CHAPTER 1

The sound of Catholic hymns resounded in the old empty church.

Gradually, she approached the altar, dressed in a White Nun's habit with a rosary of the cross dangling around her neck.

In a kneeling position, palms pressed together, fingers pointed up to God and eyes shut, she prayed silently.

"Dear Lord.... It's Lisa again."

She intertwined her fingers together and continued to pray.

"I know I've got flaws. A whole lot of flaws."

"But even in my imperfection, I am made perfect before you."

She counted her words. They were slow. They were precise.

"And Lord, you said we should pray for our enemies. So, I am here for that again." Her hands tightened together.

"Let them perish. Let them bleed to death. Let them scream in agony but let no one hear them. Let them wish for death because living would even be more painful for them."

She paused again.

"But Lord, I won't ask you to do it for me. You are too mighty to deal with mortals. So Lord, I have come to ask for your forgiveness in advance. And I pray Lord, that the night be light around me- Even as it is to you. And let tonight...."

She slowly lifted her glazed eyes to look at the huge sign of the Cross in front of her eyes. "Become a success"

****

Sound of gunshots resonated all over the city. And also with the news of the Governor's demise.

CHAPTER 1

******

Mr Lin was a big man. But no matter how people tried to hold him down, he kept trying to pull away from their hold.

It was the first time anyone saw him cry.

In fact, it was the first time anyone saw him behave in such manner.

Jasmine had just come out from her room. She had been listening to the loud wails of people and once she saw how the crowd wept, she paused for a second to ask herself why those people were crying in her sitting room.

It was then she saw her father, Mr Lin. Being held down by a few men. He seemed like someone who was convulsing but no, he was actually crying.

She turned to the other side and saw her mother surrounded by some women who were also trying to stop Mother Lin from doing something crazy probably.

Her Aunt was also seated, crying her eyes out and swearing.

She saw people she knew and those she did not crying uncontrollably.

When she appeared there, no one dared come near her as she watched them all with dark eyes.

She was never friendly with anyone. Yes, they all even called her a dark child. Never had friends either.

People only sent their looks of condolence to her and she did not even bother to nod in appreciation.

The only one who would have actually walked towards her would have been her elder sister.

But she was the reason they were all gathered there.

Her sister was not there!

"So she really died?" Jasmine asked herself.

She knew she collapsed when she heard the news of her sister's death.

She had dreamt for hours that it was all a lie. She tried to convince herself that they were only trying to play a prank on her.

Never in her life did she think her sister was going to die.

Or no, get murdered rather.

Zoe had been an influential person. In school, clubs, church, anywhere at all.

Most of them there, were people her sister had helped one way or the other —either through words of encouragement, financially, or impacting knowledge in them.

And her sister had been her only friend.

Zoe had also been their parents' favorite. She did not mind about that, neither was she jealous because she also liked her sister more than herself.

"I know who did it"

Jasmine had thought she said those words to just herself. But with the hatred she had spoken it with, everyone heard her clearly.

There was a deadpan silence as everyone turned to look at the Ten years old Jasmine.

"Jaz... What are you talking about?" Her mother first asked in a shaky voice.

Mother Lin was not a very young person.

She had given birth to Jasmine in her early forties so there was a really wide gap between the ages of herself and her sister.

Her sister, Lin Zoe was 22 years old. Or rather, was supposed to clock 22 in a week.

She was very smart and had graduated from college when she was 19.

She started up a few foundations from when she was 16, which were greatly supported and sponsored by their parents since they were quite rich but not the type to say they made a significant impact on the society.

Jasmine had known much about Zoe's life. Even though she was little and unapproachable, she knew a couple of things about her older sister.

"Sister Zoe did not deserve to die just like that. It was not an accident. Someone killed her. Probably that woman's son"

"Jaz!" The woman she pointed at shouted at her.

"How could a little girl like you spout something like that." Her mother shouted at her.

She turned to look at her parents and stated matter of factly.

"It was that woman's son. She killed sister Zoe. I am certain of that."

"Take her back to her room."

Her father was the first to give the order and before she knew it, she had been carted away to go back inside her room where she began to cry.

She had seen that woman the moment she went outside.

Mrs Zhu was not really her family's close friend. But she came by during several ocassions.

That was how Zoe met her son Zhu Hansong.

Jaz had watched how her sister behaved for the past couple of weeks. If her parents had been smart and observant enough, they would have probably noticed also.

She was not going to let it slide just like that.

From where she was, she could hear her parents apologizing to Mrs Zhu, who was obviously still furious by her accusations.

'Stupid people' Jaz thought as tears continued to flow down her little cheeks.

"Are you more concerned about sucking up to her than your daughter who died unjustly? You are all stupid. Very stupid!"

Jaz screamed really loudly and soon turned violent as she began thrashing everything she could lay her hands on inside her room.

It was exactly the reason people stayed away from her. She had really been a violent kid.

----

She woke up with a start and her eyes popped open. Cold sweat was all over her body and she felt her body continue to shake controllably.

"Damn it! It's been fifteen years already. Why can't this stupid dream go away!"

It was either this particular dream, or the other one where her parents got killed and they were beginning to piss her off.

She frowned before reaching for the pack of cigarette on the side of her bed.

As she sat up, she felt pain all over her body. Especially on her stomach.

And when she looked down, she saw it was covered with a bandage.

She also saw other scars on her exposed body which reminded her of the kind of life she led ever since her parents died. The wild tattoo of a viper extending from her upper left arm down to her lower arm seemed to make her confirm she was still alive, and in her real body.

She used a hand to comb her hair backward and puffed out smoke without minding how she looked; Waking from a strange dream, dressed in only a sport bra and short, belly and hand covered in bandages and lips chapped.

She even felt hungry but she needed that cigar to be able to calm herself after that dream. It had been going on for years and that had been the only thing that could soothe her.

The door opened and in came a man who was probably in his sixties.

His head was bald and his eyes were dark. He walked like the devil himself, if not because she was used to seeing his face, she probably would have been scared to death.

"Lisa. You've been sleeping for three days. You were really careless this time to have been gotten"

Lisa. It was what she was called now. Kim Lisa. Or rather, Lisa was the name she's been called the longest.

She lived by different identities, and she was used to it already.

She forced herself to stand up and bowed in apology. "It would never happen again"

"The mayor died." He informed her.

"Get ready. We have a new mission for you."

A corner of her mouth curved into a smirk as she anticipated what it would be.

It was probably time to get to proper business.

****

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