"Mommy!" A loud thud in my heart caused chaos in my inside as I felt like my nerves immediately awakened when I saw a familiar built of my mother, standing near the bed.

Marahas na bumaling ang kanyang ulo sa aking direksyon. The time stopped as her eyes widened when she met mine. I could no longer calm down when a shed of tear escaped her eye. I hurriedly walked towards her direction. "Mommy," bulong ko at agad na ipinulupot ang mga braso sa kanyang katawan.

"Auriese!" The warmth of her voice with her arms on me conquered my body.

"M-ommy," I sobbed. Bahagyang nanginig ang aking balikat kasabay ng aking mga hikbi.

"A-Auriese, anak."

Mariin akong napapikit sa boses niya, kasabay ng marahang paghagod niya sa aking likuran. Hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto ang itinagal namin sa ganoong posisyon. We kept whispering how much we missed each other while she's trying to calm me down but I can't, that made me weep in pain.

"You're alive, Mommy. I'm sorry, if I thought you're dead. I'm sorry if I stopped because of the body we found," I murmured when I pulled away from her. Naglandas ang kanyang kamay patungo sa aking palad. She held it tightly as we sat in the bed.

She shook her head on me while a smile is now formed in her lips. Sa kabila ng mga luha ay sumilay ang kanyang ngiti. "Its not your fault that you are fooled in your weakest state.
Those who took advantage of your weakness are the ones who's at fault in this. Those who are wicked. Stop apologizing, Auriese..." She trailed off but still smiling. "Or should I call you Attorney?"

I bit my lower lip. Napalabi ako sa sinabi niya. "I-I'm not, Mommy. B-but Prestin is already a lawyer. I'm sorry, I stopped at my first year in law school."

"That's alright. I'm still proud to the both of you. Not being a lawyer won't lessen my love for you," she muttered as she slightly tightened her grip on my hands.

I tugged the side of my lips for a smile. "Dad's waiting for you, Mommy. Also Prestin and R-Rye."

I stared at every bits of her reaction. Unti-unting kumunot ang kanyang noo. "Who's Rye?" She asked as she lifted her hand and wiped the tears on my cheek using the back of her palm.

"M-my son, Mommy. Your grandson."

Nahigit ko ang aking hininga. I nibbled my lower lip when her hand stopped wiping my tears. I heaved a deep breath when a smile formed in her lips. Muling nanubig ang kanyang mga mata. "I have a g-grandson? How old is he? N-nahirapan ka bang manganak? How about your husband, did he gave all your cravings? How's your pregnancy-- Oh God, I missed my daughter's wedding. How about it, who helped you--"

I smiled. I'm already expecting her to bombard me with questions and I won't mind if this lasts for a day. And I think a day is not enough compared to the years my family spent without her.

"Mommy," I called, that made her stop from her questions. I slide near her as I slipped my hands in her waist. Itinaas ako pa ang dalawang paa pagilid sa kama upang lalo siyang malapitan. Marahan ko siyang niyakap mula sa gilid at parang bata na isinandal ang ulo sa kanyang balikat.

"Prestin took good care of me. He gave all my cravings. He's also with me when I gave birth. I-I'm not married, Mommy. There's no wedding. A-all I have is Rye," I slowly muttered as I reminisced the time when I was still pregnant. "He just turned four. He's A-Archer Ysrael Gallardo and he'll be glad to see you, Mommy. I'm... sorry if I'm not married--"

"It's okay with me, Auriese. Married or not, surely you'll be a good mother. It doesn't matter if Rye's dad doesn't  wants to accept your son. I know you can raise him well."

Agad akong napailing kay Mommy. "H-hindi niya alam na may anak kami. I didn't tell him about Rye. I actually doesn't have any plans to tell him... before. I only want a son with him."

I slightly pulled away as I saw my mother's lips parted a bit. Akmang magsasalita ngunit walang lumabas na boses sa kanyang bibig. Kalaunan ay napalabi na lamang.

"But I'm now planning to tell him. I don't know if he'll believe me because of what I did but I will try."

Sh nodded at me. "If that will makes you happy, then I--"

"Damn it!"

She stopped and I cursed when we heard a booming sound, it echoed on the place that made me shifted on my seat. Napatuwid ako ng upo nang masundan pa iyon ng isang beses, na sa tingin ko ay galing sa ibang direksyon.

I looked at my mother as I tried to unclasped our hands but she didn't let me. "I'll lock the door. Stay here, Mommy. I'll just see what happened." 

Marahas siyang napailing. "No. Stay here. B-baka mapahamak ka. Auriese, I don't understand why and how did you know those people who kill mercilessly. I don't know if I should be glad at that or not. But they saved me and I saw how they killed Salvia's men without even thinking twice. I was desperate to leave that mansion that time, that's why I came with them and because they know you. But if not... I won't." She shook her head as fear consumed her eyes. Sa una ay hindi ko nakuha ang sinasabi niya ngunit kalaunan ay nakuha kong, kami ang tinutukoy niya. The one who rescued her at that mansion.

"They're dangerous, Auriese. Now, just stay with me and let them. I don't want to lose you if something bad happens... and y-you have a son. Stay, please."

My chest tightened as I watched my mother pleaded. She didn't know anything, sila ni dad dahil kaming dalawa lang ni Prestin ang nakakaalam kung ano ang pinasok ko. "I'm one of them. T-the one who rescued you, I'm one of them."

Her eyes widened a fraction as her lips parted. "What?" She whispered.

"I'll explain later," saad ko bago tuluyang lumabas ng silid.

Marahan kong isinara ang pinto at iginala ang mga mata sa paligid. I saw the underbosses of Cosmos, except from Archer at the outside of the other room. Mariin ang titig ni Mirae kay Dasher at mukhang nagtatalo pa. Nahuli kong napailing si Creed at nagpaalam na upang tingnan ang nangyayari sa labas.

Lumapit ako sa direksyon nila at malinaw na narinig ang usapan ng dalawa.

"What the fuck do you want? Go out there in that state of yours? Come on, Dasher. Let this pass, and do as I say!" Bakas ang prustrasyon sa mukha ni Mirae habang pinakikiusapan si Dasher. She even snatched the gun in Dasher hand.

"I can-"

"Next time, Dash. Go get her. She might be the target." Hindi ko nakuha kung sino ang tinutukoy ni Mirae.

Para namang natauhan si Dasher at napaigting ang panga. "Alright."

Nang tumalikod si Dasher ay sa akin napunta ang tingin ni Mirae at Astrid.

Inilahad ko ang aking kamay sa harapan ni Mirae. She rolled her eyes on me before finally handing me the gun she got from Dasher.

Walang salita kaming nagtungo sa entrance ng headquarters. We parted our ways when we got there. Bukas ang entrance dahil na rin sa nangyaring pagsabog.

"They are just either from Rozelli or Stonesteel. But I bet, Rozelli," sambit ni Mirae bago nagtungo sa ibang direksyon.

I immediately hide on one of the post as I saw a ramdon bullet coming to my direction. Agad kong namataan ang bulto ni Archer malapit sa akin. Our eyes met for a while. Sandali lang iyon dahil agad siyang bumalik sa pagbaril.

Umalis ako sa pinagkukublihan at nagsimulang barilin ang mga kalabang nakikita. Kasabay ng paglapit ko sa entrance. Doon ko namataan na may iba pang dumarating ngunit hindi hamak na mas madami kami. Of course, this is the headquarters of Cosmos. Hindi man lahat ngunit maraming tauhan ang kasalukuyang naririto.

Hindi ko namalayan ang kalaban sa aking gilid kaya naman pagharap ko sa direksyong iyon ay agad niyang nasipa ang aking baril, dahilan para mawala iyon sa aking kamay.

"Fuck!" I cursed but it immediately vanished as the sound from the gunshots dominated the whole place.

His foot flew on my stomach. Napaatras ako dahil sa pwersa ng pagsipa niya. He pointed his gun in my direction and I immediately ducked as the bullet came out of it.

I let myself fell on the floor as I slide my foot from the right and let it glide towards the left, hitting the man's feet. Dahilan para mawalan ito ng balanse at paupong bumagsak sa sahig.

I steadily pressed my palm on the floor as I raised my feet and let it in between the man's shoulder and his ear. Marahas kong ibinaba ang aking paa kasama ang kanyang leeg mula sa kaninang pinanggalingan nito.

Padapa siyang bumagsak sa sahig. Sinubukan niyang kumawala habang hinahanap ng aking mga mata ang nahulog kong baril. I was about to reached for my gun when the head of the man exploded. Blood spurted on his head. Kaya naman napuno ng dugo ang aking paa na nakadiin sa kanyang leeg.

I gasped as I let my eyes traced the direction where the bullet came. Agad akong napalabi nang makita ang malamig na titig ni Archer habang kagagaling lang ng baril mula sa aking direksyon.

He avoided my gaze. Habang ako naman ay agad na pinulot ang nahulog na baril. I jogged and hide on the post near the entrance. Nasa gilid ngunit ang pinagtataguan ko ang unang hanay ng mga poste mula sa pasukan ng headquarters.

I heard someone called my codename but I ignored it. Patuloy ako sa pagbaril mula sa aking direksyon. Si Mirae and iilang miyembro ng Cosmos ang malapit sa aking direksyon. At the other side of the headquarters is Astrid and Archer. Namataan ko pa ang ilang pamilyar na capo at miyembro roon. No one's wearing a mask right now, kaya dapat na mamatay ang lahat ng kalabang narito. Their identity will be at risk if not.

Creed and the others were at the left wing of the headquarters. Nadaanan namin iyon patungo sa entrance. Doon nanggaling ang pangalawang pagsabog. May mga kalaban doon ngunit hindi iyon marami kumpara sa naririto.

Napansin kong wala ng dumarating at paubos na ang mga ito. Iginala ko ang tingin at nakitang may mga sugatan sa miyembro nga Cosmos. Agad akong napangiwi nang may makita pang nakahiga sa sahig, mula sa Cosmos at mukhang walang buhay.

My eyes widened when I saw someone holding a grenade while looking at Mirae's direction.

"Mirae!" I called but she's busy firing her gun. Tingnan mo 'tong babaeng 'to, hindi pa narinig ang tawag ko.

I cursed as I run towards her. Kasabay noon ang paghagis ng granada patungo sa kanyang direksyon. I snatched her arm and forcefully pulled her as I run with her, palayo sa itinapong granada ng lalaki.

"What-- fuck!"

"Mirae!"

"Fuck! Auriese!"

I heard someone cursing and calling our name, bago ko naramdamang tumilapon ang aking katawan kasabay ng pagsabog mula sa aking likuran.

I groaned as my body met the floor. Sa lakas ng pwersa ng aking pagbagsak ay para akong ilang ulit na binugbog. "Damn," mura ko nang maramdaman ang pagkirot ng aking katawan matapos ko iyong igalaw.

Itinukod ko ang aking kamay at binuhat ang katawan upang mapalapit sa baril. Ilang ulit ko iyong ginawa ngunit agad na napapahinto. Tila ba kay bigat ng aking katawan kaya't hirap akong buhatin ang sarili. Even my eyelids felt heavy right now. Para bang anumang oras ay babagsak ang aking mga talukap.

Naririnig ko pa rin ang palitan ng putok ng baril ngunit hindi na iyon kasing lakas at gulo kumpara sa kanina. My eyes darted at Mirae who's near me. Nasa sahig din habang tuloy-tuloy ang pagmumura.

"Get them! Don't let them leave!" Archer's voice thundered as he ordered some members of Cosmos. I heard the sounds from the gun died down as footsteps were coming near me.

That was the last thing I heard before someone blocked my eyes.

__________