#BHOCAMP9TMM #TonYo #BHOCAMP
A/N: Ang mga character sa chapter na ito o mababanggit sa chapter na ito ay ilang beses ng nasabi mula Chapter 1 :) Back read na lamangs.
CHAPTER 28: PRINCE
ENYO'S POV
"Hindi ko na siguro kailangan sabihin kung anong mangyayari sa taong 'to kapag hindi kayo umalis."
We can easily incapacitate them. Even with the two men pointing their guns at us... I know how easily we can stop them. But I also know that's a foolish thing to do. Lalo na ngayon na nasa akto sila kung saan magiging matibay na ebidensiya ito laban sa kanila.
Sinenyasan ko sila Stone na 'wag kumilos. We need them breathing but we also need to see what they're looking for.
"I don't think the man you're holding will give you anything."
Dumako sa akin ang tingin ni Stella Ramos nang magsalita ako. "And you can?"
Who would have thought? I would expect this from Declan and his mother. It's not right but it was easy to judged them. Sila lang naman kasi ang may direktang motibo kung bakit namatay si Daniel noon. Maricar, Declan's mother, was the mistress. Dumating siya sa buhay ng mga Ramos dala si Declan, anak ng padre de pamilya na mas matanda pa kesa sa bunso na anak ng mag-asawa. The family didn't have a choice but to accept them. Then suddenly, the first born son, Daniel, died. The one that would have inherited everything.
Sinong mag-aakala na mismong nanay ang makakagawa ng mga bagay na 'to sa sarili niyang anak? But what was Dylan's part to it?
"Your chance is better with me than with him," I said to answer her question.
"I doubt that."
"Kung anuman ang hinahanap niyo ay matagal na sanang nakuha iyon. Ano bang hinihintay nila? Makalaya si Declan Ramos samantalang maximum sentence ang ipinataw sa kaniya?"
Kita ang pagtatalo sa mga mata ng ginang. When I first saw her, I admired the class that she has. She was angry and she has the right to be. Ibinigay niya ang buong tiwala niya sa isang tao na minahal niya. She changed her name for him and gave him a family. But he betrayed him.
Pero gano'n pa man ay hindi tama ang ginawa nila. Hindi nagagawang itama ang mali ng isa pang pagkakamali.
"Why would I trust you?" Stella Ramos asked.
"I'm not asking for you to trust me. I'm telling you that I'm your best chance."
Hindi siya nagsalita at sa halip ay nakatingin lang siya sa akin na para bang tinitimbang ang sinabi ko. I know she's not stupid. Mas nauna nilang nakuha si Declan at nakarating dito pero hanggang ngayon ay mukhang hindi pa rin nila nakukuha kung anuman ang kailangan nila sa lalaki. I don't think Declan is up to something. There's no reason for him to buy time. He has no one.
Except us.
"I'll let you be part of this but they need to go." Itinuro ng babae si Sky at Stone. "Ikaw lang ang pwedeng pumasok."
I can feel Sky's hesitancy and Stone's rising tension but I just nodded at them. Naunang lumabas si Sky pero nanatiling nakatingin sa akin si Stone. I can't see his face clearly because of the mask but I can feel how worried he is.
"I'll be okay," I whispered.
"You better be."
He reached for my hand and he gently squeezed it before turning around to exit the room. I know that they will stay outside. I'm not worried. They can still see us if vision is activated and I know that they'll have my back.
Sinarado ko ang pintuan at humarap ako kaila Stella. Akmang hahakbang ako palapit sa kanila pero kumilos ang dalawang armadong lalaki at itinuro sa akin ang mga baril nila.
"Guns," one of them grumbled.
Pinaikot ko ang mga mata ko at isa-isang inalis ko ang mga nakakabit sa akin na baril. I even took off the knives and without them asking I unclasped my backpack. But not before my fingers brushed through a compartment. I felt the familiar twinge but I didn't react. Not that they will see anything on my face because I still have my mask on.
"Mask," sabi ng isa.
"No thanks. I'll keep this one."
"Mask."
"Kahit ulitin mo pa 'yan ng sampung beses hindi ko aalisin 'to. Now let me do what I need to do and leave me alone."
Akmang magsasalita ulit ang lalaki pero sinenyasan siya ni Stella Ramos. Tinignan ako ng babae at tinaasan ako ng kilay. "Well?"
I tried not to roll my eyes again. Ayoko talaga sa lahat iyong inuutusan ako lalo na kapag gagawin ko rin naman.
Lumapit ako sa kanila at tumingin ako sa direksyon ni Declan. He's white as a sheet but more than that he looks like the way he did when his brother died. He knows. They probably told him about his mother to scare him.
"What do you need?" I asked Stella.
"Jewelries and maybe the title of this house."
"Nakuha niyo na lahat ng pera ng mga Ramos pati na ang kompanya pero naghahanap pa kayo ng alahas?"
"Those jewelries cost billions, dear. I don't think you will every understand. I don't need this house either but this is mine. I gave years to this house, to make it a home, but I was kicked out in the end."
She's reaching. She wasn't really kicked out. May napapalayas ba na nabigyan ng ilang milyon at isang empire na kompanya? Dylan didn't inherit the whole company because a large part of that was given to Stella. Mr. Ramos made some changes on his will before he died so instead of Dylan having everything ay nahati iyon sa kanilang mag-ina. This house on the other hand was left to Declan which was a surprise even to me. But this place is old, worn out, and I think it already depreciated.
"Why don't you just blow up this place to get what you want?"
"And risk damaging the jewelries? I don't think so."
Napapailing na humarap ako kay Declan bago bumaba ang mga mata ko sa libro na alam kong dala niya. Akmang kukunin ko iyon pero mabilis niya akong naunahan.
"Give it to me," I told him.
"Kuya Daniel gave me this."
Tumango ako at inilahad ko ang kamay ko. I can take it from him but I need him to trust me. I want him to know that I'm not his enemy. "Give it to me."
He didn't want to. I can see that. But he didn't have a choice specially with Stella's knife on his neck. Nanginginig ang mga kamay na ibinigay niya sa akin ang libro at nagbaba ako roon ng tingin. It's the book of Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince. It's a book about political actions... more of a guideline. Mainly it's about teaching the means to acquire power.
"You got this from Daniel?"
"It's his favorite book."
"What else did you took from him?"
"H-He gave this to me."
"But you took something from this room when he died?"
"I... I didn't. That night before he... before he died... we played chess. Bago ako umalis binigay niya sa akin ang libro na 'to and he also gave me something."
That's why there's DNA of him in the room.
"What is it?"
"I didn't... I didn't took it."
"Give it to me," I whispered.
He stared at me for a moment. He's not stupid. I'm not a danger... at least to him. He should know that. Dahil sa kuwarto na ito ay apat ang kaaway niya. He should feel the difference. I'm not here to hurt him.
"A-A chess piece."
"Where is it?"
Nanginginig pa rin ang mga kamay na kinuha niya iyon mula sa bulsa niya. Inabot niya sa akin iyon at kaagad ko namang kinuha. It's the missing rook. I can remember the mission and I've read the files. We took pieces of the board game with us as evidence but we lost it during the accident. Pero nang mga panahon na nandito kami sa kuwarto na ito ay sigurado akong may nawawala na isang piyesa. It's the rook. The black one.
Inikot ko iyon sa palad ko at napakunot ang noo ko nang makita ko na may nakaukit sa ilalim no'n na tila korona.
"Ikaw ba ang may gawa nito?" tanong ko kay Declan.
"H-Hindi."
I tried twisting the rook's body but it didn't budge. Ang libro na lang muna ang binalingan ko. I opened it but there's nothing extraordinary about the book. I flipped the pages fast by running my thumb on it from the last page to the first one. A flash of yellow caught my eyes and I stopped.
"Ikaw ba ang nag-highlight ng mga 'to?"
Nang umiling si Declan bilang sagot. My eyes went to Stella when she made an impatient sound at the back of her throat.
"I don't know why you need to drag him out of prison. You know that's a crime right?" I asked her.
"We already hired someone to kill his mother. Sa tingin mo may pakielam pa ako kung anong mangyayari pagkatapos nito?"
"You have a company to think about."
"That company is already losing money. Why do you think we're going after the jewelries?"
So that's the reason. They're getting desperate. "Then what? Kapag nakuha mo na ang gusto mo anong gagawin niyo kay Declan? And how do you think you can escape from this? Your men was rendered useless and we're here."
"Kung gusto niyong makalabas kayo ng buhay dito ay tutulungan mo kaming makuha ang gusto namin. If you don't, we'll blow up this place. Sama-sama tayo."
"Look for the bomb, Blaze." I heard Freezale commanded.
"Already on it."
Pagak na tumawa ako. "At si Declan? Makakalabas din ba siya ng buhay sa lugar na ito?"
"He killed my son. He deserve to die."
'"H-Hindi 'yan totoo," umiiling na sabi ni Declan. "Hindi ko magagawa ang mga binibintang ninyo."
"Don't lie to me!"
That's it.
She still doesn't know. She's just here for the money that she will use for herself and her son. Bumabagsak ang kompanya nila. Ang hindi niya alam ay dahil iyon sa anak niya na ginagamit ang pondo nila sa ibang mga bagay. Hindi niya rin alam ang katotohanan tungkol sa nangyari sa una niyang anak.
Of course she doesn't know. I was right the first time. There's no way that she would kill her own son. She's angry at the mistress and her son but there's no way that she will kill her son. Nagawa niyang tiisin ang mga taon na kasama ang kabit ng asawa niya sa iisang bahay. She sacrificed a lot and she endured so much for her family. She's not the kind of person that will pull the trigger against her own.
Muli akong nagbaba ng tingin sa libro lalo na sa highlighted na parte niyon. It's on chapter eight, page thirty-eight. The one drawn with a yellow highlighter was the second paragraph.
"The ways I speak of are, first, when the ascent to power is made of paths of wickedness and crimes; and second, when a private person becomes ruler of his country by the favor of his fellow-citizens. The former method I shall make clear by to examples, one of ancient, the other modern, without entering further into the merits of the matter, for these, I think, should be enough for anyone who is driven to follow them."
Ascent to power is made of paths of wickedness and crimes. He got that part right. The book is about gaining power. Declan said it was Daniel's favorite book. But I think it's not because he believes in it but that he knows someone is using it against him.
In their games, Daniel was the prince. When he died, the one ascending won't be Declan. It would be the other prince. One that is pure blood and was being groomed just in case. The one that will take the throne once the first one died.
I flipped the pages again and another highlighted part emerged. This one is on chapter eighteen, paragraph three.
"The lion cannot guard himself from the toils, nor the fox from wolves. He must therefore be a fox to discern toils, and a lion to drive off wolves."
Putting it simply, it means one must be a fox... cunning enough to avoid traps. But one should also learn how to be a lion to frighten off wolves.
Daniel knew. He must have. He knew that someone was trying to kill him but he trusted Declan enough to give him the answer.
My eyes turned to Dylan. Kalmadong nakaupo pa rin siya na para bang normal na araw lang ito. The calmness in him is eerie. Like he don't care about what will happen in this place. He just wanted the money and he don't care who will go down with him if he fails.
"Even if you have the money, you won't get far. By now they would have noticed that Declan didn't arrived in Cerrojo. It's not hard to put two and two together," I told the room but my eyes are fixed on Dylan.
"It's not your problem," Stella said.
My head turned to her. "But it's yours. Dahil ikaw ang gumamit ng koneksyon mo para ilabas sa kulungan si Declan. You're also holding the knife that can kill him."
I smiled bitterly even if they can't see it. What a plot twist.
Dylan kept the truth from his mother for years. Bakit ngayon ay dinadamay na niya ang ina sa mga krimen niya? At bakit hindi pa rin alam ni Stella ang totoong nangyari sa una niyang anak? Stella still believes that Declan killed her son.
There's only one reason; Dylan needed an out.
Kailangan niya ng pera pero kailangan niya rin na masiguro na magagawa niyang maabsuwelto kapag nahuli sila. Nilabas nila sa kulungan si Declan at kung mapapatay nila ang lalaki ay mas malaking gulo iyon. He need the assurance that someone will take the blame for him in the end.
His mother is his escape goat.
Tama si Stone. He's really a psychopath. Walang tao ang nasa tamang katinuan ang magagawang patayin ang sariling kapatid at gamitin ang ina para sa sariling kapakanan.
Lumapit ako sa kanila at nagbaba ako ng tingin sa board game na nakalatag pa rin sa lamesa. My entire being wanted to shoot Dylan to death but I need to be patient. This is the only way for Declan to be free.
"Is this the old one?" I asked Stella.
"It is."
Inalis ko ang mga piyesa na natitira roon para tignan ang ilalim no'n pero walang kahit na anong kakaiba ro'n. I look around the table pero nang akmang iikot ko iyon ay natabig ko ang baso ng alak sa harapan ni Dylan. Sinalo ko iyon pero mabilis din siyang kumilos dahilan para magkahawak ang mga kamay namin.
"Release," I said to him. Kahit hindi naman talaga para sa kaniya ang sinabi ko.
He let go of me and then he brought his hands up as if surrendering. I wanted to wipe off the smile on his face with a punch but I restrained myself.
Tinignan ko ang gilid ng board game na hindi ginagalaw iyon sa posisyon. That's when I notice a tiny arrow carved into the side of the board. Nasa gilid iyon at sa parte kung saan nakatapat sa akin. But the arrow is pointing right.
I followed the direction and the arrow is leading to the direction of the bed. Mabilis na lumapit ako ro'n at inalis ko ang matress ng kama. May pagmamadali sa mga kilos na basta ko na lang itinulak sa gilid ang matress at ang mga unan.
I exhaled, my head shaking in disbelieve. Katulad sa rook ay may maliit na korona rin ang nasa gitna ng kama. Iyon nga lang ay para bang slot iyon dahil may kalaliman ang pagkakaukit doon. My instinct is telling me to place the rook on the slot and I did. Nang magawa kong iposisyon iyon ay inikot ko ang piyesa.
Nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan ko nang bumukas ang kahoy ng kama na para bang pintuan iyon.
"What is it?" Stella asked.
"There's a safe." It's a five digit pass code safe. "It needs to be activated."
Diniinan ko ang salitang activate. I looked at my wristwatch and I saw the timer starting. I have a minute.
"Bomb's neutralized," Blaze notified us.
Good.
"Stella? Before I figure this one out I need to ask a question."
"Just open the safe!"
I ignored her. I clicked a button on my suit and my mask fell off. Nakita kong nanlaki ang mga mata ni Stella pero hindi lang siya ang nabigla kundi maging si Dylan. I know they recognized me from years ago.
I know Dylan knows. Alam niyang alam ko na may kinalaman siya sa naging aksidente namin ilang taon na ang nakararaan. He did something to our car when we were gathering evidences in Daniel's room.
"Did you know that your son almost killed me years ago?"
"Daniel wouldn't do that."
"I'm not talking about him."
Stella eyes went to Dylan before she turned to me again. "Imposible iyon. Dylan was just a child back then."
"A child that poisoned his own brother."
Napasinghap siya at napaatras sa sinabi ko. Sunod-sunod na umiling siya. She's in denial but she's his mother. I doubt that she haven't notice that there's something wrong with her son. Hindi siya ganoong kabulag.
"Hindi 'yan totoo," nangangalit ang ngipin na sabi ni Dylan.
"Katulad ng hindi rin totoo na kumukuha ka ng pera sa kompanya niyo at tumatanggap ka ng pondo mula sa isang sindikato para magamit mo sa mga eksperimento mo? You experimented on people to create a disease that will need to have a long treatment so that the medicine that you created will be accessed by a lot of people. Kapag nag invest ang mga tao mas yayaman ka. Iyon nga lang mabilis na namamatay ang mga taong iyon. Kaya nga itinambak mo sila sa warehouse na 'yon para maitago ang mga naagnas nila na katawan. You don't even have enough decency to bury them. But your first subject was your own brother right? Doon ka nga kumuha ng idea."
"Lies!"
"You killed Declan's mother and you plan to kill him too because you know that the greatest motive will fall on your mother's lap. Siya rin ang nag-utos na itakas si Declan. Her name will appear like a beacon and you will have the chance to run with the jewelries... billions of money will be on your hands."
Tumalim ang tingin niya sa akin. His body is radiating with anger. "You can't prove anything."
"Of course I can."
"Nothing will stick."
Para na rin niyang inamin ang mga sinasabi ko at hindi tanga si Stella dahik kita ko kung paanong halos mawasan ang puso niya habang nakatingin sa anak.
"I know that. At kahit meron pa, magagawa mo pa rin na makatakas sa kulungan habang nabubulok doon ang ina mo. You befriend a lot of powerful people over the years, Dylan. Kahit ilang beses kang ilagay sa kulungan ay makakakawala ka pa rin. That's how valuable you are to those people."
A smug smile curved his lips but it disappeared instantly when he saw that even that didn't faze me. Then suddenly... his eyes bulged and his hands went to his throat.
"Now," I commanded.
Two shots were fired and the two men standing behind him fell to the ground. This time they won't be asleep temporarily. Strike gun can pierce through walls but it's not as merciful as Mist. Lumapit ako sa kinaroroonan ni Stella at sinipa ko palayo ang kutsilyo na nabitawan niya. Hinila ko si Declan palayo sa kanila.
"T-The bomb," Dylan croaked.
"There's no bomb," I said to him. "This is your end Dylan."
"W-What's happening to him?"
My cold eyes went to Stella and I answered him truthfully. "His time is running out. It already did less than a minute ago."
It's called 1 minute. It's a device that could kill a person in a minute. It's as small as a dot and I took it in my backpack awhile ago when they asked me to remove it. Nang sadiyain ko na banggain ang baso ng alak ni Dylan ay alam kong hahawakan niya ako. When I said "release" it's not me asking him to let go of me. I was telling the control room to release the device that was on my finger. Kumapit iyon sa balat ni Dylan at inactivate lang iyon kanina nang sabihin kong kailangan i-activate ang pass code ng safe. Freezale was listening and she knew.
"Running out? What do you mean?!" she screamed.
"Your son is dying."
Dylan choked again but I just smiled at him. Lumapit ako sa kaniya at yumuko ako para magawa niyang makita ang mukha ko.
"Remember my face. I'm the one who ended your crimes, Dylan Ramos." Kita ang hindi pagkapaniwala sa mga mata niya. He got played and he knows it. "Do you regret it now? That you killed your brother?"
"Never," he whispered. "I... I just took what's mine."
"But it was never yours. You're just a second option." My voice was low but it sounded almost sweet. Like a sweet poison. "Checkmate, Dylan."
Hatred is spitting from his gaze but it was too late. Alam niya iyon. Nanatiling nakatingin siya sa akin hanggang sa lumuwag ang pagkakasakal niya sa sarili niyang leeg. He stopped choking and his hands fell to his lap.
He's still staring at me but it was dead.
Just like he is.
Malakas na bumalagbag ang pintuan at nakita kong nilapitan ni Sky si Stella. The moment that she reached her, she lost consciousness. Kaagad siyang sinalo ng babae at lumapit din si Stone para tulungan siya. I saw Sky retrieved Black Sand from her own bag and she crushed it in front of Stella's face. Para masigurong hindi siya magigising hanggang wala pa rito ang mga pulis katulad ng iba pang mga kasama nila sa bahay na ito.
I gave Declan's hand a squeeze before I lead him toward the bed. Binuksan ko ang libro at hinanap ko ulit ang mga nabasa ko kanina roon. The rook is the key but I have a feeling than the book is the pass code.
Chapter 8, paragraph 2 and Chapter 18, and paragraph 3.
82183. Five digits.
Tinipa ko ang mga numero na iyon sa mga button na nasa safe. It didn't surprise me when a green light flashed at the same time that the safe made a soft click. Binuksan ko iyon at tumambad sa amin ang ilang mga alahas.
There's also a letter on top of them.
Nilingon ko si Declan. "He trusted you enough to give you the key to all of these. It's his only way to keep these safe from Dylan. Alam niyang mapupunta ang kompanya sa kapatid niya at alam niya rin na babagsak iyon. Tinabi niya ang mga ito para sa iyo. It was his way to make sure that Dylan wouldn't kill you because he knew that he will."
"They killed my mother," he whispered.
"And Stella will pay for it. Dylan already did." Inabot ko sa kaniya ang libro at ang piyesa ng chess. "Gustuhin ko man na makulong din si Dylan, but unlike his mother he will escape and go after you again. He killed a lot of people, Declan. He won't bat an eye when it comes to you."
"Am I going to live a life on the run?"
"No. You'll be free." Inabot ko ang balikat niya at marahan na tinapik ko siya. "It's your decision what to do with the money or the company. You can let it fall to the ground."
"Kuya Daniel loves that company."
I gave him a small smile. Ang dami niyang pinagdaanan dahil sa mga taong ganid sa kapangyarihan. He just wanted to have a family. He was lucky enough to have that with his older brother. But life also took him too soon.
He's a good person. He'll do what he think is right.
Daniel chose Declan. He gave him the key and the book. Declan is the real prince because he's worthy to be one. The crown should not be given to the prince just because he's the pure royalty blood. Sometimes... it should be given to the prince that is worthy of having it. The one that was really chosen to ascend.
"He believed," Declan whispered.
"What?"
"A man who is used to acting in one way never changes; he must come to ruin when the times, in changing, no longer are in harmony with his ways." Tumingin sa akin si Declan at inangat niya ang libro. "I've read it a thousand times. It wasn't highlighted but it was marked in this book. Like he was telling me that one day... those who did the crime will cause ruin to their own selves."
"And they did."
Silenced enveloped us but something passed through us. After a moment, I push the button of my suit again and it went up. Lumapit ako sa bag ko at kinuha ko iyon. I carefully placed all the jewelries in my bag before I closed the safe.
I walked towards Declan and I gave him the letter. I'm sure it's for him to read. "We'll meet again and you'll have all the jewelries.I need you to trust me that I will keep them safe for the mean time. The police will come here and you will have all the evidences against them. Mapapasakamay nila ang mga ebidensiya na magpapalaya sa iyo. You will need to go back to their custody but the next time that we will see each other, you will be free."
"I trust you."
For some reason, the dark didn't taint me much today. Even though Dylan Ramos was an Ender's mission... I didn't feel dirty. Because for the first time, the victim is in front of me, giving me his trust. For the first time... it felt nothing but right.
"We need to go."
Mahigpit na pinisil ko ang balikat ni Declan bago ako sumunod kay Stone para lumabas na ng kuwarto. I can feel Declan following us. We went straight out and we found the others waiting for him outside. Sinenyasan ko si Declan na lumapit sa amin. Nyx approached him and she wrapped a rope on his hands. Pinaupo niya ang lalaki sa damuhan.
"You need to wait for the police here," Nyx said to him.
Nauna na kami nila Stone na umalis. Nang makarating kami sa labas at akmang susundan ko si Blaze ay naramdaman kong pinigilan ng lalaki ang kamay ko.
Nagtatakang tumingin ako sa kaniya pero iginaya niya lang ako papunta sa motorbike na gamit nila ni Sky kanina.
"You're riding with me this time."
Napapailing na napangiti ako pero sumunod na lang ako sa kaniya. Sinaluduhan lang kami ni Sky na lumapit na kay Blaze na mukhang hindi na nagtataka. I climbed up the motorbike when Stone did and I wrapped my arms around his body.
"Mission accomplished," I whispered to him.
"Mission accomplished, honey."
____________________End of Chapter 28.