Mission: Human Termination

CHAPTER TWO- THE PAST

-Flashback-

It was morning in the 24th of December year 1990 where everyone in Barangay Salvacion are busy preparing for the celebration that'll happen later in that day.

One of the organizers is the head of the Barangay who is very focused for the preparation, he was happy seeing people happy and excited for the outcome of their hardwork.

Theresa, which is one of the neighbor of the Zedlers suddenly went near the Barangay Captain and exchanged their greetings. "Captain, did the Family Zedler went here?" Theresa asked with a curious tone.

"I never saw them coming here, Theresa. Why asking?" the Captain stopped from what he was doing and faced Theresa with a serious look.

"N-nothing, Captain. I was just curious if ever they dropped by and helped for the preparation." The Captain felt Theresa's nervousness and thought if something happened at the Zedler's residence last night that made her this preoccupied.

"Is something bothering you, Theresa?" Theresa directly shooked her head the moment he asked it.

The Captain raised an eyebrow not convinced of what she replied. Then, Theresa sighed and directly met the Captain's gaze.

"Captain, you can say that I am just imagining or hallucinating with what I will say but I promise you, what I hear and saw is really the truth," Theresa said in a whispering tone.

"What do you mean?" the Captain asked.

"Last night, when I was about to empty the trash bin in our house, I heard a sudden scratch from the Zedler's house and because of my curiousity, I was already outside the house that time and all I can see was silhouettes of different people. I directly recognized Satchel Zedler's back because of the little light from the street lamps. A-and when he turned his head at my direction... H-he..." the shock was still visible in Theresa's eyes, her sweat was flowing at the corner of her forehead so the Captain helped her wipe her sweat then asked her calmly, "What did you really saw there at that moment?"

"Mr. Zedler's mouth was covered with blood." Theresa was so scared that made her lose her balance.

She was brought to the Barangay Clinic from the Captain's orders. He was staring deeply at the ceiling of his office, he didn't go back to where he was awhile ago since he was still preoccupied of what the Zedler's neighbor just shared.

A lot of things were pouring in his mind and he just can't take everything with just sitting in his office. "I've got to do something," He then stood up and made up his mind to go to the Zedlers.

As the driver stopped the car, the Captain automatically opened the door and went out. He roamed his eyes at the view of the house, it is big but could already sense the gloomy aura from afar.

He suddenly shooked his head remembering what Theresa told him and plastered a smile on his face approaching the Zedler's house.

He pressed the doorbell twice and later on the door was opened by a woman in her mid-50s smiling ear to ear and he thought that she was kind of strange or maybe just her smile.

"Good morning to you, but can I have some of Mr. Zedler's time please?" he directly said without any hesitation. The Captain thought that he would stutter but surprisingly, he didn't. "May I know who are you, Sir?" the lady asked with a smile.

He returned a smile before answering, "I am Robin Gonzalez, Maa'm. I am currently the Barangay Captain of our Barangay." At first, the lady was shocked but then she smiled again and opened the door wide open.

"Please come in, Sir. My husband is in the sala and was just fond reading the current news," Robin went in and waited for Mr. Zedler's wife to lead the way.