No Honor Among Thieves

Chapter 6 - "You got this."

TUESDAY

Just another not-so-typical day at school. The first person Jason looks for as he sets his foot in the school's premises is Shaira.

"Shaira, you got something?"

"Yeah, yeah. Look." She shows me the phone. The location is plainly written in black letters against a white background.

Tondo.

"What the crap?" Jason exclaims. "Did you tell anyone else?" A strong feeling of seriousness begins to radiate from Jason, one that isn't hostile in any manner though. "You gotta be honest with me on this one, because the rest of the case depends on your honesty."

Shaira truthfully answers, "No, I didn't tell anybody. Promise."

Jason nods, "Okay. You got a screenshot of the location?"

"That was the screenshot."

"Don't lose all of the screenshots, they're the evidence. We'll need it when we're going to close the case." He goes silent in deep thought. "I know what we're gonna tell the class but we'll have to wait 'til everyone's here. You just be ready."

When the rest of his circle is complete, after informing them of where the phone was tracked last night, he whispers to them subtly. "Don't tell anyone ever, follow my lead, and remember every word I'll say this moment."

The class voluntarily stays put for the update after the first subject. Jason stands to the front of the class, rubbing one hand in the other.

"So last night uh..." He shakes his head lightly, as if in disbelief. "We encountered a problem."

Everyone remains silent, eager to know what happened, and his group seemed surprised at what he said.

"Last night, Shaira wasn't able to charge her phone because she said that her cords wouldn't work."

He then turns to Shaira, whose eyes slightly widen in surprise. "Please tell them what you told me."

Shaira then slowly begins to step forward. As she passes by Jason, he whispers "You got this."

Shaira, not expecting to be called out front, makes it up as she goes along.

"Yes, uh... Yesterday, before we all went home, uh..." She gestures to me, seeing as how she still doesn't know my name.

She begins to lightly sweat. "He told me to charge my phone. When I got home, I went to look for my cord and charger." She wipes a sweat off her head as it slides down.

"When I plugged it in, it wouldn't charge, so I began to look for other cords and it still wouldn't. Then I, I uh..."

At this moment, Jason worries that Shaira might make a slip of the tongue, so he steps up.

He gives her two pats on the shoulder, "That's alright. We're sure you did all you could."

Shaira steps down from the platform and returns to their circle. He then turns his attention to the class. "Fortunately, the thief didn't take Maria's charger in her bag. Shaira's phone is charging now," he gestures to Shaira's phone plugged to the socket beneath the blackboard. "Hopefully, that won't be stolen as well." He clicks his tongue and says, "That's all for now."

The room was quickly vacated and Jason went outside.

"What was that about?" Dylan asks.

Jason clarifies. "If we said that we tracked the phone at Tondo last night at 9:52, Jane will think we're onto her. We need her to feel comfortable so that she'll keep making mistakes."

Everybody in the circle remains silent, thinking deeply about it.

"So that's why I need you all to keep that part to uourselves only." He sighs and turns to Shaira, "Good acting, by the way. You'll take the gold."

Shaira nervously chuckles, "Really? I mean, thanks."

"Alright, let's hope nothing crazy happens while we're taking a break." He nods. "See y'all later."

Rodrick rests a hand on Jason's left shoulder. "Come on, eat with us."

Jason politely refuses, "But I've got people to talk to."

"That can wait. Besides," Elle continues, "You could some extra help in this case anyway."

"Alright."