The red line office feels quiet and empty. Void-breaker that has been destroyed stands in the middle of the room as a monument for a bitter victory. Budi's body has been handed over to the trusted medical team Dr. Maya to be cremated secretly. There is no ceremony, there is no public recognition. Only those who were present knew the amount of sacrifice.
A few days have passed since the battle underground. Physical fatigue is still felt, but mental and emotional fatigue is far deeper.
Bimo sat in the conference room, staring at the report that was meaningless on the computer screen. His eyes are not focused.
Riani entered the room, carrying two cups of coffee. He put one in front of Bimo.
"You haven't slept yet?" he asked.
Bimo shook his head, accepting the cup without really drinking it. "Sleep doesn't come easily lately."
"We won, Bimo," Riani said, trying to cheer him up.
"Are we?" Bimo raised his head. There is a shadow of darkness in his eyes. "We defeat a threat. But the words of Budi and the mirror are still ringing." The others "." Maybe a lot ". The network is still out there. Only the dreamer is missing."
Dr. Maya and Anton joined them. Their faces also look grim.
"I have carried out the extensive energy scan after the incident," Anton reported. "The level of paranormal activity in Jakarta dropped dramatically. As they lost motivation or coordination."
"That's good, right?" said Riani.
"That's temporary," Bimo said. "They are rearranging. Or stronger will appear to fill the emptiness left behind 'the first'. We must be vigilant."
Suddenly, the alarm on Anton's laptop rang softly. It is an alarm for special energy scanners designed to detect energetic signature remnants from Budi's followers.
"What's that?" asked Dr. Maya.
Anton opened the Alert window. "I prepared a background search. Looking for a trail of dark energy that is similar to those attached to Budi and his followers." His eyes widened. "And ... I got a hit. Very strong."
"Location?" Bimo urged, suddenly very alert.
"A luxury apartment in Menteng. Belongs to a well -known businessman. Arya Putranto."
The name shook the room.
"Arya Putranto?" Riani repeated, don't believe it. "That person is philanthropic. He contributes billions to hospitals and children's foundations."
"And according to our secret database, he also has a business relationship with several shell companies funded by the Budi network," Anton added quickly. "I always think he is only a victim of financial fraud. But his energy signature ... this is active. He is not just an investor who doesn't know anything. He is involved."
Bimo stands, the energy that was previously lost is now burning again. "This is not over yet. This is his footsteps. One of the 'other' mentioned by Budi. Maybe the task is to finance everything."
"What will we do?" asked Dr. Maya. "We can't just go to his house. He is a very influential person."
"We will not come to his house," said Bimo, his mind worked fast. "He will come to us."
"How?" Anton asked.
"We have leverage," Bimo answered. "The money. We freeze all the assets related to the shell companies. I'm sure Anton already has all the evidence needed."
Anton nodded quickly. "I have. But it takes time to go through the legal channel."
"We will not use the legal channel," Bimo said. "We will divulge it to the media. Anonymous. He will panic. And people who panic will do two things: escape or try to clean up chaos. I'm sure he will choose the second. He will try to contact his people. And we will tap him."
The plan was carried out. In a matter of hours, an anonymous blog article detailed the suspicious financial relationship Arya Putranto with several companies that are being investigated for money laundering and terrorism funding. The news spread like fire.
They monitored Arya's communication remotely. Anton has hacked the security system and telephone.
"He is panicked," Anton reported, listening through headphones. "He made many calls. Mostly abroad. But there is one ... one local call. To a Throwaway number."
"Track," Bimo ordered.
"Already. The number is active in a villa at the top. Registered in the name of one of its shell companies."
"That's it," Bimo said. "That is where he will run away or where he will call a 'cleanser' to help him. We must move now."
They returned to wearing their tactical uniforms. The atmosphere is different from before. No void-breaker. There is no anchor. Only four of them.
The journey to the top is done in silence. Villa is remote, surrounded by forests, with high fences and iron gates.
"The scanner shows two human life inside. And ... one strong dark energy signature. But different," said Anton, monitoring from inside the car parked far enough.
"How different?" Bimo asked.
"Not as strong as 'the first'. More ... cunning. It's more hidden. Like a snake."
"Arya and one bodyguard, plus one entity," Bimo nose. "Riani, I need you to scan from outside. Try to feel what we face. Anton, keep communication and prepare an electrical and signal disorder if needed. Dr. Maya, stay in the car. Riani, with me."
Bimo and Riani infiltrated the fence easily. They approached the villa from behind.
Riani closed her eyes, stretching her psychic senses. He frowned.
"I feel it," he whispered. "That ... cold. Very cold. Not the coldness of the darkness that is angry, but the coldness of greed and manipulation. It is attached to Arya. That is not controlling it like Budi. That ... Coins with him."
"So he knows exactly what he is doing," Bimo murmured. "He is not a slave. He is a partner."
Bimo broke the back door lock with a controlled small fire. They entered a luxurious and quiet villa.
They found Arya Putranto in the study room, standing near the fireplace. He is a middle -aged man who looks elegant, but now his face is pale and sweaty. He was talking to someone on the phone.
"... take care of it! I don't care about the price! Make sure all the evidence—" he decided to speak when he saw Bimo and Riani in. His eyes widened in fear and anger. "Who are you? Get out of my house!"
"It's over, Mr. Putranto," said Bimo, his voice was flat. "We know everything. About your money. About your 'partner'."
Arya laughed bitterly, an insane voice. "You don't know anything! You think this is about money? Money is just a tool! This is about the future! A new world where people like me are not just players, but rule makers!"
"By sacrificing the human soul?" Hardik Riani.
"Soul?" taunted Arya. "The soul is an ancient currency. Power is the real currency. And he gave it to me!"
He didn't talk to them anymore. He spoke to something in him.
"Now! Destroy them!" shouted Arya.
The shadow in the corner of the room moves. Not an ordinary shadow. It seeps out of the wall, forming a tall and thin humanioid form, with long and pointed fingers like a scalpel. His face was smooth without features, only a gaping black hole.
"Burning," A hissing sound came out of the hole, directly in their minds. "You have killed our brother. We will enjoy tearing your soul slowly."
Bimo prepared the fire in his hand. "Do your best experiment."
The entity glides forward, so fast that it is almost like light. Bimo could barely follow his movements. A inner scratch appeared on his sleeve, cutting the skin under him.
Riani screamed, holding her head. "He attacks psychic! So sick!"
Bimo threw a burst of fire, but the entity avoided easily, spinning around the ceiling like smoke.
"Fire isn't fast enough!" Bimo shouted. "Riani, can you slow down?"
"I ... I'll try!" Riani focused all her abilities, trying to freeze the entity in place. The creature slowed for a moment, enough for Bimo to burn part of his arms. It screamed - the shrill of the ear deafening - then replied with a psychic attack that made Riani thrown back, fainting.
Meanwhile, Arya took a decorative knife from her desk and slipped behind Bimo who was busy.
"Bimo! Back!" Anton shouted through the aerpiece.
Bimo rotates, but it's too late. The knife pointed right to his back.
But then, something strange happened.
The knife stopped a few centimeters from Bimo's body, as if crashing into an invisible glass wall.
Arya gasped, confused.
Bimo is also confused. He did nothing.
Then, a very familiar and missed voice was heard from the door.
"Stay away from my child, you are greedy monsters."
Everyone froze.
At the door of the room stands an old woman in simple clothes. His face was wrinkled but his eyes were sharp and full of calm strength. He holds an outdated tote bag.
Mrs. Bimo.
"Mother?!" Bimo shouted, did not believe. "What are you doing here? Get out of here!"
"Shut up, Bimo," said his mother in a soft but undeniable voice. He walked in, not caring about the entities that hissed in the corner of the room or Arya who was confused.
"Who is this crazy old woman?" growled Arya.
Bimo's mother looked at him. "I am a person who knows what kind of dirt you are playing." Then he looked at the entity. "And you. You are nothing. Only a parasite forgot the place."
The entity hissed, looking unsure for the moment before crashing.
Bimo's mother is not panicked. He opened his tote bag and took out a small bottle filled with clear liquid. With a quick movement, he sprayed it towards the approaching entity.
The liquid is not water. It emits the same pure energy as protective symbols in the red line office. Once hit the entity, the creature screamed in pain, the affected part shrink and emit smoke.
"Holy water?" Bimo murmured, stunned.
"Water from the spring of our village that has been prayed for by our ancestors for a thousand years," answered his mother, still in a calm voice. "Where do you think your strength comes from, Bimo? That is a legacy. Not a curse."
He sprayed again, forcing the entity to retreat.
Arya, seeing his partners overwhelmed, panic. He tried to stabbing Mrs. Bimo.
Bimo is now ready. The fire burned in his hand. "Don't be able to!"
But before Bimo did anything, his mother spoke in an authoritative voice. "Sleep."
Arya suddenly staggered, his eyes filled with tears. The knife fell from his hand, and he himself fell to the floor, slept soundly.
The entity, saw his master falling and continued to be hurt by the liquid, hissing anger. "This is not over! This network is deeper than you know! We are everywhere!"
Then, he declined back into the shadow and disappeared.
Bimo immediately ran to Riani's side and examined him. He is still breathing, just fainting. He then looked at his mother, who was putting the bottle back in the bag.
"Mother ... how ... why ..." Bimo could not arrange words.
His mother approached him, tidied his torn collar. "You think I don't know? My own child? Since you are little, you always see things that can not be seen by others. Your grandmother too. And your great-grandmother. We always know. We always protect you from afar in our way."
"But ... holy water? Order to sleep?"
"Every family has his own way, Bimo. You inherited fire. I inherited words. Soothing words, which healed, protecting." He sighed. "I know you are in danger. I feel a big disturbance a few days ago. Then came news about this rich man. I know he is one of the sources. So I came."
Bimo could only stare at his mother, seeing him in a completely different new light. This simple woman who raised him alone turned out to hold strength and secrets throughout her life.
Anton and Dr. Maya rushed in, bringing a stretcher to Riani.
"Everything is safe?" asked Dr. Maya, was amazed to see Arya who was sleeping and Mrs. Bimo.
"For now," Bimo answered. He looked at Arya who was sleeping. "We bring him. He will give us a lot of information. The network might be deeper, but we will dig to the roots."
He then hugged his mother tightly, something he rarely did.
"Thank you, Mother," he whispered, his voice was hoarse.
"My son," answered his mother, returning his hug. "You're never alone. Never forget that."
They left the villa, bringing their new prisoners. War is not over yet. But now, Bimo knows one thing with certainty: he has more allies than he ever thought. And the inheritance is not only a burden, but also a liaison to a strong lineage that has fought the darkness long before he was born.
The fight continues. But today, they get another victory. And an extraordinary mother.