Chapter 50: The Major

The helicopter flies over the Indus River and the Punjab desert, and reaches the camp, 130 kilometers southwest, in a little more than 40 minutes.

A sharp pain shoots through my chest whenever I think about this short adventure’s tragic conclusion.

I feel sorry for Ishqam, Nimrit, Anhad, and the rest of the village, but most of all, I am depressed at the thought of never seeing Rohini and Nila ever again…

I’m kicked out of my thoughts by Robin’s boot on my leg that announces that we landed. “Move, Snakey.” She pulls a piece of caramel out of her jacket’s inner pocket and puts it in her mouth. “And stop staring or I kick you again.”

I remove the headphones that allow us to communicate in the ruckus of the helicopter and hang it on the wall while Robin opens the door.

“Jump.” She orders with a head movement.

I approach the door and inhale the fresh air.

I take deep breaths to prepare for what’s coming.

We had landed on the sixth heliport of the camp.

A group of ten soldiers are welcoming us, but my brother isn’t among them.

Instead, in front of the others, stands the 1^st Lieutenant Kalakuna, with his usual hound-shaped gas mask on his face.

The rest of his squad also wears small gas masks on their mouth and nose, and I gulp upon seeing this sinister group.

“You’re taking too long!” Robin exclaims as she kicks me and I fall on the ground before two amused soldiers, chuckling and whistling.

“Quiet.” Articulates Kalakuna with his otherworldly voice, and the welcome committee instantly stops laughing.

Robin jumps next to me and pulls me up by the arm. “You’re no fun.” She giggles.

Kalakuna approaches, followed by his small unit, and snaps his fingers, his hands covered in full-length white rubber gloves. As a result of this, a Specialist from his unit walks in and salutes her, and after a quick “Excuse me, Sergeant,” he slaps her face so fast she can’t react.

“Who are you talking to, Sergeant Robin? Spit out what you are chewing. Where is the rest of your unit?” The 1^st Lieutenant admonishes her.

Robin throws me to the ground and salutes the 1^st Lieutenant. “This piece of shit got them killed.” She spits the caramel on me.

But the candy doesn’t reach me; a Corporal kicks it away during its travel, and a First-Class Private runs to pick it up and seal it in a sample plastic bag.

“Your behavior is unacceptable, Sergeant Robin. From the way you speak to how you treat people under your command. Your uniform is a disgrace; can’t you even dress properly? Look at all this skin you’re showing. Do you want to get shot? Your insolence costs the lives of many talented soldiers. You are a bad example for the recruits and I judge you unworthy of your responsibilities. The Major and myself are awaiting your report before 6 a.m.; your fate will be decided tomorrow.” He announces before walking away.

During this time, the Corporal who kicked the candy out of its trajectory gives me a hand and helps me stand up.

I accept it, feeling that I shouldn’t stay in Robin’s vicinity any longer.

Who knows what she might do in a burst of rage?

But she keeps her calm and doesn’t respond to anything while we leave the heliport.

We walk through the camp, which is very quiet since we’re way past the curfew, so we don’t meet anyone except some low-rank Privates that are on watch duty.

When we reach the offices, Kalakuna orders his unit to leave, so I’m left alone with him.

We walk through the hall silently and take an elevator to the Major’s office.

Suddenly, the 1^st Lieutenant’s voice resonates in the cabin. “Did you like it?”

I get startled by his sudden question and try to understand what he means, but his hound-shaped mask makes it impossible to tell his expression.

“Did you like what you saw?” He repeats.

I lower my head. What is he talking about? The mission? The raid?

I shake my head. I don’t know what to answer to such a vague question.

“Oh, you didn’t? That’s a shame… I guess this country is more misery than happiness…”

“No.” The words leave my mouth uncontrollably. “It’s not.”

A short silence takes place. I couldn’t control what I said, but I meant it. This country is far more happiness than misery.

“You think so? I’m happy to hear that.” The 1^st Lieutenant finally articulates, while the elevator reaches its destination.

The doors open to a long corridor and Kalakuna walks before me.

The lights are badly functioning, and their blinking gives this place an unsettling feeling.

At the very end of the corridor, lies the Major’s office. Kalakuna knocks on its door thrice and opens it.

The office is set in darkness and there isn’t a sound coming from the inside.

“Jeez…” Kalakuna breathes, annoyed. He rushes inside and switches on the lights. “WAKE UP!”

My brother, who was peacefully sleeping on the office’s couch in his uniform, yells, frightened. “WOAH? WHO’S THERE? WHAT THE FUCK?!”

“The White Snake is back, Major! You can’t be sleeping in the office?! In your uniform, moreover! Think of all the germs!” Kalakuna exclaims like an irritated mother.

“1^st Lieutenant Kalakuna,” articulates my brother, a hand running on his face, “have I ever told you that seeing your face when one wakes up must be the worst feeling ever?”

“Every single day, Major.” He responds while opening the office’s windows.

A gust of wind enters the office, so my brother jumps from the couch and cries. “Aaaah, 1^st Lieutenant! Please, close the windows! I’m going to die of cold!”

“No, Major. It’s essential for everybody’s health. To ventilate rooms is the easiest action that one can do to keep their living environment clean.”

The Major tries to close the windows, but Kalakuna stands between them. “You are a terrible man, 1^st Lieutenant Kalakuna! We should send you to the Secret Police and make you work as a torturer!”

“It’s already my part-time job…”

This circus continues for five minutes until my brother finally acknowledges my presence.

He sits behind his desk with as much dignity as he can.

Kalakuna stands on his right, and they both act like nothing happened.

“Welcome back, White Snake.” My brother smiles.

I straighten my back and remembering that I didn’t do it for the 1^st Lieutenant either, I salute them both. “White Snake is back.”

My brother, staring at me with his deep green eyes, continues the conversation. “First things first. Why didn’t you call me before the 24-hour deadline after my call?”

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I feel too pressured to keep looking at him, so my eyes land on the desk. “I was infiltrating the terrorist network. They kept watching me.”

“That was not the mission.”

I keep silent.

“Did you forget your mission?”

“No…”

“Say it again.”

“No, I didn’t!”

“Then, what was it?”

“To infiltrate the #2 West Indus Settlement 30.062602,70.770087, and to locate the Punjab terrorist bastion.”

“Exactly!” He exclaims. “To locate it! Not to infiltrate it!” He stands up from his chair and walks all the way around the desk to face me. “Do you have an idea of the risks you took? What if they found out who you are? How did you even convince them? How?!”

“I … I told them.”

“You told them what?”

“That I knew the army… And I was going to help them…”

“You idiot!” He takes me in his arms.

I nod.

“I’m glad I ordered to get you back! Do you know what they do to people like you? They would torture and kill you! I’m so glad you’re okay! I was worried sick! Sick!” He repeats.

I nod.

“Are you hurt?” He stops his embrace and checks my face and my arm. Noticing the bruises, he asks. “Who hurt you?”

I don’t respond.

“Who hurt her?” He turns to Kalakuna.

“The Sergeant Robin was caught in flagrant delicto of mistreatment towards the White Snake.”

“Is that true?” He puts a hand on my cheek.

I nod.

“I see…” He clenches his fist.

“The Sergeant Robin also came back from her mission with only the White Snake and the two pilots. She claimed that the loss of the other soldiers was due to the White Snake and not her bad decisions. I told her that we await her report tomorrow morning.”

My brother stands up, his face dark. “Good…”

I smile slightly. Acting like a hurt puppy clearly aggravates Robin’s case, and I’m impatient to see the face she’ll make tomorrow.

“Anyway, it’s late.” My brother finally says. “You should go to bed. Write me a report of your mission with all the details for…” he skims through his agenda, “Not tomorrow, there is Sergeant Robin’s case, not the day after, we have a meeting with the Colonel from Karachi’s base… Well, do it for next week, it’s fine. But don’t forget! I’ll remind you.”

“Yes.”

“1^st Lieutenant Kalakuna, please walk her to her quarters.”

“Yes, Major.” Kalakuna complies and walks towards the exit. “Goodnight, Major.”

“Goodnight, White Snake.” My brother responds to me with a wave of his hand.

I wave back. “Goodnight.” And walk out.

We go through the same corridor and wait silently in the same elevator until the 1^st Lieutenant’s voice resonates in the cabin again. “I can’t believe he didn’t say goodnight to me…”

“I … I’m sure he meant it to both of us…” I respond awkwardly.

“Why were you so tense? Did you think you were going to get scolded?”

“I did… It was my first solo mission after all … and it ended in utter failure…”

Kalakuna takes a few seconds to ponder before responding. “I don’t think the Major would ever scold you when it’s just us.”

“Is this why he didn’t come to greet me?”

“Yes, most likely. He must keep a certain aura in front of the others, this is why he’s harsher in public, but this is his real face.”

“I see.”

I knew this, of course, but hearing it feels different.

The elevator opens and we walk toward the Lieutenants’ districts.

I may not have the rank, but I get a special treatment and sleep in the Lieutenants’ quarters since a certain event that enraged my brother.

Ever since that event, I keep receiving privileged treatment from him and the 1^st Lieutenant, which has the repercussion of being a bigger target for bullying than I was before.

Most soldiers are stronger than me physically, and I can rarely win when more than one is fighting me.

But it’s fine, I have grown used to being hurt, and I don’t really mind it anymore. I don’t feel any form of humiliation from it.

Kalakuna opens the door of the dormitory for me but doesn’t step inside.

A little surprised concerning how late it is, I ask him: “Are you not going to sleep, 1^st Lieutenant?”

“Ah, no. I have some business right now. It’s my free time after all, I should use it wholly. But don’t do like me, you are ordered to sleep. Mandatory sleep for you, mandatory fun for me.”

“I see what you mean… When you don’t have much time for you during the day, you want to catch up on it during the night, even if you feel tired.”

“Exactly!” He snaps his fingers.

“Well, I understand, then.” I nod and wave at him. “Goodnight, 1^st Lieutenant Kalakuna.”

He closes the door. “Goodnight, Gini. Don’t forget to brush your teeth.”

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