After We Said Goodbye

The rain had not stopped since morning. Beyond the tall windows of the provincial capitol, the mountains were barely visible through the gray curtain of water. The roads leading toward the northern settlements had already begun to deteriorate, according to the reports that came in throughout the afternoon. No one in the conference room seemed concerned about the weather. They had more immediate problems. A map occupied the screen at the end of the room. Three barangays were circled in red. Three attacks. Fourteen days. Captain Adrian Vale stood beside the screen with a folder in his hand. He had been listening for the better part of an hour. Now it was his turn to speak. "The first attack occurred in San Isidro at 0217 hours." A photograph appeared. A row of houses, several reduced to charred frames. "Seven houses burned. Four civilians injured. No confirmed fatalities." Another photograph. "The second occurred in Mabini six days later." Two bodies covered with white sheets. Adrian did not linger on the image. "Two fatalities. Seven wounded." The room grew quieter. He clicked again. The third photograph appeared. A communications tower lying across the ground. "The most recent attack was in Luntian three nights ago." The provincial governor leaned forward. "Casualties?" "One civilian." Adrian paused. "Three security personnel." His voice remained steady. "They destroyed the communications tower first. Then the security outpost." A police commander frowned. "They knew what they were doing." "Yes." "Military training?" "Possibly." Adrian changed the image. A photograph of a narrow mountain trail appeared. "They entered through here." He pointed at the screen. "And withdrew through this route." Another line appeared on the map. "Which means they knew where the patrols were." No one spoke. Adrian placed the folder on the table. "We initially treated the attacks as isolated incidents." He opened the folder. "We were wrong." The governor looked at him. "What changed?" "We recovered weapons from the third site." Adrian removed several photographs and placed them on the table. "These were found among the abandoned equipment." One of the officers picked up a photograph. "Where did these come from?" Adrian answered immediately. "Military records." The officer looked at him. "What kind of records?" "Records from the previous rebellion." The room became noticeably still. Adrian looked toward the screen. The map changed. A section of the northern mountains was highlighted. "The weapons have been traced to fighters who participated in the Salinaw conflict." Several people exchanged looks. At the far end of the table, Maya remained silent. Adrian saw her. He had known she would be here. He had known before he entered the room. He simply hadn't allowed himself to think about it. The governor's eyes moved toward her. "So you're saying..." Adrian didn't let him finish. "The group responsible for these attacks is operating from Salinaw territory." The governor looked at Maya. "Representative." Maya lifted her eyes from the documents in front of her. "Yes." "Do you have any knowledge of this group?" "No." Her answer was immediate. "Are they affiliated with the tribal council?" "No." "Do they have the council's support?" "No." "Are you certain?" Maya looked directly at him. "They would not have it." Adrian held her gaze for a moment. "I believe you." The governor looked between them. "But the evidence still leads to your territory." Maya's expression remained composed. "Then we should determine why." Adrian nodded once. "That's what we're here to do." He turned toward the screen. The next photograph showed several armed men moving through the mountains. "The investigation identified thirty-seven confirmed members of the group." Murmurs moved around the table. Adrian continued. "We believe there are more." "Who is their leader?" "Unknown." "Where are they based?" "Unknown." "How do you know they're from the tribe?" Adrian changed the slide. A list of names appeared. "We matched several of them with records collected during the previous conflict." One of the elders leaned closer. "They're descendants of the old fighters." "Some." "Then perhaps they're simply protecting themselves." Adrian's eyes moved toward him. "Protecting themselves from what?" The elder didn't answer. Adrian continued. "Their attacks aren't defensive." He clicked to another photograph. A burned house. "These people weren't attacking them." Another. A wounded civilian. "Neither were these." Another. The destroyed communications tower. "They're deliberately targeting communities." His voice remained calm. "But the pattern suggests something beyond intimidation." Maya looked at the photographs. "What?" Adrian looked at her. "They're testing our response." The words settled heavily. The governor leaned back. "For what?" "To determine how quickly we can reach the settlements." Adrian pointed toward the map. "They attacked three places with increasingly shorter response times." He tapped the last red circle. "They're learning." Maya studied the map. "And after they finish learning?" Adrian's expression hardened. "They'll act on what they've learned." Silence. The governor folded his hands. "What do you think they're planning?" "We don't know." "Your assessment." Adrian didn't hesitate. "An organized assault." The governor looked unsettled. "On what?" "Possibly a military post." "Possibly?" "They haven't shown us their objective yet." Maya looked at him. "Could someone be supplying them?" "Yes." "From outside the tribe?" "Possible." "Do you have evidence?" "Not yet." She nodded. Adrian watched her carefully. She wasn't defensive. She wasn't trying to protect them. She was trying to understand. That made things easier. And somehow more difficult. The governor looked toward the elders. "If this faction is operating within tribal territory, the government needs access." One of the elders immediately stiffened. "Military access?" "Temporary." "No." Maya turned slightly toward him. The elder continued. "We cannot allow soldiers to enter the mountains without the council's approval." The governor looked frustrated. "People are dying." "We know." "And you want us to wait?" "No." Maya's voice was quiet. Everyone stopped. She looked toward the governor. "We won't ask you to wait." The governor looked at her. "What are you proposing?" "Give me the names." Adrian looked at her. "The names of the confirmed members." "Yes." "Why?" "I can determine which families they belong to." "And?" "If they have relatives still living within the communities, I can find out where they may be hiding." The police commander nodded slowly. "That could help." "It will." Adrian studied her. She wasn't asking for authority. She was offering cooperation. The governor nodded. "Captain?" Adrian picked up the folder. "You'll have the list." Maya nodded. "Thank you." Their eyes met. It lasted only a second. But Adrian remembered those eyes. He remembered them from another life. He forced his attention back to the meeting. "The military will begin preparing for deployment." Maya looked at him. "Deployment where?" "The northern sector." "How many?" "One hundred and twenty personnel." Her expression remained calm. "That many?" "We don't know how large the faction is." "And if they're not there?" "Then we'll find them." Maya studied him. "Captain Vale." "Yes?" "You'll enter our territory believing you know what you're looking for." Adrian said nothing. "You may find that you don't." There was no accusation in her voice. Only a warning. Adrian nodded once. "Then show us what we're missing." The room fell silent again. Maya lowered her eyes. "I will." The meeting continued for another forty minutes. Routes were discussed. Patrols were assigned. Evacuation plans were prepared. The tribal council would be contacted before the military entered the mountain territory. The investigation would continue. And the faction would be treated separately from the tribe unless evidence proved otherwise.