God's Rise | WOTG #2

Twenty-Seven

KATO

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN you don't know?" Lieutenant General Loyola asked not believing what Deo had said. She adjusted her body and faced us. Deretsong-deretso ang titig niya sa 'min akala ko tatagos 'yon sa pader sa likod.

Deo fidgeted on his seat, tapping the armrest repeatedly with his right hand and pinching his nose with the other, and looked at the hologram as if he could find the right answers to the lieutenant general's question.

Wala naman kasing umaasa sa 'min na itatanong 'yon ni Madam Loyola kaya no'ng tinanong niya—'yon—wala tuloy kaming masabi. Bukod do'n parang hindi tuloy mapakali ang mga tao dito. Para sa 'kin nakakatawa 'to. Tingnan mo nga naman. Kami nga 'tong may mga super abilities kumpara sa kanila pero sa loob ng conference room na 'to kami pa 'yong mas kinakabahan.

Bibihirang eksena 'tong nakikita ko ngayon. Si Deo na napaka-confident ay bigla na lang kinabahan sa isang tanong. Para siyang asong lobo na sinigawan ng isang babae at nanahimik na lang ng bigla. Lahat ng salitang alam niya ay parang nawala sa bokabolaryo niya. 

At nangyari iyon dahil sa iisang malupit na tanong.

Deo licked his lips before he answered. He breathed loudly enough to be heard by everyone in the room. "That is because we are not yet engaged in face-to-face combat with the subject, madam." His fingers stopped tapping the armrest as he gained all of his composure as if he did not lose it in the first place. Impressive.

Napatango na lang si Madam Loyola sa kaniyang magaling na sagot. Pagkatapos ay inusli niya ang ulo niya sa kanan ng kaunti. Para siyang panelist sa isang nakakakabog dibdib na thesis defense. "Well, if I'm going to ask you," she said. Deo looked at her, well, everyone does. The atmosphere got heavier and heavier as seconds passed by. Hindi ko lang masabi na nagtatanong ka na nga. "Paano magiging posible na matatalo niyo 'tong," sabi niya sabay turo sa hologram na may files ni Albrecht, "project na 'to? Albrecht is their most powerful piece in this game. What do we have?"

In that instant, as if Deo saw she'd ask it from a mile away, he smiled to the question. "Madam, as I have said earlier, we have these abilities that could stand a chance against him," he answered. "I, the Halo," he rested his right hand to his chest, "has the ability to absorb power and to let it go at my will. Beatreese here," he gestured his hand to the lady sitting beside her and held her hand tightly, "is capable of creating a network of minds wherein she could control it. She could also sense any living thing that is within her reach," he explained.

"Ezerina," with the mention of her name, she nodded to the general, "could inflict pain to anyone and destroy anything she touches. Kung malayo ang target hahawakan niya na lang ang pader at sahig para pagapangin ang epekto ng kakayahan niya sa kalaban," paliwanag niya. May nakita akong ekspresyon sa mukha ni General Auxria at ni Lieutenant General Loyola na nagsasabing hapapahanga sila pero pilit nilang tinatago.

"Kato," tumingin sa akin si Deo. Tumingin naman ako kay General Auxria and Lietenant General Loyola. "Siya ay isang electrokinetic. Ibig sabihin ay kaya niyang mag-generate at manipulahin ang kuryente. Kaya niya ring kontrolin ang tech at makapang-hack ng mga security systems gamit lang ang kaniyang daliri," pagpapaliwanag niya. Inangat ko naman ang aking kamay at nagpasayaw ng isang kuryente sa aking palad. Halatang namangha ang dalawa sa aking kakayahan. Isang ngisi ang gumapang sa labi ko nang makita ko sa mga mata nila ang repleksyon ng kuryente ko.

"And of course, Cade," tumingin naman siya kay Cade. "Magkapareho sila ng kakayahan ni Albrecht pero," huminto muna siya ng sandali, "mas malakas pa rin kaniya si Albrecht. At para sagutin ang tanong niyo, Ma'am, si Cade ang pinakamalakas na piyesa natin sa labang 'to," sabi ni Deo. "If Albrecht is their queen to this chess game, Cade is our match to it."