The tuxedo men rose from their seats and aimed their guns.

“Do it.”

Blood splattered over the boy’s face. The gunshot stung his ears, shaking his entire body. Two bodies fell onto him. As liquid crimson seeped into his clothes, he couldn't process what happened.

"Mama... Papa?..." The boy looked up and saw the faces of death.

The husband and wife lay dead on top of one another, still holding their son in their arms. All he could do was sit paralyzed; frozen in time. More gunshots rang throughout the tram, and only screams followed next. The men in suits breezed passed him as the boy hid himself under his parents.

"Putang Oksidentanos! This is what ya' get when you come into the Laguna Sagar hoping to trip things up!"

More gunfire filled the sky as the boy watched the chaos unfold above him. Bullets flew like darts, and blood sprayed everywhere. Screams of pain and fear erupted from the tram car, yet the boy didn't move.

The doors opened, and a man came running down to help.

"Stay quiet, don't move, and hold tight!"

A tall, broad-shouldered man with metal gauntlets helped the boy stand. The young one pushed him away, touching the blood on his face.

"You're okay. You're alive." The man hugged the boy with his large frame, making sure he wouldn't lose consciousness again. He smashed a window as they jumped out of the tram.

“Bandanas.”

Everyone turned to the underboss of the Kamaong Batikan, and showed their cloths. He was a man with a big stature, but it was nothing compared to now. His tie wasn’t on correctly, and his words uttered the harsh smell of alcohol and smoke. The underboss looked at Jorge.

“Escaramanga, care to explain what this young señora is here for? You’re lucky that we still follow Pérez’s morals.” He muttered before drinking again. Hojun walked up to the underboss. “He won’t have to. I’m an associate of Jorge Tarique. Hojun.”

Her name echoed throughout the gang. Jorge could hear the other Kamaos whisper to each other.

“She’s an Azu? No, Z̆ongren?”

“What’s a pretty gal like her doing around here?”

“Are we finally getting our first female Kamao?”

“Quiet. I asked Jorge, not you lady.” The man looked at Jorge. He stepped forward.

“She decided to come along after she treated my wounds, señor Alejandro.”

A bottle flew at Jorge. He caught it in midair. “Jorge, don’t bring anyone out here besides a Kamao. For all we know she might be an Oksidentano. Ever since our country’s leader stepped down the Kapulisan are no longer cracking down on crime. The Occident and Bakal are harassing us every day, and you bring in a woman we don’t know?”

His mentor glared at him, glaring as if he was an enemy. The others gasped at the words 'Oksidentano'. Jorge didn't say anything back. He wanted to yell at Alejandro, but decided against it. He knew better than to challenge the man who saved him. The captain, a short man, stepped forward.

“He’s right, the Bakal has inflicted so much violence against us…” He stretched his hands toward everyone, who was injured in some shape or form. “We don’t need anyone playing hooky.”

“But if it were Pérez, what would he do?” Jorge stared at the ground, thinking. In that brief moment, Hojun walked away in silence, taking the boy with her. Alejandro didn't say anything, instead watching his back.

“What do you think, Escaramanga? Don't mention Pérez in something so trivial as this foreigner."

A younger Kamao raised his hand. "If Pérez was here he'd definitely take her in, that's for sure."

The others started to nod. "Right. Pérez would take her in and treat her like a queen."

"If I may, there is no need for this useless quarrel." Hojun folded her arms, while they went quiet. "First of all, I have no intention to join the Kamaong Batikan-"

"Then you just admitted that you're from another gang." Alejandro smacked his fist on the wall, before drinking even more. "If you're a Bakalito or Oksidentano, you gotta have a bandana on you somewhere. Boys."

Alejandro's supporters came to his side, while Jorge stood behind Hojun. "Señor Alejandro, please stop. I don't want to know why she wanted to come here. But she helped me, a Bangkaño. If she harbors no ill intent for the Kamaong Batikan, then we should let her be an associate."

"The Kamaos are fighting amongst themselves? It seems the death of José Pérez has left you all in disarray."

An explosion sounded. Smoke engulfed the area. The debris and dirt rained down on their jackets.

"What is going on?"

"They're shooting at us!"

"Get back inside the warehouse!" The captain ran towards the building, pushing people towards it.

"This isn't good!" Alejandro reached into his pocket, but he was too late. Another shell crashed against the metal building and forced it open.

A lone man entered the alleyway, holding a handgun. He wore a high-brimmed black hat, a vaquero. As the dust cleared, his appearance struck the Kamaos in legarthic fear.

"An Oksidentano! Everyone scram! The Tagahatol is here!"

"You're not getting away." He aimed his gun and focused on Alejandro. "Dihu Tiudaan."

A bullet whirled at him. Time seemed to slow. The captain rushed in and conjured a sahar spell.

"Alam Baohu!" A shield appeared before him. The projectile bounced off. But something wasn't right. The glowing bullet trailed around and locked onto him instead. Jorge picked up a piece of scrap metal. He blocked the bullet from hitting the captain.

The man fired several times; they ricocheted and hit some Kamaos in their legs.

"Why you!..." Alejandro got up, but he fell hard against the wall. Blood soaked into his tuxedo from his shoulder.

"Señor Alejandro!" Jorge called out before deflecting more bullets away. He couldn't use sahar spells because he was a Bangkaño. He couldn't get near the Oksidentano, nor subdue him.

"I should've known…" Alejandro grunted and looked at Jorge. "I told you not to bring anyone. Not a single Bakalito, not even a Z̆ongren."

Jorge shook his head. He fell to his knees and hugged Alejandro. "I'm sorry... Is it really my fault?..."

"It's not anyone's fault, Jorge."

Hojun walked confidently in the direction of the Oksidentano. Projectiles whizzed passed her, but she paid no mind. Even if one did approach her, they deflected off a saharic barrier. Her long hair flowed behind her reposed strides.

"So you're a member of the feared ‘ The Occident'?" She held her hand out. A revolver materialized in her hand, and she turned it towards him. Jorge had never seen anything like that before. Guizu Arcana? He began to understand.

The man closed his eyes while he didn't move an inch. Was he concentrating?

"You are correct. The Occident is who I affiliate myself with."

A single bullet flew at her. It whirled off into the distance.

"That's all you got?" She glared while a bullet shot back and grazed past him. His eyes were stone cold, and not a single sweat on his face.

"I only did what I was ordered to do." He slid his gun back into his holster. "But you, ginang, have piqued my interest."

With those words in the air, he chanted a spell and disappeared.