I walked towards Prestin as I glanced at the woman who's now tied in the chair. I saw Prestin looking at me, there's a ghost of smirk in his face.

Hindi ko na siya pinansin.

"Wake up, Princess." I slightly tapped the woman's face using the back of my hand who's holding my gun. Ilang ulit ko pa iyong ginawa bago siya tuluyang nagising.

I let her adjust her sight. Sarkastiko ko siyang tinignan nang nagtama ang aming mga mata.

Agad na tumalim ang mga mata niya sa akin. Tila naalala ang aking ginawa. Nagsimula siyang magpumiglas ngunit agad na nahinto dahil sa mga lubid na pumipigil sa kanyang katawan. I smirked when I realized something. Kahit ang mga paa niya at nakatali. Ang lubid ay hindi lang sa kamay ngunit literal na sa buong katawan iyon nakapulupot.

I glanced at Prestin as I mischievously smirked. "You should change your profession."

Humalakhak ako nang sumama ang tingin niya sa akin.

"You bitch! I'll tell this to Archer!"

I tilted my head as I slightly massaged my temple. This sumbungerang woman!

I leaned as I pointed my gun in her thigh. "I'll ask you first, who are you?"

Nahihiwagaan niya akong tinignan ngunit wala akong pakealam. "I'm Dellany Mallari! You bitch! Are you crazy?"

I laughed with no humor as I raised my brow. "Believe me, you're not."

Bakas ang pagkalito sa mga mata niya at tila hindi na alam ang isasagot.

"Let me rephrase my question. Does plastic surgery hurts?" Unti unting sumilay ang ngisi sa aking labi nang makita ang pamimilog ng mga mata niya. Her lips parted as she blinked.

"So bad that you even forgot your name?" I continued using a sarcastic tone.

"A-are you D-Dellany?" Hindi niya masabi sabi ng maayos ang mga salita. Para bang may hinala na siya kung sino ako at kailangan na lang ng kumpirmasyon.

"I thought you're Dellany?" Mapang-uyam na tanong ko. I smirked when she pressed her lips together.

"I'll ask this for the last time," I muttered while my gun's still pointed on her thigh. Nakadikit ang baril doon at bahagya kong idiniin kasabay ng aking tanong. "Who are you? Your real name, sweetie." Tanong ko sa pinakamarahang paraan.

I raised my brow when she shook her head. Lalo kong idiniin ang dulo ng baril sa kanyang hita. "Answer me," I smiled, encouraging her to give me a good answer.

"I won't tell-- fuck!" Napahinto siya at napamura nang hilahin ko ang gatilyo ng baril na nakatutok sa kanyang kaliwang hita, hindi lang isa kung hindi dalawang ulit ko iyong ginawa.

Matamis ang mga ngiti ko siyang pinanood habang umaagos ang dugo sa kanyang hita kasabay ng kanyang pagdaing.

"Auriese," I heard my brother's warning tone but I didn't listen.

"You're a fucking demon! You bitch!" She spat.

"That's Dellany," I proudly said.

I once again placed the muzzle of the gun on her thigh. Idiniin ko iyon sa parte kung saan ko siya binaril.

"Fuck!" She groaned in pain.

"What is..." I trailed off as I gave her a wide sweet smile. "Your name?"

Matapang siyang umiling sa akin. I removed every expression I have in my face as she answered. "You wish-"

"Then tell me your last wish," I calmly said as I pulled the trigger, aiming for her bleeding thigh. Mabilis kong itinutok sa gilid ng ulo niya ang baril at hinila ang gatilyo ngunit sinigurado na hindi siya tatamaan. I'm sure she felt the bullet at the side of her face. I watched her as her eyes widened. Her lips parted as she cursed. "Tangina!" 

"Auriese, that's enough." I heard my brother's cold voice but I just smirked at him.

"I can still shoot wherever I want." Ngisi ko kay Prestin bago muling bumaling sa babae.

"Alright, just tell me what do you want from Cosmos? Why are you fooling them?" Tanong ko nang matantong wala akong mapapala sa pangalan niya.

"Why did you suddenly vanished? You left Cosmos then you changed your face? You shouldn't have asked me if plastic surgery hurts when you already know how it feels like."

At may tapang pa siya para tanungin at sabihan ako ng bagay na 'yon?

I gestured my hand, shaking it. "Oh! No, dear. I won't change my face, I'm contented with this."

"Now let's go back to our topic-"

"Creed hired me!" She cutted my words.

Napataas ang kilay ko dahil doon. Creed hired her? I tilted my head. "Dapat ba kitang paniwalaan?"

"Wala akong pakealam kung ayaw mong maniwala. He hired me. Siya lang, pati si Archer at Dash ang may alam na hindi ako ang totoong Dellany. That's all I can say."

Oh, well. That's too much information. Dapat lang pala siyang barilin sa gilid ng ulo para magsalita? Kung alam ko lang, una pa lamang ay ginawa ko na.

I turned to Prestin as I moved my brow, lowkey asking him if this woman's telling the truth based on what he can observe in her expression.

Why would they do that?

Muli akong bumaling sa babae nang tinanguan ako ni Prestin.

"Thank you for your cooperation but I'm afraid you can't go home right now. Let me fix things first, huh?" Marahang sambit ko bago siya nilapitan.

"What will you--" I hit the side of her neck using the gun, enough for her to go to sleep again.

Tinalikuran ko siya at bumaling kay Prestin.

"Pakakawalan mo?"

I nodded. "I need something that can erase her memory. Saka na 'yon. Let's lock her here. Babalikan ko bukas."

"Ngayon mo na gawin. Kapag nakatakas 'yan, siguradong mapapahamak ka."

"I need to get mommy first."

He gave me questioning look. Bahagya pang lumapit sa akin.

"Archer found mommy. Hindi niya sinabi sa 'kin." I shrugged. "Maybe he doesn't want to disappoint me if he got the wrong location."

I bit my lower lip as I glanced at the woman. "Nalaman ko lang kay Astrid. She informed Dellany about the operation later at midnight."

Hindi ko alam kung pangilang beses na ito ngunit gusto ko pa ring subukan. Maybe this time, Archer got the real location of my mother. Lalo pa at sinabi ni Astrid na nakumpirma nga raw ni Mirae.

I tied my ash gray hair in a bun as I stared at the mansion who's towering over us. My black turtleneck long sleeves helped me covered my skin color. I wear gloves to cover my hands. Balat sa mukha lang ang nakalabas sa akin.

This felt familiar. Wearing my complete prosthetics, while with the Cosmos.

"Star, Night, enter through the garden," I heard Mirae started.

"Dark and Light, back door," she muttered as she gestured the back door.

"I'll enter in front with Sky," sambit niya na tinutukoy ang kapatid. I don't know that Damien's already a part of Cosmos. Mabuti at pinayagan ni Mirae.

"What? I don't want to come with you, Ate!" Agad na ang angal ng kapatid ni Mirae.

"We already talked about this. Do as I say or you're fired!"

Damien tsked. Wala ng nagawa dahil takot na matanggal.

"Are we clear? We'll go insi-- Light, are you listening?"

Nabaling ang pansin ko kay Archer dahil sa sinambit ni Mirae. I caught him looking at me. Bahagyang kumunot ang aking noo. Kanina ko pa siya napapansin na tahimik at nakatingin sa akin.

"Aurie," he whispered and my eyes immediately widened as felt a lump on my throat. Agad akong kumurap at bahagyang itinagilid ang ulo.

"The fuck are you talking about, Light? We have a mission yet you're thinking of your girlfriend?" Kunot noong tanong ko.

He remained frowning. "Did you changed your perfume?"

I shifted on my weight as I shook my head. Tila nakahinga ng maluwag dahil iyon lang lang tanong niya. I heaved an audible breath. "No, why would I-"

"You smells like Aurie."

Nahigit ko ang aking hininga. My brows moved as my lips parted. What the fuck?

Astrid got my attention when she chuckled. "Stop thinking of your girlfriend. You can call her after this, if she's still awake."

"Yeah, kung ano anong naiisip mo," kabado kong sinuportahan ang sinabi ni Astrid.

I watched Archer as his lips parted. "Fuck, even your voice sounds like her."

Lumapit sa kanya si Creed at bahagyang tinapik ang kanyang balikat. "Dellany's not your girlfriend. You're mistaking-"

"I'm not." I pressed my lips when Archer coldly cutted Creed's words. "Auriese is my girlfriend. I was just telling that Dellany smells like her. She sounds like her too," he muttered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Creed slowly shook his head while a gohost of smirk is evident in hos face. "Let's make this fast, my wife and my daughter's waiting for me."

I smirked at Creed as I heard him. But in the inside, I can still feel my heart racing. I glanced at Mirae's brother. Wala itong imik at patuloy lang sa paghagod ng tingin sa kabuuan ng mansyon.

"Yeah, my husband's waiting too," Mirae said.

"My-" Akmang magsasalita si Astrid nang agad na putulin ni Archer ang mga salita niya.

"Your what?" Siguro ay nawala na sa isip na kaamoy at kaboses ko ang girlfriend niya, na ako naman talaga.

Napangiwi si Astrid. "My bed's waiting for me," she answered as she rolled her eyes at Archer.

Mirae tsked. "Stop that and focus. This is for Auriese and her mother, let's get this done," Mirae said in her authoritive voice.

We all agreed and went to where we should enter. Katulad ng sinabi ni Mirae ay ganoon ang nasunod. We're not wearing a mask though.

I went towards the back door with Archer. Siya ang nauuna at tumitingin kung may madadaanan kaming bantay. Though, according to them there are only few in here. Akala ni Rozelli ay pupuntahan ni Archer ang maling lokasyon na ipinain niya kaya naman mas marami ang tauhang naroon. Mayroon man dito ay hindi na iyon ganoon karami. Sa bilang ni Archer ay hindi tataas sa sampu ang tauhan ni Rozelli na narito.

We arrived at the back door and Archer installed something on the lock. It was a flat device, I have no idea on what is its function.

"Dark," he called as he looked at me with a smirk plastered in his face. "Pick four numbers."

I frowned but still answered him. "Three, eight, one, four."

That was a ramdom combination though. Nang pumasok sa aking isip ay basta ko na lang sinabi.

I saw him turned to the door. Sinilip ko ang ginagawa niya at nakitang pinindot niya ang mga numero sa kung paano ko sunod sunod na sinambit iyon.

My lips parted when the door opened. He turned to me with a smirk in his face. Kinuha niya ang device at muling isiniksok sa bulsa. Why am I still shocked? I shouldn't be. Si Archer siya, hindi na dapat nakakagulat 'yon.

Marahan niyang ibinukas ang pinto at tumambad sa amin ang kusina.

"Pare-- sino kayo--" Hindi na natapos ng lalaki ang sasabihin dahil kaagad na itong binaril ni Archer sa tapat ng puso. I heard nothing but the groan coming from the man as he fell on the floor.

This is a big mansion. This is too much effort on Rozelli's side. Ano naman ang mapapala niya kay Mommy? I mean, imposible naman na dahil lang sa utos ni Salvia, kaya itinago niya si Mommy. O posible rin na alam niya na parte ng Cosmos si Archer na tumutulong sa akin.

Kampante kaming lumakad at nilagpasan ang lalaki. I even shoot him once. Sa puso rin kung saan siya pinatamaan ni Archer, sayang ang bala kung hindi ko gagamitin. Besides, I have a silencer. Wala namang ingay ang baril kaya't ayos lang at hindi magagambala ang ibang tauhan.

"Let's go upstairs."

Hindi na ako sumagot kay Archer at basta na pumantay sa kanya. We're not even hiding. Diretso ang lakad patungo sa ikalawang palapag ng mansyon.

We heard a series of gun shots, sa tantya ko ay galing iyon sa front door. I immediately saw the grand staircase and a man running towards the second floor.

Agad kong kinutok ang aking baril sa direksyong iyon ngunit agad akong naunahan ni Archer. Gumulong pababa ang walang buhay na lalaki matapos siyang paputukan ni Arch.

May armadong lalaki ang pababa ng hagdan at iyon ang aking pinaputukan. Ngumisi ako kay Archer nang maunahan ko siya.

He tsked. "That was the first time."

Inis ko siyang hinampas. "Anong first time? Hindi ah! Hindi ko na mabilang sa daliri kung ilang beses kitang naunahan!" Lagi kaming nagpapaunahan bumaril noon. But most of the time, siya ang nakakabaril.

"The real Dark, you mean?" Bulong niya habang may mapanguyam na ngisi sa mga labi. "Nasobrahan ka naman sa mga kinwento ko. I told you to memorize it, not live with it."

Nawala ang ngisi sa aking labi nang natanto ang kanyang tinutukoy. What the fuck, Auriese?

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