Irise Delegnere (ALIVE'S Book 3)

by Faulina Arif

  "What are you talking about? Where is that pig-man?" Sofian asked.

  "There!" That fat police pointing his index finger toward the prison.

  Sofian looked at that direction and frown his forehead. No pig-man inside there. Only a normal man that sit in silent with prison uniform.

  "Are you the one that catch him?" Sofian asked

  That fat police nod and fold his arms in front of his chest. "We got a report from the citizen, they catch a pig that roam around in the city. But after they catch it, not long after that, that pig turned into a human."

  Sofian surprised and his eyes wide open, he looked at those traffic police officer alternately. "Is that true?"

  That thin police officer shrug his shoulders. "We didn't see that with our own eyes. When we had arrive, his condition is as he is now and he even not wearing any clothes."

  "I think he's just a crazy person which is starving and then he stole and was caught in his act. look at him closely, he's look like an idiot!" The fat police cynically smile."Because we afraid that he will be beaten by citizen, we deliberately bring him here."

  "Alright then. Let's have a lunch!" The thin police officer go leaving the prison and followed by his friend.

  Sofian looks confused. He once again looked inside the prison in front of him.

  "So, what's your opinion?" Ichsan that before was quiet now asking Sofian.

  "He . . . looks like a normal human, Sir." Sofian answered

  Ichsan cynically smile."A normal human? Try to observe him more thoroughly, does he resemble that 'normal human'?

  Sofian forehead frowned and slightly bent his body. He then looked that man in front of him for a longer time, he observe that man behavior.

  "Hey, can you hear me?" Sofian asked.

  That prisoner is not reacted. He sit cross-legged and his eyes look at the ceiling. His mouth opened wide and his saliva dripping. He continue to do so and seems unreacted to Sofian voice. And now Sofian can understand why the other police officer said he was crazy.

  "Does you think this is related with 'that'?" Ichsan asked

  Sofian stand up straight and looked at his partner. "He looks not normal, Sir."

  "Yes, he was." Ichsan sighed and takes a short breath, he then looked at Sofian. "Let's go!" He ordering Sofian to follow him.

  IRISE DELEGNERE

  Zafar immediately looked at his back when he felt there's a hand touching his shoulder. Hengky, one of his friend is standing beside him. They are a co-worker but in different team. But even so, the two of them is close enough because they often see each other in the meeting room and cafeteria.

  "Zafar, can I come home with you?" Hengky pleaded.

  "What's wrong?" Zafar asking

  As Zafar know, Hengky always bring his car. It's not usual for him to ride home with another people car. Except he had a circumstances or something happened.

  "My car broke down. Can I ride home with you?" Hengky pleaded one more time

  "Of course." Zafar answered accompanied by a nod. "Come on in." He said while opening the car door.

  Hengky walked around Zafar car and entering from the other side of the car. He sit beside Zafar that was now starting the car engine and then leaving the parking lot.

  "Why did your car broke down?" Zafar asking

  "I forgot to do a periodic service, more than four month I ignore it. Well, it come to pass. And at last it's broken down." Hengky sighed, he looks a bit annoyed.

  "Oh, is that so?" Zafar nodded, he seemed understand.

  For a while both of them fall silent without any topic, until Hengky asked Zafar one question.

  "Zafar, I heard your father is a historian, right?" Hengky take a glance toward Zafar

  Zafar surprised. He's decreasing his car speed and looked at Hengky full of uncomfortable feeling. Only because of his father background that worked as a historian, he often insulted by another people, moreover even by his own large families.

  They always underestimate Zafar and always rehash the past. They call Zafar father as a braggart, loud mouth, and hallucinating man only because he liked to say something that different from written history. Those people always talk sweet in front of them but always talk bad and stab them in the back. But Zafar can't refuse all those talk because half of himself agreed with that.

  When Zafar still a little kid, Zafar trusted his father. Zafar love to hear his father story about the world. Even though his father sometimes tell him a story that didn't make any sense like a myth and legend, but Zafar always love to hear those stories enthusiastically. However as time passes and after his father was disappeared, Zafar realize all of those stories is just a nonsense. A reality that he see is wretched. The amazing things that always told by his father is no more than a bedtime fairy tale.

  All of his father stories is never proved to be true and all people even their family regard him as a loudmouth historian that always bragging nonsense. That man was disappeared on purpose, leaving his wife and his own son because he can't bear the shame. Zafar father can't prove the things that he believe. That is all of those people opinion concerning his father.

  At first Zafar refuse all of that. Zafar was sure that his father will return and make those people shut their mouth with a proof that his father found. However his father never came home. Humiliation was often he experienced from another people that know about his father background. Yes, after a long time and that humiliation, Zafar drowned in silence. He try to accept the truth about his father, he was no more than a scum and deceiver. Zafar work hard and harder from any people only to reach the pinnacle of success. If he succeed, of course those people will not humiliate or insulting him anymore.

  "How can you know about that?" Zafar asking while decreasing his car speed.

  Zafar was ready to drop and drive him out of his car if Hengky annoyed him.

  "I've seen your profile before, accidentally."

  "Is that so?" Zafar said in low voice

  "In truth, I always interested with mystery in history. For example . . . Is Atlantis civilization is ever existed. Or how could the past people built a pyramid in Egypt, are they helped by otherworldly creature? Or with no one help and just as they are. Many version about that theory, but what we know that all of those things is still become a mystery. No one can know it for sure. Right?!" Hengky looked at Zafar

  "Yes, all of that is undoubtedly mysterious." Zafar answered, he agree with Hengky.

  Zafar like a history and mysterious things very much. Even though he doesn’t like his own father, doesn’t believe with his father anymore and doesn’t believe anything about supernatural or magical things to be real, however he still like those things. Because of that Zafar refraining himself, trying not to get hooked by Hengky words, and then talked too much of unnecessary things. Hengky could think Zafar are crazy person the same as his father.

  "There is so many mystery that we still not known, Zafar. I was often participate in an online discussion, we discussing about the mystery of this universe. Like about the existence of alien, and about planets, stars, and galaxy. Those netizen have many interesting and unique theory. But I think, that is just a theory. No one can prove whether it's right or wrong.

  Zafar still quiet and listen to Hengky carefully.

  "I believe there is an intelligent creature aside from us. This universe is too enormous just for human. It was possible those alien or any otherworldly creature out there was now observing us. Do you believe about that?"

  Zafar nod "I was also thinking the same thing."

  "Really?" Hengky appear to be enthusiastic. "I think we have the same interest."

  Zafar smiled

  Hengky take a breath."What if those alien is exist and all of this time they always observing us? Why aren't they approach and helped us? What are they waiting actually?!"

  "What do you mean?" Both of Zafar eyebrow frowned. For a short time he looked at Hengky.

  "I was sure that they have an advanced technology. It was possible if
they can easily cure all of our disease. And maybe . . . What if there is a human that ever meet with those alien? I think this is the basis that represented why there were so many theory concerning them, a theory that stated by people like us that believe about their existence. What if those aliens has done a sort of modification on human body and create them to be different from other human?"

  "Do you mean like a vampire or werewolf? is there any possibilities that they was a modified human?" Zafar can't repress his curiosity anymore and let himself to state his own opinion.

  "It could be, there's a lot of myth about them I think. In my opinion a story and myth will not spread by themselves if there is no truth. Well, who knows. Even our world now is filled with a great knowledge and technologies, but it still not reached there. We can only guessing, is that story is only a myth? Isn't there any relation between those myth with history, technology and worlds law of nature?!"

  "What if those creature is truly existed?" Zafar asked in doubt.

  Hengky cynically smile."I will think to myself I was crazy if I didn’t see it with my own eyes. But . . . , I will try to find the clue. If I just stay silent and think that was all just a weird dream, I can be crazy because of my curiosity."

  "I think . . . They are existed. Even though I see it myself, I still thinking to myself that I was crazy and hallucinating." He said without realizing

  Hengky surprised and his eyes opened wide. "Hah? you see them? Really? Where? Tell me!" Hengky pleaded enthusiastically.

  Zafar gulped. He just realize how much that he opened his mouth. And when he looking at Hengky enthusiastic attitude, it made Zafar happy. Maybe, Hengky is someone that not just believe him, but he can be invited to think about that matter. Zafar then tell Hengky everything, started when he think he was bumping something in his car that night, until about Aria, a mysterious woman that interest him very much. That woman is too strong, she can easily kill a lot of monster alone. And the strange things in her body, about the wound that was healed in second and about her blood that moving to her body, all of it is an anomaly.

  "Do you have a proof? like a photo or something like that? I wanted to see it with my own eyes."

  "No, at that time I haven't thought of that. But . . . At that time I let her rest in my house."

  "What does she do in your house? Is something happened? Are you hurt?" Full of curiosity, repeatedly many question come out from Hengkymouth.

  Zafar shook his head."No. But in truth, she forbid me to tell this to anybody."

  "Why?" Hengky became confused."All of this is too amazing, everyone needs to know."

  "I also doesn't understand that. Maybe she got her reason. But she hated the scientist, and she had entering my working room."

  "Did she try to search something? is there anything she take?"

  Once again Zafar shook his head."None, I think she takes none."

  Both of them fall silent. Their conversation ends there without any conclusion or any satisfying answer.

  IRISE DELEGNERE

  After successfully opened one of windows easily, Aria immediately jumped inside. Aria walked to the living room and sit down in one of sofa inside the darkness. A terrible plan was neatly arranged inside her mind. But of course before executing that plan, Aria will try another method. But if she remember how was Zafar behavior in this past days, it seems she doesn’t have any more method except to take his life.

  Ignoring Aria warning and Zafar even try to tell everything he know to the other people. That man can't be trusted, and he can't even ignore his curiosity and deliberately trying to find the truth on his own. Those action can't be allowed anymore, for the worst case scenario something bad will happened to other people around him. Aria must prevent that accident although she must sacrifice one life.

  The sound of car engine could be heard in the front yard of Zafar house. Aria stands up and hide in the other room. Aria waiting for a moment, but that car engine is still running and then leaving the front yard. Aria walking toward the window and peek behind the curtain, no one there only a darkness of night.

  Shortly, a car entering Zafar house front yard and then stopped. Aria waiting. The car engine is vanished and Zafar was appeared from his car.

  Aria forehead frowned while at the same time closing the curtain. If Zafar just arrive recently, then who's coming before him? isn't this house location far away from neighbor? Aria thinking in her mind.

  "Come with us!"

  Aria heard that voice when she walk slowly toward the door. She returned to the window and opened its curtain. Some men in big figure wearing a black suit trying to apprehend Zafar.

  "What? What's this?!" Zafar yelled. In the middle of confusion, Zafar struggling to release himself from those people grips.

  Not answering Zafar question, one of them immediately silencing Zafar mouth and then dragging him. Meanwhile the other two grab Zafar's arms. They dragged him from his house door in rough manner. When they arrive at the yard, the man that silencing Zafar mouth opened the car door.

  "Get in!" The men in Zafar right side pushing him into the car.

  Zafar thrashing around but still can't do anything. Those men is too strong for him. One of those men push Zafar head so that he can enter the car.

  Aria that waiting in above the roof immediately jump down and step in the head of one of those three big man as a foothold.

  BRAK . . . ! That man fall headfirst

  Two of them become aware and immediately looked at Aria. One of them releasing his grip from Zafararm.

  "Can I join?" Aria cynically smile, she fold her arms in front of her breast.

  That man quickly take his pistol and aim it to Aria. And with fast movement Aria run forward and kicking that man legs until he's crashing to the ground.

  The last man that since then holding Zafar, releasing him and put up a battle stance ready to challenge her.

  "Are you idiot? you wanted to kill me bare handed?" Aria smiling underestimating him. She standing in front of that man calmly.

  "Come . . . !" That man said

  Aria go forward and quickly punch him with her right hand in the face. Swiftly that man block her punch and then punch her back to the face. She nimbly evade, and with fast movement she ducked and she spin her body, then with her elbow she hit him exactly in his gut. That man yelled and bowed in pain. That man fall to the ground, he's coughing hard because of the pain and made him lay down in the ground, he can't rise anymore. Aria get ready to kick his face but.

  "STOP!" two pistol aimed at Aria back.

  Aria turned her body to the back, and looked at those two man that before was fall to the ground.

  "So, now you want to kill me?" Said Aria.

  One of that man smile sarcastically."Perhaps . . . I want to know that truth with my own eyes, of how valuable you are."

  Aria eyes looked at that man sharply."So this is your true purpose?"

  "You think? He's just a bait, you are our real target." The other man spoke.

  Without wasting any time, Aria quickly draw two throwing knife from her shoulder pad and throw them precisely into their back hand. those two man yelled in pain and reflexively drop their pistol.

  Aria take that chance. She reach Zafar hand."Follow me!" She said while pulling him so that Zafar will follow.

  Zafar doesn’t have any clue what was happened. But he understand about this situation and he don’t want to be kidnapped. Quickly she follow Aria without protesting.

  After they felt a little safer and far away from Zafar house. Aria letting go of Zafar hand.

  "Where do we go?" Zafar asking in shortness of breath.

  Zafar trying to equal his speed without complain to Aria running speed.

  Aria isn't answering

  Aria continue to run fast preceding Zafar until they came out from Zafar house block that was quiet and far from neighbor. When they arrive at a house with tall fence, Aria turned towards that house. Aria approaching a big sport bike that was parked below a tree b
eside the tall fence. Aria jumped to that bike and looked at Zafar.

  "Come with me if you still want to live." She said in cold tone.

  At that moment without thinking anymore, Zafar immediately get into the passenger seat and let Aria take him away with full speed. In fear, that man which never ride a motorcycle with that much speed reflexively embrace Aria waist. But Aria ignoring him. That woman is annoyed, angry, and frustrated.

  Aren't she go to that house to kill Zafar? But, look at what just she did? Aria, on contrary doing stupid things by saved that man she wanted to kill. She just should let him be taken away by those people without feeling any remorse. Damn! Aria growling angry and hitting her sport bike with her left fist. She increasing the bike speed without thinking Zafar that now trembling in fear.

  IRISE DELEGNERE

  "How?" Ichsan asking Sofian that recently arrive beside him.

  Sofian take a sit beside Ichsan. Sofian gave a mineral water that recently he bought to his partner."I asked to another people, but their answer is just the same Sir."

  Ichsan opening the mineral water lid and drink its content.

  From the past noon until the day turn to night, those two police officer roam around in the crime scene without stopping. They looking for an information, asking any citizen in the vicinity. But still no definite answer. Everyone that they met answering the same things, they was sure that the man they capture is a supernatural pig that can shape shift to human which in practice of black magic to steal another people belonging. All that description is a nonsense for the likes of Ichsan.

  Ichsan more trusting to his own intuition, he think that man is one of many victim that can escape from the research facility. When he see that man psychological condition that was not normal anymore, Ichsan should be correct. And that was meant in their country now, there is a large scale terrible human research that been using human body and it was doing by a mad scientist. And Ichsan was sure the government is involved, because everything ran so smoothly and stated as confidential. And he as a police officer can't get much information and has ordered not to dig to this matter too deep.