Chapter XIII: TROUBLE
17:45 On board the train.
Aunt Glenda boarded the bullet train from the Green Dome (Circa VI) en route to the Blue Dome (Circa III).
She stood by the door where she could see the vast cityscape. She promised to visit Milo and his parents this weekend until she received an email from her nephew.
Apparently, the boy uncovered something about Miss Odval and her school. In the middle of the city stood the RFA campus. The school was surrounded by tall crimson walls. A paraglider suddenly comes from above the train until he collides with the invisible barrier.
She readies her phone camera, zooms in to the max and manages to get a distant view of people entering the campus.
"What the - ?" she uttered.
•••
At the Kumar family's cafeteria.
Rohan is baffled by the odd customers showing up at the family cafeteria. There is the infamous Tammy Juegos, George Porter's partner Jamie, the obnoxious Chirag Faez and his twin brothers. There is also someone wearing the RFA's uniform for some reason.
It doesn't count Milo and his dad since they happen to run past by. He winced at the sound of Jason's whistle-blowing.
Meanwhile, he can't help but overhear the conversation between Tammy and the Faez brothers. He picks up the trays as he glides to every table that is waiting for their order, subtly making sure they don't suspect him of spying. Whatever they're talking about sounds rather serious.
"You have to believe me! I saw them go to their school today," Tammy insisted.
"What? But it's a holiday, Tammy! Schools are closed at this time around," Ejaz said.
Tammy pulled out her phone and showed them a picture of The Red Flower Academy welcoming several students inside. "Here!"
"Are you sure this wasn't fabricated?" Feroz raised a skeptical brow at her. He despises dishonest folks with a burning passion that he could strangle them to death.
"Or maybe an old archived photo floating across the Internet," Ejaz added.
Tammy slammed her hands on the table, messing up the neatly-placed utensils in front of her. One of Ejaz's eyes began to twitch. She showed them the date and time the photo was taken on her devicr, proving it was pretty recent.
17:45:30
11.12.2050
At Commerce Street,
Mantel District, Circa III
Chirag slumped back on his chair before opening his mouth. "So it's real," he gasped in disbelief. It is safe to say that whatever is going on at the school knows how to take advantage of the extended dark hours.
Not to mention the RFA is built in an isolated field far away from the surrounding neighborhood.
"By the way, Tammy ... What brings you here? Shouldn't you be hanging out in a fancy restaurant or somethin'?" Chirag asked.
"Well, I'm here to set things right with Leo and his friends. I wanna tell them that I'm sorry for everything and wish to help," there was a dejected tone in her voice.
"Really?" Chirag and his brothers slowly crossed their arms.
"You can cross my heart," Tammy begged.
"And don't expect us to forgive you right away. Our sister has told us how much you've hurt her and her friends," Feroz reminded her.
"Our parents actually forced me to hate Leo," she blurted out.
The boys finally believed her. Meanwhile, Rohan heads towards the next table. It's where the strange boy in the red uniform is seated.
The narrow screen on the left side of the tray - where it showed the customer bills and feedback - beamed until his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in terror. The boy has left a note:
Nobody else should know about what runs within the campus's walls.
Silence those mice and bring them to me..
P.S. Your tandoori chicken is superb!
Signed by:
Omar
YOU ARE READING
TCOTRB: The Case of The Red Bubble
Science FictionYear 2050. After the Philippines finally became a progressive nation, fourteen-year-old Milo Sidaris and his parents moved into the country where the remaining islands are built into these colorful domes. You would think life is gonna be normal for...
