The Lost Haven

Chapter 27: Adventure Time

"Seriously? Alam mo na ngang gusto sila ng kalaban tapos ise-send mo pa rin sila sa mission na yan?!" Aria objected.

Nasa loob kami ng conference room ni Lucius Pyre, ang Head ng Lost Haven. Bukod kay Lucius at sa akin, nadoon rin sina Finn, Jake, Ade, Bianca, Jhun, Tailor, Daniel, Pyre, at Sven.

"First, I thought bringing trainees will make you do your work seriously and quickly. Pero ngayong binigyan na tayo ng ultimatum ni Ghost, I have more reason now to send them with you."

"That doesn't really makes sense." sabi ni Tailor habang hinihimas ang kanyang shaved beard.

"The point is, while your doing you mission, you'll be able to lure Ghost's minions. We'll send a back-up army to help you whenever you're overpowered by the enemy. When you succeed in your mission, it would be a double win. You rescued the first recon team, we defeated Ghost's minions, and we apprehended Ghost and Trent."

Nagsalita si Daniel, "Apprehend Ghost and Trent? Isn't that, like, impossible? Hindi mo sinabi sa amin yan dati."

Hindi sumagot si Lucius. Everyone sighed in disgust.

"When you say 'back-up army', ilang tao ang kasama doon?" tanong ni Ade.

"About 1 900 fully-trained people from Lost Haven." sagot ni Lucius.

"Teka, hindi ba iyan ang kabuuang population ng Lost Haven?" tanong Pyre

"But, sending all the people into Ghost's trap... doesn't that defeat the purpose of the Lost Haven: to protect the people involved in the Genesis Project?" tanong ko.

Tinitigan ako ni Lucius, nag-dim ang expression niya. "Pero ang Lost Haven ay isa ring peacekeeping organization. Mas mahalaga ang mga buhay ng miyong-milyong inosenteng tao kesa sa 1, 900 na iyon. Besides, kung ako'y ikaw, Claire Walker, hindi na ako aangal sa planong ito, tandaan mo, gusto ring kunin ni Ghost ang kapatid mo, so you better wish that you could start this mission right away, kasi kung hindi, baka hindi mo na siya makita."

Alam ko ang ibig-sabihin niya, dinedemand ng kalaban kami nila Caleb, Finn at Jake. Probably, binigyan rin ni Trent ng ultimatum ang mga Haven Leaders, and knowing their nature, they'll probably get Caleb and turn him in. They are willing to do that for the innocent people in this city... ewan ko lang kung magagawa iyon ni Papa.

Medyo mahirap tanggapin ang binibigay niyang mission sa amin. I mean, katatapos lang ng training 'di ba? Not to mention the clone attack during the graduation. It took me hours to digest the situation. But Lucius is right, kailangan naming pigilan sina Trent, even if it means walking into a death trap.

"We'll prepare today and you'll set off tomorrow." iyon ang huling remarks ni Lucius bago i-adjourn ang briefing.

...

Oo nga pala, pagkatapos malupil ang mga clones, nagkaroon na kami ng sarili naming studio-type apartment, mine's on the 17th basement floor. Sayang, ilang araw ko pa lang 'to nagagamit pero kailangan na naming umalis.

I was walking out of the north tunnel when I saw Bianca, Ade and Jhun at the plaza, mukha silang battered dahil sa mission. Hindi ko maipagkakaila, maski ako namromroblema din. Pinuntahan ko sila.

"What's with the gloomy mood?" I asked.

"Gloomy mood? Matapos tayong atakihin ng clones at i-send agad sa isang delikadong misyon, may iba pa bang rason para hindi kami mag-worry." sabi ni Jhun. Pfft, napaka-logical naman ng pag-iisip niya.

"It's been three months since we arrived here... so ibig sabihin three months na rin akong patay sa ibabaw. Ano na kayang ginawa ng mga magulang ko sa Mustang ko? I hope they didn't sold it..." sabot ni Ade. Ngayon ko lang siya nakitang naging sentimental sa kotse niya.