God's Rise | WOTG #2

Fifty-Seven

C A D E

"SHIT," BEA SAID FROM the other line. Deo's face crumpled as he peered over the shoulders of the soldiers who typed in sync and looked at the glowing map on the hologram. His eyes followed the two blinking green dots that moved from streets to streets.

Ezerina stood up from her seat and stood beside Deo. "What happened?" she asked, staring at the map.

"Shit," sabi ulit ni Bea. "Nahuli na kami. We need back-up now. And to hell with being stealthy, we'll punch through." Nanlaki ang mata ni Ezerina at isang ngising ang gumapang sa kaniyang labi.

"Ibig sabihin ba nito it's our turn?" tanong niya kay Deo at tumingin siya sa 'kin. I just sighed and rolled my eyes at her.

"Cade and Ezerina are now on their way," sagot ni Deo kahit alam niya na nakatayo pa kami sa tabi niya. Ang reconnaisance plane ay nasa ibabaw lang mga malalaking bukirin at paikot-ikot habang naghihintay matapos ang misyon bago lumapag. "Meet them at 7th Street just 300 meters east of HQ."

"Got it," Bea replied.

"Yes, Ezerina, it's your turn." Inalis niya ang tingin sa hologram at tumingin sa aming dalawa. "Handa na ba kayo?"

"Oh, come on," Ezerina scoffed. "Buksan niyo na lang 'tong hatch door."

Deo looked at us. "Take care." And the hatch door opened. Without any hesitation, Ezerina jumped and plummeted down the wide and sparse field below. "Remember, no killings," Deo said to me before I jumped.

Gravity pulled my body down and I let it. The wind screamed on my ears as the fields loomed below, waiting for me. I pulled a string on my side and the parachute eased my landing. Nauna nang makababa si Ezerina at agad niyang hinubad ang parachute.

"Bilisan mo," pagmamadali niya sa 'kin.

"Chill, okay?" sabi ko at inalis ang parachute sa likod ko. "We've landed safely. We're now headed to the streets."

Naunang maglakad si Ezerina sa harap ko at sumunod lang ako sa kaniya. Malambot ang lupa ng bukid kaya naman naririnig ko ang pagtalsik ng putik sa mga boots namin. Dito pa lang ay kitang-kita na namain ang mga kumukurap-kurap na pulang ilaw ng alarm at ang mataas na tili nito.

Kinuha ko ang maliit na thin device sa bulsa ko at binuksan ito. Isang mapa ang lumabas at may isang arrow ang nakaturo sa rendezvous point namin nila Bea at Kato. Mula dito, kung bibilisan namin, ay makakarating kami do'n agad sa loob lang ng limang minuto. 'Yon ay kung wala kaming makakasalubong na mga hostile soldiers sa daan.

"Mukhang wala na tayong makikitang guwardiya dito," sabi ni Ezerina sa tabi ko. Naglalakad kami sa isang kalsada at walang tao kahit isa ang nasa labas. Ibang-iba no'ng huling punta namin dito. Buhay na buhay ang community kahit ganitong oras ng gabi pero ngayon para banag wala kahit isang pamilya ang nakatira dito. Siguro ay nag-impose din ng curfew hours dito as if na magrerebelde ang mga tao dito. These people were farmers and you couldn't bring them into war. Their plowshares and spades weren't enough to fight against Havierre's cannons and missiles. Besides, these people were peaceful and violence wasn't on their vocabulary.

"Yeah," pag-sasang-ayon ko. "That's because they still don't know we're here. Lahat sila ay papunta sa kung nasaan man 'yong dalawa."

From here, we could see the towers surrounding the headquarters. They soared through the night sky and glowed brightly against the stark darkness of the universe. We were going to take the next turn when a voice made us stop.

"Stop," sabi ng isang lalaki mula sa likod namin. "Raise your hands where we can see them and state your name." Kahit hindi kami lumingon ay alam namin na may mga nakatutok na baril sa aming likuran. Narinig namin ang click at hinhintay na lang nilang kalabitin ang trigger.

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa ni Ezerina sa gilid ng mga mata namin. At nang magtagpo ang aming paningin ay isang ideya ang agad naming napagkasunduan nang hindi nag-uusap.

Dahan-dahan naming iniangat ang kamay namin pareho at sa pag-angat ng aming mga braso ay tumutok sa itaas ang kanilang mga baril. I turned around and saw them holding their rifles aimed at the dark sky. I couldn't see their eyes through their dark helmets but it could be rest assured that those were wide with shock.

"You stop," Ezerina said and stomped her feet on the ground. Little crevices appeared and snaked through them until they screamed in pain. They lost their grips on their weapons and curled above the concrete floors like crying babies.

"Sabi ni Deo 'wag daw papatay," pagpapaalala ko sa kaniya.

"Makakatulog lang sila dito," sabi niya. "Unless they're so baby they couldn't take it. This is just an ant's bite."

"An ant's bite, you say?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. I looked over the convulsing soldiers and looked over at her. "An ant's bite is irritating, not agonizing. Stop that."

"Whatever you say," she said and let go. The soldiers stopped howling and began sobbing. Some of them fainted while some of them were too shocked to even move.

"Malapit naman na tayo," I said and heard gunshots distantly. "This way."

"Malapit na kami sa rendeezvous point," sabi ni Kato mula sa kabilang linya. "Cade, Ezerina?"

"We're almost there," I said. Ezerina pulled me down as soldiers appeared behind us and began shooting us nonstop. Some drones hovered above the soldiers and provided support. I reached for them and bumped them into each other until they explode.

"Faster," Bea said and I could hear her footsteps. "We're already here."

"Sandali lang. We have a situation here," sagot ni Ezerina habang nakasandal sa likod ng isang kotse.

Tumayo siya at agad naman akong gumawa ng isang forcefield sa paligid niya. Ang mga bala ay bumanda lang sa shield at lumaglag sa sahig. Pumikit siya at huminga nang malalim. Huminto ang mga putok ng baril at napalitan ng sigaw. Tumingin ako sa paanan niya at walang nakitang crack na nanggagaling sa kinatatayuan niya. Lumingon ako at may nakitang mga maliit na red orbs ang lumulutang sa ere na pumasok sa loob ng katawan ng mga sundalo. Ginagamit pala niya ang kaniyang API.

When the soldiers fell unconscious, she took my hand and we ran towards 7th Street where we could hear gunshots and zaps of electricity. Ezerina led me to a dark and narrow alley and my foot bumped on a trash container.

We stood at the lip of the alley and searched the whole place. A thin electric beam surged towards a drone and it exploded mid-air like fireworks. The soldiers crouched and covered their heads. I followed where the attack came from and it led me to Kato's hands.

He stood there, constantly attacking drones and electrocuting soldiers until they were unconscious, while Bea exchanged shots with the enemies.

I reached forward and created a protective forcefield around them. Kato noticed there was something on the air surrounding them. The bullets no longer pierced the air passed them. He looked around and when his eyes landed on mine. He smiled.

"We're here, too," I said and gave the smile back.