October 1956
Tuxpan, Mexico

As he joined the gathering at the barn, Dario basked in the Mexican sunlight with the afterglow radiating off his skin in bounds. He grinned from teeth to teeth as he recalled the events of last night. It seemed unreal, to the extent that he reckoned that it was perhaps the happiest night of his life. Juanita was absolutely beautiful, more than he ever thought she would be. Her skin was smooth and soft like a goose-feathered pillow. The way her eyes melted as he gazed into them... it made his heart flutter and his legs weak. His thoughts distracted him from one playful youth sneaking up on him.

Feeling a finger against his cheeks, he attempted to swat it away, rolling his eyes.

"Hey. Stop daydreaming," Camilo teased. "Thinking about your favourite Castro?"

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are. I see the lust in your eyes."

"Shut with your nonsense, Camilo."

The tall youth ignored the comment and leaned in, nudging his red-faced friend with his elbow, wriggling his eyebrows. 

"So, how was the night? Wonderful? So good that you did not return back to our tent?"

Dario shook his head dismissively and turned away, only to feel a strong arm clutch him from under his chin, tightening it into another headlock. 

"Ugh! Stop it! Let me go!" he wailed, flinging his arms around wildly to no avail. The antics of the duo drew incredulous glances from the dozens of comrades around them. 

"Little bastard. You went to her tent after the dinner, didn't you?"

"Yes. Yes. You already knew, damn it! Now let me go!"

Dario gasped for air as soon as Camilo released his arms. His fingers went straight to his throat and chin, massaging the painful spots. He turned back and glared at his friend, only for the charismatic youth to return a wide smile that dispelled any possible feelings of enmity. He looked around, feeling conscious of the ruckus they had just caused. Looks of amusement and confusion greeted him as he muttered his apologies.

"Hello." An unmistakable female voice greeted them from behind.

"Hello there Juanita!" Camilo returned the greeting with an overly healthy dose of enthusiasm. "What brings you to us today? Oh no, let me guess. Hmm... is it perhaps lover boy here?"

Juanita chuckled at the sarcastic remarks. "Oh stop jesting."

Dario massaged his throat in mock disgust. "He doesn't just jest. He's incredibly violent too."

"Violent?" Juanita smiled, raising her eyebrows in amusement. "Well, that's exactly what the Movement needs, isn't it not?"

Camilo guffawed, slapping Dario on his back. "Are you perhaps subtly hinting he was too gentle last night?"

Juanita reddened up immediately, lost for words. "No... I... no I wasn't..."

Dario elbowed his friend in the ribs. "Just shut up sometimes, will you?"

Camilo grinned as he rubbed his ribs in pain before directing their attention towards the front and exclaiming, "Look it's Che!"

 A wave of murmurs rode through the revolutionaries standing in wait around front of the barn, the same spot where Fidel gave his return speech. The doctor strode out of the barn's double doors to the front of the crowd, followed by Fidel. Just that very morning, the message had been relayed that there was an announcement to be made regarding the plans for the landing, and so the revolutionaries gathered here standing in wait, all attention on their leaders. He took his position, smiling at the revolutionaries while Fidel stood behind him, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Greetings comrades!" Che hailed the revolutionaries and was met with cheers. "I have gathered you all here today because the plan for our homecoming is out. You all know the need for us to leave Mexico as soon as possible. And so, for a few days now, Fidel, Raul and myself have thought of various plans to..." 

As Che continued with his talk, Fidel looked in Dario's direction and fixed his gaze upon his sister. Nodding, he gestured for her to come over. A look of confusion flashed across her eyes before they disappeared in an instant. She gave Dario's hands one last squeeze before nudging her way through the crowd towards the leader. Although Dario was curious, he knew better than to follow. With a sigh, he returned his attention back to Che. 

"So, we currently have a single boat, a yacht named Granma waiting for us in a nearby port. Our plan is to board it within the next month, on the exact date of November 25th. That is the realistic timeline we have come up with to prepare the ground there back home for us. We have chosen a town called Niquero of the Oriente province in the Southwest of the island. From there, we will travel to the Sierra Maestra Mountains of the South. We believe that the best chance we have against Batista is to hold out in the mountains."

Che paused to allow the news to sink into the minds of the revolutionaries. It seemed daunting, but Dario found the plan reasonable and agreeable. There was never any hope in a conventional war with the dictator. The difference in numbers and equipment was far too vast for any rebel group to overcome. A guerilla war based in the vast mountain range of the Sierra Maestra seemed like a more feasible option. Besides, the second largest city of Santiago was considerably close to the mountains too, making it a viable target should the revolution gain traction. Dario processed all this knowledge and nodded. Fidel had thought it through. The only thing that he feared would be the hard life living in the thick jungle. Being a urban-dweller his entire life did not prepare him for this. But then again, since when had life prepared him for anything?

"The Sierra Maestra I see," Camilo commented beside him. "It's said from times of old that whoever controls the Sierra Maestra mountains will control Cuba. The terrain there is notoriously harsh. If we can truly thrive there, I dare say that it would be very difficult for Batista to defeat us, despite the difference in strength."

Che cleared his throat, signalling that he was about to continue talking. Silence once again washed over the audience. 

"Fidel has planned for our fellow comrades of the Movement in Santiago to stage an insurrection and receive us at our landing site before we all regroup in the jungles of the Sierra Maestra. If all goes well, Batista's forces will be preoccupied and we would not meet much resistance as we travel to the Sierra Maestra. The voyage to Niquero will take an estimated five days. So, for the next few weeks, consolidate the supplies that we need. Food, water, rifles, ammunition. Any questions? Okay, dismissed."

As the revolutionaries split off into their own groups, Dario's eyes turned back to Juanita and her brother. Fidel seemed to be explaining something in a cool manner as she listened attentively, nodding. A while passed before Fidel left her to walk back into the barn. Her gaze fell upon Dario.

Dario's eyebrows furrowed as he attempted to discern her expression. Her shoulders crumpled into a shrunken state while she gave a... hopeful smile? As she paced over to him, he shook his head in confusion.

"What is it, Juanita?" he asked, concern layered through his voice.

She shook her head as her arms went behind her lover's neck, pulling him in for a kiss on his cheeks. 

"You heard that there would be reinforcements waiting for us when we land, yes?" she said.

"Yes." Dario nodded, as the possibilities of what she was about to say next quickly unravelled in his mind. 

"So Fidel... he asked me to go back to Cuba to relay the message to the leaders there and inform them of the plan."

"Oh... so when are you leaving?"

As he asked the question, her chest deflated as she turned her gaze downwards. 

"By today, I have to leave." She looked up again, sporting a forced smile. "Don't worry about me, okay? I will be accompanied by Huber, the Almeidas and a few other women. There's a smuggler at the port that will take me there."

Dario blinked in shock. "Why you though?"

"Fidel said that the main voyage by the yacht will be very difficult and that it would be better for me not to undergo it, being a woman and all. Besides, it would also lend the message credence if I were to go there."

"True." The logic could not be denied, yet there was still a sinking feeling in his gut. 

She put her arms on his shoulders, looking straight into his dark eyes. She thumbed his soft cheeks, brushing the wavy locks of hair that framed his gentle features. Then, her fingers brushed over the short stubble that had grown over the last month. 

"So this is goodbye? I see the Almeidas loading belongings into Huber's truck."

The beginnings of tears formed in her brown eyes, and she blinked them away almost instantly. In a raspy voice, she said, "Yes, for now."

Before she sobbed, she grabbed Dario's cheeks and kissed his mouth. The raw emotions between them poured out into that kiss. She pressed so hard that it almost hurt. Only when it became difficult to breathe, did the couple break away, panting hard.

"Dario," she said in between heavy breaths. "Survive."

Survive. 

Survive. 

Survive. 

The word took him way back, reminding him of his parents' last words.

"Survive," Mama and Papa had said, and Dario's heart ached with unimaginable pain. Seeing his features contorted in pain, Juanita squeezed his arm, as if she was willing her deepest emotions to flow into him.

"I love you," she whispered. "Survive, Dario."

"I will. I love you too." His hands trembled with a controlled strength as his heart hardened with steel-like resolve.

She took one last glance at her lover, giving a forced smile before letting go of her arms and speeding away to the truck waiting for her.

As he sighed, he felt a pat on his back and he turned around to have Camilo's sad smile greet him. 

"Don't worry, my friend. Batista will fall. We will survive."

Dario gulped down the lump in his throat. Looking at his brother, his heart swelled with confidence. 

"Yes. Batista will fall. We will survive."

================================================================================

Dear Readers,

And that marks the end of this chapter! Sorry I haven't been posting regularly recently. Been very occupied with army matters but it has cleared up! Yes, Freedom Fighters will continue its march from strength to strength! I will continue posting weekly from this point on so do expect that! I hope I explained the plan sufficiently but did not info dump too much. It is the actual plan that they carried out to sail back to Cuba! But whether or not it was successful? Well, you will find out... though some of you may recall a certain prologue... hehehehe.

Yeap! Thanks for sticking with me thus far. I will strive to be more consistent! The past few chapters have been in Mexico and involved a lot of talking. I assure you though, that the action is coming very soon...

Don't forget to vote if you liked it, and comments are always welcome!

Yours sincerely,
SyllabusPearl