Codename: Alpha Zero

Chapter 21

MINA

"I quit," matigas kong sabi. Nakita ko namang nagulat siya sa sinabi ko. I'm sorry, Al. But I can't risk my family in this matter. Wala silang kinalaman dito kaya gagawin ko ang lahat para malayo sila sa kapahamakan na dulot ng pagsali ko sa grupo niyo.

"Sure?" tipid niyang sagot. He looks really hurt from what I said.

"Don't worry. I'll still hang out with you but not as an Alpha Fleet. Just as your campus enemy, so you'll not miss me," alam kong pabiro ko lang iyon sinabi but there's still sincerity in it.

Wait. Naiiyak ba siya? Hala, OA lang? Halatang pinipigilan niya ang emosyon niya. When he noticed my expression and his tears preparing to fall, he turned back from me. Ganiyan ka nga talaga. You don't want anyone to see your soft side so you pretend to be a cold person.

"You can't say no. Wala ka rin namang magagawa kung ayaw ko nang gumawa ng mga bagay para sa Alpha Fleet," I said again.

"Fine," he said. Naglakad na siya paalis but then he stopped halfway. "Basta palagi ka lang mag-iingat."

Hindi na ako nakapagsalita dahil para siyang hangin na nawala sa paningin ko. I can now see why he is called the Ghost Alpha. Parang multo kasi siya kung kumilos. Bigla na lang mawawala sa paningin mo.

Hindi na ako bumalik sa canteen o sa room namin. Nasa library lang ako buong araw at nagtytype sa laptop. I haven't written my stories since I joined that group. How I missed this. Siguro maganda na rin na umalis ako sa Alpha Fleet para maipagpatuloy ang normal kong buhay.

When I heard the bell rang, umalis na ako ng library at dumeretso sa faculty room. Hinanap ko ang table ni Bernia na madali ko namang nakita dahil malapit lang ito sa pinto.

Nilapitan ko siya at nginitian. She smiled back when she saw me.

"What can I do for you, Miss Cruz?" tanong niya.

"Ay, nako ma'am. Mina is one of our best students here at RNHS! Hindi siya nawawala sa top 10 ng batch nila!" proud na sabi ng isang babaeng teacher na halos kasing-edad lang ni Bernia. I remember her, she's one of my teachers a year before.

"Oh? I see. Natatapos niya nga ang activities na binibigay ko kahit napapadalas ang pag-absent niya. And what's more, her scores are always perfect," parang amazed na sabi ni Bernia.

"Can I talk with you privately, ma'am?" tanong ko at tumango lang siya.

Paglabas namin ay nag-iba na naman ang aura niya. From a good teacher to a horrible monster. That's how one could put it.

"What do you want to talk about? I thought I got it clear to you?" tanong niya agad. Nakatingin siya ng deretso sa mga mata ko.

"I wanted my parents. I'm quitting the Alpha Fleet."

Natawa siya sa sinabi ko. Kumunot naman ang noo ko. "You think it will be that easy? Sorry but that's not the outcome that I wanted. You see, I don't look at you like a Superman who would stop us. I see you as the kryptonite of the real Superman. I'll use you to make him weaker and easier to kill."

I smirked, trying to hide my annoyance. "You also know that in the end, the heroes always win, right?"

She chuckled again. "But sometimes there are sacrifices to reach a happy ending. At sa tingin mo, sino kaya ang mawawala para magtagumpay kayo?"