Cold-Blooded Barista

A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

Rizal stared at the thick brown envelope on the table, his fingers drumming lightly against the wooden surface. He didn’t need to open it to know what was inside—details, photos, and probably a large sum of money to finish the job.

Ucok’s voice broke the silence. "Zal, don’t even think about it."

Pak Haris exhaled a slow stream of smoke. "You know this is your best option."

Rizal leaned back, arms crossed. "Best option for who? You? Bang Togar?"

Pak Haris smirked. "For you, Rizal. If you take this job, you control the game. If you don’t, you’ll just be a hunted man waiting for the bullet with your name on it."

Ucok scoffed. "Or he could just disappear again."

Pak Haris turned to him. "Disappearing worked once. It won’t work twice. Togar’s power is different now. He has more eyes, more men, more reach. Wherever Rizal runs, they’ll find him."

Rizal exhaled slowly. "Who’s the target?"

Pak Haris smiled, knowing he had hooked him in. He tapped the envelope. "Open it."

Rizal sighed, picked it up, and flipped it open. Inside were a few photographs, a name, and a location. The moment he saw the face, his expression darkened.

Ucok peeked over his shoulder and frowned. "Wait... isn't this Bang Togar’s right-hand man? What’s his name... Adi?"

Pak Haris nodded. "Adi Sutrisno. Togar’s most trusted enforcer. He’s the one who handles Togar’s dirty work. Drugs, extortion, contract killings. You name it, he does it."

Rizal clenched his jaw. "Why does Togar want him dead?"

Pak Haris chuckled. "That’s the interesting part. Togar doesn’t. But some very powerful people do."

Rizal narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

Pak Haris shook his head. "Not important. What matters is, if Adi is out of the picture, Togar’s organization gets shaken up. He’ll be too busy dealing with internal chaos to come after you."

Ucok shook his head furiously. "Zal, don’t do this. This is exactly how they pull you back in. One job turns into two, then three, and before you know it, you’re deep in the shit again."

Rizal stayed silent, staring at Adi’s picture. He remembered the man—cold, ruthless, and efficient. If anyone in Togar’s gang could match Rizal in skill, it was him.

Pak Haris leaned forward. "You don’t have to answer now. But don’t take too long. The longer you wait, the more chances Togar has to find you first."

With that, he stood up, flicked his cigarette into an ashtray, and adjusted his jacket. "Think it over. But we both know what you have to do."

He walked toward the door, then paused. "Oh, and one more thing… If you decide to do it, make sure it’s clean. No mess, no loose ends."

Then he left.

Rizal and Ucok sat in silence. The only sound was the faint hum of the coffee machine.

Ucok sighed heavily. "This is bad, Zal. Really bad."

Rizal placed the envelope back on the table, his fingers tracing the edges.

"Yeah," he muttered. "I know."