Chapter 19: Hidden Beef Village

Franklin looked at Goh, his face a mixture of regret and determination. "I didn't want to leave him," Franklin replied to Goh's question about the commander's presence. "There's too much at stake, and it felt wrong to leave an enemy behind to possibly track us down."

Goh, pain etching his features, fought through his anguish as he grabbed Franklin's collar, his grip tight with a mix of anger and despair. "My wife... that was the only reason I wanted to go to the miracle worker. You! You're the reason why I lost my will to live... You should've just left me out there."

Sumi intervened gently, grabbing her father's arm, her face marked by a tear. She was the silent reminder of what was still at stake, her presence a soothing balm to her father's rising temper. Goh, catching sight of his daughter's tearful expression, softened and released his grip on Franklin. "I'm... sorry..." he murmured, the fight draining from him as he confronted the pain he had inflicted, not just upon himself, but upon his daughter as well.

"No, you're right," Franklin conceded, his voice low. "There's a lot that I'm responsible for, but that's why I'm going to fix things." His commitment to setting things right was palpable, a vow made not just in words but through the actions that had led them to this moment.

"What is there left to fix?" Sumi asked, her voice weak, an echo of the trauma they had all endured. As she spoke, Goh noticed blood trickling down from her ears, a stark reminder of the gunshot's proximity during their escape.

He reached up, his hands gentle as he wiped the blood away, his eyes examining her ears for further injury. "The gunshot. It was very close to her eardrums," Franklin explained, a grim note in his tone as he assessed the potential damage. "Can you hear us okay?"

"I think so... we've been talking with each other just fine," Sumi replied, somewhat uncertainly, her hand reflexively touching her ear.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry," Goh said, his voice cracking with emotion. Overwhelmed with guilt for the dangers his daughter had faced because of his decisions, he pulled Sumi into a tight embrace, holding her close. In that moment, the little makeshift family they had become was bound together not just by their shared journey, but by the shared commitment to protect and heal each other, no matter the personal cost.

Goh's expression hardened as he glared at the unconscious commander, his disdain for the man palpable. "I should've never let you get close to those men," he muttered, his voice a mix of regret and anger.

"Throw him off the plane. Why are we keeping him?" Goh demanded, his frustration boiling over.

Franklin, understanding the depth of Goh's emotions but still seeing the practical need, responded firmly, "I still have some unanswered questions that only he can answer. You can do as you wish once I'm finished."

From the cockpit, Bach's voice echoed anxiously. "Can you please get back up here? How long are you going to let this thing fly on its own?!" His concern for their safety was evident, reminding them of the immediate dangers of their flight.

Franklin addressed Goh directly, trying to shift his focus to the urgent need ahead. "Goh, please tell me where to go. We need to see this witch doctor."

"We? I don't—" Goh started, his reluctance clear.

Franklin interrupted, pressing the urgency of their situation, "You're missing a leg. Your daughter may go deaf. If you have no will left to live for yourself, at least think of Sumi."

Goh's gaze shifted to Sumi, who was looking out the window at the clouds, seemingly lost in thought or perhaps trying to escape the grim realities inside the plane. Seeing her like this, a softness replaced the hardness in Goh's eyes. He looked back at the sleeping commander, his decision made.

"Fine, but I'm piloting the plane. I can't stand being next to this monster," Goh declared, his tone resolute.

Franklin nodded, relieved yet understanding the heavy toll the journey was taking on all of them. He helped Goh to the cockpit, assisting him in taking over the controls. This small act of assuming control seemed to grant Goh a measure of peace, a way to regain some dignity and agency after everything that had been taken from him.

As Goh settled into the pilot's seat, Franklin returned to check on Sumi, ensuring she was alright, and prepared himself to confront the commander once more. The weight of their collective past and the uncertainty of their future hung heavily in the air as the old plane continued its journey, cutting through the clouds toward a destination that held both hope and the potential for redemption.

***

As the plane cut through the beautiful sunset sky, its path was a dance among the clouds, weaving over undulating hills and sweeping valleys below. Goh, his gaze fixed through the front windshield, surveyed the landscape for a suitable landing spot in the expansive meadows beneath them.

With practiced ease, he guided the aircraft down, making a swift and graceful descent onto a long stretch of lush grass. The plane rolled forward a few moments before coming to a complete stop, its engines winding down with a satisfied purr of completion.

Nearby, hidden in the shadows of the dense forest's edge, curious eyes watched the plane's arrival. Local people, concealed by foliage, peered out, their attention fixed on the aircraft, speculating about the identities and intentions of those inside.

First to disembark was Sumi, who stepped out into the open with a cautious grace. She then turned to assist Goh, who appeared more fragile than the man who had piloted the plane to safety. Together, they moved slowly away from the plane, Sumi's support gentle but firm.

Behind them, Franklin and Bach emerged, struggling under the weight of the commander, who was not taking his predicament quietly. Curses flew from his lips as he writhed in their grasp, his demeanor as unruly as his words were foul.

The locals, observing from their hidden vantage points, remained reluctant to approach. The commander's wild curses and the tension evident among the newcomers kept them at bay. Yet, amidst their hesitance, a young boy named Tito, merely twelve years old, stepped forward from the cover of the bushes. With a bravery that belied his years, he approached the group and waved at Sumi, offering a greeting that cut through the thick air of uncertainty.

"Hey, we need to see a doctor!" Sumi called out urgently, her voice carrying across the quiet meadow to where the locals watched, still mostly hidden within the shelter of the trees. The young boy, Tito, paused and looked back towards the others for a sign of approval, but the only response was a shake of a head from an older man, signaling reluctance or perhaps denial.

Undeterred by the lack of immediate support, Tito turned back to face Sumi and Goh. His gaze lingered on Goh's stump leg, a mix of sympathy and resolve crossing his young face. Without waiting for further permission, he moved to Goh's other side and placed himself under Goh's arm to help him walk. "Right this way..." Tito said, gesturing toward a path that led deeper into the forest.

As Franklin's group followed Tito, the rest of the villagers slowly emerged from their hiding places, curiosity and concern etched on their faces. The path took them directly towards a tall, imposing man wielding a pickaxe, who stood firmly in their way. He raised his hand, signaling them to stop, and fixed Tito with a stern glare.

"Sir, they need help!" Tito insisted, his voice firm despite his youth.

The man remained unmoved, his expression unyielding as he surveyed the newcomers. His eyes then drifted to the commander, who was still loudly cursing and struggling against Franklin's and Bach's firm grip. The sight of the commander's uniform seemed to confirm his worst suspicions, prompting a visible shake of his head in disapproval.

"Please sir, he's bleeding out. I don't want to lose my father..." Sumi pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. The emotion in her plea seemed to resonate, reaching past the man's initial reservations.

He glanced once more at the commander, taking in the chaotic scene before him. The struggle, the curses, and the obvious pain etched on the faces of Franklin's group painted a complex picture. After a tense moment, his stance softened slightly, a decision being made behind his guarded eyes.