"No, Maria….. Maria….." Joao crawled forward with everything he had.
"Boss, he's trying to escape," Salvador said.
"Oh? Break his legs," Dalgedo ordered, his hand pressing Maria's head into the hospital floor.
The gang members obeyed. The sound of Joao's screams echoed through the sterile hallway.
"No…... why...… This all happened because of me. If only I had been more alert from the beginning, none of this would've happened. I'm a disgrace as a mother….... please, forgive me...…" Maria mumbled to herself, eyes wide with guilt.
"Joao...… Joao..…" Her lips moved, but no sound escaped.
Joao's gaze remained locked on Dalgedo. Even through the pain, his bloodshot eyes burned with the desire to kill.
And then Maria noticed it...a man holding Joao from the front. On his palm was a tattoo of a burning leaf.
Her heart skipped a beat. Her pupils constricted like a cat sensing danger.
Adrenaline surged through her veins. Her body shook. She forgot the pain, forgot everything. Her eyes locked onto that man—nothing else mattered.
"Salvador, take over for me, will you?" Dalgedo said, rising to his feet as Salvador stepped forward to hold Maria.
"Please…....please…... just let this work," Maria whispered, slowly pulling something from her pant pocket.
"It's been a while since I held a woman," Salvador said, grabbing her by the neck, though not squeezing fully. "Be nice to me, lady."
"Ahhh!" Maria exploded with energy. With all her strength, she shoved Salvador hard enough to slam him into the nearby wall.
"What the....grab that bitch!" Dalgedo shouted. He was a few steps away when Salvador hit the wall.
A gang member rushed at her, not even noticing what was in her hand.
"Shut up and stay still, bitch!" he yelled, reaching out to grab her.
"I'll kill you, you bastard!" she screamed, dodging his arms and driving the pen in her hand blindly into his neck, adrenaline fueling her every move.
The pen pierced his carotid artery. He dropped, thrashing like a dying fish.
"What the hell did you do?!" Salvador tackled her to the ground.
"Call the doctor, now!" Dalgedo shouted, running over to the fallen man.
"Aghhhh!" Blood spurted out like a fountain.
Dalgedo pressed his hand against the stab wound, but it was too late. The man died right there in front of everyone.
"You bitch....… What have you done?" Dalgedo stared at Maria, wide-eyed.
Maria looked straight at him. Their eyes clashed with fury and fire.
"Hahhh...… Oh, I almost forgot.....our members are ready to die for me. Thanks to that idiot, I'm still alive. If it hadn't been for him, I'd be the one on the floor right now," Dalgedo chuckled darkly.
The gang members stood around awkwardly....some lowered their heads, others swallowed hard. Joao's body trembled. But not from the machines. From the humans around him.
"Saving, i don't need saving? We don't need anyone to save us. We are the rulers here," Dalgedo said, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket and kneeling in front of Joao so he could see it clearly.
"Recognize this?" he smirked.
"Your FIR has been registered. Leave it to us—we'll make sure justice is served for your son's killer," the officer had said confidently, looking into Joao's eyes.
"Please, I'm begging you. Catch those bastards!" Joao had cried, clutching the officer's hand.
Then he had rushed to the hospital to support his wife, who was there alone.
"How did you bastards get this?" Joao asked in disbelief.
"Can't you understand simple language?" Dalgedo grabbed him by the hair and forced him to look around.
"No…... Let my husband go…..." Maria whispered, just loud enough to reach Dalgedo's ears.
"Oh look, boss! She's begging now," Salvador mocked. "Where's all that fire and strength now?" He slapped Maria and laughed like a lunatic.
"Don't touch her! Keep your filthy hands off her!" Joao shouted, every nerve in his body burning with rage.
"Ooooh, scary," Dalgedo said, stepping back. "Don't worry, I won't touch your wife. Right, Salvador?"
"Forgive my boss," Salvador sneered. "He's a bit of a virtuous man. Allow me to keep your wife company."
He began strangling Maria.
She squealed, her tongue lolling out.
"No! Don't do it! You motherfuckers—I'll kill every last one of you!" Joao thrashed, desperate to break free, but he was just one man against the entire gang.
"Is this how you beg?" Dalgedo sneered, shoving his shoe into Joao's mouth, muffling his screams.
"Oh, my bad," Salvador said casually, releasing Maria's throat.
"Ahn…... ahnnn…..." She gasped, heavy breaths echoing in the room.
"Listen to that. Beautiful, isn't it?" Dalgedo laughed. "Can't you appreciate your wife's voice?"
Joao wept as Dalgedo pulled his shoe out, and the gang around him burst into cruel laughter.
Behind them, someone leaned against the wall, partially hidden in shadow. He wore a cop uniform.
When the light hit his face, it became clear—it was the same cop who had registered Joao's FIR.