WHOSE DEDUCTION SHOW?

2: ROAD TO STARDOM?

Chapter 2: Road to Stardom?

AMBER

MATAPOS magpasalamat ang mga pulis sa tulong ni Gray, agad na kaming nagpaalam. On our way out the KTV bar ay nakatayo sa entrance ang lalaking kanina ay kinaiinisan ko-the executive producer, Sir Michael Batongbacal.

Huh! Nag-abang pa talaga siya! He's really into Gray!

"That was a great show," sabi nito kasabay ng mahinang pagpalakpak. "I'm impressed. Also, the shirt is catchy and I anticipated you can live that word printed there." Inilahad niya ang kanyang palad. "We met at unfavorable circumstance so let me introduce myself again. My name is Michael Batongbacal or you can call me Michael B., I am an executive producer at BNC-12."

Gray looked at him intently as if he's wondering what the man wants from us. Napansin naman 'yon ni Sir Michael B. kaya agad niyang kinuha ang kanyang wallet, naglabas ng calling cards, at ibinigay 'yon sa amin isa-isa.

"I'm not a bad person, pinahanga n'yo lang talaga ako sa ipinakita ninyo kanina. I didn't expect that high school students like you can handle that case. I know it's late pero puwede ko ba kayong imbitahan sa isang coffee shop? I have some matters to discuss."

All of us looked at him with so much caution. Marahan naman akong hinila ni Jeremy at saka bumulong. "This is it, Bestie, our road to stardom!"

Bago pa man kami makatanggi ay nagsalita si Math. "OMG! I've heard about you! May kakilala akong nagtatrabaho rin sa BNC-12 at ngayon ko lang naalala kung bakit pamilyar ka sa akin. I've seen you in pictures! Sure, we're glad to have a word with you."

At wala na kaming nagawa nang tanggapin ni Math ang paanyaya nito. He brought us to the nearest coffee shop na bukas pa. At least, it's safe to talk here kaysa kung saan lang.

Pagkatapos niyang um-order ng maiinom, hinarap na niya uli kami. "We're having a Filipino Adaptation of Whose Deduction Show which features young detectives like you," walang paligoy-ligoy na sabi niya. Wait, is that why he can't take his eyes off Gray? And here I am, thinking of mean thoughts about him.

"Kung hindi kayo busy, join the show," sabi pa niya.

"I'll be frank with my words, Sir," sagot ni Math. "Back then, somebody offered me some jobs on screen like modelling and acting but I declined because I know how show business works. We don't want scripted stories and predetermined winners dahil 'yon naman ang nangyayari sa mga reality show at mga competition na ipinapalabas sa national TV, hindi ba?"

I was surprised with Math's bluntness, pero kailangan ba talagang i-mention ang tungkol sa mga offer sa kanya?

That surprised Sir Michael B. also pero ngumiti lang siya sa amin. "Well, hindi ko maikakailang nangyayari nga 'yan 'minsan.' But, ibahin n'yo ito. We want something new and fresh on the screen and this is it."

Wala sa sariling napalingon ako kay Gray. Tahimik lang siya at tila nag-iisip nang malalim. He's also tapping his fingers on the table. After a few seconds, he finally spoke. "Let's say totoong 'yon nga ang intensyon ninyo. . . . What can we benefit from it?"

He looked at our shirt. "First is promotion. I see you wear shirts to promote. By joining this, hindi lang iilan ang makakikilala sa inyo kundi ang buong Pilipinas na."

'Yon na nga ba ang sinasabi ko kaya ayaw ko talagang isuot ang damit na 'to, eh! Napabaling ako kay Jeremy and I saw his eyes were sparkling in excitement.

"Aside from that, you'll meet people like you-young detectives, and you might win the grand prize of half a million pesos!" dagdag ni Sir Michael B. "Isn't it exciting to match wits with other detectives like you?"