CASTIEL
IF I could only throw my cane at Alaric the Prick, I would have already done so. My aim was quite good, that's why I chose archery as my sports. But I needed to practice restraint, especially in the presence of members of the campus media. Throwing tantrums would only make the situation much worse and not in our favor. Imagine the social media posts on CampuSite and the headlines on The Herald tomorrow.
"I will now call the roll," Alaric the Prick announced. He must be enjoying every bit of power with that gavel. "If you're in favor of moving forward to the impeachment trial, say aye. If you're against, say nay. Avrille Marie Padilla of the College of Allied Medical Professions?"
"Nay."
"Baron Tuviera of the College of Arts and Sciences?"
"Aye."
"Jaeger Estrada of the College of Criminal Justice Education?"
"Aye."
"Eamon Alfonso of the College of Engineering and Architecture?"
"Aye."
"Eleanor Dominguez of the College of Education?"
"Nay."
"Felicity David of the College of Fine Arts and Design?"
"Abstain."
"Owen Navarro of the College of Nursing?"
"Aye."
"The chair pro tempore votes in the affirmative. The ayes have it." Alaric the Prick struck the gavel. Kinda wishing he will accidentally strike it on his head. "This committee shall proceed to the impeachment trial. The respondents, Priam Torres and Valeria Encarnacion, shall be furnished with a copy of the complaint and summoned in our next session to explain and defend their position. The Student Ombudsman shall be delegated to prosecute the respondents."
Damn you, Alaric the Prick!
"Now that the USC vice president and LEXECOM chairwoman is facing a formal impeachment complaint, she shall be temporarily relieved from her duties as presiding officer in accordance with our existing rules. As the chair pro tempore, I shall preside over the impeachment trial and our future sessions until she is cleared of the charge." He struck the gavel again. "This session is hereby adjourned."
I thought that we had this in the bag! Why didn't I see this coming? Noong kinausap ko siya para kumbinsihin na pumanig sa amin, nabanggit ni Antoinette may pressing issue sa kaniyang council. I did not expect that someone—her own vice chair—was trying to unseat her! All along, I thought Felicity flipping would be the wild card that could mess up my plan. It turned out that she was just a misdirection!
Tch. If the uproar in the CCS failed to make the remaining officers of their council resign and Orlando Taneda officially assumed the chairpersonship, Alaric the Prick would have the six votes needed to impeach Priam and Valeria. Then . . . the student body would decide if they wanted to kick us out or not.
This would be a war with three major battles. Our enemies needed to win all three to overthrow our regime. We lost the first one. As the situation stood right now, there's a likely chance that we would lose the second. But we might stand a chance in the third. As long as we could stop Alaric the Prick's win streak, Priam and Valeria would be able to keep their positions.
I could try to outmaneuver Alaric the Prick and his allies during the trial. But there was no guarantee that I could outmaneuver their efforts in firing up their base to vote to oust Priam and Valeria. Only one person on campus had some sort of influence to counter the ousting. Unfortunately, she cut the strings that I had attached to her. She refused to be my puppet anymore, and I badly needed her to be one this time.
My reckless moves came to bite me in the ass.
"What are we going to do now?" Valeria whispered as the people around us began to rise. "Tell me you have a plan, Cas. We can't let Alaric win, can we?"
"Let's talk about it once we're back in the student council office." I gave her a sideward glance. "For now, brace yourself in three, two, one . . ."
As expected, the campus media reporters began to flock around us, pointing their devices as if they were guns. Valeria and I got to our feet and tried to escape from the wall of reporters. But they formed a human wall in front of us.
"Excuse me? What's your reaction to the impeachment complaint and the trial?"
"Do you think the USC president and vice president will survive impeachment?"
"Are you guilty of the offense being alleged against the president and VP?"
"Is this a political move of the opposition?"
"Did you see this coming? Or were you surprised when the motion was proposed and approved?"
The crowd began squeezing us as we attempted to move toward the exit. We even bumped into some of them. I had to tighten the grip on my cane to not lose it in the commotion.
Valeria held up her hands, instantly silencing the blabbering reporters. "We will issue an official statement through our press secretary, but I assure you that the USC will cooperate to any investigation. For now, please let us through."
"Do you think you can still turn things around?"
"What will happen if both the president and VP get impeached?"
"Will you consider stepping down from your positions instead of facing this impeachment battle?"
"Do you think the majority bloc has another agenda in trying to oust our top two student-leaders?"
"Please give way to the vice president and the chief-of-staff!" Alaric the Prick walked toward the crowd. "You heard the VP. They're going to issue an official statement. We advise everyone here to wait for the proper venue to ask questions. It's not appropriate to harass them on their way out."
May double meaning ba ang huling sinabi niya?
The reporters took some steps backwards, giving us some space to breathe. If only he was not the cause of our headache right now and he did not almost cost me my limb, I would have thanked him from the bottom of my heart.
Alaric the Prick then approached us and handed over stapled sheets of paper. "Since you're still here, allow me to save us the trouble of going to the USC office. We're furnishing you a copy of the complaint. You're requested to appear in our next session to make your case against it."
"Thank you for being so kind," I said, enunciating every word with so much emphasis. I accepted the copy. "The USC will reach out to you as soon as possible to arrange everything."
"I hope you won't harbor any ill feelings toward us," he added. Well, that ship has already sailed. "We're only doing our job to act as checks and balance on the action of the highest governing student organization. We can't let you do as you please."
"Your dedication to keep us in check is very much appreciated." My left eye twitched. The stabbing pain in my leg was getting worse the longer I looked at him. "You will hear from us soon."
He then smirked at me before making an about-face turn. Lalo pang humigpit ang hawak ko sa aking cane. That smug look . . . I wanted to wipe off that arrogant look on his face. He was at a considerable advantage now, but this game was not over yet. We could pull an upset and turn the table against him. If I were him, I would not be too confident.
Valeria and I exited the LEXECOM office, still being dogged by some campus journalists who could not take no for an answer. Minadali namin ang paglalakad hanggang sa makabalik na kami sa USC office. We found Priam and the rest of the council in the lounge, waiting for our return.
"You witnessed what went down there?" I asked, limping my way to the president.
"Yes," Priam replied with a nod. He seemed a bit troubled, as he should. "Alaric got some tricks up his sleeves."
"He has a gift for you." I handed him a copy of the complaint. "This isn't surprising at all since we've been expecting to go to trial. We did try our best to stop it from happening, but we still fell short."
"I have reviewed our official statement of cooperation to the trial and added some good bits." Rowan sprang from his seat and gave me a leather folder with the USC logo on it. "Okay na 'yan kay boss, pero gusto niya munang i-doublecheck mo."
"I'm sure the campus media is already bombarding you with a barrage of questions," I replied as I skimmed the document. My gaze raised at him. "Just be magnanimous with your responses—"
"—and avoid painting us in the bad light? Got it."
"Should I expose the audit reports na ba?" tanong ni Tabitha habang kinikikil ang mga kuko gamit ang nail file. Our ship just hit an iceberg. And there she was on the couch, relaxing as if there was no danger. "We can attack them now if you want."
I shook my head. "It's a bit early to use that card. We've already launched our first nuke by releasing the report on Chevy. Let's wait for the smoke to clear and dust to settle first. Then we shall launch another one next."
"Okay~ Just give me the go signal, ha?"
"Let's discuss our strategy and options," Priam said before walking toward the conference.
I bobbed my head at our fellow officers, giving them the signal to get back to work. Valeria and I followed the president in the aquarium. Priam sat in his usual swivel chair at one end of the table. His vice sat on his right while I sat on his left side.
"I don't know how, but something happened behind the scenes that made CAS flip," I began, my gaze darting between the two. "Baron turned his coat and probably moved to suspend Antoinette in the meantime. Baka pinangakuan siya ng kapalit ni Alaric."
"Maybe he's planning to switch parties in the next election?" Val guessed. Palipat-lipat din kay Priam at sa akin ang tingin niya. "If AEGIS continues to dominate majority of CSCs, mas beneficial para sa gaya niyang oportunista at walang prinsipyo na lumipatbahay."
"Regardless of his intentions, it's clear as day that Alaric will have six votes to impeach you and Priam," I reminded them. "If we can't stop Baron or anyone from Chevy's council from officially assuming the chairpersonship or if we can't flip Baron back to our side, impeachment is gonna be a done deal already. Maybe it already is."
"So," Priam crossed his arms as he squinted at me, "should we just accept our fate and prepare for the inevitable?"
My head shook slowly. "There's little to no chance that we're gonna win in the court of the LEXECOM no matter what we say. It's gonna be a fool's errand. But we have a fighting chance in the court of public opinion. Remember, just because you're impeached doesn't mean you're already kicked out of your office. The student body needs to vote if they wanna oust or retain you."
Val clapped her hands once. "Dito papasok ang approval rating ni Priam! We've been turning the tides since a few months ago. Kung masu-sustain natin o mai-improve pa 'yon, malaki ang chance na ma-retain pa rin tayo."
And that's exactly why Oplan First Lady was crucial—not only for our reelection, but also for moves like impeachment. We would be able to protect our castle and even the throne if the citizens of our kingdom were willing to defend us from an invading army.
I gave her a reassuring nod before flicking my gaze to the president. "This is gonna be a referendum of some sort, whether or not we've convinced the student body that you're a competent presidentiable and you deserve to remain in power. However, expect that the approval ratings will take a hit following the impeachment news."
"Wala pa mang verdict, pero meron nang judgment ang mga tao," komento ni Priam bago bumuntonghininga. "We're guilty until proven otherwise."
"We're only half guilty since you weren't aware of our attempt to flip Chevy," I corrected him. "The only way we can survive this whole ordeal is to have the majority of the student body on our side. On our own, we can't do that. But with the help of a certain someone, maybe we can."
"Fabienne," Val spat her name.
"You want her involved?" the president asked before shaking his head. Why did he sound surprised? "No, I don't want us dragging her into this mess. She already had enough."
"Only she can wield a considerable amount of influence capable of turning the tide. If we were still in good terms, I would be the one to do the convincing," I argued. "But she trusts you. She listens to you. She believes in you. Just say the word, I'm sure she's gonna do it in a heartbeat."
"No, no, no," he insisted. He went on the defensive as he folded his arms. "Yen has a play coming up in a few weeks. Let's not involve her in a matter that does not directly concern her."
I clicked my tongue. Why is he being this stubborn? His political career was on the line, yet he refused to do whatever it would take to survive! Maybe that's the stark difference between me and him. If I were in his shoes, I would have used every weapon in my arsenal to ensure my survival. Alam kong magkaiba kami, pero sana'y makita niyang hindi ito ang oras para mag-play safe.
"But she's our only hope, Priam!" I said with so much emphasis. "I'm confident she's open to helping you. You just need to nudge her in the right direction. Say the right words."
"Even if she wants to help me, her situation is quite complicated," he explained. Now I can't tell if he's just making excuses. "They have been advised not to give any controversial opinion, especially not now that the play is coming up."
"Is that why someone's speaking on her behalf in The Herald article? She's being gagged?" Val asked, her brows furrowing. "What's the name of their publicity manager? Priscilla what's-her-face?"
Priscilla? Sounds familiar. When did I hear that name again?
"Is she a CBA student?" Damn that Alaric the Prick! He knew that Fabienne would be a valuable asset to us in this game, that's why he placed a pawn in that area to restrict her movements.
"But my position remains the same," Priam said with conviction. "We must not use her in any way to swoop in and save us. Remember, we brought this upon ourselves. We must deal with it on our own."
"But—"
"I agree with Priam. We must not rely on Fabienne to get us out of this mess," Val seconded. "Mag-focus muna tayo sa trial at subukan ang lahat ng puwede nating gawin para hindi tayo ma-impeach. If worse comes to worst, doon na natin problemahin ang pag-convince sa student body."
"We will only stand a chance in the trial if all LEXECOM members are rational, unbiased, and impartial. In an ideal world, maybe they can be. But not here." I shook my head. "That's why I suggest thinking forward and moving ahead—"
"If your plan involves Yen, then it's a no for me. Think of another way to turn the tables." Priam got to his feet. "Sorry, I have to go now. I've got a meeting with my groupmates."
He waved his hand, leaving me and Val in the aquarium.
"Again, I agree with the president." The vice president swiveled her chair in my direction. "Let's not involve the First Lady here."
"Remind me again, Val," I replied as I faced her. "You consented to Oplan First Lady, right? You knew that whoever the candidate was, we would—how can I put it kindly?—maximize her influence and availability to make us win every possible challenge along the way. Ang mga sinabi mo kanina? Taliwas sa intensyon ng plano. What changed?"
"I merely supported the president's position, as a good vice president must do. That's all."
"Is this about Fabienne? Is this about the kiss? Are you taking it personally?" My mouth kept shooting those questions. "Kaya ba ayaw mo siyang ma-involve dahil ayaw mong magkaroon tayo ng utang na loob lalo na si Priam sa kanya? That jeopardizes everything that we've accomplished so far."
"Don't put words into my mouth, Cas," Val retorted. "Say what you want about me, but we can't deny that Priam sees Fabienne in a different way—not in the way that you or I initially intended. She's not just a pawn for him. She's not even a queen or any chess piece for him. She's . . . I don't know."
"Priam is just being Priam. He's a gentleman, a great leader, and a good follower. He's only doing what's expected of him—"
Biglang natawa si Val, sandaling iniwas ang tingin mula sa akin.
"Did I say something funny?" I was unamused by her reaction.
"You're a Psychology student, aren't you?" she replied. Oh, I almost forgot. Thanks for reminding me. "You can probably read someone's mind or anticipate someone's moves. But you can't tell what's in their hearts."
"So you're saying that Priam has fallen for Fabienne, and he's trying to protect her because of his romantic feelings toward her? Paano mo nalaman? May magical powers ka ba kaya nasasabi mo 'yan? Saan mo nakuha ang gano'ng kapangyarihan?"
"All I'm saying is that we must respect the president's position on this matter." Val sprang for her seat and walked toward the exit. "If he sees the First Lady differently, then we must adjust our perspectives as well. I don't know? Maybe we shouldn't look at Fabienne as a pawn anymore?"
My eyes narrowed into slits. "You're giving up already?"
She came to a halt, her back turned to me. She went silent for a few seconds. "Let's follow the president's order. Think of another way to slither out of the mess that we created together."
She got out of the aquarium, leaving me alone here. I hung my head low and let out a long sigh. CAS wasn't the only one that flipped. Even Val did. I really hate it whenever things don't go my way.
There's another way to solve this problem, but it will require a huge sacrifice.
♔
NEXT UPDATE: Fabienne is back in the next chapter! Our Queen will have to deal with a pesky menace in theater!