Chapter 22: Camp Olympus (On The Way)

"Nope, it's just as simple as that and the culprit that it points out is -" I look at them, I am positive that my deduction is correct. He could be the only one who did it.

"It's Mr. Euler Roxas."

Gulat na gulat naman ito at tiningnan ako ng masama. "Why are you accusing me brat!?", bumaling siya sa mga pulis. "And why would you even believe her? She's just a brat who tries to put her nose into police works!"

"Maari mo bang ipaliwanag ng maayos ang batayan mo kung bakit nasabi mong siya ang salarin?", the police asked me.

"It's the formula. Dahil nga nasa polar form ito, it could be simply written into Euler's formula. We don't have to solve such equation because it already tells us the name. The symbol e is Euler's number. In case θ= π is Euler's identity, that is e subscript i π. It establishes the fundamental relationship between the trigonometric functions and the complex exponential function."

"So you mean, it's the name of the formula?", tanong ni Imelda.

I nodded. "It's named after Leonhard Euler. I think bago pa lamang siya pinatay ang biktima ay nagsusulat siya sa buhangin", sagot ko. "Hindi iyon kataka-taka since isa siyang math professor. Probably writing whom he was meeting with through Mathematics while waiting for him out of boredom."

"But that's not enough evidence! I'm a lawyer at nakakasira sa akin ang pinagsasabi ng batang ito!", he said. Galit na galit na ang mukha nito. He's sweating all over.

"Inspector, it's not my only basis. Look at the victim's palm. Its finger isn't that dirty right? At first I thought na stick at hindi kamay ang gamit niya sa pagsusulat, but now I figured out na kamay niya ang ang ipinansulat at hindi stick. And the reason why it was wiped away ay marahil ay naipunas niya iyon sa damit ng killer niya. Now take a look at Mr. Roxas' gray coat. There's a trace of dirt there na mukhang ipinampunas doon", wika ko. They all look at Euler's coat at nakita nga nila ang dumi.

"Kanina pa ito! I wiped my dirty hands here!", he denied.

"It wasn't there kanina habang nasa pizza house kayo, I watched you carefully kanina and that dirt wasn't there", sagot ko sa kanya. Yeah, I'm so observant sa mga tao sa paligid ko.

"Umamin ka na Sir", wika ng Chief at tumingin sa akin. "At paano mo naman nasabing nasa pile ng hollowblocks ang murder weapon?"

"Ah, about it, look at his wrist. May mga pangos diba? It's because you tried to push your hands into the hole of the hollowblocks probably to hide the murder weapon. When I checked it at may mga traces ng dugo doon."

Yumuko ito. "I guess I can't deny this anymore. Yeah, I killed him but it was just for self-defense. Siya ang gustong pumatay sa akin", he finally turn himself in. "Funny, I thought no one would noticed any evidence against me at akala ko ay walang kahulugan ang math equation na nakasulat, but a high school student saw it all through", he said.

Naawa ako sa mga salarin. They tend to do something that they regret the consequence in the end.

"Sa presinto ka na magpaliwanag. Dean, check the pile of hollow blocks and retrieve the murder weapon", the one they called chief said. He guided Mr. Euler Roxas towards the patrol car.

"Maari ba akong magtawag ng abogado? I'm a lawyer but I can't represent myself, so kailangan ko ng abogado", he said at pumayag naman ang pulis. After he made the call, sinakay na ito at dinala sa presinto.

"I'm not surprised anymore Amber", Insp. Dean said. I just smiled at him. "You can all go. Pasensya na sa abala. I have to go too Amber, kukunin na namin ang weapon." I nodded my head at him at isa-isa namang umalis ang mga naroon.

The case was solved but death has already occurred. It would be better to prevent the crime than just to identify the culprit, right? But the world is a sinner and crimes are rampant, it's impossible to prevent all the crimes. Nasa mundo kasi tayo ng pagkakasala. I really don't understand why people would kill other people. Umalis na ako doon at nagpunta sa taxi alley upang mabalik na sa Bridle. I passed on Miss Imelda na nakatayo sa gilid ng kotse niya and she's taking to someone over her phone.

"The deal's off, Cronus. Robert is already dead", she said. Tumigil siya ng mapansin ako, she scowled at me bago sumakay sa kotse niya at pinaharurot iyon.

I was dumbfounded for a while. Did I just meet another member of the mafia? She's talking to Cronus and I already heard that name dati mula kay Zeus at Apollo. I felt the chills run down to my spine bago ako sumakay ng taxi at nagpahatid sa Bridle.

***

Maaga pa lang ay nakahanda na kami para sa aming 2-day camp. Excited silang lahat para sa araw na ito. Not me! I spent few hours ranting about this camp. Nakakatamad kasi. For sure may mga physical na activity na namang gagawin tapos pag-uwi ng dorm ay mananakit lang ang katawan ko o kaya ay may sugat ako. Wrong timing din kaya ang camp na ito! Tadtad ng band aid ang anim na daliri ko maliban sa mga hinlalaki at hinliliit. Basta, ayaw ko sa camp na ito! That's it!

Per section ang bus kaya hindi ako makasabay kina Andi o kay Therese so I've got no choice kundi naupo mag-isa sa pandalawahang upuan katabi si Jeremy. Pumwesto ako sa may bintana at pumikit. Nakapit din si Jeremy habang naghihintay na umandar ang bus. Hindi ko na binati si Jeremy at naupo lang doon at hindi nagtagal ay umandar na ang bus. I don't know how long I've been asleep. Nagising na lang ako na mataas na ang sikat ng araw. When I glanced at my watch, it was already 7 in the morning.

"Good Morning Amber", bati ni Jeremy sa tabi ko. I smiled at him and greeted back. Bigla na lamang huminto ang bus kaya napatingin kami sa labas ng bintana. All the other buses have already passed the checkpoint sa may bahagi ng intersection at tanging ang bus ng section namin ang naiwan. Some guys blocked the road at kinausap nito ang mga driver ng pinahintong sasakyan at nagpakilala na mga pulis.

"Pasensya na sa abala ngunit kailangan naming inspeksyonin lahat ng mga dumaraang sasakyan. May mga nahuli kaming mga hijackers at may dala silang mga bomba. Nahuli namin sila pero may kasabwat sila na siyang may hawak ng detonator ng bomba", wika ng pulis. My classmates panicked at umingay sa loob ng bus.

"Kumalma kayo, kailangan lang naming icheck ang mga cellphone ninyo", he said at nagsimulang kolektahin ang mga cellphone namin. Bumaba ako ng bus, the three hijackers were on the checkpoint at binabantayan ito ng dalawa pang pulis.

Nasa gilid din ang bus na ini-hijack nila. Tiningnan ko ang tatlo, they weren't handcuffed yet. Nagbubulong-bulongan ang mga ito. Dalawang van ang pinahinto at pati ang bus namin. Mayroon ding isang motorsiklo na sakay ang isang lalaki na nakasuot ng itim na jacket. Nasa malayo naman ang bus na may bomba.

"Do you think that motorcycle man is one of them?"

Nagulat na lang ako nang biglang magsalita si Gray sa tabi ko! He looks like he just woke up. He's hair was messy and he was rubbing his eyes.

"Pwede ba! Wag kang basta-basta na lang susulpot! Nakakagulat ka ha!", I hissed at him. Naningkit naman lalo ang mga mata nito.

"Hindi naman kita ginulat ah, ikaw lang ang nagulat", wika niya. Napansin ko ang pulang marka sa ibaba ng labi niya.

Was it a - lipstick?!

"Just tell me if you want to kiss me, hindi yang ganyan ka kung makatingin sa labi ko", narinig kong wika niya and I blushed. Am I really staring at his lips? At sino ba ang gustong humalik sa kanya? Definitely not me! Ang yabang-yabang talaga nito!

"I'd rather kiss a dog!", I told him and he chuckled. "And it's very unpleasant to kiss someone na may nauna ng humalik. I'm territorial, gusto ko akin lang ang hinahalikan ko, hindi yung para sa lahat!"

Kumunot ang noo nito. "You talk like you know how to kiss. Pakiramdam ko nga ang wala pang nakakahalik sayo."

I raised one brow. Eh ano ngayon kung wala lang nakakahalik sa akin? My crush Reo already kissed me ngunit sa ilong lang iyon. "It's because I'm reserving my first kiss to the one who deserve it, unlike you!"

He pulled his hair. "Girls and their important firsts! First kiss, first love, first everything! And what do you mean ng sinabi mo kanina na you don't want to kiss someone na may nauna ng humalik?"

Bahagya kong inilapit ang mukha ko sa kanya. Nanlaki ang nga mata niya sa gulat ngunit hindi rin naman siya lumayo. Itinuro ko ang ang lipstick mark sa ibaba ng labi niya. "You can't deny it. There's solid evidence, a lipstick mark."

Tila nanigas siya at agad na hinawakan ang mukha. He got his phone at nanalamin doon. "Argh! That Marion! Pinagsamantalahan ako habang tulog! Damn!", he said nang makita iyon. Agad niyang pinunasan iyon. I'm sure he liked it! He doesn't have to act as if it's very disgusting!

Bumaba na rin ang mga kaklase namin mula sa bus. We were not allowed to go further, kailangang nasa paanan lang kami ng bus.

"Amber!", nakangiting tawag ni Marion. Aagd siyang lumapit sa amin ni Gray. I greeted her back.
I saw Gray's face crumpled.

Hinarap nito si Marion. "Who gave you permission to kiss me while I was asleep?", he asked Marion. His face was very irritated, bakit big deal dito ang kiss ni Marion? Gray's really rude! Ni hindi man lamang ito nagdalawang isip na itanong iyon kay Marion?!

Marion just smiled. "I didn't kiss you", patay-maling tanggi nito. She's denying it but her face states the contrary.
.

"Don't deny it! There's a lipstick mark on my face at ikaw lang ang katabi ko", Gray insisted. I thought guys would like it when someone as pretty as Marion would kiss them. Umiwas nang tingin si Marion ngunit nakangiti pa rin ito.

"Your face was near me at nang biglang huminto ang bus, napasubsob ako sa chin mo. Sayang nga at hindi sa labi mo mismo." She's successful in making Gray irritated! Hindi na maipinta ang mukha ni Gray dahil sa inis at agad itong naglakad palayo sa amin. Tinanaw ko ang papalayong pigura nito. He was heading towards the checkpoint kung saan naroon ang mga hijackers. Wait! We're not allowed to go further right? Lalo na doon pa mismo kung nasaan ang bombed-equipped bus at ang mga hijackers.

"Hey, where are you going?", pasigaw kong tanong. He answered but he didn't look back.

"Anywhere na walang asungot", he said. Nainis talaga ito. Bakit kaya? Maganda naman si Marion? Hindi kaya si Khael ang gusto nito? I want to laugh on such thought.

Bumaba na ang pulis mula sa bus namin at binalik ang mga cellphone namin.

"Nakakapagtaka, sabi nila, nasa tatlong magkasunod na sasakyan lang ang kasabwat nila pero mukhang wala naman", the police said. I stared at him for a while at may tumatakbo sa utak ko habang tinitingnan ang pulis.

I looked around. Ang isang van ay may tatlong sakay and they were from a vacation ayon sa mga pulis at pauwi na sila. The other van contains a couple na galing sa probinsya at pauwi na rin. The bus passengers kung saan may bomba ay pinalabas na rin sa bus at nasa malapit na waiting shed. They were really scared dahil sa nangyaring panghi-hijack. Mabuti na lang at hinarang sila ng checkpoint.

When the driver stopped, he was shot in the shoulders. Ayon sa mga pulis, napansin nila na may nangyayari sa papalapit na bus kaya nagbihis sila bilang civilian at pumara. Luckily, they were able to catch the hijackers' dahil sa pagdadamit civilian nila. There were three of them at wala silang dalang baril but they were able to seize them by their physical strength. Sa ngayon ay nasa gilid ang mga nasugatan sa nangyari at ina-applayan ng paunang lunas.

"The bomb squad at ambulansya ay paparating na", wika nang pulis. "Kailangan na lang nating maghintay na makarating ang bomb squad ngunit kailangan pa nating makita ang may dala ng detonator."

I stared at him again, may kakaiba sa kanila. I asked some passengers of the hijack bus and confirmed my suspicions. Hindi masyadong matao roon dahil hindi iyon public high way. It was a road towards the mountainsides kaya hindi masyadong marami ang mga sasakyang dumadaan. It is past 8 kaya marahil ay nakarating na ang ibang mga bus sa campsite samantalang naiwan naman ang bus namin.

When I looked around, hindi ko makita si Gray. Saan kaaya nagsusuot ang lalaking iyon? Lumapit ako sa may checkpoint. Nakatali pala roon ang tatlong hijackers at nagbabantay naman ang dalawang nagpakilalang pulis.

"You're not a police", I told the guys who introduced themselves as police. Halatang nagulat ang mga ito. He looked around bago sumagot sa akin.

"Ano bang pinagsasabi mo? Pulis ako", he said. Marami na ang lumapit sa amin at nakinig.

Umiling ako sa kanya. "No, hindi kayo police. Kayong tatlo."

Nagsimula nang magbulong-bulongan ang mga tao na marahil ay kasama ito ng mga hijackers.

"Hindi kayo mga pulis but you weren't one of the hijackers. Mga concern citizens lang kayo na tumulong. As a proof you weren't on your uniform at wala rin kayong dalang baril. You can't even show us your ID or memo pad that proves that you were all police. I asked the passengers ngunit ni walang isa sa inyo ang nagpapatunay na mga pulis nga kayo", wika ko sa kanila.

Natahimik sila. They don't really seem like police officers. Ni hindi man lamang nila kami pinigilan nang lumabas kami ng bus, he should have keep us inside the bus for our safety. Hindi sila sumusunod sa mga tamang police procedures.

Bigla na lang dumating si Gray. "Yeah, you're not police officers. You don't even know how to disarm a bomb of simple design", wika niya. He crossed his arms at tumabi sa akin.

"Oo, hindi kami mga pulis. Tumulong lang kami. We just assumed the police title upang sumunod sa amin ang lahat", wika ng isa. Well, that's actually a good intention. Matitigas na kasi ang ulo ng mga tao, kahit ang mga nasa autoridad ay hindi na nila sinusunod.

Nagulat na lang kami ng hinila ako ng isa sa mga hijackers sa buhok. Nakawala pala ito mula sa pagkakatali. He grabbed my neck at mahinang sinakal ako. Sumigaw ang lahat sa gulat. The guy was holding a small knife. Marahil ay iyon ang ginamit nito upang makawala mula sa pagkakatali.

"Pakawalan niyo kami at pakakawalan ko ang ang batang ito. Kung hindi ay pasasabugin ng kasabwat namin ang mga bomba", banta nito.

I noticed his watch na nasa kamay nitong nakahawak sa akin. It doesn't indicate time, sa halip ay nagka-countdown ito. Countdown? Could it be the bomb's timer? No way!

"There's no accomplice na magpapasabog ng bomba, it's just the three of them. Wag niyong pakawalan 'yang dalawa. His watch has the bomb's timer and there's less than 2 minutes left", sigaw ko at hinigpitan niya ang pagkakahawak sa akin.

"Matalino ka palang bata ka. Kung makukulong man lang din ako, pipiliin ko na lang mamatay sa pagsabog ng bomba kaysa sa mabulok sa bilangguan", he said and dragged me towards the bus na may bomba. Bakit ba palagi na lang akong naho-hostage? I can't kick him hard dahil nakasuot ako ng maong na tight miniskirt.

"Gray, help Amber!", sigaw ng isa kong kaklase. Nakapamulsa lang si Gray habang tinitingnan kami. Wala ba siyang balak na tulungan ako?

"Kick him Amber!", sigaw ng isa. Yeah, if I could, kanina ko pa ito sinipa. At si Gray! He's the only one who can help me! Bakit relax na relax lang ito? We're on the door of the bus! And when I glanced at the guy's watch, there's less than a minute left. Kaya kong iligtas ang sarili ko, I can step on his foot and run right away ngunit pababayaan ko bang mamatay lang ito?

"Idiot, do something! There's less than a minute left!", sigaw ko kay Gray. Nagsisigawan kami dahil medyo may distansya din ang bus mula sa kanila.

"I already did. The bombs there are disarmed already kaya hindi na kayo sasabog", he said lazily. His face was serious at kahit hindi kapani-paniwala, I guess he's telling the truth. Iyon ba ang ginawa niya kanina nang hindi ko makita siya? He went up there and disarmed the bomb? Paano na lang kong mali ang ginawa nito, he could be killed in an instant!

Napatigil ang lalaki sa paghakbang and he checked his watch. "Hindi ako maloloko nang batang iyon, sinong niloloko niya", wika nito. "Isang bata lang namaan siya."

"Hindi siya simpleng bata", wika ko. I stepped on his foot as hard as I could at nabitawan niya ako. He raise his arm na may hawak na kutsilyo.

"Hindi mo ako matatakasan, sabay tayong sasabog dito!"

"I already told you na hindi na nga ito sasabog. Bakit ba ayaw mong maniwala sa akin? Tingnan mo yang relo mo", Gray said. Hindi namin namalayan na nakalapit na pala siya sa amin. His watch was on 0:0:0

"Imposible!", he said. While he was shocked on what he saw on his watch, Gray grab the opportunity to twist his arm kaya nabitawan nito ang hawak na kutsilyo. He seized him at lumapit na rin ang ibang lalaki at tumulong. Narinig na rin namin ang tunog ng sirena ng mga paparating na pulis. Muli nilang itinali ang mga lalaki.

"Are you fine?, Gray asked me.

Tumango ako. "Yeah, I'm fine. When did you learn to disarm bombs?", tanong ko sa kanya. He smiled boyishly at napakamot sa ulo.

"When I was seven years old."

"What?"

Seven years old ay nagde-defuse na siya ng bomba? I wasn't even allowed to play a single match noong nasa ganoong edad pa ako!

"Ano naman ang nakakagulat doon? Both my grandparents and my Mom were into police works kaya natuturuan ako minsan", he said. He walked ahead of me dahil pinasakay na kami sa bus upang makapatuloy na sa byahe.

"Unbelievable parenting!", wika ko sa mahinang boses but enough for him to hear it. I just heard him chuckled. Dumating na ang mga pulis at hinuli ang mga hijackers. They also retrieve the disarmed bombs at hinayaan ng dumaan sa checkpoint ang mga sasakyan including our bus. Oh, we're one and a half hour late already. Malamang ay kanina pa nakarating ang iba. Nang umupo na ako sa pwesto ko ay tumabi si Gray sa akin.

"Hey, that's Jeremy's seat", wika ko sa kanya.

"We traded seats at huwag ka ng magtanong pa. There's no way I'll be sitting beside Marion after what she did", he said at isinuot niya ang shades at sumandal. I mentally rolled my eyes. He traded seats with Jeremy? Napapayag niya ito? Unbelievable! Did he threaten the poor nerd?

Itinuon ko na lang ang paningin sa labas. We'll be at Olympus by an hour and a half. Ibig sabihin, magkatabi kami for an hour and half. Yeah, some time with Gray beside me doesn't kill anyway.

#

-ShinichiLaaaabs.