3. Mysterious Prison

“Where are we?” 

Kiya finally managed to ask, her face still etched with shock but curiosity taking over. Seeing that they were already in the truck along with several other people, she needed answers.

“They’ll take us to their shelter center,” Bayu replied in Indonesian. “They said, Gina and some of our other friends are already there.”

“Who are they?” asked Kiya as she looked at the soldiers in the back of their truck with long-barreled guns in their hands.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But from their accents, they seem to be from different countries. I noticed a lot of Americans, like Captain Tyrell, but there are others too.”

“Ah, Captain Tyrell is our jet pilot,” the man clarified after sensing Kiya’s confusion. “He told me what happened last night. He and Kevin woke up on the coast just like us and were immediately taken by these soldiers. We joined them afterward.”

“Shinji… Shinji was…” 

“Our steward?” Bayu interrupted. “The soldiers said he was probably bitten by a shark. When Captain Tyrell and Kevin woke up, they found some of the crew members who got separated last night…  were already dead, like Shinji. That’s why Kevin went into shock, just like you.”

“The shark was able to carry Shinji’s body to the tree?” Kiya asked in a doubtful tone. Her eyes glistened, remembering the condition of Shinji when she found him. She knew Shinji was a very kind and sincere man who had helped them.

Bayu, suddenly consumed by anger, just shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, but as soon as we can get back to Japan, I’ll sue the jet rental company we used yesterday.”

“Captain Tyrell mentioned that he and some of the other crew members were just rental cabin crew,” he continued. “They’re unsure if the rental company conducted proper technical inspections before our departure.”

“They’re all crew members whose flight schedules were cut short due to the Covid pandemic. Perhaps they were lured by a high-paying offer and immediately accepted. They mentioned being introduced to each other before we left yesterday.”

“Are they professional crew?”

“Captain Tyrell is a former American Air Force pilot, accustomed to flying private jets for certain individuals or companies. His co-pilot is also American. The rest are from Japanese commercial airline backgrounds, like Shinji and the two flight attendants yesterday.”

Kiya wiped away her tears, her thoughts lingering on Shinji’s kindness despite their brief acquaintance. “What should we do with Shinji’s body? He needs to be repatriated to Japan as soon as possible, along with the other crew members who didn’t make it.”

Bayu was silent for a moment, then let out a breath. “I know, but they mentioned a problem with the communication network in this area since last night. They’re also struggling to reach one of the logistics ships expected to arrive today.”

“But… they promised to take care of the bodies of our flight crew immediately. You know that soldiers everywhere are not allowed to mistreat people like us, right? They promised to contact our respective countries immediately to inform them of our current condition. They will also contact the jet rental company once the communication network is back up.”

“Do you know where we are?”

Bayu shook his head. “They only said that this island is actually nameless, but the fishermen often refer to it as Island X. But we’re still in the South China Sea.”

“At least we’re not too far from Indonesia,” Kiya muttered, peering out of the truck as it slowed down. However, her brow furrowed at the sight of a tall gray wall at the edge of the sea waru tree forest they were passing.

“Is that… our shelter?” she asked in a hushed tone. Her gaze remained focused on their destination which was now getting closer.

“It’s where we’re temporarily staying until help comes for us. They say it’s actually a prison,” explained Tyrell, the pilot captain, who had paused his conversation with the mysterious soldiers in the back of the truck. He didn’t understand Indonesian, but he was certain Kiya was referring to the building ahead.

“Prison?” Bayu turned to Tyrell in disbelief. “On a remote island like this, there’s a prison?”

“Because the prison’s name is Prison X, many people have come to call this place Island X. They say the prison houses some international criminals who escaped from their country and are no longer welcome anywhere. That’s why there are so many soldiers here.”

“But which country manages this island? Aren’t we in the contested area of the South China Sea?”

Tyrell nodded at Bayu, then glanced back at the soldiers behind them, who were still vigilant. He cautiously leaned in closer to Bayu and Kiya.

“They didn’t disclose their country,” Tyrell whispered, careful not to be overheard. “I’ve been trying to steer the conversation towards the American military, but from their reactions… it seems they’re not part of the American army either.”

“Maybe China?” Bayu suggested. “The South China Sea’s been a real hotspot lately. China’s been staking its claim over most of it, stirring up trouble with Southeast Asian countries, Indonesia included. They’ve got a habit of hassling ships cruising through these waters.”

“It’s possible,” Tyrell agreed. “But I think it might be jointly managed by several countries and kept under wraps. The US and other countries patrol the South China Sea, as does China. They’d surely know if there was such a place here, right?”

“Captain, is this place really safe? It’s just odd to see a prison on an island like this. And why are there so many armed soldiers guarding it, especially with that towering wall?” 

Kiya voiced her concerns, eyeing the soldiers at the prison gate with a hint of suspicion. They all seemed unusually tense and rigid.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that even some of the soldiers guarding them in the truck had their weapons trained outside, as if anticipating an attack from the surroundings. 

In addition, the truck was moving too fast for a vehicle navigating the deserted and unpaved roads of the island. Remembering how Shinji died, she became even more suspicious of everything.

“Some of them are still combing the beach, it seems,” Tyrell murmured, sharing Kiya’s suspicion. “Maybe… one of their prisoners broke out?”

Recalling the weird conversation he overheard on the plane’s communication system last night, Tyrell decided not to delve into it with Kiya and Bayu. He wasn’t entirely certain about what he had heard, after all.

“Perhaps, but what prisoner could escape from here if this island alone is located in the middle of the vast ocean?” commented Bayu. He was about to speak again when they all suddenly heard the sound of gunfire echoing from the heart of the forest. 

For some reason, upon hearing it, almost all the soldiers—both those stationed in front of the prison gate and those in the back of their trucks—seemed to grow more tense. Those in front of the prison gate simultaneously raised their weapons toward the forest, while those in the trucks urgently tapped on the walls, signaling the drivers to hasten their entry into the prison. 

“W—what’s going on?” Kiya whispered, her body tense with apprehension. 

Neither Bayu nor Tyrell could answer her. They all seemed to hold their breath as they watched the large gate slowly open for them. 

As their truck rolled through the gate, Kiya and the others glimpsed a large contingent of armed soldiers pouring out from within, racing toward the forest. Meanwhile, several individuals dressed in white uniforms, resembling a medical team, stood on the terrace of the main building, awaiting Kiya’s group—or perhaps assessing the situation outside the prison walls themselves.

The prison area was quite expansive. At the front, there was a parking area for army trucks and several resting camps. On the inside, there are four two-story buildings that are medium-sized and sturdy-looking.

The foremost building appeared busier than the others, which were relatively quieter. Despite this, all four buildings boasted a picturesque exterior adorned with numerous beach trees.

Upon reaching the front building, Kiya, Bayu, Tyrell, and Kevin were promptly greeted by waiting medical staff. Each of them was then escorted separately into the building for examination and questioning.

Kiya found herself guided into a closed room on the first floor by two female medical officers. To her surprise, once inside, they immediately began to undress her without seeking permission.

“J—just a minute, what are you doing?” asked Kiya uncomfortably.

“Your clothes and pants are wet,” replied one of the medics with curly brown hair while still undressing Kiya. “We’ll get you some dry ones right away. But before that, we have to check if there are any wounds on your body or not.”

“Wounds? I’m not injured at all,” Kiya replied with a confused look.

The two officers didn’t respond. Instead, they stripped Kiya naked and carefully examined her body for any signs of injury. After taking her temperature and checking her mouth and eyes, they told her to take a shower.

“Take a shower,” the woman said after the examination, handing Kiya a basket filled with toiletries and clean clothes. “You can bathe in the bathroom here. After that, we’ll talk briefly before you rest and have breakfast.”

“Are my other friends from our plane here?” asked Kiya. However, since neither of them answered her question, Kiya decided to head straight to the bathroom provided and clean herself.

Once Kiya finished her bath, she approached the two officers waiting for her at a table. She was now dressed in a loose black pajama-like outfit.

“Are you one of the passengers from the plane that had to make an emergency landing nearby last night?” the woman with curly hair asked.

Kiya nodded.

“Your friend gave us a list of your names earlier. Apart from the five crew members, there were eleven passengers. Two of them are women and the rest are men. Your name is Ki…?”

“Kiyati,” Kiya confirmed, feeling a bit more at ease. “My name is Kiyati Maheswara.”

“The one from Indonesia?”

“Yes.”

The woman looked back at the document in her hand. “So, besides you and another named Gina Lee, where are the other two female crew members?”

Kiya slowly shook her head. “I’m not sure. I came here with Gina and two others. But, one of our group died as soon as we arrived. They said he and some other crew members who arrived later were attacked by sharks and…”

She trailed off, her thoughts going back to the tragic events involving Shinji.

“So, that means the other two women… Ms. Mayumi Inoue and Ms. Keiko Ogawa weren’t with you?”

“They’re our flight attendants. They were probably among those who… were found dead by a shark this morning.”

“I see,” the woman replied without pressing further, noting Kiya’s shocked expression. “You all traveled from Japan, right?”

“Yes,” Kiya responded slowly. “We’re students at a Japanese university heading to Batam, Indonesia. Our plan was to vacation on Natuna Island from there.”

The officer raised an eyebrow. “Indonesia allows you to enter for that purpose? From what I know, Indonesia has a high number of Covid-19 cases and isn’t readily accepting tourists at the moment.”

Kiya became quiet. She still didn’t understand how Bayu and the others managed to gain access to Indonesia during a pandemic, let alone secure permission for a vacation on Natuna Island. Since the destination was Indonesia, her own country, Kiya had merely tagged along with them.

“Have you received the Covid vaccine?” The officer quickly redirected the question.

“I have, three weeks ago.”

“If I’m not mistaken, many in Indonesia use the Fasola vaccine?”

“That’s what I’ve heard from my family. But, I happened to get vaccinated in Japan and didn’t receive Fasola,” Kiya answered honestly.

“Besides Ms. Gina and Mr. Daniel, is there anyone else in your group who might have received the Fasola vaccine?”

“Daniel… is also here?”

“Please answer my question first,” said the officer. “Did anyone in your group receive the Fasola vaccine?”

Now, Kiya frowned in surprise. “I… don’t know about that. Is the vaccine we received very important to know here?”

“It’s just procedure because of the pandemic. People who have just arrived here need to be checked first according to international regulations. Plus, most of you don’t have proof of vaccination.”

“If you’re following international pandemic standards, shouldn’t you all be wearing masks while talking to me right now? I haven’t seen any of you wearing masks since I arrived,” Kiya pointed out. His words caused the woman in front of him to pause.

“Ms. Kiyati, have you ever used doping?” The woman continued her questioning.

Kiya was once again taken aback by the question. “Doping? What do you mean?”

“Just answer the qustion.”

“Not at all. Why would I use doping? I’m not an athlete.”

“Are any of your friends potentially involved in doping?”

Kiya took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, but aren’t your colleagues debriefing them too? Why ask me when they can ask them directly?”

“It’s just to confirm their answers.”

“None of my friends are athletes. They’re just part of campus sports clubs like hockey, baseball, and others. Doping isn’t something people resort to for school or college sports clubs.”

“Did any of your friends who were with you yesterday show any unusual symptoms? Like frequent fevers, difficulty eating, sudden chills, or anything else?”

“Miss,” Kiya said firmly, “we wouldn’t have been allowed to travel out of Japan if we weren’t vaccinated. Rest assured, none of us have Covid.”

“Miss Gina and Mr. Daniel are Covid suspects because they have a cough and high fever. Their rapid test results are also concerning,” the officer stated, surprising Kiya. “We’re currently isolating them in separate areas. If their PCR test results indeed confirm a positive diagnosis for Covid-19, we’ll have to quarantine those of you who were with them until last night.”

“Wait, you isolate them? Does that mean they’ll be here for 14 days?”

“It’s possible if Malaysia and the Philippines, their countries, allow it,” the woman replied casually. “This is standard procedure that must be followed. Many countries currently won’t admit Covid patients.”

“Miss, we spent the night swimming in the sea during heavy rain, and occasionally… accidentally swallowed seawater. It’s natural that some of us have high fevers and a bit of a cough,” Kiya responded, feeling increasingly annoyed.

“We just need a temporary place to wait for help. It doesn’t make sense to force us into a 14-day quarantine here!”

“Then please answer my question,” the woman insisted without hesitation. “Has anyone else in your group shown any unusual symptoms?”

“I… I actually just saw them again yesterday, long after our campus switched to online classes,” Kiya finally replied weakly. “I don’t know how they were before, but yesterday at the airport and on the plane, they all seemed fine.”

“Miss Gina mentioned you appeared unwell on the plane?”

Kiya took another irritated breath. “I wasn’t feeling well because our plane experienced turbulence several times. It’s natural that I looked unwell on the plane yesterday because I was very nauseous.”

The medic didn’t immediately respond. For nearly an hour, she continued to ask Kiya strange questions that felt more like an interrogation. It wasn’t until it was all over that she released Kiya, handing her a new basket.

“You can use this for now,” she said. “We were going to place you in Block Three like the other people who suddenly entered the island, but it’s currently full.”

“For now, we’ll accommodate you in this building with us. This building is known as Block One. Those who arrived later will be assigned beds in the same room, room 213 at the left end of the second-floor hallway.”

“Are there a lot of people here?” asked Kiya with a curious expression, noting the officer’s mention of the place being ‘full’ and their allocation of only one room for her and her friends.

“Seems quiet?” the officer replied with a faint smile. “Including the seven of you who just arrived, there are currently 259 individuals on the island.”

___

09:00 CST

“Why am I being placed here? I don’t have any Covid symptoms.”

Daniel Mabini, Bayu’s Filipino friend, asked with frustration evident in his tone. He addressed the two officers who had just entered his small room containing only one bed. From behind the dim light, it was clear that the man’s eyes held great anger.

“The one with the fever is my friend, Gina. Why am I being brought here when I don’t have Covid? I received my second vaccine two weeks ago,” he added.

Instead of receiving a response from the two medics present, he heard Gina’s cries echoing from down the hallway.

“Daniel? Daniel, is that you?”

Upon realizing that Gina was also confined in a nearby room, Daniel swiftly turned his head towards the hallway beyond his open door.

“Gina?” he called out in shock.

The man turned to the two officers attempting to draw his blood. “Is Gina here too?”

Focused on their task, the officers paid him no heed, their attention solely on their needles.

“Gina! Gina Lee!” Daniel’s voice rang out down the hallway from his open door.

“Daniel?” Gina’s voice sounded from a distance. “Daniel, help me! There’s something wrong with this island! I—I saw something strange earlier. Help me!”

Daniel attempted to rise from the bed, but the two men drawing his blood immediately restrained him.

“Let me go!” Daniel snapped, landing a punch on one of the officers, who was now splattered with Daniel’s blood.

Reacting in panic, the other officer rushed to assist his colleague, providing Daniel the opportunity to break free and bolt out.

“Gina, where are you?!” Daniel’s voice echoed down the dimly lit hallway as he searched desperately. “Gina?!”

“I’m here! Daniel, help me!” Gina’s voice echoed from down the hall.

Without hesitation, Daniel sprinted towards the sound of Gina’s cries. Reaching her door, he pounded on it and attempted to open it, catching a glimpse of Gina’s terrified face through the door’s viewing hole.

“Gina…? Why are they keeping you in this prison-like room?” Daniel’s shock was evident as he noticed Gina’s breakfast tray on the floor, near another small hole at the bottom of the door. “They’re delivering breakfast to you through the door?”

Before Gina could respond, two officers suddenly pounced on Daniel from behind. Reacting instinctively, Daniel shoved them forcefully towards the opposite door.