The Paramount Code (The Odd Ones, Book 1)

068. The Resistance Begins

"Para saan pa 'yung lahat ng sakripisyo at pagpaplano natin kung kakampihan mo lang din sila?" galit na saad ni Gwen sa class adviser na iniiwasan ang tingin niya, "Gago ka... Hindi kami dapat nagtiwala sa'yo."

"Teka, teka –" pagpigil sa kanila ni Nico na palipat-lipat ang tingin sa kanila, "Pwede bang i-explain niyo muna sa 'kin kung ano ang nangyayari? Ano 'to?"

"Hm, I see..." nakangiting untag ni Benjamin habang nakatingin kay Nico, "So not everyone is included... I guess some of you are left out from this silly little scheme, isn't it? I feel really bad for those who are unaware, so I will take this opportunity to explain what is happening in order to be fair, right?"

Itinuon ng school director ang tingin kay Lara, na tumango at ibinaling naman ang tingin sa isa sa mga guards. Pagkatapos noon, ipinasok na ng ibang guwardiya sina Helga, Gustaf, Elise, Alex, Dominic, Nathan, Luna, at Apollo palapit sa platform kung saan sila nakapwesto lahat. Pare-parehong may suot na neutralizing collars ang walo sa mga leeg nila, habang pilit na nagpupumiglas mula sa mahigpit na hawak ng mga guwardiya.

Upon seeing Helga, Nico, Emma, and Sketch are all surprised to see that she is still alive. They all looked at each other in confusion, wondering how that happened.

On the other hand, Axis suddenly fell to his knees feeling a sharp pain inside his head. Leia immediately rushed to his aid, kneeling beside him in order to help him out.

"Mukhang nagulat ang iba sa inyo ha..." Benjamin said, his tone somewhat mocking and sly, "It's surprising, right? Helga is back from the dead... And you want to know why? That's because she's a metahuman like us. It's her mutation to have multiple lives, aside from, of course, placing other people in an alternate dimension – isang bagay na ginawa niya kay Lara kaya nawala siya noon. It's quite an ability, actually. Really interesting..."

Sa kabilang dako, ramdam pa rin ni Axis ang matinding sakit ng ulo, at kasabay noon ang pagbabalik ng ilang mga alaala sa isipan niya. Inabot siya ng ilang minutong pagtitiis, bago tuluyang nawala ang sakit at nagawa niyang pakalmahin ang sarili.

Nang tumayo si Axis mula sa pagkakaluhod sa sahig, tiningnan niya ang mukha ni Helga, bago itinuon ang tingin sa isa pang pamilyar na lalaki. Pagkatapos noon ay ibinaling niya ang tingin kay Daniel.

"You... You were really serious when you told me you're going to make me forget... You manipulated my memories..." ani Axis, na halatang nagtataka habang nagpapalipat-lipat ang tingin kay Daniel at Gustaf.

Benjamin smiled, before tapping Daniel's shoulder. "Is he involved in this?"

"Hindi," pagtanggi ni Daniel, "Hindi naman sinasadya ni Axis na madiskubre ang tungkol kay Helga, pero wala siyang kinalaman sa mga plano namin."

Huminga nang malalim si Benjamin, bago nilapitan si Helga at hinagkan ang pisngi niya.

"Papatayin kita..." galit na bulong ni Helga habang binibigyan ng matalim na titig ang school director.

Nginitian siya ni Benjamin. "No... Not if I kill you again... And again... And again. I'm going to kill you over and over until you run out of lives."

Pagkatapos noon, hinarap naman ni Benjamin ang mga estudyante at itinuon ang tingin kay Jacob, Gwen, Vladimir, at Leia na binibigyan siya ng matalim at seryosong titig.

"So from the looks of it... It's Axis, Emma, Nico, and Sketch who are unaware of this..." Benjamin said as he walked to and fro confidently, "Alam niyo kasi, itong class adviser ninyo... Nagplano siya at si Helga na sirain ang lahat ng mga pinaghirapan ko para sa Paramount Class. They wanted to destroy the Paramount Program, which gave lots of opportunities, comfort, and advantage to young metahumans like you.