Hired Killer

Hired Killer Chapter 53

##### Chapter 53 Going Back To Barangay Milagrosa

" Dark, what are you doing! You almost hit me. You're holding a shotgun, be careful! " Bubblegum exclaimed, narrowly dodging a spray of bullets as Dark reloaded her gun with haste.

" I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, " Dark replied, her voice low and steady. Her focus shifting back to the enemies swarming them from all sides. There was an untamed fire in Dark's eyes, a flicker of something deeper, something tested by the relentless rounds that were exchanged between them and their foes.

Midnight, moved like a shadow, finally interjected, her knives flickering in the dim light. " Pwede ba, kayong dalawa mag-focus nga kayo, " her tone was sharp, an edge of urgency slicing through the frantic banter. They had to survive.

Ilang sandali pa ay naghiwalay ang tatlo, pumwesto sila sa bawat sulok. Bubblegum unleashed a whirlwind of acrobatics as she wielded her katana, expertly dispatching one opponent after another with brutal efficiency while taunting another with gleeful shrieks.

Meanwhile, Midnight glided silently through the chaos. Throwing her knives with surgical precision, each strike finding its mark while her expression remained stoic always the calm amidst the storm.

Sa isang iglap, dalawang granada ang inihagis ng kalaban sa kanila. Nakita ito ni Chocolate na patakbong pumunta sa kanila. Tumalon s'ya sa ibabaw ng isang napakalaking mesa na gawa mula sa kahoy na nara. Itinaob n'ya ito at ipinangharang upang kahit papaano ay makaligtas sila sa pagsabog.

" Get down! " Chocolate yelled, her voice, a resounding command against the realm of pandemonium. She braced the table as a shield, giving her friends a momentary glimmer of hope amidst the chaos. Yet, even with that shield, the concussive force of the grenades overwhelmed them, the table splintering, sending sharp shards of wood into the air like deadly shrapnel. The blast echoed, throwing them all backwards, and the force of the explosion shattered almost half of the room into fragments of its former self.

Habang umuulan ng mga alikabok at usok dahil sa pagsabog. Ang apat ay nagpupumilit na bumangon.

" Ayos lang ba kayo? Wala bang napuruhan? " tanong ni Chocolate sa kanila. Lumuhod s'ya sa tabi ni Bubblegum, na napapangiwi habang isinandal ang balikat sa dingding.

" Akala ko katapusan ko na, " Bubblegum replied, though her voice wavered slightly. Her bright eyes, however, held steadfast determination.
" We have to finish this, " she added, a defiant grin creeping onto her face as she pushed herself up, ready for battle once more.

With a silent agreement, the group rose together. Their spirits rekindled even as the smoldering chaos threatened to consume them. Tulad ng isang matibay na ugnayan na grupo ay sama-sana silang sumulong pasugod.

" Let's close it out! " Midnight roared, as she threw her last knife, perfectly embedding it into the throat of a masked enemy who had tried to sneak up on them. Blood spattered against the walls, painting a visceral picture as if the room had become a macabre canvas.

Dark reloaded her weapon, now wearing a fierce expression that hinted at her steely resolve.

" Cover me, Dark! " Bubblegum commanded.

Habang sila ay sumulong sa mga kalaban, ang katana ni Bubblegum ay patuloy na humahampas sa mga kalaban na parang mga anino sa bilis. Ang bawat galaw ay tuloy-tuloy, ang bawat tamaan nito ay kaagad na bumabagsak. Every move is fluid, every hit, it lands instantly. As Dark provided an impenetrable backdrop, her shot gun fired furiously.

Sumugod pasulong si Chocolate, ang bawat suntok at sipa na ibinabato n'ya ay nagpapaatras sa mga kalaban.

Hindi nagtagal, ang natitirang mga kalaban ay nagsimulang manghina. Ang kanilang katatagan ay hindi natitinag.

But the enemy released a bomb again, this time it seems that the enemies are committing suicide. Because the bombs are attached to their bodies while running towards them and they have a timer.

" Anong ginagawa nila! Nababaliw na ba sila! " sigaw ni Midnight, habang nanlalaki ang mga mata.

" Everyone, hide!" Lux shouted as she loaded the shotgun she was holding.
" Dark, puntiryahin mo 'yong mga bomba na nakakabit sa katawan nila! " Lux continued to shout. Lux knew that the bombs would spontaneously explode in their bodies when they hit it. They have no choice because the bombs will explode even if they avoid them.

Patuloy na nayayanig ang lupa at unti-unting nasisira ang buong bahay sa kada sabog ng bomba. Kasabay nito ang pagtalsik ng dugo at pira-pirasong katawan ng kanilang mga kalaban.

Ang lahat ay nakatago habang nakatakip ang mga tainga dahil sa lakas ng pagsabog. Kumakalat na rin ang apoy sa paligid, nanginig ang mga dingding ng bahay bago bumagsak sa loob, tinupok ang lahat ng dinadaanan nito. Damang-dama nilang lahat ang init sa buong paligid.

Nang matapos ang pagsabog at pagyanig ng lupa, tinakbo ni Lux ang mga kasamahan n'ya. Tinulungan n'yang alisin ang mga dumagan na mga bato at mga kahoy sa kanila. Mabuti na lamang at gasgas lang ang natamo nila, ngunit ang kanilang bahay ay wasak na ngayon, wala nang natirang nakatayo.

" Ayos lang ba ang lahat? " tanong ni Lux sa kanila.

Mabilis na tumakbo si Chocolate kung saan nakapwesto ang kwarto n'ya, maging ang sofa na naghaharang sa daan patungo sa underground secret room ay wasak na rin. Pinagpag n'ya ang lagusan pababa dahil natakpan na ito ng alikabok, pagkatapos ay buong lakas n'ya itong itinulak upang bumukas, kaya naman nagsilabasan ang iba pa.

" Okay ka lang ba, Ate? " Yuna reached out to Chocolate, her voice trembling.

Chocolate nodded, though inside, uncertainty gnawed at her. " I'm fine, don't worry. " Yet the warmth in her tone felt a touch hollow. She may have escaped physical harm, but the reality of their situation weighed heavily on her.

Meanwhile, Orm ran to Ling and hugged her with concern.

" Okay ka lang ba, Love? May mga sugat ka. "

" Huwag kang mag-alala, gasgas lang naman ang mga 'to, " Ling replied, smiling as she hugged Orm.

" What are we going to do now? " Dark stood apart, surveying the destruction of the house.
" We have nowhere to go. The whole house is ruined. "

The weight of Dark's words cast a shadow over their already bleak prospects. Chocolate stepped forward, her voice steady amidst the despair.
" Babalik na muna tayo sa Milagrosa, wala na tayong ibang mapupuntahan. "

Bubblegum nodded in agreement, her eyes glinting with determination.
" At mas mabuti rin na bumalik na muna kayo sa kanya-kanya n'yong mga bahay. Hindi pa kikilos si Great Father, dahil marami sa mga tauhan n'ya ang nawala, at bago pa man s'ya makakilos ay uunahan na namin s'ya. Kami na mismo ang pupunta sa kanya para tapusin na ang lahat ng ito. "

" Kailangan lang namin ng kaunting oras para pag-planuhan ang gagawin naming hakbang upang sumugod sa mansyon ni Great Father, " sambit ni Ashe.

Sa sama-samang pagsang-ayon ng lahat, sila ay nagtungo na sa kanya-kanyang bahay nila.

Sila Chocolate, Lux, Midnight, Dark ay sa bahay ni Yoko tumuloy kasama si Aling Lydia at ang mga kapatid ni Yoko. Samantalang si Bubblegum ay sa bahay ni Orm dumiretso upang do'n na magpalipas ng gabi.

Ang determinasyon ng bawat isa ay nag-aapoy habang ang grupo ay nagtitipon-tipon sa sala ng bahay.

Times became a plan, a fight against the inevitable. They understood, without a doubt, that the next encounter was their final mission to kill Great Father. Into their broken shelter comes a new purpose, and within that purpose their lives depend.

With steely resolve shining in their eyes, Chocolate, Lux, Midnight, and Dark steeled themselves for what lay ahead. They had lost their home, but they had not lost their fight. The night air was thick with anticipation, tomorrow would usher in a confrontation that would either shatter them further or bind them together forever.

As dawn approached, they clung to one another, hearts synchronized in battle rhythm, prepared to reclaim not just their lives but the very essence of who they knew. They were warriors standing firm in the ashes of their past.

**********