10 Options

Have you ever felt being trapped in a tight , and dark place? You feel helpless. You cannot move. You want to escape but you don't know how. Rational thinking may become as hard as breathing.

Making decisions is like being trapped. Torn apart between choices that may seem as easy as ABC and 123.But what if, those choices that you would make ,would mean that everyone's fate, depends on your hands? It's either you make the person live, or let the person die. Would conscience take over selfishness? Or selfishness would dominate instead?

A year ago, ten people went missing. It started on February 20, when Fr. Roberto Manansala was reported missing. After a month, Eva Dimasalang, a noted chemist was also reported missing by her husband on March 21. It was followed by the case of Cristina Aguilar, a famous movie actress who left all of her projects all of a sudden. On May 23, Governor Rose Basa and CEO Alexander Du was reported missing.

At first, the police thought that those were just random kidnapping cases, till they noticed and reported to me that it was becoming a pattern, and the cases are interrelated! For four months, I as the chief commander of the Armed Forces of the State investigated this bizarre case.

Who are the perpetrators? Why did they kidnap those people? Where did they bring their hostages? The answers are unknown.

Another two months have passed , we have only gathered a few leads about the case. It was even becoming more frustrating when Mr. and Mrs. Yap, the well-known owners of Green Air Pacific Corporation went also missing together with their twelve-year-old son, Angelo Yap. The pressure, frustrations ,anger, exhaustion, and everything made me feel suffocated. When will this dilemma ever end? I have to make progress. I have to find and save them!

I was losing hope when my best friend told me her dangerous plan. I hesitated because I don't want to risk her precious life.

"Fe, you don't have to do this. You can't die!" I argued with her.

"No. If I have to sacrifice myself for our duty, I would. If we don't do this, Who will save them? Only us can do this. If I die in this mission, Please take care of my family. This is the key to my box. There are papers and letters there, please give them to my brothers and sisters. There is also one for you. I will leave everything to you . Okay? Remember, I love you. Don't worry! We'll still see each other at heaven. Okay?" That was the last message I heard from her.

But, there is no other best efficient option .This was the most efficient yet, dangerous. With her lead, the task force set an entrapment operation , with herself , as the bait.

But in every action, there is an opposite reaction. If there is luck, there is also bad luck . Unfortunately, my mother was taken as the last hostage together with my best friend by mistake. The task force discovered that those ten people who were lost are being used as hostages of the rebels so that the rebels could put higher demands and make the President , their puppet. The hostages were taken to a secluded and deserted island.

The team arrived at the said island with five helicopters. All of them are already loaded of Armed Forces , ready to launch attack the rebels and rescue the hostages. Only one helicopter could accommodate five civilians.

Freedom of choice is just an illusion. The truth is that, having many choices on whom I shall save felt like a trap to me. How could I choose my loved ones to be saved while my fellow countrymen, Whom promised to serve would be left , there with half of their feet buried on the ground?

How about my mother? My best friend, whom I treasure in my heart? Could I live without them? If I could just save them all, If I could.

Escaping and turning back are not on the options. It would only worsen the situation. I knew I had to face this. I had to decide.

That time, I told myself that "Alright. I need to focus. No matter what happens, I have to think rationally, be professional. I have to do this. For our country, for the people.". I have to prioritize and take the compromise.

To those five people , whose life has been rescued, I am happy that in this life time, I was a person who once saved lives at my best even though some were not.

To Angelo, live well, dream high, do good things, you are still young . Love and enjoy your life. Your parents are now in heaven.

To Fr. Alberto, I hope that you could continue preaching hope and goodness to the people.

To Governor Rose Basa, I hope that you will gain opportunity to help more the country and improve the lives of your people.

To Ms. Eva Dimasalang, I hope that with your talent , opportunities in inventing products for the goodness and wellness of life may be produced.

And to my beloved mother, may you live long and continue seeing the beauty of life.

Thank you.