Societas Custodes Series 1: Nieves Arquillano Vista-Avenged

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Kill frantically pulled the collar of his shirt, desperately aiming to catch an ample amount of air. He was choking at that tormenting memory.

Why o' why every time he is in the middle of important missions (or to-do tasks), he is vividly reminded as if it just happened earlier in the break of dawn? Hindi naman niya kinalimutan o kakalimutan but he couldn't be more frustrated about it.

Ilang taon na ba simula noong sumali siya sa Societas Custodes? Bakit tila wala pa ring nagiging bunga ito? Yes, he can defy the law that governs the land now that he belongs but what is it for when he couldn't make those monsters pay? He wanted to speed up everything—make haste!—pero hindi niya alam kung sino ang pagbabayarin niya.

For now.

What did a sixteen-year-old boy know aside from grief and fear? When he joined the military, what did he know aside from his loyalty to the country and his anger against the bad? The killers, the rebels, the syndicates, the criminals—just all the bad things in general. When he joined the brotherhood, what others did drive him, too, aside from avenging the death of his mother and father? To what purpose does he live this life if not killing those motherfuckers?

Yes, he refuse to believe that there's only one killer. That massacre cannot be done by one person only.

"Is anything amiss, Specialist—"

"Just sir, please," he gruffly interrupted Silas' concern. Pero hindi niya ito tinapunan ng tingin kahit ramdam niya ang bigat ng pagsulyap nito. "And I'm good. Just hurry to Belmont."

Napatingin siya sa labas ng bintana. The car is rather driving faster than a thunderbolt, note that it isn't a racing car with a special turbo. Yet, it rather made him breathe. The irony of it was rather surreal because the windows are up and close as the air conditioning is on.

Nonetheless, it was better.

They arrived at the hotel in no time. Belmont, as what he said, is one of the eleven hotels he is managing. Not directly though as he is still active in the military and well, in special missions with the brotherhood. And these hotels have specialized structures where the rooftops are helipads and hydroponic farms na pinasadya niya in case of emergencies. Another escape and gathering route are the underground tunnels connecting each hotel. Nasa underground din ang mga cabin ng mga miyembro kung sakaling gusto nilang manirahan doon, which is convenient for Kill kahit na may condo naman siya, and that condo is just a cover up in case.

Underground, there's a mancave, and many torture rooms and prisons. Sa upper floors naman ng hotel ay ang mga quarters ng mga staff. The lower your rank in Societas Custodes, the higher the floor you might be assigned. The master best believes that it's not that hard to fight upstairs so the high commands should stay underground where the enemies would impossibly think of as a hide out.

Pagkarating niya sa meeting room ay nakabukas na ang LED screen sa harap. Naroon na rin ang ibang miyembro na mas nakakataas sa kanya.

"Salute!" Alisto ang pagtayo nilang lahat para bumati sa isa't isa. Kill specifically went to Commander Ward, the commander of Asia Region. Nandoon din ang iba pang mga staff ngunit hindi lalagpas sa anim pa ang nasa loob. Well, they still have plenty of time to wait for others.

Kill took Psyche Ward's hand to drop a chaste kiss on the back of her palm. It's a common courtesy. Then he shifted to the man beside her, Knight Torrealba. They did a handshake before he proceeded to his seat across the table.

"Any trouble outside?" Commander Ward asks monotonously.

"None so far, Comm."

"Update?"