Project LOKI ③

Chapter 45: The Scarlet Thread IX (Cerise Solution)

Tumango si Loki. "We want to trace his steps since the moment he entered the campus premises. But we hit a roadblock along the way. The campus police made sure that we wouldn't have access to the videos and get information from Augustus' acquaintances. It looked like a deadend."

"You do know na jurisdiction 'yan ng campus police, 'di ba?" tugon ni Maggie. "And as far as I know, your assistance in the investigations is no longer welcomed by the new chief."

"We can't dismiss the possibility that they faile—"

"What's more surprising is that you've decided to investigate without telling me first," Maggie cut his words short. Hayan na, unti-unti nang tumataas ang boses niya. "Nag-aala-QED Club na naman kayo kung saan feel n'yo na pwede n'yong imbestigahan kahit anong ma-trip-an n'yo? Hindi na 'yan pwede rito."

"Balak talaga naming sabihin sa inyo ang plano namin," singit ni Jamie, medyo malumanay ang kanyang tono. She probably thought na hindi niya dapat sabayan ang approach ni Maggie na may pagka-confrontational. "Naunahan mo lang kami kasi kinonfront mo kami agad tungkol dito. We would have volunteered the information in this meeting. Right, guys?"

Tumango kaming tatlo. That's what we agreed on after all.

"Si Alistair nga mismo ang nag-remind sa amin na dapat sabihan namin kayo," dagdag ni Jamie sabay turo sa katabi ko. "Kung may plano kaming gawin na bawal o hindi tama, trust him that he'll be the voice of reason in our team."

Natahimik si Maggie habang pinalipat-lipat sa amin ang kanyang tingin. Makalipas ang ilang segundo, bumuntong-hininga siya at nag-relax ang kanyang mga balikat.

"How about what happened to Lorelei yesterday? She didn't just pass out, did she?"

Napatingin silang lahat sa akin. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I felt like they wanted me to respond. I hate this feeling.

"Yesterday, I received a message from an anonymous texter," kwento ko. Kailangan kong maging maingat sa mga sasabihin ko. "He told me na i-check ang aking locker. Dahil hindi pa nag-i-start ang aming class, bumaba ako sa locker area. I found a hard drive that resembled the one that Alistair saw in Sir Ephraim's apartment. I thought that it might be Augustus' box."

"Really?" pagulat na tanong ni Maggie. "Kung totoo ang hinala mo, sino ang nag-iwan noon sa locker mo?"

Marahan akong umiling. That's the million peso question. "Hindi ko rin alam. The anonymous texter didn't introduce himself. Wala ring hint kung kanino galing. Alistair tried to check the footage captured by the camera outside the locker area but..."

"The video footage can't be found," Alistair finished, shaking his head. "The office believes na nagkaroon ng technical glitch kaya hindi na-record."

"Sinubukan ko ring tawagan ang number na nag-text sa akin, kaso walang kamalay-malay 'yong estudyanteng sumagot," dagdag ko. I still remember how I hung up when he asked me kung gusto niyang magkape kami. "Sabi niya, nawala raw ang phone niya kahapon at kakakuha lang niya sa Lost & Found office nitong umaga. Al and I verified it nang dumaan kami roon kanina."

"So where is it?" tanong ni Maggie. "If you already have the box, why didn't you tell us?"

Nagbato ako ng tingin sa aking mga kasama. I was getting closer to another crucial information. "Unfortunately, it was stolen from me."

"Kaya ka natagpuang unconscious sa locker area at dinala sa clinic?" tanong ni Rye na tinanguan ko naman.

"Did you see who stole it?" Maggie asked. "If yes, who is the thief?"

Napalunok ako ng laway. I don't mind sharing with them the events that took place. But the identity of the one who stole the hard drive from me? Doon ako nagdadalawang-isip kung dapat ko bang sabihin sa kanila.