"The dude will win the next few bets, and when he goes all in, he will start to lose," I explained to Bobby how it works.
One of the oldest tricks in the book.
Let you win some games in the beginning, making you taste victory.
The other accomplice will start psyching you, saying "How lucky you are," "Today must be your day" or something to the same effect.
When you have lost your rational mind, you start to go all in; that's when they show their true colors.
The man, as I had predicted, after winning big for the next few bets, started to lose.
Slowly he became agitated at the losses, placing more and more on the bet, trying to make it back.
"Sam, you are right. He is like in a trance now, just keeps betting," Bobby exclaimed.
"That's why we must never get involved in drugs and gambling. It will never end well for you."
"Hehe. Only drugs and gambling, what about women, huh? Talking as if you are now getting lots of women."
"It's a choice I made, if I wanted to, all the women will—" Before I could finish my sentence, a few military vehicles rolled in and stopped by the side of the road.
A dozen men in military uniform stepped out of the vehicles, with their automatic rifles slung behind their backs.
The gamblers began to scatter, fearing they would be arrested.
To their surprise, the soldiers didn't bother with them.
They were not here for the gamblers.
Someone else was their target.
This made me suspicious; they must have targeted the gamblers on other days, but strangely not today.
My hunch was right.
They were after us!
My heart sank as I saw them walking towards the Heng Logistics building.
Wasting no time, I took the delivery carrier of the noodle stall.
The boss shouted at me.
I didn't want to tussle with him, so I pulled out a bundle of cash and gave it to him.
Then I left with Bobby.
We hastened our pace, looking at our watches, pretending to be food deliverymen late for delivery.
The soldiers looked at us in suspicion but didn't stop us.
Probably thinking these poor slobs must be in a hurry.
"Hurry, let us go up, there are soldiers coming this way." When we entered the building, I shouted to the bald man with tattoos at the front desk.
He went to the door and peeped outside.
When he saw the soldiers, he quickly let us go up in the lift.
"Seven floors, turn right, till the last room," I said to myself repeatedly, as we tried to find our way.
When we reached the last room, I knocked on the door like a machine gun going off.
"What are you doing here?" Amy Lee gave me an annoyed look.
"There's no time, there are soldiers coming this way," I said as we went into the room.
It was a huge room, with the caretaker sitting behind a huge office table.
In the middle of the room was a coffee table, most likely to host the customers.
At the far end was a bookshelf, with books that looked valuable with their leather covers.
"Come with me, we have an emergency getaway."
The man known as caretaker said.
He was a middle-aged man, well-dressed in a suit; his stout body gave a very dependable feel.
Reaching underneath his office desk, he pressed a button.
Then the bookshelf on the opposite side of the room slid to the side.
It was concealing another lift.
"Go in and press B2; it leads to a secret exit. We will take the delivery as discussed," the caretaker said as he ushered us into the lift.
The lift was smaller, just good enough for the three of us.
Amy Lee and I got in first.
We were squeezed face to face.
With her breast bumped up against my chest.
Bobby gasped and looked with his eyes open and jaw dropping to the floor.
Amy Lee turned and stared at him.
He lowered his head and then there was nothing but awkward silence.
All I could hear was the whirring of the fan in the lift, and the breathing from the three of us.
"Ding!" The lift sounded when we reached level B2.
When the lift door opened, there was a dark tunnel leading somewhere.
The lights, sensing our movement, switched on when we ran along the tunnel.
After a hundred meters or so, it led to a staircase.
We went up the staircase; it led to the back kitchen of a café.
The staff just looked at us for a moment, then went on with their work as if we didn't exist.
This café must have belonged to Heng Logistics.
I went to the door and peeped outside.
The coast was clear.
We stepped outside of the café, staying alert for any soldiers.
"Why are these soldiers after us? Can't we get a break?" Bobby asked in frustration.
Yes, why are they after us.
I thought about the possibilities.
There was only one possible conclusion.
General Warianto.
The man who brought the loot from the grave in Mandor.
Who is most likely the man behind Kurnawan.
Kurnawan was not working alone all this while.
He must have owed this General Warianto a huge amount of debt.
The gold would be shared between him and General Warianto.
Kurnawan must have made a deal to pay off his debt, and not worry about turning one ton of gold into cash.
No one can do it all alone.
"General Warianto, that's the reason," I said and explained my thinking to Amy Lee and Bobby.
"This General Warianto, I will make sure he pays for this," Bobby raised his fist as he said.
I rolled my eyes, patted him on his back and said, "Sometimes we can't do anything. This guy is one of them.
"We can only make sure we make our money and leave. There is no way we can go against him."
Amy Lee nodded in agreement.
"Damn. If we don't have a chance against him, what do we do now?" Bobby asked.