XYRENE: The Girl Who Unveils

Chapter 2: Under a Rock

"I thought they were coming for us," the man says under his breath.

Xyrene's eyes brighten and she asks, "Who are 'they'?"

He shoots her a raised eyebrow and proceeds to take another step.

"It is a long story but I think my professor mentioned that he wan-"

"A professor? Do you study at Taguig Monarch?," El asks, interrupting her words.

"Oh yes, that professor's Arnel Lorenzo. He teaches Media Law and Ethics."

"He was just here a couple of days ago. He's a good friend of mine. Oh and by the way I'm El, Adelard Ponce. Come, follow me."

He then leads Xyrene to a descending flight of stairs. It's dark with only a circle of brightness from the flashlight opening the way. After going through a number of turns through a maze of hallways, they reach one that was finally lit up.

Xyrene stares at it with eyes wide open. All other people sitting at the desks replies with the same expression. "What's this place?, she asks.

"Rafael, I would like you to meet Prof. Lorenzo's student. Can you give her a briefer of all this?," El asks a young man.

"Hello there! This is the 'Under the Rock publications' as my dad calls it. We have worked in this basement since forever. My dad started this before I was born, so I basically grew up here," Rafael explains.

"Who are 'they' that are going after you guys? Why do you need to hide?," Xyrene curiously asks.

"My tatay only told me that being a journalist is a life and death thing and it's only that. Why are we hiding? I have no idea. By the way, why are you here?," he questions.

"I was gonna ask your father but I got cut off." Xyrene explains it with all that mystery in her tone. "My professor, Prof. Arnel Lorenzo, who happens to be your father's friend too, said that he wanted something to end. And I don't know what he means by that. I also searched it up in the internet but got nothing but I got a lead from a sticky note on his table and it led me here."

"Oh I was interested in that not too long ago. I asked tatay but he won't spill anything. I once tried going through old issues that the Taguig Chronicle published and I got caught so I have nothing," he adds and ends with a soft sigh.

She brightens up, her eyes filled with hope. "Oh wow. You guys have old articles? Can we check it out?"

"Uhm...no. As I said, I got caught and my father locked that room filled with those." Rafael shows a little crooked awkward smile as his eyes switch to the ceiling. That lasts a couple of seconds until a spark appeared in his head. His smile turns determined and more sneaky than ever. "Oh! I just know who to ask."

Xyrene informs El of her departure and Rafael was somehow able to sneak in a note at a worker's desk.