Project LOKI ②

Chapter 30: The Assassination of Walter Rios (The Threat)

"You personally know my dad?"

"I've only heard of his name recently."

"So why is Jamie here? You received invitation for two?"

"I got two invitations. One's for me, the other one's for my brother," he spat the last word as if it was poison. "But he couldn't come tonight, so I looked for a replacement. I invited you without knowing that you would be coming here as well, but you declined. So I called Jamie and she agreed to accompany me tonight."

"Look at us!" Jamie locked her right arm with Loki's. "Bagay kaming tingnan, 'di ba?"

"You look gorgeous as always," may pagtangong komento ni Alistair. Sunod siyang bumaling sa club president namin. "What do you think of your date tonight?"

"She looks nice," Loki agreed. Hindi sapat ang nice para i-describe ang itsura ng kasama namin.

"I'm glad that you've made it tonight, Louis."

My dad approached us. He was clad in white designer coat. Unlike his usual cold appearance, his aura was warm and friendly tonight, beaming at the guests and exchanging pleasantries with them. Nakatayo sa magkabilang side niya ang dalawang bodyguard na palingon-lingon sa paligid. Ang isa sa kanila'y may fountain pen na naka-clip sa breast pocket nito.

Teka! Sino si Louis? Sa aming apat siya lumapit, pero wala ni isa sa amin ang may pangalang Louis. Baka nagka-memory loss na si Papa?

"It's a pleasure to be here, Mr. Rios." Nakipagkamay si Loki sa kaniya. "My dad sends his deepest regrets for not being able to come to your party. My mom wishes you a happy birthday and apologizes for not being able to make it tonight."

"I understand. Since he retired from the force, Odinaire has been enjoying his peaceful life. I heard that he is currently in the States this month. I reached out to him just a few weeks ago."

Odinaire? 'Yon ba ang pangalan ng tatay ni Loki? Loki. Thor. Odin. Talagang pinanindigan ng pamilya Mendez ang kanilang Norse mythology naming scheme.

My dad held me by the shoulder and pulled me closer to him. My body flinched, pero hinayaan ko na siyang gawin akong prop sa harap ng mga kaibigan ko. He probably wanted to show them that we got a good father-daughter relationship.

"I'm quite surprised to hear that Lorelei is friend with Louis." His hand held me firmly as if he did not want me to leave his side. "If Alistair did not tell me, I would not have known. Lorelei sometimes forgets to update me with what's going on in her life."

"Dad, his name's Loki, not Louis," pagtatama ko sa kaniya. Nahawa na rin ba siya ni Loki sa pagiging makalilimutin sa pangalan? Maiintindihan ko pa ang sa kaniya'y dahil tumatanda na siya at pumupurol na ang memorya niya.

"Louis Kingsley Mendez. That's your full name, isn't it?" tanong ni Papa.

Tumango ang aming club president na siyang ikinagulat namin ni Jamie. After all this time, we thought na "Loki" talaga ang given name niya! This night was full of surprises.

"I fashioned myself as Loki, based on the combined first two letters of my first and second name," paliwanag niya. "The name Louis reminds me of a French king who was beheaded while Kingsley sounds too old-fashioned."

"Why didn't you tell us before?" Lalo pang humigpit ang pagkapit ni Jamie sa kaniya. "Whatever your name is, matatanggap ka pa rin namin."

"It's irrelevant so I chose not to tell you about it."

"Where's Lucian?" Iginala ni Dad ang tingin niya sa paligid. "I'm expecting to see him here."

First, Louis. Now, Lucian. Sino naman kaya ang nabanggit niya?