There was news to write everyday. Some interesting, some not. It came from the tiniest of detail and exaggerated beyond recognition. And some were just served with a silver platter. Recently, interesting things had been happening, things that were out of the ordinary, extraordinary. Things moved in the background, unseen. Or they were supposed to until something slipped out. Then chaos would break loose because no one would comprehend.
---Rachel sat in front of a scrawny boy. He wore a blue sleeved shirt and glasses. In front of him was a plate of fried chicken and a little piece of paper beside it. He continued eating, partially acknowledging the fact that he had a visitor. Once he finished chewing and swallowing, he spoke, "Good afternoon."
"You are Jason right?" she checked.
"Aye," he confirmed and asked, "What brings you here?"
"I have a few questions," she answered.
"What would this be regarding?" he inquired.
"I need to ask you some questions on the Halloween event."
"Very well," he said, "But I heard it went pretty well."
"It did, but I just want to know why your department pulled out from the project," she told him.
"We didn't. I did. I simply placed the second-in-command in charge," he informed.
"So why did you pull out then?"
"Oh, you know- the stress. I had other presidential duties as well before the year ends," he spoke fluently and smoothly.
She nodded before lifting her head and stole a glance at the piece of paper.
"You like Sudoku?" she asked.
"It is a pretty intriguing game," he commented, "I enjoy doing them occasionally."
"I guess that's about it," she said, "Do you mind if I get your contact if I have any further questions?"
He placed his cutleries neatly on the plate and reached for his pocket for his wallet. He took out the passed it to her with flourish, with the card between his two fingers and said, "Here's my card."
She thanked him and he apologised for unable to greet her back because he had greasy fingers. She stood up and left the fast food outlet by the secondary entrance. When she left, with such coincidental timing, the door to the main entrance of that fast food outlet swung open. The person walked through the empty outlet. It was brunch and not many people would be here. The person approached one of the only other people in the place.
"Old friend," greeted Jason.
"Old friend," the person replied, taking the seat Rachel was sitting on earlier. He placed his walking stick at the side.
"I doubt you're here by chance,
"You know what everyone's always talking about," replied
"I doubt everyone else knows," said Jason as he sliced a piece of meat from the drumstick and ate it.
"They know part of it," argued
"Ah well," he said casually, "A small price to pay for duty."
"Your rivals aren't taking it lightly," stated
"That's none of my concern," said Jason as he took another bite of his food.
"I'll see you later then," bid
"Certainement," replied Jason, "Fare ye well."
---The sun glared from above like a mighty light bulb to the world, burning brightly. The heat pierced through the cloudless sky. It was soothing warmth. It was rather relaxing. There was a lack of wind, making the weather perfect. He stood there with the sky staring down on him with one eye.
He could hear footsteps behind him. Someone was approaching him. He could hear the sound growing louder. He could hear the clothes flapped as the person walked towards him. He could feel the draft blew by as the person stopped beside him. He could hear a familiar voice coming from behind him.
"You're a hard person to find."
He did not move. He was staring at the beauty of a painting by nature. The rays were on his every exposed surface of his skin. Half of him was in this world and half of him was in another.
"You're just not looking, Jeremy" he replied, "Rachel's got class?"
"Yes, she does," answered Jeremy who took out a pair of sunglasses which he wore over his glasses.
He added, "It's not good to stare at the sun. You are lame enough, Eugene"
"I'll live through it," replied
"What did happen to your leg?" asked Jeremy.
"That's not why you're here," pointed
"That's true, but that doesn't answer the question."
"Oh? Well-" began
"You're kidding, right?"
"Anyways, what does Rachel want?" diverted
"She wants to know more about Jason and the Halloween event."
"What does she know?"
"We were discussing the possibility of Jason himself at the event."
"He might be. I didn't check really."
"Do you think Jason would have done it?"
"Nah,"
"That's a red herring," commented Jeremy.
"I see you've been studying for Critical Thinking."
"Finals are just next week. Trying to score a high distinction."
"I'm sure you'll do well in it."
"Back to what we were talking about, how much of whole investigation do you know?"
"'...too much for you to handle'," mimicked Jeremy and informed, "That's all
"So Jason might still be involved," pondered Rachel.
"This Jason fellow seems pretty creepy," he said.
Both Jeremy and Rachel were sitting at one of the stretched tables at the Wi-Fi area. Books and notes were in front of them but their attempt on studying was a failure. Finals were just two days away.
"Not really. I met him the other day," she said, "He seemed polite. Nothing much on his involvement though."
"Do you think he is?"
"I doubt so. But we cannot rule him out yet. Everyone's still a suspect."
---"Jeep Driver Got Tyred
Marcus Yuen, 18, student of HMC Foundation in Arts and currently in his third semester got hit by a lorry. His four-wheeler was no match for the on-coming lorry which smashed into the front passenger seat. Apparently Marcus lost control of his vehicle and smashed into the barrier at the side of the road. The lorry could not stop drove straight into the jeep. The disorientated driver quickly came down from the lorry and helped Marcus, who was semiconscious out from his jeep. Marcus got away with some glass splinters and cuts. He should be able to recover in time for the finals."
---"Jian," called Rachel, "I need you to tell me about Marcus' accident."
"Do you read the Matrics?" questioned Jian, "It's all in there if you actually read it."
"Yes," she replied as she took out her copy from her book bag, "Where did you get this information?"
"I can't tell that," he said.
"We really need to know," spoke Jeremy.
"I'm on an investigation," argued Rachel.
"I know that," said Jian, "But that's all unofficial business. I have a signed contract which does not allow me to say anything."
Discontented, Rachel walked away with Jeremy but stopped when she realised something. She turned to Jeremy and asked, "Remember last time you said that the student council were like the mafia?"
Jeremy nodded and Rachel added, "Why do you say so?"
"It was really more of a rumour though," he said.
"There needs to be a spark before a fire."
"Someone told me they were doing some shifty things."
"So, let's assume that HMC student council is some sort of criminal society-"
"Uh huh."
"It could be possible that A-Levels student council is a rival criminal society."
"It could be possible," he repeated.
She paused. Her lips pursed unnoticeably as she retreated deep in her thoughts for a moment. Photographs of events and people flashed in her mind, along with words. And then her facial expression changed from nothing to a small grin.
"Sudoku."
"What about it?" he asked.
"There's something about the Sudoku. The one the HMC student council has. I saw Jason doing one like it."
"How does that fit with Carmen, Ashikin and Marcus?"
"I am not sure about Marcus, but I think Carmen and Ashikin knows- or knew- something we don't," guessed Rachel.
"So which side do you think did it?"
---Rachel: "That's what I asked you."
Rachel sat in front of monitor with her hands fixed to the keyboard. It was the period between classes, one day before the examination. Most of them who are still in college had one more last extra class before the big examination. In the meanwhile, while waiting for the next class, Rachel decided to chat with
Rachel: "I think..."
She tapped the 'Enter' key and thought for a moment, before continue typing
Rachel: "If I had to guess, it'd guess it was the A-Levels."
Rachel: "What about your opinion?"
And he was offline.
---Ashikin ran across the street towards Aris' small white car with a plastic ruler in her hand. She handed it to Eugene who predicted that it would not work but he wanted to try anyways. He reached the car window of the car and shoved the ruler between slit of the window and the door. He jerked the ruler around, trying to find the mechanism to unlock the car. Marcus tried as well but it failed. He suggested that a metal one would do better and Ashikin tried to find another something else which might helped. She went to search around and noticed two people standing outside the hostel. She approached them but then, it was all dark. It was all darker than the night.
"Question after question after question, you will finally reach the last question. The last question is the most significant question of them all. And ironically, the last question is 'How will it all end?'"
End of Chapter 4
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