The Choice of Old Man
Surprise

"Eh, have you heard the news yet?"

"Udah. Isshh, not really expecting, right? Don't-don't-don't this chick's the victim."

"Crazy! A warrior kills a society? Ckckck, can't be trusted."

"Liat, hell! He posted a video on Twitter!"

The nickname Keenan began to be heard a lot among the residents of West Jakarta. News of the murder has spread. Starting from Keenan who said it was just a rumor, until finally announced directly by the man disguised as Hoodie through a video upload on Twitter. Murder videos and sexual assault.

The public situation became uncontrollable, the comments column was rained with scorn from the net citizens. In fact, eight hundred thousand people have watched the video, many sharing it on other social media.

Of course, this makes Keenan Pratama as a hoodie man himself confused. Somehow we need to clear his good name. The reason, the man himself did not know where the location of the crime scene. Police officers have spread across the city, hoping to find him soon.

"Keenan, now you ask once again to you." asked Bobby Aditama, as the police chief at the Metro Police Station. "Are you really not the one who killed the victim?"

Keenan closed his eyes while exhaling a rough breath. "I swear, not me, sir. You need a witness? My mother-in-law knows this too."

Regan agreed. "Yes, I don't think Keenan did that. It could be, there's someone with a vengeance for Keenan."

"Gue agrees anyway, same thought you." exclaimed Dimas.

"For a while, you're forbidden to wear that hoodie. Do your job as usual until the situation subsides" Bobby told Keenan. The man stepped out of the room.

After Mr. Bobby died, Regan and Dimas nodded at Keenan. The man immediately stood beside the blackboard that stood straight in front of the tables of his two friends. They noticed Keenan's right hand moving quickly to write something down there. Lastly, Keenan put a picture of Alex on the board.

"Keen, whose picture is it?" ask Regan curiously.

"He is this ... ." Keenan began to recount his encounter with Alex this afternoon. Regan and Dimas did not interrupt the man's conversation, they focused on listening to what his friend had told them.

"So you mean, this is Alexander Wijaya? Who lost 9 years?" ask Dimas, pointing towards Alex's photo.

Keenan. "I was suspicious from the beginning. Maybe not, he's got something to do with the mafia boss? Or ... Don't you think Nathan knows him, too?"

"What is this, huh? The reason the victim's family closed the case for the search for missing children 9 years ago." Regan mutters.

"They don't want to find the child anymore, because they already know how the child is now. Freedom is full of freedom with no limits." Keenan looked at his two friends. "How do you think?"

Dimas tapped his black pen on the table. "Free association? Drugs, rape, violence, murder. That's what you mean?"

"Yes. Right now we have no hard evidence. But if it's not him, who else is trying?" Keenan rested both of his palms on the table.

For a moment, none of the three of them spoke anymore. Keenan, Regan, and Dimas were busy wrestling with each other's thoughts, while staring at the blackboard. Suddenly, Regan stood up to the blackboard, presenting her analysis there.

"Maybe you used to have problems with people who are not familiar. Temen can just poke from behind, justify all means let you fall. Or—"

Regan's sentence was cut off as soon as Keenan raised his hand. The man grabbed the black marker in Regan's fingers. "Gue had a problem with people five years ago. That's because it's a girl."

Dimas closed his lips while nodding. "It's fixed anyway, the guy's revenge is the same lo."

"One day, if I get out of jail. I'm going to ruin your lives!"

Keenan chuckles at the threat of an inmate five years ago. The man was sentenced to four years in prison for attempting to rape Alexa. Keenan could not let the man roam free, even though he was already out of prison.

Keenan pulled out his phone, checking the entire social media app. The news of the bird became the number one trending on Twitter, on the internet was the same. He put his cell phone on the table, thrusting it at two of his friends.

"You guys look at that video. I'm sorry to see it." ketus Keenan.

"Video of sexual assault?"

Keenan just nodded lazily. Meanwhile, Regan began to play the video upload. The screen shows Wilda's body in a state of complete nudity lying on the table. Regan and Dimas throw their faces away. Next, the grey hoodie harassed Wilda violently. His thighs and groin were pinched, until bruised.

"I WANT TO SUE THAT GUY!! THAT GUY ALREADY KILLED MY SON ... ."

The cry of someone made the three of them directly approach the source of the sound. Seen outside the room, Wilda's parents ask police officers to search for the perpetrator who killed their daughter. Police have not yet reported the location of the murder.

"Mother, Father, please calm down. We're also working on the case" the brown uniformed police said.

"I beg you, find that hoodie guy. His laws are heavy!"

All those who served there immediately glanced towards Keenan. Of course, they won't believe the words of Wilda's parents. At the time of the murder, Keenan was still at the police station working on some reports.

Keenan tried to approach Wilda's parents, calming them down to stay calm. "I'll find the culprit. Mom and Dad don't worry."

"Find our daughter too, even if it's just her body ... ." Wilda's mother was crying.

Dimas patted Keenan's shoulder, then whispered. "We'll solve this case first, that's looking for a way to make your good name clean."

"Yes, I know."

****

Sally:

You still sad, Lex?

After handling the matter at the police station, Keenan sent Alexa a short message via WhatsApp. A few minutes waiting, the girl did not return the message. Never reply, not read yet. Alexa is online.

Sally:

Don't be so sad for too long, his eyes will be swollen.

^^Alexa:^^^

^^^Ih, bodo is great!^^^

Sally:

Don't you still get angry about the doll?

^^Alexa:^^^

^^^Heem.^^^

Sally:

Wanna eat? Do you want to take a walk?

Keenan's message is read only without reply. He turned his head towards the bench beside him, his smile expanding as soon as he saw the panda doll he bought. Then, Keenan drove his car at a moderate speed. The man can't wait to surprise Alexa.

Arriving in the complex area, it was seen that the residents crowded swarmed the front yard of his house. Keenan came down the car carrying the doll, he walked through the crowd.

Keenan's steps stopped at the doorstep, his eyes perfectly rounded to find Alexa lying covered in blood under the sofa. Keenan dropped the panda he held and approached the girl.

Keenan noticed the look on Alexa's face filled with patches and drops of blood rushing down the girl's forehead. Then, he turned to hold Alexa's wrist. No more pulse.

"Lexa .. ." said the man. Keenan could say nothing but call his wife's name. Keenan clutched Alexa's head tightly, his tears falling on the top of the girl's hair.

I wish this was just a dream. Yeah, just a dream.

TBC.