Sins of the Father Part Three
The next day, Max woke up early and drove up to the Nakamuras' house. On his way there, he had picked up Donnie, Bonnie, and DJ, who were all determined to get the gist of what was going on with the murders that occurred, as well as the welfare of Maya. It was clear from Ellie's readings from last night that it was Marco from the humanitorian essence that was extracted when he committed the speedy kill.
The four stormed in through the front door, catching Uni and Ellie at the small kitchen table, having breakfast.
Uni smiled. "Morning, children. We weren't expecting you."
"We're worried about Maya," Max said as he took it.
DJ sat next to him and licked his lips at the smell of the miso soup. He reached over to the large serving bowl and looked over at his sensei. "May I? I didn't get the chance to eat before I came here."
Uni nodded as he handed a smaller bowl to him.
"Okay, Sensei, we need answers. What is going on?" Bonnie asked, taking a seat that was facing her teacher.
Uni frowned as he looked over at his daughter and nodded. Ellie sighed as she stood up. "Okay, I'll just give you the sitrep," she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. She glanced at all four rangers and took a deep breath, knowing that they were not going to like what she was about to tell him. "Guys, you need to know something, and trust me...you are probably going to freak."
Max looked attentively at Ellie, frowning. "Yes?"
Ellie looked at her father, who gave her a nod. She then looked back at Max. "Max...Po has been using all these monsters to create a linkage between Earth and Kartae."
Donnie narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?" He asked disquietly.
"The more you guys have been fighting the Humanitors, the more energy they burn. Po has been using the energy to weaken the layers of the Earth and create a geological chemical reaction that would crack open a portal large enough for Humanitors to seep through."
All the ranger's eyes widened in shock, with a high-pitched gasp coming from Bonnie.
"The good news is Po's attempts were futile," Ellie mentioned.
Max let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, okay..."
"That was until he started using the Ninjas," she finished.
"WHAT?!" Max screeched as he sprang up from his seat. DJ did some sort of a spit take into his bowl before standing up with Donnie to hold Max back. Ellie leaped from her seat and hurried over to hide behind her father, terrified by Max's abrupt explosion.
Uni held his hand up to calm the Red Ranger down. "Maxwell-"
"Don't 'Maxwell' me," Max said angrily. "What does she mean 'until he started using the Ninjas'?!"
DJ squeezed Max's arm tightly, signaling him to calm down.
Ellie gulped and spoke with caution. "The only way there can be a viable link between Earth and Kartae is the combination of both human and humanitorian energy, and so far...the battles with Dejahnay and Maxine have extended pressure on the Earth's layers."
All four rangers did not know what
"How much energy is left to be burned before...you know..." Bonnie asked.
Uni stood up for his daughter and spoke. "By the looks of it, whatever is going on right now with the children being turned into military dolls...I don't think there is much to burn before the Earth cracks under pressure."
Max felt his blood run cold. Panic began to rise as he rushed out of the house, with Maya in his mind. He had already feared for her safety, which combined with the escalating realization that the end of humanity could be near sent him into a frenzy as he got into his car.
"Max, hold up!" DJ shouted out as he and the twins rushed out the house and boarded Max's car in a rush before the Red Ranger began to speed away from the house toward their town.
DJ began panting with angst. "Ah, man...this is bad!" He said dramatically.
"What are we going to do," Bonnie asked, her voice breaking with fear.
"I don't know, but one thing is for sure if that fiend Marco tries anything, that would be the clincher to Po's plan," Max said.
"The entire world will be doomed!" Donnie exclaimed.
"Listen, we'll drop by the Garcia residence and see if Maya is there. That will soothe some of our worries, right?"
Maya entered her bathroom and rummaged through the medicine cabinet for her concealer. She dabbed the polish underneath her eyes, trying to prevent any indication that she had not slept much the previous night. She didn't want her mother to further worry, she just wanted to enjoy her spring break, but she couldn't. Images of both bodies that were recently discovered with the military garment continued to plague her mind like a ravenous disease.
She put her makeup away before deciding to strip and hop into the shower. Showers always had a calming effect on her, and based on what she was experiencing, she needed some tranquility, and it worked but to a small extent. She also wanted to look presentable so her friends wouldn't be concerned if she were to come in sweaty, tired, and gross.
She sat in the tub and let the hot water from the shower head wash her cares away. She reveled in it. Her chin to her knees. After about 10 minutes, she knew she had to come out soon. She turned off the water, fetched her robes, and reached out to her phone, which was on the edge of the sink.
Taking a look at the time, she set her phone down before grabbing a brush for her hair. As she was brushing her hair, her phone rang. She didn't take the time to look at the caller ID, she just answered it.
"Hello," she said tiredly.
"Your mom's a cutie, isn't she, Maya?" A familiar voice with twisted humor in his voice, causing Maya to freeze, her blood running cold. "A dashing woman for her age, that's for sure. And you are not so bad-looking yourself. A chip off the block, don't you think?"
Maya slowly set her brush down, taking a deep breath as she tried to keep herself composed. "What do you need? It's early," she said.
"I just wanted to call and tell you more about myself...you know, for you to get to know me better."
"I don't need to know much about you to understand that you deserve to be sent to wherever we hurled both Maxine and Dejahnay toward. If you want to play with fire, don't be surprised when you get burned," Maya exclaimed.
"Like how your father was scorched after being blown up!" Marco spat out.
"What's your obsession with my father?"
"Seriously, Maya...he graduated first in his class at the academy...do you think he would be stupid enough to just aimlessly walk into the danger zone of an active bomb just because the robot that was supposed to defuse it failed? Do you want to know what exactly happened to your father? Do you want to know the truth...Maya?"
Maya didn't know what to think at that moment. The truth? What was he talking about?
"Tell me where you are. I promise you...you want to fight, then I'll give you a fight, you bastard." She hissed.
"The abandoned theatre, near the scrapyard...I'll call you when you are on your way," Marco said as he hung up.
Maya dropped her phone, not caring if it hit the ground or if it would have cracked. She was breathing in and out heavily, her hunger through her wet hair. She was terrified of what she would most certainly meet. Or what she may learn. She realized there must have been something going on with her father that she was unaware of. She wondered whether her mother knew about the box Pablo discovered in the attic.
Memories of her deceased father began to flood her head. Perhaps that was the last time she saw him. She was with her parents. Her mother was heading to the airport for her father's last trip.
She remembered hugging him one last time. The warmth of that hug, the strength of her father's arms as he squeezed her.
She knew if she wanted to find answers, she needed to move, even if it possibly meant walking into her own grave. She managed to get her hair sorted out, got dressed, and tried to sneak downstairs without awakening her mother, who she assumed was asleep, but Maya was cursed under her breath when she caught the smell of sausages and fried potatoes, indicating that her mother was downstairs in the kitchen making breakfast.
Maya tried to keep cool as she continued her way down the steps and into the kitchen. Adana, still in her green robe, noticed her daughter taking a seat at the table and smiled.
"Buenas dias, Mija. Did you have a good night's sleep?"
Maya gave her mother a weak smile as Adana prepared a plate of food, walking over and setting it in front of her daughter. Maya nodded and began aimlessly, her attention fixating on the clock. She needed to pretend everything was normal so her mother wouldn't worry about her, but she didn't want to stall for much longer.
"Also, mija. Can you pick up your brother later?" Her mother asked as she went back to the stove.
Maya looked up questionably. "Where did Pablo go?"
"He decided to check out this movie with his new friend."
New friend? Maya was confused. It was not even 11 AM, and Pablo wasn't the type of person who would want to leave early, especially since they didn't have school, and Pablo's routine on his days off consisted of watching morning cartoons in his pajamas.
However, Maya decided to shrug it off. She didn't need to worry any longer...until a sudden realization struck her to the core. It was Saturday...their local theatre was closed on Saturdays.
And since when does Pablo make a friend fast enough to decide to hang out so early on a weekend morning?
Maya put the pieces together and gobbled up her breakfast, before rushing out the door, leaving her dazed and confused mother behind. She grabbed her keys on the way out of the house and rushed into her car which was parked on the driveway. Her hands were trembling, which made it difficult to stick the key into the ignition, but once she did, she pulled back from the driveway before speeding off to the abandoned theatre. Her hands were trembling fo the idea of her brother being the next victim. She couldn't afford to lose another loved one. She just couldn't.
Max pulled up his car into Maya's driveway. He hopped out and scurried over to the front door. He was stunned to see it slightly opened, as if someone had just rushed out, not even bothering to check to see if they had closed, let alone locked the door.
Max carefully opened the door. "Hello," he called out. "Maya!
He entered the house, only to be greeted by Maya's mother. Adana was stunned to see the red-haired boy come this early in the morning. She smiled wide in delight. "Hola, Max, how are you?"
"I'm fine, Ms. Garcia," Max replied with a smile, shutting the door behind him. "I just need to talk to Maya."
Adana frowned. "Oh no, my dear, she left."
Max's face shifted into worry. "Do you know where she went?"
"It's strange...I saw her drive down toward the east, heading out of the town. What's silly is that she left after I mentioned her brother being at the theatre with a friend, saying something like she was going to 'check on him'. Never knew she would be so curious of her brother's whereabouts."
"But...you guys live on the far east side, and there is nothing outside of town eastside besides..."
It then hit Max like a truck. Pablo was at a theatre with a 'friend', and Maya rushed to get to him. Maya would not drive to the abandoned theatre unless her brother...
...was in danger?
"Ms. Garcia," Max said, putting his hands firmly on the woman's shoulders. He was starting to frighten her. "Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT leave this house."
"What? What do you mean, Max?"
"Just listen to me. I'll call my dad to get him and his buddies to watch over you. I'm going to get your kids!" He said, leaving the stunned woman behind as he ran out of the house. Donnie, Bonnie, and DJ were all waiting for him in the car as he opened the driver's side door and hopped in, hurriedly sticking the key into the ignition. Soon, he was driving at an accelerated speed down the road.
"Max, what's going on?" DJ pleaded, shaking Max's shoulder.
"She's not in her house. She headed toward the theatre on West Newbury Avenue," Max responded, his eyes sternly fixated on the road.
"That run-down establishment?" Donnie inquired bewilderly. "Why would she be there?"
"No need to answer questions, let's suit up before we get there! We have to save her!" Max explained.
Maya parked her car in the littered parking lot of the abandoned, decrepit theatre. The grey clouds mirrored the somber and terrified feeling she had in her chest as she looked up at the marquee, which used to be brightly lit with a list of exclusive shows, but now there was no light, and the lettering was random and crooked. She understood why Marco would choose this run-down establishment as a place to meet, but she would not expect what was to come.
She exited her car, she couldn't help but feel the dread that polluted the atmosphere. She closed her eyes as she prepared herself for what was behind those tainted doors. Once she gathered herself she walked up and into the dark and gloomy theatre. The inside was pitch black. She could barely see a thing.
"Hello," she called out anxiously. She reached over toward the wall, trying to find the light switch, but was relieved but shocked when the lights suddenly turned on, revealing a stunning presentation.
The interior of the theatre was a stark contrast to the deteriorated grandeur of the exterior as if someone came in recently and renovated the entire room. The walls were covered in white peeling paint, and the seat was torn and broken. The stage was an absolute mess with fallen debris and props. However, that wasn't what grabbed Maya's attention. Her eyes were mostly fixated on the photos that were either littered on the floor or crookedly stapled all over the walls.
One photo was of him and a different woman and another was of him and a second mistress.
Maya's eyes glistened with tears as reality began to strike her. Her father, the person she had always admired and would often wish he would return from death, the man she loved...was a liar and a cheater.
"I guess you've now realized the truth, eh?"
Maya shrieked as she looked up and found Marco standing on the stage. His eyes were full of hate, but a sneer was still imprinted on his face.
"What do you think of my gallery?" He asked. "You know, they always say that you should never judge a book by its cover, but based on these photos, it's safe to say that on some occasions...the cover tells the entire story."
"Who are you and what do you want from me?" Maya asked, her voice laced with fear and anger.
Marco took a step forward. "It's not what I want...it's what I need, and I need retribution."
Maya narrowed her eyes. 'What do you mean?"
"I searched for a father all my life. My mother was nothing more but a greedy whore who was willing to sell secrets just for some 'masculine attention'," he said, using his fingers to quote the last two words. "You know what I mean...I was dirt poor and used martial arts as my escape from my reality. I tried to search for my father for so long until I managed to track him down, just before he was about to travel on his last tour."
"Wait, I remember you!" Maya exclaimed, pointing a shaking finger at Marco. "You were the boy that stopped by our house that night. My father told us that you were just crazy and mistook him for someone else," Maya's eyes then widened as the truth was seeping into her.
"Yes...Maya...I am Marco Garcia. I am your brother."
Maya did not know what to feel at that moment. Her entire world just stopped spinning. Marco, the ninja who had fought her and her friends for several weeks. The person who had worked alongside their immortal enemy...was her brother her father, whom she just found out was an unfaithful man this whole time.
To be continued...