A Journey Full of Intrigue

Chapter5AboutBata

"I've never seen that kid before," Anthony started the conversation.

"Indeed. He just arrived in Tondo three months ago," James replied.

"Just three months? You trust him?"

"Three months arrived in Tondo, Anthony. Not three months knowing him. I’ve known him since he was three. He’s been living with his mother in the southern Philippines. Of course, I trust him."

"How did you meet him?" Anthony asked again.

"It’s a long story."

"Tell me. We still have ten hours before we arrive in Moscow."

"I'm too lazy to tell stories, Anthony. And you're already grown up." James adjusted his position in the comfortable plane seat and his woven hat.

"Hey, that kid is on my plane. He's coming with us, so I have the right to know who he is. His background, his family. Is he a traitor or a loyal one? That's standard procedure for an enforcer. You know that perfectly well."

James smirked. "Alright, Anthony. I'll tell you. But make it quick."

James straightened his legs and got comfortable.

"Fifteen years ago, one night, a woman came to my house. She was crying hysterically. At the time, I was dealing with a bad back. I couldn't move for days. I was stuck sitting in my armchair or lying on my couch. Unfortunately, this woman insisted on seeing me, and my students couldn’t get rid of her."

"I had to see her. Her face was bruised, her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were dirty. She was carrying a cloth bundle. I thought it was all she had with her. She said she came from a small fishing village in southern Mindanao, about a hundred kilometers from Davao City. She had traveled for days, taking buses and ferries, crossing many straits, changing buses four times and ferries four times, just to get to Manila. She was crying and begging for justice."

"I was annoyed seeing her cry, but her story touched my heart. It reminded me of my own childhood. What kind of justice was she seeking? Her husband and eldest son, who were fishermen, were shot dead right after they docked. What was their fault? They accidentally saw the cargo of a ship at the dock—it was drugs. The drug lord got angry and pulled out his gun. Her husband begged for them to shoot him but spare their twelve-year-old son. The drug lord didn’t care. Two shots were fired at the dock, and their bodies were left there overnight. No one dared to take them."

"Two days later, the villagers brought them home, and they were buried. The mother went to the local police, but no one cared. The police chief said he couldn’t do anything, even though the incident happened in broad daylight with many witnesses. He even threatened to arrest her if she didn’t drop the case. She went to Davao City, hoping the officers there would be braver. But the police general there arrested her instead, holding her for seven days before releasing her with a warning to forget the whole thing or she’d end up in jail again. The legal system in that town was incredibly corrupt."

"For weeks and months, she sought justice, but who would help her? The man who shot her husband and eldest son was the leader of a major drug cartel in Mindanao, backed by Mexican and Colombian cartels. The woman didn’t give up. She sold her house, her boat, and took her savings to Manila to find me. She had heard of my name from a military officer who had trained with me. The officer whispered, ‘There’s someone who can give you justice, Althea. Go to the capital, find Mr. James.’"

"Good grief. My back was hurting, and here was a woman kneeling at my feet, crying, handing over her cloth bundle with all her money. She wanted me to avenge her suffering for such a small price. At first, I didn’t care and told her to leave. But when she said she was doing it for her three-year-old son, who was left with a neighbor, so that when her son grew up and asked what happened to his father and older brother, she could answer with pride... that touched my heart. The woman was kneeling at my feet."

"My sentimental side kicked in. It reminded me of my adoptive parents, who were shot in a convenience store, and no one cared. It all added up, and I thought, why not? I nodded, shouted for my students to get ready. The revenge mission began. The next morning, I took the first flight to Davao City."

"Two days later, after we had a plan, I visited the cartel’s headquarters, a three-story house with a large lawn. I disguised myself as a toilet repairman along with two of my students. The door was wide open, and we easily slipped in with our trolley full of guns. And, well, you can guess the rest, Anthony."

James straightened his legs again, looking relaxed.

"You wiped out the entire household?"

"Yeah! What else? No one was left. Twenty bodies were strewn about. It was like crushing the head of a snake—the body goes limp. The remaining henchmen fled, and I don’t know where they went. The cartel leader’s body was thrown into the river near the house. The crocodiles had a feast." James shrugged, as if it was just about cockroaches.

"Not satisfied with that, I went to Davao City and shot the police general myself while he was soaking in a hot tub. It was amusing to see his fat, naked body lying on the tile floor. My mission was complete. The case was closed. And strangely, my back pain disappeared. Ah, it was so satisfying. A little exercise can cure back pain."

"Didn’t the police chase you? What about the remaining cartel members?"

"You don’t know, Anthony? It’s a blessing to deal with drug cartels and corrupt police in this country. When one falls, the others celebrate. Another corrupt police general, who wasn’t any better, came to my hotel in Davao City, shook my hand, and thanked me. He wanted the position for himself. What did I have to worry about?"

"Before returning to Manila, I met with the woman and returned her cloth bundle. I wasn’t interested in her money. But I was intrigued by her three-year-old son. I had a brilliant idea. ‘Wipe away your tears, Althea. Your problem is solved.’ The woman thanked me profusely, kissing my feet, ‘If you want to thank me, teach your child to be strong, Althea. So that one day, when he’s older, he can seek justice himself. I’ll send money and a teacher for him.’"

"You can imagine what happened when a mother dedicated herself to raising her child, Anthony. Ah, I forgot—how would you know? You’re still afraid of marriage." James chuckled.

"Not funny!" Anthony glared.

James waved his hand, joking.

"It became an unstoppable energy. The mother truly prepared her child to be strong. When the child was nine, I visited and saw a remarkable difference. The kid was independent, determined, and physically strong. His grades were excellent. I gave him a pistol as a gift then."

"When he was thirteen and fifteen, I visited again to see his progress. The kid was even more impressive. His body was strong, his face handsome, and his physique was well-trained. And his shooting skills—he had a natural talent that was amazing. If trained properly, he could surpass anyone, even me." James continued enthusiastically.