Episode 12

At 7 o'clock in the evening, the city of Emerald began to dim with the illumination from streetlights and towering skyscrapers increasingly bright.

Alda, Riko, and the other two descended from the Presidential Suite to check out! As usual, each carried only a small backpack, as they needed only clothes for changing, devoid of any excess luggage.

Like Alda with his basic cell phone, the others followed suit, especially Dion, who carried nothing but his ID and some cards from his parents, receiving no further contact from them for years on end.

The quartet checked out easily, then went straight to the underground parking lot where Alda and Riko's newly purchased vehicles awaited.

Reaching the parking area, Alda, clasping the Hummer H2 keys, tossed them to Dion, commenting, "You're driving; I've heard about your driving skills since our time in the mountains!"

"No problem!" Dion curtly replied.

Indeed, he was a driving enthusiast, his background in the mafia world making it a necessary skill from a young age.

Hence unsurprisingly, Dion's driving prowess was remarkable! Riko took the wheel of the second vehicle.

The two vehicles roared out of the Mercure Hotel's subterranean garage, heading eastward towards the Setiadi family's residence in the neighboring mountain.

The drive there was lengthy, necessitating an overnight journey at high speed across hillside roads and dense forests.

No sooner had they exited the Mercure Hotel and sped through Emerald's streets than several cars began tailing them at a fixed distance.

Dion, alert to the pursuit, grinned, "Seems our prey has followed the bait!"

"Really..?" Alda, unable to peek at the vehicles through the rearview mirror, looked back.

He vividly noted several black BMW sedans in pursuit.

"Indeed, when do we spring the trap?" Alda questioned Dion.

Both were keenly aware from their rear position, even as Riko, in the Mercedes Benz G-Class leading ahead, became cognizant of their trackers.

No codes or calls were necessary between them, as they had succinctly discussed the ambush plan earlier in the hotel room.

Once past the crowded traffic, both vehicles accelerated intensely, thundering like wild beasts down Emerald's avenues.

Despite the late hour, the auditory rumble of the monstrous cars echoed, with the quartet of chasing black sedans trailing over 600 meters behind, their engines howling in parallel ferocity.

Passersby spared only glances, accustomed to such races, yet found it peculiar for off-road vehicles like the Hummer H2 to career through the city so fleetly.

"People with money sure live differently, using such big vehicles to speed down public roads!" commented a roadside observer.

"I'd probably do the same if I had one; it looks thrilling," responded their companion.

Those walking or enjoying the urban nightlife chatted among themselves about the large speeding vehicles.

Shortly thereafter, the four black sedans sped by, matching the pace set by the two large cars.

"Is there a real street race happening? Why haven't I heard any announcements, and why isn't the road closed?" another onlooker questioned.

"Don't be naive; it's not a race, more like a skirmish between powerful groups! It resembles a mafia movie chase!" the other retorted, with a penchant for linking exaggerated real-life events to dramatic film and book scenes.

Riko and Dion pushed their vehicles faster towards the east, as the urban areas began thinning out, approaching the outskirts of Emerald where sparse traffic favored reckless driving.

Woooss..!

Several youths seated at a bus stop, freshly off work and awaiting a city bus, were startled by the engine roars and exhaust noise from the two off-road vehicles passing by, the vehicles' closeness sending bursts of air their way.

"Darn wealthy kids do whatever they want! A traffic bust will teach them a lesson," one grumbled.

"Of course, they're powerful. Any trouble can easily be resolved with money and their fathers' clout," another scoffed, distracted by his mobile phone.

"Yes, the law for them is purchasable! Not just traffic citations, but freedom from more severe consequences is within their grasp," another added in a tone of harsher judgment.

Woooss..!

As they resumed their conversation, the four black sedans that followed earlier sped by, matching the previous vehicles' urgency.

"What's actually going on?" questioned the one who had earlier wished for the wealthy to encounter traffic enforcement.

"It looks like there's a clash leading to this chase!"

"Possibly...!"

In the black sedans trailing Riko and Dion's cars, confusion set in.

"Damn, have they become aware of our presence?" asked the driver.

"Psh, whether they're aware or not is irrelevant! The point is, they'll be dead shortly," smirked the passenger beside the driver.

"Speed up! The road ahead's clear. Once they hit the slum area, we'll make our move," he commanded through a walkie-talkie.

"Understood, Captain..!" the drivers of all four cars responded almost in unison.

Having traveled over 20 kilometers, nearly reaching the slum outskirts, Riko slightly decreased his vehicle's speed.

Consequently, the trailing sedans rapidly caught up, and with a howl of engine noise and a screech of braking tires, two black sedans overtook, boxing in the Hummer H2 and Riko's Mercedes Benz G-Class.

After cornering, amid the roar of engines and loud tire squeals from the abrupt stop, the black sedans came to a smoking halt.

Had Riko wished, he could have crashed into the smaller vehicles in front, but this was the ambush he had orchestrated.

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