Segment: Confession

The Brand and The Organization

Lyle's P.O.V

I walk around the school, trying to search for Chrelia. I want to ask her about what happened to her. She might not answer me but I still want to ask. What was holding her down from relenting the shadows and what was keeping her from straying the path that they made for her.

But I can't seem to find Chrelia. I've searched the entire school but still, she's nowhere to find. A lot of students greeted me as I stroll around the school. I think I've already greeted everyone minus Chrelia. A beautiful person like her is hard to miss.

I may not be under her finger like before but I can't deny her beauty. That would be me going under. I went back to the office where Amelia and everyone else was. I take a seat next to Amelia and sighs. I sink in my seat.

"You didn't find Chrelia?" I nod.

"But it's still school hours though," she adds.

"I know. I already circled the entire school." I lean my head on her shoulder.

"What did you want to ask her anyway?"

I was glad that Amelia isn't making this an issue, unlike other girls. She understood the situation very well and suppressed her own jealousy, like some adults would have done. She's a very understanding girl and she deserves every bit of faithfulness and loyalty the world have; that's me.

Breaking her heart would be breaking the world. She's worth that much to me but at the same time, she's worth too much that I can't afford to lose just because of my name in her heart.

"I wanted to ask what kind of dirt System has on her." she hums and thinks about it for a second.

Helping Chelia get free from their hold is my priority. I didn't want to tie someone down. System isn't playing fair, holding someone else just to get closer to me. What did System offer her that she disregarded her own personal life?

"I don't know if this is helpful but back then, Chrelia changed after her father got into an accident."

"Accident?"

"Yeah. Her father was a pilot before. They even had a personal helicopter. One time when her father and her mother were out on a honeymoon ride, the helicopter crashed and only her father survived, barely too."

I believe System didn't do that. System just picked up the opportunity. System didn't stoop that low but System can be very manipulative. I've been there and meeting that assailant made me realize a lot of things.

"That's basically the answers I needed. Thank you," Amelia smiles.

"Glad I could help."

"Now all I have to do is track down the stalker and threaten him while covering my identity, which is the most hardest."

"System knows our moves, from kicks to signature moves." Cameron adds, answering the formulating question inside Amelia's head.

"Oh," was all Amelia could say.

"The research on the brand is almost done too." Joyce says from the background, her words a bit muffled because of the bread stuck on her mouth.

"We're at ninety percent, Pres." Allie says, her words too is a bit muffled. She was keeping a hardboiled egg inside her mouth, not even eating it, just keeping it.

I shake my head.

"Alright."

"I'm almost done cracking down the firewall too, Pres. Man, it's tough. But I could tell from the way it was programmed, this is one of the advanced methods in the book." Gerald was referring to the book inside our library.

"I bet all my money that it's System's previous decoder." Kristine says.

We couldn't continue our conversation a few days ago because I was interrupted. If we could only get ahold of all our seniors in System, maybe we'll have a bit insight on System. We need to find out the reason first. My head is already aching from all these unsolved mysteries.

"Me too." Jamie says, agreeing to Kristine.

But there was something else. If the previous decoder is still in System, why is the assailant in the hostiles side? I could tell from the hints she's given me that she was the previous President. She made sure to relay that on me and she didn't fail.

She's making me ask questions that I never once thought nor crossed my mind. Did their group disbanded? How? What happened? Why did she go to the hostiles side? And how do I ask Mr. Taylor about the assailant's advice?

"What?" I must be looking at Amelia unconsciously when I thought of Mr. Taylor.

Funny how I used to think of using her before. I really sound like an awful person. Amelia doesn't know. Her helping us and her words, she said that only the tip of the iceberg was told to her, means that she too wants answers. A different reason as to why she wants to, different from ours but she still wants to. I'm well aware that she's doing this because she wants to know all about me.

I could feel it in my gut and I'm done not trusting my gut. She didn't want to ask me, she wanted to know herself.

"Nothing,"

"You were looking at me like you wanted answers."

"Maybe you are my answer." I whisper in her ear, making her push me away slightly, looking away while looking flustered.

"Alright," I stand up and stretched.

Now that I know the thing that's keeping Chrelia chained, I need to plan things out hastily. How am I going to approach this stalker without leaking my identity?

A smile crept unto my face when an option popped into my head.

"Do you have Bryce's number?"

"I do, why?"

"You'll know."

A few minutes later, I'm already face to face with a scared and restless Bryce. He kept his feet on the ground, ready to run at any moment. I crossed my legs in a condescending manner, making him flinch and tense up.

"What do you want from me?" his words were shaky and his eyes had no focus at all.

"Before asking me, are you sure you want to die if you object me?"

"I won't! Just please!"

He brought two guards with him, bulky ones at that but even his guards kept a distance from me. They must know who I was or was it Amelia, who's behind me, that they're afraid of? Either way, it was giving us an advantage. He knows he can't fight back if even his guards are wimpy.

"I want you to trick System into thinking that you like Chrelia."

"What does that do?" he evades my eyes.

"If System believes that, System might stop stalking Chrelia and chaining her down." I flipped my cross legs.

"What?"

"If System loses your family's wealth, they'll surely not run as they did before."

I may have said that Duke's family lurks in the shadows and does everything they want. That was also the reason why System can do shady things. System have the Duke as their backup. The Dukes are influential, the world acknowledges that.

"Just, just to be clear, you want me to go after Chrelia, threaten System so that they'll stop stalking her?"

"Yes,"

"Is, is that all, really?" I look at Amelia.

Even though she said that Chrelia and her are not on good terms, I know she still cares for Chrelia.

"Don't touch her."

"But what if she wants me to?" I was ready to pounce on him when he added words.

"I won't but what if she falls in love with me? Not everyone is as level-headed as you guys!"

I didn't take that into consideration. I turn to Amelia again, letting her decide.

"Fine. But you have to provide evidence." Amelia lets up, making Bryce smile in delight.

"I will."

"Make sure to not say this to Chrelia. If she knows this, I'll end you immediately."

"Fine! Just stop with the threats, okay? I always keep my word!"

"Alright then, you're dismissed."

He hastily went to the door, opening it himself and dashing out of here. I let out a small laugh before turning to Amelia. I was instantly met with a pinch on both cheeks.

"Ow,"

"You were so ready to take him on when he said he'd make a move." she pouts as her brows were knitted together. I giggle.

"She's your former friend, of course I'd want to protect her too. Plus, she's in this because of me."

I snake my arms around Amelia's waist and pull her closer to me. She releases my cheeks and locks her arms around my neck. We looked into each others' eyes before kissing.

Her lips sent electricity to my body. Her soft lips were addicting and they were so red. She could be mistaken as using something or applying something to her lips. She was all natural, her beauty, her skin and her glorious brain. She's not all beauty, she's got brains too and a heart - sometimes.

"I've missed your lips." she says in between our kiss. I bite her lower lip before breaking the kiss.

"Sorry, I've been so busy." she nods.

"That's why I'm helping you."

"Is that all?" I tease.

"You got me."

I bury my head on her neck and inhaled her strawberry scent.

"I just want to rest already."

"Not dying, right?" I giggle.

"Of course not. I still want to be with you once this is over."

"I can wait so don't die because of working too hard."

"I won't."

We stayed like for a minute or two before my neck started aching and her neck too for looking up for too long. We went back to the office where everyone was. I open the door and let Amelia get inside first. I got in and closed the door behind me.

"President," Allie jumps up before pulling me to my seat.

Everyone was already on their seats, looking serious. Amelia sits on my seat when she came her the first time and adapted to the serious atmosphere.

"What is it?"

"It's about the brand, President." Joyce answers me with seriousness all over her face.

"Shoot."

"Apparently, System has owned this brand for forty years or more now."

"Forty years?"

"Yes, President." We couldn't track down who got branded but we did manage to find an organization named from the brand itself."

"Continue."

"This organization was founded by the first man who got branded with the defect brand." Allie says.

"Do you know who is it?"

"It's..." Allie and the others exchanged looks, doubting whether I can handle it or not.

"It's Jack Simon."

I couldn't breathe. Like the air inside my lungs got stuck inside. I couldn't hear my heartbeat and my eyesight suddenly got blurry.

That can't be. That man is dead. He was way dead even before I turned one. How is that possible? Wait, it is quite possible. Maybe he died because he got tracked down by System and killed him as I was born.

"He's alive." Cameron adds.

I run my fingers through my hair.

"How do you know he's alive?"

I could feel Amelia's stare beside me. She has already grasped who the man is, aside from his surname the same as mine, but also from my reaction.

"The organization is still active and traces of his way of thinking is all over." Allie answers me.

I take in a deep breath. I should calm down. I need to calm down. I need to be balanced. Get rid of the questions and just think through everything. Forget the questions, focus on the objective at hand. Forget that you're a daughter.

His daughter.

"Continue."

"He first founded the organization and has members that we can't say in numbers." Joyce continues.

"You don't have a definite number?" Joyce shakes her head.

"We can't crack down any deeper than that."

"The assailant that attacked us before, she's one of them?"

"Yes, President." Allie answers. I sigh.

"Anything else?"

"Defect brand, there are numerous reasons why someone can be branded with this." Allie continues.

"Yours and Jamie's, it was when you encountered with the hostile - member of the Defect Organization."

"It's all making sense now." Jamie suddenly bursts.

I felt proud at the moment. Jamie has been lagging behind when it comes to reasons. Right now was his time to shine.

"What do you mean?" Cameron asks.

"We've all been wondering why they won't let us meet our seniors, maybe this was why."

"Can you elaborate?" Gerald asks.

"For starters, the System isn't the answer to all. Didn't the President say that the hostile was one of us before? Then the decoder, one of us too, is still affiliated with System."

"Ah, I get it." Joyce says, nodding her head in understanding.

"They're afraid to let us know that there is still an answer other than this hell hole. They're afraid that we might turn against them, the President and I, when we met the hostile." Jamie continues to those who didn't get it.

Jamie and I exchanged looks. I give him a proud smile and his face lit up. He stood there, proud and egoistic. He has earned the right to be.

"Are you thinking about it too, Pres? Is he on spot?" Cameron asks.

"Yes,"

"Good for you, man. Keep it up." Gerald pats Jamie's back.

Jamie sat down a king.

"Can you name other reasons?" I ask to Allie and Joyce.

"One would be disobeying System's command." Allie answers.

"Another is when someone breaks the oath." Joyce added.

"What oath?" Amelia asks.

"It's an oath that System made us say." Kristine answers Amelia's question.

"That oath is about secrecy about how System works." Cameron finishes the explanation.

"Oh," Amelia mouths.

"Any other?"

"A person could only have three brands on them before being labeled as an exile." Joyce adds.

"Hmm, has there any history on that?"

"There was nothing recorded of the sort, President." I nod.

"What about the Defect Organization? Do you have other useful information?"

"There is one. It's about becoming one of them." Allie turned more serious all of a sudden. A reveal was about to happen, and this will be big.

"What is it?"

"Anyone who has the brand from System, can get in. Light evaluation is a must but an exile can get in almost immediately."

Jamie and I are eligible to enter the organization? I'm itching to enter that organization. He's there and I want answers. Questions even from when I was a child is still intact inside my brain.

I look to my side and noticed how Amelia was trying to process everything. It's one bomb information after another after all. Grasping something like this is hard. I can't leave this woman when all she's been thinking is me. I'm going to resolve all of this and then be happy with her. To hell with status.

"Anything else?"

"None, President. That is all."

"Give me a pen and a paper."

Cameron rummages through his bag and grabs a clean sheet of paper. He slides the paper and pen to me.

"It's another brand."

As I litter the word COMMAND, crossed out with an 'x' starting on the edge of four sides. The 'x' was double lined, leaving a space. The word SYSTEM REBEL resided on one parallel line while the same words reside on the other parallel line.

While I draw the logo that I remember vividly, I try to think of the man I saw in my memory. He had the logo of both brands. Was he my father? Why do I have a memory of him? Didn't he leave when I was still a baby? Did I meet with him before?

That would be impossible.

I hand the paper to Cameron, letting him see first before he passes the paper to the next person. This was if someone familiarizes this one, they'll have to speak up. But no one did.

"I heard that they had two, but they didn't tell me nor let me see it." Jamie says.

"Jason was so eager to embed it on me."

"Wait, you were branded? Like a slave?" Amelia grabs my hand, letting me look at her. She was worried.

"I was. I didn't tell you?"

"No, things were moving too fast."

"Oh,"

"Can I see?" she asks.

"Alright."

I stand up and lift my sweater. The logo was burned into my skin, just the side of my rib cage. Amelia gasps at the burned skin and grazes her fingers lightly above the burn. Her touch was so soft that it tickled a bit.

"That's different from mine." Jamie says in shock. My eyes turn to him and as well as everyone else.

He lifts his clothing. His burn was on the other side.

"It's not a dragon." I breathe out.

His was a mini-version of a plushie lion, its cotton content spewed on top of it, like it was just poked harshly.

"It has a symbol. I wonder if we get other symbols too." I know Cameron only said it out curiosity, but it was still misleading.

"Are you planning on disobeying System?" he got alarmed by my strong voice.

"I don't know, President. I want to know for myself. I can't just be led by the nose."

I pull down my sweatshirt before sitting down. Amelia immediately takes my hand in hers. Was she afraid that I'll be gone? I squeeze her hand in reassurance before answering Cameron.

"You're out of luck then. You remember what Mrs. Brianna told us in the meeting?" Cameron looks at his hands on the table and fidgets with them.

"Yes, President."

Now that I think about it, it's like their stopping the population increase of Defect Organization. I remember the both of the Taylors saying that they wanted it to end with us. Is this the reason? It's still too soon to say.

"Dig a bit more before making a hasty decision, okay?"

"Yes, President." he answers me.

"It's not just him. You guys, too."

"Yes, President."

I look at their faces before standing up, pulling Amelia with me.

"Meeting dismissed."