"This is the list of the fallen. Leading the 442nd Regint in the aggressive assault on drug traffickers was Edson Alvarez, born in Tlalnepantla, xico. His parents were burned to death by the drug trafficker ’Aviles,’ and his brother, who was a local police officer, was also killed by drug traffickers during a US-xico patrol two years ago..."
Upon getting into the car, Kennedy handed over a thick file. As Victor opened it, Alvarez’s ID photo was revealed. His face looked clean, but perhaps it was the sadness from his childhood that made his eyes appear more determined than those of his peers.
"And the other direct relatives?"
Kennedy shook his head, "They’re all dead."
Victor sighed. In a place like xico, without basic life security, ordinary people simply didn’t have the right to choose death.
Orphans, widows, everywhere you looked.
The governnt was inactive; sotis they even relied on drug traffickers for relief. Imagine, those bastards kill your relatives, and then, fearing you might starve to death, they provide you with basic life benefits. By then... you would probably go mad.
This was also why Victor’s reputation soared after he fought against drugs and opened orphanages and nursing hos!
He was truly xico’s "Savior," the "Pillar of Heaven" in the Latin Arican region.
This is called a mass base.
Victor carefully reviewed the nas of all the fallen, feeling especially somber.
He opened the window to catch so air.
Gazing into the distance...
He could already make out the outline of the industrial district; he even thought he could hear the crying of their families!
Victor...
He was a little afraid.
The sky started to drizzle.
The motorcade proceeded into the industrial district, which was spacious enough to accommodate the morial service. The soldiers of the 442nd Regint stood outside, looking over with complex gazes.
Victor got out of the car, his bodyguard held an umbrella over him, but he gently pushed it away,
With a solemn face, under all the watching eyes, he walked into the morial hall where 278 caskets wrapped in national flags were laid out, and he bowed deeply before each one.
Click!
The accompanying journalists hastily snapped photos.
"The Spine of xico"!
Everyone fell silent, quietly watching him, and with each bow Victor took, it was filled with reverence. After walking past the caskets, he moved to the family area and gave them a serious bow.
The families clung to each other, weeping bitterly.
Next to them stood a podium, and Victor picked up the microphone, stepping out of the morial hall into the rain that was now pouring down harder.
His suit was soon drenched.
"Gentlen!"
"xico is fortunate!"
"It does not lack warriors willing to sacrifice for it!"
Victor, holding the microphone, raising his right hand, said, "But it is also sad, as it has lost 278 soldiers who loved it!"
"I understand very well what we are doing, and I also understand that these 278 warriors are just a part of those sacrificed in the battle against drugs. Perhaps so may ask , why we are fighting this war."
"Gentlen, would you want your children growing up in a drug den? Would you want them to have to hide drugs in their backpacks on their way to school every day? Our sacrifice is only to ensure that our descendants don’t have to worry about drugs!"
"The evil stops with us, xico is greater than us!"
"Sir! What if the war on drugs will never see a tomorrow, if more will be sacrificed?" Vasili shouted from the front ranks.
"There will be! If I die, my son will take my place, and if my son dies, my grandson will take over. The Vieri family will never compromise with drug traffickers, we will always fight the battle against drugs to the end!"
"If I ever compromise with drug traffickers, you can kill . Soldiers, Victor’s last bullet will be aid at his own temple."
"Should Victor fall, please step over my body and advance. The war on drugs needs warriors who will follow one after the other."
"Soldiers, I will erect a monunt in Obregon City. 278 soldiers will be buried here, and a perpetual lamp will be lit every night, inscribed with your nas, so that all xicans will know that your rits will forever be rembered by the nation, and your heroic nas will forever be known!"
Not all xican soldiers are only concerned with money; they too yearn for respect and honor.
"Gentlen!"
"xico is not just mine; it is also yours!"
"Long live xico!"
He raised his hand and shouted, and the soldiers below glanced at each other. Vasili, standing in front, also raised his hand and followed the shout, "Long live xico!"
The sound started scattered and ended in unison.
As if the clouds in the sky had been dispersed by the clamor.
In the rain...
Victor stood, his face flushed as he roared.
Perhaps...
His Anti-Drug Force needed to design a new flag!
One that could represent anti-drug efforts, the people, xico, and hope.
...
In the barracks’ assigned resting room, Victor t with Vasili.
This Estonian-descendant xican had eyes still heavy with grief, bloodshot, for at the xico Hero Academy, he and Alvarez had been dorm mates and also one of the officers to answer his call.
"Mr. Victor!"
Uncertain how to address him because of the different departnts in the military and police, Vasili could only call him that for now.
Victor didn’t mind and smiled, nodding for him to sit down.
"You guys have worked hard."
This simple expression of concern left Vasili feeling overwheld.
Being a soldier sounds good, but who really cared about him?
"I’m deeply grieved by the loss of Alvarez, but I also know that the 442nd was his pride and joy, so I intend to appoint you as the new commander of this unit."
Vasili was stunned.
He thought Victor would send soone to take over.
Was he really leaving the remaining few hundred people to him?
"All benefits will be dispensed as per Baja California police, no more living those impoverished days. In anti-drug efforts, one should also pay attention to their own life."
"I hope you can contact the military in other cities of Sonora State to surrender to our Anti-Drug Force. We are xicans; there’s no reason to fight each other because of drug traffickers. We should be loyal to our country!"
Victor patted his shoulder intimately, "Soldiers should reject unjust wars, shouldn’t they? As long as they surrender, I guarantee the safety of their lives and property."
Those who graduated from the xico Hero Academy had wide connections; a large part of the xican Army were alumni, and that included so within the ranks of drug traffickers who after years of study found trafficking more profitable than their ideals, thus switching sides.
Unpleasant to say, but right now, Vasili was the "Thousand-mile Horse" Victor was ready to launch, and causing internal strife in Sonora State would be ideal.
Vasili didn’t hesitate for a second, "I have schoolmates and upperclassn in Sonora State who are junior officers. I can contact them, persuade them to turn the tide!"
Victor gripped his hand tightly, eyes reddened, "Thank you, on behalf of xico, I thank you!"
Casare stood silently in the background, and even though the words might have been more apt coming from Cuauhtémoc, who knew?
Perhaps...
Soday the boss might beco more aggressive and make another move on xico City.
After all, President Carlos had already set an example.
"Director!"
Jason Bourne ca running in from the doorway, glancing at Vasili.
"It’s alright, speak up, we are among friends."
"There are people from the Arizona National Guard Corps next door."
Victor’s eyebrows shot up; the Aricans are here? Could it be anything good?
"How many?"
"Three people, they say they’ve co to negotiate."
"????"
This left Victor utterly bewildered.
...
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