A SHATTERED glass rang the silent room. Nevar, who was just sitting on his swivel chair beside the window, was no longer able to hide his frown. He gazed at his cousin who had been walking back and forth, restless for this plan.

"Stop destroying things in my room."

Napatigil naman si Drake at nilingon siya. "Your room?" Tinuro nito ang kisame na may malaking butas. "Itong sira-sirang bahay ay kuwarto mo? Nahihibang ka na ba?"

There was no denying that the room they were in was that of the abandoned. No electricity and the light passing through the window was the only thing that kept his vision entertained in the disheveled room. What he was just curious about was how the vintage wallpaper on the walls was torn in the shape of claws. The two couches were massacred with scratches too.

He slid his gaze down to see the table below him. He also couldn't explain if the red thick streak was just paint or real blood.

He sighed. "We have no place to complain. This is the perfect place to scare them."

"You can just find other places! You have the money!"

Tama nga naman si Drake. Puwede naman siyang humanap ng ibang lugar. Puwedeng siya ang magdesisyon, subalit hindi niya rin mawari kung bakit pumayag siya sa kagustuhan ng lalaking lumapit sa kanila no'ng nakaraan sa hospital. 

Siguro ay dahil may hawak itong bagay na hindi niya pa alam.

"This is a deal, Drake. Sasabihin niya sa atin ang nalalaman niya tungkol sa kanila kapag pumayag tayo sa gusto niya."

"Since when did you become like an obedient dog?" Lumapit ito sa kaniya at hinampas ang kamay sa lamesa. "Gagawin mo talaga 'to para lang sa ex mong may asawa na?"

Kaagad na nagsalubong ang kaniyang mga kilay sa sinabi nito. "How about you? You are here too. If you have just been so careful, we wouldn't have to take these measures."

Natahimik naman si Drake. Isa sa rason kung bakit hindi ito mapakali ay dahil sa magnanakaw na kinuha ang mga tinatago nitong tape. Pero wala pang isang segundo ay nakabawi kaagad ito. "Don't make it as an excuse! I know we will end up here eventually!"

Tumayo siya sa pagkakaupo at pinantayan ang mga titig nito. "It's not part of my plan to kidnap people. I was just supposed to blackmail Jasia, but you were a careless idiot!"

"Why is the room so headed up?"

Napatigil sila sa pagtatalo at sabay na napalingon sa dumating. Ang nagmamay-ari sa bahay kung saan sila ngayon.

Kagaya ng una nilang pagkikita, isang maamong ngiti ang binigay nito. "We are allies here. We're not supposed to quarrel."

"Yeah, right," sarkastikong saad ni Drake at binaling ang atensyon sa naglalakad na lalaki. "Where are they? Kanina pa kami naghihintay rito pero hindi pa rin sila dumadating!"

"Calm down." Naupo muna ito sa isa sa mga couch at marahan ding inilapag sa tabi ang hawak na envelope. He then crossed his legs before looking at them. "We are on the south of the city. It takes thirty minutes for them to arrive."

"You better not be scamming us," Drake warned.

"Why would I?" Rasheed looking at Drake innocently, pouted. "I told you, I have business with Xibel too. And look." Inabot nito ang envelope. Sumilid ang madilim nitong ngiti na minsan niya lang mamantyagan. "I got this just for you."

"What is that?" He intervened.

"A maternity test." Binuksan nito ang envelope at winagayway sa kanila ang isang papel. "Congratulations, Nevar! The little kid is not Jasia's daughter."

Napakurap siya sa kaniyang narinig. Dali-dali siyang lumapit kay Rasheed at hinablot ang papeles. Nang mabasa ang nalalaman, hindi na napigilan ang pag-akyat ng kaniyang labi at nagpakawala ng isang halakhak.

He was right, indeed. Hindi nga nito anak si Imris.

"Pero kung hindi niya anak ang bata, bakit magkamukha sila?" inis na singit ni Drake bago inagaw sa kaniya ang papel. "Baka niloloko mo lang—"

Hindi nito natapos ang sasabihin nang makita ang nakasulat. Tuluyan itong nagitla.

"Because it was Isabella's daughter," Rasheed said. He leaned his back on the couch. "Now, are you still gonna be suspicious of me?"

"If she is Isabella's daughter, does that mean?" Tinuro ni Drake ang sarili.

Rasheed just shrugged. "Could be."

"But Rasheed, how did you get a hold of this paper?" nagtatakang tanong niya.

"Good question." Tinitigan siya ni Rasheed. Ang mga kamay nito ay nilapat sa tuhod ng nakakrus nitong mga paa. "I am also a doctor, Nevar."

Kumunot ang kaniyang noo. Magtatanong pa sana siya subalit napatigil nang makarinig ng sasakyanan na nagmumula sa labas.

"Oh, they're here!" masiglang saad ni Rasheed.

Naglakad naman siya papalapit sa bintana upang silipin ang van na papasok na sa garahe. Isang madilim na ngiti ang sumilay sa kaniyang bibig. Kinuha niya ang cellphone sa bulsa at nag-iwan ng mensahe kay Jasia.

Aalis na sana siya para bumaba ngunit napaigtad siya dahil hindi niya napansin na nakatayo na pala si Rasheed sa kaniyang likuran. Muntik nang magkatagpo ang kanilang noo.

"W-why are you so close?" He took a step back, but it was only a centimenter. The window prevented him from moving away.

"I have something I want to talk about. Just me and you, Nevar."

Sa 'di malamang kadahilanan, ay bigla siyang kinabahan. Napalunok siya. "Let me check them first."

"Leave that to Drake. After all, they are his family, right?" Nilingon nito si Drake na kumaripas na ng takbo palabas. Nang sila na lang dalawa ang naiwan, binalik ni Rasheed ang tingin nito sa kaniya. Nakaharang ang kaliwa nitong braso habang ang isa ay nakahawak sa kaniyang balikat kaya hindi siya makaalis. "Now, that leaves the two of us."

"What do you want?" Tinulak niya ang lalaki nang malakas kaya napausog ito. Hindi niya namalayang tumindig na pala ang kaniyang mga balahibo. That was the first time a man was that close to him, he couldn't almost breathe.

Nagsimula itong maglakad papalapit na naman sa kaniya kaya pinigilan niya ito. "You can talk at that distance."

Subalit hindi nakinig si Rasheed. Bago pa muli itong makalapit sa kaniya at makulong sa mga braso ay naglakad na kaagad siya paalis sa bintana. Si Rasheed naman ang sumandal doon. Ang mga tingin ay napunta sa labas habang isang mahinang tawa ang pinakawalan.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" Hindi niya magawang mabasa ang lalaki.

"I think somebody just glared at me. Hundreds of them, I guess?"

"Huh?" Muli siyang naglakad papunta sa bintana at sinilip ang baba, pero wala namang tao. Kaagad niyang binalik ang tingin kay Rasheed na nakatingin na rin pala sa kaniya. Bago pa siya makapagsalita ay naramdaman na niya ang kamay nitong nakahawak sa kaniyang pisngi.

"Now, let's get back to business."

XIBEL snapped back to reality when Arator held his arm. Nilingon niya ito at kitang-kita sa mukha ng lalaki ang pag-aalala.

"My lord, anong gagawin natin?"

Muli niyang nilingon ang kalsada. Alam niyang hindi pa nakakalayo sina Imris at Isabella at makakasunod pa siya. Rasheed only told him to let Imris be taken, but he never said not to follow them.

"Arator, I'll leave the house to you." He snapped his finger to summon Stone.

"My lord." Yumukod ito bilang pagbati.

"Go get Jasia. I'm afraid something might have happened to her too."

"Will I tell her about Imris and Isabella?"

"Yes, but do not let her be in danger." He knew how impulsive Jasia could get. She might rush to save them, leaving more risk. "Protect her, Stone."

"You have my word, my lord." Muli itong yumukod at kaagad na nawala.

He spare a glance at Arator. "I shall leave."

"Mag-ingat ka, boss lord!"

Hindi na siya lumingon pa at kaagad na lumipad. The trail of voices inside his head are still there. Even though he didn't like their pleading, he could find them just by following it. And when it got louder and louder, that just means he had also got closer.

Nang makita niya ang van, kaagad niyang ginamit ang kakayahan upang ikubli ang sarili. Tumuntong siya sa ibabaw.

He wanted to burn the running thing the moment his feet touch it, however, he couldn't be reckless. Rasheed must be playing something. And apart from his despicable nature, he had also a way more worse ability.

Hindi niya mawari kung ilang minuto siyang nakasakay sa itaas. Ilang kagubatan na rin ang kanilang nadaan hanggang sa may masilayan siyang bahay na may ikatlong palapag. Subalit parang nahiwa ito sa dalawa dahil sa malaking bitak sa gitna.

Nagbukas ang tarangkahan. Tumalon siya pababa nang pumasok sa garahe ang sasakyan. Malalim siyang napahinga habang pinapakiramdam ang bumubulusok na enerhiya mula sa kaniyang puso.

It was time to call them.

"You, the dead, shall live with me today and fill my desire." A ball of ebony flame went out from his palm and fell like a raindrop on the ground. The wind whispered in coldness as a sign that they had responded. He turned his back and witnessed the giant fiery black fire had now turned the gate into a fiery one. One that carried the unknown, questionable nature of the afterlife. 

The gate expelled his followers, the dead whom he had kept. Hundreds of them.

Lahat sila ay yumukod bilang paggalang. "My lord, how do we serve you today?"

"Surround the place. Do not let anyone, not even a single strand of their hair, ran away from here." With his wretched eyes, he turned to look at the man on the window in the top floor. It was Rasheed.

It was impossible for him to see them. But Xibel know better that Rasheed had already felt his presence.

"I won't let you get away with this."

--

Winty's note: Hello! Omg it took me so long huhu thank you so much for patiently waiting! I will try to update this story every week, as frequent as I can. We are nearing to the end na rin kasi. See ya sa next update!