Name: Varci Naggan Kanari
Species: Mortal
Age: 50 years old
Adoptive father: Kray Drizzle Hayes
Nahilot ni Cole ang kanyang sentido. Why didn't he see this coming? It was too late when he realized Kray Hayes was involved in Kam's disappearance.
Trust was dicey. Giving it to someone means you must be ready to be hurt and disappointed later. He'd been there.
"Hindi naman siguro papatayin ni Kray si Kam, hindi ba?" tanong ni Thaïs pero nakarehistro sa mukha nito ang pagdududa. Naikwento na rito ni Cole ang sitwasyon.
Nandoon din sina Raye, Max, Faizah, Lorenzo at Rianah.
"Hindi pa ba tapos ang tracking, Thaïs?" tanong ni Faizah na kasalukuyang nakatayo malapit sa bintana.
"I'm working on it. Hindi advance na tracking spell ang inilagay ni Kuya Cole sa phone ni Kray Hayes kaya medyo matagal ang tracking," ani Thaïs na nakatingin sa laptop na may mapa ng Chilakest.
"So, Cole, you cast the spell on Kray's phone when you saved your number on his phone?" ani Max.
"Yes. But I couldn't cast a more advanced spell because it would take time. The easiest spell I cast would take longer than what I prefer."
"Still, that was quick thinking," komento naman ni Raye.
"I let him tie and cover the witch's mouth as well. I don't know why, but I suspected him at the Caedis mansion. He is close to the couple who turned out to be his parents, but he didn't want them to know who he is. And Darick Caedis seemed so heartbroken when he talked about his dead son. He thought his son is dead. Iba ang kwento ni Kray sa akin," dagdag ni Cole.
"You're right. That is suspicious," tumangu-tangong sang-ayon ni Lorenzo.
"And your suspicions are correct when the witch got away because Kray didn't tie her hands good," dagdag naman ni Rianah.
Tumango si Cole.
"Got it!" biglang sigaw ni Thaïs kaya napalingon ang lahat dito.
Sabay-sabay na dumungaw ang lahat sa laptop. Kita roon ang pulang x na nagbi-blink.
"Malapit 'yan sa seaport ah," ani Faizah.
"Alam ko 'yan. Malapit lang 'yan sa warehouse ng Blackbourne Ships, Inc.," sabi naman ni Max.
"Okay. Gear up, everyone. Looks like we have a mission to do," ani Rianah at agad na itinaas ni Cole ang dalawang palad para pigilan ang mga ito.
"No, no, no. Hindi kayo sasama sa akin. You are civilians and this is Sentry business. Hindi ko kayo idadamay," seryoso niyang sabi at napangiwi siya nang sabay-sabay na sumagot ang kanyang mga kasama. Nakasigaw pa sina Rianah, Faizah at Thaïs.
"Stop!" ani Lorenzo na nakakunut-noo at sabay-sabay na tumahimik ang mga maiingay. "Cole, you are not going there alone. Hindi natin alam kung gaano kalakas itong si Kray Hayes at kung gaano karami ang mga kasama n'ya.
"You are civilians," pagtanggi pa rin ni Cole.
"Hellville civilians," nakangiting sagot ni Raye. "You know what we're capable of. This is not our first rodeo."
"Pero-."
"Walang pero-pero, Cole. Kapag nalaman ni Ate Savannah na hinayaan ka naming pumunta d'on nang mag-isa, naku, hindi na kami makakabalik ng Hellville nang buhay. So, you are not going alone," pinal na sabi ni Rianah na nanginig pa sa takot nang banggitin ang pangalan ng nakakatandang kapatid.
"He is not alone."
Sabay-sabay silang napatingin sa pinto nang bigla iyung bumukas at pumasok ang tatlong matatangkad na lalaki.
Napanganga si Cole. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Who the hell are you?" sabi naman ni Faizah pero nagha-heart naman ang mga mata. Ang gagwapo kasi ng mga bagong dating.
Pero walang pumansin kay Faizah dahil si Cole ang binalingan ng mga bagong dating.
"We are going with you," sabi ng lalaking blond.
Umikot ang mga mata ni Cole lalo na nang mapansing nakanganga ang kanyang mga kasama.
"Do you want me to introduce you to them or...?"
Agad na ngumiti ang pinakapalikero. "Hi. I'm Ciro. These are my friends-slash-brothers from different parents, Gregory and Draven."
Nganga. 'Yun ang reaksyon ng lahat maliban kay Cole na napahilamos ng kamay.
"C-Ciro as in Ciro Horton? At Draven Brigham and Gregory Bloodworth?" mahinang tanong ni Max na parang lutang.
"Tumpak!" sagot ni Ciro sabay tawa nang malakas. Napakunot ang noo ng mga kasama nito na para bang pagod na pagod na sa mga kalokohan ni Ciro.
"Ganito pa rin ba s'ya kabibo n'ong nasa kweba kayo?" nakangiwing tanong ni Cole.
"Worse because he was on the verge of insanity," sagot ni Draven na tinawanan lang ni Ciro.
"Teka, the founding fathers of Hellville?" maging si Lorenzo ay tigagal.
"Yes," ani Draven.
"Teka nga! Ano'ng kweba? Ano'ng kayo ang founding fathers?" ani Rianah na mukhang mangangain nang buhay.
"Long story and we don't have time. We will tell you later," ani Cole. "Si Kam muna ang unahin natin, please lang."
"Right. We will go with you," sabi ni Draven.
"We can't let you go to war alone, Cole," sa wakas ay nagsalita rin si Gregory at natahimik ang lahat. Maging ang mabining vibration ng aircondition ay tila nawala. "Families stick together for better or for worse."
Silence. Nobody dared to say anything after Gregory.
Hindi na lang kumontra si Cole. This was his ancestor after all.
---
Hindi makapaniwalang nakatitig si Kam sa lalaking tanging pinagkakatiwalaan n'ya. Sa loob ng labing-anim na taon ay ito ang kanyang naging sandigan at karamay. She truly loved him and now her heart was broken... maybe beyond repair.
"Bakit, Kray? I'm your sister," her voice was hoarse and weak. Hindi pa rin matanggap ng kanyang utak at puso na ang kapatid niya ang may pakana ng lahat ng ito.
Kray smiled. It was not cruel. It was just that... a smile. Nakatayo ito sa harapan ni Kam na nakagapos pa rin ang mga kamay at paa kaya nagmukha siyang letrang X.
"Alam mo, Kam, I truly believed that I could love you," mahinahon ang boses ni Kray. Parang walang ginagawang masama.
"What do you mean?"
He sighed, his face was expressionless. "How many times have you failed? Sword fighting, Sentry Academy... even your career as a popstar, your success is all because you are associated with me. People think you and I are in a relationship that's why they patronize you."
Tumulo ang mga luha ni Kam. "That's not true. I succeeded as a performer because of me. Because of my talent."
She would not let him ruin this for her. Her career was the only success she had in her life. She wouldn't let him take that away from her.
"What talent, Kam? You are not a very good singer and dancer. You rely on auto-tune and backup dancers. You are just not good at anything. That's how empty you are. No talent, no character, nothing."
Hindi siya sumagot. She wouldn't let him destroy her. No, she's stronger than that. Pero ang totoo, nasasaktan siya. Hindi lang dahil sa betrayal nito kundi maging sa mga sinasabi nito.
She wasn't an empty shell.
Was she?
"At alam mo kung ano ang ginawa ng parents mo? They just keep giving you unlimited chances. Kahit ilang beses kang pumalpak, lage pa rin silang nakasuporta sa mga kalokohan mo."
Kam gasped. She didn't even think of that. She considered her parents awful. The most evil people in the world.
Totoong palagi siyang pinagbibigyan ng mga magulang n'ya na mag-pursue ng kanyang mga gustong gawin kahit na sobrang istrikto ng mga ito. Palagi siyang binibigyan ng ultimatum ng mga ito pero kahit na gan'on, she had chances to do what she wanted.
Bakit hindi n'ya naisip 'yun? Bakit ang negative lang ang nakita n'ya?
She always considered them terrible. Well, they were terrible. She just didn't think there was some goodness to them.
"You know what's sad? Cameron didn't want to marry the person they chose and they disowned him. For once, he disobeyed them. That was the first and the last. Cam was not given a chance. His existence was erased and your parents didn't think or talk about him after disowning him."
Cameron... Kam closed her eyes. She was lucky she could pursue her dreams even if they weren't in alignment with her skills. But Cameron was not given a chance. Not even once.
"Cameron... he was and still is the best man I know," hindi inaasahan ni Kam ang luhang isa-isang bumagsak mula sa mga mata ni Kray.
Why was he talking about Cameron like he was not him?
"Kray... bakit mo naman ginawa 'to sa akin? Hindi ko naman kasalanan ang nangyari sa'yo dati 'di ba?"
"No, hindi mo nga kasalanan. But you are enjoying the life he could have had if Cameron didn't die."
Napasinghap si Kam sa narinig. At medyo napaatras pa siya nang biglang sumigaw si Kray.
"W-What?" pagkalito ang bumaha sa maamong mukha ng dalaga.
Ano'ng namatay si Cameron?
Kray was Cameron!
"Alam mo ba kung bakit hindi pumayag si Cam na pakasalan ang babaeng napili ng parents n'yo? Because he already had me!"
Umiling si Kam. She was so confused! Kray looked like he would kill anyone close to him right now. Namumula ang mga mata nito sa sobrang galit at sakit.
"What do you mean? You are Cameron," insist ni Kam.
"Oh no. I am Kray Hayes. That's my name since birth. Cameron Caedis, your older brother, was the love of my life. And he's dead because your parents disowned him for loving me. I will make your parents pay. I will torture them by letting them watch their beloved daughter suffer a slow death."
Umiling si Kam na tuloy pa rin sa pag-iyak. She was crying for herself. She was crying for parents. She was crying for the brother she had not met. And she's crying for Kray for losing the person he loved the most.
Everything was a blur and all she could feel right now was pain.
"I may be the villain of your story, but in mine, I'm the main character. I will seek justice for Cameron. He deserved at least that."
Hinang-hina si Kam habang nakatingin sa lalaki na inakala niyang kapatid sa loob ng sixteen years. Ito ang lalaking pinagkatiwalaan n'ya.
And she loved him like a real brother.
And Cameron...
"H-How did he die?" she had to know. If she was to suffer for his death, at least she had to know.
"Extreme sadness took over his life. Your parents' rejection took a toll on him. He loved and respected them. But they failed him," mahinang sagot ni Kray, his face was tear-stained.
Ilang beses na kumurap si Kam para pigilan ang walang-kamatayang luha niya. At para intindihin ang lahat ng nangyayari.
How did her life turn to this hell!?
"He eventually ended his life, leaving me behind," Kray's voice broke and it shattered Kam's heart into tiny pieces.
She still loved Kray. Seeing him hurt like this was maddening.
"B-But my parents won't care. They don't care about me," she whispered, almost inaudibly. Not once did she feel their love. How could they suffer for her torment?
Kray laughed maniacally. "Oh, they do. Believe me, they do love you. When Varci started working for them, she started giving them potion to suppress their real emotions and personality. And I took over. What you saw growing up, it was because I told your parents to act like that."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Kam sa narinig. This couldn't be true! How was that even possible?
"Alam mo kung paano ako yumaman nang husto? Making movies was not the reason. It's because I let your parents hand their wealth to me. Give me the wealth they stole from the people of Chilakest. Of course, they're still the richest in the land. Kailangan para sila lang ang sisihin ng mga tao."
Kam shook her head. Were her parents suffering all these years? So, they were victims too?
"Cole saw the real them today since Varci failed to get supply of the potion. They were crying and begging him to find you," Kray laughed like it was a joke. He even giggled.
Cole? He saw her parents?
Her poor parents!
"W-When did you start controlling them?"
"Since the day you were born," he grinned.
Kam had enough. Yes, these revelations were painful. But she should not sit here like an open target.
She looked around to find something to help her. Anything. Just something. Pero malabong makawala siya sa gapos niya. It was blessed by a witch. Hindi iyun madaling maputol. She tried. Oh, how hard she tried.
"Nobody is going to find you, you know," Kray continued. "Unless, of course, I tell anyone. Oh! Did you know, Cole Bloodworth is so worried about you."
Mabilis na napatitig si Kam kay Kray.
Si Cole? Nag-aalala sa kanya?
Posible. Cole was an honorable man. He was bound by duty to help anyone especially when vampires were involved.
"Kung wala lang sana akong plano para sa'yo, you two could have been together all these years. You are perfect together."
Napatiim-bagang sa Kam. Of course Kray managed to manipulate her love life too.
"Your parents would have loved anyone you choose. I guess they learned their lesson. Unlike Cameron who died because of loving me- a man, poor, powerless, no influence."
"You manipulated them. And me. You made me believe that they would pull me out of the academy because I was only the second best."
Tumawa uli si Kray. "Of course, I manipulated everyone. As in everyone. Even your director. What was her name? Oh, I heard she's dead now," he blinked. "Killed by Turned vampires in her own school. Anyway, her name was Rebecca Brisbois, wasn't it? Yeah. I told her to send your photos to your parents. To find a reason for them to be angry and for you to be afraid."
Tears started falling again. Hindi mapigilan ni Kam ang manginig sa sobrang galit. All this time, si Kray ang nasa likod ng mga nangyayari sa buhay n'ya.
Ang tanong, did she really have a life of her own?
Or was everything just according to Kray's plan?
The truth was, she didn't really live her life. Kray planned it and she followed through without question.
"T-Those... Those mortals... did you kill them?" the million-dayal question.
Kumislap ang mga mata ni Kray at gustong masuka ni Kam.
This couldn't be happening.
Those mortals died because of this man's centuries-old grudge.
Those mortals died because of her family.
"I didn't kill them," biglang sabi ni Kray kaya napakunot ang noo ni Kam.
What? Then, who did?
"I did it," isang matinis na boses ang narinig ni Kam at saka n'ya lang naalala ang magkapatid na Chenny at Jack na nanatili sa sulok.
"And me," dagdag ni Jack.
"And me," hindi kilala ni Kam ang pangatlong boses pero pababa iyun sa basement kung saan sila naroon.
It was an old woman. A witch! At sa likuran nito ay si Varci.
All these years, she trusted Varci as well kahit napaka-grumpy nito. Who would have thought?
"I confused the victims into thinking that you and your friends attacked them," anang matandang witch.
Naliwanagan si Kam sa lahat. Iyun ang dahilan kung bakit pagmamakaawa sa kanya ang narinig na sigaw ng witch na nakausap ni Cole.
The mortals begged Kam to stop killing them because that's what they saw and thought. Pero ang totoo, nakatulog si Kam at mga kaibigan n'ya sa kalasingan.
"Brilliant, wasn't it?" ani Kray saka hinarap ang mga bagong dating. "Madam, buti naman nakatakas ka mula kay Cole Bloodworth."
Tiningnan ni Kam ang matandang witch.
"Because you didn't tie my hands good, Mr. Hayes," anang babae at sabay na tumawa ang dalawa. "Pero may problema tayo, Mr. Hayes."
Napatigil sa pagtawa si Kray. "What do you mean?"
"The Sentry is not the only Bloodworth in the city. May isa pa, at meron ding Brigham at Horton. Sa kanila ako iniwan ni Sentry Bloodworth. I caught them off-guard kaya ako nakatakas. But I sensed their power, Mr. Hayes. They're strong Purebloods. And they're looking for us."
Nakita ni Kam ang pag-igting ng panga ni Kray. Hindi nito inaasahan ang complication na ito.
"Don't forget Hellville Academy. Remember, Sentry Bloodworth is from Hellville. Paniguradong may allies siya mula sa eskwelahan na 'yun," sabi naman ni Varci.
Napamura si Kray. Alam ni Kam na hindi nito inaasahan na mangingialam ang mga Sentry at mga taga-Hellville sa plano nito sa pamilya n'ya.
This revenge was supposed to be for the Caedis family only. Easy. Nobody else was supposed to be involved.
Well, too bad.
Kam saw it before it happened. She closed her eyes and held her breath. It was followed by smoke bombs flying into the basement.
There were panicked screams.
Kam didn't move until someone put a gas mask on her and freed her from the ropes.
"You alright?" napatingin siya sa lalaking nakasuot ng itim na Sentry garb na nasa tabi niya.
Cole! She grinned. He grinned back before tossing a bow and quiver full of arrows at her direction.
"Let's go," ani Kam, putting the quiver on her back.
She would wallow in pain, self-pity and tears later.
She bolted towards the chaos, Cole behind her heels with his sword.
***
@immrsbryant