Shadows #3: Unmasked

Rion's POV

Pumasok ako sa opisina ni Mr. Carpio. Umupo sa tapat niya at hinintay siyang magtaas ng tingin sa'kin.

And the look on the old man's face when he saw me almost made me laugh. It's so funny to think that a well-known badass businessman was stunned by the sight of me.

"D-D-Daniel." The old man tremble in fear.

"Ayokong pinagkakamali ako sa ibang tao, Mr. Carpio. The name is Rion. And after tonight, I'll make sure that you won't forget that. Ever."

"A-Anong kailangan mo?" May gumuhit na pawis sa noo niya.

And this man is a fool para isiping hindi ko alam na binubuksan niya ang drawer niya para kunin ang sariling baril. Ipinatong ko ang dalawang paa ko sa tapat na upuan.

"I'm here for a little vengeance, Mr. Carpio."

"Wala akong ginagawang masama!"

Hindi ako nagsalita. Yes. All his businesses are clean. Pero hindi dahil gumagawa ng kabutihan ang isang tao ay mabuti na ang taong iyon. Kadalasan ang dahilan ay para magbayad ng kasalanan. We're all guilty of that. All people have their own ghosts. And I will be this man's ghost tonight.

Iginala ko ang paningin sa magarang opisina at ibinalik sa kanya. Dulo ng baril ang nakita ko. I smirked. If there are few things I believed in, the art of planning is one of them.

"That's useless. Hindi ikaw ang papatay sa 'kin."

Kinalabit niya ulit ang gatilyo pero hindi pumutok ang baril.

"You son of a bit*h!"

"Yeah. I'm the son of a bitch you killed twelve years ago."

Kitang-kita ko ang pagtakas ng kulay sa mukha niya.

"W-Who are you, really?"

"I'm your ghost."

"F-Flaviejo?" Recognition is evident on his face.

"Yeah. And the baddest one."

I can see him shaking.

"W-Wag mo 'kong papatayin. Wala akong kasalanan!"

"Hindi ko kailangan ng pangungumpisal mo. Now, tell me, nasaan ang pinuno ninyo? Speak or suffer." I whispered in a dangerous tone.

"H-Hindi ko alam. Believe me. Don't kill me, young man. I promise, isusuko ko lahat ng kayamanan ko sa'yo. J-Just don't k-kill me."

"Who needs your filthy money?"

"I b-beg you. The St. Martins..."

"Very well, Mr. Carpio. Very well."

In one swift movement, I had him pinned in his swivel chair and pushed one of his pressure points.

Nakatitig sa'kin ngayon ang mga matang puno ng takot. Ungol lang ang lumabas sa bibig niya imbes na sigaw.

He'll be paralyzed until the time I decide to end his suffering.

I looked at him once again. Far from the Mr. Carpio who was with the men who slaughtered my mother many years ago.

Wala akong nararamdamang konsensya. At isa ang taong 'to sa mga dahilan kung bakit. Inalis nila lahat ng konsensiya ko. Gaano man kalaki o kaliit ang involvement ng taong 'to, hindi magbabago ang isip ko. Ganoon din ang mga kasabwat niya. I'll pin them down one by one and make them pay dearly...