Rebirth

***

“You said you were only able to contact Rei after my stabilization, so… how long was I out?”

“We managed to contact Rei only two weeks later, and that was because Luna needed us to find some very old and specific equipment to save you and your right leg, like the hyperbaric chamber you’re in now. Chefe had to call in some TD members, including Dom and me, to search for the items in other regions. In the end, we left the phone with Luna in case it was needed, but it seems she became so focused on your recovery, given how serious it was, that she forgot to contact Rei,” Alba answered.

Rei must have been worried... We’ve never gone this long without contact. We’re together 24/7. But... T.D.? That’s new to me. Alba never mentioned it before.

“Ah, I see... but T.D.? What’s that?” I asked.

Alba seemed confused by my question. Her expressions are always so sincere and transparent that I almost saw a question mark appear on her face.

“We... never explained it to you before?”

“No... this is the first time I’m hearing about it,” I replied.

“Really...?!” She paused, then began to explain further.

“TD means TopDog. It’s the name of the organization created by Chefe. Dom, Luna, and I are members too.”

What? How had they never explained this to me before? This was such important information. It clearly explained why they were so united, and why Chefe was called Chefe. But I was shocked... what kind of organization was this?

“Is it... like a criminal organization?” I asked, a bit fearful.

She laughed, looked up as if thinking, and replied:

“No... it functions more like a political and military organization. Chefe is the representative of Kera, and this entire territory is governed by TopDog. Of course, there are other members on the organization’s council besides Chefe.”

“Alba... why did no one tell me about this before?” I asked.

“I don’t know, I’m confused too. I guess it’s just natural for us... I’ve never needed to explain this to anyone before.”

They always said being close to Alba was like being under maximum security, but... being so close to a regional representative and leader of an organization was huge. In the end, I was almost kidnapped even while by Alba’s side, but I was saved by the organization.

“I’m shocked by this information...” I said.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my right thigh, like a bolt of lightning striking out of nowhere.

“Ouch, this hurts!”

I began to squirm in pain, pressing my hand against the scar.

“What happened? Luna?” Alba asked as she glanced at the mirrored glass and left the room.

“Alba? What’s happening?” I screamed as the pain consumed me completely. I thought I was already partially recovered... what’s happening to me?

“Inertia?!”

I heard someone call my name. Was that Rei’s voice?

“Alba, take the phone away from her!”

Now... was that Luna’s voice?! I couldn’t tell. The pain was so intense that I could hardly keep my eyes open or focus on what was happening around me.

I tried to open my eyes, and for a brief moment, I saw Alba return to the room and take the phone off the machine I was inside.

It was instant. The pain vanished as soon as the phone was moved away from me. Why?

“What was that?” I said loudly, almost as a rhetorical question, feeling the relief that came with the absence of pain.

I looked at my leg to make sure everything was okay, and nothing seemed to have changed.

“Inertia?” I heard Rei’s voice again. “Luna, has Inertia woken up? What happened? I think I heard her voice.”

I could hear everything happening around me, even what was being said outside the room. It seemed that inside this machine there was a system that allowed me to communicate with other rooms. Can they hear me too?

So I tried to answer his question.

“I’m okay, Rei... or at least I think I am.”

“Inertia... what a relief to hear your voice again,” he said.

Indeed, I could feel the relief in his voice, but I also sensed a hint of sorrow. So I tried to lighten his mood.

“Come on, Rei. It feels like you haven’t seen me in years, hahaha.”

“You have no idea... you were unconscious for three weeks, Inertia. I really thought you wouldn’t come back.”

What?! Three weeks?! The feeling I had was like waking up in the middle of the night after a nightmare; three weeks was really a long time.

“You think that’s a lot? Considering the critical state Inertia was in, waking up after three weeks was a miracle. Her leg would’ve taken months to heal in its condition,” Luna pointed out.

“From what I’ve seen here, her body still seems to be reacting to the phone. Those cells with modified DNA are still around the scar, and it’s likely her DNA is still circulating within the phone. Tell me, Inertia, what happened to you during the fight?” Luna asked.

But as I had already explained to Alba, I didn’t remember clearly.

“I only remember feeling the phone burning as it sank into my skin. I think it reached the bone in my thigh and then jolted. After that, some part of the phone detached and started moving along the bone until it reached my spine... and then it went up to my neck.”

“That part was the Eterno, wasn’t it? But how? So there’s an Eterno inside the phone?” Alba asked.

“Maybe... we’ll only know for sure if we open it. Do you remember anything else?” Luna continued.

“After that, I passed out, and when I woke up, I couldn’t control my body anymore. Rei seemed to be in control.”

“So you were conscious the whole time? That’s crazy,” Rei exclaimed.

“I don’t remember all the details, but I remember when they hit me with the net and I fell.”

“Inertia, I think it would be good if Luna investigated the phone. But we were waiting for you to wake up to get your permission. Rei has partially agreed...” Alba said, but she was interrupted by Rei.

“Luna scanned it from the outside, but it wasn’t enough. It will need to be opened, and for that, she’ll need to shut the phone off, and I’ll lose contact with you. What do you think?”

I don’t know... if Luna messes with something she shouldn’t, even a small change could be the end... and here I am, lying inside, unable to do anything. But understanding how it works is important too...

“We can look at it after I’ve recovered.”

“Okay. No rush, Inertia. Without a doubt, you’re our priority now,” Luna said.

I thought Luna would be the most eager to investigate the phone, but with that statement, she seemed patient and concerned about my condition, so she continued:

“You’ll need to stay in the hospital and under observation for a few more weeks. Your infection is under control, but your immunity is still low. I won’t let you leave the house until you’ve fully recovered.

Now that you’re conscious, I’ll need you to exercise and take short walks around the room, Inertia. You’ve lost a lot of muscle mass during the time you were immobile. Alba will accompany you and help you with your recovery.”

“Okay,” I agreed.

I was feeling weak, but I thought it was just a consequence of everything that had happened that day.

Alba entered the room again. The door seemed to have a sensor and opened automatically without the need for touch. That detail felt useful at the moment, as I could see smoke behind the glass door, similar to the smoke I had seen during the detox process. It seems that now every precaution is necessary.

Alba approached the chamber and asked:

“Do you feel any better... really?”

“I do... but like Luna pointed out, I’m still feeling weak.”

“I was released from work to help you. When you’re comfortable enough to get up, let me know.”

“We can try now, I’m uncomfortable here,” I said, eager to leave that place.

Since then, Alba dedicated herself to helping me every day for another fifteen days, while Luna continued providing medical care. During that time, I was able to talk to Luna and Rei through the glass because, apparently, only Alba had full access to me.

The entire space had been adapted for my rehabilitation. The room I was in had a triangular shape, not too spacious but not too small either. In the center, the hyperbaric chamber was positioned horizontally.

Along two of the walls, a horizontal iron bar stretched across the entire length of the room to provide support and help me walk. From the midpoint upward, those walls were lined with reflective glass that prevented me from seeing the other side, while the third wall held the door.

A small table and chair had also been placed near the chamber so I could eat.

As for Rei, the phone remained on the other side with Luna the entire time. Our conversations were no longer as frequent. I felt that Luna’s presence was like that of a teacher, and I couldn’t enjoy the same freedom we had before.

And so, two weeks passed.

End of Report 20