4

St. Luke's Medical Center

Taguig City, Philippines

It was a sight Koko Hekmatyar dreaded all her life.

Akihiko Tojo is lying on the intensive care unit, surrounded by tubes and wire, connected to life-saving equipment. His face is swollen and heavily bandaged. His torso is also heavily wrapped in bandages. Doctors did an amazing job saving his life, but the damage caused by a single bullet and several explosions took its toll on the Japanese warrior.

"How is he?" a sympathetic voice asked behind Koko.

Koko turned and saw her brother Kasper Hekmatyar. "He is still in a coma," Koko replied sadly. "The doctor said he was very lucky, as the bullet missed his heart by millimeters. Still, he is 50-50. If he makes it, he may not be the same as before." Left unsaid was Tojo may end up in a vegetative state, if ever he survives.

"I'm so sorry, Koko," Kasper said, putting his hand on Koko's shoulder. "Let's make sure he receives the best medical care."

"Yeah. I'm making preparations to send him to Switzerland."

"Tojo is strong; he is going to make it. I'll be sending a hospital plane to the airport so we can transport him to Geneva."

Koko nodded. "Thank you, brother. If you'll excuse me, I have to meet my men."

Koko stepped outside of the ICU and walked on a corridor. Her bodyguards are on a single room. No one escaped unscathed from their encounter with Hex. They all survived by jumping into an empty drainage ditch but all of the HCLI commandos received cuts, bumps, bruises and burns. Aside from Tojo, the most serious casualty is Wiley who had a concussion and has to stay for another day in the hospital. Luckily, the others are now well enough to go home.

As Koko rounded the corner, she saw Jonah sitting on the floor, looking dejected. Koko approached her young soldier. "Jonah? What's wrong?" she asked.

Jonah looked up. Koko was surprised when she saw something that she had never seen before. The hard-as-nails kid has tears in his eyes.

"It's my fault, Koko," Jonah sobbed. "Tojo got hurt because of me."

Koko hugged Jonah. "Lehm already told me what happened. It is not your fault."

"But…if I hadn't shoot Hex in haste, Tojo would have never been injured."

"You don't know that. Sometimes, even the best warriors make mistakes. Besides, Tojo and all of you understood the risk of this job. It is not your fault, Jonah…it's mine."

Jonah looked up to his boss. "Koko…"

Koko shifted her gaze. "Let's go inside. We have something to talk about."

Jonah wiped the tears from his eyes as Koko opened the door of the room and entered it. Her bodyguards are there, battered and bruised but still looking tough. "Everyone feel comfortable?" Koko asked.

"Yes, Koko," Lehm replied. "The doctors here are excellent."

"Yeah," Lutz agreed. "The nurses are cute too."

"We are ready, Koko," Valmet said with an eagerness to her voice. "Send us back in. We will hunt Hex and make her pay for nearly killing Tojo."

Lehm nodded in agreement. "This time, we will make sure that bitch will rot in hell."

But Koko shook her head. "It's not going to happen, guys."

Everyone was surprised by her reply. "But Koko," Lutz began. "Hex already killed Echo. She killed R. Now we don't even know if Tojo is going to survive."

"That is exactly why you are not going after her. I don't want anyone of you to get hurt anymore."

Lehm shook his head incredulously. "What are you saying, Koko?"

Koko walked closer to them. "We've been together for so very long. We traveled the world. We encountered and overcame many adversities. We lost our comrades, yet we shared many happy moments together. Lehm, Valmet, Lutz, Wiley, Ugo, Mao, Tojo, and Jonah, you guys are more than my bodyguards. You are my family."

"Koko…" Valmet said, choking her word like its vomit.

"Nothing last forever, guys," Koko said, her voice quivering. "Even family." She turned away from her stunned bodyguards. "Don't think that I am abandoning you. I am not. I just can't live with the fact that someday, you will all die because of me. I made sure you and your families can live the rest of your lives in peace. I deposited two million dollars on all of your bank accounts."

Lutz rocketed up her chair and smashed his hands on the table. "This is bullshit, Koko! You are firing us because we fucked up and Tojo got shot?"

"You did not fuck up and I am not firing you. Call this your retirement." Koko opened the door and exited the room.

"Wait, Koko!" Valmet said as she tried to follow but she was stopped by Lehm.

"We have to leave her alone, Valmet," Lehm said softly.

"But-."

Lehm shook his head. "Koko is under extreme duress because of what happened to Tojo. She just needs time to get her shit together."

Mao stood up. "But what about us? What do we do now?"

Jonah stepped forward. He uttered one word in Pashto.

"Badal."

"Badal? That means revenge, right?" Lehm asked.

Jonah nodded. "It is more than revenge. Its the duty for revenge. For justice."

Lehm agreed. "Badal, then."