Natalie Trilogy Book 3: The Last Stand

Chapter 1: One Year Later

C H A P T E R 1 :O N E Y E A R L A T E R

Thirty-three civilians including a few policemen had died. Twenty-one were wounded. Eleven shooters were killed. Four months had passed since the mass shooting in Johansson Memorial Hospital on College Hill in the City of Williamson in West Virginia, and up until today, no one could determine who was the mastermind.

One hundred fifty-six total casualties from four mass shootings in West Virginia that happened within a day; ninety-three were killed; mostly Latinos. Sixty-three were injured. The FBI provided insight that the West Virginia shootings were caused by domestic terrorism and a hate crime for the fact that the civilian casualties were mostly Latinos.

It was the same headline on the newspaper for months. Iisang ideya, magkakaibang lang ng pangungusap. Ngunit lahat ay nakadikit sa pader ng kuwartong tinutuluyan ni Natalie.

Araw-araw, palagi iyong nadagdagan. Araw-araw, bawat piraso ng papel ay kanyang binabasa at pinakakatitigan. Araw-araw ay pinipilit niyang umiyak, sumabog sa galit. Bagaman, kahit anumang pagnanais ng puso at isip, hindi niya magawang ilabas ang emosyong iyon.

The clippings served as her motivation. Kung hindi niya iyon ididikit sa pader, baka pinanghinaan na siya ng loob.

Kalakip ang kung ano mang bigat sa dibdib, muli ay pinakatitigan niya ang hawak na clipping. Ginupit niya iyon mula sa diyaryo ngayong araw. She breathed in and out. Instead of placing the clipping on the wall, she crumpled it with her hand until she could not see any of it. Ang tanging clipping na iyon kasi ang naiiba sa lahat: One year after the West Virginia public mass shootings, the President of the United States lifted West Virginia's state of emergency, disclosing to the public that the shootings were multiple homicides that resulted from turf wars between rival Mexican drug gangs.

Ayon sa diyaryo, isang notorious Mexican drug cartel daw ang may pakana. Nahuli na ang drug lord at agad na umamin -- Silvano Gustavo. Pinahanap daw kasi nito ang tauhang isa palang informant ng kalabang Mexican drug cartel. Ang informant daw ay nagtago sa West Virginia.

Kung magandang balita, o masamang balita iyon, hindi na mahalaga pa. Gayunman, isang bagay ang sigurado: diskumpiyado si Natalie sa kung anumang nakasulat sa papel na iyon, rason kung bakit kulang na lang ay madurog ang naturang clipping sa mga kamay niya.

She knew the shootings had happened because of her. And she knew who was the mastermind. Bakit at ano ba si Marga para pagtakpan ng naturang Silvano Gustavo ang nangyari?

Malaking misteryo at talagang hindi siya mapakali.

Fuck you, Marga! f**k you!

Noon niya dinampot ang garbage bag mula sa sahig saka doon tinapon ang nilukot na papel. Marahas ay pinagtataanggal niya ang mga clipping na iyon sa pader. She didn't need those anymore.

Wala pa man ay agad na itinigil ni Natalie ang ginagawa. Nabitiwan din niya ang garbage bag; someone just stood behind her. May kung anong malamig na rin ang nakatutok sa likod ng kaliwang tainga niya—baril.

Kalmado, dahan-dahan ay itinaas niya ang mga kamay sa ere, pumihit paharap.

It was Brian. He was pointing a handgun at her with both of his hands. Sa doorway ng kuwarto ay doon naman nakatayo ang batang babae, si Gina. The kid was not a kid anymore. She just reached her teens. Nakangisi ang batang nakakrus pa ang mga braso sa tapat ng dibdib.

Nginisian niya rin ito, gayundin si Brian.

"I'm coming with you, Maria." Direct. Authoritative. Ganoon ang tinig na ginamit ni Brian.

Natalie just gave him a sly smile, glancing at the gun. "You might want to c**k your gun first."

Pumitik ang kilay ng lalaki. Kapagkuwan ay napangiti itong tumango-tango. "Nice try. But I alrea---"

Hindi na natapos pa ng lalaki ang sasabihin. Mabilisang iginalaw ni Natalie ang ulo maging ang balikat papunta sa kaliwa, palayo sa direksyon ng linya kung saan nakatutok ang baril saka gamit ang kaliwang kamay, hinawakan niya ang ilalim na parte ng baril. Sa tulong ng puwersa sa kanang kamay niya na nakahawak naman sa itaas na bahagi ng naturang sandata, ipinaikot niya ang baril pakanan. Brian's arm got twisted. Lumuwag ang pagkakahawak nito sa baril. Nakahanap si Natalie ng pagkakataong masipa ang lalaki sa groin area ng katawan nito. From there, she was now the one who was holding and pointing it at him.

Ngising-ngisi si Brian na itinaas ang mga kamay sa ere. Gina nodded at her and winked. Kung marahil ay tauhan ni Marga, o si Marga mismo at hindi si Brian ang kaharap niya, malamang ay kinalabit na niya ang gatilyo. Instead, Natalie skillfully disassembled the gun, letting its part fell on the carpeted floor.

Puno ng pride ay kumibit ang balikat ni Natalie. Napailing si Brian, mas itinaas pa sa ere ang mga kamay.

"Maria: 50. Dad: still a solid zero for this month."

Nagkatawanan ang mag-ama.

"Well," si Brian, pinulot ang garbage bag saka iniabot sa kanya. "I taught her well."

"That's why," pumihit ay itinuloy ang pagtatanggal sa mga clipping sa pader, "you don't have to come with me Brian."

Natalie expected the man would start to argue just like what they used to do. Brian didn't.

Nga lang ay mukhang si Gina ang makikipagtalo sa kanya. The girl was now standing beside her. Nakanguso ito. "Let my dad come with you, please? I swear, I'll behave in front of Steve."

Muli, itinigil niya ang ginagawa. Patingkayad ay umupo sa harap ng bata. "Don't do it for me, Gina. Do it for yourself, for your mom. Your stepdad loves you, you know that, right?"

Umirap ito. "I still don't get it why you have to leave. You've been living with us for a year now, which means, you're part of our family. We only have the four of us in this house: you, me, dad, and Cooper. If you leave . . . " buntonghininga ang kumain sa dapat na sasabihin ni Gina. "Why can't you just marry my dad?"

"Gina," it was Brian. Sa tono nito ay klarong sinasaway nito ang anak. "Could you leave us alone for a while, honey?"

Gina groaned. Mabibigat ang mga paa ay naglakad na ito palabas bagaman hindi itinuloy ang paglabas ng silid. Sinuntok nito ang ama sa tiyan saka sinabi, "Just make sure you'll kiss Maria this time."

Mahinang natawa lang si Natalie. Hindi naman lingid sa kaalaman niyang may pagtingin sa kanya si Brian. Si Gina, maski ang ina nito, parati silang ibinubuyo sa isa't isa. Masabi mang ganoon ay walang namamagitan sa kanila ng lalaki. Although she wanted to, she couldn't. He might be the one who save her that day, but still she had boundaries. He respected those boundaries, still glad that he and Natalie stayed as friends.

"I'm sorry about that." Himas-himas ang batok ay lumapit sa kanya si Brian saka hinaplos ang pisngi niya. Natalie could feel the bump as Brian's thumb continued stroking her cheek.

"George is still persistent to fix this. She just called me up this morning," tukoy nito sa dating asawa na isang cosmetic surgeon.

Isa si George, bukod kay Brian, Cooper, at Gina sa mga nagligtas sa kanya nang araw na iyon. Mula sa West Virginia kung saan siya itinangay ng mga tauhan ni Marga, itinapon ang katawan niya sa pinakdulong bahagi ng Alabama. Ang bahay ni Brian, dalawang kilometro lamang ang layo mula sa bahagi ng kakahuyan kung saan siya nakita ni Cooper.

Brian sold his house day after he found her in the woods. Ngayon ay sa Mississippi na sila naninirahan, sa lugar kung saan din nakatira si George at nakabase ang main branch ng clinic nito.

Natalie saw the family not only just human beings with a big heart. Itinuring niyang anghel ang mga ito na bumaba sa lupa. Nakakatawa marahil pakinggan. Pero sa katulad ni Natalie na nasa bingit ng kamatayan nang araw na iyon, isang milagro ang nangyari. At alam niya, itong mga taong ito, kung paanong aksidenteng ang mga ito pa ang tila itinakda na magliligtas sa kanya, kung paano ang mga itong trinato siya at inalagaan na parang kasapi siya ng pamilya, kung paanong hindi inisip ng mga ito kung anong klaseng tao ba siya, ay parang mensahe iyon ng Nasa itaas na binibigyan siya ng pagkakataong makapagsimula ng bagong buhay.

Brian was a loving father, and kind. Dating Navy SEAL ito. Ngayon ay isang veteran, naputulan ng isang binti dahil sa paglilingkod sa bayan. He was using a prosthetic leg. Matagal na itong hiwalay kay George. Hindi kinaya ng babae ang nerbiyos kapag umaalis noon si Brian. The two were civil, bestfriends, even. Parehas mabait. Maging ang asawa ni George, si Steve, ay napakabait. Kasi kung hindi, malamang si Gina ay hindi lalaking mabait na bata. Sure, sometimes the kid was a brat, but it was a normal thing.

Gayunman, sa isang katulad ni Natalie na nawalan ng lahat, inangkinan ng lahat --- buhay na dapat sa kanya, mukha at katauhan na siya ang nag-mamay-ari --- napakaimposible na magkaroon at makapagsimula siya ng panibagong buhay.

She would get back what was hers. And she would make Marga pay for what she had done.

Sa isisping iyon, mahigpit na mahigpit niyang hinawakan ang kamay ni Brian na nakalapat pa rin sa kanyang pisngi. "I can't thank you enough. But please, don't come with me. Your kid needs you. I wouldn't want to get you involved with what I'm about to do."

Napabuntonghininga si Brian. Marahang hinugot nito ang kamay mula sa pagkakahawak niya. Pinameywangan siya nito. "Killing Marga wouldn't solved anthing. It could only make the situation worst."

"I don't care. She killed my pregnant sister. You see this?" Turo niya sa malaking peklat sa kalahati ng kanyang mukha. Nagiinit na ang mga mata niya sa puntong iyon. But just like the past few months, a year to be exact, her eyes seemed could no longer to cry.

Natalie missed the feeling of crying, bursting all her emotions out. Nagbabakasali siyang mabawasan iyong bigat ng pasanin niya. Nagkataon lang na napakalupit ng tadhana.

Itinuturo pa rin ang peklat sa mukha ay nagpatuloy siya, "How about my back? Don't you remember my back? You've seen it, haven't you? Marga skinned my back, Brian. And these cuts on my arms, my legs, she was the who did it. And this?" Tukoy naman niya sa peklat ng tama ng baril sa taas ng kanyang kaliwang mata. Ipinihit pa niya ang ulo para ipakita ang likod ng kaliwang tainga niya kung saan tumagos ang naturang bala. "She ordered her henchman to finish me. That's why I have this scar. The bullet went through my brain. The fragments of bullet and bones of my skull are still in my head. Now she is the mother of my baby and engaged with Bradley. Tell me how f**k up is that, huh?"

"Yet you still survived. And you're lucky 'cuz the bullet didn't damage the vital--"

"Yeah," pinutol niya ang kung ano pa mang sasabihin nito. Karaniwan na sa mga pagkakataong hindi na umiimik si Natalie kapag napunta na doon ang argumento nila ni Brian. Now was different. Nakahanap na siya ng pagkakataong balikan si Marga. Hindi na in-extend pa ang state of emergency sa West Virginia. Maaari nang makalabas at makapasok sa naturang lugar. Ibig sabihin, nakabalik na sa Los Angeles si Marga kasama sina Prince at Bradley.

She now had her chance to get near to that woman. Hindi niya papalagpasin ang pagkakataong iyon.

Nagpatuloy si Natalie. "You're right: I am lucky. So, I will make the most out of my luck, Brian. If I had to die, if I had to go to jail for killing her, I'd still do it. And you're staying here."

"And what's your plan then? Find where Marga lives? Then kill her right there?"

"No. Worse than that. I'm going to kidnap her, and skin her, just like what she did to me. I will let her rot in a place where no one could ever see her."

"Can I ask you something?"

Hinintay niya lamang niya ang sasabihin nito.

"Have you ever done that in your life? That---that thing that you just said."

"No."

"Then how are you able to pull it off?"

Marahas na hinablot niya ang natitirang clipping sa pader saka hinarap si Brian. "I will pull it off, Brian, perfectly. I promise."

"And you think her dad, who's a notorious Mexican drug kingpin, would keep you alive? They are powerful. I've searched everything about that drug cartel. His father would know who killed his daughter, trust me. If you do it, you can't be with Bradley, and your son, Maria. You'd be on the run for the rest of your life."

Hindi siya nakasagot. Matagal. Bukod sa literal na "bahala na" ang palaging sinasabi niya sa sarili kapag dumaan sa isip na baka pumalpak iyong gagawin niya, nabigla siya sa sinabi ni Brian. "Marga's dad is a drug kingpin? How did you know? I've searched about Marga, all I found out was she was an owner of some f*****g lingerie company in LA."

Umupo sa gilid ng kama si Brian, bumuntonghininga, umiling-iling at tinitigan siyang parang naghahanda sa mahaba-habang story telling. "I was part of a task force whose job was to extract drug lords from Mexico and bring them across the Mexican border. Then the CIA would take care of them once our job was done. I've worked with some federal authorities -- FBI, CIA, DEA -- for two years, that's why I know where to find information."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "You knew, and you didn't tell me?"

"Yup. Because I thought it'd be my last resort to make you stop from your far out, yet . . . crazy, plan . . ." Nakangiti si Brian habang sinasabi iyon. Tumaas pa ang balikat na parang aliw na aliw sa kanya. Bagaman sa mga mata nito ay bakas ang matinding pagka-concern sa kanya.

"I'm still gonna go, Brian, do what I gotta do."

"Then let me help you. You can't do this alone, Maria."

"No."

Ang lakas na ng ginawang pagbuga ng hangin ni Brian. "Well then, let me drive you to LA."

Napakamot sa noo ay ngumiwi siya. Sadyang makulit ang lalaki. Binalak niyang makipagtalo pa. Bagaman sa huli, mapaklang ngumiti na siya sa lalaki. "Fine. But we are going to West Virginia first . . . where my sister died."