Outright serving dinner with the rest of the kitchen men that were mostly Filipinos, everyone retired on bed except for Arnick who was carefully opening the piled up sacks of rice hull and the lieutenant deeply inhaled when he slowly sat down. George asked whether where can he find the location of his wife.
" She's at the second safe house from here, left side. The little boy you said was not with her anymore and when I eavesdropped, the boy was taken by some soldiers going to Daba. Your wife was beaten badly...."
" Oh my...." George bowed his head and pressed his knees. Arnick then tapped his shoulder as a form of comfort.
" Sir...I'm sorry. Officer Aseko had escaped from the mountain where he was captured. Accordingly, he was retrieved by his comrades in the tunnel. During the escape he grabbed your wife going here along with the child - Hakanori's child. I don't know how to help you...the safe house have 4 guardsmen and are fully armed. They're on shifting basis but still another 4 has to replace those four on deck." Arnick whispered when they've heard so many footsteps approaching the kitchen. Suddenly, George got back under the pile of rice hull sacks and Arnick quickly got a big basket to divert his attention and pretended to be busy transferring the rice hull in the basket.
" Psst! did you see... American soldier?" One of the newly arrived had asked Arnick who kept himself busy scooping the rice hull for the furnace.
" No, Sir! I've heard it's going east, was that the man you were looking earlier?" Arnick uttered while the soldier ordered his men to check the entire kitchen. Though shaking, but Arnick just kept moving and scooping the rice hull where he never knew if he'd like to urinate or defecate by extreme tension.
" Ah, Sir...I'll just finish scooping this rice hull then leave as I need to prepare this for the furnace tomorrow morning." Despite sweaty forehead, armpit and neckline, he was alleviated by the response of the chief officer.
" Ah...continue, don't worry, we'll search in other corners." The chief smiled and demanded his men to quickly search the area while he stood up so close beside where George had laid below the sacks. The situation was truly hypnotic for Arnick that he felt his heartbeat has doubly increased and its momentarily breathtaking. In order to relax himself from tension, he opened up a topic.
" Sir, am I going to serve the same ration for the captives tomorrow? or not at all.
" Ah, no need. Just the woman will be sent to death tomorrow. We heard from Aseko she's the wife of a lieutenant of the Insular. We were waiting for him to attack tonight, but maybe that man was afraid to come." The chief smirked.
After several minutes, the soldiers moved forward in front of the chief and reported in line. The search was over and no one from the commonwealth nor insular soldiers were found. Thus, they got out after the chief has kidded to Arnick.
" Arnick...no plans of marriage? you from Daba and moved here months ago? you serious in cooking. Hmm...you're a great cook but we received order that someone from Daba will come to work here in the kitchen. But we already like your cooking, very much." The chief bade goodbye. When they all got out, George right away stood up and readied himself.
" Sir...I'm sorry but you cannot escape with 300 of them are inside. It would be impossible
" Arnick desperately said while wanting to serve him some food. Though hungry, but George was really in a hurry to look for his wife but Arnick put down the food and pulled the lieutenant's uniform.
" Sir...if I'll help you, will you bring me out of here too, please!" He was teary eyed while looking at the lieutenant's eyes and the lieutenant sat back and comforted him.
" Okay, I'll bring you out if we can survive. First, I'll gonna find and save my wife, then we'll cross the bridge and hope."
" But...Sir! There's no way out!" Arnick whispered with his eyes filled with worries.
" No, there's a way. Can you still picture out that second prison cell? under that bamboo chunk floor is a tunnel, there's a tunnel's hole going to a safe place. So are you convinced now?"
" Was there anything like... like that out there? Who made it?" He moved too close to the lieutenant and uttered in a low voice.
" Yes, me and our soldiers and the entire troupe, yes!" He whispered.
" Wow!" He smiled and minutes after, George gave him instructions. Whenever there are commotions or footsteps coming in, Arnick immediately covered the lieutenant with the rice hull in the corner and got back conversing when they're alone. Anyway, Arnick's sleeping just in the corner of the kitchen so everyone expects him in, as a resident cook. He has been trusted ever since in Daba due to Dr. Lucia's connection to the Japs.
" So...are you ready now?" George smiled and tapped his shoulder.
" Oh God! help us! for the sake of seeing my brother Amado and for helping my fellowmen, I'll do this." Arnick solemnly prayed and thereafter nodded and went outside.
The night was cold and everyone's tired chasing the lost stranger at the house of Sr. Sibal before it was burnt. As part of the barracks' occupants, Arnick was able to quickly penetrate to the prison cell number two and gave to the guards some cookies and tea. He's a good conversant so he sat down a little and joined them in.
" Hey folks, is the tea good enough in your taste? I'll get some more if you want. But wait, you're only two on posts, where are the rest?"
" The lady asked for a medicine, the two went out to get it. Yes, your tea is perfect." The soldier smiled to Arnick.
" I see. Aw, thank you and I know I got it right." Arnick boasted and they all laughed when they heard someone moaning from pain inside.
" Water...water..." A woman's voice.
" Who's that?" Arnick asked.
" That's the hardheaded captive. Not sure if she can survive." The first guard on post reacted.