The year 2013, two years after I finally decided to assume my grandpa's position as a leader of Les paragones de l'éternité or The Paragons of Eternity. I'm now in Manila to meet Lev Petrov. The guy I met two years ago, asked me to join the group he was planning to create. I have no idea what group it is but I accepted his invitation. "Boss, are you sure of this? I mean, you told me that Petrov said that there are other people he invited for this meeting? How can you be so sure that you are safe with them?" tanong ni Ichiro na nasa upuan kaharap ko dito sa loob ng sasakyan.Maliban kay Grandpa, si Ichiro lang ang napagsabihan ko tungkol sa imbitasyon noon ni Lev Petrov. Hindi ko ito sinabi sa pinsan kong si Elliot dahil alam kong hindi ito papayag at baka iparating na naman kay Tita Erina. Even Dad knows nothing about it. For what, anyway? He doesn't care about me. Baka nga hindi niya pa rin alam that I already killed a few who defy the law of the cult. Yeah, it's a cult! Legit! Even
Napatigil ako sa paglalakad sabay marahas na napalingon at nakaambang suntukin ang sinumang sumuntok sa aking balikat pero mukha ni Elliot ang sumalubong sa akin. "Ba-"Halos magkasabay naming bigkas pero napatigil at nagsukatan ng tingin. "You first!" utos niya sa akin. "You!" ganting tugon ko sa kanya. "Dax!" "Okay, fine!"I told Ichiro to wait for me outside and asked my cousin to have coffee at the cafe located outside the building, facing the parking area. "Why are you here? I mean, what makes you join the group?" I asked him while we were waiting for our coffee. "How about you? Is it to take revenge? Do you think it is necessary?" Elliot sounds unhappy with my decision to join the group of Lev Petrov. "So, you mean, you have the right to join but I don't have? That. . .that your decision is necessary but mine is not?" Gigil kong tugon sa kanya."Look, Dax! Don't get me wrong. You're still young and-""And also, you! We are just two years apart. Stop telling me that you m
Two years later, I continued being a leader of the cult while digging all the information that would lead to the person who took my mom's life. "Monsieur Atlas, Pablo is here," bungad ni Ichiro pagpasok nito sa silid na nagsisilbing opisina ko. Ito rin ang silid na ginamit ni Grandpa noong siya pa ang namumuno ng organisasyon. "Let him in!" tugon ko. Napasandal ako sa upuan habang hinihintay si Pablo. Si Pablo ay isa sa pinagkakatiwalaan kong tauhan ng organisasyon. Grandpa recommended him to me when I asked him to give me people I could trust inside the organization. "Bonne Soirée, Monsieur Atlas!" bati ni Pablo sabay lapag ng brown envelope sa mesa. Walang tugon kong dinampot ang envelope at binuksan. My jaw tightened as I gnashed my teeth when I read what was stated inside. It's the list of people who were suspected to be the accomplices of those who are behind my mom's assassination. Pabagsak kong nilapag ang envelope at padaskol na tumayo. "Pablo, send all the data and info
The next day, Pablo came to report again. He found the whereabouts of one of the people involved in my mom's death a decade ago. "I want you to continue getting information about these people as fast as you can, Pablo." "Oui, Monsieur!" Agad kong nilagok ang alak na nasa hawak kong kopita. Lalong nagpasidhi sa pagnanasa kong mahuli ang mga responsable sa pagkamatay ni Mommy ang init at pait ng alak na humahagod sa aking lalamunan. "You can leave, Pablo." "Yes, boss!" Yumukod si Pablo bago tuluyang umalis. Itinuon ko ang tingin sa harap ng laptop at muling inisa-isang sinuyod ng tingin ang mga nakasulat doon. Mga impormasyong magtuturo sa akin sa kung sino ang mga salarin kung bakit maaga akong naulila sa ina at umani ng pangungundena ng aking ama hanggang sa kasalukuyan. But, I don't think he will change his treatment toward me if I manage to avenge my mom's death. Sagad hanggang buto na yata ang galit niya sa akin at ni minsan, hindi ko naalalang itinuring niya akong anak. I h
6.45 P.M.I arrived with my men fifteen minutes earlier at a place where the leader of the Italian group wanted to meet me. I fixed my tie before I got out of the car. Nanatili muna akong nakatayo ng ilang saglit at marahang pinasadahan ang paligid. “Ichiro, follow me. The rest, stay here as lookout,” utos ko sa mga kasama kong tauhan. Alam kong may mga miyembro ang organisasyon na nakabase dito sa Italya at alam kong inalerto na sila ni lolo pero hindi pa rin ako maaaring pakampante. Kahit pa alam kong kilala ang lider nitong grupong kikitain ko, inalam ko pa rin kung anong klaseng tao siya. Ito ang una naming paghaharap at wala pa akong ideya kung ano ang magiging kahihinatnan ng paghaharap namin ngayon. I took a breath in and out before I started to step inside the building. It’s a five star hotel which is controlled by the person I’m going to meet. He is clever. He knows the assignment. Well, he is a known leader underground, what should I expect? According to Ichiro, he became
2011"Wala kang kwentang anak! Wala ka ng magandang naidulot sa pamilyang ito kundi puro kamalasan!""Ikaw ang malas! Hindi mo lang matanggap na wala kang kwentang ama kaya you found me as a scapegoat. You're a loser, Adam Walker!"You son of a bitch! You got the balls to disrespect me!" "At least I have balls, devil! Unlike you, you don't have the balls to admit that you're a loser, dimwit!"This is where my conversation with my dad always goes. He was blaming me for my mother's death. I know he loves my mom that much, so do I. But is it my fault? My mom took her body to dodge the bullet that was meant for me when I was a kid. I was kidnapped with my twin sister Devon by people I don't know. Until now I couldn't figure out why things went wrong. "Dad, Kuya, please stop! Lagi na lang kayong nag-aaway. Wala na bang katahimikan sa bahay na 'to sa tuwing nagtatagpo ang mga landas niyo? Para kayong mga bata," my twin sister said suddenly. Hindi ko namalayang nandoon pala siya. Nakatangh
After meeting Elliot, I came home trying to talk to my twin sister as I know she was upset to witness my argument with our father. She is not home so I chose to stay here in my room before my dad will come out and we will end up in a fracas again. My bed is comfy and invites me to have a rest but my dad's voice is echoing in my mind. I looked up at the ceiling thinking that I can find an answer to my confused mind. I don't know what to decide, whether to listen to my dad or just let it go. When I contacted Elliot for help, he didn't agree with it. What I mean is, he was shocked about the cult. Sino ba naman kasi ang hindi magugulat? Sino ang mag-aakalang gano'n ang trabaho ng lolo ko? I don't know either if it is true or not. Basta narinig ko lang minsang nagtatalo sina mommy at daddy noon bago pa man kami na-kidnap at namatay si mommy. I had a chance then to asked mom but she told me to shut my mouth that is why no one knows, even Devon and only this time that I told my cousin about
A few months later. 'Sanctuario De Atlas' Napangisi ako nang mabasa ko ang nakaukit na mga letra sa itaas ng bakal na gate. Pangalan ko talaga? I scoffed as I saw that brazen iron gate open, creating a clangor that irritates my ear as the car window from the driver's side is slightly opened. Grandpa sent some of his men to pick me up at the airport. Ayaw ko sana but he insisted. Yes! I'm now in France. I decided to come to see him. I wanted to know right from him what my dad had told me. Curiosity as well pushed me to decide. Tita Erina tried to stop me, even Elliot but I didn't listen. Coming here will end my desire and stop prying for something that I know I could stop. Nang tuluyang bumukas ang gate ay mas lalo akong namangha sa laki ng bahay ng lolo ko. Anyway, hindi lang siya basta bahay, it looks like a fortress built in the middle of an open. As the car goes closer to the fortress or whatever it is called as it doesn't look like just a house, I roamed my stares outside of th