"What!?" Cana said.

  "Don't look back," Pascua said. "Just keep your head down."

  I looked at Cana and Indigo slouching so far down their seats that if they weren't wearing seatbelts, they'd be on the floor. I didn't know any better position and just followed suit.

  "Can you lose them?" Ignacio said.

  "I don't know these streets..." Pascua said.

  "Are you sure they're following us?" Indigo said. "Maybe they're just trying to get to somewhere—"

  We screamed when we heard a loud crash above us and suddenly we were covered with pieces of glass.

  "Stay down!" Pascua said. He floored the gas. We lurched forward, my seatbelt digging into my shoulder. Then we were tossed side to side as our driver weaved through the traffic. My heart was pumping like crazy. I slid down my seat again when the opportunity rose and looked at the rearview mirror. Behind us, cars were giving way to our pursuer, a black SUV. A man wearing a black, wool mask on the front seat was sticking half of his body throw the window, shooting at us.

  Every shot makes me blink. I looked forward. We are still driving in the main road. Good thing the traffic wasn't so bad.

  I don't understand. How did they found us out? I didn't see anything when I looked back just a moment ago. Anger builds up in me when I see other commuters who just drove aside, giving way for our pursuers, just so they, themselves, don't get shot. I know that I'm being selfish and just scared and I know that if I was in their position, I probably would have done the same. Still, I can't stop myself from being angry.

  I started thinking, where's the police? Surely, they would have responded to a freaking car chase/shooting spree. Then I remembered what Major Coleman said. If those police were not real police, then we'll have more enemies to deal with. So I guess it's better no police are responding. Or running late to this party.

  The rear window above us bursts three more times, raining down more glass.

  "Hey! I yelled. Adrenaline and fear made me raise my voice. "What's the plan!? What should we do!?"

  "Just get down and stay down!" Pascua ordered. Ignacio rolled down here window and returned fire. Pascua veered off the main road. We were barreling straight towards a padlocked gate. I braced myself.

  "Hold on!" Ignacio warned as he sat down and put his seatbelt on.

  The loud crash! made us jolt in our seats.

  "Everyone okay?" Pascua said looking back by the rear view mirror, never letting his foot off of the gas.

  No one replied. Seating in a slump position, I looked out my window. We were driving past old, abandoned buildings. I've lost count of how many times we've turned, which streets we've entered how many shots did Ignacio fired back at our pursuers.

  My throat was already hurting from all the crying and screaming when I got the front row seat of Ignacio's head getting blown, splattering blood all over the window. Indigo let out a piercing scream. She slid off her seat; her cap getting caught in her seatbelt.

  "No," Pascua said, looking back at us. "Keep your seatbelts on—"

  There was a loud hiss! and we stumbled. Suddenly our car was uneven, dipping over to the left. A terrible screeching sound, like metal scraping against rock, was coming from the outside of our car. Pascua started to swerve.

  Next thing I know, our acceleration was stopped immediately and immediately and my body was thrown forward. I banged my head on the back of the car seat. I had one hand holding the car seat, supporting my body up. My other hand took off my cap and started rubbing the spot on my head where it hurts as if that would make the pain and the dizziness go away. I pulled down my hand to examine it. I didn't find any blood. My seatbelt prevented more injuries. Though the metal part of the seatbelt was biting down hard on my shoulder. With all that was happening, I didn't find the time to adjust it down my body.

  When my dizziness subsided a bit, I remembered that Indigo slid off her seat and sat on the floor. I looked down to my left and saw her feet down beside mine. My eyes then traveled to her legs, up to her body lying flat on the center aisle of the car. Her head was resting by Driver's feet. A large cut was running across her forehead, supplying a curtain of blood that was covering half her face.

  "Indigo!" Cana called out.

  No response.

  Cana unclipped her seatbelt and slid down the floor. I quickly followed. Convinced of the safety provided by the car seats, I checked the condition of our guardians.

  Pascua's face was buried down the airbags. Ignacio was also buried in the airbag. Except his was covered in red. Between the burning smell of flesh, the bullet wound on his head and my being nauseous from banging my head, I felt like throwing up. I put a hand on my mouth. My eyes welled up with tears trying to force down the bile burning my throat.

  Cana looked away, throwing up in her cap. Finally, she cleared her throat. She put a hand on Pascua's shoulder. "Wake up. Please wake up," Cana pleaded our driver as she shakes him on his seat.

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  He groaned and started to stir up.

  I heard a car pulling over. I looked at the rearview mirror, making sure to avoid looking at the dead body again. The black SUV just parked behind us. Three men stepped out. I looked back to driver.

  "T-they're coming," I whispered to Pascua. "You have to get up. Please get up!"

  Pascua finally get up. I could tell he was still dazed by how sluggish he moved to grab the handgun of Ignacio.

  We've heard more gunshots. Cana and I threw ourselves flat on the floor. We screamed as more shards of glass rained down. Cottons from the head rest of the driver's seat flew in the air. The barrage was deafening so we covered our ears. We stay down, the side of our faces buried on the car floor, waiting for the moment to be over.

  I know that the barrage could only have lasted a few seconds before they stopped. But for me, the shooting seemed to last a lifetime.

  Then, there was silence.

  I looked up to Pascua. He was leaning to the right. His hand, holding the gun, was limp at his side.

  I've heard footsteps approaching.

  I was breathing hard. Cana covered her mouth to stifle her sobs. Then she got up to a crouching position, her eyes darting around.

  My mind went full-throttle as it searches for a way to keep me alive. My eyes landed on the gun that is still on Pascua's hand. But I've never fired a gun before. Then again, all I have to do is point and pull the trigger. But when it comes to it...can I really do it? Can I really take a man's life?

  Cana pulled the door's handle, making sure that it's locked.

  My eyes flit around as I look for other options. We can get out through the door behind me and hope that we can outrun three adults and their bullets. But what about Indigo? She's still unconscious. And if she survived that barrage of bullets by staying down like we did, then the loss of blood will get her. That gave me an idea. They're here to kill us right? What if we just cover ourselves with blood and pretend we were dead?

  All the thinking stopped when I saw two masked figures standing outside the now bullet-riddled window of our driver, their guns raised at us.

  Last thing I saw before I closed my eyes, waiting for the inevitable, was Cana lunging at Indigo's body to grab Driver's gun.

  I've heard two gunshots fired in quick succession.

  "W-what?" Cana said.

  My eyelids flew open just in time for me to see the bodies of the masked figures collapsing on the now blood-stained, honeycombed window. They started sliding down, wiping some of the blood off the glass, until they were out of my sight.

  I looked at Cana. But something's not right. She was holding the gun but it wasn't smoking. And her face tells me that she's just as confused as I was.

  Another masked figure came into view. Cana crawled backward to my position, with both hands holding the gun aimed at the assailant.

  "Don't c-come any closer!" Cana did her best to intimidate the intruder but her voice breaking gave way to the fact that she was scared out of her wits.

  Her hands were trembling very violently that I don't think she'll get a clear shot even at this close distance.

  I unlocked the door behind me. I looked back. The masked figure rounded the car. I pushed the door open in a hurry and got out. But he was already there, looming over for me. I took a swing at him but he just caught my fist easily. He lifted me off the ground by the collar of my shirt.

  "Let him go!" Cana yelled from behind me.

  I was sent flying back to the car. I landed on Cana. My brain registered pain on my head and all over my back. I groaned as I propped myself up to a seating position.

  "Listen," The masked figure said. Then he removed his mask. "I'm not here to kill you. I'm here to get you."

  I looked back to Cana, who still have the gun pointed at the guy.

  "Okay," the guy continued. "How 'bout this?" He reached for the pocket in his jacket and produced a small, leather journal and an amulet. He handed it over to me. "This contains the information on cult members, our secret location, and a whole other lot of good stuff your government would want."

  I exchanged looks with Cana again. She lowered her gun a bit.

  "Look," the guy said. "I'll explain later. But right now, we need to go," he said. Then he reached for my arm. But I yanked it away. "Wait!" I said, my voice high from the confusion, and the fear, and the adrenaline pumping through me. "Explain what? Who are you!?"

  "Listen," the guy said. "Any minute now, and this place will be surrounded by cops."

  "And you wouldn't want that, would you?" Cana said.

  "No," the guy replied. "YOU wouldn't want that. We have people inside the force, barangay officials, and I'm sure you now know, even school staffs."

  Like Aaron. I thought.

  "Now if the police who will respond here happened to be cultists," he continued. "What do you think our chances will be?"

  It's just like Major Coleman said. I thought. Suddenly, the leather journal became the most important thing for me so I secured it in my pocket, along with the amulet.

  The guy saw what I was doing. A satisfied smile appeared on his face. "Now, if you understand that," he said. "Please get out."

  I looked at Cana again. Somehow, I don't think she will just behave and do as the cultist's here want us to do.

  Edit

  "New tactic," the guy said, raising his gun at us. "Get out of the car."

  A blast rang out from behind me. The guy stumbled back, screaming. He checked his shoulder. I didn't see any wound large enough to be bullet hole but he was definitely bleeding. Then the guy looked back at us, gritting his teeth.

  He ducked inside. I tried another swing but a solid right hook connected to my jaw. I fell down to the car seat. Suddenly, the guy was on top of me. Dazed but still aware of what was happening, I struggled to get him off but it was no use. He was stronger. And way heavier for me to even push a millimeter off.

  "Stop! I'll shoot again!" Cana said. But the gunshot I was expecting didn't come. A second later, he grabbed me by my shirt again and dragged me outside.

  "I'll go! I'll go!" I said, tapping his hand to show him that I'm not fighting anymore.

  "Vergil!" Cana shouted, clearly in disapproval of my cooperation with our kidnapper/cultist but I ignored her.

  The guy relaxes his grip a bit. I interpreted this as a cue for me to continue. "But our friend," I said to him. "She needs help. And if what you've said is true, then we can't leave her here for the cultists to find."

  "I agree," he said. "Help me with her. It's not like you're going to run off and leave you're dying friend with me, would you?"

  "No, no, we wouldn't," I assured him. I ducked inside. My eyes met Cana's. I mouthed the words Trust me, before asking her to come out audibly.

  At first she remained motionless, just staring back at me. I was afraid that she might not have got it. But then, she scooted forward, and got out of the car with no trouble.

  The guy ducked inside again, revealing the guns inserted in the waistband of his denim pants. I grabbed hold of one of them and pushed him inside.

  "Hey!" He shouted.

  I had both hands on the gun, pointed at his back, ready to kill him. But I realized I couldn't pull the trigger. So I lowered my aim, down to his leg, and fired.

  "Ahhhh!" The guy screamed in pain.

  The recoil made me drop the gun. More from the surprise than pain. Although, the inside of my hand did hurt and my hands were shaking.

  A felt a hand gripped my wrist. "Let's go!" Cana yelled.

  We turned heel and ran, leaving our bleeding friend behind.