23-1 The Nagini Dance
Nagini dodged the twin elders' barrage. Her body swayed and twisted like a dancer.
The slashes from their karambits grew faster and more vicious.
Durgono: "No need to drag this out, Gani."
Durgani: "The quicker we finish this woman, the bigger the bonus."
They both laughed boisterously.
So far, none of their strikes had touched Nagini's body. She moved with extreme agility, slipping away from every attack. Occasionally, she struck back with punches and kicks laced with icy inner energy.
Nagini smirked. She had already measured the twin elders' inner strength.
Durgono and Durgani began to feel the pressure; her fluid movements and unbreakable defense frustrated their assault.
Durgono: "Gani! This woman is skilled!"
Durgani: "No wonder the Great Madam sent us."
Every slash, thrust, stab, and slice of their karambits was neutralized by Nagini's cold aura.
They grew restless. Not one strike had landed.
Worse yet, Nagini occasionally flung poisoned needles. The twins were forced to deflect some with their blades while dodging the rest with desperate agility.
The fight turned completely around. Now the twins were on the defensive, unable to keep up their earlier aggression.
Durgono: "Kampret! Our karambits can't get through to her!"
Durgani: "Those needles are breaking up our attacks!"
Durgono: "Forget attacking—we can barely dodge them!"
They were in disarray.
Durgono: "What do you think?"
Durgani: "Finishing move!"
Immediately, they shifted into a paired combat stance.
Durgono attacked from above, Durgani from below—launching their twin-style killing technique.
***
23-2: Major Wardoyo
Giono nodded as the phone remained at his ear.
Giono: "Thanks, Wardoyo. You still have my weapon."
On the other end, a tall, broad-shouldered man with a military crew cut opened a laptop while holding his phone.
He was Wardoyo—Giono's old friend, still active in the military.
Wardoyo: "Your weapon's safe, No."
Giono: "Good. I'll come over soon."
Wardoyo: "You asking for that weapon… must mean something serious. You're handling this yourself?"
Giono: "I have to eliminate the people threatening my family and my business."
Wardoyo nodded slowly.
Wardoyo: "Alright. But be careful—your weapon is no longer registered."
Giono nodded again and hung up.
Karto and Turiman exchanged glances, munching on kacang Sukro at Yu Karmi's snack stall.
***
23-3 Karto and Turiman
Karto: "Boss, are we hitting Kembang Setaman Discotheque again?"
Turiman: "Isn't that Great Madam Mariana dangerous?"
Giono: "Weladalah… wedus! Karto! Turiman! I'm going in quietly, alone."
Karto and Turiman nodded, but in their minds, they had other plans.
Karto (whispering): "Hey, Man! You just gonna sit this out?"
Turiman: "Of course not, To! We're joining the raid!"
Giono eyed them.
Giono: "Karto! Order more coffee from Yu Karmi."
Karto: "Bitter, Boss?"
Turiman grinned.
Giono: "Ladalah! Of course bitter, Karto."
Karto: "Two spoons coffee, half spoon sugar."
Turiman: "And don't forget—stir it exactly 18 times. No more, no less, right, Yu Karmi?"
Tarmin the ketoprak vendor and Yu Karmi chuckled quietly at the banter.
The night grew colder and quieter. The parking lot dimmed as mist began to creep in.
***
23-4: Searching for Evidence
Bareskrim Headquarters.
Haryono Fadli and Aditya sat across from each other at a long table. Satrio sat beside Fadli.
Aditya connected his laptop to a large wall-mounted monitor.
Blip!
The screen came alive.
Haryono: "What did you find, Aditya?"
Aditya: "All illegal activities—human trafficking, narcotics, gambling—point to Mariana."
Fadli: "Transactions from Rizal and Diono also point to her."
Haryono: "Is this solid?"
Aditya pressed a key.
The screen showed banking transactions—dates, sender account numbers, receiver accounts. Several names appeared.
Haryono shook his head. Fadli's eyes widened at the amounts.
Aditya: "These are large transfers from Mariana to Arizal and Diono."
Satrio: "Where'd you get this?"
Aditya sipped coffee, cigarette smoke curling around his thick glasses.
Aditya: "From Tina, sir."
Haryono: "Tina, the KPK cyber team?"
Aditya: "Exactly."
Fadli: "Tina from KPK… her cyber skills are unmatched."
**"
23-5: Kuntadi—Mariana's Henchman
Aditya showed photos of Rizal and Diono meeting Mariana in a discotheque.
Haryono: "Aren't they already in custody?"
Aditya: "Yes, sir."
Fadli: "And all captured thugs named Mariana as their boss."
Aditya: "Kuntadi, leader of the Kangkung Gang planning to smuggle people to Thailand, turns out to be her man."
Haryono: "The one Burhan caught with the guy in the red jacket?"
Aditya: "Yes, sir. The red jacket guy is Nagini."
Fadli: "We've got concrete proof linking her to bribery, drugs, gambling, human trafficking."
Haryono: "And attempted murder of Burhan and Nagini at the apartment."
Aditya: "She hired Bimo to execute them."
Haryono: "Bimo? The ex-Kopassus sniper who deserted?"
Aditya: "Yes, sir."
***
23-6: Arrest Warrant
Aditya: "So can we arrest her now?"
Fadli: "With this evidence and witnesses, yes."
Haryono: "Alright. Draft the warrant."
Fadli: "Better coordinate with KPK."
Aditya: "True, sir. There's also a bribery case involving our own members beyond Arizal and Diono."
Haryono: "Fine. We'll contact them."
***
23-7: Nagini's Backward Somersaults
Back to Nagini.
The twin elders pressed her hard—Durgono striking from above, Durgani from below. Four karambit blades flashed toward her.
Nagini escaped with three flawless backward somersaults.
Durgono: "Kampret!"
Durgani: "We missed!"
From ahead, Nagini waved at them—then unleashed a wave of freezing air and four Number-Two needles flying like bullets.
The twins exchanged a grim look. These needles carried far more power than before.
Wutt!
Wush!
***
23-8: Poisoned Needles vs Karambit
Two needles for Durgono, two for Durgani.
Durgono: "Kampret!"
Durgani: "Sontoloyo!"
They tried to block them with their blades.
Trang! Trang!
The clash drove them back—edges of their karambits chipped. Two needles deflected, but two more still came.
Durgono: "Gani! Our blades are chipped!"
Durgani: "My hand's gone numb!"
Durgono: "Kampret! That woman's strength is insane!"
In panic, they threw their left-hand karambits to intercept.
Trang! Trang!
Prak! Prak!
The blades shattered, clattering to the basement floor.
Faces pale, courage gone, they saw Nagini advancing again.
Durgono: "Ajur! Ajur!"
Durgani: "Sontoloyo!"
Now, they each had only one damaged karambit left.
***
23-9Nagini's Cold Inner Energy
The pressure of Nagini's cold inner energy pushed the twin elders further and further back.
The long fight had left them exhausted.
After all, age could not be deceived.
Meanwhile, Nagini—only twenty-one years old—still looked fresh and unshaken.
Their movements grew slower, sloppier.
And then, in a single opening—
Plogh!
"Ouch!"
A single punch from Nagini landed squarely on Durgono's front lip.
Bugh!
"Mercy, Auntie!"
It was followed by a powerful kick to Durgani's stomach.
From that one punch, Durgono's lip swelled up like it had been stung by three bees at once.
***
23-10 The Twin Elders Surrender
Meanwhile, Durgani's body bent like a man bowing—just before collapsing to the floor.
The twins exchanged another glance.
Their faces were now as white as a burial shroud.
Durgono: "I'm done, Gani… I'm retiring from being a thug."
Durgono rubbed his swollen lip, the swelling a sharp contrast to the front teeth missing from his smile.
Durgani: "Sontoloyo! My stomach's in knots, Gono!"
He clutched his belly.
Nagini stepped forward again, ready to strike.
The twin elders immediately raised their hands.
Durgono: "I surrender!"
Durgani: "I surrender too!"
Nagini kept walking toward them, fists clenched.
Nagini: "Still want to trade blows?"
Durgono: "Mercy!"
Durgani: "We surrender!"
Nagini stopped moving.
Nagini: "Why did you attack me?"
Durgono: "We were just ordered to."
Nagini: "Who ordered you?"
Durgani: "His name's Broto. Head of security at the Kembang Setaman Disco!"
***
23-11 The Reformed Old Thugs
Nagini remembered the time she defeated Kuntadi aboard the MV Red Rose, and about Sawitri at the Kembang Setaman Disco.
Nagini: "You're old… only two teeth left! Aren't you ashamed, still working as thugs instead of playing with your grandkids?"
Durgono: "We repent now…"
Durgani: "Better to spend our days rocking the cradle and enjoying old age."
The dim basement lights and the cool night air bore witness to the fierce duel.
Nagini: "Now go home. And don't forget to see a doctor."
Durgono and Durgani stood up, walking slowly out of the apartment basement.
They supported each other as they went.
End of chapter 23
To be continued chapter 24