Republic Reborn: Against the Stars and Stripes-Chapter 107: God’s Avenging Hand

The armed rebellion was kept secret from the public. We did not want panic or instability spreading like wildfire across the island. Don Contreras was instructed to keep the information to himself and ensure that, if there was a leak, it would be immediately tracked and contained. Any sign of disorder had to be crushed before it could take root.

At the Casa Real, information and discussions were confined to the conference room. Isabela remained unaware of Isidro’s abduction—for her own good. She was close to him, and she would be worried sick. And of course, she did not know about our planned assault on Gasan.

In fact, only the civilian officers and their most trusted staff, the senior military officers, and the recruits involved in the assault had been briefed. Everyone else remained in the dark.

So it was to my surprise that Padre Saturnino Trinidad was waiting for me when I returned from Buliasnin. He had offered to conduct Mass for the soldiers before we departed for Gasan.

It was a pleasant and welcome surprise. I discreetly ordered the four platoons, the cadets, and the officers into the cathedral. Father Trinidad gave a heartfelt and passionate sermon, encouraging the soldiers—a change of tone, considering he had not stopped criticizing me every Sunday.

"The pulajanes claim they fight for God, but by their fruits you shall know them. They have slaughtered good Christians. They have martyred priests. They are servants of devils and speak only lies and blasphemy. They place, alongside Christ, the pagan gods of this land... but there is no other God than Christ!"

He spat the words out with righteous anger, and for the first time in a long while, I found myself enjoying his display of eloquence.

"They twist holy names. They wear false amulets and fancy themselves prophets and apostles. Some of them even claim they are invincible to blade and bullet... but hear me now, soldiers of Christ! You will cut through them like sharp bolo knives against blades of grass!"

Near the end of the Mass, he raised a large silver crucifix that glistened in the candlelight.

"Go now, soldiers of the Cross! Your victory is assured! You will go forth with Saint Michael and the angels of Heaven. Should you fall, may you fall in grace. Should you live, live as lights of the Truth."

"In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen."

Dozens of soldiers crossed themselves in unison. The recruits kissed their crucifixes, many of them murmuring quiet prayers. Some wept, silently, their eyes fixed on the altar. It would help morale. Even those who doubted the Church’s authority still found comfort in the idea of divine protection.

I had avoided doing it for several Sundays. But sensing that he had changed his tone toward me, I approached Father Trinidad near the sacristy after the Mass. The stone walls back here were cool and shadowed, the scent of incense thicker.

The priest smiled and offered his hand. I thought I would hesitate—but I didn’t. It was wise to acknowledge his spiritual authority, especially in a land so deeply Catholic. I took his hand and kissed it.

"You shall do God’s work by ridding the province of these cultists, Heneral," the priest addressed me by my rank for the first time.

With a lower and rawer voice, he continued, "I personally know the parish priest in Buenavista. A humble man of God. Pure and kind enough that even heathens should not have any reason to harm him." frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

"Be God’s avenging hand, Heneral," he added, quietly.

"Do not worry, Padre. We shall prevail," I assured him.

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"Papa!" Isabela hugged me as I was about to leave the shed for the boat. "You will come back safe, won’t you?"

I turned around. Her brows were furrowed, and her teary eyes could almost convince me to stay. It seemed I hadn’t fooled my daughter after all. The solemn and quiet demeanor of the soldiers didn’t help—nor how often I sighed on the journey toward the port.

"Of course, hija," I said as I kissed her forehead and hugged her back. "I won’t be gone long. Just a couple days of training."

She stared up at me. There was something in her sorrowful expression that told me she might know more than I thought. But she said nothing, only hugged me tighter.

"Heneral! We must go now!" Vicente called from the water’s edge, near the boat that would take us to the gunboat. We would be using the Garay for the assault, but for the journey to Gasan, we needed faster transportation to arrive before sundown and allow time for final drills and the briefing.

"Alicia," I called out to the girl who stood watching us. She looked just as worried. One of the reasons I didn’t mind her staying in the Casa Real was because she provided company for Isabela while Vicente and I were away—which we would be for months, once we joined the war in Luzon.

The Suárez girl walked toward me, uncertain of what to do next. I reached for her and pulled both girls into my arms.

"Now, I want the two of you to be good girls while I’m gone. Listen to Cabo Garcia. Don’t wander too far from the town center. If you want to go somewhere else, you can go to Buliasnin—but make sure you’re accompanied by guards."

Both of them nodded. It would seem I was now a father of two beautiful and obedient daughters. Perhaps a compensation for having been given a not-so-good son in my past life.

Isabela broke from my hug and pulled something from her bag. Just from the bright colors, I already knew what it was. She handed me the folded Philippine flag I had asked her to sew weeks ago. I had almost forgotten about it.

Then she gave me my cap—the one she borrowed during the training exercise in Landi.

Embroidered along the band was a small sampaguita flower.