Chapter 20: Hope

9:30 p.m. July 21st, 2023.

On the twenty-fifth floor, Lisa and her classmates remained together in the same unit. In the next few days, the three have to go to another unit with Denise, Angela, and Ella only remaining in the unit.

“Mom? Oh, thank god you answered!” Angela exclaimed in relief. “I have been trying to contact you since morning. I thought I lost you…I’m okay mother. I’m safe here. Where am I? I’m at Lisa’s condo, it’s a safe zone, there is a military protecting this place.”

“Father? Are you with mom and sister?” Denise asked, on the telephone with her father. “Father…don’t worry about me, I’m safe here in the Oriental Condominium. I will ask Lisa’s brother if it’s possible to rescue you…”

And the rest of the girls were communicating with their parents. But Lisa had no luck. She had been trying a lot of times and was beginning to worry that something bad had happened to them.

She’s desperate to call them, as her cellular network and internet connection aren’t stable, so she might not have a chance to reach out to them.

“Brother…” Lisa’s voice was a mere whisper. The only viable solution to ensure their parents’ safety rested on Richard’s shoulders, relying on him to dispatch a rescue team to their house in Montalban. Her brother had assured her of his intentions to conduct the operation, but since his speech earlier that morning, she hadn’t been able to reach out to him.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Lisa rose from her seat and made her way towards the door. She peered through a peephole and saw a man in active military dress.

She opened the door and spoke. “What can I do for you, officer?”

“Miss, the Commander-in-Chief wished to see you in the command center,” the soldier said.

Her brother calling her? What could her brother want with her? Is it the rescue operation of their parents? It could be.

“Okay let me get dressed,” Lisa said.

“Take your time miss,” the soldier said and Lisa closed the door.

“What is it?” Denise asked.

“My brother wants to see me. I need to look decent, I don’t think my brother would want me entering his office wearing this…” she said looking at the window, showing the reflection of her outfit, tight jean shorts and crop top.

“Yeah…you are too revealing,” Angela observed. “You are going to give your brother a hard time there. I believe there is a blouse and a short skirt in the wardrobe.”

“You guys are wearing all of my clothes…” Lisa said as she let out a soft chuckle.

Lisa changed into the more modest attire and looked at the mirror one last time.

“Okay this will do,” Lisa said. “I have to go everyone, I’ll be back shortly…I think.”

“Wait Lisa,” Denise said as she walked over to her and passed her a note. “Lisa, please give this to your brother,” Denise said earnestly, “It’s the address of my parent’s location.”

“I’ll make sure to pass this on to Richard,” Lisa replied.

“Me too, Lisa,” Angela stepped forward, holding out another note. “My parents are at this address.”

And the rest of them copied Denise and handed Lisa a note of their parent’s address.

“I can’t guarantee you guys but I’ll do my best,” Lisa said. “I have to go now, my brother must be waiting for me.”

With that, Lisa left and followed the soldier.

Up on the thirty-second floor, Lisa arrived at the command center, and she gasped in awe. It looked like a command center from military movies with a flat television screen dominating the walls. Computers and communication equipment staffed by personnel. As she was looking around, she spotted her brother, who was waving his hand, beckoning her to join him.

“Lisa, glad you could make it,” Richard greeted her with a warm smile. “Sorry if I couldn’t speak to you earlier, I was sleeping.”

“Well, you needed to rest brother, no need to apologize,” Lisa said bashfully.

Richard chuckled and noticed a bundle of notes in her hands. “What’s that?”

“Ahh…this,” Lisa explained, holding up the notes. “It’s the address where my classmates” parents are located. They want me to give them to you, hoping that you can rescue them.”

“Give it to me,” Richard said, extending his hand to take the notes.

Lisa handed her the notes and Richard scanned the addresses quickly. “Hmm…they are not as far as I thought. Okay, once we are finished rescuing our parents, I’ll send a rescue team to this address.”

“Wait…brother? You are going to rescue our parents now?”

“Yes,” Richard confirmed.

Lisa’s heart swelled with pride for her brother. She stepped forward, unable to contain her emotions, and enveloped him in a tight hug. Richard’s initial surprise gave way to a warm embrace as he returned the gesture.

“I have been trying to call them brother,” Lisa said. “But they won’t answer. I’m scared…”

“Don’t worry, we’ll see their situation soon enough,” Richard said in a composed tone.

Lisa released her brother from her embrace and asked. “So, brother, why did you call me here?”

“Well, I figured we can watch the operation together,” Richard revealed as he rose to his feet. He grabbed Lisa by the arm and made their way to the center, in front of the flat television screen installed on the walls.

There, different camera pov’s of soldiers were displayed. Lisa watched closely and noticed something.

“Brother…there are three helicopters. I thought you only had two,” Lisa asked.

“Well we have a lot of assets,” Richard replied furtively. “That new helicopter is an attack helicopter that will support the rescue team.”

Lisa furrowed her brows. Just who is her brother? How come he has a private military company that has expensive-looking military aircraft? It’s just confusing her more. She wanted to know but her brother won’t tell her.

Moments later, the intercom crackled to life.

“Eagle Actual, this is Specter-1, do you read?”

“This is Eagle Actual, we read you loud and clear,” Richard replied. “What’s the situation?”

“Eagle Actual, we are boarding the helo. We’ll be airborne in T-minus one mike. Jolly 1 and 2, and Viper 1 is fueled up and spooled, ready to pop smoke.” 𝘦.𝘰𝘳𝑔

“Copy that, Specter-1. Good luck, and may the wind be at your six. Out.”

Lisa looked up at her brother, confused as she didn’t understand what they were talking about. But it sounded cool.

The two Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and Bell AH-1Z Viper main rotors began picking up speed as Lisa and Richard watched the live feed on the screen.

Moments later, the helicopters began to lift off the ground, and soared into the night sky, their lights cutting through the darkness. The camera angles shifted, giving a glimpse of the city below from the perspective of the helicopters’ night-vision cameras.

“It changed a lot,” Lisa mumbled.

Richard reached for her hand with his and held it gently.

“Ahh…” Lisa gasped softly and looked at her brother again.

“It’s going to be fine,” he said and Lisa faintly blushed.