The morning after felt unreal.

The house was eerily silent, except for the distant murmurs of Mom speaking on the phone. Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. I sat on the couch, staring at nothing, the weight of last night pressing down on me like a crushing force.

Dad was gone.

Rue sat across from me, his hands clenched into fists. He hadn’t spoken much since he got back last night, only demanding answers that no one could give him. The sight of the broken window, the shattered glass still scattered across the floor, was a grim reminder that none of this was a nightmare. It was real.

Mom hadn’t said much to us. She just kept making phone calls, reaching out to people—but who? The police? Why were they taking so long? The crime happened last night, and they were still nowhere to be found. I didn’t even know who else Mom was trying to contact. Even the barangay officials hadn’t shown up.

We sat there like fools, waiting, frozen in the trauma of what had happened. I didn’t even know where to begin.

I gripped my arms tightly, trying to steady my breathing. The moment from last night kept replaying in my head. The masked men. My father being dragged away. The way time seemed to blur, how for just a second, I saw something different—something that wasn’t real.

What was that?

Had I imagined it? Was it just my mind playing tricks on me?

A sharp knock echoed through the house.

Mom turned abruptly, her exhausted eyes filled with wariness. She took a deep breath, smoothed out her clothes, and opened the door.

In the corner of the living room, our younger brother sat crying, too stunned to understand what had happened. He had woken up to find our father gone.

Not far from him, a woman stood at the doorway.

She was tall, dressed in a sharp blazer and slacks, her black hair pulled into a sleek bun. There was something about her that demanded authority without her saying a word.

Wow. Intense presence. Who is she? A relative? A lawyer? Was she here to deliver bad news? Because honestly, lady, read the room before dropping another bomb on us.

Rue stiffened beside me.

"Mrs. Smith," the woman greeted Mom with a polite nod. "We need to talk."

Mom hesitated, glancing back at us. I could see the conflict in her eyes, but she stepped aside, allowing the woman to enter.

She walked into the room, sharp eyes scanning both me and Rue before finally taking a seat on the couch. No introductions. No small talk. Straight to business.

"I’ll get straight to the point," she said, her voice firm. "Your father was taken because of what he was."

The air in the room turned suffocating.

"What do you mean?" Rue’s voice was cold. "What was he?"

The woman exhaled slowly. "Gifted."

A chill ran down my spine.

"HUH?! Like actual powers? Like in anime? Are you serious?!" I blurted out, my brain struggling to process.

She didn’t even acknowledge my reaction. Instead, she turned her gaze toward Mom.

I followed her eyes. Mom was staring at the floor.

She knew.

It was true.

"Hold on... are you telling me Dad had superpowers?" I whispered. "What kind of plot twist is this?!"

"We don’t have time for a long explanation," the woman continued. "But know this—your father had an ability, one strong enough to catch the attention of those men last night. And if they took him, it means they’re looking for others."

Her gaze landed on me.

"You two are not safe here."

My stomach twisted.

Mom swallowed hard. "What are you saying?"

The woman stood. "I’m offering them protection. A place where they can be trained, where they can understand what’s happening to them."

I blinked. "What’s happening to us? What about Mom? Our younger brother? Is it just Rue and me?"

She studied me carefully. "You already know, don’t you?"

A sharp breath left my lips.

Last night.

Was that… was that an ability?

Rue glanced at me, his expression unreadable.

"You have a choice," she said. "Stay here and wait for those men to come back… or come with me."

The weight of the decision settled heavily in the room.

I looked at Mom, searching for an answer. She looked down, her shoulders trembling.

She already knew what we had to do.

Rue and I shared a glance.

Neither of us wanted to leave. But we had no choice.

Packing was the hardest part.

We still didn’t know where that woman was taking us. All we knew was that we were being taken away.

"At the very least, is this a scholarship deal? Free dorm? Food allowance?" I mumbled as I stuffed clothes into my bag.

Rue shot me a glare. "Can we make sure this isn’t some trafficking scheme before asking about benefits?"

"Wow, rude. What do you think this is, an illegal recruitment agency?"

Rue just sighed, his movements stiff, his jaw clenched tight. He was pissed. I knew he wanted to scream, to punch something—but instead, he bottled it up. That was Rue. Always holding everything in until he couldn’t anymore.

"Do you think you have an ability too?" I asked him.

He didn’t answer.

Mom stood at the doorway, watching us, her expression unreadable. "Stay together," she said quietly. "Whatever happens, don’t let them separate you two."

I nodded, trying to push away the lump in my throat. "Will you be okay?"

She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "Don’t worry about me, sweetheart. Just stay safe."

Rue finally spoke, his voice quiet but sharp. "And what about Dad? Are we just going to leave him?"

The woman—Lourdes Velez or Aunt Luna, Head of Taliba Academy—answered before Mom could.

"Your father’s fate is uncertain. But if you stay here, you might be next. You won’t be able to help him if you’re captured too."

Rue’s fists clenched again, but he had no argument. He knew she was right. I did too.

"At least tell us the truth when we get there," I said. "Do you know who those men were?"

Luna’s expression darkened slightly. "In time, you’ll learn everything you need to know. For now, what matters is keeping you safe."

Silence stretched between us. Finally, Rue exhaled and zipped his bag shut. "Fine. But this isn’t over."

Luna nodded approvingly. "No, it isn’t."

Luna was waiting outside when we finished packing. The car parked by the curb was sleek and unfamiliar, its tinted windows hiding whatever was inside. I hesitated before stepping out, turning back for one last look at our home.

The house where we had laughed, argued, celebrated birthdays, and lived ordinary lives.

A place that would never feel the same again.

I turned back to Rue, who was staring at the ground. "We’ll find him, Rue."

He looked up at me, his eyes filled with frustration. "I don’t even know where to start."

"Then we’ll start at the Academy."

Rue didn’t reply, but he didn’t argue either.

And just like that, we left.

We became students of the Academy.