"Never do anything that you can't admit doing because if you are that ashamed of whatever it is, it's probably wrong."
―Ashly Lorenzana
***
I have solved a lot of puzzles and mysteries: the hard ones. I have faced foes from different walks of death. All the challenges that I have had in the past, it made me conclude that I was clever enough to face anything that could pit my brain.
I was wrong.
We're infront of a huge wooden door made from a seemingly durable old wood. The door has no knob, no lock, no handle: nothing but a plain huge rectangular wood with beautiful carving of a snake biting its own tail forming the sign of the infinite.
Naputol ng pintuan ang kanina'y malalim kong pag-iisip tungkol sa nakita kong imahe ni Karen. Or was I hallucinating because I might have had an intake of enormous methane gas? Marahil guni-guni ko lang 'yon.
Karen was long dead. I saw her dead, right in front of my very eyes.
The odds got tougher, I realized.
Malakas ang kutob kong, habang papalapit kami ng papalapit sa ground floor, mas titindi ang mga patibong at pagsubok na pagdaraanan namin. Nalalagasan na kami. Losing one of us was like losing a leg. This time, we need each other to survive the four remaining floors.
"We have no clue. Wala nang laptop o cellphone na pwedeng panggalingan ng clues or trickery mula kay Larryson at sa mga kasama pa nito." Zyril said nervously. Kinikilatis nito ang istruktura ng nalakalaking pintuan.
Kung susumahin ay nasa sampong talampakan ang taas at sa limang talampakan naman ang lapad nito. The infinite had transformed each floor so fast that no one among us noticed. They were trying to prove something to us: that they're the superior mafia among others.
"Andreas, I can't find any codes. No algorithm, no cipher, no ciphertext. Nothing." Zyril gasped in dismay. Sa loob ng maraming taon na nakatrabaho ko ito sa Scorpion, ngayon lang uli siya naka-engkwentro ng isang sitwasyon walang cipher o code. The last time I remember a scenario like this was before Karen's death.
"Walang Morse code, shorthand, semaphore, or ASCII code. How can we even survive this floor without any clue?" I asked everyone: Vlad, Mina, Natas, Bella and Zyril. Baka naman may clue sila kung paano lulusutan ang fifth.
My mind seemed exhausted. Dala na rin ng sobrang gutom na hinaluan ng matinding pag-aalala, hindi na ako makapag-isip pa ng mabuti.
Hindi ako makapagconcentrate. Hinahati ng presensya ni Karen ang atensyon ko. I was not sure if what I saw was real or was just an image created by my hallucinations.
"I have no idea how to decrypt Morse codes or semaphores. Hindi ako spy kaya wala din akong maitutulong kung nagkataong may mga ganyang codes sa pintuan." Vladimir explained himself. Kanina pa nito nililibot ang paningin sa buong fifth floor. Just like the others, he's been so observant and alert. Hindi pa rin nag-iba ang mga pagsulyap-sulyap nito saakin na tila may gusto siyang sabihin. Marahil ay nag-iipon pa ito ng lakas ng loob o tinitimbang pa nito ang mga bagay-bagay.
But I already knew what was running through his head. I was able to read his body language. I was pretty sure it's all about Karen.
"So what do we do now? Are we all going to give up after what we have been through?" Kinakabahang pahayag ni Bella. Halata kong pagod na ito pero dahil sa kagustuhan niyang makaligtas at makalabas ng buhay, nilalabanan niya ang takot at pagod.
Vladimir cleared his throat, as if he was able to notice something. "The whole fifth floor is vacated and we have few things which remain visible here. Just a table on both corners, a vase on the left and a refrigerator and oven on the kitchenette na nasa kaliwa. Walang masyadong gamit."
"So are you saying those can be our keys?" Mina interrupted na mukhang nababasa na rin ang tinutumbok ni Vlad. "Wait, m-may naalala ako. It might be this thing."
"A-ano 'yon Mina? Sabihin m-"
Naputol ang sasabihin ni Natas nang bigla na lang tumakbo si Mina patungo sa kinalalagyan ng ref. We were terror-stricken as she immediately opened the fridge. Bukas iyon at bumungad sa harapan namin ang isang bagay na balot na balot sa aluminum foil.
I feared the possibility na baka bomba ang laman ng refrigerator. I feared for Mina. She's a smart girl but she can be so careless when curious.
Muling lumingon saamin si Mina na nooy hawak na ang bagay na binalot ng aluminum foil.
"Guys, it's chicken meat!" She uttered loudly from the kitchenette. From her expression, most of us already knew that she had already figured out what's going to happen next. She knew what to do next.
"W-what are you thinking, Mina?" Bella asked as if she was not even sure what's about to happen. By the looks of her, she seemed to have a lot of doubts and questions with Mina's decision. "How can that chicken help us out?"
"I have seen this. Nilalaro 'to nina Rielle before. Can You Escape?" Mina explained. She swallowed the lump on her throat and then continued. "There is no text nor email which we can rely on. There are no codes or puzzles. Since these are the only visible things we have here, we might us well utilize them. They don't put things for nothing. That's what I have observed."
"So, if what you're thinking is right Mina, aanhin natin ang isang buong chicken meat?" Vladimir asked habahg humakbang ito papalapit sa babae.
Nagtinginan naman kami ni Zyril na kanina pa tahimik sa naririnig mula kay Mina. She could have raised her objections if she saw the miss but it looked like she was into it. Mukhang nakumbinsi siya ni Mina.
"I will try what I know. Since naisip ko 'to, the risk is mine to take. Kung may naisip kayong iba, you may do it on your own. This might not work so I won't ask you to participate para wala nang madamay pa sakaling pumalpak." Mina mentioned almost nonstop.
"I' ll try to look for some clues around. Baka may nakasulat sa dingding o sa floor. " Dinig ko namang banggit ni Natas mula sa aking likuran.
Hindi na rin umimik si Zyril at mas minabuti nitong tumingala na lang sa mataas na kisame. Mukhang hindi rin ito kumbinsido na tama ang iniisip ni Mina.
Ako man ay hindi kumbinsidong madadaan sa pagluluto ng manok sa microwave ang susi para bumukas ang pintuan. I wasn't convince by the logic but behind my head thought that Mina could be making sense. Afterall, we were against the Infinite; they make the unimaginable real.
Nang ilibot ko ang aking paningin ay naging abala na sa paghahanap sina Zyril, Natas at Bella habang sina Vlad at Mina ay nasa harapan na ng isang digital microwave oven. They were pushing for it.
Sumaktong lumingon sa gawi ko si Mina. She stared at me plainly for a couple of seconds and then her attention went back to the oven. Her stare signified something. She might already knew I was questioning her theory; we were.
I sat like a lazy kid in the middle of the floor. Silently. Dinig ko ang bawat hakbang at galaw ng mga kasama ko. Hindi na ako makagalaw. It's like my mind just wanted to freeze for a moment in order to escape from this tragic reality. I wanted to escape from all the pain, all the confusion, all the fears -from everything.
"If you're going to just sit down there, and you are ready to quit life, maybe you could end your now and let those who want to live, live." Nagulat ako nang putulin ng boses ni Mina ang pamamahinga ng utak ko. Nang tumingala ako ay bumungad saakin ang naiiritang mukha ni Mina. "We are all tired, Andreas; but quitting is not an option now. We all need each other, to live."
Magsasalita pa sana ako nang narinig namin pareho mula sa kitchenette ang malakas na sigaw ni Vlad.
"Mina, guys! The digital microwave needs some digits. This might be the key!" He roared with exigency and seriousness.
Kaagad na tumakbo patungo sa kusina sina Bella, Zyril at Natas. Mina gave one serious stare before she followed the three others. Dagli naman akong sumunod.
Evryone was facing the microwave oven when I finally reached the kitchen.
"That needs four digits as indicated on the digital clock." Bella commented. Panay ang lunok nito sa sobrang kaba.
"Siguro it needs the exact time as to when a chicken can be perfectly cooked or the time plus the temperature." Komento naman ni Natas na nakatitig lang sa microwave.
"I honest;y don't know how to cook chicken in a microwave." Tila nahihiyang pag-amin ni Mina.
Zyril moved closer to the oven. Hindi na ito umimik pa nang pindutin niya ang 5, 1, 6, at 0. Nang tumunog ang microwave bilang hudyat na gumagana na ito at kasalukuyang niluluto ang karne ng manok na nabalot sa aluminum foil ay saka ito nagpaliwanag. "It will take 5 minutes to completely cook the chicken at a 160 Fahrenheit."
"Yon ay kung tama ang theory ni Mina na nasa microwave ang sagot kung magbubukas ba ang pintuang 'yan o hindi." Mahina ngunit malinaw na sambit ni Natas na tila duda pa rin sa ideya ni Mina.
"I only tried what I knew. I am not doing it to save you, Natas. Just so you know." Mataray na sagot ng babae.
"We better go somewhere safer. 'Yong mas malayo sa kusina kasi baka patibong lang pala ang lahat ng ito at baka sumabog pa ang microwave." Zyril suggested.
Everyone seemed to agree with her idea. All was thinking about our own safety. In the first place, we're up against the Infinite so there was nothing to trust; not even a single needle or a pebble.
Nakahilera kaming nakaupo sa harapan ng malaking pintuan habang hinihintay na matapos ang limang minutong pag-ikot ng makinang nasa loob ng microwave.
Hanggang sa umabot sa huling isang minuto ang lahat. Naunang tumayo sa kinauupuan si Natas na sinundan ni Bella. Tila handa na silang tumakbo ng mabilis kapag nagbukas ang pintuan. Tumayo na rin sina Mina at Vlad kasunod ni Zyril. I knelt down as I waited and observed.
"Don't rush. Check what's upfront before gearing towards the open door." Paalala ko sa lahat. Nagsimula na muling bumilis ang kabog ng dibdib ko. I fear for everyone's safety. Not for my own.
Such thing happens when you start to care for someone, you start to feel fear. It's normal; but it's one of those normal that I didn't wish to feel.
"Ten seconds." Bella counted down.
"Five."
"Four." Vlad uttered.
"Three..."
"Two..."
Pagpatak ng isang segundo at nang tuluyan na iyong malagas, bigla kaming nakarinig ng langitngit na tila mula sa pinagdikit na kahoy at metal. The edges of the door started to move. A dust of powder fell as it moved.
Mina's idea worked.
Lumakas ang langitngit mula sa pintuan. Sabay-sabay kaming napaatras. Maybe we all had the instinct that the door would drop towards our direction.
"Atras!" Sigaw ni Natas.
Dahan-dahan, kasabay ng pagtigil ng malakas na langitngit ng kahoy ay bumagsak ang malaking pintuan sa harapan. Nakakabingi ang tunog na binuo ng lumagapak na piraso ng malaking kahoy sa semento. Halos hindi kami magkarinigan pagkatapos.
Zyril signaled to move forward. Nauna itong tumakbo palapit sa nakabukas na pintuan. I saw no threat so I she had my approval. Too late when I noticed three tiny holes on the wall which revealed flash suppressors of rifles.
"Dapa!" Malakas kong sigaw.
Pero huli na nang isang malakas na putok ang kumawala mula sa bunganga ng M16. Tinamaan si Zyril sa kanang dibdib pero hindi ito kaagad natumba. Mabilis namang nahila ni Vlad sina Mina at Bella pababa dahilan para makailag ang mga ito. Natas managed to jump away pero natamaan pa rin ito sa kanang braso.
The gun muzzles did not stop at a single shot. Nagpaulan pa ito ng bala kaya nasundan ang tama ni Zyril sa dibdib ng ilan pang tama sa braso, binti at sa sikmura nito.
The time started running so slowly as I watch Zyril's body fall like a mighty tower to the ground. Tumambad saakin ang malungkot nitong mukha habang pabasak sa lupa.
It was like she's saying, "Andreas, my scorpion brother, I am sorry for being so careless. My fight is over... please live." Like what most Scorpions would tell everytime another scorpion witnesses their dying hour.
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