8 Months Later
"RUNNN!!!!!", sigaw ng kabilang linya.
Tumalikod kami and there were agents running, coming from our direction they where 3, the other one was a female wearing glasses. To hey were all holding a stick-like object.
Tumakbo rin kami but we have no where to go.
We heard a gun shot not from afar. Nakita ko si Miko fighting with some of the agents. The people were already running, making a huge commotion alarming the securities in a small hut came.
Some ride on their boats and some, fled on a sea plane. Everyone wsa panicking, except us. We are scared, I feel that.
Oh God!
Tumigil kami ni Akini facing the agents.
Ilang metro ang layo namin sa isa't isa.
Biglang umatake si Mister na may hawak na parang tubo, he swing it on the air and a nice shiny blade formed.
Kinabahan ako.
Wala kaming gamit, not a single weapon.
Naramdaman ko ang hangin sa aking paanan and realize I was floating.
Huminga ako ng malalim.
I attack the mister. And I was fast, I don't know how but with my Asterix and FLEXIBILITY combined. Im a flash.
Natumba ang mama but he stand at instant. Hinarap niya ako and swing his blade, muntik na akong masugatan kung hindi pa ako lumipad pataas.
I look down, Akini was fighting hand and hand with the other guy while the female agent was talking to someone holding her earpiece near her earlobe.
I attack her with a great descending force, yet she notice me. I saw her eyeglasses shine, very bright that I went blind in a blink.
I hover up as I recover from the brightness, struck straight in my eyes.
Bumunot ako ng ilang hibla ng buhok ko, it's the only thing I could use despite of my pointy nails.
The female agent push a button on her stick.
Pinagtagpi ko ang ilang hibla ng buhok ko. I descend, attacked her as fast as I can pero naiilagan niya at nakakasangga. I felt the cold metal bar that weaken my force. It was a tranquilizer.
I fell on the sand and tasted a bit of it. Salty, together with my salty sweat. It means im scared, totally.
Nakalapit na sa akin ang babae, and I saw the metal rod-like-stick tip. It was pointed, enough to pierce my heart if I will not move and avoid her attack.
She was fast than I thought, nasagi ko ulit ang metal-rod-like when she was about to stab. Luckily, she missed it when I hover up again.
Lumipad ako pataas looking down the aerial view of the island. On the other side ,I can't see anything strange about the facility. All I can see was a green, a mini forest in an island.
Lumipad ako pababa, its fast that I can't feel the touch of the wind passing me.
Hindi nakatingala ang babae sa akin, kundi nakalapit na kay Akini. Akini's struggling with the three. He was wounded by the long blade. In his state, he was like a beast dragged by the three agents. The other agent caught Akini's left hand with a chain and the other one trying to kill him. But Akini was also fast so he dodge all those swings. Biglang lumapit ang babae and jolted Akini.
Dahil hindi nila ako pansin, I prepared the 3 needles I made.
Miko taught me where the best target is...
Itiinusok ko agad ang isang karayom sa leeg ng lalaki, and he fell down immediately in shock. Paralyzed.
The others where alarmed and realize I was in the air. They look up.
And with another flash, I stuck the needle near the females heart, she shouted in pain but she cannot remove the needle becasue I bored it really deep, unabling her to move. I did not kill her, I just stopped her. She was still breathing, I can see.
Okay... the tough one. Nanatili pa rin siyang nakahawak sa metal-rod-like. The chain from his weapon was entangled in Akini's arm.
Pinakawalan niya si Akini para makalaban ako.
Sinugod ko siya and it was a wrong move when he dodge and caught my foot.
Binalibag niya ako sa buhangin, and it hurts lalo na't mabato ito.
Hindi ako nakahinga saglit.
Bumalikwas ako na nananatiling nakahiga sa mabatong buhangin. He was coming after me, I still did not move . Aches over my body. I saw Akini, he spitted blood and picked rock. He hit the agents back head.
Surprised.. He did not stumble, he turned around and caught Akini's neck. Tumayo ako agad, and without a second thought I bore my nails in the agents throat.
I pulled my hands, trembling, scared. Blood in my hands. I got stricken by my fear and I step backward as the corpse fall.
What have I done.
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"AAAHHHH!!"
"Hey! Okay ka lang?"
"Max"
Huminga ako ng malalim ng makita ko si Max sa tabi ko.
"Nightmares again?", tanong ni Max ulit sa akin na nasa second deck ng kama.
"Yeah...", I always dreamed of this scenario, it was my fear where I almost got caught with my friends. A nightmare that was popping inside my head scaring me that I might fail that mission.
But it was all over now and again, it was a mere nighmare that was scaring me somehow, months had passed already and everything change to something better and peaceful which I hope, we hope it will be forever.
Okay..
Inhale
Exhale
So Midway Quarantine was all down, and we have the new organization na kaming mga magkakaibgan at si Dr.Ramlee ang pangunahing namumuno.
"Yakapin mo kasi ako.. I told yah, you can't sleep without my arms", Max said.
"Ano ba talagang nakain mo, mas bumilog ata ang ulo mo ha. Ba't ka na naman nandito. Ginagapang mo ba ako?", I joked at hinila ang kumot na nasa kanya.
"Haha... your imaginations darling, di ko pa yan naisip. Plaplanuhin nalang next time. Gising ka eh", Sabi pa niya na alam kung ikinamula ng pisngi ko.
Geez, what can I say with this guy.
His a damn korni-man.
"Seriously cous? Ang harot mo eh noh. May tao pa dito lovey doves. Kadiri kayo ah", Larrence.
Muntik ko ng kalimutan na nandito rin pala siya. Actually pati na si Elamore, dito kasi kami natulog sa dorm facility ng MetaMedication Lab which is formly the biocure Agency.
We decided to run this new agency with our co-pyschomutants where we engineered our mutation cells for medicine or cure. Legal naman siya hence we have the specialist and physicians that helps us run this thing with of course, keeping the secrets behind the medicine that we produce. It was the same project na isinasagawa ng BioCure pero ang pinagkaiba lang lahat ng proseso para sa mga gamot ay makatarungan at walang nangayayring sakitan o paghihirap.
"Umalis ka diyan", giit ko kay Max na natuwa pa sa pagsita ng pinsan niyang nasa upper deck lang ng natutulugan kung kama.
"Oh come on guys, we just graduated from sr.highschool. Are you real couples now? That was so fast, its not romantic at all, believe me", komento naman ni Elamore na ngayo'y nakatayo na at sinusuot ang white gown. Im so embarrassed right now.
Tiningnan ko si Max, nakangisi pa at nakatingin sa akin.
Pinahaba ko ang mga kuko ko na siya namang nagpaalis sa kaniya sa kama.
"See you later, lunch together.. muah bye sweetheart", he said before invisibling himself.
"Oh my god. Nakakasawa na kayo. Bakit hindi mo na kasi sabihin kay Max ang tunay mong nararamdaman. His full of himself. It would be fun kung ako ang magsasabi sa kaniya but I don't have the right.", Larrence said.
"I know but I don't know what to do actually."
"If I were you, cut the shits and enjoy while youre young. You'll be 20 sooner remember.", Sabi ni Elamore na ngayo'y hinahanda ang sarili sa araw na ito.
"Come on get up."
Tumingin ako sa watch ko at 6:30 na ng umaga, dalawang oras lang ang tulog namin dahil sa sunod sunod na interview kahapon.
And right now, meron na naman kaming interview.
Bago kasi ang laboratory and I understand why people has a lot of questions. Di lang pala interview, haist.. Siguradong ang daming pila hanggang ngayon. Our patients or lets say the donators. 24/7 kasi kaming open and our patients are from all over the world na gustong magpa-test and they are all pyschomutants. We pay the donations, at ang perang ibabayad namin sa kanila ay ang pera ng biocure at ang I.I.P na sapilitan nilang kinuha sa amin through our genetics and blood. We are just returning them. At dahil pribado ang laboratoryong ito at hindi sakop ng gobyerno, hindi ito naitatalang korupsyon sa bansa dahil hindi malinaw kung saan kinukuha ang perang naibibgay namin.
Kunti rin lang ang mga trabahador dito dahil mahirap magtiwala and as possible hindi kami magpapasok ng kung sino kahit isa man yang kauri namin. Kaya hinay hinay rin kaming kumukuha ng mga magtratrabaho dito, we need full trust dahil eksklusibo ang kompanya.
"Larrence, anong oras darating si Dr. Ramlee?", I asked after I washed my face.
"This lunch, baka kasama niya sina Akini at Yuan na galing ring Japan. Im so excited YIEEH!", He said.
"Im super excited to see my babes.. YAay!"
Napailing nalang ako, die hard fan talaga siya ni Yuan kahit na hindi na ito isang k-pop idol.
Bumitiw na kasi si Yuan sa kaniyang pagiging celebrity at kagaya ko rin, namin... we are all medical students. And we volunteer to work from this laboratory. The head of the lab is of course Dr. Ramlee and Engr. Levine.
"Balita ko nagwawala na naman daw si Mrs.Jones. You know what girl, ipakain nalang kaya natin yun sa pating. Im so scaredy scaredy na eh. Baka later, she'll escape", Larrence said.
Naalala ko na naman ulit ang school nurse namin. Ang dami talagang gagawin ngayon, luckily meron kaming mga kaagapay para hindi lahat solid ang responsibility.
"Tito Ruzzel can take care of her... Oy teka lang!.. LArrence.. Hintay naman!", I exclaimed ng hindi niya pinansin at dumiretso sa pintuan.
"Hurry up kasi, baka ang gagang yun ang kukuha sa males line. Aish!", reklamo niya.
"Edi hindi ka na sana natulog. Panigurado rin naman inunahan ka na ni Leizelle", sabi ko sa kaniya pagkalabas ko.
"Whatever. Ang harot talaga ng girlang yun. Aish, porke mas malusog ang booby, uunahan niya ang katulad ko. Che!", he said.
Si LEizelle, ang babaeng yun. Hindi ko akalaing isa rin siyang pyschomutant, kaya pala ang laki ng investment ng father niya which I just recently know.. what the hell..
Ex niya si Akini, and Akini told her about the things going around. Leizelle was our back up. If you wonder how we got off that island matapos naming pasabugin ang laboratoryong nasa ilalim ng isla, its because of Leizelle kung hindi niya kinumbinse ang mayayamang mga kaibigan niya na mag-invest sa ProtectLife Project na siya mismo ang nagpataguyod, wala sana kaming nasakyang mga pansasakyang dagat upang makauwi.
That girl... I just thank her a lot and Akini too. They told me it's a secret since mahirap na pag wala kaming back up kung sakaling matuntun siya ng mga agents at hahabulin rin.
_____
_____
Malapit na kami sa second basement which we called the meeting room, kung saan pupunta ang mga pasyente namin for genetic inspection and interviewing.
Pagpunta namin doon, may bente na agad na mga pyschomutants ang kinakausap ng mga staffs, at nagpabloodtest.
Buti naman at hindi ulit naging over crowded ang lugar na 'to, unlike the first time when we open the laboratory. Nagdagsahan kasi agad ang mga pyschomutants, una, ang mga taong gustong magkapera, hindi ko naman sila masisi kasi hanggang ngayon, life was never an easy life. And their life is not just ordinary and they want change, some came to find answers for who they are which we find challenging hence papareho rin kaming baguhan sa kung anong meron kami. Fortunately, there are elders who can talk to them about their matter.
"Oh theirs the bruharot", Larrence said at talagang inis na inis talaga ng makita si LEizele na nasa unahang table at nakahawak sa braso ng isang chinitong lalaki.
>>>>FLASHFORWARD<<<<<
"MIKO!", kumaway si Elamore sa kapapasok na si Miko sa restu.
Kumaway naman pabalik si Miko bago kami lapitan sa table.
"Can I just have a separate table with you guys. Gusto kung masolo si Stellar", out of the blue na saad ni Max, na agad ko namang naintindihan. He hated Miko to be around with us dahil ang ingay niya which I like because the atmosphere becomes cheerful.
"Shut up cous. Huwag ngayon, matindi pa ang sikat ng araw. Just relax. Minsan lang tayong magsalo-salo ng ganito eh", Larrence said that made Max glared at him.
"Max... you're so unpredictable. You're worst when I have period. Basta basta nalang umaaringkada yang pagka corny mo which I found so flirty", SAad ni Leizelle.
Here we go again. Why do I always feel embarrassed whenever Max was the hot seat na palagi akong nadadamay. Him being so sweet any time, its not cool at all, it's a little bit weird and uncomfortable.
"Nagsalita ang hindi flirty. Why are you always early, wala ka bang magawa sa bahay niyo bago pumasok sa Meta.", Larrence.
"What is your problem?", Leizelle.
"You. My god", at inirapan pa siya ni Leizelle"
"That's why we need to have separate tables", Max whispered and just continued to eat beside me.
"YOW!!! I miss you guys. ", bungad sa amin ni Miko that stop Larrence and Leizelle from getting annoyed to each other. Ang daya mo Stel, why did you send me to that district. Oh man, that place is so noisy!", Miko said na halatang pagod na pagod dahil pawisan siya.
"Aw.. Our cute Miko. Dun ka naman nababagay, I trust you. Kids loves you.", I said.
"Nakakapagod pero ang sarap makipaglaro sa kanila"(Japanese), he said. Sabi na nga eh. Childish rin kasi 'to.
Voice 911: What can I say that's my brother.
My Brain: Isa ka pa.
____
Pinauna ko na si Max na umuwi because he insist na sasabay ako sa kaniya, pero baka na naman kung saan niya ako ipunta. The last time I think, we went to Tagaytay without any jacket. Ang lamig pa dun kaya nagkasipon ako kahit na naapreciate ko ang munting preparation niya sa isang park na may nakasulat na LETS DATE.
I can't believe he totally change, mas prefer ko pa ata ang seryosong si Max noon. HE was really different now, I wish Yuan was here, para maging seryoso si Max or lets say mabawasan ang kaharutan niya. Nakakahiya na kasi talaga eh, he was too cheesy and sweet at the same time kaya nasobrahan at wala akong ibang nararamadaman whenever he show me that kind of attitude kundi sobrang init at sobrang nakakainis, at kung maaari ay sasabog ako sa harapan ng mga kaibigan ko.
Max, what have I done to you?
"Hoy! Im here", Leizelle snapped her fingers in front of me.
"IM completely doze and stressed", I honestly said bago pumasok sa drivers seat.
"Iinom lang natin yan, I bought soju.", Leizelle
"You know I can't drink."
"Whatever"