16: Escape Plan

Even when Wolff said the chemical was safe, napansin ko pa rin ang lungkot ni Sage habang pauwi kami. Or maybe it was disappointment in himself. Gusto ko siyang i-comfort, but I was afraid na baka mas lalo ko lang palalain ang nararamdaman niya, so I stayed quiet hanggang makauwi ako.

Ang daming nangyari ngayong araw, and I couldn't believe I survived it. I grabbed a book and soaked myself in the tub. Hindi pa rin mawala sa isip ko ang mga nangyari. Matapos magbabad sa tubig, pumunta ako sa kwarto at binuksan ang envelope na binigay sa akin ni Wolff. It was a bad idea, kasi alam kong masisira ang loob ko once I discover Wolff's schemes, and the idea of entering Zone Z again was already making me shake.

Parang bangungot ang Zone Z. Paano kung hindi ako nakalabas roon? What if there was no Seven with that perfect escape plan that he gave to me in exchange for my necklace?

Right, my necklace. That's enough reason to reconsider this opportunity. Kung papasok ulit ako ng Zone Z gamit ang plano ni Wolff, I can do two things.

One, take back my necklace. It was the one my grandmother gave me, so it's priceless to me, kahit hindi ito worth millions. Its sentimental value is immeasurable.

Two, I can save Bean—if getting him out truly means saving him. Niligtas niya ako nang hinayaan niya akong makatakas; now it's my turn to return the favor.

Pero bakit nga ba gusto ni Wolff na makalabas si Bean? Does he want to reignite the feud between the Glass and Marave families that ended long ago? That doesn't make any sense. Bakit niya ito gagawin just for that reason? There must be more to this than what I'm thinking.

My thoughts were interrupted by a doorbell. Mabilis kong tinago ang envelope at binuksan ang pinto—only to find Wolff at the doorway. He still had two of his bodyguards standing beside his car.

"Anong—"

He took the liberty of entering my house and closing the door behind him. "I have to explain to you how you can flawlessly do it."

"Ni hindi pa ako pumapayag doon!" sagot ko sa kanya. He's not really giving me an option, is he? Anong mangyayari sa akin kung tumanggi ako?

Will I lose the house?

Absolutely.

Will I lose my job?

Definitely.

Will I still be alive?

Ugh, hard to tell.

Komportableng naupo siya sa sofa at ibinagsak ko naman sa mesa ang binigay niyang envelope. "I could take the risk kung sasabihin mo sa akin ang motibo mo kung bakit gusto mong makalabas ng Zone Z si Mint Marave."

I held back from calling the guy Beanbecause there's still a mystery I need to know about Wolff. I don't want to give him the impression na kilala ko si Bean or that I've met him before.

Kinuha ni Wolff ang envelope at inilabas ang mga laman nito. He picked up the photograph and raised it. "Because this guy is innocent."

I wasn't sure if I should believe that.

"I'm sure not everyone inside Zone Z is really a criminal. Some are falsely accused, some have tolerable crimes, and some only committed crimes out of desperation."

Inilapag ni Wolff ang larawan. "But Dani, crimes committed due to desperation are still crimes."

He has a point, but I still wasn't convinced that he wanted Bean out just because he believed the guy was innocent.

"But still, why that guy?"

"He's a Marave," sagot niya.

"Exactly, why a Marave?" tanong ko. "Even if it's now all history, I know about the feud between the Glass and Marave families. What game are you playing, Wolff?"

He smiled—a smile that hinted at menace. "A game where I need a Glass, a Marave, and you, Dani. Which means it cannot be complete if you say no."

Well, that sounded like a threat. Wolff Bane is playing a dangerous game, and he's starting to move the pieces.

"You won't really give me a choice in this, huh?" I asked, glaring at him.

"It's my desperation, Dani," he said with a sigh. "However, as one of my game pieces, I'll tell you the objective, but in a vague way. Let's put it this way: para ito sa nakabubuti."

I wasn't buying that. Nakabubuti for whom? For him? For Sanip?

"Hindi ako kumbinsido sa rason mo," sabi ko sa kanya. I couldn't trust him.

"Do you know why I chose you, Dani? Like I said, Governess Emily raised you, so I thought you'd be sane enough to see through what I'm plotting. Maybe I was wrong; maybe I shouldn't have considered that."

Wait, was he insinuating that my grandmother didn't raise me well?

Wolff is evil.

"Ang ibig kong sabihin, Wolff, ay hindi kita mapagkakatiwalaan."

He nodded. "I see. But to tell you honestly, I trust no one but myself. I know better than to trust anyone other than me. Pero, Dani, gaya ng sabi ko, this is my desperation. It wouldn't be possible without you."

"Still, why me? Don't give me that crap that it's because of my grandmother."

"...because this will somehow give you light, Dani."

Give me light? Saan?

"I can't say more until we're closer to the final game." He laid down a paper from the envelope. It was a detailed sketch of a map—a map of Zone Z! "This will be your infiltration route."

I didn't comment further and just listened.

"Tomorrow night, the gates will open, and you'll have exactly 2 minutes and forty-seven seconds before they automatically close. Kailangan mong maging mabilis, but do not let your guard down. Aside from being swift, you need to be careful." He laid down a few more sketches with red marks. "These red spots are where the surveillance cameras are located. They're advanced, AI powered, multi-spectral imaging ones, so you won't know which angle they're directed at. But that won't be a problem. The moment the gates open, they'll start their 360-degree rotation. I can tamper with them, but only for a few seconds."

Hindi pa ako pumapayag, pero kailangan kong itanong ang isang bagay tungkol sa plano niya.

"You said the cameras are advanced. Do you think tampering with them will be easy?" tanong ko.

"Good question," he replied. "I can only do it for 2.54 seconds, which means it's like walking on a thread, but I am trying everything I can but we can do optical camouflage or anything better. We can work on that by lowering the resolution of the records, overload the system and introduce bugs into the surveillance system. Lowering the resolution won't make you invisible, but it will make you look like a prisoner on duty." He laid down another paper, a sketch of the labor uniform of Zone Z. "I've already prepared a change of clothes for you so you can blend in easily."

His ideas blow my mind, ngunit isa lamang ang malinaw sa akin— these ways do not guarantee success!

He laid out another paper, detailing the plan. "At exactly 6 AM, Sanip's flag will be raised on the tallest pole in Zone Z. After the flag-raising, a signal projectile will be launched to notify the prisoners that it's time for work. It will have an initial velocity of 88 feet per second at a 35-degree angle, which converts to about 26.82 meters per second. Neglecting air resistance, the projectile will take approximately 4.19 seconds to hit the ground—just enough time for you to blend in with the prisoners and locate Mint Marave."

I didn't even have time to admire how fast he calculated that. What he's asking me to do is impossible. Seconds? I have to move in a matter of seconds? No time to hesitate? To think? To deal with my own nerves? It's impossible.

Sunod niyang inilatag ang isa pang sketch plan. "Zone Z's chores are divided into six categories: mining, construction, household, general chores, factory work, and health and wellness. Mint Marave most likely belongs to either construction or health and wellness. If the military knows he's a Marave, they'd either assign him to heavy labor like mining or construction. But if he's in health and wellness, he's likely one of the few professionals tasked with maintaining the prisoners' health and physique to sustain forced labor."

Nakakalungkot isipin na ganito ang nangyayari sa Zone Z. These people are stripped of their rights and identities. How could lawmakers allow such inhumanity? The answer remained unclear. No one seemed willing to stand up and fight for these people. Baka nga iniisip ng lahat na mas mabuting ilayo ang mga "kriminal" sa ibang tao. Kaya sila ini-isolate sa Zone Z. But is forced labor truly necessary?

Kinuha niya ang isang bagay mula sa bulsa ng coat niya at inilapag sa harap ko. It was a set of syringes and vials. My eyes widened as I glanced back and forth between the vials and him.

No. He's not going to make me...

"Assuming infiltrating Zone Z and finding Mint Marave is successful, the next step is to convince him to come with you. If you manage to persuade him to escape, I have a plan to help. I want you to start an epidemic inside Zone Z," he said emotionlessly.

He what?

"Nababaliw ka na ba?" I asked, my voice rising with panic. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang iniisip ni Wolff. He just shows up and says things I can't even wrap my head around. Has he lost his mind?

"Causing a ruckus inside is the only way to divert the military's attention. In the midst of panic, you and Mint Marave can sneak out easily," he replied with a straight face. This guy is unbelievable! How could he lay out his evil plans and look at me like he said nothing?

"Sa bawat minutong sinasabi mo sa akin ang mga plano mo, mas napapatunayan ko kung gaano ka kasama," sabi ko sa kanya. My words seemed harsh, but they didn't affect him at all.

"How do you define evil, Dani?" he suddenly asked.

You. Iyon sana ang gusto kong isagot, pero pinili kong huwag na lang sabihin.

"T-those who do things that benefit them in one way or another but harm other people," sagot ko.

"Then I am not evil," he replied calmly. Kinuha niya ang isang vial na may pulang label at nagpatuloy sa pagsasalita tungkol sa plano niya. "This vial contains the virus. It's a new strain of flu from animals. Symptoms include high fever, body pains, nausea and vomiting, sore throat, and visible rashes on the skin—"

"I don't think I agreed to your idea, Wolff."

He chose to ignore me. Kinuha niya ang isa pang vial, this time with a blue label. "And this is the vaccine. Sanip has access to these vaccines, but they're not available inside Zone Z. This means that once the virus is diagnosed, the military will deploy a few individuals to obtain the vaccines. The nearest location where they can get them is about 60 kilometers away. At the standard speed limit of 50 kilometers per hour, it will take them 1 hour and 12 minutes to get there, and another 1 hour and 12 minutes to return to Zone Z."

In short, the virus has a cure, but it's not available inside Zone Z. At gusto ni Wolff na gamitin ko ang panic na iyon para makatakas kami ni Bean.

It's remarkable how Wolff knows the protocols inside Zone Z. It's a city isolated from the rest of Sanip, so other facilities open to the citizens of Sanip are far away. Wolff considered all of that, so his calculations about how the authorities will react are at least 90% accurate.

Napaupo ako at napahalukipkip. "You don't expect me to go along with your plans without knowing the motives behind them, do you?"

"I can only assure you that this is not for my personal benefit," iyon lang ang sagot niya habang nagpatuloy sa paglabas ng ilang papel mula sa envelope.

Kung sakaling pumayag man ako, hindi magiging mahirap kumbinsihin si Bean na umalis sa Zone Z. He wanted to get out of there so badly that there wouldn't be any resistance. Muling bumalik sa isip ko ang kanyang pagmamakaawa na isama siya noong tumakas ako gamit ang plano ni Seven. He looked so desperate at that time.

Inilatag ni Wolff ang isang blueprint sa harap ko. "This is your escape route."

Naglaro sa isipan ko ang escape route ni Seven. It was successful but risky. I was amazed at how Seven knew every detail about the lighthouse's movements and the preparation of the inflatable raft. And now, Wolff—who eerily resembles Seven—was laying out another escape route for me.

May bahagi sa akin na umaasang gaya iyon ng plano ni Seven, but surprisingly, it was totally different.

"During the epidemic inside Zone Z, naturally, everyone will panic. You won't find any escape routes around the walls dahil kung meron man, I'm sure the military has already sealed them. If there are any holes, you'll end up in the sea, and trust me, that's dangerous. During my planned time frame, the tides are high. You will take Zone Z's exit." Kinuha niya ang blueprint. "This is the military's quarters. Newly laundered uniforms will be available until noon, so it won't be hard to grab two pieces to wear. Once in uniform, mas madaling mag-ikot sa loob ng Zone Z, but you should avoid other military personnel."

This is mission impossible! How could he expect us to do this like we're just coloring kindergarten books? What he's asking is too difficult. Hindi madaling kontrolin ang emosyon. I tend to shake and stutter in high-pressure moments. Paano kung ganoon din si Bean? Even if he calculated everything to the second, seconds or minutes aren't enough!

Wolff continued. "Three days ago, Zone Z's management requested a budget for the gate's repair on the east wall due to rusting iron gates. That will be your escape door." He laid a list in front of me, and with trembling hands, I stared at it. A procedural list?

It contained measurements of chemicals—few ounces of hydrochloric acid, copper wires, at kung anu-ano pang solutions. Bago pa man ako makapagtanong, nauna na siyang magsalita.

"That's a step-by-step procedure on how to rapidly corrode the iron gates. Once corroded, you can break through and escape. The materials are available in the quarters, so you won't have trouble finding them. Also, I believe Mint Marave can suggest ways to speed up the process—he knows Chemistry as well as I do. I'm sure he can come up with another solution using peroxide and saltwater. Kapag nakalabas na kayo ng gate, there will be a vehicle waiting for you. Sounds easy, right?" He smirked.

Was he joking? What part of that sounds easy?

Biglang sumeryoso ang ekspresyon ng kanyang mukha. "It will be easy, as long as there are no other factors hindering your escape. My calculations only go that far, and I'll figure out the rest as we go along. For now, focus on this. And whatever happens, you must avoid this man at all costs." He placed another picture in front of me. It was the doctor I saw in Zone Z—the same doctor who works at Bane Lab.

"S-si Doctor Lee?" tanong ko. But I thought he was a pawn of the Glass—or of Wolff?

"This man is dangerous. He has sworn loyalty to the Glass."

Ilang beses akong napakurap. "...but you're a Glass, right?"

He nodded slightly. "By name, I am a Glass, but Dani, I am my own person. I am not defined by any name, blood, or race."

He put something in front of me kaya nagtatakang napatingin ako roon.

"This is a receptor--"

"I am not putting that inside my body, Wolff. I don't trust you enough to do that," mabilis kong sagot. 

Huminga siya nang malalim at tumayo,dala ang maliit na bilog na bagay. He peeled off something from it habang lumalapit sa akin. I almost screamed when he stopped in front of me at idinikit ang bagay na iyon sa sintido ko. I shook slighly from the sudden contact of his cold skin against mine. Maliban doon ay wala na akong ibang naramdaman, hanggang sa naglagay rin ng ganoong bagay si Wolff sa kanyang sintido.

The receptor chirped kaya lumakas ang tibok ng puso ko. Bumilis rin ang tunog na naririnig ko, hanggang sa tila sumasabay iyon sa pintig ng puso ko. Napatingin ako kay Wolff but unlike me he wasn't panicking but I noticed a faint red light from his receptor na tila sumasabay rin sa tibok ng puso ko.

"W-wolff..." Suddenly, I can see Wolff in my head. Inside my head. Not just a vision, but an almost tangible presence within my thoughts. It was as if Wolff's image had transcended the physical world and embedded itself directly into my consciousness. His form was clearer and more detailed than any visual projection; it felt like he was speaking directly to me from inside my head.

"You don't have to be afraid. I will be with you...virtually, at least."

I peeled off the thing at hindi makapaniwalang tumingin sa kanya. I was scared, amazed and everything combined. Sa bawat sandaling lumilipas, tila mas nagiging misteryoso siya. My mind was itching to unravel the mystery of him, in front of me, despite all the red flags. Is it even worth trying to decipher this man, who is mystery itself?

"This plan is rough, and the chances of success are only fifty percent. Now, Dani, are you willing to take the risk?" he asked, his cold gaze locked on mine.

Throwing away all my doubts and fears, I raised my head to meet his eyes.

"I'm in."

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