33-5 The Police–KPK Team and the Helicopter
A black helicopter sped over the forested slopes of Merapi. Wind battered the windows, rotor noise thundering inside the cabin.
Burhan sat on the left side, Tono beside him, while Rudin was up front near the pilot.
Behind them, nine members of the joint KPK–Police team sat with tense faces.
They were fully armed, wearing bulletproof vests over their uniforms.
Tono: "Finally, we get to work together, Burhan."
Burhan smiled faintly.
Rudin: "Will Tina be ready to help us from behind the scenes?"
Burhan: "You mean disabling their CCTV and tracking their movements?"
Rudin: "Exactly."
Burhan: "Of course."
Tono: "Even if she's just in her room with a tablet?"
Burhan: "Yes—Tina can still pull it off."
The three exchanged tense smiles, impressed with Tina's IT skills.
Tono: "We're heading out with a small team. You sure about this, Burhan?"
Burhan: "We don't have time. In just one second, Mariana could change locations."
Rudin: "We could lose everything."
Tono shook his head.
Tono: "You really are sharp when it comes to investigations, Burhan."
Burhan chuckled.
Rudin: "This coordinate is solid, right?"
Burhan: "It's the last location Tina gave us."
Tono looked down—lush green forest stretched below, silent and dense.
Tono: "According to GPS, we're close."
Rudin: "It's really remote. A perfect base of operations…"
Tono: "And perfect for setting traps."
Burhan checked his watch, took a deep breath.
Burhan: "We need to be careful. Don't land too close."
Rudin: "They could have CCTV or drones watching us."
Tono: "We might be spotted before we act!"
The helicopter pressed on. Clouds began to shroud the slopes. In the distance, a building jutted above the trees.
Tono: "There it is!"
Rudin: "We should land here, in case they're monitoring from the air."
Burhan: "We'll move in quietly, on foot."
Tono: "Everyone ready?"
The whole team shouted in unison:
"Ready!"
The helicopter descended into a safe valley.
***
33-6 Ngatmo the Guide
Slopes of Mount Merapi.
Amid the dense forest and thick foliage, five people could be seen struggling uphill.
"Mbelgedes!"
A grumbling voice was heard. Yes, they were Giono, Ngatmo, Karsiyah, Rani, and Rina.
Giono: "Ladalah! Are you tired, Karsiyah?"
Giono teased Karsiyah. On his back hung a large rucksack containing a sniper rifle.
Karsiyah: "Mbelgedes! This is nothing, Giono!"
Giono and Ngatmo exchanged glances, then chuckled.
Ngatmo: "Your breathing's already heavy, Karsiyah! Still want to keep going?"
Karsiyah didn't reply. Her breath was ragged.
Rani: "Let's rest for a bit, Mom."
Rina: "Don't push yourself, Mom. Your backache might flare up again."
Karsiyah grumbled under her breath. Rani and Rina giggled at their mother's expense.
Eventually, the five agreed to take a break.
Rani and Rina pulled bottled water from their packs, taking a few sips.
They sat in a circle. In the middle were some snacks and drinks.
Giono: "You're sure we're not lost, Mo?"
Ngatmo: "I'm sure this is the right route to the building with the helicopter."
Karsiyah: "Mbelgedes! Is it still far, Mo?"
Ngatmo shook his head.
Ngatmo: "Not much farther! We'll see a big building soon."
Giono: "We must be careful. There may be traps around it."
Karsiyah: "Mbelgedes!"
Rani and Rina exchanged looks, but they were enjoying the adventure. It was almost like hiking for fun.
After a short rest, they continued climbing.
Giono: "Still far, Mo?"
Ngatmo: "See that big tree ahead?"
Giono, Karsiyah, Rani, and Rina looked in the direction he pointed.
Karsiyah: "Gombale Mukiyo! What do you mean, Mo?"
Ngatmo: "Once we pass that tree, we'll see the big building."
Sure enough, after reaching the big tree, they spotted a large structure rising in the distance.
As a former military sniper, Giono quickly assessed the situation.
Giono: "Wait! Don't get too close to the building."
Ngatmo, Karsiyah, Rani, and Rina froze in place.
Ngatmo: "Why, No?"
Giono didn't answer immediately. He opened his large rucksack and began assembling the sniper rifle.
Ngatmo and Karsiyah stared in awe.
Rani: "So Uncle's got a toy…"
Rina: "…a deadly one."
Giono peered through the rifle scope at the large building.
Giono: "Just as I thought!"
Ngatmo: "What do you mean?"
Giono: "There's a surveillance drone above the building…"
***
33-7 Jogja Police Headquarters
Inside the coordination room at Jogja Police HQ, Nagini looked restless, tense, and worried.
Tina: "You're fidgety, and your face is pale. What's wrong, Nagini?"
Nagini: "I can't see Burhan…"
Tina smiled.
Nagini: "I mean, I also can't see Tono or Rudin."
Tina adjusted her glasses. She knew full well that Nagini was worried about Burhan.
Tina: "Come here, Nagini."
Nagini stepped closer to the tablet Tina was pointing at.
Tina: "Our team is here… and Mariana is here."
Nagini saw two red dots on the tablet screen—far apart from each other.
Tina: "They're still a good distance away. Plus, they'll surely set up a strategy before making a move."
Nagini: "But, Tina…"
Tina: "Don't worry, Nagini. We still have time to catch up."
Nagini still looked anxious. Her expression was clear to Tina.
Tina: "Burhan will be fine, Nagini."
Nagini blushed, then pinched Tina's arm. Both of them chuckled.
Nagini: "When will we follow them?"
Tina adjusted her glasses again and put the tablet into her backpack.
Tina: "We're waiting for a helicopter from the Air Force."
Nagini looked slightly relieved.
End of Chapter 33
To be continued chapter 34