Chapter 1
Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan De Cunha
The whole place was quiet.
I smell blood.
“As promised. I came here alone—unarmed,” I said while raising one of my hands in the air as my other hand was holding a briefcase. I took steps forward in this dark place.
I stood there quietly while glaring at the person in front of me who was carrying my daughter. The smell of blood is still in the place like a lot of people have died here.
My eyes turned to slits as I inspect the body of Zariah—assessing if she’s alright.
She’s safe, gladly. I heaved a sigh because of that thought.
I don’t know what I might do to him if he were to do something unacceptable to her. I might order my fellow agents to bomb his headquarters if something wrong happened.
“Jalahad, my friend. Finally, you’re here!” he said as he laughed like a psychopath.
"Ethan, be careful,” rinig kong sabi ng asawa ko sa earpiece.
I will, Kim. I said inside my head. I promised her that I would save our daughter from him.
“You’re here to get her? Don’t worry, I didn’t harm the kid. I won’t hurt a ten-year-old kid, Ethan,” he was serious.
"Manigurado ka. If my child is in pain I swear to god I would separate your head from your body Nick,” I said in a dead-serious tone, maintaining an emotionless look. This fake organization, how dare they include my precious daughter?
I can feel the anger rising in me as I looked coldly at my enemy. I feel like murdering him right now.
"Ethan Jalahad. You’re the only person I trusted out of all those useless shits. Instead of returning the favor, you fucking betrayed me. We both planted those nukes on every country yet you betrayed me. YOU BETRAYED ME! YOU F*CKIN PIECE OF SHIT! YOU CHANGE THE LAUNCH CODES!”
“Nick, you’re on the wrong side,” I said.
“I shouldn’t have sent you in there. I shouldn’t have let you enter NSA. They poisoned your mind, Ethan," he said as his tone shifted into an angry one.
“Nick, just listen—”
“Shut up, traitor.”
"All of this is wrong.”
"Hah. I thought we were in this together. I can’t believe you betrayed me. And now he wants my head. This is all because of you!”
“Nick, you have to surrender,” I gulped before looking back at him, “I can help you.”
Silence.
His eyes suddenly turned at me with a furious glare.
There was this madness inside of him. “I can’t. They are taking control of everything.”
The Society. That mysterious organization is now in control of the Skulls.
“Killing hundreds of innocents is wrong. You could still change. You can change.”
There was this deafening silence between us.
"Give me the codes Ethan.”
He ignored what I’ve said. This bastard.
“Give me the briefcase and I’ll hand to you your daughter,” he added.
Nabalin ang tingin ko sa anak ko nang narinig ko itong nagising dahil sa ingay.
“P-Papi?” I heard her said at kinurot-kurot ang mga mata niya. Halatang galing ito sa kakaiyak.
Pinatayo niya ang anak ko sa pagkaka-karga niya nito. Ngayon, hawak-hawak na niya ito sa kanyang braso.
“Pa, where’s Mom?” I heard her asked and search everywhere to find her mom. She started scratching her eye with a tired expression.
Her voice is all I need to have the courage to do what I’ve planned to do. I miss her badly. I want to hug her already.
“You’re too vulnerable Ethan, you let a woman influenced you, and now she has become a weakness for you. And this time, she gave you a child,” his eyes landed on his left holding Zariah’s arm, “—another burden.”
“You’re wrong,” I said and smirked. They were never a burden for me. I love them so much. All those years trained in the Academy—always hearing ′emotions make you weak′ from our Preceptors—I never once let it become a nuisance.
My family, “—they’re my strength.”
Kim, Zariah, I love you both. So I’ll die for you to live.
