The roar of Dion's beat-up motorcycle engine sliced through the night silence on the industrial streets of Cakra Manggala City. Arya gripped Dion's jacket tightly, enduring the intense pain shooting through his arms and legs. Hot blood continued to seep from the gashes caused by the barbed wire.
Dion: (Shouting against the wind, his voice cracking with panic) "Arya! Are you still there?! My back is wet! That's... that's your blood! Where are we going?!"
Arya: (Gritting his teeth, suppressing a scream) "Keep going! Don't stop! Don't go to my house, they'll definitely go there. Take me to your workshop, Sinar Harapan Workshop! Hurry!"
Dion: "My workshop?! You want to bring this trouble to my family's business?! You're crazy!"
Arya: "It's the only place they don't know about! Bargas... he threatened Maya!" Arya's voice was choked, the memory of Bargas the Executioner's threat burning in his soul. "You and your girl won't live to see tomorrow!"
Arya: "We don't have time, Dion! Step on the gas!"
Dion didn't argue further. He took sharp turns into small alleys, avoiding the main roads, and finally screeched to a halt in front of a large, dull rolling door labeled "Sinar Harapan Workshop."
Arya tried to get off, but his sprained ankle couldn't bear the weight. He fell to his knees on the cold asphalt.
Dion: "Damn it, Arya!"
Dion jumped off, and with trembling hands, unlocked the padlock and pulled up the rolling door. The metal screeched loudly, deafening in the dead of night.
Arya: "Help me in. Quick!"
Dion helped Arya up, dragging him over the threshold. As soon as they were inside, Dion immediately slammed the rolling door shut.
BAM!
The sound of the steel door hitting the concrete floor felt like a coffin lid closing. They were safe. For now.
Total silence enveloped them, broken only by Arya's ragged gasps of pain. Dion switched on a single neon light in the middle of the workshop. The room was instantly illuminated with cold white light, revealing stacks of used tires, disassembled engines, and the pungent smell of oil.
Dion: (Staring at Arya in horror) "Oh my god, Ary... Look at you. Your jacket is torn, and that blood... You actually fought them?"
Arya ignored him. He leaned against a stack of old tires, his face pale from blood loss.
Arya: "First aid. Where is your first aid kit?"
Dion: "In the cash register drawer. But your wounds need a hospital, not a plaster!"
Arya: "No time for a hospital. Get it!"
Dion ran to fetch the first aid kit. Arya, with trembling hands, opened his destroyed Night Parade jacket. He pulled out the 'Blacklist'. The thick leather-bound book was now stiff and damp, stained with his own blood.
Dion's eyes widened at the sight of the book.
Dion: "That... that's what they were looking for? The 'Blacklist'?"
Arya: (Staring at the book with hatred) "The weapon to destroy them. But now, it's a target on Maya's back."
Arya reached for his old phone, his fingers shaking from pain and anger. He had to call Maya.
Arya: "Damn it! The battery is low!"
Dion: "What are you going to do?"
Arya: "I have to call Maya. I have to bring her here. Right now."
Dion stepped back, shaking his head in disbelief.
Dion: "What?! You want to bring that girl here? Into the middle of this chaos? You want Bargas and Riko to find all of us?!"
Arya lifted his head. His eyes, red from pain and exhaustion, now stared at Dion with a cold, fierce blaze.
Arya: "This is the only place she's safe! Bargas is looking for her out there! Her house is the first place they'll go. I won't let history repeat itself, Dion! Not tonight!"
Dion stood rigid in the middle of the Sinar Harapan Workshop, stunned by Arya's resolve.
Dion: "Are you serious?! Bringing her here is making her a bigger target! We're just high school kids, Arya, not heroes!"
Arya: (Clutching Dion's arm, his face pale) "Maya won't survive if she stays home. They know who she is, Dion. They are after her. Hurry! Get me a clean cloth and some alcohol. I have to stop this bleeding."
Dion, who had witnessed Arya's madness and determination that night, finally complied. He grabbed a clean rag and a bottle of medical alcohol from the first aid kit.
Dion: "Take this. Don't blame me if you die of infection."
Arya took the cloth, staring at the gaping wound on his arm. He poured alcohol over the injury.
ARRRGH!
Arya stifled a scream. The stinging pain pierced him to the bone, but he didn't release the cloth. He pressed hard on the wound.
Arya: "My phone is dead. I have to call her. Find your landline!"
Dion ran to the messy office desk, searching for the old landline phone.
Dion: "The landline network in Cakra Manggala City is almost dead, Ary! Let's hope it still works!"
Dion found the phone, and Arya immediately grabbed it. His fingers trembling, he dialed Maya's home number.
A long dial tone was heard, breaking the silence.
Arya: (Whispering, pleading) "Pick up, Maya. Pick up."
On the other end, a voice finally picked up. Not Maya.
Maya's Father: (A husky, angry voice) "Hello?! Who is this at this hour?!"
Arya froze. He had to think fast.
Arya: (Mimicking an adult, rough voice) "Excuse me, Sir. This is from the telecommunications company. We received a report of a network disruption at your house. Are you aware of anyone outside?"
Maya's Father: (Suspicious) "What disruption? There's nothing outside! Who are you—"
CLICK!
Arya cut the call. Maya's father was too alert. He couldn't contact her directly.
Dion: "Failed?"
Arya: "I can't talk to her Dad. They must already be suspicious. Dion, we have to go there. You have to help me bring her here without drawing attention."
Dion: "Go there again?! After everything that happened?!"
Arya: (Pointing to the 'Blacklist' lying on the table) "Do you want the Black Dragon to get this and kill us all? Bargas already threatened us. We have to move before they get there. Now, listen carefully to my plan."
Arya began explaining. He needed Dion to distract Maya's father at the front door while he sneaked in through the back window and brought Maya out.
Dion: (Sighing in resignation) "I can't believe I'm doing this for an idiotic kid who always ran away from me. But... fine. Let's finish this before sunrise."
Arya nodded. He forced himself to stand, his ankle throbbing sharply. He took the Blacklist, wrapped it in a rag, and hid it inside a deep oil toolbox.
Arya: "Dion, you have to promise. If we get caught, you never knew anything. I planned everything."
Dion: "Shut up. Let's go save your girlfriend first, Time Soldier."
3:30 AM. The residential streets of Cakra Manggala City were quiet and dark. Dion's motorcycle stopped at the corner of the block, far from Maya's house. Arya and Dion got off.
Dion: (Whispering tensely) "Arya, are you sure? Your leg—"
Arya: "I'll be fine. You know the plan. Knock on the door once, make sure her Dad comes to the front. I only need 30 seconds."
Dion nodded resignedly. "If Bargas shows up, I'm running first."
Arya: "Just do it."
Arya handed the motorcycle key to Dion. He limped in the shadows of the bushes, heading toward the side of Maya's house. His ankle throbbed with every step, but he forced the pain into focus.
Meanwhile, Dion nervously walked to the front door. He took a deep breath, then knocked hard.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Inside, the porch light turned on.
Maya's Father: (Loud, angry voice) "Who is it at this hour?! Go away!"
Dion: (Making his voice hoarse and annoyed) "Excuse me, Sir! We are from the electric company! There's a broken wire! Danger! You have to come out and check right now!"
Maya's Father: "What wire?! Go away, or I'll call the police!"
Just as Maya's father started arguing with Dion at the front door, Arya reached Maya's bedroom window. The window was locked, but Maya had left the key attached.
Arya grabbed the remaining piece of iron pipe from Warehouse K-7 that he had tucked into his waistband. Carefully, he inserted the tip of the pipe into the window gap, twisting and prying the lock with skills he had learned from a future filled with criminal acts.
CLICK!
The lock opened.
Arya slowly opened the window. He slipped into the dark, sweet-smelling room.
Maya startled in her bed. Maya: (Whispering, terrified) "Arya! Oh my god! Why are you—"
Arya immediately covered Maya's mouth with his hand. Arya: (Whispering, urgent) "Quiet. We're in danger. The Black Dragon is coming. We have to go now."
Maya saw Arya's face. His jacket was torn, there were bloodstains on his arm. His eyes were filled with a mixture of fear and danger. She knew Arya wasn't fooling around.
Arya: "Put on your jacket. Shoes. Don't bring anything. Quick."
Outside, Maya's father was still yelling angrily at Dion. It was the perfect distraction.
As Maya reached for her sneakers, a sound suddenly pierced the night's silence. Not Dion's voice, but a heavy voice from the main road.
Bargas: (A throaty, booming voice) "CHECK THAT CAR! HE MUST BE HIDING HER AT THE GIRL'S HOUSE!"
Bargas had arrived.
Arya's face went pale. He was too late.
Arya: "Damn it! They are here!"
Arya pulled Maya's hand. Arya: "Window! Hurry!"
At the front of the house, Dion heard Bargas's voice. He knew his part was over. He had to run to save himself.
Dion: (Shouting) "I'M SORRY, ARY!" Dion jumped onto the motorcycle, twisted the throttle, and sped away, leaving Maya's father and Bargas's threat behind.
The angry Maya's father saw the black car approaching without lights, and immediately realized Dion was not an electric company official. He turned toward Maya's room.
In the bedroom, Arya pushed Maya out the window. Maya: (Crying in fear) "My Dad—"
Arya: "Your Dad will be fine! Now, run!"
Arya followed Maya out the window. His ankle immediately screamed in protest. He fell onto the wet grass.
They started limping across the backyard.
Suddenly, the black car's headlight swept the yard.
Bargas: (A close voice) "LOOK! THERE HE IS! THAT DAMN KID WITH THE GIRL! GET THEM!"
Arya and Maya became easy targets. They ran toward the back fence, the only way out.