THE GIFTED

C H A P T E R 5

As Alganier sat comfortably, he let his eyes wander at the room. There's no window, but the room has air-condition on the front. A flat television. The room is wide, with four bookshelves. He keenly check each corner of the room, to notice not a single CCTV camera is seen. Which confused him, when the whole campus is literally filled with surveillance cameras, every hallway, even the library below. With furrowed eyebrows, his attention went to the guy in front. He's sipping his coffee as he reads the book in his left hand.

Seems like, this is idealistic kind of place for peace. He smiled at his thought. But it soon left his lips, as he remember he has friends outside, who can't access this floor. "We're too serious there buddy, what's on our mind?" Alganier was snapped out of his thought, as he looked at the guy. He didn't spare him a glance, and he know, he's waiting for his respond. Alganier watch as the guy's eyes skim the book.

He took a deep breath, finalizing his answer. "I was thinking about my friends," the guy didn't look up, but his one eyebrow raised, signalling him to continue. "I think it's kinda selfish to stay here, without them." This time, he meet his gaze. The piercing gaze on him, making him feel small, keeping his demeanor. Alganier, continue. "They're not part of the top 10, to access the place."

"There's no one guarding here," he started. A small grin tug at his lips, giving Alganier an amused look. "You can slip them here, if they have the ability to manage to go here, without getting caught." He adds, "Or maybe, you. If you have the promising gift to bring them here without anyone noticing..." He leans forward, closing the book in his hand, looking directly at Alganier's eyes. His thick eyebrows settled calmly above his sharp eyes. His sharp eyes, that bare no emotions in them. "Then, better." Alganier look at his device. The number on his rank, made him lose his facade, as he realized. The person in front him, is the top 1. Who was ahead of him with 600 points.

He wonders again. How do the score adds up? Was it, everytime they have activity? But he remembers clearly, even before the activities, he have already earned 100 points, out of his knowledge. "May I know your name?" Alganier asked, in hope to get to know him.

Sending him a small smile, the guy nodded. "Jiro, that's my name." He tilted his head a little, giving him a quick nod. "How about you?"

"I'm Alganier." He introduced, with a friendly smile. "So, you're the rank 1." He points out, motioning to the device on his wrist. Jiro look at it, lifting up his right arm. He nodded as approval and look at Alganier's device. "I'm 2." He informed him, which seems to piqued Jiro's interest. He leaned back to backrest of the coach, crossing his arm across his chest.

"I'm glad to have you here." Jiro open his arms, making a welcoming gesture and bow, with his crossed-legs. "The girl outside is 5." Alganier frown, confusion written all over his face. He give Jiro a questioning look, as he thought. "Why?"

"I thought you two are not friends."

"We're not, I just happened to see it while she's busy typing on the computer." Jiro shrug, picking up the book. He continued to read the book, finding the page he left awhile ago without any help of bookmark. Alganier didn't missed it, and was amazed. He watched Jiro's eyes move, as he reads. His face doesn't show any expression, but rather his resting taunting face. "If you need anything, or want to know, you can ask me." Jiro spoke, without looking up from the book, turning the pages.

Alganier thought, as Jiro grab his coffee and sip the remaining. "What privileges we have, as part of the top 10?" The corner of Jiro's lip curve up, finally deciding to end his reading at the moment. He closed the book, putting it at the table.

"We can request a food we wanted at the cafeteria." Jiro started, making Alganier's ears perked up. All of them are given free meal, but most of the dishes their getting are composed of vegetables. Even the drinks are controlled by school, leaving them no choice but to drink tea and water only. No soda allowed or any form of coffee. But Alganier noticed, there's a coffee machine here. "They don't serve coffee, that's why I always find myself coming back here." Jiro shared, as he rested his clasps hands on his knee. Alganier wonder, if he ever feels numb for sitting with crossed-leg since they met.

"What else?"

"We are allowed to use the tools and equipment in the lab." Alganier frown, urging him to continue. "I'm sure you're taking a science class too, right?" Alganier nodded. "And we're not allowed to touch anything, unless we're asked to?" He again received a nod. "Well then, if we're part of the top 10, we can use it for all we want. We can enter the lab without the help of the teacher. We can go in and out there, anytime we want. Do whatever ever you want, they have no rules there for us, even here. We're free to do anything we want, students out of rank can't." He showed him a satisfied smile.

Alganier who was all ears, shiver when suddenly a strong wind touches his face. Making it as if, the wind is whispering to his ears. "I know what you were thinking." Alganier told Jiro, the evident fright on his tone, made Jiro smile, flashing his white teeth. He's happy to find people creep out by him. He's happy to see them shiver. To see their eyes shake, like they were scared. It brought him joy. Alganier knows it. And he's no longer giving him that satisfaction. "Stop messing with me."

Jiro raised his hands mid-air, laughing to his delight. "Okay-okay. Guess your gift is to read people's mind huh." He lower down his hands, grinning at Alganier. Who didn't failed to see how the device on his wrist lit up, and Jiro's score adds up with 50 points. "Now tell me, what's mine?" He folded his arms, anticipating for Alganier to guess.

"He's been using wind since I went here. It was like he can control them. But..." Alganier frowned, thinking hard about it. "He can control the wind, but doesn't mean, he can sense my presence. Not until he have the ability to know there's another person, in the space." He chew his lower lip, as he tilt his head to the left, his eyes still cast downwards. Jiro, patiently waits, observing his facial expressions. "How would he know it? Does he have one more gift?" Fixing his composure, Alganier sat up straight and look at the latter across him, directly at the eye. He didn't seem bothered about it, and before Alganier even utter a word. Jiro's lip is already twitching in to a smile. "You can talk to wind, and control them."

Jiro clapped his hand, plastering a proud smile to Alganier. "We should know, nature can communicate with us human too. And...you have a good brain." With that, Jiro stood up, putting his hands inside his pocket and headed to the door. As he reached the door, he stopped, lifting up his chin, without looking back, he speaks. "See you next time, buddy." Alganier watch, as Jiro's figure left his sight. Resting his head at the backrest, Alganier raised his left hand, glancing at his device. He quickly sit properly, eyes intently focus at his device. He too, got 50 points. He didn't know when. But he's sure, it adds up just like Jiro. Yet, he's sure it was not the same time as him. It was later than him.

"After all, it was us who makes our brain work. We give the command to it, but most of the time, it's the brain that control us. Instead of us, controlling it. And it could make us dangerous, if only we can control our brain properly."