The white Maybach cut through the silent, salt-crusted streets of Binondo, a world away from the sterile glass of Makati. Chano watched the shadows of old buildings flicker by. The message from "L" wasn't just a threat; it was a ghost from his past finally catching up.
"Marco, don't head back to San Pedro," Chano said, his voice dropping into that low, gravelly tone that meant the technician was gone and the operative was back. "It's a furnace now. I won't have Aling Nena caught in the crossfire."
"Where to then, 'tol?" Marco's hands tightened on the wheel.
"Binondo. Over the old canal," Chano replied. "We need Philip."
Bella leaned forward, intrigued. "Philip? Another agent?"
Chano let out a dry, mirthless sound. "No. On these streets, people just call him... Basag."
They pulled up behind a row of crumbling hardware stores. The air was a thick soup of incense, stagnant river water, and the metallic tang of old iron. Shadowy figures shifted in the dark alleys, eyeing the luxury car, but they kept their distance.
A heavy steel warehouse door groaned open, and a wiry guy stepped out. He was half-Japanese, with messy hair and Irezumi tattoos that snaked all the way up his neck. Philip "Basag" was currently mid-bite of a fishball, staring at a TikTok on his phone.
He looked up, squinting at the headlights. "Hoy! No tourists! You'll get mugged—" He stopped dead. The fishball nearly slid down his throat. "Pucha!"
Philip scrambled over, nearly tripping on his own tattered rubber slippers. "Chano?! Is that really you, 'tol?! I thought you were charcoal after that Singapore mess! You're alive, you beautiful bastard!"
He started poking Chano's chest, checking for a pulse like he didn't believe his own eyes. "It's real! A heartbeat! I was about to light a candle for you at Quiapo Church!"
"Philip, knock it off," Chano muttered, prying the man off him.
Philip's eyes darted to Bella and Marco. "Oho! Who are the big-timers? Did you start modeling in Makati? And Miss Beautiful... is she the girlfriend? Damn! From tech-guy to chick-magnet!"
"Philip, focus," Marco said, stepping into the light. "The Scorpions are hunting us."
The goofiness evaporated instantly. Philip's eyes went razor-sharp for a heartbeat before a mocking grin returned. "Scorpions? Those keyboard warriors? Please. In Binondo, we eat scorpions for breakfast."
He waved them inside. "Get in! Even if their whole army shows up, they aren't getting past these doors."
The warehouse was a chaotic mix of a high-end gaming den and a motorcycle chop-shop. Philip hopped into a swivel chair, spinning like a kid. "So, what's the play, Boss Chano? I saw you trending. #MysteryHacker. You're a star, 'tol!"
"Philip, I need your satellite uplink," Chano said, ignoring the noise. "L is active. He reached out."
Philip nearly tumbled off his chair. "L? That demon? I thought his soul got 'deleted' five years ago." He went dead serious, his lean frame tensing. "Use whatever you need. Even my custom Genshin rig—hack away."
Chano sat down, his fingers already flying across the keys. The metallic click-clack of Philip's specialized board filled the room.
Bella watched, fascinated. "Philip, why did you call him a king earlier?"
Philip smirked, leaning against a crate. "Chano? Miss, don't let the hoodie fool you. When the underworld was at its peak, he was the only one who could pull off the 'Great Wipeout.' He didn't just hack banks; he hacked the people who owned the banks. He's the guy who crashes the party for every syndicate in the country."
Suddenly, the monitors flickered. A high-pitched, digital scream tore through the speakers.
"Ouch! My ears!" Philip yelled.
A face appeared on every screen—the same mask from the Makati tower.
"Chano... I knew you'd run to that clown Philip," the voice hissed, distorted and cold. "San Pedro is burning. I hope Nena's bakery was worth the trouble."
Chano's eyes went dark. He stood up so fast his chair slammed against the wall. "L... if anything happens to them, I won't just find you. I'll make sure you never have the chance to beg."
"Too late, Big Brother," L laughed. "The Scorpions are already at your door."
BOOM!
An explosion rocked the front gate, the shockwave rattling the shipping crates. Philip didn't look scared; he looked annoyed. He reached into his back pocket and drew two chrome butterfly knives, flipping them with blinding speed.
"Pucha! My ramen order just got here, and you're gonna ruin my night?!" Philip's face hardened into that of a cold-blooded killer. "Chano, keep hacking! Marco, guard the lady! I'll handle the pests outside!"