Damar made his way along a narrow path between rows of towering trees. Every so often, he glanced back to make sure Ezra was still following him, even though the distance between them had grown wider and wider.
Ezra's face was deathly pale. His legs felt like they couldn't take another step. When his body pitched forward, Damar quickly caught him by the arm.
"Let's take a break."
"No..." Ezra shook his head weakly. "What if they come after us again?"
"I'll deal with them."
"You should've fought them from the start instead of dragging me into a run. You wore me out. And now we're lost, too," Ezra complained.
Ezra tried to walk again, but his steps were unsteady. Once more, Damar grabbed both his arms.
"You still strong enough to walk?"
"I am," Ezra replied, turning away in annoyance.
But after only a few steps, Ezra's knees gave out, and he sank down onto the ground.
"Mom... I want to go home..." Ezra whined.
Damar reached out to help him up, but Ezra gently brushed his hand away. "I can still walk by myself..."
"Okay." Damar nodded. "If you fall, get up on your own. I won't help you."
Damar had barely turned to walk away when Ezra hurriedly grabbed his arm. "Help me..."
Damar took hold of Ezra's elbow again. They walked slowly side by side.
"Brother," Ezra called. "Instead of taking me to the police station, could you take me somewhere to eat first? I haven't eaten since yesterday. I only had some bread this morning, and that wasn't enough," he complained. "Then they made me run a marathon. My legs are shaking, and I'm starting to feel dizzy, too."
"I can only make something simple. If you're willing to eat it."
"I am..." Ezra answered helplessly.
From the doorway, Damar watched Ezra sleeping soundly on the bed. The guy had fallen asleep the moment he touched the mattress. Damar had deliberately let him rest and regain his strength before taking him back to Jakarta.
"Let's give a round of applause for our hero!" Yuda clapped loudly from the dining table.
Damar ignored Yuda's joke and sat down in the chair across from him. "He offered me one hundred million if I managed to free him, plus another one hundred million if I took him home."
"Wow!" Yuda was stunned. "That kid is obviously rich. With that kind of money, you could totally fly to Jerman." Yuda suddenly grew excited.
Damar only stared at him blankly. Forget going abroad—he was already struggling just to survive here. Looking for Ajeng in Jerman felt like searching for a needle in a haystack.
"You know what?" Yuda bit into a piece of grilled sticky rice. "We came all the way here from Semarang, and then you happened to meet a guy worth two hundred million." He swallowed. "That's fate."
Damar picked up a piece of grilled sticky rice and chewed slowly.
"Every road is already laid out for us," Yuda continued. "If we hadn't come here, you never would've met him. That means this is your path to finding Ajeng."
Damar nodded slowly. Yuda had a point.
A month ago, after returning from Jakarta, Damar had gone back to his usual routine. The difference was that this time, he worked harder to save enough money for the trip to Jerman.
Then, a week ago, Adi assigned Damar and Yuda to deliver some goods to Grandma Ipon's house—she was one of Adi's relatives—and help the old woman out here at the same time.
"I asked around in the school alumni group about Ajeng," Damar said. "They said she studied medicine and then moved to Jerman. That's all they know. Ajeng also cut off contact with all her friends."
"Do you know why she suddenly disappeared?" Yuda asked.
Damar smiled bitterly. "Because she felt guilty. And that guilt managed to ruin my life all these years."
"Ajeng and Marvin have lived peacefully for far too long," Yuda said firmly. "Now it's time for you to claim what's yours. You deserve justice and a decent life, Dam. Remember, I'll always support you."
"Thanks."
"I'm always here for you," Yuda replied with exaggerated drama.
"Ugh, you're making me cringe," Damar mocked, making Yuda chuckle.