YEAR: 2011
As the boat headed towards the shore of the island, the radio attached to Number 3’s left arm started to make static noises, as they got closer to the shore the static came more into focus and English words came through
“Zzzt… zzzt…. Number 3 identification code…”
Number 3 took the radio from the strap and responded in Filipino
“Tikám.”
The voice responded back in the same language
“Zzzt….. Authorised, current location?”
“Location is 14° 05 '54.6"N 124° 12' 30.0"E. Baldoc, Pandan”
“Understood, are other Numbered members currently present.”
“Yes, Numbers 4, 5, & 6 of 15 are currently present.”
After a short silence over the radio the voice responded back
“Numbers in order from 4 to 6 please address your authorization codes.”
“Tahimik.”
“Karagatan.”
“Umagpang.”
After another silence the voice came back
“All confirmed, welcome back Numbers. Please expect transportation within one to two hours, the meeting area is marked on Number 4’s map.”
“Understood, also please tell the boss that I request a meeting as soon as we arrive back.”
“Very well, I will pass on the message.”
The radio shut off and the boat hit land, Number 3 turned to 4
“Hey 4 get to the front, you’ve got the destination mapped out.”
“Alright, make sure to follow and don’t wander off.”
Number 6 piped up
“You really need to tell us that? We’re not idiots.”
“I was talking to the kids you bobo.”
As 4 continues to walk through, 3 and 5 follow behind carrying Izumi and Kosuke on their backs with Number 6 being the last to leave the boat and go on land.
Number 4 continues to follow the marked line on the map given to him and as the rest walk, 3 and 5 talk about the new program that Izumi and Kosuke would become a part of.
“3 how much have you been told about the Templar project?”
“Only what I needed to know.”
“I see, were you informed of how many participants this project would have?”
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“According to the boss- Number 0,there will be no set number of members, the apparent requirement is every member must be an orphan or runaway and no more than 12 years of age when they are first recruited.”
Number 5 was quiet for a moment, seemingly pondering the use of this program
“So why is there such a restriction? Raising soldiers from the ground up would be quite costly, no?”
“Just think of it as an investment, for more efficiency in the future.”
Number 6 spoke up from behind
“So how many members are there for the Templar program currently?”
Number 3 responded to 6
“Including these two then there should be around 20 to 30 members.”
“That’s kinda sad, so many unfortunate children.”
Number 3 just huffed before responding
“Well get used to it, we'll be getting more of them later on.”
After they wrapped up the conversation, the rest of the walk continued in silence until they arrived at the meeting point, Paraiso ni Honesto farm, 20 minutes later. As they waited for a pick-up vehicle, Kosuke and Izumi were sitting down on the grass
“Izumi…”
Izumi looked up at Kosuke
“Yeah Kosuke?”
“Can you tell me what happened, why don’t I remember anything and why you don’t have pinkies fingers?”
Before he gave an answer Izumi looked towards Number 3 who just shook his head
“No.”
“Why not Izumi?”
“Just because… it’s not nice”
Izumi looked away from Kosuke as everything he remembered from the incident with the Butcher had already started to eat him from the inside out.
As they continued to wait Number 3 told Kosuke and Izumi to go explore the farm for a bit but before they went to take a look Kosuke turned to Number 3
“What’s your name mister?”
Number 3 just stood there for a moment, as if he was trying to remember his own name
“Gabriel, Gabriel Lopez. Born and raised here in the Philippines.”
A small smile appeared on Kosuke’s face
“Heheh, that’s a funny name.”
“Quite common actua-”
Before he could finish his sentence Kosuke was already with Izumi wandering around the farm
“Huh, fast kid.”
…
After an hour passed, an dark green armoured vehicle pulled into view with the same symbol that was on the flag and the plane, Number 5 noticed it and called the others over and notified them that their transport had arrived.
The vehicle looked rather strange to the boys as its design was odd, the design could only be described as if a tank was mixed with a four wheel drive.
Once everyone had gathered, doors at the back of the vehicle opened and without a word the numbers entered and took their seats inside with Kosuke and Izumi following a moment later.
As the doors shut, the vehicle started its engine and had begun to move out, the boys looked outside through small slits on the sides of the vehicle before returning to their seats.
Roughly twelve minutes passed by of silence, before Number 4 spoke to the boys
“Oi, both of you go to sleep while you can. It's a long drive, not to mention you won't have many chances for rest once we arrive.”
Kosuke wanted to argue but before he could he felt some pressure on the back of his head before going unconscious, seconds later the same thing happened to Izumi
“It’s easier to just put them to sleep instead of telling them to do it.”
Number 3 explained while trying to get Kosuke in a more comfortable position while Number 5 did the same for Izumi.
…
An hour passed and the road they were travelling on became incredibly rough and uneven as the vehicle was no longer on the road and had steered into the forest taking complicated turns throughout the ride, though despite the harsh shaking and such happening inside the vehicle neither of the boys even turned in their sleep.
After another ten minutes of travelling through the rough terrain, all the shaking stopped and the vehicle was moving on an even surface again, this sudden change caused both of the boys to wake up and they could hear plenty of movement outside
As Kosuke and Izumi sat up the Numbers all stood at the backdoor of the vehicle waiting for it to open
“Hey boys stand behind me and don’t walk off.”
Number 3 gestured behind him indicating where Kosuke and Izumi should stand.
As they stood there patiently waiting, the doors opened and they were greeted by a rather short man who saluted them by dragging his thumb from his left shoulder to the right
“Welcome back Numbers!”