-Alexi-

NANATILI akong nakapikit habang may nakakabit na mga wire sa ulo ko. I don't know what these wires are for. They're different colors. It causes vibration in my head. It's like I'm in the experimenting room and I'm their guinea pig. Well, I'm in the laboratory, so it's no different from the experimenting room. They strictly warned me not to open my eyes or else my eyes would be lased. I know what they're doing to me. I passed the few months of staying here so they needed to perform this kind of thing to my head.

An hour elapsed before it finished. Tinanggal na nila ang mga wire na nakakabit sa ulo ko at pinabangon sa malamig na metal. I felt dizzy, and I couldn't see the people wearing laboratory gowns around me, but I did see the naked girl inside the capsule-like aquarium. That's my clone. They transferred some of my memories inside her head. They do it to all the people of Sonkan when they passed the few months of being here alive.

She exactly looked like me. I wonder if that clone would imitate my personality and the way I think just by absorbing data into my head and transferring it to her. It's scary how these people can make it happen.

"Amazing, right?"

I turned my head to look at Hermione. She's the one who ushered me here and explained some things even though I had an idea what they're gonna do to me.

"In case you die, you can live again. We can bring everyone back to life. If only the world knew this thing, no one would be in pain for losing someone"

I want to laugh straight at Hermione's face for her crazy blabbering. They're crazy scientists. They have all gone crazy, thinking everything is all about science. Tumayo na ako at umalis sa pwesto ko. Naglakad palabas ng pinto.

"Don't have time for random chitchats Red Lady" I muttered before I opened the door to get out. Talking to her or even utter a response would be such a waste of saliva. Paglabas ko ng pinto ay nandoon si Coleen. Agad ako nitong niyakap. Muntik na akong matumba kaya't inalalayan niya ako.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I just feel dizzy and drained out" mahina kong sambit.

"You should rest first"

I nodded and went our way back to the dorm. It's been six months since the purging happened. The pain that was inflicted on us is still here in our hearts. And we're trying to heal from it. Our life continues after that. We have no choice but to keep going. Ang five hundred plus na nakasurvive sa purging ay pabawas ng pabawas. 'Yun ay dahil sa Friday killings at Art of death (kung meron parin). Wala silang balak tigilan ang paglalaro sa aming mga buhay. Luck has been on my side. That is why I'm still alive now.

Bago makarating sa aming dorm building ay nadaanan namin ang malaking TV screen sa quadrangle. I heard there are thousands of people expecting to enroll here. Malapit na naman ang panibagong school year. I wonder kung karamihan sa mga 'yon ay freshmen or nasa sophomore na at lilipat lamang ng university. Panibagong buhay na paglalaruan.

Nang makarating sa dorm ay saglit kong ihiniga ang likod sa malambot na kama. I let my body relaxed. I really feel weak. Tila galing ako ng operasyon. Dumako ang tingin ko kay Coleen sa side table at hawak ang isang picture frame. Hindi ko man malinaw na nakikita ang litratong hawak niya ngunit alam kong picture nilang dalawa 'yon ni Joan. I know there's no day would passed that she didn't miss her. So am I. It hurts me because I couldn't do anything but to watch my friend suffer in pain.

Ilang minuto ang lumipas nang dalawin ako ng antok at kusa na lamang pumikit ang aking mga mata.

"What if the blueprint might still hidden somewhere"

A few months passed, and we were able to raise a secret group. Like a rebel people who gathered together to stand against the law. Our school foolish law. The familiar faces which I haven't seen in a while are here. Including Shane, Fare, and Chad. Nandito kami sa forest kung saan namamalagi si Felicity. She has a secret cabin here kaya ito ang napili naming gawing kuta kapag may pagpupulong kami. This is the safest place where we could meet together since the dean has all eyes everywhere, and according to her, ito lang ang tanging parte ng Sonkan na hindi alam ng Dean. So far, we've been meeting here for months, and no Sonkan Guards or whatever school staff has visited to arrest us.

Nakatingin kaming lahat kay Fare na siyang nagsalita. Nasa harapan nila ako ngayon at kasalukuyang dinidiscuss ang bilang ng gusali ng Sonkan na nalista namin. Sa mga nagdaang buwan ay wala kaming ginawa kundi pag-aralan ang buong struktura ng Sonkan. Now we have 36 buildings on the list. Napakalaki ng Sonkan at para itong jigsaw puzzle na unti unti naming binubuo upang mahanap ang daan palabas.

"Even if it still exists, where on earth could we possibly find them?" sarkastikong tanong ni Shane. At first, I thought she'd never be in our group, but there was a time one day when she knocked on the door and decided to join the team.

I already explained to them all of the details about the Blueprint, the revolution 7 years ago, and other information they need to know so they will understand why this group was created and what their purpose is for them to be our allies. Ngayon ang pinaniniwalaan naming lahat ay wala na ang blueprint kaya gumagwa kami ng alternatibong mapa. I know it may take a while, but I hope we succeed.

Fare pursed her lips to shut her mouth dahil hindi na nito alam ang sasabihin. Biglang nagsalita si Felicity kaya lumipat ang tingin namin sa kanya.

"Kahit mahanap natin ang Blueprint, isang tao lang ang kilala kong mababasa 'yon"

"Yeah, but he's dead," Shane snorted. "Unless we can wake a dead person from his grave and pass the Blueprint to decode it for us" sinamahan niya pa ito ng mahinang pagtawa.

"Or maybe have some respect for that dead person before I shoot the cocky tongue of yours," Coleen said in a warning manner as her eyes looked at Shane menacingly. I sighed. I do understand why she reacted that way. Si Gregor ang pinakamalapit nitong kaibigan noon.

I coughed fakely to clear the tension between them. "Back to our discussion" I retracted their attention. "This 36 buildings on the drawing are not the full structure of Sonkan yet. Sa ngayon kailangan natin ilista ang lahat ng building sa Sonkan at ang daan nito. Kung makukumpleto natin ang buong struktura ng Sonkan, posibleng may mahanap tayong daan palabas" pinagmasdan ko ang taimtim nilang pakikinig at ang iba'y napapatango pa. Binaba ko ang isa pang white board mula sa taas. We have three folding whiteboard so this is where I write and draw our plan.

"Now I wanna know kung natatandaan nyo pa ang daan kung paano kayo dito nakapasok sa Sonkan..." Saglit akong napatigil upang hanapin ang tatlong taong dapat kanina pa nandito. "Have you seen the three Mobs?" I'm referring to Al Capone, Callista and Kaiden. Mahigit isang oras na silang late sa meeting namin.

Nagkatinginan silang lahat at doon lang nila napansin na wala ang tatlong Mobster. Before Shane, Fare and Chad, they're one of the first people I recruited to be on this team.

"Oo nga no. Kanina pa sila wala" Shane muttered with her head turning to search for their presence.

"Baka nandito na din sila maya maya" Chad presumed.

No. They never been this late. Those three are punctual especially Al Capone. He values time more than everything. Bagamat may hindi kapanatagan sa kalooban ay tinuloy ko na lamang ang diskusyon. Ilang minuto lang ang nakakalipas nang biglang may kumatok sa pinto. It was multiple knocks coming from someone as if they are in a hurry. Tumayo si Coleen para buksan ang pinto.

Our jaw all dropped when Callista greeted us on the door with stain of blood scattered on her face. She looks tired and weak. Bago pa man magtanong ang isa sa amin kung ano ang nangyari ay sinagot na niya ito. "We need your help. Ghettos are attacking us"

What happened next was we found ourselves running out of the woods, going to the place Callista told us. We get ourselves ready, holding any weapon we could use. My heart is pounding fast. Ghettos are on the move again. Mukhang sinasamantala nila ang pagkakataon dahil kakaunti nalang ang bilang ng Mobsters.

"Hey! Why are we running there?" Napalingon kami sa sumigaw na si Shane. Saglit kaming napatigil dahil doon. Nakatungkod ang dalawa niyang kamay sa tuhod. "We're not Mobs are we?"

Hindi nalang namin siya pinansin at nagpatuloy sa pagtakbo hanggang sa dinala kami ng aming mga paa sa labas building ng mga Mobster. Ang kanilang headquarters.

"What's today?" Tanong ni Coleen.

"Today is Friday" sagot ni Fare.

"That explains" sabat ni Felicity.

Because of the traumatic experiences we've gone through, people here are no longer afraid to Friday. Kung dati'y nanginginig kami sa takot at hinihiling na sana wala nalang ang Friday sa kalendaryo, ngayon ay wala nalang sa amin ito. Nandoon padin ang pag-iingat pero sadyang nalagpasan lang namin ang takot.

"Let's go guys" I announced to them. I was holding a steel baseball bat. Pagkasabi ko no'n ay sabay sabay kaming pumasok sa building.

Pagbukas pa lamang ng elevator ay may kalaban ng bumungad sa amin. Hinampas ko sa ulo ang kalabang nakaharang at sina Fare at Chad ay sinunggaban naman ang sumunod. Nauna kaming tatlo ni Coleen at Callista na lumabas sa elevator. Nagkakagulo sa buong hallway. Tumatalsik ang mga dugo sa iba't ibang direksyon na humalo sa kanilang sigaw. Ang isang building ay pagmamay-ari ng Mobsters. It's my first time to be here in their hideout. Hindi ko alam na sa unang pagtapak ko dito ay ganito ang sasalubong sa amin.

"Help!"

Napatingin ako sa sumigaw. It was Shane. Kasalakuyan siyang pinagtutulungan ng dalawang Ghetto na babae. Tinulak ko ang kalabang kaharap ko ngayon at nang magtangka itong lumapit ay hinampas ko siya sa tagiliran. She whined for life until her knees fell on the floor. Umayos ako ng tayo at tumakbo sa kinaroroonan ni Shane. Hinawakan ko sa magkabilang dulo ang baseball bat at ginamit itong pangsakal sa leeg ng isang babaeng Ghetto. I pulled her off from Shane. Nang isa nalang ang kalaban ni Shane ay hinila niya ito sa buhok at sinabunutan.

I'm not a good fighter ever since. In fact, I don't fight. It's just I got to learn some moves so I can defend myself. Sa kabilang banda naman ay abala si Coleen sa pakikipagsparring sa apat na Ghetto'ng nakapalibot sa kanya hanggang sa dumami sila. I want to help her but this girl seems stronger than me. I cannot even hold her longer. Nakawala siya sa pagkakasakal ko ng baseball sa kanya at siniko niya ako sa sikmura. Halos manghina ang buong kalamnan ko pero hindi ako nagpatinag.

She hit me again by the elbow and did it multiple times until I let go of her. Sa panghihina ay nabitawan ko ang baseball bat. Iniiwasan kong mapaluhod at nanatili lang na nakatayo habang sapo sapo ang sikmura ko. The girl I fought took the baseball bat I dropped and raised her arm to hit me but a flying foot from someone came to rescue. It was Callista who jumped and kicked the girl's face. Her head turned sideward and I can imagine how painful it is. The girl passed out.

"Next time I'll teach you to kick like that. Let's go. Puntahan na natin sila kuya"

Tumango ako at sumunod kay Callista. We haven't reached the doorway of their quarters yet but I can see some people being thrown outside. Ang iba'y humahampas na ang likod sa pader dahil sa malakas na pagkakahagis sa kanila. Bago pa kami makapasok sa loob ay lumabas sina Al Capone. I stood in awe as I looked at his face. Duguan ang ulo nito at kalahati ng mukha niya ay nakulayan ng dugo.

"Kaiden!" Both Callista and I screamed in chorus as we saw Kaiden. Akay akay siya ni Al Capone. May kutsilyong nakatarak sa kanyang tagiliran at pwersahan niya 'yong hinugot. He ached in pain.

"We need to bring him to the clinic" Al Capone announced.

Agad na tumalima si Callista at nagsilapitan ang ibang Mobster para tulungang akayin si Kaiden. Maraming nakahandusay dito sa hallway. Ghettos and Mobs. Some are unconscious, some are whining in pain unable to stand up. May isang Ghetto na paparating, may hawak na kutsilyo at akmang sasaksakin sa likod si Al Capone ngunit mabilis na tumarak ang pana ni Coleen sa dibdib nito. Nataong dumating sa harap nila Al Capone si Coleen kaya agad niya itong nakita.

Coleen darted her glance at me. "We'll clear the way. He's losing lots of blood"

I nodded as I get what she meant. She's referring to Kaiden. Tumabi ako kay Coleen at hinanda ang baseball bat. Binantayan naming maigi ang mga Ghetto na nasa sahig dahil baka manlaban pa sila. Sunod na lumapit sa amin ang tatlo sina Fare, Chad at Shane. Ang ibang mga Mobs naman ay tinulungan ang mga kasama nilang tumayo at sumama kina Al Capone para pumunta ng Clinic. They're also needing medical attention. Minutes passed and Felicity arrived on the scene, carrying yards of rope.

Pinutol niya ang tamang haba ng lubid at hinagis sa amin ang natira. "These folks needs to be tied up"

Hinayaan na naming mauna sina Al Capone sa clinic at naiwan kami ditong anim na nagtatali sa walang malay na mga Ghetto. Pinagtitipon tipon namin sila sa gitna at saka isa isang tinatalian. I glanced at their walking figures while they're carrying Kaiden and other folks. Hindi pa tuluyang nakakalayo sina Al Capone nang may marinig akong pamilyar na boses mula sa likuran namin.

"You guys cannot go away with this"

Nilingon namin ang nagsalita. It was Ardizonne with his troops. I see. He sent some of his men to attack the Mobs. This guy is still alive. I haven't seen him in a while. How I wish he was included as one of the people who got bombed. He doesn't deserve to exist anyway. His smug look painted on his face as if he achieved something victorious.

"As long as I'm here, I'm going to eliminate every Mob that is living"

"Ano bang mapapala mo sa pananakit sa mga Mobster?" I spoke out. I finally had the courage to talk face to face the leader of The Ghettos. Kung dati'y isa sila sa kinakatakutan ko, ngayon ay isa na lamang silang ordinaryong mga tao sa akin. "Can you just stop with your gang rivalry?"

Sa isang iglap ay biglang nagbago ang expression ni Ardizonne. Dinuro ako nito. "You! Who do you think you are? You don't know anything!" Bumaling ito sa mga kasama niya. "This woman annoys me. Get her"

Coleen stepped forward and shielded her hand to me. "Not her, brother"

Ngumiti ng nakakaloko si Ardizonne. "Oh, you're still alive my dear sister" tumingin ito sa iba ko pang mga kasama. "Is this the exchange of your betrayal to us? Teaming up with Mobsters?"

Ramdam ko ang galit sa tono ng kanyang boses. Halos lumabas na ang ugat nito sa leeg. If his piercing stare towards his sister was a real bullet, it would kill her any moment.

"I didn't betray you, brother. I wanna help you to build your gang stronger but I don't want to be a puppet. I joined to save you from the Dean, but I guess that's not the case," sagot ni Coleen. Since I first saw them together, I knew they never had a good sibling relationship.

"Whatever you say, Veronica. I should have killed you"

"Same to you, brother. I should have pierced the arrow to your heart if you'll just continue being evil like this"

Lumawak ang ngisi ni Ardizonne. "Who's more evil between us?" Naglabas ito ng patalim at tinutok 'yon kay Coleen. "This is your last warning, Veronica. I don't want to see your face anymore or else, I'll kill you for real"

Bumaling ang tingin ni Ardizonne kila Al Capone. Nakababa na sila ng hagdan. Kumuyom ang kamao nito. "Catch them. Kill them all" utos niya sa mga kasama nang hindi nakatingin sa kanila.

Akmang susundan ng mga Ghettos si Al Capone ngunit tumayo si Felicity. May hawak itong bote ng likido. I don't know what liquid is that until she poured it to the head of Ghettos we tied. "Leave if you don't want your fellows to be fried up"

I sniffed it. Nanlalaki ang mata ko na nakatingin kay Felicity. It's a fuel. Binuksan niya pa ang isang bote at binuhos 'yon sa sahig, sa harap nila Ardizonne. I blinked my eyes as Felicity smiled creepily to them holding a lighter.

"Whoah! Ghost starting a fire" rinig kong bulalas ni Shane.

Ardizonne's troops grudgingly stepped back. Tiningnan lang kami ng masama ni Ardizonne habang nakakuyom ang kamao nito.

Sinenyasan ko ang mga kasama ko na sumunod kina Al Capone. "Tara na"

We walked backwards while looking at them, observing if they will move a single step to follow us. Nakataas padin ang lighter ni Felicity na ginawa niyang panakot sa kanila. We found ourselves settling at the living room of their..I don't know what's it called. Para itong malaking bahay na maraming silid. It's a two storey house or maybe their dormitory. Nagkatipon tipon kami ditong lahat na animo'y may pagpupulong. Kakatapos lang gamutin ni Kaiden pati ang iba pang sugatang Mobs at ngayon ay kasalakuyan silang nagpapahinga sa kanilang mga kwarto.

We're having a cup of coffee that Al Capone served to us. It's Friday today, and it's getting late outside, so he offered us a place to stay in tonight. It's like a Deja Vu for us since it happened before. Remember the purging days?

"We have spare rooms for you. You can sleep there" Al Capone announced to us.

"How's Kaiden?" Bigla kong tanong. Bumaling ng tingin sa akin si Al Capone. Walang emosyon gaya ng palaging nakapunta sa kanyang mukha.

"He's fine"

I nodded. I looked down to the coffee I was drinking and continue sipping it. Sinandal ko ang ulo ko sa headrest ng sofa. Tumayo si Coleen at nagpaalam na magpapahangin lang sa labas.

"I'll go as well" paalam ni Felicity.

Tinanguan ko lamang sila. Maya maya'y naibaba ko ang tasa ng kape dahil biglang kumirot ang kamay ko. I looked at it and there's a bruise at the side of my palm. I don't know where did I get it. Probably sa mga isa sa nakaengkwentro kong Ghetto. I stood up and excuse myself to ask anybody here for a first aid kit.

I was roaming around when my face bumped into somebody's chest. Muntik pa akong matumba dahil doon. I looked up to see who it was and automatically said 'sorry'

"Reigan?"

Matangkad ito kaya kinailangan ko pang tumingala. Seryoso lang ang mukha nito na nakatingin sa akin hanggang sa dumako ang tingin nito sa isa kong kamay. I unconsciously hid it behind my back. Nagulat ako nang hilahin niya ang isa kong braso at mabilis na naglakad sa kung saan.

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Thanks for reading!