PINAKITA ko sa kanila ang suot kong singsing. I clicked something beneath the ring and the stones above flashed a hologram figure of someone. Narinig ako ang kanilang pagsinghap nang makilala kung sino ang taong nagpakita.

"My Mom." I clarified. "One of the people who asked to kidnap you all."

Hindi sila nagsalita ng kahit ano. Nanatili silang tahimik. "What you guys will be watching are the videos of the cylindrical object we found in Supremo's office."

Then I showed to them through hologram ang itsura ng cylindrical container na sinasabi ko. "The Cylindrical tube has been divided to seven parts. I asked someone to consolidate everything in one video when I finished watching most of them. It contains the explanations you are all have been seeking for."

"Play it." Jake told me to do so.

And so, I did.

"Hi everyone! Asia, my lovely daughter." Bahagya akong napapikit nang magsimula na ang video kung saan umupo ang aking ina sa harapan ng video. My mommy Lucilla is wearing some sweater and her hair was tied in a neat-bun style.

"If so happens that you are watching this video or anyone of you, then it means I already faced my own death. My name is Lucilla Nikkola Tieves-Graham. I'm one of the scientists who studied the mythical stone we called Apollo X49. The stone fell on Earth millions of years ago and we are trying to decipher its origin. Where did it come from? Why it has fallen here? As we continued examining the stone. We got some leads that most of its contents are way beyond the knowledge of our time. Contents that can bring chaos to mankind. Na kapag napunta sa maling tao at gamitin ito sa masama, human extinction will soon to arise."

"I'm getting goosebumps." Rinig naming komento ni Nikka sa isang tabi.

"No'ng una, ang akala lang namin ay isa itong non-living thing. Isang bagay lang na napapagana kapag nakuha ng iba. But we were all wrong. It's breathing... like a specie. There's something inside of it that we can't seem to open. Para itong may sariling isip na ayaw magsalita kung tatanungin mo ng kung ano."

"Is it an alien?" tanong ni Arnold sa tabi. "Because if it is, then we are all doomed. Alien invasion will come after."

"We are not sure yet if there's an Alien inside. So, we removed the probability of Alien Invasion soon enough. Why we removed it? Because we found out that the stone is a heart of a certain specie. Para siyang baby na kulang sa buwan kung kaya't napagtanto namin na kinakailangan nito ng vessel. Doon nagsimula ang kahibangan namin na gumamit ng tao para sa eksperimentong ito."

"Why she needs seven human kids if it only needs one vessel to live?" Jake asked.

"We tried it on ourselves first of course." Then Mom chuckled. "We all decided to sacrifice our humanity to encrypt the mystery of Apollo. Leonna, Althea and I started by simply touching it. Pero walang nangyari. We tried to figure out everything. We even tried to hack the mainframe system of NASA and even the military-base of USA since they had the stone on their custody. We found nothing. Until I asked Leonna and Althea when the Apollo started to be abnormal and when it always stops."

Naramdaman ko ang pagtingin sa akin ni Archilliah. I looked at her with smile when she gave it first.

"We figured out that it's only working if the full moon is at its peak. Para siyang tubig na ang nag-e-elevate para tumaas ay ang buwan. It's the source of its activation, of its powers. We tried touching it again as the full moon strikes beautifully in the night sky. Wala pa ring nangyari when Leonna and Althea touched it. But something happened when it was my turn."

"It's getting creepy." Rinig kong komento ni Nikka sa aking tabi.

"Apollo gave me visions. It spoke to me. Apollo was asking for help. Apollo explained his existence through catastrophic events that will soon to arise if... we couldn't find any vessel for it to live. The vision hasn't stopped there. Apollo made me see seven people apart from the vessel. It explained that the vessel will die if its powers won't be dispersed to those seven people. Apollo's powers are too immense for the vessel to handle. And so, the seven kids should be chosen by it."

I can hear Jake, Nikka, Archilliah and Arnold's deep breathing. This is the answer they've been looking for.

"It wasn't our choice when we need to kidnapped those kids, Asia, my darling. It was the Apollo made us see kung sino ang dapat na piliin. We, three— were against it. Believe us, please. Dahil alam naming may mga buhay na masisira pagkatapos namin isalin ang ilan sa properties ng Apollo sa kanila. I know that we will never have the forgiveness from them. This will be our biggest sin that we are going to bring even on our death bed."

Napasinghot ako nang makita kung paano tinanggap ng Mom ko ang kasalanan na kanilang ginawa. Ang kasalanan na hindi magpapatahimik sa kanilang tatlo ngayong patay na sila. It was really hard to do something that you don't usually do. Lalo na kung ang kailangan nilang kidnap-in ay mga bata pa. They already knew that they will be cursed to death by the kids na ginawan nila ng masama.

I also heard Nikka and Archilliah crying silently. Nikka is clenching her fist but her eyes speaks different pain than her own rage. Archilliah on the other hand, maybe recalled the day that her sister died just for her to live. It was really hard. Even for the two boys beside me.

"Nilunok namin ang kapangasahan na iyon para lang maligtas ang mundo. I know our reasons won't be valid anymore but the main point here is that, you need to protect each other now. Lalo ka na, anak. You need to protect them and they need to protect you. Dahil isa lang ang mamatay sa pitong bata, Apollo's curse will surround the whole world with chaos."

"Pero ang sabi ni Supremo, kailangan nila tayong pito para mabuhay ang Apollo. Ibig sabihin, hindi pa rin ligtas ang lahat kung buhay pa tayo?" Nikka asked with confusion.

"The Privus..." muli kaming napatingin kay Mom nang bigla muli itong magsalita. "They will do their best to get the hold of Apollo that's why Leonna has a plan to stop the Apollo's power temporarily. Pero once na makumpleto nila kayo, all of you can activate the Apollo once more. But Apollo won't acknowledge them if they don't have the vessel— the Manipulator of Apollo. And that's you, my darling. I tried my best na hindi ka piliin ng Apollo. Pero siya na mismo ang umukit ng tadhana mo."

Napatingin sa akin ang apat nang marinig ang huling mga katagang sinabi ng nanay ko. Most of them are shocked upon knowing my relevance to the Apollo.

"Pero sabi ni Supremo, ikaw ang ikapitong victim 'di ba?" tanong ni Nikka sa akin habang bakas ang labis na pagtataka.

Seryosong mukha ang ibinigay ko rito. "Kaya nahihiwagaan ako sa sinabi niya kanina bago tayo nakawala. If he really watched this videos katulad ng sinasabi niya, dapat malinaw na walo tayong binigyan ng sumpa ng Apollo."

"Not unless, hindi niya talaga napanuod lahat at nag-settle siya sa bilang ng taong may kapangyarihan ng Apollo." Si Jake ang nagdugtong with his conclusion.

He has a point. Maaaring gano'n nga. Pero... something is not right. They continued to watch.

"The seven kids have been given different gifts which is part of Apollo's true power. The ability to compel, foresee the future, paralyze, can give mental pain, can blind someone thru the use of illusion, to nullify one's ability... and the ability to heal."

Nagkatinginan silang lima.

"As you may observed, Apollo's gifts are more into mental prowess. Wala itong binigay na mag-b-benefit ang physical attacks. At iyon ang patuloy pa naming pinag-aaaralan. And I hope we could be able to unleash the answer before they kill us and get the Apollo stone away from us."

"Ability to heal..." rinig naming wika ni Jake.

"I put all of the information of those kids in the cylinder. You must find them, darling. You need to look after them and get the Apollo back if so happens Privus will get the hand of the stone. We will try our best to protect it. You need the stone. You need the seven kids. Once you complete them and you have the stone? Ikaw lang ang may kakayahang kunin muli ang mga gifts na binigay ng Apollo and put it all back to the stone. Kapag nagawa mo na? You need to find Leonna's daughter. She's the key of destroying Apollo for good."

Hindi ako halos nakahinga sa mga bilin ng aking ina. Her eyes while giving me instructions are absolute.

"She has the eagerness to destroy Apollo. That's her mission for you, Prof Asia." Archilliah concluded.

"Hindi dapat mapunta sa kahit na sino ang Apollo lalo na ang Privus Trata, darling. You need to destroy it so this world won't be compromised from the upcoming Apocalypse. Ayokong mangyari ang pagkawasak na pinakita sa akin ng Apollo, Anastasia. Earth will be vanished and no one will survive. You have to change the world's destiny, together with the chosen kids."

That ends the video for me. The rest of the videos are all about the Kids' mental prowess, how to use it properly and its weaknesses.

"Asia," rinig kong tawag ni Jake sa akin matapos mapanuod ang lahat ng video na pinakita ko. "Your mother gave us the information that we need but she didn't mention anything about the last victim. Kung sino ang batang iyon at kung nasaan na siya. Were you able to open all of the cylinders?"

"Yes," pag-amin ko. "That's why I know Supremo was bluffing about him knowing the last victim. It seems Mom didn't include it in purpose. Alam niyang maaaring makuha ng Privus ang cylinders kaya hindi nito kinumpleto ang information tungkol sa huling bata."

"It's her strategy knowing na nakuha mo nga ang cylinder na iyon dito sa Vexigo. She must have known that this will happen kaya inunahan niya ang Privus at tinago ang impormasyon patungkol sa huling bata." Pagtatagpi-tagpi ni Nikka.

"Pero kung ganoon nga, there's a probability na wala siya rito sa Vexigo." Arnold hypothesized.

"If the last victim is currently outside, then we need to find him or her. Kailangan nating lumabas rito to protect that person." Archilliah suggested.

"Hindi niyo ba naalala kung sino iyon sa pinagkulungan natin noon?" Jake asked us.

Si Arnold ang sumagot. "I'm certain na ang pang-pitong bata na nasa kulungan natin noon ay yung kakambal ni Aarav na si Oliver. Which means, siya si ikapito."

Mariin akong umiling sa sinabi ni Arnold. "No, hindi siya si ikapito. I was able to protect Oliver that night no'ng kambal na ang sinalang sa experimentation. That was the first time I was able to use the power of Apollo and my Mom couldn't do anything that night because I protected him. Huli na no'n para mailigtas ko si Aarav at si Oliver lang ang nakaligtas na maturukan."

"How sure are you na hindi siya naturukan bago mo siya nailigtas. Gaya ng sabi mo, nauna nang naturukan si Aarav bago ka pa mang pumasok. Baka hindi mo alam—" pinutol ko ang sinasabi ni Jake.

"No, I'm certain. Before the night we figured out na kayo ni Nikka at ang ikaapat at ikalima, ako ang nagbigay ng paraan kay Oliver para mahuli kayo. I talked with him personally at nagamitan ko siya ng clairvoyant prowess to see his past. Do'n ako nakasiguradong hindi naturukan si Oliver." Paninigurado ko kay Jake.

"Then the option that we have is to go outside of this island and search for the seventh victim." Pagbibigay suhestyon ni Arnold na mariin kong tinutulan.

Umiling iling ako sa kanila. "The last victim is here in Vexigo." I stated with confidence.

"We don't have any information that can help us to figure out who he is." Nikka interjected.

"I have ways to know but I'm definitely sure that the last victim is here, Nikka." Sigurado kong wika sa kanila.

"Is that because of Supremo?" Jake asked. Ngayon namin napapakinabangan ang pagiging parte nito ng Investigativo Club.

I nodded at him. "He mentioned that this plan had taken place before the class started. If his goal na mapagsama sama kayong pito sa lugar na ito para sa Apollo then he made sure that the last victim is here with us."

"But he's pointing out that you're the last victim remember?" medyo may pagkairitang pagpapaalala ni Nikka sa akin.

Ayokong magsungit pero binibigyan ako ng rason ng babaeng ito. "He did that for something we are not sure yet what is it."

"Pero paano nakuha ni Supremo ang impormasyon sa huling bata? Ni hindi nga iyon sinama rito sa video." Naguguluhang tanong ni Nikka.

Lahat kami ay napatahimik ng ilang sandali. We are trying to digest everything and somehow, we are still trying to figure out kung paano nga ba nalaman ni Supremo kung sino ang ikapitong bata. He must have some sources to know it. Source that I should figure out kung sino.

I tried to replay again the part where Mom is explaining the Sixth Victim gift. Ito ang huling part ng video. Dapat may sinabi siya rito to give me some clue. If she really wants me to complete the Seven Victims of Apollo and put all their gifts on the stone through me then she made sure na binigyan niya ako ng clue kung papaano ko makikilala ang huling bata.

"The Sixth Victim— ability to nullify. This is one of the dangerous gift that the Apollo had given to one of them. Kung sino ang ikaanim na magigising mo because of your Wave, he or she will have the hand on this power. This gift can nullify your curses. It's one of the people that should always be on your side dahil siya lang ang kayang makapagpaampat ng sakit na pwede mong maramdaman sa oras na pinapatay ng Apollo ang katawan mo sa kapangyarihan nito. It has the power to nullify human being's emotion and control it sa gusto nitong emosyon. You need them all alive, Asia. Or the curse of Apollo will enshroud the whole world at magsisimula na itong sirain ang lahat ng nasa paligid."

"Bakit mo inulit yung last part ng video, Prof Asia?" Archilliah asked innocently. Naghintay naman ng kasagutan ang iba.

Hindi ako sumagot at pinaulit ulit ang part ng video na iyon. Nakalimang ulit yata ako nang biglang manlaki ang mata ko. Hindi dahil sa mga sinabi ni Momma kung'di sa suot nito sa leeg. Tapos ay naalala kong may ukit sa ibabang bahagi ng Cylinder bago ko iyon pinaghiwa-hiwalay.

The necklace! She gave it to me before she died at nawala ko noon. Bigla kong naalala ang vision na nakita ko kay Archilliah nang makita nito ang gamot sa curses nila. Iyon iyong vision na naroroon si Calixto Aldeguer. Ang kausap ni Momma sa vision na iyon.

"I think I already know how Supremo knew about the name of the last victim." Wika ko sa kanila na sila namang kinatingin sa akin. Their attention has drawn deeply and they're all anticipating what will I say.

"The necklace that she's wearing..." pauna kong wika tapos ay napatingin doon ang apat na Enhanced na kasama ko. "I saw in Archilliah's vision that Mom was protecting it too much before she gave it to me before she died."

"Oo nga tama! Iyan nga rin iyong nakita ko!" Archilliah enthusiastic voice made them curious. "She's protecting it too much... pero, nasa isang matandang lalaki na iyon 'di ba?"

"Then we need to take it back." Segunda naman ni Jake.

Yes, iyon ang dapat gawin pero bakit parang naiisip kong non-sense rin iyon?

"W-We?" tanong ni Arnold sa kanilang lahat. "I-I'm n-not ready to die yet. S-Sorry."

Nikka grabbed Arnold's shirt. "Kung nanunuod ka kanina ng mabuti, sana naintindihan mo na we still have a chance to be cured. We can still take back our normal lives! Ngayon kung ayaw mo, then don't do something stupid and make yourself alive." Tapos ay tinulak niya ito sa lupa.

Agad naman na nilapitan ni Jake si Nikka at pinahinahon ito.

Tiningnan ko si Arnold, even Archilliah. "Naiintindihan ko kung ganoon ang nararamdaman mo, Arnold. Alam ko na sa lahat ng nangyayari ngayon, the least thing that you want to happen is to die early kahit hindi ka pa nakaka-graduate."

Nagbaba ng tingin si Arnold sa akin. He stared on the ground. "Supremo won't stop getting us alive. Gagawa siya ng paraan para makuha tayo at gamitin para sa Apollo. At ano pa ang silbi ng buhay natin o ng kagusutuhan mo kung wala na ang mundong ito?"

"Kahit ako natatakot, Arn." Archilliah added. "You know naman na ako ang isa sa pinakamahina sa klase natin right? I can barely survive kung hindi mo ako natutulungan noon. But you're the one who taught me to be strong. Kahit noong na-kidnap tayo. You always tell me to be brave right? That you'll do your best to protect me? Ang kaibahan ngayon, we will do this together. We will survive and support each other."

Napangiti ako sa sinabi ni Archilliah. Hindi ko inaasahan na ganito nagbago ng kabilis ang dalaga matapos magbalik ang mga alaala niya. I can't stop myself but to be emotional right now. Napapahid ako ng luha nang biglang magsalita si Nikka.

"Hindi ko alam na gan'yan ka pala ka-sensitive, Bitch. Kaunting kibot, maluluha agad." She said then rolled her eyes on me.

Inikutan ko rin ito ng mata and I fired her back with something big. "Tell that to yourself once you face Maxwell again, bitch."

Itong si Nikka, matapos lang mapakilala ang sarili na isa sa mga victim ay lumabas agad ang kinikimkim na totoong ugali. 'Di ko akalain na kasing bitchesa rin pala ito ni Anabelle.

Napaigik ako nang makaramdam ng sakit sa sugat na ako ang may gawa. Jusko, kahit pag-alala lang sa pangalan ng intrimitidang iyon ay nagdudulot pa rin siya ng kapestehan sa akin.

"We should change your gauze." Presinta ni Jake tapos ay iginiya ako nito patayo.

"Pasalamat ka may sugat ka kung'di baka pinagbuhol ko pa kayo ng Maxwell na iyon." Rinig kong bulong ni Nikka habang dumaraan ako sa harap nito.

"Make-up sex lang ang katapat niyan, girl." Sabi ko rito na nagpamula sa pisngi ng hitad na 'to.

"Ang bastos ng bunganga mo hoy!" blame Alastair for this!

"Came from someone who announced that Maxwell was boring when you had sex with him." I mocked.

"Hoy!" this time, pati tainga niya ay namula na. Tapos ay bumulong na rinig ko pa rin. "That's not true. Lagi nga akong nakasaklay kinabukasan after no'n."

"Uhm, hi guys! Kids here!" Napalabi ako nang biglang mag-react sina Arnold at Archilliah na nasa bonfire pa rin. Their faces scream with innocence from what they've been heard.

Inirapan sila ni Nikkadorpha. "Ako tigil tigilan niyo akong dalawa, huh! From the fragmented memories that I have, naalala kong parehas kayong nagkahalikan no'ng nasa bodega pa tayo no'n. Mygod, that was the first scandal that I have seen!"

Hindi ko na napigilan ang hindi matawa pero napaigik pa rin ako ng sakit dahil letseng sugat na ito. Nakita ko rin na nakangiti si Jake.

"T-That w-was— an a-accident! We a-are r-running for our lives nang madapa kami!" Arnold said in defense.

"O-Oo nga!" Archilliah agreed but she couldn't hide the redness of her cheeks.

"Walang nanghihingi ng reason niyo, magtigil kayo diyan." Masungit na wika ni Nikka habang busy na naglalagay ng mga maliliit na kahoy sa bonfire para manatili ang apoy nito.

"Done." Napalingon ako kay Jake nang magsalita ito. Napatingin rin ako sa bandang tiyan ko na natarakan ko ng kutsilyo. It's pretty good and fine. Medyo nag-stop na ang pagdurugo but I know that I still need to seek medical assistance.

"Thanks," wika ko kay Jake habang nag-aayos ito ng mga ginamit para sa sugat ko. "... and I'm sorry again."

I looked on the ground once again. Kung siguro ang isa sa paraan lang para mawala ang guilt na nararamdaman ko sa nangyari sa kanila ay ang paghingi ng kapatawaran lagi ay sisiguraduhin kong hindi ko iyon kakalimutang sabihin sa kanila araw-araw.

"Stop saying sorry. Medyo nakakabwisit na actually." Jake said while grinning. I can see that he meant it. "You're the one who saved us there. Kung hindi dahil sa'yo at sa taong tumulong sa'yo hindi kami makakaalis roon."

Bigla akong napakunot ng noo sa sinabi ni Jake.

"What did you just say?" I asked with a serious tone. Something caught my attention.

"Huh?" tanong nito sa akin na tila hindi narinig ang sinabi ko.

"Ano iyong huli mong sinabi kanina?" I asked him again.

"Kung hindi dahil sa'yo at sa taong tumulong—" maging ito ay tila may naalala na hindi ko alam. Jake's eyes went wide tapos ay hinawakan niya ang magkabilang balikat ko.

"Do you still remember the kid who helped you that night para makatakas kami?"

Ako naman ang napakunot noo sa kaniya. "Sinong bata?" I asked him with confusion.

Anong sinasabi niya?

"Someone helped you para makatakas kami, Asia." I can hear his eagerness to point out something that I didn't even know.

Mayroong tumulong sa akin noong gabing iyon?

Napailing iling ako. Pati sina Nikka, Archilliah and Arnold ay napalapit sa amin dahil sa lakas ng tono na ginamit ni Jake.

"Talaga?" I asked him. Ito naman ang sunod na napakunot noo.

"Hindi mo maalala?" Arnold asked her. Napalingon ako rito.

"No, wala akong natatandaan na batang tumulong sa akin noon." I replied with sincerity.

Nagkatinginan ang apat na Enhanced tapos ay muling napatingin sa akin.

"Both of you helped us to escape from that room. You brought us— Alastair, Me, Arnold, Archilliah, Jake and Aarav somewhere else." It was Nikka who tried to explain that kid.

"Yeah, Prof. Both of you brought us in an Amusement park nearby pero nang makarating tayo roon someone made us sleep. Or kami lang yata iyon. Then iyon na ang huli naming natatandaan bago kami nakauwi sa mga pamilya namin." Archilliah completed the story.

Nanlaki ang mata ko kasabay ng biglang pagkirot ng ulo ko.

Naalala ko bigla ang isang eksena bago ako himatayin bago kami pumasok nina Alastair at nung Maximo sa laboratoryo. I remembered a vision of a girl and a boy na naglalaro sa amusement park.

"I'll protect you." Muli akong napaigik sa sakit ng ulo nang muli kong marinig ang boses ng batang lalaking iyon.

Nang matapos ang sakit na iyon ay napalingon ako sa apat na Enhanced na kasama ko. Most of them ay nakahawak sa leeg na tila may tumama roong bagay.

Pati ako ay napahawak rin nang may maramdamang bagay na tumama sa leeg ko.

My eyes became blurry. Nang tanawin ko kung ano ang nangyayari ay doon ko nakita na may mga taong dumating sa lugar kung saan kami nagtatago. Ang isa roon ay lumapit sa natatanging Enhanced na hindi natamaan ng pampatulog.

"You made the right choice, Arnold. Take my word that Archilliah will not be harmed as promised." Anas ng lalaki na kilalang kilala ko ang boses.

"Dapat lang, Alastair. I betrayed them so you can protect Archilliah from all of these." Arnold replied while clenching his fist. Kita ko sa mukha nito ang hirap na nararamdaman sa isang desisyon na kailangan nitong gawin.

Malinaw pa sa ilalim ng madilim na langit that he betrayed us. Sinangkalan niya kami para sa gusto nitong mangyari.

Hindi iyon ang inaalala ko ngayon. I don't mind Arnold betraying us. What matters to me the most is the kid who helped me para maitakas ang mga biktima noon.

Kailangan kong malaman kung sino siya.

Because for sure... he's the last victim of Apollo. The Seventh Victim.