Chapter 1

Raven's POV

KAKAUWI ko lang galing sa man hunt operation. I feel a bit tired and I want to take a shower because of the blood stench sticking on my skin.

It's been a year had passed and I was killing nonstop all those people related with Mr. Brookes' schemes. I already turned twenty four and about to turned twenty five in December.

After I joined the elite force, I started training right away, but because I already know how to fight, my training did not go that long and I was deployed on my first hunt.

It was not easy at first. Tracking down people and killing them. Pero nasanay na rin ako nang tumagal. My hands are dirty. I don't know if God will forgive me for what I sinned. I am not far from being a killer. I am just licensed to kill.

Pumanhik na ako sa taas patungo sa kwarto ko para maligo. I guess Kiera and Lux is still not home yet. They have their own hunt mission as well kaya hindi kami nagkakasama. Maswerte na kung magkatagpo kami dito sa bahay.

Binuksan ko na lang ang telebisyon bago ako pumasok sa banyo para maligo ng mabilis. Habang naliligo ako ay nakinig lamang ako sa balita mula sa telebisyon.

"Mainit ang kumakalat na balita ngayon ang nalalapit na engagement party ng anak ng ating pangulo na si Mr. Vander Ross Cambridge at sa kanyang nobya na si Miss Harriette Delacroix. Mag-iisang taon na ang balitang magkarelasyon ang dalawa umanoy at nalalapit na ang engagement ng dalawa. Wala man makuhang sagot mula sa dalawa ay huling huli sa mga larawan ang closeness ng dalawa. Kaya hinihintay na ng buong mundo ang anunsyo ng dalawang pinakamahal na couple sa buong Brussella."

Mas lalong bumigat ang pakiramdam ko dahil sa narinig. Wala akong karapatan na maramdaman ito, pero hindi ko maiwasan iyon. He already severed our ties. I left him wounded. Hindi ko man kasalanan pero sinisisi ko ang sarili ko. Hindi ko siya binalikan. Imbes ay nagtago ako dahil sa takot. I made myself hidden from them, afraid of being confronted. I even made them believe that I am dead.

Kaya wala akong karapatan na masaktan. I should be happy, because he will no longer suffer from a person like me.

Tinapos ko na ang aking pagshoshower at nagbihis na ako. Kinuha ko na lang ang cellphone ko, it's a latest phone from apple. The iPhone 11 pro max. Wala naman itong pinagkaiba sa cellphone ko na regalo ni Papa. Itsura lang at camera ang pinagkaiba nito sa likod. My old phone was lost the time I have no memory.

I don't have any social media apps installed on my phone. Pero may mga games ako na naka-install. It's my stress reliever. I have some puzzle games and building games. Hindi naman games na complicated laruin.

I diverted my attention and trying to forget the news I heard. I know, this pain will heal in time. My love for him was great and it is reasonable for me, having a hard time forgetting about him. My feelings for him is not shallow. Mali lang talaga ang mga nagawa kong desisyon. If I told him before about the threats, would it make a change? Maybe it's different. You will only feel regret after a bad decision at yun na nga ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. People will never learn without making any bad decision.

I played some games. I am playing Township it's a building game and great for kids. I know my age is not supposed to be playing this kind of game, but I like it.

"Raven?!" Narinig ko na lang na tawag sa akin ni Kiera. Mukhang nakauwi na ito at sigurado akong kasama nito si Lux.

Agad na pinatay ko ang cellphone at lumabas na ako sa kwarto ko. Nakita ko kaagad si Kiera na may mga dalang shopping bags at si Lux na mas marami ang dala. Agad na niyakap ako ni Kiera at sumunod naman si Lux at niyakap ako at hinalikan sa pisnge. He's like that at nasanay na ako. Hindi naman lingid sa kaalaman ko na may nararamdaman ito sa akin dahil minsan na rin itong umamin. Pero walang alam si Kiera doon. We decided to being discreet and told him that I am not ready yet. I am not a heartless bitch to use him on forgetting someone. Lux is not hard too love and I wish someday, magigising na lang ako na siya na ang mahal ko.

But I am afraid that one day, Lux will meet his amour. Dahil oras na mangyari yun ay alam ko na mababaling na ang atensyon niya sa iba. That's one thing who's restraining me to fall for him.

"Hey, girl! I heard you almost wiped out the base camp of those fugitives." Nakangiting salubong sa akin ni Kiera at inilapag niyo sa sahig ang mga pinamili nito.

Yes, that was the truth. To be exact, I wiped out the entire existence of the base camp. Ito ang maganda sa mission namin, wala kang kasama kaya walang makakaalam kung paano mo gagawin ang mission. I am one of the best now, with their knowledge of me as a common is extraordinary.

"I always do that Kiera." Nakangiting sagot ko naman sa kanya.

"Damn! I still don't know how you do it, but good grace...they feared now the elite x." Tugon nito sa akin.

My code name in this group is x. Pwede naman kahit anong pangalan, but I just want to have a single letter who's very valued and consonant to what I am.

"Stop it Kiera. By the way, I envy you both because you still have time to go some shopping." Nakalabing saad ko dahil wala na akong oras para doon. Lahat ng damit ko ay ordered online at dinedeliver na lang sa bahay dahil wala akong oras para lumabas.

"Sino ba naman kasing may sabi na tanggapin mo lahat ng ina-assign sayo? Kaya namimihasa na tuloy si chief at halos sayo na pinapatrabaho lahat." Tugon naman ni Kiera sa akin.

"Being a slave driver to yourself is not good." Komento naman ni Lux na ngayon ay nakaupo na ay nagbibinat ng braso.

Napangiti naman ako. Making myself occupied with missions can make me forget the things I want to forget for a while. Because I am afraid that if I do nothing, I will end up crying and regretting more.

"It's really fine. The job is almost done and the fugitives is almost annihilated. Hinihintay na lang natin ang report ng ibang agents and we are done with our job." Sagot ko na lang sa kanila.

It's correct. This job is about to end. This group was only created solely for hunting the fugitives and after they are disposed, we are free.

"Sa palagay ko ay matatapos na nga. At least, makakapamuhay na tayo ng normal." Turan naman ni Lux. "Nakakasawa na din ang pumatay."

"Teka, ano yang pinamili niyo?" Lihis ko naman. I don't want to be rubbed on my face that I killed many lives. I chose this, but I am still not immuned to it.

"It's clothes and I have few for you as well. At bago ko makalimutan, we will attend a grand masquerade ball this coming Saturday. We will be a guest there, but at the same time, securing the premise." Saad ni Kiera sa akin.

The city of Eriondel. This city, neighboring Metropolis is also a big city. Most of the refuges from the Metropolis after the war, permanently resided in this city.

"Saan ang ball gaganapin?" Tanong ko naman sa kanya.

"Sa Century Peninsula Grand Hotel gaganapin. Maganda na sa Eriondel gaganapin ang ball at hindi na natin kailangan pa na magtravel." Tugon ni Kiera sa akin at may ibinato naman ito sa kapatid niyang si Lux. "Kuya, kung gusto mong matulog umakyat ka na sa kuwarto mo."

"Tss." Tanging saad ni Lux at tumayo na ito at umakyat na sa itaas.

These two siblings were good to me after they took me in. Ang alam ko ay anak sila ng senador na si Larson Beaumont. But their father was killed by the previous government and pushed them to join the elite force to take revenge.

Both of them are Epic and both of them survived after that pandemic virus affected us. It was luck that they both made it.

"I guess you have to rest now, Kiera. You look tired as well." Puna ko sa kanya. Kahit masiyahin ito ay bakas sa mukha nito ang pagod.

"Yeah, I am. Let's bond later on after we took a good rest." Sagot nito sa akin.

Ngumiti naman ako sa kanya at sabay na kaming pumanhik sa itaas at nagpahinga sa kanya-kanya naming mga kwarto.

•••

NAGING mabilis ang araw na lumipas. Hindi na ako nakatanggap ng mission dahil naubos na ang mga fugitives. Even the two scientist who made me suffer is now under custody of the government.

Gusto ko silang makausap. Gusto kong nalaman kung paano ako pwedeng bumalik sa dati. My eyes is still golden topaz, indicated that I was once a victim. Nagulat ako dahil nagbago ang kulay ng aking iris, it was brown before and turned into golden topaz. Pero sa lahat ng biktima, ako lamang ang ganito. I met people who were once a victim with Mr. Brookes manipulation, and there was never a change with their physical appearance. But in this era, nothing is impossible kaya bakit pa ako magtataka?

Ngayong natapos na ang aking trabaho ay naghihintay na lang kami kung ano ang gagawin sa susunod. The chief said that the elite squad won't be disperse. Pero baka makatanggap kami ng bagong trabaho, not as toxic as before.

We are looking forward to it though. Pasekreto ko rin binibisita si Papa. Kontento na ako na makita siya sa malayo na masaya. He already found happiness with another girl at hindi ako nakaramdam ng galit doon. Wala na si Mama at ilang taon na din ang lumipas. It is time for him to find happiness at hindi naman ako tumututol doon.

Hindi ko kilala ang babae, but she looks decent and nice. She has no ill intention towards my father. It's purely love.

"Raven, aalis na tayo. We still need to go to the spa!" Tawag sa akin ni Kiera at kinakatok na nito ang aking pintuan.

Matapos ko ng patuyuin ang aking buhok kaya nagpasya na akong lumabas.

"Pwede naman dito na lang tayo sa bahay mag-ayos." Saad ko sa kanya. Ayaw kasi nito na sa bahay kami mag-ayos. Gusto niya sa isang beautician talaga kami magpunta.

"Raven, this is a ball where elitist are gathering. Hindi pwedeng simple lang tayo doon. This might be a job for us, but we need to look striking as well...though kahit walang make up, you already look striking pero hindi pa rin ako papayag na dito ka sa bahay mag-aayos." Sagot naman nito sa akin.

Si Kiera ang tipo ng babaeng waldas sa pera. Hindi nito iniisip na hindi naman ganoon ka-importante ang isang party para gumastos ng malaki. Pero wala akong magagawa, dahil hindi ako nito titigilan hangga't hindi ako pumapayag.

"Oo na. Pero last na ito, Kiera." Sumusukong sagot ko na lang dito.

Malapad naman na ngumiti si Kiera. "Of course!"

Pang-ilang of course na sagot na niya iyan? How can I forget that she's stubborn at ako naman na si tanga, ilang beses ko na rin sinabi sa kanya na last na ito. Seems like I am just weak when it comes to her. After all, she is the one who supported me when I was wrecked.

"Nasaan si Lux?" Naitanong ko naman ng hindi ko napansin si Lux.

"Nauna na si Kuya. Ayaw daw niyang naghintay ng matagal sa atin." Sagot niya.

Napatango na lamang ako at bumaba na kami at pumanhik sa sasakyan. Hindi namin dinala ang kanya-kanya namin sasakyan. We just hired an uber driver to drive us back and forth.

Nakarating kami sa spa ng matiwasay. It was called Diamond Spa and it was indeed heavenly. Pakiramdam ko ay nawala lahat ng mga impurities ko sa katawan and even my tensed muscles was relaxed.

They made my nails, and bathe with scented water that clung to my very skin. Pagkatapos ng spa session namin ay pumunta na kami sa isang boutique. Kumuha kami noong isang araw ng ready to wear gowns pero kailangan lang i-resize dahil hindi sa amin kasya ang mga gowns.

I chose an off white turtle neck gown with sleeves in sheer clothing. The gown clung to my skin. It's a long gown with a high slit on the side kaya pagnaglakad ako ay lumilitaw ang kabilang binti ko.

It was backless as well, kinda revealing but I can handle it. I have a small frame, but kinda tall. I am five feet seven inches tall now added with three inches stilettos na kulay cream, that made me more taller.

"Ang ganda ni ma'am!" Tili ng baklang nag-aayos sa akin. Hindi pa niya ako nalalagyan ng make up. He's doing a messy up do with my hair at sadyang may iniwan na mga takas na buhok sa gilid ng aking mukha. It did look even better.

"Ate, gandahan mo rin sa akin dahil baka magmukha akong alalay ng friend ko." Saad naman ni Kiera na ngayon ay inaayusan din.

"Yes po ma'am!" Sagot naman ng babaeng nag-aayos kay Kiera.

Both of the beautician are professional here in Eriondel. They know what to do. Laking pasalamat ko na lang at light make up lang ang inilagay sa akin ng nag-ayos sa akin. Hindi ko gusto ang heavy make up. He just made some emphasis on my eyes since this is one of my attractive asset coming from him.

Hindi naman nagtagal ay natapos na rin ang pag-aayos sa amin. Both of us look stunning at walang maghihinala na trabaho ang pupuntahan namin. But I just hope, everything will be fine tonight, or that's I hope so.

©️charmaineglorymae