Beating Up the Security Guards
With a single strike, six security guards went down.
Mariana, watching, only smirked coldly, while Broto shook his head, anxious.
Seeing their comrades fall, the remaining guards quickly surrounded Giono, Karsiyah, Ngatmo, Rani, and Rina.
They attacked with punches, jabs, and kicks from all directions.
Even surrounded, Giono and the others dodged with agility.
As Mariana had predicted, twenty guards were no match for Giono's group.
Moments later, Giono struck back.
Thud!
One guard was sent flying backward, his jaw twisted to the side, three of his teeth knocked out.
Smack!!
Karsiyah's punch slammed into another guard's chest, sending him sprawling, gasping for air as if he had asthma.
Thud!
Ngatmo's powerful kick landed squarely in a guard's stomach, making him stagger back clutching his belly in pain.
Thud!
Smash!
Rani and Rina's blows and slaps took down another guard, leaving his chest tight and one cheek badly swollen.
Seeing Giono, Ngatmo, Karsiyah, Rani, and Rina easily bringing them down, the remaining guards lost their nerve, their hearts gripped with fear.
Parlan: "Come on! Don't be afraid!"
He barked the order firmly, urging the remaining men to attack—but he himself began backing away.
Saimo, watching Parlan's behavior, also backed away without joining the fight.
Legi and Triman, feeling overwhelmed by the brawl, decided to stop fighting.
Legi: "Man, there's no hope of winning."
Triman: "Let's stop attacking."
Legi nodded.
The two slowly retreated, moving away from Giono and the others' rampage.
***
Giono's Fists the Size of Durian Fruit
Only six guards were still fighting—besides Parlan, Saimo, Legi, and Triman.
It didn't take long before these six were also knocked out.
Now only four remained: Parlan, Saimo, Legi, and Triman. Their courage evaporated instantly, their faces pale.
Parlan looked at his sixteen groaning comrades and began to panic.
Parlan: "Well, Mo?"
Saimo: "I told you!"
Parlan: "You mean that man whose fists are as big as durians?"
Saimo: "That's no ordinary guy!"
Parlan: "That's why you're scared?"
Saimo gave a sheepish grin.
Meanwhile, behind them, Legi whispered to Triman.
Legi: "Good thing we stopped fighting, Man."
Triman: "You're right! If we kept going against them…"
Legi: "We'd get wrecked! Especially by that scary middle-aged woman whose eyes are always glaring."
Legi pointed toward Karsiyah.
Triman: "Right. And those glaring eyes have a killer's aura!"
They exchanged glances, their courage already flown to the skies.
***
Parlan Surrenders
Giono, Karsiyah, Ngatmo, Rani, and Rina stared sharply at Parlan, Saimo, Legi, and Triman.
Giono: "Well now… big body, woman's strength. Goat!"
Ngatmo, Rani, and Rina exchanged glances, readying their stances low.
Karsiyah kept glaring, now adding a lip twist like someone chewing betel nut—meant to intimidate.
It worked!
Parlan and Saimo instantly looked away when Karsiyah glared at them.
Behind them, Legi and Triman had already lost all nerve.
Parlan, still trying to sound bossy, ordered them:
Parlan: "Legi! You too, Triman! Go beat those intruders!"
No response. No movement. He turned around.
Silence.
Legi and Triman were gone—they had fled earlier.
Parlan looked toward Saimo. He too had vanished.
Parlan: "Mo! How could you abandon me like this?!"
His voice was pitiful. With no chance to run, he dropped to his knees and raised his hands.
Parlan: "Mercy, sir! I surrender!"
Meanwhile, Mariana and Broto were still watching the fight.
Broto, having seen everything from the start, grew furious.
Broto: "Parlan! You coward!"
Hearing Broto's voice, Karsiyah's irritation boiled into anger.
Karsiyah: "That's Broto! Eat marbles!"
Without thinking, she hurled two marbles at Broto.
Whoosh!
They shot toward Broto like bullets.
Boom!
From the side, Mariana flicked her paper fan, deflecting the marbles.
Floop! Foop!
The marbles hit the ground, just an inch from Broto's face. He turned pale instantly, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
Not willing to let it go, Karsiyah prepared to charge at Mariana.
Giono: "Hold up! Karsiyah! Wait! Don't be reckless!"
Giono grabbed her arm, stopping her movement.
Karsiyah looked at him in confusion.
In front of them, Mariana had already dropped into a low stance. Her paper fan was open wide in her right hand, her left hand clenched at her hip.
The air around them grew tense.
***
Tina's Drone Still on a Rampage
Meanwhile…
Tina's drone was wreaking havoc. After destroying the front gate guard post and knocking out all CCTV cameras, it climbed higher.
Through the drone's camera, Tina saw Mariana's men scattering from the building.
On her tablet screen linked to the drone, she spotted a helicopter on the helipad. Someone was approaching it.
Tina: Pilot!
She didn't hesitate—she steered the drone toward the helicopter, unleashing a hail of bullets from the weapon mounted underneath.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Trat-ta-ta-ta…
The barrage tore into the helicopter.
Clang!
Clatter!!
Glass shattered, rotor blades snapped in two, and the fuselage was riddled with holes.
The pilot trying to approach quickly retreated under the rain of bullets.
On the tablet, Tina adjusted her glasses.
Nagini, sitting beside her in the back of the helicopter cockpit, clicked her tongue in admiration at Tina's nimble control.
Tina flew the drone higher. From above, she could see every corner of the compound—from the front post to the back.
At the front gate, she saw Burhan's team entering and handcuffing the surrendering guards under the drone's watch.
Near the pool, she saw the wrecked helicopter and its pilot sitting with hands raised.
At the back, Tina spotted Mariana preparing to engage Giono, Karsiyah, Ngatmo, Rani, and Rina.
Nagini, looking at the tablet, gasped.
Nagini: "That's Rani and Rina?"
Tina: "Yes, Nagini."
Nagini: "And that's Mariana?"
Nagini pointed at the screen.
Tina: "Yes, Nagini."
Nagini's face went pale. Fear for Rani and Rina's safety made her cry out.
Nagini: "How did they get here?"
Tina didn't know either—this was supposed to be a top-secret mission.
Tina: "I have no idea, Nagini."
Nagini's anxiety spiked.
Nagini: "Put me down from this helicopter!"
Tina smiled slightly, adjusting her glasses.
Tina: "Don't you feel it? We're already descending."
Nagini looked out the window—sure enough, she could see the smashed front gate below.
The helicopter kept dropping. Nagini's heartbeat pounded.
She knew that even if Giono, Ngatmo, Karsiyah, Rani, and Rina ganged up on Mariana, there was no guarantee they could win.
Mariana was strong, smart, and cunning.
To be Continued