Chapter 2: Chapter 1: A Soldier I

A whisper came to his ears. “The man is ready for the negotiation.”

 

But he ignored it and stood at the top of their command post. The dazzling city lights of Manila painted the landscape there. The gentle moonlight calmly hugged its halls. From there, the battle placements of the entire base went unhidden.

 

They were at the Fort Bonifacio military base situated just below the grand river of Pasig. They named it after the first leader of the Spanish Revolutionists who fought valiantly for freedom and independence, Andres Bonifacio. He was a noble hero for the Filipinos, one of the few who had started the revolution. Engraved was a statue of him in the middle of the compound.

 

“Do you think he will be happy to see what this country had become, Kanon?” asked Colonel Raul Astrea as he stared at the statue. It was far, so he did not see what sort of emotion the statue was making.

 

“What?”

 

“Andres Bonifacio, I mean.”

 

Lieutenant colonel Kanon, his second-in-command, placed her tiny hands on her chins, and thought. “He will be happy… as long as he is not a politician or a soldier.”

 

“That’s basically who he was,” he chuckled, and looked where she stood.

 

She produced a sigh, as if exasperated. Her lips broke into a smile. “We have done this many times, yet it still bothers you. Aren’t you supposed to be the strong one, colonel?”  

 

“You aren’t? I’m sure a normal does not torture the people he swore to protect. Nor he kill his own countrymen.”

 

“Well… this is our reality of being a soldier. There are things far beyond our control. We are only soldiers; we only do what we’re told.” She moved towards his side, and continued, “Besides, they raised us like this… this is our only purpose.”

 

“Well, all we did was to fight rebels in the countryside and hunt those who made the government their enemies.”s

 

In the past years, the higher ups had tasked them with counterinsurgency operations in the Mindanao Island where many of such rebellions were occurring. It was an enormous problem for the Philippines that now spanned decades. The army had not ended it. Crushed was one rebel group, but another rose. It was a vicious cycle that plagued the security of the nation. However, since the start of the previous president’s term, they gave them a new mission. One that dealt the supposed enemies of the state with a silent bullet. Although it was questionable if they really were enemies of the nation or government.

 

“If you put it that way, isn’t that helping our country?”

 

“I certainly hope it is. Yet, it doesn’t feel like it.”

 

He looked at the embers of stars silently. The light from the vast metro prevented them from illuminating with all their might. Yet, they were still beautiful. There was something different from it compared to when he stared at them four weeks ago. Unfamiliar birds flew into the skies. The winds were more moist than usual.

 

“The world sure is cruel.” said Raul. The beauty of stars still enraptured him. It was something he did not find anywhere else.

 

A gust of harsh winds blew their direction. It pushed them slightly, as if telling them to do their works now.

 

He sighed and took one last glance at the skies. “Let’s get this done. We will meet with the headquarters tomorrow.”

 

Kanon nodded. Her face turned tense, ready to do whatever her commander required of her.

 

Raul headed to the basement of the base with her second-in-command in tow. They entered a room guarded by two soldiers who saluted upon their arrival.

 

Inside, the room was dark; the only light source was from a dim lamp situated right above the center. Above the light was a man who seemed peacefully sleeping. Metal chains hugged his body, allowing not a single movement from him.

 

The colonel moved closer to the man. He contemplated for a second, but he did what had come here for. Raul struck the man with all his might. Guilt surged into his body, but this was a necessary thing to do, he thought.

 

The heavy blow immediately awoken the man. He contorted in pain, and asked, “w-who are you?”

 

“Hello, Mr. Carl,” said Raul as he stepped into the man’s foot. The colonel wore a thick military boot that was suited for combat missions, so it left a bloodied print on its target.  

 

“Arrrgggg… Why are you doing this?”

 

“You don’t need to know. Let’s talk about you. How was your wife, Maya? Emily and Faye too. They are cute little girls, but a quite delicate. You love them, don’t you? I bet they are waiting for you right now.”

 

“Don’t you dare hurt them… What do you want with me? If it is money, I can give you all the money you want,” he said.

 

“Money, huh? It is an incredibly powerful thing, yes, those little papers. But it is only papers in front of things that are far more important. If money could solve everything, then we would not be in this situation right now.”

 

He looked the colonel straight in the eye. “W-what are you saying?”

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“Don’t be nervous. I just want to make one simple request, really,” Raul said, musing his lips. He continued, “recently, your TV company seemed to produce a rather large amount of disturbing news. While my boss is an advocate for freedom of expression, it is affecting public peace. The government would prefer it if it can be a little tamer, and, of course, we would like to contribute to the news as well.”

 

The nation had three large multimedia broadcasting companies: channel two, five, and seven. Among them, the one who had reigned supreme in the last decades was channel two. They had become the leader of media and journalists who had been hell bent on exposing corruptions. Especially so when the current president rose to power. Some said that they were the light of Filipinos in the darkest times, but the government seemed to have found its luster to be too bright.

 

“So, you want me to air your propagandas and silence your opposition? That’s the one thing I’ll never do, even if you kill me. I cannot stomach that. Are you one of the Marsus’ pets? The people need to see the truth. You need to see the truth, no matter how dirty that truth is.”

 

“Perhaps they do, and I do, but at the right time. This country is in a crisis, if you don’t notice,” said the colonel, launching a couple of blows in the CEO’s torso. Each one of them was heavy, as if an elephant had rammed him. They were the fists of a honed warrior, quite unusual in the present times.

 

Ever since the announcement that they had transported to some kind of fantasy world, people had grown increasingly restless. At first, they had hoped that it might be a good thing. However, when reality had confronted them, adult panicked, children even more so. Supermarkets and stores were now in a constant danger of burglary. Food was essential, electricity was essential, oil was essential, clean water was essential, yet they were all limited. People had also grown accustomed to the internet that the sudden disappearance of it caused a massive uproar in the populace.  

 

He groaned. Blood flowed from Carlo’s mouth. Pain seeped through his entire body. “You… the one you’re working for is the one sucking the blood from the veins of this very country… What do you think he is doing right now? While he is up there in his palace eating whatever he wants, we, his people, scrap for leftovers here. You said that we are in a crisis right now. We have been in one even before these last four weeks. And what did he do!? He was partying with his wife; he was attending a basketball game! Tell me, can a person like that not lead this country to a crisis?”

 

“You sure do like to talk… Enough of it. We won’t finish with this. Kanon, you’re up. Don’t damage his face, though. He cannot hide it.” He averted his eyes to the man and motioned behind him.

 

She strode forward with a military-grade blade in her hands. Her long hair that Raul had been familiar with in the last few years danced in the air. She slowly knifed Carl’s body as if she was an experienced butcher of a meat shop. Screams echoed the entire room. They asked and asked, using any method to inflict pain. But, no matter what they said, he did not show even a little agreement. By the time they ended, they had covered the CEO in dark red. His clothes were torn, and most of his bones were lightly broken. They avoided anything that was visible, and killing him had never been an option.  

 

“You are a tough one, huh?” Kanon asked. She grimaced. Any people would upon seeing the state of the man in front of him.

 

“No… m-mater what I… I’ll n-never be a pawn… of the Marsus. Just kill me instead,” muttered Mr. Bayrock in a hoarse voice. 

 

“And what good will that bring? I was hoping you’d happily help us with some talk and, perhaps, some light, friendly punches. I did not want to rely in this method, but my boss is not patient at all.” Raul left the room for a while and came back holding a girl. She was in her middle childhood. Her hair was brown, reminiscent of the man’s hair in front of her.

 

“Emily… No! Please don’t hurt her!” The girl grew restless upon seeing the state of his father, but the gag in her mouth made not a sound escape. She tried to run.

 

But the colonel gripped her. He was disconsolate with himself that he almost did not notice his teeth gritted out of reflex.

 

The girl threw punches and kicks. But there was not much energy in them that Raul felt he was being massaged. Mr. Carl tried to lunge forward with all his might. But it did not bulge; his body still clanged to the chains.

 

The Colonel’s heart ached. He tried his best not to mind it. After years of doing this, people would have expected that he had grown somewhat accustomed to this. Yet, he did not. And he never will, he said to himself.

 

“That’s up to you, isn’t it, Mr. Carl? But best to decide quickly. I’m getting irritated by her stubbornness that I might actually break an arm or two.”

 

“F-fine. Fine! I’ll do whatever you want… Just, please, don’t hurt her.”

 

“You’re so much of a family person than I thought.” Raul closed his eyes. He gave the still punching girl to a soldier nearby, who took her away from the room. The colonel continued, “That is that, then. The disturbing news is better to lessen from now on. Don’t completely censor them, for the people might suspect.”

 

“Wait! Where are you taking her?” asked the man.

 

“We will keep her safe. She can’t go around saying what she saw here. Plus, we need a little insurance. I’m sorry it had to come to this,” said Raul. He signaled the soldiers who had been standing at attention a little further back to them. “You best know that we will always be watching. We will know everything; what you are doing, what your wife and child are doing, what you are eating. We will monitor anything that goes into your life. And if we saw just one hint of being betrayed… you will see your cute daughter right in front of you being tortured.”

 

The soldiers unchained the man. He fell to the floor and crawled closer to the colonel. “Wait! Don’t do this. She is just a child! She is innocent! I’ll do anything you want. Please!”

 

Ignoring the wails of the man, he left the basement with Kanon in tow. They headed outside the headquarters for some walk.

 

The stars were still shining, yet Raul felt that their luster was fainter than before. They walked and walked. The two of them did not dare to utter one word. Kanon can hear only the chirping of the cicadas. When they reached the statue of Andres Bonifacio, he gazed at his face. It portrayed a serious and brave face of a soldier.

 

Raul felt a strange feeling when he saw that no hint of happiness was in it. His shoulders were downcast. He faced Kanon and said, “I’m sure the higher ups will give us more jobs like this tomorrow.”

 

“About that… orders came from HQ that we were to go to the new lands,” Kanon replied.

 

“The new lands? What is our mission there?” he asked.

 

“They said that General Carmello will be the one to inform us.”

 

There, the darkness of the night basked him, a faint light ignited inside him. He thought that maybe — just maybe — he can once again perform his noble aspirations of being a soldier.

“Then we can finally stop doing this…,” he said.

 

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