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Chapter Text

Maliksi steels himself to confront Carlos, the eldest of the Trese brothers. Also known as the feared Verdugo, the tikbalang prince and easygoing maverick knows that everything can go wrong as he (now realizes quite foolishly) declares rashly his intentions for the youngest Trese.

Their conversation, however, did not last long.

The Verdugo is not a very patient man and he has been irritated with the shenanigans the tikbalang is having with his siblings, especially with Alex. But he admits he is impressed with the bravado the tikbalang prince is showing by coming to speak with him.

He bares his blessed iron teeth as he unsheathes his twin bolos strapped behind his back. The normally swaggering Maliksi gulps visibly, but restrains the urge to cower and step back as Carlos approaches. He cautiously greets him and the Verdugo motions him to sit and keep quiet.

The Verdugo is not a tall man , but Maliksi feels that he is looming over him, intimidated the way he looks menacing with his salakot half hiding his fiercely glowing eyes. Maliksi half expects to be cut in half by the legendary Parusa and Sentensya but Carlos stalks away and merely starts sharpening them in a leather strip hanging from the frame by the biggest stall behind him. The night air is cold, but the cicadas chirping indicate a peaceful night. There are also sleepy snorts from stalls where he found the mysterious eldest brother of Alexandra Trese was currently staying. It was difficult to track him down but he finally found a lead that brought him to Amadeo, Cavite. It is a quiet farm where the owner plants coffee and pineapples. There were also livestock raised here for food and labor-- cows, pigs and horses. Maliksi's nose twitches with the smell of sweet grass and manure mixing with his nervous sweating, despite the frigid midnight air.

He waits patiently as he watches him sharpen his weapons meticulously. When finished, Carlos Trese does not waste words. With a curt order of “Talk,” Maliksi nervously begins to state his case plainly, his natural swagger and arrogance reduced by the taciturn Verdugo.

Carlos does not speak, but his glowing eyes noticeably narrow when he mentioned he also approached his other brothers but only grunted to give the details how the other Trese brothers treated him. Maliksi feels his breath has run out as her finished speaking. Carlos finishes wiping both bolos to a shine. Satisfied with the results, he gestures the maverick to stand and move aside. The maverick feels his knees have turned to jelly when he gets asked a very incongruous question.

“Do you want to join us for breakfast, Tikbalang?”

Maliksi is confused. “Well…uh, I’d like that. I mean, I'd love to be there! I know Alex loves corned beef pan de sal so I can buy the bread and…” He falters when the Verdugo suddenly crosses his sandata, the metal rubbing and clashing q against each other.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Making our breakfast.”

The tikbalang’s eyes widened with panic and fear.

“W-what’s breakfast?”

Carlos Trese grins, his iron braces a terrible sight to behold as they gleam sinisterly in the dark.

“Tapang kabayo.”

Carlos expertly hurls both sandata towards the direction of the now terrified tikbalang.

"TSAG! TSAG!"

Parusa and Sentensya find their marks easily as blood spurt out from the flesh they stabbed. An agonized equine cry fills the air. A shrieking neigh and agonized whinnying alternate with the sounds of stabbing and slicing as the cold wind howled in the lonely Cavite mountains.

Chapter Text

The House of Trese, the morning after.

Since the family has not been together for a while, they all gather in the Trese ancestral house where Professor Enrique Trese keeps the family artifacts and legacy safe. Morning light streams through the huge antique capiz windows while the smoky scent of burning leaves that are being swept under the ancient trees in the backyard fills the cool morning air. The Trese brothers have been up and about seeing to their different chores assigned from childhood, a habit instilled by their parents. Carlos strides out from the kitchen, satisfied that Hank has began preparing the tapa he brought home. He greets Ricky, who has been at the study and Father Matthias, who is helping him curate the latest artifact he gathered in one of his researches. Both men have a feather duster and rag in each hand.

"Good morning, Kuya!" the professor smiles sheepishly when sees the Verdugo by the door. "Father Matthias and I had been so engrossed with our discussion that we just finished dusting." Father Matthias tugs off his apron and mask, to reveal the crucifix and Roman collar. "Kuya Ricky, you need help to start digitalizing your records. Even the Vatican is no longer as backward as before!" He scolds Enrique good-naturedly. Carlos steps in and takes the feather dusters from both men to herd them to the kitchen. "We can discuss those things later. Clean up both of you and someone wake Alex up so all of us can eat."

Carlos pauses by the window overlooking the backyard and calls down to the three men frolicking like children while a mound of dried leaves burn and crackle under the grove of ancient mango trees. "If you three are finished sweeping those leaves, clean up and set the table with me." Jimmy looks up and gives his kuya an OK sign while the Kambal pretends to grumble  about the bossing Carlos spoiling their fun.

Carlos only says, "Five minutes or I'll send Sentensya and Parusa after you." The fearless Kambal freeze in terror with this idle threat and dash back inside the house to comply. 

Alex is awakened by her Kuya Ricky's gentle voice by her door, telling her that Carlos is calling for her. She is the last to come down, the smell of the garlicky sinangag wafts from the kitchen. She smiles fondly at the memory of them having a meal together as she hears Hank whips up a culinary storm wherever he goes as  pans bang and utensils clang incessantly. She feels a little guilty that she is not a morning person to help out her older brothers but it is understood that since she runs the Diabolical and as the mandirigmang babaylan of Manila, the night activities keep her up all night.

She enters the comedor and sees all her brothers and the Kambal milling around the room, waiting for her to approach the table. Hank notices her first and tips his hat to his Bossing, while he wheels in the trays of breakfast food from the kitchen. Her brothers acknowledge her presence in their own fashion.

Father Matthias, who was standing over the breakfast spread buffet-style, nods amiably after he finishes blessing the food to be served. He motions her to sit at the spot between where he and Kuya Ricky usually sit. He then calls their elder brother standing by the sunlit porch.

Her Kuya Ricky turns from the lanai overlooking the ancient trees of the house and smiles at her as he raises his mug of coffee for a sip. His glasses get fogged a little by the steam but his eyes twinkle with mirth. He signals Hank to bring him the carafe of coffee but Alex stops him. "Hank knows what I like," she says.

Alex then proceeds to seat herself down at her designated place and throws a glance at her Kuya Carlos, who is seated comfortably at the head of the table. He merely nods curtly as he watches Hank plunk down the platters of food with interest. His eyes seems to light up as Hank sets down the first batch of tapa. He stands up and then proceeds to help himself with a generous portion of the food.  Breakfast is not a ceremony at the Trese household, but what matters is the company they share. The rest also begins getting their plates and piling food from the buffet of tapa, fried eggs, tinapa, danggit from Cebu, sinangag, coffee, tsokolate, itlog na maalat with a generous helping of tomatoes and red onions. There is also coffee percolating from the ancient coffee maker.

To Alex's surprise, she notes a small smile of satisfaction on his normally stoic brother's face as he eats with obvious gusto. Alex looks at Hank questioningly when she noticed the spread. She usually enjoys corned beef pan de sal but corned beef and pan de sal were missing from their breakfast table. Hank shrugs and replies, “Your kuya said to hold off the pan de sal for the rice dish. But I’ll get you corned beef, if that’s what you want?” Alex nods gratefully. Hank Sparrow heads back to the kitchen. A few minutes later, the scent of sauteed onions and corned beef permeates from the kitchen. 

What's the occasion, Alex wonders, as she waits for Hank's return trip from the kitchen with her coffee and corned beef.

The Kambal and Jimmy chortles out boisterous greetings and start their usual rowdiness as they help themselves with the heaps of rice and meat, shoveling food in their mouths and spraying the table with bits of chewed food. Alex wrinkles her nose in disgust as Jimmy starts a competition of who gets to put most food in their mouth.

Hank returns with the Alex's coffee and corned beef. Seeing the mess the youngest men of Trese made, he sets down the tray of fried eggs he was holding. He went to the Kambal, rapping sharply their grabby hands with his spatula. “Stop hoarding all food and spraying the table with your chewing, mga bwisit! Or I’ll have you pick the mumu one by one with your teeth!” To Jimmy, Hank snarls with disgusted annoyance. “And you! Don’t encourage them! What are you, kids?” Finished with the serving, he sits down also and starts to get his food.

Jimmy ignores him and rolls his eyes. He then stabs the nearest plate of what appears to the same cured meat their Kuya Carlos is enjoying and proceeds to eat with gusto. The rest of the men also started their breakfast. Ricky asks the question everyone wanted to ask. "So, Kuya. What's the occasion?"

Carlos smiles, his iron dentures sparkle in the morning sun. "Well, nothing much. It's just nice the family is together like this, especially with our bunso here." Instead of being calmed by the friendly opening, Alex, the brothers and the Kambal look at each other apprehensively. Their Kuya is known to be like a cat playing with his prey. When he is being pleasant, someone pissed him off. "By the way," Carlos continues casually, "I had a very interesting talk with a certain tikbalang last night and I heard also that our Kamba and Jimmy here put some maggot on his head to approach us about Alex. What I find interesting is how my beloved brothers think they can decide for our sister." He quirks an eyebrow as the men shift uncomfortably in their seats. "So, I thought, why not? I'll join the fun." He now gives Alex a grin she does not like. "I must admit, I really did have fun with him."

He then continues to eat and gestures them to continue. "I hope the tapsilog is to your liking."

With that, Alex experiences a frisson of concern and glances at her brothers. She is not unaware of their shenanigans when it comes with the persistent tikbalang but she had not been worried until their oldest brother also decides that it’s time to join the fun. She expects more than pranking from her Kuya Carlos as he took his role as a mandirigma very seriously.

She also has to admit, she is also a little curious how he would react with having someone from the underworld pursue his little sister.

Her other brothers have been—well, overprotective. And, for the lack of term, enjoy the torture of Maliksi a little too much.

Jimmy, as breezy and nonchalant as he is, admitted he enjoys poking fun of Maliksi when he told her that managed to steal some of his precious hairs and nails. after he tricked Maliksi in a heist inside Armazan building.

Father Matt did not lose his troublemaking ways, although it’s now covered by the Catholic ritual when she got invited by him in an exorcism demo one day. Turns out that he had persuaded the poor tikbalang to “chauffer" them to San Agustin Church in his tikbalang form for him to demonstrate means of purifying evil spirits (with the side of torturing Maliksi with whips, incense smoke and installation of several types of medals from various saints and relics of the church she did not know was in the city.) Of course, it did not work with the tikbalang (he’s a supernatural, not a demon) but Alex had to admit she was impressed how wicked her priest brother is. She wonders what Vatican thinks of her formerly ruffian borther.

Her respectable Kuya Ricky's shocking display of his sadistic tendencies alarmed her when the Kambal gleefully reported to her what had happened a few days prior this breakfast meeting. The panicked tikbalang was seen running away from their ancestral house after he threatened him to make an experimental guinea pig of ancient gayuma and prehistoric artifacts he had collected over the years of study. Some, Alex knows, are extremely potent to the engkantos. It is a headache but her brother assured her then that nothing happened.

Even with the barako incident, Alex had been very restrained. Well… except Sinag in her kris decided it was time to draw some blood.

Her Kuya Carlos is into justice and vengeance. A false move of the tikbalang may mean him meeting Parusa and Sentensya. She is counting her oldest brother to have more maturity, if not restraint.

Sensing her gaze on him, Carlos looks up and motions her to begin eating. "I know you normally prefer the corned beef pan de sal but I got us some tapa I’ve been wanting all of you to try." Her brothers and the Kambal have already begun with the tapa and are showing various states of enjoyment.

“Where did you get this, Kuya? This is so tender!” This was from Enrique.

“I think I will bring some to Vatican when I get back.” Matthias also smiles while enthusiastically chews on the meat.

“I bet Vaz would like these for tapas y vino when I meet her in Madrid.” Jimmy chimes cheerfully, tucking in some morsels inside his fanny pack.

The twins are also quite lively on their excitement with the tapa.

“Boss Carlos, bring us with you when you get them again!” 

“Yeah, we’d kill to have this tapa for our next inuman!”

Hank hands his bossing her coffee mug. Gratefully, Alex takes a sip of the brewed barako, the beans had been thankfully replenished by Maria Makiling and glances at the platter of meat dubiously her Kuya Ricky was holding out for her.

"This is not the usual beef tapa or tapang usa you bring, Kuya," Alex comments. "Which is this?"

Carlos nods. "Yep. It’s tapang kabayo. Finest there is."

The clinking and scraping at the breakfast table slows to a halt as all heads turn to the Verdugo, who is calmly savoring the tapa Alex ignored. A moment of silence descends as the words he had uttered are absorbed by those at the table. Alex stares intently at her eldest brother, a horrifying suspicion hitting her.

"Kuya…” For the first time, Alex’s voice falters. She composes herself and continues. “I heard you say Maliksi approached you last night.”

“So he did.”

After a tense beat, she asks him again. “What did you do to Maliksi?"

Carlos shrugs nonchalantly. "He was being annoying. I thought to teach him a lesson and we’ll have him for breakfast."

Alex is nonplussed as she absorbs the impact of her brother’s casual words. "By making him into mincemeat for breakfast?” she finally asks faintly, when she finds her voice.

Carlos quirks his eyebrow in amusement. “Hey, I made sure the tapa is to your liking.” He gestured to the others. “The kabayo did ask nicely to be part of breakfast.”

Suddenly, sputtering and retching are heard on the table as the men spit their coffee and breakfast they were enjoying.

As if the spell holding her in disbelief was broken, Alex slams her coffee mug and stands up to confront the Verdugo. “Don’t joke like this, Kuya! Do you want war in our hands?" Alex realizes her voice is rising and takes a breath to calm herself with this impending disaster. “How could you do something drastic like this and threaten the kasunduan?!”

Ricky, Matthias and Jimmy stare at their oldest brother in horror. They did made fun of the tikbalang, but most of their pranks were harmless. They never expected that their oldest brother would harm one of the princes of the Armazan clan, knowing they are their ally.

Meanwhile the Kambal gulp nervously. They never have seen it coming. The boss may have been sometimes harsh with Maliksi, especially when he is such being a sap. They never expect for him to offend the Verdugo and to have their friend as breakfast. Literally.

Carlos sighs. “I guess this means you didn’t like my surprise?”

Before anyone else can offer violent objections and reactions, the door creaks open. One long leg appears into view and then, the sheepish maverick peers in, with a self-conscious look on his face. A couple of bags of pan de sal rest are nestled in his arms.

"Pan de sal, mga boss?" He greets them all tentatively as he enters the dining room. Gone is his usual arrogant swag and is replaced with a polite and formal demeanor, which makes it more disconcerting to anyone who knows him inside the house.  To Carlos, he says, “Sorry bossing, it took a while, the store was a bit flocked with customers so…” he trails off as seven very flabbergasted faces switch back and forth to his direction and the lone taciturn man whose lips was quirked up with satisfaction.

Maliksi approaches hesitantly the frozen Hank and hands him the bags. "Um, Hank, I got the pan de sal for everyone." Like an automaton, Hank stands up slowly and accepts the pan de sal bags. As if a switch is flipped, he quickly darts back to the kitchen to prepare Alex's corned beef pan de sal sandwich. Maliksi turns back to the Trese siblings and the Kambal, their expressions of varying degrees of shock and disbelief with confusion. "Uhm, what's going on guys?"

The Verdugo is the only one unfazed and all smiles. “Ah, Maliksi! Just in time. Alex was wondering where the pan de sal was.” Carlos gestures to the table. “Forgive the mess, my brothers had been far too enthusiastic with the tapa we got from Cavite this morning.”

Maliksi turns to look at his beloved mandirigmang-babaylan. He isn't so sure, but he thought there is relief that flashed and disappeared in her normally unreadable face. A glimmer of his easy-going nature returns as he struts jauntily at her side. 

“It’s a beautiful morning, my love. I got your pan de sal for your favorite corned beef. It’s still hot. Like me.” He greets her with a jaunty smile, expecting a sharp rebuttal. To his shock, Alex suddenly stands up and grabs his face down. Maliksi feels his face go warm as she stares at him deep in the eyes as if to convince herself that it is really him. She releases him and nods slowly, apparently satisfied with his appearance. “It’s Maliksi, all right.”

Alex then rounds to the Verdugo. “What kind of trick is this, Kuya?” She hisses angrily, trying not to let the confused tikbalang overhear her tension.

Carlos folds his arms across his chest. “It's not my fault you misunderstood the tapang kabayo and the tikbalang," he says sternly to the now visibly miffed Alex. "You question my treatment to the tikbalang where the others have made fun and bullied him mercilessly?” He gestures to their other siblings. They have the grace to look down embarrassed. Alex sits back down slowly as their oldest brother proceeds to shred his other brothers.

“Especially our beloved Father Matthias?”

Matthias clears his throat awkwardly. “I never meant to hurt Maliksi, Kuya. I just want him to give Alex some space and respect.” In an undertone, he adds, “Vatican would appreciate the fact that Filipino monsters are unaffected by our exorcism.”

Carlos throws him a quelling glare. Matthias mutters, “Mea culpa.”

“Our esteemed Professor Enrique Trese?”

Ricky looks down to his coffee mug. “I didn’t mean my threat to give him gayuma.” As an aftertought, he adds. “Not that it would be interesting.”

At the Verdugo’s glare and the scandalized look from Maliksi, he raises his hands in defense. “Only joking!”

“And you, Jonathan?” Jimmy looks up with his mouth full and unabashed. “Hey, I never harmed the guy.” Seeing the tikbalang open his mouth in protest, “And screw your tender feelings, I only took some of your hair and hooves' clippings from your bathroom but nothing else! I also told you the truth. Stop badgering us for approval, tikbalang. It will not affect how Alex sees you.”

Carlos flattens his lips. “From what I heard from Basilio and Crispin, this was your idea to ask the rest of our siblings.” He blasts the Kambal with a frigid glance when they both start snickering.

Jimmy shrugs carelessly. “I’m a thief, but I am no liar. What you see is what you get.” He goes back eating with gusto, now the tapa is just tapa. Reluctantly, the rest followed suit. Carlos looks up at the tikbalang. “Join us for breakfast?”

The tikbalang hedges as he backs out slowly to the door. “Uh, no thanks. Kabayo meat is not my thing. Feels a bit like cannibalism.” He bows and quickly leaves.

Carlos turns back at his siblings, who hide their snickers with innocent expressions and quickly return to their food. A smirk forms on his lips as he calmly enjoys his leftover silog.