ALPHA

"Make sure the information from that person does not leak. Tell my forces to immediately respond to the area where the suspect is. You already know the plan. Assign one person to come at my office any moment to get the reward money. Move now, or the suspect may get a chance to get away. Also prepare the armies for back up in case the suspect tries to fight."

"Yes, sir."

I hung up the phone and went straight to the president's office. I'm not in camp krame right now, so I hurried to the president's office to inform him.

"Good morning, Chief" I responded to him and salute before I enetered the President's office.

He was busy looking at some papers. He looked up before standing up and saluted me which I immediately responded to.

He motioned for me to sit down and I did. He immediately sat down and read again what he was reading earlier before signing it and took another paper and started reading.

"Is there any information about Mr. Villafuente?" He asked me as his eyes continued reading.

"Yes sir. Someone has already pointed out the suspect, my forces are doing their task now and the armies are ready to back up." I replied to him that he immediately looked up.

"Praise God!" He stood up and held out his hand. We gave ourselves a handshake while the joy can be seen on our faces.

"He has been the most wanted person of the country for over 4 years now. I hope you succeed in your mission, Logronio. Many people will finally get justice for the loss of their family members."

"Yeah, if he decide to be a good kid, there will be a lot of cases waiting for him. If he decide to be a bad one, the grave will wait for him." He laughed at my joke. Heh, I don't even find it funny.

"Anyway, in which area is Mr. Villafuente hiding?" He asked with a serious look on his face and turned his attention back to the papers.

"This is a surprise actually, Mr. President because this is not where I expected him to hide. Unlike other criminals, they would choose to hide in exclusive areas. But this guy chose to stay in a sacred place. Allegedly, his distant relative who is a priest is helping him hide in the place. I will also investigate this priest."

Wait. Somethings wrong.

I slipt my hands in my pocket and I quickly took my phone.

September 16, Sunday.

My body froze when I saw the date on the lockscreen.

I've been busy this whole time that I haven't got the chance to visit my family for 3 days.

"Somethings wrong, Mr. Logronio?" He asked me while slightly lowering his reading glass to look at me.

"T-today's September 16, right?" I asked while still staring at my lockscreen.

I looked up to him with his back turned against me and looking at his calendar. I saw it too and it further strengthened my suspicion.

"I have to go, Mr. President. I'm sorry. I'm in a hurry." I never looked back at him and I ran to my office and took the key of my car.

I quickly got off the third floor and ran to the parking lot and made my way into my car.

Today's sunday, it means Catholic churches are having masses right now and lots of people will be get involved. The thought froze me for a moment. My Family whould be probably in that church too. I don't know where my family is now, but they don't fail to go to church, especially on Sundays.

The faces of my wife and our only daughter flashed through my mind.

I got more nervous and started the engine.

I was about to move the car when my phone vibrated.

"H-hello, Mr. Huarez." I stummered answering Mr. Huarez on the other line.

"Sir, We need you here. Your wife and your child are among the hostages inside the church. One of our colleagues failed to do a task so Mr. Villafuente got the chance to know about the policemen surrounding the church"

I cursed and cursed until I got contented. I calmed myself down before I opened my mouth.

"I'm on my way, do everything you can to calm Villafuente. Do everything you can to make sure people inside wont get any futher trouble. Hang on there, I'm coming."

I put down the phone and headed for the said place.

There are four cases waiting for Mr. Villafuente.

His first was because of protecting Drug Lords while he was still in his position as five-star General. Second, Child abuse. Third, Illegal position of firearms. Fourth is the heaviest one, he's the mastermind of a massacre that killed over a 100 businessmen. I don't want that to happen again this time, especially now that my family is with him.

A few minutes later I arrived at the place. The policemen are trying their best to keep people away from the dangerous area where Villafuente and the hostages are.

I approached the police patrols outside the church. I saw Mr. Huarez drewing close to me holding a speaker.

I immediately took the speaker from his hand and went straight to the back of the armored van positioned at the very front of the church.

"Mr. Villafuente. Are you in there?." I closed my eyes the monent I heared my daughter crying. Shes only 8 years old and I feel useless as a father that she is experiencing this.

I'm a freaking Chief of Police! I am the father of all the policemen in Philippines and here I am now, looking down at myself because my family is inside with the other people while I'm here outside doing nothing. Even if I wanted to enter the church, it will make the situations more dangerous.

I lost every single piece of me every second I stand here outside the church doing nothing hearing my daughter cry.

A policeman handed me the phone and I immediately took it. "I was praying here moments ago. I would have regretted everything I did wrong but one of your policemen interrupted my time with God and that pissed me... A lot." An evil laugh scaped his mouth.

"So, I decided not regret anymore... Not until I do something." His laughter grew louder that got me iriitated and clenched my fists.

"I know I can't hide forever, Mr. Logronio. Just like now, this is so unexpected."

"We can still talk things out, Mr. Villafuente. You don't have to put inocent lives at risk." I spoke with a heavy tune.

"Awww, inocent? Are you referring to your family? Just look." He shouted. I raised my head up to the window of the van and saw Villafuente holding my daughter's hand at the opening of the church.

My Daughter's eyes are already puffy, and I know that she's really scared of Villafuente.

Seing my daughter like that felt like the whole universe droped on my chest. I almost forgot to breathe. I wanted to do something but I know it will make the atmosphere much worse.

Villafuente smiled like an evil who got out of hell to enjoy human world. He went inside again with my daughter.

"Please, old friend. Don't harm my family." I almost can't manage to let out a voice. my whole body trimbled.

"You scared?" He laughed again.

"C-mon, old friend. I still know how to remember how i used to treat you as a friend. Here, let me give you a favor."

"D-daddy." I heard my daughter called me on the phone between sobs which literally felt like my heart is going to drop any moment.

I stopped sobbing and adjusted myself. "Baby, don't cry. Daddy is here. Just wait for me okay? Don't be scared, protect mommy okay?" I said softly reassuring her that everything is under control and nothing to worry about.

"Y-yes, daddy. I will protect mommy, and also you, daddy. I'm scared, please hurry ..... d-daddy!"

I can't help but to take the phone away from my ears when I heared her cry.

I don't want to hear her cry, but I can still hear her crying from inside the church. Please, dear Lord. Don't let this happen in your church.

I put the phone back to my ear. "your child." This is all I heard.

"what?"

"I said, your daughter's cute when crying.How about I make her cry more often? It would be so relaxing!"

"Harick, I am warning you to never hurt the people inside." He just laughed and cut the call.

I punched the armored van and approached Huarez.

"Who the hell among of these men failed to do a simple task?" I stoped myself from shouting. I could feel heat rising up my head.

He immediately approached me with a policeman who has his head facing down the ground.

Feeling the extreme current in my hand, I punched him on the face with all might, which got him knoked down the cement road.

I was immediately being stopped by other policemen while the idiot is still knoked, his comrades pulled me away from him to prevent futher things that I might regret doing.

I never thought of that idiot again and after two hours under the intense sunlight we were able to make another plan.

"Mr. Villafuente. I want to talk to you. Tell me what you want no matter what is it, name it. In exchange of all the life you are holding inside there. Let's talk face to face."

I said on the other phone.

"Tricky." He chuckled.

"I guarantee you no harm, Mr. Villafuente as long as you give no harm on my people in there too."

I turned to Mr. President who is now behind me.

"Mr. President, it's not safe here. Stay away."

He just shrugged his shoulders and made his way to where I'm standing while his guards are fully alert beside him.

"Wow! is this a reunion? Hey there, Mr. President, my old friend." I can sense that he is grinning.

"Let them go, Harick." Mr. President commanded to Villafuente.

"Will you fight too, Romeo?" His voice was mocking.

"Too bad Juliet's Gone." Romeo clenched his fists.

"My wife's name is Kristyn, Harick. You killed her, remember?" A sad smile peeked over the side of Romeo's lips.

"Oops."

I was taken a back when I heard my daughter crying. It took me just a second to take the phone from Romeo and spoke to Harick.

"Bastard! Don't touch my daughter, you filthy beast!"

"Woah! I'm sorry, okay?. She's just so cute when crying... Okay Leenard, let's talk. Include Mr. President if he wants to."

"No, I will do it alone." Strictly speaking to him.

"Use your weapon and we will not hesitate to kill you." I threatened him before stepping out of the armored van.

"Be careful, Leenard." I just smiled at Romeo and nodded.

Romeo, Harick, and I were close friends. We used to do stupid things back then. I always wanted to be Police. Harick wanted to be the President. And Romeo wanted to be a Lawyer.

But the wind took me to the highiest position of the Policemen. While Romeo, he achieved his goal then later on he became the President of the Philippines. And Harick was the father of the Armies. But now Harick Came down frome 5-star General to 5-star criminal.

I slowly entered the church when I saw my wife Jeyhan kneeling in front of me while our daughter is hugging her and behind them was Harick who was smiling and carrying a gun, it was not aimed at my family but I must not reciprocate.

I took a glance of other people behind Harick, some are trembling and some are crying silently.

"Tell me what you want, Harick. Free those people."

"Gun."

I took a deep breath and grabbed my gun and placed it on the floor. He motioned me to slide it away which I did immediately did with my foot.

"Let me go abroad." He said firmly.

"Okay, Harick. Now free those people." He freed six altar servers that ran out of the church.

I looked at him confused which made him laugh.

"You underestimate me too much. I'm not that stupid to get myself a happily ever after because of just a free trip to wherever the hell I want to go." He grinned.

His just toying the situation.

I do not know what he's planning. I don't know if he has any colleagues around. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a few civilian police officers slowly bending over to the back of the church to execute our plan.

"Tell me what else you want in exchange of the liberation of those people." I repeated to him.

"Did you miss me?" I looked at him without expression as his having a wide evil smile.

"It's funny how time seemed to move really fast. I thought it was just yesterday when we used to hang around together with Romeo." He said slightly shaking his head as if he can't believe how time naturally tick fast.

"You chose this path of being a criminal, Harick. Things whould have been the same between the three of us if only you didn't decide to be selfish. As much as we would like to help you, we can no longer interfere with your filthy decicions. I was never expecting back then I would be the one to arrest a friend. Who knew arresting a criminal would be this painful?" I smirked.

He laughed and put his gun close to my daughter's head. I couldn't breath. He put hid hands on my wife's hair softly combing it hair with his fingers gently.

"How's my Family?" He asked. his face went sad talking about his family.

"Their doing fine, Harick. They miss you. They would rather want to see you even behind bars than knowing you're like this."

He laughed and waved his hands in the air and I was alarmed because his gun is pointing to any direction.

He turned round and round while laughing. His laughing but theres sadness written all over it.

I find it ironic how a heartless criminal miss his family. But It's still sad.

In the middle of his laughters I saw a few tears flowing down his cheeks. He wiped away his tears before stopped moving.

I saw another tears forming, then he continued to laugh again and turned round and round.

My eyes widened when I heard an electric current shot and Harick stoped moving and began to shake.

I heard a gunshot that deafened my hearing. I could not count the chances of hearing a gunshot up close but this one is intense. It's intense because of a reason.

I was stunned. Simultaneously with Harick's fall, my wife also fell, in shock my Daughter ran towards me and hugged me. I got on my knees and lost strength when I saw the blood flowing from my wife's nape.

Confused. I can hear chaos. People are shouting while running out, Harick screaming because of the commotion caused by the electric gun, my daughter crying loudly, the responding policemen. But my heartbeat still prevailed as I looked at my fallen wife.

No tears formed. I'm too broke to generate tears. I'm too broke to think of something. I'm too broke to do something. I'm broke.

While Harick was still weak because of the current that flowed through his body, he was handcuffed. The medical team came in and approached my wife. They are blocking my sight of my beautiful wife.

My heart sank as every single details finally sinked in my mind.

I just saw some of their medical colleagues running out of the church and they also had colleagues coming in and carrying stretchers.

Is this it?

Even though my breathing remained very heavy, I stood up trembling. Slowly approached my wife. I have no strength. I gently parted the people around her body, even though I wanted to pull them I could not, I'm too weak. I knelt in front of the lying body of my beloved.

I withdrew the hands of some medical persons from taking her to the strecher. They could not do anything about it so they let me to.

I stared at her face. She's so beautiful. It felt like the first time I saw her. Slowly I felt heavier as I slowly understood everything. I understand but I can't accept that she's gone.

'She's gone.' it echoed and kept on banging inside my head.

I caressed her forehead down to her cheeks and the next thing I knew my eyes are filled with tears thats shouting and begging to be released.

I wiped my tears and slowly supported her neck, I can feel the warm sticky liquid coming from her nape. I led her with all my strength to my lap. And looked at her angelic face.

"Wow! I'm surprised you finally showed up her! I almost thought you forgot about us, you're putting your work first! Just make sure you're really busy with your work and not with some other women. My fist will gladly spark at your face!"

I can't help but smile sadly when I remembered her insults when I come home late or stayed at work for a few days.

"Leenard! You forgot your wet towel on the bedsheet again! When will you ever ..."

"Pwe! Your bad in cooking! Okay I admit it's fine but, mine's way so much better."

"Leenard, come look at our daughter. How could a baby like her do such face while asleep? I could stay up till dawn just to watch her face like this."

I lost my smile when I remembered my daughter. I turned around but she's nowhere to be seen. She's too young to experience these.

I groaned as happy memories flashed through my mind. I should have given them more time than my job.

"You should have known better than to act like a hero and causing these."

I looked straight at Romeo looking at Mr. Huarez.

Oh yeah, Mr. Huarez.

"I'm very sorry to disappoint you, Mr. President. For my perspective, that was the perfect time to attack him."

Huarez explained.

"Now, you should be more sorry than ever. You feel frustrated in disappointing me rather than thinking about what Mr. Logronio is feeling right now. You did not follow the plan, Mr. Huarez. Logronio lost the most precious thing for him. Please save your apology for Mr. Dominuiqe Logronio." He tapped Huarez on the shoulder and left. Even before Huarez could turn his head to look at me, I avoided his gaze.

I don't want our eyes to meet. If possible, I don't want to see him again.

I blame you for the death of my wife.

I feel different now. I will not show mercy to any of you. You will regret, you traitors..

If it wasn't because of you filthy people, my wife should've been breathing by now.

prepare yourselves. I can stay silent as long as I can. But, it woud be fatal.

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