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Intricate Leads

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THE TENSION that day hung in the air even as Jarrell and Quinn had entered their dormitory room. Almost everyone in Castillo High was distraught — but the four who were sent to their rooms were the ones feeling the most perplexed.

"Professor Zaldiga should've stopped him." Jarrell said in frustration, slamming the door shut behind him. "He should've stopped him, so why didn't he stop him?!"

"Jarrell," Quinn muttered, heading to his room. "Ryder Elias Maccio is a prominent public figure — ten times richer than any of us, whether we like it or not. Professor Zaldiga was wise not to get involved; simply because the professor is no match for a powerful man such as Rein's father."

"He's a coward then." Jarrell spat back, but Quinn already had too much on his mind to answer back.

Plopping down on his bed, Quinn let out a sigh before surveying his room. Halos wala nang laman ang kaniyang kwarto lalo na't karamihan sa kaniyang mga kagamitan ang nasira dahil sa vandalism na nangyari. Unlike Rein and Jarrell who could easily replace their things and clothes with one snap of their fingers, it wasa lot more difficult for Quinn.

The young olive-skinned boy would rather save money for his future instead of replacing his ruined items. Hindi naman kasi kasing-privileged ni Quinn ang kaniyang mga kaibigan.

Looking down, he then glanced towards his own journal that he had neatly placed on top of his bed after fixing his room.

Inside the notebook, a flyer could be seen sticking out.

Quinn pursed his lips as he grabbed his journal to open it and check out the flyer once more.

Sobrang raming gumugulo sa isip ng binata nitong mga nakaraang araw. He was after all, impulsively pulled into a mess that he didn't want to be associated with in the first place, and still struggling to maintain his academic image as a scholar of the academe.

Napabuntong-hininga ang binata at saka tinitigan ang flyer na hawak-hawak niya. It was a poster about the upcoming 2018 TechnoKids Cup — a quiz bee competition for computer whizzes like him.

Quinn had already registered for the said competition that was happening three days from now, but with everything that was happening with their investigation and his friends' well-being, he wasn't so sure if he should push through with it.

Napamasahe sa sentindo ang binata bago inadjust ang kaniyang specs. Sure, he was extremely worried about Rein since he was his best friend, and he promised that he would help in the immediate progress of their investigation, but Quinn felt so conflicted.

Napatingin muli ang binata sa flyer. This competition, like the Writers' Schism, was also held annually. In fact, ever since he had became a Castillian, Quinn was already interested in joining the TechnoKids Cup, looking forward to joining the contest every year.

But every year as well, his plans were always thwarted.

Sa unang taon niya bilang junior high school student sa Castillo High, kasa-kasama niya si Jarrell at Rein bawat minuto. Wherever they were, Quinn would be there too. Unfortunately, the TechnoKids Cup that year was held at the same time Rein celebrated his birthday, and of course, Quinn couldn't say no to that.

Sa second year naman nila bilang mga sophomores, ay hindi rin nagkaroon ng tiyansa si Quinn na sumali dahil sinuportahan nila ni Rein si Jarrell sa kaniyang speech sa celebratory party ng kaniyang tatay na nanalo muli sa eleksyon bilang mayor ng Ylando City.

For their junior year, Quinn again, wasn't able to join as Jarrell and Rein had insisted him to join them for their school field trip. And even though Quinn desperately wanted to finally join the TechnoKids Cup — even if he was too embarrassed to ask money from his parents for the said field trip, Quinn agreed.

Kahit sa ayaw o gusto ng binata ay malugod niyang sinundan ang kaniyang dalawang kaibigan dahil takot ito na mapag-iwanan. Rein and Jarrell after all were his only friends, the only people who immediately accepted him even if he was a nobody when he entered Castillo High.

And he was grateful of course. Having Reagan Iñigo Maccio and Jarrell Blake Marquez as his two best friends still felt surreal — two of the most popular and important students in the academe, considered him, Quinston Rhys Gintuan who was just a poor scholar with a knack for computers, as a friend. It was the most luck he could get, especially since studying in a prestigious high school full of rich students from high-class backgrounds was intimidating enough.

Being their friend gave Quinn various advantages. No one attempted to bully the spectacled boy that he was, no one even dared to cross or tease him for his unprivileged background.

Because of this, Quinn was the most loyal friend who followed the two anywhere; deeply caring for them. Natatakot kasi ito na balang araw, bigla siyang tanggalin sa grupo. He fears that if he suddenly chooses himself for once, the two would drop him as their friend, and he wouldn't be able to handle that.

"Pero hanggang kailan?" He muttered, glancing once more at the poster in his hands. Until when was he going to blindly follow and stay loyal to his friends?

Quinn's thoughts were immediately pushed aside though when the door to their dormitory room opened.

That must be Rein. He told himself.

Agad na ibinalik ng binata ang poster papasok sa kaniyang journal. He then placed the journal into his uppermost drawer before rushing out of his room.

"Rein," he blinked in worry as their friend entered the living room with a bandaid on his cheek. Mukhang dumaan na ito sa school clinic bago pa bumalik sa dormitoryo nila.

"I'm fine." Rein persisted when he saw their worried expressions. Despite this, he two stared at him helplessly, not sure if their friend needed space, or comfort. "Ang kailangan natin ngayon ay mag-meeting."

Jarrell shot Quinn a glance. "Magpahinga ka muna kaya—"

"I said I'm fine." Rein snapped. He was in no mood to sugarcoat words or receive sympathy from anyone — not even from his two best friends. The only thing in Rein's mind right now was the burning goal, the desire to make it up to his rival by unraveling the mystery, win in the Writer's Schism, and outwit his own abusive father.

"Inform the girls." Rein said in a tone that he only uses whenever he assumes responsibility of being the class president. "We'll sneak out to their dorm tonight."

He then ran his fingers through his hair, the gears of his mind working rapidly in top speed before giving his two friends a determined gaze.

"We're going to solve this damn mystery whether by hook, or by crook."

---

It was deep into the night when the three boys snuck through the shadowy building of the girls' dormitory. By the time Queenie had ushered them quickly inside their room, the moon peeked behind the clouds to give light to the dark midnight sky.

"That was close." Quinn sighed in relief as soon as they were inside. Sera on the other hand gazed at them with a scrunched-up face.

"Sigurado ba kayong gusto niyo dito mag-meeting?" She muttered with folded arms, dressed in her nightgown. "The other girls might get suspicious if they hear your voices."

"Relax." Sambit ni Jarrell na itinanggal ang hood ng kaniyang jacket. "Pag nahuli tayo, we'll take the blame for it."

"That's reassuring." Sera snorted, but didn't argue anymore as Queenie, who had re-entered the living room, held up two different test tubes with cotton buds dipped into a light blue mixture.

"I compared the pigments used in writing the threats on our walls by testing both stains." Queenie said in a low tone, careful not to let the other rooms in the girls' dormitory overhear. "According to my tests, the bloodstain threats on both our rooms matches. A rat's fresh blood and well, another unidentified pigment — were mixed together and used to write the threats on our walls."

"Unidentified?" Rein frowned, at tumango naman ang dalaga.

"I'm still not sure about the other pigment. It seems to be another heterogenous mixture of some sort, kaya mahirap siyang i-identify. But I'll work on it." Queenie said in a determined tone.

"And what about our suspect's claims? Did you interrogate his witnesses?" Rein asked, turning to Jarrell and Sera as he pertained about Zan Chu's alibi.

Sera nodded her head before plopping down on the sofa. "Tinanong ko si Jayson kung anong oras umuwi si Zan noong hapon ng Lunes, and he said he came to their dorm around seven in the evening — pagkatapos nilang kumain ni Lucas ng pang-hapunan. In fact, sabi niya na yun daw ang usual na oras ng pag-uwi ni Zan."

"He was also confirmed to be training that day according to Coach Eric." Jarrell added hastily. "In fact, the whole basketball team of Castillo High was present during Monday's afternoon training."

"Then that gives Chu no time to trash our room." Rein said grimly, gripping the messy strands of hair on his forehead as he pondered over the information.

The twins on the other hand, glanced at one another before Quinn pulled out the locker key wrapped in paper towel from his pocket. "I hate to add to our long list of dead ends, but Queenie and I scanned the key using a makeshift ultraviolet ray light, and there was only one set of fingerprints on the key."

"Zan's fingerprints?" Sera frowned.

"Possibly," Quinn replied. "Or they could be—"

"The culprit's fingerprints." Rein said in realization, straightening his back. "The culprit might have covered Zan's fingerprints on the key using his own fingerprints; so instead na dalawang set ng fingerprints ang makikita, isang set lang."

"Yes." Quinn nodded. "'Yan rin ang naisip namin. Especially since the key is small and holding it in one hand would already cover the entirety of the key. However..."

"Pota. Ba't naman may pa-however pa, Quinston?" Jarrell whined, plopping next to Sera on the couch.

"The fingerprints we found were smudged and blurry — basically unclear and unidentifiable." Quinn informed them, ignoring Jarrell's whining.

"Kung medyo malinaw lang ang fingerprints, we could perhaps send this key to the O.C.P. so that they can find the identity of the person who framed Chu. Pero ayun nga, malabo. Indeed, we can distinguish that the prints found on this locker key are fingerprints, but we won't be able to identify whose fingerprints is it."

Rein, who frowning as Quinn spoke, couldn't help but let out a deep breath. He was visibly perplexed. "Then that means the culprit must've used gloves for safety measure."

"Duh." Sera scoffed. "This mastermind is smarter than we thin—"

"OI!" A voice suddenly thundered, knocking harshly on the door of the girls' dormitory room.

There was a quick rush of movement inside the girl's dormitory room before the door was abruptly opened.

"Keep it low down here!" Calista, who was the one who had opened the door, barked immediately.

Ngunit ang nadatnan lamang ng twelfth grader ay ang nakapatay na ilaw ng kwarto.

The only light inside the girls' living room was the light emanating from the the television, in which a chick flick was currently playing. Because of this, Sera and Queenie's silhouettes could be seen sitting on the sofa. A blanket was drawn over the girls' lower bodies as they sat together on the couch, in a way that only their heads could be seen.

The older girl frowned before flicking on the light switch of the girls' living room. Sera and Queenie's tired eyes squinted at Calista who surveyed the room suspiciously.

"Seriously Cal, keep down the ruckus, will ya?" Sera complained before yawning, and Calista's eyes narrowed into slits.

"I swore I heard other voices in this room." She snapped, obviously fishy about the whole setup before glaring towards Sera. "And don't call me Cal. Just because you're Ann's dormmates, doesn't mean we're close."

Queenie on the other hand, pointed towards the television. "Baka 'yung boses sa TV yung naririnig mo?" The bespectacled young girl asked, trying to hide her smile.

Calista let out a scoff before slamming their door shut and leaving them alone. When they finally heard her footsteps fade away, Sera immediately stood up, making Jarrell, who was hiding underneath the blanket that both girls held, fall to the floor.

"Aray ko! Putangina naman!" He hissed, rubbing his butt.

Quinn on the other hand, crawled out from behind the sofa, and Rein heaved out a sigh as he stepped out from behind the door. 

"That was another close call!" Reklamo ni Quinn, fixing his specs.

"Buti na lang at magaling kami mag-acting." Sera said, flipping her hair.

"Tch." Jarrell scoffed. "Buti kamo, mabilis kaming mag-tago." He answered back, and Sera stuck out her tongue in response.

"This is going to be a long night." Rein commented under his breath, massaging his temples. Kahit na hindi sinadya ng binata na lakasan ang kaniyang boses ay narinig pa rin ni Sera ang komento nito.

"Yes Maccio, it is already a long night." Sera snapped. "Which, by the way, is something we can't afford. I mean, I need my beauty sleep! Ikaw ba, hindi ka ba magpre-prepare para sa party bukas?"

"What??" Rein frowned, looking at Sera as if she was crazy. "Anong pinagsasabi mo?"

"Hindi ba pupunta ang mga Maccio sa party ng mga Marquez bukas? I heard from my father every high-class family would be there." Kunot-noong tanong ni Sera. She then rolled her eyes before facing Jarrell with her hands on her hips.

"You didn't tell your own best friend your father was throwing a party?!"

Si Jarrell naman ang umirap. "Baka hindi mo napansin na masyado tayong na-busy sa lahat ng nangyari kaya hindi ko nasabi sa kanila?" Sarkastikong sabi nito, making Sera snort.

"So that's the party my father was talking about earlier." Rein nodded, putting the pieces together.

Jarrell then ran his fingers through his light brown hair before facing his two best friends. "Pasensya na 'di ko kayo nasabihan agad. Last minute lang rin kasi yung party ni papa." Sambit ni Jarrell na napabuntong-hininga. "Quinn, Queenie, you're invited as well. Mga kaibigan ko naman kay—"

"It's fine." Quinn said hastily, shaking his hands. "Babantayan ko nalang yung dorm natin, baka pag-diskitahan pa ulit." Pagsisinungaling nito. The truth was, he actually wanted to be alone for once in order to prepare for the TechnoKids Cup.

"Sigurado ka ba?" Jarrell frowned.

"Quinn, pwede namang sabay tayo." Rein offered, but Quinn shook his head.

"Nah, I'll be fine." The bespectacled boy grinned. "Masaya na ako basta uubusin ko mga snacks natin sa dorm. Hehe."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Marami naman kayong pagkain sa party!"

"I'll have to reject the invitation too." Queenie added. "I want to further experiment on the stains and find out the other unidentified pigment."

"Then I guess this meeting is adjourned." Tango naman ni Rein, bago hinarap ang kaniyang kaibigan. "Jarrell, I just have one job for you for tomorrow's event."

"Ano 'yun?"

"The Lobris family will surely attend tomorrow as well. If Ann attends, siguraduhin mong may pagkakataon at lugar na malaya tayong makakausap na apat."

"Psh," Jarrell grinned mischievously. "Ako pa."

---

As the five further finalized the next steps for their investigation back in Castillo High, there was, on the other hand, a whole other event happening in the Lobris mansion.

"Come on, Lobris." The last voice that Ann heard before fainting spun in her head. It was a familiar voice,  "Let's get you home."

Immediately, Ann felt overwhelmed with the voices, causing her to sit up straight, na para bang kakaahon lang nito mula sa pagkalunod — heaving her chest up and down as she gasped for air.

"Honey!" Her mother, who was sitting beside her bed, cried as Ann sat up on her bed. The woman then hastily placed down her phone to assist her daughter who blinked rapidly, adjusting her vision.

Napahawak agad sa ulo ang dalaga. She wasn't dizzy anymore, but she still felt very confused, thirsty and most of all, hungry.

"Drink water." Her mother insisted, and the young girl gratefully placed the cold glass of water to her dry lips.

"Annaliese." A deep voice said in a serious tone, and Ann blinked rapidly before glancing towards her left to see that her father was also inside her room, sitting on one velvet chair.

He gave her a steely gaze before rising from his seat.

"D-Dad." Ann mumbled.

"You better have an explanation for what happened to you." Her father said grimly, and Ann suddenly remembered everything that had transpired.

Oh shit. She cursed inwardly.

"Alejandro! Nanghihina pa yung bata!" The lawyer scolded the senator. "Mamaya mo na siya tanungin patungkol kay Maccio!"

"Maccio??" Ann asked, her eyebrows furrowed together as she glanced from her mother back to her father. "Anong kinalaman ng mga Maccio??"

"The young Maccio heir," her father said in a livid tone. "Carried you while you were unconscious to the school clinic. Ang gusto naming malaman ay kung ano ba ang nangyari. May ginawa bang masama sa'yo ang Maccio na 'yun?"

"Oh God," bulong ni Ann, slapping a hand to her face.

"Oh God indeed." seryosong sambit ng kaniyang tatay. "You are in deep trouble young lady, especially if you don't tell us right now what transpired—"

"I fainted!" She said breathlessly, interrupting her father who seemed startled by her adamant answer.

"I—because, hindi kasi ako nag-breakfast at lunch tapos napuyat pa ako kakaaral kagabi." Ann lied, a hand to her forehead. "Then by afternoon, me and my group in research were handing out our questionnaires when I felt dizzy — and then that was when I must've fainted."

"And Rein Maccio carried you?" Her father asked dryly. "The son of my number one enemy?"

"He must've felt compelled to do so." Ann murmured, shaking her head for she did not know the truth. In fact, she felt very confused.

"You know... Since he's our class president?" Ann added, although her statement sounded more like an unsure question rather than an answer.

Despite this, the young girl trusted her rival, as well as the others.

They must have a reason for letting Rein be the one to carry me in public. She thought, convincing herself.

Meanwhile, Senator Alejandro Lobris and Attorney Gabrielle Lobris frowned as they stared right at their daughter, trying to comprehend Ann's story.

"Well then," her father said coldly. "At least the Maccio boy has a sense of decency. Unlike his pig of a father." He spat out.

Ann bit her tongue to not comment upon her father's remark. Mahirap na at baka ma-defend niya pa ang kaniyang karibal sa harapan ng kaniyang ama.

"Now Annaliese, it's been a long day and I'm a busy man." The senator said strictly. "What I want you to do now is to not leave this room and rest for the whole day. There's an important gathering in the Marquez mansion later this evening, and I want our family to be complete and present."

Without another word, he then left the room, not bothering to showcase any kind of worry for his daughter — only for the family reputation.

Ann's mother on the other hand, then turned to her. "Darling, if you still don't feel well tomorrow, you don't need to come." She said lovingly, reaching out to caress her daughter's cheek; to which Ann couldn't help but flinch.

"What's wrong?" The attorney worriedly.

"Nothing." Ann mumbled, remembering what she had saw minutes before she was abducted. The image of her mother romantically holding another man's hand made her sick to her stomach.

"Just please, tell Kuya Norman to send food here. Gusto ko muna pong mapag-isa." Ann said quietly, avoiding her mother's gaze.

Dahil dito ay tinitigan siya ng kaniyang ina, halatang nasaktan sa malamig na trato ng kaniyang anak. "Alright," her mother finally spoke, nodding with a sigh. She then kissed Ann's forehead, before leaving the room as well.

Nang sigurado na ng dalaga na wala na ang kaniyang magulang ay agad siyang humarap sa kaniyang bedside table, frantically snatching the telephone. Wala itong choice na gamitin ito lalo na't kinuha ng culprit ang kaniyang mga kagamitan at walang tinira. She then hastily dialed the telephone number of her dormitory room back in Castillo High, glancing at the digital clock beside the telephone.

Madaling araw na pala ng Miyerkules.

But before Ann could finished dialing the number, Kuya Norman had entered her room with a trolley of food, and a parcel box in one hand.

"Kuya Norman!" Ann exclaimed, immediately slamming the telephone back in its place.

"Here you go, Miss Lobris." The butler said, settling a tray of a sumptuous meal on her bedside table, next to the telephone and digital clock.

"Thank you," the young girl said gratefully, before glancing at the box in his hand. "What's that big box for? Regalo ba 'yan?"

"It's for you, Miss." The butler simply said, handing it over to Ann who frowned at the gesture.

"Kanino daw po galing?" Kunot-noong tanong ng dalaga.

"There was no sender address on the parcel. Merely our address." He informed her. With an elegant bow, he too, left Ann alone in her room.

Ann blinked, watching the family butler exit through her door, before glancing down on the parcel. Kunot-noong tinitigan ng dalaga ito bago binuksan.

As soon as Ann opened the flaps of the brown box, the petite girl almost fell out of her bed in surprise when inside the parcel was none other than her own things.

"What the fuck?!" Gulat nitong sabi, pulling out her backpack and laptop bag from inside the box. She couldn't believe her eyes. Akala niya ay habang-buhay na niyang hindi makikita ang kaniyang mga kagamitan. In fact, she had accepted the fate of her stolen items, and was already ready to purchase new ones. 

Quickly, Ann then unzipped her backpack, rummaging through it until she finally found her phone. The young girl sighed in relief, before suddenly feeling suspicious.

"Why would my abductor send back my things?" She questioned herself, feeling doubtful about it all.

As she skeptically looked at her items, her eyes suddenly caught something else on the bottom of the box.

Frowning, Ann slowly pulled the item out of the box. It was a lone piece of paper with words and a photo printed in black and white.

"What in the hell..." Bulong nito as she scanned the paper that seemed to be a ripped page from today's copy of the Ylando Bulletin newspaper.

On the front of the paper's sheet was a picture of her father and Rein's father — seemingly shouting at one another inside Castillo High's main lobby. Above the photo was the headline: "LOBRIS AND MACCIO FEUD: REIGNITED".

Napahilamos ng mukha ang dalaga as she read the article written below the photo — discussing the events of how famous Senator Lobris and wealthy businessman Mr. Maccio, angrily faced one another in Castillo High after learning that Rein Maccio had carried an unconscious Ann Lobris to the school clinic.

"Arghh, Maccio!" Ann groaned in frustration. "Whatever happened to rule number one?!" She asked out loud, wondering what had gotten into her rival's head.

"You better have a damn good reason for doing this." She muttered once more before turning the page around.

The frustration in Ann's face soon faded away though by the time she saw the back of the paper.

It was a normal article about the inflation of goods in Ylando City — also printed in black and white. But what made Ann stop in her tracks was the bold writings written across the article using red marker.

THIS IS YOUR SECOND WARNING. STAY OUT OF THE CASE, OR YOUR REPUTATION IS NEXT.

---

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