I felt everything collapsed under my feet. I can't even utter a single word. Just the sight of Duke's parents in front of me gave me chills. Natatakot ako hindi dahil hindi ko sila kayang patayin, kundi dahil natatakot ako sa magiging reaksyon ni Duke sa maaaring maganap ngayon.

I can kill them right here, right now if I want to. They are both helpless, chained in the strongest bars of the Headquarters. Kung tutuusin ay dapat kanina pa sila nalagutan ng hininga. I can dart my knife between their chest in the easiest and fastest way that I can.

But I can't move. All I can do is to stare at their shocked expressions.

"What are you waiting for? Kill them.", matigas na tanong ni Marcus mula sa aking likod.

And how about Duke? Anong sasabihin niya kapag nalaman niyang ako ang pumatay sa kanyang mga magulang? Si Karleen? Will she be able to forgive me? I'm sure Ylva will curse me to death, too.

Nag-aagaw ang mga tanong sa aking isip. But one thing is for sure.

I will kill whoever killed my parents. No buts, no excuses.

I've trained for this thing my whole life. Sa simula pa lang, ito ang rason kung bakit ninais kong maging isang mahusay na hunter. I can't back down. Not when I already know the people behind my parent's death.

Huminga ako ng malalim at pumikit. I won't follow my heart, that's for sure. It will always be the mind over feelings. Once I'll follow my heart, everything will fall apart. My name, my principles, the reason I live... everything. Besides, this feeling will only destroy me. Feelings will only destroy everything that I built. That is the last thing I'll follow. Hindi nito mahahanap ang paghihiganti na inaasam ko.

Hinugot ko mula sa aking likod ang dalawang kutsilyo. I tried to calm down my nerves but the feeling is too much to bear. I kept on convincing myself that this is the right thing to do. Sanay na ako sa ganitong patayan. If I can kill other wolves, I can kill these wolves in front of me without hesitations. It won't be a problem anymore.

Hinigpitan ko ang aking pagkakahawak sa kutsilyo. Dahan-dahan ko iyong itinutok sa mag-asawa.

"You're taking too much time, Gabriel.", tila inip na sambit ni Marcus. Hindi ko siya pinakinggan at nanatiling nakatutok sa lalake.

His fierce eyes darted through me. It's like an original version of Duke's eyes. Strong, deep, and pitch black. Sinuri ko ang kanyang katabi. The woman is Karleen's copy. Her eyes reflected Karleen and Ylva. I felt like I am staring at them rather than staring at two wolves. Hindi nga ako maaaring magkamali. These two are their parents.

But who cares? They killed my parents. They broke the world I used to live in. They are no exemption to my wrath.

"I'm going to kill them.", ani ko na umalingawngaw sa buong silid. "Alone.", I intensely added.

Naramdaman ko ang pag-ayos ni Marcus sa kanyang pagkakatayo. Umikot ako upang harapin siya at nakitang tila naiirita ito sa naging desisyon ko. One of his brows raised as he scanned my reaction.

"I'm going to kill them in the slowest and most painful way. I don't need your help.", I remained stoic as I told him my words. Ibinalik ko sa aking bulsa ang dalawang kutsilyo habang nanatili itong nakatitig sa'kin. I stared at him and I saw how his jaw clenched. Nabaling sa mag-asawa ang kanyang tingin dahilan kung bakit napataas ang kilay ko.

"Let's go.", anyaya ko sa kanya. Napailing ito at naunang lumabas kaysa sa'kin. I walked to the exit of the cell. Bago tuluyang lumabas ay napatingin ako sa nakagapos na mag-asawa at naabutan ang titig ng mga ito sa'kin. They never spoke any word. Their mouths are covered with cloth and half of their face is hidden. Somehow, I am amazed by their facial expression. Their eyes screams shock rather than horrified.

"Helen wants to talk to you.", sinalubong ako ni Gesa sa aking unit. I creased my brows at her statement. It's already two o'clock in the morning. What is she doing here anyway? Tila nakalimutan niyang ayoko ng tao sa loob ng aking unit kapag wala ako sa loob.

Agad akong dumiretso sa aking kwarto at nagpalit ng komportableng damit. Ipinatong ko sa lamesa ang dalawang kutsilyo at pasalampak ng umupo sa katabi nitong kama.

Did I made the right thing?

I shake my head. I've never questioned my decisions. I've never doubted anything about me. Huminga ako ng malalim bago nagpasyang lumabas.

Narinig ko sina Helen at Gesa na tahimik na nag-uusap sa sala. Tumuloy ako sa kusina at nagpasyang magtimpla ng kape bago dumiretso sa kanilang pwesto. The two remained quiet. Is this a waste of time?

"What is it?", tanong ko sa kanilang dalawa. Saglit na nagkatitigan ang mga ito at tila nagbabasahan ng ekspresyon. Napahilig ako sa upuan at kusang hinintay ang pagkibo ng dalawa.

"The red pill I've found in your mother's blood when she's dead...", panimula ni Helen. Agad akong naging alerto dahil doon. Ilang araw na nawala sa isipan ko ang tungkol doon. And thinking that Helen is here at this time of night just to tell me something about it is strange.

"Hindi iyon sadyang naihalo lamang.', dagdag niya. Napakunot ang aking noo dahil doon. At first, I've doubted about the red pill in my mother's blood. There are possible reasons why it was found in there. Siguro ay nahalo lang ito galing sa laboratoryo o may nagkamaling paghaluin ang mga ito. But Helen made it clear to me this time. It wasn't accidentally mixed with her blood, which means...

"When I examined your mother's blood the first time she was brought back here, nagtaka ako kung bakit masyado iyong malapot. Hindi iyon ang tunay na kita ng dugo ng isang patay. I decided to further study about it. Why it became gooey well in fact it was only an hour when she died.", pagpapaliwanag nito sa'kin. Kahit si Gesa ay naging interesado sa kung ano ang sinasabi ng kanyang kaibigan. Usually, she doesn't care about chemicals, but this time, it's different.

"And there, I've found out that the red pill is present in her blood. Her eyes are bloodshot, palatandaan na may red pill nga sa kanyang dugo. But the thing is, red pill takes time to have its effect on one's body.", she said as she scanned a thick, small book in her lap.

"Which means, find it for yourself.", aniya at iniabot sa'kin ang maliit na libro. Napatitig ako sa kanya at nakita ko ang bahagyang pagtango nito sa'kin.

Una kong nakita ang isang litrato ni Ina na nakahandusay sa basa at maputik na lupa. May mga nakasulat sa ibaba nito na tila ipinapaliwanag kung sino ang nasa litrato.

"Would you care telling us your findings? Kaysa naman basahin pa namin 'yan.", suhestiyon ni Gesa habang nakaturo sa librong nasa kamay ko. I continued flipping the pages, only to find the picture of my parent's lifeless body in every page. But one thing caught my attention.

May dalawang pahina ng libro ang nakatupi paloob. Binuklat ko iyon at tumambad sa'kin ang mga nakasulat sa pinakatuktok ng unang pahina.

Venus Trevino's Cause of Death

Maraming nakasulat sa ibaba nito. I've never been a fan of words and I hate reading. But then, I need answers.

"Who wrote this?", tanong ko kay Helen. She shrugged her shoulders off. "I've found it on Dr. Alvarad's cabinet.", sagot nito sa'kin.

Agad akong napatingin sa kanya dahil sa kanyang naging sagot. Maging si Gesa ay nagulat sa kanyang sinabi. No one never dared to enter the Chief Doctor's office. Masyado itong pribado na kahit ako ay hindi pa napapasok iyon. And how Helen got this, I have no idea.

"You trespassed her office?!", Gesa exclaimed but she only answered a nod. I skimmed the writings on the book but the last sentence made me stiffed.

"Venus Trevino isn't killed by wolves. There are no claws nor wounds made by wolves found in her body other than a wound from a gunshot in her upper left chest. However, in the research conducted, it is clearly proven that the red pill took over her body which killed her. The dosage of the red pill extracted to her is too high which made her organs shut down in span of seconds."

"I'll come.", ani Gesa nang makita ang akmang pag-alis ko. Napatigil ako sa planong paglabas mula sa bintana. Lumingon ako sa kanya at bakas sa kanyang mga mata ang kilabot na maaaring idulot ng aking gagawin ngayong gabi.

"I need to do this on my own. Kailangan ko ng tao dito sa loob. And I can only trust you.", paliwanag ko sa kanya. Sunod-sunod ang kanyang naging pag-iling. I see the tears flowing freshly from her eyes. She wants to come, and I can't let her. Masyadong mapanganib iyon. I looked away from her sight.

"I can be your look out.", pambabasag ni Helen ng katahimikan sa pagitan namin. Napalingon si Gesa sa kanyang direksyon ngunit diretsong nakatitig ito sa'kin. Napailing ako dahil doon.

"You don't need to sacrifice yourself for me, Helen.", ani ko dito. Sa halip na matinag ay napangisi ito sa naging pahayag ko. She's really Gesa's friend. Stubborn and strong.

Maingat at tahimik ang naging pagtahak namin ni Gesa patungo sa bastille. Nauna ako sa paglalakad habang hawak ni Gesa ang isang kamay ko. It's too dark in the inside but we can't risk using flashlights. Tanging pakiramdam lang ang aking ginagamit ngayon. After all, I was told by my Mom to trust my instinct. I've always want things to be specific and calculated but this is the moment I need to trust her. To trust my instinct.

Naramdaman ko ang lamig mula sa kanyang kamay. I can feel her hands shaking at the sight. I guess, it's her first time in here. Kunsabagay ay tanging sa Main Building ng Headquarters lang siya nagtratrabaho.

"Stay close.", I whispered to her as I carefully unlocked the cell. Tumango ito sa'kin at lumingon-lingon sa paligid. As soon as I heard the lock clicked, I immediately push the cell door.

Tila naalerto ang mga nasa loob ng silid dahil sa pagkalaskas ng mga kadena. We walked slowly towards their direction. As soon as I saw them, I immediately held the chains from their arms. Nagulat ang babae dahil sa naging aksyon ko. But I don't want to waste time. I've trusted my instict, now it's time to predict.

"I will get you out of here.", bulong ko sa kanilang dalawa.

Bago pa man makalas ang kadena mula sa kanilang kamay, naramdaman ko ang pagdapo ng isang mabigat na bagay sa aking ulo.

Before I could even see who's behind me, everything went black.