12 In a Hurry to Return

George was the first to return in the cave, he was actually running in doing so.

" Albrecht, at last I'm here! You may go back to sleep now, you see, the dawn is dwindling your eyes right now. It's still 1600 hrs and you've waited long enough and besides I can't sleep anymore time to take my turn on post."

" Where did you pass through?"

" Into the abyss, I told Baldur to cover it when they're done and the last two men will go down and use the entrance of the cave, the usual."

" I see, okay sure, I'm also sleepy. But hey, try to look after her, the lit'le rascal maybe have plans, careful." Albrecht jokily warned him.

" Uh, you're so mean on her." George smiled and went to his place and changed. After relaxing a little, he stood up outside Magee's place and interestingly looked at her.

" Beautiful." He thought.

" Aha, stay away...I caught you. She's sleeping, she might wake up and if that could not return to sleep we'll become anemic after the war, you'll be the storyteller again and what a drastic change of career." Albrecht was laughing silently.

" No, nothing. I was just checking." Then he quickly returned to the long table in the entrance part of the cave and grabbed a bamboo mug container filled with 'salabat'. He was very silent, recalling how some of the Japanese soldiers found them in the field. Though they have silenced the mouth of the three roving soldiers but the tension has begun. It is well preempted that they'll be charged as murdered by local vigilant troops in revolt.

" It seems that they're within the custody of Hakanori and if he'll find out the stations two and three (God forbids), station one might be sacrificed too. Though, that's just possible. But there must be an alternative, hmm...we'll get going, the team shall bring here the 'bagacays' (bamboo poles) before the sun will rise and we'll work night and day till the designs will be set right before forthnight. In an hour, I guess everybody would be here and hopefully, they shouldn't be late or else the Japanese soldiers might track them when they arrive on daytime, we're just in a kilometer radius with the enemy lines." His worrisome thoughts jumbled.

He paused for a while upon hearing a sound from the abyss then Baldur appeared.

" Sir! permission to report. More than thirty Japanese soldiers I guess were searching for their lost comrades and retrieved the cannon left by their comrades at the border checkpoint, bound to eastern part. They probably will use the same field for their training." Baldur exclaimed.

" Good that you pulled out the troop quickly."

" Stations two and three occupants maybe will reach their respective posts thirty minutes from now. While these men with us back here inclusive of the new recruits are twelve." Then Baldur gave a hand salute.

" Good job. We're all safe now. We'll continue some of the fitness works here after breakfast and we'll attend to the bamboo pole weapons to be sharpened right here."

" We've got a hundred of them." Baldur said.

" Good."

" Where's she? I need to see her." Baldur smiled.

" She's in her place and still sleeping. The other one felt being pestered by her curiosities but hey, she's adjusting. We just need to be patient then later everything will be alright."

" Hmm...Dad is coming, she has to behave, anyway, I'll go and talk to her." Baldur tiringly smiled at George while placed his army bag on the bamboo chair.

" Wait! do we have options?" George asked.

" He told me that he might take her to the exit door, in Indonesia. He mentioned that he had Talaod friends willing to assist his 'unica hija.' It's where the other option would be, there's an American infantry nearby it's seaport that he's maybe trying to reach to keep her there. I dunno, I don't even believe that he's in Manila right now. Don't you wonder about the travel time, huh! that's Dad, you know him."

" Would that be gamble? She's..., and we can't trust just anyone. This is war! she'd be exiting alone there with strangers! How come..."

" Are you mad at Dad? it's his plan. She's not even safe here. Anytime if we'll be attacked by the enemies, she'll be captured horribly and will forcibly make her family surrender. Well I don't even know. Honestly. Of course, I pity her, she's too young and innocent to be with us here. I dunno, I don't even have any idea how to take care of her, honestly. Well I hate this war!" And he punched someone's cubicle.

"Hey, hey! Baldur! Shh, we're too loud here. Calm down, visit her first and take a rest, okay?"

Albrecht was wrapping his blanket around his body and quickly moved closer to George.

" What happened?"

" No, nothing, go back to sleep, it's alright, there's nothing wrong." George whispered and slowly tapped his shoulder.

Albrecht returned to his place while George was left alone at the long bamboo table. Inside Magee's place, Baldur sat beside her. She was still deeply sleeping while he sadly thought.

" Be strong. We'll show you our house somewhere, we'll bring you there. George is right, he's right. Indonesia is not safe. For now, let me just leave you around with George and Albrecht while I'll check the small cave - our childhood hideout in Kabang. Only me and Albrecht knew it and soon will involve George, so if time comes that we can't contain you with us, its the safest place for you to hide. The place is the safest for you since it has both entrance and exit. So keep hanging for us." He thought as he arranged her blanket and left.

It's already daytime and the waterfalls gave them it's wonderful prism, such wonderful colors that reflects inside the cave and giving them enough light. Magee was still sleeping and hiding inside her blanket. However, it's Albrecht's turn to allow George to sleep after a long, sleepless hours.

" You may sleep now."

" Great! okay, I'll get there." Then he smiled with droopy eyes. He hurriedly proceeded to his place when Magee saw her.

" Hey, good morning George. Can we stroll for a while, I wanted to see the sunrise, just 10-15 minutes.

" Ha...okay." Then he just closed his eyes and waited for her to finish combing her hair.

" Here we go, she had slept well so she's got enough energy to use in exploring the terrain today and I've got zero minute of sleep. But still, its a great time for collecting sayote leaves around. Sure that's her primary menu again." He whispered to himself but giggly smiled.

" Oh here...I will tell you something today. Come." They passed by to Albrecht and she whispered something to his ear.

" Okay, okay...but don't distract George, keep with his company, is that clear? " Albrect told her.