Freedom Fighters

52. Regards

October 1959
Santiago, Cuba

Transport had already been arranged for Camilo as soon as he touched down in Santiago's airport. As soon as he got into the arranged car, he questioned the driver on the situation in the city following Fidel's announcement of Huber's arrest on national television yesterday.

The driver answered, "I heard that he has already been arrested by some of his men. They are just waiting to hand him over to you."

Fidel had called Huber a slur of words, including "traitor", and "counterrevolutionary", the usual suspects. But Camilo did not expect the arrest to already have been made. This meant that Fidel had planned this event a long time ago. If so, what was the his goal of allowing him to make the arrest and get the credit?

Was it to punish him? To make him go through the pain of arresting his friend? Possibly... though Fidel was not one to think of such short-sighted whims. Or was there something more sinister...

As the car passed through the streets of Santiago, Camilo noticed many building sites where construction was ongoing. It seemed that the rebuilding project in the city was well underway. They soon reached Santiago's city hall, not so much of a hall, but a gated compound comprising of a few dull grey buildings with square windows lining every level. 

A company of soldiers had been deployed around its perimeter, with a group concentrated at its entrance, preventing the throng of reporters from entering. 

The captain of the soldiers, seeing Camilo's car on the way, yelled at the reporters to make way. The soldiers, carrying batons, helped to marshal the crowd away. The barriers lifted and the car drove right in. 

To Camilo's chagrin, awaiting him in the compound's parking lot, was Huber's aide, Oliverio Chang.

"Oliverio? What are you- did you arrest Huber?" Camilo asked as he got out of the car. 

Oliverio's mouth was set in a hard line. He merely nodded, before saying. "Yes I did, Camilo. Come, follow me. Let me lead you to where Huber is being kept."

As Camilo followed Oliverio into a building, a variety of fluctuating emotions surfaced within him. He did not expect Oliverio to have been the one that initiated Huber's arrest. 

They entered an elevator. Oliverio, noticing Camilo's apparent confusion, said, "As soon as the news was released, I organised some of the ranking commanders together in order to place Huber under military arrest."

"But why?" Camilo's tone was almost pleading. He could not bear to think that the Chinese youth, would be capable of such a thing. 

Oliverio's mouth twitched, and this time the hardened expression he had portrayed broke down in an instant. He inhaled a sharp breath. His face scrunched up, but he sniffed to prevent any tears from falling.

"I... I was ordered to do so by Huber himself. He said... it's for my own good."

Camilo's mouth formed an O as the realisation hit him with a measure of relief and admiration. To give Oliverio the task of arresting him, and securing the kid's safety by distancing himself from him. Huber... he did the regrettably painful but right thing.

The elevator made a ringing sound as it reached the top floor of the building. Oliverio wiped any moisture off his eyes, and resumed his poker face. The door opened, and Camilo could see a crowd of people outside a particular office, where presumably Huber was being held. Many of the men were military men in uniform, the others evidently bureaucrats in suits. They smiled at Camilo as he approached, singing his praises for arresting a "traitor to the state."