Chapter 52: All Is Well
"Are you out of your mind, Don Martin?"
As soon as I stepped into the conference room, Fidel Contreras’s deafening shout rang out. For a moment, I was completely taken aback, floundering nervously as I tried to insert my arm into the coat I had hastily grabbed from upstairs. It had been decades since anyone had shouted at me so rudely.
I glanced at Señor Paras, the town mayor. I would find no sympathy from him. Florentino simply looked away, staring out the window at the backyard. It seemed Colonel Abad’s warning had been accurate—the two men, usually at odds, had come together in agreement against me.
"What is your problem, Don Contreras? Have you forgotten your manners, that you would shout at me before we’ve even started talking?" I had collected myself and decided to be offended. A quick scan of Martin’s memories confirmed that Fidel had never been this impolite before.
"What’s this I hear from Señor Nieva? You had his grandson marching under the scorching sun like the rest of the rabble you’ve recruited for your little army?" Contreras continued, voice raised. "Where did you get the guts to do such a thing?"
I chuckled in disbelief, straightening the coat now on my shoulders. The adrenaline pumping through my body had made me forget my aching muscles and stiff neck.
"How is another man’s grandson your business, Don Fidel? You don’t know the whole story, and honestly, I don’t feel obliged to explain it to you. I’ll speak with Señor Nieva myself," I answered, stepping closer to make it clear he didn’t intimidate me.
Don Contreras smirked and shook his head. "I’m curious—what exactly do you think you are, Martin?"
"I am an appointed general of the Republic, Fidel. If you want proof, I can show you the letter signed by the Presidente himself in Malolos," I replied through gritted teeth.
Fidel looked as if he were about to respond. He raised his arms, but no words came. He simply huffed in frustration.
"About the school building... Heneral," Florentino broke the silence. He said the word with a hint of sarcasm. "Maestro Rey and his students were shocked to find this morning that they could no longer use the eskwelahan. Your soldiers shooed them away."