Thalia was now in hiding, crouched low in the shadows beneath the trees with her cousin. She had witnessed the rapid sequence of horrifying events unfold before her eyes. Her entire body trembled as she tried to remain still, careful not to draw attention to her presence.
Isabel? What are you doing here? Are you really allowing the rescued women to be recaptured and dragged back into that hellish warehouse?
The questions flooded her mind, though she knew she wasn't ready to face the answers.
Her visions—those fragmented scenes from her supernatural journeys—had started to come true.
Suddenly, she was drawn into another vision.
She saw herself standing in front of a woman holding a knife, blood dripping from its edge. Her gaze shifted—and her breath caught. It was her own lifeless body on the ground, soaked in blood from multiple stab wounds. Staring down at her was Isabel. A gunshot rang out behind her, and she turned to see Ericka.
Thalia gasped aloud.
It was a warning. A dire one.
She came back to reality, leaning weakly against the wooden post. The chaos had subsided. Slowly, she crept forward, observing the surroundings. She had heard gunfire earlier, likely from her cousin's team. But they had arrived too late.
She now knew the identity of the woman working as a spy in the basement. Tricia.
Everything had been building toward this moment—the infiltration, the betrayal, the bloodshed.
They had prepared for this moment for so long, hoping to uncover the mastermind behind the organization's uprising. But even so, she hadn't expected it to come this way.
I need to find the evidence Fernan hid.
Her steps led her to the basement. She didn't even know why her feet moved in that direction, only that she felt she had to go.
Then she heard it—a woman crying.
Thalia followed the sound. Her heart clenched at the tragic scene surrounding her—lifeless bodies, bloodstained floors. So many had died before dawn.
She searched the room, looking for the source of the crying. The sobbing had stopped.
She moved toward a cabinet, opened it, and there she found a wounded woman, blood trickling from a bullet graze. The woman held a knife in trembling hands.
"Who are you?! Who are you?!" the woman cried out, eyes wide with fear.
"Calm down. Don't worry. I'm not here to hurt you," Thalia said gently.
"Don't lie to me! Are you with Tricia?" the woman asked, panicking.
"No. I'm with Delta and Beta," Thalia replied, using the codenames she remembered.
The woman slowly began to calm down. Just then, footsteps echoed nearby.
"Tricia, come on," a woman's voice called.
"I heard something," the other said.
"There's no one here, Tricia," the first one responded.
Thalia and the injured woman held their breath. Something clattered in the distance. The two searchers moved to check it out.
Thalia signaled the woman to follow. They slipped out the back door—an exit only a few people knew about—and disappeared into the darkness. She was grateful for the shadows, though she wasn't entirely sure of the basement's layout.
"Were there others with you?" she asked the woman she was helping.
She shook her head. "Some of the caregivers managed to save a few when the helpers arrived… but most of the women were caught and taken back to the warehouse." Her voice was thick with fear.
Thalia nodded solemnly. She was grateful a few had escaped, but heartbroken knowing others were being dragged back to torment.
I've seen what will happen to them, she thought bitterly. She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed deeply.
They arrived at a nearby hut—one she remembered from her cousin William's instructions. She paused to catch her breath.
"Does Tricia know about these huts?" Thalia asked.
The woman looked uncertain and shook her head. "That's all we know."
"I see. I think I know where your other companions are being held," Thalia said.
As they stepped forward, weapons suddenly blocked their path. Thalia instinctively raised her hands.
"Wait, I know her," a man said.
"Let them in," came her cousin Vince's voice.
Before the woman could enter, Vince gave a signal. "Pat her down first. She might be carrying a tracking device."
Thalia didn't recognize the man beside Vince, but she followed the order and searched the woman carefully.
Then she paused. "What's this?"
She handed over a small, hidden device resembling a phone.
"Don't worry. That's for William," Vince said, taking it from her. "You can go now."
Inside the hut, Thalia saw the other rescued women. She counted them. The number fit on one hand.
Her heart sank.
She watched as one of the rescued women embraced another named Fiona.
"Treat her wound first," Vince ordered.
"Let me know if you see anything suspicious," the man beside Vince added.
Thalia noticed William, focused intently on his laptop.
"Any important data?" Vince asked.
"Yeah. But I've already deleted and wiped everything," William replied. "Thanks for helping, Zenne."
"Anytime," said Zenne.
Vince turned to her. "I'm proud you made it back safely. I was worried you got caught with the others."
"Can we still save them?" Thalia asked quietly.
William sighed. "We'll try. I just hope they're still alive."
Thalia clenched her fists. But what can I do? I'm no hero—not if I can't even save myself.
She sat down, thoughts racing. She had to come up with a plan.
Should I travel again? Can I really do this?
Then someone handed her a cup of warm milk.
"Drink this while it's still hot," he said, ruffling her hair.
Thalia just nodded silently.