Project LOKI ③

Chapter 46: Shades of Grey VIII (White, Black, and Grey)

"We can give you updates, but we can't let you step into our territory and meddle with our work," the inspector said.

"Even if we know some things that you couldn't have known?" Loki asked. Mukhang ilalabas na niya ang isa pa naming baraha. "You can't complete the puzzle if you don't have all the pieces in your hand. I can't believe that I, teenager, would be telling a grown-up this, but don't be so stubborn, inspector. If we combine your resources and our resources—"

"Out." Hindi na kailangang sumigaw pa ni Inspector Morales para makaramdam kami ng takot sa isang salitang 'yon. "I said, out."

"Let's retreat for a while, okay?" Sir Jim whispered to us, awkwardly smiling. Tumango ako sa kanya. Wala nang mangyayari kahit ipagpilitan pa namin ang aming sadya rito. Baka ipatawag pa ng inspector ang kanyang officers at ipatapon kami sa labas ng istasyon.

May sasabihin pa sanang parting shot si Loki pero hinila na namin siya palabas ng station. Ayaw na naming palalain pa ang pagkainis sa amin ni inspector kaya minabuti na naming umalis. Sumabay na sa amin si Sir Jim na humingi muna ng paumanhin sa kanya.

"Why is he so hard-headed?" Loki smoothened the creases on his blazer. "We're already giving him an olive branch and a gift box."

"He's taking his job and his principles seriously," Alistair commented. Mukhang humahanga pa siya rito. "Kapag sinabi niya, paninindigan niya talaga. Mukhang mali ako ng basa sa kanya. I thought he'd be moved by your speech and he'd be tempted by our offer of information."

"So he's just like you, eh?" Loki glanced at him. Not sure if he was mocking him or not. "Just like a rock. Unmoving. Uncomprimising."

"I only make compromises as a last resort." Alistair beamed.

"Akala ko nga gagana ang pagpapa-cute ko kanina,"dismayadong sabi ni Jamie. She puffed her cheeks and blew out some air. "Mukhang immune din si inspector sa charms ko. There are only a few men who can resist me."

Or maybe her charm only works to weak-minded individuals?

"Sir, as the adviser of the execom and the faculty in charge of the M investigation, can't you compel the inspector to give us access to their resources?" Loki asked. Ayaw pa talaga niyang sumuko. He's trying to look for a workaround on this roadblock.

I could understand his frustration. Mas mapadadali sana ang trabaho namin kung hindi magmamatigas si inspector.

"We can only coordinate with the campus police," Sir Jim answered. "Hindi natin siya pwedeng pilitin na mag-share sa atin ng info. Likewise, hindi niya kayo pwedeng pilitin na i-share sa kanya ang nalalaman n'yo. Mas madali sana kung si Sir Estrada pa rin ang chief."

Loki snapped his fingers as if he had a "eureka!" moment. "The problem is not the campus police. The problem is Inspector Morales himself. If we remove him out of the equation and replace him with a kinder inspector—"

"You wanna have him fired?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows. Maging si Alistair ay mukhang tutol agad sa idea niya. Sino ba'ng nasa matinong pag-iisip ang sasang-ayon sa kanya?

"What if we bring back Inspector Estrada?" suhestiyon ni Jamie na parang napaka-groundbreaking ng idea niya. Napairap ang mga mata ko nang mapagtantong sinasakyan niya ang plano ni Loki. "We need an ally inside the campus police! Obvious naman na si inspector ay hindi natin ally, 'di ba?"

"We can start by asking the other campus police officers if they have some dirt that we can use against the inspector." Thanks to Jamie's automatic support, Loki seemed to be seriously entertaining that dumb idea. "Maybe there was an instance where he obstructed justice or he deliberately destroyed evidence to protect someone from being charged."