Anakdatu - Chapter 3：Anakdatu? Sounds cool, wait what?

I woke up in cold sweat. I stood up as quickly as I can and I regretted that part for it made me more nauseated. I had a look around my environment, and all I can say is “Wow”. I am in some kind of room, a chrome room mostly, lined up with some futuristic things, but mostly used for medical activities, I think and I wished those are not for torturing video game geeks who dream of Philippine warriors in the meantime.

I looked at myself, I gasped, all my wounds are closed, that was fast or maybe I was asleep for a hundred years like Captain America. I am confused, I am also scared in the same way.

My mother peeped on the doorway of the room, wearing some kind of stealth battle armor my Dad wore the last time I saw him and she suddenly rushed towards me and tackled me with a hug.

“Thank the Gods above you are alive”, she croaked. “You have been unconscious for like 6 days and I have been so worried, I thought I…”, Tears rolled down on her cheeks, “I thought I am going to lose you too.”

“Hey mom, I’m okay, I guess but six days? I have a thesis defense! Oh my, oh well, it doesn’t matter, but what do you mean lose me too? Where is Dad? What happened to dad?” I asked.

She breathed deep and controlled herself from sobbing, “For the meantime, we have no idea what happened to that of your Father but we’ve got to stay positive utmost, everything is okay. Everything will be okay.” She promised.

The air, after the cold and harsh happenings, just suddenly turned warm, the power of mothers over everything can simply turn a thunderstorm into a wonderful, glamorous rainbow within a snap. But even things are like that, I am still confused and messed up from the happenings.

“Mom,” I asked, “What is happening? Where are we? What do those glowy eyed soldier guys got to do with us? We are innocent, right? We are doing nothing bad like ever, right?”

She looked sternly at me, like a soldier who is expecting a war anytime, “My son, Ramil, but I want you to take this quite seriously okay?”

I nodded.

“Our blood is of the most vital of all, we are born and part of the bloodline of the mighty Anakdatu. The Anakdatu is an organization that promised to protect the country with all their might.”

Anakdatu? A very silly name for an organization. And suddenly, I realized the dream I had while I was unconscious, “Oh, was the organization already present on the time of Magellan? The colonizer guy? Was it like composed of 10 guys or such?” I asked.

She looked surprised, “Yes, actually that is where Anakdatu started, how on Earth did you ever knew that information?”

I told my mom everything I dreamed of, from the hut with the funny battle cry and even the after images I saw when I was young.

“Oh yes, the genetics of the Anakdatu acting up within you, giving you already some introduction and did you know, that funny phrase you said, that is actually the origin of that.” She laughed half-heartedly.

“Anyways, that is what happened, the Anakdatu formed for the fear that our country will be on other people’s hands. The Anakdatu is a secret organization working behind all, even behind the government itself, more likely a rebellion, but a rebellion with a good agenda. And yes, on the whole organization, there were only 10 very important datus that started this regime and from those Datu’s names, formed the codenames and positions for the people on the organization. From the lowest of the ranks, Datu Puti, and no my son, not the soy sauce, he is not really the lowest, but one of the most important, he is the one that strides in broad daylight, unlike the others who works on the darkness. He is assigned to protect certain beings such as presidents and stuff. Actually, all of them work in daylight but Datu Puti is more kinda exposed than most of them. Your father currently holds the position of Datu Puti and you are the heir to his position in case he..” My mom sobbed again.

“Moving on, Datu Bankaya, he is next to Datu Puti when it comes to position, he is the organization’s medic and I cannot tell you the name of the others for it is confidential and you are mostly only allowed to call them by their code names. Then next is Datu Sikatuna, the ninja of the group, well, his position is the reconnaissance and stealth department. Then next is Datu Sumakwel, he holds all this technology, he who manages the research and development and the communications too, also the undercover spy and then there comes Datu Macabulos..

We are suddenly interrupted by a buff soldier, the same uniform that my mom and dad wore, not really that buff, more like lithe and slender, he is the normal Filipino stereotype, brown skin, not so pointed nose, and he’s got an army flattop for a ‘do. And he is also wearing a clear wayfarer glasses that does not match with his outfit.

“Oh, there is Datu Macabulos, trainer of the greatest agents, the sergeant of the organization, good morning Macabulos.” My mom said, “This is my son Ramil, we are under code red and we are ordered by Datu Puti so we are staying here for awhile.”

Mr. Macabulos looked down and back to us again “I am sorry for the intrusion but we’ve got news.”

He showed and opened his palm and their lies my father’s amulet, or agimat that he always wore, a golden medallion big as a coin with holy inscriptions and his code name “Datu Puti” on the back, I haven’t noticed that name on the back before or maybe I wasn’t paying too much attention but why, why is this guy with the wayfarer glasses showing us my father’s amulet?

My mom cupped his hands on his face and sobbed, I was awestruck too, “Where is my dad?” I asked.

“Datu Puti is out of service, I am so sorry.” He said mournfully.

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All that run on my mind is how? Or maybe my dad is just playing some kind of prank to us and he is just hiding behind the Macabulos guy and he will just pop up and say “Surprise!”. Or maybe he is still alive and he left the necklace on purpose to know he is still alive.

“What happened?” I started crying.

Datu Macabulos gave us a narration of how they scanned, him and Lapu-lapu the area of where all the things happened. He said that our house is right now turned to rubble and dust and going back will be very dangerous and as they scanned the area of our home is he only found the medallion but not the body wherein the medallion, of course, should always be worn.

He forlornly said, “We haven’t found Datu Puti in a five-kilometer radius so our conclusions are-”

“He’s alive.” I felt back a surge of hope in me, “He is alive, but why of all things should he leave his medallion?”

“That basically is our conclusion, that maybe he was knocked out and brought by the enemy as a hostage.” He said with a very straight face (although I cannot believe how a man delivers news about a tragedy with a very straight face, or maybe he’s just being soldier-y), “And as one of the most important rules of a Datu or an Anakdatu, the medallion every agent wears holds their bloodline in it and must be protected with all their lives. It is passed on from the very founders of this organization and these medallions are very important that an agent will risk their lives too just for the medallion to be taken by others or be gone missing. Leaving the medallion is an instinct for he knows he will face interrogation and hostage stuff so that, I hope you understand that.” Macabulos concluded.

“But then, how will we save dad? Who will save him?” I asked

“That is something we are doing now-” He pressed something in his right ear, I thought he is having tinnitus, “Oh wait, excuse me, a call.” He said and turned back to the doorway. How rude.

I saw my mom sobbing so much, and really, it broke my heart to see my Mom crying, actually it is my first time to see my mother cry and it really felt bad, but I know I can’t do anything.

“Mom, everything is going to be okay,” I promised her.

She looked at me with fear, and a mixture of sadness “It is not what I am crying about Ram, of course, they can retrieve your dad with ease especially Lapu-Lapu can retrieve your dad within minutes, it is the fact that once an agent removes his medallion, it means also that it is going to be passed on too to his next in line blood.”

And my mind started churning, Next in line blood? Isn’t that supposed to be me? A wave of fear washed on me.

“So that means-”

“Yes, my son,” and a tear rolled up to her cheek, “You are Datu Puti now.” And she cried even more.

I cannot totally believe it, that was really quick, cannot sleep that night, I went out, phone rang, explosions, Dad on a Snake sneaking suit, shrapnel all over my body, got unconscious, woke up almost healed, Anakdatu, my dad died, I mean, missing and now I am a secret agent? Of course that is so awesome, like hell awesome but of course a fear too.

I looked at my mother crying, I understand why, of course, if a young person told his parents, “I want to join the army.”, or some stuff like that, it’s like their biggest fear because they have sealed your faith already. That you will die on the battlefield and so on.

Mr. Bankaya went back to the room with a slight smirk on the face and a glint of happiness in his eyes, “Your father was retrieved by Datu Lapu-Lapu, oh heck, those soldiers and their hideouts is nothing for Lapu Lapu so yeah, he is alive. But as the rule, he removed his medallion, and we will pass on the medallion to his next in line.” He looked at me with some pride.

He put on the medallion to me and smiled, “It belongs to you now.” And he took a knee, “All hail Datu Puti, protector of the public, guardian of the people, Anakdatu.”

And the overhead speakers spoke too, “ALL HAIL”

“Oh damn,” I said.