BHO CAMP #4: The Retribution

CHAPTER 1 ~ Serenity ~

"Triton."

"Hindi maaaring magpatuloy ito at alam mo iyan. We can't let our anger ruin what we are. Para mo na rin sinabi na wala tayong pinagkaiba sa kanila."

"The Original Elites and the Second Generation-"

"Have their own views with this matter. Pero iba tayo. We can decide differently. Magbabayad ang Claw sa ginawa nila pero hindi sa ganitong paraan. Hindi ganito ang iniisip ko noon. I want to kill them too until there's no one left of that Organization. Pero ng malaman ko na buntis ka, nabago ang pananaw ko sa mundo. If I can help it, I won't kill anyone again, Dawn. Ang mali ay mali. If we want a world where people do right things then we should start doing just the right things."

I sighed again. Of course he's right. Alam ko naman iyon. Alam ko naman na mali ang nangyayari. But Storm was...is my cousin. Kung ano man ang nangyari sa kaniya ay iyon ay dahil sa nag e-exist sa mundong ito ang Claw. But he's right. We can stopped them without killing them. Sa ganoong paraan ay mapagbayaran nila ang kasalanan nila sa mas mahabang panahon.

"We should know first who's ding this." I whispered.

"Don't you think he's sending a message?"

"I know he's sending a message." I corrected him.

"To us?"

Umiling ako at sinalubong ko ang mga mata niya. "A message for Claw."

Ilang sandali na katahimikan ang muling namayani sa amin. Alam ko na pareho lang kami ng iniisip. Na hindi basta-basta gusto lang ng kung sino man ang gumagawa nito na mapabagsak lang ang Claw. This is an act of retribution.

"Dawn..." he said reluctantly after awhile.

"Hmm?"

"Nasabi mo na ba sa kanila?"

Nang matukoy ko kung anong ibig niyang sabihin ay napapabuntong-hininga na umiling ako. I know he's worried about the Original Elites and The Second Generation Elites but I can't tell them about Serenity Hunt. Not yet. Isang maling pagkilos lang ay maaring ikapahamak ni Serenity.

Inaalala ko din sila. Kapag nalaman nila ang tungkol kay Serenity alam kong masasaktan lang sila dahil hindi nila maaaring hanapin ang babae. I don't want to keep a secret this big to them but I need to. For Serenity's safety and for ours.

I don't want to see what the news will do to Tita Hurricane, Storm's mother. She had a stroke before and I don't want to let that happen again. I don't want to give them hope when I know that we cannot do anything about it. Not yet.

"Sigurado ka ba sa ginagawa mo Dawn?"

"Yes, Tri, I'm sure." Sumandal ako sa dibdib niya at muling nagsalita. "Makikipagkita ako bukas kay Waine Claw-"

"I'm coming with you."

A smiled curved my lips. "Of course." I whispered and caressed his cheek. "Serenity will be okay. I will assign an agent to her."

"Malalaman ng co-agents natin kung ganoon."

"No. I will make sure that they wouldn't know about her."

"At paano si Hermes?"

Hermes, now, is a different matter. He asked for a leave yesterday and I granted his request. Isasama niya si Ale at pumayag naman ang mga magulang ni Storm.

"Are you really sure about this, Dawn?" Triton asked again when I didn't answer.

"Yes."

"Dawn-"

Nag-angat ako ng tingin at sinalubong ko ang mga mata niya. "Storm Reynolds will remain dead. Until Claw's been erased at the surface of the Earth, Storm must remain dead. That's the only way I can think of now so we can save her."