The narration is changed once again and this time the narrator is Father Juilliard who is in charge of the Pascal Aguila Mission School, which operates in Behala. He tells us that he is being retired this year, partly because of the story about the boys he is telling. This shows us how serious the situation is for the boys.
He gives a background to the mission school and the man that is named after. Pascal Aguila was a revolutionary who fought against corruption and it cost him his life after he exposed senators who had been siphoning off public taxes for their own gain. This reinforces the theme of corruption that runs through the book and also how people are willing to risk their lives to expose corruption. This highlights both the goodness of people and the evil in people that the author explores.
He explains how the boys came to the school looking to use the computer for what they said was research for a quiz they were doing. He did not know Raphael or Gardo but he knew Jun-Jun very well and he was someone that he kept a close eye on as he had no one else.
While the boys are busy on the computer, Father Juilliard goes to the kitchen to prepare some food for Jun-Jun as he has not eaten all day. He tells us how Sister Olivia fell in love with Jun-Jun and wanted to adopt him because she wanted to help him so much.
When the boys are finished on the computer, he tries to convince them to come to school and Jun-Jun, as always, says that he will be there. We see the kindness in Father Juilliard as he slips 50 Pesos into his pocket when he gives him a hug.
He realises after they have left that he has been deceived as the boys were not researching a quiz but researching a man called Jose Angelico and a prisoner named Gabriel Olondriz.
Questions:
- Describe the new narrator and what he does in the school.
- How do they get the kids to come to school?
- How did Father Julliard help Rat?
- Explain who Pascal Aguila was and some of the things he did for people.
- Explain what the boys were up to on the computer.