1 Prologue

"Major Aguilar, you called us?"

"Yes. I have a highly classified task that I want for both of you to receive."

Sa sandaling 'yon, dumagundong ang kalansing ng metal na pinto sa pagkakasara nito. Mas lalong namumuo tuloy ang suspetya ko na hindi lamang basta-basta ang paksang tatalakayin sa amin. Sa limang taon namin ng kapatid ko sa serbisyo, kahit kailan ay hindi pa naging ganito kalihim ang pagpapatawag sa amin. Liban sa araw na 'yon na pinakapinagsisisihan ko sa buong buhay ko…

My brother glanced at me, worry can already be illuminated on his face. As special officers and sons of a Brigade General, we are always expected to accomplish every mission with flying colors. A failure is never an option but rather an unnecessary assumption. Everything we do is being reflected in our parents' deeds as officials. We can't afford to be hasty and utterly reckless. One thing is never small or big of a deal.

That's what Stirlings are. Pride and Dignity, the saviors of thy country.

Habang nakatindig, maanong pinagmasdan ko nang maigi kung papaano hinawak-hawakan ng nakatataas ang kanyang balbas. 'Di rin mapagkakaila na kung anuman ang sasabihin niya ay malamang sa malamang ay dulot ng puting sobre na may animo'y simbolo sa tatak na kumukubli rito. Nakakapagtaka. Tila isang sobre ang magpapasya kung saan kami mapapadpad ngayon.

Sa taong 3026, halos wala nang gumagamit ng telegrama at mga gamit pangsulat. Panay ang mga modernong tablet at chromer na ang ginagamit ngayon bilang paraan ng komunikasyon.

Maliban na lang kung...

"The higher-ups considered a long list of officers before settling on you two. Kaya naman importante na gawin niyo ang pinakamakakaya niya para masiguradong walang gusot ang misyon na ito. Nagkakaintindihan ba tayo?" ani nito at saka tila pasukong sumalampak sa upuan niya.

Before the Major could touch the letter, my younger brother intercepted him with a question— a question requiring for our godfather to answer and not the military officer that he is. Somewhat, it surprised me. It's neither my brother's nature to talk nor answer back.

"Hindi po ba't kaya kami napili ay para madiin ang mga magulang namin kung sakaling hindi kami magtagumpay?"

I immediately hissed at him, but he showed no regret at speaking what is in his mind. I know Pietro. He never talked back to someone of superior standing than him. He knew any form of disobedience will stain our parents' names and achievements among the military. We knew more than anyone else how the organization's structure can be wavered by political strings and the influence of wealth.

I tried checking our godfather's response. Instead of being taken aback to Pietro's opinion, he's rather calm about it as he intertwines his fingers while his back rests on the chair. "No need to get so worked up, kid. You won't fail, will you?"

"Hindi ba't kayo na mismo ang nagsabi sa amin na walang misyon ang may isang daang pursyento ng kasiguraduhan na magtatagumpay? You know exactly how those people keep on prying on us ever since our father insisted the rally toward the Serata Fortress," tutol ko.

Major Valymar Aguilar is one of our family's allies and our parents' childhood friend. He's always been in a close call whenever enviousness and greed come to take over the minds of other officials. Alam niya na hangga't nasa tuktok at nakakaani ng papuri ang pamilya namin, patuloy na magbabanta ang iba para sirain kami at mapatalsik sa posisyong hawak namin sa hukbong sandatahan ng El Gazveth.

He heaved a sigh, turning his chair to the glass wall in order to face the astounding full moon tonight. "Alam ko ang mga sinabi ko, Elcid. Pero alam mo ba ang tunay na bigat ng trabaho na ibibigay sa inyo?"

Nagkatinginan na lang kami ni Pietro sa naging tugon ni ninong. Batid namin na pawang mahahalagang misyon ang bawat misyon na inaatang sa amin pero ganoon nga ba? Talaga nga bang iba 'to sa mga nabigay sa amin noon? Dahil kung hindi, anong rason ni ninong para magsalita nang ganito kaseryoso? Bakit mas mabibigat pa ang tono niya ngayon kaysa sa araw bago kami unang beses na sumabak sa digmaan?

"Indeed, your parents are one reason why they chose the two of you. This task is like the last blow. Once you messed this up, the Stirlings are done for good. No second chances."

Those last words made our expressions stiff. Him not looking at our direction made things seem more complicated on my part. It's like he wanted us to get the message that we have no choice but to accept this or else... or else...

"Wala na po bang paraan para makatakas kami sa patibong na 'to? Mawalang galang na ho, ninong, pero wala pa po kaming bente anyos para panghawakan ang ganitong kalaking sugal," nag-aalalang singit ng katabi ko.

He left his resting posture and approached our second father's desk. "Can't you help us? What if we fail? Hindi namin maaatim na matanggalan ng badge, medalya, at uniporme sina mama at papa!"

"Pietro, go back to your position."

"Pero kuya!"

Kung tunay ngang malaki ang nakasalalay dito at wala ngang magagawa si ninong para ilihis ang papaambang trahedya sa pamilya namin, isa lang ang natitirang desisyon para sa aming magkapatid. At siguro nga, ito na lang ang natitirang matinong landas na dapat tahakin naming dalawa.

Ang tanggapin ang utos ng nakatataas.

"Then, what's the order, major?" I asked, finally pushing all my chips to the gambling table. My brother looked at me with wide eyes, horrified to my seem-to-be inclination to what those bastards are scheming toward us, Stirlings.

"Kuya! Papakontrol na lang ba tayo lagi sa kanila? For all we know, they could've given an impossible task!"

Tinuunan ko siya ng tingin. "At kapag tinanggihan natin, ano? Anong mangyayari? Refusal to accept an order could earn the Stirlings not only banishment in the military but also a charge of treason!"

Abang napatahimik naman siya sa pagtaas ng boses ko. Hindi ako tanga para hindi malaman ang mga posibleng kahihinatnatan nito kung sakaling magtagumpay man o mabigo kami. There will be further damages on both paths, but completing it is the best choice as it will give us time to think of our next move against the conspirators. We could even find out who the masterminds are along the way if we are to be careful enough.

Major Aguilar then swiftly turned his chair back to its default direction. He stared at me strictly, his eyes as piercing as a spear. He's probably checking if I really have the guts to say 'yes.'

Hindi naman nagtagal ay napabuntong-hininga na lang ito nang sumuko na sa pakikipagtitigan nito. "I treat you both like my own sons. It hurts me that I have to send you two out from the field." Naiiling-iling pa itong napapabulong sa hangin ngunit kalaunan, binuksan rin niya ang kanyang chromer. Nagdulot ito ng bahagyang liwanag at mabilis naman siyang tumipa rito.

"I already sent the details of the task to your respective codes. You may review it before you leave the room so that you can ask any question."

I noticed how he easily pulled the letter out of sight into his drawer before he folds his chromer. Now that's suspicious. He's quite aware that I'm highly attentive to everything I laid my eyes on. So why so careless on displaying a letter he'll soon hide from the shade of light? Before he could trace my look to it, I took my own chromer from my pocket and unfolded it, flashing tolerable light as per the arrival of multiple notifications.

The tips of my fingers rummaged on the information, starting from the aliases we are to disguise with up to the main objective our family has to complete in order to be saved from the brink of being stripped. My brows creased when I discovered that the core of this task's success is guarding two women— women whose identities were not even provided in the files. Does it mean that these people's backgrounds bear risks that even for us their to-be-guards, we cannot be entrusted with?

Napaismid na lang ako habang 'di pa rin makapaniwala sa data na nasa isang kamay ko. "We are being asked to put our lives on line for two women we don't even know? Paano namin malalaman kung may saysay ang gagawin namin kung 'di man lang namin alam kung para saan ang proteksyong ibibigay namin sa kanila? Isn't this way overboard?"

Challenge from the conspirators are not, I guess we have the right to question this part of the bargain. I won't be the first one to willing die for someone whose value is uncertain. Alam ko na kadikit ng trabaho namin ang pagsilbihan ang kahit isang mamamayan pero para sa bagay na pwedeng makasira sa lahat ng pinaghirapan ng kamag-anak namin, hindi ba't patas lang na malaman namin kung para saan ang lahat ng 'to?

"If you can't trust others, then trust me, Elcid. Those two people… they might be the most important subjects you will ever bring to your wings. I'm bound by my duties not to reveal who they really are, but shall you accept not questioning, the war's tides will most likely agree on us."

Then there's one way to look at it.

These two women, Alicia and Lara Edelweiss are trump cards the country is trying to preserve to use once the right moment arises. Therefore, the results of the gamble in this war… and the Stirlings' pride and dignity…

It's upon their hands.