Xterminator

Chapter 59

Nanami Yoshino (Katana Light)

“Xhylem?” ani Lychee tsaka itinuro si Ashen. “Iyong kapatid nito?”

Tumango ako. “Drop the act and your mask, Xhylem. You should know that you can’t hide who you are from your brother.”

Hindi sumagot ang lalaking nagpakilala bilang X ngunit ilang sandali lang ay bumuntong hininga siya. Pagkuwa’y hinawakan niya ang suot na maskara at dahan-dahan itong inalis.

At bumungad sa amin ang mukha ni Xhylem.

“When did you realize?” tanong niya. “Is it because of my voice?”

Umiling ako. “It is because of the connection that I have with you and Ashen." Weird as it is, pero sa kanilang dalawang magkapatid ko lang naman nararamdaman ang ganitong koneksyon na para bang matagal na silang parte ng buhay ko kaya madali sa akin na ma-recognize ang identity niya.

Though, I still can't believe that he is the founder of the organization X.

“And I guess, Ashen was the first one who noticed."

And I already saw his body before so some marks in her abdomen are kind of familiar to me when he slid up his shirt. That added to my conclusion about him being Xhylem despite him putting on a mask to hide his identity.

"You didn't tell me anything about it, Xhy," ani Ashen.

"Well, why don't we go back at Yuer's X headquarters so I can explain to you everything," sabi ni Xhylem. "The ZeRL's mercenaries are already on your tail."

Tumango na lamang kami dahil higit nga namang ligtas mag-usap sa loob ng headquarters nila.

"Then, get in my car," aniya. "And leave Lychee's van. They are already looking for it as of now."

"Okay."

Before we leave, Lychee makes sure that there is nothing in his van that will make them know where to find me or who will help me get away with them.

He swept everything to make sure it was clean then, he hopped in Xhylem's car and we drove away from there.

"Can we start the question and answer portion here?" tanong ko kay Xhylem. Siya ang nagda-drive. Nasa shotgun seat si Lychee habang kami naman ni Ashen ang nasa back seat kaya ang tingin namin ay naka-focus sa rear view mirror na siyang nagre-reflect ng mga mata ni Xhylem.

"Yeah," ani Xhylem. "You can ask anything."

"Ashen told me everything about you," sabi ko. "Like us, you also had a sight but that was only before. Why is that?"

"Because I am a failed subject." Bahagya siyang sumulyap sa salamin upang tingnan ako. "Ashen and I also undergo the same experiment that they have done to you before. But of course, they first activated our sight and then, they infused the parasites in our body and made it evolve. But the parasites in my body die before it could even start its evolution."

"You were just a kid back then…"

"Yeah," aniya. "And maybe that was the main reason why the parasites in my body kept dying after they infused it. Maybe my immune system is too aggressive and keeps fighting the parasites which makes them think that they no longer need me. Especially when the sight that they have given to me started to wear off and I couldn't see or even feel the parasites so, they started to prepare to throw me out."

"Then?"

"That's when I learned that I had a brother," dagdag niya na ikinalaki ng mga mata ko. "Yeah, what you are thinking is right. Ipinagbuntis kami ng nanay namin dahil lang sa kagagawan ng mga baliw na scientist na iyon. Just like what they did to you."

Hindi ako nakapagsalita.

Hindi ko kasi inaasahan na maliban sa akin ay mayroon pa silang ginamit upang magbuntis ng mga batang inaakala nilang magiging tamang subject para sa experiments nila.

And I don't know what to say.

"We don't really know our parents," dagdag niya. "At nalaman ko lang ang tungkol kay Ashen dahil sa isang nurse na naka-assign sa aming pareho. Siya ang nagsabi sa akin ng lahat at siya din ang mag-suggest na tumakas kaming magkapatid."

"Siya ang tumulong sa inyo?"

Tumango siya. "Bago pa ako ipatapon ang ZeRL, mabilis na siyang nakakilos para kunin si Ashen sa quarters nito at nang gabing din iyon ay itinakas niya kami."

"At dinala sa mga Ryougi," ani Ashen. "Alam niya na kapag nasa mga Ryougi tayo ay hindi tayo basta magagalaw ng mga taga-ZeRL."

"Yeah," sagot ni Xhylem. "But before she leave, ibinigay niya sa akin ang lahat ng data ng experiment na ginawa nila sayo at sa akin, maging ang data tungkol sa mga parasites. And that is when I started to plan about building an organization that will fight and exterminate those creatures that will only become the death of humanity."

That is when he built the foundation of the X.

"Five years ago when I started looking for someone who has the sight," pagpapatuloy niya. "And I found most of them at the hospital after ZeRL staged their accident in order to activate their sight."

"But you don't have the money and time to do that, Xhy," sabi ni Ashen. "Masyado kang abala sa pagbabantay kay Vierra kaya paano mo–" Siya na mismong ang pumigil sa sarili niya na ituloy ang sasabihin ng ma-realize ang isang bagay. "Ryougi was the one who backed you up."

Tumango si Xhylem. "They know everything and they supported me with everything they have in one condition."

"Their safety from ZeRL while they are still weak?"

Umiling si Xhylem. "Their safety against the parasites. They want me to make sure that any member of the Ryougi will not be affected by that creature no matter what happens."

"And that is why you keep asking me if there are parasites around the house."

"Yeah."

Doon ko lang napansin na nakapasok na pala kami sa compound kung nasaan ang X headquarters.

“We will continue this conversation inside my office,” sabi pa ni Xhylem ng tuluyan na kaming makapasok ng headquarters at maipark ang kanyang sasakyan. “For now, go to Yuer’s and tell him that ZeRL is already in the vicinity. He will know what to do.” At hindi na niya kami hinintay pang makapagsalita at agad nang umalis.

Bumuntong hininga na lamang kami ni Ashen at sumunod sa sinabi ng kapatid niya dahil mukhang kailangan muna naming asikasuhin ang mga ZeRL bago namin alamin ang lahat kay Xhylem.