Sorry kung ngayon lang po ako nakapag-update. Nawalan me ng load😂 Pero gumagawa pa rin naman po ako ng mga chapters tuwing wala akong load para pambawi. Thank you for waiting😊❤

***

"Zai, starting from now on Zenlhoir will live with us," Alexander, Zai's father said as he stand in front of her and beside him stood a boy that seems to be older than her for a few years. "Act properly." he added before leaving.

Naiwan naman ang dalawa sa sala. Zenlhoir stared at the young girl's emotionless eyes as she gaze into his. Zai tilted her head then turned her back but she gazed over her shoulder to him, "Make yourself comfortable." she said before walking away.

Nanatiling nakatitig si Zenlhoir sa likod nito. Hindi niya maiwasang mapansin kung gaano kaganda ang postura nito at sa tahimik na paglalakad nito ay nalaman na niyang agad may karanasan ito sa paglaban.

Inilipat naman niya ang kaniyang paningin sa kaniyang gilid kung saan nakita niya ang isang litrato ng pamilya na umampon sa kanya. Nakatayo roon ang lalaki na nagdala sa kaniya sa malaking bahay na ito habang nakaupo naman sa eleganteng upuan ang isang babae at nakaupo sa mga hita nito ang batang babae na kaniyang nakilala lamang kanina. Ang kaibahan lamang ay nakangiti ito sa litrato. But he's not even curious a single bit nor does he care.

Naglakad siya patungo sa direksyon kung saan naglakad ang babae. Napunta naman siya sa bakuran at nakita ang babae na nakatayo sa harap ng lamesa na puno ng iba't ibang klase ng baril. May hawak itong isang baril na nakatutok sa hugis tao na metal sa kalayuan.

Zenlhoir watched as she pull the trigger continuously. He looked at the target and saw that she kept on shooting the same spot, digging a hole through the metal target. It looked effortless as she do it.

Nang maubusan ito ng bala ay ibinaba nito ang baril at nilagyan ng panibagong magazine. Habang ginagawa niya ito ay nagsimula itong magsalita, "Where did you came from?"

Zenlhoir walked to where she is and stood beside her, "Nowhere. I'm just a stray until they offered a home for me in the lab."

Zai glanced at him from her peripheral vision. She heard about it. Her father was talking to an unknown man a month ago, discussing about this certain lab. She wasn't suppose to listen but her curiosity got the best of her when she heard something about Hevrions.

Apparently, there is a research lab that exist for the purpose of experimenting on Hevrions' genes. Kumukuha sila ng mga tao na walang koneksyon kahit kanino at tinatanong muna ito kung gusto nilang makisama sa eksperimento kapalit ng kahit na anong hiling nila. Of course, their role is to be the lab rat.

In that research lab, they inject substances with a Hevrion's blood mixed in to the specimen's bloodstream. Many were not compatible and resulted to a failure. With failure, it means the specimen died. For a 10-year old girl, she didn't quite understand what they're talking about. Why would they inject someone else's blood to another person?

Narinig rin niya ang kasunduan na kukunin ng kaniyang ama ang kauna-unahang eksperimento na nagkaroon ng improvement. A specimen survived and he was able to handle a Hevrion's unique genes. Pumayag naman ang lalaki sa gustong mangyari ng kaniyang ama dahil dugo rin naman nito ang ginamit para sa eksperimento at napapayag din ito kapalit ng malaking halaga ng pondo na ibibigay nito sa kanilang proyekto.

Zai squinted her eyes at the male beside her.

Ibinalik niya ang kaniyang paningin sa baril na nasa kaniyang hawak at inilapag ito sa lamesa. She slid the gun to Zenlhoir. Tumingin naman sa kaniyang direksyon ang lalaki bago ibinalik ang tingin sa baril na nasa kaniyang harapan.

"It's a SIG Sauer P320 pistol. It's easy to use and easy to carry," nagsimula naman ng maglakad ang batang babae papasok ng bahay, "Go knock yourself out."

But she stopped on her tracks when she heard a sudden shot and the vase beside her broke apart. She sighed and looked back, "If you're trying to kill me, aim properly."

Ngunit tumingin lamang sa kaniya ang lalaki at sinabing, "I'm not. It just suddenly went off."

Zai sighed and went back to his place. Alexander stared down from the balcony as he watch the two with a champagne in his hand. He leaned on the concrete railings or the parapet of the balcony and rested his cheek on his knuckles as he watch how many times the boy missed a shot.

Pinapanood lamang din ito ng babae at hindi pinapakialaman. Binibigyan lamang ito ng mga payo kung kailangan. Pagkaraan ng ilang mga minuto ay naririnig na rin nila ang pagtama ng mga bala sa metal target. Zai turned her back when she already knew that she's not needed anymore but before she walk inside, she looked up to the balcony only to see no one.

Malapit ng maggabi noong tumigil si Zenlhoir. Hindi nito napansin ang oras. Masyado siyang nalibang sa paggamit ng mga baril. He stared at the scattered guns on the metal table. Lumingon siya sa kaniyang likod noong marinig ang boses ng babae, "Leave it. I'll use it tomorrow morning anyway."

Tumango naman ang lalaki at sinundan na ito papasok. Nagtungo sila sa hapag-kainan at mabilis namang dumako ang tingin ni Zenlhoir sa likod ng lalaki na kasalukuyang nagluluto. Nakasuot pa rin ito ng itim na polo at nakaslacks pa rin ito. Mayroon rin itong suot na gray na apron.

Umupo siya sa harap ng batang babae. Ilang saglit lamang ay nilapag na ng lalaki ang mga niluto nito sa kanilang harapan at nagsimula na silang kumain. It was quiet. The only noises that are filling the silence between them are the sound of their spoons slightly hitting their plates.

Zenlhoir stared at the father and daughter's faces. Walang bahid ng emosyon ang makikita sa dalawa ngunit sa hindi malamang dahilan ay hindi nakakailang ang atmospera sa pagitan nila. Zai lifted her arm to get the pitcher to pour water in her glass but Alexander was the one who lifted it up and did it for her without even sparing a single glance from his food. Zenlhoir was quite amused with the scene.

Pagkatapos kumain ay ang lalaki pa ang naghugas ng kanilang pinagkainan. He offered to do it but he was mostly likely ignored. So he just helped by wiping the plates with a clean cloth while Zai was the one who cleaned the table. They were doing it in silence and it was a mystery that they never felt awkward.

Pagkatapos maglinis ay umalis na lang ng tahimik si Zai mula sa kusina. Habang nanatili naman si Alexander at humarap sa laptop nito. Zenlhoir went upstairs to his room. He immediately saw the door that Alexander described to him. Binuksan niya ito at nakita ang malaking pagkakaiba nito sa kwarto niya sa laboratoryo. It was bigger and more comfortable. Its color is black, gray, and white. The bed is big and all his needs is already in the room.

Humiga siya sa kama at binuklat ang isang libro na dinampot niya mula sa study table na nasa gilid lamang ng kama. The first thing that greeted him were a page with paragraphs like an introduction then the next was filled with numbers, formulas, and other mathematical things. He glanced at the other books and it looks like they're also books that is pretty similar to what he is holding. He learned to read and speak in English when he was still in the lab. They taught him how and he immediately learnt it but this kind of thing is complicated for him.

Pinagpatuloy naman niya ang pagbabasa at pinilit intindihin. He already sensed why the man put those books there. Of course, for him to learn that kind of thing.

Pagkatapos ng ilang oras ay sinara niya ang libro at lumabas ng kwarto. He needs something to drink. Nagtungo siya sa kusina at nakitang naroon pa rin ang lalaki. Mabilis niyang napansin ang tatlong baso ng gatas. Ang isa ay nasa kalahati na. Inabot naman niya ang isa at ininom. Pagkatapos inumin ay inilapag niya ang walang laman na baso sa lamesa at kinuha ang isa para dalhin sa kung sinong nagmamay-ari nito.

Kumatok siya sa isang pinto at ilang saglit lamang ay bumungad sa kanya ang babaeng mukhang inaantok na. Tumingin siya sa likod nito at nakita ang mga libro at mga papel sa lamesa nito. "Here." abot niya sa gatas.

Zai received it and scratched her sleepy eyes, "I could come for it on my own. You don't have to bring it to me." but Zenlhoir didn't say anything and just suddenly yawned like the girl's sleepiness also affected him.

"Both of you, go to sleep." pareho silang tumingin sa direksyon kung saan nanggaling ang boses ng lalaki. Nakahawak na ang kamay nito sa doorknob habang ang kabila ay dala-dala ang laptop. Just like always, his expression remained unreadable.

Zai spoke up, "Dad, I'm not finished yet--"

"Training begins at six." he said and went in his room without hearing anything more.

Muling tumingin si Zenlhoir sa babae, "You heard your father, go sleep."

Zenlhoir stared at the girl as she close her eyes. Zenlhoir grabbed both her shoulders when she was about to fall. He frowned, "Not here. Are you an idiot?"

Bumuntong hininga ito noong makitang tulog na ang dalaga. Inilagay niya ang braso nito sa kaniyang balikat at dinala sa higaan nito. Inayos niya muna ito bago lumabas ng kwarto at nagtungo sa sariling silid para matulog.

***

Alexander Hevrion
(His eyes are gray though)

Zenlhoir Hevrion