WHOSE DEDUCTION SHOW?

7: WORD WAR

Chapter 7: Word War

AMBER

 
"WELCOME BACK to Whose Deduction Show!? We're here today with the teams who will advance to the finals! Everyone, we have the Detective Triumvirate Plus One!"

We entered the studio with a smile at kumapit na lang ako kay Jeremy upang pigilan ang kaba. Thankfully, agad kaming pinaupo sa mahabang couch at tinawag na ng host na si Damian Domingo ang pangalawang grupo.

"The second group who will face them in the final round is no other than the QED Club!" Isa-isa kong binasa ang pangalan na nasa nameplate nila. The girl with long hair and fringes that covers most of her forehead is 'Lorelei.'

The other girl with braided hair hanging on her shoulder is 'Jamie.' She looked good in the screen at mas lalo na sa malapitan. The tall guy with them motioned his hand to signal the girls to sit on the couch na nasa tapat namin ay si 'Alistair' at ang lalaking tila walang pakialam sa nangyayari sa kanyang paligid ay si 'Loki.'

Honestly I hate his name. Loki? What if he would bring us mischief too? O masyado lang akong paranoid?

"So we have our young detectives here, let us interview the Detective Triumvirate Plus One first. You and the QED Club will advance to the final round of the show, ano sa tingin ninyo ang lamang n'yo sa kanila?" tanong ng host.

Math was the only one who seemed comfortable with the cameras around kaya siya ang sumagot. "Since they made it to the last round, malamang may potential talaga sila. But I know we will win this competition hindi dahil minamaliit ko sila-I just trust my team."

Her replied made the other team smirk, even the guy Loki. "Unlike your team, we don't reveal our tricks all at once. It appears that only one from your team has potential. Then there's one who talks a lot, one who says nonsense stuff, and one who looks like she's not interested in this farce," sabi niya at pinasadahan ako ng tingin. "Did I say farce? Sorry, I meant show," he said.

So ako ang mukhang hindi interesado? What's with him? Kanina pa niya ako tinitingnan mula ulo hanggang paa. At sino kaya sa amin ang mukhang hindi interesado?! Siya nga 'tong halos hindi man lang sumulyap sa ibinigay na code sa kanila at hindi tumulong sa mga kasama niya!

"Teka, ako ba ang tinutukoy mo?" taas-kilay na tanong ko. Yes, I was really forced pero kailangan ba niyang sabihin 'yon sa harap ng camera?

"I didn't mention a name but you know it's you," sagot niya.

"Loki!" saway sa kanya ni Lorelei.

"Loki dear, how can you say she's not interested?" tanong ni Jamie. Lorelei was giving me an apologetic look, gayundin din si Alistair. But I was eager to know how he could say I'm not interested.

"She woke up late and that shows her less enthusiasm to participate in what's happening today."

My eyes widened. Paano niya nalamang late na akong nagising? "'Yon lang? How did you know I woke up late?"

He pointed at my feet. "Your socks are different. Maybe you randomly grabbed a mismatched pair because you didn't have the luxury of time to choose the right one."

Napatingin ako sa paa ko. Maliit na bahagi lang ng medyas but he was able to know I wore socks that do not match!

"What if Bestie just wants to wear different socks? Trip lang niya, gano'n?" Jeremy asked. "Or to battle with her mild OCD?"

"That is possible but look at her jeans, she folded it a bit different. She's obviously in a hurry. Also, as I have observed everyone here, I can say she isn't suffering from mild OCD."

"So?" sabad na rin ni Math. "How does waking up late show she's not interested in this? Paano kung late siyang nagising dahil hindi siya makatulog sa excitement?"

"Her wide awake eyes tell me that she didn't stay up late last night. She hasn't yawned since I saw her in the green room and in the studio. Also, when you arrived here, she's the only one bringing a cup of coffee. She probably grabbed some on a drive thru on your way here. How's that relevant, you ask? You three already had taken your breakfast while waiting for her."

Okay, he's speaking confidently and it's scary how he got everything right by simply observing. Paano naman niya nasabing ako lang ang may dalang kape gayong sila ang huling dumating?

"Paano mo nalaman na siya lang ang bumili ng kape? Paano kung naubos na pala namin ang sa amin kaya hindi na namin nadala rito or itinapon na ang mga cup namin sa garbage bin?" Jeremy insisted.

"No, the cup was still hot before the first round started. As for your hypothetical coffee, there's no trash can from the entrance up to the holding area. Wala kayong pagtatapunan ng basura. Your colleagues wouldn't throw their used cup anywhere, am I right? I expect that you would observe proper decorum so you wouldn't do something inappropriate."

I'm not losing against this guy! He has the nerve to embarrass me in front of the cameras kahit anong pagsaway ang gawin sa kanya ng kanyang mga kasama!

"So? Hindi por que nag-takeout ako ng kape at nahuli ako, hindi na ako interesado," pambabara ko sa kanya.

"When the first round started, you're not focused and your mind seems to wander instead of cracking the code given to you. You're more of a handicap to the team. Also, you keep on cringing every time your group's name is called, but I understand why."

Biglang natawa si Jamie. "Oh my God, Loki dear, tama ka! Kahit ako kung ganyan ang pangalan ng team ko 'tapos, apat kami, baka nagtago na ako sa hiya."

"Jamie!" saway naman sa kanya ni Lorelei bago apologetic na tumingin sa amin. Kung hindi lang tinapik ni Gray sa balikat si Jeremy, malamang sumagot na rin siya since siya ang nagbigay ng pangalan sa amin.

Pero hindi talaga ako makapaniwala. Sa kanya talaga nanggaling na tila hindi ako interesado sa game show na ito? Siya nga 'tong wala rin namang naitulong sa team nila! Also, was he saying that I'm useless?! I started to feel mad that I gripped hard on my pen dahilan para mahulog 'yon at gumulong sa kabilang dako. Alistair picked it up for me at nakangiting iniabot 'yon sa akin.

"I'm sorry for his words. I'm sure he didn't mean to offend you," paumanhin ni Alistair.

Of course, he did! And he didn't even apologize for it! That guy should have some tact.

Hinila ako ni Gray sa siko at inilapit sa kanya. "Our members have their own unique contribution to the team. Gaya ng sinabi ni Math, I also trust our team to win this competition."

"But it's clear to us who will win this competition. That's us, the QED Club," sagot ni Loki. Napa-face-palm na lang si Lorelei dahil doon and I felt sorry for her. Ilang beses na kasi niyang sinasaway ang kanyang mga kasama but all her efforts went to waste dahil hindi 'yon sinusunod ni Loki.

"Your bravado has no effect on us," sagot ni Gray. "That deduction about Amber is quite impressive but do you know what they say? 'People who are showing off their speed are headed in the wrong direction.'"

Thankfully, naalala pa ng host na magsalita. "That was an amazing deduction, Loki! Chill lang tayo, okay? Ngayon ang QED Club naman ang tanungin natin. Since Loki has already declared that you're going to bring home the trophy, ano ang inyong strategy para talunin ang Detective Triumvirate Plus One?"

"You cannot declare victory and anticipate your defeat at the same time. Why would we reveal our tricks-"

"We will show the QED Club's trump card during the next round," agap ni Lorelei bago pa man tuluyang tustahin ni Loki ang host.

"Naging mainit ang palitan ng salita ng ating mga young detective! Mukhang magiging mas matindi ang labanan! Abangan ang susunod na mangyayari dito lang sa . . . Whose Deduction Show!"

We're instructed to stay still for a few seconds at ngumiti lang sa camera. Nang mag-cue ang direktor ng, "cut" ay naghiwalay na kami ng landas.

I have a feeling this game would not end up good. 

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