Chapter 24

Waking up. In this entirely different body. Free. Light. Energized.

Nakahiga ako sa malamig at mabuhanging semento pero parang tanggap iyon ng katawan ko. Parang walang halong panlilimahid ang suhestiyon ng utak ko. I feel totally fine.

Pakiramdam ko'y tuluyan na akong iniwan ng mga bagay na bumabagabag saakin nitong nakalipas na araw. Para akong isang normal na mamamayan na hindi takot mabisto ng mga outcross. This feeling. It's like my whole identity is hidden.

Wala nang nagtatalong enerhiya sa katawan ko. Walang mabigat na dibdib na binabalot ng takot, pangamba at pagdududa. Is it done? Have I crossed the qualification to. become a hybrid? Wala na ba sa dugo ko ang pagiging either urion or outcross?

"Kiera... Kiera." Mahinang tawag ng pamilyar na boses mula sa likuran ko. It was Phelan who soon started to pull me closer. Nakaupo na ito sa sahig habang sinusubukang alalayan ako para sumandal sa dibdib nito. He did it. Effortlessly.

Our eyes met. Ngumiti ito ng tipid saka hinawi ang buhok na nakaharang sa mukha ko.

"Is it done?" I asked.

"Yes." He whispers.

Magsasalita pa sana ako nang biglang pinutol ng malulutong na palakpak ng isa pang lalaki sa lugar na 'yon ang sasabihin ko. Pula pa rin ang buhok nito, walang gusot ang kasuotan at malinis ang pangangatawan.

"Pwede nang bumangon bago makaamoy ang mga langgam!" Singhal nito saamin ni Phelan.

Phelan managed to pull me gently as he moved his limbs up. Bumungad saakin ang nakangising mukha ng hybrid na si Roen na tila nanunudyo.

"Both of you just became undetected by the clashing urions and outcross pero halatang-halata ang attraction sa inyon dalawa. Did you two just become an item?"

"N-no!" I barked. 

Roen chuckled. A genuine laugh I supposed. He has that kind of laugh with no inhibitions. His expressions portray freedom. Even peace, of course minus the clan wars, if the situation is not harsh. 

Nakasandal pa rin si Roen sa isang sulok habang ako'y nakahanap ng isang bloke ng lumang semento para maupuan. Phelan remained slouching on the floor. 

"No one has to know that you have finally become a hybrid, Kiera, Phelan." Sumeryosong sambit ng hybrid na may pulang buhok. 

"Babalik ako sa pagiging outcross?" Nalilitong tanong ni Phelan. His face was full of confusion and of the doubt. "That means killing the innocents, and even my own kind."

"They're no longer your own kind, Phelan. Both of you are hybrids. Not an outcross, nor an urion." Usal ni Roen. Humakbang ito ng ilang pulgada bago nagpatuloy. "You're going to be double agents."

My head starts to probe all the angles. The LOU wants the outcross dead and the outcross wants the same. Since we have become a hybrid, why don't we just step back and leave since we're already undetected?

"B-bakit kailangan nating makisawsaw pa sa digmaan ng dalawang grupo?" Sa wakas ay nagawa kong usisain. I just can't work for and with this guy without clearing things up. Hindi pa rin malinaw saakin kung ano ang gustong mangyari ng lalaki. 

"Staying in LOU can get you to the answer of your parents' death, Kiera. Phelan, I know that everything is a blur right now, including the real you. That's the reason why both of you should stay as double agents. You need answers and I need them too before I introduce you to them. We both have eyes to LOU and the outcross."

"Them who, Roen?" Phelan was alerted with the word. 

Even I, silently asked, "Who are 'them'?"

Roen paused for a while. Parang napakahalaga para dito ang kontrolin ang kung ano man ang susunod na sasabihin. Ginulo-gulo nito ang kulay dugong buhok saka nagsalita. "You'll meet them when you're worth it. Trust me in this, Kiera, Phelan. I am the only person you know who understands you. I am like you. I am your own kind."

"But what if, just like the outcross or the urions who made us believe we're like them, you're not the one to trust?" Usal pa rin ni Phelan na ngayo'y nakatayo na sa sahig. 

"I should have killed you earlier. Walang mawawala saakin kapag hindi niyo ako pinakinggan. I was sent here to help you. Both of you. Maay mahalaga kang gagampanan sa hinaharap Kiera. That's why I need you to stay in LOU. Finish the encrypted mission including the retrieving of the Zero artifacts."

"The Zero artifacts..." I gasped. Biglang bumalik sa alaala ko ang mga pinapakuhang artifacts ng LOU kasama si Rumina at Kelvin. 

"You have to complete them. Sa oras na makompleto mo ang Zero artifacts, that's the only time that you can meet them."

***

Laman pa rin ng isip ko ang naging usapan namin nina Roen at Phelan. The guy said we have no choice but pretend to be our old race, ako bilang isang urion, because it's the only way we can get answers. 

By the sound of Roen's words, it looked like all the outcross and urions are enemies. Pero papaano na ang mga pillars na pinagkakatiwalaan ko? They seemed so nice to me. Paano na si Friedan? Si Zilla?

Did he mean I can't trust them too?

Pasado alas sais na ng hapon nang makarating ako sa bahay. Maingat kong binuksan ang tarangkahan at patay-malisyang tinungo ang pintuan. The door creaked as I open it. May tao sa loob. Ramdam ng sistema kong naroon si Friedan. 

Huminga ako ng malalim bago tuluyang pumasok. 

Sa pangalawang hakbang ko'y nakita ko ang nakaupong lalaki sa may mahabang sofa. Nagtama ang aming mga paningin. Nagulat ito na tila nakakita ng isang multo. Dahan-dahan nitong ibinaba ang binabasang magazine nang hindi pinapakawalan ang mga titig saakin. 

"H-how did you do that?" He asked. 

Then I looked confused. Bewildered. "Did what?" 

"Hindi ko naramdaman ang pagdating mo. I only noticed you when the door cracked."

"Unlike the normal way na ilang metro pa lang ang distansya ng kotse ay alam mong ako na 'yon?"

He nodded. Then he waited for an answer which I feel obliged to respond because of his intimidating look. 

"I don't know? I just keep my cool and calm my heart like a hibernating fish. Glad it works!" I lied. 

Hindi ko alam kung naniwala ito sa sinabi ko. Knowing Friedan who has sent a lot of spies in school, I suspect he knows what really happened. Lalo na't kakatapos lang ng solar eclipse, there will be a lot of predictions about me and the rest of the unique urions slash outcross. Kahit hindi sabihin ng lalaki na alam nito ang buong pagkatao ko, I can see by his gestures how sure he is when it comes to me. 

Ngayon lang nag-sink in saakin kung bakit bantay-sarado ako nito pati na ng mga pillars—'yon ay dahil hindi ako pangkaraniwang urion lang. Isa akong hybrid. 

Friedan graciously stood from the sofa. Malumanay itong naglakad patungo sa kusina at doon nagsalin ng tsaa sa naghihintay na mug. Mula sa kusina, nagawa nitong tanungin, "Have you been keeping secrets from me, Kiera?"

Natigilan ako sa paghakbang paakyat sa kwarto. Muli akong bumaling dito at sumagot, "Do I have the ability to do so? Everybody knows how many spies you have sent in school to watch my every move. Don't tell me they're delivering minimal news cause I might call myself too damn good for that!"

"There. You turned eighteen and you're becoming like that. I wonder what dad could t-"

"I am not your sister, Friedan. Stop treating me like a kid who always need your shadow to survive the day."

"I'm trying to protect you!" Singhal nito.

"Are you?"

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