Chapter 18: Disappointment

Camp Narcisco Labrador

Sugbu, Bisaya Region

August 12, 2022

0900 Hours

The light of the sun shines over Feliciano's face, waking him up in his cell. It has a window that faces towards the rising sun with the view of the port of Cabunaw. He lets off a loud yawn and stands up, faces the window blocking the glare of the sun with his right hand. He looks below the window and saw the traffic below the building he is in.

"It has been years since..." Feliciano said and faced towards the door of his cell peeking for anyone who may have come.

Loud footsteps approaches his cell, there may be at least four people that are coming. He returns to his bed and stares at the ceiling.

"Is this the cell?" A military official asked the Jail warden guarding Feliciano's cell.

"Yes sir, this way!" The Jail warden opened Feliciano's cell.

Two military officials came, the other was the rank of a colonel and the next one time him a woman in her thirties a captain. The colonel wiped the sweat in his forehead, he has wrinkled face and looks older than his age. While the woman was younger looking with jet black hair and fair complexion.

The colonel introduced himself and said, "I am Colonel Conrado Apas and this is Captain Andrea Tanub."

"You are from the army, I guess..." Feliciano asked the two military officers in front of him.

"We are from the Military Intelligence. I hope that you would cooperate with us with this interrogation." The lady captain said to Feliciano on his bed.

The Colonel asked the two wardens to get out of the cell and began his interrogation with Feliciano.

"What do you know about Roman Villamor's return to the country?"

Feliciano turned his cheek and scoffs in reply, "My group has no connections or communication with him."

"We can let you free and may recommend you pardon for your cooperation ka-Felix. I guess that is what your comrades call you." The Colonel added.

Feliciano quickly replied and said, "I prefer the prison, free food, free accommodation, and no interaction with that fool who recruited me!"

Seeing the hostile reaction from his face the lady officer almost yelled at him but was stopped by the colonel.

"We need to talk about this sir. Every information we can get from that man is vital." The Captain said.

"There's no need Captain, he doesn't seem to hide from us about what he said." The Colonel then turns to Feliciano.

"Are you sure about this decision Feliciano?"

Feliciano snickers in reply.

"Sir..." The Captain tried to speak but was stopped again.

"Not a word!" The Colonel said.

He then calls the attention of the two wardens and the two military officers from the intelligence left Feliciano in his cell.

"That is better..." Feliciano said in regret of what he did the past years in the revolution.

"What life could have been if I were still a businessman and inherited that old fools company?" He asked himself.

Images of his past suddenly flash in his mind as he slowly fell to sleep once again. He remembers of a conflict which ended his trust to his close friend.

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Ciudad Colon

Sugbu, Bisaya Region

January 31, 1994

1200 Hours

The festive air fills the city as the yearly celebration of the "Sinug" Festival was on full swing. Street dancers paraded around the Rotonda down to the Ciudad's main stadium. The streets were colorful and people around the world witnessed the parade. The security around the place was also tight with police and military personnel were having checkpoints and lookouts for any possible troublemakers.

Feliciano Zamora and Roman Villamor decided to meet at Sugbu at the festival in order for them to escape scrutiny from the military and police. Despite the fact that there are a lot of policemen and military personnel present. There are a lot of place they could hide or take advantage of.

The two were to meet in a building near the city's Colosseum. It is a run down building that is old and lacks maintenance. Feliciano arrived there first eagerly waiting for his friend to arrive. He is in high spirits to unveil of his group's plan to attack a vital military installation in the nearby island of Sugbu. If the attack were successful, he believes the Reds may gain an upper hand in the region.

His guest finally arrived and Feliciano opens the door for his friend after the third knock. To his surprise he saw his friend who lacks the spirit of the person he knew before. He seemed to lost his energy, his will rather to continue the fight.

"What happened my friend!?" Feliciano asked him.

"Nothing, it's nothing in particular." Roman said in sad tone.

Feliciano presented his plans for the attack on a vital military installation near the island of Sugbu to his friend. He asks for the permission from Roman whom everyone in the movement recognized as the supreme leader. However, Roman's reply to his friend that day changed the fate of the revolution.

"Do it if you must..." Roman replied disinterested.

"What happened to you my friend? Do you not wish to free us? Do you not wish of reforms and proper governance?" Feliciano asked his friend who indeed lost his heart in the movement.

"What do you really wish to attain? Are you not just some fool who squandered off his fortune just to live a life that is selfish!?" Roman shouted at him.

"We have come this far Roman? Are we just going to quit, half-way just because you lost..." Before Feliciano could finish talking Roman punched his friend.

"MY EYES ARE OPEN FELICIANO!" He bursts in anger and paused for a while, "What shall we be remembered after death? Shall we be remembered as murderers? Destroyers of countries, no civilizations?"

He saw the tears of his friend roll from his cheeks.

Feliciano grabs his gun in disgust and grabbed his friend by his collar, aimed the gun at his temple. "Do you remember this revolver? I saved this because I deem it lucky. This is a keepsake that kept me alive thanks to you!"

Roman refuses to speak.

"Where is that fervor, that passion, that charisma that drives people to follow you? Our friends and comrade's lives have not been wasted just for this drivel!" Feliciano shouted once more in anger.

"That's it, I wanted it all... my ambition. I wanted to rule everything in my homeland just for myself! Don't you understand that? However, now, look at the changes. Living long enough I realized that violence is not the answer but can only breed more! I want out Feliciano, this revolution is a failure!" Roman said crying.

Feliciano lets go of his friend and aimed the revolver at his friend's forehead.

"You will go with me in this attack!" Feliciano threatened him.

"Go ahead shoot me..." Roman replied.

Seeing his reaction Feliciano left the place in anger and told his friend not to see him again. Since that day the two would never see each other. Upon hearing of the rumors that his friend may return to the country to continue the revolution. He felt a little bit happiness in him but the expression of his friend that day forever etched in his mind.

"That fool will never come back again!" He muttered with his lips involuntary and woke up.

Feliciano realizes there's a tear in his eye. He then realizes of the thing his friend had trying to convince him.

"The revolution is a failure..." Feliciano bursts in tears regretting his decisions in life in prison.