Samar was more than ready to continue the battle with Aquino and Mikaso of the new ruling UNIDO party, and he did stage several raids against army barracks in Cagayan de Oro and Davao, but times were changing. The Philippines were immersed in abject poverty, the Communists were veering out of control, and foreign investment was slipping away. To keep the republic from destroying itself from within, Corazon Aquino had held out her hand in peace to the two main warring factions, and Samar eagerly accepted it. In return for peace, and to prevent Mindanao from splitting off from the rest of the Philippines, Samar, once considered no greater than a dirty rodent in the wild jungles of Mindanao, became the Second Vice President of the Philippines, constitutionally third in line of succession for the presidency. Five provinces in central and eastern Mindanao — Cotabato, Davao, Bukidnon, Agusan, and Suri- gao — became one free state, with its own legislature and militia, and Samar became its first governor.
Now this man was suddenly on the run again. He was as surprised as everyone by the Chinese invasion, and by the time he rallied his forces it was too late to save Zamboanga and Cotabato. But Davao had to be saved.
The water in the paper pan began to boil — the paper
The rebel leader shook his head. “I have tasted your American emergency rations — I lived on it for several months once. I have had my fill.” Even though the man was smiling, the tone of voice described a very unpleasant experience.
It was Samar who had ordered Bowman to be untied and for him to be allowed to use the items in his survival kit.
“What are you going to do with me… us?” Bowman asked Samar.
“I do not know,” Samar said. “It may not matter in any case. We may all be captured at sunrise. The Chinese are all around us.”
“Then why don’t you run?” Bowman said. “Head back for the hills and the jungle. I know we’re near the coast — I can hide out until help arrives.”
“Help does not appear to be at hand,” Samar said. “We took an awful chance coming here, and we have failed.” He turned to Bowman and said, “You must leave your crewman here.”
“No way…”
“He will slow us down. The jungle will be too thick…”
“I’m
Samar shoved a raised hand in his face to silence him, then stomped on Bowman’s aluminum cookstove to extinguish the fire. Bowman heard nothing, but after six years of flying F-14s off aircraft carriers, he wouldn’t be surprised if his hearing had deteriorated. He moved to his feet and went over to hoist Miller onto his back, but two of Samar’s troops restrained him and snapped handcuffs on his wrists, binding his hands in front of his body. “You can’t do this, Samar…”
“Be silent.” He raised his rifle, scanning the skies to the east… then stopped. Bowman followed his gaze. Far off on the horizon, toward the northeast, three specks, arranged in a tight diamond formation, were highlighted against the dawning sky. “Chinese patrol helicopters. Pray they haven’t found us…”
The diamond formation was heading south, about a mile offshore, but the specs suddenly began to wheel right toward the coastline.
“Damn. They must have triangulated our radio transmissions…”
“Radio transmissions…?”
“Silence. Stay here.” Samar hurried off into the thicket toward his perimeter guards. He returned ten seconds later. “Three men are running north to create a diversion. The rest say they will fight. I wanted you to know that. There’s an inlet about three hundred meters away; we must reach it before the helicopters arrive. Run for your life.” Samar wheeled and dashed into the thicket, keeping as many trees as possible between him and the oncoming helicopters. Bowman followed close behind but was immediately passed by four of Samar’s soldiers. Soon Bowman lost sight of the five men and could do nothing else but trust his hearing to tell which direction they were heading.
It seemed they had been running only for a few seconds when suddenly a ripple of explosions behind him threw Bowman to the slimy jungle floor. Two of the helicopters were shredding the forests with rocket fire; the third was hovering offshore, scanning the trees for the rebel soldiers. Bowman heard animal-like screams from the jungle as the Chinese rockets found their targets — the three rebel soldiers that were acting as decoys.
Bowman struggled to his feet. He was about to run when a dark figure body-tackled him to the ground. “Stay down!” Samar cried. He pressed something into Bowman’s hands — it was his PRC-23D survival radio from his survival kit. “Use this when the time comes—”
“Wait! What are you—”
