KEIRA’S POV
~~~ FLASHBACK ONE YEAR AGO ~~~
A month have passed since magising ako. Patuloy pa rin ang physical therapy na ginagawa sakin para muli kong maigalaw ng maayos ang katawan ko. Imagine the strain that I feel. Nakahiga lang ako sa loob ng anim na taon. No muscle activity at all. Parang literal na kinalawang ang mga buto ko dahil dun kaya I’m really trying para maayos na ulit ang katawan ko. For the past month, hindi na umalis dito sa bahay ang apat. Pati ang nurse at doctor ko, dito na din nila pinag’stay sa bahay para kahit anong oras ko sila kailanganin ay agad nila akong matutulungan. Nandito kaming lima ngayon sa living room at nanunuod ako ng kung anumang balita sa TV. Balita ito sa Pilipinas. May pinag-uusapan silang apat pero hindi ako nakikinig. Parang gaya din ng ginagawa ko sa mga Royal Guards ko dati na kapag wala akong interes sa topic nila, hindi na ako nakikinig.
“Em?” That’s what they always call me. Shortcut daw sa ‘Empress’. They also told me na ang Mommy ko ang huli nilang tinawag na Empress. So, basically, Emperor/Empress ang tawag nila sa pinakamataas na ranggo sa Apocalypse – that’s Genesis’ Head Master’s counterpart.
“Yes, H?” I decided to just call them using the first letter of their names. Ako na ang tamad.
“Someone needs to go back to the Philippines to continue monitoring things there. You can’t go back yet dahil sa kondisyon mo ngayon.”
“I don’t actually plan on going back just yet. Masyado pang magulo.”
“What do you mean? Akala ko, pagkagising na pagkagising mo, agad mong gugustuhin na bumalik sa mga Royal Guards mo?”
“A, that would be true if I haven’t read my mother’s letter for me and watched the video pero dahil alam ko na ang totoo ngayon, I can’t just pop up there. However, her video was the most shocking part. I have to play it a few times just to make sure that I was hearing things right.”
“She has a video?” Titus.
“Yeah. Mostly, she just confirmed what you guys already told me and it was in the golden flashdrive. I’ll let you watch it after you’re all done with what you are doing right now and then, we’ll plan on what to do next. Cool?” Tumango silang apat at ipinagpatuloy na ang mga ginagawa nila. Para lang talaga silang yung lima kung maka’asta kaya hindi ako natagalan bago maging komportable sa kanilang apat. Tulad ngayon, they refuse to leave me alone kahit na manunuod lang naman ako ng TV at dinala pa talaga nila dito ang mga kailangan nilang trabahuhin. Pinagpatuloy ko na lang ang panunuod ko pero nababagot na ako.
“Guys~ matagal pa ba yan?? Nababagot na ako dito oh.” Nagagalaw ko na ngayon ang mga kamay at paa ko pero kailangan ko pa rin ng suporta kung maglalakad na ako. But I can handle if nakaupo lang ako.
“Ano bang gusto mo gawin?” Grey.
“I don’t know. Gumala sa mall? Maglakwatsa? Joyride? Anything.”
“Ha-ha, Em. Next time na lang.” Bumusangot ako sa sinabi ni Ash.
“Tss. Jerk.”
“I heard that.” He glared at me.
“Good.”
“If you want, we can go to the mall pero kailangan mo mag wheelchair.”
“No thanks, T. Dito na lang ako sa bahay.”
“Gutom ka nanaman ba? Bakit ang gulo mo nanamang kausap, Em?” That was Hale.
“Hmm, I think I am. What’s for lunch, H?” Bago niya ako sagutin ay tumayo na siya at inalalayan na ako para makatayo at pumunta sa hapag.
“It’s your favorite.” Nginitian ko siya at humawak na din ako sakanya para pang suporta at naglakad na kami. Nakasunod lang samin yung tatlo.
We had our lunch together just like we always do since I woke up. They insisted na kumain sa kwarto ko dati para daw sabay-sabay kami. They’re a bunch of children.
“Ngayon na hindi na ako gutom, pumunta na tayo sa kwarto ko at kailangan niyo ng mapanuod ang video ng Mommy ko. Some part of it was actually for the four of you so, tara.” Si Grey naman ang umalalay sakin ngayon maglakad pero binuhat niya na ako noong nasa hagdan na kami. Stairs are too much for me at this stage.
“Thanks.” He just smiled at me pagkatapos niya akong iupo sa kama ko. Hindi pa rin nila inaalis ang apat na sofa dito sa loob ng kwarto ko kaya may kanya-kanya silang pwesto. I gave the golden flashdrive to Titus at inayos na niya ang TV dito sa kwarto ko. Ash handed me the remote at naupo na rin silang apat. I played the only video file in the flashdrive. Ako pa lang ang nakakakita ng laman ng flashdrive na ito.
“Hey, baby. I know I’ve mentioned this on the letter but I just want to say that I’m really sorry that Mommy wasn’t able to fulfill my promise of going back to you. After we left my unit that day, I was taken by my own guardians – the four men of Apocalypse. You need to know their names. Ryker, Reese, Spike and Jaxon. I’ve known for a long time now that they want to fully take over Apocalypse at alisin ako sa mga mundo nila. I can’t really blame them on that matter because after I found out what happened to Zeus, Sue and supposedly, you, I don’t even know the reason why I am still alive. I tried to commit suicide far too many times but the four of them wouldn’t let me as they say that I am no use to them dead so they stubbornly kept me alive but they still continue to drug me. I was held captive by my own mafia. My condition continued to deteriorate and I had no other choice but to do this or else, mas lalong lalala ang sitwasyon. I don’t want them to use me against you – that will break me too much that’s why I need to end it all by myself. There’s no other choice, I can’t fight them off anymore and I don’t want to risk Hale’s life and the others to fight a losing battle. As you can see, I’m even doing this in my bathroom so that my guards will not find out. I really wish that this will be discovered by your FMOA before mine does. Pero bago yan, I want to tell you the brightest part of my life. That was the times that I’ve spent with your father – Zeus, the love of my life. We’ve known each other since we were in high school as well as Sue. You might know that Sue is your mother. In a way, yes she is. She is your surrogate mother but I am your biological mother. I have known your father’s ties to the mafia and he knows mine as well that’s why I understood the severity of our situation. However, that didn’t stop us from loving each other more.” She gave out a soft laugh before continuing. “Para lang kaming sina Romeo at Juliet, di ba anak? Your father and I wants the war between our mafias to stop. At isang paraan lang ang naisip namin at that time. That is to have a child. Your father and I are the ones who are next in line to be the head of our respective mafias. I don’t have any siblings so walang ibang magmamana ng Apocalypse at Fuentebella Group kundi ako. Your father has a younger brother but he was chosen to be the one who will inherit the throne. Nagpakasal kami ng Daddy mo ng patago. The only witness there was Sue and the priest who announced us as husband and wife. Sue knows everything but she didn’t belong to either Apocalypse or Genesis. She’s our friend. I know that she has feelings for Zeus but your father was oblivious to that fact. We had it all planned out. Your father and I will get married, have a child, and once we are announced to be the leader of our mafias, we are going to call the war off. Pero alam natin na hindi lahat ng gusto nating mangyari ay nasusunod. May isang katotohanan kaming natuklasan na nagpaguho sa mundo ko bilang isang babae. I couldn’t bear a child. I was really devastated when we found out about it. I’m not infertile. I just have a rare condition where my body won’t be able to support another life inside of me. This is where Sue comes in. Nasabi ko na kanina na alam niya ang lahat na nangyayari and she’s the one who brought up surrogacy. She’s willing to bear our child in her womb. Not having any other option, Zeus and I agreed. Turns out that that plan was actually a great one. We were able to keep the fact about our marriage and our child can be safely carried and delivered into this world. Hindi nagtagal, matapos malaman ng Genesis that Zeus is having a baby, his father stepped down. Ang alam ng lahat ay si Sue ang asawa ni Zeus which is part of our plan. Zeus was declared as the new Head Master of Genesis. I, on the other hand was held captive by my own father. Prior to this, matagal na naming napagkasunduan ni Zeus na kailangan naming limitahan ang pagkikita naming dalawa so I don’t think na maghihinala si Zeus na may hindi inaasahang nangyari sakin. My father found out about our marriage – I don’t know how. He was furious. Galit siya sakin at mas lalong tumindi ang galit niya sa Genesis. Pagkatapos naming mabalitaan that Sue gave birth to a baby girl, wala akong ibang gustong gawin kundi ang puntahan sila at masilayan ang aking munting anghel. My daughter. But my father have other plans and even went as far as to imprison me. He started planning on how to take down Zeus as well as our daughter. He wants to end Genesis once and for all. After carefully planning things out, nakakita siya ng magandang pagkakataon para burahin si Zeus. That was when the bombing in Buenos Aires happened. Noon ko naramdaman ang sobrang pagkagalit sa sarili ko. Wala akong nagawa kahit na alam ko lahat ng pinaplano ng ama ko. Mas lalo pang gumuho ang mundo ko ng makompirma ang pagkamatay ng buong pamilya ng Buenaventura – Zeus, Sue and including you, baby. Back then, I didn’t know that Ulysses was there. Nalaman ko lang yun a few months ago. The fact that I know na wala na ang mag-ama ko, I was eaten by rage. Rage towards my own father. That very same day that they attacked Zeus’ convoy, they held a party in our mansion, celebrating their deaths. That very same day as well, I killed my father with my own hands. You don’t need to know about that part. Just know that after I did that, I took over Apocalypse myself. Those people who are most loyal to my father planned to overthrown me far too many times but they never succeeded. I know for a fact that I can’t hold them off for too long. I searched for people whom I can trust because the second highest ranking body in Apocalypse is not on my side. The Four Men of Apocalypse or commonly known as FMOA. They are my father’s puppets and they wouldn’t agree with me that’s why I looked for my very own FMOA. That’s when I found Titus, Hale, Grey and Ash. I sent them to Italy to train so that when they come back, they will be the new FMOA. Habang inaantay ko ang pagbalik dito nung apat, I didn’t know that the current FMOA was secretly orchestrating their own plans to control Apocalypse. They poisoned me. Slowly but surely. It was too late when I found it out. The poison has been continuously supplied to my body without me knowing it. My condition turned for the worst and I started vomiting blood and is constantly being attacked by severe headaches. Kaya napagdesisyonan ko nang pabalikin dito sa Pilipinas ang mga bago kong FMOA. They didn’t know my condition at that time. I just can’t bring myself to tell them. Because in my own ways, I treated them as my own children and I don’t want to see them devastated because of my condition.” My mother wiped a stray tear from her cheeks. Nag-iwas ng tingin sakin yung apat nang tignan ko sila isa-isa. “Nang makabalik na sila dito, they are the ones who found out that the current FMOA is targeting someone from Genesis. I find it odd because the moment I took over Apocalypse, tinigil ko na ang kung anumang labanan or any type of conflict with them. Nanahimik din kasi ang Genesis after the bombing in Buenos Aires. I sent the four of them to investigate who the target is. Noong sinabi nila sakin na ang target ay ang tagapagmana ng trono ng Genesis, I felt something different. I knew na sa pagkamatay ni Zeus, Ulysses will be the next Head Master so meaning, itong tinutukoy nilang tagapagmana must be Ulysses’s son or daughter pero alam ko na walang asawa si Ulysses so malabo yun mangyari. The only way to answer my questions is to see or meet this so called tagapagmana so I did.” She stopped for a few moments and then smiled. I smiled on my own as well. “That was the day that I met you, Zephyr. The day that I felt complete again. The day that I met my daughter whom I thought was long dead. The silliest girl I have ever met. My carbon copy. Do you still remember the first thing that came out of your mouth back then? ‘What the hell’ Yeah, that was the very first thing that you said to your mother.” She glared at the camera so it looks like she’s glaring at me. I heard the four of them snickering. I paused the video before glaring at the four of them.
“Seriously, Em? What the hell?” Grey.
“What? You can’t blame me. I was beyond shocked. Nakatambay lang ako sa park nun tapos bigla-biglang may lalapit saking babae na kamukhang-kamukha ko. What do you expect? Magbeso-beso kami? And I was like, what, I was 14 back then!” Inirapan ko sila pero pinagtawanan lang nila ako.
“I must say, parehong-pareho ang pamatay niyong tingin ng nanay mo.” Tinuro ni Ash ang screen. Naka’pause ngayon ang video at my glaring mother. I got her glare, all right. Pinagpatuloy ko na ang video para hindi na ako matripan ng apat na to.
“You should really lessen your rudeness, darling. However, thank you for giving me that very wonderful day, sweetheart. I didn’t really expect that you would spend the night with me that’s why I gathered every men that I can to guard the whole building that night so that we can sleep peacefully. I even ordered Titus and the rest to stand guard as well. While you were sleeping, kumuha ako ng buhok from your pretty little head and clipped your fingernail as well. Binigay ko yun kina Hale and instructed them to run a DNA test using those samples from you and from mine. The results of that test is included here in this golden flashdrive. I don’t really need those tests for myself but you can use those results if ever anyone will challenge your claim over Apocalypse and Fuentebella Group as well. Bago ko pa man ipagawa ang test na yun ay sigurado na akong ikaw ang anak namin ni Zeus. All of the important documents will only be accessed by you. The exact location of the vault is also included here. By the way, now that you’re watching this, it only means that you’re with Titus and the others, right? You can trust them, princess. They are your Four Men of Apocalypse and I trust that they will do their duty. Before I begin this video, I issued an order that Titus, Ash, Hale and Grey are the new FMOA but I’m not sure if that order will be honored by the whole mafia. Either way, once you take over Apocalypse, you just need to officially announce their position to make it official. I would actually want to say sorry to the four of them for dragging them into this mess but they’re my only option. They’re the only people from Apocalypse whom I can fully trust. I trust them to take care of my princess as I believe that they’re the only ones who can and will do so.” She paused there and her face was contorted in pain. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin. I’ve watched this video a few times already and I don’t want to see this part. I heard the boys gasped. My mother coughed out blood.
“Sorry about that, baby. I wish I had more time with you but fate is really cruel sometimes. I think I’ve already told you the important things that you need to know. Sorry if most of it concerns the mafia. Apocalypse is yours. Do whatever you want to do with it. It’s your call. Now, always take care of yourself, okay? And please guide those four boys for me. You can treat them as your big brothers. Don’t fall in love to any of those four. I know them very well so trust me, you don’t really want to fall for them. Tell this to those boys as well. Oh, before I forgot, I gave my wedding ring to Hale. Take care of it as it’s the symbol of your parents love for you. I’m afraid this will be the end of me. Pagkatapos kong asikasuhin ang mga natitira pang mga importanteng bagay, I will commit a mortal sin and I’m really afraid that I won’t be able to see your father again but if it means I will be able to save you in some ways, then I will never regret taking my own life. I just want you to know that you’ve grown to be a very wonderful girl. I believe that you can fulfill what I and your father wants to attain before. Stop the mafia war between Genesis and Apocalypse and if possible, unite the two of them because they mean so much to us. I love you, Zephyr – our one and only princess.” The video stopped there with my mother’s smiling face.
~~~ TO BE CONTINUED ~~~