Play The King: Act Two

CHAPTER X: Severed Strings (Castiel)

This would be a war with three major battles. Our enemies needed to win all three to overthrow our regime. We lost the first one. As the situation stood right now, there's a likely chance that we would lose the second. But we might stand a chance in the third. As long as we could stop Alaric the Prick's win streak, Priam and Valeria would be able to keep their positions.

I could try to outmaneuver Alaric the Prick and his allies during the trial. But there was no guarantee that I could outmaneuver their efforts in firing up their base to vote to oust Priam and Valeria. Only one person on campus had some sort of influence to counter the ousting. Unfortunately, she cut the strings that I had attached to her. She refused to be my puppet anymore, and I badly needed her to be one this time.

My reckless moves came to bite me in the ass.

"What are we going to do now?" Valeria whispered as the people around us began to rise. "Tell me you have a plan, Cas. We can't let Alaric win, can we?"

"Let's talk about it once we're back in the student council office." I gave her a sideward glance. "For now, brace yourself in three, two, one . . ."

As expected, the campus media reporters began to flock around us, pointing their devices as if they were guns. Valeria and I got to our feet and tried to escape from the wall of reporters. But they formed a human wall in front of us.

"Excuse me? What's your reaction to the impeachment complaint and the trial?"

"Do you think the USC president and vice president will survive impeachment?"

"Are you guilty of the offense being alleged against the president and VP?"

"Is this a political move of the opposition?"

"Did you see this coming? Or were you surprised when the motion was proposed and approved?"

The crowd began squeezing us as we attempted to move toward the exit. We even bumped into some of them. I had to tighten the grip on my cane to not lose it in the commotion.

Valeria held up her hands, instantly silencing the blabbering reporters. "We will issue an official statement through our press secretary, but I assure you that the USC will cooperate to any investigation. For now, please let us through."

"Do you think you can still turn things around?"

"What will happen if both the president and VP get impeached?"

"Will you consider stepping down from your positions instead of facing this impeachment battle?"

"Do you think the majority bloc has another agenda in trying to oust our top two student-leaders?"

"Please give way to the vice president and the chief-of-staff!" Alaric the Prick walked toward the crowd. "You heard the VP. They're going to issue an official statement. We advise everyone here to wait for the proper venue to ask questions. It's not appropriate to harass them on their way out."

May double meaning ba ang huling sinabi niya?

The reporters took some steps backwards, giving us some space to breathe. If only he was not the cause of our headache right now and he did not almost cost me my limb, I would have thanked him from the bottom of my heart.

Alaric the Prick then approached us and handed over stapled sheets of paper. "Since you're still here, allow me to save us the trouble of going to the USC office. We're furnishing you a copy of the complaint. You're requested to appear in our next session to make your case against it."

"Thank you for being so kind," I said, enunciating every word with so much emphasis. I accepted the copy. "The USC will reach out to you as soon as possible to arrange everything."