AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the updated 2022 version of Chapter 20-Part 2. If you are re-reading this part, you may observe some changes from the previous version.

CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains references to kidnapping that may be upsetting for some readers. Please be mindful of this sensitive theme and other possible triggers. Remember to practice self-care before, during and after reading.

SPOILER WARNING: Beware of in-line comments that give away some spoilers. Some re-readers tend to give hints or outright spoil the revelation.

LORELEI

NANGHINA ANG mga tuhod ko at napaupo ako sa monobloc chair, natulala sa blangkong pader sa harapan ko. Jamie becoming Moriarty's target should have been expected. Kaakibat na ng pagsali sa QED Club ang paglalagay sa sarili namin sa panganib. Minsan na akong nalagay sa gano'ng sitwasyon.

Kahit na may hindi kami pagkakasundo ng babaeng 'yon, nangamba pa rin ako para sa safety niya. Noong ngang dinukot ako ni John Bautista, muntikan na niyang tunawin ang katawan ko. Kung nagawa 'yon ng tauhan ni Moriarty sa akin, magagawa rin 'yon sa tulad ni Jamie.

Loki paced back and forth in the clubroom, his arms crossed. May pangamba na rin sa mukha niya. We did not expect that his arch-enemy would make a move. Did Officer Montreal suspect that something was off when Jamie borrowed his phone yesterday?

Wala na kaming oras na dapat sayangin. Jamie's safety should be our top priority right now.

"She's still alive," bulalas ni Loki. Ramdam ko ang takot at pag-aalala sa boses niya. "She's definitely still alive. The question is, until when? Moriarty's giving us a chance to find her location until he gets bored. Unfortunately, we still have no idea how to crack this code."

"Imbes na tumayo ka riyan, bakit hindi ka umupo't muling harapin 'to?" tanong ko. Walang magagawa kung maglalakad-lakad siya hanggang mamaya. The code would not crack itself. "Kailangan nating magtulungan para mailigtas agad si Jamie."

He put his fingers near his mouth and began biting his nails. "After hearing that news, I can't give my full attention to that sequence of numbers. Darn it! I hate this feeling."

Moriarty said that he did not have any intention of harming Loki, but he surely knew some methods on how to torture him. Sa nakalipas na kalahating oras, palala nang palala ang frustration niya. Baka ganito rin ang kanyang naramdaman noong ako ang t-in-arget ng tauhan ni Moriarty.

He might be harsh and insensitive in most occasions, but he got a soft heart deep inside that cared for others. Alam ko 'yon dahil na-witness ko mismo kung paano siya mag-alala sa akin. Baka iniisip din niyang konsensya niya kapag may nangyaring masama kay Jamie.

"I need to clear my head." Binuksan niya ang pinto at lumingon sa akin. "Come with me. Let's pay my big brother a visit."

Tumayo ako at sumunod sa kanya. Naging mabibilis at malalaki ang mga hakbang niya. Sabay kaming bumaba ng hagdanan patungong ground floor, lumiko sa west wing, at dumeretso sa pinakadulo ng hallway. May ilang estudyante siyang nakabangga at natapakan ng sapatos, pero hindi siya nag-abalang humingi ng paumanhin.

Pagdating namin sa tapat ng pintong may signage na "Office of the Student Council," binuksan niya agad ang pinto, ni hindi naisipang kumatok. Hihilahin ko sana siya pabalik kaso mabilis ang mga sumunod na pangyayari.

Aakalaing lounge ng isang five-star hotel ang interior ng student council. Bumungad ang malamig na bugso ng hangin at ang mga nakaayos na couch sa palibot ng center table. Sa pader nakasabit ang iba't ibang group photo ng mga nagdaang student council.

No one greeted us as we entered, so Loki went straight to the rear part of the office. Binuksan niya nang hindi kumakatok ang pinto ng conference room kung saan nagmi-meeting ang limang council officers. Pagpasok namin, five pairs of eyes threw curious gazes at us. They were obviously surprised by our unannounced arrival. Sa limang nakaupo sa palibot ng conference table, tanging si Luthor ang nakilala ko.

"We are currently having our meeting." Halos sinamaan nang tingin ni Luthor ang kapatid niya. "You should have informed me of your visit ahead of time before barging in here."

"Sorry to interrupt the boring discussions about your plan to dominate the world," Loki quipped. "The honorable vice president has requested our assistance on behalf of your glorious council. We've obliged. Now, we're here to urgently ask you to lend us your resources."

"Have you cracked the code?"

"Not yet, but we know who the target is. Our newest club member came to school today, but she wasn't able to attend her classes this morning. We fear that she was abducted when she left her classroom and taken somewhere on campus. The code will point us to her location. Unfortunately, our efforts to crack it have been in vain so far. So I've decided to use an alternative."

Nanliit ang mga mata ng kuya niya. "And that is?"

"I want you to command all students at your disposal to search every room in this building," desperado na ang tono ni Loki. Parang kasindali ng paghingi ng candy ang kanyang request. "She was probably taken somewhere convenient to hide a body."

Nagkatinginan ang limang student council officer at nagbulungan na parang mga bubuyog. Their whispers were unintelligible, but Loki appeared to have read their lips.

"No, we don't have the luxury of time to secure permission from the admin," singit niya, dahilan para lumingon sa kanya ang officers maliban kay Luthor. "Don't be so surprised. I understand what you're talking about. I can read your lips. If you don't want another person to fall victim to Moriarty, I suggest that you stop muttering among yourselves and give us the assistance that we need urgently."

Natahimik sa conference room. This time, the student council officers stared at one another as if they were communicating telepathically. Lumipas pa ang ilang sandali, humarap si Luthor sa babaeng naka-ponytail sa kanan niya. "Very well. Jessica, summon Maggie here. Say it is an urgent business."

Mabilis na kumilos ang officer at lumabas na ng kanilang opisina. It only took her less than two minutes before she returned. Ngayon, kasama niya ang babaeng nakasalamin na nasorpresang makita ang mga itsura namin ni Loki.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ni hi or hello, hindi niya man kami naisipang batiin.

"Maggie," Luthor called her name in his chilling voice. Kung tatawagin niya ang pangalan ko sa gano'ng boses, mangingilabot ako. "The QED Club is requesting manpower for the search of their club member, the presumed target of the man called Moriarty. Mobilize all available members of the student executive committee."

Her lips twisted into a mocking smirk. "So the magnet of tragedies strikes again. I knew you would bring bad luck to the people around you." Ibinaling niya ang tingin sa akin. "You had a taste of it, right, Lorelei?"

Hindi ako tumango. Sandaling nag-flashback ang insidente kung saan dinukot ako ni John Bautista, isinilid sa drum at tinangkang buhusan ng sodium hydroxide para tunawin. Kung ako ang masusunod, ayaw ko nang alalahanin ang tagpong 'yon.

"If the student council commands it, then the execom shall oblige," sabi ni Margarette sabay talikod sa amin. "I'll ask my members to search every room in this building. I'll inform you once she's found. Let's pray she's still alive. If she's not, her blood is on your hands."

"Thank you, Maggie," mahinang tugon ni Loki.

Bago pa buksan ni Margarette ang pinto, lumingon siya sa amin. "Don't thank me yet. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for the council and for your poor member. And stop calling me Maggie."

She slammed the door shut. Ramdam ko ang galit sa tono at kilos niya. Gano'n kagrabe ang epekto sa kanya ng pagkawala ni Rhea. Napaisip tuloy ako kung darating ba ang araw na mapatatawad niya si Loki. It was not like he wanted that tragedy to happen.

"Now if you'll excuse us, I need to make the same request to my contact in the campus police." Basta-basta iniwan ni Loki ang student council office. On his behalf, nagpasalamat ako sa kanilang tulong at pormal na nagpaalam.

Sumunod ako sa kanya at sinubukang sabayan ang bilis ng paglalakad niya. Nakadikit na sa tainga ni Loki ang phone at nagmadaling umakyat sa hagdanan. Hindi niya alintana kung may nakasalubong siyang estudyante o teacher na muntik na niyang makabangga o matapakan ng sapatos.

"Hello, Inspector? I nee—Yes, I'm doing fine, thanks for asking—I need your help. One of my club members was abducted and brought somewhere on campus. Can you and your men conduct a search in the gymnasium and the abandoned school building? I'll send her photo to you."

Ganito na kadesperado si Loki na mahanap si Jamie. He would not have asked for his brother's help in the first place if he was not this desperate. He would not have called the inspector for a favor if he was not this desperate. 'Yon kasi ang pinakasimple at pinakamabilis na solusyon sa problema namin. In his own terms, those methods were too boring and straightforward. Just this once, he probably chose to give up his preference on complex yet entertaining solutions.

Saktong nasa third floor na kami nang ibinaba na niya ang tawag. I wanted to ask him kung ano na ang plano niya ngayong marami nang kumikilos para hanapin si Jamie. Every pawn on his side of the chessboard is now on the move.

"While the execom and the campus police are searching the school buildings, let's try cracking this code again," sabi niya pagpasok namin sa clubroom. Muli niyang inilabas ang card na galing kay Moriarty at pumunit ng malinis na page mula sa notebook. He seemed to have cleared his mind a bit.

"You mentioned that Henry VIII might be the clue to decoding this sequence?" panimula niya.

Tumango ako. It would not make sense kung ilalagay 'yon ni Moriarty sa card just for the sake of greeting us. There got to be something in it. Parang nasa dulo ng dila ko.

I folded my arms as I stared hard at the name of the British monarch. Tila tumigil ang takbo ng oras sa paligid ko habang lalong napatatagal ang titig ko sa pangalan niya. Lumingon ako kay Loki, pero maging siya'y hindi na rin gumagalaw.

Ano ba ang meron kay Henry VIII? As what Loki said earlier, wala siyang na-contribute sa mundo ng cryptography kaya bakit siya ang m-in-ention ni Moriarty sa card? Baka wala sa Henry kung hindi nasa VIII ang sagot na kanina pa naming hinahanap?

Ano'ng meron sa eight? In the Bible, eight represents a new beginning. In chemistry, eight is the atomic number of oxygen. In computer technology, eight bits are equivalent to one byte. In Chinese and other Asian cultures, eight is considered to be a lucky number. Sideways, eight looks like the infinity symbol.

Teka . . . Parang may narinig ako kamakailan na connected sa number eight. Tungkol saan nga ulit 'yon?

"But what if we only have eight fingers?"

Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata, inalala kung kailan ko narinig ang tanong na 'yon. Noong nakaraang buwan ba? O noong isang linggo? I went deeper into my memories as I tried to recall when and where I heard that statement.

"We would probably start over every eighth number instead of every tenth. That's what we call 'base eight' or octal counting."

"Base eight!" bulalas ko kasabay ng pagmulat ng aking mga mata. Loki stared at me, his eyebrows furrowed, wondering what I just shouted.

Kinuha ko ang pen at paper sa kanya bago muling tiningnan ang card.

11    0    14    10    4    10    15    17    21    16    17    22    21    16    16    14

"Alam mo ba kung ano ang base eight?" tanong ko.

Lalong kumunot ang noo niya. "Is that some kind of game or something?"

"Nope, it's a way of counting numbers." Isinulat ko sa papel ang single digits mula 0 hanggang 7. "Itinuro sa amin 'to ng instructor ko sa General Mathematics. If I'm not mistaken, this was around the time that Tita Martha locked you up in our apartment and when I was approached by a Clarion editor about the offer to publish some of my stories in their literary folio."

"Mathematics instructor? Sir Jim Morayta?" Himala! Tama ang nabanggit niyang pangalan.

Tumango ako bago ko ipinagpatuloy ang pagsusulat sa sunod na sequence, mula 10 hanggang 17. "Feeling ko'y tama ang substitution na ginamit mo pero hindi dapat ang tradisyonal na decimal counting ang ginawa mong reference. Teka, wala ba kayong General Mathematics subject?"

"We have, but I was probably asleep during class when my instructor taught that one." Nagkibit-balikat siya. Nabanggit nga niya noong minsan na tinutulugan niya ang ilang classes nang nakadilat ang mga mata. Kung sanang nakinig siya noon, may clue na siya kung paano i-decode ito.

Pakiramdam ko'y sa akin nakatutok ang spotlight dahil pinanonood ako ni Loki. For once, it felt good to know some stuff that he was not aware of. Sana nga lang ay tama ang naisip kong paraan ng pag-crack sa code.

Now that the key was available, I used it to match the numbers in the code. Tahimik na nakamasid sa akin si Loki habang isinusulat ko ang sagot.

"Jamie in props room?" bulong ni Loki. The message made sense, which could mean that my answer was correct!

Umangat ang tingin ko sa kanya, nagtagpo ang mga mata namin. "Sabihan na agad natin si Margarette para ma-check na nila! Every second counts—"

Hindi na niya kinailangang tawag ang babaeng 'yon dahil siya na mismo ang tinawagan. Nag-ring ang phone ni Loki at mabilis niyang sinagot ang tawag.

"Hello, Mag—I mean, Margarette?" Inilagay niya sa loudspeaker mode kaya dinig na dinig ko ang sagot ng kanyang kausap. "Have you found her?"

"We haven't. My members have searched every room in the building, but there's no sign of your club member. Maybe you're wrong."

"No, I'm right. Lorelei cracked the code just a minute ago. We know her location. Have you checked the props room?"

"Didn't I say that we've already searched every room? Of course, we have! There's nothing in the props room or anywhere else."

"Maybe your people didn't look closer." Ibinaba na ni Loki ang call.

"What now?" nakasimangot kong tanong. "Kung wala silang nakita sa props room, baka mali ang sagot ko sa code?"

Umiling siya. "We can't trust the words of those executive committee members. We have to see for ourselves if Jamie's really not there. Shall we go?"

For the second time, nagmadali kaming lumabas ng clubroom at umakyat sa fifth floor. Kung tama pa ang pagkakatanda ko, nasa pagitan ng auditorium at costume room—kung saan ako dinala noon ng mga tauhan ni Margarette—ang props room.

Upon arriving there, napansin naming nakalupong ang ilang estudyante sa hallway. May badges na naka-pin sa kanilang lapel. They must be the members of the student executive committee. Nag-excuse kami sa grupo nila para magbigay-daan sila sa amin.

Loki opened the door of the props room and went in. Sumunod ako sa kanya sa loob. Bumungad sa amin ang iba't ibang props na ginagamit sa theater play. May mga punong idinesenyo sa plywood, mga batong gawa sa paper mache, mga backdraft ng mga eksena at iba pa. Pero ang agad na nakuha sa atensyon ko ay ang malaking baul na nasa likuran at ang charcoal brazier na katabi nito.

"There's only one place in this room where they can hide a body." Mukhang pareho kami ng iniisip kaya sabay kaming lumapit sa malaking baul. Two persons could fit inside. Pero kung nandito talaga si Jamie, bakit hindi siya nakita ng mga estudyanteng naghanap sa kanya? May problema ba sila sa paningin o sinadya nilang huwag i-check ang laman ng malaking kahon?

Maingat na binuksan ni Loki ang baul. Nang matamaan ng liwanag mula sa labas, wala kaming nakitang laman sa loob. Muling lumingon sa paligid ang aking kasama, tiningnan kung saan pa pwedeng itago ang katawan ng isang tao. Wala ni isang gamit doon maliban sa baul ang pasok sa criteria.

"Darn it!" Sinipa niya ang batong gawa sa paper mache na nasa daan niya. "Where could she be if not here?"

"Posible bang inilipat siya ng pinagtataguan?" tanong ko. "O posible kayang pampalito ang sagot na nakuha ko sa code?"

"That won't be fair. She must be somewhere in this room. Look!" Itinuro niya ang charcoal brazier na may lamang uling. "Moriarty is planning to kill Jamie via carbon monoxide poisoning. As long as this room is airtight and the victim is unconscious or restrained, she would succumb in a matter of seconds or minutes."

"Then where is she?" bulong ko.

Sinubukang buhatin ni Loki ang baul. Kahit wala 'yong laman, mukhang nahirapan siyang iangat 'yon. Mabilis niyang ibinaba ang kahon kasabay ng paglawak ng ngiti sa labi niya.

"What an old trick!" Binuksan niya ang lid na baul. Ang akala ko'y biglang magpapakita ang katawan ni Jamie sa loob, pero wala pa rin 'yong laman. "Jamie is in this box. Whoever's behind her abduction used an old magician's trick."

Kinapa niya ang loob ng baul at may tinanggal na manipis na bagay—isang salamin na inilagay roon. When he removed the mirror, natagpuan namin ang tila mahimbing na natutulog na si Jamie. Pero namulagat ang mga mata namin nang may nakitang pulang likido sa damit niya. Mabilis na binuhat ni Loki ang walang malay niyang katawan at dahan-dahang inihiga sa sahig.

"Jamie? Jamie!" Paulit-ulit na sigaw ni Loki habang niyuyugyog ang katawan nito. Mahina rin niyang sinampal sa pisngi, baka sakaling magising na ang kasama namin.

"Jamie . . ." bulong ko sabay lapit sa kanya. Hinawakan ko ang kamay niya at naramdamang meron pa siyang pulso. "She's still alive!"

Hinawakan din ni Loki ang wrist niya at pinakinggan ang pulso. "She is!"

Kinapa ko ang katawan ni Jamie kung saan may dugo, pero wala akong naramdamang kahit anong sugat o galos. Mukhang ibinuhos sa kanya ang pulang likido para palabasin na duguan siya. It was all for a show.

Lumipas pa ang ilang segundo bago namulat ang mga mata ni Jamie. Her dry lips formed a faint smile as she exchanged glances with the guy cradling her body. Hinaplos niya ang nababahalang mukha ni Loki. "Lo . . . Loki . . . S-S . . ."

Loki shushed her. Tinawag niya ang mga estudyanteng nakaabang sa labas ng props room. Agad silang lumapit sa amin at tumulong na buhatin si Jamie papunta sa clinic. May pag-aalala pa rin sa mga mata niya, pero may kaunting relief na roon.

Habang maingat na binubuhat palabas ang katawan ni Jamie, lumingon sa akin si Loki. Muling nanumbalik ang seryosong itsura niya. Siguradong hindi niya mapalalampas ang ginawa ni Moriarty sa member namin.

"Now that Jamie's out of harm's way," sabi niya, "it's time for us to meet face to face with Moriarty."

Ilang beses akong napakurap sa kanya. "Ime-message o tatawagan mo na ba ang number na nakuha natin mula kay Officer Montreal?"

"You have his number, don't you?"

"Hindi ko s-in-ave sa contacts ko—"

Loki shook his head and cut me mid-sentence. "I'm not talking about the number we got from the officer. I'm talking about the number he's probably given out to his students."

Naningkit ang mga mata ko. Wala pa rin akong idea sa sinasabi niya. "Sorry, pero hindi ko maintindihan kung sino o ano ang tinutukoy mo—"

"I want you to set a meeting at four o'clock with Sir Jim Morayta, your General Mathematics instructor. I believe we're overdue for a chat."

LOKI DID not explain why he thought my teacher was the criminal mastermind he had been seeking over the past few months. Was it because of the base eight that we used as cipher earlier? Or was it because of the uncanny similarities between his name and the fictional mastermind's name?

Dinala naman sa ospital si Jamie para ma-obserbahan ng mga doctor. Sabi ng school nurse namin, masyadong matapang ang kemikal na ginamit para patulugin siya. Isinakay siya sa isang ambulance at dinala agad sa pinakamalapit na medical center. Ilang oras pa raw ang kailangang lumipas bago mawala ang epekto ng pampatulog.

When the clock struck four, Loki and I went to the Diogenes Café, a coffee and tea shop just across the street from the campus. Doon namin napagdesisyonang i-meet ang teacher ko. M-in-essage ko kung pwede siyang makipagkita sa akin after class sa nasabing café. I told him na may gusto akong i-consult na serious concern na hindi ko pwedeng i-discuss sa school. Pumayag agad siya.

Nakapag-order na kami ng drinks ni Loki habang hinihintay ang pagdating ng ka-meeting namin. Amoy na amoy ang aroma ng kape sa buong cafe. Nakare-relax din ang ipinapatugtog na instrumental music. Tension would rise later so I better enjoy this moment of peace.

Tahimik na sumipsip si Loki sa strawberries and cream frappe niya habang nakamasid sa labas ng café. Mukhang malalim ang kanyang iniisip at halos hindi na siya mapakali sa upuan niya.

"Bakit hindi mo pala ginamit ang number na nakuha natin kay Officer Montreal?" tanong ko bago hipan ang aking vanilla latte. Muntikan nang mapaso ang dila ko sa sobrang init.

"That phone number is our last resort." Ayaw niyang lubayan ng tingin ang labas, talagang inaabangan ang pagdating ni Sir Morayta. "If he denies being Moriarty, I would dial that number and give him a call. If he picks up the phone—or should I say, his other phone—then that's the confirmation we've been looking for."

"Paano kung mali ang hinala mo?"

Lumingon siya sa akin, tiningnan ako na parang may sinabi akong nonsense. "When did I ever go wrong?"

I could enumerate instances where he was proven wrong, but I chose not to ruin his mood. Mas pinili kong enjoy-in ang aking latte habang hinihintay si Sir Morayta.

Fifteen minutes past four, customers started pouring into the café. Kabilang sa mga pumasok ay ang teacher ko na aakalaing isa ring estudyante dahil sa bata niyang itsura. Kung hindi siya nakasuot ng polo barong, baka napagkamalan na siya.

"Sorry kung na-late ako. May short meeting kasi kami sa student org na hina-handle ko," bati ni Sir Morayta sa akin bago siya umupo. Nagulat siyang makita ang lalaki sa tabi ko. "Kasama mo pala si Loki? Kumusta ka na?"

Hindi kumibo ang aking katabi. Tahimik siyang uminom ng frappe at inobserbahan ang bawat pagkilos at paghinga ng math teacher ko.

"Pagpasensiyahan n'yo na siya, sir." Ako na ang sumalo sa kanya para maiwasan ang dead air sa mesa namin. "Medyo pagod 'tapos nag-aalala pa siya sa kondisyon ng kasama namin sa club."

"I heard about that incident this morning. I hope your friend gets well soon." Saglit na nagawi sa ibaba ang tingin ni Sir Morayta, 'tapos muli niyang iniangat 'yon sa akin. "Ano pala ang gusto mong i-consult na hindi mo puwedeng sabihin habang nasa campus tayo? I assure you that I won't tell anyone about it, unless you allow me."

Kahit saang anggulo ko tingnan, parang malabo talagang siya si Moriarty. Napaka-kind at caring niyang teacher. Ewan ko kung mali ang judgment ko o talagang biased ako, pero hindi ko maramdaman ang Moriarty vibe mula sa kanya. Gusto kong magtiwala sa reasoning ni Loki, pero tao rin siya. Puwede siyang magkamali.

"Actually, sir, wala naman talaga akong—"

"Can you drop the act now, sir?" hirit ni Loki, dahilan para sabay kaming mapalingon sa kanya ni Sir Morayta. "There's no need for you to keep up with this nice teacher persona. Take that mask off and show us who you really are."

Kumunot ang noo at paulit-ulit na kumurap si Sir Morayta. "Hindi kita maintindihan, Loki. Anong persona at mask ang tinutukoy mo? Sorry, but I don't follow. Can you enlighten me?"

"Your name Jim Morayta has a close resemblance to the name James Moriarty. You're also a mathematics instructor just like the Napoleon of crime," paliwanag ni Loki, halos walang preno ang bibig niya. "Everyone on campus respects you and a word against you might be considered as slander. Choosing Moriarty as your alias would be a perfect and fitting choice, wouldn't it?"

Sa sobrang confident ng boses ni Loki, sana'y tama ang hinala niya. Dahil kung hindi, siguradong mapahihiya siya.

Sumandal si Sir Morayta sa upuan at ipinagkrus ang mga braso niya. "So you think I'm that Moriarty? Aaminin kong hindi ito ang una o ikalawang beses na narinig ko ang pangalang 'yon. Paano mo nasabing ako siya?"

"When I got poisoned after drinking belladonna, Lorelei told me that you were the first to respond to her cry for help. It's as if you were on standby outside the clubroom, waiting for your cue. I'm not your student, but you seemed to care about me. Then I remembered what one of Moriarty's minions revealed to us. That mastermind in the shadows doesn't want me dead."

"Masama ba para sa isang teacher na mag-alala sa isang student? Back then, I just happened to pass by your clubroom. I only did my duty as a teacher. Mali ba ang ginawa ko?"

Inilabas ni Loki ang card mula sa chest pocket niya at inilapag 'yon sa mesa. Talagang ibinababa na niya ang kanyang mga baraha.

"In case you pretend to know nothing, this code can only be solved by using base eight. You mentioned that method of counting in Lorelei's class. Who could have thought of integrating that lesson with a substitution code except for a math enthusiast?"

Natawa si Sir Morayta at napailing ang ulo. "Dahil ba itinuro ko ang base eight, ibig sabihin n'on, ako na ang gumawa ng code na 'to? Just to remind you, Loki, octal counting is not an exclusive knowledge. Lahat ng mga taong mahilig sa math, alam 'yan. I'm not the only math instructor in Clark High. Did you also suspect my fellow teachers?"

"But among those who know base eight in our school, you're the most suspicious." Naningkit ang mga mata ni Loki sa kanya. "Your name, you being near the clubroom when I was poisoned, and you teaching octal counting in class. The pieces of the puzzle fit perfectly, and the image that they reveal when put together is yours."

Hindi ko na alam kung sino ang paniniwalaan sa kanila. Parehong may sense ang points at counterpoints na ibinabato nila sa isa't isa. Parang nanood ako ng tennis match dahil sa back and forth shots ng dalawa.

Ilang sandali ring nagkatitigan sina Loki at Sir Morayta, parang nasa staring contest ang dalawa.

"Sorry, Lorelei, pero kung wala kang iko-consult sa akin, kailangan ko nang umalis," sabi ni Sir Morayta pagkatapos niyang kumalas mula sa titigan. Tumayo na siya. Sunod na nagawi ang tingin niya kay Loki na nakabantay pa rin ang mga mata sa kanya. "Nagkakamali ka kung sa tingin mo'y isa akong kalaban. Sa katunayan nga, magkakampi pa tayong dalawa."

Nagpaalam na siya sa amin bago naglakad patungo sa exit. Bago pa siya tuluyang makaalis, mabilis na inilabas ni Loki ang phone niya at i-d-in-ial ang number ni Moriarty. 'Yon na ang trump card namin. His phone started ringing.

"Now answer the damn phone and reveal who you are," he muttered, his eyes were still fixated on Sir Morayta. My teacher stepped outside the café.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star~ How I wonder what you are~"

Sabay na nanlaki ang mga mata namin ni Loki nang narinig ang children song na 'yon. Hindi sa labas kundi sa loob mismo ng café ang pinagmulan n'on. Nakatutok pa rin kami kay Sir Morayta na tuluyan nang naglakad palayo, hindi man inilabas ang phone niya.

Nag-connect na ang call. Nagtinginan kami ni Loki. Heto na ang moment of truth. Napalunok ako ng laway habang nakatitig sa phone niya.

"I've been waiting for you to ring me up. What took you so long?" sagot ng tao sa kabilang linya. Hindi lang sa phone galing ang boses ng lalaking 'yon. Parang nasa malapit siya. Parang nasa katabing mesa namin siya.

"Who's this?" tanong ni Loki.

"Turn around. You must be dying to see me face-to-face. Come on, don't be shy. Turn around now."

Lumingon kami ni Loki sa likuran nang napagtanto namin kung saan galing ang boses. We saw a bespectacled student with a familiar face seated at the table just behind ours. He was holding a black phone near his right ear and he was beaming an enigmatic smile at us.

I shot him a wide-eye stare the second I recognized his face and voice.

"I am Moriarty," pagpapakilala niya. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Loki."

"S-Stein Alberts . . ." bulong ko.

q.e.d.

Project LOKI Volume 1 (Collector's Edition) is still available on PSICOM Publishing's Shopee and Lazada stores for only ₱650. The package includes (1) book with author's signature, (2) bookmarks, (2) postcards, (2) sticker pads, and (1) magnetic bookmark.

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