CHAPTER 27 : BEHIND THE MASK

A group of boys were playing soccer on the field, while girls chased each other and played on the playground. A bespectacled man watched them from the steps of the mosque facing the playground, a smile etched on his face.He recalled his childhood, how he used to play in that playground and play soccer with his friends. The mosque door opened, and a bearded man in a robe and cap stepped out."Assalamu'alaikum, Ustaz Umar." greeted the bespectacled man, standing up and smiling at Ustaz Umar."Waalaikummusalam, Ali." Ustaz Umar replied, returning Ali's smile."What's happening out there is quite frightening, but Alhamdulillah, all the children are safe here. The other caretakers have agreed to quarantine here, so we can manage the children well," Ustaz Umar explained as he and Ali walked through the orphanage."My school has closed as well. I'm currently waiting for the Minister of Education; they said classes will be conducted online..." Ali replied."Are you okay coming here even though you're supposed to be in quarantine?" Ustaz Umar asked."I initially went out to buy supplies. I just happened to pass by; I wanted to check in. It's been a while since I've seen about everyone." Ali said, and Ustaz Umar patted his shoulder."Alright, I understand."I grew up here after my father passed away. Ustaz Umar was a close friend of my father; he took care of me like his own child, but he never showed favoritism. For me, Ustaz Umar is my father... always supporting me, always being there during tough times. He taught me many things about life and religion..."Oh! Ali!" one of the caretakers in the kitchen called out."Chicken curry? Looks delicious." Ali complimented."Come eat with us later." the caretaker invited."Sure, of course." Ali replied.Night fell, and the children moved toward the building to wash up. Ali returned to the mosque with Ustaz Umar."Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!" The call to prayer echoed, and several children entered the mosque, some running and playing, but a male caretaker scolded them. Ali chuckled watching them."Bismillahirrahmanirrahim..." Ali became the imam during the Maghrib congregational prayer.After the prayer, they gathered in the dining hall. Ali sat at a round table with Ustaz Umar and the other caretakers. An older woman with glasses sat beside him."Look at Ustazah's child..." the older woman remarked."Ustazah Hajah, are you well?" Ali asked, appearing cheerful."Alhamdulillah... I'm fine, Ali." Ustazah Hajar replied.This is my family, my big family. The people I must protect.Meeting them now... is to strengthen my resolve."Thank you for today, ustaz." Ali and Ustaz Umar were walking towards the parking lot together."Anytime, son.""Ustaz, I have a question...""What is it?""Do you knows about the Masked Man, right?""Oh yes, it was in the newspaper. I read it.""What do you think? Is what he does sinful? No doubt, he catches those gangsters, but his methods... he beats people, breaks their legs, is that right? I'm just wondering..." Ali asked, stopping beside his grey car."Hmm. Questions like that, the answer isn't straightforward. But for me, if he truly has power and uses it for good, that's the right action. As Muslims, we must prevent evil." Ustaz Umar explained, and Ali nodded in understanding."I have a question too; have you heard anything from Danielle?" Ustaz Umar asked. Ali remembered when he and Ustaz Umar met Danielle; he was in a gloomy state, his house was messy, and he looked thin and weak."Since then, I've lost contact with him. We've tried to help, but she didn't want to reach out to us." Ali replied."Oh, I see." Ustaz Umar remarked."If I hear anything, InshaAllah, I'll let you know." Ali assured, shaking hands with Ustaz Umar.Mutants and Strays. Mutating under high pressure, the difference between becoming a monster or remaining human lies in... whether you can control your will or not...Danielle, where have you gone? I really hope... you are in a better place now."Vurgh! Urgh!" A Stray resembling a giant turtle with horns was in a large cage, guarded by two armed men. In an abandoned factory building, illegal arms distribution operations were underway, with several men storing weapons in containers.There was also a group of men carrying white powder drugs in plastic packages and another group managing the bodies of the dead Strays, taking organs and blood from those creatures."In just a few months, I've taken down all the gangs in Malaysia. I've dismantled their operations throughout the country... What does that Masked Man in tight clothes think he can do to stop me?" said a man with white hair and three claw scars on his right cheek, his irises yellow and resembling cat eyes. He wore a black shirt and sat in a small office room."You can't deny, that Masked Man has cost us a lot and has thrown our people in jail. The police are aware that we stole police equipment left behind after the fight and took the corpses of Strays." explained a man with black hair and an eye patch over his right eye."The police are still bogged down with Stray cases; we don't need to worry too much about them, Alex. We will destroy the Masked Man, no matter if he's a Mutant." the white-haired man replied."Understood, Mr. White." Alex replied. White placed both hands on the table, his expression grim.No one will take everything I've built. No one will kill me... No one will stop me again.It doesn't matter if it's the group of Mutants trying to be superheroes or a Mutant who thinks that just because he has powers, he can change things all by himself.The empire I've built will not fall that easily...White was walking, followed by Alex, as he entered a room filled with Stray organs. Inside, there was a disheveled man in a dirty white coat smeared with blood."Did you turn him into a Mutant?" White asked the disheveled man."His cells have changed; I'm not sure if he's a Stray or a Mutant. Do you want to see it, boss?" the man replied."Do it." White ordered. Before him lay a gray-haired boy, numerous stitches covering his body. Both his hands and legs, along with his neck, were shackled to the bed with metal cuffs.The disheveled man removed the metal cuffs and injected the boy with a type of drug.The boy's eyes flew open, and he raised himself, looking at his palms and body covered in stitches."Show me, kid. What's your mutation?" White asked. The boy clenched his fists, and two blades emerged from his arms, followed by small knives sprouting around his body."I've modeled his mutation after one of the Mutants who fought the Strays and helped the police that day. We have several Strays that have blades and knives growing from their bodies. This mutation is easy to replicate; you just need to attach the part of the Stray's body that allows him to produce weapons from it." the disheveled man proudly explained."What do you feel, kid?" White asked the boy."I don't feel anything... I'm not in pain... Not like before..." the boy said."Pay your pathetic father's debt by becoming my sword... Eric." White glared sharply at Eric, who turned to him with a vacant expression."Fine...""Fire!" Several men were firing repeatedly from their pistols and automatic rifles. The Masked Man hid behind a wall, looking around. There were several metal rods on the floor, and the Masked Man quickly grabbed them.He gathered blue energy aura in both metal rods in his hands; his legs also glowed blue. The Masked Man kicked the wall behind him, causing debris and dust to fly, making the men shooting at him stop.The Masked Man quickly charged towards one of his assailants, striking the automatic rifle out of the man's hands. The blue aura gathered on his metal rod bent the rifle.He then struck the man's thigh, causing him to fall to the ground and scream in pain. The Masked Man threw the metal rod, and it bounced around before striking another assailant in the chest."W-What happened!?" groaned one of the still-conscious men. The Masked Man suddenly lunged at him, striking his hand and knocking him to the floor."Arrghhh!" He screamed in pain as his hand broke from the impact of the blue-infused metal rod."Tell me, what are you doing with the bodies of the monsters you stole? Where's your base?!" shouted the Masked Man, trying to extract information from the man he had knocked down."Go to hell!" the man replied. The Masked Man then broke the man's left arm using the metal rod."Ugrh! Damn!""There are many more bones I can break...""I-I don't know! I don't know anything! I'm just a delivery guy! The White Tigers don't have just one headquarters! They have many! There's one at the end of Klang, near the Klang port! An old building, it used to be a factory." The injured man was desperate, and the Masked Man punched him again, knocking him unconscious."A dead Stray, huh..." The Masked Man looked at the box nearby, which contained the body of a female Stray with an ugly face and sharp, unkempt teeth."Why did you shoot my drone that was following you, Ali?" A male voice sounded, and Ali turned around, clenching his fists. Sui'ra appeared behind him, a smile etched on his face."You—Why are you here?" Ali asked."Answer my question first.""Are you crazy? Letting you spy on me? If most of the Mutants knew, they'd destroy your drone too," Ali replied."The drone shouldn't have been discovered at all, and I didn't expect there to be a Mutant who could destroy it. Your power is impresive, Ali," Sui'ra said."What do you want?" Ali questioned again."I want to tell you that I've sent a new drone to observe you, don't destroy it. I'm not trying to interfere with your affairs; as I told you, I just want to observe humans, Mutants, and Strays for experiments. I won't disturb whatever you all want to do or interfere," Sui'ra explained. Ali unleashed his power, blue veins glowing through his arms even though he covered them with his clothing."Don't expect me to trust you.""Do what you want... Even if you destroy my drone, I'll just send another one again. Oh, I have a suggestion for you. It seems you're getting closer to your fight with the White Tigers. You know they have Mutants and Strays; you need help... You'll die trying to fight them alone." Sui'ra pointed his index finger at Ali."What are you trying to say?""You need help from Mutants who are similar to you. You must know about the group of Mutants operating around Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, right? They call their group HOPE. From what I've seen, they and you have the same desire... to defend humanity..." Sui'ra moved his palm, and a hologram appeared showing all the members of HOPE and their battles against other Strays."I thought... you didn't want to interfere?" Ali asked again."I'm only giving you this suggestion because I want to see it. The war of Mutants, a massive battle between Mutants and other Mutants. In other countries outside Malaysia, my friends showed me the battles between Mutants and other Mutants that happened... It's fascinating, a lot happens... I want to see it myself in front of my eyes—" Before Sui'ra could finish his sentence, Ali tried to punch him, but he vanished."Why don't humans have manners when someone is talking? You should wait for them to finish their sentence before attacking," Sui'ra sighed, suddenly appearing behind Ali."You think I'll agree to your suggestion? You're foolish! This fight is my fight!" Ali tried to attack Sui'ra again, unleashing punches repeatedly. Each swing and impact of his attacks created vibrations and strong winds, but Sui'ra effortlessly deflected everything without a scratch."Hmm... You're strong; maybe you alone are enough to defeat the White Tigers with that kind of strength." Sui'ra leaned closer to Ali, gently tapping his chest, but Ali was flung far away from him."Argh!" Ali collapsed weakly, the area Sui'ra tapped tearing his clothing and causing it to bruise red and purple. Ali vomited blood, his whole body trembling."Still not strong enough to become the strongest being..." Sui'ra said as Ali's vision blurred, and he began to fall to the ground.Am I... dying?Everything... feels cold...Oh God... I..."Wake up... Wake up... Wake up..." Aisyah sighed repeatedly. Ali's eyes opened, and his lips moved slightly."You're awake!" Aisyah immediately looked at Ali with a worried expression. Ali glanced around; he was in Aisyah's living room."Wh-What? How did I..." Ali held his head."The alien... He gave you to me. What happened?" Aisyah asked. Ali touched his face; he was still wearing his mask, and he sighed with relief."I... tried to fight him... The next thing I knew, I was hit by him... and..." Ali touched his chest, which seemed to have fully healed."Hit you? No way a hit could break your ribs!" Aisyah exclaimed, and Ali sighed softly."That thing... is really powerful. My attacks didn't hurt him at all," Ali replied as he tried to sit up."Hey... Uhm... Ah, I don't know what else to call you..." Aisyah said, confused. Ali sat back at the edge of his seat."Sorry for making you worry." Ali reassured her, and Aisyah looked at him before standing with her arms crossed."I don't know who you are. I've only ever seen your mouth... But I care about you; I see what you do... The people you protect. I know you, but at the same time, I don't know you at all..." Aisyah explained, moving around the living room."You're the only person like me that I know... a Mutant like me. Listen, if you respect our relationship... respect me as a friend... Tell me, who are you?" Aisyah asked, and Ali stood, gazing at her for a long time."Aisyah, I...""Don't give me some stupid excuse about protecting me or anything like that... Choose: keep lying to me or be honest!" Aisyah snapped, and Ali froze for a moment.Both his hands moved toward his mask, and Aisyah's eyes widened. Ali removed his mask, revealing his identity to Aisyah."My name is Ali," he said. Aisyah studied his face before letting out a small laugh."Ah—Why are you laughing?" Ali asked."Oh, nothing... Phew... that was dramatic. That's all." Aisyah finally calmed down, and Ali gave a bitter smile."Tell me more about yourself," Aisyah requested."It's a long story..." Ali sighed."No problem; I'm off tomorrow." Aisyah replied with a smile.