Chayse has been staring at the picture for what seemed like hours.

'Hindi talaga nagbago ang mukha nilang tatlo,' isip-isip niya habang tinititigan ang ang black and white photograph ng magkakapatid. Naaalala niyang bigla ang mga larawang nakikita niya lang noon sa mga history textbooks, those fancy men in suits and top hats. Sinong mag-aakalang ni hindi tumanda ang tatlong binatang nasa larawan na 'to?

"See someone you like?"

Napairap na lang si Chayse nang maramdaman ang pagyakap sa kanya ni Evil mula sa likod. She tried to calm herself down, but the blonde was pretty sure he can feel her pulse from a mile away.

"Oo, ang pogi ni Everick dito. No wonder he's popular with the ladies," she simply said.

Humigpit ang mga braso ni Evil sa baywang niya. Ilang sandali pa, naramdaman ni Chayse ang marahang pagpatong ni Evil ng kanyang ulo sa kanyang balikat. She had to hold her breath when she felt him sweetly nuzzling her neck, lips tracing a sensual trail along the skin.

"Careful, Blondie. The last time I got jealous, the poor man found himself stranded in an island miles away from here."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Chayse nang maalala ito at agad na tinulak si Evil papalayo sa kanya.

"HOY BAKIT MO BA GINAWA 'YON KAY LEO?!"

Lasing si Chayse kagabi, pero naalala niya bigla ang boses ni Evil at ang pag-uutos nitong iligaw ni Leo ang kanyang sarili. Kaninang umaga nang magising siya sa sopa, naalimpungatan ang dalaga sa dami ng missed calls ni Leo. Hindi raw makauwi at hindi alam kung parte pa ba ng Pilipinas ang napuntahan niya. Poor Leo, mukhang niliteral niya ang "get lost" na utos ng pesteng Neverwood na ito!

"He should be thankful I didn't command anything extreme... or bloody."

"ANG KAPAL NG MUKHA MONG GAWIN 'YON SA KANYA! YOU REALLY ARE A SPOILED BRAT, AREN'T YOU?!"

Ngayong naaalala ni Chayse ang lahat, naiistress na naman siya. Samantala, inosente namang nagkibit ng balikat si Evil at isinara ang butones ng kanyang polo.

"He was annoying."

"Wow, ah? You can't just hypnotize people to 'get lost' just because they annoy you!"

"Oh, I've done far worst for lesser things, my chaotic queen. Hindi mo na gugustuhing malaman."

Kung inaakala niya sigurong madadala si Chayse sa pagpapakita nito ng kaluluwa, nagkakamali siya.

Sa kabila ng bahagyang panlalabo ng paningin ng dalaga dahil inalis na muna niya ang kanyang contact lens (at hindi niya pala nadala ang kanyang salamin kagabi! Now that she thinks about it, ni wala nga yata siyang dalang pera sa bar noong uminom siya), Chayse glared daggers at him before deciding to check her phone. Magtatanghali na pala. Gaano katagal silang natulog?

And for the sake of everyone's dirty mind: No, nothing happened after that kiss because she recalled slowly drowsing off to sleep afterwards.

Nagising na lang siyang nakapulupot ang mga braso ni Evil sa kanyang katawan, sleeping like a kid.

When Chayse asked about it earlier, Evil simply responded as if it should be obvious by now, "I may be evil, but I'm not a monster. I won't do anything without your consent, Blondie... Isa pa, hindi rin ako interesado. Marami pa tayong kailangang gawin para pabagsakin ang Boss ng EKT."

Pero sa kabila ng mga salitang 'yon, nakita ni Chayse na sumilay ang isang mapaglarong ngiti sa mga labi ni Evillois Neverwood. Despite the denial on both ends, they both understood that that kiss wasn't nothing. Evil warmed up to her, even though he's still a mostly nonchalant spoiled brat who throws tantrums when he doesn't get what he want.

Kung darating man ang araw na malaya na nilang pag-usapan ang bagay na 'to, umaasa na lang si Chayse na hindi pa maging huli ang lahat.

Na hindi sila mauuwing isang trahedya.

Because right now, indeed... they have so many things to prioritize. They're still in the middle of a war against the devil who cursed them.

"Nap is calling a meeting this afternoon. Nasimulan na ng resident scientists namin ang paglikha ng antidote base sa nakuha nating halaman kagabi," pagpapaliwanag niya. Chayse walked to where her boots laid on the floor and started tying the laces. "Gusto niyang maging audience tayo sa pag-test kung epektibo ba ito o hindi."

"At paano naman niya balak gawin 'yon?"

Napangiti na lang si Chayse nang lumuhod sa harapan niya si Evil at siya na mismo ang nagtali ng sintas ng kanyang sapatos. She admired the way Evil's fingers worked expertly on the laces, a stark contrast to his cold demeanor.

"Blondie?"

Oh, Nap. Right. Bakit kasi nakaka-distract ang isang 'to? Hay.

"By testing it on himself."

*

Tahimik sa loob ng headquarters ng Rebellion.

Pagkarating pa lang nina Chayse sa loob, naramdaman na niya ang tensyon sa atmospera ng lugar. Nang inilibot ng dalaga ang kanyang paningin, doon niya nahagip ang ilang miyembro na tila aligaga. What in the world is going on here?

"Anong nangyayari? Nasaan sina Nap?!"

Chayse stopped a man who was carrying one of their stun guns.

"Nagwawala ang isa sa killers na dinala ninyo rito, KC! Sugatan na ang ilang miyembro natin!" Nagmamadaling sabi nito bago tumakbo patungo sa kabilang pasilyo.

Sandaling nagkatinginan sina Chayse at Evil, parehong hindi makapaniwala sa mga nagaganap. Ilang oras lang silang nawala sa headquarters at mukhang sinasampal na naman sila ng mga obligasyon sa buhay.

.
.
.

"STOP HIM!"

"Argh! Tangina, nakakasakit ka na, ha!"

"Nap, anong gagawin natin?!"

The moment Chayse reached the scene in the conference hall, she didn't even had the chance to catch her breath from running here when someone lifted her up and slammed her back against the glass door. Napasinghap na lang sa gulat ang dalaga nang makita ang galit na mga mata ni Muffin Man. Wala na ang anumang pagbibiro o pagiging kwela noong una niya itong nakilala noong huling pagpupulong.

His metal jaw flexed as he lifted her up by the collar, almost cutting the air from her lungs.

"Kasama ba sa mga plano ninyo ang patayin kami?!"

Hindi makaiwas ng tingin ang dalaga. Dahil alam niyang ang kaharap niya ngayon ay ang Muffin Man na dating EKT participant at serial killer.

The realization made her blood run cold.

They already know.

"You know... w-what happened to Poison Ivy---" napaubo si Chayse, nahihirapang huminga, "---hindi namin ginusto a-ang mga nangyari! S-She sacrificed herself! I-I tried..."

"Ano na naman bang kasinungalingan ito?! Hindi pa ba sapat na nabuhay ulit kami bilang parusa, ha?!" Sigaw si Muffin Man.

Sinubukang tanggalin ni Chayse ang pagkakalingkis ng kamay nito sa kwelyo niya, pero ano bang laban niya sa inhuman strength ng mga killer na 'to?

From the corner of her eye, she saw the other occupants of the room hesitate to help her. Even Nap was powerless. Meanwhile, Evil was balling his hands into fists, the wrath in his eyes evident.

Before the Neverwood could even make a move, someone stepped in.

"Marlone, let the lady go. This won't solve anything."

Black Sheep.

The foreigner stood beside them, urging his comrad and fellow killer to let her go. The cannibal spat in disgust, looking more pissed now than ever, only gripping Chayse tighter.

"Wag kang sumabay ngayon! Can't you see what they're doing to us, reviving us then killing us again?! Do you really believe in their bullshit?!"

But the Black Sheep sighed, seemingly tired of this conversation.

"You've really lost it, haven't you, my friend?"

With a snap of his fingers and a temporary black out as the lights went off, Chayse appeared on the other side of the room where Marquessa Legazpi caught her just in time. Kamuntikan nang matumba ang physics student dahil sa bilis ng mga pangyayari, mabuti na lang talaga at nariyan si Kesa sa kanyang tabi.

"Hey, hey. It's gonna be alright," she helped her, hugging Chayse as she struggled to calm down. "I know you've been through a lot."

"W-What are you doing here?"

Napakamot ng ulo si Kesa. "Well, Joker might've-maybe-probably-most-likely invited me?"

Sa kanyang likuran, napasipol naman si Evarius Neverwood pasimpleng nag-iwas ng tingin na para bang siya ang pinaka-inosenteng nilalang sa balat ng kung anuman.

"Ah? Eh? Ih? Oh? Uh? What a frabjous day! Wala akong naririnig~"

'Bakit nga ba hindi na ako nagulat?' Napabuntong-hininga na lang si Chayse at ibinalik ang kanyang atensyon sa kaganapan sa kabilang bahagi ng silid.

The other members of the Rebellion were able to restrain the Muffin Man and drag him away.

Pero alam ni Chayse na valid ang rason nitong kuwestiyunin ang kanyang awtoridad at mga plano matapos ang nangyari kay Poison Ivy. Natuod na lang siya sa kanyang kinatatayuan, napapalibutan ng mapanuring mga mata. Mga taong naghihintay sa susunod niyang utos. She's the fucking leader, of course everything will fall in her hands! Right? And even though it was a decision beyond her control, the guilt will always follow her. Sana hindi niya hinayaang maiwan si Poison Ivy. Sana natawagan niya agad sina Evil at Nica. Sana nabantayan nila ang oras at nakalabas agad sila ng botanical garden.

If she changed one variable, would it be enough to save a life?

"KC? Okay ka lang?"

Hindi na siya nakasagot nang tawagin siya ni Kesa sa kanyang tabi.

Chayse Dayanghirang now realizes that from now on, her hands will always be stained with the blood from the death of one... and many more to come.

That thought alone terrified her.

'Ilan pa ba ang kailangang magbuwis ng buhay para lang matapos ang lahat ng ito?'

---

Scars run deeper
than you think,
tainting your soul
with the darkest ink.

---Evillois Neverwood