Chapter 7
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7-1 Bitter Coffee of Giono
Bang!
Crack!
Giono kicked the table in front of him.
The table shattered into pieces, smashing a cup of coffee and some packs of Sukro peanuts and Jisamsu kretek cigarettes that were on it.
Giono: "Wedah! Weduus! Wedus!"
His eyes bzed red, blood rushing to his head, voice trembling with rage.
Fifty of his gang members hung their heads silently, no one dared to speak.
Suddenly, the Green Gang’s headquarters fell into complete silence.
Giono: "Karto! Make me some coffee! Now!"
Karto: "Yes, Boss!"
Turiman: "You, Seni, and Beji—bring a new table up front!"
Two guys stepped forward, carrying a fresh table.
Giono: "Karto, don’t forget! Make it bitter!"
Karto: "Got it, Boss!"
Giono: "Two spoons of coffee, half a spoon of sugar."
Karto: "Yes, Boss!"
Giono: "Stir it exactly eighteen times. No less, no more!"
Despite being scared, some gang members couldn’t help but grin hearing Giono’s ridiculously detailed coffee order.
Karto rushed to the kitchen. A moment ter, he returned with a cup of freshly made bitter coffee.
Giono sipped the hot coffee.
Slurp!
Giono: "Weduus! Perfect, Karto. Two spoons of coffee, half a spoon of sugar, stirred eighteen times..."
Once again, some Green Gang members smiled, biting their lips to hold back ughter.
After a few sips, Giono felt his head clear up. His fiery eyes softened. The boiling blood cooled down.
His voice softened.
***
7-2 Mariana’s Cunning
Giono: "Wedah... This can’t be allowed! This is outrageous!"
His gang remained silent, no one dared to speak.
Giono: "Danu, tell us what happened at Kembang Setaman Diskotik!"
A man in a security uniform stepped forward. He was one of the disco guards who got captured by Mariana’s men.
Danu: "It happened very fast, quiet, and without a fight."
Giono: "What do you mean?"
Danu: "No resistance at all. In the end, Handoyo handed over the disco willingly to the Big Lady."
Giono: "Wedah... Then?"
Danu: "They threatened Handoyo’s wife and kids."
Giono: "Weduus! That Big Lady is truly sneaky!"
Danu: "Her guards were armed with guns."
Giono took a sip of his coffee and lit a cigarette. Smoke slowly drifted from his mouth.
Giono: "Hmm... Then?"
Danu: "There was no chaos. Even the regur customers stayed calm, like nothing happened."
Karto, standing beside Danu, added:
Karto: "Handoyo’s Kembang Setaman Diskotik was one of Green Gang’s biggest sponsors in Tanah Abang."
Turiman: "This is unacceptable!"
Fifty Green Gang members erupted in anger.
"Let’s take back what’s ours!"
"We’ll fight them!"
"We’ll beat them to a pulp!"
The angry shouts echoed throughout the Green Gang’s headquarters.
***
7-3 Storming Kembang Setaman Disco
A man stepped forward to face Giono. His eyes looked away as he spoke. His name was Kardun.
Kardun: "Friends, we’re all ready to storm Kembang Setaman Diskotik!"
Giono watched Kardun, noticing he didn’t look directly at him. Was he scared?
But on closer look, Kardun’s eyes were a bit crossed — like a zy eye.
Even though it seemed like he was looking elsewhere, Kardun’s gaze was actually fixed on Giono.
Knowing this, Giono smiled slightly.
Giono: "Are you ready yourself, Kardun?"
Kardun still looked away.
Kardun: "I’m ready, Boss!"
Giono stared at Kardun, who was still looking somewhere else. A smile pyed on his lips.
Giono: "Ladah! Good… good…"
Giono scanned the room. Fifty of his men were buzzing with battle spirit.
Giono: "You, Karto, prepare the weapons!"
He took a deep drag from his cigarette and blew out the smoke loudly.
Giono: "And you, Turiman! Get ten cars ready to transport our people!"
The fifty Green Gang members cheered loudly, full of excitement.
Giono: "Alright! Tonight, we storm Kembang Setaman Diskotik!"
Cheers of encouragement echoed through the Green Gang’s headquarters.
"Long live Giono!"
"Long live Giono!"
Giono looked at his men with pride. Slowly, he took a final sip of his bitter coffee, now just the dregs.
End of chapter 7
To be continued chapter 8
