Death Trap Vendetta

Chapter Thirty-Eight

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
The First Strike

March 1, 2016; Tuesday
Aurelio Subdivision, Azulan City
2:00 am

It was way past midnight when things settled in the house they were staking out. Napatingin si Grim sa kanyang relo bago bumaling kina Apollo, Phantom, Chaos, at Flash—who was just glad to finally get into some action instead of babysitting the wild cards. They had all ditched the long black robes and were instead wearing simple black jackets and large boots to cover their tracks. Unlike their robes that usually had the blood washed off and reused, these ones were to be burned as soon as they were finished with the deed.

Grim then glanced at the direction of where Mr. Pink was waiting with their getaway car. "I'm only accompanying you now because this is your first foray in an uncontrolled environment," he had said. "Pero pagkatapos nito, you are all on your own kids."

When Chaos whined about why they had to do this when the rest of Le Compendium was still alive and running around, Mr. Pink just gave them an unimpressed look. "You were picked to be the next generation of Pandemonium, a 'vigilante cult', as the lovely residents of La Provincia's urban legends go. Go do some vigilante shit!"

Muling ibinaling ni Grim ang kanyang atensyon sa kasalukuyan. Matapos ang ilang sandali, bahagyang tunog na lamang ng telebisyon ang kanilang naririnig kaya't sinenyasan na niya ang kanyang mga kasama. Bagamat tama si Mr. Pink na hindi tulad sa retreat house, hindi nila gaanong kontrolado ang pag-atake nila sa bahay na ito, kampante naman si Grim na sapat ang ginawa nilang paghahanda at pagmamatyag.

It had to be. Or else, they would lose face and everything they've done to build a reputable reputation would be for naught—at best. At worst... Grim didn't even want to think of the worst case scenario. Baka ma-jinx pa, sambit niya sa kanyang isipan.

"Alright, let's get to business," Grim announced out loud. Mabilis nilang isinuot ang kani-kanilang gwantes. "Alam niyo na ang gagawin. Move, double time!"

Agad namang kumilos ang mga kasamahan niya patungo sa bahay. Simple lang ito, tulad ng katulad ng ibang bahay sa subdivision. Base sa pagmamaman nila ng mga nakaraang linggo, alam ni Grim na dalawa lamang ang exit ng bahay, sa harap at likod. At dahil may kalayuan ang mga bahay mula sa isa't isa, naging madali lang ang unang parte ng trabaho nila.

Sinundan niya sina Phantom at Flash na dumiretso sa main door ng bahay samantalang umikot naman sa likod sina Apollo at Chaos upang siguraduhing secure ang isa pang exit point. It was almost anticlimactic when they were finally able to enter without so much as a struggle. Once they've crossed what Grim assumed as the threshold, it took a few moments for their eyesight to adjust to the darkness before they were able to identify the dark forms of the other two.

They did not need any words, three of them moving silently towards the staircase, following the faint sound of the television they knew the owner of the house kept on even while he slept. And if Phantom and Flash's information from spying on the man was as scheduled, then he was definitely sure to be knocked out cold with exhaustion.

Hindi maiwasan ni Grim na mapasinghal dahil dito. Walang pag-aalinlangan na isang walang kwentang tao ang may-ari ng bahay na iyon ngunit hindi pa rin maipagkakaila na malakas ang reputasyon nito. Kailangan nilang maging sigurado sa kanilang bawat galaw. Grim's lips twisted in displeasure as they had to carefully walk around the things littering the floor. It was as if the concept of cleaning or, at least, throwing things in the trashcan hadn't crossed the owner's mind.

Perhaps we should just burn the whole place down once we're finished, Grim thought.

Agad itong nawala sa isip ng salarin nang bigla silang makarinig ng kalabog. Napatingin siya kay Phantom sa pag-aakalang may natapakan ito. Ngunit maging ito'y mukhang nalilito rin sa mga pangyayari.