In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.
-Eleanor Roosevelt
***
LARRYSON
Sacrifices come before success. Like those inevitables listed, before achieving the goal comes great pain and tears, you will lose the one you love, people will doubt you, you will doubt your own at times but it will all be worth it.
Karen's death was almost avenged.
Karen was my sister. She's our everything. I thought, that after she met Vlad and fell inlove, it will change her life forever. That she won't be living the same misery as we did under the shadows of the Infinite.
I was happy for her. She's leading a path that none from our bloodline has ever crossed. I was hoping she'll live happily with Vlad.
Pero nagbago ang lahat mula nang lumuwas ng Maynila si Vlad para magtrabaho. It was all for their future, gaya ng kwento ng kapatid ko. Vlad was Karen's pill of goodness. She became a better version of herself everytime she's with the guy.
Nang nalayo ito sa lalaki ay bumalik ito sa dati. Karen went back to her old mafioso self. She killed three of her neighbors in Cebu and escaped from her crime.
Lumuwas ito ng Maynila. She had to see Vlad. Tinangka niyang pumasok sa MOS tower pero ipinagtabuyan siya ng mga ito. Pinagtawanan at pinahiya. Vlad did not know Karen's whereabouts. They've lost contact. Huli nang malaman niyang patay na ito.
It was painful for us. For the family; but those who hurt her are dead now. Most of them.
I only need to get some of them. Kill the excess and show the Scorpions what the Infinite can do.
Kailangan lang mamatay ni Greyson Andreas Choi. Siya lang at pwede ko nang dakpin ang iba sa kanila para maging kasapi namin.
This was Infinite's masterpiece. Recruitment and revenge. The recruitment and initiation process has been accomplished.
The Infinite had sent me the list of those who passed.Just a few more kills and we're done here at MOS.
Gayong binunyag na marahil ni Satana kung sino ako, hindi na ko pwedeng magpakita sa kanila. I'd kill the excess one by one. Those who weren't so impressive. Those, at the same time, contributed to Karen's death.
Base sa intel na nakuha ko, bukod sa mga nagtaboy kay Karen sa MOS at namahiya sa kanya, may mga tao ding sinundan siya at minanmanan hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang mamatay sa UN station ng LRT 1 -The Scorpions, Infinites prime rival. Most of those who were dead now are members of Scorpions: the guys on the 31st floor, Deadrae, Nyl, Thrina, Michonne, Kyziel, Syk, Haliya, and Nicolla.
All dead.
Sending Mildred, Maddie, and Satana with me was the best move Infinite had done to execute some Scorpions. Masyadong naging madali ang ang pagpatay sa kanila. They were too weak to survive the Infinite.
The rest who were dead, aside from those Scorpions were either a sacrificial lamb or prospects of the tests but failed to pass. Or they might have been a part of Karen's suffering.
They knew who Karen was. By the time they had discovered her identity, they started digging for her grave. They killed her and three more new members of Infinites who were too stupid and weak to hide their skin.
The CEO of MOS, Ruby Red, and her daughter, Rocess Red were the brains behind their assassination. Nangako na ang Infinite na sila na ang bahala sa mag-inang Red.
All I had to do was to kill the excess. The sacrificial lambs.
Kaya maingat akong nakatago ngayon sa men's comfort room habang sinusubukang sagutin nina Vlad ang number puzzle na nagbubukas sa malaking vault na magdadala sa kanila sa 8th floor.
The 9th floor was a typical office setting. Cubicles scattered around for mere employees and towards the edge of the isle was a room made of glass where higher ops conduct meetings.
We set the vault on the front of the glass office. Our engineering team had set up the stairs going down the 8th.
We have immobilized the Scorpions before performing this test. Marami sa kanila ay patay na o nailibing ng buhay. That's how lethal Infinite can be. We shoot the head of the enemy before they can sting us.
All this set-up was fully accomplished because some Scorpions betrayed their own and helped us in the initiation. Kaya madali naming naayos ang bawat floor para sa gagawing test.
Vlad, as we always expected, quickly answered the puzzle. No wonder the Infinites wanted him alive. They wanted Karen's fiancé to be her replacement. An idea I cannot contest.
Sa wakas ay nabuksan na ni Vlad ang vault. Hinihintay ko na lamang ang tamang pagkakataon para bawasan sila. I will be leaving those who are on the list.
Zyril went on first with Vlad assisting her. Sumunod sina Ryanne at Bella na sinundan nina Mina at Rielle. Napahigpit ang hawak ko sa punyal nang humakbang kasunod ng dalawang babae si Andreas.
I had only Natas and Simond left as my targets. I was aiming for the killer -Andreas. Now I have two options left.
Bumuntong hininga ako. I freed the stress out from the muscle which held the dagger. Nang matantiya ko ang distansyang lalakbayin ng punyal ay humakbang ako palabas ng comfort room saka walang pag-aalinlangang pinalipad ang dagger patungo sa target.
Mabilis na nakahakbang si Natas papasok sa vault kasunod ng walang kamalay-malay na si Simond. Bago pa man tuluyang makapasok si Simond ay tinamaan na ito ng punyal sa ulo.
Tumalsik ang masaganang dugo nito sa pintuan ng vault bago bumagsak ang katawan niya sa carpeted floor.
I got one excess down. Three more and my job is done.
Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa vault. Nakadilat ang mata ng patay nang si Simond. Bakas sa mukha nito at magkahalong gulat at takot. The poor guy was just a victim of a mafia war.
Hinila ko ang katawan nitong nakaharang sa sarahan ng vault. "Rest in peace," I whispered in the bloody air before I totally shut the vault door.
Three more and it's over.
###
BINABASA MO ANG
30 Doors
Mystery / ThrillerWhen a mysterious mailer sends a puzzle to Vladimir, a talented operations manager of an e-commerce company, he is doomed to answer riddles, assemble puzzles, and play a bloody game to get to the safe ground. But with his past haunting him every dea...