nagtatampong umupo siya sa isang high chair na nasa may island doon. Loki just heaved a sigh while shaking his head and resuming his recent activity.

"Rhea, where's the swimming pool?"

I turned towards Alistair. Why is he suddenly bringing this topic up?

"That's where the next clue is."

Oh.

---

After spending the whole day running here and there, we were the first team to come back to the living room, Jamie holding our flag with our club's name on it. Sir Sheldan was sitting all mighty like a king on his throne. Our team flag was found in my bedroom, under the huge mattress.

"Very well, as expected from the prime QED club. I am very impressed as to how quick you were able to find your flag. Now, are you ready to answer the final question?" Amusement was clearly visible in the Grandmaster's eyes. He has this weird habit of wiggling his clasped fingers. Napakamasayahin naman niya.

Hindi pa namin napapag-usapan ang tungkol dito. And the decision is still upon Loki, since he's the club president. "No thanks. We shall wait for the other teams to arrive."

"If you say sooo~" He answered in a sing-song voice. He snapped his fingers once again. Nakita na lamang namin na may mga snacks na ipinasok sa living room, varying from cakes and pastries to shakes and drinks. The host gestured his hand. "Indulge yourselves."

Kanya-kanya na kaming kuha ng kakainin. Rhea was there again with her beastly appetite. There are at least five slices of different flavors of cake on one hand, and other kinds of sweets on the other. Nagpasunod pa siya ng grande serving ng shake bago napiling umupo sa tabi ni Sherdan Willock. Bahagyang ginulo ni Sherdan ang buhok ng aming guide bago tuwang-tuwa pinanood na lamang nito ang maganang pagkain ni Rhea.

Sa gitna ng aming pagme-meryenda ay nagsalita si Jamie. "How did you guys get the second clue, anyway? You're still not telling us." Balik na naman si Jamie sa usual niyang gawain, ang kumapit kay Loki. Humilig pa ito sa balikat niya. Loki remained silent as he sipped from his canned coffee na ni-request niya pa talaga kanina.

"Morse code. There was a pattern on the beats of the music, parang tap dance. It was very faint but still audible." Since I became part of the club, I started searching about codes and ciphers one by one. It was a bit hard but I'm managing to learn slowly. I can't rely on Loki forever. Para saan pa at naging member ako ng detective club? Loki put me as the chronicler but learning new things wouldn't hurt.

Napatango naman ang dalawa naming kasamahan. "What about the next clue, Al?"

Inilapag muna ni Al ang kanyang plato bago nagsalita. "I thought that it's just the design of the kitchen tiles by the sink, but there was also a pattern. Those series of black tiles against the white tiles. Remember Braille?"

The next hour was spent by eating, talking about the day's adventure, and thinking what would probably be the final question. Jamie's retentive memory once again proved to be of essence in our club, although her clinginess towards Loki is something that disturbed me.

Isang team na lamang ang hinihintay naming makabalik sa living room bago pa ibigay sa amin ibigay ang final question. Several moments passed and still no sign of them. What's taking them so long?

An ear-piercing scream broke us out of our reverie. It sounded like Rhea's.

Immediately, we searched for the source of the sound. Loki led the way, dashing through the halls. Worry was evident in those dull orbs of his.

We found her in the ballroom, and lying in front of her is Ezrael's body covered in blood. He was stabbed multiple times, the most fatal one in his heart. The team he's guiding stood in shock and disbelief behind Rhea.

Loki rushed to his side, checking for signs of life. Meanwhile, I ran towards Rhea's side and began calming her down because she was starting to cry in hysterics. "Kuya Ez!" Pilit niyang kumawala sa yakap ko but I stood firm. "Hush down, Rhea." I began caressing her hair softly. Nagsisimula na kasi siyang sinukin. Jamie handed her a goblet of water and she drank it all in one gulp.

"He's okay, Kuya Louis..right? This is just a prank."

Loki didn't meet her gaze, instead he bowed his head down. "I'm sorry, Rhea."

"You're not saying that, Kuya Louis..."

---

The ambulance and the police rushed into the villa after a few minutes. Sir Sherdan was currently talking to the authorities.

We began investigating the crime scene. Kasalukuyan nang under autopsy ang katawan ni Ezrael. Na-check na din namin ang CCTV cameras and nothing useful came out.

"What do you think about this, Lorelei?" Loki suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Rhea was brought back to her room and she was sedated because she cannot calm down after hearing Loki's findings.

"I can't see anything odd about the kitchen, Loki. If I remember it right, the kitchen was as clean as it is when we arrived here before." Jamie butted in. "She's right, Loki dear. Thanks to my superb retentive memory, I am a hundred percent sure that nothing changed." Magbuhat ba naman ng sariling bangko. Alistair's opinion was the same.

Loki laughed as if he was amused. "Right deductions, but insufficient."

The other teams, including Sir Sherdan and the authorities began crowding around us. Our club president smirked like he was enjoying the attention. "This is really funny, Sherdan Willock. Do you think I wouldn't know that everything's a fraud?"

Several gasps were heard across the room. The Grandmaster just smiled.

"Let's hear your deductions, Mr. Detective."

Cue in Loki's infamous smirk. "It was very easy, actually. You just have to pay attention."

---

Turns out that the murder scene was staged. The blood in his body were fake, the stab wounds were just prosthetics. We were all fooled.

"Kaya ba walang kahit anong lumabas sa records ng security cameras, except that Ezrael came out of nowhere with a knife in his heart?" Loki nodded his head while petting Freya, who was playing with Rhea now.

That girl, she's a very good actress. I really believed she was devastated about her older brother's death, but she was actually just an accomplice in this huge game of chess manipulated by The Grandmaster.

"The prosthetics were as good as real, I must say." Freya jumped out of his lap and rested on Rhea instead. "And Rhea's such great at disguising her own feelings, but she let me see just one small flaw." He gave a small tap on her head, a smile slowly breaking out on his lips. Napanguso naman siya. "Oo na,oo na, I'll bear that in mind Kuya Louis."

"And that is?" Takang tanong ni Jamie. Kibit-balikat lamang ang naging tugon ni Loki sa kanya.

"Here's another huge fact." Loki claimed in a suspense-filled voice. "From the beginning, there was no race. All faces we saw here earlier are part of the Grandmaster's chess game."

Napatingin kaming lahat kay Sherdan Willock, who's wearing this huge grin on his face. "Bravo, bravo! Indeed, as my dear friend have told me. I have to clear though, me being a Sherlock fan was real. And the diamond card is also authentic."

"I have heard about your club and the cases you have solved in Clark High, and all those other that you solved outside the school. I was pretty impressed, so I had to see for myself."

Si Alistair naman ang sumunod na nagsalita. "Do we still get to hear the final question?"

Malakas na napahalakhak si Sherdan. "Impatient, are we, Mr. Ravena? But of course, you do. As I've said, the diamond card was real." He did that odd habit of his again. "I wonder what your heart's greatest wish is that you wanted the card so bad?" That huge grin of his turned into a wicked one.

"For the final question..who's the Grandmaster?"

---

Noche Buena na ngayon. Lahat kami, kasama na ang mga inakala naming team members na kalaban namin, even Ezrael, who was actually a nice but timid guy, joined us. The villa was definitely in a feast. Napuno ng kasiyahan ang buong lugar. We were even given gifts by Sir Sherdan commending us for the job well done. Kahit si Rhea ay binigyan kaming lahat ng regalo..well, except for Jamie.

It's still a few minutes before the clock strikes twelve. I was at the villa's main door, a goblet of sparkling water in my hand. There was nothing but plain darkness that met my eyes, but somehow the peace made me relax. The day has been long.

Earlier that night, I managed to send a greeting to Dad thru text. As usual, there was no reply. I expected it, anyway. I was just trying to be polite to him.

"A penny for your thoughts?" For awhile, I didn't recognize the voice. I thought it was Al, but I was wrong.

"It's nothing, Loki." I sipped gently from my glass. "Why are you here? You're not enjoying the party?

"I could ask you the same." He shot back as he leaned against the other side of the door.

"I was just stargazing."

A hearty chuckle escaped his mouth,"That's a nice way of saying 'I don't like the noise inside, it's too much."

My lips curled up in a smile. "Something a Louis Kingsley Mendez would say."

There was a few minutes of comfortable silence between the two of us, before it was disturbed by a flash of a camera.

"Oops."

Rhea was holding a polaroid camera, and she was like a deer caught in the headlights. Napakamot siya sa kanyang ulo. "Ehehehehe...Peace?"

Napatawa na lamang kami ni Loki sa kanya.

"Merry Christmas,Ate Lorelei, Kuya Louis. How about a kiss?"

W-what? A kiss? What's she talking about?

Her lips perked up and she motioned to something above us. A mistletoe.

"That's absurd, Rhea. Why would –"

FLASH!

"Merry Christmas, Lorelei."

---

"As expected from Q.E.D Club's president. You never cease to amaze me, Loki. Though I am puzzled as to why you didn't tell everybody about my identity. And the ending? Boriiing. I was kinda disappointed, you know. "

"It's for everybody's benefit."

"And how is that?"

"It will only make us greedy, and greed is a deadly sin."

"You just wasted the diamond card!"

"I don't care."

"How did you know it was me?"

"I already had speculations as soon as we stepped inside the villa, and your confirmation of loving anagrams was the only thing I needed."

"You seem to trust me so well."

"I know that you're definitely not on the bad side."

"Trust me, it's you that I'm giving a favor..a chance. And I succeeded!"

"I would've been happier if you didn't meddle and just let me work on it by myself."

"No, no. It would surely take ages kung sa iyo ako aasa. The Grandmaster needs to take charge!"

---

How about you? Yes, the one who's reading this. Who do you think is The Grandmaster? J

#

D" ^