"Kagagawan ito ng mga Caedis! Alam nilang mabubulok sa kulungan ang anak nila kaya nila ginawa ito. Itatago nila sa ibang kontinente ang mamamatay-tao nilang anak," ang lakas ng boses ni Mayor Ridges. Nanginginig ito sa galit at wala itong pakialam kahit na balot pa rin ito ng alikabok. Kahit ang mukha nito.
"Sa tingin mo, Mayor, magpapadala ng lawyers ang mga Caedis kung ito naman pala talaga ang balak nila?" sigaw rin ng babaeng lawyer ng mga Caedis.
Dinala ang dalawa pang abogado sa ospital dahil injured ang mga ito.
Sumasakit ang ulo ni Cole habang nagsisigawan sa harap niya ang dalawang babae. Sa halip na makapag-isip ay migraine ang nakukuha n'ya.
Tumalikod siya at lumabas ng police station para makahinga man lang ng maayos.
He didn't know who took Kam.
He didn't know what to think.
And he definitely didn't know what to do. Erase that. He knew what he had to do, find Kam, but he didn't know where to start. Or how to do it.
Nag-ring ang kanyang phone na nasa back pocket ng pants n'ya. Himala na hindi iyun nawala sa gitna ng lahat ng nangyari.
"Hello," seryoso niyang sagot saka tumingin sa paligid.
More people were gathered in front of the police station now. Hindi lang taga-media kundi maging mga civilians.
"Are you alright? Nakikita ka namin ngayon sa live TV," boses iyun ng kanyang Tita Rianah.
"I'm fine, Tita," sagot niya saka sinulyapan ang napakaraming camera sa paligid.
He turned around and looked for a more comfortable spot where cameras were not shoved into his face.
"Somebody took my main suspect. I have to track her."
"Ohhh!!! Mas nagiging komplikado ang kaso mo ah. Do you need help?"
"Nah. I can manage so far. I'll call kung kailangan ko ng tulong."
"Alright, then. Sure kang okay ka lang ha?"
"Yes. Thank you for checking up on me."
"Of course."
Nang natapos ang pag-uusap nila ng kanyang tiyahin ay nakatanggap naman siya ng tawag mula kay Ciro Horton. Inalam din ng mga ito ang sitwasyon n'ya.
When his phone rang the third time, napabuga na lang ng hangin si Cole.
Sino naman 'to? Hindi naka-register ang number.
"Hello?"
"C-Cole..."
Tila binuhusan ng malamig na tubig ang binata nang marinig ang humihikbing boses ni Kam sa kabilang linya.
"Kam, are you alright? Where are you?" mahinang tanong niya, trying not to be overheard by the media people around him.
"Itigil mo na ang paglutas sa kaso na ito, Sentry Bloodworth, kung ayaw kong idagdag namin sa body count ang mahal mong si Kam Caedis," malalim ang boses sa kabilang linya. Halatang sinadyang baguhin.
"So, you killed those mortals."
"We killed those mortals," pagtatama nito sa sinabi n'ya. "At hindi pa kami tapos."
Quietly, Cole cast a spell to connect his phone to the phone of the caller. Sa pamamagitan nito ay mati-trace niya ang location nito.
He also listened to Kam's background noise. Nasa sasakyan pa rin ito.
"Why? Why are you doing this?" The spell took so long, he had to stall.
"You will find out soon."
"Wait!"
The call ended few seconds before the spell was completed.
Ilang beses na nagmura si Cole sa frustration.
What should be his next move? Kailangan niyang mag-isip.
"Sentry Bloodworth!"
Napalingon siya sa lalaking kakarating pa lang. Nasa kanang kamay nito ang phone.
"Mr. Hayes," pag-a-acknowledge ni Cole sa lalaki.
"Can you find her? I'll pay you extra. I don't care how much. Just find her," nasa boses nito ang desperation.
Napansin ni Cole na naagaw ng lalaki ang atensyon ng mga taga-press at ng mga civilians na nakiusyuso.
"Sa ngayon, hindi ko pa alam ang gagawin. But I will do my best to find her," sagot niya.
Halos masabunutan na ni Kray ang sariling buhok. Cole would be frustrated too if one of his siblings were in trouble.
"I will hire more men to find her."
"That's fine. I think that will make the job easier for me. Besides, mas mataas ang chance na mahanap natin siya agad kapag marami tayong naghahanap."
Tumango si Kray saka may tinawagan. Hindi nagtagal ay may kausap na itong mga special forces at private investigators. Mukhang marami ang kinuha nito dahil medyo natagalan 'yun.
"You have to inform her parents," napaharap si Cole kay Kray nang natapos ang phone calls nito. "I will go with you, but please, don't tell them who I really am."
Tumango naman si Cole. Wala siyang karapatan na ibahagi sa iba ang sekretong ipinagkatiwala ng magkapatid sa kanya.
Tiwala. They trusted him that much huh. It was probably more Kam than Kray... or Cam, but still, they trusted him with their decades-long secret.
He should feel something. Relief? No.
More like loss. He lost a lot of things because of this secret- his time and possible future with Kam and his ability to truly trust and love anyone.
And now, here she came with revelations that should make him feel better after years or bitterness. But all he got from this is disappointment.
"Sentry Bloodworth," pukaw ni Kray Hayes sa kanyang atensyon.
Nasa harapan na nila ang isang itim na mamahaling sasakyan. Agad silang sumakay doon at pinasibad na ng driver iyun papunta sa mansyon ng mga Caedis.
He'd heard how awful Kam's parents were. But everything was rumor unless he'd proven it true.
"I sent them a message that we're coming," sabi ni Kray Hayes na nakaupo sa tabi niya.
"I heard things about them," aniya dahil wala naman siyang ibang masabi.
"Well, they're people who expect too much from someone. Kapag hindi mo na-meet ang expectations nila, hindi ka nila magugustuhan. And their first impression doesn't usually change over time."
"Hmmm," Cole muttered.
"Honestly, they would have liked you if Kam introduced you to them twelve years ago."
Gulat na napalingon si Cole sa lalaki.
What?
"You belong to three of the most powerful families in Vergaemonth. First, Bloodworth, a bloodline of Purebloods with psychokinetic ability. Second, Gerhardt, the leaders of ISOP. And last but not the least, the Simmons, witches who have clairvoyance. How awesome is that? And you were the student who took the first spot during your academy years."
Hindi sumagot si Cole. He knew he was awesome. What Kray said wasn't news.
Pero...
"Kam said the opposite," aniya.
"She was young and she was scared of her parents. Our parents," pagtatama nito sa sarili.
"I'm not a Pureblood."
"They wouldn't care. Like Kam said, they want power and money. You have those."
Hindi na lang sumagot si Cole. Kahit na totoo man ang sinabi ng lalaki ay hindi na importante 'yun. It wouldn't change anything.
The Caedis mansion was not just a mansion. It was a village.
When Cole saw it the night he saw Kam for the first time in ten years, he knew this mansion was massive. Pero hindi niya in-expect na hindi pa pala iyun ang kabuuan ng mansion. It went all the way back. There was a huge pool, gazebos, guest houses, at marami pang iba.
It was a huge property. Rich was not enough to describe the affluence of the Caedis family.
Sa drawing room naghintay sina Cole at Kray. The room was big with modern furniture and fixtures. May malaking bintana pa kung saan kita ang magandang orchard.
"Kray!"
Agad na napatayo ang dalawang lalaki nang pumasok ang isang babae na umiiyak. She was tall, slender and had golden hair.
At kamukhang-kamukha ito ni Kam.
Kasunod nito ang isang lalaki na may puting buhok at mukhang nasa late twenties lang.
They were a very beautiful couple.
Ito ba sina Mr. and Mrs. Caedis?
Sinugod ng babae ng yakap si Kray at gan'on din ang lalaki. They were crying.
"Where is she?" hiyaw ng babae. "Where's my daughter?"
"Hanapin mo ang prinsesa namin, Kray," luhaan din si Mr. Caedis.
"What the hell is going on?" sigaw ng utak ni Cole.
Ito ba ang sinasabi ni Kam na awful parents?
Cole expected to meet uncaring parents. Hindi itong mga nagbi-breakdown.
Puno ng pagkalito ang mukhang ibinaling niya kay Kray at nakita n'yang nakakunot din ang noo nito.
"Are you here to help?" si Cole naman ang binalingan ng mag-asawa.
"Er... yes. I'm a Sentry from Vergaemonth. I'm Collier Bloodworth," ani Cole na hindi pa rin makapaniwala sa nakikita.
"Please, nagmamakaawa ako sa'yo, Sentry Bloodworth. Hanapin mo si Kam. We will pay you no matter what the price is," ani Mrs. Caedis. Wala itong makeup pero napaka-flawless nitong tingnan.
"Kenia, nasaan si Varci? Nakatanggap na ba s'ya ng tawag mula sa kidnappers?" tanong ni Kray sa babae.
"I don't know where our personal assistant is."
"I asked her to go to the market this morning to buy something. Hindi pa s'ya nakakabalik," si Mr. Caedis ang sumagot.
Ilang beses na napakurap si Cole. Hindi talaga ito ang inaasahan niyang madatnan dito.
"Kray, I hired a witch to do a locating spell. She can track Kam's location. Come, I will take you to her. She's in the library," ani Kenia na hinila na si Kray palayo. Hindi naman nagreklamo ang lalaki.
Naiwan si Cole kasama si Mr. Darrick Caedis. Mukha itong twenty years old, gray ang buhok at blue ang mga mata. He looked young and handsome, a typical Pureblood.
Pero bagsak ang mga balikat nito na para bang pasan nito ang buong mundo.
"Sentry Bloodworth, you have to find her. We will give up everything just to make sure she's safe. Kahit hingin pa ng kidnappers ang lahat ng kayamanan namin, ibibigay namin," ani Mr. Caedis. He looked defeated.
"I'm going to do everything, Sir, mabawi lang s'ya. Kahit baliktarin ko pa ang mundo ay gagawin ko."
The man looked at him. He may looked young, but his eyes were old. They reflected wisdom and a long list of life experiences.
"You can use all the resources you want. I will make sure you have access to everything you need. Just bring her back, safe."
Tumango si Cole.
"My apologies. I feel a little exhausted. Matutulog muna ako. Sana paggising ko ay nandito na ang anak ko."
Tumango si Cole pero laking gulat niya nang hawakan siya ni Mr. Caedis sa balikat. The man was as tall as him.
"Bring her back alive. I don't want to lose another child. He died, you know. Our first Cam. He was also kidnapped, and we were not able to save him. So, you see how difficult this situation is for us right now," seryoso nitong sabi saka siya tinalikuran.
Naiwan si Cole na nakanganga. What did that even mean?
Died? The first Cam died?
Husto namang bumalik sa receiving area sina Kenia at Kray.
Walang nagawa si Cole kundi ang tumitig kay Kray na mukhang nalilito pa rin sa inaakto ng mag-asawa.
***
@immrsbryant