Jamie was disgusted about the news. He instantly disliked Dr. Alvarado for delivering lies in his speech. His sentiments were also shared by his friends, who like him, were also at home and watching the news. He wished to get out of the house sooner. Everything in the news was depressing and not entirely the truth.
Last night, they had agreed to meet again the following day at the river. Their parents knew that it was their weekend habit to swim in the river. However, Bogart arrived home with a bandage in his left arm while Kiko was limping. They could only wish that they would not object to them going out again.
So after lunch, Jamie immediately asked permission from his parents but was told to stay until mid-afternoon. It was not good to be swimming under the blazing sun. Having no choice, Jamie simply counted the hours until he was allowed to go out.
His friends' parents were also hesitant to let them wander while there were still some 'threats' from the meteor impact. Yet, they knew their buddies and where they were going so in the end, after much haggling, the boys were freed from the boredom of their homes.
"Thankfully, my knee does not hurt as much as yesterday so I can pretend to walk straight," Kiko said while vigorously moving the pedals of his bike.
They were already heading to the river and the thought of unwinding urged them to propel harder forward. The streets were not as busy as people preferred to stay indoors.
"Same with me," Bogart confessed. "Mom almost collapsed last night upon seeing the bandage on my arm. She thought I had fractures."
The boys chuckled. It was really a struggle for them to regroup. If not for Jamie's smooth talks, Tonton's good boy charm, and Kiko's witty persistence, they would not have been complete. So when they came to the river, they immediately abandoned their bikes, took off their clothes, and dipped on the cool waters.
For a while, they forgot anything about the meteor and just spent the time teasing each other and playing around. It was near twilight when they rested by the banks and relished the fresh air, cool breeze, and picturesque sky.
"These last few nights had been a close call," Jamie finally spoke up about the event, while his eyes continued to savor the wide sky. "Never thought something dangerous could come from the heavens."
"Are we really in danger?" Bogart asked to which he just heaved his shoulders.
"Not yet so far," Kiko answered for him. "Will the military come looking for us? They saw us."
"I hope not," Tonton said dejectedly. "They did not know what we saw in the camp."
"I think they know," Jamie refuted. "Back in the camp, when Bogart and I suddenly confronted the officers, they said some kids saw the body and screamed."
"That would be us!" Kiko exclaimed and laughed.
"So they knew about it," Tonton whispered, then asked, "How about the spaceship?"
"I guess they also knew about that," Bogart answered.
"They saw us coming from the truck before it got ablazed," Jamie.
"So we are really in big trouble," Kiko concluded.
"Forbid that to happen," Tonton rebuked him. "Besides, they already got what they wanted."
"Yeah, and it was not a meteor," Bogart said sarcastically which made everyone laughed.
"We should not tell anyone about what we discovered," Jamie suggested. "This should stay between us."
The three pondered on his proposal. The sun had already drowned in the horizon and the songs of the crawlies were heard. The wind had become colder but the thought of possible dangers that they could get into brought more shivers into their spine.
"You have a point there," Tonton acknowledged his friend's suggestion. "We would not only get ourselves in trouble but our family as well."
"You are right," Kiko agreed. "Let's keep our loved ones away from the danger."
"So we stop here?" Bogart asked. "I mean Subangdaku could be in greater harm if we keep the truth."
"No, we don't tell anyone about what we saw," Jamie said strongly, "but that does not mean we stop searching for the truth."
His friends' ears straightened and they looked at him with a beaming smile. Their eyes sparkled with the idea of being detectives.
"I did not see that coming," Kiko hissed. "But I kind of like that."
"Count me in," Tonton said with little quiver in his voice.
"Me as well!" Bogart interjected. "But where do we start?"
"Maybe at the school," Jamie said. "The first meteor or alien hit the school, and I think the scientists would come back to investigate again."
"Or they found something last time they inspected," Kiko said after a long thought. "And like last night, they chose to hide it from the people."
"We must find that out," Jamie said.
"Besides, Tonton also dreamt about the school," Bogart added. "There should be something in the school."
"Oh yes!" Kiko agreed, his journalistic spirits kicking inside him. "So the school is our starting point then."
Everyone smiled. Their little investigation would begin soon.
"Do you still have those dreams?" Jamie asked Tonton, suddenly changing the topic.
"None so far." Tonton replied. "Since the second impact, I never dreamt again."
"We can even find clues in your dreams," Kiko said.
"I hope the monster in your dream will not come true," Bogart said worriedly to Tonton. "The one that ate us all."
The friends were shock for a while as they had forgotten about that part of Tonton's dreams. Finding an alien in Subangdaku was frightening already. How much more would a jellyfish-like monster bring?
"We must protect each other at all cost," Jamie said.
"Last night was a tough thing for us," Bogart added, "but we made it through."
"Because we are friends," Tonton pronounced. "And friends look out for each other."
"I'm lucky to have you, guys," Kiko said with tears in his eyes. "I never thought I could have friends like you."
By then, stars began appearing in the dusky sky. Colors had faded but through the looming darkness, their hearts brightened.
"We should have a name for our group," Bogart suggested.
"Like what?" Kiko asked. "Power Rangers? X-men?"
"Crazy," Tonton uttered. "We are not superheroes."
"We are friends," Jamie said. "But more like brothers. I feel like you are all my brothers."
"Brotherhood of Subangdaku?" Kiko tried again but his friends only laughed in disgust.
"River Brothers" was Tonton's suggestion which everyone pouted.
"Why not Biker Brothers?" Jamie said after a thought. "We love biking a lot though our gears are old and rickety already."
They looked at their bikes. Indeed, they were old already but they remained strong. In their hearts, they also wished their friendship would endure and persevere through all adventures. That night, the friendship of the Biker Brothers was sealed.