AUTHOR: INDONESIA HERO
Collaboration: LATE
“Kahar,” saya Clara opened the conversation after seeing the video. Kahar did not express anything.
Five minutes, the two men were condemned to silence. No one spoke after Clara said hello. Kahar was struck by lightning during the day. Once again Clara tried to speak, when her mouth was open, she was startled by the sound of footsteps so tight.
“Do not move.” Kahar goes to protect Clara. I don't know what's coming for them, but it looks like Kahar has figured out what's coming. Clara could only obey and take cover behind Kahar's back. The remaining few bullets that could be counted with Clara's fixed finger held tightly.
“What's up?” ask Clara. Kahar was silent, he turned his head back towards Clara and gestured for calm. Kahar's eyes seemed to speak: There is danger, do not stay away.
The sound of footsteps kept approaching from above, the closer it was made the more the ground shook where Kahar and Clara stepped on. Here goes! The sound of footsteps followed a groan that smashed the ears breaking the bunker entrance. The iron door fell down quickly followed by a huge tall creature that jumped against the darkness. Amis, more fishy than the group Antu Banyu that Kahar and Clara fight.
Clara from behind Kahar's body prepared in firing position, her eyes aiming right at the creature's head. Slowly he walked through the dark, his head appeared – without a strand of hair and his eyes were pure white. His eyes seemed to describe all the vile events he had gone through.
Kahar stared intently at the strange creature's eyes which then identified Clara as a first-class Antu Banyu who looked stronger than the keroco they had fought before. Clara's finger was ready in the ring on position, just waiting for the right time to shower him with the rest of the bullets.
“Do not do.” Kahar from the front held Clara's weapon and subdued her as if what was in front of them was not a threat.
Without getting into combat mode, Kahar walked confidently. Approaching Antu Banyu who was really angry about his actions. Antu Banyu's eyes could not be separated from Kahar's eyes. The two pairs of eyes were looking at each other – as if scrambling to dominate each other. Kahar's distance from Antu Banyu was short while Clara looked anxious, confused, and afraid of what Kahar was doing.
Kahar stuck out his hand which greeted the shock of Clara and Antu Banyu did not attack at all. Kahar stroked Antu Banyu's hand that was three times larger than his, Kahar did not care about the mucus that covered each side of Antu Banyu. Now Kahar and Banyu ghosts are very close, just a sheet of leaves. Antu Banyu lowered his head to look and sniff Kahar, he smelled the scent of Kahar's body like a dog.
“The world is evil to you, yes?” ask Kahar to Antu Banyu. Of course Antu Banyu did not reply with a language he could understand. Only a dinosaur-like groan came out of Antu Banyu's mouth.
“I understand your sadness, I'm sorry for killing your children. Sorry for messing with your house. We will go, and the grudges that have been left behind, I will avenge.” Kahar walked back slowly. Antu Banyu seemed to understand what Kahar was talking about. He walked backwards and returned to the surface leaving Kahar and Clara.
“We've made a mistake, the creature is just trying to protect his house. Only this cave could he make a nest. Let's leave immediately, I'll bring that camera and all the valuable documents,” Kahar said as he looked towards Clara. This look was different, not like Kahar. A cold, sea-cold look.
“Painful truth.” Clara no longer knew what to say. This is exactly what Kahar wanted to find. However, this truth leads to a new enemy they consider an ally.
“I'm gonna blow this place up, you get out first. I brought enough explosives.” Kahar prepares a bomb to end research that should never have been done. Clara returned again just to accept Kahar's request. He first climbed the stairs. After ten steps of walking outside the bunker, Kahar seemed to come out of that hellhole as well. In a matter of twenty the place would be destroyed.
“Nineteen, twenty,” count Kahar followed by a loud-sounding explosion. The explosion destroyed the entrance and buried it with memories of the dead.
The journey outside the cave was faster, ten times faster in fact. Without any interference from Antu Banyu and the cave that Kahar had managed to map out made their steps both so confident. During this trip out as well, Kahar said nothing but a hint of a way out.
Arriving at the entrance gate of the cave, Kahar just spoke, “I don't care about the real thing. I still love my mom.”
“It should be so, ‘kan.”
“Let's go back to civilization, I feel like something bad is going on.”
Kahar's premonition was correct, when the boat came not long when they reached the point of pickup. They went back down the Musi river, and the internet signals back with bad news from Jakarta.
Two hundred illegible messages from Zico, hundreds of missed calls from Kahar's mother, and a farewell message from Samsul's uncle. Kahar and Clara had just one day less isolated themselves in the cave and it was as if an apocalypse had occurred.
“Jakarta chaotic, fish monsters come attacking. You don't go home yet, now I've been evacuated to safety. The area most exposed to monster attacks is East Jakarta – around our campus. I reluctantly said that I have not heard from uncle Samsul.”
That was the last message Kahar received from Zico.
Clara also got similar news on her mobile phone. His face is pale. The monster attack had crippled the Capital City.
“Military must be acting.” Clara hung up on him, not wanting him to hear any more bad news. However, Mr. Taufik The boat driver could not read Clara's mind.
“Jakarta is really messed up, I just watched the news this afternoon. You should not go back there first,” said Mr. Taufik.
“I'll go home how to.”
......................
The night was awkward for Kahar and Clara as they sat on the porch of Clara's rural home on the edge of the forest. Cold air caressed their faces as they gazed into the dark sky. The lights installed on the terrace are only able to provide a little light that helps them look around.
The atmosphere that felt lonely and silent made them feel uncomfortable. Kahar and Clara reach Clara's house stopover at nightfall. Kahar's mobile phone once again shook. Caller name is ‘Ibu’. Obviously, my mother was very worried about him.
“Halo, Son,” says mom across the phone.
“Mother.” Kahar replied briefly.
“You're still in South Sumatra?”
“Yes, I'm done with the business here. I'll be back in Jakarta.”
“You don't see the news, Son?” mother's tone trembled, Kahar could not imagine how his mother's face was now.
“Sorry I have lied about college assignments.I already know all, Buk. About dad, about how he left this world, to be honest. I'm still shaken by all the things I found. However, I am grateful to be your son, I have always been your son.”
“Don't you close first, I don't want to lose my loved one again on the phone.” Mom was crying, her voice was sobbing. This was the first time Kahar had made her cry.
“Sorry for lying about your background. I just want to follow your father's last request before he goes missing,” said mother still accompanied by tears.
“Kahar understood, this is too long to explain. Kahar will return to Sulawesi if possible soon.” Kahar said a farewell sentence and immediately hung up his phone.
Now it's precarious. All flights to Jakarta were cancelled. Massive operations are being carried out by the military. Kahar knows, this is all the research of Professor Setiawan. And, uncle Samsul until now did not give any news and could not be contacted. Kahar must return to Jakarta.
“Relax, I'll rent a private plane to break through the guard,” sis Clara while covering her face to hide the fear.
“You crazy? There are no majors serving to Jakarta, even if it is private. We won't get permission,” debate Kahar.
“How about the plane logistics?” clara asked maintaining the idea of the plane.
Clara quickly sent a message to a man. This is probably their return ticket to Jakarta. It was a message that Clara sent to an acquaintance of hers who worked at the airfield belonging to the national army that was fifty kilometers away from where they were now.
"Look, I know you feel guilty for having to infiltrate Jakarta in this way. But you know very well that other means won't work. Since Jakarta was sealed, there was no other way to get there except by army logistics aircraft. And you know very well that the army won't let you get on that plane without a good enough reason. Therefore, I give you a suggestion: I will bribe one of the soldiers guarding the plane. I know it's unethical, and I know you don't like doing things like this. But think about it, what's the point of it all if you can't save your loved ones in Jakarta? I've contacted one of my father's acquaintances. Surely he will want to help us with a little money of course, and don't forget, don't tell anyone about this. Let this be a secret between the two of us."
As the car speeds up, Clara and Kahar know they don't have enough time left. East Jakarta has really become a battlefield between soldiers against monsters that are reported to be fish-like. This news also reached the international world, milliliter superpowers have sent land, sea, and air alustistas to help kill the monsters.
Within a day, a densely populated city had collapsed.
They arrived at the airport gate when the day was not high, they arrived there when the situation was crowded.
An officer with a Long barrel gun stopped Clara's car and asked, “Good day, what is your goal?”
“We want to visit a friend who works here,” reply Clara in a confident tone. The driver and Kahar are silent, afraid of being discovered with the intention of Clara's true purpose.
“Whose name of your friend? I need to check the list of employees who are here,” Raut suspiciously began to feel in front of the officer.
“Our friend's name is John. He works in logistics.”
“Wait a minute, I will check first.” Officers checked the employee list and looked confused “Sorry, John's name is not on our employee list.”
“Ah, maybe John has moved to another part. He is often moved as needed,” kilah Clara still with confidence.
Still with the same suspicion, the officer said, “Alright, but you guys have to wait while here while I verify first.”
Clara replied with a big smile. “Of course, we don't mind.” Clara is seen trying to persuade the officer with a sweet speech and a gentle smile.
“We do not intend to disturb or damage anything here. We just want to meet our friend and come back as soon as possible.” Thanks to Clara's beauty, the officer is affected by Clara.
“Alright, you can come in. But do not forget to get out immediately after meeting with your friends.”
“Of course, thank you very much for understanding,” said Clara who immediately got off the car followed by Kahar. The driver slowly turned the car away and disappeared in the middle of the day.
After escaping the examination, they headed straight to the employee office they were headed to. Upon arriving there, Kahar and Clara were surprised to see that the employee was being questioned by a high-ranking military officer. They don't know what to do, but Clara tries to stay calm and decides to wait outside while admiring the planes parked there.
Shortly after, the employee walked out of the office and greeted him. He explained that he would help. “Sorry, you have to wait a long time. What can I help you with?” ask the officer – John.
“As I said on the phone earlier. We need your help to infiltrate the logistic plane bound for Jakarta. We know that this is not an easy thing, but we are confident that you can help us,” Clara explained clearly.
John held his head and scratched even though it didn't feel itchy. “Clara, I don't know. It was a very risky act and could get us all in jail.”
“You heard that, we better cancel,” said Kahar grabbed Clara's hand.
“We've come this far.” Clara held Kahar's hand tightly and said again while taking out a red wad of money, “This will definitely help,” Clara told John. Who isn't tempted by that pile of money? John finally responded to Clara's request with a big smile. Dressed in a red cross, Kahar and Clara hitchhike as self-styled medics.
......................
Kahar and Clara sat on the military logistics plane, staring out the window with anxious faces. They knew that they should not be detected by the military while flying towards Jakarta, which was being sealed due to the terrible monster attack.
"We must be careful" Kahar whispered to Clara. "Let no one know we're here."
Clara agreed. "I'm worried too. But we have no other choice
I'm going to find Isma and Zico a place to evacuate so I can go undercover as a regular refugee. You look for Uncle Samsul in kosan and be careful" he replied.
Suddenly, the plane entered the clouds and suffered quite a violent shock. Kahar and Clara were shocked and frightened. "What's going on?" clara asked in a panic.
"No idea, but it feels like a shock. Maybe we're passing through a cloudy cloud" Kahar replied as he tried to calm Clara down.
"But the shock was too loud. I'm afraid we're falling" Clara said in a trembling voice.
"Just calm down, we'll be safe. This plane must have been equipped with a good security system," Kahar replied as he looked at Clara with an excited look.
Clara nodded and tried to calm down. However, not long after, the shock came back and grew louder. Kahar and Clara were frightened and anxious.
"What's going on now?" clara asked once more in an ever-increasing tone of panic.
"No idea, just calm down. This plane will definitely survive" Kahar replied as he continued to try to calm Clara down.
After a few moments that felt like hours, the shock finally subsided and the plane returned to flying smoothly. Kahar and Clara are relieved and grateful to be safe.
After passing through an unpleasant flight, they finally arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma airport. The airport is crowded with a large army presence. They seemed to be busy with the tasks they had to work on, from checking military equipment to getting ready to set off for battle.
Military equipment is also seen widely available around the airport, ranging from firearms to fighter aircraft ready to fly into the air. The atmosphere of the airport is tense and filled with tension due to the attack of sea monsters that have caused great damage in Jakarta.
Around the airport, several people were also injured and were being rushed to the hospital by ambulance. They looked exhausted and were severely injured from the battle with the sea monsters. Soldiers and military equipment are seen as ready to do everything necessary to deal with a situation that threatens the security of the country.
With the medical personnel uniform, no one suspected Kahar and Clara. They walked side by side slowly so as not to draw attention.
Finally, after breaking through the gallant soldiers, they made it out of the airport. The atmosphere outside the airport is also actually more tense, with the sound of warplanes continuing to air.
“I left all my weapons in Palembang. This time I can't help you, I'm going to the refugee camp looking for Isma and Zico. You go around the campus, where the military is shooting. Be prepared with all possibilities, you should also know that the military will most likely shoot you. Don't show yourself even if you're in Collaboration mode,” explains Clara about their mission.
“I understand, take care of yourself.” They eventually separated. Kahar headed east and Clara walked to find a refuge.
“I hope, I'm not late.”