Substantiate Innocence (VDS1)

Chapter 24

“Where are they?” I asked Miggy and Pow, who are both shaking their heads. 
 
“I can't locate Ara's tracker,” Miggy said while continuously tapping on his gadget. 
 
I inhaled deeply and adjusted my black hoodie. Carter was standing next to me, but his gaze was wandering. 
 
Passengers were occupied waiting for the ship to arrive, even though it was almost dusk. To be honest, despite the fact that this place is occupied with people, I didn't think it would be too difficult for us to find Lenard and Ara because this space is so open.
 
“Come here,” Carter said. Even more perplexed, I approach him. He holds my head and puts his arms around me, as if he were trying to conceal me. 
 
“May nakakakilala ba sa’kin?” I asked, but he never gave me an answer and instead scanned the whole area even more. Just a few moments away, Carter and Miggy shouted in unison.
 
“I got them!”
 
“Sh*t! 
 
The trio became anxious, and when turning around, I noticed a group of police officers sprinting in our direction. 
 
I was grabbed by Carter, and we all ran. 
 
"Dito!" Pow yelled, gesturing to the fishport's side. Every time the police opened fire, we would leap and hide behind the fish tank or big water can. 
 
People fled in fright as a result of the disturbance, screaming and running in different directions. It's really bad that part of their stock was wasted. Even the way the live fish joyfully leaped back into the ocean when the tank overflowed is still visible to me. 
 
As we all try to escape from the cops, we are surprised when another bunch of police officers resurface from the other side of the fishport, cornering us. Guns aim at the four of us, and I'm pretty sure they are ready to fire in no time.
 
“Hands in the air!” One of the police officers said, and we had no choice but to follow him. 
 
I bit my lip, then turned to face Carter. I was starting to feel sad thinking about returning to that depressing prison. believing that I had failed again. 
 
However, two bombs fell on the ground as the cops approached, and in the brief moment that followed, the four of us leaped behind the massive fish tank. As the bomb continued to detonate around the fishport area, Carter wrapped his body around me to protect me.
 
“What the hell! Who did that?!” I exclaimed.
 
“No idea!” Pow said. 
 
When the device detonated, six bulky men seized us from behind, but Carter moved quickly enough to kick the two who went after Pow and Miggy and twist the arm of the one who attempted to touch me. 
 
I positioned myself as well and accepted the other man's blow. 
 
recognizing that we are currently working with various people and that unanticipated events are beginning to enter my thoughts. On the other hand, I became distracted by a concept of who they are that suddenly occurred to me. 
 
“Jam!” Carter yelled when the man knocked me with the back of his gun. 
 
An iron smell of liquid gushed from my head and streamed down my face as I hit the ground. And before I could shut my eyes, I watched how Carter, Pow, and Miggy hit him with a stun gun. The three of them were unconscious on the ground when the men carried me. 
 
***
 
I was shifting my body on the chilly, wet floor when a pain in my head caused me to cry. I was startled to see that I was in a cell when I opened my eyes, but I became even more afraid when I realized there was nothing like it had been before. We're not in the typical jail I was picturing when I noticed Ara sleeping in the corner when I was exploring the area. This is a wholly distinct situation. 
 
"Ara!" I sobbed, but my astonishment level increased when I saw that my left ankle was shackled. Fortunately, I was still able to touch her with my hand despite the situation. 
 
“Ara, wake up,” I said while shaking her shoulder. When she eventually moved, I felt relieved. She opened her eyes slowly and gave me a glance. 
 
"Jam?" I offered her a meek grin and nodded. 
 
She responded, "You're here; they managed to help you," which made me feel good. She was grateful that I was able to get out of jail, despite the fact that she was currently in an unpleasant circumstance as well.
 
"I did, and it's because I wanted to hopefully end this," I answered, but I wasn't prepared for her response. She took a seat and began to cry. 
 
“Jam, makakaalis paba tayo rito?” I bit my lip. 
 
“Of course, hindi tayo pababayaan nila Carter, at ako, gagawa ako ng paraan. I escaped from that prison cell, dito pa kaya,” I said. More likely, I was telling it to myself. 
 
“Pero, Jam si—” 
 
The left-side door opened, interrupting Ara's words. When I turned around to see who caused it, Lenard was there, sprinting in our direction.
 
“Lenard, thank God, help us, please!”
 
“Jam,” he said, and he came rushing towards the lock. He tried kicking it, but nothing happened. Ara cried even harder. I looked at her and asked her to relax, telling her that Lenard is here now to help us. But as I was talking, Ara continued shaking her head and pulling me back, but I pulled away my hand and looked back at Lenard, who was now standing in front of us with a smile running from his lips. 
 
“Lenard?” I inquired in confusion, but when his grins changed to laughter, I pulled back. 
 
I clench my hand as hard as I can as tears pour down my cheeks. 
 
"You, mother f*cker!” I cried out and reached out to grab his hand, but he moved quickly enough to get out of the jail. I cry and yell at him as I keep hitting the metal bar. I wanted to kill him right then and there. I will undoubtedly become into the woman he wants me to be, thus it is fortunate for him that I am locked here. 
 
“I will, f*cking kill you! I will kill you!” I yelled, but he only stopped laughing and looked at me directly. 
 
“No, Isabella. I will kill you. Alam mo ba kung bakit nandito ka ngayon? It's because you've been a thorn in my way. Sinisira mo ang mga plano ko!” he said. 
 
I tightened my jaw, gripped the iron bar with both hands, and spat at him. 
 
“Because I will never let someone like you ruin me! Nagkamali ka ng taong pinaikot, Lenard dahil hindi mo ako basta, bastang mapapasuko! Sisiguradohin ko munang napatay na kita bago ko tanggapin ang ibinibintang mo sa akin!” I said, suppressing my anger, but he only laughed at me. 
 
“It feels so amazing to see you inside that bar. Honestly, it suits a woman like you.” 
 
“Magpakasaya ka hangga't nandito pa ako dahil oras na makaalis ako rito; hinding-hindi ko titigilan hangga't hindi kita napapatay.” 
 
“Aww, I'm scared,” he said, which annoys me. 
 
“By the way, before I kill you, I want you to know how I do it,” he added. 
 
I give him a fierce look, but all he does is put his left hand in his pocket and use the other to touch a button on the table to open the massive screen that's in front of me. 
 
The beginning of the video is where I first met Carlo. At the time, he was my client, and I went above and beyond to make him happy as his escort. Just looking at how exposed I was at that precise time made me cry. Crying in private while allowing men to enter my body for financial gain. However, I locked my eyes on the screen and watched everything, even though it was breaking me. 
 
Carlo forced me to drink something that caused me to lose consciousness. As I lay there, people in white jumpsuits began to approach. They are the ones on the video that Carter captured from Jilbert's rented apartment.
 
As soon as they began obtaining my DNA, I started crying. It is cruel to see how they open my mouth, scan my fingerprints, and take my vaginal fluid. I feel like I was only used as a tool to help them escape the crime they committed and not treated as a human being at all.
 
Then the movie cut to Clifford leaving his condo alone after our argument. He was still drinking wine and in his pajamas. He was clearly upset about what had happened when I watched him rub his temples. 
 
A woman who looked like me in a red dress entered Clifford's condo as he was making a phone call and shot him. Afterwards, those people wearing white jumpsuits set up the rest of the fabrication of the evidence. Using all the evidence they collected a week before Clifford passed away, they led people to assume that I was the one who killed Clifford. 
 
I shut my eyes, feeling that I ought to have given him a chance. When he said he wanted to help me, I should have trusted him. As the mere child of an unfaithful father, he was just suppressing his resentment toward the woman who hurt his mother. I know I shouldn't be impacted by that because I'm not a part of it, but that's what life is all about, right? Your child will suffer if you commit such a sin. And I simply learned how it functions in life. 
 
“You killed Clifford? You killed Clifford, you piece of sh*t!” I yelled. 
 
“Trust me, Isabella, nanghihinayang din ako sa kaibigan mong 'yan. Businessman, rich and famous despite his young age. Pero anong magagawa ko, business is business.” 
 
“Tang*na mo! Bakit mo ito ginagawa, huh? Bakit mo pinatay si Clifford! What kind of human are you?! Hayop ka!” 
 
“Isabella, do you honestly believe that human behavior is the norm? Don't you get upset and feel the need for vengeance when horrible things happen to you, when someone hurts you or makes you feel insecure? It's how individuals operate. We take revenge when they injure us, and I believe this is rather common.”
 
“You are sick!” I hissed. 
 
“Hey, what were you telling me earlier? I see. You're going to kill me. If so, what distinguishes you from each and every one of my clients? To be honest, all I'm doing is seeking revenge. They can exact revenge without getting their hands dirty or considering the consequences. Don't you get it? It's very convenient for everyone.”
 
“And let innocent people suffer in jail? What do you think we are? A toy?!” 
 
“Naturally, the answer is no. I find it handy that there are people like you. You all must find life to be too much of a burden. Not only are you unloved and poor, but you are also a burden to this society.” 
 
“F*ck you!—” 
 
“You! And all the people who are a hindrance to all people like me should rot in jail! You are just making this country even poorer! Mas mabuti pang mabulok nalang kayo sa kulungan!” 
 
“Ikaw ang mabulok sa kulungan! Ang mga taong tulad mo na ganid at walang ibang alam kundi pera at kapangyarihan! You think this society will innovate with people like you who have the brain of a rooted animal! Kasuklam-suklam ang pagkatao mo, Lenard! Mabaho pa sa mga taong lansangang tinatawag mong walang ambag sa lipunang ito. You understand why they are individuals just like us, just like me! Because there are people in this country who are just like you! You who solely consider financial gain! People like you are nothing more than disaster individuals for the nation, hypocrites, and narrow-minded people who believe that money is the only thing society needs to prosper, but really, what good are people like you? If everything was presented in an equitable manner? If justice is not reserved for the wealthy, but rather for all! Everything you do will lead to victory at every turn!” 
 
He gave me a disapproving look as I cried aloud.
 
“You know why I hate you? It's because you talk too much,” he said before a group of men entered the room. It was the same men who attacked us. 
 
With just a simple nod from Lenard, they open the cell and drag Ara out of the room while the others put another chain in both of my wrists and clang it at the iron bar above me. 
 
“What the hell are you doing to me? Don't touch me!” I yelled, and I'm not surprised that no one tried to give me a glance. 
 
When they're done, one of them hurls a pail of water at me, and I cringe at Lenard's smirk as he enters the cage. 
 
"I don't just mean to kill you when I say I will kill." He remarked, "You're a stubborn woman who destroys everything, so let me discipline you until you give up, and this time leave you with no choice but to accept your fate.”
 
If I said I wasn't scared of him, I would be lying because I am frightened beyond belief. I can tell this man is no longer human after what he did to all those people he killed and the innocent person he imprisoned. He wouldn't hesitate to torture me. That being said, I'm glad I tried fighting, even if it's terrifying. Nevermind.
 
Thus, as Lenard smiled at me, I braced myself when the two soldering irons he was holding touched my body and caused a powerful electric current to electrify me.