Shadows Behind the Curtain

Night began to creep into every corner of the city, covering the tall buildings with dimness. Satria stood by the window of his apartment, watching the city lights begin to flicker on. Behind all those lights, he knew there was a deeper darkness, a darkness that had taken his family and now haunted him once again.

His thoughts returned to the last conversation with Arya. His friend's words kept echoing in his mind. There was something unspoken, something Arya was hiding from him. He could feel it. Arya had always been a strong and reliable figure, but Satria knew that the burden they carried was becoming heavier.

Satria took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He dialed Arya's number on his phone, but his call was only met with the repeated sound of ringing. Arya was not one to avoid contact, and that only heightened Satria's concern.

He decided to find Arya directly. Moving swiftly, he donned his black leather jacket and tucked a small weapon into his pocket. The weapon wasn't the most important thing—his martial arts skills were his best weapon.

Satria rode his motorcycle to the place where Arya usually spent his time—a subterranean gym known only to professional fighters. The place was hidden beneath an unassuming bar in a corner of the city. The gym was where Arya honed his skills, and where they often shared strategies and information.

However, when Satria arrived, he was met with an unusual sight. The bar was empty, and the door leading to the gym was locked. He knocked hard, but there was no answer. The creaking sound from the old iron door made him pause. That door had never been locked before, and a bad feeling gnawed at him.

Satria took a step back and kicked the door open with force. The gym below appeared dark and deserted. Only a few heavy equipment lay around, and the usual smell of sweat and iron had been replaced by a tense silence.

Carefully, he stepped inside, his eyes scanning every corner of the room. There were no signs of Arya or anyone else there. Only shadows danced on the walls as the neon lights flickered.

It was then that he heard a faint rustling sound from a corner of the room. His instincts kicked in immediately. Quickly, he hid behind a piece of equipment, waiting in silence. The sound grew closer, and Satria could feel the presence of someone nearby.

As the shadow approached, Satria moved swiftly, choking the person from behind, locking them in place. But before he could demand an explanation, he recognized the face behind the shadow—Arya, gasping for breath.

Satria released him immediately, both surprised and angry. "What are you doing here, Arya? What happened?" he asked, unable to hide the worry in his voice.

Arya coughed a few times, catching his breath before speaking. "Something's wrong, Satria. They know we're after them. We're being watched."

Satria frowned, feeling adrenaline pump faster through his veins. "Who are they? What do you know?"

Arya looked at him with a serious gaze. "Apex Coalition. They're not just controlling things from behind the scenes. They're stronger and more dangerous than we thought. They've already moved their pawns, and we're on the front lines of this battle."

Satria felt his stomach churn at the mention of that name. Apex Coalition was a name he'd heard for a long time, but he had never realized the depth of their influence.

"What are their plans?" Satria asked, trying to gather as much information as possible.

"I don't know everything yet, but they have a big agenda, and we're part of their plan. We need to move quickly before it's too late," Arya replied with urgency in his tone.

Satria nodded, realizing they were caught in a game much larger than he had ever imagined. "We need more information. We can't just act on instinct."

Arya agreed, "We need to find a reliable source of information. Someone who knows more about Apex and their plans."

They exchanged glances, aware that this night would mark the beginning of something big. Something that might change everything.

Satria felt the weight on his shoulders grow heavier, but his resolve grew stronger. He would not stop until he uncovered the truth behind all this—the truth about his family, about the Apex Coalition, and about himself.

With determined steps, they left the gym, ready to face whatever was coming.