"Sigurado ka bang hindi tayo papalpak sa misyon na 'to, Cassandra?"

Cassandra took a drag from her cigarette, releasing a slow puff of smoke that lingered in the air. I covered my nose as I silently watched them, my stomach churned. I hate the smell of cigarettes.

"Hulog na hulog na sa akin ang lalaking 'yon, Roscoe," she smirked.

"Mabilis talagang mauto ang mga mayayaman. Magaling mag paikot ng pera, pero madali ding paikutin ang puso," Roscoe laughed.

"Alam kong bukas, magtatagumpay ang misyon na 'to. Wala 'yon sa bansa, nahihirapan pa sigurong mag-move on sa'kin," her laugh echoed the hall.

I let out a sigh as I walked into the dirty kitchen. They didn't even notice I was there. I took a bottled water from the refrigerator. Akala ko, tulad ng dati, hindi nila ako mapapansin. Pero sa hindi ko inaasahan, bigla akong kinausap ni Roscoe.

"Huwag na huwag ka lang talagang magpapabigat bukas, Camilla," malamig niyang sinabi.

I didn't bother looking at him. Instead, I took a sip of my water and shifted my gaze to Cassandra, who was smirking as she lazily puffed on her cigarette.

"You know how much I hate the smell of cigarettes, right?"

She smirked and blew the smoke directly in my face. I coughed.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes.

Roscoe laughed, "Tangina ka talaga, Camilla! Dami mong arte!"

Umupo ako sa lamesa para kumain ng hapunan, hindi ko sila pinansin. Pinag-uusapan nila ang plano para sa misyon na mangyayari mamayang madaling araw. Mahina akong napabuntong hininga.

I had many experiences working with them on a mission. Cassandra is 23 years old, and I'm five years younger than her. We're the same age as Roscoe. We've been together since we were young. Nagawa naming magnakaw ng bangko, mangidnap para sa ransom, mag-deliver ng bilyon-bilyong halaga ng mga droga, ilegal na mga baril at mga bomba, at lahat ng uri ng ilegal na gawain. Lahat ng misyon na iyon ay tagumpay naming natapos, walang aberya.

Ngunit sa kabila ng lahat ng tagumpay, hindi ko maiwasang kabahan sa susunod na misyon. Bawat misyon ay may kalakip na panganib, at sa bawat tagumpay, dumarami ang kalaban namin. Minsan naiisip ko kung hanggang kailan ko kayang mamuhay ng ganito, na puno ng takot na magkamali at mahuli.

Namulat ako sa isang mahirap na buhay, when my mom died naging palaboy na ako sa kalsada, walang gustong kumupkop dahil sa naging trabaho ni mama. Lahat sila pinandirian ako, kaming dalawa ni mama. Not until my uncle adopted me; my mother's stepbrother.

Uncle Romano was a wanted, notorious leader of a large syndicate. His dirty business was international at wala pang nakakapabagsak sa kaniya. Walang may gustong kumalaban dahil halos lahat ng sindikato sa pilipinas ay hawak niya. Kahit sino man ay hindi kayang pabagsakin siya. Kahit ang mga pulis ay takot bumangga sa kaniya.

I became his puppet, his favorite puppet. I was six years old when I accepted his first order: to plant a fucking bomb in someone's trunk. At that age, I had no idea that the true purpose of the task was to kill the person who'd be driving it. I was six when I accidentally fucking killed someone.

He trained me to fight, to shoot, and to kill. He taught me how to shut down my emotions, to never let them control me. He molded me into this—into a monster.

"Thaddeus Bazalier— son of Vincent Alistair Bazalier. A wealthy businessman from Santander. He owns Bazalier Airlines, operating worldwide, along with a chain of Bazalier Hotels,"

Uncle Romano puffed on his tobacco as he spoke about our mission. We were inside the basement, having a meeting. The only source of light was the projector, casting a faint glow over everything in the room. Cassandra, Roscoe, and Kalil— uncle's second-in-command-were inside with us.

I noticed how Cassandra shifted her weight when Uncle Romano mentioned that name."Cassandra's mission to seduce the young Bazalier was a success. Nakuha na niya ang loob ng lalaki," matigas na sabi niya. He glanced at Cassandra.

Tahimik akong nakaupo at nakikinig habang nilalaruan sa kamay ang maliit na dagger. It's something I always do when I'm nervous about a mission.

"Bazalier are known to be the richest family in this coutry. Mayaman na simula nuong panahon pa ng mga hapon. They've been rich for generations, their wealth built on legitimate business, owning clean money with no dirty dealings to speak of," he stated the word 'dirty' meaningfully."Your mission is to steal something from them. Their family heirloom— a safe," Uncle Romano said, his voice deliberates, almost chilling in its calmness.

The projector flickered and an image of human-sized gold safe appeared. It was no ordinary safe, its design was sophisticated, elegant-yet menacing. The intricate patterns on its surface gave it a timeless quality, as if it had been crafted not just to protect, but to intimidate. But what caught my attention was the lock of the safe.

"Inside that safe lie more than just golds and diamonds. It holds the Bazalier family's secrets—generations of wealth, power, and influence, locked away for decades," he paused for a moment, then continued. "We need what's inside," the thick smoke from his tobacco curled in the dim light, filling the space with a heavy scent. I shook my head.

"Mahigpit ang seguridad, they have their own private army. Cameras, guards, dogs, biometric locks, scanners, lazers, whatever," he glanced at Cassandra, Cassandra shifted in her seat, her eyes narrowed slightly. I noticed her lips pressed into a thin line, betraying the hint of discomfort she tried to hide. "But Cassandra already did her part, that safe was inside the mansion of the young Bazalier—Thaddeus Bazalier. Who's currently out of town, trying to fix his broken heart," he chuckled in amusement.

"Well, the security is a challenge, but I'm confident you can overcome it," he continued. "This," the projector flickered again and it showed an image of a key. "Is the heart of the Bazalier's fortune. That key to what's inside their legacy,"

It's just a normal key, a typical one. There's nothing special about its appearance.

"But that's where you come in," he pointed Cassandra. "You can already access his private office where the key lies."

"You have a chopper waiting for you and a backup team on standby. Once you've breached the land of Bazalier, we will give you 15 minutes to move. Roscoe's goal is the room where the safe is, and Cassandra secures the key, once you did, you're all set to go," he paused.

"This is not just about breaking and entering. It's about a message; message that says we can get to anyone. Even them, the wealthy Bazaliers," he scoffed. "Failure is not an option. If you fail, it won't just be the loss of money. It'll be your life. So, make sure you're ready. No room for mistakes,"

"After your mission here, we will be moving to Italy," Uncle Romano said, his voice laced with finality.

That meeting kept lingering in my mind, not because it was almost a suicide mission, but because something else was gnawing at me. A thought, an unsettling feeling that I couldn't shake off.

It wasn't just the danger of the heist, the security that we had to bypass, or even the deadly consequences if we failed. No, this was something deeper. Something that had been growing in the back of my mind ever since Uncle Romano's words echoed through the room.

Romano Rossi is a very strict leader. A man who controlled everything with an iron fist, and once you were in his syndicate, there was no way out. The moment you became part of his operation, your life belonged to him. He doesn't tolerate weaknesses. He doesn't tolerate disloyalty.If you stepped out of line, if you even thought about betraying him, you're already erased in this world. And even if you did manage to escape for a while, you could never truly outrun the consequences. 

There would always be someone watching, always someone reminding you that you were forever marked, forever member as one of his.

But no matter how many times I thought about it, I couldn't stop myself from wanting to leave. To walk away. I had been living in this nightmare for so long, that the idea of freedom seemed like a distant dream, one I didn't believe in anymore. I have lost my innocence at six years old, lost my soul in a world of crime. How could I just walk away now? How could I stop when everything I have done, every choice I have made, was etched into the fabric of who I had become?

The night wind blew, sending a chill through my bones that made my body shivered. Hindi ako makatulog dahil sa lalim ng pag-iisip. Balak ko sanang pumunta muna sa balcony ng mansyon para makalanghap ng hangin, nang makita kong may naka una na pala sa akin. The scent of her cigarette lingered through my nostrils.

"Huwag kang papalpak mamaya, Camilla," her tone is a bit harsh.

Tumuloy ako sa balcony at nilagay ang dalawa kong braso sa dibdib. My robe is not enough to comfort me from the cold wind.

"You're supposed to say that to yourself, Cassandra," I glanced at her. She's wearing a long robe and she's smoking her cigarette. "You failed your mission, you fell for the young Bazalier."

She didn't flinch. Her expression remained unreadable, but I could see the way her fingers tightened around the cigarette. The tip glowed brighter as if in response to her rising irritation. I leaned my back on the handrails, she's facing the front view and I'm facing the door. I waited for her reaction, but she just flicked the ash from her cigarette. I braced myself, expecting her to puff again, but instead, I was stunned when she suddenly threw the cigarette away.

"It's not that simple," mahinang bulong niya. "You think I wanted that to happen?"

I raised my brow, "Then why did it?"

Her lips twisted into a bitter smile; the rude Cassandra is long gone. "You think anyone who gets close to him can walk away unscathed?" she sighed. "The Bazalier's have a way of getting under your skin. Trust me, It's not part of my plan."

"Pwede kang umatras," my voice was cold. "You had a choice."

"Then what? Let you and Roscoe fail this mission? That's not how it works here, Camilla," her voice was low. "We're in this together, whether we like it or not."

"That's not what you do when you love someone, Cassandra."

Finally, she met my gaze. I saw a different emotion in her eyes. It wasn't the usual cold, fierce look she always wore. For a fleeting moment, it felt... warm. That warmth surprised me. It wasn't something I was used to seeing from Cassandra, it comforted me in a way I didn't expect.

"What do you know about love, Camilla?"

I was stunned from the way she said it. Her voice was sharp, but it carried a tone of pain that I couldn't ignore. I was stunned by the weight of her words, as if they came from a place far deeper than I could comprehend.

I glanced at her, trying to read her expression. Her eyes were heavy, filled with unspoken grievances and years of suppressed emotions. They weren't just asking me the question— they were challenging me, almost accusing me.

Sa isang sandali, nakita ko ang isang Cassandra na mahina. Cassandra na hindi kayang kumitil ng inosenteng buhay. Ito ang unang pagkakataon na makita ko siyang ganito.

"Forget it," she muttered. "Let's just get this over with."

She then, left me in the balcony. I sighed. Whatever was going on in her head, it's not of my business.

I shouldn't have said that to her, it was wrong. But then again, what do I really know about love? I've never felt it. The only thing I've ever loved is the rush of adrenaline during a high-risk heist. But love? I've seen love destroy people, make them weak, vulnerable. But I've also seen it drive others to fight harder, to risk everything.

I looked at myself in the mirror. Dressed in a black long-sleeve shirt tucked into fitted black jeans, paired with jacket and boots. I pulled my hair up into a tight high ponytail. I adjusted the holster strapped under my jacket. A knife was tucked into my boots, and another was hidden along the small of my back.

I stared into my own eyes, concealed behind the muted color of my implant lenses.

Who are you, Camilla?

That thought whispered through my mind like a ghost. I didn't have the answer— not anymore. With a deep breath, I turned away from the mirror. There's no room for doubt tonight.

"Roscoe, left wing," I heard Cassandra's cold voice from our earpiece. "Camilla, right wing," the left wing is where the safe is, while the right wing is where the key lies.

Sinunod ko ang utos niya. The mansion was large, every corner of it has a security camera. Dahil sanay na ako sa ganitong misyon ay mabalis kong naakyat ang bakod ng hindi nahuhuli. Hindi ko pinakita ang kahit anino sa mga camera. Umakyat ako sa isang balcony at tahimik na pumasok sa kwarto.

"Back-ups, stand by, wait for my call," it was Cassandra's voice again. "15 minutes starts now, Camilla, cover me."

"Understood, I'm shadowing you."

My eyes roamed around the patio. The place is dimmed and were full of different paintings. Naging mabilis ang mga pangyayari, narinig ko na lang ang sigaw sa earpiece ko.

"Fuck, I need back-up!" it was Roscoe's voice! I can hear different grunts from his line.

"You need me there?" I stopped moving when I saw a shadow.

"No! Stay with me, Camilla," it was Cassandra's voice again. "The back- ups are in."

Shit! Someone strangled me from behind!

"I'm in!" Roscoe.

"I'm in!" Cassandra.

I sighed, they are already set in their designated place. All I need is to fucking kill the person who's strangling me.

I took my knife from my boots and immediately stabbed his neck without looking at his position. I don't have time to waste.

"Key is secured! Chopper will be in 2 minutes!" it was Cassandra's voice.

"The back-ups with me, Bazalier's safe is secured! Will be waiting for the chopper!" Roscoe's voice intervened.

"Two minutes, and we should be seen outside for the chopper. Some of our back- ups are killed by the Bazaliers," Cassandra said.

The mission is almost impossible when I heard the chopper. I felt the relief when I saw them bomb the wall where the safe was located. The safe was then placed in a net, and the chopper carried it away.

"Camilla, where are you?!"

I twisted the man's neck who attacked me this time. They were four men who's trying to get in front of me. I've only got one minute!

Hindi ko sinayang ang oras at lahat sila kinalaban ko. I twisted their necks just to get away from that situation.

"Camilla!" Cassandra and Roscoe are now in the chopper. I immediately went to the rooftop. "Here!" she held her hand, inabot ko 'yon.

The mission was almost complete. One final push, and we would be out of there, safe with the prize. But I heard a loud explosion from my back that made me weakened from the impact.

"Camilla!"

Lumuwag ang hawak ko sa kamay niya, Cassandra and Roscoe were shocked. Nakalaylay ang katawan ko habang nakahawak sa kamay ni Roscoe.

"Camilla! Kapit!"

The chopper is already up malapit na kaming makalayo sa mansyon ng mga Bazalier. Hanggang sa may dumaplis na bala sa braso ko dahilan para mabitawan ko ang kamay ni Roscoe.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang mawala ang kapit ni Roscoe. But Cassandra immediately held my hand. Akala ko hihilain niya ako papasok sa chopper, ngunit hindi.

She let go of my hand. I was stunned, and unable to react. Nakita ko ang gulat sa mukha ni Roscoe sa ginawa ni Cassandra. Habang siya ay walang emosyong nakatingin lang sa akin.

How could she do this to me?

I realized that I am already falling when I saw a glint of tears on her cheeks. Both of them were shocked. Naka silip sila sa pinto ng chopper habang nakatingin pababa—sa akin. 

Parang tinusok tusok ang puso ko, halos pamilya na ang turing ko sa kanila kahit iba ang pagtrato nila sa akin. Paano niya nagawa ito?

Cassandra betrayed me, I didn't make it. But at least, their mission was a success.

I braced myself for a possible impact that could kill me, but instead, I felt a cold water crashing against my body. The impact was strong, but it didn't hurt as much as I expected. The real pain came when my head slammed into something hard. And everything went black...