The Paramount Code (The Odd Ones, Book 1)

053. A Price for the Truth

"Ano pong ginagawa natin dito?"

Iyon ang tanong ni Jacob kay Daniel nang dalhin siya ito sa school grounds kung saan maraming estudyante ang naglalakad, naglalaro ng sports, o nakatambay lamang kasama ang mga kaibigan nila. Nanatili ang dalawa sa ilalim ng isang malaking puno at naupo sa isang bench. Tapos na ang regular classes, at habang ang ibang miyembro ng Paramount Class ay nasa library, nasa training rooms, o kasama ni Dr. Janus, sinama naman ni Daniel ang binata.

"Nakalimutan mo na ba? Tapos na ang supplemental classes ninyo? It's more of training rather than classes now. It's a short amount of time for training before the quarterly assessment, but it will suffice. Now, I want you to try using your abilities on multiple people... You can inflict emotions, so I want you to try it here."

Bakas ang pagkalito sa mukha ni Jacob, pero ginawa niya pa rin ang sinabi ng guro. Itinutok niya ang mga mata sa school grounds at nagsimulang magconcentrate. But in the end, he did not manage to do anything. It made him both frustrated and annoyed as he slumped his shoulders while sitting down.

"Nahihirapan ako..." reklamo ni Jacob.

"Nothing is ever easy, young man..." ani Daniel na bahagya pang natawa habang umiiling-iling.

When there was silence that emerged between them, Jacob looked at the class adviser sitting beside him. Napahinga nang malalim ang binata, bago binasag ang katahimikan sa pagitan nilang dalawa ng class adviser.

"Sir Daniel..."

"Ano 'yun?"

"Pwede po bang magtanong?"

Napatingin sa kanya si Daniel. "Ano 'yun?"

"Tungkol po sana sa tatay ko... Sina lola at mama kasi, ayaw nilang pinag-uusapan namin ang tungkol sa kanya. Kung hindi naman maiiwasan, palagi nilang binabago ang kwento. Minsan nga nag-iimbento pa sila ng kung anu-ano. Nalilito tuloy ako. Feeling ko hindi ko kilala ang sarili kong tatay..."

"Well, like what I said before, he's like you... Pareho kayong pakialamero," Daniel chuckled, "But kidding aside, he really is a very curious person. I think that's the main reason why he became so smart. Growing up with a mother who's a metahuman, he learned how things go. He's an empath like you, so he shares the same traits as you. Pareho kayong magaling sa mga tao. Bihira kayong magkaroon ng kaaway, at kung meron mang mainis sa inyo, it's probably because they hate the fact that you are just too likeable. He's kind, sometimes hot-tempered, but always thinks of what he has to do before actually doing it.

"Marami siyang pangarap... Hindi lang para sa sarili niya, pero sa uri natin. Noong mga bata pa kami, nung hindi pa namin alam ang katotohanan tungkol sa Paramount Laboratories, sobrang motivated siya. Alam mo kasi, bago pa man masimulan ang Paramount Program, matagal nang pinag-eeksperimentuhan ng Paramount Labs ang mga katulad natin. Iyon nga lang, dahil kay Benjamin, na-integrate na 'yun sa society sa pamamagitan ng partnership ng organization sa mga schools gaya nito.

"Your father wanted to help us become functional members of the society. He understood that people might become afraid of us because we're different, but he also desires to live in a world where people like us wouldn't be feared or frowned on.

"Pero noong nalaman namin ang totoo, nag-ingat na kami...Pero ang tatay mo, hindi pa rin tumigilTo be honest, even though he is part of the Sanctum and is also against the Paramount Labs, your father was cheeky... He said to me before, that if the organization is just shitting on us, then he might as well use their labs and their money. Andami niyang ginawang projects at proposals at walang kaalam-alam ang mga higher-ups doon kasi akala nila nagreresearch lang ang gago. Tinago niya 'yun lahat, at plano niyang isakatuparan iyon kapag nakaalis na siya sa Paramount Labs."