Lutfi Gilang's

6. Proclamation Text

The scorching sun broke into the glassless window in my new living room. Its head is very hot and enough to burn the skin if it lingers to let itself be exposed to the light. Some prisoners choose to laze around with sleep, alternately twitching their shoulders or hands or feet, chatting which always leads to betting, and so on, and or make jokes to melt the atmosphere that gripping nan boring though very often seem crisp. At least from the way they laugh, it can make others entertained.

Not with me and the two inmates who this morning took away my breakfast mood, discussing this is what is considered important.

"Until I was an adult, I just heard your name" I said after we sat on the opposite bed. I'm on my own, in a new custody with an old man.

"I'm just like you, Detective." Jaja said.

"I've long forgotten that" I replied.

"I know. I don't blame him. Everyone is free to aspire, and they also have the right to change it" he added.

"So?" I asked for a conclusion.

"I accidentally read one of your thriller novels, Seven Steps. And I'm interested, honestly, that helped with my investigation." The New Prisoner explained.

"What is that in the positive realm?" I confirmed the hypothesis that came to my mind.

A smile flashed on his blaster face. "It turns out you haven't changed much yet, you don't know what I'm doing" praised the New Prisoner.

"Everyone will think the same way as me after hearing your explanation" I said, trying to deny it

"You keep going low" he said.

"Can you talk like normal people? Old people like me can't understand your discussion." said the old man interjected, making us laugh.

"And what makes you bother with being a prisoner in this place?" my many.

"I told you, this Pram wants to meet a dude" Kusnadi said.

"That's right, Detective—"

"Stop calling me, that." I said cutting off the New Prisoner's sentence. "Now, I'm just a writer."

Jaja raised both hands like ordinary citizens who were held in a gun by criminals, or criminals who were held in a gun by the police, or police who were held in a gun by ordinary citizens. "I'll get used to it,"

"Hmmm.." I murmured doubtfully at the statement of the New Prisoner. Maybe it's good that I just accept that if he comes back to call me 'Detective', after all it's not something bad, anyway, it is precisely the praise that has somewhat ingrained since Jaja was in the sixth grade MI when we met first. Or I have to assume that it's his nickname to remember me, his past friend who once said he wanted to be a detective. However, it was very difficult to accept it because I now work as a writer, the things I fought for after meeting Lutfi, and when we established a romance with him. After all, I'm not sure that the New Prisoner is the Jaja I used to know. However, I still must not lower my guard.

"So, I met someone who was looking for treasure" Jaja whispered. Trying to keep the other prisoners from stealing our talk.

A treasure? "Then?"

"We need your help to find him" added Kusnadi. "I still keep some state files on my old land."

"Wait, the state archives you said?" I asked to be sure, a little surprised earlier

The old man replied with a nod.

"This has something to do with the proclamation text that was once discarded by Sukarno." responded Jaja.

"Hmmm. M. Diah, you can see for yourself at the Proclamation Text Formulation Museum."

"That's a fake," said Jaja to shock me. "someone has replaced it."

Replace him? Is that possible? It felt like I was being taken to the plot of a mystery film. It's hard for me to believe.

"Don't you think we're being funny?" ask Kusnadi.

I agreed with a nod. "That's an exaggerated joke, in my opinion."

"Unfortunately we're serious, man."

"See this,"

I received a photo that Jaja took from inside his pants pocket. It was a portrait of CCTV footage at midnight where two men were trying to open the protective glass of the proclamation text. It also includes a shot taken from the corner of the roof, where Close Circuit Television is often installed. "Why did they do such a ridiculous thing? Who're they? And... I've never heard the news?" I wondered to myself.

"Did you think that photo was fake too?" kusnadi asked after I returned the thing to Jaja.

"There are some things in there that make me believe. But, they are really great if they can make a copy of Bung Karno's writing." I said arguing.

"That's the problem!" jaja firmly with a dissatisfied tone. "They managed to make it. And I failed to take care of the Black Crow people, they managed to make the Maling escape from the pursuit of police and intel. But anyway, I need that proclamation text, again."

"Somewhat Black? The Mutant? Are they in a different group?" I thought in silence, then snorted before finally returning to the origin: "Maybe it has been sold on the black market."

"I don't completely deny your opinion" Jaja said, "but I'm sure they haven't cracked the code yet."

I didn't think it was a question: "What do you mean by code?" Both balls of my eyes stared intently at Jaja.

"I found an old file, which after I deciphered there was a code behind the proclamation text." He explained as if he could hear the whisper of my heart. "That code is what led to—"

"Reprecreary?" many me raid.

"Yes, that's why we need your help to get out of this prison alive, and to find the treasure." said Kusnadi.

"Hmmm. I don't have much time to take care of you" I replied, trying my best to refuse to add to the burden. I mean, I need to find Lutfi, not be a fool who's been shadowed by overflowing treasure after breaking a code that's not clear if the truth is there or not.

"No, no, man. I'm only here until the end of February. I'll be free after that. And Pram, get out whenever he wants."

"Late February, huh? Hopefully that will be my last limit here. I'm not very happy in prison. So much desire for Lutfi nyari, again." I said it myself.

But I ended up asking: "Indeed, what kind of business are you two in?"

"You know what's going on about me?" The old man asked.

I was silent for a moment to process the information that has sprung up in the brain. And then again put forward the hypothesis: "So you ate the bait from your friend?"

"I didn't expect it to be easy to explain this complicated matter to you" Kusnadi said.

"Don't flatter me too much, old man" I replied in response to Kusnadi's words.

"So you really know the story?" Jaja asked to make sure.

"Looks," I said. "need to explain?"

They back to compact.

"Before that, may I know what your old man friend's name is?"

He muttered for quite a while but finally replied as well. "Kusnandar Singodiredjo,"

I jerked. "He's your brother?"

"More precisely ... my sister,"

"That's really surprising" I said at last. "So I thought this: Your friend deliberately sold his house in order to avoid punishment for theft of state files that he had done first. The problem of expensive prices, I'm sure that he used as capital to pay his people and or make secret rooms again, and not to pay debts. But it took a lot of preparation, until he finally ran out of sense to get that file back from you, so he decided to report you to the authorities. Unfortunately, he had to take things from the government.

"The way he does is to be part of the government itself, whether he or her subordinates. And it was that person who had been working with Jaja all this time. However, the person eventually betrayed the government after his group got help from the Black Crow. The result of Jaja's joint observation was the code behind the proclamation text, but he did not have enough information to crack it. So, he needs the state files you keep, and to get them, your friends in this prison are trying to bully you old man, or kill you if you don't cooperate.

"With Jaja here, inform all of you directly while trying to protect you. I'm actually not related to this matter, but because I was coincidentally a ranger with you old man and he also heard rumors about me going through you, too, Jaja tried to approach me by deliberately sitting in front of me at breakfast earlier. He hopes that from that closeness I will help with your business."

I saw the old man open up after I finished arguing, while Jaja looked at me sharply. "I didn't expect it, you exposed it so easily. You even know what I'm here for." She said.

"It's not as complicated as it looks" I just spoke.

Jaja grunted in annoyance.

"Did I miss something?" I asked.

"Yes, the one who's after Kusnadi. Do you know who they are?"

"Just if you give me more information,"

The New Prisoner took a deep breath, then said: "You're smarter than you look,"

I'm tickled. "I'm just a writer. But, maybe I can suggest something good for both of you."

Suddenly both pairs of eyes Jaja and Kusnadi looked at me sharply. "Say, man." said the old man.

"First, you can ask people who will or have disturbed you today."

"Herman" said Kusnadi.

"Can this person work together?" Jaja threw a question.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Who cares? If he refuses, you just have to force him to open his mouth, right?"

Smile again glistened on Jaja's lips.

"I like the way you think, man."

"So you're coming with us?" Jaja asked the main thing.

I shook my head making them put on astonished faces.

"Why?" ask Jaja.

"You'd be rich if you could solve this puzzle, man! Remember, there is a treasure there." said Kusnadi.

"I already have my own treasure. And I must find him immediately." I replied.

"The missing dude's engagement?"

I nodded to answer the old man's question. I saw him bow his head, no longer talking and insistent on forcing me like before. Perhaps, he had experienced what I was feeling.

"Just a few days, at least help us find the text of the proclamation." Jaja tried to bargain but still I answered no. "How about being a stork and a hippo?" He's bidding.

"SD lesson, symbiotic mutualism?" I asked to make sure.

The New Prisoner nodded. "Me and some of my investigators will give you the quickest information to find your fiancee."

"An interesting offer, but I'd rather try myself." I said.

"You said that because no one else believes in you, right?" Just guess.

I nodded in agreement.

"Then, I'll give you two favors at once."

I chuckle. "Alright, let's see how great you are now." my challenge.

"So, you're joining us now, man?" Kusnadi returned.

"Only if this new prisoner pays half of his promise." I said.

Jaja was intrigued, but eventually agreed too.

"But, man... What happened to you before? Why did you faint?"

I smiled at the question from Kusnadi. Then he answered her with a headband and said: "I'm just tired, there's no other reason."