Chapter 35 Just The Beginning

• The door of Mang Lucio's house creaked open as Alexa and Gia stepped inside, their boots heavy on the wooden floor. Both women had their guns drawn, the cold steel glinting in the dim light of the small house. Alexa's eyes scanned the room, sharp, cold, and relentless. Gia stood a little behind her, her stance alert, every inch of her radiating menace.
• Mang Lucio, a broad-shouldered man with a weathered face, stood at the threshold of the small kitchen, his hands tense at his sides. Aling Tessa, his wife, was frozen in the corner, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, her eyes wide with fear. Despite the fear that gripped them both, they tried to put on a brave face.
• Alexa's voice was low and controlled, but the command in it was unmistakable. "We're looking for Belle and Nero. You know where they are."