The Awakened

Chapter 16 - Black Lotus, the shadow of the darkest black.

Opening of the new school year came. Phi's classmate learned that Phi was alone in Uncle Ed's farm and volunteered to help out on weekends. But when they saw Phi was shoveling carabao manure to make fertilizer they decided to let Phi handle the farm work. Phi assured them that if he needed help, he will surely ask for them.

Uncle Ed's farm was well maintained by Phi but later sold the farm animals like the goats and the chickens since Phi won't be at the farm all the time as Phi would be in school during the weekdays going home only in the afternoon and plans to do some study on magic or hang out with friends on weekends.

Several people asked about Uncle Ed.

"Did your Uncle Ed won the lottery?" some of Uncle Ed's friends would ask.

"I don't know. Maybe. He sends me money for allowance and had me buy a mobile phone." Phi said as an excuse why Phi does not sell farm products or how he pays for his food and owning a mobile phone.

"He told me to look after the farm and yet never calls me and his phone is always unreachable", Phi told the officer who volunteered to look after Phi.

"Well he did say that he was leaving the forest farm under your care", Miss Rizan said.

"How about renting the land for extra income. That way you receive money for it and yet you're still the owner and someone else tills the land." Angel suggested.

"Maybe after graduation. I have no house to stay if that happens", Phi said.

Phi and his classmates were eating batchoy and siopao at their favorite roadside eatery when news about a conflict between Black Lotus Group under a new leadership and the Dorio Group was brewing.

"Several incidents of altercations caused injuries on both sides but no fatalities. Several arrests were made but there were no hard evidence to directly link the alleged leaders of the warring mafias." The reporter said.

"Maybe it's time to visit the Lotus Group to dispose the gold bars before I lost my connection to turning the gold bars to cash", thought Phi.

"I need to come up with a name. And a persona opposite of Noir." Phi thought for a while. "Noir... Rion. Roni Alterra. Right."

That weekend, Phi changed into Roni Alterra, a drifter, and visited the Lotus Group mansion. Roni with a sports bag was casually walking towards the main door when he was blocked by the security. Roni flashed the ornament that Mayumi gave to Noir and the security bowed in respect and escorted Roni to the mansion.

A man in eyeglasses introduced himself as Nigel and Roni introduced himself as Roni Alterra. Nigel asked Roni to wait for a while. When Nigel went back and brought Roni to a conference room.

Mayumi and her lieutenants were discussing some issues when Roni entered the conference room escorted by a man with eyeglasses.

"Roni Alterra. I have been waiting for you." Mayumi said dismissing her lieutenants.

"Is this bad time? I can go back" Roni said.

"Oh it's okay. We can discuss it later" Mayumi said.

"Yeah. I heard from news about this conflict with a certain Dorio group." Roni said.

"Yes that. They claimed that my father owe them money on certain ventures with them. But it turned out it was Walter the butler that made the deal to them. But because Walter was an authorized person by my father we have to honor the deal. We were asking for extension but they were forcibly taking our businesses from us." Said Mayumi.

"Should you be telling me all these?" Roni asked and wondered.

"It's for Sir Noir. I have nothing to hide. I feel I could console with you and it will reach Sir Noir and I won't regret it." Mayumi said.