SOS
Chapter 12's

NIGHT looked so beautiful as Alyx looked out the window of his apartment. He just walked Jane to the door. She thought Jane would stay at her place, but she had a lot of other things to do.

Finally, Alyx was absolutely convinced that his father was in SOS right now. He showed Jane the picture the camera captured. And Jane nodded with great confidence.

“I told you already, you guys are really similar.”

Alyx's daydream came to a halt, as his smart phone shook on his desk. A short message. “Nick?” Alyx immediately read a message from someone who had suddenly disappeared from his world.

“Alyx—my good friend, I'll be gone some time. Sorry.”

I don't know why Nick apologized to her. But, he immediately picked up the jacket and hat he had worn this morning.

“Alyx, what are the nights like?” asked Charlie who was surprised to see Alyx's face suddenly appear.

“Where Nick?”

“He just left.”

“Where?”

“Entahlah. I heard the madam will take her abroad for treatment.”

“What? What pain does he have to go abroad for treatment?”

“I don't know. I dare not ask, let alone go into his room and see Nick's state, it's after

madam gave a ban to anyone. Actually I didn't even know he was sick, because just yesterday he was at his training ground.”

“Really?”

“Dan Alyx,” Charlie said before Alyx left, “actually the Madam who asked me to tell you Nick didn't want to meet—without reason from Madam.”

Alyx went. She didn't know why Nick's mom would do that. All this time he was always nice to her. “If Nick is sick, how is he doing now?” Alyx growling. He didn't even realize his feet had already stepped up to their training ground.

Alyx in. Nick's an astute man—if his mother only reasoned he was sick to force him to go abroad—he could quickly run away somewhere. Maybe he's here.

He's looking around. Trying to find the figure of a man who is always pretentious, but also always good to him. While his eyes were searching, his mind was instead thinking of regret. He regretted not contacting Nick immediately. She should have known, Nick couldn't have done anything rude to her. He snarled and squatted while banging his head.

“Alyx,” a man calls his name.

But Alyx knew it wasn't Nick's voice. “Hi, Chris.”

“Yesterday Nick came here, alone.”

“Yes I know,” murmured Alyx, indistinct.

“But, just this time he didn't play. He just looked around for a while and left. He's not sick, is he?”

“I just wanted to ask you that.”

“Wah, I thought you guys were always together. Nick's face was a little pale yesterday. He's a strong kid, so I don't think that's possible. And I think he's just having trouble with his family.”

“Maybe.”

“You don't want to compete. Every day he comes looking for you,” he said changing topics.

Alyx followed Chris's line of sight. “Who is he?”

“Violet. I thought you guys knew each other, but you don't seem to know him.”

“He knows me?”

“Tiny friend, he said.”

“No.”

“You mean he lied. Ah, no,” Chris immediately grabbed onto Alyx's shoulder which had already turned towards the exit.

“Ayolah,” said and pushed Alyx.

Alyx walked over. But, he straightened his shoulders, as the girl named Violet looked at him with a condescending look.

“Do I know you, miss?” alyx asked, folding his hands in front of his chest.

There was no reply from Violet, only that she imitated Alyx folding a hand.

Alyx. Think briefly.

“You dare?” violet asked with a different accent from Alyx. He had heard of an English speaker with an accent like Violet.

Alyx breathed. Uncook his jacket and enter the boxing arena. “Look, actually I'm not too.. ohohh.”.

Violet interjected by starting the match before hearing the cue.

Alyx watched his opponent's face instantly become violent. Alyx took a swing.

Violet's eyes narrowed—like Asian. Long face. Her hair is black. Alyx thought, Violet might

look more friendly—if not to meet him in an arena like this.

Violet clenched her hand. He was ready to punch anything that moved before him. He was no more tall than Alyx, but his body was bigger. His arm muscles are visible. With such muscles—he is definitely an exercise at least, twice a day. His skin is brownish— may often sunbathe or work more often outside the home.

“You're asian?” alyx asked while dodging Violet's attack. “Argh,” exclaimed as Violet kicked her shin. His right knee touched the arena floor, while his hand stroked his left leg. “You're from Thailand, yeah? No need to answer.”

Violet stop. He's throttling. And put his foot on Alyx's face.

Alyx is moving faster. “Well if that's what you want.” Alyx ran small in place— flexed his muscles. “You know Muay Thai? That's from your country, right? What's the movement like this?” Alyx kicked his foot into Violet's shin and made the girl grimace. “Not-not like that.” Alyx intends to avenge his shin pain.

“You've learned martial arts from your country? Not yet yah.” Alyx answered his own question. “Then, then,

let me teach you,” he said and briefly looked at his empty hand and the violet hand wrapped in glove. “Tak problems.”

“You talk too much,” Violet said with her Thai accent. And bring her body closer to Alyx. Him

intending to do hook, unfortunately not perfect—next does not go up and is somewhat tilted.

It was Alyx's turn doing the hook— Violet's face that was his target. After hitting the target, Alyx retreated, making a distance of one meter from Violet. “In addition to the strength of your hands, you also need waist strength,” Alyx explained like he was training a disciple.

Violet looked furious and kicked straight ahead—meaning about the middle of Alyx.

Alyx protects his ribs with block— using his legs. After giving his opponent a chance, it was Alyx's turn to give the attack. A high kick—his target is Violet's jaw. Alyx ended the game with a middle kick.

Violet fell down. Alyx looked at him for pity. And out of the arena. His jacket. Wearing it. Turn around and kick the heart of a girl—with reflexes. “That's push kick,” murmured Alyx.

Violet who turned out to be standing up and almost hit Alyx on the head. And now Violet seems really in pain.

Chris who had seen the match just followed the movements of Alyx and Violet alternately. He sighed and approached Alyx. “I can't do anything. He himself asked not to disturb you guys no matter what happens. Be careful on the road,” Chris said as he watched Alyx walk out.

Alyx put on his shoes and left the sport club for the first time.

The night air felt so refreshing compared to the room earlier. Alyx took a breath and

threw hard. He was already on the side of the highway, after coming out of the hallway towards the training ground.

“Sorry.”

“Ya?” Alyx turned around and found a man standing before him.

The man with dark black hair briefly looked at the piece of paper he was holding. “I'm looking for a sport club. You know..”

Alyx pointed to the hallway. “Jalan. On the other end you'll find it.”

“Barakkah. Thank ye. I'm hard pressed to find it”

Alyx found that the man's hair turned red when exposed to light, just for a moment and made him think it

misrepresenting. He put on a smile, “the place is not going to be found if you look for it while looking down,” he said who was looking to the right and to the left. There was no taxi in front of him.

“What?” the man became confused.

Alyx then pointed at the billboard above them.

“Oh, yes, yes.” The man nodded. Say thank you again. Then ran small into the hallway while still shaking. Maybe not believe in his inaccuracy.

*

The next day, Alyx again meets the man who asks him an address. Today, too, the man asked about Alyx's apartment.

“Iya's right, this is her apartment,” replied Alyx who just came out of the apartment building. “You're looking for someone?” tanyanya.

“Iya. You stay here, you must know someone named Mary or Sydney or.” she stopped and.

Alyx briefly looked at the hand before him, trying to guess the man's origin, but next he

ignoring his thoughts, giving his name, “Alexandra.” He grabbed Hiro's hand and fell silent for a while.

Hiro who was also silent for a few tens of seconds then smiled and immediately left while sticking a mobile phone in his ear.

“Looks like he's very busy,” thought Alyx and walked quickly towards the supermarket.

Alyx's thoughts seemed to be right about Hiro. Again they passed. “You are very busy huh? You walked to and fro.”

“Ah Alexandra,” Hiro was surprised to see Alyx. “Don't get tired of seeing me walking to and fro,” he said and laughed. “The person who gave me the information is very inept, too slow, and the person I was looking for moves too fast.”

“You weren't looking for me right,” joked Alyx followed by Hiro's laughter.

“I'm looking for a girl. But, I don't think it's you. I see you've been shopping. Now I'm going around this supermarket.”

“Good.”

“Iya, see you.”

*

That day, Alyx had just returned and found Jane and Tom in his apartment.

“Where have you been?”

“I'm bored at home,” Alyx replied while carefully placing the camera that was hung on his shoulder.

For the past week, Alyx has done nothing. The way to get rid of boredom is to take a walk while taking pictures.

“What's up? Why are you coming at the same time? Don't you have college? Ah, I think I should cut

my hair.”

Jane and Tom looked at Alyx in disbelief. They haven't even answered anything and have changed the subject again.

Alyx sees Tom and Jane alternating.

“You want to SOS?”

“For what? No, I don't need to go there and I don't want to either,” Alyx replied to Jane's question and leaning his head on the shoulder of sofa— making it face the ceiling. “I got some job offers,” he said while pointing to the table without looking at it. “Become a photographer in a V-magazine in America or in other places or return to Indonesia to become a doctor. I can open a practice there. But, having to learn the language first,” he seemed to be pointing the sentence to himself.

Tom and Jane were silent. Look at each other.

“You might say there is a peaceful land—but to me this is too complicated. I'd better be here and not deal with you guys anymore. No one will bother me anymore.”

“Your conclusion is too soon, miss,” said Tom as he looked out the window.

“They—Max didn't come to see you because it was in the middle of lesson— in lieu of punishment," Jane pitched worriedly added.

Alyx chuckled. “You guys are really complicated. Then I will really return to my hometown—Indonesia.” Alyx stood up and walked towards the kitchen. “I'm already impatient.”

“Look, I'd better change Jane's question. You have to go to SOS.”

Alyx who just opened the fridge—stopped.

“You should have a test. We'll see if you're really an SOS citizen or not.”

Alyx chuckled as he exited the kitchen and joined his two new friends. “You mean DNA test? Once you know that what are you gonna do? You'll tell people that I'm a SOS— resident, no one cares.”

“After they know that an SOS citizen is not where they should be—it will jeopardize your father's position.” Tom added in a low voice, “because we don't know who your mother is.”

“That means I'm not necessarily a citizen of SOS.”

“For that, we will take you for test.”

“Then there is no need for tests, and no one will know if I am an SOS citizen or not.”

“You're so stubborn. You're the one who talked to him,” Tom told Jane and left them both.

Alyx sees Tom disappear from behind the door.

Jane was quiet for a moment. Just this time he saw Tom was as upset as he was now. “You have a choice—we take you to SOS for a test or Max will find out about you.”

“Why is Max too much of an affair? Why should he disturb my life?”

“The answer is, he knows something we don't know. And he has to prove what he is

know. If it is profitable for him—he will immediately carry out what he thinks is necessary.”

“What is everything related to my father?”

“Come, Alyx. I haven't got any clarity on all this either. Uncle William and my father seemed to have a secret he didn't want to share even with me. And regarding taking you to SOS, that was our plan both.”

“I'd better wait for uncle John's decision, not yours. You and Tom could be wrong. This plan is not yet known to them—I think it is quite dangerous, bringing foreigners into your country” Alyx sneered.

“No. Tom has arranged everything well. He wouldn't be able to be wrong in this kind of calculation. Actions like this must have been thought of by father— even though at this time he has not acted. And..” Jane is silent and does not continue.

“Is there any concern of yours I don't know?”

Alyx's question kept Jane quiet for a while. “Begini,” said Jane later, “we got word—Ed has notified her parents working at the Court that she knows an SOS girl is roaming outside. We thought it was you and to prove it..”.

“I have to go there,” between Alyx and be quiet. “Alright,” he said a few minutes later.

Jane saw him happy. “Come now we leave.”

“Now?”

“What else are you waiting for?” jane said while looking at the open door. Tom came in and asked them to move immediately.

“You eavesdropped?”

Tom sneered asked like that.

One block from the train station, Tom stopped and turned back and entered a hallway that was just passed by a car. Jane and Alyx followed behind him.

They immediately pulled over— gave way to the black car that had just entered the hallway. The driver of that car

honked. Make Tom raise his hand.

Alyx saw the car go into a garage that immediately opened after the driver took out his hand and placed his wrist on a small box—as he often saw at the cashier, he said, it's just smaller and refuted with a white pole.

Jane pulls up Alyx's paused arm and immediately follows Tom who has entered first into a large building with the words LIBRARY in front of him.

“Library?” muttered Alyx. After entering, Alyx soon realized they were indeed in a large library. Some people were sitting reading and were also looking for books on towering shelves. He thought they would pause and read in the library which seemed like his books were very complete. But, Tom did not stop and walked towards a middle-aged woman who was reading a book.

“Hi, Mrs. Alice Durward.” Tom resuscitated the woman who was too focused on her reading.

Alice lowered her book and looked over her reading glasses. “Ah, Tom.”

“Many customers today well,” said Tom niceties.

Alice shrugged, “many or not, just the same. My job remains the same—waiting for the entrance. You seem to be busy lately.”

“That's. I'm leaving now. See you, Alice.” There are two doors—high in brown, there are four glass

blur—someone can't see anything inside. Well, everything looks ordinary—a very ordinary door. Tom walked towards a door that read staff only.

Alyx watched Tom do as the driver did. Like a cashier scanning a barcode. After the click, the door opens. Tom let the two women in first.

“I just found out that there is a large library here,” Alyx said.

“Samaran,” Jane laughs.

“What are they SOS citizens?”

“Some. There are others— who consider this a regular library. And in and out without suspicion.”

“Suggest what? What is this place?” muttered Alyx when they just realized they had entered in a narrow and long empty room with white walls—net. There were some white lights on the ceiling which made the narrow room very bright.

“Inbound path to SOS,” said Jane who heard Alyx.

Alyx nodded small.

It didn't take them long to walk through the room and find another door. Tom opened. Get out first. Jane followed. And lastly Alyx.

Before coming out, Alyx looked down. Green grass welcomes its first run. His feet felt a very soft grass being treaded on. When both his legs had been resting on the grass—he knew he had been in another world.

*