Project LOKI ③

Chapter 46: Shades of Grey X (Grey Discussion)

Tita Frig shushed him as his voice got slightly raised. I couldn't blame him though. Nakakadala kasi talaga ng emosyon ang nangyari. As a parent, the Mendez patriarch wouldn't let this incident slide. Kung ako ang may kasalanan sa nangyari kay Luthor, I'd be terrified.

Loki turned to him. "Let me do that honor, dad. They might get intimidated if you personally ask them questions."

"No, no." His dad shook his head repeatedly, gritting his teeth. "That crime happened in my residence. In my own residence! Ako mismo dapat ang mag-imbestiga nito! What was that person thinking? I may be retired already, but retirement hasn't affected my wits!"

"Dear, Loki's right," Tita Frigette said. Sandali siyang huminto sa paghaplos sa buhok ni Luthor. "Mas matatakot sa 'yo ang mga staff kung ang nakakikilabot mong itsura ang bubungad sa kanila. Your move will also send a message that you don't trust any of them."

"I don't trust people, except the ones close to me," Tito Odin replied. Nakatingin sa kanyang asawa ang isa niyang mata habang nakatitig sa ibang direksyon ang isa pa. "I always sleep with one of my eyes open. Who knows who might stab me while I'm sleeping?"

Now I know kung saan nakuha ni Loki ang pagiging skeptic niya sa mga tao. Just like his dad, maybe he only trusts the people who make an effort to climb over the walls that he built himself. 'Di na kataka-taka kung meron siyang pinagmanahan.

"Loki can discreetly move in the house without getting too much attention," his mom insisted. "He can ask questions nang hindi nagmumukhang in-interrogate niya ang mga 'to. Right, my dear?"

"Uhm... I will try?" Loki was not so sure. Knowing how he does his investigations, naisip kong baka hindi niya maitago ang tunay niyang intensyon. He's straightforward. He doesn't beat around the bush. "I'm not the type of person who likes idle chit-chats. Everyone in the house knows that already."

"No, I will not—"

"Dear." Tita Frig gave her husband a stare that meant something.

Suminghal muna si Tito Odin bago muling mapaupo. Mukhang 'di niya talaga matitiis kapag ang asawa na niya ang nagsawa. I can't help but admire the power that tita holds on the Mendez men. "Fine! I'll let him ask around. But if he fails to find anything, I'll do the investigation myself!"

"One more thing, dad." Loki raised his right forefinger. "If you wanna see the full picture of why this happened to my brother, maybe you can help us with the roadblock that is Inspector Morales."

"Morgan?" his dad repeated, eye furrowing.

"There's another case in school that might be related to what happened to my brother," Loki explained. "However, we cannot solve that case because the inspector refused to cooperate with us. He doesn't want to share his resources with us. He's so stubborn, I'm starting to think he's an eight-year-old kid who doesn't want to share his toys."

"Of course, he won't." Tito Odin raised his chin. "Ako mismo ang nagsabi sa kanya na huwag niya kayong hayaang makialam sa kahit anong kaso sa Clark High."

"What?" Napakurap ang mga mata ko. Nag-buffering pa ang utak ko nang ilang segundo.

"Part of my plan to stop you from interfering in police work. I've made myself very clear that I want you to enjoy your lives as high school students! Unfortunately, that didn't work well so I went after your club."

"So it's you all along. Again." Loki inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a second. "Well, things took a grave turn so you might as well want to lift that campus police ban on us. We know some things that the inspector or the campus police doesn't know. Without the other, we won't be able to put all of the puzzle pieces together."