For weeks, Leia has been trying to contact her father via email, but to no avail. She does not understand why she cannot reach him, so she is starting to become worried.
Bago pa man mamatay si Helga, hirap na si Leia na macontact ang ama. Ngayon, wala siyang kahit kaunting ideya kung ano na ang nangyayari rito. Hindi niya mapigilang magtaka at mag-isip na baka iniiwasan siyang kausapin nito dahil kahit hindi ito sumasagot sa mga email niya, nagdedeposito pa rin ito ng pera sa bank account na ginawa ng tatay niya para sa kanya. She is still receiving money that she can use to survive, but aside from that, she has no information on her father's whereabouts.
Napahinga na lamang siya nang malalim habang nakatingin sa screen ng laptop niya, umaasa na may lilitaw na bagong email mula sa ama. Pero halos maluha na siya kakatitig pero wala pa ring nangyayari. Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto, tuluyan na rin siyang sumuko at sinara na lamang ang laptop na gamit.
Pagkatapos noon ay tumayo siya mula sa kinauupuan at nakita ang asul na kahon na nakapatong sa bedside table niya. Dinala niya sa dorm niya sa Paramount Building ang kahon na iyon, at hanggang ngayon ay patuloy pa rin siyang binabagabag kapag iniisip niya kung bakit iyon iniwan sa kanya ng namayapang school administrator.
Right then, an idea crossed her mind. She then got up from her bed and rushed outside her room. She started walking briskly along the hallway, until she stopped in front of a door.
Leia then knocked anxiously until the door finally opened. Lumitaw mula sa bukas na pinto si Emma na binati siya ng isang malapad na ngiti.
"May kailangan ka ba, Leia?" tanong ni Emma sa kanya.
Leia held on to the coin tightly as she looked at her bestfriend, her face full of interest and expectations.
"Kailangan ko ang tulong mo, Emma..."
"Tulong para saan?" the other girl replied.
Leia then entered her bestfriend's room and handed her a coin. "Pwede mo bang pakinggan ang mga alaalang naiwan mula rito?"
Emma looked at the coin, before looking back at her, giving her a confused look. Leia just responded with an eager look as she placed the coin on Emma's palm, knowing that she will give her at least some lead to the answers that she needs.
********
Noong gabing iyon, pagkatapos siyang muling kausapin ni Janus ay dumiretso si Sketch sa bagong-gawang gymnasium kung saan naroon din ang class adviser nilang si Daniel. Hindi pa iyon magagamit ng ibang estudyante, at tanging ang mga miyembro ng Paramount Class lang muna ang makakagamit ng bagong facility na iyon. Pareho nilang hinihintay na dumating si Nico, na hiningi ang tulong ni Sketch para sa preparasyon na gagawin niya para sa quarterly assessment.
While inside the gymnasium, the class adviser started turning on the lights inside the place, when he noticed the weird facial expression on his student's face.
"May problema ba, Sketch?" tanong sa kanya ni Daniel na naupo sa tabi niya sa mga bleachers.
Sketch was woken up from his dazed state as he looked back to the class adviser who is now standing in front of him, "W-wala naman po, Sir Daniel."
Pinaningkitan siya ng class adviser bago napangiting umiling-iling, "I'm no telepath or empath, Sketch... But you're pretty obvious. Is there something that's bothering you?"
Napakamot na lamang si Sketch habang wala sa loo bang pagtawa, "Kinakabahan lang po siguro ako sa parating na quarterly assessment, Sir. Ilang linggo na lang kasi, gaganapin na 'yun. Hindi ko mapigilang makaramdam ng pressure. Lagi ko pang naiiisip."
The class adviser then chuckled as he shook his head. "Don't stress yourself about it. Assessment lang 'yun, hindi ka naman kakatayin. Sure, it may be an important event for the students of the Paramount Class, but it's just to see your progress for the whole first half of the school year."
"Mahirap po ba ang ipapagawa sa amin, Sir Daniel?" tanong ni Sketch sa class adviser, "Paano po kapag hindi kami pumasa?"
Daniel laughed in amusement as he shook his head slowly. "There's no passing or failing in this quarterly assessment, Sketch. This time, it's all about showing your progress in training your abilities... and maybe, we can also find out the range and limits of the powers you all have."
Mahinang tumango si Sketch habang iniisip niya ang sinabi ng class adviser. Pagkatapos ng ilang saglit ay natahimik na silang muli, pero ang estudyante na rin ang bumasag sa katahimikang nabuo sa pagitan nilang dalawa.
"Sir Daniel?"
"Ano 'yun, Sketch?"
Sketch heaved a deep breath, and decided to admit the real reason why he is feeling really bothered. "Kanina po kasi, nakausap ko si Dr. Roth. Telepath po siya, hindi ba? Tapos... Tapos ipinakita niya sa 'kin 'yung nasa loob daw ng isipan ko."
Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ni Daniel. "Sinaktan ka ba niya? May ginawa ba siyang masama sa'yo?"
"No, it's not like that..." Sketch replied uneasily, "But he really did get inside my mind... It was like – he showed me something... Telling me that the metahuman mind can have no limits."
"What did he manage to make you see?"
"Hindi ko rin nga masyadong maintindihan pa 'yung nakita ko. Basta merong madilim na kwarto, tapos sa gitna merong ilaw kaya nakikita ko 'yung apat na upuan na nakapwesto roon... One's empty, so I presumed it was for me... And then the other three – Steven, Kit, and Kei were sitting on them. When I walked closer, the other light bulbs started to open. It made me see the other chairs...
"Tumakbo ako palapit dun sa tatlo kong duplicates, pero dahil sa mga galaw ko kaya nabuksan 'yung ibang mga ilaw sa loob ng kwartong 'yun. When the whole room is already lit up, that's when I saw hundreds of chairs... Some empty, and some occupied..."
Daniel paused for a while, and started to contemplate on what could be the reason why Sketch saw that. An idea then crossed his mind, so he looked at the young man in interest.
"Sketch... Maliban sa mga alters na meron ka, posible kayang meron pang ibang identities na nabuo sa loob ng isipan mo?"
"Pero nung nagpacheck ako noong bata pa ako, tatlo lang po talaga sila," tugon ni Sketch sa class adviser.
"Pero ngayon? Sinabi ko na sa'yo noon na naapektuhan ng mutations mo ang DID mo. Posibleng hindi lang ang pagbibigay ng sariling mga katawan sa alters mo ang nagawa nun, Sketch. If that was what's inside your head, it's possible that you might develop more alters in the future, increasing your duplicates."
The student started to think about what the class adviser told him. "Maybe... Maybe that's possible. But there were more than a hundred chairs. Baka hindi ko kayanin 'yun..."
"Sketch, you're not just a human being. Isa kang metahuman, at pwedeng maging posible sa'yo ang mga bagay na imposible para sa ibang tao," napahinga nang malalim si Daniel, "Sa tingin ko, dapat mong kausapin ang tatlo mong alters tungkol dito."
Sketch was about to respond to the class adviser, but was halted when Nico arrived carrying a box as big as him, which are filled with different objects he can use to train.
"Don't you think that's too much, Nico?" Daniel said as he chuckled at his student.
"Konti na nga lang 'to eh. Tsaka gusto kong pahirapan ang sarili ko ngayon kasi frustrated at naiinis ako. Gusto ko magtanggal ng stress."
"Bakit galit ka?" tanong ng class adviser sa binata.
"Parang ewan kasi 'yung iba. Akala ko tropa na kami lahat – maliban kay Vladimir – pero parang ina-out of place nila kami ni Sketch. Parang may mga kanya-kanya silang mga pinagkakaabalahan eh. Okay lang sana 'yung hindi nila kami isali kasi problema naman nila 'yun, pero parang pinagtataguan nila kami eh. Nakakainis. Ayoko nang ganun," reklamo ni Nico.
Sketch chuckled at him. "Ang laki mo pero para kang bata. It's their right to keep secrets. It's their life."
"Pero hindi ka man lang ba nagdududa?" Nico insisted, "May mga weird silang itinatago mula sa 'tin. Sigurado ako dun. Malakas ang instincts ko, Sketch."
"Alin? Yung animal instincts mo?" pang-aasar ni Sketch sa kasama.
"Sira 'to... Seryoso ako rito eh."
Natawa na lamang si Daniel sa dalawa, bago tumayo mula sa kinauupuan at dumiretso sa malaking lalagyan na dala ni Nico.
"If you're frustrated, then use that as motivation to train yourself today..." ani Daniel sa binata, "At ano ba 'tong mga dinala mo? Papatay ka ba ng tao? These are all scary."
"The scarier they are, the better..." Nico said with a proud smile on his face.
Napangisi si Daniel at kinuha ang isang martilyo, at walang sabi-sabi nitong pinukpok nang malakas ang dibdib ni Nico.
Nico's eyes widened in shock, and he was thankful that he immediately turned his body into metal, causing the hammer to hit him strongly, but with no pain at all.
"Sir Daniel naman! Huwag ganun... Sabihin niyo muna sa 'kin bago niyo ako saktan," reklamo ni Nico habang ibinabalik ang sarili sa normal.
"And do you think danger will wait for you to think first before attacking you?" Daniel laughed as he took out more things from the box. "Kung sinabi ko sa'yo, eh 'di walang kwenta rin na may ganito kang kakayahan kasi pwede kang tumakbo. With this ability of yours, you need to use instincts, Nico. And also, you need to get creative." He then pressed on the part where the hammer hit, causing the student to growl in pain.
Nico frowned at the painful sensation, and when he looked at his chest, he noticed the red spot. "Teka... Bakit meron akong ganyan?"
"Bakal man ang katawan mo, ang punto, katawan mo pa rin 'yan..." tugon ni Daniel sa binata, "Nico, this hammer is made of metal. Metal is malleable, so you need to understand that if another strong force hits it – especially from a harder metal – it will feel some impact. It may receive small dents or bumps if the force is too strong. The key with your power is that it protects you... But if you don't use it properly, it's going to make everything worse for you."
Tumango-tango si Nico na naintindihan naman agad ang sinabi ng class adviser sa kanya. "Then... What should I do?"
"Gamitin mo lang ang instincts mo. Akala ko ba malakas 'yun? Ayaw mo rin lang naman mag-isip, eh 'di 'yun na lang ang gamitin mo," pang-aasar ni Sketch na tumayo sa kinauupuan para samahan sila.
Nico squinted his eyes at him. "Ha. Ha. Patawa ka rin, ano?"
Daniel smiled at the two students' bickering, before facing Nico who is still trying to think of what he should do.
"Nico, you have to take consideration of any situation you are in. Halimbawa, na-trap ka sa isang nasusunog na bahay. Kapag ginawa mong kahoy ang katawan mo, masusunog ka. If you turn yourself into metal, you will not feel pain and burn, but you will absorb heat and become too hot to the touch, so you will end up not being able to save anyone. Always consider the circumstance you are in, then, let your instincts will come to play."
Nico then nodded, and looked at the things he brought and placed inside the box. "Eh 'di magpapractice ako ngayon..."
Ngumisi si Sketch, bago humiwalay sa kanya sina Kei, Kit, at Steven na pinalibutan ang kahon na dala ng kaibigan.
Nico then moved away from them, making the gap between them about a meter or two. He stretched his arms, legs, and neck, before looking at them with confidence.
"Simulan na natin 'to," mayabang na untag ni Nico habang nakangisi.
********
Gwen is extremely focused while staring at a glass of water, while Daniel is watching her from the side. They are inside one of the empty rooms in the Paramount Building that will be utilized for the members' trainings. Daniel chose the place since they can be alone, and no other students that are not from the Paramount Class will barge in out of nowhere.
Magkasalubong na ang mga kilay ni Gwen, habang nakakuyom naman ang mga kamay niya habang nakatitig sa baso ng tubig na nasa harap niya. Ginagawa niya ang lahat para makapag-concentrate dahil gusto ni Daniel na mapagalaw niya ang basong iyon. Gusto kasi ng class adviser na matuto na siyang magamit ang telekinetic abilities niya nang hindi umaasa sa emosyon na dahilan para lumabas iyon.
Pero ilang minuto na ang lumipas, pero wala pa ring nangyari. Napahinga na lamang nang malalim si Gwen at ibinagsak ang katawan sa kinauupuan niya. Pagkatapos ay sinimangutan niya ang kaharap na si Daniel.
"Ang hirap nito, alam mo 'yun... Pwede bang next time na natin 'to gawin?"
"Hindi pwede. Malapit na ang quarterly assessment. Alam kong sobra-sobrang tulong na ang dala ng pagiging telepath mo sa mga plano natin, but you still need to learn how to use your telekinetic abilities without the extreme emotions that trigger them. You can't rely on that forever, Gwen..." paliwanag ni Daniel sa dalaga, "If you always wait you're your emotions to trigger that ability, then it will be more destructive for you than helpful... Isa kang telepath, Gwen. Malakas ang isipan mo, pero nahihirapan kang kontrolin ang emosyon mo. If you finally harness your telekinesis with your own mind than with feelings, then you just managed to unlock such power that even the strongest metahumans will have no way in defeating."
Gwen frowned a little, before sighing and looking back at the glass of water on the table. "Alright then... Susubukan ko ulit."
The young lady then started concentrating again, staring at the glass and hoping to finally make it move. Her eyes are already turning red while almost glaring at the poor object, and there are beads of sweat forming on her forehead, nose, and the sides of her face. She is already gritting her teeth, feeling frustrated as she witnessed no progress. After a few more minutes, she finally closed her eyes and hit her fist against the table, causing the glass of water to almost topple. Daniel, however, prevented it with his fast reflexes.
Napahinga nang malalim ang class adviser at tumayo mula sa kinauupuan bago lumapit sa dalaga. Napangiti siya, at tinapik-tapik ang balikat ni Gwen.
"Sige na nga, huwag muna nating problemahin 'to. After all, this isn't the ability that is listed in your profile, so it's fine if you don't manage to use it. But since they already know you're your abilities already manifested when you were younger, they are expecting you to perform extremely well in during the quarterly assessment."
"About that..." Gwen then said, facing him, "Handa na ba 'yung iba? Naghihintay lang kami ni Jacob ng instructions ninyo ni Helga. Even Vladimir is in on it, too."
"Vladimir actually agreed to help us?" the class adviser looked a little surprised, but absorbed the information fast.
Tumango si Gwen. "Yes."
"Sinabi mo ba ang tungkol sa amin?"
"I haven't told Vladimir about you, just like how you instructed. Ang alam niya lang, ieexpose namin ang Paramount Labs at ang director sa araw na 'yun. Wala siyang alam na kasali ka rito..." Gwen then grinned and squinted her eyes at the class adviser, "Hindi ka pa rin ba nagtitiwala sa kanya? His intentions are clean and he's always honest. I should know, because I can get inside his mind anytime."
"I don't trust him not because I think he's going to betray us, but because he's new and he's just loyal to you... not to the Sanctum," tugon ni Daniel sa dalaga, "Kung sasabihin mo sa kanya ang tungkol sa amin, eh 'di baka malaman niya rin ang tungkol sa ibang mga metahumans na bahagi ng Sanctum. Alam mong maraming katulad natin ang nasa pangangalaga ng Sanctum at hindi natin pwedeng ilagay sa alanganin ang mga buhay nila. That's why we keep that community a secret. Kaya nga umiwas na lang ako roon para hindi na sila madamay sa kung anumang mga ginagawa ko laban sa Paramount Laboratories.
"We both know that Vladimir is smart. If he chooses to, he's going to find hints and connect everything with ease. We need to be careful even though he vowed that he will help us."
Tumango si Gwen. "Naiintindihan ko naman 'yun. Huwag kang mag-alala..." Gwen then touched the glass of water and tapped on it, creating soft sounds with her fingernails that are hitting the surface. "Siyanga pala, naalala mo ba 'yung mga naikwento ko sa'yo noon na psi blocks na nilagay ng lola niya sa sistema ni Jacob?"
Daniel then sat back on the chair opposite her. "What about that?"
"I think... It's not just his memories that are suppressed in that extremely strong psi block. What if... it's an ability that she suppressed in him?"
Daniel then crossed his arms against his chest as he started contemplating on what Gwen told him. "So... You think there's something more about him. I mean, maliban sa pagiging empath at pagkakaroon ng hormones na pwedeng mag-accelerate ng pagmanifest ng metahuman abilities..."
Tumango si Gwen. "Jacob is powerful, and I can feel that. If his grandmother is what you say that she is – the most powerful telepath you guys know and his abilities manifested the moment he was born, then maybe... Maybe she tried to hide it, or just make him forget about what he can do. Jacob may not know it, but he can feel it... He's starting to feel it."
"Telepath ka rin... Pwede mo ba siyang matulungan?"
Sasagot na sana si Gwen, pero biglang nagbago ang ekspresyon ng mukha niya. "Merong paparating..."
Daniel opened his mouth to say something, but his voice trailed off when the door opened, and in came the school director along with Dr. Lara Trinidad.
"Oh," nakangiting saad ng school director, "Andito pala kayong dalawa..."
Sinuklian ni Daniel ng ngiti si Benjamin. "Tinutulungan ko lang si Gwen... The quarterly assessment is going to happen soon, so I am really devoting at least a specific day for one of my students."
Lara smiled as she sat beside Gwen, looking at her in complete interest. "How's your training going, Gwen? Wait... Kailangan mo pa ba 'yun? Your abilities manifested early... By now, you should be able to control it and even know your limits and range..."
Gwen smiled uneasily, but tried her best not to look weird. "Akala ko kasi noon, mental illness lang 'yung mga naririnig kong boses... Kaya nga hinayaan ko na lang. Buong akala ko walang nagmamanifest na ability sa 'kin. I tried to endure and ignore it, but it was just now that I realized that it wasn't a sickness but an ability."
Benjamin looked at the young lady, before nodding slowly. "Well, nangyayari talaga 'yan minsan... Meron ngang naging member ng Paramount Class noon. Akala niya may weight problem siya, pero 'yun pala, ability niya ang ma-adjust ang bigat niya nang hindi nagbabago ang katawan niya. Sometimes, we might mistake abilities as sicknesses, since we don't completely understand it," he then sat down on the chair opposite Gwen, and noticed the glass of water on the table but did not give much thought to it.
"Maiwan na namin kayo ni Gwen," ani Daniel na lumayo na sa mesa, "Mukhang may pag-uusapan kayong importante. We'll just utilize another room."
After the student and the class adviser left the room, Lara then closed the door. On the other hand, Benjamin's eyes are focused on the glass of water that Daniel left. He took it and looked at it carefully, and then heaved a sigh.
"May problema ba, Sir Benjamin?" tanong ni Lara sa kanya.
The grin on Benjamin's face is meaningful as he held on to the empty glass. "We're going to have an interesting and quite eventful quarterly assessment, Dr. Trinidad... And I am very excited to be a part of it."