Prologue

"Is it really worth it?" Pine asked Regine, a client and his childhood friend. Regine is currently struggling fitting the bullet proof vest in her small build. His friend paused for a moment and gave him a half hearted smile.

"Pine, I am tired from all of this." Regine answered in her firm voice.

A heavy sigh was his only reaction from what Regine said and stared intently to her. Fear wasn't evident to her lovely face and the smile that always plastered on Regine's face was nowhere to be seen. The warm eyes that he is accustomed to were shadowed with coldness that he is not familiar with.

"Love is such a powerful thing." Pine mused to himself as he didn't really understand the actions of his friend.

" It's not your fault" He consoled.

Regine paused and just laughed dryly as she continued to adjust her vest.

He tried to say more to comfort his friend but they were interrupted by the knock of a door. It was Perry who opened the door and signaled them to be ready for the departure.

"We need to go." Perry said as she stared at the two of her best friends.

Regine just gave her a small smile and followed her outside while he tried to devoid himself of any emotions as he really wanted to change the mind of Regine to stand as a witness.

"Are you ready?' Perry worriedly asked her friend Regine while they were sitting inside the police car. Regine just shrugged while staring blankly outside the tinted window. They could clearly see the clamor of the reporters armed with their cameras and mics. She noticed the slight tremor of her friend's hand and carefully held it with hers. Regine looked at their clasped hands and smiled.

"Thank you," Regine said in her small voice.

"You know that you have a choice not to do this, right?" Pine said in his stern voice. Their eyes met in the rearview mirror and gave her a hopeful look.

"Stop it, Pine or else I'll forget that you are my friend." Regine warned him and gave him an apologetic look.

Pine frozen in his seat felt the heavy hand of Perry in his head.

"Don't worry. Everything will be alright." Perry assured and opened the side door for Regine.

They were greeted by the flashing lights from different cameras and handheld mics and phones of the reporters while trying to make their way to the court. Regine was surrounded by police and Pine followed closely to his client and friend. Questions were thrown everywhere trying to get any reactions from the latest witness of the most controversial pharmaceutical case.

"How do you think your statement as a witness will affect the result of the trial?"

"What can you say about you being linked to this case not just as a witness but also as one of the key figures of this inhumane experiment?"

"How sure are you that you can win this case?"

Pine was satisfied that Regine followed her advice not to entertain any questions from the reporters. They were really close to the entrance door of the building when a young reporter tried to stop them in their way and bravely stared at Regine's eyes.

"Are you doing this because you want to take revenge against the Saavedra that abandoned you?"

Pine can't help but to frown as that information is only known by a limited number of people. He tried to stop the reporter and signalled Perry to escort Regine as fast as she could but Regine stood frozen and coldly looked at the expectant reporter

"I do not consider myself as one of them as they cannot be considered as human and to answer your question this is not for revenge."

Pine shook his head as to warn Regine not to answer any more questions.

They were still followed by those ceaseless reporters inside the lobby when a loud sound of mirrors breaking was heard.

Pine quickly tried to shield Regine from all the chaos but he was greeted with the lifeless look in her eyes. He tried to find the wound but her armored body was devoid of any shot but he noticed the blood slowly trickling down to her beautiful face.

"Perry, call the ambulance." Pine shouted angrily while carefully holding Regine's head.

.

"

"You did this to her." Pine said as he stared intently to his friend Perry who was also with him as they stood in front of Regine's urn.

Perry remained silent for a moment and started to cry. " I'm sorry."

"I told you many times that we are powerless against them but no. You encouraged her and supported her to this shit. You killed her" He gritted his teeth as he tried not to punch the wall.

"I'm sorry." she cried.

Pine can't help but to cry as he is reminded that Perry doesn't casually say to her sorry as she believed that it is a kind of weakness.

"I'll kill the Saavedra." Pine declared

Perry cleared her throat. ""You know that she didn't want anyone to shed any blood, right?" Perry calmly said while brusquely drying her tears strained face.

"Does it matter.?" He said nonchalantly.

Perry shakes her head and argues. " You know the reason why she opted to be a doctor that saves life rather choosing to be in the force just like us." Perry tried to remind Pine what are the beliefs of their precious friend.

His laugh echoed in the emptied crematorium hall as if waking up all the souls that are peacefully resting in that place.

"I tried to believe that all the things that we are doing will bring change but look at us now. We lost a friend. She's not only our friend. She's family. We will not be here if not for her. Did you forget about it, Perry?" He said while his eyes staring accusingly at his friend.

"That's unfair." Perry gritted her teeth.

Pine sighed and with a warning look he said. "Try to stop me and friend or not. I'll kill you."

Perry was frozen as he saw the mad look in her friend's eyes that reflected his determination to do what he said.

She tried to follow him but he walked so fast that only his car tail light could be seen.

"Damn it." She cursed as she went to her own car and started to follow her but only the deafening noise of explosion can be only heard in the parking lot.

Pine saw what happened in his rearview mirror. He tried to go back but he noticed that he had no control of the brakes and a car from different lanes didn't even try to slow down. He started to laugh and muttered to himself. So, this is how it will end?