Chapter 9: Onslaught and Absolution

Chaos descended upon the terrorist camp. Bombs and gun firing could be heard everywhere. It's been only ten minutes since the armies' attack but dead bodies are now scattered. The armies had infiltrated half of the area searching for Nicolas and Leila, which is their ultimate goal in this mission.

After Connard and his subordinates walk out of the interrogation room they went to the area where the soldiers are. Since the structure of the fortress is that, it has high walls and inside, the houses were made of bricks, Connard and the terrorists hid in one of the nearest wall when they found their enemies.

"Can anyone of you explain to me how did this thing happened!?", Connard shouted to one of his subordinate while they hid in a wall before shooting the attackers.

The terrorist explained to Connard that earlier in the morning, two of their comrades who disappeared a day ago came back. They weren't suspicious of them since it is usual for them to go to a nearest village for a night of indulgence and sometimes they won't come back for a day. But, what they didn't expect is that, inside their clothes, they have a time bomb and once they went inside the gate the bomb explodes breaking the gate and killing the people within the range of explosion. Then after that, a platoon of soldiers went inside the fortress and kills everyone in sight. Only he himself and two of the terrorist escaped the area as they were a bit far from explosion and they ran back again to inform Connard about it.

"Ha! I never knew they would be able to think a tactic like this! I shouldn't have let any of you fools went outside the fortress!", Connard shouted to his subordinates but in his mind there is a nagging feeling on him to escape now while they still can.

************

Back in the interrogation room, since, Nicolas and Leila were both tied so, Connard only left one terrorist to guard them but, what he didn't expect is that Nicolas will now take this opportunity to escape.

"You there!", Nicolas called to the terrorist to get his attention.

"What is your group aims to do? Why do you have to follow that pyscho as your leader?", Nicolas asked but the terrorist didn't bother with him. Nicolas is cracking his brain on how to get this terrorist attention for the plan he is brewing inside his mind.

"You know! You scums should really be punished!", Nicolas continued but still get no response.

"Killing civilians, raping women, what are you all, an animals? Don't you have any conscience?", Nicolas added seeing that the terrorist is narrowing his brows as he listened to Nicolas ranting.

Leila is currently confused why Nicolas would try to anger this terrorist.

'What is he thinking? Were both tied and defenseless what if this terrorist decided to kill them in his anger. What will we do?', Leila asked in her heart.

"You lot should go to h*ll! Really, you people aren't humans anyway you were more like a devil reincarnate. Well, considering your leader is a pyscho, it's understandable that you all are a pysch- ooofff!", Nicolas speech were cut of as his stomach is punched by the terrorist as he was seething with anger right now due to Nicolas words.

"We are animals? Ha! You hypocrite! You lot from the government aren't all that righteous and upright! It was all because of you people that we became like this!", the terrorist shouted. The terrorist looks young and seems to be only eighteen years old.

"*cough*....*huff*....Oh? How did it become our fault on what path you chose? That's all you lot could only do, slandering the government when in fact it was you people who are too greedy and lazy. To get what you want fast you would kidnapped people or kill people for money. Why don't you just work decently? Why do you have to resort to this?", Nicolas said while catching his breath due to a sudden attack.

"It was all easy for you to say because you came from a wealthy family! Do you think we also want to do this!? We all are decent farmers before but the thing is, the government wouldn't even give us our own land to plow the field and we also have to sell our crops in a low price. So tell me, how are we going to live with that meager amount of money that would be left to us as we also have to pay for a land rent and other things needed for farming!", The terrorist shouted at Nicolas.

"Hmp! then why didn't you people tell the government about this ha? You should have told the government what you people need instead of resorting to this!", Nicolas said though deep inside his heart he knows that there really are heartless people in the government but not all of them were like that.

"Do you think we didn't try? We plead a lot of times already but they just gave us a cold shoulder! It was because of you corrupt officials that we poor people became poorer as you hoard the money for yourselves! We didn't also want to do this but as we saw our family died of starvation do you think we can just sit still?", the boy said as his eyes were now teary eyes as he remembered everything that his family had experienced before.

Nicolas couldn't speak as he himself knows that there are corrupt officials inside the government although there are still upright officials. But, what can he do? He is only an officer in military, he doesn't have a jurisdiction towards those in the politics. As a soldier, they are only trained to obey orders and not to question it.

"You may be right, but who among us are not suffering? Do you think that those who work decently aren't suffering? They all have to work hard to earn money for their family to buy their needs. And besides, do you think your family is happy as you are doing this? Do you think they could stomach the food that they are eating knowing that it comes from illegal activities? Think about it!", Nicolas said as he couldn't understand the logic of the criminals though they did it for good but he believe that right is right, wrong is wrong, and never in a thousand years that wrong things would be considered right.

The terrorist became silent and bowed his head low. He knows that what Nicolas said is true. His family doesn't know that as of this moment, he became a terrorist. All they know is that he is working in a city, but if they know about this, what would their reaction be? His father always told him that it is better to live in a nipa hut than to live in a palace that only an owl live. His meaning is that it doesn't matter even if they are poor, money doesn't matter, what matters is that they are contented in what they have and they have each other.

But, he can't stand it seeing his siblings starving and also his mother is sick. Since they need money, he stopped in his studies and help his father by becoming a farmer himself, but as her mother's condition worsen he went to look for other means even if it's illegal to save his mother. So, he asked his friend for any job he knows and it directed him to Connard.

The only thing he said is that, Connard needs some helpers and he also paid a lot. At first, he thought it was only a simple job but it turns out that what he joined is a terrorist group. They hijacked some provincial buses to hostage people and they also bomb some plazas or leisure area to get the government attention.

At first he wants to leave as he doesn't want to kill people but, as he remembers his family, he stomached everything that they did for his family even though he knows that his soul might be burn in hell due to this.

Nicolas is feeling conflicted right now. At first he only wants to anger this boy then kill him using the knife inside his shoes then escape with Leila but, he felt pity for this boy. He's thinking now, if, what if, he would just help this boy and his family?

"I have a proposition for you, boy", Nicolas said and the boy lifted up his head and look at him.

"Choose! Do you want to get out of this kind of life and become a decent person again?", Nicolas asked contemplating if what he is doing is right or wrong.

'*sigh* It's not that I can't kill him but, I just felt pity for him. Besides, he's still young he could have a bright future ahead of him', Nicolas said in his heart.

At first the boy hesitated but, eventually he responds.

"I do want to. I don't want to kill people anymore! But, what about my family? I couldn't bear to see them suffering and also my mother is sick and her treatment is expensive. This is the only way that I know on how I will save her!", The boy replied as his head hang low again in shame.

"What if I could help your family? Would you work for me? I could also make you continue your study and I'll help to pay your mother's treatment. What would you choose?", Nicolas asked although he knows that this boy might be really swayed by now.

The boy contemplated the pros and cons in his proposition. As a teen, he also wants to go back to school but he also wants to help his family.

"What do you want me to do? How can I help you?", the boy asked though in his mind even if he will enter another hellish life, he will do it, if it is for the sake of his family.

"Untie this rope and once we get out of this hell, I'll help you and your family", Nicolas said while he look seriously on the boy's face.

"Would you really promise to help my family?", the boy asked as he also have a doubt if, what if, this man is only bluffing and once he escape in here, he will kill him.

"Yes, I promise with my honor", Nicolas replied with a serious face. He wasn't faking it as he is a man with integrity and honor and whatever he promised he will do it.

Seeing that Nicolas is serious, the boy decided to believe him and risk his life because he is still contemplating if this man could really be trusted but, what he didn't know is that he made the right decision in his life.

"Officer, I believe you and from now on my life would be at your disposal as long as you would help my family", after saying it, the boy untied his bindings and he also untied Leila. He helped Nicolas stand as he saw that his body is still weak and full of wounds.

Leila seeing how things were unfolds in her eyes. She feels a lot of respect and admiration towards Nicolas. At first she thought he might have some hidden weapon and he would kill this boy but, he didn't and instead he promised to help him. Nicolas didn't know that the novel things he did while they were in the enemies camp from helping Leila to helping this boy, he is slowly garnering Leila's admiration and attention although both of them doesn't realize it yet.

"So, what are we going to do now officer?", the boy asked and he called Nicolas an officer now as a form of respect to him.

"We need to get out of here and go to my comrades in arms", Nicolas said and the three of them went out of the interrogation room.