CHAPTER 42 : A USELESS HUMAN BEING

"Thank you for everything, Rose. Sorry, but they need me." said Bella as she placed her bag into the trunk of the car. Rose simply nodded in understanding."Thank you too, Bella.""When things are settled over there, I'll come back to help you." Bella patted Rose's shoulder with a smile. Rose gave her a light hug, and Bella returned the gesture."Take care. Don't go dying on me." Bella warned with a bittersweet smile, and Rose merely shrugged. Bella got into the car and drove off from Rose's house.Not long after, Rose also left her home. She drove down the empty road, with the radio turned on."But... there are also Superhumans who helped us. They saved me and my team. Not all Superhumans are our enemies. So, I urge the Superhumans out there! Those in Malaysia! We need your help! Join the Special Force, help us!" Syafiq's voice could be heard over the radio.Rose leaned her head against her hand while listening to the broadcast, with only her left hand on the steering wheel.The secret is out, huh? I knew this time would come, but I didn't expect it to be this soon. Still, the Special Force and the government don't seem to be reacting the way I thought they would.Or maybe that's just the face they're showing to deceive the other mutants out there. There's no way the government would stay calm after what happened yesterday.That doesn't matter right now...What matters is...Nasuha landed the HOPE team members in the yard of Mei's house. She touched down after them and immediately wiped her sweat. Khairul approached her, his face showing concern. Nasuha just smiled at him."I'm fine," said Nasuha."I... I haven't asked yet...""I knew you were going to ask, Khai," Nasuha replied, and Khairul let out a small sigh. Rose's car stopped in front of Mei's house, and she stepped out, looking at them."Sister Rose?"Rose walked in, smiling at all the HOPE team members."Good job, everyone." Rose praised."I thought you were going to be mad at us..." Khalid muttered with a bitter smile."Yeah... Now the government knows about us, and more about the mutants." Kyoko added, while Rose crossed her arms."You can't run forever. I knew that too. You all fought, kept people safe, and helped the Special Force. There's no reason for me to be mad at you... Honestly, I'm amazed that you all managed to do what you did." Rose explained, and Nasuha smiled upon hearing Rose's words."Nasuha and Khairul... You two are the best, true heroes." Rose looked at both of them with pride. Nasuha started crying but quickly wiped her tears, while Khairul gave a small smile."There's still a lot to think about, but for today, take a rest, everyone." Rose gently patted Nasuha's head."Yeah! I'm asking for a week off!" Kyoko raised her hand, and everyone laughed at her antics."I also need time to think and analyze what happened yesterday. Every failure is a step towards success. White Tigers won't slip by us again," Mikael added."Feeling motivated, huh? Looks like someone is starting to enjoy the superhero vibe, huh?" Kyoko teased, and Mikael smiled slightly."Maybe. It is kind of fun, to be honest... as long as I don't get stabbed by my own powers." Mikael responded, and Kyoko went silent, turning away, not expecting such a response from him."I also want to say, thank you, everyone. I'll learn from my mistakes and make sure our operations run more smoothly..." Khalid added, and Mikael patted his shoulder."You did your best, Captain." Kyoko said in response."While we're at it, I-I want to apologize... Sometimes I've spoken harshly... especially towards Kyoko... and I made some... unwise choices..." Nasuha said shyly, remembering when she yelled at Kyoko and during the Special Force's RPG rocket attack."Forgiven.""It's not your fault." Kyoko and Khairul said simultaneously."Hey, you did well too, Chyou." Mei interjected, and Chyou let out a long sigh."I... didn't do a very good job... Khalid got hit several times... because I lost focus..." Chyou complained."You were focused on protecting me, that's my fault too. I need to learn to use my powers faster and regain my focus quicker." Mei admitted, and Chyou turned to Mei, simply nodding in response."I'll make sure... I won't fail again..." Chyou said.Finally, all the HOPE team members dispersed, including Rose. Each of them headed home, while Khairul and Nasuha decided to walk, enjoying the pleasant morning weather and spending time together."I need to train more... I need to become stronger. More confident, more focused. When I hesitate, others get hurt." Nasuha said, and Khairul just looked at her."Me too... I need to be more careful and not rush in. You couldn't focus because I was being reckless too, not thinking things through like others. I'm just relying on my instincts." Khairul replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets."Looks like we both need more training." Nasuha smiled."Yeah.""Ah... It's nice to walk like this, getting some fresh air." Nasuha stretched her body as Khairul looked around."Maybe it's because there aren't any cars polluting the air...""Right?""Think Hazim was mad at me for disappearing all night? He probably was. And his little sister is suspicious too..." Khairul complained, thinking about Hazim and Nur."I can walk you home first... If I'm there, their attention will probably be on me instead." Nasuha pointed to herself."Honestly... That's a good idea." Khairul admitted.In the end, Nasuha ended up flying Khairul back. They landed near Hazim's burger stall. Khairul looked at the stall with a smile as he and Nasuha walked past it.Memories of when he first came to the stall, when Hazim helped him, when he brought Nasuha to eat there, and when Hazim hugged him after knowing Khairul was safe, flooded his mind.My first friend, my true friend. The first person who treated me like a human... Gave me a place, gave me meaning.To others, working at the burger stall might seem ordinary. But Hazim's burger stall was the place that saved me.He made me believe that even someone useless, weak, and unkind like me had a reason to continue living... To make burgers.I hope I can repay all of Hazim's kindness. I promise.Khairul rang Hazim's doorbell several times, but no one came out to open the gate. Nasuha was confused as to why Hazim's house looked so dark inside; Khairul scratched his head, feeling strange about what was happening."How odd... Is Hazim sleeping late? He's never done that before. If Nur was the only one at home, I could understand, but Hazim's van is here..." Khairul thought, while Nasuha opened Hazim's gate, which was unlocked."Not locked?" Khairul was even more puzzled."Does Hazim usually lock the gate?" Nasuha asked."I've never seen that gate unlocked..." Khairul sighed.He and Nasuha walked to the front door and opened it. Khairul entered, and the house was dark. Nasuha looked around."Hazim! Nur! It's me, Khai! Why is it so dark?" Khairul turned on the light switch, and Nasuha followed him from behind."I brought Nasuha. You said you wanted to see her again, right? Haz-im...." Khairul entered the living room and froze, his eyes wide in shock. Nasuha bumped into him."W-What's wrong, Kha..." Nasuha also froze after seeing who was in the living room. Khairul's expression changed to fear, his breathing became heavy, his heart raced, and his hands trembled."That face... Did you forget how to face your father after all this time, Khairul?" Zaki asked, sitting on the sofa with a cup of coffee in hand, a smile plastered on his face."W-What?""You thought I was dead, huh, you foolish boy?" Zaki replied, setting down his coffee cup. Nasuha immediately placed her shield in front of her and Khairul, activating her powers."Good... The girl is here too." Zaki stood up, and Khairul drew both of his blades, his earlier fear replaced by rage."Where's Hazim?! Where's Nur?! Where are they?!" Khairul shouted, and Zaki glared at him. Khairul froze again and stepped back."Watch your mouth... They're still alive, don't worry." Zaki said, and Khairul clenched his teeth, trying to control his trembling hands."H-How... are you still alive?" Nasuha asked."I don't know... I just got lucky. Or maybe it's because of my powers." Zaki walked around Khairul and Nasuha, a light shield expanding around them. Nasuha focused her gaze on Zaki while Khairul avoided looking at him."That's not important. What matters now... is that my prey has arrived, and I won't let you interfere, you brat. You're the prey for my friend." As soon as Zaki finished speaking, sharp roots shot down from the ceiling and ensnared Nasuha."Nasuha!" Khairul yelled. Before he could react, Zaki grabbed him by the throat and shoved him against the television."Urgh!""Argh!" Nasuha freed herself by emitting a burst from her hands, severing the roots that had captured her. Lilly was upstairs, unleashing more sharp roots toward Nasuha.A light shield formed in front of Nasuha, but Lilly managed to push her out of the upstairs window."It's mistakes forcing me out like this..." Nasuha said, flying in the air and aiming her hand at Hazim's roof.A red laser shot toward Nasuha, hitting her directly in the abdomen, burning her clothes. She almost fell to the ground but managed to catch herself."Other m-mutants?" Nasuha groaned, noticing her slightly burnt abdomen. Before she could think further, a short-haired girl approached her, gathering debris from the pavement onto her hands. The girl tried to punch Nasuha, but she created a shield to block the attack. The pavement stones shattered, revealing Nur's vacant face with white eyes."No one is going to help you this time. I'm giving you one last chance, bow down and become my tool or die." Syakir revealed himself, manipulating Hazim and Nur with wires from his fingers. Nasuha flew into the air again, glaring at Hazim."What are you doing with them?" Nasuha asked."Better worry about yourself." Syakir replied, forcing Hazim to look up."Argh!" Hazim screamed, then unleashed a red laser from both his eyes. Nasuha created a light shield, but the laser pierced through, forcing her to dodge."W-What... do you want?" Khairul asked as Zaki dragged him along the wall. Slowly, Zaki's whole body began to change; he grew larger and more muscular, fur sprouting all over him, tearing his clothes. Zaki's claws sharpened like knife blades."This time... I will... torture you... completely destroy you! Everything you love, I will crush it. And you will realize... why a brat like you should just die!" Zaki's voice deepened as his face morphed into that of a wolf, and he threw Khairul through the front window of Hazim's house."Waaaarrrghhhh!" Zaki lunged at Khairul swiftly, clawing his chest. Khairul tried to retaliate, but Zaki dodged his attack and stabbed Khairul in the abdomen with his claws."Kargh!" Khairul coughed up blood. Zaki kicked him, then knelt on Khairul's chin, pummeling him repeatedly, not giving Khairul any chance to fight back."Harharharhar! Fight me, Khairul! Is that all you've got? What a disappointment!" Zaki shouted, delivering a powerful punch that landed squarely on Khairul's face, blood spilling from his lips and both nostrils."Aaarrghhhh!" Khairul managed to injure Zaki's chest with a slash from his sword. Zaki smiled. Their attacks clashed repeatedly; Zaki slammed Khairul into Hazim's van, then kicked him so hard that the door was torn off. Khairul grabbed the van door and struck Hazim with it.Their battle splattered blood everywhere, Khairul was covered in claw wounds while Zaki only had a few cuts on his chest and shoulder. He grabbed Khairul's hair and slammed his head into the gate of Hazim's house, breaking the gate.Zaki slammed Khairul's head against the pavement again, cracking the asphalt beneath them.Khairul tried to stab Zaki, but he caught both of Khairul's blades, grinning as he reveled in Khairul's injuries and blood."Ah... I missed this feeling, Khairul... Seeing you on the floor... Hoping you'd die so I could just dump your corpse in the river and forget about it. It's truly satisfying to beat you half to death... But I realized something." Zaki tightened his grip on Khairul's blades.While Khairul was fighting Zaki, Nasuha was still dodging laser beams and large chunks of asphalt coming toward her. Her light shield couldn't withstand Hazim's lasers, and Nasuha couldn't launch any attacks either.Lilly watched from upstairs, observing Nasuha struggling to evade attacks and Khairul pinned down by Zaki."I'm sorry..." she whispered softly."If you really die, I won't be satisfied... What satisfies me is watching you suffer. It's only fair, right? You made me suffer first because you were born. You shouldn't have been born at all... Huh, Khairul? Why didn't you just die in Aina's womb? Why couldn't you just leave us alone?" Zaki asked, his eyes locked onto Khairul's."W-What...?" Khairul stopped fighting, Zaki's words confused him."If you hadn't been born, Aina would be alive now. I wouldn't have become this monster... Just imagine, Khairul. A life without you... Isn't it beautiful?" Zaki pulled the blade from Khairul's left arm, blood spraying onto his face as he stared at Khairul with a cold expression."Ar-Arrghhh! Arghhh!" Khairul screamed in pain, tears began to flow."K-Khai!" Nasuha was terrified to see what was happening to Khairul; she ignored all incoming attacks and tried to fly toward Khairul, but she was hit by a laser shot to her side and then struck on the head by a piece of asphalt, causing her to fall and slide on the ground.She lost consciousness, blood trickling from her head. Khairul looked at Nasuha, his right hand reaching for her."N-Nas... Nasuha..." Khairul called out. He also saw Nur and Hazim being controlled by Syakir, with Hazim's eyes emitting black smoke while Nur's entire body was covered in asphalt."Where are you looking? I'm not done speaking yet..." Zaki forced Khairul to look at him, pulling Khairul's right hand with the sword embedded in his arm toward him."S-Stop it... Just kill me... Don't... Don't hurt... Nasuha... Don't... hurt them... Please... I beg you... I beg you, old man..." Khairul pleaded, sobbing. Zaki smiled at him."Look at you... How disgusting you are right now." Zaki pulled out the blade from Khairul's right arm."Arghhh! Arghhhh!" Khairul screamed as Zaki stomped on his chest, pressing down until Khairul's ribs cracked into pieces."Kargh!" Khairul vomited more blood, his body trembling weakly, the two blades were removed, and his wounds didn't heal. Khairul was drenched in his own pool of blood."I... won't kill you yet. I told you... I will destroy everything you love. We will meet again, Khairul." Zaki said, and Khairul gathered his strength to look at Nasuha, his vision becoming increasingly blurry.He saw large seeds swallowing Nur and Hazim; Lilly descended and approached Nasuha, extracting a seed that grew larger, then swallowed Nasuha as well. The three seeds containing Nur, Hazim, and Nasuha shrank and moved into Lilly's palm.She just looked at Khairul and then turned away, tears streaming down Khairul's face again."N...Na..."Using her roots, Lilly carried Syakir and Zaki away from the scene. Khairul's vision faded darker, and his trembling body began to stop moving.N-Nasuha...Everything went dark. Khairul stopped breathing, stopped moving. He lay abandoned in the middle of the road, soaked in his own blood.