"All right. I'll trust whatever Kaivan says."
Kaivan smiled faintly. His voice was hoarse, slicing through the silence.
"We have a new goal now. I need to meet someone, his name is Raphael. He's here… in Purwakarta."
He looked westward, where the last light of sunset streaked across the sky.
"It's Saturday. That means we have tomorrow to prepare."
Felicia's crimson eyes glimmered softly, filled with unwavering determination. A thin smile curved her lips, beautiful, yet sharp.
"I'm here to help."
Radit, standing beside her, rubbed the back of his neck hesitantly. "We're still high schoolers," he muttered under his breath, as if talking to himself. "But what we're doing… feels like something adults would. When you think about it, this is insane." His gaze turned to Kaivan, searching for some kind of answer.
Kaivan looked at him steadily, then raised the Tome Omnicent. "Trust me… your names are written here."
Radit hesitated, then slowly nodded. Kaivan's calm conviction was too strong to dismiss.
Ethan, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up, his eyes falling on Felicia. "Kaivan, taking Radit makes sense. But… a girl? You know this could get dangerous, right?"
Felicia stopped fixing her hair. Her crimson eyes locked onto Ethan's, sharp and unflinching. She stepped forward, calm but deliberate. "Danger?" her voice was low, yet every word cut like a blade. "You should think carefully before you talk about danger… especially to someone like me."
She stopped right in front of him, tall, firm, and fearless. Kaivan and Radit exchanged a glance. They knew who Felicia was. Not just a friend. A shield. A weapon.
Kaivan stepped in, his tone flat but resolute. "Felicia will be fine. You'll understand why I brought her soon."
At that very moment, new words appeared on the pages of the Tome, like a whisper threading through Kaivan's chest: "Find Raphael and help him escape from J.A.T."
Kaivan's face stiffened. The command wasn't just an instruction, it was a sign of something far greater waiting ahead.
Radit, sitting nearby, noticed the change in Kaivan's expression. His voice was quiet but firm. "All right… let's head back," he said, as if pulling them away from the edge of something they weren't ready to face.
Ethan nodded slightly. His eyes lingered on Kaivan's face before he spoke, "See you next time." There was hesitation in his voice, a trace of regret for coming this far, because deep down, he knew this wasn't just a teenage adventure.
But before Radit could move, Felicia stopped him. She raised one hand, forcing him to halt mid-step. Her gaze locked on Kaivan, steady and unyielding. "But we have to find Raphael, right?" Her voice pierced through the night air, carrying a conviction that allowed no retreat.
Radit exhaled heavily. "Haaah… Gangsters I can deal with. But terrorists, realy? J.A.T.… they're not a joke. This is insane." His eyes narrowed, haunted by memories he clearly wanted to forget.
In the middle of that unease, Kaivan lowered his head. He reopened the Tome Omnicent, whispering almost to himself, "Will we all make it out alive?"
For a moment, the page remained blank. Then, slowly, words formed, like fate whispering back: "Of course. As long as you follow my guidance, everyone will survive."
Kaivan read it aloud, his voice echoing softly, a fragile bridge between hope and fear. Felicia gave a small nod, her eyes calm and bright. "Then it's settled. We're going."
Night swallowed the last trace of dusk as the three, Kaivan, Felicia, and Ethan, left the lake behind.
Along the quiet roads of Purwakarta, they found an old wooden inn. Dim lights and warm air greeted their weary bodies. It wasn't luxurious, but it was enough, to sleep, to breathe, to gather their courage once more.
Before tomorrow came… and whatever awaited them with it.
As the night deepened, Felicia quietly rose from her chair. She combed her long hair with her fingers, then dabbed a faint tint onto her lips, an ordinary gesture that carried an effortless grace.
"I'm going out for a bit. Need to grab something to eat," she said softly, slipping on a thin jacket.
Ethan, sitting near the door with one leg propped on his chair, glanced at her anxiously. "You sure you don't want company? It's pretty late."
Felicia smiled, cool and composed. "I'll be fine."
Her footsteps faded into the night. Amid the chill wind and dim neon lights, she found a small roadside eatery. The aroma of fried rice and soup mingled with the clatter of dishes and murmurs of conversation. Felicia chose a corner seat beneath a crooked yellow lamp. Her shadow flickered across the table, serene, yet alert.
Her eyes swept around the room, the door, the kitchen, every corner that didn't feel quite right. There was something in the quiet that held her breath still.
Then came footsteps, steady, deliberate.
A man approached, his face dimly lit by the hanging lamp.
"Good evening," he greeted in a calm, even tone. "Mind if I sit here?"
Felicia didn't answer immediately. Her gaze traveled over him, from his hair to the movement of his jaw. She read his posture, listened to his tone, sensed his intent.
A faint smile touched her lips. "Go ahead," she said softly but cautiously, nodding toward the chair across from her.