NERVES OF STEEL

CHAPTER 4- MAJOR ALVARIN

                    The next morning, the jet had landed and Russo Fedorcenko stepped off the private plane, his gaze scanning the property as his entourage fell in line. A convoy of black SUVs awaited, engines humming. Flanked by heavily armed security. Without a word, he got into the car at the middle and they drove him towards his estate.

                 The estate sprawled across aces of  across acres of pristine land, surrounded by high walls of and cutting-edge security. The Montero Mansion stood in the middle of the glorious landscape. It was an architectural masterpiece-modern, sleek, with towering glass windows. As the convoy arrived from the airport, the heavy iron gates swung open in perfect synchronization.

              Servants lined the entrance, head bowed and eyes lowered in deference. The car came to a stop and out came Russo, making his way inside. At the door, the head butler greeted him with a respectful nod.

"Welcome home, sir."
"Is my Father in?" He asked.
"The General is in his study, sir." Replied the butler.

           Without another word, Russo made his way upstairs. The marble floors  gleamed under the bright chandeliers and lavish furnishings lined the living room as well as the  expensive hallways filled with military portraits of his father and himself.

               Everything was just as he had left it, five years ago. Too bad, he wasn't always out in the field and barely settled in one place. Reaching the door to his Father's study, he knocked.

"Come in...." He heard from the inside.
"Good morning, Father." Russo greeted as he came into the confines of the room.
"You're home. Welcome, son." Marcov shared a hug with him.
"I was informed about the uproar at the northern region."
"It's everywhere, son."
"Then this is bad news."
"Let the people criticize all they want, they would eventually shut their goddamn gutters when they get tired." Marcov said.
"Sounds like we've got more pressing issues at hand."
"Yes, indeed. Just two days ago, I received a threat from the Shadows Anatchist. Demanding for a change in government."
"What the hell?" Russo was no doubt surprised as well as displeased. "For fuck's sake weren't they paid enough to shut up the last time?"
"It seems they've decided to take on the tactic of blackmail."
"What do they want this time?"
"I have no idea. Although they did threaten to bring war to us."
"I won't let that happen."
"You have an idea?"
"Yes. I'll go to them."
"No!"
"Yes, Father."
"That's dangerous and I won't risk it."
"I'm going to try and negotiate with those scumbags Father and if they agree, we might just have them off our necks for good."
Marcov contemplated for a while. "Take some men with you. Make sure you don't go alone."
"Ofcourse."

               The M.A fields was filled to the brim that afternoon. The Commander was to give his first speech that day after five years. Every single prominent member of the military was present.

                 After the ceremony was over, Russo decided to go oversee the progress as well as the facilities of the Army. He first arrived at the Training Facility that afternoon. He had a personal escort show him around.

"Good day, Commander. Good to have you back." Warner was all smiled as he shook hands with the latter.
"Colonel..." Russo nodded. "...I must say that I'm very impressed with your work here."
Warner only smiled. "It's all for the service."
"My Father indeed made the perfect decision putting you in charge of the Training Center."
"I'm honored that you think so."
Footsteps could be heard coming in through the door and the men turned.
"Ah there she is." Warner said. "Meet my daughter, Major Alvarin."
"Welcome back, sir."

            Diane made the salute gesture, standing at attention. God! The Man was tall. She thought. She had seen pictures of him once or twice before but meeting him in person was....different.

            Enthusiastic almond fawn eyes and mid length brown hair tied into a ponytail was all he could see. Given that He had never set his eyes on the Colonel's child, he had the expectations of someone else.

"I thought Major Alvarin was.....a Man." Russo said, turning to Warner who was now trying hard to discard the look of embarrassment on his face.
"Well, no." He simply said. "Diane Alvarin, my daughter."
"So you never had a son?"

             Diane looked from the Commander to her father. The tension was more than evident and she started to wish she had just stayed behind instead.

"No." Warner finally said.
"Hm. Oh well," Russo shrugged. "It would have been a wonder to have another of you work in the service but all the same."
"Sir...." An officer suddenly alerted him. "....time's up. We'd better start leaving or we might not have enough time for the next venue."
Russo only nodded, shook hands with Warner one more time before taking his leave.

8:30pm.

"Argh! Argh!!"

                Diane grunted as she kept unleashing her frustrations on the punching bag hanging from the ceiling of the clapboard space in the backyard. A small training space her dad had built when she was just ten but tonight all she wanted to do was let it all out but why won't the stupid thing rip open!

Stay behind the Men!
Sometimes the fact that you're a woman should humble you.
Do I really have to spell it out for you, Diane?

                Her father's words from before kept ringing in her ears with every hard punch. Her fists were hurting but hell! Who cares? Certainly not the Commander who was disappointed to realize that she wasn't a Man.

I thought Major Alvarez was....a Man.
It would have been a wonder to have another of you work in the service.

              "Screw him! Screw them all." Sometimes she wished she hadn't joined the military. Then, the pressure wouldn't have been so heavy on her poor Father. But then again, she loved the army.

               She had worked so hard to get to the position she was today but these days, she was starting to have second thoughts. With her adrenaline pumping and her breathing growing heavy, leading to her muscles tiring out, she held the punching bag with both hands and leaned her head on it, panting.

How about you just quit, Diane?

"Sweetheart?"
She turned around to the voice behind her.
"Hey, mom."
Tanya moved to her daughter, holding a water bottle in her hand. "Did you have a fall out with your father?"
Diane took the bottle from her mother. Corked open the cover and emptied the contents on her head instead.
"He barely lets out how he feels but its still evident."
"Oh sweetie. Are things not working out?"
"Honestly mom, they're not." She sighed.
"I'm sorry. Your father...he's hard on you because..."
"....because he'd rather have a son instead." Diane cut her mom short.
"Don't say that, honey." Tanya held her hands, affectionately. "You're just as equal as any son would be."
"But I'm not mom." She said, voice breaking. "Sometimes I see the pride in Dad's eyes. Sometimes he's proud of me. Sometimes, I seem to fill in that vacuum of a son but then at other times, it all comes to a crashing end."
"Diane...."
"And it's not just Dad. It seems to be everyone these days. To hell with it all mom, I'm tired."
"Come here." Tanya pulled her daughter in for a hug and Diane found temporary comfort in her mother's arms like always. With a heavy sigh, she pulled away.
"Mom?"
"Yes, honey?"
"I'm moving out."
"What? But why? It certainly hasn't gotten to this."
"I only stayed behind all this time because I didn't want you to feel lonely but now, I think Dad would accord me a little respect if I lived under my own roof and survived on my own."
"You're not saying what I think you are."
"Yes, mom. I'm not going to accept any financial help from you or dad from now on."
"Oh, Diane. For how long has this been going on?"
"I'm sorry, mom and I love you. I'm leaving tonight, tell dad what happened."
"If it's your decision then you have my full support."
"Thank you. I knew you'd understand.
"But can nothing I say make you change your mind?"
Diane shook her head sideways with a wiry smile, she closed the distance between them both and hugged her mother once more.
"I love you, mom."
"I love you too, sweetie."