"Dark Side"

THERE was a boxing ring in the middle of the section. A several seats were positioned around the side of the ring. Tobias handed me a boxing gloves with a color black, he said that I need to win this fight because my opponent were never been defeated since the section was established. All of men of HQ tried to defeat him but they were ended up in Medical Center. According to Tobias, he was veteran in this field of martial art because when he was eight, his dad trained him a suicidal technique of boxing.

"I hope you will survive this," Tobias said and winked at me. I think it was a motivational word, it was a threat.

"Your promise. You will tell me everything after I win this fight."

"You have my words."

I took off my shirt, and I jumped inside the ring. I saw my opponent on the other side of the ring. His face was covered by his towel and he lift his head and he gave me a death stare. He was trying to intimidate me by doing that.

"The game begins in three..." Tobias started to count.

When Tobias already said the number zero, a strong punch hit my cheek and I almost pass out. He launched another punch and hit my abdomen, a little moan escaped from my mouth after what he did.

I tried to punch him but he was pretty fast and he dodged my attack. I unleashed my strong hit to his abdomen, but I was surprised that he didn't even feel any pain after what I did. A sudden punch hit my eyes, and I almost lost my balance.

"Masyado kang mabagal," he said in an insulting way, and he started to run. "One more hit and say goodbye to your pretty face!"

Luckily, I avoided his attack that left him in surprise. I had my chance to strike him, but I suddenly saw in my peripheral view that there was a fist coming right in my face.

"PATAY KA SA AKIN NGAYON!" He was too aggressive to execute that attack, but I used my right arm to protect myself.

I heard my bones cracked after that hit.

I immediately punched his abdomen but nothing was happened for a second time around. Was he made out of steel? I continue to punched him as long as I can but he quickly punched my jaw, and I spat some amount of blood. I hit him in his face and surprisingly he groaned loudly.

"What the f—" I cut him off and I continue to attack as much as possible.

He couldn't dodge all my attacks and all his blood spat on my face, and I felt something inside me. It felt like there was a burning fire inside my heart. I could feel my body slowly became stronger; and I was like in a belligerent status that I could kill him at any moment, but Tobias suddenly appeared to stop us and I accidentally hit his face.

"Tobias?"

***

“FROM now on, you should call me as your older brother because, damn. What you did back there. It was so amazing. You’re  cool. Imagine, you are the only one who can manage to put a fist on Tobias’ face. You’re  cool, man,” nanatatawang sambit ni Kinoto habang pinupuri ako sa aking ginawa kanina.

Agad niyang kinulong ang leeg ko sa kanyang bisig at kiniskis ang aking buhok gamit ang kanyang kamao. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi niya pa rin makalimutan ang naging reaksyon ni Tobias sa nangyari.

Biglang pumasok sa loob ng silid si Tobias na mayroong ice pack na hinahawakan. Magang-maga ang mukha nito dahil sa nagawang pag-atake ko sa kanya kanina. Tinignan niya ako ng masama at umiwas ako agad ng tingin sa kanya. Itong si Kinoto naman ay hindi mapigilan ang mukha sa pagtawa.

Umupo ito sa tabi ko at mayroong hawak na laptop na parang walang nangyari. Binuksan niya ito at hindi ko sinandyang makita ang password ng laptop niya. Pinigilan ko ang aking pagtawa nang malaman ko ang password nito. Sampung asterisk. Tamad na siguro siyang mag-isip ng password.

"Dahil gusto mo talagang malaman ang totoo ay ipapakita ko na sa'yo ang lahat-lahat na nalalaman namin," sabi nito habang abala sa kanyang ginagawa.

Nasa opisina ako ngayon ni Tobias. Masyado itong maliit kumpara sa opisina ni Uncle. May isang pabilog na bintana sa dulo at sa tabi nito ang maliit na book shelf na walang lamang libro kundi ang mga sapot lamang ng mga gagamba.

"Kaya ka pinili ng mga directors na gawin ang misyon ay dahil dito," sabi nito at mayroong ipinakitang mga files sa kanyang laptop.

Halos mahulog ako sa aking inuupan nang makita ko ang laman ng mga files. Mga records ng mga taong mga wala na. All of them was brutally murdered by someone who is veteran at killing.

Their corpses were found in the different places inside the Central City. Based on the way they died, the person who was responsible for that killing was an assassin.

May mga litrato ang mga taong mga namatay sa itaas ng mga files. Sa ilalim ng kanilang mga litrato ang kanilang mga pangalan.

"Toksha Tanu." Binasa ko ang pangalan ng isa sa mga tao na nasa files.

Ilang saglit lang ay mayroong ipinakita si Tobias na isang video footage. Nakita ko doon sa video ang lalaking nakita ko kanina sa mga files. Hindi ako nagkakamali na si Toksha Tanu ang lalaking iyon. Matapos ang ilang mga segundo ay may lumitaw na isang lalaking nakasuot na itim na damit at mayroon itong hawak na baril. Hindi muna niya ito pinatay bagkus pinahirapan pa niya ito bago niya tinuluyan si Toksha Tanu. Lumingon ang lalaking naka-itim sa camera at laking gulat ko nang makilala ko ang taong iyon.

"I-Is that... m-me?"

Pinatay ni Tobias ang laptop niya at agad na tumingin sa akin.

"You have that skills to kill someone without any empathy. You are living weapon, Kylvin," sabi nito at halata sa mukha niya ang matinding pagkaseryoso. "Grogz. Yung lalaking nakalaban mo sa Frostbyte ay halos mapatay mo noon nang unang beses kayong nagkaharap. Alam ng mga directors na kayang-kaya mo ang misyon dahil sa mga impormasyong nakuha namin tungkol sa'yo. Hindi namin alam kung ano ang ginawa sayo ni General Siyaszo pero kapag magpapakita ang mga miyembro ng CRYPTIC sa'yo ay kayang-kaya mo silang talunin. Base sa mga nakalap naming mga impormasyon ay lahat ng mga napatay mong tao ay miyembro ng grupong CRYPTIC."

"S-Sandali lang..." Hindi ako halos makapagsalita dahil sa mga sinabi niya. Hindi ako makapaniwala na ganoong klaseng tao ako noon. Halos maging mamatay tao sa mga panahong iyon. Hindi halos, talagang mamamatay tao ako. Walang awang pinahihirapan ang mga kalaban ko. "A-ako ba talaga iyon?"

"Sa tingin mo? Kylvin." He sighed.

"They call you Alpha because you are like the strongest metal on Earth. You have this dark side that ready to kill and you have this good side that could put a smile on someone's face."

"Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin."

"Bakit naman?"

Hindi ko siya sinagot dahil abala ako sa kakaisip kung sakaling magbalik ang ala-ala ko ay maaring maging isa akong marahas na tao. Isang lalaking walang awang pinahihirapan at pinapatay ang mga taong makakalaban ko.

"After your trainings here in HQ you will going to live outside like a normal kid."

Napakunot ako ng noo sa sinabi ni Tobias.

"What do you mean?"

"You have one month to hone your abilities here and after that—"

"W-what?"

"General Sebastian will explain you the rest," sabi nito at tumayo,  "Well, take some rest and the general want you to meet him tonight," sabi nito at agad na itinago ang kanyang Laptop.

Lumabas na ako sa kanyang opisina at nagtungo sa kuwarto ko sa HQ. Mas lalong dumagdag sa iisipin ko ang nalaman ko ngayon. Hindi ako makapaniwalang may ganoon akong klaseng ugali.

Huminga ako ng malalim at nagtungo na sa kuwarto ko. Hindi ko alam kung hanggang saan tutungo ang mga sitwasyong ito.

***

HABANG naglalakad ako sa hallway ng HQ ay may biglang tumawag sa pangalan ko. Agad ko iyong nilingon at nakita ko ang isang lalaking naka army suit at agad niyang tinanggal ang kanyang helmet para magsalita. Agad ko namang namukhaan kung sino ang lalaking gusto akong kausapin.

“Meet the general at exact 7:30 pm at his office,” sabi ni Agent Tobias  at akmang aalis pero nagtanong ako bigla.

“Bakit niya ako kailangang makita?”

“It’s forbidden for us to ask. May I?” sagot nito at muling nagsalita, “May Justice be on our side.”

Naiwan ako sa hallway na nakatayo at patuloy pa rin ang kaliwa’t kanang mga armies at agents na naglalakad sa hallway. Mukhang nasa kanyang karakter si Tobias kung nasa labas siya ng Training Centre. Sabi niya tratuhin ko raw siya bilang nakakatanda kong kapatid pero parang hindi naman niya ako kayang itrato na kanyang nakababatang kapatid.

I sighed.

Thank you for reading :)