Prologue

The night was being so quiet and I felt so safe as I hugged my mom while sleeping. But there is suddenly a noise that makes us awake. I don't know what kind of sound is coming from the outside of our house. But it sounds so scary and it seems like it can break my ear drums. I feel so nervous and I know my mother also felt the same as mine.

My mother stand, while I am still sitting in our queen size bed. Kitang-kita ko ang takot at kaba sa mga mata ni mommy. Hinawakan niya ako sa pulso at pinatayo. Lumuhod siya para magpantay ang aming mukha, as she hold my hands it's so cold, her tears are slowly dropping from her eyes.

As a five years old I was so curious about those sounds.

"Mom, what are those sounds?" I curiosity ask.

"Those are the sounds of a g-gun baby." She stammered.

A gun? I know those things, I already saw it in the movie. But this is my first time hearing the sound of a gun.

"Arra my baby, I really need to hide you for your safety." Mabilis niyang pagkasabi, and she suddenly hugged me so tight. A hug that, it seems like it's her last hug for me.

"Mommy I'm scared." I cried on her shoulder as I hugged her so tight.

She again stared at me for a moment. She wipe my tears using her cold palm.

"Baby, don't cry ha… Everything will be fine, but for now you should follow what I said ha?" I nodded as I wiped her tears. She kisses my forehead and chicks. "I love you so much baby." 

"Love you too mom."

Lumingon-lingon si mommy, I know she's finding a place where she can hide me inside in this large room.

Pinayuko at pinadapa niya ako papasok sa ilalim ng aming kama. Dito niya ako itatago.

Nasa ilalim na ako ng kama, habang ang putukan ng baril sa labas ay tuloy-tuloy parin. Dumapa si mommy sanhi upang makita ko ang puno ng takot at kaba sa kanyang mukha.

"Mommy please… don't leave me here I wanna be with you." I said while I'm crying and still holding her hand.

Mahina lang ang mga boses namin to make it sure no one will hear us.

"Baby, there's no time. Kailangan ko silang ilayo para sayo." Pumiyok ang boses niya, hanggang sa binitawan niya na ang mga kamay ko.

Tumayo siya at humakbang patungo sa aming pintuan. I could only see her feet walking slowly going to the door of this room. I saw it that she's slowly opening the door.

Dahan-dahang binuksan ni mommy ang pinto. Akma niyang isasara ulit ang pinto nito, ngunit may biglang isang paa na may suot na black shoes ang humarang nito.

Umaatras si mommy dahil ang taong ito ay umaabante papunta sa kanya. I don't know who he is, but I'm pretty sure this is a man.

"Please go away!" Madiin na pagsabi ni mommy, habang dahan-dahan siyang umaatras. "Ano pa ba ang  kailangan mo? Pinatay mo na nga ang asawa ko gusto mo pang–" 

Napapikit ako ng mariin and I covered my ears using my hands. Hindi nakatapos mag-salita si mommy dahil binaril na ito ng dalawang beses.

I slowly openned my eyes. Nakita kong nakaluhod na si mommy hanggang sa tuluyan na itong bumagsak sa aming sahig.

I secretly cried and I covered my mouth using my hand so that I could not make any noise.

A moment later, nakita ko ang mga paa ng taong papunta na nang pintuan at tuluyan ng lumabas.

Dali dali akong lumabas mula sa ilalim ng aming kama, upang puntahan si mommy.

"Mom wake up please… Don't leave me here, mom please! I need you, I love you." Pumiyok ang boses ko, maraming dugo ang lumabas mula sa kaniyang dibdib kung saan dito tumama ang bala.

cried so hard I don't care if there is someone could hear me, niyakap-yakap ko siya…ngunit hindi talaga gumising ang mommy ko.

A moment later, I decided to go out of this room so I could find someone that can able to help my mother. I stand even my Barbie paired pajamas are now full of blood. All I know, I was very afraid when I can saw a blood but this time I did not feel it. It doesn't matter to me now. What's matter now is my mom, I was only thinking about my mother.

Lumabas na ako sa pintuan, at ito na lang ang aking nakita…ang mga tauhan namin na hindi bababa sa 60 ang bilang ay wala nang mga buhay. Our marble floor and our crystal chandelier, silver wall are full of blood.

Nasa labas na ako ng aming mansion but I'm still crying loudly and I'm always saying mommy. Lumingon-lingon ako, hoping that I could find someone that can help me, ngunit nabigo ako dahil kahit isa ay wala akong nakita. Halos hindi na ako makahakbang dahil ramdam ko na para na akong nahihilo at nangyayanig.

Dumiretso ako sa aming malaking gate, binuksan ko ito. Mas lalong nangyanig ang aking mga paa dahil may biglang  isang itim na van ang huminto sa harapan ko.

May biglang lumabas dito.

"Arrah come here, faster!" His voice is familiar to me. This is my uncle Ricky, I urgently running going to him and I hug him so tight.

"U-uncle please…save my mom." Nautal kong sabi.

Tumingin ako sa poste na nagbigay ilaw sa amin, ngunit bigla itong lumabo sa paningin, ko hanggang sa hindi ko na alam kung ano ang nangyari, bigla na akong nawalan ng malay.

...

EVEN though it was 18 years ago, in my mind it's still fresh. The pain and wound inside my heart are still fresh and new for me, this will never ever be healed until I can get revenge to him.

Kahit ang pagkamatay ng aking ama ay hindi ko nasaksihan, ngunit alam ko ang lahat kung ano at paano siya pinatay dahil sinabi lahat ni uncle Ricky sa akin.

Before, my CEO father David Castillo with his bestfriend CEO Larry Santrivella got a bonding. Nag bonding sila sa bahay bakasyonan nilang dalawa sa Pasig City. Sa kanilang masayang kwentohan biglang may sumabog na naging sanhi upang kainin ng apoy ang kanilang maliit na bahay bakasyonan. Ang tanging nakaligtas lang ay si Larry Santrivella, pero ang ama ko ay hindi. Kaya siya ay namatay dahil sa sunog. 

But all this time, it was all a lie. It's was a big lie, because the truth is, before my father died there was someone shooting him with a gun…and that was his best friend Larry Santrivella, ngunit ang pinalabas nang lahat na namatay si Daddy dahil sa sunog.

I wanna just the right justice for my parents but the the law could not give it to me. Kaya ako na ang gagawa ng hustisya. Isang hustisyang hinding-hindi nila magugustuhan. Alam ko na si Larry din ang pumatay sa aking ina, Kaya humanda siya dahil sisingilin ko rin siya ng buhay!

"Arra? Arra!" Isang boses na nakakapag-pukaw sa aking pagkatulala dahil sa kakaisip sa nakaraan. Lumingon ako sa aking likuran…oh this is Manang Adelle.

"Handa na ang lahat." 

Humarap ako at ningitian siya "thank you." 

Nilampasan ko siya, ngunit bigla niya akong tinawag. Napahinto ako sa aking paglalakad at napaharap ako sa kaniya.

May mahinhin na boses si Yaya Adelle at kapag magsasalita siya ang tagal-tagal matapos.

"Gagawin mo ba talaga ang nais mo? Ang papatay? Arra look, naniniwala ako na isa kang mabait na bata, malambing, silly, mag-pakumbaba, alam kung matapang ka… ngunit gamitin mo ang iyong tapang sa tamang bagay."

Ibinato ko ang aking paningin sa kawalan. Yaya Adelle know me very well, because when I was still 13 years old she's the one who took good care to me, here in New York until now that I'm already 23 years old.

"Well forget about that, because when I will be in the Philippines I will not be like that anymore."

"Ipaubaya mo na lang 'yan sa batas anak."

Huh! Batas? Ilang taon na ang lumipas may nagawa ba ang batas na 'yan upang bigyan ng tamang hustisya ang pagkamatay ng aking mga magulang.? 

Wala silang nagawa, Kaya ako na ang gagawa. Buhay ang kinuha nila sa akin, Kaya buhay rin ang ibabayad nila sa akin. 

"Sumunod ka na lang sa Pilipinas, kapag gusto mo rin umuwi." Tipid ko siyang ningitian

Tuluyan ko nang tinalikuran si Manang Adelle, hanggang sa tuluyan na akong makalabas sa bahay na 'to. Binili ni uncle Ricky ang bahay na ito, para sa amin ni Manang while we are living here. This house is big enough and beautiful.

My uncle sent me here to hide me from the people who want to kill me. A long time ago, my uncle decided that he wants me to be his secret agent. That's why I learned the spy skill, he hired some a good agents to teach me how to become a secret agent.

 I Build Spy Skills, with the help of agent George king. According to him I need to be charismatic. I spend time perfecting my acting skills with different kinds of people.  

I also learn to detect lies and learn to tell lies. 

I stay in shape and athletic. And of course I need to learn to fight. According to him again, If things break down, a good secret agent needs to be able to throw down in a fight. I learn to speak many different languages. 

Lastly, I learn to read lips.

According to him, one of the most important languages and skills for a young secret agent is to learn the skill of reading body language.

Well, learning all of these is not making me regret. Why should I get regrets? Wherein these skills are really perfect to kill Larry Santrivella and his companions. And as the matter of fact hinding-hindi na ako mahihirapang hanapin siya at pataying palihim, katulad sa ginawa niyang pag-patay sa aking mga magulang, palihim!

Nasa loob na ako ng kotse at magpapahatid na lang ako sa airport ng aking driver na filipino din. I just wear white t-shirt, black overcoat, black pants and white sneakers.

Nandito na ako ngayon sa labas ng airport. Bago paman ako pumasok sa loob tumingin muna ako sa likuran ko at pinagmasdan ang New York and thinking kung makakabalik pa ba ako dito. 

Siguro sapat na ang mahabang taon sa pagtatago ko rito. Hindi habang panahon magtatago nang magtatago lamang ako, oras na para singilin ko ang taong nagkakautang sa akin ng buhay!