During the initial American attack, he and Tanigawa had gone back to the legislative building to organize the counterattack, hurling their men at the small American force. By the time that they could rejoin the attack, the Americans had retreated, climbing the wall at the end of what appeared to be an alley running between the larger buildings on this side of the street. Running like the cowards they were.
Major Tanigawa did not seem interested in pursuing the Americans, so Inaba had little choice but to do as he was told. Also, he suspected that the major was correct. The patrol that had been probing their position was not strong enough to pose any real threat or storm the legislative building itself. It was only a matter of time before US forces reached them in greater numbers, or unleashed their air force or artillery against Japanese positions.
“Major, where are we going?” Inaba could not help but ask.
Major Tanigawa smiled. “Hunting,” he said.
Major Tanigawa led his men into the city, shooting any civilian on sight. Others were put to the bayonet. Whether the victim was gray haired, or a woman or child, didn’t matter. Anyone they caught was slain. These civilians were only trying to flee the fighting and get themselves or their families to safety.
Even soldiers who ordinarily would have shown restraint found themselves driven on in their killing spree by the officers and by their fellow soldiers.
When they’d finally had enough, the major brought his men back to the legislative building. His troops were now in a bloodthirsty mood, and their eyes fell upon the prisoners, under guard by a few men that they had left behind.
“Should we finish them off?” Sergeant Inaba asked. “These prisoners have troubled us long enough.”
The major shook his head. “Not yet,” he said. “They may still have some value to us. As long as we have the prisoners, the Americans may wait to shell this building.”
Inaba nodded. As usual, the major was thinking two steps ahead of him.
“Make sure the men eat well,” the major said, referring to the captured foodstuffs they had found. “Allow them a few bottles of sake. One way or another, this fight will end tomorrow.”
As the light began to fade, Patrol Easy moved to hole up for the night in the ruins of an old house. Perhaps the house had once been grand, but the stucco facade was now scorched and cracked, ravaged by war in addition to the neglect brought on by the years of Japanese occupation. It might even be said that the battered house very much resembled the mood of the snipers.
Currently, the dwelling’s chief attribute was that the house had thick walls and barred windows that would keep out enemy infiltrators during the night. In a sense, the house was a small fortress within the walled city itself.
Compounding the soldiers’ exhaustion was the fact that the fight for Intramuros had not been going well. The Japanese had sworn to fight to the last man, and so far they were living up to that pledge. The code of the samurai warrior seemed to beat in the heart of every Japanese in this city. For them, there would be no surrender. The battered army troops were getting frustrated by their losses. Consequently, it was only a matter of time before the full brunt of the US Army’s massive artillery firepower was brought to bear on the city. If they hoped to rescue the hostages, Patrol Easy was running out of time.
Inside the temporary shelter of the house, the patrol was licking its wounds, both literal and figurative. The Japanese enemy had chewed them up royally today, seemingly always one step ahead of them, as if reading their minds. It was not only frustrating; it had been costly to life and limb, with one of the Filipino snipers having been killed and one wounded. Deke himself had suffered a minor wound — he knew that it could have been much worse.
They all felt battered after today, but they could not yet give up. Tomorrow they faced a stark reality. They would have to find the hostages early in the day or watch as the old walled city was obliterated along with anyone inside it — hostages included.
Why were they even bothering? It was a good question. Of course, the boy’s father was one of the hostages, but that wasn’t the only reason to try to get them back. It was just the idea that the hostages were somehow an extension of home. Also, the Japanese had tricked them and gone back on their word by not releasing the hostages. When Deke thought of that snake Major Tanigawa and his henchman Sergeant Inaba, he felt himself getting angry all over again.
