Chapter 59: So What's the Plan?

GRAY IVAN SILVAN

Amber is the most unpredictable woman that ever existed for me. Yes, she's smart but that trait makes her so stubborn and hardheaded woman to the point that there were moments where I want to tie her down on a chair to keep her from doing things out of her impulse.

Kanina nang pinag-usapan namin ang planong nabuo ni Cooler ay mababakas sa mukha niya ang matinding pagnanais na masira ang Genesis. If there's a thing I admired the most about her, it's her being strong. Amber is a strong woman. It might not be about physical strength but it's emotionally and psychologically. She's been through a lot of things which made her crumble yet she managed to lift herself and do things the right way. Hindi biro ang pinagdaanan niya but here she is now, doing her best to get even. She's very brave to continue to live when she came to the point that she wanted to die.

Ilang minuto rin namin siyang hinintay sa cafeteria ngunit nang makabalik siya ay tila wala na naman siya sa kanyang sarili. She was spaced out at hindi man lamang siya nag-abalang tapunan kami ng tingin. She was staring on the table while her hands was murdering the poor cheesecake.

Nagsalita si Jeremy ngunit hindi man lamang niya napansin ang sinabi nito.

"Ito, may quiz ako! Ilang nurse meron sa Jollibee?"

"Tanga ka ba? Paano magkaka-nurse sa fastfood?" wika ni Math. These two get along so well. Wala yatang araw na hindi sila nagbabangayan. I highly recommend that they should start dating each other.

"Ang dami mo pang sinasabi eh! Ayaw na lang aminin na 'di niya alam! Ikaw, Gray?" tanong ni Jeremy as he turned his gaze on me.

"Ewan," I replied in a bored tone as I divert my gaze from Amber to my food.

"Nah, you're no fun. Ikaw, Bestie?"

Napatingin kaming tatlo kay Amber ngunit tila wala itong narinig. Mahinang tinapik ni Jeremy ang siko niya at saka pa lamang namin nakuha ang kanyang atensyon. "Yes?"

"Sabi ko ilang nurse meron sa Jollibee."

"Depende sa nurse na nandoon?" She replied a question to Jeremy's question. Did she take Jeremy's pun seriously? Kung ganoon ay malalim nga ang iniisip nito at may bumabagabag sa kanya.

"No," nakangising wika ni Jeremy.

"Ilan pala?" Math asked.

"Edi 39 NURSE! Gets niyo? 39 nurse? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

And like he always do, he bursts out into laughter like he'll die if he doesn't laugh. Minsan ay hindi ko maiwasang isipin na may sayad si Jeremy o 'di kaya naman ay isa siyang bakla. But I shoved away such thought as each day passed. May pagka-kwela lang talaga ito but once you know him better, he is a real man. Real man not because he get to do things what usual guys do but because he do things that a real man should do. He respects women and he never hurt one. That is the measure of a real man.

Nag-aalalang napatingin ako kay Amber. "Okay ka lang ba? You're pale at tila ang lalim ng iniisip mo."

She faked a smile at bahagyang tumango. And I know that it's a fake one. I'm very familiar whenever she lie because she's too obvious.

"Are you sure? Baka gusto mo munang pumunta sa infirmary," sabi ni Math ngunit tumanggi pa rin si Amber.

"I'm really fine. Pupunta muna ako sa dorm. My roommates were worried about me kaya pupuntahan ko muna sila." Tumayo siya mula sa pagkakaupo. Mukhang may iniisip nga ito dahil hindi man lamang ito sumubo kahit isang beses. We insisted to take her to the dorm but she declined. Wala kaming nagawa kundi tanawin na lamang ang kanyang papalayong pigura.

"Sayang naman 'tong cake ni Bestie," Jeremy said habang tiningnan ang nagkadurog-durog na cheesecake sa platito ni Amber.

"Anong problema nun?" tanong ni Math.

"Puns, I saw her whispered something to you. Ano ang sinabi niya?"

Bahagyang nag-isip si Jeremy. "You mean the one she whispered at the counter? Tinatanong niya kung palagi ba nating kasama si Math kapag nag-iimbestiga tayo."

Napatigil ako sa tangka kong pagsubo. Maybe she's doubting Math. I know Amber. She trusts so easily and once her trust is broken, mahirap iyong buoin muli.

"I knew it," wika ni Math. "Alam kong wala siyang tiwala sa akin. I can't blame her. Trust is not something that you can give away so easily."

Napabuntong-hininga ako habang nakatingin kay Math. The past months, I can feel that there is gap between her and Amber. Hindi naman dating ganoon si Amber, but something just turned her into someone that we didn't know she will be. But the untrusting Amber now is better than the Amber before. Ayaw kong maulit pa ang nangyari dati na may kinalaman kay Marion. Amber trusted her so much before.

I stood up from my chair at nagpaalam sa kanya. "I have to skip classes to see Alonzo."

Nang makapagpaalam ako sa kanila ay agad akong nag-drive patungo sa Athena. It took me few hours to get there at pagdating ko roon ay naghihintay sa akin sa labas ng gate si Alonzo. He's wearing his varsity uniform at may hawak itong basketball.

Pagbaba ko ng kotse ay agad niya akong sinalubong ng bola niya. If I haven't been fast enough to catch the ball ay baka tinamaan na ako sa mukha. I glared at him at nang tuluyan siyang makalapit sa akin ay isang malutong na suntok sa mukha niya ang pinakawalan ko.

Napasigaw ang ilang mga nakakita at nang iniangat ni Alonzo ang mukha niya ay dumudugo ang gilid ng labi nito.

"That felt so good, Silvan," nakangising wika niya at inakbayan ako but in reality he is choking me. I tried my best to free myself and when I successfully did ay may sinilip siya sa loob ng kotse ko.

"Anong tinitingnan mo diyan?"

Umayos siya ng tayo at umikot sa passenger's side ng kotse at muling sumilip. What the hell is he looking for?

"Nasaan si Special A?" tanong niya at bahagyang nalukot ang kanyang mukha nang mapagtantong hindi ko kasama si Amber.

"Nasa Bridle."

"Bakit hindi mo sinama?" tila disappointed na tanong niya.

"I came here to talk to you about some important matters," panimula ko. Alonzo knows that what I am about to say is something serious. Nabura ang tila disappointed na ekspresyon sa mukha niya at napalitan iyon ng kaseryosohan.

"Let me change for a while at mag-usap tayo sa coffeeshop," wika niya at pumasok sa gate. Nang makapagbihis siya ay agad kaming nagpunta sa pinakamalapit na coffeeshop at nag-usap.

"We're taking risks, Silvan!" mariin na wika ni Alonzo at padabog na ibinaba ang tasa niya. Natapon sa mesa ang ilang laman ng kape but he didn't bother to pick some napkin and wipe the spilled coffee. Katatapos ko lamang sabihin sa kanya ang lahat, maging ang plano.

"I know. We know."

"Pero bakit si Special A? Pwede namang ako! Or ikaw o 'di kaya ay si Jeremy! Bakit kailangang siya pa?" nagtangis ang bagang ni Alonzo ngunit siya na rin mismo ang sumagot sa sarili niyang tanong. "Knowing how stubborn she is, paniguradong hindi rin siya papayag kung hindi siya ang gagawa."

"Exactly," pagsang-ayon ko. "So we have to do our best to talk to him long enough."

"I hate to see him but for Special A, I will," determinadong wika ni Alonzo. Gaya ko ay hindi rin siya halos makapaniwala sa totoong katauhan ni Detective Tross. We both thought that he is a police detective that is our friend ngunit nagkamali kami.

"Let's hope for the best."

***

I'm not a scared type of person ngunit sa ngayon ay hindi ko maiwasang matakot. I know Alonzo felt the same kaya panay ang hawak nito sa kanyang leeg.

"Anong kailangan nila?" mataas ang boses na tanong ng guard sa amin.

"Kailangan naming makausap si Detective Tross," Alonzo said in a firm voice.

"May appointment ba kayo?"

"None but-"

"Kung gayon ay makakaalis na kayo," matigas na wika ng guard.

"Maari mo bang sabihin sa kanya na hinahanap siya ni Silvan at Alonzo?" wika ko sa mga guard. Nagkatinginan ang mga ito at nang tumango ang isa sa kanila ay hinigit nito ang cellphone mula sa bulsa at may tinawagan.

"Sir, may naghahanap sa inyo," he paused and looked at us. "Alonzo raw at Silvan."

Yes, we are really taking chances. Hindi na ako aasang haharapin kami ni Tross ngunit nagulat na lamang kami ng binuksan ng gwardiya ang gate matapos niyang patayin ang tawag.

"Maaari kayong pumasok ngunit kailangan muna namin kayong kapkapan," the guard said at sinimulan kaming kapkapan. Nang wala silang nakuha mula sa amin ay iginiya kami ng guard papasok sa loob.

"Sumunod kayo sa akin," wika ng isang guard at mabibigat hakbang na sumunod kami sa kanya.

"Silvan," bulong ni Alonzo. "I don't trust this situation. Something's off."

Hindi ko mapigilang mag-alala rin. The guard let us in at handang makipag-usap sa amin si Detective Tross. Hindi kaya may binabalak siya? O di kaya naman ay nag-iisip lang ako ng mga bagay-bagay. What if he let us in because he wanted to? After all may pinagsamahan din naman kami.

"Let's just be careful," bulong ko rin at tahimik na lamang na sumunod sa gwardiya. He brought us in the mansion's living room at hindi naman kami naghintay ng matagal dahil agad na dumating si Tross. He was not the detective that we used to know. He's a diabolical man pretending to be an agent of justice. Kapag naaalala ko iyon ay mas hindi ko mapagilang mapakuyom. I hated myself for not seeing him as this person. Napakagaling niyang umarte. He fooled us for a very long time. Well played.

"What do I owe you for this visit, detectives?" he said with a smirk. Napagkasunduan namin ni Alonzo na susubukan naming kumbinsihin siya na magbago. We will buy some time for Amber and Jeremy to do their task. Looking at how unmanned the mansion is, malamang ay hindi niya inaasahan ang pagpunta namin dito.

"Stop all of this," mahinahong wika ni Alonzo. "Pareho nating alam na hindi mo ito gusto."

"Tama si Alonzo. You want things the right way," dagdag ko. He let out a dangerous smile at nagtawag ng katulong. He asked the maid to make coffee for three.

"What made you think that way?" Tanong niya. I hate how I am not able to see his motive in talking to. Suot pa rin niya ang damit na suot niya nang nilisan niya ang pagtitipon.

"Dahil alam namin. Hindi ito ang pagkakakilala namin sa 'yo!"

"Lucifer was once an angel closed to God," nakangising wika niya. I am making myself calm bago ko pa siya salakayin at paliguan ng suntok. They took so many lives including those of innocents. I just can't stand people like this: murderers and the likes.

Nang dumating ang kape namin ay hindi kami nag-abalang tikman man lamang iyon. Mahaba-haba na rin ang naging usapan namin and there has been no sign that they found out about Jeremy or Amber. My phone vibrated in my pocket at nang tingnan ko iyon ay si Math ang tumatawag. Just like how we agreed, she will only call us when Amber and Jeremy returned and I think this is just the signal that we're waiting for.

Tiningnan ko si Alonzo at bahagyang tumango sa kanya. Naintindihan naman niya iyon kaya naghintay na lamang kami ng tamang pagkakataon. My phone kept on vibrating on my pocket at pinabayaan ko na lamang iyon. Tumunog din ang cellphone ni Tross at sinagot niya ang tawag sa harap mismo namin.

Sumilay ang isang delikadong ngiti nito sa labi habang nakikinig sa kabilang linya. I sensed something in that smile at nang pinatay niya ang tawag ay muli niya kaming tiningnan. "Hindi ba't sabi ninyo ay matagal na tayong magkakilala?"

"Yes. You've seen us grow," wika ko sa kanya. Dati kaming magkakapitbahay. He was a college student then hanggang sa naging detective na ito.

"So I know when there's something you're up to," ngisi niya at bigla na lamang akong kinabahan. I know Khael felt the same too dahil napansin ko ang bahagyang pagkuyom ng kanyang kamao.

He picked up his phone at nagdial ng numero. "Bring him in."

Kahit kinakabahan ay pinilit kong gumana ang utak ko at binasa ang sitwasyon. Just then dozens of armed men arrived at pumalibot sa amin. Tila handang-handa sila para rito. What the hell is going on here?!

Biglang napatayo si Alonzo at inilibot ang kanyang paningin sa mga armadong lalaki. "What's all of these?"

Tross smirked at us. "Hindi lamang kayo ang may plano."

Then it hit me! They knew all along that we have a plan and they just go along! Halos madurog na ang nga daliri ko sa higpit ng pagkakuyom ko. Nakatungo ako upang itago ang mukha kong nababalot ng galit ngunit bigla akong nakarinig ng isang pamilyar na tinig.

"Bitawan niyo ako! Ano ba?! Bakla ka ba? Kung makakapit ka parang patay na patay ka sa akin ah!"

Jeremy! He was tightly held by two armed men at panay ang pagpupumiglas niya upang makawala ngunit wala iyong epekto. Putok ang labi niya at may dumadaloy na dugo mula sa kanyang noo.

"Jeremy!" bulalas ni Khael. If Amber will see how miserable Puns is, sigurado akong magagalit ito. Amber value the life of others more than her own. She would do everything to save others without even thinking that she might get killed in the process.

"Khael! Gray!" Sinubukan ulit ni Jeremy na kumawala ngunit mahigpit ang pagkakahawak sa kanya ng mga lalaki. Tinangka kong lumapit sa kanya ngunit nakarinig ako ng kasa ng baril at isang malamig na bagay ang naramdaman ko sa sintido ko.

"Take your step and I will pull this," mariin ang pagkakasabi ni Tross and I know that he is not joking when he is using such tone.

"Anong nangyari? Nasaan si Special A?!" natatarantang tanong Alonzo.

"She escaped", sagot ng isang babae na dumudugo ang ilong. May hawak itong baril and I almost cursed when I saw who it was.

"Therese!"

"Surprise! Surprise!" wika niya at bahagyang yumuko sa amin. I saw Jeremy roll his eyes and whispered something to himself.

"You snake!" sigaw ko. "How could you do this?! Amber trusted you! Halos mabaliw siya sa kakaisip kung paano mapapabagsak ang Genesis at isa sa dahilan niya ay upang hindi kayo mapahamak! She fear that you'll be the next victim and now this?!" I cannot imagine how Amber felt when she knew about this treachery. Therese is her roommate for years at hindi lamang roommate ang tingin niya rito kundi kapatid! "So all this time, you're the one posing as Amber! That's why you had access to her clothes and other stuffs!"

"Hay salamat at na-realize niyo na rin! I always wonder when will you figure that one out but what did you do? Siya pa ang pingdudahan niyo!" She let out a laugh which annoyed me so much.

"Why are you doing this?" tanong ni Alonzo. "Kaibigan ang turing sa 'yo ni Amber!"

"Unfortunately, blood is thicker than water," she replied at sumulyap kay Tross. Nakakunot ang noo na pinaglipat-lipat ko sa kanilang dalawa ang tingin ko. Kung ganoon ay magkapatid sila? Si Therese at Tross?

"Why are you doing all of these? Bakit kailangan niyo pang pumatay ng mga inosente?!"

"Kailangan pa ba ng rason? We need them for our own benefit and that's the only reason," sagot ni Tross. They disgust me! If the world will be dominated by people like them, I cannot imagine how will it be.

"For your benefit," I let out a dry laugh to mock them. Mas lalo ko lamang pinagsisihan ang araw na nakilaka ko si Tross. How he fool us!

"Why, Gray?," tanong ni Therese. You see, hindi lahat ng bagay ay dapat may rason. Do you need to be hungry for you to eat? Can't you eat something even if you're full? See? Not everything needs a logical reason before you do it."

"Kasi kasalanan 'yun! Kakain ka kahit busog na busog ka na? That's gluttony and it's one of the seven deadly sins! Hampasin ulit kita ng Bible, eh!" sigaw ni Jeremy. It may seem nonsense pero tama siya. Isang malaking kasalanan ang ginagawa nila.

"Tumahimik ka!" sigaw ni Therese kay Jeremy. So that explains her bleeding nose.

"This is a maze, Silvan, an endless maze wherein you're caught inside. Kayo ang nagplano pero pinaglaruan lamang namin kayo sa palad niyo. Akala niyo kayo ang nangunguna, but now the tables were turned. Hindi ko inaasahang tutulungan kayo ng ilang reapers ng mafia. Sabihin na nating mas malakas sila ngunit handa kami. We made you believe that we're unprepared for this but in reality? Pinaghandaan namin ang pagdating niyo at ngayon ay nangyayari ang lahat according to how we plan it. But this is how the tables are turned. You think you're advancing but we are few steps ahead of you," ngisi ni Tross. Naramdaman ko ang muling pag-vibrate ng cellphone ko sa bulsa ko. It was Math again.

"Bakit hindi mo muna sagutin 'yan?"

I glared at Tross bago ko sinagot ang tawag. "Math."

"Gray! Kailangan niyo nang lumabas! Si Amber! Ayaw niyang magpapigil! Gusto niyang sumugod dahil nakuha nila si Jeremy. She's a little bit shocked and I don't know. May mali yata sa plano natin!" natatarantang wika niya. Naririnig ko sa background ang galit na boses ni Amber at ang pagpipigil sa kanya ni Deltran.

"It's because they knew all along Math," wika ko sa kanya. "Take Amber away ngayon din. We will handle this." Hindi ko na hinintay ang sagot niya at agad na pinatay ang tawag.

"Let's have a deal. Bakit hindi ninyo sabihin sa akin ang iniwan ni Copper kay Amber? I know you know about how Trojan left something on our database. Give me the kill code and I will free your friend," wika niya at sinulyapan si Jeremy.

"But Amber's dad just left a Bible!"

"Then figure it out what's in a Bible!" sigaw ni Tross. "Bibigyan ko kayo ng tatlong araw."

"What?! How could we-"

"Three days. Just three days. Alam kong isa sa inyo ang nagpapanggap na Trojan. He may be good but the real Trojan is the best," wika niya sa amin. Bumaling siya sa mga armadong lalaki. "Palabasin niyo sila rito."

Hinawakan kami ng mga lalaki at agad na inilabas. I saw Jeremy clenched his jaw as he was also pushed toward the other direction. Kapag nagtangka kaming manlaban ni Alonzo ay tatlong baril ang nag-aabang sa amin kaya mas pinili na lamang naming huwag manlaban. I gave Jeremy an assuring look that we will save him before he disappeared from my sight.

Nang tuluyan kaming makalabas ay wala na roon ang van na ginamit namin at ang kotse na lamang ni Alonzo ang naiwan. Out of rage and frustration ay pinagsusuntok at sinipa niya ang kanyang kotse.

"I loathe him! I loathe him!" Binuhos niya ang lahat ng galit sa kanyang kotse kaya tumunog ang alarm niyon ngunit wala siyang pakialam.

"That's enough, Alonzo. Mas mabuti pang puntahan na muna natin sila so that we can figure out how to get Jeremy back," wika ko sa kanya. "Give me the keys, I'll drive."

Pinahid niya ang kanyang palad sa kanyang mukha. Kinalma muna niya ang sarili bago hinagis sa akin ang susi ng kanyang kotse.

I immediately drive toward the Vander mansion. Malamang ay doon sila dinala ni Zywon. Nang makarating kami roon ay napakatahimik ng sala kung saan sila nagtipon. Sa isang sulok ay nakaupo si Cooler habang pilit na binabasa ang sitwasyon. Maging si Math ay nakaupo lang sa sofa at walang sinasabi. Si Deltran ay nakaupo sa hagdan at si Ryu ay nasa pangatlong baitang din habang nakatingin kay Amber na nakaupo sa sofa at nakakuyom ang mga palad na nakatingin sa kawalan. She wasn't crying at wala akong galit at pighati na nakikita sa mukha niya but basing on the worried ambiance, mas natatakot at nababahala sila sa pagiging ganoon ni Amber.

I cleared my throat to get their attention and I successfully did. Blangko ang mukha ni Amber nang mag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin.

"Nandiyan na pala kayo. Anong sabi nila?" she asked. Even her voice is cold. Tila walang bakas ng pagkabahala but it was so cold that I thought I prefer to see the angry and crying Amber than this.

"They want the code in exchange of Jeremy within three days at-"

"Good. Then we have to do our best starting this hour," wika niya at tumayo. "I'm going."

"Saan ka pupunta?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Ryu.

"Why?" Her voice made Ryu feel uncomfortable kaya ilang beses itong napalunok bago sumagot.

"I'm just asking..."

"I'm going somewhere." Tumalikod siya at nagsimulang humakbang palayo but she stopped to speak without even looking back to us. "And don't you ever follow me."

Nanatili kaming tahimik habang tinatanaw siya palayo. It seems like we also stopped breathing as we watched her took her steps away from us. Tila naging normal lamang ang paghinga namin nang tuluyan nang masara ang pintong nilabasan niya at si Math ang unang bumasag sa katahimikan.

"She's scary," komento niya.

"She really is," wika ko at muling sinulyapan ang pinto.

***

Buong araw kaming naghintay ni Math na dumating si Amber ngunit papalubog na lamang ang araw ay hindi ito dumating. After she made her exit last night ay hindi na kami nagkaroon ng balita sa kanya. Tila isang bula na naglaho siya at gaya ng kanyang habilin ay hindi namin tinangkang sundan siya.

"Nag-aalala na ako kay Amber," wika ni Math. "Nang lumabas siya kagabi ay tila wala siya sa sarili. I lost track when she destroyed the transmitter."

"It's because she thought you're the snake," sabi ko. "Turns out, it was one of the persons she wanted to protect the most."

"Sino?"

"One of her roommates. Si Therese."

"Just as I thought! I know whoever is framing Amber is someone close to her and knows all her activities. And you know Amber, siya ang tipong iilan lamang ang kinakausap. If we will use the elimination process, I eliminated the three of us. Imposible namang tayo ang nagfi-frame up sa kanya. We're the one investigating this and that just doesn't make sense. So here goes her roommates, Andi and Therese. Minsan nang naging biktima si Andi but that doesn't mean it is not her. And Therese, I hate the way she looked at me. It's just that ang hirap hanapan ng ebidensya. She worked flawlessly like she's some kind of a professional killer." sabi ni Math. "Nababahala na rin ako para kay Jeremy! Paano na lamang kung tino-torture siya ngayon?"

"They will not do that to him," wika ko. In fact ay walang assurance na hindi nila sasaktan si Jeremy but I only said it to make Math less worried.

"Alam mo bang ang huling sabi niya sa akin? He said I'm getting fat and he knows how an exercise to get rid of this extra fats. Kahit sa tingin ko ay hindi naman ako tumataba, tinanong ko pa rin siya kung paano. He said I have to turn my head to the left and then to the right. Uulit-ulitin ko raw yun kapag may nag-offer sa akin ng pagkain! Wala talagang kwentang kausap ang lalaking iyon!" She said while smiling ngunit hindi pa rin niya maitago ang lungkot sa mga mata niya. "He said if I will do that, he will ask me out."

Napabuntong-hininga ako. Kung dati ay naiinis ako sa mga tinatawag na quiz ni Jeremy, ngayon ay nami-miss ko iyon. Hearing his puns followed by his great laughter is better than this silence. Naalala ko lahat ng mga pagkakataong kasama namin siya ngunit pinutol ng tunog ng cellphone ko ang pagdaloy ng alaala ko.

"Ryu," wika ko nang sinagot ko ang tawag. Nakapagtatakang tumawag ito sa akin kaya marahil ay may importante itong sasabihin.

"Come here at the mansion now. I think we might get something that can help," wika niya. Agad niyang pinatay ang tawag kaya nagpaalam ako kay Math na aalis na muna.

Nang makarating ako sa Vander mansion ay agad akong dumiretso sa silid ni Ryu. Nang buksan ko ang pinto ay nakaharap silang dalawa ni Zywon sa computer. The room looks like a surveillance room dahil sa dami ng mga monitor na naroon. It shows some parts of the house while the others are just random numbers na hindi ko pinag-abalahang alamin pa kung ano iyon. I spotted Cooler on the bed. Nakaupo lang ito at nakatitig sa dalawang pinsan na mukhang nagpapaligsahan sa pagtipa sa keyboard.

"What's with that two?" tanong ko nang makalapit ako sa kanya. Cooler and I become closer like real siblings. Kahit na labag pa rin sa kalooban ko ang ginagawa nila, they respected my decision not to join them. Ganoon din ang ginawa ni Mommy, kahit gaano pa niya kamahal si Cronus, she sacrificed her love and separate herself from him. Ayaw niyang maging bahagi ng mafia and she knows that it's not easy to stop them.

"Ewan. Alam kong obsessed sa computer si Ryu but I never expected Zywon to be like him, too," sagot ni Cooler.

"I got it!" sigaw ni Zywon. Padabog na tinulak ni Ryu ang keyboard at tiningnan ang kapatid.

"This is so pathetic. I am Apollo! I am one of the best hackers! Paano nangyaring nauna mo pang ma-hack ang system ng Genesis kaysa sa akin?" inis na wika ni Ryu at tiningnan ng masama ang kapatid. What does Amber used to call him? Ah, devil.

"Kasi mas magaling ako sa 'yo," mayabang na wika ni Deltran. Yeah, they're brothers and they have the same traits.

"You wish!"

"Gusto mong idaan ulit natin sa online game?" paghahamon ni Deltran na sinagot lamang ng smirk ni Ryu. I guess this is how they bond.

"Mas magaling pa rin ako sa 'yo!"

"Saka mo na 'yan sabihin kapag natalo mo na ako, Kuya," wika ni Deltran sa kapatid. "Puro ka satsat eh!"

Binato ito ni Ryu ng bluetooth mouse na agad naman nitong nailagan. See? they got along so well. I cleared my throat to get their attention. Napatingin sila sa amin at umayos ng upo. Cooler laughed for some reasons at tumigil din nang pinukol ito ng masamang tingin ni Ryu.

"Anong nalaman niyo sa pangha-hack niyo?"

Kinuha ni Deltran ang kanyang laptop at humarap sa amin. "They call their supercomputer 'Eden'. Lahat ng transakyon, miyembro, formula, trade secrets at bank accounts ng Genesis ay naroon. But Trojan encrypted their system before disappearing like a bubble."

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?" magkasabay na tanong namin ni Cooler.

"Their database is secured at mahihirapan ang mga hacker na buksan iyon. She made the information private at tanging siya lang ang may alam kung paano made-decode unless you know the kill code-" Pinutol ni Ryu ang iba pang sasabihin ni Deltran.

"She? Babae si Trojan?! Paano mo naman nasabi?"

"Ha?" Detran looked away. "She ba ang sinabi ko? Ewan. Hindi ko naman kilala 'yun eh. Baka nagkamali lang ako." Muli niyang ibinaling ang kanyang paningin sa harap ng screen. If they can enter the code, magiging madali ang access nila sa mga impormasyon."

Natigilan ako at nag-isip ng malalim. "It doesn't make sense. Why would Amber's dad left her a code to decrypt the Eden? Bakit hindi na nila tinago ang code at kinalimutan? That way the Genesis cannot gain unlimited access."

"You're right. I was thinking of the same way," pagsang-ayon ni Cooler. "The last talk I had with Sir Bernard, he's talking about something to end the Genesis. Sigurado akong ang code na ito ang ibig niyang sabihin. But why does it will let them have unlimited access."

Ryu tapped his fingers on the table as he thinks. "Trojan.... Trojan... What if it's like a Trojan Horse? It hides its true intents and mislead us. What if they thought that it's a code to gain access but it is really a code to which will cause their database to self destruct?"

"Sounds sensible. She's so like that," bulong ni Deltran. It was only in a low voice ngunit hindi pa rin iyon nakatakas sa pandinig ni Ryu. Hinila niya ang manggas ng damit na suot ni Deltran.

"Ayan ka na naman! Why do you keep addressing Trojan as she? You even sounded like you know him."

Deltran freed himself from his brother. "Wala naman akong sinabi ah! Tsaka hindi ko kilala si Trojan. Ngayon ko nga lang narinig 'yan! Sino ba 'yan? Sikat ba iyan?"

"In my world, he is. For years he remained his anonymity and up until now, wala pa ring may alam kung sino siya. Some said he is a bald man, others said he's a man with scars, may nagsabi ding pilay siya but no one was able to confirm it since no one know who he is."

"Yeah, except Amber," Deltran mumbled under his breath.

"Did you say something?"

"Wala. Sabi ko baka pangit yang Trojan na 'yan kasi ayaw niyang magpakita."

"But he is amazing. I finished my masters in ethical hacking because he is my inspiration. Gusto kong maging katulad niya," wika ni Ryu. I saw Deltran smiled a little at muli ko silang kinausap tungkol sa Genesis.

"And what are the other useful things there, Deltran?"

"For now that's much I can say from all these information. The latest access to their database is yesterday but I don't know what it is about. Like I said, we cannot check it unless we have the code," Deltran said and closed his laptop. "So what's the plan?"

#

-ShinichiLaaaabs