Chapter 43: The Last of Augustus XI (The Decision)

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LORELEI

"SO THAT's what he wanted."

Alistair and I slumped against the railings outside our classroom. It's already ten in the morning, oras na para sa resumption ng aming morning classes. Ayaw ko ring bumalik sa execom office. They would surely bombard me with questions and I don't know at this moment what to say to them. I can't tell them exactly what Augustus and I talked about.

Mabuti't wala pa ang aming instructor kaya nakakapagtambay pa kami ni Alistair sa labas. Our classmates were minding their own businesses, they wouldn't notice the two of us discussing something so serious.

Alistair knew the dilemma that I was in. He doesn't the know the entire truth, but we share a burden when we chose to lie about what we really saw in Augustus' notebook. Kahit sinuman sa amin ni Augustus ang magsabi kay Loki ng totoo, he would surely be affected by the consequences of our action last Friday.

"Have you talked to Luthor about this?" he asked. He leaned his back against the railings habang ako nama'y nakapangalumbaba roon.

I slowly shook my head. Of course, I did. But I can't complicate matters more. Kapag inamin kong sinabi ko na kay Luthor, he'd definitely ask kung kinonfirm o dineny ng kuya ni Loki ang mga nakasulat sa notebook.

"I'm planning to talk to him this afternoon," sagot ko. "Uunahin ko muna 'yong pagpunta naming dalawa ni Jamie sa printing press mamayang lunch time.

Given that Augustus has threatened me to tell Loki about the notebook's contents, talagang kailangan ko nang kausapin si Luthor. It's his secret after all. Kung may dapat magsabi kay Loki ng katotohanan, siya 'yon. He mentioned to me back in the island that he's only waiting for the right opportunity.

Ang kaso, naiipit ako sa sitwasyon. Alam ko rin ang sikreto at alam naming dalawa ni Alistair kung ano ang "accusation" ni Augustus sa kanya. Kung sanang hindi ako aware tungkol doon, mas magaan sana ang pasanin ko.

"I might ask permission from him to tell Loki about what we saw," I added. I wanted it to make it sound like na hindi ko alam kung totoo ba o hindi ang nakasulat sa notebook. That should be my position in front of Alistair. He also couldn't know that I already knew about it.

Sometimes, knowing things can also be a burden.

Napatingin ako sa mga estudyante sa campus square. Mabuti pa sila, busy sa pagbabasa ng kanilang notes, pakikipagkwentuhan, at pakikipaglaro. Kaming dalawa na nandito sa third floor, parang may sinasagutang all-or-nothing na million peso question.

Alistair looked at me sideways as he folded his arms. "Augustus wants to widen the rift between Loki and Luthor. He also wants to test your friendship with Loki. Hmmm... Sa tingin ko, what he really wants is for us to be distracted in our own drama instead of investigating him."

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