Later, Panji opened the garage doors, revealing a handful of people revving their motorcycles.

“Just like old times. Valkyrie, let’s ride... we’re heading west!” he called out, excitement bubbling in his chest.

A bulky man with full cybernetic arms spoke up.

“Ha! Is a motorcycle better than a horse or a camel, Panji?” Chrome laughed, his titanium teeth glinting in the light.

“It depends on the culture of the land,” Panji replied, a smirk creeping on his lips.

“HAH! You’re still the same, huh?” Chrome cackled.

“Not quite, Chrome. We’ve all changed. No one stays the same forever.” Except maybe you, Panji thought, looking at Chrome’s unchanging metal features. Are you more machine than man now?

“Sure, just like my teeth,” Chrome shot back, flashing his metallic grin.

Panji chuckled. “Yeah, you’re lucky. Cisco wasn’t so fortunate; his face got wrecked dealing with those corporate bastards.”

“True,” Chrome nodded. “Hey, who’s our friend in the arena?”

“Ahh... Brutus? He’s the champion now,” Chrome laughed, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “That poor guy is so lucky!”

Vita, leaning against her bike, raised an eyebrow. “So, what’s the plan, macho man?”

“Kill Zion. Stop the war,” Panji declared, his voice steady but intense.

Vita and Chrome exchanged glances, the weight of his words sinking in. Vita’s expression turned serious. “Roger that... It’s good to see you again, Panji... with a new motivation.”

“Of course, dear. Let’s finish this,” Panji replied, determination burning in his eyes.

But Chrome couldn’t help but add, a hint of cowardice creeping into his tone, “If you’re embarking on a journey of revenge, they say you should dig two graves first.”

Panji nodded solemnly, the weight of his quest settling in. The roar of engines filled the air as the Valkyrie motor gang, led by Panji, sped through the neon-lit streets, ignoring red lights like they were mere suggestions. The thrill of the ride coursed through him, a rush he hadn’t felt in too long.

“Hey Vita, where’s Techno’s workshop?” Panji shouted over the thunderous noise of their bikes.

Vita, her wild hair streaming in the wind, shot ahead. “HAH! You’re such a slowpoke! Follow me!”

“I haven’t been in this city for ages—everything’s changed!” he called out, trying to keep pace.

Suddenly, the peace of their ride shattered as two SUVs barreled onto the scene, ramming into the Valkyrie gang.

“WUT?! Who the hell are these guys?” Chrome yelled, swerving to avoid a collision.

The SUVs continued their relentless assault, sending one of the Valkyrie riders crashing into a nearby alley.

“NO, JACK!” Chrome shouted, his heart racing. Anger surged through him. “You’ll pay for this, you bastards!” He drew his gun while still riding, firing shots at the SUV, the adrenaline fueling his aim.

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“THEY’RE SHOOTING AT US!” Vita screamed, her eyes wide.

“Damn it! Everyone scatter!” Panji barked, veering off in a separate direction. The gang split, each member fighting to evade the oncoming threat. One SUV pursued Panji and Vita, while the other chased Chrome and his crew.

The SUVs opened fire, bullets ricocheting off the surrounding buildings. “Scatter!” Panji yelled, dodging a stray shot. The Valkyrie split, each rider improvising their escape.

Panji and Vita took a sharp turn into a narrow alleyway, narrowly avoiding a collision with a pile of trash. “Sorry, pal!” Panji shouted to a startled bum who scrambled out of the way.

Meanwhile, Chrome rallied his crew. “Come on, guys! Surround them!” They charged at the SUV, smashing the windows with their weapons. Chaos ensued as they fought, managing to take down a few of the occupants. After an intense struggle, the SUV crashed, the driver slumping lifelessly over the wheel.

“Get out! Now!” Chrome growled, drawing a heavy chain from his belt.

Back with Panji, he ducked into a secluded alley, panting heavily as he pulled out his phone. The screen lit up with Kassandra’s name.

“Ahah... you bastard. What are you going to do? Send in the troops?!” he hissed into the phone.

“Hmm? What are you talking about, darling? This isn’t my doing... and no, we aren’t sending troops. Let the public judge,” Kassandra replied, her voice smooth yet chilling.

“Ah, of course—public opinion,” Panji scoffed.

“Think this through... why would I want to trap you? You’ve worked hard for me. Look, if you still trust me, meet me at Triple Tower.”

“Ha! Triple Tower? Why don’t you just pick me up and we can talk face to face?”

“Ahaha! What if you try to trap me later?” she teased.

“This conversation is going nowhere,” he snapped.

“You know where to find me... bye!”

“FAK!” Panji cursed, throwing his phone against the wall before picking it back up.

Vita rolled her eyes. “What did you expect? You destroyed her shipment; of course, she wants you dead.”

“It’s... more complicated than you think. I’ll explain later,” Panji replied, frustration leaking into his voice as he pocketed the phone.

Vita raised an eyebrow but continued leading the convoy. “Here we are... Techno’s place.”

Panji dismounted and pounded on the garage door. “Hey, Techno! Wake up! Hey!”

A small monitor flickered to life beside the door.

“Hey, dude... use technology, don’t bring violence to my place,” Techno’s voice crackled through the speaker.

“Wait a minute. Panji? Hohoh... Thought you were fertilizer!”

“Yeah, I thought the same,” Panji replied, a mix of relief and nostalgia flooding through him.

They arrived at Techno’s workshop, a chaotic space filled with wires, screens, and half-finished gadgets. Techno, a wiry man with goggles perched on his forehead, greeted them with a wide grin. as he examined Panji's broken phone, his fingers deftly working to fix the device. “Well, that’s an interesting story,” he remarked, glancing up at Panji. “I’ve got access to the phone lines.”

“I owe you one, man,” Panji replied, trying to dial out but only getting static. “Damn…”

Vita leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a frown creasing her brow. “I don’t like this. Maybe I should go find the others…”

Just then, the garage doors swung open with a loud clatter. Chrome and a couple of other Valkyrie members stormed in, dragging a man bound in chains.

“Wow, wow! What are you maniacs doing?” Techno exclaimed, raising his hands. “I told you, I’m not part of Valkyrie anymore! I’m on the scooter gang now! If you want to do your dirty work, don’t do it here!”

“Come on, Four-Eyes, this is an emergency!” Chrome shot back, urgency etched on his face.

“Alright, Iron Jaw,” Techno replied, his tone serious. “But I don’t want any blood in my shop. Clean it up and make sure there’s no smell!”

“Hoho, this isn’t the time for jokes,” Chrome snapped, pulling the man into another room. “Panji, we’ve lost Jacky, Vudi, and Chuck.”

“Damn…” Panji rubbed his face, frustration building.

Later, Techno handed the repaired phone back to Panji. “Here’s your phone.”

Panji took it eagerly, but when he dialed, his heart sank. “Hey, Maria?… Damn. It’s not working.”

“Where are your friends now?” Techno asked, concern flickering across his face.

“In Canada…”

“Oh, that’s why,” Techno replied, smirking. “It’s not your phone that’s broken, idiot. They’ve set up a jammer.”

“Fak! How am I supposed to reach them? They’re hundreds of kilometers away… Damn, what if they’re walking into a trap?”

Vita raised an eyebrow, skepticism playing in her voice. “So, who are your friends, Panji?”

Panji sighed, launching into the story. “They’re just a couple of lost kids I felt sorry for…”

“Let me summarize,” Vita interrupted, her voice dripping with disbelief. “You brought two lost kids along because you felt sorry for them? What kind of nonsense is that? If you really had sympathy for them, you should’ve told them to stay away from you, idiot.”

Panji raised his hand in defeat. “Yeah…”

“Is the drama done? Can you two get out of here already?” Techno grumbled. “I’m allergic to low IQ people.”

Vita shot back, “You’re one to talk, Techno. Why’d you leave the gang?”

“Hey, I love to ride,” Techno said, shrugging. “Everything was fine when our gang was just a riding fan club. A little fighting here and there was no big deal… but then everything changed when the psycho veterans showed up…” They brought the real war home, he thought, their minds broken by battles fought in faraway lands, now turning their skills on their own people

“Wow, Techno—” Vita began, but Panji interrupted.

“Sorry, Techno…”

“Sure, Red Devil, you should’ve said that ten years ago. It’s too late now. I’m a scooter gang member now! BLUE AZURE!” Techno raised his arms triumphantly.

Panji and Vita exchanged a glance, both unsure how to respond.

Then Chrome returned, his hands stained with blood. “Hey, check this out!” He opened his palm to reveal a small robotic grasshopper.

“Let me see that…” Techno leaned in, examining the robot under his microscope. “Hey… damn, cool!”

“Look at this on the monitor, guys,” he said, pointing at the screen.

The monitor illuminated, displaying a complex robot with various camera lenses embedded in its frame.

“Spy robot?” Vita asked, her eyes widening.

Techno connected the robot to his computer. The monitor flickered to life, displaying a series of maps and schematics. “These are… interesting. They’re targeting key infrastructure points within the Red Nation… power grids, communication hubs, even water purification plants.”

Panji leaned closer. “Why?”

Techno pointed to a highlighted area on one of the maps. “This region has seen a significant increase in gang activity lately… mostly ex-Red Nation soldiers. It looks like someone’s planning to destabilize the region, create chaos.”

Vita’s eyes widened. “Setting the stage for… a rebellion?”

Techno nodded. “Exactly. And with the Red Nation’s recruitment problems… they’re vulnerable.”