The three Biker Brothers were about to board their bikes when Bogart spotted the black car parked in between two medical trucks. Bogart stopped and stared at it.
"Hey, guys!" he called his friends. "Isn't that the reporter's car?"
The two looked at the direction he was pointing.
"What is it doing here?" Tonton asked.
"They could be covering the news about the isolation camp," Kiko answered. "This is big news."
"It just creeps me out seeing them," Bogart said. "Our first encounter with them was not really good though last time, the woman was nice and helpful to us."
"But we can't just trust them," Kiko reminded his friend. "They are walking trouble."
"Agree," Tonton seconded. "But for now, we should get going. Come on!"
They moved their bikes and maneuvered their way through the crowded school grounds. The isolation camp occupied a huge area, forcing the children to squeeze through the remaining limited space. Even outside the campus, cars and parents were everywhere, as if there was a big festival going on in the campus or that a recognition ceremony was being conducted. After a painful amount of time, they finally entered a lonely street. They would not be coming home yet and so they hurriedly moved the pedals, eager to see their friend.
Meanwhile, Jamie was taking a nap at their sofa. He was dazed and exhausted after spending hours writing down notes, analyzing them, and rewriting them. Some realizations really infuriated him. Adding more stress was his worsening condition. Although only a few new blisters appeared that day, the old ones grew larger and became redder. It hurt a lot, especially when the blisters were pressed. Tired, he endured the aches as he lay down in the sofa to take his rest.
He was only twenty minutes into his nap when he heard excited knocks on the door. Lazily, he got up and opened it, and to his delight, the beaming faces of his friends greeted him.
"Hey there," Jamie said. "I'm so glad you are all here."
"Yeah, we miss you buddy!"
Bogart's words made them laugh. Jamie became conscious of his looks that he avoided direct eye contact with his friends.
Bogart: "Sorry man, but you look like an ice cream with sprinkles."
Tonton: "Come on, you can't be that honest."
The three laughed again that Jamie was embarrassed.
Jamie: "Is it really bad?"
Kiko: "Honestly? Yes. But that does not make us spite you or get disgusted. You are our brother no matter what."
Tonton: "You really look funny though."
Jamie pounced on Tonton and gave him soft punches. The other two joined and a pillow fight ensued. They only stopped when Jamie yelled in pain when a blister on his arm exploded.
Bogart: "Lava jelly!"
Tonton: "That's really gross."
They all laughed again. Jamie hurriedly cleaned himself and then joined his friends back in the sofa. They caught their breath and rested for a while.
Tonton: "You look really sick. Not just sick but tired as well."
Jamie: "Yeah, I slept late last night. As in really late like three in the morning."
Kiko: "Do your sores hurt a lot?"
Jamie: "Yes, but it is not just about these sores. I keep having bad dreams last night. Really bad that they were more like nightmares."
Bogart: "What did you dream about?"
Jamie: "I dreamed I was in an alien planet. I guess the same planet that Tonton dreamed before. Some faceless people chased after me so I keep running around."
Tonton: "They sound like the same people in my dreams."
Jamie: "I just ran and ran but they caught up with me. I felt helpless but then suddenly, when I touched a brick wall, my hands and arms turned into brick as well. With that new strength, I fought them hard but I was sort of defeated in the end."
Bogart: "Wow, that's like superhero power."
Jamie: "Except that I was beaten down."
They all chuckled.
Kiko: "Wait a minute, I also had a similar dream several nights ago. I think that was the night after Loduvico the prophet healed us. In my dream, I was also in a weird planet. I think the same people with blurred faces chased after me but I ran very fast. Really, really fast like The Flash."
Bogart: "Now that you have mentioned it, I also had a dream that night. But I did not have a super speed like yours, but I had an incredible strength. I felt like The Hulk - strong and wild."
The boys boasted about their dreams. They were excited about their superpowers. They felt like heroes, and they were happy, even if it was only in their dreams.
Jamie: "Well, my dream did not just end there. What was more terrifying was the succeeding parts."
Kiko: "Game, tell us."
Jamie: "After being in the alien planet, I was transported into the school. I saw what could happen if the school turns into an isolation camp. There will be sick people everywhere, including you, guys. You were all crying and suffering. Then suddenly, Dr. Alvarado appeared. "
Bogart: "Holy crap, that's getting really bad."
Jamie: "Yes, it is. Some men then captured me and brought me to him. He wanted to experiment on me. He said I have the cure."
The room became silent as the boys weighed heavily on their friend's confession. Things were really getting intriguing and dangerous for them.
Jamie: "Well, when I tried to escape and touched the walls in the room, my arms also turned to concrete. Sadly, I was defeated again."
Tonton: "You know what, I think we dreamed the same thing last night."
The three looked at him.
Tonton: "I saw the future again, exactly like Jamie said. But it was worse. Outside the isolation camp in school, there were more people suffering. The hospitals were full that many were left in the streets, crying in agony."
Kiko: "That's totally scary."
Tonton: "And while absorbing the things I saw, I was suddenly taken into an unfamiliar room. It was like a hospital room, but not like the hospital I have been to. I was strapped and while I struggled, Dr. Alvarado suprisingly appeared. I think he was experimenting on me, too."
Bogart: "Or may be someone else."
Tonton: "What do you mean?"
Bogart: "Remember your first dream when the aliens crashed in here? You were having someone else's memories. It could be the same this time, you are experiencing things through somebody else's body."
The three looked at him long and hard. Bogart was really more witty than they thought.
Jamie: "I think some pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place."
He stood up and took his notes from his room. He discussed each one to his friends, including his various theories. They also shared their ideas and after a long time talking, they had one solid conclusion - that Dr. Alvarado was behind the outbreak to cover up the truth about the aliens.
"So what do we do now?" Kiko asked.
"Go back to where we can find the answers," Bogart said.
"And where is that?" Jamie's turn to asked.
"Where else but the school!"
The three smiled in response. Finally, they were making good progress. Tomorrow, while the isolation camp would be busy, they would sneak into the school to validate their wild guesses....