Cruelty

Leona crumpled to the ground, a searing pain igniting in her chest. Disbelief clawed at her. Leona wasn't real; it was a mask she donned like a lioness stalking through the night. She used her allure to reel men in, only to extinguish their lives, then dissect them - selling their organs on the black market. This was Rubia Palos' grim reality, the woman hidden beneath the fabricated name.

Tonight, the hunter became the hunted. A blonde man, a cruel scar etching a map across his face, ended her reign of terror with a single, brutal blow.

"No time for theatrics, whore" the blonde spat, disgust lacing his words.

May 14, 2025 Inside Ventrio Headquarters

Roman Lebado slipped into the dimly lit cell where Monsi was being held captive. Clutching a metal pipe, he was determined to extract the information he needed. Monsi, slumped unconscious in a chair, was abruptly jolted awake as Roman struck his stomach with the pipe.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Monsi's scream echoed through the cell, the searing pain igniting every nerve in his body.

Roman decided a single blow wasn't enough. He struck Monsi four more times, each hit met with agonizing screams.

Still not satisfied, Roman delivered a final, brutal strike to Monsi's back. A sickening crack echoed through the cell as Monsi's spine snapped. The blow left Monsi permanently disabled, unable to walk again.

"Why... don't you just kill me... Argh... Why make me suffer like this?" Monsi pleaded, his voice trembling with pain and desperation.

"Because you deserve it," Roman replied coldly. "The illegal drugs you sell and import destroy lives. They kill people and ruin families. That is why you must suffer."

Roman prepared for another strike, slowly raising the metal pipe to beat Monsi again. Just as he was about to swing, a ring pierced the silence, coming from a dimly lit phone.

Ring.

Roman paused, searching his pocket for the phone.

Seeing the caller, Roman put the metal pipe down and answered the phone. An enraged voice exploded from the other end.

"Where the hell are the drugs I told you to deliver? Why hasn't the client received them yet? Answer me, Roman! I know you're there!"

It turned out that the caller was Simeon, one of leader of syndicate responsible for delivering illegal drugs to their clients. Simeon had tasked Roman and Monsi with the delivery. Unbeknownst to Simeon, Roman was an undercover agent working to intercept the shipment alongside the Ventrio.

"Forgive me, boss," Roman stammered. "The route you gave us led us near Juan Marina Road. We didn't expect the police to be there, and we were intercepted."

"What!? How is that possible? I suggested that highway because I knew there would be no checkpoints. How could this happen?"

"I don't know, boss. But we were intercepted there. The police ambushed us and fired at our men from behind."

Simeon cursed, not knowing what happened. He kicked the chair in front of him and called his men to investigate.

"Shit. Okay, okay, where are you now?"

"Boss, I have a suggestion. We can meet up tonight. I'll text you the place. By the way, Monsi is—"

Before he could continue, the call was cut off by Simeon. Enraged, Simeon hung up before Roman could explain that Monsi was with him.

After the call, Roman briefly called Hermes and Severino to inform them of what had transpired. They planned their next move regarding Simeon, and Hermes warned him not to be reckless.

"Those kinds of people are ruthless; they don't think twice before killing others and ruining lives. That's why we need to stay one step ahead," Hermes said in parting words to Roman.Roman gripped his phone, his thumb hovering over the screen. With a determined tap, he sent a message to Simeon specifying their evening meetup location.

Back to Simeon

After discovering his illegal drug shipment destined for the Chuas had been intercepted by the police, Simeon wasted no time calling his Boss. He nervously opened his phone and dialed the number saved simply as "Boss."

"Boss, there's a problem," Simeon started, his voice strained. "The delivery to the Chuas...the police got it.""That was your one job, Simeon, and you blew it!" The voice on the other end crackled with fury.

"I apologize, Boss," Simeon stammered. "I had no idea the police would be there. The Chuas are definitely going to be pissed."

"Who handled the transport?" Boss barked.

"Roman, one of the new guys and Monsi. Roman is still alive, at least. He texted, said we're meeting later tonight."

A tense silence followed. Finally, Boss spoke, his voice a low, dangerous whisper. "Meeting later, huh?"

"Y-yes, Boss," Simeon stammered, his fear palpable. He knew all too well the consequences of displeasing his boss.

A sharp cough cut through the tension. "Simeon," Boss continued, his voice cold, "you've been in this game long enough. You know the consequences of failure."

Simeon, his heart hammering in his chest, managed a choked, "Yes... boss," into the dead phone. The line had gone abruptly silent, leaving him alone with the cold echo of his failure.

The call ended with a dead click, leaving Simeon staring at his phone, heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He knew the consequences. Failure wasn't tolerated in this line of work. Useless meant expendable. 

Simeon wasted no breath. "Everyone, listen up!" he barked, his voice tight with barely suppressed panic. "We need to prep. Big meeting with Roman tonight. And you all know what that means for those who screw up."

May 14, 2025 In the Abandoned Workshop of San Juan 9:00 PM.

Simeon and his men arrived at the meeting spot. They wasted no time fanning out, eyes peeled for Roman. The plan was clear: eliminate him on sight.

An hour ticked by. No movement, no shadows stirring in the night. They'd agreed on a rough meeting time around nine, but Roman was a no-show. A knot of unease tightened in Simeon's gut. He barked orders for his men to stay sharp.

Two hours bled past nine pm. Still no sign of Roman. The silence pressed in, broken only by the nervous murmurs of Simeon's crew. Then, a figure emerged from the darkness, barely visible. As the moon peeked through the clouds, a face finally came into view, leaving Simeon and his men stunned.

What truly shocked them, however, wasn't who it was, but how they arrived. The figure, crawling on all fours like a broken animal, dragged itself closer, its back a horrifying mess.