["PLAY THE KING" IS ACT TWO OF THE "PLAY" SERIES. PLEASE READ "PLAY THE QUEEN" FIRST.]
It's been four months since Priam Torres, the once unpopular president of the Elysian University Student Council, assumed office. Thanks to his chief-of-staff Cas...
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REYNARD
FACTS BEGAN dropping like dominoes. First Priscilla, then Brandon, and now my best buddy Michelangelo. Maybe soon, Alaric Esteban.
Before our basketball team captain went into practice this afternoon, I asked for a minute with him. He was reluctant at first, probably fearing our conversation might arouse suspicion from some interested party. But for some reason, he agreed and asked me to follow him to the locker room. Alone.
"What is it this time, Rey?" he asked impatiently as he locked the door. No one else was inside except the two of us. If he was planning to do me harm, he might be able to do so. But I would put up a decent fight this time. "I gave you what you wanted. Ano pa ba'ng gusto mo?"
"I want more," I answered with a grin. He had given me a thin slice of cake. Now, I wanted the whole cake. My appetite for the truth was insatiable. "Usually, I won't get too pushy with my sources, especially if they're not comfortable speaking yet. But this story has gotten so big that I'm imploring you to get on the record with what you know."
He unlocked the door and swung it open. "We're done here, Rey. Kung gusto mong may magsalita on the record, maghanap ka ng ibang source. Ayaw kong madamay sa gulo lalo na ngayong may tournament kami."
"I found some sources, and they spoke to me about it," I revealed, hoping their courage would convince him. "But just to be sure, I didn't bring the recordings of our conversations with me. Mahirap na, baka i-taser mo ako at nakawin mo ulit ang phone ko."
Maingat niyang isinira ulit ang pinto habang pakurap-kurap pa siya sa 'kin nang halos nakanganga. "T-talaga? May kumausap na sa 'yo?"
I nodded twice. "And I didn't harass or blackmail them to speak. They spoke to me voluntarily and agreed to be on the record. All for the sake of the truth."
"Then you don't need me anymore. You already have what you want."
"Not quite." My lips stretched into a smile. "Look, if we're gonna play chess, I won't just declare a check and call it a day. I want a checkmate. And you're the missing piece on the board to make that happen. So please?"
"I've already told you what I know!"
"But not on the record," I reminded him. "I can't reveal my sources, but their statements are quite damning. The unraveling will start soon. Don't you want to be part of it?"
"You're asking me to stab my friend in the back," he lowered his voice. "You're asking me to betray that person."
"Does he see you as a friend?" I posed a simple yet mind-boggling question. "Kasi kung oo, bakit ka niya uutusang gawin ang isang bagay na labag sa loob mo? Bakit ka niya ilalagay sa isang sitwasyon na ikapapahamak ng reputasyon mo? Isn't he the reason why you went into community service in the first place? Isn't he the reason why you suffered humiliation?"
