The Huntress

3. Silvio

...Ash POV...

As I was listening to Sienna's explanation, it felt as though everything was beginning to click into place. I never understood why Hunter would go after Sienna. It didn't seem like something he would do. Especially since he never even attempted to claim ransom. He reached out to Damian once. But it was more informative than demanding. It was as though he was letting us know that he had her. Which is weird for kidnappers. Normally they let their friends and family be aware because they want something in return. Most typically, money. So, when Hunter did none of this, it left us all confused.

"What happened then?" I ask.

Sienna turned white. It was clear in her expression that whatever happened wasn't good. I reached my hand out and gently grabbed her hand, stroking my thumb over the back of it once more in a comforting manner.

"It wasn't pleasant. But it was evident that they were limiting my interactions with Hunter. It was a few days before I even got to see Hunter. By then, it was already too late."

"What do you mean?" Jace asks, asking the question I was wondering myself.

"Before Hunter came to see me, someone else did." She began. I can see from the look on her face that whoever it was isn't going to be pleasant for us to hear.

"Kevin. Kevin Westshire." She comments, making my eyes go wide. I turn to look over at Jace, who seems to be equally surprised. Up until now, we had assumed he had been involved with everything in some manner. But we had figured he would act more like a silent partner. Supplying funds and resources as needed. Kevin Westhire was never one to get his hands dirty. This development was the last thing we expected.

"Kevin confessed that Silvio was actually working for him, and using Hunter. Kevin wanted to destroy my parents. He became interested in Hunter because he had the means to take my parents down. Silvio was his acting man to help guide Hunter on the path that Kevin wanted him to be on."

"So none of this was Hunter's choices?" Jace asks.

"No. I think Hunter even suspected Kevin, but had no solid evidence. It didn't help that Kevin blackmailed me into confessing a plot against Tomás. Basically confessing to everything Kevin was doing."

"How did Kevin blackmail you?" I ask.

"He threatened to kill Tomás. To prove his point, he had a live stream of Tomás' room where a doctor awaited his commands to administer a deathly dose of medication. I knew if I didn't agree to his plan, he would have Tomás killed. I couldn't let that happen. Tomás was innocent in all of this. I wouldn't let him die."

"Why not just tell Hunter what was going on? Surely he would've saved Tomás if he cared for him the way you say he does." Jace asks.

"It's not that simple. Kevin had the entire compound bugged. I knew if it even looked as though I wasn't keeping my end of the bargain, Kevin wouldn't hesitate to kill Tomás, so I had no choice but to remain silent."

"You're definitely your parents' daughter." Jace sighs, making both Sienna and myself laugh.

"What I don't understand is why they captured you. I thought they had let you go so that way you could send word to my dad." Sienna asks after our laughter subsided.

"He did. And that's exactly what I did. But since we knew that your father wouldn't be able to come to Colombia without causing panic, I decided to do some searching on my own. I managed to figure out that it was Hunter that had taken you. But we were confused when he never reached out to Damian right away. So I needed to figure out why that was. I went back to the hospital in search of why people were shooting at us. Which is when Silvio found me. I didn't realize he was one of Hunter's men. Silvio caught me sniffing around and ambushed me. When I woke up, I was in a cell." I explain, choosing to omit some details.

I knew how Sienna thought. We had grown quite close over the short amount of time. Which is how I knew she was choosing to omit some details as well. It was quite clear that she had been tortured. But for whatever reason, she was choosing to keep the details to herself. Though I couldn't blame her, as I was doing the same thing to her. If she knew what they did to me, she would never be able to forgive herself for getting me involved. But little did she realize that I was involved the moment I agreed to join Jace's team.

I had already told Jace everything, so there was no need to go into the other details. I'm still amazed to this day that I'm even here. As I was sure they were going to kill me. I think they may have achieved that very goal a few times when I was there. There were many times in which I thought for sure I would die, only to be brought back a moment later. After Sienna explained how she saw Silvio medicating Tomás, I began to wonder if that's exactly what Silvio had done to me. taking me to the brink of death, only to pull me back just before it was too late. My memories of that time are a bit jumbled, and I would rather not relive it if I didn't have to.

Thankfully, Sienna seemed to understand my need to keep the details to myself. A look of understanding crossed her face, making me wonder if perhaps she already knew what happened to me.

"So if Kevin thought he was winning, then what led to his disappearance?" Jace asks, getting us back on topic.

"I believe Hunter was conflicted. The facts were building up against me. Yet, I think he knew I was innocent. In one of Kevin's sick games, he released me. Kevin knew that he was losing Hunter's trust, and was beginning to doubt him. So in a move to get Hunter back on his side, he threatened to kill Tomás. Giving me barely any time to get to him on time to save him. I didn't have time to stop and explain what I was doing, knowing that Tomás' life was on the line. Kevin had one of his doctors give him a medication that would stop his heart if he didn't receive the antidote on time. I knew by rushing to Tomás, it wouldn't look good for me. But I couldn't afford not to. Anything Hunter or his men did to me would pale in comparison to allowing a child die. I managed to get there just on time. However, Hunter caught me just as I was giving Tomás the medication. To Hunter, it looked as though I was the one going against him. Everything happened quickly after that. Hunter had me sent back to his compound, as doctor's rushed Tomás away to 'save him'." Sienna explains, using air quotes.

"Seeing me with Tomás was the final straw for Hunter. Up until then, he was on the fence. But now he saw for himself that I was truly the enemy Kevin made me out to be." Sienna confessed. Both myself and Jace remained silent as Sienna continued with her explanation. Up until now, I thought I had faced the worst. But after hearing Sienna talk about her ordeal, I begin to realize that whatever happened to me, was nothing in comparison. While Silvio nearly killed me on many occasions, that was nothing to the torment she had to face.

"Hunter remained at the hospital, under the rouse of thinking that Tomás was on his deathbed. When in actuality, it was a trap to kill Hunter. Kevin knew that once Hunter came back to the compound, he wouldn't hesitate to come to me for answers. Which is exactly what happened. Kevin beat me up so that way when Hunter found me, he would be distracted. Kevin hid, intending to shoot Hunter when he found me. However, I managed to warn him just in time. Giving him the opportunity to kill Kevin."

"So Kevin's dead?" I ask, making sure I was hearing properly.

"Yes. Hunter shot him point blank in the head." She states, proudly.

"But if Kevin's dead, then who was behind the attack?" Jace asks.

"Silvio." Sienna and I respond at the same time.