The Shadow Puppet

He stands majestically on a new building, a mosque, a place for Moslem to pray. It is very brand new mosque, built by expenses of local regional income and expenditure budgets. That building cost about 60 billion rupiahs or about 4.3 million dollars.

I saw that muscular and charismatic man stand on a podium then spoke an opening speech as a government official always will be.

"Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen! It's such a happy moment for me to be standing here with you all! Especially today I, as mayor of the town, will officially open this mosque! We, government official, hope with this brand new mosque, the spread of religious teaching can grow to reach wider communities, especially the youth! Why? Because our youth is in very grave danger! The immorality especially ... the LGBT! The act of sexual misconduct of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender! We know that their sexual misconduct is wrong! How their sexual misconduct makes God angry with us! We already have seen the signs of God's wrath! So many natural disasters hit our country! God is angry! And why God is angry?"

"Because The LGBT!" said an audience on that court, a man with fierce expression.

Diamput! I can't believe what I am hearing just now! Did he said that because of LGBT's existence, our country hit by many disasters? Man!

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Diamput = a local curse word of Indonesia especially in East Java region. It means a "sexual intercourse".
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"YES! Because of the LGBT! Such behavior cursed by The Gods! And how does our children become LGBT? By consuming too much artificial seasonings – monosodium glutamate! So Mothers! Please don't let your children consume too much instant noodles! It make your children stupid! It makes your sons become gay or drag queen , and your daughters become lesbian or bisexual!"

Diamput, I cursed again! Well ... I already heard many stupid speeches delivered by such stupid politicians or political predators, but this one? Where is the connection between 'eating too many instant noodles' and 'become LGBT'? Man! I must refrain myself harder than before because I almost on my limit!

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Note: the speech about too many eat instant noodles (e.g. "Indomie") will make you stupid then become LGBT is based on real political speech in Indonesia.
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"Sekartaji!" a voice of a man calling my name on my earphone, well ... not my real name actually, it's code name which is being given to me.

"Yes Kadek!" I answered and feels relieved because Kadek's voice can distract me from my anger towards that idiotic-charismatic-stupid-politician.

"How's situation of our target?"

"Well ...," I put up my binoculars into my eyes, "He brought seven-men as his bodyguard, did I got some backup?"

"No! You're alone! Just hit them hard before they hurt you, Sekartaji!"

"Care to join me?" I seduced him.

"No, no, no! I am here as your puppet master, not your sidekick! Let Regent Anwar out from that mosque. He will make a trip to Braja Regency then you must stop and give him our message on Dudukan Village!"

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Regent = a mayor for administrational district named 'regency'
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"All right, Sir! I am on my way!" I open holographic map on my wristwatch then make some calculations on how I can stop my target on Dudukan Village before he reach Braja Regency.

After I got a plan on my head, I pull out a wayang mask from my coat then put it on my face. This mask is carved based on a character of local folktale, Sekartaji. Her name means "– A beautiful flower with thorns" and because of that, my colleagues called me Sekartaji.

I press a button on left side of Sekartaji's mask then a blink of blue dimming light shrouded me with a robotic voice echoed two words, "System Activated!"

******

I know his name as Anwar Budiman.

Until five years ago, he was well known as young politician with clean image, true nationalist, but also led a very religious life. Such feats will be very popular among our people, and it has been proven true when he win the race to become Regent of Anjung Regency two times consecutively.

But there is an anomaly on his wealth reports. His wealth reports is 'too clean' for a government official, with his wealth only increase about 3% on five years. Such a case is impossible for he has many gold bar in his bank deposit and he already collected about 14,000 pieces of securities products with their total interest projection are about 14-20% per annum. You know his answer when Corruption Eradication Commission (CEC) confront him about this anomaly?

"I already donate half of my possession for those in need," he said it with smile.

Know what? CEC knew he was lying, but unlucky for them, Anwar knew how to put a press on CEC for not investigate his wealth deeper than now. But if you think CEC only sat nicely and let Anwar walk free, you are wrong! Know they cannot stop Anwar doing money laundering, CEC handed their files on Anwar case into my organization, and by Presidential order, we are allowed to take down this parasite once and for all.

I trailed Anwar's car entourage until we reach a village with many broken road. Man! If I am allowed, I want to curse and torture this Anwar for 3 days and nights because he let the broken roads exist on his regency even if his regency already got highest incomes compared to nearby regencies. But it is a great wonder also, even citizen of Anjung Regency knew that many of their roads broken and never repaired, they still vote for Anwar, even on militant ways. Why?

Well ... because in this country, most people believe the religion can dictate their life into better life, at least if now – in this world – it is not happen, then it will be happened in next life. Yet it will be so much surprise if political predators using this habit to seize opportunity to live in glamour and filthy rich. Anwar knew that very well. He already has image about clean and religious political leader and using only that image, he can exploit peoples' fear about condemned by God for not choose him. Every criticism towards him always be countered by ad hominem arguments such as: "The critics is trying to keep away God's path from us all. Don't listen on them! Once you listen on them, God will forsake you! For God already forsake those who criticize me, and now, because they didn't want to suffer alone they want you also suffer like them!"

Laughable? Maybe for scholars on western civilization it is very funny, but here argumentum ad populum(if many people believe it is true then it must be true) applied. With many citizen of our country is very weak on reasoning subject, such political predators like Anwar can put their wrong ideas on people's mind easily, and then exploit it to defeat any critics and sane-but-rival-politicians that tried to stop his act.

And how someone like me stop him?

Well ... by killing him of course!

Currently I already on the right side of one of Anwar's bodyguard's car. I put a mini bomb on its right side then by voice command on my mask I detonate it.

That car was thrown into the air before landed as scrapped metals 10 seconds later. The bodyguards on the second and third car that shocked by my act then open their car window and starting to shoot my bike.

I am forced to turn my bike into meadow but and do some counterattack using a gun that I keep on my left waist.

Two bullets destroy two second's car tire and make its driver lost control then hit a banyan tree very hard. My focus then moved into the third car which reverses their direction and now its driver trying to hit me.

Sekartaji's mask internal AI system give recommendation to throw away a grenade inside that car. Luckily for me, my shield system still holding on even after the bodyguards on third car throw many bullets into me. I pull the brake of my bike, doing a drift then rushed into that third car before turn aside on last moment then throw a seeking-target-grenade on its open window. That grenade exploded as soon it detect body heat and well ... looks like I got three more grilled human body.

I pulled my bike's spark advance towards the second car. After I am close enough, I saw a bodyguard is trying to lead way Anwar from that place. I then put my bike in front him and pointing my gun into his head.

"Go! Leave him! He is already targeted by 'Shadow Puppet'! You won't gain anything by protecting him!"

Usually many bodyguards will step away from my target after I said "Shadow Puppet" – the name of organization where I work now. As independent yet feared organization that act above the common crime law, Shadow Puppet's goal is to eradicate every corrupt businessmen, politicians, and civil servants that act as actor or helper on big corruption case on this country.

But this bodyguard is different. He put down his boss gently before stared to me with hateful gaze.

"I will not let my boss killed by you!" he throw a knife that precisely hit my index finger.

"Ouch!" I moaned but before I can do some counteract, he already advanced towards me then assault me.

He pinning me down, with some martial art technique. Judged by his technique he must be a soldier on National Army. My right hand form a punch which I pointed into his jaw. He is screaming and with one ground foot sweep, I released myself from his lockdown.

"Bitch! You are not an ordinary woman!" he cursed

Behind my mask, I am smiling. Yes! I was never be ordinary woman. I was member of Mobile Brigade Corps, so handle someone like him is like remembering my old days.

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Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob) is Indonesian's counterpart of Japan's Special Assault Team or SWAT in USA
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"No I am not, I am ...," I never finished my sentence to him because his head already shot by someone.

"Did you say, you will never join me in this mission, Kadek?" I turn my head into someone who wears a mask like me but his mask's carving take a form of raksasa.

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Raksasa = mythological giant on Hindu and Buddhist myth.

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"The clock ticking, Sekartaji. Just do your job fast!" said Kadek.

I want to argue his sudden appearance, but I know I can't, because while I am the Shadow Puppet, Kadek is my Puppet Master aka my superior. When he say I must go, I will go; when he say I must lay low then I will lay low!

"What's the message?" I pull out a knife and approach Anwar who was still passing out.

"Rapist!" said Kadek then I carved the 'rapist' word into Anwar's forehead.

Maybe the pain of my knife carved his forehead is very painful so he was awake then screamed.

"Shut up!" I pull out my gun, shot four bullets, each bullet on one of his limb; he was screaming louder but at least he cannot resist too much now.

"Liars!" said Kadek, then I opened his shirt forcefully and carved that word on his right shoulder.

"Murderers of the poor!" said Kadek and I carved that sentence into his chest, while ignoring Anwar's painful scream that actually hurt my ears so much.

"Stop whining Sissy Regent!" Kadek then shot a bullet from his own gun and that bullet almost hit Anwar's head.

Anwar stop screaming but he already wet himself. I laughed and taunt at him, "Okay Mister Servant of God, care to explain why you screamed like a whiny child and wet your trousers?"

Anwar was silent but his eyes gazed at us with fear.

"Where did you put your money, Mr. Anwar?" I asked him, politely.

"I am not speaking with Bitch!"

I put my knife on his heart right eye, make he screamed in agony.

"Answer me!"

"O-on my driver's bank account! He ... he supposedly transfer it into my son's account then my sons will deliver it back to me as cash!"

"All of them?" I put my knife on his cheek.

"The remains is gold and silver bank, but the account name is using my vice regent's account! Please! Help me! Take me into hospitals!"

"Is it true, Kadek?" I ask Kadek and he humming about a moment before say.

"I already confirmed it, the amount is exactly matched with CEC's projection! He has no use anymore. Killing him but make it slowly and painfully!"

"Noted and consider it has been done!"

I pull out his right hand and stab my knife on many places randomly, the same thing also I applied on his left hand and for the final moment, I cut his artery on his neck very slowly until he lost too many blood and die!

******

"Kadek! I need a vacation!" I said to Kadek while I back to him to accept my payment.

"Consider it has been done. You may have 2 weeks vacation. Thank you very much for your act and bravery! Have fun with your girlfriend."

I returned my Sekartaji mask into him then using my bike I return into Anjung alone.

I stopped my bike on a hotel then I knock a room three times before a pretty girl wearing eyeglasses open the door.

"Sekar! Hey!" she was giving me a smile, oh very sweet smile!

"I got a vacation. Two weeks! Where should I and you date?"

She was smirking and then pull me inside the room then throw me into the bed.

"Let's discuss it later, Sekar. For now ... I just want to eat you!" she kissed me like a wild animal devour her prey, and it was not take a long before us stripped each other until two of us fully naked and have wild sex until midnight.

On the midnight, when I was stroking my beautiful angel's cheek, she asked me why my face looks like troubled, "Something wrong with job today, Darling?"

"My target today, said that lesbian and gay people is source of every natural disaster that happened in our country."


"Haters will always hate us!"

"And peoples said yes for his every liar."

"Let them be. We cannot do anything significant right now, Sekar."

"Yes! But will we being hated by society as long we live?"

"We can move into another country ... if you want."

"That's the problem, Darling. I can't. This is my home and my country. This is the country that I seek to change into better country, with less corruption and less blaming into people like us."

"I will always support you, Sekar!" her eyes show me his angelic love again.

Oh man! She is really like an angel that casted down into earth then falling love into a human girl – me – and with her remaining angelic power, colored my gloomy life into full of color, full of love.

I then kissed her forehead and hug her tight, "Thank you Darling! Thank you for always there for me!"

"And thank you for always keeping our country safe, my dear knight!" she said.

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