Do Not Touch Me!

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After I introduced myself, they were quiet. I felt the uncomfortable silence, they simply looked at me as if they were already measuring my worth. I intertwined my own fingers and played with the black gloves I was wearing. A part of me just wanted to run away, I know I didn't belong here. I don't belong anywhere.

"Hi, Morana." Ngumiti ang isang lalake na may matikas na tindig, he was the one who broke the cold silence and tension that suddenly lingered in the room because of my abrupt presence. His voice was deep and soothing.

I looked at the man, at this distance, I can see his features vividly—his caramel brown hair with a natural curl, emerald green eyes that seem to see through your soul, Greek nose, thin lips, and his well-chiseled jawline. To top it all up, his fair skin was like a porcelain too with no signs of flaw. A perfection reincarnated.

Mukhang napansin niya ang pagtitig ko kaya umiwas ako ng tingin at bumaba na lang ang aking mata sa aking boots.

"I'm Athanasius Veyron, the leader of the Cardinal unit. But that is just a pretext, since I'm the one in the unit who will be directly talking to RAGE's chairperson, Dr. Achilles Veyron, my father." He said, begrudgingly. He seems to have sensed that I was tensed and he smiled. "Please do not feel awkward. We only momentarily fell quiet because we were mesmerized by your beauty."

I felt my cheeks heat up because of the compliment he uttered. I wasn't used to it and I will never get to. Growing up alone, with no one to protect me, I hid myself with my baggy and worn-out clothes, I made sure I wouldn't stand out too much as well, I am the wallflower type and I didn't like attention.

As a child, I already know I had the looks. I was adored because of it. But ever since my parents died, there were opportunists who wanted to use me and marry me because of my looks and the wealth my parents left. They thought I was a perfect vulnerable package. My parents trained me though, that's why I knew.

That's why I decided to just hide my beauty to put an end to it and I sold the remaining properties of my parents that were named after me in their will, this includes our home too which I couldn't live in anymore as it reminds me of them. I donated the money to orphanages and organizations that I knew were helping society.

The monthly insurance I receive was more than enough for me to live and I didn't need luxury. Then, a few years later, just as I finished college with my course BS Biology, I was suddenly diagnosed with leukemia and it was on its last stage, my beauty was long gone then and everything went downhill... but now that I am cured by my own poison, I seem to have drunk the fountain of youth and my skin was glowing once more, I was back in shape to what I was before I got sick. I was beautiful again.

The fact that I am still alive, it feels like a beautiful lie, I was already ready to heave my last breath back then and rest with my parents, then a man came, telling me there was a cure. Of course, I became hopeful once more.

Bumalik ako sa riyalidad nang magsalita muli si Athanasius, "my father may have mentioned that you are like us."

I nodded.

"That is true, however, we have different abilities." Aniya, "for instance, while you are a poison... I am a cure." Nakita niya ang pagtataka na napinta sa aking ekspresyon kaya tumikhim siya, "I guess it is better to demonstrate so you'd understand." He grabbed a dagger on his hilt and sliced his palm open without warning, thick red blood starting to gush out and fall on the floor.

My jaw dropped as I stared at his wound. Ngunit ang pinagtataka ko ay unti-unting nagsara ang sugat. His flesh started to stitch itself together. May bakas pa rin ng dugo na tumutulo kanina, ngunit wala na ang sugat bigla. "I have hyper-regeneration. Though it is a power exclusive to me as I cannot heal other people." Binalik niya ang kaniyang armas sa lalagyan nito. "It's nothing special, i just heal faster, and it does not mean I am immortal."

Hindi ako makapaniwala. His very existence also defied Science in all forms. Tumingin ako sa mga kasama namin sa silid, ano naman kaya ang kakayahan nila?

"Portgas Deogrande." Tipid namang saad ng isa pang lalake. He has a red hair and he was kind of dark. "Fire immunity."

"And I am Viveron Celestino..." Tumingin ako sa babaeng kasama nila, she smiled at me. "Hulaan mo ano ang ability ko!" She grinned. She was petite and her hair was cut short.

Umiling na lang si Athanasius dahil sa mapaglarong ugali ng kasama. Tahimik lang ako at malalim na nag-isip.

"Sirit na ba?" Ngumisi si Viveron sa akin at ako naman ay tumango, "alright, my ability is called Infinite Dive. I am basically the one who will be always working behind the scenes to provide support during missions. My brain has been enhanced in order to fully unlock all of its dormant features, that means no one is better at me when it comes to technology."

"And that makes all of us, the Cardinals, a special unit of RAGE." Athanasius announced. After that, he walked towards me, "welcome to the group, Morana." He offered me his hand, as if asking for a handshake. I walked a few steps back, careful not to touch him. He smiled, "don't worry, you won't harm me. You have gloves on."

Remembering that what he said was true, I gulped the lump in my throat and held my hand out, he grabbed it for a handshake, sumunod naman sina Portgas at Viveron.

"What Athan said is true," Viveron said after, "ang ganda mo!"

"Thank you." I smiled awkwardly.

Umupo ako sa bakanteng sofa, may distansya pa rin sa aming lahat. "So, when will we be dispatched for our first mission?" Tanong niya kay Athanasius.

"When Morana is ready, by now, she's still being tested. Once she passes that, she will be briefed like the rest of us, and trained too. Maybe in two months, give and take." He deduced. "We are a new and special unit. The organization is making all necessary procedures to make sure we are prepared when we mobilize."

Tumango lang si Portgas, he is not much of a talker. Ako naman ay nag-oobserba lang dahil wala naman akong alam sa mga nangyayari. The three of them continued to talk and I was just listening.

Doon ko napagtanto na halos pareho kami ng nakaraan. Some were also terminally-ill like me, si Viveron ay brain cancer, at si Portgas ay dating firefighter. Athanasius, on the other hand, didn't reveal anything about him at all. All we know is that he is Dr. Achilles' son.

"Actually, the arsonist you killed last week... We were watching." Tumingin ako kay Viveron, "that criminal is the reason why Portgas' family died."

My eyes widened.

"Thanks for avenging my family." Sabi ni Portgas sa akin, "though it would've been better if I was the one who ended his life." I guess I was wrong about him. He talks. Baka pinapakiramdaman lang niya ako gaya ng ginagawa ko sa kanila. Still, I felt bad for him and what happened to his family.

"Seems like time is up, Morana, welcome to the family." Athanasius declared as if looked at his wristwatch.

Biglang bumigat ang aking dibdib at nangilid ng luha sa aking mga mata.

Tumalikod agad ako at mariin kong pinikit ang aking mga mata upang pigilan ang pag-iyak. The words he uttered echoed in my head once more. It felt like I can really belong to this team because we were a group of oddities and peculiarity. I was happy and sad at the same time, happy to have met them and sad because of the same fate we all had.

I had to harden my heart. I cannot be over sentimental. He may say we're a family, but the truth is, we weren't. We were just a group of successful human experiments who were bestowed with the task to do the dirty work of the Central Government, we were the killers of RAGE. Somehow, thinking of it like that made things a lot easier for me. Less attachment, less hurt.

Humarap ako sa kanila... and when I did, I was no longer the same.

"I am in your care." I said.

After I was introduced with them, sinundo rin agad ako ng isang tauhan upang bumalik ako sa aking kuwarto. Nasa kabilang silid din agad si Dr. Achilles at tila naghihintay sa akin. As usual, we were separated by the glass wall.

"How was the meeting with the Cardinal unit?" Iyon ang bungad niya sa akin.

"They are nice people." Pero hindi ko pa sila masyadong kilala. But I feel like they are truly nice. And we are also the same kind. "Athanasius, he is your son?"

Dr. Achilles nodded, "indeed... We don't look alike, right?" I agreed. "He takes after his late mother. She was diagnosed with an illness and I couldn't save her, it was hereditary, and Athanasius got it, thankfully, this time around, I was able to save him with Greater Science."

Ngumiti siya nang mapakla. "Now, going back... We will still run a few tests to make sure you're good. Then, you will be briefed and trained. In two months, you will meet the Cardinals again and will be mobilized to do special missions and tasks for RAGE."

So, I will be meeting Athanasius and the rest in two months?

"Of course, like you, the Cardinals are also being trained. Athanasius and Portgas for combat, and Viveron for intellectual wars. There will be moments all of you work as a group, and as individuals. Now, let us talk about you, what field do you think you will take?"

Since my ability is related to death, I said "Combat."

"Quite, but not likely." Ngumiti si Dr. Achilles sa akin, "you will be trained with the art of seduction."

Kumunot ang noo ko, "what do you mean?"

"Your beauty, Morana, is something we have taken into account while discussing with the Board of Regents, this is the conclusion we have come up with. Of course, if your looks were average, you may have been chosen for combat too."

"I don't get it." I replied.

"You are blessed with looks." He stated, as if it was a matter of fact. "We will use your beauty to attract the most powerful figures in the underground world, and you will be their poison."

I gulped the lump in my throat that formed. Bumilis din ang t***k ng aking puso, pakiramdam ko ay parang lalabas ito sa aking dibdib.

"A seductress." That would be my role.

"A deadly one." Dr. Achilles smiled, he looked at me with those eyes as if I was a beast that needs to be tamed and leashed, "a femme fatale."