Gabriel saw as she fell. Her brown eyes darting to him. They had the expression of relentlessness, as if she knew what he was thinking the moment the forty eight bullets passed through her body. He saw her lips move and mouth to him a silent, “don’t bring her back”. A single shining tear sliding down her cheek.
He watched as Michael, who was on the other side of the field, stare at Alexia’s dead body in shock. He knew exactly what Michael felt.
Gabriel unwillingly remembered a scene exactly like what had just happened, and bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood. He closed his eyes then shook his head, refusing her small plea.
“Don’t bring me back, Gabriel.” Alexia told him sweetly. Gabriel clutched the gun tighter to cease his hands’ shaking. He didn’t respond to her, instead he looked around the white circular lab that they were in.
Forty nine men surrounded Alexia, himself included. She was strapped to a cold metal chair. Her limbs having four straps each, and every strap was secured with two locks. Her wrists and ankles were also chained onto two metal hooks beside the chair. Her mouth bound by a metal mesh that wrapped itself around her head. She wore that orange sundress that he adored so much, even though it was only worn when the mission required it.
Orange really did suit her. It was such a shame that it would be ruined by the red tint of her blood.
Two men entered the lab and stood behind Gabriel. One was short and wore a lab coat, while the other was a rather handsome man wearing a sharp black business suit with a red tie.
“We are going through with this. For the betterment of everyone.” The man in the suit said loudly, and Alexia only smirked at him.
“No objections, Alexia?” He asked her with a serious face. Alexia only stared at him impassively with a single arched brow.
“Won’t you bring me back, A-le-xi-el?” She taunted sarcastically.
“For you? Never.” The suit clad man now named Alexiel, said in a cold and cruel tone.
Alexia laughed bitterly. “And this is the only time, as you so lovingly say it, do something for me. I find it ironic that you’re letting my team shoot me while I’m strapped to this chair. Where’s the justice in this?” She said while rattling the straps to show her state of restraint.
“This, Alexia, is justice.” Alexiel stated with barely contained rage. His teeth gritted and eyes blazed.
“Then why only me? Why not my whole squad? Why not Gabriel? Why not you?!” Alexia spat hotly. Her collected facade cracking as anger seeped through her body.
“You know why.” Alexiel softened his voice in an almost condescending manner. It hurt him to see her like this. Alexia was always the calm and collected girl he knew, but now, seeing her actually hurt and lost in her emotions in front of him and her team; he knew there was still hope for her and it made his resolve harden.
“Kailan mo ba ako inalagaan?” She said sadly.
“Palagi, kapatid. Palagi.” He replied just as painfully.
“You’ll bring me back.” She said with finality. Her cold and calculating front surfacing again.
Alexiel only smiled.
“Aim for her head.”
The echoes of the gunshots were what triggered her life to flash before her eyes.
She saw what she had seen the first time she opened her eyes.
A pale yellow ceiling and a warm orange blanket that wrapped around her. She saw her right hand, a baby’s hand, being held by another small hand from beside her. She followed the other hand to its owner and saw another baby like her, tucked in a red blanket looking straight at her as if the baby knew exactly who she was.
She saw the same baby, now a child, hold her hand and look at her again.
She saw the same child as he talked to her in their mother tongue, that he promised to take care of her always.
Her heart convulsed violently.
She saw herself in a mirror, brown eyes and dark hair, clothed in a soldier’s uniform even though she was barely eight.
Thump, thump, thump.
She saw the child who made a promise to her, this time he was in his teen aged years and he started to wear a black suit and a red tie.
Thump, thump, thump.
She saw how she aced her first shooting evaluation.
Thump, thump, thump.
She saw the first time she killed someone.
Thump, thump.
She saw every face of those she has killed and saw as the life left their eyes.
Thump, thump.
She saw Gabriel as he introduced her to her team.
Thump.
Thump.
She saw the red tied man walk away from her.
Thump.
Thump…
She saw the moment she shot an old man in his sleep.
Thump!
She saw the young man in the suit hold her hand as they snuck out of a shadow covered building.
Thump.
She saw the moment she and the young man face a mirror. They were children then. Six at the most. They looked so terribly alike it’s as if they were mirrors of each other.
Thump…
She saw Gabriel aim for her head.
Th…
Alexia exhaled a long shuddering breathe. Her eyes fluttered close and the soft beating inside her chest ceased. Everything was silent up until–
“ALEXIA!”
And then she heard him.
She saw Michael as he shook her hand and introduce himself.
She saw the first time Michael smiled at her.
She saw the first time Michael held her in his arms.
She saw Michael laughing.
She saw Michael crying when she was brought to a hospital.
She saw Michael kiss her.
She saw Michael sleeping on her bed naked under the covers.
And then she saw nothing.
Only the harsh resounding echo of bullets and a memory, soft and gentle as a whisper delves into her thoughts.
I love you. Always.
Altan Hal Weinberg 