Part Four of My Life; Rebukes, Part 2

"When? Here also?" kata Messias kepada Prophet. Is he not tired or anything?

"But of course. We discuss it at the morning, seven sharp. My boys will wake up your boys." kata Prophet melihat anak-anaknya. I don't even know how they get here—your boys? Are they gone rogue a long time ago? Why? How? So many questions—I should ask them tomorrow then. God, I am bloody exhausted.

"Morning?" kata Levi dengan nada kecewa. "We needed sleep."

"And you will sleep until morning. Dismissed, all of you." kata Prophet. Dan Luke, John dan Jehova menuju arah kami, to the east wing where they sleep, I guess?

"Be seeing you, lads." kata Luke tersenyum sembari terlebih dulu menuju tempat tidur mereka.

"Mate," kataku pada Levi, "Just go to sleep, will you?" lanjutku capek.

"Yeah..I guess. Little sleep is better than nothing." kata Levi menaikkan kedua pundaknya. "Well, this all wouldn't happen if you put it in your mouth and keep it shut." kata Simon. "Guys—" sela Benedict langsung, "Knock it off, would you? Goddamnit. Sleep already, now." katanya merangkul mereka berdua sebelum perang dunia lainnya dimulai. Good effort, mate. Pikirku seraya tersenyum kecil. We may not start off at the right foot, but they started to look like the crew they need to be.

"We will be heading first then." kata Thomas menepuk pundakku. Tanda untuk pergi.

"Yeah. You boys keep yapping, and all you get is anger. Carry on, I suggest." kataku kepada mereka.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll be going. Come on lads." kata Levi, sepertinya juga letih dengan seharian ini.

"Get some good rest. Tomorrow will be one bloody hell of a day for you." kata Prophet dengan pose bijaknya yang klise—kedua tangan yang dilipat di belakang, sedikit membungkuk dengan mata yang sayu. Rambut putih dan kerpiutnya menambah esensi bijak di penampilannya. Sayang dia tidak menggunakan kursi roda atau apapun agar membantunya tampak lebih tua.

"Noted well, old man." kataku. Unbeknownst to me, tomorrow is indeed a hell of a day.

Aku melangkah ke atas untuk bersiap-siap tidur—astaga, aku sangat capek. Bahkan mungkin inilah dua puluh empat jam tercapek sepanjang hidupku. I guess surviving is not that easy of a feat to do. "Hey," kata Thomas menepuk bahuku. "What, mate?" kataku sedikit menggerutu, berpikir negatif tentang apapun yang akan dia bicarakan.

"Care for a talk?" katanya pelan. Aku tersentak. Di matanya jelas tergambar sesuatu tersembunyi.

"Tentu saja." anggukku reflek. I was never that mean to me mates. Especially this moment.

Kita berdua melihat semuanya sudah menutup pintunya rapat-rapat dan pergi tidur—and I believe the other side has done just that, too. No doubts. "How about there, mate?" kataku menunjuk ujung sisi rumah ini. Nun jauh di pojok, melewati pintu kamarku, kamar Thomas, Simon, Benedict dan juga Levi. I thought, the far the merrier, is not it? Not the rightest of words, but he'll know why I picked that spot.

"Sounds jolly well." kata Thomas mengangguk, menepuk pundakku, dan mulai berjalan.

"So, why the sudden urge?" tanyaku selagi kita berjalan ke ujung—rumah ini besar sekali.

"I, uh, I don't know exactly. The talk that we put on hold," katanya menggaruk-garuk rambutnya, "I thought the perfect moment will never strikes us by. Hence, now." katanya menjelaskan kegalauan hatinya. "I hear you." jawabku melihat sinar bulan di pojok yang kita hampiri itu—jendela yang sangat besar dan balkon mini yang terbaring manis di bawahnya memberikan nuansa tenang.

"But you did know I really don't have any answer, right?" kataku mencoba jelas.

"Yeah, yeah. I did know that." kata Thomas. "I just needed this moment, right here."

This mate has been going through a lot, I see. Whatever it is, it has moved him so much.

Ah. Akhirnya aku sampai. Dibuat separuh tersengal-sengal napasku menuju ke tempat ini saja. Bayangkan seluruh rumah—apakah Prophet masih sekuat itu untuk berjalan sejauh ini? Mungkin toiletnya sendiri tiga mil jauhnya. "Look at the moon, mate." kata Thomas. "If you're trying to be romantic, I'm not gay." kataku. 'Tch.' "I never thought assassins could have a wife, let alone a husband." katanya menyandarkan tangan ke teralis balkon. "You seem hindered by life—what happened?"

"Mate, I don't know where to start?" kata Thomas menggelengkan kepala.

"Then start at the middle of it. Or anywhere, really." kataku juga bersandar ke teralis di dekatnya.

"It seems, this mission we're having—it's just another pointless life, isn't it?"

"If you put it that way. But, you may get your ticket out ouf it with this very mission."

"You buying it?"

"It's not that I have a choice." tukasku menaikkan kedua bahuku.

"Leave here, with a bounty on me head, and get shot." kataku membalikkan badan dan melihat bintang-bintang. "Be with them, have zero chance of winning, and get shot anyway." kataku tersenyum, mengagumi langit-langit yang mungkin akan terlihat sebegitu indahnya untuk terakhir kalinya di mataku. "I'd rather die with my bullets than chickened out."

"Maybe Henry has a better chance of living off as a sociopath." kata Thomas menghela napas.

"Mate, believe me—you don't know his story."

"Well," kata Thomas juga seraya membalikkan badannya, "I must be paranoid then. All these things, they never bothered me until now. I guess I'm not ready for this." katanya semakin bijak saja tiap menitnya. "Yah," kataku melirik Thomas, "Kita semua punya pilihan. Terkadang, pilihannya begitu berat, kita terbutakan olehnya. Dan konsekuensi pilihan satu dan yang lainnya tidak dapat kita tanggung," lanjutku memecah malam ini dengan obrolan kita.

"But to hell. I am glad whatever happens next."

"How can you be that kind of person?" tanya Thomas lagi.

"Well, I am molded, my boy. This lad right here, is the collection of all the trauma and past scars when I was a child—nobody sees them or feels them. But I know damn right," kataku melangkah kembali menuju pintu kamarku, "I might, or might not be an assassin. But we are living, true? Don't ever put that away, mate."

Aku melangkah menuju kamarku, meninggalkan Thomas untuk merenung sejenak, apapun itu.

With each step I am racking up now, life does not gets easier.

You just get used to all the stomping you gets. You gets stronger because of it.

'Peep!' 'Peep!' 'Peep!' suara menyebalkan berulang kali terdengar.

"My bloody ears. Fuck—" Kataku menyumpal bantal ke telingaku. Who fucking knew that this room has an alarm? 'Peep!' 'Peep!' 'Pee—click!' "What? Who—" "Wake up!" kata suara lantang mengebukku dengan bantal, tepat di kepalaku. "Fucking hell!" teriakku sempoyongan setelah serangan tiba-tiba itu.

��Come on. It's 6.45 already. Wash your goddamn face. You look like a fucking bum."

Saking mengantuknya, aku bahkan tidak tahu suara siapa itu. Oh well. Time to get up, then.

"The others?" kataku setengah menguap. "I'll be waking them up soon." kata suara ini—suara Messias, sepertinya. Suara serak dan berat seperti menggesek batu bara ke marmer ini jelas suara Messias. "Why me first?" "Stop nagging and wash your face already." "Alright, alright."

See. This is where it gets interesting. Every room has a toliet on the inside.

I feel like I am living high in my ivory towers and my silverwares. "Oh. Jangan lupa untuk turun setelah itu." sambung Messias lagi, lalu keluar dari kamarku. "Oke, oke. Tenang saja." kataku mengusap rambutku yang berantakan. Which reminds me; when is the last time we get a haircut? We look like a bunch of rock stars—Prophet not included, of course. He looks like an regular old man. Pikirku seraya menuju toilet dengan postur seperti zombi.

'Squeak!' bunyi keran mengucurkan air yang perlahan makin deras. 'Whrrr...splash!' aku mengambil setangkup tanganku dan mengguyurnya ke wajahku. Seisi toilet ini saja sepertinya lebih mahal ketimbang seluruh isi rumahku.

I was thinking last night—all of this house, the contents inside and the lap of luxury life could have been mine if we could leave James at that. Just at that. Look, I'm not trying to be that kind of man that blindly follows his dream...I guess that part of me died back there in the prison.

Fuck. I am not ready for everything—for anything.

"Hey! You up? Get down, now." kata Luke di luar pintu masuk kamarku. Aku mengangguk lemah, lalu aku melihat lagi wajahku di cermin.

I've changed a lot. I am not exactly—not even remotely, the man I used to be. The scars remains on my face, my beard has been a lot more longer than years ago, and my hair also—but that doesn't count as anything. It's my mind that changed so, so much that I never see it the same way as before. Oh well, I guess I overthink. Let's go downstairs.

"You've been called too?" kata Simon dari luar pintu, melihatku keluar.

"I guess everyone is called. Don't you think so?" jawabku keluar dan menutup pintu kamar.

"Yeah—no. Maybe? I have a lot in my mind." katanya menuju tangga untuk turun.

Yeah, me too, mate. Me too. Pikirku seraya melangkah turun.

"So, everyone's here?" kata Messias di akhir tangga turun. "I don't know. I barely finished." kataku seraya melangkah turun. "Masuk akal—ayo, berkumpul. Sepertinya sudah waktunya." kata Messias menuju ruang tengah. I knew it. They were asking us to sleep so they could deviate a genius plan without us—they think we are kids? Bollocks, that.

"What did you have in mind?" kataku memancing.

"Nothing that comes as a surprise to you." kata Messias tenang—sepertinya dia sudah tahu watakku.

"Aye, but what?"

"We���re here. See for yourself, young lad." kata Messias menuding kertas besar di tengah, atau Prophet. Entahlah. "You up already?" kata John. "Is that a question? Yes, yes. I'm up." kataku bingung. Well, everyone's here. Except Levi. Fuck, he's always late. "Did you meet Levi on your way down?" kata Luke. "He's supposed to be one room with Simon, doesn't it?" tanyaku pada Simon.

"Affirmative." kata Simon mengangguk.

"Then? Whatever happened to him?" tanya Thomas, melipat tangannya dan bersandar.

"He's uh—he's had a business in the toilet. I guess he's done now." jawabnya membuang muka.

"No! God, no!" teriakku jijik—diiringi juga dengan pandangan sinis semua orang.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped, doesn't it?" kata Simon membela diri, "It's not like I helped him with it, either!" katanya memperagakan sesuatu yang menjijikkan. "Fuck arse, it's gross!" teriak Benedict. Semua orang tampaknya mengerti semua ini��kecuali Prophet. Either he's too old and wise, or he might did it himself and was too shy to admit about it.

"Alright, back to the matter at hand." kata Prophet memegang meja pelan.

Well, I guess he just didn't know about it, then.

"So, for anyone not catching a glimpse of what's going on," kata Prophet serius, "we are going to attack James—Mr. Christ, in case you're all wondering." lanjutnya mengambil peta dari bawah meja. "Ada yang tidak mengerti kenapa? Bagaimana? Apapun itu pertanyaan kalian?" kata Prophet merogoh sesuatu lagi dari bawah meja—entah apa itu, pikirku sembari menengadahkan kepala. Oh, ternyata bidak-bidak catur.

Oh, I know the analogy already. It's going to be like those chess pawns on the map, moved around like some war strategies.

"Come on, then. Come closer." kata Prophet mengayunkan tangannya.

"Now, you all know—that this mission is a deathwish. Right?"

"Right. I guess?" kata Levi menyipitkan matanya. "I don't really think about it, at all."

"I just, uh, I just have one question—why do you think we're on board with this thing?" kata Simon.

Semuanya hening. I'll just assume people had the same question lingering on their head.

"I don't know, actually." kata Prophet tenang. "I actually have not the slightest idea that you lads absolutely—without any tiniest pieces and bits of this very noble quest—that you would agree." lanjutnya semakin tenang. "Jadi...kamu memanipulasi kami? Bagaimana Jehova dan yang lainnya juga setuju?" tanya Simon lagi.

"I nurtured them. And unless you guys, I am not the guys from the Assassin service." jawab Prophet. "I don't speak for myself; neither do I chooses the life you want to pick, either." katanya menaruh serangkaian bidak catur di peta. "I don't do," katanya menyentil salah satu bidak, 'Clack!' "This."

"I don't consider anyone expendable. Just—human." tukas Prophet menjelaskan.

"You all would understand that." katanya menutup percakapan ini sementara—kita sekarang memikirkan hal yang lebih besar ketimbang hanya tetek bengek pembalasan dendam semata, tapi nasib kita sendiri. Dan aku pikir, seperti Henry, kita semua berhak menentukan apa yang akan terjadi nantinya. Apapun itu. "I guess we need a moment, old man." kataku memecah kebisuan.

"Then time is what you don't have, young man." jawabnya, mengejutkanku.

"And why is that?"

"You precisely knew the answer, don't you, boy?" kata Prophet melihatku dalam-dalam.

Aku tercengang—lalu aku menyadari apa yang dia maksud.

"That's right. You have dealt with them before. The assassin service—and you made your way out. You think they're not serious about killing you off where you stood before? The police? The assassin?" kata Prophet sedikit geram. Aku tahu perasaannya. Dia pasti mengalami hal yang sama—mungkin bertahun-tahun yang lalu.

"Mungkin kamu benar, Prophet." kataku melihatnya yang penuh dengan determinasi.

"Or perhaps I was wrong about it—that what you said, boy?" katanya dengan nada tinggi. "I never said that—" "You are correct." tukasnya. What? I thought he's being hard about this whole scheme of things. "Perhaps I was too stubborn about this. But I am old, boy. And fragile. Death," katanya mengambil semua bidak pion dan menyusunnya lagi dengan rapi, "Means nothing to me. But then again, perhaps I was wrong about that, too." lanjutnya lagi, tersenyum tipis.

"Prove to me I am wrong."

"Alright, then. I'm in. I got nowhere to be in this whole world." kataku tersenyum balik.

"Well done, my boy." jawabnya bangga. And the next thing I know, everybody is nodding—maybe they got inspired by this old coot's speech. "Aku juga." kata Thomas. "Aku." kata Simon, mengangkat tangannya. "Aku dengannya." sambung Benedict. "Aku dengannya juga." sambung Levi lagi. "Well, we're already in from the very start, so what gives?" kata Jehova melihat teman seperjuangannya—Luke dan John. Since when they do mission together, though?

"We may be dead and we may be shackled, but we choose the future we want." kata Prophet.

I am not going to lie, those words of his—I have been dying to hear it in my whole damned life.

"So! When we'll start?" kataku sedikit bersemangat sekarang. "Soon. I will lay out the plan—then we'll strike when they expect it least.. From the bottom up." kata Prophet melihat semua orang. And I am sure everybody knows, the bunker is almost impossible to get our bloody noses into.

"Are you taking a piss?" kata Levi dengan tangannya yang mengusap dahinya.

"No, son. I am being absolutely serious." kata Prophet, kedua tangannya memegang ujung peta untuk mencegahnya tergulung. "All of you, gather around at the center, will you?" "I am curious as what you will do, old man." kata Messias tersenyum—aku tahu dia hanya mencoba mencari tahu sehebat apa Prophet sebenarnya.

To be honest, even my myself doesn't know a bloody thing about Prophet. They always have this legends and fables back at the academy—mostly about Jehova, sometimes about Messias, but never about Prophet. This old man must have endured such a long life and killed countless men to have made it out of James's grasp alive. One thing, this lad is not pissing about.

"Gentlemen, we're about to make some history." kata Prophet—kelihatannya sangat senang.

"Then let us carry on, eh?" kataku antusias, seraya menuju tengah meja dengan semangat yang aku kira tidak pernah ada sebelumnya di dalam jiwaku sekarang ini. "It's rare to see you getting all blissful with this." kata Thomas melihatku sinis. "I believe in God—at least, whatever it is he's pulling ourselves into." "Well—that, didn't answer anything, boss." tukas Simon. Well, lad's right. But in the end, it's good to have some of your old self back though.

"Aku yakin kalian tahu kalau markas kita tersambung dengan akademi." kata Prophet menjelaskan.

"And?" kata Benedict. "I'm not done talking, boy." katanya menaikkan jari telunjuk—lalu menunjuk peta. "Oh wow, a map. Wonder what map is it?" kataku. "It's the underground tunnels of the HQ. and the academy, too." jawab Luke. What? How come nobody ever heard of this before?

"You boys interrupted me again." kata Prophet mengusap-usap kepalanya.

"Oh, so sorry, sir. Do continue." kata Luke meminta maaf dengan cepat. Lad seems scared.

"Since you guys ruined the surprise already, yes. It's a map of the underground tunnels of James's entire lair." We're calling it a lair now—what's next? Is he some sort of a boss villain or something?

"Jadi kita akan menyerang dari bawah tanah." kata Simon.

"Ya, benar sekali, Simon. Dengan cara itu, mereka akan terkejut." jawab Luke.

"Mate, shut up already." kata John kepada partnernya. Hm. They reminded me of the team I know best. "Continue, Prophet." kata Jehova melipat kedua tangannya. "I guess boys are the same, eh?" bisik Thomas ke telingaku. "Well, boys will be boys mate. We're used to being treated like them too, don't it?" Thomas tersenyum dan mengangguk pelan.

"Are you done? Let me continue, then." kata Prophet mulai kehilangan kesabarannya.

"Through the underground tunnels, we can go right into James's office. However, the map is quite complex. I need you to memorize every tunnel and every paths directing right into his office." katanya menunjuk sebuah lokasi di peta yang dilingkari spidol merah. That's our target, then. "Any shortcut?" tanya Levi.

"Well, no, my boy. Underground, there is only one tunnel through the others. So you need to be fast. And precise." katanya. Well, I've dealt with tunnels James made before. On the bloody Black House, to be exact. How I could've escaped alive still amazes me up until now. "Aku sarankan kita bergerak sesuai tim kita biasanya." kata Jehova. "Itu tidak mungkin." kata Messias yang sedari tadi hanya melihat dari belakang.

"And why is that?" tanya Jehova dengan alis menantang.

"Because then, you'd not following my plan. Hear it first, would you?" jawab Prophet.

"Oke. Maaf." kata Jehova pelan. Oh wow. This old man have his throne all respected and bowed down, eh? Seems everybody is downright scared of him. "Bagus." jawab Prophet, kembali melihat petanya. "Jadi, kembali ke rencana. Di bawah tanah," katanya menunjuk peta. Sungguh, peta ini hanya terdiri dari lorong-lorong sempit yang arahnya tidak beraturan. Not the kind of the normal map you'd see in the suburbs around. "Ada banyak cabang dan jalan-jalan buntu. Aku buth kalian untuk mengingat ini. Perempatan pertama, ke kanan. Perempatan kedua, ke kiri. Pertigaan ke kiri, lalu buka pintu di ujung jalan." kata Prophet menjelaskan.

"And that applies to—what team?" tanya Thomas.

"I will assign the team very shortly." jawab Prophet kembali berdiri tegak.

God. I'm curious as to how he'll form the teams, especially since we just met and he knows about my work from hearsays and eavesdrops. Especially from Luke and John. "Jadi," kata Prophet mengambil bidak pion. "Jehova," katanya menrauh bidak itu dan mengambil bidak lainnya, "Simon. Dan John. Kalian semua menjadi satu tim." katanya menyusun tiga bidak pion dengan manis.

"I'm going to agree." kata Jehova menganggukkan kepalanya.

"And who ever said you could argue?" kata Prophet dengan mata sinisnya.

"Euh—out of topic, I think this is a jolly good team, though." kata John mendinginkan hati kedua pemimpin keras kepala ini. "Fits like a glove, lad." kata Simon setuju. "Oke, mari kita lanjutkan sekarang." kata Prophet mengambil bidak pion yang lain. Is he interested in chess or what? Such a dramatic way to just announce a team. Probably he's just stealing Messias's thunder, who's just standing there silently—I think nside his head, he's going to murder someone with a trowel.

"Oke. Selanjutnya; Thomas, Benedict, dan Luke." kata Prophet mengambil bidak-bidak catur.

"Eh. I can do right by it." kata Thomas menaikkan kedua pundaknya dan melihat ke Benedict. "I don't know, mate—I'm not an assassin." kata Benedict tidak percaya diri. "No worries, mate. You'll be our cannon fodder." kata Luke tersenyum lebar. "Yeah, you massive cunt. Yeah." kata Benedict tersenyum kembali. Somehow, I don't feel happy though. With all the teams settled up, that leaves me with—

"Messias, William dan Levi. Kalian tim terakhir." kata Prophet selesai mengatur tim.

Yeah. Who knows what next, right? This team feels lunatic by no apparent reason.

"Wait. Are you sure?" kata Levi penasaran—atau mungkin dia hanya canggung saja dengan kami berdua. He has no friends, and all his boss is suddenly his companon and brother-in-arms. Hey, I'd be surprised, too. "Apa kamu mempertanyakan pengalamanku?" tanya Prophet. "Yah, tidak tentu saja, tapi—" "Oke! Tim sudah terbentuk. Mari kujelaskan bagian terpenting dari semua operasi; rencananya." tukas Prophet bertambah serius saja—mengabaikan Levi dengan mukanya yang sedikit tersakiti.

It's been two hours—it's almost midday. I guess the operation will take place tomorrow?

"Kalian ingat sebelumnya aku menyuruh kalian mengingat rute langsung menuju kantor James?" tanya Prophet menyusun bidak-bidak di tempat yang berbeda-beda di peta. "Well, you're all going to there, albeit different routes." katanya seraya meletakkan bidak terakhir di dekat—aku tidak tahu apa onggokan kecil berliku itu—sungai, sepertinya?

"Aren't we going to just—uh, I don't know, bump into each other's arse?" tanya Thomas.

"You're ground troops. Figure it out." kata Prophet membalas dengan dingin. Oh, wow. With the dead weight is on my team, I'd say these teams are pretty much balanced and well. "Siapa memulai dari mana? Bidakku yang mana—apa bidakku yang paling dekil itu?" tanya Levi penasaran. "Mate—" "You'll be starting here. From the airducts." kata Prophet menjelaskan. Oh wow, he didn't get all worked up. What an absolute surprise, this old chap.

"Airducts? You sure?" tanya Levi menantang maut.

"There are a lot of surveillance cameras and bloody hell of guards around," kata Prophet melihat Messias, "But giving the team I gave you, it should be a walk in the park." katanya melingkari bidak-bidak pion di dekat tembok luar peta itu. Oh. So that's us, then. "Oke. Aku setuju." kata Levi mengangguk. Either way, I'm still sure Levi, with all his ambitions gun blazing—he has something I particularly don't understand up his sleeve. Mate's cunning alright.

"Next up, Thomas's team." kata Prophet menunjuk Thomas.

"Kalian akan mulai dari hulu sungai, menuju hilir—yang letaknya tepat di tandon bawah tanah. Tempat itu mempunyai sedikit sekali penjaga." kata Prophet menuding lekukan-lekukan aneh yang membingungkanku tadi. "Oh no," kata Benedict menghela napas panjang, "Not the sewers, no." Thomas menoleh menuju Benedict, "Tapi kamu kan tidak pernah melalui selokan sebelumnya." "Justru itulah alasannya." jawab Benedict. Oh, just as I thought. This lad is a city dweller alright.

"Aye, grow some balls, mate." kata Simon tiba-tiba.

"Wow, some pep talk, lad—wanna change sides, eh?" jawab Benedict menantang.

"Enough of that, now." kata Prophet akhirnya turun tangan. Why is Messias silent, though?

"Kita sudah selesai?" kata Messias tiba-tiba. Finally. Thought this lad has gone mute since then. "Hold on, Messias. That's just the entry point." kata Prophet menyetopnya di tempat. "Yeah, mate. Why the sudden rush? Do you want to take a piss or what?" tanya Jehova juga. Sekarang semua orang mencurigainya. This, people, is the power of prejudice.

"No," kata Messias menggeleng, "It's just that I have this eerie feeling."

"I suggest we stay sharp, then. But the plan will be briefed still." jawab Prophet.

Messias menoleh pelan menuju pintu masuk. Semuanya menoleh juga, termasuk aku.

"Ah." kata Jehova bergumam pelan. Aku tersenyum culas. Well, it's been a while since the last time I have this experience again, eh? Aku perlahan mengambil pistolku di belakang pinggangku—begitu juga dengan semua orang di ruangan ini. Prophet bahkan meraih senapan mesin di bawah mejanya. "Flank? Or act as if nothing happened?" kata Messias membuka percakapan.

"Either way works fine for me." kata Jehova.

"I have a sniper rifle ready. We'll see who gets the head first." kata Prophet congkak.

Jolly good. Been a while since I have a healthy competition going on. "Oke. Tunggu dan tembak, seperti biasanya." kataku mengangguk setuju. Hanya Levi dan Benedict yang sedikit takut dan tidak percaya diri—yah, ini bukan bagian dari pekerjaan mereka. Tapi aku tahu mereka pasti sudah menduga mereka akan datang sebelum kami semua mengendusnya.

'Creaaak...' 'Slam!' Pintu dibuka paksa. 'Clank!' 'Pssssss..' Smoke bombs. So procedural.

'Bang! Bang! Bang! Ratatatatata!' Pistol dulu, lalu baru senapan mesin. Pasti produk-produk pangkat bawah. 'Bang!!' muntahan shotgun milik Jehova membuat suara ruangan semakin tidak terkendali. "Mine." kata Prophet. Ternyata dia juga sudah membidik sedari tadi. "No. It's mine." kata Thomas dengan pistolnya yang diacungkan tinggi-tinggi menuju arah pintu masuk. Mesiunya masih terasa. He definitely shot last. "What about me, then?" kataku ingin ikut serta dalam kompetisi ini.

"Look, lads—the good thing is that they're dead." kata Levi tidak tertarik.

Well, we encounter bloody lots of dead people every mission. For us assassins, proving who's the fastest amongst us all is a trophy well-deserved. "Lebih baik kita cek." kataku percaya diri. "Tunggu," kata Prophet menahan dadaku. "There's more coming." katanya melihat ke lantai dua. "You guys take care of the rest. Briefing done—now move out!" katanya seraya mengambil peta dan benda-benda lainnya di atas meja.

"Suddenly? These guys can't be from assassin service now, eh?" tanya Thomas bersiaga.

"Whatever it is, we better move out. Move in your group, sweep upstairs. We will sweep this floor." kata Jehova. Aku mengangguk. "Come on now." kataku kepada Simon dan Levi. Keduanya juga mengangguk. Shit. Are we a little bit too late?

"Move out. Now!" teriak Prophet dari belakang. Sialan—sepertinya kita memang terlambat.

'Blam!' 'Boom!' bunyi keras terdengar dari depan. Shit. The doors are destroyed.

"Ayo, sebelum kita mati." kataku kepada timku. Aku langsung berlari menuju lantai dua. 'Bang! Bang!' bunyi pistol terdengar dari jauh. Tapi tidak mengenai siapapun. Who are they actually? Aku membidik darri iron sights. "There they are!" teriak seseorang dari jauh. Kepala—'Bang!' "Ugh.." Ha. I still got it. "He's dead! Move out, move out!" teriak seorang yang lain—aku yakin sisa timnya—dari jauh.

"Ayo, tim! Flank them, now!" kataku seraya mengeluarkan granat tangan dan melemparnya.

"Go!" teriak tim mereka dari sisi seberang. 'Swish!' Mereka membuang kembali granatnya. "Fuck!" ujarku tersentak, seraya langsung membidik. 'Bang!' 'Blam!' Granat meledak di udara. Serpihan-serpihannya terbang ke semua arah. Diam-diam aku menggelindingkan granat baru dengan pelan dan mendekati lantai.

"Take cover." kataku mengusir anak-anakku ke sisi tembok dan sudut-sudut tak terjangkau.

'Blam!' granat kedua meledak di tengah-tengah asap sisa granat pertama. Aku melihat yang lain, dan memberikan isyarat kalau aku akan maju sendirian. "Team—" 'Bang!' Tepat di kepala. Aku langsung menghardik mayatnya dan menjadikannya tameng. "Fuck!" teriak yang lain, tersontak ke belakang. 'Ratatatatata!' Aku langsung menekan keras-keras pelatuk senapan mesinnya tanpa pikir panjang.

'Click! 'Click!' Sial. Magasinnya habis. Aku melepas pelatuk flashbang di dadanya dan menendangnya ke ruangan timnya masuk. Aku menghindar dan berlindung. 'Blam!' Sebuah sinar membutakan langsung menyeruak sampai keluar ruangan.

Go in!" kataku berteriak kepada timku. Mereka langsung menyerbu—sepertinya. I'm blinded.

'Bang! Bang!' 'Bang!' 'Ratatata—' 'Bang! Bang!' "Check your six!" teriak Simon. Aku harus masuk sekarang. Benar saja—satu orang di belakang pintu menunggu mereka lengah. 'Snip—schwack!' Aku mengambil pisau dari kakiku dan menusuk jantungnya dari belakang. Simon dan Levi langsung menoleh ke belakang. Aku mengangkat kedua tanganku, diiringi dengan bedebah yang kutusuk tersungkur pelan-pelan.

"All clear?" tanyaku menurunkan tanganku pelan-pelan.

"Sector clean." kata Levi melihat dan membidik sisi kiri.

"Mine's clean." lanjut Simon melihat sisi kanannya. "All sectors clean."

"Good." kataku mengambil napas sebentar. "Siapa mereka? Suruhan James? Atau, orang-orang yang iri dengki terhadap Prophet?" tanyaku melihat mayat mereka yang berserakan. My boys cleared them all with minimum bullets needed. I'm proud of me lads. "Kamu pikir mereka orang yang marah dengan Prophet?" tanya Levi. "Seems like a lot do, doesn't it?" jawabku melihat rompi mereka. All black. Black linen pants, black tux with black bulletprrof vest—even black balaclava. I know a particular person who likes black and blending in with the darkest of the corners.

"They're from the service." kataku beranjak berdiri setelah mengambil amunisinya.

"What?! Already?" kata Simon sedikit kaget—tapi bahkan dia pasti menyadari hal ini.

"Means we have to move fast. Let's catch up with the others." kata Levi menjarah mayat yang lain dan mengisi ulang pistolnya. "Mate's right. Let's move our arse back to the first floor." kataku setuju sembari keluar dari pintu. 'Bang!' "Shit!" teriakku langsung berlindung di balik pintu.

"Move out! Use the back window!" kataku mengusir mereka ke belakang.

'Clank!' bunyi granat menyentuh tanah. Aku mengambilnya dan langsung membuangnya jauh-jauh. Lalu aku mengambil granat tanganku dan membuka pinnya, lalu membuangnya juga. One thing I knew all about warfare, they never see a cunning plan coming.

Aku berlari cepat menuju jendela belakang yang sudah terbuka lebar—dan berpegangan pada terali balkon, laluterjun ke bawah. "Ungh!" erangku saat kakiku menyentuh rumput. "Did it hurt, boss? You must be getting grey on your hair." kata Simon membantuku berdiri. "Shut up, now."

'Blam! Blam!' bunyi dua granat saling bersahutan di dalam, seperti kembang api mahal. "Come on, let's use the main entrance." kataku membidik. "Isn't that dangerous?" tanya Levi. "They thought of that,too. Now let's go!" jawabku tanpa berbasa-basi.

'Blam! Blam!' suara ledakan terdengar lagi. Kali ini dari depan. Fuck—we have nowhere to go, eh?

"Bloody hell. I'm hesitating right now, I really am." kataku separuh berbisik. "Did you bring any guns with you?" tanya Simon. Aku menggelengkan kepala. "We'd better go through the window pane too, then." kata Levi. Shit. I need time to really think this through. We're outnumbered and outgunned, and worse, we've been ambushed. They must be panicking too.

"Oke! Tidak ada waktu berpikir! Ke jendela, sekarang!" teriakku kepada yang lain.

Aku meraih jendela besar di depan kami dan menyikutnya keras-keras. 'Crash! Clink, clink!' bunyi pecahan kaca jendela menyentuh tanah membuatku cemas. Here it comes, then—I'm feeling terrified down to my spines. "Move!" kataku memanggil yang lain di belakang. Aku langsung membidik. Fuck. Everything is covered in smokes. They must be using thermal goggles. Aku berlari ke balik tembok dan bersandar. Aku melihat Simon dan Levi bersusah payah melalui jendela yang tinggal serpihan-serpihan tajam itu. Fuck. Fuck. I am terrified as hell.

"Clear?" kata Simon mendekat. Levi membidik di sisi punggung Simon.

"I have no fucking idea. They must be coming in fast." jawabku mencoba berpikir.

"Lebih baik kita berhati-hati ketimbang bergegas—nyawa kita taruhannya." kata Levi. Anak ini benar. Satu langkah salah, dan kepala kita akan dilubangi. "We should get back from where we came from." "Are you lunatic?!" teriak Simon tidak setuju. "It's the best plan—they never see it coming. They're looking for us, right? They must've had the place sweeped already." kataku menjelaskan dengan kepala dingin.

"Now, carry on. Follow me." kataku membidik dari pinggang dan berlari kecil.

'Blam!' Ledakan lain. Bloody fuck. Are they not done yet bombing our arses still?!

"Did you hear that?" kata Levi menghentikan langkah semua orang.

'Fwhooomp—fruuump!' "That's the sound of the flamethrower." katanya yakin. "We'd better hurry up, then. All we do in the past five minutes has been but blaberring nonsense." jawabku tidak peduli. Karena apapun dan bagaimanapun, kita tetap harus menyelamatkan yang lain.

'Clink, clink—clink.' bunyi kaca jendela yang masih tersisa tajam terguncang tubuhku yang merangkak kembali ke dalam. "Carry on, now." kataku kepada yang lain. 'Bang! Bang!' suara pistol mengalihkan perhatianku sementara. "Follow me fast."

Aku berlari kecil menuju ujung pintu menuju ruangan utama dan mengintip. Aku melihat sekilas, dan—swish! aku langsung kembali berlindung. There's a whole platoon out there, just sitting around. Two are on patrols. Fuck. They're trained, eh? 'Shhh.' "Be quiet—there's a whole bunch of them out there." kataku kepada yang lain di belakang.

"Shift's over. Take over, man." They're changing guards.

"Alright. First floor first, then second." balasnya—sepertinya mereka mengecek sesuka hati mereka.

There are no more guard shift happening soon. This might be our only chance from thinning them out. "Prepare to ambush." kataku. "Alright, then. No regrets." jawab Simon. Levi hanya mengangguk pasrah. At this point on, we're just chasing rainbows now. I'll guess we'll die a noble death.

'Bang!' Kepala. 'Bang!' Kepala. "What the—" 'Bang!' "Argh!" Fuck! Aku langsung berlari—tinggal dua orang. 'Bang! Bang! Bang!' "Urgh." Bagus. Bedebah satunya sudah diatasi. Aku memiting satu orang tersisa ini dan mendorongnya ke lantai. 'Pow!' bunyi rompi pelurunya menabrak lantai dengan berat. Aku memiting lehernya. "Stop, now...HQ, report—" 'Crack!' "Ugh..." bunyi lehernya yang patah mengakhiri detak jantungku yang berlari cepat sedari tadi.

"Finish off the mobile guards—I'll find the others. Go!" kataku tidak membuang waktu.

Aku menjarah mayat mereka dan mengambil senapan mesinnya. M4 Karabin. These aren't assassin service usual weapons—they're the assault team James save for world wars. Mengetahui fakta itu, aku berlari lebih cepat menuju lorong-lorong mengitari lantai satu. Satu-satunya jalan hanyalah berlari ke depan dan berharap yang terbaik.

'Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!' bunyi sepatuku yang berlari cepat menambah tensi tinggi atmosfir di sini. 'Fwhooomp...brrrr—blam!' bunyi jilatan api yang seiring waktu membesar, ditambah bunyi ledakan di mana-mana mengingatkanku pada adegan-adegan perang. I'm almost at the end of the road. There they are! "Hey!" teriakku lantang. Jehova dan Luke langsung membidik—lalu langsung menurunkan moncong senjata mereka.

"Where's John?" tanyaku menghampiri dengan terengah-engah.

Mereka berdua terdiam sunyi sembari menghindari mataku. Oh.

"We better move fast. They're closing in on us." kataku memecah kesunyian. "Where's your boys?" "We split up—thought we could find you lads better that way." "Well, let's catch up with them, eh." jawab Jehova cepat. Aku mengangguk setuju, mengambil napas panjang—lalu berlari kembali menyusuri lorong panjang tadi. Baru aku sadari sekarang, betapa masif gedung ini.

'Bang!' 'Bang!' bunyi pistol entah darimana membuat kami sontak membidik.

'Bam, clunk—shuck.' seorang bedebah terjatuh dari susuran tangga di samping kami dengan lemah—sepertinya dia sudah mati. "Well, guess who's not dead yet?" kata suara kakek tua. Kami melongok ke anak tangga paling atas. Prophet.

"Find the others." katanya bijak sembari menyusuri tangga pelan-pelan. Did he know they were coming? I mean, he was always paranoid, but still. "Kamu tahu ini akan terjadi?" tanyaku. "My boy, it's bound to happen. Didn't I tell you to always be aware?"

"Aye, I guess." kataku pelan. Untunglah sepertinya Prophet bisa melindungi kita—atau tidak.

"Now, where's your boys?" tanya Prophet.

"I, uh, we—we split up. Thought it's best to find everyone faster that way."

"And you believe in them?" tanyanya lagi dengan nada meninggi.

"Why the hell not? They're my boys, alright." jawabku antusias. "Well, you give them a what for. Attaboy, Will—I knew you had it in you." Wait, is he being sarcastic or not? This old man has a really senile heart, that is.

"Well, we have to find them still." kata Jehova. "You too—where's your boy?" tanya Prophet. It's unlikely him to ask how everyone's doing. "He, uh—he didn't make it." kata Jehova pelan. Luke hanya menundukkan kepala. Aku rasa ini benar-benar berat bagi dia sekarang. Sama seperti ketika aku kehilangan Judas.

"We'll sure to remember him. Now, to find your boys." katanya menoleh lagi ke arahku.

Aku hanya mengangguk—bahkan sedari tadi pagi, yang aku lakukan kebanyakan hanya mengangguk.

'Floomp—fwhomp!' Fuck. Fire is everywhere now. "Kita harus bergegas." kata Prophet melihat kami semua, "William—kamu pimpin jalan." Aku mengangguk. Lagi. Aku mulai menyusuri lorong tadi seraya berlari kecil. Ada sepasukan lagi pasukan James mencari kita semua.

"Alright, hold on. There are five guys out there—"

'Bang! Bang! Bang!' muntahan mesiu dari pistol Prophet langsung menjurus ke arah mereka.

"What the bloody fuck?!" teriakku kaget. Aku yakin mereka pasti juga kaget. Tanpa pikir panjang, aku langsung membidik mereka semua. 'Ratata—' 'Bang! Bang! Bang Bang!' suara pistol semua orang menghiasi keramaian gaduh dari tadi. Untungnya, kita cukup cepat. Mayat mereka berlima berceceran cukup dekat dari posisi mereka tadi berdiri. 'Phew.' dengusku lega.

"Hey, what the fuck?!" kataku belum selesai dengan Prophet.

"They would've noticed us already, without us hiding." kata Prophet tenang.

"That doesn't give you the right to—"

"Alright. They're dead. Let us carry on, then." katanya memimpin jalan. Padahal tadi katanya, aku saja yang memimpin jalan. So much for being a leader yourself, eh? "Just let it go, mate." kata Jehova memegang pundakku. "Is he always like that?" balasku melihatnya yang berjalan maju seolah-olah tidak ada apa-apa. "Almost always. But sometimes, he is right. Must we wait for another death?" kata Jehova tegas—namun aku tahu, Jehova pasti juga tidak siap dengan semua itu. Apalagi dengan John yang terpaksa ditinggalkan demi kelangsungan hidup kita semua. Assassin code, I guess.

"I guess you were right. I'm a little hot-headed." kataku menatap Jehova.

"Shall we?" lanjut Jehova tersenyum. Jarang sekali melihatnya tersenyum. Aku mengangguk, dan sepintas melihat Luke—sepertinya dia juga terluka dalam.

Well, we all lose our loved ones at some point of our life.

"Fuck—let me take a breather." kataku dengan napas tersengal dan memegangi lututku yang kesakitan. "We don't have time, William! Their bullet will come closer to our head in any minute now!" teriak Jehova yang mendahuluiku ke depan. Kita sudah berjam-jam menyusuri seluruh tempat ini dan masih belum menemukan pimpinan mereka atau anak-anakku—aku sempat menyerah beberapa kali.

'Whuurrll—whoomp! Flaaaam, fwhooomp—' suara jilatan api yang berkobar semakin tinggi membuat asap dan kabut tebal dimana-mana. Any minute now, we'd die poisoned. "Look. It's the end of the house. We can either find them there, or we'd die in the big caliber bullets showering us." kata Prophet menunjuk pintu besar dengan dekorasi ek tua di sekelilingnya dan malaikat-malaikat mengitarinya. I think I seems to notice this design elsewhere, but where?

"Come on now! Get inside!" kata Jehova menyuruh aku dan Luke untuk lekas masuk.

'Creak—slam!' Jehova menutup erat pintunya sebelum kobaran api dan pilar-pilar yang semakin runuth mengubur kita hidup-hidup. "It's dark in here." kataku berbisik. "Maybe this will help." jawab seseorang dalam gelap. 'Css!' bunyi korek api dinyalakan membuat perhatian kami semua terpusat ke arah cahaya. Dan benar saja dugaan kami—mereka sudah ditangkap. Simon dan Levi dan Benedict dan Thomas, terduduk di kursi dengan separuh pingsan dan mulutnya yang dibekap serta kedua tangannya diikat di belakang kursi.

"Tuan-tuan." kata seseorang dengan setelan hitamnya melihatku dingin.

"James." balasku dengan penuh rasa penasaran dan ambisi.

"So," kata Prophet. "Let's cut the bloody nonsense and arrive to the point." katanya memegang pistol di tangannya—aku tahu, dia pasti bersiap untuk menembak. "Long time no see, Vault Guardian. Do they know your rotting soul already?"

"Cut the crap, James. Why are you here? Why are you sending assassins?" kataku.

"Thought you might already know the answer to that." katanya mengeluarkan pistol.

"Don't you dare—"

"Lose your temper, and you lose a head, William." jawabnya menatapku dalam. He mean it.

"Alright. Alright." kataku menahan diri. "Aku benar-benar tidak menyangka kamu bisa sejauh ini." kata Prophet. "You missed out so much, Guardian. In this era, I plant chips on the back of their heads." katanya lagi. "You mean—" "That's right. These lads show me the way."

I was really pissed off. I am. How could I know none of this?

"So, William?" tanya Jehova.

"Simon, Benedict dan Levi." jawab James, mengungkap kartu asnya.

"You underbosses just missed the sailing boat already." katanya membidik kepala Simon. "And now, for the final event—" "Whoa, stop! Stop! Knock the fuck off!" teriakku tak karuan.

"What do you want?"

"I want you all to put a hole through your heads." kata James menurunkan pistolnya.

"Well, I'd be glad. But how am I going to punish you, then?"

"Punish me? For what, exactly?"

"Enough, James." tukas Prophet. "Don't bring yourself in this venomous pot, Guardian." "They know I used to work for you." kata Prophet tanpa basa-basi. "Wah, Prophet—cepat sekali kamu membuka kedokmu. Seorang pembunuh bayaran yang membangkang, sekarang merasa menggapai dunia dan mencapai bintang sekarang?"

"You sure are loudmouthed now." kata Prophet.

"Not exactly the one to talk, eh?"

"It might have been better if I just ended you right there back then." kata Prophet dengan penuh dendam. "Kamu yakin?" kata James mengacungkan moncong pistolnya lagi ke Simon. "Wait! I don't know what the bloody fuck you two are arguing with, he has nothing to do with anything!" kataku panik—aku bahkan tidak bisa berpikir jernih. Aku bahkan bergetar di sekujur tubuh. Shaking up is a thing you don't want to cope with, especially if you're a sharpshooter on a daily basis.

"Jehova. Bagaimana menurutmu?" tanya James. Aku langsung menoleh ke Jehova.

"What do you even mean?" jawab Jehova memegang erat pistolnya.

"To make this interesting, I need something to up the game." kata James meraih rokoknya.

"Whatever it is your idea, don't—" "Let's shoot one of them each time you do not answer correctly, or refuses me." kata James, lalu menjentikkan jarinya. "I have my whole squad with me, so it's even—you don't think I want to do this alone?" katanya jelas menantang kita untuk membunuhnya di tempat. It's time to keep me head straight now, otherwise they'll go straight to heaven.

"Alright, we're listening." kata Prophet. Jehova diam saja—sepertinya dia juga punya dendam.

"Pintar. Aku ingin kau membunuh Prophet, William." kata James. "What?" kataku separuh berbisik. "You heard me alright." "I hear you, mate. But why—are you trying to tie the loose ends?" "Precisely. You wankers don't worth shite, but just a waste of time." kata James. "What'd I tell you? This prophecy-wannabe don't have any sort of conscience to run this world." jawab Prophet.

"Prophet, your time is up." kata James.

"I am old and grey, what more is waiting for me, eh?"

"Perhaps the afterlife can be the paradise you're looking for." kata James membidik.

"Worth a shot, is not it? Pull the trigger, then."

"Hmph. As brave as he is in life, the legend himself."

"I know you're jealous of me—of my cross war and my crusade, now."

"You want to be like me." kata Prophet tidak mengenal takut.

"Maybe I am, maybe I am not. You will ask god for that." kata James menarik pelatuk. "Last journey, mate. See you on the other side." katanya melihat kami semua.

'Bang!!'

Suara mesiu terdengar. Tapi ada dua suara. Aku langsung membidik James. Pundaknya dilubangi—oleh seseorang yang tak terlihat. "Ugh—who is that? Find him!" kata James menyuruh anak buahnya pergi mencari. Aku menoleh dan...terlambat.

Prophet sudah terbaring di lantai, memegangi dadanya yang kesakitan.

"Ugh...end of the road for me, lad." kata Prophet batuk darah. Aku menembaki anak-anak buahnya yang masih tersisa di ruangan ini. 'Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!' tembakan demi tembakan terdengar keras. 'Bang! Bang!'

"Ugh!" Jehova tersungkur dan meringis kesakitan. Fuck!

"Mate, hold on!" kataku mengarahkan pistol tak karuan—'Bang!' 'Bang!' "Gah!" Aku meringis kesakitan. Pahaku tertembak. Dan juga betisku. Fuck. Fuck. 'Bang! Bang! Bang! Click-click—' bunyi pistolku kehabisan peluru. Aku tidak punya waktu. Aku—aku harus berdiri. I need to, ugh, I need—fuck. Fuck!

"Terlambat untuk kabur, William!" teriak James dari kejauhan—aku tidak bisa melihatnya.

"I will kill them all, one by one!" katanya lagi. Aku bisa mendengar suara kokang shotgun. I need to get back on my feet. 'Bang!!' suara itu terdengar lagi. Kaliber besar. Jarak jauh. Sniper? Who is it—who might be helping us? Who is missing all day long?

'Bang!!' Ugh. Satu orang jatuh. 'Bang!!' 'Bang!!" "Find him!" teriak James.

"Sialan—ah, sial." Aku meringis sembari memegangi perutku. I've been shot.

Aku mencoba memegang erat pistolku selagi penembak jitu itu menembaki semua suruhan James. 'Bang! Bang!' bunyi mesiu pistolku menambah riuh suasana. James kabur dan menjatuhkan kursi-kursi sanderanya. Fuck. Now I can't get a clean shot.

Hanya tinggal dua orang suruhan James yang masih tersisa mencari penembak jitu itu. "He first!" katanya kepada temannya dengan menuding ke arahku. Fuck. I guess this is—'Bang!!' Dia langsung tersungkur dengan otaknya yang berhamburan ke tanah tak karuan. A window—I gotta shoot the other one, pikirku cepat tanpa memikirkan yang lain lagi.

'Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!' Aku menembak tak tentu arah, menghabiskan magasinku.

'Ugh...' aku mendengar bunyi tersungkur. Tapi sepertinya bukan karena aku. Aku menengok, dan benar saja—otaknya juga sudah berhamburan ke mana-mana. Pasti penembak jitu itu. Aku berusaha berdiri dan menoleh ke sekeliling. James sudah tidak ada. Simon dan yang lainnya masih terbekap rapat dan tidak sadarkan diri. Jehova tersungkur di dekat Prophet, menekan keras dadanya.

"Old man! Are you alright?" kataku menghampirinya dengan susah payah.

"No, no. I am not alright at all." katanya dengan napas tersengal-sengal. Fuck. His time is near.

"I missed the party a tad too late, eh?" kata seseorang dari balik kegelapan—asap dari senjatanya terlihat jelas di tempat gelap ini. Pasti dia penembak jitu itu. Aku kenal suaranya.

"Messias." panggilku tegas.

"William. Dan yang lainnya juga, termasuk para sandera." kata Messias memegang sniper rifle di tangan kirinya. Mukanya penuh dengan bercak darah—begitu pula dengan sekujur tubuhnya. He must've fought the bigger fishes, and somehow, remained intact. I will never doubt his skill.

"Old man alright?" katanya menghampiri Simon dan mengambil pisau di kakinya.

"Take a guess." kataku padanya.

"Dead. Old man has through a lot—he's old, anyway." kata Messias tenang dan kalem.

"Hey, wake up." katanya menepuk pipi Simon setelah melepaskan tali dari tubuhnya. "He's out cold." katanya seraya menoleh ke arahku. "Perhaps you could help us first? We're bleeding now." lanjutku frustasi. "Aright, fine, fine." katanya menaruh Simon terlentang di lantai dan berlari kecil menuju arahku. "How could you guys get jumped?"

"It's not that we are jumped. It's that he has hostages." kataku menekan dada Prophet lebih dalam.

"Ah. Masuk akal." katanya mengambil perban dari saku tangannya dan mulai memanjangkannya.

"Messias?" kata Prophet pelan.

"Di sini, pak tua." kata Messias mendekat dan membalut perban di dadanya.

"Well done, boy. Without you, all of us will be dead." katanya pelan. "Save your breath or you won't be angering us anytime soon." jawab Messias terus memperban sekujur tubuh Prophet. "Jehova? Diam saja?" kata Messias menoleh ke Jehova yang ikut membantu memperban.

"I'm saving my breath." katanya ringan.

"Oh, tentu saja. Tentu saja." kata Messias tersenyum kecil. He's way too laid back—or am I wrong?

"I'm just assuming you got out in time?" kataku pada Messias. "They were no match for me. But there is more coming." katanya melihatkau dalam—aku tahu apa maksudnya. We have a deathwish, alright. "Jehova," kata Messias menoleh, "Kamu jaga Prophet. Aku akan membangunkan anak-anak yang lain." katanya beranjak pergi.

"You think they're not going up anytime soon?" kata Jehova.

"Given the time, presumably not. Let's just hope for the best." jawabnya menuju Benedict.

"Apa—kenapa James bisa tahu keberadaan kita?" kataku menggerutu. "He's been waiting for us," kata Jehova sembari meneruskan memperban Prophet, "Would make sense if he ambushed us."

"Seperti yang aku bilang, waktu kita sedikit—" 'uhuk!' kata Prophet terbatuk.

"Beat it, old man. You're in no condition." kataku.

"William benar. Ayo kita kembali—ke reruntuhan apapun itu yang tersisa, dan pertaruhkan nyawa kita sekarang." kata Jehova serius. "Well, you do remember the plan, do you?" tanya Prophet. Kami mengangguk pelan.

"We'll be using that plan. Let's hope we don't leave anything behind." kata Prophet siap.

I hope I can be as ready as he is—but he's old enough, so he has nothing to fear, apparently. "Now, right now—like, now?" tanyaku memastikan. "Ya." jawab Messias mengangguk, "Sekarang, tentu saja."

"So you actually sure about the whole plan, eh?" tanyaku lagi, memastikan.

"Segera setelah semuanya berakhir, kita akan menjadi mayat yang terserak di ruangan ini atau mayat yang terserak di kantor James. Make your choice, lad." "Aku memilih yang terakhir, sepertinya. Seems fun." kataku membopong Prophet. "Bagus." kata Messias menampar Benedict dengan keras, lalu membuka simpulan tali yang lainnya.

"Wha—what happened? Ugh, what is, holy hell! Where is this?" gumam Benedict terbangun.

"Oh, that works wonders. I might need to slap Simon too, then." kata Messias senang.

What a sociopath. Speaking of sociopath, I wonder how Henry is doing. Is he fine? Is he dead? Is he somewhere wanking off to our photos like the sociopat that he is? Who knows.

'Hey, wake up!" kata Messias menampar Simon dengan keras. 'Chwack!' "Oh, oh my god—where is this?" kata Simon terbata-bata. "I literally have no time to answer." jawab Messias langsung pergi untuk menampar Levi, Luke atau Thomas. One of them. "Where is this, boss?" kata Simon memegangi pipinya yang kemerahan dan melihatku, tidak jauh dari tempatnya terbaring.

"This is—I don't know what this room is, but let's cut to the chase, shall we?" jawabku.

"What? What do you mean? What is happening?��� katanya kebingungan.

"Apparently, you have been knocked out cold by James—and by James, I mean Mr. Church."

"He's here already? Do you have your bullet in his head?" jawabnya seraya menjadi serius.

"Well," kataku seraya melirik Messias yang juga terdiam sesaat, "We didn't. He, uh, he got away. But the thing is that you're safe, and that's all that matters." tukasku. "Bollocks, that. Didn't we get trained to be the expendable? To be wasted by any means necessary if it meant good for the mission?"

Aku terdiam. Tidak menyadari sudah seberapa lama kita semua terdoktrin hal itu.

"Acting all mighty and playing gods in this mortal world...that bastard." kata Prophet pelan. "Grandpa, how many times I have to tell you, you have to save your breath." jawab Jehova menekan dadanya. "So...we're fugitives now? We're wanted by every sides or what?" tanya Benedict yang sudah tersadar.

"We are, from the very beginning...we are." jawabku pelan.

I watch as the building collapses and the fire spreads everywhere, burning everything here...it was just merely days I'm here, but they found us already. They mean business. And as long as this body of mine remains intact and my soul wants freedom still, there's only one thing to do—and that is to fight back. Fuck them. Fuck this world. Fuck god. Everyone can fuck off with their chantings of false life and their desires to kill one another.

I'm tired of being an errand boy for destruction.