03| The Mastermind
"I know you have a huge lot of questions on your mind. Go ahead, ask." Mason said.
"Trust me this is going to be entertaining." Alli remarked, giving him a side glance. But this time, he was dead serious.
Adrenaline shot through my nerves. I guess this was by far the most thrilling activity I'll ever be doing. Hearing the truth. Oliver seated next to me placed a hand over my bouncing knee, gesturing me to calm down.
"Start from the beginning." Rafael said in a commanding tone.
Mason's not gonna like that tone. However he let it go by passing him a snide look and began talking.
"This was never supposed to happen in the first place." He fidgeted with my maroon scrunchie which he wears all the time in his wrist. "You were never supposed to know the truth about your real identity. I'm sorry if I sound unfair. There's gonna be a lot of instances where I'll apprear to be harsh. But I need you to know it was all for your safety."
"We understand." Oliver nodded, holding my hand instinctively as if I'll vanish any moment.
"I don't know how annd why, but for some reason entire Esztar believed I was an Invisible Spy. All the Members were out to find the Visitant and so, all of Esztar was behind me. That meant she was in danger along with me. This was around the time you were nagging me to allow you to work with Grayson Inc."
"You didn't want me to work there because of Oliver?" I said it more like a statement.
"Precisely."
"If that's the case then why didn't you take her somewhere far away?" Rafael questioned.
"Because the best way to hide something is to not hide it at all." Liam said.
Mason nodded, looking out at the silent night. "More and more people were out for my neck. I had to disappear for a while. I couldn't do that with her. She had to be separated from me if I wanted her alive. But if not me then who? We didn't have anyone else. So I had to take the extreme step. To send her home. Where she belonged."
Where I belonged?
The statement was more than hurtful. He thought I didn't belong with him?
"I appeared before Liam on purpose. I knew he'd go running to his cousin, informing him that the girl he fired just a few hours back was somehow associated with me. And then you kidnapped her. My plan worked." He smirked.
"This is bull crap!" Oliver scowled. "You could've just told me she was my sister. We would've saved so much trouble."
Mason stared at him blankly for a long time. "Hello Mr Rivera. Meet Vittoria Andress who's actually a Rivera, that is your secret sister. Oh and kiddo! You're kinda not my sister. I was just your Keeper and he's your brother. Bye. Have a nice day!"
"I know it was a complex situation. But you could've explained." Grandpa yelled.
"How about I didn't have time? I would probably have been dead if I sat and explained it. Tell me Oliver, would you believe that without any proof? This truth had implications. It was going to change everything for all of us. I needed time until I found a solid proof. Besides, there was another reason to not say it to you directly."
"And what would that be?" Oliver spat.
"Him." Alli pointed a finger at Rafael.
Oh! Of course.
"You knew about his fake deal with Nikolai." I said. "But how?"
"I always had an eye on Oliver and for that matter, all of them. Here's where Caleb came in handy. He was so crazy for you that he spilled all his secrets. He told me he's a spy and I used it to my advantage. So that's why I kept giving clues to Oliver because if he found it by himself, then I won't need proof."
This is so much information to process. I'm having a hard time piece it all together.
"I did some research and found out about Mrs White. Apparently she didn't know about you either. All she had were some scattered pieces. But that was all I could find. So I planted that clue in Oliver's room." Mason continued.
"But still Mase. I could've been executed."
"Oh no, I knew Rafael wouldn't kill you." He said with utmost confidence.
"You sound very sure." I raised an inquisitive brow.
Alli scoffed. "Whose feelings would he play with if he killed you? Am I right, Mr Grayson?"
He opened his mouth to speak but got interrupted by Oliver. "It will take me less than five seconds to throw you out if you don't control your crappy mouth."
"I'm sorry I don't talk to broken condoms." She waved a hand dismissively.
"Oh burn!" Liam remarked.
They sure have some serious issues. I'll have to find out what.
"You and you are seriously dumbasses when it comes to love." Mason pointed a finger at grandpa and me. "Even the guards in this house knew their boss has got hots for this hostage."
Rafael, Oliver and I looked away awkwardly. I felt a blush creep up my face. I buried my head in my hands as a cover up and diverted my mind to piecing it together.
"Did you ever plan to come back? Or-"
"I dare you to complete that kiddo." He crossed his arms. "I thought my painting made it clear."
"I kept waiting for you, Mason. They were all very nice to me but I was still scared. I was kept in such a safe environment by you, rarely even talking to anyone apart from you and Caleb. And then one day you let me get kidnapped by four criminals." The feeling still creeps me out.
"But you were at least alive." He said poignantly.
"What was the meaning of that cryptic painting anyway?" Rafael asked.
Mason snorted. "There was no meaning. It was just to keep you fools busy, to keep you thinking I'm a spy. Otherwise she'd be useless and you'd let her go."
An awkward silence settled in the room. I think they were afraid to sound dumb if they said anything for that matter.
I on the other hand was feeling proud of him. Angry, yes. But proud nonetheless.
"Can I be your student?" Toby raised his hand.
The other three glared at him.
"Traitor." Liam punched him lightly.
"What? Come on man! We gotta acknowledge his smartness. That was such an intricately designed plan." Toby pressed.
"Don't bother. Their ego won't let them do that." Mason remarked and then they started arguing again.
I didn't interrupt this time. All I could do was stare at the boy with curly light brown hair, matching the color of his eyes. Nothing has changed except for the single silver ring in his left ear. And that worn out maroon scrunchie in his wrist! That damn thing brought back all the tears and before I know it, I was sobbing hard into my hands.
"Aww baby, don't cry. Come here." Alli got up from her seat and engulfed me into a much needed hug.
"Are they best friends now?" Oliver asked with an all too familiar disapproval.
"Yeah we kinda bonded over killing people two weeks back and- oh come on not you too Masey." She ran over to him, hugging him now.
"I'm not crying." He fiercely blinked his tears away.
"Will you hug me too if I cried?" Liam asked.
"Shut up, Liam!" Grandpa yelled.
Mason gulped, looked away and then looked back at me. "Mom and dad kept telling me that I have to keep you safe. We were the Keepers. It was our duty."
I pulled my legs up, wrapping my arms around them. It always hurt when he called himself my Keeper.
"I didn't understand any of it. I was just a nine year old holding a two days old angel. All I knew was that this little girl is my sister and I've to protect her from this poisonous world." His voice break.
More tears rolled down my cheeks and this time I didn't try to stop them. I got up and crashed straight into his chest, crying harder. "Don't you dare leave me again."
"No, never. I promise." He kissed my head.
"Mason?"
"Hmm."
"Mom and dad didn't die in an accident, did they." I dreaded the answer. There was silence which confirmed by doubt.
My heart burned and an unbearable pain lanced through my body. "It was because of me."
"No, it wasn't you. Don't blame yourself for nothing." He said, playing with the hem of my tee. "It was because they escaped Esztar. The Visitant wanted them dead to ensure they don't spill anything."
"The Esztar Code of Secrecy." I mumbled. The very thing that almost got me executed.
"But it was a car crash. Only it wasn't an accident." He said painfully.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Oliver broke a sad smile.
"Luckily we weren't in that car. I remember it was some party we were going to attend. But you caught a fever and the two of us stayed home."
"How old was she?" Toby asked.
"One year." He replied, instinctively holding me tight. "Mom asked a neighbor to stay with us for the evening. I heard some noises downstairs. I peered through the room and saw that she was dead. I was trained to escape in such situation. There was a trap door in my room which opened to an underground sewage system. I wrapped her in a cloth, took her meds and left, somehow managing to escape before they got to us."
"And where did we go?" I asked.
"The drainage opened near a diner. Dad had instructed to contact a man working there. I don't quite remember now who he was but he took us to uncle James. That asshole." His face twisted at his mention.
"I can't thank you enough Mason, seriously. I owe my life to you." Oliver said genuinely.
"I can happily take that." Mason commented. I was about to slap him again but his lips curled up into a grin and I found grandpa smiling as well.
They're getting along I guess. What a relief.
"Now if the interrogation is over, I'll go get my things here." He sighed.
"It isn't over yet." The boss declared, staring intently at Mason. "Who's it?"
The moment I dreaded the most was here. Mason, Allegra and I exchanged looks.
"I'm sorry I don't follow you." Mason lied, striding over to the door.
Rafael placed his hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "I asked who is it. Who's the traitor? I know you had inside help. You sneaked into the house that day. It's impossible without help."
"I even sneaked into the house the day when you tortured her in the basement. It's not that difficult." He spat.
"So I wasn't hallucinating? You were real?" I exclaimed.
"Very much real."
"I use these tactics almost everyday Mason." Rafael narrowed his eyes. "I know you're trying to change the topic. Don't make me torture you until you answer because your sister won't like it."
"Go ahead. I challenge you." He stepped ahead, levelling his eyes with Rafael's.
"That won't be needed. The traitor was me." Jake marched in with an ashamed look.
"No! Shut up Jake. It was.. It was Lorenzo." I yelled frantically.
"I'm ready to bear the consequences." He threw all his weapons away and went down on his knees.
"No you won't do this, Rafael. Please." I begged, shielding him.
Oliver's hand pushed me aside which further went to land a punch at Jake. "You knew all of it didn't you. You watched me struggle to find my sister while-"
"Quiet Oliver." Rafael commanded.
"I threatened to harm his daughter. It's my fault not his." Mason confessed, ashamed.
He would never hurt her. But that still doesn't make it right.
"You could've told me. I'd have ensured her safety." Rafael said in a calm tone, his hands behind his back and eyes glaring down at Jake.
"Please don't do this, Rafael."
"Get up." He ordered Jake.
"Boss?" He asked, wide eyed.
"I have known you for years. I don't doubt your loyalty. Even after this, you've been working in my best interest. And I haven't forgotten that you've saved her life once. You're dismissed." Rafael stated, rendering all of us speechless.
"Make sure no one lese knows about this. We don't want them to think we're being partial." Oliver supported although still furious at him.
"I sincerely apologize." He bowed down.
"This is not a trap, is it? You won't hurt him. Tell me Rafael. Promise me."
"I promise."
I felt like I could finally breathe. Relieved, I hugged Jake, apologizing to him for the hundredth time.
"Don't worry kid, we're good." He smiled and began exiting the room when a guard from outside came running with a horrid face.
He looked at Rafael warily but seemed to be afraid. He instead walked to Jake and whispered something in his ears.
"What's going on." Rafael demanded.
"Uh, boss." Jake said hesitantly. "There's a corpse outside the gate."
"The fuck!" He cursed, sprinting out and we all followed.
"A car swept by in full speed. They threw this body bag and this seal." The guard informed, displaying the copper seal. The Visitant.
My mind clouded like the mist forming in the air with my horrified breaths. This can't be what I'm thinking.
This can't be Camila.
"Oliver." I cried, clinging onto his arm for support. "This... this..."
"No no no! It can't be her. It can't be her." He said, more to himself.
"Just open it already." Allegra grumbled.
Rafael nodded and with hesitant hands, he unzipped the body bag, inch by inch revealing the deceased person.
"Oh boy!" Allegra shook her head seeing the man.
Mason tore me apart from Oliver, pressing my face face into his chest so that I don't see him. "Don't look there. Let him rot for all I care."
Rafael pulled the zip completely open, allowing them an uncut look of the man.
He was Raymond.
Four petrified faces turned to me, too shocked to speak.
"Vittoria!" Liam beathed out in a shaky whisper. "Please tell me this isn't true." He cupped my tear stained face.
I stayed silent.
"No! That bastard! Fuck!" He kicked Raymond's corpse in aggression.
The corpse had a missing right hand. A hand I chopped off.
Author: So that was me being true to my promise. More comments, faster updates. And a big thank you-
Allegra: Okay but what about the corpse at the door?!
Mason: Feed it to the sharks.
Liam: Being him back to life for me to kill him again!
Toby: I think the author is trying to say something.
Author: Thanks, Toby. I was saying-
Rafael: No, we should gift him back to the Visitant.
Oliver: Yeah those bastards belong together.
Vittoria: *rolls her eyes at these idiots* THE AUTHOR WANTS TO THANK @food4fun FOR THEIR AWESOME COMMENTS!!!!
Author: Thanks, Vittoria! Don't forget to vote, comment, share!