God's Rise | WOTG #2

Seventy-Two

C A D E

I FLINCHED AS THE medics tended to my bruises, scanning my body for broken bones and applying ointments on the dark blue bruises to help them heal faster. They had brought us immediately at the makeshift infirmary at the Asterisk Farm base. Bea was lying on the bed across from me, unconscious. She, too, had bruises on her body and some broken ribs. Kato was talking to a uniformed medic—an old woman with graying hair—and flinching as the medic touched his skin.

And Ezerina . . .

Sinakripisyo niya ang sarili niya para makatakas lang kami. Pagkabalik na pagkabalik namin ay tahimik lang si Deo at si Lieutenant General Loyola. Umalis kami nang apat at bumalik kami nang tatlo. Hindi na namin kailangan pang ipaliwanag ang lahat at naintindihan na nila agad. Sa mga mukha at kalagayan lang namin pagkarating ay nalaman na nila kung ano ang nangyari. Bukod do'n, may mga camera ring nakakabit sa 'min.

General Auxria ordered the immediate evacuation of our forces back to the Alphane Mounts lest Goldberg's forces had followed us. Lieutenant General Loyola, as the highest officer present, relayed the ordered to the whole base, barking commands here and there. It was surprising how fast and sufficient the soldiers move and within two hours, Asterisk Farm were sweeped of any military presence except for a few hundred guards tasked to protect the residents of the farm. 

Nakahelera and mga military trucks as kalsada sa tapat ng headquarters ng farm. Nakasakay ako, si Kato, at si Deo sa likod ng isang truck habang si Bea naman ay nasa ibang truck kung saan mabibigyan siya ng medical attention. Hindi man lang kami nakapagpalit ng damit ni Kato. Suot pa rin namin ang gear na suot namin sa mission. Kung nag-aalala si Deo kay Bea, hindi niya 'yon ipinahalata. Kalmado pa rin ang mukha niya.

"Déja vu?" sambit ni Kato sa tabi ko. Napatingala din si Deo.

Alam ko ang ibig sabihin niya. Parang nangyari na rin 'to. Sa ibang pagkakataon at a ibang panahon. Iilang linggo lang ang nakalipas simula noong nakatakas kami mula kay Goldberg. At ngayon sa pangalawang pagkakataon ay naririto na naman kami. Tumatakas. Tumatakbo.

Exhaustion weighed down my bones and I fought myself not to sleep in fear something came up. I needed to be awake and alert. I could not rest until we were not at the main base. I would not sleep. 

Our bodies rocked with motion as the truck we were in accelerated. My shoulder bumped into Kato's and I almost fell on my seat. He steadied me with his hands. I muttered my thanks. 

"Okay ka lang?" tanong niya.

Pinigilan ko ang sarili kong humikab. "Okay lang ako. Pagod lang."

Across from us, beside Deo, sat the lieutenant general, her posture as stiff as a tree and as tense as taut wire. She was clenching and unclenching her fists on her sides, clearly bothered by our failure, though she thanked us for our effort, which shocked Kato and I, if I was being honest. Naiintindihan ko kung gaano kahalaga ang misyong 'yon sa kaniya. Sa gaming lahat. Sa Uprising. Suot niya ang kaniyang uniporme at lahat ng badge ay nakadikit sa kaniyang chest pocket. Ang mahaba niyang buhok ay mahigpit na nakatali.

We escaped. Again. I wanted to ask Deo about Bea but I was too exhausted to even open my lips. My mouth was dry, aching for a cold glass of water. For the meantime, I swallowed my own saliva. I remembered the feeling as we ran away after sabotaging Zeus and the adrenaline as we battled against the four Projects.

Albrecht. Goldberg.

Dalawang pangalan na hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan. Dalawang pangalan na laging mambabagabag sa gaming lahat.

Iilang minuto ang lumipas at unti-unti ko nang nararamdaman na bumibigay na ang katawan ko sa pagod. Pilit kong binubuksan ang mata ko sa tuwing mapapapikit ako nang matagal. Tumama na rin nang ilang beses ang ulo ko sa balikat ni Kato. Naririnig ko ring nag-uusap si Deo at si Lieutenant General Loyola pero bawat salitang lumalabas sa bibig nila ay parang nanggagaling sa malayo.