Chapter 3

He stepped back as soon as the woman uttered his name. The confusion sets in his face. He clearly doesn't have an idea who the woman is. Ngayon niya lang ito nakita at sa isip-isip niya, she has an intention of coming at him. Kailangan niya maging alerto. Ilang hakbang lamang ang layo nito sa kanya at may posibilidad na nagdadala rin ito ng kaiibang abilidad.

The woman wears a black trench coat that goes under her knee. Maayos ding napusod ang buhok nito na tila ba naninigkad ang buhok niya sa sobrang higpit nang pagkaytatali. Hindi makilala ni Lockey babae dahil nakasuot ito ng deep black shades.

"You don't have to be afraid of me, Lockey. Hindi ako kalaban. Hindi kita sasaktan," the woman reassured him.

Pero hindi napanatag si Lockey sa binitawan niyang salita. "Hindi nga kita kilala. Pa'no naman ako makasisigurado na hindi mo ako sasaktan? Siguro isa ka sa kanila 'no?"

The woman made a little laughed. Mas nangingibabaw na ang kaba sa dibdib ni Lockey pero hindi niya ininda iyon dahil kapag pinakita niyang naduduwag siya, maaaring may masamang mangyari sa kanya. At iyon ang iniiwasan niyang mangyari.

"I'm not like them, Lockey," seryosong tugon nito. "I'm not someone who you think I am. Hindi mo ako kalaban."

"Then why don't you just introduce your name? Bakit nagpapaka-mysterious ka pa ha?!"

"You'll know in the right time."

Lockey scoffed. "Kalokohan. Pinadala ka ng mayor 'no?"

She smirked, almost wanting to laugh it out loud, but kept her composure. "Who do you think I am? I'm not like them. I'm not part of his military response. I'm actually against his governance and I know you are as well. Believe me, I know everything."

"So, you're a psychic? Someone who has the ability to know things thru the mind."

"That's telepathy, but that's alright, you have all the time to learn these things."

Kumusot ang mukha ni Lockey. Hindi niya maintindihan kung anong sinasabi ng babae. Nagsimula naman itong maglakad papalapit sa kanya. Patuloy rin naman si Lockey sa pag-atras papalayo sa kanya.

"Calm down, Lockey. Just like what I said, you don't have to be afraid of me."

Umiling naman muli ito. "Kahit na."

"I know your father, Lockey," pagbitaw nito na siyang dahilan upang manginig ang kanyang kalamnan. Matalim naman ang tingin niya sa babae. "I know he has an ability to run at a speed of light and yet he wasn't able to save his life. I know everything and who you really are."

"Kalokohan ka talaga."

"You may think of that right now. but once you know us and what we do, you'll have a goal to end this cruelty. You have a promising ability, Lockey and you might not know about that, but we're here to guide you through it."

Napangisi naman si Lockey. "You know what, I'm tired of your jokes."

"You can avenge your best friend, Lockey," she said and his eyes stuck on her. Namuo ang kamao nito.

"May kasalanan ka ba sa pagkamatay niya?" nanggigigil na usal nito.

Umiling ang babae. "Wala, but I can help you avenge and give justice to what happened to him. You know it's not an accident."

Bahagyang nilingon ni Lockey ang puntod ng kanyang kaibigan. Keith has a lot of dreams. They both dreamed of getting into the same university and work right after. They've always been together for life and now that Lockey lost someone a part of him again, he felt so much anger and he doesn't know who deserves that anger rooted in him. Is it the one who killed his friend or the one who govern the city?

"I know it's rough, Lockey," she said. Lockey raised his head to see her face. "If you can't decide right now, that's fine." She said and when she got closer to him, she pulled out a card and handed it over to him.

Lockey took the card from her hand and read it. "CAPES?"

"That's what our organization called. It's a mystery from the government. You have our number there, call us if you already decided what's good for you. We'll see each other again, Lockey."

She patted his shoulder and walked passed by him. Tinitigan naman ni Lockey ang card kung saan naka-imprenta ang ilang information patungkol sa organization na ito. Nang iangat niya ang kanyang ulo at lingunin ang babae ay mistulang naglaho ito sa paligid. Naiwan na lamang siyang nakatayo at gulong-gulo sa mga nangyayari.

Hindi rin niya maialis sa isipan niya ang binanggit ng babaeng iyon.

Ako? May abilidad?

Lockey knew his father is what they called an abomination, but he never had his ability and thought he's only just a normal human being. But whatever she's saying to him clearly brought a whole new world for him.

***

What does the CAPES stand for?

No results found.

What is CAPES organization?

No results found.

Lockey has been searching it online and found nothing. Gusto niyang mainis dahil nauubos lang ang oras niya. Iniisip niyang baka pinaglalaruan lang din siya nito. Who would believe to someone na may ganitong organization na against sa government? At ito naman siya ngayon, punong-puno ng kuryusidad ang isip dahil gusto na niyang hanapan ng sagot ang lahat.

Gusto niyang magkaroon ng hustisya ang pagkamatay ng kanyang kaibigan. Gusto niya ring alamin kung anong nalalaman ng CAPES na ito sa kanyang ama.

Nakahanap naman ng discussion group si Lockey na naglalaman patungkol sa mga abomination at kung ano-ano pa man. He kept looking for threads about something that refers to his question. Until he scrolled down to the last page and saw the thread of Superhero cape? He's not really sure what it really was and it has no discussion in it, only a few and was posted nine months ago.

He bumped the thread up by posting What's CAPES?

Lockey locked his eyes on the screen and waited for some responses, but nothing came in. Napahugot na lamang siya ng malalim na buntonghininga at napasandal sa kanyang kinauupuan.

"This is a hopeless case," aniya. Inunat niya ang kanyang braso at napagpasyahang lumabas na lamang muna ng kanyang kwarto at tumungo sa kusina.

Nang makarating ito sa kusina, hindi pa man ito tuluyang nakapapasok sa kusina ay ay napansin niya ang taong hindi siya pamilyar. Natigilan siya at ineksamina kung sino iyong lalaking nagluluto sa kusina. Hindi naman siya napapansin nito at patuloy lang sa ginagawa niya. Lockey stepped back and look for her auntie around the room.

Agad naman niyang nahanap ang kanyang tita na nasa sala at nanonood lamang ng TV.

"Tita!" halos pabulong na tawag ni Lockey sa kanya. Napalingon din naman kaagad ito at may bakas nang pagkagulat pa sa mukha nito.

"Lockey, nakauwi ka na pala?"

Tumango naman ang kanyang pamangkin. "Kanina pa po..."

"Gano'n ba? Hindi kita napansin..." pagtataka nito sabay kamot sa ulo.

"Tita, ano, sino 'yong nasa kusina ngayon?"

"Oh! Nakita mo na pala siya, nagkakilala na kayo?"

Muli namang umiling si Lockey. "Hindi pa... akala ko nga kung sino pero base sa reaksyon mo, mukhang kilala mo 'yon. Sino 'yon, tita?"

"Ah, alam mo na." Hagikgik pa nito.

Mayamaya lamang ay lumabas ng kusina ang taong pinag-uusapan nilang dalawa at tumungo sa kusina. Una kaagad nitong napansin si Lockey na kausap ang kanyang tita.

"Dinner's ready," anunsyo nito dahilan na tumapon ang atensyon ng dalawa sa kanya. Nagningning naman ang mata ni Amora at dali-daling umalis sa kinauupuan niya at dinaluhan ang lalaking ngayon lamang nakita ni Lockey. Nagkatitigan naman si Lockey at ang lalaki. "If I'm not mistaken, ikaw si Lachlan."

Tumango naman ito. "Yes po."

"Lockey na lang itawag mo sa kanya," sagot ng Tita Amora niya. "Mas nakasanayan na 'yon ng karamihan. Anyway, if you remember 'yong sinasabi ko sa 'yo before na may nanliligaw sa akin? Single no more na ang tita mo ngayon. Here's Gage Thomas, my boyfriend."

"Ahhh..." iyon lamang ang reaksyon na binitawan ni Lockey. "E 'di, ayos."

Gage laughed. "Nice to finally meet you, Lockey. Nagkita rin tayo sa wakas."

Napakunot na lamang ng noo si Lockey. "Ah, talaga ba? Kailan lang ba kayo nagkakilala?"

"Two months ago, 'di ba, babe?" Lingon pa nito sa tita niya. Halos tayuan ng balahibo sa katawan si Lockey nang panoorin niya ang tita niya at bago nitong boyfriend.

"Ilang taon ka na, Gage?" dagdag na tanong ni Lockey.

""Alam mo, Lockey, mamaya ka na magtanong nang magtanong. Kumain na muna tayo and we'll take it over there, ayos ba?"

"Let's go na, I've cooked steak for all of us." Ngiti pa ni Gage.

As they headed to the dining area, halos wala namang pakialam si Lockey sa kung anong gustong gawin ng tita niya sa relationship niya. He knows she's old enough to have one. Sabik na sabik na rin kasi magkaanak 'yon and she's always meeting guys na hindi swak sa personality niya and he guesses, Gage could be the right one for her.

Gage told them to stay still on their seats as he prepared the meal for them. Pinapanood lamang ni Locke yang tita niya na panay ang tingin sa boyfriend nito. They couldn't even stop kissing each other at gustong umalis na lang ni Lockey sa kinauupuan niya at bumalik sa ginagawa niyang pananaliksik.

"I hope you like my steak, Lachlan—I mean, Lockey. Sorry, nasanay lang din ako."

"Pero madalas ko namang banggitin sa 'yo na Lockey ang pangalan niya," ani Amora. "Anyway, sana nga magustuhan mo ang luto ni Gage, pamangks. He cooks for me, as well, at hindi lang bibig ko ang nabubusog. Buong katawan ko na—ay sorry na, nadala lang."

"I'll try," Lockey uttered and started slicing a piece of meat and then munched it. Napansin naman niya nakatingin ang dalawa sa kanya at inaabangan ang komento nito. Saglit lamang ay tumango-tango na si Lockey matapos manguya ang steak. "Pwede na... pero medyo matigas pa pero ayos na."

Gage sighed and nodded his head. "That's alright, at least it was an honest feedback. But I'm glad it tasted good for you."

Tahimik na lamang na ipinagpatuloy ni Locke yang pagkain niya.

"So, Lockey," pagtawag ni Amora. Nilingon naman siya nito. "We're planning if Gage would stay here with us from now on. Well, kung ayos lang sa 'yo."

"Yup, if you're not comfortable then it's fine," dagdag ni Gage.

"Hmmm, Lockey?" ani Amora.

Napakibit-balikat naman ito. "Kayong bahala. Ayos lang din naman sa akin... just don't get inside my room. That's my private space."

"I understand," Gage said. "So, it's a yes?"

"Sabi ko nga, kayong bahala," pag-uulit ni Lockey.

"Yes!" Amora exclaimed. Para siyang nagwagi sa isang contest nang marinig ang sinabi ng kanyang pamangkin. Hinarap naman ni Amora ang kanyang boyfriend. "Bukas pupunta tayo sa hostel na tinutuluyan mo and we'll picked up your things there."

"Sure, not a problem," Gage said. "Thanks, Lachlan."

Lockey only pressed a smile and continued eating his dinner. As soon as he finished his meal, he excused himself and then before he went back upstairs, he stayed just outside the kitchen and hear if they both talked about him and he's not wrong.

"Good thing, Lachlan agreed," Gage said.

"Syempre naman, he's been through worst and I'm the only one he's leaning on at dahil nandito ka na, maybe you could help him as well."

"Well, I'll try..."

Nagpakawala na lamang si Lockey nang buntonghininga saka tumungo pabalik sa kanyang kwarto.

He believes that no one can replace his father. Even though with a few memories, he knew not a single man can be like his father. He wanted to know what happened to his father. There's a lot of things he wanted to know and at this stage, he's far from knowing it.

As he went back to his room and lay down on his bed, he heard a notification from his computer. He immediately backs up on his feet and checks what was the notification for.

AnonymousUser123 commented on your post.

AnonymousUser123: I feel like I know what you're talking about. Send me a private message if you're interested.

And that moment, Lockey is back on track. He's going to find out who's this organization and maybe could help him to find who killed Keith. And once and for all, to end the cruelty in the Summit City.