Project LOKI ③

"Project LOKI"

A/N: Do not read this part if you haven't read CHAPTER 50: THE FINAL EQUATION and EPILOGUE: QUOD ERAT DEMONSTRANDUM.

JAMIE

Hello! Welcome to my channel!

Joke lang! I'm not into vlogging yet, but I might consider it in the future. For now, gusto ko lang i-record ang sarili ko at ang mga idea ko. I always boast about having a sharp memory, but just in case magka-amnesia ako, I might need something to remind myself of my thoughts and feelings at this very moment.

I've been thinking about my brother the past few weeks. Since he's gone a year ago, Stein and I continued his noble work as the two Moriarty successors. Well, it's mostly Stein who does the heavy lifting while I just watch from the sidelines. Ang dating tuloy sa akin, parang honorary title lang 'to. He reminded me about the promise he made to my late brother that he'd protect me, kaya ayaw niya akong masyadong ma-involve sa operation niya.

Everything was doing well, pero hindi ko maiwasang maging concerned sa kanya. The pressure of carrying on my brother's legacy must have pressured him too much. He didn't ask for this position, but as a friend who owed my brother a lot, he considers it as his duty. He's about to snap. I want to share his burden para mabawasan ang pasan-pasan niya. Pero ayaw niyang magpatulong.

I'm afraid that he's getting drunk with the power and influence he has. He's moving his pieces recklessly. He's losing sight of my brother's vision. He's making decisions that my brother would not have done.

I cannot directly challenge him. He holds the darkest secret that can ruin my brother's image. And I cannot let that happen. But I cannot sit idly here at hayaan siyang gawin ang gusto niya. If he turns into a monster that my brother would have despised, I might need to act against him.

I need to do something.

Hindi ko alam kung may genie ba na nakarinig sa dilemma ko o may angel sa langit na gusto akong tulungan, but a possible solution presented itself to me. Well, meron na akong ginagawa behind the scenes, but I might need a back up plan. And that person might be the key.

There's this student in Clark High who's been solving cases around the campus. At first, I wasn't paying close attention to him, pero narinig ko mula sa mga classmate ko ang tsismis tungkol sa kanya. His name? Loki Mendez. He founded this detective group called the QED Club. I called it a "group," pero sa totoo niyan, dalawa lang sila. Partners-in-solving-crimes, kumbaga. I don't know the name of the girl yet, but she's easy to spot because of the braided hair dangling over her shoulder.

My classmates would call me weird, but I found him to be cute! He sometimes reminds me of my late brother. Kaso magulo ang buhok niya na parang hindi siya tumitingin sa salamin. Baka wala siyang suklay sa bahay? Parang napilitan din siyang magsuot ng uniform, kasi minsan crooked ang necktie niya. Lagi siyang may bored look sa mukha na tila wala siyang pakialam sa mundo. Narinig ko rin sa mga tsismis na matalino siya. Oh, I easily fall for men with brilliant minds! Sorry, muscular boys with abs and low IQ. You aren't my type.

Hoy! Hindi ako judgmental, ah! I'm only sharing with you kung ano ang na-observe ko.

Wait a minute... Bakit parang bumibilis ang tibok ng puso ko? Bakit hindi ko mapigilan ang mga labi ko sa pagngiti? Is this love? I haven't truly fallen in love yet, so I can't tell.

Anyway, I haven't met this Loki in person. I only heard tales about him from my classmates... and Stein. Yeah, he's aware that someone might sniff our group's scent and follow it. Baka raw maging tinik sa lalamunan ang lalaking 'to.

And that's exactly who I need! A detective who has the potential to match wits with us. If Stein totally loses his way, I might need this high school detective's help to take him down and, if necessary, the organization itself. Hindi ko na kayang patuloy na madiskaril ang grupo mula sa original intention nito. Pero hindi dapat malaman ni Stein na may plano akong kalabanin siya. I have to do this as discreetly as I can. He has a card against me, remember?

Now the question is: does Loki have what it takes? Kwento lang ang narinig ko sa kanya. Hindi ko talaga siya kilala. Kaya I need to know him better. Pwede kong subukan na makipag-friend sa kanya. Kaso hindi yata siya mahilig makipag-friends sa iba? Aha! Baka pwede akong sumali sa kanyang club? Tutal dalawa pa lang sila roon. Baka naghahanap pa sila ng bagong member? Meron akong matalas na memory kaya magiging asset ako sa kanila.

Kailangang makasiguro ako na mapagkakatiwalaan ko siya sa mabigat na task na 'to. If he's really the one, kailangan kong siguraduhing walang mangyayaring masama sa kanya. Well, I can talk to Stein and ask him to not harm Loki. He listens to me anyway. Ayaw kong may mangyaring masama sa kanya habang ino-observe ko siya. He's a rare specimen that I need to study first and that I might use later.

Teka, bakit parang experiment ang dating sa akin nito? Observing this detective up-close. Recording his progress. Making sure that he isn't harmed in any way.

Well, maybe it's really an experiment. Gusto kong malaman kung pwede ba siyang maging solution sa problem ko. That's what experiments are for! Teka, parang ang pangit pakinggan noon, ah? Experiment doesn't sound fitting for him.

How about operation? Nah. Hindi naman police o military effort 'to.

How about project? It's kinda relevant sa status namin as high school students dahil tambak kami sa projects.

Does Project LOKI sound good? It's kinda lame, I know, but it perfectly captures my intention.

Well, I look forward to meeting him in person. For now, I'm gonna observe him from afar.