~ HOURS EARLIER ~ HOW IT ALL BEGAN ~ HOSPITAL
Camila sat on a chair be side Mariano bed side.
Fear mixed with anxiety wash over her when she remembered the doctor telling them that he’s in a coma and that it might take years for him to wake up.
“Don’t sleep for too long. There are things I have to tell you, things I have to show you. So, please wake up” Camila said, kissing his hand.
“Camila” the sudden call got her head jerking up and when she saw Mariano awake, a smile brighten up her face.
“Thank God you are okay” she said, kissing his forehead.
“Have I been out for long?” His voice came out hoarsely.
“Ever since you were shot last night. I need to get the doctor’s and I need to tell others about…”
“Don’t” Mariano said suddenly, stopping her from leaving.
“But why?”
“There’s something I need to do. I have to speak to Matteo, he’s in our custody right?” Mariano asked.
“He is. He was taken in by Cesare and Alexis after he shot you and I don’t think you are well enough to see him”
“Am not well enough like you’ve said but I need to see him. There’s something I need to ask him and it can’t wait” Mariano said.
“Fine then. Should I call Cesare or Alexis or…”
“Just get Alexis for me and tell him that under no circumstance must he let Cesare know about me being awake” he said and though she stared at him confusedly, she did as he said.
A while later, Alexis and Camila got Mariano out of the hospital secretly and when they made it back to Sand Castle.
Stephan was already waiting at the back door to help sneak them in since Mariano refuse to let anyone find out.
Though his wounds have been treated, Matteo looked pale and almost lifeless on the chair he was tied on.
He looked up to see Mariano being wheeled in and he smile.
“Seems like you made it alive” Matteo said.
“I did and now, I want answers from you. Why did you betray our clan for the devils clan?” Mariano asked, fighting the pain from his wound.
“Shouldn’t you know that. You never treated me right? While you made everyone feel welcome, you never did with me. You don’t know how bad I felt each time you overlook me and task someone else with a mission” Matteo yelled at him.
“I knew you were a no good bastard!” Alexis who was present in the room along with Camila and Stephan said.
“And is that why you joined Lilo and his group since you think we’ve been unfair to you?”
“Yes! At least they make me feel like am a part of them”
“Part of them you say but you are still stuck here without any help from them”
“They will come for me” Matteo said.
“Who? Cesare? Stop kidding yourself ” Mariano said and that got his eyes widening in shock.
“How did you find out about Cesare?”
“I have my ways and so start telling me everything you know about Cesare and the devils”
“Why should I?”
“That’s the only way you will be free. If you keep on waiting for Cesare to come for you, he won’t and so…tell me everything you know and I shall have mercy on you” Mariano said to him and after thinking about it for a while, Matteo spilled the whole thing to him even adding the part of the real Cesare death.
“I can’t believe what am hearing” A shocked Camila said.
“Do you know where he buried Cesare’s body?” Mariano asked, hurt by the part of his dead friend.
“I don’t but what I do know is that, he wants Camila and he will stop at nothing to get her” Matteo revealed.
An hour later they made it back to the hospital and luckily for them there was no sign of Cesare.
“What are we going to do? We can’t have stay in our midst now?” Stephan said.
“Why don’t we just capture him and torture the bastard to death” Alexis said angrily.
“I would love to do that but I want us to catch him red handed” Mariano said now back in his bed, recuperating.
“Do you have a plan, boss?” Alexis asked.
“Cesare thinks am still in a coma like everyone else. Am positive that he will plan to get me out of the hospital so he can have me ki||ed” Mariano said.
“Once he tell you guys about his plan, get back to me so we can prepare a surprise attack” Mariano told them.
And later that day, during the night. Camila told him about Cesare suggestion about taking him to the villa.
“He said we will take you by helicopter. Do you think he will blow the helicopter up?” Stephan asked.
“I doubt that. People like Cesare will want to do everything by land. I will bet my whole savings that he will ruin a part of the helicopter so it doesn’t work and you guys will be force to transport me by land”
“So what are we going to do if it comes to this?” Alexis asked.
“We get our men and prepare for battle too. Under no circumstance must we let them win” Mariano said and after telling them the plan he had in mind.
He gave them another task to keep an eye on Cesare.
“What are you thinking about?” Mariano asked Camila who was standing against the window frame, deep in thought.
“I just remembered what Matteo told us this morning. What would Cesare want from me?” Camila asked.
“You gullible little thing. Come here” he said thinking she would seat on the chair but she surprise him by getting into the bed with him.
“Am listening” she said, starring at him.
“Well Er.. k” he cleared his throat ” I think Cesare is in love with you and that’s why he wants to take you”
“That’s crazy. I have never done anything to lead him on. Why would he fall for me?” Camila murmur.
“You can’t dictate to your heart. It will love whoever it wants and that’s what happen to Cesare. He fell for you just like I did ” Mariano explain.
“Then I do hope your plan works. He has to know that I feel nothing for him and that the only man I will ever love is you” She said as she wrap her arms around his waist and set her head on his chest.
“Did you just say you….”
“Shhhh….this isn’t the time. When you’ve captured Cesare, I will say it again. Let’s get some sleep, you look pale” Camila murmur and for the first time in a long time, Mariano slept peacefully.
*****
~ NEXT DAY ~ THE DAY CESARE PLANNED TO KIDNAP MARIANO ~
“Do you think I did the right by leaving everyone at the villa?” Enzo asked as he and Luna walk into the hospital room, beating fruits and food.
“Don’t worry. Selena and Cora are there to protect everyone, they might not show it but they are good fighters” Luna assured.
“Isn’t that Cesare?” Enzo said suddenly and from where they stood, they saw Cesare look around suspiciously before following a man into a room.
“Let’s go see what he’s doing” Luna said.
“Isn’t that spying on him?” Enzo asked.
“It is but I don’t care. I have a feeling that he’s up to something” Luna said and slowly approach the room Cesare had gone in with that man.
She and Enzo stood at the front door, listening to his conversation with the man.
“Are Lilo and the men ready?” They heard Cesare asked.
“They are boss. Once the ambulance gets to the road that leads to the Villa, they will attack then ” the man answered.
“Good then. Make sure that wh@ťěver happens, you must ki|| Mariano” Cesare said.
Luna and Enzo who had heard this, immediately went to Mariano’s room to tell him about it.
“We were also anticipating such move from them” Mariano said.
“If you guys already have a plan thought out then boss must have woken a long time ago?” Enzo said.
“Boss have been awake since two days ago but we had to keep it a secret because of Cesare” Stephan replied.
“For now let’s save this talk for another time. We have a battle to win” Alexis said.
“Since we know where Lilo’s men are waiting for us. Let’s do this then. I leave in the ambulance with Camila so Cesare wouldn’t suspect a thing”
“Then once we get to the road side, I switch into a normal car leaving the ambulance empty with the bombs prepared by Stephan” Mariano added.
“Who’s gonna drive the ambulance?” Alexis asked.
“I will” Luna offered.
“It’s risky, there will be bombs in it” Enzo said quickly.
“Don’t worry. The bomb will only blow up when she gets to where Cesare and his men is. It has a timer” Stephan explained.
“That’s settled then but we are missing an important part. Cesare will do his best to stop us from following the ambulance, what do we do about that?” Alexis asked.
“Just like I will switch cars, you all will be switching cars too so as not to attract attention. We will be following the ambulance and when Stephan bomb blows off, we will attack then” Mariano replied.
“Wh@ťěver happens today. Let’s make sure we capture Cesare ” Mariano added.
******
~ PRESENT MOMENT ~ SAND CASTLE~
Bianca and Lenora were peacefully having tea in the garden when they saw several cars arrive.
One of it had Mariano and Camila and another had a bloody Cesare being pulled out roughly by the guards.
“What’s going on?” Bianca asked as she got to them.
“Turns out Cesare is the leader of the devils clan ” Stephan replied, shocking the both of them.
“Throw him in the torture room but make sure it’s different from Matteo’s” Alexis ordered gruffly and immediately, they pulled Cesare off to the torture room.
“Are you okay, Mariano. You look pale” Camila said, holding onto Mariano.
“Let me help” Bianca offered wanting to lift Mariano’s arm but he move away from her.
Wrapping his arms around Camila, he said softly.
“My wife can take care of me”
Camila gave him a smile as she began to walk with him to their room.
“Can you help me instead. Go call Selena and tell her to wait at the Villa until Alexis and Enzo gets there. I need to check on the prisoner” Stephan said but she pulled him back.
“Why don’t you call them yourself. I will go check on the prisoner instead” Bianca said, leaving in anger.
“What? Don’t think I will help you run your errand” Lenora said to Stephan before walking.
“Two witches” Stephan muttered before walking off too.
*****
~ TORTURE ROOM ~
“Tsk, tsk. Look what you brought upon yourself Cesare. Why on earth did you have to betray the clan? You know what happens to those who betray us” Bianca said, starring at Cesare who was chained up like a dog.
“What are you laughing about?” Bianca asked when he began to laugh.
“Judging by the way you keep calling me Cesare, they haven’t told you everything yet, right?” Cesare asked.
“What didn’t they tell me?”
“That am a fake. That the real Cesare was ki||ed by me and that I did a plastic surgery just to look like him and to get into the clan” Cesare reveal.
“You monster! How could you do that to Cesare?” Bianca cried out in shock since she was close to the real Cesare along with Mariano.
“I did it so I could get into your clan and get info which worked and…aren’t you a monster yourself?” He asked and that got her giving him a punch on the face.
“Hitting me won’t change the fact that you and I are alike” He said, spitting out the blood from his mouth.
“Am nothing like you!” Bianca yelled at him.
“You are. Just to get what you want, you are willing to trample on everyone and everything just like I did. I know you h@ťě Camila, I know you want her out of your way so you can be with Mariano and I can help you get what you want” he said, smirking up at her.
“If you help me escape, I will take Camila and you will be free to have Mariano with you. What do you say to my juicy offer?” He asked…
TBC💚