Chapter Text
Patay na si Heneral Luna .
Goyong’s fists clenched around tightly around the small sheet of paper, trying to keep a firm, symbolic grip around the dire news within. He gazed up at the sky, murmuring a quiet prayer for the general he had once idolized. His mother would have used this to lecture him about how life was so fleeting, but his thoughts strayed to more disturbing avenues.
His ears pricked up at the sound of footsteps crunching on leaves. He clutched his gun and turned to meet the newcomer, feeling his ears ring in alarm.
“Gago, babarilin mo ba ako?” Julian’s face was pale.
Goyong felt himself relax slowly. He returned his gun to its holster and released a shaky breath. “Nasaan sina Enteng at Delang?”
“Papunta na si Delang, kumuha lang ng kape. Si Enteng kakatapos lamang maligo pero hahabol na daw.” Julian took his customary place beside his younger brother. His gaze was unusually piercing. “Bakit ganyan ang itsura mo? Huwag mong sasabihing totoo ang balitang...”
“Totoo nga.”
“Putangina.”
“Lenggwahe, Kuya Julian.” Adela, the only woman among the boy general’s aides, strode into view with her arms crossed. “Kay lalim na ng gabi. Bakit mo kami pinatawag?”
Goyong shook his head. “Mamaya, kapag nandyan na si Enteng.”
“Masamang balita ba?”
“Masamang masama,” Julian confirmed grimly.
The three of them lapsed into companionable but tense silence. The weight of the impending bad news hung around them so thickly that the soft summer night breeze could not diffuse it. Goyong’s mind finally started recovering from the shock and was piecing together a plan. Knowing the president made it easier to anticipate his next move.
Enteng was the last to arrive, his hair still damp from his bath, his white undershirt worn inside out. He rubbed his eyes as he turned to his commanding officer. “Goyong, anong problema?”
“Patay na si Heneral Luna. Ang balita’y si Kapitan Janolino ang pasimuno.” Goyong closed his eyes to steady himself. He couldn’t let his grief show. Looking like he was in command and sure of himself was important. “Pinatay din nila si Koronel Roman.”
“Diyos ko.” Enteng bowed his head. “Sumalangit nawa ang kanilang mga kaluluwa.”
“Hindi ba’t may asawa’t mga anak si Paco?” Adela asked.
Goyong bit his lip. “Hindi ko alam nasaan sila. Pero bayaw din ni Paco yung bayaw ko, si Kumandante Piqueras.”
Julian nodded along. “Nasaan na nga ba siya?”
“Huling balita ko’y ayudant na siya ni Heneral Alejandrino.”
“Ano na ba ang balak mo, Heneral?” It seemed like Adela wasn’t going to run of out questions yet.
Silence reigned while Goyong quietly pieced together a plan that felt more like a plan of a plan. It was all he had in this spur of the moment. He could feel his aides watching him, anticipating whatever he had to say.
“Kuya Julian, samahan mo si Enteng sa Bayambang bukas. Magtanong-tanong ka tungkol sa mga Bernal. May kampo si Heneral Luna doon at hindi ako magugulat kung doon unang tatakbo ang mga ito. Sabihin mo pinapahanap sila ng Heneral del Pilar.”
Enteng raised his brows. “At ako?”
“Tuloy ang plano. Hanapin mo si Ginoong Laureano. Hindi naman siguro niya tayo sisingilin ng mahal, lalo na’t pamangkin niya ang kasintahan ko.”
The youngest aide pouted, but said nothing else in complaint.
Julian smirked. “Ibang klase talaga ‘yang asawa mo, ano?”
Goyong swatted his brother lightheartedly before turning to Adela. “Handa ka bang bumisita sa kampo ni Heneral Alejandrino bukas?”
“Heneral Alejandrino? At bakit ?” Her dark eyes flashed dangerously.
A soft sigh escaped the boy general’s lips. “Hanapin mo si Komandante Piqueras. Magpaalam ka kay Heneral Alejandrino kung kailangan. Sabihin mong may kailangan kaming pag-usapan. Kung magtatanong siya, sabihin mong tungkol ito sa aming mga iniirog. Maiintindihan na niya.”
“Iniirog, Goyong? Hindi ba pwedeng mamaya niyo na pag-usapan--”
He raised his hand to silence her, easing out of his slouch and drawing himself to his full height. “Adela, hindi pa kailangang malaman ni Heneral Alejandrino ang ating mga plano. Mamaya na iyon.”
“Ano nga ba ang mga planong ito?” Enteng trailed off. He turned to Julian.
“Hindi ko rin alam,” the elder del Pilar admitted.
Goyong put his hands behind his back. So many things could go wrong, he knew, but they had to try their best. “Ililigtas natin ang mga natitirang ayudante ni Heneral Luna.”
“Eh gago ka pala eh,” Adela snapped. “Mas lalong makakatulong si Heneral Alejandrino kung ganoon. Hayaan mo na akong kumausap sa kanya para mahiram ko si Piqueras--”
“Komandante Piqueras,” Enteng corrected her.
“Komandante Piqueras,” she snarled.
Julian quickly stood in between them before it escalated into a fight. “Pag-uuntugin ko ang mag-aaway.”
Goyong raised his hand to regain their attention. “Delang. Nagtitiwala ako sa kakayahan mong makumbinsi sila na wala tayong binabalak na masama. Makisama ka sa kanila kung kailangan. Huwag mong gagalitin si Alejandrino. Maliwanag?”
She gave him a quick salute. “Masusunod, Heneral.”
“Eh ikaw, Goyong?” Julian nudged his brother. “Anong gagawin mo habang wala kami?”
“Susulat na ako sa Angeles at sa Presidente ngayong gabi.” Goyong finally smiled. “Magsitulog na kayo. Marami tayong kailangang gawin bukas.”
“Ang sabi mo’y magsusulat ka na ngayong gabi. Anong gagawin mo bukas?”
“Mas mabuti nang hindi niyo malaman.”
Goyong watched them leave, apprehension settling in his gut. So many things could go wrong in his shoddily-made plot, but it was all he had to go by. All he could do for now was to comfort himself with the belief that he was doing the right thing.