Three days after the clever Captain got well, he stirred another tactical plans and began to radiate once more. In fact, Amado was tasked to swim, gone flown by a log and just once in a while breathe on the water surface. Nighttime came and he reached by the river near the barracks and hearing the Japs proudly cheering for occupying the land. He suddenly leaned on flinty walls by the river bunk and tried to understand what the opponents were talking about. Way back then, while busy studying during week days, on weekends he had his foreign language classes where the Japs' language was one of his choices. Indeed, he prepared it like Magee while doing fencing lessons too; where both had a hunch that the war could reach Philippines. If you knew of the opponents' language its an advantage considering you'll be able to prepare against their plans.
" They will attack Barrio San Agustin tomorrow, huh. No! Manong's there! I have to go back in Malapague and shall report this attack to the Lieutenant. These Japs shouldn't do this, so many kids and senior citizens were in San Agustin. And besides, Manong is too old to suffer where he had been miserable too long because of me and my brother." Amado has worryingly thought.
Outright he slowly returned and still used the same drifted log. While moving a little farther from the barracks, flapping his feet below the water and passing through beside the main gate guarded by three Japs which was just meters away from him, Amado was quite nervous since one of the Japs was looking at the log floating backwards out of the flowing water. Despite tension, he moved quickly and had reached the river bunk and right away ran as fast as he could. The three Japs summoned all the rest as they fired up high and followed Amado. Baldur and team where in the safe place, waiting to rescue and we're back ups so when Amado reached the place as he collapsed and been carried by Narciso and Sibaya back to their hiding place. Baldur and Henry where on the spot facing the three Japs coming and when they saw them on their way in - Baldur fired and Henry threw a grenade that blasted in between of the three Japs.
'Boom!'
Then there was silence. They slowly moved back to the secret entrance gate and right away closed it. They didn't leave the entrance of the cave right away but put their ears on the granite wall, listening. They've heard running Japs looking for them and released one gunshot in the air out of anger.
When they made sure that the Japs have left, Baldur and Henry ran towards the wooden house and found Albrecht trying to pull a longer thorn out of Amado's foot.
" Ahhhhhh!" Shouted Amado and suddenly woke up.
"Great heavens! what is this?" Albrecht was meticulously staring on it and whispered to Amado.
" It's a one inch thorn of an old 'bombil' or bougainvillea plant. It passed through Amado's shoe and this possibly made him collapsed. Calm down Amado...I removed it already. I feel like I'm a real Doctor now, calm down." Albrecht wasn't smiling with his joke but Amado, Narciso, Sibaya, Baldur and Henry were laughing at him.
It was such a calming spirit to have a jolly person around to pacify pains and tensions - it's Albrecht. That night, he made a 'salabat' and distributed each bamboo mug for all of them when Amado spoke.
" Hmm, they'll attack San Agustin in two days from now. I'm afraid..." Amado looked to Baldur.
"Why, who were there?" Baldur asked.
" My brother-in-law who was differently punished by his wife just because of me and my younger brother and..." The captain entered the kitchen and joined them in the table.
Everyone stood up and paid respect to their head. Then he urged them to sit down as he did, Albrecht handed to him his mug of 'salabat' while it was still warm.
" Amado, how many citizens have you estimated that are currently residing in San Agustin these days?" The captain asked.
" Approximately around 40-50, but they hid in different locations. They were the people who gave us rice and meat last time when we passed by there, at southeast." Amado said.
" This is already a formal meeting and upon hearing Amado that it would be in two-day time, it would be irrational to move next day but tomorrow. We'll save them." The captain again insistently voice out
" But how. The places we've freely been before are now infested with enemies in their guard posts. Similarly, the shortcuts are of no use. There, a dozen of roving Japs passing to and fro. If we go east way - there we bump to their barracks." Albrecht reasoned out.
" Haha! and why we have to go to those places when we'll be dead meat. Here, some will use the seaway. Others may track the under passage tunnel southeast of the Cerez bodega where its path will go straight to San Agustin. The tunnel crosses the main road and the traveler could safely reach a few meters away from the century old narra tree of the Gabok-Kabang border. That's a safer place to hide again because the big stone may cover up the traveler from escaping. Civilians must have one soldier or guerrilla buddy and let's put up to 10 civilian per buddy. Let's synchronize our time piece so that the buddy system can start the travel with a 30-minute interval to the next traveling group. No stopover. Children and adult must have 3 guerrilla and soldier buddy in order to watch over to their needs. Take note, the senescent and children must depart ahead while the teenagers and early adults shall be the last group. Interestingly, someone from us will set a fire northeast, on a vast field facing the Pacific ocean. It's one way of disturbing their attention and focus at us instead - on the fire that we will immediately leave for good. We'll just make a show out of that fire. This way, there's less trouble, deaths, injuries and time saving. Let's separate the attack from saving lives." Then the captain smiled.
"