There’s nothing better than smoking a Djarum Coklat after a good meal, it kept me warm in a cold Lembang atmosphere.
And that’s when Firman came with a newspaper in his hand.
“Hey guys have you read the news?”
“What news? is there something interesting?”
“It said here that 5 teenagers in Bandung has been reported missing for the past 2 weeks!”
“Really, let me see that.”
“Hey look here, the newspaper said that all of the kidnapped victims are mostly beautiful school girls, and the police suspected that an inter province trafficking syndicate is behind it.”
“Hey Darma what’s with the long face?”
I didn’t answer, there’s something in the air; I feel an impending danger.
“Have you seen Vina by any chance?” I ask Firman.
“She’s with Vine; they’re going to buy some ice cream.”
And at that time I heard someone’s screaming from afar, calling my name.
“Darma, Darma…” it was Vine, one of Firman’s girl.
“Whoa, what is it girl, what’s with all the screaming?” ask Firman.
“It’s Vina.”
“Something happens to her?” my heart was beating fast.
“We were going to buy some ice cream when these guys shows up on a Mercedes and ask for direction, Vina talk to them while I go and buy the ice cream, and when I came back I saw her leaving with them!”
“Wow she finally has her eyes open and ditch you Homie.”
“That’s not funny Gino!”
“Sorry man.” A poor attempt at humor.
“No, they pull her into the car and took off, I tried to call for help but there was no one there at that time, so I ran here.”
“What!” listening to her explanation and Firman’s news about the kidnapping, I fear the worst. The foreboding was true, I can’t think straight, out of anger I throw my cigarette.
“Control yourself man!” Djati shook my shoulder.
“We gotta find her man, we gotta save her!” I was frantic.
“But we don’t know where they go.” said Gino.
“Vine did you see the car’s license plate?”
“No, I only know that it’s a white Mercedes.”
“Damn! How are we supposed to find her?”
“I have an idea.” said Djati while looking at me.
“What?”
“You bind her soul unto yourself, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you love her more than anything, right?”
“That’s right.”
“If anyone can find her then it’s you!”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“It’s not a question of “how”, it’s a question of what, if you don’t know where to look, but you have to find what you’re looking for, what would you do? Let your instincts guide you.”
“Okay, but I’m gonna need a map.”
“The library, they got maps there.”
So we go to the library, fortunately for us there’s no one there, because no one ever go there.
Djati laid the map of West Java on the table and he spoke to me.
“Concentrate man, you have to do this right.”
“Okay.” So I do what Djati told me, I close my eyes and I speak in the name of God, I picture her in my thoughts and I pray to God to show me where she is, something guide my hand and point me to a spot on the map.
“Ciater hotspring, they’re not far, we have to go there pronto.”
“We need transport; Ciater is like 10 miles from here.”
“Desy drives a car.” Gino said.
“Firman’s it’s time to prove you’re worth player.”
“Don’t worry compadre, I got you covered.” Then Firman went to persuade Desy to help us.
“I’m gonna buy a few things first, I got the feeling this is gonna get ugly.” So Djati go to the stationery shop and buy a few things.
“I’ll get our things from the class.” said Gino.
“I need you to come with us Vine; you’re the only one who can recognize them.” I said to Vine.
“Yes of course.”
“Thanks you, without you we never would’ve known.”
“Don’t mention it, she’ll do the same.”
Then Firman’s came with good news.
“Okay, Desy is willing to help us, we’d better go now, we got a lot of grounds to catch up.”
It didn’t take us long to reach Ciater Hotspring.
“Goddamn woman you can drive.” Praise Firman.
“White Mercedes right, that shouldn’t be too hard to find, there’s only Japanese cars around here.”
“Well, we’re here, now what?” ask Gino as we arrived at Ciater Hotspring Resort.
“Let’s cruise around, every cottage has an outdoor parking space, we should be able to spot the car.”
It’s not hard to find the cottage with the white Mercedes, since the rest of the car is made in Japan.
“Hey, there’s a white Mercedes.” said Gino while pointing forward.
“Hey that’s him! That’s the man who took Vina; I recognize his ugly mug anywhere.” said Vine while pointing to the guy who’s washing the car.
“We’ll deal with him, Djati you walk behind me.” Djati and I step out of the car, and then we enter the cottage yard.
He saw us coming, he stop washing the car and bellows at us.
“What do you want here?” I didn’t answer I just walk towards him, and Djati walk exactly behind me, concealed from the guard field of vision.
“I said what you want here!” He speaks one more time, there’s just one more step between me and him.
“Now!” I shouted and duck, behind me Djati swings the lug wrench at him.
But the guy was quick, Djati’s swing missed by an inch. So I grabbed his legs and I slam him to he ground, and before he was able to make another move, Djati smack his forehead with the lug wrench and knock him out.
“Come on.” I gave signal to the boys.
“We’ll hide his body; and guards the front; you guys do your thing.”
“Here use this tape to shut him up.” Djati gave Gino some duct tape, while Firman frisk him. He the cottage key then he throws it at me, Firman and Gino then took the body and hide it from view.
I open the door and we enter the cottage.
Once we’re inside I heard sounds from the room upstairs. We ran upstairs and when I’m about to break through the door Djati grab me and stop me.
“Get a hold of yourself man, you can’t just barge in there, if he knows we’re here to rescue her, he might use her as hostage, and we can’t afford that. I’ll knock the door, and when he came out he’ll be surprise to see me, that’s your chance to knock him down, okay.”
“Okay, let’s do this.”
“Hey, boss!” Djati knock and shout at the door.
His prediction was correct, the guy opens the door and he was surprised to see Djati and not his henchmen. We caught him off guard. So I hit the back of his head with the lug wrench. Before he falls over Djati grab his body and throw him off the balcony.
We enter the room and Vina was there, her hands and legs were tied, Djati cuts the rope with a cutter blade, I remove her gag and she hugs me tightly as she started to cry. I couldn’t fathom the horror she experienced from this incident, I hold and kiss her as I whisper words of comfort to calm her.
I hold her close to me and I carry her as we leave the cottage, we have to go before anyone knows what’s going on.
Inside the car on our way back Djati speak to me.
“It’s a good thing that Vina has you as her boyfriend.”
“Why’s that?”
“If it was someone else, and this happens, will he do what you do? Even if he does, I don’t think he’ll be able to find her the way you did, so, I say it’s a good thing.”