Just Cause Wrong Target

by John Muir

CHAPTER 35

  CHANGE OF ADDRESS

  Linamon - Day 8

  T.A. heard the yelling and running in the laneway at the front of the house. Though Omar had given some slack in the chain before he left, the new guard had shortened it. It was far too short for T.A. to get to the nearer right side window and see what was going on.

  It was no good asking his new guard; he did not speak English. Though the guard was watching the activity through the left window furthest from T.A., whatever he could see was not being relayed to T.A.

  The fevered activity continued for quite a while and soon he heard several people running up the staircase. Faces he had not seen before looked through the curtains at him. His guard left the bedroom and joined the activity in the lounge.

  Minutes later he heard crying and wailing from the lounge. He had to guess it was the girls, but he wondered what had happened. Had their Father been killed? It had to be some event of enormity from the sheer number of different faces that had quickly looked through the curtains as though inspecting a strange animal at a zoo.

  Soon after, women, heads covered in traditional scarves and wearing malongs, the local version of the Muslim chador, began to arrive. When the first of these peered through the curtains, T.A. pulled back on his chain. His first thought was that the wearer was a masked man about to beat him again. He felt his breath exhale when he realised what the significance of the covered head really meant.

  Even with all the people in the next room, T.A. felt more isolated and lonely than he had over the previous days. The occasional sound of loud outburst of yelling; and the fleeting glimpses through the curtains, from women with masked faces, and men with hate in their eyes, were making him feel ill at ease, even though he had no idea of what was going on. Being gazed at while he was only wearing his underwear did not worry him, even though the women were shrouded from head to foot.

  Thoughts of Siti kept coming into his mind. He sensed she needed comforting. He also knew that she could not come to him. Any suspicion to others of what had occurred between them would mean instant death to him and social ostracism for her.

  Three women, heads covered in full faced scarves and bodies covered in malongs, entered through the curtains. The man who had been guarding him earlier stood slightly behind the women. One of the women stepped forward. He saw she was carrying a bowl of fish and rice. As she neared him she kneeled and gave him the bowl.

  He looked up at the eye-slit and saw the beautiful dark eyes, then saw they were also red from crying with tears still in the corners. When she looked at his face he recognised and realised it was Siti. The look she gave him was an appeal for warmth and understanding that they both knew could not be given then. Very slowly she nodded her head backwards and forwards.

  T.A. felt the nod cut him as much as any words that could not be said. She was saying goodbye with her eyes. It was touching him more than the magic touch he felt from her physical touch. He yearned to hold her close and protect her. He wanted to surround her with his arms and protect her from the pain from which she was suffering, whatever it was. Yet he did not want death now, and touching her the way he wanted to would have meant instant death. He did not want to add to her pain.

  He barely had time to begin the rice and fish when six men entered the room and stood around him examining the chains. Then three men were behind him as two held his free leg and the other held the leg in the manacle.

  He looked up and saw the monsoon shutters were still open. He thought that maybe it was still a couple of hours until sunset, then, revised that to 30 minutes, maybe. Even sitting down and being held, he focused his attention on the only tree he could see from this position. It was a marvellous one. So high and so proud and he was sure that in its time it must have yielded thousands of coconuts. Maybe its use was now spent. He could not see any fruit of any sort under the protection of the overhanging fronds at its top. Soon perhaps someone would chop it down and try to make some building planks.

  His shoulders were grabbed and held. T.A. did not struggle, there seemed little purpose in it. An empty rice sack smelling of fish was placed over his head and loosely tied under his chin. He tried to keep the last vision of the tree in his mind to block out his fear.

  He wanted to live. But why had something he did not know about seem suddenly to be threatening him? Why was he putting this young girl's feelings above what should be his natural instinct to save his own life?

  He knew his breathing had become fast and shallow as he felt as though a fist was gripping the heart muscle under his chest. The goodbye had to come at some time, just not this way.

  He heard sobbing. He guessed it must be Siti. Then the sobbing stopped and he heard her yell, "No!"

  He felt a brief pain at the back of his head.

  ----------

  Maria Christina Hotel - Day 8

  After returning from Linamon, Pater was not sure whether to think of the operation as a success or a failure. He passed on the promise of the token goodwill payment of P200,000 to the reporter Ruben Consuelo, but nothing about locating T.A.

  Later that afternoon the bank agent had insisted that Pater sign for the delivery of the envelope and the P300,000 inside. It was P100,000 more than he had expected. Immediately, Pater phoned Consuelo and told him payment had been received. The reporter replied that the kidnapper had phoned after Pater's message and had expressed mixed reactions about the small but token payment.

  He arranged for Henry and Joven to take the money to the newspaper office. Consuelo would arrange the passing of the money to the kidnapper.

  Nilo expressed some concern that he might not be able to rent a banca without the owner insisting that he be part of the deal to ensure the return of property. To Pater this might not be a bad thing if the banca owner was familiar with the area around Linamon. And with the fear of being compromised in mind, the owner could not be Muslim.

  Henry and Joven were back quickly. Though Nilo and the others were still out looking for a small banca to rent, Pater told Henry, Joven and Rangi of his plan. Then excluding Joven, they went to locate a shop they hoped would rent or sell the equipment they needed.

  ----------

  Linamon - Day 8

  The six metre banca with its 3 visible passengers had moved back and forth along the coast as though trying to locate a favoured fishing spot. Apparently satisfied about one hundred metres offshore, the three occupants began to lay out some lines and drop what looked like heavy nets over the side.

  There were several other fishermen in the area, though none closer than about four hundred metres to this particular banca, and all were much further seaward.

  The moonlight was clear enough for them to see what they were doing, though still not yet a full moon.

  Three figures other figures that had been hiding in the bottom of the banca and dressed in black, slipped over the side with the help of the three remaining on the banca. They paused in the shadow of the hull for a few seconds. Then, after taking a series of ever deepening breaths, they dived under the water.

  Though they were not supposed to be trying to follow where the three swimmers had gone, the three visible fishermen looked at the empty sea between the banca and the shoreline.

  It seemed and age before they saw first one, then a second, then a third stick shaped object appear above the flat seas surface. The sticks were snorkels, and were over half way to the shore.

  After about one minute the snorkels disappeared and they waited again for them to reappear. When they did, they were nearly at the shoreline. This time the snorkels were followed by the appearance of three round objects beneath the snorkels; the heads of the swimmers.

  For several minutes, the objects did not move. Then three bodies glided over the sand, and the start of the stony area, stomachs down.

  Nilo cringed at the thought of the probable cuts the swimmers would be receiving from the shells littering the beach. The beach was only sandy up to the low water mark. Then started some rounded sea w
ashed pebbles. Above that many of the stones had sharp edges. He realised that at least there should not be much broken glass from discarded beer bottles and Tanduay rum bottles. This was after all a Muslim area. But jetsam did float in after being tossed off all the passing boats in the area. Besides that the swimmers all had these strange rubber slippers that they had put on before donning their fins.

  Nilo looked at his watch. It was nearly 10:00 p.m. He did not know how long they would have to wait. But he knew they would wait as long as they had to.

  ----------

  Pater was pleased all the houses in the area were dark. The local street dogs were creating a din, though only temporarily as he un-wrapped his parcels of doped meat and threw pieces in the direction of the dogs that had quickly gathered around after the swimmers moved inland above the waterline. For the dogs it was like a gourmet meal. The best raw meat most would ever see in their lifetimes.

  Soon the situation was still and quiet. They moved up under the porch of the house where they suspected T.A. was being held. The combination of their black outfits and being out of the moonlight made them invisible.

  For ten minutes they waited to make sure there were no movements inside the house. It was a worry that they could not hear any snoring or the normal deeper breathing of a male. Pater had hoped to hear something that might reveal exactly where T.A. was.

  They had barely moved into the cover of the undergrowth of the vacant section opposite the house when the barking of the some other more distant village dogs began. He was not unduly worried about them. It was the same in every barrio he had been in throughout the Philippines, and all the small villages throughout the world. Unless the inhabitants were on the alert for trouble, no-one ever bothered to look out their windows.

  From their position they examined the house in more detail. With both the neighbouring sections being vacant, except for a few scattered trees and palms, and a large tree on the sea-shore side of the section, it was ideal for an unseen approach away from nosy neighbours that might choose an inopportune moment to look out a window, except for when they would have to cross the road.

  The barking of the distant dogs no longer worried them. The immediate street dogs were already fast asleep. Normally the barking of the nearest dogs was picked up by the dogs in the adjacent streets and then the next street and so on until all the barrio dogs were barking. Pater knew that defeated the purpose of the dogs barking a warning. Nobody would know where the original warning was from.

  He knew the next street dogs would continue until they had moved off the street and into or near a doorway. Then progressively the surrounding dogs would fall silent.

  Through the removed planks of the downstairs former two story house they tried to figure out the floor plan of the upstairs residence.

  The position of the stairs was obvious. The crude plumbing suggested which area was the kitchen.

  Therefore the bedroom would probably be to the left of the house as they faced it. The monsoon shutters seemed to confirm that. Pater worried that there might be two bedrooms, one behind the other. A quick check of the house from the back seemed to confirm that was the case, unless it was one enormous room.

  He nodded at Henry who examined the door. His nod gave him the reassurance that it was not going to be a problem. He returned Henry's nod which Henry took as indication to start work on the door. Within seconds the locks were beaten, then, he slipped his long knife through the crack and lifted the beam out of the cleats. That had been lowered behind the door as extra security.

  He slipped his hand behind the door and pulled the beam out-side to prevent it rattling to the floor when the door was fully opened.

  Rangi took up his position with his back to the door to watch for any unwanted attention. Pater and Henry made ready to enter and quietly opened the door after Pater had squirted a little oil on the hinges.

  The next street dogs stopped barking.

  Pater's attempt at a silent footfall on the first step was immediately thwarted by the groaning staircase. He pocketed his pistol and opened another plastic bag to remove a roll of wide masking tape. After putting the roll over his left wrist, he un-wrapped his maglite torch from another waterproof bag and held that in his left hand, then withdrew his pistol again. Henry did likewise. Pater moved his hands up and down rapidly to indicate a charge up the stairs instead of even trying to attempt a surreptitious entry. Henry nodded. This was quick entry and surprise.

  Immediately he turned on the torch he began running up the stairs taking them three at a time. It seemed the noise of the groaning staircase in the nights silence would wake all the neighbours within 50 metres.

  Quickly flashing the beam around the room at the top of the stairs Pater saw there were two figures laying on thin mattresses. One slowly stirred and began to sit up. Pater grabbed the figure and taped the mouth before it could scream then quickly secured the arms and legs with tape. There was virtually no struggle. Henry did the same with the smaller figure who slept through the whole procedure.

  Pater shone the beam on the curtains of the forward of the two rooms. Then he flicked the beam on the curtains of the back room. Henry understood that he was meant to take the back room. Both of them switched off their torches.

  Pater moved forward and stopped outside the curtain of the front room. Standing to one side of the door he pushed the curtain aside and peered in. The room looked empty in the little light that came through the shutters, but he could not be sure because the use of the torch had affected his night vision.

  He switched on his torch again and rapidly played the beam to the far walls before stepping in and checking the walls he had just been standing behind.

  The room was empty except for a thin mattress and some dirty rags on it. Then he saw the chains. Pater waited for any sound from Henry. There was none. Henry came cautiously through the curtains and played the beam of his torch over the same items that Pater had noticed.

  Quietly Pater said, "Looks like someone's been a prisoner here."

  Henry nodded. "What about the two outside, did you see they're both girls?"

  "I thought the one I tied up was small."

  "What do you reckon?" asked Henry.

  "Rangi is sure this is the right house. Maybe he's been shifted."

  "Are you sure you're not clutching at straws. Maybe it wasn't T.A."

  Pater paused for a moment. "I didn't want to ask anyone anything. Just in and out. We might have to ask the girls. Bring the bigger one in here."

  Within a couple of minutes Henry had carried the bigger girl in and laid her on the mattress.

  "The other one is still fast asleep," said Henry.

  Pater shone the torch into the girl's eyes. Not as a means of interrogation but to prevent the girl being able to concentrate her gaze on his face. He felt sorry for her. Her eyes were wide open in terror, but the way she had been trussed up prevented her from much movement of any sort.

  Pater wondered how he was going to talk to her. She seemed like she might be a pretty thing when she grew up and used a limited amount of make-up in the right places. She had a few small pit marks on her face, probably from infected mosquito bites suffered in her younger days. He would have to use his limited knowledge of Visayan, the main language of the south. He was wishing Nilo was here to translate. He crouched.

  "Just nod your answers yes or no. Do you understand?"

  Her wide fear expressing eyes seemed not to understand.

  Pater pointed at the chains. "Was somebody here?"

  She nodded yes.

  "Were they taken away?"

  Again nodding yes.

  "Was he Japanese?"

  She nodded no. Pater looked up at Henry.

  "Was it another man?"

  She nodded yes.

  "Did you know his name?"

  Yes, she nodded.

  "Did he call himself T.A.?"

  Yes, she nodded. Then Pater noticed the tears begin in her eyes. He fought against the thought
that the tears meant something bad had happened.

  "Is he still alive?"

  She nodded yes.

  Pater looked at Henry who was looking totally confused because he did not understand any of the conversation carried on in Visayan.

  "What's happening?" Henry asked Pater. "Is he still alive or what?"

  Pater noticed the mouth gagged girl nod yes once again. He turned to her and this time spoke in English.

  "Do you understand English?"

  Yes she nodded.

  "I am going to remove the tape over your mouth. You will not scream? Do you promise?"

  Yes.

  Pater was as gentle as he could be to try and remove the tape without causing pain. But the girl seemed stoic about the whole thing.

  When the last of the tape was removed, Pater waited a few seconds, ready to clamp his hand over her mouth if she began to scream. Satisfied that she wasn't, he asked, "Where is T.A.?"

  "Some of my uncles and their friends took him away after my Uncle Omar and his family were all murdered."

  "Who murdered them?"

  "The Air Force."

  Pater decided not to pursue that topic. "Did your relations blame T.A.?'

  "I don't think so."

  "Why did they shift him?"

  "Nobody wanted to stay here to guard him, so they took him somewhere else."

  "Why didn't they release him when they found out he was not the Japanese?"

  "The others all still think he is. It was only my uncle Omar and us that know he is not."

  "Oh God. Why didn't your uncle say something?"

  "If he had told the others, they probably wouldn't have believed him. If they did, they would have killed T.A.. They were going to kill the Japanese anyway as soon as they got the money."

  "Do you know where T.A. is now?"

  "No. But one of my uncles or my Father's friends will have him hidden somewhere. I can find out tomorrow and tell you tomorrow night."

  "Why do you want to help us?"

  Siti looked down with embarrassment. "T.A. and I are in love."

  Pater looked away and up at Henry. He saw Henry had frowned. Pater rolled his eyes at Henry in response, then, looked back at Siti. When Siti lifted her head and looked back at Pater he saw tears had begun to form in her eyes.

  Pater put his open palm on the top of her head.

  "OK. We will leave now. You cannot tell anyone we were here. We will come back one hour later tomorrow night, at 11:00 P.M. Then you can show us where T.A. is."

  Siti nodded.

  Pater stood and all three went to the lounge. Henry gently removed the tape from Zahra's ankles then her wrists. He grinned in disbelief while he was doing it. Zahra was still so deeply asleep that she had shown no reaction to what Henry was doing. He realised that it would not be as easy to remove the tape from her mouth.

  "I'll take it off her after you've gone," said Siti. "If she wakes I'll tell her I put it on her because she was snoring."

  Pater and Henry quickly checked around to make sure there was no evidence of their being there. They nodded at Siti and left down the noisy staircase.

  Joining Rangi, they stayed as much in the shadows as they could before reaching the pebbly beach. The more distant dogs had started their barking again. The three figures made a quick dash into the water and were already 20 metres offshore before they stopped to put on their face masks with fitted snorkels and their fins.

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