Identical

Chapter 7: Research [REVISED]

*Caelum

- Castrafort

Soothing music by the chimes played when I went out of the store. I walked for a bit near the empty dark streets and gazed from afar, sighing. It's yet another peaceful night here in Castrafort city. Just me and this calmed night weather.

Napailing ako sa naisip ko. I just couldn't stop myself from thinking that this tranquility is nothing but an illusion. How many times have I been fooled by this? Behind all these quiet nights are just fears and distraught brought by the soldiers and the f*cking General. Tinatago lang nila ang tunay nilang motibo sa pagpapalaganap ng curfew na 'to.

Mula sa bulsa ko, kinuha ko ang maliit na device na inabot sa amin ni Jake noong nakaraang araw. I started playing with it a bit as I began to recall what happened to Coach and most especially to Renz. The fact that they were attacked only means that the General is on his move again to get us. What's worse is that there's a cyborg out there ready to track us down. As expected of him, he just wouldn't stop from experimenting on people. Of course he had to resort to artificial intelligence.

Grabbing the device and putting it back in my pocket, I looked up with knitted eyebrows. I started thinking that someone from us should do something before the General makes his move again. Hindi maaaring maghintay lang kami. We have to act now. Or better yet, we have to know what his others plans are. Knowing the General, he might've a dozen of plans already laid out and is just anxiously waiting for the right time.

But how are we going to find out his plans?

In the middle of my deep thoughts, I heard several fast footsteps going past behind me. They were a group of frightened young teen girls. "Dalian niyo, baka makita nila tayo."

Sa narinig ko ay alam ko na agad ang tinutukoy nila kaya agad na rin akong kumilos upang makapagtago. It's no brainer that they're running away from the patrolling soldiers tasked to chastise citizens not abiding with the curfew.

Suddenly, an idea popped out of my head. I immediately turned to a dark alley with my back leaning against the brick wall to wait for the soldiers to pass by. Hindi nagtagal ay narinig ko ang ingay mula sa makina ng kanilang sasakyan. They were fast, but I was able to see that there were only two of them inside, highly manageable. Instinctively, a smirk formed on my lips. I immediately revealed myself to go after the soldiers, but a voice with authority on its tone made me stop. 

"Halt!" Clicking my tongue in dismay, I slowly raised my hands. "Do not make any unnecessary movements. Turn around!"

Heaving out a sigh, I faced the soldier that caught me, but we were both surprised when we saw each other's faces.

"C-caelum?" she stated. She was startled, but she slowly put down her gun.

That's when I felt relieved and quickly dropped my hands. "You almost got me there." Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kanya, but I was a bit skeptical when she suddenly turned away as if something's making her feel uneasy. "Hey, is something--" I was interrupted when a strange breeze of wind blew. It was so unexpected that it brought chills down my spine. Weird.

"U-uhmm... bakit pala nasa labas ka pa?" she asked without even looking at me. She was just staring at the floor.

Sinuksok ko sa loob ng jacket ko ang aking kamay and brought out a plastic bag. I showed it to her and she immediately got her answer. "I just needed a drink." She nodded, still not looking directly at me. "And you? Tasked to patrol the streets? Then I assume I'm going to get arrested by you?"

"H-huh? H-hindi, hindi. Uhmm... u-uhh..."

"Hey, hey, relax. I'm playing," I said in between my chuckles. Natawa na lang ako sa inaakto niya. She's always been this weird. I can't believe she became a soldier like this. "You know for a soldier, you're quite nervous around people, huh Lea?"