2: Let's Play Human Chess

Yakob M. Germar.

10:02 am. Saturday. August 1.

Alphaelia Academy.

A3 Street. Examination Hall.

I never once in my life complain about the orders of Mrs. Germar much less disobeyed. The reason was, we were raised by her to believe in this one quote, mother knows best.

So is being one step away from death the best for me?

NO. NEVER. NOT AT ALL—

Mrs. Germar's decision of urging me to take this entrance exam is the worst verdict she had raised in her life.

Five minutes ago, the mist shrouded the whole room in no time. I can't see anything aside from the mist so I stay rooted at my seat trying to enhance my senses while doing my best not to succumb to the darkness. Series of loud coughs (due to suffocation) assaulted my ears. Successive thumps were heard. One by one, the students failed to hold their breath and exhaled the smoke.

I, too, was about to faint but felt a hand gripped my shoulder from the back followed by the gradual dissipation of the gas. I was panting too hard that I thought I'm going to lost all remaining life force I had and was ready to mutter my last words but glad did not.

Glad I listened to whoever shouted earlier.

Pero kung sino ka mang walang magawa sa buhay, makalabas lang ako ng buhay, hahanapin ko ang nanay mo para mabigyan ka ng kaunting aruga.

"Ayos lang kayo?" Still panting, my gaze lingered at pink-haired who was choking hard but still walked towards Bubbles to check him and looked at me asking if he can be of some help.

"Everyone has fainted except for the four of us."

I shuddered as I heard a deep and cold voice chuckled behind my back. Slowly, I turned my head towards him and saw a tall ash blond-dude with face screaming I am a madman. I instinctively wanted to move farther from him but before I could even put forward my plan, his eyes darted on me and the corner of his mouth raised.

"Tayong apat lang ang hindi hinimatay?" Bubbles' mum, being the idiot that he is, asked the obvious. "Hindi ko alam kung dapat ba akong matuwa o mag-alala pa lalo."

The lights were back. I scanned the whole room. The chairs were in a mess—no—everyone is a mess. Most of them fainted on the floor and there were only four or five who lied on their chairs. Proctor-ma'am, in her sorry state, passed out near the door.

The screen was like it was never hacked, still showing Alphaelia's logo. Taking a glance at my unit, the screen also went back to windows.

"Just smile and live for those who sacrificed," ash-guy answered with a twisted grin on his face while handing bottled water to Bubbles and his mum. He then turned to me, "Want some?"

Displeased, I just glance at the bottled water then crossed my arms. The feeling of being looked at with mockery doesn't feel good.

"Huwag ka nang ma-pride, kailangan mo ng tubig dahil muntikan ka nang ma-suffocate kanina. Hanggang ngayon nga ay hinihingal ka pa. Daig ka pa nitong si Fyodor," panenermon ni pinky sabay turo kay Bubbles upang ipamukha pa lalo sa'kin na mahina ako physically.

So Fyodor is the name? Hindi bagay. Tunog kagalang-galang, kabaliktaran ng may-ari.

"Right. Listen to mum."

"Don't worry. It's not poisoned." Ashy-guy opened the bottle and handed it to me.

I hastily grabbed the bottle offered to me then drank a mouthful of a sip.

"You're welcome," he whispered as he pulled a chair to sit down near us.

"The three of you," I swept my eyes at the three of them, squinted my eyes then said, "You all look rather calm."

Who knows? Maybe they are an accomplice to this farce or the perpetrators themselves.

"Akala mo lang kalmado ako. Tingnan mo oh, nangangatog 'yung kamay ko." Pinky said showing us his trembling hands. Kaagad niya rin itong itinago dahil noong sinabi niyang nanginginig—what he really meant was nangingisay.

"Don't be scared, mum. No one can hurt you with me around," Bubbles assured him and his mum beamed at him while patting his head.

Should I just call the hacker-dude and lend him Pinky so that he can feel some motherly love and be convinced to leave the evil path and be a good boy?

"What's there to be afraid. To be honest, this place is the safest." Chuckling, Ashy-guy commented. He leaned on the chair as he crossed his arms and legs giving a nonchalant vibe as if saying why would I even care?

I scoffed at him. "You call this safest?"

Out of nowhere, an urge to find clues and check every corner overwhelmed me. I gave in to the feeling, stood and walked directly towards proctor-ma'am and stared at her.

Based on the harsh words of the evil lord, he clearly held a great enmity against her. Why?

"Kaya nga! Mamaya may kung ano pa silang pasabog tapos hindi na tayo makaligtas. Ayoko pang mamatay. Hindi pa nakakatapos ng pag-aaral si Matthew. Walang mag-aalaga kay nanay."

"Like what he said, we need to find those clues to get out of here so, get your sorry asses and start looking for a way to survive."

Proctor-ma'am's electronic ID card caught my eye. I hurriedly picked it up, went towards the door and swiped it but another error popped up.

We can't use the usual means.

Maybe the evil lord and his minions changed the password.

But where are those IT teams that proctor-ma'am were bragging off?

It's been how many minutes. If she already reported the commotion, some personnel would immediately check here.

"You mean, we will solve it together?" I heard Bubbles asked so I looked at him and shook my head.

"I will solve it. You just need to follow my instructions."

"You can't be the Blossom here! Blossom isn't a bitch."

"And Bubbles is not adorably useless—"

"Teka— 'yung babae! 'Yung babae kailangan niya ng tulong!"

"Oh boi, that aquarium with piranhas—shit!" I exclaimed as I went back to my seat but I accidentally kicked a cup of coffee and it stained the floor.

"Piranhas won't eat her." Bubbles defended the piranhas. It's true though, piranhas in their normal state would ignore a human being who's still breathing.

"Those piranhas were either drugged or starved. Didn't you see it? Those piranhas earlier were restless," ashy-guy explained my point. I was about to acknowledge his statement when my eyes landed on the thing he's playing with his fingers, a clip point.

"Jusko, kuya! Saan galing 'yang kutsilyo mo? Hala, hala, huwag mong laruin, delikado 'yan baka masaktan ka. Ayan sabi na eh!"

He saw me glancing at him and his smirk grew as he threw the knife upwards and caught the blade using his fingers. I glared at him then decided to heed no mind.

"Who's so mad that will even starve piranhas for his school domination escapade?"

Sitting on my seat, elbows pressed on knees, fingers intertwined, chin resting on my thumb, I tried thinking of any possible person but failed.

Silly me. How can I even know if I clearly don't know any people from this school except for this proctor-ma'am?

Hacker.

Sleeping gas.

Piranhas.

Abduction.

"Kailangan nating tulungan 'yung babae—"

"Shut up," I cut him off and added, "We can't even leave this place."

"Look for clues. Right! Look for clues. But what clues?" I murmured to myself then shoved everything that distracts me and started with my deep contemplation.

Candies.

Chocolates.

Clues are everywhere.

Hacker.

Netbooks.

Nonsensical questions

What is going on?

Alphaelia Academy.

Hacker

Sleeping Gas

Piranhas

Aquarium (huge)

Abduction

An hour and a half time limit.

Free promos.

Shop!

Fact: Alphaelia is a small community who have it all.

"What's the topographic structure of Alphaelia?"

"Ah! Alam ko 'yan! Pa-chessboard 'yung layout ng buong school tapos bawat street nakapangalan sa tile ng chessboard. Nasa A3 Street nga tayo ngayon eh."

A3 Street.

Chessboard layout.

A3.

First move.

Pawn.

Knight.

Coincidence or a clue already?

Pain.

"What are you doing? Hindi ito ang oras para mangalakal kayo diyan o mag-ala basurero!" sita ko sa kanila nang mapansing wala na sila sa paligid ko at nandoon na, pinupulot ang mga cup ng kape.

I massaged my forehead hoping that the throbbing pain will lessen. Ito ang unang beses na sumakit ang ulo ko dahil sa pag-iisip.

"We are looking for clues." Ashy replied, chuckled and with a smug grin said, "Clues are everywhere, bloody twats!"

"And. . . only these coffee cups are everywhere aside of course for their bodies, chairs, and netbooks." Bubbles added while carrying a bunch of coffee cups together with his mum and dumping it in front of me.

"By the way, I've already checked their pulses. Unfortunately, they are still alive—"

"Susmaryosep kuya! Anong unfortunately? Magpasalamat ka at buhay pa sila!"

I heaved an agitated sigh and looked heavily at the coffee cups they piled at the floor in front of me.

With a frown, I asked sarcastically, "So what are we going to do with those cups? Build a coffee cup castle or create a paper cup superhero to defeat the evil lord of sweets?"

"Or splash the remaining coffee at the evil Blossom."

I gave him a glare but that did not scare him. Instead, he pouted and looked at his mum with an aggrieved face. The latter consoled him and I snorted at them.

"Don't be sad, little one, dad's going to take your side," Ashy stifled a laugh and was planning to ruffle my hair but I already moved away from him.

"Shut up," I roared, picked up a coffee cup and examined it. "How many examinees are present?"

"Kung kasama 'yung absent, 65 tayong lahat—" Pinky once again entered his world. Light bulbs once again float around him until he exclaimed, " Oo nga! Baka 'yung babaeng absent 'yung nandoon sa aquarium!"

"What an unlucky girl," Bubbles mourned for her.

"If I knew they were going to abduct someone and feed to those piranhas, I would've volunteered myself. Just imagine, the first bite would be on my cheek, blood will splatter, attracting the other piranhas and they'll start jumping from the water just to take a bite of my flesh. And even before my feet reach the water, I'm already forever gone and my death isn't a waste for I offered myself to the starving ones."

"Maghunos-dili ka nga kuya! Hindi ko kinakaya ang mga pinagsasasabi mo!" Pinky scolded him but the latter just chuckled.

I gawked at them as if their whole existence is a bane for humanity. My mouth twitched and shook my head and focused on the most pressing matter: What am I going to do with these cups?

"Where are your cups?" I asked them.

If the clues are in these cups, I should first complete these. But how can they put clues in a paper cup used for coffees?

The owner is an accomplice?

How nice of them to give free coffees.

The owner is the perpetrator.

Why would they make it so obvious?

"Hindi ako nakakuha 'di ba?" Pinky answered with a heavy sigh. Gusto niya ba talaga ng kape?

"I already threw it away."

"I figured that out, cat-murderer."

"Mum!"

"I threw it away. I don't drink coffee, only water."

Biting my lower lip, I tried forming the 61 cups (excluding the ones for these three bloody idiots and to that girl who was unlucky enough to be abducted) into a chessboard.

"Ang random ng pagkakalagay mo. Baka walang mabuo," Pinky commented worriedly and that for the first time, made sense.

"Bubbles and madman, gather all netbooks and separate yours. Pinky, go and get proctor-ma'am's things."

"Kannon ang pangalan ko, sinabi ko sa'yo 'yun kanina ah," he complained but still stood and walked towards the table like a good child.

"I don't like being ordered around and I'm sane."

"I don't care if you're a goddamn Emperor or an Overlord, if you want to get out of here, follow me."

"I can just kill the three of you if the bastard wants a survival game."

"Hoy!" He shouted from the table.

"I'm gonna fight you 'til the end." Who's going to fight who? Assuming kang tingting ka.

Ashy-guy just chuckled and grabbed a paper cup and examined. "Arrange it according to the caffeine content."

"Ako gagawa! Part-timer ako sa isang coffeeshop malapit dito at madalas akong tiga-timpla ng kape!" Pinky volunteered. He handed me a folder and I opened it.

List of the examinees and detailed information about us.

"Empty the cup first."

What is this farce for?

I glanced at the cup once more and searched for its brand name. SOS SINDICAFÉ.

Sounds like a fancy name for an adorably evil organization.

SOS Sindicafé.

Perpetrator or Accomplice?

Where is it located?

Resting my fingers on my chin, I was about to study on my mind the school's layout when I realized I wasn't familiar with it at all. These scenarios have been happening frequently since the lights came back. I was unconsciously thinking and doing things that I don't have any recollection. Like this imagining a map in my head wherein the first place, hindi ko alam ang pasikut-sikot sa Alphaelia.

Cappuccino.

Is Alphaelia belongs to the three years worth of memories I lost?

No—

Focus, Yakob. Mamaya na 'yang Secret Notes of Conspiracies.

"Hala! May nakasulat sa mga takip!" Pinky excitedly yelled. He grabbed my shoulder and showed a lid with a word printed on it.

"Evildoer?" Bubbles read.

"Maybe a secret message." I hypothesized then nod at Pinky, "Continue."

He energetically arranged the cups according to their caffeine content. Madali na lang niyang malaman kung anong klase ng kape ang inilagay sa cup dahil may nakasulat naman sa cup.

After a while, Pinky finished arranging the cups and we got the words we needed but because of these three musketeers, it wasn't completed.

Nothing is denounce the evildoer; nothing is more difficult than to understand him.

"I can conclude that the three missing coffee cups should be placed here, the least caffeine parts," I said as I moved the first two cups to give some space for the missing cups. "It should be nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer; nothing is more difficult than to understand him. A quote from a Russian novelist, Fyodor Dostoevsky."

"Mum! Kapangalan ko!"

"Are we going to talk about philosophy here?" Ashy-guy asked as he fiddled his clip point, the hint of mockery was hard to conceal.

"Philosophy is just a classy term for common sense with human empathy and psychological warfare."

Ashy guy grinned maniacally. Hindi ko na siya pinansin pa at itinuon na lang ang pansin sa mga paper cup sa harapan.

"Tingnan mo oh, may parts na naka-bold." Pinky pointed the words printed on the cup. I immediately looked at it and unbeknownst to me, a slight smile escaped my lips. A thrilled feeling surged through me like the unfit puzzle of mine suddenly fitted perfectly.

Nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer; nothing is more difficult than to understand him.

"This quote has a hidden message." Turning to Pinky, I commanded him, "Hand me the pen."

Using the papers for our files, I wrote the whole message in the paper and started contemplating on what cipher to use.

"Parang codes and ciphers? 'Yung sino-solve ng mga detective?"

"Technically, cryptographers are the ones who solve ciphers and codes. Detectives, investigate and unveil. And for your information, not all crimes have this sort of dying message."

"Paano mo ide-decipher 'yan?"

"This is Francis Bacon's Bacon Cipher, one of the easiest ciphers which relied on how a message was written." I showed them the paper I used as a scratch. "To decipher, we just break the characters into groups of 5 and find the corresponding value in the constant keys—"

Nothi ngise asier thant odeno uncet heevi ldoer; nothi ngism oredi fficu lttha ntoun derst andhi m

"And this roughly translate to: we play human chess."

• • •MASTERMINDS• • •