Between Two Souls, Chapter 24
The sun had begun to climb high, its rays spreading across the earth as the long morning shadows slowly shrank, heralding the coming of midday. The air was filled not with birdsong, but with the clatter of factory machines and the constant hum of human voices, merchants calling out, deals being made, and footsteps rushing through the crowded market.
Zero set his gear down to rest, only to notice Rose packing up for their next mission. It seemed she had already taken her side with him and Adrien had no reason left to question her choice.
"So, we're heading out right away?" Zero asked, glancing at her as he checked his own weapons and equipment. "Did you already get the locations of the recruits and the last traces of our target from Hendra? I still don't understand why they don't just come to us if they want to join."
Rose, slinging her pack over her shoulder, gave a small chuckle.
"Yes, Hendra already sent me the names of those who want to join us. We'll start with the girl, Timun Mas, the one hiding in the swamps around Bandung. And, well, if we tell them to come here, that means we'd have to pay them up front." She sighed. "And I don't exactly have the money for that. So, we'll just have to convince them ourselves."
Zero nodded slightly, realizing the situation. He went back to packing the last of his gear, while Rose disappeared into her room.
"Zero, can you wait a little? I want to take a quick shower before we go," she called out.
Zero exhaled sharply, thinking they would be leaving immediately. Still, a short break wouldn't hurt. He sat down on the old sofa in front of a dusty television resting on a metal table finding, for once, a moment of simple peace.
A: "So, Zero," Adrien's voice echoed gently in his mind, "do you have a plan for what comes next?"
In the realm of the Mind Tree, Adrien sat upon the grassy field before the glowing trunk, gazing toward the light that reflected Zero's vision on Earth. Beside him knelt the spectral form of Zero, bound loosely by the tree's roots.
Z: "Recruit new members. Find a new base. Get a new vehicle. Weapons. Supplies. Everything. Do you really have to ask?" Zero muttered, leaning back with his eyes closed.
A: "Yeah… I guess not. I just wanted to talk. Maybe you haven't thought it through yet."
Zero sank deeper into the sofa, letting his body relax. For once, he felt almost… human. His eyelids grew heavy, but before he could drift off....
Knock, knock, knock…
"Excuse me…"
Someone knocked on the garage door. Zero, who was just about to fall asleep, jolted awake. His mind instantly went to the worst possibility that their enemies had found them. On alert, he grabbed his pistol and axe, ready to eliminate any threat that dared to come close.
Zero walked toward the main door. Damn it, the door didn't even have a peephole. So he called out instead.
"Who's out there?"
"It's me, Liam, and my sister, Margaret."
Weren't those the fake kids from that act? Zero's suspicion grew. He opened the door cautiously, gun raised and aimed outward. The two children flinched, stepping back in fear at the sight of the weapon.
"M-Mister Zero, I'm sorry to bother you. I know this is weird, but ever since Dr. Dylan's base exploded, my sister and I… we have nowhere to stay. I heard Miss Rose was living here in Bandung, so I asked around where she might be, and, well… I found this warehouse. So please, we're begging you—"
BAM!
Zero slammed the door shut, leaving them outside.
Liam and Margaret stood frozen for a moment. Maybe they should just wait and talk to Rose directly. But without a communicator, they had no way to call her from outside. So Liam kept knocking, hoping she would eventually notice.
Zero returned to the sofa in front of the TV, sitting down once more, but not long after...
knock knock knock... "Excuse me…"
Zero shut his eyes, ignoring the persistent knocking no matter how long it went on.
A: "Zero, don't you feel bad for them? I mean, they're just kids. Sure, Liam can work, but Margaret? She needs somewhere safe."
Adrien tried to appeal to him, but Zero brushed the thought away and attempted to go back to sleep.
Just as he was about to drift off, Rose emerged from her room, fresh from a shower.
"Zero, what's all that noise outside? Did you seriously let them wait there this whole time?"
Rose walked out wearing only a singlet and shorts, drying her hair with a towel as she headed toward the exit.
"Don't open it. It could be bounty hunters." Zero tried to stop her.
"Nonsense. If they were bounty hunters, that door would've been broken down already."
Irritated, Rose kept walking toward the door, still drying her hair.
She opened it, and froze in surprise.
Liam and Margaret were right there, standing patiently, still waiting outside the whole time.
"Liam? Margaret? Thank goodness you're both alright! But… how did you find my place here?"
Liam stepped forward and replied, "Margaret heard that you were living in Bandung, Miss Rose. So we came here and asked around where your house was. And, well, long story short, we found it. Please, Miss Rose, we have nowhere else to go since the base was destroyed. I can work, and we can help clean this place too."
"What? The facility was destroyed? Don't the local authorities know about it? That kind of explosion in the forest should've made the news by now."
Rose pretended to be surprised, though she knew very well that building or operating any lab in a protected forest was illegal and she had still worked there anyway.
"Yes, it was destroyed, we don't even know why. And now… we have nowhere left to live. Please, Miss Rose… I'm begging you…"
Rose went quiet for a moment behind the door. She thought about it, perhaps these two could become future recruits for their new mercenary group once they were older. Besides, she did feel some guilt; after all, she was indirectly responsible for the destruction of their home. After a short pause, she made up her mind.
"Mmm… alright. You can stay, but you'll have to work for it. I can't afford to support you for free."
"Thank you so much!"
Rose opened the door wide. Liam and Margaret bowed gratefully as they stepped inside, carrying their few belongings. Rose glanced outside briefly before closing the door again.
Zero, still sitting on the sofa, didn't even look surprised, he'd already guessed Rose would let them stay.
"So we're babysitters now? Can you even afford to feed them?"
"Relax, Zero. Liam can work to support himself and his sister. Come here, Margaret, I'll show you to your room. Liam, sorry, I don't have an extra room for you, you'll have to sleep in the garage on that mattress with Zero."
"That's fine, Miss Rose. Thank you so much!"
As a good older brother, Liam carried his sister's belongings and helped her settle into her room.
Zero exhaled heavily in frustration but didn't argue further. He stood up from the sofa, grabbed his weapons and ammunition, and prepared to leave for their recruitment mission.
After showing the children their rooms, Rose returned to her own. She changed into proper gear, equipping herself for the journey ahead toward the swamps.
Once ready, she stepped out to tell the two children something important.
"Oh, right! You two. Zero and I will probably be gone for a few days," Rose said while adjusting her bag near the door.
"So, you'll have to take care of the house while we're away, alright? I've stored some food in the pantry and fridge, eat those if Liam hasn't found work yet. Oh, and don't forget…"
Rose kept talking endlessly, her tone more like a mother scolding her children than a mercenary giving orders.
Zero, already waiting by the outer door with his gear ready, could only stare blankly as Rose continued her lecture. For a moment, he thought she had completely transformed, from a sharp-tongued soldier into a doting parent.
After what felt like an eternity, Rose finally finished her list of reminders, stepped out of the warehouse, and handed the keys to the children.
Zero, standing outside with crossed arms, gave her a deadpan look.
"What? What's with that face?" Rose asked while locking the door behind her.
"I just didn't know you had a motherly side," Zero said dryly, his tone dripping with sarcasm as they walked away from the yard toward the outer wall.
"Well, I didn't exactly have much of a choice," Rose replied with a small shrug. "Talking too much and explaining everything is better than leaving them in danger. Now come on, we'll grab a taxi, then buy a small boat for travel through the swamps."
...…
After some time, the two of them made their way to the swamps where Timun Mas had reportedly taken refuge from Buto Ijo, following the coordinates Hendra had given. Time passed as they traveled; the sun had begun to dip low, casting long streaks of gold across the water.
Still, they pressed on. After purchasing a cheap but wide enough motorboat, they began navigating through the winding waterways the GPS guiding them closer to the hidden dwelling marked as Timun Mas's refuge.
They followed the river that connected into the swamp, careful not to make too much noise. Who knew what kind of mutated creatures might lurk beneath the surface, waiting to strike?
After a long while gliding through the murky current, they finally spotted a small wooden house standing on stilts above the swamp exactly where the GPS had pointed.
"This must be the place. Pull over," Rose instructed.
They brought the boat alongside a small dock, tying it securely before stepping onto the creaky planks. As they approached the house, they saw an old woman sitting quietly at the edge of the porch, watching the swamp water ripple below.
Assuming she might be Timun Mas's mother, Rose approached her politely, bowing her head slightly.
"Excuse me, ma'am, but is this the house where Timun Mas lives?"
The old woman lifted her wrinkled face, her eyes dim but sharp, and slowly shook her head.
"No…"
Rose paused for a moment, thinking perhaps the old woman had misunderstood her question.
"Hahaha, no, no—I was only joking. Timun! Come out! Your friends are here!"
From the small two-story wooden house, the main door creaked open.
Out stepped a brown-haired girl, her hair tied into a single ponytail with bright golden tips that shimmered under the dying sunlight. She descended the stairs from the upper floor, holding a FAMAS assault rifle in her hands.
Rose greeted the old woman with a gentle smile, shaking her hand.
"It's lovely to finally meet you. I'm glad your daughter has found some friends, she's been alone for far too long."
Timun approached both Rose and Zero. Her eyes locked on Zero's towering frame, a mixture of awe and hope flickering within them. Deep down, she believed this man might be the only one capable of helping her defeat Buto Ijo.
Rose stepped past Timun's mother and offered her hand to the young girl.
"Hello, Timun Mas! I'm Rose, and this here is our leader, Zero. Nice to meet you! I heard you've been having some trouble with a mon…"
BAAM!! BAAM!!
The ground trembled violently beneath their feet. The swamp water rippled as if something massive was moving beneath it. The wooden house groaned with each quake, and flocks of birds burst from the nearby trees, screeching in panic.
Something enormous was coming.
Timun's eyes widened—not in fear, but in grim recognition. She had been waiting for this day. Having just turned eighteen, she knew exactly what it meant. Buto Ijo had come to claim her.
Without hesitation, she bolted upstairs, grabbing every weapon she had stashed.
"EVERYONE, GET READY!"
...… To Be Continued ...…