The Enigma of Erald

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Brewing Chaos

ERALD

CHARLOTTE DID not attend her classes the day after we visited her. But she's already in good condition so there was nothing to be worried about. Mas mabuti nang magpahinga muna siya dahil baka makahawa ang sipon niya.

Normally, I would spend my time at the clubroom taking a nap. But circumstances have changed. I have a work to do, even if I abhor doing any work.

Sa mga nakalipas na araw, wala pang client na bumibisita sa club namin para magpakonsulta. Wala pang nanggugulo sa tahimik na buhay ng mga estudyante sa Clark High. Thus, Clyde and I had free time to focus on a case that involved our club president: the hunt for the K-OS Club's accomplice in the leadership seminar.

Salamat sa listahang ibinigay ni Reign ng executive committee, mas mapapadali ang paghahanap namin. Initially, I wanted four-eyes to do the process of elimination. But there were around fifty names on the list. It might take him some time to finish the job. Labag man sa loob ko, pumayag akong makipaghatian sa kanya.

Am I taking my job as a QED Club member seriously? For now, yes. This isn't just a petty case. This is a war between our detective club and the K-OS Club. Me versus Torry.

"Noong gabing hinahanap natin ang student council president, nasaan kayo?" tanong ko sa dalawang estudyanteng ipinatawag ko sa mismong clubroom namin.

While Clyde was personally visiting the classrooms of our persons of interest and interviewing them wherever was convenient for them, I took the privilege of inviting the students on my list to our headquarters. Nagmukhang interrogation room tuloy ang aming clubroom.

"Tumulong kami sa paghahanap kay Agnes noon," sagot ng lalaki sa aking kanan, sabay tingin sa katabi niya. "'Di ba pumunta pa tayo noon sa villa ng mga organizer dahil doon daw idinala ang student council president?"

Tumango ang katabi niya. "Nagtakbuhan pa nga tayo noon, eh. Concerned na concerned ang vice president kaya siya ang nanguna sa atin."

"May iba pa bang attendee na makakapagpatunay na kasama nga kayo sa mga nakitakbo hanggang sa makita ang dinukot na student council president?" sunod kong tanong.

"Magkakasama kaming taga-iisang club," tugon ng unang lalaki. "Nakita rin kami ng mga kaibigan namin sa kabilang club. Pwede n'yo silang tanungin para malaman kung talagang nandoon kami o wala."

Napabuntong-hininga ako. "Familiar ba ang pangalang Torrence sa inyo?"

Nagkatinginan ang dalawang ini-interview ko sabay iling ng mga ulo. "Hindi, eh. Sino ba siya?"

I cut my interrogation short and let the two leave the clubroom. May isinulat akong note sa tabi ng kanilang pangalan sa listahan: To be verified with the Arts Club. Hindi ko pa pwedeng i-cross out ang mga pangalan nila hangga't hindi nako-corroborate ng iba pang seminar attendees na hindi sila umalis sa grupo namin noon.

Those two were the seventh and eighth names on my list. Sa mga naunang in-interrogate ko, walang lumabas na kahina-hinala sa kanila. Torry must have already briefed his accomplice about this interrogation. Indeed, this was like finding a needle in a haystack.

I wonder how Clyde's doing. We haven't discussed on how we should approach these persons of interest. Kanya-kanyang istilo.

Knock! Knock!

Napaangat ang tingin ko sa pintuan kung saan nakatayo ang lalaking may pamilyar na mukha. Reign of the execom greeted me with a smile before asking, "Are you busy?"

Itinupi ko ang papel at napasandal sa aking upuan. "I'm currently on break. How can we help the executive committee?"

Pumasok siya sa clubroom at lumapit sa parihabang mesa. His eyes glanced at the folded paper in my hand. "I understand that you might be preoccupied with a case, but I have an urgent and serious matter to discuss."