Guilty Souls

ONE BULLET

For PTR application October 15, 2021. - 10 free chapters

CHAPTER 1

The loud sound of gunshots echoed in a large, old, and dilapidated warehouse as the opposing camps fired their high-caliber guns. The bullets out from the firearms were flying from the dark and smoky place at supersonic speeds. Several bodies went down as bullets hit them, which led them straight to the gates of hell, where evil souls deserved to rest for all eternity.

BANG!

Sadly, two of those bodies didn’t deserve to be the casualty of that scenario.

“They were hit! They were hit! Cover me!” Young soldier SPO2 Johnny Perez, a good friend of SPO3 Villarin, bravely rushed to the spot where both Nimuel and Dimitri dropped after a bullet hit both the victim and the soldier.

"Stay with me, soldier. Dammit!... Stay with me, Nimuel!!" Johnny howled loudly as he saw blood was all over the face of his friend. It gushed heavily from his throat down, causing the area where he laid face down damped by his blood.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Deafening gun noise continued to echo in the whole place. Until one by one, the criminals were disarmed or killed. Several soldiers were wounded. It was a bloody encounter; the criminals were equipped for the battle. They were ready to kill or be killed.

The rescue operation was conducted in a condemned building in Tanay Rizal, a province in the Philippines.

“The bullet hit SPO3 and Russo. Take them to the hospital quickly!” Ordered by the second commandant of the mission in a high tone.

Several minutes before that, SPO3 Nimuel Villarin rushed to save the kidnap for ransom victim Dimitri Lorenzo Russo; however, a bullet hit Nimuel's nape, penetrated his throat, and hit the victim at a spot near his heart. In a split second, two lives were placed in utter danger. One bullet could take both lives if not given the right medical attention as soon as possible.

Several soldiers rushed to the victims and carried them to the waiting ambulance. They were given first aid as soon as the soldiers brought them inside. While the emergency life-saving protocol was being administered, the ambulance speed through the almost empty roads towards the nearest hospital.

Everybody’s action was swift but calculated; the ambulatory team was used to such emergencies. However, at that time, the injuries were severe, and two lives were in grave danger.

The hospital staff cleared the emergency room immediately when the ambulance arrived, and the best doctors were summoned to care for the patients. Despite the speedy response and efficiency of the medical team, several minutes later...two bodies lost their heartbeats at the same time.

The doctors and medical staff were disheartened. Two lives were lost, even though they did their best. The injuries were too severe....the bullet wounds were bound to take lives. Both patients were critically wounded, both conditions were fatal.

A handsome soldier and a very attractive gentleman, both of them very young. —such a waste of lives.

The head emergency physician and his team tried to revive both bodies, but unfortunately, their expertise was insufficient to bring back their lives. With a heavy heart, the head physician looked at his team and declared...

“Time of death 02:35 am,” Dr. Dela Rosa remarked in a hoarse voice. Several nurses and two more doctors were beside him. He heaved a sigh of despair. He was a father too, and any father would feel bad about the situation. It was disheartening to see lives lost at a very early stage. They have yet to explore what life has for them.

Heads down, the team of doctors turned and proceeded to exit the room.

Toot..toot...toot... (sound of a weak pulse)

“Dr. Dela Rosa,” a nurse called in a frigid and quivering voice. The Doctors turned their heads to the nurse positioned near the life support monitor. He saw the bewildered face of the nurses looking at the monitor itself.

Toot...toot..toot...(stronger pulse)

The sound coming from the monitor became stronger. The doctors were frozen from the spot where they stood.

“Prepare the operating room at once,” open-eyed Dr. Dela Rosa ordered loudly.

The voice of the doctor broke the trance of the other staff. The doctors and nurses hurriedly moved to prepare what he ordered.

Dr. Dela Rosa was trembling excessively, but he looked determined. He silently muttered, "We might be able to save at least ONE LIFE…God, please grant us the grace...allow us to save his life!"

****

After a few hours, at the home of Azalea...

She was up early, and she uttered a simple prayer immediately after she opened her eyes.

Her phone vibrated after she was done with her prayer. When she looked at the mobile phone screen, she saw an unknown or an unregistered number. She hurriedly picked up the call. It was 6 o’clock in the morning.

“Ms. Azalea Castro.” She heard the deep and commanding voice of the officer on the line.

Straight away, she knew the call came from the camp.

“Yes! This is her. How may I help you?” She answered the caller in a warm voice. She was feeling good that day. —it's her wedding day. She has all the reasons to be high-spirited.

There was a long silence on the phone.

“Hello? Who’s on the line, please?” She asked confusedly. She thought the caller was one of her well-wishers from the camp.

The person remained speechless for several seconds, and it made Azalea anxious. Who might he be?

“Ah...Ma’am, your name and contact number was recorded on SPO3 Villarin’s emergency file,” He said calmly but reluctantly.

“Yes, how may I help you, sir?” She asked more anxiously. For some reason, goosebumps were crawling in her skin. It was not the first time she received a call from the camp. However, it was the first time she felt strange about it. Her chest started to rise and fall rapidly.

“Ma’am...Here’s SPO2 Perez! He will talk to you.” The man on the other line said.

Seconds later, “Azah...” Johnny called her name, and she sensed a different vibe in his voice.

“Johnny, what the hell is going on?” She was feeling bad about the situation. The soldiers were acting abnormally. They were usually authoritative and straightforward, but definitely, that was not the case at that time.

On top of that, since Johnny was Nimuel’s best friend, he usually talked with her charmingly. However, at that moment, Johnny's tone was different. She intently waited for him to speak.

Johnny released the air in his lungs and ran a hand through his hair a few times before he found the courage to speak to Azalea.

“Azah...something happened to Nimuel. We lost him this morning on a special assignment,” he closed his eyes and locked his jaw after he muttered the devastating and awful news he had yet to deliver in his entire military career.

They were soldiers and used to casualties, but Nimuel was his best friend. He was like a brother—his partner in their operation —his Mistah.

“Lost? What do you mean? Was he missing? It’s our wedding day, for God's sake. Don't pull a bad joke on me now.” Azalea ranted irritatedly. She bombarded him with questions, not that she was mad but because she was too afraid of the unspoken truth.

How could Nimuel be lost on the special day of their life? Was it one of his tricks again? She silently wished it was just Nimuel's tricks, but her heart was bothered. She was too afraid of what the truth might be. Azah thought Nimuel was at home. How could he have gone on a MISSION without telling her?

“Azah...I’m so sorry. Nimuel was one of the casualties of the rescue operation last night. He’s dead.” Johnny’s voice trembled while he spoke to her.

It was like a gunshot that shook Azalea's body. She was rendered speechless. Her entire body went numb. Her brain froze. Her vision spun, and she lost consciousness.

Her shocked body almost hit the cold floor; fortunately, her brother Ezekiel rushed in time to save her.

Her best friend Bella grabbed the cell phone in her hand and spoke to Johnny herself. She, too, almost fainted when she learned what happened to Nimuel. A piece of the devastating news guaranteed to hurt so many hearts.

The very young soldier lost his life in an encounter to save a kidnapped for ransom victim. He wasn’t the only casualty of the encounter, another soldier had lost his life in the encounter, and two others were heavily wounded.

Aside from the soldiers, twelve heavily gunned men also lost their lives, and six were captured and heavily interrogated.

It was a difficult mission. The camp sent the best of the best on that mission. That was why Nimuel was summoned to participate in the special operation.

The other two kidnapped victims were safe while the main victim was fighting for his life in the hospital.

SPO3 Villarin rushed to the victim when the criminals fired their guns. There were many bullets on his vest, but the ONE bullet hit his nape, penetrated his throat, and hit the victim at the same time.

The young Special Action Force Agent died hoping to save the life of the young victim Dimitri Lorenzo Russo, who miraculously survived after the doctor took the bullet out --in a spot near to his heart. He was placed in the intensive care unit after his operation.

SPO3 Nimuel Villarin died a hero. --a very young hero.

BUT who would value receiving accolades and recognition when one was dead due to that incident?

The family of Nimuel was in despair, and his bride’s heart was shattered to pieces.

He died on the day of his own wedding. Nimuel did not fulfill his promise. He had broken his vow to Azalea.