All of a sudden, a red cock ball flew towards Kenzo's face with full force as he turned around to dodge it however, before he could Feng instantly grabbed the ball in his bare hands.
Staring at the point from where it came he clicked his tongue annoyed. "Tch! Looks like my hunch was right!" he guessed.
The boys alerted stood up grabbing their gears.
"Who is there?" Seraph threatened grim taking his bat out from his gear bag. However, not a single soul was to be seen.
"Be careful, everyone, make a circle around and watch out." advised Helios looking around.
Kenzo stared at the ball which Feng grabbed before him annoyed. "Who dare had the audacity to point the ball at this king's face?" he threatened.
Hearing no reply for a while, what they encountered next wasn't figures but more balls approaching their way.
"Batsman's and All-rounder's stay alert! Ballers inside the circle now!" ordered Helios as the ballers stood inside the circle created by the others who returned back all the approaching balls.
"Dear heavens! Now what is this!? Weren't we already ambushed by the high schoolers before that we aren't even left outside of the base? What to do now? Or, shall we make a run for it?" Heber assumed baffled.
"Furthermore, who even are they? Don't tell me they are thugs! But, balls instead of guns, sure do freak me out considering their new style." Ezekiel gulped sarcastic.
"Or are they from the base…?" Xavier assumed slamming a ball back.
"Dude, we were just expelled weren't we?" Azazel recalled.
Suddenly Ryan pointed, "Look!"
The boys looking around saw many tall, masculine and grim faced black suited men surrounding them. Their eyes hidden with black sunglasses. They held six balls in a single palm, approaching towards them stealthily as the boys gulped from the sight.
(International Cricket Training Camp of Pakistan for Juveniles [Central Main Building])
The highschoolers dispersed outside the building silent. Orion laying on the grass covered his eyes with his arm as Aaron stared at the pitch from where Ren bowled harshly blowing off wickets again and again as if angry. He twirled his pen while Haruf stared at him worriedly. Nagi standing beside the building's door alongside Elias stood grim. Aigou sitting beside Elias stared at his fingers with his expression damp. Senri resting on the wall beside Noah took a deep breath, waving his legs right and left as Noah gazed at the blue eye piercing sky. Zach and Isa sitting on the bench stared grave. An atmosphere as silent as night took over the boys.
Soon Evan, came out of the building. The boys tracing his sight surrounded him anxiously.
"How's Alan now?" asked Nagi walking over to him with Elias as Isa waited for his reply. Evan taking a deep breath shook his head, "He isn't awake…" Hearing his words, the boys stood restless.
"Tch!" Ren clicked his tongue upset.
"The IV treatment is almost complete however there are still no signs of him regaining his consciousness." Evan explained.
"After hearing all that, who would say that Alan would gain his consciousness that easily." Nagi whispered distressed.
Isa glancing at the ground sighed remembering there conversation before, "His senses are all disrupted. He can't see. He can't feel and nor can he taste anything. His condition was so severe to the point that if played a single over longer, he would've even lost his sense of hearing." Seles informed grave.
"What…?" asked Isa and Senri baffled as the rest stood thunderstruck. Kazuna hearing his words stared at Alan with his eyes widened, grabbing his finger tightly. Rauf exhaled, "I see… what's next?"
Kortes eyeing Seles and Rauf spoke up, "I'm sorry I have to say this… but I'm afraid, Alan is unable to play cricket or any other sports any longer. The reason his senses stayed intact and under his control for all that time, when he played against the middle schoolers was only possible because of this medicine which I found from his jersey. Else than that, if not taken and played he wouldn't have even lasted for ten overs."
Aaron shaking his head disbelief crouched on his knees.
"No way…" whispered Orion blank.
Evan and Haruf too stood baffled.
"So, can we treat him now or what? How can't Alan not play? Everything depends on him. There must be a way. I know it can't be that bad!" debated Noah as Seles interrupted, "It's not as easy as you think Noah. Alan has lost his skills since three years ago. And, due to the pressure he receives now for using any other abilities drains out his senses. Blood starts to clog his veins numbing them to the point of damaging them until unrepairable if not stopped overstraining. Moreover, his sense of scent if once it gets activated will cause an instant asthma attack killing him off."
"The base and researchers have tried everything in our might to find a cure and are still in progress. What else do you want me to do? Shall I lock him up and prohibit him from playing now?" Seles asked vexed himself.
The boys stood silent.
Rauf sighed, "Then, the last and the only way left is to stop him from playing any longer right?"
Drake nodded, "Yes, the point that he won't use any skills is the most important. Since, this is the only reason which activates him to lose his senses." "Very well. Then, that settles it." Rauf called out standing up.
Tracing Alan's sight from the corner of his eye he declared, "From today onwards Alan Rex Lorenzo, is forbidden to play any matches or do anything which involves him using his skills. If seen breaking the rules, he will be immediately expelled from the base!"
The boys hearing him stood shaken. Kazuna too shot up in disbelief. Senri smiling stood up in protest, "Rauf, are you sure? Not letting Alan play? Do you think he would listen to it? Moreover, everything is coming up in line the PSL, the world cup. Do you think it's the right choice to make?"
Rauf spoke up "Nothing depends on my thinking, you all heard everything clearly with your own two ears. But still, if you want him to die that badly. Just give him the bat and play along. I can't be surer than that." he headed out leaving the boys distressed and speechless at the same time.
Isa staring at Aaron and Zach sighed thinking, "Alan losing his senses was one thing we knew, but to think in just three years his condition has depleted this much? It's unbelievable… all this time behind his carefree smile he was hiding such a heart wrenching truth…?" "Kazuna? What about him?" he asked Evan.
Evan shook his head, "No, he won't budge from his place until Alan wakes up. He won't speak anything nor listen to anyone."
Isa nodded, "I'll ask him to tag along with Senri back to the dorms. It's been three hours since, he's been inside." Senri stood up from the wall walking forward confused, "Seriously, Alan's condition was one thing that even the middle schoolers are expelled! What's with that?"
"Rauf is cunning. He deliberately sent the rest of you with Alan since, you could control situations like that. After that, he made the decision on his own and there went the middle schoolers back, to god knows where." whispered Aaron coming closer.
"I just wonder what Rauf is thinking? I can't comprehend anything anymore…" Elias uttered in disbelief.
Zach standing up walked over with Haruf. Patting Elias's head he consoled, "Don't worry everything will be fine. Look at Aigou, he won't say a single word from the trauma. Go, buck him up." Elias agreed heading over to Aigou. Isa looking at Zach smiled going inside the building with Senri.
Kazuna sitting beside Alan stared at him continuously.
The IV Cannula continuously dripping reached Alan's hand. Alan's expression slightly pale yet strong flickered with the sun rays which hit him gently as he breathed in and out nimbly. Rauf eyeing the two of them stared outside the window with his arms crossed, his expression grim. As silent as it could be, the room emitted the sight of a graveyard.
Breaking the silence Rauf spoke up sarcatic, "How long are you going to stay here and mourn over? He isnt dead yet."
Kazuna gritted his teeth, not daring to reply.
"To think he won't even tell you. Seems, like even as his partner you lost his trust." Rauf taunted.
Grasping Alan's finger tightly, Kazuna gritted his teeth deeper. Staying as silent as he could he instantly took a deep breath in, asking with his expression blackened, "So you knew it all along hun?"