Chapter 9 - Blackmail Before Bedtime

Andy

OF THE new information. Of the petrifying, mind-boggling, situation they were in. Of the constant weight embedded on his eyelids that he severely wanted to lift up. These were the things he was tired of. Now, he could just bestow himself a good night's rest on his bed sheet, taking his time to give her twin sister a "good night" greeting before the seductive delicacies of sleep would take him.

Well, that would be probable, hadn't another problem arisen, more hypothetical so to speak. Andy was getting bamboozled with all this, and he hadn't had a snippet in Advanced Calculus yet.

With each of those two things in tow, how was he supposed to adjust his sanity and keep it from downsizing into a wretched mental condition?! He wouldn't let that take a toll on him, not that when he's the "father" of the house, with Mandy only devolving into her youth surrounded with meaningless fantasies. If she were to break her incorrigible wall, then he'd probably have more chances to fortify their bond, which for him, was highly improbable.

He may sound querulous, but what could he say?! Any sane person would complain at this time and hour when they're sleepy.

Of course, entertainment would always be an option, but he wouldn't suck all his time from immersing himself with just that. Schedules are made for a reason; they're not an accidental freak of nature.

Now the theoretical problem was the media. When speaking about media coverages, you'd expect to have a wide-ranged demographic: from an innocent infant to a senile senior. Not to mention the unfathomable speed of a rumor's spreading, like the most contagious of diseases. Assuming the information concerning the disappearance of Aliza was to sweep across the whole town, with the help of the high school witnesses that would treat gossip as their medium for living, many things would be at stake.

But prior to all that, he must find out if there were, albeit preposterous, officers or investigators that—or had—tried to get the bottom of this. Though, to him, this wasn't possible since dispatchers, if ever some of the witnessed had called, would have just quickly consider it as a prank. Nevertheless, it wouldn't hurt to try.

Still trying to subjugate his irrational fear of heights, he held on Goku's shoulders. Mandy just stayed below, waiting for him while he's doing all the work. How convenient . . .

He knocked on the window of Colleen's room situated on the second floor, but there was no reply. He knocked on it some more, hoping for a reply. Getting impatient, the overbearing weight of his eyelids were pestilent, cracking his sanity. First, his sister, then the sleepiness, and then this window, were all annoying him!

Before looking down, he knocked furiously, enough for the sound to he heard only within the room's radius. "Mandy," he whispered.

Then *slam*, the window shot open, surprising him. "Hey," Colleen whispered, stupefying him to the point that he almost slid off Goku and fell.

"What took you so long to respond!" Andy hissed, the volume of his voice so minute but still could be heard.

"Sorry, I didn't hear it at first. So, what?"

"We came by to ask you something. I have just inquiry to ask."

"Go on."

"Well, the look on your expression already answers my question, but to assure, did the law enforcers come here?"

"No, they didn't," she said, pausing, looking behind her, probably to check if her parents found out that she was having a clandestine chat with someone outside the window. She had too many secrets to start with, so paranoia wasn't really a stranger to her. "Will they?"

So it looked like there'd be no media coverages concerning this anytime soon, either.

"I'm just checking. Well, I'm gonna be going now. Just sleep for now; it's good for you to have enough stamina for tomorrow." Andy looked below. "Goku, you can go down now."

"Wait," she said, groggy yet alerted, "what's going on tomorrow?"

"Finding out some ways to get Aliza back of course!"

"Wait—"

"Bye!"

Now as an exercise for conquering his fear, he tried to jump off Goku when he was in a two-feet distance off the ground. Landing with both legs fine, pride settled inside him. "Perfect!"

Just a few yards away, they were back at their own settlement, and just as he speculated, Mandy was going to get inside.

"We're not done yet," Andy informed, spoiling her wishes to visit her dreamland.

"What? Then why did you bring us here?!" Mandy puzzled, her mouth gaping in a certain way where she would find something flavorful that she couldn't afford.

"Just because food is served, doesn't mean you have to eat it."

"Oh, here we go again with that 'food analogy' of yours." It was laughable enough to use food against her own will, but what's more was the way her face contorted into an expression of what seemed like disgust to the umpteenth degree, if that were possible.

"First, you need to assure a glass of water is right near you, or else you'll choke to death when water is a hundred meters away." He knew that was derisive, but it could be realistic; plus, it was a good way for a great example. "Second, you need to know if the food being served is poison, or you'll end up biting the dust."

"What's your point?" The impatience was entertaining him.

"My point is that you should make sure everything is *not* at stake before ending the day, especially when the stakes are high."

"We already know that the law enforcers aren't coming anytime soon, so what in the world are you still on about?!" She was still the reckless sister he always knew.

"What about our classmates? What if someone would tell Aliza's father about her disappearance?! It's already stressful to hide Goku from unwanted exposure, so why put her dad into the equation?"

"Is that it?" Mandy asked, and it was now his turn to get irate.

"If ever, for some unknown reason, this kind of issue would get into the journalists' hands, an article about it would be inevitable!"

"Just chill out, Andy! Let's settle this tomorrow," Mandy squawked like a mindless seagull, yawning with no care in this damn world! Call it exaggeration, but it was true! Goku just sat by the tree, waiting for their dispute to end.

"We can't just presume that everything will be okay when the problem is right in front of us! Her father and her sister would be affected; Colleen's strict parents would know that their daughter wasn't abiding to their rules; and you would soon be interviewed even if you couldn't construct a good-structured sentence in front of your classmates! There are so many possibilities!"

"What can you even do, when you're just a sleepy mess?!" She finally backfired, raising the volume of her voice. Oh, now she was the one to get sentimental again. This tit-for-tat could be avoided if she would just follow! "And how can you make sure that all of your classmates would stop gossiping about it in this period of time?"

"There's one person who can help, and there's no other perfect time to reach out to him but now." Andy just let her follow, adjusting the angle of his glasses.

Afterward, her twin sister finally agreed—it was 12:47 PM—and they're now standing in front of the bar, the chill of the evening air indirectly making him somnolent. But the incoming thrill of what's about to come somehow made him less sleepy.

*The B.A.R.*

"What a funny name," Goku said, and he wasn't wrong.

"Goku, just stay outside for a while, alright? Andy and I are going to have a little chat with someone here."

"Okay." He just sat, waiting, blatantly showing his sleepiness.

Neon lights filtered the dull facade of the building, showcasing the name of the bar with clear extravagance. Not only that, the acronym clearly was a no-brainer than what the owner purported, trying to claim that it had a deeper meaning. A simplistic name, really—*Boozes and Roses,* which had nothing phenomenal about it. Only with the copious amounts of liquor, vodkas, and all sorts of alcohol, and with the lingering scent of, you guessed it, roses, which smelled more like a laundry detergent were the explanation.

With that name, no one would buy it, unless an individual was having hormonal issues with little to no will of his own, whose only role was to follow what their body told them. Or unless on a conquest for unrealistic love, after getting dumped by their "significant other." Piteous, indeed.

And an epitome of those negative qualities was what what they were looking for.

"Are you sure we'll be okay?" Mandy asked.

"Relax."

With a fake I.D, forged poorly, in hand, the bouncer had permitted his entry, due to his severe incompetence. Next was Mandy. This fake I.D, for once, had come in handy.

Though, he had never imagined he would follow his dad's footsteps.

Blue filled the room, dazzling its beholder with its dream-like quality. A perfect blend for its regular costumers to revel in all these alcohols bestowed for them. While prostitutes were, dare he said it, stripping as they straddled on these animals with no sense of morality! Seated near the desk wore a guy with a red shirt on, his back hunched before a fatigued bartender in his thirties, surprisingly unfazed by those women.

Just the guy they wanted, the guy who could make all the students obey at his own will.

When he saw them, his eyes lit with mischief. "Looks like these bozos are not so innocent after all."

"Listen—" Andy's speech was cut off.

"If this is about my contact number, then no, I haven't changed it yet." Then he winked.

Andy didn't blush at that. He certainly didn't.

"Woah, you have his number?" Mandy asked.

"It's not the right time. Rick—"

"If this is about Aliza's disappearance, then no, I am not responsible this time." He raised his hands, giving a fake implication of "giving up."

"This is exactly why we're here," Mandy joined the intervention. Well, if that's the case, then he'd just watch how she'll play this out.

"Look, if you two have checked the GC, then you can clearly know that she magically disappeared. Once a freak, always a freak." He placed the wine on the desk, unceremoniously giving off a stench alcohol mixed with smoke.

"Seriously, you're still on with that rumor?" Mandy shifted toward him, her patience fraying at the edges.

"Either if that rumor was real or not, what we saw just hours ago wasn't."

"Rick, we both know we're underage," she started, "so if you will try to spread the info, I'll tell your dad you've been going to nightclubs for the last seven months!"

Rick just grinned, his teeth bare, mocking her twin sister. Then his demeanor changed, emanating with a threatening air. "You don't wanna push me, Fatty."

"Oh, believe me, I do!" Mandy fidgeted into him, her arms grabbing the collar of his shirt, some stools off balance and falling, the bartender straining to fend them off each other. "You don't know how I'm sleepy I am, so if you won't try and—"

"Mandy!" Her twin brother scowled, making her stop abruptly, looking at her. This was just another level of ludicrousness! One second, she was being effective, then the next, she was just having her tangent. She was supposed to intimidate him, not look like a fool in front of these strippers and these men with attentions undivided toward them!

Rick just promptly slid the collar off her hands, another infuriating smirk on his face, and stood, going toward the exit. "Just follow me."

Andy did it with caution, his twin sister still reckless, and outside, Goku was already asleep. Rick didn't acknowledge him, turning 90 degrees into an alleyway.

Mandy's eyes just enlarged, sweat already on her neck, making Andy fight the urge to chastise her. Rick stopped in the middle of the alley, leaning against a brick wall.

"Tell me. How did Aliza do that?" Rick asked, no more hints of rascality in his tone.

"That question's still a mystery. For now." Andy answered.

Mandy just said nothing, and that was better.

"You know I can file that against you too, you know?"

"Of course, we also committed forgery. The idea is just a double-edged sword, and it will both take us down."

Rick strangled Andy against the wall, triggering Mandy's tears. Then he whispered, the disgusting scent of alcohol lingering in his nose. That scent somehow pleasing him. "So what can you do, huh, Andy?"

He just gritted his teeth, a smile still plastered on his visage. "Colleen."

His grip abated, he had stopped momentarily, before locking his fists with more force, choking him even more. "How did you know?"

"Stop it!" He heard Mandy say, only wailing when she got pushed back.

Saliva was brimming in his throat, threatening to erupt from his mouth. His hands reached for his pocket, fumbling for something.

"Just . . . admit it, Rick. You . . . have a thing for her."

He freed him, and Andy quickly went for the object in his pocket. "How did you know?"

"People just learn how to hide it when they're known, don't they?" It's his turn to smirk. "Don't worry, I won't tell Bret that you've been cheating on her."

He couldn't answer.

He neared him, leaning against the side of his head, whispering, "I'll even help you with your secret affair."

"Please . . . don't tell her."

"If you'll cooperate."

"Screw that! She won't believe you anyway!" Rick exclaimed. "I'm out of here!"

*I'll even help you with your secret affair.*

*Please . . . don't tell her.*

Rick stopped dead in his tracks, turning around. Andy's smug look only aggravated, placing his phone recorder in his back pocket again. "Her reaction of this intrigues me, I just can't wait."

He was panting, the jugular veins in his neck prominent as he screamed: "Give me your phone!" He bolted toward him, but a direct blow from the knee to his solar plexus stopped him, and he was crouching.

"I'll contact you the instructions tomorrow. Goodbye, Rick." He ran away before Rick could recover, grabbing his nonplussed sister with him and waking up Goku to escape.

The altitude of which Goku was flying at that moment didn't bother him. He just waited for Goku to bring them home. The duration of their travel from *The B.A.R* to their house was approximately two and a half minutes. So he guessed it was just his absurd imagination that made him think it was thirty minutes or longer.

The emotion he felt was uncanny, much to his own surprise. He felt . . . wordless, unable to explain what he's feeling. Mixed emotions, perhaps? Mandy didn't know what he's going through, and that was better, he supposed. Well, for one, he felt asinine for feeling that way. That's about it.

He just found himself consumed by the bed's comfort, his tears the only discomfort.