Project LOKI ③

Chapter 43: The Last of Augustus X (Race to the Truth)

A/N: Six days nang sunod-sunod ang updates! Magpapahuli ka pa ba?

LORELEI

[Art by Aleck Khalil Alegre]

AUGUSTUS MORAN. The editor-in-chief of Clark Clarion. And our toughest enemy so far.

I stared at him for minutes habang naglalakad kami sa hallway ng ground floor. He asked if he could talk to me, but I don't know exactly why. Was it something about the literary folio that they have been working on? Or was it about the break-in into their office last week?

Noong una nga, akala ko si Loki ang kakausapin niya. I thought the chief would finally reveal to him the truth about Luthor. Well, mas mabuti nang ako ang pinili niyang kausapin. We averted a tragedy for another day... or for a few hours. There's no way of telling when he'd open his mouth.

"Don't worry, Lorelei," he spoke after a minute of silence. "Nothing bad will to happen you. I won't and can't hurt you. I don't want to get my hands dirty. Literally."

How reassuring. He doesn't seem to be the type to wield a knife and cut my throat. Parang siya si Stein Alberts na akala mo'y 'di makakapatay ng lamok. But if there's one thing I learned with M's organization, looks could be deceiving.

"I thought of sending one of my staffers to fetch you from your office, but I decided to personally escort you," Augustus said. His eyes were looking ahead. He didn't bother turning to me. Naglalakad kasi ako sa likuran niya. I feel uncomfortable walking beside him. "Ah, we won't be going to my office. We'll go somewhere else. Away from the prying eyes and ears of other people. Okay lang ba sa 'yo?"

His office? Talagang inangkin na niya ang Clarion, ah. "Sure, I don't mind." Ano ba naman ang magagawa ko?

Malakas ang kutob kong aware na siya sa mga camera na naka-install sa kanyang office. Maybe that's the reason why ayaw niyang doon kami mag-usap. Loki and the others could monitor our movements kapag nasa frame kami ng cameras. He's being cautious as hell.

"Did you enjoy the party last Friday?" tanong niya. What's with the small talk? Bakit hindi pa niya ako diretsuhin sa gusto niyang sabihin?

"Hindi maganda ang pakiramdam ko kaya 'di ako nakapunta," pagsisinungaling ko. I was in this school building the whole time. "How about you? Did you enjoy it?"