EPISODE SIX: Summit

People in the Cipher main hall gathered up after an announcement made by Rocky, one of the instructors for artillery and logistics. The population of their base was not really as hefty as what the Utopians have but they surely have big advantages for the reason that the majority of them are experts to various extents. Evidently, the faction was always equipped for possible cataleptic upheavals.

Zhackary walked in from the cellar doors; it took a while for him to stand on the elevated ground where everyone could see and hear him. As soon as he was evidently standing in front of everyone, multiple mouths gradually hushed until everything was settled for a mass conference.

“Good day to everyone who attends this emergency assembly of Cipher. You’ll be given a chance to ask a question regarding our talk right after my discussion. For now, I must need all of your ears. Is everything clear?” Said the commanding leader as his tone lowered down into a superior kind of tone. 

“Crystal, sir Veras, sir!” Responded by everyone from the crowd. 

An image of the Cipher map flashed in front of everybody’s eyes by a projector operated by Verid, who’s also in charge of the production of the faction’s weaponry. Small murmuring filled the sanctuary the time when the map shown was colour coded. Everyone was silenced right after Zhackary’s tapping of his truncheon against a table that got their attention.

“As you can see, there will be specific assignments for all of us. This is due to the possible wager with the Utopians. As expected, they might be attacking tonight or something later than that. As I always tell everyone, working together is the key for us to stay alive.” He said as he walked towards the other side of the stage and took a pause from his lecture. Abruptly raised his baton in the air to point at everyone, breathed to utter another word. “There’ll be no one dying during or after the raid, understand? We are all in this together. We’ll help everyone to stand up from their fall… We need not to win here. We are the victory, ourselves.”

Voices of approval sealed the entire room as their great leader spoke his words of encouragement. It was indeed the right decision of the NJG (New Juvenile Governance) to assign Zhackary to lead this pack of outstanding crowds. Ever since the faction was established, none was either assassinated or tortured within his dominion.

“You already know who your trainers are. Right now is the time to undergo hardships but I assure you all that we’ll relax our asses after this. Instructors, please step up on stage and introduce yourselves especially to our new folks.” Said he and signaled for everyone to come out on this little stage. 

The crowd applauded as the professionals stepped up on stage to again formally present themselves. With all confidence, they stood and smiled at everyone who respected them from the start. Their outstanding guidance kept them doing things for the common good. They gave equal love and support to those people who adore them.

“Good day to everyone! I am Rhianna Eleazer Nipa from the archery team. Nice meeting you all and I hope to give warm regards to our newbies. Please welcome them and be friendly. Thank you!” Greeted the young woman in glasses as she bows. 

“Hello everyone! I’m Eli Jaden Vista. I might be one of the new people standing on this very platform and obviously, I am younger than many of you, but I’ll do my best to share my knowledge in biotechnology.” Welcomed the young cheerful boy and searched for her big sister from the crowd. “Ate! I’m a coach now!”

Keisha from the mass smiled at her beloved brother as she clapped proudly with everyone. She got their attention after Jaden’s greeting made her a bit uneasy. A sharp voice from a metafemale comes filling everyone’s ears after seconds of applause.

“I’m here again, welp! Gina Tenon everyone, in charge of the boom booms and fun.” Gina said and pointed her finger to her front and winked in a coolest way which left her fans doing the same gesture.

“Shino Crace Bulyaw’s my name. I know that most of you know me as the strictest instructor in the Medicine Department. But don’t worry, I’m still a friendly fella, though just during recess.” The young scientist said and smiled innocently that awed the audiences. As far as everyone could remember, he’s one of the unstealable heartthrobs ever existed in the faction. He’s the true definition of tall, dark, and handsome.

Zhackary again broke the silence by another important announcement to one and all. He pointed and signaled his baton to the specific woman offstage; inviting her to step up as well. “Most of you might not have seen this prodigy before but let me tell y’all that she’s one of the best.” 

Keisha hesitated to climb up with an obvious bewildered expression, so she pointed to herself with a questioning face that Zhackary quickly noticed. He raised his eyebrows then nodded at her to confirm that she’s the person he’s pertaining to. Keisha took her deepest sigh as she finally took the courage to show her face to every person in the gathering. And despite the fact how clueless she was after her awakening, she went with the flow as the stares became more unsettling in her background.

“Let’s give our warmest welcome to my new assistant, Keisha Canna Vista!” said Zhackary while everyone was staring at the girl. Keisha apparently gave a shocked reaction after hearing her soulmate’s sudden declaration. She poked Zhackary’s shoulder then whispered in his ear to ask what was happening.

“Assistant? What’s all this about, Veras?” complained Keisha, trying her very best to smile at the crowd. 

“I’ll explain everything to you later. For now, you need to please our spectators.” Said Zhackary as he emitted the aura like he was sorry. With his apologetic face, Keisha’s nerves were almost popping as she felt how inconsiderate he was.

“You better be, because I’m totally clueless.” Said Keisha, one eye twitching with that ultimately fake grin like she was going to smack the pretty looking guy beside him. 

The crowd was filled with awe after Zhackary’s showtime on wrapping his arm on Keisha’s shoulder. However, the gesture did not make her feel any awe at all, but rage against the person beside her. Questions plugged into her mind throughout the summit. Questions about Zhackary’s true intentions and Iyaz’s future plans with her.

After that exhausting gathering, the morning training began with every person’s respective sectors; all to get ready for the possible bloodbath led by Iyaz and his comrades.

Keisha, on the other hand, bursted out in fury as she approached the young lad holding a baton a while ago. She dragged him to the nearest blind spot and slammed his well-built body on the wall. Her eyes lit up in vibrant red, giving him a glare that made Zhackary alarmed and terrified.

“Keisha, calm down! You can talk to me properly without dragging me like that.” Zhackary said defensively, thinking of an opportunity to get off of her immovable grasp. 

“Listen to me, Veras. Just because my mind’s all susceptible lately, does not mean you should make decisions for myself.” Said the girl who was undeniably furious about the lad’s unsolicited actions towards her. She felt as if she’s being taken advantage of; aware that her missing emotions and damaged memory box affected her ability to be a normal human. Regardless of her poker face, her gawks do seek one’s nightmares that sucks the soul out of them.

“I just made you my assistant, is there anything wrong with that?” Zhackary questioned stuttering through his words which sounded like gaslighting to put blame on the woman holding him captive.

“No, nothing’s in the wrong at all. But what’s that saccharine thing you did in front of everyone’s eyes a while ago? Now, all of them think that I’m some sort of your whore”, Keisha said as she slammed him on the wall once more. Not only did she express her disappointment towards him, her look of disgust made him more scared to the bones. “Did you see the look on your people’s faces? They are unhappy about it and disgusted about the idea of suddenly assigning a secretarial position in the faction. The fact that they also have no absolute clue who I am and just appeared to be some VIP bitch of yours.”

“Who said that? Bring them to me.”

“Don’t alter the subject here, Veras. What are your intentions?” Keisha’s eyes were turning bright red as she stared at the poor guy’s face. 

“Hey, I was the one who saved you from that goddamn lunatic. Now, you’re mad at me?” He again gaslighted and tried to struggle his way out of her hands. 

And they went on and about, throwing each other out in the most toxic ways.

“Ah, so you’re gaslighting me now?”

“What? The fuck did you mean about gaslighting you?”

“Are you really that deaf to not hear your own words? You regret that you saved me from Iyaz, don’t you?” She looked at his eyes with the same expression; though he knew how pained she was from what he spewed. He felt the way Keisha’s hands tremble and bathe in cold sweat. He imagined how she would cry from simple but painful words if she’s not corrupted at all. He was one of the people who hurt her. “Then you shouldn’t have bothered, Zhack. Don’t worry, I’ll do what it takes to repay you and leave you alone. I should be grateful to be here and alive.”

With her comeback, Zhackary finally realized what he was implying all along, leaving him stopping on his tracks and taking back the words that feed his own ego. Deep inside, he wanted to fully express his own regrets but was drawn aback by the fact that she wasn’t the same person before.

“I did that to give you the privilege to access every facility here for you to check on Jaden”, was the only thing he could say at this point, trying not to cross any boundaries to pop another nerve out of Keisha. 

Slowly, Keisha let him go from her entrapping grasp—ironic for a petite teener like her who could perfectly slam a huge person with her own strength. It’s likely the effects of the Seditio Syndrome work impeccably on her body. She was finally weakened after hearing her sibling’s name; her irises normalized back to their natural colour.

“I’m sorry about a while ago. If I hadn’t done that, they may feel total unfairness for not getting the position you’re into right now.” He apologized as his shaking out of fear slowly faded away. “What I mean is that… If you’re getting too much undivided attention without an authoritative position, they’d think I’m giving you some kind of special treatment.”

“But is it not the same mindset that they have acquired throughout the summit? I just got here and claimed that scrumptious rank that everyone wants to have. Those women who admire you a lot see me as a threat after subtly publicizing to everyone that I’m your lover now.” 

“I know how I fucked up, and I’m really sorry about that. But… Isn’t that the answer you wanted years ago?”

“Is it really?” Keisha retorted to what Zhackary had said. She let out a sigh of defeat before saying another. “You know Veras how numb I am feeling right now. I do not sense any affection nor any sign of emotion within me. If there is, I’d be limited or having the difficulty to properly express myself. I partially lost my memories, I don’t even know how I got here except that torture house made by some man named Iyaz.”

Gradually, she walked away to finally end the conversation between them to focus on her recent tasks. She paused for another set of phrases she wanted to tell the lad behind her.

“If so, can you help me retrieve all those joyful memories I had with you? Because… I’ve always wanted to know how it feels to be happy and satisfied in life.”