The Deception's Rage

Chapter 1

Trigger warnings: mention of s****l assault, death, and violence.

Aurelia

"You think you can hide from me?"

The man in front of me begged for his life. "Please, may anak ako! Maawa ka sa 'kin!"

"Fine," mahinahong sambit ko.

Even from the dark, I saw him smirking. Motherfucker. Did he really think I was that kind to let him go? I laughed so hard. f*****g hard, enough for him to know that I wasn't kidding when I said earlier that I'd kill him. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at sinipa ko ang sintido niya gamit ang heel cap ng suot kong high heels.

"Did he fall asleep?" Axel sighs through my earpiece.

"Hmm, I think so."

"God, Aria! It's taking you so long for just one job," reklamo niya. "Want me to come over?"

"Could you just shut the f**k up for a moment?" I hissed.

And he did.

A cold breeze carries down my spine. I shivered. It's almost midnight, and I'm sleepy. I haven't gotten enough sleep for 2 days. I cracked my neck to avoid myself from yawning.

Binuhat ko ang lalaki at inupo ito sa upuang sira-sira, labas ang patulis na parte ng mga pako. Itinali ko ang mga kamay at paa niya. Not that I'm scared he might run away, but it'll be a hassle if he does. I'm too exhausted to even think about chasing after him.

"How was the race last night?" pag-iba ng topic ni Axel dahil ilang minuto na ang nakalipas ay hindi pa rin nagigising ang lalaking nasa harap ko.

I smiled when I remembered something from last night. "Best. Night. Ever."

"Good for you," sarcastic na ani Axel. "I've been stuck in this room for a whole month. I don't even remember what the air smells like."

"The air is odorless, idiot."

"It's a figure of speech, smart ass." iritang sambit niya. "Gisingin mo na nga 'yan."

"You heartless little thing!" I scoffed. "Let the man rest before he dies."

We wait for another 8 minutes then he finally wakes up. "f*****g finally," Axel muttered.

"Axel, what was his name again?" I asked.

"It's Robert. You took this job without even knowing his name?" Hindi makapaniwalang usal ni Axel. "I'm not even surprised anymore. You only care about yourself." He was so shocked a while ago, though.

"I may not know this asshole's name..." Bumaba ako ng tingin sa nakangising lalaki at mahigpit na hinablot ang buhok nito. "But I know what he did."

"f*****g b***h!" sigaw ni Robert sa akin. "Sino'ng nagbayad sa 'yo para gawin sa akin 'to?! I can double it."

"Not interested." Idiniin ko ang pagtapak ko sa paa niya kaya napasigaw siya sa sakit. His voice echoed in the basement, pero wala akong pakialam. No one will hear him scream, writhing in agony.

"What did I even do?!" Now he's crying. "Naghihintay ang asawa't anak ko sa akin! Pakawalan mo na ako, h-hindi ako magsasalita sa mga pulis."

Men really are shameless.

I look at him in disgust. "Yeah, they're waiting for you," kinalas ko ang tali niya sa kamay at kita ko ang tuwa sa mga mata niya. "To rot in hell, fucker."

Inilipat ko ang lubid na nakatali sa kamay niya kanina patungo sa leeg niya. He was fighting for his life which I enjoy seeing. "Is this how you do it, Robert?"

His eyes began to reflect what he was feeling right now. Fear. He's scared that I may know too much.

Well, I know everything.

"Wanna know how it feels to be tormented?" His wife told me everything. She told me how he did them dirty.

This guy right here sexually assaulted his child and abused his wife.

I can't even imagine how terrible his wife and daughter felt while he was enjoying himself. How can he act like he's worried about them when the truth is he's a piece of trash who does nothing but make people around him miserable? While his victims have to deal with the unending pain he caused, how dare he live?

I'll make this his most memorable night so that even in death, he'll not be able to forget this.

Tinanggal ko sa leeg niya ang lubid.

"I knew it! T-that b***h told you everything?" gigil na sambit niya habang hawak-hawak ang namumulang leeg. "Kasalanan naman nila kung bakit nangyari sa kanila 'yon! I didn't do anything wrong! Gusto ko lang sila turuan ng leks—"

I slapped him. What kind of bullshit is he blabbering? "It's their fault and you're just trying to teach them a lesson? Don't make me f*****g laugh."

I took my earpiece out of my ear, I usually don't let Axel hear this. Inilapit ko ang mukha ko sa kaniya, ngunit dinuraan niya ako ng dugo galing sa bibig niya. That didn't budge me. I looked at him straight into his eyes, like I was already murdering him. Dinuraan niya pa ako ng isang beses at tumawa.

Now, I'm f*****g annoyed.

"I'm going to make sure your death is so painful that you will wish to be in hell rather than be in front of me."

I didn't give him a chance to say anything as I slapped him again before he opened his mouth. "Let's just say that it's their fault," I said while looking for the hammer I saw earlier. "But you're the one who's going to pay for their sins. Like a hero that you are, Robert."

Found you. Rusty hammer for a rusty old f**k like him.

I shift my gaze from him to the hammer I'm holding. "I heard you're a formal member of a church?"

"A-ano'ng pakialam m-mo?!" He stuttered.

"Nothing, I just thought you should be thanking me right now." I shrugged. "I'll do something you've heard multiple times before. Something very familiar to you."

I waited for him to respond, but he didn't say anything. Is he insulting me?

"Hey, why aren't you thanking me?" Sinipa ko ang dibdib niya.

"T-thank..." He coughed blood. Nanatili akong walang reaksyon na nakatingin sa kaniya, waiting for his another word. "Y-you..."

Nang makumpleto niya ay saka ako ngumiti. "Say it when I tell you so." utos ko sa kaniya.

I freed him. I'm not worried that he'll escape because he has too many injuries now, so he can't do anything anymore.

I started dismantling the chair he was sitting in a while ago and took off the hammer nails on it. Kumuha ako ng pandagdag na kahoy at nagsimulang gawin ito pa-cross. It took me half an hour to do it perfectly.

"What do you think?" I asked him, smiling.

"Y-you're... C-crazy!"

"Aw, I often get that compliment lately." I pouted. My facial expression began to change when he started crawling. "I just made you something, and you're running away? Learn how to be grateful, could you?"

Hinatak ko siya sa damit niya papunta sa cross na kahoy na ginawa ko. I took his arm, but he was trying to fight back, so I twisted it. Now that he's too weak to fight back, I'll do what I'm supposed to do.

Kumuha ako ng isang pako na nangangalawang at inilagay sa gitna ng palad niyang nakapatong sa kahoy. He started screaming and begging that I should stop.

Stop?

I'm not even starting yet.

Nang matapos ako sa kanang palad niya, sinunod ko agad ang kaliwang palad niya. "M-ma-mamamatay... n-na ako..." he said in his hoarse voice.

His breathing became slower and heavier. "Don't even think of dying. It's still early." I threatened him.

"P-p-please..."

He was shaking, but I managed to pull it off. He looks exactly like the one he's been worshipping. My lips automatically curl when I look at him. I slapped him multiple times to wake him up, as he lost consciousness a while ago.

"Do you like it?" I asked him.

He nodded.

Idiniin ko ang pakong nakalubog sa gitna ng palad niya. Napapikit siya sa sakit, ngunit hindi na siya makasigaw dahil sa sobrang panghihina. "You shouldn't like this, I don't want you to f*****g like this. I want you to cry and suffer."

"I d-don't like t-this... P-please, p-pakawalan mo n-na ako..."

Sumunod kong diinan ay ang pako na naka-ukit sa mga paa niya. "I took my time to do this, and you're saying that you didn't like it?"

I moved a few meters away from him. I took my dagger from my bun hair, kaya lumaglag ang buhok ko. Sinadya kong ibato sa taas ng ulo niya ang dagger, only aiming for his couple of strands of hair. Because of that, he sighed in relief.

"Oops, I missed it." Lumapit ako sa kaniya at hinatak ang dagger sa ibabaw ng ulo niya. Before he could even blink his eyes, I plunged it straight into his chest. "Oops, I think I aimed right this time."

I can still hear him barely breathing. I pulled my dagger from his chest and stabbed it into his middle forehead.

"Good night," paalam ko bago hatakin ang dagger.

After I picked up my things, I went straight to my car. It doesn't bother me whether the police would find the body. Aside from not being able to catch me, they f*****g suck. Up to these days, I still don't know how justice works in this country. Everyone seems to live such lawless lives.

And that includes me.

"Gosh, I reek of blood." I removed the raincoat I was wearing. I always wear raincoats whenever I have to do something like this. I can't bear to have blood in my clothes.

While I was driving, my phone rang. It's Axel. I slid the right button to answer his call. "What is it?" I asked.

"Tapos ka na?"

"Yeah, why?" I respond.

He didn't answer me for a second, so I was about to end the call when he finally spoke. "Good. Make sure you get home safe."

He then ended the call.

The first thing I did when I reached my house was to shower. I'm disgusted. I tried to wash off every drop of blood on my skin. But no matter how hard I tried to remove this, I was born tainted inside.

After I dried my hair, I threw myself on my bed. It was never easy to sleep for me. I've been haunted by something I shouldn't be. I wish I have something that would keep my nightmares in peace.

I'm really sleepy, but I can't sleep because my mind isn't letting me. I just stared at my ceiling for about an hour and a half before falling asleep.

"What the f**k?!" I yelled.

"Oh, you keep on mumbling about something, but I couldn't wake you up when I tried." Axel smiled awkwardly.

"You didn't have to pour water on me!"

Tumayo ako para magpalit ng damit. Nang lumabas ako ng banyo, tinatanggal niya na ang sapin ng kama ko at mga punda ng unan. I just let him do it because it was his fault anyway. I looked at the clock above the TV, and it wasn't even six o'clock yet. That means I slept less than three hours.

I went to the kitchen to make coffee. I didn't bother to make one for Axel because he won't drink it. That man's trust issues are insane.

"Why are you even here? You think my house is something you can go in and out as you like?" I snapped at him. He's carrying my mattress to take it outside and dry it.

"We have a new job," he replied. "It's not that hard, but the client paid a lot."

"I can't even catch a break." I complained.

"You're a mercenary, Aria." he retorts as if he isn't, too!

He passed me a file. Huh? A pickpocket? "You can do this alone, asshole. You barged into my place for this?"

He shrugged. "I know, I'm just being considerate. Pero kung ayaw mo naman ng one-fifty thousand, that's also fine."

That much money for a pickpocket?

I flicked his hand just as he was about to take the file. His body flinched, and his hand is so red. "Sorry," I mouthed.

While reading through the information, something suddenly popped into my mind. "By the way, do you still have Eve's business card?

He answered me with a nod. I took a pencil and a piece of paper, then wrote Robert's address.

"You want me to drop Eve's business card here?" Tumango ako sa tanong niya. "Andoon pa kaya sila?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Hopefully.

Eve's a friend of ours and one of the best psychologists I've ever known. Not that I have experienced talking to one, and I don't intend to go to one. It's just that she's been helping a lot of people.

Axel immediately left after I finished skimming the information. The person just wants his wallet back, and I've got the pickpocket's picture and location. I just have to follow him and catch him in the act. Maybe I'll remove a finger or two from him, just in case. He has a nice physique and he looks good for a pickpocket. What a shame.

"Oh, he's really tall. You sure this man does pickpocket for a living?"

"I don't need your side comments. Just follow him." Axel said through the earpiece, irritated.

"What's his name again?" I questioned him.

"Chase," he replied.

Chase, huh?

I'm on the rooftop to have a better look at his every move. He seems normal and calm. "Hah," I was astonished at how quick his hand was. He managed to get the woman's wallet who just passed by him. "Hey, how many fingers should I cut off from him?"

"Wala, Aria. Just get the wallet."

"Oh? I was planning to cut off one, but since you said two, alright." I giggled.

He sighed in annoyance. "Like as if you would listen."

He turned into a narrow alley, so I had to jump to the next roof. "f**k!" I cursed as I almost fell. "Uh..." His forehead wrinkled when he looked up at me.

I bit my lip. He knew that I was following him, so he ran away. I immediately followed him, and it was easy since no other people were walking in this alley. We ended up getting into a small old factory.

"Andito na," ngumisi siya sa akin kaya kumunot ang noo ko. Tumakbo ulit siya palabas, ngunit hindi ko na ito hinabol.

A smile slowly formed on my lips when I felt someone behind me. So, there's another one. I turned to the person behind me, and my smile grew even bigger when I recognized who it was.

"Hi," I greeted him.

"Who're you talking to?" tanong ni Axel sa kabilang linya.

I didn't answer Axel and took off my earpiece again. I focused my gaze on the hand of the person in front of me. He's wearing a two-finger brass knuckle ring. Is he planning to fight me?

"Sorry, I didn't mean to intimidate you." Tinanggal niya ang brass knuckle ring sa kamay niya at ibinulsa ito. "I'm just here to talk."

I scoffed. Why would I find him intimidating?

"We're not even close," I mimicked him.

"I want to join you," he said. The whole place became silent. None of us moved for a minute until he spoke again. "I know what you do, and I want to be a part of it."

I stared blankly into his dark-brown siren eyes as I scanned him from head to toe. He towered over me with a lean build and broad shoulders. His dyed-brown hair and ear piercings complement his sharp features. He seemed like the kind of guy who might have been a delinquent in high school.

"Sure," I agreed. I turned around and waved goodbye to him. When he finally lowered his guard, I attempted to land a punch on his face. He quickly dodged it, which triggered my adrenaline. "If you can make it out alive here. Nice reflex, by the way."

"That's a piece of cake. Are you giving me a free pass?" He grabbed my arm, but immediately released it when I kneed him in the stomach.

This bastard sure is full of himself.

"How did you find out about me?" I asked. He tried to tackle me, but I quickly spun off and kicked him in the back, causing him to fall.

He stood up quickly and tripped me. "I was just curious about how someone could be so good and beat me in a race. I did some digging into your personal background," he said, threatening me with a punch. But I struck first. "s**t," he whined.

"Isn't that invading someone's privacy?" I retorted. He moved his shoulder quickly, and I thought he was going for a jab, but he kicked me in the calf instead. I winced. "Also, why do you want to join?"

"Just because," he grinned. He threw a wild blow in my direction, but I easily made a swerve and gave him an uppercut. "Damn!" He bit his lower lip and checked his jaw.

"Are you out of your mind, or are you just upset that I beat you at something you thought you were good at?"

I attempted to wrap my arms around his neck, but he swiftly punched me in the solar plexus, causing me to let go in pain. I tried to regain my balance, and while I was catching my breath, I retaliated by delivering an elbow to his upper leg.

He quickly regained from it and landed a good hit which sent my head snapping back. My vision became a bit blurry as I staggered backward. That was f*****g good. This man, for sure, knows how to punch.

"I have personal reasons," he wheezed. "Even if I don't tell you, you'll let me in if I beat your ass right now, won't you?"

"That's rich coming from someone who I beat in a race," I teased him.

My composure came back, and I came at him with a flurry of punches that he could barely block. I felt my fist connect with his ribs, and he screamed in pain. As he should. I pulled out my dagger and grabbed him by his collar. I pointed my dagger at his carotid artery.

Oh, you're so dead, Zale.

"Why are you so desperate to know about my dead mother?"

He looked at me in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"You see, you're not the only one here who did their research. Wanna test how much I know about you?" I threatened him. "You should stop now. One of us will end up dead if we keep crossing paths."

He swiftly held my arm and twisted it. I groaned. This fucker! "Aren't you curious to see who'll end up dead between us?" He smug. He pointed his spiked-ring right at my eye. Just how many rings does he have? "You're gonna let me join your team, or you'll walk out of here blind?"