Encounter in Strife

Chapter 4: Warning

Tuesday Morning
 
Just after breakfast, Drake went to Zula's home to see if she was ready. Well, he already knew and expected that Zula would be late; of course, she's a woman, and she needed the time to prepare.

All the women in Drake's life—his mother, his cousins, and his exes— always needed extra time to put on whatever they thought would make them look great before actually coming out. So basically, Zula was no different at all since she's a woman as well.
 
That's what Drake thought; however, he was surprised to see Zula closing the door of her house with a first aid kit on her arms.
 
Drake was speechless; not only was Zula on time, but she was way too gorgeous. She tied her scarlet hair in a ponytail. She's wearing a simple white t-shirt, tucked into a pair of high-waisted black skinny jeans, and a pair of black leather jungle boots.

Her clothes complimented her slender body, highlighting her long legs and tiny waist.
She's not even wearing any make-up, but her natural dark eyes and rosy lips made her look sweet and savage. She's too simple, but ecstatic.
 
"I hope I wasn't late." Upon hearing her voice, Drake came back to his senses.
 
"Ah-n-noo, you're not. Let's go," he said, and he immediately went into the driver's seat.
 
Zula followed and sat in the front passenger's seat.
 
Ryan and the two other officers who are watching them from the back of the truck can't help but smile. They can't deny the fact that Drake and Zula may be the most beautiful couple ever.
 
 
The soldiers are all in their combat uniforms, each carrying a rifle. They even filled their pockets with ammo, grenades, knives, a gun, and a satellite phone.

Tucking up the sleeves of his combat jacket, Drake's strong arms, which are getting toned whenever he moves the steering wheel, caught Zula's attention.

His visuals are also extraordinary. Even in side view, with a hat on, he still looks as handsome as ever. Drake has a sharp jawline, fair skin, and redish lips—a face that doesn't even look like it belongs to a soldier.
 
Zula thought that he would also be successful if he pursued modeling or entered the world of entertainment.
 
 
"This is way beyond my expectations." Drake said this in disbelief when they arrived.
 
All he imagined was that it was a poor village with kids asking for alms all around; he thought it was the typical village full of hunger and suffering.
But when he saw all the developments—the presence of a school, the cleanliness, and the hygiene—he was so amazed.
 
Ryan and his companions are mesmerized as well. They can't believe that people with good will managed to construct a building in the middle of a vast jungle.

***

Well-groomed children came running towards Zula with beautiful smiles. The villagers also greeted her with hugs and smiles upon her arrival.

"Hello, how are you guys?" She asked the children"We're fine, sister Zula."

"By the way, do you know where the village chief is? This uncle here wants to tell him something very important," Zula said while pointing at Drake.

Drake subconsciously raised one of his eyebrows when he heard the word 'uncle' while looking questionably at Zula.

Ryan and the other soldiers, who are just behind them, are trying their best to suppress their laughter.

The children told them where the chief was, so Drake and Zula immediately went to him.

"Chief, how are you?" Zula immediately asked when he saw the chief standing in the graveyard of the village.

"I miss my wife, but here I am, still alive and kicking; maybe she doesn't miss me as much as I miss her." The chief said it as a joke, but the longing in his voice can't be denied.

"Chief, there you go again with your silly jokes. I'm sure she misses you a lot, but she can't have you right now because she knows the village needs you more than she does," Zula said, which made the chief smile.

Silence filled the atmosphere as the air gently tapped on the beeds that were covering the chief's face, making a beautiful harmony like that of a wind chime.

After a while, Drake told the chief that he needed everyone to gather as he was going to announce something important.
 
The chief, upon looking at Zula and Drake, already had a hint of what they might tell the crowd. With that, he gladly ordered all of the families to gather—men, women, children, and the elderly.

***
A few moments later, everyone gathered at the school building, including Ryan and the other soldiers. They are all seated while staring at Drake and Zula, who are standing in front.
 
 
"Hello everyone, I've brought here today Lieutenant Colonel Drake Nara, as he has something very important to tell you."
 
 
Drake was about to speak; however, he was interrupted by the tribe's chief.
 
"Well, of all the things that you've done for us, organizing the event would not be a problem at all. We will give you the grandest celebration our tribe could ever offer."
 
Upon hearing that, the natives immediately agreed.
Zula was confused, as were Drake and the soldiers.
 
"Chief, I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're talking about," Zula asked with an awkward smile.
 
"He is talking about your holy matrimony with Mr. Soldier; it's about time, my dear."
One of the elders said it heartily with a motherly smile.
 
 
Hearing this, Ryan and his fellow officers can't help but smile and giggle. Soldiers are trained not to display any emotion, but this is way too far to hold in.

Zula, on the other hand, is speechless. Her pale cheeks turned red. That was the greatest humiliation she ever encountered in public. She even lost the courage to look at Drake.
 
Drake, given his personality, shouldn't have minded it, but he finds himself fighting his urge to smile and laugh. He really doesn't understand why this woman, Zula, is making him soft and fragile. She's making him lose his dignity as the soldier who is looked upon by people for being ferocious and indomitable.
 
 
"I'm sorry, but I think you misunderstood; we knew each other just recently, and they are here for a mission. We came here not for marriage; we're not even in any kind of relationship. We're here to warn you of the danger ahead."

Zula explained gently while hiding her embarrassment. At that very moment, she wished to  fade like a vapor in the air.
 
 
This time, the crowd seemed disappointed, but they couldn't do anything. They can't force their dearest Zula to marry someone she doesn't love, even if they look perfect together.
 

"I'm here personally to remind you that, as of this moment, this village is not safe. That's why I deployed a platoon to guard the area. I am warning you not to go anywhere too far from your village. And if something happens, just approach one of the soldiers."
 
"In the event of unprecedented events, we will order you to evacuate to an underground bunker that we have built for your safety. The soldiers will soon train you on the proper way to evacuate. I hope everyone will cooperate."

Drake's voice is intimidating. He hasn't even shown any emotions from the moment he arrived.

 
That's the reason why the villagers' impression on him was a bossy and angry commander.

The children however, looked up to him with awe and amazement.
 Drake is cool and handsome, and he just gave them  the power to dream—the dream to be someone as strong as him, someone who protects and saves.
 

Seeing the anxious looks of the villagers with the danger and uncertainty, Zula immediately took action to comfort them.
 
"Ladies and gentlemen, don't worry too much; these soldiers are here to guarantee your safety, and of course, I'm also here to help in case of emergencies. Just follow their instructions, and you'll be fine."
 
The natives then realized how fortunate they are to have someone who protects them.

The soldiers are ready to risk their lives just to keep them safe. Upon realizing the value of the men in uniforms, the natives immediately offered their gratitude to Drake and to all the soldiers who were present.