Genius in Distress

Chapter XII: Hide and Seek

As early as three o’clock in the morning Gabriel gone out for some exercise then went back to his quarters to wait for Aia to wake up so that she’d have company for breakfast. But he’d waited for hours already and there was no Aia answering to his frequent knocking on her door.

“Aia’s not in there,” said Lt. Alcatraz who peered from his door.

“Then where is she?”

He just shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said and shut the door.

Darn!

Gabriel had been searching for Aia all over the place, almost pissed off, not happy playing hide and seek with her, and there she was soundly asleep in a couch inside the cafeteria. Of all places! Who in her right mind who will sleep in a place where people supposed to eat? People in there had been looking her way, men and women alike, as if the girl was a bizarre thing for them and that what pissed him more.

Gabriel stared down at Aia. She seemed troubled in her sleep. Gone was the brave and confident girl from yesterday.  Her thin brows were knotted and her hair was tumbled in all directions. He smoothed it back and was about to wake her up when she caught her hand. He wanted to tug his hand free but she tightened her hold not letting him go.  

 “Mom....” she murmured in her sleep. A single tear ran down her cheek. Gabriel saw it and wiped it away with his other hand.

“Aia’s in a delicate state right now, physically and mentally.” Those were the words came from the General when he reprimanded him after the incident involving Aia yesterday.

Gabriel felt something thug in his heart for a moment there, a deep feeling of protectiveness and more. He sighed. So the facade she was trying to portray was just for the show and the true Aia was scared, alone and sad.

But no.

Emotion would only affect his judgement. Isa lang itong assignment para sa kanya kaya dapat huwag siyang mag pa apekto. He was trained to control his emotion kaya naman hanggang ngayon buhay pa rin siya.

 “When you let emotions get the better out of you, irrationality walks in through the front door. Thus creating more problems than what was originally there." Kaya naman hanggang maaari pananatilihin niyang pormal ang relasyon nila.

For a while, he let their hands clasped together until she relaxed and loosen her hold on him. Gabriel was about to wake her up again but was interrupted by the General who unceremoniously showed up.

“Let her sleep more.”

“But –

“Aia needs it. She’s been having nightmares lately though she hides it from us. Poor little girl.” The General sounded so concern and worried. He patted his back, “Come, and join me for breakfast.”

Gabriel had this urged to ask the General about Miss Trinidad. What happened to her in the past that she needed protection, why she’d have to live inside a military camp, what are the causes of her nightmares? Kasi parang hindi naman for security reason ang dinadala nito kundi problema sa pamilya. But, he never made an attempt. He knew very well that the General wouldn’t disclose information concerning Miss Trinidad as if it involved national security.

Aia woke up to the clattering sounds of spoons and plates and chatting voices by the military people inside the cafeteria. Their voices somewhat comforted her. Even she was feeling alone, the fact that she was surrounded by people, indifferent and stranger they may be, made her feel at ease.

She sat up, straightened her clothes, pulled up her hoddie and strode silently to the counter.

“Is there a backdoor at the kitchen?” she asked the girl named Sandy. “Can I Pass?

The girl raised a brow at her and pointed the door next to the counter without saying a single word. She just shrugged and went off.

Aia was thankful no one approached her as she walk cautiously back to her quarters. She was about to enter her room when she remembered something. Her stuff would be delivered anytime today according to her dad. She turned to Lt. Castellejos’ room and saw it was a little ajar. No one answered as she called his name, so Aia decided to went in to wait for him. She knew it was not right to enter someone’s room without permission but her curiousity won her over.

Aia looked around. Lt. Castellejos’ room was properly organized; things were in its right places. Uniforms were hanging on the wall, combat shoes tucked under his bed and there was a gun in his study table. Aia walked towards the bed and sat. The bed was very tidy and properly made. Curiosity won her when she saw a bulge under his bed. She took it and was surprised to see a portable play station.

“Military people aren’t that tough after all!” she wickedly thought.

They were normal people too goofing around with playstation. Akala niya baril lang ang alam nitong hawakan. She decided to play it and was shocked to know that he was playing ‘Quest of the Geniuses’.

It was Hikaru’s video game. At siya ang napili nitong gawing charater. Whoa! The video game was just a series of equations the player must answer; from math, physics, chemistry and so on. It was an educational game sold to numerous Educational and Private Institutions around the globe. Quest of the Geniuses was intellectually challenging and stimulating. Playing the game was like peering inside the genius brain.

Kaya naman she commended Lt. Castellejos for opting to play the game na marami namang computer games na acton packed and military related. She clicked the play button and she found out he was halfway to finish the quest. That meant he had an above average intelligence. Mind you, hindi basta-basta lang ang mga equations na nanduon. May mga experiment pa. Napailing na lang siya. Little while she was so engrossed she was able to finish the game. No sweat! Kaya naman hindi niya napansin ang pagpasok ng may ari ng silid.

“What are you doing here?” Lt. Castellejos asked in his sharpest, most commanding voice.

Startled, Aia turned to face him. Lt Castellejos was glaring at her. He looked furious.  How could he move so light she wasn’t able to detect any noise?  “I.. I was searching for you. I..I decided to wait here,” she stammered.

“And I’m wondering why here, you could have waited outside. Are you snooping in my room?” Crossing the room, he snatched the play station out of her hands and put it into his cabinet.

“I wasn’t snooping.” Aia got slowly to her feet.

“Miss Trinidad, this is my room. Don’t you hear the word ‘privacy’? Have you ever caught me prying into your things?”

“Well, no, for the record wala pa iyong mga gamit ko dito.”

“Don’t play smart on me kid!” He put a hand to her elbow to guide her from the room. But she stood her ground, to his surprise.

“That’s what I’m here for. My stuff will be delivered today. Could you please notify me if it’s here already?”

“You mean the three large balikbayan boxes? It has arrived. It will be here shortly,” he said giving emphasis to the words ‘three’ and ‘large’. “Are you planning to live here forever?”

“I.. I don’t know, okay?” Walang siang maisagot. Sa ngayon hindi niya hawak ang buhay niya. Nasa kamay nang General ang desisyon kung kailan siya pwedeng umuwi sa kanila. Siguro pag nahanap at nahuli na ang nagtangka sa buhay nila.

“Whatever. Oh, I nearly forgot, didn’t I tell you to notify me of your whereabouts even inside the camp? I’ve been searching the whole place to find you this morning. This assignment is supposed to be easy. Don’t make this hard for me. For both of us or you’ll suffer,” he warned her.

“I’m sorry! I have my reasons –

Lt. Castellejos couldn’t interrupt quickly enough. “Yes,” he said, once again guiding her toward the door. “You should be.”

Before she walked out she turned and said, “I expect my stuff be here in an hour,” she demanded. “And please tell the girl in the cafeteria to just send me my meals for the rest of the weekend. I will make your life easier,” she added and gave him a mock salute.

Lt. Castellejos was about to speak when Aia marched and shut the door behind her.