ULAM. -- The Escaped Version

"Send my salam to uncle, k?" Seth delivered his last words to Nadya through the window before leaving.

"Orait. Thanks for the nasi lemak, esok kul 9 pagi tau, ko jgn lak lambat. Bye." Nadya smiled and made her step to her house.

"Cau." Seth stepped on the gas pedal and the Honda Civic Hybrid started to move away from Nadya. He inserted Linkin Park's Minutes To Midnight CD and and selected his favourite track.

Track 3: "Leave Out All The Rest".

Seth turned on the volume loud, put on his shade and looked back through rear view mirror before he accelerated.

The act of looking behind through rear view mirror was totally out of plain habit, as he'd never expected to see what happened to Nadya back there. Out of reflexes, Seth pulled the handbrake and ran out of the car towards Nadya.

LinkinPark in the car was singing loud.

Seth couldn't think of anything at that moment. Nadya was lying in front of the house, unconsciously. He just knew that he had to reach Nadya as quick as possible, but the distance between them was too long. Seth shouted out Nadya's name, but he did not hear his own voice.

LinkinPark in the car was shouting so loud..

Seth reached Nadya, held her in his arm, calling her name. "C'mon my dear wake up" Seth pleaded and prayed. He kept calling her name, holding and shaking her hand. Nadya's eye was tight closed, but not her lips. Nadya was conscious, but weak. She felt Seth, but she only managed to squeez two single words out of her mouth, and deep inside her consciousness Nadya really hoped that Seth would hear that..

".....Seth...,"... one word from Nadya's mouth, the only hope to get Seth's attention before her second word. The numbness started to spread all over her body from her legs, she could feel that. Seth got closed to her.

"Dya, Dya, yes I can hear u, wake up wake up.." Seth whispered to her.

Nadya could feel the chill of the numbness was smearing up to her neck. She took a quick breath before she lost the feeling of 'breathing', she was terrified, but she needed to voiced out the second word to Seth..

"...... run.."

LinkinPark in the car was singing loud.... but Nadya heard nothing anymore.

... so did Seth. He heard what Nadya said, but the moment he tried to figure it out, he felt a numb chilling feeling weakened his legs and spread quickly upward to his waist, his body, his neck.. and Seth fell down, lay beside his dearest cousin.

LinkinPark in the car was singing loud... " ..don't resend me, and when you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest, leave out all the rest..."

----------------------------------------------

"WHAT??!!!"

Ayin, Man, Rizal and Zack raised their voice to emphasize their shock.

"You guys hear me clear, Seth and Nadya WILL NOT join you guys to Post Brooke." Repeated Prof Z, in his usual firm and calm tone.

"..but diorng tak cakap dgn kitrng pun?" Ayin protested. The shocking and doubting atmosphere surrounded the meeting room, ".. and kut yer pun, they will discuss with us first.." Ayin tried to pick up every question marks from all the shocks and doubts that floated in the air..

".. I don't know what's happening between you guys but Seth and Nadya gave me a call just now," Prof Z raised his eyebrow and started to pack his document on the table, "..and if you could excuse me, lady and gentlemen," Prof Z looked at the 4, "I have a meeting to catch, I'll see you in the next meeting."

"..but prof we din even discuss ANYTHING in this meeting.." Zack started to questioned about the objective of THIS meeting.

Prof Z, on his way walking the meeting room, stopped and looked at Zack, "Goodbye," opened the door and left. Leaving the 4 stood clueless and wondering with all sort of questions.

-----------------------------------------------------

Prof Z walked as fast as he could to leave this floor. His hand started to shake, his body started to shiver. The 4 shouldn't witness this. He pretended to be calm and composed in front of the 4, but now he did not think he could hold the emotion anymore. He started to cry, he started to feel weak.. "Why? Why? Why?" the documents in his arm slipped off and spread all over the floor when Prof Z sneaked into an abandoned staff washroom.

"Why?Why?Why?" Prof Z sobbed his head out. He never expected this would happen, never. He realized that there's no turning point for him, but things seemed to be changed, seemed to be out of control.

"Why? Why are you asking why, professor? I thought you agreed with the rules?" suddenly the two men with full black suite and black shades appeared in front of Prof Z. Prof Z was shocked seeing them, but the feeling swiftly turned into anger.

"You......." Prof Z pushed his own body towards the shorter man in black, pressing him against the wall of the washroom, "What the damn RULES allow people to kill? HUH??!!!"

"Prof Z, FYI, the word is ELIMINATE, not KILL." The short man in black answered calmly, and pushed Prof Z away from him, "You gave us 4 names, not including the other two, remember?" while saying this, the short tidied-up his black suite, and the taller one threw a file onto the floor. It was the ULAM file, Prof Z remembered well, and inside, there are names and details of Ayin, Rizal, Man and Zack. Seth and Nadya were not included.

Prof Z felt weak. His face turned pale. He leaned against the wall and slided down. He was sad. What have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done... he couldn't forgive himself. He started to cry, sadly, painfully. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry..........

The taller man in black gave a dissing smile at Prof Z, "Owh c'mon professor, we are here not for your tragic drama.. we need to get things running.."

".... do you think I'm gonna work with you anymore?.." answered Prof Z soullessly.

".. Well -- well-- well, I don't think you have ANY options here, my dear Prof Z. Remember the deal? Remember... your daughter?" The short man in black stared straight into Prof Z's eye when he got real closed to his face. Prof Z was chilled.

"Prof Z...." suddenly there's a voice came from the entrance of the washroom. Prof Z almost fainted the moment he saw two young men standing at the entrance of the washroom.

It was Rizal and Man.

"Ah-ha! Interesting... .. " The short man in black stood up and tidy his black suite, while walking towards Rizal and Man, "Nice to meet you, Code-Named U001 and Code-Named U002. "