Hundrels

After Pharis and Demian shared information about the people that they were looking for, Pharis proved her theory. But she is more curious about whom Demian was talking about because based on his story, they are quite skilled which means, they are stronger foes. 

Then Demian told him where she can find the computer shop and gave her money. 

"Fifty pesos? You gotta be kidding me right?" she said with knitted eyebrows. 

Demian crossed his arms and looked at her with a straight face. "I don't have much money and that's enough to rent a pc," he stated. 

"You are so stingy," she uttered. 

"You're just a spoiled brat." 

Pharis just ignored him and headed out. The house is actually bigger than their house and yard. She wanted to look around more but she must go to the computer shop now. 

"I'll be back," she whispered while looking at the house. She used the passage that Demian told him about which is located at the back part of the house. 

The neighbors are quite far away, which is how Demian got in without anyone noticing. Because only a few people buy lots in this section of the village, it appears to be the most prestigious.

Demian's directions were unclear, so she ended up asking people who were wandering around the streets. Fortunately, she discovered the computer shop, which was only four blocks away.

Because she dislikes being surrounded by a lot of people, the fact that there were few people renting pc was an advantage for her. The place is air-conditioned too. 

Pharis rented one of the pc and immediately put the flash drive in the USB port. She didn't think twice and scanned through her father's files and videos. She doesn't even know how long she's been sitting there, watching the videos of her parents, and then felt a tear coming out of her eyes. 

Is she dreaming? Is this woman really her mother? Penelope is truly different in the videos from the way she is now. How can someone change drastically? 

Pharis had no idea that her mom was like this before. "Is this what you saw, dad?" she pondered. 

"But she's different now…" she whispered and exited the video. 

She wanted to check everything in the flash drive so she watched even the last video that is saved there. Its thumbnail was young Pharis who's eating ice cream while her dad is the one taking the video. 

[Do you like that ice cream more than daddy?] 

[Yeah, give me more!] 

[Aww that hurt.] 

[Daddy, you're overreacting.] 

Pharis appears to be five to six years old in the video wearing her casual outfit. They are outside eating ice cream and hanging out. They are sitting on a bench in the park. 

[Where do you want to go next?] 

[Orphanage.] 

[You wanna play with the other kids?] 

Young Pharis looked at her dad and shook her head and explained, [No, I'm gonna check on someone.] 

[Wait what? Who's that? Is he a boy?] 

[Daddy you are overreacting again…] she said and make a face. 

Manuel asked his kid, [Geez, I just want to know my daughter's friends though. Why didn't you tell me about this kid?] 

[There is nothing interesting about him. He's boring and weak,] young Pharis answered. 

[You're saying he's kind?] her dad queried. 

[Kind in a stupid way,] she replied and rolled her eyes. 

[Words, young woman,] her dad said sternly. 

[Whatever, daddy.] 

Pharis noticed that her eyes started welling up again so she harshly wiped it. She doesn't remember that this happened before. She totally has no memories of her dad but she knows that she was happy when he was alive. They were happy. 

She began to wonder what had become of them, of their family. Pharis' heart began to ache as she continued to watch the video. How she misses her dad especially now that she's really alone. 

Then she opened the documents saved in files, unaware that what she would discover would change her life forever.

Meanwhile, in a dark room, a weak woman is lying on the floor. She's injured critically and could barely move her body but she still tried to reach the bed by crawling. 

She moaned in pain as her breath became heavier from time to time. When she reached the side of the bed, she rested her back and closed her eyes tightly. 

She stayed like that for a while until the door slammed open. 

"Penelope!" a middle-aged man exclaimed. It's Gabriel Del Valle. 

The woman grinned but her heavy breathing continued. She's at her worst because her body wouldn't heal. The poison is already eating her body. 

"What happened?" He ran towards her and helped her lay on the bed. Gabriel heard about what happened in Deviant but he didn't know that Penelope got injured. He's been looking for her.

 "We've made a miscalculation," she blurted out. 

"What do you mean?" Gabriel asked, confused. 

 Penelope smiled as she reminisced about the massive attack of Kiel that caused her to end up like this. "That subject… F1301,"

"What? What about him?" 

"He is the miscalculation," she said without removing the grin on her face. 

"He's dead though. I saw his body and it's almost nothing," Gabriel replied. The poison and acid has been eating his body. 

"I know. It's a pity," Penelope answered. "He's a successful subject and we didn't know about it. It's too bad we weren't able to use him." 

With his last energy and breath, Kiel striked Penelope with all the power he's got. After that, Kiel died giving Penelope a chance to escape while Pharis is still unconscious. 

Penelope didn't have much energy to kill her daughter and she doesn't want to die without achieving her goal. 

"I've changed my mind," Penelope suddenly said while her eyes were still closed. 

"What do you mean?" he asked with a frown on his face. 

Penelope opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling of her room. They are in her secret room inside Deviant. 

"Pharis… that bxtch daughter of mine," she uttered and chuckled. "I'm very sure she's going to kill me." 

She just got lucky today but soon she knows that she won't be. Her power and ability now is not enough. It's not complete and perfect. 

"What's your plan now that Pharis is gone?" 

Penelope looked at him and grinned while blood dripped from her nose. She wiped it and said, "Didn't you say that Pharis's twin is alive?" 

Gabriel paused because of what she said then smiled. 

"You believe me now?" he said. 

Penelope chuckled and replied, "I do." 

"Then why did you ignore this before?" 

"I won't waste my time with unnecessary things, Gabriel. But now, I need her," she answered and then closed her eyes. 

"Find her and bring her back to me." 

***