January 1884
Cavite, Captaincy General of the Philippines
The morning sun cast its golden light across the rolling fields of Cavite as a horse-drawn carriage slowly made its way toward a newly purchased estate.
Inside sat Mr. John De Silva and Albert, quietly observing the countryside.
"So this is where we'll begin," Albert said.
Mr. De Silva nodded.
"This land won't simply become our revolutionary headquarters."
He looked toward the distant hills.
"It will become the birthplace of a new future."
Several hours later, the carriage stopped before a small municipal hall.
Waiting outside was the town's mayor, accompanied by several local officials.
"Welcome to Cavite, Señor De Silva."
"The honor is mine," De Silva replied with a courteous smile.
"I've heard you purchased nearly one hundred hectares outside the town. That is quite an investment."
"I intend to build farms, workshops, warehouses, and housing for my workers."
The mayor smiled.
"That will certainly bring prosperity to our town."
Mr. De Silva simply nodded.
If only the mayor knew what would truly be built beneath those peaceful fields.
That afternoon, engineers from The Dark began surveying the land.
Colored flags marked future roads.
Wooden stakes outlined the foundations of warehouses, machine shops, and residential quarters.
Deep beneath the surface, another project was already being planned.
"The underground complex will be two hundred meters below ground," Albert explained while studying a blueprint.
"Power?"
"Self-contained."
"Ventilation?"
"Hidden inside the hills."
"Emergency exits?"
"Five. All disguised as abandoned wells."
Mr. De Silva smiled.
"No one must ever discover this place."
Weeks passed.
Workers from nearby villages arrived every day.
Some were farmers looking for stable employment.
Others were young men eager to learn trades they had never imagined.
Instead of forcing loyalty, The Dark offered education.
Every worker learned how to read and write.
Mathematics became a daily lesson.
Basic engineering followed.
Even medicine was taught.
Many of the older workers were skeptical.
"What kind of employer teaches laborers to read?" one man whispered.
Another simply laughed.
"Perhaps the Señor is a little mad or foolish teaching us indios."
Mr. De Silva overheard the conversation and smiled.
"They'll understand someday."
Meanwhile, inside the underground headquarters...
Elite operators, medical personnel, research teams, and engineers from different timelines gathered around a massive map of the Philippine archipelago.
Colored pins covered the islands.
Red = Spanish Bases
Green = Civilian Villages
Blue = The Dark Bases
Albert entered the room carrying a stack of reports.
"Our intelligence network is growing."
"Excellent," Mr. De Silva replied.
"What about recruitment?"
"More than three hundred volunteers this month."
"And the workshops?"
"The first machine tools are already operational."
Mr. De Silva folded his arms.
"We're ahead of schedule."
That evening, he stood alone outside the estate.
The breeze carried the scent of the sea.
In the distance, church bells echoed across the quiet countryside.
This world still believed it was living an ordinary year.
No one realized history had already begun to change.
Mr. De Silva looked toward the stars.
"History remembers heroes," he whispered.
"But it never remembers the people who quietly rewrote it."
Behind him, the lights of the underground headquarters slowly came alive beneath the earth.
The first move had been made.
The game of history had finally begun.
The sun was already setting when Mr. De Silva and Albert climbed aboard their carriage.
The road back to Manila was quiet, bathed in the fading orange glow of dusk. Farmers were returning from the fields, while fishing boats drifted across the calm waters of Manila Bay.
Albert broke the silence.
"So... what do you think of Cavite?"
Mr. De Silva looked out the carriage window and smiled.
"It has everything we need—a natural harbor, fertile land, and enough space to build without attracting unwanted attention."
"And the mayor?"
"A practical man. As long as we continue bringing jobs and prosperity, he won't question our presence."
Albert nodded.
"Construction should begin within the week."
"It will."
The carriage continued toward Manila.
After several minutes of silence, Mr. De Silva reached into his leather briefcase and pulled out a thick folder stamped with a single label.
TOP SECRET
Albert immediately recognized the look on his face.
"Our next operation?"
Mr. De Silva nodded and opened the folder.
Inside were centuries-old Spanish naval charts, intelligence reports, shipping manifests, and detailed maps of the Atlantic Ocean.
On the first page was the illustration of a magnificent Spanish frigate.
Across the top were the words:
Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes
Albert's eyes narrowed.
"The Spanish treasure ship..."
"Correct."
"Seventeen tons of gold and silver from Peru."
"Bound for Cádiz in 1804."
Albert slowly looked up.
"I thought the British sank her."
"They did."
Mr. De Silva closed the folder with a faint smile.
"But history only records what people saw."
Albert frowned.
"What are you planning?"
Mr. De Silva leaned back in his seat.
"We're not waiting for the British to sink her."
"We're taking the entire treasure before the battle even begins."
Albert remained silent for a moment before letting out a low whistle.
"You mean..."
"We'll hijack the ship."
"The crew?"
"No unnecessary bloodshed," Mr. De Silva replied calmly. "We'll seize the vessel, secure the treasure, and leave without changing more history than necessary."
Albert couldn't hide his excitement.
"Seventeen tons of gold..."
Mr. De Silva nodded.
"Enough to finance our factories."
"Our shipyards."
"Our schools."
"Our research."
"Our army."
"And our future."
The carriage finally entered Manila as night settled over the city.
Above ground, the mansion remained quiet and unremarkable.
Far below, however, engineers, scientists, and soldiers were already preparing for another impossible mission.
Their destination would not be another place.
It would be another century.
Atlantic Ocean
October 1804
Target:Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes