Kalagitnaan na ng araw, pero sandamakmak pa ang mga appointments ni Voltaire kaya paniguradong gabi na siya makakauwi ng bahay. Abalang-abala siya noong umagang iyon, kaya hindi mawala ang pagsasalubong ng mga kilay niya kahit pa kinakausap siya ng sekretarya niya.
He was trying to concentrate on his work when all of a sudden, the office door opened, and in came his son Vladimir with a girl that is unfamiliar to him.
Binigyan ni Voltaire ng isang malamig na tingin ang anak, bago ibinalik ang tingin sa mga papeles niya sa mesa. "May kailangan ka ba? Say it now because I'm very busy –"
"We would like to ask you some questions, Mr. Voltaire Garcia."
Napatigil si Voltaire sa ginagawa, bago itinuon ang tingin sa babaeng nagsalita. He gave her a sneering look before chuckling sarcastically. "A straightforward young lady..." he said, sounding impressed, "Vladimir... Who is this? This is the first time you brought a friend to introduce to me."
Nanatiling tahimik si Vladimir kahit pa tinanong siya ng ama, kaya nagsimulang magduda si Voltaire sa pakay sa kanya ng dalawa. Nakangiti pa rin ang babae, habang tahimik lamang siyang pinagmamasdan ng anak.
He swiftly reached out for his phone to call for the guards, but when he tried to dial some numbers, the phone immediately went off. The other gadgets inside the office went berserk, and the CCTV cameras started freezing.
"What the heck is happening?" Napunta ang tingin ni Voltaire sa anak na kalmado pa rin at tila naiintindihan kung ano ang mangyayari.
"Huwag kang magpanggap na wala kang alam..." mariing saad ni Vladimir, "Hindi ako tanga."
"Kung may kinalaman ka sa kung anumang nangyayari ngayon, itigil niyo na 'to." Tumayo si Voltaire palapit sa anak niya, pero bigla siyang nanigas sa kinatatayuan.
Gwen moved closer to the man and looked at her with a smile on her face. "You're going to sit down on your chair, and you're going to answer your son's questions. Nagkakaintindihan po ba tayo?"
Bumagsak pabalik sa upuan niya ang katawan ni Voltaire, at itinuon niya ang tingin kay Vladimir. "Ano ba ang balak ninyong gawin?"
Gwen just smiled at him, before moving towards the couch on the side of the office and took a piece of chocolate from the small glass container on the table. Vladimir, on the other hand, stood right in front of his father's table, and looked down on him because of their positions.
"May ilang tanong lang ako, Dad..." Vladimir said, "At gusto kong magsabi ka ng totoo..."
Voltaire sighed in frustration. "Ano ba ang gusto mong malaman?"
"Ano ba ang ginawa mo kay Kuya Vitto, Dad? Alam kong alam mo kung bakit siya nagkaganoon..." Vladimir said as he looked into his father's eyes, eager to get answers from him.
"Wala akong ginawa sa kuya mo –" Naputol ang pagsasalita ni Voltaire nang maramdaman niya ang matinding sa sentido niya, "Ano ba ang ginagawa ninyo?" he then said angrily, almost growling.
"Every time you try to avoid the truth, I will cause pain inside your head," Gwen told him ominously, "Subukan mo pang magsinungaling o umiwas sa pagsagot, at mas titindi pa 'yan..."
Voltaire glared at the girl. "You are that monster, are you? A telepath..."
Gwen smiled eerily and nodded. "I am a telepath, yes. I am a metahuman, but I'm not a monster. The only monster here, Sir... is you."
Pagkatapos noon ay lumapit si Gwen sa tatay ni Vladimir, at hinawakan ang ulo nito. Sa pagtama ng kamay ng dalaga sa balat ni Voltaire, bigla na lamang itong nakaramdam ng pagkahilo.
"What did you do?" Vladimir asked her.
"Oh, that's nothing... I just got a hold of his mind to make him spill the truth... He's a little dizzy, pero mas okay na 'yun kaysa lagi kong pasakitin ang ulo niya, hindi ba?" Gwen then grinned at him, "Sige na... Tanungin mo na siya ng lahat ng gusto mong malaman."
Kinagat ni Vladimir ang pang-ibabang labi, bago itinuon ang tingin sa ama na bakas sa mukha ang pagkahilo.
"Ngayon... Sabihin mo sa akin ang totoo. Ano ang ginawa mo kay Kuya Vitto?"
Napansin niyang huminga nang malalim si Voltaire, at tila pinipilit nitong pigilan ang sarili na magsalita. Pero dahil sa epekto ng kakayahan ni Gwen ay wala pa rin siyang magawa.
"I'll tell you everything then..." ani Voltaire na tila sumuko na, "A serum is inserted in your brother's system... I don't know what happened, but all of a sudden, he ended up that way after the seizures."
"At 'yung serum na 'yun..." pagpapatuloy ni Vladimir na nagkuyom na ang mga kamay dahil sa galit, "Saan 'yun nanggaling?"
Voltaire heaved a deep breath as he gritted his teeth in anger as he still tried to force himself out of Gwen's power for a few moments. "He is, but he is nothing like you and Violet... Ang nanay niyo, pinanganak siyang may metahuman genes... At ang Uncle Orwell ninyo, he's a metahuman. Their family is affiliated with the Paramount Laboratories, so I voluntarily became associated to understand everything about them. Namangha ako sa mga nadiskubre ko... Your uncle is powerful, he's electrokinetic. Pero nagpakamatay siya... And your mother, she may not have manifested abilities, but she carries the metahuman gene...
"Noong ipinanganak si Violet, meron din siyang metahuman genes. However, it did not manifest. Pero ayos lang naman iyon... She's smart, and she's useful to me. She's also a carrier, so it is possible that her children will become metahumans... And then, there was you.
"Noong malaman kong nakapasok ka sa Paramount Class, alam ko na kaagad na katulad ka ng Uncle Orwell mo. You are the child I have always dreamt of, Vladimir... You are both intelligent and powerful... and with that, no one can beat you."
Vladimir's brows furrowed as he gave his father a sharp glare. "At si kuya? Ano ba siya sa'yo?"
"Vitto? He's useless and he's dumb... Binigay ko ang lahat sa kanya, at lumaki siyang nagbubuhay-prinsipe kahit pa wala siyang silbi. He was taken care of, he was raised in a favourable environment... And then he ends up to be stupid. And to top that, he doesn't even have metahuman genes... Not a carrier, and not a metahuman. Children that will come from him will not turn into metahumans, so he's basically just a normal person born in the wrong family."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Gwen dahil sa galit bunga ng mga narinig niya, pero namayani ang pag-aalala sa sistema niya dahil alam niyang hindi lang siya ang galit na galit noong mga oras na iyon.
"Bakit?" galit na galit na ang tono ni Vladimir, na pumuno sa buong silid, kasabay ng biglang pagtunog ng airconditioner at pagbukas-sara ng mga ilaw, "Why are you obsessed of having children that are metahumans? Don't you understand the burden of being one? And you want us to live like that?"
"Why not?" Voltaire said as he looked at him with dead eyes due to the effects of Gwen's power, "You are the most complex beings that live on this world... You're still human, but way better in a few ways. At kung magkaroon ako ng mga anak na katulad ninyo, ,mas magiging makapangyarihan ako. You are assets to the family...
"Violet may have not turned into one, but she does well with the business, and her children might inherit the gene. My dream came true with you, my son... You and Violet, you are my treasures... You are the source of my power. And now that the Paramount Laboratories are moving progressively, sooner or later, I can turn myself into a metahuman as well... And then the world will be filled with the alpha race of metahumans. And I will be among them... at the top."
Kumukulo na ang dugo ni Vladimir dahil sa galit habang pinagmamasdan ang blangkong mukha ng ama. He clenched his fists, and gritted his teeth as he tears streamed down his face because of the nasty amalgam of shock and fury towards his own father.
Gwen tried to control the situation, but all of a sudden, the lights inside the office started going on and off, going bonkers. Alam niyang hindi sinasadyang ginagawa ni Vladimir iyon, kaya hindi na nabigyan pa ng oras para mag-isip si Gwen.
Hindi pa man siya nakakalapit kay Vladimir, nagkagulo na ang mga tao sa loob ng building. Sabay-sabay na tumunog ang mga alarm, sumabog na ang ilan sa mga ilaw at makina, at nagmamalfunction na ang mga elevators at computers. Nakakarinig siya ng mga sigawan mula sa labas, dahil na rin sa panic ng mga tao.
Gwen panicked, and immediately rushed to Vladimir and placed her hands on his cheeks. She then wiped his tears gently, as she went into Vladimir's head to control his thoughts.
"Stay still, and don't think about anything..." she then whispered into his ear, causing Vladimir to freeze on his position, looking dazed and confused.
After that, there came peace in the building, and all electronic devices started functioning normally. Gwen then heaved a deep breath of relief, but she knew it is not going to be for long.
"Looking forward pa naman sana akong makilala kayo kasi baka maging future in-law ko po kayo, but it sucks to know that Vladimir has a monster for a father..." ani Gwen, bago nilapitan ang lalaki at ipinatong ang mga kamay sa ulo nito, "When you wake up, you're not going to remember anything that happened today."
After Gwen removed her hands from his head, Voltaire started to feel drowsy. And before he fell asleep, the last thing he saw is Vladimir getting woken up by Gwen, and the two leaving his office like nothing happened.
********
Pagkatapos bumili ng pagkain, bumalik si Gwen sa park bench kung saan niya iniwan si Vladimir. Nang makarating siya roon, napansin niya ang pagod at pagkatulala sa mukha ng lalaki. Napabuntong-hininga siya, at naupo sa tabi niya bago iniabot dito ang paper bag na may lamang pagkain at inumin,
Umiling si Vladimir. "Hindi naman ako gutom..."
"Hindi ka nag-almusal kasi tumakas lang tayo sa school. Hindi ka rin nag-lunch kanina. Kung hindi ka gutom, malamang nalipasan ka na kaya mas lalong dapat kang kumain."
Napabuntong-hininga si Vladimir, bago kinuha ang paper bag mula sa dalaga. "Ang totoo... Hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko pang lunukin 'tong pagkain... matapos 'yung nangyari kanina. I... I just don't know... I'm so confused right now."
Gwen gave him a worried look, before lifting her hand and moved it towards his head. "Do you want me to –"
Agad na hinuli ni Vladimir ang kamay ni Gwen at ibinaba ito sa pagitan nilang dalawa. Pagkatapos ay hindi na ito binitawan ng lalaki.
"Even if you try to soothe my mind, my heart still feels heavy, you know?" Vladimir sighed as he looked down on his feet.
Tumango si Gwen, "Sabagay... Mas makakatulong si Jacob sa sitwasyon na 'to."
Vladimir chuckled slightly. "He could... But I wouldn't let him control my emotions right now."
"But that's the only way you can calm down..."
"I don't want to calm down. Gusto kong maramdaman 'tong sakit at galit sa sistema ko... For years, I grew up in a house where I had to be careful with my every move. I was raised to follow everything my father tells me to do. Buong buhay ko, ang natutunan ko lang ay kung papano ako magugustuhan ng tatay ko, at kung papaano ko maiiwasan ang pagmamalupit niya. I was made to understand that my whole existence is for pleasing him, and if I don't... I would get punished," Vladimir choked on his words, but still went on, "My body is full of scars, Gwen... Scars from wounds and the lashes he gave me... At hanggang ngayon, kahit magaling na 'yung mga sugat, nahihiya pa rin ako. Natatakot pa rin ako...
"But I know I had to feel the pain and anger. I want it to make me stronger... I want to be so angry, that it would be enough for me to conquer the fear I feel towards my father," he then gritted his teeth as he closed his eyes, like he was trying to control his emotions even though it is obvious that he could not.
Napahinga nang malalim si Gwen. "Alam mo, gusto ko ring maramdaman 'yan... Gusto kong mawala na 'yung takot. But we can't do it just by feeling the pain and anger. Sometimes, what it does is to make us even more miserable, Vladimir... Even if we have different circumstances, iisa lang ang kalaban nating dalawa. We're fighting against the same thing – the fear of the things that destroy us from within. The fear and the anger, it's double-edged sword, Vladimir... It will make you strong, but it will hurt you too... Kailangan nating maramdaman 'yun, pero hindi naman kailangang doon umikot ang buhay natin."
"Pero anong gagawin ko? Gulong-gulo na ako..." Binitawan ni Vladimir ang kamay ni Gwen, at pinunasan ang luhang umagos mula sa mga mata niya, "Ayokong maging katulad niya..."
Gwen bit her lower lip, and wrapped her arms around him. She then placed a gentle peck on the side of his head, before leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Hindi ka magiging katulad niya, maniwala ka sa 'kin. You are not your father, and you are not going to turn into the monster that he is."
As more tears fell from Vladimir's eyes, the only thing Gwen could do is to give him warmth through her embrace. She stayed beside him, and even though she cannot feel what he is feeling, she made sure he will not be alone.
********
"We're a few days away from the quarterly assessment..." ani Benjamin, bago pinagmasdan ang dalawang nakatayo sa harap niya, "How is everything going?"
"Everything is in excellent condition, Director Gallagher," nakangiting tugon ni Lara, "All we need to do is conduct the assessment itself."
"And the simulation rooms?"
"Handa na po iyon lahat," sagot naman ni Janus, " Each one is already designed to test the ability of the members, customizing the rooms' features based on their powers, extent of ability, and the damage they might ensue once they engage with the assessment."
"Good... Very good. Kung ganoon pala, handa na tayo para sa –"
Pero bago pa man matapos ni Benjamin ang sinasabi niya, nakarinig sila ng katok mula sa labas. Pagkatapos noon ay pinapasok niya na ang sekretarya na kasama na si Daniel.
Before Benjamin could even speak again, his secretary then knocked at his office's door, and in came Daniel who he called for earlier.
"Oh, you're finally here, Daniel... Halika rito." Binigyan niya ng makahulugang mga tingin sina Lara at Janus, "You may now leave. I need to talk to Daniel in private."
Tumango ang dalawa, bago tuluyang lumabas ng opisina ng school director. Nang makaalis ang mga ito, lumapit si Daniel sa mesa ng school director at tumayo sa harap niya.
"May kailangan daw po kayo sa akin, Sir Benjamin?"
Benjamin nodded as he smiled and looked at the chair in front of his table. "Take a seat, Daniel. I want to talk to you about something..."
Nang maupo si Daniel, tumayo naman si Benjamin para ipaghanda silang dalawa ng tsaa. He then placed one of the cups right in front of Daniel. He then sat back on his chair while carrying the other one, and inhaling its wonderful scent before sipping on it.
"Meron akong nasagap na impormasyon, Daniel..."