The Sleuth Project ✓

Chapter 23: The Sleuths' Dispute

At that moment, more phones buzzed out loud amidst the cracking thunder — with Sera and Queenie turning pale as they watched their classmates in anticipation.

But none of their classmates using their phones seemed to have reacted differently. Dahil unti-unti na ring nagbabadya na bumuhos ang malakas na ulan ay agad na lumabas sa classroom ang karamihan sa kanilang mga kaklase.

"Tara na bago pa umulan!" They could hear their classmates say to their friends, wanting to reach their dormitories while they were warm and dry.

"Mukhang... safe naman tayo?" Queenie mumbled as they watched their classmates leave by groups.

By the time everyone but the six had left the classroom, Sera immediately smacked her phone on the teacher's table, catching the attention of the other four who were packing their things and ready to go home to their dorms.

"I don't know what's gotten to the four of you, but you better snap out of it and check your phones." Sera demanded as the others listened quietly. "The culprit has a little message for us." She said with a vigorous amount of fiery that made the whole room quiet.

Rein and Ann turned to each other sharply at the sound of Sera's news.

"Is it another threat?" Quinn frowned as they pulled out their phones, viewing the recent message sent to them.

Queenie and Sera watched their reactions unfold. It was a plethora of different notions — Rein's eyes darkening, Ann turning stiff, Jarrell's face crumpling, and Quinn looking up in confusion.

"That can't be." Jarrell murmured in disbelief as he saw his own text message.

Before any of them could acknowledge it as a group, their phones vibrated once more, and another message was sent to them. Kunot-noong napatingin muli ang mga ito sa kanilang mga cellphone. This time, it wasn't a photo. It was just a plain text that read:

One more unsure move to uncover this case, and this photo will be sent to everyone in the city. Be careful.

It wasn't just a threat. It was a reminder for them to stay in their place; a reminder that they were playing the culprit's game — not the other way around.

"Jarrell." Rein's tone was dangerously hard and cold, something that they had never heard from before. Kahit na presidente ito ng kanilang klase ay hindi umabot sa ganitong tono ang kaniyang boses. "Sinong nakakaalam?" He breathed sharply.

Quinn and Jarrell, who knew Rein best, had grimaced at the sound of his voice. The only time ever Rein conversed in that tone was with his father — to which these conversation never really turned out well.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?" Kunot-noong tanong ni Jarrell, feeling offended that Rein, his best friend, was talking to him in that manner.

"Who else knows about the secret room you led us to?" Rein demanded once more, not looking at anyone, and gripping his phone tightly that the others thought it would break.

Napaawang ang labi ni Jarrell. "Sino pa ba?" He asked with a scoff. "My family of course. I'm not the only Marquez in the world."

Ann rolled her eyes. "I think the right question is, kung may sinabihan ka ba patungkol sa..." She then cleared her throat before lowering her voice. "Sa sikreto natin."

"Ano bang akala niyo sa'kin?" 'Di makapaniwalang tanong ng binata. "A dumbass?? Pa-joke joke lang ako palagi pero hindi naman ako bobo."

"That's funny. Kasi wala kaming sinabi na bobo ka." Rein interjected, finally looking up to meet Jarrell's gaze with blazing eyes. "Ikaw lang ang nag-isip niyan. In fact, ang gusto lang naman namin malaman ay kung may sinabihan ka ba—"