"Chapter 2: Traces in the Shadow"

"Chapter 2: Traces in the Shadow"

"Location: The Narrow Alley Behind the Old Building, Jakarta"

"Time: 10:45 PM"

Satria stepped out of the old building that served as the secret headquarters. Raindrops soaked the sidewalk, adding to the gloomy impression of the night. The information he had obtained tonight revealed the location of the headquarters of one of the underground branches of Consilium Virtutum, an organization known for its illicit operations in this city.

Cautiously, she stepped into the narrow alley behind the building, where she was promised to meet an informant. The dark and rainy night added to the mysterious and dangerous atmosphere. "Been waiting long?" he asked, his voice firm but calm.

A man with a scarred face emerged from the darkness. His piercing eyes betrayed caution. "The information you requested is not easy to come by," the man replied, looking at Satria with concern.

Satria nodded slowly, waiting for the man to continue. "What do you know?"

"On the outskirts of the city there is a place, once a factory, now the secret headquarters of Consilium Virtutum. They're doing something there-something very secret," the man said as he glanced around anxiously.

Satria absorbed every word carefully. However, before she could inquire further, there were footsteps approaching from both sides of the alley. Quickly, she sensed an approaching threat.

"We're not alone," he said calmly, his eyes sweeping towards the two sources of sound. Three men dressed in black emerged from the darkness, each holding a firearm in a combat-ready stance. They surrounded Satria and the informant, their weapons aimed with precision.

Satria moved quickly to protect the informant. He pushed the man behind him and swiftly picked up the long iron lying next to the wall. When one of the attackers fired a bullet at him, Satria deflected the bullet with the iron that sent him reeling. His agile and precise movements turned the long iron into an effective weapon.

Satria immediately swung the iron with power and accuracy. The iron slammed into the first attacker's arm, making his gun dislodge and fall to the ground. Without hesitation, Satria followed up with a punch that crushed the attacker's skull, rendering him lifeless.

The second attacker tried to shoot, but Satria jumped to the side, dodging the bullet with impressive reflexes. He swung a long iron bar towards the second attacker's knee, causing the attacker to fall and grimace in pain. Satria didn't wait long; he continued the attack by smashing the attacker's head with the long iron, ensuring that his enemy wouldn't move again.

The last attacker tried to escape, but Satria didn't give him a chance. He threw the long iron with full force, hitting the third attacker hard on the back. The attacker fell to the ground and Satria approached him quickly. With one fatal move, she kicked the last attacker in the head, rendering him lifeless instantly.

Satria checked the condition of the attackers lying on the ground. Blood flowed from the head wound of one of the attackers, while the others were already lifeless. Quickly, she picked up the pistol from the ground and put it in her jacket.

The terrified informant stood behind him, trembling. "Take me to that place," Satria ordered, her voice remaining calm and firm.

The man nodded quickly, not daring to refuse. Together, they left the alley and headed towards the outskirts of the city, leaving behind traces of blood and damage left over from the battle.

"Location: Suburbs, Jakarta"

"Time: 11:30 PM"

When they arrived at the location, an old factory that seemed to have fallen into disuse, Satria carefully observed the structure of the building. From the outside, the factory looked like the perfect place to hide dark activities. She could feel the tense and threatening atmosphere.

She stared at the informant with intensity. "What should I watch out for inside?"

The informant let out a long breath before answering. "There are a few guards, mostly armed. They also have some martial arts trainers there. Be careful."

Satria checked her gear and slipped into the factory with cautious movements. In the dark and wet atmosphere, she knew that what awaited her inside this factory was probably much more dangerous than what she had faced so far.