LORELEI

I AM ready. I have prepared myself for this day.

"Saan ka pupunta, Lorie?" tanong ni Rosetta nang magkita kaming dalawa sa may hagdanan. "And what's with the serious face? May nangyari ba?"

Sinubukan kong magmukhang normal na parang walang ibang bagay na iniisip. With all the things that happened, my mind has been preoccupied with theories. Kaya sigurong laging malayo ang tingin ko o kaya'y nakakunot ang aking noo.

"I will meet someone somewhere." Pinilit kong ngumiti upang mawala ang pagdududa ng classmate ko. "Medyo kinakabahan lang ako."

"Is it Loki? Bumalik na ba siya sa school?"

Umiling ako. "He's not yet feeling well. Or maybe, he isn't in the mood to come to school."

"Oooh. I wonder kung sinong ime-meet mo ngayon. Anyway, send my regards to Loki! And to Alistair as well. I kinda missed him sa klase. Sana'y magising na siya."

Rosetta waved her hand as she bade me farewell. Hinintay ko muna siyang mawala sa aking peripherals bago ako nagpatuloy sa pag-akyat sa hagdan.

No one knows who I am meeting with or where I am going. I'd like to keep this upcoming conversation between me and that person in private.

I don't know if it's the perfect timing to confront the face of evil. Loki's in the apartment. Jamie did not come to school. Alistair still hasn't regained his consciousness.

I am alone. But I know that I can do it. Para saan pa ba ang pagiging member ko ng Q.E.D. Club kung hindi ko kayang lutasin ang isang simpleng problema?

Yes, the problem was so simple that we failed to see the most obvious answer. It has been staring us in the face but we chose to look away. Everyone was deceived, even the person with the most logical mind in the campus.

Somehow I felt that the whole scenario was weird. It's already four o'clock in the afternoon pero wala ni isang estudyante akong nakasalubong sa pag-akyat ko sa hagdanan.

I went on until I reached the door to the rooftop. Tumigil muna ako sa harapan nito, huminga nang malalim at hinawakan ang stun pen na nasa bulsa ko.

It's now time for the moment of truth.

Hinawakan ko ang doorknob at dahan-dahang itinulak ito palabas. My eyes were greeted by the blinding flash of light outside. Nang makapag-adjust na ang mga mata ko, I saw someone's figure near the edge. His hands were behind his back. And of course, I will never forget mentioning about his signature feature: his chilling aura.

I know that you have already met him, but let me introduce him again to you: Luthor Mendez a.k.a. Moriarty.

"You took your time, Lorelei." His voice was so chilling that it almost gave me colds. He slowly turned to me, his frozen face devoid of any emotion greeted me.

"Sorry, late kasi kaming dinismiss ng instructor namin. I hope na hindi ka naghintay nang matagal."

Napakapit ako sa aking stun pen habang dahan-dahang naglalakad papunta sa kaniya. Biglang nanginig ang mga tuhod ko na tila bibigay anumang sandali.

Keep calm, Lorelei. Hindi ko dapat ipahalata sa lalaking 'to na alam ko na ang katotohanan.

"So," he gave me his usual cold stare, "is there any particular reason why you called me out here?"

Napalunok ako ng laway. Natagalan akong sumagot dahil parang may pumipigil sa lalamunan ko na magsalita.

I'm already face to face with Moriarty. There's no turning back now.

"Did you lose your voice?" tanong niya makalipas ang ilang segundong katahimikan. "Or are you too afraid to tell me something?"

"I'd like to know the truth, Luthor. No more lies, no more tricks."

"Truth? About what? You don't look so well, Lorelei."

Here it goes.

"Are you the real Moriarty?"

The wind blew so hard as silence filled the air. He only stared down at me, his lips refused to move an inch. Sinusubukan kong basahin sa expression niya kung tama ang hinala ko. But to no avail. Mahirap basahin kung anuman ang tumatakbo sa utak niya.

"That's a serious accusation. I am one with you and my brother in the hunt for the criminal mastermind. What makes you think that I am that person?"

Oras na para ilabas ang mga baraha ko. "I saw you. I heard you. Back in the abandoned building. You had Cedric killed and asked someone named Lucas to leave a suicide note."

He gave me another cold stare before turning his back to me. "Have you told my brother about what happened?"

"No. Gusto ko munang i-confirm mula sa 'yo kung tama ang nakita at narinig ko. You are Loki's brother after all. Ayaw kong masaktan siya kapag nalaman niyang ikaw nga ang taong matagal na niyang hinahanap."

"Have you told anyone that you went here to meet me?"

"No. Not a single soul knew na magkikita tayong dalawa rito."

Muli niya akong hinarap pero wala pa ring nagbabago sa expression niya. He didn't seem to be alarmed by what I revealed. Could he really be...

"You are so predictable, Lorelei. You are no different to the pawns on the chessboard."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang marinig 'yon. He didn't say categorically if he's the real Moriarty or not, but his reply implied the same thought.

"I already predicted that you won't tell my brother about what you saw or heard that day. I also predicted that you won't tell anyone about our meeting here."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "So it's really you?"

He didn't respond. My hand gripped tightly on the stun pen. Anytime now, I could pacify him with one shot. Naghihintay lang ako ng perfect opportunity.

"Then why did you have Rhea killed? Ang akala ko ba, ayaw mong masaktan si Loki? Her death caused him so pain!"

Luthor started walking around me, his hands still behind his back. "Rhiannon found out something that she shouldn't. She's been connecting dots that didn't exist at first-dots that my brother refused to see. She put me in a dangerous position where there's no other congenial solution than to eliminate her. It had to be done."

Wala ni isang bahid ng pagsisisi sa tono ng pananalita niya. He talked as if Rhea was a chesspiece that needed to be thrown away so he won't be forced into a checkmate.

"Jaime Santiago. Does his name ring a bell to you?" I asked next. Lalong lumakas ang kaba sa dibdib ko. This is how it feels like to know the truth that has been buried with a pile of lies.

Tumigil siya sa paglalakad at napatingin sa malayo. "It has been months since I last heard of that name. Jaime has a strong sense of justice. His position as the student council president will give him the arsenal to re-investigate murders previously disguised as either suicides or accidents."

"So you also had him killed?"

Tinitigan niya lamang ako at hindi na sumagot pa. That stare was already a confirmation.

I don't know what to feel. The clues were there all along, yet we failed to see them. Luthor has mentioned during the hostage crisis in the gymnasium that Rhea's death affected his relationship with his younger brother. Kung tinutukoy niya ang pagpapatay sa dating kasama ni Loki, everything made sense.

"You remind me of Rhiannon, kicking over some rocks to see what's beneath them," he said after a few seconds of silence. "She met an unfortunate end because of her curiosity."

Now there's a tone of threat in his voice. Nanindig ang mga balahibo ko nang magpalitan kami ng tingin.

"I could have denied everything that you asked," muli siyang tumalikod. "Aren't you wondering why I didn't?"

My eyes slowly widened. "Ba-Balak mo rin ba akong patayin? Gaya ng ginawa mo kay Rhea?"

He turned to me. "My dear Lorelei, I already did."

Bigla akong nakaramdaman ng kawalan ng hininga. I gripped on my throat as I tried to gasp for air.

How... How did he... When...

"The doorknob was laced with a nerve agent," Luthor explained as he watched me writhed in pain. "The poison's entry through the skin is enough to kill a human. You should have been more cautious with what you touch."

Napaluhod ako sa harapan niya... habang unti-unting nawawalan ng hangin ang aking katawan. My vision's starting to get blurred... I couldn't see his emotionless face clearly.

"Do you still remember the first time we met at the costume room, Lorelei? The card containing a code about your location had a letter M on it. But you and my brother chose to ignore the clue that I intentionally dropped."

I don't wanna die yet... I have to tell Loki... about his brother...

I must tell Loki... about Moriarty's real identity.

I have to...

...Protect Loki.

.

.

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NAPABALIKWAS AKO sa kama at hiningal na parang kakatapos ko lang sumali sa marathon. Tuyong-tuyo na ang lalamunan ko. I looked around to see kung nasa langit na ba ako. Unfortunately-or fortunately-nasa kuwarto pa rin ako ng aming apartment unit.

Everything looked and felt real. I thought I was already a goner.

It was all a dream.

Or maybe a nightmare.

q.e.d.