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■ ALEXIA ■

"You have no idea how many plans I've already thought of to plot your murder, Lily Margaux."

I hissed while I stare at her back so intensely.

Nakalabas na kami nang kuwarto na tinulugan ko. Naglalakad kami at sinusundan ang bukod tanging haliparot sa harapan.

It was a long hallway, the walls and floor are all made out of metal and it was so cold. The lights are limited and minimal therefore it's also dark at the same time.

Na sa magkabilaan ko ang dalawang servants habang mahigpit na hinahawakan ang dalawa kong braso. At this point my arms are literally gonna be bruised dahil sa kahihila nila saakin!

"Can you give an example then?" Lily sarcastically asked without glancing at me. I can just feel her smirking even if I don't look at her face.

"Didn't I tell you? I'll slit your throat once we end up in a bad situation, and would you look at it? This must be a perfect time." I said.

Lily chuckled a little. "I did say likewise, though," She stopped walking as she turned around to look me in the eye. I was right, she's smirking. "And between the two of us, I can do it to you anytime. Do you know what you should do?"

I smirked. "Use your ugly pics as blackmail? I have dozen," I know how to piss her off, just attack her insecurities.

Her eyes widened in shock. Lily breathed heavily between her words. "You think those pics will scare me off, huh?"

"Why not, dear Lily? Should I elaborate on that one photo of you choking over fruit loops in front of your servants?" I continued.

Nang sabihin 'yon ay naramdaman kong lumuwag ang hawak sa mga braso ko.

I smirked even more. It's okay to laugh, servants!

Lily breathed heavily out of anger. She then pointed her index finger aggressively at my mouth level. "If you don't shut that mouth right now--"

"What about that pic where you tripped yourself on the staircase like a motherfucker--"

"SHUT THE HELL UP, ALEXIA!"

I hysterically laughed in front of her face. 

After I laughed, I turned serious as I look directly into her eyes. "I won't stop my dirty mouth, Lily, not until you let go of me."

Lily can actually kill me with her death stare at this point. She exhaled first before talking, like a rapper getting ready to spit words. "You know what, that's right! Let's see kung anong gulo ang maabutan mo once they witness a freaking bitch like you--"

"Calling Margaux, hello, hello."

My eyes widened when I heard someone calling Lily. It was a phone call type of sound but I got all confused when Lily is not even holding her phone at all.

Tumingin naman ako sa bandang tenga ng babae and I furrowed my eyes.

She has a black earpiece on both of her ears which I didn't notice earlier not until someone called her. In an enclosed area with no windows, and Lily's face three inches near mine, I heard it clearly.

Hiniwalay muna ni Lily ang tingin saakin at saka lumayo ng konti. The latter pressed her earpiece then spoke. "Yes?"

"Is that the last recruit left?"

"Yes, Ms. Diaz. I've already delivered nineteen recruits on the ground floor. This is the last one." The bitch sounds totally like a dog.

"Great, what's her name?"

Lily gazed at me and she smirked. "Misty Alexia Valdez."

"Alexia Valdez? Okay, bring her now."

Lily left her gaze on me as she said, "I will."

I was left speechless after that. This is like entering Hogwarts or about to witness some MCU heroes type of shit.

Genuinely asking, how did it come to this? When, why, and what did I do to come to this point?

"Let's not waste any more time. I'll bring you to your destiny now, dear friend."

■ ■ ■ ■

'ding!'

The elevator opened once the light at the top said 'GF'.

Lily walked out first and the servants once again dragged me like dead meat to walk forward.

Nang umalis sa elevator, agad napakaw ng atensyon ko ang kabuoang groundfloor ng Dark Dragons.

Sobrang laking lugar, para akong na sa mall pero ang kinaibahan ay itim ang kulay ng mga glass window, at gawa sa purong metal ang mga dingding.

Sa aking kaliwa ay nakita ko ang nakasabit na malaking simbolo ng Dark Dragons. At sa kanan naman ay glass window kaya nakita ko kahit papaano ang labas. Outside is a very large green field of nothing with few trees from afar. Based on the surroundings, it is also noon at the moment. The scenery of nothing but land just gave me intrusive thoughts of breaking the damn windows and get the hell outta here.

"Don't let the intrusive thoughts win, Alexia. You'll only get in trouble."

I came back to reality when Lily spoke. She's looking at me with her arms crossed. Based on the looks of it, she's been staring at me for a while now.

"How did you know I'm having intrusive thoughts?" I genuinely asked her.

Lily smirked. "The first time I've been here, I also had a thought of breaking that glass window you're looking at." She answered.

"Your first time? Lily, how did you even get in here?" I asked her again. I still can't digest the fact that this is her secret all along. We've been together all the time for years but I literally never thought about this.

Lily took a while to speak. "I'll tell you when the time's right. For now, I'm gonna bring you to where you need to be." She already turned around and proceed to walk.

While walking, I reminisced about the past once again to try and find out the reason behind Lily's change. I did start to notice it on our drag racing though.

Agad akong tumingala nang madaanan namin ang mga naglalabanan sa gitna mismo ng ground-floor. Marami din ang nanonood sa kanila. I got weirded out when they all wear the same thing. White sleeveless shirt, black cargo pants, utility belt, and black ankle boots. They look like police trainees or whatever you call them, but the difference is they are here in Dark Dragons and are trained to harm people.

Ain't no way I'm gonna be a recruit of that.

When we passed them, lots of hoes and douchebags turned their heads to look at me from afar. Huh, must've been their first time seeing a goddess!

But that assumption of mine disappeared when a few of them smirked, the smirk that says 'it's about to go down' or 'did she know the world she entered?' vibe and honestly I ask myself that too.

"Hmm, third-class members." I managed to hear what Lily said even if we're walking.

Third class?

"You seem to know your own kind pretty well," I tried to annoy her. But I didn't know it worked when I heard her silent groan.

"Looks like your rank for centuries, with that attitude of yours." Lily breathed out. Pfft, what does she mean by that?

We entered another hallway. The place looks the same from behind us but my attention converted to the large group of people in the middle. Nakatayo sila ng tuwid at nakalinya ng maayos. May isang lalaki ang nakatayo sa harap nila at mga servants sa gilid nito.

We stopped in our tracks for a second at humarap saakin si Lily. "Don't do any shit--"

"I'm gonna mess around hanggang sa paalisin na nila ako dito, Lily." I cut her off.

"You're never getting out of here remember?" Lumapit siya saakin. "And don't ever try to annoy them, they're dangerous people, Alexia. They're trained to fight, they have skills. Whatever you're trying to plan, don't continue it now." Lily warned me with such a serious tone.

After she betrayed me, she's acting ever so sweetly and concerned now? Gurl, I'm not buying it!

Before I could even utter another word, she turned around and we proceed to walk. Papunta doon sa grupo.

They must be all the other recruits.

Nagising lang ako sa katotohanan nang humiwalay na si Lily sa harapan ko. Nandito ako sa last row ng mga taong hindi ko kilala. Sa gilid ako pwinesto ng dalawang servants at binitawan na nila ang braso ko. Nakita ko si Lily na naglakad papunta doon sa harapan.

When I stood here, the teenagers near me looked at me. Some have blank expressions, a few have smirks plastered on their faces, and most of them have fear and terror in their eyes. I was stunned.

Never have I ever been placed in the most confusing situation, as if this whole shit is not confusing enough already.

I dramatically rolled my eyes at them as I shifted my gaze to somewhere else. I tiptoed for a bit to see if Molly is also here in this group. But to my confusion, I saw a girl in the first row who looks familiar.

"Looks like all of the recruits are now gathered here. Wala na bang naiwan, Margaux?" 

The man in the middle gazed at Lily from his side.

I stared at the guy. His brown hair is neatly brushed up with tons of hair gel, well how can I say? Hanggang dito kasi sa likod ay abot pa din ang kinang ng buhok niya.

Compared to Tobias Mitchell who's buff, he looks younger and a bit more proportioned. He wears an all-black suit but without the suit jacket. He seems to show an intimidating aura but honestly? He looked like he would crack a dad joke anytime.

Lily shook her head as a no. "They are all of the recruits, Preceptor Lowell." Lily answered with such respect.

Pfft.

He just nodded in response and then proceed to look at all of us. "Once again, welcome to Dark Dragons," He started. "I'd like to give some brief information about this group's motive.

Dark Dragons is not just an organization but a training ground or school, which teaches you how to be a threat. We mainly attack those who are also involved in illegal activities such as stealing, killing, corruption, drug selling, human trafficking, selling human bodies, are we familiar with Black Market?" 

He asked us. I immediately got goosebumps at what he said.

Good Lord, the more he talks the more it gets really worse.

"You'll know all of those things as you stay here. About that by the way, there's no such thing as allowances here. You're all trained for free!" He exclaimed. "We get all of our money and funds through hacking bank accounts, stealing, making a deal with numerous people, we have connections," He smirked. "Now what you have to do, is to work with us. You're all gonna be trained for two months and in that period of time, you have to know where you excel at. Are you smart enough, skilled enough, or strong enough? Once we know where you're the best at, we will decide which group you're going in." He explained thoroughly. "If you work with us, you benefit from skills and knowledge and gain your freedom outside once again. As we also benefit from your lifetime service to Dark Dragons."

We all gasped in shock. Lifetime?! We'll work for them for a lifetime?! Shit! And this is not even fair as I'm literally forced to go in this ducked-up place. I never thought such things exist. I need to get out of here!

"Do you have any questions before we proceed to your introductions?" The man said.

A small mid-teen guy beside me slowly raised his hand. He seems to voluntarily go here to be a recruit with his calm and composed expression and body language.

Jeez, and he is what? Fourteen?

"Yes?" The man in the middle gazed in our direction after seeing this guy raising his hand.

"What happens when the two-month period finished and we still didn't move ranks?" He asked calmly. Why does it look like he knows it all? What even is a rank?

The man in front gave a silent but creepy chuckle while holding his nose bridge.

He raised his head up afterwards. "Let's not go on that part yet, I don't wanna scare you or lose your motivation to do good. Who else?" Tinuon niya na ang atensyon sa iba pero ang sinabi ng lalaki ay nanatili sa sistema ko.

Yeah right, what if the two-month period ended and they still haven't found where I excel at? Will they kill me, then?

"May I ask what are the ranks and groups?" Another girl asked from afar.

"Good question. I'm not the one assigned to explain it all though. There are approximately eight groups. We have Preceptors which I'm in, Swords, Clevers, Cons, and Doctors which Margaux here is a representative of that group,"

I was shocked for real as I looked at Lily in an instant. A doctor?

This is so surprising considering that she doesn't even look like one. She's more like a stripper.

"We also have the Backbones, Scientists, and the toughest group to get in, which requires immense knowledge and skills... is the Masked Group. There are only four members in that group, and getting there also means you successfully gained the full trust of the Head.

Now going by the ranks, the Head is the highest rank and only requires one person for that position. The following are Superior I - Superior II - Elite I - Elite II - Elite III - First-class - Second-class, and now the lowest which is the Third-class.

Now that the volunteers already asked their questions, let's go to your introductions, starting with you."

I froze when he pointed in my direction all of a sudden. Holy shit...

"I'm calling you, brunette girl with a white silk polo shirt." He specifically said while looking straight at me from afar. That's when all of them looked at me.

I got nervous but I shrug it off as I'm really determined to leave here. "W-why should I? I'm speaking on behalf of all of the innocent people who got dragged here into this mess... Let go of us." I sternly said while looking at him directly too.

The man didn't take me seriously as he smirked devilishly. "So you're that girl Kingsley told us about, huh?"

I frowned. Who even is Kingsley?

He seems to understand my change of expression when he spoke again. "You seem to know Ben Dover instead, but that's just his stage name as a Conman. His real name is Kingsley McCoy."

I scoffed. That's why Ben Dover sounds so fake and unrealistic, 'cause the jerk is nothing but a conman!

"You haven't even started yet and you already gained popularity here. That's a record. We're looking forward to working with you, Alexia, right?" The man even had the nerve to ask me if he pronounced my name correctly. "Just don't keep that attitude when you face some serious member around." He warned me with a smile. "Next."

"I-i'm Anne Reyes."

"Logan Potteros."

"Francis Santos."

"Akio Oliveros here." The young boy introduced himself beside me.

"H-hanna Montecarlos."

"Joan Garcia."

"I'm Dorothy Gomez."

"Molly... Oquindo."

I snapped my head in an instant when I heard a voice that seems very familiar.

Nang tumingala ako, agad kong nakita si Molly dahil nakatingin ito mismo saakin. Sa kabilang dulo ko siya nakita.

I sighed in relief when I saw Molly's face again as we smiled at each other from afar. Bumaling si Molly sa harapan para tumingin kay Lily and I did the same... the latter is also looking at us.

What can I say, I don't wanna consider her my best friend anymore dahil sa pagtataksil na ginawa niya saaming dalawa ni Molly.

It will take me a while to forgive her, or even forget about her damn betrayal. But at the same time, I really wanna know why she's done all of this. There's no way she has no reason at all.

"And you are?"

My attention converted to the man once again. He's asking the girl in front, whom I felt familiar with earlier. Who is she again?

The poor girl's head is down the whole time. "U-uhm, I'm... my name will be, h-hard..."

I widened my eyes when I realized immediately.

Ayana?!

"AYANA!"

I jumped when I heard someone shout behind us. I immediately turned my head to see who it is...

My jaw dropped.

Wait, what?!

Adrian stopped in his tracks, not too far from me. He is directly looking in front with a serious and worried expression, like a kid who just lost his toy.

Ayana, then Adrian-- shit. So they are siblings?

Not long before Adrian also noticed me as we made eye contact since we're literally just inches apart. He is also shocked as I do when we saw each other.

Another figure came running as he stopped beside Adrian. 

"Adrian, hah... Don't be too fast!"

Axe Rushton exclaimed as he tried to catch his breath, holding his friend's right arm for support.

Holy fuck?

Then another guy showed up and I just know who it is.

"Punyeta naman, Adrian!" Fawck exhaled loudly. Mukhang hingal na hingal silang tatlo sa kakatakbo para makapunta dito.

This damned situation!

First is Lily's betrayal, and Ayana whom I never expected to see here, then seeing Adrian, Axe, and Fawck together to finding out that Ayana is probably Adrian's younger sister while I didn't even have enough time to at least be at peace to see Molly again is just sending me over the edge.

This is like a reunion of bad memories all combined! And I'm this close, this close, to believing that this is not a nightmare but my reality now!

And that didn't even end there when we all heard a loud sound approaching the ground floor. Like a comet about to hit us but it didn't come from the sky at all.

We all looked at where the sound was coming from, which is outside that large glass door on the right with a view of the land. We watched in silence, like waiting for a sign of bad luck that we couldn't escape anymore.

Most of us screamed in surprise when a loud sound of metal hit each other just above that glass door. We saw a large figure on the ground, he was bent down from his landing with such impact, his large hand on the floor for support, and his full, blonde head facing all of us.

I momentarily felt so nervous upon seeing him slowly standing up from his position. This guy came from... above this building?

Before I could even think about it, we jumped in surprise when the unknown blondie kicked the glass door in the harshest way possible, making both of the doors swing open for him.

We felt the hot and fresh air coming from outside hugging our skins in an instant, as the latter made his grandest entrance.

Tall and broad-shouldered guy wearing a white suit shirt, loose red tie, black pants, and a colorful bandana mask covering half of his face. His shiny but messy blonde hair didn't escape my sight as his cold eyes wandered around us.

Those eyes... Why does it look sort of familiar too?

I looked at Adrian beside me, then I looked over at that mysterious blonde once again...

What the...?

To be continued...

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