Chapter 1

CALEB:

NAPABUGA ako ng hangin at napahilot ng batok. Halos magliliwanag na at wala pa akong tulog. I stared at the man lying motionless on the hospital bed, his skin pale beneath the white lights overhead.

My father.

The man who had taught me how to hold a gun before I was old enough to drive. The man who had survived countless wars, betrayals, and assassination attempts.

Yet tonight, he looked vulnerable. Weak. Human.

My jaw tightened as my gaze dropped to the thick bandages wrapped around his thigh and lower back. Two bullets. One through his left leg. One dangerously close to his spine.

The doctors had managed to save him, but the mission had nearly cost him his life. Hindi lang siya kundi halos buong team niya ay naubos sa mission.

For the first time in my life, I questioned whether this life was still worth it. Bakit nga ba kami nandidito? Bakit namin sinusugal ang sariling buhay para sa kapakanan ng mga tao? They don't even know who we are. Kung ano ang mga nagagawa namin para sa bansa na ito. Pero heto at. . . sinusugal namin ang sarili naming buhay para sa kapakanan ng lahat.

I looked at my father again. His chest rose and fell slowly beneath the blanket. He was getting old. Not weak. Never weak. But old enough that every bullet wound healed slower than the last. Old enough that another mission like this might be his final one. He's already at his fifty's. Pero heto at nakatali pa rin siya sa mabigat na responsibilidad sa organization namin.

“This is enough.” I murmured. “Hindi ako makakapayag. . . na habang buhay tayong sunod-sunuran sa organization, Daddy. Tatapusin ko na ito.”

*****

A few hours later, I stood inside the office of the most powerful man in our organization. The man whose face was known only to a handful of people.

Our Big Boss.

The room was dimly lit, the scent of expensive cigars hanging heavily in the air. He sat behind a massive desk, his fingers interlocked as he studied me. Nakabibinging katahimikan ang naghari sa pagitan namin. Ako ang unang nagsalita.

"I want to quit."

The old man didn't even blink. "You can't."

His answer came immediately. Cold. Firm. Final. But my expression remained unchanged.

"My father's almost died."

"He survived."

"He won't survive forever."

The Big Boss leaned back in his chair. “That's his faith if ever."

I clenched my fists. I took a deep breath. Nanatili din itong nakatitig sa akin, nakaipit sa daliri ang tobacco niyang umuusok.

"My father has given his entire life to this organization. So have I. We've done everything you've ever asked. We've completed every mission." I paused. "Now I'm asking for our freedom. Hindi naman siguro kalabisan. . . kung bababa na kaming mag-ama sa ranggo, tama?"

The room fell silent. For a moment, I thought he might actually consider it. Instead, he laughed. A low, humorless laugh.

"You think freedom is something you earn in this business, huh, Caleb?" his eyes narrowed. "Let me just remind you. You and Iron Vell are not ordinary assassins." He said firmly.

I remained silent. Because he wasn't wrong.

My father, Iron Vell, was the commander of Alpha Umbra–the spearhead of every major operation. The planners. The tacticians. The warriors who led every battlefield.

Then there was Delta Mortis, commanded by my father's closest friend, Ninong Drelle. The shadow force. The backup unit that ensured Alpha Umbra never fought alone.

And finally–Omega Vesper. My unit. I am the youngest commander in the organization's history. We were the cleaners. The executioners. The ones sent when absolute annihilation was required. When a mission needed to disappear without a trace–they sent us.

The three divisions had become legends within the underworld. And my father and I stood at the center of it all. Which was exactly why the Big Boss refused to let us go. Pero kahit napakahalaga namin sa organization na ito, buo na ang loob ko. Tama na. Sa pinirmahan naming kontrata ay may karapatan pa rin naman kaming lumaya. . . kung gusto na naming umalis. Hindi habang buhay na nakatali kami sa organization na ito. Kahit milyon pa ang kinikita namin sa kada mission, hindi ko na hihintayin pang mamatay ang ama ko bago kami kakalas sa organization.

"You are valuable," he said. "Ikaw at ama mo. . . pareho kayong mahalaga sa organization, Caleb. You know that. Hindi ko kayo. . . basta-basta pakakawalan.”

I stared at him. "Then tell me what I need to do."

The room became quiet. Ilang minuto ang lumipas na walang imikan sa pagitan namin at nakatitig lang sa isa't-isa. A slow smile appeared on the old man's face. The kind that made experienced killers nervous.

And for the first time during our conversation. . . I felt uneasy. Napalunok ako at nakadama ng kaba. Pero nanatiling blangko ang facial expressions ko na nakatitig dito.

"I have one final task. One mission for you, Caleb." He said.

"If I complete it?" I asked.

He smirked. "You and your father can walk away. Ibibigay ko ang kalayaan niyong mag-ama. ‘Yon ay kung. . . kaya mong tapusin nang mag-isa ang final mission mo,” saad nito.

"And if I fail?"

Lalo itong napangisi. "You'll die."

Binuksan niya ang katabing drawer at may kinuhang file doon. Inilapag niya sa mesa at sinenyasan akong kunin. Inabot ko iyon at dahan-dahang binuksan. The first page contained almost nothing. No real name. No address. No photograph. No fingerprints. No history. Nothing. Only a single title.

MAFIA QUEEN.

Nangunotnoo ako. "What is this?"

The Big Boss folded his hands. "Your target."

Natulala ako at nanigas sa kinatatayuan. Every assassin. Every mercenary. Every crime syndicate. Every underground organization in the world knew that title.

The Mafia Queen.

A ghost who ruled from the shadows. A woman feared by governments, cartels, warlords, and mafia families alike. No one knew her face. No one knew her identity. No one even knew where she lived. The few who tried to find her had vanished. The few who challenged her ended up dead. Brutally. Publicly. They all vanished like a smoke in the dark. Walang sinoman ang naglalakasloob kalabanin ang grupo ni Queen M. Dahil walang nagwawagi sa kanya. Lahat ng kalaban niya. . . naglalaho sa isang iglap.

My gaze returned to the nearly empty file. "You want me to kill her?"

"Yes."

I let out a dry laugh. "That's impossible."

The Big Boss stood and walked toward the window. "But if anyone can do it, it's you, Caleb."

I remained silent. Nanatili ako sa kinatatayuan na nakamata dito. The old man continued.

"She is the reason why our organization remains second." He said.

My eyes narrowed. The organization I belonged to was already one of the most feared assassination groups in the world.

Yet there was one name that stood above us.

One shadow darker than ours. The Mafia Queen.

Well, she wasn't our enemy. From what little information existed, she eliminated human traffickers, corrupt politicians, drug lords, war criminals, and monsters who hid behind power and money. In some twisted way, our goals were similar.

But that didn't matter. The Big Boss wanted the throne. And the only way to claim it. . . was to remove the woman sitting on it. Hindi ko lang inaasahan na hahangarin din ng Big Boss namin ang posisyon ni Queen M. Gayong kung tutuusin. . . kami ang dahilan kaya nasa top 2 ang kanyang organization. Wala naman itong ginagawa e. Bagkus, kami pa nga ang nagpapayaman sa kanya.

I closed the file. The mission was insanity. There was no face. No identity. No trail. Only a legend. A ghost. A death sentence disguised as a task. Kahit matalino ako at magaling sa anumang uri ng labanan. . . alam kong mahihirapan akong isagawa ang mission na ito. Lalo na't. . . ako lang mag-isa ang gagawa.

Hindi. Hindi ko tatanggapin ang mission na ‘to. Una pa lang. . . alam ko nang matatalo ako. Mamamatay lang ako sa mission na ‘to.

“No. I won't do it.”

Natawa ito. Nanatiling nakatalikod sa akin. “Paano ang ama mo? Gusto mo nang makalaya kayo, hindi ba? That's the only way, Caleb. Dahil hindi ko kayo hahayaang umalis na walang ginagawang kapalit.” Aniya.

Naikuyom ko ang kamao na nakatitig dito. Wala akong ibang pamimilian. Dahil kung hindi ko ito gagawin. . . baka mawala na kami ng daddy na hindi manlang nakakalaya sa organization.

"Fine. I'll do it."

Pumihit ito paharap na may malapad na ngiti sa mga labi.

"Good."

I turned and walked toward the door.

"Caleb."

I stopped. "What?"

The old man chuckled. A chilling sound.

"Be careful. For the first time in your life. . . you are hunting something far more dangerous than yourself." Aniya na nakangisi.

“Dadalhin ko ang ulo ni Queen M sa'yo. Pagkatapos nito. . . aalis na kami ng ama ko sa organization mo. I will finish this mission. Mark my word.”