by Francis Bate
Chris took their own posts and hid from them. He heard the door open and in came the three muscular men. They looked around the room seeing no person inside. Chris stepped in the open cornering them to one side. He pointed a gun but the three retaliated unsheathing their own guns and pointed it at him. Malcolm, Nick, and Drew came in to view circling the three men in the middle. “Put your gun on the floor and your hands behind your back,” Chris ordered.
The three men lowered their arms and followed as they were told. His three friends kicked the gun away from them and bounded them to a chair.
“Who sent you here?” Chris asked in a loud voice. No one answered. But they just stared sharply at Chris.
“Why are you following us?” Chris asked again, his voice was stern and intimidating, crossing his arms over his chest.
“We are here to give you a warning,” the man said in a lazy voice, locking his gaze with him.
“What warning? Who sent you here?” He rebutted, maintaining the authoritative tone in his voice.
“It does not matter who sent us but rather what the warning was all about,” the man replied.
In a closer look, Chris saw a scar on the man’s face. He was bald and his face has grown stubble on it. It was not well-taken care of but it has not failed the shape of it. The two others looked a little leaner than the man between them.
“Tell us about it,” Chris urged. From time to time, he would stare out the window.
“After your breach and disobedience of an order, you still have the guts to show your face out. You must be hiding in a cave or anywhere isolated,” one man said, smirking at them.
“What? Disobedience of the law, that wasn’t it,” Malcolm yelled, colors rushing to his face.
“You were planning a revolution against the government,” the man shrugged, starting his explanation. “Turned out, the collection of weapons and military supplies in your house has been excessive. For the record, you, as a pledged defender of the nation have even started an innovation. What was your mission, to assassinate the commander in chief or to stop the military force from performing its own obligation?” He asked, urging them to answer.
“What the actual fuck are you talking about? Your accusations are unacceptable. Don’t cross the line, mate,” Nick challenged but he ignored it.
“The commander learned about your disobedience and to sustain their knowledge, he let us spy on you,” he said. “I’m afraid I have to report to the superior.”
“Tell me what they are going to do about it if in case you have proven your accusations,” Chris asked, bending over to look straight into his eyes.
“As far as I’m concerned, I think they were planning to talk you out about that with a probable expulsion including the people you are serving or something worse than that.”
They exchanged looks, maintaining the tension in the air.
“You can’t simply impose a sanction without a due hearing,” Malcolm stated, his eyes complemented the tone of his voice.
“It’s the highest rank, remember. They can do whatever they want once they have implemented their last resort,” the man stated but they were not surprised by that revelation.
“Well, it’s not surprising,” Drew deadpanned, turning away from them.
“Why did you disobey their orders? Have you not thought of this beforehand?” The men asked in confusion which seemed like he was not fully aware of the situation.
“We live with principle and stand with dignity. Principles could not be bought and so is our dignity. To follow orders is one of our main tasks but that doesn’t mean we have to take unlawful orders against our own will,” Chris responded turning away from them. He went near the window and glanced outside. Recalling into mind the dialogues he had with Ezra and the deals they have made. “It is our responsibility to obey orders as well as to protect the well-being of the people around us. That does not include mass killings especially taking the lives of innocent victims,” he continued.
“Taking away innocent lives does not guarantee the validity of the oath we promised. It would be reasonable if they would control the situation but extrajudicial killings are not part of the solution,” Malcolm stated agreeing with Chris.
“So you better choose other’s lives over your importance and security?” The man asked, still staring at them.
The two other men remained silent all throughout as they listened to the exchanges of ideas and thoughts.
“That’s what we were called for in the first place,” Chris replied, turning back to see them. “We will offer our last breath for the well-being of the many.”
“You know, you don’t have to keep hiding and running away from the authorities. That would be a lot easier and more convenient for you. Why can’t you consider the fact that your life belongs to the government when you took the oath?” They were taken aback but they didn’t show it.
“I’ll stand my grounds that only we could understand. There are things that do not require intelligence or obedience just so you could prove a point,” Chris reasoned out.
He glanced at the man and he saw confusion all over his face. He was right, they could never understand.
“Simply, we only kill criminals and we stop them from killing civilians. And if it will take of us to just drop a bomb and let everyone die, I wouldn’t do that. If you threaten my men and my fellowmen, I will stand against you,” Chris hissed in mixed emotions, anger and frustration coming all at once.
After that being said, Chris tore a piece of cloth dividing it into three and gave it to his friends. They bound their mouths with it making them squirm in their seats. Chris edged to the door without paying the last glance and left heading back to the car. His friends followed leaving the three tied men inside.
“Are we leaving them in that state?” Drew asked when they have sat on their seats. He saw Chris nod in front of him enough to suffice his query.
Sitting back in a comfortable position, he watched as Chris professionally maneuvered the steering wheel pulling off the driveway.
“Let them rot in there. No one will know there are people inside,” he muttered as they left the building.
Chris battled in his mind whether he will still meet Ezra. And after a few mind discussions, he took the long road to their secret place. The drive was comfortably silent. Malcolm has fallen asleep in the shotgun while Drew and Nick were spacing out while staring out the car window. Snoring lightly, Malcolm wriggled in his seat slapping his arm and scratching it. The site became reddish as the parasite took control.
Turning on a narrow sandy road, Chris loosened the gas pedal and swerved to the left lane. Hitting the brake slowly, he parked in front of a huge tall gate and blew the horn signifying their presence. The gate opened revealing the enormous house and spacious lot. It was lined with flowers and trees, vines crawled from the corridor serving as its roof. There were benches beside some trees.
Chris parked the car in the space provided for them, next to an armored jeep. He went out and banged the door making Malcolm jerk on his seat. It has awakened him. Malcolm rubbed his eyes to the site of the familiar place. Rushing outside, he wiped his face leaving dried saliva on his side mouth.
Ezra greeted them in his office room as they were all seated on a settee. He took a glance at each of them, chuckling as he saw the residue on Malcolm’s face.
“You even left evidence, sleepyhead. You never change, Malcolm,” he said smirking, gaining the attention of the others.
They paid a glance at him with utmost curiosity and the room was filled with belly laughs.
Malcolm stood and edged to the window, taking a look at his face. When he realized what they were laughing at, he turned his back and glared at them. He turned around again wetting his thumb with his mouth and scratching the residue off his face. Another set of laughter was combined with the air. After making sure that it was already removed, he went back to his seat in furrowed brows.
“I believe it is better with it on, you don’t l
ook appealing now,” Ezra teased, making him and their audience laugh but Malcolm. It seemed like Malcolm has already gotten used to his friends. Ignoring it, the noise finally died down. “Anyway, I see you have received my mail,” he added seeing Chris nod at his question.
“Are we really going to be eliminated?” Malcolm asked, receiving a slap from Drew. He stared at him with an eyebrow raised.
Before Drew could react, Ezra nodded. He looked at them with a straight face and sighed.
“I’m afraid that’s true. The secretary was ordering for the elimination and capture of every army who disobeyed his order,” he stated.
“Then, what about you?” Malcolm asked again, locking his gaze at Ezra. He was serious.
“They have not doubted me yet. Unless you tell, no one will ever know. Like the usual, I will serve as your eye inside the fraternity. Just give me your loyalty,” Ezra bargained to them.
The friendship they have built inside the service has been their foundation ever since the occurrence. Tension clouded in the air as if everyone was thinking of what’s best to say.
Ezra watched their expressions as he waited for their reply. But he could see nothing from it. They have managed to hide their true emotions within a snap.
“How can we guarantee your loyalty too?” Nick asked, meeting his eyes. He saw him smirk but it faded out instantly but instead replaced it with a mirthless laugh.
“We’ve been friends for too long and now you question my loyalty. How sad would that be, your long-time friend doubting you after all these times,” Ezra stood from his swivel chair and went to his window.
“How can we assure that we can trust you? It’s our lives that we are talking about,” Drew asked in support of the previous question.
“You know I could never hit you in the back,” he said, staring at the dark blue sky. The cloud formations were beautiful to see as they moved along the blue. He smiled at a memory that suddenly appeared in his mind. “I could never betray good friends. If only there’s no one I would protect, I will give up my position and hide with you. But you know I have a wife and a baby to protect. The only way we could survive is me following orders even if it is slowly destroying me from the inside. You know how I work and I follow my words,” he explained in a soft voice. They became silent avoiding each other’s gazes.
After a fair amount of time, Chris cleared his throat to ease the tension they have built. “What do we have to know now?” He asked, making Ezra turn around to look at them.
“I suggest you leave. That would be better for you guys. Just don’t allow yourselves to get caught because I swear you wouldn’t like it. Look for a safe haven where no one can recognize you and stay there,” Ezra exclaimed, moving back to his seat. The three were lending all ears as they saw the sincerity in his eyes. “We are in the process of escalating to a higher level of power. Once they have proclaimed it, there will be limited to no freedom among the people, you know what I mean right?”
Chris nodded making him decide of the best option. But there’s one thing in his mind that was bothering him. “Are you sure they won’t find out about your connection with us? I mean, you mentioned that they are not in doubt of you,” he said, staring at him with a worried look.
Chris and Ezra have been the closest. In the group, they have always been the leader as well as the achievers.
“Yes, Chris. They are unaware. Although they have known that there’s someone leading you, they are not aware of who it may be. They have since thrown their speculation that it was me when they actually witnessed my dedication to the service,” he replied. “But you have to keep going before someone sees you here. Anytime now, someone will come hunting you.”
Ezra said his goodbyes and luck to his friends. At the back of his mind, he was hopeful that they will meet each other again sometime. They left his room and marched outside the house. Chris paid his last glance on the place where they have cherished some long-term memories. Sitting back in his truck, he fastened his seatbelt and switched the engine on.
Twisting the steering wheel, he drove off back to his house. They packed their necessities and supplies for their survival. After making sure that they had it all, Chris locked every room of the house including the main door. He went to the car seeing the three all set and ready. He directed towards an old dock near his house where a boat was waiting for them.
They unloaded all their things and transferred it to the boat. Maintaining its capacity, they were able to load it all into it. After starting the engine of the small vessel, he went back to his car, driving it again, parking it on a wooded lot. When he was satisfied, he covered it in order that it could not easily be seen. Chris jogged back to the boat, maneuvering it, leaving the city on its own. Although unsure of what was awaiting them, he felt relieved that he has made a right decision despite the tough situation.
It was lunch time when Stan took a turn from the road to an abandoned camp. Two tents were placed paralleled to each other. There were opened cans and leftovers signifying that someone had just stayed in there. The remainder of a campfire was still visible in the middle. He took some food and water and slumped in the logs. He ate silently, getting used to the sound of the forest.
The trees were swaying as the leaves were bustling. He looked up to a sound of a helicopter. The presence of roving helicopters has since been a signal of what was happening. It instilled the fear, a fear he was unfamiliar with that he has never realized would actually be occurring.
As he ate, he could feel the churning of his stomach. The food seemed to suffice his hunger but never made him full. There’s something missing but he couldn’t know.
Stan stood up and dumped his empty can in a pit full of tin cans. He twisted the cap of his water and tossed in his mouth. He finished the drink and crushed the plastic bottle on his hand, throwing it in the same spot. A loud burp followed through.
Locking the doors of his truck, he strolled around the place looking for some edibles. He crossed a mini swamp in the forest with a container in his hands. There he found a plot grown with wild mushrooms. After picking everything from the muddy soil, he went back to the car and prepared for another mile of the journey.
While driving, he was humming to the tune of a random country music that suddenly popped up in his mind. He used to sing the song with his wife as they drive along the country road. He was too stubborn to count the trees and stay in the middle of the lanes as he sped off.
Unlike the usual country road, travelers have reduced from a scant amount to none. And so it left him driving alone on the lonely road. There were no other cars, no other noisy engine, and no other daredevils. It was then when he took advantage of the speed, violating the imposed limit.
After a long drive and self-meditation, he stopped at the sight of a checkpoint at the end of a long wide bridge. No one has noticed him yet. But he could see uniformed men patrolling the area. He looked around for another route but there were no junctions leading to another path. He reversed the car without pressing the pedal to avoid attraction. A few meters from there, he found a grassy path that leads inside the forest. He swiveled the steering wheel and followed the route away from the main road.
The truck danced to the tune of the rocks as the wheel passed through it. Sturdy tall trees lined the path leading down to a river. The road appeared like it has helped some passers-by in a long time. However, it has grown algae on the edges making it more slippery especially when wet. He moved out of the car to assess the pathway.
Walking to the concrete riverbank, he saw how deep the water on some portions was. He went back to his car to get his knife and searched for a long narrow branch. He went into the forest where he saw a tree chopped down from its trunk.
Checking its branches, he found what he was looking for, perfect for his plan. He pulled off his knife and expertly detached a branch from its trunk.
Stan walked down to the road and inserted the stick between the waters. It created ripples when he pulled it off. He st
epped forward and repeated the cycle. He extended the stick inserting it in the water but it was not as deep as expected. When he was standing at the heart of the extremes, the water current shook him a bit unbalancing from his stand.
‘That was the only way to cross,’ he thought.
Stan went back to the car revving down to the river and traversed it. The truck wiggled slipping to some wet rocks. He held the steering wheel taking control of it and pressed the pedal gaining more strength. He loosened the steering wheel and immediately pulled it back.
As he was nearing the center, the truck got stuck in a mud. The truck bogged down and the current was swaying it on. He tried revving up some more but the front tires won’t move. It was useless. He pressed on the clutch constantly, shifting to the highest gear.
From there, he heard another whirring sound from above. But this time, it looked familiar. It was the same helicopter he saw back to the road. It made the sky its playground as it circled around a specific area. The whop-whop-whop grew louder as it neared the Muddrioc River.
Stan spun the steering wheel and the tires followed sliding on the mud. The traction caused it moving forward again. He controlled the steering wheel until it has reached the end.
When the truck went up to the road from the other end, he shifted to a low gear and maneuvered following the track into the forest. He heard the helicopter’s sound as it continuously watched from the blue to the green. Making some turns, some roots caused the truck to jump up and down.
He was inside the forest when he took a spot to stop. Stan stayed there for a moment letting the men do their job. He would not want anyone to catch him so he let it slide down for a bit. Crickets and owls started to make a sound and so he decided to move on.
Dimming the light in order not to attract visitors, he drove slowly until he reached the outside of the forest.
The sun was just starting to sleep. But when he stared up at the stars, he saw that there was a missing piece. A screeching sound of a brake jolted him awake.