The fire behind us slowly faded as we disappeared into the dark fields.
By the time we reached the abandoned building at the outskirts of the village, the sound of gunfire had already grown distant.
Inside the dusty wooden structure, we finally stopped.
Roberto collapsed onto the floor with a long breath he had been holding.
"Easy," I said, kneeling beside him.
Pasco lit a small covered lantern while Sanchez helped remove the cloth around Roberto's wound. The bullet had passed cleanly through the lower thigh.
Painful.
But survivable.
"Lucky," Julian muttered. "Another inch and you'd be crawling."
Roberto gave a weak grin. "Still walking, aren't I?"
Pasco cleaned the wound as best as he could with water from his canteen before wrapping a fresh strip of cloth tightly around the leg.
It wasn't proper medical treatment.
But it would keep the bleeding under control.
"That'll hold until we reach camp," I said.
Roberto nodded, though sweat still covered his face.
For the rest of the night we stayed hidden in the abandoned building.
No fires.
No unnecessary talking.
From time to time, distant sounds carried through the darkness — faint shouting from the American camp, occasional rifle shots, and once the echo of a bugle.
They were still searching. Its just that they were searching the wrong direction. So we decide to slowly return to the hideout.
~~
Few hours later,
Morning arrived quietly.
The village looked no different from the day before.
Farmers worked their fields. Chickens wandered between huts. Smoke rose slowly from cooking fires. But everyone knew something had happened during the night. News travelled quickly in places like this.
"Do you hear of the explosion last night?" one of villager ask his friend.
"Yeah I heard it too, seems the americans has been attacked last night." his friend answered.
The conversation continues. rumours start to stir among villagers on the current incidents.
American soldiers had been seen rushing through nearby roads at dawn. Most of it must be ordered to trace or capture the actors, which is us. But they wont be able to.
We stayed hidden most of the day, allowing Roberto to rest and regain some strength.
By late afternoon he could stand again, though slowly.
"That leg will complain," Julian said.
Roberto shrugged. "Let it complain later."
As the sun began sinking toward the horizon, we gathered our equipment from the hiding place beneath the loose boards.
Rifles.
Ammunition.
The few supplies we had left.
When darkness began creeping across the fields again, we started our journey back.
Moving carefully through narrow paths and patches of tall grass, the return trip took longer than before. Roberto leaned on Sanchez and Julian when the pain became too much, but he refused to stop completely. Honestly, thats the camaderie that I hoped for among them. While myself lead the way to the base.
After an hours of slow walking, the familiar outlines of our camp finally appeared between the trees. Finally we had arrived.
Filipino sentries, maybe were tasked for duty spotted us first.
"Halt!"
We stopped and yell as identification.
"It's us," Pasco answered quietly.
The men in charge, walk towards us. He sees us, still in farmer's disguise, but the men recognized as I showed some identification, which is the hat.
"It's the Valerian's team!" one of the guards called out. Then assist us in getting Roberto while the rest of us, took a breather and walk slowly.
Took a while and by the time we reached the inner camp, several soldiers were already looking at us. With blurred on their faces, wondering what we doing. But they didnt mind and continue their own business. As we walked, I overheard some of the soldier's conversation regarding the explosion last night. So I knew.
They had heard the explosions. Some wonders about what happened and how, because theres even no order to attack, but the americans were been attacked.
I asked the other soldier to bring Roberto back to medic tent, to heal the injuries, while the other 3 are back to their tents. recuperate and on stand by. I walked to my tent, put back all the equipments, changing back my outfit, and getting things ready, since I want to report it back to Teniente Todri about our recent operations.
~~
Teniente Todri was inside the command shelter when I walked into the tent.
He is writing, looked up as I entered.
For a moment he simply studied my face.
"Oh, Valerian, welcome back. Since you must be having some news I want to hear." He kept things to the side, asking me to sit. So I salute and sit in front of him.
"Well? how is the operation?" he asked.
"Mission accomplished, Teniente."
I placed the rough sketch of the American camp on his table.
"Explosives were placed in four positions. One supply wagon detonated — likely ammunition. Multiple secondary explosions followed."
Todri leaned over the map, reading the markings I had made the night before.
"Good, you indeed take notes, and even list out the possible locations, quite detailed. Do you manage to use anything that can enhance any chance?"
"Well, luckily I found a spyglass in the village, I can easily finding the main targets that can give full impact. Also, since its actually is indeed a small outpost."
"And casualties?" he asked.
As expected, "One wounded," I said. "Roberto. Leg wound. Bullet passed through. Right now he's been treated at the tent."
Todri nodded slowly.
"Well, didnt expect that one, but a fortunate one. Indeed, Roberto is lucky."
He leaned back in his chair.
"If you asked, I indeed heard, just a faint one, quite but still the explosion," he said. "Loud enough that half the camp woke up."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"You caused quite a disturbance."
For a moment the tent remained quiet.
Then Todri stood.
"Kabo Valerian."
"Yes, Teniente."
"You carried out reconnaissance, infiltration, sabotage, and extraction with only four men."
He paused.
"Honestly, I know the consequences if I were to do this to any soldiers, but I had a hunch, that you are not just an ordinary soldiers. From what I heard on your reports, it is indeed not the work of a Kabo, even an officer did not dare to launch such operation, and yet you did it spectacularly, you indeed had made this section proud."
During the discussion, I notice a veil opened, and there's 4 of them, ahh, those bastards, always prying on.
Todri continued.
"Effective immediately, you are promoted to Sarhento."
I blinked once.
"Furthermore," he added calmly, "I will be recommending your name to Kapitan Ruska for consideration as Alperes."
Haiyya, Kapitan Ruska again. I forgot that Teniente Todri report directly to him. The words hung in the air for a moment.
Promotion to Sarhento was already significant.
But recommendation for Alperes meant something more. Officer rank. More responsibility.
And even far more enemies within the army. what a life.
Todri folded the map and handed it back to me.
"Rest your men," he said. "You've earned it. Later we shall discuss on your new rank, and your new orders, what need to do as Sarhento and anything. Dismissed."
As he ordered, I salute, thanked him, and proceed to exit the tent. Later , Pasco immediately leaned forward.
"Well? How is it boss?"
I looked at them.
"Looks like you're all serving under a Sarhento now. and what the heck are you doing here?"
For a moment the four men stared.
Then Julian laughed first. Roberto raised a fist despite his injured leg. Pasco shook his head with a grin. Sanchez simply nodded.
Behind us, somewhere far in the distance, faint smoke from the ruined American camp still lingered on the horizon.
The war was far from over.
But tonight, at least, we had struck the deal to the americans and their imperialism.