"I can't do this, bro," said John "Wolfe" San Miguel to his best friend, Russell DuCarte. The two of them were standing inside a small area within the basement floor of Rizal Academy. It was a small niche set aside from a basement corridor, and contained an elevator entrance and a door leading to a larger classroom. Wolfe, who had a pinkish rose in his right hand, was furiously pacing in and out of the partially enclosed area, while Russell, who was acting as a lookout, stood in the hallway, facing a set of metal double doors.

"You can do this, buddy," said Russell. "Just do it!"

"I can't... I can't..." Wolfe repeated. "I mean, crimes are easy to solve, but what if she-"

"Look, you won't know until you try," Russell reassured him. "I was afraid Lena wouldn't say yes to me, and hey, she did. This is just like that."

"But that was junior year, and this is different from then!" Wolfe fired back. "I admit, there are certain similarities, but the two situations are still wholly different!" "Bro, you two have been friends- good friends, from what I can tell- for the better part of our high school career. Just walk up to her, smile, and be confident. Don't sissy out! You CAN do this, John."

"But-"

"She's there!"

Wolfe turned to look at the metal double doors: through a small window in the door, Wolfe saw a girl walk down the empty hallway of lockers. He was about to move forward, then stopped, paralyzed in his tracks.

"I'm not ready for this, Rus," Wolfe repeated, sounding thoroughly shaken. "Why can't I just solve a mystery? It would be so much easier!"

"Go!" Russell encouraged, pushing Wolfe forward. Hesitantly, he proceeded at a slow walk, opening the double doors and proceeding into a small intersection of hallways. There, Wolfe encountered his friend, Heather Urbanski. Dressed in a colorful t-shirt and khaki pants, her blonde hair whipped around as she turned to face Wolfe.

"Where have you been? She's right there! Go!" she whispered furiously.

"I know she's right there, but-"

Wolfe didn't have time to finish his sentence. She delivered a small blow to his right shoulder, and then pushed him forward. On a hesitant pace once more, Wolfe looked back one last time at his friends before proceeding forward. He took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself for what he had to do.

He saw her closing her locker. She had been alone for a shorter time than he anticipated. He would have to pick up his pace. He only had one shot: if he didn't seize the opportunity, there wouldn't be a better one.

As Wolfe walked down the hallway, his mind flashed back to the events that led up to his current situation. He remembered the days of his indecisiveness, and of the countless times he'd change his mind. He remembered the discussions he had with a select group of friends- dubbed "the Wolfe Family"- about his task, his plan, and his final decision. He remembered the countless different ways he would try to accomplish his goal. And he remembered the moments leading up to his current one: picking out the rose in his hand with Heather and Russell by his side, being encouraged by the only other person privy to his plan, and pacing back and forth in a semi-secluded area in the basement floor of Rizal Academy, Russell DuCarte trying to calm him down.

She was beginning to return up the hallway. Seeing Wolfe going down her way, she greeted him, saying, "Hey John."

It was now or never. Wolfe summoned up the minute amounts of courage he had and, hoping he wouldn't stumble over his words, said, "Hey. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she replied. She didn't slow her pace; she kept proceeding in Wolfe's direction. Wolfe was about to pass her when he realized she wouldn't stop. Improvising, he began walking backward.

"So, what is it?" she asked.

"Um..." Wolfe began. He gulped quickly, and then asked, "I was just wondering if you maybe wanted to go to Homecoming with me?"

As they kept walking- she, forward in the direction Wolfe came from, and Wolfe, backwards, trying to keep pace with her- he added quickly, "Y'know, as a friend, if you're not comfortable with it being a date."

The two of them stopped. Wolfe became worried.

"Um..." the girl said, considering his offer.

"It's alright if you say no," Wolfe said, trying to help her reach a decision. "I just wanted to know if- since it is our senior year Homecoming dance, and since for the past two years we've gone to the dance stag- you wanted to go together.

"So... what's your answer, Mary?"

Mary Gold looked him full in the face. She opened her mouth to speak. And she gave her answer.

-X-

The sun was only beginning its ascent when Inspector Alex San Miguel was roused from his sleep by his cell phone ringing. Groggily, he answered the call, "Hello?"

"Alex, we've got a case that you might want to take a look at," said the person on the other end of the line.

"What is it, Chief?" Inspector Alex asked, rubbing his eyes and trying to wake himself up fully.

"There's been an incident at Rizal Academy High School," replied Chief Lorenzo. "I've already sent Noel down there, and the members of Unit 7 who pulled a night shift are on their way there as well."

"Alright. Thanks Chief. I'm on my way."

Inspector Alex didn't know what kind of incident could have occurred at his son's high school, but he quickly got dressed regardless. After putting on his favorite suit, he hastily drank a cup of coffee and left his home just as his wife was waking up.

After a few minutes of travel, Inspector Alex parked in front of Rizal Academy. He saw what the problem was: all the lights in the school were out. Puzzled, he strode out of his car and into the school, staving off the crisp morning air as a member of Unit 7 in the lobby greeted him.

"Iglesias, what's the sitrep?" Inspector Alex asked matter-of-factly.

"It seems there's been a breach and a blowout," the officer, responded.

"What do you mean?"

"If you could just follow me, Inspector, I'll lead you to Inspector Noel and the administrators..."

Nodding, Inspector Alex followed Officer Iglesias down the lobby and turned a corner into a long hallway. Had there been more light than what was afforded by the portable lights brought by RCPD Unit 7, Inspector Alex might've been able to see glimpses of posters extolling Rebel achievements throughout the first quarter of school, or the rally banners for the school's big soccer game against cross-town rivals Aguinaldo High. Instead, he saw just enough to avoid walking into walls and tripping over wires.

As they proceeded down the hallway, Officer Iglesias explained, "According to the school admins, the trouble began around an hour ago. The early birds were taking inventory, checking security and preparing their materials for school. That's when the breach happened."

"Breach?" Inspector Alex asked, his eyes shrinking into razor sharp focus underneath the brim of his fedora hat, as he began to consider the facts of the case.

"Someone- and the admins don't know who- was able to enter the school's network and cause a bit of havoc for a few minutes."

"Did they steal anything?"

"No, Inspector. Just shutting down parts of the school's webpage, posting crazy effects on others, etc."

"Interesting..."

"There's more, sir. After the intruder had their fun, they completely shut down the school's network, before cutting the power itself."

"And still nothing was stolen?"

"No. But something WAS delivered."

By this time, Inspector Alex and Officer Iglesias had reached an administrative office. The inside of it was lit completely. Inside, Inspector Noel Léon, dressed in disheveled clothing, was talking to the school administrators, who appeared very worried. On a table beyond Inspector Noel was a small envelope.

"Alex, looks like you finally made it!" Inspector Noel greeted his partner warmly. "No wonder it took you so long! Did you have to dress like some Noir detective?"

"As opposed to you, who looks more like a semi-retired Don in Havana?" Inspector Alex quipped in response.

"Touché, Alex. Touché."

"Inspector Alex San Miguel! We hear you're the top inspector the RCPD has to offer. If your son's detective skills are anything to go by, we should be expecting a swift resolution!" praised one of the school administrators.

"You've seen my son do some detective work?" Inspector Alex queried.

"Yes, he's done quite a bit of detective work within our halls. Sometimes, he does it when he really ought not to."

"Understandable. But what has he gotten himself into in the past?"

"Just minor incidents. A challenge set by one of his junior year teachers, Prof. Kane, was resolved within two days. He also aided the varsity soccer team last year in a small incident. We trust that, as his father, you're better?"

"Of course. He's learning from me, after all. But I digress; what's in the envelope, Noel?"

Inspector Noel opened the envelope with a gloved hand. He held out a small piece of paper with a message comprised of magazine letters:

If I can't be happy, no one should be happy! Cancel this weekend's homecoming... or else!

"Well now!" Inspector Alex remarked. "It seems our culprit here has revealed more of themselves than they ought to! They're obviously an amateur at this sort of-"

"Excuse me, Inspector Alex, but how do you know that the sender of this note is an amateur?" one of the administrators asked.

"Actually, I believe that they are a student of this school," Inspector Alex replied.

"But how-"

"Oh, don't worry about that," Inspector Alex said, a twinkle in his eye. "However, what we do have to worry about right now is capturing this mischief maker." He closed his eyes for a few minutes, tilting his fedora so that they concealed his eyes. Then, with a grave and serious tone, he said, "I can capture this person for you, but you have to follow my instructions to the letter. Are you willing to do that?"

The administrators deliberated amongst themselves for a few moments. Then, they unanimously agreed.

"Perfect. First of all, if I recall correctly, there is a specific dance here for the freshman class occurring tonight, correct?"

"Indeed."

"Then here's the plan. Contact all the families of Rizal Academy and tell them that the school's suffered a power outage, and therefore the school day will be canceled. We can use this opportunity to not only restore the power, but to let our officers at the Technical Squad to take a look at the attack. They should be able to improve your system, and if we're lucky, trace the attack to its source.

"This phase should only take us half the day. Tonight, I want you to put on the freshman dance. Make it appear as if everything was back to normal. Tomorrow, let my team, Unit 7; handle the security for the Homecoming dance. Under the pretense of checking students for alcohol, my officers will be searching for very... specific qualities that, I'm hoping, will identify the culprit."

"But why should we put the dance on tomorrow? Wouldn't that mean the criminal could attack?" asked one of the administrators.

"Precisely," Inspector Alex replied. "We'll use the dance as bait to draw out the criminal."

"Alex!" Inspector Noel said in alarm. "Don't you think that's a bit... unethical? We don't know what this criminal is capable of - save hacking into a school network and cutting off power to the entire school - and you want to potentially endanger hundreds of lives, all in the pursuit of one prankster?"

"Noel, old friend, trust me when I say no one will be harmed," Inspector Alex reassured his partner. "Besides, Unit 7 will be there to protect the kids.

"And... we have one more secret weapon at the dance: him."

2: "Homecoming" Part 2- "Developments"

"So, what did she say?" Brynna Reyes asked her friends: Russell DuCarte, Lily Bays, and Heather Urbanski. The four of them were gathered in a comfortable booth, inside a small coffee shop in Rizal City's entertainment district. The shop wasn't very crowded: aside from them, there was only a couple sitting by themselves and making googly eyes at each other, and a man in the booth behind the group.

"Well, she said yes," Heather replied.

"But there's more to it," Lily added.

"For some reason, he had- as he put it- a 'foreboding feeling' about her saying yes, and was actually expecting her to say no later that night," Heather said.

"Even though I told him he was being an idiot," Russell quipped. "However, I was right, he was wrong, and she never said no. So now he's fluctuating between being insanely happy, and insanely miserable. And that's been going on for the past two weeks now."

"Why miserable?" Brynna inquired.

"Because he's still afraid she'll say no. She's the first girl that's ever said yes to him... to ANYTHING."

"And because he 'likes' Mary, he doesn't want to screw anything up," Heather added.

"That's weird though," Russell interjected. "I could've sworn there was something between him and Anna..."

"Well, I was talking to him just last week, and I could tell that he had the love bug for Mary," Heather replied. "Besides, Anna's not even in town this week, right? So it doesn't even matter."

"Wait, where's Anna?" Lily asked.

"According to John, she went on vacation with her dad a few weeks ago," Russell said, taking a sip out of his coffee cup.

"Oh. Well that must make things easier for him," Lily commented.

"Still," Brynna interjected, "You guys do realize that Joan-"

"'Joan?'" Russell asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's what I tease his name is," Brynna replied with an evil smile. "Anyway, you do realize that we're only considering how he feels, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I know Mary, and she probably doesn't 'like' Joan in the same way that he likes her."

"Yeah, you've got a point there..." Lily muttered.

"To be blunt, she probably only considers him as a friend. He's not really Mary's type. I mean, it's great that she said yes to going to the dance with him, but she probably wouldn't go out with him. She just doesn't like him in that way."

"But we don't know that for sure," Russell countered.

"And even if she doesn't like him in that way, he should at least still try," Heather added.

"Yes, but-"

Suddenly, from the middle of their table, Russell's phone vibrated, revealing that he had just received a text from Wolfe.

"Guys, hang on just a sec..." Russell said, his voice trailing off. He quickly read the text, and then loudly whispered, "What?"

"What's up?" Lily asked.

Russell put down his phone in the middle of the table, where the girls could read the text message he received from Wolfe:

I know what I'm up against. I know she probably doesn't like me in the same way that I like her. Most likely, I am just a friend to her. But I can still try. I still HAVE to try. If there's even the slightest chance it's possible... Then I have to take it.

Besides, even if she doesn't like me in the way that I like her, it doesn't mean I have to like her any less. Regardless of how she feels about me and considers me, she is still, in my eyes, a brilliant, beautiful, caring friend, and one of the greatest persons I have ever known. And even if she would rather have me as a friend, then... Then I should be alright with that. Because at least then, she'll still be a friend for me. And while I won't be completely happy, it'll suffice.

Guess I'll find out which is which when I talk to her in a few minutes...

-JW

"Wait, he's going to talk to her in a few minutes?" Brynna wondered out loud.

"Russell, ask him where," Heather suggested.

"Already on it," Russell responded, texting as fast as his fingers could type. They waited, and a few seconds later, they got a response:

Right here. Right now.

-JW

They then heard the man in the booth behind them get up, and as he passed by them, they heard him whisper "Wish me luck, guys," before they saw him walk up to Mary Gold, who was entering the coffee shop.

"Wait, he's been here the whole time?" Russell commented, shocked.

"Guess so..." Heather replied.

"So what do we do now?" Lily wondered.

"Guys, shut up so we can see what they're gonna do," Brynna ordered them. The four of them became silent, and saw Wolfe buy a cup of coffee for Mary, and a cup of hot chocolate for himself. They sat down at a table for two for a few moments, neither one of them seemingly saying anything to the other. Since Mary's back was to the group, they couldn't see the expressions on her face: Wolfe, however, looked absolutely awkward. He finally said something to her, and they both got up and left the coffee shop.

"And now... we wait," Russell pronounced with annoyance.

-X-

"Inspector San Miguel, there's a package here for you," an officer announced, handing Inspector Alex a small brown package. There was nothing irregular about it: it was a plain old parcel of brown wrapping.

"Alright, thank you Enrique," he replied, taking the package from the officer's hands. He then held it as he observed Rizal Academy's Homecoming dance from his vantage point: a side balcony that overlooked the entire gym floor. Coming off of their successful clean up operation from the day prior, Inspector Alex personally made sure that Unit 7 was as prepared and discreet as they possibly could be for taking over the security details of the dance. After he had informed his officers of what they were to look out for while searching students, he himself investigated the school lockers, where he found a suspicious black laptop within one close to the school's boiler room. His technical specialists told him that the hacker had used the laptop as part of their attack on the school's network, and though the hard drive had been wiped clean, they were still successful in obtaining fingerprints off of the laptop, whose results Inspector Alex now waited for.

"Technology sure has made our job easier..." Inspector Alex bitterly muttered to himself. When he realized that he would get nowhere trying to spy the culprit in the crowd, he left the gym balcony for the hallway outside, where the lighting was much better. Deciding that the package was worth a try, he began unwrapping it when two objects fell out of it: a small note, and a single firecracker.

YOU IGNORED MY WARNING. NOW I RUIN YOUR NIGHT.

His mouth agape, he quickly closed it and ordered his officers to meet in the administrative offices of the school, which they had temporarily transformed into an operations command center. However, he knew that he would need an active pair of eyes and ears within the dance: a detective who would blend in with the crowd and find the culprit without being noticed.

He took out his phone.

3: "Homecoming" part 3- "The Case"

"GUYS! I'VE GOT TO TAKE THIS! I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!" Wolfe screamed over the noise of dance to his friends. They acknowledged his words, and Wolfe ran out of the noisy gym. He entered the lit hallway, which was also occupied by partygoers taking a break from the dance. "Hello, Dad? What's up? I can't leave the dance until-"

"Enter the boys restroom closest to you," Inspector Alex interjected, interrupting his son.

He hung up, and Wolfe, puzzled, thought he might as well follow his father's instructions. Proceeding up the hallway, he entered the restroom near the open gym doors. Once inside, he found that it was empty, save for his father standing in a far corner.

"I've got a case for you," Inspector Alex said, matter-of-factly.

"A case?" Wolfe wondered. "What is it?"

Inspector Alex dug his hands into his pockets. "Do you remember Rizal Academy's power outage yesterday?"

"Yeah," Wolfe replied. "Heather woke me up at 5 with a text telling me about it. What about it?"

"Do you remember the reason Rizal Academy gave?"

"Yeah, power fluctuations or something. They announced that they would have Rizal City Electric Co. check them out. A statement backed it up from the RCEC. Why?"

"Well, the true reason is that early yesterday morning, an unknown hacker attacked the school's network. They were able to mess with the website for a few minutes before shutting down the school's power by overloading the power grid. I was called in to investigate and, when I arrived there, I found that someone had sent a note, threatening more chaos in the case that your Homecoming dance should be allowed to continue.

"At first, I employed some countermeasures to ensure that the threat wasn't carried out. I had Unit 7 officers look for anything that could cause any amount of chaos- fireworks, vuvuzelas, and etc.- and notify me so that we could catch the troublemaker. I also had officers provide constant scrutiny on the dance, in the hope that we could single out any suspicious persons and catch our culprit. They found nothing on either end, however, and that's what makes THIS so concerning."

Inspector Alex took out a single red firecracker. He tossed it at Wolfe, who caught it with one hand.

"That was sent to me a few minutes ago. I realized that somehow, the culprit was able to smuggle firecrackers and who knows what else past my officers. Worried that they might make a move, I've decided to recall my officers... momentarily. I'll be moving them again in half an hour to break up the dance.

"There are two flaws with this plan, though: first, the sight of police crashing a high school dance might induce mass panic, which is the very thing I want to avoid. People might get run into or trampled over and sustain injuries. As you can no doubt imagine, that would reflect poorly on the RCPD.

"Second, this would give the culprit an opportunity to escape. Since they were able to leave us a package, that means they're within the building, probably waiting to see what we do. If we cause such a commotion, they could use it as a smokescreen to escape."

"Then what's my role?" asked Wolfe.

"Do you not see it, son? It is simplicity in itself."

"You want me to return to the dance and look for the culprit myself," Wolfe muttered slowly.

"Precisely. I'm giving you thirty minutes. I trust all hell won't break loose while you search. At the end of those thirty minutes, we'll be coming. I expect that you'll have identified our culprit by then."

"Great. This'll be easy," Wolfe said sarcastically. "Do you at least have any leads?"

"Well, we were able to lift a set of fingerprints on the laptop the hacker left behind by the school's boiler room."

"Great! Then you'll definitely have the culprit's fingerprints!" Wolfe said, ecstatic.

"Not quite," his father sternly replied. "First of all, have you considered the possibility that the culprit used gloves, and the fingerprints we identify belong to the owner of the laptop?"

"Well, I guess if you put it that way..."

"Besides that, it'll take some time before I get the results of the fingerprint scan," his father continued. "And if the scan is unhelpful, as I expect it to be, then we'll have to move on to other methods of identifying our culprit, which would take more time than I'm allowing you."

"So, you have no leads I can use after all?" Wolfe asked, annoyed and disappointed.

"I never said that. Before you go back, I do have a list of suspects for you," Inspector Alex replied with a smile.

"Well, I suppose that makes my job marginally easier..."

"Wait until you hear the list of suspects. Our first suspect is Raymond Velasquez. He's a senior who, according to school officials, has a very close girlfriend in the freshman class."

"Due to RA's policies for Homecoming, that could present motive..." Wolfe pondered.

"Indeed. Since only sophomores through seniors are allowed to attend the dance, the fact that his girlfriend could never attend his final Homecoming might make for chaotic incentive. He also could be the owner of the laptop that was used to hack the school's network: the model the school has on record for him is of the same type, and only two others have the same type of laptop in the school. The only problem is that he DOES have an alibi: he was apparently on an overnight camping trip with the Rizal Scouts. You'll have to confirm that."

"Wait... how'd you find out about his alibi?"

"The school administrators. It was reported to them that he would be on this camping trip, which would be why he would be missing the Friday of the attack.

"Our second suspect is Maria Cruz. She is a junior whose boyfriend was not allowed to attend the dance, due to the fact that he goes to another school."

"RA's out-of-school dates policy has tightened up this year..."

"She also apparently caused quite a scene a few days ago when she pleaded to the school administrators for her boyfriend be allowed to attend the dance. In addition to this, she has a record of having committed previous pranks in the school. Unlike Raymond Velasquez, she doesn't have an alibi, so interrogate her to see if you can get her to slip and reveal that she is the culprit. Don't set yourself on that though; I could be wrong.

"Our final suspect, you won't like..."

"Why not?" Wolfe asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because our final suspect is your friend, Heather Urbanski."

For a minute, there was silence. Then, with a cold voice, Wolfe rejected the idea.

"No. There's no possible way she could've done it. I refuse to believe that theory."

"And why not? She was one of the first to find out that the school suffered a power outage. I was called in at 5:30 to investigate the school. You say you received a message for her at 5. How did she know so early?

"Furthermore, aside from the fact that, like Raymond Velasquez and Maria Cruz, she has a similar laptop on record as the one that was found used by the hacker, she also has a potential motive."

"Her date, Frank, wasn't allowed to come..." Wolfe said, recalling that piece of information.

"You see? All three of them have the ability and the motive to commit the crime. The only one with an alibi is Raymond Velasquez, so you might be able to cut him out of the suspect pool."

"Then I guess it'll have to be Maria Cruz, because there's no way Heather did it," Wolfe stated defiantly.

"Son, remember that we are detectives. We cannot twist facts because we don't like them. The truth is cold and unbiased: if it's revealed that Heather did it, then you'll have to accept that."

"I better not waste any time them," Wolfe said, turning his back on his father.

"Waste any time doing what?" Inspector Alex asked.

"Finding the true culprit, and proving my friend innocent," Wolfe replied, tossing the firecracker in his hand back at his father. Inspector Alex heard the door slam behind him.

Wolfe returned to the dance, slightly troubled. He knew that he had a job to do; after all, there was a person who was willing to cause chaos at his last Homecoming. Aside from the ruined experience, it could also lead to injuries, as his father pointed out. However, it WAS his final Homecoming: more importantly, there was a friend...

He shook his head. No, I can't think about that, he thought to himself. I can't think about them. I can't think about her. Not right now, anyway. I've got a job to do, and a culprit to catch. He looked out to the dance floor, where he could see his group of friends amongst the sea of students. Russell's suit flapped wildly, his tie getting in his face as he performed a dance he had been learning for weeks. Around him were Lily, who wore a black dress, and Heather, who wore a crimson dress with a black cardigan, dancing barefoot to their own beat. A sad smile came to him then.

Sorry guys, but it looks like I won't be returning just yet.

4: "Homecoming" Part 4- "Investigation: The Teen vs The Detective"

Trying to blend in with the crowd, he began his worrisome task of finding Raymond Velasquez and Maria Cruz. Luck, it seemed, favored him though, as he found them dancing in a group soon after he began looking for them. Smiling with relief, he walked on over to the group and danced his way into their circle. He formulated some questions in his mind before, slowly but surely, slyly interrogating the suspects.

"Yo Raymond!" Wolfe greeted his fellow senior. "Crazy HoCo, huh?"

"It's been better," Raymond replied. "And it could've been better, if..."

"What's the matter?" Wolfe asked, feigning ignorance.

"Ah... it's nothing."

"C'mon! Tell me!" Wolfe insisted.

"Well, you know my girlfriend, Lindsey, right?"

"Not really. She's a freshman, right?"

"She is. And cuz this stupid school's got it out for freshmen and this dance, she wasn't allowed to come with me as my date. Hah. It's my final Homecoming, and my girlfriend couldn't even come..."

"Really? Man, that sucks. Condolences five."
Wolfe offered up his right hand for a solemn high five, which Raymond promptly accepted. Maria, Wolfe's other suspect, joined in their conversation, saying,

"I know what you mean. I tried to get my boyfriend Cliff to come to this dance, but the school's higher ups wouldn't let me. Said it was against the rules or something like that. And the dance itself isn't all that great either. This HoCo just blows."

"Yeah, I can see that," Raymond commented. "You know, sometimes, this school's rules really don't make sense. Man, if I knew how, then maybe... maybe I could do something to mess with this school; open their eyes, you know?"

"No... I try not to look at things like that," Wolfe replied.

"You should. You're a senior, man," Raymond pronounced gravely. "You'll have to grow up sooner or later."

"Hm," Wolfe grunted, agreeing with him.

"Well, if I could change this school's rules too, I definitely would," Maria said as she busted a move. "With the crackdown on IDs and uniforms and all those other nonsense rules, the school's rules can really get on a student's nerves. It's gotten on mine, anyway. I wonder what Cliff's doing right now..."

They continued on dancing for a few more minutes. After a subsequent song ended, Wolfe asked, "Hey, I heard a rumor that the school's gonna approve a new bunch of laptops. Are you gonna upgrade from your old one?"

Raymond considered the question for a moment. "Maybe I should. It IS old... and for some reason, it crashed on me the last time I used it. Actually, to be honest, I lost it."

"Lost your laptop? Seriously?"

"Yeah. See, the thing is, I was using it a couple of days ago here in school... but then I lost it when I got up to use the bathroom."

"So... someone stole it?"

"I doubt it. I was alone in the library when it happened."

"I see. What about you Maria? Are you gonna upgrade?"

"Nah, I'm fine with mine. It's not a fossil yet, and I just upgraded the firmware a few days ago. I would've tested it out, but I had to lend it to a classmate for a project."

"Really? Who?"

"Abigail Gold. I lent it to her two days ago, and I'm supposed to pick it up as soon as we can leave this dance."

"Right. I see..." They were silent once more, before Wolfe continued his interrogation. "Hey, I heard you were on that Rizal Scouts trip yesterday. How'd it go?"

"Actually, I didn't go. The place we were gonna go to got rained out, so our scoutmaster just canceled our trip."

"Oh... well, that sucks man." Having everything he needed, he pretended that he had received a phone call. Excusing himself from the group, he left the dance floor and made his way to the corridor. When he found the hallway crowded, however, he decided that some fresh air might do him so good. Therefore, he proceeded down the hallway, through a set of doors, and out a second set of doors, breathing in a cool, night air as he was greeted by the sound of cicadas hiding in the grass.

He surveyed the area and, smiling at the empty space, walked forward, stopping in front of a stone bench with a perfect view of the clear sky and full moon. He sat down and stared at the moon for a few seconds, as if he were trying to divine the answer to his current mystery on its surface. After he had gotten a good look at the moon, he let out a deep sigh, hunched forward, propped his elbows against his knees, put his fingers together as if in prayer, and then finally put his hands to his mouth, closing his eyes as he did so. He welcomed the blank darkness that he saw in his mind: in it, he could work out the facts of the case, and come upon a deduction. He would deduce the only truth to the case; nothing less would be satisfactory. Not to a detective of his temperament, anyway.

Alright... time to get to work, Wolfe told himself. The culprit launched the attack on the school's network during the early morning hours of Friday. It was at least before five o'clock. The culprit, after they had finished their attack, had shut down the school's power by messing with the power grid. When that had been accomplished, they wiped the computer's memory, and then left it behind.

Furthermore, a note had been left threatening more chaos should Homecoming be allowed to continue. Obviously, Homecoming meant a big deal to them, and the attack was their way of getting the school's attention. When Homecoming was allowed to continued, they were somehow able to sneak in firecrackers- or so we think- as well as who knows what else.

This does bring up some points: namely, that the culprit is here at the dance, and has furtively smuggled in the firecrackers. This would take some skill if they were able to get it past Unit 7.

I know for certain it's not Heather, at least. Dad might not believe me when I counted her out, but I know it couldn't be her, simply because when I called her up immediately after receiving her text message, she seemed as half-conscious as I was. If she had committed the crime, she wouldn't be as sleepy as she was when I called. Furthermore, no one could fake being half-awake; there are too many tell tale signs. I know she wasn't faking, so it couldn't be her.

This leaves Ray and Maria... but which one?

Speaking of which...

Wolfe suddenly took out his phone from his pants pocket. He quickly scrolled through his contacts and, having found whom he wanted to call, pressed the dial button. He waited a few moments before a voice on the other end of the line said, "Hello?"

"Abigail," Wolfe said, his voice grave and serious, "Did Maria Cruz lend you her laptop a few days ago?"

"Yeah... I needed it for a project," Abigail replied. "I just finished it now, actually."

So that's why she didn't go to Homecoming... Wolfe thought. "So you still have her laptop, then?"

"I just said I finished the project right now, didn't I?" she replied with sass.

"Fair enough. Thanks."

"Why? What's up?"

"It's nothing. I'll talk to you later."

Wolfe ended the call. With the facts of the case now gathered before him, a smile crept onto his face. He bounced off of the cool stone bench, his face beaming, eyes shining with triumph. He ecstatically paced in front of the bench, his right hand to his lips as he thought out the rest of his deduction. He could see the scenes of the crime: the culprit's requests being rejected by the school administrators; the attack on the school network; the shutdown of the school's power. He imagined the culprit furtively smuggling in the firecrackers, setting them up to cause mass panic, laughing maniacally all the while.
With his deduction-his analysis of the crime and the various odd points explained- finalized, he turned around, ready to march back into the school and notify his father of the culprit's identity. However, he had only taken one step towards the set of doors when a sudden memory flashed through his mind. A girl sat next to him in the back of his family's minivan. The darkness of the night enveloped them, but through the small flashes of light afforded by passing cars and stoplights, he could see that she was smiling. They were conversing on a topic he no longer remembered- sad, considering that it was only a few hours ago that the memory had taken place. He liked her smile.

No! Not right now! He knew it was useless, though. There was nothing he could do to prevent the onslaught of memories about to flash through his mind- all he could do was wait for them to finish, and hope that he wasn't too affected by them to continue. Figures that this has to be my bane... For all my professed lone wolf, Holmesian coldness, I guess I'm still just a teenager.

He sat back down on the stone bench and took a deep breath. As he did so, a slew of new memories coursed through his mind: the two of them were walking side by side up a deserted hallway while he felt both embarrassment and relief; the two of them in Biology, he smiling as he found himself a rival in the class; himself, her, and Abigail watching a movie at his house, though his attention was constantly diverted elsewhere; and finally, the two of them looking at each other underneath the shade of a large tree, she tearing up as he spilled his guts and let loose his secret. He had hugged her then; it was the farthest he'd ever gotten- and the only appropriate course of action.

When the memories had faded into the recesses of his mind, Wolfe pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a small groan. A sudden sadness enveloped him then, one that had all but made him forget about his current case. If only I'd acted sooner... then maybe...

No. I've got a case to close. I've got to catch this culprit before Unit 7 storms in.

But still...

I'm an idiot. Too soon, everyone warned, and I went ahead anyway. I'm an idiot.

Why am I so hopeless?

Wolfe began trying to shake himself out of the bout of sadness. Action- or rather, distraction- would be the balm he could use to get himself out of it. At least, until the next fit of sorrow. So set, he got up and began walking towards the school once more when he encountered someone.

Though he couldn't really see her properly in his earlier memory due to the darkness of the interior of his family's minivan, the light of the full moon illuminated her properly enough this time around. She wore a dazzling party dress, simple yet elegant, and one that had taken Wolfe's breath away earlier that night. The silver necklace she wore glinted faintly. He saw that she had returned to wearing her high heels, which she had taken off earlier for dancing.

"John? What are you doing out here?" Mary asked.

"Just... just getting some fresh air," Wolfe quickly replied.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you just look really sad. C'mon; what's wrong?"

Wolfe stood where he was, completely silent. He pondered how he should explain himself, or whether he should explain himself at all. There was certainly a force in his chest compelling him to answer her question; however, another part of him wanted to just run, to get back to his case, to deal with his troubles later.

"I..." Wolfe faltered. He tried to form the words, but he just couldn't muster them.

Mary sensed what was going on with Wolfe. "Is this about... two weeks ago?"

"Yeah," Wolfe admitted. "Partly, anyway."

"John-"

"I know. We've got a good friendship going, and that's it. But the truth of the matter is, I still really like you. I know that you'll probably never like me in the same way, but I just really can't help my feelings for you. Trust me, I've tried."

They stood facing each other awkwardly for a few moments, both trying to decide what to do next. Then, Mary broke the silence by saying, "John, I do care about you. And I cherish our friendship. But I really can't return your feelings. I'm sorry."

Wolfe gave a sad smile, bittersweet and painful. "Don't be. We're friends, and that should suffice."

He began walking past her. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I've got some business to finish inside," Wolfe said, steely conviction slowly beginning to return to him. It wouldn't replace the heartache, but it would provide the motivation he needed to function. He had almost reached the door when he heard her call out to him. He turned around, and was surprised with a sudden hug. "Wha-?"

"It looked like a friend needed a hug," she replied.

Appreciating the gesture, he returned the hug. After they broke apart, Wolfe said, "I'll see ya later inside." And with that, Wolfe refocused himself once more, intent on finishing his case.

Wolfe marched into the gym, trying to find Raymond Velazquez so that when he texted his father the identity of the culprit, he would be nearby to help detain Raymond. However, as he was looking for Raymond, he noticed a suspicious figure on the gym balcony. Figuring that it must be Ray getting ready to ruin the dance, Wolfe shoved his way through crowds of dancing students, entering the hallway once more. He went down an adjacent hallway, ascended a flight of stairs, and proceeded down another hallway, before finally arriving onto the gym balcony.

He couldn't make out the exact appearance of the culprit, but Wolfe was certain that it was Raymond Velazquez. "So, are you gonna make your move now, Ray?" Wolfe asked confidently. The culprit, who was crouching, stopped with whatever they were fiddling with, and stood up.

"Yeah, I've figured it out," Wolfe continued. "You were the one behind the attack on the school. You must have infiltrated the school early in the morning on Friday, used your technical expertise to hack the school, mess with them, and then shut down the power by overloading the power grid. You wiped your laptop, left it by the boiler room, and then left before the police arrived. Of course, since the Rizal Scouts' field trip was canceled, your alibi was broken, meaning you did have the opportunity to do it. I haven't fully worked out how you were able to smuggle in the firecrackers, but I'm gonna guess that it involved a lot of tape to your body, and a really large suit jacket. The motive would be to try and teach the school a lesson for not allowing your girlfriend, the freshman Lindsey, to go with you to the dance. Am I wrong?"

Suddenly, the culprit laughed. Wolfe was taken aback by the maniacal sound; it wasn't deep. It couldn't have belonged to an 18-year-old male senior. No, it was higher pitched- as if it belonged to a teenage girl.

"On all accounts, Wolfe," the culprit laughed. "You were wrong on all accounts." The culprit turned around, and Wolfe barely made out a girl with short brown hair, wearing a blouse and jacket, as well as dark jeans.

"No... no..." Wolfe stammered, too shocked to say anything more. "I was so sure it was Ray!"

"Unfortunately, my Ray had nothing to do with this," Lindsey said sweetly. "In fact, he doesn't even know I was the one behind all this."

"But why...? Why would you attack the school?"

"That's an easy question, isn't it, Mr. Detective?"

"The school wouldn't let you attend Ray's final Homecoming..."

"Bingo! And that's why I want to teach this school a lesson by ruining everyone else's Homecoming! When I give my signal, my friends and I will light these firecrackers on the balcony and set off some vuvuzelas hidden in the gym. The mass chaos and panic will ruin the night for everyone!"

Wolfe, recovering from his initial shock, clenched his fist. "Do you even realize what you're doing, Lindsey? Can you even see what damage you can cause with what you're gonna do!?"

"Oh please, Wolfe," Lindsey countered, dismissing his questions with a wave of her hand. "The only damage done is some bruised egos and ruined dreams. That's all."

"Not even close!" Wolfe angrily retorted. "If you set off those firecrackers and vuvuzelas, the mass panic could lead to injuries with people trampling over one another, pushing and shoving each other to get to the exits! Not to mention the psychological trauma caused by such a surprise!"

"I'm sure the school can handle that then," Lindsey countered. "After all, it's not my problem."

Wolfe growled. He had had enough of the case. He took out his phone, and quickly began writing a text message to his father.

As he was writing the text, Lindsey asked, "What are you doing, Wolfe?"

"Ending your prank," Wolfe coldly responded.

Sensing she was in danger, Lindsey charged at Wolfe, intent on taking his phone.

5: "Homecoming" Part 5- "Clashes- leader's and their teams"

"I wonder where John's at?" Russell commented to his group. They were taking a break from all the dancing, sitting down on a circular table to catch their breath.

"He said he had some business to finish in here," Mary replied, walking towards the group from the corridor leading outside.

"Some unfinished business?" Heather asked.

"Oh... No! That sly wolf!" Russell exclaimed. Mary gave him a look before she, Heather, and Lily all gave him a thump to the back of his head. "Sorry! Well, knowing him, we should probably leave-"

"Hey y'all!" the DJ said from his mix table in the front of the gym. Atop a raised platform, he had a perfect view of the dance. "Rizal Academy, let me hear you!"

The students roared in response.

"That's what I like to hear!" the DJ replied. "Now, I hear that this next track is by a local artist here- a kid going by 'RubyTen.' Now, I don't know this kid, but he's made some wicked beat right here. Y'all want to hear it?"

The crowd yelled for it.

"I said, DO Y'ALL WANT TO HEAR IT?"

The crowd roared once more, even louder this time.

"All right! Comin' up next, from RubyTen: Glassmaker!"

Russell couldn't believe his ears. "They're playing my song..." he whispered. Then, standing up, he yelled, "THEY'RE PLAYING MY SONG!" Russell immediately dove back into the mass of students, getting ready to dance to- literally- his own beat, leaving the girls to just stare at how ridiculously eager he looked.

-X-

Isn't this Rus' song? Wolfe wondered as he blocked an incoming fist from Lindsey. They had been locked in combat for a few seconds, as she tried to prevent him from sending the message. Well, looks like I'll have some good fight music! Wolfe sent a kick towards her, forcing her to jump backwards to avoid the attack. He followed up with a forward palm strike, which she ducked under and countered with an elbow to his diaphragm, followed by a kick to the face that sent him on his back.

Wolfe, who had been in a few fights as part of his training, got up partway by propping up his elbow. Though he had been used to blows as part of his martial arts training, they still hurt. She's got skill. A direct battle won't win it for me. I've got to fight smart... He quickly formulated a plan, then rolled backwards and ran into the hallway, forcing Lindsey to run after him. He doubled his speed, and navigated a series of hallways and staircases that eventually found him near his locker. Knowing of a nearby hiding spot, he hid himself there, and then sent the text message to his father. Realizing that there was still another problem left at the dance, he quickly sent one more message to a few friends, before beginning to plan out his battle with Lindsey.

-X-

"Don't you think that Lindsey's going a bit too far here?" one of Lindsey's cohorts asked her fellow troublemakers.

"Nah... she's got a point," another cohort replied. "Besides, we weren't allowed to go to Homecoming with our boyfriends, remember?"

"Yeah, my girlfriend said that I couldn't go with her either," one more cohort added. "Now she's going with her ex. And if anything happens between them..."

"Alright, alright Rick... Well, we should probably get ready to set off these firecrackers," the first cohort remarked.

"Yeah... no you don't," a new voice said behind the group. The three freshmen turned to the source of the voice, where they saw another group of three. On the right was a boy who looked like he would've already graduated from the school. He had a toothpick in his mouth, wore a barong and a straw hat, and had a wooden katana slung over his shoulder. To the left was a girl who was just as tall as the boy. She had curly hair, and wore a uniform variation belonging to one of the school's clubs. In between the two was a shorter girl who wore a dark t-shirt, jeans, jacket, and had a crowbar attached to her side.

"It's a good thing John texted us a couple of minutes ago about these pranksters," the girl in the center said to her friends. "He can barely handle the girl he's fighting after all; there's no way he'd be able to take these guys on as well."

"He can get over his head sometimes," the boy concurred.

"How do you think Joan's doing?" the second girl asked.

"Probably barely making it a fight," the first girl responded. "Then again, knowing him, he'll probably find some ridiculous way to win. Let's just make sure these guys don't set off those firecrackers so that he'll owe us already."

The freshmen, realizing what their seniors would do, grabbed some nearby lead pipes to defend themselves.

"Lindsey's gonna show this school!" one of the freshmen said. "She's gonna show them for us!"

A standoff followed for the next few minutes, measured only by the passing of the songs. Finally, having grown impatient, the male freshman charged at his counterpart in the other group. The older boy let out a wicked smile, before unsheathing his wooden katana and using it to swiftly block the freshman. He then forced the freshman to jump back and recollect himself, as the older boy held his wooden katana in an intimidating stance.

Recognizing the situation, another one of the freshmen charged at the older group, this time at the girl who was unarmed. The unarmed girl bobbed and weaved around the numerous swings of the lead pipe. When she had grown tired of the exchange, the older girl disarmed the younger girl, throwing away the lead pipe now in her possession. However, the younger girl refused to give up, and charged at the older one, fists in the air.

Meanwhile, the two boys had resumed their own fight. The freshman repeatedly attacked his senior with the lead pipe: each time, however, the older boy would easily block the incoming blows with his wooden katana. However, the freshman noticed something about the older boy: it looked as though the older boy was merely toying with him. Annoyed, the younger boy's attacks grew more erratic, forcing the older boy to take the fight seriously and begin returning with his own attacks, which were dodged by the freshman to the best of his ability.

Seeing her other two cohorts embroiled in the developing battle, the last freshman charged at the girl in the center out of fear and desperation. The girl in the middle dodged the coming blow of the younger girl's pipe, before drawing out her own weapon: the crowbar attached to her side.

"Let's see what you can do against Lucy here," the older girl taunted. The younger girl charged once more and, like her comrades, found herself exchanging blows with her counterpart. As the fight began to drag on, the freshman tried to use some fancy fencing techniques to gain an upper hand against her opponent. These techniques, however, were mostly rendered useless by her opponent's tactical movements. The senior danced around her opponent, keeping the younger one on her toes and preventing any chance of a combination attack from taking place. Though the freshman was able to land a few blows on her opponent, the senior returned as much as she received from the freshman. Mild aches began to affect the combatants, yet their duel continued.

-X-

Alright, this plan should work, Wolfe thought to himself. At least, I hope it does. Dad should be coming anytime soon now anyway; all I need to do is distract her until he does.

Lindsey wandered down the empty hallway, near where Wolfe had hidden himself. When she had reached the center of the hallway, the lights suddenly shut off. She was startled for a moment, and then put herself on guard once more. Meanwhile, Wolfe's voice echoed throughout the hallway, "I'm not gonna let you get away with this, Lindsey."

"Who do you think you are?" Lindsey asked, twirling around, trying to locate Wolfe in the darkness. "Fancy yourself some sort of predator, Wolfe?"

"It's in the nickname, isn't it?" Wolfe countered. "Anyway, I think I can see it now! How you accomplished this, I mean. You stole your boyfriend's laptop when the school denied your request to go with him to this dance, didn't you? Then, using your technical expertise, you hacked the school network, overloaded the power grid, and wiped the laptop's contents. As for smuggling the firecrackers in: you were part of the freshmen that were assigned to help out with this dance, weren't you? I bet you and your friends were able to easily smuggle in the firecrackers and vuvuzelas, since Unit 7 would've been searching the partygoers, and not the set-up staff, for the chaotic instruments. And because you were part of the committee to decorate the dance, picking your spots to cause chaos and setting them up would've been easier.

"Unfortunately for you, your plan's been foiled. I've already notified my father of your identity as the culprit. More importantly, I'm going to make sure you don't ruin this night- both for my friends, and for the rest of the students in that gym. Just because you got rejected, do you really think you have the right to ruin everyone else's time?"

"And why not?" Lindsey challenged. "No freshman has done more for this school this year than me! I've been the model freshman of Rizal Academy! My teachers and my classmates adore me! I've been nothing but humble! So the one time I ask for a small favor, they won't give it to me? How is that fair?"

"And how would it be fair to those you'd be causing panic to?" Wolfe angrily retorted. "They have nothing to do with your little squabble with the school administrators! And like I told you before, your little 'prank' will cause INJURIES. Do you really want it on your conscience that God knows how many kids got injured, all because you couldn't spend one night with your boyfriend?"

"And what would you know about relationships, Wolfe?" Lindsey screamed. "You've never had a girlfriend! Never even got close! You don't know what love is!"

Wolfe clenched a small cross on his necklace. He had received it during a special retreat that he had gone on late in his junior year. "You're wrong," Wolfe responded with steely conviction.

"Hah! Don't make me laugh!" Lindsey continued. "You're too much of an anti-social FREAK to ever know what love is! Oh sure, you can put up your little front of being a 'lone wolf.' But take that away and what are you? NOTHING! When you can't even make it with one of your closest friends, then who can you make it with!?" There was a short silence as rage built up within Wolfe. Stick to the plan! he told himself. But the rage grew nevertheless. "Yeah, that's right! I've seen the way you look at that girl. Mary, was it? I heard from one of my friends what went down between you two. She said she saw what happened two weeks ago, and guessed that you couldn't seal the deal. Hah! You pathetic loser!"

"Shut UP!" Wolfe roared. There was a sudden flash of light, stunning Lindsey as the hallway lights came back to life. When she had recovered, she saw Wolfe send a kick right to her abdomen. With no time to react, she was hit and thrown upon the floor. When she had slowly gotten back up, she saw a marked difference in Wolfe. Gone was the Wolfe that she and the rest of Rizal City was accustomed to seeing: instead of a composed, observant and relaxed senior, there was, in his place, a doppelganger filled with primal rage. He wasn't standing in a martial arts stance; he was instead crouched, as if he were some predator ready to pounce. His eyes were filled with hate, and he bore his teeth as a low growl emanated from them.

6: "Homecoming" Part 6- "Homecoming"

The three fights continued to rage as the majority of the dancers remained oblivious to their existence, the sounds of the fight being drowned out by the blasts of the songs the DJ played. As the combatants began to tire, however, relief came to Lindsey's cohorts, as four more freshmen joined the battle, having witnessed the beginnings of the fight from the other end of the gym's balcony area. Though they were unarmed, they had the advantage of being rested.

Biting her lip, the older girl with the crowbar leapt back into the circle newly formed by the reinforcements. She was joined by her own allies, and they held up their various weapons- she, her crowbar; the other girl, her fists; and the boy, his wooden katana- to defend themselves. The four freshmen, meanwhile, prepared themselves to charge at the older group on the defensive, as the other three troublemakers regrouped.

Knowing it was a disadvantaged situation, the girl with the crowbar thought about blitzing the freshmen, in the hope that it would catch them off guard. She was about to relay her plan to her friends, when she saw another group appear from behind the three other troublemakers: three girls in party dresses, and a blonde boy in a suit. They hastily sneaked up on the three other troublemakers, and quickly subdued them: the male freshman was put into a quick chokehold by the blonde boy that soon left him unconscious, the unarmed girl was punched to the floor by two of the girls, and the armed girl was brought to her knees when the last girl- the twin of the girl with the crowbar- twisted the armed girl's arm, forcing her to drop her weapon.

The blonde boy picked up the fallen lead pipe and prepared himself to charge at the freshmen encircling his other friends. The two girls who weren't preoccupied with a captive readied themselves as well to back up the blonde boy.

"You know, Abs, you could have invited us to the party," the last girl asked her twin.

"It wasn't our idea to come here in the first place," Abigail replied. "But how did you even find us? We thought you guys were down there, partying."

"I noticed the fight while I was dancing to my own track," Russell answered. "When I saw this fight happening, I told the others, and we agreed to find outwhat exactly was going on. We ran into John's dad on the way up here, and he explained everything."

"So it's that, huh?" the boy with the katana remarked. "Well, we're glad you're here now. Care to help us mop up?"

With the threat of being overwhelmed, the freshmen quickly surrendered. The group of older students then watched over the would-be pranksters, until Unit 7 officers arrived a few moments later to arrest them.

-X-

There were a few moments of tense inaction. Lindsey was on her guard, but a small bit of fear had entered her system. The Wolfe she saw before her wasn't the teen detective she had been taunting; he more closely resembled an enraged wolf, about to attack his prey. Meanwhile, Wolfe struggled to keep his emotions down. He couldn't let himself be ruled by his emotions: what kind of detective would allow that?

Finally, after taking a few deep breaths, Wolfe straightened himself up. He closed his eyes, and stopped bearing his teeth. "So what? So what if I've never been in a relationship? So what if she can never return my feelings? There is still one truth in this, Lindsey: she's still my friend. As are the rest of the people in my group. And in that gym are my fellow Rebels. I won't allow you to ruin their night. I won't allow you to take away her smile!"

Thus saying, he charged at her once more. He threw two quick punches, before catching her off guard with a leg sweep. As she lay on the floor once more, Wolfe readied himself for another strike when a deep, commanding voice ordered, "Enough!"

Recognizing the voice, Wolfe restrained himself. He turned around to see his father walking down the hallway, two Unit 7 officers flanking his sides.

"Dad? Are you here to arrest her?" Wolfe asked, gesturing at the freshman. Lindsey, however, took advantage of Wolfe's distraction and bolted from where she lay. She hadn't gotten more than two steps, however, when Inspector Noel Léon and two more Unit 7 officers appeared from the other end of the hallway.

"You're not going anywhere, missy," Inspector Noel said, twirling a pair of handcuffs on his left forefinger. Realizing defeat, Lindsey collapsed onto her knees, head bowed and arms hanging limply by her sides. Inspector Noel approached her, placed her arms behind her back, handcuffed her, and said, "Lindsey Lei Wu, you are under arrest for hacking and conspiracy. Ikaw ay may karapatang manahimik. Ang iyong mga sasabihin ay maaaring gamitin bilang patunay laban sa iyo sa korte..."

While Inspector Noel led her away, Wolfe faced his father. "What about Lindsey's co-conspirators? Have they been captured as well? Were my friends able to get to them in time?"

"Yes, they were," Inspector Alex said. "ALL of your friends were able to put a stop to the culprits. Be glad, John: you and your friends were able to catch a hacker and her network of cohorts, as well as save your dance and conduct your investigation without anyone else knowing. You're truly becoming a detective, son."

"Thanks dad," Wolfe replied. "Can I go now? There's one last thing I have to attend to before I go home tonight."

Inspector Alex nodded in understanding. "They're waiting for you. Most of the students have already left, but your friends are waiting inside the gym. I saw them as I made my way up here." Wolfe thanked his father one more time before running towards the gym.

When he arrived at the gym, he saw that there were only two small groups left in the gym: a circle of his friends, standing around and no doubt discussing the events of the case they were dragged into, and a second group. Tightening the tie on his suit, Wolfe put his left hand within his suit's pants pocket as he walked towards his friends. His shoes produced a large sound when it made contact with the floor, though it was heavily muted thanks to the song the DJ was playing.

Upon joining his group, an apologetic smile on his face, Wolfe said, "Sorry guys, I was a tad bit... busy."

Russell quickly delivered a thump to the back of Wolfe's head. "Next time, tell us when you have a case, alright bro? We want to help out, you know!"

"Sorry! Sorry!" Wolfe apologized once more. "So, how was the dance?"

"Well, it's not over yet," Mary informed him. "The DJ's about to play the last song; we were just waiting for you to show up."

"And it took you long enough, too," Abigail added. "Did that girl really give you that much trouble?"

"Maybe you weren't taking it seriously enough?" Lily commented.

"I'm sure he was trying his best," Heather told the group.

"If he was trying his best, then that's not a good sign," Brynna quickly responded.

"Oh c'mon, cut my bro some slack!" Russell said, coming to Wolfe's defense.

"Maybe if he took kendo classes with me, it wouldn't have taken so long..." Frank quietly stated.

Wolfe looked at all of his friends. It was an unusual sight: most of them wore party suits, some were dressed casually, and one had a straw hat and toothpick. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Alright guys," the DJ announced. "Since our latecomer's finally arrived, let's wrap up this homecoming."

There was silence as the DJ began the last song. Then, following a quick vocal entrance, an anthemic pop beat began to play. The song was unfamiliar to Wolfe, but it didn't matter. It wasn't the music he was dancing to that mattered: it was the people he was dancing to it with that mattered.

Rus... Abigail... Lily... Heather... Brynna... Frank... Mary... he thought, looking at each of them in turn. You truly are the best friends I could ever ask for. Wolfe smiled as he busted a quick move, dancing to the beat of the song's drums. As he began to lose himself in the song, a certain happiness had overshadowed the fatigue and sorrow that was inside him. He took one last look at them all. One final look at her. The smile grew larger.

The best.

7: "Blind" Part 1- "Love is in the air, and so is a Mystery!"

The lights were dim within the fancy Las Islas restaurant, the premier restaurant of Rizal Grove. Constructed to give a Parisian feel, it contained elegant silk drapes, polished floors and stylish tables with oaken chairs, crystal chandeliers, and a ten-piece band playing smooth jazz.

Though the architecture screamed elite, the customers of the restaurant were a motley assortment: one table was filled with jocks coming off of a successful basketball game; another held a group of old ladies in their best Sunday clothes; and yet another featured two young women, dressed casually nice. One of the women had midnight black hair, which fell down one side of her body like a flowing river that reflected the shine of the dimmed lights. The other had short, brown hair that was as wavy as her partners' was straight.

The two women were enjoying themselves immensely, as anyone in the restaurant could tell. They sat across from each other, and observers could see that a laugh or smile would escape both of their faces every few seconds. Whether it was a joke or a funny face one of them made, there seemed to be nothing that could ruin their moods that evening.

When their soups had been taken away, a waiter brought them a single plate of spaghetti. Smiling, they each took a fork and ate the platter, becoming coy when they realized, to their joyful surprise, that they shared a strand of spaghetti between them. They communicated through their eyes what they would do, and decided in the end to split the strand before swallowing each end, though both had regrets for not following through with what they really wished to do.

After the spaghetti plate, the two young women were treated to a bowl of ice cream. Deciding to be a bit bolder, they took to feeding each other spoonfuls of the ice cream, which drew some glances from the other patrons. However, the two young women would not let a few stares ruin their date.

Finally, the ice cream was finished, and as they waited for the bill to be handed to them, they each took the other's hands and cupped them in their own. On their faces were looks of pure affection, on their mouths blissful smiles. For a time, as they stared at each other's eyes, it seemed as though neither one of them could speak, merely content to stare at the vision of their beloved. However, the woman with the midnight black hair broke the silence between them, as she said, with a hint of nervousness mixed with affection, "Sara?"

"Yeah, Lexi?" the brown haired girl responded in kind. All eyes- though they pretended otherwise- seemed to be trained on the two of them, and all breaths seemed to be held as one as everyone, including Sara, awaited what Alexandra would say next.

Alexandra seemed to struggle with her words. She ran them over her head, one phrase after another, trying to find the right fit. "You see... It's... um... You know..."

Chuckling nervously, Sara said, "Um, Lexi? Just spit it out."

She struggled for a moment more, but after taking a deep breath, a steely conviction arrested her gut. With firm determination chanting her on, she gave a warm smile and whispered in a voice only lovers could hear, "I love you."

Sara was slightly shocked at the three words Alexandra had just uttered. However, pure joy swelled within her as, with a smile as warm, she whispered in a voice only lovers could hear, "I love you too."

The two gazed at each other, oblivious to the world outside their enchanted bubble, until the bubble itself popped with the arrival of their bill. They quickly paid their bill, gave a generous tip, and promptly left the table.

No sooner had they left when the chandelier above them came crashing to the ground, startling all within the restaurant. While the restaurant personnel tried to figure out what was going on, the patrons of Las Islas stared at the wreckage of the chandelier, its crystals having spilled and flown everywhere. None were more disturbed than the couple, who thanked their stars that they had narrowly avoided the chandelier.

Eventually, the two left the restaurant, and made their way towards one of their homes. However, as they passed down a particular side alley, voices unattached to human bodies screeched from all around them: "Freaks!"

Unsettled, Alexandra and Sara clung to each other for support, and ran through the suddenly long alley, trying to break free from the darkness and the voices. When at last they had emerged onto the street, hands gripping each other tightly as their hearts raced like cheetahs, they looked behind them and saw absolutely no one in the alley. Frightened, they continued on their way, wary of any demons hiding in the dark.

-X-

The sun shone on John "Wolfe" San Miguel's face as he stared forlornly at the Rizal Grove Theatre. Knowing he was going to be in a sad mood for the next few hours, he ran his hand through his semi-spiky jet black hair as he let out a loud sigh and tried to think of something to occupy his time. He began walking down the street and towards Rizal Grove Park, putting his hands in his pocket and trying to think of things other than what was currently dampening his spirits.

Shortly after entering the park, he saw two young women from his past. One of them had midnight black hair, and the other had short, brown hair. They seemed tense as they sat on a wooden bench, eyes going this way and that. Partly out of nostalgia and partly out of curiosity, Wolfe walked towards the two, raising a hand in greeting.

"Lexi! Sara! Long time no see!" Wolfe greeted them genially.

As the two young women turned to see the young detective, Wolfe, out of habit, began analyzing his two old friends, his eyes focusing on various different aspects of the girls' figures as notes were taken down in the blackboard of his mind.

"John? Is that really you?" Alexandra asked, taking in Wolfe's appearance. Dressed in a simple white t-shirt, black jacket, and dark jeans, it made the fashionista within her vomit.

"Jeez, how long has it been?" Sara added, shocked by the change she saw in him.

"A couple of years," Wolfe answered. "Not since summer after 8th grade, anyway."

"Yeah, you're right. Time's treated you well," Sara said. She meant her compliment as well, as she compared the boy she was once a classmate of with the man who stood in front of her. Forgiving the acne that marked his face, he had on a different aura- one that was more mature and hardened. In fact, his body told three different ages: in his eyes were a five year old's who couldn't stop smiling; in his face was a seventeen year old who was ready to see the world; and in his body and composure was a mature detective, calm and intellectual while hiding an inner animal. Yes, this wasn't "Little Johnny" of Rizal Elementary School- this was John "Wolfe" San Miguel, the detective prodigy of Rizal Academy, the savior of Rizal Academy's Homecoming Dance and Prom, the detective who stopped the elusive thief Shadow, and the man who solved the Kamatayan Mystery.

"Sara's got a point, John," Alexandra remarked. "The ladies must be fawning over you at Rizal Academy."

"No, not at all," Wolfe answered uncomfortably. Switching the subject, he said, "And what about you two? Time's been kind to you both as well."

"Yeah, I guess it has been," Alexandra sighed.

"We've had a bunch of boyfriends, if that's anything to go by," Sara remarked. "Still, they never measured up to whom we're dating now."

Alexandra, without looking at Sara, smiled at her girlfriend's sly comment. Deciding to answer back, she said, "Yeah. Nothing to who we love now."

Sara, doing the same as Alexandra, smiled at her girlfriend's acknowledgement. However, at that moment, Wolfe had finished his analysis and, being blunt, said, "Something's bothering you two, right?"

The comment caught both girls off guard. "What do you mean?" asked Alexandra.

"Simply what I said," Wolfe responded. "Tense shoulders, darting eyes, heels dug into the ground, prepared for a strong takeoff. All that on a calm and soothing day? Nah, something's bothering you both. Don't lie- I'll be able to tell on your faces. What's bugging the both of you?"

Sara and Alexandra exchanged glances, trying to decide whether to bother their friend with their predicament- and what exactly to tell their friend, should they do so. They were hesitant, but knowing his personality and, more importantly, his reputation, they decided to trust in him to help them.

"Lexi thinks we're being stalked by a mutual ex-boyfriend," Sara quickly stated, drawing a questioning look from Alexandra.

"Stalked?" Wolfe asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah... and we think he might be dangerous," Alexandra added slowly.

"How so?"

"Well, we were eating at Las Islas restaurant a few nights ago-"

"Not like a date or anything!" Sara interjected.

"Why would I presume that?" Wolfe inquired.

"-Anyway, we were eating at Las Islas restaurant, and after we had left the table, the chandelier above the table just randomly fell!"

Wolfe put a hand to his chin. "Hmm... I see. But that sounds more like the restaurant needs to check the security of their chandeliers than anything else..."

"So you'd think," Alexandra replied. "Except that after we left the restaurant, we were walking down a nearby alley when we suddenly heard all these noises coming out of nowhere."

"The shouts just freaked us out," Sara added. "We ran for it! And over the past couple of days, we've been getting horrible notes in our lockers!"

"Such as?"

"Notes telling us to leave town and stuff."

"That does sound terrible... Alright. I'll take on your case."

Alexandra and Sara beamed when they heard him agree to help them.

"Oh jeez, thanks John!" Sara exclaimed.

"Seriously John, thank you so much!" Alexandra said as well.

"No prob. Just give me the information of your mutual ex."

"His name is José Enriquez," Sara began. "He's got long, kinda wavy black hair, with an average build, and is slightly shorter than you."

"He also has a small scar on the back of his neck, and he walks with a slight limp," Alexandra continued. "He likes to say they were from when he was a part of a gang last year- the Pure Brotherhood."

"Yeah, but they're actually from when he got attacked by a chihuahua last year," Sara finished, chuckling at the sentiment.

"Please. The Pure Brotherhood is nothing- not anymore, anyway," Wolfe commented with a glazed look, remembering a previous case. Snapping back to his present reality, he said, "Anyway, I'll get onto this immediately."

"Thanks again, John!" Alexandra and Sara exclaimed. Wolfe bid them farewell and began walking away, ready to begin his case.

"Do you think we should've told him what was really up, Sara?" Alexandra asked once Wolfe was gone.

"He's a detective, Lexi," Sara replied. "He'll find out who's been stalking us anyway, whether we told him the whole truth or not."

"I guess you're right." Alexandra gave Sara a quick peck on the cheek, and the two began walking away as well, hand in hand and smiling in relief at the thought that they now had someone to help them with their problem.

Meanwhile, as Wolfe searched for a tricycle to give him a ride to Las Islas restaurant, he sent a quick text message:

Hey love. I know you're busy with rehearsals, so text me back when you're done, alright? I've got a case, but I'm never busy for you. See ya later! I love you. :)

-JW

8: "Blind" Part 2- "Truth begins at the scene of the crime!"

"Alright, this should be it," Wolfe muttered to himself. Having decided to investigate the area surrounding the restaurant before the restaurant itself, Wolfe found the nearby alley- the only nearby alley- that his clients must have gone down. He walked up and down the alley, going at various speeds and scanning the area for hiding spots, nooks, and crannies. When he had finished going through the alley for the tenth time, he walked once more, stopped midway through, and put his hand to his chin. Closing his eyes, he immersed himself in deep thought.

A young girl and her mother walked by the entrance to the alley. The young girl, wearing a bright red dress and holding a balloon, pointed out the young man and said, "Mommy! Mommy! What's that guy doing?"

Taking notice of the detective, she took her daughter's hand and said, "Oh, don't mind that kid. He's just weird. Let's continue on our way." She hurried her daughter along as the child giggled at her mother's comments.

Wait, what? Wolfe thought to himself. He heard the mother's comment, and his train of thought was momentarily derailed. However, he quickly recovered and, slowly opening his eyes, he smiled and went around his immediate vicinity. He searched behind trashcans and corners and found exactly what he was looking for. Satisfied, he decided to enter Las Islas restaurant and begin his investigation there.

Walking through the glass doors of Las Islas, Wolfe was greeted by the cool interior of the Parisian restaurant. Next, smooth jazz wafted through the air and into his ears, putting the young detective in a mood. Man, I feel cool! Wolfe thought to himself for no apparent reason. Continuing right along, Wolfe approached the front desk, where a young man with glasses greeted him. "Hello, and welcome to Las Islas restaurant. Would you like a table, sir?"

"Actually, I'd like some help instead," Wolfe replied with a smile.

"Some help? With what, sir?" the waiter asked.

"You see, my name is Fernando Ortiz, and my brother's a security guard at this restaurant, and he asked me to retrieve something from the security room," Wolfe lied.

"He did? Why couldn't he do that himself?"

"Unfortunately, he couldn't leave the house today. You see, his favorite cat just died, and he's mourning her terribly. Poor Mrs. Gingerpants..." Wolfe's demeanor changed as his voice grew sadder and he began to rub his eyes, as if holding back tears.

"Oh no, his cat died?" the waiter asked with sympathy in his voice.

"Yes, she did. It was terrible- she seemed fine, but then she began to make these soft, mewing noises. When we began to take a look at her, she just fell on her side. My brother approached her and, as he reached out to her, she gave one... last... meow..."

Wolfe stopped then, appearing to hold back tears. Visibly moved, the waiter himself wiped away a tear from his eye as he said, "Oh, that's very tragic! Of course, little boy, you can go retrieve whatever it is your brother asked you to! Just follow me!"

The waiter led the way down a side corridor. Little boy? Wolfe questioned with slight offense as he followed the waiter. He kept up his act, and was rewarded with a look at the staff only area of the restaurant. After they passed the kitchen, which was bustling with chefs cooking the lunches, Wolfe noticed the employee cubbyholes, which were filled with various items: one was stuffed with gym clothes, weights, and health magazines, another had walkie talkies and a package of contact lenses, and another had a ducky tie and a yellow umbrella protruding out of it.

Finally, Wolfe was led to a door with a tinted window, which bore the words SECURITY OFFICE. The waiter opened the door with his key, and asked the security guard on duty to pardon his interruption. He quickly explained Wolfe's situation as Wolfe kept up his sympathy act, and was able to persuade the security guard to let the young man stay. After telling Wolfe that he'd be back in a few minutes, the waiter closed the door and left.

Wolfe took in his surroundings as the security guard sized Wolfe up. "So, your brother left something in here, huh?" the guard asked with skepticism in his voice.

"Yes, he did," Wolfe replied, feigning tears.

"You can drop the act, kid," the security guard sighed. "I've seen better actors when I was on the force."

Dropping his act immediately, Wolfe sized up the guard himself. "Yeah, I can see that... Let me guess: formerly of RCPD Unit 3, ex-Officer Luis "Crack shot" Cabrero, who resigned due to the politics within the RCPD?"

The security guard was shocked by the young man's deduction. "How did you know who I am?"

"Simple, Mr. Cabrero," Wolfe responded. "Your right index finger is twitching, and I had heard that Officer Cabrero was a deadeye with an itchy trigger finger. Furthermore, there's white powder on the corner of your lips, and a red stain on your collar. Judging by the empty box of donuts in the trashcan in the corner, I'd say you recently finished a powdered jelly donut, which Officer Cabrero was fond of.

"Also, I see a stack of news clippings behind you, all of them about the RCPD. Those of them that talks about the battle between the RCPD and the mysterious thief known as The Shadow, you've crossed out in red ink. Though it's not on your official record back at the station, everyone in Unit 3- and some other officers and inspectors in other Units- know that the reason you resigned from active duty is due to the political pressure that the Manorville families could exert on the RCPD, with the petty Shadow Case, wherein the thief stole paintings done by the sons and daughters of Manorville, an example of that. Am I wrong?"

Mr. Cabrero was stunned by the young man's words. "Just who are you, kid?"

Wolfe flashed a smile. "My name is John San Miguel, but please call me 'Wolfe.' I'm a detective, and I'm currently investigating a case two friends of mine gave me."

Mr. Cabrero slapped his knee in awe. "You're Wolfe? Alex's boy? The kid who stopped the thief called Shadow?"

"Yeah, that's me," Wolfe confirmed.

"So, kid, what do you want?"

Wolfe explained the case and his situation to Mr. Cabrero, who understood what exactly the young man was hinting that he wanted to see.

"Let me stop you right now, kid," Mr. Cabrero interrupted as Wolfe was talking about the young girl and her rude mother. "You want to see the security footage from that night, don't you? See exactly what happened?"
Wolfe gave an embarrassed smile. "Was I that obvious?"

"A bit," Mr. Cabrero chuckled. "Your poker face ain't half bad, but it could use a bit of touchin' up. I'm not supposed to show these security tapes to anyone else... but then again, I'm not supposed to be taking my lunch break for another ten minutes. I think I'll just grab something to eat..."

Mr. Cabrero grunted out of his seat and shuffled past Wolfe and to the door, exiting it with a wink at the young man. Smiling, Wolfe searched through the security tapes that Mr. Cabrero had taken out during Wolfe's story and left on the desk. He searched through the CDs until he found the ones from the night of his friends' dinner. Placing them in the nearby computer, he ran the video at 2x speed, quickly scanning the dining area until he saw the surrounding area of his friends during the whole event. He observed every potential suspect with razor-sharp scrutiny, until he had narrowed it down to two potential suspects: a muscular looking jock, whom he recognized from school, and an old lady, whom he recognized from his grandmother's karaoke club. Satisfied, he ejected the disc, returned it to where he saw Mr. Cabrero take the CDs, and exited the security office.

As he made his way out, Wolfe became engrossed in thought once more. José Enriquez... Ernesto Santamaria... Old Lady Mitchell...

Thanks for such an interesting case, ladies!

9: "Blind" Part 3- "Interviews"

The following day, Wolfe sat inside Cafe Félin, where he sipped from a cup of hot chocolate and tried to discern the truth regarding his case. He had interviewed two of the suspects the previous day and had researched the third, and quickly replayed the conversations in his mind, as he knew he had an important event he couldn't miss later.

-X-

"Yeah, I was at the restaurant after the game," Wolfe remembered Ernesto Santamaria answer during a break in Rizal Academy's varsity basketball team practice. "My teammates and I were celebrating our triple overtime win against Aguinaldo High. Man, you should've been there! We were tied-"

"I remember the game, Ernesto. I was there," Wolfe replied. "Could you please continue with your story?"

"The story? Oh, right. Yeah, that was a scary night. Everything was going fine, everyone was having a good time- y'know, the uzhe. But then, after these two girls left their table, this chandelier just crashes into their table. Man, it was crazy!"

"Really? And where were you?"

"I did what any sane athlete who was worried about protecting their face would do: jump the table into the next booth and shield myself with my arms and legs. Hey, if anything happens to this," he stopped to gesture at his sharp features, "I wouldn't be able to pick up any chicks, y'know bro?"

"I guess..." Wolfe reluctantly agreed.

"C'mon bro, y'know it's true! I mean, just cuz you don't have to worry about it anymore cuz you gots yourself a lady friend, doesn't mean the rest of us bros don't still have to hunt!"

"Sure, Ernesto. Sure. Could you answer one last question for me?"

"Of course, bro! Hustle up though- I think coach wants to pick up practice again."

"Alright, I'll make it quick then. What do you know of José Enriquez?"

Ernesto Santamaria gave out a wolf whistle at the name of the mutual ex. "That bad boy? Serial-dater, heartbreaker, headline-maker José Enriquez? He's a brosample for me!" he answered enthusiastically. "I've heard about his history and his techniques, and I've tried out a couple of them myself. It's worked on a couple of hotties in the cheerleading squad too!" Ernesto finished with a wink.

"Interesting. Thanks for talking to me, Ernesto. I needed your input on this case I'm working. Hustle up and get back to practice- I expect the team to get us back in the finals!"

"Oh, you know it!" Ernesto yelled back as Wolfe walked away to begin his second interview.

-X-

"Oh my, it was a dreadful event!" gasped Old Lady Mitchell in the living room of her large home. "The ladies and I were having a spot of supper before engaging in our weekly 'karaoke croon contest,' but our appetites were swiftly abated by the boorish behavior of those hooligans from Rizal Academy's basketball team!" she took a sip of chamomile tea from a porcelain cup before continuing her recollection of the night. "They were horrid! Oooh, those ruffians! With their whooping, and hollering, and whatnot! The kids of this generation! Promise me something, young Jonathan."

"Actually, m'am, it's just John," Wolfe began to explain. "John is already the full-"

"Young Jonathan, promise me something: Comport yourself in a manner befitting true gentlemen. I shudder to think how your grandmother would act if she knew her grandson was a hoodlum!"

"Don't worry, m'am, I behave myself," Wolfe assured the old woman.

"Those are comforting words to hear, and I hope you do. I hear from your grandmother you have found yourself a lovely young lady, in whose presence you have spent a considerable amount of time." Old Lady Mitchell said with a smile.

"Yes, my girlfriend. But m'am, could we please get back to the subject of that evening?" Wolfe asked.

"Of course, young Jonathan!" she replied enthusiastically.

"It's still just John-"

"Now where was I? Oh, yes! The accident was indeed a frightful occurrence. The sight of that chandelier nearly crushing those poor girls... Why, it nearly gave Mrs. Cheng a heart attack! I, myself, fainted momentarily when I saw the chandelier fall. That restaurant ought to inspect their premises to prevent accidents like that."

"I see. Thank you, Mrs. Mitchell. If you don't mind me asking one more question: what do you know of someone named José Enriquez?"

Old Lady Mitchell's face changed completely as cold-blooded anger took possession of her body. She began shaking and every wrinkle in her previously kind face had become knit into terrible frowns.

"OOOOOOOOOHHH THAT SCOUNDREL! THAT MONGREL! I ABHOR THE BRUTE!"

Seeing the situation had become dangerous, Wolfe carefully made his exit. "Um... I think my grandmother needs my help, Mrs. Mitchell. Thanks again for recounting your evening. I'll see you some other time. Bye!"

Wolfe ran out of the house before the old lady became worked up enough to throw things around the house.

-X-

Well, that takes care of those two. I guess, with everything considered, I can narrow it down to just that guy... Though what would his motive be?

Oh well. I can figure it out when I get to it. Right now, I've got to get moving and spring the trap. Otherwise, I might miss Her debut performance. And I can't miss that- not after the time and effort she's put into it.

The stage is set...

10: "Blind" Part 4- "Blind"

"Where's John?" Sara asked, holding Alexandra's hand and gripping it tightly from fear. They were alone, back in the alley where the voices first yelled at them on the night that they first felt unsafe.

"I don't know, Sara," Alexandra replied. Fear was creeping up on her as well- though why, she didn't know. "But he hasn't let anyone down before, right? Let's just trust that-"

Suddenly, a loud barrage of voices assaulted them from all sides. "Freaks! Weirdos!" the chorus yelled. The girls were frightened, and their first instinct was to run; however, when Wolfe had texted them earlier to return to the alley, he had also instructed them not to move until he told them to run. They didn't know why, but they trusted their friend enough to follow his instructions.

The chorus kept their assault, though as intimidated as the girls were, they nevertheless stood their ground. After a few minutes more, the assault ceased, and the girls breathed a sigh of relief. That is, until they saw a man with a hood and a trench coat approach them from the direction of the restaurant.

He was slightly taller than the average Filipino male, but any other distinguishing traits could not be discerned, especially since the attention of the girls were focused on another object: the weapon in the man's hands, a steel baseball bat.

The man slowly closed the distance between himself and the girls. "Get out of here, you freaks!" he yelled. He raised his bat, ready to strike on his potential victims.

"Don't even think about it," a cool voice said from the alley entrance. The three people looked to see John "Wolfe" San Miguel walk coolly towards the scene, his eyes fiery and determined. "The game's up. I know you're the secret stalker- the one who threatened my friends."

"Scram, kid, before I bust you up like I bust up these two!" the man threatened.

"I'm no ordinary kid, sir," Wolfe said. From behind him he whipped out a rod that, with a flourish, extended in his hand. "I'm a detective, too. And I don't stop until the case is closed and the truth is revealed."

"Stupid brat!" the man yelled. He swung the baseball bat at Wolfe, who barely dodged the erratic blows. The steel bat made loud clashing sounds with the concrete pavement and the brick walls, and dust would fly out of the ground as every miss enraged the man even more. "Why won't you just go away?"

Sweat began to appear on Wolfe's forehead. I've got to end this before the Phantom Pain strikes... Deciding to take to the offensive, Wolfe jumped back from an especially vicious swing that broke part of the brick wall to his left. With the baton in hand, he charged at the man and began striking various parts of the man's body. However, the sheer adrenaline proved to empower the man too much, and Wolfe was caught by a blow to his shin that sent him to his knees in pain.

No... I didn't want to have to resort to this...

"Any last words, punk?" the man taunted.

"I know yours," Wolfe commented, his face bowed.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" the man asked.

"The scream of a little girl!" Wolfe replied with venom. With the baton, he struck upwards and landed a powerful blow to his opponent's groin. Caught unawares, the man roared in pain, first a guttural cry, then a high-pitched squeal, before he fell and doubled over, clutching his groin for protection.

Wolfe slowly got up, still wincing from the blow to his shin that might've fractured the bone. "I hate fighting dirty. But when in a life or death situation, you have to do what you have to do." He limped over to Alexandra and Sara, who were clutching to each other, part in fear and part in awe, at the fight that had just concluded. "Well, that was an interesting case! Th-"

"Why are you defending those freaks?" the man asked. Moving himself into a position so that he could look Wolfe squarely in the eye, he asked again, "Why did you help them? What they are- it's wrong. It's not natural. It's not right. They're weirdos! Freaks!"

Wolfe returned the man's gaze. "Weirdos? Freaks? All I see are two teenagers in love. There's nothing weird or freaky about that. Justice is blind: cold, hard, and unbiased. They did nothing wrong. You, on the other hand, almost killed them once already. Now get out of here before I report you to the police."

Turning to his friends, he said, "Walk with me so that I can wrap this case up." Alexandra and Sara followed Wolfe as they left the alley, leaving the man to ponder Wolfe's words.

When they had emerged onto the street, Sara asked, "So John, who was that guy?"

"Oh, him? He's a waiter inside the restaurant: the one who served you that night? The one with the glasses?"

"That was him?" Alexandra asked. "But he was so nice! I can't believe it was him."

"Dissociative Identity Disorder," Wolfe said, closing his eyes momentarily. "Formerly known as Multiple or Split Personality Disorder, and now abbreviated to DID. It's a psychological disorder wherein a person develops one or more extra personalities, usually as a defense mechanism stemming from extreme childhood abuse, though since little is known of it, no one's sure about what exactly can trigger a personality switch, nor what each personality is like. That man, the nice waiter who served you that night? I'd wager that he has DID, though he doesn't know it."

"But how do you know he has DID?" Sara inquired.

"I was first suspicious of him when I was making my way to the security room," Wolfe began.

"That doesn't answer the question..." Alexandra posed.

"Let me finish," Wolfe responded. "When I investigated the alley, I noticed that there were walkie talkies everywhere, leftover from the incident. As I made my way to the security room, I noticed walkie-talkies and a box of contact lenses in one of the cubbyholes. Since he was the only waiter wearing glasses, it could have belonged only to him.

"Furthermore, upon reviewing the tapes, I narrowed down the suspects to four: Ernesto Santamaria, Old Lady Mitchell, José Enriquez, and the waiter. After interviewing two of them and researching the third, I found out that Ernesto Santamaria and Old Lady Mitchell were free from any blame, and that José Enriquez couldn't have committed the crime, since he was in jail. That left the waiter, who was truly the only plausible culprit, being the only one of the four who could have access to the mechanisms that held the chandeliers in place, enabling them to drop at any point.

"I began to research the waiter. I requested his name from the restaurant and began a background check, talking to old neighbors of the man. Apparently, he was the child in a high profile child abuse scandal in another city, wherein his mother severely beat him every day and routinely neglected him. The abuse wasn't discovered until it was too late- when it was, however, the mother was sent to jail.

"My father called his mother, and I questioned her about her motive. At the time, she lived in a neighborhood of homosexuals, which she hated but could not move out of due to her poor financial situation. Trying to ensure that he 'didn't catch the disease called 'homosexuality',' she taught her child to hate all things relating to do with the subject, which were reinforced by the abuses she gave the boy. What she didn't realize was that she created a monster whose trigger was exactly what she taught him to hate.

"Fast forward to your date. Most likely, the waiter saw you two confessing your love for each other, the trigger snapped, and his alternate personality took over. With the spare walkie-talkies, he constructed the trap, interrupted your moment with the bill, took it and rushed out, and then tried to kill you with the chandelier. Having failed, he tried to scare you off with his trap, which succeeded partially. With you gone, his calmer personality took over, and he was left with no recollection of the incident whatsoever.

"However, I informed him that you would be returning, reigniting the trigger and setting up my trap. And the rest, you saw for yourself."

Wolfe let out a sigh as he finished his long explanation. Sara and Alexandra walked with him in awe.

"That was amazing," Sara commented.

"It really was," Alexandra added.

"It was nothing," Wolfe responded. "But that's enough for the case. If nothing else, you'll have to excuse me: I've got a very important date in a few minutes."

"Wait, one more thing," Sara said, stopping Wolfe as he was about to go. "You don't seem shocked at all that-"

"That you and Lexi are lesbians, in love with each other?" Wolfe commented. "No, I'm not."

"Does it just not bother you, or have you known for some time now?" Alexandra asked.

"I've known for some time. To be honest, I was wondering if it was ever gonna happen."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Sara questioned.

"Well, I could see it as early as 8th grade," Wolfe explained. "Then there were the few subsequent times after that when we hung out. There was when I spotted you two at Rizal Grove Park, and finally when I reviewed the security tape. The looks you two give each other? Those are looks of love."

"How do you know that?" Alexandra followed up.

"Because I love someone. With all my heart and soul. And that's how I know."

Wolfe walked away from them then, raising his right hand in farewell.

-X-

11: "Blind" Part 5- "The Reveal"

he show had concluded, and Wolfe was utterly shocked by his girlfriend's magnificent performance. She definitely breathed life to her character- Wolfe could see that. It was as if she belonged on the stage, and though this was her debut performance, she was a natural actress, as Wolfe himself knew. With the performance over, and his eyes drying, he quickly exited the theater and waited for her with a bouquet of her favorite flowers: tulips, in her favorite shade of purple.

He waited at a distance so that she could be sure to see him. The rest of the cast made their way out and was greeted by family, friends, and well wishers. Wolfe smiled at them- he would congratulate the rest of the cast in due time, particularly a friend of his whose character he related to very well, but his first and greatest congratulation would belong to his love.

Finally, there was a parting in the crowd, and Wolfe saw her, surrounded by her family. He let them have their moment, and patiently waited until she noticed him. When she did, she at first slowly walked up to him, before running straight for him. Since she had come right out of her show, she was still dressed in-character: she wore a yellow polo, light jeans, and casual shoes. Around her neck was a golden necklace that Wolfe had bought her. Her hair, which was slightly curled, bounced behind her as she closed in on her boyfriend.

Wolfe began walking to greet her, before copying her and running as well. They quickly met in a tight hug, full of love and affection.

"That was brilliant, love," Wolfe commented to her ear, nearly in tears. "You blew me away."

"Thank you, love," she replied, tearing up as well. "I'm so glad you came to watch. I love you, John."

Wolfe slowly stroked her blonde hair. "I'd do anything for you. You know that. I love you so much, Heather."

12: "Ghost" Part 1- "Left Behind"

The scintillating aroma of coffee wafted in the air within Café Félin as John "Wolfe" San Miguel and his girlfriend, Heather Urbanski, enjoyed their drinks- a cup of coffee for the latter, a cup of hot chocolate for the former. They wore the standard of Rizal Academy, and had been enjoying each other's company for what seemed to be the last time for a few days.

"Man, I'm really gonna miss you," Wolfe pouted, staring into the contents of his cup of hot chocolate.

"C'mon John... it'll only be a week," Heather reassured him, placing a hand on his, which gripped his drink.

"I know, I know..." Wolfe trailed off.

"John, I'm going to miss you too," Heather added. "I'm going to miss you like crazy."

"Well, you'll have to miss me like a lunatic, because I'm going to miss you more," Wolfe said with a playful tone.

Heather, playing along, adopted his tone and said, "No, I'm gonna miss YOU more!"

"No, I'm gonna miss YOU more!" Wolfe responded. The couple went back and forth thusly for a minute, ending with them laughing at their stupid adorability.

"The next week is gonna be really boring," Wolfe commented. "You and the rest of my best friends are all gonna be at Ciudad Del Mar, repping Rizal Academy at the Arts Festival and sightseeing. Me? All work and no play."

"Really? What do you have?" Heather asked.

"I've got to look into this cat-napping case my dad assigned to me," Wolfe answered, rolling his eyes. Heather gave a giggle at the motion, prompting a look from Wolfe. "What? Is there something on my face? Oh God, it's chocolate on my lip, isn't it?"

"No... it was just that... that eye roll was really cute. Can you do it again?" Heather eagerly asked.

Wolfe gave a chuckle and, shrugging his shoulders, did the eye roll again. Heather giggled once more and, with a smile, Wolfe continued his laundry list. "So I've got the cat-napping case to look into... Let me see... Oh! I've got to write a paper for Dr. Matthew's class, and I've got to catch up to the latest season of Bacharu Tantei Toshiro."

"John, that last one sounds like play to me," Heather said with skepticism.

"Yeah, it would, except I've got about a hundred episodes of filler to get through before I see even any semblance of the plot," Wolfe complained.

"Well, I'm sure you'll be able to power through it," Heather said. She and Wolfe returned to sipping their drinks when a group of teenagers entered the cafe. They all looked the same age as Wolfe and Heather, though they were dressed in punkish clothes and showed tattoos. They looked around the cafe for a place to sit, when they found someone much more fun to bully instead: Wolfe.

The gang of five approached Wolfe and Heather's table. "We-he-ell! Looky what we've got here, boys!" one of the five said, putting his hands to his sides and launching a jeering face towards Wolfe, whose back was to them. "Why if it isn't Johnny Two Shoes!"

"Way to point out the obvious, brick," Wolfe replied off hand. His nonchalance annoyed the taunter, as did the calm presented by Wolfe and Heather.

"Y'know, da boss is waitin' to get a real crack at ya, ya detective wannabe!" the taunter continued.

"Yea! When his cast comes off next week, you'll be sorry!" another one of the five threatened.

"Baby, who are these guys?" Heather asked Wolfe with a raised eyebrow.

"They're just punks from the Pliers street gang-" Wolfe began.

"Fliers! We're the Fliers street gang!" a third member interjected.

"Whatever," Wolfe said. "So these guys are from the Buyers street gang. They're mad cuz I busted up their boss' leg a week ago."

"Jeez, baby, what'd he do?" Heather asked.

"He was trying to steal a box of cookies. The last box of cookies that was to be delivered to Rizal Academy," Wolfe answered. "So, the lunch ladies asked that I get it back for them. And so I did."

"You just got lucky that the boss was having an off day!" a fourth member piped up.

Suddenly, Heather shrieked. She had been checking her watch, and said to Wolfe, "Sweetie, we need to go. The bus'll be leaving in a few minutes."

"Ooh, you're right," Wolfe confirmed, checking his own watch. Both he and Heather stood up, and they casually walked on by the gang, saying, "Well, it's been nice guys. Give your boss and the Criers my regards." Wolfe and Heather exited the cafe, leaving the members of the gang fuming behind them.

Wolfe and Heather sped walked their way to Rizal Academy, which was nearby. However, about halfway to the campus, the gang of five had caught back up to the couple, its members still feeling the disrespect Wolfe and Heather had shown them.

"Alright, Johnny Two Shoes," the first taunter began. "You might've gotten lucky with the boss, but let's see how you handle more of us!" He threw a right hook towards Wolfe, putting the weight of his body with his punch. He intended on landing a one hit K.O., but he was unprepared for what came next.

Wolfe quickly spun around, using his forearm to deflect the incoming punch. Going further, he grabbed onto the deflected arm, gripping it tightly and sending pain towards the supposed attacker.

"You really shouldn't have done that," Wolfe said with a cool but dangerous tone. "Unfortunately, we don't have too much time to mess with you, so I'm going to finish this quickly." He quickly attacked with his left elbow, sending it directly to his opponent's face. While he still maintained his hold on his would be attacker, he delivered a powerful right knee to his opponent's diaphragm, knocking the wind completely out of him and forcing him to bend over. This was followed up by a crushing left elbow to the back of the punk's skull, blurring his vision with stars as the impact registered. Wolfe let go of the punk temporarily, only to finish his assault with a powerful roundhouse kick that left his opponent sprawled out on the ground, groaning in pain.

The other four, intimidated by Wolfe's attack, decided to team up to take down the detective prodigy. What they didn't expect, however, was the assault of Heather, which took out two of the remaining four.

With an annoyed cry, Heather sent a kick towards one of her two victims, knocking the wind out of him. She followed with a barrage of punches to various parts of her victim's head and chest, before finishing him with a snap kick to the chin. As the first opponent was left falling to the ground, the second opponent recovered from his shock to launch an attack at Heather, who swiftly dodged the powerful but slow punches aimed at her.

Wolfe observed the happenings with a smile as he blocked an incoming fist from one of his two opponents, before dodging an uppercut coming from the other. He knew he couldn't waste a lot of time, so he decided to finish the battle as quickly as possible. After dodging a series of blows, he sent a powerful snap kick to the groin of one of his opponents, stunning him. Focusing his attention on the other, Wolfe faked a left hook that forced his opponent backward, in range for Wolfe's right roundhouse that landed solidly on the side of his opponent's head. He swiftly followed with a punch to the throat, a leg sweep to bring the victim to the floor, and a stomp that definitely left a bruise.

Meanwhile, Heather, who had gotten tired of simply dodging, faked two punches and landed a solid kick at her remaining opponent's chest, sending him back a few steps. She quickly followed with a kick aimed at one of his knees, sending pain shooting up his spine. She ended her attack with a heel roundhouse as her opponent was stunned with the pain from the knee shot. The force of the impact took him completely off of his feet, and he landed with a thud on the ground.

The remaining punk, recognizing that his fellow gang members were down for the count, grew afraid. Wolfe took advantage of his opponent's fear and hesitation, and began throwing a flurry of blows that eventually hit their marks and left his opponent winded and bruised, but standing. With a wicked smile, Wolfe took a step back, before running at his victim and sending a flying kick that knocked out the last gang member.

Without wasting any more time, Wolfe and Heather left the gang members groaning on the ground as they ran towards the campus. "It's a good thing we both took martial arts, huh?" Wolfe said with a smile.

"Yeah, but the only reason me and the others took it is because you insisted we do," Heather replied.

"I guess. But hey, it came in handy, right?" Wolfe laughed. Eventually, the pair reached the campus, where a large bus was loading both luggage and students. "Whew! We just made it!" The couple walked towards the end of the line. As Heather got in position, Wolfe said sadly, "I guess this is it for the next week, huh?"

"Yeah," Heather replied. "But this week will fly by. Just you wait and see." Wolfe and Heather looked into each other's eyes as their foreheads touched, before exchanging a sweet kiss. When they had separated, Heather moved ever closer to the bus as Wolfe stayed where he was, watching her leave. Soon, the doors closed, and Wolfe watched as Heather took a window seat. They waved goodbye, and the bus crawled forward, before accelerating and leaving the parking lot of the Rizal Academy campus.

Wolfe gazed at the bus as it gradually left his sight. "See you later, my love," he muttered.

-X-

"Ciudad Del Mar's Arts Festival has gone on for far too long. And nothing stops a show quite like... murder!"

13: "Ghost" Part 2- "The City of Pearls"

Chatter filled the Rizal Academy super bus as the motley assembly of students cruised down the highway towards their destination: the sunny seaside city of Ciudad Del Mar. Almost twice the size of Rizal City, it was a national tourist city.

"Wow, I can see it in the distance!" Heather exclaimed, looking through the window.

"So that's Ciudad Del Mar, huh?" Lily commented from next to Heather. "It's huge!"

"I heard that it was only started a few years ago," Russell said from in front of them. "My friends in band camp say that it used to be a few small towns… that is, until they decided to form that megacity we're headed off to."

"But that's not all!" Brynna excitedly added from next to Russell. "The one event that brought the two towns together is what we're about to compete in: the Arts Festival! The greatest gathering of high schools and colleges for artistic competition and recognition in Luzon! I am so excited!"

"Are you nervouscited at all?" Heather asked.

"Yes! No! I don't know! Let's go!" Brynna squealed.

"Yup. Definitely nervouscited," Heather concluded, drawing laughs from Russell, Lily, and the Gold twins, who were sitting behind Heather and Lily.

"The competition is supposed to be really intense though," Mary suddenly said. "Only the best of the best from each school can compete, and they say that scouts are sent in advance to observe each school for eligibility."

"What, they don't even have qualifiers or anything?" Lily inquired.

"Nope," Abigail confirmed. "Rumor has it that they have a large number of scouts, and that those scouts are always sent to different schools, so that no scout visits the same school consecutively. Also, they access record databases and monitor the students in-class and through scores. If you don't meet up to their ridiculously high standards, you don't get to compete."

"Jeez… what a rough system!" Heather commented.

"It's no wonder we had to work our butts off this year!" Mary complained.

"Yeah, but think of the tradeoff!" Brynna responded. "It's basically an all-expenses paid luxury vacation! I mean, yeah, we have to compete and everything, but it's still an amazing vacation otherwise!"

"I guess so," Russell conceded. "Still, you better not the city stop you from performing less than your best, Brynna! And the same goes for the rest of us!"

"Right!" the others agreed. The six then returned to observing the incoming city, looming in the distance.

-X-

The representatives of Rizal Academy disembarked from their bus in front of the hotel. As adults gave instructions to the teenagers, the members of Wolfe's Team headed towards the luggage compartment of the bus, intending on retrieving their things. They happily chatted as they did so, and in a few short moments and a few bags later, began moving towards rejoining their group.

The mob of students quickly made their way into the hotel, excitedly talking amongst themselves of their expectations for the trip, the hotel, and the festival. The sun beat down on the youths, though that didn't dampen their elated mood. Jokes were freely shared by the teens, and Heather and her friends laughed amongst themselves at jokes only their group would understand. While Heather was reeling from a particularly funny joke, she saw a sight that made her heart stop and robbed her attention instantly.

Proceeding in the opposite direction of the Rizal Academy students was a group of tourists headed onto the parking lot- presumably for the tour buses located in the parking lot. Amongst the crowd of young and old, of families and friends, was a lone man. He sported a short sleeve jacket and a white t-shirt, as well as a pair of jeans and sneakers. A dark pair of shades covered his eyes, a stylish fedora adorned his short hair, and an easy-going smile graced his face as he breathed in the fresh air. But what caught Heather's attention was that the smile was familiar- it was his smile.

Heather froze in her tracks, her friends going two steps in front of her before realizing that she was petrified. They turned to look at where Heather was now staring: the crowd that had just passed them. Puzzled by Heather's behavior, Lily asked, "Heather? Something wrong?"

"John…" Heather muttered. "I just saw John in that group."

"What?" Russell inquired. "You saw John in that group? John's back at Rizal Academy- he couldn't be here at Ciudad Del Mar."

"Yeah," Mary agreed. "He's probably stuck in class right now. It's Wednesday, after all. You probably just saw a look-alike or something."

"No, I couldn't have," Heather asserted. "I saw the smile. It was his smile. It had to have been him. It had to."

"Guys, we have to get going…" Brynna pointed out to their group.

"Heather, why don't you give John a call later?" Abigail suggested.

"Or…" Heather began. "I could call him now."

Thus saying, Heather took out a cellphone and began scrolling through her contact for his number.

"If he's in school, then he'd be on lunch break," Heather said to her friends as they began walking once more to the hotel lobby. "I know he's begun carrying his cellphone in his backpack, so he should be able to hear my call." A few rings followed Heather's statement as she waited for the call to connect. However, she was disappointed by the greeting of his voice mail. Frustrated but not giving up, she dialed a second number.

"Whose number is that?" Russell asked, bewildered.

"John's."

"John's? But didn't you just-"

"It's his second cellphone. Work phone. He doesn't know I have this number, so if he ignored my last call on his personal cellphone because he wants me to believe he's at school, then he'll be caught off guard by this!"

"Heather, slow down," Lily cautioned. "Why would John even do that? We all know that idiot would do anything for you- he loves you that much."

"Maybe he's working a case or something," Heather deflected. "Whatever the case may be, I wanna know for sure if he's really at school."

There was a collective silence as the Team waited for Heather to say something. Heather herself was waiting for the dial tones to cease. Finally, after a fourth ring, a voice on the other end said, "Hello? This is John 'Wolfe' San Miguel. How can I help you?"

"John?" Heather began.

"Oh, hey love! Why're you calling this number? Don't you know I'm at school?" Wolfe asked.

"At school? So you're really at Rizal Academy right now?"

"Yeah… aren't you at Ciudad Del Mar? How is it?"

"It's fine. Really sunny and really pretty. But you're sure you're at school? Because I could've sworn that-"

Just then, Heather heard a bell ring from Wolfe's end of the line- the Rizal Academy school bell. Following that was the bustling sound of students.

"Looks like that's my cue. I'll call you later, ok love? Bye! I love you."

"Alright. Bye. I love you too." The line was cut, and Heather stared at her phone for a few more seconds afterwards.

"So? How was it?" Brynna asked.

"He's at school," Heather conceded. "I heard the bell and students behind him. I guess it was just a look alike that I saw."

"See? Now, let's get going," Abigail said. Heather nodded, and the five of them headed for the elevators, intent on laying their stuff in their rooms before going out to enjoy Ciudad Del Mar.

-X-

After having dropped off their stuff in their respective hotel rooms, the six teenagers rejoined their brethren in the lobby, were the adult chaperones announced to them that they would enjoy their first day in Ciudad Del Mar with a tour. As they did so, they introduced the tour guide who would be showing them to the sites of the city, Vicki Ortega. She was a woman whose appearance concealed her age: though she appeared to be in her 30s, she was well into her 40s. Dressed in a blue blouse with a tie-dye scarf, grey skirt, and black stilettos, she seemed to be an unusual cross between a flight attendant and a businesswoman. Her genial smile complimented her fair wavy brown hair.

"Welcome to Ciudad Del Mar, Rizal Academy!" she warmly greeted. "Everyone here is really excited for the festival, and we absolutely love having all of you here. From Ciudad Del Mar to you, please enjoy your stay!"

From there, she led the youths out onto the parking lot, where a large bus was awaiting the group. It was unlike the busses they had all taken to Ciudad Del Mar, as the bus that awaited them seemed to be filled with different luxurious amenities. Clearly, hard work and talent such as those possessed by those that made the trip were rightfully rewarded. The Rizal Academy crowd eagerly boarded the bus, chatting amongst themselves in excitement and wowed by the insides of the bus. When all the passengers had boarded, the doors were shut, the bus glided forward, and the teenagers were treated to an amazing journey.

The sunny city of Ciudad Del Mar was known for being a major tourist hot spot, as the members of the Team well knew. But even they didn't expect to be so enamored by the beauty of the seaside city. From the breeze by the beach to the hubbub of the shopping districts to the iconic images of the landmarks that littered Ciudad Del Mar, the Team found that they were thoroughly enjoying their time in the City of Shining Pearls.

-X-

The bus carrying the students of Rizal Academy had stopped and dropped off the students and their tour guide outside a large plaza. As the teenagers chatted happily amongst themselves, a figure in the distance observed them.

"Disaster hasn't struck… yet."

14: "Ghost" Part 3- "Curtain Call"

The teenagers had a fantastic first day touring the city. They knew that they needed the nerve cooler, as everyone would be performing at the onset of the Arts Festival starting the following day. As the sun was beginning to set, the members of the Team struck up a conversation with their tour guide, wishing to know more information about the festival itself. Though they had been briefed of their particular roles prior to leaving Rizal City, the youths wanted to know what else there was to the festival.

"Oh, there's plenty of things to the Arts Festival!" their tour guide, Vicki Ortega, bubbly stated. "As you all know, the primary events are the Arts Exhibitions- of which all of you are participating for your schools. However, we have workshops, contests, and a fun bounce as well! The Arts Festival is truly the biggest event in Ciudad Del Mar!"

Then suddenly, under her breath, in a tone that the Team only recognized since Wolfe was adept at recognizing such things and taught them how to, they heard Vicki Ortega darkly mutter, "Too big."

Each member of the team internally deliberated what to do. Should they broach the matter? It was too dark to have been an offhand comment- there was surely something more to it. Could it be a personal matter? It probably was. But still, the question remained: ask, or let it go?

Finally, Russell, having decided on his course of action, asked, "Um, Mrs. Ortega?"

"Yes, sweet pea?" Vicki Ortega replied, in a tone so sweet that it made Russell briefly reconsider asking his question.

"I heard you mutter 'Too big' in a really dark tone. Normally, when someone says something in that dark a tone, it doesn't sound like everything's unicorns and rainbows. Did something happen, Mrs. Ortega?"

Mrs. Ortega struggled within herself with what to do next. She was surprised at the perceptiveness that the boy had shown- a perceptiveness, she presumed, was shared by his friends. Not many youths their age where as keen as they were. Who were these teenagers? Still, the question remained: should she tell them? It was a personal matter, after all. But she had been carrying the burden long enough, and perhaps these smart young man and women could do something…

Finally making a decision, Mrs. Ortega said, "Oh, why not?" She took a deep breath before getting into her tale.

"It was a few years ago. In that year, the Arts Festival was surprisingly larger and busier than normal. Back then, I didn't work as a tour guide. In fact, I was actually the Grand Director of the Ciudad Del Mar Arts Festival. It was an honor and a privilege, and I proudly held my position and fulfilled my duties. But I didn't know that such a title would come with a heavy sacrifice.

"You see, in that particular year, I had a child who, at the time of the festival, was very sick. During the days of the Festival, I would leave him in the care of his yaya- his nanny- so that I could go to work. However, one day, I received a call from his yaya: my child's illness had grown worse. I immediately told her to take my child to the nearest hospital. However, due to the Festival, many roads were closed down, and it took her forever before she could get to the hospital.

"By the time she had arrived, my child was dying. She called me in order to tell me that. There was nothing the doctors could do, and so I tried to get to the hospital to at least say goodbye. However, the Festival, with all its activities and issues, wouldn't allow me to leave. In the end, my child died alone in a hospital bed without me. Thanks to the Festival…"

A solemn silence hung in the air in the wake of Mrs. Ortega's story. "I'm so sorry…" Russell sadly said.

"It's alright," Mrs. Ortega replied. "You were curious to know, and I had held on to this information for a long time. I took it really hard, as could be expected, but I took it harder than my doctors expected. They told me that I would move on in a few months, but I never did. To this day, I still blame the Festival for closing the roads that cost my child his life, and I still blame the Festival for keeping me so busy that I couldn't be with my child as he died. I know his yaya did everything she could, and I know that nothing else and no one else can be blamed except for this Festival. If it weren't so grandiose, then perhaps my child could have lived."

"But if you hate the Festival so much, why do you still act as a tour guide?" Heather asked.

"It's a cruel ironic twist. After hearing about my child's death, I immediately resigned from my post as Grand Director. I transferred to a different job in the city, which just so happened to be as a tour guide. The pay isn't as well, but it's moderately comparable. That's to the city's tourism's credit, if anything can be said about that. Most of the time, it's not so bad, as I get to take people on tours without having to deal with the memory of my child and this Festival. But every year, I'm tasked with working on the Festival's days, and the angry memories come back. So I put on my peppiest smile and do my job, but underneath it all, I hate this Festival."

At that point, the bus that was taking the youths had returned to the hotel where they were all checked in. Rizal Academy's representatives began to file out as Mrs. Ortega said, "I'm sorry you had to hear my sad tale."

"It's alright, Mrs. Ortega," Russell replied.

"And as Russell said before, we are sorry for your loss," Heather added. When they were the only ones remaining, the Team left the bus and made their way to the hotel itself, pondering over the price of the Arts Festival.

-X-

In a backstage area of the chorale arena, a girl in jeans and a blouse was waiting underneath a lone light. She was surrounded by various backstage equipment, and was nervously tapping her foot.

In the darkness, a shadow spotted the girl. A smile came upon the shadow's face.

-X-

The following day, Heather and Lily, dressed in ornate scarlet and gold Rizal Academy chorale robes, nervously awaited with the rest of their choir group to perform for the festival. Standing in a backstage area in the choir chambers of one of Ciudad Del Mar's arenas, their school's choir group joined a dozen others as they all collectively tried to calm their nerves, warm their vocal chords, and prepared to give as stunning a performance as they could possibly put on.

The girls knew that they had to bring their A-game to the table, as they knew their friends in the other areas of the Festival were doing their best work as well. A mixture of school pride, competition, and personal support drove them forward as well. They were determined to win- that much they made clear with the fire in their eyes that was only slightly offset by the nervousness in their shaking hands.

It was during this period of nervous anticipation that Heather noticed a security guard. She wouldn't have taken notice of him if not for his extremely sullen demeanor. He was a man in his mid-fourties with balding, auburn hair. His uniform was a size too small for him, which was only made more evident by the small bulge protruding through his shirt that was his gut. His shoes were old and worn, but the most striking feature was the darkness about his eyes, as though he contained a great sadness within them. Feeling sympathy for the security guard, she approached him with a smile, despite her anxiety, and brightly cheered, "Good morning!"

"Good morning to you, young lady," the security guard replied glumly.

"Is there something wrong, sir?" Heather queried.

"Ah, it's nothing you ought to worry about…" the man trailed.

"Sir, something's bothering you. That much is plainly on your face. I don't know if I can be of much help, but I'm a good listener!" Heather assured him. "'Sad people are a sad sight to see, and if someone's sad, oughtn't we help them?'"

"That's an optimistic saying," the man commented.

"It's actually not mine, originally," Heather confessed. "It's a motto- one of the many that my boyfriend lives by."

"Your boyfriend seems like a nice man," the security guard said. "Oh, why not? I know I'm just a random security guard, but you seem eager enough to hear my story. And I really need to get it out, anyway- the sadness is killing me.

"You see, it was a few years ago… the Festival was larger than it was normally, and so the streets were flooded daily. In those days, I was a police officer in the Ciudad Del Mar Police Department, and I proudly served at my station. However, one tragedy ended my career.

"During the middle of the festival, my wife, who was extremely pregnant at the time, called me while I was in the middle of working security for this festival. She told me that she had gone into labor, and requested that I bring her to the hospital immediately. I rushed her to the hospital: however, a crowd of drunk and angry people, likely returning from an upset decision at one of the Festival's many competitions, surged through the streets. They frightened my wife severely as our ambulance was stalled in traffic, and she passed out from shock.

"When we arrived at the hospital, I was separated from my wife as the doctors tried to revive her in time for the child birth. I didn't know it then, but that would be the last time I would see my wife alive: being wheeled unconscious but alive on a stretcher. I waited impatiently in the waiting room for hours, and I got the unfortunate news sometime later. The doctors weren't able to awaken my wife: for one reason or another, they couldn't do it. To add to my dismay, there were complications during the birthing process, and I was told that my child had died.

"In deep mourning, I resigned from the force. For a while, all I did was drink myself blind. Eventually, I had to find work, and so I became a private security guard. Usually, it's not so bad. However, for some reason, I'm always asked to return to guard at this despicable festival. This festival, which caused the mob that took my wife and child away from me…"

Heather was moved by the guard's sad tale. Hearing a second tearful story, she found it hard not to cry. However, after patting the guard on the arm, she told him, "It's ok, Mr…?"

"Carlito Pelaez," the security guard finished, identifying himself.

"It's ok, Mr. Pelaez," Heather repeated. "Sometimes, life just sucks. But if you're alive, then you can act. And if you can act, then you can make your life better, right?"

"I… suppose…" Mr. Pelaez agreed solemnly.

Suddenly, a booming voice announced, "Will the Rizal Academy choir please report to the stage?"

"I guess that's your curtain call, miss," Mr. Pelaez commented.

"I guess it is," Heather agreed. "Please cheer up, Mr. Pelaez. You can turn things around." She gave him one more pat on the arm and one more smile, before rejoining the rest of the choir.

As they walked up to the stage, Lily whispered to Heather, "What was that all about?"

"The security guard looked really sad, and now I know why," Heather replied. "I just tried to cheer him up a bit- that's all."

"That's nice of you," Lily said with a smile. "But now we've got to focus: we're up first, after all."

"You're right. Let's do this!" Heather confirmed with a determined expression.

The Rizal Academy choir lined up in their usual arrangement. All breaths were held as they waited for the velvet screen to part. After what seemed like an eternity in silence, the screen parted, and the choir was greeted by the lights of the arena shining on them, and a darkened crowd that stared at them. The same silence that initially greeted them, however, was quickly wrecked by a sudden commotion.

From above them, a body fell until it was stopped by a noose wrapped tightly around the neck. The body swung for a few moments before it eventually slowed to a stop. In that time, many onlookers gasped and screamed at the sight. The body was that of a girl in jeans and a blouse.

15: "Ghost" Part 4- "Backstage"

The next few moments were a blur for Heather and Lily. In one moment, the dead girl swung from her noose above them; in the next, there was a massive commotion as the crowd reacted to the sight. And before they could even comprehend fully what was occurring, there was a booming voice announcing to the entire arena: "Please, no one panic! Remain calm and stay in your seats! The police have been called and are on their way!"

The Rizal Academy choir were ushered backstage by their director, and in a few minutes, the Ciudad Del Mar Police Department descended upon the scene. Officers barred the doors, placing the entire arena on lockdown and preventing anyone from leaving. Uniformed policemen and women sealed off the entire stage and the rooftop portion, and two detectives- distinguished by their navy suits as opposed to the navy blue uniforms the others wore- arrived to examine the body.

Heather and Lily waited backstage, observing the police go about their business, and were surprised to find that they were quickly joined by the rest of the Team: Russell, Brynna, Abigail, and Mary. "When did you guys get here?" Lily asked the group.

"We came rushing in as soon as we heard the commotion," Abigail answered.

"But… why?" Heather inquired.

"At this point, force of habit. Blame your detective boyfriend," Russell joked.

Heather privately thought of Wolfe with an embarrassed and apologetic smile on his face. The image amused her, and she smiled in spite of the circumstances.

"What're you smiling about?" Brynna wondered.

"Ah, nothing…" Heather said quickly. "A-anyway, do you think we could help out?"

"Why would we be able to?" Mary questioned. "I mean, yeah we've been tangled up in a few police cases in the past, but we never volunteered or anything. We just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time half of the time. And the other half, it was because John dragged us into those cases!"

"Yeah…" the group collectively sighed. Hearing the collective agreement, they quickly recovered and chuckled for a few moments.

"Still, we've got a bit of experience with this kind of stuff: shouldn't we try to help out?" Heather said, trying to galvanize the Team.

"We should, though I doubt that they'll let us unless they ask for our help," Brynna replied.

"Oi, you six!" one of the detectives called out to them. The Team froze momentarily, before looking at the detective. His suit was impeccable: navy blue with a dark red tie and Italian leather shoes. He had slicked back hair, and had a bit of a youthful air about him. "My partner and I would like to ask you six some questions." The Team approached the man and his partner, a female detective who was dressed just as sharply. Sizing the two of them up, the Team noted that while the male detective had a youthful air about him, the female detective had a serious demeanor on.

"My name is Detective Carmine Carmichael Carmiglioni," he announced cheerily, "and this is my partner, Detective Zoey Josephine Canesworth."

"Mike, we're in the middle of serious business; at least try to act serious…" Det. Zoey trailed off.

"Aw, c'mon, Z! Lighten up a bit!" Det. Mike said, flashing his partner a smile. This coaxed a smile from her as well, before she cleared her throat and resumed her serious demeanor.

"Anyway, we'd like to ask you six a few questions regarding what has just occurred," Det. Zoey said, repeating her partner's intentions.

"Of course! We'll help out in any way we can," Heather said, speaking for the group.

"In that case, could you all please state who you are?" Det. Mike said, taking out his phone and opening a notes app.

"My name is Heather Urbanski. I'm in Rizal Academy's choir. We were about to perform when her body fell from above," Heather said, identifying herself.

"I'm Russell DuCarte. I'm in Rizal Academy's orchestra. I was about to perform with my orchestra when we heard the commotion and rushed over here," Russell said, following Heather.

"Wait, you rushed over here?" Det. Zoey pointed out. "Why?"

"Force of habit," Russell admitted. "My friends and I are always dragged into police investigations-"

"Wait, do you have some sort of record or something!?" Det. Mike asked stupendously, mouth slightly agape. "Hey Z, should we-"

"Calm down, Mike," Det. Zoey sighed, putting a hand to his mouth, clearly asking him to shut up. "Let's let him finish what he was gonna say, alright?"

"Oh, yeah…" Det. Mike replied. "Sorry about that, Weasel."

"It's Russell, Detective Carmiglioni," Russell corrected.

"Whatever," Det. Mike said. "Could you please tell us why you rushed over here?"

"As I was saying earlier, it's a force of habit. My friend is a detective in Rizal City, and he sometimes drags the six of us on cases," Russell explained.

"Your friend?" Det. Zoey asked, curious.

"Yes. He's the son of Inspector Alex San Miguel of the Rizal City Police Department: John San Miguel, or as he likes to go by when investigating, 'Wolfe.'"

"You're all friends with John 'Wolfe' San Miguel?" Det. Mike exclaimed. "The detective prodigy who solved the Manorville Mansion Murder Mystery?"

"I didn't realize his name was spreading outside of Rizal City…" Heather remarked.

"Oh yeah, his name's been spreading around some of the cities nearby Rizal City," Det. Mike assured her. "I've got a buddy in Aquino Height's Police Department who says their kid's inspired to start doing good like your friend Wolfe."

"Regardless," Det. Zoey interjected, "we should finish getting your names."

"My name's Lily Bays," Lily responded to Det. Zoey, "I was also supposed to be singing with the Rizal Academy choir."

"I'm Brynna Reyes," Brynna continued. "Like Russell, I was supposed to be playing with the Rizal Academy orchestra when this happened."

"I'm Abigail Gold," Abigail introduced herself, "And I was at the artists' hall, ready to present my painting when this commotion started.

"And I'm Mary Gold," Mary said, following her sister. "I was also at the artists' hall to present my painting for the judges committee when this incident happened."

"Thanks, all of you," Det. Mike said. He quickly snapped photos of the Team with his phone, before continuing, "It seems only you, Ms. Urbanski, and you, Ms. Bays, were here at the time of the incident. Could you please tell us what happened?"

"It all happened really fast," Heather began. "One minute, we were about to perform in front of the crowd for the choir competition. The next, the curtain opened, and her body fell until it was stopped by the noose."

"Do you know who she is?" Det. Zoey inquired.

"Unfortunately, no," Heather replied.

"Well, we'll see if we can ID her then," Det. Zoey commented.

"Excuse me, but will you two treat this as a murder?" Russell asked the detectives.

"We looked her over quickly before we went to interview you, but it doesn't seem like there was any foul play involved. As it stands, we're going to rule it a suicide."

Just as Det. Mike finished his sentence, Det. Zoey received a call on her phone. "Hello? Chief? What is it, sir?"

"What does the Chief want us to do?" Det. Mike asked.

"Check the body again, sir? But how… a special investigator? Yes sir…"

"Special investigator?" Heather whispered to her friends. "Who could that be?"

"It doesn't matter," Russell replied. "What I'm more curious to know is how they knew about this case so quickly."

After she concluded her conversation with her boss, Det. Zoey motioned to Det. Mike to continue on with their investigation. "Thank you again for your testimonies," Det. Mike said to the Team. "Please try not to get in the way of our business. This is a CMPD Investigation, not a RCPD one, and certainly not one your friend has gotten you six entangled in." With that, Det. Mike joined his partner in re-examining the crime scene.

"Well, I guess that answers our question," Russell sighed.

The Team milled around backstage as the CMPD conducted their business. In the meantime, they tried to save each other from boredom. They played games, and talked of their plans when they return to Rizal City. At one point, out of sheer desperation to not get bored, they struck up a conversation with Maria Lenora, the Grand Director of the Arts Festival. She had come in to watch the CMPD do their business, and was prepared to assist in any way she could.

"Great! This is the second year in a row that something terrible's occurred during the Festival," Ms. Lenora complained in her lime suit.

"Second year in a row?" Russell asked.

"Yes. Last year, we had a case of a woman who was busy working the festival. Because she was so busy, she didn't know that her sister had gotten into an accident near here until it was too late. She tried to go see her sister in the hospital, but again, she was busy working. The following day, she created a huge fuss about it."

"I see… There seems to be a lot of death surrounding this festival," Heather remarked.

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Ms. Lenora queried.

"Well, I've spoken to two people who said they've lost loved ones because of this festival," Heather explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but this festival is the life force of Ciudad Del Mar," Ms. Lenora replied. "It is too important to this city to be besmirched a few unfortunate incidents. And as long as I am the Grand Director of this festival, I will do everything I can to ensure it continues to be held."

"What fiery determination she has…" Brynna commented quietly to the Team.

"Hon, some people are just like that," Lily replied. "It's good sometimes to have people with that kind of dedication."

"Regardless, we can't really do anything right now, so let's just sit back and watch what happens," Mary said, following up Lily's reply.

"We could… OR, we could investigate this ourselves," Abigail suggested with a sly grin on her face.

"Fat chance of that happening," Russell commented to them as they bid Ms. Lenora farewell, who was about to help the detectives with some inquiries they were making. "You heard what Dets. Josephine and Carmiglioli said."

There was silence as they pondered what to do next. It was then that Heather suggested, "What if we call John and ask him for his advice?" The group agreed, and Heather took out her cellphone, quickly swiping to her contacts screen and calling to enlist the aid of Wolfe.

The phone rang for a few seconds, before a voice on the other end of the line said, "Hey baby! How're you doing, my love?"

"Hey love!" Heather brightly replied. "Can we get your advice on something?"

"If it's about the choir competition, I know you'll do fine. You've got the voice of an angel. Makes sense too, since you're my angel," Wolfe assured her sweetly.

The Team, who could faintly hear him, all awed before giving Heather teasing smiles. Heather began turning red and was about to explain that the situation was different when Wolfe quickly said, in a completely different tone, "Wait a second… you said 'we' just now, right?"

"Yeah, I did," Heather confirmed.

"More than one breath… five, no, six. Why is the entire Team there?" Wolfe asked.

"See, that's the thing I called you about, baby," Heather began to explain. "We've run into a situation here in Ciudad Del Mar…"

Heather quickly explained the situation to Wolfe. He listened to her intently- though he would have anyway, regardless of subject matter. When she had finished explaining the situation, Wolfe took a few moments to think about what advice to give them, before saying, "Man, I wish I could be there to help you guys. As it is, I'm busy working another case here at Rizal City. I'd say stay out of their way, but if you guys really want to help out, I can talk to my dad and see what I can do. Just don't do anything dangerous, ok guys?"

Heather relayed Wolfe's message, and they all agreed. Heather was about to end the call when Wolfe quickly interjected, "And love?"

"Yeah baby?" Heather asked.

"Please, be careful," Wolfe said. Heather could hear all the concern in his voice.

"I will. I'll talk to you later. I love you."

"I love you too."

Heather ended the call, and with the rest of her friends, waited out the investigation.

16: "Ghost" Part 5- "Ghost"

"We have new information!" Det. Zoey announced to the gathered crowd in the backstage area. The Team, as well as the other choir groups, all turned to face the detective. "This case, once thought to be a suicide, is now being investigated as a murder, in light of new evidence brought to the attention of the CMPD by a special investigator. Furthermore, we have the victim's name, and we would like you all to help us.

"Her name was Rebecca. Rebecca Diegos. Does anyone know who she is?" Det. Zoey asked the crowd. Immediately, a cry went out, and all heads turned to the direction of the sound. It came from a choir group clad in white, and some of the girls began sobbing.

"Becky was one of us," the director for that choir group said. "I wasn't aware that she was missing until now… Oh God…" The director began to break down and weep.

The detectives motioned to speak to the choir director about the victim. Meanwhile, the choir groups began murmuring amongst themselves as to the latest development. This, of course, included The Team, who began to try and decode the mystery themselves.

"Why would anyone kill a choir student?" Lily asked the group.

"Personal conflict?" Russell suggested.

"Couldn't be. We saw her body from afar, and according to the detectives, there weren't any marks on her. That much was certain when they initially ruled it a suicide," Mary pointed out.

"That must mean that the victim knew her attacker," Abigail commented.

"Not necessarily. What if she were drugged?" Brynna suggested.

"Possible, but that still wouldn't explain a motive. Besides, who amongst us would really attack another student?" Heather asked. "I don't mean just us, but all the students here. No one would attack her- no one has a reason to."

"What about a statement then?" Russell postulated.

"What do you mean by that?" Lily asked.

"Well, she was hung, right? But why do it in such a public setting? And why make it look like it was a suicide? That, to me, would seem like a valid motive here- to make a statement."

"So it's between a statement and a personal conflict…" Heather muttered. "But what kind of a statement would it have been?"

"Thinking about it, probably a tactic to close the Festival," Mary answered. "If a death occurred at the Festival, there would be no choice but to close the Festival, right?"

"But who would want to close the Festival?" Brynna wondered. The six of them tried to think of possible reasons to want to close the Festival, and that's when Heather remembered: two people who would have motive, who would want to shut down the Festival.

"Guys, I think we might have two suspects," Heather said softly. "Our tour guide, Mrs. Vicki Ortega, and a security guard I talked to earlier, Mr. Carlito Pelaez. Mr. Pelaez's wife died because of a drunken mob shocking her unconscious while she was in labor, and he blames that on the Festival."

"And Mrs. Ortega blames the Festival for clogging up the roads, which left her unable to see her dying child," Abigail added. "That also caused her to hate the Festival."

"But wait a second," Russell interjected. "Why didn't those deaths shut down the Festival then?"

"Likely because they weren't at the Festival itself," Lily assumed. "They were technically caused by it, but they weren't actually here, and so the Festival probably wasn't shut down for that."

"There are probably more suspects we could come up with if we were able to investigate further, but let's go off of what we have right now," Heather said. "Assuming one of these two was the culprit, who would've had opportunity? We don't know where either one of them are right now, but they both have solid motives for committing the murder."

There was a bit of silence amongst the group as the six of them brainstormed some ideas. Russell was the first to break the silence, saying, "Well, Mrs. Ortega WAS a Grand Director of this Festival. Few would know this place and event like her, and she could've brought the girl up to the rafters to hang her."

"But there's one problem with that," Brynna challenged. "She's only a tour guide now, so would she really have that access?"

"Brynna's got a point," Abigail said, supporting her. "Also, it could've just as easily been Mr. Pelaez. He is currently a security guard employed here, so he would have access to the rafters."

"He does seem like a better fit," Lily conceded. "Though the question now is, where is he?"

There was a bit of silence once more as The Team tried to examine all the facts they knew of the case to determine who could be the more likely culprit: the tour guide, Mrs. Ortega, or the security guard, Mr. Pelaez. They both had solid motives for wanting to make a statement to shut down the Festival, after all.

Heather, in light of the Team's new theory, decided she wanted to consult with Wolfe on the matter. Furthermore, she hoped that she could get him to reconsider and help them out. She made an excuse to her friends, and went off by herself in order to get a private call to her boyfriend.

After a bit of walking, she found a dark corner where she could be alone. She took out her cellphone and began to swipe through the contacts when she heard a voice behind her say, "Heather."

She turned around and saw a figure walking towards her. She could see nothing but the figure's eyes. At first, they were just a cold pair of brown eyes. But as the figure approached, Heather recognized the eyes: they were warm. She knew whose eyes they were. A smile came onto her face as she and the figure shared a tight hug.

"What're you doing here?" Heather quietly whispered, a tear forming in the corner of her eye.

"Protecting you and the others," the figure said. "But it seems that this mystery has sidetracked everyone. Gather the Team and tell them to block all the escape routes from the stage."

"Why?" Heather asked, curious.

"Because I'm about to close the curtain on this mystery," the figure replied.

Heather let out a soft chuckle. "That was incredibly cheesy."

The figure smiled to Heather, though she couldn't see it due to the darkness. "Well, you know me. Better than anyone else, actually. And you know I'm incredibly cheesy." The figure kissed Heather quickly, then said, "Now, let's end this mystery, shall we?"

-X-

After the rest of The Team had blocked off the escape routes, Heather observed the happenings on stage. There, Detectives Zoey and Mike had brought three confused and slightly irritated people: Mrs. Vicki Ortega, Mr. Carlito Pelaez, and Ms. Maria Lenora.

"What're we doing here?" Mrs. Ortega demanded of the two detectives.

"Yes! I was cooperating fully with your investigation, and you drag me out here and not tell me why?" Ms. Lenora complained.

"And I was pooping!" Mr. Pelaez whined.

"We're sorry about this, but it seems our special investigator has concluded his investigation and is ready to reveal his deduction to us all," Det. Mike explained.

"Well, could your 'special investigator' stop taking his sweet time, and-"

"Don't worry. I'm here," a voice confidently answered from behind the three gathered persons. They turned around to see a CMPD technical officer, clad in a navy blue uniform. But the man took off his hat and glasses before ripping off the blue overalls that was his uniform. Underneath was a dark jacket and a light shirt, with dark jeans and white sneakers. On his watch was a digital wristwatch, and a golden Jerusalem cross hung from his neck. His hair, run through quickly by his hands, were semi-spiky and jet-black, and his eyes were a cold brown that could pierce through a soul.

"Who… who are you?" Mr. Pelaez wondered.

"My name is John San Miguel. But please, call me 'Wolfe,'" Wolfe said, introducing himself.

"Wolfe?" Mrs. Ortega repeated. "Aren't you that detective kid from Rizal City? What are you doing here in Ciudad Del Mar?"

"Helping the CMPD close this murder case, of which the three of you are suspects," Wolfe coldly announced. The three suspects were shocked by his sudden revelation.

"Us! Suspects?" Ms. Lenora yelled, flabbergasted. "You've got some gall, boy!"

"True enough," Wolfe replied coolly. "But enough with this. Let's get down to the case, shall we?"

Wolfe took a moment to clear his throat, before launching into his deduction, "Let us begin with what occurred. As the Rizal Academy Choir was about to perform, the velvet curtains were parted and the victim fell, being caught by the noose that was tied around her neck. She swung to an eventual stop, and the CMPD took her down and examined her body, as well as the crime scene. Originally, her death was ruled a suicide: after all, there were no marks on her body indicating a violent altercation, and she was hanging from a noose. However, when I inspected the body as part of the technical officers, I noticed a blueness on her lips and the scent of almonds wafting from her mouth: a sign of cyanide poisoning. With this, I concluded that she was murdered by cyanide poisoning and was made to look like a suicide.

"From there, the question is who and why? The why is simple enough to deduce: to end the Festival. To shut it down to a death. Why else kill an innocent girl who had done nothing to anybody? Why go through the trouble of masking a murder as a suicide on a public display? The why speaks for itself. As for the who that can be taken from the motives of those gathered here.

"You, Mrs. Ortega, were unable to see your child, who was deathly ill, in their dying moments. That was due to a severe traffic situation, and thus your child died alone. For this, you blame the Festival, and harbor resentment for causing the traffic jam.

"You, Mr. Pelaez, had your wife and child die, as a drunken mob frightened your wife so severely that she became unconscious from sheer shock, and the child died due to complications in childbirth. As the cause of the mob, you harbor resentment to the Festival.

"And you, Ms. Lenora, hold resentment for this Festival too. Last year, your sister was involved in a traffic accident and you weren't told about it until it was too late. I heard from various detectives that you created quite the fuss the following day.

"All three of you, therefore, have a solid motive in this murder. The question that sets apart the killer from the suspects is: who had the opportunity? I overheard my team discussing this earlier, and they were brilliant. Had they known that Ms. Lenora was the woman whose sister died in a car accident last year, I bet they would've considered you a suspect too, and begun to debate which of the three of you is the culprit.

"Mrs. Ortega is a former Grand Director of the Festival. As such, she is privy to information that few would know. However, she wouldn't have the access to the rafters, given she is currently a tour guide for the Ciudad Del Mar Tourism Company. Mr. Pelaez is a security guard who is tasked with patrolling this arena. However, I know for a fact it's not him, and that's due to the last suspect… you, Ms. Lenora. I know you're the killer."

All eyes turned to the Grand Director of Ciudad Del Mar's Arts Festival. She looked stricken with anger.

"But it can't be her!" Heather, on the side of the stage with the detectives, objected to Wolfe. "She told us that she would ensure that the Festival keep running, as it was the life force of Ciudad Del Mar."

"That was all a lie," Wolfe replied, taking a moment off of staring down Maria Lenora in order to look at Heather. "A ruse to disguise the possibility of her being a suspect. Perhaps if she gave herself a firm, moral support of the Festival, she wouldn't be counted, despite her potential motive? Unfortunately, evidence doesn't lie, and I do have evidence to convict you," Wolfe coldly said, turning back to Ms. Lenora.

"The access to the rafters have a security camera, installed there because of pranksters a few years ago. They recorded you bringing the body of Ms. Rebecca Diegos up there, using the elevator. In your office is a medicine cabinet with a wide array of pill bottles for various different medications. In one of them, however, I found a pill bottle with pills that didn't match their listed medication. A toxicology report later found the pills to be of potassium cyanide. Also in your office is a receipt for some rope, the same kind of rope that was used to hang the victim.

"I've got means and motive, Maria. I know you killed her. Now… confess!"

All eyes stayed trained on Maria Lenora, watching, waiting to see what she would do next. She was livid, as if she had become a rabid animal. Her teeth were bared at the young teenager, the detective prodigy who had easily found her and her evidence.

"Yeah, you're right, kid!" Maria Lenora confessed. "I killed the girl! I would've killed any one of these stupid brats, and I would've killed as many as it would take in order to shut this stupid Festival down! I had begun making my plans last year. At first, I would've just abducted some of these kids, but she was stupid enough to be by herself last night backstage. I had a perfect chance. She told me that she was back there because she was nervous about her performance and I told her that I had a pill that could make all her anxiety go away. And she took it! My job had become so much easier! All I had to do was push her body when the curtains opened and instant panic! HA!

"This Festival ought to burn to ashes! Ashes! This despicable event has caused so many lives already! Will you all really continue it?"

Wolfe quickly strode to the murderer and slapped her hard across the face. "And so what!?" he angrily asked Ms. Lenora. "So you thought that the answer was more death!? This Festival, which has already cost four lives- and God knows how many more- could only be shut down by killing more innocent people!? No one else had to die! Certainly not an innocent high school student like Rebecca!"

Wolfe and Maria Lenora locked eyes for a moment. Cold anger at unjust justice met pure rage and hatred. The moment was tense, and it took the detectives to break the stares by moving towards Maria Lenora with handcuffs.

"Maria Lenora, you are under arrest for the murder of Rebecca Diegos," Det. Mike began, preparing to read to her the Miranda rights. She was handcuffed and was brought out by Det. Mike.

As she was being led out, she barked at Wolfe, "You're nothing but some detective wannabe!"

"Fool," Wolfe coldly replied, his anger abating somewhat. "Rot in a jail cell."

After Maria Lenora had been led out, Det. Zoey approached the detective prodigy. "That was impressive, kid," she praised.

"Ah, thanks, Det. Canesworth," Wolfe replied, his composure regained.

"We may have to ask you to come down to CMPD HQ to fill out some paperwork and make a statement. But until then, take care of yourself, kid." She smiled at him and informed the other two suspects of the same thing, before walking away to follow her partner to CMPD HQ.

-X-

Sometime later, Wolfe met up with his friends outside of the choir arena, who were all congratulating him on the case. Likewise, Wolfe congratulated his friends for the deductions they had made in the face of so little evidence, as they hadn't been able to investigate like Wolfe had.

"I was extremely impressed you were able to deduce the why so easily!" Wolfe remarked to his friends.

"Ah well, guess we picked up a thing or two from you, huh?" Russell joked.

"By the way, why'd you ask us to stand guard at all the escape routes?" Lily asked him.

"Oh, right. I was worried that she might try to affect an escape, and so I needed my Team to be ready to stop her. I have full confidence in you guys, after all," Wolfe said, smiling at them.

Heather hit Wolfe in the arm then and asked, "But why didn't you tell me you were here?"

"Sorry baby, but like I told you earlier, I was working a case," Wolfe replied.

"A case? From who?"

"From the school," Wolfe explained. "They had heard about all the deaths surrounding the Arts Festival, and they wanted me to tag along as a special security guard from the shadows. A ghost protector, if you will. I've been on assignment ever since you all left."

"So I DID see you when we arrived here?" Heather exclaimed.

"Yeah, you did," Wolfe smiled. "I thought my disguise was perfect, and I had hoped that no one would notice me. Of course, you did. Guess that must say something about us, huh?"

"But when I called you, the bell and the noise…?"

"Pre-recorded sounds. I'm sorry baby, but I needed to be as in the shadows as I could be, even if that meant you didn't know I was here… or rather, convincing you I wasn't here."

Heather hugged Wolfe then, and the two of them shared a quick peck as their friends awed and gave them teasing smiles.

"But you're here now," Heather smiled at Wolfe.

"Yeah, I am," Wolfe smiled back. "So guys, to celebrate a closed case, let's go back to the hotel room and party!"

The majority of the Team led the way back to the bus that would take them back to the hotel. Wolfe took a moment to gaze at the crimson sunset over the sea. He let out a breath of air before turning to Heather, who was offering a hand out to him. He took it, and they walked back to the bus to rejoin their friends, smiling their troubles and the case away.

17: "Wolfe Pack" Complete - "Wolfe Pack"

June 2013. Lupa ng mga Angel Resort.

On a resort a few miles from Rizal City, the bright rays of sunlight streamed through a small window adjoining a door leading to a balcony. Birds flew in the cloudless, azure sky, chirping their praises to the loveliness of the day. Aside from their songs, there was a serene silence around the resort, unmarred by neither the cacophonous sounds of the city, nor even the gentle bustle of the residential towns. A warm summer breeze blew through cool green trees, both in and around the resort, ruffling their leaves and making their branches sway in unison with the grass below.

Within the room was a rather simple picture: white walls and not much wooden furniture. An old TV on a stand in the corner. A small, round table with two chairs. A side desk with a bed big enough for two. Gently slumbering in the beige bed was an 18 year old girl, with medium length blonde hair.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen down below, an 18 year old boy was busy humming the tune to his favorite anime, Bacharu Tantei Toshiro. He was dressed in a simple white t-shirt and black yoga pants, and after running his hand to his semi-spiky jet-black hair, tended to the breakfast he was making. One by one, his friends descended from their rooms upstairs, all with sleepy eyes, bed hair, and pajama clothes.

"Magandang umaga!" Wolfe cheerily announced.

"G'morning," rumbled his friends. The ratio was a clear divide: aside from one blonde boy, the rest were all girls, four in addition to the boy to sum them up to five. One had long hair as red as a ruby, while another, slightly taller girl had hair as long but as black as ebony. The two other girls, twins, had short brown hair, with one of them wearing glasses.

"At ngayon, para macelebrate natin ang summer, bibgyan ko kayo nang isang sorpresa-" Wolfe began talking again.

"Bro, it's too early for Tagalog," Russell DuCarte complained with eyes half shut.

"Yeah John. Please give it to us in English," Lily Bays added.

"Alright, alright," Wolfe conceded. "And now, to celebrate our summer, I'm giving y'all a surprise: my cooking!" he finished with a smile and jazz hands, taking his eyes and hands momentarily from the breakfast he was cooking to infuse as much showmanship as possible into his gesture.

"Would this really be a good idea, Joan?" Brynna Reyes asked, with a huge amount of skepticism evident in her voice.

"Since when could you cook, anyway?" Mary questioned.

"Does it matter?" Abigail groaned. "If it's edible, I'll eat it. I'm freaking hungry right now, guys."

"Don't worry, Abs, it is edible!" Wolfe assured her. "I hope…" he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Abigail said, quickly picking up on the soft muttering.

"Nothing! Nothing! Not a thing!" Wolfe quickly responded, covering his own tracks. "Anyway, I've been practicing to cook, Mary. Heather's been teaching me, and so, good guy that I am, I'm cooking food for my best friends. For my family."

"Aww, that's sweet," they all teased.

"Besides, no way was I gonna pay the 350 pesos for all the breakfast meals from the resort…" Wolfe trailed off.

"Aaaaaaaand now it's less sweet, but still sweet," Lily chuckled.

"Right you are! And so, may I present to you- drumroll please!" Wolfe asked, his hands outstretched. His friends stared back at him for a few moments, and when it was clear that he wouldn't do anything until they had done as he had asked, grudgingly started doing a drumroll on the kitchen's large wooden table, where they had all placed themselves after descending the stairs.

"Grazie. Now, presenting Chef San Miguel's great breakfast: scrambled eggs, cheese fries, and quesadillas!" With a flourish, he turned off the stove, placed the eggs onto a large plate, and removed the cover off of two more plates, presenting the three-course meal.

There was a dumbfounded silence for a few seconds, following by everyone's hands, save Wolfe's, slapping their forehead.

"Bro, did you place those covers on the other plates JUST for the presentation?" Russell asked with incredulity in his voice.

"Indeed I did, bro, indeed I did!" Wolfe replied with great glee. "Hey guys, where's Heather?"

"She's probably still in her room," Brynna yawned.

"I see… forgive me, guys, but I'm about be ridiculously cute and cheesy." Thus saying, he took a little of everything, put them all on a plate, and set off for Heather's room on the second floor while the others began to dig into the admittedly decent breakfast.

As Wolfe approached Heather's door, he recounted in his memory the blur of their high school graduation party the night before. After everything that had happened to Wolfe and his team over the past few days, they sorely needed a stress relieving party. And thanks to the combined bank accounts of their parents, that was exactly what they got with a week in Lupa ng mga Angel Resort. That first night, they had danced, rapped, Wolfe drank some soda, played videogames, had a soda, laughed, told stories, and then Wolfe drank even more soda. In the wee hours of the morning they had all called it quits and retired to their bedrooms. Wolfe had woken up four hours after he had fallen asleep, and began making breakfast before the birds began to chirp and the sun began to shine, the soft hum of the breeze in the morning air being his only companion.

Wolfe was so lost in his memories that he almost bumped into Heather's door. He knocked thrice before calling out "Love? Are you awake?" He tried the handle and found it was unlocked. Wolfe quietly entered and noticed that Heather was still asleep. Smiling, Wolfe placed the plate on the table and turned to leave when he heard a soft call from behind him.

"Love?" Heather said. Wolfe approached his girlfriend, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her.

Wolfe gently stroked her cheek with his right hand. Love, you look absolutely beautiful, Wolfe thought to himself. "Yeah, baby?" Wolfe asked.

"Cuddle with me for a bit?" Heather asked him, her eyes still closed, though Wolfe began to suspect it was more for show than actual sleepiness.

"Of course, baby," Wolfe replied. He lay on top of the sheets and took Heather into his arms. She nestled her head on his chest, right over where his heart beat, and hummed with a smile. Upon seeing this, Wolfe smiled himself. With a small chuckle, he said, "Love, what're you doing?"

"Just listening to your heart," Heather answered. Her head matched the rise and fall of Wolfe's chest.

"Why?" Wolfe asked further.

"It's soothing," she purred.

"I'm glad," Wolfe said. "Because my heart beats for you, y'know. In fact, if you listen to it very closely, it says something."

"Oh really? What does it say?" Heather asked with an opened eye and a smirk on her face.

"It's a name," Wolfe answered with a smile. "It says 'Heather'" Wolfe finished with a wink.

Heather raised her head to look Wolfe fully in the face, before letting out a few small chuckles. "That is incredibly cheesy, baby," Heather said, resting her head on his chest again. "I love you, John."

"I love you too, Heather," Wolfe replied with the sincerest smile he's ever had.

-X-

The Nexus of Time. Temporal Brigade Headquarters.

"Hyah!" a man yelled with the ferocity of a lion. His fist made contact with the floating punching bag, sending it back a bit. He followed up his fist with a string of punches and kicks that tossed the punching bag around. When he had had enough, he twirled around and launched his right heel to the higher part of the punching bag, right around where a person's head would be, sending the floating punching bag sprawling on the floor.

A beep sent his focus to his right arm. He pressed a button and said, "Sir?"

"Report to my office at once, Horatio," a voice commanded. Horatio nodded and pressed the button again, before running out of the desolate gym.

A few minutes later, Horatio entered the office of the General of the Temporal Brigade. Horatio had cleaned himself up from his workout, having made sure that his medium length, wavy black hair was in order, and was in addition wearing a navy uniform, black fingerless gloves, and brown combat boots. His navy uniform's jacket was slightly unzippered, so that a white undershirt showed underneath. Above his uniform was a long black coat.

"General," Horatio said with a salute after the door whooshed shut behind him.

"Horatio, let me be frank with you," the general began, "You are without a doubt one of the best soldiers we have in the Temporal Brigade. Ever since our inception during the beginning of the age of time travel, we've never had a soldier who could identify and solve temporal anomalies as unorthodoxly as you can. Rescuing you during the Aquila Time Case was a lucky day for us."

"Thank you, general," Horatio said, taken aback by the normally stern general's praise.

"Your kindness and quick wit have earned you the nickname 'The Wolfe of Time' around here, for reasons you no doubt know," the general continued. "And it is because of this, because you are so good at what you do, that I'm going to assign you a personal mission."

"A personal mission, sir?" Horatio wondered.

"Yes, son, a personal mission. Or rather, more specifically, a personal mission to you," the general emphasized. Without warning, a digital screen popped up in between the general and Horatio. The screen showed a family tree- one that was slowly being erased.

"Sir, is this my-" Horatio began.

"Exactly," the general gravely confirmed. "This is your family tree. And for some reason, it is being erased.

"For the moment, you are safe. You are with us in the Nexus of Time, and while you are here, you'll be unharmed. But if you don't correct this temporal anomaly soon, the rest of your family tree will disappear, and once that happens, the next time you leave the Nexus, you will disappear too.

"It is for this reason that I'm assigning you this personal mission. Embark from the Ark immediately. Use whatever means you think you need in order to figure out what has caused your temporal anomaly and fix it. Your team is currently already at work on the problem. I wish you the best of luck, Horatio."

Horatio saluted the general once more. "Thank you sir!" Without wasting any more time, Horatio walked out of the office. He let the door whoosh close before leaning against the wall for support.

Another temporal anomaly to me? Why me again? Horatio whined, remembering the first time he encountered a temporal anomaly. Back in his home, where his mother was known as "The Wolfe of Space." Back in the Aquila Space Colony, before he was rescued and recruited by the Temporal Brigade. What a weird and somewhat frightening time that was.

Well, can't do anything about it. I've got to figure things out immediately! Erasing worry from his face, he ran down the corridors to the Ark.

The Ark was a room with endless doors, with each door leading to a chamber, and each chamber connecting to a traversable wormhole. With the aid of the chrono devices that the temporal brigade members had, they could open up the wormhole to any point in time. Using his own personal model, which was the watch that was on his right arm, Horatio entered a room in the Ark and set a place and time to enter. He faced a serious threat, and he knew he needed help- more than what the Temporal Brigade had. While his team focused on identifying the cause of the anomaly, Horatio set his sights for where he needed to go next.

-X-

Space Colony Aquila.

A fan lazily spun in the quickly darkening office. The semi-shuttered blinds let in some of the space colony's artificial sunlight, so that it appeared that there truly were sunset rays on the crimson carpet.

A young woman, evidently in her late twenties, stifled a yawn as she stretched out her arms. Leaning back on her leather armchair, she put her feet up on her mahogany desk, for once not cluttered with case notes. She had long and wavy chestnut brown hair, some of which was obscuring her face. On her armchair was a black jacket with a brown stripe horizontally running through the midsection. On the back of the jacket were the words AQUILA SECURITY FORCES emblazoned in white. She also wore a red top and black slacks, with a brown stripe running vertically down the pants leg. Her black boots were on the floor, and her fingerless gloves, which she wore normally for work, lay on the table.

Her name was Celeste, and she was a detective who worked for the Space Colony Aquila Security Forces. She surveyed her office which, like her desk, was for once not a cluttered mess; with a slow day in terms of trouble, she had the time to do some cleaning and making her office more presentable to clients and her commanding officers. The ebony couch by the wall looked comfortable, and the glass coffee table looked pristine. The filing cabinets full of procedural texts and case notes and references also looked less grimy than normal- something that couldn't be said for the rest of her colleagues. Even the ferns by the door looked healthy.

Celeste smiled at the work she was able to do on her office. Normally she wouldn't have cared too much, but her office was getting into a pretty sorry state anyway. Her father never had an office in such a sorry state, no matter how many cases he received, and daddy's girl wanted to make sure she did her father proud.

Speaking of her father, Celeste realized that she hadn't seen her father in a while. Knowing her father well, she hypothesized that he was likely either cracking another case or, as was equally likely, doing something incredibly cheesy for her mother. The multidimensionality of her father always intrigued Celeste; he was as loving to his family as he was cold to criminals. She wondered if she was like her father in that sense, being cold enough to solve a case and yet warm enough to her friends. Celeste liked to think she was, anyway.

Knowing that she had nothing else to do for the night and no one to greet her at home, Celeste decided to pay her family a visit. As her father frequently said, because why not? She chuckled at the sentiment and put on her gloves, boots, and jacket, before moving to the front door to make sure it was locked. Having secured the door to her office, she went to the filing cabinet and pressed a hidden button on the side. With a small creaking, the cabinet shuffled to the side and revealed a hidden room.

The room was a cold metallic gray and held only two things within: a computer console that hugged the wall, and a futuristic-appearing pod that hugged the opposite wall. The pod was the invention of the top brass of the Aquila Security Forces: a teleportation pod. With it, the detectives entrusted with them would be able to fast travel to any location in the space colony to quickly begin their investigations, though she had a friend secretly tweak the program so that she could also fast travel to the Earth to visit family from time to time.

Celeste moved to the console and picked up her Spatial Device: a black and red wristwatch. With it, she would be able to teleport back to her office if she needed to readjust her location. And since teleporting to the Earth was always a bit tricky, given the special wave frequencies of the Earth's biodome settlements and the general danger of the toxic landscapes and natural overgrowths everywhere else, she might need a quick escape if things ever got too hairy.

I hope it doesn't take more than ten tries this time, Celeste thought to herself with some slight annoyance. Still, it's definitely faster than an actual transport ship, so I guess in the end, this is still better. Thus set, Celeste set the coordinates of her family's home, walked into the pod, and pressed a button on her Spatial Device. The pod activated with a whir; bright lights engulfed Celeste. She felt the familiar sensation of her own self being ripped at a subatomic level, a feeling once utterly frightening, yet now almost routine. Within seconds, she knew she would emerge somewhere on the Earth, and in a matter of moments she opened her eyes to see that she had teleported to right outside of her family's home.

Celeste smiled at the sight of the two-story house, where so many fond memories where made. She began walking forward when the strangest and most terrifying phenomenon occurred. Right in front of her eyes, Celeste's family's home began to disappear. Small tendrils of the house floated to the sky like ashes and disappeared into oblivion, and yet no neighbor seemed to notice at all.

Horrified, Celeste's mouth was left agape at the sight. She then began to feel an odd feeling, as though she were falling, falling, falling into nothingness, disappearing into oblivion. She looked at her hands and saw that they, too, were disappearing, small tendrils of being floating into the sky and disappearing like the stars at night fading into morning. She felt like screaming, but wasn't sure if she could. Something absolutely unknown was happening to her, and she knew not what to do.

Suddenly, from behind her, a bright light shone. Celeste turned around to see the outline of a figure with an outstretched hand. "Wolfe of Space!" the figure yelled. "Hurry, before you disappear too!" She didn't know why, but Celeste trusted the figure's words, taking the figure's hand and stepping into his portal. After she had stepped through the portal's threshold, the portal collapsed.

Celeste looked around to see a simple chamber. It was empty, save for herself and the man who had rescued her.

"Phew! Just in time!" the man sighed. "I almost lost you, though I'm glad I was able to get you in the Nexus before you disappeared too."

"Thank you, I suppose," Celeste replied. The man was in his late twenties, she would guess, though she couldn't glean much more from his appearance alone. Appearances can be deceiving, her father always said, and to detectives like us, the first impression is never the final one.

"I'm sorry, but could you please explain what's going on?" Celeste asked the man.

"I will, of course, Celeste," the man said while pressing buttons on his own wristwatch, with was black and blue.

"Wait, how do you know my name?" Celeste asked.

"I'll explain that in a sec," the man said. "First, I need to recruit just one more person."

-X-

June 2013. Lupa ng mga Angel Resort.

"You guys can head over to the beach. I'm gonna catch up on some sleep," Wolfe yawned to Heather.

"See baby? This is what you get for all those four hour nights!" Heather jokingly scolded him.

"I know, but I'm energetic enough during a case!" he retorted with a witty grin.

"Yes, but you're not on a case now, are you?" she replied with a sassy smirk.

"No, I suppose not," Wolfe conceded. "Well, whatever. I'll see you later, love."

"Alright, see you later baby. Are you sure you don't wanna go?"

"And do what? Lie down on the sand and sleep next to you? Hmm… actually, that sounds cute. I'll be too low powered for y'all, and besides, I might attract a murder or something," Wolfe joked. Heather threw him a serious look. "I'll just see you later. I love you, Heather."

Wolfe gave Heather an amorous kiss. Heather smiled and replied, "I love you too, John. I'll see you later."

Heather left Wolfe's room, closing the door behind her. Wolfe smiled as she left, retaining the smile as he fell on top of his bed.

Heather… How did I ever get so lucky as to fall in love with you, and luckier still that you fell in love with me?

Wolfe began to close his eyes.

Truly I must be the luckiest person in the world. In the universe.

He began to feel sleep take him.

I love you, Heather. Now. Always. Fore-

A hand grabbed Wolfe by the collar and yanked him forward, snapping Wolfe's eyes wide open.

"Wake up, lover boy!" a female voice yelled.

"Ah!" Wolfe screamed as he was pulled through a portal. He fell face first onto an ivory floor, the pain of impact being less than the pain of the lost opportunity for sleep.

"Owwww! What in Toshiro's deductions is going on?" Wolfe asked, getting into a half sitting, half kneeling position and observing his surroundings. It wasn't just the floor that was ivory- the walls and roof of the chamber were too. In front of him were two figures, both of whom were in their late twenties, by Wolfe's estimations. The woman who had yanked him through the portal wore an open black jacket with a horizontal brown stripe, a red top, black slacks with a vertical brown stripe, black boots, and fingerless gloves. She also had long and wavy chestnut brown hair. To the left of the woman- Wolfe's right- was a man who wore a navy uniform that was slightly unzipped so that you could see a white undershirt, as well as brown combat boots, black fingerless gloves, and a black coat. He had medium length, wavy black hair. They also both sported unusual appearing wristwatches; the woman had a black and red one on her right arm, and the man had a black and blue one on the same side as well.

"Wait a second… where am I? And who are you two?" Wolfe wondered.

"I'm Celeste," the woman answered first, extending a hand to Wolfe. He took it and she helped him up.

"And I'm Horatio," the man added, shaking Wolfe's hand after Celeste.

"Ok… Well, I'm John San Miguel," Wolfe replied. Celeste stared at him for a few moments. "What?"

"What? No 'but please, call me 'Wolfe'" she asked.

"How do you know I do that?" Wolfe inquired.

"I know because-" Celeste began.

"Not right now!" Horatio scolded. "We've got more important things to worry about, and besides, he'll deduce it soon enough anyway.

"Right now, we're in what's called The Temporal Ark, in the Nexus of Time," Horatio explained. "In essence, we are time travelling."

Wolfe stared at Horatio for a few seconds. Then, he let out a long, loud laugh.

"Time travelling? Yeah, I'm definitely dreaming. Or delirious!" Wolfe cried.

Horatio punched Wolfe in the gut, sending the 18 year old's head slowly to the floor with a groan. "Still feel like you're dreaming?"

"Ok, ok, not dreaming," Wolfe admitted. "But this still feels surreal."

"Yes it does," Celeste seconded.

"Regardless, we're time travelling right now, as we are in the dimension of time. I'm a member of the Temporal Brigade- we preserve the natural timeline of history by detecting temporal anomalies and correcting them. And there's been a temporal anomaly that's affecting both Celeste and I."

"Both you and Celeste?" Wolfe asked.

"Yes. Horatio here, as it turns out, is my son from my future!" Celeste acknowledged. "And good thing he told me that first thing too, before I started hitting on him."

Horatio made a gagging noise while Celeste gave him a joking wink. Wolfe felt a little sick in the stomach.

"Don't worry, I'm kidding!" Celeste assured the two men.

"Right… well, anyway, both Celeste and I are slowly disappearing anytime we leave the Nexus of Time," Horatio continued. "This means that whenever the temporal anomaly happened before even Celeste was born. I have a team that's currently working on what the temporal anomaly is, but Celeste and I have been thinking about it too."

"Whatever it is, it's likely in your future, Wolfe," Celeste continued. "Since you're unaffected, we believe it has something to do with my parentage- something along the lines of my parents never meeting, or my mom dying before I was born."

"Wait, my future?" Wolfe asked, pointing at himself. The gears in his brain grinded for a bit, before a light bulb illuminated the darkness of his inner space. With a hesitant voice, he said, "B-b-but w-wait a s-second… D-does that m-mean…?"

"I think daddy's finally gotten it!" Celeste said with a wink. Horatio raised his hand to the back of his head in an embarrassed manner, something that Wolfe knew he himself did.

"Since it's down to Celeste's parentage, it's likely sometime during- hang on," Horatio said. A beeping noise emanated from his wristwatch, and he began to press a few buttons, before reading lines from the watch. When he was satisfied, he said, "Well, that takes care of a few things! My team has identified the source of the Temporal Anomaly: a few days after Wolfe married, his wife was taken captive and killed. The site was an abandoned warehouse- the site of the Fatal Fire. Does that mean anything to you?" Horatio asked Wolfe.

"Sorry, but no," Wolfe replied.

"Right. Well, now that we have our time and location, we can set out and solve this quandary."

"But Horatio… how are we supposed to solve it if we begin disappearing by just leaving the Nexus?" Celeste asked.

"Hmm… you're right. Since it affects our personal history, we'll disappear. However…" Horatio began. "It might be our past, but it's Wolfe's future. He shouldn't be affected by it at all."

"Wait, so you're sending me to fix this temporal anomaly thingymabob?" Wolfe asked, surprised.

"Well, aren't you the detective, daddy?" Celeste commented.

"Sorry Wolfe, but we've got no other choice. We'll keep in touch through echoes in time- echoes only you can hear. Some people claim it's spirits talking to them, but really it's just transtemporal vocal messaging," Horatio assured him.

Wolfe took a moment of silence to close his eyes and place his hand to his chin, deep in thought. "I still don't know if I'm actually dreaming or not, but in case this is real, guess I've got no choice but to help, huh? Could you send me back to my room for a sec though? I need to get something."

Horatio nodded and reopened the wormhole. Wolfe flashed a smile and returned to his room in Lupa ng mga Angel Resort for a few brief minutes, returning in a black jacket, white polo, jeans, and sneakers. A golden Jerusalem cross hung from his neck, and an ordinary digital wristwatch told the time on his right arm, which was currently frozen.

With his outfit set, Wolfe nodded and said, "Alright, now I'm ready to go."

Horatio pressed some buttons on his Chrono Device and the wormhole behind Wolfe closed for a moment, reopening a few seconds later. The portal showed a wobbly image of a semi-burned down warehouse.

"Good luck," the Wolfe of Space and the Wolfe of Time bade Wolfe.

"Thanks," Wolfe replied. "Y'know Horatio, this isn't all I expected it to be," Wolfe commented.

"What is?" Horatio asked.

"Time travel. I expected it to be… I dunno… more exciting?" Wolfe said.

"Sorry, but it's not all phone boxes and cars. The Temporal Brigade doesn't exactly use time machines since we reside in time itself," Horatio explained.

"Yeah, I guess. Well, here goes something!" Wolfe raised a hand in farewell and stepped through the portal, emerging onto a dark night.

-X-

A full moon hung in the sky as the wind howled around Wolfe, blowing the flaps of his jacket backwards.

Alright Wolfe, Wolfe heard Horatio's voice whisper to him. All you have to do is save your future wife from being killed. Get her out of there and to safety, and that should preserve the timeline, as well as drawing out who started this anomaly.

"Yeah, that'll be simple enough," Wolfe muttered. "Guess it's a good thing this isn't my first rescue mission."

But didn't your first rescue mission end with you getting shot? Celeste posed.

Celeste! Horatio scolded.

Sorry! Celeste apologized.

"Tch! I've learned a thing or two from the Kamatayan Mystery. Don't worry," Wolfe retorted with a smile. I wonder what she looks like, Wolfe privately thought. He imagined Heather in her late twenties. A brighter smile lit his face.

"Alright, let's go," Wolfe said with conviction. He snuck around the perimeter of the abandoned and partially burned down warehouse, examining every entrance and exit to calculate possible escape routes. As he stuck to the trees, he observed the roof that had been blown to the heavens, and the various scorch marks, especially those from the broken windows on the upper floor.

After Wolfe had circled the warehouse once, he retraced his steps towards an opening in the wall that led to a closet. Figuring he would have a better view of the inside situation from there, Wolfe snuck through the hole and silently entered the closet. He cracked the door open and sneakily observed what was happening.

In the center of the warehouse, amidst all of the rubble and charred remains, were two figures. One of them was a woman whom, Wolfe assumed, was his future wife strapped to a chair. From his distance, he unfortunately couldn't make too much out of her, save that it was likely a woman from her figure. Standing in front of her was a figure in a brown trench coat and a black hood.

"At last, my revenge will be complete," the figure said. From the voice, Wolfe guessed the figure was male. "With your death, my enemy disappears, and my misery erased."

"But if your enemy disappears, wouldn't your reason for killing me disappear, meaning you'll disappear too?" the woman retorted. Wolfe noted the fire in her voice- not a trace of fear was present. It reminded him of when he was held at gunpoint by Adrian Legaspi during that incident all those summers ago.

"You forget, madame, that I'm a time traveler. Paradoxes don't affect anomalies," the man answered.

"He'll stop you, you know," the woman replied. "He'll find me. He promised he'd protect me, just as I promised I'd protect him."

Wolfe, engrossed, opened the door a smidge more.

"Hah! He'll never find you. The Lone Wolfe died in this warehouse, burned by the fires hatred. He'd never return to his grave."

"I still believe in him."

"Then you can die in despair."

The figure pulled out a gun from within his robes. Wolfe knew it was his time to act. However, at that very moment, a hand threw the door open, catching Wolfe off guard. The new man grabbed Wolfe by the collar and threw him to the ground a few meters towards the two.

"Gargh!" Wolfe gasped, his breath knocked out of his lungs. He beheld the behemoth that tossed him, an overly muscular, mustachioed bodyguard in black slacks and a black, sleeveless t-shirt. "Talk about roid rage!"

"Boss, what should I do with the kid?" the man asked.

"Kill him," the first man commanded. As the bodyguard began cracking his fists, with the likely intent of beating Wolfe to death, the boss said, "Wait a second, Louis. Hold this teen while I inspect him."

The bodyguard, obeying without a word, grabbed Wolfe once more. As he winced and tried to get the breath back in his lungs, he was spun around to face the boss.

Though they were face to face, the darkness made it hard for Wolfe to discern much of the time traveler's features. Moonlight offered a bit of illumination for the woman strapped to the chair and the bodyguard that was restraining Wolfe, but the boss' hood kept his face dark and hidden.

"Yes… yes… You are John San Miguel, aren't you?" the boss asked with a sinister sense of glee.

"So what if I am?" Wolfe answered, defiant.

"This is fantastic! I was just going to kill your future wife to eliminate the problem, but it would be even sweeter if I killed you too," the boss replied. "Not only would the Wolfe dynasty of detectives be severed with the death of your wife, but the original Wolfe would be dead as well. Oh, it must be Christmas!"

"Funny, I never thought Christmas included murder," Wolfe retorted.

"Keep answering back while you can. You're going to be erased from history soon enough," the man said. "Tie him up, Louis. I want him to watch me execute his future wife before I execute him."

The bodyguard returned to the closet where Wolfe had entered, dragging Wolfe along. In the closet, Wolfe was tied to a spare chair and carried back to the center of the warehouse. Once more in the center with the figure, the man moved the woman to in front of Wolfe and held his gun to her head.

Now that Wolfe could see the woman properly, he examined the hostage in detail. Definitely in her late twenties, she had long, flowing chestnut brown hair that was slightly disheveled. She also wore a white leather jacket, a red top, black skinny jeans, a belt with a silver belt buckle, and brown boots. When she raised her head to look at Wolfe he saw, beneath the white, weary face, a fire in her eyes.

"So you're what J looked like when he was younger," she commented with a smile. "It's not really how much has changed between you two that's striking me. It's how much has stayed the same. You have the same warm eyes- the eyes of an innocent child."

Looking at her, an odd feeling began to envelop Wolfe, and a suspicion that he was wrong about his earlier guess. "What's your name?" Wolfe wondered.

"Her name is Rose Michaels," the man answered.

"I'm married, you jerk," Rose replied with venom. "It's Rose San Michael, now."

Rose? Wolfe thought. "And you," Wolfe said, turning his attention to the man about to murder them. "What's your name?"

The man let out a laugh. "Just call me The Avenger. Where I come from, the Wolfe family of detectives has ruined my life. And now, I'm going to get my revenge."

-X-

"This doesn't look good!" Celeste commented, observing the situation from the Nexus through a wormhole that depicted the scene.

"But what can we do?" Horatio wondered, exasperated. Not only had they failed their mission of fixing the anomaly, but he would be responsible for the death of his 18 year old grandfather. Wonderful.

"I have an idea," a third voice said.

-X-

"Oh sweet vengeance, how I've longed for you!" the Avenger cried.

"Uh, you're almost as melodramatic as J!" Rose complained. Turning to Wolfe, she said, "don't worry, I love that about you- it's when they do it that it's annoying."

"You sound like you've been subjected to it a lot," Wolfe noted.

"Kid- whoops, sorry, you don't like to be called 'kid', right?" Rose apologized. "John, your friends would probably understand, being dragged into a bunch of cases. Besides, I'm a police officer, so this isn't anything new to me."

A police officer? Wolfe thought to himself.

"Enough talking, both of you!" the Avenger spat. "I'm about to murder both of you! Doesn't that frighten you in the least?"

"Hah! Old Lady Mitchell's scarier than you. It's a warzone whenever she has a throwing fit!" Rose taunted.

"Wait, you know Old Lady Mitchell?" Wolfe wondered, a look of amazement evident in his face. Rose laughed at the sight.

"J had that exact face when he found out she was still alive and, more importantly, kicking in this town!" Rose giggled. Turning her attention back to the Avenger, she said, "Besides, remember what I said? I believe in him. He'll come and take you down."

"He doesn't know where you are," the Avenger reminded her. "And once I murder the kid, he'll never know anything past his 18th year." He cocked his pistol then and placed the barrel of the gun to the side of Rose's head. "Any last words, kid?" the Avenger said to Wolfe.

"Rose… I'm sorry. I failed you," Wolfe apologized. Rose might believe that Wolfe's older self would rescue them, but Wolfe knew that it was up to him to save her. There was no logical way his older self could make it in time, and now he had failed her.

"Don't apologize," Rose said with a smile. "It's not over yet."

"Unfortunately for you, madame, it is," the Avenger said with finality. He was about to pull the trigger and blow Rose's brains out when something prevented him from doing so.

There was a great howling of wind. A hand grabbed the Avenger's arm, gripping it so tightly it made the Avenger wince in pain.

"That's my wife you're about to shoot," a cool, mature voice said. Underneath the calm tone was a hidden fire, an angry wolf ready to attack. The voice's hand twisted the Avenger's arm upwards and gripped even tighter, forcing the Avenger to drop the gun he was holding. "I don't take kindly to people threatening my soulmate."

The newcomer threw the Avenger's arm aside, tossing the Avenger to the floor. Wolfe looked at the newcomer. He wore a black coat, a white button down shirt, dark navy jeans, a belt with a gold belt buckle, and dirty white sneakers. A golden Jerusalem cross, encircled by a silver ring, momentarily peeked out of the center fold of the button down before returning to the inside of the shirt. Glasses framed the cold, brown eyes, and semi-spiky, jet black hair gave him a youthful air. There was no doubt as to who this newcomer could be.

"You…" Wolfe gasped.

"You…!" the Avenger spat.

"J," Rose happily said.

The newcomer quickly went about to freeing Rose. Louis, the Avenger's bodyguard, who had until then been watching the whirl of activity from the side, hurried to his boss' side. As he helped up the Avenger, he asked the newcomer, "Who are you?"

After freeing Rose, they shared a hug and a quick kiss, before the newcomer stood tall and faced the duo of villains. He put a hand to his pocket and put a smile on his face. "I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Jonathan San Michael, but please, call me Wolfe."

The Avenger dusted the dirt off of himself, yelling at his bodyguard, "You fool! Get him!"

Obeying the command, the bodyguard went to his duty, cracking his knuckles.

"I'll deal with this," Jonathan assured Rose. They shared another quick kiss before Jonathan walked up to meet the Avenger's bodyguard.

"You must die, and I will beat you to death," the bodyguard declared.

"I guarantee you'll be arrested for your crimes," Jonathan replied. "That's my promise as a detective."

"Do you think you can really take me on?" the bodyguard taunted.

"Of course. Just watch me!" Jonathan yelled. Acting quickly, he sent a drop kick that forced the bodyguard backwards from the impact. Recovering quickly, Jonathan pulled something from the side of his left hip. Swinging it with force, a sword-length baton presented itself in his right hand. "Let's go!"

While Jonathan rushed the bodyguard, Rose set to freeing Wolfe. "Shouldn't we help him against that roid raged mustache man?" Wolfe asked.

"He'll be fine," Rose replied. "Besides, once I step in, it'll be over for the bodyguard anyway. Right now, let's free you and stop the other guy from getting away." It took a few more tugs and tries, but eventually Rose freed the 18 year old from his bonds.

The two turned to watch the fight. As they did so, they saw a portal being created by the Avenger. "Hey you! Wait!" Wolfe barked.

"I'll have my revenge!" the Avenger vowed. "If not now, then in the future!" He stepped into the portal and closed it, just in time to avoid Wolfe and Rose who had run after him.

"Darn!" Wolfe cursed. "He got away."

"Hey guys, can we please focus on the right now?" Jonathan asked from his fight with the bodyguard, who had proven tougher than expected.

"Need some help, honey?" Rose asked sweetly.

"Yes please, baby!" Jonathan replied as he dodged a punch.

Rose sighed with a smile. "Be right back," she said to Wolfe. With speed that Wolfe didn't expect, she swiftly closed the distance between herself and the bodyguard in her determined dash, launching into a powerful flying kick that the bodyguard wasn't expecting. Though he put up his arms in defense, her momentum proved to empower her kick too much, and she broke through his guard. Her foot made solid contact as he was spun around by her attack, while she quickly spun on the ground to face her enemy swiftly after landing.

With fire in her eyes, she launched into a flurry of blows, punching and kicking head, torso, arms, legs- any and every part of the bodyguard's body was an open target, with each punch and kick hurting as much as the one before. The bodyguard couldn't keep up, and was severely beaten down. Finally, knowing she had her opponent beat, Rose launched a roundhouse with devastating ferocity that knocked the bodyguard out cold.

Wolfe and Jonathan looked at the spectacle- Wolfe with awe, Jonathan with appreciation. Rose, calming her breathing, turned to the two and gave them a smile. Jonathan walked to Rose and gave her a hug, saying, "Fantastic as always, love."

"Of course! Did you expect anything less?" Rose asked with a smirk.

"Never," Jonathan replied with a smile.

They shared a kiss and Rose sighed, "I love you, Mr. San Michael."

"I love you too, Mrs. San Michael," Jonathan replied.

Wolfe, despite the oddity of the circumstances and situation, beamed.

"That was awesome, daddy!" Celeste's voice cheered from behind Wolfe. He turned around to see a new portal from where Celeste and Horatio emerged.

"And now I'm a father," Jonathan stated, amused by the situation. "This day could not get any weirder."

"Just wait, grandfather," Horatio cautioned.

"And now I'm a grandfather," Jonathan quickly added with a chuckle. "Yup, it just got weirder."

All five present let out some laughs before Horatio called attention to himself by clearing his throat. "As you can see by the fact that neither Celeste nor I are disappearing, we have fixed the temporal anomaly. Since this man," Horatio gestured at the unconscious bodyguard, "is guilty of temporal offenses, the Temporal Brigade will arrest him. We'll secure any information that we can about his employer and track him down. I will personally make sure that he doesn't cause this much trouble again.

"If the four of you could please follow me back to the Ark, there's one more thing I have to do before I can send you all back to your proper times."

The other four nodded before following Horatio back to the portal. As they walked, two men wearing the same navy uniform as Horatio walked past them in the direction of the unconscious criminal. One by one, everyone entered the portal, leaving the abandoned warehouse abandoned once more.

Horatio closed the portal once everyone had passed through. Looking at the gathered four in front of him, the other two members of the Temporal Brigade having already hauled the bodyguard away, Horatio explained, "The last thing I have to do is something called 'Temporal Fixation.' This is a procedure where-"

"You say 'Temporal' a lot, y'know?" Wolfe suddenly interjected. The abruptness of his comment caught everyone off guard, and a round of chuckles began.

"Yeah, I do," Horatio admitted. "Anyway, as I was saying, Temporal Fixation is a procedure where we basically erase your memories of all your time travelling experiences. Essentially, we can't disrupt the natural flow of history, so any knowledge, either of the future or the past, cannot be retained by time travelers. Once Temporal Fixation has been completed, you will be dropped back into a point in your time, usually the moment right before you began time travelling.

"Celeste, I'll be dropping you off back in your office, right before you decided to take the journey to visit Jonathan and Rose," Horatio said to Celeste, who nodded. Turning to Jonathan and Rose, he said, "I'll be dropping the both of you back in your hotel room during your honeymoon, which was before Rose was kidnapped. Since we've fixed the anomaly, that man calling himself 'the Avenger' shouldn't bother you. Even if he did, we'll be monitoring the situation." Finally turning to Wolfe, Horatio said, "Finally, I'll be dropping you off in Lupa ng mga Angel Resort, right before you dozed asleep after your friends left for the beach.

"Remember, none of you will remember what has occurred here. At most, you'll feel like you've been dreaming."

The four nodded in understanding and Horatio acknowledged their nod. "Alright. Mother, if you could please step in front of the portal."

Celeste did as Horatio asked and stepped in front of the wormhole. "So how does Temporal Fixation happen anyway, son?"

"Simple. By manipulating the wormhole. It'll suck you in instead of remaining static, and that suction eats your memories of your time travelling experiences." Horatio finished making the necessary adjustments and pressed a button. The wormhole opened with a bright flash, and Celeste began to feel herself being dragged towards it.

"Well everyone, it's been fun. It was interesting seeing my parents so young, and it's nice to know that I have a son that's just awesome. Till next time!" With a smile, Celeste let go of the resistance she was putting up to say her last words, before jumping into the portal.

Horatio closed the portal after Celeste had gone in. "Just like mother to jump into the fray," he muttered. "Jonathan, Rose, you two will be next." He began fiddling with his Chrono Device once more.

While they waited, Wolfe remarked to his older self and his wife, "So this is who I marry, huh? I always thought-"

"-It would be Heather?" Jonathan guessed, finishing Wolfe's sentence. "Or perhaps Anna?"

"Yeah. No offense," Wolfe quickly said to Rose, "But I just thought-"

"I know. I was you, remember?" Jonathan replied. "There were always those moments with Anna. And Heather was our first love. I'm not gonna lie, when the end happened, I was pretty torn up. Maybe it was because it was my first relationship and I was just optimistic and naïve. But I guarantee to you, John, that when the end happens to you, in the darkest depths of despair, you will find a light and continue. Not 'move on', but continue. 'Move on' implies that you're gonna continue your life without her, and let's be real, she's our friend, and friends are the most important thing to us. You'll emerge from the darkness with your friends, and you will continue with your life. There will be cases and adventures waiting for you, and best of all, Rose will be waiting for you too. Once you're ready, you will meet Rose, and your life will never be the same."

"Aw, thanks dear," Rose said, giving Jonathan a peck on the cheek while he blushed.

"What's true is true," Jonathan responded. Returning his attention to Wolfe, he continued, "Just remember: fight for your friends. They'll get you through your darkest times, and you'll help them get through theirs. Life is exponentially harder without friends. You may call yourself the Lone Wolfe, but never forget you have friends. So fight for them."

Wolfe nodded, taking in the advice of his older self. Horatio said, "I'm ready to transport you two back. Are you ready?"

"We are," Rose replied. She gave Wolfe a quick kiss to the cheek and said, "I can't wait to meet you."

Jonathan placed his hand on Wolfe's head and said, "See ya later, Wolfe." Hand in hand, the married couple walked over to the portal.

As Horatio opened the portal, Wolfe suddenly turned to them and asked, "But wait, I've got a lot to ask! How did you two meet? When and where? And what's with the names 'Jonathan' and 'San Michael?'"

Jonathan smiled. "You'll see in time." Before Wolfe could say another word, Jonathan and Rose walked through the portal.

Horatio closed the portal and began fiddling with his Chrono Device. In a few moments, he said, "It's your turn, John. Are you ready?"

Wolfe nodded. "Might as well. This was some case. I'm almost sad I won't be able to remember it." Wolfe stood in front of the portal and Horatio pressed a button. The portal opened and Wolfe could feel himself being sucked in.

"Thanks for your help, Wolfe," Horatio said.

"Anytime," Wolfe replied with a smile. He walked through the portal and suddenly felt like he was falling. He could feel something happening to his head, then his entire being. Somehow, he knew that his memories were being erased- sure enough, he couldn't remember what Celeste and Horatio looked like, nor who they were to begin with. Then the experiences in the abandoned warehouse were erased, followed by his time in the Nexus. The last things he could remember were his conversation with his older self and his future wife. And soon, he could no longer recollect them either.

The sensation of falling continued until suddenly, Wolfe opened his eyes. He was looking upwards at the ceiling of his hotel room in Lupa ng mga Angel Resort. He sat up on his bed and groaned, ruffling his hair with his hand. What… what was that dream? I don't remember…

-X-

Horatio closed the portal and sighed. We barely fixed that problem, he thought to himself. But now the real problem begins. I need to find that person calling himself 'the Avenger,' and figure out why he would go after my family. With that goal in mind, Horatio left the chamber, then the Ark, walking towards the Temporal Brigade HQ. There would surely be other cases for him, but he would also have to begin doing his research. One of his biggest cases had just begun.