13. Crowded streets

The ge is an ancient Chinese weapon. Ge means "fighting" in Chinese. To the simple observer, it can be described as a spear. But the ge uses a bronze blade tied to the end of a long staff. The blade is almost as long as a one-handed sword.

RD had survived the explosion caused by two converging fireballs shot at him by his attackers. He was able to run away hoping to loose them in this rainy night. Again, he is caught between the two, in a crowded city street full of young professionals partying in the rain. One of his adversaries is in the air, dropping down on him with a dagger in hand. The other, on the ground, a ge in hand, about to strike him. He needs to act fast to survive this. He needs to make his move at just the right moment.

The spear thrust is coming in first, he lifted his body up with his two hands, both toes pushed down on the streat. He then used his right hand to push himself further up while keeping his right hand planted on the ground for support and balance. He twisted his body rightward avoiding the ge from slicing him from the right neck down to his heart, slicing droplets instead from the sky.

As he cleared the spear, RD bent his left arm using his elbow now for support. He laid on the street as the dagger wielding attacker is within a few feet from him. He then pulled his knees toward his chest, placed his two hands on the ground beside his head and kicked off upward as the dagger strike missed his legs by inches.

RD used the strength of his arms to push his body upward, lifting himself feet first off the ground. As he pushed up, he pulled swung his feet forward making a reverse tumble landing on the concrete pavement facing the two attackers.

By now, the crowd had recovered from the initial shock of seeing three people jump down a five story building making perfect landings that only movie stunt men and some post production editing can do. Some pulled out their camera phones to try and take a picture of the scene.

One of the attackers noticed the photo taking and clapped his hands together, the dagger no longer in his hands.

"Magneto!" chanted the clapper.

Mobile phones and some exterior lights burst starting near where the three fighters stood moving outward as if an invisible concentric wave washed over them.

Recognizing the opportunity, RD crossed his arms in front of him, the middle of the 'X' right in front of his face, and pulled them diagonally downward.

"Dos Kampilan!" he chanted.

A stream of light crawling through his forearm revealed hidden symbols flashing out of his almost fair complexion that he got for staying indoors in an air-conditioned office most of the day. As the light continues its travel, now in RDs elbows, a rod of straight light emanated from RDs hands. When his hands reached his side, the lights have now vanished and in each hand, a broad sword typical of those used by early Filipinos.

"Now, we can have a real fight," said the ge wielding attacker.

He is a she, thought RD when he heard the voice. "What is it that you want with me," asked RD the strain of the chase and the fighting now evident in his breathing.

"We only want the information that you have," answered the dagger striking attacker now holding a katana.

"What information," RD asked, puzzled what is happening. He was supposed to go home after buying some tikoy in Binondo. Now the tikoy is left drenched in the street near Quezon Bridge. He dropped it when he was attacked.

"You may not remember it," said the katana wielding assailant, "but you have it. You hid it from everyone even from yourself. That old man you talked to knew about you possessing it but he does not know what it is."

"We share the same powers," said the woman stepping sidewards to RDs right. "That is a good enough clue for you."

"And this information must not come out," the man said as he took his position to RDs left.

"How can it come out if I can't even remember it," protested RD keeping watch on the movements of the two attackers, readying himself.

"Even if you can't remember it," explained the man, "someone can make you."

"And we don't want that," finished the woman lunging forward, the long ge pointed at RDs neck.

RD bent his body to the left to avoid the strike. He then twisted his right wrist to hit the staff with his sword. At the same time, the man on his left took a step forward made a horizontal slash toward his midsection. RD blocked this with the sword on his left.

"This is insane," grunted RD as he parried the sword slash and made a slash to the man's neck slicing the cloak.

The woman pulled at the spear and pushed it toward RDs chest. RD blocked it with his sword, turned counterclockwise swinging his sword to the woman's head. The woman kept the spear in place, bent her neck putting it in between her arms avoiding RDs strike, twisted the spear so that the sharpened edge faced RD, pulled it back while swinging it toward his back.

RD completed his turn brought the swing of the heavy sword, lifted his left arm to avoid the spear slash, and pushed forward the sword on his right to push off the spear. At the same time, he placed his right hand behind his head, the sword diagonally protecting his back from sword slash from behind.

Having blocked the spear slash and the sword strike, RD quickly twisted the sword in his right keeping in contact with the spear staff to point it downward while he twisted his sword behind him to point it toward his left securing the katana.

In a swift movement, he pushed the katana sidewards away from his back as he guided the spear over his head to his right, rain water splashing from the lion's beard decoration of the spear. This is a form of distraction that did not bother RD. He continued the pushing motion of both arms, his left hand changing it to a swing, again, toward the woman's head. His right arm also changed from pushing the staff to swinging, this one toward the man's neck.

Both attackers jumped back to avoid the slash and give some distance between themselves and RD.

RD now assumed an attack-defend position, his body in a 45 degree angle with the straight line represented by the two attackers on both sides. His kampilan on both hands ready to strike or to block.

12. Street Fight

While the party lovers wet themselves in the streets of Nakpil, one of the favorite gimmick places in Malate, Manila, a loud explosion was heard over the loud music. As if it was rehearsed, the people stopped dancing and talking at the same time. Their heads turned to where the direction seemed to have come from. As a fireball rose from the distance, whispered questions came out from those present. Questions like what was that, where did it come from, is this another coup d'etat, or are being attacked by terrorists came out. Some started looking for their friends to see where they are. Some began opening their phones bunched under available cover from the rain and call up their parents, friends, or anyone they think might be glued on the television to know what is happening.

As the smoke rises and debris fell from the damaged roof of the apartment, its residents began stirring from inside. Footsteps and clamoring can be heard from outside. Activities also began from nearby buildings and houses. Some are trying to call on house-mates, children, parents, and house helps. A baby can be heard crying because its sleep was disturbed. Several upper floor windows, ground floor doors and street gates began opening and people began looking for the cause of the loud sound and vibrations that woke them from their peaceful cold rainy night sleep. Flashlight beams scanned the streets, most converged either on the singed roof or the sparking transformer. Those who knew what to do began dialing the police, the fire department and the power company while others shouted instructions to their house helps to make similar calls.

Almost invisible from the crowd are two cloaked figures. One standing on the large branch of an acacia tree inside the walls of the building opposite the damaged apartment and the other, on top of a concrete post of the neighboring house.

Rain continued to fall preventing those without umbrella from wandering outside.

The two cloaked figures continued to wait and see what happens to their quarry. Did he escape or is he dead. They looked at each other and around them. People are still near or on the streets while the others poked their heads through the now open windows and stayed there. Two or three people from different buildings lighted cigarettes. Even with the surgeon general's warning that smoking kills, these people don't care at all.

A police car began to turn from Taft Avenue toward the scene of the incident. Other sirens can be heard be it from the police or from the fire trucks. Another vehicle with flashing lights came from Roxas Boulevard. It seemed unusual for them to be responding this fast. The city's mayor, after all, is a former police officer and wants their law enforcers and providers of basic to be able to respond to incidents immediately.

Time is running out for the two mystery men. They need to confirm their kill fast. And one of them was able to think fast.

The man perched on the concrete post bent down on his knees and placed his hand near the wire suspended a few inches from the top of the post. Seeing this, the man on the tree prepared himself for the long jump.

Just as the police car was nearing the post with the crackling transformer and people's heads turned to that direction, an electric bolt was released by the post-perched assailant. Quickly, current flowed to on the wires and run through both directions. One to the house that draws power from it and the other to the transformer where it is connected.

Lights went on inside the house but because of the voltage of the burst of electricity some burst and popped creating a commotion inside. The same thing happened to the transformer. This second burst completely messed up its interior and blew up. The force of the explosion dislodged the braces that attached it to the post. The transformer went down, along with it the wires still attached to its contacts. The barrel shaped electrical component crashed on the concrete street prompting the police man driving the patrol car to swerve to avoid being tangled in the wires.

Both cloaked men used this distraction to leap toward the apartment opposite them. Since he is already crouched, the post-perched man jump across first followed by his companion from the tree.

To their surprise, their target is not where he is supposed to be. One of them looked over the roof to the garden below. He saw nothing. Then his comrade quickly started running. When he turned, he saw that his accomplice is running after their mark who had survived the explosion and is now running away from them toward what seemed to be a crowded street. The lights are still on on that side. They must have a separate transformer, he thought. He went after his associate.

Roberto Damasco thought he just got lucky. He is still puzzled how he was located. Only a handful of people knew where he is. And one of them is Mang Poldo. Mang Poldo is a trusted friend of his father. He had seen Mang Poldo visit their house in the province when he was a child.

But how can Mang Poldo do this to me? RD asked himself as he prepared to jump down the crowded street when he reaches the end of the five floor building he is running on top of. Did he have bad blood with my father?

Then, as he is about to jump, a ball of fire passed by him, missing him and blowing up the edge of the roof throwing debris onto the partying yuppies below. They have caught up with me, he thought and primed himself take a leap.

As RD propelled himself from the roof's edge, turned while throwing one dagger after another at the two figures he can barely discern in the dark. His throws were not really intended to hit his targets but merely to distract them, put them off balance. RD completed his 360 degree turn in time to prepare for his landing through the cleared patch amid the street dancers and on the pavement. The explosion caused many to step aside. Some started to leave the area while the rest continued looking up the smoking portion of the building.

All eyes are glued on RD as landed and rolled on the ground to break his fall. Now, down on one knee, he began to look around for a way out. The crowd is so thick all he can do now is dash toward the direction he is now facing.

He pushed himself off the ground and started running. As he neared the wall of people who had stepped back when he landed, one of the cloaks landed in front of him, his back on RD.

Instead of rolling to break his fall, this cloak used both feet and both knees to act as shock absorbers. His hands are spread for balance, the cloak sprang back up and backward toward RD, twisting counter clockwise in mid air, his right leg bent for a kick.

RD stopped on his tracks pulled his body back avoiding the kick.

The cloak continued his turn, both feet now on the ground as his pivot, his left arm bent for a palm edge strike on RD's neck, his back again toward him. RD blocked the strike with both arms, the force pushing him a bit to side. This made the attacker reverse his turn, step forward away from RD, right arm swinging for another attack. This time, his right hand is holding a dagger bearing markings from the blade to the hilt. The dagger nicked RD in his right ear and cheek.

While he staggered backward he turned away to escape, the other cloak landed in front of him in the same manner as the other one but facing RD. Instead of the jumping twisting turn and kick, this one jumped up, somersaulted on the air and kicked RD with both feet. The assailant's feet caught RD on the chin. The force of the kick lifted him up while his own momentum caused him to tumble in the air. RD landed flat on his chest.

RD recovered, pushed himself off the ground. He can see the somersaulting attacker in front of him, that fixed his location. He now turned his head to locate the first attacker. He is not there. RD looked up. The attacker is now dropping from a leap, right arm pulled back for a knife strike. RD looked at the second attacker who has landed and is now starting toward him with a marked 'ge.' Once again, he is cornered.

11. City Run

Julio Nakpil is a revolutionary leader during the Filipino-Spanish war. He has been recognized more as a musician, an artist, than as a commander of guerrilla forces who fought against Spanish rule under Andres Bonifacio. He once composed a national anthem for the Philippines in 1896 bearing the title "Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan." He is recognized for his works that a street in one of the party places of Manila was named after him.

Every night from 10:00pm to the wee hours of the morning, Manila's youth party along J. Nakpil Street bordering Ermita and Malate on the City of Manila. [map]

This night is different from the other nights. This night, yuppies and party goers are in the night of their lives.

It was raining that night. Scattered rain showers were brought in by Typhoon Mina (local designation) bathed the patrons of many bars and restaurants lining up the street. But the rains or the typhoon did not scare away the eager customers. The in fact reveled at the chance of cooling off in the streets.

Music were fed out of Nakpil establishments to provide appropriate dance rhythms to the young party-goers. They were from different genres spanning from the 80s, 90s, to the new millennium.

Away from all the noise and lights and drinks, rapid steps splash on puddles and bodies break through falling rain, cloaks drenched and heavy.

The man running from two others is Roberto Damasco. Running along the apex of a roof, he looked back at the two chasing him. On of them, a few meters behind and the other closely following to his left.

Roberto, or RD to his friends, works as an information technology specialist of Hewlett Packard in Makati. RD is about to reach to end of the roof.

I need to get away, he thought. I need to loose them. How did they find out where I will be tonight? That old man. I knew I could not trust him.

He primed himself to lead to the next one. A flat roof deck of a 2 story apartment building. He increases speed, times his step for the lunge.

As he is about to take the last three steps, he noticed a light flash from his left. The second pursuer stopped atop an elevated water tank and fired a fire ball at him. He lost footing and fell to his side, hitting the ridge of the rooftop with his side, almost cracking a rib. The fireball passed overhead, missing him by a few inches yet he felt the heat radiated from it as rain was immediately transformed to steam upon contact.

RD is just 24 years old and lives with his wife and one year old son in Guagua, Pampanga. He turned on his stomach and tried to grab the ridge but he was to late. He struggled to stop himself slipping toward the edge an onto the concrete pavement below the three-story building. He continued to slip. The rain waters lubricating his progress.

The pursuer behind him is now running along the length of the roofs ridge. He raised his hand and a marked spear formed from thin air and threw it at RD.

RD rolled to his left as he continued to slip, the spear boring on the galvanized iron sheet roof. As he rolled, he swung his right hand at the spear-wielding assailant, releasing three daggers in his three rolls. His aim was good but so was the attacker who was able to avoid the sharp edges of the spinning dagger bearing ancient markings.

This time, the spear-wielder stepped on the GI sheet roof, running diagonally toward RD using his momentum and the downward slope of the roof to get to RD fast. He produced a bolo. His intent: to kill.

RD was able to push himself up and used the same technique running toward the edge of the roof to the gutter and away from the boloman. He jumped, caught a suspended electrical cable and used it to swing in a 360 degree somersault across the street to another cable. He swung again, releasing his grip from the wire just before a ball of electricity reached it. RD landed on the sill of the apartment next to the aerial wires, holding the window's caulk for support.

With rain waters drenching the cables acting as conductor adding to the conductive properties of the wire, the electric charge from the ball run through the powerline on both directions, some charge transferring to the other wires through the rain droplet. A transformer at the electrical post on one end blew up due to the overloading causing a blackout.

Turning around, RD saw the boloman swing his hand. A shuriken four times larger the normal spin towards him. To his right, the other pursuer who fired the electric ball produced a spear and threw it at RD.

RD swung his left arm horizontally in front of him, releasing a similar shuriken aimed at the attacker on his right. This was followed by his right arm that released another shuriken spinning toward the attacker on his left. Leaning forward, he bent his knees, swing his arms back and propelled himself forward while making a quarter left turn. He lifted he left leg just above the spinning shuriken from his attacker on the left. The shuriken missed his leg but shredded his cloak.

His right hand caught the runner of the roof just below the gutter, this time turning the opposite direction. RD gripped the runner with his right hand and swung his legs forward, missing the spear by centimeters.

As the shuriken shattered the window while embedding itself on the wall, the spear bore a hole on the outer wall of the house.

RD used the momentum of his body to swing his legs further up, keeping a tight grip on the runner. His years of doing crunches and sit-ups helped him curl his body as his feet neared 270 degrees in its swing. His fingers are in pain, but he could not let go. He pulled himself up as he continued to swing. In the last moment, he let go, landing on his belly at the inclined GI roof. This time, the impact of his body on the roof dented it preventing him from sliding down head first to the spiked walls of the apartment compound.

He pushed himself up and searched for his attackers only to find two balls of fire coming toward him. He is in a very awkward position and had trouble getting up.

Is this the end, he asked himself.

The two fireballs converged. One from across a tree where the target of his first shuriken jumped to to avoid being cut in two and the other one from the concrete post where the other attacker perched who avoided the first shuriken by somersaulting.

A loud explosion was heard by the people partying two blocks away.

10. Rain of Fire

Kamay-Kainan is a restaurant located along the southbound lane of the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue or EDSA in Metro Manila. It boasts of buffets with Filipino, Japanese, and Western dishes. They offer eat-all-you-can buffet discounts to their customers.

It was a bright sunny day in the Philippines and JJ and his family are having a mixed meal of Asian and Western cuisines.

"So," JJ asked his six-year old son Albert, "did you have a nice chat with lola today?"

"Yeah dad," Albert replied before taking a bite at the tempura he got from the Japanese foods area of the restaurant with his mother, Katrina. "She told me about you joining the ROTC and was worried so much because you were as thin as a stick."

"Well, he was brave enough to put himself to such punishment, he thought he can get through my father's barrier when he courted me," added Katrina.

JJ smiled and helped himself to his bowl of dinuguan when an explosion suddenly rocked the building.

People stopped what their doing and looked at each other. Some asking what was happening or where the explosion occurred. While most began to check on their belongings and their companions, a few stood up to look at the window facing the wide street. One of them is JJ. A shadow that appears to be caused by smoke blocking the summer sun began to descend upon the street blown northward from where the explosion seem to have come from.

"What is that hon," inquired Katrina clutching Albert.

"Wait here," answered JJ asking his wife to sit tight as he began to walk toward the large window walls along with several others. People can be seen running from the direction of the flyovers less than a kilometer southward from the restaurant. They are running for Cubao, away from something that terrifies them. Cars, jeepneys, and buses have stopped, occupants and passengers getting out running northward. Some tried to turn back but could not move out of the deadlock.

JJ was about to walk through the glass doors to take a look at what is happening when a burning car, a Toyota VIOS, suddenly dropped in the middle of the four lane southbound side of EDSA. The car crashed on a Honda CRV rolling off to settle on top of a taxi. Two more cars, a bus and a truck, all burning, dropped down on the stopped vehicles and running men as if . Some of the people died instantly from the impact while others ran around, their clothes burning from the fuel coming out of the vehicles and die from heat, shock, and suffocation.

Several explosions followed from vehicles the burning ones fell or had rolled on shattering the window walls and the glass door. A shard of glass nicked JJ on his cheeks and arms. The rest flying toward the ducking patrons of this popular restaurant. Then they heard a roar.

JJ stepped out of building just to run back to the safety of its canopy when a military helicopter, a UH-1H Huey being used by the Philippine army, its crew dying from sever burns, cooking off ammunition, and suffocation.

JJ looked inside the restaurant looking for his family. He found them near the back wall, Katrina holding Albert against her.

When JJ stepped out again, he looked for the source of the explosion. He saw smoke rising from buildings half way to Shaw Boulevard. The building of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration is burning. So is Robinson's Galleria in front of it, the Lourdes school behind the mall, several building behind POEA as well as one of the branches of the local mall chain, SM. His gaze was suddenly turned towards the UnionBank Plaza tower that appears to be the target of several OV-10 Broncos and three Huey helicopters. He strained to see their target. Suddenly his vision focused on what appears to be a lone figure near the top of the building. It seems that his eyes have zoomed in on the figure, a circular area around where his gaze focused blurred as if looking though a spy glass. Then what he saw horrified him.

The figure JJ saw was not standing on top of the building but was floating in front of it near the top. He can see tracer bullets ricochet around the person who seems to be covered by an invisible shield. The man is half naked wearing only a pair of dark blue cargo pants and black rubber shoes. His body is covered with tattoos up to his head. Only the area around his eyes, his cheeks, and his chin are without tattoo. His eyes are fiery red.

JJ tried to zoom in some more and saw that there appears to be markings around the pupils of the man.

Then JJ saw the red eyes lock on his. Taken a back, his vision zoomed out a little. Now the floating man seems to be looking at him. The man moved his right arm forward. His fingers closed except for the index finger as his arms raised. And it stopped. The man was pointing at JJ. Then he said something JJ could not understand.

A load roar made JJ close his eyes. Then he heard wings flapping. When he looked at the direction of the man again, jets of green flame came from either side of the building. Alternating as it moved up. The flames engulfed the slower Hueys and missing the much faster Broncos. The helos spun and fell. Soldiers on board surely dead.

Suddenly, wings flapped over the building as a huge red dragon emerged from behind, nesting on the top of the tower. It let out an ear shattering roar then turned its head toward the direction the floating man pointed to. Toward JJ.

The red dragon bore marks around its body almost similar to the marks borne by the man. JJ stood frozen on the pavement.

The dragons shrieked. It flapped its wings, pushed him self up from the tower with its powerful hind legs and gave a roar. The dragon dropped, gliding towards the direction its master ordered it to go to.

JJ suddenly got pulled out of his trance when the dragon roared yet anew. He suddenly realized that the dragon was going for him. He has to move, he told himself. He willed his body to move as the dragon flew toward him, turning his head from time to time toward the direction of the attacking aircrafts and shoot off jets of green flames. One Bronco caught the flames on its starboard wing and began to descend. Then it focused all its attention to its target, the immobilized JJ.

His heart pounding, beads of sweat trailing down his face, JJ was suddenly able to move his legs. He turned and ran. He did not run toward the restaurant as his wife and son may get caught in the flames but instead run toward the direction of the dragon. He then turned right into a nearby street.

The dragon shrieked then shot green flame toward the ground, burning the vehicles on the streets as it traced a flaming line toward JJ.

JJ ran as fast has he could. The flame and the dragon right behind him. He has got to reach the corner several meters away and try to duck somewhere. He hoped. He tried. He can save himself from the flame. At the dragon's speed, it and the flame will overshoot JJ once he makes a quick right.

And it did when JJ made a quick right, the heat searing through his clothes while the flame barely grazing him. He saw a door. He turned the knob. It's locked. Horror gripping him JJ turned to look for another way in only to find out that one of his assumptions was wrong. The dragon was able to make a sudden stop. It is now hovering in front of him, large wings flapping.

The dragon with its long neck, moved its head near JJ and shrieked. At first, JJ smelled the foul odor of sulfur from the dragon's breath blow at him. Then everything grew bright green as a blast of flame engulfed him.

9. Fire and Ice

Amidst the complex machinery, wires and pipes of the basement of the John F. Kennedy International Airport, clanging and swishing sounds can be heard.

Then there was a crash.

Moments later a thud.

And the clanging and the swishing returned.

"Daga!" This was chanted by Nigel Smith, an American who claimed to be from the Immigrations Office, as he threw a dagger bearing symbols on its blade and pommel when he lost one of his axes to his Chinese opponent, Quan Tie.

Quan jumped over the flying dagger, twisting in mid air just as Lucas Jorgen, an African-American associate of Nigel, held both his hands in front of him as if holding a basket ball, thrust them and chanting "Magliyab" to release a fireball toward the still descending Chinese.

The Chinaman was himself forming a ball in his left hand and as he finished his 360 degree twist in mid air pushed it toward the fireball chanting, "Nyebe!" A snowball flew to the fireball liquefying on contact and extinguishing the flames while JJ Junco, a Filipino that is being accosted by Nigel and Lucas watched the battle in horror.

When Quan Tie landed, he was met by a right hook from Nigel that avoided by twisting his body by almost a quarter. He then pushed his upper body forward, left hand striking toward Nigel's right deltoid muscle are with palms open, fingers extended and joined, its tips thrust like a cutting knife to the American's muscles soliciting pain in the process.

Quan followed this move by a punch in Nigel's solar plexus kicking the air out of his opponent. He then stepped back to avoid a drop kick from Lucas.

Lucas, now standing between the pained Nigel and Quan swung his right hand to drive a right backhand punch at the Chinese.

Quan blocked the strike with his right arm with a backhand block. He then turned his hand to seize Lucas by the wrist, pulled his enemy's hand to the right while he pushed his left hand, palms up toward Lucas' elbow breaking the joint with the heel of his hand. Letting go of the now injured right hand of the American, Quan pushed his right hand to the right side of Lucas cracking some ribs. He then repeated the left hand attack hitting Lucas by the jaw with the heel of his left hand.

Lucas went down on one knee from the pain. His movement cleared the way for Nigel who delivered a flying side kick toward Quan, hitting the Chinese square on the chest pushing him backward.

As he swung his arms around to regain his balance, Quan chanted "Shuriken" as he released one throwing star after another from each hand as he continued to swing them alternately.

Three of the stars hit Nigel in the chest and arms while he was able to avoid the rest.

Quan then move his arms in a circle in front of him ending with his right hand pointing upward, palms open, fingers extended and joined over his left hand with palms up assuming a Buddhist praying pose. He then chanted "Bomba." This chant blew up the shurikens he released causing sever physical damage and shock to his American opponent.

Just as the blast reverberated on the basement walls, Quan and JJ heard what appeared to be a hand slapping the floor and the injured Lucas chanting "Alon." A wave of concrete flooring then began to form rushing toward the Chinese. Concrete rubbles flew toward Quan including pieces of steel as they break up from the flooring.

Quan again moved his arms in a circle in front of him but instead of ending in a praying pose, he ended with both hands in front of him, palms open, facing the flying projectiles from the debris.

"Kalasag," Quan chanted as a circular shield with symbols and drawings materialized in thin air blocking the deadly debris.

JJ, still trembling from shock jumped back when he heard Quan Tie saying, "I believe we should leave."

"What," asked JJ. "Who are you? Who are these people? What have I got to do with you?"

"In time Mr. Junco," Quan said assuringly. "All in good time. But for now, it is time for us to leave. The explosion could have caught the attention of airport security and they are probably on their way down. And besides, you don't want to be here when their friends arrive," pointing to the now unconscious Lucas and Nigel.

"What about my wife and son," protested JJ. "I have to get back to them," he said as he started to rise.

"They have already been taken cared of," said Quan stopping JJ from standing,

"Taken cared of," said JJ worried for his wife and young son. "What do you mean taken cared of?"

"So many questions, so little time," mused Quan.

They hear footsteps and commotion outside the door above them.

"We must be going," urged Quan. "Like I said, all in good time and our time here is not going to be good."

JJ looked up at the door to the airport lobby and contemplated on what he should do. He then looked at Quan who is waiting for him and urging him to come along with him.

"If those security personnel catch you, they will think you are a terrorist and put you in jail," explained Quan and then turned his back on JJ as he walked toward the dark.

JJ needed to decide fast and he decided to try and trust the Chinese. He walked down the steps and followed the Chinese disappearing in the in the dark amidst the machinery, wires, and pipes in the basement of the JFK International Airport.

8. Eagle vs Dragon

The John F. Kennedy International Airport located in New York City caters to more than 19 million passengers a year. Its service areas provide its guests with conveniences while waiting for their scheduled flight. The passenger terminals are located in circular arrangement in the middle of the airport. Below grounds, machines work round the clock to provide support to the massive structure. In its bowels, three men stood frozen. Their gaze directed upon a small glow on their right amidst the concrete pillars, pipes, and metal structures.

The sound of something whipping through the air broke their silence. From the direction where the sound came from are two large curved swords spinning in the air like boomerangs. An ax thrown by a white American wearing a dark pin striped suit stopped one of the swords. The other one was diagonally parried by another American, an African-American, and spun towards the wall only to vanish in thin air much like the ax and the first sword.

The white American known as Nigel crossed his hands in front of him and drew two axes from thin air. His comrade, Lucas took a step to stand beside him holding his saber ready.

"Who the hell are you," demanded Nigel. "Show yourself!"

The soft steps of Kung Fu shoes can be heard as a man in black traditional Kung Fu uniform emerges from the dark holding two Chinese swords.

"I am Quan Tie," he introduced, "and I claim Mr. Junco."

"Like hell you are," said Lucas, advancing on the Chinese.

Quan stopped with his right foot leading his left, feet on 90 degree angles and shoulder width apart. His right hand holding the dao in front of him as his left hand held the other dao upright behind him, his left fist level and pressed against his lower back.

Lucas swung his right hand, palms up, horizontally to strike Quan in the chest.

Quan bent back while twisting his body to his right to avoid the strike while maintaining his stance. With fluidity, he raised the sword in his right then thrust at Lucas, his trailing left leg pushing his body forward while he bent his leading right leg.

Lucas' recovers the strike and parried the thrust with his saber while side stepping to his left. Once he had pushed the sword some distance away from him, he reversed his hand movement to strike Quan in the neck.

Quan bent his head to his left while Lucas' saber whizzed through barely grazing his ear. He then moved his trailing left foot wide diagonally to his left assuming a crouching position while reversing the blade of his sword to face his black opponent and swing it toward his opponent's abdominal area.

Nigel saw and opening and stepped forward, his right hand raised to slam his ax on the Chinaman's neck.

Quan recovered from his strike and pulled his body with his left foot while sliding his right along the floor just in time for the ax to pass inches from his heard. He continued his movement sliding his right foot behind his left foot as Nigel turned to swing his ax-wielding left hand horizontally to the Chinese.

The Chinese bent his body on his waist to avoid the ax while twisting his right hand by the wrist to move his sword blade from his right hand side toward his left, the face of the blade resting on his left shoulder, cutting edge pointed leftward. He then swung his right hand toward Nigel who jumped back away from him toward his right.

As Nigel moved, Lucas came into view. His hand no longer holding a saber but held in front of him, his fingers extended and apart. His other hand is held in the same way as if holding a battering ram pushed against him. Light flowed from both his arms towards his hands.

"Shockwave," yelled Lucas and pushed his hands forward as a ripple of air escaped from them and hurtled toward the Chinese.

Caught off-guard, Quan only had time to cross his arms in front of him and braced for impact. The impact threw him off toward the pipes and machinery behind him. The Chinese crashed through them, his head banging on a pipe running horizontally.

The two Americans paused and observed. Waiting for something to happen. Then they heard footsteps scurrying up the steps.

Nigel and Lucas both looked at the direction of the noise saw their target, JJ Junco clambering up the stairs.

"Stop him," Nigel shouted toward Lucas who as nearer to the escaping Filipino.

Lucas took a step forward with his left foot, held his hands together, fingers curled close, his left hand palms down while his right hand was held palms up. Both hands were held together, his left index finger and thumb next to his right pinkie. He then pulled his right hand toward his back while pushing his left hand a few inches forward. Light crawled from his arms as a rod of light formed between the separating hands. A spear with metal edge and iron rod materialized from the rod of light. As his right hand reached its farthest point backward, Lucas released the hold of his left hand on the spear, slid his left foot about four inches forward and heaved the spear toward the fleeing JJ.

Just then, a sai flew through the air, catching the spear between its main center prong and its tsuba -- one of the two unsharpened shorter prongs. The force the sai was thrown was so great that the spear was pushed away from its trajectory. Both weapons vanished in thin air.

"As you Americans say," a voice from the dark said. "It is not over until the fat lady sings," Quan continued as he emerged from the dark patting dirt from his clothes.

"The hell with the fat lady," Nigel sighed as he rushed toward the Chinese. Behind him, Lucas produced another saber and started after Nigel.

7. Basement

John F. Kennedy International Airport. Van Wyck and JFK Expressways lead to and from the airport's rotund. The JFK Expressway runs through the space between Terminals 7 and 8 from the North while Van Wyck runs through between Terminals 9 and 1 from the East. The airport is also served by the AirTrain JFK that operates between the airport, the New York Subway and the Long Island Rail Road including. It is connected to the terminals as well as rental car facilities, hotel shuttles and the parking lots.

It is a vast complex of people, machinery, and electronics that supports 19 million passenger a year that go through its terminal that are constructed around a rotund. On the ground and upper levels are service areas for the passengers like restaurants, lounges, check-in and customs areas, and the baggage claim areas.

Underneath it are baggage and cargo handling facilities, electrical machines, plumbing, and back-up systems that will keep the air traffic controller operational in case of power outage. These sections are connected to several access doors through stairs, elevators, and ramps.

An exit door opens and three persons came in. One of them is holding another one in front of him while the third closes the door behind them.

"Don't worry Mr. Junco, you will not be harmed if you fully cooperate," assured the African-American holding the man who is much smaller in height and build. The smaller man's name is Jeffrey or JJ as his friends call him.

They take him down the stairs toward a darkened area beneath the moving conveyors and large pipes.

"Please," demanded the white American with them, "don't make this hard on yourself."

The white American introduced himself to JJ at the check-in area as Nigel Smith. He also introduced the person now holding JJ as Lucas Jorgen.

Nigel pushed his dark pinstriped coat aside with his right hand and drew his Glock-9 semiautomatic pistol and pushed it at JJ's chest.

"Now, stand still," Nigel ordered. "We only need to talk to you."

This time, Lucas loosened his grip on JJ's mouth and slowly released his left arm.

"What," asked JJ. "Just talk? Why bring me all the way down here for just a talk," he demanded.

By this time, Lucas has left his place behind JJ and joined Nigel. JJ tried to step back but he hit a concrete column that supported the airport's structure.

"We need you to answer a few questions," Nigel explained holstering his pistol.

"We want to know if you had any unusual experiences lately," asked Lucas.

"Well," JJ began to explain, "this is the first unusual experience I had. First, you introduced yourselves as immigration officers and then you suddenly drag me down here which does not really look like an immigration office. Yeah, this is my first unusual experience."

"That's not what we meant," interrupted Nigel putting his hands on his waist. "Have you had any unusual dreams? Have you seen any unusual things happen in your surroundings?"

Before JJ could answer, Nigel's cellphone rings. He fishes out of his pocket, looked at the display and open's the clamshell shaped phone to answer the call.

"Yes," he said turning his back and walking away while Lucas stayed to watch over JJ. "We have him. He's right here where we told you we'll take him."

Lucas turned his head to look where Nigel is holding his hand out as if to signal JJ to stay put.

JJ took this little distraction and tried to run for the stairs.

"Hey! Come back here," shouted Lucas as he started to run after JJ while drawing his 9mm Beretta M-93.

"Shit," muttered Nigel. "I'll call you back, our subject is trying to run away," Nigel told the caller as he began to run after JJ also drawing his gun.

JJ was two flights up the stairs when a bullet hit the handrail just above his right hand. He froze on his tracks.

"Freeze a*****e," Lucas shouted after JJ.

Just then the three men noticed a small glow on their right amidst the concrete pillars, pipes, and metal structures. Then they heard something whip through the air. They looked at the direction where the sound came from as two large curved swords spun in the air like a boomerang from the dark toward their direction. One of the spinning swords was stopped in mid flight by an ax thrown spinning towards it while the other one continued its spin towards Lucas.

As JJ watched the sword in flight, his eyes caught a glimpse of light shining from Lucas' direction as he drew a saber with his right hand. Lucas continued the drawing motion swinging the sword diagonally and clockwise toward the sword to parry it. As the saber hit the sword, JJ saw the other sword and ax separate from their impact and vanish in thin are along his left peripheral vision. The second sword was successfully parried and spun away and vanished into thin air.

Nigel crossed his hands in front of him to draw two axes from thin air as Lucas took a step to stand beside him holding his saber ready.

"Who is that," demanded Nigel. "Show yourself."

The soft steps of Kung Fu shoes can be heard as a man in black traditional Kung Fu uniform emerges from the dark holding two Chinese swords known as the Dao.

"I am Quan Tie," he introduced, "and I claim Mr. Junco."

6. JFK International Airport

John F. Kennedy International Airport is located in Jamaica, Queens, in southeastern New York City. It is about 19 kilometers from Lower Manhattan. It was known as the Idlewild Airport, before it was renamed in 1963 in memory of the late President John F. Kennedy. People usually refer to it as "Kennedy" or "JFK" airport.


The JFK caters to almost 20 million passengers each year. The biggest number is during the holidays when the weary workers of New York flock to the airports for well deserved vacations.

Among the would be passengers is Jeffrey Junco, a naturalized American born in Tarlac, Philippines. His friends from college calls him JJ using the first letter of his first name and family name. He finished his biology course from a state-run university and took up medicine right after graduation. Since his mom has retired from being a nurse in UK, JJ aspired to work abroad like his mother. He immediately took up additional subjects in nursing after passing the medical board exam. He applied for and got a job at the New York University Medical Center. It is where he met his wife Katrina, a nurse working in the same shift as he is.

"O, Albert, stay with your mama," JJ called at his six year old son as the boy started to walk away towards the kiosk selling toys while his mother let go of him to check their passports on her purse.

"But I want toy," Albert told his father while twiddling his fingers and looking cute.

"We'll get you one once we arrive in Manila," reassured Katrina now holding their passports as they fall in line to check-in for their flight to the Philippines.

"I can't believe I will be home again after almost ten years," sighed JJ. "I can still imagine what it feels like to be in the Philippines."

"Well unlike you, mister I-need-to-do-this-first," upbraided Katrina pressing her index finger at JJ's chest, "I try to call my parents every now and then," she said smiling.

JJ has always loved the way Katrina smiled at him. Her dimples and her mole above her right eye is what attracted him to her. They were married in the US since they were still starting up then and are not able to return to the Philippines. Only Katrina's parents were present. At that time JJ could not afford yet to have his mother with them. But some of JJ's college and high school friends who are based there were able to join. His uncle and auntie served as a proxy to his parents.

"I can still remember the time when I was about to board a flight from Manila," JJ muses. "I was so excited. And I can feel that same excitement now," he said smiling at Katrina.

"I am sure you do my dear," she lovingly told him.

They are now three persons away from the check-in counter. Katrina, with Albert in tow, is carrying a large shoulder bag with all their essential needs -- food, change of clothes, toiletries, and some reading materials. Albert has a backpack with his toys while JJ is pulling behind him a rolling traveling luggage and his laptop bag strapped on his back. They will have to have the luggage check-in and hand carry the rest.

"Mr. Junco," interrupted a muscular American wearing a dark pinstriped suite and pants. He was standing with his feet about shoulder-width apart and his left hand over his right casually placed in front of him. He has a clean-shaven face and is wearing dark glasses.

"Yes?" replied JJ turning to his left where the caller stands about a meter away from him. With the muscular American is an African-American with the same build and wearing a suit and pants identical to his companion. The African-American also wears dark glasses but displays a thin lined mustache connected to his beard forming a shape around his mouth and chin. He kept on scanning the area as if there will be a threat somewhere else.

"What is it honey?" asked Katrina a little worried.

"Daddy, are those the Men in Black from the movie?" asked JJ who was then pulled aside by his mother to put herself between the two men and the boy.

"It's okay honey," JJ said trying to assure his wife.

"Is there a problem?" he asked the two men now turning his attention from his wife to them.

"Sir, if you could step aside please," requested the clean shaven suit.

JJ took two steps forward leaving the luggage standing on its own while holding his wife back in line saying, "Just go ahead and check us in. This may be just a little misunderstanding," referring to the recent reports about mysterious killings in the New York area involving victims mostly of Filipino ancestry.

"Is there a problem -- ah -- sir?" asked JJ somewhat confident that he has nothing to worry about.

"I am Federal Agent Nigel Smith and with me is Federal Agent Lucas Jorgen," said the clean-shaven agent introducing himself and his companion both flashing their badges. "We wish to speak with you for a minute regarding some matters we would like to discuss in private. And don't worry, we will assist you through check-in and hold the plane for you if we find everything in order."

This statement caused some whispered comments among the other lined up passengers. Nobody would dare question a federal agent lest they would attract suspicion on themselves.

JJ looked back at his wife and nodded. Katrina, now left to hold Albert and the luggage with both hands, nodded back then looked from one federal agent to the next.

"This way please," ushered the clean-shaven agent motioning JJ to the side and starting to take a step forward. JJ followed him and the thin bearded agent trailing behind him.

They walked across other lines of passengers waiting to be checked-in toward the far side of the airport's departure lobby.

JJ's mind was wondering what the problem could be. He had been a good citizen, paid their taxes on time, no payments missed on his credit cards and their loans. He had surfed some websites on terrorist organizations but that was merely for information and not for any other purposes that may be considered a threat to national security. JJ kept on looking back to see his wife and son. She has now reached the check-in counter and presented their passports and tickets to the attendant. She seemed to be explaining why she is holding three passports since there are only two of them there. JJ could see his son staring after him standing idly beside his mom.

When they reached the far side, the clean shaven agent opened a door.

"But this is the exit door," protested JJ.

The clean shaven agent opened his suit to reveal his Glock-19 semi automatic pistol and said, "Please, if you will cooperate, no one else will get hurt."

"No one else?" asked JJ now beginning to feel panic. "What do you mean no one else?"

The thin bearded agent then clamped JJ's mouth with his massive right hand, pulling JJ towards his body while his left hand bent JJ's left arm toward his back.

The agent then pushed JJ toward the open door and the clean shaven agent looked around before following them inside.

Katrina has finished the check-in procedure and is now holding their boarding passes except that of JJ whose passport was withheld at the counter. She tried to look at the direction JJ and the two agents took but could not see them anywhere.

"Please follow me," a woman with blond hair whispered as she brushed by Katrina.

"What?" Katrina asked but the woman continued walking away without looking back.

Puzzled and alarmed, Katrina followed the blond woman.

5. The Rescue

It was a dark damp alley just off Claro M. Recto Avenue in Sampaloc, Manila. The alley is littered with empty boxes of carton and some palettes made of palochina. Sitting on the ground with her hands supporting her, her bayong dropped behind her, its contents scattered on the pavement, a pregnant woman was trembling in fear.

Elena, 7-months pregnant and a street vendor in Quiapo watches in horror as a cloaked and hooded assassin pulls back his spear, covered in markings and a strange inscription.

"Your god has brought this upon you," the man said as he made a final pull to lunge at Elena.

Moving both body and arms, the man thrust the spear toward Elena.

Then Elena, her eyes closed, heard a clang of metal against metal and the thud of the spear hitting concrete instead of the sound of flesh being torn and the pain accompanying it.

She opened her eyes long enough to see a long and large bolo riddled with markings swing toward the spear holding assailant.

The assailant jumped back, pulling the spear away with him, holding it near the shaft's end.

The heavy bolo wielding person jump over Elena in a flutter of cloth, twisting in midair as he manipulated the bolo continuing its clockwise swing for another strike at the assassin.

As the bolo-wielding figure completed his 360 degree turn, the assassin pulled back on the spear still moving backward in midair. As the assassin pulled at the spear, he let it slide back in his right hand as he thrust is free arm, his left arm, palms up fingers spread, light creeping from his forearms toward his hands. A ball of electricity shot from his open hands toward the assassin.

This time the boloman has completed the swing of the bolo, twisted his bolo-wielding right hand 90 degrees clockwise holding the flat side of the bolo facing the assassin and swung the bolo using it as a racket to hit the ball of electricity and push it up toward the sky.

The assassin has completed his pull of the spear, now holding it at the foreshaft with his right hand pulled back. He then threw the spear with his body twisting and his left hand swinging back as the ball of electricity was deflected toward the sky. The spear flew not at the boloman but toward Elena. The assassin has now reached the apex of his jump curve and was descending.

The boloman continued his reverse twist powered by the swing of the bolo, now also beginning his descent to the ground. He extended his left leg, foot and leg forming a straight line, and made a turning side kick toward the spear. His timing was perfect as his foot hit the spear midshaft and propelled it sideways hitting the wall, stopping its progress and dropping to the ground, disintegrating along the way down.

Before the assassin hit the ground, he swung both his hands toward the boloman, left hand first then right, releasing two knives similar to those he used earlier on the beer drinkers killed in the main street.

The boloman used the impact of his left foot with the spear and the wall to catapult him for another twist in the opposite direction holding his large bolo over his head with his right hand. This twist was accompanied by a backward somersault to move his body backward away from the knives and at the same time allowing him to put his bolo between him and the knives. He parried both knives throwing them to the direction of the wall that they chipped before they disintegrated.

Both men landed on the pavement at the same time regarding each other, hands at the ready. The boloman clutched the handle of his bolo tighter as the other man clenched his fists, ready for another attack.

As if having practiced the move together, both men steadied their stance, both feet beyond shoulder width apart, hands held waist high, palms facing forward and fingers extended and curved as if they were holding balls in each hand. Then together they thrust both hands forward putting them closer to each other, with palm heels eventually touching.

"Kilat!" both shouted as electricity snaked from their forearms to their hands then exploding from the points in their fingers as a ball of electricity formed between their palms. The ball then exploded to a big bolt of lightning shooting toward the other person.

As the bolts collide, the two warriors felt the recoil and were rocked from where they stood, each sliding slightly backward. Smaller bolts struck out from where the two opposing bolts met hitting the walls, boring holes on impact, concrete chunks and dust raining down. Both men grunted as the pressure of the bolts started to push them back.

"Why are you doing this?" asked the boloman pushing forward.

"It must be done," replied the spearman pushing back at his opponent.

"I -- will -- not -- let -- you -- succeed," grunted the boloman as he began to take a step forward, pushing his bolt toward the assassin.

"We will -- umph -- not -- fail," said the assassin before he turned his joined hands clockwise so that his left hand is over his right and took a step back. Then he pulled back his left hand to point his palms 45 degrees upward in the process allowing some of the boloman's bolt to penetrate and then deflect it upward toward the sky and guide it to the fire escape landing above them just behind the boloman.

The deflected bolt hit the concrete walls exploding, concrete and dust flying away along with the fire escape landing that began to drop with a sound of strained metal toward Elena.

The boloman pushed off the ground to let the pressure of the bolt push him backward as he ascended. He then let go of the bolt that shot past below him and over Elena now lying unconscious on the pavement to explode at the wall of another building at the rear creating a hole through three other inner concrete walls. As he jumped back, the boloman made a counter-clockwise midair turn, holding his palms waist high, palm heels together, fingers apart and curved like before.

"Buga!" he said as he thrust both hands toward the falling fire escape landing. A ball of high pressure air came out from between his palms and flew toward the metal landing increasing in size as it went.

Meanwhile, the assassin raised his body a little, both feet planted well on the pavement, on foot in front of the other placed his hands above him, arms straight, palms facing forward, fingers spread and curved, forefingers and thumbs touching each other and recited, "Bolang apoy!" Light crawled from his forearms toward his hands. As the light reached his hands and he finished the incantation, the assassin thrust his hands toward Elena then holding them in front of his face, arms still extended. A fireball formed as his hands moved forward and sped toward Elena, increasing in size and turning from red to blue to white.

"Kalasag!" the boloman shouted. He is now facing the assassin having continued on his midair turn and is now descending, the metal landing, twisted by the impact of the ball of air, flying away from the boloman and the woman toward the hole created by the assassin's lightning bolt. From the extended right arm of the boloman, light flew toward the ground transforming into a large shield with ethnic markings and planted itself on the concrete a few feet from Elena putting itself between the fireball and the unconscious woman.

The fireball hit the shield and exploded. While the smoke lifted, the shield flickered but did not disintegrate, and the boloman landed inches from the woman's head. The two men are about to make another move when they heard sirens and voices from the buildings on both sides of the alley and the one at its end that was punctured by the lightning bolt.

The assassin used the distraction to jump out into a dark area on the wall formed by the shadow of the buildings and disappeared.

As the building flickered and vanished, the boloman knelt beside Elena. He was about to put his arms under her head and at the back of her knees when he heard someone shout.

"Hoy!" bellowed a bare chested man wearing maong short pants made by cutting his jeans just above the knee as he emerged from the hole in the building that the lightning bolt created earlier. He was holding what looked like a revolver. With him are two other men, one of them wearing a white kamiseta and yellow cotton shorts, the other, a t-shirt, its sleeves torn off, and blue striped pajamas.

"Nobody moves!" the police SWAT officer shouted as they entered the alley from the main street with his teammates flooding the alley with their sub machine gun mounted flash lights. The boloman turned his head from the three men to the SWAT officers.

The building residents raised their hands in panic as the boloman jumped upward, leaving Elena on the ground. The light beams followed the ascent of the cloaked figure but all they saw were building walls and dust whirling.

After the police and the residents got cleared up on who is a threat and who is not, they turned their attention to the unconscious pregnant woman lying on the ground, a female police medic now attending to her, checking her pulse and her extremities for broken bones, the medic's aid kit sitting beside her.

As the police and the building residents looked over at Elena, they heard a fluttering of cloth above them. When they looked up, they saw a figure flying along the length of the alley as it jumped from the street end toward the building roof in the other end of the alley, its body parallel to the ground below. The figure was twisting on its head to foot axis. Then they saw something glitter, then another, then they heard someone scream as knives rained down of them. Screams were heard as the knives cut through the people gathered, some burying themselves on the policemen, the residents, the concrete pavement and walls.

4. Flashback

Elena was born in the town of Balangiga south of Eastern Samar. She had two younger brothers, Edgardo and Emilio. Their family lived in a simple bungalow in the outer limits of the town. Her father is a backyard farmer who grew vegetables in a wide space beside their house. For entertainment, they have a small black and white television where the family watches their favorite soap opera. Her father is usually the first to open it for the evening news. There is also a radio with cassette player that is the source of argument with her brother Edgardo as they do not have similar interests in music genres.

Like any typical Catholic Filipino family, they always hear mass at dawn during Sundays. It is followed by a hearty breakfast in a nearby eatery. The Mercados spend their Sundays at home. While Elena is taught by their mother the fine arts of weaving, her brothers are outside helping their father with the vegetables tutored on how one can grow fine produce free of any chemical fertilizers or pest control agents.

As simple as he is, Mang Onorio, Elena's father bore tattoos on his back, parts of it even creeping to his chest and stomach. Elena saw this once when she ran to her parent's room to get help from her father. Aling Luisa was out that time to buy some supplies in the public market.

"Tay, Emilio is choking," her voice trembling. "I think he swallowed one of his toy soldiers."

Onorio, sleeping face down woke up with a start. It was then that Elena got a glimpse of the tattoo on her father's back.

Hurriedly, Onorio dressed up asking Elena, "What happened anak? Where is he?"

"He's in the sala, tay," Elena answered trying to pull Onorio to the direction of their living room.

As Onorio was applying the heimlich maneuver on Emilio, Elena thought about the tattoo she saw. It was like a collage of faces. Scary ones. It depicted men with tattoos all over their body as if it was their second skin.

Every Monday, Mang Onorio takes his kids for a ride on their pedicab -- a bicycle with an attached sidecar -- to school. Elena was in grade six at the Balangiga Central School when the conflict in the mountains of Samar was brought to their town by fleeing rebels.

The first gunshot was heard around 2:00 am. Immediately, Mang Onorio woke his family and gathered them to their bedroom. From his cabinet, he took out a revolver made by one of the towns of the province of Cebu. He checked if he had all six rounds loaded and rejoined his family behind the bed.

The gunfires grew loader as the clash was brought nearer their baranggay. They can hear the screams of their neighbors who are trying to run away.

"Tay, I think we should go," suggested Elena while clutching her mother.

"She is right, Onorio," seconded Aling Luisa who is trembling with worry for their family. "Let us go to my sister's house at the town proper. It may be safer there."

After a little thought, Mang Onorio said, "Okay, gather all essential things that we can bring. Then we will go."

The family hurriedly packed a few essentials. They put change of clothes, underpants, and a little food in two bayongs. Elena went to pick up the radio but Edgardo got there ahead of her.

"I'll bring this one Ate," Edgardo said. "You can help nanay with Emilio and the other bayong. I will carry the this one," referring to the other bayong he is holding with one hand as his other arm clutches the radio.

The family went out the back door and walked into the dark as the gunshots can be heard about a block away.

Then they heard bullets zing past them. In panic, Luisa and Elena ducked in a nearby dug out drainage as people run past them to the safety of the town proper.

Elena and her mother got separated from the rest of the family. The gunshots grew louder as the fighting got nearer.

"Come here anak," urged Luisa. "Let's hide inside this culvert."

The two crawled into the culvert. Elena just pulled her leg in when rebels jumped into the drainage for protection. They did not notice the mother and daughter because they were focusing on the soldiers chasing them.

Luisa hugged Elena who has her hands covering her ears. "Don't worry, anak," she whispered to her. "We will be safe here as long as they do not notice us," she said as grenades began exploding nearby.

A grenade blew a few feet away from the culvert in between several rebels crouched in the drainage. The loud explosion, the blast of air and the blood of killed rebels knocked mother and child unconscious.

They were woken up a few hours later by soldiers who were inspecting the result of the battle and assisted them out of the culvert and up the road. Their names were taken and they were interrogated.

"I'm sorry but you cannot go to the town proper," the regretful military officer told them. "The rebels are currently holding the place under siege."

Worried as she was about the fate of her husband and sons, Luisa brought Elena to Leyte. She had a brother there whom she can ask for help.

Days, weeks, and months passed and they have never heard from Mang Onorio. Her mother got depressed while Elena found it hard to study.

Years later, the mother and daughter moved to Manila as Aling Luisa went to find work to help sustain what remains of her family. Elena went to the Manuel L Quezon University to study nursing so she can go abroad to make their lives even better. That is where she met Alfredo. A handsome dashing young man who fancied her. They hit it off immediately and Elena was happy for that. Alfredo helped her regain her glow that she lost when that grenade exploded near her not more than six years ago.

Their love brought them to live together as Elena's mother went to work as a domestic helper in Hong Kong. That was when the beatings began. Alfredo was a jealous man and he always blamed Elena every time another man looks and smiles at her.

When she got pregnant, Alfredo left her thinking that her child was sired by another man.

Her heart broken, she had to make ends meet for her and her still unborn child. Life has eased for her when suddenly this horrifying figure appeared. She once again felt the fear she had while huddled in that culvert as she stared at the hooded figure in front of her.

"What do you want from me!" she finally screamed at the figure.

"You," the figure replied in an unearthly voice. "I have no business with you."

The hooded figure then held his closed fists in front of him, left hand on top of the right as if holding a bat. Then he moved them apart as if feeling an imaginary pole. A bright rod of light appeared to form extending between and beyond the man's fists. Then the rod turned into a dark wood with tribal designs. There is an inscription in the wood that Elena could not discern. She thought she saw those characters before. As the man finished his movement, a spear materializes. It has a serrated stone-like spearhead and decorative strings tied where the spearhead meets the wood.

The man stepped back turning the spear toward Elena. He had his left hand palms down holding the spear on its foreshaft as his other hand holds the spear midway on the lower end of the pole his palms down. He raised the spear, ready to strike Elena.

"It is unfortunate that you will have to die as well," said the man as Elena watched in horror, unable to move away.

She closed her eyes and prayed, turning her head away while supporting her body with both arms behind her. "My God! Please save me and my baby!"

"Your god has brought this upon you," the man said as he made a final pull to lunge at Elena.

With great strength moving both body and arms, the man thrust the spear not toward Elena's heart but to her womb.

Elena waited for the sound of flesh being torn but what she heard instead was a clang of metal against metal and the thud of the spear hitting concrete.

She quickly opened her eyes as a long and large bolo riddled with markings held by someone behind her left the spear it parried and swung toward the spear holding assailant.

The assailant jumped back pulling the spear away with him holding it near the poles end.

Elena saw her savior jump over her in a flutter of cloth to chase her assassin. Then she lost consciousness.

3. The Alley

It was night.

Elena tried to walk faster. She willed herself to run but the load she is caring plus the fact that she is pregnant stopped her from walking any faster. Her heart is pounding so hard it reverberates to her ear. It is as if she had her ear against her chest.

Then she heard the flapping of cloth... She turned... And what she saw made her scream...

Standing in front of her is a cloaked man. The hood and the dark obscuring her vision. She can't see his face.

Her scream caught the attention of some bystanders who tried to see where the scream was coming from. On the other side of the street, four topless men drinking some gin stopped momentarily and turned to look at the direction where the scream came from. At the corner, three students waiting for a cab turned to Elena's direction.

Elena was shaking. Almost loosing her grip on the bayong she is carrying. She willed herself to move. She was able to take one step back when the hooded figure slowly raised his head. Ambient light slowly creeping she can now see the person's jaw. It looks fiery red. It has some black markings like a tattoo.

She held her bayong tighter not knowing what to do. A lot of things raced through her mind. "Is this Mang Andoy's killer," she asked herself. "What could he want from me? I never saw him before. I was never even a witness to the murder!"

As Elena continued on these thoughts, the hooded figure's head continued to raise. Now she can see his cheeks, riddled with tattoo. His head stopped moving. Light does not penetrate enough to allow her to see the figure's whole face. But she notices that his eyes seem to glow.

"Miss! Are you okay?" shouted one of the drinkers from the other side who stood up to have a better look. Then seeming to notice the figure standing in front of the woman, they felt alarmed. They took steps toward the street.

"Hoy! Who are you?" asked the other man to the hooded figure they can barely see in the dark as he moved ahead of his buddies. Some of them picked up iron pipes or wooden planks.

The students waiting for the cab got scared at the shouting. They huddled together and tried to cross the street towards the fast food chain.

The four drinkers began their way across the street when the figure turned his head toward them. They can see his yellow glowing eyes. And it made them stop and rethink if they will go and help the woman or not.

"Puta, aswang!" shouted the thinnest of the four holding his wooden stick tighter.

"Let's get him!" shouted the braver one who was also the one who asked Elena if she is okay.

"Let's go!" shouted the big bellied one holding an iron pipe.

As they moved forward towards the island that separates the two opposing lanes, the figure whipped his left arm toward their direction shouting "Daga!"

In an instant, a bolt of light came out from the sleeve end of the figure's cloak. The light materialized to a knife before it disappeared into the neck-high island.

The brave one among the drinkers stopped dead on his tracks. Clutching his neck as he fall backwards from the impact of something that hit him. Blood came out of his mouth and seeped through his fingers. His eyes wide in shock. He hit the ground with a thud.

The others looked at him, got mad and angrily looked at the hooded figure.

When the hooded figure released that bolt of light, Elene got to her senses and turned toward an alley to her left.

With deadly swiftness, the hooded figure flicked his other arm toward the direction of Elena. A bolt of light flew out and struck the wall behind her. Missing her by inches.

The assailant then moved to follow Elena in the alley but stopped when an iron pipe flew in front of him. He turned to see that the big bellied iron pipe bearer was no across the island. The two others just over the top.

Elene moved faster across the tight alley barely two persons wide. Boxes and crates were piled on either side. She tipped some of them and a few fell crashing on the ground. She heard screams as the four drinkers sparred with her assailant. As she turned her head back to take a look, she saw lights flash, heard more screams, and thought she faintly heard skin tear as if opening a zipper.

As the screaming stopped, she stopped and turned towards the end of the alley hoping that she will see one of the men who tried to help her. Her heart stopped when she heard the eerie fluttering she heard before. But no one emerged at the end of the alley. Trembling, she raised her gaze. In the ambient light of the new moon, she saw a figure descend from above. Her knees felt weak and she fell sitting on the ground.

"This is it for me," she thought. "I am sorry for my baby. He hasn't even come out yet to see the world and now he will die with me."

Tears trailed down her cheek as the fluttering figure landed a few feet in front of her.

"What do you want from me!" she screamed at the figure.

"You," the figure replied. His voice seem to come from the depths of the earth. "I have no business with you."

2. Street vendor

Elena Mercado is seven months pregnant. She will soon join the many unwed mothers that live below poverty level in the metropolis. Her boyfriend for five years, Alfredo, left her while she was two months into her pregnancy. He left because he could not bear to be responsible for a child he believes he did not sire. Alfredo had long since suspected that Elena has another lover other than himself. For five years he tormented her. Blamed her for every misfortune that came upon him. He lost his job because of truancy and he blamed it on her. She still bore the marks from Alfredo's beatings. He beat her with his own hands, with the broom, with wire hangers, and with just about everything he can pick up from around their house. She endured all this because of her love for Alfredo. And all he has for her is contempt.

Elena thought that getting pregnant will help her change the way Alfredo treated her. But she was wrong. When he found out about her pregnancy, he went berserk. He beat her, punched her, kicked her, even threw her against their dining table. Then he just left.

That was two weeks ago.

From then on, Elena had to fend off for her and her soon to be born child. It is a girl, people said as it was a common belief than when a woman carries a girl, her beauty radiates. On the other hand, if the child she carries is a boy, that beauty degrades.

It is almost 9:00 in the evening and Elena is on her way home to the slums of Quiapo, a busy district in the city of Manila know for its cheap goods, fast services, and dangerous streets at night. Like most of the urban poor, Elena makes a living by reselling products she got from the low cost flea markets of Divisoria -- an adjacent district -- as well as goods of questionable source.

Walking home carrying her wares in a woven basket called a bayong, Elena makes her way through the deserted streets of Claro M. Recto.

"Good evening, Elena," greeted one police officers patrolling the area. The police officer first noticed her when he was assigned evening patrol three days ago.

"Good evening to you too, sarge," Elena greeted in return. Her smile not as warm as that of the policeman who is delighted to see her but more like a smile of a person who believes she is assured of a safe way home because of their presence.

"Were you able to sell a lot today?" asked the policeman.

"Well, not really," answered Elena, "but it will get me through for another day."

They waved each other good bye as they continued to walk to opposite directions.

Elena felt happy to see the officer. She feels that there might be something in the officer's smile other than just a casual greeting.

"Well, he is handsome," she thought, "and I don't see a ring in his finger to say that he is married."

Her dreamy thoughts were interrupted by a shadow that passed by her. She stopped, and turned around. No one is there. She looked around a little, staying in place, but did not see anyone or hear anything.

She began walking again. Faster this time. Small beads of sweat forming on her forehead and above her upper lip. Her heart is pounding and she has a stricken look of panic in her face. Not too long ago that Mang Andoy, a neighbor and fellow street vendor, was stabbed to death in this area. Mang Andoy lived two houses from what she calls home. The fifty-five year old man had been so kind to her and often took time to visit her along with his fifty-three year old wife, Imelda. His death was a tragedy. More puzzling than most of the unsolved crimes in this city. Mang Andoy was stabbed six times in the different parts of the body puncturing his lungs and tearing his heart. Imelda was not able to get herself together from that tragedy.

A more puzzling information came from the forensic report that Imelda shared with her. It was determined that the weapon used on Mang Andoy was a spear. A spear with serrated edges that tore his skin as it entered his body. What's more mysterious is that the police reported that although he was hit by the same spear six times, there is no evidence that the spear was even pulled out. The blood trails on the crime scene only showed the pattern blood creates when a spear enters the body.

Fearing that the very same killer is after her, Elena walked faster, almost running. She has get to a place with a lot of people. The three universities along the street are empty as the students are on vacation. But the far end of the street that meets Mendiola bridge is well lighted because of the fast food store located there.

"I must get there fast," she willed herself. "God, please help me!"

She is almost a block away when she heard the fluttering of cloth right behind her that she looked back. What she saw made her scream...

1. The tattoo

According to wikipedia.com, "a tattoo, or dermal pigmentation, is a mark made by inserting pigment into the skin for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding."

It adds that "tattooing has been practiced worldwide. The Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan, wore facial tattoos. Tattooing was widespread among Polynesian peoples, and among certain tribal groups in the Philippines, Borneo, Mentawai Islands, Africa, North America, South America, Mesoamerica, Europe, Japan, Cambodia, and China. Despite some taboos surrounding tattooing, the art continues to be popular all over the world."

Tattoos symbolize something. An identification, a description, a story itself. Tattooing had been an ancient practice. It connotes belonging the same manner as that of an address. It describes what you are, who you are, and whose childe you are. It shows how important a person is. And they say, those with most tattoos are the bravest.

Similar markings have been adopted in non-living things. Bombers displaying the number of missions it took by the number of bomb-shaped paintings on its side. World War II bombers are "tattoed" with inspiration images -- mothers, wives, and idols of the pilots or the group.

What we do not know is that tattoos too signify the power a person possess and the strength of that power. For a few hidden in the dark, silently living their lives, their tattoos serve as marks of fear, destruction, and hopefully deliverance.