The morning sun was held back by the thick mist shrouding the cave's mouth. Julian was awakened by the sharp sound of iron clashing against stone. He saw Adrian sharpening his machete, his movements rhythmic and calm, but his eyes radiated controlled fury.
"We can't just hide here, Julian," Adrian said without looking back. "Friedrich will comb every inch of this slope. If Kartika managed to get Mother and Anne Marie out, they must be headed to one place."
Julian rubbed his dull face. "Where? Batavia is closed to them."
"Pelabuhan Ratu," Adrian answered shortly. "There's a fishing community there that owes their lives to Ibu Siti. If they can reach the southern coast, they can vanish into the open sea or hide in the Jampang forests."
Julian stood up, trying to stretch his stiff muscles. "But how do we know they're safe? We're trapped here."
Suddenly, an odd bird whistle sounded from a distance, echoing three times. Adrian immediately smothered the small fire with dirt. He signaled Julian to be quiet and press against the cave wall. A local youth in ragged farmer's clothes appeared behind the hanging banyan roots.
"Kang Adrian," the youth whispered in Sundanese. "Dutch soldiers have closed the path to the station. They brought tracking dogs and have started burning several huts down there to bait you out."
Julian clenched his fists. "He's mad. He's destroying his own people just to chase me."
"He's not chasing you, Julian," Adrian cut in sharply. "He's chasing legitimacy. As long as you and I are breathing, his position as the ruler of Batavia will never truly be safe from the shadow of the legitimate Van de Berg heir."
Adrian took a piece of charcoal from the embers and began sketching a rough map on the dusty cave floor. "We will create a diversion. You will show yourself on the eastern side of the mountain, drawing them away from the main escape route. I will sneak down to get horses and supplies."
"That's suicide," Julian argued.
"It's the only way we can meet Mother in the south," Adrian insisted. He looked at Julian, no longer as a stranger, but as a comrade-in-arms. "You said you wanted to be human? This is the moment, Elias. Use your skin color and your status to deceive them."
Culture & Language Notes
Pelabuhan Ratu: A bay on the southern coast of West Java, known for its rough seas and mystical legends, often serving as a gateway for escape in historical narratives.
Hutan Jampang: A dense, rugged forest area in South West Java, historically used as a refuge for those fleeing central authorities.
Kang: A respectful Sundanese term for an older brother or a respected peer.