CSMR: Data Unknown

XVIII

I thought it was already quiet when I was at Xintara, hindi ko inaasahan na mas tahimik pa pala sa mga Xintarian na hindi nagsasalita at halos walang tunog ang bawat galaw. Nathan and Ahmed had mechanical bodies but they don't sound like metal clacking with every move. I expected there were more of them but it was just them two and I haven't seen the other person who left them when they came to get me.

Sa kuwebang pinasukan namin ay may secret passageway na patungo sa lugar kung nasaan kami ngayon, tinakpan nila ang mga mata ko bago nila binuksan ang passageway kaya hindi ko alam kung saan ang tinahak namin papunta rito. 

This place reminded me of Downtown back at Xintara. It didn't have skies because the place was enclosed but the roof was higher than the buildings, it looked like we were underground somewhere. There were lights from the high roof that lit the whole place. Every Friday when the time strikes at exactly 11 PM, the lights will go off and the huge space on the center of the hideout will bring out playful fires and it'll go on until 2 AM. That was the only time I could hear sounds from the whole place.

When my wounds from my "catfight" with Erin healed, that was when the hard work started. Other than jokes and silence, Nathan and Ahmed gave me tonnes of information about battle strategy and tactics. I understood most of it but I didn't know why they're forcing me to know these until they put me in a room and holograms started to appear. 

Eris taught me self-defense but I haven't learned how to properly do it because I was still injured. When the holograms approached me I thought they're going to pass through me since they're made with light but one jabbed a punch on me and I felt it. Others came too until all of them were attacking me.

I raised my arms to defend myself from them and to protect my face but they came to me at once that I didn't know which part of me should I defend. Sinubukan kong kumawala pero wala akong makitang opening, I was overwhelmed by the sudden attacks and their numbers.

"Time out!" Tumigil lahat ng mga hologram nang sumigaw ako. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko dahil kumirot ang parte kung saan ako sinaksak ni Casimir kaya mas nahirapan ako na habulin ang hininga ko.

"You're not used to surprise attacks? What do you do in Xintara?" Pumasok si Nathan at ini-reset ang mga hologram sa may isang table, siguro nandoon ang controls para sa holograms.

"Not this. I haven't—" huminga ako nang malalim, "—fought this intense with someone. The last one was with Erin Matthews but I mostly threw things at her—" huminga ulit ako, "—barely even scratched her."

"Then how did she end up with a serious injury?" I held up my palm on him, gesturing for him to wait while I try to even my breaths. When the pain in my chest subsided I answered him.

"She lunged at me when I was at the door entrance. I just opened the door and she fell by herself. As you may see, physical combat is not my strong point," Tinuro ko ang sarili ko na hinahabol pa rin ang hininga.

"Hm. I'll just make a call, wait here." He went out but I grunted when the holograms started moving again.

"Bimos, can you override whichever system's running these holograms?" Inilagan ko ang isang hologram at lumayo habang hinihintay kong sumagot si Bimos. Kinapa ko pa ang teinga ko kung nandoon pa ang mga hikaw dahil hindi ito sumasagot.

"Bimos?" I sighed and looked where the holograms were. They were moving slower compared to earlier so I just went to the table where the controls were.

"Changing settings to battlefield," basa ko sa isang option. Some of the holograms ran towards me so I clicked the option out of curiosity.