" I'm fine now...even if no one is asking. By the way, where are the guys around?" George put down his wooden mug.

" Still sleeping, last night they said they dug some meters far and found some developments. I guess they'll be reporting to you after breakfast the overall updates. In contrary, the men a.s.signed at Mabolo sculpting needs some emergency water containers and packed food to bring, they said they've almost reach the man-sized opening, as targeted, so they don't need to get down often within a day. They eagerly like to make it up as one of our exit points the soonest time possible. The Mabolo tree is the easiest exit to reach the village." Albrecht said.

Magee had a wake up call to the soldiers and one by one they stood up bearing some muscle pains. On the other hand, George had a brief physical exercise while Albrecht and Magee still distribute the salabat' to each of their wooden mugs.

" We ran out of sugar." Albrecht declared.

" Don't worry, our house have a lot of sugar, salt and white beans located in our storage under the kitchen. Its all buried in the ground and contained within the three big jars."

" That's good. Who would love to volunteer to go up there to retrieve and bring the goods here?"

Henry, Derek and Michael raised a hand while Edmund decided to continue digging the tunnel going Kabang and Bruno's very eager to continue the Mabolo project. In both ways George approved the voluntarism of the three to get possible stocks in Magee's house.

" You all just need to be cautious, it is possible that Hakanori's men can be possibly there, manning the area. Check first your automatic rifles before proceeding tonight." George reminded.

" Yes, Sir." As they pay respect to George, the current officer in-charge of the team.

The team sumptuously enjoyed the breakfast and Magee excused herself to return to her bamboo bed and plan out to go with those soldiers going up at midnight.

" What about going there? our house...haven't seen it for days, my family...where are they right now. This is so painful. Can't imagine I've lost them all in a day or two; and it's all because of me. Dear G.o.d, may their souls rest in peace." As she thought while her tears were scattered on her cheeks.

" Magee, excuse me, let's gonna eat, c'mmon." George opened her cubicle and got stunned seeing her crying again.

" George...I missed my family. They died because of me."

" No. It's not your fault. Even if you got married to Hakanori, still it may possibly happen. Just a thought, so please, don't blame yourself too much. The captain might reprimand me if he'll find out that I made you cry."

" What? That is too much already. The more I am impressed by how your captain takes care of me. Sometimes he could fire you and reprimand you...what else." She smiled and reluctant to what George had been telling him about the captain.

" That's cool, okay if you always consider this way, I'll never loose my job, thanks." George invited her to really get up and not to skip the breakfast.

" So, this means...I don't have the chance to visit my house and be with the team tonight."

" Exactly. I will not allow you. That's my order."

" Okay." Magee just bowed her head and silently returned to the table.

Soldiers who will be going to Magee's house must sleep and rest all day so that you can gain more energy when you get out tonight."

" Yes, Sir."

" May I also request to please... if you could include some of my personal belongings that you can just grab. Please, my room is upstairs, facing sunrise."

The three soldiers nodded and told her to write anything she wants them to bring for her and agreed that she'll hand the list before they leave.

At 10:00 am, Abrecht processed some 'kalamunggay' leaves and he placed the extracted juice in a small plastic cup.

" Hi, can we put this in your wound on your wrist, unwrap it first and let's put this in. Oh dear, it's not healing yet." Albrecht commented.

" I considered putting ointments may never be effective unlike herbs and leaves. But Albrecht, thank you...aha...it is absorbing now. I'm sure tomorrow I would be fine, I was just worried about the infection that I could possibly acquire, but with this extracted juice of 'kalamunggay' I'm more confident it will be healed quickly. It's the best antibiotic. By the way, where's George?"

" Ah, he told me he will visit the tunnel below but he'll be right back before lunch." Albrecht reasoned out.

Lunch came on but George did not show up. Momentarily, the three soldiers who have missions at night just woke up to dine and then they slept again to restore more energy. At eleven in the evening, the team were already prepared to go out through the pa.s.sage going up. There was a ladder beside the big net so they climbed and waived their hands below them and when they almost reach the top cover Albrecht told Magee to get back on her bed. While alone on her bed, she was thinking where George was, till she fall asleep.

Midnight came and all the candles were off except to a small candle placed on the ground. George was still in uniform when he slowly came in bringing a big 'buyot' (coconut leaves bag weaved by natives). He stopped beside Magee's place and took an approximately one meter stick in order to touch Magee's hair.

After a while she almost shouted after noticing a shadow (her weakness) using a stick to wake her up, so George right away told her that it's him.

" Hey, it's George. Calm down." He whispered. Though he was still standing outside her place.

" I got your stuffs from the house. Tell me if I got them right." Then he lighted a bigger candle and showed to her what he'd grabbed.

" Ow my heavens! you grabbed all of these by pair? so thankful..." She smiled at him.

" Yeah. I got them personally because I could still recall the stuffs of my sister way back then. Those men who followed there does not even know what to retrieve or they might end up to your mother's array of baro't saya. Besides, I took the things you usually wear for three months long of my stalking." He smiled.

" This melts my heart. Thank you. You even brought the 'sungka,' how did you know it's exact location?"

" When you were playing with your siblings before at the balcony, I usually hear you shout, " Get the 'sungka,' it's just inside the rupero!" So that's why I know where to get it."

Magee historically looked at him in an almost one a half meter distance and paused for a while.

" Your captain must be very proud of you. Hmm...but it looks like no one instructed you today to do so, don't tell me your captain asked you to get my stuffs....but regardless, thank you very much, George." Then she smiled and was impressed to see her belongings.

" Gos.h.!.+ of course it's already given and part of my job, it all goes along with it. Your safety, health, needs and all." His defenseless statement as they both laughed.

So it was then when he salute to her, took off his hat and proceeded to the long table and talked to Albrecht.

" When they got out I also entered bringing all of those. They will be throwing sacks a little while so as usual. You go up once they get inside and carefully return the rock and arrange the gra.s.ses and vines covering on the surface then you go down and enter the waterfalls to return here. Just imagine that you'll take a bath at 1400 hrs."

" Haha, I can bear that though I'd be much happier to see the stocks coming. Seeing some loaded salt, beans, sugar - heavens! they're my blessings. I can dip through that water easily. So how's the house?"

" There was only one j.a.panese guard on post but he stayed at the entrance of the compound."

" What happened?"

" He's dead. He was the same one way back a month ago, that voyeur! the peeping Tom on her. He was also the same guy who abducted and killed Magee's younger Filipino full-blooded brother, an hour before Magee fell in the abyss. So I instructed our team to be careful although there were no traces. G.o.d forbids!"

" Hmm...you can do impossible things for her. Is this still part of not losing your job?"

" Absolutely yes. I know she's persistent to go back there to get her things, so I just did it. Albrecht, the villagers, most of them were imprisoned. A lot had been happening and I saw them plunging with new war facilities and equipment. They've hit the pearl harbor I guess, the captain did not only reveal to us. Then he unbuckle his uniform and took the 'salabat' that Albrecht gave him.

" Why we can't use the radio until now. We have it."

" No! again, they might intercept our signal, they can easily locate us. Besides, we are still installing and a need to further prepare for our plans. No using of radio. Period." George insisted.