The Teleporter

The Teleporter Ep 3

The Teleporter EP 3

Nang magkamalay si Jam ay dahan dahan siyang tumayo mula sa pagkakahiga. Napansin nyang may naka latag na towel at may sapin na maliit na bag sa ulunan nya.

"N-n- nasaan ako?" tanong nya.

"We are somewhere here in the south," sagot ni Grey na nasa kanya palang tabi.

Dun nya napagtanto na nasa gilid pala sila ng isang cliff, over looking sa napakalawak na karagatan. At dahil bilog ang buwan ay kitang kita ang mga munting alon na sumasayaw sa saliw ng simoy ng hangin.

Mga munting tuldok ng liwanag mula sa mga mangingisdang sinasamantala ang kapayapaan ng dagat ang tanging makikita sa paligid.

Saka pa lang siya nakaramdam ng lamig. Napahaplos siya sa kanyang mga braso, dahilan para mapansin ni Grey.

"There is a blanket inside that bag, if you need it. Sorry, I didn't take you home right away. I can't have them have a trace on you again. You have to keep your distance from that place for a while." Sabi nito sa kanya.

"Bakit ako nadamay? Ikaw lang naman ang gusto nila nila diba? Wala naman ako powers. " litong tanong ni Jam.

"Well, it's kinda my fault. I left some traces on you when I blinked you into the tower top the last time. I guess I owe you an apology." Paliwanag nito.

"I don't get it." Kunot noo pa rin tanong ni Jam.

Bumuntong hininga muna si Grey bago nag simulang magpaliwanag.

"Every time I blink, or 'teleport' or 'vanish' as you would like to call it, it leaves a small trace of energy that connects to the new spot I'll appear on. It's like having a string attached from my origin to the destination spot. I hope that is simpler to understand." Paliwanag nya.

" A few years back, Sector 13, a secret private agency funded by the wealthiest people in the world, developed an instrument that can record and trace the small energy I leave when I blink." patuloy ni Grey

"They have been on my ass since then, so I have to move from one place to another to avoid them." Sabi pa nito.

"I can't have them take hold of me as they might use my abilities as a weapon against humanity." patuloy nito

"I still don't get it. What does it have to do with me? Ano kinalaman ko jan sa blue blink blink mong ganyan?" naiinis nang tanong ni Jam.

"Haysss.. This is like talking to a wall.. " Naiiritang sambit ni Grey.

"Since I took you on a blink, I got some of those traces on you that led them to find you. That is the same reason why I sensed that something was happening to you; it's because of the trace I got in you. "Sinubukan ulit nitong magpaliwanag.

"Good thing I got there in time, because I am not sure what they could have done to you if they managed to take you." Patuloy nito.

"Then what would happen to me now?" tanong naman ni Jam.

"I have my life to live. My family needed my support. How can I do that if I have to hide?" dugtong pa nya.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything bad happen to you. I may not be a superhero, but I can't let anything happen to a pretty girl like you." pahayag ni Grey, sabay ngisi kay Jam.

Madyo kinilig, pero nagpatuloy sa pag tatanong si Jam.

"E paano ako papasok sa work kung nakaabang yun mga nakamaskarang panget na yun?? Baka mamaya pati mga officemates ko saka family, madamay pa dito. Ayoko ng ganito, I didn't sign up for this!' tarantang sabi nito.

"Well, neither did I. And yet here we are. "Kalmadong sagot ni Grey.

"Look, you don't have to worry about them showing up in your office. I just exposed three of their men last night. They can't risk having news about them spread in the mainstream media. They'll leave you alone, for now." paliwanag nito.

"We just have to be sure that you lose my trace on you soon so they can't track me through you, then you can go back to your normal life again." pagtatapos nito.

"And how do we do that?" tanong ulit ni Jam.

"I just need to blink you into higher grounds, until they are not able to do the tracking anymore. The instrument they use has a limit, and makes it harder to track when used on higher altitudes. " Grey answered.

"Yun naman pala e, bakit hindi mo pa ginawa yan nun una mo ko isinama? Me pahatid hatid ka pa sa unit ko, ano ka si superman? Ako si Lois, ganun? Gawin na natin, bilisan mo. Ayoko na sumama sa yo sa mga ganito. Jusko, mababaliw ako dito e.." tuloy tuloy na salita ni Jam.

Napatawa naman si Grey.

"Are you done rapping? Jeez, you sounded like an old school rapper. hahaha" pang aasar nito.

"Bilisan mo na kasi, ayoko na rito, gusto ko na umuwi." Inis na sagot ni Jam.

"I-blink mo na ko! Blink Blink!!" diretso pa nito habang nakahawak sa braso ni Grey.

"Hahaha.. you're crazier than I thought." Natatawang sagot ni Grey.

"Bakit ba kasi ayaw mo pa ako i-blink para matapos na to?" parang nawawalan na ng lakas sa pagpupumilit si Jam

Bigla nag seryoso si Grey.

"Because you can't." pahayag nito.

"W-ww-what do you mean I can't?" tanong ni Jam.

"The last time I blinked, you from the ground to the top of the building, you were out cold for at least 30 minutes. " rebelasyon nito.

"When I blinked you from Manila to here, you were out for almost an entire day." patuloy nito

"I don't think your body can handle blinking into higher altitudes simultaneously, let alone multiple countries." Seryoso nitong sabi.

"Ss-ss-soo, what do we do?" nangangambang tanong nito.

"You have to practice blinking with me. Only once your body is accustomed to blinking multiple times in a row, without fainting, can we start the process of losing track of you," sagot ni Grey.

"So are you saying I am stuck with you until I can handle your blinking thingy?" paninigurado nito.

"I am afraid so. Don't worry, I'll take you back to your unit once you're rested so you can go back to work. I have a trace on you, so I'll know if you're in some kind of trouble. I promise, I'll be there." sagot nito sabay kindat.

"Cute din pala tong mokong na to kahit lagi me takip ang bunganga" sa isip ni Jam.

"ganda ng mga mata nya, brown. Parang me lahi. Ano kaya itsura neto pag walang mask?" patuloy nya sa isip.

"So, we got a plan. Rest up. I'll take you home once you are ready." Sabi ni Grey sabay tayo.

"Wait, do you have anything to eat? I'm starving.." parang nahihiyang tanong ni Jam.

"Oh yeah, you haven't eaten anything since last night. You must be starving. " tugon nito.

"What do you want to eat?" tanong nito kay Jam.

"As if naman me resto dito, nagtatanong ka pa." ini s na sagot ni Jam.

"You know I can get you a Pizza from Italy, right? Fresh sushi from Japan? Real buffalo wings from New York?" Natatawa nitong sabi.

"Oo nga pala. Sige kahit ano na lng. Tapsilog na lang, pinoy naman tayo e." sagot ni Jam.

"Here." sabi ni Grey sabay abot ng isang styro ng mainit init pang tapsilog.

"Huh? wala pang 2 seconds yun ah" manghang isip ni Jam.

Pero tinaggap na rin nya dahil gutom na gutom na tlga siya.

"There is a Tapsi place just there on the outskirts of the town proper. Don't worry, I didn't steal that. I even left them a very generous amount of tip." Masayang kwento nito.

Nagsimula na rin siya kumain.

"Ikaw, ayaw mo ba? Tara kain tayo." alok ni Jam dito.

"Nah, I am good. Just finish your meal and rest so I can take you home. I'll take a quick nap over there at the edge. Just let me know once you are ready." Paalam nito sa kanya.

Hindi na siya sumagot.

"And also, about this, pretty girl. I didn't mean to drag you into my hell. I am sorry." walang emosyon nitong salita sabay lakad palayo.

Napatingin na lng siya dito habang naglalakad palayo sa kanya.

Pagkatapos kumain ni Jam ay nagpahinga na ito at pinakiramdaman ang sarili. At dahil parang okay na naman siya at nakabawi na nang lakas, ay napagpasiyahan nyang ayain na ni Grey para makauwi na siya.

Nilapitan nya ito sa gilid ng bangin at sinubukan gisingin.

"Grey, tara na.." malumanay na paggising ni Jam.

Bigla naman itong nagulat at animo'y biglang nag handang makipag laban.

Gulat naman na napaatras si Jam.

"I-i-i.. I'm sorry. It's just that I have been living alone for a while now. It's just reflex. I Don't mean to startle you." parang nahihiyang sagot nito sabay bangon.

"Are you sure you're ready?" paninigurado nito.

"I think I am," sagot naman ni Jam.

"Okat then. Hang tight." sabi ni Grey sabay yakap sa bewang ni Jam.

At sabay naglaho ang dalawa.

Nagising na lng si Jam na nakahiga na sa couch ng unit nya. Si Grey nasa counter at nagkakape.

Wala itong facemask, pero mejo madilim sa pwesto nito dahil hindi nito binuksan ang ilaw.

Medyo naanigan nya ang mga labi nito habang nagkakape.

"Shhiiitt.. Ampula ng labi nya." nasa isip ni Jam.

"Oh good you're awake." sabi nito sabay huling higop sa kape at isinuot nang muli ang kanyang facemask.

"Seven hours. Impressive. You're improving so much better than I expected. I bet we can blink to this building's top without you fainting this time." Masayang wika nito.

"Thanks.." sagot ni Jam kahit medyo light headed pa siya.

"Hey Grey, listen. I've given it a thought, and I think it would be better if I just quit my job for now, while we are trying to get rid of those people from... what agency number is it again? seventeen?" pahayag nito na me patanong.

"Sector 13. That is a good idea, but are you sure? People might ask you questions. " paninigurado nito.

"Sabihin ko na lang sa office na uuwi muna ako ng probinsya. And hindi ko naman sasabihin sa amin na tumigil ako sa trabaho. Para walang maghinala. " paliwanag nya.

"Mas mabuti na siguro ganito para sigurado akong walang madadamay na malalapit sa akin. " patuloy nya.

"ang magiging problema ko lang ay ang mga ipapadala kong pera kina nanay sa probinsya. Baka maubos ang naipon ko pag dun ko lang kukuhanin lahat ng pangangailangan ko.." sabi pa nya.

"Don't worry about the money. Use that for now, I'll get you some more if you'll need it. " sagot ni Grey sabay turo sa maliit na table sa tabi ng couch.

Paglingon ni Jam sa lamesita ay nakita kaagad nya ang naka salansan na pera dun. Puro tag iisang libo! Baka may isang milyon tong nasa harap nya ngayon!

"Hey! This is too much! I can't accept that! Baka kung kanino mo pa ninakaw yan.." bulalas ni Jam.

"Believe it or not, it's your money. Yes, I did steal it. From a corrupt senator who keeps taking people's money and funding his illegal activities." natatawang paliwanag nito

"If you don't use it, he'll just use it to peddle illegal drugs on to our streets and to our kids. Might as well use it for your family, than for an illegal deed, right?" Nakangiti nitong pagpapatuloy.

"O-o-okay, thank you. But this is too much. I don't need this much money to send to my parents," sagot ni Jam.

"Just keep the rest. You never know when we're gonna need it," sabi naman ni Grey.

"At this rate, you might need some cash on hand in case you need to get me out of a sticky situation someday." Natatawa nitong sabi.

"Alright.. Again, thanks.. This will help my family a lot." si Jam.

"I'll pass my resignation later and bring my stuff home. You are welcome to stay here if you want. There is still some food left in the fridge if you want to eat." patuloy nito.

"Don't mind if I do. It's been a while since I last ate a home-cooked meal," sagot naman ni Grey.

"HHhhmmmmm.. Sige, just stay here on the couch and watch some TV. I'll cook you something to eat. " pagtatapos ni Jam.