《An Upgraded Soul》


 Aditya鈥檚 Strange Dreams

    *A small note: the story is based in India


    "Aditya!"


    "Aditya!!"


    A deep voice rang through the class as the teacher who taught Mathematics saw that the student in the back was sleeping.


    The student in question jerked as he woke up with blurry eyes and looked all around in confusion.


    Aditya, who was three months away from turning 17, had a shapely face, rather thin stature, healthy olive complexion. There was a little stubble growing on his young face. His jet black hair was ruffled and untidy.


    As Aditya looked around muddled, he saw Bhadra, who was his best friend, gesturing towards his mouth and made a wiping action. Aditya touched his mouth to find that he was drooling. The whole class of around 40 students rang with laughter as he wiped the drool off and stood up.


    "Aditya, go wash your face with cold water, and I want to see you in detention class in the evening after school," the teacher, Kapil Satyarthi, who taught group 5 mathematics, pointed towards the door. His voice carried an unquestionable feeling as if how judge sentences a convict in the court by banging the hammer. Aditya knew that though Kapil sir was strict, he was reasonable and usually empathetic towards all students.


    Aditya knew that he was in the wrong, so he picked his books and quietly walked out of the class to the nearby washroom. It was nearing the end of November and winter was around the corner. He sprinkled his face with the fresh tap water. The feeling of cool water on his rather sleepy warm face caused him to feel refreshed. He removed a blue handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face.


    As he walked back to his class, Aditya involuntarily thought about the weird dream that he had when he was sleeping. He shook his head immediately to stop thinking about the dream.


    Aditya inhaled the warm afternoon air as he passed through the corridor to stay focused. From the past two weeks, he had been sleeping almost about 14 hrs a day.


    Aditya could not make head or tails of this situation. He couldn''t help himself from bitterly laughing as he thought back to his hospital checkup episode.


    Due to Aditya''s ''special'' circumstances, Kapil sir accompanied him when he consulted a neurologist. Aditya still remembered that hateful old geezer(neurologist). That old foggy had straightforwardly asked him if he was an alcoholic or a drug addict after hearing about his excessive sleeping problem. Aditya still remembered the stunned look on Kapil sir''s face. He could only fathom what would have happened if he replied affirmatively.


    Recently, Aditya has had urges to take up smoking and drinking to drown his worries, but he had not acted on it yet. So, when Aditya vigorously shook his head, the old neurologists still prescribed a series of blood and urine tests to confirm. He asked them to visit the next day when the results came out as the following course of treatment would depend on the cause of this problem.


    Due to the ''small'' suspicion of that kind neurologist, Aditya had been subjected to a 24 hr interrogative session (barring 14 hr sleep) by the school authorities.


    "Aditya, we had thought that you are a good boy, we didn''t expect this from you."


    "I didn''t do anything wrong."


    "Is this the reason why you have been scoring less in the past two months?"


    "No, it is not due to this."


    "We know that you are having a hard time concentrating on studies due to what happened to your parents, but this is not the way."


    "¡­.."


    "Are you using drugs or drinking alcohol?"


    "Neither"


    "Are you procuring them from outside or is someone supplying them inside the campus?"


    "What? No, nobody is supplying anything to me."


    "So you are going outside by yourself to buy, is that what you do during your outdoor activities time?"


    "¡­."


    Aditya felt that he was only short of lie detection test using a polygraph. When he saw those sharp hawk eyes of those questioning people, he recalled the words, "Guilty until proven innocent."


    Aditya also felt happy that he was sleeping 14 hrs. He wanted to sleep for the whole 24 hrs before getting the test results so that he would not have to deal with this nonsense.


    The school authorities couldn''t continue to question him for long as they found him silently snoring in his chair. They could only continue when Aditya woke up the next day.


    When Aditya and Kapil sir went to the neurologist, that old geezer lightly admitted that Aditya was not involved in any drug or alcohol abuse. He then went on to explain other more rare causes associated with his condition.


    Aditya turned sharply and stared angrily towards Kapil sir. Now his moment has come, he decided that he will search all those people who questioned him. Aditya will stare back at them with an angry expression. Of course, other than that, he could not do any other thing to them.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Aditya might consider throwing one of those Bhadra''s ''stink'' bombs into Suresh sir''s room as he was the one who hated him the most. Suresh sir was also the one Aditya hated the most. The feeling was mutual.


    Kapil sir showed a rare apologetic expression in response to Aditya''s stare. Aditya stopped when ahead and listened to what that real conspirator of this whole affair (neurologist) had to say about this.


    But the neurologist did not bother about Aditya''s wronged feeling and further proceeded to prescribe a polysomnography test for him. This test required him to sleep in the hospital, and they would check and record his brainwaves during his sleep.


    Aditya was not inclined to agree to this test. He wanted to consult another doctor instead of this unrepentant oldy.


    But Aditya immediately decided to stay when he saw the beautiful elder sister who was to stay and conduct the test. Aditya still remembered her name was Hamsa. She was so sweet and gentle.


    Her calm demeanour and a certain spiritual flair reminded Aditya of his mother, which immediately caused him to have a favourable impression of her. This elder sister attached wires over his face near his eyes and throat. There was also a small transparent pipe inserted into his nose.


    She explained the various uses of those attached wires and the corresponding measurements, but Aditya was least interested in them. The calm smile she maintained all the while, her gentleness when she cleaned his face with spirit and rubbed some paste. The unavoidable proximity caused by these actions caused Aditya''s teenage heart to start beating violently.


    Dr Hamsa might have thought it was normal, as she might have done these procedures to many patients, but Aditya felt a subtle emotion. This moment continued for a few minutes, and Aditya returned to earth after that. He slept that night with all those wires attached.


    As usual, he saw all those strange dreams during his 14 hr, continuous deep sleep. When he woke up, it was already broad daylight. He saw the elder sister dozing on the table while electronic sounds punctuated the silence in the test room. Aditya did not even want to describe that heavenly moment where he watched her without any fear of being caught redhanded.


    Later, when she woke up and saw the night long recordings which were printed on a strip of paper, she looked shocked as she looked at those recordings and back at Aditya.


    Her brows pressed together as she asked, "Didn''t you say that you dreamt when you slept?"


    "Dream? More like a marathon of films, hours and hours of dreams, sometimes I ask myself which part of my life is a dream and which is the reality." Aditya smiled and said.


    The elder sister looked at Aditya with a complicated expression and went outside while instructing the nurse to remove all the electrodes attached to Aditya and bring him to the neurologist. She walked briskly with those strips of paper, leaving Aditya mildly disappointed as he had expected that she would remove those wires personally like last night.


    When the nurse presented the tidied up Aditya in front of that old foggy, that old fogey looked angry at Aditya and was accusing him of lying. Aditya was shocked at this sudden twist and searched for the elder sister for an explanation, but she was not present at the spot. So he could only brace himself to ask the old foggy about what lie he was talking.


    "You said that you were dreaming a lot during your sleep, but the EEG recording shows that you were having a dreamless sleep." the old foggy stated.


    "What? Of course, am having dreams, even yesterday I experienced them, how can you say that I do not have dreams?" Aditya shot back angrily. He was also feeling a little irritation now as this old foggy does not have one good point.


    At the same time, the beautiful elder sister walked into the consultation room. Looking at her change of clothes, it was evident where she went. The neurologist upon seeing her gave her those recording strips and asked her to explain them to Aditya.


    The elder sister turned towards Aditya and explained slowly that the human eye movement becomes rapid when humans usually dream. But there was no such activity noticed in Aditya''s case. Though there are cases to suggest otherwise, it is still rare for dreaming hours without rapid eye movement.


    She further added, though humans usually dream 4-6 times a night, one can only remember the dream before one wakes up. But the statement of Aditya that he was dreaming hours and that he could remember all of them was not normal. This point led to the neurologist conjecturing that Aditya was lying.


    It was Aditya''s turn to feel perplexed and confused. Aditya studied in an International school which followed the Cambridge curriculum. He had skipped studying biology for computer science, so he was not proficient in these medical terms. But one thing was clearly understood; his ''dreams'' were not normal. He was sure of his dreams because he could remember them, and the content of dreams itself was a lot weird and unusual. Now it seemed that the nature of his dreams was strange as well.


    Dr Hamsa then turned towards the neurologist and said," Professor, I have read something about dreaming in a deep, dreamless sleep, maybe we could start from there."


    That old foggy waved his hand while shaking his head as he snapped, "that condition was only observed in some Indian and Tibetan masters of meditation. Do you think that this boy is one of them?"


    Not only Hamsa, but even Aditya also lowered his head awkwardly. He thought angrily, "As if you are a great ascetic who can meditate for days on end."


    Just then, Kapil sir came, and the awkwardness alleviated. The neurologist gave the conclusion from the findings, "taking the last night test results into consideration, we can eliminate the possibility of Narcolepsy and sleep apnoea. Since there is no history of head injury, the causes can be narrowed down to two, i.e. depression and genetics."


    "The boy''s father was an orphan and Aditya has no contact with his mother''s family. We can''t know for sure if some other family members have the same problem. But I think that you mentioned yesterday that the boy''s parents went missing for four months and their whereabouts are unknown. So I think the boy is experiencing clinical depression due to this."


    Kapil Satyarthi looked at Aditya, who was calmly sitting with his head lowered and sighed. He knew Aditya''s circumstances as he was the class in charge.


    The neurologist continued," So let''s start our treatment from this angle. I will prescribe anti-depressant drugs. I would also suggest sending him to counselling sessions with a psychologist. It may be more effective than these drugs. If there is no change or the condition deteriorates in the next few months, we can then check for genetic causes. What do you say?"


    Kapil Satyarthi knew that this was a highly reputed neurologist in Bangalore and there was always the choice of the second opinion, so he agreed on Aditya''s behalf.


    When they were leaving, the beautiful elder sister had come over and consoled Aditya with soothing words to which Aditya smiled serenely, conveyed his thanks and walked away. If one noticed Aditya''s eyes, they did not speak of loneliness and depression. Instead, one could see a burning resolve and firmness.


    If Aditya was sure of one thing about himself, it was that he was not the kind of a weakling who would be depressed about his parents missing. He had already decided that if the police could not find his parents, he would search for them himself. Had it not been for some reasons and some people, he would have already left the school.

 Dreaming an alternate world

    Aditya walked on the land-grey coloured skid-proof ceramic tiles of the school corridor. He stopped and leaned on the steel railing from the first floor as he saw his juniors of the Middle years'' program playing basketball in the court adjacent to the school building.


    He still remembered when he got an argument with his father when he was forced to join an international school after his 10th grade.


    His father was a physicist. He had worked in almost all high-level particle research centres like Tata institute of fundamental research, Mumbai and Center for High Energy Physics, Bangalore in India. He had also participated in many international particle research scientific community studies.


    Aditya knew that his father was one of those people who are crazy about their field of expertise. His father was so into particle research that he had travelled all over the world in his endeavour to unravel his ''crazy'' theories on space-time duality.


    His father wanted to gain approval from CERN laboratories to conduct his research, which required the Large Hadron Collider to experiment. He had submitted many proposals on behalf of the Indian government. He gave several presentations at many international congresses on particle research.


    Before they went missing, Aditya remembered his father saying that CERN''s representatives had approached him. Aditya''s father said that he was pretty sure that his experiment would be a go.


    So the main reason Aditya was thrown into an international school was that his father had planned his future career as a research scientist in CERN laboratories. So his father had thought that following an international curriculum would not disturb Aditya''s education when the whole family had to shift to Geneva in the future.


    So, if all had gone according to his father''s planning, Aditya would have been in Geneva right now. The confirmation letter from CERN laboratories had come a month after his parents had gone missing.


    Cheers and shouts could be heard from the juniors who were playing basketball as the game entered its last stages. Aditya looked at the match halfheartedly as he thought about his current situation. Waves formed on his close-fitting maroon coloured cotton shirt as the warm autumn wind blew against him. As Aditya instinctively straightened his shirt, he caught sight of a small black butterfly on the hidden side of his sleeve. One could only notice it when the short sleeve opening is rolled back a little. A small smile surfaced on Aditya''s face as remembered his mother.


    His mother was in every sense and way, a perfect human, a perfect wife, an ideal mother. He did not know about his mother''s family as she refused to divulge any information about them. He only knew that his mother had come from quite an affluent family.


    His father was an orphan who was adopted by a freedom fighter (his paternal grandfather) who was in his late fifties. The only son of his paternal grandfather had migrated to the United States with his family. After that, his paternal grandfather had adopted his father. Maybe, so that he wouldn''t have to be lonely in his old age as Aditya''s paternal grandmother had died long ago.


    His father was an out and out scholarly material. He would want to know everything, learn everything. As much as ''Big Bang'' was an accident, his mother falling for his bookworm of a father was equally an accident. Aditya used to complain that his father was not at home during festivals. He would ask his mother what unique feature that his father possessed that his mother even left her family for him.


    Every time he asked this, his mother would smile gently and rub his head but not answer his question. Later on, Aditya also got accustomed to not expecting an answer, but he would from time to time use this question to irritate his father in front of the mother. Aditya''s parents had not once raised their hand against him, which caused Aditya not to hold back his words in front of his parents.


    Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, genuinely mean words used to roll out of his mouth. For example, he had gone to view a film in his 8th grade with his friends without informing his parents. When he got back home, it was already late at night. His parents had been frantically searching for him all over the neighbourhood and calling his friend''s families. When he came back, his father inquired his whereabouts. Aditya, who was in his early teens, had brushed off his father words by saying, "why should I inform you about my whereabouts? I have grown up and don''t need your permission to go outside."


    His father had raised his hand to hit Aditya when he heard those words, but his mother stopped him. Aditya looked with a triumphant look at his father, but the smile on his face faded when he saw the sadness in his mother''s eyes. His mother did not utter a single word of complaint against Aditya, let alone scold him. When Aditya looked at his mother, only then did he realise that he had made a mistake.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Following this incident, his mother had not eaten a grain of rice for three days at a stretch. Aditya''s mind upturned when he saw his mother not eating anything despite his father''s and his plea. From that day, onward Aditya was not afraid that his father would scold him or hit him but of his mother becoming sad. So whenever Aditya thought of doing something out of the ordinary, he would always instinctively question himself if his mother would become disappointed due to this. If the answer was affirmative, then he would not do that thing in any situation.


    But on the other hand, it was his mother who usually supported him in all his crazy adventures and ambitions. Aditya had always wanted to become an F1 car racer as he desired to ''pilot'' the fastest cars of the era. Though he later came to know that F1 cars were'' not'' the fastest cars out there, his passion continued. But in essence, Aditya was mesmerised with rapid pace. Anything which could give him the thrill of speed was in his to-do list.


    When he proposed to his father that he wanted to become a car racer, his father almost choked on his food. After an intense battle of words between father and son, with his mother working as a mediator. A treaty was formally established. Aditya would complete his graduation and after that, if he still has the same pursuit, then he could become a racer.


    As on Aditya''s part, he was allowed to get in touch with cars by working part-time in Kishore uncle''s car garage. Aditya''s father thought it was below their family''s living standard for Aditya to work in a car garage. But this at least was better than Aditya discontinuing his studies. Also, Kishore was his friend, so he could make sure Aditya did not cross the line and was safe when working with car parts.


    That was one year ago when Aditya was 15 and was studying Indian curriculum. It all changed when his father threw him in an international school. There was, of course, another world war which ensued with Aditya admitting defeat. His father promised that he would buy him a car when he got into university as compensation.


    A bitter smile appeared on Aditya''s face when these memories surfaced in his mind. Now Aditya did not want any of those things as long as his parents came back to him safely. Thinking about his missing parents, Aditya remembered his dreams, which were decorating his long sleep.


    At first, when Aditya developed this condition of sleeping for many hours, the very first day he had heard some terms which puzzled Aditya even now. He had not mentioned this to anybody, not even to the doctors. There were two terms which Aditya still remembered as ''Soul Docking'' and ''Soul Merging''. He was not sure whether this was also part of his dreams, or there was a deeper meaning behind them.


    Also, the dreams in the first few days were some incidents of Aditya''s childhood. Aditya thought it was normal for people''s dreams to be consisting of their memories. But then, things started becoming weird as Aditya saw his whole life recap as he watched.


    From the time he was three when Aditya was fond of throwing things from over the balcony, he saw all those memories as if he was a film audience viewing a movie. He watched his six-year-old self kicking Kranthi on his buttocks during a fancy dress competition. He was frustrated that his father had forced him to wear a Gandhi costume, which he thought was so lame.


    He saw his first meeting with his once dearest elder sister, Maahi Kapoor when he was five, and she was nine. He saw his nine-year-old self promising that he would protect her from all harm. He had found out that her father was a sadist who hit her almost every day. Aditya, in his dream, was dazzled when he saw his elder sister flashing a bright smile. He did not notice previously that her smile was so sincere. After nine years of being the best of buddies, due to an incident, Aditya had stopped talking to her.


    When someone sees his 16-year-old life being compressed in 10 days worth of dreams, many of the unclear things become more apparent. That was what happened to Aditya. He found his younger version of his, immature, idiotic, hot-headed and brainless. All those incidents which he thought were ''big'' incidents at that time seemed small and not worthy of mentioning now. Particularly his division with Maahi elder sister seemed incredibly petty now. He wanted to get in touch with her again immediately, but he was feeling a little awkward.


    So when Aditya thought that these dreams were a blessing in disguise. He did not imagine that he was going to experience the shock of his life. Not only did the dreams stop at present but continued. The central aspect which upset Aditya''s view of the world was that, in the dreams, his parents were not missing.


    They were alright, and everything was normal, like how Aditya wanted it to be in the real world. His parents were not only perfectly okay, but his father also received the approval of CERN laboratories. Aditya, along with his family, had gone to Geneva like it was planned by his father previously. It was as if these dreams were depicting an alternate reality to Aditya where everything was normal. He could not wrap his head around this situation.


    So, in essence, the dreams portrayed four months of Aditya''s life in a different way in which his parents were perfectly fine. Aditya did not have the opportunity to introspect his previous mistakes as he did now.


    Aditya of the ''dream world'' was still fully passionate about becoming a car racer, which he was not so enthusiastic anymore in reality. In the dream, he still had a crush which he pursued, which was not the case right now.


    The dreams just took an interesting turn, so did his life.

 Adityas First Love

    Bhadra, who was the best friend of Aditya, leaned towards the side. He asked the boy seated to his left, "Jatin, did you notice that Aditya seemed a little strange from the last few days?"


    Jatin was a handsome boy with a fair complexion. He looked at Bhadra as if he was an idiot and said, "of course, Aditya feels strange. His parents have been missing for four months. And now, he has been sleeping like a full-grown Koala bear. You think that sleeping 14 hrs a day is normal. In addition to the abnormal sleeping duration, he has also started sleeping during classes, which I think Aditya is using his condition as a pretext to being lazy."


    Bhadra shook his head as he said, "no, I think its more than that. Nowadays he is speaking a lot less than normal and also talking about shitty philosophy like life and happiness. The other day, I wanted to get Aditya to stop being worried. So, as a means to distract him, I had even joked about stealing his crush when he was sleeping. Normally, that fellow would have gone berserk and launched an ultra-violent offensive. But, Aditya didn''t pay attention and remained immersed in his thoughts as if he did not hear at all."


    "Do you remember when that scholarly idiot, Mayur, had wanted to impress Anupama? He tried to answer tough Math questions asked by Kapil sir because we all know her favourite subject is Mathematics." Bhadra calmly asked while obstructing his mouth with his hand to prevent Kapil sir from noticing them. Kapil sir had his back turned to them as he explained various terms used in Calculus while writing on the smartboard with a stylus pen.


    Jatin was jotting down notes and did not pay attention to their meaning. He just copied what Kapil sir was writing while hearing to Bhadra''s comment.


    When he heard Bhadra mention Mayur, Jatin had to stifle his laughter when he remembered Mayur''s treatment in the hands of Aditya. That chilly night Mayur was forced to drink a gallon of milk while standing on the roof of dormitory building while only wearing his short pants.


    Then salt was forced into his nose. His hair was trimmed to a very short length. In the end, Aditya was not even satisfied with this, so he forced Mayur to eat raw green chilli pepper till Mayur''s eyes became bloodshot. Then he made Mayur repeat the words ''Anupama is my blood younger sister'' a hundred times before letting him off.


    It was the most memorable night for Bhadra''s gang of which Aditya was a core member. Jatin also had a lot of fun that night, but afterwards, Mayur was forced to join their group as Aditya wanted to keep an eye on him. Bhadra and his friends also knew that night that Aditya took his first love pretty seriously. From then on, they did not joke about his feelings.


    The immediate effect of that night was that Mayur had not only stopped taking a proactive interest in answering questions, not only in Mathematics but in all subjects. Unless he was asked, he would not answer on his initiative. Though his grades had not been affected, the teachers were quite surprised at Mayur''s change.


    But coming back to the main topic, Bhadra had observed that Aditya stopped feeling the same way since his parents went missing. Aditya would generally take a peek at Anupama when they were in the class or laboratory conducting experiments.


    But from the last few days, he noticed that Aditya had completely ignored her. Today from when the classes began, he had not seen Aditya looking at her even once.


    So that''s why he wanted to rattle Aditya when Bhadra said that he would take away his girl when Aditya was sleeping. But, he didn''t expect Aditya to ignore those words.


    Bhadra told these observations to Jatin. Jatin, who was also part of the gang and was a good friend of Aditya, turned solemn as he said, "Then there is only one way."


    Bhadra turned to look at the rare solemn look on Jatin and asked seriously, "what is it?"


    "Make Aditya sleep with a prostitute."


    "Don''t fuck with me." Bhadra scolded, he was seriously expecting a feasible solution. But then Bhadra realised that he was still in the classroom. Bhadra was usually not the sharpest among the gang when it came to astuteness. Now that he was worrying about Aditya, his guard was lower than average.


    Jatin forcefully suppressed his laughter when he saw all the students as well as Kapil sir turn towards Bhadra.


    "What did you just say?" Kapil sir voice rising with every syllable. If Bhadra could not give a satisfactory answer, he was in for it.


    Bhadra''s thoughts rotated fast as he simultaneously cursed Jatin. He put up his most innocent face as he replied, "Sir, Jatin made a mistake in our previous musical instruments class. He had used his dormitory key to play the acoustic guitar instead of a guitar pick."


    "I had thought that it was okay if it was a one-time thing. But, Jatin was saying that he feels that his dormitory key sounds are more pronounced than when using a guitar pick. So I had to reprimand him not to do so." Bhadra added innocently.


    After listening to this explanation, not only Jatin or Kapil sir, all students were shocked because there seemed to be no connection with the words and the context provided by Bhadra.


    Kapil sir sternly asked, "repeat what you had said to Jatin, exactly."


    Bhadra maintained his composure as he said, "Don''t pluck with a key." Jatin was shocked at these words, "worthily the leader of the gang", he thought as he flashed a thumbs up at Bhadra.


    Though he had his doubts, Kapil sir could not act on them, so he said, "I don''t care what you were talking about, Calculus is not an easy topic which could be self-studied. So pay attention."If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Kapil sir knew that students would gradually lose their attention at the end of the class, so he would usually try to get there attention by asking some interesting question which was a little challenging. It looked like it was time for one of those.


    So Kapil sir turned towards the students (around 40 of them), "okay so let us stop calculus introduction for now. I have a question for all of you."


    All the students immediately had an exciting look on their faces after Kapil sir said those words. He would always ask fascinating questions which caused all the students to view these questions as challenges to overcome.


    Usually, the person who answered these questions could impress the class flowers. So these question usually riled up their teenager''s hot blood.


    Kapil sir showed a small smile as he looked at the excited expressions of his students. He turned and wrote a logic puzzle called ''Blue eyes'' on the smartboard.


    ''A group of people with assorted eye colours live on an island. They are all perfect logicians ¨C if a conclusion can be logically deduced, they will do it instantly. No one knows the colour of their eyes. Every night at midnight, a ferry stops at the island. Any islanders who have figured out the colour of their own eyes then leave the island, and the rest stay."


    " Everyone can see everyone else at all times. They keep a count of the number of people they see with each eye colour (excluding themselves), but they cannot otherwise communicate. Everyone on the island knows all the rules in this paragraph.


    On this island, there are 100 blue-eyed people, 100 brown-eyed people, and the Guru (she happens to have green eyes). So any given blue-eyed person can see 100 people with brown eyes and 99 people with blue eyes (and one with green). But that does not indicate his eye colour; as far as he knows the totals could be 101 brown and 99 blue. Or 100 brown, 99 blue, and he could have yellow eyes.


    The Guru is allowed to speak once (let''s say at noon, and she always speaks the truth), on one day in all their endless years on the island. Standing before the Islanders, she says the following:


    "I can see someone who has blue eyes."


    Who leaves the island, and on which night?


    All the students were intrigued as they read the puzzle while Kapil sir wrote it down. Everyone started discussing among themselves. Kapil Satyarthi did not stop them from talking among others. His eyes had already darted towards a female student who was the brightest in his class. She was the student who Kapil had regarded as his life''s smartest pupil.


    She was Anupama Acharya who Aditya had a crush on and had pursued actively for over a year. She was a beautiful flower in its embryonic stage. Anupama had a tall figure and lily-white complexion. Her jet black hair was long enough to reach her waist. (which was one of the characteristics that Aditya was attracted to). She had deep dark honey-coloured pupils, which sparkled with intellect and pride.


    Her brows were slightly pressed while her honey brown eyes darted side to side as she read the puzzle. She tried to figure out the breaking point, while her delicate fingers, with unpolished nails, played with her pen. Her hair was tied in the Zari French Braid style which made her look classy at the same time versatile.


    Bhadra was not interested in these games, his only interest lied in chemistry and pranking. While he knew Mayur could also answer this question if given time, his opinion like Kapil sir''s, favoured Anupama sister-in-law.


    Just like he expected, her hand went up after only a few minutes. Kapil sir smiled as he asked her to answer, though one need not stand while answering, she still stood up and turned towards the rest of the students. Her posture, her every movement expressed confidence and excellence. Even without hearing her answer, the rest of the students had already started nodding inside.


    She smiled lightly and said, "100 people leave on the 100th night."


    Kapil sir nodded while asking, "Can you please elaborate?"


    Anupama nodded and said," I have deduced this result through an Inductive process. Let us assume that there is only one person with blue eyes on the island. The very first day after the guru''s announcement, he/she could see that no other person has blue eyes. So he/she could deduce that she was the one with blue eyes."


    The remaining students nodded when they heard these words. Anupama continued while pushing some loose bangs and tucking them behind her ear, "If there are two blue-eyed people, they will each look at the other. They will each realise that if he doesn''t have blue eyes, then that guy is the only blue-eyed person."


    "And, if he''s the only person, he will leave tonight. They each wait and see, and when neither of them leaves the first night, each realises that he must have blue eyes also and each leaves the second night."


    The students had their eyes glowing when they heard this logic. It felt even more special when their class goddess unwrapped the mystery for you. Anupama smiled and said, "by using the same method. In this case, we have 100 people with blue eyes. Each person has to wait for 99 days until they can confirm that he/ she has blue eyes also along with the other 99 persons. So on the 100th night, they all can board the ferry and leave the island." Anupama took her seat gracefully as all students were unravelling her answer and mulling over it.


    After a moment, no one knows who started, but claps rang inside the class. Kapil sir also did not stop them immediately as he was also delighted with Anupama''s answer.


    Aditya waited at the class entrance for Anupama to finish her explanation. What Bhadra had observed about Aditya not caring about his love for Anupama was spot-on. But the reason was not because of his parents missing or his excessive sleeping problem. It was due to his dreams, which portrayed an alternate world to him.


    To his surprise, he had proposed to Anupama, three months back in the ''dream world'' (Aditya named that compilation of different dreams as ''dream world'' for convenience). But the result was not only out of his expectations, but her reply destroyed his dream self''s young, sensitive heart. It was due to this dream that Aditya had given up on his pursuit.


    Even Aditya felt it weird and strange to make life''s important decisions based on a dream, but these dreams were compelling. He believed that if he proposed to Anupama now, the result would be the same as in the dream.


    His dreams showed him a possibility where he could live alongside his parents, who were missing in the real world. So, he had grown fond of these dreams and started taking them to his heart to fill the emptiness in his inner world. But now the same dream ruthlessly crushed his first love, so Aditya was in a paradoxical situation where he did not know whether to take these dreams to the heart or not.


    The crucial part was, he saw things in his dreams, which he didn''t know in the real world. He was shocked to find out that these details existed in reality as well.


    For example, he had checked his home address in Geneva, in the dream world, and correlated with the information he checked on the internet. Those places in the city, street names, even the house which his parents had rented were present in Google Earth.


    This discovery prevented Aditya from brushing of these dreams as a figment of his imagination. His conviction on the unusual nature of his dreams further strengthened with the medical diagnosis from the neurologist. Aditya''s eye movements or brain waves indicated that he was having a dreamless sleep.


    He looked at the beautiful face who was engaged in an academic discussion with her friends but surprisingly, the expected heartache did not come. When compared to his longing to know his parents'' situation, the other feeling did not have much significance to him now. He sighed inside and walked back to his desk after taking Kapil sir''s permission.

 Benefits Of Sleep

    When Aditya returned to his desk, Bhadra who noted down the logic puzzle, closed his book, turned to look at Aditya without talking.


    Aditya had already noted him but pretended not to know. Aditya took Bhadra''s notes and started copying the portion which he had missed. He had started avoiding his friends since his ''sleep sickness'' started.


    He could feel that his path-of-life had started to deviate towards an unknown path. He wanted answers desperately. He thought his friends could not help him with this problem. So he had resolved himself that until he knew what was happening to him, he would concentrate on his issues first.


    Aditya was the kind of boy who wanted many people on his side. He could not bear being lonely since childhood. Aditya was not the type to burden his friends with his problems, but he would share his friend''s burden.


    This characteristic of Aditya was also the reason that Aditya had grown up to be a likeable person. People, who came in contact with Aditya would realise that he would not only perceive their problems but also try to solve them to his best of abilities.


    But on the other hand, Aditya also learned to keep his issues deep within his heart as he did not want his close ones to feel burdened. But if a time came when he thought he could not handle the issue himself, then Aditya would turn towards his closest ones whom he trusted. So Aditya had decided that when he figured out his condition, he would talk to Bhadra about it, but until then he would act as if everything was normal.


    Bhadra also knew this unusual mentality of Aditya. That''s why, although he wanted to ask about Aditya''s issues for the past few days, he stopped himself from doing so. But today he had decided that even if he had to create a big scene, he would get answers.


    As Aditya wrote down the notes, he could feel the seriousness in Bhadra''s look. He knew he was in trouble today. He had stretched his silence to a breaking point. Just like Bhadra knew of Aditya''s temperament, Aditya also knew Bhadra''s. Aditya knew that if he prolonged any longer, he would be violating the Bro code between him and his brothers.


    Also, Aditya was currently at an impasse where he did not know when he would be sure of his condition. So, he might as well confide in Bhadra and take it from there slowly.


    Jatin, who was also silently observing Aditya and Bhadra kept quiet. He knew Aditya would spill the beans today. Unlike Aditya who befriended Bhadra when he joined the Stone Mountain international school, Jatin was friends from childhood with Bhadra, so he knew him better than anyone.


    Also, although Aditya had only been friends with Bhadra for a year, Jatin knew that these fellows stuck together like two opposite poles of a magnet. Even Kavya, who was the girlfriend of Bhadra pretended anger as she complained of this in a lighthearted manner.


    Kapil sir went on to write his next question, which was pretty small when compared to the previous one - "Calculate the volume of human blood on earth." he smiled and said, "let us check how you people are practising your ''Vedic mathematics'' (high-speed calculations)."


    "Assume the volume of an average human as 3.78541 litres, world human population as 753.04 crores (7.5304 billion)"


    Kapil sir turned towards the students. Some of them had already started calculating, and some had begun discussing. Anupama also showed a faint smile as her fingers danced as she figured the answer.


    Bhadra seemed the least bothered about this as he fixed his eyes on Aditya who had finished writing all the notes. He knew that if he did not build enough pressure on him, this idiot would escape before you get another chance.


    Aditya also noticed that he could not make a getaway. So, he raised his head and exposed a bright smiling face to Bhadra as he said, "Bhadra, why are you not solving the problem? Kapil sir will get angry if he finds out that you are not paying attention in his class. Also look at the question, how interesting it is, how much human blood do you think is there on earth?"


    "¡­." Bhadra acted like he had not heard as he continued looking at Aditya, which even made Aditya embarrassed. He thought that if Bhadra continued his staring act, by the end of the class, he and Bhadra would be legitimately recognised as a gay couple. And, even diving into Ganges river will not absolve him of this status.


    So Aditya took up a solemn face as he said, "Bhadra, I will explain everything to you after class. What do you say?"


    "¡­." Bhadra had still not given up. He knew too well what would happen if he gave up now.


    Aditya saw that even this did not work, he took a deep breath and looked at Bhadra with a bitter smile on his face as he said," 28,505,651,464."


    Bhadra was stunned when he heard Aditya slowly uttering a number. He did not understand why Aditya was saying a number instead of explaining his situation. He was furious. This fellow took this too far. If he could not rely on his friends to share his burden, then how could the sanctity of the Bro code be preserved. When he prepared to cut his ties with Aditya, he heard a pleasantly sounding female voice. Anupama stood up and said, "Sir, the answer is around 2, 850 crore litres or 28.5 billion litres."


    As Bhadra heard the answer, he stopped his actions as he remembered Aditya''s words. ''isn''t it similar to what he said?'' he thought. Bhadra turned his head to see Jatin staring at Aditya like he saw a monster. Jatin''s mouth was open wide enough to push an egg inside. His pen had already slipped from his fingers and rolled, god-knows-where.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Jatin had been watching both Aditya''s and Bhadra''s actions all along. He was also puzzled when he saw Aditya recite numbers. But, after he heard Anupama''s answer, Jatin understood that Aditya had arrived at a response earlier than Anupama, which was a never before seen event. Not only had Aditya solved before Anupama, but Aditya had also given a more accurate answer than her. Jatin knew Aditya had not calculated using any instrument, and he didn''t even use his pen.


    Bhadra also understood what had transpired just now. He knew that though Aditya managed to be in the top 5 of the class and was pretty smart himself, he could not have done such a feat before.


    "Maybe its an accident." Bhadra leaned towards Jatin and muttered.


    "I wish." Aditya bitterly smiled as he thought when he saw his friend''s reactions. Aditya was just as shocked when he found out that he developed high calculating skills and also memory skills, which he still didn''t tell Bhadra.


    Kapil sir smiled as he was satisfied with Anupama''s answer as it was pretty close to the correct answer. He did not expect his students to give an accurate answer to the last unit.


    He said, if I were to ask to you fill an Olympic sized swimming pool with this blood, how many pools do you think we would require until all blood is consumed?"


    "Who knows the volume of a swimming pool used in the Olympics?"


    Nobody answered, Bhadra involuntarily looked at Aditya who shook his head. He had gained excellent memory skills, but he can''t know the answer to everything.


    Bhadra and Jatin looked at each other as suspicions arouse in them, "is this idiot playing a new game to escape?"


    Then Kapil said, "the volume of the swimming pool is 88,263 cubic feet. Does anyone know the conversion of cubic feet to litres?"


    "28.3 litres, sir." came a rapid answer, did not need to guess it was Anupama.


    By now Bhadra and Jatin were looking at Aditya in disdain while Aditya shrugged and said in a low voice so that only Bhadra and Jatin could hear, "11413 pools."


    Bhadra and Jatin who were busy in despising Aditya for his actions were once again in shock. But their doubts didn''t clear immediately as Anupama had not answered yet.


    After a few minutes, Anupama raised her head and said, " Sir, the answer is 11410 pools."


    Bhadra had noted down Aditya''s answer, so when he saw Anupama''s reply, he found that Aditya answer was away from 3 pools to correct solution.


    Though it seemed his friend had become a human form calculator, it looks like it is a little defective. Bhadra and Jatin looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief, as it would be more frightening if he got the answer right.


    Just as they were revelling at his friend''s human nature of committing an error, Kapil sir shook his head. Kapil Sir smiled as he explained, "the answer you have calculated is correct when you take the rough figure of the volume of blood as 28.5 billion litres. If we calculate the exact volume of blood to the last unit and then calculate the number of pools, then we will get 11,413 pools, a total difference of three pools. But still, I am quite satisfied with your answer."


    Anupama nodded her head in understanding as she corrected her answer.


    "So this concludes our session, I want all students to revise all the terminology of calculus we had discussed. Those people who are participating in Mathematics Olympiad final in the capital (New Delhi), meet me in the evening to discuss the boarding and travelling issues." Finishing his words, Kapil sir exited from the classroom. The smartboard saved all of Kapil sir''s notes and displayed a refreshed plain board for the next teacher.


    Bhadra and Jatin were now looking at Aditya as if he were a monster. Aditya turned and looked at their faces and said, "Now do you know why I have been strange these days."


    Bhadra and Jatin nodded their heads, then shook their heads, they didn''t know how to reply and thus maintained silence.


    "Isn''t it a good thing?" Jatin asked after some time.


    "How do you know its a good thing, first of all, it''s not normal. I remember seeing some Hollywood picture. In that film, the hero gets some super mental powers only to find out that it was due to a brain tumour," Aditya said.


    Aditya also had another strange suspicion about his condition. He remembered some people saying that when people die, they will see their whole life flash before their eyes. Wasn''t it precisely what was happening to him right now?


    Aditya had thought that he was also going to die. But, then, he saw the ''other'' him in the dream world diverge from reality. His parents weren''t missing, and the ''other'' Aditya (dream) was currently in Geneva continuing his studies. At that time, Aditya had removed the possibility of him dying.


    Also, he had got himself a body checkup previously, which showed him healthy. He was helpless if his problems were physical and hid well enough to escape the detection of various diagnostic tests.


    There was another reason that he did not think that he was dying. It was not just his mental capabilities that have increased in the past few days but also his physical abilities. Though he had not checked his exact fitness levels, he was sure that he was stronger now.


    The little loose flab he had near his abdomen had already disappeared replaced by a thin visible muscular abdominal layer. He believed he could run a 10K run with no pressure at all. He did not want to tell all these changes to his friends unless he figured out the reason.


    "What do you think caused these changes in you?" After sometime Bhadra and Jatin asked, they had naturally brushed of theories of brain tumours based on Hollywood movies. They wanted to see if this process could be replicated. Who wouldn''t want to have their calculative skills increased exponentially?


    "These changes appeared since I had contracted that sleeping problem." Aditya thought back a little and said. He felt that there was a connection between the sleeping problem and his changes. But he could not wholly figure them out.


    "So you are saying these are the benefits of sleeping for 14 hrs a day," Bhadra asked as he gulped while exchanging glances at Jatin.


    Aditya could already figure out what these idiots were thinking. He shook his head with a smile as he left the classroom for the cafeteria. Bhadra and Jatin followed him hastily as they bombarded him with ''essential'' questions.


    "Do you sleep facing east?"


    "Which material is your mattress made of?"


    "Do you eat anything before sleeping, or do you sleep on an empty stomach?"


    "Do you do ''that'' before sleeping?"


    "¡­..."


    As the three friends made their way to the cafeteria, they did not notice that a figure was watching them silently from a distance.


    It was Anupama. She stood there on the other end of the corridor, her bangs floating along with the wind as her eyes were a little dazed. Though she had a different temperament from other girls of her age, in the end, she was also a teenage girl.


    Anupama had already known that Aditya liked her, but he never proposed to her so she could not be for sure. But from the past few days, she felt that he was becoming more and more distant to her. She could not understand his thoughts anymore.


    She knew that she was in no position to love, but that didn''t mean she didn''t enjoy Aditya''s favour. Anupama gripped her books more firmly than necessary as she felt a little uncomfortable thinking about all these.


    "Anupama I have already submitted our project work to Divya mam, let''s go for lunch, am starving." Kavya, who was the best friend of Anupama, was also the girlfriend of Bhadra. She pulled Anupama by the hand towards the school cafeteria.

 Soup Splash

    Three boys entered the noisy school cafeteria making a bizarre conversation which would stupefy if ordinary people heard them.


    "What''s the cube of 13?"


    "2197"


    "Fourth power of 8."


    "4096"


    "Jatin, is it right?" Bhadra asked as he was orally making up questions, while Aditya would answer them and Jatin would check the answers.


    "wait, am searching the button in the calculator for powers and exponents" Jatin scratched his head as he fiddled with his silver iPhone 7 which was released two months back.


    "¡­."


    Aditya was relieved when he got a break. These two duffers regarded him as an entertainment tool, asking all sorts of silly questions. They were not bothered by the fact that this was ''not'' normal. Instead, they were enthusiastically exploring his capabilities.


    Although Aditya got vexed with their questions, on the other hand, he felt assured when he saw his friends not ''alienate'' him as he feared. Even though he had faith in his friends, he couldn''t stop worrying about the minute possibility of them treating him like a freak. If he genuinely was pushed away by his friends, Aditya''s misery would only increase with his parents already missing.


    As Aditya knew that he wasn''t the guy who could be happy being a ''loner'', he liked being with his close ones. He felt his life would become incredibly scary if at all his friends left him while he was already feeling down about with his ''missing'' parents and ''dream'' rejection of his first love.


    " Calculate the square root of 18547."


    Aditya rolled his eyes. He swiped his student Id card, which also worked as a meal card as he picked up trays and food plates while handing them over to Bhadra and Jatin and answered, "136.187370927."


    The international school Aditya studied in was Stone Mountain International School which was one of the best international schools in India. After Bangalore city transformed into the ''Silicon Valley'' and ''Electronics Hub'' of India, many expats had settled in this fastest growing city in Asia, giving rise to increasing demand for schools teaching an International curriculum.


    In Aditya''s school itself, students from over 30 countries studied together. The curriculum was broad and flexible. It gave many options for students to choose from, unlike the curriculum of the Central Board, which was more like a standard scale, inflexible. Aditya had studied Central board curriculum until 10th grade. Hence he was familiar with both educational modules.


    If there was one thing he liked very much in this school, it was the food. Just imagine the diversity of food cuisines prepared to satisfy the various students from different countries. You could get anything ranging from Greek salad to Penne, from pesto sauce to fish tikka, from rigatoni to idli dosa.


    The chefs were employed from five-star hotels, and the menu was discussed by a group containing representatives from students, parents, teacher, management aside from nutritionist.


    The school was built on a spacious area of 34 acres and had a pleasant environment created by artificial landscapes, and small ponds, birds like Indian spot-billed ducks could be seen swimming in those ponds. It was around 15 km from the Bangalore international airport making it comfortable for those international students. As it was away from the bustling city, the environment was more clean and refreshing than in the city.


    Aditya was not in the mood to appreciate food these days, so he put some of this and that and went over to an empty cafeteria table and sat, while Bhadra and Jatin were still busy selecting their food.


    "Aditya you try this Korean chicken soup jujube something, its good," Bhadra said as he pushed an extra bowl of soup towards Aditya. Aditya tasted it, it was mildly sweet, tasted like dates to him, the chicken pieces were tender, and soup felt nourishing.


    Aditya was about to praise the food when Bhadra gave him Jatin''s phone on which he saw "1567383748948 / 4745634783". Bhadra had his phone displaying the answer so that he could check immediately.


    What cracked up Aditya, even when he was irritated, was that these idiots had typed those numbers in the calculator application itself. Aditya pressed the ''='' symbol, and the answer was displayed, Aditya tried to keep a straight face as he repeated the answer. Seeing excited faces of his friends, Aditya stifled his laughter as he gave the phone back and pretended to concentrate on eating.


    The other thing Aditya appreciated in this school was the exposure he had to students from various countries. He had friends from people from Dubai, South Korea, China, Australia, Nepal, Philippines. He enjoyed knowing them and their cultures.


    At first, it was difficult for him to distinguish among East Asian people (which even included people from Northeast India), but as he got accustomed to them while he was learning Mandarin classes, it became easy for him quickly. Afterwards, he heard that East Asians felt the same facing Indians also, which amused him.


    As Aditya watched his juniors, causing a ruckus, cheering, talking loudly, he was able to forget his problems temporarily. The cafeteria had an extended bakery where students who were interested in baking could obtain permission from the school authorities to work in the bakery. Some girl students were distributing cookies they made to all students.


    A cute east Asian girl who looked a few years younger than Aditya offered cookies to him and his friends. Aditya smiled and thanked her as he took one cookie for each of them. The cute girl shyly lowered her head when she saw Aditya smiling and walked away quickly. Her cheeks had become flushed as she rushed back to the baking station.


    When Aditya was about to continue eating, he heard a loud clank sound from the direction the cute girl had gone. When he turned his head in that direction, he saw that the girl had fallen, the cookies were scattered all over the shiny floor. The clanking sound came from the metal tray on which the cookies were kept. It was still rolling slowly and making sounds.


    A tall boy was standing in front of the girl with an angry scowl on his face. He stared at his jersey and shorts which had crumbled bits of cookies stuck on them now. This boy was Karan, who was the son of the administrative dean of the school. Usually, Karan would hang out at the basketball court or enjoy the nightlife in Bangalore city. He was in the same class as Aditya.


    Karan attended classes at his leisure. It is said that his father had deep ties with the corporate group, which owns the maximum share in this International school. So, even the principal had to think twice before taking action against Karan for his poor attendance.


    He usually wouldn''t come to the cafeteria as he looked down on the menu. It was rare to see him here. Jatin looked at this situation and sighed as he went back to his phone. He was sure that the east Asian girl had bad luck today and couldn''t escape bullying. Though he also knew Karan could not go too far here. Jatin did not have any mood in watching this scene.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Karan was not in his best mood these days. His father had gotten angry that he had spent a ? 75 lakh (100,000 $) last week. So his credit cards were presently blocked. Otherwise, why would he have to come to this shitty cafeteria? Of course, you have to spend some good money if you have to fuck a film actress. It''s even a little cheap considering she was an actress working in small regional films. If he had to do the same thing with a Bollywood actress, God knows how many times the expenditure would be. As if his father did no such things.


    But if there was one thing Karan liked about this school, it was its diversity. You could get East Asian girls, Arab girls, White Caucasian girls and Black girls.


    Though usually, all these girls had strong backgrounds, the innocent mentality they had was enough for him to trap them. So he was looking forward to some fishing today. He was confident in his tall stature and charming personality.


    Thump Thump Thump¡­.


    Another tall guy, who had excessive acne on his face, came forward while bouncing a basketball. He sneered, "you do know whose clothes you just defiled, it''s big brother Karan''s. Big Brother Karan is not in a good mood today. So you should do something to please him and ask him for his forgiveness. Otherwise, your credit score might end up being the last in the class."


    The girl''s face turned white with fright as she heard these threats and could not muster up enough strength to stand up. Aditya sighed as he looked at this scene, where ever you go, there are always this kind of people who bully other people by relying on powerful connections. Though Karan was the same class as Aditya, they did not interact much. Even if they crossed each other, their worlds didn''t intersect.


    Aditya knew that acne guy was bull shitting about credit scores. These tricks may work when you are in a regular school. But if any expat children were subjected to such maltreatment, it would be a diplomatic nightmare. But it was a pity that cute girl did not know or was too frightened to think about all these.


    Karan looked at his messed up jersey and back at the girl who did not get up yet. He gave an icy smile as he said, "what''s your name?"


    "¡­.."


    "Didn''t you hear me?" there was a change in his tone, which further increased her fright. In the end, she managed to utter," Yu Yan."


    "Yu Yan, nice-sounding name though I don''t understand what it means, are you part of Middle Years Program?"


    Yu Yan nodded shakily. She had heard many frightening rumours from her friends about Karan, which did not help her condition at all.


    "Okay, so I have two conditions for you. One, you have to dust off those cookie pieces off my jersey and shorts with your hands. And, two, you have to kiss me as an apology." Karan lightly smiled as if the demands he made were very generous.


    Yu Yan''s eyes started becoming red, and tears were threatening to fall at any moment. Though it seemed like a lot of time had passed, it all happened in a matter of a few seconds. The teachers usually had lunch in a separate area. The coordinators, who were present, did not have the guts to prevent Karan. As long as Karan did not cross some limits, they wouldn''t step in. Karan''s father was the one who paid their salaries at the end of the month. Though, Aditya was a little surprised that at the delay of arrival of the teacher who is in charge of today''s cafeteria order.


    "Karan, enough of this." Aditya walked towards as he helped Yu Yan to her feet and smiled as he asked her, "Are you hurt?"


    Yu Yan felt that the earth had started spinning in the opposite direction. She suddenly felt safe and secure and that nothing was going to happen to her. Yu Yan was still in a daze as she stood up by holding Aditya''s hand.


    Yu Yan''s pale white face was becoming more scarlet by the second as she hid behind Aditya''s back. She did that to avoid facing Karan and also to prevent Aditya from seeing her red apple-like face. Bhadra who was standing behind a little saw this with a twinkle in his eyes.


    Aditya attributed her silence to her fright. After confirming that she was all right, he turned to look at the twisted face of Karan. Karan knew that Aditya and Bhadra''s gang was something he viewed as an equal. So he dared not cause trouble for him. He could only let this pass by.


    He sneered, "Aditya I heard that you are sleeping 14 hrs a day. Is it because you have too many wet dreams that you are getting tired and have to sleep more to recuperate?"


    Aditya just gave a small smile. He knew that Karan was venting his dissatisfaction. Aditya did not mind taking one or two insults.


    When Karan saw that he could not get Aditya riled up, he found that not only has his anger disappeared but increased.


    Karan looked around and saw two girls coming into the cafeteria. His eyes shined as he walked near to Aditya. He whispered so that only Aditya and people behind him could hear, "I heard that there was a heavenly beauty in our class called Anupama whom you pursue. Maybe I should also pursue her, and sweet talk her about marrying her and then sleep with her. I think she would be wonderful on the bed. You know, the girls who are usually cold outside usually possess the fiercest hearts. Then maybe I could even give you a chance to bed her before chucking her aside. What do you say?"


    Aditya''s fists had already clenched tightly and were shaking. He forcefully suppressed his urge to crush Karan''s balls so that Karan would not have to chance to think about sleeping with any girl ever again.


    Even though Aditya had given up on his pursuit, it didn''t mean he would accept dirty talk about Anupama. Even now, she occupied a soft place in his heart.


    Yu Yan, who had heard the words of Karan, looked with concern at Aditya. One could also see some disappointment in her eyes when Karan had mentioned about Aditya pursuing Anupama.


    Anupama and Kavya had just entered the cafeteria and went towards the serving stations like they didn''t notice Aditya. Kavya was signalling towards Bhadra, her boyfriend, with her eyes but Bhadra was more focused on Aditya right now. Bhadra, though didn''t hear the words of Karan in its entirety, he got the gist of it. There were six people besides Karan, so Bhadra was preparing to join the fray if Aditya got into a fight with Karan.


    Karan saw the red eyes of Aditya and his shaking hands as he laughed triumphantly. He walked by the side of Aditya, deliberately brushing against his shoulder. Karan sat in a vacant chair as that acne guy brought a big bowl of a hot steaming Korean chicken soup for Karan, with a flattering smile on his face.


    Karan who was in a good mood right now drank the soup with gusto, but then he heard the most face slapping words he had ever heard in his life,


    "I heard that the actress, whom you had slept with last week, has herpes. She had come for treatment at Jatin''s father''s hospital. It is good if you have used a condom. Otherwise, get yourself checked before bedding another girl. Or else, some poor girl has to suffer because of your negligence."


    Jatin, who was drinking pomegranate juice while texting, choked suddenly on his juice when he heard Aditya''s words.


    Jatin thought, ''This fellow leaked this news, doesn''t he know that the said actress had signed a confidentiality agreement with the hospital. If she moved the court, a piece of meat would be torn from my father''s company to pay the penalty, not that I care about it.''


    Bhadra was holding his stomach as he bent down laughing, he was sure of one thing today, the chances of Karan bedding a girl from this school has just dived to 0%.


    The soup spoon suspended in mid-air stopped when Karan heard these words. His eyes reddened with fury as he slowly turned towards the acne guy, who was also standing there, dumbfounded at Aditya''s words.


    Even the acne guy did not know what to do. When he saw Karan looking towards him, he knew he had to act now. He had to help Karan to gain some reputation back, even if he got himself suspended for some days.


    He raised his hand which held the basketball and shot it at Aditya''s head with his full force. Though a basketball could not cause much damage to the body, a concussion was possible if it hit your head.


    The ball shot towards Aditya who was unaware of the danger. Bhadra was not able to react in time, and Yu Yan let out a shrill cry as she saw that the ball was about to hit Aditya.


    Anupama who had been pretending not to care felt her heart stop as she saw the ball move towards Aditya at top speed. The other five guys also dived towards Aditya to get one or two hits in to flatter Karan.


    Aditya looked like he saw the ball from the corner of eyes and raised his arms to protect his head. The ball bounced off his knuckles at the last moment. All the people concerned with Aditya let out a breath of relief.


    It was only Jatin who continued to look at the basketball movement which was deflected by Aditya, the ball shot towards the wall of the cafeteria and then bounced back at a different angle.


    After a few microseconds, a splash sound was heard accompanied by a pitiful cry of a male. It was only Jatin who saw what happened.


    The basketball, which bounced off the wall, landed accurately on the corner of the large bowl filled with hot steaming soup. Karan was drinking from that bowl. Karan could not see the ball as it came from Karan''s blind angle. The hot soup splashed on Karan''s face while he was caught off-guard.


    He immediately whipped his head towards Aditya, who had a small winning smile on his face. This smile disappeared quickly afterwards. Does calculation super ability also involve calculating trajectories of moving objects?

 The Scene At The Cafeteria

    Wails could still be heard when Karan''s lackeys who had surrounded Aditya to beat him up had to abandon their hitting plan and go help Karan get the hot soup off his face.


    All the activity and disturbance in the cafeteria paused when students saw what had transpired. Yu Yan who had watched this from beginning giggled as she unconsciously held the back of Aditya''s maroon cotton shirt.


    Bhadra was still looking at the wailing figure of Karan with his mouth wide open as he thought "How much bad luck a guy had to have to suffer like that? Is this what they call ''Instant karma''?" he had not yet realized that it was not a coincidence.


    Only Jatin who usually maintained a calm and indifferent personality was able to connect the dots as he was also very much interested in the potential of Aditya''s super abilities.


    "Young master Karan! Are you alright?" a sad shout rang out in the cafeteria as a fat figure ''bounced'' towards Karan''s table.


    When Aditya saw the figure, he immediately understood why no one came to the rescue of Yu Yan when she was being bullied. It seems like today''s duty of maintaining order in the cafeteria had fallen on ''fatty'' Suresh who was a chemistry teacher in the school. He could compete for the most disliked teacher if there was a survey conducted among the students.


    Suresh Chakraborthy AKA ''Fatty'' Suresh was a lackey of Karan''s father Govind Malhotra, the Administrative Dean. So he would always try to pamper and flatter Karan in all ways possible. Even if Karan asked him to set up meetings with some girls Aditya figured that Suresh would immediately comply because everyone knew compared Suresh sir''s bootlicking skills, his teaching skills weren''t noteworthy.


    Suresh sir immediately fetched a bottle of cool water and poured them over Karan''s face to wash off the remaining soup as he shouted for ice from the cafeteria''s refrigerator.


    "What an Idiot, doesn''t he know applying ice will cause further damage to the burnt area and pouring water over the burnt skin is like practically injecting bacteria into the injury. What is this, if it isn''t bad karma to have this fellow as our chemistry teacher." Bhadra was a chemistry maniac student, so he knew this basic stuff. Although Bhadra said all these points, he made no attempt to stop Suresh sir.


    "Big Brother, you are so smart.", Yu Yan spoke as her eyes sparkled. Bhadra was embarrassed when this cute girl suddenly praised him, he rubbed his hair with his hand laughing foolishly as he said, "that is, that is"


    Aditya who was watching the ''fire and rescue'' show turned back his attention to the small girl who seems to have taken a liking for holding his shirt.


    "Yu Yan, your name sounds like you are from China, are you alright?" Aditya asked the cute girl with a smile who looked like she was much younger than him. He always felt east Asian girls looked like dolls making them look cute.


    Yu Yan who seemed to have forgotten that she was still holding onto Aditya, jumped in fright when she heard Aditya speaking to her suddenly, her face started turning red again as she looked at her own feet and not speaking up. She only nodded her head slightly.


    Aditya was puzzled at her behaviour. When he wanted to confirm if she was feeling ill anywhere, Aditya noticed Jatin walking towards them while eating a burger looking at him like he was a piece put up for exhibition at the museum.


    Jatin walked up to them as he lowered his head to look at Yu Yan and asked, "Yu Yan, I heard that they are very interesting meanings behind Chinese names, what does your name mean in Mandarin?"


    Yu Yan raised her head as she sneaked a glance at Aditya as she muttered slowly, "My father was a fan of Chinese author Jin Yong, Yu Yan is the name of a female character in one of his books. Also, Yu Yan name is derived from the phrase ''Yu Xiao Yan Ran'' which means that ''women who have beautiful smiles''."


    Aditya nodded in understanding as he was also learning Mandarin as his foreign language, he could speak and understand a little bit of Mandarin. Jatin also nodded his head as he turned towards Bhadra who was watching ''Fatty'' Suresh''s ''first aid'' with interest and said, "Bhadra don''t you think Yu Yan does have the most beautiful smile?" but unknown to all people a burger shoot towards Aditya from his blind angle.


    Aditya instinctively caught the burger with him facing the other side, only his left hand moved for a second before it returned to its original spot. Not even Yu Yan who actually had most of the attention on Aditya noticed anything different, she was also feeling happy that Jatin praised her name."


    Aditya ate the remaining burger as he glared at Jatin while Jatin was having a cunning smile on his face as he chatted with Bhadra as if nothing had happened. Aditya knew that this idiot Jatin at figured out that the soup splash was not a coincidence as he grudgingly took a large bite from the burger.


    "Oh god, why can''t I have friends who are like those in the novels, where even if the hero danced in front of his friends displaying all his powers, the friends would be ignorant till the very end until the hero took a ''special'' class for them at a time convenient for him, to make them understand. Why did my friends have to be this intelligent?" Aditya complained in his mind.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Actually, any close buddies would usually be the first ones to notice if something were to change in one''s life. Otherwise, how could they call themselves best friends? Especially if Jatin was one of your best friends. Aditya prepared himself for another round of experimentation after the lunch break. He was once again feeling that sleeping by 6 pm was not bad.


    "Aditya, how dare you hurt your fellow classmate so cruelly?" a shout rang as ''fatty'' Suresh threw the blame on Aditya. Actually, Suresh was cursing his fortunes today as he was making plans to escape responsibility.


    Suresh sir had already seen Yu Yan being bullied by Karan but chose to do nothing, when Aditya came to the defence of Yu Yan, he did not care much either as Aditya was only one while Karan had a whole gang with him. Suresh hated Aditya and Bhadra''s group as Bhadra would always point out his mistakes in teaching in front of the whole class which made his life miserable.


    Even if he had the support of Karan''s father, he could not get away with poor knowledge, so if quite a few complaints were filed against him for his lack of teaching skills then no one could save him from being dismissed. So as the more Bhadra pointed out his inadequacies, the more the other students felt he was sub-par, so since Bhadra had started attending his classes, Suresh was forced to keep awake at nights to revise all the topics required for teaching the next day. Sometimes he would think that if he had studied so sincerely during his college days, he would have been working in top chemical industries like in petroleum industry earning 10 times as much as he was earning now.


    Though Karan''s father acted like he was very strict towards his son, Suresh knew that deep down, the administrative dean favoured and pampered Karan like no other father. Otherwise, how could Karan turn out like this? Now if he came to know that his beloved son was hurt under his watch, Suresh could only imagine the dire consequences. That is why he wanted to dump this tray on Aditya''s head as soon as possible and get rid of all responsibilities.


    Aditya snickered at ''Fatty'' Suresh when he saw that he was being ''framed'', though it was true that Aditya truly intended to teach Karan a lesson, he would never agree to it, he knew Jatin would not betray him. So, he had nothing to fear of any possible punishment.


    He had no interest in bickering with Suresh sir as it would not help the matter in the least. He only raised his head and said, "Sir, why don''t you let the disciplinary committee decide what happened, who was in the wrong and who was attacked? We have many eyewitnesses here, if not sufficient, we know that the cafeteria is under electronic surveillance. So I believe that everyone would want to know what had happened to the last minute detail."


    "Also I think that Karan should have more problems to worry about other than these small scalding injuries. Right, Karan?" Aditya smiled as he pointed at Karan''s lower abdominal place as he said, "I heard that when pustules form, it will be very painful even to urinate, you better get yourselves checked immediately. ''Better late than never'' as they say."


    ''Fatty'' Suresh was shocked when he heard Aditya''s words. He also realized that he would not be able to cleanse himself from his negligence. he was now busy thinking of various explanation he could give to get away with minimum punishment like he had thought that it was a small scuffle or that the soup splash was actually an accident which caught everyone unaware.


    Karan whose face was covered scalding red patches of mild burnt skin was staring at Aditya like he was going jump at him at any moment shuddered when he heard those words. He immediately called his lackeys as he rushed towards outside. He stared at Aditya and Yu Yan angrily while he crossed them at the entrance. Yu Yan promptly hid behind Aditya while poking her head from the side to see what''s happening. Aditya was amused at her action as he rubbed her head picturing himself as an elder brother who was pampering his younger sister. Yu Yan was shocked at Aditya gesture but did not prevent him from doing so.


    Jatin looked at these happening as leaned towards Bhadra and asked, " do you think what are the chances that we would get a Chinese sister-in-law?" Bhadra rolled his eyes as he said, "Can''t you see that fellow is treating her like some little kid."


    Jatin shrugged his shoulders as he muttered, "Well, little kids don''t stay little forever, right?"


    Seeing that the show was over, Aditya bid goodbye to Yu Yan while she thanked him in a barely audible voice and went back to their table to finish their lunch.


    "Anu, Don''t you think Aditya seemed to have changed," Kavya asked Anupama who was eating her lunch with concentration.


    Anupama lifted her head as she looked at her best friend with big beautiful, honey brown eyes and nodded as she said, "Yes, I have also noticed."


    Kavya was shocked at Anupama response as she felt that Anupama did not care about Aditya at all and ignored him for a year since he started pursuing her.


    Her interest was piqued at Anupama''s response, so she asked, "really, what difference did you notice?"


    Anupama hesitated a little before she said, "he has stopped paying attention to me from the past few days."


    Kavya rolled her eyes at her friend as she thought, "You also knew he was paying attention to you." actually Kavya who was the girlfriend of Bhadra liked Aditya as a person and her boyfriend''s best friend. Mainly Aditya shared many similarities in his temperament with Bhadra, so Kavya had a good opinion on him. When Bhadra had told her last year that Aditya was crushing on Anupama, she had anticipated that later when Anupama accepted Aditya''s pursuit, then they could go to all those lover''s spots in Bangalore city together. Otherwise, usually, Bhadra had to divide his time to spend with his studies, her and his friends as Aditya could not be the third wheel accompanying them which would be awkward.


    Kavya then asked, "then do you think Aditya should pay attention to you." she wanted to ascertain her friend''s idea if possible.


    "..."


    Anupama did not answer and continued eating her lunch. Kavya sighed internally as she felt sometimes Anupama hid a lot of things in her heart and would not divulge them to anyone, not even to her best friend.


    "Maybe Aditya felt that there was no use in spending time watching you anymore," Kavya said in a mild attempt to rattle Anupama.


    Anupama paused eating for a while, before continuing as if nothing happened.

 Dreams shattering Dreams

    Afternoon class,


    "Okay class, let''s run through what we learned until now, who can tell me how does Java enable high performance?" Ms Anjali was the teacher in charge of educating Aditya''s class on ''Information Technology in a Global society''.


    Kavya raised her hand as she answered, " Java uses Just In Time compiler to enable high performance. JIT is used to convert the instructions into byte codes. "


    "Impressive, Kavya," Ms Anjali smiled as she praised, she was a middle-aged woman having short stature and greying hair, she again asked, " What is meant by Local variable and Instance variable? "


    "Ms Anjali, Local variables are defined in the method and scope of the variables that have existed inside the method itself whereas an instance variable is defined inside the class and outside the method and scope of the variables exist throughout the class."


    The smile on Anjali teacher''s face broadened as she heard this answer as she nodded appreciatively towards Kavya and continued her class. She was currently teaching Java programming to them.


    "Doesn''t your girlfriend give a chance for us to answer, why should she answer each and every question as if she is a walking encyclopedia on IT studies." Jatin teased Bhadra who was playing Dino game in google chrome. Excluding Chemistry class, Bhadra usually didn''t pay much attention to other subject classes, he had chosen this subject only because he thought he could accompany Kavya and do some kind of classroom romance. But what happened was completely out of his imagination. After entering the computer lab, Kavya would turn into a computer herself, her full concentration was on the lessons, her infatuation with IT was on the same level as his interest in Chemistry. Anupama, on the other hand, had opted for ''Psychology'' subject, so she had to attend another lecture hall.


    "As if you know those answers, if you are so knowledgeable in Java programming, why don''t you explain OOPS concept to me?" Bhadra shot back at Jatin.


    cough cough¡­


    "I was fighting for the right to answer in the class for my other classmates," Jatin answered in a righteous tone.


    Bhadra looked at Jatin with disdain as he continued playing his game. In a class of 40 students, as long as you are not too flashy, you were free to do your things. After sometime Bhadra turned towards Jatin as he asked, "Didn''t you say that, you had something to say to me about Adi?"


    Jatin''s eyes sparkled when Bhadra mentioned Aditya as he looked at the sleeping figure towards Bhadra''s right and smiled as he said, "You are in for a shock in the evening if it is really as I speculate, Adi is going to give us good show this evening. So, wait until then." Jatin stoked Bhadra''s curiosity as he leaned his back against the chair lazily. It was always hard for him to remain active in this class which was immediately after lunch. In addition, ''Information Technology in a Global society'' was conducted in an air-conditioned computer lab where students are given the liberty to bring their laptops which functioned as the perfect cover.


    "Where is the need to be so mysterious, isn''t it just a human calculator, I heard that there was a woman called Shakuntala Devi from Mysore (another city near Bangalore) who could extract 23rd of a 201- digit number in 50 seconds. My mother told me about her when she (Shakuntala Devi) died three years back."


    Jatin was shocked a little when he heard this but regained his composure as he said "You will see in the evening." though this time he didn''t seem so confident. Jatin didn''t know there were more freaks then he had imagined in this world. He looked at the ''sleeping pig'' who had opened his laptop as a cover to prevent Ms Anjali who had a short stature from catching him asleep.


    After the class, Bhadra woke him up and reminded him that Kapil sir had asked students attending Mathematical Olympiad to come to his office.


    Aditya had actually joined this Mathematical Olympiad team so that he could spend more time with Anupama but now that his dreams had been busted by another ''Dreamworld'', he did not have any interest in the exam whatsoever.


    But Aditya would still attend the exam because at least you would get a day off to roam around Bangalore. Aditya was feeling vexed and frustrated these days because the police had not reported anything about his parents'' whereabouts. It was getting harder for him to remain calm and doing nothing significant. He would rather search the whole city street by street though he knew there were minute chance to produce results through such methods.


    So he had planned to ditch the exam and see what he could do for his parents. What made him a little desperate was that Ramachandra IPS (Indian Police Service), was the commissioner of police in Bangalore who was at the top in the hierarchy. He and his father were best friends from childhood. Aditya also had spent most of his time in childhood in Ramu Uncle''s house (Ramachandra). So he knew the close relationship between his father and Ramu uncle was like him and Bhadra''s.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    So with the assurance of Ramu uncle and the power he held in his hand in this city, Aditya had presumed even if his parents had not been found at least news of them will be investigated. But four months had passed by and whenever he called his uncle, he could not get any news from him. So, if the commissioner of police was not capable of finding his parents then who could he turn towards for help?


    He still remembered his mother''s peaceful smiling face as she would tell all sorts of mythological stories for him so that he would sleep. He remembered his father''s tired face as he worked late at his laboratory but still never forgot to buy Jalebi (Indian sweet) for him as he came back exhausted. He was the idiot who never really understood their value and took all their love for granted as if this was how it was supposed to be. He recognized how short-sighted and silly he was to assume he could enjoy all this happiness forever when his parents were no more near him.


    These days, more and more memories where he was a disobedient son, would sting him in the heart as he thought maybe he should have been more appreciative of his parents love and gave the respect that they deserved.


    "Aditya"


    "Aditya!"


    Aditya woke up from his thoughts to find a serious face of Kapil sir staring at him. There were around eight students along with Anupama who was staring at him with varied expressions. Anupama also looked at him for a moment then turned away.


    "Aditya, pay attention." Kapil sir knew that Aditya had his difficulties, so, he did not go deep into it and turned towards others and said, "As I said there are three stages to pass to go to International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO)."


    "Regional, National, International training camp. So regional is held in Bangalore while nationals are held in the capital while this year''s International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil where you represent India. In the past years, India has not performed well in IMO as you know most of our students are busy studying for JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) to get into Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) instead of IMO. Also, Mathematics has long since ceased to be a serious career so rank in an IMO is presently worth nothing but a decoration in your future CV."


    "So as you people have applied for this exam, I hope you take this exam seriously and I hope all of you selected at the national level as well. So any doubts?" Kapil sir asked while staying his vision on Aditya for a longer time.


    All the students shook their heads. Kapil nodded and said, "If there are any doubts which you have now, you could ask me or you could go about your activities."


    Some students had come for clarification, so they stayed behind while Aditya walked out of the office towards his dormitory to change his clothes to sports dress as he promised Jatin and Bhadra to meet them at the basketball court. Just as he was about to take a turn, he heard a pleasant voice calling him.


    Aditya knew even before turning back who it was because this was the person he had once dreamed of making his girlfriend. He turned back trying to keep his face as normal as possible as he asked, "What is it Anu...pama?" he used to call her Anu before but it did not seem right anymore.


    Anupama was a little shocked when she heard Aditya calling her by her full name. It felt that he wanted to put some distance between them which was actually what she wanted, but when she saw Aditya taking the initiative to do that, the whole nature of this distance changed drastically.


    Anupama looked at Aditya for a while and then said, "I hope your parents are alright and that you stay strong." after she finished what she wanted to say, she walked past him as fast as she could. She did not like this version of Aditya at all. As she went a distance she heard Aditya thank her for her support.


    Aditya had no expectations whatsoever about what Anupama would say to him, so he was not surprised or disappointed. Almost all his classmates had already said the same words of support to him. So, in a way she was the last one to approach him but somehow Aditya felt that this was more natural. This was exactly how she would react based on his understanding of her in the ''dream world''.


    But right now Aditya did not have the time or mood to worry about this. So he went back to his dormitory room and changed his clothes and went to the basketball court.


    "Why are you so interested in playing basketball today, I thought you did not enjoy playing this game?" Bhadra asked Jatin as he saw Jatin wearing a new white jersey and red shorts with matching athletic shoes. He was pretty sure that Jatin had just removed the price tags today before wearing these clothes. Bhadra''s jersey, on the other hand, was messy and full of mud stains which clearly indicated his sports activity. While Jatin had a delicate stature which could almost rival that of a girl, Bhadra had a masculine stature with taurine shoulders and tiger waist with healthy bronze complexion and square cut face.


    Though Aditya was also on the thin side, he had broad straight shoulders, unlike Jatin''s narrow drooping shoulders. As Aditya walked on the multi-purpose plastic floor of the outdoor Basketball court, he felt refreshed as he breathed the cool evening air, the winter was setting in so the climate was very comfortable right now. Aditya flexed his hands and shoulders as he jogged towards Bhadra at the other end of the court. Many other students were also playing including Aditya''s juniors.


    Jatin took the basketball and threw it towards Aditya but the ball shot towards in a completely different direction and knocked against a junior. It was lucky that Jatin had no strength in his arms, so the junior who took the hit was unharmed and passed the ball back to Bhadra. Aditya suppressed his smile as he walked towards them.


    Jatin knew that he was not fit for sports but he had underestimated his ''skills'' apparently. Bhadra tapped Jatin''s shoulder while suppressing his laughter as he said, "I am happy that your skills have developed Jatin." Aditya may not know but how could Bhadra who had grown up with Jatin not know that Jatin had a very poor sense of direction which directly eliminated Jatin from all outdoor games.


    It was actually because Jatin was so conscious of his poor sense of direction that he could figure out the application of Aditya''s calculative ability when he saw the scene in the cafeteria. It was like how only the hungry will realize the value of food, Jatin could realize this aspect of Aditya''s ability which was why he wanted Aditya to come to the Basketball court today to test his hypothesis.


    Jatin took the ball from Bhadra and placed in Aditya''s hand and said with a smile on his face, "Shoot."

 Basketball - No Fun

    Aditya smiled at Jatin as he caught the ball and shook his head while he dribbled the ball slowly as he said, "Jatin, you should check the size of the ball before you get them from the sports room."


    Jatin was confused when he heard Aditya''s words and when he turned to ask Bhadra about it, he saw him trying hard to keep a straight face. He had long seen that the ball brought by Jatin was the one used by kids in Middle Years Program (MYP), the size of the ball was size 6 whereas when they played they used the ball of size 7.


    Now Jatin knew why Bhadra looked at him weirdly when he brought the ball. How could he know that there were balls of different sizes when he had not played basketball before. Just as he was about to explain he heard taunting laughter from the side. When he turned he saw the junior whom he had hit by mistake laughing at him while pointing his finger towards him. As if it was not enough he even called his other friends and whispered something in their ears as the friends also laughed at Jatin.


    The smiling face on Bhadra and Aditya faded when they saw the junior laughing excessively. The right to mock and make fun of their friends was the only privy to them but it was not their place for junior to laugh at Jatin. When the juniors were still laughing, they did not notice that two big shadows loomed over them. When they raised their heads and saw Bhadra and Aditya looking down at them with no smile on their faces, the juniors stopped laughing and started sweating in their backs. Aditya looked at the kid who started this and asked, "What''s your name kid?"


    Everyone had stopped laughing by then, the kid gulped as he looked at both Bhadra and Aditya to and fro before he replied, "senior, Varun."


    "Good, now go get the right size ball Varun and you play with this ball," Aditya said as he pushed the ball a little forcefully into Varun''s hands causing him to take two steps back.


    Varun nodded shakily as he went towards the sports pavilion. When he thought he was out of trouble, he heard Aditya''s voice from behind, "Aren''t you going to thank your senior for taking great pains in bringing the right ball for you."


    Varun stopped as he turned to face Jatin while trying hard to maintain a smiling face but the expression was somewhere between crying and laughing as he said, "Senior, thanks for bringing this ball for us to play, junior will certainly thank you for your efforts, how about I treat you seniors for dinner."


    Jatin who had watched everything showed a satisfied expression to Aditya and Bhadra while he walked towards Varun as he patted the junior''s shoulders while maintaining an expression of righteousness and spirituality on his face as he said, "Varun junior, there is no need for you to thank, looking after juniors is what we seniors are supposed to do, what more happiness can there be for me than seeing my juniors progressing day by day under our guidance. So do not thank us for these small things, but if you cannot sleep at night because we have not accepted your appreciation, why don''t you treat us at the ''Immortal''s Den''."


    Varun had a bitter smile on his face when he heard the name ''Immortal''s Den'' as he nodded and said, "it will be my pleasure to treat seniors for their guidance, now why don''t I go get the right ball for seniors so that no more time is wasted."


    Varun ran like the wind when he saw Jatin nod while the other juniors also thought that they had played enough basketball for the day and ran to take their kits and went towards other activity areas. There was a strange phenomenon which occurred in this school which Aditya had observed. No student in this school could be perfectly controlled by the management staff, but juniors and seniors segregation was strictly followed. He attributed this phenomenon to the reason that no student who came to this school was a commoner, all of them had good backings so the school usually did not mind looking the way when these students crossed the line.


    But the other way round, seniors could perfectly control juniors as neither were common, so the seniority principle was respected and adhered to. Sometimes the teachers or the management would also seek the help of the senior students to manage the juniors. Well of course when sometimes juniors like Varun who tried to step out of the line would be immediately struck back and put in place.


    "Looks like you have earned our supper today." Bhadra teased as looked at Jatin. Aditya was calmly standing as he looked at the students at a distance played cricket.


    Jatin shrugged his shoulders as he replied, "I just thought since Aditya had got the ''sleeping'' problem we didn''t visit that place, so I just used this as a pretext."


    "I can''t accompany you, you do know that its two hours from now before I sleep, right?" Aditya said as he turned his attention back to his friends.


    Jatin looked at his mobile and saw it was just 4:00 pm now and nodded in understanding. He had been used to seeing Aditya sleeping at 6:00 pm to 8:00 am every day for the past two weeks.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    " Senior, here''s the ball." Varun came back running as he handed the ball to Aditya. He was panting heavily which showed why this junior brought the ball so quickly.


    "Thanks, now let''s play," Aditya thought it would be too boring for just the three of them. The other usual teammates of their gang had still not come from their Diwali vacation. So he told Varun to accompany as it would make things a little more interesting. It''s not like they were playing a serious game now.


    Varun could only agree while worrying in his heart. Today was really an unfortunate day for him. First, he was hit by a senior who looks like he has not come out into the sun since he was born, then he had just laughed a little and then he had to get the ball for these seniors. It had to be known that there are even maidservants in Varun''s home to get his underwear. He gritted his teeth as he steeled his heart.


    Aditya looked on in amusement as he saw all the changes in the facial expression of Varun before turning back to Jatin as he said, "Let''s get this done." He knew what Jatin was expecting from him, he also knew he could easily do it, in fact, he had already tried this but yet not shared with his friends. He also knew that from now onward he should not play this game in competitions anymore if he chooses to be ethical.


    He looked at the hoop at some 20 ft away from him as he was standing on the three-point line as he shot for the goal with a set shot with both of his feet firmly on the ground.


    All the other three looked on at the ball as it curved and went smoothly through the hoop.


    "Nice shot senior." Varun praised as he looked at Aditya with awe. There was not much change in the expressions of Bhadra and Jatin. Bhadra knew that Aditya played basketball pretty well and so didn''t think much of the three-pointer while Jatin also didn''t find this impressive enough when compared to his expectations.


    "Not from this close you, Idiot, "Jatin spoke as he ran and threw the ball back to Aditya, but the ball had already reached Varun. Varun had a scare when he saw the ball coming towards him again, but as he was looking at the ball this time, he caught the ball and passed it to Aditya. He was thinking if Jatin did this intentionally or accidentally.


    Bhadra looked at Varun confused reaction and told him, "rest assured, he does not have the required talent to target you and hit you."


    Jatin coughed when he heard these words as he said, "Aditya go towards the other half, I want at least 50 ft distance from the hoop¡­. Right, now take a shot."


    Aditya did as he was told as he knew there was no way, he could escape from his friends. He only kept in mind that he would not tell these idiots at any cost of his memory skills. If Jatin got to know about this, he could imagine himself being locked in the school library being told to memorize every book before thrown into the city central library. So he had to keep his mouth shut about this.


    The ball passed through the hoop again, by this time Varun had stars in his eyes as he saw Aditya. He ran excitedly towards Aditya as he asked, "Senior, what''s your name?" he had never seen this long shot in real life and that this senior looked completely at ease. He did not spend a long time to concentrate or to prepare himself but rather he did it ease and comfort as if it was not a big deal for him.


    Aditya smiled at Varun as he told him his name. It was this time Bhadra had finally changed his expression. When he connected the dots of what happened in Kapil sir''s class and what had happened in the cafeteria, he figured it out and nodded in understanding.


    Now Bhadra also joined in the game and said, " go further to the end of the court and try." Aditya knew that the court was 94ft long, so he stood on the outer edge as he put much force behind the ball as he took a different long shot which could generate greater force than a jump shot." it was not like some special feeling where felt that time slowed down or his blood flow changed or his muscle contracted or that the hoop started becoming more and more clear in his vision or any sort of that Hollywood superhero type feeling. It was a very normal feeling, he felt like he was born this way, or it was not a big deal to him.


    Like for example if someone bought a heavy folding ladder and placed in front of the basketball hoop and asked a person to climb and sit in front of the hoop. Then you ask the person to throw a basketball through the hoop. Would the person feel special or proud about it when he throws the ball into the hoop? No, he wouldn''t because satisfaction is a feeling which is experienced when a person has overcome challenges, where there is a great possibility of failure and yet you win, that is when you will satisfaction and pride. As of now, Aditya could not enjoy this game anymore which kind of left a bitter taste in his mouth.


    Aditya did not listen to Jatin when he asked him to break the world record by throwing a shot from more than113 ft distance away from the hoop because as he felt that it was not ethical or morally correct to do such as he did not want to undermine the ''genuine'' achievement.


    So Jatin got him to throw the ball from all kind of angles in the court and Aditya complied, when he noticed that some students were being attracted here, Aditya started deliberately miss firing so that the kids would not find anything special.


    But Varun was hooked onto Aditya as he said, "Big Brother Aditya, make me your disciple, I will do whatever you ask me to, can I get your autograph?"


    Aditya shook his head as he laughed it off as just some luck. Jatin and Bhadra rolled their eyes at him when they heard this. isn''t this guy trying to show off by getting a junior to stay and watch his ''skill'' display and then pretend as if it was just pot luck?


    "Don''t you think this idiot can rival those low-level Bollywood actresses who wear sexy dresses and posture themselves to expose their cleavage to tempt but pretend everything is unintentional," Jatin spoke with envy to Bhadra looking at Varun chasing around Aditya.


    Bhadra almost agreed by nodding his head but stopped and said, "can''t you give a better analogy, why do I feel it is gross?"


    Jatin shrugged and as he was about to make further jokes, a management staff member came and called Aditya and said, "Mr Aditya there is a police officer waiting in the visitor''s lobby for you."


    Aditya''s face became solemn when he heard this, he passed the ball to Bhadra and ran as fast as he could towards the visitor''s lobby, news about his parents at last.


    Jatin and Bhadra looked at each other and followed Aditya.

 Man Proposes God Disposes

    Aditya was both excited and nervous when he ran towards the visitor''s pavilion. The visitor''s pavilion was located at the side of the main administrative building. It was a pleasant place full of trees and shade. There was an artificial pond, filled with lotuses and ducks, besides the pavilion giving the place an ethereal feeling when one spent time there.


    Aditya noticed that his two buddies were also following him which moved him. He knew that in these tough days, the only reason he could get past was due to his friend''s support. But right now he did not have the time to think about any other issue. He panted lightly as he stopped outside the visitor''s pavilion, he took deep breaths and calmed himself before he took strides into the building. Bhadra and Jatin had caught up by then.


    As he entered the building along with his friends he found a few students were talking with their relatives. All he could see were happy faces as the students were enjoying time with their loved ones. He searched for Uncle Ramu''s figure as he looked around but couldn''t find him. As he was starting to feel anxious he saw an officer in a police uniform walk towards him. He wore the traditional Khaki coloured cotton police uniform with red leather boots which made tap sounds when he walked at a steady pace.


    He was handsome which was amplified by the uniform, his eyes were sharp and radiated vigour and mature charm. He had a clean-shaven face with a trimmed moustache, along with muscular arms and a fit body made him look like he was a regional film industry''s mass hero who played the righteous police officer role who could defeat a group of dozens of gangsters with his single hand. This was how Jatin felt when he saw that police officer.


    As the police officer saw the three students, his eyes moved to Aditya ignoring the others as he said, "I take it you are Aditya, right? I saw your photograph. My name is Arjun Prasad, I and my team were responsible for investigating your parent''s disappearance case under the supervision of Ramachandra sir. He is waiting by the lake for you."


    Aditya was confused when he heard the officer use the word ''were'' as if he was no more responsible for the case right now, he also noticed awe and respect in the police officer eyes when he talked about Uncle Ramu. Aditya nodded as he followed the officer towards the lake which was on the other side of the pavilion. When the officer paused with doubt in his eyes as he looked at Bhadra and Jatin who were following them. Aditya replied, "It''s fine, they will know anything I know, so it''s easier this way."


    Arjun hesitated a while before agreeing and accompanying them towards the lake. Aditya saw a tall figure sitting on the wooden bench on the edge of the artificial pond. Fresh evening air rustled against the trees as it gave rise to slow creaking sounds. The quack sounds of the ducks in addition to this cool evening air should have given Aditya a relaxed feeling while he walked on the soft grass but when he saw uncle Ramu''s face which looked like he had aged many years since they last met, Aditya had a bad premonition.


    The uncle Ramu he knew was the one who symbolized vigour and strength to Aditya. Whenever he saw uncle Ramu in his childhood, Aditya would dream of becoming like him when he had grown up. He always felt that uncle Ramu was way cooler than his own father who used to work long hours in the laboratory, had a slouchy posture and thin physique which Aditya had unfortunately inherited. Uncle Ramu''s frank and straightforward principles like honesty, integrity and honour were absorbed by Aditya without leaving a single word as they were very stimulative and caused his young blood to start boiling when he heard those stories of chivalry, courage and sacrifice.


    But when he saw the helplessness and exhaustion in the tiger eyes of his uncle, his ungroomed beard and his thin physique, Aditya''s mood plummeted into an abyss. He took deep breaths and tried to keep his shaking heart firm and forced a smile on his face when he greeted his uncle, who was wearing a plain white cotton shirt and khaki pants, he was looking at the ducks moving in a group as they swam in the pond absentmindedly, "Uncle, its been a long time since we last met, how is elder sister Saira?"


    Saira was the only daughter of uncle Ramu. Just like in Aditya''s family, patriotism ran deep in uncle Ramu''s family as well. Elder sister Saira who was six years older than Aditya had joined a secret Indian intelligence service two years back. But about a year ago, in a crucial classified operation involving the country''s security his elder sister had lost her right hand and had to retire early. Aditya, who had always looked up to his elder sister, also took a blow mentally when he saw the one handed figure of his elder sister that he cried very long holding his elder sister. But his elder sister did not show any despair in her beautiful face but only pride for having successfully accomplished her task for the country as she patted his back comforting him that it''s alright. Aditya had then vowed that he would complete his engineering degree and then develop a prosthetic for his elder sister which would function exactly like a real human hand.


    Since Aditya''s parents went missing, he did not maintain contact with elder sister Saira. In fact, in the last four months, Aditya did not have the will to contact anyone who was not concerned with finding his parents. He had actually changed his mobile number because whenever he got a call, he would immediately start to hope that it was his parents but when it turned to be otherwise he would be acutely disappointed. So to spare himself this regretful feeling he had changed his number which he only gave to his close friends and his uncle.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Uncle Ramu body shook lightly when he heard Aditya''s voice, he looked at Aditya for a while without knowing what to speak, he then forced a smile as he said, "the government has recently started a new rehabilitation program for crippled servicemen and servicewomen, it is said that it is very effective, your elder sister has joined that program and is busy right now."


    Aditya had only asked about his elder sister as a buffer for the main question, so he didn''t even listen properly to his uncle''s reply as he asked with a trembling voice, "Uncle, as there been any news about my parents?" Bhadra and Jatin who were standing at a hearing distance also deeply inspired as they looked at Aditya''s uncle.


    Uncle Ramu looked at Aditya with visible grief on his face as he shook his head. There was no change in Aditya''s expression when he saw this except that if one observed closely, the light in his eyes had dimmed. Aditya had guessed the outcome when he saw his uncle''s mood but when his guess was confirmed it did not lessen his grief in the least.


    Bhadra and Jatin were also sorrowful when they heard that no information was found about their best friend''s parents. The police officer who was called Arjun also looked at Aditya with a complicated expression. It was not a special case when people went missing, but he knew that this case was special.


    Aditya calmed himself down as he put up a smiling face as he said, "Don''t worry uncle, if not now, maybe there will be progress in the coming days. We only have to keep working hard." although Aditya spoke these words as if he was consoling his uncle, they were actually words of comfort for himself. Yes, if his parents were not found today, they just had to work harder. As long as they put enough efforts, his parents would be found.


    But as it is said, "Man proposes, God disposes", uncle Ramu shook his head as he said, " the police department has given up on this case."


    "What!"


    Aditya was shocked when he heard his uncle speak those words. He did not believe them even when he heard the words clearly. Aditya''s mouth opened but no words came out. He couldn''t believe that the uncle in whose lap he had grown playing, the uncle who was the best buddy of his father, who had taken many risks to get his parents married would give up on this case. He really did not know how to respond.


    "What bullshit police department, they can''t even handle a missing person''s case and this man is the commissioner of police of Bangalore city and yet can''t find a meagre two people, they are clearly ineffective and worthless. Aditya, don''t worry, I promise that father''s real estate goons will do a better job than these people, we will find your parents in two days." Bhadra burst out when he heard uncle Ramu''s words. Jatin also looked equally indignant but he did not hurry to remonstrate as he waited for an explanation which he knew there would be, for such an abnormal action.


    Bhadra had been seeing practically how Aditya was suffering day by day. How low one''s morale had to be when the person in question found out he had amazing calculative abilities which included accuracy as well but failed to make a big fuss about it. If it was Aditya of the past before his parents were lost, the first thing he would have done was to show off in front off Anupama to gain her favour and try all kinds of stuff with his abilities. But now Aditya didn''t even have time to think about these actions as he spent all day long thinking about his parents.


    The officer who was named Arjun''s face complexion sank when he heard Bhadra''s words swept his hand as he caught Bhadra by his jersey and pulled him closer, he shouted, "how can we file a case on two missing people who had not existed in the first place?"


    "What did you say?" Aditya whipped his face towards Arjun when he heard those words, "What do you mean by ''not existed''"


    "Arjun..." uncle Ramu tried to say something but was stopped by Arjun as he released Bhadra, "Ramachandra sir, please don''t stop me, what do these kids who stay locked up in this greenhouse know what pressures and humiliations you had to bear to dig up this case."


    Arjun looked at the Aditya who had a perplexed expression on his face as he said," you want facts right, then I will give them straight to you." he took a deep breath before continuing


    "it''s not only your parents who went missing, but the very proofs that they existed have also been erased as well, did not understand? It''s simple, your parent''s Voter ID, their passports were erased. Not only that their birth certificate, educational certificate, bank statement, credit cards, debit cards, tax statements, but their whole property documents including your home, your mother chain of flower bouquet stores have also been erased. Now your family''s whole income and property down to zero. All the bank accounts have vanished and all the immovable property have been placed on auction by various banks under various debtor names. In short, there is no proof that your parents existed at all, so how can you expect the police to file a case."


    Aditya''s mind blasted when he heard Arjun speaking, his whole world turned upside down, he couldn''t utter a few words as stared blankly at Arjun. "My parents didn''t exist?"


    "Ramachandra sir knew of this four months ago, but he wanted to try nonetheless, he even went to the extent to travelling to the capital to ask favours from the director of internal intelligence bureau and also his friends from Central monitoring system. Even your parents'' digital footprints in social media like Facebook, Google and other social media websites also vanished. But still, your uncle had been working ceaselessly for the sake of finding your parents. Due to this, he had also gotten into a dispute with one of his seniors which resulted in him being suspended for a month." Arjun replied with indignity on his face. He had regarded Ramachandra sir as his life''s model but the past four months when he saw his idol fall from grace, he could not suppress his emotions as he burst in front of Aditya.


    "Now you tell me, what kind of a person or organization has such deadly capabilities to perform such a feat and you think it is easy to grab back people from them by using your father''s goons?" Arjun looked at Bhadra and sneered.

 You Are An Orphan

    Time seemed to stop when Aditya heard Arjun''s outburst which revealed too much information for him to process immediately. His breath had stopped along with his brain becoming blank.


    Parents missing


    their identity cards erased


    even their birth certificates were gone


    no evidence of their existence to even file a police case for investigation


    even his home gone along with their property


    even social media.


    Aditya whipped his phone from his pocket and searched for his parent''s accounts in social media. Because he did not want his parents peeking into his social media account where he could actively pursue his love interest, Aditya had not added his parents to his contacts because they were anyway available always, he didn''t find the need to add them. These months he had not paid attention to any social media or relatives so he didn''t know that his parent''s accounts have been deleted.


    When Aditya saw that he could not find his parents accounts any longer, his heart cooled as his fingers trembled. Who could delete accounts from all those powerful media websites who owned hundreds of billions of dollars having high-end network security systems to protect their Encrypted data?


    Who could delete all government records of a person''s existence including even hospital visit records? What kind of terrifying abilities ''those'' people had to have to even transfer all their property like it was peanuts.


    The more Aditya thought the more he felt it was horrifying, how was he going to save his parents when he was not even sure if his parents were alive. Aditya clenched his fists so tightly that his nail almost dug into his flesh. His breathing quickened, eyes reddened and his whole body was faintly trembling with the bombardment of many doubts, fears, thoughts in his fragile young mind.


    Aditya was feeling multiple emotions at the same time, he was confused as he still could not fathom Arjun''s words completely, he felt helpless and despair at his powerlessness to save his parents from such a terrifying ''faceless'' enemy, he felt anger at many things, he was angry at himself for not being able to do anything, he felt angry at the government which was supposed to protect its citizens but could not do so, he felt wrath at this ''unknown'' enemy for taking away his parents. But the main emotion he experienced was that he was worried about his parent''s safety. He immediately wanted to find his parents by whatever means possible.


    " Aditya, you don''t worry, whoever it is, we will save your parents from them, we can definitely..." Bhadra who was more concerned about Aditya''s pain did not fully understand the current scenario and so could utter those words without any fear. Jatin held Bhadra''s hand to stop him from speaking while shaking his head vigorously. Bhadra noticed that Jatin''s hands were covered with cold sweat which startled him. Jatin who was more cool-headed and broad-minded could actually understand the fearfulness of these people.


    Aditya seemed to have not heard Bhadra''s words or Jatin''s actions when he raised his head to look at Arjun as he asked the question, "if my parents don''t exist in government records anymore then who am I?"


    Arjun looked at his superior, who had lowered his head and became still like a statue, for a second before deciding to say, "according to the records in official records, you are an orphan right now, abandoned by his parents when you were young."


    "Orphan?" Aditya slowly muttered as Bhadra and Jatin were also stunned when they heard these words. He remembered his mother''s beautiful face which inspired calmness in his mind whenever he looked at her. He remembered his father''s diligent face when he would work overnight while Aditya slept on his lap. It was like something had cracked in his inner world and burning hot viscous lava flowed out when Aditya these words. He suddenly did not feel fear or restlessness anymore, what will happen at the most, he will die, isn''t it? His mother used to tell stories that when people die, they would come back in the form of inanimate objects or animals or if you have very good karma, you could even be born as a human. So, what was dying once considered as? Since ''they'' made him into an orphan, he swore that he would make them ''history''.


    Aditya turned to look at his poor uncle who had suffered a lot to try to find his parents, Aditya smiled as he sat beside his uncle with his head resting on his shoulder. He said, "it must have been tough on you, uncle, I don''t blame you, don''t worry, no matter what we will find mother and father."


    Uncle Ramu who had been silent all along suddenly broke into tears as his body trembled as he hugged Aditya tightly. He said with his shaking voice, "No matter what, I have treated you as my own son since I had no son of my own, so promise me that you will concentrate on your studies and that you won''t act recklessly, you still have me and your Saira elder sister, you have to remember this at all times. I will take care of you, you don''t have to worry about anything else, alright?"


    Tears rolled down Aditya''s cheeks as he heard his uncle''s words, his uncle seemed to have figured out he had sprouted a death will just now. Aditya patted his uncle''s back as he nodded repeatedly.


    Bhadra, Jatin and Arjun had turned away and waited in a distance as they knew, Aditya and his uncle needed some privacy right now to talk about some personal matters.


    When uncle Ramu calmed himself down, he smiled and said to Aditya, "you have grown tall again from the last four months, you seem to be on a hormone rage, you have also become more handsome, I think all the girls in the college are falling head over heels for you." as he rubbed Aditya''s head.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Aditya smiled and did not reply. Aditya knew where his uncle got this idea from. Actually, when he was in a different school in his 10th grade, he had gotten himself involved in many romantic skirmishes with his classmates though he never crossed the last line, which had always brought him troubles with the girl''s parents. It was always uncle Ramu who had to pretend to be his father and get scolded by the other party''s parents. They had successfully covered this matter without his father knowing because Aditya knew that if his father ever found out this matter, the record of not getting hit by his father even once would be broken. If Aditya didn''t meet Anupama and decided to seriously pursue her, he would have most probably continued this trend of playing around.


    Uncle Ramu became solemn after some small talk as he took his phone and showed a picture to Aditya which surprised him. It was a picture of a blond teenage kid of around Aditya''s age taking a selfie with his, Aditya''s, parents. His father looked solemn wearing formal clothes whereas his mother was wearing western office lady clothes and looked really cheerful as she winked at the camera with her left making a ''v'' sign (victory symbol). They were words above this photo which looked like it was cropped from a Facebook post, "Had a wonderful flight from Paris, met an amazing couple from India"


    "When was this taken?" Aditya asked excitedly when he saw his parents being alright, he felt like a huge weight had been removed from his shoulders.


    "A week after your parents went missing." came the reply


    "Where was this taken?"


    "Heathrow Airport, London"


    "how did you find this photo, was this from this boy''s social media profile," Aditya asked


    "No, you do know that your sister had participated in many missions that were conducted in collaboration with other country''s special intelligence agencies, right?"


    Aditya nodded


    "it was your sister who got into contact with a friend from Mossad who had used its contacts from Britain to get this picture from ''Mastering The Internet''(MTI)."


    "Mastering the Internet (MTI)?"


    "it is a clandestine mass surveillance program led by British communications intelligence Agency ''Government Communications Headquarters'' it gathers "raw" information (without filtering out the communications of British citizens), so all the information on social media is also automatically stored by them for future reference."


    The Facebook account of this boy who had posted this picture was hacked in just two minutes and all his profile and information was deleted. Luckily this photo survived in the database of MTI which was retrieved by your sister manually without accessing the internet.


    Aditya deeply inspired when he heard this news, he had got two very crucial news from this, one, he was made susceptible to the fearfulness of these people when he heard that in just two minutes the kid posted the picture, even if he didn''t tag his parent''s accounts or even mention their names, yet they were able to find the picture and delete the account of the boy. wouldn''t it take a highly advanced facial recognition software program which worked at an unbelievable speed which was faster than contemporary supercomputers to achieve that? He was once again reminded of the difficulty of his task.


    Two, this was good news, when anyone saw his mother''s posture and gesture, they would not find anything special or vital but Aditya knew what that action meant and it really made him almost shed tears again. Now he knew where to start, he was not clueless anymore. But he did not express his thoughts even to his uncle. He knew that his uncle did not want him to enter these muddy waters and wanted him to concentrate on his studies, build a successful career and live a happy life, but he knew he couldn''t do that. His uncle was right in his way of thinking and Aditya was right in his way. The difference lied in ''point of view''.


    Also now Aditya was not a commoner any longer, at least from the last two weeks, his memory and calculative skills had grown exponentially. He was sure that if he could apply his enhanced mental abilities in the right way, he would stand a better chance of saving his parents.


    Now that his parents had been alright after a week of missing, it showed clearly that ''those'' people didn''t want to kill them as it would have been too easy for them to do and this much hassle was not needed. All Aditya had to do was start searching for bread crumbs which would lead him to them.


    "Actually Saira had also brought news of the organization which could have done this, at least she said that this organization has the capability to perform such a feat." Uncle Ramu hesitated a little before speaking to Aditya. He wanted to give some hope to Aditya as he feared Aditya would just charge recklessly trying to probe their roots which would be only like smashing an egg on a rock.


    Aditya jolted when he heard that his elder sister had news of ''these'' people as he grabbed his uncle''s hands and asked, "Who is it, uncle? You say it is an organization, where is it?"


    "Shadow Organization" his uncle spoke a few words


    Aditya didn''t show much expression when he heard the name because he felt it was very pale.


    His uncle saw his expression and guessed his thoughts as he smiled bitterly and said, "If you think this is the name of the organization, then you are mistaken, this was the name given by the top intelligence agencies of the world when they could not find out the real name of this organization."


    "What!" Aditya was shocked when he heard this, the top intelligence agencies could not even find out the name of this organization?


    Uncle Ramu nodded, "Your elder sister also said that, though this organization is very powerful, it has not only never committed ''over the top'' atrocities, on the other hand, it has also cooperated with many top countries including ours in many fields like medicine."


    "What kind of cooperation?" Aditya felt dubious when he heard, how could an organization stand on an equal footing with top countries and negotiate with them?


    "I know you wouldn''t believe or understand this, you only need to know this organization had given away the cure for Alzheimer''s disease for free without expecting any payment. Also the rehabilitation program your elder sister is attending was also possible due to acquiring the necessary technology from the organization." Uncle Ramu patiently explained.


    "By the looks of it, this organization should not take away my parents." Aditya doubted whether the ones who took away his parents and this organization were one and the same.


    Uncle Ramu shook his head as he replied, "That is why, your elder sister said that, this organization has the capability to do such a thing but its not for sure whether they were the guilty party."


    Aditya nodded as he understood, taken the multiple complexities surrounding his parents missing, how could it be possible to pinpoint the culprit? But one thing he could feel a bit relaxed about was that at least his parents seemed to be unharmed for now. He had gained precious time which was the most important commodity, there was no time to lose.

 Knife in the Dark

    "Sudama who was very poor was persuaded by his wife to go to his friend Krishna who was a king to ask for some help to relieve him of his poverty. Even though when Sudama had not asked for help when he visited Krishna, by the time he reached home, he found his home packed with rich gifts sent by Lord Krishna. Did you understand the moral of this story?"


    A 10-year-old Aditya slept with his head on his mother''s lap as he heard his mother narrating a short story. His mother was applying organic natural henna on his small hand in the shape of circles. Aditya always protested when his mother applied this green paste-like substance on his hand because he felt that only girls had their hands dyed, his friends would always mock him when he showed in school with his hands dyed in dark red designs.


    His mother would still insist on applying as she justified that this natural henna would absorb the residual heat from his body keeping him cool and refreshed, but Aditya had found out the real reason when he was nine, his father had also objected when he saw his son complaining, his mother had only told since she had no daughter she had to fulfil her desires of raising a daughter on Aditya itself. Any way after Aditya grew, it would not be possible.


    Only then Aditya knew that why his mother would make him wear some girl dresses when he was younger and even took pictures of him.


    Aditya could only resign himself to this ''maltreatment'' as he said, "Ma, just like Krishna helped his friends who were poor, I should also help my friends when they have problems." Aditya''s mother nodded her head appreciatively as she also added, "you have to remember that just like Sudama, not all your friends would ask for your assistance straight away as they will have their difficulties but you have to always be conscious of their lives so that you can act accordingly. Also even if your friend''s are experiencing problems, if they do not approach you, you have to let them try to overcome their own problems by themselves, only if absolutely necessary should you intervene. Because you have to know that God gifts problems to those he wished to make stronger."


    A soothing evening breeze woke up Aditya from his memories as he saw the sky was darkening, there was an amber glow in the west. The sounds of crickets chirping, the dusky colours subdued in the fading light caused Aditya who had a burden relieved from his mind to indulge in some past beautiful memories. His uncle had left already after advising Aditya repeatedly to concentrate on his studies and to take care of his health. Aditya had not told his uncle about his sleeping problem yet as he thought it wasn''t a big deal and did not want to trouble his uncle with new issues.


    It was almost time for his sleep cycle to start. Though he could control himself for about an hour, it would become harder after that so much so that he had once fallen asleep while playing chess with Jatin in the dormitory. His friends were worried that he had fainted until they heard his snores. From then he had made a point to just sleep on time to avoid such embarrassment.


    But today Aditya did not really have the mood to calmly accept his excessive sleeping condition. He wanted to resist this condition, he did not want himself to spend 14 hours of every day sleeping as the most basic requirement he needed if he wanted to save his parents was time. As long as he could plan his time effectively, he had hope, but if he could not even be awake, how could he expect to save his parents from their predicament.


    He had also found that the medicines given by that old neurologist were not working in the least as his sleep had not reduced even by a few minutes. Maybe his special condition needed special treatment. Aditya''s eyes showed his commitment and resolution as he stiffened himself. He had to think of a way quickly which could cure him.


    Jatin took out a menthol chewing gum as he could not smoke in school, especially in front of the visitor''s pavilion which was just beside the main administrative building. He offered the gum to Bhadra who rejected it while his brows were pressed together.


    Jatin looked at the worried look of his friend and sighed, the matter about Aditya had just taken an unimaginable turn. They were as helpless as anyone when faced with such a situation. It''s not like how you solve your school level conflicts through street fights and hockey sticks. Also, Jatin really didn''t know how Aditya felt due to his parents'' missing. Because frankly with how his father treated him, he would not be so concerned if his father suddenly went missing as long as he left him some money.


    Since his mother had died to an illness ten years back when was six, his father had changed drastically. Since then Jatin had become a decoration at home which consumed money every month, nothing more. No calls, no greeting, no gifts, sometimes Jatin wondered if his father had forgotten that he had a son. The only thing which bound him to his father was his credit and debit cards which were looked after by his father''s secretary. So Jatin had a hard time placing himself in Aditya''s shoes. He had met Aditya''s parents before and he also liked them very much. Especially Aditya''s mother made Jatin imagine that maybe if his mother was still alive, she would also have treated him in the same manner as Aditya''s mother treated him.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Aditya''s parents made Jatin feel at home and he experienced a new feeling, a sense of belonging. So Jatin also wanted to help Aditya if he could in any way. But he knew that what he could do was minimum right now, so he could only follow Aditya''s lead and see what happens.


    "Heard that bastard Kim bought a red Porsche 911 Carrera GTS ?" Jatin started to gossip to divert Bhadra.


    Bhadra nodded absentmindedly as he said, "Yes, it is said that it was the last piece in the Bangalore showroom this season, if anyone wants to buy, they have to wait three months again."


    "isn''t his father a senior executive in Hyundai manufacturing centre, Chennai, he should have bought a Hyundai car," Jatin asked jokingly as he chewed the gum vigorously to control his urge to pull out a Cigaronne.


    "You think you could trap a gold digger like Su while just driving a Hyundai," Bhadra smirked at Jatin. Jatin shrugged as he continued to talk about other irrelevant issues.


    Actually, Jatin himself was a certified playboy. He had lost his virginity when he was fourteen with his female tutor. Since then, he had been changing girlfriends like clothes, which was despised by Bhadra deeply. Mainly Kavya disliked Jatin very much as she feared that Bhadra would come under the bad influence of Jatin.


    On Jatin''s defence, he never touched a girl if he felt that the girl was taking their relationship seriously, but he would escape and never contact that girl again. He also never touched his classmates and his close friends and when Aditya asked him about it he would say righteously, "a rabbit doesn''t eat grass near its hole." Jatin maintained this clarity of thought that he wanted only physical connection or bond but not an emotional one.


    Bhadra, on the other hand, was just an innocent teenager who did not have any thoughts on womanizing. Even Kavya herself had pursued Bhadra to make her his girlfriend otherwise Jatin was pretty sure Bhadra would have been perfectly contented with roaming around with his friends, eating tasty food, spending most of his time playing games, be it outdoor or indoor. Jatin thought that maybe Bhadra when he was around 25 years, he would suddenly realize that it would be cool to have a female companion and then he would just marry a girl arranged by his parents and continue his contented life.


    Bhadra did not have any extravagant demands from his life. He had a very simple outlook of his life. Though this kind of mentality destined Bhadra to live a simple living all his life, it also made all the people around him feel relieved and happy. Because sometimes people fail to observe that when they are looking for a very competent life partner, a competent life partner would also expect him/her to be equally competent which indirectly makes one life stressful and difficult unless you have the same temperament.


    Jatin praised Kavya for her foresight in catching Bhadra early as with the eyesight Jatin had trained dating multiple girls, he knew that Kavya was an ''achiever'' who will not sleep until she has a huge ''larger than life'' achievement under her name. She knew what she wanted and selected Bhadra as her ideal partner which was a pretty good feat in itself.


    Actually, Bhadra did not know how to respond when Kavya approached him but Kavya doesn''t know that it was Jatin who had urged Bhadra to take her because Jatin knew that Kavya was a mother hen candidate. Though Bhadra was destined to be a hen-pecked husband in the future due to his pure mentality, Jatin knew that Kavya would also protect Bhadra from being bullied or cheated in the future, so that''s how Bhadra ended up with Kavya.


    "Don''t you think it has already too late, shouldn''t Aditya sleep at this time usually, you think that fellow slept on the bench itself." Bhadra broke Jatin''s chain of thought as he looked at his metallic black ''Fossil Group'' watch.


    Jatin also nodded, as he also felt it was already late as the sky had already darkened and the street lights over there heads also were illuminated brightly. Just as they were planning to check on Aditya, the street lights blasted out causing many crackling sounds and sparks, the lights in visitor''s pavilion also went out enveloping this part of the are in partial darkness as the sky was still a mild amber colour.


    Cries of surprise and fear were heard in the building due to the street light bulbs exploding. Bhadra and Jatin looked at each other in darkness before running towards the other side of the building where Aditya was present. When they saw the lying motionless form of Aditya on the lawn in darkness, they were shocked. Bhadra immediately bent down to touch Aditya''s neck place where the carotid artery was present to check for a pulse as they learned in ''Activity'' class.


    Bhadra let out a sigh of relief as he saw that the pulse was present. He lifted Aditya by supporting his neck while Jatin also helped by carrying his other arm. Due to Aditya''s thin physique, it was pretty easy to hoist him up.


    Aditya slowly opened his eyes as he muttered, "Pond, electricity, don''t..." before fainting again. When the lights came back in the visitor''s pavilion, the school security guards came running. The school guard captain saw Bhadra supporting Aditya, so he came towards them, "What happened to him?"


    Jatin came forward as he repeated Aditya''s words which caused the security guard captain to frown as he instructed to get the school electrician to check whether the pond was electrified. He also advised rushing Aditya towards the school clinic for first aid.


    Even if Aditya had done something bad, it could wait until his treatment. Bhadra nodded as he left with Jatin carrying Aditya under the gaze of many people. They did not notice that a person was standing at the back of those visitors watching the figure of Aditya with killing intent flickering in his eyes, he turned and left along with the rattled crowd, unnoticed by anyone who had taken him as a disturbed visitor.

 Tya

    "Demon"


    "Demon"


    A cute baby voice woke up Aditya. He felt that he had slept for a very long time. Aditya felt a small soft hand touching his face which jolted him awake as he sat upright. But the scene which appeared before him assured Aditya that he was dreaming.


    This was how Aditya would have expected his dream world to be, spherical bodies made of myriad bodies were moving in front of him as he was suspended in space which was like a dark void. Aditya would have thought that he was ejected by someone into space had he not seen that these spherical bodies were unlike planets.


    They felt as if they were condensed forms of colourful energy. Speaking of colours, Aditya finally knew what is meant by ''Myriad colours''. Every colour you could imagine was present in this world. This world was not static but in motion as all the spheres moved in some predetermined path.


    Fiery red energy balls, emerald, purple, sapphire, brilliant orange, you ask for it, it was as if they were flames but Aditya did not feel any heat.


    But the main shock came when he saw that these spheres did not maintain their spherical shape but some of them transformed into colourful waves which felt like fog to Aditya, these waves moved like the wind in the distant sky.


    He was bewildered when he saw that these colourful fog was again condensing into small spheres which grew in size with time. It was a cyclical process, spheres to fog, fog to spheres. Aditya tried to inhale some fog, surprisingly Aditya felt that he could inhale the fog, the fog felt cool and greatly soothed his anxious mind. He felt stronger when he inhaled the fog which encouraged him to continue this process until¡­


    "Demon, what are you doing?" a curious baby face of a five-year-old male boy appeared before Aditya which almost scared the hell out of Aditya. A rare high pitch shriek was surprisingly produced by Aditya in his fright.


    Wasn''t this supposed to be a colourful dream? Who is this baby ghost? It was no wonder Aditya was scared as anyone would be scared at looking at the cutest baby face you have seen, except that the lower half of his body was just plain colourful smoke.


    The funny part was that a baby shriek of a higher pitch followed Aditya''s scream as that ''baby ghost'' disappeared in front of Aditya and appeared at a distance with fear apparent on its adorable face.


    Aditya had to agree that the baby was cute even in his fright with its round adorable face, big eyes, chubby cheeks. The innocence and purity which showed in the boy''s eyes made Aditya forget his fear for a moment and calm down. He could also feel that the ''baby ghost'' was also frightened of him which emboldened him a little.


    "Hey kid, come here." Aditya beckoned with his hand, he had basically determined that this was a dream, so he didn''t care much about his safety.


    The ''Baby ghost'' slightly recovered from its fear as he looked back and forth as if he was searching for something, he turned and asked Aditya, "What is a kid?"


    It was Aditya''s turn to be dumbfounded, "What is a kid?" he did not know how to respond. He recovered his composure and said, "what I meant was you, you come here first." Aditya felt that this ''baby ghost'' was not harmful and dangerous anymore.


    The ''baby ghost'' looked like it possessed the curiosity and the courage of a kid as well, he had already forgotten that he had been scared of Aditya right now and so he came near Aditya.


    Aditya took a close look at the baby ghost, only now did he find out the skin of the kid also possessed the same illusory kind of feeling as those spheres of energy rotating and revolving around him.


    Aditya suddenly felt pity for the kid as he thought this ''baby ghost'' was lonely in this big world with no one to accompany him.


    "Is there anyone else present here with you?" Aditya asked the kid with a tone as kindly as he could manage. The kid also seemed to relax around Aditya as he nodded.


    Aditya was shocked as he looked around to find another father or mother ghost but didn''t find any, so he turned towards the kid as he asked cautiously, "Where are the other ones?" he was not sure that the other inhabitants might be as friendly as this ''baby ghost''.


    The kid looked a little puzzled as he blinked his wide eyes and replied innocently, "Demon, aren''t you here present with me?"


    Aditya rolled his eyes as he said, "I meant that other than you and me, wait what did you call me just now?"


    "Demon"


    "Why am I a demon?" Aditya asked bewilderingly.


    The baby ghost looked at the shocked face of Aditya as he replied, "because you absorbed my energy."


    Aditya was puzzled as he asked, "I absorbed your energy?"


    the cute kid nodded with a wronged feeling on his face. Aditya racked his brains when had he absorbed this kids energy, he remembered that he had inhaled a little of the colourful fog when he woke up. So, he put an apologetic expression as he said, "I didn''t know when I woke up that the colourful fog was your energy, also I only inhaled a little, I won''t do so again, sorry."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    the ''baby ghost'' shook his head again as he said, "I was not talking about that, you having being absorbing my energy for two weeks, you did not stop even when I pleaded you. Although I thought that you couldn''t hear my words at that time"


    Aditya''s mind exploded when he heard these words, he was absorbing these kid''s energy from two weeks, wait, isn''t it the exact time he had started sleeping for 14 hrs a day, was it a coincidence? Wait, a more urgent question sprang in his mind.


    "Isn''t this a dream?" Aditya asked aloud though he was not sure what answer to expect.


    The kid tilted his head a little as he asked curiously, "What is a dream?"


    Aditya rolled his eyes when he heard the kid ask back, how could he know the exact nature of a dream, maybe Anupama who studies psychology would be able to answer accurately or that beautiful elder sister Hamsa who performed his sleep test (polysomnography) could answer even better. He racked his brain before answering vaguely," You know, when we sleep, you end up in some places without knowing how you came there, its just a figment of our imagination."


    the kid held his small chin with his delicate hand like a great thinker before replying, "Your body is really sleeping, so you can reckon this as a dream but this is not your imagination because I know that I am real."


    Aditya doubted the ''baby ghost''s words as he thought, what kind of a dream character would admit that he was just a figment of your imagination? No one of course. So he kept this question aside for another question.


    "Who are you?"


    "Who am I?" the kid once again repeated his ''great thinker''s pose as he thought for sometime before replying with a counter question, "Who are you?"


    "Me? Am Aditya"


    then the kid also replied, "I am also Aditya."


    Aditya was irritated when he heard this, he said angrily. "I am Aditya, you are not Aditya."


    the kid showed fear at Aditya''s irritation as he asked, "Then who am I?"


    "How would I know who are you?"


    "Then I am Aditya."


    "..."


    Aditya skipped to his next question, "what is your age?" he did not want to ask harsh questions like. "What are you? How were you formed? Are you alive or a ghost?"


    After a round of counter questions which made Aditya feel like he was in an Advanced Physics exam like what is age? What is a ''year''? What is ''time''? How do you experience Time? The baby ghost replied, "I don''t know my age."


    The kid''s counter questions were really starting to tick Aditya off but his answers were the least satisfying which made Aditya give up talking altogether. He sat calmly observing his surroundings and hoping that it was a dream and that it would end quickly.


    But the baby ghost looked like he was not done with Aditya yet as he asked like a curious kitten, "What is your Age?"


    "16 years"


    "Oh, Why did you absorb my energy previously?"


    "I didn''t know that it was your energy." Aditya didn''t care what he was answering as long he could stop the kid from asking more questions. He directly admitted that he was guilty.


    "Okay, please don''t absorb any more of my energy okay, I have a very important reason to live, I can''t afford to lose my energy otherwise I would disappear."


    Aditya was interested as he asked, "What is that important reason?" just when he thought the conversation was going somewhere, the answer put Aditya back in his place.


    "I forgot, but I know it is a very important reason, like a very very important reason." came an innocent reply.


    "you are called Aditya right?"


    "Yes, my friends call me Adi."


    "Who are friends?"


    "..."


    the kid looked dissatisfied with Aditya''s silence as he pouted and folded his hands which raised the scale of cuteness to unimaginable levels which could melt even the most hardcore cold-blooded military personnel let alone small teenager like Aditya. He couldn''t hold back his smile when he looked at this endearing kid. When the baby ghost saw that Aditya was smiling, he immediately asked


    "So who is a friend?"


    "Friend is someone who feels happy when he is with you and will share both your joy and sorrow."


    "I feel happy when I am with you, I have also shared my energy with you, does that make me your friend?"


    Aditya thought back when he felt this kid was lonely and pitiful, he nodded and replied, "yup."


    The baby ghost felt elated when he heard this reply, he hovered all over this ''dreamworld'' and revolved around Aditya as he shouted excitedly, "I have a friend yippie."


    Aditya smiled when he saw the pure happiness radiating from this kid, he also felt a strange intimacy with this kid, which baffled him.


    The kid appeared before Aditya animatedly as he asked, "Your friends call you Adi, so will you also call me Adi as my name is also Aditya?"


    Aditya touched his head when he heard this baby ghost repeating that his name is also Aditya, he thought for a while and said, "As I am called Adi, I will call you ''Tya'', so together we could be called Aditya." As long as this baby ghost was not called with the same name as his, he felt it was fine. He didn''t think much into it as anyway it was just a dream.


    The baby ghost ''Tya'' liked its name very much as he once again danced around the world. While watching this scene of the dream world, Aditya felt his body becoming more and blurrier. He took it as waking up from his dream world. He felt that it was a pity he could not meet again such an adorable kid who asked the most irritating questions. He smiled as he vanished. It was such a weird dream.


    "Aditya is fine, his vital signs are all stable, as you have heard the attending physician''s words, why are you sitting here instead of going back to your dormitories." A mature female''s voice could be heard berating someone.


    Aditya heard Bhadra speak up, "We will only go when we see Adi wake up, please don''t mind us, if you could allow us to stay here overnight, I will have my father donate ? 200,000 (around $3000) for upgrading the school clinic."


    Aditya smiled bitterly inside when he heard Bhadra''s words, though usually, Bhadra did not put up a facade of the ''rich young master'', he was still very much the part of the high level of society in his characteristics that tried to solve most of the problems with money and surprisingly they worked actually.


    "Young Master Bhadra, you don''t have to do it, but it is very kind of you to think about our school clinic. You can stay here and if there is any problem, feel free to wake me up, I suggest you rest in the couch as it is already late." the voice drifted away as the sounds of closing the door was heard.


    "You haven''t lost the habit of burning your father''s money." the teasing sound of Jatin was heard.


    "It''s much better than spending on call girls¡­." before Bhadra could continue he was shocked to see Aditya wide awake and looking at them.


    "Adi"


    "Adi"


    "How are you? Are you feeling hurt somewhere?"


    "Nurse, come here immediately, Adi''s awake."


    these two fellows were very poor in being cool-headed in such situations but the messier they sounded, the warmer Aditya''s heart became as he smiled at them.


    He thought back to ''Tya'' of the dream world as he thought if he could show his friends now to him to explain how friends care for each other.


    "Adi, are they your friends?" a cute voice of child spoke in Aditya''s mind.


    "Yes." Aditya thought instinctively until


    "What the..."

 Tyas Life Experience

    Is this your world?


    "What happened Adi?", Bhadra asked with concern when he saw Aditya exclaim, he thought Aditya was hurt.


    Of course, Aditya would lose his composure when he heard Tya''s voice, although it sounded adorable, it was no different than a horror genre film experience for Aditya. It was more realistic and frightening.


    When Bhadra saw that Aditya was not replying, he grew more distressed as he shouted loudly, calling the school nurse. Jatin had already run towards her office.


    When the nurse came running when she heard the shouts, she saw Aditya was conscious but looked worse than when he was sleeping. He was sweating all over so much so that he looked like he was drenched in cold water. His fingers were also slightly trembling as he sat upright. Though his eyes were open, one could see he was not mindful of his surroundings.


    Aditya looked at his friends and the nurse and calmed down for a bit, maybe it was just a hallucination, an aftermath effect of the accident. But just then shattering Aditya''s last hope,


    "Why are you reacting like this? Are you facing some trouble? Why don''t you tell me what are you scared of? I might be able to help you." Tya assured Aditya in his characteristic delightful voice.


    Even in his fright, Aditya couldn''t help roll his eyes and retort ''no shit'' when he heard these words. But surprisingly Tya''s words calmed down Aditya as he thought, well at least it''s better hearing this voice than that high pitch, an icy voice of ghosts in films which feel like iron nails are been dragged over a rock surface.


    Aditya looked at Bhadra and others, he noted that the nurse was checking his pulse which had started coming back to normal quickly. He nodded towards Bhadra while he spoke to the nurse, "Nurse, am alright, I feel tired, can I go to my room to get some rest."


    the nurse was not satisfied at all, just now Bhadra had promised a big donation for her cough, cough¡­ she meant, for the clinic, if Aditya went back to his room, wouldn''t it be a waste, so she adamantly opposed Aditya''s discharge on the basis that he was showing signs of post-traumatic stress syndrome and that he had to stay in the clinic for further check-up and observation.


    Only when Bhadra guaranteed that the donation would not change that Aditya was allowed to go back to his room. It was 11:00 in the night, Aditya had been unconscious for more than 4 hours, he did not feel unwell or sleepy actually, on the other hand, he felt very energetic which was a favourable departure from his condition from two weeks ago.


    But right what Aditya was more concerned was not what happened to his body but what was happening to his mind, so he bid Bhadra and Jatin good night and told them that he would explain what happened to him the next day as he walked to his room. Bhadra reminded Aditya that though the incident did not result in any injuries other than Aditya''s case, many students and their parents were shaken psychologically and mentally, so Aditya might be in a bit of trouble if he couldn''t come up with a reasonable explanation. He also told Aditya that the pond was checked but, no signs of electrocution were found.


    Aditya was surprised at this news but had no mind to pay attention to this as he had a more pressing issue to deal with right now. So he unlocked his room and locked it from the inside securely as sat on his bed.


    "Wow, I like your world, it is so different from mine, but I feel that I have seen this world somewhere but I forgot where I have seen," Tya spoke without any concern.


    Aditya cursed inside as he heard Tya''s words, this ghost really forgets a lot of things. He calmed himself down as he spoke to Tya in his mind by means of thoughts, "Tya, we have to get some things clear first, you have to answer all my question honestly and as detailed as possible, okay?"


    "mmhm..." Tya replied Aditya could already imagine his round face nodding while it wobbled. Aditya took a deep breath as he prepared to be disappointed as he started asking questions.


    "Who are you?"


    "Tya"


    "before that"


    "I don''t remember" (Aditya almost face-palmed himself)


    "what do you remember? I want all the information."


    "Hmm, let me think" (Aditya could imagine Tya performing the ''great thinker'' pose)


    "I have been like this since I can remember."


    "What did you do when you had not met me?"


    "I studied."


    "Studied? What did you study?" Aditya sat upright when he thought he was getting somewhere.


    "Everything."


    "What is ''everything''? I want explanations"


    "Everything means everything? I left nothing unstudied." (this time Aditya face-palmed himself)This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Aditya thought hard back to his conversation with Tya to find some clues. His face lit as he asked, "when I first met you, you said that I absorbed your energy for two weeks, how did you know what a week means?"


    "Hmm, let me think" (great thinker pose)


    "Yes, I remember, I learned some new knowledge some time ago, so I knew what a week meant?"


    "When did you learn this new knowledge?", Aditya asked.


    "two weeks ago."


    Countless swear words almost escaped Aditya''s mouth, but he forcefully suppressed them. This Q&A session was really testing on his nerves.


    Wait, Aditya thought back to his sleeping problem which started 14 days ago. Previously he did not connect these two events, but now if he could not see the coincidences then he was not Aditya.


    Two weeks ago, he had started experiencing a long duration of sleep accompanied by increasing mental abilities like calculative skills and memory skills. Tya had said that it had learned new knowledge two weeks ago and that he was a demon as he had absorbed its energy. Doesn''t that point out to the theory that he had developed his mental faculties by absorbing Tya''s energy?


    Aditya took a deep breath as he asked, "Tya since you said that you have learned some new knowledge, can you describe your experience to the best of your abilities."


    "Hmm, let me think, I was alone in my world, I did not remember why I existed the way I was, I only knew that I had to survive for I have a very important purpose of existence, but I can''t remember what the purpose was, the world I live in is very lonely, sometimes I questioned my very existence and thought maybe it was better to ''not exist'' but my purpose kept me continuing to exist. In your language, I may have existed at least for millions of years or so I felt, I am not sure."


    Aditya''s anger had long disappeared as his eyes reddened when he heard Tya''s life experience. What kind of a painful life it was to be lonely for a countless number of years, so long that you forget who you are or why you exist? But still, you have to exist for a purpose which you have long forgotten. He could not fathom what kind of pain Tya had experienced.


    "So, how did you manage to survive?" Aditya softly asked. He had gained a lot of awe and respect for Tya.


    "I studied, I learned that as long as I am concentrated on anything I could escape the pain of being alone, so I would observe every part of my world again and again until I start observing another object. I never stopped observing and the studying process." Tya replied as though it was not a big deal but these words sent waves in Aditya''s heart.


    Aditya was shocked at the method used by Tya, even humans when they were totally concentrated on one thing they liked, they tend to forget the passing of time and be surprised when they find them so much time had passed. Even Aditya had that experience especially when he was learning car mechanics due to his passion for cars. But spending a few hours without knowing the passing of time and spending many years are totally different concepts.


    The only parallel that Aditya could think of was those sages of ancient who were immortal would just sit and do tapas (spiritual discipline) for many years so much so that anthills would form around and cover them. His mother would narrate their stories to Aditya when he was young as she explained that it was possible to be concentrated on one thing for very long. Of course, she had told these stories to encourage Aditya to study as he did not like sitting in front of books and studying for a long duration when he was a kid.


    Aditya knew that he could not take Tya''s words as true blindly but he trusted Tya wholeheartedly for some unknown reason. The trust felt between Aditya and Tya was mutual. Tya trusted Aditya blindly but Aditya also believed Tya. This was really marvellous when you observe the fact that they had met just a few hours ago.


    "So, how did you come in contact with me?" Aditya asked with interest, his immature heart and young mind showed its flexibility, this fact could be proved by Aditya''s quick acceptance of the fact that he was hearing words inside his head and he took it as real without much deliberation.


    "When I was studying a special structure for a very long time, I felt some kind of connection with the black space, so I trusted my instincts and dived into the black space, it was like an abyss. After that, I found that I ended up here. Even now I don''t know where is here? Then, I felt some form of a bond formation with you which automatically started transferring my energy to you. I tried to stop it but couldn''t, I tried to contact you but failed. If the energy transfer had not stopped today, I think I would have disappeared in another 4 weeks." Tya spoke as if it is matter-of-fact, no fear could be felt from him as if he didn''t mind transferring its energy to Aditya.


    Aditya was shocked when he heard these words, now he could confirm that his super abilities had come from Tya. He also knew that if today''s accident didn''t happen, Tya would have disappeared in another four weeks. Aditya''s mind did not even think of the possibilities of more superpowers if he could continue the energy transfer for four more weeks, but rather he felt glad that Tya didn''t disappear. How could he expect to gain power based on the death of such a pure individual?


    "I am sorry that I absorbed your energy, is there any way you could take back your energy, I didn''t know that it was your energy that gave me these abilities the last few days. But could you lend me your energy for sometime after which you could take it back" Aditya apologized without any obstruction. But Aditya was not a hypocrite who would speak morals like ''take your energy back now'' because he knew that his parents'' rescue currently depended on these powers, so he would not agree if Tya wanted the power back immediately.


    "No, I can sense that the energy has been completely absorbed by you and became a part of you, also as long as I am present in this world, the energy would be accumulated again. Also, I am greatly thankful that you stopped absorbing my energy after two weeks, otherwise the consequence for me would have been dire. I am already thankful that you are not taking my energy anymore." Tya replied cheerfully


    Aditya blushed with shame when he heard Tya thanking him, when did he ever know of Tya''s existence to even do anything about that energy transfer. But he still did not correct it because it was better for Tya to feel grateful to him rather than wrathful. He asked, "How did the energy transfer stop, can you explain from your perspective?"


    "Sure, I felt blue energy spheres bombarding the energy transfer bond between you and me causing it to break," Tya replied with excitement.


    Aditya was now sure that the electric shock he suffered somehow stopped this process and saved Tya. He further asked, "Then how are you able to communicate with me now?" this was the most pressing question for him.


    "Even though you have completely absorbed my energy and made it yours, it still was a part of me. So, in a sense you have absorbed a part of me which created a new bond between us through which we can communicate, this new bond was also possible through those blue energy charged spheres. So the scenario where I would be totally absorbed into you and become a part of you has changed into where both of us exist independently but are connected irrevocably." Tya cutely explained with a smile ignorant of the fact that giant waves arose in Aditya''s heart.

 I Like Your World

    Aditya was feeling a multitude of emotions right now, how could someone adapt to the fact that he was speaking to some ''unknown'' entity with his mind right now, he was not sure if Tya was in his mind or consciousness or just physically present in some part of his brain. All he was sure of was that at least this entity did not seem bad or harmful but felt intimate and safe.


    As Aditya was slowly adapting to this fact, Tya seemed to have no intention to give Aditya the required time as he asked, "Adi, is this your world? I like it, it is so different than mine."


    Aditya rubbed his forehead with his fingers as he said, "it is not ''my world'' as such but the world of which I am a part of."


    "Can you explain about your world to me? I have already known everything there is to know in my world, as your world is so different than mine, it will be very interesting to learn, right?" Tya did not seem to stop anytime soon. Aditya was really trying hard to not imagine his future where he would be stuck conversing with Tya answering his infinite queries.


    Aditya asked with hope in his eyes, "Tya, can I block the connection between us and each of us could go our own ways." he really wanted to get this over. He had no time to think about love let alone babysitting. He had to think about his next plan of action. Aditya had figured out that staying in this school was not going to get him any closer to his parents. He was thinking maybe he had to go to the city and start from there.


    Now that he had this super memory, he did not need to worry about his studies and exams every day. He had to employ his skills in a more productive manner. But of course Tya''s answer crashed his hope into an abyss, "I don''t think it is possible Adi, otherwise I would have cut this bond when you were absorbing my energy in the past. Also don''t you think it is interesting this way, you can see my world I can see your world, we could compare."


    Aditya''s curiosity was ignited when he heard Tya''s words, "Could I also see your world? how is it done?"


    "Just close your eyes and think back to your first experience, you will appear here."


    Aditya sat cross-legged on his bed like when his mother taught him meditation and closed his eyes and thought of his experience in Tya''s world. Some things had to be admitted, just like Tya was fascinated with this world, Aditya was equally enchanted about Tya''s world. He had never seen so many colours in his life, though they were no other living beings in that world, the world itself felt alive and mysterious to him. Especially the process in which the spheres transformed into waves and back, it felt like the world was in a perfect state of balance which brought peace to the onlookers.


    When Aditya thought he would see a black space when he closed his eyes like when he meditated, he was shocked to see that he was standing in that mysterious space with Tya hovering in front of him. The scenery of this space fascinated Aditya even though he had already been here before. Except that this time he was not afraid of this baby ghost anymore, so he could spend time appreciating this space. When he saw that vibrant colours of this world, he was dazzled. They were spheres with blazing colour radiating luminescence, they were also spheres of mild, gentle colours. They were spheres which consisted of multiple colours, then there were spheres with only one colour.


    The fog floating in the space with sparkling colours reminded Aditya of those photos he saw of milky way galaxy, though now with all the light pollution and air pollution in the city, it would be a miracle if you count to more than ten stars in the sky. Aditya felt that just seeing this world every day could calm down his soul immediately. At least one good thing from Tya being stuck with him.


    Only now did Aditya notice that even his body look a bit transparent and foggy in this world, Aditya thought that since his body was not able to enter this space along with him, this transparent body could be termed as his consciousness or soul reluctantly. Then he noticed that his body apart from its transparent nature had some sparkling spheres floating around his body. These spheres were also of the same nature as those in this space, interchanging between solid and liquid states. But Aditya also felt that these colourful spheres did not interact with this space in any way but was only confined to his ''body''.


    When Aditya looked at Tya with puzzling eyes, Tya cutely replied, "that was the part of my energy which was absorbed by you, now it is yours." Aditya nodded as he understood that this energy was the basis of his mental abilities.


    He turned solemn as he did ''Namaste'' (Indian way of showing respect) to Tya as he said, "Though I didn''t ask for this energy, I still have great use for this, so I shall be very grateful for this favour ''Tya'', if in the future there is anything I could do for you, please let me know, I shall do everything in my power to repay you."


    Aditya''s mother had brought him teaching him the philosophy of ''Karma'', he knew that he had to repay all his debts, so Aditya always remembered all the people who favoured him. Though Aditya did not view himself as being philosophical, somethings just get stuck to your heart and there is no way you could forget them by reasoning logically. This was one of those things for him.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Tya did not understand Aditya''s gesture but he scratched his messy hair which looked unreal as he said with a silly smile, "Then, I want to know about your world, could you help me."


    Aditya was shocked that he would get a chance to repay this favour at such a small cost. If it was before, he might feel it burdensome to indulge Tya''s curiosity but now if it could pay back this favour, Aditya did not mind procuring all the books in the world to satiate Tya''s curiosity. So, Aditya happily nodded and agreed.


    On Tya''s instruction Aditya learned how to access this space, he also learned that as long as Aditya willed it, he could block Tya''s perception of this world. Like usually Tya could see what Aditya saw, he could hear what Aditya could hear, in brief Tya could have the same experience of this world as Aditya. But if Aditya wanted to stop this sharing of experience, he could block this connection which actually relieved Aditya as he thought that his privacy would not be intervened as long as he paid attention to block Tya on time.


    Aditya had also asked Tya about his dreams which he felt like they were from an alternate world where his parents were with him, Anupama rejected his proposal heartlessly etc but the answer of Tya was not surprising at all, ''I don''t know''. So Aditya had regarded these dreams as a lateral side-effect of absorbing Tya''s energy.


    When Aditya opened his eyes, he found to his surprise that only one minute had passed since he closed his eyes, he asked Tya about this in doubt. The answer shocked Aditya as much as the existence of Tya. The timeline of the real world and the mysterious space were not in sync. He did not calculate the exact time ratio but still, it meant that Tya viewed this world like it was a slow version. Just as Aditya was thinking of all the potential benefits of this feature, he heard some knocking at the door. It had just been 10 minutes since he returned to his room, Aditya reckoned that Bhadra and Jatin had bathed, changed to their night clothes and came to ''interrogate'' Aditya about the ''accident''.


    Aditya looked at himself, he was too busy figuring out Tya to care about this, he also knew that it was fishy for him to almost die by electrocution and yet for the school management fail to identify that the pond was electrified.


    Aditya who had drowsiness take over him while he was thinking about his parents had tried to splash his face with the pond water to refresh himself. He had not imagined that this water was electrified. He still remembered that the ducks were still swimming without any obstruction, he did not find any fish floating with their bellies facing the sky. He was still puzzled whether the electric shock was due to the pond being electrified or due to other reasons. He could still feel his hands slightly trembling due to the repercussion of the shock.


    Aditya cleared his thoughts as he jumped from his bed and ran towards the door before opening it. As he had expected, it was the Bhadra, Jatin duo. Bhadra wore solid round neck white t-shirt and brown lounge pants, his dress covered up this fellow''s muscular frame otherwise both Jatin and Aditya were envious of Bhadra''s godly physique, no wonder Kavya fell for this fellow.


    While Jatin wore shorts with sleeveless red round neck t-shirt, Aditya always wondered what would happen if Jatin was exposed to wind currents atop a mountain. He was pretty sure the wind would carry him away given his bamboo stick physique, though it was not Aditya''s turn to mock him as Aditya also had similar physique. If Aditya didn''t have a good set of shoulders, he and Jatin would be like brothers. Thankfully that didn''t happen.


    But shockingly Jatin was able to be a successful playboy with this physique which was a wonder to Aditya. The power of money was apparent, though Jatin would argue that there are many urban girls who have started falling for these lean physique. It still had to proven in Aditya''s case though. Though Aditya fooled around with his classmates in his tenth grade, it was still very superficial and could not be counted.


    Jatin was smoking a Cigaronne while Bhadra was texting in his phone (probably to Kavya). Aditya opened the door and asked them to wait while he bathed. After Aditya finished his bath, he sat on his bed cleaning his hand with a towel while glancing at his friends who looked like they were waiting for a film premiere to start in the theatre.


    Aditya repeated his experience to his friends as he also laid down his speculations. When Aditya finished narrating, Bhadra had the same blank face while Jatin''s face was tightened while brows drew closer. Actually, Tya had also heard this experience when Aditya narrated but it could not comment on anything as he was not even able to understand some words, his knowledge was incomplete right now. But it could understand that Aditya had an accident previously and that they were discussing the possible cause for it. Luckily it did not link up this accident to the breaking of energy absorption bond.


    Jatin''s face was serious when he asked Aditya, "do you think that this was not an accident?" Aditya shrugged and shook his head, he did not know what to think.


    Jatin then asked, "Do you think it was ''them''", Aditya shook his head confidently this time, if what his uncle told him about this so-called ''shadow organization'' was legit, then he knew that if they wanted him dead, he would have been dead long ago. He did not think there would be a ''misfire'' like today.


    First of all, Aditya was not sure if it was an accident or not, but if it was not, Aditya did not know who wanted him dead. So it was a dead end from all sides. Though Aditya did not really underestimate the system, he knew that they were many bigwigs in the society who could ride over these rules laid down by the government. Let alone others, Bhadra''s father was a famous real estate businessman in Bangalore, Aditya had heard from Bhadra that his father could get all the permission from government authorities for his construction granted in a matter of hours while those who followed the procedure had to wait for weeks at least.


    So Aditya had to wait and see, he really was powerless right now, even his uncle had been suspended and Aditya did not want his uncle to bear any more burden from him.

 A Dream

    Today was the ''Global Cultural Fest'' conducted in their Stone Mountain international school as a symbolic gesture of acceptance of people from all backgrounds, countries, cultures.


    Usually, this fest was conducted three months after the start of the new term. The school allows the students to adapt to the environment and climate in this school and to get along with each other and the teachers during this time period. So this fest illustrates the start of the new life of these new students in this school where everyone would treat this school as their second home and their schoolmates as family members.


    All the cultures are given precedence as the students are allowed and supported to represent their culture through food, dance, dressing, music etc. it was the one of the most enjoyable cultural fest conducted by the school.


    Seniors who were given the responsibility of getting the junior adapt to the school life were also given the duty to manage this program under the guidance of teachers. The fest had started at the start of the evening from 4:00 pm and had continued till 9:00 pm, all the students were laughing and joking as they walked back to their dormitories. Senior students who were volunteers were supervising the last works of cleaning the venue.


    Aditya''s heart was beating very fast as he walked shoulder to shoulder with the queen of his dreams, it felt like liquid adrenaline had been injected into his blood. He hoped that this moment lasted forever as they walked alongside a lake on the school premises. Though it was dark, many street lamps were glowing which lit up the park alongside the lake. One or two ripples could be seen from time to time on the lake as some fishes swam in and out. The night air was cool and fresh as it had rained in the morning. Luckily it stopped by the time the fest programs had started.


    He had decided that he would confess to Anu today at any cost. As he thought how he was stoned when he saw her for the first time last year. Her big eyes, thick lips which made him want to bite them, her beautiful oval face which made him want to hold it with his palms. He had never felt like this before so he had treasured this feeling. Her confident demeanour, her prideful manner made him want to treat her like a princess.


    She was the one, he knew it when he saw her the first time, he had loved her with a passion hotter than a thousand suns. She was his true north, he wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go.


    As he gazed at her who was like banished fairy immortal from heaven walking beside him with soft steps, he felt that she had stars in her soft, delicate hands and flower petals on her feet. Anupama had worn a beautiful light pink party dress today, it had soft blush hues, layers of floaty tulle. It had a gown silhouette with a halter neckline and strappy back detail which partially exposed her back. He could see embroidery and rhinestones on her tulle top and a tulle skirt with rhinestones at the waist.


    Aditya had worn a grey, black blazer with white cotton shirt inside and matching black trousers, he had put a lot of work for he thought that today was going to be the best day of his life and also the most memorable one. He looked at Anu who was sipping a drink he brought her. It was non-alcoholic white grape spritzer. It had frozen grapes added to it which dropped to the bottom, they acted as both garnish and ice.


    They talked as they walked slowly about many issues, they discussed the program, her dress, his dancing, their curriculum, at last, they stopped at the edge of the lake as they remained calm for a while.


    It was a pain for Aditya to remain calm in this ambiguous atmosphere. He knew that he could delay any longer. As Aditya turned with the intention to propose his love to her, he saw that Anupama had also turned towards him and ask, "Adi, what kind of a life partner do you dream of to spend the rest of your life?"


    Aditya was stunned when he heard Anupama''s words, the whole momentum he built to express his love was lost at once. He was slightly puzzled about this question as Aditya usually didn''t think too much about his future.


    Seeing that Aditya was silent, Anupama smiled and said, "Okay, let me speak first, do you know about my parents?"


    Aditya shook his head as he only knew that Anupama was from an affluent family but did not know her details accurately. Anupama seemed to know the answer as she continued, "My father is an industrialist from the south as for my mother, she is a minister in the state cabinet, let''s not talk about specifics as it is too boring."


    Aditya listened to Anupama''s words attentively as he felt this was not idle talk. Anupama had a sad smile on her face as she adjusted her bangs behind her ear as she looked at Aditya and said, "Adi, do you know that from the time I was in school I had never spent more than a day with my family, my parents would always have maids and nannies take care of me."If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "My parents'' marriage was purely political marriage, an exchange of benefits, so there was never any emotions between my mother and father, they also didn''t try to build a bond even after marriage."


    "My father had started raising a mistress outside which was found by my mother, from then on they would always prefer to stay apart as much as possible, they did not like to quarrel like uncivilized people I suppose, so they just chose to stay off other''s sight. I heard that my mother is also raising a lover outside as well nowadays. The marriage survived only on paper. The only days where I get to see them was when either of my parents was invited by other influential families for some important occasions. It depends on the time and their mood if they could meet me together on my birthday, otherwise, usually, they would meet me individually at different timings."


    Aditya was shocked when he heard her words, he did not imagine that Anupama had such a difficult upbringing. He who had been fostered as the symbol of love of his parents could never imagine how a person would feel being brought up in an environment like Anupama''s.


    "Maybe I reminded my parents of each other, so my parents started keeping distance from me did not During my childhood, I did not understand the reason why my parents would not come home, so when I asked my nanny, she would reply that as long as I studied well and got good grades, my parents would come home and live together forever."


    "Adi, do you know how the young, gullible me believed those words and worked hard every day to study and get the best grades. I would always think that as long as I got the best grades everything would be alright. I did not go out to play like other kids, I did not watch movies like others, I just concentrated on studying. Even now, though I know that all of that was false, I cannot get rid of my habit of studying and cannot think of doing something else, like you who have multiple talents."


    Aditya did not care about Anupama''s praise as he was still immersed in sadness at her childhood experience. He caught her hand and patted it. He wanted to hug her and promise her that everything was going to be alright, but he resisted as he felt, they were not at that stage yet.


    Anupama smiled at Aditya''s gesture as she continued, "Adi, can you imagine what kind of expectations that a girl who grew up like me would have on her lover or the person who she wants to devote herself or spend the rest of my life with?"


    Anupama looked at the dark sky as she said, "first she has to feel secure in his hands, she has to be able to sleep soundly in his hands knowing that she will be protected from all kinds of harm, she needs lots of care, affection and love to help her heal her injured heart as she knows that her heart is very fragile like glass and will be broken on slight impact. So the girl would only open her heart when she was 100% sure of her choice, she was not ready to take any risk on her life at all. She knew she would be lost forever if she made the wrong or a hasty choice."


    "Take for example you, Adi, I like you very much, you have always assisted me many times since you joined this school, I like your temperament, your humour, but I also know that you had fooled around with many girls in your tenth grade, I know you don''t like to study and are planning to be a car racer which is not a promising career here, I know that you don''t take your studies seriously, you tend to get into fights easily, I know what you and your friends did with Mayur, I would want to be your friend but to trust you with the rest of my life is not possible. I am just citing an example, it''s not like you want me as your girlfriend, right?"


    Anupama looked at Aditya with firm eyes and resolution. Aditya now knew why Anupama had spoken about all of her past life experience to him. His unspoken confession had been indirectly rejected. Anupama who had spoken about how her heart was fragile had not thought the same about Aditya''s unfortunately. She didn''t know how much space she had occupied in his heart. Aditya suddenly felt a vacuum in his heart and did not know what to do.


    When he heard Anupama''s opinion of him, Aditya felt the whole world turning upside down, till now Aditya had thought all the qualifications one needed to fall in love with each other was just ''love'' itself, he thought as long as he sincerely loved Anupama, she would be happy. Only now did he realize that it was very naive of him to think and believe as such. He also felt that it was his mistake that he could not realize Anupama''s expectations. He had never thought of his qualifications for loving someone, he was not brought up that way. Now he knew that he was unprepared for this. Was he prepared to give up his racing ambition for Anu? Was he prepared to study well and go after a steady career just for Anu? Would he be able to stay happy and make her feel happy and secure?


    Aditya shook his head as he looked at Anupama who was watching his facial expressions intently, he smiled at her, turned around and walked away. His lonely figure cut a sorry shape in the dark night. The cool air suddenly felt freezing cold to him, the starless cloudy sky created the perfect environment for his dreams to die, his hopes to shatter. The darkness of the night was the perfect camouflage to his tears and trembling shoulders.


    Aditya woke up with a jerk from his bed, bright sunlight was passing through the window, he could hear melodious chirping sounds of birds drifting like the ocean waves, the tune flies so high and resettles like waves. He got off his bed to look outside from his room window, the bright sunlight warmed his skin which proved that the coldness he felt was not real.


    Aditya smiled as he looked at the blue sky but a sadness lingered in his eyes. Though he knew it was a dream, he felt that the same scene would repeat had he confessed her. He had already dreamt this scene before so he was not as affected as he was for the first time. As Aditya was thinking of cleansing himself, Bhadra knocked on his door as he shouted, "Adi, Anupama is waiting for you in the cafeteria, come fast."

 A Stronger Heart

    "I thought you would sleep till late in the afternoon, as you were awake till midnight yesterday," Bhadra asked Aditya as they made their way to the cafeteria, it was eight in the morning as students were in a hurry to complete their early morning activities. Some did yoga and meditation, some played basketball and other outdoor games, some liked gardening, Aditya along with Bhadra usually played basketball.


    Aditya felt different today, he had experienced many things yesterday which actually strengthened him. The clouds which hovered in his mind since the last few months had cleared which made him feel relaxed and happy.


    First of all, he knew that his parents were safe, there was hope. He had also got his mother''s ''message'' which he had to go to his home to find out. He had also figured out his problem of excessive sleep and also was ''cured'' by the ''electrotherapy''.


    Also, Aditya could see a lot of things clearly due to the dream he had last night, it did not feel so uncomfortable or painful anymore. He also realized that it was his mistake to presume things without making sure of them. Now he knew that ''not'' everyone is the kind of person, he saw them as. Especially when we like a person deeply, we tend to create a ''perfect'' image of them in our mind but the reality might be something else. That was what happened to Aditya.


    He also felt that he had become a better person with a stronger mind after experiencing all these things. He felt peaceful and happy just walking in the morning light along with his best friends. He did not think he should ask for more.


    As they walked towards the cafeteria, Aditya saw two girls standing in the shades of trees in front of the cafeteria. He smiled as he recognized them, he discovered to his surprise that he did not feel the restless or uncomfortable feeling he had experienced the last few days. Sometimes people feel better from letting go rather than holding on to.


    When Anupama saw the smiling face of Aditya, she was mildly shocked, she had noticed that Aditya was avoiding her since the last few days, she had even noticed that if he saw her coming, he would just turn away without even nodding at her or smiling at her. Anupama knew that Aditya crushed on her from the moment he joined this school last year, she had not taken this seriously as there was no dearth of pursuers for her. She was even happy that at least in school Aditya kept off all the other pursuers.


    But what she didn''t imagine was that she had started imagining Aditya as her potential lover in her thoughts since the last few months. She knew that he was not the ideal boyfriend she had determined for herself. He was not responsible as far as she saw, he did not take his studies seriously, she heard that his goal was to become a racer, was she supposed to worry for his life whenever he went to a race. So, Anupama had decided that as long as Aditya proposed to her or gave any indication of the same, she would reject him heartlessly so that there was no chance for him to pursue him again and thus Anupama did not need to worry that she would fall any deeper.


    But what shocked her was that, since Aditya''s parents went missing, he had not shown any signs of confessing her, he acted normal with her but she could sense that his attention was somewhere else. So she could only wait, but what upset her calm mentality was that he was ''avoiding'' her since the last few days as if he wanted nothing but to be away from her. She did not know why but her heartfelt constricted when she saw him behaving like this. Wasn''t it her who was supposed to avoid him? Why was it the other way round?


    So, when Anupama heard that Aditya was involved in an accident, she wanted to run to his side and see for herself if he was safe and unhurt. But her pride stopped her, she does not want herself to be seen as if she cared about Aditya. Also, she thought Aditya might misunderstand her care and concern as love. So she controlled her impulse and inquired Aditya''s news from Kavya. When she found out that Aditya was alright, she felt her heart beating normally again. As she wanted to see that Aditya was unharmed by herself, she tagged along with Kavya as they waited in front of the cafeteria.


    When Anupama saw Aditya walking in a relaxed manner towards them with a calm smile on his face, Anupama went into a daze as she thought, it has been many months since she saw Aditya smile, she found out that she had actually missed that smile. She recovered when she saw that Aditya and others had already drawn near.


    "Whoa, I am so happy to see that Kavya cares about me so much that she is waiting for me outside risking darkening of your skin, are you planning on changing your boyfriend? Am ready." Aditya smiled evilly as he teased Kavya, he was familiar with her since she had accompanied Bhadra when they usually roamed the city.


    "You wish." Kavya aimed a kick at Aditya''s legs as she walked and held onto Bhadra''s hand. Aditya laughed as he escaped to Anupama''s side. He turned towards Anupama as he asked, "Have you had your breakfast?"


    Anupama stared blankly at Aditya for a few seconds before shaking her head. She had noticed that Aditya was back to normal, but somehow the more normal Aditya behaved, the more uncomfortable she felt.


    "Bhadra, didn''t I tell you to stay away from this lascivious playboy, look at his thin physique, I think that his essence has been sucked by many girls, maybe he will become an old man in a few months. You have to stay away from him, understand?" Kavya explained to Bhadra as if he was a kid and she was a kindergarten teacher.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Jatin coughed as he said sadly, "ah, I thought that I would gift a 60 TB SSD (Solid State Drive) to someone on her birthday at the end of this month, looks like that ''someone'' doesn''t need it."


    Kavya turned to look at Jatin like a child who looks at a lollipop as she said, "No way."


    Jatin smirked at her as he said complacently, "My uncle works in Seagate company, Cupertino, California, he is part of the product development engineering team, they had recently developed this product and is not available in market yet, but if I wanted, it is possible to get it at the end of the month just in time for ''someone''s birthday so that she might find it helpful for her programming."


    "Bhadra, you look at Jatin, he is so friendly and caring, you have to appreciate him and thank him for the gift he prepared for my birthday, okay?" Kavya used the same kindergarten teacher tone to Bhadra who was smiling bitterly as he looked at Aditya who was laughing hard while holding his stomach, Anupama also couldn''t hold back her smile at her friend''s shamelessness.


    "I guess, Kavya would sell Bhadra if anyone could get her a quantum computing processor." Jatin thought jokingly as he stood at the side of Aditya looking at Bhadra with pity.


    "Okay let us talk while we eat," Aditya spoke as he led everyone into the cafeteria. Everyone could see that Aditya was fine, in fact, they felt that Aditya had reverted back to his joyful self like how he used to be four months back.


    Just as they were about to occupy a table, Aditya was stopped by someone, when Aditya looked at the figure who was in his way, he saw that it was Karan who got splashed with his own soup yesterday. Except one would find it hard to recognize him as Karan''s fair skin on his face had become red and swollen, they were some kind of smelly ointment which was applied on the swollen areas which made it more difficult to identify him.


    Aditya found it hard to hold back his laughter as he asked Karan with a straight face, "Who is this schoolmate, why are you in my way?"


    "Bastard," Karan gritted his teeth, as he said, "I am Karan, didn''t you say that I have the risk of getting Herpes from that actress. But I forgot that I wore a condom, so take back the words you said yesterday and apologize to me. Otherwise, you don''t have to stay in this school anymore."


    Karan sneered as he continued, "I found out all about your information yesterday, aren''t you just an orphan who got admission in this school on scholarship, what''s so great about you if not because of those two idiots behind you? You know, just a bit of an effort and a small excuse is required for a scholarship student to be rusticated."


    "F**cker," both Jatin and Bhadra jumped towards Karan but was immediately held back by Aditya as he thought the meaning behind Karan''s words. He figured it out immediately, for the organization who had eliminated all traces of his parents in this world, it was not difficult for them to change his profile in his school digital records. Anupama and Kavya did not know the true circumstances of the matter and so were puzzled at Karan''s words as they scolded Karan ''idiot''.


    Aditya calmed down immediately and smiled at Karan with a twinkle in his eyes as he said, "I know that a condom works but are you sure u didn''t touch her orally any inappropriate place, if so, good luck. As for making trouble for me, if you are as capable as you sound, get me rusticated, dickhead."


    Anupama blushed when she heard Aditya''s words, she did not expect Aditya could talk so crudely, even if he talked usually like that, he would put up a gentleman''s facade in front of her, but now it looked like Aditya was not holding himself back.


    Karan swollen face changed drastically when he heard Aditya''s words, how could he do the deed like a gentleman while spending so much money, so of course he tried to do all kinds of things with that actress. He saw that many of the students who had heard their conversation were laughing at him like he was a clown, he had been made fun of in the same place by the same person about the same topic, how could he swallow his anger. He looked at Aditya full of rage as he squeezed the words ''see what I will do to you'' and stormed out of the cafeteria.


    Aditya looked at the fleeing figure of Karan with a small smile on his face. The angrier he could make Karan the faster his goal will be reached. As he turned to pick a food tray for his breakfast, he saw the cute Chinese girl he saw yesterday stand in front of him.


    Looking at Aditya''s questioning look, Yu Yan mustered her courage as she stuttered, "Big¡­ Big brother, thanks for helping me yesterday, Yu Yan wanted to gift a big brother some food." Aditya looked at the little girl who was a head shorter than him for sometime before accepting her food. He could see Yu Yan had tightly held her fists as if she was stressed.


    As he looked at the food, he found them vaguely familiar, "these look like those momos we had in that Tibetan restaurant the other day right?" Aditya asked Jatin as he put one inside his mouth. He found them tasty but a little bland. Aditya usually liked spicy food, he had heard some special Chinese cuisines also specialized in spicy food, maybe he should ask Yu Yan about that in the future.


    He smiled at Yu Yan as he said, "they are very tasty, thank you, if possible could you make me some more in the future." A nice smile blossomed on Yu Yan''s face when she heard Aditya''s praise as she nodded repeatedly and hopped back to her friends as if they were springs in her feet.


    It was rare for Aditya to interact with girls much younger than him as all the girls he knew were either the same age as him or elder, so he enjoyed these short sweet moments with Yu Yan. It warmed his heart to know that doing good would be reciprocated. Anupama looked at all these with complex emotions welling up her heart.


    Aditya shared this food with his friends, as he expected all of them found this a little bland to their taste. Only Anupama looked like she liked this food. When Aditya and others finished their breakfast and walked outside, a school attendant came towards him and asked him to go to Administrative Dean''s office immediately.


    Aditya pacified his friend''s worries and bid goodbye to them as he walked towards the Dean''s office. He knew that the administrative dean was Karan''s father, looks like his plan worked.

 Goodbye School

    As Aditya walked into Administrative Dean''s office, he was asked to wait, so he sat on the comfortable black office sofa in the well-decorated waiting room. He saw the nameplate on the main office door which had the name ''Prakash Malhotra''. He wondered if that idiot''s father was really busy or was this just a show of strength by making him wait for a long time. Whatever, as long as he could accomplish his task successfully.


    After some time, Aditya was asked to enter. As Aditya entered, he immediately felt a different atmosphere, it was silent thanks to good soundproofing, there was a tree design on the left wall which was lit with LED lights. As Aditya walked on the wool carpet with some ethnic design, he could feel a dignified atmosphere, there was a gramophone which decorated the shelf of the right. Aditya wondered if it worked or was just for show. The school logo was painted on the wall behind the Dean''s chair.


    As Aditya saw the person, he saw some similarities between Karan and his father, both had the sinister looking hook noses, but this person had an icy demeanour which Karan lacked. As Aditya was observing, this middle-aged man with greying hair lifted his head and looked at Aditya with puzzling eyes as if he did not know him. He asked, "Who are you?"


    Aditya turned his attention to the Dean as he replied, "Mr Dean, it was you who summoned me."


    Prakash Malhotra frowned slightly as he tried to remember who Aditya was. After a few seconds, his brow relaxed as he asked with a cold face, "Are you the one named Aditya?"


    "Yes, sir."


    "Okay, I won''t ask how you got into a fight with Karan, you have to write an apology letter to the school management for disturbing the school''s peaceful environment, also you have to apologize to Karan publicly in the exact same place where you insulted him, also you will kneel down in the school ground for an entire session as a mild punishment to discipline you..."


    cough cough...


    Before the Dean could complete his ridiculous demands, Aditya stopped him. He smiled and said, "from when did the Administrative Dean start to handle student disciplinary duties and punishments? I had always thought it was the deputy superintendent''s duty."


    Prakash Malhotra was irritated when he saw that this student dared to interrupt his words but when he heard Aditya''s words, he was infuriated, he didn''t expect a ''scholarship'' student would have the nerve to talk rules with him, who even the principal had to think twice before contradicting him.


    He calmed himself as he said, "you will not care about these small issues if you want to remain in this school, you do know, right? A scholarship student is expected to have an impeccable conduct record, you need to remember that you are studying on this institution''s charity."


    Aditya''s temper was rising as the Dean continued to mention the f**cking non-existent scholarship, he was studying because of his parent''s hard-earned money, not someone''s charity.


    He calmed himself down as he posed a question, "Do you know what happened in the cafeteria yesterday? Have you called some eye-witnesses to inquire the truth? Your so... cough cough, Karan was bullying a junior girl student. Moreover, she is a foreigner, can this school bear the reputation of being intolerant to foreigners, I was the one who stepped forward and salvaged the situation. Even Mr Suresh who was in charge of the discipline in the cafeteria did not stop Karan. If anything happened to the girl or if she sustained mental trauma from this incident, who is going to shoulder the responsibility when the foreign embassy officials come knocking the door. Is it the school management or Karan and his parents?"


    Bang!


    Prakash had slammed the table with his hand as he looked at Aditya with freezing eyes, "Are you going to write the apology letter or not?"


    Aditya shouted ''success'' in his heart as he shook his head. He didn''t even bother replying.


    Prakash Malhotra had not expected that the student who humiliated his son was so stubborn and headstrong. He looked at Aditya with a chilly gaze as he said, "Student Aditya Bose, as you are suspected to have disrupted the electrical circuitry near the visitors'' pavilion and caused a blackout yesterday evening leading to disruption of the peaceful environment and causing panic among many of the visitors. You are being suspended until the investigation proves that you are not guilty."


    Though Aditya had expected that he would be suspended, he did not think that the dean would push the blackout incident onto his head. He was clearly the victim but he was made the perpetrator instead. He shrugged inside as he stood, he stretched his body in all angles without the notion that the Dean was present, it could be considered rude but Aditya felt he needed to do it as if it was a symbolic breaking of chains that limited his movement. Now he felt that he was truly liberated which really caused his blood to boil.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Aditya smiled brightly and under the shocked countenance of the Dean, he escaped before the Dean could rethink his mistake. A natural smile formed on Aditya''s face as he walked on the corridor, Anupama was right, he really didn''t like studying, if it was not for his parents, mainly his father''s insistence, he wouldn''t be here. Now that his parents were missing, there was no one who could stop Aditya from skipping studies.


    No, Aditya stopped as he thought of one terrifying figure who could probably make him continue studying, if not for her why did he have to wait until the school expelled him, he could have run away anytime in the past four months. It was because of her that Aditya bore for these many months.


    She was Maahi, the daughter of his mother''s best friend, she was four years elder to him. She was the most manipulative person he had ever seen. Aditya had found out that such a person was called ''Black-bellied'' in Chinese. She was the horror of his childhood. Aditya only wanted to be as far as possible from her. She could always make him dance on the tip of her fingers. Aditya had formulated the best way of dealing with her i.e. run away whenever he saw her. She was the ''messenger of trouble'' as far as Aditya was concerned.


    She used to speak sweet words to him, make him feel that all his secrets were secure with her and slowly syphon all his secrets. It was her who had told his parents that he had been fooling around with girls in his 10th grade which stimulated his father to change his school. It was she who told his parents about his grand plan of becoming a car racer instead of studying, it was she who even found out that he was watching porn and blackmailed him into subduing to her as her lifetime servant.


    Aditya would always feel chills running down his spine when he thought of her. So, if she found out that he ran away from school now especially when Maahi designated herself as the guardian of Aditya since his parents went missing, Aditya was sure what kind of consequences he would face. So, now that the school had suspended him, he could use the school as a shield to bear her wrath, though Aditya somehow felt pity for the Dean who would definitely be targeted by Maahi elder sister. Good luck to him. Aditya was sure that not only the Dean but the business group behind this school did not have the capability to take on her.


    That''s why Aditya actually liked Saira elder sister, she was righteous, helpful, she kept his secrets as secrets and not as public news articles, she did not take advantage of his weaknesses. If Saira Elder sister was an Angel, Maahi was the devil, no doubt. As Aditya was comparing his elder sisters from father and mother''s sides, he saw that Bhadra and others were waiting for him. Suddenly Aditya felt that the happiness he was feeling just now decrease, he felt sad when he knew that he would be leaving these two idiots.


    To his surprise, even Anupama was waiting, but he thought maybe she was accompanying Kavya. When Aditya spoke of his suspension, just as he expected Bhadra and Jatin flared up, Aditya dragged them back into the cafeteria which was almost empty right now as he explained how this was what he wanted. He knew that if Bhadra called up his father, his suspension would be suspended. He also assured that they could meet up whenever they wanted, so, there was no need for him to stick around in this school anymore.


    "How come you are going, why can''t you get suspended and get lost?" Kavya muttered as she glared at Jatin. But Jatin was in no mood to rebut. Anupama felt her heart constrict when she knew that Aditya was leaving them. She knew she could not stay in touch with him like his friends as they did not have any reason to. What pained her more was that she did not see him look at her even once. It was as if she was not a concern to him, Aditya was only consoling his friends, he even spoke a word of comfort to Kavya but not to her. It was like the past year of him pursuing her never happened as if it was all her imagination.


    When Aditya had successfully lightened the atmosphere and allayed the grief of himself and his friends, a school attendant came over and handed a letter envelope to Aditya. He said, "As you are registered as an orphan, there is no guardian to inform, so will you wait till someone comes or will you vacate your room?"


    Aditya was relieved when he heard that there was no guardian to contact, he really feared if the school management would inform his uncle or worse Maahi elder sister. If it is so, he could forget about leaving this school. For the first time, he felt that the ''shadow organization'' or whoever it is, had done a good job.


    Aditya responded that he would leave today and asked the school attendant to go back. Bhadra and Jatin accompanied Aditya to pack his bag. He did not carry everything and left most of them for Bhadra to sort it out. He only grabbed his laptop, a few clothes and packed them in his military green rucksack. He grabbed his phone and earphones and off he went.


    As Bhadra and Jatin sent him off, Bhadra grabbed Aditya as he asked, "Don''t you have anything to say to Anupama?"


    Aditya turned around and found that Anupama was still there, he was surprised that she would hang around, maybe she was doing this for the help he gave her in the past year. He smiled and went near her. He looked at her honey brown pupils for a few seconds before speaking, "Anupama, I hope you look after yourself, I also wish that you meet a right person who can make you feel safe and secure, whom you will have absolute surety that he wouldn''t disappoint you and looks after you with care, affection and love."


    Tremors spread across Anupama''s heart when she heard Aditya''s words as she looked at him with wide open eyes. How did he know? How could he know? Her eyes reddened as she quickly left so that Aditya could not see her tears. Kavya followed her while looking at Aditya as if he was an Alien.


    Aditya looked at her disappearing figure and shrugged. He bade goodbye to his friends by giving them bear hugs and walked down the road to catch a taxi back to the city.

 First Contact

    Aditya had a slight smile on his face as he browsed through the photo album of his childhood with his fingers, he was back in his home, no it used to be his home, Uncle Ramu had told that this home was also put up for sale now. With Uncle''s intervention, Aditya got a chance to have a last look and see if he could take away some memories.


    As he did not want to contact his uncle right now as he would have to explain his ''suspension'' to him, Aditya used his own method to enter the house which he used to utilize when he came late in the night during his school days i.e. ''through his room''s window''. Aditya had deliberately loosened the screw for the steel grill of a window for this convenience, luckily it proved useful even now.


    As Aditya watched the smiling faces of his parents in the photos along with a younger version of him, he vowed that he would make those days return. He watched at the open letter lying to his side, this was a clue which his mother left him. Usually, when his parents had to attend some cultural events like weddings and birthdays, Aditya did not like to attend these events where he felt the social interactions were superficial. Aditya rather preferred to spend time with his friends, so usually sometimes when they left, his mother would pose exactly how she posed in the selfie of that British teen. By this, it was signal that his mother had left something for him in the photo album, usually, it was spending money for him to buy, sometimes it was a letter explaining some chores or things related to home.


    So, when Aditya saw the photo his uncle showed, he knew his mother had left something crucial for him. Aditya took that letter and read it again. He recognized the beautiful slender cursive handwriting of his mother.


    Adi,


    I know you will be very sad and puzzled. You might even be angry at us for not informing you but you have to know that many things in life happen without our interference and they happen beyond our expectations. I won''t make long speeches about how it all happened as there is no time and also I know that ''they'' will know if I give away any crucial details which might endanger you rather than help you. So, I won''t talk about the boring stuff of what, who, why, how.


    I know that I don''t have to coax you into a pseudo-secure feeling like we will be back as soon as possible or like it''s going to be alright. I have not brought up my son in a way where he needs to be emotionally supported by lies and fake guarantees. Trouble came, let us just deal with it and get it over it. What can happen at the worst?


    I know you would want to do something for us, something reckless for our sake. I know I can''t talk you out of it, so I will only say, ''whatever you want to do, do it after 3 years'', I won''t ask you more than this. I know for sure that ''they'' want your father to work for a project for them and it is a long term project. I am just collateral for them to make sure your father gives his all to the project. Actually, although it looks like they didn''t touch you, you are also collateral, it is just their psychological tactic where us parents will feel that as long as children are safe, we don''t mind sacrificing ourselves. But I and your father know its all false, we know for sure that ''no one'' is safe. Safe and secure is just an illusion.


    Finally, I want you to look after yourself well, a healthy body and a healthy mind are the most important wealth anyone can have, focus on it, your father''s promise to buy you a car a year later is not possible anymore so, the contract where you have to study is nullified, so, you are ''free'' haha. Don''t worry about the future as it will happen anyway, did you remember the lessons of conduct I used to give you when you were young, I want you to remember them and think about them every day. As an end note¡­


    Look to this day,


    For it is life,


    The very life of life.


    In its brief course lie all the truths


    And the realities of your existence;


    The bliss of growth


    The glory of action, and


    The splendour of beauty;


    For yesterday is but a dream


    And tomorrow is only a vision,


    But today well lived makes


    Every yesterday a dream of happiness


    And every tomorrow a vision of hope.


    Look well, therefore, to this day.


    Such is the salvation of the dawn.


    Your loving Ma¡­


    P.S: look after your elder sisters well at least until they marry, though they both look fierce and independent, they both need your care and affection.


    Aditya hands slightly trembled even when he read this letter a second time, his heart never felt so steadfast since his parents went missing. She knew exactly how to assuage his fears and restlessness. She knew that Aditya would have really felt afraid and did things recklessly had she written a letter with rosy and flowery words like everything is alright. Most parents would think that they were protecting their kids by covering up. But Aditya knew his mother, she never tried to pose to him that everything was fine, whenever their family met some troubles, be it financial or emotional, she would always include Aditya in those discussions where they discussed solutions.


    Aditya was made to think for himself about such things if Aditya was not brought up in that way, how could he have the courage and boldness to give up his studies for his goal of racing and declare it frankly in front of his parents? Now that he read his mother''s letter, Aditya knew that he definitely has three years of time. As to what he had to do, he only had a vague idea.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Aditya folded that letter securely and kept it in his pocket. He smiled as he packed that photo album into his bag and left through the same window without anyone noticing. His home was a part of an apartment complex. As Aditya walked down the road, it was already evening, he went to a retail store nearby as he bought some chewing gum. Just as he was thinking about where to spend his night, he saw a tall man with a fair complexion looking at him with a small smile on his face. His eyes showed his wisdom and intelligence. His gait radiated confidence as he walked towards Aditya.


    Aditya was sure he didn''t know this person but he felt that the person knew him, he looked like he was in his late twenties at the peak of his youth. As Aditya was wondering, the man walked towards him and held out a hand in way of greeting, "You must be Aditya, right? You can call me Bunny"


    Aditya shook his hand subconsciously as he looked at this Bunny who seemed to be waiting near his home for him. Bunny looked at Aditya''s questioning gaze as he smiled and said, "I work for the people for whom your father is working too, in a way your father and I are colleagues."


    Aditya''s face changed drastically as he withdrew his hand swiftly, he also drew back a few steps in consternation. He did not expect that he would meet ''those'' people so quickly. Bunny watched Aditya''s actions with interest but did not make any moves on him. He laughed lightly as he shook his head, "Don''t worry, if you were our target, we wouldn''t contact you in this way as it will be too much of a hassle to do it in front of so many people, its not like we can''t do it, its just bothersome, so don''t worry I am only here to talk."


    Aditya did not lower his guard even when this stranger called ''Bunny'' assured that he was not going to make a move on him. Also, anger started boiling within him as he looked at this person who was so relaxed and talking to him normally when he was actually working for the people who took away his parents. No remorse could be seen in his eyes, a family had been broken up overnight just like that but he did not seem to think it was worth to pay attention.


    When Bunny noticed the animosity towards him from Aditya, he shook his head as he said solemnly, "Believe it or not, although your parents were taken away by force, it is all for the good of mankind, your father''s service would be remembered forever when the perfect world was created"


    When Aditya heard the word ''Perfect World'' and saw the fervour in Bunny''s eyes when he mentioned it, he knew that he would not gain anything by talking to this hardcore follower. Also, he was not sure about the circumstance he was in right now. So, he took a deep breath as he asked, "What are you here for?"


    Bunny was slightly surprised at Aditya mental stability, though he was rattled a little in the beginning, he regained his composure faster than he thought. He thought that Aditya would shout, wrangle, curse but Aditya did nothing of that but directly asked the main issue.


    Bunny smiled as he took a daily newspaper of that day and passed it to Aditya, then he took out his mobile phone and took a photo of Aditya, "Nothing, just that your parents wanted to know about your safety and whereabouts."


    Aditya looked at Bunny with doubt as he asked, "How did you find out that I was here, were you following me?"


    Bunny scoffed at Aditya''s question, "You think that you are some kind of VIP that we have to follow you all day long, we could erase your whole family property, you think it is hard for us to hack the city surveillance cameras. Just know that wherever you are, we have a way to find you, it only varies whether we find you immediately or have to put some effort. Also, I am the only person on this duty and I will be leaving this city today. So, all the best."


    Aditya was again reminded of the capability of this organization, he calmed himself down as nodded. He did not want to spend a second more with this person who acted as if everything was in his control.


    Bunny who had walked a few steps turned and came back. He pointed his finger towards the pocket which contained his mother''s letter and said, "Your mother''s letter is interesting, its different than what I expected but I have to warn you, not only for three years," here Bunny''s face turned serious, Aditya could feel his hair on neck rising as if he was stared at by a wild animal, "never even think of crossing our path I your lifetime if you or your loved ones want to remain alive and happy in this world. I suggest you forget you ever had parents and become what ''we'' planned for you ''an orphan''."


    Blood rushed into Aditya''s head in anger when he heard those words, he lowered his words in inverse proportion to his rage as he said, "Mark my words, you won''t have to wait for three years, I will bring back my parents even before that from right under your nose or by walking past your corpse."


    Bunny was mildly baffled at Aditya''s words as he laughed while pointing at him, the surrounding people felt that these two people were friends and were making fun. Bunny stopped his laughter as he looked at Aditya as if he was an idiot, he said, "you either think too much about yourself or underestimate us, right?"


    Bunny picked up a medium size gravel stone from the side of the road into his right palm and knocked the stone against Aditya lightly resulting in sharp pain, as he said, "Its okay if you overestimated yourself but think before acting against us." Aditya rubbed his head where it pained as he heard a low muffled sound as Bunny poured rock dust from his right hand. There was no stone anymore and his hand was unhurt. Cold sweat dampened Aditya''s back when he watched this, if the stone was totally hidden in Bunny palm, Aditya might think that Bunny swapped the rock with dust, but the medium size gravel stone could not be covered completely so Aditya saw the whole process of the stone breaking into smaller pieces and smaller piece turning to dust. He had never imagined such a feat was possible. He did not remember seeing those Shaolin monks perform such a feat either.


    "Also, I forgot to tell you, there are some people who want you dead, they don''t have anything to do with us, you don''t think the electric shock at the pond was an accident, right? Frankly, I am shocked how you survived such a huge current, any normal person would have died on the spot, but still, you survived, I guess every fool has a fool''s luck also. If you are killed by them, I will report it to my superiors. As I have not received any orders to protect you, all the best protecting yourself in the coming days." Bunny laughed as he swaggered away.

 Smoking

    "Wait."


    Aditya stopped the man named Bunny who just wanted to make a cool exit. He was never the person to take a blow lying down. Even if Aditya was shocked by the perverted strength of this bastard, he had to return the blow.


    As Bunny stopped and turned with the same smile on his face as if everything was under his control and Aditya could not do anything which was out of his prediction, which tempted Aditya to punch his face until even Bunny''s mom couldn''t recognize him, he bore his temper because he knew it was not possible.


    Aditya walked towards Bunny and he asked him with a solemn expression, "What is the cube root of 24, 389?"


    "..."


    Aditya looked at the puzzled face of Bunny and let out a sigh of relief, it looks like his strength was only related to physical functions. He smiled as he said to Bunny, "it''s 29, okay see you next time."Aditya strutted away with a triumphant smile on his face. He knew that Bunny couldn''t make a move on him, he had derived that from Bunny''s words and his mother''s letter.


    Veins popped out of Bunny''s forehead in his anger, he had not imagined that a puny rabbit would dare contradict him. Didn''t he know that his head was softer than the rock he just crushed? Bunny was shocked not by this kid''s brain power but by this kid''s guts. Since Bunny had obtained this power, no normal human who watched his strength dared to retort or contradict him but this kid who was sweating when he proved his power had come up with a way of retaliation immediately i.e. playing his strengths against opponents weaknesses. If it was anyone else who dared to do it, that person would have long left for heaven. But the same thing could be said for Aditya, Bunny had heard that Aditya''s father was very important for a project planned by the organization. So Aditya was not to be touched by their organization. It was a pity that Aditya''s father was not very cooperative and stubborn otherwise the organization would protect Aditya from all harm, if his father could join the organization, Bunny might even become the bodyguard of Aditya.


    After calming himself down, he turned and took a last look in the direction Aditya walked, he shook his head and walked the other way. His mission objective had been renewed after he submitted Aditya''s photo, this time he was posted in Zimbabwe, Africa, though mission details would only be explained in a detailed manner when you are on the site, Bunny''s superior had hinted that the organization was planning a rebellion in that country. If he could accomplish sufficient merit, he could have a chance to exchange his credit points for the upgraded version of strength serum, he heard that those who took the second serum could resist bullet wounds as long as they were not targeted at vital points of the body. Bunny gripped his fist as he took a deep breath and went his way.


    Aditya let out a breath of relief as he saw that Bunny did not intend to deal with him in any way, although he was sure of his theory that Bunny was not permitted to harm him, there was always a possibility that he could lose his temper and ignore his orders. But, from the looks of it, the organization had a rigorous discipline which did not allow disobedience. Aditya could not know that the idea of harming him had not passed in the mind of Bunny at all, that was the level of control the organization had on him psychologically.


    "Brother, give me a cigarette," Aditya asked at a shop. The shopkeeper looked at Aditya with questioning gaze as he asked, "Which one?"


    "Anyone"


    "Are you buying cigarettes for the first time."


    "yup"


    "Okay, why don''t you start with Parliament silver blue, its mild with less tobacco."


    "fine with me."


    "Here you are."


    When Aditya was taking this pack with a lighter and was going out, he was stopped by a person who looked at him with anger and said, "Why do you need to smoke in such a young age, can''t you wait until you finished your college, don''t you know that smoking can cause lung cancer."If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Aditya was not shocked or angry at that person''s words but was shocked that the person who was lecturing him to stop smoking was actually doing so while holding a lit cigarette in his hands. He shook his head and walked away ignoring the person, he even disdained to have a talk with hypocrites.


    As it was evening, Aditya walked towards the lake park which was near his home, he did not smoke immediately as smoking in public places was an offence, he had to wait till he went to a smoking zone or he had to smoke in areas where they were no people.


    He walked on the fallen leaves which decorated the meandering paths in the park. Some kids were playing Frisbee while some played catch. Some young couples could be seen walking hand in hand while some parents strolled along with their kids. Aditya''s mind relaxed when he saw this scenery and heard the happy laughter of children.


    When the sky darkened, Aditya noticed that the people had not reduced actually as many food stalls were set up and the atmosphere was bustling. He walked towards the area which was on the other side of the lake. This area was a construction site, Aditya heard some people mentioning that four big apartment complexes were demolished to build a mall, the construction had been dull in the past weeks due to poor cash flow.


    Aditya saw huge amounts of construction materials like sand, bricks, steel, cement bags lying around the construction site, the building was huge and the basic shape of the mall could be deciphered looking at the half-finished building. As Aditya didn''t find anyone in this area, he took a cigarette and put it in his mouth. Although he was smoking for the first time, he had watched many heroes smoke in many films and practically he saw Jatin smoke so he didn''t need a tutorial for this. As he lit the cigarette and inhaled, Aditya felt his lungs were engulfed in an irritating gas, the taste on his tongue felt awful. His mouth became dry as he coughed as his body tried to get this ''poison'' out of his body. But still, Aditya continued to take the second puff, tears starting rolling as he felt the smoke was irritating his eyes from the inside.


    After multiple puffs and coughs Aditya finished it, he had heard from Jatin that the first time was always uncomfortable but he didn''t imagine it was this irritating. He didn''t enjoy it a bit. After some time of deep gulping of fresh air, he felt much better, he felt a bit light-headed and a bit high. He felt that this feeling was good.


    Aditya looked at the sky as he remembered a discussion he had with his parents when he talked about Jatin and his smoking habit.


    "Adi, do you plan on taking up smoking?" Aditya''s mother had asked.


    "Not now, maybe in the future, I don''t know." this was Aditya''s reply, he did not hide the possibility that he might start smoking in the future, Aditya was truly curious of the feeling. Also, he was used to talking about all kinds of issues with his mother without many barriers.


    "Well, I want you to remember that the day when you feel you have a become a self-reliant man who depends only on himself and not on anyone else, not even his parents, that day you can smoke if you want, until then don''t even think about it." Aditya''s mother said to Aditya with a calm, gentle smile on her face. Aditya knew that after that if he smoked, he would let his mother down. Aditya was never afraid of his mother''s anger but feared seeing disappointment and grief on her face. So, he had committed himself to his mother''s words.


    "Ma, I have become a self-reliant man from today, I will only depend on myself to survive. I will make you proud of your son when we meet the next time." Aditya muttered as he raised his head to look at the dark sky and he gripped his fists tightly.


    When Aditya was thinking to go back, he closed his eyes as he called Tya. Aditya had actually feared that Tya would never stop talking since that both of them were bonded. But to his pleasant surprise Tya had regretfully informed him that for Tya to recover its lost energy, it had to go into a dormant state. This was the reason that Aditya did not hear from him the whole day.


    Aditya was shocked when he saw Tya enter the dormant state, the dormant form of Tya was a sphere which felt like water, they were fluid motions observable and ripple could be seen. All the myriad colours which were present in all the spheres in the world could be seen sparkling on the sphere. Also, the longer Aditya saw the more astonished he was. Aditya felt that the sphere represented some undiscovered laws and principles.


    There was no response when he called Tya, so Aditya gave up. As he was thinking of his next destination, Aditya heard some noises in the dark construction site. As Aditya prepared to ignore it, he found that the noises transformed into fight sounds and painful screams. Aditya stopped his steps as he felt curious as to who would fight in this place in this time of the day.


    When Aditya walked stealthily towards the source of the sounds, the darkness in the construction site helped camouflage him. He walked into an open place, the centre of which was lit with floodlights usually used in construction sites. Aditya thought this place would be the centre of the mall after it was finished where usually most of the decorations would be placed.


    In that opening, Aditya found a mature woman who looked in the late twenties standing motionless as ten figures of strong men rolled in pain around her. She was very beautiful with a tall willowy queenly figure, healthy bronze complexion, her ponytail styled hair was midnight black. There was a staff in her hand which reminded Aditya of Donatello''s weapon in ninja turtles game. Who were the good guys and who were the bad ones?

 Taarini

    Due to layers and layers of loose sand which spread across the floor, Aditya''s footsteps were muffled and couldn''t be heard easily. Aditya saw two men who were beaten severely and tied up on one side. When Aditya was trying to figure out the actual situation, the woman moved towards one of the people who was rolling on the ground with the pain while holding his right arm. Visible muscles could be seen on her arms as she wrapped the opponent''s arm around her staff, she was panting heavily, loose strands of her hair stuck to her face due to sweat.


    The woman had a small cut on her left arm which was bleeding slightly, Aditya then noticed that they were many sharp weapons sprawled around these injured people. Aditya was even more impressed which this woman''s fighting strength.


    As Aditya was marvelling about this scene, the woman looked at the person as she spoke calmly, "I never thought that Varma gang had the gall to mess with me in my territory, now tell me who is behind you if you want to keep your hand."


    Fear and panic showed in that person''s eyes but he still clenched his teeth and shook his head. The woman looked at the person and shook her head as she forcefully twisted the staff in a particular direction.


    A pop sound was heard after which a high decibel howl was heard which caused Aditya to gasp when he saw the decisiveness of the woman. His only thought right the was to stay away from this woman at all costs. He even wanted to turn back now but his curiosity stopped him from doing this. That woman had dislocated the person''s arm.


    The woman left the right hand which fell on the ground at a very unnatural angle while the person gave another cry of pain. Aditya felt his stomach churn when he saw the deformed hand, he had never seen such injury before. He also saw that the people who were rolling on the ground crying with pain also stop making any sounds as they trembled to see the pain of their leader.


    The woman stood and slowly walked to the other side of the person and caught his left arm as she started the same procedure of wrapping his arm around her staff as she slid the staff from under his armpit. Aditya trembled when he imagined the same scene repeating. The woman did not even bother asking the question as she just looked at the person, anyone could understand what would happen if he didn''t answer.


    "Star Empress, it was the Flame Tiger gang, they said that they would give me 20% of your territory if I could catch two of your gang members and lure you here to come alone." the person admitted, he was really regretting being tempted by the offer, how did he dare to go against this devil? He wanted to slap himself for his foolishness. Everyone in the Bangalore underworld had thought that since Star Empress''s elder brother, who was the actual leader of Star gang, had been killed, Star Gang was just a lump of fat waiting to be cut and distributed by the other wolves. Never did he expect that this woman who had always remained low-key was such a terrific fighter.


    The woman called Star Empress calmly looked at the person as she spoke, "I didn''t ask you anything."


    Another pop sound was heard followed by another louder cry of pain as another deformed arm fell lifelessly on the ground. Aditya did not expect that the woman would continue even when the person confessed. He knew that he was watching what they call underworld fights, but he was shocked that these people still used cold weapons instead of firearms.


    "Now, who is going to release my people?" the woman calmly asked looking at the fallen men. Two people got up despite bearing much agony while gritting their teeth as they released the two men.


    Thought the two men had bloody, swollen faces, they were still much better than those people on the ground. Their injuries were more ''visible'' while the wounds inflicted by the Star Empress''s staff were all internal, each one had at least broken one bone.


    "Raju, Rana let us return." the woman calmly ordered while preparing to lead them out of this site.


    Clap clap clap¡­


    Aditya saw a group of five people walking exactly from his opposite side. The leader of the five was wearing a white suit, everything was white about this person, his clothes, tie, shoes etc. he looked like he was in his forties with thinning hair on his head. He was the one who clapped. He smiled exposing his full set of teeth in which Aditya saw some golden teeth, as he praised," I did not expect that the small girl who liked to blow bubbles while playing the park has grown so strong and reached great heights in ''Silambam'' staff technique. Your elder brother Manu would have been proud. Alas, he died in an accident, pity."


    "Shut up."


    For the first time since the beginning, the woman showed signs of anger on her face. Her eyes turned icy as she looked at the leader in a white suit as she said, "You, Flame Tiger, are not qualified to take my brother''s name and you know that he had not died in an accident."


    "Taarini, let me advise you as an elder and as an acquaintance of your brother. The underworld is going to change soon, those who can''t adapt to new rules are bound to be washed out." the person called as Flame Tiger spoke as if an elder was advising a junior.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Aditya wanted to smile at these names of these underworld figures, ''Star Empress'', ''Flame Tiger''. Were they watching a lot of animation movies?


    "how about this, you hand over 80% of East Bangalore to me and become my mistress, I will protect your properties and give shelter to your gang so you don''t have to vanish in these chaotic times." Flame Tiger had the same genial smile as he said to the women called both ''Star Empress'' and Taarini.


    Taarini had a cold smile on her face as she turned and started to walk outside with the two men following her.


    Flame Tiger sighed as he said, "Taarini, I tried to negotiate with you as I like you since when I saw as a kid, pity you never learn due to your stubbornness."


    Aditya almost vomited when he heard this ''Uncle''s confession, what kind of a pervert would hit on a child. When Aditya thought that everything had ended with Taarini walking out. He heard a sound which he heard only in his movies.


    Bang!


    One of the two persons who was following Taarini fell to the ground with a bloody hole in his back. Everyone in the scene jolted with this sound and were shocked. Aditya froze when he saw a live person being shot in front of his eyes. He forgot to breathe as he saw blood trickling down the hole as Taarini caught him. Her hand drenched in blood as she tried to stop the outflow. The person who was shot trembled for a few moments before his body became still.


    Taarini''s eyes became bloodshot with anger as she spoke calmly with a cold fury, "Flame Tiger..."


    "Taarini, did you really think I was joking when I said that the rules are going to change. I know that since the underworld meeting convened by your elder brother five years back had prohibited usage of firearms in gang wars in Bangalore. But that rule has died with your brother. These are new times, new times need new measure." Flame Tiger spoke as he stroke his gun which was smoking lightly from the muzzle.


    Aditya did not want anything other than to vanish at this moment, why did he have to come here? Why did he have to try to act cool by smoking? Why did he have to follow the sounds? Why did he not return when he saw the fight? Many regrets started appearing in Aditya''s mind as he watched.


    He turned and looked around the surroundings for potential covers which could protect him from gunshots. Luckily he found many, there were concrete bags, heaps of sand, gravel piles near him, though Aditya was not sure about other materials, he had seen a YouTube video where a person shot through sand and checked the depth of the bullet penetration. Though Aditya didn''t remember the exact depth, he remembered that he had thought at that time, it wasn''t much depth. So, Aditya was sure that the sand heap in front of him could definitely protect him. This calmed him a little as he continued to watch trying to stay as calm as possible.


    He remembered when he gave an ''ultimatum'' to Bunny that he would rescue his parents over his corpse. If he could not handle just watching such a scene, he would look down upon himself. So he inspired deeply as he observed.


    Taarini stared Flame Tiger with cold eyes, though she did not show fear at the seeing a gun, she did not make any extra movements.


    "See, when a firearm is used, its that simple. You look at these people who could not beat you even when they ganged up on you, but look at me, even though I am not a fighter, I could get you to lie under my crotch just the same. don''t you think it makes many things convenient."


    Taarini was just about to say something but a blunt impact hit her head which stunned her. A sharp pain confused her as she felt dizziness. Her figure shook as she found it hard to maintain balance, she fell on her four limbs as she looked back. There was no one else but Rana who was her brother and gang member. Her vision blurred as she held her head where it was hit, she gasped in pain as she saw two Ranas due to double vision.


    Rana dropped the iron rod as he walked towards Flame Tiger as he said, "Elder sister, I thought that with Elder Brother''s death, you would change and lead us to become the biggest gang in Bangalore''s Underworld but I was very disappointed that you were the same as the elder brother. You have many qualms to smuggle drugs, encourage prostitution or extort money from the wealthy. How much money could we make by running entertainment centres like pubs and bars? I have lost my patience waiting for you to change. That was why I contacted Flame tiger myself and surrendered to him."


    Though Taarini heard the words, it took a long time for her to understand the meaning, it was as if her brain had suddenly become slow. She had trouble concentrating, she felt as if someone left an alarm clock in her head as the ringing sound didn''t stop. She felt nauseating.


    Flame Tiger walked up to her while he hit Rana head in a jovial way, "Pig, who is going to be responsible if you knocked her out or worse got her killed. How am I going to enjoy her?"


    Rana rubbed his head as he laughed embarrassingly, he said, "You look at her big brother, she is awake but doesn''t have the strength to resist, you can do anything to her, even many embarrassing things which she would rather die than do if she was fully conscious."


    "Good, good, welcome to my gang, from today I will gift you a bar on MG road, look after it well." Flame Tiger laughed as he walked towards Taarini with lustful eyes as he scanned her body curves while licking his lips.


    "Taarini, I promise you will never forget this, it is going to be remarkable and never-ending night for both of us." when Flame tiger reaching his hand which was not holding the gun to hold Taarini, A sharp crack sound was heard followed by a pitiful yell of Flame tiger.


    The gun fell down as Flame tiger held his hand with the other while looking at a medium size gravel stone which was lying harmlessly on the ground, beside his gun. He never expected that there would be another person in this scene and that person had actually dared to attack him.


    He turned towards the direction from which the stone hit him, apart from the light in the centre the rest of the construction site was shrouded in darkness. From the pain radiating from his arm, he knew he definitely broke a bone. He was driven mad that his ''good'' deed would be interrupted by some bastard.


    Veins popped from Flame tiger''s forehead as he shouted towards the darkness, "If you are a man, come fight from front, you motherf**..."


    Before he could finish his words, another stone shot from the darkness with high speed knocking into Flame Tiger''s mouth. Blood leaked out from his mouth as he spat the stone out. Besides the stone, flame Tiger''s followers also saw a shiny gold tooth.

 Stones That Never Miss

    Aditya looked at his hand which was holding a stone with shock and awe. Although he had expected that he would be proficient in throwing stones like Basketball, speculating a theory and experiencing practically was very different.


    Even now Aditya was not sure that he was doing the right thing by intervening in these gang wars. He did not want to act but two reasons kept him from ''not'' acting. One was that he got the basic gist of the story of what happened between the woman''s gang and the others. He felt that the woman''s gang were better placed morally, also Aditya''s young blood boiled when he saw that Taarini was backstabbed by the very person for whom she had come alone. This sort of betrayal really could not be digested by Aditya''s world view where friendship with trust, loyalty were the epitome of all principles that he adhered to.


    The other reason was that Aditya was brought up in a pretty conservative way under the influence of his father who was brought up in rural hinterland area of India. Urban concepts like feminism and women equality were not prevalent yet during his father''s generation. So, according to his father women were delicate like blooming flowers which needed to be protected and cared for.


    Aditya had suffered multiple times in his childhood because of his father''s thinking process. Whenever the neighbour girls or his female classmates came to his home, Aditya was forced to adjust at every step. Whatever the girl demanded like his toys or favourite snacks, they were given immediately without even asking for his opinion. Whenever he raised a ruckus about this, his father''s reply was always consistent, ''they are girls''.


    Taking this as granted, those girls would always complain about Aditya whenever he argued with them when they broke game rules. For example, when they played a business game, in the end when Aditya was going to collect all the money and conquer everything, that neighbour girl would pout and call his father with watery eyes. that''s it, his father would take Aditya''s paper money and give it to the girl. When those girls went to the park to play, Aditya was sent as their bodyguard. So, Aditya was used to this unfair treatment. Sometimes he wondered if it would have been better if he was born a girl.


    So according to Aditya''s psyche, he couldn''t just ignore a woman getting hurt while knowing that he had the capability to help. If Aditya was just a normal teenager, he could ignore all this with a clear consciousness but the fact was he was not normal anymore at least since the last two weeks. So he could only clench his teeth and get ready for his life''s first ''real'' fight. His advantage was the darkness, long-range attacking skill, a big pile of gravel at his disposal.


    He hoped that only the leader had a firearm and not the underlings, he would escape if any other person took a gun out. So, his first target was the hand holding the gun. Aditya just tossed the gravel stone into the air twice before his body got the gist of the stone weight, shape, trajectory, required force and style of throwing. All these factors were calculated just by tossing the stone once into the air, the whole process was natural as if closing your eyes when you sneeze.


    As expected, the first shot itself was a success. Aditya was excited, he felt as if liquid adrenaline had been injected into his bloodstream, his body trembled with both fear and expectation. Just then, he found an interesting target, Aditya had been dazzled by the gold teeth of the person called ''Flame Tiger'' which was sparkling as it reflected the construction lights. He wanted to see if he could hit small targets also accurately. When he, Aditya, willed it and tossed the next stone into the air as he saw Flame Tiger cursing in pain and turning towards his direction.


    At that moment Aditya had not only calculated the stone trajectory but he had also analyzed the body movement, facial movement, the speed of Flaming Tiger, it was almost like ''prediction'', he had figured out the position the gold tooth would reach when the stone thrown by him reached the target. So, he threw the stone at high speed after he had combined both calculations instinctively.


    Then beyond all expectations of Aditya, the stone really hit the root spot of the gold tooth which he had planned to hit. Aditya could feel a fire raging in his heart when he saw that he had hit the target. He became more confident. There was some 25 meters distance between him and the gang, so he made sure that he would escape when any member got within 10 meters distance. He knew he was no fighter, if Bhadra was here, he might have tackled with two to three of these people. Aditya''s thin physique never allowed any fanciful whims, like fighting a big group single-handedly, to enter his heart since he was a kid.


    Aditya smirked as he grabbed a handful of stones with his left hand as he thought all kinds of sensitive spots of a human body to target. Nose and mouth would painful but not critical if these guys did not know good from bad, he did not mind targetting eyes and crotch.


    "Bastards, why are you all staring at me? Get that f**cker, I want to peel his skin today." Flame tiger roared at his subordinates with red eyes. One could not figure out whether it was due to pain or rage.


    Crack!


    Before the other men could move, a stone smashed into a nose of one of the men as fell down holding his bleeding nose. Shivers ran through the gang at the damage done by each and every stone. Usually, stones were not considered as a deadly weapon which could inflict fatal wounds. Unless many people cornered a man and stoned him multiple times from all angles, death by stones was rare.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "idiots, use something to block those stones, there are wooden planks lying over there, each one of you, pick them up and defend yourself. don''t you remember that dubbed English movie ''300'' we saw last Sunday, in that, the army uses shields to block themselves from arrows, you do the same." Flame tiger spat saliva mixed with blood as he groaned with pain.


    "I only watched that movie for sex scenes," a member muttered as he scratched his head to look at what the other members were doing. Some men picked up wooden planks and kept them before there body and started to move towards the dark corner where Aditya was situated. Flame tiger thought that even if these thugs couldn''t catch the culprit, they could at least cover him.


    Aditya saw these people using wooden planks and sneered. It was a pity these wooden planks had to be held in place by holding them in the sides. These planks did not have handles which shields possess to protect their hands. He could clearly see exposed fingers from the sides of planks.


    "let''s get this woman out of here first, I doubt these dumb bastards can play any useful role, they can do nothing but drink and roll around every day." Flame tiger bent down to hold Taarini who was still moving in a muddled fashion.


    A shriek was heard as a gangster fell down catching his right hand with his left one, the nail of his middle finger was ripped off from the skin layer due to the stone injury. When Flame tiger thought that he was safe, a larger than average stone took a small arc from above the height of his subordinates and hit his right ear. The stone had a sharp edge which cut his ear pinna pretty deep. The shock of the impact sent Flame tiger into a similar state like Taarini. Flame tiger suddenly didn''t know left from right as he fell directly beside Taarini.


    The people who were holding the wooden planks found their fingers being smashed and their nails ripped. Aditya had heard that pulling out nails was a part of interrogative techniques used by the military on terrorists. So, he tried if he could achieve that with his stones. Whichever person had a slightly grown nail which stood out from skin became his target as he hit exactly at the junction of nail and skin with his stones. These men were not your regular groomed men to maintain small nail sizes. So, he had plenty of targets. Aditya specifically targeted the man called Rana who had betrayed Taarini and hit her from the back. He felt this person was more despicable than the others.


    The men were furious at the start, their rage only grew with more injuries as they tried to push towards Aditya but after getting hit multiple times, their rage was replaced with caution. After some time their caution was replaced with fear which later at the end transformed to terror. They felt that the, their lives were totally in the control of that god of death. Horror grew in their heart as they thought if this god of death aimed at their head and other critical spots.


    Just as they thought of it, a blood-curdling scream sounded which even caused the addled Flame tiger to regain some focus. Rana had fallen holding his crotch with both his hands as he writhed in pain.


    Aditya was feeling pretty hyped right now, he felt that he was in control of the lives of these people who could nothing but get hit in front of him.


    "Bastard I will kill when I find you again, bastards get moving." Flame tiger sounded a warning before escaping first. He did not want to stay a second longer in this area. Even those people who were part of the Varma gang who had been beaten up Taarini also escaped while fumbling, they carried their leader away who had both of his arms dislocated from shoulder. Rana was also dragged by his hands by two other people while fleeing.


    Aditya looked on as those people ran like they were escaping from a ghost, Aditya felt his rapidly beating heart calm down. Although Aditya was pretty sure that the people who took away his parents were much stronger than these street thugs, he still felt his confidence growing. He gripped his fist vowing to himself that there will come a day when Bunny would also escape like that before him.


    He looked at the distant escaping figures which had reduced to mere shadows in the dark night, he calculated the distance to be around 70 m. Aditya could still know who was who as he had ''remembered'' their movements, figures and manners.


    He smiled as he took a medium size pebble and threw at the sky at a 45-degree angle with his full strength. He took a handkerchief and covered his face with it as he walked towards the woman called Taarini, he couldn''t leave her like that.


    Aaah!


    Flaming tiger''s painful cry which was similar to what a pig makes when it is being slaughtered drifted to Aditya''s ear as he reached the fallen figure who was still moving incoherently. Aditya thought that this woman was lucky that Rana did not aim to kill. Otherwise, given the natural soft bones of a woman and the brute strength of Rana, she would have been beyond saving.


    Aditya sighed as he grabbed her right hand and put it around his neck while he used his left hand to hold her around her waist. Aditya thought given his usual performance, he might not be able to carry her. But reality exceeded his expectations as he hoisted her up pretty easily which surprised him. Was this woman not as heavy as she looked. Aditya thought as he cast his eyes on her figure, especially in some places which seemed to carry more weight than normal.


    Her oval face carried grace and charm, Aditya found it hard to imagine that a woman with such an innocent face was so brutal when she fought. She just felt so harmless while leaning on him for support.


    Aditya almost started getting a boner when he saw those places. For god''s sake, he was in his most energetic peak of life where he had to wake up every morning to a stiff ramrod, he had just built up his confidence by making a group of gangsters running which made him feel lightheaded and a little muddled.


    Just as he was immersing in his fanciful thoughts, an icy voice spoke, "Do you have a death wish?", it was like a bucket of cold water had been splashed on Aditya''s face as he almost let go of Taarini. The place which had started growing immediately shrunk back like a startled tortoise head. A set of dark eyes were staring at him which reminded Aditya of the entrance to freezing hell.

 White Buffalo

    Aditya remembered how this woman had dislocated both the arms of a person, he started regretting holding her. It would have been fine if he just walked after making sure she was safe. He should have just called 100 (like 911 in the US). But, there was no way to ''undo'' his deeds. So, Aditya braced himself as he said, "Elder sister, I found a dead body and noticed that you were injured, so I thought of giving you a hand and get you to the nearest medical care facility.


    Taarini looked at Aditya with dubious eyes as she asked, "If so, why are you covering your face?" her tone was getting colder by the second.


    "Of course, its because I don''t want to be associated with a murder. Although I want to help you, I can''t risk revealing my identity." Aditya spoke trying to stay as calm as possible. He did not want to reveal that it was he who had scared the other guys away as it was too eye-catching. He did not have any idea of ''advertising'' his skills especially facing ''those'' people. After speaking, Aditya released the woman because he wanted to leave her as soon as possible, he did not want to stay here any more. His objective of saving her has been achieved, he did not feel the need for him to stay here with her and chat the meaning of life.


    But, when Aditya released her Taarini staggered violently and almost fell down before Aditya caught her again. Aditya rolled his eyes thinking, ''why did this woman have to scare me with that tone, I thought she had recovered''


    Taarini had not imagined that this fellow would leave her when she spoke just a few words. She did not know that her words had scared the hell out of Aditya. She had been used to speak in this way to survive in the underworld.


    Aditya found that Taarini was looking at the dead body with unblinking eyes as grief flashed in her eyes, but it was only temporary as she looked at Aditya and asked, "Do you have a mobile?"


    Aditya took his mobile out asking, "should I call an ambulance for you, you seem to need medical assistance."


    Taarini shook her head as she snatched his mobile and dialled a number. Aditya really wanted to slam his head against a wall, if he wanted to maintain anonymity, why did he allow her to use his phone? wouldn''t it make it easier for her to track him down? Aditya turned his head to notice a cunning ray in Taarini''s eyes as her mouth curved into a slight grin. He knew that he had fallen in her trap.


    But suddenly Aditya thought of a possibility if ''those'' guys wanted to erase all of his parents'' digital files, he was sure his mobile phone information should also have been tampered with. He was sure Taarini would not be able to find him through this number. He sighed in relief as he thought that it was second time today that he thanked ''that'' organization.


    Aditya held Taarini and walked towards a pile of cement bags, he helped her to sit there. He planned to leave her as he did not want to stay with her anymore. Taarini sniffed near Aditya as he helped her sit as asked, "Do you have a smoke?"


    Aditya nodded and passed her his cigarette pack as well as a lighter. He said, "Since your people are coming for you, I will take my leave."


    When Taarini saw that Aditya wanted to leave, she asked, "Who are you?" she really wanted to find out what happened after she got hit by Rana, she could only remember cries of pain and curse words. She knew she was rescued otherwise she was even scared to think of her situation, she knew for sure that she would have committed suicide if Flame Tiger had done anything to her. So, she had to know who it was that saved her and the only link was this person in front of her.


    Aditya shook his head as he said, "I am a nobody. Just go on with your life as if nothing had happened today. I don''t want to see you trying to find me or trying to contact me." he turned and walked decisively into the darkness.


    Taarini looked intently at the disappearing figure of Aditya with a small smile on her face. She laughed in a ridiculing manner as she muttered, "You really think the underworld is something that you can come and go like it''s your family''s backyard. When you are staring at the Abyss, the Abyss is also staring at you. Even if I leave you, do you think the others would?"


    "If it was that easy to withdraw from this field, why would I be still here?" Taarini laughed self-deprecatingly as she looked at the dead body of Raju, as tears slowly started rolling down her eyes. She lit a cigarette and smoked calmly looking at the direction Aditya had disappeared.


    After some time, a metallic black Hummer H3 skidded to a halt in front of the construction site. Dust rose in all directions, as some figures darted out of the car towards inside. When these figures came in front of Taarini, they found her smoking calmly, she had regained her icy demeanour, no teardrops could be found on her face. Some of the men let out gasps as they found the lying body.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Taarini looked at a burly figure who was in the front, he was 2.2 meters tall with bear shoulder and big muscular physique. She ordered, "Satya, carry Raju." then she turned towards the lead figure who was six ft in height and possessed a fit body though he appeared dwarfed in front Satya, she said, "Munna, then game rules of Bangalore''s underworld have changed overnight, I want to know what happened these past few days which we seemed to have missed."


    "I want all our arsenal dugout tonight, it''s going to be chaotic from now on. Those f**ckers started this, they can''t blame us for being ruthless anymore, I want all the properties of that Flame tiger in east Bangalore pounded tomorrow. I want to at least ten people to accompany Raju." Taarini spoke calmly as if it''s not a big deal as she smoked.


    "Let''s go to Raju''s family" Taarini tossed the cigarette bud away as she got up and walked steadily towards the cars. All the men who came only nodded their heads and followed her in quick strides. No questions about what happened here or how Taarini was alright were not asked. In the Underworld, people lose their lives just for being curious.


    When all the cars had dashed away from this construction site, a figure slowly walked out from the shadows. Aditya watched calmly at the leaving cars as he sighed and turned towards his home to pick his bag from his home. He did not want to spend the night in that house where his parents were no longer present.


    When Aditya reached the crossroad where he had met Bunny in the morning. He turned and looked at a closed flower bouquet shop. Its front shutter was covered in dust. Aditya felt grief at the sight as this shop was his mother''s hard work. Not only this, his mother had a total of five flower bouquet shops in Bangalore which she had built from the start.


    After his mother had married his father against the wishes of her family, his mother and father had to depend on themselves. His father was a science freak which was not exactly a profession where you could earn a lot. In turn, this profession drained a lot of his father''s energy and time so he couldn''t have other earning options.


    Though his mother''s family did not leave anything for her, the high-quality education and foresight she had acquired due to being brought up in an affluent family, stayed with her. So his mother could start from scratch and become a successful entrepreneur. Aditya still remembered accompanying his mother as she designed bouquets with many colours which he found fascinating. Since then, Aditya always liked diverse colours.


    He had accompanied his mother to go the Lalbagh flower show which displayed hundreds of thousands of red roses, orange roses. They would buy some flowers and sapling on sale there every year. Due to his mother''s dedication and perseverance, her business became successful and their family''s financial situation became better and better. He remembered that his mother had said that she was having talks with a start-up company to start home delivery system. But all these efforts of his mother were taken away from her in a single day.


    Aditya didn''t find any mention of this in his mother''s letters as if she didn''t get affected by this. He knew that his mother did not have the habit of sharing her pains, she would only share her happiness with him. Aditya clenched his fists as he vowed that he would get back these shops and their home at any cost.


    "Big brother, we shouldn''t do this." a timid immature male voice spoke waking Aditya from his thoughts as he looked at the two teens who were around his age walking out of a wine shop.


    "little pig, you don''t know, I had my first break up, if I can''t start drinking now, how can people know my sincerity. If I was alright and was roaming around happy, won''t people think that there was no profoundness in my love." another aggressive teenager''s voice was heard suppressing the first voice.


    Aditya almost laughed at these words as he turned to see who was such a ''sincere'' lover, he was shocked when he found that the speaker was known to him. Not only did he know him, but he was also his best buddy when he was studying tenth grade in a school which followed the national curriculum.


    "But Big brother, you have to turn 18 before you can drink." the first one who was unknown to Aditya spoke up apprehensively.


    "Did the shopkeeper ask us our age when we bought this beer, why are you getting so worked up?" the second one whom Aditya recognized spoke confidently.


    "But I remember that you said that you didn''t love her, it was all an act." the first one spoke


    "You know that I know that but others need to think that mine was true love."


    "Big brother, why did she leave you."


    "that gold digger found a better person than me who was also richer than me, it seems."


    "Who is it? Your classmate?"


    "No, she caught him on Facebook."


    "Oh."


    "But don''t worry. She will suffer because of her shortsightedness."


    "Why, Big brother?"


    "Because the better, richer guy on Facebook is just my fake account, serves her right, mwahaha."


    "Big brother, you are very intelligent."


    "I know, right."


    Aditya had smacked his hand to his forehead when he heard these words, this white buffalo had not changed a bit. This idiot successfully became his own love rival and lost his girlfriend to himself. Now, he wants to drink alcohol to prove that he is distraught because his girlfriend had left him when the main culprit was himself.


    "White Buffalo, you haven''t changed," Aditya called him as he walked towards them.


    "Hey, who has the gall to call me by this name, only ''Playboy Adi'' has the right to call me such."


    "..."

 Passion of an Autophile

    "Adi!" the plump boy whom Aditya referred to as ''white buffalo'' exclaimed when he saw Aditya approach him smilingly.


    There was a reason Aditya addressed Kranthi as ''white buffalo''. This fatty was the best friend of Aditya and was his classmate until Aditya changed schools after tenth grade.


    During childhood, Kranthi used to be very fair even rivalling with a genuine white kid, so whenever he and Aditya fought, even a little bruise looked strikingly distinct on Kranthi while Aditya''s wounds were not so visible in his olive complexion, this caused Aditya to be one always punished. To add on to that, this fellow had a panda physique, he was round and chubby. Even if Aditya caught Kranthi''s hand for a few seconds, the place would become scarlet like a rash. So, finding that he would always be in disadvantage if he fought with this fatty physically, Aditya had given a nickname ''white buffalo'' to him to simply irritate him. Afterwards, although both became the best of buddies, the name stuck. The apple physique of Kranthi and the ''stick'' physique of Aditya was really a vivid sight when saw together.


    As Aditya reminisced the past memories, he was suddenly engulfed in a fat tsunami as Kranthi hugged Aditya.


    "White Buffalo, get off, I don''t want to drown in fat and die." Aditya tried to beat off Kranthi but it felt like he was punching a pillow.


    "Adi, long time no see, I missed you." Kranthi didn''t let go and was shouting loudly without considering that they were on the street with many people around.


    Aditya was sure if this scene happened in some western countries, he and Kranthi would have already been labelled as a gay couple. Luckily in India, ''Bromance'' was the first thought that came to mind. So, they would be given the advantage of the benefit of the doubt.


    It took a few minutes for Aditya to escape from Kranthi. He immediately took a few steps backwards before threatening him, "if you don''t control yourself, I will let the whole world know that it was you who wrote the love letter to Shalini teacher in ninth grade."


    This really worked as Kranthi immediately stopped, he smiled sheepishly while scratching his head as he said, "you already knew."


    Aditya rolled his eyes as he said, "I remember that you lived near White Field, what are doing here?" though, he didn''t mention it Aditya was very happy to see his best friend, it is just that Aditya was not as expressive as Kranthi.


    Kranthi had grown up with Aditya so he knew his temperament. He laughed brightly as he said, "My father bought a garage here, so we moved to this part. It is really a big garage, we even provide car services to high-end cars. Right now there is even a Mercedes Benz C300 being serviced."


    Actually, there is another reason that Aditya and Kranthi could stick together for so many years. They both shared the same passion for cars. Both were legit autophiles. Of course, they would bond.


    Aditya who had lost his passion for racing due to his parents missing found a small fire blazing in his heart when he heard Kranthi''s words. Now that he was technically free and he had also ascertained the safety of his parents, why not spend some days playing with cars while figuring out his next step.


    With this thought, Aditya looked solemnly at Kranthi and said, "White Buffalo, I have nowhere to go, let me work in your garage for a few months."


    "Sure."


    This was White Buffalo that Aditya knew, he never thought too much about things. He did not even ask why Aditya had nowhere to go? what happened to his parents? why was he not attending school? This was the difference between Bhadra, Jatin and Kranthi. Though, Aditya was not finding fault with anyone.


    White Buffalo knew that Aditya had worked as a car mechanic as a part-time job when he was in his tenth grade so he agreed readily. At that time because Kranthi lived in a faraway place Aditya worked in Kishore uncle''s garage who was his father''s friend.


    The boy who was called ''little pig'' by Kranthi couldn''t hold himself any longer as he asked Kranthi, "Big brother, who is this fellow who dare call you as ''white buffalo'', let me teach him a lesson for you."


    Aditya looked with wide open eyes at this short fellow with medium stature who still couldn''t deduce that he and Kranthi were friends and was thinking that he was bullying Kranthi. He looked at Kranthi with questioning eyes.


    "little pig, remember he is also your big brother from now on, he is my best buddy. Only he is allowed to call me such. Understood?" Kranthi ordered as he leaned slightly towards Aditya as he whispered, "this fellow''s actual name is Rahul who is a distant relative from my father''s side who lived in a village until recently. His parents had basically determined that there was no future for Rahul so they sent him to help my father in the garage. I always feel smart and intelligent when I am with him, so I let him tag along wherever I go. It''s fun."This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Aditya was dumbfounded when he heard Kranthi''s words especially ''I always feel smart and intelligent when I am with him'' part. He smiled as he extended his hand to Rahul, "Hey, I am Aditya, I was Kranthi''s classmate till tenth grade, glad to meet you."


    "Big brother, hello, my name is Rahul and I am a relative of Big brother, you can also call me ''little pig''." Rahul smiled radiantly.


    Aditya was in a daze when he heard ''you can also call me little pig'', now he understood why Kranthi felt smart and intelligent when he was around Rahul.


    "Okay, enough of small talk, Aditya let''s go, you can join today itself if my father is still at the garage." Kranthi pulled Aditya as he walked towards his father''s garage.


    "Big brother, what about these beer bottles?"


    "Toss them away, today I have no mood to play a drunken love failure anymore."


    Aditya: "..."


    What astonished Aditya more was that Rahul gave away those beer bottles to a beggar like a charity. These two were really a unique pair of pearls in the sea.


    After a fifteen minute walk, Aditya watched in a daze as he came back to his favourite place, the hospital for cars. His heart calmed down as he felt at home when he saw an assortment of damaged cars in the parking lot.


    Aditya forgot everything as he looked at open bays with vehicles on lifts and ramps, employees were too busy in their work to manage Aditya as he saw them with a glitter in his eyes. They all looked dirty with grease and oil stained clothes wearing dirty boots as they talked loudly so as to be heard over the loud noises.


    The deafening sounds of electric drilling as sparks flew in all directions, the over the top sounds of faulty engines roaring, revving, clanking, metal on metal contact sounds, Aditya felt it was the most beautiful music in the world as his blood started boiling. The smell of gasoline and engine oil was the sweetest scent for him at this moment. A small smile appeared on Aditya''s face as he looked all around.


    He looked at the workshop benches by the wall where all kinds of tools were placed like wrenches, screwdrivers, socket sets, drills.


    He looked at the nearest car as he saw a mechanic working, he saw him get into the car as he started the car but the engine won''t start, Aditya looked at the engine as he shouted so that mechanic could hear him, "Brother, the oil is leaking."


    The mechanic who was dark and sweaty wearing dirty clothes had bright eyes. He stopped the engine and asked Aditya while looking at the engine, "Where?"


    "look at the oil pump."


    "Right, thanks." he smiled as he took a wrench and dived into the engine as he tightened some bolts.


    Aditya did not know that the moment he came into the garage, a middle-aged man was paying attention to him. He was Ramlal, father of Kranthi, unlike Kranthi who had a buxom personality, Ramlal was normal.


    He had noticed that his son had brought someone, while he thought that his son would introduce him, he had not expected that the person who his son brought was roaming around the garage like how a kid roams around the gallery of candies and chocolates in a supermarket.


    After observing that person for a few minutes, Ramlal could determine that this child was a petrolhead too like his son.


    The mechanic who had rectified the oil pump had started the car and it started smoothly. The mechanic smiled at Aditya as he stopped the car. Aditya who was listening to the engine sound slightly frowned as he went near the driver''s seat as he asked the mechanic to start again.


    Aditya nodded as if his concern was correct as he saw the car seemed to have a slightly higher than normal RPM but it was not too abnormal. He turned and asked the mechanic, "Are you not going to check the RPM problem?"


    "Nah, the owner did not care about it when I notified him, so I don''t have to worry about it."


    Aditya nodded, the problem was really minute for now, when he had worked in the garage, he had seen many people who took the maintenance of their cars too lightly. Aditya had always despised those people as these people did not know that the condition of a car was directly related to the safety of their lives. It was really irresponsible for them to ignore these problems.


    "Check the throttle body, sometimes the floor mat gets stuck to the throttle body which might lead to this problem," Aditya told the mechanic. The mechanic looked at this teenager who seemed to be quite knowledgeable about Car repair with interest.


    "Can you tell me the other reasons by which a car''s rpm during idling can increase?" a mature deep voice asked from Aditya''s behind.


    Aditya turned to see a middle-aged person who had asked him this question. He had a gentle smile on his face as he looked at Aditya with expectation in his eyes.


    Aditya did not immediately answer this question but looked at Kranthi who was signalling with his eyes. Aditya understood that this man was his friend''s father and the owner of this garage.


    He recovered his composure as he started listing out the reasons-


    "there are many factors which could cause such an effect like


    -In vehicles that have carburettors, a bad accelerator pump or power circuit may be to blame.


    -The Ignition timing might be in need of adjusting.


    -If the computerized engine control system is faulty, high idling can be one symptom..."


    Aditya listed out more than fifteen defects which could cause the same symptom without taking a break. Even if Aditya did not possess extraordinary memory skills, he was sure that he would still list out at least ten points but with his super memory Aditya easily gave out the best answer without much effort.


    Ramlal was very impressed with this kid who could list of reasons which even he was not familiar with and also with such ease. He smiled and said jokingly, "Why don''t you do a part-time job at my garage, I will give you 40% of the service fee earned from each car you repair, you could earn some pocket money to buy your girlfriend some gifts."


    "Sure sir, I could join right now. If you could take me in and provide lodging, I don''t mind working full time." Aditya smiled brightly and took up Ramlal''s offer before he could withdraw it.


    Ramlal raised his thick eyebrows when he saw that Aditya really took up on the offer and that he wanted to work full time. He looked at Kranthi who nodded vigorously. He turned and said, "Did your parents agree to this."


    "That won''t be a problem, sir" Aditya replied in a short sentence


    Ramlal knew that he shouldn''t ask too much, he believed in his foresight and his son as he nodded slowly, "You could stay in the penthouse above this garage from today." he smiled at Aditya as he extended his hand, "Welcome to my garage."


    "Thank you, Sir."

 New Discoveries and a Bad Morning

    Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo


    Baby shark! ? ? ?


    Mommy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo


    Mommy shark! ? ? ?


    Daddy shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo


    Daddy shark! ? ? ?


    Grandma¡­.


    "Stop it!"


    Aditya woke up, instinctively covering his ears with his hands. He was really regretting buying those child rhyme books and watching those popular children songs on Youtube.


    It had been a week since Aditya had started his life as a car mechanic. He liked this life very much as he likes playing around cars. Though the penthouse was a little crude and uncomfortable compared to the school or his home, he had adjusted to this living the past week.


    Aditya started earning money from the very first day as he was proficient in preliminary, superficial work like dealing with small dents, paint scratches, flat tyres. Since yesterday, he was allowed to take up small repairs regarding car engines like replacing the battery, changing brake pads, changing the spark plugs etc.


    Aditya wanted to take up the ''real'' car repair jobs like changing the engine or at least changing the clutch but Kranthi''s father wanted to take it slow and check Aditya''s prowess in all aspects before letting him do sensitive repairs.


    Aditya had already shocked Ramlal with his fast learning capabilities and 100% success in repairs take up by him. The skill of tools in Aditya''s hands was like how those street magicians play with cards. It was like giving a wand to a wizard. Those tools, be it screwdrivers or wrenches danced between Aditya''s thin fingers, every movement was fluidic and consistent, no abrupt or jerky motions were seen which demonstrated his confidence and capability. There was always a small smile on Aditya''s grease-stained face as he really felt at peace.


    Coming back to the present, Aditya had kept true to his word that he would let Tya learn about this world. Aditya had already thrown away his mobile phone and all cards (most of them had become useless anyway). Anything which connected him to his previous self was left out. So, he was basically penniless. But, as he began to work in the garage, his income began increasing.


    Aditya was sure that given his capabilities, earning money was not a big hurdle for him. So when he got some money from Ramlal, he had brought some textbooks of the national curriculum or other sources so that Tya could start from scratch.


    Tya proved himself more intelligent than Aditya as he devoured all these books at a glance that even Aditya was shocked. Aditya just had to flip the pages of a book like how you check if two pages are sticking together or how you search for a particular page number and then that''s it Tya would be able to memorize, comprehend and even improvise on that knowledge.


    When Aditya asked Tya about this, Tya had cutely answered that what happened in one second in the real world was 60 seconds in Tya''s world. So, though it looked like Aditya was flipping the pages at a rapid speed, it was actually pretty slow according to Tya. Besides that, Tya was genuinely sharper than Aditya. But along with the education of Tya came a tragedy i.e. Tya liked these child rhymes and songs very much. So, whenever Tya woke up, he would like to sing these songs just like now.


    Aditya could actually block Tya''s words if he willed it, but every time he did that Tya would feel bad and become all teary that Aditya was shutting it out. So, unless Aditya had to do it like he would block Tya whenever he was naked as he felt embarrassed, during other times Aditya would leave the connection open.


    Aditya did not know why a million year old foggy looked like a cute boy or why he liked children songs but he was getting the feeling of having his own exclusive children songs radio FM inserted in his mind. Every morning he would be awakened to these songs.


    "Tya, please stop." Aditya pleaded inside. He was in his shorts and black cotton basic vest. He was as thin as ever but Aditya had noticed that his body was undergoing some subtle changes which he had not noticed before. His muscles though they stayed lean were actually brimming with energy, his skin had become more and more compact and no fat layer could be seen thus exposing the lean muscle outline to the eyes. His skin shone radiantly in the sun revealing its healthy condition.


    When Aditya had talked about this to Tya. Tya had said that these though Tya was the one being in a dormant state and absorbing the energy to make up for its loss, it had noticed that most of the energy it absorbed from its world was being taken up by Aditya''s body leaving it very little for it to use. Now that Tya had been given all the basic knowledge of this world up to high school, it was able to engage in discussions with Aditya. Otherwise, before whenever Tya heard Aditya speaking with others, it could not understand 80% of terms and words.


    Aditya had wanted to see whether it was only a feeling or his body''s athletic performance had really increased but he did not get the time to verify this theory. He had noticed these days that he could work for hours on end without getting exhausted which pleased Ramlal very much as he thought Aditya was a hard-working kid. But the fact was that Aditya did not find this work stressful at all both mentally and physically.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "Adi, good morning." a pleasant immature voice sounded as Tya greeted Aditya. These days Tya became the closest person to Aditya who was with him 24*7. Aditya had become accustomed to conversing with Tya without arousing the attention of people around him. It was like he had a younger brother. An innocent, pure, obedient, amicable younger sibling who made him almost forget about his troubles. He still did not know if Bunny had spoken the truth about people who wanted to kill him. If it was the truth, where were they?


    "Good morning Tya, could you stop singing now," Aditya spoke as he jumped out of his bed. His bed was a small wooden cot which came along with this penthouse. There were two rooms in total and a bathroom. These rooms were painted in pale yellow in colour. Though the rooms looked old, everything was neat and clean.


    Though Aditya had woken up just now, his body didn''t uncomfortable or stiff at any joint. His body felt as flexible and convenient to move like how one usually feels after a warm-up exercise. Aditya went into the bathroom to cleanse himself while blocking Tya. Tya had also being accustomed to being blocked during some ''special'' times though it did not understand the significance. Like every day, Aditya spat mucus which contained some dark black material. In the beginning, Aditya was shocked when he saw this black phlegm. Later when he thought that it started from when he started smoking, Aditya stopped smoking for a day to check. Surprisingly. He did not form any kind of dark mucous the other day.


    After Aditya did some research on the effect of smoking, he found out that many tiny carbon particles (which are mildly toxic in nature) are inhaled when people smoke which are black and brown in colour. But usually, these particles are ingested by white blood cells in the blood and are stored as toxic waste which is why lifelong smokers lungs are usually black in colour in contrast to the healthy pink colour of normal people.


    Since Aditya had adopted to his ''abnormal'' status, he had unconsciously started thinking of out of the box theories for the uncommon things that happen to him. Based on this way of thinking, Aditya had summarized that his body''s toxic resistance had somehow increased to a higher level where the body ejects all the toxic and unhealthy substances in his body daily through all kinds of excretions like tears, stool, mucus, sweat, urine.


    This theory had been further strengthened by the fact that Aditya''s stool was extremely smelly and an unnatural tinge of black in it for two continuous days. Even a dark sticky substance was secreted from his skin when he woke up. Aditya had a hard time ''not vomiting'' when he inhaled that stench. But after that, Aditya felt light as if his body was floating the air. After he finished his bath, he could feel his skin becoming softer like that of a middle school student.


    So, Aditya had confirmed that after his mind absorbed Tya''s energy, he got super memory and calculative skills. In the same way. Now that his body is absorbing the energy from Tya''s dormant state, though this energy was not as much as the initial amount which almost killed Tya, it still started ''slowly'' modifying Aditya''s body.


    Aditya also found out that, whenever he smoked, the first cigarette of that day felt like he was smoking for the first time of his life. The light headed feeling or getting a little high experience was usually a one-time thing for smokers in their whole life. But for Aditya, every day''s first smoke had the same ''first-time'' feeling which intrigued him.


    After a bit of study, Aditya found out that this lightheaded feeling is caused by a stimulant called Nicotine in the cigarette. So, a person''s body would develop tolerance to this nicotine as a person smokes causing the loss of the pleasant sensation. So for an initial smoker who gets a little high with one cigarette would need many cigarettes to get the same effect after a few days of smoking. But Aditya whose body was ''different'' did not develop this tolerance for nicotine nor did it get physically addicted to this stimulant. By this Aditya could enjoy every first cigarette he smoked that day like he was smoking for the first time. So he did not need to worry about him developing smoking addiction and he could cease smoking whenever he felt like it.


    Aditya did not know how to feel about these changes, neither did he know what was the endpoint. As Aditya cleansed himself, took a bath, an excited shout was heard from Chakri, a co mechanic, whom Aditya had met the first day when he came to this garage. He had also become his first friend.


    "Adi, a hummer has come for servicing, come quickly."


    Aditya''s hands trembled when he heard that sentence but shrugged his fears away quickly. There are many hummers in Bangalore, it can''t be hers. But frankly, men had a thing for ''big'' things. So, of course, Aditya was fascinated by Hummer, so he quickly wore his mechanic clothes as he jumped down the stairs five at a time and ran towards the other end of the garage where all high-end cars were serviced.


    When Aditya reached with high expectations, he saw a 2.2-meter giant talking with Chakri looking down like how an adult would talk to a kid. Frankly, Chakri did look like a kid before this hefty personality. When he saw that guy, all of Aditya''s positive thinking and hopes crashed to the ground, he skidded to a halt and wanted to escape from there at the same speed before any of them saw him. But destiny was not on his side as Chakri turned his head towards the entrance to see Aditya.


    "Adi, come, didn''t you say you dreamt of studying the 6.0-litre V8 engine of Hummer, Big brother Dev does not mind if you just watch, come quickly, Boss is also coming."


    The ''giant'' who looked taller than ''the great Khali'' (a WWE champion) had muscles as if they were made of wrought iron and a big, thick beard turned to see Aditya with his small but sharp eyes. Aditya really wondered how Chakri could maintain his composure being in front of this guy. Maybe there were many Hummers in Bangalore but he was sure there was only this guy and there was no second one. When the Hummer and this guy were in the same place, Aditya knew whose car it was.


    Aditya smiled which was uglier than a crying face as he walked as if his feet were shackled with chains weighing a tonne. His fortune stars seem to have taken a break today.

 Dream Diary Part 1

    "Adi, this is elder brother Dev, once when our garage was asked to pay ''protection'' fees by some gang, it was this elder brother who drove them away and covered our garage ever since." Chakri introduced to Aditya with a smile.


    Dev only looked at Aditya with a passive face for a few moments before turning towards Chakri as he spoke with a booming voice which totally fit his stature, "Chakri, how long will it take to complete the maintenance."


    Chakri looked back at Dev with a smile as he patiently explained, "elder brother, since 7,500 km mark had been crossed, we have to change oil and filter, rotate tires, lubricate steering and suspension, check brake, steering and suspension system, check all fluids, check washer system. So, we could return the vehicle in the evening."


    Dev slightly frowned but then relaxed and nodded as he said, "Alright, actually elder sister wanted to get maintenance service from Dubai but I persuaded her that it was not necessary, so I want you to give your best and not let down me in front of the elder sister."


    "I will not let that happen, Mr Dev, thank you for your trust, we will not fail you", Ramlal replied sincerely as he hurried towards them.


    Dev nodded as he took big strides towards the exit without taking a second look at Aditya. Aditya finally let out a sigh of relief as he really feared that the lady devil whom he had saved on a whim would come to find him like how Bunny did. He really couldn''t think straight since he found out there were abnormal guys like Bunny and the organization behind him. But seeing that Dev didn''t recognize him, it looked like it was a pure coincidence.


    Aditya did not want to touch this vehicle or have anything to do with it so he bid goodbye to Chakri on a pretext that he was hungry and ran back to his room. It was not the time for his duty yet so he could take some time to gather his thoughts.


    Another significant event which Aditya experienced in the past week was that his dreams changed ever since he had that electrical ''accident''. These dreams seem to have sped up many times than normal. So, every day, though he did not sleep any longer than normal (7 hrs) he was experiencing 3 months of an alternative life at very high speed and detail. Aditya wondered whether his brain could handle such a large flow of information and emotion because it had the required high capability now.


    It was really a unique experience for Aditya. It was really hard to keep track of time in the beginning as he spent 3 months in the dream and only about 17 hours in reality. If Aditya did not have Tya and these super mental abilities to accompany him, he was sure that he would have been caught in those dreams loop. He would have considered these 17 hours of real life as a dream which he had after every 3 months of ''real'' life.


    Especially with his parents missing and him being alone, also these superpowers and Tya, meet8ing abnormal strong people like Bunny actually prompted him to think whether this ''reality'' was the dream as only in dreams do people can possess such powers. On the contrary, Aditya lived a very normal life in Geneva spending time learning French, making friends, dealing with bullies and losing his virginity. Yup, Aditya lost his virginity before he could even perfect french, it was a late drunken night. He still remembered that he did not know the girl''s name but she was a beautiful blonde. No relationship ''sprouted'' from this accident as though it was his first time and he might have felt a little special about it, it was not the same for the other party.


    His father got promoted in Cern laboratories and was currently working on a project concerning ''Higg''s Boson particle or as his father liked to call it ''God particle''. He would discuss the research excitedly with his mother and him at the dining table. Though Aditya expressed irritation at this daily quantum physics class, he admired his mother who always listened patiently with a calm smile on his face.


    In the past week, Aditya had spent almost 2 years in Geneva. All the memories of this dream had actually made Aditya proficient in French, go-karting, sex among others. Yes, Aditya had started participating in many go karting training sessions. He had already participated in some national championships.


    All this knowledge somehow transferred to Aditya who was relaxing his tension-filled life by repairing cars in a garage in Bangalore. Aditya never thought he would gain such an advantage by just sleeping every day. In contrast, when he compared his sex life in the dream and reality, it felt a little depressing. In India, he always felt that it was a boy''s duty to be on the initiative and being horny all the time while girls need to practice restraint and be mild at least until she committed to a relationship. But in the dream, he found that even the girls (especially teens) were horny in Europe, so a little initiative from his side almost always ended up with both in the bed. He had quickly forgotten Anupama in the dream world, she felt too ''old-fashioned'' to him.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Of course, Aditya knew that they were all kinds of girls in India too, especially the upper-class society was becoming increasingly westernized but he was not exposed to that side before he left for Europe. The most ''play-boyish'' deed he had done when he was in India was kissing two girls at a time when he was in Tenth grade, nothing much when compared to his hormone raging life in Geneva. Aditya introspected his life as a mechanic and his life in Europe and felt that he had a lot of ''catching up'' to do.


    Aditya always thought that though he was handsome with symmetric face, bright eyes and sharp eyebrows, his ''olive'' complexion was seen a backdrop by the girls in India who adored ''fair'' complexion but the situation reversed in Geneva where his olive complexion pushed every other guy behind as it was seen as ''exotic'' there. Funny how preferences change with different people.


    In the beginning, when Aditya moved to Geneva, he was depressed to find that motor-sport road racing circuits and events were banned in Switzerland following the 1955 Le Mans disaster. He had thought that Europe was the holy ground of Car racing. Never in his dreams had he thought he would wind up in the racing banned country. Though it was lifted, later on, only a Formula E electric championship has been hosted which was for electric cars only. Who cares about clumsy electric cars whose top speed is just 174 mph while Aditya wanted to drive an F1 car whose top speeds reached 230 mph.


    Also, to add on to this drawback, Aditya soon discovered that becoming an F1 racer was not as simple as it seemed. He had to satisfy some conditions to become a successful racer. First, many F1 racers started karting since they were kids which Aditya didn''t do. Though he had played a lot of go-karting in Bangalore, it was not under any professional guidance which led to the another most important factor ''lots of money''. Aditya''s family did not have that kind of money to spend to get him trained, so another drawback.


    One thing Aditya was sure of himself was that he had good talent in driving cars, he had good reflexes, excellent situational awareness, peerless balancing skills and top-level perseverance. This was proved quickly when he joined go karting lessons for professional guidance. All the instructors were positively shocked at his fast learning skills and adapting skills. In one year, he had rushed to the top 3 positions in the academy and was even selected to represent their academy in national championships. When he turned 18, he had successfully won national qualifiers and was selected to represent the country in World Karting Championship 2018.


    Aditya also knew that he could not depend on his parents for financial assistance forever. He had planned to apply for aeronautical engineering in some internationally renowned university. He had actually wanted to learn motor-sport engineering at Coventry University in Britain but was stopped by his father saying that it was not a ''steady'' profession. So, he could only try for Aeronautical Engineering which satisfied his father''s requirements while also opening a door for becoming an F1 car engineer. Aditya wanted to try this route which ensured that he would stay financially independent while pursuing his goal and not burden his parents.


    Aditya sighed when he thought about these dreams. He really couldn''t make out the cause, purpose or the meaning of these dreams. The only thing which he was sure of was that these dreams coincided with Tya bonding with him. But Tya did not know about these dreams either so Aditya couldn''t figure out about them. But Aditya had been researching about all those scientific theories or discoveries which might explain Tya''s existence. But so far, he didn''t find any, he also did not search about his condition online as he knew he must be under constant surveillance from ''those'' guys. But Aditya had made some progress in avoiding the tracing of unwanted people, today night would be the first step to regaining his lost freedom.


    If Aditya could not escape from the radar of ''that'' organization, whatever he did to save his parents would only further jeopardize both him and them. So, Aditya took care that he was just being a normal school student who was working for a living after being suspended from his school due to ''endangering the safety of the students''. He did not expose any of his peculiarities, he would only expose his abilities when he was sure that he was not being ''watched'' in any form or method. Until then, Aditya was more interested in this dream experience which was practically teaching him many skills.


    Aditya had calculated the time required until these dreams stopped. Even if he theorized that Aditya in dreamworld lived for 100 years, given that he was experiencing 3 months in one night. Aditya knew that it would take 328 nights until the dream finished if the dream stopped with his death. It was the most positive estimate because no one knew when his death would come and in what form. Though Aditya felt goosebumps that he would dream himself dying in about a year, he felt more fascinated about this experience, how many people would have this opportunity?


    Aditya wanted to see whether ''he'' in the dream world had succeeded in becoming an F1 racer if he succeeded whether he became one of the elites, who did he fall truly in love? did he marry? did he have kids? if so, how did they fare in their lives? Did he meet any of his Indian friends later? How did they live their lives? Did Anupama find her right one? How did his elder sisters live? How did Saira Elder sister cope with life with one hand? Did Maahi Elder sister change her ''black belly'' nature, did she marry, who was that poor guy? They were many questions Aditya had which would be answered in the coming year. How exciting was it!


    Aditya also felt that there was a link between his dreams and this world though he could not put his finger on the exact reason. Because until his parents went missing and the bonding with Tya, everything that he dreamt was just a mirror image of the reality. But the reality seemed to have branched off from the dream world with the event of his parents been taken away from him and the worlds became increasing estranged from that point.

 Top Dog Part 1

    Short note: Not a dream


    Arlington County, Virginia


    Harry felt fidgety as he made jerky movements with his fingers, as he sat on the edge of a comfortable chair in the conference room. He spent the whole night getting ready for this meeting.


    By normal standard procedure, he should not be allowed to attend such a meeting consisting of almost the entire top brass of the US military and even top administrative officials. He was bewildered when he was ordered to attend this meeting by the US Cyber Command Commander Michael S Brown who was his boss.


    Though Harry was confident in his capabilities in Cybersecurity capabilities, he still felt incredulous when he was summoned by the commander. He rubbed the back of his head as he took deep breaths. His position was at the very end of the ''U'' shaped giant table with only one chair to his right, by contrast, he would be in close proximity and would be able to notice early whoever enters.


    Harry Williams was a computer addict since he was young which even resulted in him using high power prescription myopic glasses. He had become a hacker since he was fifteen when he had some significant achievements.


    He prided himself as a grey hat hacker. Often, he would look for vulnerabilities in a system without the owner''s permission or knowledge. If issues were found, he would report them to the owner, sometimes requesting a small fee to fix the issue. If the owner did not respond or comply, then he would simply post the newly found exploit online for the world to see. It was how he earned his college money.


    Then he went to study Forensic computing and Cybercrime investigation Master degree in UCD (University College Dublin), Ireland. But, he didn''t stop his Grey hacking profession. When he was 24, he had hacked into an online gift contest to win himself a brand new Porshe. A year later he hacked into an online lottery draw website to win $ 10 million, that''s it he lit himself up in NSA radar as bright as a lighthouse in a dark sea.


    He was kept in house arrest for six months before giving a chance to ''redeem'' himself by serving the country. For the past two years, he had been doing just that. As he entered his late twenties, his hot boiling blood also cooled down accordingly which made him a bit sensible, so he adapted himself to this calm and fulfilling life. The satisfaction one experiences when he goes to sleep every night knowing he had helped his country a little that day was too cool.


    He had shined in the USCYBERCOM (United States Cyber Command) with his hacking capabilities, he caught many notorious hackers who remained anonymous for very long. Due to these merits, he was the youngest to promote to the office directly under the supervision of the commander.


    "Boss, are you dreaming about Amanda, right?" an immature voice brought Harry''s attention to the conference room. He turned to look that the only chair to his right was now occupied by a fatty who was in his late twenties, with red hair and freckles. He wondered how the army service uniform fit this fellow.


    This was Kevin James whose hacking Code name was called as ''Astra'' (Sanskrit word for a weapon), he was into Eastern Mythology especially Indian. He was the prodigy of the commander''s team. He actually hacked into Dassault''s database server and downloaded many cutting edge Aviation technologies worth hundreds of millions. One might think how a person who committed such a crime was not only safe but also working for the US military? Simple, this bastard sold these technologies to the Pentagon thus escaping the prison and is now working for the government. He is an assistant for Harry and also his close friend, more like a younger brother.


    Actually, the Cyber department personnel were feeling happy because of a piece of good news that the president was going to sign the National Defense Authorization Act on 23rd of this month (23rd Dec, 2016). This Act would empower USCYBERCOM, which currently worked as a part of NSA (National Security Agency), into a full and independent unified combatant command.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    But, Harry couldn''t see any jubilant feeling from his commander, not only his superior, Harry could sense tension and stress in the air as he saw all the serious expression of these top officials some of whom were speaking in low voices with heads close to each other.


    When he heard Kevin mention Amanda, a bold red hair girl full of vitality and exuberant energy came into Harry''s mind. She was the younger sister of Benjamin Miles. Benjamin Miles was the leader of the top US mercenary group known as ''Blood Water Mercenaries''. He had seen her when she had visited the Cyber Command office with her brother.


    "Don''t worry Harry, you just have to beef up a little and she will directly jump into your bosom." Kevin egged on Harry as he spoke with mirthful eyes. Computer geeks usually were characterized as unsociable people, but they didn''t know that if computer geeks got together, they could become the thickest of friends.


    Harry kicked Kevin''s leg as he pretended to check something in his laptop bag while muttering, "Shut up fatty, this is not the moment for cracking jokes, don''t you see that the atmosphere is not right?"


    Harry knew he had a thing for Amanda but he also knew it was impossible between her and him, she was just like a goddess to him, he adored her but was not presumptuous to think she would match with him. According to him, only another soldier soaked in war and blood would be able to match her.


    Kevin looked around for a while as he nodded, "True, every old foggy are looking like they are sitting on pins and needles, Harry who are those guys in the middle."


    Harry almost fainted when he heard this fatty addressing these senior officials as old fogies, it was good at least he had the sense to lower his voice. Harry also thought its better to get some sense into this processor head as he replied, "The one in the middle Department of Defense Secretary, Noah V Hill, the person to the right is the Department of State Secretary Oliver T Cook, the person to the left if the Chairman of the Joint Army Chiefs Logan K Wood, the others are Army chiefs of Marine, Navy, Air Cavalry, so you better tighten up your loose mouth if you hope to have a steady career and don''t want to be handed over to the French government for your crime of leaking core technologies of Dassault group."


    Kevin immediately shut up when he heard the last words of Harry. The conference room was very large with plain coloured walls. There were glasses and pitchers filled with ice water in front of every official. The bright overhead lighting made sure that every corner of the room so that they were no shadows cast. The only noise Harry and Kevin could hear was the steady drone noise which came from Air conditioning vents.


    The air was filled with the scent of cologne, perfume and air freshener. When Harry was observing the surroundings, the Double glass doors opened as a tall man walked in a slow and steady pace, it was almost lazy. There was no falter in his step nor any trace of awe, respect on his face. Not only was his demeanour unfit to this occasion, but he had also worn just casual wear, dark brown t-shirt with black cotton jeans, sneakers with sports watch. When Harry looked at the lazy expression on the newcomer''s face, he gripped his hands under the table with anger, "What arrogance, who does he think he is." On the other hand, Kevin had a look of awe as he muttered, "So cool."


    Harry was certain that some soldiers would drag this person out without further delay but reality disappointed him as he saw no such action being taken. On the other hand, he observed that the top officials all straightened their backs as they watched the newcomer seriously. Only now, did Harry understood that this person was the main character for whom this meeting was held. Harry was postulating that it must be the President who would be coming.


    This time Harry closely observed this ''guest'', this person looked a bit like an Arab with jet black wavy thick hair, thick eyebrows, skinny jawline, arched eyebrows. But he had green eyes with a wide face and a fair skin tone. He wore spectacles which gleamed lightly as he watched every person mildly. His harmless vision gave jitters to Harry as if all his secrets were laid before this person.


    "This is?" the Secretary of Department of Defense finally spoke after observing this person for a few seconds. His voice was stern, sharp and carried a natural feeling which stimulated obedience from the listener. Harry thought that this was a charm which was developed through years of commanding soldiers.


    The person who was also observing all the people in the room turned and smiled as he replied, "this humble one is Zurvan Iravani, am a Persian, I only represent my organization and not my country." he explained slowly with a calm smile, no stuttering or small stops were there, his speaking was free-flowing like water, he also had no accent in his words. "This must be Mr Noah, Defense Secretary?"

 Top Dog Part 2

    Defence Secretary Noah V Hill was 58 this year, he was a mechanical engineer who finished his MBA at MIT Sloan School of Management, he joined an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells aeroplanes, rotor-craft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide.


    He served the company as a Vice President and general manager of a commercial airliner program. He was also responsible for all US Army Aviation programs and site activities in Philadelphia. He was later promoted to the Executive council of that company.


    He was currently a member of Royal Aeronautical Society and Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Given that, his position had no ''real'' power, Noah felt stressed for coming here to represent the President. From the last two years since that organization had surfaced, almost all top countries of the world were suffering from many sleepless nights.


    The reason was simple, this organization was so mysterious and there was not a bit of hint at how this organization was formed nor who or which country was behind it. The organization had taken up ''neutral'' diplomacy. It did not profess allegiance to any country. The American thought that the Russians or Chinese were behind it while the others thought that the Americans were behind it. No one knew the truth and no one trusted each other enough to believe the other party words.


    Some conspiracy theorists who got news from some whistleblower who leaked the news of this organization had confirmed that the Americans had gotten some Alien Technology and were developing this organization in Area 51 and had now deployed this organization to achieve their goal of World domination in the least violent means bypassing the nuclear threats.


    By the capability this organization displayed and the way it negotiated with powerful countries strengthened the belief in this theory of not only other countries but American official also. Noah also wished that this theory were true but the fact was very disappointing and positively terrifying. Not even with all the high-level intelligence systems placed at the disposal of the President could help him uncover the origins of this organization.


    Noah did not know if there was an Area 51 operating without the knowledge of the Incumbent President, but he had a long talk with the President about his concerns about these group of people. You will come in contact with this organization only when they contact you.


    As to the theory about Alien technology, even Noah thought it might be possible when he saw these organization people fighting. Anyone would think the same way if they saw a single person fighting with 50 hardcore special operations soldiers without breaking a sweat. Only after they used firearms with permission to kill did they kill that monstrosity.


    The US government had also paid a steep price for provoking this organization. All the information about the most popular American fighter plane including its core technologies, designs, patents, sales were released into the dark web for the whole world to see. The most painful aspect was that all this information was for free. Even the production line technologies were also leaked. Now any small country could build the same plane for themselves with a bunch of aerospace engineers.


    USCYBERCOM had the most challenging period as it strove to erase all the relevant information. They even had to threaten many countries with invasion to cooperate in this process. But the damage was already done. Although they could decrease the scale of damage, Americans had many opponents and competitors also, whom they couldn''t afford to offend. So, they could only take this lying down at present.


    News that North Korea had already started this work really made the top brass official want to slam their heads against walls. It was really a dark period for the US which aroused giant waves all over the world. This incident also cleared most of the doubts that it was the US behind this organization though at a great price. Also, it stopped from other countries doing a similar mistake like provoking this organization without a reason.


    The fear or caution did not come from this organization''s capabilities but from its purpose. No one knew what this organization aspired to do or where its ambition lie. This shroud of mystery further caused these countries to lay back and wait patiently rather than making the first move and working as an experimental subject for other countries. The US had already graciously showed what could happen.


    So one could imagine how these military officers felt when a member of the organization came to the doorstep of the heart of the greatest military power like it was his house''s backyard with no fear at all. It felt truly frustrating for them. Of course, Harry, who did not know that the biggest leak in all of American military history was linked with this person and the organization behind him, was perplexed when he saw how seriously the official took this unknown person.


    Mr Noah took a deep breath as he pressed his concerns deep in his heart as he smiled and said, "I am the Defence Secretary, may I know what is the purpose of your excellency''s visit?"


    The representative of that organization who had visited the first time had requested these officials to address him as ''Your Excellency'', this was mocked at that time but now Mr Noah could only concede.


    Zurvan''s eyes gleamed as he spoke with a hint of a smile, "On Behalf of my organization, I have come to request that the US government closes its embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe. My organization has deemed its duty to adopt Zimbabwe to relieve it from its poverty and distress."


    "You want another country? what do you think of yourselves? Last time you asked for the Democratic Republic Of Congo, now you are asking Zimbabwe, tomorrow are you planning to ask for the US also?" a middle-aged man who was in the central panel got up and lashed out.


    Mr Noah did not have enough time to stop this person. When he heard these words, his heart trembled when he thought of the possible consequence of rejecting this person. When he was coming for this meeting, the president only spoke a few words, i.e. satisfy this person''s demands to the best of his ability and exchange for as much technology as possible.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Even if these representatives made extravagant demands, their rewards were equally exorbitant. The last time when the US agreed for ceasing all diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic Of Congo, they were ''gifted'' with a Radar technology which was fare more advanced than the ''still in progress'' Captor E Radar technology, which was worth more than $10 billion at least. The engineers in the top military aircraft manufacturing company of America were shocked when they saw that the range of this radar was more than 600km.


    One could imagine the impact that this organization gave to them who prided themselves in possessing the most advanced military technology. One needs to know that the US spends almost equal to the sum total of military expenditures of the next seven biggest military spending countries. Adding on to those ''super'' soldiers and the leaking of Fighter plane technologies, the President had been advised to tread very carefully while deciding the country''s stance on this organization.


    Zurvan listened to the Middle-aged person''s outburst while his eyes glinted coldly. But the calm smile on his face remained unchanged. His fingers were locked while he sat in a relaxed position slightly moving his legs to and fro. Before Mr Noah could stop this person from further damaging the situation, the middle-aged person continued, "don''t think your organization can hide for long from us, the organization of which you are part of is called ''Nirvana'', right? You are recruiting of kinds of talent from all over the world and also gathering a lot of resources through multiple channels. Don''t underestimate our capability. You might have got some good technology from unknown sources but don''t presumptuously think that you could wag your tail in front of us. Sooner or later the day when we know the location of your base of operation, even if you have super soldiers and advanced technology, no one could save you."


    Harry felt that the atmosphere suddenly turn cold when he saw the calm smile vanish on that Persian guy''s face. Kevin also felt that the atmosphere was not right as he lowered his head as if this situation had nothing to do with him.


    Cold sweat rolled down the forehead of Mr Noah as he saw Zurvan calmly stand up. Zurvan shook his head as he sighed, "I thought we had already established the new status quo." Zurvan looked at the middle-aged guy apathetically as he said, "looks like some people are still hung with some previous notions of superiority."


    Zurvan swept his gaze towards each of members present as he held his hands together and said, "If you are not able to catch the hint, let me give this straight to you." he took a deep breath and said, "The times have changed, a new era is coming and no one, I repeat, no one can stop it."


    Zurvan eyes turned sharp and cold which sent chills down Mr Noah''s spine, after all, he was just a civilian official, the other army chiefs were calm and composed but one could see that their pupils had shrunk and face muscles tightened. He continued, "if anyone tried to stop this new era, it is no different than a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Let me get this clear so that there is no communication gap between us, you are not the top dog anymore, a new player has entered. You can''t fathom our capabilities."


    Zurvan turned towards the middle-aged man and sneered, "Jacob B Barnes s/o Gen. Stephen B Barnes, Director of the Advanced Weapons Research Project, you had accidentally run over a 3-year-old girl child with your car when you were studying in university while being drunk. Your father had helped you sweep this case under the carpet with his influence, right?"


    The middle-aged guy violently trembled when Zurvan exposed his past secret like it was nothing, he started regretting going against this demon. Jacob who was the director of the Advanced Weapons Research Project enjoyed huge funds which were allocated to him with little questioning. Using the prestige of his father and the previous achievements of this research group, Jacob had enjoyed high power and influence. But with the introduction of this ''unknown'' organization, people started to question if the money or funds allocated to his group has been spent in an efficient way or not when compared to the advanced technologies of ''that'' organization. This was a matter of hundreds of Billions of dollars and a big network of interest groups, which caused Mr Jacob to feel at risk and endangered.


    This was the reason that Mr Jacob had started developing personal resentment against this ghost organization. He wanted to get this organization destroyed as soon as possible so that it wouldn''t influence his position and power. With this idea in mind, he wanted to push the US government to act against this organization, so he stood impatiently to cancel any kind of calm and fruitful negotiations.


    But, Zurvan was not done yet as he smiled contemptuously, "the President is waiting for your group to finish Exaflop Supercomputer which can make a billion billion calculations per second. You had completed this project six months back but you had deliberately delayed the announcement so that you could present this achievement to the new president who is going to be elected next month, right? A good plan for further increasing your power in the coming 4 years."


    Zurvan looked away from Mr Jacob as he turned towards Mr Noah whose lower lip could be seen slightly trembling, it was not only him but many others who looked unsettled when they heard Zurvan. Who still maintained a blank slate when they reached such high positions. Everyone had a skeleton in their closet which they covered up. If Zurvan started exposing everyone''s dark history, anyone could imagine what kind of chaos would ensue.


    Zurvan clapped his hands lightly but the sound was like a thunderclap in this silence. He turned and walked steadily towards the exit door as he said, "I will take it that the negotiations have failed, I hope that this situation does not repeat, otherwise..."


    "Also," Zurvan stopped at the entrance as he turned and answered, "Nirvana is just a subordinate branch for the main organization, as for the name of the organization, you will know at the right time, hehe"


    Harry''s view of the world had upturned today, his faith in his country''s strength took a huge hit when he saw an unknown guy spoke a few words and the whole top military brass got rattled. Was a new era coming really? The words of Zurvan still rang in his mind ''you are not the top dog anymore''. Only the light echo of mocking laughter survived after some time as everyone regained their composure.


    Mr Noah wiped the sweat on his forehead as he started maliciously at Jacob, "Mr Jacob, I would like an explanation about the delay of manufacturing the Exaflop supercomputer on my table by tomorrow."


    Jacob stood like a lifeless corpse since he heard Zurvan revelation, he knew that his career had officially ended that moment. If only he could think twice before provoking such an evil organization.


    A soldier suddenly strode into the conference hall and saluted. When Mr Noah nodded, he spoke clearly without any passion but Harry''s heart trembled as he gripped his fist when he heard this news, "Sir, the US embassy in Zimbabwe has been bombarded by an unknown group of people, 147 people including men, women and children had died leaving no survivors, no terrorist organization has claimed responsibility for this act."

 Slooooow

    "Adi, this is so boring."


    Aditya was draining the engine oil of a Hyundai car while being nagged by Tya. Tya seemed to have gotten addicted to learning new things about the world since he had finished his basic education. He always wanted to continue this process which he found entertaining rather than spend time on seeing Aditya do the same things again and again.


    As discovered earlier the time Tya experiences is 60x slower than what is the norm. So, Tya always thought that Aditya was slow and dull. It had to be noted that Aditya was the fastest when he came in servicing cars, not even the old experienced mechanics could catch to his speed. In normal people eyes, Aditya''s movements were almost in the magical realm as he played with car tools skillfully like how a drummer fiddles with drumsticks. Every finger, even his pinky finger, fulfilled a predetermined role thus achieving high efficiency and speed.


    "What do you want to do then," Aditya asked as he closed the plug and started refilling the tank with new oil. He had become used to Tya talking to him, given his increased mental capacity, multitasking was very easy for him. So. He could be doing his work with top efficiency while having small chitchat with Tya.


    He could understand why Tya was bored as he himself would be bored if he started seeing everything 60 times slower. But, Aditya was sure Tya of the past would not have said these words. Imagine a being who had lived alone for thousands of year or maybe even millions of years complaining of boredom. Aditya theorized that just like how he had absorbed a part of Tya, Tya seems to have absorbed a part of him resulting in some partially merged state. So Tya''s increasing display of human emotions could be attributed to his proximity with Aditya.


    "what''s so great about repairing a car, isn''t it just for money, Why can''t you get into stock market trade, I am sure you could earn millions." Tya pouted as he mumbled. Tya desired to travel this world, to see new places, to meet new people, to try new food.


    "I have already told you that we both have a great enemy out there who has the capability to turn a bank account containing millions to a nil balance in a matter of seconds. It''s better for me to work from hand to mouth before figuring out a way to become truly anonymous. haven''t your abilities being developing lately, are there any useful ones for me." Aditya explained patiently. He had regarded Tya as his God-given younger brother and he cherished him very much. This feeling came quite naturally, it might be due to his loneliness caused by the absence of his parents or maybe due to the special bond they shared.


    Also, as days went on Tya''s bond with Aditya seemed to be evolving in a subtle way. Tya was able to connect to Aditya''s senses. For example, in the beginning, he could only see and hear but now he had access to Aditya''s touch, smell and taste also. The immediate consequence of this was Aditya was forced to start eating lollipops which he had not eaten since kindergarten.


    In whatever angle one looked, Tya seemed like a kid, he likes to listen to children rhyme songs, eat lollipops and other candies. It was a strange sight to see Aditya working with a lollipop in his mouth. Tya did not like smoking so he would block his senses when Aditya smoked.


    Tya also had the same childish mentality of boasting or showing off. In the past few days, he was boasting that he would get new powers in the coming few days. Aditya was also interested in this at the start but when someone goes on narrating and but shows no results, it does get tiresome. That''s what happened.


    "Adi, you would be shocked if you saw this achievement, it would stop your breath, your eyes would be dazzled, you would be drooling when you saw this¡­.." as Aditya heard these words for the umpteenth time, he rubbed his clean forehead with his greasy hands unknowingly.


    He didn''t know where Tya learned these sales pitching scripts but he imbibed all of them. Aditya thought that Tya would be the world''s worst salesperson if he was ever given a chance. When Aditya was thinking about the ways of getting Tya to stop, he suddenly realized the world stopped. No, it did not stop but the world ''slowed'' down. It was like people in front of him including himself have become lazy. Everything felt so languid to Aditya.


    He turned ''slowly'' to see a dragonfly flying near him. As he focused his eyes a little, Aditya found that the back of the dragonfly became crystal clear to him. The movement of wings, the muscles wiggling and pulling directly on the wings. He even observed that the front and hind wings of this dragonfly move independently, there was also a small hole on the back of the dragonfly which was being squeezed and relaxed with the movement of the wings.


    "That''s the dorsal trachea, "Tya explained as if he knew Aditya''s doubt. Aditya was astonished that when the whole world seemed to have become exceedingly slow, the speech of Tya remained at the same pace.


    "what''s going on?" Aditya asked as he viewed the sluggish movements of other people. His speech was also at normal speed.


    "I have always thought that, as I could see the world through your vision, why was it not possible for you to experience this world through mine," Tya explained proudly. Aditya could almost imagine the cute expression on Tya''s face as it demonstrated this unique ability.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Aditya tried to keep up his body speed with his vision but he failed. It would have been fantastic if his physique could match this pace, he could officially start taking action against ''those'' bastards. But this was good also.


    "Nice, Tya" Aditya praised as he enjoyed an hour of this ''slow'' world. Only a minute had passed in the real world. He found that even the focus power of his eyes also increased in this ''state'' as he saw many minute details he would otherwise miss.


    "This is just the start, Adi, wait for another surprise in a few days, I think you like it, let us save mother and father together." Tya chortled as he supported Aditya emotionally. Tya had known Aditya''s history in the past few days, he also experienced Aditya''s pain first hand, he wanted to help Aditya rescue his parents as soon as possible.


    "Thank you, Tya," Aditya answered with a smile, his confidence had just acquired a boost. Aditya who had restored to normal time experience continued with his work.


    In the evening, as Aditya was about to return to his room after wrapping up his work. Chakri came and pulled Aditya as he said, "Come let''s go check out that Hummer that Elder brother Dev had brought in the morning."


    Aditya tried to shrug off Chakri as he replied, "I am not interested."


    Chakri looked at Aditya incredulously as he said, "Are you the same Aditya who eats, walks and sleeps thinking about cars?"


    "Nope, am not the same one."


    "Come on, the boss has permitted us to check out the engine also."


    "Not interested."


    "Are you sure about it? 5.3-litre V8 engine, 300 HP, 430 Nm torque, four-wheel drive system, electronic controlled full-time."


    "no"


    "Intelligent Traction Control"


    "..."


    "fully bulletproofed by Armour Max, the best-armoured vehicle manufacturing company in the world."


    "let''s go faster."


    "..."


    By the time Chakri and Aditya had reached the car, it was encompassed by a number of young mechanics who were Aditya''s colleague as they excitedly discussed among themselves.


    Uncle Ramlal was at the centre standing beside the car. He smiled at the excitement of his employees as he started explaining, " the engine displacement of this car is 3700cc with a mileage of 6.8 km/litre, the kerb weight is 2134 kg, ground clearance is 246mm with a full tank capacity of 88 litres..."


    Aditya listened with rapt attention along with the other mechanics but he was unaware that a pair of icy eyes were observing him closely from the back.


    Taarini Shetty was the current leader of the underworld of East Bangalore, one of the four tigers, Star Tigress AKA Star Empress. She did not forget the person who had saved her that night. At that time she was confused due to her head injury from Rana, who betrayed her. She thought that she was going to die at that time, but somehow she survived while every other person had escaped. The only thing she saw was a youth who had covered his face helping her stand up.


    She was not sure at that time whether her saviour was that youth so she maintained her guard against him. Her last week was spent hunting all the members of the flaming tiger gang. Flaming tiger had gone missing after that night but not all gangsters could escape her ''hunting''.


    She had asked each and everyone about the incident that night. The first time when Taarini heard the story, she killed that gangster without thinking twice as she found the story ridiculous. Stones which always hit critical points. She was saved by someone who pelted stones, not bullets, not throwing knives but stones? How did this gangster naively think that anyone would believe this tale?


    But reality stunned Taarini and her younger brothers as she heard the same story from every member whom they caught. If it was once, they could brush it off but, if the same story to the minute details was repeated and it fit the narrative of Taarini perfectly, she had to believe it. When the youth who covered his face, tried to fake his voice, appeared before Taarini''s inner eye, her heart would start to beat faster.


    She remembered that she had used that person''s mobile to call her underlings. She had her contacts in the government to find out the details of that mobile owner. When she was expecting to easily find out that person, she was startled when she came to know that the details of that person were lost. When she tried to call that number, she found that the number was not reachable.


    Even if her heart had hardened due to years of living through violence, deceit and betrayal. Being rescued by some unknown youth with mysterious abilities was like a warm breath which felt refreshing to her. She clearly remembered the apathy with which that person left her when he knew she contacted her people.


    He did not expect any reward from her, even did not know who she was, did not know whether she was innocent, he still helped her even though he was just a person fighting a gang whose leader had brought a gun out. Only a person who lived among the people who could betray you any time knew the value of principles like honour, integrity and chivalry. Taarini knew that she might not contact such a person again in her life, this increased her thirst to find the ''person'' all the more.


    The only person whom she really loved and trusted was her big brother Manu. They both were orphans while her elder brother served in the army and fought in the Kargil war. He retired afterwards that and set up a Dhaba (highway restaurant) in the land given by the government. At that time her brother had a conflict with these underworld gangs which eventually led him to become a mob leader himself. Though his brother still held onto human principles, he was still betrayed by his subordinate who was now known as the flaming tiger.


    Taarini knew that money was easy to find and earn in this field but truly trustworthy men were as rare as gems. She wanted to find that person, know that person, to make that person hers.


    These past few days she had been trying her utmost to get that person, she had not thought that her elder brother''s favourite vehicle which she treasured as a precious memory would lead her to the person whom she wanted to meet. It''s like her elder brother was still looking after her from heaven.


    Taarini had not forgotten that thin physique, those bright eyes. He was younger and more handsome than she had imagined. A small smile appeared on her face as if a tigress had spotted her prey. How could someone who grew up in the underworld where everyone possessed all kinds of disguises not recognize Aditya who had just covered half of his face? It was like competing with a rat in the ability to shuttle through rat-holes. She walked up to Aditya who was immersed in hearing his uncle''s explanation as she said, "Got you."


    Aditya pupils shrank when he saw Taarini standing behind him with a gang following her, she looked at him with an ''icy'' smile, his fast brain immediately knew that he was recognized.

 A Rat

    Aditya found that that the world suddenly stopped, he knew this feeling very well.


    "Tya, what are you doing?"


    "Adi, I noticed that you were a little disturbed when you heard her voice and you seem to be a little wary of this woman, so I immediately activated ''Slow timing''," Tya responded.


    "Well, I am wary of this person but ''slow timing'' is not necess¡­, wait who named this ability as ''slow timing''?" Aditya changed his sentence in the middle as he asked a more burning issue.


    "me."


    "Your naming sense is as simple as your character Tya." Aditya expressed, "Until I change the name, let it remain as it is right now."


    This ability of Tya could be considered as an S class ability if there was a classification of such abilities. For example, take the situation Aditya was in right now, he was able to chat leisurely with Tya without a little bit of concern that he was identified by Taarini. This was an almost cheat-like ability, each second was like a minute for Aditya so he had ample time for thinking measures and countermeasures.


    Aditya had the time to observe each of the members who were following Taarini, their attires, their manners, he could tell that this beautiful woman did not have any malicious intention. Aditya''s inner player found out a new application for this power. He could appreciate any beautiful woman for as long as he wanted. The greatest regret of a player was not being given adequate time to appreciate every inch of a beautiful woman when she passes by you in a public place. Now with this ability, he could.. cough cough.


    This woman had a youthful but mature shapely face, her skin was healthy and shining which could be attributed to her maintenance. Her eyes were like a masterpiece for Aditya. There were stars shimmering in her eyes, though he saw that eyes were cold, there was an indescribable light which lit a fire in Aditya''s heart when he saw them. Her skin tone was several shades lighter than his. She did not dye her hair as he saw that she tied up her thick long black hair into a ponytail.


    She wore a beige coloured 100% polyester casual shirt, her slim neck could be seen with the spread collar. Her thin, fit hands, which felt like sculpted out of marble stone, were covered by three-quarter sleeves. Though her shirt was not an exact fit which accentuated her curves, her figure was exposed occasionally as a low-speed wind caused undulating waves on the thin fabric of her shirt. She wore a pair of white solid leggings which almost caused Aditya to bleed from his nose as he saw those long legs. Aditya sensed a wild feeling when he saw this woman, with his experience of his dream world, Aditya was sure that she would be great in bed.


    "Tya could you directly hand over the switch of this ''slow timing'' ability to me, "Aditya asked as he gulped. He was beginning to appreciate this ''Slow Timing'' more and more. This ''view'' was very lethal for Aditya whose blood was akin to gasoline in this age. Only a small spark was needed to get his ''horsepower'' running. But this view was akin to a grenade. Especially, Aditya had been dreaming about an alternate world these days in which he was living three months in one night. He knew what kind of escapades he had done during those months there where he was living his dream of waking up every morning with beautiful girls.


    "Sure"


    Aditya found a symbol which looked like a pocket watch hanging in his mind, it was glowing with changing intensities in red colour. As long as he willed it he could activate or deactivate this power. For once, he felt that Tya had selected a good colour for this ability. He deactivated this ability as the symbol turned green. Although the process description seemed lengthy, it was not more than a minute so in real time it was just a second.


    Taarini was a little dazed when he saw the calm look on Aditya''s face as he looked straight at her eyes. She had imagined that he would be at least a bit edgy when he saw her and the gang behind her. Yet, she could not see a hint of fear in his eyes which were bright and piercing as if all her secrets were accessible to him. This amplified her determination to recruit him. But before that¡­This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Can I ask you, how was I recognized?" Aditya asked as he gave a smile while rubbing his head. He was sure that this woman did not have any ill intention towards him so he admitted frankly.


    Taarini had the same cold look on her face as she nodded towards the first person to her right who seemed like a first mate of a pirate group as he said, "Any person of the underworld are masters of disguise, so we also learn the art of identifying disguises also. Three feature on your body would betray you if you did the same thing in front of an elite underworld gangster i.e. ears, moles, tattoos. You possess all of them."


    "and you are?"


    "Munna"


    "So, Elder brother Munna, you are saying that I was recognized by my ears, moles and tattoos?"


    "That would be the case if it was any other elite gangster, but Big Sis could even remember your body odour, palm lines, hair swirl patterns, scars. It does not make much difference if you cover your face or not in front of Big Sis." Munna explained rather patiently. Aditya felt that this man fulfilled the role of a capable assistant and a brain thrust while that Dev represented the muscle power.


    Taarini was observing Aditya intently as he conversed with Munna. She was deciding on how to recruit this person. But before that, she wanted to see for herself whether this teenager had the skill described by Flaming Tiger gang members. If so, he could become her sharpshooter. By the looks of it, this ''kid'' did not have any background and was an uneducated orphan working for a living.


    She was confident in her ability to recruit him and train him. She just had to show a bit of luxurious living, what money and power could get him. She was sure that she could hook him. But after observing Aditya for a few moments, she knew she had hastily jumped to conclusions. This person did not show any fear when he exchanged with real gangsters who had this brutal aura permeating from them. He looked totally at ease. His movements and demeanour did not match with his job at all. Now she was not so sure about easily recruiting him.


    Taarini did not feel even a sliver of guilty for thinking of dragging a pure person into depravity by luring him into the underworld. The day her elder brother decided to become a gangster, he and all his family members inherited the vulnerabilities of being attacked, betrayed and killed at any time, anyplace. If she had to protect her close ones or the people who were dependent on her, she had to recruit new blood. Also, she only lured people but never forced someone into depravity which was already considered very noble of her in the underworld. But first of all¡­


    "I don''t have the habit of being in debt, it is a fact that I owe you a huge favour, what do you want?" Taarini asked in her characteristic chilly tone. She did not speak much, she cut straight to the point.


    Aditya turned towards Taarini as he smiled and said, "I want to join your gang and become a gangster."


    Taarini cold look faltered when she heard those words. Of all the possibilities, she had not thought that this teenager who looked so lean and delicate. Even his beard had not started growing, he had actually wanted to become a gangster of his own volition? She had not used any bait yet.


    Yes, Aditya wanted to enter the underworld. He had given this issue quite a bit of thought, it was not a reckless decision of a hot-blooded teen. It was not only Tya who was getting rusty during the past week, but it was also the same to him. Living in a garage, repairing cars from time to time would be a good and relaxing life for sure but it won''t bring him any nearer to his parents. He had to get to know this world, the one in the light but most importantly he was required to understand the dark side, the side which you won''t find on the mainstream media, the side people fear to talk about. What better place to start his mission than the underworld where all the rats of the society get together.


    He wanted to become a rat who possessed many hideouts, he wanted to vanish from this society. He wanted to become a shadow in the dark. He knew that if he wanted to make any bit of progress in his search, any legal means was not viable any more. There was not even a slight mention of those bastards in the mainstream media or even the internet. So, if he had to start searching those dark, inaccessible places which were murky, full of dirt, he had to prepare to get his hands dirty as well. Right now, he did not have any worries, no need to study, no need to ask permission from parents. So he made this decision for himself. He could stay waiting for someone to find his parents for him.


    Even if Taarini had not approached him, he would have thought of other methods of taking this path. Taarini''s appearance was just a timely help.


    As Aditya was mulling over these thoughts, he did not know that Taarini was suddenly having second thoughts about recruiting Aditya. He wanted to join her gang by his own choice or was it a trap of an unknown enemy? She would miss a prodigal sharpshooter if she doubted, her condition right now was not as rosy as she pretended to the outside. She had heard that a new gang had appeared which was uprooting gangs as if they were weeds and taking over the underworld. She had to make a decision now.

 30 - Soft and Hard Solutions

    "Why do you want to become a gangster?" Taarini looked at Aditya straight in the eye and asked.


    "I have my reasons," Aditya replied, he did not have the least bit of interest in laying out his plans to this woman. The way he thought working for her was just improvising on perfection. Even if she was not interested, he was sure that he could survive in the underworld with his brains and capabilities.


    "When Big Sis asks, your only duty is to answer truthfully." one of the unruly guys at the back spoke intimidatingly as he played with a metal knuckleduster.


    "Well I did answer truthfully, also by my previous request of becoming a gangster by joining your gang, it did not mean that I would become one of your subordinates and take your order, I only offer my services to you." Aditya turned towards Taarini and spoke calmly. That unruly guy wanted to speak up again but he stopped when he saw Taarini waving her hand.


    "As to why I chose to join your gang? Simply because I think that you are trustworthy, you had come alone and unarmed to rescue your underlings." Aditya replied with limpid eyes. A strange light sparkled in Taarini''s eyes. Her intuition which was almost always correct indicated that this kid was speaking the truth.


    "What do you want to achieve as a gangster?" Taarini did not dwell on Aditya''s reasons for becoming a gangster rather she asked what he wished to achieve. If he was reluctant to answer even this question, she would turn around and walk away. Relationships in underworld did not depend on papers or guarantees by authorities, they depended on basic trust.


    Aditya hesitated a little before he stated resolutely with blazing eyes, "I want to become a rat, to become invisible in this system, I need many identities, hard cash, dark contacts, forbidden trades. I need access to the dark information networks. Now tell me if my goal can be achieved by working for you."


    Taarini heart skipped when she saw those eyes which exposed such a pure emotion, it was like a newborn calf which was not afraid of the tigers. With all her experience, she could tell that this kid did not have the least bit ability to work as a rat. At this moment, she was sure that this fellow was not a spy or a trap for her because he was too naive to play the role.


    Those eyes of Aditya reminded her of her elder brother. He was a soldier who fought for his country, he had retired due to bullet wounds. He just wanted to live a peaceful life while looking at his younger sister grow up to become a beautiful woman who could become a caring wife and a loving mother. He did not want to become a mob leader but the situation was forced on him, he was not brutal or violent in nature but the situation made him that way.


    When trouble came knocking on his doorstep, he could take up a gun and fight for his younger sister''s future. Taarini was ten years at that time, she had seen the same emotion in her elder brother eyes. She did not understand at that time, but she understood when she grew up and taken her brother''s mantle. She did not want to continue this life but she had no other choice. Now she saw the same emotion in Aditya''s eyes. She knew that if a kid with such a pure mindset plunged directly into the underworld with no prior guidance, he would suffer a lot. By now Taarini was sure that Aditya was also forced to act the way he did like her elder brother and herself. She suddenly felt an unknown emotion in her heart which she never felt before, a desire to protect this kid.


    The chilly eyes of Taarini exposed a rare moment of warmth before disappearing as he said in her usual tone, "I want to see if you have the capability to back up your claims, so give your contact information. Seeing that you are ignorant, I want to caution you, think twice before coming to meet me. After that, you won''t have the chance to back away." She walked away leaving these words while the rest of the gang followed her. As the other guys were too busy studying the vehicle, not many people noticed this confrontation.


    Aditya nodded with a smile as he felt happy for taking the first step. Although Aditya claimed that he would venture by himself if she didn''t agree, he knew that there was a vast difference if he had to build his own connections. First of all, he was not sure whether he could succeed, even if he succeeded it took a long time to build up trust relationships as he had to prove himself and develop slowly and steadily. Let alone, he was just a teenager, who would take him seriously? If he could use Taarini''s connection as a springboard, this process would be more convenient and would consume less time.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Dev drove the Hummer away under the admiring gazes of the mechanics. The sun had set casting the clouds into bright orange, Aditya knew that tonight was very important for him. After his job was completed, Aditya ate the dinner brought by Kranthi. That white buffalo always brought news of his old friends. Whenever Aditya heard those gossips which had no stuff and were plain, he would feel jealous of Kranthi as he could enjoy this normal life. Aditya did not have any plans to continue his studies. He would write the pre-university exams for formality and then continue with his work.


    ''Adi, why don''t you join our school?'' Kranthi would always start his speech with this question every day.


    ''Kumari has already got a boyfriend and Sameera is almost about to become someone''s girlfriend also, don''t you want to win them back?'' this would be the following question.


    Kumari and Sameera were the two beauties of his tenth-grade class whom he had some affair with if you consider kissing as having an affair. There was never deep emotions between them. They were a little curious and enthusiastic. Aditya was handsome and cute, they were also top beauties and they ended up flirting around. Aditya was happy to know that these girls were fine, he did not have any expectations from them like waiting for him. That would be awkward.


    Aditya, on one hand, had actually fallen in his first love, though it failed before it even started. Aditya was sure that if Anupama had agreed to become his girlfriend, he would have long lost his virgin status by now. He was not a hypocrite who was amorous himself but expected others to be pure. So, Aditya was genuinely happy for these girls, if they waited for him, that would be truly burdensome. Aditya had never made false promises to them. It was an achievement by itself that Aditya was able to fool around with two beauties at the same time.


    Aditya ignored all these lame talks of Kranthi as he finished the food. Kranthi''s mother was a terrific cook which explained most of Kranthi''s physique. Aditya liked the food very much, he had yet meet Kranthi''s mother. He had to buy some gift for aunt one of these days.


    After Kranthi wobbled away as his fat quivered, Aditya spent time watching some video songs on a music channel in an old TV which came along with this room. Aditya also watched the news from time time. The other day, he heard that the US embassy in Harare city, Zimbabwe was attacked by some unknown terrorist organization. No one was reported to have survived that attack. A foreign travelling warning alert had been issued by the US government cautioning tourist against travelling to Zimbabwe.


    At midnight, as this was a commercial street, apart from patrolling police vehicles from time to time, no one could be seen. In the morning this very street was bustling with so many people that if dust was sprinkled on this crowd, not a particle would reach the ground. But now, apart from some street dogs, not one soul was seen.


    A dark black figure jumped over the garage wall as lithely as a feather. This was Aditya who had covered himself in black rags and smeared all the exposed parts of his body with used engine oil. The garage he worked, was at the end of the street adjacent to a traffic junction equipped with a surveillance camera.


    Aditya had eyed that surveillance camera since the day he had joined this garage. He knew that the organization who took away his parents had the capacity to hack into any computer. So, as long as he was in an urban part of India, he would be caught wherever he was. Aditya had thought of many things or ways but could not come up with a good plan to go under the radar.


    So Aditya wanted to try to check the response time of the municipal officials if he destroyed one of their surveillance cameras. To avoid pinpointing at himself, Aditya wanted to destroy a camera which was distant to his place rather than the one near. He also utilized the sewage system to map out the surroundings without exposing himself.


    Two days ago he had destroyed a few cameras in a place which was almost 6 km from the garage. It was very easy for Aditya to crack the camera lens with one throw, he had even destroyed some street light to misdirect the police into making them think that this was caused by mischievous miscreants. As long as he covered his tracks by emerging from some random places, the cameras would not be able to identify him with his ''make up'' and distance. Bangalore has not achieved 100% surveillance coverage yet, so he was pretty secure.


    Actually, Aditya wanted to imitate those Hollywood films where a cool hacker just hacks into the city surveillance monitoring database and covers himself from being identified. For that, Aditya had to first become a top-class hacker which was not something done in a week, so he could take up hard solutions first and then slowly go for ''soft'' ones.


    By these actions, Aditya not only wanted to check the response timings of the municipal corporation and the police but Aditya felt that he truly started liberating himself from the system. It was a psychological feeling when he found himself disobeying the norms. If there was one thing Aditya was sure of, it was, even if he did not know that the government was infiltrated by ''those'' bastards, he knew that this system could not save his parents. He knew it the day when Uncle Ramu was suspended for abusing his powers on ''unrealistic'', ''imaginary'' cases.


    So, if they couldn''t save his parents, they shouldn''t be able to stop him from trying on his own. With these thoughts in his mind, Aditya took a deep breath as a stone appeared in his hand. He resolutely looked at the camera which was 50 meters away, he was hidden in the shadow of a roadside tree which looked ancient.


    "Sorry government", he whispered to himself and then


    Crack!

 31 - Black Belly Miss

    Stone Mountain International School, (the school that Aditya studied previously)


    Administrative Dean''s office (the one who suspended Aditya)


    Prakash Malhotra, the one with the evil hook nose and icy demeanour, was startled by the appearances of the visitors who had waited for him when he entered his office. He did not remember when was the last time he saw two top-notch beauties in one place. Though he was not as much a player as his son, he did have his moments when he was young. Even with his ''wide'' experience, the Administrative Dean found it hard to maintain his usual calm.


    Both of them were about 165 cm height, though they had similar heights, their statures and beauty were very diverse. He nodded towards them trying to act as dignified as possible as he sat down in his chair. The office had not changed since he suspended Aditya a week ago, the tree design on the left wall which was lit with LED lights, the wool carpet with ethnic design or the gramophone.


    A woman whose age seemed to be in her early twenties smiled gently as she spoke in a delicate voice, "Good Morning Mr Prakash Malhotra, I am Maahi Kapoor, How do you do?" this woman had dark brown eyes and pitch black hair which long, wavy styled as a side ponytail. The white creamy tone of her skin reminded people of whipped milk, her charm was so captivating that it was hard for even Mr Prakash who always prided himself in his way of dealing with a beautiful woman found himself wavering.


    She wore a white solid woven shirt on the top which had a round neck exposing her flawless thin neck, long sleeves and button closure. It was well matched with blue mid-rise regular fit jeans and black ankle length boots. There only a few pieces of jewellery on her and a little makeup which brought out her real beauty.


    "Hello, Ms Kapoor, how can I help you?" Prakash tried hard to calm himself down as he questioned.


    "I am here as a guardian of a student who has been suspended recently, Is there any way that this suspension can be revoked?" Maahi spoke in the same tender voice which coupled with her petite and fragile looking frame caused anyone who saw her sprout feelings of safeguarding her from all harm.


    Prakash Malhotra''s eyebrows furrowed as he asked, "Who are you talking about?" he had long since forgotten about the student he had thoughtlessly suspended a week ago.


    "I am the guardian of Aditya Bose, he was suspended from this school last week on the grounds of causing disruption of peace and creating panic among visitors," Maahi stated while fiddling with her thin exquisite fingers.


    "Could you please wait a moment," Prakash typed in Aditya''s name in his PC, though he remembered that kid, he did not remember the exact context.


    "Yes, Aditya Bose was a scholarship student, he caused an electric circuit to disrupt causing panic in the visitor''s pavilion a week ago for which we suspended him." Prakash Malhotra disclosed while putting on a grave face. He knew that it was a false accusation but no one, not even the student himself tried to defend so this suspension did not gain much traction. But he did not expect that the guardian of this poor scholarship student would be this beautiful. If he knew there were always alternative ''solutions'' for managing their grudges. It might not be too late yet.


    "Does the school possess any evidence that the disruption was caused by Mr Aditya Bose." the other woman who had not made a sound till now spoke with an interrogative tone. Her temperament seemed just the opposite of Maahi. She exuded a stern, mighty, steady aura which presented the image of a capable woman. Spectacles covered her big black eyes which looked sharp as she sat in a straight posture.


    "And this is?" Mr Prakash Malhotra turned towards this woman as he wondered. This dame was like a hot pepper which catered to his taste very much. She had medium length dark brown hair which was styled into light waves. This hairstyle perfectly suited her slightly rectangular face. She wore trendy office wear, white tight t-shirt inside covered by a navy blue striped coat with long relaxed sleeves, light brown woven trouser which fit impeccably with her long legs. She wore matching ankle strap heels. While Maahi''s dress looked casual, this woman looked like she worked in the corporate sector.


    "She is Qaima, my friend, she accompanied me for support," Maahi explained while patting the hands of Qaima.


    "See, Ms Qaima, Ms Maahi, though no evidence has been obtained illustrating Aditya committing the crime, all the circumstances point towards him, so we are helpless," Prakash spoke in a saintly voice while shaking his head.


    Qaima looked unconvinced and was about to speak again but was stopped by Maahi. Maahi turned towards Mr Malhotra, "Is there any chance for revoking this suspension, also don''t you think that this punishment is a little too much as no one was harmed in the incident."


    A glint passed through Prakash''s eyes as he sternly said, "this is the most prestigious international school in the whole of Bangalore and ranks among the top 20 in India, we take our profession very seriously and no mischief is tolerated. I am sorry Ms Maahi"


    "Is there really no other way we could revoke Aditya''s suspension?" Maahi implored as she looked at Mr Prakash with watery eyes.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ''Excellent'' Mr Prakash thought as he smiled gently and said, "Why don''t you come to meet me after school, if you could express enough ''sincerity'' that Mr Aditya Bose would change for the better, maybe something could be done."


    "No problem Mr Prakash, I will wait for ¡­.", Maahi agreed readily with a relieved expression but before she could continue, Qaima''s face frosted over as she shot up to her feet, pulled Maahi and stormed out of the administrative dean''s cabin leaving Prakash''s mouth wide open in shock.


    While Qaima chest heaved with anger and indignation, the innocent look on Maahi had long disappeared and was replaced with a triumphant expression as she looked at Qaima with a smug look on her face. If someone could see the transformation of her from a weak and fragile miss into her present self which radiated confidence from every inch of her self, they would be flabbergasted.


    "Elder sister Qaima, what do you have to say now?" Maahi asked teasingly as she pulled Qaima''s hand while walking towards their car.


    "Miss, that bastard deserves to be damned, he does not have a little bit of remorse for deliberately spoiling an innocent kid''s future because of a small scuffle, and also he has the gall to ask you to come in the evening." Qaima burst out in cold fury. Who was Ms Maahi? How dare he have crooked thoughts on her?


    Qaima was the personal secretary to Maahi who was also as close to her as a blood-related sister. Maahi always treated her as an elder sister and during these years Qaima had also accepted Maahi as a younger sibling but she never crossed her moral bottom line when dealing with professional matters. Maahi was her boss and she treated her like one and never took any liberties with her. She knew Maahi''s family conditions, she wanted to be there for her as moral support.


    She knew that Maahi had a younger brother who was not blood-related, she also knew that this person was the only one Maahi truly cared about among all her relations. Qaima sometimes even felt jealous of this fact. She had not met this person but knew all about him through Maahi as her boss loved very much to talk about this person. Maahi had also told her that due to some previous incidents, this person avoided her for which she felt depressed.


    Maahi had already applied for the guardianship of Aditya since his parents went missing, she had also planned to take over the responsibility of looking after Aditya while he completed his education. She had already brought so many properties and real estate in Bangalore so that she could move her office headquarters and home from Mumbai to here.


    But by the time Maahi was done with her preparations, she received news that Aditya had been suspended and that he left school without her being informed by either the school management or Aditya himself. She could forgive Aditya for this as she knew about his thoughts but the administrative dean who abused his power or the school management which left this person unchecked had to suffer. It only took a week for Maahi to prepare for her revenge.


    When Qaima had heard of this matter and seen the material, she was shell shocked. So, she pleaded Maahi to give the school management and that dean a chance to rectify themselves. Maahi agreed and played along with Qaima.


    When Qaima and Maahi walked towards their car, they saw two boys and a girl standing near that car as they talked among themselves.


    "Bhadra, are you sure it is this car?" Jatin asked as he smoked while in his school uniform.


    "Yup"


    " White Jaguar XJ, 1 crore rupees (around 140,000 USD), nice sleek design, a dramatic combination of beauty, luxury and power." Jatin sighed as he ran his hand across the surface of the car, "I need to get this car from my father when I join graduation."


    He turned to see that Bhadra had not even paid attention to his words. Jatin looked at Bhadra as he questioned, "Why are you getting so rattled, I have never seen you like this before, its just Adi''s elder sister, right?"


    "Shut up, what do you know? I am even better, if Adi was here he would have already run away long ago, at least I am standing here." Bhadra spoke as he wiped sweat from his forehead, "You are so peaceful because you don''t know the legends of the ''white snake in a unicorn''s clothing''."


    "What!" Jatin coughed out smoke as he patted his own head, "white snake in a unicorn''s clothing? isn''t it supposed to be ''wolf in a sheep''s clothing''?"


    Bhadra laughed awkwardly as he said, "It was coined by Adi, so go ask him, also he said that the wolf would feel flattered if he equated it to his elder sister."


    "We call such people as being a black belly." Yu Yan who heard the conversation piped in.


    "Oh, by the way, how did this girl tag along with you," Bhadra asked looking at Yu Yan who was standing there showing no hints of leaving.


    "She heard me talking to you on the phone while in the cafeteria, she also wanted to know the whereabouts of Adi, so she wanted to meet his elder sister and apologize, she still thinks it was her mistake that Adi was suspended."


    "Quickly take her away from here, don''t we know that idiot is relaxing by working in a garage, we can take her with us when we meet him. If she got caught by Maahi elder sister, her world view might get destroyed. Maahi elder sister would eat her without even leaving out her bones." Bhadra said as he looked at that cute, innocent girl and did not have the heart to see her enter the mouth of the tiger.


    "Who will eat her without even leaving out her bones?" a sweet voice asked from behind Bhadra. Bhadra''s hair stood up as he turned and backed away as if he saw a ghost. He hit the car and could not move any further as he gave a smile which was uglier than crying, "Maahi elder sister, we were just talking about you, you will definitely live for a hundred years". (In India, if a person comes unintentionally when someone is talking about him, it is believed that this person would have a long life)


    "What did you say?" Maahi had the same sweet, innocent smile on her as she asked while playing with her curls.


    Cold sweat started pouring in streams as Bhadra gulped and stuttered, "Ma¡­ Maahi elder sister, I was just saying that it was Adi''s great fortune that he has an elder sister like you who cares about him so much. I also wish that I could have such an elder sister, can you also be my elder sister." he did not even know how ridiculous his words sounded.


    Jatin looked on at this spectacle with a keen interest in his eyes. Yu Yan was closely observing both Maahi and Qaima with stars in her eyes. She was shocked at their beauty and also of their fashion sense. She could not wait to ask them where they bought those boots.


    Maahi gave a wide smile as she said, "Sure, younger brother Bhadra, of course, I will look after you well."


    Bhadra did not know whether these words of her meant that she was letting him off or marking him for execution. He had a strong feeling that it was the latter as he smiled bitterly. Was it what they called, ''from the frying pan to fire''.

 32 - Narrow minded

    "Hello, elder sisters, you are very beautiful." Jatin who had not spoken until now smiled brightly as he praised Maahi and Qaima. He had tossed aside his cigarette.


    Maahi turned her attention away from Bhadra to face Jatin with the same gentle smile as she said, "thank you so much. You must be Jatin, right?"


    Qaima brows also relaxed a little when she heard Jatin compliment as she smiled calmly while nodding. Qaima practically knew as much as Maahi as she was usually forced to chat with Maahi about her Aditya and her plans for him. Though Qaima knew that Maahi had an eccentric personality of hiding her true emotions, till date no innocent person was harmed by Maahi. Qaima felt that Maahi put on this mask to protect her own inner self from getting hurt rather than for fun.


    Despite Jatin being a typical playboy, he was very different from other guys like Karan on a fundamental level. He always maintained his bottom line, he only dated girls who had similar interests but did not force anyone. Also, any girl or woman who was associated with his friend in any way was off limits for him. This was what he requested from himself for he always valued friendship over having fun with girls. Of course in the future, if he seriously pursued a girl, that would be a different priority.


    So, no matter how beautiful these two women were, he would not lose his cool or break his rules. Beauty for Jatin was always something that could be bought with money and anything that could be bought with money was not valuable for him. He genuinely respected these women as they were related to one of his best friends. Frankly, Jatin only viewed Bhadra as his best friend.


    Given his years of experience flirting around with all kind of girls and even mature women, Jatin knew within a few seconds that both these women were unique and different. Especially, when he saw Maahi elder sister, his only thought was ''never get on the bad side of this woman''. That is why he immediately raised a white flag in an attempt to establish friendly relations with her.


    Maahi eyes sparkled when she saw through Jatin''s thinking. Although it had been months since she last conversed with Aditya, she knew everything about him, his relations and friends. Needless to say, she knew all about Jatin also. In a way, both of them had similar lives. Both of them were born in a rich family, they owned everything that money could buy, both of them were prodigies, both did not have any emotional connection with their fathers while their mothers died long ago.


    Jatin tried to overcome his loneliness and lack of affection by being a playboy while the only true relations he acknowledged were his friends, mainly Bhadra. She, on the other hand, had taken up making more money as her passion while the only real relationships she acknowledged were Aditya''s mother Nirmala and Aditya himself. She did not look down on Jatin''s lifestyle, she did not approve of it either. But due to these similarities, Maahi also knew that she would be able to establish a good rapport with this person who she met for the first time.


    "Elder sister Maahi, since you have taken Bhadra as your younger brother, then I shall also call you as an elder sister, by the way, what did the administrative dean had to say about revoking Aditya''s suspension." Jatin inquired. Bhadra watched with trepidation at the calmness with which Jatin talked with Maahi elder sister.


    "Oh right I forgot about it," Maahi patted her forehead lightly with her delicate hands in a graceful manner as she looked at Qaima.


    Qaima also nodded sternly as she took out her cell and made a call while walking a little distance away from the gathering.


    "Is Big brother Aditya going to be alright? How is he right now?" Yu Yan gathered up her courage as she finally probed in an adorable accent with Maahi while trying hard to look straight in her eyes. Yu Yan was usually an introvert, living in a foreign country with an exotic culture did not help her condition either. Though she had friends who liked her despite many barriers, she still found it hard to become confident when dealing with social interactions. But she did not know that her meek personality was actually a deadly attraction for boys all by itself.


    Maahi focused on this east Asian girl who looked like a doll with black silky straight hair, chubby cheeks with a tinge of red, small eyes which looked lovable. She smiled joyfully as she held Yu Yan''s small hand and pulled her towards herself as she said, "You must be Yu Yan, what a cute girl, your big brother Aditya is currently have the most relaxed time of his life, so you don''t have to feel guilty about his suspension, it was that rascal''s plan all along to escape school in one way or the other. He definitely wants to thank you right now because you gave him an easy route."


    Maahi rubbed Yu Yan''s head as she continued, "Don''t worry too much about him, he will go back to school shortly now that I am here."


    Yu Yan felt warmth in her heart that Aditya''s elder sister not only had not blamed her but treated her intimately. She looked at Maahi with her adorable eyes as she asked, " Does that mean Big brother Aditya would be returning?"


    Maahi shook her head as she spoke clearly, "No, Adi will not come back here. He will join another school. I am still looking into alternatives."


    Yu Yan felt a tinge of disappointment that Aditya would not be coming back to this school. She was a pure introverted girl whose heart was basically a blank sheet when she suffered from bullying, this handsome person had not only saved her in a cool manner but also treated her with sincerity. Of course, this young girl''s heart would have a good impression of that person, she wanted to spend more time with him, get to know him. But it looked like it was not possible any more. Was that person destined to remain as a beautiful memory in her soul?


    Maahi observed this small girl''s transforming reactions on her face like it was studying a book. With her experience in dealing with people in the corporate world where every little body language, twitches in facial muscles, pupil movements had to be taken into consideration for knowing your opponents'' mindset and their bottom lines in negotiations, it was too easy for her to know what this naive and unsullied girl was thinking.


    Maahi shook her head as she asked innocently, "How can Adi come to this place when there was no school here?"Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Jatin''s pupils shrank when he heard those words. By his understanding, he had long expected that this capable woman would not take this matter lying down. He had thought there will be some sort of retaliation but it looks like he was still thinking too optimistically.


    Bhadra also caught something as he asked cautiously, "What do you mean elder sister Maahi?"


    "Just saying, you guys might want to start considering changing schools as well, even if you want to stay here, your parents might not feel assured anymore having you people attend this school," Maahi spoke in a manner of an elder person advising an unguided child.


    "Bhadra, what are guys doing?" Kavya walked towards them while pulling Anupama''s hand. Anupama had a calm expression on her beautiful face. No one knew what she was thinking as she looked at Maahi elder sister with discerning eyes.


    "Elder sister Maahi, this is Kavya, my girlfriend. Kavya, this is Aditya''s elder sister Maahi." Bhadra played the role of an intermediary as he introduced them to each other.


    "Elder sister Maahi, this is..." when Bhadra wanted to introduce Anupama to Maahi, he was stopped by Maahi who waved her hands and walked towards Anupama while smiling ''that'' smile. Bhadra knew at that moment that something bad was going to happen.


    Maahi extended her arm to shake Anupama''s hands while speaking in a ''friendly'' manner, "You must be Anupama right, Aditya used to speak so much about you back then. He did not exaggerate about your beauty."


    Anupama who had extended her hand instinctively to shake Maahi''s hands grew stiff when she heard her words. The concern and memories that she had buried in the corner of her heart seemed to resurface. Whenever she remembered Aditya''s words when he left this school, she felt that she missed something which she was going to regret for the rest of her life. She always felt that she was crystal clear about what to expect from herself and for her future. For the first time, she felt unsure about herself. She even asked herself, it''s not like Aditya had asked her out and she had rejected him. But since Aditya walked away from her life, it was a fact that she felt a vacuum, an emptiness.


    Anupama smiled back as she said, "its a pleasant surprise that Adi¡­ tya mentioned me, he was one of the best friends I ever had. You are also very beautiful, elder sister."


    Maahi''s eyes glinted as she continued asking with the same smile, "your mother is Vandana Sharma right? She is a State cabinet minister of Information Technology, right. I heard that she was raising a male actor as her sweetheart while one of your father Mithun Acharya''s mistresses is also an actress. I heard that both these male and female actors are playing male and a female lead in a new upcoming movie in the local film industry. How do you feel about the fact that your father''s mistress is romancing your mother''s sweetheart on the silver screen." Maahi looked straight at Anupama while still holding her hand, with childlike expectation in her eyes.


    ''Vicious, this woman has pure venom on her tongue'' Jatin praised with awe in his heart, he felt happy that he surrendered early.


    Anupama eyes reddened as her lips started trembling followed by her shoulders. She had never expected that a woman whom she had met for the first time would pierce directly through the dark secrets of her life in such a blunt manner in front of everybody whom she recognized as close acquaintances if not friends.


    Anupama took back her hand forcefully and ran away while covering her mouth as tears rolled down her eyes. Yu Yan also covered her mouth in shock, was this the elder sister who was so warm to her just a minute ago?


    "I did not expect this from you," Kavya said angrily before following Anupama swiftly. Maahi looked back at Qaima, who had just returned after finishing her call, Qaima had a helpless expression on her face as she kept shaking her head, Maahi asked innocently, "What wrong did I do? Why did she run away like that? I was just curious."


    Jatin and Bhadra immediately shook their head as they competed to agree with elder sister Maahi. Bhadra cursed Aditya in his mind, ''Why is it that you are happy while we get to be stuck with your elder sister. I would have thought twice before befriending you if I knew you had such a ''good'' elder sister. How should I explain to Kavya? I was the one who asked them to come in the first place. Ahh!''


    "Yu Yan, would you like to join the same school as Adi," Maahi asked Yu Yan as if the incident right now had nothing to do with her.


    "Eld...Elder sister Maahi, I have forgotten something I had to do, I have to go right now, it was nice to meet you." Yu Yan stuttered as she looked like a trembling sheep caught in a cave with a dead end with a tiger blocking the only way out of the cave.


    "Oh sure, please go, just let me know if you need any assistance, you can contact me through Bhadra." Maahi smilingly nodded as she patted Yu Yan''s head once more before she escaped. "You boys also get going." Maahi waved her hands at Bhadra and Jatin.


    Bhadra nodded vigorously as he chased after Kavya while Jatin stopped with an expression as if he was hesitating to speak about something.


    Maahi looked at him with a smiled as she said, "Speak out."


    "The incident about the electric shock¡­"


    "Don''t worry about that anymore, what do you think Saira elder sister is busy with these days?" Maahi answered in a manner which did not permit Jatin to dig further. He nodded as he went away, it was fine as long as he knew that Aditya was safe. As Maahi looked at the figure of students playing in a distance, Qaima walked up to her.


    "Why do you have to do it? She was just a small girl." Qaima sighed as she said to Maahi. The smile vanished from Maahi''s face as her eyes frosted over revealing a chilly aura around her as she said, "there can only be three ways of relationships I will maintain when dealing with women who have the potential to be closely associated with my younger brother Adi. One kind is those people who can be controlled and subjugated easily like that cute girl Yu Yan. I will be their elder and take care of them very well. The other kind is those who are beyond my control but like to maintain close relations with Adi. Though I might dislike them, I will not overly interfere with their lives as girls falling for Aditya is only natural. But" here Maahi''s tone became as chilly as cold ice," the third kind are those for whom Adi paid a lot of time and emotions but his effort had not only being recognized but also rejected. These women or girls won''t get any mercy from me. This is me, you may think I am a person of a narrow heart, it is might also be true. I don''t care."


    Maahi said as Qaima held her hand tightly and said, "Then I shall accompany you in this madness. But don''t you fear that Aditya would become more distant."


    "No, he can''t even if he want to because I won''t let him," Maahi spoke with a real smile as she remembered some past events.


    A 9-year-old boy was spreading ointment on a 13-year-old girl who had bruises which looked like they had been caused lashes of a belt. He had tears rolling down his cheeks as he said, "Maahi elder sister, I won''t let you be alone ever again, you can always count on me."


    At that moment, that 13-year-old girl who did not have anything to aspire for in this world, who had been contemplating suicide at such a young age had decided that her life was going to be bound to this younger brother and the day she felt he didn''t need her anymore would be the day she would leave this life. She had been committed to this ever since. All her passion for making money and expanding influence which was independent of her father was her way of ensuring her younger brother''s safety and freedom.


    "Is everything going on as planned?" Maahi came back from her thoughts as she asked Qaima softly.


    "Yes."


    "Good, let''s go, I miss that rascal so much and can''t wait to see him but Saira elder sister stopped me on the basis that it was easy to lure those bastards who are intent on harming him. I can only agree. Does not know whether he is facing any troubles working in a lowly garage."


    "..."

 33 - A Different Experience and an Idiot

    It was five in the morning as a Sedan car sped up through the partially desolate roads of Bangalore. It was rare to maintain such speed in this city given that it was India''s most congested city with slowest average speeds given the second rank only after Kolkata.


    This speed could be attributed to the time as it was still early morning, though the city had woken up or rather never slept, it was pretty convenient during this hour of the day.


    Aditya was sitting in the front passenger seat as he looked out of the window. The trees flashing by suddenly stopped moving so rapidly as the world slowed down. He could see the tree with all its feature to the utmost detail, the veins on its leaves, dew drops, ants crawling. Then the world suddenly regained its rush.


    A faint smile appeared on Aditya as he thought about his experiences in the past few days. Since he left his contact information with Taarini, he could only wait patiently for her to get in touch with him. He did not want to appear like the one in need to her as it would lower his value in her eyes. The more valuable he was to her, the more she would be willing to pay for keeping him with her. The payment Aditya required was not in the form of money but in the forms of information and connections.


    So, Aditya waited patiently while exploring this new feature of Tya which is titled as ''Slow Timing''. The more Aditya studied this feature, the more dismay he felt. This feature practically did not have any cooldown time so he could use this power as long as his patience ran.


    Aditya had practised working while activating this ability for a day, he wanted to get adapted to this power as soon as possible. The result was that Aditya had spent the ''longest'' day of his life. It almost caused his psyche to break down. Imagine being awake for 42 days without sleeping (he turned on this power for 17 hours straight while excluding 7 hours of sleep), the whole world became bland as he could not enjoy any form of relaxation as listening to music.


    Music was just plain noise when you slowed it down by 60 times. No action was cool or elegant, everything was just plain in Aditya''s eyes. He wanted to deactivate this power many times but he still held on as he wanted to get to know this power so as to employ this ability to its fullest potential.


    After what Aditya felt was five days (2 hours in real time), he started to slowly become acclimatized to this timeline where everything started becoming ''normal'' for him. At that moment, he slowly started to experience the marvel of this state.


    His focus which was at its heightened state enabled Aditya to perceive many new things about himself which he would miss otherwise. For example, his heartbeat which he did not experience much in his normal state was actually producing boom sounds which enthralled him. He could ''hear'' his blood being pumped into each part of his body, they were also many weird sounds which he could not explain using normal vocabulary but he could identify them as his bowel movement or even his urine being produced and getting stored in the bladder.


    He had started becoming aware of his nerve impulses when he worked. He observed the electrical impulse pass through his nerves from his brain to various parts of his body where muscles slowly started contracting so that he could pick up a spanner. He was marvelled at the multitude of commands his brain sent based on his thoughts to achieve his request. He never felt so aware of the perfect coordination of different body parts.


    He remembered his mother narrating him in his childhood about ancient sages who took it as their life''s goal to study their own body and experimenting with it so as to understand the many founding principles of this universe.


    She said that just like contemporary scientists who are experimented with new material to determine the true nature of it, Sages studied their body and mind and experimented with them to realize many shocking principles. Though Aditya was not sure whether such sages existed or not, he felt his experience was similar to those ''hypothetical'' sages.


    Though Aditya''s movement was the same as before, because of this ability when combined with his high calculative ability, he was able to move faster than normal humans while eliminating all the unnecessary movements which were usually involuntary in nature. So his every action was compact and purposeful thus increasing his efficiency to the top. But for him, doing a small service like changing the engine oil which took 10 minutes was actually more like 10 hours.


    He had to practically unlearn all his preconceived notions of speed and time if he wanted to prevent a mental breakdown because the world was just that slow. Aditya calculated the time he would experience if he enabled this ability forever and the answer flabbergasted him. Even if he estimated conservatively that he would live for seventy years, taking out 16 years of his life from the calculation, he would experience a life of 3240 years. That was like living from the Vedic era (around 1000 BC) to the present. Even if his body could make it, he felt that his mind would get rotten for sure unless his mind was modified in some way. He could say goodbye to all the enjoyment of secular life as Aditya found out that he could not enjoy the taste of the food, music, scent. Even sexual excitation was a no go because by the time his mind reacted to a beauty, impulse generated, blood pumped, hormones released, rod hardened, the time he would experience would be in hours scale, at that time whose mind could still maintain the same mood?Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    If acclimatizing to the ''lethargic'' world was one hell of a ride, returning to the normal pace after spending 42 days of ''Slow Timing'' was another roller coaster. The world suddenly became terrifying quick for Aditya to cope, the water from the tap was flowing so fast, he was breathing like an engine piston running at 4000 rpm. All the sounds were too fast to make anything out of them. All the subtle perception he had experienced of his body functioning became unidentifiable again as if they never existed. At least, that is how he felt. luckily he had released this power when he sat on a bed without doing anything. Otherwise, he was sure he would have hurt himself by falling down. It took him some 30 minutes before getting back on track and used to this pace.


    So, that day concluded Aditya''s fascination for this ability which was replaced with awe, caution and a little bit of dread. Aditya had gotten down some rules and regulations for himself to follow in view of using this might. He could now understand why Tya did not have these emotions of liking good food or eating good food before. Tya who was now bonded with Aditya in some unknown form could now get to know these sensory feelings. For example, now he basically possessed the same interests of a kid of around 5-9 years, he liked to hear kid songs and eat lollipops.


    Aditya had started parenting Tya strictly because he was getting out of hand these days. Thankfully, he got hold of some valuable resources in his hands, otherwise, he could not imagine listening to a voice, however cute it was, all day long (For those who didn''t understand what key resources Aditya was thinking about, the answer is in the above paragraph). Tya was currently sleeping as Aditya had successfully got it to follow a human circadian rhythm. Sleeping for Tya was going into its dormant state to try to absorb more energy for Aditya... cough..cough, to restore.


    "Why are you staying silent like a dull kid, say something?" a voice interrupted Aditya''s train of thought. Aditya was amused that someone actually called him a dull kid, even before he had these abilities Aditya could stay in the top 5 of his class without much effort on his part. Now, Aditya had already finished his pre-university curriculum, he had been thinking of buying professional knowledge books also and now this brute who looked like he can''t read a newspaper was calling him a dull kid.


    "Nothing," Aditya replied with a word. Aditya felt that this person did not have a friendly attitude towards him and he could understand him. Aditya''s background was a big black hole thanks to ''that'' organization. His orphan status was full of loopholes, his parents were unknown, he was a student suspended from an international school working in a garage as a normal mechanic. He had rich friends so he obviously didn''t need to work a low paying job. Most weird of all, he had a sharp shooting ability which was too good to believe. All these factors created a perfectly knitted web of mystery around him which even a resourceful person like Taarini with all her connections could not unveil and see clearly.


    How could any capable leader with a shrewd vision readily accept such an anomaly into their inner circle and place a heavy responsibility on their shoulders? Let alone accepting them, even associating with such people was a risky affair for them. You can''t fully accept someone if you can''t trust them.


    Aditya was pretty clear on his path. All he had to show was his value which could shadow the ambiguity around him. He was confident that as long as benefits outweigh risks, Taarini would accept him. By exchanging contact information with him and asking him to stay in touch on the day of the meeting, Taarini had expressed her willingness to take him in. Just because Taarini was willing, the same could not be said for her subordinates. Especially, those subordinates who were deeply loyal to her would have a cautious mentality towards anyone who is new and is likely to work closely with Taarini. Aditya was pretty sure this guy was of the latter category.


    "You are a mechanic right? What do you think about my car?" The driver with a rough face asked trying hard to sound as natural as possible.


    ''why do you have to try so hard to cover up, can''t you just ask if I am a true mechanic or is it just my alibi in my elaborate plan of harming your big sis.'' Aditya smiled bitterly as he thought. He knew that he was being tested by this ''intelligent James Bond''.


    "Not much, its working condition is fine though the engine sound seems to be buzzing a little," Aditya replied nonchalantly.


    "Anything else"


    "Nothing other than this car model is too weird and ugly to my liking," Aditya spoke dismissively.


    "What! How could you say that you punk, this is the car I bought with my hard earned money, I guess you are just acting to sound professional, you don''t even know a bit about my car." the brute lost his cool as if Aditya had said his wife was ugly.


    "Honda Amaze, sedan, Golden metallic brown colour, 1498cc, 98.6 hp, mileage 27.4kmpl, l series intelligent VTEC engine, 4-stroke internal combustion engine, 110 nm torque¡­" Aditya had a confident smile on his face as he listed out all the features of that car while the person in the driver seat looked at Aditya with a wide open mouth while forgetting to see ahead.


    "Look ahead"


    "Ah, sorry." the voice had lost its aggression.


    "Is it enough or would you like me to explain the history of intelligent variable valve timing and lift electronic control which increases the volumetric efficiency of a four-stroke internal combustion engine also," Aditya asked while having a playful smile on his face.


    "What? don''t think that you can confuse me with some random numbers, I can also do the same if you are so intelligent, can you guess where I keep my cigarettes?"


    "No." Aditya was dumbstruck when he knew that all his cool act was nothing but raining on a bull. (An Indian phrase: A bull never reacts when it rains due to its thick skin ¨C being insensible). He now confirmed that this fellow had lost him when he spoke 1498cc, he had to choose a person of some minimum knowledge even if he had to act cool.


    "Haha, got you" the driver laughed triumphantly as he opened the sun visor which was placed above the windshield, a cigarette box and a lighter fell onto his lap.


    "..." Aditya blinked as the corner of his mouth twitched, he remembered another saying ''Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.''


    "What are you thinking?"


    "Nothing"


    "Speak something."


    "can I get a cigarette."


    "Sure"


    "What''s your name?"


    "Raghav, Why did you ask?"


    "Nothing."

 34 - Dangerous

    Aditya stood in front of a statue on a pedestal under which the name ''Manu Shetty'' was inscribed with a date of birth and date of death. Aditya inhaled cool fresh air with a relish


    A feeling of reverence took birth in Aditya''s heart when he saw that he was a retired soldier who defended India in the 1999 Kargil war and was even awarded a bravery medal for his service.


    Aditya knew that this person was the elder brother of Taarini Shetty, the mafia leader for whom he was about to start working.


    He wondered what kind of circumstances would force a soldier of honour to become a mob leader. He did not look down on him. Rather he did not have the right to look down on him. What was he doing right now?


    "He was our real boss and a great man. At that time, the police under the instigation of the local politician had opened fire on the people of slum causing the death of three people, they wanted the slum dwellers to move away so as to build some hotel. My mother, who was the only parent, was also killed at that time. It was Big brother Manu who took me in. I was fifteen at that time." Raghav narrated as he stood beside Aditya.


    Aditya nodded as he listened seriously. The deep truth that each and every person had their own story was deeply imprinted on his heart.


    "Taarini big sis was just a lively little girl at that time, I think she was 8 years old. She was the apple of Big brother Manu''s eye and the princess for the rest of us. Big brother Manu might feel good if you did him a favour but if someone could make Taarini little miss happy and cheerful, that was true favour to him. Every member who was taken in by Big brother Manu understood this. When any one of us was injured or killed during the bloody gang wars and police skirmishes we had that time, Taarini little miss would cry piteously and would even fast a full day for the well being of the death." Raghav recited as he looked at the statue with deep emotions in his eyes.


    Raghav turned to face Aditya with a cold gaze that sent chills down Aditya''s spine as he said in a firm tone," So, that is why I have to warn you, if a day comes when I or any other core member of our gang find that Taarini Big Sis would be brought to harm because of you. Even if it was not your mistake, as long as there was a breath left within us, we will hunt you down like a pack of mad dogs. I know that you have your reasons for coming here, just make sure you don''t confuse Taarini Big Sis as a ladder for you to climb and discard later."


    Aditya was finally awakened to the fact that he knew very less and his thinking was still inadequate. He had thought that he had considered all angles, scenarios and prepared for everything. It looked like he had forgotten that this was not a movie or a story where all the side characters'' only reason for existence was to aid the protagonist in his quest. This was real life where everyone had their own ''meaning of existence''.


    Take, for example, Aditya looked down Raghav for his low intellect and knowledge but when Raghav looked him in the eye and warned him, he felt as if he was really stared by a mad dog with which you could not reason with. The very properties of Raghav like being dull and narrow-minded which Aditya regarded as negative aspects actually accentuated his fearsome aura when he became crazy. As to why Aditya felt the chills, it was because of the convection with which Raghav spoke. This was a kind of blind faith of the follower which a leader should feel blessed if ever he could gain such a following.


    Aditya did not have the same feeling when he had encountered Bunny from ''that'' organization because although Bunny had an unknown physical strength which looked fearful, his eyes did not have the conviction or blind faith. You could always talk with that person and reason with him. If you have enough cards in your hands, you could even get him to change sides because such people basically were selfish and always put themselves before their masters.


    Aditya was not saying that the ''shadow'' organization as a whole lacked such followers but he was sure that at least Bunny was not that kind.


    Aditya calmed his beating heart as he smiled at Raghav, "Thanks for the warning, I will keep it in mind. Now shall we go."


    Raghav had reverted back to his normal self as he nodded and led Aditya through the giant gate. Aditya felt like he was entering a closed territory looking at those tall walls which seem to cut the external world from the inside. Aditya knew that they had left the city by some 10-15 kilometres.


    Aditya saw many students who were aged from 5-13 years playing in a distance when he entered. He was surprised a little as he inquired, "do you guys run a school here?"


    Raghav nodded as he said, "Taarini Big Sis likes children very much so she runs an orphanage which house 1500 children, she looks after them until they turn 14, various practical skills are taught so that the children who move out would be able to work for their living and could also continue their studies if they wanted to."


    Aditya nodded while feeling impressed. His choice of joining Taarini did not look so bad now. He looked at the wide parks and clean paved roads as he asked, "What kind of place is this?"


    "This place of 300 acres (around 120 hectares) comprises of an orphanage and a club. The club is called ''Royal Club'', it has got a golf course, resorts, shooting range, and other facilities." Raghav explained as he walked towards an electric car which was open on all sides so that you could enjoy the wind while riding. Aditya was not shocked with Taarini''s wealth as he had expected this much.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Raghav drove the car along with Aditya for some time as they went deep into this territory until they stopped before a huge building which had the board ''Royal Shooting Academy" on it. Aditya had seen many people on the way here but he saw no one near this building.


    "Taarini Big Sis wanted this shooting range all for herself, she seems to have high expectations from you though I really doubt you would be able to reach them," Raghav answered seeming to want to impress Aditya with his Big Sister''s magnanimity.


    Aditya looked at Raghav with a calm smile on his face as he strode towards the entrance. It was not that Aditya was being arrogant, but his confidence in his ability just did not allow him to doubt his value for Taarini.


    There was a huge quote in the lounge area which intrigued Aditya, ''It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile but it only takes three for a proper trigger squeeze''


    Aditya laughed lightly as he read this quote.


    "Do you like it?" a mature female voice asked Aditya who was looking at the quote.


    Aditya turned around to look at the stunning female who had a calm face with a signature icy look. Taarini wore a white striped detail sweatshirt today with long sleeves and round neck which regretfully covered her physique which the playboy in Aditya liked very much. But as if to compensate for this sin, she wore grey high rise skinny fit leggings which brought out the complete beauty of her long fit legs combined with pink Enzo strap mesh running shoes.


    Aditya had activated ''Slow timing'' long ago to get a good look without getting punched in the face. If you remove that icy look from her face and the gangsters that always followed her, Taarini was just your beautiful neighbour who had returned after finishing her jog.


    "Glad to meet you again, Ms Taarini." Aditya thought for a bit on how to address this woman before choosing the safe way. He did not want to jump to conclusions by calling her as Taarini big Sis like others.


    Taarini found that the eyes of this kid moved a little fast as if he was scanning her but the speed was too fast to register anything, so she didn''t mind it. She acknowledged Aditya''s greeting as she said, "Munna will teach you on the basic safety instructions while handling a firearm, it will take about an hour, meet up with me after that."


    Aditya nodded as he followed Munna into a small classroom setting, as this shooting range was closed for outsiders today, the whole building looked a bit desolate.


    Munna smiled as he started explaining the various rules and regulations to be followed while handling a gun


    Aditya found that Munna was more to his taste than that fellow Raghav as he could communicate effectively with him without embarrassing each other. The key rules/tips he could get from this class were


    - treat the gun as if its already loaded


    - only point the gun down range.


    -keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot¡­


    Aditya practised a drill of insert clip, chamber the bullet, empty the clip, unload the bullet according to the direction of Munna. Even Munna was shocked at the learning speed of Aditya, anything as long as it was shown once to Aditya, he could reciprocate the same without the need for repetition. What kind of a prodigy did Taarini little miss dig this time?


    While Aditya was learning to handle firearms, Taarini looked at Raghav and asked, "What do you think of him, elder brother?"


    Raghav was one of the core members of the Star Empress gang. He had accompanied her big brother in many fights and was loyal to the core to her. Though the image he presented to the people who just met him was that of an ignorant brute. Every core member knew that Raghav possessed a very keen intuition which outpaced even that of a woman. His feelings were proved accurate most of the time.


    Raghav took a deep breath and said one word, "dangerous."


    The pupils of the people who followed Taarini shrunk when they heard this word as light gasps were heard, they knew Raghav and never heard him use this word even for their deadliest enemies. Now he was saying that a kid who was around 17 years age whose beard has not started growing as ''dangerous''.


    "Do you think he has malicious intent towards us?" Taarini continued to ask without bothering her subordinates reactions.


    Raghav shook his head but added, "he does not possess any goodwill towards us either. I think that as long as his aim is fulfilled, he would not think twice before leaving us. I don''t think we can subdue him mentally. He has this aura of assurance around him as if even if he was deep into our territory, he is still the one in control."


    Taarini was the only one who stayed calm when she heard him. She nodded in agreement as she said, "I have the same feeling, if these were peace times and we were not facing an existential crisis, I would definitely not take him under me. Even now it gives me chills unknowingly when I think that I am going to give him access to firearms, I fear that it is not different from giving wings to a tiger. It''s just this feeling I have had the past few days." this was the reason Taarini had not contacted Aditya immediately after that meeting. She was somehow feeling conflicted about her choice which was new to her. Taarini usually never had this much trouble making key decisions before.


    Even Raghav was shocked at the high evaluation given by Taarini as he nodded and asked, " then shall we send him away, give him some monetary compensation as a reward for saving you and be done with him. It''s still not late." some subordinates also nodded their heads in support while some were still sceptical as to why their boss was making this teenager into a big deal. It was just a kid, what could he do by himself?


    Taarini shook his head as she said, "elder brother, you don''t understand, do you think we are the only ones who could give him a gun? He would get it one way or the other, it''s not a big deal but it might delay him a little. Also, imagine that he was as scary as we imagine him to be and he joins an opposing faction."


    Raghav hands shook as he thought of this possibility while connecting it with his intuition, he was sure that this would spell calamity for them. He didn''t think about this, as Aditya was adamant on joining the underworld, their gang was not the only way or route for him.


    "Then, shall we..." Raghav stopped as killing intent flickered in his eyes but shook his head as he knew that his little miss was too kind to act ungratefully towards the person who had saved her life.


    Taarini looked at Raghav as she spoke in an icy tone, "Elder brother, we are doing what we do because we haven''t found the way to get out of this path yet. Don''t become like those people who we wanted to protect ourselves from."


    Raghav lowered his head in shame as he apologized, "Sorry, Big sis, it won''t happen again."


    "Looks like the training had been completed, let us go see if he is as fearful as we deem," Taarini spoke as she walked towards the shooting range.

 35 - Attitude

    Aditya looked at the neat looking .22 long rifle in his hand with deep veneration while Munna explained this gun details to him.


    "this is 87 model of Remington Nylon 66 synthetic rifle, it had been manufactured from 1959 to 89. the rounds are loaded through the buttstock with a maximum capacity of 14 in the magazine tube. It has got pretty high safety records so feel free to fire at your convenience." Munna spoke in his characteristic deep voice.


    "it does not weigh more than two kg (about 4 pounds)," Aditya spoke as he tried to estimate the true weight of this rifle.


    Munna nodded and also added, "Since this is your first time using a true firearm, let us start with smaller calibre. This .22 rifle is usually used for rookie practice and for hunting rabbits and squirrels."


    "does that mean that guns with higher calibre are more destructive?"


    "No, it''s not higher calibre but larger calibre, calibre is nothing but the given bullet diameter, hundredth or thousandth of an inch. As to your question, it may or may not be as calibre only refer to the bullet size but not the amount of gunpowder used which is the actual determining factor for the lethality of the bullet. For example, the .308 Winchester rifle round is smaller calibre round than a .45 ACP handgun round. But the former travel at far higher velocities than the latter, making it significantly more destructive and lethal." Munna explained patiently.


    Aditya turned his attention towards this indoor shooting range. There was the smell of air conditioning, cement, lead and another distinctive odour which Aditya could only describe as ''acrid and ''sour''. This must be the smell of gun powder Aditya thought when he remembered reading an article online saying that Apollo astronauts described the lunar aroma (moon smell) as being similar to spent gunpowder.


    Acoustic foam panels were placed on the side walls and the ceiling to soundproof this area. Large air conditioning vents could be seen hanging from the ceiling. The back wall behind the paper targets was black which some white marks and bruises seemingly made of rubber from old tires.


    There was a huge R symbol behind Aditya in made of golden colour which Aditya inferred that it was the logo for the Royal Club of Taarini. There was digital readout which indicated the distance between the firing line and the target. There was a number ''50'' on the screen which indicated that the target was 50 ft from Aditya.


    "There is no need for wearing ear and eye protective wear for now as the sound produced by this rifle is minimal and the hot brass won''t be ejected from the rifle but collected inside the buttstock itself. But in the future when you move on to larger calibre and more lethal guns, you have to follow my safety instructions to cover your eyes and ears, understand?" Munna asked sternly.


    "Understood."


    "Good, now lets start, you remember the stable firing position I demonstrated, right? Face slightly to the right as you are right handed and keep your body upright. Keep your left arm under the rifle, lock your arm against your chest and rest the rifle on your hand."


    "got it"


    "Then what are you waiting for? Fire off" Munna spoke.


    "I was waiting for Ms Taarini to come," Aditya replied as he looked around at the empty gallery.


    "There are already watching, look at that mirror."


    Aditya turned to look at the mirror which was above the gallery, it was reflective on this side but he understood that it must be a one-way mirror. Aditya''s face darkened when he saw this. His nostrils flared as his lips curled in disdain. He took out the magazine and filled it with 14 rounds which felt cold.


    He assumed the standard posture and started firing in continuous succession. Munna''s face was becoming darker and gloomier as Aditya continued to shoot. After some ten rounds of shooting, he couldn''t hold it anymore as he barked, "Stop it."


    Aditya stopped and took back the rifle and held it in a standard resting position. He smiled innocently at Munna as he asked, "What happened?"


    Munna''s face became cloudier as he pressed a button which caused a metal track above to start moving which brought Aditya''s target paper towards the firing line. He tore the paper from the clip and slammed it on the table as he asked in an icy tone, "What do you mean by this, Aditya?"


    Aditya acted surprised at first and then put on a depressed expression as he said in a chaste way, "Oh, I couldn''t get in even one shot but I tried really hard, brother Munna how about you give me one more chance? I will definitely prove myself"


    Munna became a little puzzled when he heard the guileless voice of Aditya. Was he overthinking? Well, it was this kid''s first time handling a firearm, but still, to not even get in one shot. Were they having heavy expectations? Maybe there was nothing special about this kid?The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Okay, last chance, if you can''t get a shot in with the remaining rounds, there is no use spending so much time teaching you." Munna declared.


    "Sure." Aditya had the same smiling face as he got into position and shot the remaining four rounds onto the new target.


    Veins popped out of Munna''s forehead in anger as he could now confirm that this bastard kid was just playing around. If this person was not the saviour of their little miss and that Munna himself possessed great restraint, he would have had taken out a gun by now.


    "What do you mean by this Aditya?" Munna asked in an icy tone as he tried hard to control his rage.


    Aditya turned to look at this person who had a similar physique like him but was at the end of his youth with some grey hair sticking out from the sides and said in an apologetic tone, "Sorry Mr Munna, it looks like I don''t have what it takes to serve Ms Taarini. I am just a simple guy after all. I will take my leave then, the time you took to patiently explain to me in the past few hours is enough payback to me for helping Ms Taarini the other day. Convey my apologies to Ms Taarini for not reaching her expectations. I will take my leave. See you around." Aditya began to walk towards the exit after placing down the gun in its proper place.


    Munna was stunned at what was happening, he did not know what to speak when he saw Aditya walk steadily. He looked towards the mirror as he wanted to know what was the meaning of Taarini little miss.


    While the scene in the shooting range was calm, it was just the opposite in the viewing room. All the subordinates of Taarini had laughed when they saw that this kid who was deemed dangerous was actually just a nut. Raghav''s face also reddened when he saw that Aditya failed so badly. Only Taarini''s hands were trembling with exasperation when she looked at the departing figure of Aditya. Only she knew what had happened.


    Taarini was a woman who was brought up in an abnormal environment surrounded by people who were either her brother''s subordinates, beneficiaries or her enemies. She was never required to respect others and deal with them as true equals. Her brother''s subordinates always treated her like a princess and she had gotten used to it. There were very few possibilities for her to meet normal people and have normal social exchanges. Because if she did, she would know how Aditya felt.


    Aditya did want to assist her but it was not the only route for him. It might be a convenient one at best. He did not need her. She actually had the dire need of a sharpshooter which had forced her to almost blindly trust a stranger like Aditya about whom she had minimal information. In other words, she needed him more than he needed her.


    Taarini felt the difference in Aditya''s eyes when he found out that she and others were behind that one-way mirror but she chose to ignore it. Only now after he started to walk away did she understand. This person, whom she had unknowingly taken as a potential subordinate of her, was not here to serve her or impress her with his abilities to make a living. He was here to exchange his talent with her help to get to know the underworld. It was possible only when they treated each other on equal grounds. No one could be superior or inferior in this situation. And wasn''t what she did by taking the high ground while positioning herself as superior examining the abilities of a subordinate violate this very rule?


    As to Taarini''s rage, it was understandable as she felt disdained when Aditya chose to deliberately miss all the gunshots. She who always was the main lead in her surroundings felt suddenly worthless in the eyes of this teenager when he did not speak a word before leaving the gun and walking away. It was like she was disposable to him. Though it was true in a sense and they had discussed the same point before, it was very difficult to accept when the truth was hit on her face in such a manner. She had always been confident on her looks, her strength and her ability to manage but for the first time, she came to know of this fault in her because of a teenager who did not allow himself to be looked down by anyone. She was impressed at this attribute of this kid but pissed off that she was the one who was on the receiving end of this scenario.


    She calmed herself as she took the mic and spoke a few words to Munna, stood up and left the viewing room.


    Munna who had received the instructions was stunned for a second before running after Aditya who had left the indoor shooting range long ago. He caught up with him at the entrance where he saw Aditya looking around with an embarrassing expression on his face.


    Aditya discovered Munna who caught up with him, so he smiled awkwardly and said," Mr Munna, can you ask someone to drop me back at my place? It''s far away from the city and it is inconvenient to catch a ride back."


    Munna did not speak as he caught Aditya''s hands and dragged him back into the indoor shooting range.


    Aditya was puzzled as this action but as he did not observe any ill will from Munna, he allowed himself to be held. When they reached the shooting range, Aditya found Taarini waiting for him with an icy face. A small smile appeared on Aditya''s face when he saw her but it quickly disappeared.


    "Ms Taarini, am really sorry for letting you down," Aditya spoke while rubbing his head with an embarrassing smile on his face.


    ''how did I not notice that this kid was such a natural actor'' Taarini cursed in her mind as she forced a small smile on her face and said, "it is not surprising to underperform during your first time, you don''t have to blame yourself for it, how about trying it one more time?" she passed the loaded rifle to Aditya.


    "Sure." Aditya readily agreed, he was not the kind to hold small grudges. Frankly, he was not here for charity, he needed Taarini''s help too. As long as she could show her sincerity, he was glad to let that incident pass. He would not act cocky like demanding a public apology or something like that, he still valued his life.


    He skillfully took the rifle from Taarini''s hand and was back in the standard firing position in a matter of seconds and started firing ceaselessly. There was not much difference to the performance beforehand and the present but all the followers including Munna had opened their mouths wide looking at the target paper while the Taarini''s eyes brightened.

 36 - Mind Update

    Aditya sat on a vacant chair in a daze as he looked at the black Beretta 92 handgun in his hand. It weighed more than 2 kg when loaded.


    His blood boiled when he hit all the targets as expected, causing the other members of the gang to be struck with awe and respect. Even Taarini had a ''real'' smile on her face, not like the one she had when she gave the loaded rifle when she formally asked him if he was interested in assisting her. Of course, he agreed. Aditya had not pulled his punches while firing as he had to demonstrate his worth for Taarini to take this teen seriously. But the firearms which he used and the range in which he practised were far from displaying his full potential but he didn''t bother revealing this to her.


    But after all the excitement died down and his heart relaxed a bit, he started feeling a bit of dread mixed with awe and hesitation when he looked at this instrument. He felt like he was at an important crossroad in his life in which whatever path he took, he wouldn''t be able to go back.


    He, a 16-year-old teenager had been given an instrument which when combined with his capabilities had the power to take human life at the cost of a single, almost worthless bullet. He was not trusted to drink alcohol or cast a vote in his country but now he was given the might to take a human life. Aditya himself didn''t know if he could be trusted with such a force. Did he have the mental capacity to not act on momentary impulse?


    He was puzzled as to how Taarini was cool with it, maybe living and growing up with people who played around with life like it was worthless did influence her to ignore these concerns. Maybe she was already pushed into a corner so that she didn''t have the liberty to consider this. Even though now it looked like Taarini trusted him with a sidearm, Aditya knew that more than 3 people were keeping a close eye on his every movement. He was sure that he wouldn''t get to celebrate his 17th birthday if he tried pointing his gun at Taarini even for a joke.


    Aditya was always confident of himself. But when confronted with this situation, he discovered he was not as cool and chilled out as he expected himself to be. But his heart calmed down when images of two people drifted into his mind. Yes, why was he thinking too much into this trivial matters when the real priority is saving his parents. As to whether he might act on an impulse and do things which he might regret in the future, he had to bear the risk. One thing was for sure though, when his calculations, Slow Timing and a loaded gun were combined, Aditya was sure that he would only be left with regrets at best. He would not be the one hurt definitely so the guy who wants to piss him off will have only himself to blame.


    "Do you like this gun?" Taarini came over after inspecting the skills of her subordinates. She was feeling optimistic about her gang''s future. She didn''t expect that her tryst with Flaming tiger which resulted in almost losing her life and innocence had actually concluded with her being gifted a child prodigy who could rival Olympic gold medalists. She really did not know who else could be called a prodigy before this kid. It was his first time touching a gun and he was naturally endowed with great prowess.


    "yup, who wouldn''t like the gun used by Bruce Willis?" Aditya said with a small smile which thoroughly hid away his concerns.


    "Who?"


    "Bruce Willis? Hollywood Star? Die Hard movie?"


    "I don''t watch Hollywood movies."


    "Oh."


    Taarini looked at Aditya as her eyes shimmered, "While being proficient with a gun is very good, it is not enough to ensure your survival in our circle. Not all places allow you to carry a firearm. Many of the meetings of the underworld leaders which usually end up becoming bloody actually prohibit firearms. So I want you trained in close combat as well. What do you think of it?"


    Aditya nodded as he thought that Taarini''s logic was flawless. He did not want to depend only on firearms either especially given his capabilities.


    Just when he was about to follow Taarini out of this shooting range, he heard Tya''s cutesy voice, "Adi, I want a lollipop."


    "I don''t have any." Aditya activated Slow Timing as he conversed with Tya while following Taarini.


    "you are lying, I can smell lollipops," Tya protested with an adorable voice.


    Aditya was stunned a little as he also sniffed a little but couldn''t discover anything, "Why can''t I feel?"


    "Adi, its because you don''t know how to properly utilize your faculties," Tya replied.


    "Wait, I am coming inside, take over the body," Aditya stated as he willed himself to go into Tya''s world.


    "Okay"


    This was another function which Aditya had discovered these days. Due to Tya bonding with him in some unique way, Aditya had discovered that Tya could take over basic functions of his body like walking, drinking, sleeping. It was alright as long as it was a small function which did not require Aditya to think hard or do any creative work. Most of these functions were 80% involuntary in nature so Tya could manage the remaining without any hassle but if Aditya wanted Tya to do ''real'' work like repairing cars or firing guns, it was not possible as Tya did not have control over the finer centres of Aditya''s brain.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Whenever Aditya came inside Tya''s world, he would be confounded at the marvel of the sight. This realm was brimming with innumerable colours and lights. They were globes which had liquids of myriad shades flowing on their surface. Vapours of umpteen brilliance could be seen flowing around this world.


    While some globes melted into gases and liquids, some gases congealed into liquids and these liquids coagulated into spheres.


    Tya looked the same as the last time. If Aditya was asked to mention any changes, he could only say that Tya appeared cuter now and this world seemed more compact, real and defined than before. It was like 1080p becoming 4K.


    Aditya always had high expectations of Tya''s evolution and the subsequent abilities it brought along. So, when Tya said that it could smell lollipops and that Aditya did not know to utilize his faculties, he guessed that Tya had something new to offer. As he had this ''Auto Pilot'' system and ''Slow Timing'', he had ample time to converse with Tya before Taarini led him to the training room.


    Aditya always felt relaxed and secure when he came into this world. It was like his own private hangout that no one was able to tarnish or intervene. Aditya would always spend some time talking to Tya and playing around this world before he slept in the night and after he woke up in the morning.


    "Adi, do you know that a human mind can only concentrate on one particular thing," Tya spoke as Aditya listened earnestly. Aditya had developed an innate immunity to cuteness these days due to spending a good amount of time with Tya so he could concentrate on the words without getting embroiled in the world of adorable smiles, innocent, immature voices and lovely dimples. He also came to know these days that Tya was a born nerd. He had the most inquisitive mind ever. He wanted to know everything about everything.


    Aditya had always marvelled at the fact that Tya had spent millions of years alone but after getting to know him Aditya roughly figured out how it was possible. Tya never remained idle, he was always working on something. He wanted to understand, experience and experiment on anything and everything. Boredom was a totally unknown concept for him before he met Aditya. Of course, these days Tya inherited some new emotions from Aditya which caused him to start acting more like a human.


    "so you are saying that we can''t multitask," Aditya asked when he heard Tya''s words.


    Tya shook his head as it replied with earnest eyes, "Some humans can accomplish multitasking only because they can control their mind to shift its focus at a higher speed than normal people. But concentrating on two things at the same time is practically impossible for humans. Even when you watch a movie, you may think that you are seeing and hearing at the same time, what happens is nothing but the mind shifting its focus to seeing and hearing at very high speeds in a second one after the other."


    Aditya nodded involuntarily as he thought about these words. He looked up at this gaseous form of a kid and asked, "What do you mean by this?"


    "Adi, it means that you can''t smell when you see, you cant see when you taste, you can''t hear when you feel touch and so on. So at any given time your mind or any human mind can only focus on one sense organ. Sometimes, when you are thinking about something absentmindedly, you won''t be able to focus on a good car passing by you even if you have your eyes open." Tya tried its best to make it simple for Aditya.


    Aditya nodded as he started to get the general meaning. Tya nodded its head as he continued, "even when a human is focusing on one sense organ, the mind usually focuses on a minute percentage of the receiving information."


    here Aditya interrupted, "Like how you don''t notice the people or things in front of you when you are eyeing a beauty."


    "Adi, why would you do that?" Tya asked as it blinked its puppy eyes while tilting its head in mild puzzlement.


    "Cough, cough, you will understand it when you grow up." Aditya felt embarrassed to explain this sex education topic to an underage kid. He seemed to have forgotten that Tya was eligible to be called as an ancestral figure with his age.


    "Okay, so just like you said, even when the mind is focusing on one sense organ, it won''t take up all the impulses that are transmitted. The mind usually focuses on things which it either likes or dislikes and ignores those things which are neither. But the percentage of the things ignored is usually far higher than the ones which the mind is focused on. So the human mind misses a lot of information at any given time. So in a way, we could say that the human mind is only capable of perceiving a minute fraction of the real world." Tya concluded succinctly.


    Aditya feared that any more of this and he would start sleeping, so he asked, "So, what is this new ability that you discovered?"


    "Adi, because of the bonding between us, you are now able to multitask with my help. Not only multitasking, but you can also pay attention to all the things which your senses are perceiving irrespective of likes and dislikes." Tya replied happily.


    "And what does that mean?" Aditya asked the key question.


    "It means that you won''t be ever deceived by any magician or an optical illusion. No one can deceive you with lies as you can register all their body reactions simultaneously making it very easy for you to analyze their behaviour. A little practice is all it takes. Any proficient illusionist would always leave some hints which people usually miss but you won''t because the illusionist himself is still a normal human unlike you." Tya spoke excitedly.


    ''What is the sentence'' normal human unlike you'' mean, am I not a normal human.'' Aditya thought when he heard Tya''s words. But he was pleasantly surprised at Tya''s timely gift. He was about to enter the world of rats, the world of deception and subterfuge and he was given a talisman of protection.


    When Aditya was also revelling with Tya, he heard Taarini''s voice like someone was shouting from far away, "Aditya, what do you think of this training place?"


    "Okay, Tya got to go, bye."


    "Elder brother, lollipop, sniff sniff"


    "Okay, I will definitely get them, don''t cry."

 37 - First Fight

    Aditya was caught off guard when he saw the training arena as took back control of his body. He felt like he had entered a periodical drama film set when he saw the ancient designs and architecture.


    The whole interior was filled with wooden furniture which supplemented this feeling. Starting from the entrance door, the arches, tables, chairs, cupboards, cabinets, almirahs, hanging lanterns, the weapons case and the weapons themselves made Aditya feel as if he was taking a stroll into a museum.


    "Adi try the Sensifull ability." Tya piped in.


    "Sensifull?"


    "Yup, the ability to register all your sensual perceptions at once, I call it ''Sensifull'', the name is so cool right?" Tya''s immature voice full of innocent pride was heard as Aditya rolled his eyes, he had to take over the responsibility of naming the abilities in the future.


    "Okay, can you create an icon for it like ''Slow Timing'' too?"


    "Sure."


    Aditya saw a new icon forming beside the Slow Timing icon (looked like a pocket watch). The new icon was a human frame sitting cross-legged on the ground with a straight back as some colourful wind seemed to be absorbed by that person through his eyes, ears, nose, skin and mouth. The wind which was absorbed with each of the sense organs had a special colour distinguishing it from the others.


    ''At least his visual imagination was cool'' Aditya thought as he activated that icon.


    Boom!!


    Without a warning, Aditya felt that the whole world had changed from a low-quality version to a high-quality version. It was like an avalanche of information engulfing him from all sides. He was dazed at this unique awareness.


    In one moment, Aditya was able to see all the weapons on the weapons rack like many staffs of different lengths and wood materials like teak, rosewood, bamboo, maple wood. He saw many unique types of swords, axes, whips, clubs, cudgels. He saw spears, sickles, daggers, spiked knuckle dusters. He even saw a special kind of weapon made of blackbuck horns.


    He was able to record all the details and designs of these weapons in that one instant. Apart from this, he was able to take in the designs of the furniture, wall colour and patterns, the paintings. His vision also included the people in front of him, their expressions, body movements, attires, colours of their attire, hairstyles, hair dyes, acne, scars, even their gait.


    Putting aside the vision, he could hear, differentiate and catalogue all the sounds being heard. Breathing sounds of different people, whispers, buzzing sounds of air ventilation, birds and insects sounds from outside.


    He could feel the cool air of the air conditioner caressing his face, the warm air been expired from his nostrils, his clothes touching his skin and the shoes wrapped around his feet.


    He could taste saliva in his mouth along with some other taste which he could experience but not name.


    He smelt the cool air conditioner air, the fragrance of wood and some flowers which he could distinguish clearly from one another, the place also had a lingering odour of human sweat but it felt weirdly attractive to him and lollipops, yes lollipops he got a whiff of a candy smell.


    Aditya was overwhelmed by this ability completely. If the amount of information he processed before was equivalent to 1 MB, now it was 1GB. All kinds of sensations which he would otherwise neglect had come into his attention range now. Keeping aside the usefulness or practical utility of this power, the sheer experience enriched Aditya''s experience of life itself.


    Aditya followed the whiff of lollipops scent as he reached Taarini who was watching him intently. One had to take note of the fact that the time had not passed a few seconds since Aditya entered this arena. The talk with Tya, the activating of this ability and his observations did not take any time at all. So, from Taarini''s viewpoint, Aditya was just looking around for a few seconds before he came in front of her. Seeing him look at her with a weird gaze and his act of hesitating to speak, Taarini got curious and asked, "What is it?"


    "Can I get a lollipop?" Aditya asked with an awkward smile while rubbing his head. He also discovered that the human sweat scent which he found oddly attractive was also from Taarini herself.


    "Lollipop?" Taarini was stunned when she heard Aditya''s request. Her expression became cloudy as she asked in a chilly tone, "What did you say?"


    Aditya who had activated the ''Sensifull'' ability already saw Taarini''s eyes narrowing, her hands making a fist, her teeth clenching, her skin vibrating a little and also her pulse rising by looking at the throbbing vein on her thin, delicate neck. By this, he could already confirm that he was misunderstood.


    Before Taarini could burst out and Aditya could be surrounded by a gang of big brothers, Aditya immediately acted like he didn''t notice these reactions of Taarini as he smilingly nodded and said, "Yes, I like candies and lollipops, when I heard elder brother Raghav saying that you liked to play with kids, I assumed that you would have these candies. It is okay if you don''t have any."


    ''nicely executed'' Aditya let out a sigh of relief.


    Taarini who was almost about to pull out her staff, calmed down when she heard Aditya''s latter words. She nodded as she got someone to get lollipops for Aditya. She had some in her pocket but she didn''t want to give them to this kid. This kid did not seem so innocent in her eyes anymore for some reason.


    Aditya thanked the person who looked to be in his early twenties as he took a couple of lollipops from him. That person had an exciting smile on his face as he watched Aditya unwrapped a lollipop as he said, "Elder brother Aditya, you are so cool when you shoot. Whenever you hit the target, it just feels so natural and effortless."Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ''it is effortless'' Aditya thought as he smiled while keeping the candy on the side of his mouth as the sweet cherry taste kicked in slowly.


    "You look elder than me, I should be the one calling you elder brother," Aditya replied smilingly.


    "No, in the underworld, only the strong deserve to be respected. You should just call me by my name Faizal whereas I should call you Elder brother. You look at Taarini Big Sis, she is younger than Raghav, Dev, Munna elder brothers but still they call her Big Sis when conversing with her." the youth called Faizal chatted enthusiastically with Aditya.


    Aditya nodded deeply as he let this custom sink in. It seemed reasonable to him.


    "Aditya, how is your combat skills? Go, fight a ''round'' with Faizal." Taarini said with a smile which held some hidden meanings.


    Aditya had been prepared for this when he came here but when the occasion came, he really felt uncomfortable. Frankly, Aditya had the same combat ability that a bully of a school possesses, nothing more. Even when he rescued Taarini, he took a safe long-range approach while deciding to escape as long as the enemy drew near which luckily never happened.


    Faizal was like a typical youth who was hot-blooded in his prime. On the other hand, even though Aditya was younger in physical age, the unique experiences he had gone through along with his dreams had matured his psyche forcefully. Aditya knew that he should not look back after he came this far so he also nodded and stepped on the fighting stage after removing his shoes.


    He deactivated the ''Sensifull'' ability. He wanted to see if he had any fighting talent without using these abilities. Of course, his superior calculative ability was functioning as this was not some ability which was formed in collaboration with Tya. This power was due to a permanent modification of his brain due to absorbing Tya''s energy even before he knew the existence of Tya.


    As it was morning, almost all the followers were in their training clothes so Faizal also jumped onto the training ring excitedly. He seemed to have developed an admiration for Aditya like how a fan admires a star.


    "Elder brother, I will make the first move," Faizal spoke as he flexed his limbs restlessly. Aditya did not try correcting Faizal from calling him as an ''Elder brother'' as he knew that he also had to follow these customs. Aditya nodded as he kept his hand up to guard his face like how he had seen in some movie. Taarini and others smiled as they saw this, with this one move they knew that Aditya did not have any combat experience.


    When Aditya thought that Faizal might take it easy and start slow, the smile on Faizal''s face vanished to be replaced by a grim expression as he suddenly burst into an explosive sprint spontaneously as he aimed his clenched fist at Aditya''s stomach.


    If it was not for Aditya''s superior reflexes, he would have been hit and wounded critically. It took some time for Aditya to accept the fact that though these people looked friendly and harmless usually, it did not change the fact that they were hooligans whose occupation was to fight. Even a young person like Faizal turned into a wild animal when the fight started. Especially the way Faizal just left his whole body unguarded and went full on offensive reminded Aditya that this was not some martial arts competition but a fight to wound the opponent at the cost of injuring themselves.


    Aditya discovered that he could calculate the enemy''s body movements by looking at his torso. The good news was that he knew where the enemy''s punch would land, the bad news was that he did not know how to react to that hit in the most efficient way.


    Faizal was sure that his first hit would land when he saw that Aditya did not have any fighting experience. But surprisingly, Aditya took a side step and dodge the punch at the last moment. Faizal suddenly changed his path reflexively as he turned his foot a little and rammed his shoulder into Aditya while maintaining the momentum of his explosive run.


    Aditya did not expect that a person could change their movement in the last moment, though he could calculate the impact, he did not have the time to react so he braced himself by anchoring his feet and blocking Faizal''s shoulder with both his hands.


    The impact almost pushed all the air in Aditya''s lungs outside as he was slammed into the ground along with Faizal. Before he could regain his composure, Faizal aimed a fist at his face, Aditya caught his fist accurately and stopped him. He then caught another fist with his free hand tightly. Aditya was shocked that his thin physique was actually able to move freely with a strength almost equal to Faizal who had a bulky physique.


    Taarini and others were also impressed with Aditya''s presence of mind and the strength he displayed. He was already performing better than their best expectations. Aditya did not still realize his true value as a sharpshooter but Taarini did. So she wanted Aditya to possess better survival skills so that he could persist in their world which was why she asked Faizal to display his full prowess so Aditya gets a real taste.


    Just when Aditya thought that Faizal did not have any way to attack, he saw a slight smile on Faizal as he saw him clenching his teeth and stiffening his neck muscles. Then he viewed with shock as Faizal butted his forehead against his nose, Aditya immediately took the initiative and also clashed his forehead head-on with Faizal''s.


    Aditya''s mind buzzed when he got hit while stars popped up in front of his eyes. Before Aditya could say anything, he heard Taarini''s calm voice as she shouted to cease fighting.


    Faizal was grinning widely as he looked at the depressed expression on Aditya who was stumbling as he stood while rubbing his head. He smiled bitterly as he saw that though both were supposed to be equally wounded, Faizal was fine whereas his forehead started swelling already.


    "Don''t be surprised, if you also had your head-butted multiple times until it bled, your forehead would also become as strong as his," Taarini stated serenely as she handed an ice pack to Aditya.


    "I know that you have some unique capabilities that gifts you the capability to go farther than all of us in this world but, "Taarini''s voice turned icy as she warned, "don''t dare to think that other people would just move aside because you are better than them in some ways."


    Aditya nodded as he listened to everything with reverence. He reminded himself again that these were not fights that were controlled by rules and regulations and stop when the referee whistles. The opponent would use all the weapons at his disposal including his own forehead. He could also imagine Faizal using his teeth if the forehead did not work.


    He also developed a good impression on Taarini as she was open about her expectations of using his capabilities but also genuinely warned him of the consequences of underestimating this path.


    Aditya showed a genuine smile to Taarini as he said, "Thank you."


    Taarini was satisfied with Aditya as she nodded and said, "But I can also say that as long as the enemy is not near your body, you can rule the field, so you might want to play your advantages against enemy''s disadvantages."


    Aditya nodded but he stood up while placing the ice pack on the table, "Can I have another go?" Aditya knew he was invincible when he was at a distance, but he did not want to limit himself to a person who only depended on his special capabilities. He wanted to take the normal path of people like Faizal also, he wanted to train his body. He never viewed himself as a delicate person who cannot handle tough jobs. If these people can do it, he could do it too.


    Taarini looked back at Aditya with appreciation in her eyes for the first time as she nodded.

 38 - Killer

    A man who was in his middle years drank some plain tea as he watched through a terrestrial telescope from time to time.


    ''Where did the kid go along with that gangster like guy today? It was the first time he had left the garage since he came?'' the man thought as he sipped tea in a leisure way.


    He was having the most relaxed days of his career at present. It was such an easy target, a schoolboy who was an orphan with no protection who had to work for his living. The man couldn''t even fathom who would want such a kid to die though he did not mind.


    He had been taken by his parent organization when he was a kid himself. His father had been murdered and his mother had been raped in front of him and killed. He was later taken and given the training to become a pawn for the organization. Given his exceptional talent, he was later promoted to elite ranks. The training he was subjected to had long erased any traces of humanity he possessed. He was made to rape his first love, kill his best friend, pillage his own subordinates, their families and villages. For him, to kill is just like breathing. He enjoys killing the girl who he had sex with after the act. It gives him a kick from all the experience of being in control of a weaker life.


    The only things which keep him going are sex, drugs and the most important, killing. He had been addicted to seeing the splaying of blood for very long. He had successfully accomplished 24 tasks out of 30 missions which were very high in the rankings. His parent organization made up for their lack of high tech support and information network with brutality and savagery.


    From the past decade, their parent organization had started starving because of the development of the military of their target countries which surrounded them. This forced them to accept assassination contracts which were widely different from their usual way. He had been deployed in south and south-east Asian countries during this period. He had mastered some useful assassination techniques from peers which helped him quickly adapt to this lifestyle. The main characteristic he possessed which enabled him to become a ''Prime'' class assassin was his patience. He enjoyed watching and observing his prey''s lifestyle for weeks, even months on end before making a move which sealed his prey''s future.


    He liked to take it slow. He had observed this kid who he had to kill for a full week even if he knew that this kid did not have any protection, from this one could know why he was so successful. Though this kid was an easy target, the request from his client was a little special which was not unknown before but a little uncommon. ''The target''s death has to appear like it was a natural accident leaving no room for speculation of a preplanned homicide''.


    So, he had to study the target''s mannerisms for two full weeks before enacting his plan. He had observed that the kids seemed to have a problem with excessive sleeping so he would be frequently sent out of the class to wash his face with cool water. He took this water as his target and joined as a full-time electrician in the school. It was easy as the salary he demanded was very friendly.


    He then proceeded to alter the electric circuits of the places which Aditya usually frequented and waited for the client to give the green light. He had used this method before so he was pretty confident. 0.1 to 0.2 Amp is already fatal to humans. He had set up a circuit with the capacity to pass 10 Amp in the instant of contact. It was a perfectly closed circuit which he had used some tricks to set up which was why the fish in the pond were not affected.


    That day a relative of that kid came visiting and the ''go ahead'' was given to him. As planned that kid approached the lake for splashing his face and got electrocuted as planned but the result was totally out of his expectations. The kid actually survived with minute injuries, it was not a fatal injury at all. When the school security guard called for the electrician to check if the pond was electrocuted, it was him who had come to check and of course, he would not give himself away. But when he checked the circuit, it was perfect and he was sure he would die the moment he touched the live wire. This puzzled him.


    He was not true technical personnel to be aware of the problem accurately so he could only stop his trials and report back to the client which was the protocol to be followed. The orders were to be at standby and to not make a move, therefore, he had to wait.


    He had watched the kid leave the school, go to a place which was probably his home, meet some people before started working in a garage. He had marked him many ''tracers'' so he was not worried that the kid would escape his range. He did not have to follow the kid every time, that is a crude and outdated method which has many risks and disadvantages. Like today, he did not have to worry that the kid would escape, so he just waited in his room patiently till the kid came back. He looked at his mobile which had an unknown app running in it. He could see a blue dot on a map coming towards his current position. ''the kid is coming back'' he smiled as he drank his tea.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    From his experience, he could already deduce from his client''s messages that this kid seems to be unaware of his ''true'' identity. It was a classic ''prince living like a pauper'' scenario. If some people want this kid to die, it could only mean that the ''king'' has become old enough to retire or about to die so the minister wants to replace the king. That will only be possible when this prince dies.


    As to why he did not think that the ''King'' had already died, then, in that case, the client would have already told him to kill this kid with no restraints. There was no need to stage an ''accident'' drama or drawback after failing once. Of course, it was his assumption, nothing of his theory was backed by any facts as the ''client'' whereabouts were strictly confidential. He did not need to think deeply about this as his only duty was to kill this kid when the client has given the signal and to escape this country to enjoy for six months with the reward earned.


    From his client''s hesitation to kill this kid, he could speculate that the ''king'' seems to also have this ''prince'' in his sights but he is not taking this kid under his umbrella for some reasons. So, the client is treading carefully while the ''King'' was paying attention. As he speculated his own theory, he saw that blue dot had reached the location which was opposite to the building he was staying in.


    He grabbed the terrestrial telescope as he saw a kid getting off the same car in which he had left in the morning. It was already late in the evening so many people did not notice this kid as he lowered his head deliberately.


    ''why was this kid''s face swollen? was he in a street fight? Who did he have a conflict with?'' thoughts popped up in the middle-aged guy as he saw the kid limp his way back to his room without greeting his colleagues in the garage. He scratched a scar on his left arm which had a snake tattooed around it unconsciously as he figured out the possible reasons.


    He saw the kid slowly and carefully walk in his room, he could see the kid grabbing a towel and standing in front of a mirror as he checked the swollen areas while touching them and wincing from time to time. He staggered into the bathroom.


    The man waited patiently as he did always after some time the kids came with only his towel on. This time he could clearly see red bruises on his chest, abdomen and back also. He could basically confirm that the kid had taken a good beating but he also knew that though these wounds looked glaring, they were superficial and he was sure they wouldn''t affect his daily activities. The inflammation would disappear in a week for sure.


    He saw the kid take up some book and start flipping the pages at a rapid pace. This was the one habit of this kid that he always found senseless. This kid would always turn the pages of a book at high speed as if he was doing important work. His expression was grave and serious when he did it as if there was an important purpose in doing so. It was almost as if he was studying, like it was possible.


    The other thing he noticed was that he would always flip the pages of a new book, he did not touch a book which he had already gone through. The books on his shelf were rapidly increasing. As he had a high power telescope, he could also see the titles of those books. At first, the kid took books meant for children, as days passed by he took up other books with more higher information. These days, he saw that the kid was interested in programming languages like Python, JAVA etc.


    When he was musing over these inconsequential thoughts, a pop up lit up his mobile screen which was like a bubble. The bubble was green in colour with two red stars glowing in it. The man''s face lit up with joy as knew his vacation was about to start. The green light represented the ''go ahead'' while the two stars represented a ''clean, long-range shot'', ''seems like the ''King'' has been successfully diverted'', he laughed as he thought.


    He got up and put on some travelling clothes as he had to escape immediately after the shot. He patiently removed all traces which might trace back to him form the room. His luggage was minuscule, to begin with, so it was quick before he whitewashed the room.


    He removed a bag from a secret cabinet he built in the floor under the bed and unlocked it to expose some dark metal parts. He skillfully arranged them in a very experienced style while humming to some unfamiliar song. Slowly a sniper rifle was formed after assembling all the parts. He also took a suppressor and attached to the muzzle end of the rifle. This man who had hooded eyes, a round bald head with black hair sticking out in the sides, with a hawk nose and wheatish complexion who looked like a commoner from any angle suddenly had a cruel and sinister aura envelop him as he sneered and pointed the gun at the kid while checking the telescopic sights.


    "The distance is around 80 meters, sorry kid, I want to say that it is pure business but that would be a lie as I will definitely enjoying blasting your brains out." the man sneered while licking his lips as he proceeded to load the rifle with ammo. But just as he was about to do so,


    "Are you usually so unaware of your surroundings?" a young female voice was heard.

 39 - Saira

    The malevolent smile on the man''s face vanished as he stood frozen like a statue. He steadied his rapidly beating heart as he calmed himself down while inhaling and exhaling deeply as he turned to face the person standing near the window which was at the opposite end of the room.


    ''How was he exposed?'' this was the only thought in his mind when he saw the stunning woman who gazed coldly at him. Her lotus eyes did not show any fear or anger. Her demeanour was as calm as one could be. She had glowing light copper skin with rich health which when combined with her tall, well-developed figure would cause many men to drool. Her long black hair was straight and silky, it was tied into a ponytail. Her hands were empty with no firearms which puzzled him.


    She wore a black solid boat neck t-shirt which brought out the beauty of her shoulders perfectly along with short sleeves. It was matched with Khaki slim fit jeans and black high top leather heeled boots. Vitality and strength radiated from her physique as she passively approached him.


    He calmed himself down as he knew that he was found out. It was not as important as to how he was found out.


    The woman, whose face looked like she was in her early twenties but her physique suggested that she was in her mid-twenties, looked at the sniper rifle in the man''s arms as she said, "Yalguzag sniper rifle, a bolt-action sniper rifle that fires the 7.62¡Á51mm NATO rounds, It was as I suspected, you are from the area around Azerbaijan, right?"


    The man was shocked when he saw that this woman recognized his sniper rifle with one look, he sneered as he said, "I could have bought in the black market, it''s not that hard." of course he would not agree.


    "Well, if it was just the rifle, that may be possible but the thing is I had been keeping my eyes on you from quite some time just like you have been keeping an eye on my younger brother Adi. The food you cooked for yourself resembles Plov, Dolma and Piti which are common household delicacies of Azerbaijan. Add on your Turkic features on top of that, what do you have to say to that?" the woman spoke in the same peaceful way as if she did not fear him.


    He was dumbfounded when he heard these words, he was actually been observed for so many days and he did not notice it? Was she an elite counter surveillance expert?


    "No" the man simply refused to accept as that would give away a lot of information about both himself and his parent organization. He still had a small hope that he could escape but if he leaked his identity or his organization''s identity, the woman did not need to kill him, his own superior would do it for her.


    The woman smiled as she looked at him like an idiot and said, "Srika"


    "You" the man almost lost himself as clenched his fists while controlling himself but his reddened eyes gave his emotion away.


    "Oh, so you understand Armenian also," the woman gave a little smile as she said. She had just called the man a ''bastard'' in that language. She nodded thoughtfully as she continued, "a person who has both the characteristics of Armenia and Azerbaijan, able to yield the sniper rifle of Azerbaijan land forces, has a scar on his left arm which has a coiling snake tattooed around it. It can only mean one thing. You are a hit-man of ''Khzel'' organization, right?"


    The man''s blood cooled when he heard the name, he had only one thought running through his mind ''How does she know so much?'' Now even if he escaped from her, he would be killed as long as this woman leaked his identity. The organization he worked for did not care about its assassin as much as it cared about its reputation and confidentiality. He had to kill this woman at all costs today. Luckily that woman did not seem to have any intention of pulling out a gun while he had a hidden handgun in his sleeve.


    "So you found out, may I know how you know so much? Who are you actually?" the man started planning his next step while trying to strike up a conversation with this woman.


    "Well, I am Saira, Indian Special Ops. As to how I know so much about you guys, I was one of the elite soldiers who was selected to represent India to participate to work in collaboration with the Mossad for two years. I had worked with a guy called Huseyn who was an Azeri being trained by the Mossad to work against Iran. He worked as my subordinate in some operations, so I came to know about the customs and workings of these countries." the woman explained patiently as if she was in no hurry.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "As for why I am here, of course, to look after my younger brother Adi. So, what''s your name?" Saira added as he looked straight in the man eyes.


    "You can call me Ali. I have done my research, Adi has only one elder sister who is called Maahi Kapoor, she did not contact the kid these days." Ali refuted as he tried to position himself in the optimum position to attack Saira.


    A bright smile spread across Saira''s face for the first time as she said, "we are a total of three siblings who are not related by blood, I am the eldest one while Adi is the youngest one. As for why you couldn''t know about me, it''s simply because any information regarding me is protected by the government of India as my services belong to a special portfolio which requires me to vanish from this society. Even my relationship with my parents is strictly concealed let alone with Adi. Only after I am retired, will my legit status be restored, not like I am complaining. See, it helps people like you or those who hired you to lower your guards."


    Ali smiled bitterly inside when he knew that his target had relations with the Indian special ops, wasn''t this simply asking for death. Now he knew how he was monitored without being discovered and why she knew so much about him and his background. Only ''Apogee'' class and above were suitable for dealing with special ops.


    He looked at Saira as he asked, "Why don''t I see you pointing a gun at me?" this was the question which was haunting him from the beginning.


    Saira smiled awkwardly as she answered, "Actually I am currently on a crucial mission, it seems like some sleeper cells have been activated in Bangalore with the aim of causing indiscriminate destruction in public places. So I am supposed to be tracing those bastards now. So if I use my gun to kill you, every bullet used by me has to be accounted for, I would have to give an explanation to my superior as to why I am neglecting the current mission which is a little troublesome."


    "It''s a pity," Ali said with a sympathetic expression as he raised his right hand to aim at Saira''s forehead and pulled the trigger.


    How could someone so naive to think that I am unarmed join the special ops? Is this country''s military overrated? Just when Ali thought of continuing his mission, he heard a metallic sound which is produced by striking metal on metal, which stung his eardrum and his brain buzzed due to this sound of high frequency.


    When Ali got back his composure and saw the person in front of him, his mind blasted as he looked with horror at the right hand of this woman whom he had presumed dead. The skin near her right palm had been torn off exposing the shiny metal beneath the surface which glittered in the light. He remembered that he had heard the name of these people previously when he returned to headquarters. How could she be one of those? How could she be ''that''? How was he supposed to escape?


    Saira walked towards the stunned figure of Ali with a regrettable expression on her face as she said, " Now, how am I going to explain this to my superior?"


    Saira wrapped her metallic fingers around Ali''s throat, she was not really expecting him to answer her, the metallic arm crushed the trachea and spinal cord of Ali before he could even calm down from his shock. It was that easy. The body fell on the ground with his limbs making involuntary jerky movements, a thin line of blood leaked out of the mouth as his eyes lost their light.


    Saira ignored the body as she took Ali''s mobile while muttering, "now, with my men keeping a close eye on all the suspects, I should be able to lock down the real culprit by comparing their actions at this time?"


    Saira could have killed this assassin the moment he was discovered but she restrained from doing so as the key person to catch was not the assassin but the one targetting Aditya. She knew that the breakthroughs in privacy technology have ensured that a rich person who is willing to spend can be easily guaranteed privacy and confidentiality nowadays. Let alone there is TOR (dark web) which was created by the American military to ensure almost perfect privacy.


    So she arranged some people to monitor a list of suspects so that they could get the timing of the perpetrator down when the assassin makes a move on Aditya.


    Saira took the terrestrial telescope from the floor as she looked at Aditya who was reading a book while flipping the pages. Her eyes showed true emotion for the first time as a beautiful smile spread across her face. She still remembered the 6-year-old boy who could not spend a night without running into her bed and sleeping while hugging her because he was afraid of ghosts. Maahi was eleven and she used to scare him by narrating horror stories.


    Grief flashed in Saira''s eyes when she saw Aditya''s wounds. She knew what he was doing these days but she did not have the heart to dissuade him because she knew why he was doing these things.


    Saira looked at her metallic hand as she flexed those metallic fingers and mumbled, "Although you can''t save uncle and aunt by doing such, you can at least prepare yourself for the future," Saira looked with apprehension in her eyes, "and the future is going to be very chaotic. We need all the strength we can muster to ensure our survival."

 40 - A Pit dug by Kranthi

    Five little ducks


    Went out one day


    Over the hills and far away? ? ?


    Mother duck said


    "Quack, quack, quack, quack"


    But only four little ducks came back.? ? ?


    Four little ducks


    Went out one day


    Over the hills and far away? ? ?


    Mother duck said


    "Quack, quack, quack, quack."? ? ?


    But only three little ducks¡­


    "Morning Tya," Aditya woke up to the usual ''wake-up'' call as he rubbed his eyes and stretched himself.


    "Good morning Adi, I have a doubt?"


    "What is it?" Adi yawned as got off the bed. The winter was about to begin so the room was cool and comfortable causing him to feel refreshed as he took deep and slow breaths. A small smile spread over his face as he felt excellent for some reason.


    "Adi, why do you think that each of the little ducks did not return to mother duck, but in the end, all of them return at once?" Tya asked seriously as if this concerned the secrets of the universe, which somehow became quite cute when accompanied by his adorable voice.


    Aditya''s bright smile turned to a bitter smile as he rubbed his head trying to think of an answer which would satisfy Tya. "Maybe they wanted to play ''hide and seek'' with their mother."


    "Oh, looks like the mother duck lost the game then," Tya stated earnestly.


    "Yup, don''t feel bad for it" Aditya concluded this morning Q&A session.


    Only when Aditya looked at his face in the mirror did he find the reason he was feeling pleasant when he woke up.


    ''What happened to the swelling?'' Aditya touched all over his face as he looked at the perfect condition of his face in the reflection. He then inspected his body and found to his surprise that all his wounds had vanished. In addition to that, he felt that his limbs became more pliable, flexible and strong. Aditya''s eyes lit up as he asked, "Tya, was it you?"


    "What?"


    "My wounds, did you cure them?" Aditya asked with anticipation, he could not think of any other reason. He had thought that it would take three days at least to cure all these bruises and inflammations.


    "No, it wasn''t me who cured them?" Tya shook his head from side to side.


    "Then, what could have happened?" Aditya muttered perplexedly.


    "Adi, though it was not me who cured your wounds, I might have something to do with them been cured quickly," Tya said while rubbing his gaseous chin with his small, cute fingers.


    "What happened?"


    "It''s this, yesterday night, when you slept I was bored so I started studying your body just for the fun of it, I usually do it every night before sleeping. I saw that your body was somewhat different from before. Some new substances were being created in your body which was helping cure your injuries. You know that I felt sad for you yesterday when I saw you being hit multiple times, right? So, I tried to stimulate your body to create more of these substances which were converging at your wound sites. Surprisingly, it worked and your body created more of ''these'' substances, maybe that was the reason that your wounds were cured rapidly." Tya explained diligently.


    "what are ''these'' substances that you are talking about?" Aditya asked in a baffled manner.


    "I know them, I feel them, I can even recognize them but I don''t know their names so I am not able to speak accurately about them," Tya muttered apologetically.


    "It''s okay, Tya, you have done nothing wrong," Aditya consoled Tya as he knew that Tya had a kid''s delicate mentality and was prone to get hurt easily.


    Aditya who was far better at understanding Tya knew where the problem lied. ''looks like I have to buy some professional medical books.'' he thought


    Although Tya was the biggest nerd he had ever seen, Tya had difficulty in communicating and passing on his knowledge due to lack of sufficient vocabulary.


    It excited and scared Aditya immensely when he thought of the knowledge possessed by Tya who had lived for millions of years doing nothing but learning.


    Aditya cleansed himself and sat on his bed with his laptop as he started coding some simple games for the fun and testing his degree of learning at the same time. Aditya was starting to realize the potential of his learning ability as days passed on. He felt that he had underestimated this power the most from the start.


    Aditya''s finger danced on the keyboard at a pace which would shock any professional career typist. He was typing 300 words per minute which could be described as leisurely for him. He was applying the knowledge of programming, calculating the rules, deriving the algorithm and typing at the same time.


    He created a 3D Tic Tac Toe game in a matter of minutes. Afterwards, he went on to create an AI for acing Dino game in google easily reaching more than 20,000 score. Everything seemed so easy to him as he did not face any hurdle in reading codes and algorithms of these games and understanding ways of breaking them.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Aditya''s eyes lit up as he wrote a program for acing chess. With his memory and calculative capabilities, he did not find it difficult to achieve this. But to his shock, it took him a full three hours of programming to create his ideal version. Aditya smiled mischievously as he created a membership for this AI in Internet Chess Club while signing up for the one-month free membership. He wanted to see which position his AI would reach. He also programmed it to be as humanly as possible by making some errors from time to time and not streaking to the top in one go while crushing his opponents. It was fine as long as he knew the prowess of his program, he did not want to attract unwanted attention for himself.


    When Aditya was watching his program quashing its competitors on the net interestingly. Kranthi (White Buffalo) and Rahul (little pig) were climbing the stairs which led to the penthouse as they discussed animatedly.


    "Big brother, do you think Aditya big brother would agree to this?" little pig asked hesitatingly as he followed Kranthi.


    "Of course not, who would agree to such a request, you idiot, that is why we have to display a high level of technique and intelligence to achieve our goal." Kranthi chided little pig as he huffed and puffed while climbing the stairs step by step.


    "Big brother, you are really sharp, I thought that you would request big brother Adi to accept your request. If you can''t make him do as you request, your great reputation in our class would take a big hit." little pig said while nodding.


    "Shh, you idiot, he might listen if you speak more loudly, shut your trap and follow me silently," Kranthi said sternly as he entered Aditya''s room without knocking.


    "Adi, what''s up."


    "Hey, white buffalo come to watch this chess game, its exciting." Aditya nodded at Kranthi and little pig smilingly as he shifted to another position allowing space for them to sit and view the game.


    "Oh, whose batting?" little pig sat excitedly as he saw the screen.


    Aditya looked at little pig and back at Kranthi with wide open mouth.


    Kranthi shrugged as he knocked little pig on the head, "Idiot, don''t you know chess? You are a disgrace, frankly I don''t know know how your genes survived the natural selection, okay repeat after me"


    "Okay, Big brother." little pig answered obediently while rubbing his head at the place where it was knocked.


    "It is an indoor game."


    "It is an indoor game."


    "It is a board game."


    "It is a board game."


    Aditya was also slowly nodding at Kranthi''s small crash course until


    "Its played using dice."


    "Its played using..."


    "Stop" Aditya hit Kranthi''s head with force as he yelled.


    Kranthi rubbed his head just like how little pig had done a moment ago, he said, "oh, is it played using cards? I must have forgotten."


    "Stop, forget about it," Aditya said while holding his head distressingly. What would happen if some foreigners heard these words, chess was invented in India for god''s sake.


    "Okay, Adi I got some good news for you, you will definitely feel happy about this," Kranthi said while keeping in mind to know about this chess when he went home.


    "What is it?" Aditya closed his laptop as he started wearing his mechanic clothes. He thought it was better to get back to his cars rather than having a ''constructive'' discussion with this white buffalo.


    "I got my father to give permission for you to take up engine repairs." Kranthi said smugly as he had an expression of ''praise me immediately'' pasted on his round face.


    "Oh" Aditya was truly a little surprised at this. He did not expect uncle Ramlal to allow him to touch the engine after staying for more than just a week.


    "Of course, who do you think I am. I just had to catch my mom when she was in a pleased mood and get her to persuade my father." Kranthi said with a wide smile.


    "Oh, and why would you help me?" Aditya asked with suspicion in his eyes. He did not believe that this white buffalo was a selfless and broadminded fellow.


    "Adi, don''t you know that you are my one and only best friend since my childhood, how can I not be concerned about you?" Kranthi spoke with a trembling voice full of emotion.


    ''This fellow is seeing a lot of south Indian masala movies,'' Aditya thought as he patted Kranthi''s shoulder as he said: "Okay, I know that I am your only best friend, so thank you for helping me, white buffalo."


    "There is no need for thanks between us Adi, let us go to the garage immediately, I heard there was an engine replacement job to be completed, I want to see if your prowess has become rusted." Kranthi did not allow Aditya to reply as he grabbed Aditya''s thin and bony palm with his large and fluffy hand and dragged him along.


    Although Aditya did not totally believe his friend he also felt a little excited at being able to touch the core of a car as it would be too boring otherwise.


    It was a Suzuki sub-compact car, 2010 model which needed it''s engine replaced. Aditya looked at the brand new 1.2 L K series engine which was to replace the old one.


    "Good job, white buffalo, keep it up," Aditya patted his friend''s shoulder and started working on it.


    He first removed the exhaust manifold and then the intake manifold. He also detached the fuel injectors as he hooked the engine puller chains to the old engine.


    He got a hydraulic engine hoist with the capacity of 2 tons along with an engine leveller to attach to the chains and lifted the engine from the engine bay.


    While Aditya was working with the engine, a little bit of draining oil splashed on his clothes, hands and a little bit on his face. While he was sliding the new engine into the transmission accurately which was the hardest part of this process, Aditya saw Kranthi taking some photos. He did not mind it and went on with his work.


    He cranked the leveller to tilt the engine to get it in right place. He then bolted the transmission after which he put back the exhaust and intake manifold while hooking back the alternator.


    The process did not take more than 10 minutes given Aditya''s efficiency.


    "Adi, come let us take a selfie, let this moment become a precious memory for you officially entering the core of our garage from today onward." Kranthi wrapped his meaty arm around Aditya''s shoulders and tapped his mobile while Aditya gave a calm smile.


    "Why do I feel that you are been extra caring today," Aditya asked with a smile as he wiped the oil off his hands with a rag.


    "What are you talking about? I have always been like this, okay I got to be in school, bye." Kranthi waved his hands without turning back as he rushed back to their home which was nearby while little pig followed him.


    Aditya was puzzled a little but shrugged it off and got back to his job.


    Kranthi hummed as he posted on the social networking site (FB) all the pictures of Aditya working in the garage and his selfie with him."Bastards, you did not believe that Adi was working in my father''s garage when I said in the class, didn''t you? Now, what can you say about this?" Kranthi muttered as he tagged the ''Rocking 12th graders'' group to his post with a caption.


    ''The generous me helping a poor friend''

 41 - Three on One

    Bang!


    A robust muscular body was forcefully slammed on the wooden floor by a teen who possessed a lean physique. Everyone around watched with wide open mouths as gasps could be heard.


    "Faizal, now what do you have to say?" Aditya asked as he wiped sweat from his forehead as drops of sweat dripped from his hand onto the wooden floor.


    Blood was pumping into Aditya''s brain loaded with adrenaline as he felt an exhilaration that he had never before experienced. He still remembered the other day when he was hit until he couldn''t get up by himself. Although he knew that these people were training him, it did not feel any better when you are made to feel little and powerless.


    Aditya had spent 15 days (in Tya''s world) watching virtual recollections of all the fights. He felt that he had a camera with high resolution and memory integrated into his mind when he saw that he could watch, slow down, analyze and plan counters.


    It was like playing a 3D virtual reality simulator all by himself. So, as expected from his intellectual ability, not just one but multiple counters were formulated to each attack which Aditya memorized easily. Aditya had supposed that although he had his counters prepared, it would take some days to actually get the right timing down. But his body and mind surprised him once again. Aditya had discovered that his mind-body coordination had crossed human limits as well.


    So as long as Aditya knew what to do i.e. if he visualizes his requirement in his mind, his body would be able to make it possible as long as it was within its abilities. For example, he could not visualize himself flying and expect his body to fly. But if he willed his body to act in a particular way at a definite time, all his senses, limbs, muscle would achieve perfect harmony to make that action possible. This was the cause of today''s spectacle that caused the most experienced street fighters in Taarini''s gang to doubt whether it was a dream or an illusion.


    From the moment Faizal made his move, Aditya did not get caught by him even once. His movements were like flowing water as if he was swimming as he shifted his body to let the blows pass by him. He was always in Faizal''s range of movement but let alone his body, not even his clothes were brushed by Faizal''s limbs.


    Faizal used all his known strikes, strategies but Aditya looked as comfortable as ever. The small smile never left his face, his eyes did not have any sharpness but a lazy, leisurely look could be seen as they looked half closed.


    These gangsters did not know that if Aditya had used ''Slow Timing'' or ''Sensifull'' the other day, the result would have been something like today. But Aditya had chosen the hard road, he wanted to fight like a normal person. But this does not mean that Aditya is averse to use these abilities. He would use these abilities when it was required and necessary. Using these abilities when you are trying to learn something would only pollute the learning experience.


    His thinking was proved right as he had indeed succeeded in learning. It''s just that he learned a ''little'' sooner than he expected.


    Once he knew that Faizal was not able to reach him anymore, Aditya started his counter attacks which used the least strength to render the highest damage possible. He knew that his body was not as physically developed as these gangsters so he could only create his own way of fighting using his superior calculative skills.


    He could calculate the movement of Faizal''s centre of gravity easily by looking at his body motions in the matter of a fraction of a second, all he had to do was move his own centre of gravity below Faizal''s and make him lose his balance. When a person''s balance is lost, his attacking strength becomes his bane. The science was pretty simple but the practicality of application during a hectic and explosive fight is pretty hard for normal people. Except one could not include Aditya in this list anymore.


    Aditya knew that his strength was not on par with any of these people but as long as he was not caught by their strikes and not fight head-on with them, he was sure he could play with them based on his reflexes and quick movements.


    Faizal felt that he was experiencing a nightmare today as he lay on the ground without getting up. Yesterday, though Aditya was sharp and caught most of his punches, he was still able to drag him into his pace and beat him with experience. Yet, today, it had only been one day, he could neither disrupt Aditya''s pace anymore nor get him into his pace.


    He had truly idolized Aditya when he saw Aditya''s prowess in handling firearms which could only be described as ''godly''. But, he was confident that he could take Aditya down if it came to unarmed fighting. It was indeed proven to be the case yesterday but everything turned upside down at present. ''What kind of a monster did Big Sis allow to join the gang?'' this was the thought running in Faizal''s mind as he looked with awe at the slim physique of Aditya who wore black training clothes. His face showed joyfulness as he breathed deeply while his face and neck was shining as he was drenched in sweat. His hair was ruffled as it got wet due to sweat and stuck to his face, the main feature which caused Faizal to admire Aditya was that his eyes showed self-assurance that he would never lose to him again.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Faizal was an orphan taken in by Taarini''s big brother and raised to be a gangster. He was not educated, not cultured but if there was one thing he took pride in himself was his capability of ''knowing'' what kind of a person one is by looking in their eyes. All his life, he had dealt with all kinds of people in the Underworld so he was an expert in studying humans and their behaviours.


    This was also a strong reason that he appreciated Aditya when he first saw him. In him, he saw a blank paper, a pure unstained mind. One look and he knew that Aditya was not a person of schemes and big plans. It was like a breath of fresh air for Faizal who was born and raised in the darkest part of human society and dealt with the worst of them on a daily basis. He did not know that it was not just him who felt that way but every person of Taarini''s gang felt that way including Taarini though they might not have noticed it.


    "Whose next? Bring it on," Aditya roared as he was trembling in excitement. For the first time in his life, he came in contact with the feeling of raw physical power and he actually discovered that he loved it. Many of the people also laughed loudly in encouragement when they saw this excited kid.


    Munna was the first to regain his composure as he sternly stated," it''s enough for now, take a short break, why haven''t you helped Faizal to get up?"


    Aditya smiled awkwardly as he reached out his hand to Faizal as he apologized," Sorry, brother Faizal I forgot, are you alright?"


    Faizal took Aditya''s hand as he sprang onto his feet as he laughed, "am alright, it''s nothing." he ceased his laughter as he patted Aditya''s shoulder with his scarred hand as he said sincerely, "Brother Aditya, you are truly a prodigy of fighting as much as you are in shooting, it is fortunate for you to be on our side, I can''t wait to start working with you."


    Aditya smiled in response when he heard these words as they both walked shoulder to shoulder towards the sitting benches outside the arena. Aditya took a bottle of water as he sat on one of the chairs beside Munna who was watching other people fight. Aditya steeled his heart as he said to Munna while offering him water, "Big brother Munna, can I ask you a question?"


    Munna nodded as he looked at the matches, he also took the bottle and drank a little.


    "What do you guys do actually?"


    pfft¡­ cough cough


    Munna coughed as some of the water that he just drank shot into his nasal cavity, he looked incredulously at Aditya as he asked back, "Come again."


    Aditya did not expect such a reaction from Munna, but still, he asked," What do you guys do for a living? How do you make money? What is underworld like?"


    Aditya suddenly noticed that the atmosphere became grim and serious as the smiles vanished from all faces. He looked around to see everyone looking at him with mixed expressions while Faizal had facepalmed himself.


    Munna''s voice became a little cold as he asked, "Do you want to know really?"


    "Only if it is convenient for you to reveal," Aditya also answered seriously. He knew that he was not one of them but still he asked as he tried his luck but looks like he touched some taboo topic.


    Munna''s face turned normal but he replied in a rigid tone as he put it frankly, "You will know when we deem you trustworthy."


    Aditya nodded and kept quiet. Such moments reminded Aditya that though he was with them physically, their worlds were still different.


    He wanted to ask about Taarini''s whereabouts but looks like that would be another mistake, so he watched the fights along with others. He recorded each and every fight as he activated ''Slow Timing'' and ''Sensifull''. His learning speed increased multiple-fold as he watched these fights. Although these fights were raw, crude and unrefined, Aditya could see that what these people were training was not techniques but spirit, aggressiveness and brutality.


    "Aditya, go" Munna ordered as he saw Aditya looking calm and peacefully at the fights without even blinking his eyes.


    Aditya nodded as he walked on to the stage while flexing his limbs, his only purpose here was to become stronger and learn ways of surviving in a place where the government''s eyes could not see and its hands could not reach. He should not focus too much on other issues.


    "Phani, John, Dhanush, go together."


    Aditya almost fell down when he heard these words as he looked at three tall, bulky physique came together while having evil grins on their faces.'' Big brothers what are you doing here instead of working as bouncers for Bollywood actors''


    "Aditya, you never know when you have to fight against multiple opponents in this field, so its good for you be prepared beforehand," Faizal explained while stifling his laughter. Even Munna who usually had a solemn face had a playful look in his eyes.


    ''Faisal, pray that you don''t fight me ever again'' Aditya thought hatefully as he smiled weakly as he looked at these figures in front of him.'' What do these people eat?''


    Aditya knew that Munna was punishing him for his loose tongue so he could only grit his teeth as he thought,''Thai massage, start.''


    It was around 8:00 pm when he was dropped in front of the garage. As if the heavens also felt sad about Aditya''s pain, it had started raining. Otherwise, how could it rain during one of the driest months of Bangalore? The street was empty as all the people had hurried to take shelter from the rain.


    It took a great amount of effort as he got down from the car as he cursed the ancestors of Munna and the three musketeers (he named them himself). As Aditya was about to mix his limping and running to get back to his room before he got drenched, he saw a female standing in front of the garage getting heavily drenched in the rain.


    Looking at her clothes and demeanour, Aditya did not think that she was some homeless person. Her wet hair stuck to her face making it hard for him to see her facial features but her physique was enough to make any man''s blood start boiling. Especially when she was drenched in rain, the clothes stuck to her body exposing all her curves. Aditya felt some steam rising near his neck as he stood there transfixed while he appreciated the scenery, who cares if you get drenched in the rain, it is not every day that you get blessed with such a sight.


    Being a ''gentleman'', Aditya could not leave a ''poor'' woman standing alone in the rain. He had to utilize this chance to serve humanity, so he limped his way to that figure as he went near the woman, "Big sister, is everything alright? Is there anything I can help you with?"


    Aditya had thought that it would be some stranger but he was dumbfounded when the woman raised her head because he knew this woman.

 42 - Dr Hamsa

    The raindrops splashed on both the figures as Aditya looked at the woman in front of him in a daze. The woman had an angelic face which calmed anyone''s heart when they saw her. But the moment Aditya saw the sadness and despair in the woman''s eyes, he did not have the mood to check her out anymore as he sobered.


    "Dr Hamsa, I didn''t think it would be you." Aditya smiled calmly as he addressed the woman. He knew that this lady seemed to be in some trouble, looking at her eyes devoid of the gentleness she had when she took care of him in the hospital. He did not want to make her uncomfortable by poking his nose into her privacy so he maintained a pure smile on his face as if he was unaware of the bleak aura around her.


    The woman who looked at Aditya with unfocused eyes first, shook when she heard him mention her name. She concentrated on the thin symmetrical young face which was swollen in some places but she couldn''t remember.


    "remember the anomaly who slept for 14 hours a day?" Aditya could tell from Hamsa''s vacant face that she did not remember him. It was perfectly normal as she as a doctor had to meet and interact with many patients, it was not like he was the kind of handsome person who girls will drool at first sight.


    "Aditya, right?" Hamsa said as she nodded lightly. She did felt this person was similar to the thin and delicate kid she had conducted a sleep test but it made it hard for her to match the two persons as the kid in front of her looked more mature and masculine. It was like this kid had changed drastically. What happened to him? How did he get injured? But one thing she observed keenly in the person who stood in front of her was that there was a bright fire in this boy''s eyes which caused him surrounded by a lively and peaceful aura. It was in sharp contrast to her own state of mind.


    "Oh, you remembered me." Aditya gave a small laugh as he rubbed his wet head. He had to talk a little loudly as the rain around them drowned most of the noise. Even though they were in a street, it felt like they were only the two of them in this whole world.


    ''it would have been such a romantic movement if she had a lovely smile on her face'' Aditya thought regretfully. He remembered that this beautiful dame had a calm and gentle demeanour previously. She even a had a certain spiritual flair around her which reminded him of his mother then. This was the main reason that even if it was only one time that he had contact with her, her image was branded in his heart.


    The woman who was in front of him had lost that spiritual flair. Her eyes did not possess their characteristic calmness and her face was devoid of any form of gentleness. The melancholic aura around her was apparent to his eyes. It was like she lost all her reasons to live. He could tell that this woman was suffering a lot inside. Her lonely frame getting drenched in this downpour cut a sorry figure in Aditya''s eyes. But he was not aware whether there was anything he could do to alleviate her misery as he was no one to her and vice-versa.


    "Doctor, my place is near, would you like to come inside until the shower ceases?" Aditya asked sincerely.


    The body of Hamsa shook violently when she heard Aditya''s words as her face paled with fright. She took two steps back as she viewed him with sheer fear. Her arms which tightly hugged her body exerted more power as if she was trying to protect herself from something.


    Aditya''s brows tightened when he saw this over-the-top reaction. It did not make him feel humiliated or ashamed but rather he felt grief in his heart when he saw her act this way. What happened to her?


    Aditya took a deep breath as he smiled at Hamsa and said, "Miss, it''s fine if you do not want to come, it looks like you are one of those people who liked been in the rain. I live in the penthouse of that garage so if there is any way I could help you, feel free to call me, I should be able to hear your voice."


    Hamsa nodded faintly but did not look at Aditya anymore, it was clear she did not want him to stay here any more.


    Aditya went back to his room as he stumbled due to pain on the way. When he was about to enter into his room, he stopped as he looked at the dark figure still partially visible in the street light. He turned and walked into his room.


    Aditya first took a bath with warm water which rejuvenated him. He walked naked back into his room while wiping his body with the towel carefully avoiding the bruises. He felt that two more of such beatings and he would get used to this pain as he winced when he touched these wounds while examining them in a small mirror.


    He wore warm clothes because rain in winter was a deadly combination. He took a look at outside from his window which looked onto the street to find that she was still standing there. He shook his head and opened his laptop as he drank hot chocolate milk from a cup. Since he had been bonded to Tya, Aditya found that his appetite had decreased substantially though he was not sure if those two phenomena were linked. Especially after sunset, his appetite would become void. So he usually took some liquid food in the night before he slept. Though he knew this would not help him improve his already lean physique anymore, he didn''t just have the desire to eat so he couldn''t help it.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Aditya was surprised to find that the chess bot that he had programmed in the morning had stably stationed itself in top ten of the month. According to his programming, he did not want his bot to be first so once it reached top ten, it lost some matches to balance its position.


    ''I think I should try taking up some freelancer jobs related to programming,'' Aditya thought as the money earned from the garage was not sufficient anymore as he had been spending most of his money on books on programming.


    When Aditya was browsing through these freelancer programming jobs, Aditya heard a car screech sound. He jumped from his bed as winced lightly due to hitting the bed with his leg right on an injured spot but he ignored the pain and ran to the window to see.


    He saw a male youth figure followed by another huge figure which Aditya thought was the bodyguard as he held the umbrella for that youth.


    "Tya can you increase my hearing power so that I can hear what they are talking?" Aditya asked with urgency, he was curious as to what happened to this woman.


    "No, I still haven''t found the way to increase the power of your sense organs, Adi" Tya cutely replied.


    Just when Aditya was feeling a little disappointed, Tya added, "But frankly there is not much distance from those people and you, the only problems is that their sound waves get mixed up with other sounds like rain, pitter-patter noises, vehicle sounds, the sound of the rotating fan in your room, your breathing, even your heart sound causes interruption which drowns the target sound transmission."


    "So?" Aditya asked as he was busy looking at those figures. He saw that the woman backed away many steps from that person as if she was afraid of him.


    "I can filter out these sounds from interrupting you from perceiving their conversation and also mildly amplify the reception of the target sounds. With this, you should be able to hear their words." Tya replied in an adorable tone.


    "Then what are you waiting for?" Aditya asked with urgency as he looked at the woman shaking her head vigorously to something.


    Just when he thought there was no change, Aditya suddenly stopped hearing the noise of rain which was the largest source of noise presently. He could hear the voice of that woman crying and that youth''s laughter but still he could comprehend the noise. Then he stopped hearing the noise of vehicle on the road, the music in some adjacent buildings, even voices of other people in the distance. Each sound was cut one by one like Tya was clipping some wires in his brain.


    At last, even his breathing sounds and the sound of his heart pumping were also filtered leaving Aditya to hear their voices with clarity. When Aditya was marvelling at this ''noise cancelling'' ability of Tya, the speech of Hamsa and that youth suddenly increased as if Tya had increased the volume in the channel if a television. It was as if they were standing by his side and talking.


    ''Awesome'' was the only thought in Aditya''s mind as he turned his attention to the conversation, he had to gift a lollipop for Tya.


    "Dear Hamsa, why do you have to hurt yourself by standing in the rain all alone, your parents are worried about you, come with me, everything is going to be alright." the youth had a calm voice as he tried to persuade her.


    But Aditya noticed that Hamsa''s reaction was anything but calm as she shook violently as she heard the youth''s voice. She concentrated on only maintaining as much distance from the youth as possible, she only moved her head from left to right as she rejected the youth''s proposition.


    Aditya could tell from Hamsa''s reaction that this youth was not as elegant and good as he looked. Otherwise, how could he cause such an intense reaction from her?


    The youth shook his head as if he was sorry as he said, "I know that I wronged you, it was an impulsive action, it was not a conscious decision on my part, why don''t you accept my apology. Also, didn''t you escape just in time, there was little damage done, right? I won''t do such a thing against your wish ever again. You know that I love you, my dear."


    Tears rolled down Hamsa''s eyes when she listened to the youth''s words as her lips trembled and her fingers dug into her clothes. The youth looked passively at her actions as he said, "even your parents have consented for us to get married, we are both made for each other, you shouldn''t let something like what happened today get in between us. Even my father is very satisfied with you, he said that he would help your parent''s four-star hotel to five-star hotel. Come let''s go."


    Aditya got the general gist from the youth''s words, he looked silently at the grief-stricken image of a helpless woman in the rain.


    When the youth looked at the motionless figure of Hamsa, his smile did not diminish in the least but a cold glint flashed through his eyes as he said," Since you don''t want to come with me, I won''t force you." he turned around to get back into his car which Aditya could tell that it was a red Mercedes E 250 at a glance.


    When the car was about to leave, the youth lowered the side mirror as he looked at Hamsa who still refused to look back at him and said prudently, "Make sure that you come back in time, this area is not safe during midnight time." the car drove away.


    if one could just ignore the reaction of Hamsa for an instance, that youth was a caring, elegant and an affectionate person but when you add the reaction of Hamsa, Aditya found these very same caring words hypocritical and nauseating.


    He looked at the figure of Hamsa who crouched on the road as she buried her head in her hands. One could tell that she was crying by her trembling shoulders. As it was raining profusely, there were not many people on the street and the rain blocked most of them from noticing her. Aditya saw a few people who cared and approached her but obtained no response just like Aditya so they could only go their way.


    Aditya shook his head and went back to his laptop.

 43 - Rescue

    We need a counter which revolves in real time to show how much money our company has given in charitable donations and support since we started the business.


    We already have a page set up which shows a figure but we have to update this ourselves manually every few months.


    The counter (timer) should be large and in euros. It will need to start from 56,000 and be counting up at a rate of 1 euro per hour, which is 1.66 cents per minute and 0.02 cents per second.


    "Oh Shopify?, that''s easy-peasy, 12,000 bugs (180 USD) for a five-minute job, pfft" Aditya smiled to himself as he started programming. His fingers started dancing at a lightning pace as the music of keys being clicked formed a harmonious and soothing sound in the calm environment with the rain sound in the background.


    Aditya could have earned 4 lakh bugs (around 6000 USD) working for just two hours but he refrained from showing off his skills. He really liked these freelancer jobs which he could take up at his convenience. He found these works very easy and found it hard to empathize with those other people who asked one week for the same jobs. Only now when Aditya started to study more value-based jobs did he notice the vast difference between normal people and him. He did not have to worry about pocket change anymore with his capabilities.


    Aditya did not want to give off any strange vibes if there was anyone who was monitoring him. He could take up some of these simpler freelancer jobs every day to earn some money but did not want to paint a big radium painted target on himself proclaiming to those who were monitoring him that he had special capabilities. So long as he stayed in the ''smart kid'' range it was fine, he did not want to go into an ''anomaly'' spectrum.


    Aditya had started studying about Cyber networking. When he was sure that he could create a perfectly anonymous profile for himself with absolute privacy and confidentiality, he would not have to hold himself anymore, at least in the Cyber domain. He was working towards it steadily as he did not want to make any mistake due to impatience.


    "Send" Aditya muttered as he sent his code to the client. He did not know if this client was a dead beat client (A client who doesn''t pay up or on time) but he didn''t care as it did not take much of his time.


    "Adi, why don''t you ask that elder sister to come up," Tya asked as he blinked his puppy eyes.


    "Oh, why do you think so?" Aditya was surprised hearing Tya talking about Hamsa as Tya had never spoken to him about another person ever before.


    "It''s nothing really," Tya shook its head like a rattle drum," I just feel like helping her, I don''t know why?"


    "You want to help her?" Aditya was even more shocked when he heard Tya, "Why?"


    "I don''t know, I just find something about her endearing," Tya muttered in his lovable voice with his round head lowered.


    "Do you also feel that way?" Aditya asked in mild surprise as he also felt the same way when he first saw her.


    "mmhm." Tya nodded.


    "But you have to know that people who give help when it is not asked for are usually looked down by those beneficiaries." Aditya taught Tya in a stern voice," Only when they ask us for help should we help them if we can."


    "Oh" Tya tilted his head in a cute way as he held his soft chin as if thinking deeply. Aditya looked at this and laughed while shaking his head.


    "You see, most of the people who are suffering are the only ones who know what kind of help they require, for them to alleviate their misery. If we try to help them without understanding their problem, we might end up harming them instead. So, we have to only help them when they request us as that would ensure the most optimistic result." Aditya calmly expounded like an old wise sage to Tya who was actually some millions of years old while Tya listened reverently while nodding like a good student. Even Aditya found his face becoming hot when he thought about this.


    When Aditya was thinking about narrating the daily dose of bedtime stories for Tya as he did usually, he heard a car screech to a halt in front of the garage. The garage had closed early today because of less work and the rain so Aditya did not think that this car came for a repair. When Aditya saw the below scene, his blood boiled.


    Five ruffians got out from a car whose name Aditya found below himself to mention the name and got hold of Hamsa by her hair and hands as they tried to drag her forcefully into the car. Hamsa was crying pitifully as she tried to free herself from these goons but her weak self could not give a strong resistance.


    Blood rushed into Aditya''s head as he did not think anything, as he shouted loudly and rushed down the stairs while jumping 8 steps at a time. He grabbed a few tools which were lying around as he rushed towards the gate. The gate of the garage was a mild steel grill gate which had space between each steel bar. By the time Aditya rushed to the gate they had already pulled Hamsa into the car and they were also getting in a hurry. It looked like they did not want anyone to discover their actions and Aditya''s involuntary shout had stimulated them to work faster.


    The driver of the car smiled at Aditya tauntingly as he started the car and drove away. Aditya roared in anger as he saw the car drive away as he looked in all directions and found a bottle of used motor oil which was charcoal black and stored in some plastic bottles. He rushed towards and grabbed a few of them as he jumped over the gate as lithely as a monkey.


    Aditya loosened the caps of these plastic bottles as he threw one bottle after the other. The first bottle hit when the car was 30 meters away as dark oil spread over the windshield of that car. Even the rainwater did not help much, as not before long more bottles came crashing down on their car painting the whole windshield black.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The driver also seemed to panic as he pressed down the accelerator instead of slowing down the car. When Aditya had started running towards the car, the car was already 100 meters away from him. But he was not perturbed as driving in a desolate street like this was easy when you had limited view but it was not the case if he had to get on the main access road which was two hundred meters away from the garage. Aditya gripped his tools as he chased the car which was going farther away. If he couldn''t save the woman himself, all he had to do was get at least the details of the car so that he could get the car tracked by his friends or relatives who were pretty influential in this city. Aditya might not have contacted them these days but it did not mean they wouldn''t respond to him. As a matter of fact, it would be the other way round.


    Bang!


    The driver exceeded Aditya''s expectations as he dashed the car into an electric pole before they even got on to the main road. Bright sparks emitted from the electric pole as the street lamp short-circuited. The area around the car became dark with only minimal light from the adjacent street lights due to grown trees besides these poles obstructing the path of light.


    When Aditya got there in less than a minute, he saw only darkness around as rain drenched him. A small confident smile appeared on Aditya''s face when he saw these guys tumbling out of the car one by one. If he had to fight five people at once in the ring while they surrounded him, then Aditya was sure that he would be beaten to the brink of his death without him putting up much struggle. But now, the darkness, the goons who were not coordinated, being separated and confused.


    On the other hand, Aditya had ''Slow Timing'' which maximized his efficiency to 100%, ''Sensifull'' which empowered him to take every movement of everyone around him, so given the little amount of light which passed through the leaves of adjacent trees, he could practically ''see'' each and everyone like in broad daylight. Catching sight of a left pinky in the light was enough for Aditya to figure out the posture and placement of the person in the dark. To add on to that, he had his tools which were a small hammer and a heavy duty straight pipe wrench in each of his hands.


    Both of them were blunt instruments but they were more than enough. These days of training with Munna was not a joke. Today, maybe Munna felt bad for him been beaten by those three bulls, he actually gave a list of five spots/ places in the human body which were the most fatal for disabling a person from fighting.


    The driver was the first one to come out followed by others. Everyone was arguing as to whose mistake it was and what they had to do. They still couldn''t connect the oil with Aditya as it was too incredible for them to think.


    "Now what are you going to explain to the boss who wants this girl, you @#$%" a hook-nosed guy shouted at the driver vulgarly as he rubbed his head which had hit the roof of the car when they crashed into the pole.


    "Big brother, you also saw this dark oil falling on the windshield, I couldn''t see anything, what can I do?" the driver who had yellow dyed hair was trying to get the oil off the screen as he said.


    "Shut up, if the boss blames me for being late, I will break your left leg," the hook-nosed guy stated ruthlessly as the driver shivered and sped up the work of cleaning the windshield.


    "Is the girl alright?" the hook-nosed guy took out a cigarette as he lit it while ducking into the car for lighting it with a matchbox.


    "Yes, the girl''s alright but fainted when we dragged her into the car, big brother you have to see this girl, what a figure she has..." the person in the back who got off cackled. The hook-nosed guy smiled lasciviously while the others laughed.


    Clang! Thud! Splash!


    A sound of metal hitting a human skull was followed by the sound of a heavy object falling on the ground and splashing of rainwater accumulated in a puddle was heard.


    The blood of hook-nosed guy and others froze as they stopped what they were doing and looked at the source of the sound.


    They saw a dark figure in the shadow of the tree standing not far from them. They could see the violent ripples of water being refracted in the little light they had. As they followed the ripples, they saw a person lying motionlessly in a puddle of mud water. The hook-nosed guy gulped when he saw the scene. The first thing he did was to observe his surroundings to see if they were others as well but he did not find any which emboldened him a little.


    "Who the f**k are you brat, do you know who you are messing with?" the hook-nosed guy probed but he received no reply, instead he saw the figure had started walking slowly towards him.


    "everyone, attack." the hook-nosed guy immediately shouted as he jumped towards the figure while revealing a hidden dagger from under his clothes.


    Aditya also sprang towards the nearest guy as he activated his abilities, the world suddenly became very slow as he saw each raindrop falling and his own reflection in some of them. He could see each and every movement of these goons, he could figure out what weapons they were taking out at a very slow speed with high clarity.


    This was the first time that Aditya had utilized these abilities in a fight and it was like having a moment of enlightenment for him. A series of questions bombarded him as he saw these guys move slowly towards him while he had already calculated what he had to, whom to hit, when to hit, where to hit, how to dodge. For the first time, Aditya felt that he was no longer ''normal'' and that he shouldn''t treat himself like one. Of course, he had to cover up this truth in front of others but Aditya realized that he was burying this truth even from himself as well. He had to start accepting this ''new'' reality. He doubted whether a fly felt this way when a person tried to swat it.


    A hammer smashed into the finger holding the dagger accurately as he howled with pain. At the same time, the wrench cracked the skull of the driver who had just caught up while Aditya''s body bent in an incredibly flexible angle as he dodged a knuckleduster blow of another person which landed accurately on the hook nose of the hook-nosed guy thus breaking it.


    Aditya swept his hammer holding right hand back as he slammed his right elbow into a precise location of the lower jaw of the person wielding the knuckleduster thus dislocating it. The person''s eyes rolled up as he fell into a puddle of water. By the time the person who badmouthed Hamsa had come from the other side of the car holding the rod, he saw that only the leader who had his nose broken was still conscious. It had just taken a moment for Aditya to deal with four people. The rod had fallen on the ground as the guy started running away while shouting," Bastard, my boss will see your end, if you are a man wait..." before he could continue his warning, a hammer knocked into his left leg ankle accurately with high speed which broke the bones of his ankle. He howled in pain as fell face first on the road while he held his left leg.


    "Don''t be in such a hurry," Aditya mumbled as he caught the jugular vein of the hook-nosed guy and pressed it between his fingers. After a minute, the hook-nosed guy also fainted. Aditya let out a sigh as he looked at his ''accomplishment''.


    He looked at the fainted figure of Hamsa in the car with hesitation in his eyes while scratching his head. He had to make a quick decision. Her cries still rang in his ears when she was being dragged, held by her hair. The powerlessness, the despair, the lack of ability to protect herself. Slowly his eyes became firm as he gritted his teeth to reach out to her.


    "Adi, didn''t you say that we should only help people when they ask us for help. If you help her without her request, then you might end up hurting her instead..." Tya started to speak with childlike innocence.


    "Shut up."


    "Sniff sniff.."


    "I will get you a lollipop."


    "Hee hee, Okay."

 44 - Cold, Cloudy Night

    Puff puff


    Aditya gasped for breath as he lifted a hundred-pound woman and dragged himself back to the garage. Aditya carried her in a firefighter style, he lifted her and placed her on his left shoulder while her head hung towards his back. Aditya wrapped his left arm around Hamsa''s soft and delicate legs as he caught her left arm to hold her securely. Her right arm dangled as he limped his way back.


    "Tya, why did I feel no pain when I chased those bastards and why is the pain coming back now with revenge," Aditya asked as he wheezed, the rainwater which slipped into his mouth because it was open was ejected like a spray when he exhaled forcefully as he breathed heavily. His muscles felt like they would tear any moment as his eyes drooped with fatigue as he walked.


    "Adi, when you saw this elder sister being dragged away, I noticed that your brain had deliberately released some substance which overrode your pain impulses so that you don''t have to bother with any interruption. Also, a lot of new chemicals were injected into your bloodstream from some places in your body which helped to boost your strength temporarily. I have asked you to get medical books for me to study so that I can compare my observations to contemporary science but you¡­ hmph" Tya pouted.


    "..." Aditya was not in the position to argue with Tya as he was exerting his utmost will to not drop Hamsa as he carried her. She had not woken up even with all the movement.


    Aditya placed her in a sitting position leaning against the wall as he jumped over the gate and ran up to his room to take the duplicate keys for the lock at the gate. He ran down swiftly despite the pain and tiredness fearing that something might happen to this poor little woman.


    He opened the gate and carried her back to his room and laid her delicately on his bed. He did not have the mind to worry that his bed would become dirty and wet. Aditya supported his own poor back with his hands as he gulped in as much air as possible. After crossing some time, he turned his attention towards this ''damsel in distress''.


    Hamsa was wearing a black and golden printed kurti (Short waistcoat popular in India) top, there was an ethnic design pattern printed. It was made of viscose rayon along with a mandarin collar, three-quarter sleeves and flared hem. She wore a dark blue pair of jeans which matched quite perfectly with the top. There was no footwear, Aditya guessed that the footwear was lost in the struggle before. Aditya saw a silver anklet on one of the ankles. Her exposed arms and legs had multiple bruises and red prints of fingers of those brutes when they dragged her into the car. These bruises appeared especially glaring when combined with her milky white complexion. She had one of the fairest skin tones Aditya had seen. She could fight with his Maahi elder sister in this category. Black tracks can be seen along her cheeks as the kohl got washed off due to her tears or the rain.


    Aditya changed his clothes in the bathroom and then took a clean towel so as to clean her wounds but stopped when he remembered Hamsa''s reaction when he talked with her previously. He sighed as he took his new mobile which he had brought recently which was worth 700 bugs ($ 10). He had been avoiding contact with his friends these days as he knew that if he contacted them, they would immediately come and meet up with him. Aditya had wanted some time to figure out what was going on with him? What were his future plans and so on?


    "Psychic hot-line, you have the wrong number," Aditya heard an electronic type of voice as he dialled the number.


    "thin bamboo Jatin, it''s me," Aditya rolled his eyes as he thought ''this idiot has still not changed this punchline''.


    "Congratulations, you are the third caller, please tell us what''s your favourite song." the voice replied in the same robotic voice.


    "it''s me, Adi,"


    "You will have to speak up, I am wearing a towel,"


    "you nitwit," Aditya roared in anger as he couldn''t control himself anymore.


    "Turns the lights on, I can''t hear you,"


    Aditya closed his eyes for a second to take in a deep breath as he said sincerely, "Sorry, that I did not contact you guys these days."


    There was a moment of silence as Jatin smiled and said, "What is it, buddy?"


    "can I get you to send one of the doctors working in your father''s hospital to come to my place?" Aditya also smiled as he put forward his request. When you know that your friends are sad and are earnestly missing you, the resulting warmth drove the coldness and loneliness his heart had accumulated these days, in an instant.


    "Oh, what happened to you, is it serious, where are you right now, I am coming" Jatin lost all his cool as he inquired hurriedly.


    "No, it''s not me but a gal," Aditya explained everything that happened while cutting out portions of supernatural ability exhibitions. Though he did not doubt Jatin, he did not want to discuss these issues on phone.


    "Oh..." Jatin took a moment to digest everything as he said, "Cool, so you are able to handle many guys at a time now." he did not care about others.


    "So, is it possible or should I call for an ambulance?" Aditya asked


    "Nope, there are many doctors who are on a probationary period in my father''s hospitals, they have to respond to calls all day long, it''s not much of a haggle. If the doctor who I send feels the need for hospital care, then we can take it from there." Jatin said leisurely.


    "cool, then I shall wait at my place. Also, it''s better if it is a lady as well, it might be more convenient for this Miss," Aditya also relaxed when he heard Jatin''s words.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Okay, text me your address," Jatin said it like a matter-of-fact way but Aditya knew that this was the most important thing that he wanted to know. Jatin or Bhadra with their background could easily trace Aditya if they wanted to but they did not as they respect his wish. But now, Aditya had contacted him, it was not the same anymore. Aditya also knew this before he contacted Jatin so he didn''t mind and agreed readily.


    "How are you, Bhadra, Kavya¡­. Anu, how''s the school?" Aditya asked as he looked at the downpour outside.


    "You don''t know?" Jatin asked incredulously.


    "What?" Aditya was puzzled when he heard the strange tone of his friend.


    "Haha..." Jatin smiled as he cut the call leaving Aditya bewildered.


    He shrugged as he collapsed into a chair as he sent the message of his address. He felt sucked out of all energy as his eyelids became heavy as he dozed off while seated.


    Tring! Tring!!


    Aditya jolted when he heard his mobile''s ringtone as he scrambled to attend the call. His eyes were bloodshot as he had slipped into a deep sleep and was awakened in the middle of it but his fatigue had reduced substantially. He was surprised when he saw that he had slept only for twenty minutes and yet feeling rejuvenated. He looked at Hamsa who was still unconscious, he was puzzled if she had fainted or was sleeping.


    "Hello"


    "Is this Mr Aditya?" a mature female voice sounded.


    "Yes, are you the physician sent by Jatin?" Aditya asked as shook his head to shake off the feeling of sleepiness.


    "Yes, I am Dr Saanvi, I am currently in front of a garage, is this the right place?" the mature voice was calm which made people who heard tranquil as well.


    "Yes Doctor, please wait a moment, I will come down." Aditya cut the call and rushed downstairs while holding the key. The rain had abated, fortunately.


    When Aditya saw the doctor, he was dazed for a second when he saw her beauty but quickly recovered as he nodded respectfully and opened the gate.


    Dr Saanvi looked like she was in her late twenties with a fully ripe hourglass figure. She looked very beautiful with a healthy olive complexion, big dark eyes, thick curved eyebrows. She wore a red printed A-line kurta which reached up to her knees paired with black leggings and a pair of flats. The kurta hugged her physique tightly which accentuated her curves, unlike Hamsa who wore rather loose clothes.


    The thing that shocked him was that this woman was taller than him which was rare. Though Aditya was still in his growing stage, he was 177 cm tall already but she looked as tall as 180 cm, even without any form of heels. Her thick wavy hair was dyed in chestnut colour which really added a charming edge to her otherwise solemn demeanour. She had a small silver nose stud on her left nostril which highlighted her small straight nose.


    "Dr Saanvi, let me take you to the person, did Jatin tell you the details?" Aditya asked as he smiled politely. One looked at her placid brown eyes which seem to be sheathed swords was enough for Aditya to know that this woman was not be messed with. So he came straight to the topic.


    "Who is Jatin? I was contacted by the administrative personnel and as my house is nearby, I volunteered to come." Saanvi shook her head calmly and explained as she followed Aditya.


    "Oh, so let me give my version of events though I am not sure that it is the whole truth..." Aditya abridged the scenes and only explained the key parts regarding Hamsa without bringing any unwanted attention onto him.


    Dr Saanvi nodded her head but did not question about details which Aditya skipped deliberately like him causing the car to stop and beating up five fully grown goons. It looked like she talked seldom


    Dr Saanvi''s pupils shrank when she saw the passed out figure of Hamsa and her wounds. She took out her stethoscope as she asked Aditya to leave the room without turning back. Aditya nodded and exited the room and closed it after. He waited in the dark chilly, cloudy night as a cold wind blew from time to time spreading chills all over his body as he tightened his clothes around him and hugged himself tightly.


    When Aditya was thinking of checking if the client had paid the money owed, an ambulance came and stopped beside the car of Dr Saanvi. Aditya knew that Jatin must have sent as it might become handy. Aditya went down as he identified himself to the ambulance driver and struck up a conversation with him. He was mildly stunned when he heard that there was no car or injured men on the spot where he had the fight.


    The driver was a friendly guy so Aditya quickly became close to him as they started chatting about everything in the world, from the assassination of the Nicaraguan president just after winning his third term elections in the previous month, they also chatted about Shravya Khanna, the most famous budding Bollywood actress. In the end, they were chatting about these untimely rains and the effect it would have on the farming sector when the doctor called Aditya.


    Aditya ran up the stairs as he saw a frown on Saanvi''s face. She turned towards Aditya and asked sternly, "What kind of a relationship do you have with the patient?"


    Aditya was surprised at this question as he said, " didn''t I mention before? She was my attending physician when I had consulted a neurologist for some health problem of mine, other than that there is nothing else to mention."


    "Nothing else?"


    "yup, why? What happened?"


    Dr Saanvi took a deep breath as she stated, "the wounds of the goons are only one of the causes of the injuries on her, I can basically confirm that someone tried to sexually assault her and these wounds are hours old in contrast to others." she was observing Aditya''s reactions when she said.


    "Son of a gun" Aditya muttered icily when he linked those youth''s words to Saanvi''s diagnosis.


    "What? Do you know something?" Dr Saanvi asked when she heard Aditya cursing.


    "it''s nothing, I saw a youth approach her in the evening when she stood in front of the garage. I saw her crying when she saw him so I already thought that the matter was a little fishy." Aditya simply explained the meeting he witnessed.


    Dr Saanvi nodded but did not speak. As a doctor, she had witnessed too many atrocities that her heart had hardened so an attempted sexual assault was very low in her list of atrocities. She even thought that this woman was lucky that a boy who had minimal contact with her was actually willing to lend a hand in these dangerous times.


    "So, Doctor, you think it is necessary for her to be admitted into a hospital," Aditya asked. This was the most primary question for him. He did not think too much into the girl''s difficult life. Of course, he pitied her, but he could only help her up to a point. It was not like he self-designated himself as a vigilante who punishes all the criminals in the world.


    Dr Saanvi shook her head, "I don''t think it is necessary, she has fever from standing in the rain and the fright she received after that which was what caused her to faint. I will come again in the morning before I go to the hospital, she should wake up by then. We will take it from there by asking for her opinion. According to you, she herself is a doctor, right?"


    "Do you think I should try to contact her parents?" Aditya asked as he wanted to know some elder''s opinion.


    "You decide." was the reply he got.


    Aditya nodded as he said that an ambulance is waiting. Saanvi wrote a list of medicines which are usually available in the ambulance for Aditya to bring them. Dr Saanvi took her leave after injecting a couple of vials of medicine while instructing Aditya on some diet rules to be followed when she woke in the morning. Aditya thanked her earnestly as he bid goodbye to both her and the ambulance driver.

 45 - Reyansh

    The Heavenly Lake was one of the most extravagant pubs in Bangalore where most of the affluent class people looked towards for relaxation and refreshment. They were many reasons for one to be a frequent visitor at this place.


    This place was where you could find the top class relations and networks so that you have a chance to climb the social ladder. You could get all the top brands of alcoholic drinks in this place. Also, the police never held any power in this place and so all sorts of shady businesses could also be conducted in this place. Drugs, firearms, call-girls you name it, it was possible to acquire them here if you knew the right kind of people.


    There was an isolated portion in this place which was reserved for an exceptional group of people who held both power and money in their hands.


    A guy who was bandaged around his face near his nose and his right hand was dragged into this isolated room and was thrown forcefully on the carpet as he whimpered in pain. It seems like he was in a lot of pain as his whole body trembled and sweat rolled down his forehead even when the room was well air-conditioned.


    This room represented the epitome of luxury which part you looked at. No noise from the dancing floor could be heard even when the room looked like it was very near as some people in luxurious clothing were looking through the one-way mirror and commenting on some girls who were dancing like there was no tomorrow.


    When the injured guy looked at the person in the middle who was drinking a beer elegantly with a calm smile on his face as he conversed with others, his blood cooled as he understood that he was done for. Although he knew that this youth was his ''real'' boss, the boss of his boss, he had never met him. His boss had more than once told him that he should pray that he never gets to see him as that day would be his last.


    The youth had a thin, sharp face with lively eyes, a straight nose and a fair complexion. He looked like he was worlds apart from his companions as he conversed with them in a genial way. He wore a plain white slim-fit cotton-pique shirt and navy trim cotton-blend track pants. Although the clothes looked simple, one would be mistaken if they thought that these clothes were cheap. Long straight bangs of dark hair covered his forehead.


    If anyone who did not know about this youth saw him, they would unquestionably have a good impression as him looking at his grand figure which inspired positive feelings in onlookers. But currently, the injured person was praying to all gods he could remember so that he could go back to his room. He turned and looked that his boss who always had a domineering aura around him was actually standing at the back of this youth with his back bent as if he was waiting eagerly for the youth''s instructions. He did not even glance at this injured person which caused his heart to sink even lower.


    Another middle-aged man was conversing with this youth as he laughed flatteringly as he sipped some wine. The youth, on the other hand, did not possess the same enthusiasm as he only nodded occasionally.


    The injured person felt that he had seen this middle-aged person before but couldn''t remember accurately.


    "Hey Reyansh, wanna go to my place tonight, I got some important files at my place waiting for your autograph," the person who came was also a youth similar in age to his boss''s boss but he had a greedy aura around his pale face. One look at him was enough to know that this person meant nothing good.


    The injured guy knew the person mentioned by this youth was the person who would pass judgement on him tonight. Reyansh was his name.


    Reyansh shifted his gaze from the middle-aged guy to the newcomer as he smiled and said in a mild voice," Nah Madan, I don''t have the mood tonight, come sit, I was just talking to Uncle Varma about some national issues,"


    Madan put on a disappointed face as he looked towards the middle-aged guy as he asked curiously," Oh, I didn''t think that the Superintendent of police would come to you, what are you guys talking about?"


    the middle-aged guy replied with a polite smile," We were talking about the contract for building the second international airport in Mumbai."


    "Oh, the 3 billion USD project? Who got it?" Madan also asked with mild inquisitiveness


    "The Ahuja group," Reyansh answered as he showed awe for the first time.


    "The Ahuja group? I thought it was done for as the only legitimate heir had died already, how could they accomplish it?" Madan asked as he ate some dessert casually.


    "The old man has come out of retirement to take over the company once again," Uncle Varma added with veneration. Reyansh also nodded while twirling the straw in his beer as his eyes finally turned towards the injured guy lying on the floor.


    "Sir, can I get you something," just at this moment a waitress dressed in maid outfit with short black shirts and mini pouch apron walked in and asked. Her figure was exquisite and voluptuous, her face was beautiful with some faint blush as she bowed thus exposing a deep snow white cleavage while her rose-red lips pursed a little. A greedy light passed through Madan''s eyes as his lips curved up. Even the eyes of Uncle Varma lit up when he saw her. Only Reyansh shook his head with a smile as he said," can you please see that no one disturbs us for five minutes."


    "Sure sir," the waitress bowed again as disappointment flashed through her eyes as she left the room. Reyansh.


    "Uncle Varma, why don''t you take your leave as well?" Reyansh added though he referred to him as an uncle, no ounce of respect towards the elderly could be felt in his words. But the middle-aged man did not show a hint of disappointment as he nodded enthusiastically and stood up," But the NH 25 (Freeway) contract?"


    "I will talk about it with my uncle,"


    "Thanks very much, young master, I will convey your words to the other party." the man bowed eagerly and left happily.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "From when did this middle-aged police official start doing the work of a broker," Madan asked curiously.


    Reyansh shrugged as if he didn''t care and turned his gaze at the kneeling guy who was ignored by everyone including the waitress as if he was air. "You are called hook-nose, right?"


    The hook-nosed guy actually hated when someone addressed him as such but now he did not have an ounce of anger in his heart as he nodded vigorously.


    "Yes, young master it is my good fortune to be present here."


    Reyansh did not respond to this flattery as he cut straight to the point, "Explain what happened."


    the hook-nose nodded and explained how they forcefully carried away Hamsa, the obstruction of dark oil, the small accident and the fight, he did not even leave a tiny detail as he spilt everything.


    Reyansh listened with interest as Madan had his eyes only on the waitress who had left just now, he could see her through the window. Her plump butt, large bosom got his hormones raging as he decided to take her tonight at any cost.


    "Used motor oil, hammer and wrench, I remember that Hamsa waited before a garage, right?" Reyansh asked as he stirred the beer in his hand as he asked serenely.


    "Yes sir," hook-nose nodded like a chicken pecking rice.


    "Oh, what are the injuries sustained?"


    "Sir, my thumb had 4 fractures along with my nose fracture, two persons had skull fractures, one person had a jaw dislocation with ruptured muscles, one person had five fractures in his left ankle. The people with skull fractures are still unconscious" hook-nose described as he had already prepared. He knew that the more accurately he explained, the more there was a chance that he would survive the night.


    Reyansh eyes sparkled with mild interest when he heard a single person handling five goons at once.


    "Did you see the person clearly?"


    "No young master, it was dark as we had hit the street light pole causing it to short circuit, we didn''t even get a glimpse of his face otherwise I would have presented you that bastard''s head tonight along with her," hook-nose shook his head regretfully.


    Reyansh smiled as said waving his right hand," tonight was not your mistake, I will let this go today, go and get yourself treated."


    Hook-nose fell flat on the ground as he bowed deeply to Reyansh as he said," Thanks to the young master, I know that your heart is as broad as the ocean, this villain has disappointed you today, there won''t be a next time."


    "Haha, remember your words," Reyansh spoke with slight amusement as he waved his hand again and said," Now, go."


    When the hook-nosed guy left, Madan looked at Reyansh with awe in his eyes as he said, "Elder brother, did you find your next target?"


    Reyansh did not reply but gave a slight nod with a gentle smile. Madan felt a chill in his heart when she saw that smile on Reyansh''s face as only he knew what that meant. He remembered that there was an elite engineering student called Priya before who was coveted by many rich young masters of Bangalore as she possessed beauty, brains, background and culture. No one could get her to befriend let alone love which increased her attractiveness further.


    But it only took two months for Reyansh to get her to fall him like a dog. She had been degraded to the same position as a call-girl in front of him. She would do what he asked her without any further thought which surprised all the other rich kids very much. But only Madan knew what kind of things Priya was forced to experience by Reyansh that had totally destroyed her self-esteem, dignity and integrity. She became a drug addict, gold-digger, sex fiend that even Madan got to play with her after Reyansh kicked her away. He heard that she had committed suicide last week, a pity.


    He knew that this elder brother of his had a nasty habit of playing with a girl''s heart. Whenever he came across a special woman who avoided him or ignored his advances, she would become his game just like Hamsa now. He would not forcefully rape her as he felt that it was beneath him but he would create circumstances around that girl in such a way that the target girl would willingly strip her clothes and beg him to do her. He derived some form of perverted pleasure. This was only known to very few of his friends in which Madan was one. That was why though he seemed to be very friendly towards Reyansh, he always felt like he was sitting next to a venomous snake not knowing when it would bite him.


    When Madan was pitying this new target of Reyansh, the maid who he had set his eyes on came in as she bowed showcasing her knockers as she asked if they needed something. When Madan was checking this woman''s hot body so much so that he had a hard-on, he heard a few words that immediately cooled his blood and sobered him in an instant. The idea of doing this woman tonight was crushed in his heart immediately.


    "Madan, Flaming Tiger, leave me," Reyansh said with a little smile as he looked at the maid''s rosy lips.


    Flaming tiger and Madan immediately rushed out with no cross-questions.


    "Come here," Reyansh spoke in a low voice but it was heard clearly by her.


    The woman blushed as she took small steps and came near as her heart started beating faster. She always had her eye on his handsome man since she joined her job, she always felt that he was her prince just looking at his charming face caused her to have many sleepless nights. She sat on this Massoud Lara leather chesterfield sofa beside him while pouring more of this Carlsberg beer into his glass while having a smile on her face.


    Reyansh looked at her and said," Sit here," while pointing at his lap. She blushed and sat on his thighs while wrapping her hands around his neck. The perfume smell on him drove her mad as she started kissing his neck and licking his ear lobe. A big powerful hand started pressing her bosom causing them to distort which caused her to moan. When she thought she was going to experience heaven, she uttered a cry of pain as her clothes were torn brutally by Reyansh leaving nothing on her while leaving some bruises on her as he did not control his strength at all.


    He caught a handful of her hair as he forced her to kneel in front of him as he stood up and opened his pant zip. He looked at the frightened woman coldly as he said, "Suck it as if you depend on it to live, bitch."


    The waitress was frightened but acquiesced as a hint of a cruel smile finally surfaced on Reyansh''s face as he sneered, "Garage ha, you got lucky today Hamsa but you can''t escape from me, consider yourself lucky today."


    He picked the waitress up and threw her onto the sofa as he ordered," Bark like a dog, you bitch."


    "What?" the waitress whimpered as tears rolled down her cheeks, her daydream has just become a nightmare.


    Slap, "Didn''t you hear me?"


    Flaming tiger and Madan were waiting outside. Madan knew that he could forget having this woman today, he doubted whether she would remain safe after today as he could sense that Reyansh was angry today. She would be the perfect venting tool for him, except the venting of Reyansh can''t be mentioned in the same place as other men.


    "Flaming tiger, I heard that Taarini is hunting you like a tigress," Madan mocked the brute beside him as he smiled brightly.


    "Snort, let her jump around for now, she better not push me into a corner as that would only hurt her more, if only I had done her when I caught her previously this would not have happened," Flaming tiger gritted his teeth as he squeezed these words through the gap of his teeth. He still remembered the stone which hit him when he had already run a great distance. He still felt lucky that the stone-pelter did not possess killing intent otherwise he was sure he would have been crippled if not dead.


    "Taarini is very hot, right," Madan asked as he remembered seeing her in some of these high-end social gatherings.


    Flaming tiger looked at Madam and didn''t speak, if not for this person''s background, Flaming tiger would even disdain from standing beside this idiot.

 46 - A Cold Morning

    "Are you thinking about your girlfriend, big brother," a 10-year-old boy placed a plate of hot steaming dosa along with coconut dip sauce as he asked the person who was in a daze as he looked at the crowd on the street.


    Aditya snapped back from his reverie as he knocked the head of the boy playfully as he smiled," you did not start wearing pants yet acting as if you are grown, wait for five more years before you talk about girls with me."


    This kid who everyone called as ''Chintu'' helped his mom sell breakfast in a roadside stall every morning in the street where the garage where Aditya worked was situated. Aditya had been eating at this place ever since he had started living here. The food was tasty and cheap. So, he developed a good rapport with this kid who started addressing him as a big brother. He was a very sharp kid who always stayed happy even if he had to work hard every day. This attribute of his was appreciated by Aditya very much.


    "Don''t you usually go to school at this time, what happened today?" Aditya asked as he dug in his dosa with relish, he was very hungry today due to last night''s events.


    "Big brother, you are so dumb, today is Sunday," Chintu laughed loudly as he pointed at Aditya with his finger. The other customers also looked at Aditya and smiled when they heard Chintu''s words. Everyone was almost regular customers here who saw each other''s faces every morning, so they at least recognized each other. Aditya lowered his head with mild embarrassment as he concentrated on his food. Since he started working in the garage, weekdays or weekends did not mean anything to him, so he didn''t keep track of days of the week.


    "Chintu, what did I say about mocking others, apologize immediately," His mother who was busy making dosas and other items chided her son.


    "It''s okay aunt," Aditya smiled at the lady as he said," it''s nothing, really, he is just a small kid." he didn''t really mind.


    "Learn from your big brother, you shouldn''t always pick on other''s faults. Also, if someone points out your flaws, you need to learn to accept them without bearing any grudge on the other person." Chintu''s mother utilized this opportunity to teach her son.


    Aditya''s pupils trembled when he heard these words as his mother used to say these same words to him when he was small. Aditya used to tease and taunt Kranthi''s physique when they were in middle school very much. But after Aditya''s mother saw this once, she said these very same words. Afterwards, Aditya reflected on his mistakes and later befriended Kranthi and even defended him when other''s bullied him in school. Now hearing a woman, so busy and hardworking that she was sweating profusely even in this chilly morning, taking time off to educate her son, Aditya felt his heart touched at the marvel that is ''mother''.


    "Sorry, Big brother," Chintu said in a low voice as he placed a cup of green sauce on his plate. Aditya smiled as he rubbed the small kid''s head and gave a cherry-flavoured lollipop to him which he accepted with a bright smile.


    "Adi, that''s mine," a crying sound was heard in his mind as Aditya rolled his eyes and said," it''s okay I will buy another."


    Aditya bought an extra parcel of Idli (fermented steamed rice cake) as it is easily digestible for Hamsa who was suffering from fever. He also bought some women clothes and flip flops for her though he was not sure about her sizes. He did carry her a distance of 200 m last night so he tried to ''calculate'' her sizes and brought the clothes. Last night Dr Saanvi had changed the wet clothes of Hamsa and used his spare clothes as there was no other option. She told that she would try to bring some clothes this morning but Aditya also bought just in case. He also bought a set of daily utilities like toothbrush, towel, milk bread, honey etc.


    For Aditya, making money became very simple as long as he could spend them immediately. Because he never knew when the balance in his bank account would suddenly turn into a big zero as in the case with his parents.


    Aditya was sure that ''the organization'' which took away his parents operated at a very large scale that there was a very minute possibility that he would be in 24-hour surveillance and monitoring but still he did not want to take chances with his safety. If he showed that he could do complex programming like eating peanuts, it wouldn''t be surprising if he disappeared one fine morning. So he had to forcefully control both earning huge amounts of money and showing off any abnormal skills.


    "Maybe I should turn all my earnings into hard cash or even gold," Aditya thought as he climbed the stairs to his room. In that case, he could have a minimum guarantee. Was he being paranoid? Aditya shrugged as he placed the food parcel and utilities on the table. He took a look at the ''sleeping beauty'' to see that she was sleeping peacefully. He grabbed his towel and dove into the bathroom for his bath humming a kid song. These past few days of Tya''s waking call which were kid songs has finally started to show its effect.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Water, water everywhere


    We''re gonna get wet


    Won''t you come along on the river ride ???


    Water, water everywhere


    We''re gonna get wet


    Watch us get tossed by the tide ? ? ?


    "Good singing, Adi,"


    "Thank you."


    While Aditya was bathing, the woman who was sleeping woke up with a jolt as she looked around. Hamsa did not know where she was? How did she get here? Who kidnapped her? All she remembered was the scene where five gangsters had dragged her forcefully into a car and she had fainted after that. She looked at the worn-out pale yellow painted wall and the old furniture in the room. Her heart trembled when she heard the sprinkling sounds of water from the bathroom.


    She looked at the laptop on the table which had its front camera blocked with a black tape and a very cheap mobile phone which seemed to have no other function except calling. She noticed the food parcel, bread packets on the table. A male scent slipped into her nose as she noticed that it was emanating from the bed that she was sleeping on. Her heart froze she noticed that she was wearing new clothes as she reached her trembling hand towards downwards and felt around. She was a doctor herself so she knew what to expect from her examination. After some time, her violently beating heart slowly calmed down.


    She smelled anti-septic liquid and ointment that a doctor uses for treating superficial bruises as she sniffed around. She wanted to get up and escape but a question struck the softest spot in her heart as tears started rolling down. Where should she go? Her own foster parents pushed her into the abyss for their profits without a second thought. Her body started trembling as a nauseating feeling emerged when she remembered last night events. Sweat started pouring down her forehead as she curled on the bed as if she wanted nothing more than to disappear from this world. She remembered her dead parents and wished that they accompanied her at this time.


    A click sound was heard along with a wood scraping sound produced when an old door was pulled, was heard as Aditya came out of the bathroom with only his towel on. His bare upper body was thin with clearly defined lean muscle frame visible while his wet hair bangs stuck to his face. Droplets of water could still be seen on some parts of his body as he shivered when the cold wind blew when he came out.


    Aditya did not notice that the woman who occupied his bed last night was looking at him in a daze as her crying stopped. He continued to hum his song as he took a spare towel to wipe his hair dry as his hips moved to the tune of his song. He came up to his laptop and checked the freelance programming site if there were any easy codes which he could finish before going downstairs to work in the garage. Even though he was operating with a single hand while the other hand dried his hair, the speed of his typing was phenomenal. Suddenly he felt that someone was watching him as he turned around to see a pair of teary eyes gazing at him.


    Aditya stood there like a statue when he saw that Hamsa was awake leaving his mouth wide open not knowing what to do. After some time he reached out to a shirt within his arm range and ran outside like he was escaping for his life. It''s weird how a human mind works when you see a person/ animal running away from you, it somehow emboldens you as if you are strong. This was what happened to Hamsa when she saw Aditya running away from the room. At first, Hamsa wanted nothing but to run away from this room or at least shout loudly but when she saw Aditya running away, her trembling heart actually steadied as she felt secure and a little confident.


    Aditya steadied himself as he patted his back as he wore his t-shirt. He calmed down as he thought to himself,'' Why did I run away? This is my room, I saved her yesterday, I got her treated, Adi there is no need for you to be afraid, go and face her boldly.''


    With these thoughts in mind, Aditya entered into the room but when he saw that Hamsa started trembling when she saw him, all his courage was swept away as he stuttered," the¡­ there is nothing to fear, every...everything is alright, I¡­ I saved you la..last night, there are food and other utilities on the ta.. table for you, I¡­ I have to go for work, take rest, the doctor will come in an hour, after that yo...you can go wherever you want." Aditya escaped again as he completed his monologue with interruptions. He grabbed onto his mechanic clothes while on his way out.


    Aditya actually never had this problem with a woman before but when he saw Hamsa eyes which were filled with terror, fear and despair, he somehow felt like treating her delicately like a fragile glass structure which might break at any moment, so that she was not hurt.


    He actually wanted to go to work after Dr Saavni came and when Hamsa decided what to do but now he could only start work early today as he grumpily went downstairs.


    Hamsa once again experienced the feeling of having control over the situation when she saw Aditya stuttering and escaping again. It was like a small ray of light had seeped through the cracks of her broken heart when she heard that Aditya had saved her and even got her treated. She pursed her lips tightly as tears started to flow again except it was more like venting rather than actual grief.


    "Adi, what''s special today?" Chakri came and asked as he saw Aditya wearing the mechanic clothes early in the morning. Aditya had become the prodigy of their shop since he demonstrated the perfect dismantling and assembling of an old 1.2 L K series engine that Aditya had replaced previously where Kranthi tricked into posing for his social media post.


    Even their Boss Ramlal was impressed with Aditya''s prowess that he promised him that he would get him trained in dealing with High-end cars also. Aditya was also happy when he heard this as those high-end cars were where his true passion lied.


    "Don''t ask," Aditya grumbled moodily as he picked up a spark plug boot pliers and dove under the car engine hood to start the repairs he was fond of. When you come earlier than others, you get to choose your repairs.


    After an hour, when Aditya was welding a damaged car exterior with his welding helmet on, he heard Chakri''s startled voice, "Who is that beautiful goddess?"


    Aditya lifted his helmet as he saw a Dr Saanvi standing at the entrance of their garage as she looked at him with a small smile on her face.

 47 - Hamsas Decision

    Dr Saanvi looked as elegant as last night. It lit up the eyes of those people who saw her. Her tall physique, shapely long legs, curves, any one of these features was enough for many men to go to any length to get into her good graces.


    Saanvi wore a black knitted jacket on the top, it had an open front which exposed the white t-shirt made up of thin cotton fabric. There were big buttons on the jacket with some ethnic carving on them along with epaulettes on the shoulders. She wore a pair of slim fit shaded blue jeans which matched perfectly with black and white colours of her upper clothes.


    Her chestnut coloured hair styled into an ideal rope braid onto her left shoulder dazzled in the warm morning sunlight as she chewed gum in her mouth looking at Aditya through a pair of wayfarer sunglasses. She wore a pair of Bose quiet control wireless headphones while one earphone dangled on her shoulder while the other was placed in her left ear. Her silver nose stud sparkled in the daylight.


    Aditya removed his welding helmet and walked up to her without explaining anything to Chakri. He did not need to ask anyone''s permission for leaving work halfway through. Being the best friend of the only son of the owner had its perks. He smiled politely at the doctor as he started leading her to his room.


    Saanvi looked at Aditya with mild amusement as she asked in a sultry voice while removing her sunglasses, "are you a mechanic?". Her voice made Aditya feel like his bones were becoming soft and melting. He did not pay attention to this last night but now he felt that every part of this woman clearly shouted ''attraction''. But she was even taller than him which made him feel a little depressed. No man would feel comfortable when he came into contact with an incredibly attractive woman who was taller than him.


    Aditya tried not to lock gazes with her as he said in a low voice," Well I am poor, got to do something to fill my stomach."


    Pfft!


    Saanvi smiled calmly while covering her mouth with her hand.


    "What''s there to laugh?" Aditya asked puzzled.


    "Someone who could get me to provide personal medical care is now claiming that he is working as a mechanic to fill his stomach," Saanvi looked at Aditya coolly as she said in her characteristic husky voice.


    "Oh, right." Aditya nodded but did not provide any other explanation as he knew he will not say the truth in any case. It was not worthwhile for him to think of more lies, if this doctor was as smart as she looked, she would not ask again. The reality proved Aditya right.


    "So, how is the patient? Did she wake up?" Saanvi did not delve deeper into Aditya''s details as she asked about Hamsa.


    "Yup, but I think something''s wrong with her, she seems to be in a volatile state, she was afraid of me when I tried to talk with her." Aditya described the morning events to Saanvi.


    "So, you thought it was better if you waited for me to come and so came down to start your job early so as to not disturb her anymore," Saanvi looked at Aditya with a complex gaze.


    "Yup, why? Should I have done something else?" Aditya asked the doctor as he really did not know what was the right way to handle the situation.


    Saanvi shook her head as she remarked," Well, usually emotionally traumatized patients should not be left alone and close ones should accompany them but you are just another stranger to her, so in a way, you did the right thing staying away."


    Aditya nodded as he said," Maybe we should contact her parents or friends or maybe she would want to go back to her home."


    Saanvi also nodded as she replied, "Let me first check her physical condition and ask her opinion."


    When Aditya and Saanvi came to the room, the door was open as Aditya as left it when he went downstairs. They saw the distraught figure of Hamsa sitting cross-legged on the bed while leaning against the wall as she stared at the ground in a daze while half-dried tears could be seen on her beautiful face.


    Aditya felt a pang in his heart when he saw this picture, ''what kind of a shock could turn a peaceful, happy person into this?'' Saanvi looked at Hamsa with no visible change of expression on her face.


    "Hello, Miss Hamsa," Saanvi put on a genial smile as she walked up to the bed and sat down while removing her headphones and placing them on the table along with her mobile phone. This gesture showed the patient that the doctor was concentrating on her fully. Aditya stood near the entrance so that he could go out if Saanvi''s checkup required him to.


    Hamsa''s frame quivered when she heard the serene voice of Saanvi as she raised her head and looked at Saanvi and then at Aditya. Fortunately, she did not show a big reaction when she saw Aditya this time, she even smiled a little at him which caused Aditya to heave a sigh of relief.


    Saanvi was observing Hamsa''s reaction as she took out her stethoscope as she asked gently, "how are you feeling? You were unconscious when I treated you last night, so let me introduce myself. I am Dr Saanvi, a Trauma Surgeon in Fort''s Hospital. I heard Aditya mention that you are a doctor as well."


    Hamsa nodded faintly as she replied clearly," Thank you Dr Saanvi, I am studying the final year of MBBS (medical bachelor degree), Aditya came for a consultation when I was posted in the neurology department," when she turned her head to look at Aditya, she noticed that he was not there.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    "Don''t worry, he must have felt that you would feel more inclined to share with me if he was not here," Saanvi smiled as she checked Hamsa''s vitals. After some preliminary check-up, Saanvi nodded her head as she said with a smile," other than fever caused by standing in rain for a long time, you seem to have no other ailments. You can recover completely with two days of rest."


    Hamsa nodded absentmindedly as she fiddled with her fingers.


    Saanvi placed her stethoscope back in her bag as her face turned solemn, she looked and asked Hamsa," Who was that bastard?"


    Hamsa''s heart quaked when she heard Saanvi''s question. When she remembered the last night events. The face of that demon was a nightmare for her as he tried to rip her clothes off with a smile as if he was doing a daily chore. It was her birthday and her foster parents had actually gifted her to the devil aided and abetted by some of her close friends. Her whole world had collapsed that moment.


    Her eyes reddened and tears started falling as she pressed her knees against her chest and hid her face in her knees as she cried soundlessly. Saanvi patted her shoulder and consoled," you don''t have to bear this alone, there are many departments in the government dedicated for us women, one call to the media is enough to get that bastard behind bars immediately even if he has a powerful background."


    Hamsa shook her head as she continued to cry. Aditya came and stood at the door as he saw the woman who had reminded him of his mother, crying. He looked at Saanvi who had her brows pressed as she looked at Hamsa. Saanvi turned to Aditya and shook her head while waving her hand. Aditya nodded and soundlessly slipped away.


    It took a while for Hamsa to stop crying as she hiccuped while wiping her swollen eyes. She remained calm as if she did not have anything to talk to Saanvi.


    Saanvi looked that Hamsa had calmed down somewhat, so she suggested," do you want me to contact your parents? Your friends?", she handed a glass of water for her to drink.


    Hamsa shook her head as she drank some water. Saanvi was a little puzzled at Hamsa''s reaction. Usually, a person who was in trauma would want to be with their close companions but this poor girl did not seem to want to meet them at all. Her pupils suddenly shrunk as if she thought of something, she turned towards Hamsa and earnestly looked at her eyes as she asked," Did your parents have anything to do with last night''s events?"


    Saanvi knew the answer even before Hamsa opened her mouth by seeing at her flurried eyes and trembling fingers. She sighed as she held Hamsa''s hands tightly and patted her.


    "My real parents had died long ago, I live with my foster parents," Hamsa muttered as she fought back tears while gripping Saanvi''s hands tightly. Saanvi nodded her head but chose to remain silent.


    After some time, Saanvi asked softly while rubbing Hamsa''s back which felt cold," what''s your next step? Where would you go?"


    Hamsa shook her head as she really didn''t know what she had to do. The thought of going back to her home or even to college frightened her immensely. She could not think of any other place where she would be able to stay safe from everyone.


    "Can I give a suggestion?" Saanvi asked as she understood Hamsa''s dilemma.


    Hamsa nodded obediently, she felt Saanvi was like a strong elder sister who she could rely on. She could see that Saanvi had a formidable mentality, unlike her delicate character. Staying by her side made her feel comfortable.


    "You continue to stay here," Saanvi said with a smile as she folded her hands while glancing at her.


    Hamsa was shocked when she heard these words. Aditya was neither her relative nor her friend, how could she continue to stay here? It was already a big favour for him to save her and was getting her treated, she still did not know how to repay him in this life. Hamsa knew that she would have committed suicide without a second thought if she had fallen into ''his'' hands last night. That was who she was. So in a way, Aditya had done a great favour to her which was even greater than saving her life.


    She knew that the person who had his eyes on her was not the type to let her go after one failure. She would not be able to forgive herself if she brought harm to Aditya. Hamsa shook her head vigorously as she rejected Saanvi''s suggestion.


    "Do you feel safe and secure here?" Saanvi asked suddenly.


    Hamsa nodded timidly as she remembered Aditya as a small smile surfaced on her face.


    "Do you think Aditya might harm you?"


    Hamsa shook her head firmly as he could have done anything to her already if he wanted. Also, she felt that Aditya looked at her in a particular way like it was not her that he was looking but someone else whom she seems to remind him of.


    "Do you another option where you could be comfortable and safe like here?"


    Hamsa thought for a bit and shook her head disappointingly. Frankly, she did not think anyone could save her in Bangalore as she had an idea of that person''s freakish background.


    "You think you might bring him harm by staying here," Saanvi concluded as she watched Hamsa''s reaction.


    Hamsa hesitated a little before nodding her head.


    Saanvi sighed as she said, "I could actually take you to be live with me as I live alone anyway but I know that your danger has not ended and I am not capable of saving you. I feel that this kid Aditya is not as simple as you think he is. You might not believe me when I say this but I am the best Trauma surgeon in Bangalore working in one of the best hospital chains in India i.e. Fort''s. He could get the administration to request me to treat you in the middle of a rainy night. So, don''t think too much into this. Although I don''t know whether he would be able to keep you safe and secure from those who want to harm you, I am sure that he can save himself easily. So I think staying here for a few days at least is the best plan of action for you right now."


    Hamsa was stunned when she heard Saanvi''s words if Aditya had such an affluent connection or background, why was he living in this simple lodging? She looked at Saanvi as she asked with wide eyes," Are you Dr Saanvi Rathore, the elite who returned to India from London recently."


    Saanvi nodded as she smiled," I am just a surgeon, not an elite though."


    Hamsa forgot her stress as she said a little excitedly," you were nominated for the Lister medal for your thesis on ''What can electrical stimulation with a cochlear implant tell us about Brain Function and Human Consciousness?''"


    "Oh, so you know me?" Saanvi smiled while feeling surprised.


    "I am your fan, I studied all your work on Bionic ear and multi-channel cochlear implants," Hamsa stated as she held Saanvi''s hands firmly with excitement. She felt like a fan finally getting to meet his favourite celebrity.


    Saanvi sighed in her heart as she thought how such a pure girl was placed in a dangerous situation. She patted Hamsa''s hand as she said," So, I take it that you are accepting my suggestion."


    Hamsa smile froze as she lowered her head thinking, she knew that Saanvi did not have any duty or responsibility to look after her or make sure that she was safe. She was purely doing this because of her kindness. So was Aditya, he did not have to do this for her but he still did. Hamsa felt that life had thrown her into an abyss and also made her meet with people who pulled her out of it. She could only remain a silent recipient to all these experiences as she did not possess an ounce of power to alter any of it. Hamsa nodded as she asked tentatively," but would he agree?"


    "Leave that to me," Saanvi comforted her as it would make Hamsa and Aditya awkward if Hamsa had to request personally.

 48 - Faizals Cool Show

    A burst of cackling laughter resounded through the silent and luxurious office room. Faizal was looking at the heavy and fleshy person in front of him who was seated in a tall office armchair with a golden swivel base. Ripples of fat could be seen clearly despite the posh velvety suit he was wearing, a golden tooth could be seen as he laughed without restraint.


    A light twinkled in Faizal''s eyes when he saw this scene but he neither interrupted him nor opposed him. He had already expected this response when he had come here. Actually, he wanted this response because today was the day when he was going to have ''his'' moment. It was going to be a memorable day for him. He planned and sacrificed a lot for looking cool today.


    The fatty stopped his laughter but the noisy wheezing sound resultant of his heavy laughter did not stop for quite some time. He looked at Faizal with clear, visible disdain as he said, "go and tell Taarini to wash her neck for her execution. The day she refused to follow the Mafia alliance from Mumbai, her fate was sealed." he twirled his golden Rolex watch studded with diamonds as if he did not want to waste any words on a simpleton like Faizal.


    Faizal remained unfazed as he smiled and said," you are going off track. My purpose in visiting you today was not to hear your opinion on the present condition of Big Sis, but to ask as to why you have not offered revenue of this Five-Star hotel from the past two months."


    Faizal leaned back in his chair as he smirked," Did you forget that this ''Vivanta'' was built by Manu big brother for Big Sis and you were placed here as only a formal supervisor. Have you developed some kind of illusion that this property was yours?"


    The stout person stood up with great difficulty as he sneered as he peered at Faizal with his pig eyes, "Taarini''s? This building was mine, to begin with. I had built this five-star hotel brick by brick by selling my ancestor''s property. It was Manu who coerced me into paying this revenue. don''t think you would get a nickel from me anymore. I have already come under the protection of people who you can''t stir up. What you can do to me?"


    Faizal shook his head slowly, "tch, tch, to think that your name was Biswas (faith), your parents really were blind."


    "I give my allegiance to those who could profit me, there is nothing wrong with it," Biswas walked on the white fluffy, elegant carpet as he went near the mini bar in a corner as he said," Being under your Big Sis is always full of constraints, no drugs, no human trafficking, no extortion, I sometimes wonder if your Big Sis is a saint or a nun helping those orphans. She clearly is in the wrong field here. Under the patronage of Kasim big brother, I have the freedom to earn a lot of money."


    "Okay I heard your words, I will convey them to Big Sis, is there anything that you would like to add?" Faizal stood up as he took out his phone as he checked the time.


    Biswas scoffed as he said pointed at Faizal with his golden ringed fingers," Look at you, simple clothes, cheap Chinese phone, are you happy with your life while that Taarini enjoys all the luxury. I know that you are one of the best fighters under her. Come to our side, your image would be transformed in a day. Give me all her information so that it''s easier for Kasim Big brother to destroy Taarini. You look at me, look at the wine that I drink," Biswas lifted the elegant bottle as he tried to read the name on the bottle, "Do...Domaine Duga...tby Cham...Chambertin¡­, whatever it costs more than 2 lakh bugs (around $2800) but I can drink it every day now, and look at these cigars from Cuba, Kasim Big brother gifted me these, this is real living, what is the difference between you and a pig living in a pigsty. Come to our side, what do you say? Take this invitational gift from me" Biswas threw a Wood ford Reserve Bourbon bottle at Faizal.


    Faizal did not speak as he caught the wine bottle, looking around the inviting, elegant office with cherry wood panels and stylish decorations as he nodded his head. He tapped on the high gloss and figured Macassar ebony and high grade Italian soft leather office table. He looked at the window wall on the left side of the room which brought in ample amount of sunlight inside as he smiled and said, "Nice view, you can see even Big Sis''s Mall from here."


    Biswas frowned slightly when he saw that Faizal was diverting from the main topic but he still nodded as he said," Of course, you can see it as Manu had brought this land in prime location, a part of which became the five-star hotel and the remaining was used by Taarini to build the mall in the last year. Are you interested in that property, I could ask Kasim Big brother to allow you a part of shares if you join us now before it is too late. What do you say?" he continued to tempt Faizal as he cut the ends of the Cuban cigar with a cigar cutter.


    "These mirror panels are one-way glass, right?" Faizal asked as he took out his ''cheap'' Chinese smartphone to take photos of the office without asking Biswas''s permission. Biswas frowned when he heard Faizal''s doubt and his actions but still nodded," Of course, they are one-way for security purposes and why are you taking pictures?"


    Faizal shook his head as he said with a mild laugh," you said that I was one of the top fighters under Taarini Big Sis right, it would have been true if you had said these words in the last week, but now" Faizal rubbed his head with frustration with a bitter smile on his face,"Last week, Big Sis had recruited an anomaly, he defeated me in one day." Faizal looked in the direction of the mall as he gritted his teeth and said," Just one day and I was not even able to catch the corner of his clothes again. Today he single-handedly defeated the three brothers Phani, John and Dhanush, who were most famous in our gang elites for being able to coordinate with each other in a fight."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "who is it?" Biswas was so stunned when he heard Faizal''s words that he stopped cutting the cigar and looked at Faizal with wide-open eyes but then he regained his composure as he leered," So what if he is a strong fighter, can he stop bullets? This is the era of firearms, no kind of martial prowess can stand in front of hot burning steel." he resumed cutting his cigar. If it was the time when Manu''s rules applied in the underworld of Bangalore, he might have been spooked but not now.


    "Firearms, hot burning steel?" Faizal looked at Biswas as if he was looking at an idiot. He shook his head as he stated," Well, anyway I suggest you to stop sitting in that chair anymore. If you want to sit in that chair, you better pay your dues to Big Sis." he prepared to walk away after pointing at the tall armchair which was the Boss''s chair.


    "Oh, why? You think you can scare me with these words," Biswas scoffed at Faizal as he waved his hands and said," Get lost, you just lost your golden chance."


    Crack!


    A crack sound was heard along with a muffled sound which frightened Biswas so much so that he dropped the cigar in his hand as he gave a yelp like a slaughtered pig and fell face down on the floor as his fat ass trembled with fear.


    Faizal knew that his chance at acting cool had come but he was also submerged in the feeling of awe when he looked at the hole in the middle of the armchair that Biswas had sat previously. He was reminded why he had become a fan of Aditya in the first place as his hairs stood on end and he clenched his fists with excitement.


    "What happened?" Biswas cried in a trembling voice as he tried to stand with his shaking legs. He took the support of the wine cabinet as he climbed up slowly.


    "Well, look for yourself," Faizal shrugged as he pointed at the chair. Biswas''s heart froze when he saw the bullet hole on the chair. Faizal had imagined this scene when Munna handed over this job to him which was why he felt so hyped when he came to deliver a warning to Biswas. When he was going to make a cool exit like a boss, a message popped up on his phone which popped Faizal''s fantasy. He turned around to look at the frozen figure of Biswas as he said awkwardly," can I borrow these cigars, you can cut there cost from the due, okay?" Faizal went and grabbed the set of cigars as he left hastily before Biswas recovered.


    In a secret place on the top, Stellar Mall


    "Angle of the target, Ballistic coefficient, Spindrift, Coriolis effect, temperature, wind speed, humidity, mirage effect, altitude and distance" Aditya murmured as he looked at the Five Star hotel in the distance as the wind moved his hair towards the side as he breathed in the cool evening air. Since he did not receive any message from Faizal, his shot was a success by default. All the parameters required for his shoot were pretty easy to calculate, the only thing to note was the one-way mirror which was solved with Faizal''s low-quality photos. With these photos and his view, Aditya could easily reconstruct the scene inside and shoot.


    He looked at the USMC M40 bolt-action Sniper rifle which was used in the Afghanistan war by the US military, don''t ask as to how it landed in the hands of Taarini.


    ".308 Winchester Magnum calibre," Aditya played with some rounds as if they were marbles, producing tinkling sounds, while he leaned against the wall and looked at the traffic below which looked like an illuminated snake from above.


    The picture of a beautiful face of Hamsa surfaced in his mind as he recalled the discussion he had with Saanvi in the morning.


    "What! You are asking to allow Hamsa to stay in my place for a few days?" Aditya asked as he looked at the bright eyes of Saanvi. What was this situation?


    "Yup," Saanvi replied simply, "She does not have any place to go right now, only a few days. After that, I will take her away even if you don''t want."


    "Is she fine with living with me, there are only two rooms, one is a kitchen which I haven''t been using, the only place to sleep is in the remaining room, you can''t expect me to start sleeping outside like yesterday, right? I would die of cold, especially the winter is setting in." Aditya laid down all the practical problems in one sentence. Aditya was sure that if it was any other person who slept out last night, he would have been broken definitely. He was able to manage because Tya could manipulate his body to some extent. So he felt warm even in the chilly cold climate as he slept on a dry plank.


    "I know, she knows and accepted. You don''t have to adjust for her, do things like you always did, just keep an eye on her and provide some food. That''s it, I don''t expect too much from you," Saanvi said with a smile on her luscious lips.


    "Cool," Aditya nodded. He was a man. If anyone has to be afraid, it had to be Hamsa. If she was okay with it, why would he whine like a woman?


    A pack of cigars flew across the air as Aditya caught them while he looked in another direction in a daze as he thought about Hamsa. ''what kind of a corner, a conservative woman like Hamsa had to be pushed into so that she would rather stay with a hot-blooded teenager rather than other places?" Aditya pitied her as he took a cigar out and read the label.


    "Oh, Cohiba Cigars," Aditya''s brows raised in mild surprise as he twirled the cigar between his thin fingers. It was one of the most popular and expensive brands of cigars from Cuba.


    "What happened elder brother, your mind seems to be somewhere today?" Faizal came and sat beside him as he also looked at the traffic below enjoying the cool air.


    Aditya shook his head as he did not want to talk about this issue as it was not about him. He cut the end of the cigar and lighted it. Aditya immediately realized the difference between smoking a cigar and cigarette.


    A cigar felt so much more satisfying than a cigarette. After taking in the first breath, Aditya thought that a cigarette was rough, cheap and chemical tasting, whose only duty is to provide you with enough nicotine before your next urge to smoke. Cigar gave a long experience of smoking and flavour on the other hand.


    Aditya took in a large puff as he thought," Ma, I have smoked a Cigar today. I miss you and Pa."

 49 - King Rat

    Aditya got out of Faizal''s car as he looked at the statue of Taarini''s brother which he had already seen when he came here with Raghav. But he had seen the statue in the daytime as for now, it was already night and the statue was illuminated with many neon lights.


    Aditya placed a lollipop in his mouth as he asked Faizal who had parked the car, "it''s already night, do you think stores would be open when I get back home?" he had not expected that Taarini would ask him to come here at this time. He had kept some food for Hamsa before he came here but he knew that poor girl was always in some daze. He was sure that if he did not go back, she might forget to eat altogether. Also, he did not think that she was safe so he wanted to spend as much time as possible in the home at least for a few days so that she would feel safe and comfortable. That was the least he could do.


    Faizal knew that Aditya did not want to come here now and it was not in the previous schedule either but what could he do if Big Sis wanted him to come here? He tried to soothe him as he said," Elder brother, don''t worry, Big Sis usually does not call us usually during this time. So, it must be something important. Big Sis has many stores under her name, I will get them to stay open tonight so that you can take whatever you want."


    "Take?" Aditya''s eyes lit up as he asked. He did not have much money on him right now so if Taarini could solve the problem of buying some furniture and kitchen equipment, that was the best outcome for him.


    Faizal looked at Aditya bemusedly as he said," of course, take, you think Big Sis lacks money. She usually treats us very good. Taking your prowess into view, it is already shocking for us that she did not buy you a villa and a sports car."


    Aditya licked the lollipop as he shook his head, "make sure that the furniture and kitchen appliances store is open, I don''t expect other things." Aditya liked big villas only if he had close and loved ones to accompany him. There had to at least ten to twenty friends and relatives, only then he might want to stay in a spacious building away from populous areas.


    Otherwise, one call to Maahi elder sister and he could move into a villa the next day. It was not a big deal for him. Even Uncle Ramu''s government quarters was a big bungalow in a nice green neighbourhood. Aditya since childhood always like staying around people, he did not mind even if they were strangers. He liked talking to new people, hearing their experiences, making new friends. He seldom had problems with his interactions. This was the main reason that he prefers to live in that garage. He could converse with Chakri, white buffalo, Uncle Ramlal and other mechanics. He liked playing with Chintu and tutoring him sometimes. He enjoyed looking at the crowds in the busy street as they went about their daily chores.


    Once, when Aditya was just a 10-year-old kid, his father promised him that he would pick him up from school that evening but was later caught up in some work and forgot about Aditya altogether. It took his father three full hours to remember that his son was waiting for him. When his father rushed to the school gate expecting to see a distressed kid crying for his parents or an angry kid throwing a tantrum, he found Aditya sitting on the footpath with hands supporting his chin as he looked at the flowing traffic with big, wide-open eyes moving from side to side with an innocent, cute smile on his face as if he was exactly where he wanted to be. Aditya smiled when he remembered how his father would recall this memory frequently.


    "What happened to the children? I remember that building was filled with them when I came last time," Aditya asked Faizal as they got on a battery car as they drove towards the interior.


    Faizal hesitated for a while as he lowered his voice and whispered grimly," Taarini big Sis had them shifted to a nearby village as she feels that the underworld of Bangalore was starting to get heated up. She did not want the children dragged into this gang wars as mafia does not possess morality and rules. Your enemy would happily drag the children into the conflict if he feels he could hurt you through them."


    Aditya nodded his head as he was once again reminded of the brutality of the underworld which he had entered while he was also happy that Taarini got these children out of the way in time. He had not seen her in the past two days, she was busy in getting these children moved probably. He closed his eyes as he inhaled the cold and pure air in this large expanse of greenery which made him refreshed and rejuvenated. Even though he had Tya to take care of his body despite sleeping for only a few hours out in the cold and spending his night fighting or getting Hamsa treated. His mind was exhausted as well as sleep took over him.


    After a few minutes of dozing, Aditya was woken up by Faizal as he felt relaxed even if he had slept for some time only. He was shocked that he had slept just like that. It was not that he did not trust Faizal or Taarini but he felt it was foolish and naive to let down his defence and guard in their presence.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Aditya shook his head as he decided to not repeat such an action again while he threw the lollipop stick into a bin and walked along with Faizal into a warehouse. On the other hand, his trust in Faizal or Taarini''s gang as a whole increased a little.


    "Pay attention to your words when you speak in front of Big Sis and don''t talk out of turn," Faizal whispered to Aditya as they walked into the huge warehouse.


    "Why? What happened?" Aditya asked as he looked around the huge cargo boxes placed in the warehouse wondering what they contained.


    "Well, didn''t I tell you that Taarini Big Sis sent away the children for their safety. The only time when we see Big Sis smiling is when she plays and spend time with those children. Now they are not here any more, so how do you think Big Sis is going to feel?" Faizal explained patiently.


    Aditya nodded as he felt that Taarini seemed more like your friendly neighbour elder sister rather than a mafia don. How was she managing these many people? He shook his head as he stashed away these thoughts.


    Aditya and Faizal slowly walked into a vast open space in the middle of the warehouse lit up by huge floodlights as he saw some fifty members gathered around. It was his first time seeing so many people with Taarini. Was this the full capacity of her gang.


    "Whoa, all the care members have congregated, it looks like there is going to be a big show tonight" Faizal muttered excitedly like a small kid. He did not see Aditya''s eyes opening wide open in shock when he heard his words. ''Core members?''


    Aditya activated ''Slow Timing'' and ''Sensifull'' to note down all the people, their faces, features, clothes, expressions at once. It only took a few seconds even if he observed leisurely.


    "Oh! Who is this delicate kid, Faizal? Is he one of those orphans Taarini little miss is raising?" A middle-aged man with an eyes patch came and asked with a smile.


    Aditya smiled bitterly when he heard these words but did not bother to correct him as he continued observing everyone.


    "Manoj elder brother, this kid is a new entry to the gang. Taarini Big Sis places a lot of importance on him. He is one of the best fighters that I have ever seen." Faizal corrected as he did not want these people to underestimate Aditya. As to his shooting prowess, he did not reveal on the orders of Taarini.


    "Pfft! What are you talking about?" Manoj Elder bro did not buy Faizal''s introduction as he looked at Aditya''s thin physique with disdain.


    "I am not joking elder brother, he had also defeated the Bulls Trio," Faizal reiterated his statement.


    "What Bullshit are you spouting?" a young man with a fierce face mocked with an annoyed voice, "If this bamboo stick is so strong, I am Superman."


    "Sandu, you¡­" Faizal was about to defend Aditya but he was stopped with Aditya as he smiled and said straightforwardly," Let''s fight,"


    Aditya knew that he had to establish his identity so that everyone could recognize him easily. He did not want to take the long route of slowly becoming acquainted with these people and then gaining their respect. He did have the time for that. So, he had to show these people something that would facilitate him to establish relations quickly. What better way was there except your fist. He wanted to brand his image in all the hearts of these people. As he already decided to become a rat, he had to utilize this opportunity to become the King Rat.


    "Shut the f**k up, who do you think you are that I, Sandu, would fight when you want?" Sandu was furious that the new entry wanted to fight him. He was even more enraged when he saw that delicate frame which seems to move with the wind.


    Aditya smiled as he said," Don''t fight for nothing, since Miss Taarini has not come yet, let''s play around. Lets bet who is going to win, 20000 bugs (around $300). Faizal will be the banker." Aditya winked at Faizal whose eyes started sparkling.


    Faizal nodded his head vigorously as he went near a table and began shouting, "Aditya Vs Sandu the odds are 1:5, you will regret in the future if you don''t participate in this exciting match." Faizal thought that Aditya was trying to scheme for some money as he did not catch the true meaning.


    Aditya shook his head as he walked to the centre of the opening as the gazes of the fifty people fell on him. This was what he wanted. To be noticed and then to be recognized.


    Sandu was shocked at Aditya''s statement but what caused his lower jaw to fall was the odds of Faizal which clearly showed that he thought he, Sandu would lose. ''What was going on? Were these guys had so much money that they were literally throwing away the cash?''


    Manoj looked at all these with narrowed eyes as he saw the lean figure in the centre of all focus. No one knew what he was thinking.


    Which goons in this field did not like fighting and gambling? Within no time, Faizal hands were filled with money as he wrote down the quantities on a piece of paper. When he counted the money, he was shocked that the total amount went up to a million bugs (around $15,000). all of them had placed their bet on Sandu as Sandu was pretty famous for his martial prowess which was praised even by Taarini Big Sis. On the other hand, they did not think that Aditya stood a chance with his slender frame. Goons worshipped a masculine physique with ripped bulging muscles, so of course, they did not support Aditya.


    Sandu''s ego was satisfied when he saw that all of them had placed their bets on him. He looked at Aditya with pity as he said magnanimously, "the first one to fall on the ground is the loser, what do you say? After all, we all belong to the same gang."


    Aditya nodded with a smile as he looked at Sandu with appreciation. This guy was not bad after all. Manoj volunteered to be the referee as he asked the two fighters to prepare themselves. Sandy removed his shirt revealing a wheatish muscular physique which caused even Aditya to envy while he did not remove any clothes but just flexed his limbs.


    3, 2, 1¡­ Go


    Sandu had a complacent smile on his face as he decided to give some time of preparation for Aditya otherwise he felt that Aditya would be defeated otherwise in a matter of seconds. But his smile vanished immediately as his eyes widened in shock.

 50 - Death

    "Big Sis, are you sure about it? Aditya is still a kid." Munna hesitated a while before turning towards Taarini and asking in a low voice. Munna usually did not question the orders of Taarini but today he felt he needed to. "You might push him away by doing this." though Munna had not talked or conversed much with Aditya, he had come to like this kid who was always positive and enthusiastic about learning everything and possessed a talent never before seen.


    This kid did not mind been beaten by others in order to learn, he had not seen Aditya bearing a grudge or looking with resentment in his eyes at those people who hit him down again and again until he couldn''t get up. He would always come back the next day full of energy and start fighting. Only this time, he would be the winner. Faizal, Phani, John, Dhanush etc were all beaten the next day by this martial genius.


    Taarini had a cold gaze in her eyes which seem to hold stars as they shimmered, she walked in a fast pace towards the centre of the warehouse. Other followers like Raghav perspired as they tried to keep with her. They too had their brows pressed as if they had some concern as they sneaked glances at Taarini.


    "I know what I am doing, I am not his babysitter or nanny so that I have to think about his feelings, he came to me to become a rat and I agreed, it''s that simple," Taarini replied curtly as the floodlights could be seen in the distance where her core members were waiting for her. ''Also I don''t have the time to wait for Aditya to be ready'' this was her inner thought which she would not share with others. There was an important reason that Taarini summoned everyone now.


    "Something is not right," Munna spoke as he gazed in front. Taarini also frowned lightly as she increased her pace.


    "What do you mean?" Raghav asked as he put his hand on his handgun as he looked around cautiously.


    "It is too calm," Munna answered as he also increased his pace to catch up to Taarini while Raghav started jogging. The congregation of gang lords and mobsters would be considerably noisy like in a crowded fish market. Everything about these fellows would be unrestrained, be it there anger or laughter or voices.


    When they reached the place, they saw all the gangsters silent as they watched with wide-open eyes and mouths in a direction. Munna and Raghav also instinctively followed their direction as they saw two youths counting money while one was sitting cross-legged on a table while the other stood beside him. They had already forgotten the place they were in and the purpose of coming here.


    The corner''s of Munna''s mouth twitched when he saw these youth. Raghav covered his eyes as he did not want to see anymore when he heard their voices. A chill started to permeate from Taarini as she looked at the centre.


    About eight people were rolling with pain on the ground forgotten by everyone as they held their limbs and groaned with pain.


    "Adi Big bro, give me 10% please, I was the one who collected the money and tempted everyone to bet," Faizal asked as he licked his lips and gathered all the hard cash as Aditya started stashing them in a cover bag.


    "Get lost," Aditya concentrated on keeping the cash as he hummed with a lollipop in his mouth.


    "5% then, elder brother it is 2 crores ($290,000), I can pay away my car loan." Faizal started massaging Aditya''s legs.


    "Oh? How much should you pay?" Aditya asked as he looked at Faizal bemusedly. Frankly, Aditya did not know how to spent this sudden windfall. He had wanted to fight because he wanted to get recognition from these brutes. But in addition to that, these people poured money against him thus resulting in this unexpected fortune.


    "Somewhere around 30 lakh (around 43,000 USD)," Faizal scratched his head as he thought hard.


    "Okay, I will pay the whole money, but I want to use your car whenever I want," Aditya said as he took a pile of money and threw at Faizal putting up a filthy rich appearance.


    All the spectators were so occupied with watching this spectacle that they did not notice the new visitors. The people on the ground continued to roll and moan in pain.


    "Of course, Elder brother, I knew you would like my car, here''s the key, I only bought this car to show off. I have another car for my daily activities," Faizal happily passed the key to Aditya as he filled his pockets with the money with a bright smile.


    "Mmm, very good, follow me like this and you will reach the prime of ..." Aditya patted Faizal''s shoulder putting up a proud act but he suddenly noticed that Faizal''s smile had frozen as he looked at his behind. Faizal''s hands had started trembling already. Aditya knew that something was wrong but he did not get tensed as his brain rotated fast thinking about this situation.


    Cough cough...


    Aditya coughed as he looked ''disappointingly'' at Faizal and continued with a face which suddenly became gentle and modest as he said in a teaching voice," Faizal, do you know why I asked you if you wanted this money?"If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Faizal was puzzled as he shook his head with a smiling face which was uglier than a crying one. He knew that he was finished today when he saw Taarini Big Sis''s chilly countenance.


    "It''s this, why did you think I took away the money and packed in this cover bag?" Faizal had noticed that Aditya''s voice suddenly transformed from teacher''s to a saint''s.


    "Is it for myself?" Aditya asked the questions but quickly answered them himself without giving the chance for Faizal to answer. The other spectators nodded vigorously when they heard this question.


    "No, this for our Big Sis, Taarini Miss," Aditya answered in a natural voice like it was a matter of fact as he looked into a distance as he sighed.


    "Uhh?" Faizal was gobsmacked when he heard these words. He looked at Aditya''s sagely expression and contrasted it with the filthy-rich one he showed previously. Even the spectators were puzzled when they heard these words.


    "I thought that I had to check your devotion to Taarini Big Sis. That is why I offered you money. I thought you would also think like me and refuse the money as this money is neither yours nor mine but Big Sis''s. But you..." Aditya paused as he looked at Faizal disappointingly again. Faizal looked pleadingly at Aditya. He understood now that Aditya was going to throw him under the bus to save himself.


    Aditya patted Faizal shoulders as he said," Okay, I understand that not everyone can be as unattached to money as I am. At least, think about it seriously after going home today. Come on give back the money." Aditya expounded moral lessons to Faizal without blinking even once.


    Faizal nodded with a bitter face and took the money out as Aditya stashed it away and then did not immediately turn back but turned to the side where the injured people lay forgotten by everyone. He immediately put on the countenance of a sage as he immediately rushed at them with mercy in his eyes. No one noticed that Aditya had not returned Faizal''s new car keys.


    "Tch, Tch, brothers my heart is pained when I see you like this, let me get you to treated, Oh Sandu why is foam coming out of your mouth, let me call the ambulance for..." Aditya turned towards the side as he discovered Taarini''s icy gaze on him. Even with all his preparation, Aditya felt his heart skip when he saw her.


    Taarini was truly gorgeous today. She wore a white cotton-silk embroidered tunic with a V-neck. She wore a ''real red'' mid-rise spandex trousers which were slim fit through hips and thighs but flared at the end. This pair of pants brought out the wild beauty of her long fit, shapely legs perfectly. She donned a pair of fish hook dangler Silver Red-Onyx earrings which matched with her trousers.


    Aditya''s gulped as he saw Taarini looking at him with unblinking eyes as she walked towards him as silence reigned everywhere which was punctuated by the clip-clop sounds of her Fuchsia pink strappy heeled sandals. Only now did everyone notice that their boss had come as they stood straight and in line as they held their breaths.


    "Miss Taarini, please accept this humble offering of mine," Aditya held the cover bag filled with money to Taarini. He was confident that Taarini would definitely return this money to him as that''s what a leader is expected to do in this situation. Frankly, Aditya was the one who earned this money. He already gave a lot of respect by offering the money to her. If she accepted it without any reciprocating gesture, her followers might look down on her. So Aditya was pretty confident with his plan. Only he did not imagine that Taarini had a different plan.


    Taarini looked at Aditya for a full minute before nodding her head. Raghav came and took the money offered. Just when Aditya thought that the money would be returned to him. Taarini smiled icily as she said," I am very satisfied with your devotion, Aditya. It just so happen that I have a gift for you too."


    Aditya frowned lightly as the script was diverting from the prior established path. He smiled as he bowed and said," it is my fortune that Miss Taarini thinks so highly of me." he had to keep his act up since he started it.


    Taarini looked at Munna who nodded and clapped his hands. All the members looked with suspense as they heard the sound of someone yelling as some men dragged a person into the middle and left him there as they drew back into the lines of other gang lords.


    A bad premonition surfaced in Aditya''s heart as he looked at the person whose face was covered with a jute bag. He could tell that the person was terrified with all the shivering of his body. All the humour and act vanished as a grim look appeared on his face.


    "This is my gift to you, do you like it?" Taarini looked at Aditya as she asked coldly.


    "Who is this, Miss?" Aditya asked sternly, he did not have the mood to put up an act anymore as a forbidding sense of fear surfaced in his mind.


    "Why don''t you see for your self?" came the reply.


    Aditya gulped as he went and removed the bag. The person became still when he felt that someone was approaching him.


    "This is..." Aditya frowned a little as he looked at the person''s face drenched in sweat as he looked around in fear while his mouth was taped preventing him from speaking.


    "This was the guy, Rana, who had betrayed you the other day, right?" Aditya remembered that this guy. Due to his exceptional memory, even the words spoken by this traitor surfaced in his mind.


    ''Elder sister, I thought that with Elder Brother''s death, you would change and lead us to become the biggest gang in Bangalore''s Underworld but I was very disappointed that you were the same as the elder brother. You have many qualms to smuggle drugs, encourage prostitution or extort money from the wealthy. How much money could we make by running entertainment centres like pubs and bars? I have lost my patience waiting for you to change. That was why I contacted Flame tiger myself and surrendered to him.''


    ''You look at her big brother, she is awake but doesn''t have the strength to resist, you can do anything to her, even many embarrassing things which she would rather die than do if she was fully conscious.''


    "Miss Taarini, what do you mean by gifting this traitor to me," Aditya asked with puzzlement as he was even revolted to look at this person''s face. Even he as a newcomer, already knew that the real relations are built on pure trust in the Underworld. The day Rana decided to betray Taarini, he lost his credibility. Aditya was sure that even Flaming Tiger would not have kept Rana close to him after he dealt with Taarini. He wouldn''t be surprised if Rana was killed as well.


    Taarini shook her head as she said sternly," I am not gifting this unfaithful vermin to you, the true gift I bestow you..." Taarini''s face became grim as she replied icily, "is his death."

 51 - Inner Struggle

    "What did you say?" Aditya asked as his throat dried up. It was a useless question as he clearly understood what was said.


    Everyone around was staring wide-eyed at Taarini when they heard these words but did not dare to interrupt or make a sound. Some even held their breaths as they watched the expression on Aditya''s face.


    Taarini did not reply but held her hand towards Munna who passed a shiny dagger which reflected brightly in the floodlights radiance. Taarini tossed that dagger at Aditya and remained calm.


    Aditya caught the dagger and gulped when he felt it''s weight in his hand. The coldness he felt when he held the dagger made Aditya doubt if the dagger was icy or the chill originated from his heart. ''Was he capable of taking a life?''. One had to know that though Aditya ate meat, he had never killed a chicken in his whole life let alone a living fully grown human.


    ''Adi, this was what you signed up for when you joined Taarini. She had asked repeatedly to think again when she heard my request. Now she is fulfilling her promise and I am the one who is hesitating. Shame on you. If you don''t even possess the courage to kill an evil person who clearly deserves death, then you might as well go back to school and forget about saving your parents.'' Aditya''s eyes became firm as he turned towards Rana who was looking with red, bulging eyes at Aditya''s right hand which held the dagger.


    He was sweating torrents as his shirt was drenched as he produced whimpering sounds from his closed mouth as he looked at Aditya with begging eyes as he shook his head. His heart shuddered as he saw Aditya walk towards him with the dagger. His teeth started chattering and he started trying to force open his bonds using his full strength.


    Taarini looked at this indifferently as she sat in a chair placed by Raghav. Most of the middle-aged guys who were the older and more experienced members had already guessed that Taarini was treating Aditya differently than others. They knew that Taarini despised killing and would always avoid if possible. Even if she wanted to kill Rana, he would have already been killed noiselessly by some senior members as they were many among them who had already killed at least once.


    By asking them to congregate at this time of the night and do a sort of public killing of Rana was conveying two meanings. One was that Taarini wanted to warn the core members of their fate if they choose to betray her. The other was that she placed significant importance on Aditya and that she intended to train him, possibly as her successor. They already had seen for themselves, the martial prowess of Aditya which filled their hearts with awe when they saw him beating up people without breaking a sweat.


    "Mmm...Mmm" Rana was using his full might as he was practically tormenting himself as the ropes cut into his limbs as blood started flowing from the broken skin but he did not show any hints of feeling pain or stopping. He bit his lips firmly as blood mixed with saliva started diluting the gun adhesive of the tape thus loosening its hold on his mouth as he started moving his lips and making sounds which were comprehensible.


    "Bleach¡­ Bleach, bon''t kill me," he looked at Aditya with tearful eyes as he started talking. Aditya''s hand trembled when he heard these words. A flurry could be seen in his eyes as he gulped as he placed the dagger to the wet throat of Rana. His mind started to become chaotic as he felt the trembling of Rana through the steel. When he saw the contorted face as tears rolled down his eyes and mixed with sweat, saliva and blood and smearing the blade of the dagger, Aditya was not able to summon even a bit of strength to make a simple slicing movement. He suddenly smelled a bad odour as he lowered his head to look that Rana had peed himself as the yellow liquid started spreading from his knees.


    Aditya was revolted as he sprang away from him but he knew that he was simply looking for a reason to do get away from him. He felt weak in heart for the first time in many days as he looked at his dangling hand. This was what he had prepared to do when he joined Taarini''s gang and now he was the one been scared of moving forward. A new thought started forming in his mind, ''Should he kill to save his parents? Who was he to judge that Rana deserved to die? Maybe he was a good guy. I have Tya, maybe I don''t have to go through this moat to save my parents?''. All sorts of thoughts start to jam Aditya''s mind.


    Taarini looked at Aditya with a complex expression as she nodded at Munna. Munna sighed as he spoke in a clear loud voice, "Everybody can go and take rest for the night, come to the conference room in the morning."The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Everyone including Sandu, Manoj looked at Aditya once before leaving. Many old members could be seen shaking their heads in disappointment as they looked at Aditya who had his head lowered. They looked down on him who had been gifted such fighting talent but was not able to kill a traitor. They would rather have a leader who had no strength but possessed a strong, decisive and ruthless heart.


    Taarini looked at Munna who nodded his head and left along with others. Only Taarini was left with Aditya and Rana who breathing had returned to normal. She walked up to Aditya and placed her hand on his shoulder as she said icily, "go back and think again if you want to continue along this path. Don''t jump into a lake without ascertaining it''s depth and your capability. It''s not too late if you step back now."


    Aditya raised his head as he took a deep breath, he looked at Rana before he turned towards Taarini as he asked, "I need five people to protect a woman at all times, can you arrange?"


    Taarini was surprised at Aditya''s words which were not contextual at all but nodded as she asked, "I want her whereabouts."


    "Her name is Hamsa, she is studying final year in medicine bachelors. She is currently staying in my place." Aditya replied earnestly.


    Taarini was surprised as she asked, "In your place?"


    "Yes, looks like she doesn''t have anywhere to go for now," Aditya replied as he briefly explained on the events related to her.


    "You could leave her with me if it is okay," Taarini said as she looked at Aditya.


    "She is traumatized now so I will ask her if she is willing after some days when she is back to normal," Aditya nodded as took a cigarette and lighted it. He felt more ashamed in his heart when he inhaled the smoke as he remembered his parents.


    Aditya took a list of names and passed them to Taarini as he said, "these people are very suspicious in your gang. You might want to double-check them. Starting from their phone call records might get results quickly." Aditya blew smoke as he said. His chaotic mind calmed down when he remembered his parents. Everything was not lost yet. He would give up just because he failed once or in one way.


    "What?" Taarini was genuinely shocked as she looked at the list of eleven names. Her heart vibrated when she saw two names in that list which she also had placed her doubts but had not yet confirmed.


    "How did you know?" Taarini asked as she looked at Aditya with a slight frown. This kid always managed to shock her.


    "Well, I can''t explain the details but just know that I am very good at observation," Aditya said as he smoked.


    "Cut the crap and explain if you know what is good for you," Taarini said with a chilly face.


    Cough¡­ Cough


    "Well, two people actually carried button and spectacle spy cameras. Some people always stayed away from each other but maintained eye contact. Some people gave away expressions of disdain when Faizal boasted about out gang or you. Some people made repeated calls to each other instead of talking directly. Some people acted like they were talking on the phone but they actually were taking photos using their mobiles. These people all seem to belong to two different groups who seem to have been recruited by two different opponents. But these people are clearly bad at espionage with their illiterate half-developed brains," Aditya explained patiently while enjoying the beauty of Taarini which calmed his heart further. Those eyes really contained stars in them.


    Aditya had activated Sensifull ability when he started fighting to ease his fighting as this was the fight of show off and not genuine training. So, along with the movements of his opponents, even the movements of all the surrounding people were also clearly recorded by him. Given his mental abilities, it was easy for him to analyze these rookie spy flaws and remember each of them. He later found their names from Faizal as they counted the gambling money. Actually, he did not tell Taarini that he also knew lip-reading which came naturally to him when he saw the movement of lips, mouth and tongue of the people. So he was pretty sure that most of these guys were traitors from their discussions. He just didn''t want to appear highly abnormal.


    Even when Taarini heard the explanation of Aditya, she found it hard to believe but her intuition told her that Aditya was capable of doing it. She regained her composure as she nodded, "I will take care of this."


    "See, I am not that useless even if I can''t kill people," Aditya said with a small smile as he threw the bud away.


    "You might want to hurry as that woman might feel afraid if you are late," Taarini said as she raised her palm.


    "Oh, right, thanks, goodnight miss," Aditya placed the dagger handle delicately in Taarini''s hand and walked away.


    Before he walked for a few seconds, Aditya heard a blood-curdling scream which sent chills down his spine as his pupils shrank. He knew what might have happened but he did not stop walking instead he increased his pace as if he feared a ghost would eat him if he turned back.


    Taarini cleaned the bloody dagger on the clothes of Rana as she looked at the body indifferently, which still made some involuntary jerky movements. Blood was leaking profusely from his chest where there was a hole in the middle. Rana''s eyes slowly lost its lustre. She stood and looked at the direction that Aditya went as she muttered, "It''s comforting a little to know that a kid gifted with such a terrific potential to murder actually does not possess a killing heart."

 52 - Aditya and Hamsa

    A woman in a loose fit, black nightwear pyjama set made of polyester, with printed pizza slices stood outside Aditya''s penthouse looking at the stars in a daze. Her eyes showed sadness as her hands could be seen clenching and relaxing alternatively. Her thick long hair was tied up roughly into a bun while several loose strands of hair fell on the sides of her gorgeous face, moving with the breeze while exuding a dreamy feeling.


    Hamsa had decided to stay with Aditya for a few days under the persuasion of Dr Saanvi for her own safety. Even though she was pretty relieved that she survived the misfortune, the grief in her heart couldn''t be wiped out completely. Tears rolled down every time she remembered ''those'' events which made are ask herself what sin she had committed that she deserved such a punishment.


    Her heart settled somewhat after spending an afternoon with Elder sister Saanvi (Saanvi didn''t like being as Doctor or Miss all the time so she asked Hamsa to start calling her as an elder sister). She noticed that Saanvi was a woman with a very strong heart and calm mentality. People around her would always feel serene as well. Hamsa felt the same way which caused her to like Saanvi all the more.


    Saanvi even volunteered to teach her the lessons she had missed and was going to miss in the coming days so that her result would not be affected by her absence. Hamsa felt very grateful when she heard these words as she was a studious person. Ever since her parents passed away, Hamsa was adopted by a couple who were distant relatives of her father. Her father had hoped that Hamsa would be treated well as he had passed all his properties to her and appointed these relatives as caretakers.


    What her father did not take into his calculation was that Hamsa was a very soft person with a delicate and fragile heart. All these relatives had to do was scold her and she would cry and concede to their requests. Ever since she became a major, all her properties were forcefully taken away from her through coercion and she suffered a lot after that. There were many days that Hamsa had to sleep with a hungry stomach. She was not given adequate money to spend so she had to use the cheapest means of public transportation to make her ends meet. The only genuine friends she had were also poor and powerless people like her and any other person who tried to get close to her were coveting her beauty.


    Since she had grown into a remarkably charming woman, her foster parents had started trying to take advantage of her beauty in exchange for financial benefits. Hamsa had always known their ambition and hence stayed away from them as much as possible. She had always believed that her knowledge was her only asset and hence focused all her energies on studying. Even the college degree she was studying was won through scholarship.


    Books were Hamsa''s best friends since her parents passed away. She was the most regular and erudite student in her class always. The knowledge she acquired and the learning process allowed her to escape her harsh reality and all the pain she felt on a daily basis. So even if Hamsa had just escaped from a huge tragedy, the fact that Hamsa could not go back to her books and college for a few days pained her more.


    Hamsa was deeply aware that she had to depend only on herself in the future, so she took her education very seriously. So, when Saanvi offered to tutor her, she was ecstatic as she knew what kind of eminent character Saanvi was in the medical circle. Even her professors in the medical college were not eligible to hear her lessons. She was an inspiration to many medical students who took their profession seriously.


    Aditya was surprised that Hamsa had agreed to stay in his place for a few days as he thought that an elegant and graceful woman like her would find it beneath her to reside here. But he did not know that except that she was not allowed to go to college, Hamsa felt very secure and safe in this small place which she never felt in the huge duplex house of her foster parents. She was in constant stress and tension in her home where she did not know when her foster parents would ask her to have a meal with some affluent people or she would be asked to clean the furniture, wash the clothes, asked to sit in a corner. So in a way, today was the most relaxing day that Hamsa had in many years. This was also an essential reason that she was able to recover greatly from her trauma of last night.


    A small, gentle smile surfaced on Hamsa''s face when she remembered the embarrassed Aditya fleeing from his own room when he saw that she was awake. Hamsa usually doubled her guard when she was around strangers as she had too many instances of practical lessons in her life. But, she did not have an ounce of guarding in her heart when she thought of Aditya as if she did not have to be afraid when she was with him. Even she felt weird about it.


    ''Maybe I can consider him as my younger brother since he looks much younger than me'' Hamsa thought as she savoured the cold air which allowed her to forget her pain for a little while by making her feel numb.


    This lean teen was also an anomaly to her. She had clearly remembered that Aditya was a student from a prestigious international school. Now he was working as a mechanic in this garage. She found all kinds of books in Aditya''s room, from nursery rhymes to advanced programming courses. In the morning, when Aditya did not notice that Hamsa had woken up, she had noticed that he as checking freelancer programming jobs.


    The fact that he was able to rescue her from those beasts was a mystery to her still and one should not forget that he was able to get Saanvi to come personally to treat her. There was no visible link between all these things but somehow they all came true in this young boy. She also remembered Saanvi had said about Aditya that he would be able to protect himself from that devil easily.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Hamsa knew that Reyansh could have raped her yesterday if he really wanted it but she knew that Reyansh wanted her to willingly climb his bed. That is why he was using her foster parents and her classmates to coerce her and force her psychologically rather than using physical force. She was his prey who could never escape from his hands. Even yesterday he molested her to prove that it was just a matter of his whim to take her. It was kind of mental conditioning he was inculcating in her which would ultimately lead her to become a toy in his hands.


    The only difference lay in the time, would it be quick or take some time. Though Hamsa looked soft and delicate, it did not mean that she was dumb. One had to know that she was a topper in all her exams. She possessed an exquisite heart since she was a child which was what protected her from being fully exploited by her foster parents. It was just that she lacked the decisiveness and the boldness to go against them.


    Hamsa smiled with sadness as she thought how her future was going to unfold. Maybe she should just die and join her parents before something worse than death happens to her. She had zero assurance of escaping Reyansh''s claws and she could not see any hope whatsoever.


    VROOOM!!!


    A black metal beast dashed through the desolate street raising dust as it rushed while its giant powerful headlights lit up the street. A bunch of street dogs resting on the road were rattled as they ran out of its way and chased it while barking loudly.


    All this commotion pulled Hamsa from her suicidal thoughts as she looked at the shiny SUV vehicle which skidded to a halt in front of the garage leaving tire tracks in the dust on the road. She tensed up when she thought that the goons of yesterday had come for her. Before she could start encouraging fearful thoughts any further, she saw a slender figure get off the car. Her heart settled when she saw that it was Aditya, she was also simultaneously surprised that Aditya would come riding a car. ''Is he eligible for riding a car?'' Hamsa thought as she saw Aditya with interest, her gloomy thoughts forgotten temporarily.


    Aditya looked at Hamsa who was watching from above as he smiled and shouted, "Keys"


    "Keys? Where are they?" Hamsa asked back when she saw that gate was locked.


    "On the table, beside the laptop."


    "Okay, wait."


    After a few minutes, Hamsa hurriedly descended as she did not want Aditya to wait for long. She came and unlocked the gate as Aditya drove the vehicle into the garage.


    "Don''t lock the gate yet, come here and help me carry these things," Aditya said as he left the vehicle while opening its tailgate.


    Hamsa saw many boxes crammed into the rear seats. A closer look showed that these were various home appliances including kitchenware, little furniture and dining sets.


    Hamsa was embarrassed when she saw all these things as she felt guilty that she was burdening Aditya as she muttered, "You shouldn''t have bought all these things."


    "I have always wanted to buy these things before but I was just too lazy to make a move. So, you are just a trigger but not the cause. don''t delve deeper into it. You know eating outside every day is unhealthy for our body. So, now you can help me take care of our daily food, you can''t expect me to give you food every day for free right? You have to work for it," Aditya said with a strict face. It was just a load of bull****. Aditya body could handle any kind of food. He knew that Hamsa would feel awkward if he just bought her food. Instead, if she was preoccupied with something, it might help her to forget those traumatic events. This was the suggestion of Dr Saanvi by the way.


    Indeed, Hamsa''s guilty expression disappeared when she heard Aditya''s words. All these years of a hard life in her home had moulded her into an excellent housekeeper. She had already cleaned Aditya''s room in the evening. She changed and washed the bed sheets she had slept on. She had arranged the scrambled books into chronological order and placed in such a way that they occupied the least space. So when she heard that she had to cook for them, she was happy that she had a way to repay Aditya instead of freeloading on him.


    "Whose car is it?" Hamsa asked as she took a mixer-grinder box and multi-cooker into her arms at once. She wanted to be as helpful as possible.


    Aditya was relieved when he saw that Hamsa was not acting like a haughty princess and spouted dialogues like, ''How dare you to ask me to do measly manual jobs for you? Do you know who I am?''. Then again if she had an attitude of a princess, it also meant that she did not have to live in his place for security as usually people who possess such an attitude, are brought up in a heavily protected environment and pampered accordingly. It made many things easier for him when he saw that Hamsa was just the way he or Saanvi expected her to be.


    "Well, this Jeep Wrangler (JK) is my friend''s. (he brazenly concealed the fact that he had coerced Faizal into giving the car keys to him.) It is the third generation of the Jeep Wrangler off-road vehicle. It was released in India on 30 August 2016. Alongside the Grand Cherokee, the Wrangler was the first model to be sold directly by Jeep in the country. This particular model is 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel with 240hp, 570Nm torque..." Aditya started explaining passionately but stopped when he saw the blank look on Hamsa, "Well, let us take these things up first, more furniture is on the way."


    Hamsa nodded and followed as they both made multiple trips to get all the things into the kitchen. He bought knives, cutting board, woks, Tawas, frying pans, water bottles, electric stove, tableware, metalware, vegetables, fruits, cereals, grains like rice, flour, salt, chilli powder, spices, cooking oil, new pillows, bed sheets, wool blankets etc.


    By the time they finished, an auto trolley stopped in front of the garage as some workers carried a couple of bean bags, an iron folding single bed, a mattress, a small wardrobe into Aditya''s room. His room was not spacious, to begin with. So it was not a surprise that both beds almost touched together when placed side by side. They could only move freely when Aditya folded his bed and placed in the corner. Both Aditya and Hamsa felt awkward when they saw this setup but no one spoke about it. Both of them had already eaten so there was no need to unpack these things today. Each got into their respective beds after the furniture guys went away and slept without talking much as it was already late.

 53 - The Ignorant Are Blessed

    USCYBERCOM


    Fort George G Meade, Maryland, US


    Harry''s eyes were tired as he concentrated on completing an algorithm as his fingers made clicking sounds on the keyboard. He had been working a lot the past week. Especially, he did not sleep for the last 36 hours. His blue eyes were now dull and drooping due to fatigue and sleep deprivation as his back was bent in an unhealthy angle. Coffee cups could be seen strewn around.


    Ten people were also working under him as he pressured them to keep up with him. His teammates seem to have noticed that he was acting differently as they threw all kinds of gazes at him. Some looked worried, some looked irked while some were just plain curious.


    Harry knew that the work was actually not that demanding and he could take it slow but somehow, since the last few days, he had this sense of urgency like he had no time to relax. He completed his portion of the code and loaded it into the system after adding parts written by his teammates as well.


    Anthem, an insurance company was hacked by an unknown group of hackers which resulted in a loss of personal information of 80 million Americans. This was done through spearfishing and by planting a backdoor in their main database server.


    Harry usually volunteered to work in the National Mission Team against broad Cyber attacks. Tracing a cyber attack back to the culprit was much harder than the actual hacking. So, only major cyber attacks are taken seriously plainly due to the high cost of the investigation.


    Also, most of the small time Cyber attacks are usually dealt with by others before the case could reach him. They were really some newbies out there who don''t even hide their own IP address and hack using their own computer leaving information about him all over the victim''s computer.


    More experienced and professional hackers are more difficult to deal with as they hide there true identity and the trail usually results in misdirection like indicating another country or just some random coffee shop''s WiFi or they could control another innocent person''s computer to do the bad deed through malware.


    Even among these people, some people become overconfident and actually brag about their deed in social media platforms or while talking through mobile when their phone is tapped. One dumb idiot actually posted a blurry picture of his girlfriends bosom, it was more than enough for them to track him down.


    But Harry knew that he was dealing with trained professionals this time as he could see their professionalism through their method of operation and the procedure they followed. He was currently using a previous generation supercomputer available at his disposable to search all the records of interactions that the database server of Anthem Insurance company had. All the accounts, anomalous files and malware were been looked into.


    Although these people had altered their log files and other traces of activity, 100% of the traces could never be completely erased as they are myriad of different logging and monitoring configurations in real-world systems. So, Harry and his team had to create an algorithm to identify these ''bread crumbs'' left by the hackers. Given the computational speed of the supercomputer, it was a matter of hours before they discover vital clues.


    Harry had an idea on which country was behind this attack based on their method of operation, target information, execute script, malware and tactics but he did not jump to a conclusion without solid evidence.


    Harry stood up as the algorithm started running, he stretched his fatigued back and adjusted his spectacles.


    "Wake me up when you have results."


    "Okay, boss."


    it could be seen that despite the hardships they were subjected to, Harry had a good reputation as the leader.


    Harry went to the empty lounge down the hall as he leaned towards the side on a couch and slept. He knew that the reason he was sleep deprived was not because of work pressure but the incident at the Pentagon he had witnessed when he had accompanied his commander. He never thought he would see a day when his superiors and other legendary military figures would feel powerless before a single person who acted unrestrained and overbearing in front of them. He still did not understand what was going on.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    A second blow to him was when he heard that the woman who he liked, Amanda Miles, had violated her contract and left her mission midway and had an intense verbal contention with one of the Marine Generals in front of many officials which caused her to be detained in prison for a few days before the management of ''Blood Water'', a private military company, she and her brother worked for, bailed her out. He came to know that she had been posted in a very insignificant job of guarding AN/TPY-2 radar systems in Japan. Even though he did not plan on confessing to her, he was concerned about her as he liked her. He had pushed the only prodigy of their team, Kevin fatty to find out the whole truth in one way or the other.


    Since last week Harry had been searching for any kind of abnormal news from all over the world so that he might get some hints and the result had shocked him. One had to note that a guy in a position like Harry did not read news from a daily newspaper or television. Based on his position and merit, he had access to ECHELON''s (a global surveillance program based on Five eyes i.e. UK, US, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and other countries) information up to two-star classification.


    Venezuela''s market has become more volatile without any intervention from the US causing a phenomenal rise in inflation and market disturbances. This has resulted in uncontrolled, unintended destabilization of the Venezuelan government.


    The President of Zambia had been removed by the military and currently, Zambia was in a major political turmoil. This sparked Harry''s interest as Zambia was the only country between Congo and Zimbabwe. He still remembered that these two countries had been ''sold'' to ''that'' organization. Well, one was snatched. Was there a connection between these two incidents?


    Other less significant news was that the whole Mafia in Mumbai city in India had been wiped out in one night. A prominent casino owner in Macao was missing leaving behind no clues. That person was worth $ 5 billion dollars.


    A terrorist attack rattled London resulting in the death of 200 people but only people in higher position knew that this was a totally new terrorist organization unknown to anyone before. It was like this terrorist group was born a few days back. Nobody knew who had facilitated this attack.


    The Wittelsbrach Graff which is a beautiful blue diamond, discovered in India over 300 years ago. It was sold to the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Chalifa, for 67.4 million euros in 2011. This diamond was stolen.


    Harry could sense the working''s of ''those'' people behind some of these incidents but was not sure. He also felt that he was just been paranoid. But if there was one piece of news that he was absolutely sure that ''these'' people had done it. It was the assassination of the Nicaraguan president.


    He was sniped on the steps of the St. James Cathedral on the shores of Lake Managua by an assassin who was riding a boat 6 km away in the lake. All the police and protection guard could neither prevent the assassination nor catch the assassin who jumped into the lake and was never found. This news was covered up as a normal assassination by filtering the information on distance.


    A 6 Km sniper kill, 6,208 m to be exact, was more than the double the distance of recorded long range kills in recent history. The longest kill was 2,475m in 2009 in Afghanistan by a British soldier till now. Harry knew that only ''those'' anomalies could do this. This was the reason for the feeling of restlessness and urgency that Harry felt. He felt a deep sense of powerlessness.


    He had a glimpse of the change in the balance of the world but was not able to resist let alone change the outcome. He really envied the common people who were still worried about the Election results, weather and climate change or those who were preparing for Christmas celebrations.


    "Boss"


    "Boss"


    "Huh?" Harry was woken up by his subordinate. He sat upright as he rubbed his mildly inflamed eyes and put on his glasses and went to the washroom. When he checked the time, he figured out that he had slept for two hours.


    "Did you discover the source?", Harry asked as he wiped his wet face dry while walking.


    "Yes, Boss, it is as we suspected. It is the Chinese," the subordinate reported while following.


    Harry nodded as reached his workplace. He verified the traces of the same malware in the source base and confirmed personally.


    "It looks like the work of Unit 61398," Harry muttered as he studied the source in depth.


    "The government-sponsored group that already hacked 141 companies in 7 years?" a subordinate asked.


    Harry nodded as he typed a report containing names of Dennis Wang and Daniel Jack and forwarded it to his superior. They would take it over from here.


    When Harry was thinking of going back to his home, Kevin who he had tasked with finding any information about Amanda walked in with a grim face. It was rare to see this redhead freckled fatty who was usually very jovial put on a serious expression which caused Harry to feel even more inner turmoil. He followed Kevin when he saw him look at him and go into a private cabin.


    "Elder brother, are you sure you want to know what happened to Amanda?" Kevin asked when he saw Harry enter the cabin.


    Harry nodded as he asked, "What happened?"


    Kevin showed a USB drive as he said, "I found this video when I ''searched'' the database. It is a piece of four-starred classified information but I suggest you not to see this video."


    "Is it related to her?"


    "Yes, but more importantly, it is related to ''them''."


    Harry''s breath stagnated when understood Kevin''s words as he saw his expression.


    Harry took a deep breath as he nodded, looking with resolute eyes at Kevin. He had already known about them. He could not forget about them even if he wished to. The only way was forward i.e. know more about them.


    Kevin also nodded and inserted the USB drive into his own personal Air gap laptop and opened the file.

 54 - Congo

    Harry and Kevin watched puzzled as the video was blank at first but then a few voices were heard discussing.


    "Hey, Vice-captain what are you doing?", a voice, which was as unpleasant as a car alarm, was heard.


    "Nothing Jamie, am just activating some equipment, also stop calling me like that," a deep, mature calm voice was heard. One could know that this speaker was an African by the deep voice.


    Captions in Alterebro Pixel Font could be seen at the bottom of the video: Boma, the 2nd official city of Kongo Central province, a port town on Congo river, 100 km upstream from the Atlantic Ocean.


    Then the video also started playing as Harry realized that it looked like some cheap bar. A melodious Congolese Rumba song could be heard in the background along with people dancing and socializing. He noticed that except a few people, almost all of them were Africans. Harry saw the person named Jamie who was the owner of the unpleasant voice. He was a white Caucasian possessing a rough beard and a face matching his voice but one could see that he was a soldier from the ferocious and warlike aura exuding from him.


    The women were wearing long skirts and tops with bold patterns and colours along with head wraps and hats while the men were seen wearing a Dashiki style long shirts.


    "Okay Robert, as you wish. Anyway, I think if you could learn a bit of Kikongo language or speak French, you could easily mix with the locals like fish in the water. Nobody would think that you are an American mercenary." Jamie grinned as he looked at Robert. Harry and Kevin looked at this video from Robert''s point of view, hence they did not have a visual of Robert himself.


    Robert was not perturbed by Jamie''s loose mouth as he sipped a white coloured drink and ate some Ntabe (grilled pork).


    "Robert, when will the captain return, it''s time for our ''work'' to start," Jamie asked, his jovial face became a little tense when he mentioned ''work''.


    "..." Robert didn''t even bother to respond as he continued drinking and eating as he looked at the dancing crowd.


    "What are you drinking?"


    "White Elephant,"


    "What? What does it contain, it looks like milk to me." Jamie asked when he saw the drink.


    "It is made up of Rum, coconut water and milk," Robert explained as he checked the time. His pupils shrank when he spotted a few people entering the Bar but again returned to normal as he put grilled pork in his mouth.


    "We have been staying in this city for two days, you do recognize that this is the enemy''s territory, right?" Jamie asked as he frowned and looked around with suspicion. Just then a strong hand held his shoulder.


    "Cap...Captain," Jamie was pleasantly surprised when he saw a handsome, tall and muscular guy with scarlet hair sat beside him.


    "Just call me Ben," the man smiled as he also started digging in the grilled pork. He searched for a waiter as he shouted, "Two plates of Chikwanga, one plate of Fufu and a White elephant."


    Harry was shocked when he saw this guy as he exchanged a glance with Kevin. Kevin nodded which confirmed Harry''s conjunction. This person was Amanda''s elder brother, a top mercenary in ''Blood Water''.


    "Be...Ben, when are we going to make a move, I have a bad feeling about our ''work'' this time, you do know that my premonitions are always spot on, right?" Jamie spoke with mild trepidation.


    "How did you manage to become a mercenary with such a weak heart?" Robert scoffed when he heard Jamie''s words.


    "You continue drinking your White Pig, I am talking to him," Jamie scoffed back as he turned towards Ben who was nodding his head to the Rumba music. A waiter brought a few bowls of warm local food and a glass of cocktail and placed them in front of Ben.


    "We are moving tonight," Ben stated as he began to enjoy his food. He did not seem to notice that the faces of both Robert and Jamie changed when they heard these words.


    "So, the mission is a go," Jamie put on a depressed expression but no hint of drawing back could be seen in his eyes. His job along with Robert was information gathering in the town, hence they were unaware of the preparations and work of other teammates.


    "What about the others?" Robert asked the critical question.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "They are already where they need to be."


    Robert nodded and finished his drink in one gulp, closed his eyes while he took deep and relaxing breaths.


    All three of them walked out after some time and got into a pick-up truck. The truck drove out of the town and into the neighbouring tropical rain forest. The three of them got down at a spot and the truck went back while they walked into the forest.


    It was night-time and everything was dark. It was not possible to see without the help of torchlight. It was both cold and humid as they walked past the tall Mahogany, ebony trees. They easily reached a height of 40 ¨C 50 m. A normal person would feel very uncomfortable trudging through this thick Afro-Alpine vegetation. They were on the border of the biosphere reserve of Luki.


    Squeak! Squeak! Squeal!!


    A high pitch animal sound was heard which almost caused Jamie to fall down as he whipped his torch in the direction of the sounds where he found a couple of Bonobos scurrying away. He took out a Glock handgun and pointed it at them.


    "Stop," Ben said as he held Jamie, "Bonobos are the most peaceful animals you could find in this forest, I heard that these animals even solve problems among their group through sex. Also, we are not at the liberty to use firearms."


    Jamie nodded as he placed the pistol back. He gulped as he said, "Ben, I heard that there is a fly which can cause ''sleeping sickness'' in Africa. Is it dangerous?"


    "It is Tsetse fly and it does cause sleeping sickness but that fly is active during the daytime so you don''t have to worry. Also, we all have already applied insect repellent, let''s go." Ben said as he led them deeper into the forest.


    Jamie''s and Robert''s eyes lit up when they saw huge boxes of equipment labelled as ''US military'' lying in front of them.


    "Suit up," Ben smiled as he opened those boxes and exposed the shiny, top-notch military equipment which was the most advanced gear any soldier would dream about.


    As a private army, the weapons they had access to could definitely not catch up to US special forces but it was not so today. The US government had armed them to the teeth with all sorts of high tech gizmos for increased chances of success in today''s mission.


    MK17 SCAR fire-arm, Glock 19 side-arm, Single eye Night vision goggles, Nett Warrior situational awareness system through which they would have highly advanced navigation capabilities and information sharing ability. There were also M4 A1 Carbine rifles, just in case. TYR Tactical PICO Assaulters Plate carrier and a pair of elite gloves and a helmet.


    Even Robert who was usually the calmest one could not help but give a small smile when he put on this equipment, nothing needed to be mentioned about Jamie who was smiling so widely that it bordered on mania.


    Ben did not tell these two fellows that the US army had also supplied precision guided firearms but they were already snatched by the others and everyone else had already taken their positions.


    "Ben, What is this?" Jamie asked as he pointed at a panel filled with 100 W LED lights connected with wires exposed. This product was clearly not a finished one.


    "It is in case of an emergency, ignore it for now," Ben did not pay much attention explaining its purpose as he himself did not want to bring this but a young scientist had insisted that he take it.


    "Ben, don''t you think that the government is being too generous by providing us with these expensive apparatus?" Robert asked after he calmed down.


    "I know what you want to say but we all signed for this when we agreed for this mission. It is of no use for digging any deeper into this," Ben replied as he also checked all his gear whether they were any malfunctions. He turned on the night vision goggles to look at the stern face of Robert as he answered.


    "Also, it was we who had decided to revenge for Jack who was killed in US Embassy in Harare last week, we had already considered the danger before deciding on risking it, right?." Ben asked as he looked at Robert and Jamie with resolute eyes.


    Robert also nodded. He knew that this mission was going to be filled with unknown dangers but the government''s over-enthusiasm threw him off for a second.


    "What are you afraid of Vice-captain, with this equipment, we can take on a troop ten times our size," Jamie, who had a thug look suddenly turned into a true military professional after equipping himself, spoke with a smug smile on his face.


    "Don''t let this equipment get into your head," Ben warned as he painted his face with black colour and grimly added, "The enemy is definitely going to be in lesser numbers than us but that does not decrease the danger, it''s just the opposite, to tell the truth."


    "What!" Jamie was shocked when he heard these words.


    Ben shrugged as he said, "I also don''t have the accurate information about this group of people but that is why we are here instead of the marines. Just expect people with superhuman strength."


    "Is there an exit route for us?" Robert asked. He and the others knew this information. Only Jamie was left out as he had proved again and again that he couldn''t process critical information.


    "A Zumwalt- Stealth class destroyer is stationed 120 km away from us which can provide artillery support if we can get to their base. SH-60 (Sea Hawk helicopter) is at standby to carry us off if the mission goes amiss," Ben stated as he checked his Nett Warrior.


    Robert sighed in relief when he heard of the back support. He removed the camera which was recording everything and placed in Jamie''s hands as he went to his position as marked in his Nett Warrior screen.


    "Jamie, you are exactly where you are supposed to be, just camouflage yourself and wait for my orders through the system in your hand (Nett warrior). Okay, I am off," Ben also walked to his position leaving Jamie with the equipment boxes.


    Jamie took a little time to digest everything and immediately executed Ben''s orders and positioned himself as he controlled his breathing and became still. It was like he became a part of this forest. All the mercenaries were strictly trained in operations by Ben and could match elites of the US army in unarmed combat and special operations.


    After an hour, a ''ting'' sound was heard through an earpiece as a dim icon lit up in the screen. Jamie opened his eyes as he muttered, "It''s time."


    Harry and Kevin who were watched this video tensed up when he heard Jamie''s words. Their hearts beat with excitement and trepidation when they thought that the riddle was going to be unveiled finally.

 55 - They

    A notification appeared on the Nett warrior screen as Jamie looked at the headlights of some kind of a huge vehicle became visible from a distance, racing towards the ambush point set up by his captain.


    "What kind of speed is this? I have never seen an Armored off-road vehicle move faster than 200 km/hr speed (125 miles/hr)," Jamie muttered in shock when he saw the light coming closer every second.


    The ambush point was a small valley, a stream cut across the valley dividing it into two. The ambush point was on the northern half of the valley but Jamie knew that the whole valley was closed off when he looked at the positions of his teammates on the screen.


    Jamie himself was some 500 m from the ambush point, his position was also higher than everyone as he was on one of the hills surrounding the valley.


    Jamie read the instruction sent by Ben and took the recording equipment given to him by Robert and crawled towards a small hill from which he could record the happenings easily. The equipment also had a night vision option and a telescopic sight, so with a little adjustment, Harry and Kevin were able to see clearly.


    When the vehicle entered the valley, it did not slow down as it raced downwards with full speed. Jamie saw with mild excitement as he knew that the enemy did not notice anything wrong. He was once again impressed by his captain who was the one responsible for covering up.


    A notification icon lit up in everyone''s screen as they unleashed a barrage of armour piercing rounds and grenades at the vehicle which had reached the ambush point already.


    The vehicle lit up in the dark like a celebrity in the limelight as all kind of ammunition hit the vehicle. But what caused Jamie to be gobsmacked was that the armour piercing rounds did not do their job at all as not a mark could be seen on the vehicle. Even the speed had not decreased.


    Even an M2 Bradley (25-ton American infantry fighting vehicle) would have been affected a little with this barrage of ammo attack. The barrage continued for two full minutes before stopping. The only damage that Jamie could notice was the wheel where small scraps could be seen falling off but it did not affect the mobility of the vehicle. Cold sweat started forming on Jamie''s forehead when he saw this.


    One could take this vehicle and go straight to war. For what purpose were these people using this battle beast in this unknown part of the world?


    Another icon lit up on the Nett warrior screen. Jamie knew that his captain usually always planned an alternate strategy. It was no surprise to Ben that these guys had higher military technology than the norm as can be seen from the ''gifting'' of the radar technology previously. So he had formulated a sure fire way to get that vehicle to stop i.e. remove the ground from beneath their feet. Even the most advanced ground vehicle had to have soil under its wheels to move. What if he removed the land from beneath them? This was also the reason he chose this valley for their ambush.


    BOOM! BOOM!! BOOM!!!


    A series of blasts lit up the dark night as the ground under the enemy vehicle was blasted to dust. The explosive power generated from these explosives created an instant pit around the vehicle. Jamie gulped a mouthful of saliva as he tried to moisten his dry throat when he saw that the vehicle was still intact even after such a huge explosion.


    The wheels of the vehicle started moving as if it was mocking them for their naive strategies. The loose black soil moved aside giving way to the vehicle as it started moving forward slowly but steadily. But then a splash sound was heard as the water from the stream came gushing out into this artificially created pit filling it up rapidly.


    The faster the wheels rotated, the faster they became entrenched into the ground as the loose soil and the water started to form a kind of swamp with all the churning of the wheels. The vehicle was now mired down into the ground unable to move forward anymore. The water slowly covered the vehicle as bubbles started escaping from the vehicle.


    "Awesome, Cap" Jamie muttered as he saw this scene from above.


    The door of the vehicle opened as a group of ten people climbed out and swam out of the pit.


    Another icon lit up the screen in Nett warrior as all the members simultaneously opened fire. All people were hit in multiple points on the spot without a chance to open their mouths as they were blasted away. When Jamie was thinking that the mission was accomplished, he saw a scene which he would not forget for the rest of his life. Three figures rose as if they had just been pushed to the ground. No wounds could be seen on them.


    They were the only three among the others who were clad in complete black clothes and wore a helmet with a dark red mask. The only parts of their body visible were a pair of eyes under the red mask which looked sinister and gloomy.


    The middle person who was the tallest and looked the strongest nodded his head once. The other two burst into high speed as they ran into the surrounding vegetation. No aim could catch them as they sprinted in an unpredictable pattern and disappeared into the dense foliage.


    Jamie felt a chill in his heart as if something bad was about to happen. Just as he was about to ask for instructions, he saw that a red dot vanished on the screen. When he thought he must have been mistaken, another dot vanished. He knew what was happening when he saw another dot vanishing. They were a total of fifty members participating in this mission.


    A formation icon lit up on the screen as it beeped and flickered. Jamie knew that Ben had come up with a counter-measure. Jamie noticed that the dots started coming close to each other instead of been spread out.


    "Target their masks with full force, I want you to hit their eyes, Use the precision-guided firearms," Ben''s voice was heard through the earpiece.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Five more people died before they could group together. Jamie gritted his teeth when he saw the casualties. These people had fought together with him on many missions. They were his brothers who shared life and death situations with him and here he was safe while his brothers were falling like a pack of cards. It was too simple and surreal to believe. His thinking was interrupted by a string of gunshots.


    "Got them," Robert''s deep voice was heard after a minute.


    "I want blood samples and facial identification," Ben ordered.


    "Roger"


    Ben walked into the opening in front of the third guy who did not seem the least bit perturbed by the death of his companions.


    "Why are you not attacking?" Ben stood some 20 m away from him as he asked when he looked at the only remaining survivor.


    The third person removed his mask and helmet revealing a young handsome Caucasian face with blond hair and green eyes as his mouth curled with disdain. "Who do you think you are?"


    "The people who have come to kill you," Ben said icily.


    Pfft!


    The green-eyed person smiled when he heard these words. He had an amused expression as he said, "Then what are you waiting for? Kill me."


    Ben did not waste any time as he whipped out a Glock pistol and shot at his forehead. He did not want to spend time exchanging threats and taunts with this person.


    The green-eyed guy face tilted back a little when the bullet hit his forehead. That''s it, no other sign that he was hit by a bullet could be seen on him. He smiled with scorn when he saw the blank look on Ben, "it''s your bad luck today that I was in this vehicle otherwise your mission might have been successful Mr Benjamin Miles, a renowned captain of Blood Water mercenaries. As for who I am, you are not eligible to know. Not only you, but any weak human should also lower their head when they are in front of me. We are going to be your masters in the near future, you better start practising subservience."


    Ben and other people who were paying attention were shocked that despite all their camouflages, they were recognized. Moreover, it was pitch dark and this person was not using any night vision goggles like them but he was able to ''see'' Ben.


    Ben looked at the opposite person and said, "You are right, I am Benjamin Miles from Blood Water but there is one thing that you got wrong," Ben gave a small confident smile as he continued, "today is not my unlucky day but it is fortunate that I could get to meet you."


    "Now,"


    Thin dark wires whipped out from the muddy, wet ground from all direction as they surrounded the green-eyed person from all directions. Even his face changed when he saw that he had been standing right in the middle of a trap. He felt humiliated when he knew that he was tricked by these puny, weak people as he saw these ropes surrounding him and tying him up. He was confident that he would free himself easily. But reality shocked him as no matter how much strength he applied, he couldn''t free himself and the ropes continued strengthening their grip on him.


    Ben walked over towards the fallen, struggling figure and knocked his forehead which produced dull metal sounds as he said, "Kid, just because you got an injection and got implanted with some metal in your body, you are already not recognizing yourself as a human being. Always remember, power is not absolute. Actually, you should have studied that in your biological class. Humans were never the strongest among other species but we still managed to become the ruling species. An elephant or a tiger is more ferocious and robust than a human but look at them now."


    "This wire is called purple plasma rope blended along with some Torag T1000G material, you can forget about freeing yourselves. I got them made especially for you." Ben said as he turned towards Robert and said gravely, "I want all the analyses, biopsies and diagnostics done right now on the spot. I have a feeling we caught a larger fish than we expected, I think ''they'' will not allow us to take him away."


    Ben took a communicative device and activated it to report the accomplishment of the mission and request support. His brows tightened after a while and then immediately spoke to Jamie, "Jamie, activate the emergency plan immediately, follow the instructions on the screen."


    Jamie who had just relaxed that the mission was over and they would leave this place once and for all was shocked when he heard Ben''s words. He only took a second to regain his composure and started following the instructions that started appearing on Nett Warrior. He connected a wire from Robert''s recording equipment and connected it to the panels containing big LED bulbs along with some other gadgets. He then activated it which caused the LED lights glowing once and switched off immediately but the panel was working as other gadgets started working.


    "What is this equipment, Captain?" Jamie asked but received no reply. When Jamie turned to look in the valley, his heart froze when he saw a thin ''person'' clutching a beating heart as a gaping hole could be seen on the chest of Ben. Except that, this person was unlike a human. He had yellow fur with black spots growing on his body. His eyes contained pupils which were shaped like vertical slits which glowed green in the dark.


    Jamie saw that all the others were also dead as they lay on the ground with their throats slit or crushed. He had completed the emergency setup in less than a minute and the world turned upside down in that small time gap. He saw that ''person'' take out a pocket knife and cut the strongest wire like it was a thin cotton thread and freed the green-eyed person. He then turned to look at Jamie who was in perfect camouflage and hiding spot as if there is nothing that could hide from his vertical pupils, he licked his furry mouth with an abnormally long tongue. Jamie felt like he was stared at by a wild animal, maybe this person was really a wild animal.


    He was puzzled as to why his Nett Warrior did not notify him about others dying or why the soldiers were not able to shoot even a bullet in their defence.


    The green-eyed person took a small metal sphere from his pocket and threw it above. The sphere detonated in flash of blue light and the video cut off.


    Harry''s hands were covered in sweat as he continued to look at the blank screen for some time expecting to see more but the video had truly ended.


    "The blue light at the end seemed like a..." Kevin broke the silence as he conjectured. his voice trembled a little which showed that Harry was not only one rattled by this video.


    "EMP blast, a miniaturized one at that," Harry completed. Kevin nodded as he also asked, "Do you know what that emergency apparatus was?"


    "I think it was a form of an optical communication device which uses both visible and invisible light like laser and LED light to send large amounts of information to a sensory satellite placed directly above them in space." Harry had heard about this from his friends in the Pentagon and thus could connect the dots.


    Ben asking Jamie to activate this apparatus could only mean that all other forms of communication were cut off before they could realize that they had been trapped instead. It was already a huge accomplishment for Ben to realize this at the last moment and decisively activate the last option otherwise Harry was sure that the government would not have got this video.


    Harry also knew that during a special operation like this, usually there is a central command module that stays connected to these forces at all times and also records their movements through cameras carried by every soldier. But Ben was not able to notice this till the last moment. This can only mean that the enemy had already created a fake command centre and played around with these mercenaries the whole time. So, in a way, this was not an ambush at all. It was more like a cat playing around with a mouse.


    The person covered in fur holding the beating heart of Ben was branded in Harry''s heart. Harry leaned back a little and closed his eyes as he said, "Kevin, could you leave me alone for a while?"

 56 - Nightmare

    Sounds of jabbering and gossiping could be heard in the luxurious banquet hall as many people, mostly comprised of youth, talked and laughed in merry as they waited for the entry of the main lead today. The spacious banquet hall was luxuriously decorated with classy, refined furniture with its vaulted ceilings, glossy hardwood walls and Italian marble flooring.


    A massive tiered crystal chandelier glittering in the soft light could be seen hanging in the middle giving a special touch to this venue. A professional musician in a formal black suit was playing on a grand piano placed in the corner of a stage as the guests enjoyed this soothing music. White-gloved uniformed waiters and waitresses were serving champagne and other snack items to the visitors.


    Elegant floral arrangements consisting of tulips, lilies, roses of multiple colours were placed in pre-planned discerning positions brought the partygoers'' attention to the huge extravagant screen in the middle which read, ''Happy Birthday To Hamsa Agarwal''. The air was filled with perfume and cologne smells.


    The music suddenly stopped as the lights dimmed while a white LED light was lit up to focus on a person who was so charming and staggeringly beautiful that the breath of the onlookers stopped for a few moments as if they did not want their breathing to disturb there concentration. Nobody dared to make a sound with the fear that they would disturb themselves and others thus tuning into a public enemy.


    The woman had an angelic face with large black eyes, flawless and lustrous skin. Her luscious red lips caused many men to gulp as they saw her give a gentle smile. Her large eyes became even more attractive with Kohl application. She walked in small steps with her head slightly lowered as she smiled at everyone with no discrimination. Anyone who saw her smile blessed her a long life from the bottom of their heart.


    She was dressed in a north Indian traditional dress which she liked very much. She wore a dusty pink dress with satin lining consisting of a blouse with a round neck which brought out the charm of her peerless swan neck and a net lehenga (ankle-length skirt) which was similar to a western princess dress. Her small, delicate waist was only covered by a transparent embroidered long scarf (choli) through which the navel could be seen if one concentrates. This dress achieved a delicate balance between tradition and modern beauty standards.


    She donned a layered pearl necklace with a matching pair of oxidized handcrafted pearl earrings with golden ear chains. She wore a set of pink beaded bangle set which matched well with her dress. Hamsa was very happy and felt blissful today not because her foster parents were celebrating her 21st birthday so extravagantly but for the simple reason that her foster parents finally accepted her as their daughter.


    They had brought her out for shopping and bought this birthday dress as they talked and chatted lovingly with her. They even bought her a car so that she would not have to use public transportation again. They gave a card filled with money for her to spend and encouraged her to buy jewellery for herself. When Hamsa was hesitating, they personally accompanied her to shop and bought this birthday dress and other jewellery. These past few days were her happiest ones she had since her parents passed away.


    Hamsa was a very simple girl with a little to no ambition. She just wanted her foster parents and siblings to accept her, nothing more. She did not want her parents'' property or other riches. Now that her wish had been fulfilled, she was feeling jubilant and gratified. Her lonely feeling had finally vanished. Some might think that Hamsa was foolish for been this way but that''s just the way she was. She wanted to have people around her accept her and she always strove for that.


    Hamsa walked with a smile as she noticed her foster parents waiting for her in front of a cake which was exotic. It was like three cubes of cake placed one above the other, which were only connected to each other from corners only. The above two layers felt like they were literally hanging in the air with no support. it looked like stairs. the cake was printed with photos of Hamsa''s childhood. Hamsa looked at this cake with interest. With a happy mood she was in, she felt excited about every small thing.


    When her foster father looked at her expression, he smiled gently and explained, "though it appears that that the cake is floating, it is actually held by metal and wood inside the lowest tier cake."


    Hamsa smiled as she understood but her true happiness came from the fact that her foster father took the time to explain such small things which never happened before.


    "Look at my darling daughter, isn''t she beautiful?" Hamsa''s foster mother caressed her long black wavy hair lovingly. All the neighbouring people nodded as they smiled.


    Hamsa blushed as she lowered her head shyly, pink patches appeared over her fair cheeks. This was all a new experience for her that it almost felt like a dream for her. If this was a dream, she wished that she never woke up from this dream.


    "Ah, Reyansh young master, you have come upon such short notice. It is very kind of you," Hamsa''s foster father hurriedly went forward to meet a handsome youth who was tall with long pomp and low fade hairstyle. He was fair with brown charming eyes. Especially the surrounding women''s eyes lit up when he smiled and talked in a refined way. He looked stunning and manly in Giorgio Armani anthracite coloured Slim-fit, half-canvas micro check twill Soho suit. One look was enough for anyone that this person was not your normal young master.


    Hamsa''s brows slightly frowned when she saw Reyansh but immediately relaxed. Although she knew that this senior of her in college appeared to fancy her, he did not go too far. It was only natural that he would come to her birthday party as her foster parents encouraged her to accept Reyansh. Though she knew that Reyansh was the most eligible life-partner that her classmates dreamt of seducing, her heart always became restless when she made eye contact with Reyansh. It was not ''love struck'' kind of restlessness but that of a feeling like ''something bad was going to happen'' type. So, she always maintained a safe distance from him.


    "Hamsa, you look very pretty tonight," Reyansh smiled gently as he praised her. Hamsa also smiled politely in return but did not speak.


    "Only praises and compliments? No gifts," Hamsa''s foster mother grabbed Hamsa''s hand and led her near Reyansh as she asked in a fake interrogative tone.


    "mother, why are you asking like that?" Hamsa was embarrassed and anxious when she saw her foster mother acting close to Reyansh.


    "Oh, I will give my gift after some time," Reyansh answered enigmatically as he looked at Hamsa from top to bottom. His eyes gleamed for a flash, his smile widened as he gave a look to Hamsa''s foster father.


    "Okay, let us start the program, Hamsa dear, come here to cut the cake." Hamsa''s foster father spoke as he called all the invitees to the centre under the huge chandelier. Everyone cheered as they saw Hamsa cut the cake gracefully and thanked everyone for giving their blessings to her by coming. She personally attended to everyone as they enjoyed the sumptuous feast with all kinds of exotic varieties. As Hamsa was a non-alcoholic, she could only drink soft drinks when people drank as they wished her health and prosperity.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Hamsa started feeling weak and dizzy at some point of time when the party was finished and most of the people had left. She informed her foster parents and took a room card key to take some rest. She was in no hurry as this hotel was her parents''.


    Hamsa did not even change her clothes as she took off her heavy jewellery and crashed into the soft bed. She only left the silver anklet on her left foot as this was her mother''s and she always had it on her. She closed her eyes and slept blissfully thinking that her good days had started and she did not have to worry about being spurned by her foster parents any longer.


    After some time, Hamsa was woken up by a painful stimulus. When she opened her eyes, Hamsa saw a scene which shattered her delicate, pure heart. A naked man was kissing her all over her naked body. As if kissing was not enough, he was biting her neck like a beast and forcefully pinching her soft arms and legs leaving glaring red prints on her snow complexion skin.


    She recognized the naked man, it was Reyansh. Many questions bombarded her at once, Why is he doing this? How did he come? How could he do something so cruel to me? The only thought she could think of was that she had to shout loudly and call her foster parents who would come and rescue her before it is too late. Just as she was about to shout, the doorbell rang. Reyansh got off the bed with a regretful expression as he put on some clothes and opened the door.


    "Reyansh young master, I brought you some things which might be helpful. You don''t have to worry about Hamsa making a big fuss about it. I know that she is a very traditional girl. If you do the deed, then she will definitely follow you as she treasures her purity immensely." a female voice could be heard speaking to Reyansh.


    It was not the meaning of those words that caused intense grief to Hamsa but the person to whom the voice belonged. That was her foster mother. Hamsa''s soul died that moment, so all the love, care and affection was an act. There was never any care for her, everything was done so that they could sell her to Reyansh.


    Hamsa did not even care about shouting anymore, her last will had been ripped off mercilessly by reality. She was practically dead inside right now, so if Reyansh were too come back, she will kill herself and be done with it. She did not want to live anymore. For whom should she live for? For what? It felt easier and comfortable for her to end her life now so that she did not have to bear any more pain. Even her eyes seemed to think that it was not worth wasting tears as she closed her eyes.


    Reyansh threw his coat over his shoulder and walked out of the room under the puzzled eyes of Hamsa''s foster mother. "Young master, is there any problem?"


    Reyansh smiled at her and said, "you don''t know me. Do you think I am one of those weak cowards who force themselves upon an unconscious woman? Hamsa will be mine but only when she pleads me to sleep with her."


    "But young master, you don''t know Hamsa. She is a very conservative girl. It will not be easy to make her come to you. it''s better if you do her now." the middle-aged woman said anxiously, as long as Reyansh sleeps with Hamsa, their hotel could be upgraded to a Five-star hotel.


    "If Hamsa was easy, why would I even bother trying. it''s fun only when she is very hard to subdue," Reyansh replied with disdain.


    "Then, why did you..." she hesitated before completing her question as she looked at the bruises on Hamsa.


    "Oh, Hamsa was really beautiful today, I just couldn''t help myself," Reyansh also looked back at Hamsa with a burning gaze. He did not plan on making a move on her today but he lost his control when he saw Hamsa tonight. If Hamsa''s foster mother had not interrupted he might have continued but now that he is back to his senses. He restrained himself as so much fun would have been missed if he took Hamsa today. That would be a pity. Anyway, she was going to be his at last. Delaying gratification can increase the pleasure obtained. He took a last look at Hamsa and walked away.


    Hamsa heard every word of their conversation but did not register one word in her mind. After some time, she got up, put on a set of normal clothes and walked through the door. She walked into a dark corridor where there was not a beam of light. There was only endless darkness and despair as she walked aimlessly for time unknown. She could hear the conversation between Reyansh and her foster mother been repeated in her ears endlessly. Her heart trembled whenever she remembered Reyansh molesting her.


    She remembered the happy memories she had accumulated the past few days only to realize that these were all unreal and fake. She felt nauseated now when she thought of her foster parents soft, caring words and deeds. She saw that the corridor that she walked into ended up opening into a maze. The walls of the maze extended to the sky leaving her no other choice but to enter the maze.


    She dragged herself for many hours as she wandered in this maze ending up with dead-ends always. The maze corridor gradually thinned as she walked deeper leaving very less space for her to move freely. The walls of the maze were covered with thorny bushes which started scraping her clothes and skin bit by bit as the width decreased.


    When she wanted to return the way she came, she found that the return was not possible as the route was closed. She could only feel her way forward in the darkness. Every time she used her hands to feel, she would be pricked by thorns and her hand would bleed. If she did not feel with her hands, she would end up walking into a wall full of thorns directly which was excruciatingly painful. Her hands would bleed, scabs would form in the process of healing after some time and before the wounds are cured, her scabs would be again pricked by sharp thorns causing more bleeding. She was filled with despair as she lost her hope to survival or a painless death as she kept on moving forward like a moving corpse. the only motivation she had so that she continued moving forward was the silver anklet on her foot. The picture of her mother''s last words before she died lingered in her heart preventing her from giving up.


    After what felt like a few days of this kind of agonizing travel, it started raining suddenly which jolted Hamsa from her despair as she let the cold raindrops drench her as cool, fresh water flow on her injured skin. She felt that this water can wash off anything, even the pain in her heart.


    When Hamsa was experiencing this, she saw a beam of light pierce through the darkness and lad on her pale face. She ran towards the warm light like never before. She saw a sphere of light floating in the middle of the dark path emitting all kind of brilliant sparks filled with myriad colours. Each and every beam that fell on her body as she ran towards that sphere caused her to feel cured as if all her pain, despair was vanishing like fog in sunlight.


    Hamsa did not think anything before holding on to that sphere with all the strength her frail body could gather. The movement she caught that sphere, she felt safe and secure like no harm could fall on her as long as she was holding this sphere. The wounds caused by the thorns were been cured at a rate visible to the naked eyes. The wounds were replaced by new, glowing skin which was as delicate as a baby''s. Suddenly, she felt an urge to cry, to let out all her pain and grief. Hamsa cried like a little baby without caring for anything as she felt the pain crystallized in her heart from so long, finally melting and leaving her.


    She basked in the warm lights as her tears rolled down her cheeks while a small, blissful smile appeared on her face finally. She closed her eyes and slept peacefully holding on to the fluffy sphere.


    When Hamsa woke up after some time, feeling refreshed and peaceful, she felt something wet on her cheeks. She blinked cutely as she gained focus slowly. She was lying on a sky blue coloured pillow which was wet. Wait, why was this pillow so hard, it feels like it is stuffed with bones?


    Bones? When Hamsa lifted her tear-stained head she saw a pair of eyes filled with care and pity looking at her as warm sunlight shone through the window of the room. Her cheeks blushed when she finally realized that she woke up hugging Aditya again. She knew even without looking that it was she who was on Aditya''s bed and not the other way round. Why would today be any different when she had been doing the same thing for a whole week?

 57 - A New Ability (1)

    "Another nightmare?" Aditya asked softly with a smile as he patted Hamsa''s delicate back gently. When you wake every morning been hugged continuously for a week, these small touches are not a big deal anymore.


    Hamsa smiled when she felt Aditya''s care. She got up while tying up her loose hair into a bun and walked into the kitchen, "Get up and drink some warm water, I will go prepare breakfast."


    Given Aditya''s age and energy, he would definitely experience a boner if he woke up with such a woman like Hamsa embracing him firmly. But, that was not the case for Aditya because whenever he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks and drenching his shirt, his fiery heart along with his shirt also cooled down.


    Aditya did not pay much attention to Hamsa''s problems or issues in the beginning. He confined his care only to providing shelter and some protection. Aditya did not have the time nor the heart to go any deeper as he was already neck deep with his own concerns that he did not contact his elder sisters or his friends.


    He was now doing freelancing programming jobs and worked as a mechanic till the evening. As for the evening, that was where most of his energies were been invested right now with the underworld of Bangalore heating up.


    With all these matters, he spent very little time with Hamsa. Usually, they would have time to talk when they woke up in the morning as Aditya did his programming. Afterwards, she would go to buy some groceries or visit Saanvi for lessons. Sometimes, Saanvi would come visiting. Aditya would only come back late in the night.


    Also, Aditya started spending more time in Tya''s world during the night since last week. He discovered that his body was not affected by him spending prolonged time in Tya''s world. In that way, though it looked like Aditya was sleeping for barely six hours, he was actually spending 15 days. He had ample time to rest while his body also recharged quickly with slight tweaking from Tya.


    Aditya discovered a new phenomenon when he slept in Tya''s world i.e. he did not dream of an alternate world when he slept in that world. Though Aditya was really curious about the ''other'' Aditya''s future in that world, now was not the time fooling around with this non-consequential information.


    So, since the past week, Aditya''s alternate world story basically paused. The ''other'' Aditya had stopped fooling around with women and started concentrating in his aeronautical engineering while pretty much everything else was normal. The only thing he missed about these dreams was that he got to see his parents. He really missed them.


    But, despite his busy schedule and limited interaction with Hamsa, he had begun to like her. Who wouldn''t like a gentle and good woman like Hamsa? She had started to look after his diet, she would cook for him, go out and buy the necessary groceries.


    She was the one who kept the penthouse neat and tidy. She would even wash his t-shirts and pants. Aditya experienced no troubles with her, she never raised any ruckus. Aditya sometimes felt that he was not providing a temporary asylum to her by he had hired her as a maid or a housekeeper whose only salary was the daily supply of food. This train of thought ended up making him feel a little guilty but he did not stop her or force her to do anything on Saanvi''s suggestion. Saanvi said that it was good that she was keeping herself busy.


    Both Aditya and Hamsa had also become accustomed to Saanvi. Both of them always felt a calm and peaceful atmosphere around Saanvi and quite enjoyed her company as she conversed about all kinds of topics. She had also started tutoring Hamsa seriously. Hamsa also spent most of her time studying for the final year exams due in three months. Except when she cried in her sleep, Aditya or Saanvi never saw her show a hint of sadness or trauma in her daily life. Even Saanvi was shocked at Hamsa''s mental stability but only Aditya knew the real reason.


    "Tya, are you sure that your treatment is working?" Aditya asked when he saw Hamsa working in the kitchen.


    "Adi, believe me, I can feel that she is already 80% cured of her trauma, the energy which was supposed to be absorbed by you is being absorbed by her when she hugs you. This energy is useful to her both mentally and psychologically." Tya''s cute voice rang out. The past week Aditya had been practically spending the whole night i.e. 15 days with Tya, so, they both became even more familiar to each other.


    "It''s a pity that elder sister Hamsa is taking away your energy otherwise you would have got a new ability by now, Adi you don''t know what you are missing on, with this ability, you don''t have to worry about the surveillance of ''that'' organization which took away Ma and Pa. Without that concern, you could finally flex all of your abilities without any fear." Tya spoke with some regret.


    "Well, as long as it helps her, I don''t mind waiting for a few weeks," Aditya said when he remembered the pitiful picture of Hamsa crying bitterly. His feelings about Hamsa was not the same as the past week. She had become his friend now after living together for some time. One had to know how Aditya felt about Hamsa when she was just an unknown stranger. He even risked himself getting hurt to save her just because of the feeling she gave to him. Now that they both lived and slept under the same roof for a few days and he practically saw her suffering every night, Aditya would not feel good about himself if he didn''t help her when he had the capacity.


    "Also, I am already satisfied with the new ability that you created recently," Aditya smiled as he sat in a cross-legged position and closed his eyes. Meditation was his ruse whenever he visited Tya for a considerable time during morning hours.


    When Hamsa saw Aditya meditating, a small smile formed on her face as she looked at Aditya without the fear of been caught. She did not know from when she started feeling this way, but whenever she saw Aditya, her heart would feel calm and her soul peaceful. Though she did not want to agree, she knew in her inner mind that Aditya was the main reason for her recovery in such a short time which even shocked elder sister Saanvi.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Ever since she started sleeping along with Aditya, she realized a visible reduction of psychological stress and traumatic depression. She felt more invigorated both physically and mentally day by day.


    Every morning she would wake up feeling more and more happy as if some weight had been removed from her heart. She had stopped manifesting physical reaction like jerking, jolting, trembling when she remembered the tragic night.


    Though people like Aditya and elder sister did not know how she felt due to her introvert nature and tight mouth, she knew about her condition. So how could she not notice that she was getting better very rapidly without much of medical intervention? And, most important of all, she had the same dream every night for the past week.


    She would first dream of that birthday night, then the event with Reyansh, then she would walk into a maze and suffer. When she thought that there was no way she could walk out of this despair, she would always find the beam of light and then the soft sphere radiating multiple beams of myriad coloured light filled with warmth and strength. She would then cry giving vent to her grief and sleep peacefully while snuggling onto the sphere. She would always wake up discovering that she was hugging Aditya actually, drenching his shirt with her tears. He would not get angry or irritated or make any unwanted advances taking advantage of her.


    It was not only that, Hamsa had recently discovered that some people were following her wherever she went. At first, she thought these people were sent by Reyansh or her parents and tried her best to escape. After some time they would disappear and she would relax and go home. But yesterday, some other goons actually came to forcefully take her away blatantly when she was returning home at night from elder sister Saanvi''s place after lessons. To her surprise, before she could call for help, the gang from previous day actually appeared and beat up these guys mercilessly until there faces were swollen and bleeding.


    After the beating, they turned towards Hamsa and smiled while bowing courteously and went away. Hamsa was shocked when she saw this event and then suddenly her eyes lit up when she remembered the reason that elder sister Saanvi had asked her to stay with Aditya in the first place. Wasn''t it because that elder sister Saanvi felt that Aditya had the power to protect her?


    Hamsa was shocked when she discovered that elder sister Saanvi was right. Aditya was not as simple as he looked. She was puzzled why such a person would work as a mechanic instead of going to school to study properly. She had also noticed that Aditya was proficient in programming, her eyes would always become blurred and feel dizzy whenever she saw him typing. The speed was the fastest she had ever seen but she could not judge his talent based on this as she was not trained in programming herself. Also, the money was getting piled into a heap in the kitchen every day and when she asked Aditya about saving it in a bank account, he would smile and ignore her suggestion. She could only go along with the flow as she knew her limits.


    Another aspect of Aditya that caused even the depressed her to burst into a fit of laughter was that this teenager seemed to have a habit of singing cute children songs while keeping a lollipop in his mouth. Who would sing children songs so passionately in this age? She was amused when she saw Aditya''s embarrassed expression.


    Elder sister Saanvi had asked if she wanted to shift to her place when she heard that Aditya had somehow got some people to protect her. Elder sister felt that since Aditya was not staying in that place at all times and he had already had her protected, Hamsa could move into her place as that would be convenient to both of them and can visit Aditya from time to time. But, Hamsa instinctively and decisively rejected this proposition even before Saanvi could complete the suggestion.


    When elder sister Saanvi saw Hamsa reject immediately, she looked at Hamsa with narrowed eyes with a strange smile which caused Hamsa to blush fiercely and lower her head not daring to look into Elder sister''s eyes as she fiddled with her delicate fingers restlessly.


    Actually, Hamsa did not know the shock Saanvi was experiencing when she saw how ''normal'' Hamsa was now in comparison to her state of mind when she saw her a week ago. It was like Hamsa was completely cured even psychologically which is not a normal thing as Saanvi had seen many such victims who failed to recover during their whole life. How did Aditya achieve this?


    While Hamsa continued to look at Aditya, Aditya, on the other hand, appeared in midst of a small library filled with hundreds of books.


    Yes, this was Tya''s world, it was no longer filled with spheres of dazzling colours and fogs of myriad brilliance. This was the new ability of Tya, it was not exactly a new one per se. Tya could basically manipulate this world to mimic the real world. Anything Aditya saw, felt, smelled, heard, tasted could be created in this world.


    So Tya along with Aditya spent many days designing and creating new structures in this place. No energy was wasted as according to Tya, this world followed the conservation of energy laws. So as long as there were spheres or fog, Tya could have them transform into something else. But there was a limitation to this ability. Only information that Aditya could ''clearly'' and ''perfectly'' understand was able to be created here. For example, Aditya did not understand the functioning of a mobile phone, how a processor works? How the LED screen works or how a battery is made? So, neither Aditya nor Tya could create a real mobile phone in this world. Tya could create an image of a mobile phone but can''t make it function like a real one.


    Aditya was also not able to create a car engine as although he knew it''s design and functions, he did not know the alloy composition of the metal used or other complex material used in manufacturing a car. So, this ability is pretty useless to Aditya unless he starts studying right from the basics of elements and their properties. This was not something he could achieve now.


    So the library, filled with wooden furniture, in which Aditya was standing was a little illusory in nature as he did not know much about types of wood and their internal structures. So, presently Aditya could only use this ability, for one thing, i.e. storing knowledge. Yes, Aditya figured out this use when he visited a bookstore once. When Aditya was flipping the pages of a ''hacking for dummies'' book, Tya was able to create a copy of this book in his world easily as words are pretty easy to copy.


    Not much information or knowledge was required when creating words. But Tya could not create the exact book as that would need knowledge of paper material, ink material etc. so the copy was a lookalike but that was enough for Aditya to ''rob'' the book store. In the matter of a few hours, with the help of ''Slow Timing'' and ''Sensifull'', Aditya ''copied'' hundreds of books pertaining to programming and hacking.


    Actually, it was not a matter of money to Aditya but rather the ability to carry a manifold amount of knowledge along with him at all times. At present, even if he bought all these books, his place did not have enough place to store them. Also one had to know that the time is skewed in Tya''s world, he could study these books at his leisure in that world with 60 times more efficiency.


    As Aditya felt guilty for taking all the knowledge for free, he bought a book worth 50 bugs ($ 0.72) and left with his head held high under the frustrated eyes of the storekeeper.

 58 - New Ability (2)

    "Adi, come here quickly," an adorable shout was heard when Aditya was preparing to read a book before having breakfast.


    Aditya held an illusory looking book which was titled as ''The Web Application Hacker''s Handbook: Discovering and Exploiting Security Flaws''. The book looked like it was alive and moving as the words in the book seemed to change their colours once in a while as hey floating above the pages which seemed to be made of milk as waves and ripples could be seen when Aditya turned the pages like he was holding onto a semi-opaque object.


    Aditya was about to finish this book so he did not respond to Tya''s shouts and finished the book quickly as he activated ''Sensifull'' ability. With ''Sensifull'' ability, he could take in the contents of the whole page at once instead of reading the book line by line. With his super comprehensive abilities and memory capability, it was possible for him to read at such pace. He was fortunate that he had these crazy cognitive abilities to supplement this ability otherwise even if Tya was able to copy all the books into this world, it would take him years to complete one reading let alone understanding, remembering and putting them into practical application.


    "Adi, I am going to get angry if you do not come right now," an angry warning was heard which Tya successfully managed to make it sound cute and harmless somehow.


    Aditya smirked as he pressed the finished book in his hand. The book turned back into the fog and went back to its original form. He did not want to spare any space for the books which he had already finished reading as there was no question of him forgetting the knowledge. He turned and took another book which was titled ''Black Hat Python: Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters'' and sat down.


    He smiled as he thought, ''this Tya is getting out of hand day by day, especially since I started spending more time here during night times. I need to start disciplining him otherwise, who knows what he will do if I spoiled him too much. Even Hamsa is laughing when I sing children songs and licking lollipops. This has to end...'' before he finished this thought, the book he had just opened turned into fog.


    Aditya was dumbstruck when he saw the book which he had not read yet, vanish. It did not take long before he knew who had done it as he angrily stomped out of the small library as he shouted, "Tya, what are you thinking about yourself, do you know the value of the book that you just destroyed (cough). Do you know how much I had to sacrifice for getting that book? (cough cough)..."


    Sniff Sniff...


    Before he could complete his outburst, he saw Tya''s unbelievably cute face which was contorting a little as he pouted and looked at Aditya with disproportionately big, round, watery eyes as he held the book which had just vanished in his small chubby hands.


    All the act that Aditya had built up to use this chance to discipline Tya dispersed when he saw Tya''s pitiful expression. It can''t be helped, Tya was so adorable and endearing that Aditya just couldn''t stand seeing Tya crying in front of him.


    "Nothing, it''s nothing, I was just playing with you, how could I not know that you can recreate any books which had already entered, don''t cry, I am teaching you social interaction so that you won''t be bullied by anyone in the future. You need to know how to deal with angry people otherwise you would be hurt if you are not prepared. Cough cough.." Aditya rambled on as he tried to assuage Tya''s grief.


    Sniff Sniff...


    "Okay, sorry, I am sorry, I will never shout at you ever again," Aditya admitted defeat immediately when he saw that Tya''s darling face did not become normal still.


    "really?" Tya asked


    "Yup, I promise on the life of teacher Suresh," Aditya nodded seriously as he looked at Tya ''earnestly'' (for people who have trouble remembering Suresh, he was basically the teacher in charge of the cafeteria when Yu Yan was bullied by Karan and Aditya defended her. He is basically a douche bag. Tya doesn''t know him.)


    "Who is that teacher Suresh?" Tya asked in a lovable manner as he tilted his head cutely.


    "You don''t know the great teacher Suresh? He was a legend in my previous school, all the students worshipped him for his fairness in teaching and moral integrity." Aditya said in an unnaturally low and deep voice to make himself believable.


    "Oh," Tya listened earnestly as he said, "I also want to meet such a legendary figure."If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Yeah sure, definitely," Aditya also nodded, "right, Tya, why did you call me?"


    "Elder brother Adi, take a look at the sky," Tya replied in an anticipatory tone with a bright smile on his face. It was good that Aditya had developed a certain immunity towards cuteness while staying with Tya for a long time. If it was not the case, even a stone-hearted person wouldn''t be able to resist lifting Tya and kissing his cheeks.


    "Sky? We don''t have a sky¡­" Aditya stood transfixed as he saw that the colourful fog and spheres had vanished and replaced by a dark sky filled with pentagram shaped stars placed symmetrically at uniform distances from each other. Except that these stars looked tens of times larger than the usual ones and they were not radiating white light but scintillating gleams of bright and diverse colours which caused Aditya to mistake them as disco lights rather than stars. Also, the sky somehow seemed more reachable than the real one. But the view itself was splendid and fascinating as he stood for a long time basking in the colours with a serene look on his face.


    "Where did you get this idea from?" Aditya asked after some time as the feeling of euphoria finally settled down.


    Tya corrected his tone as he started singing the most popular rhyme in the history of rhymes,


    Twinkle Twinkle little stars ???


    Here Tya paused as he looked expectantly at Aditya who did not open his mouth as he looked like he was making a life-changing decision.


    How I wonder what you are ? ? ?


    Aditya had a helpless expression on his face when he saw Tya''s eyes becoming watery, he sighed as if he was going to sacrifice something as he opened his mouth at last.


    Up above the world so high


    Like a diamond in the sky.???


    Adi: 0


    Life: 1


    ¡­


    "Why are you looking so depressed," Hamsa asked with concern as she and Aditya had breakfast. Most of the time, this was the only meal that they had together. Aditya had a dull look on his face as his eyes conveyed helplessness. He would sometimes smile bitterly as he looked at the street visible through the window. Hamsa started to think if the breakfast was not tasty but she did not find any defects as usually, Aditya liked her cooking a lot.


    Today''s breakfast was Pongal (a popular south Indian rice dish made of rice, mung beans, peppers, jaggery and cashews).


    Aditya snapped out of his depressing thoughts when he heard Hamsa''s words as he hurriedly shook his head and started to dig into the hot, steaming breakfast with a spoon. His eyes lit up when he took in the first spoon as he complimented, "this Pongal is amazing but I think that there are too many cashew nuts added, right?"


    Hamsa hesitated before she finally replied, "I think that you need to eat a lot of nuts in your diet so that you could get the necessary proteins. You know..." she stopped there as she took a look at Aditya''s lean physique and thin arms with genuine worry.


    Crack!


    Aditya felt that his heart cracked as it was unable to withstand two heavy blows in one morning. He hurriedly finished his breakfast, wore his mechanic uniform and went downstairs step by step as he cut a sorry figure.


    Adi: 0


    Life: 2


    ¡­


    "Adi, what happened? You look a bit dep..."


    "Depressed, I know, cut it. What are the repairs today?" Aditya asked as he did not want to discuss the philosophy of life with Chakri.


    "catalytic converter replacement, clutch assembly replacement, head gasket replacement..."


    "Stop, cylinder head gasket replacement it is," Aditya began his work. Most of the repairs usually cost the most on the replacement parts while the actual work involved is less but head gasket replacement parts are very cheap when compared with its repair cost as the labour involved in getting the head off and skimming it, is pretty huge.


    A cylinder head gasket usually never needs a replacement but when it does get blown, the main part of the repair is not the actual replacement but discovering the primary cause of that blowing. If that cause was not addressed and only a replacement was done then the gasket is bound to fail again.


    It can be due to some kind of blocking or cracking or warping of the cylinder head which can be caused due to overheating. Again overheating is not the main cause as that can be caused due to radiator problem or intake manifold defect or a thermostat issue.


    Aditya whistled lightly as he saw the Grey metallic Toyota Corolla Altis VL car which required the head gasket replacement. It looked like a pretty new car, not more than a year old.


    "Nice car, right?" Chakri said as he looked at the design but Aditya did not speak as he looked at the car.


    "What you don''t like this car? The design of this 11th generation Corolla is much better than it''s predecessors," Chakri said as he continued to look at this car with appreciation.


    Aditya shook his head as he said, "Don''t get me wrong, I respect Toyota for their reliability and quality but as a layman, my first response after looking at the dashboard was ''Eww''. don''t you think that it resembles that of a truck."


    "That I can''t refute," Chakri nodded, "But the exterior design has gotten much better, don''t you..." his voice trailed off when he saw a teen girl hugging Aditya tightly from behind.


    The girl cried excitedly, "Adi, it''s been such a long time, I missed you so much. Did you miss me too? That idiot Kranthi had posted on the social network that he had helped you get a job and a load of other crap. Why didn''t you contact me when you had some difficulty? You didn''t think that the first girl you ever kissed was not worthy of sharing your difficulties."


    Aditya did not move but a warm smile could be seen forming on his face as he said, "Kumari, if it was not for your voice, I would have mistaken that it was a boy that hugged me, looks like you have not ''grown'' yet."


    "As expected from our very own lecher, playboy Adi," Kranthi smiled as he walked towards them as his fat jiggled while the girl who had just hugged Aditya started kicking him and raising up a fuss while Chakri watched on not knowing what to do? He had only one thought in his mind, "Damn, she is beautiful, a pity..."

 59 - Another Instance

    "Say sorry," Kumari twisted Aditya''s ear as she demanded with an angry expression as he pouted her lips in dissatisfaction.


    "Never, one should always call a spade a spa¡­ Aahh! Okay Sorry Kumkum," Aditya changed his sentence midway.


    "Pussy," Kranthi muttered under his breath when he saw Aditya give up so quickly but he also knew better than anybody that who would win if you tested Kumari''s stubbornness. This girl was as stubborn as a mule. A tigress in the making. Also, Kranthi, as well as Kumari, knew that Aditya would never raise his hand against a woman thanks to his father''s upbringing. So Kumari took full advantage of this fact without a tiny bit of guilty consciousness. Chakri had left when he saw that this was a gathering of old friends.


    Hmph! Kumari released Aditya as a bright smile appeared on her face again. She hugged Aditya from the front as she shouted so loudly that half the garage heard her even with all the noise, "I missed you."


    To be frank, Aditya was a little shocked at Kumari''s enthusiasm as he examined her closely with a puzzled expression.


    Kumari had changed so much in these two years since he changed schools. Kumari used to hang out with him and White Buffalo during their childhood. In a way, she was one of the few who knew everything about Aditya''s history and vice-versa.


    She was a textbook example of a tomboy then, she hanged out usually with boys, maintained short hair, wore sporty clothes and hooded jackets. There was a time when she wore pants instead of a skirt for the school sports day and participated in the boys running race and actually came first in it. Before they reached their teens, Aditya and Kranthi also truly treated her like another boy and even when they discovered their sexual nature, they never felt ''that'' way with Kumari. But the same could not be said of Kumari who had suddenly discovered the difference but she couldn''t change her outlook and habits successfully as she continued to hang around with Aditya and Kranthi instead of other girls.


    In the end, she even began discussing beauties with Aditya and Kranthi as if it was normal. Aditya had finally realized one day that Kumari was going the ''other'' way when she fought with him for the right to love Sameera, a beautiful girl who came from the Capital and joined their class midterm.


    Aditya would have found it perfectly normal if his love rival was another boy even if it was his best friend Kranthi. He thought about it seriously for two days before he decided to assume responsibility and take decisive action. He bunked school in 10th grade and dragged Kumari alone to watch a blue film (adult film) in a cinema hall so that she would understand some ''truths''.


    But the reality betrayed Aditya as Kumari started watching the woman while displaying a drooling expression. Aditya despaired at that time and in that despair, he forcefully held Kumari''s face and kissed her on the lips which happened to be the first for both of them. Both Aditya and Kumari were shocked but neither of them pulled away. Aditya also slowly forgot his purpose and slid his tongue into Kumari''s mouth while she did not obstruct or resist. Instead, she also used her small, juicy tongue to wrestle with Aditya excitedly.


    The hall was dark and most of them were couples who came to do their things. So, Aditya and Kumari finally parted after some 30 minutes as they looked at each other with fiery and complicated gazes. They left for their respective homes without any parting words. If they were sure of one thing, it was that things would never be the same between them after they tasted the forbidden fruit.


    After that, Aditya and Kumari pushed Kranthi out from their circle gradually for ''obvious'' reasons. It would not have been complicated if things stopped there but Sameera became close to both Aditya and Kumari muddying the waters.


    Kumari knew that Aditya had feelings for Sameera while she also had the same feelings. By now, she had discovered that she was supposed to be a lesbian but because of Aditya''s intervention in the budding stage, she somehow turned into a bisexual. She liked both Aditya and Sameera now. So in a way, getting both Aditya and Sameera together with her would be a win-win situation for everyone (she did not consider Sameera''s thoughts).


    Sameera who was just a pure girl with a blank sheet-like heart was easily subdued with the joint attacks of Aditya and Kumari. Then started the legend of ''Playboy'' Adi who was romancing two girls at once but the real truth only known to them was that each member of the trio had two partners.


    Though they fooled around a lot, Aditya never allowed himself to take the last step for some reason. Sameera also felt the same way so with both of them restraining Kumari, all of them maintained a healthy relationship which was happy and not complicated though it did not look that way to outsiders.


    This triangular relationship broke when Aditya transferred schools leaving Kumari and Sameera. Aditya had conjectured that Kumari and Sameera would be there for each other and so he thought they would not think much about him or miss him. But the reality seemed different from his expectations when he saw the exhilaration in Kumari''s eyes. Dark circles could be seen around her eyes which contrasted with her milky-white complexion.


    Another great change, he noticed that Kumari had grown her hair to medium length. She had straightened her hair. She had dyed her hair in silky and smooth coffee colour which was complemented with soft touches of caramel balayage. She had a new ''half up half down'' hairstyle with long straight bangs reaching her cheeks making them feel loose and playful. She would have looked very cute and energetic if she didn''t have the bleak aura around her.


    She wore a dark navy blue woven shirt dress which was printed with beautiful floral patterns. This dress was sleeveless, was of midi length and had a curved hem. A pink belt tightened the dress around her thin waist which brought out her curves which were still developing. She wore a pair of girly pink Felix runner shoes which matched well with her belt and her artificial pink stone-studded circular earrings.


    Aditya who was observing her froze when he saw a cheap multicoloured multi-faceted brass bracelet which was hanging on her left wrist. He caught her left hand and asked, "What happened to Sameera?" this was the bracelet that he had gifted her. She had always liked wearing it and had promised him that she would never give this bracelet to anyone and would wear it until it wore off. Aditya was shocked when he saw Kumari wearing it which made him feel a bad premonition that something had happened to Sameera.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Kumari gave an astringent smile as she said, "She died a year ago, yesterday was her 1st death anniversary, this was the only item she left behind," she gripped Aditya''s hand tightly, no one knew if she was comforting him or was seeking comfort from him.


    "What! But white buffalo told that Sameera was about to get a boyfriend last time he mentioned you guys?" Aditya''s heart shuddered when he heard these words. The girl with bright and pure laughter appeared in his mind. How was this possible?


    "It was due to an accident," Kumari replied succinctly. She patted Aditya''s back but could not bring herself to speak comforting words.


    Aditya rarely got angry at anyone. Even when Karan had humiliated him in the past, he did not retaliate and only when Karan took Anupama''s name did he react. But now Aditya felt very angry as he held Kranthi''s collar furiously as he roared angrily without caring about the place they were in, "Why didn''t you tell me already?"


    Aditya knew that he did not possess the feeling of real love for Sameera but that did not erase the fact that she was a very good friend who always supported him. He still remembered those days when he had started working in his father''s friend''s garage. She would visit him regularly with packages of snacks from time to time. He had never seen her show a hint of disdain at his work or treat him differently.


    Her simple and stainless personality was what attracted him to her in the first place. Now that he heard that she had died and that Kranthi had hidden the fact from him. His sad and gloomy feelings turned into anger towards Kranthi.


    "Adi, when we got the news that Sameera was involved in an accident, she was only deemed missing in action at first, only after a thorough search was conducted and some dried blood samples matched the DNA data of Sameera that the government declared her dead. But her parents had not accepted her death nor did Kumari, so no one dared to inform others that Sameera had died then. Even now, Sameera''s mother lives in a delusion that she will return someday." Kranthi explained patiently and continued.


    "As for informing you when I met you a few weeks ago, do you really think I can''t tell that you already have a lot going on in your mind? We have grown up together, you were and are always my best friend, you think I can''t tell that something had happened to Uncle and aunt? Otherwise, why would you suddenly stop going to school and start working at my garage at a whim?"


    "Also, Sameera had already died a year ago, what could you do if you knew about her except mourning for her? So I thought of revealing the truth after you have settled down, that is why I also stopped Kumari from coming here immediately when she knew that you were working in my father''s garage." Kranthi who usually acted jovial and foolish had an earnest face as he explained in a sincere voice.


    "Kumari was the one who asked me to tell you that she already had a boyfriend and that Sameera was going to get one so as to see if you had any true feelings for her. We decided that if you felt anxious or restless, we would stall the truth as long as possible. If you did not have any big reaction, we had decided to reveal Sameera''s death today as she was once your best friend after all." Kranthi finished as he looked at Aditya and did not make any move.


    Aditya''s hands loosened Kranthi collar as he sat down on a stool. He felt warm in his heart that though Kranthi looked like he was dumb and did not care, he was still protecting him in his own way. But at the same time, Sameera''s death was not a small blow to him.


    Every instance he had shared with Sameera flashed by in his mind. Her beautiful face, her sunny smile, her moral support. The moment when they kissed for the first time. It was in the bushes at the back of their school''s playground. She would even do his homework sometimes when he was busy working in the garage. She was always acting as the mediator and the pacifier when Aditya and Kumari fought or argued. Most of the time the verbal fight ended up with Kumari physically attacking Aditya when she couldn''t win with logic. Sameera would always appear and defend Aditya while gently dissuading Kumari.


    Now, when Aditya suddenly knew that Sameera had died a year ago. He did not know how to respond. He stood after a while and hugged Kumari. He knew that Kumari truly developed feelings for Sameera in the end. He was sure that these both girls would end up together in the end if no external obstacle came up. He knew that the person who most needed consoling was Kumari and he also knew that he was the right person to do that given their previous relationship.


    Kumari cried softly for some time and recovered her composure quickly. After all, the event was a year old and time always cures everything in the end, life goes on. Aditya also smiled when he saw Kumari calm down but did not release her hand. Only now did he understand the reason that Kumari was so excited to see him, she needed him to soothe the pain caused by Sameera''s death.


    "How are our classmates and teacher?" Aditya asked after some time. With Kranthi and Kumari here and the regurgitation of old memories prompted him to know about how others were doing.


    "Everyone is fine, most of them changed schools just like you, recently a batch of rich elites have come who are jumping around showing off their luxurious lifestyle, our class and they have started been at opposite ends ever since. There is one arrogant young master who is pestering Kumari, these past few days. Anyway, why are you using an ancient phone with no internet connection? You rejected even when I gifted you one. Are you suffering from technophobia?" Kranthi also tried to steer the conversation so that Kumari could come back to a happy mood quickly.


    "Oh, our beautiful Kumari is Bollywood actress material, so a few pursuers is perfectly normal, "Aditya put his arm around Kumari''s shoulders and praised her generously. Kumari''s cheeks reddened as she lowered her head and spoke in a low voice, "You don''t have to praise me so much for my happiness, I am alright."


    "Oh, okay."


    "What?"


    "Nothing..."


    "Adi, die, you idiot, so you don''t think I can be a Bollywood actress from the bottom of your heart," Kumari began pinching Aditya all over his body. Luckily, his thin body did not offer much loose skin for her to grab easily. In the end, she went back to twisting his ear followed by Aditya''s exaggerated cries of pain.


    After sometime when both Aditya and Kumari stopped pestering with each other, Aditya''s brows creased as he asked, "White Buffalo? Though I am not using a smartphone now, I did stay connected to everyone through the social network, so why did I not receive any news of Sameera''s accident or death through the social network?" Aditya usually was not active in social media but that did not mean that he did not stay connected with long-distance relations. So if Sameera died in an accident he was pretty sure, they would have been many posts spreading the news.


    Kumari was the one who answered this question, "It was quite a surprise to everyone at that time, Sameera''s account got crashed coincidentally after her accident and all her contacts were thus uninformed and when I personally tried to create a new account for her so that I could inform everyone of her missing and subsequent news of death, that page also got corrupted along with my account. Even now when I type a message with Sameera''s name in it, the message either get deleted or fail to reach the recipient. I sometimes think whether the name of Sameera triggers a glitch in the social network. Other classmates also experienced the same problem."


    "Oh, wait... what!"

 60 - Fishing

    A suburban area outside Bangalore, Time: Late night.


    In a desolate narrow alley with very little light, fifteen people grouped together. Many of them were holding hockey sticks, some were even holding steel rods while some held onto knuckledusters. All of them were drunk and some were even wobbling as they waited for their leader to come.


    "So, why did the leader call us out at this time, is any new ''stock'' coming?" a curious youth who had just joined them holding a bicycle chain in his hand asked excitedly. He was new to the gang and so was over-enthusiastic about his job to prove himself. But he did not expect that all the members who had already arrived stare angrily at him as they lowered their heads as if brazing for something unpleasant.


    A person with spiked yellow hair which contrasted horribly with his dark skin looked at the youth and shouted with a voice filled with rage, "How could you not know that our leader had been humiliated today like never before."


    "What happened, big brother? You tell me who had the gall to humiliate our boss, I will skin him while he is alive," the curious youth also responded passionately as he tried to use this chance to prove his loyalty. The other people who had already gathered here before him looked at him strangely.


    "That bastard said that our boss''s wife is so ugly that he wouldn''t f**k her even if she snuck naked into his bed," the goon with the spiked yellow hair replied with outrage.


    "I feel the same¡­ cough cough," the youth choked on his own words as he almost replied instinctively, he tried to rectify the situation without taking the time to think about his words, "I mean how dare he speaks ill about Boss''s wife, I would totally f**k her if she snuck naked into my bed." Only after a few seconds after he finished did he notice what he had just said. While he thought that he was finished, the spiked hair guy also shouted spontaneously, "Yes, me too."


    One had to know that not one of these people were in their best conditions as usually, this was the time they drank like a fish and slept with prostitutes.


    Some of the more stable minded people pursed their mouth tightly so as to stifle their laughter but the others couldn''t hold it in as laughed uproariously as they held their stomachs and rolled on the ground.


    The spiked hair guy also realized what happened as he slapped the youth and roared, "idiot, what are you saying? We all know that Boss''s wife is very beautiful, right?"


    "Whose wife did you say is beautiful?" a deep snarling voice asked.


    "Boss''s wi..." the spiked hair guy turned to look at the tall and muscular bald guy with an eye patch over his left eye followed with a grim-faced person.


    "Bo...Boss, I...I have gathered all the people as you commanded, let me personally go and catch that skinny son of a gun who humiliated your wife which was equal to humiliating all of us." the spiked hair guy rambled on without realizing how ambiguous his words sounded as the corner of the bald guy''s mouth twitched while two other people who couldn''t hold back themselves burst out laughing.


    The bald guy who happened to be the mob leader of the red street was shocked when he heard that a thin and lean youth had disparaged his wife''s appearance in a prime local bar in his own turf. The painful part was that all the people actually laughed at these words without an ounce of fear.


    His profession was something which was based on banking on the fear of the people. If people stopped fearing him, he would lose his value and frankly, he did not know anything else to change professions at this age. So even if he himself agreed with the youth''s words, he had to catch that youth and make an example out of him if he wanted to remain a mob leader otherwise, someone would definitely replace him. Especially now that new gangs have infiltrated Bangalore''s underworld.


    So here he was, summoning all his underlings in their drunk state to initiate a search and chase of that youth who had escaped from that bar before he arrived. But now he felt he had done a mistake, how would he catch that kid with these airheads? Just as he was depressed, he saw a thin youth running away chased by four goons. The four goons turned towards them as they shouted loudly, "This is the guy."


    "Excellent, everyone, chase him, I want him, "the bald guy roared fiercely and started to run followed by everyone. they ran at their best speed to catch that person and get it over with as soon as possible but the reality disappointed them.


    Not even 300m had been covered as one by one began to slow down as their energy reserves depleted and they became worn out. They were not professional athletes who followed a strict exercising routine and a balanced diet. They spend their days scaring people with violence, drinking, fooling around with call girls and playing card games. it would be a miracle if they stayed fit with this routine.


    Just as the bald guy was thinking of stopping as his stamina was also depleted, he saw ''his'' goons chasing that bastard into an unused railway warehouse. He smiled and roared, "Let''s go, we have caught that kid."


    The other goons also finally reached as their clothes stuck to their back as they were drenched with their stinking sweat. Their legs suddenly felt empty as they struggled to hold their weight. Some of them took large gulps of air as they tried to recover.


    The bald guy laughed triumphantly as he ordered, "Close this warehouse so that he can''t escape again, you guys bring that bastard over here, let me demonstrate what happens to those people who go against the great one-eyed devil." the actual situation however disappointed him as the four ''goons'' surrounding the youth smiled as they walked and stood behind him while the youth started laughing, "the great one-eyed devil? More like the one-eyed slowpoke, if I had run any slower, I think even a school kid would have overtaken me."You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "elder brother Adi, did I not say this before? A half kilometre is enough for these small street hooligans," Faizal also smiled as he looked at the exhausted gang drenched in sweat with disdain.


    "Well, I did not expect that these idiots would make things easier by locking themselves in, lets get started, I take five, you four manage the other 12," Aditya grabbed hold of wooden stick which was lying around and walked towards the bald guy with a smile which almost ''looked'' evil. Roaming the evening hours with Faizal, Phani, John and Dhanush, subduing and destroying small gangs, had rubbed off on him as Aditya was becoming accustomed to making people suffer without much constriction in his heart.


    Especially, when Aditya thought that Sameera was also taken by ''that'' organization and might still be alive, a sense of urgency took over him to up his game. For one, he knew that his parents had some time left but he could not say the same about Sameera. He needed that ability that Tya promised which would get him off the surveillance threat. He had given himself and Hamsa a day of time. If she was not completely cured of her trauma by then, he would have Tya stop it and utilize that energy for the new ability. After that ability had been formed, he could continue the treatment. Anyway, Hamsa had become almost normal and was looking happy and peaceful to him these days.


    But Aditya''s heart knew that Hamsa was still suffering. If she had truly became normal, she would have started going to college or she would not have a struggling expression on her face whenever she went out to buy groceries or to Saanvi''s home. But it was a clear choice for Aditya when he compared a few days of Hamsa''s suffering with the life and death crisis of Sameera, he chose the latter with no hesitation.


    He had not informed to Kumari of the possibility of Sameera been still alive as he did not want to get her hopes high only to push her further into abyss later. He chose to bear this burden himself as he is already experiencing the same feeling with his parents. Also, Kumari was anyway not able to help matters with her limited strength.


    "Finished?" Aditya asked when threw the last guy of his quota on the ground as he whimpered in pain holding his broken arm. Aditya''s breathing was stable and some sweat could be seen on the tip of his nose. Taking on five guys had become very easy for him now in contrast to when he thought he was taking a risk when he rescued Hamsa. If he wanted, he could take on the whole gang by himself though he would have to resort to some tactics but today''s main theme was training his subordinates. Yes, Taarini had allocated him these four people who were already familiar with him. They had to follow his orders just like they followed Taarini''s.


    So Aditya had been ''training'' them every evening for the past few days to increase their combat ability. Though Aditya could not say he was as good at fighting as those black belt martial artists, when it came to street fighting which had no set of rules or patterns, he was confident that he could take on anyone. If he used ''Slow Timing'' and ''Sensifull'', even Taarini or any other top martial artists could forget about touching him let alone beat him.


    When Aditya activated Slow timing, the world practically slowed down 60 times. He had ample time to see what kind of attack the enemy was using, whether there were any feints, hidden attacks and also plan the best and most efficient way to counter that attack. So unless the enemy was inhumanly swift that Aditya could see the attack but his body was still not capable of moving out of the way, he was confident in his fighting skills. Also, he could be ganged up on by many people which would also make him vulnerable to attack.


    During the past few days of destroying targeted gangs, Aditya had been training his skills like avoiding being surrounded by the enemy in groups, dividing the enemy group into small numbers and taking them out one by one. One had to know that once a tactic has been utilized in front of Aditya, then they could forget about using the same tactic ever again. Aditya was able to remember, record, analyze and prepare counter tactics in an instant. Also sometimes, Tya would recreate those scenes in his world and then both of them would also discuss the most efficient method to escape, defend, counter attack etc it was one of Tya''s favourite pastimes.


    Faizal got a small cut in his lower lip while the others also had some bruises on their limbs. Each of them had taken down three of the opposite side which was usually a thing to brag about in their group. But, when one witnessed a teenage kid take down whole gangs containing 10-15 people by himself every night for a whole week, Faizal and others felt awed and frustrated at the same time. They had already become numb to such scenes, so when they saw that Aditya was already finished before them, it did not surprise them in the least.


    "Okay, get them all in the line," Aditya said as he sat down in a chair and activated ''Sensifull''. The time to fulfil his main objective has come. Aditya nodded at Faizal who looked at the leader who in turn was looking at Aditya through the corner of his eye like he was a devil and asked, "Who among you work for the Mumbai Mafia Alliance?"


    No one spoke as Aditya took in each and every one of their expressions all at once as an unnoticeable smile surfaced on his face. As he had assumed, these people were not trained to hide their expressions like those professional spies. He caught a small fish today. One look and you know what they are thinking. Especially, for Aditya who had been training his detection and body language analyzing skills with the help of Tya. He was becoming increasingly adept at this. He wondered how he would fare against true spies.


    "I know that a new gang called ''Mumbai Mafia Alliance'' has entered Bangalore but I am not working for them," the bald guy stated honestly as he did not want to get on the bad side of these guys. He already knew that his gang was finished as at least two months would be required for everyone here to recover completely. He was sure a new gang would easily take over his area within this gap.


    Faizal did not wait for the answer as he looked at Aditya who had already stood up and pointed at a guy to the baldy''s left. He had a grim face which contorted with terror when he saw Aditya pointing at him. He wanted to escape but Aditya had personally broken his leg which immobilized him completely.


    "Take him and leave the others, I want all the things on his body, mainly his mobile. Be quick as Miss Taarini is expecting us." Aditya walked away as he whistled while Faizal and others carried the wailing person and left without saying anything to the others as the leader looked on with a blank face. What had happened just now? They asked a question but even before he answered completely, they just dragged away one person leaving everyone else.


    His heart shuddered when he heard the word ''Taarini'', were these people subordinates of Taarini? All the other gangs in Bangalore were assuming that Taarini was finished without her elder brother''s protection. Only now did he know how foolish and ignorant everyone was. The youth who had just recently joined the baldy''s gang who possessed a loose tongue, witnessed this scene as he muttered, "cool".

 61 - Taarini Mentors

    A Black clear-coat Jeep Wrangler dashed through the desolate roads of Bangalore. Late night was the right time for testing the limits of your car''s speed and manoeuvrability in this city, as the car raced past the peaceful streets.


    Faizal looked at the figure, who was driving the car while simultaneously working with the mobile phone seized from the member of the Mumbai Mafia Alliance, as he spoke with a pleading tone, "Elder brother, can you not play with the phone while driving? The speed has already reached 120km/hr (75 miles/hr), how about I dri... LOOKOUT!"


    A small stray dog suddenly ran into the middle of the road and when it saw the glaring headlights of the car, it froze as it cowered in fright. Faizal and the others instinctively closed their eyes as they did not want to see the bloody scene.


    Aditya tossed the mobile in the air which landed accurately in Faizal''s front shirt pocket as he pulled the hand brake in a flash. The rear pair of wheels lost traction with the road immediately pulling the car in a horizontal direction. Aditya''s eyes became focused for a second while a lazy smile hung on his face as he rotated the steering wheel deftly towards the left side of the dog while simultaneously balancing the drift and throttle play adroitly.


    Screeech!


    He guided the car into a beautiful 360-degree spin causing splendid arcs of tire tracks forming on the road as he stepped on the accelerator and sped off as if nothing had happened. The place where the dog cowered was precisely beside the exact junction where the arcs of tire tracks of the rear and front wheels intersected thus forming a small void zone around it thereby saving it from harm. The dog ran away when it discovered that nothing happened to it.


    Aditya took the mobile from Faizal''s pocket and continued to tweak it. He did not have a shirt pocket on his t-shirt so he had tossed into Faizal''s at the last moment. He was trying to see if his basic hacking skills were practically applicable or not. Aditya of the ''other'' world had already succeeded in participating in F4 Spanish Championship driving a Tatuus Formula 3 car, manoeuvring at maximum speeds of 186 miles/hr dexterously. This small stunt was pretty easy for the current Aditya as one had to take his dominant calculative abilities into account along with his professional driving experience.


    As to why Aditya was fiddling with the mobile while driving, he discovered that he could multitask effortlessly whenever he activated ''Sensifull'' so he simply tried it. He figured out that as long as he didn''t close his eyes or looked back, it did not matter if he focused on his phone or the road. Every object which appeared in his range of vision was paid attention to and given due priority without a single detail being neglected. So there was not a single chance of Aditya being absent minded or diverted when this ability was activated.


    Aditya turned to look at the white faces of Faizal and others as he suddenly felt a kind of evil satisfaction. He was tempted to give a loud, wicked laugh but restrained himself and asked his new subordinates with a ''concerned'' expression, "Are you guys alright?"


    Faizal and others looked at Aditya and what they saw was not a concerned expression but an evil smile. It was lucky that everyone had strapped themselves with seat belts. Even with that, they felt that all the contents in their stomachs were pushed into their throats during the drift. The poor captive with a broken leg was just tossed in the back. God knows if that poor soul had one broken bone or multiple as they heard a cracking sound from the back during the drift. Luckily that fellow had become unconscious directly from the injury.


    Their hearts stopped for a beat as they began to complain to their Big sis in their minds for throwing them to this anomaly. A few years of their life span seem to have been shortened with the fright they had received just now. Dhanush even went to the extent of thinking that it would have been better if Aditya had just run over the damned dog as the matter would have simply ended with them feeling pity for the poor dog instead of feeling nauseated and dizzy.


    "We...we are fine, elder brother," Faizal stuttered as he tried to put up a smiling face but ultimately failed as he looked like someone, who is afraid of injections, had been injected on his buttocks with a giant injection while a beautiful woman looked on. You try your best to act normal but in the end, you fall short.


    Aditya smiled brightly when he saw this expression and continued to fiddle with the mobile. He looked at the time and found that it was 11:00 pm. He had already sent a message to Hamsa that he would be late today and to sleep without waiting for him.


    "Why did Ms Taarini want us to come to Neela Palace?" Aditya asked as he tossed the phone back to Faizal.


    "She only wanted you to come to Neela Palace, you are the one dragging all of us along," Faizal muttered under his breath.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "What?"


    "No...Nothing, I heard from elder brother Munna that a huge investment region is been opened for extensive development in Bangalore city so the Chief Minister (elected head of the state/ province) had invited all the big wigs in real estate sector for an informal meeting for celebrating this news." Faizal leaked everything he knew.


    "Oh," Aditya nodded as he asked again, "Why in this late hour? Isn''t evening better?"


    "Elder brother Aditya, you don''t know how the rich and affluent class live in this city," Faizal explained, "The only time they would like to come out is either late night or early morning, they absolutely hate the congested traffic and unwanted public attention. So, most of them meet during these times especially if it is a large gathering of elites."


    Aditya nodded as he asked again, "Why would Ms Taarini want me to come? What would I do with these high society elites with fat pockets?"


    Faizal hesitated a little but still revealed another piece of ''insider'' information, "Elder brother Aditya, most of the people in our core are conjecturing among themselves that Big Sis wants to train you as a successor to her otherwise why would she personally start teaching you martial arts since last week? So, I assume she might want you to get used to this circle sooner rather than later."


    Faizal continued with a trace of blame in his eyes as he said, "Also, according to Elder brother Munna, you have started to affect the balance of power by destroying so many small gangs in Bangalore that many are itching to make move against you. So, this might be Big Sis''s way of protecting you by displaying to everyone the level of importance she places on you which will frighten most of them."


    Aditya coughed as he rubbed his head awkwardly. The past week had been pretty eventful for Aditya as he took down 2-3 small gangs on an average, every night. With the number of people he had injured, an orthopaedic ward of a global multi-speciality hospital might not be enough to fit all of them. Taking down gangs felt like tasting blood to Aditya, he enjoyed it immensely. It was like he got a vent to release all the stress, tension and frustration these past few months since his parents went missing.


    He could break these people''s bones with a clear conscience as not one of these bastards were worth feeling guilty about. Though not all of them were notorious and sinister, almost everyone was engaged in matters which were unethical and unjust so Aditya felt justified when he crushed those gangs. Well, the truth was pretty simple, Aditya got addicted to breaking bones.


    Though he might look calm and restrained, the fact that his blood started boiling with excitement and his heart starts pumping blood frantically whenever he hunted these gangs was an undeniable fact. Even Faizal and Munna were shocked at Aditya''s zeal and speed in the demolition of crime groups. Aditya felt that every bone he broke was a step which brought him closer to his parents.


    Even he, Aditya, never knew that he had this violent gene in him which seem to be blossoming slowly but steadily. He even began to doubt whether his passion for racing and speeding was also a by-product of this characteristic. Aditya did not even think about controlling this as he knew what his goal was. The scene when he couldn''t kill Rana was still fresh in his mind. Especially his mind and thinking evolved since he started training under the tutelage of Taarini. He recalled the night when Taarini had asked him to come alone, that was a very ''memorable'' night...


    "You shall address me as a mentor from today onward when there is only two of us, understand?" Taarini stated icily as she looked at Aditya who was sporting a bloody mouth along with a swollen face as he lifted himself up with great difficulty. Aditya looked at her and nodded, "Yes, mentor."


    Taarini had a chilly countenance as her brows slightly relaxed and she gave a curt nod and walked out of the arena and placed the staff back on the stand. She wore a black solid tank top which was sleeveless and had a V-neck with matching dry pair of tights. Aditya noticed her legs and shapely thighs but after getting beaten until his face was swollen, he did not have the mood to appreciate her beauty but was filled with passion to learn how to fight from her.


    He had thought that he would be able to handle Taarini even if he was not able to defeat her. This confidence that he had developed through beating many people was smashed to smithereens. Only today, did he know that he was like a kid coming top in middle school and thinking he could beat a university student in knowledge.


    Well in Aditya''s defence, he did not use any of his abilities in order to get the real feel of Taarini''s martial prowess. Aditya smiled bitterly when he remembered the first time when he saw Taarini was when she beat the shit out of ten robust and powerful men.


    Sweat trickled down from her head as she took a knife with a unique design as she started practising some flexible movements at high speeds. If Aditya did not have his superior mental abilities which could ''calculate'' the position of the knife at any given point of time just by looking at her shoulder movements, it would be almost impossible for a normal human to catch a sight of the knife which seems to have become invisible since Taarini started moving.


    Aditya was shocked to see her thin but shapely arms which radiated vigour and strength as she made circular slashing motions sometimes while triangular slicing movements at other times. After some time, she threw another similar knife at Aditya as she said, "the art form that I am about to teach you is called Pekiti-Tirsia Kali, a close quarter, infighting combat oriented system against multiple opponents based on the use of a blade. This knife is called a Kali and this martial art originates from the Philippines and was taught to my elder brother when he served in the army." There was a small flicker of emotion when she mentioned her elder brother which vanished immediately.


    Aditya took a deep breath as he held the knife tightly with resolve as he nodded.


    "You shouldn''t hold the knife so tightly, it will restrict the flexibility of your arm movements."


    "Oh, okay."

 62 - The Same Reason

    "The circular motion techniques symbolizes orbits of moons and other planets while the triangular movements take after the constellations. The different branches in this art form are Single Baston (Single stick, sword or spear), Double Baston (Double Stick or sword), Malayu Sibat (spear)..." Taarini''s indifferent voice rang out in the training hall as Aditya made thrusting, slashing and slicing movements in accordance with Taarini''s teaching.


    He was fascinated by martial arts which were very different than the street fighting he had learnt. Street fighting always focused on explosive speed bursts, ferociousness, inflicting the highest amount of damage as quickly as possible while giving less priority to defence. All the objects in the vicinity are your weapons if you know how to utilize them. So in a way, street fighting was more practical and creative which Aditya did not lack. Hence, street fighting was perfectly compatible with Aditya leaving him free to select his approach.


    But martial arts had stiff rules and techniques laid down by predecessors which needed to be followed. Though Aditya did not have a lot of free room to be creative, the flow of movements of these techniques was more body friendly. His arms, legs, neck, abdomen, every part flexed and contracted in a specific rhythm which made these parts almost cry out in exhilaration. All the movements made Aditya realize that this was the way a body is supposed to move so that you achieve high efficiency while spending the least energy and guaranteed minimal damage.


    This was the vital difference Aditya noticed, in street fighting, his body was forced to move in many unnatural angles which produces a strain on a human body which will take a toll in the long run while martial arts prevented such a consequence from occurring. Aditya''s eyes shined as he absorbed everything Taarini had to offer like a dry sponge.


    Taarini looked at Aditya''s movements in a daze when she observed Aditya''s skill. It was like she was seeing a mirror image or a shadow of herself. Aditya moved exactly how she did, no difference could be seen at all. If this was not a genius, Taarini did not know who else was. Aditya learned everything she had to teach without omitting a single instruction.


    All she had to do was give a little guidance and Aditya would take that technique up like he had been practising that technique for decades. It felt so natural when she witnessed the flow of the knife, movements of his arms or the posturing of his centre of gravity or the position of his feet in relation to his arm movements. Everything was top notch. She could not find a fault even if she searched for the minute details.


    It just took her two-night sessions i.e. five hours for her to teach everything she knew about Pekiti-Tirsia Kali. Was this really, the person who was her only chance at returning back to a normal life? Would she be letting a golden opportunity pass by if she still doubted him? Should she take a leap of faith? Why was she hesitating when she had already made her decision when she started teaching him martial arts personally?


    Taarini knew that Aditya was not the kind of person who was destined to remain a member of her gang if she did not offer something substantial. She even had a premonition that Aditya would soon leave the gang. She could see that Aditya was not as desperate for her information or connections as he used to be in the beginning. He had asked Munna for details in the beginning but now he had stopped asking.


    Taarini did not know that her intuition was spot on, even though Aditya had not learned everything he wanted to know as he interrogated many small gangs, he did get a substantial amount of information from them. The most important point was that Tya was developing an ability which could effectively liberate him from any possible surveillance of ''that'' organization. He did not know this when he chose to join Taarini''s gang.


    With the information that he had already obtained in addition to that ability, Aditya felt it was better for both him and Taarini that he went his own way. He had planned to leave the day when Tya would create that ability. Anyway, Taarini had not let him inside the core which meant that she still did not trust him which was perfectly normal as he was a newcomer.


    He had not come here to gain Taarini''s trust and join her gang. Also, he had saved her life once and this was an exchange for that favour. He did not owe her anything. If anything, she is currently helping him protect Hamsa for a few days but this account could be calculated even after he left as he could pay Taarini back easily given his abilities.


    "Stop, it''s enough for today. Tomorrow I shall teach you ''Krav Maga''," Taarini spoke in an aloof voice as she looked at Aditya who was breathing a little heavily place the knife back in the weapons stand. She saw Aditya''s eyes lit up when he heard that she would be teaching another combat form. She could simply get professional martial artists to teach him but Taarini wanted to teach him herself. As for the reason, Taarini decided to not think too much about it.


    "Okay, if there is nothing else, I will make a move, good night," Aditya wore a sports jacket as he said. His body was crying for some rest with all the pains and tiredness.


    "Wait," Taarini spoke in her characteristic icy tone as she walked towards a bench as she gestured to Aditya to sit as well. Aditya was a little surprised but still obeyed and sat down as he looked at her beautiful and but chilly face.


    "Why did you save that girl and let her stay in your place?" Taarini asked nonchalantly. Aditya was baffled when he heard this question. Why was she asking this now? Taarini was not the type to gossip.


    "No big reason as such, why, what happened?" Aditya asked back perplexed.


    "Just answer my question?" Taarini repeated as she gave Aditya a chilly stare. Taarini was feeling frustrated and angry. As if her existing enemies were inadequate, to begin with, this fellow goes and provokes Reyansh young master. This idiot still doesn''t realize the bog he had placed himself in and living happily fighting hooligans and taking down small street gangs. Now she was faced with a hard choice, either accept him and gain a new powerful adversary for herself and her followers or get rid of Aditya breaking all ties with him. Even though she had made her decision to protect him, she was still upset with him. Aditya frowned when he saw Taarini''s look. He did not know why Taarini was making such a big deal.


    "The very same reason that I saved you that night because I was at the scene and I was capable of saving so I rescued her. If this was the matter that you wanted to speak about I don''t think there is anything to be said." Aditya shot back as he prepared to stand up. He was starting to feel a little irritated now. It was as if Taarini was blaming him for saving a helpless woman.


    Taarini was shocked when she heard Aditya''s answer and his tone. Her heart clenched for some reason when she saw the detached look in Aditya''s eyes. Nobody dared to speak to her such a tone ever before. She realized again today just like on the first day at the shooting range where he refused to shoot accurately, Aditya was not someone who fought for her favour like other people under her.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    She was even more shocked at his answer. Yes, wasn''t it the same reason when he had saved her from Flaming tiger? What would have happened if Aditya had thought at that time of consequences of offending Flaming tiger? Wouldn''t she have died or killed herself by now?


    He did not know that she was a woman of a big background when he had saved her but still he risked offending Flaming tiger for doing the right thing. It was foolish and courageous at the same time and here she was blaming Aditya for doing the same thing for a different girl when she was fine Aditya risking himself to save her. When had she become so selfish and calculating? What had Aditya done, wasn''t it just saving a helpless woman in a desperate situation?


    And here she was blaming Aditya for thinking like that, which had saved her in the first place. She was immersed in seeing the forest for so long that she had forgotten to look at the trees.


    Taarini''s face changed as she looked at Aditya who was about to stand up and leave. She spoke earnestly, "Aditya, I am sorry if i said anything wrong but I want you to know the danger you are in right now. So can you hear what I have to say¡­ please."


    Aditya, who was about to leave was shocked when he heard the sincerity and softness in Taarini''s words. It was the first time he heard Taarini apologize seriously. Even when he was about to leave for the first time in the shooting range, Taarini only gave a fake smile and covered up the issue but did not apologize sincerely. But now when he heard Taarini''s words, Aditya sat down as he could notice that this matter was not as simple as he assumed.


    Taarini''s heart also relaxed when she saw Aditya sit down, she did not notice that her manner towards Aditya was changing. She did not waste any unnecessary words and asked, "Do you know what had happened to that girl, Hamsa?"


    Aditya shook his head as he perked his ears instinctively and nodded. He had always wanted to know more about Hamsa but was not rude enough to ask when she was clearly not willing to speak about her past. Now when he heard Taarini''s words, he was obviously interested to know.


    Taarini felt a slight pang in her heart when she saw the interest Aditya displayed at knowing about Hamsa. Taarini suddenly had a shocking query sprout in her heart ''Would he show the same interest in knowing about my past?''.


    Taarini shook her head as she continued, "Hamsa Agarwal is a final year medical student in St. John''s Medical College. She is the topper in her batch and had always been a merit student. Her parents had died due to a car accident when she was thirteen years old." Aditya nodded slowly as he took in this information and let it sink in.


    "Her father had survived for a few more days due to intense medical support. He had used his last minutes to prepare a good life for Hamsa. She was later taken care by a couple who her father had trusted, they were her distant relatives. When this couple, who usually posed themselves as simple and kind, saw the wealth that Hamsa''s father left behind for her, they immediately revealed their true nature and took control of every aspect of Hamsa''s life. They literally arrested her in her home to prevent unwanted social interactions, they dictated the people whom she was allowed to talk."


    "When Hamsa turned a major and she inherited her father''s property, she was forced to transfer the rights to her foster parents. Since then, as Hamsa had grown to be a beautiful girl, they had tried to take advantage of this by pushing her towards anyone who could benefit their ambitions. She was also mistreated in her home where she had to do all the chores." Aditya felt like he was listening to an old black and white tragedy film story. ''So, there are also these kinds of people in the world'' was Aditya''s thought as he felt bad for Hamsa''s misery. ''A pure girl who was supposed to grow up as a princess had been reduced to a maid in her own house. No wonder Hamsa was so good at cooking''


    Taarini''s voice became grave as she said, "the main point here is not Hamsa''s mistreatment done by her foster parents but Reyansh Varma, a postgraduate medical student in the same college Hamsa is currently studying. He was the one who had molested Hamsa with the encouragement of her foster parents."


    "Who is he?" Aditya''s voice remained quite normal. It was not that he did not feel anguish for Hamsa but he had not thought of taking any kind of revenge for her. He still stood by his words, he would give her shelter and protection at best. He had too much in his plate at the moment to care about others.


    Taarini was a little shocked at Aditya''s passive stance when he heard about Reyansh. Maybe she had thought Aditya would roar angrily with red eyes as he held her demanding to know where Reyansh was so that he could avenge Hamsa. Taarini smiled inside with relief when she saw Aditya''s reaction, ''at least he is not incurable''.


    "Reyansh Varma is the only son of Siddharth Varma, a famous industrialist from the capital. Reyansh is a well-known womanizer in the upper circle. The thing is he is also a sadistic pervert who enjoys destroying the psyche of innocent women. There is more than one instance of his escapades. There was one girl who..."


    "Whoa, whoa, stop, I don''t want to hear any of those stories, you do know am only 16, right "Aditya closed his ears forcefully while making a face as if he was vomiting. The actual fact was that Aditya knew exactly what kind of people like Reyansh were as he saw many such people in the ''other'' world. He just didn''t want to sully his mood as he was sure if he heard these stories his blood would start boiling.


    Taarini was amused at Aditya''s reaction as she almost smiled but caught herself in the last second as she said seriously, "Okay, the main thing is that Reyansh always gets the girl he had laid his eyes on and you can''t stop him."


    "Okay, so he is more powerful than you?" Aditya asked casually as he nodded.


    "Of course he is not as powerful as me, not even his father can do a thing to me, but even people like Flaming tiger work as a bodyguard for him. The only reason lies in the fact that Siddharth Varma is one of the loyal retinues of Raipath family."


    "Raipath Family? Seems like I heard about them somewhere," Aditya scratched his head while trying to remember. If he was trying hard to remember something, it can only mean that he heard about them before Tya came.


    "Raipath Family is one of the oldest and most prestigious families of the capital, they have roots in military, administration, politics and business fields," Taarini stated the main power behind Reyansh.


    "Oh," Aditya nodded with no other reaction.


    "Oh? Now, do you understand the power that Reyansh controls, so you better leave..." Taarini stopped when she saw the clear, limpid eyes of Aditya as he looked at her. She could not bring herself to finish.


    "What should I do?" Aditya asked with a small smile on his face as he looked at Taarini''s hesitant face.


    "You¡­ okay, since you have heard everything I have to say, what would you do?" Taarini asked back in a chilly tone as she regained her icy countenance. She felt angry and frustrated inside when she saw Aditya''s lack of situational awareness.


    "Well, I also don''t know what I should do, but if I was to say what I should not do, I should not leave Hamsa because of a possibility that something bad might happen to me in the future." Aditya''s smile faded away as he spoke peacefully.


    "Do you know how my father would look at me in the future if he ever found out that I had left a helpless woman to her cruel fate without even trying? Aditya shook his head as he stood up and walked away, "Never mind, thank you for worrying about me, I appreciate the information. At least I know now what is waiting for me."


    "Stop," an icy shout rang through the empty training hall as Aditya reached the exit door. A USB drive and a gun came soaring through the air as Aditya caught them and looked at Taarini who had turned away only showing her fantastic back to him.


    "The USB contains all my underground contacts, this was what you desired when you offered to work for me, right? Keep the gun for protection," Taarini''s chilly voice said as he also walked away towards the other exit, "I expect you to come at the same time tomorrow for training."


    Taarini did not want to show her face to Aditya as her eyes looked pretty flustered right now. Aditya''s words rang repeatedly in her brain which caused her heart to slowly descend into chaos. As she reached the exit she heard Aditya shouting excitedly ''Thanks mentor''.


    "Idiot"

 63 - Neela Palace

    Neela Palace,


    Aditya stopped the vehicle in front of a huge arched entrance with full of ornamental design as he looked at the person who seemed to be waiting for them and grinned, "Yo, Raghav, why are you waiting for us here? it''s too polite of you."


    Raghav rolled his eyes as he looked at Faizal sternly and said, "Why did you idiots tag along? didn''t I specify that only Aditya could come?"


    "Elder brother Aditya was the one who said that we should also co..." Faizal murmured but before he finished Raghav cut across as he scolded, "What right does he have to decide if you could come or not? Or are you planning to form a new gang since you are so proficient in destroying puny mobs?"


    Faizal shut up immediately when he heard these words as the other three in the back trembled. No one thought that Raghav would speak such harsh words. Aditya looked on with amusement as he mulled over the real reason Raghav was angry as this reason was really childish.


    "Okay, now you people get lost, Aditya, follow me," Raghav roared as he turned to walk inside but before he could take a step, he heard Aditya say, "No."


    Raghav whirled around as he looked at Aditya with doubt, "What did you say?"


    Aditya smiled as he leaned back in his driver seat and said, "I said ''No'',"


    "Why?"


    "You see elder brother Raghav, we five people have fought together, ate together, shared difficulties together for the past few days. They have long become my brothers, if I go with you now and I leave them here, wouldn''t I become a fickle person in their hearts? So, I will only go with you if my brothers could accompany me otherwise, tell Ms Taarini that I am sorry." Holy light almost radiated through every pore of Aditya''s body as he expounded this righteous speech.


    The three people in the back had red eyes as they tried to stop themselves from crying while even Raghav had a dumbfounded expression. Faizal was the only person, who knew and travelled with Aditya the most, who had a sceptical expression as only one thought was running in his head, ''What evil scheme was this fellow plotting today?''


    "You think that it is some personal event of celebration where we can bring as many people as we like? The chief minister of this state is celebrating his son''s birthday. Many noted officials, politicians and business elites are going to gather. Even I am not going to go inside. I still don''t understand why Taarini little miss wants to take you with her. Don''t make any over-the-top demands and follow me, Aditya," Raghav tried to control his anger and explained as patiently as possible.


    "Okay, so let''s do it like this," Aditya also relaxed his demands a little, "let Phani, John and Dhanush follow you while I take Faizal with me. If even this is not possible, let''s call it a night and let us go back to our respective homes."


    Faizal who was looking at Aditya with disbelieving eyes also changed his attitude as he started looking at Aditya with a grateful expression on his face. Aditya clearly stated that he attached more importance to him than the other three and here he was doubting this great elder brother''s intentions. He felt very guilty in his heart. The other three in the back also looked at him with envy which satisfied his vanity.


    "You," Raghav almost burst out but controlled himself in the end as he nodded and said, "Okay, now can we go?"


    "Sure, but there is a problem," Aditya said with a hesitant expression.


    "What is it?" Raghav bellowed as he was not able to control himself anymore. He started to regret when he offered to take up this job when Taarini little miss asked.


    "There is a poor fellow who is passed out in the back of the car right now, is it okay for us to leave him there? Didn''t you say that the Chief Minister was coming, there is bound to be tight security, it would not appear nice if someone found him." Aditya said with a wronged expression on his face. Several days of living together with Tya seemed to have rubbed off on him as his expression right now along with his immature young face was pretty cute.


    "I will take care of it. Now, you and Faizal follow me while the other three stay in the car. You can come when I call you again," Raghav also calmed down and started leading them inside.


    Old memories surfaced in Aditya''s mind as he looked at the wonderfully elegant hotel which was designed in accordance with the medieval royal architecture of India. Neela Palace was a chain of luxurious hotels located in all the major metropolitan cities in India. It was a Five-star Deluxe rated hotel which was the highest gradation allocated to any hotel in India. His mother who owned a chain of popular Flower bouquet shops in Bangalore had once got the contract to supply fresh flowers every day to this hotel.


    Aditya had accompanied his mother once to this hotel and was also treated to a complimentary meal by the friendly manager. He did not know if that manager was still working here or not. He was truly floored by the hotel look which was filled with grandeur and serene aesthetics. The old, rustic look along with antique style lavish decorations really put one in a mood as if one had gone back hundreds of year in time.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    But Aditya experienced a desolate feeling when he roamed the wide halls and the broad corridors as he found very few people. Anyone who knew anything about Aditya knew that he did not enjoy these places so he rushed his mother to take him back home where he could play with his friends or elder sisters.


    Tonight, when Aditya had come back to this hotel but the situations had changed unbelievably. His parents are missing, he did not have a fail-proof idea on how to save them. He was trying a bit of this and that but was really not sure if he would succeed in the end. Now, Sameera also seemed to be taken away and he was practically as clueless and powerless as he was when he found out his parents had been missing. No visible solution could be seen on the horizon.


    Raghav who was observing Aditya closely found him a little absent minded as he walked in a daze without paying much attention to this grand hotel. They had passed through the elegant Porte Cochere, the vast, huge lobby where a beautiful female commissionaire clad in a traditional Indian saree welcomed them.


    "You should have done some preparations, right? You don''t expect me and Faizal to go to the party like this?" Aditya asked Raghav as he came out of his daze while simultaneously smiling politely at the woman.


    Raghav snorted when he looked at Aditya''s and Faizal''s looks. Aditya grinned while Faizal rubbed his head awkwardly, Raghav gave a room card to a porter and said, "Follow him, everything is prepared for you."


    "Come Faizal, let me show you how the rich live their lives, this hotel is so much better than that Vivanta (Taarini''s Five- star hotel which is not deluxe rated) cough cough" Aditya blamed himself for his loose mouth when he saw the look on Raghav''s face.


    "Only you can go, Faizal will use another room, we will meet you at the party" Raghav interjected impatiently.


    "Oh, why? it''s not a problem, we both can use one room."


    "Just go."


    "Okay," Aditya shrugged as he followed the porter who was looking at the card and Aditya back to back as if something was not matching but did not voice out his thoughts. Aditya was not in the mood to talk much as he was immersed in his memories as he looked at the antique paintings and mainly the flower decorations on the wall as they walked.


    Aditya understood why the porter looked at him weirdly when he was given the room card the moment he saw the room, sorry, he should call this a royal suite which turned out to be his temporary home for tonight. Why was it necessary to book a royal suite which was one of the most expensive suites in this hotel for the matter of refreshment and changing clothes?


    The suite had its own lobby, private library and a lavish private dining area. Opulence was lurking in every corner filled with sumptuous furnishings. The patterns on the carpets were quite eye-catching and fit well with the bright colour scheme of the suite. Aditya looked at the sophisticated bedroom which enticed him to forget everything and sleep in luxury instead of refreshing himself, one had to know that he was super tired today. It took a lot of will to regain his composure as he rushed to the bathroom.


    The bathroom was exquisitely furnished with marble and gold features and also contain a spa bath with all kinds of body products as he inhaled Hermes fragrances. He knew that there was not much time so he trimmed his facial hair, adjusted the temperature of shower water and took a quick bath. He applied some gel on his hair and fashioned it into an angular fringe style which was easy and practical for his hair which was less on the sides and long on the top.


    Aditya had started a rehabilitation program for himself as he did not want to end up becoming a kid like Tya and so he would practice singing nice, hot, teen love songs to himself to resist the psychological invasion of Tya. So, That''s what Aditya did now¡­


    Hello Doctor, My heart is missing,


    My pulse beat is increasing ? ? ?


    I can''t eat anything anymore,


    I can''t sleep anywhere anymore ? ? ?


    My college books are teaching me about love,


    the movies I watch are full of love? ? ?


    Hollywood, London, Paris,


    everywhere is filled with love? ? ?


    Even if I go to the moon,


    I think it will also be filled with love? ? ?


    Aditya came into the bedroom wearing a towel while continuing to sing this song. He saw a pair of white trousers, a blue checkered shirt and a Dark blue blazer placed on the table accompanying a pair of pure leather shoes. He held the clothes as he nodded with a satisfactory smile on his face, "Whoever bought these clothes have a very good taste, maybe I should have them buy clothes for me every time."


    ''Ahem''


    Aditya froze when he heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. He looked back to find a queenly figure wearing a purple coloured mermaid flounced chapel train formal gown which was made of Jersey fabric. The dress was of floor length with a natural waist, it had a sweetheart neckline and off-the-shoulder strap which exposed her exquisitely toned and open shoulders. Her thick black hair was sleek as big curls and sexy, voluminous waves of hair fell on her shoulder. Her face was youthful but mature at the same time, her eyes shimmered as if they contained stars within them as she looked coolly at Aditya and said in an icy tone, "Get ready quickly, I will be waiting in the lobby."


    Aditya did not recover even after Taarini left for a few minutes. He had always seen Taarini in her training clothes or normal western informal clothes which seem to have done a gross injustice to her beauty. He looked down to find that his shaft was poking out of the towel, his face reddened as he covered it with his hands instinctively which was not necessary as it was already late.


    "Don''t these women know that the blood of a teenager is similar to that of a Hydrogen fuel? It is very easy to get it burning and very hard to extinguish it. One woman ends up hugging me tightly and now this one..." Aditya tried to repeat some moral poems taught to him by his mother in an attempt to cool down his fiery heart.


    This might work immediately when you encounter a somewhat good looking woman but it seemed to have been rendered ineffective when challenged by Taarini''s picturesque figure. After some time, Aditya walked into the lobby as he smiled at Taarini, "I didn''t think you would also come here, mentor."


    Taarini looked at Aditya''s young face for some time without speaking. After a few seconds, she nodded and walked along with him to the venue. No one knew what she was thinking.

 64 - Grand Ballroom (1)

    A tall boy with a Greek god physique, whose bicep muscles seem to almost tear the rolled up long sleeves of his exact fit maroon formal shirt, was holding a slender, elegant glass filled with Sutter Home Fre Brut Non-Alcoholic Champagne. He stood in a side of the grand ballroom as he twirled the glass as he greeted and conversed with other elite youth with a polite expression.


    The boy had a classic look with his clean gentle square face, angled Caesar hairstyle and tucked in shirt paired along with beige colour trousers. After some time, he turned to look at the tall, lanky guy with slightly drooping shoulders who sat on a chair with an archaic design and fiddled with his phone and said, "Jatin, what are you doing?"


    "Catching some fish,"Jatin said as he loosened his dark green tie and crossed one of his legs over the other while kicking the dangling foot lightly, he yawned, "Bhadra, I really don''t understand why we have to attend the Chief Minister''s son''s birthday?" he was wearing slim fit Khaki trousers along with a regular fit white cotton shirt and black Oxford dress shoes. He turned his head slantingly as he winked at a girl who was eyeing with curious eyes. The girl blushed and averted her gaze hurriedly.


    "You do know that the birthday party is just an excuse for the elite to get together to discuss the central government''s approved Investment region. As for us, our parents hope that we build reliable social relations so that we would be able to take up their mantle when they retire in the future. You should also go out there and make some friends," Bhadra advised although he knew Jatin would not listen.


    "How do you know I am not making friends, "Jatin smiled at the girl while eyeing her legs. Bhadra looked at this and rolled his eyes. He also sat down beside Jatin as he was also a little tired. This was usually the time that Bhadra would sleep, so he felt drowsy as he tried to fight the sleep.


    Actually, Bhadra was also not that enthusiastic about social interactions either as he did not like having to deal with people who usually hide a knife behind their fake smiles but he did it anyway as he wanted to help his father as much as possible while Jatin did not share his passion. Jatin''s ambition was something totally different, ''I want to spend all of my father''s hard-earned wealth right in front him as he watched on helplessly.'' it was no secret to Bhadra and Aditya that Jatin hated his father.


    "Is Kavya coming?" Jatin asked as he checked the time in his watch.


    "Yeah, she told she was going to accompany Anupama. You know girls, they tend to be late," Bhadra said.


    "Why is she still in contact with that proud peacock?" Jatin said as he creased his brows. No person would appreciate a girl if he found her looking down on his friend. Kavya had revealed to both Bhadra and Jatin that Anupama had once told her that Aditya was not a reliable guy and that''s why she did not favour him even if she knew that he liked her. Anupama had also taken the example of Aditya leaving the school to work in a garage to prove her point.


    "Well, what can I do? I tried to tell her but Kavya said that besides the fact that she is judgmental and a little proud, Anupama is actually a good person," Bhadra shrugged his shoulders as he drowned his drink in one go. Bhadra was the one who was most infuriated when he heard those words of Anupama but Jatin had held him back from going have a go with Anupama reasoning that Aditya had already given up on her and it was no use trying to argue with her on the merits of Aditya.


    To tell the truth, even Bhadra and Jatin did not truly understand why Aditya was working as a mechanic at such a crucial time for a student''s successful career. Even they felt it was a foolish move but that did not mean they would accept it when others pointed it out. They would defend him in front of others no matter what he did but will grab hold of him and ask the same questions and beat him up if he doesn''t agree to change his ways.


    "By the way, when are we going to get that bastard, Adi, back?" Bhadra asked a little excitedly as if he was ready to go anytime as long as Jatin said ''go''. His eyes were filled with fondness when he talked about his best friend. He missed him a lot these days.


    "That idiot is currently relaxing, I thought we could give him some time till Christmas and New year as we are also having trouble adjusting with the new school. That was what we had agreed on, right? Anyway, it is a new school, I don''t think it matters joining now or after a few weeks." Jatin said as he remembered the call Aditya had made asking for a doctor in the middle of the night.


    Also, he did not worry whether Aditya would change his ways or not as his confidence was not based on himself or Bhadra but on ''that'' woman. He would prostrate himself before Aditya if he could escape from her ''grasp. If elder sister Maahi said that he would return to school, Aditya would return. The only relevant question was whether it was willingly or unwillingly. It was as simple as that.


    "Yeah, when he comes back, let us get that Yu Yan to pair up with him. She seems to have taken a liking for him," Bhadra said with a smile as he took another drink.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "You think that Aditya needs our help with getting a girlfriend? He could get anyone he wants, well, except for anomalies like Anupama. Who knows, he might have already got a ..." Jatin paused as he looked at the entrance of the grand ballroom with his mouth left hanging open.


    A stunning woman in a purple dress walked in while holding the hand of a young, tall lean teen with a clean, handsome, symmetrical face with sword-like eyebrows and almond eyes containing deep, dark pupils. One look could tell that boy was a lot younger than that gorgeous woman but the woman seems to have given the lead to this boy and the boy led her gracefully without losing to her in elegance and charisma.


    "Adi..." Jatin muttered in shock when he looked at the tall boy who seemed to have gone a tremendous transformation since he last saw him. Aditya''s eyes which used to be mild and gentle have been replaced with a sharpness that seems to have the power to penetrate a person''s inner feelings and thoughts. His gait, demeanour, smile, poise, everything seem to have evolved. It was like how a caterpillar changes into a butterfly.


    Jatin with all his experience and innate discretion can tell with his hands on his heart that the woman that Aditya was holding hands was very dangerous. The alarm bells in his heart rang putting this woman on the same level as Maahi elder sister but the feeling was totally different.


    If Jatin was asked to compare these two women with inanimate things, he would compare the woman who was with Aditya right now as a sword made of ice while he felt Maahi elder sister as a whip coated with poison. ''Why did this fellow hung around with these dangerous characters rather than soft and gentle ones like Yu Yan. Did this fellow have some kind of S-M fetish?'' Jatin wanted to give Bhadra a heads up as he turned around only to find an empty seat.


    "Bhadra,"


    Aditya still did not know why Taarini held his arm with no prior notification. Didn''t she know that according to the gentlemen etiquette this meant that she likes him (at least to some degree) and wants to show everyone that he is her man? He could not rudely pull his arm out of her arms as that would be totally discourteous. Anyway, he was the one who got all the advantages as his elbow touched her body twice already. So, he played along with her act.


    When Aditya passed the giant wooden doors filled with intricately carved designs of elephants and horses, he immediately activated ''Slow Timing'' and ''Sensifull''. In one instant, Aditya had registered all the people, their facial features, expressions, gestures, dress details. He was happy when he discovered Jatin and Bhadra sitting in a distance. He had also seen that both of them also found him. He wanted to meet his friends but he felt this was not the time as he was with Taarini and he knew she had her plan for him.


    His eyes expressed helplessness and warmth when he saw Bhadra rushing towards him with excitement written all over his face. He turned to Taarini and said with a soft voice that only she could hear, "Mentor, my friend is coming here to meet me, is it alright?"


    Taarini looked at Aditya coldly and followed his vision to see a tall person with taurine shoulders rushing towards them. If Aditya did not notify her, she would have attacked him without a second thought. Her brows relaxed as her eyes sparkled when she saw Bhadra. This was her first time contacting Aditya''s real identity which she was not able to completely uncover before. She wanted to know everything there was to know about Aditya.


    "It''s alright, my objective is already achieved," Taarini stated icily as she found some figures looking at them from a corner. Aditya also turned to look in that direction to discover an old man and a middle-aged person nodding towards Taarini with a smile as they looked at Aditya with interest."Also, didn''t I tell you before to only call me a mentor when there is only the two of us? From now on address me by my first name."


    "Adi, long time no see buddy," Bhadra stopped in front of him as he hit Aditya''s shoulder, he turned to smile politely at Taarini who was looking at him and asked," and this is?"


    "Taarini, this is my best friend Bhadra from the school I previously studied in," Aditya turned and introduced Bhadra to her first. It felt a little weird for him to address her like this. Since the day Taarini had given him her contacts and the information of the underworld, Aditya''s attitude towards her and trust increased considerably. Aditya had already studied the full information and knew that if he wanted to get Taarini arrested or if he wanted to dupe her or to get her killed, it would be a cake-walk for him.


    It would be a lie if Aditya said he was not affected by her gesture. It was a true leap of faith for her and Aditya kept this in his heart. From the moment she gave that USB drive to him, the relationship between them was no longer an exchange of favours or benefits. It evolved into a more deeper and subtler relationship which Aditya treasured.


    That was the reason he did not protest or disobey when he saw Taarini acting differently or keeping her real intention in bringing him here today, a secret. So, Aditya did not try to hide anything about his past from her as behaving otherwise would be equal to betraying the trust placed on him.


    Aditya smiled brightly at Bhadra as he turned towards him and said, "Bhadra, this is Taarini, she was the one who looked after me for the past two weeks." He did not give out any unnecessary information as this was not the right place.


    Taarini did not show any kind of expression as she looked at Bhadra and nodded slightly. Bhadra also nodded back with a smile as he said, "Thank you very much for looking after him these few days. Since his parents went missing, I have not seen him been normal. Although he smiled and did most of his work, as usual, I could sense that he was suffering silently inside his heart. But today, I can see that he has truly come out of this shadow. Though I am not someone great and influential, if you ever need help then I shall be the first one there to do my part."


    Taarini ice cold expression changed when she heard that Aditya''s parents went missing. When she investigated Aditya''s background, she had found that he was an orphan. She turned to look at Aditya who gave a small smile to her and stared at Bhadra. ''loose mouth''

 65 - Grand Ballroom (2)

    "You can go catch up with your friends, I also have to meet with some old colleagues of mine," Taarini said as she released Aditya''s hands and walked towards the people who nodded at her when they had entered the ballroom. Aditya felt a slight regret when Taarini''s soft hands released him as he liked that feeling.


    He stayed still for some time looking at her before been pulled out of his daze as Bhadra held his hand and abruptly dragged him back to Jatin "Come on, let us go." Bhadra did not take notice the grudging look on Aditya''s face for having been pulled out of a romantic trance-like moment. But the fury was short lived as it disappeared when he saw Jatin waiting for him. Aditya bumped fists with Jatin as he also took a glass of drink and sat beside him as he said, "it is so good to see you guys. What are you people doing here?"


    Aditya still did not know what was going on here as he came along with Taarini and she did not inform anything to him. The only information he had was what Faizal had revealed but he did not know how authentic the news was. He activated ''Sensifull'' to see and observe everyone even while he conversed with his friends.


    "We are here to attend the Chief Minister''s son''s birthday and make some friends while our parents are going to have an informal business meeting about the new investment region," Bhadra explained briefly.


    "What is the business meeting about?" Aditya asked as he felt that this meeting carried huge significance for Taarini from the way she behaved. Aditya had spent many hours training alone with Taarini in the past week that he had begun to understand her nature and thoughts.


    "My father said that the chief minister wants to build an iconic tower worth $ 250 million in the approved Investment region and I heard that many of the builders who are visiting today are interested in getting the contract," Bhadra said as he ate some crispy coconut curls.


    Aditya nodded as he looked at Taarini who was talking to others. Her eyes turned to look at him for a fleeting instant but moved away as she continued her talks. A small smile appeared on Aditya''s face as he turned and asked, "Is your father also interested in this contract?"


    "Of course he is interested but he has more desire than energy, the highest construction he had undertaken was a $ 50 million luxury apartments, you think he could get the finance and the technological support based on this portfolio," Bhadra shrugged his shoulders and explained.


    Aditya frowned slightly when he heard this, he knew enough about Taarini to know that she was almost at the same level as Bhadra''s father in terms of capability and assets so he was not sure if she was aiming for that contract or if she had found some external support which he didn''t know about. Aditya''s eyes lit up as he asked Tya, "Tya, could you create an ability so that I could understand what people in a distant are talking about based on there lip readings?"


    "Easy-peasy, actually there is no need for a new ability as according to your calculative abilities, I am pretty sure you can figure out the words by just observing a person''s lip, jaw and tongue movements and learning the corresponding sounds produced with little practice," Tya''s cute voice rang out, an icon with a lip symbol glowed in the corner of Aditya''s inner mind on the side of ''Slow Timing'' and ''Sensifull'' which Aditya selected instantly.


    When Aditya looked at groups of people conversing in hushed voices or even whispers, he could clearly understand what they were saying which marvelled him once again of Tya''s potential. He turned to look at a delicate girl who was talking and giggling with her friend as they looked in their direction.


    ''That dark blue blazer (Aditya) seems to be already taken as I saw him walk in with a beauty, that maroon shirt (Bhadra) is very handsome but he looks gentle and kind, the kind who takes his relationships seriously which is not what I want but that green tie (Jatin) is definitely my type, I would definitely date him if he asked me out,''


    Aditya rolled his eyes when he knew what they were talking about as he looked at Jatin and said, "Jatin, looks like someone fancies you."


    Jatin smiled confidently as he stood up and said, "I don''t need you to confirm as I already know," he walked towards the said girl as she acted shy and embarrassed like an innocent girl in search of true love. Aditya scoffed at that act as he turned towards Bhadra and said, "What about you? Is Kavya coming?"


    "Yup, they should be on the way," Bhadra said as he nodded.


    "They?"


    "Kavya and Anupama."


    "Oh..."


    "Right, what happened to school? Last time I called Jatin, he did not tell me in detail," Aditya asked as he remembered that Jatin had laughed and cut the call when Aditya had asked about the school.


    "What! You didn''t know?" Bhadra sat upright in his chair as he shouted loudly. He caught himself in time as he expressed apologies to the disturbed guests as he turned to look at Aditya with an incredulous expression.


    "What am I missing here? Jatin reacted the same way," Aditya asked with a puzzled look as he was startled at Bhadra''s overreaction.


    "it''s your elder sister Maahi," Bhadra said with a look of awe.


    "Elder sister Maahi came to the school?" Aditya asked with shock as he could basically guess what must have happened without any further details. He knew her more than anyone. Now he could basically confirm that the school was done for, what he was interested in knowing was how she did it.Stolen novel; please report.


    "Is the school still functioning?"


    "Nope,"


    "What happened?"


    "Sex Scandal and food poisoning."


    "Sex Scandal?"


    "Yup, both Karan and his father Prakash Malhotra, it basically buried the school''s reputation once and for all." Bhadra said as he laughed with schadenfreude, "the twist was that they were doing the same female teacher without one knowing the other, it was quite a blast in the school when the videos were played in the school cafeteria''s huge TV screen."


    Aditya did not expect anything less from his elder sister Maahi who maintained a team of professional corporate spies. Getting these videos must have been very easy for them. He asked, "and then?"


    "Then, this news was leaked to the national press which somehow decided that an earthquake in Japan was less important than this scandal and played the blurred video all day long while conducting surveys, opinion polls and heated debates whether such a practice represents progressiveness or violates ethics."


    "Oh," Aditya nodded as he also knew that elder sister Maahi had extensive contacts in the media as well.


    "The final nail in the coffin was when a circular was released from ''The ministry of health and family welfare'' which cited reports of test results from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI) stating that the food provided by the school''s cafeteria was unhygienic and the international students were prone to gastric disturbance at best and lethal food poisoning at the worst. With that masterstroke, our school became a favourite meeting spot for all kinds of international ambassadors and high commissioners. The rest is history as they say it," Bhadra said with a gleeful expression as he remembered the looks on both Karan and his father. He still doubted if they knew that all this had happened because of expelling a student who was an ''orphan''.


    Aditya sighed when he heard these words. This was an aspect of his elder sister that he had a contradiction with. She took revenge so far that not only the culprits but the people associated with them also suffered devastating consequences. Because of the above action, along with Karan and his father, the teachers who were good like Kapil sir and the chefs in the cafeteria and many other workers also suffered which they did not deserve.


    When he asked her once about this attribute of hers, she had replied with only one sentence, "the anthill is not at fault for the death of a person due to a snake bite but it provided shelter for the venomous snake which was the main culprit. But when the villagers gather to kill the snake, the first hit falls not on the snake but on the anthill."


    "So, you guys changed to a new school?" Aditya asked as he took a sip of the non-alcoholic champagne which tasted refreshingly like apple and peaches.


    "Yup, which parents would want their children to study in that school anymore after what happened, the whole class transferred to other schools. You know transferring in the middle of the term is a huge headache. Luckily we found a school which had newly started teaching international curriculum since last year and so many vacancies were available. Most of us got admitted into that school including Jatin, me, Kavya, Anupama and even that Yu Yan." Bhadra explained briefly while looking at Aditya.


    Aditya nodded but his main attention was now on the conversation of Taarini.


    The middle-aged man who had greying side swept short hair and a goatee spoke in a sarcastic tone, "So the great Star Empress wants to leave the underworld and became a pure white collar businesswoman by using the opportunity of grabbing the contract for building the iconic tower of Bangalore. Do you know what we call a person who wants to leave the abyss? We call them cowards. Is that what you have become now? Your elder brother would have been ashamed of you if he was alive today."


    "Except, he isn''t," Taarini shot back icily, there was no change of her expression when she heard the sarcasm of Kasi who was the leader of one of the key gangs of Bangalore''s underground, "You people seem to have forgotten that my brother did not choose this life but it was forced on him by the lack of law and order in the past. Now, the situation is not the same anymore, the place for extra-governmental players is becoming extinct. I suggest you also start thinking of alternative careers as our time is about to end."


    "Taarini, you!" Kasi was outraged when he heard these words while the hawk-like eyes of the old man, who had slicked back white hair and a white beard, twinkled. When Kasi was about to refute, Taarini raised her hand to stop him and continued her speech.


    "Don''t you people know what happened to Mumbai''s underworld which used to be the most notorious mafia in our country? Wiped out in one night. Why is there a Mumbai Mafia Alliance made up of stray dogs fleeing Mumbai currently in our city, trying to take over our city''s underworld? What kind of an enemy did these people encounter that they did not have thoughts of resisting and decisively left Mumbai to come to our city? Are you sure you could resist the Mumbai Mafia Alliance let alone that enemy from Mumbai when they come to Bangalore?" Taarini shot one ice-breaking question after another which caused the middle-aged guy named Kasi''s face to pale by the minute.


    Taarini looked at these seniors and stated nonchalantly, "I, for one, don''t want to sacrifice my brothers and followers. So if there is even a minute chance that I could get out of this vortex before calamity struck, I would take it. You people might have passion for the abyss but I don''t share the same feeling. So, I am only here to give a heads up to you people. As I know that you two are the better among others and had a lasting relationship with my elder brother Manu, I don''t mind handing the territories in my hand to you guys. Consider this as to part on good terms."


    "Then, what about Flaming tiger?" the old man who hadn''t spoken till now opened his mouth at last.


    "Just because I am leaving the underworld doesn''t mean I would clip my claws and remove my fangs, elder Gani, my grudge with Flaming Tiger is very much alive and I will kill him with my own hands one day," Taarini gazed at the old man and replied in a chilly tone.


    "So, how do you plan on bagging this prestigious project? You do know that it is beyond your capacity, right? Convincing the financier and the political leadership with your background is very hard." Kasi asked.


    "I have my ways, the deputy Chief Minister owed a favour to my brother. He had agreed to convince the political leadership and the ''Wande'' group has agreed to provide a guarantee to the quality of the construction done by providing the required aid in technological and infrastructure support," Taarini answered.


    "Wande group? isn''t that the top infrastructure development company in our city? You got them to accept these conditions? What did you have to give them?" Kasi asked with wide open eyes.


    "90% of my property," Taarini answered indifferently but the other two people could not keep calm when they heard those words.


    "I didn''t expect that your desire for a normal life was so strong. You have my best wishes, even if I can''t accept your resolve, I will support you even if it is just for the relationship I shared with your elder brother." Kasi smiled a little as he looked at Taarini. The small girl, who used to cling on to her elder brother every time he went home with a pure, bright smile, had grown.


    Taarini turned her head to look at Aditya who was also looking at her with a smile. After some time, a small smile appeared on Taarini''s face.

 66 - Cheap

    "That''s quicker than I imagined," Aditya teased when he saw Jatin coming back while straightening his clothes while that young girl also returned to her friends looking a little flustered. A slight blush could be seen on her cheeks while she took side glances at Jatin from time to time.


    "I stopped it midway when I remembered that I might not meet you again for some time so I did not do the main deed, you know me, ''bros before hoes''" Jatin took a seat beside Aditya and grabbed a soft drink.


    "Why do I feel that it was she who did not allow you to go any further?" Aditya squinted his eyes as he said. His ''Sensifull'' was activated now so he could easily tell that Jatin was lying.


    "Aditya, you have become more intelligent working in the garage. Before, you were not able to catch my lies." Jatin grinned as he lightly knocked Aditya''s head, "she wants to date for a few days before taking the next step. She said something about ''delayed gratification'', gosh, girls are becoming so complicated these days."


    "As if you are simple," Aditya rolled his eyes and turned towards the entrance just in time to see two beautiful girls enter elegantly. His eye rested on the girl who was pretty tall for her age with lily-white complexion. Her brunette hair reaching her waist was long, straight and layered, it swayed gracefully as she walked.


    She was a blooming rose with big attractive eyes and thick juicy lips. Her deep, dark honey coloured pupils glittered with intellect and pride. She had this aloof aura around her which was quite different from Taarini''s cold aura or Hamsa''s gentle aura. She was Anupama, the only girl who Aditya had fallen in love. He had dreamt of their future together for almost a year and tried to make it a reality. That was also the time when he stopped contacting Kumari and Sameera even on the social network.


    Anupama looked really gorgeous today, she wore a midi length peach-coloured fit and flare woven dress. Her dainty and soft hand could be seen partially covered by the flared long sleeves filled with lace detail. A pair of gold and sea-green drop earrings dangled from her pinkish, fragile looking ear pinnae. Kavya was also beautiful as she wore a black printed A-line dress.


    Aditya went into a daze when he saw Anupama after many days but quickly recovered as he smiled and stood along with Bhadra for welcoming them. Jatin ignored them as he chatted with a new girl he befriended in his mobile. Anupama and Kavya spotted Aditya as well as Bhadra and walked towards them. There was a slight shock in Anupama''s eyes when she saw Aditya, he looked a lot different than she remembered from a few weeks back.


    His eyes were bright and his demeanour was no longer that of a teenager. She felt like Aditya had become more mature and candid. There was a new kind of charm emanating from him which she had not perceived before as he stood beside Bhadra. Before, Aditya did not appear too striking when he hanged around with Bhadra and Jatin. He neither had the physique of Bhadra nor the pale complexion of Jatin but today Anupama could feel that Aditya has become the most eye-catching figure among the three. The change was not in the visible portion as he looked pretty much the same but it was in one''s feeling.


    "It''s been a while, Adi, how have you been? You seem to have changed so much." Kavya exclaimed in surprise when she saw Aditya.


    "I have been good, you have become more pretty, Kavya," Aditya smiled and nodded slightly as he turned to look at Anupama," Hi Anupama, how are things going?"


    Anupama nodded slightly as she turned to Bhadra and said, "When is the program going to start? My father has already directly gone to the business conference. He said that most of the other people also directly skipped this party as it would not be good for the press to find out that these elites have attended the birthday of chief minister''s son. The opposition party could make this into a controversial issue. So, I guess it''s mostly going to be people around our age."


    Aditya frowned slightly when he saw Anupama ignoring him but did not say anything as he sat down. It was not like he was too idle to pay attention to these things right now. He had a lot going on in his head even though he looked pretty relaxed outside so the question as to why Anupama was acting in this manner was way down his priority list.


    Jatin leaned towards Aditya as Bhadra and Kavya conversed and muttered, "it is your elder sister Maahi, oh boy, you should have been on the scene, it was very entertaining."


    Aditya''s brows relaxed when he heard these words. He did not think that his elder sister would target Anupama also. He did not mind apologizing to Anupama in his elder sister''s steed but he was sure what would follow if elder sisterMaahi came to know that he had apologized to Anupama for her. He was far too experienced and knowledgeable about his elder sister''s character to commit such a mistake.


    It was better to forget that he knew about the incident and act ignorant. As Aditya was thinking of a valid reason to distance himself from Anupama before she decides to confront him, he saw Faizal walking in with Raghav. He sprang from his chair and hurried towards the entrance to catch Faizal to give him the crucial mission he was here to accomplish.


    Faizal also trimmed his beard as well as moustache and wore a cool set of black suit that gave that feeling like he was a bodyguard. Faizal blamed himself for doubting elder brother Aditya''s kindness and thinking that he was selfish and scheming. He reminded himself that he would stay loyal to elder brother Aditya and keep the other three in line, not tolerating any kind of disobedience.


    ''look, elder brother Aditya is rushing towards me to welcome me. This is a kind soul, I will pray to god that all elder brother''s endeavours become a success'' this was the innermost thought of Faizal as he gave a bright smile to Aditya.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Aditya came and patted Faizal''s shoulder as he looked at him and said, "you look so handsome and cool Faizal, I am happy for you. What do you think of this place."


    "This place looks like heaven elder brother, I never thought I would get to meet these many affluent and beautiful people." Faizal was not parsimonious in his praise as he gave a bright smile. Raghav was looking at this with dismay. He still remembered when he first met Aditya, although he felt that this kid was not bad, he knew that this kid was definitely not the type to be this selfless. Something felt wrong.


    "Very good, Faizal, you can meet all the people you want, here, see if any girl might be interested in you. Oh, by the I have small work for you," Aditya said as his face became stern.


    "You can just order me elder brother, no need for any formalities between us. I shall accomplish your request to the best of my ability," Faizal who was currently feeling euphoric did not think much as he hit his own chest and promised.


    "Good, how many pockets do you have? Six?"


    "Eight, elder brother, I have two hidden ones in my suit."


    "Very good, do you see these small jars on each circular table?"


    "Yes, elder brother, they are complimentary and are usually very tasty, they have chunky orange marmalade, strawberry conserve and honey. All are the highest quality and taste as they usually are made with superior ingredients. I saw them in Taarini elder sister''s Vivanta hotel also." Faizal explained in detail.


    "Good, collect them."


    "Okay, sur¡­ What!"


    "I said to collect them and stuff them in your pockets. I want as many of them as possible, you know that I am a poor man working as a mechanic, right? Hamsa would also like these items. It might cheer her up. She is a well brought up girl, she might be feeling down as she is eating normal food every day." Aditya explained patiently with a straight face.


    Boom!


    Faizal restored faith in humanity blasted into smithereens when he heard those words. Now he understood why Aditya asked him to come. As for the reason for doing this for a girl, he did not believe a single word of this bullshit. He knew that his elder brother was selfish and scheming but he never thought he was also cheap.


    "Also, if possible collect more of those honey jars because I like¡­ cough cough... I mean she likes it very much, also get those other fellows also to collect as many as possible otherwise I will throw them to those gangs. Faizal I think you are going to catch a chick today, all the best." Aditya encouraged Faizal as the tall and muscular figure walked slowly into the Grand ballroom with drooping shoulders.


    ''Chicks? Which girl would spare a glance at him when he was out there collecting these jars and stuffing them in his pockets,'' Faizal did not have the strength of mind to argue with Aditya anymore as he knew he would definitely end up worse than now. Who asked Taarini Big Sis to fancy him? Was this going to be their future?


    Raghav looked at Aditya for a long time before patting Aditya''s shoulders as he said, "Thank you, you have restored confidence in my intuition" and went away. Aditya was puzzled with these words as he turned around to go back to his friends but he saw a young man standing in his way as he looked at Aditya with interest. Aditya knew who he was with one glance. He had seen this person speaking to a grief-stricken Hamsa on that rainy night.


    The youth had a thin, sharp face with a long straight nose and bright eyes. He smiled and held out his hand as he said in a gentle voice, "Hello Aditya, my name is Reyansh Varma, the boyfriend of Hamsa who is currently living in your place for the past few days."


    "Oh," Aditya looked with an indifferent expression and did not extend his hand in greeting.


    "Oh?" Reyansh''s smile froze when he heard this passive response and saw no change in expression in Aditya''s face.


    "Okay, if there is nothing else you want to talk about, I have to get back to my friends," Aditya politely said and moved to Reyansh''s side.


    "Kid, don''t act smart, the damage done is not beyond repair yet. I suggest you hand over the girl and bow down to Reyansh young master for forgiveness. He might still forgive you as you did not know the actual circumstances when you saved her. But if you turned back now, even Taarini won''t be able to save you from the wrath of the young master as she cannot afford the prize." Flaming tiger blocked Aditya''s path and warned while his huge figure towered over Aditya.


    "Who did you say, cannot save him?" An icy voice was heard from Flaming tiger''s behind as he felt his blood cool and heart freeze, even Reyansh felt chills when he heard this calm but piercing voice. It felt as if he was stared by a wild animal in the dark.


    Reyansh looked at the charming woman who was standing behind him but he felt no feeling of attraction. Anyone who knew him would know that Reyansh always liked soft and gentle characters who could be bullied easily. A sense of foreboding started growing in his heart which clearly reminded him to not get on the bad side of this woman otherwise things will get really ugly.


    But he regained his composure quickly when he remembered his own background. He did not believe that a puny underworld gang in a southern city would dare to touch him which was equal to provoking one of the grandest and renowned families in the capital.


    Reyansh sneered as he said, "I definitely can''t touch Hamsa if you chose to protect her but are you sure you can come out of this without paying a gruesome price? Is it all worth it? Just give me the woman and everybody is happy, what do you say?" his calm and gentle face twisted when he sneered.


    Before Taarini could reply, Aditya opened his mouth and said, "You know what? I really do not like getting into violent conflicts if I could solve it through talks. I suggest you forget about Hamsa, otherwise," Aditya leaned forward and looked Reyansh in the eye with a sharp gaze as he stated in a deep, low voice, "I don''t mind killing you."


    Reyansh''s pupils contracted as his heart constricted with dread when he heard Aditya''s words. While Taarini felt like a wild animal to him which was very dangerous but a little manageable, Aditya''s words felt like the god of death passing down a judgement. It was if this was inevitable like he was a powerless, weak mortal with no right of say in this matter. Reyansh''s heart shuddered as he had never felt this way before.


    When Reyansh had Aditya investigated, he found out that he was subordinate of Taarini. He always thought that this was just a classic case of a hero rescuing the beauty and that Aditya was just a young kid with a hot head. He presumed that as long as he revealed his background, even if Aditya did not submit, Taarini would do the right thing. But the reality turned out to be very different than his prediction.


    The thing which intrigued Reyansh the most was that when he looked at the manners and attitude of Taarini and Aditya, he felt that it was only natural that they would not agree to send Hamsa back, it was as if he was an idiot for thinking that proclaiming his background would be enough. Looks like he needed to make a demonstration for them to realize their own place.


    Reyansh regained his calm and gentle smile as he said, "I hope you people won''t regret this action later, little Flame, come, let''s go."


    Reyansh left the Grand Ballroom with Flaming tiger following.


    "Would you really kill him if he comes after Hamsa again," Taarini asked in her characteristic chilly tone as she looked at Aditya with a cool gaze.


    "Maybe."

 67 - Heir

    "Ranganath, what do you make out from the fact that a representative from the ''Ahuja'' group is going to join our meeting?", the chief minister couldn''t suppress his emotions when he said those words. Ranganath was a retired member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) who had been one of his most trusted advisers.


    "Mr Chief Minister, I was also surprised about this piece of news but I think it should be good news as the ''Ahuja'' group does not joke around by sending representatives just for fun. It should be something crucial." an old man in a formal suit with spectacles said as he watched the celebration of the six-year-old son of Chief Minister cutting the cake amid the clapping, cheering, singing and inconsequential polite conversation.


    Every major construction group and finance group knew that the iconic tower project proposed by him is not financially viable at this moment. The government has no money to spare, it could only guarantee the best piece of land and basic infrastructure. The area selected for the ''Information Technology Investment Region'' was also quite far from the city and is currently a piece of barren land. The potential of this development project is attractive but all the numbers are only on paper and much of it is wishful speculation given that there was no project taken up like this before in this city to act as a standard reference.


    The central government has only agreed to a bunch of tax incentives and other logistical support like building a new railway line. So, the only way for the iconic tower to come to fruition is if someone was ready to take a major part of the risk by himself/herself. India''s economy was booming right now that all the major construction and finance companies had a lot of more profitable options to invest their money which carried far less risk. So, the chief minister wanted to see if there were any people who were interested in the ''honour'' part of this project.


    That''s why, it was not a small amount of surprise to him when he heard that the largest and most prestigious construction company in the country, the ''Ahuja'' group would be sending a representative to this informal meeting. He was sure that if Ahuja group decides to take up this project, they would definitely be able to complete this tower by the time for the next elections.


    He knew that the anti-incumbency feeling among the populace was getting stronger day by day so if he wanted to come to power once again, he had to get this tower completed. Therefore, in a way, this project was his lifeline. This was also the reason that he had painfully decided to let go of the ''commission'' for such a huge project. All he wanted was for this tower to be completed before the next elections. As long as he could remain in power, everything could be sacrificed.


    "It would be nice if at least the ''Wande'' group comes forward, this company is based in our city. I can also place this project in their hands with a steady heart as they already have a proven record," the Chief Minister stated as he nodded politely to every guest. He spotted an uninvited fellow with a depressed face stuffing his pockets with honey jars but did not care.


    He conversed a little with other cabinet ministers of Finance, Information Technology, Industries and Commerce and Urban Development. These ministries were connected to the project he was about to discuss. He had also spent great effort to convince these ministers who were also senior members of his party to let go of some benefits and to speed up the bureaucratic process to facilitate a rapid issuing of related permissions. He had inherited his position from his father at a relatively young age and it was not a secret that he was not fully in control of his party.


    "I thank each and every one of you for making my son''s birthday more memorable by sharing this joyous occasion with me and my family. It pleases my heart to see young people who are having a good time. The future is yours and I am doing my best to create a safe and secure world for you handsome men and beautiful women. I hope that the young people have a pleasant experience." the chief minister almost began his campaigning propaganda but restrained himself when he saw the bored look on the faces of the audience. He invited all the VIPs with a smile as they left the Ballroom for the conference room.


    Taarini bid goodbye to Aditya who promised to wait for her while simultaneously cheering for her success. She nodded lightly and followed the bunch of elites along with Munna. Munna was knowledgeable about each and every prominent member as he introduced some of the relevant ones to Taarini. Taarini would nod from time to time as she remembered these people whom she might have to deal with in the future.


    When Taarini reached the lounge area, she noticed more people who were waiting here while conversing with each other in hushed voices while some sat browsing through magazines or just closing their eyes.


    One look from their attires was enough to know that these people were the elite among the elite. Taarini who rarely contacted this circle was also impressed with their graceful demeanours. Though she never thought less of her, she had to accept that these people felt different and unique.


    Taarini frowned lightly when she spotted Reyansh. It was not because he was present here but that he was currently speaking with the representative from ''Wande'' group. He turned around to face Taarini as he smiled gently and walked towards her and spoke softly, "All is not lost yet, I don''t expect too much from you. I only ask that you stop covering that brat. I will take care of the rest, otherwise, it would be very tragic if the representative of the ''Wande'' group does not endorse your contract. All your hard work will be equal to a perfume poured into sewage. What do you say?"


    "Get lost,"


    "What did you say?" Reyansh lost his gentle demeanour as he asked with raised eyebrows.


    "I said, get lost," Taarini replied coldly as he looked at Reyansh with unfeeling eyes.


    Reyansh''s face twisted with rage when he heard these words. He sneered and walked into the conference room while flaming tiger stayed as he smirked at her. Taarini looked at the poker face of the representative from ''Wande'' group and felt her heart sink. Did she make a mistake by supporting Aditya? Is this going to cut her only path to a normal life which was the only thing she had dreamed of since her elder brother died?


    Munna was also shocked when he saw what had transpired. He sighed when he looked at the blank expression on Taarini''s face as her eyes became unfocused in a daze. His little miss never had a day when she did not smile and laugh when Big Brother Manu was alive but after he died, he never saw her smile again. She always worked hard to achieve her goals and never spoke about her grief or hardships to anyone. Just when he was thinking that little miss was becoming more normal because of Aditya it turned out that this kid would also become the reason for more grief for Taarini.


    When the image of her elder brother and the reason that he had to become a mobster flashed in Taarini''s mind along with the words spoken by Aditya on that night, Taarini''s unfocused eyes slowly regained their sharpness and aloofness as she nodded at Munna and strode into the conference room.


    She was not going to allow herself to be bullied for doing the right thing. If that person wants to create an obstacle, then he better be prepared to have his skin sliced by her. Did he think that the people of the underworld thought and acted logically while following rules and regulations?


    Meeting Room


    Taarini sat on a mahogany chair calmly as she closed her eyes and composed herself. When she let go of the concern of winning this contract, her heart suddenly felt a little relaxed and sad at the same time.


    "Elder sister, can I sit here?" a delicate female voice was heard which sounded very soothing to her. Taarini opened her eyes to see a petite woman looking at her with big, round and watery dark brown eyes. Taarini had to agree that this woman who seemed to be younger than she was very pretty and charming.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    This woman wore a black solid one-shoulder maxi dress revealing a side of a weak and delicate shoulder, with a flared hemline, which contrasted beautifully with her white creamy skin tone. The dress was abstrusely designed stylishly using lace frills, lace inserts and bows. A fine and thin layered gold chain hung around her flawless thin neck and a pair of black and gold floral drop earrings swung from her delicate ear lobes as she asked in a sweet voice.


    "Elder sister?"


    "Sure, please," Taarini nodded her head as she continued to observe this woman who seemed to be innocent and fragile but the feeling in Taarini''s heart was just the opposite. She felt that this woman was not simple but at the same time, this woman did not seem to hold anything against her so she did not delve deeper into this.


    After a few minutes, the Chief Minister thanked everyone for coming and then began a lengthy speech on his great achievement of bagging this prestigious project despite heavy competition from other states (provinces). He spoke about the wonderful prospects Information Technology (IT) held for India and how Bangalore was at the heart of this revolution and ahead of other cities. He stated some unbelievable figures of how hundreds of thousands of direct employment will be generated from this region and how billions of dollars of foreign revenue will be attracted here. Every one of the elite listened to every word with rapt attention.


    After a 10 minute introduction and a series of powerpoint presentations, the chief minister requested everyone to come forward and be a part of this region''s development to which almost all of the people present pledged verbally that they would love to invest in this region. Everyone here already knew the main purpose of this meeting before coming, so, anyone who was actually not interested in this project would not have come. As these people took the trouble of coming here, of course, it meant that they were interested in investing in this region.


    Bhadra''s father was interested in constructing luxury apartments and villas in this region, Jatin''s father was interested in building a World class multi-speciality hospital while Anupama''s father was interested in establishing a technology centre. Other people who have come also shared similar interest and wanted a pie in this project. Taarini did not speak and the young woman beside her also watched on with curious eyes blinking from time to time with a little smile on her face.


    The chief minister was happy with this enthusiastic response as his confidence increased with respect to the iconic tower. He smiled and said, "As everyone knows, a new iconic tower of 440 m is coming up in Mumbai recently so I want our city to have a similar iconic building of at least more than 100 floors. I am sorry to say that my government is not able to take up this project but if anyone shares my passion for bringing honour to our city, I can assure that my government will give 100% support. So, is there anyone who wants to take up this prestigious project? As this is an informal meeting, I welcome everyone to discuss and ask if you have any queries."


    The chief minister looked at the silent representatives from ''Wande'' group and ''Ahuja'' group with an anticipatory expression but he was surprised when a woman stood up from her seat and said, "I would like to take up this project."


    The chief minister frowned slightly as he did not know this person so he looked at Ranganath who leaned a little and whispered, "she is Taarini AKA Star Empress, a prominent Underworld leader and a businesswoman. She is known as one of the better ones who does not indulge in unlawful activities and she owns ''Vivanta'' group which is quite prominent among the service industry and entertainment industry. I would suggest you go along only if she could provide financial as well as quality credentials and in the scenario that no one else volunteers."


    The Chief Minister wrinkled his brows when he heard about Taarini. He was not comfortable working with people of the underworld. He looked at Taarini and asked, "Miss Taarini, as you see this project will be worth a minimum of $ 300 million USD, are you sure you can secure the required financial capital for this project? Also, constructing a skyscraper requires quite a different set of expertise and technological support unlike malls and five-star hotels." He indirectly implied that he was not interested in giving her this project.


    Taarini turned to look at both the Deputy Chief Minister and the representative of the ''Wande'' group who lowered their heads and ignored her. Although Taarini had expected this, she felt as if her heart was gripped by a claw as she clenched her trembling fists. She did not cry as this setback was not worthy.


    She saw Reyansh revealing a triumphant smile as he looked at her in a disdainful expression. She did not want to make herself look like a clown by getting into an argument with these people in front of the Chief Minister. As Taarini prepared to sit down, she saw the young woman who sat beside her stand up and said, "I can guarantee the necessary financial capital if elder sister Taarini gets this contract."


    Taarini was shocked along with each and everyone in the room when they heard this young woman''s words. Taarini looked at Reyansh to see if this was another plan of Reyansh to humiliate her but her heart calmed down when she saw him stare at this woman with a wide open mouth. Taarini could clearly see the dread in his eyes.


    The Chief Minister stood up with a laugh, "I didn''t expect that one of the youngest and most successful entrepreneurs from Mumbai would be interested in this humble project. If you are interested in financing this project, I am sure even ''Wande'' group would take up the construction part." he still did not completely understand the words of this woman.


    The young woman smiled and said while shaking her head, "Nope, this offer only stands if elder sister Taarini is the one who gets this contract."


    The Chief Minister exchanged a look with Mr Ranganath who shook his head, he turned and asked, "I am afraid, I don''t understand you Miss Maahi."


    Maahi smiled sweetly as she turned towards Taarini who was standing in a slight daze and said, "I don''t care about the project, it is just that I owe a favour to elder sister Taarini so this is my way of repaying her."


    The Chief Minister and everyone else were shocked to their core when they heard these words, ''what favour was worth $300 million USD?''


    Reyansh was both shocked and terrified when he heard these words. How could he not know this corporate devil? Why was she siding with Taarini?


    The chief Minister hesitated before saying, "But Miss Maahi, this is the first project of this kind and I feel that Miss Taarini does not possess the required capabilities,"


    The middle-aged person who was the representative of the ''Ahuja'' group stood up and stated austerely, "If Miss Taarini requires our assistance, our Ahuja group will provide all the assistance and technology support for her disposal and we can also guarantee the quality of the construction. Actually, this was the only purpose of my visit today."


    Boom!


    Reyansh felt his mind explode when he saw the ''Ahuja'' group backing Taarini. Ahuja group was something that was on par with the ''Raipath'' family.


    The Chief Minister was having thoughts of giving the old man beside him a good hard kick. How can someone who has strong connections with both Maahi Kapoor and Ahuja group be just an underworld person? He smiled and said, "If Ahuja group guarantees, what else do we need? I congratulate Miss Taarini on bagging this contract and I hope that her construction remains a prominent landmark for our city for decades to come."


    Taarini''s ice cold expression stiffened when she saw people unknown to her standing up and supporting her. She did not know how to react, she looked at the smiling face of Maahi and asked, "Why?"


    "Thank you for taking care of Aditya and I hope you continue to do so," Maahi replied simply.


    Taarini''s expression finally changed as she looked at Maahi with wide open eyes, "What do you mean?"


    "Aditya is my little brother. I have failed to look after him but you are doing my job, so helping you is only natural, right?" Maahi explained patiently.


    "Aditya is your little brother?" Taarini murmured slowly. It took quite some time for her to let this information sink in. The kid who worked as a mechanic instead of studying in a school, living in a small penthouse, was her little brother? Why would this woman let Aditya remain like that?


    Did she know what Aditya did during evening times? Did she know that Taarini trains him so severely that his limbs will be trembling and swollen at the end of each session so much so that they would be lacking even a little amount of energy? What kind of an elder sister would allow that if she knew this? Clearly, this woman loved Aditya as could be seen from this huge favour. Taarini''s head was getting clogged with questions as Maahi watched with a bright smile.


    Taarini regained his composure after some time as she thanked the Chief Minister. She ignored the repentant expressions on the ''Wande'' group representative and the deputy Chief minister as she turned to Maahi and asked another important question,


    "Is Ahuja group also with you?"


    "No, do you think I am all powerful? I have nothing to do with those old fogies."


    "Then, why are they going to such length to help me? Is it not about Aditya?" Taarini asked


    "No, it is about Aditya."


    "Then?"


    "I said that I don''t have anything to do with them but Aditya has," Maahi said simply as she played with her hair locks.


    "Isn''t he, your younger brother?"


    "We are not blood-related."


    "So, why are they helping me?" Taarini asked trying hard to stay on the subject.


    "Well, let''s just say that Aditya is heir to the ''Ahuja'' group and they are flattering him." Maahi giggled as she covered her mouth with her small, delicate hand as her eyes narrowed.

 68 - Who Are You?

    "Bhadra, look at that fellow, he is actually filling his pockets with those complimentary jars, how can he be so cheap in such a place," Kavya pointed at Faizal as she looked with curiosity as to how such a person could come to such a high-end place.


    "Cough, Cough¡­ Bhadra, check out this sushi, it is very delicious," Aditya said as he began stuffing sushi into Bhadra''s plate with chopsticks.


    "Enough, Adi," Bhadra smiled as he took a Tempura roll and tasted it while nodding his head in appreciation of the taste.


    Aditya turned his head to see a scowl on the face of Kavya as she glared at him. This was always the case when Bhadra was with Aditya. She would be forgotten and only Aditya''s words would be heard. This was also the reason that Kavya was happy since the past few days but today she was reminded once again of this bitter truth. Nothing had changed.


    "Kavya, why don''t you also taste this sushi, it is really tasty, Bhadra why don''t you share some with her?" Aditya knew what Kavya was thinking about so he tried to pacify her.


    "Okay, Kavya here, have some," Bhadra offered to Kavya only to see her ignore him and start a conversation with Anupama. Bhadra looked at Aditya bewilderedly who also shrugged his shoulders innocently.


    Jatin held his forehead with helplessness, both of his friends were duffers in matters of understanding a girl''s heart. Aditya was right in guessing that Kavya was not happy with Bhadra giving more attention to him but he did not know that by asking Bhadra to give sushi to her and Bhadra following his words would only further aggravate her mood. It would have been totally different if Bhadra shared the sushi, given by Aditya, with Kavya on his own initiative but that would not be Bhadra if he possessed such high emotional intelligence.


    "Jatin, how''s the new school and also what happened with Kapil sir?" Aditya asked Jatin. Kapil sir occupied a special place in Aditya''s heart as he was the only teacher who took effort to comfort him when his parents went missing and when he was dealing with the Hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness).


    "I heard that Kapil sir is trying to change his profession by entering the corporate sector, I don''t know if he got his desired job though. As for our new school, it''s fine. Our new school was actually a school teaching only the national curriculum but it also added an international curriculum recently. It''s fun interacting with those students of the national curriculum. But they have ordinary backgrounds and can be easily bullied if we want to. I heard that Karan is already trying to get a girl from the national curriculum to sleep with him, I haven''t heard if he succeeded yet." Jatin described briefly as Aditya nodded.


    Jatin asked back, "When are you going to join our school? isn''t it better if you join early, you have a lot of syllabi to catch up." all the people including Anupama perked their ears when they heard Jatin''s words.


    Aditya brows pressed when he heard this question, he raised his head and asked Jatin back, "Who said that I would start going to school again? I have neither the will nor the time to go to school." Aditya shook his head decisively. Anupama looked at Aditya with clear disappointment in her eyes when she heard his words.


    "Wouldn''t you go even if your elder sister wants you to?" a mature female voice was heard from Aditya''s behind.


    Aditya whipped his head when he saw a mature woman who exuded a stern, mighty and a steady aura. She had a pair of beautiful big, dark eyes which clearly revealed a fiery temperament and a feeling of authority. She had a medium length dark brown hair which was styled into light waves and rested on her shoulders.


    "Elder sister Qaima, what are you doing here? Wait, did elder sister Maahi also come?" Aditya sprang from his chair and looked in all direction but sighed in relief when he did not find her figure. He almost got scared when he thought that elder sister Maahi had come to see him. But according to his knowledge Qaima always accompanied elder sister Maahi, he turned his attention towards her who had clearly observed his reactions.


    Qaima wore a brilliant red coloured solid woven dress with gorgeous shoulder straps and short sleeves which exposed her smooth and pampered arms. A slit could be seen on the flared hemline which revealed an alluring porcelain-like leg from time to time as she walked. A pair of black gen-studded triangular drop earrings matched perfectly with her red maxi dress.


    "You don''t have to worry about your elder sister Maahi coming to meet you, she is not interested in making you uncomfortable otherwise do you think that she would have waited till today to meet you." Qaima scoffed as she looked at Aditya.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Oh," Aditya nodded, no one but he and Maahi elder sister knew the reason as to why the siblings who always stuck to one another suddenly became so estranged for the past two years. Even though he and elder sister Maahi did not meet, both cared for each other in their own way. Even in the ''other'' world which was four years ahead of this timeline where Aditya was studying in England, he had not directly contacted with elder sister Maahi.


    "Oh? Hmph, Boss is thinking about you night and day and planning your future but here you are spoiling your life and future, working in a garage, roaming around with the underworld goons with no ambition. I really don''t understand why she even cares about you..." Qaima spoke with anger boiling inside her. She was not sure if this anger was due to Aditya''s deeds or her envy at Aditya being cared for, by Maahi, so much.


    "Underworld?" everyone on the table were shocked when they heard these words and looked at Aditya strangely. What could he do in the underworld with this physique? Only Jatin''s eyes lit up when he heard these words. He knew Aditya''s calculating ability and immediately applied it to firearms usage.


    Aditya always knew that Qaima disliked him for some reason since she started to work for Maahi so he was not surprised at her harsh words. He just stood there looking at Qaima until she finished her words, he knew she was not the type to take time only to scold him. There must be some reason behind her visit.


    Qaima calmed down after a while when she saw Aditya just stand there without refuting her. At least this fellow has not changed in this aspect. She knew that Aditya avoided getting into an argument with women as long as the argument itself was inconsequential.


    One should not presume that Aditya was a good, sensible boy from this as Qaima knew enough to know that Aditya was the type of person who stayed silent and listened to everyone''s words but in the end, he would do what he thought was right.


    Any stranger who is new to Aditya would be thinking that he will change his ways by looking at his silent and sincere attitude when he listened to their words but only close ones knew that not one word would truly enter his mind.


    Qaima calmed down after some time as she said sternly, "Boss said that Uncle Ramu wants to meet you tomorrow."


    "Okay," Aditya nodded as he finally knew why Qaima came. He had changed his mobile number effectively cutting himself off from others so she had to come personally to tell him.


    "Hmph, take care." Qaima glowered and walked away elegantly without talking with others. She was in no mood to socialize after scolding Aditya.


    Aditya let out a huge breath and sat down to continue to eat only to find everyone looking at him weirdly. Bhadra was the one who opened his mouth first as he asked, "Are you mixing with the people from the Mafia?"


    "Yup," Aditya nodded as he drank a soft drink, "But, it''s not like you think, I know what I am doing."


    Bhadra did not ask anymore while the others looked like they wanted to talk but gave up in the end. Anupama''s eyes became more detached than ever when she looked at Aditya now.


    Aditya looked at all this but did not bother explaining as he stood up and said, "it''s really good to meet you guys here today, see you next time." The person he was waiting for has arrived.


    He walked towards Taarini who was standing near the entrance along with Kasi and Gani. Aditya looked at them and before Taarini could introduce them, he asked, "Are you guys bought by the Mumbai Mafia Alliance (MMA)?"


    "What?" both Kasi and Gani along with their followers were shocked when they heard these words. Even Taarini frowned as she did not expect Aditya to ask such a question which was highly provocative and offensive. These people were close to her elder brother that even she did not entertain such doubts.


    But, before she could denounce Aditya, he smiled apologetically and bowed as he said, "Sorry, I should not have said those words, that was rude of me. The thing is I have found many moles of MMA the last few days I spent destroying small gangs, it became a force of habit to be cautious."


    "Brat, if you were not with Taarini, I would have broken your limbs for just asking, Hmph" the middle-aged Kasi remonstrated as he looked at Aditya with anger. His followers also looked at Aditya indignantly.


    "Kasi, calm down, the kid has already apologized for his rude behaviour. Didn''t you hear that he was the one cracking down on street gangs during the past week? No wonder Taarini little miss attaches great importance to him," Elder Gani smiled genially as he looked at Aditya like how an elder appreciates an accomplished youth.


    "Taarini, we will take our leave," Kasi said as he took one last look at Aditya and strode away followed by elder Gani.


    Taarini looked at Aditya in a totally different light now after she had that talk with that petite woman. She had thought that she knew this person who looked honest and simple. Only after tonight''s incidents did she know how naive her thinking was.


    She had never asked him about his background because she thought it wouldn''t make a difference in her opinion of him but it was also proven wrong today. She wanted to know everything about Aditya now. She also wanted to know if Aditya would trust her enough to reveal his background. For some unknown reason, this was what she wanted to know the most.


    Aditya turned and looked seriously at Taarini as he said, "Kasi is genuine but that old fogy is a mole. I saw some moles in Kasi''s gang also, you have to be careful when dealing with them. You can warn Kasi if you think it is worth otherwise I think we should just act along so as to find out their hideouts and other plans they might have for us."


    Only now did Aditya discover that there was some difference in the way Taarini looked at him. He asked a little curiously, "Mentor, what happened? You seem to be a little disturbed. Did you get the contract?"


    Taarini looked at Aditya icily as she asked, "Aditya, who are you?"

 69 - Maahi and Aditya (1)

    About two years back, Bangalore International Airport, Visitor''s Aisle¡­


    A 15-year-old Aditya sped excitedly as he hugged a girl who had just walked through the exit lounge while dragging along a small suitcase. The girl, who had a petite figure looking as if she was in her late adolescent or early adulthood stage, not only did not resist but wrapped her arms around Aditya as a sunny smile appeared on her face.


    She was very beautiful with a small porcelain face like a doll which along with her petite figure gave others a subtle feeling like watching a delicate glass figurine. She wore a women''s multicoloured printed shirt made of some luxury fabric. It was a regular fit along with long sleeves and spread collar along with a pair of black slim fit clean look jeans.


    Because of her kitten heel Chelsea boots, the girl reached the same height as Aditya and both shared similar thin physiques. They looked more like a pair of under-aged lovers than an elder sister and a younger brother but both of them didn''t seem to care about others as they looked at each other and smiled.


    "Elder sister Maahi, I missed you so much, it has been two months since the last time we met. I can''t imagine how I was able to live for these two months without seeing you," Aditya jabbered excitedly as he held on to her as if she would vanish if he let her go.


    Maahi knocked Aditya head with her thin delicate pinkish knuckles as she said laughingly, "don''t exhibit your drama skills in front of me, even if I didn''t visit you in person, we had been chatting, exchanging memes, seeing each other in video calls day and night. Even three hours before I boarded the flight, you were describing the details and other preparations uncle and aunt made for your 15th birthday."


    Maahi gave a small smile as she rubbed Aditya''s head in the place she had knocked previously as she muttered slowly, "fifty-eight days, thirteen hours and eighteen minutes, yes, I also missed you."


    Aditya smiled sheepishly while rubbing his head as he let go of Maahi. Maahi took a good look at Aditya as she said, "you seemed to have entered the age where your growth is going to explode, let''s hope that you increase some muscle along with your height."


    "Haha, you can be sure of that, I have started working in the garage recently, with all the heavy work I am doing, it''s just a matter of time before you see my ripped and bulging muscles," Aditya spoke confidently.


    "You had to sacrifice your birthday gift to get uncle to agree to you working in the garage, is it worth it?" Maahi asked as she did not turn her eyes away from Aditya''s face for a second.


    "Totally worth it, elder sister Maahi, do you really think that I have something lacking for which I have to wait for my birthday to ask? Also, even I have something I need, don''t I have a rich elder sister who takes care of me," Aditya chortled as he held Maahi hand.


    "brat, have you set your eyes on my property?" Maahi pretended anger but Aditya did not buy her act as he laughed and nodded shamelessly.


    Hmph, Maahi turned her head as if throwing a tantrum just in time to find an elegant couple watching them.


    "Uncle, aunt, I did not think that you will also come," Maahi left Aditya as she almost ran towards them with a bright smile.


    "Adi, what did I say about never allowing a girl to carry luggage," the refined looking handsome man with olive complexion roared at Aditya.


    Aditya trembled a little as he grabbed Maahi''s bag from her. Maahi also smiled as she released the handle, she knew too well about Aditya''s father who was a little orthodox in his bearing.


    Aditya''s father was Satyendranath Bose who was currently working as a physicist. He was an orphan who had been adopted by a freedom fighter. He was tall and thin with a thick greying beard. His eyes were gentle as he smiled amiably at Maahi. There was no trace of strictness which he had when he spoke with Aditya.


    Maahi directly hugged the woman, beside Aditya''s father, tightly as she said with her eyes closed, "Aunt Nirmala, it''s been a long time." Maahi turned towards Aditya''s father as she smiled and said, "Hello, Uncle Satya."


    The mature, graceful woman, who seemed to possess a spark of spiritual fire in her eyes, looked warmly at Maahi and smiled gently as she said, "Maahi, you seem to have lost weight, come let''s go to our home. You seem tired."


    Maahi''s mother was a roommate and the best friend of Aditya''s mother when they studied. Maahi''s mother did not find her loved one neither did she have the courage of Nirmala to decisively cut off ties with her family in favour of her beloved. So, she ended up married to a stranger by her family who gave more priority their financial benefits rather than her lifelong happiness much like Anupama''s parents'' families.


    Only in this case, the husband turned out to be a sadist who abused her regularly and strictly controlled her, restricting her from having any social interactions. Before Maahi''s mother decided that ''enough is enough'' and got a divorce, she found out that she was pregnant. She, who did not possess a strong heart from the beginning did not want her child to grow up without its father so she decided to bear the pain.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    After Maahi was born, her husband i.e. Maahi''s father who wanted a son was disappointed and blamed her mother in his rage and started mistreating her even more. He would also beat Maahi even if she was just a child and would restrict her also.


    One could imagine what kind of a childhood Maahi had with this kind of a bastard as a father. When Maahi was eight years old, her mother had finally realized that her daughter was developing some weird and twisted personality when she saw her cutting her own tiny hands with a small blade. The child''s face was impassive as if she had stopped feeling the pain which terrified her mother. At that time, she had not met Nirmala who was once her best friend for more than 10 years but when she thought of asking for help, Nirmala was the only one who came to her mind.


    She did not delay any further as she grabbed Maahi and rushed to Aditya''s home despite knowing that her husband might get mad at her. At that time, Aditya was four and that was when both Maahi and Aditya met. Nirmala was outraged when she heard about all the hardships that both Maahi and her mother was facing.


    But she always possessed a tranquil and a composed mentality within her which could also be seen from the letter she had written to Aditya before they were taken away by ''that'' organization. So, she immediately encouraged Maahi''s mother to separate from her abusive husband and the rest could be decided after that. Maahi''s mother agreed to it but left her daughter with Nirmala until she comes back. Nirmala tried to stop her from returning but Maahi''s mother insisted that it would be the last time and went.


    But to some unknown reason, the news, that Maahi''s mother had succumbed to some disease and passed away, reached Satya and Nirmala, shocking both. They immediately perceived that something went terribly wrong. The very same day, Aditya''s mother Nirmala who had not contacted her father even once after her marriage went to meet him. Even with the pain of losing her friend, Nirmala was still able to think straightly. She knew that if Maahi''s father came to take Maahi away, she did not have any reason or power to stop him. Maahi''s safety became the first priority now.


    Nobody knew what happened between Nirmala and her father but after that day, Maahi was allowed to visit and stay with Nirmala as many days as she wanted and her father would not stop her.


    Maahi would stay most of the time in Aditya''s home as she gradually recovered her psyche and started smiling more as she played with Aditya and lived with him. they would eat together, play together, Maahi would teach him the alphabet and in the end, they would sleep on the same bed.


    Sometimes, Maahi would scare Aditya by telling him some horror story. Then, Aditya would run to hold elder sister Saira if she was present or his mother as Maahi would laugh looking at him.


    The few days that she would go back to her home were always accompanied by pain and suffering as she would come bearing bruises indicating physical abuse. Aditya would always be waiting for Maahi, holding a healing ointment, on the day Maahi was supposed to come.


    He would spend some time every day to create new swear words like ''Jumpin Jahosa'' or ''Wadnamitt'' for Maahi''s father and he would be cursing as he applied the medicine while Maahi looked with a small smile at Aditya''s angry face. Aditya would always ask as to why she had to go back and Maahi would only smile, keeping silent.


    So, for Maahi, if there was anyone she cared for other than Aditya, that would be his parents. Maahi learned that there was a thing called happiness that could be aspired for only after looking at the love between this couple. She learned how a true man was supposed to treat a woman from uncle Satya while how a woman had to be strong and composed from Aunt Nirmala. As for in Aditya, she found a reason to be alive.


    As if God would not deprive a human of everything. Maahi was blessed with magnificent talent and mental prowess. She possessed photographic memory capabilities and wonderful comprehending skills which were praised highly even by Nirmala who was a prodigy herself. Maahi also came to like doing business and trained at a very young age under Nirmala who was an alumnus from Oxford University.


    Maahi had started a diversified financial services group at the age of 16 named ''Mumbai Bulls'' which truly opened the floodgates of Maahi''s potential in understanding and predicting the direction of market development.


    In just a matter of three years, Maahi''s company had spread into housing finance, consumer finance and personal wealth. Her company went public two months back, so Maahi had to move her company headquarters to Mumbai where the stock exchange was situated. At the time of Aditya''s 15th birthday, her company was valued at $80 million USD boasting a whopping 60,000 customers.


    She was a modern anomaly in the entrepreneurial circles and many old-timers also were interested in investing in her company. She also pioneered a digital end-end personal loan fulfilment which effectively cut off many exploiting brokers from the loan process winning many awards and accolades.


    "Seems like you have been working very hard," Aunt Nirmala looked at Maahi''s tired eyes with concern and pride flashing through her eyes. Maahi''s achievement was the source of her pride as she was her student. After her 12th grade, Maahi had discontinued her studies and concentrated fully on her company.


    "It''s nothing really, aunt" Maahi smiled as she watched Aditya dragging her bag. She turned towards her uncle as she asked, "How''s your research going on, uncle?"


    Satya''s eyes lit up and said, "It is only you, my niece, that show any interest in my research. Neither Nirmala nor that brat shows the least bit of concern. Do you know that after the discovery of the existence of the God particle (Higg''s boson), physicists are closer than ever in figuring out the nature of Dark matter and Dark energy..." Satya began describing the contemporary exciting discoveries in quantum physics when he saw Aditya rolling his eyes and stuck his tongue out putting up a bored expression. Maahi, on the other hand, listened with rapt attention.


    Satya was aggravated when he saw this as he said bitterly to Maahi, "I wish you were my daughter instead of this fool who wants to skip studies and learn to be a mechanic with no real ambition. I would rather he worked as your assistant or at least as an office boy, maybe he will learn something useful."


    "Pa," Aditya shouted angrily, "today is my birthday, give me a break. Ma, look at Pa."


    Nirmala laughed as she turned to give a look at Satya who cooled down immediately as he made his way towards the car as he murmured, "I don''t even know when is my birthday, what''s so great about celebrating one anyway."


    Maahi smiled and followed walking aside Aditya as he said that his friends were also coming for his birthday party and described the special food items his mother had prepared. Not one of these two people could imagine that this would be the last day that they would see each other face to face. For the coming years, they would only become more remote to each other.

 70 - Maahi And Aditya (2)

    Happy Birthday to you


    Happy Birthday to you ? ? ?


    Happy Birthday dear Adi


    Happy Birthday to you. ? ? ?


    May God bless you¡­ ? ?


    Aditya''s mouth twitched as he struggled between laughing and crying when he heard Kranthi''s high pitch singing which practically drowned all other voices. It also disrupted the tune of every other person successfully. Although he was well aware of Kranthi''s ''talent'' in singing, his voice seemed to get ''better'' by the year. He was currently entertaining thoughts of never inviting Kranthi to his birthday again.


    Just when he thought that this ordeal was over, another round of ''Happy Birthday'' followed which almost caused veins in Aditya''s forehead to burst with rage. He had invited Sameera today to score some brownie points but looking at her red face caused by laughing. He could forget about his plans.


    Kumari, who was a tomboy, was already laughing without restraint when she saw Aditya''s expression. She knew Aditya''s plan for Sameera and she was afraid that she might fall back after today but Kranthi had caused her heart to settle down. Even Aditya''s father could not fully control his laughter as his lips trembled when he looked at Kranthi and Aditya.


    Maahi and Aditya''s mother were smiling as they stood behind Aditya. But oblivious to all this was the fatty who had already closed his eyes and sang with emotion with his brows slightly pressed like a professional singer as if he had lost himself in the song and its meaning.


    "Adi, how was my singing, I trained especially for your birthday for three days. I know you are unable to express your gratitude in words, being overwhelmed with emotion. Don''t worry, I can understand you," Kranthi came and patted Aditya''s shoulder with an ''understanding'' look on his face.


    If Aditya''s mind was affected with Kranthi''s song then his mind went blank when he heard the following words. He forgot everything about cutting the cake as he directly buried his hand in the cake and took a large chunk and stuffed it in Kranthi''s mouth as he said, "White Buffalo, here, take my gratitude. If this is not enough, let me bury your head directly in this cake."


    Aditya jumped onto Kranthi and used all his weight to bend him so that his face got buried in the cake as he roared, "Sing, now sing." Kumari ran excitedly and started kicking Aditya on his buttocks as she laughed, "Birthday Kicks."


    Aditya''s parents saw this and knew that the fun part of the birthday party had already begun and so excused themselves leaving Maahi in charge. They knew that this was bound to happen but it started early this time thanks to Kranthi.


    It was mainly Kranthi, Aditya and Kumari along with some others who created small mayhem while most others watched and ducked from time to time as some articles came flying towards them. Kumari started blasting party poppers in all direction showering everyone in confetti with glittering colours while Aditya was currently struggling as he was pressed on the ground by layers of fat as Kranthi rolled on him like a road roller, "fatty get up, I don''t want my birthday to become my date of death also."


    "Say, sorry."


    "Never, a true man never admits defeat."


    "Okay, let''s see how long you can go on,"


    "Fatty, sorry."


    Maahi looked at Aditya with a smile as she conversed with some people who were also close to Aditya''s family. Only really close ones were invited so, not much formality was required.


    After two hours of fun and partying, everyone had sumptuous food made personally by Aditya''s mom and bade goodbye to each other. Kranthi dragged Kumari away so that Aditya could have some time with Sameera. Aditya also flirted a little with Sameera before she returned to her home which was nearby.


    When he returned, he saw Maahi vacuuming the floor while his parents were talking with the other neighbours.


    "Elder sister Maahi, you have not changed at all, you are a millionaire now. Why are you doing this work?" Aditya said as he tried to grab the handle from her but Maahi refused to give as she said, "What''s wrong with me working in my home?"


    Aditya shrugged and gave up as he started cleaning other areas. His parents also finished talking after a while and lent a hand so the room was cleaned up quickly. Everyone had a light supper and retired for the night.


    At around 12:00 am, around midnight, Aditya''s room door opened as a petite figure, dressed in pink Sleepy Owl top and pyjama set, slipped into Aditya''s bed as he slept. Maahi looked at Aditya''s face for sometime before shaking him slightly.


    Aditya woke up from deep sleep as he looked at the figure beside him in the dark and almost had a fright but caught himself in time as he spoke in a hushed voice, "elder sister, you have not changed at all, still slipping into my bed to scare me. You know that mother forbade us to sleep in one bed since the last two years, right?"


    Maahi nodded but did not get out of the bed as she whispered calmly, "I have a flight early in the morning, got an emergency in the company, I have to go back."


    "Oh, I thought you would stay for a few days," Aditya said disappointingly, he truly missed those days when he used to spend with Maahi all day long. But his mother had explained briefly how his and Maahi''s life would only be going further away as they both grew and that he should get used to it.


    He also slowly understood this truth and so was not overly depressed when he heard that Maahi had to go back. He was already satisfied that she took time from her busy schedule to come to celebrate his birthday with him. Look at his other elder sister Saira who had gone for some special training and was not able to come to his birthday, she could only give her wishes through a call.


    "So, how''s life in Mumbai?" Aditya asked as he also wanted to talk a little with Maahi as she was leaving in a few hours.


    Maahi inspired as she smiled and explained some things about her business and what kind of prospects her company had and some of her future plans. It was all too complicated for Aditya but he still tried hard to resist sleeping as he did not want to hurt Maahi.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Adi, this is my birthday gift for you, I did not want aunt and uncle to know so I am giving it to you now," Maahi slipped a card into Aditya''s hand.


    "what is it?" Aditya felt the card but could not see what it was.


    "A premium membership card to the ''Red Riders Go-karting track'', you can practice your riding skills as long as you want," Maahi smiled as she explained.


    "Wow, you are so awesome, elder sister, that fatty gave me a racing magazine as a gift and that Kumari has totally skipped giving the gift as we are currently fighting over something. You are the best," Aditya caught Maahi''s hand excitedly as he almost jumped from the bed in ecstasy. ''This was what he required and Maahi gifted it to him, how could he not be happy.''


    Maahi looked at the excited expression on Aditya''s face with a contented look in her eyes as a small smile appeared on her face. Nothing pleased her more than seeing this look on Aditya.


    Her smile faded as she said with a stern look, "you can practice as much as you like on that track but I don''t want to know that you are driving real cars on city roads and putting yourself as well as others at risk, have I made myself clear?"


    "Yes, of course," Aditya nodded vigorously. Right now, he would promise anything to Maahi.


    Maahi''s eyes glinted when she saw Aditya as she nonchalantly, "Adi, who was she?". Aditya looked doubtfully at Maahi and asked back, "who are you talking about, elder sister?"


    "The one you spoke at the last after the party, the one in the bright yellow t-shirt"


    "Ah, she is Sameera, a new student in our class." Aditya smiled as he explained. He moved near to Maahi as he whispered, "Do you want to know something?"


    "If it''s about you, I want to know everything," Maahi replied seriously as she gazed at Aditya but Aditya failed to perceive a change in her mood.


    "It''s this, I find her very attractive and I like her gentle attitude also. I am thinking of all means right now to make her my girlfriend. But, you know, of all the obstacles I could imagine standing in my way, I never thought it would be Kumari, I think she is acting a little weird..." Aditya started talking oblivious of the fact that Maahi''s expression freeze when she heard the words ''I find her attractive'', nothing else was registered in her mind after that.


    She looked at Aditya and asked in a calm voice, "What did you say?"


    "Yes, even I find it unbelievable, I have been friends with Kumari for many years and I never imagined that she would lean the ''other'' way," Aditya could not see Maahi''s expression due to the darkness and rambled on.


    "No, about that girl called Sameera," Maahi repeated.


    "Oh, about Sameera, elder sister Maahi, you wouldn''t believe, even Kumari scoffed at me when I had started working in the garage but Sameera actually supported me and even defended me in front of my classmates. I am thinking it would be nice if I could make her my girlfrie..." Aditya stopped talking when he saw a pair of small hands grab hold of his face.


    Aditya was stunned a little as he saw Maahi hold his head, he could feel her nail pressing against his skin, he asked, "What happened, elder sister?"


    "You want to make Sameera your girlfriend?" Maahi asked in a low voice


    "Yes, why? Do you feel anything wrong with her?" Aditya asked as he wanted to know Maahi''s opinion on Sameera. He valued her opinion highly.


    "If you make Sameera your girlfriend, then what about me?" Maahi asked. Though the voice remained low, Aditya could hear Maahi''s voice trembling a little.


    "What about you? You are still my elder sister," Aditya said as he held Maahi''s arms and said. He was beginning to feel that Maahi was acting a little peculiar.


    "that''s all?" Maahi raised her voice a little as she looked at Aditya in the eyes.


    "Haha, well, if I feel anything more than that, maybe your husband will feel envious in the future," Aditya laughed a little trying to ease the tension a little but the reality was totally unexpected and different than his expectations.


    Aditya felt a sharp pain as nails dug into his facial skin leaving him stunned. What was elder sister doing? Maahi rose from her position to sit on top of Aditya as she brought her face above Aditya''s and said in a sharp tone, "Adi, remember the words that I am going to speak now. Can you hear me?"


    Frankly, Aditya was starting to feel a little nervous when he saw his elder sister behaving in such a bizarre way. He nodded immediately when he heard Maahi''s question.


    Maahi''s eyes revealed a craziness as if a coiled venomous serpent which usually slept peacefully inside her had awakened and bared it''s poison fangs. Her delicate and soft lips came near Aditya''s right ear as she muttered in a tone which did not allow resistance, "you are mine, only mine. You can have any woman you like, I will gift you, anyone, you like and throw them at your feet to serve you. But, I will always be the queen of your heart and you will be my king. No one is allowed to come between us, I will rip the heart of any woman with my bare hands, who creates a gap between us. You can have any woman but her place should always come after me, Understand? Never forget this Adi, you are mine."


    Aditya mind exploded when he heard these words that his mouth was left hanging open. He had never heard such strong words in his life and the one who said those was his elder sister who he had grown up playing with. He never knew that his elder sister was capable of speaking such words with such wild fervour which bordered on insanity.


    Maahi lifted her head slightly and without prior warning, pressed her lips against Aditya''s lips and kissed him with a fiery passion that almost melted Aditya''s heart as his recovering mind fell deeper into chaos. Her tiny, soft tongue entered his mouth along with a stream of sweet nectar and wriggled with his tongue, this vaporized any thought of resisting in Aditya.


    After a minute which felt like an instant and a decade at the same time, Maahi let go of Aditya and sat up. She looked at him for some time but Aditya could not see her expression because of darkness. Maahi stood and went back to her room leaving Aditya to sort out his thoughts at last. It did not take much time for him to realize that something that should never have happened had happened and he was really unprepared both ethically and psychologically for this.


    Aditya was not young anymore that he could brush it off as playing around and he was not mature enough to truly understand Maahi''s thoughts. For the first time, he felt the need to distance himself from Maahi as he did not want to face this dilemma or mental struggle.


    He did not know how to explain this issue to others or to himself and how to feel about Maahi. How was he supposed to explain to his mother and father? First and foremost of all, he did not have ''that'' kind of feelings for Maahi and he was shocked that Maahi felt ''that'' way about him.


    Aditya did not sleep that night as all kinds of questions and thoughts bombarded his mind. In the early hours, he saw Maahi get ready and go to the airport as his mother sent her off. He knew that Maahi had stood in the entrance of his room and waited for a few minutes but he did not have the courage or the preparation to face her so he pretended to sleep. After Maahi went away, Aditya got up and sat on his bed as he buried his face in his hands trying hard to figure out his feelings.


    He felt that he could not face Maahi like in the past anymore which Aditya felt sad about. He liked and treasured his relationship with Maahi and did not want to change it for anything else. He closed his eyes and slept in that sitting position, he felt tired mentally and physically. From then onwards, the legend of the ''white snake in a unicorn''s clothing'' was created.


    ...


    Present time,


    Neela Palace,


    Maahi stood on a balcony of a royal deluxe suite as she watched Aditya part ways with Taarini and drag a pleading Faizal from the driver seat and get into the car while Faizal dejectedly sat in the front passenger seat.


    A beautiful smile could be seen on her face as she said, "he truly inherited the thin physique of Uncle Satya. Elder sister Qaima, did you pass on the message?"


    "Yes, Maahi" Qaima who stood behind Maahi watched her boss''s blissful look with complex emotions in her eyes. She had started working for Maahi after Aditya and her boss stopped contacting so she really couldn''t fathom how one of the most successful entrepreneurs of Mumbai worth more than $ 4 billion USD attached such importance to a kid. But she did not voice her opinion as she knew very well that Maahi never entertained any trash talk on Aditya.


    Maahi looked at the Black Jeep wrangler going further away as she muttered, "Six hundred and sixty-three days Nineteen hours and fifty-two minutes, Elder sister misses you, Adi. Uncle and aunt, don''t worry, I will look after Adi."

 71- Danger

    Honk! Honk!! (Note that in India, honking is not an act in response to a traffic violation, it''s perfectly normal for everyone to honk just to make sure the neighbouring vehicle know your presence)


    Muffled noises of horns could be heard inside the car as Aditya checked the time and looked at the studious woman beside him. She was surfing through books, two at a time as she muttered all kinds of medical terminology. They were currently in the middle of a small traffic jam waiting for the green signal.


    Her brows were slightly wrinkled as her exquisite fingers played with a pen and her tender lips moved from time to time. Hamsa was becoming more beautiful and sunny day by day as she slowly walked out of her trauma. She was smiling and laughing in the true sense unlike previously when it was just an act to cover her actual feelings.


    Hamsa was dressed in a woven black and rust-coloured printed A-line Kurti with layered detail. Ethnic designs of roses and leaves could be seen along with a tie-up detail and three-quarter sleeves. Aditya had noticed that Hamsa preferred North Indian fashion styles. Cheap orange and red geometric drop earrings swayed as he moved her head a little as she revised for her exam. A few black moles could be seen on her swan-like neck which came and went out of sight as the earrings wobbled.


    It has already been two weeks since Hamsa started to live with Aditya and both seem to forget that it was supposed to be a temporary stay as they became accustomed to each other. Hamsa had started going to college from the past four days and Aditya took it as his duty to drop and pick up her from her college. The daily lives of both of them had started to interweave as Hamsa looked after Aditya''s diet and other things whereas Aditya supported her in every way a studying girl needs to be supported i.e. financially, morally, psychologically etc.


    Aditya had stuck to his word and prevented any further energy transfer to Hamsa as he wanted to activate the new ability as soon as possible because of the Sameera incident. But Hamsa seemed to have developed a moral dependence on him as she continued to hug him unconsciously every night which baffled Aditya. Hamsa, on the other hand, seemed to gotten used to it as now she would not move away even when she woke up and both of them would even gossip about some inconsequential topics in that position like some old couples.


    As Aditya continued to look at Hamsa with glassy eyes as he pondered over how their relationship evolved over the past days, Hamsa looked up at him and smiled, "What are you thinking, Adi?"This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Aditya''s eyes gained their focus as he smiled and shook his head, "Nothing, so today afternoon is your last internal test (conducted as a part of the sessional work according to University norms.), what subject is it, gynaecology?"


    Hamsa was sitting for her midterm exams whose results would be added to the end of the year result. Aditya knew that Reyansh was a senior of her in college so he accompanied her these few days to ensure her safety. Surprisingly, Hamsa was not bothered by that fellow so Aditya relaxed. Today he had an important job given by Taarini so he had to leave after dropping her off, of course, the usual batch of people protecting her would be there.


    Hamsa gave a small smile as she replied, "''Obstetrics and Gynecology'' subject was in the morning, it''s Paediatrics now."


    "Oh, what are the causes of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM)?"


    "Viruses likely play a role in AFM. Since 2014, most patients with AFM (more than 90%) had a mild respiratory illness or fever consistent with a viral infection before they developed AFM. They detected coxsackievirus A16, EV-A71, and EV-D68 in the spinal fluid of four of 567 confirmed cases of AFM since 2014, which points to the cause of their AFM. For all other patients, no pathogen (germ) has been detected in their spinal fluid to confirm a cause. When a pathogen (germ) is found in the spinal fluid, it is good evidence that it was the cause of a patient''s illness¡­ wait" Hamsa looked at the blank face of Aditya and asked, "How did you know about AFM?"


    Aditya laughed awkwardly as he rubbed his head and said, "I read it when you were studying, so I asked? Why? Is it not relevant? I thought it was Paediatrics."


    "It is Paediatrics, but this exam does not cover that syllabus. Also, how would you know if the answer I said is right or not?" Hamsa said as she hit Aditya on his arm lightly with pursed lips.


    How could Aditya say that he had studied all textbooks of Hamsa as he had ample time in Tya''s world? So, he could only act foolish and shrug it off. He drove the car as the traffic cleared up, "By the way, do you have everything you need for this exam?"


    Hamsa nodded as she dove back into her books while Aditya whistled lightly and stepped on the throttle. He stopped his car at some distance from the actual building as the road in front of the college was cordoned off because they were laying a new layer of asphalt over the old beaten road. Aditya looked at the ruckus with interest as he saw people melting the tar and mixing gravel with it.


    As Hamsa got off the car and bid goodbye to Aditya, Aditya said seriously, "I might not come to pick you up in the evening. So, wait for a few minutes and if I didn''t show up, take a taxi back. You call me if there is an issue."


    Hamsa''s eyes gleamed a little when she heard the second part of his sentence as she smiled and nodded, "I have packed some snacks and kept them in the box in the dashboard, eat them and not outside street food if you become hungry." Aditya nodded as he handed over the white coat to her and drove away.


    Hamsa stood there, watching until the black car was out of sight and turned to walk gracefully into the college building. She was unaware of a pair of eyes watching her as a mean smile could be seen spreading on the face of Reyansh.

 72 - New Information

    Aditya put a lollipop in his mouth as he drove his car to his destination mentioned by Faizal, memories of the insightful conversation he had with his Uncle Ramu surfaced in his mind. He got an update on ''that'' organization from his uncle.


    "Adi, are you sure about what you are doing now? Otherwise, why don''t you complete your 12th grade before deciding on your future course of action?" Uncle Ramu spoke softly, almost in a pleading tone as he tried to dissuade Aditya from mingling in the underworld.


    He was a police officer who practically hated and rejected these unlawful elements his whole life but, when he found out from his daughter that Aditya was mixing with mafia gangs, he did not feel the same about Aditya. He felt that he did not have any right to stop him as he knew exactly why Aditya took this path. He knew that the government was not equipped adequately to deal with this organization. Let alone Indian government, the other top countries are facing even more difficulties as those are the countries who stand to lose the most with the entry of a new formidable player in world politics.


    Aditya looked at his uncle who seemed to have become thinner. Looks like this ordeal took quite a bit of toll on his health. Uncle Ramu''s wife had died when Saira elder sister was still a kid and his friend Satya (Aditya''s father) had not married yet. He did not remarry despite many people advising him as Uncle Ramu was afraid that Saira might be mistreated or left uncared if he married again.


    So, he preferred to remain unmarried and looked after his only daughter all by himself. When Aditya was born, uncle Ramu came to like him a lot. So, Aditya had spent a huge chunk of his childhood in Uncle Ramu''s house playing along with elder sister Saira until Maahi came. When Aditya and Kumari got caught kissing in the school, it was Uncle Ramu who came to get scolded by the discipline counsel. When Aditya and Sameera got caught kissing, it was he who came to get scolded by the chairman.


    When Aditya was about to be debarred from writing exams, it was uncle Satya, who never took a penny of bribe or misused his power, who came to his rescue. He warned the chairman that if Aditya was stopped from taking exams he might have to search the whole school for ''drugs''. Aditya always remembered and admired his uncle to be a dynamic person radiating with vitality and aggressiveness. But when he saw his uncle now, Aditya''s expression became complicated as silently sat beside him and hugged him with one hand around the shoulders.


    "Uncle, you know me since I was born, if there is one quality which can aptly describe me, what would it be?" Aditya smiled as he looked at his uncle.


    Uncle Ramu closed his eyes in resignation as he muttered, "Stubbornness". Whether it was deciding to become a racer, to start working in a garage, leaving his school or joining the mafia despite every one of his close ones speaking against it, this was the quality that expressed itself in Aditya. He might appear casual and easy to bend when he quarrelled with his friends on small issues but when the issue that really mattered came up, no one could dissuade him period. Uncle Ramu knew too well and he sometimes wondered whose stubbornness did Aditya inherit as he did not think either Satya or Nirmala came close to this level.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Aditya laughed a little as he continued, "Now tell me the real reason, you called me, I know you should have some news about ''those'' people."


    Uncle Ramu wanted to speak about Aditya''s maternal family but decided against it as he said, "Last week, a Zumwalt stealth class destroyer was found wrecked on the coast of a seaport in the Democratic Republic of Congo. All I know is that some US mercenaries had a clash with ''that'' organization. Saira was not able to get much information on what exactly happened but she said that the US government is currently trying it''s utmost to get all the top countries to sit on this issue."


    Aditya nodded as he memorized these details though he was not sure if any piece of this information would be practically applicable for him on an individual level. Uncle Ramu continued, "The US has currently closed down twenty out of thirty-eight ''named'' military bases it has in external countries as it ceased all hostilities. From all these actions, Saira said that the situation must be very bad."


    "Also it is not only your parents that are missing, but many more cases are also emerging one after the other. The common background these people share is that they all have an academic, scholarly background covering a wide range of studies. Some dictators have been killed or had their governments toppled, it is as if the whole world has started dancing on the tips of ''this'' organization''s fingers."


    "Anything else," Aditya nodded as he looked at his uncle. He assumed as much based on his ''calculations'' of this organization''s capabilities from the talk he had with his uncle for the first time. This information was pretty much useless to the present him. But this information had proven his theory that he should not ''expose'' his abilities to the outer world by doing some outstanding deeds which might get him in the radar of this organization.


    "Saira said something about this organization having many branches which had a specific duty. A branch deals with recruiting talent, a branch deals with earning money and running the business, a branch deals with extracting a substantial amount of natural resources among others. She said that there was a branch specifically for mercenaries and assassins also. She said that recently many rich and eminent people were discovered hiring people with ''special'' capabilities for their security."


    Aditya was shocked when he heard these words, "They are providing security services?"


    Uncle Ramu nodded in affirmation as he said, "Not only security services but also assassination services. So if someone was rich enough to hire those ''special'' people to assassinate you, you don''t have another option but to hire the same ''special'' people for security. The real winner is ''that'' organization in the end."


    "If these people are so capable, why can''t they start an all-out war and get it done and over," Aditya asked as he thought this organization was too powerful.


    "That was the same thing I asked Saira but her reply was to not underestimate the power brought forth by the top countries when they were pushed to the edge. So according to ''that'' organization''s present hunger for money and resources, it seems that they are not ready for an all-out war yet." Uncle Ramu concluded as he looked at Aditya, who took a deep breath and frowned as he closed his eyes with a grim expression.


    ¡­


    Aditya stopped the car outside an abandoned warehouse as he spat the lollipop stick and looked at the grinning muscular figure of Faizal as he sat on his new sports bike.


    "Are you sure of this information?"


    "Elder brother Adi, believe me, it''s going to be super fun. Did you bring your gun? You do know that this is not a normal street fight, right?"


    "Lead the way."


    "..."

 73 - Fight-Fun

    A person was hurled by Faizal as he crashed into a table causing it to reduce into a pile of scrap. That person did not get up again as he passed out.


    Faizal wiped the sweat off his forehead as he took a wine bottle from the bar counter and smashed it onto another person as he squatted holding his bleeding head. After two weeks of ''intensive'' training from Aditya, all the four ''pupils'' have risen above other people as each was able to manage five goons easily by themselves.


    Aditya could easily notice each person''s faults by using ''Sensifull'' and his calculative skills. So, Aditya would formulate personal training targets for each of them and have them execute many agonizing stances to cover up their habitual flaws in the fighting.


    Faizal turned his head to look at elder brother Raghav who had his mouth wide open and did not seem to notice that his cigarette had burnt out. He was not particularly surprised at Raghav''s expression as he had gone through the same process of adjustment when he saw Aditya fight.


    He ridiculed himself when he remembered him saying '' elder brother Adi, it is going to be super fun'' just because guns would be involved in the fight. The past two weeks, everyone had become accustomed to fights with cold weapons or fighting with bare arms. The whole fighting experience was becoming bland.


    So, when they found out that one of the Mumbai Mafia Alliance (MMA) leader was residing in one of the resorts outside of Bangalore, every one of these four people were exhilarated as they imagined that a fight involving firearms would be more stimulating and thrilling. One had to know that these young people were all battle maniacs who derived pleasure from putting their lives at risk. The greater the risk, the better the stimulus.


    But now, Faizal''s mind went blank when he saw the five people rolling and crying in pain, in the middle of the bar with each holding their right hand with their left. Each of their right hand had two clear, gaping holes in the middle of their palm and the back of their hand through which blood was rushing out. He then saw the tall and thin figure sit in a wooden chair as he lighted a cigarette and waited for these people to stop crying. Five handguns lay scattered at a distance, ignored while a ''Colt Government'' lay on Aditya''s lap. A little smoke could be seen exiting the muzzle end which got mixed up with the cigarette smoke.


    Faizal wanted to slap himself when he thought back to the real talent of his elder brother Adi, wasn''t it handling firearms? How could he hope that the fight would be exciting like in those movies when all it took was 2 seconds, just a measly two seconds for the main fight to be over. The only remaining part was cleaning up the leftovers which others were doing right now.


    The five people who possessed guns were disarmed even before they could get their hands on their guns. Not one of them seemed to have been prepared for an ambush as they were clearly celebrating in this bar with almost zero caution. Then again, they were rats to begin with, not military trained personnel or at least mercenaries. These are the guys who show their guns, frighten and kill normal civilians, bribe officials and hide from police.


    So, a fight which Faizal held great expectations had turned out to be the most tasteless fight as Faizal started to think fondly when Aditya fought ten people with a staff. That was definitely more exciting and took more time.


    Another reason for Faizal feeling vexed was that he did not have to do the usual cleaning up also as they had a new gang joining them today. Raghav had accompanied with twenty fighters to aid them so Faizal did not have to do much. He beat up a few people and sat beside Raghav who still did not recover from his shock.


    Raghav had not come to aid Aditya as he posed outside. Many core members of Taarini''s gang were complaining about Aditya''s ''unlawful'' activities from the past week. They said that Aditya was creating his own gang using Taarini''s influence and was planning to rebel when he gathered enough people.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    These allegations were not totally false as Aditya was truly recruiting goons to work under him. The crucial part was that most of these goons were been paid very high salaries by Aditya which rivalled a corporate company. Munna heard that Aditya was giving twenty thousand bugs per week (around 300 USD) which was more than even the salaries of most IT professionals working white collar jobs.


    Also, most of these people were youths with strong physiques who were attracted to Aditya''s fighting prowess and charisma. They practically revered him. So, Aditya did possess the required materials for rebelling against Taarini and establishing his own gang. Munna knew that Taarini had given the entire list of her underworld contacts to Aditya so he was also rattled when he observed Aditya''s actions.


    To his surprise Taarini brushed off these complaints totally, she did not even utter a single word to Aditya but continued teaching her martial arts to him with concentration. Taarini seemed to trust Aditya almost blindly since she had a lengthy talk with Aditya last week.


    Any mafia boss would be wary of such a strong subordinate who could not be controlled but Taarini was not bothered in the least which forced Munna to take matters into his own hands. He sent Raghav to ''aid'' Aditya in his endeavours but the truth was Raghav was here to monitor him.


    Raghav also knew his real purpose and he totally supported Munna''s vigilance as they had vowed over the dead body of their leader (Manu) that they will take care of their little miss and that they would not allow any harm to befall her. So, it was no surprise when Raghav saw Aditya in action, the first thought that came to him was his words to Taarini when she asked his opinion about Aditya on the day he joined the gang. He had replied with one word ''Dangerous''.


    Raghav looked at the serene figure who was smoking calmly as he sat in the middle of blood and chaos. The small immature boy who he was acquainted for just a month had undergone such a groundbreaking transformation. Aditya''s eyes were dispassionate as he looked at the fight as if his mind was focused on something distant. Even Raghav felt that this thin unimpressive physique held an enigmatic personality. No wonder, those youths would want to follow him.


    Aditya stubbed out the cigarette when these people calmed down a little as he looked at the central figure and asked, "Can we talk now?"


    The person being questioned wore a rich and glazing suit and looked vicious as he glared at Aditya and said in a wrathful tone, "Kid, you have done a mistake today provoking us, not one of you will live to see the daylight of tomorrow."


    "Lie, you don''t believe what you say is possible," Aditya muttered as he took a ''Smirnoff'' Vodka bottle and poured the liquid onto the bloody hole in that person''s hand.


    ''Argh...'' the person''s hand trembled when his wound came in contact with the liquid and he gritted his teeth to suppress the urge to shout in pain again.


    "Is it painful? I have read some medical books recently and you know that there are receptors in our skin cells called VR 1 which react to excessive heat. Alcohol causes these receptors to lower their threshold limit of temperature. So when I pour this vodka on your wound, your cells will feel like your hand is on fire when the reality is that your hand is reacting to your own body temperature due to the lowered threshold." Aditya said as he looked at the person but the truth was that he was observing the reactions of each and everyone in this room.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Ha...Hamid"


    "Hamid, let''s not make things complicated and painful for you. As long as you give me the information that I require, I will get your hand treated and you can be a guest for Miss Taarini till we sort out your whole gang. After that, you will be set free because you have helped us. What do you say?" Aditya said as his eyes narrowed lightly and a smirk surfaced on his face. ''these people have still not given up''


    "I know that there are more painful spots on your body to get shot at, why don''t you just surrender. You will save a lot of anguish," Aditya spoke in a fake regretful tone. Without anyone noticing, a needle and a short knife appeared in each of his hands.


    "Who do you think you are that I, Hamid would surrender to you? SHOOT THESE BASTARDS," Hamid shouted at the top of his voice as two people who were acting as if they were severely injured stood up and took guns out from inconspicuous places.


    One person aimed at Aditya while the other aimed at Raghav who seemed the second most important person, both took aim and¡­

 74 - Nationalising

    "Elder brother Aditya, Raghav" everyone shouted with shock and jumped at these people but it was already late. No one had imagined these bastards would play such tricks. Faizal''s face paled when he saw the gun aiming at Aditya, he couldn''t imagine been a gangster without following Aditya anymore.


    Bang! Tang! AH! Ah!!


    The following event puzzled everyone as the expected shouts came but it was neither Raghav nor Aditya who cried in pain but it was Hamid and one of the two people who were about to shoot Raghav. Even Raghav was prepared to be shot when he saw the gun appear in front of him, he had been negligent otherwise this would not have happened. His only thought before dying was that it was a pity that a prodigy like Aditya was dying because of overconfidence.


    When Raghav opened his eyes he saw a sharp, shiny needle penetrating the index finger of the person aiming the gun at him. The needle had penetrated his ring finger beneath the skin all the way into his palm so his ring finger was currently fixed in position by this needle. Any attempt at moving his index finger to pull the trigger resulted in excruciating pain which was why he had cried in pain. Before he could think of changing the finger or hand, he was already tackled by others.


    As for the person who aimed at Aditya, he was fine but then so was Aditya. The one person who was actually hurt was Hamid as blood spurted from his left knee as he thrashed on the ground in a manic frenzy as pain engulfed him, he had never felt so much pain in his life that he felt it was better to just die.


    Aditya looked at the suffering person in front of him impassively as he twirled a slightly damaged knife in his hand. If there was anyone who had recognized those two people who were only acting as if they were injured, it was Aditya. Aditya''s ''Sensifull'' made it possible to observe everything that was happening around him.


    So, from the beginning, he knew these two were acting but he let them be as it would not much difference to him. Aditya had also activated ''Slow Timing'' so that no one could catch him unprepared. Any sudden movement in other''s eyes was actually like a snail moving in Aditya''s eyes.


    So even before Hamid gave orders, the moment Aditya saw these two people move, he had already prepared his countermeasure. So before they could even pull the trigger, Aditya''s attack had reached one of them while he prepared to use his knife made of AUS 8A carbon steel to deflect the bullet towards Hamid''s knee.


    "These people''s expressions are more comical than Taarini''s," Aditya muttered as he looked around and compared their expressions to Taarini''s when he practised these skills in front of her. With Aditya''s supernatural calculating skills, he could easily control a needle''s trajectory and speed. Not only could Aditya achieve 100% accuracy level when he fired a gun, but he could also ''see'' the trajectory of a bullet fired in his presence as long as he was familiar with the gun''s capabilities and ammo characteristics.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He knew that the handguns were Makarov pistols with 9*18 mm ammo. He had also practised with that gun and so was familiar with it.


    Aditya was the first one to move, it was not those people who possessed the gun. So, before they could even reach the trigger, Aditya''s attack had reached them which led to this spectacular display which caused Raghav to be muddled and Faizal''s frozen expression. The second one with the gun was also incapacitated by now.


    When a person who was beside Hamid saw what had happened, he screamed hysterically as if he saw a ghost, he cried, "YOU ARE ONE OF THEM, YOU ARE ONE OF THEM..."


    Aditya whipped his head towards the person who was screaming as he asked with raised eyebrows, "You know ''them''?"


    "YOU ARE ONE OF THEM, YOU ARE ONE OF THEM¡­" the person continued to scream in a frenzy. Aditya went forward and knocked him out as he said to Faizal, "Faizal, I want this fellow. Send the rest to Miss Taarini, she knows what to do with them." He did not have the mood to deal with Hamid anymore as he felt that dealing with the other fellow was more important. Faizal, who had regained his composure with this person''s shrieks nodded as he scrambled to obey Aditya''s orders but the awe in his eyes when he looked at Aditya said it all.


    The whole ordeal was over in the span of ten minutes as Aditya stood outside examining Faizal''s new bike. Though he was a four-wheel enthusiast, it did not mean he disliked bikes, especially the one in his front, a candy red coloured Suzuki Hayabusa. Aditya''s eyes shined when he saw this beautiful art piece.


    "It''s gorgeous, right? I bought this bike with my share of the money we plundered last week, from those gangs." Faizal came up with a smug look. He clearly liked this bike and was pleased when he saw Aditya also nodding in agreement as he asked, "Tell me the details of the engine."


    "Elder brother Adi, this bike is the fastest commercial sports bike as, after this bike''s market entry, the Japanese and the European manufacturers sat together and had placed the cap of top speed at 186 mph. So, no bike is out there which can beat this one in speed. The name ''Hayabusa'' means a Peregrine falcon in Japanese and this bird is known for reaching the fastest speeds of 322 kph which is almost the same as this bike. The engine is an inline four engine with 1340cc capacity and..." before Faizal could continue his explanation, Aditya''s phone rang and he paused.


    Aditya who was attentively listening to Faizal''s explanation wrinkled his brows lightly when saw the number and answered it. His expression did not change much as he cut the call and turned to look at Faizal and said, "Give the keys."


    "I knew you would be interested in this bike as it has a unique aerodynamic style and the firm suspension is perfect for Indian roads," Faizal smiled as he handed over a falcon shaped key.


    Aditya nodded as he inserted the key and got on the bike and started it, the engine sounded more like a scratchy whine. He removed the stand and balanced the 250 kg vehicle pretty easily as he started the bike and changed the driving mode to A which is basically full power. Aditya turned to look at Faizal who smiled and said, "Elder brother, you can go for a test drive, it''s fine."


    Aditya nodded as he said, "the keys are in the car, see you." The bike started and the speed immediately reached to 100kmph in 3 seconds as the power delivery of the engine was like a razor sharp knife. Aditya along with the bike had disappeared after a few seconds.


    Faizal waited for some time as he thought Aditya would come back and only after a few minutes that he realized the meaning behind the words, ''the keys are in the car.'' Faizal smiled bitterly when he realized his bike was also nationalized by his elder brother just like his car. The tall, muscular man walked depressingly towards the car which was actually his, to begin with.

 75 - Slap

    It was just a little over five in the evening but the sky had already started to darken when Hamsa walked out of the college building along with her close friend Gauri who was a simple looking girl from a poor family. As both Hamsa and Gauri''s tastes were simple and alike, they both stuck to each other since they joined the medical college and looked after each other.


    "How was the test, Hamsa? I didn''t expect that they would ask about ''cyanotic spell'' and ''photo-therapy in neonatal jaundice''," the round-faced, short girl pulled Hamsa''s hand as she grumbled but she did not receive any reply from Hamsa. When she turned her head, she saw Hamsa''s eyes moving restlessly in all directions as if she was searching for someone.


    "Hamsa?¡­ Hamsa?" Gauri shook Hamsa hand as she called her.


    Hamsa quivered a little when she was pulled out of her thoughts as she looked at her best friend who had her lips pursed which usually indicated that she was angry, "What is it, Gauri?"


    "I was asking, how did you do in the exam?"


    "Pretty well, I thought it was easy this time," Hamsa replied but stopped when she saw many people along with Gauri look at her with weird gazes. She was puzzled when she saw these reactions as she asked Gauri softly, "What happened?"


    "Hamsa, you are not joking, right? This exam can at least be ranked in the ''toughest exams of the decade'' list," another pretty girl with heavy makeup walked up to Hamsa and scoffed. It was clear that she was biased against Hamsa from the look of dislike in her eyes.


    Hamsa turned to face the girl as she smiled gently and said, "Well, I felt the exam was easy. Kritika, I am sorry if you felt otherwise. Gauri, let''s go." Hamsa did not wait for Kritika''s response as she pulled Gauri towards the exit of the building where the road was still cordoned off as the work was still continuing.


    Warm air filled with a pungent smell of tar struck Hamsa''s senses due to the heat of the freshly laid asphalt. She did not move even with this odour as she wanted to wait for Aditya, though he had said to leave if he was not there in a few minutes.


    Gauri hesitated before asking, "Hamsa did you really feel the exam was easy?''


    Hamsa was not in the mood to discuss the exam with her best friend but still replied, "Yes, why?"


    "Because, though I don''t like Kritika''s attitude either, it is a fact that the exam today was tough and the questions were harsh. Also," Gauri hesitated a little as she continued, "I think that it is you have changed and not the question papers. I remember that you said the same about all the other exams as well that they were pretty easy."


    Hamsa nodded as she looked at Gauri to continue.


    "I think it is you that has become more competent since you came back from that long leave, what happened Hamsa? I feel like you have become a different person." Gauri asked after hesitating a little.


    Hamsa looked at her best friend and said serenely, "Well, something happened that changed my life but I am okay right now and as you observed, I became much better." Hamsa''s eyes became glassy as a small smile crept across her face when she remembered how she spent her last two weeks. Of course, she had also noticed that for some reason her memory and comprehending skills had increased and that she was able to remember and understand anything that she read.


    This was also the reason that even elder sister Saanvi was shocked at Hamsa''s mental strength and wanted Hamsa to become her personal apprentice in her research. But Hamsa knew very well that she did not possess such talent since her birth. The reason she could ace every test and be the top of her class was not due to her innate talent but more because of her hard work.


    So, she noticed this change even before anyone else and the only reason she could think of was Aditya. This theory was also only based on her intuition and not reason. She just felt it had something to do with him but could not put a finger on the exact reason.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Well? Hamsa, hello there, it has been such a long time since I met you," a soft and gentlemanly voice jolted Hamsa from her thoughts. A couple of weeks back, this voice would have been enough to cause nightmares and make her break into tears. But now, Hamsa''s gaze sharpened like a sword when she saw the handsome person in front of her.


    Reyansh had expected a diverse variety of expressions when he imagined talking with Hamsa like she would cry, tremble with fright or just plainly run away. But, he did not expect that not only would Hamsa not be scared of him but just looking at her sharp gaze caused Reyansh to avert his eyes as he was not able to look straight into her clear eyes.


    "Ah, it''s game over for Hamsa today," Kritika sneered as she looked from a distance. She had always been jealous over the fact that Hamsa stole the ''Campus Belle'' title from her and that everyone liked her even if she dressed in simple clothes. Many rich and influential young masters whom she pursued actually adored and favoured Hamsa which led to her jealousy turning into hate.


    So, she could not suppress her excitement when she saw Reyansh approaching Hamsa and said these words. Many students boys and girls alike moved away from Kritika in disgust as it was an open secret in the college as to what kind of a person, Reyansh was.


    Hamsa turned to look at the people accompanying Reyansh. She did not know who was the evil-looking youth beside him but a trace of disgust flashed in her eyes when she saw her foster parents accompanying Reyansh like a couple of butlers with fawning smiles plastered on their faces.


    Her foster mother turned towards Hamsa and shouted angrily, "Hamsa, where have you been these past few days? Do you know how much Young Master Reyansh missed you? He had become sick just because of waiting for you and here you are happily writing your exams. Come immediately and apologize to Reyansh young master and return to our home."


    The middle-aged woman did not even wait to see Hamsa''s expression or hear her answer as if she was sure that Hamsa would blindly follow her like always. Instead, she turned to look at Reyansh as if she wanted to know if her performance satisfied Young Master Reyansh. Reyansh smiled gently as he turned to look at the middle-aged man beside him.


    Hamsa''s foster father put up an act of a dignified elite as he gazed Hamsa with faintly narrowed eyes as he said, "Hamsa, whatever happened between you and Young master Reyansh was unfortunate but it has happened and cannot be undone, there is no point in brooding over it. Do you know that Young Master Reyansh convinced his uncle to promote the certification of our four-star hotel into a five-star? If you can''t even forgive after what Young master Reyansh did for you, then everyone will think that you are a narrow-minded woman who did not know what was good for her."


    Reyansh nodded with a satisfied expression as he signalled to the middle-aged woman with the corner of his eyes who caught his hint and said in a high pitch voice, "Also, you have come with us to the police station to lodge a kidnapping and a sexual molestation case on that fellow in whose house you had been residing these days. I heard from Young master Reyansh that this lowly bastard threatened to kill him if he approached you. We will screw his life so that he would never come out from jail in his entire life."


    Hamsa who had been silent even when her foster father made a highly misleading sinister remark about her and Reyansh''s relationship, walked in front of her foster mother as she asked calmly, "What did you say? Repeat again."


    Hamsa''s foster parents did not catch the change in Hamsa because of the force of habit. Not once in their entire life did they fail to get Hamsa to obey them. Hamsa''s foster mother repeated in an impatient tone as she said, "I want you to lodge a complaint against that fellow in whose place you were residing and screw that bastar..."


    Slap!


    Before the middle-aged woman could complete her sentence, a solid slap landed on her chubby cheek creating a sharp sound which sent chills up the spines of everyone in the vicinity. The sound was too perfect that anyone who heard it would instinctively sprout a feeling of pity for the victim.


    Hamsa did not restrain even the least bit of her strength when she slapped her foster mother. She forgot that her body was in its top state of health because of absorbing Tya''s energy so she did not imagine that her slap will be so strong, not that she regretted it. Rather, she felt a feeling of liberation as if some chains had broken in her heart releasing her heart and mind from the hold that her foster parents held on her psychologically.


    Reyansh was also shocked when he saw this scene as he immediately retreated two steps for safety lest Hamsa targets him next. Hamsa''s foster father''s face became blank as he stood like a statue when he saw that his wife whom he feared to even just touch for many years, sprawling on the ground. He turned to look at his foster-daughter whom he had assumed he knew everything about her and how to control her. Suddenly, he felt he was watching a stranger because there was no way that the past Hamsa would slap her foster mother.


    "You, did you just slap me? You ingrate, you..." Hamsa''s foster mother slowly raised herself from the ground as she started cursing at Hamsa but before she could vent her anger, another slap landed on the other cheek.


    Slap!

 76 - Make Sure You Never Forget

    Everyone around was shocked when they saw this spectacle unfolding. Kritika unconsciously covered her cheeks as she watched Hamsa slapping her foster mother.


    "Hamsa, you, how could you beat your mother, she..." the middle-aged man shut up immediately when he saw Hamsa turning to look at him. Somehow, he felt that if he continued, his position would be the same as his wife.


    The evil looking person came beside Reyansh, who was currently feeling frustrated, as he whispered, "Reyansh Bro, didn''t I say that you should leave your bad habit of ''manipulating and conquering the mind before the body'' logic. Look, where this had led to you. If it was me, this girl would have already been under my crotch. let''s go with my approach today before you become the laughing stock of our college and our circle."


    Reyansh''s eyes turned sinister as he nodded at Madan. He had wanted to try to get back Hamsa through her foster parents as he did not want to have contradictions with Taarini. But, now that things have come to this stage he would take Hamsa forcefully first and leave the complications for his father to handle.


    Reyansh looked at Hamsa and jeered, "Hamsa, I gave you a chance to understand your position but it seems that you do not understand how puny and powerless you are in front of me. Do you think that anyone around here would be able to protect you if I do you here and now? Do you think those five or six people who are protecting you can stop me, look around you, I have brought forty people."


    Hamsa saw a huge gang surrounding them from all directions as they held all kinds of weapons from knives to hockey sticks. Hamsa''s brow relaxed when she examined for a while as she turned to look calmly at Reyansh, there was even some pity in her eyes.


    Reyansh became angry when he did not see the expected reaction in Hamsa as he ridiculed, "You think that Mafia boss for whom that fellow is working could help you. I am sure she doesn''t even care about you if it resulted in offending the family behind me. I have seen to it that the police would also not come here for another hour. The other people would only watch the happenings but wouldn''t dare to pick up a fight with 40 people. What can you do?"


    Gauri trembled when she saw these happenings and despaired at Hamsa''s misfortune. But, she gritted her teeth and stood her ground refusing to budge but other classmates had already started retreating. Hamsa''s noted her best friend''s action which warmed her heart.


    "Cough, Reyansh, something doesn''t feel right," Madan interrupted Reyansh''s speech as he looked around.


    "Today, I am going to make you mine, let me see who is...what?" Reyansh turned to see the trembling figure of Madan as he looked at the surrounding people.


    "Reyansh, I think it is better to go now, "Madan said as he voice became apprehensive.


    Reyansh wrinkled his brows as he said impatiently, "What are you afraid of Madan, we have so many people surrounding us with all kinds of weapons, what will happen to us?"


    "That''s the problem, there are ''too many'' people holding all kinds of weapons surrounding us," Madan said as cold sweat started forming on his forehead.


    "That''s what I said, why are you repeating my..." Reyansh''s words got stuck in his throat when he saw the number of people surrounding them. It was definitely more than the planned forty people, the number reached hundred at least. The people he brought were trembling as they were surrounded and disarmed by others, who were gossiping among themselves as they conveniently played with their weapons.


    "Who are these people?" Just as this question sprouted in Reyansh''s heart, the crowd split as a lean figure with straight shoulders walked steadily towards them. Reyansh understood now what had transpired but it not only failed to calm him but caused his heart to beat violently as if it wanted to burst out of his chest. When he saw the dark eyes of that person, he was reminded of the abyss and at the same time, he remembered the warning of that person.


    A beautiful smile unfolded on Hamsa''s face as she walked, with a spring in her steps, towards Aditya and stood so close to him that their hands brushed against each other. A small blush could be seen spreading on Hamsa''s face while Aditya felt awkward about it but he did not pull his hand away. Hamsa had seen Aditya''s men with a relaxed expression as they smiled courteously at her from within the crowd, so she knew that Aditya must have known about Reyansh''s plan and was prepared.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Aditya smiled as he patted Hamsa''s hand and walked towards Reyansh who was currently trembling with fear, "Young Master Reyansh, I remember saying something about disturbing Hamsa again. You seem to have discarded my warning."


    "What words? forgive me for not remembering, Young Master Aditya, you see it was just a coincidence that I met her today," Reyansh tried hard to smile as he spoke but failed eventually. he had an ominous premonition sprout up in his heart when he saw the indifferent expression on Aditya today, somehow he felt sure that it was not going to end well for him today.


    Aditya''s face showed a thoughtful'' expression as he said, "Oh, looks like I have to do something so that you would never ever forget my words again even with your bad memory." Aditya''s eyes iced up as a chilly aura, characteristic of Taarini, started emanating from him as he arrived in front of Reyansh.


    Reyansh''s heart skipped a beat when he saw those eyes, he screamed hysterically with almost the same high pitch as a woman''s, "Aditya, I warn you, my father is the great industrialist ''Siddharth Varma'' who is a loyal retinue of ''Rai¡­ Ahhh!!" the remaining words did not come out as Aditya deftly grabbed Reyansh''s hair and smashed him, face first, into the newly renovated road. The asphalt had not cooled down yet and was still wet as well as sticky. The hot molten tar along with gravel stuck to Reyansh''s well-maintained face which burnt into his skin causing him acute scorching pain as he cried insanely.


    Gravel and sticky globs of tar flew in all direction as Aditya practically rubbed Reyansh''s face forcefully on the new road thereby damaging it. After successfully drawing some ''face tracks'' on the new road Aditya lifted Reyansh to his face level as he said, "Since you have forgotten, let me remind you again as there won''t be another reminder."


    Aditya spoke in a cold, impassive tone, "You know what? I really do not like getting into violent conflicts if I could solve it through talks. I suggest you forget about Hamsa, otherwise," Aditya leaned forward and looked at Reyansh''s face, which was stained with tar coated gravel and blood, as he stated, "I don''t mind killing you."


    Aditya threw the beaten figure of Reyansh to Madan who caught him promptly and dragged him away without a word. even after a full minute, the agony filled cries could be heard from a distance as they finally faded away. Hamsa''s foster parents also followed him without a word of protest, they did not want to know the taste of asphalt. Everyone around them including Kritika and college students looked at Aditya with fear as the painful screams of Reyansh still rang in their ears.


    The cold aura around Aditya dissipated as if everything that happened right now was illusory. He turned and smiled at Hamsa who looked Aditya in a daze as if something was melting inside her. Aditya then turned to smile at the short figure of Gauri as he said cheerfully, "This must be your best friend Gauri, quite a loyal friend you have here." Gauri was somehow more afraid of Aditya than she had been of Reyansh when she saw what he did and how he acted like it was not a big deal.


    She trembled when Aditya''s gaze landed on her and ducked immediately to hide behind Hamsa who giggled with amusement. Hamsa did not seem much perturbed by Aditya''s show of violence which intrigued him.


    Hamsa also snapped out of her daze as she turned and held Gauri ice cold hands firmly. It could be seen that Gauri had quite a rough experience today. Hamsa introduced her to Aditya as they slowly walked away while Aditya''s newly formed gang enthusiastically greeted Hamsa and Gauri as they made way for them.


    Aditya looked at a youth and called him as he asked, "You are Thomas, right?" The youth was so excited as he jumped in excitement and said, "Boss, you actually remember my name, oh my God, I am so fortunate. Boss you were so cool just now..." he went on talking while Aditya rolled his eyes as he thought, ''it would be a shock if I forgot something, I actually know each and every name of you guys.''


    Actually, Thomas was one of the early followers who had approached Aditya with the intent to become his underlings when he witnessed Aditya''s fighting skill.


    "Okay, stop talking and go get three cups of Chai (Indian Tea) for us and disperse our people. We will meet at our place tomorrow." Aditya waved his hand as he could see the woman called Gauri was getting fidgety. She calmed down a little after a cup of tea and went back to her home while Hamsa followed Aditya to the place he parked the bike.


    Hamsa''s face was beaming with happiness as she pulled Aditya to buy some groceries for supper. She would look at Aditya from time to time. Tya had just informed Aditya that all the remaining traces of Trauma in Hamsa''s heart had been cured today and that she became perfectly healthy psychologically.


    Hamsa looked at Aditya with questioning eyes when she saw the splendid bike. Aditya rubbed his head awkwardly as he explained that he had to bring a bike as he was afraid of getting stuck in traffic if he drove his car and might not make it in time.


    Hamsa smiled when she heard the explanation as she sat in the back seat and wrapped her arms around Aditya without any reservations. After all, she was waking every morning practically hugging this person and after what happened today, Hamsa had confirmed some things in her heart. Aditya smiled a little as he started the bike and asked, "I forgot to ask, how was your exam?"


    "Pretty good."


    "Did they ask about Acute Flaccid Myelitis?" Aditya grinned as he asked but immediately let out a cry as a pair of thin, exquisite fingers started pinching his waist he replied, "Ouch, yeah I forgot, you said it was not in the syllabus."


    Aditya thought as he rode the bike, ''No wonder she is a doctor, even Kumari couldn''t pinch me because of my thin skin.''

 77- Truth about Tyas World.

    Hamsa walked out of the restroom as she wiped her wet hair with a towel. Aditya could really feel the difference in Hamsa tonight, she had a constant, everlasting smile on her face, her eyes clear and limpid as she ambled towards the small kitchen with a leisurely gait. She wore a comfortable red night suit with a grey coloured printed cartoon characters. Some droplets could still be seen on her exposed neck and slender hands as refraction of room light could be seen which made her look absolutely refreshing and sensuous at the same time.


    Though Aditya interacted in an intimate, physical level with Hamsa, the fact was he did not encourage any crooked thoughts as he could sense that Hamsa was very vulnerable in spirit and any impulsive action on his part would probably cause more damage than anything else. He would definitely look down upon himself even if Hamsa did not blame him. So, usually, he would spend most of his time staying in Tya''s world or in the garage.


    He was not apologetic of the fact that his blood would start boiling the moment he woke in the morning with Hamsa hugging him firmly. In the beginning, it was in control when he saw Hamsa''s tear-stained face but the fact was that for the past few days Hamsa would be having a blissful smile on her face and the crying had stopped. This made it all the more hard for him to resist from hugging her back.


    He was not a typical teenager who had no idea of what he was feeling or what he had to do. One had to know that he was living ''another'' life in a dream world in which he was very ''experienced'' in these matters.


    Aditya sneaked glances at Hamsa, who seemed to be perfectly at home as she rubbed her hair with a soft blue towel in a hurry, causing unwanted but highly eye-catching motions of her bosom. That pair absolutely did not follow the direction of the rest of her body. If she moved in one direction, they moved in another.


    ''Does this girl know that she is practically teasing a ticking bomb every day? Why does it seem that she is even more irresistible today? Adi, don''t think that just because you helped her and gave her some protection, you get the right to keep her forever,'' Aditya slapped himself lightly as he closed his eyes and shook his head. But before he knew it, Aditya was back to staring at Hamsa as he swallowed his saliva before it leaked outside.


    Hamsa turned to look at Aditya who was making a swallowing motion but did not seem to notice anything as she smiled and spoke in a mellow voice, "Adi, you also go and fresh up while I make some mushroom soup for us today. Oh wait, I used up the hot water, you have to wait for a few minutes otherwise if you bathed with cold water in this season, you might get sick."


    "Cold water?" That''s what he needed right now the most. Aditya did not think twice as he grabbed his towel and dived into the bathroom despite Hamsa''s attempts to stop him.


    In the bathroom, Aditya sat on the floor under the gentle drizzle of the shower as the cold water brought his body back to normal temperature and his head cooled. His mind regained some clarity of thought as he rebuked himself for spending time on these thoughts when there was a lot he had yet to accomplish. He closed his eyes and went to visit Tya. It was time to have a nice chat with him as to why the promised ability was still not developed. He had assumed that as he had given away only a week''s worth of energy to Hamsa, he would have the ability ready after a week delay but things seemed to be a little different.


    "Tya, what happened to the ability you promised, a week had already passed," Aditya said to the being with overloaded cuteness who flew around him and finally settled on his shoulder.


    "Adi, you seem to have miscalculated you have not only given the energy of a week to Hamsa but also the energy accumulated by me before, so you have to wait another week for your ability," Tya replied in its characteristic adorable tone as he looked at Aditya with blinking eyes.


    "What! I didn''t expect that I have to wait for another week," Aditya said as he held his forehead but when he remembered Hamsa''s cheerful face. Maybe it was worth it, also there was nothing he could do now anyway.


    Aditya creased his brows as he asked Tya a question which he had asked him when he had first contacted Tya, "Tya, you have read so many books and know the nature of my world now, right? So, by now, have you figured out the way of explaining your world to me in layman terms? I am just curious as sometimes I feel like this world and you are supernatural like ghos¡­ cough cough gods (he wanted to say ghost but ended up saying gods so as to not hurt Tya''s feelings.)"


    Tya was excited when he heard Aditya''s question as he replied, "Elder brother Adi, I have not reached any conclusion yet but I can say assuredly that there is no your world and my world."


    "What do you mean?" Aditya pricked his ears as he was also excited that the most basic mystery about Tya was going to be unveiled at last.


    "Well, I think that both of us living in the same world. There is only a difference of perspectives." Tya remarked as he looked at Aditya''s blank face with shining eyes.


    "You lost me at ''same world''," Aditya said as he was a little depressed at having to ask a ''child'' to give the explanation in simple terms.


    "Elder brother, it''s really simple to understand. Imagine a soup boiling in a soup pot."


    "Okay"


    "Now, imagine yourself becoming an ant and see the same boiling soup from an ant''s perspective. Wouldn''t it be similar to a hot, boiling magma in a volcano?" Tya said as he tried to strike up a teacher''s pose only to end up looking more cuddly.


    "Okay, I get that people experience this world based on their own size and capacity. An ant might see a small wall as if it was a giant fortress wall that reaches the sky.'' Aditya nodded interestingly as he also gave another metaphor but he still didn''t understand where Tya was going with this example.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Tya looked at Aditya who still had the same blank face as he explained patiently, "So when you are in the human form, you experience this world as if it is made up of all kinds of things like animals, birds, trees, cars and other humans. But when you become like this," Tya pointed at the transparent foggy form of Aditya which was composed of rays of all colours and said, "you experience the same world but with a different perspective." Here, Tya pointed at the beautiful world filled with spheres of myriad colours which transformed into fogs emitting brilliant lights and vice-versa.


    Aditya was dumbstruck when he heard these words as he looked around this world dyed with multitude shades and asked, "you mean that this is a different reality and not my imagination?"


    "Definitely, you don''t think I am a figment of your own imagination? Tya is a separate being with his own thoughts and wishes, "Tya replied in a pitiful tone as if he was hurt with Aditya''s words.


    "No, it''s not like that. How could I imagine such a cute and good being like Tya? Tya is the most beautiful person I have ever seen in my life," Aditya flattered immediately in a fawning voice and Tya immediately regained his smiling face. Appeasing Tya was probably the easiest job in the world.


    "So, Tya if we take your previous analogy of the ant and applied it to us, then from what perspective am I seeing this world?" Aditya asked eagerly, he felt he was finally able to get to the root of this matter.


    Tya put up his ''Great Thinker''s pose'' as he said, "I can''t find the exact word to describe your condition but if I have to take the approximate word, I would say that you are currently viewing this world from the perspective of a sub-atomic particle."


    "Sub-atomic particle?" Aditya''s mind exploded when he heard this answer. He was a son of a physicist after all. He knew more than other people his age so he was even more shocked when he heard this answer. He once again took a look at this world as he asked, "So, you are saying that this is the domain of sub-atomic particles?"


    Tya shook his head as he corrected, "I think we can call this place as the ''Quantum Realm''."


    "Quantum Realm?"


    Aditya''s mind became numb as names like Neils Bohr, Max Planck, Einstein, Schrodinger, Heisenberg popped up in his mind as well as those weird principles like Heisenberg''s Uncertainty Principle, Schrodinger''s cat etc came to his mind. These were the names and principles he had listened to, while growing up instead of bedtime stories, from his father. His father dreamed of unravelling the truths of the sub-atomic world which was still largely undiscovered and he wanted his son to take up this mantle which, of course, failed to materialize.


    So, even today if someone brought up the topic of Atomic Physics, that person would be blacklisted by Aditya immediately because this science almost became a childhood trauma for him. He had never imagined that he would have to hear these very words from Tya. Ironically, it was him who was so interested in knowing about this world which turned out to be the very subject he had run away from, all his life.


    ''Karma is a Bitch'', these were the words that came to Aditya''s mind as he smiled bitterly. He looked at Tya as he said, "So, you are saying that the place you reside and the place that I have been visiting from the past month is the quantum realm. No wonder the concept of time is skewed here."


    Tya nodded innocently as he looked at Aditya carefully and said with a straight face, "But, I think that the contemporary knowledge is very backward, I would even say it is very crude. I have read in some book that you have only discovered 5% of this true reality like protons, neutrons and electrons and other elementary particles like quarks. I had great difficulty connecting this world to that knowledge as they have not even scratched the surface of the truth and everything is mostly wrong."


    With this one sentence, Tya had successfully managed to insult the whole human civilization which was the first time for Aditya as he did not know how to react when he saw Tya''s cute face.


    "Cough cough¡­ well, there have been many recent discoveries which you might not know," Aditya made a futile attempt to defend the whole humanity which felt weird to him. But, deep inside, he knew that there have not been any substantial discoveries recently except for the Higg''s Boson experiment in the Large Hadron Collider (Geneva).


    Luckily Tya was gullible as he nodded seriously and said, "I am sorry Adi, I judged before knowing the truth."


    "Cough cough¡­ it''s fine, everyone makes mistakes. Tya, if this is the quantum realm, then how am I able to access this place and what is the ''me'' right now," Aditya said as he gestured towards his foggy form which was clearly not his real body. He did not even know how he was able to exist in this form in this world.


    "That is because of me, elder brother Adi. Your bond with me enables you to access this world. As for who I am, for all functional purposes, you can refer to me as a being of this space. As to what kind of bond it is and how it is possible, I am still not able to give a legit explanation." Tya responded as he adorably blinked his large eyes as he looked at Aditya.


    Tya continued, "Also, I can''t clearly explain your form but if I have to specify a word that you might understand. I would address the ''you'' right now as a ''Soul particle''."


    "Soul Particle? Aren''t Souls a part of mythology and folklore. Do people really have a soul?" Aditya asked as his mind continued to take heavy blows today. He did not think that the question he had asked to divert his mind from Hamsa actually resulted in such a ground-breaking revelation.


    "Well, didn''t I say that I am using that word for lack of a better one to effectively communicate my meaning. But the soul I am referring to is not those shown in the movies which are transparent, human-shaped, filled with fog." Tya explained. Aditya looked at his form and back at Tya as he said with squinted eyes, "Tya, you are not playing me, right?"


    Tya shook his head as he replied, "Elder brother, did you ever wonder that why are there living organisms and non-living organism made of the same materials and elements? What is life? How is it created? The food that you eat is not living but ends up becoming a ''live'' part of you in the form of skin, bone, brain etc? How do you have a consciousness?"


    "Nah, I don''t have any plans of becoming a monk yet, so I would think about them when I am unable to do anything else if you get what I mean," Aditya replied decisively. He did not get to sleep with even one woman and here Tya was trying to drag him into searching for life''s meaning.


    "So you are saying that there is a sub-atomic particle in each of the living organisms which acts as a soul?"Aditya asked as he put the information he got in simple terms.


    "Yes, but the matter or energy which make up a soul is not yet discovered by your civilization and you have conveniently categorized these under the categories of ''Dark Matter'' and ''Dark Energy'' when they are anything but dark in nature," Tya concluded his speech while Aditya closed his eyes to let this knowledge, which departed radically from the norm, sink in.


    After sometime Aditya raised his head as he asked sincerely, "So, you are saying that the energy which is currently the cause of my abilities comes from this so-called ''Dark Energy''."


    "Yes, to be exact, the force is a part of this ''Dark Energy''. I act as a receptor or a receiver for this energy enabling your soul and through your soul, your mind and body to be enriched. I am like the gateway which makes absorbing this energy possible for you." Tya elaborated as he smiled brightly.


    "So, now that you are so knowledgeable, did you find out who are you? And, why do you share this bond with me?" Aditya asked earnestly as he looked at Tya. This was a question which was bugging him since the beginning.


    "I don''t know."


    "..."

 78 - Doubts

    "Adi, what are you thinking about?" Hamsa asked when she saw Aditya looking at the soup pot in a daze without actually eating. She noticed that since Aditya came out of the shower, his mind seemed to be preoccupied with something as he did not even dry his wet hair properly. Droplets of water could be seen dripping from the ends of his hair over the neck but he did not seem to pay attention to it.


    "It''s nothing," Aditya snapped out of his thoughts as he smiled and started eating the bowl of mushroom of soup in front of him. The fact was that he was not able to get Tya''s words out of his head.


    "Tya, so are you a being formed in this quantum realm?"


    "I don''t know, I don''t remember my origin. I have always existed in this way until I bonded with your ''Soul particle''."


    "So, is a ''Soul Particle'' just like an electron or a proton?"


    "No, it is very different from these sub-atomic particles but I guess you could think of a ''Soul particle'' like it is made up of a combination of a few Quark like particles. This is also an oversimplified answer at best."


    "So, is there any way that you could increase the input of this ''Dark Energy'' into my soul so that I don''t have to wait for another week," Aditya asked the most practical question as all the other knowledge, however splendid it was, could not do a thing for him right now except make him spend a few sleepless nights.


    "No, Adi, you have to know that I am just a gateway which facilitates the absorption of the energy but it is your Soul particle that is mainly responsible for attracting and assimilating the energy. If I had the capacity to attract as much energy as you are capable of, I would have not being this weak despite living for millions of years in this space, right?" Tya replied with a depressed face.


    "Because of your Soul particle''s capacity, I could retrieve my lost energy in a matter of days otherwise I would have had to wait for thousands of years without your help."


    "What is the nature of this energy that helps me become stronger?"


    "I know what that energy is but I am currently unable to express it''s true nature in the current vocabulary as there no words to describe it. We could make some but it won''t help still, how do you describe ''red'' colour to a blind person?" Tya outlined the truth so Aditya gave up on inquiring further. Frankly, he still did not get what a ''Soul particle'' was.


    "So, we both have a symbiotic type of relationship?" Aditya asked after some time in a calm voice.


    "Yup, actually, we are now currently inseparable. So, it''s not just a beneficial relationship, it''s more than that," Tya replied with a pure smile. He did not look the least bit unhappy with the status quo. Aditya looked at Tya with complex emotions in his eyes as he bid goodbye and came back.


    Aditya sat on the parapet wall as he gazed at the night view of the city. He breathed in a large volume of cold air as it chilled his mind and slowed down the barrage of thoughts. Aditya felt that his life was thrown into a whirlpool of life twists as he felt like he was losing his grip on what''s real and what''s not.


    First, his parents were taken by an organization which is gigantic and super powerful. He could not see any reasonable options for saving his parents on the horizon. He was not sure if he could come out of this safe let alone people associated with him.


    Last month, he suddenly started dreaming about himself or someone who looked exactly like him but with a different life. That person still had his parents with him, he had gone to Europe with them and continued his studies. He enjoyed his life, had an ambition and was fighting for it.


    As if this was not enough, Aditya somehow bonded with Tya and absorbed his energy thus getting some super abilities like terrific memory and calculative skills. After an accident, he was able to come in contact with Tya and came to know of his existence. With Tya''s help, the goal of saving his parents didn''t seem so remote anymore.


    But today''s discussion with Tya opened up many questions in Aditya''s heart which he had buried deep until now and ignored them. What was the actual reality? What was the dream? Was the world in which he lived a perfectly normal life the actual reality and was he actually dreaming this world which consisted of Tya and his beautiful world, super abilities and abnormally powerful organizations? Would he be able to get back to his normal life if he just killed himself in this ''dream''?Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Aditya shook his head resolutely as he pushed this thought aside, he knew that this theory was viable and reasonable but his heart clearly told him that this was the real world. Also, the fact that he could stop dreaming by spending time in Tya''s world also strengthened his belief that this was the real world, however odd it was. Aditya closed his eyes as he let go of these tiresome thoughts. He felt mentally exhausted today as his body swayed a little.


    Just when he thought of returning to the room to sleep, a pair of soft, boneless hands held him gently and pulled him sideways. His head was placed on a soft and warm ''pillow'' as a smile spread across Aditya''s face but he did not open his eyes. He did not want to destroy the ''moment'' by opening his eyes.


    Hamsa looked at the tired face of Aditya with a small smile on his lips, who was in her lap as she stroked his hair tenderly. A contented smile could be seen on her face as she braved the cold wind and stayed as motionless as possible lest she disturbed Aditya. She still remembered how she was afraid of Aditya when he approached her on that tragic night. Her heart had been broken into pieces that day when she saw her own foster parents betray her in the name of care and affection.


    She still could not imagine what would have been her position and circumstances if she was not rescued by Aditya that night. If that favour had made her feel indebted her to Aditya and had sprouted a favourable opinion on him, then what followed had created an indelible impression of this lean youth in her heart.


    He provided shelter to her along with care and treatment expecting nothing from her. Many times she felt that Aditya might turn out the same as Reyansh and take advantage of her when she was in her most vulnerable state. But the fact turned out that it was she who had taken full advantage of this hot-blooded youth by demanding very high levels of self-control on his part.


    Hamsa might have looked like she was not knowledgeable about her attraction or the test that Aditya was subjected to every morning. But, even if she did not have the required emotional intelligence to notice it, her medical knowledge prevented her from ignoring this. A silent giggle escaped Hamsa lips as she remembered all the instances which made Aditya awkward and rush into the bathroom for a cold shower.


    Hamsa not only found shelter & protection here but also treatment, the best teacher and care. To top it all, her trauma had not only been cured but to some unknown reason, her intelligence had increased and her heart became more stable as well as firm. This was also the reason that she was able to decisively break her ties with her foster parents and also remain unaffected when she saw Aditya''s violent outburst.


    Hamsa knew that all these were bestowed by her association with Aditya. She still remembered that Aditya previously had the problem of Hypersomnia which was not anything like the textbook knowledge but she did not even think of prying Aditya''s secrets. She only maintained gratitude in her heart at Aditya''s help.


    But everything changed last week when Kumari and Kranthi came to visit her. Kranthi had known long ago that there was a beautiful elder sister residing in Aditya''s house but he never visited her out of respect. But it was different when Kumari came to know about this. She literally barged into Aditya''s house to find Hamsa out of curiosity.


    But what Kumari did not expect was that her appearance not only did not disturb Hamsa but was highly welcomed. Kumari was Hamsa''s only chance at knowing about Aditya''s past and Hamsa wanted to know everything there was to know about him.


    So, after having a lengthy talk about Aditya''s past caused Hamsa to start looking Aditya in a new perspective. Before, Aditya was the benefactor of her to whom she was highly appreciative of. But after knowing Aditya''s past life, his friends, experiences and mainly his flaws, Hamsa started to truly fall for him.


    After that, she had opened up about her experiences to Aditya on her own initiative to see if he would have any obstruction to her but Aditya not only did not display any aversion but comforted her instead. Afterward, he also opened up about why he had ended up in this garage and what had happened to his parents. Hamsa was shocked at what had happened to Aditya''s parents. She could understand Aditya''s actions and his current situation.


    Hamsa remembered how Aditya would drag his tired body home with a swollen and bloody face but would not stop going out the next day. She knew that Aditya was not a person who acted recklessly and knew that he had a plan so she chose to keep silent while taking care of those wounds every night before they slept.


    At some unknown point in time, Hamsa had started imagining her future life along with this person. She would be taking care of him while he would work hard in the morning and evening as he would come exhausted every day just like these days. She would be there for him, to accompany him, to share his sorrows, to assuage his worries even if she could not do anything substantial. Not only did this idea get squished but it strengthened with time and the final touch was today when she saw him dealing with Reyansh.


    Hamsa''s face glowed when she saw the resting figure of Aditya as she approached his face slowly while bending slowly. After a few seconds, Hamsa''s heart started beating frantically as she saw that there not much distance between her lips and Aditya''s. She looked at his thin, handsome face as her eyes became firm and she made a move. Before she could kiss, Aditya''s lips curved as he spoke with his eyes closed in a low but clear voice, "Are you sure about this? You may regret this later, you know that I am not perfect, right?"


    Hamsa was stunned a little when she saw that Aditya was awake but Aditya neither made any movement nor spoke as he became silent while breathing peacefully. Hamsa''s lips revealed a small smile when she heard his words. She bent down and pressed her lips against Aditya''s as she tried clumsily to suck on Aditya''s lips.


    Aditya had not expected that Hamsa was capable of such a bold move but he welcomed it nonetheless. On the parapet wall of the balcony above the garage, two people kissed each other passionately covered by the darkness, unaffected by the coldness of the winter.

 79 - The Swan Flies Away

    In the early hours of the next day. The sky had not started getting bright yet and the world around was silent with occasional sounds of vehicles passing by. It was very cold outside as a young couple cuddled together on a bed in the penthouse. But, differing from the past, it was Aditya who was holding Hamsa on her bed rather than the other way round.


    Hamsa was the one who woke up first. She discovered that after the past few weeks of disturbed sleep and nightmares, she finally welcomed her first dreamless and most refreshing sleep. Her mind never felt so clear-headed, nimble and keen. She felt that for the first time in all her life, she got back the handle to her destiny and that it was totally in her control.


    Just as she was thinking how the past weeks had completely transformed her life, Hamsa felt a numb feeling in her right bosom. She slightly wrinkled her brows as she opened her eyes to discover a teen with an immature, innocent face, who was sleeping while hugging her tightly as his face leaned against her left chest.


    Hamsa blushed as she became bashful and demure when she saw Aditya''s face leaning against her chest. Her breath became rapid as blood rushed into her head as her fingers moved restlessly as she did not know what to do. When she saw that Aditya was still asleep, she did not want to move so as to not disturb him. She knew that Aditya barely slept these days. When she looked at the young face who had been the only support in the darkest part of her life, her eyes revealed a tenderness and her lips curved into a blissful smile.


    Hamsa''s blush deepened when she remembered how they had kissed for a long time, last night without paying attention to the place. a couple of men stood on the road as they whistled and laughed when they saw them kissing. It was lucky that it was night and they could not see them clearly. Afterwards, they went inside and continued.


    Though, at the end, when Aditya wanted to take the last step, she panicked instinctively so Aditya had to cease all attacks and be satisfied with only hugging her. She almost giggled when she recalled the depressed face of Aditya when he pulled his shorts back up. The numbness in her right chest brought Hamsa back from her thoughts ''Wait, wasn''t Aditya''s face leaning on my left chest, why am I feeling numbness in my right one?''


    Hamsa opened her mouth wide when she saw Aditya left arm inserted into her loose red nightshirt and firmly holding her right bosom. That was the reason she was feeling the numbness. She turned to look at the innocent, sleeping face of Aditya and back at her chest as thought, "No wonder, Kumari had said that Aditya was a natural born female predator, I had thought that she was exaggerating that time when she told me about their escapades in tenth grade as Aditya never made a move on me." Hamsa gritted her teeth as she held Aditya''s left arm and pulled it out.


    Aditya fidgeted a little but resumed his sleep while hugging Hamsa''s waist with the same left arm as his face leaned more onto her bosom. Hamsa struggled a little but let go eventually. After some time, Aditya opened his eyes as he looked at the stunning woman in his arms, more like he was in her arms.


    "Adi, I have something to speak with you," Hamsa said softly as she looked at him gently. She did not protest about Aditya holding her as she also wanted to spend as much time as possible with him.


    "What is it?" Aditya''s eyes became clear as he saw the seriousness and a bit of melancholy in Hamsa''s eyes.


    "I am going to leave today," Hamsa said as she watched Aditya''s expression earnestly. If there was any person in this world for whom she was answerable to, it was this person.


    "Oh," Aditya said as he continued to look at Hamsa as he got up from the bed and sat in a cross-legged posture. He knew that Hamsa would not take a hasty decision and she did not seem mentally disturbed at the moment so he wanted to know what was her plan.


    Hamsa waited to see if Aditya had anything to say and when she saw him listening attentively, she smiled a little and continued, "Adi, I know that your parents are in danger, I also know that you are currently working every day to try to find a path for saving them. You left your friends, family, elder sisters and your education so that you can fully concentrate on this path."


    Aditya nodded as he continued to look at Hamsa. He knew that she was getting to the main point.


    "Everything went according to your plan until," Hamsa paused a bit and continued while looking in Aditya''s eyes, "you met me."


    Aditya''s brows relaxed when he heard these words. He knew now what was going on in Hamsa''s mind. He smiled as he tried to pacify Hamsa, "It''s nothing really. Now everything is alright, why would you want to..."


    "Adi, let me speak," Hamsa interrupted Aditya with a sincere expression so Aditya could only shrug and listen ardently.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "You saved me that night, got me treated, provided the most crucial help in the most opportune time. But along with that, you have actually delayed your plans as I started consuming a part of your time every day. Even for the past few days, you had been taking me to college for exams and picking me up just because you were concerned about my safety. I can''t remain here with this thought in my mind that I am somehow distracting you from your real path. If something happens to your parents in the future and I find out that you could have saved them if you had enough time. Can you imagine, how I would feel? I would definitely prefer if Reyansh had taken me or rather I committed suicide." Hamsa said with a heavy voice.


    Aditya''s heart shuddered when he heard these words. He did not think that Hamsa would think so far into the future. Aditya never possessed that kind of foresight but when he heard Hamsa words, his pupils shrank as his heart cooled as he lowered his head in thought.


    Let alone Hamsa, even he would have a shadow in his heart forever if he found out that he could have saved his parents if he was just a tad bit earlier. And, he was aware that he had truly delayed his plans, not for dropping and picking up Hamsa, but a whole two weeks. Cold sweat started forming on Aditya''s forehead when he thought in retrospection.


    His mother had given him a time of three years but was it an absolute? Somehow Adi''s powers and the three-year timeline had created a false sense of security in him and he started thinking that a few weeks of the delay was not much. But when he heard Hamsa''s words, his spirit jolted from its slumber. Even if the three years is an absolute, did he have a plan of action based on Tya and his powers that could guarantee that he could save his parents in time?


    Hamsa observed Aditya''s reactions closely as she smiled and said, "Now, do you understand why I took this decision?"


    Aditya slowly raised his head as he looked at Hamsa and nodded, "Thank you, Hamsa."


    Hamsa''s lips trembled when she heard Aditya''s words as she went forward, hugged Aditya tightly as she kissed him and wept, "Adi, don''t think that I would ever forget about you, I just don''t want to get in your way. I would be waiting for the day that you would save your parents or at least until the day when you spending time with me would not delay or restrain you anymore. Until then I have chosen to stay away. Adi, are you angry at me? Am I an ungrateful woman who leaves you after having gotten everything from you?"


    Aditya shook his head as he also hugged Hamsa in his arms as he asked, "Have you decided where to go and is it safe?"


    "I have decided but I don''t want to tell you the place, we will keep in contact. As for what I am doing, I am following Saanvi elder sister to another city. I will continue my studies there and also help Saanvi elder sister in her research. As for security, you don''t have to worry about it." Hamsa spoke in a low voice while making sobbing sounds intermittently.


    Aditya knew that by not telling him where she was going was Hamsa''s way of keeping distance between them so he did not bother much as he said in a false stern voice, "If you encounter any trouble and I mean any trouble, big or small, you have to contact me immediately, got it?" Hamsa nodded as she hugged him even more tightly and cried again. It was apparent that it was not an easy decision for her. Aditya remained in the same position for a long time as he slowly patted Hamsa''s back until she stopped crying.


    Aditya helped Hamsa stand up while she leaned her head on his shoulder and went outside. They both did not speak for a long time as they bathed in the Sun''s rays which were golden and strong. The early morning sun, as well as the fog, was a beautiful sight to behold and both Aditya''s and Hamsa''s heart settled down as they remained close to each other.


    "When are you leaving?"


    "In a few hours..."


    This morning, Hamsa acted like a real wife as she did all the things like taking care of Aditya''s food, bath and clothes. When Aditya bathed and came out wearing only a towel with half dried hair, she took another dry towel as she scolded Aditya lightly for not wiping himself dry. She made Aditya sit down as she rubbed his hair while Aditya hugged her around her waist with his arms and pushed his face into her bosom causing her to laugh as well as get angry at the same time.


    She made his favourite food and prepared for lunch as well. After she took a bath and donned new clothes which were favoured by Aditya, she talked for some time with Aditya as he gave her a bank card for her needs. She took it without any false pretences and both had breakfast.


    When it was time to leave finally, Aditya asked, "Are you sure that the place you are going is safe and can guarantee you from any rash actions from Reyansh?" he was still a little afraid of Hamsa falling into danger.


    "Don''t worry, do you think I would make such an important decision without considering it. Otherwise, wouldn''t everything you have done for me, go to waste?" Hamsa smiled as she hit Aditya on his arm mildly.


    "Okay, then take care," Aditya said as he looked at Hamsa for one last time. Hamsa also tried to smile as she left walking in a brisk pace. Aditya saw Saanvi waiting in a car as she waved at him with a smile. Aditya also smiled as he waved back. This woman had the same serene atmosphere around her that settled Aditya''s heart a little. He had interacted a lot with Saanvi these last few days and he knew that she was a kind person with a strong and stable heart.


    As Aditya watched the car move out of sight, he sighed a little as he returned to his room. He had a huge load of work today, he had to interrogate a fellow, train his subordinates, meet Taarini about the previous day''s fight in the resorts and also ask her to remove protection to Hamsa as it is not needed anymore.


    Just as Aditya reentered his room, his heart suddenly felt a vacuum within him when he saw the empty room with Hamsa''s body aroma still lingering around. He smiled bitterly as he spoke to Tya, "Tya, what happened last night? I could not access the Quantum realm." Aditya wanted to spend his night in the quantum realm just like every day but was somehow not able to access it. If he was not guaranteed by Tya that it was a good thing, he would have had a panic attack for sure.


    Tya''s baby like immature voice rang in Aditya''s ear as he cried excitedly, "Aditya, the new ability is ready and good to go. Come here immediately"


    ''What!''

 80 - New Ability

    "Tya, what is the new ability? Didn''t you say that I would have to wait for another week?", Aditya asked excitedly as he saw Tya float towards him and settle on his shoulder.


    He remembered that Tya had said that this ability would guarantee that he would not have to hide anymore from ''that'' organization. He could also use all of his powers without the fear of ''that'' organization coercing him with the lives of his parents. So, Aditya had been waiting for this moment for many days. How could he not be excited about this when he thought that finally, he could get on the track of rescuing his parents?


    Tya chortled merrily as he said, "Elder brother Adi, I would tell you about the ability but before that, I have a question which only you can answer me. This is very crucial for me."


    "Oh, just ask, I will answer anything you ask," Aditya said with exhilaration as he looked at Tya.


    "What were you doing with Elder sister Hamsa last night?" Tya asked cutely as he tilted his round head to look at Aditya with big, round blinking eyes.


    Aditya''s smile froze as he looked blankly at Tya when he heard this question as he swallowed hard. He didn''t expect that Tya would see this ''almost'' R-18 scene. Would it affect his ''mental growth''? Wait, though this fellow looks like a kid, he is actually very old, so maybe he can handle it.


    He looked at Tya''s expression closely but could not find anything else but genuine curiosity. Afterwards, his vision instinctively went towards Tya''s legs but everything was very foggy from the waist. He looked at Tya and said, "from now on don''t call Hamsa as an elder sister, you should call her ''Sister-in-law'', also what do you think I did last night?"


    Tya nodded obediently when he heard Aditya''s words as he said, "Well, you both seem to be mating as described in the 8th-grade Biology textbook but you seem to have stopped midway. Why didn''t you complete it? Is it that difficult for you?"


    Aditya almost wanted to smash his head against a wall and die when he heard the words, ''Is it that difficult for you?'' No man could accept this insult let alone he who was very good with flowers as can be seen in the ''other'' world.


    He looked at Tya''s expression which did not change much as he said, "Tya, this is something you will know when you become big like me. It is of no use explaining to you now. So, let us get back to the main topic, what is the new ability?" Aditya did not know what to do if Tya became an adult one day. He felt jitters just thinking about taking sex education class for him. Hopefully, Tya does not change as he remained the same for so long.


    Tya nodded as he explained, "Adi, yesterday when Hamsa sister-in-law kissed you a change occurred in your soul particle as if a new connection was being made with some other entity. Later, I found out through your soul particle that the other entity was another soul particle. I know that it was Hamsa sister in law''s as I recognized that soul particle was also modified by ''Dark Energy''."


    Aditya was shocked that such a romantic and emotional action led to changes in his and Hamsa''s souls particles. He felt like this was not as simple as it sounded. He turned to look at Tya earnestly as he asked, "You mean to say that Hamsa''s soul particle and mine are connected in some way right now?"


    "Yes," Tya nodded.


    "Does it have something to do with the rapid completion of this ability and the fact that I could not access the quantum realm last night?" Aditya asked again.


    "It has everything to do with this," Tya affirmed as he continued, "When Sister-in-law''s soul particle and your soul particle created a new bond, Sister-in-law''s soul particle also influenced the amount of ''Dark Energy'' absorbed. Due to this sudden upsurge which is not as simple as the addition of two individual capabilities, your ability was created in a few hours along with a small evolution of your soul particle. This was the reason why you were not able to access the quantum realm last night."


    Aditya was dismayed when he heard this explanation. Yesterday was the night that both Aditya and Hamsa determined and accepted their love for each other. This romance which was supposed to be an intangible thing actually resulted in a material manifestation in the quantum realm where his and Hamsa''s Soul particles bonded. This has resulted in an increase in the absorption of ''Dark Energy'', it all felt surrealistic to Aditya as he closed his eyes and thought about last night events.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Suddenly, Aditya opened his eyes as he felt the connection. He could feel some existence attached to him. The bond felt warm and Aditya''s heart trembled when he felt this feeling, it was like Hamsa was with him at this moment. The connection was stable but he could not gain any more information through that link.


    "Did you also feel it?" Tya asked with a smile as he looked at Aditya.


    Aditya nodded with a complex expression on his face as he asked," Why do I feel the bond when Hamsa has actually left now. Also, I feel like she is very near me."


    "Well, you have to know that the space-time continuum is very complicated in this realm. The normal rules don''t apply here. So even if she is at another end of your world, you will feel her near you just the same," Tya explained as he played with his small, chubby fingers.


    Aditya nodded as he settled his mood and looked at Tya, "Now we know why the ability was completed earlier than expected, now can you tell me about the ability itself?"


    "Sure, do you remember what I said about ''Dark Energy'' entering your soul and enriching it along with your mind & body?"


    "Yes"


    "Well, the Dark Energy had successfully infiltrated your cells, more accurately, your genes." Tya smiled and said.


    "So, you mean to say that I will have supernatural physical strength?" Aditya said excitedly. He still remembered the scene when that person called ''Bunny'' crushed stone into dust.


    "Nope," Tya shook his head.


    "Then, will I have lasers coming out of my eyes, Fire control, ice control?" Aditya did not lose hope as he asked excitedly. One had to know that after the sophisticated explanation given by Tya about Soul particle and Dark Energy. Anyone would have high hopes. Aditya was only thinking about all the DC and Marvel heroes when he imagined what the new ability was going to be.


    "Nope."


    "Then, at least super speed to escape bullets even if I can''t stop them?"


    "Nope"


    "Mind control?"


    "Nope"


    "Tya, if you say ''nope'' one more time," Aditya spoke with gritted teeth when he looked at the figure who seemed to enjoy crushing his expectations.


    "But elder brother Adi, you can''t get these abilities, there are too ''unrealistic''," Tya said in a low voice as he looked at Aditya with clear eyes.


    ''You know what''s unrealistic? Me talking to you in this realm'' Aditya thought as he heard Tya''s words. He looked at Tya with and asked directly, "Okay, just tell me what is this ability?"


    Tya looked at Aditya and excitedly replied, "Cellular Regulation"


    Aditya blinked repeatedly for some time as he looked at Tya with a blank face as he asked, "What is that? I seem to have never heard of this ability before."


    "Well, Adi, the dark energy has successfully infiltrated the cells in your body, so you can manipulate your cells to an extent," Tya replied in an adorable tone.


    "And, what does that do?"


    "you can control all the involuntary processes in your body through this ability."


    "Such as?"


    "regulate your blood sugar, cholesterol, hormonal balance, healthy growth, heart rate control, steady breathing movements, quick digestion¡­ elder brother Adi, what happened?" Tya asked when he looked at Aditya''s crestfallen figure swayed as if he would fall any moment.


    Aditya did not pay attention to Tya as he muttered words like ''blood sugar'', ''digestion'', ''hormonal balance''. Was this the new ability which Tya promised would be phenomenal?


    "Tya, I have to take a small break, I will be right back," Aditya could not stay in this realm for another instant as he feared he would either faint or shout at Tya.


    "Okay, elder brother Adi, come quickly as this ability has more powers."


    "..." he feared what other ''super'' powers Tya would list out like ''Healthy kidneys'', ''No eyesight'', ''No hair loss''


    Aditya felt that the sadness of Hamsa leaving him has been successfully clouded with the shock of this ''spectacular'' ability of Tya.


    He sat on his bed brooding over his future path as he had held high expectation of this ability. Aditya rubbed his left eye as he felt a little itch. He got up and opened his lunch as he wanted to binge eat Hamsa''s delicious food to suppress his anxiety. He started to think of what else he could do so that he could guarantee that he could stay completely under the radar of ''that'' organization.


    "Elder brother Adi, do you have a mirror?" Tya asked as Aditya was checking new freelancer programming jobs. He had become quite famous on this website for his speed and efficiency in completing the tasks to the satisfaction of the customer.


    "Tya, not now," Aditya said as he continued his work.


    "Please, Adi," Tya''s pleading voice was heard.


    Aditya sighed as he walked towards the small mirror at the other end of the room as he thought, ''maybe I am having high expectations from Tya, he is trying his best to help me, after all.''


    "Okay, why do you want a mirror?" Aditya asked, trying to sound as normal as possible, as he held the mirror in his hand.


    "Look at yourself in the mirror, Adi"


    "What is there to look at..." Aditya was shell shocked when he saw his reflection in the mirror. To be more accurate, when he looked at his eyes.


    His left eye which was supposed to have a pitch dark pupil like always was now bright emerald green in colour. He gasped when he saw his right pupil start changing to dark brown colour and finally stopped when it became a very rare grey-coloured pupil.


    Aditya''s heterochromatic eyes lit up when a word sprang up in his mind when he looked at this change.


    ''Camouflage''


    "Tya, YOU ARE A GENIUS," Aditya shouted loudly followed by Tya''s chortling. Aditya now knew what Tya meant by evading ''those'' people.

 81- Addy2219

    Harry threw his car-keys to the side as he slumped into a couch in his place while rubbing his forehead. His blue eyes looked tired and his mind was exhausted. He had bought this single-family home, with three bedrooms, a few months back with his savings and a bank loan. He thought that buying this home in this neighbourhood with a waterfront and open spaces would relieve him from the stress of his profession. But, everything turned downhill for the past few weeks.


    First, he was asked to attend a meeting of top officials and military generals where he found that the world was not what he had thought to be. He discovered an organization which was able to talk on the same foot as them and to even give blatant threats to them. Next, a few weeks ago, he saw a video brought by Kevin which really confirmed his intuition that this organization was not to be underestimated.


    From that day forward, Harry was not able to sleep peacefully anymore. The slit pupils of that person covered in fur, holding Amanda''s elder brother''s beating heart, would flash in his inner mind from time to time making Harry sometimes regret that he had watched this video. Who was that person? Who were these people who seem to be invincible? Was this organization, the work of a brilliant mind or a group? Or was it really Alien technology or future technology?


    Harry would find himself thinking about them without knowing it himself as he rolled in his bed sleeplessly. He was surprised that the fatty Kevin who had actually brought this video seemed to be more accepting of these groundbreaking discoveries. Harry attributed this ''broad'' mentality to Kevin''s interest in anime and comics where everything was possible. Kevin was caught by the people of the internal affairs and he along with Harry was taken and given a scolding followed by a warning for behaving irresponsibly.


    As both of them were already privy to some part of the truth as they had already attended the first meeting, they were let off with a warning while Kevin was punished with extra work. Both Harry and Kevin were credited for many achievements in the US CYBERCOM so they were let off with minor punishments as it was their first time.


    Though Harry did not have the mood to bath, he still lifted himself forcefully and dragged his feet to the bathroom. This night, the temperature was zero degrees in Maryland along with some occasional snowfall. After Harry submerged himself in the bathtub filled with warm water, he let out a comfortable sigh as his eyes became heavy and dozed off. His muscles along with his nerves relaxed as the warmth spread slowly.


    After ten minutes, Harry woke up with a jolt which sent violent ripples in the water as he opened his eyes and smiled bitterly. The same nightmare which chased him for many days. He stood up and grabbed a towel and wiped himself as he walked into his bedroom.


    There were many books resting on all kinds of positions in his room. Some on the bed, some on the table while some were on his computer desk. If one saw them, they would know that all of them were books related to hacking and computer programming. They were also some books on US history and other miscellaneous topics which he liked reading.


    Harry rubbed his blonde hair with a dry towel as he sat in front of his desk and turned the PC on. There was a chilled bottle of ''Natty Boh'' in his free hand along with a pack of crab chips. When Harry had arrived in Maryland, he was surprised to see the craze this beer had. Also, he was shocked to experience the passion, people here have for crabs. Unlike in other places which might prefer boiled crabs, people here prefer steamed crabs and they like putting crabs into everything possible like crab chips and even crab cakes. But after staying here for some time, Harry began to become accustomed to these foods and came to like them as much as the locals.


    There was an evidence board on his right side which he had attached to the wall recently. If one looked at the newspaper cuttings, writings and the red strings which linked each of them to the centre where a name was written in bold letters ''MYNE''.


    Harry looked at the chart as he looked at the articles from the past month which depicted information any normal person would find irrelevant to each other. For example, the assassination of Nicaraguan President was linked to the discovery of a new recreational drug in the US which was far more stimulating and addicting.


    But, Harry knew that the Nicaragua country, which was the poorest country in Central America, was introduced to a new weed plant through the delivery of ''free'' food grains from Africa, which timed perfectly with the assassination of their president. Only a few people knew that the US government had requested the president of Nicaragua to reject these free grains and promised that they would provide the same amount. Everyone knew that the new incumbent leader immediately rejected the US''s proposition for unknown reasons and accepted the food grains from Africa.


    This new weed hitherto unknown in the plant taxonomy was capable of creating pollen grains which contained a neurotoxin which is multiple times more potent than poppy. Nobody knew the origin of this plant but some agricultural scientists who were working in tandem with the US military had some news. They theorized that this plant was genetically modified product, except that the currently available ''gene cutting'' and ''gene splicing'' technologies were not capable of these variations.


    Now, this was the hot issue of debate in American Mass media. The new drug was highly addictive in nature and the form it was available was just as a pill which you could keep under your tongue. There was no need of injecting and also the half-life of this drug (the period it stayed in a human body before breaking into smaller parts) was very low and it''s byproducts were not detectable with simple blood and a urine test.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Given these advantages along with the heightened pleasure, the use of this drug has spread like a wildfire in many university campuses and even in high schools. Until present, no adverse effect was observed due to the intake of this drug other than it''s addictive nature.


    There were other pieces of information on the link board such as the senator of Ohio involved in a ''Sex Scandal'' and some other politician''s history of corruption leaked. There was an abnormal increase in talks on ''Judgement Day'' on the internet. There was also a paper cutting reporting a United Airlines Boeing 767 flight gone missing. Nobody knew that there was a prominent ''nuclear'' scientist aboard on that flight.


    There was also a piece of news on the new product launch of ''MYNE'' technologies related to Virtual reality. The demonstration videos on Social media were a huge hit and theories that this company would outpace the major industries in this field were been discussed. ''MYNE'' group was the public face of ''that'' organization. It was an open secret among the top official of all major economies. But no country, not even China, had the will to ban this company from accessing their markets.


    Also, there was another prominent wing to this group which was ''MYNE'' pharmaceuticals which had stormed the markets with better medicine for long term disorders like Diabetes and Hypertension. They even introduced free medicine for Rabies and sleeping sickness which even though were rare, the prestige earned in the medical community and the public for these inventions was phenomenal. The whole ''MYNE'' group was painted with the colour of ''good and responsible'' corporation with these works.


    Harry smiled bitterly as he looked at the small plastic container on the desk whose label read ''Halkene, 3 mg'' and right at the bottom ''a product of MYNE pharmaceuticals''. This was the medication that his physician had prescribed when he had approached him for treatment of his sleeping troubles. Harry just couldn''t bring himself to take this pill at the beginning but he took it when he found the problem unbearable. Even with all his fears and apprehensions, Harry had to admit that he experienced the best sleep that night.


    One might think that it was not possible for so many new medications to enter the market at the same time as it would take time for the regulatory authorities to test them and approve them before they are allowed to be sold. But, ''MYNE'' showed it''s meticulousness in this aspect as each and every new medication was patented under different people working for different companies which in the end turned out to be subsidiary companies of ''MYNE''. So, till ''MYNE'' came out into the open, nobody imagined that all these products originated from the same group. It was a work of many years in the process which came to fruition now.


    On the other side of the board was some information Harry had acquired from the relevant government departments. They portrayed the latest satellite images of Africa, the amount of carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere, the difference in the temperature. Chemical screening tests of the samples of river water flowing out from African countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe and Congo. The flow of trade between Africa and the rest of the world. Statistics of the natural resources moving in and out of Africa.


    If one saw these numbers, one would doubt if they were the number of Africa or the sum total of trade of America, Russia, China and India combined. Just the numbers of ores and other natural resources been moved to Africa was enough for military strategists to start sweating.


    These countries which were supposed to be the net exporter of raw materials had become a net importer of the same. This effect could be clearly seen in the international market as the prices of these materials have started increasing disproportionately. Even the greenhouse effect of this new competitor in pollution was more than double than the rest of the world. Pollution and environmental protection did not seem to be given any priority in ''their'' agenda.


    ''What were they building over there?" was the question which haunted everyone. Also, there has been the discovery of at least one rocket launch from the African continent every day. That''s right, every day, these people were doing new launches into space. NASA did detect the launch products but was unable to study them in detail for determining their role, ''if they were for civil purposes or military purposes''. Every country was becoming more jittery as they observed these changes in which there seemed to be ''very less to nothing'' that they could do. Harry had heard some rumours that the top echelons were planning something but nothing substantial was done yet.


    A pop-up sound broke Harry''s chain of thoughts as he looked at the notification come up on his PC screen. A small smile appeared on Harry''s face as he also started chatting with this new friend he made recently. Harry had retained some of his habits from his past days of ''grey hat hacking'', he would roam around in Tor browser (dark web) from time to time. He viewed the ''dark internet'' with special interest as he felt that the future of the internet lay in this part where the privacy of everyone was guaranteed to an extent. He even thought that it won''t be long before the social media also enters the dark web.


    So, he met this brilliant person called ''Addy2219'' in the Dark web who was also a hacker like him but what amazed Harry was that this person was clearly better than him in both Hacking and Programming. After some days of chatting and exchange, Addy started giving him tips on Hacking which proved to be spot on and pointed out Harry''s flaws in his approach and methodology.


    Harry was shocked at this person''s prowess and aptitude in hacking. He was also a genial person to converse with and never looked down on Harry or spoke condescendingly. Harry was sure that if Kevin could meet this person, he would become his fan. Though both of them did not know the real identities of each other, they quickly became good friends. Frankly, given Harry''s sensitive profession, this way was the only route if he wanted to find true companions.


    This person was the only good thing that had happened to him in the past few days. Harry smiled as he chatted with Addy.


    Addy2219: Did the algorithm I formulated work out?


    Hus97: Yup, it was perfect, we nabbed the culprit, Thanx Addy, but, how did you create the Quadloop near variable junction so that it would bypass the pre-established parameters?


    Addy2219: Haha, it''s pretty easy, you just have to¡­

 82- New Office

    "Fenny, is boss coming today? I haven''t seen such an irresponsible entrepreneur in my experience," a handsome man with medium height talked to a woman with a gentle, round face. A baby bump could be seen bulging out of her navy blue comfortable blazer.


    Fenny smiled as she said with her characteristic mellow tone," weren''t you practically worshipping him for the past few days saying that you have never seen such a talent in programming and how all the clients were very satisfied with boss''s work?"


    Gagan, who wore a burgundy coloured formal jacquard shirt and pair of black trousers, coughed awkwardly as he said, "that is different, even now I stand by my word that I have never seen such a prodigy but at the same time what type of a boss would only work for three days in a week?"


    Gagan and Fenny were a married couple who had joined together in this new startup company called ''Orb Tech'' three weeks ago. They were one of the earliest employees. Both Gagan and Fenny, who were in their early thirties, were fed up with long hours of working filled with stress in large IT conglomerates.


    Also, Fenny had become pregnant at the same time so they wanted to look for a small company with less work pressure even if they had to compromise on their salaries. Both of them were highly accomplished in their respective fields.


    They had immediately applied when they saw the employment recruitment ad of a new startup company. At first, they were sceptical of this company as the Boss looked totally unprofessional but agreed to wait for a couple of months before deciding whether to stay or search for another job. As the pay was pretty good, they did not think much and joined for a lack of better opportunities.


    As it was a new company with very few professionals, Gagan became the public relations manager along with Human resources. Fenny became the boss''s personal secretary along with internal affairs manager. The only person above them was a middle-aged man called Kapil Satyarthi who had joined even before them.


    Fenny and Gagan had come to know later that this calm and dignified person had worked as a mathematics teacher in an international school in the past. For some unknown reason, this man decided to start working in the IT sector but because of his age and lack of experience, he was not employed. But their boss took him in without even an interview and gave him the important job of financial manager which shocked them when they came to know. But nevertheless, Mr Kapil proved to be a dark horse as he turned out to be highly efficient which awed everyone.


    In a matter of weeks, Gagan and every other person of twenty employees in their startup were floored at their boss''s attitude and skill. The boss was able to remember each and every employee''s data along with their proficiency, their skill sets and was able to employ them in the most productive manner. Also, Gagan remembered the expression of the PR of a startup based in Beijing when he had forwarded the ''3D gesture recognition software'' written by his boss.


    The Startup Gagan worked for was named ''Orb Tech'' which provided IT solutions along with Mobile App services, ChatBot creations and other software related services. They did not have a product of their own yet.


    The Beijing startup had contacted him the next day and inquired if they were interested in merging their company for an amount of a million USD. This message stunned Gagan when he remembered that it has not even been a week before the company actually started and it was already valued at a million USD. One had to know that the offer was given by the Chinese who were famous for been tight in their spending.


    Gagan did not sleep that day when he imagined their company becoming a unicorn startup (valued at 1 Billion USD) soon. But, what shocked Gagan the most and caused his dreams to crash was that the boss did not seem to have the kind of fiery ambition expected from him. He actually only came to the office for three days in a week. Even when he arrived he would only stay for a few hours before leaving everything to the trio (Kapil, Gagan and Fenny).


    Also, Gagan felt that this boss was too laid back when it came to dealing with this company. He would usually ask for suggestions and go along with them instead of thinking for himself. Gagan felt that this kind of take-it-easy attitude was good for his wife, as the boss would always ask Fenny to take care of herself and that she did not need to come to work if she even felt a little uneasy. But in the view of this company, the employees'' morale would be affected if the leader did not have a motivating personality.


    Mr Kapil would also advise the boss from time to time but the boss would just brush it off with a smile and run away. Gagan sometimes felt that the boss was a high school student trying to escape a boring class except he didn''t realize that he had hit right on spot.


    Also, the office which was located in the twentieth and twenty-first floor of a prominent IT park building was fashioned in an exotic way which looked anything but professional and serious. The boss got the glass panels changed so that most of the office was filled with natural light and fresh air was allowed to circulate. 30 per cent of the total space was filled with all kinds of flower plants, vegetable patches, artificial waterfalls, aquariums filled with exotic fish. There was also a pond filled with fishes which could be used for cooking.


    The boss actually got an open kitchen installed where the employees could cook for themselves by catching those wild fish or with other food ingredients taken from the vegetable patches. The remaining space was also left empty for the most part and the furniture included standing cafe tables, couches, easy to move laptop desks to promote flexible work habits and free thinking.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Gagan was shocked when he first saw this office, he thought that the boss was either feeling the itch to spend or was plain crazy. Otherwise, who would turn a huge office space capable of holding a hundred people into a personal theme park for twenty people. But he had to agree that his boss had a good eye for scouting talent as all the twenty people were exceptionally talented in their respective fields.


    "If the boss spent half as much time on working as he spent on going to the gym, we could have bought this whole building for ourselves," Gagan mumbled bitterly as Fenny giggled. She knew her husband''s thoughts and frustrations. But she was also the one who was able to observe the boss from close because she was his personal secretary after all. She felt that though the boss behaved laid back and lazy, he was actually occupied by something else which was more important as could be seen from the occasional flashes of exhaustion in his eyes.


    "What''s up, Gaggu?" a mature, rough voice was heard as a tall and handsome figure swaggered into the office. Some of the workers broke into laughter when they saw their boss teasing their senior again. Gagan was usually very strict in his demands when it came to working and many felt a little resentment at him. So, usually, whenever their boss teased him, the employees would think as if they vented their feelings.


    Gagan''s face became black as even Fenny held her baby bump and laughed as her shoulders trembled. He turned to face a youth who was in his late twenties. He was 180 cm tall, olive complexion, symmetrical face with ruffled hair and a black stubble as if he was too lazy to groom himself. But this actually added a flair of raw wildness which coupled with his sharp and lively honey brown eyes gave a sense of freshness to the onlookers. But the first thing that anyone would notice about him was his ultra fit, well-toned body.


    Each and every exposed part of his loose, short-sleeved t-shirt screamed fitness. His body was like a piece of art. Veins could be seen under the thin skin crawling over the lean muscle ridges as his boss walked. Any girl would be tempted to touch this bronze, muscular body. But one had to know that his boss did not look like a bodybuilder with huge bulging muscles. He was still pretty lean but amazingly fit at the same time.


    If there was any complaint that Gagan had about this enigmatic personality, it was that his boss did not follow any sort of professional etiquette. He would interact with every employee as if they were co-workers rather than a boss and a person who worked on his payroll. He would joke with them, exchanges information with them and would usually forgive them if they did not live up to Gagan''s expectations. His boss had zero respect for the office hierarchy. But Gagan had come to be accustomed to this treatment in these past few days. What he did not expect was that his boss had even given him a new nickname.


    Gagan looked bitterly at his boss as he said, "Mr Ishaan, good morning."


    Ishaan was the name of the new identity created by Aditya in the past month. With the help of Taarini''s contacts which she gifted to him, it was pretty easy to get a new Voter identity and Government registration number. He had spent the money earned from his escapades with street gangs to get himself an apartment, vehicle and an office all by himself.


    Ishaan (Aditya in disguise) did not meet any of the people who were acquainted with Aditya. He created a wholly new identity for himself which was independent and separate from Aditya in all angles except that he and Aditya were neighbours. That''s right, Aditya bought two luxury apartments in the same building which he could use according to his disguise. This would be the only link that connects Ishaan and Aditya. He got the two apartments to be connected from the inside.


    Ishaan was a 28-year-old man with his own family genealogy and education certificates which indicated that he had come from Northern India. His parents were killed in a natural disaster leaving him some ancestral property in a rural area where Ishaan had completed his primary education and later studied in an ordinary university. So, technically Ishaan was an orphan and a self-made man.


    Aditya had worked for a whole week in creating this new identity leaving no loopholes. The rural, interior part of India still relied on physical evidence like paper bound certificates which could be easily procured through a small bribe. It would have been difficult if all information was computerized and incorporated with blockchain technology.


    This was also the reason that Ishaan did not maintain any grooming habits expected from urban brought up kid. He was simple in whatever way one looked except for the fact that he was a genius in computer programming. He had also learned the dialect and language of that particular region from where he was supposed to come from. It only took him a few hours.


    Also, the camouflage ability created by Tya was not convenient at all. Aditya had expected that he would be able to turn into someone else in a matter of seconds but Tya burst that bubble. It took a full hour for him to turn into Ishaan. Also, to guarantee that even there physique is not similar, Aditya had to eat and drink five kilos of a meal composed of all kinds of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. He also had to take many nutritional and vitamin supplements.


    Tya had explained that the process of his transformation was only possible because of billions of microcellular processes happening in perfect coordination in accordance to the genetic limits of the human body and also other physical as well as chemical laws. Changing the face required growth and destruction of muscles, skin, bone which in turn required the production of some growth hormones and other biochemicals. Changes in the whole body were all the more troublesome. If there were not the abilities of Tya to monitor and supervise than even Aditya himself could not calculate all these changes let alone make these modifications possible.


    That was the reason that Aditya decided to remain as Ishaan for three days and change back for the remaining days. Tya was working on making this transformation process easier but the results would take time. Also, turning back to Aditya required him to excrete a huge load which would have already traumatized him if it were not for Tya somehow making the load to be odourless.


    Imagine getting five kilos of matter out of your body in a single dump. The process of these sophisticated modifications was painful, to say the least. But still, Aditya persevered so that in no scenario will he and Ishaan be linked as he planned to do quite outrageous things in this disguise. Now he would able to execute them with no fear of affecting his parents'' safety.


    Aditya shook his head to ward off these thoughts as he walked towards his cabin while chatting with his employees while continuing to tease Gagan. These were the people who would play very crucial roles in his future endeavours. so, he was not particularly interested in getting them to work in these small projects but he wanted to interact at a personal level with them to determine their personalities. His goal did not lie in quick and rapid success but in long term goals.

 83 - Not a Human Anymore

    "Gaggu, did you bring the items I asked you to purchase," Aditya asked as he watered the flowering plants in his official room. There were Petunia, Zinnia, Cineraria, Snapdragon and yellow Daffodil. Aditya took special care of the Daffodil plant as his mother liked these flowers.


    His office room was not different from others, it was not separated from the main space but connected to it. Any employee could see him and vice versa. He did not go into extravagant spending on luxurious furniture and decorations. He kept it simple and natural.


    Gagan''s face became bitter when he heard how his boss addressed him. The one thing he felt more difficult to adjust was that his boss treated him like how students in a university dormitory would treat their roommates. He would ask him to buy groceries and other food ingredients on the way when he came to office. He would also sometimes pull him and his wife along to watch films on weekends.


    During the lunchtime, Gagan felt that a normal restaurant would be less noisy and chaotic than this office. His boss would become a chef as he would take orders from all the employees and cook for them. The surprising thing was that his boss was an amazing cook and was specialized in almost all cuisines he could think of. As long as his boss cooked an item, it was bound to be delicious. Even he enjoyed the food but the noise his boss makes as he gossips with his employees during the break is on a whole other level.


    One might think that his boss had asked him to buy some important things for official purposes but he had actually asked Gagan to buy ''Rainbow Trouts'' as his boss wanted to make some ''Tandoori Trout'' today. Gagan smiled bitterly to himself as he decided to not think whether he was fortunate or unfortunate that he ended up with this person as his boss.


    The thing which intrigued him was that only Mr Kapil was able to keep his boss in line to some extent. The second best option would be his wife Fenny as the boss respected her very much and was careful around her as she was pregnant. The irony was that his wife seemed to actually enjoy seeing him played by their boss. Unfortunately, today Mr Kapil had gone to the bank on some official purpose and was not available which was why the boss seemed to be in a relaxed mood.


    Gagan nodded as he said, "Yes, Boss, I ordered them, they will be here by lunchtime." As the order was big, a free delivery option was there.


    Aditya nodded as he continued attending to plants. He turned to see that Fenny was coming while holding a gift package as he smiled as he said, "Sister Fenny, don''t walk too much, just take a seat. I am truly astonished that you are still thinking of work even when you already at seven months of pregnancy. Gaggu, you really don''t know anything. You should have a little care bro."


    "It''s really nothing, I am fine. Also, a little work is good for the baby," Fenny smiled as she placed the package on Aditya''s table with one hand while she held her baby bump with another. She turned to take a look at other plants which also needed some organic fertilizer to be added.


    Gagan felt unjustly treated when he heard Aditya''s words. He had already asked his wife to remain at home to take rest as she was already in her third trimester. But, she would not listen and frankly the reason was something that Gagan could not dispute. The atmosphere at their office was more comfortable to her than there own house. The office was peaceful when the boss was not there and it would become cheerful and jubilant when he came. Fenny enjoyed this ambience, along with the healthy environment and Gagan was always there to take care of her. She felt that she would be bored if she stayed at home alone.


    "Gaggu, see what''s in the package," Aditya said as he kept the gardening tools in their place as he took his seat in his chair. The aroma in the room was really refreshing in this cool climate with the morning light warming them. Aditya took a deep breath as his mind relaxed, he had stayed up last night writing a software. Thanks to the ''cellular regulation'' ability, Aditya has finally started leaving humanity to evolve into something more. He was now able to restrain from sleeping altogether through regulating his brain and other parts which required sleep to rejuvenate and repair themselves.


    Although the body did not feel any different, his mind was still not accustomed to being active day and night. So, he would sleep for a token period of two hours before waking up and continuing his work. He would spend most of his nights in Tya''s world. A month has passed since Tya had created the ''Body Control'' ability or ''Cellular Regulation'' as Tya called it. In the beginning, Aditya had taken it as an ability whose only practical application lied in camouflaging but even after a month, Tya continued amazing him with all kinds of applications this ability was useful for.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    For one, Tya was now able to monitor his body easily. Any abnormal changes in his physiology like the introduction of a germ or toxin can be dealt with immediately and effectively. His blood constituents were maintained in an optimum state along with all his vital organs. Aditya truly experienced the feeling of being 100 per cent healthy.


    Some people might think that there is nothing special about it as everyone is usually healthy. But the truth is that everyone normally wouldn''t be 100 per cent healthy, they usually lie in the middle of ''Full Health'' and ''Illness''. Even if they are able to function normally every day, their bodies will be accumulating some toxins or taking other kinds of damage which would manifest as illness once in a while when it crosses some kind of threshold.


    Aditya remembered when he smoked, a black substance was expelled through his mouth the other day. Tya had said that was the preliminary stage of this ability which could regulate a little bit of ''detoxification'' and ''Body Temperature'' (which came into effect when he slept outside on a cold night when he rescued Hamsa). But now this ability was on a whole other level with far-reaching applications.


    For others, the time might be only a month since the ability was activated but for Aditya, it was close to two years if you take the time he spent in the ''Quantum Realm''. He had spent most of this time learning everything about the medical knowledge and studying his own body which was now completely ''visible'' to him. Tya was able to create a 3D hologram visuals of his body in a transparent way. Each cell, tissue, blood vessel, muscle fibre, neuron etc was portrayed in detail and microscopic clarity. Aditya had even modified his genetic signature to avoid been discovered by anyone even if they collected his DNA samples.


    These two years truly broadened Aditya''s perspective on the human body which everyone takes for granted. He realized why this body was called ''the most complicated machine'' in the world. The processes which work in coordination with each other baffled him as to how this body managed to survive without anyone knowing a tiny bit. Everyone was fully concentrated on studying, making a living, falling in love, supporting their families, that most of them have failed to appreciate this biological marvel.


    Tya was even more fascinated with a human body, he had put everything aside to immerse in this knowledge. It was Tya who came up with all kinds of applications with this ability that Aditya wondered that his body has become a kind of chemical laboratory for Tya where he would create all kinds of hormones, chemicals and verify their effects with the knowledge available in books.


    Of course, these experiments were not completely harmless as one day when Aditya woke up, he found his skin had become soft, his body hair was gone and his voice transformed into a high pitched tone which almost pulled his soul out as he screamed at Tya. Later he found out that Tya was experimenting with female hormones.


    Tya was never the same again as Aditya was sure that his scolding had left a mark on him. Aditya could not imagine what would have happened if Tya went on like this. So, he established a strict monitoring policy where every experiment would have to be approved by him before implementing in his body. It might slow the process of discovering new applications but at least he could sleep peacefully.


    All kinds of scars and mild injuries that Aditya had which were remnant of his mischievous childhood were erased because of this ability. Tya did not delve into genes as he felt that a lot of studies was required before he tried modifying genes. Any impulsive action in this regard might result in disastrous consequences for Aditya so Tya did not start tinkering with his genes yet which was a relief.


    Because of this ability, Aditya''s body has reached the highest, most perfect manifestation of a human body within limits of his genes. Even though he was not able to break the shackles of human DNA, the strength, speed, stamina, flexibility and reflexes of Aditya was not something a normal human could compare with.


    While Aditya indulged in reminiscence, Gagan opened the package to find a glittering Rubik''s cube as he exclaimed, "these fellows from Beijing are quite persistent, aren''t they? They even gifted you this Rubik''s cube studded with Swarovski crystals. It should be 50,000 bugs at least (a little over 700 USD)."


    Gagan played with this Rubik''s cube for some time as a smile spread over his face as if he was remembering some sweet memories. He threw the scrambled Rubik''s cube at Aditya as he boasted in a low voice while verifying that Fenny was not looking at them, "You know boss, when me and Fenny were paired together by our parents, I always doubted if we would be happy together because we were total strangers to each other, three months prior to our marriage. But one day when we were together, I solved this Rubik''s cube in just ten minutes. At that moment, when I saw Fenny''s pure and innocent look when she looked at me with awe, my soul melted. It was then that I vowed to myself that I would take care of this girl for the rest of my life to the best of my capability."


    Aditya smiled at Gagan when he heard these words as he remembered Hamsa. He still did not where she was but they were in contact so he knew that she was fine. He threw the Rubik''s cube back to Gagan as he said, "Then, treat this as my gift to your couple. I hope you never disappoint sister Fenny."


    Gagan smiled as he accepted this gift but was stunned when he saw that the jumbled Rubik''s cube was solved perfectly. Gagan''s brows slightly wrinkled when he tried to remember if he had given a solved one instead of what he assumed. When he looked at Aditya, Aditya coughed lightly as he stood up and said, "Time for lunch, let me show you how a trout is to be cooked. Fish contains Omega 3 fatty acids which are beneficial for sister Fenny''s pregnancy. So yeah, let''s go."

 84 - Ishaan Naidu

    A few processed Rainbow trouts sizzled as they were fried in two pans turning their exterior into beautiful golden brown texture while Aditya made the gravy in another frying pan. He added everything as per the recipe of a famous Indian Michelin Star chef''s cookbook which he had read recently. The gravy contained all kinds of ingredients like grounded cumin, coriander, onion, tomato and potato along with the tandoori paste. Masala would be added at the end.


    Everything that Aditya needed was already prepared beforehand. Most of the ingredients were procured directly from farm produce as one of the employees had a farm outside of Bangalore and he was given the task to grow all the required vegetables organically. Of course, the office would compensate him. There was a huge ''526 litres built-in french door'' refrigerator which was used to store things like frozen peas, sauces, vinegar, ice creams and other things.


    Aditya did not allow beverages in his office, even if they were soft drinks, to be stored in the kitchen as he encouraged his employees to drink blends of fruits or green leafy vegetables like wheatgrass, spinach etc. This was complained about sometimes as most of the other companies served hot beverages also but Aditya did not give in. A diverse range of coffee beans like Coffee robusta, Coffee Arabica, Dark Sumatra Mandheling beans etc was displayed in a corner of the open kitchen along with all the coffee related equipment which became a haven for javaphiles.


    As Aditya was interested with knives since he started learning the Filipino Kali martial art, he had spent a little extra to get himself the best set Miyabi Kaisen Japanese knives which were famous for their sharpness. The knife in his hand would vanish and turn into a blur whenever he started slicing onion and tomatoes but the consistency and uniformity of the pieces would never differ from the required size. The manner in which Aditya cooked was in itself a splendid show which many employees like to watch as they become immersed in a mysterious feeling. He was also able to cook very fast that thirty minutes was all he needed to cook for his employees.


    When Aditya did not come, most of the people preferred to cook for themselves and others, but some people would visit the common cafeteria in the building from time to time. But when Aditya came, the afternoon lunch hour would become a food fest filled with all kinds of aromas, smells of savoury spices and sounds of laughter, gossiping as well as the clatter of cutlery. Aditya had hired four persons to clean up after everything and take care of hygiene and cleanliness of the whole office.


    All of these people had their own preferred tastes, some simply liked burgers and sandwiches while some liked Chinese cuisine. Some liked continental while some liked North Indian cuisine. Aditya strongly felt that if not for his abilities, he would have found it very hard to impress each and every one of them. But, right now, he was pretty relaxed as his hands multi-tasked from one item to another and many dishes were sent out one after the other in a short time.


    Gagan had turned into a waiter as he brought everything that Fenny needed as he did not allow her to move around too much. Among the twenty people, there were eight women in which two were middle-aged and married while the rest were below thirty. Among them, two were married while two were committed leaving two women who were young and single. These two beautiful and single women for obvious reasons set their sights on Aditya and would flirt with him from time to time.


    Aditya did not mind their teasing as long as they reached his expectations in their work. If not, he did not mind replacing them. Many of the men in their office had tried to pursue them but when they came to know that these two women set their sights on their boss, they gave up. It was not that they were afraid of Aditya but they genuinely felt that they could not compete with their boss either in his looks, physique or in his skills and talent.


    One needed to know that not one of these twenty employees were normal. Each and every one of them had their strong points. Though Aditya did not select them only based on their skills set, they all were from highly reputed colleges.


    Most of them hailed from IITs (Indian Institute of Technology, these institutes have been training the cream layer of Indian engineers since many decades). Especially the two single women were from the same batch of IIT Madras (best among all IITs). So, Aditya was very satisfied with their quality of work and would chat with them from time to time. These two women would automatically offer to become his aides when he cooked.


    "Jagvi, pass this trout to Sister Fenny," Aditya said as he poured the gravy over the fried trout in an exquisite design and passed it to the woman beside him who was arranging the cutlery. The woman smilingly nodded as she took the plate. Aditya looked at the woman who was supposed to be making flatbread (Parata). He frowned a little as he said, "Charita, just add a little more oil and I am sure the US would invade the pan." The flatbread was practically floating in the oil which was totally not necessary.


    The woman who looked like she was in her early twenties smiled awkwardly as she looked piteously at Aditya with bright eyes, "Ishaan, didn''t you say that I should add more oil last time I made them." Although Aditya did not restrict his employees from calling by his name, only these two women actually addressed him by his name. Everyone else either called him boss or big brother.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Aditya shook his head as he said, "Fine, go and check if Jagvi requires any help." He started making flatbread while Charita ran away towards Jagvi while pouting her lips. These two women were as close to each other as real siblings.


    Although it looked like Aditya was talking with these women or busy cooking, the fact was that Aditya had activated his ''Sensifull'' ability as he observed every movement, expression, lip movements and gesture of all the employees. Everyone''s thoughts were as plain as a white paper in front of this ability as Aditya observed their body language.


    Aditya placed high importance on these people that he could not allow any mole to enter in this batch. He had already observed a few people who showed disdain and sneered at him when they glanced at him from time to time. They seemed to be planning something behind his back as they exchanged looks between themselves. They should be spies or moles from their rival start-ups or some MNCs (Multi-National Companies) eyeing their projects. He knew that all people could not be perfect so Aditya was always vigilant.


    "Boss, could you cook Chinese chicken wings for me?" a bespectacled youth with cleanly shaved face and combed hair came as he asked Aditya hopefully. Aditya looked at him as he asked, "Abhiram, is the Data Flow Design for the Social Bookmarking App ready?"


    "Nope, but I will finish it by evening."


    "Then, come for your chicken wings tomorrow." an indifferent reply was heard.


    "Boss..."


    Abhiram dragged his feet back with a dull face as Jagvi gave him a trout dish. Aditya smiled a little as he saw Abhiram took a piece, placed it in his mouth. His eyes instantly lit up as he started digging into the dish.


    Aditya turned his head to see a man who was lanky as he ate a micro greens salad while chatting with other colleagues. Aditya asked, "Virat, how is ''Web 3.0'' coming along?"


    Web 3.0 was the product that most of his employees were working together to develop. It was software based on Augmented Reality. The main concept of this app was converting 2D images (normal camera pictures) into 3D models. If this was successfully developed, E-commerce shopping would evolve as all the products could be clearly seen by the consumers in 3D which would give a more realistic experience to them.


    Virat stood up as he reported with a serious face, "Boss, the 3D Reconstruction model is possible with Multi-view object reconstruction through Visible overlap of physical points which requires Epipolar geometry and a fundamental matrix. We are currently working on a triangulation algorithm which could automatically identify the corresponding points of a 2D image. If we could succeed in achieving that, we would be able to reduce a lot of hassle for the e-commerce sites. Otherwise, they would have to take many pictures of the same product from different angles and construct a fundamental matrix for each of them to create an accurate 3D model."


    Aditya nodded his head satisfactorily as he took a USB drive from his pocket and tossed it at Virat, "I wrote an algorithm called the ''Sixteen point Algorithm''. See if it works out." This was the reason that Aditya did not sleep the last night. He was sure it would work out as he was confident with his capabilities but for his software to be applied successfully, the camera had to be adjusted to some special settings. It was not an unworkable solution. Aditya was sure that this product would produce quakes in the AR market once it was released. This would be his company''s first step in it''s rise to fame.


    Virat''s face showed awe when he caught the drive, he knew the skills of his boss too well. He was already celebrating inside that their boss took care of the most tricky obstacle. The faces of Charita and Jagvi also lit up as they were also in the same team as Virat, working on 3D reconstruction.


    Just as Aditya was about to give some pointers to Virat and others, he saw Kapil entering the office. This middle-aged person possessed the same calm and seriousness as he did when he taught in the school but every student knew that he was one of the most lenient teachers who empathized with them the most. Aditya also respected him which was the main reason that he employed him even before checking if he was competent. But Kapil proved that he could be entrusted with heavy responsibility with the efficient handling of his duties.


    Aditya had pushed all the financial matters of this startup on Kapil which he managed beautifully. Aditya was very pleased with how smooth the office was running even though it had only been three weeks since the office started and he, as the boss, was absent most of the time. Gagan and Fenny were another reason for this achievement which was recognized by Aditya in his heart.


    Aditya washed his hands and wiped them dry. He removed his apron as he walked towards Kapil and handed him a drink, "Mr Kapil, have some buttermilk, it will cool your body."


    Even though every employee was used to the respect shown by their boss to Kapil, it still amazed them a little that the person who usually looked as untameable as a wild bull would suddenly become meek in their financial manager''s presence.


    They also realized that it was genuine respect and was not like their boss actually feared Kapil. They all felt that both these people had some history. Jagvi and Charita''s eyes glowed when they saw their boss acting in this way as they looked at each other.


    "Boss, why do you have to bring this personally?" Kapil smiled bitterly as he took the drink from Aditya''s hand. It was a mystery to him as well as to why his boss acted this way. He drank a little as he passed a packet of documents to Aditya, "Boss, the Induslnd Freedom Startup account has been approved, it is the best Startup current account available with key features like Zero Balance account,..."


    Aditya listened attentively as he checked the related material in his hand. He felt his heart become steadfast when he saw the amount of money in his account and his name as ''Ishaan Naidu'' printed on the Cheque book, he felt that his foundation as ''Ishaan'' was laid down finally.

 85 - Tyas Limitations

    Ding! Click!


    The cinnamon coloured teak door unlocked as Aditya input the password. Aditya breathed in a bit of fragrance of Sandalwood as he stepped into his residence. A Giant elephant sculpture made of sandalwood was placed in the living room, it was gifted by Charita a few days back. He removed his canvas shoes as he hummed a song. He was feeling a little breezy today as his ''avatar'' i.e. ''Ishaan'' started moving in the right direction, according to his objectives, with no unpredicted complications.


    If someone thought that all the money that Aditya had spent was his own earnings then they would be mistaken. Aditya had actually loaned the required money from Taarini. Though Taarini did not mind giving this money to Aditya for free, Aditya insisted that he would pay interest and return this money when he started earning. He did not speak about his plans and Taarini did not ask. After many days of been together with her when she trained him, they both had an understanding of each other''s mentalities. So, if Aditya did not reveal, she would not ask as she knew what Aditya''s current objective was.


    Taarini provided ''Black Money'' (unaccounted money that is concealed from the tax administrator) on his request as Aditya did not want this money to be tracked by government agencies. In a country like India where there is a significant share of the economy which is ''informal'' and ''unorganised'', it was pretty easy for Aditya to both create a new identity and spend money which could not be traced back to him.


    If there was anything that Aditya felt a little challenging, it would be getting his ''avatar'' a Unique Identification card from the government. This required Tya to modify his fingerprints as well as the unique pattern of blood vessels in his retina. Otherwise, even with this kind of disguise, he would have been caught in the end.


    He laid down a list of parameters that his home had to satisfy before purchasing them and searched for it. He wanted to buy luxury apartments as it would guarantee his privacy. He wanted each floor to contain only two flats so that he could buy the whole floor, a flat for each of his identity. It would also guarantee that irrelevant people are not present near him pay attention to his life.


    Otherwise, neighbours are the best ''spy'' candidates here in India as usually ''good'' neighbours like to have strong social interactions. As if exchanging gifts on festivals or sweets on joyous occasions was not enough, some would even try to maintain daily contact by bringing food or coming over to watch cricket together, or for just plain gossip. One such candidate was enough to know that something was wrong with him. Aditya did not want to take risks as he wanted to strictly separate the identities of Ishaan and Aditya.


    Aditya had already planned that, in the future, he would buy two villas connected by a water body like a lake or a stream so that he and his avatar did not have to be neighbours. He thought of constructing two independent buildings connected by a tunnel but that would be dangerous if anyone''s house was checked in the future. A water body was better as he would be able to commute using it. But currently, he had to compromise with two flats accessible to each other by jumping a distance of five meters from one balcony to another.


    Some might think that Aditya was been paranoid but this was a habit he was willing to form when he thought that his opponents were something that even his government did not dare to provoke. Aditya did not know that not only his country, even other more powerful countries were feeling helpless right now. Harry would not discuss these issues with him as these came under national secrets.


    Aditya had already hacked into the building''s electronic surveillance system so that the video of the common area of the floor would play in a loop. He had even taken some videos while wearing different attires so that the security would not notice the difference. He programmed it in such a way that this loop would start playing whenever he was at home. The normal surveillance would take over when housekeepers come to clean both the flats and refill the groceries.


    So most of the time, Aditya would just go from one flat to another through the common area as it was secure and he would use the balcony in case of an emergency. He was planning on morphing some surveillance videos to show both Aditya and Ishaan conversing and been friendly with each other to further establish different identities. But he was waiting for Tya to take time to write that software.


    The significant discovery that Aditya made in the past month was that Tya was an anomaly when it came to ''Utilization'' skills. As long as Aditya made sure that Tya was able to thoroughly understand a particular branch of knowledge, there was no one who could rival Tya in applying the knowledge in the most efficient way to get the best results. So, as long as, Aditya provided all the knowledge based on programming knowledge, Tya could apply this information to write any software within the limits of that language.


    But if there was anything that made Aditya dumbfounded, it was that Tya literally had no vision. By vision, Aditya meant that Tya had no motivation or a goal towards which he actively pursued. If he had to name anything that Tya desired or craved for, it would be knowledge, any kind of knowledge. He was curiosity personified. He was genuinely curious about everything but was not interested in applying the knowledge as he did not feel the need to.


    Aditya could not blame him as when you observe Tya, you would discover that he was the most contented being out there. he did not have any worries. he did not think about deep questions like, ''who he was'', ''why was he like this'', ''what had happened to him in the past'', ''how did he end up been bonded to Aditya'', ''what would happen to him in the future'', ''Should he do something to prevent a potential future danger''.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    He did not pay any attention to these questions which in Aditya''s opinion were pretty ''vital''. This was also why Aditya had mixed feelings when he heard Tya say that both of them were inseparably bonded to each other. Tya did not have any goals or obligations that he needed to fulfil. He was pretty simple in his perspective of life with little demands which were inconsequential like lollipops and children songs.


    So, Aditya took up the role of providing the goals for Tya, more like requests with the added incentive of lollipops and kid songs. If he wanted Tya to write a video editing software, all he had to do was give him some reference along with his expectations and Tya, would give out the main code like it was nothing. Aditya had noticed that this code did not even need the normal procedures of testing and debugging as it would always be perfect.


    The time-consuming part was to physically type the code in the laptop. When Aditya had discovered this ability, the first thing that he instinctively asked was, ''Tya, could you design a super fast car if I get you the engine references and other car models?'' the autophile in Aditya emerged with huge expectations.


    After a series of counter questions from Tya, Aditya discovered a mildly disappointing truth. Tya did not understand the elements in the periodic table and how they function. He could not comprehend the properties of things like metals, alloys, physical and chemical properties. Of course, he could remember them if Aditya provided the books but he did not truly grasp them.


    Just like in the past, Tya could produce 3D models of things in his world but could not reproduce their properties. He could create a library full of books but the books were not made of paper as Tya was not able to comprehend wooden pulp. He could create a 3D model of a car or a gun, but they would not be made up of metal or gunpowder as he couldn''t figure out their complete properties.


    For example, a hydrogen atom had many properties and characteristics. Two atoms of hydrogen combine with an atom of oxygen to form water but two hydrogen atoms with two oxygen atoms form hydrogen peroxide. The characteristics of water and hydrogen peroxide are very different and they would interact with other chemicals in unique ways.


    So, even to this day, no one could confidently say that the element ''Hydrogen'' as being completely studied. There are many unknown secrets yet to be found out about these elements and the way they interact with each other to form this universe of which humans knowledge is pitiful. So, only when Tya knows everything about Hydrogen, it could recreate hydrogen in the quantum realm, it could also apply this knowledge successfully to create new materials consisting of Hydrogen.


    if in the future, Tya was able to comprehend oxygen also, then Tya would automatically give out all kinds of possible interactions between hydrogen and oxygen. Aditya was currently brainstorming various methods through which he could let Tya experience these elements. Though, it seemed impossible, if he was successful, he could not even imagine the miracles that Tya could create.


    Computer programming was different, it was just a method of translating human language, commands and requirements into a language that a machine (computer, mobile) understands. So, for Tya it was easily comprehensible, hence the outstanding results. But designing physical things like electronic hardware or automobile engines required Tya to comprehend things like chemical laws and physical laws which was widely different in the quantum realm. So, Tya had a pretty hard time perceiving it.


    Aditya currently requested Tya to create an Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) which could be easily used through a mobile phone like an operating system. Tya was not sure whether he was able to create an obedient, sentient program which could learn and think for itself as it bordered on things like human consciousness.


    Aditya suggested that Tya should study his soul particle as it should have something in it which causes the possibility of forming a human consciousness. Artificial Intelligence was after all an attempt at creating a human-like intelligence. Without this soul particle, there was no life, no consciousness, no intellect or emotion, Aditya hoped that Tya would succeed if he took the soul particle as reference.


    Aditya had already created a mobile app by himself which he had his associates load into their mobiles which could modify the messaging application a little to create a separate secure channel for communicating between themselves which was difficult to be intercepted by others because of the complicated process of encryption. He was conducting trials for future purposes.


    Aditya had used more than 10 algorithms to code into this app, he had spent quite some time in Tya''s realm for this application. He was sure that Tya would have made this one in a matter of minutes but Aditya did not want to rely on Tya for everything as he also wanted to get accustomed to programming. If he had no time and was in urgency, it would be different.


    His current task as ''Ishaan'' apart from making a name and money for himself, was to write a mobile operating system for himself and his people. He did not have the idea of making it public. He had decided that he would do this with Tya''s cooperation to make it quicker and more efficient.


    Aditya opened a case of ''Seascape'' strawberries from California that Jagvi had gifted him last week. Her elder brother worked in Silicon Valley and had sent these to her. He used a drinking straw to remove the middle part of the berry and popped the remaining part into his mouth as he grabbed a towel and went into his restroom. It was time to ''change''.


    As Aditya looked at ''Ishaan''s'' perfect physique in the mirror, even he couldn''t help but feel envious. Wasn''t this the dream body, he always wanted? But Aditya''s physique was too lean. But a shocking thing about his transformation back to Aditya was that his strength and other attributes did not change even though he turned lean.


    When asked about it, Tya said that strength was not necessarily related to large muscles and that it was a crude way of gaining strength to which Aditya grumbled ''crude but sexy''. He did not insist too much as Aditya had already been accustomed to his thin physique. It was fine as long as his strength, speed and other parameters did not change.


    After Aditya took a quick bath, he wore a sweatshirt as well as a pair of track pants as he left his flat. After conversing a little with the security guards, Aditya jogged towards the nearby bus stand and caught a bus going towards the city outskirts. He had to leave the city through a bus as only in the outskirts with zero surveillance could he transform into a new person without any apprehension of been recognized. This transformation was superficial, without any net change in physique or weight, and so did not require a long duration of time or any special conditions.


    If ''Ishaan'' was the light side or the ''soft'' aspect of Aditya''s avatar then ''Rudra'' was the ''other'' side of the coin.

 86 - Big Haul (1)

    It was around midnight, a crescent moon hung in the sky occasionally hiding behind the floating clouds as cold air blew across the reserved forest area which was around 40 km from Bangalore. A National Highway (Freeway) cut across this forest connecting Bangalore to other southern states (provinces). A trailer truck was cruising at normal speeds in the middle lane.


    The driver was chewing tobacco as he looked at the other vehicles overtaking his truck from time to time. Some old, classic regional song was playing in the stereo set. A few people were sleeping behind his back where sleeping beds could be seen while another person was awake and sat in the passenger seat beside him as he crushed hemp (marijuana) leaves in his hands. He then rubbed them in a circular motion with his palms, for a while, before rolling it into a small ball which he placed in a space between his teeth and cheeks.


    This person began conversing with the driver, "Elder brother, we have taken a big risk this time, I heard that the members of the Flaming tiger gang and the elder Gani gang have been apprehended in the last month with a ''load'' of goods. Also, the required personnel to handle a load of this scale should not be just us few. Where are the others?"


    The driver laughed as he said, "precisely because the packages were caught by the police last month, the demands for these goods have increased in Bangalore city have increased by more than one time. As for the personnel, if any more people are present, it might raise unnecessary suspicion. Though a little risk is there, we have to take this chance to make a little money. I am going to buy your sister-in-law some jewellery, also my second son has reached schooling age, I want to get him into a good school."


    The other person laughed as he rubbed his head, "I also took up this risk so that I could open a grocery shop in my village and get married. Also, our boss had guaranteed that the people of the police check post had already been taken care of. So, it won''t be a..."


    He just noticed that another truck which was overtaking them actually slowed down to the same speed as them. The driver of that truck was a lively youth as he looked at them and made a gesture to follow him. The person who was in the passenger seat, who had placed the ball of cannabis in his mouth, felt his heart constrict with an unknown fear when he saw the lively youth.


    The driver who was chewing tobacco also turned grim when he saw the other truck. He did not think before waking up the others and also reaching out for a gun. He had come prepared. But, before he could even reach for the gun, a shot was heard along with a gasp of pain. He turned to discover that the person in the passenger seat was bleeding from his arm profusely. The driver''s hand stagnated as his heart trembled, he was now sure that this was not a coincidence and that it was a pre-planned attack.


    He gritted his teeth as he still reached for the gun, he wanted to fight as the consequence would be disastrous if he failed today. But before he could lift the gun, the gun was hit as it fell from the side window. The driver''s resolve was crushed with this as he meekly followed the other truck as it took a diversion into the forest area, it seemed to lead to a tribal village as the road was made of sand and bumpy. The truck did not go into the village but stopped in its outskirts in an open area sparsely lit by the moonlight.


    The rustling sounds of the trees which would usually be soothing during daytime turned into whispers of ghosts during the night time, especially in this uninhabited place. The sounds of someone jumping from the other truck was heard as the driver gripped the steering wheel tightly.


    He knew that some gangs would fight for the loads with others and usually the defeated gang would end up dead. He felt that the other gang was well prepared from their ''warning'' shots. His heart started beating rapidly as he waited. He looked at his associate in the passenger seat who seemed to be whimpering with pain as he held his bloody arm.


    "Get down folks, no one else will be hurt if everyone cooperates in this operation. If not, don''t blame us if you find yourselves missing the sack of golden balls between your thighs when you meet your wives in the future," the lively youth who was the one driving the other truck said in a ''matter-of-fact'' way.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    The other ten people who got off the truck guffawed as one person who seemed to be the leader knocked the head of the youth as he said, "Giri, you seem to have grown horns since the last two raids, joking in front of the boss, you have become quite gutsy, huh?"


    The lively youth trembled a little as he sneaked glances at their truck and muttered to the person who knocked him, "Elder brother Thomas, don''t we all know that the boss does not mind us having a little fun."


    "He doesn''t mind because the boss does not fret over the minor things but we should know how to behave ourselves," Thomas berated as he turned to face to the group of people who stood restlessly as they looked at the group of young people with shock in their eyes. They never saw such a gang filled with people who seemed to be in their teens or early twenties. These kids were holding firearms skillfully like it was totally normal. They could see that though these people seem to be having a talk with themselves, a few people were looking at them with sharp gazes and ready-to-fire positions.


    Just at that time, a figure got down the truck and walked towards them. The driver noticed that even the lively youth called ''Giri'' calmed down as everyone gave way to the person who was clearly the boss of this group. He could see the awe and respect these people had by looking at their body language.


    Moonlight illuminated this person figure as a tall person with broad muscular shoulders and the waist of a tiger cam in everyone''s view. He walked at a steady pace towards them. This person had a Buzz Cut hairstyle (very short hair of equal length on all sides) with a thick lumberjack beard. A knife scar could be seen cutting right across his right eyebrow. His facial skin was rough with a bronze complexion which suggested this person stayed a lot in the sun and did not maintain his skin. He looked like he was this early thirties.


    His face was rectangular with a square jaw. His eyebrow ridge was a little bigger than normal which shadowed his eyes. Especially, in this moonlight, the driver was not able to see this person''s eyes hidden in the shadow as he stared into the abyss-like shadow, he noticed a pale glint in those depths which chilled his heart. He felt that things might not turn out good for them if they went counter to this person''s wishes.


    This person was Aditya disguised as ''Rudra''. He had studied all his favourite bad-ass comic characters and anime antagonists to come up with this ''avatar''. He wanted to create the most shocking and fearsome of all first impressions when anyone saw him. He was satisfied with these people''s expressions as they became meek when they saw him. This would make things much easier for him.


    Aditya turned to gaze at Thomas who understood his meaning and ordered the others to start looting while some people kept their eyes on the smuggling gang while a person checked them for any guns and the like. A person tied a strip of cloth to stop the bleeding of the only unlucky person who got shot. Aditya took out a cigarette while Thomas offered a flame-less cigarette lighter as a normal lighter flame would not steady in this windy night. There was no other sound in the area apart from the rustling and creaking sounds made by the tall eucalyptus trees as they swayed in the wind. Aditya inhaled deeply as he slowly released the smoke while enjoying the ambience.


    Aditya had rented a ''farmland'' outside the city to make it the base of his operations as ''Rudra''. He had just paid the farmer in cash directly and did not bother about official formalities like signing contracts. He had the paid the money and he felt that the landowner was not foolish enough to go back on his word to Aditya. He should already thank his ancestor''s good deeds that a person like ''Rudra'' actually paid the rent instead of just forcefully occupying his land.


    Aditya had chosen this farmland near a sports academy. The uniform of this sports academy was a hooded sweatshirt and a pair of track pants of all kinds of colours. Students of this academy had to wear this uniform when they went to this academy after their schools or colleges. Aditya chose this place for a reason. He could mix into these people as they rushed to the academy in the evening time. He could slip away in the middle without being caught by anyone or any electronic surveillance. In this way, Ishaan''s identity separated from Rudra''s.


    He had also enrolled in this sports academy as a premium member for safety purposes. One of these days he was planning to hack into their surveillance system to add video clips of Ishaan entering the academy. They were many facilities in the sports academy and he had also planned to befriend a member in the academy who could act as his alibi.


    While Aditya was thinking if he had left any loopholes in his planning, Thomas came with a strange expression in his eyes as he said, "Boss, there is nothing in there other than padlocks and Ink cartridges which are used in printers."

 87 - Big Haul (2)

    Thomas was shocked that his boss could go wrong. He had been with this person for three weeks since his original boss ''Aditya'' directed him here. Aditya had said that this person was his senior and was more powerful than him. This fact was proved on the very first day when this person defeated twenty people at once unarmed.


    Thomas felt that his boss ''Rudra'' had muscles of steel and bones of cast iron when he was personally punched in his stomach before fainting with the pain. He had seen his boss break blocks of cement barehanded during training sessions which further strengthened his doubts. They were a total of twenty people with good potential, that Aditya had sent to ''Rudra'' for further training. the attributes that Aditya desired were ''openmindedness'', ''a team spirit'', ''persistence'' and a certain level of stubbornness.


    These twenty people were literally punched into submission by Rudra. Also, Thomas felt that his new boss had a wide knowledge of a human body. His boss could cause a person excruciating pain without having the other person to even lose hair like how those heroes in old movies used the ''Martial Art of Marma'' or those Chinese ''kungfu'' movies.


    His boss had a wonderful massage technique also. Any person who outlasted every other member during the hardcore training got the chance to be massaged by the boss. Whoever experienced the massage once would never forget the feeling. Thomas was one of the elites who won two such chances. It practically felt like your muscles were floating in the air while your bones felt soft like jelly. All his nerves had felt like they were immersed in warm water as they relaxed.


    His boss had not been wrong in the last two raids where they caught drugs, cigarettes and mobile phones. They had taken the mobile phones and left the rest for the police. His boss did not like dealing with drugs. This was one of the things that Thomas liked about him as Thomas''s father was a victim of drug addiction and had died in his young age leaving Thomas along with his mother to struggle a lot. Therefore, Thomas was averse to drug dealing.


    Aditya took a look at Thomas and stood as he walked towards the back of the truck. A crunching sound could be heard as he walked over dried eucalyptus leaves covering the ground. He held the cigarette in his mouth as he looked at boxes of padlocks and the idols as he recalled all the information on smuggling that he had studied in the past weeks.


    Aditya had hacked into the servers of ''Directorate of Revenue Intelligence'' (the apex anti-smuggling agency of India. It is tasked with detecting and curbing smuggling of contraband, including drug trafficking and illicit international trade in wildlife as well as environmentally sensitive items) in the last month to study about smuggling and also gather intelligence about smuggling gangs and their routes of trafficking.


    Actually, each of the raids that Aditya was making was already marked by these officials to raid but before the officials could catch these people, Aditya went a step ahead to see if these smuggled goods had anything of value to him. In the last two raids, there were mostly drugs which he did not plan on taking so he left the evidence on the scene along with the culprits for the police to catch. But Aditya felt that today''s haul was going to be major.


    Aditya''s eyes lit up after he examined these things for a while, his lips curved as he looked at Thomas and asked for a pen. He took the pen, held the padlock firmly in his other hand as he slipped the nib into a small pinhole and applied pressure perpendicularly. A click sound was followed as a small component of the lock detached itself and fell in Aditya''s hand.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Thomas''s mouth opened wide open when he saw this component. This was not a metal coated in yellow paint, this was pure gold. It had been attached to the lock and painted in the same paint so that no one could recognize it. Thomas mind went blank when he saw the cases filled with locks in front of him. He felt like he was looking at a gold mountain. He looked at his boss with shiny eyes as he asked, "Boss, what are those cartridges?" he felt that since these padlocks were not as simple as they seemed, the same must be true to those cartridges.


    "That''s nothing, most probably it is black cocaine formed by adding Cocaine with cobalt and ferric chloride so as to remove its characteristic smell. It will regain its true form after dissolving it in solvents like acetone," Aditya paused as he looked at the blank face of Thomas as he added, "Those are drugs."


    Thomas nodded as he became busy with directing people to unload these cases and load them into their truck. He made sure by scanning these cases with a ''bug detector'' so that they were no electronic gadgets attached to these cases as his boss said that the people behind this smuggling might get to know their location through ''some technology''.


    Aditya was not serious about it but was using these opportunities to teach caution to these people. As Aditya was about to return to their truck, he stopped as he looked at the far end wall of the truck. He walked around the truck a little with slightly wrinkled brows before going into the trailer itself. He felt around the wall with his hands and knocked a little to hear the sounds.


    Aditya''s eyes narrowed as he asked Thomas to demolish the wall. He noticed that the length of the trailer and space inside did not match up. His suspicion was proven right as Thomas had some people removed an artificial wall to reveal a small space. Aditya;''s pupils shrunk when he saw the contents while gasps could be heard from people around.


    There were all kinds of guns and ammunition in this space. Aditya could identify a lot of European and Soviet models of handguns, rifles and there was even a sniper rifle with a box of ammo.


    Aditya''s mouth curved a little as threw the cigarette bud and muttered, "nice." He could already see the eyes of his followers shining as he looked at these weapons. They started loading these weapons also into their truck without anyone''s orders.


    After some time, everyone had finished with their jobs. As Aditya and Thomas were about to climb into their truck while Giri started the vehicle, the driver who was now tied along with others cried as he pleaded, "please, leave me, I am married and have a wife waiting for me at home, my second son is about to go to school. Do not spoil that child''s future."


    Aditya''s pupils shook a little when he heard these words but immediately became firm as he glanced at the driver once before climbing. Thomas stopped as he turned to face the driver when he heard these words and walked towards the driver.


    Thomas looked in the driver''s eyes which were filled with entreaty and a sliver a hope. He raised his hand and gave a brutal slap to the driver which almost knocked him out as he said through gritted teeth, "Do you know how many families would be affected because of these drugs which you are smuggling? Do those families not count? Shouldn''t those children study like your son?"


    The driver lost his hope as he shouted angrily, "Even if I don''t do it, someone else will. This will not stop."


    "Well at least, you would have been there for your son, watching him grow, taking care of him even if he had to go to a sub-par school. Now enjoy serving many years of jail time away from your family. In the future, when your son comes to visit you in the jail, tell him that you were ready to spoil the happiness of many families just so he could go to a good school and see if he agrees with you." Thomas spat on the ground as he walked away. After he got into the truck and the truck moved, Aditya looked deeply at Thomas once before looking away.

 88 - Village life

    Sharp yells and grunts disturbed the peaceful dawn in the rural neighbourhood as a group of young men exercised fervently while their muscles sweat profusely. Twenty figures possessing fit physiques could be seen doing a variety of exercises in the rosy glow of the morning light. Muscles taut, veins swelling, sharp breath intakes followed by rapid breathing has become the norm for these youth during daybreak, since the past few weeks.


    Thomas and the others had to run five kilometres every morning followed by a gruelling regime of weight lifting exercises. The fresh and pure village environment really brought out the best results in contrast to the city''s low-quality air. Aditya had bought a home in this village which was sold by an old couple moving to live in the city with their children and grandchildren.


    It was a traditional south Indian home which attracted Aditya very much. One had to know that Aditya was a total stranger to living in the countryside. His paternal grandfather, who had lived in a village, had died when Aditya was just a small kid. He did not know anything about his maternal family as he had no contact with them. So, he never got a chance to live in a village, even for a few days. But from the past few weeks, Aditya had become addicted to this atmosphere.


    The most eye-catching thing that Aditya had observed in the village was the relaxed pace with which everyone went about their lives. No one was in a hurry to accomplish targets in the face of looming deadlines, No one had to fight for their space in a tight competition for survival. Though the villagers themselves were poor by all economic parameters, Aditya felt that these people had a very important lesson for those people who pursued more and more wealth in the name of happiness.


    Aditya liked the home which he had bought as the residence of ''Rudra''. It was an old building whose walls were built by sun-baked bricks and the roof was laid with terracotta tiles which prevented heat from seeping in. Large, ornate wooden pillars supported the roof. The floor was painted with red oxide which also helped in keeping the interior cool. As the temperatures in South India were high, these old designs were meant to guarantee low temperatures without having to utilize air conditioners or other sophisticated equipment. As it was still winter, Aditya did not plan on making any changes but if the summer turned out to be too hot, then he did not mind making the required modifications.


    Aditya had gone on a buying spree in this village where he bought lands and houses around this home as well for the others to live in. The farmland was rented though as the owner was not willing to sell. Aditya was in the process of searching for farmlands to buy as well but the cost was a little unbearable for him, until yesterday night. With the gold they got, it would be possible now.


    Aditya also built a semi-open gym with a thatched roof in a neighbouring land with all the required equipment for his followers'' fitness necessities. He got the other villagers to take care of these people''s diet as he did not want to bare the hassle of hiring cooks in this rural area. He agreed to pay for everything and also added a generous amount of money for the invested labour.


    Aditya observed that these people were not as enthusiastic about making money as they were in making new acquaintances. He also observed that women gathered together in one place in the evening to gossip and watch soap operas while the men would play cards while discussing stuff like climate, crop varieties and local politics.


    Coming back to the new ability, the new application that Tya had discovered as a part of ''Cellular Regulation'' was that he was able to utilize various types of Aditya''s cells into measuring instruments. As Tya was able to clearly see inside Aditya''s cells, it was able to know all the molecules, chemicals, biochemicals, their structures, origins, quantities and the effects they had on the cell as well as on the human body as a whole. Though Aditya had read about some amazing facts of the human body when he studied Hamsa''s medical textbooks, the experience of ''seeing'' them was very different and enlightening.


    He saw the intricate and sophisticated distribution of 60,000 miles of blood vessels in his body, all the nerve centres were visible to him along with their target organs. This was the reason that Aditya was able to get hold of the right pressure points to either torture a person or relax his body by massaging the strained parts accurately.


    Tya knew each and every function of the 37.2 trillion cells in his body. It also told Aditya that his body was home to foreign micro-organisms whose population was actually more than his own cells which made Aditya feel weird as if he was a camper van to these microbe ''passengers''. The dark energy had not penetrated these microbes so Tya was not fully knowledgeable about these bacteria which were actually friendly and beneficial to Aditya''s body.


    Tya was also studying the impact and nature of thousands of different enzymes that a normal human cell contained along with all kinds of biochemicals and molecules which moved in and out of a cell. This kind of 100 per cent knowledge on Aditya''s cells gave Tya the ability to ''quantify'' all the sensations that Aditya''s sensory organs perceived.


    For example, if previously Aditya touched a hot rod, he could only tell that the rod was very hot and that it caused pain to him. But now Tya could release a detailed report on the accurate temperature of the rod, the texture and material of the rod, the scale of damage that Aditya''s skin took, the number of skin cells that had died or injured because of this action.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    In the same way, when Aditya saw a tree or a flower garden, Tya was able to clearly distinguish all the colours and their shades down to their accurate wavelengths, the various shapes of these flowers, the exact distance between the flowers and Aditya. It was the same way when Aditya heard, tasted or smelled something. Every sensation could be ''quantified'', ''analysed'' and ''categorised'' by Tya if Aditya wanted.


    This was the reason that Aditya suddenly became an expert cook as he was able to know the accurate details like temperature, texture, the stage of cooking and if any of the ingredients had to be added and also the precise quantities to the last decimal.


    Aditya did not exercise along with Thomas and others as he did not want to damage their view of life and discourage them, so he would train in isolation either in the sports academy or the gym in the luxury apartments where he had bought the flats. He would usually make sure no one was around when he trained as he did not want to be noticed doing a 500 kg bench press or making 100 one finger push-ups in a minute.


    Aditya had to push himself to the maximum limit if he wanted to become stronger even with the human genome limitations as according to Tya, the human body potential was largely left untapped. Tya was also the safety measure that Aditya required as any damage, caused by this torturous routine, would be handled by him so that no latent damage accumulates in his body.


    Also, Tya was currently capable of numbing his pain receptors so that he would not feel any pain but Aditya did not allow it as he wanted to train his spirit and heart also. Aditya had noticed a lethal shortcoming in him when he dealt with people like Faizal or Thomas who had grown with many challenges and they had to overcome many obstacles to reach a position where their food and sustenance was guaranteed.


    This had strengthened the hearts of these people to which the current Aditya discovered that he was not able to catch up to as he had practically grown under the protection filled with love, care and affection of his parents, elder sisters and friends. He wanted to use this pain to strengthen his soul and harden his resolve because he knew that he had it easy because of Tya.


    Aditya was aware of this shortcoming even from the beginning when he used to fight with Faizal and others without using any abilities and had to limp his way back to the garage every night. He wanted to prove to himself that his resolve was no less than any other.


    During this training where muscle tearing was the norm, Aditya did not know when to stop so Tya would warn him if his body was on the verge of critical damage so that he could stop. This cute little brother would also prescribe that day''s diet, he had to follow, so that Tya could utilize these supplements to repair his body back to perfect condition.


    Aditya armed with this ability and Tya was the best personal trainer that anyone could ask for. This was the reason that all the people he trained in the last month from Faizal to Thomas had successfully increased their strength to a shocking level. But their increase was nothing in front of Aditya who had increased a minimum strength of 60 kg in a day with the help of Tya''s cellular manipulation. Even Aditya felt like this was a dream when he noticed the strength enhancement. His strength had plateaued in a week after the sudden increase but Aditya did not give up.


    While Thomas, Giri and others were burning their muscle till their legs began to shake, Aditya (Rudra) leisurely sat cross-legged on a bamboo mat under a huge neem tree as he chewed a neem twig while reading the newspaper. The newspaper front page reported a seizure of 80 crores inr (Indian rupee - inr) (11.5 million USD) worth cocaine. Aditya grinned a little as he chewed the twig.


    The bitter juice that was released from the tender twig was good for oral health. In the beginning, some rebellious fellows questioned as to why Aditya would not exercise while they were forced to run till their legs shivered and crunch till their stomach churned. Aditya simply chuckled a little as cracked his knuckles and walked into the semi-open gym with the thatched roof which was followed by cries of pain as well as sounds of pleas.


    From then on, no one dared to question his orders. In a way, Aditya was very satisfied with his subordinates. He did not know that his own strength and skill was the most motivating tonic for Thomas and others as they zealously practised to overcome their boss in strength.


    "Thomas," Aditya called as he rinsed his mouth with water. Some villagers could be seen working in the land adjacent to his house where Aditya planned to build a garden for himself. One look at Ishaan''s office was enough to show the interest Aditya held in plants and greenery. So if a commercial office space was not spared by him, why would this land be?


    Thomas was one of the most passionate subordinates and genuinely cared for his fellow members which was appreciated by Aditya.


    "Boss," Thomas came running while breathing heavily, he was sweating profusely as his drenched shirt stuck to his body.


    "How much gold did we get?"


    "62.6 kg, boss" Thomas replied calmly. He was excited when he saw the accumulated gold parts but did not let it go to his head. Aditya was now assured of his ''Sensifull'' ability which was the best detector of a normal human''s basic character. Aditya had tested the 70-80 people under him with the temptation of money even before he sent them to ''Rudra''. Only those people who were able to keep their cool in the face of a lot of money were selected.


    So, Aditya wanted to use this gold as the final test to see if these hot-blooded, impulsive youth deserved to follow him. He did not want people who were not greedy and did not go after money as those people would be more suitable to be monks rather than gangsters. He wanted those people who were greedy but exercised a minimum level of control over it and had a bottom line which they would not cross.


    Aditya heaved a sigh of relief when he found that not even one person among the twenty people tried to take advantage of this gold. He did not know that some people did sprout this intent but this thought was immediately suppressed when they remembered the torture that their boss used to interrogate adversaries. They could tell that their boss could easily detect lies. Rudra was almost omnipotent and omniscient in his followers'' minds.


    "When are you going to sell the goods?"


    "In the afternoon, Boss" came the reply.


    "Good." Aditya nodded as he took the towel to bathe in the nearby lake as he (Ishaan) had to get back to the office by ten in the morning. Some people were coming today for signing some contract and Kapil Sir wanted him to be present.

 89- Drive for ***

    Two elegant and beautiful women who looked like a pair of fully bloomed roses stood in a parking lot of the IT (Information Technology) park as if they were waiting for someone. More than once, some ''gentleman'' had come to inquire whether they needed any assistance to which the taller of the two women politely refused while the shorter one pouted her lips as she was getting annoyed. It was lucky that the time was already post rush hour, otherwise, they wouldn''t even be able to stand in this place with all the crowd.


    The taller woman had a well-developed body which could be a source of envy to even other women, her skin complexion was light olive with a mature aura around her which instinctively made people around her comfortable. She wore a Van Heusen''s formal grey shift dress which had a sleek look with panel detailing along with a pair of platinum coloured hoop earrings made her look even more classy and graceful. She had tied up her dark hair into a perfect low bun.


    The shorter of the two had a small face with big eyes, which naturally nurtured feelings of ''protectiveness'' in the opposite sex, had shoulder length chestnut colour hair styled into layers. She wore a plain, simple fit and flare maroon coloured midi dress. A thin, golden necklace was fully visible along with a dolphin pendant because of the V-neckline. She wore a pair of antique design floral earrings with maroon beads which matched perfectly with her dress. This woman who looked restless and impatient was Charita while the other woman who was taller and seemed mature was Jagvi.


    Charita who had pouted lips was becoming impatient to see Ishaan, also she was getting annoyed with all the attention they were getting as they stood in the parking lot while Jagvi was quite peaceful as she politely nodded to anyone who looked at them.


    "Jagvi, when do you think our irresponsible boss would come, it is already eleven and the people from the client company must have already come. It would be bad if they get a bad impression. Also, why does our boss never answers his phone when we want him to," Charita looked worried as she looked at the time in her mobile. Her nails were polished with a striped fall nail design


    Jagvi smiled as she asked, "Do you think that our boss needs to be worried about losing this client or the client needs to be worried about losing our product?"


    Charita''s eyes lit up when she heard this question, she had already studied the ''Application'' made by Ishaan and it was quite revolutionary in the field of ''Mobile Malware protection''. She was sure that any company would take this product with eyes closed as it was very effective. She had been thinking in the lines of a normal startup company which had to cater to the whims and fancies of their client companies but forgot the skills that her boss possessed. Her brows also relaxed as she also smiled at Jagvi.


    "The last good spot for parking is also been taken," Charita said as she looked at a car which was coming inside. If this spot was also taken, Ishaan had to park his car deep into the parking lot which would consume even more time.


    "Not necessarily," Jagvi smiled as her eyes lit up.


    "What are you saying? Look all the spots are taken except this one and this one is also..." Charita also stopped when she saw a blue Audi A7 dash into the parking lot. Jagvi''s dress was a correct fit but Charita''s dress was flared at the bottom and if she did not hold her dress in place, Charita would have experienced an embarrassing situation today. She pouted her red lips with mild anger as her cheeks with milk-white complexion blushed fiercely but her eyes were filled with awe as she saw the blue car skid on the dusty floor as it accurately drifted into the only parking place and stopped.


    Aditya jumped out of the car as he hurriedly put on his black formal blazer and walked towards the disgruntled owner of the other car as he apologized for this hijack. He was already late because the bus which was supposed to bring him back to the city from that village was delayed. He did not want to disappoint Kapil sir as it was the first time that he asked him to be present during the contract signing. Otherwise, Aditya did not want to be here as he had to meet Kumari today. He had to transform back to his original form.


    The other person relaxed a little when he saw the luxury car, as well as Aditya''s sincerity and so, gave up pursuing the matter. Aditya smiled politely as he rushed to the elevator while grooming his hair roughly with his hands where he spotted these two women. What surprised him was that these two women dressed very differently than usual. One had to know that these two were technical personnel who enjoyed quite a bit of freedom in the matter of dressing. So, they did not have any dress codes like secretaries or other people who dealt with clients as it was their work which was considered.


    Aditya knew that these women liked to dress casually every day and so was a little taken aback with this change. He also did not know what these women were doing here at this hour instead of working.


    Jagvi looked at the puzzled expression and explained, "Sister Fenny said that the meeting today was important and it would not be good if she had to accompany Boss as it would be awkward with her baby bump. So she requested us to act the role of your secretaries today." Jagvi sneaked a glance at the nervous Charita as she explained.


    Aditya observed this and nodded. He knew it must have only been Jagvi who was requested but Charita decided to tag along. He also felt that even Jagvi was unnecessary as he could manage everything by himself even without sister Fenny. But Aditya did not object as he nodded and walked into the elevator followed by the others.


    "Boss, I brought this tie for you," Jagvi took out a dark blue patterned tie and looked at Aditya with hopeful eyes. Aditya looked at her for a while and nodded as he stretched his hand to take the tie. Jagvi did not give the tie as she said, "Boss, let me." Then, even without Aditya''s assent she held the tie and wrapped it around the collar of his white cotton shirt and started tying a Windsor knot with a beautiful smile on her face.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "Boss, I also bought a watch for you," Charita could not stop herself any longer as she took out a Jorg Gray black coloured Analog watch and pulled Aditya''s left hand and started putting it on quickly as if she was afraid that Aditya would pull back his hand.


    Aditya sighed as he once again proved that he was too weak to reject the advances of beautiful women. With his abilities how could he not realize their thoughts? Aditya wholeheartedly accepted that he was a womanizer in the making and he would most probably end up having relations with many women in the future. His loose life in the ''dream world'' was proof enough and he knew that it would most probably repeat here also. If it was not that the present circumstances were different, Hamsa would have already become his woman in a true sense.


    But what baffled him was that these two women did not seem to fight for him as if they were completely okay with the other pursuing the same man. Weren''t they supposed to compete with each other? What was going on in their minds? Also, he knew that this was not his true form and he did not want to have his ''Avatar'' committing to relationships as that would make things very complicated when his true identity would be revealed in the future.


    By face value, Ishaan and Aditya were on the same level but the same could not be said about his physique which was as different as sky and earth. So, in the future, if these two women found out that the person they had loved was not the real one but just a disguise, Aditya could not fathom what kind of an impact it would have on these two immaculate hearts.


    Aditya decided that he had to remove these feelings when they were still in their budding stage so as to prevent future complications. While Aditya was mulling about this, Jagvi had finished tying the knot. Aditya inhaled the feminine aroma of Jagvi as it intoxicated him along with her lustrous figure while Charita''s body scent reminded Aditya of cherry blossoms. His breathing became rapid especially when he saw Jagvi buttoning up his blazer like a virtuous wife.


    Jagvi took out a comb and started grooming his hair into an elegant hairstyle as she stood on her toes. Aditya looked at Jagvi''s mesmerising face which was now very close to him as he could feel her hot breath and vice versa. Jagvi stopped grooming as she gazed into Aditya''s eyes dazedly while her lips slightly moved. Charita who had her eyes on Aditya snorted as she pinched his hand near the wrist as she said, "Boss, how do you like my gift?"


    Aditya''s heart skipped when he saw a disappointed look flash across Jagvi''s face as she moved away from him and smiled at Charita who turned her head away in anger. It was only now that Aditya realized that Jagvi though on the outside was similar to Hamsa but she seemed to be someone very different in the inside. Aditya was sure that if he had kissed her now, she would have responded equally enthusiastically. Aditya scolded himself as he coughed and looked up to find Gagan looking at the three of them with a weird gaze. At some unknown point of time, they had reached their floor but because of the tension between them, no one noticed Gagan who was waiting for them at the elevator.


    ''I have to warn Fenny to stay away from this fellow,'' was the first thought that passed through Gagan''s mind as he looked at all the three of them.


    "Hey, Gaggu, is everything ready? Is the other party already here?" Aditya coughed a little and asked Gagan in a vain attempt to steer his attention.


    "Not yet, but they will be here in any minute. Boss, you could go to the conference room as Mr Kapil is waiting for you there." Gagan said as he ignored the angry look on Charita. She had spent her whole month''s salary from the previous company to get this watch and Gagan had disrupted the moment when she was hoping to hear Aditya''s appreciation.


    Aditya slipped away using this opportunity. He had been notified by Tya that his libido, which is normally influenced by a human''s physiology and psychology, also enhanced along with the other attributes of his body because of Tya''s ''Cellular Regulation'' ability but he did not think that he would be aroused just by Jagvi''s close proximity. He rushed towards the conference room followed by Gagan.


    "Jagvi, my salary has been wasted by that idiot Gagan. I don''t see him appearing on time when the office timings are over to tell us to stop our work, what a waste, Jagvi¡­ Jagvi," Charita noticed that Jagvi seemed a little off as he saw her holding her heaving chest and leaning on the elevator wall while her eyes were closed. Sweat could be seen forming on her forehead at a visible pace as she bit her lips forcefully to control her surging emotions. She never felt this weak-willed than she was, right now.


    Jagvi was interested in Aditya from the first day she laid her eyes on him. But it was only interest and not anything deeper. She had her fair share of attempts at finding her true love and so her heart was pretty stable. She had confidence in her that she would not be easily influenced by mere good looks, unlike Charita who was clearly not experienced in matters dealing with love.


    Charita was clearly ''smitten'' with Ishaan. This could be seen from her gifting Ishaan a giant sculpture of pure sandalwood or the expensive watch she had gifted today without thinking twice. Jagvi''s gifts, on the other hand, were not as expensive but were equally noticeable like the pack of Seascape strawberries or the ''tie'' that she gifted today which even allowed her to come closer to Ishaan physically in a subtle romantic way. Charita could only stay at a distance due to the absence of a good excuse like Jagvi''s.


    Jagvi figured that she would tease her boss a little today so that he would view her differently from others but what happened afterwards was still a mystery to her. At some point, when Jagvi felt that she had successfully ''disturbed'' her boss, she inhaled a masculine scent emanating from Ishaan which almost made her lose her mind. All her schemes vanished from her mind as pictures of Ishaan kissing her roughly and doing things which she considered as ''very shameful'' started appearing in her mind in the form of fantasies. She wanted nothing else but to tear Ishaan''s clothes and do the deed in the elevator even if Charita was present.


    This was what shocked Jagvi the most, even if she viewed herself as broad-minded, she had never truly slept with a man before. Charita could attest to this as Jagvi had very high expectations for a man who could take her. Though Ishaan was perfect in every sense, Jagvi still never thought that he was the one for her. He was only a ''potential'' candidate, but all her judging or restraints melted when she was near her boss today.


    Jagvi''s breathing became normal after some time as she gave some pretext to Charita and walked towards the conference room in a brisk pace as she was supposed to be the secretary today. Jagvi warned herself before trying to provoke Ishaan again as she feared that she might not be as lucky as today where Charita and Gagan disrupted the moment. She might not come out of this tryst as the same Jagvi again.


    What Aditya did not know was that, along with his drive for sex, the amount of androstenol(a chemical related to the testosterone produced in a man)and other stimulating chemical agents released from his body was far above a normal male. So, in the case that Aditya was physically attracted to a female, his body would automatically release an abnormal amount of these chemicals through his breath and skin which is too much to bear for normal, healthy and fertile females who were in their prime. Though it was Jagvi who came close to him with other intentions, her loss of restraint was due to stimulation of chemicals from his own body.

 90 - False Alarm

    "I guess, I don''t have to go into the amount of damage meted out by Malware Android Applications. There have been increasing instances of many banking application been targeted by the malware load thus causing the credential information of many people been stolen and misused by the culprits. Various types of software are already in the market claiming to be competent in handling this problem but either they fail or they are very expensive for normal people." Aditya started his boring speech with a small introduction before going into the main topic.


    "So, the best course of action for us is that these apps are identified and deleted in the Android App store itself, even before they are downloaded. There has been an effort in this direction by Google with the introduction of the ''Bouncer'' security scanner which tests each application for malware. But with the increasing amount of applications every day, do you guys know the time spent by the company for checking an application for malware? Five minutes, just five minutes are given and if the app does not download the malware package and attempt to control the visual mobile device, it is deemed as ''clean''."


    "With this scanner, the company has been able to eliminate 40 per cent of the total malware but the remaining 60 per cent still managed to get away. The main reason for this failure is that most of these malware apps wait for hours, even days before they download the malware to damage the operating system by using ''logic bombs''. Some apps even have identification mechanisms to realise that it is under the security scanner so that it would not download the malware package at all and mimic a normal application. Only after the scanning is complete, it would resume its real purpose." Aditya let out a breath as he jumped right into the topic as he was getting bored.


    "So, my company''s software called as ''Camou 1.0'' is designed in such a way that it will completely hide any security related application or even the security scanner itself from been detected by the malware apps. So these malware apps would try to download the malware, unknown of the fact that they are under the radar and thus could easily be marked for deletion from the mobile phone and the app store. Our software is compatible with any Android security app. Well, that brings me to the end of my presentation, thanks so much for listening. So, if your company is interested in taking this software to supplement your ''Bull Guard 360'' mobile security app, we can go ahead with the previously discussed conditions."


    Aditya smiled a little at those representatives who were observing him closely. He drank a little from the glass of water given by Jagvi as he sat in his chair while taking a glance at Gagan. Gagan was the one who wanted to do this deal as he and Fenny still had many friends in that company and he felt that this software might help his friends get some form of raise or promotion.


    Aditya did not care to whom the software was sold as long as he got the name. Also, if he had to do everything by himself, he had to recruit more people to deal with the marketing, sales, resources, financial matters which was too bothersome. He was happy to let these ''big'' companies work for him.


    The main purpose of ''Ishaan'' beside the money and fame was that Aditya had planned to use this avatar as bait to ''That'' organization. He had known from his uncle that ''those'' people were always on the lookout for talented people. So, if Aditya could not find those people, he wanted them to come to find him.


    All these software which are eye-catching but not ''groundbreaking'' was Aditya''s way of throwing bread crumbs to lure them. He wanted ''them'' to notice him enough to recruit him only but did not want to release some ''mind-blowing'' software which might directly place him in the ''potential danger'' or ''bring him in at any cost'' zone. So he was trying to place himself in a grey area between them.


    It would be an understatement if one said that the representatives were shocked when they saw this software. They couldn''t believe that a company which was a month old could create such a masterpiece. They had brought their own team of technical personnel who started running diagnostics and confirming the validity of Aditya''s claims. Aditya calmly drank some tea as he waited patiently, he had an appointment with Kumari in the evening.


    The representatives were relieved when they saw the leader of the technical personnel nod seriously. The leader along with his team now looked at Aditya''s team with awe and respect. They did not know that it was only Aditya''s single-handed work and thought that this whole group was full of talented people. The representatives asked enthusiastically, " Mr Ishaan, we are glad to work with your company. Can we sign the contract today?"


    "Well, I don''t think so," a voice rang out as a young man in a slim green suit walked into the conference hall. He was handsome and well groomed as he walked with a confident gait followed by a beautiful secretary and other people. His eyes sparkled with arrogance as he looked at Aditya who was leaning on his chair comfortably as he said, "Mr Ishaan, how dare you copy our company''s software and present it as if it''s yours?"


    The representatives sighed when they saw this man as they realised what was going on. This youth who looked like he was similar in age as Ishaan was Vineeth Shenoy who was the heir to a 750 million USD ''Cyant'' IT outsourcing company in Bangalore who was famous for preying on new startups with potential. He and his father would utilise both political and mafia connections to subdue talented people for working for them either through deceit or coercion or plain threats. A company like Aditya''s with huge potential was a delicacy for this person. Some people called Vineeth''s father as an ''IT feudal lord''.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Aditya smiled as he looked at this person calmly and asked, "Why do you say so?" Both Jagvi and Charita along with others had angry looks on their face when they heard Vineeth''s accusations.


    Vineeth was shocked when he saw that Aditya was not panicking. He sneered as he said, "This software was developed as the result of hard work of hundreds of employees from my father''s company, how could you with your measly 20 people design this kind of software. I would consider forgiving you if you merge your startup into my father''s company and sign a contract for working for me for ten years. If you disagree, then the police are waiting downstairs, a call is all it takes to get you behind bars for this crime."


    The representatives had seen enough as they stood and said, "Mr Ishaan, why don''t we discuss this contract later. We will get back to you on this." Although they knew what was about to happen, they clearly did not have any intention of interfering in this farce and having to face Vineeth''s ire. Gagan was disappointed when he saw the people for whom he had asked favour from his boss leave even without a word of comfort or help.


    Aditya did not even give a look at those people as he continued to look at Vineeth with mild amusement. Now he understood that this was the reason that Kapil sir wanted him to be here. Looks like Kapil sir knew something about this.


    "Okay, as you are saying that you are the ones who developed this software. I presume you have the source code?" Aditya asked as he rocked his chair a little.


    Vineeth gave a triumphant smile as he said, "Of course, I have the source code." this was his ace, he had already sent spies into this Ishaan''s startup company when he came to know that Ishaan wrote a ''3D gesture recognition software''. He had planned on slowly infiltrating Aditya''s company with more of his people for future purposes. But, when he heard about this software he panicked as he was sure that if this software took off, it would become very hard to touch Ishaan again. That was the reason he compromised his people by having them get the source code for this software.


    Aditya held his hand towards Jagvi who passed a USB drive to him. He threw this drive to Vineeth as he said, "if your software is the same as mine, why don''t you try detecting the malware in this drive."


    Vineeth''s heart skipped a beat when he saw Aditya''s calm demeanour as well as Charita''s mocking expression. He felt that things were not going as planned today. He caught the drive and gave it to his assistant who inserted it and followed the standard procedure. After some time, Aditya''s smile widened as Vineeth''s face became black while Charita started giggling, even Jagvi had a small smile on her face as she looked at Vineeth pitifully. How could they not know that their boss''s real talent lied in Malware creation rather than it''s prevention? How could Aditya not leave a backdoor for himself when he wrote this software?


    The moment that the USB drive was inserted into the laptop, the game was over. If Aditya wanted, he could have given another more advanced malware which could infect the whole intranet of Vineeth''s company but he restrained from having too much fun as he did not want to make enemies out of these millionaires who might start keeping a close eye on him. It was better to stop this matter at Vineeth instead of making it big. After all, Ishaan''s identity was not even a month old.


    "You will hear from me soon, Mr Ishaan," Vineeth gritted his teeth as he stormed out of the conference hall. He still did not know where he went wrong.


    "Boss, what about the software?" Kapil asked after everyone calmed down. He was only one who was calm and reserved during this fiasco other than Aditya.


    "Sell it to the company which we were originally planning in the first place before this idiot Gaggu came with this rotten idea," Aditya leapt from his seat as he glared at the embarrassed Gagan who had an awkward smile on his face. Kapil patted Gagan''s back and followed Aditya along with Jagvi and Charita.


    Aditya walked into his office, he looked at his employees working as he called, "Pranav and Archana, come here." A man and woman stood up as they walked towards uneasily towards Aditya while all the other employees stopped their work and turned towards their boss. They did not know what their boss was up to.


    When these two people reached Aditya, the man called Pranav asked uncertainly, "What is it, boss?" Aditya looked at both of them for a full moment before raising his hand and smacked him with his left hand. Pranav was caught unaware as his mind became blank followed by a ringing sound in the ear on the side of his face which was hit. He staggered a little but did not fall down, as Aditya did not use much force. Aditya''s aim was not to hurt him.


    The women called Archana trembled when she saw this as her face became pale and tears started flowing. Aditya looked once at her as he said, "I want the both of you out of my office within five minutes if you don''t want me to take legal actions against you for stealing the source code of Camou 1.0."


    Kapil sighed as Gagan shook his head in disappointment while Charita was folding her sleeves as if she wanted to hit the woman in Aditya''s turn. Jagvi, on the other hand, paid attention to Aditya''s actions with a twinkle in her eyes. Every other employee was shocked when they saw the boss who joked with them jovially every day would do such a thing. They did not know the back story.


    After both of them left, the seriousness in Aditya''s face was replaced by a smile as he said, "Gaggu, my holidays are beginning, you know the drill right. Just because I said that you could contact me anytime through mobile, don''t disturb me for every small thing. Kapil sir will be in charge when I am not here."


    Aditya went away while avoiding Jagvi while Charita bit her lower lip in disappointment. Just at that time, a shout was heard from the corridor, "Charita, thanks for the watch. I like it."


    A brilliant smile bloomed on Charita''s face as she looked like she was going to fly away while Jagvi shook her head smilingly when she saw her air-headed friend''s expression.

 91 - A Fragile Heart

    Kumari stood on a sidewalk as she waited for that a certain rascal to come to pick her up. It was supposed to be a full day outing with him but Aditya called last night and postponed the program to the evening as he said something about being busy. What can a teen be busy with other than going to school? Kumari knew that Aditya was not going to school and according to Kranthi he had stopped working in the garage every day as well.


    Aditya was only coming one or two days in a week to do some work, the reason that he gave to Uncle Ramlal (Kranthi''s father) was that he was preparing to give exams to become a certified Automobile mechanic. Aditya had said that the training centre was far from the garage and so he had rented another place near the training centre. Taking the fact that Aditya was Kranthi''s former schoolmate and that he was very talented, Uncle Ramlal not only agreed but also encouraged Aditya for taking this career seriously.


    Kumari was wearing a shaded blue denim Bardot top with off-shoulder styling and short sleeves along with a pair of white skinny fit mid-rise jeans. A pair of galaxy blue, silver plated and handcrafted tasselled contemporary drop earring dangled from her pinkish delicate earlobes. She wore a pair of blue and white checked ballerina shoes. Some people would turn to take a second look at Kumari from time to time but she was already used to this attention and did not bother about it.


    What irked her the most was that fellow Aditya been late again. If she was not a childhood friend of Aditya and understood him quite well, she would have already gone back home feeling insulted. Aditya had a chronic problem of been late. It would be shocking if he was on time. Talking about been late Aditya was even born a month late.


    Her birthday was on January nineteen which was coming in a few days and Aditya had promised her a surprise. Kumari always argued that she was a month older than Aditya as his birthday was on February nineteen and that she was his elder. But Aditya would refuse to acknowledge that on the grounds that he was born after ten months of pregnancy, unlike others. So he would say that if he also would have been born on January nineteen if not for him being ''late''.


    Kumari knew that Aditya had been taking some time every week to spend with her so that she could recover faster from the impact of ''Sameera''s death''. He would take her to all kinds of places from amusement parks to crowd packed bazaars. From pet shops to temples. They would mostly just go for window-shopping as they strolled around aimlessly.


    A few days ago, when Kumari was particularly tempted to buy an adorable and cute kitten in the pet shop, Aditya stopped her as he knew that Kumari was woefully incompetent in taking care of animals which had been proved by her in the past. Kumari''s family was against buying a dog as they had an Indian sweets shop and the place of making the sweets was in their home. They feared that the dog''s hair fall might get into these sweets accidentally.


    But Kumari who was famous for her stubborn mentality fasted for a whole nine hours before her father acquiesced. But he had separate area apportioned to the dog and restricted it from roaming around the home. The duty of taking care of this dog was also given to Kumari who accepted it happily.


    She took care of all its needs in the first week without missing a thing but afterwards, slowly things began to become less interesting and more hard for her. Aditya still remembered the pitiful dog which used to starve because Kumari would forget to feed it and play outside. In the end, Aditya and Kranthi gave away the dog to a friend and Kumari did not notice the difference until a whole day had passed. With this kind of track record, Kumari could only give up grudgingly.


    A smile appeared on Kumari''s face when she remembered these past events. As Kumari was reminiscing, a black jeep wrangler stopped by her as the youth who was in the driving seat looked at her and said, "Hey fairy, did you get injured when you fell from heaven."


    Kumari looked at Aditya and made a vomiting expression as she said, "Gosh! Your opening lines are becoming more and more cheesy. Did you trap elder sister Hamsa with these words?" she walked towards the other side and got into the vehicle.


    Aditya laughed as he said, "Of course, who can resist my flirting, you can try it also. You do not even to change the lines as you would be trapping women as well."


    Kumari smiled mischievously as she said with a ''pondering'' expression, "maybe I should try it on elder sister Hamsa."


    Aditya trembled when he heard these words as he looked at Kumari with a fake ''pleading'' expression, "Kumkum, can''t you spare her? Tell me what do you want?"


    "That will depend on the gift you got me for my birthday," Kumari snorted as she looked back at Aditya.


    Aditya took out a card which seemed to be painted with metallic gold and threw it at Kumari as he started the vehicle. Kumari caught it and noticed that this card had words printed in Emerald Green colour which read '' Galaxy Market City'' in the middle, ''Royal Group'' in the corner. She was shocked to find the name ''Kumari Hegde'' printed in rose pink colour at the bottom. It looked like a real credit card with a magnetic strip at the backside.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Kumari looked at Aditya with confusion as she asked, "What is this?" She knew that ''Galaxy market City'' was one of the largest malls in Bangalore and that their plan was to go there today but she did not know what was the purpose of this card which itself looked quite expensive.


    "It is a Gold class premium membership card of ''Galaxy Market City'' as well as the ''Royal Group''. With this card, you can buy anything you want in that mall and also avail all facilities in all entertainment centres belonging to the ''Royal Group'' for free." Aditya smiled as he explained. He had taken that card from Taarini as this mall and ''Royal Group'' was her''s, to begin with. She had only a handful of these cards which she had prepared as complimentary gifts to some very affluent people but she gave it without thinking twice when Aditya asked.


    "What!" Kumari was shocked when she heard Aditya''s words. One had to know that Kumari''s family was just an upper-middle-class family and she did not experience any form of a luxurious lifestyle. She was already shocked when she saw Aditya driving a sports bike or a high-end car but she did not think that Aditya could get her a card like this. ''Galaxy Market City'' was a go-to place in Bangalore for buying any kind of articles of many foreign luxury brands. Anything that was bought there would not be lower than 10000 bugs (150 USD).


    Kumari, like any other teenager, wanted to don those clothes from various luxury brands. But she was aware of her family''s economic situation and so would not demand anything. She kept her thoughts and wishes to herself. But recently, their school had got a new batch of students midterm and all the students of that batch were from very rich families. Even if they did not want to show off, even the normal clothes they wore, segregated them from others.


    So, when Kumari saw those girls, who were not as beautiful as her, wearing elegant and appealing dresses during a cultural fest and looking at her simple clothes with disdain in their eyes, she also felt intense urge to wear such clothes. She had seen those rich boys gifting dazzling, expensive jewellery to her classmates and taking them on rides in their sports cars. She had also observed that even their teachers would sigh with admiration and envy when they conversed about these students.


    Her classmates had started bringing things to the school to show off their branded LV bags, Chanel perfumes, Gucci clothes and Dior make up sets. They would tell stories about various film stars'' personal lives their boyfriends took them to meet or the various facilities they enjoyed at their stay in five-star hotels. The various cuisines that they tried and how some foreign variety was very delicious. The various expensive treatments they had undergone in the high-class spa in those hotels and how the massages felt relaxing and invigorating.


    For the first time in life, Kumari felt that it would be good to have money. But she still maintained her bottom line, she did not want to sell her integrity in exchange for this luxury which could be seen from her decisive rejection to all advances from those rich kids. But the fantasy of wearing these clothes, living that kind of exuberant life still lingered in her heart. So, one could imagine her feelings when she held this card in her hand as she turned quiet for some time.


    Aditya noticed her reaction and smiled as he shook his head. How could he not observe that Kumari who usually never cared about these things in the past was actually starting to take notice and talk about other girls'' clothes and accessories in the past month? He knew that Kumari was in the age when her outlook of the world was changing and evolving. Aditya''s observations were confirmed when Hamsa, who still continued her friendly relationship with Kumari, also alerted Aditya to the change in Kumari.


    Though Aditya was technically the same age as Kumari, he had practically lived his life twice due to the dream world which allowed him to have a renewed look at life and the art of living. Also, one had to know that Aditya was a unique case. With all kinds of special circumstances surrounding him in addition to his interactions with people possessing different mentalities and perspectives on life in the past few months, his world view had become quite mature and steady.


    With his foresight, Aditya felt that Kumari''s emotional state was currently very delicate because of Sameera''s death and mistakes, which are impulsive in nature, can happen which she might regret later in her life. So, he figured out that since she was showing interest in this opulent lifestyle, he could let her see for herself if these things would bring her solace.


    Aditya did this simply because he could do it, if he was just a normal school kid like any other, this would not have been possible. He might have just advised her and tried to stick around so that she would not do anything foolish. She was his childhood friend after all and frankly, in Aditya''s current position, this was very simple.


    The thing, which was a little more difficult for Aditya, was finding time to accompany Kumari. He knew that what Kumari needed now the most was a psychological and moral support to mend her injured heart. Lavish lifestyle was something that dazzled Kumari and so she mistakenly felt that this life would help her be happy and at peace. His mother was the best example that it was not the case. Though Kumari''s parents were pretty caring, they just couldn''t fill that void in her.


    But, Aditya who was of the same age and her closest childhood friend was in the right position to support her. Aditya also had a brief tryst with Kumari which made it even more hard for him to ignore this concern and he would look down upon himself if he did not even try to help her.


    Aditya had planned to live in his original form while having real social interactions for three to four days in a week which would serve as his alibi if ''those'' people came looking for him like that ''Bunny'' who could crush a stone to dust with his bare hands. He squeezed the time to be spent with Kumari in his busy schedule which also became the good cover up for him. So, he was fulfilling his duty as well as not delaying on his tasks.


    After some time, Kumari mumbled, "Thank you, Adi." while still keeping her head lowered as she fiddled the card with her slim and delicate fingers.


    "Oh, the rowdy tomboy also has days when she acts coy. It is the end of days indeed," Aditya teased as he looked at Kumari.


    "One more word and I am going to tell elder sister Hamsa how you liked to lick and bite my earlobes," Kumari said as she glared at Aditya.


    "..."

 92- Shopping

    Aditya observed the unusually calm figure of Kumari as both of them dipped cake pops into a chocolate fountain. She had turned quiet since they started shopping. Aditya would be lying if he said that he was not the least bit affected by this eye-opening experience. Aditya had been visually acclimatized to these luxury branded clothes because of his stay at the international school and recently with his association with Taarini. But, he had never gone shopping at one of these stores where the prices were better discussed in USD than Indian rupee as he felt that the line of zeroes was longer than the dress itself.


    He was shocked to see a plain white shirt dress with some embellishments worth 6000 USD which seemed as if not worth more than a hundred to Aditya. But he knew that today''s purpose was not to think about why these things cost so much but to appease Kumari''s hidden desires. So, he did not even think twice before buying that very dress which seemed to lack a pair of trousers in Aditya''s opinion (the dress was too short).


    He also bought many clothes from other top luxury brands like LV, Prada, Gucci like a compact poplin & Chiffon dress, a bow detail turtle neck top, belted straight-leg trousers, a pair of running sneakers, a bean hat and other accessories without looking at the price tags. Aditya feared that he would not have the courage to continue if he saw the prices. He only hoped that Taarini would not ask for the card back after today. The only thing that he bought enthusiastically was a pair of amethyst crystal earrings worth a 1000 USD because as Kumari said, he did like her ears very much.


    Since Aditya reached teenage, he was more interested in learning about automobiles more than anything. So, Aditya had been accustomed to wearing 100 INR (1-2 USD) shirts and pants which were ideal for rough use and grease stains. Though his mother would buy these expensive clothes, he never accompanied her for shopping and only wore those clothes on special and festive occasions without caring about their price. So, this was his first experience shopping these expensive clothes, that too he was buying for Kumari. This experience truly broadened his horizon.


    If Aditya who was in a far better position than Kumari had been affected, it need not be said the impact that Aditya''s shopping spree had on Kumari. Kumari had been quite enthusiastic in the beginning as she swaggered into the huge, spacious mall and flashed the card to some administrative personnel. The moment that person saw the card, he ran and got the manager who started personally accompanying them as he said that it would be convenient for them.


    The truth was that the manager had directly contacted the main office headquarters to report about Aditya and Kumari as he doubted that this jovial couple in simple attires did not seem worthy of this card. But the reply he got from the head office was directly from the ''Star Empress'' herself who stated that he was to personally accompany them so that no one else would think low of them and embarrass themselves. He was further instructed to satisfy their every wish even if they were beyond the provisions of this card. This was enough for the manager to smell an opportunity here.


    With the manager accompanying them like a personal aide, no problems arose thereafter. Kumari''s eyes glittered when she entered the shop filled with glittering decorations and service personnel wearing more expensive clothes than her. She felt really thrilled as she immediately selected a dress that she wanted to wear which was a beautiful, elegant dress that she saw her classmate wearing recently.


    But when Kumari saw her reflection in the mirror, Kumari saw a really gorgeous person but the person in the mirror somehow felt like a stranger to her. She suddenly felt she did not know what kind of a person, the exquisite lady in the reflection, was. What did she want to be? What was she doing? Wasn''t this what she wanted? Shouldn''t she be happy and jumping right now? All sorts of conflicting thoughts and doubts filled her mind.


    She forcefully suppressed these disturbances and tried all kinds of latest fashion designs. Her heart calmed down a little when she saw Aditya''s eyes lit up as he encouraged her to try more. Aditya had these service persons remove the price tags before giving the dresses to Kumari to try. Aditya also tried some clothes as Kumari did not want to be the only one buying.


    This was where a small accident happened after Aditya went into the trial room, Kumari''s curiosity took over and she found out the prices of the things which she decided to buy. At first, her blood cooled as her face started becoming pale when she heard the prices. She managed to smile weakly at the servicewoman and lowered her head to hide her inner turmoil.


    The first thing her mind instinctively thought of was comparing her family''s income to these price tags and her heart shook when she discovered that the amount of money she spent in these few hours was more than her family''s yearly income. She suddenly felt a kind of fear and aversion when she saw the clothes she bought. She suddenly understood why she felt like she was seeing a stranger when she donned these clothes. Because that really wasn''t who she was.


    When Aditya came from the trial room and asked the staff to pack up everything, Kumari bit her lips tightly as she held Aditya''s shirt and muttered in a low voice, "Adi, let''s not buy these clothes." Aditya was stunned a little when he heard these words as he guessed the reason and asked, "Did you find the prices?"


    Kumari lowered her head and nodded slowly. Aditya felt a pang in his heart when he saw this ''meek'' Kumari. He had always seen a girl who was a fighter with a fiery, passionate heart who said and did what she felt without concern for other''s opinions, the effect of Sameera''s death was truly big to her. Aditya smiled as he held her hand firmly but did not stop the people from packing these clothes. Kumari struggled a little but gave up in the end, she really was not sure of anything, she did not know if she wanted these clothes or did not want them. The clothes were directly sent to be packed into his car.


    After eating the chocolate dipped cake pops, Aditya dragged his silent friend for watching a film. It was a film which released recently which depicted a family drama an old couple living with their grandson in a village, yearns for the love of their children, who live abroad and hardly visit them. This old couple hatches a plan to get their children to visit them often.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Aditya picked this movie because he was currently very interested in village life and this movie depicted it beautifully. Aditya got the tickets for a special platinum class film screen in the same mall which had large, comfortable Lay Z Boy recliners with a five-star hotel ambience and multiple cuisines from which one could order anything.


    Aditya figured out that Kumari wanted some time to become normal, so he did not disturb her and watched the movie interestingly while enjoying the spacious seat which reclined so much that it made him feel like he was almost in a sleeping position. After some time, Aditya saw Kumari stand up, he was about to ask whether she wanted anything when he saw her walking towards him. Before Aditya could speak anything, Kumari sat on his lap and lean on him fully. She only said, "Don''t speak" before resting her head on his shoulders and closed her eyes.


    Aditya was a little surprised but recovered quickly. He sighed as he held Kumari in a comfortable position and continued to watch the film. He did not even have to try to control any unwanted thoughts as his body also seem to react according to the opposite party''s mood. After some time, Aditya felt some quivering as Kumari started crying silently, dampening his shirt.


    The feeling that she had been constraining since Sameera had died burst out at once while she was with Aditya as he was the only one of her age with whom she felt completely comfortable and secure. Even though elder sister Hamsa was very kind or Kranthi was very friendly and supportive, they could not give her this sense of freedom that she felt with Sameera or Aditya around her. With all the surprises that Aditya brought her today, the buried emotions of grief, she was hiding from everyone, spilt at last.


    Aditya continued to watch the film without disturbing Kumari all the while slowly patting her back. At some point in time, Kumari stopped crying and directly slipped into sleep while hugging his waist. Aditya smiled when he heard Kumari snoring. Given that both of them have thin physiques, the recliner was able to easily accommodate both of them. During the intermission break (Indian films are divided into two halves with a break for refreshments between them as the length of a film is usually more than 150 minutes), Aditya did not mind the weird gazes directed at them and sent the waiter away who came to ask if he wanted anything, by shaking his head lightly.


    After the second half started and the movie was about to end in twenty minutes, Kumari woke up but did not move much as she continued to hug Aditya and watch the movie silently. After some time, she asked, "Aditya, do you think that I have become a gold digger?"


    Aditya smiled as he said, "you? gold digger? Am sure, given your beauty, many boys must have approached you. Some of them would have definitely offered rich gifts to get into your good side. So, did you accept their gifts?"


    Kumari shook her head silently as a small smile spread on her face. She knew who she was but she was afraid that Aditya might think less of her. Her heart loosened when she heard Aditya''s words, she had already lost one of her best friends, she did not want to lose the remaining one also. If Aditya had said anything but these words, even if she would have understood and forgiven him, a small gap would have been created in her heart which she did not want to see.


    "As for been attracted to these things, it is perfectly normal. Who doesn''t like to wear these exotic clothes and show off to others?" Aditya added.


    "You don''t," Kumari said softly.


    "I don''t because I am quite busy both physically and mentally to think about these things right now," Aditya laughed a little as he patted Kumari''s back.


    "What are you so busy with?" Kumari asked the question she wanted to ask for a long time.


    "I will tell you when the time is ripe."


    Hmph! Kumari pouted her small, delicate lips but did not question further.


    "Kumari, can I say something?" Aditya asked as if he was hesitating about something.


    "What is it?" Kumari''s curiosity was piqued when she saw Aditya''s reaction.


    Aditya gritted his teeth as if he was making a big decision and said, "if there ever comes a time when you want to become a gold digger. You are welcome to dig my gold." a teasing expression appeared on Aditya''s face as he bit Kumari''s left ear lightly.


    "Die, you bastard Aditya, who do you think I am? I am gonna see your blood tonight," Kumari started punching, biting and pinching Aditya in any place accessible to her arms and mouth. Aditya laughed as he constrained Kumari with his arms. Aditya''s calmed down to find his neighbours looking at them with disgruntled expressions. The whole emotional mood created in this film''s climax was totally disrupted by both of them. Aditya picked up the punching and kicking Kumari as he hurried out before these people decided to have them thrown out.


    Aditya did not completely leave the theatre but stopped in the small, deserted corridor connecting the screen and the refreshments area. Kumari took a long time before finally giving up, she panted as she moved strands of hair stuck on her sweaty and reddened face as she glared at Aditya. She calmed down for a while before snorting and pulled the laughing Aditya out.


    As Aditya drove the car towards Kumari''s home, he noticed that Kumari looked a lot more relaxed and smiled a lot more. She even told stories from school and how there was a particular idiot who stuck to her, refusing to leave unless she agreed to date him. Aditya listened to whatever Kumari had to say as he was happy that she started to act more and more like her real self.


    Aditya bid goodbye to Kumari and made his way to the garage. Aditya did not want to leave this garage as, in a way, this place holds many memories for him. He got to know Tya and his abilities, met Taarini, rescued Hamsa and spent many days here with her. So, he did not go to that apartment which was adjacent to ''Ishaan''s'' but came here to spend his time as ''Aditya''.


    He chatted a little with Chakri (another mechanic in the garage) before slowly making his way to the penthouse. He planned a sleepless night to make up for the time spent with Kumari so that he could start on writing the mobile operating system with the help of Tya.


    Aditya firmly believed that the privacy of normal people was severely compromised by ''those'' people and so planned to build his own version of Mac, a closed platform/ walled garden/ closed ecosystem wherein he would have complete control over applications, content, and media. With this, he would be able to restrict access to outsiders. So, there was a broad range of software which he had to recreate so that anyone who accesses this system won''t feel as if they were missing something. He had planned to not use this system for commercial purpose, rather it would be for him and his associates in the future.


    As Aditya pondered about these issues, preparing for a long night he froze with his hand in the door handle. Aditya''s pupils shrank when he sniffed again to confirm. His face became grim, his eyes cold and muscles taut as he had just detected a light metallic smell of human blood in the air coming from his room.

 93 - Call From Grandfather (1)

    Aditya closed his eyes as he activated the ''Filtering'' ability. This was the very same ability which he had used the night he rescued Hamsa. At that time he was able to hear the conversation between Hamsa and Reyansh by filtering out the noises of traffic, other people and even the pitter-patter sounds of the rain.


    With the ''Cellular Regulation'' ability of Aditya, just like his strength, Aditya''s sense organs'' capabilities were also enhanced to the limit. So, with Aditya''s current capability he could even hear the heartbeats of people within the radius of 10m if he desired so. Just like the previous time, the noises from all the surroundings vanished one by one until there was total silence. At this moment, Aditya''s pupils shrunk by a small amount as he started hearing not just one beat but two beats.


    Aditya had studied medical knowledge under the tutelage of Tya who could visually show every part of his body and correlate with the contemporary medical knowledge, sometimes even improvising on it. So, just from hearing these heartbeats and observing the rate, speed and force at which these hearts were contracting and relaxing, Aditya could confirm that there were two adults in his room, one was a young, healthy, adult female while the other adult was a man but his heart rate was lower than the normal. As the heart rate was erratic and not uniform, Aditya confirmed that the person was unconscious instead of sleeping.


    Aditya was preparing to see if he could deduce anything else from the surroundings before making a decision on his action. But just then, a voice which was very dear to him sounded from inside, "Adi, come inside, why are you standing outside for so long? it''s just me."


    All the detective work was immediately thrown out of the window as Aditya pushed the door to see a stunning woman smiling at him as she looked at him with affection in her lotus eyes. Aditya also smiled as he rushed towards that woman and hugged her tightly. This person was Saira, the eldest among the three siblings who was completely normal unlike the other.


    Saira was dressed in a beige coloured solid duster jacket with a spread collar and a straight hem. Inside, she wore a black T-shirt and a pair of dark jeans. Her long, straight and silky hair was tied into a ponytail as always. She was quite tall, almost as tall as Saanvi but Aditya had grown a lot in the past month and was the same height as her now.


    Saira did not say anything as she also looked at her younger brother who seemed to have changed completely. The air of playfulness and constant excitement around him had been replaced by stability and hidden vigour. For any normal person who might not see a drop of blood in their lifetime, Aditya would seem the same to them as if he had not changed. but for Saira who lived battling in life and death situations, Aditya felt like a sheathed sword. She felt a potent aura around Aditya from the intuition developed from all these years of fighting.


    Though physically he was not different from before except for growing a few inches, his eyes told quite a different story of how much he had transformed in these past few months. She felt gratified as she wanted his younger brother to become exactly how he was now, but at the same time, her heart quivered when she imagined the pain that was required to make this change possible. She knew that one could not easily develop this kind of aura around them.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    She remembered how this child was the apple of the eye of the two families and after Maahi came, she also made this kid an important part of her life. Aditya had grown under the watchful and doting gazes of everyone around him which made him very softhearted and sensitive.


    It did not mean that he was pampered and spoiled. It was not possible to pamper him under the watchful eyes of his mother who took Aditya''s evolving perspective of life and society very seriously. Everyone liked him including his friends because Aditya, even when he was just a kid, possessed very high emotional intelligence. He could always accurately perceive the opposite person''s mood and act accordingly.


    This would have made him a successful member in a stable society but if Aditya did not change, Saira felt that he would face many challenges in ''this'' world and might even be wiped out in the coming chaotic times.


    This was the reason that Saira did not stop him from mingling in the underworld. She wanted him to meet as many people as possible who were from different backgrounds so that he could know the dark side of the society as well. She even convinced both her father and Maahi who wanted nothing but to catch Aditya and throw him in a school. But, soon, Saira noticed that Aditya was becoming a mystery even to her as the people whom she assigned to have him followed and protected said that Aditya would spend three days in a week closed up in his newly bought apartment.


    Adding to the fact that she had failed to capture the person who was targeting Aditya, Saira felt that it was time for having a good talk with Aditya. She felt that it was high time that Aditya knew about some things as he was capable of making his own decisions.


    Aditya felt at peace when he hugged his elder sister. She had been his role model since he had known the meaning of the term ''Role-model''. Saira was dutiful, responsible and had a mature way of thinking which outmatched her age. Aditya attributed this aspect of his elder sister to the fact that she had to spend a lot of time alone as her mother had deceased very early and her father was very busy in performing his police duties. This kept him very busy as everyone knew that this country was severely understaffed in regards to police.


    There were only 144 police personal for every 100,000 people. So if a police officer chose to be responsible to everyone who came asking for help, he would probably be the busiest person as this job was not your typical 9 am-5 pm job. Uncle Ramu was precisely this person, he would not tolerate any form of injustice in his purview and jurisdiction which forced him to sacrifice his family life.


    Though Saira elder sister started spending a lot of time in Aditya''s home since he was a kid, she was already more than ten years at that time. So, Saira was already accustomed to taking care of herself and doing most of her work without even the help of nannies.


    Aditya remembered that she was a very calm person and he would always feel secure when he was with her. Also, she was the only one who could keep elder sister Maahi in check. A child growing in this type of environment had an easy choice to start hating her father and the system but Saira was one of those rare kinds who not only blamed her father but, instead, started supporting him.


    By the age of fifteen, Saira was already the best performing member in the National Cadet Corps (NCC) (similar to American Cadet Alliance). At the same time, she was a topper in her class and was also able to do all the house chores by herself without the need of a maid. She would even cook lunch for her father as at that time Uncle Ramu was suffering from peptic ulcers. Uncle Ramu had a weak digestive system because of years of eating outside food as he was on duty most of the time, which ultimately culminated in all kinds of digestive disorders.


    The rest need not be explained, Saira went directly into the army from NCC and she never told anyone about her job in the military. Aditya only knew that she trained for a few years in Israel before she came back a year ago.

 94 - Call From Grandfather (2)

    "Elder Sister, your arm..." Aditya asked hesitatingly as he released Saira and looked at the calm face which had instilled a sense of security in his childhood. Aditya noticed that her elder sister who had lost her right arm in a mission somehow became whole again. He also noticed that Saira''s face looked a little pale with small indications of ageing cropping up on her peerless face.


    Saira had not married even under her father''s pressure. She had dedicated her life for her profession which did not allow any form of romantic relationships, let alone marriage. Saira also never had this type of romantic side to her as could be seen from her school and college life. But, Aditya''s heart constricted when he saw his elder sister skin losing its glow and they were signs of wrinkles on her forehead and corner of her eyes. His elder sister had always been an astounding beauty for as long as he could remember.


    "What happened to you, elder sister?" Aditya asked again.


    Saira shook her head as if she did not care. She raised her right arm and said, "if you want to gain some things, you have to lose some."


    She did not go into details as she said, "the reason I have come to meet you today was not to discuss me but to discuss your safety and future."


    Aditya looked in Saira''s eyes and knew that he would not get anything from her. But he had resolved himself to find out what was happening with his elder sister. Even, in the dream world, Saira had remained one-handed even until the completion of his college. The only thing that differed from the dream world and this world was ''that'' organization. Aditya felt that the timeline shifted whenever ''those'' people came in. So, Aditya was sure that Saira''s hand and ill complexion also had something to do with them.


    "What about my safety and future? And, who is he?" Aditya pointed at the unconscious person lying before him. His mouth was bleeding which explained the smell that Aditya sniffed.


    "Just someone who could be exchanged for a favour from Mossad if he was caught alive. This was possible thanks to you as this person was sent here to kill you," Saira said in a matter-of-fact way.


    "Who would want me dead?" Aditya asked perplexed when he heard his elder sister''s words. He ruled out ''them'' as they could have killed him easily given those superhuman abilities anytime, anywhere.


    "Apparently, more than one," Saira said as she smiled at Aditya.


    "You lost me," Aditya said as he shrugged and sat down. Saira was quite satisfied with the speed of Aditya''s recovery which clearly represented his mental strength.


    "Well do you know Narendra Ahuja, the chairman of the prestigious Ahuja group?" Saira asked as she looked at Aditya who was actually paying more attention to the unconscious person.


    "Yup, that old fogy who came out of his retirement to save his company as his only son died, right? I seem to have read about it in some newspaper." Aditya said as he began to touch this man in some places and examine his condition. Aditya wanted to note keenly the differences between a sleeping person, an unconscious person and a person who was actually pretending to be unconscious. It could be seen that the nerdy Tya was starting to rub off on Aditya.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "Well, he is your grandfather, so better show some respect," Saira said plainly.


    "Oh, grandfather¡­what?" Aditya turned to look at his elder sister to see if she was joking but clearly that wasn''t the case. Aditya''s eyes lit up as he realised and said, "You mean to say..."


    "Yes, he is aunt Nirmala''s father and the person who had died was your uncle. He was your mother''s younger brother."


    It took a moment for Aditya to let this information sink in. He had indeed read about the death of the only heir of the ''Ahuja Group'' three months back. His parents had gone missing by then. He never knew that his maternal grandfather was the owner of the ''Ahuja group''. This was quite a surprise to him.


    The only time he had heard his mother mention her father was when Maahi''s mother had died and his mother had to ask the help of her father to help Maahi. He knew that his mother was from an affluent family but did not try to delve any further as he was perfectly happy with his life and did not find the need to know about his maternal family. His mother had also never mentioned her family.


    But now, when Aditya heard the truth about his maternal family, he did not feel anything other than finally knowing whom to thank for helping elder sister Maahi. He did not have any intention of making any new relations with these long-forgotten relatives. He felt a little sorry that his mother''s younger brother had died.


    "What does my maternal family have to do with me been targeted by assassins?" Aditya asked as he resumed studying the fainted assassin. From the cannabis odour, yellow fingernails and red eyes, it was clear that this person was a drug addict.


    Saira was starting to become more impressed about Aditya as she observed his ability to adapt and take in such news. She also did not go a roundabout way and simply stated, "after your maternal uncle, who was the current chairman of ''Ahuja Group'', died in suspicious circumstances, your grandfather had to come out from retirement to save the company from falling into other hands. But your grandfather''s failing health does not permit him to work like before."


    Aditya felt a little weird when he heard Saira calling someone he did not know till today as his grandfather. He raised his head and asked, "Doesn''t my deceased uncle have any progeny?"


    "He has, not only one but two. Except, the daughter is 4 years old and the son is 10 years old." Saira said as she looked at Aditya.


    Aditya stopped for a second when he heard about his cousins, especially the daughter. Ever since Aditya was a child, he wanted a little sister that he could take care of, but all he got was two elder sisters who instead took care of him. Maybe he would meet her someday.


    "So, that makes me a viable option for taking the mantle from my gra...grandfather? And that somehow pissed a person or a group of people and now they want me dead." Aditya asked calmly as he got the gist of the conversation.


    Saira smiled as she ruffled Aditya untidy hair and said, "my little brother has become so cool, talking about people wanting him dead in such a natural tone. This elder sister seemed to have missed a crucial phase of your growth, I still remember when you used to cry to Maahi''s horror stories."


    Aditya blushed but luckily his skin tone did not give him away as he said, "well, whatever, I have no interest in meeting this grandfather of mine who was never interested in me in the first place and suddenly comes demanding me to become his pawn or puppet. I don''t owe him anything."


    Saira looked at Aditya with a twinkle in her eyes, "As a matter of fact, you might owe him a lot according to me."


    "Oh, how?"


    "Who do you think has made Reyansh Varma tremble at the mention of your name and give up all notions of revenge? Who do you think has helped your mafia boss Taarini get such a prestigious project of building an iconic tower in Bangalore? Who do you think is currently ensuring that safety of your love interest ''Hamsa''? Is that enough." Taarini stated one question after another as she looked at Aditya changing face with mild amusement.


    "..." Aditya did not speak for some time as he looked at his elder sister but shouted ''Sly old bastard'' in his mind.

 95 - Conditions and Experiment

    Aditya could imagine an old fogy sitting in a grand looking armchair with an antique design, in some palace like home, laughing evilly thinking how he trapped his grandson to work for him.


    "Why does he have to do all this? can''t he just simply come to me and say a sorry, that would be more acceptable than this mutual benefit relationship?" Aditya asked as he looked at his elder sister.


    "If it was that simple, you might have grown under his arm instead of not knowing who your maternal grandfather was," Saira replied. Even she did not know the full details but she had heard from her father that it something to do about Aditya''s father been humiliated by Aunt Nirmala''s father for his humble origins which angered Aunt Nirmala.


    Later, though Aditya''s maternal grandfather repented for his harsh words, he couldn''t bring himself to take the first step and apologise. Aunt Nirmala did not take a step back to compromise and this knot remained untied ever since. If that old person did not repent, he would not have helped Aunt Nirmala in dealing with Maahi''s father.


    So, one could understand why Narendra Ahuja went in such a roundabout way to get Aditya to owe him so that Aditya would be obliged to help him. Also, the fact remained that Aditya was currently in danger because of this blood relationship and Narendra Ahuja could not have anything happen to him after what happened with his son dying and his daughter missing.


    "What did he have to say about mother and father?" Aditya asked seriously. If Saira''s answer did not satisfy him, he would definitely not oblige even if that person was his grandfather. Aditya did not fear been targeted by assassins as long as they were not from ''that'' organization. He was confident in his abilities. As for the favours, he had multiple ways to repay each of them without having to oblige him. And, it was just a matter of time before Aditya earned as much as his grandfather.


    So, if Aditya did not have a small soft corner in his heart that these people were his blood relations, he would not be foolish enough to add this extra burden. One had to know that Aditya had designed a detailed plan for his future operations and this new task might force him to modify them, even delay them. So, if he had to convince himself of taking this step, it depends on what that old fogy had done for his parents after they went missing.


    Saira looked at Aditya for a while and took a deep breath as she pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and passed it to Aditya, "This was what your grandfather asked me to bring to you. He said that even he is powerless against ''those'' people and this was the only thing that he could manage."


    Aditya took that piece of paper to discover that there was an unknown mobile number written on it. Aditya''s fingers trembled slightly as his heart shook, he looked at his elder sister, "Is this..."


    Saira nodded as she said, "This is a chance to talk to your parents once. This was what your grandfather could get and he gave this chance to you instead of using it himself. Believe me when I said that it is not a simple feat to get this."


    Aditya gripped the paper tightly as his heart became chaotic. This was the most precious gift that he had ever received. His mother and father''s images flashed in his mind before he slept everyday. From the past few days, Aditya had started sleeping normally instead of sleeping in Tya''s world as he wanted to experience the dream world where his parents were with him. Every time he saw them in the dream world, he would question himself about what went wrong in the real world that the timeline has diverted.


    Though it was just a dream for Aditya, there were many mornings when he would wake up and hope that was real. Then again, he would urge himself to see the bright side, he had met Tya, got these abilities which gives him hope to rescue his parents, met Hamsa, Taarini and others. Though he told himself these, the constant fear and concern that he felt about his parent''s well being outshadowed everything sometimes.


    So, now that he was given a chance to talk to his parents, Aditya could not wait to call the number. But his elder sister poured cold water on his impulsive actions by saying that the number would become active a day later. Aditya calmed down, saved the number in his phone. Even though he had confidence in his abilities, he checked every number in the sequence like a normal person, repeatedly, so that no mistake was done. He also had Tya produce a copy in the quantum realm. He then securely folded that paper and put in his pocket.


    Saira looked at Aditya''s actions and sighed but did not interrupt him. Aditya took some time to calm down as he smiled at his elder sister who was looking at him with care, "So, what does my grandfather want me to do?"


    "He wants to publicly announce you as an ''heir apparent'' to the ''Ahuja Group''. He wants to take you into his household and have you trained accordingly," Saira said as she watched Aditya''s indifferent expression. She found it puzzling that a teen could be so indifferent to the promise of such a luxurious life. she did not know that it was not that Aditya was a saint who was enlightened but the fact was simply that he did not need his grandfather''s property to live such a life.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Aditya smiled bitterly as he said, "He wants me ''trained''? Looks like he has quite unrealistic expectations from me."


    "Well, you can''t expect to continue this life when he announces you to the world, right?" Saira said. It would be over the top if someone found out that the young master of the ''Ahuja Group'' was working in a garage as a mechanic, living such a simple life.


    Aditya also nodded as some things would not be able to remain the same. He pondered for a bit as he said, "I am okay with his condition. But I have some of mine."


    Saira nodded as she knew that Aditya might have reservations. She was happy as long as her little brother was safe as she knew that she wouldn''t be able to be there for him every time he is in danger.


    "I want this public announcement to be postponed by five months till I get into university." this was the most important condition for Aditya as five months was all he needed to get the engine rolling. After that, he would be able to incorporate the role of a young master into his plans smoothly. This would even speed up his previous plans which was good.


    Saira frowned a little when she heard this condition. But after pondering a bit, she nodded and said, "although your grandfather might fret a little, it should not be a problem. I can say that you want to live this free life for a while. Also, you could join a university in Mumbai as all the financial operations of the ''Ahuja Group'' are headquartered in Mumbai, which would make things convenient for both of you."


    "Mumbai," Aditya muttered a little but nodded as his plan wouldn''t be affected much by changing his base to the financial capital of India.


    "Anything else?"


    "Yes, I want full protection for each and every friend of mine and for their families also," Aditya did not want any of his friends been pulled into danger because of him. He had been already having some people doing this protection job since he smashed Reyansh''s face. He had seen many movies and read many novels to imagine how a typical villain like Reyansh would think and behave.


    He had felt that his notions were wrong as Reyansh did not make a move on him or his close ones in the past month. Only now, did he know that it was his grandfather who intervened. Now that his grandfather was eager to favour him, he might as well use the old man''s money and influence to get the best protection for his best buddies.


    "Anything else," Saira grinned when she heard this condition. This was so like Aditya to think this way.


    "Nothing, just make sure that Taarini''s project is supported fully and I mean financially, also in terms of infrastructure support etc," Aditya said as he looked at his elder sister.


    "Oh, did you know that it is your elder sister Maahi who is the main financier to Taarini''s project?" Saira asked Aditya.


    Aditya was a little shocked when he heard this as he did not know about it, even Taarini did not speak anything about it. He always had mixed feelings whenever he thought about elder sister Maahi. He wanted them to be like how he and Saira interacted but he knew that this elder sister Maahi had something else planned and he was too frightened to meet her.


    He had always adopted the idea of avoiding her until she found her beloved. That was what he had decided two years back and his idea remained unchanged even now. He felt that time will eventually change Maahi''s thoughts.


    "Did you also know that Maahi has changed her office headquarters from Mumbai to Bangalore two months ago?" Saira asked as she observed Aditya''s expression. She had always believed that Maahi would be a better elder sister to Aditya than her. She remembered how Maahi would always talk about Aditya and care for him in all aspects, unlike her who was more into her profession leaving her very less time for the family just like her father.


    So, her surprise could be imagined when she returned from her training and found out that these people had stopped interacting with each other. No one talked about what happened and this thing remained a puzzle for her ever since. Saira sighed as she saw Aditya''s passive expression and said, "It would be good if everything was the same as in the past, Aditya. It would be nice if we, ''the three siblings'', got together."


    Aditya smiled bitterly as he thought, ''three siblings? More like a couple and a sister/sister-in-law''. He shook his head as he turned towards the unconscious person and asked, "What about him?"


    Saira knew that Aditya did not want to talk about this matter as always. She also looked at the unconscious person and said, "He is an ''Apogee'' class assassin for ''Khzel'' organization, he is wanted by the Mossad for the assassination of an Israeli diplomat in Jordan. Any assassin who is ''Apogee'' class and above are usually privy to some crucial information about their organization. So, if Mossad could get him to open his mouth, then ''Khzel'' organization is finished for. As the country who had helped make this possible, it would be a diplomatic gain for us."


    Aditya''s eyes twinkled as he asked, "what if, you were to directly give the information of that ''Khzel'' organization without having to give this person, would it be better?"


    Saira thought for a while before nodding, "Yes, but it won''t make much of a difference except for portraying me as more competent, thus gaining me more weight in the unit which I work." She smiled as she looked at Aditya and said, "Why? Do you have a method to force open his mouth? I warn you, these people are not your average person and have a very high tolerance for pain & torture. Even for advanced organizations, it would usually take months before breaking these people''s resolve and heart bit by bit before extracting the required information."


    Aditya looked at the well-built person with glittering eyes as he had quite a few theories on torture developed in collaboration with Tya, which he had been wanting to test but couldn''t because of lack of test subjects. Now that there was a live lab rat delivered to his doorstep, his hands began to itch.


    "Can I have a chance, it won''t take too long, just 30 minutes and I guarantee that this fellow would be the same, almost," Aditya looked at his elder sister with a pleading expression.


    Saira''s eyes opened wide as she asked as if confirming that her ears were working, "you mean, you want to torture him."


    "yes" came a clear answer.


    Saira was once again reminded that her younger brother had changed a lot. Her eyes also sparkled with interest as she said, "Go on, I want to see what you plan to do."

 96 - Fail, but Pass

    "So, how do you know about Hamsa and what is it about grandfather having her protected?" Aditya asked as he took out a needle case. One could see different kinds of needles with different thicknesses and lengths. He took out a needle and dipped it in ethanol (normal alcohol, it functions as a sterilizing agent to prevent unwanted infections). After thinking a little, he held the arm of the ''subject''.


    Saira was more interested with what Aditya planned to do than having a conversation but still answered, "Well, it''s Maahi who had explained the relationship between the both of you to your grandfather, saying that she might even become his granddaughter-in-law. After hearing what happened between the two of you, your grandfather became even more excited than before and took the initiative to have her protected. Though I think it is unnecessary, given the fright Reyansh was given by your grandfather, still, it''s good to be safe just in case."


    Aditya who was studying the path of nerves in the subject''s hand while muttering words like ''radial nerve'', ''median nerve'' and ''Ulnar nerve''. The Ulnar nerve was the most unprotected nerve in the hand, hence the easiest to locate. When he heard elder sister Saira''s words, his hands paused as he thought, ''It''s elder sister Maahi again.''


    Saira looked at Aditya who held the arm of the assassin and positioned himself as if he was going to pierce him with the needle and asked, "What are the needles for? Is it like acupuncture?"


    "No elder sister," Aditya smiled as he explained, "these are just normal needles, not those which are used in acupuncture. Acupuncture needles are very thin, just three times thicker than a human hair. They are 0.27mm thick while my needles are at least 1.2 mm thick. I don''t intend to treat him, rather damage his nerves a little."


    Aditya''s right hand which was holding the needle suddenly blurred as he pierced the assassin''s right palm in five places in specific places. Small red spots could be seen on the palm which indicated the place but there was no blood flowing as Saira expected. A small clot could be seen forming already in these places.


    Not taking the actual effect into account, just this dexterity at which Aditya handled the needle was enough to impress Saira. She felt like she was seeing an experienced surgeon with a set of steady hands as Aditya changed to a different needle which was longer than the previous one and dipped in ethanol, then he started piercing the forearm area of the same hand.


    Saira was puzzled as the assassin was still unconscious. She asked, "should I wake him up, didn''t you say you wanted to torture him?"


    Aditya''s hands did not pause as he said, "Let him be like that as he doesn''t have to experience the unnecessary pain."


    "..." Saira blinked when she heard these words. She was tempted to knock Aditya''s head and ask, "Are you torturing him or treating him?"


    "So, did you see Hamsa?" Aditya asked as he changed to a longer needle and started penetrating the upper arm.


    "Yes, an innocent but a bright girl, she will definitely be bullied by you in the future. You have to know that such a girl is very rare in these times. You have to treasure her." Saira said as she observed Aditya''s skilful hand movements as she felt that it was an art. She had known Aditya since he was a kid, so she could tell that Hamsa would be easily handled by this fellow who had such a high emotional intelligence while she was an honest girl who couldn''t hide her feelings.


    Aditya smiled awkwardly but nodded when he heard his elder sister''s words. He took the longest needle in the stack as his next target was the spinal cord which is hidden and well protected by the spine (vertebral column).


    He physically supported the person and changed his sitting position so that the person''s back was exposed. He removed the person''s shirt. Aditya''s pupils shrunk a little when he noticed a lot of scars which indicated bullet wounds and knife scars on his bare upper body which was quite a visual impact to him.


    Aditya was once again reminded of his inadequacies by the reaction of his mind when he saw these things. Saira, on the other hand, did not even have a change in her breathing. It was clear that she had experienced similar things, maybe she herself had quite a few battle scars on her. He took a deep breath and bent the person forwards so that his spine would curve. In this position, the vertebrae in the spine would open up a little thus exposing the vulnerable spinal cord.


    Aditya pierced the needle in a 45-degree angle into the upper spine and took it out. The assassin''s body trembled involuntarily but Aditya had removed the needle by then. Piercing the spine was quite painful indeed but Aditya only targeted the nerve that came from the right arm accurately which was a medical feat all by itself.


    "Elder sister, did you get any news about ''that'' organization?" Aditya asked as he put away the needles and went towards a clean jar. He poured a little white powder and water used for injection and mixed them thoroughly.


    "Even if I have any information, why would I tell you? I am warning you, stay away from ''those'' people and concentrate on building a small influence for yourself to ensure your survival," Saira snapped as she rebuked Aditya. How could Aditya know the full extent of the terror that ''this'' organization caused in the hearts of the world leaders? Any thought of fighting this organization was akin to a suicidal tendency in Saira''s opinion. This was why she discouraged Aditya from even thinking about them.


    Aditya was depressed when he heard Saira''s words. It was better to try to get information from Uncle Ramu. His brows wrinkled slightly as he asked, "why do you want me to build a small influence if you don''t want me to even talk about that organization? It doesn''t make sense. Also, why are you, as a soldier of this country, encouraging anarchy by telling me to build influence when there is ''law and order'' in this country?"


    Saira struggled a little before making a decision as she said, "There might not be this law and order in the future."


    The jar in Aditya''s hand almost fell down as his hands shook when he heard his elder sister''s words. Those words contained a terrifying suggestion which Aditya was able to perceive in its entirety. This was the reason that his heart trembled when he heard these words. ''No law and order'' meant many things.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Aditya looked at his elder sister as he asked, "Can you elaborate, elder sister?"


    "Adi, have you killed anyone yet?" Saira asked as she looked at Aditya calmly.


    "No, why?" Aditya shook his head as he did not know why his elder sister was asking about it.


    Saira did not answer but replied coldly, "Just remember my previous words and act accordingly. I don''t want you asking about ''them'' again."


    Saira looked at the jar in Aditya''s hand and asked, "what is this white powder and water for?"


    Aditya gazed at his elder sister for a moment before shrugging and answering, "Elder sister, chilli peppers contain a chemical called capsaicin which is the main reason for the spicy taste. It can be extracted by using solvents like ethanol. Capsaicin can cause inflammation in our body tissues. This white powder is the capsaicin extract."


    Aditya took a syringe and sucked this clear solution into the tube. All these medical equipment was bought by him when he studied medical knowledge in the past month. As for capsaicin, he had already prepared his own exclusive torture set containing many chemicals that he had procured, some even illegally. Capsaicin was the simplest compound he had as he did not want to reveal a lot in front of elder sister Saira.


    Aditya began injecting this solution little by little into all the previous points where he had pierced with a needle. Even the syringe needle sizes changed according to the location of the body just like those normal needles. The amount injected was a very small amount and Aditya was sure it won''t be effective for more than 15 minutes.


    Aditya''s plan was to artificially induce a condition called ''Allodynia'' in this person. This was a condition where a person has an abnormally increased perception of pain. Normal things like touching do not cause pain but for these people, even a small wind breeze can be painful to bear. Aditya liked this concept when he studied about it and Tya had given some pointers about how to artificially create this condition in the human body.


    First, Aditya targeted a nerve in the subject''s hand and damaged it in multiple places all the way up to the spinal cord. Then he injected an inflammatory agent into the locations of nerve damage thus causing nerve inflammation which would make them hypersensitive.


    Now, according to the theory, Aditya had to take a small needle and just prick on the subject''s index finger to make him feel like he is been pierced by a thousand knives at once. Aditya and Tya both were quite confident in this theory. The advantage was that the inflammation was temporary and the nerve damage is repairable, for the most part. So the subject would not have any lasting injuries.


    Aditya explained this to his elder sister, as he took a small needle in his hand with a confident expression on his face. He was ready to commence the bloodless, torturing session when the person woke up. He wanted to show to his elder sister that he was not a small kid anymore. Just as he was thinking about these things, a blood-curdling scream broke his thoughts.


    AHHH!


    "KHNDRUM YEM INDZ SPANEL"


    Aditya was shocked at this unexpected outcome while Saira acted swiftly by stuffing a piece of cloth into the assassin''s mouth. Even though the sound was muffled, the assassin''s eyes became blood red as his body started thrashing around and his forehead started sweating profusely. Before long, his eyes rolled up as he fainted due to the pain. It was lucky that it already late in the night and the garage was in a commercial street where all the shops were closed at night and hardly anyone was around. Otherwise, people would have already crowded around his place.


    Aditya was still standing like a statue as he continued to blink his eyes with a wide open mouth as the thrashing figure of the assassin still lingered in his mind.


    Saira looked at the frozen Aditya''s face and found it rather cute as she patted his shoulder to help him calm down, "nice move, little brother, rather skilful but seems like you have overdone it. Don''t worry, I have always seen people who weren''t able to achieve the required result in the first attempt but you have overachieved. Just remember that the subject has to be conscious next time."


    Even with Saira''s reserved mentality, she couldn''t stop herself from smiling when he saw Aditya recover and put up an awkward expression. But she was happy to see Aditya''s becoming more and more competent. Making a trained ''Apogee'' class assassin beg to kill him (that was what the assassin cried out in his home tongue i.e. Armenian) was not something which is seen every day.


    Saira ruffled his hair affectionately as he said, "Elder sister would not be always with you to take care of you. You have to take care of yourself. Maybe the next time I see you, you would change even more. I am glad to see that you are working hard but don''t bother with ''that'' organization. I know that I have no right from stopping you to try to save uncle and aunt. But still, I am trying to stop you because," Saira hugged Aditya as she said, "you are my only little brother and I do not want anything bad to happen to you."


    Aditya also closed his eyes as he hugged Saira back as his heart calmed down. He knew his elder sister''s thoughts but he also knew he couldn''t follow her wishes. He released as he asked, "Is it time for you to leave the city?"


    Saira nodded, "the last sleeper cell (terrorists who mingle in the society doing normal activities until activated by their parent organization upon which they create mayhem by indiscriminate killing.) has almost been discovered. At most, I will stay for a few more days before reporting back to my base."


    Aditya nodded as he said, "Take care, elder sister." He knew that his elder sister would not stay with him for long as she first belonged to her nation.


    Saira patted Aditya''s shoulders as she grinned, "you might have to explain the noise if someone comes."


    "Don''t worry, I would just say that it was a malfunctioning sound system. How will you take this person away?" Aditya asked.


    "My subordinates are already downstairs."


    Both of them walked into the open area outside his penthouse as some men dressed in dark clothes carried the unconscious person away. Aditya felt a sliver of pity that he couldn''t impress his elder sister unaware of the fact that his elder sister was pretty amazed already.


    Aditya hesitated a little as he said, "Elder sister can I ask you something?"


    Saira looked at Aditya''s expression and knew that this was an expression he would usually have when he felt that she had to absolutely agree to his request.


    "Speak,"


    "I want a drop of your blood," Aditya gritted his teeth as he asked.


    Saira was stunned a little when she heard this request but did not think too much about it as she thought about Aditya''s medical prowess which he displayed just now. She teased, "have you become a vampire and now you want to drink your elder sister''s blood?" but she held her index finger just the same.


    Aditya shook his head as he looked earnestly into his elder sister''s eyes. He pricked her finger with a sterilized needle and took a drop of blood onto a glass slide. Saira''s doubts were confirmed when she saw the microscopic slide but she did not think too much about it.


    Later, after a little talk, both brother and sister said goodbye to each other as Aditya watched the vehicle going away.


    His hair moved, propelled by a tender breeze of the cold wind, as Aditya calmed his mind as he looked at the drop of blood on the slide. He had deliberately displayed the slide to divert his elder sister''s attention. Aditya clenched his fist as what he was about to do made him feel weird. Aditya took a deep breath as held the slide near his mouth and licked the drop of blood with his tongue.


    "Tya, analyse. I want to know what is wrong with my elder sister''s body."

 97 - Preparations

    Aditya sprayed paint on the car while wearing a vapour mask as Chakri helped dry the paint on the other side. Aditya wanted to modify his car ¡­ cough ¡­ Faizal''s Jeep wrangler a little as he felt the black colour was a little too ''plain''. So he thought of adding a little extra colour. He did not go for any vibrant colours and extravagant designs. Just plain stripes of Dark blue colour and a small white line in between. It added a sporty yet elegant look to the Jeep.


    Today, Aditya wanted to relax his mind a little from all the exhaustion of last month. He had practically dismantled the entire Jeep''s engine in the name of ''servicing'', just for fun. Along the way, he also modified the cold air intakes and fuel injectors for better torque and mileage efficiency. He had also prepared a new software for the car''s computer with many added features. He had uploaded it into the car through the OBDI II port.


    It was very rare in the garage when a high end ''off the road'' vehicle like the Jeep Wrangler''s engine was dissected and displayed freely for examination. Even Uncle Ramlal was interested as he asked the other mechanics to utilize this rare opportunity. Chakri was first in the line as he helped Aditya in this ''operation'' while all the other mechanics were watching. They would discuss among themselves about how the ''Pentastar'' engine was different from others and the different ways of handling it. Aditya would also chime in enthusiastically as he skillfully took parts apart. What could you expect when a group of ''autophiles'' gathered around this metal beast? It was not much different how people watch a fashion parade.


    Uncle Ramlal was always doubtful of Aditya''s skill when it came to handling high-end cars as he was just 16 and this was the reason that he did not allow him to process luxury vehicles in the garage. But, after looking at how Aditya assembled the engine back to back and how the engine''s sound or the car''s efficiency was not only affected but had increased, he changed his opinion of Aditya as he liberally praised him in front of everyone and promised that he could handle any car in this garage from today onward. Aditya smiled when he got Uncle Ramlal''s recognition, he was always grateful towards Kranthi''s father who took him in without asking any questions just based on his relationship with his son and his knowledge of cars.


    But there was one person who was sitting dully as if he had been disillusioned about this life. It was none other than the actual car owner, Faizal. He had been sent by his big Sis (Taarini) to bring Aditya but not even in his dreams did he expect that this elder brother of his would be using his car to satisfy his ''mechanical'' urges. When he saw his dear car been taken out part by part and displayed to others, he felt his heart crack a little. After all the dismantling was done, he could no longer recognize his car. Although Aditya assembled the engine expertly, Faizal felt that it was no longer his car. Maybe he should just give this car to this elder brother and be done with it.


    Aditya finished the painting as he walked towards the dull figure of Faizal while wiping his hand with a rag as he smiled and said, "Faizal, how is my modification? it''s awesome, right?"


    Faizal looked at Aditya''s innocent, smiling face and did not speak as he could not get any good words to speak. It was his car, to begin with, the agreement was that his elder brother would borrow it sometimes. The agreement was based on the fact that he would give him the loan money. But not only did he not give the loan money, but he also started using this vehicle as his own.


    Now if Faizal wanted the car, it was he who had to ''borrow'' the car from Aditya and not the other way around. In addition to that, Aditya went ahead and made modifications to the car without any prior intimidation to him. Now, when he saw Aditya''s innocent expression as if he had done a great favour to Faizal made him think about all the unfair treatment he suffered since the day that big sis asked him to follow Aditya. He feared that the bike also would not remain his for long.


    The most depressing aspect of his life was that elder brother started schooling them about things like reading, writing and computer education. If there is anything more depressing than that, it would be that they were been taught alongside a 10-year-old kid. This kid was more educated then them and he became their senior apprentice brother and they had to ask him if they had any doubts.


    Also, the things that his elder brother has become capable of doing in the past few days were on an almost superhuman level which shocked him a lot. The admiration and awe he felt for Aditya''s martial prowess and shooting talent was replaced by terror. You might admire someone for his skills if you think these skills are humanly possible.


    But, when you see someone doing things which are not humanly possible, you do not feel admiration but fear and apprehension. As for the interrogation techniques with which his elder brother questioned the key followers of the Mumbai Mafia Alliance about what happened in Mumbai, the night when the whole mafia was wiped out, was almost nightmare level. If he could go back in time, he would request his big sis that he would be fine even if she threw him to the wolves but she should not assign him to this anomaly.


    Faizal put up a bright smile as he said, "Not only awesome, elder brother, this modification is terrific. I wanted to ask you to modify this car but couldn''t gather the courage."If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Aditya smiled as he patted Faizal''s shoulder as he said, "Not a problem, not a problem." how could he not know how Faizal was feeling truly. But, for some reason, Aditya enjoyed playing around with these four subordinates that Taarini gave him, especially Faizal. Aditya felt that his shocked expressions were particularly hilarious.


    He had marked these four people as his future key subordinates who could be entrusted with big responsibilities. That was the reason that he had spent most of his time as ''Aditya'', instructing them and training them. He had already started taking educational lessons to them along with Chintu (the ten-year-old son of a female street vendor that Aditya used to eat breakfast before Hamsa came.)


    Aditya had started eating food outside again since Hamsa went away and usually he would eat at Chintu''s place. Chintu''s mother requested him to help this kid in his studies for a few hours in a week. Aditya agreed because it was not much of a hassle for him and he liked this kid who was always full of energy. It was an amusing scene to watch a small ten-year-old kid lecturing four burly and muscular goons.


    "Did you bring a car?" Aditya asked Faizal as this Jeep wrangler had to be left alone for about 24 hours for perfect curing of the paint.


    Faizal put on a wronged expression as he said, "I thought that we could use this car and so I came by taxi. How would I know that you had other plans for this car today?"


    Actually, Aditya truly did not have such plans but, been busy with his passion was his way of controlling himself from making a call to his mother. Prior to the talk with Tya, Aditya had indeed planned to talk to his parents as soon as the number was activated, he did not think too much about this as he was occupied with thoughts of his parents. But Tya had suggested that it would be a waste to just use this call to talk to his parents when this call could be used to directly track their whereabouts.


    Tya was asked by Aditya to write an ''Artificial Intelligence'' (AI) program which was based on the ''soul particle'' and Tya had indeed made a breakthrough in this area. As long as Tya could create an artificial sentient program, Aditya was sure that it would become an asset worthy of clashing with ''that'' organization. So, if his parents could be tracked through this call, Aditya was ready to wait for a few months.


    If the AI creation was a crucial step, the question of hardware support was another crucial method in which Tya could play a little role. Aditya knew enough about these things to speculate that the costs for the hardware would be astronomical. So, he had to ramp up his game. Also, he had to make sure that ''those'' people do not get to know the large purchase of high-end computer hardware. Even if they knew, they shouldn''t be able to track the purchase back to him. So, it required the help of Taarini''s contacts, black money and even some foreign ''computer hardware manufacturing contacts'' who could provide the required semiconductors and other hardware.


    In short, it was a very big project which had to be done with the utmost secrecy. So, currently Aditya was focusing on the ''secrecy'' part as without guaranteeing that ''those'' people won''t be able to track him, Aditya was not ready to take the risk as it would not only endanger him but also his parents. So, if secrecy was not guaranteed, he would rather just waste the opportunity. So, that''s the reason that Aditya tried hard to divert his attention into other things as he could not talk to his parents anytime soon. It was a hard decision to make.


    Aditya bade goodbye to everyone and drove a spare car available in the garage along with Faizal as he made his way to Taarini''s place in the city.


    The other significant piece of news was that Tya had analysed the blood sample of his elder sister. Tya had discovered a chemical/drug in Saira''s blood which functioned as strength booster and a healing agent at the same time. Tya said that Saira''s body was under very high stress due to an unknown reason but Aditya could tell that it was most probably the right hand. The chemical that was in Saira''s blood helped her body cope with the stress. It made it possible for her to work like a normal human, in fact, better than a normal human.


    But there was a downside to this chemical, a side effect or an adverse effect. This chemical stimulated the human body in a way which siphoned away it''s potential. Tya said that the more the human cells divided, the more the length of telomeres (part of DNA) in a cell decreased which was basically the ageing process. But this chemical artificially stimulated an increase in the rate of cell divisions thus fastening the ageing process.


    According to Tya, one or two shots of this chemical was fine but prolonged shots would have a significant effect on Saira which was clearly visible as Aditya could see that Saira looked as if she was in her early thirties when she was in her late twenties. It pained Aditya to think how wrinkles and other ageing signs were starting to show on his elder sister''s beautiful face. He knew that she would not listen to his words if he tried to dissuade her just like how he wouldn''t listen to her when she told him to not try to save his parents.


    He had asked Tya about negating its effect and got an affirmative answer. Tya had told him that the next ability which was going to be ''Genetic Regulation'' could make it possible for Tya to make his body into a pharmaceutical factory where he would be able to make all the drugs and chemicals by manipulating his genes.


    At that time, it would be very easy for Tya to study the effects of new chemicals and think ways of altering their molecular structures to serve his purpose. This was only possible when the dark energy which was presently permeating his cells start to go deeper into the genes thus allowing Tya to break the human limits of his genome.


    But this ability was not easy as according to Tya, a lot of dark energy was required and even with the help of Hamsa''s soul particle, it would take many months, even a year, to complete it. Aditya could only hope that his elder sister''s body did not deteriorate to a point of no return until he could find a cure.


    He drove into a luxurious and rich neighbourhood where Taarini had asked him to come. As he was thinking about these issues and Faizal was brooding over his bleak future under this fiend, Aditya saw a girl, who was his first crush, standing beside a sports car as she chatted with a handsome boy who had a bright smile on his face as he looked at Anupama unblinkingly.


    No emotions rose in Aditya''s heart when he saw Anupama but his eyes flickered a little as he stopped the car and got out.

 98 - Anupamas Thoughts and Future (1)

    Anupama froze when she saw Aditya getting out of a normal car. She did not know why he had come but her heart was agitated a little when she saw him. This person had supported her in every aspect, in school, when she had newly joined. It would be false if Anupama said that she did not enjoy this feeling of being cared for and protected.


    Anupama knew that Adi did not like mathematics but he still joined the Olympiad team for her. She knew he did not share her interest in literature but he would also accompany her when she read the classics. Aditya was more interested in dance but he still accompanied her in singing lessons which she knew. She just basked in this feeling of been precious to someone and forgot the effort that the other party put in to make all this possible.


    Her immature mind was thrilled when she heard how a boy called Mayur was roughed up by Aditya when Mayur tried to just impress her. Anupama was delighted when she started feeling the care which she had craved for all these years. But everything went downhill when she started to know more about Aditya through him or others. She felt that Aditya was too reckless trying to pursue a career which had no clear path in India. Unless one had a lot of money, talent and training from a very early age, one couldn''t easily strive to become a professional formula racer.


    Anupama felt that Aditya was pursuing a highly unrealistic goal and would damage his future. A little consideration that she had for a future together with Aditya collapsed when she came to know about Aditya''s past affair with two girls in his tenth grade through some people. At that time, she had decided to bury whatever feelings that had sprouted in her heart forever. She had decided that if Aditya tries to propose to her, she would just reject him indirectly before the matter gets complicated.


    But things did not go as she had expected, Aditya''s parents suddenly went missing and he did not come to propose to her as he became preoccupied with concern for his parents. Anupama wanted to be there for him many times but she stopped herself as she feared that she would succumb to her feelings if she stayed close with Aditya. Also, she thought that Aditya might get the wrong idea and think that she was in love with him.


    But to her surprise, Aditya stopped everything he used to do for her since his parents went missing. It was like the worry for his parents'' safety completely overwhelmed his feelings for her. He started spending more time with his friends which caused a void to form in her heart. She missed those days when she was with Aditya, she felt a vacuum in her life whenever she saw him from a distance. These were the days when Anupama started to search for all kinds of reasons to stay away from Aditya. She would think about how he is not the perfect match for her, how he does not have any good qualities in him which are worthy of her recognition.


    But deep in her heart, she wanted nothing but Aditya to come to her for succour. She was pained to see him turn towards his friends for support but not towards her. She felt that she was a horrible being for failing to overcome her pride and supporting Aditya on her own initiative. All kinds of complicated thoughts made her very restless. The final shock came to her when she heard Aditya''s words about how he wished that she would find a person who makes her feel safe and secure.


    Aditya had clearly indicated that moment that he did not intend to pursue her anymore. That moment she felt like she had lost a precious opportunity in her life, all the sweet memories that she had shared with Aditya became bitter at once.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    When Anupama heard that Aditya''s elder sister had come to the school, she had hoped to establish good relations with her so that she could always know the well being of Aditya. But, before she could talk, his elder sister pierced her sensitive heart with sharp words about her parents. She did not expect even in her dreams that Aditya''s elder sister would possess such hostility towards her.


    When she had met him in Neela Palace, though she displayed indifference towards Aditya, she wanted him to come to her and give an explanation about his elder sister''s rude behaviour. She even expected that he would get back at his elder sister for her just like how Aditya dealt with Mayur. So, her shock could be imagined when Aditya also maintained indifference and did not even speak to her let alone giving an explanation. At that moment, she realised that Aditya now was not the person in her memories anymore. She became aware that it was she who was not able to move on and that Aditya had already turned on a new leaf.


    She felt a feeling of melancholy since then, even if she did not want, the memories of her and Aditya would haunt her during nights. After some time, she decided that she would find a boy who was perfect in all aspects and that she would show him to Aditya to make him realise where he was lacking and why he couldn''t get her. This was the only way that she could think of erasing Aditya''s mark from her heart.


    The boy who she was conversing with was Hitesh, the only heir to a jewellery business group. He was introduced by her mother as she felt that her daughter was having some issues. Hitesh was perfect in all aspects. He had a good background, had a clear goal in life. He was kind, handsome, nice to her, had similar views of life as her. Both of them were made for each other in all aspects.


    After meeting Hitesh in a few social gatherings, Anupama felt that he was a good person. But whenever she was with Hitesh, she couldn''t stop herself from comparing him with Aditya. Hitesh was well trained in social etiquette and knew how to handle himself in a group of eminent people, he knew how to treat a girl with elegance, like a gentleman. Aditya did not possess any of these qualities but Anupama knew that she was happier when she was with Aditya which both puzzled and haunted her. She tried hard to convince herself that it was just a matter of time.


    Today, Hitesh had asked her out and wanted to take her to a new food festival which was set up in the nearby cricket ground. She had complied but the car stopped on this road for some reason. Hitesh had tried to repair but failed. He then called for the service centre and both of them were waiting for the service personnel to come.


    Aditya got out of the car as he looked at the person beside Anupama, a coldness flashed in his eyes before disappearing. He smiled as he walked towards them. Anupama''s eyes gazed at Aditya''s face in a daze as it had been a long time since she saw him but the memories were still fresh in her heart. The other person looked at the reaction of Anupama and understood that she knew this person. He put on a welcoming smile on his face.


    "Hi Anupama, how come you are here?" Aditya asked as he smiled at Anupama. He could only hope that she had forgiven both him and his elder sister Maahi. From what he knew about Anupama, she was a girl with a refined mindset combined with a princess mentality. She usually did not have the characteristic of carrying grudges for long but he was not sure.


    Anupama looked as beautiful as he remembered her to be. She was still in her teens and an irresistible charm was already showing itself on her along with her rather tall figure and lily white complexion. The only difference was she had dyed her jet black hair with an Expresso brown base and caramel highlights which matched perfectly with her honey brown eyes. She wore a peach-coloured top with keyhole neck along with a pair of casual jeans.


    Just as Aditya hoped, Anupama smiled when she saw Aditya after so long. The grievance from before did not feel that important anymore. She said, "Long time no see, Adi. This is Hitesh, a friend who I made recently."

 99 - Anupamas Thoughts and Future (2)

    Aditya nodded as he smiled politely at Hitesh who wore a navy blue denim shirt with a mandarin collar and pair of white pants. He was quite handsome and his physique was a lot better than Aditya''s. Hitesh took the initiative to shake hands and Aditya obliged while his eyes twinkled a little.


    Anupama continued, "We were planning to go to the ''Bangalore Food Fete'' which is been held at a nearby cricket grounds but Hitesh''s car broke down so we are waiting for the service personnel as well as another car to pick us up. My home is near this place, so it is not a big problem."


    Though Anupama did not have any idea of been with Aditya, it was true that Aditya was the closest person to her heart. So even if she thought of Hitesh as perfect, the feeling she had with Aditya could not be replicated. Anupama turned towards Hitesh as she introduced Aditya to him as a friend from her previous school.


    Aditya nodded as he looked at the Benz E class car but did not offer to repair as he was more interested in keeping Anupama here rather than repairing the car and sending her away. He inserted his hands in his pocket to type a message in his 1000 bugs (14 USD) basic mobile, which he sent to Taarini while he conversed with Anupama and Hitesh.


    Now that Aditya had to stall for some time, he offered to check the car to see if he could spot any problems. A small smile appeared on Aditya''s face before vanishing. He could easily tell that the car''s spark plug had been tampered with but he just looked here and there before confessing that he could not find any fault. Aditya observed Hitesh, who was a little tense, relax when he could not find the fault. This explained a lot of things to him.


    It had to be said that Faizal, who had been silent all along, was the most shocked when he heard Aditya say that he couldn''t find the cause of the repair. He immediately guessed that his elder brother was plotting something. As if confirming his suspicions, the gate of the adjacent large dwelling opened automatically as a Hummer drove out of it.


    The Hummer was a metallic black in colour and it''s sheer size induced awe when people saw it. Even Anupama, who did not share Aditya''s passion for cars, paused for a while when she saw its giant body. To their surprise, the Hummer stopped near them as a tall beautiful, mature woman got down from the driver''s seat.


    Taarini looked stunning today as she wore teal and green printed Kurta with a round neck and flared hem along with a pair of red leggings. She left her jet black hair loose and styled it into long layers in contrast to her usual ponytail. It was as if stars were shimmering in her eyes which made them look like an art masterpiece. A rare feminine charm emanated from her because of the women''s ethnic wear. But all her feminine aura was shadowed by the dominating aura of the vehicle which she drove. This combination impressed Aditya while Anupama was shocked both at the woman''s beauty and charm.


    Taarini looked at the four of them with a cold gaze but when she spotted Aditya, her cold expression softened a little as she walked towards them.


    The first thing that impressed Anupama about this woman was her cold demeanour. It was as if she was a queen who looked down on all beings and that nothing was worth her complete attention. Her facial expression, her body posture, her gait, everything supplemented this feeling. It made one feel flattered if such a person actually paid attention to you. Anupama''s eyes sparkled as she wanted to become as strong as this woman. She was truly inspired by the impression Taarini made on her heart. She felt Taarini looked a little familiar but could not remember accurately.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Aditya also smiled at Taarini as he introduced, "Taarini, this was my classmate from my previous school Anupama and this is her friend Hitesh."


    Aditya then turned towards Anupama as he said, "Anupama, this is Taarini, a new friend that I made. You did not have the chance to meet her in ''Neela Palace'' but she was also invited."


    Anupama smiled as she shook hands with Taarini while Taarini maintained the same indifferent gaze. Anupama did not care about this. Taarini did not even bother to shake hands with Hitesh who could only take his hand back awkwardly. She looked at Aditya as she said, "weren''t we planning to go to the food festival, what delayed you?"


    Anupama''s eyes lit up when she heard these words, "Adi, why didn''t you tell me that you were also planning on going to the food festival. Taarini, if you don''t mind we could go together."


    Taarini glanced at Aditya once before nodding as she said, "Let us go in my car, then. Faizal, you are no longer needed here." Faizal nodded as he took the car keys from Aditya and drove away.


    Taarini looked at Aditya as she said, "As we are all going to the same venue, why don''t we go in my vehicle." she looked at Aditya as she said, "you drive the car."


    Everyone agreed to her proposition and got on the vehicle as Aditya drove towards the venue. He looked at Anupama who was chatting happily with Hitesh as he thought, ''Anupama, I will try my level best to help you make the right decision this time.''


    Actually, Aditya couldn''t care less if Anupama fell in love with other man but his knowledge of the Anupama''s future stopped him from ignoring her. The past month, he had been sleeping normally instead of in Tya''s world which caused the dreamworld to continue moving forward again.


    The other ''Aditya'' in the dream world had finally become a professional Formula racer in 2023 when he was 23 years old. After completing his first race in the German Grand Prix, the first one he thought of speaking was Anupama when he remembered how he was rejected by her based on her notion that he would not be able to achieve his goal.


    He wanted to tell her that she was wrong. So, when he contacted Bhadra who had become a real estate businessman like his father and wanted a contact number of Anupama, Bhadra gave him a piece of grave news.


    Anupama had married a man called ''Hitesh'' and had truly loved him deeply. But the reality was that Hitesh wanted to use her mother''s background to get into politics and her father''s property. He was not the least bit interested in Anupama. Though he looked like an ideal husband to the outside world, she was completely ignored by him after a year of marriage as he started to maintain many mistresses. This had caused her already fragile mind to collapse as her whole expectations of a beautiful life were smashed to smithereens.


    Later, Anupama had become a drug addict which further deteriorated her mental health. So, when Aditya had called Bhadra, Anupama was currently forcibly kept in a psychiatric hospital in the US for treatment but things were not optimistic for her. This had shaken Aditya to his core when he heard this news and had immediately gone to meet her.


    Aditya did not expect to see a delirious Anupama with dishevelled hair as she cried for drugs. Her once beautiful face was full of nail scars, her eyes were bloodshot as she wreathed on the bed to which she was bound. His heart felt like it was pierced by nails when he saw his first crush, whom he had looked up to like a goddess, become like this.


    When Anupama saw him, she froze after which she cried, "Adi, I made a mistake, I made a mistake, I made a mistake..." she just repeated those words but refused to respond to Aditya''s words. This could be said as the first big shock that Aditya had ever suffered in his otherwise smooth life.


    The cries of Anupama in the dreamworld still rang in Aditya''s heart as he looked at Hitesh''s reflection in the rear view with a cold gaze. Now that he knew what was gonna happen, there was no way he was going to ignore it.

 100 - Red Colour And Metallic Odour

    "Adi, why aren''t you even able to burst a single bubble, I never knew your accuracy was so low," Anupama pouted her lips in dissatisfaction as she saw Aditya who was throwing darts miss a bubble again.


    Aditya shrugged as he smiled apologetically at Anupama but when he saw Taarini icy gaze, he averted his eyes as it was too awkward, acting in front of Taarini. Taarini was one of the few who almost everything about Aditya''s abilities except ''Camouflaging''.


    It was not that Aditya did not have an interest in portraying his skills but he had decided to deliberately be ''normal'' as long as he was ''Aditya''. He left his supernatural abilities for his other two identities ''Ishaan'' and ''Rudra''. This was his way of segregating these identities from him. If not for his relationship with Taarini, he wanted nothing more but to remain as a normal garage mechanic. He had reduced his underworld activities significantly in the last month according to his plan as if he was going back to being a normal citizen of the country.


    Taarini knew Aditya''s background and that he had other plans, hence she also reduced assigning any works like intimidation, gang busting and other jobs to him. She was surprised that Aditya would have made a friend who was a genius hacker and that person had turned out to be a big turning point in their gang wars. The last month had been particularly eventful.


    Aditya''s friend was proficient in creating various kinds of sophisticated malware with which he could easily hack into people''s mobiles through messages, missed calls or WiFi sharing. That malware was just like a virus which spread from the lowest tier gang members to the top rapidly like wildfire. Since that person started helping her, all the painful interrogation of opposite gang members to know their activities and plans was not necessary anymore.


    Taarini could just have some people with some laptops, assigned to see and hear their enemy''s conversations as the malware took control of the camera, audio recorder, messaging, video calls and other functions of the mobile it spread into. So all those ferocious mafia leaders from Mumbai suddenly became artists performing a play in front of Taarini with all their sinister plots becoming spoiler alerts.


    Never before did Taarini feel the terrific potential of modern advancements more than the past few days where she experienced how vulnerable everyone was to someone who had the right tools in hand. She did not know that the person who had impressed her with these skills was someone who was very talented even in the eyes of an elite member of US Cyber Command like Harry. So it was not surprising that Taarini''s view of modern advancements was upturned by this person''s achievements.


    She was also very grateful for this person as, if not for his help, the orphans that she had sent to a distant, unknown village would have been killed by the Mumbai Mafia Alliance in an act of revenge against her. Because of this early information, she was able to take necessary actions and have those bastards who targeted these orphans killed by her followers in cold blood. This retaliation caused a fissure to appear among these mafia leaders as each started doubting the others of leaking this news to Taarini.


    Also, today''s night was going to be the last nail in the coffin for these people. Kasim (head of the Mumbai Mafia Alliance), Elder Gani and Flaming Tiger were meeting in a remote resort away from the city''s jurisdiction to plan a final assault on her. These people were only bringing there most trusted people along with them as they had started suspecting even most of their own followers of being in cahoots with Taarini. No one had suspected that the harmless, expensive, glittering mobile phones in their hands and pockets are the ones which were truly corrupted.


    These people were from the 1990s and 2000s era with minimum knowledge of smartphones and mobile operating system functions. The most that they could do was have their phone protected by security software which is usually enough for their purposes but when Aditya writes a malware, it''s not something that this software can prevent. In a way, Aditya''s work represented the epitome of human genius if you still consider Aditya as a human.


    Though Taarini had her doubts about this friend of Aditya who was as much of an anomaly as he was, she did not dig deeper. She still remembered how an unknown young boy had come into her life since the day that he saved her from Flaming Tiger by just throwing stones and how he asked her to introduce him to the underworld. This boy had slowly but steadily become an indivisible part of her life, Taarini''s icy expression softened as she looked at Aditya who was taking Hitesh''s mobile number.


    "Hitesh, I will give you a missed call so that we can stay in contact with each other," Aditya smiled as he called Hitesh but did not cut the call. Aditya had two phones with him, one was a basic mobile and the other was a smartphone. The moment Hitesh cut the call was like admitting a trojan horse into his phone. So when Aditya sent a message which was like a ''key'', Hitesh''s phone accepted it without even notifying him. The moment the ''key'' entered it automatically started the download of the actual malware without Hitesh''s knowledge.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The malware did not have any high requirements or data size and so Hitesh''s mobile was corrupted in a matter of seconds. This was not the end as Hitesh''s phone made a call to his father and the same process was going to repeat. From his father''s mobile to the WiFi router, router to all the devices connected to it. If his father was at his home and his laptop was connected to the router, it would make things easier. It was just a matter of time before the malware corrupts his father''s jewellery company''s data servers and all the dark secrets of Hitesh, as well as his family, would be laid down for Aditya''s picking.


    "Adi, come let''s go eat something," Anupama seemed to have forgotten her thoughts about Aditya as if she had returned to the time when they used to be closer than normal friends. This behaviour of her''s prompted Aditya to speculate that if he had not gone to Europe with his parents and continued his contact with Anupama, maybe after a few years, when her mentality had matured a little, leaving behind the ''I am a princess in a high tower waiting for a handsome prince to come to save me'' type of unrealistic expectations, maybe they both would have come together in the end.


    This was a question whose answer could never be known but one thing was sure. He, Aditya, was going to beat the shit out of Hitesh and his family today. Though Aditya knew that he had to prevent Anupama from making the same mistake, he did not know when this Hitesh would enter her life which left him in a fix. But, he did not think that he would meet him so quickly.


    As Aditya was thinking about these things while eating candy floss, Taarini reached her hand out and wipe a piece of candy floss stuck to the corner of his mouth. Aditya smiled at Taarini and continued fiddling with his smartphone. Anupama froze when she saw this action, she felt a little uncomfortable in her heart. Taarini ignored Anupama''s penetrating gaze as she looked around the food festival with mild interest.


    Anupama seemed to have forgotten that she had come with Hitesh as walked beside Aditya as she whispered, "Adi, what''s with you and this elder sister?"


    Aditya''s eyes lit up when he heard these words as he smiled teasingly, "Can''t you understand this much? Anupama, you are very simple minded."


    Anupama''s eyes and mouth opened wide as she looked at both Aditya and Taarini, "you mean ''that''?"


    Aditya nodded affirmatively. He was more interested in observing Anupama''s reaction rather than being honest. Taarini heard this conversation but only glanced at Aditya once and even gave a small smile for the first time which shocked even Aditya. This smile confirmed Anupama''s doubts as she asked, "But¡­ but she looks much older than you."


    Aditya put up an expression like a great lover as he said in a tone of a philosopher, "age is but a number, if we don''t let it come between us, it won''t."


    Anupama stopped in her tracks as she muttered these words, "Age is but a number, if we don''t let it come between us, it won''t." Even Taarini stopped as she looked at Aditya for a moment before turning her attention back to the food stalls. Hitesh had a mocking expression on his face but no one cared about what he thought.


    Everyone sat on around a plastic table as Aditya offered to bring some Indian street savoury snacks. Taarini also followed him on her own initiative. The cool wind breezed across his face as his mind relaxed. Aditya felt quite happy today that he was able to remove this future calamity for Anupama. He did not think that the opportunity would present itself so quickly. This also strengthened Aditya''s resolve to observe the ''dreamworld'' more closely as he wanted to see if they were any other calamities or missed opportunities in the future.


    "So, what is the plan?" Aditya asked as he ordered for some plates of Aloo chaat, Pakora and Ragda (popular Indian street food varieties)


    "Nothing much, we go, finish them and come back, if everything goes well, it won''t take more than an hour," Taarini said as she helped carry some dishes for Aditya.


    "Oh," Aditya nodded as he paid and carried the rest.


    "I want you to come with us tonight," Taarini said as she looked into Aditya''s eyes.


    Aditya struggled a little when he heard Taarini''s words. He knew that he had started to unconsciously avoid been in scenes where people were killed. He just couldn''t bring himself to take a life even if that person deserved it. But when he remembered his elder sister Saira hint a chaotic future and how she questioned if he had killed anyone before, Aditya''s eyes became firm as he said, "even though I might not do anything substantial by being there, I will come."


    Taarini smiled when she saw him agree. Actually, she never had the idea of forcing Aditya but she had met both Maahi and Saira without Aditya''s knowledge. The conversation she made with both of them totally changed her plans. Prior to the conversation, Taarini had planned to withdraw from the mafia and to not bother herself with the underworld anymore. But now, she had to make new plans.


    This was the reason that she had decided to ruthlessly kill the leaders of every gang which targeted her. She could not take chances with her people''s safety. The moment they targeted the children, she had decided that she would eliminate them with zero compromises. As for dragging Aditya along, Taarini had her reasons.


    ''Peace will be a luxury affordable only to those who are prepared to dab their hands in blood. So if one wants to live through these times, you better start been accustomed to the red colour and metallic odour.'' this was what Taarini heard Saira speak and no one could understand the depth of the meaning behind those words more than Taarini who had grown up hugging a brother who used to come with bleeding wounds and blood stains on his clothes.


    Aditya smiled as he said, "Well before going there, let me have some fun at least." he looked at Hitesh who was trying to strike a conversation with Anupama but couldn''t succeed as Anupama had lowered her head and was in a daze.

 101 - Easy Revenge

    There is no fire like passion,


    there is no shark like hatred.? ? ?


    There is no snare like folly,


    there is no torrent like greed.? ? ?


    Aditya had already broken into Hitesh''s father''s company server with his smartphone and was surprised to find the rot that was built up and hidden under the company''s glorious image. Hitesh''s father was involved in smuggling ''Dirty diamonds'' of Africa which in turn fund rebel (terror) groups and push children into a path of bloody carnage. He also diverted 1100 crore INR (165 million USD) through huge amounts of gold illegally.


    In addition to that, their family was involved with money laundering, over-evaluation of assets, unrealistic loan credits and fund diversion. They were able to succeed in doing this using loopholes in the system and with the help of some corrupted government officials as well as greedy bank managers. Aditya was able to access this information with little effort. Aditya grinned to himself as he shared the location of the illegal gold to Thomas and the remaining information to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. He could take this as repaying the government for stealing all the smuggled gold in the past few weeks using its intelligence services.


    In addition to that, there was a case of suicide of a former female employee due to harassment of Hitesh''s father in which he was acquitted due to lack of evidence but Aditya found some CCTV footage and call records which might be enough to reopen the case. He sent this information to whatever agencies of criminal investigations were out there on both state and central level. After seeing all this information, Aditya was reminded by his mother''s words when she taught him about Lord Buddha and so he hummed the sayings of Buddha along with a self-made tune.


    One should not think that this information was readily available in the server for Aditya to just copy them. These files were already deleted and the hard drives had been defragmented as well as formatted. But one had to know that no file can be permanently deleted from a hard drive and as long as one had the right retrieving tool, it was possible to recover these files. Unfortunately, though Hitesh''s father tried to remove this information, as long as the hard drive was connected to a computer, Aditya could retrieve all the relevant information.


    The only best way to make sure that your secrets stay hidden is to remove and destroy your hard drive. Any computer personnel would find it very expensive to afford the retrieving tool but Aditya had recently written his own version of retrieving tool for his exclusive use which made his job easy. Aditya did not think that Hitesh''s family would make it this easy to vent his feelings by digging their own grave by doing all this illegal stuff. It would have been a lot harder if they were genuine merchants. Even Aditya would have felt bad about himself if he had to make a whole family suffer for the ''future'' deeds of their progeny. But again, how could a seedling like Hitesh come from a good family.


    Aditya again experienced the surreal feeling as to how easily he was now able to influence a person''s life with his abilities. If Aditya did not have these abilities, even if he knew that Anupama was going to face a calamity in future, what could he do except warning her? Would she believe him or just think that he still had residual feelings towards her? If she fell in love with Hitesh again and wanted to marry him only, would he still try to force them apart? So, in a way, these abilities of his made this complicated issue into something that Aditya could accomplish in the time he took to eat some savoury snacks.


    "Aditya, what song is it?" Anupama who seemed to have regained her composure asked Aditya who was singing a quote of Lord Buddha in a soft voice with a relaxed expression.


    Aditya smiled as he looked at Anupama and shook his head as he ate a few mouthfuls of food. Hitesh was looking gloomily at Aditya as his plans for getting close to Anupama was spoiled by Aditya. He had planned to take a walk with Anupama on the pretext of his car been broken, he also deliberately delayed the repair personnel as well as the substitute car by giving the wrong directions.


    He had decided on a long term plan to slowly influence Anupama to make her succumb to him. He was even prepared to spend years to make this girl fall in his grip. It had to be said that the plan was truly vicious and had actually succeeded in the dream world. If not for Aditya''s intervention now, it might have succeeded here too. He did not expect that his plan would encounter an obstacle on the very first day.


    He could tell at one glance that Anupama had some feelings for Aditya from the way at how she looked at him and Taarini. He was totally ignored since Anupama saw Aditya. Hitesh was making plans to get this Aditya out of the way through force or coercion but did not realize that his future had just become very bleak in the matter of few minutes.


    Aditya discussed school matters with Anupama for some time about Bhadra, Kavya and Jatin. Anupama said that the new school was okay but she sorely missed Kapil sir''s way of teaching mathematics. She had asked him about coming back to school to which he stayed silent and she did not ask again except disappointment could be clearly seen in her eyes.


    Aditya said that as Anupama''s home was near Taarini''s place, he could drop her at her home while Hitesh could just f**k ...cough¡­ go back to his place. Anupama agreed readily while Hitesh could only agree grudgingly as he looked at Aditya coldly. He needed to find this person''s background before deciding on making a move. Aditya saw the look on Hitesh''s face but did not say anything. Just as they were going towards the exit, Tya''s ecstasy-filled scream was heard which stunned Aditya as he never heard Tya screaming like that.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Aditya wanted to slam his face to the wall when he heard the reason, he looked towards the side where a towering lollipop packed tree was designed. It was game where children could pluck any random lollipop of their choice and if the other end of lollipop had a particular colour, then you get some prize but if you do not get any colour, you only get the lollipop.


    The tree was surrounded by an army of 5 to 9-year-old kids who were screaming, laughing, giggling as they saw each kid come up and try his luck. Aditya was sure that if Tya was given a body, he would be one of these kids jumping and shouting trying to get the lollipops instead of the prize.


    Aditya''s face became black when he imagined himself waddling into this crowd of little monsters to fight for a lollipop with them. Aditya made all kinds of promises of buying loads and loads of lollipops for Tya after going home but all his requests fell on a deaf ear and Tya was about to uncover his strongest weapon i.e. crying.


    Aditya coughed lightly as he asked Anupama and Taarini to wait near the car as he had some work. But to add to his misery, Anupama wanted to wait for him here. Aditya could only grit his teeth as he pushed himself into the crowd filled with kids to get a chance to pull a lollipop. Anupama was shocked when she saw what Aditya was doing while Taarini''s icy expression revealed amusement, she did know that Aditya had a thing for lollipops.


    "Hey, look at that elder brother who also wants to play this game." a cute snot-faced girl shouted in a high pitch. She was wearing a pink princess dress while she held a lollipop in her mouth.


    " it''s not an elder brother, I am your elder brother," a boy who looked one or two years elder than the girl corrected her.


    "then, what should I call him?" the snot-faced girl asked adorably.


    "Uncle is the right word," the boy replied confidently.


    Aditya stumbled and almost fell down when he heard this conversation. He turned towards that pair as he said, "Call me elder brother," he was just 16 and he was already called uncle. But unfortunately, Aditya retort triggered a rebellion in this crowd.


    "Oye Uncle"


    "Big Uncle"


    "Thin Uncle"


    "Grandpa"


    Aditya felt a part of his lifespan vanishing as he heard these words. He quickly paid the fee and plucked a lollipop and was about to escape when the vendor who was in charge of this stall stopped him. Aditya, who wanted to escape quickly, had an urge to smash his fist into the vendor face who increased his suffering. But, the vendor smiled as he pointed at the pink paint at the end of the lollipop, "congratulations sir, you won a prize."


    Aditya was shocked as he said, "Did I?"


    "Yes, sir," the vendor did something that threw Aditya further into the mire. He took a cute, cuddly white teddy bear with a red bow-tie and stuffed it into Aditya''s hands.


    "Oh, look uncle won a cute teddy bear. What do you think he will do with it?" the snot-faced girl shouted excitedly.


    "Who knows? I heard that uncles nowadays have some weird habits," her brother answered with an experienced tone. Every kid looked at Aditya with fear and curiosity as if he would do something weird but interesting now in front of them.


    Aditya wanted nothing but to smack this kid''s face when he heard these words. His face became dark as he stared angrily at the vendor and escaped before he had to hear more outrageous things.


    "How are their parents able to handle these little devils, Tya is thousand times better then them," Aditya shook his head in a daze as he put the lollipop in his mouth and made his way back to Anupama and Taarini. Aditya pushed that teddy bear into Anupama''s hands as he said, "a small gift." This was his way of diverting Anupama before she asked him any embarrassing questions.


    The plan worked as Anupama was shocked as she looked at the teddy bear and Aditya before becoming silent. This time Anupama agreed to wait near the car along with Taarini when Aditya said he had another work to finish. Aditya wanted to vent his feelings and he already had an ideal candidate in his mind. Aditya bought a carnival mask in one of the stores. This mask was half white and half yellow with some elegant golden designs painted on it. He also bought a black cloak which covered his clothes.


    It was very dark near the corner of the car parking area where Hitesh''s car was parked. It was also planned by him as less light was a good excuse for a closer contact with Anupama. But all his plans were smashed with one person''s interference. He kicked the tire with frustration as he cursed Aditya in a low voice. He did not notice a cloaked figure coming towards him until he was right behind him.


    Hitesh jerked as he moved backwards, "Who are you?"


    Aditya did not waste time with words as he caught Hitesh''s neck like one would catch a duck''s and plunged his fist into his stomach with enough force to dislocate his inner organs from their original positions in the abdominal cavity. Blood spilt from his mouth as his eyes rolled up and fainted directly. Aditya was stunned that his long venting session was cut short as he did not expect that Hitesh was so weak. The truth was that Aditya''s body had strengthened a lot and he did not get a chance to compare notes with normal people which caused the slight miscalculation.


    Aditya was disappointed as he did not know what else to do when he saw the unconscious figure. He had to be content with removing Hitesh''s clothes and burning them so that whoever came to rescue him would see him in his birthday dress. Aditya felt that he was still been lenient when compared to the suffering Anupama had to go through in the dream world. But at least Anupama was safe now so he did not go too far otherwise he did get thoughts of taking a rod and ¡­ cough... but he refrained from doing so in the end.


    Aditya found the two beautiful women waiting for him, he did not give any explanations and started the car directly. All the three of them were calm as each person was immersed in their own thoughts. Aditya drove Anupama to her place first. Anupama held tightly to the teddy bear he gave her and walked into her home with her head lowered while Aditya and Taarini made their way to the resort. Tonight was going to be a long one. The underworld of Bangalore would have a new Empress when the sun rose the next day.

 102 - Wake-up Call

    ''What is the right thing to do when you are pitted against people who have no qualms about killing you and your close ones?''


    ''Is killing them by yourself, just because you possess the required capabilities, the ethical thing to do?''


    ''Does this agree with the way that I want to define myself?''


    These were the conflicting thoughts that ran in Aditya''s mind as his eyes seemed to have flames burning in them in the darkness as he looked at the horrific scene in front of him. The fire in his eyes was the reflection of the burning building in front of him whose flames reached tens of meters into the air while a dark smoke that emanated from the fire engulfed the stars in the sky. Aditya was sure that this smokescreen would be visible even if one was kilometres away from this area. Because it was a sparsely inhabited area as well as night time along with Taarini''s preparations, no one came to the site.


    Cries of despair filed Aditya''s ears as he looked at the building in flames and the people who were still pouring fuel onto it so that the flames spread faster. He felt that if there was a hell, it might resemble this scene. Munna had people surround the building and start shooting under his leadership before even Taarini came. He knew that Taarini would definitely take a soft stance if she was the one in charge. Also, Munna did not want Taarini to be forced to make the hard decisions and make her suffer if her indecisive attitude caused her own brothers to be killed.


    They had thought that the opposite party might put up one last fight but they did not imagine that the mafia leaders would just stay in the building refusing to come out. Munna had already prepared for it, he started burning the whole building from one end and have the flames spread towards the other so as to smoke out these people like how you force a snake to leave its anthill.


    In the beginning, the mafia leaders inside tried to stop from starting the fire but their efforts did not succeed and the fire started successfully. Once it started, the rest became easy as people truly started coming out as they couldn''t breathe inside. Each and everyone was taken down with no exception. Not even the working personnel were spared as Munna conjectured that the mafia leaders might disguise themselves as one for escaping or for launching surprise attacks. But these innocent people were utilized as human shields as these people attempted to escape but weren''t successful in the end.


    This was the kind of ruthless decisions that Taarini would struggle to take. But Munna was fine with this kind of collateral damage as long as his brothers were not put at risk trying to act humanely. He would rather be the devil. That was his way of upholding his promise to his elder brother Manu who wanted him to look after Taarini''s safety.


    Actually, such bloody gang wars were never before seen as usually things would get resolved through a show of strength and a little negotiation as no one wanted to just smash their heads against each other like brutes. But the times are changing and the future benefits of occupying the whole underworld of a metropolitan city in the future were something to die for.


    Munna had only known about this when he had participated in the discussion with Aditya''s elder sister and Little Miss. While he and Taarini got this news from Saira, the other gangs got this news from the Mumbai Mafia Alliance who was actually acting on the orders of their new boss in Mumbai. This was also the reason that Munna took this fight very seriously. He did not want to let a rat escape as it might cause never-ending trouble for them.


    Even if Taarini did not want to take any part in this fight and stay away from the underworld, Munna was not naive enough to think that a deeprooted power like Taarini''s would just be ignored by the opposite party, taking her word for it. It was not possible, so the only route was going forward and making sure that there was no second power in Bangalore which could match them.


    Munna did not even spare Kasi''s gang who was actually quite friendly with elder brother Manu. Kasi''s gang had been assimilated into their gang a few days ago.


    By the time that Taarini and Aditya had reached the location, the fire had reached the other end and most of the people were already killed. Especially, all the innocent people were among the first to be killed off. A freezing aura spread around Taarini when she saw this but she did not move. She glanced at Munna once but did not say anything as she watched the scene calmly while it was Aditya whose heart chilled when he saw this scene.


    He calmly took upon treating wounded people. He had some seriously wounded people sent to the hospital while small injuries or bullet wounds to limbs was first treated by him before being sent away.


    Though his hands were moving dexterously without any flaw, Aditya''s mind was filled with scenes of people been shot down or burnt and the cries filled with anguish echoed in his mind endlessly. At that moment he did not see mafia leaders who had lived the most luxurious lives with money earned by doing similar deeds, he just saw humans trying to live.


    No one was treated any different from the other in this bloodshed. Leaders, goons, innocent workers were killed just the same. Aditya noticed the coldness in Munna''s and Raghav''s gaze as they killed people and suddenly felt that after all these days of knowing them, this was their true nature which they kept hidden during normal times.


    Aditya was capable enough to take down all these people and stop this conflict forcefully but his heart was not sure of anything right now. His own mind split into two parts where the logical part stated reason after reason for how Munna was doing the right thing while the emotional part wanted nothing but to stop this carnage as it was unable to see any more pain.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    He did not know if the conflict in his heart was good or bad, so he turned his attention towards what he could do, healing. His heart convulsed when he remembered that it was his help that had actually made this scene possible. Did he have these people''s blood on his hands? The answer was affirmative.


    At some point, Taarini came and sat beside Aditya. She held Aditya''s hand as she muttered in a low voice, "you and me, we are outlaws, people who have the acquired abilities to be unbound by the system. We have made sure that the law can''t catch us. In this level, do you know what stops us from becoming cold and merciless monsters?" Taarini looked at Aditya with clear eyes.


    Aditya shook his head while he kept his head down. Taarini looked at the burning building as she said, "it''s our own conscience. That is the only scale we have that can keep us in check. But do you know how hard it is to maintain a clean conscience when you have this power? Most of such people fall in the way and turn into parasites of this society which are eventually eliminated automatically when they cross the ''bearing'' threshold of the society."


    Aditya raised his head to look at Taarini who continued, "we all have our own perspectives on life, on what is right and what is wrong from what we see, hear and read. But once you enter the real society, the boundaries between right and wrong start to blur slowly. You will find that people can not be segregated as good and bad people easily. You will find that humans are more complicated than that."


    " For example, when two countries go to war, both of them have opposite perspectives which are equally true to each of them. Rebels in one''s perspective are ''freedom fighters'' in others. You may think that the other side''s narrative is false and thrash, it may also be true but you cannot deny the fact that some people are ready to give up their lives based on this ''thrash'' perspective. We all know the popular perspective but never the actual truth because the absolute truth lies well hidden and no one has the time or the ability to dig deeper. Even if you feel that you think that you found the absolute truth, you will discover many people around you who feel like theirs is the absolute truth which would be very different from yours." Taarini spoke as she looked ahead.


    "So, the only way the people like us keep a clean conscience is by deciding on our own moral bottom line. In the end, you have to decide the threshold which you will never cross even if you have to die. My bottom line is to achieve a safe and secure life for me and my followers. I try to stay away from disturbing other people''s lives as much as possible but when I am forced by situations, I immediately choose the safety and well-being of my people over others without a second thought."


    "In the same way, elder brother Munna''s moral bottom line is my safety. As long as my safety is threatened, he does not mind becoming a devil to guarantee my safety. He wouldn''t even listen to my orders if these instructions run counter to his bottom line" Aditya looked at Taarini when he heard these words.


    Taarini turned and looked straight in his eyes with a gentle expression for the first time. Aditya felt a little clarity slowly dawning in his mind as he looked at her crystal gaze. She gave a beautiful smile and said, "So, I suggest that you figure out your perspective and moral bottom line on which you could guarantee that you will hold on to, no matter what. Because according to my opinion, you are in dire need of one. I can say with certainty that you have the highest potential to practically ignore the thoughts and compulsions of the society more than anyone I know."


    "You will find in the future that you are answerable to no authority. I know that you are too busy right now with thinking about saving your parents but have you ever thought about what happens when you save them. How are you going to use your abilities? What is the direction? What are the limitations?"


    Taarini patted Aditya''s hands a little as she said, "I know that you have been brought up imbibed with wonderful teachings from your parents. You have your heart in the right place. You might not believe when I say but it is very rare to find in this current society, especially, in the people who hold the true power in this world. But I feel that you are taking these characteristics of yours for granted. I want you to treasure this side of yours as it is very valuable in my eyes."


    Taarini''s eyes became stern as she warned, "If you don''t figure out your way quickly, the day will come when you will be forced to take a stand with no prior heads-up. And on that day, when you face a decision to kill or not to kill, whatever decision you take, a part of you will be split forever."


    "Killing is not done easily and, the psychological and moral costs of killing are high. If a person takes a life, even out of necessity, reconciling that action with one''s continuing moral goodness takes a great deal of psychological and moral effort. Killing someone without having to split yourself requires nerves of steel and a rock-steady consciousness."


    "So you have to question yourself whether you have the conviction to do the ugly job and if you don''t have it, you will fail to remain the same Aditya in the future. You will become someone who is alien to yourself and your closed ones. At that time, even if you manage to save your parents, they would not be able to recognize you anymore." These were the words that her elder brother had spoken to her when he had returned injured from the Kargil war. Taarini felt that Aditya needed to know these thoughts of her elder brother which had helped her in many crucial times.


    Aditya''s heart trembled when he heard these words. It was true that he had been avoiding this issue from the moment Taarini had asked him to kill a person (Rana), a month ago. He had consoled himself that somehow he would be automatically ready when the situation arose and avoided figuring out the hard questions, his inner conscience raised. He had buried them deep within his heart as he wanted to postpone this issue as long as possible.


    But today''s impact shattered this unrealistic fantasy. He realised that he was woefully unprepared to deal with this issue which threw him into a vortex of conflicting thoughts from which he could not escape. Taarini''s words was the required wake-up call for him as he realised the dangerous junction that he was in. He realised the dire consequence he would have faced if he had continued to ignore this critical issue. Aditya''s eyes lit up with resolve as he clenched his fists. He turned to face Taarini as he smiled at her and hugged her tightly.


    Taarini was stunned when Aditya hugged her but she did not avoid as she held him and patted his back gently. She whispered in his ear, "you may be feeling guilty as these deaths were only possible because of your help. It is true that you have a part in this but at the same time, you have saved my followers and your brothers from being killed by these people in the future and for that..." Taarini kissed him on his left cheek, "thank you."


    The faces of the core members became dark when they saw a brat taking advantage of their little miss while the new members were gritted their teeth. They were even more shocked when they saw their little miss kissing this brat.

 103 - The Other Side

    In some unknown location in the world,


    It was a bright morning and the atmosphere was cool while sunlight flooded this place which resembled a cafeteria but was a little different. Many young boys and girls came in as they laughed and excitedly conversed with each other. If one had to point out the most noticeable aspect about these people who ranged from 14 to 18 years in age, it would be that every boy and girl was handsome and elegant. Each of these kids could definitely make a living by the value of their physique and faces.


    You could find every race in these kids. There were Africans, Caucasians, Asians, Indians and many more races. One could find people of different nationalities here. They all conversed with each other in various languages as they held food trays and started picking from the food stall which displayed a wide range of cuisines. If one took the time to count, there would be more than 200 varieties from around twenty cuisines from all over the world. These kids all wore the same white clothes, watches and spectacles.


    You would think that this was just a cafeteria in a famous international school but if observed closely, you would start to see some things in this setting that are not supposed to exist in this day and age. There were many domestic robots which were doing chores of humans as they vacuumed, cleaned and handled the leftover food trays.


    Domestic robots were not new nowadays but these domestic robots were humanoid and they could perform sophisticated actions, similar to a normal human, quite easily. The efficiency with which these robots communicated with the students would make one feel as if one was hallucinating. One couldn''t find a difference between them and normal humans if they did not take the stiff expressions on their faces and the lack of life in their bland, glassy eyes into consideration.


    Also, they were no visual screens in the cafeteria like TVs, instead, a high-quality 3D hologram could be seen floating in the air which depicted details like the weather, news scrolling and class activities & their timings.


    ''Today is a good day for Surfing activities as the swell height is 7 ft and the swell period is 18 seconds. The west swell will be hitting the bay today, the off-shore wind speeds are very low and ideal for surfing.''


    An announcement in a mature female voice was heard along with 3D visuals of the beach and the waves was displayed. Some of the students got up excitedly as they stuffed some food in their mouth and made way for the exit after they heard this announcement while the others ignored it and continued with their gossiping.


    These people showed no surprise at this high level of technology which would make many jaws drop in the normal world. It was clear that these teens were accustomed to these things. They were other kinds of announcements about new biological or chemistry-related breakthroughs. Special seminars by some professors on these discoveries was open for bookings and the students just had to say that they were interested, for a slot to be booked. In a matter of minutes, all the slots were filled and the next announcements took over.


    "Miss, would you like another cup of Cappuccino?", a humanoid robot asked a Caucasian girl with natural ginger hair who looked like she was around fifteen years. An impatient expression could be seen on her face as if she was waiting for someone. She had an adorable round face with some baby fat which made her look cute and likeable to anyone who saw her. She had styled her hair into a Y-Dutch braid.


    "No, wait for some time." She replied as she waved her hand.


    "Okay, Miss, can I get you anything else?" the humanoid robot put a polite smiling expression which was quite stiff as it asked.


    "Sure, where is Elder sister Sameera? Why is she late today?" the girl asked the robot in an eager tone. She could know it if she had asked the same to her AI assistant but Catherine liked to converse with these humanoid robots as it felt like she was talking to a real human.


    The robot paused for a second before answering, "Ms Sameera had authenticated to share information regarding her, with Ms Catherine, up to class 3 priority list. Ms Sameera had went to meet the student representative of the ''Scarlet Group'' which has delayed her a little, she is currently on her way here, estimated time of arrival ¨C 3 minutes 19 seconds."


    "Who do we have here? Little Catherine is waiting for her elder sister," a handsome boy with a thin face said as he sat across the table without asking Catherine''s permission. He was followed by two boys and a girl who sat with him leaving no chair empty.


    The boy''s eyes were narrow as an evil aura permeated around him which scared Catherine. Fright could be seen on Catherine''s face as she stood up, she wanted to stay away from this gang. Also, there was no place for Elder sister Sameera to sit if she came.


    A smile appeared on the boy''s face but coldness flashed in his pupils as he said, "Sit down."This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "Bu...but Andrew, there is no place for Elder sister Sameera, you guys carry on," Catherine stuttered as she tried to reason. When she said the name Sameera, fear flashed in the eyes of Andrew''s followers but quickly became normal when they looked at Andrew. They were in the cafeteria after all and nothing to fear.


    The coldness in Andrew''s eyes increased as he said in the same tone, "Sit down." Catherine trembled as she sat down. The people following Andrew laughed mockingly when they saw Catherine''s apprehension.


    There was a reason that Andrew was picking on Catherine and the reason did not lie in her but with her elder sister Sameera. Before Sameera had joined this program, he was the elite, the prodigy of ''Cherry'' class of the ''Scarlet'' group but since Sameera joined, he had lost his popularity and had to be satisfied with being number two. He just couldn''t stomach it that a new entry like Sameera who was just an outside barbarian, would become everyone''s favourite in a matter of a few months.


    To make it worse, Sameera was not someone who could be subdued. Andrew had tried and failed miserably. She was proud, cold and meticulous. They were talks of promoting her to ''Vermillion'' group even before she reached 18 years and fully activated her ancestral genes. How could Andrew whose father was a key member of the ''Elysium'' branch of the organization accept this? He had been here for many years, since he was eleven, accepting an elite treatment and laurels among the executives for the genes he had activated. He was destined to become a key member of this organization when he became an adult.


    But here comes an outsider, a year ago, and stole his popularity, his merit, his fame. If his father did not warn him, Andrew would have already made a move on her. He would have at least crippled her genetic powers. It was quite easy with a vial containing 200mg of genetic scissors.


    A boy who was one of the followers of Andrew said flatteringly, "Boss, the increase in your strength has been never before seen in any of the students. Even Sameera cannot compare to your potential, it is just a question of time before you will leave Sameera in the dust. Your father is in the group of directors of Elysium and he is privy to some confidential knowledge about the plans that our parent organization has. Didn''t you say that your father said something about a new plan? Can you give away a little information to your loyal followers?"


    Andrew enjoyed these words as he looked at Catherine who had an indignant expression on her face when she heard these people trash talk about her elder sister. But she did not say anything as there was indeed some truth in these words. Andrew did have more potential to gain strength as the genetic powers, he had activated, were quite unique. But her elder sister was no pushover either. Frankly, Catherine''s genetic powers were quite common and passive. to add on to that, she was an orphan with no background to support her. This was the reason that no one cared about her, only Elder sister Sameera who had come a year ago took care of her and accompanied her.


    Andrew smiled a little when he heard these words as he said, "Father had said that the top five countries, in terms of military power, have started serious diplomatic negotiations and that they plan to take on our organization together. They seem to have become jittery about our organization''s capabilities even with the fact that they practically don''t know anything about us. It''s quite hilarious actually." Andrew laughed mockingly as disdain could be seen clearly in his eyes. The way he saw it, his organization was already capable of taking over the world, he did not understand what caused the delay. In what way could the outside world compare with them, they were just barbarians in his eyes.


    "So, what is our organization going to do?" the girl who followed Andrew asked as she looked at him with awe. Even Catherine picked up her ears when she heard this conversation. She was also interested in the outside world though she did not share Andrew''s views. She had heard some stories from her elder sister which further increased her curiosity.


    "Well, my father said that our organization had already sent a warning to cease these activities." Andrew scoffed as he placed a fried mushroom in his mouth.


    "And if they don''t stop?" an Asian boy asked eagerly. Andrew took his time as he slowly munched as the people around him waited with eager expressions. He gulped as he cleaned the corner of his mouth with a clean cloth as he said slowly, "They are planning on creating five acts of disturbances in these five countries respectively so that these countries would realise their foolishness in the face of our organization''s rise. It is no different from an ant trying to stop a juggernaut." Andrew said with pride in his eyes.


    Everyone here knew the name of the main organization but they refrained from uttering its name as they felt it would be disrespectful. It clearly signified the place that this organization occupied in their minds. He did not have to tell the nature of disturbances that the organization would make as the moment these people moved, it was not going to be any less than a ghastly act which will be branded in the minds of those barbarians forever.


    The people around Andrew jeered along with him, these individuals had grown in this environment from a tender age. They were already conditioned to possess an innate superior feeling over normal humans. They had been imprinted with the notion that they were born to rule this world and lead it in the future. Catherine winced when they heard these people talk as she did not share their enthusiasm. Andrew snorted with disdain when he saw Catherine''s reaction, these people with worthless powers were as bad as normal humans in his opinion. He did not understand why such people were still allowed to mingle with them.


    The more talented a person was, the more indoctrination he was subjected to. In that way, Catherine was spared from this influence which was the reason that she was able to accept Sameera more easily when compared to others who viewed her as a barbarian in the beginning. Sameera was only accepted when her genetic class was revealed to everyone.


    When these people were discussing what actions will be taken by the organization, a girl entered the cafeteria. She had a stunning figure which attracted many gazes as she walked calmly towards Catherine after spotting her. Her oval face, beautiful olive black eyes and ravishing dark hair gave off an ethereal aura and a mystical feeling.

 104- Warning

    Many people greeted her with bright smiling faces when they identified the person. She nodded slightly with an indifferent look on her face but no one felt offended. On the contrary, they were thrilled when they saw her nod towards them. Andrew''s face became frosty when he saw this. This treatment was supposed to be his.


    Catherine''s face lit up as she jumped from her seat and ran towards that girl who looked like she was a few years older than Catherine.


    "Elder sister Sameera, I have been waiting for you," Catherine started chatting cheerfully like a sparrow as she held onto Sameera. Sameera smiled for the first time as she looked at Catherine affectionately as she rubbed Catherine''s head and pulled her to sit at an empty table.


    "Sameera, why don''t you bless us with your presence today?" Andrew requested in a fake respectful tone as he looked at the girl.


    Sameera glanced at Andrew once before starting to talk with Catherine, she ignored him completely. Andrew snorted but did not say anything as he knew he would embarrass himself by going up against Sameera but he felt stifled by his inability. A cruel smile appeared on his face when he remembered the surprise he prepared for Sameera.


    "So, how were your classes?" Sameera smiled as she asked as she started setting the Catherine''s hairstyle as a few strands of hair had loosened. She also took out a pink bunny hair clip and fastened it to her blonde hair.


    "Wah! Elder sister is this the bunny hair clip you talked about?" Catherine''s face became red with excitement as Sameera nodded with a small smile. Catherine looked at her watch near as she said, "Jerry, activate mirror."


    A small fly sized disc was ejected from the interior of the watch which flew around Catherine. A red laser-like light illuminated from that disc as it scanned Catherine''s body. Pixels gathered to form a colourful 3D hologram of Catherine over the watch. Catherine magnified the image to concentrate on her face and hair. Her eyes revealed pure happiness when she saw the cute hair clip. She rotated her image, with her fingertips, in all directions to see how the clip looked good on her.


    It was not that these things were not found in ''Elysium'' but anything cute or adorable was looked down in this atmosphere. So, usually, no one would be interested to wear such things. Sameera designed this hair clip in a few minutes and made it with a 3D printer in a matter of seconds. This was her way of staying in touch with the ''real'' world otherwise she feared she would turn into something which was not her. This was also the main reason that she liked to hang out with Catherine who was the most ''normal'' girl she could find. As expected, Catherine liked this hair clip.


    "Thank you, elder sister," Catherine said after she calmed down from her excitement. Catherine was as bright and talkative as a chirping bird. Sameera doubted if it had anything to do with her modified genes as her powers were indeed related to birds.


    Sameera smiled as she said, "you did not tell me how were your classes." Catherine giggled as she said, "the same boring ''Genetic Coding'', ''Gene Regulation'', ''Mutation Models'' blah blah blah, sometimes I think I should just change my subjects and go for the technology-related studies." Catherine said with a vexed expression.


    "Well, it was you who opted for these subjects, right? What happened now?" Sameera asked as she drank some soup.


    "Well, I thought I would study these subjects so that I can change my powers but I did not imagine that these subjects would be so complicated. You, people, are learning military tactics which are so cool," Catherine pouted her lips as she played with a spoon.


    Sameera smile receded as she said sternly, "never think that way, with your personality, it is better you stayed away from fights. Also, you are just fifteen and you are already speaking of giving up. You have a long life ahead of you, do you know that people in the outside world can only live up to a hundred years? You have to plan your life carefully so that you won''t regret in the future. Who knows, maybe you will find a way to increase your powers in the future."


    Catherine listened earnestly and nodded at Sameera''s words. She was not serious when she said that she wanted to change her subjects.


    Sameera smiled when Catherine listened to her words as she said, "You don''t know what girls, at your age, study in the outside world. Life is so simple out there when compared to here. They would probably faint if they see this knowledge."


    Sameera remembered how Kumari and Aditya used to complain about the syllabus as they had no time to play. It was always Sameera who pushed them to study. She did not know how these fellows or her family members were dealing with her ''death'' news. She cherished the memories, she shared with everyone, all the more after she had come to this place where everybody is defined by their productive value and no real relations exist.


    "Sameera, how are you preparing for the task which was given to us last week?" Andrew asked as he came and sat opposite her.


    "None of your business," Sameera answered coolly as she continued drinking her soup. It was not that she did not give him respect but this mission was very important to her and so she kept her thoughts on it very close to her heart.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Andrew''s face froze when he heard these words but immediately sneered as he said, "Do you know the place I have chosen to complete this mission?"


    Sameera brows tightened as she looked at the sneer on Andrew''s face and had a bad premonition. She looked at Andrew with an icy gaze without speaking. Andrew did not expect Sameera to answer as he continued, "Bangalore, India."


    The spoon in Sameera''s hand slipped and fell in the bowl as a deadly silence ensued. Andrew''s followers and the people nearby suddenly felt their hair stand up as if they were in the presence of a desolate beast. Only Andrew who had a smug expression failed to sense the atmosphere as he said, "While I am at it, I might pay a visit to your family and friends. If you have any ''last'' message for them, I could pass it to them."


    This was not Andrew''s way of provoking her, he had truly decided to vent his anger on Sameera''s close ones as in his view they were just lowly species who would anyway die in a few years, it would be better if their deaths helped him to vent his anger. He might not be able to touch Sameera but those people had zero value in his eyes and frankly, he believed them to be no different from ants. But Andrew had clearly failed to notice the impact his words had on Sameera.


    Before Andrew could fully enjoy this moment, a slim hand covered in pitch dark scales, which were harder than metal, caught his right hand. Blood drained from Andrew''s face when he saw Sameera standing near him as her pupils slowly transformed into golden coloured slits. The voice which seemed to come straight from the depths of hell was heard saying, "you can come at me with everything you have and I would gladly fight with you. I won''t regret a bit even if I die in your hands or schemes. But as long as I am alive, don''t you dare mess with my people."


    Cold sweat streamed from Andrew''s head as he nodded vigourously. He did not expect to draw such a violent reaction from Sameera, he truly did not understand why one would care about those barbarians. The thing which shocked him the most was the partial body transformation that Sameera achieved so skillfully that even some adults in the ''Vermillion'' class could not achieve it. But this caused the hate and jealousy in Andrew''s heart to only increase. Though he agreed on the outside, he secretly decided to gift heads of her close ones to her.


    But this was not over yet, though Andrew acquiesced immediately, Sameera did not leave his hand as she said, "let me make this scene memorable to you so that you will never forget today. Also, let me make sure you can''t afford to go out in the coming month to complete the task. Andrew felt his heart constrict when he saw those golden slit pupils shrink into needles.


    Ahhh!


    A pain, which he had never experienced in his whole life, crashed into his mind as the hand covered in jet black coloured scales pulled his right hand forcefully. Andrew''s right hand was ripped apart from his shoulder with sheer strength while Andrew cried hysterically as he held his bleeding shoulder. this was not a normal show of strength as one had to know that Andrew was no not a normal human. He was an elite among elites who had his body modified multiple times to evolve his physique. But still, Sameera tore his hand away like pulling a small plant from the ground.


    Many gasps were heard when the surrounding people saw this scene as shudders ran through everyone''s spine and they retreated further away from Sameera. But surprisingly, the blood stopped almost immediately as Andrew ingested a few pills. A new layer formed over the wound and a small appendage started growing from that wound at a visible pace.


    People looked at awe at this rapid healing as they murmured, "No wonder, Andrew is an elite class with these high regenerative powers."


    "I heard that he activated genes related to the Planaria, is it true?" another person asked enthusiastically.


    "Leave that, did you see the control Sameera has over her transformation and that strength is off the charts," another person looked at Sameera with starry eyes. His spectacles was replaying the scene again and again as it clearly displayed the force applied by Sameera in mathematical terms accurately.


    "You don''t say. Activation of Mesozoic Era''s ancestral genes are not just for show, you know?" another girl rolled her eyes as she said but the respect in her eyes was no less than the earlier person.


    No one here was new to blood, even Catherine gasped but did not show any fear. There was only awe in her eyes as she looked at her elder sister.


    Sameera held Andrew''s torn hand near her mouth as a forked tongue came out of her mouth and licked the blood as she said, "I hope this is enough for you to stay away from your task and my people. If this is not enough, I want to see how you would regenerate if I cut your head and evaporate it with a laser. I don''t care if they turn me into a slave or even kill me after that."


    Andrew''s heart shuddered when he saw the madness in those slit pupils as he gulped and nodded again. He did not wait and scurried away before Sameera felt like tearing another limb off his body. Though it was a fact that he could regenerate, before his genes were completely activated, it would take him months to become whole again.


    A message was displayed on the inner side of her spectacles as a voice was heard, ''The director wants you to meet him right now."


    Sameera''s cold expression did not change as she threw that limb away and left the cafeteria. Her deed was not going to go unpunished but she was prepared for these consequences as long as her family and friends were untouched and safe. The humanoid robot came over and bend down to retrieve the hand with the same stiff smile which when combined with its action gave people a sort of eerie feeling which freaked them out.


    If Kumari or Aditya saw the scene in the cafeteria, Kumari would faint while Aditya would be stunned as the Sameera, they knew, was a gentle person with a soft nature who couldn''t stand the sight of someone getting hurt in front of her. This further goes on to prove the effect these genetic powers have on a person''s heart. Though Sameera became ruthless and cutthroat, her inner nature was not tarnished from the way she looks after Catherine or protects her close ones.


    Sameera came out of the cafeteria building as she made way for the large building filled with Greek architecture. The place ''Elysium'' was built fully in the lines of Ancient Doric and Ionic Greek architecture. Even the word ''Elysium'' was derived from Ancient Greek. The huge rectangular buildings were supported by huge columns in straight rows built with white marble completely. Humans looked like ants in front of these columns. These buildings were built using sophisticated geometry, architects included optical ''tricks'' such as thickening the lower parts of columns, thickening corner columns, and having columns ever so slightly lean inwards so that from a distance the building seemed perfectly straight and in harmony.


    "Kumari was a huge fan of Greek mythology, she would be thrilled if she saw this place. Don''t know if Adi and Kumkum are still in contact with each other?" Sameera sighed as she turned her eyes away and hastened her pace to the director''s office.

 105 - Pub

    "Boss, England has scored 350 runs, it will be hard for India to chase this score, looks like the first ODI match is lost," a bespectacled Abhiram said as he shouted at the huge screen excitedly along with other cricket fans in the pub. He turned to find that his boss who had closed his eyes as a beautiful, tall woman with divine curves was massaging his temples as he leaned on the couch. Abhiram couldn''t help but envy his boss. His boss was cool in all aspects, be it face value, godly physique, luck with women and it was better if Abhiram did not think about his boss''s professional skills. All these things made a person like Abhiram to give up any thoughts of being like his boss as he felt that his boss was an illegal child of the heavens.


    If his boss was not abnormal, how could he write the ''sixteen point algorithm'' for Web 3.0 project? How could he write the ''Camou 1.0'' program for supplementing Malware security application which had got him 2 million USD in the first instalment only for which they were currently celebrating in a pub? If he was not looked after by the ''Fortune goddess'', how could he win the favour of the two most beautiful flowers of this company. One of them was currently massaging him with a smile on her face while other was drinking wine like a fish as if there was no tomorrow. Abhiram had heard rumours that his boss had rejected Charita''s love proposal on grounds that he was already committed.


    Aditya opened his eyes lazily as he looked at Abhiram and said, "What is there to see, India is bound to win anyway."


    "No way, why are you so sure?" Abhiram looked at his boss with a shock when he saw his confidence. Chasing the score of 350 was not something seen every day.


    ''Because I know,'' Aditya thought as he rolled his eyes, leaned further into the couch and ignored Abhiram. Though Aditya liked to play basketball, like any other Indian he had inherited the fervour of watching and playing cricket. So, Aditya of the ''dream world'' would always follow matches of the Indian cricket team. When combined with his abnormal memory skills, Aditya could clearly remember each and every aspect of every match like every player scores, every bowler''s wickets, who gets bowled in which over. Actually, cricket matches were the most authentic way for Aditya to know that he was truly seeing the future though he knew that the timeline becomes messed up whenever ''that'' organization comes into the scene.


    But the disadvantage was that Aditya could not enjoy watching cricket anymore as he knew what was gonna happen anyway which frustrated him quite a bit. Aditya was very tired from writing programs continuously for two days taking a break only for sleep. Today, using the pretence of the huge paycheck he got, Aditya came out to relax as he felt that even with his body, he felt his fingertips become numb with all the high-speed typing. He had asked Tya to figure out a way to skip this typing part but no solution was in sight. The only good news was that Aditya did not need to go through a painful transformation of muscle growth to become Ishaan anymore.


    Tya had found a new oil-like substance which can change the size of his body. It was similar to the ''muscle enhancement oil'' that bodybuilders inject into their muscles to make them look bigger than their actual size. Aditya had to drink 1000ml of coconut oil along with some supplements and he could become Ishaan in a matter of five minutes without any pain. It was quite a breakthrough for him as this kind of easy transformation allowed him to be ''Ishaan'' for more time without affecting his routine instead of just appearing for three days in a week.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Though drinking a litre of oil was quite hard on his tongue, he could still bear it. Aditya had the mind of training Ishaan''s & Rudra''s subordinates for specific tasks in the future. By disappearing for four days in a week, he delayed this process as well as his plans. Now that he could turn into Ishaan or Rudra easily, he could at least take two hours in a day to interact with these people throughout the week.


    It was Fenny''s last day today as her pregnancy entered the eighth month and Aditya insisted that she did not come to the office. Fenny agreed and so this party served as a small farewell also. She sat beside Gagan and Kapil sir. These people did not drink and were eating some snacks as they watched the match.


    Aditya''s thoughts drifted into the dream world as he remembered about his last meeting with Anupama. Aditya had actually accompanied Anupama for a whole year to aid in her recovery and rehabilitation. The feelings he felt for her couldn''t be erased completely in the end and so he couldn''t just treat her like a nobody. Anupama recovered well under the treatment and her mental strength increased due to a combination of factors like Aditya''s moral support, meditation techniques and a healthy lifestyle.


    Even Aditya started accompanying her in meditation and both of them practised ''mindfulness'' for at least an hour a day which also helped Aditya deal with the stress from his racing. Anupama began to smile more often as she recovered. Aditya observed that she had become truly strong from this recovery.


    After a year when Anupama was about to leave, she smiled and said, "I know that you are having thoughts of asking me to stay with you forever but I see more sympathy, care and concern in you rather than that spark you used to have when you looked at me when we were in school. It was my immaturity and taking your care for granted that led me to miss a golden opportunity. But I know that those feelings of the past can''t be replicated, they can only remain in our hearts and cherished, which I will."


    Aditya smiled when he saw the calmness in Anupama''s eyes, he hugged her tightly for one last time and bid her farewell. Deep within his heart, he knew that Anupama had spoken the truth. He had moved on long ago except for some residual feelings he treasured because she was, after all, his first love.


    He had also decided to get back to his elder Maahi as he thought it was high time that they got together and figured out. He had thought of going to India after the British Grand Prix which was in a month from now. He felt a little guilty for dragging this matter for so long. Though Aditya and Maahi did not contact each other, both of them kept in touch indirectly through his parents. But he received no news about Maahi from the past month which made him realize how much unnecessary pain he and Maahi was subjecting themselves to. he was confident that if he and Maahi had an open conversation, many things could be figured out easily.


    "Boss, if you are so sure that India will win, why don''t we bet?" Abhiram broke Aditya''s train of thoughts which irked him. Aditya looked at the excited face of Abhiram as his thoughts rotated and a small evil smile surfaced on his face, "What''s the bet?"

 106 - Pub (2)

    "One month''s salary," Abhiram said as his eyes shined. In his opinion, there was an 80 per cent chance of him winning the bet.


    Aditya nodded as he said, "If you win I will give you not just a month but three months pay but if I win, you have to work wearing a frog costume for a week in our office." this was Abhiram''s punishment for disturbing his thoughts.


    Abhiram''s eyes popped when he heard the bet conditions which were clearly in his favour. He grinned widely and agreed immediately as he feared that his boss might withdraw. Aditya also smiled as he started imagining the fun he was going to have in the coming week. He was going to buy seven different frog costumes of his own choice. He would have Abhiram wear a different frog costume every day, it would be more fun.


    Just as Aditya was entertaining these evil thoughts, a slender figure fell on him and was about to slide on to the ground. Aditya sighed as he caught Charita from falling on the ground, he had been keeping an eye on her ever since she started drinking without restraint. This girl had taken his rejection close to her heart. In the beginning, Aditya was sure that she would recover quickly as it was just over a month that everything started. But clearly, Charita had exceeded his expectations by dragging it for these many days. Aditya did not think that a month could change a person''s heart in any substantial way like how he developed feeling for Anupama over a duration of a year. Aditya did not take into account that Charita was different from him.


    Jagvi''s smiling face also receded when she saw Charita''s drunken profile, she had already speculated that a person like Ishaan might already have a lover. So, when her boss let this news out, she was a little disappointed but felt nothing more but Charita who had filled her heart with her feelings for Ishaan did not take this well. Jagvi did not expect that her best friend who always stayed away from matters of love and romance in college would be so passionate when she truly pursued someone.


    Charita wore a sparkling grey lace knitted sheath dress with an attached lining and straight hem which came up to her knees. This dress had a cowl neckline and if Aditya wished to see anything that might ignite his blood, he just had to move his eyes downward just a little because this girl had practically fallen on him and was refusing to get up. She held Aditya''s collar as she muttered incoherently, "Why should you have a girlfriend? Am I not here? Why did you not wait for me?"


    ''Girl, if you don''t release me soon, I am going to lose it and you would definitely become my woman tonight,'' Aditya thought as he looked at the face of Charita whose cheeks had an alluring pink flush contrasting with her milky complexion. Fragrant sweat could be seen forming on her forehead which further weakened Aditya''s constraints as he inhaled. The atmosphere in this pub further added to get his blood boiling. Also, all his employees were either rascals who were eager to see some action or too polite and formal to interrupt this moment. Jagvi was looking at this scene as she was reminded about what happened between her and Ishaan in the elevator the other day as a small blush formed on her face. She had never felt so weak and out of control in her life.


    "Tya, do something, it''s happening again," Aditya shouted in his mind when he saw Charita bring her face so close to him that he could practically see the lines in her iris as well as her dilated, blurry pupils.


    "Elder brother Adi, didn''t I say that it is not good to suppress these actions forcefully as it might build stress in your mind. Your body and hers clearly show that they want to mate with each other. Why are you stopping yourself forcefully? Take my advice and do her," Tya spoke in his adorable voice except that there was no cuteness in the meaning of his words. Though Tya said like that, he stopped the ejection of male pheromones from Aditya''s body but did not stop his other reactions.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Aditya almost fainted when he heard these words. These were the moments that reminded Aditya that Tya was not a little kid but something different. He did not get the affairs and rules to be followed in society. Even If he did not take Hamsa into account, Aditya was actually okay to satisfy his sexual urges with a one night stand with Charita but he knew that this was not what Charita wanted. If he did something like this, he would have taken advantage of an innocent person in her most vulnerable state. This was obviously not okay with him.


    After the talk with Taarini, Aditya had used the meditation techniques that he learned from the dream world to list the rules he would follow as a human and the moral bottom line that he would adhere to, at any cost. This included all kinds of conditions that he might face in the future like being rich, famous, killing, collateral damage, aid to the needy etc.


    He had also thought about his sexual life in this process and designed a set of criteria before he had sexual relations with a woman. If Aditya wanted to live a life with a clean conscience, Aditya had come to the conclusion that it was not going to be easy. He had come to the conclusion that he had to be careful every moment of his wakeful life as one mistake could sabotage his psychological foundation.


    Given his abilities, many things which are otherwise impossible for normal people to achieve or experience can be acquired quite easily by Aditya. He had neither the moral strength nor the required spirit to deal with this sudden change in his potential. As Taarini said, now that he was preoccupied with the thoughts of saving his parents, he was able to keep his imagination in check. But it will already be late if he failed to select his path until then. He did not want to do things that he might regret later in his life, he was living two lives to know that ignoring this would only make matters worse.


    To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing. So he had been actively taking time to analyse about each and every aspect of his life. In a way, Tya''s quantum world gave him ample time to think these things peacefully. His mother''s words would help him from time to time when he was confused or in a dilemma. It was very true that one''s parents'' words and actions become a child''s inner consciousness as well as form a moral compass.


    So in any angle, Aditya knew that he could not make a move on Charita but it was also a fact that Aditya''s increased libido made it very hard to keep his mind clear. Her blurry, intoxicated eyes, her soft red puffy lips which were inviting him to ravish them, her hot fragrant breath which brushed his neck, the soft feeling he was experiencing as he held her waist, her soft but firm mounds which were pressing against his chest, her legs which intertwined with his legs as they rubbed against each other. This was an assault of multiple sensual feelings in one instant which caused his mind to flutter as he began to fall into a honey-filled abyss.


    Just at that time, a sharp pain broke these thoughts and woke him up from his trance. He saw Charita bite him near his neck strongly as she started beating his chest, face and whichever part she could reach as she cried, "Rascal boss, idiot boss, stupid boss, heartless man, you didn''t realise how I loved you and you say that you already have a lover, I hate you, hate you, hate yo¡­" Charita slowly slid into sleep as she rested her head on Aditya''s chest.


    Jagvi and the others who saw this scene rolled her eyes when they saw Charita spoil her own prospects with her own hands. There was clearly going to be some action the way their boss looked at Charita and leaned forward. Jagvi felt like she understood a crucial aspect of Ishaan, it was that he was weak to a woman who took the initiative to approach him. She had a strange smile when she saw Aditya''s face which clearly showed relief as he shifted Charita to the side. She giggled a little when she thought how Charita would feel when she knows that she is her own enemy.

 107 - The Fallen Flower

    The sky was dark as heavy rain pounded on the glass walls of the hospital room where Aditya was recuperating from his accident in the ''Silver Stone'' race track in the British Grand Prix. The Copse turn was a blind entry and an incredibly fast apex where speeds went up to 190 mph. Aditya''s Red Bull RB19 car''s front suspension broke at this crucial juncture and the car went out of control. He plummeted into the Beckett''s complex and smashed against the boundary made of old rubber tires.


    Thanks to the increased safety rules & regulations in F1 race tracks and advanced medical technologies, Aditya''s two fractured ankles were saved from amputation. Not only was his injuries were not fatal, but the doctors also assured him that he would make full recovery in 4 months and that he could go back to racing.


    Aditya marvelled at the breakthroughs made in the field of medical technology in 2026. The medicine that he required was especially 3D printed in the hospital itself with amounts accurate to the decimal. He also suffered a little head injury and his parents were worried that if it was dangerous. The attending doctor showed a 3D image of his brain on a screen and explained how the injury was only superficial and that he was not in any form of danger.


    The medical staff was very friendly and cooperative. Aditya thought that one of the reasons was that he had won the world title in the rookie championship in Canadian GP and that he was from the ''Red Bull Racing'' team from the Motor Sport valley in southern England. He was still getting adjusted to the fact that he was slowly becoming a public figure.


    Aditya was pleasantly surprised that he was able to handle this physical injury and mental trauma quite well. Even the psychologist appointed for counselling him was surprised at the calmness and cheerful personality of Aditya. Aditya attributed it to the support program he had participated in the treatment of Anupama. He had picked up the habit of practising ''Mindfulness'' for an hour every day and it conditioned his mind to focus on the ''present'' instead of thinking about the regrets of the past and worries of the future. Aditya felt that his mother had always been in this state from how calm she was always even in the face of many hardships.


    Anupama had come to visit him. Though she was divorced and alone, Aditya felt that she had grown and become strong. She brought news about Kavya and Bhadra''s kid who was just born. She spoke about her newly started company where she took thousands of acres on lease and grew complete organic food. Aditya was quite interested in these topics as he was a nature lover. So Anupama briefly explained concepts about ''Zero Budget Natural Farming'' and ''Permaculture''. She explained how she was employing hundreds of people to build agro-forests where only one crop was not grown but a calculated combination of crops are grown together to maximize yield and minimize risks.


    Aditya''s mother would bring philosophical books and read-aloud for him to listen as they would discuss the merits and demerits of these philosophies. She was not picky and would bring both western and eastern philosophies. His father would discuss breakthroughs in quantum physics and how he was on the verge of a key discovery regarding ''Dark Matter''. He would boast about how this discovery was going to be the next big thing after the discovery of the ''God Particle''(Higg''s Boson). But frankly, Aditya''s father Satyendranath Bose was truly somewhat of a celebrity in the physicist community.


    The days passed quite uneventfully except for the pain he had to endure from his injuries. Though most of the pain was numbed through medicine, it still disturbed his sleep from time to time. He could not move as he liked which made his body numb in some places. A nurse would come to massage his muscles from time to time so that the blood circulation was not affected by long hours of inactivity. He would take some time to roam around the adjacent park, in a wheelchair, in the evening and chatted with some retired people who came to play chess in the park.


    Elder sister Saira was busy with something and was coming today to visit him. Aditya was eagerly waiting as it has been more than a year since he saw her. Saira had not married and had remained alone while she worked as an instructor in the military academy. She still refused to wear an artificial limb and remained one-handed. She commanded great respect among the special ops for her strict and efficient training and the teams which were trained by her accomplished many achievements in India''s fight against terrorism.


    But the thing that bugged Aditya the most was that elder sister Maahi had not come to visit him. He was sure that she would rush to see him if she heard the news that he was involved in such an accident. Though they had not seen each other for so many years, their relationship had not faded even a bit or at least that was what Aditya had thought.


    Elder sister Maahi was now one of the richest billionaires in India and Asia. Aditya had heard that her personal property was worth 40 billion USD not taking her company''s evaluation into account. The year 2020 was heralded as the start of the Data Boom which made Data regarding humans and their activities almost as valuable as gold and oil. Because of China''s firewall, India became the biggest mining centre for Zettabytes of human-related data which had become vital for the development of Data science technologies like Big Data, Data Analytics, Internet of Things and development of Artificial Technology.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    After the government''s new policies which encouraged Indian companies to have first preference in the utilization of these data resources, many companies had sprung like mushrooms to possess a piece of this pie. Maahi''s art of business and foresight was top notch as always. So, she became an angel investor and invested in a select few companies which had the potential and visionary entrepreneurs. Her sagacity was proven as these companies turned out to be the true winners in this race, rivalling many foreign companies. This led her financial investment company to flourish.


    Aditya was happy for her. Maahi had also not married, they were some rumours that tried to match her with some male celebrities but Aditya knew that it was just fake news. If Maahi had a beloved, then he would be the first to congratulate her. He hoped that she would find someone but knew that she had been single all these years.


    Memories of that birthday night would prevent him from contacting her. If there was anything that he was sure about Maahi, it was that she was as stubborn as him and that she was still waiting for him. She had never disturbed him after he started avoiding her since that night. That was just who she was and it was not going to change anytime soon.


    Aditya sighed when he thought about that night. He had turned 15 that day, Maahi had come into his bedroom that night, he had spoken about his feelings about Sameera and how it would be cool to have her as his girlfriend. After that Aditya still remembered the intense reaction of his elder sister as she said ''you are mine, only mine. You can have any woman you like, I will gift you, anyone, you like and throw them at your feet to serve you. But, I should always be the queen of your heart and you will be my king. No one is allowed to come between us, I will rip the heart of any woman who creates a gap between us, with my bare hands. You can have any woman but her place should always come after me, Understand? Never forget this Adi, you are mine.''


    Aditya could still remember his younger self''s heart tremble uncontrollably when he heard these words. These words were still imprinted on his heart which acted like a barrier he couldn''t pass. He smiled bitterly as he thought how he was 15 and elder sister Maahi was just 20 at that time. Now he was approaching 26 and elder sister Maahi was 30, she was still as beautiful as ever and was termed as the most beautiful billionaire in the world by Times Magazine in 2023. Maybe he should utilise this accident as an opportunity to get back with elder sister Maahi.


    Currently, he did not have any woman in his heart now so even if he had a mental barrier, Aditya wanted to at least try. He did not know if he would succeed but he would have no regrets in the future. He was mature enough to see through these societal norms, he knew that for two people to be happy together, sexual relations were only a medium and not the goal. Aditya did not have any plans of getting married anyway, he might as well stay with elder sister Maahi. They might be able to return to the untainted relation they had as kids which was something Aditya missed sorely.


    But Aditya''s heart had been restless for the past two days for some reason, it was not something physical, it was a feeling. Aditya felt as if something very dear to him had been taken away from him. He felt a bad premonition as if something terrible had happened. But Aditya could not point out the reason as everyone he knew was fine and he had heard no bad news of the sort. It did not change the fact that he felt agitated.


    Aditya also found that his mother had red puffy eyes when she came yesterday to visit him and his father had not come. His mother had also not brought any books but left in a short while. Aditya could tell that his mother was struggling with something, she wanted to tell him something but did not reveal anything in the end.


    Aditya wanted to ask but his mother went away before he could make up his mind. His Elder sister Saira was coming today, Aditya had decided to ask her about his mother''s behaviour, he had not seen her like this even when he was involved in the accident. He had never seen this kind of bleak aura around his mother.


    Just as Aditya was thinking about these things, the entrance door opened as a mature woman who was in her mid-thirties walked inside holding a bouquet of Jasmine flowers walked in. Aditya''s eyes lit up as he said with a smile, "Elder sister, it has been such a long time." Aditya''s smile slowly faded as he saw that his elder sister also had the same kind of bleak aura around her just his mother. He was now sure that something bad happened.


    The person who came was his elder sister Saira who was in her mid-thirties. She was stunning beauty herself and had become a ripe mature woman with slight wrinkles forming on the corner of her eyes and on her forehead. She wore a black shirt and an empty sleeve fluttered in the air. Her stern expression softened as a smile characterized with grief appeared on her face as she walked towards him and placed the flowers in an empty vase on his bedside. She sat on an empty chair with a straight back as she asked him in a concerned voice, "Adi, how are you doing?"


    Aditya observed that his elder sister''s voice was hoarse. His brows wrinkled as he said, "Elder sister, something has happened and you people are hiding it from me. Tell me, I can handle it."


    Saira also showed the same hesitation as his mother''s before saying, "First, you recuperate completely, I will tell you when you get discharged."


    Aditya''s face hardened as the bad feeling in his heart deepened, "Elder sister..." he did not speak anymore but looked straight into Saira''s eyes. Silence reigned the room for some time and the only noises were muffled sounds of rains drops splattering against the glass panels and clicking sounds produced by the medical equipment. Aditya clenched his fist subconsciously as he waited. The pain in his legs became remote as if it was not his legs that were injured.


    Saira looked at Aditya''s gaze as the grief in her heart spilt. Her voice trembled as she said, "Adi, Maahi is no more."

 108 - Farewell

    "What do you mean by ''no more''?" Aditya asked as he looked at his elder sister. Even though he knew what she meant, he still entertained a little hope that it was not what he thought.


    His mind froze when he saw the look on Saira''s face as his breath stagnated. The sounds of his heart seem to echo in his eardrums as if it was only sound in this world.


    "How did it happen?" Aditya asked in a hoarse voice, his throat had become dry. He had to muster quite a bit of courage to ask this question as he feared the answer. At her age, he knew that it was not going to be a natural death.


    Intense grief flashed through Saira''s eyes as she said one word, "Suicide."


    "Lie", Aditya sprang from his bed as he sat upright, not minding the pain from the injuries on his legs and back. The intravenous catheter which was inserted in his left hand for administering saline or any medicine was ripped off forcefully because of this motion. What pain could be more painful than the agitation he felt in his mind right now. He could not accept that Maahi would do such a cowardly act. He was sure that Maahi who grew under the tutelage of his mother would never act that way.


    Saira''s lips trembled when she saw blood flowing out from his left hand, she looked at Aditya and said, "She did not have any other recourse." Saira stood up as she took a cotton swab and sat near Aditya as she stopped the blood flow. She was shocked when she touched Aditya''s hand as it was very cold. Even her mental strength as a decorated military soldier faltered when he saw her younger brother''s pain when coupled with the loss of her younger sister. The thing that truly ate her from inside was the fact that the system which she fought for, failed to guarantee justice to her younger sister when she was alive.


    "Elder sister Saira, I want to know everything," Aditya''s dry voice quivered as he looked in Saira''s eyes. He was feeling numb inside for some reason as if his body and mind had automatically activated some self-defence mechanisms so that his spirit would not break.


    Saira nodded as she said, "it was the Raipath family. It is one of the most prestigious families in the Capital with roots deeply entrenched into political, military, media and the administration. Any government would have to think twice before touching them as this family has a history of causing the collapse of governments either through controlling the popular narrative or directly buying off the corrupt politicians."


    Aditya listened calmly as Saira continued, "it all started when the Data Startups, that Maahi had invested in, discovered a shocking truth. Data analysis was done by using AI algorithms to cover all the areas of farming, health, infrastructure, government contracts and development trends. These algorithms were actually under trials where their efficiencies were being tested taking all these data as an experimental field."


    "What they did not expect was that their algorithms had come up with a dreadful conclusion i.e. certain pockets of our country were been deliberately left undeveloped and these pockets have become human trial territories for many national and foreign conglomerates."


    "Many new experimental food varieties which are genetically modified are being tested there. These poor people who are uneducated and ignorant have unknowingly become a test subject to these corporations. All the health effects which are recorded in these areas are covered up by them and the mainstream media is kept silent either through, ignorance, coercion or lobbying. Also, the free and charitable hospitals were actually, centres of new drugs testing. Because of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, all these small pieces of otherwise irrelevant information containing petabytes of data were fitted together like how you solve a jigsaw puzzle."


    "Maahi had identified eight such pockets and the most important piece of the puzzle was found to be the background support of the Raipath family. She immediately took one copy of all this data and deleted all other versions. Maahi was someone who grew in your family, under your father''s teachings. It was not a surprise that she could not ignore it. But she was not foolish enough to just openly announce this information. She waited for the right time to expose it which would ensure her anonymity as she knew the capabilities of the Raipath family and did not wish to lock heads with it."


    "But things didn''t go as planned as your mother''s family''s corporation, the Ahuja group, was sabotaged by the Raipath family and was pushed to the brink of collapse. It was not a secret that your maternal uncle does not have half the efficiency of Aunt Nirmala. So after your maternal grandfather had retired, your uncle made many wrong decisions which made it easy for the Raipath family to make a move."


    " This pushed Maahi, who was always grateful to your maternal grandfather for his help when she was just a child, to release all the information publicly so that Raipath family would be heavily effected and that the Ahuja group could be saved."


    "This was where things went wrong, it turned out that the Raipath family had already received news that Maahi had key evidence against them. The person who leaked this news was Maahi''s father. But the Raipath family could not move crudely and suppress Maahi brutally as she was not an insignificant person. She was the most successful, youngest billionaire of India whom the whole young population looked up to. Over the years, the current government had weakened their hold over this system and they could not do as they pleased anymore."


    "So, first, they weaved a net all around Maahi without her knowledge and went after the Ahuja group first as they knew that the Ahuja group and Maahi had strong ties. Even though Ahuja group had fallen from grace, it was still a giant. they wanted to weaken the strength she could summon."


    "So, in a way, Maahi walked right into their trap by releasing this information which instead of going to the public domain ended up in their hands. One should not underestimate the influence Raipath family could achieve if they were pushed to the brink. If Raipath family was done for, so were the many multi-billion dollar foreign conglomerates. The soft and hard power of this huge interest group was not a joke."


    Saira paused a little and saw that Aditya had an unmoved expression. She sighed as she continued, "Maahi was asked to hand over her investments in these Startups so that the Raipath family could take over them. As long as these algorithms were present, it was just a matter of hours before any supercomputer came up with the same conclusion as Maahi. They wanted to have full control over her companies and kept her in house arrest when she refused to comply with them. Maahi knew that it was not easy for them to keep her in check for long."


    "So, why didn''t she just give those damned algorithms and companies to them," Aditya burst out. Even though he would have done the same thing as Maahi, he did not want Maahi to take any risk which might put her in harm''s way.


    "She might have done just that but the Raipath family made a mistake in their hastiness to get Maahi to comply as they also knew they couldn''t control Maahi for long. They couldn''t do anything over-the-top to Maahi as that might send her on a mutual destructive path which might engulf them. So they targeted her closest person and extorted her to make a quick decision by threatening his safety ."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "Her closest person?" Aditya''s brows wrinkled slightly as he looked at Saira.


    Saira nodded with pain in her eyes as she said, "yes, they targeted you, it turns out that your accident was not caused by a mistake but it was a deliberate attempt of harming you. The Raipath family did this as a warning so that your elder sister Maahi would comply with their requests."


    Aditya''s pupils shrank when he knew that the accident was a planned attack. He closed his eyes as an intense agony took over his heart. This pain was not because of his accident but because of what Maahi had to go through.


    Saira looked at Aditya''s expression and knew that he understood, "how could the Raipath family understand the importance you held in Maahi''s heart. She might have let it slide if they had targeted anyone else but the moment she saw your accident, everything changed. After four days, Maahi committed suicide by jumping from her penthouse suite in Mumbai in broad daylight."


    Tears started rolling down Aditya''s cheeks as his body trembled with grief. Saira''s eyes also became wet as she said, "With her death, all the things which were forcefully covered by the Raipath family were not able to stay hidden anymore, the whole country is currently in full rage against the Raipath family and the government does not have any other option but to take this issue seriously. If this issue is not dealt with properly, then it would even affect the country''s image in the global stage. All the key conspirators of this interest group are being rounded up as we speak. Even many prominent politicians of the ruling party have been arrested for their links in this matter."


    Aditya could not hear any more of these things as memories he shared with his elder sister Maahi flashed in his mind. He remembered that Maahi used to be very calm in the beginning. She did not speak even if she had any necessities, his mother had to keep asking her if she was hungry, thirsty or if she wanted to play.


    Aditya used to find it weird as his mother never had to ask him anything, he would do what he wished. He would eat what he liked, ask what he wanted but Maahi was not like that. Even after many years, she did not change but Aditya and others had become accustomed to her and could tell her feelings most of the time. Maahi could completely open up to only Aditya and it stayed that way. But, even to him, she had never revealed her pains, she only shared happiness with him.


    Guilt tormented Aditya''s heart for being the reason that Maahi had died. All kinds of thoughts sank into his heart like nails in a coffin. He never expected that Maahi would have to face such a dire circumstance on her own, alone, while he was completely unaware of it. He smiled mournfully as he thought, ''Yes, why would Maahi speak about her problems now when she had never done it before?''


    Saira hugged Aditya with her only hand as she patted his back, "you have to remain strong Aditya. Maahi would not want to see you cry because of her."


    Aditya''s body trembled as tears continued to roll, he had never cried even when he saw the cruel situation Anupama was in but now the tears just won''t stop as images of Maahi and her memories filled his mind.


    Saira sighed as she took out a mobile phone and passed it to Aditya, "this contains Maahi''s last message for you." Saira got up and left the room as she knew that Maahi would want only Aditya to hear these words.


    Aditya held this phone delicately as he opened the video file. His heart trembled when he saw a delicate-looking woman smiling brightly as she said, "this video is only for my little brother Adi, so if you are not him, please I kindly request you do not view it."


    The woman in the video waited for some time as if giving time for the people who were not Aditya to close this file. After a few seconds, Maahi gave a bright smile as he said, "Adi, how are you? It has been a decade since we saw each other and I want to say that I missed you a lot but the fact is that I did not miss you much. Whenever I missed you, I would just come and see you from a distance."


    "I saw you when you were dating that Nancy, Rosy and others. You turned out to be quite a playboy in your early college days. I saw you when you were training hard to keep up with both your college and training. I was there when made your debut, I cheered for you from the crowd when you won the rookie championship. so, I didn''t miss any of these important events."


    Aditya tried to smile a little when he heard these words but failed as fresh tears chocked him in the end. Maahi smiled as she said, "I have always been near you though we didn''t meet. It was kind of sad, yeah but never mind as it is going to end soon. I have come into a bit of problem here which has effected even you. Sorry about it, I would solve it quickly and see that it won''t happen again."


    The more Maahi made it sound like it was something simple and normal, the more Aditya''s heart cracked as if it would shatter into smithereens any second.


    Maahi''s smile faded a little as grief flashed in her eyes, "Those people killed elder sister Qaima two weeks ago. That poor girl hoped that I would notice her someday but even till the end, she failed to realise that my heart had been long occupied. Maybe, we would end up in the same place now that I am ¡­ cough¡­"


    Maahi coughed lightly as the smile returned to her face, "Okay let us not talk about these things. I have a few things I have to tell you, Adi. I know that you love your parents the most but still I have to ask you to look after aunt and uncle. They are my benefactors whom I can never repay adequately in my whole life but I still tried a little."


    "I bought a few flower fields near Keukenhof gardens, Netherlands for aunt Nirmala as she likes those tulips very much. I also privately funded the new round of experiments which are about to start in the newly upgraded Hadron collider in CERN. They call it the ''High Luminosity ¨C LHC'' it seems and the energy required to get the machine running is quite high which has increased the required criteria for the experiment to be approved."


    "I came to know that if the country which is an associate member could fund the experiment, it would be easier for the process to be validated by the officials at CERN. So, I took care of the money matters so that uncle Satya does not need to worry about it. As for you, my little brother," Maahi smiled as she said, "whatever is mine will be yours always, it does not matter if I am here or not."


    Maahi continued, "Oh, I almost forgot, I made some arrangements for your security as I don''t want anything to happen to you again. Please, don''t reject it." Aditya''s eyes only looked at Maahi and as for the things she spoke about, they did not register in his mind.


    Maahi smile did not fade but bitterness emerged in her eyes as she said, "you may have avoided me after that night as you might have felt afraid at my behaviour or awkward at having to face me after what happened that day. I am sure you might have had your doubts as to why I also avoided you and stayed away from you."


    Aditya''s dazed eyes focused a little when he heard these words, it was true that he had expected Maahi to just barge into his life but was surprised when she did not do so. Maahi continued, "I don''t know what happened to me that night when you suddenly mentioned another girl in front of me. It was not that girl who bothered me but rather the fact that you had no idea of staying with me forever that pricked me deeply."


    "But when I saw the fear and worry in your eyes that night, I realised a very important thing." Maahi raised her dark eyes as she looked at the camera which made it seem like she looking into Aditya''s eyes, "Adi, I realised that I am broken inside. Maybe it was because of been physically abused by my father or staying awake for many nights as I heard screams of pain from my mother. At some point in time, I started transforming into someone who I hated my whole life."


    "Aunt Nirmala was right in saying that we should not hate anyone too much as the more we hate someone, the more we let that person influence our personality. It seems to have happened in my case also. I have killed that person now as I don''t want him to affect your life when I am not here."


    "At that time, I questioned myself if I was the right person for you and I failed to get an absolute answer. So, I decided that I would stay away from you until the day I was sure that I won''t harm you by staying with you. Because, I won''t tolerate anyone, who is liable to harm you in any way or form, even if it is me." Maahi stated seriously.


    Maahi''s serious expression became soft as she said, "Adi, I know that my action is going to stain your heart forever but I can''t deny the fact that I feel a kind of happiness that you are going to remember me forever even if it brings you pain. Like I said, I am broken. I will not be there to warn you about your poor choice of woman anymore so you have to stay alert and don''t let anyone just enter your heart like you usually do."


    "It was never going to work out between us, anyway," Maahi said with a smile but her eyes became wet as she said, "if I don''t assume as such, I am not sure I would have the courage to take this leap, Adi. Goodbye..." Maahi cut the recording hastily as Aditya spotted tears rolling down her cheeks.


    Aditya''s eyes became unfocused as he remained like a statue looking at the blank screen.

 109 - Aftermath

    "That day, I was very busy and had to spend the night in my office, Elder sister Qaima had gone to bring me some coffee. I was very tired and dozed off in my chair. After some time I woke up as I heard someone knocking on the window. I was sleepy and could not bother about it but then I heard the knocking sounds again. This time I realised that how could someone knock on the windows when our office was on the fiftieth floor? My sleep vanished as I hurriedly got up from my chair only to find that there was no one near the window. Adi, before I could relax, I heard the knocking sounds again but it was not from the window but the mirror in my office," a silvery voice of woman narrated the horror story as Aditya sat on his hospital bed and smiled lightly.


    Almost all personal possessions of Maahi were sent to Aditya and he found a drive filled with elder sister Maahi''s narrations of a wide range of horror stories. She had been recording these stories for many years. As long as it was a new horror story, Maahi would customize the story to include names of people around her and even herself and record her voice as she narrated this story. She wanted to send these stories for Aditya but did not do so in the end and the stories just piled up.


    It was a week since he got the news of Maahi''s death, Aditya''s father had gone to India to do all the funeral rituals. Aditya did not go to see her for the last time as Maahi requested that Aditya did not look at her after her death. She wanted Aditya to remember her as the most beautiful version of herself. Aditya followed her wish but he felt there was also another reason for this. He was just plain afraid, he did not dare to see her lifeless body. He did not think his heart could handle it.


    He stayed away from the news channels as Maahi''s death served as a wake-up call to many countries and many were shocked to find similar pockets in their countries as well which were controlled by rich conglomerates in agriculture, food processing, health care and pharmaceutical industries. If the suicide of a billionaire, who earned all her money with her own hands, could not wake up these governments, Aditya did not know what will. Even though everyone was lauding elder sister Maahi, it did not help Aditya find peace, in the least.


    It was not like he was feeling any better now. Each minute that passed in his waking life, knowing that Maahi was not here anymore, seem to add a new injury to his already scarred heart. All the things that he felt that was a barrier between him and Maahi seemed so petty when compared to this life and death barrier that was separating them now.


    All kinds of scenarios, where he had stayed together with Maahi and she did not have to go through this all alone, haunted him day and night. These thoughts were like waves of acid which clashed against his soul, slowly corroding it like how the stones on the beach are weathered by the constant beating of the tidal waves.


    A suffocating feeling would wake him up during the nights as his heart was filled with toxic guilt because of how he failed to understand her even after knowing her for all these years. Aditya also realized all the philosophies in the world were just like a pack of cards which would collapse at the first blow of such tragedy. They seemed to possess all the answers but failed to bring solace for him. His mind felt paralyzed and frozen which showed its effect on his body as he became ill for no reason at all. He slowly became averse to sunlight and refused to go to the park near the hospital where he had made a lot of friends.


    His heart was tired from all this pain but the thoughts, which ate him from the inside, did not stop. His mother was quite calm and had successfully come out from her grief. Aditya felt that this was where his mother''s natural mental strength came into being which he seemed to lack just like his father. Maybe she was just acting for him but at least he could not see any clues. His father had also been affected as he had viewed Maahi as her daughter as she had grown in their home since she was a kid. He broke down into more tears when he found out that Maahi had funded his project.


    Aditya''s mother acted as the moral pillar of their family as she accompanied both father and son and looked after them with patience. She spoke little consolatory words as she knew they would not be effective just like asking a person who is drowning in the river ''why can''t you just swim?''. She only supported them through care and affection.


    Anupama, Bhadra, Jatin and other friends he had made in Geneva came to console him which did bring him a bit of solace but that was it. Aditya had started feeling alone even when he was surrounded by his close ones, it was a new feeling which he never experienced.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    He felt like everyone was remote to him, even if they were beside him and Maahi was the one who was closest to him yet so far away that he could not reach her. It was like how you can see the sun every day but can''t reach it. Even if you try to reach it, it was imperative that you are going to be incinerated.


    The exact thing was happening to Aditya, his heart and soul were being slowly burnt with the toxic flames of guilt. Hearing to Maahi''s voice was the only solace to him. Those words, even if they were narrating a horror story to frighten him, were soothing to his heart as if Elder sister Maahi was near him and he was back in his childhood where she would frighten him with these stories. But instead of being frightened, these stories made him smile now.


    "Sir, please, I want you to pay attention," a middle-aged Caucasian man with a dignified aura around him woke Aditya from his daze. Aditya''s brows slightly wrinkled but did not say anything as he turned his attention to this person. This was the representative from the lawyer''s firm whom his elder sister Maahi had trusted her ''will'' or ''inheritance'' to. He was here today to explain the properties left by Maahi to him. Aditya nodded at him as he started listing out a range of properties all over the world, he had never even heard some of these names.


    " A mansion in Beverly Hills, a penthouse in SoHo, a condo in the historic Puck Building, a luxury hotel in Flatiron District, A mansion in Hunan Road, Shanghai, a premium membership in Marina bay Hotels, Singapore, a penthouse in the Malabar Hill, Mumbai, a private collection of cars, numbering 143, ranging from antique to latest premium, limited versions..." the list went on. Aditya had stopped paying attention after some time again. These names just didn''t register in his mind. He knew that his elder sister was rich all along and if he wanted to enjoy these luxuries, it was just a matter of a phone call. He did not even have to contact Maahi, even Qaima could arrange these things for him.


    The middle-aged man saw that Aditya''s eyes became glassy again. It was clear this client of his was not paying attention. He was surprised that one could be so out of focus with this list of properties which are worth billions of Euros. He coughed lightly as he said, "Sir, along with these properties, Ms Maahi had set up an independent fund for taking care of your safety. You might have already known about it but it is my duty to introduce the chief of staff who will be in charge of security." the middle-aged man made a gesture to his assistant who exited the room.


    Aditya noticed a white woman with bright scarlet hair stride in large steps. Even while feeling depressed in his heart, Aditya could not help but have an urge to laugh when he saw that the person who was going to ensure his security was not a battle-worn soldier with bulky muscles and scars, instead, it was a tall, beautiful woman. This was just like what Elder sister Maahi would do.


    The middle-aged man introduced, "this is Ms Amanda Miles, a former accomplished mercenary from the ''Blood water Mercenaries''. She has many achievements in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and recently Venezuela. She has retired from her military profession recently and is currently one of ''S4S Plc'' company''s elites. She is highly sought after for her high success rate in SSS missions. Ms Maahi paid quite a bit of sum for her services."


    Aditya smiled when he heard these words but ignored the woman completely. Amanda was in her early thirties, almost the same age as Maahi. She slightly frowned when she saw her client ignore her completely but did not speak. She nodded towards the middle-aged man and left.


    "Mr Gates, can I take it that your services are available for me now," Aditya raised his head as he asked the middle-aged man.


    The middle-aged man''s heart loosened when he heard Aditya talking. He had started feeling a little apprehensive that this famous Formula one racer was not mentally healthy and he was afraid that he would waste away this fortune. He sat straight as he nodded, "I would be more than willing to help you with anything where you may require my service."


    Aditya nodded lightly as he said, "I want to start an organization which helps children all over the world with prime focus in India."


    Mr Gates nodded seriously as he said, "what is the area in which this organization will help children like education, health, vaccination, malnutrition or infant mortality rate?"


    "Child abuse, physical, sexual or psychological maltreatment, also, neglect of the child by the parents or caretakers," Aditya stated word by word.


    Mr Gates nodded as he asked, "How much do you plan to fund so that we can decide the scale of the project."


    Aditya raised his head as he looked at Mr Gates with his tired eyes and asked, "How much money in form of cash or shares or other similar assets, did my elder sister leave me?"


    Mr Gates thought for a while and checked his tablet PC for a while and answered, "Leaving the real estate properties and the company''s property aside, she left you 14.6 Billion USD."


    Aditya nodded as he said calmly, "then, that is the amount I am willing to invest in this organization."


    Mr Gates felt as if he did not hear clearly as he gulped a little and asked, "Pardon."

 110 - Maahis Office

    "Fourteen per cent of the current startups in Bangalore are focused on Fin-tech (Financial Technologies), In Bangalore, they are quite a few startups focusing on new applications, processes, products, or business models in the financial services industry. Our Government knows that you are a pioneer in many new financial operations which have become very successful and incorporated into the mainstream. We are very happy to have a company like ''Mumbai Bulls'' set up a headquarters for its IT (Information Technology) wing in Bangalore..." a middle-aged woman who was clad in a sari, exuding a dignified aura, spoke with a young woman who listened attentively with a bright smile.


    The young woman had a unique charm around her. Her frame was petite and fragile looking. Her dark brown eyes sparkled with intellect as she sat in a composed manner. She would smile from time to time as she discussed the state policies and incentives available in the Financial sector.


    Maahi wore a brown check & plaid knots trouser set with lined, flared pants and tie-knot at the waist which brought out her thin, delicate waist. The colour of her clothes matched perfectly with her eyes. Her pitch-black hair was long and was left loose as they rested on her shoulder in waves. She wore a set of miracle plate diamond stud earrings, which looked like a flower with geometric petals. The heart of the flower was a diamond, set on a miracle plate, that flowed to form three fancy petals.


    Warm sunlight flooded the office room which was decorated simply and elegantly. Though the office furniture looked simple, people with discerning eyes would be shocked with the luxury hidden beneath this simplicity. The whole room and furniture was just a combination of black and white colours with no other colours. They were two kinds of very diverse feelings one experienced when they saw this setup. Black can be unexciting and white can be mind-numbing, but their classic combination is an ageless duo that is simple, unsophisticated yet bold.


    The walls and the book racks or cabinets were completely white whereas the ceiling was designed with straight black and white stripes. Two sides of the room was filled with transparent glass panels for good exposure to sunlight and a beautiful view of a park and a lake greeted once eyes when one looked outside. On the other hand, the furniture in the room was completely black which brought a striking contrast. Maahi''s desk was made of honed, absolute black granite supplemented with premium leather office chairs of the same colour.


    After a short while, both women stood up as they shook hands. Maahi smiled as she asked, "Ms Vandana, you have a daughter called Anupama, right?"


    The mature woman''s face changed a little as if she was asked an unpleasant question. But her expression became normal immediately as she answered, "I do have a daughter named Anupama, is there something you wish to tell me about her?"


    Maahi shook her head as she said with a dejected expression, "It''s nothing actually, just that I am a very good friend of her. I haven''t seen her in a few days, so I kind of miss her."


    Ms Vandana''s face changed even more when she heard that the daughter of her whom she wished that she could forget had such a friend. She smiled as she said, "Oh, Anu is busy with her 11th-grade internal exams and other assignments these days. I will ask her to meet you as soon as possible. Its good to know that you and my daughter are friends. It would have made many things easier if I only knew this before."


    Maahi also nodded and sent the Information Technology minister of the state away politely. Maahi''s smiling face was replaced with a cool face as she scoffed, "a typical politician who wants to use my image to amplify her political mileage. She, as a mother, does not know that her daughter is in twelfth grade. Elder sister Qaima, I never thought I would see such people. I am starting to pity that Anupama a little. I thought I would play with her for a few days using her mother but I am having second thoughts now."


    "Well, there are all kinds of people in society. Anyway, why are we discussing about other people''s problems as if we don''t have our share of hardships?" a bespectacled woman with scorching looks and stunning curves dressed in a grey peplum trouser set, which was sleeveless, walked from behind as she pushed a big pile of files into Maahi''s arms grudgingly, "take these files and approve them after checking them clearly." Maahi pouted her lips and made a pitiful expression as her shoulders weighed down while looking at these files.


    Qaima expression did not soften as she took a jibe, "who wanted to change their main office from Mumbai to Bangalore? Do you know how much complications one has to face when moving the company from one state to another? I had to take care of lengthy, exhausting negotiations with governments of both the states for the required permissions and clearances.


    " I had to take care of this office building, employees and their residences & transportation. Do you know how many highly qualified employees we lost because of your impulsive decision of changing cities? Do you have the least bit of feeling that our company is called ''Mumbai Bulls'' for a reason?"


    "Do you know how our clientele''s confidence on us had taken a hit because of your decision of changing the main office of a financial corporation from the financial capital of India to Bangalore? All this for a brat who doesn''t want to meet you or even see you. Hmph..."


    Maahi did not refute as she stood there acting like a girl, who was caught stealing cookies, in front of a mother. She knew that there will be quite a few significant repercussions for taking this decision which will be reflected in their company''s performance. But, this did not stop her from moving to Bangalore as a ''business'' for her was just a way of ensuring Aditya''s future, nothing more.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    She chose this field because she was naturally good at it, if she had a talent in other fields then she would have chosen that field for making money. She was not passionate about this, it was just a medium for making money for her. But Qaima failed to understand her obsession, hence the minor conflict. But Qaima was the only person who had the right to speak in this manner to Maahi because Maahi knew the sacrifices Qaima made to remain beside her.


    Usually, Qaima would not utilize this privilege but she was feeling frustrated from all the hectic work she had to for the past month. Qaima was prepared to suffer even more if only she was doing it for Maahi, her real pain came from the fact that Maahi placed such high importance on a person who did not appreciate her even a bit. Every sleepless night, she spent going over these files, increased her anger on that brat. She could not do anything but would scold him many times to vent her anger.


    Qaima expression softened when she saw Maahi''s expression. She knew that this boss of hers was a qualified actor but still she could help but fall for this act. Qaima snorted lightly as she said, "I have already checked them, you just have to sign."


    Maahi''s face bloomed as she smiled brightly and ran lightly to the desk and placed them as she started to sign in the end. This was the level of trust between these two women. When she was almost done, the chief of security staff barged in as he requested, "Madam, there is a security threat to you, I have to ask you move towards the emergency exit quickly."


    Qaima was about to rebuke him for barging in without permission but was stopped with a look from Maahi. Maahi''s eyes became sharp when she heard these words as she put her pen down, she resumed her demeanour as a competent boss as she asked coolly, "What happened?" Her expression did not waver and her words and expression instilled a sense of calmness in the chief.


    He calmed down and said, "a kid had come near the entrance, ten minutes ago. Our security personnel near the entrance stopped him as this kid was dressed as if he had just got off the bed, he was not even wearing any footwear. When asked about his purpose, that kid said that he wanted to meet Madam and that he was her younger brother. The personnel did not believe it and warned him to leave. But that kid not only did not leave but tried to force himself in and so the security personnel tried to stop him and then..."


    The chief of security did not notice the change in Maahi''s face when she heard the words ''elder sister'' and ''younger brother''. Even Qaima''s expression changed to bewilderment when she heard these words. When the chief was about to continue, Maahi stood up swiftly as she asked, "Where is he now? don''t you dare hurt him."


    The Chief was shocked at Maahi''s drastic change but he bitterly smiled as he thought, ''we could not hurt him even if we tried, there are no one else we can afford to send anymore.'' he understood that this person seemed to have a relationship with his Madam. He got the CCTV station to link the relevant surveillance camera to the screen in Maahi''s room so that she could identify the person.


    When the screen was turned on, Qaima''s and Maahi''s expression changed but it was not the same expression. Qaima was shocked when she saw tens of people rolling in pain on the ground around a thin, slender figure who sat on a car''s bonnet as he waved at the camera with a bright smile. Maahi was also shocked but not at the sight of fallen figures but when she saw that Aditya had come to meet her on his initiative. Her heart jumped like a fawn as she wanted nothing but to run and hug him tightly so that he couldn''t go away even if he wanted.


    But her heart cooled when she thought how she had decided to stay away from Aditya on her own as she felt that she might harm him by being near him. Her lips trembled as her heart ached when she saw Aditya, she did not have the mental strength to send him away. She controlled her emotions as she said, "let him come in and don''t you dare take any action against him. I will compensate your men many times more than required, you don''t have to worry."


    She had decided that after she finds out the reason he had come, she would help him and send him away without much delay. She did not think she would be able to control her emotions for a long time. ''He must have come across a big issue for him to come directly, Taarini did not say anything. Does she also not know?'' Maahi thought as she waited restlessly. When she saw that Qaima was still here, Maahi said, "Elder sister Qaima, could you transfer these files away to the respective departments?"


    Qaima snorted as she said, "Why can''t you just say to leave you and that brat alone for a while?" she lifted those files and left. Even Qaima''s heart was a little chaotic.


    Before Maahi could prepare herself mentally, the door was pushed open as Aditya with unkempt hair, wearing a navy blue round neck t-shirt and black lounge shorts walked barefooted towards Maahi. Maahi was surprised when she saw Aditya''s messy appearance. She became a little anxious as she did not know what could cause her little brother to even ignore the fact that he was barefooted and come find her. It must be something very important.


    Maahi stood up and asked, "What happened Adi?"


    Aditya did not answer as he stopped and took a good look at Maahi. His heart started beating normally after a long time. His restless soul finally calmed down when he saw Maahi hale and healthy. He knew that the scenes he saw were in the dream world and not real but still, the pain of the ''other'' Aditya lingered in his heart. He experienced the pain of losing Maahi, the guilt of dragging things out, for failing to understand the torment that Maahi had gone through. For the first time, he felt happy and sad, at once, that he was seeing these dreams. They gave him these bitter memories which plunged him into grief but also bestowed a rare second chance which was not available to any other.


    Aditya did not speak as scenes from the dream flashed in his eyes and the last words of Maahi reverberated in his ears ''It was never going to work out between us anyway, if I don''t assume as such, I am not sure I would have the courage to take this leap, Adi. Goodbye...''


    Maahi''s face turned anxious as she saw Aditya remain silent. She stood up and walked near Aditya and held his arm, "What happened Adi? Come, let your elder sister know what''s the issue."


    Aditya lowered his head to look at Maahi as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly as if he did not want anything to be present between them. Maahi could not utter a word as her pupils trembled and her lips quivered. She did not know what had happened yet but her heart told her that whatever happened, it was good.

 111 - Gift (1)

    Aditya did not speak anything, it was not because he was too emotionally excited but for the mere fact that he did not want words to adulterate this moment. He only wanted to experience this feeling of being together with his elder sister Maahi as all restraints were torn away from his heart one by one.


    He wanted this action of his to herald the start of the transformation of the relationship he had with Maahi. Aditya was still not clear about the nature of his dreams. He did not know if they were just visions of the future or if they were something else. He did not want to think about these things now as he immersed himself in the peace that surfaced in his heart as he securely held the delicate frame of Maahi in his hands.


    The pain, that his heart had experienced in the dream world, slowly faded away like how a human body cools when we are bathing with cool water after a heavy workout. He felt his heart become steady as he held Maahi. As long as he held her in his arms, it helped him come out from the agony and torment he experienced in the form of the ''other'' Aditya.


    When someone is immersed in a dream, he does not realise that everything that he had experienced was a dream until he wakes up. So it was not like Aditya was seeing the dream from a third-person point of view where he was aware of the fact that it was all a dream. He was the ''other'' Aditya in the dream and everything he felt was real, like how one experiences the reality.


    For the first time, Aditya was able to strongly reject the usual lingering notions or doubts he had about dream and reality. Aditya looked at the woman in his arms, who had closed her eyes and leaned on his chest, with eyes filled with affection. He was now sure that the world, where his parents were not missing, was a dream because his elder sister Maahi was safe in his hands and not dead.


    He was still not sure about his feelings for Maahi but that did not stop him from being together with her any more. Some might say that he was not being true to his heart and that they may face problems in the future. To them, Aditya would say, he would rather stay together with Maahi even if they can''t achieve perfect happiness. It''s not like every other couple who had followed their hearts stayed happy forever. He and Maahi would just remain as one of those unhappy couples and grow old together.


    Aditya steadied himself once again before releasing the petite, charming woman in his arms. He had to explain himself and also put forward his proposition. But to his surprise, Maahi did not seem to have any ideas of releasing him as she held his waist tightly. A small smile could be seen on her lips as she inhaled Aditya''s scent which was sweet and pleasant. It calmed down her mind as she immersed herself in this moment of blissfulness.


    Maahi did not know what had motivated Aditya to come to her and act this way but she enjoyed this, just the same. No one but Maahi knew the pain she had inflicted upon herself by staying away from Aditya. Since she had known life, she was first introduced to fear, abuse, unhappiness and tears. Even though she finally experienced happiness and found solace in Aditya''s family.


    But still, she was not able to truly integrate into his family as there was sympathy and pity mixed in the care and affection shown by Aditya''s parents. It somehow made her uncomfortable as if she was not been treated normally like how a real family member is usually treated.


    But then, she came to know Adi who was just a five-year-old kid. He used to play and live in his world not having a care about anything else. This kid suddenly discovered that he had an elder sister who was a few years older than him. He suddenly felt a feeling of crisis as his parents seemed to pay more attention to her. This automatically placed this elder sister opposite of him. He would oppose her in everything and fight with her. He would try to bully her but failed miserably in the end.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Maahi felt the presence of Aditya as a breath of fresh air in her life. She was amused by this little brother of hers who was very mischievous and active. It was like he never got tired of playing around. Slowly, but surely this kid became a crucial part of her life. Slowly, Aditya also warmed up to her and both became the best friends while Maahi took care of Aditya.


    But what bothered the young Maahi was that Aditya had many friends. Wherever he went, he would come back with a bunch of new friends. So, as time passed, Maahi found that Aditya was not spending as much time with her as he was supposed to be. This led to her attempt of forcefully occupying a part of Aditya''s mind by scaring him with horror stories. Horror stories were the kind of stories which even if you were afraid of them, in the end, you want to listen to them, especially if the narrator was Maahi.


    Slowly Aditya grew addicted to these horror stories and would bug Maahi to narrate some ghost stories. Though, in the end, he would be scared and run away, he would always come back for more. Maahi usually did not like horror stories but just for the sake of Aditya''s undivided attention, she had made a habit of reading these stories.


    So, one could imagine the pain that Maahi experienced these two years because of her decision to stay away from Aditya. But still, she endured because she did not want to hurt him. Sometimes, she would wake up in the middle of the night feeling cold, isolated and desperate. She hated herself for as she spent sleepless nights alone and confused. All these years, she had naturally formed a cover around her real self. So, even if she looked strong and happy to the outside world, no one, not even Qaima, knew her true self. In truth, she was still the same little girl, who was alone, waiting for her little brother to come to her and ask her to narrate stories to him.


    But Maahi did not think, even in her most optimistic moment, that Aditya would come back to her in just two years and in this way. She opened her eyes and looked at Aditya with her chocolate coloured pupils as she asked with a blush of pink, "What happened?"


    Aditya looked in his elder sister Maahi''s eyes and was reminded of her last words in the video. His heart felt as if it was twisted forcibly, he held Maahi''s small face with his two big palms as he stated, "I want us to be together forever."


    Maahi''s pupils trembled as tears started forming in her eyes. Her voice shook as she asked, "Why? What changed?" she wanted to confirm Adi''s words again and again as her heart refused to believe that all that was happening was true.


    Aditya''s eyes blurred a little as he said, "a dream or rather a nightmare where I saw a future without you."


    Maahi''s heart constricted when she saw Aditya''s eyes which seemed to be hiding pain and relief at the same time. She did not ask anything else as she nodded. She closed her eyes again as she rested her head on his chest. Aditya smiled at last as he led her to sit on a couch.


    Maahi struggled a little before asking, "What if I end up hurting you?"


    Aditya''s pupils trembled when he heard the same words from the dream. He held Maahi tightly as he said, "Elder sister, I will willingly bear any kind of pain that you might inflict on me. Just like how I used to be scared by your stories but in the end, I would come back to you. But you have to know that I am not perfect either, it might end up with you being hurt instead of me. Are you willing to take the risk?"


    Tears started flowing when Maahi heard these words. These were the words that she wanted to hear but not those honey-coated promises where one would say like ''Even the pain is happiness to me if it comes from you.'' she nodded with a tear-stained face as she muttered, "I have taken that risk long ago when I had decided to tie up my happiness with you.". Aditya smiled as he nodded and remained calm.


    Maahi calmed down a little as she asked with a teasing expression, "What about your girlfriend?"

 112 - Gift (2)

    <hr>


    Aditya did think about Hamsa when he was on his way to Maahi''s office. He did not forget her even in his haste. It was not simple for him to make a choice. But in front of his relationship with Maahi, the bond he formed with Hamsa seemed to pale.


    He knew that Hamsa was in no better position than his elder sister Maahi. Parents who loved her were dead, foster parents want to sell her in exchange for business opportunities. She was almost raped by a sadistic young master who wanted to exploit her pure mind.


    But if he had to make a choice, he would break ties with Hamsa. He knew that Hamsa might hate him in her whole life, but he would rather bear that hatred than ignore elder sister''s Maahi''s grief. He could compensate Hamsa in other ways to guarantee her security and assuage his guilty feelings.


    Aditya looked at Maahi with an earnest expression as he said, "I would be lying if I told you that it was an easy decision for me but I know that I want you more than her..."


    Maahi observed Aditya''s eyes and saw his pain as well as sincerity when he said those words. She smiled as she stopped Aditya from continuing as she covered his mouth with her small hand. She leaned forward as she whispered in Aditya''s ears, "it seems like you forgot what is special about today."


    Maahi stood up and sat on Aditya''s lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and came dangerously near to Aditya''s face as she said, "happy birthday Adi, it had been exactly two years since we separated. Let your elder sister give a small gift to you."


    Aditya was stunned when he heard the birthday greetings. He had no idea that his birthday and that dream intersected exactly causing this coincidence to happen. He usually keeps his mobile switched off during the night as he is very busy alternating between his avatars at that time. So even if his friends had called him to greet him, he was not available. Before he could respond to Maahi''s words, a small, juicy tongue entered his mouth as Maahi started kissing Aditya with her soft and tender lips.


    Aditya''s blood started boiling when he felt Maahi''s tongue wriggle with his own. He did not need any more stimulus as Aditya was currently like a dead tree in the most barren, drought-stricken land. A small spark was all that was needed to flare up the whole tree. His languorous tongue swirled over the delicate inner membranes of her mouth in a flagrantly sensual exploration, seeking out all the secret, sensitive corners within, inciting a bigger response.


    Maahi had initially planned to stop before things got serious. But when Aditya started being initiative, she felt a hot breath on her face as she inhaled deeply. Her body started reacting immediately as if her heart caught fire. All her thoughts and restraints were thrown out of her mind. She started to pull Aditya''s clothes away as she curved her supple body against him.


    Maahi started feeling a little dizzy as if she had forgotten to breathe since she had started to kiss. She had no other thoughts in her mind except to lead this action to its logical end. With every breath, Maahi was breathing the unique scent of his skin, subtle, musky maleness that seemed to bypass the rational part of her mind entirely, and reach directly into some primaeval core of femininity deep inside her that she had never been aware of.


    Aditya''s eyes were filled with desire as he ran his hand down over her wavy, black hair. All mental barriers, which he thought he would have to overcome, broke as if they were never present. All the experiences he had accumulated in the dream world started showing its merits as Maahi felt like she was about to be burned with the fire of desire raging in her mind.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Each point that Aditya''s hand touched was a new stimulation for her which caused her mind to fall deeper. She felt like she could never come out from the abyss formed by Aditya''s pitch dark pupils. Every second, she felt like she was drowning deeper and she was not willing to come out. In a matter of a few seconds, she felt like she had experienced a barrage of multiple feelings but regret was not one of them. Just when Aditya was about to remove Maahi''s clothes, he heard a gasp which jolted his mind which seemed to have previously gone into a slumber.


    But it was only him who had come back to his senses but Maahi continued to kiss him as if she did not hear anything. Aditya saw elder sister Qaima who was looking with shocked expression accompanied by rage. She had a blush forming fiercely on her cheeks as she looked at Maahi who was kissing Aditya''s neck while her milky white shoulders were exposed.


    "Tya, stop the stimulants, if this continues, I fear I that I will become a walking aphrodisiac," Aditya thought as he held Maahi securely and counted numbers from 100 to 1 in a reverse way. This was not the place or the time for his first time with Maahi, he did not want it to be based on an impulse. Also, Qaima did not seem to have any idea of going away as she did not budge a little which Aditya found a little weird.


    Maahi stopped after a little while as she turned to stare at Qaima but she was feeling a little grateful in her heart. Qaima snorted as she walked away when she saw Maahi stare at her. Even her heart was feeling complicated right now. Maahi closed her eyes and rested on Aditya''s shoulder as she let her breathing slowly steady itself.


    Sweat rolled from her forehead and dampened Aditya''s shirt. She was slowly savouring the wonderful feeling she had experienced just now. She did not know what caused this to happen but she was happy all the same. Maahi also felt that all the pent up feelings she had accumulated in the last two years were finally released. She felt relaxed and happy.


    After some time, Maahi looked up at Aditya as she said with a calm expression, "I know that you have feelings for Hamsa, don''t act as if you are sacrificing because of me. I don''t want you to compromise for anyone in your life, even for me. If you are a man, go get her so that she does not go to bed with another man and do things we just did."


    Aditya was shocked when he heard these words. He knew the weight of the words that Maahi just spoke. He looked at Maahi with a complicated gaze. Maahi hugged him as she thought, ''Silly little brother, why would I let that swam fly away? As long as you want, I will get them for you, I still stand by those words''. She did not reveal her thoughts as they were unnecessary, she would just give Adi a pleasant surprise.


    Maahi and Aditya conversed about other things. She informed him that Saira was still in the city as the ''hunt'' for the sleeper cells has been extended with an influx of new information. She did not talk about that ''organization'' or his parents as it would cause pain to Aditya.


    Maahi was trying her best to get some news about them and was sure that she would have some results in a month. She could inform him at that time when she had some legit information. Also, she strongly felt that Aditya had to be kept as far away from these people as possible.


    Aditya was feeling very happy as he got his elder sister Maahi back. Maahi looked at Aditya with a smile as she asked with a mischievous expression, "How was my gift?"


    "It was good but it would have been better if I had unwrapped it completely." Aditya winked at Maahi as replied.


    Maahi knocked Aditya''s head and rebuked, "you are just 17 and not an adult yet. I heard that doing it in your adolescence will affect your growth."


    Aditya smiled but did not explain that his body was different. Aditya wanted to reveal at least some of his powers to Maahi as he felt that she needed to know that he was not as weak as she thought. He did not want her to carry his burden for him any longer.


    Aditya smiled as he said, "Maahi, since you have given such a beautiful gift to me, tell me if you have any wishes. I will fulfil them for you as a return gift."


    Maahi''s eyes twinkled when she noticed that Aditya stopped calling her as ''elder sister''. She smiled and asked, "Can you make my wish come true?"


    Aditya thumped his chest as he said, "Of course, just try me. You will be surprised to find that it is quite easy for me to do it." He had quite a bit of confidence in his abilities and potential.


    Maahi''s eyes twinkled as she stated her wish and giggled as Aditya''s face slowly darkened as he shook his head with a bitter expression.

 113 - A Solution & Maahis Wish

    Beep! Beep!


    Some machine clicking sounds could be heard in the background as Aditya drank some sweet lemon juice with a sad expression on his face. He was slowly moving while sitting on a rocking chair as he looked at the busy street in the early morning. The fresh morning air was crisp as winter was on its last stages, and the spring was around the corner. The sweet and sour taste of the juice tickled his taste buds as he looked at the needle poking out of his index finger of the right hand.


    This needle, attached to a laptop through a device, was the solution that he and Tya decided on to skip the time-taking process of writing the code for a program. Last month, a significant chunk of his wakeful life had been spent writing the code for different applications. Though it won''t be an exaggeration that Aditya could do the work of hundreds of software engineers by himself, it was not enough to meet his goals.


    The most frustrating part was that the creative aspect of the program was quickly done, but the writing part took most of his time. They were many days he scolded these computers for being too dumb. Every instruction had to be given clearly in easily understandable language. He felt that it was better to teach kindergarten students than to teach a computer. No wonder everyone was waiting for the quantum computers which had much higher potential for learning.


    Aditya had come up with an interesting theory which combined medical knowledge and engineering knowledge. Tya was able to achieve ''Cellular Regulation'' or '' Cell Manipulation'' now. So, Aditya asked if he could manipulate the nerves in his hand to generate nerve impulses in a prescribed pattern. Tya said it was possible as every cell in Aditya''s body was infiltrated by ''Dark Energy'' which Tya could manipulate.


    Aditya could insert a needle into a nerve in his hand which could conduct the nerve impulses as if they were electrical signals. It is similar to the ''Nerve Conduction Test'' done to do Electromyography. After some signal decomposition and rectification, Aditya successfully modified these nerve impulses into binary codes ''0'' & ''1''. With this, Aditya only needed to insert the needle into a finger and Tya could directly convert the nerve impulses into the source code of the software. Aditya did not have to write these lengthy codes.


    Aditya tried using external recording electrodes to do the same job as piercing a nerve directly with a needle was quite painful. But he noticed that the electromagnetic fields generated were subtle and difficult to catch for this machine he bought. Aditya needed a more sensitive tool to detect these signals accurately. He could buy them through Rudra or Ishaan.


    But, before that, Aditya wanted to see if he could write a program which could make these ''weak'' signals easy to interpret. These sensitive machines are costly, which Aditya did not have a problem with, but they were heavy also. Aditya did not want to be seen bringing a colossal machine into his house. Also, it would restrict his movement.


    So, Aditya had Tya write a program which could effectively translate these weak, ''hard to detect'' electromagnetic signals into binary codes. If that was successful, then Aditya could attach a patch, containing a recording electrode, to his arm. The device, which decomposed these signals and rectified them into a positive polarity, was able to be placed in his pocket.


    There will be a lot of strain on the nerve, which will have to be electrically excited multiple times. Tya could easily manage it as one of the abilities of ''Cellular Regulation'' was strange healing powers. Though he couldn''t regenerate whole limbs if they were cut off, repairing a damaged nerve was possible.


    Just as Aditya completed drinking, a notification popped up on the laptop screen. Aditya removed the needle and rubbed the wound with a swab dipped in a disinfectant, as he quickly installed the software. Aditya had already written a ''compiler'' and ''linker'' program. These could transform the source code of Tya into an executable program.


    After the software was installed, a screen, where coding is done, opened. Aditya took a recording electrode and patched it on an accurate location on his forearm. Aditya had mild anticipation in his eyes as he said, "Tya, write some program."


    "Which one?" Tya''s adorable voice sounded. Aditya rolled his eyes as he forgot that Tya is not good with choosing.


    "Tya, write a program which can help me creating 3D models which look exactly like the real world with the help of a normal camera," Aditya asked.


    "Okay,"


    Ding!


    Aditya''s excited expression turned into a frown as the program got terminated suddenly. ''was it a failure?''


    "Adi, it is successful, the device can accurately transform the electromagnetic waves into the binary code, but this laptop can''t handle the code of the program. You have to get me a more efficient computing machine with higher processing capabilities." Tya replied in his cute voice.


    "Oh," Aditya''s wrinkled brows relaxed when he heard this. "Tya, did you remember when I asked you to prepare a mobile OS with a set of special features?"


    "Yes"


    "write that one," Aditya said as he looked at the screen again. This time, Aditya saw the code start appearing by itself at a very rapid rate. In just a matter of a few minutes, the code was complete and was transformed into a functional Mobile OS.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    When loaded this program into his mobile, he was quite satisfied with it. On the outside, it was no different from Android OS, but the core was something only he knew. He felt a wave of relief in his heart that he did not have to sit in the same place as he wrote tens of thousands of lines in a day.


    Just as he was revelling about this success, he heard the sounds of someone climbing the stairs. Aditya remembered the reason as to why he was feeling depressed in the first place. His face became dark again. Aditya couldn''t understand the meaning behind Maahi''s request that he should start going to school once more.


    "I know that you never liked to go to school. But that is what I want you to do," Maahi caressed Aditya''s face as she said in a soft voice.


    "You know that I quit college and started my own business when I was 17, right?" Maahi asked as she looked at Aditya.


    "Yes"


    "When I look back after five years of rising into a billionaire, the moments that I truly cherish were those boring days that I spent in school. At that time, everything was interesting and had a new feel."


    "A drawing on the school wall, a hovering butterfly in the school grounds or a dry leaf which drifted into my hands in the classroom. Everything felt unique and worthy of attention. Students lived in their small, unique world ignorant of the cruel world out there."


    Maahi adjusted herself in Aditya''s lap. She passed her slender, exquisite fingers through Aditya''s messy hair and smiled. She continued, "those boring lessons which become completely irrelevant to us in the real world. Strict teachers who think that only those students who do their homework can become successful. Students who are so rebellious that they would rather get punished but not obey the rules."


    Maahi came so close to Aditya that he could feel her fragrant breath on his face. She looked into Aditya''s unwilling eyes and spoke, "that is the place where people are still quite pure in their hearts. I don''t mean that everyone is good, but even the bad ones are quite genuine in comparison to the villains of the outside world. I don''t want you to go there for studying. I don''t care if you pass or fail. But I want you to spend time with your friends. You may think that you have all the friends you need. These friendships require time and care to nurture them. If you do not give them some time of your life, these good friends of yours will leave at some point."


    Aditya looked into Maahi''s eyes deeply for a moment as he felt warm in his heart when he heard these words. He knew that Maahi did not know of the fact that he was currently planning to rescue his parents.


    Maahi wanted him to live a healthy life instead of doing these vague, aimless things he was currently indulging in. She did not know that these unclear things he did were preparations of something bigger.


    Maahi was right in thinking that he was neglecting his friends. The number of times Aditya contacted his friends Bhadra and Jatin in the last two months could be counted with his fingers. Though they understood Aditya''s difficulties, Maahi was right in saying that they would stop waiting for him at some point. Even if Aditya met them at that time, they would only become acquaintances who greeted each other politely.


    Let alone them, even meeting Kranthi or Kumari who would visit this garage from time to time, have become rare. Aditya did not have the luxury to think about these things. When Maahi raised this issue, it would be a lie if Aditya said that he did not feel uncomfortable. Aditya was someone who valued his friends and their companionship very much.


    Aditya gritted his teeth as he looked at Maahi and said, "Maahi, I can agree to your wish, but I have my condi..."


    Maahi did not hear the latter part as she had already placed her luscious, red lips on Aditya''s and started kissing him passionately.


    Aditya touched his lips with his thumb as a small smile appeared on his face. After creating ''Ishaan'' and ''Rudra'', Aditya did not want to do any remarkable things as ''Aditya'' anymore. So, at Aditya''s age, the most inconspicuous thing one could do was go to school.


    Aditya had already decided to live a normal life for four days in a week. Even if ''those'' people came to find him, they would not find anything unusual or suspicious about him. After Tya had created this ''Muscle Enhancing Oil'', it became effortless to become anyone he wanted in the matter of a few minutes. Also, there was another piece of shocking news that Tya had given Aditya.


    His soul particle had established a new bond with Maahi''s soul particle. According to Tya, this bond was on a whole other level when compared to Hamsa''s. This bond was so strong that Aditya and Maahi could now feel each other''s emotions. Maahi was ignorant of this as she did not know the truth. But on the other hand, Aditya could feel all of Maahi''s feelings, especially her love for him.


    This bond was so phenomenal and felt like as if Maahi''s soul particle would eventually integrate into Aditya''s. Tya theorised that if one day, Aditya died, i.e. his soul particle was destroyed, Maahi''s soul particle would also disrupt. She would either become mad or stay in a vegetative state forever. Aditya was aghast when he heard this theory and asked Tya to undo this bond immediately.


    Tya expressed his helplessness in this matter as this depended on Maahi''s love for Aditya and Aditya''s modified soul particle. If Aditya''s soul particle became normal or if Maahi''s love for him decreased or faded, this bond will dissolve all by itself. But with this risk came a boon also. Tya could now diverge the ''Dark Energy'' into Maahi''s soul particle also. So it will strengthen and transform Maahi''s soul particle resulting in some of the transformations that Aditya experienced. Tya was not sure as to what kind of changes might take place, as there was no precedent like this before. Aditya had asked Tya to channel a portion of Dark Energy into Maahi''s soul particle as he hoped that she would become strong as well.


    Adding Aditya, Hamsa and Maahi''s soul particles, the amount of Dark Energy that was being absorbed by Tya had increased exponentially. According to Tya, the new ability ''Gene Regulation'' which would activate in a year has come down to three months. Aditya was tempted to get a few more girls on board so that more dark energy could be absorbed.


    But Tya rejected it on the basis that his soul particle did not form a bond with Kumari who was pretty close to him. He did not form ''Quantum Soul Bonds'' with Taarini, Charita, Jagvi and others, which made the nature of this bond very ambiguous. He felt that there was a set of criteria which needed to be fulfilled to form this bond.


    "Maybe I have to kiss them," Aditya stroked his chin as he imagined kissing Taarini when a chill ran through his spine. "I am pretty sure I would be frozen to death, maybe I should try that foolish girl Charita. She would agree, but it goes against my morals as I don''t have any feelings for her."


    Just as when Aditya was mulling over these thoughts, a burst of exciting laughter was heard. "Adi, you are finally agreed to go to school. We are going to have so much fun. All the guys have decided to throw a party in our school canteen to celebrate ''playboy'' Adi''s return."


    Aditya touched his head when he heard white buffalo shouting as he came up, but a warm smile spread across his face. Maybe it was not a bad idea to go to school, after all.

 114 - A Surprise At School

    "What is Jatin up to?"A student with a statuesque figure in a dark green school uniform asked one of the two girls who were along with him as he adjusted his shoulder bag. He was looking at a group of students of similar age. These students wore a different uniform, though. Also, if one observed closely, the differences between them was not just the colour or design of the uniforms. There accessories like watches, spectacles, bags, shoes depicted a class difference.


    The boy, who had a feeble physique, could be easily spotted in that group because of his distinctive uniform as he conversed with those students. The girl with an exquisite beauty turned towards the tall guy as she said, "who cares what Jatin is up to, didn''t I advise you to stay away from him?"


    Bhadra coughed as he looked towards the other side. Now that Aditya was not there, he did not want to lose Jatin also, even if he had his flaws. Kavya knew Bhadra''s feelings, but she had her insecurities about Bhadra getting infected by Jatin''s bad habits. She would instead like to see Bhadra spend time with Aditya, who was a good boy (Author: Ahem!).


    Kavya looked at Anupama, who was also looking at the group halfheartedly. She noticed that Anupama was increasingly becoming distracted these days. First, she attributed this to the fact that her new friend ''Hitesh'' had to leave the country. Hitesh''s father was arrested on multiple charges of fraud, smuggling and even murder. His family''s industry was in shambles right now. But after some time, Kavya felt like it was not the case. After a few minutes, Jatin walked back to Bhadra with a smile.


    "What are you so amused about?" Bhadra curiously asked as he looked at Jatin. Jatin shook his head and said, "those guys are waiting for some popular playboy of their class who had transferred schools in tenth grade and was returning today. Do you know what''s interesting about it? The playboy''s name is also Aditya."


    "Aditya?" Anupama eyes became focused as she looked at Jatin. Jatin looked at Anupama and said, "the boy for whom those students are waiting for is also called Aditya. It is quite a common name. It''s funny how Aditya also transferred to our school after his tenth grade. Quite a coincidence."


    "Yeah, how can our Aditya join school now when he did not agree when we even pleaded him so much. It should be a coincidence. Also, even if Aditya decided to come back, he would come to our school first. Why would he choose any other?" Bhadra said while shaking his head. Jatin and others nodded while disappointment flashed in Anupama''s eyes. They all missed Aditya very much.


    "Bhadra, them and we share the same school," Jatin corrected Bhadra with a laugh. Bhadra shook his head as he replied, "though the name and campus are same, you and I know that our education path is different. Ours is an international curriculum while it is national for them. I have seen their curriculum. It is so much more standardised and harder than ours. Both curricula follow different perspectives on education. I remember Aditya looking down on our mathematics and science syllabus when he newly joined our school, looks like he was not exaggerating."


    "There is another interesting piece of information. The girl which Karan has been pursuing, I think her name was called Kumari or something. It turns out that she was this Aditya''s girlfriend before he left the school. It is going to be amusing when they both meet." Jatin chortled. He always enjoyed watching such conflicts.


    Bhadra''s brows creased as he said discontentedly, "that idiot has not changed a bit even after all the fiasco he has caused. He was the main reason that our previous school got effectively shut down."


    "This conversation is going nowhere, let us go to our class, the warning bell has already rung." Kavya shook her head and started walking in the direction of a new building in the distance. Bhadra and others were also about to follow when they heard shouts from that group which was waiting.


    Bhadra and Jatin stopped as they saw a fatty riding an orange mountain cycle with thick tires as he made way towards that group.


    "Why are they excited? That fatty is not the student from whom they were waiting for, right? I remember seeing him before," Kavya doubtfully asked as she looked at that group and the fatty.


    Jatin laughed as he said, "That fatty is Kranthi, we have a history together. If you look closely, there seems to be someone sitting behind him. I think that''s the boy who is also named Aditya...wait," it was not just Jatin who was shocked. Bhadra and Kavya also opened their eyes and mouth wide when they saw the slender figure jump from the back seat and made way for the group. Anupama''s pupils trembled when she saw the person.


    Aditya was regretting his decision to take the bicycle ride with Kranthi. He could not see anything in the front, and he was entirely at the mercy of Kranthi''s driving skill. Also, there was no place to hold steadily with his hands, and Kranthi''s body was like a cotton stuffed teddy bear which threatened to engulf him in the sea of softness, any moment.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    He knew that his old classmates were people who were mostly from middle-class families, unlike Bhadra or Jatin. He did not want to come in a luxury car or a sports bike which might make them uncomfortable. So when Kranthi proposed that he could ride on the back of his bicycle, Aditya obliged without much thought. He quickly realised that he made a huge mistake, but it was already late. So, Aditya could only hang on for now. At least, he had to buy a bicycle of his own in the evening.


    Also, the school uniform, which was a white cotton shirt (half sleeves), cream coloured pants, black formal shoes and a dark blue tie felt a little uncomfortable to Aditya. It took some time for his body to adjust. He had been wearing comfortable clothes in the past few months, and the contrast between them and his uniform was big. Aditya bitterly smiled when he thought about the fact that he was currently a CEO of a startup which was worth millions of dollars. Now, he had to start worrying about homework, assignments, lab work.


    A warm smile appeared on Aditya''s face when he saw his friends whom he did not meet for over a year and a half. The old 160-year-old school building, with its symmetrical pillars, had a dignified aura emanating naturally from it because of being a centre for education for centuries. This old building, which was built with stones kept the classrooms cool even during the hottest time of the year. This building was a classic example of Gothic revival architecture.


    The school had large playgrounds where they could play cricket, basketball and hockey. There were beautifully designed gardens with many old trees. These trees gave the best shade during the summer months. There was a large banyan tree which was planted when the school was opened. It was 160 years old and very huge with over 100 aerial roots. That was where he and Sameera, ahem, used to study.


    This school was St. Joseph High school and Aditya remembered that the school motto was ''Fide Et Labore'' which was a Latin inscription meaning ''Faith & Toil''. As the warning bell had already sounded, Aditya could see cute, adorable kids sprinting into the school. These sweet angels were carrying colourful bags with cartoon characters printed on them in bright colours. He could see parents looking anxiously at their children as if worried that they might fall and get hurt. Aditya''s eyes dimmed a little as he remembered his parents. When he was that age, his mother would let him buy Polo mints before going to school.


    Aditya had initially planned to join along with Bhadra and Jatin''s school when Maahi wanted him to go to school. But after some reasoning, he decided against it as the international curriculum had many time-consuming activities like social service, researching, arts etc. The national curriculum did not have such obligations, and it was purely academic. As long as he proved that he was knowledgeable in these subjects, it could be managed even if he did not attend the school regularly.


    Though Aditya agreed to go to school, there was a critical condition. He would not allow this to become a hindrance in his plans. So, Aditya chose national curriculum for studying, which made many things convenient for him. So, he joined the school which he had studied till tenth grade as there was Kranthi, Kumari and many other friends whom he knew.


    Aditya took a deep breath as he suppressed these thoughts and smiled at his previous batch mates. Very few remained, and he was surprised to discover that he did not know many of these people in the group. These people seemed to have joined after he left.


    He could not figure out why these people were also waiting for him. Aditya did not know that his ''playboy'' legend was quite famous among the students and the whole school. After all, you usually don''t find a 15-year-old boy who romanced the two most beautiful girls at the same time and got away with it.


    Just as he was about to greet his mates, a soft figure slipped into Aditya''s arms and hugged him tightly. Aditya heard an excited, high pitch voice, "Adi, it is so good to have you back." Before Aditya could open his mouth, a pair of soft lips planted a kiss on his mouth. The other people in the group looked at Aditya with awe as some of them whistled and cheered. A teacher looked at Aditya with a red, angry face as if he was the one who made a mistake.


    Aditya''s brows slightly wrinkled as he said in a low voice so that only the girl in his arms could hear, "Kumari, do you know that I can accuse you of molesting me?"


    Kumari giggled as she said with a witty expression, "if this is molesting, then, what about your actions in the theatre when you dragged me to see an adult film?"


    "Ahem, let''s not talk about the past. Okay, so what''s the reason?" Aditya asked as diverted the topic.


    "There is a bug which has been annoying me a lot, so I am using you like a bug repellent." Kumari grinned as she explained while still hugging Aditya.


    "You have to pay me for my services," Aditya joked as he also held Kumari firmly. He and Kumari shared many physical intimate situations, so this action came out naturally without any flaw.


    "What do you think I am doing? This hug and kiss are my payments. Be thankful I am letting you touch me," Kumari snapped as she looked at Aditya as if she was doing him a favour. Her jewel-like eyes sparkled, and two dimples formed on her cheeks as she smiled. She was also wearing a uniform which was a white cotton shirt, tie and cream coloured skirt. She styled her hair into a messy fishtail braid which gave a sporty look to her.


    Aditya grinned but did not refute her, "Okay, where is this bug of yours?." If Aditya did not reconcile with Maahi, he would have flirted more with Kumari. But now, he did not have the urge anymore.


    Kumari pointed at a handsome boy who was standing a few feet away from them. But that handsome boy''s face did not show wrath, rage or at least disappointment. Instead, it showed fear and dread as he looked at Aditya.


    Aditya''s eyes lit up when he saw the boy that Kumari pointed as he said, "Karan, long time no see, how have you been?"


    ''Wait, why was Karan here? Does that mean...'' Aditya started looking around eagerly when he thought about this. He did not have to look for long before he saw Bhadra and others in the distance.


    Bhadra and Jatin were grinning encouragingly while Kavya''s mouth was wide open with shock. Aditya''s gaze landed on Anupama who was looking at both him and Kumari.

 115 - Tyas Skill Display

    "In the previous class, we have discussed integrals of those functions which are readily obtainable from derivatives of some functions. That method is based on inspection, which is not suitable for many functions. Hence many different approaches have been developed for finding integrals by reducing them into standard forms. Prominent among them are -


    1. Integration by Substitution


    2. Integration using Partial..."


    An obese middle-aged man spoke in a monotonous voice without even looking at the students as he chalked examples on the blackboard. This kind of lesson reminded Aditya why he had loathed going to school in the first place. He did not like sitting in one place, without moving, while being subjected to long hours of teaching. He felt entirely stifled at that time. But now, he had neither the patience nor the time to do this.


    He had two small patches with wires attached to his pinky as he worked on his mobile. He was witnessing Tya''s hacking skills. He was currently hacking Pakistan military''s intranet. It was quite easy for Tya to bypass Pakistan''s firewall, security nets and authentication requirements. It was not that their protection was weak, but the fact that Tya was unstoppable. Aditya was sure that with some practice Tya could hack into military databases of US, Europe and other developed countries.


    One would be mistaken if they thought that Aditya was using just a smartphone to hack. Tya had already sent malware packages into computers and mobiles of many countries. This malware enabled him to control these devices remotely without the owner realising that someone was utilising their device''s computing power. So, in a matter of few hours, Aditya had successfully employed the processing power of tens of thousands of machines for his use. His mobile just had to do the work like how a CEO of a multinational company works, i.e. give orders.


    The rest of the work is taken care of by other computers. Tya was currently controlling the ''SahasraQ'' supercomputer in Indian Science Institute, Bangalore, to do most of processing and computing for him. It was a supercomputer with smaller capacity (1,244 Tflops/sec), which was enough for him. This supercomputer proved to be active support in these trials.


    All the knowledge and input from the computers all over the world was processed, categorised and stored in ''SahasraQ''. Aditya could retrieve the information whenever he needed. He did not utilise the computers in his control to their utmost capacity, which might cause unnecessary suspicions. That was the reason that he employed so many systems so that the individual load would be quite insignificant.


    Aditya felt that Tya was like a future version of the supercomputer or a quantum computer. He managed all the work in the matter of a few minutes.


    So, even if Pakistan Military''s IT wing detected that their system had been hacked into, the result of their diagnosis would be quite shocking. It would show that almost all the countries in the world were working together to break into their systems. Tya had weaved a highly complicated web of networks so that no one could track him down. Aditya found many confidential links between Pakistan''s military and some organisations in other countries like China and the US. He ignored them as they were irrelevant to him.


    The primary goal of his hacking was to see if the idea of directly connecting Tya to the real world was feasible or not. By removing Aditya has a medium, Tya could finally utilise his potential effectively. Aditya could also save a lot of his time and invest himself in other things while Tya could help him share his work. But there was a small issue. Tya could send signals through nerve cell manipulation, but he couldn''t receive information in the same way.


    Tya could write all kinds of programs and software but could not receive the data. Aditya was thinking of making a device which transforms the vast amounts of data into binary code. This binary code is then transmitted in the form of electrical charges (small amounts ¨C not lethal) into a nerve in his hand either superficially or through acupuncture needle insertion. He was still working on it.


    If this theory was implemented successfully, then Tya could effectively do all he wanted without having to rely on Aditya. He could learn petabytes of data all by himself, through these electrical stimuli. Aditya did not need to read for Tya anymore. Tya would probably be the happiest as he was always curious about everything. Aditya would also feel elated as he would possess a database of all the information available on earth.


    "Got it," Tya''s cute voice rang in his mind as two documents appeared on his mobile screen. This document was the detailed list of spies and sleeper cells planted in India by the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) of Pakistan. Aditya did not glance at them as he forwarded this list to his elder sister Saira. This was the second goal for choosing Pakistan''s military intranet as his target. He wanted to help his elder sister Saira in her work.


    The second document was a list of Indian politicians and administrators. These people worked alongside with Raipath Family to create pockets of undeveloped areas in India where the law couldn''t reach. These bastards were the reason that Maahi was forced to commit suicide in the future of the ''dream world''.


    Of course, Aditya was not going to let it repeat. Tya''s algorithms were far more advanced than those created by Maahi''s companies. So it took an hour before all the details were in Aditya''s hands.


    ''Rudra'' would be paying a visit to those people who were in Bangalore, tonight. He needed quite a bit of money for his plans. These corrupt politicians and the Raipath family would be treated as his cattle from which he could milk whenever he needed. He did not have the idea of turning them to the Indian government any time soon. He wanted to destroy them with his own hands.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Of course, he wouldn''t let them continue exploiting people anymore either. He wanted to make them experience sleepless nights, with their hearts filled with fear and regret. They should not have the courage to read a newspaper in the morning or watch the morning news for fear of seeing or hearing their names in the headlines.


    Aditya had plans for utilising these undeveloped pockets for his objectives. These places did not have law and order and minimal access to the government''s facilities or welfare schemes. Most of these pockets survived through conventional farming. These places were ideal for Aditya who wanted absolute privacy and secrecy. These places where there was no proper telecommunication, let alone the internet, how could ''that'' organisation know anything about them.


    So, these places became an essential resource for his plans. He would become the government for these people. He would take care of them, educate them and introduce them to a better lifestyle. In turn, they would become his first group of helpers in his endeavours to rescue his parents. It might be unethical for thinking this way, but Aditya did not have a choice in this matter.


    In the end, he was a selfish person who wanted his close ones safe before he thought of any greater good. If it was Saira, she would never do such a thing. For her, the country came first. But Aditya was not made that way.


    A bell sound brought Aditya out of his contemplation as he removed those patches on his finger and put the device back in his bag. Kranthi woke up slowly while Kumari remained asleep. Aditya felt that this mathematics lesson was the most effective lullaby. The teacher was very cooperative, and he did not even glance at students. The teacher seemed to have taught mathematics to the ''blackboard'', itself. These are the people who work to earn a living.


    Aditya''s pinky felt numb due to hours of continuous electrical stimulation. He lightly massaged his finger as he stretched himself and walked towards Kumari. She was the only one who dared to sit on the boys'' side while the rest of the girls occupied the other end of the classroom.


    Aditya shook her thin, delicate shoulder and attempted to wake her. Drool could be seen flowing from the corner of her mouth and decorating the mathematics notes. Kumari opened her eyes lazily to look at Aditya and went back to sleep again.


    Aditya rolled his eyes as he said to Kranthi in a loud voice, "White Buffalo, let''s go. I heard that there''s a special food item in today''s menu in the canteen."


    "There is?" Kranthi asked doubtfully. When he saw Aditya''s stare, he got the point and nodded, "Oh, what item is it, Adi?"


    "What else can it be? It is Aloo Bonda (fried dumplings with potato stuffing)."


    "Aloo Bonda?" Kumari sprang from her seat as she looked at Aditya with bright, shining eyes.


    Aditya grinned as he wiped her drool with his handkerchief as he said, "I said that I heard about it, I am not sure whether if it is true or just a rumour. Come, let''s go and find out."


    "Adi, you jerk," Kumari aimed her leg at Aditya who dodged it easily. She knew that Aditya said it so that she would wake up.


    She was about to go back to sleep, but Aditya held her firmly as he declared, "Friends, yesterday was my birthday. I am sad that I did not get to celebrate it with you guys. So, as a compensation, I have decided to host a small party in our school canteen. I don''t want to see anyone taking out their lunch boxes. The bill is on me." Aditya had spent his whole birthday with Maahi, yesterday, and was not available to anyone else.


    Everyone cheered when they heard Aditya''s words. Kranthi came near Aditya and said excitedly, "Adi, after those ''IC'' students (International Curriculum) came, our school administration built a new cafeteria. Why don''t we go there, instead?"


    Aditya shrugged as he did not have any particular preferences. Before he could modify the venue, Kumari held his hand and shook her head. She said, "that place is costly, no one from our class had ever stepped into that place. Usually, only those ''IC'' students hang around there. Only some girls from our class have been invited." Kumari glared at Kranthi who rubbed his head sheepishly.


    Aditya removed Kumari''s hand as he shouted, "There is a change in the location, the party is in the new cafeteria." Maahi had given him a new bank card yesterday. Even Aditya did not know the amount of money it contained.


    He had his own money as ''Ishaan'' or ''Rudra'', but he couldn''t use it now. Using Maahi''s money made things so much easier. Kumari knew that Aditya had money. But she still thought he did not have to spend so much. Kumari did not dissuade Aditya again as she quietly followed him along with Kranthi.


    The cheers from Aditya''s classroom could be heard reverberating all over the school building as the crowd rushed towards the new building in the distance. Aditya followed as he felt his heart lighten up when he heard these cheers and saw the happiness reflected on these people''s faces. Aditya conversed with his friends about simple things like film celebrities, music albums etc. All the stress that had been built up in his heart seem to evaporate.


    Aditya noticed that Kumari''s face become melancholic suddenly as she looked at someone in the distance. She was not looking at the person but at the box that he was carrying. Aditya looked askance at Kranthi as he gestured at Kumari.


    Kranthi sighed as he said, "our school got huge tons of money as donation after these IC students came. So our school administration planned to build many new facilities which we didn''t have before. Archery Academy was one of those. It was set up in the ground, near the Banyan tree. Kumari had gone for archery selections. She was attracted to this sport very much."


    "The coach, who presided that selection, also praised that Kumari had the perfect form and potential for professional archery. But you know that Kumari''s family is middle class and they want a stable career path for her instead of this risky venture. It''s not like Kumari is a genius in studies so that her parents could agree to spend some of her time on archery also. They did not agree to her request, and also, learning archery is not exactly cheap, right?"


    Aditya realised that the box was an archery equipment kit. He looked at Kumari and did not speak about it as it was not the right time. Aditya observed that many new facilities came up around the otherwise old buildings. Many of them were under construction. He saw that the cafeteria place was just as luxurious as he had imagined. It was filled with ''IC'' students who wore different uniforms.


    Aditya''s classmates rushed in excitedly and started ordering all kinds of food. Aditya warned his friends not to waste any food and asked Kranthi to look after everything as he handed the card to him. He had a crucial thing to do now.


    Aditya awkwardly laughed as he went near Bhadra and Jatin who were standing in the corner, cracking their knuckles. He had to give them a valid explanation for not joining their batch and accept their punishment.

 116 - School - Fun?

    Aditya was sipping papaya milkshake merrily, while playfully shaking his legs, as he looked at Bhadra and Jatin with schadenfreude. These two idiots tried to give him a beating ignorant of the fact that Aditya''s body was an anomaly. Bhadra fared better as he had a healthy physique, to begin with, but poor Jatin seemed to have strained his wrist joint. Swelling could be seen forming on knuckles of his right hand.


    "This dead son of a gun seems to have become even more abnormal," Jatin cursed. He made painful hissing sounds as he rubbed his hand. He felt as if he had hit an iron pole instead of a human body. Bhadra nodded as he looked at Aditya with amazement, it had only been two months since they saw each other and he felt Aditya had changed a lot. This change was not just physical. He could feel that Aditya had transformed as a whole.


    The depressing aura, which used to linger around him, because of his missing parents, had vanished entirely. Instead, he could feel vibrant and energetic vibrations from him. He felt gratified that Aditya had come out of the shadow. Bhadra smiled as he and Jatin asked Aditya about his life and what happened in the last two months. They did not ask him about his abilities as this was not the right place.


    "Big brother Aditya?" a soft exclamation was heard from Aditya''s back, as the three friends were conversing. Aditya turned his head to find a cute east Asian girl who was looking at him with excitement. Aditya''s eyes lit up as he remembered that he had helped this girl a little when he was in his previous school. Her name was ''Yu Yan''.


    "Yu Yan, right? How are you doing? Come sit." Aditya smiled as he beckoned her and gestured at the empty chair to his right. His first impression of this girl was that she looked like a beautiful doll. She possessed a small, round face, baby fat on her cheeks, little adorable dark eyes and straight black silky hair.


    "You remember me?" Yu Yan asked elatedly as a light blush formed on her cheeks. She smiled as her eyes turned into crescent moons and sat on Aditya''s right.


    ''How could I forget?'' Aditya thought. It was not just Yu Yan, even strangers who were seen by Aditya were recorded clearly in his mind. Of course, it was after he got those abilities from Tya.


    "How could I forget such a lovely girl," Aditya teased as he looked at Yu Yan. He was mildly surprised as he looked at her flushed face. ''this little girl seems to have some feelings for me. If she has fallen for me, it would be the most cliched love story. A girl gets bullied, a boy helps, and she falls in love with the boy.''


    Aditya turned to look askance at Jatin for confirmation as he was usually the expert in these matters. Jatin grinned as he nodded at Aditya. He had observed this a long time ago. Jatin guessed that Yu Yan had been secretly eyeing Aditya even before the bullying incident. The bullying incident was just a trigger of sorts.


    "Have you come back, big brother Aditya?" Yu Yan asked with anticipation in her eyes. She seemed to have not registered the fact that Aditya was wearing a different uniform.


    "I have indeed returned, but I am studying the national curriculum as you can see from my uniform," Aditya smiled as he loosened his tie a little. He looked at Jatin as he asked, "What''s up with Karan? I don''t see him here."


    Jatin chuckled, "it is not surprising that he would not be here. I doubt that he is currently filling a form for transferring schools. As long as you are here, he won''t dare to come. That is the effect of your elder sister Maahi''s retaliation."


    Jatin looked at Aditya as he said, "By the way, I did not expect that the girl, you had a tryst with, would be Kumari. Also, you haven''t explained the reason for not joining our batch."


    Aditya shook his head as he said, "International curriculum has all sorts of things like ''Theory of Knowledge'', creativity, arts, service etc. which cost a lot of time. The national curriculum is purely academical, as long as I attend the exams and pass, everything else is optional. Even though I have joined the school, I can not guarantee that I will come daily. It is much more convenient for me this way."


    "As for Kumari, she is a childhood friend who is indeed very close to me. We did have our moments, but it was not ''love''. She has someone in her heart," Aditya replied succinctly. Aditya knew that Kumari truly liked Sameera but did not explain these details to his friends as it was unnecessary. Yu Yan''s expression changed when she heard Aditya talk about his affair with another girl.


    "Well, if it isn''t our ''playboy Adi''?" Kavya snorted as she sat beside Bhadra. She thought angrily, ''I always felt that Jatin was a danger for Bhadra but never imagined that Aditya would turn out even more dangerous. It is good that Anupama did not get together with Aditya.''This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Aditya could practically ''see'' Kavya''s thoughts from her expression but did not speak anything as he coughed and ignored her words. Jatin was watching this scene with relish as Kavya would always target him. For the first time, he felt relaxed as the target had been changed.


    Anupama, who had sat beside Kavya and on Aditya''s left, looked at Aditya as she asked, "Adi, what about that elder sister, whom I saw in the food festival. Didn''t you say that she was your girlfriend?"


    "What? Another one?" everyone was shocked as they looked at Aditya as if they were looking at a monster. Yu Yan had a dejected expression on her face as if all her dreams were being crushed.


    Aditya bitterly smiled when he heard Anupama''s question. He had wanted to tease Anupama and joked that Taarini was his girlfriend.


    Aditya had never imagined that this lie would come to haunt him in the future. He turned towards Anupama and said, "Taarini is also a friend. I was kidding with you."


    Everyone became calm as they did not know what to believe. Jatin was not willing to let off Aditya. His wrist pained a lot. So he gave an innocent smile as he asked Aditya, "Adi, there was a woman who stayed in your place during the night, right? I forgot to ask. How is she?" Jatin''s words accurately depicted the nature of media nowadays, highly misleading.


    Kavya''s nostrils flared as she looked Aditya and said, "Good, Adi, a girl who locked lips with you publicly, in school, is just a friend. Then, it is no surprise that you have other such friends."


    Aditya held his forehead with his hands. He could imagine what was going on everyone''s minds. Aditya failed to understand why Yu Yan was looking at him as if he had cheated on her.


    "What happened, Adi darling?" a voice filled with mirth asked Aditya. Aditya''s heart skipped a beat when he heard the tone of Kumari''s voice. He immediately realised that this female devil was going to do something outrageous.


    Before Aditya could do anything, Kumari sat on Aditya''s lap as she wrapped her hands around his neck. She looked at every other person on the table with a smile and said, "Hello guys, I am Adi''s girlfriend and future wife. I am so happy to meet you all finally. Adi talks about you all the time."


    Everyone else was stunned, while Jatin was the one who answered enthusiastically, "sister-in-law, nice to meet you." Bhadra looked at Aditya with pity as he knew that Aditya was being framed. He knew that Aditya would never lie about his love interests. If Aditya said that Kumari was a friend, then that was what she was. But he did not dare to defend Aditya when he looked at Kavya''s livid expression.


    Aditya looked at Kumari with a smiling expression as he asked in a low voice, "Why are you doing this to me?"


    Kumari kissed Aditya on his cheek as she whispered, "this is for lying about Aloo Bonda."


    Aditya got angry as he pinched her butt and said, "No wonder Sameera liked me more than you." Aditya immediately regretted after he uttered these words.


    Kumari turned to look at Anupama who was eating with a straight face as she said, "Oh, are you Anupama? You are truly gorgeous. Adi always wanted a mistress, and he had told me that he had chosen someone for that role. Is it you?"


    Puff!


    Jatin, who was drinking water, sprayed all of it on Bhadra''s face. But Bhadra did not have the mind to think about it as a cold aura permeated the entire table. Anupama turned to look at Aditya coolly.


    Aditya gulped as he stared at Anupama and tried to shake his head, but couldn''t as his body seemed to ignore him. He started to regret agreeing to Maahi''s request. School, fun, relaxation, valuable memories, everything was just trash. It was more relaxing to go beat up some corrupt politicians. That was the only way that he was going to vent his frustration. It would be nice if he could vanish from this place.


    "Adi, how could you ignore our classmates like that? Come with me. Many people want to congratulate you," Kranthi''s voice was heard from the distance.


    Aditya sprang from his chair, lifting Kumari as if she was a light feather. He placed her aside and said, "My other friends are waiting for me. See ya next time."


    Kumari giggled when she saw Aditya run. When she saw that Aditya went away, she immediately clarified her words. Jatin also explained what had happened that night. Dragging these misunderstandings for a long time would not be fun anymore.


    Anupama ate her food as complicated feeling surfaced in her heart. Yu Yan''s face bloomed once more as if her dreams rejuvenated. Kavya snorted as she warned Bhadra to stay away from both Jatin and Aditya, better be safe than sorry.


    Aditya escaped while sweat started forming on his forehead; he felt like he had escaped a land mine infested field. Suddenly, he thought that this fatty was his one true friend.


    Aditya chatted with his classmates and asked Kranthi to bring his bag home. He was not going to come to the post-lunch classes. Kranthi agreed and went on his way. He did not have the habit of questioning Aditya.


    Aditya went to the restroom, and a few minutes later, another student with Aditya''s build came out. That student made way for the school perimeter and jumped the wall as if it was a small fence. He made way for an apartment building and entered it. After some time, a mature man, with a muscular physique, walked out of that apartment building.


    With a buzz cut hairstyle and a thick lumberjack beard, the man had a roguish aura around him. He seemed to be in his early thirties with rough, brown skin which showed that he stayed in the sun for long durations. A knife scar cut across his right eyebrow which, along with his narrow eyes, gave off a sharp intent.


    He walked out from the entrance and got into a brand new Red Mercedes ''G-Wagen'' as he said in a deep voice, "Thomas, move."


    The driver who had a fierce face and a sturdy physique looked at this person with awe as he nodded and started the vehicle.

 117 - Where to Start

    Cries of pain rang through the bungalow as a group of people were being beaten black and blue, without any respite. The house was luxurious, filled with extravagant decorations. Aditya placed himself in the dark so that the people could only see his outline. He wanted to create an inexplicable fear of the ''unknown'' in these people.


    Aditya sat a comfy chair as he gazed calmly at these people. These people were the last batch of the day. It was nearing midnight, and everyone was exhausted.


    Thomas and the other wrapped their faces as it was standard practice. Aditya taught them some basics so that they wouldn''t make simple mistakes like showing their faces, leaving fingerprints etc.


    In the beginning, Aditya thought that beating these bastards would be fun. But, after two helpings, he grew tired. In the end, they were too weak. Almost all of them had one or the other kind of medical disorders in their bodies. Aditya felt as if these people would be good subjects for Hamsa''s medical practice.


    Let alone Aditya, even if a healthy youth threw a punch at them, they would die. He had spent more time to concentrate on ''not'' killing them by mistake. So, Aditya did not have the time to enjoy. After some time, he left the beating to Thomas and others.


    Aditya prioritised the local politicians over the others, as they were the actual ground forces. He had to deal with them in the future. It was not hard to control these people, as they were corrupt and weak-minded. It was not like they were people with moral integrity. All he had to do was clarify their options.


    If they choose to surrender to Aditya, their advantage would be that they and their family members would be alive and out of jail. Refusal would result in their death. It was quite simple but effective.


    In the future, Aditya had to ''train'' them to fear him. It was a time taking process. Some people would be killed in the process and serve as ''excellent examples'' for others. Aditya wanted some people to cross the line and act brave. The earlier some people acted smart, the quicker the results.


    Aditya had no barriers, neither psychologically nor socially, about using ''murder'' as a tool, anymore. He conditioned himself accordingly. Aditya wouldn''t even bat an eyelid if he killed any of these people.


    These people deserved death, and Aditya did not mind being the executioner. Keeping people suffering from poverty and diseases for decades, while the rest of the country moved forward, was their sin.


    Aditya looked at the person, who was crying the loudest, with a cold gaze. This person was the last member that Aditya wanted to bring under his control. He was a little special. He was not a local politician but a politician of state-level (Province).


    Aditya waved his hand. Thomas and others stopped the beating. Even they were feeling quite frustrated as they couldn''t utilise their full strength.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "So, who are your contacts in Raipath family?" Aditya could find out these details by himself. But, he wanted to find out if the ''thrashing'' was enough or not. If this person lied, then another ''round'' would start.


    The person who was in the middle hesitated a little. Thomas temper was flaring because of all these ''controlled'' attacks. He took a beer bottle and smashed it against a table.


    The bottle broke on one end, exposing sharp glass shards. Thomas smirked as held the broken bottle and said, "Boss, I always wanted to know how a person would feel if I shoved it up their ***. Maybe this honourable person can volunteer?"


    The person violently trembled when he saw the broken bottle. He scurried towards Aditya as he held his legs and said, "Sir, the in-charge of these affairs in our state is Manjunath, he lives near white field, the person who I contact with regards to these things is¡­"


    It was not just that person, even Aditya''s legs slightly trembled when he heard Thomas''s words. But he could not deny that his words worked as this person yielded. These followers of his had a rough upbringing on the streets after all.


    "Did you get that?" Aditya asked a follower, who was recording these confessions in his phone.


    "Yes, Boss."


    This recording was his way of preventing these people from going back to Raipath Family. No one would want fickle-minded people as their followers even if these followers were coerced into confessing. Who can guarantee that it wouldn''t repeat? So, any competent organisation would not accept such people.


    From the confessions of these people and information from the ''dream world'', Aditya knew a lot about the Raipath family. The cruel methods that Raipath family employed, to keep all the news under wraps, were discussed widely in ''dream world''.


    So, in a way, Aditya used Raipath family''s infamous reputation against them. When threatened with instant death, these people confessed. But if there was a notion that Raipath family would forgive them, they might turn back immediately. That would not allow Aditya''s plans to be implemented. But now, these people knew that once they had betrayed Raipath family, there was no going back. They knew what would happen to them if they said that they leaked critical information about Raipath family.


    The only way to ensure their survival was to work together with Aditya. Aditya could escape from Raipath family but they can''t. They would have to take more caution so that news of their betrayal was not revealed.


    Aditya also did not plan to go after all the pockets. For one, the area of the affected territory in his state (province) was enough for now. Also, if he targeted every member, his plan would not work. If five to six members became traitors, they would be eliminated. But, if everyone did the same thing, then even Raipath family would have to think twice before acting. This scenario might encourage these people to go back to Raipath family.


    Aditya wanted these people to feed false news to Raipath family while working for him. He wanted them to act like ''double agents''. Even though these people were not professionals, Aditya believed that the threat of death from both sides would make them work efficiently. He also revealed that they were other people, too, who had surrendered to him.


    If Aditya could make these people believe that they were other people who were similar to them, it would instil a sense of dread and confidence in them. So, the next time they saw any other member, they would have question themselves if this person was a traitor like them or not.


    This situation would build a sense of distrust and disharmony among the group, which was what Aditya wanted, precisely. As long as the sense of belonging to a group weakened, Aditya could implement his next plan.

 118 - Where to Start (2)

    There was a reason that Aditya wanted to weaken Raipath''s family before making the final move. Raipath family was deeply entrenched into the system, be it politics, military, business and administration. With the addition of those powerful, multinational conglomerates into this soup, it became a toxic mix. If he revealed this information all at once, there was no doubt that the country would be affected adversely on a considerable scale.


    In the ''dream world'', the central government had collapsed in one month after Maahi''s death. It was followed by two awful years of minuscule development and unemployment rates skyrocketed. Aditya did not want to this to repeat. So he planned to cut the roots of Raipath family one by one, like a surgeon, so that the system would not be affected on a noticeable scale.


    Aditya also planned to fill in the gaps left by Raipath family, with his influence. If he did not make a move, this space would be filled in by others. No one would see a piece of pie and ignore it. Aditya did not want to take chances with these people''s morality, who might turn out to be another Raipath family. It was better that he became a part of this system and had his influence.


    Aditya had all the tools and capabilities to build his influence. He wouldn''t shy away from his responsibilities. It would be false modesty to think that he should not vie for supremacy when he had the necessity.


    Aditya emerged from his thoughts as he tapped the armchair in a slow pattern. Everyone was exhausted as they had been working for ten hours without a break. Just as Aditya was about to wrap up today''s work, Tya said, "Aditya, I can''t hack this phone."


    Aditya''s other arm had patches, with wires attached to it. These wires were attached to a device and the device to a mobile phone. This mobile phone belonged to the person who had just defected to his side. Aditya''s pupil shrank when he heard this, Tya could easily break into a military-grade intranet, and here he was saying that he couldn''t hack a mobile phone.


    "What seems to be the problem?"


    "Well, the processor core of this mobile is nothing like I have seen before. It is more complicated and the most important thing, this thing does not respond to binary code," Tya said in his cute voice.


    "You mean that this mobile''s processor core does not function with ''1'' and ''0''," Aditya''s face became grim as he asked.


    "Yes, this core functions with ''1'', ''0'' and a unique combination of ''1'' and ''0''. It is like the binary codes are merged into one singular entity. If the regular processor has the efficiency of a kindergarten student, then this is at the level of third grade, I guess."


    Aditya''s pupils trembled as a shocking thought emerged in his mind. He raised his head and asked the person who was nursing his injuries, "Where did you get this mobile? Who gave it to you?"


    The person, trembled when he heard the sharp tone in Aditya''s voice. His neck shrank a little as he said, "it was given by that Manjunath, who is the representative of ''Raipath family''. He asked me to keep this mobile with me, at all times..."


    Just as he was about to continue, the mobile screen lit up as an indifferent voice was heard. "Mr Shashank, I did not expect that you would betray us. It is a pity."


    Aditya did not pay attention to these words as he made a hand gesture to Thomas. Thomas and other followers'' eyes expressed shock. They could not believe that a day would come that the Boss would make that decision.


    That hand gesture meant that they had to escape. Also, it was not a typical escape. It meant ''each one for himself''. All people had to flee in different directions so that even if one of them was caught, the others would be able to escape.


    Thomas and the others laughed when they saw their boss teach this manoeuvre as they felt that such a situation would never arise. But their laughter earned them extra practice hours of this manoeuvre till this action was ingrained in their muscles and spirit.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    So after a brief moment of shock at Aditya''s action, Thomas and others escaped in all directions of the bungalow. Not one of them stepped on the road. These people who grew up on the streets were the most natural Parkour practitioners. Aditya honed their skills even more as he felt that this skill was going to become crucial in the future. They jumped, climbed and vaulted over all obstacles in their path. They moved into the surrounding environment efficiently and naturally.


    Aditya did not manage his followers after he gave out the order. He removed a phone from his pocket and left it near Shashank''s phone. Aditya placed the phone in a dark corner. Hence he did not worry about the camera. Even if the camera somehow got a visual of his face, he did not fear as he could change looks like that. ''Rudra'' was not a face; it was an identity.


    Thomas and the others knew that their boss was a master of disguise. In the beginning, they did not believe their boss as they could not find any hint of camouflage. But, they had to believe him when Aditya appeared like Thomas.


    It was quite a shock to them, but they slowly became accustomed to it. Aditya did not base the way of communication between ''Rudra'' and his followers on ''seeing''. Aditya trained them in this fashion.


    ''Shashank'' was still in shock as he saw the frightening figures escape just because of a phone call. Aditya looked at Shashank as he mouthed ''sorry'' without making a sound and escaped.


    The voice on the phone seemed to pause a little as it continued, "As for you, the other people referred you as ''Boss'', so I shall also call you as such. Boss, I don''t know who you are, but you shouldn''t have tried to go against the ''Raipath family''. Since you did, then I can only offer my condolences. Wait for your death." The person who was talking did not seem to overthink as if he was passing judgement.


    By the time that person had finished speaking, Aditya had already left the building. He started climbing the multi-storey building, which was behind the bungalow. Aditya spoke, "I did not think that you bastards of Raipath family have joined hands with that ''organisation''. But I am interested to know one thing. Are you guys considered helpers or as slaves?" Tya transmitted Aditya''s voice to the other phone. His voice was modified into a mechanical tone. Aditya climbed with his bare hands. His voice did not shake a little as he scaled, let alone sweat.


    The voice on the phone lost it''s calm and indifference as it stuttered, "Wha...what are you talking about?" It was clear that the other person was rattled when he heard Aditya''s words.


    Aditya reached the terrace as he sat on the wall so that he could have a clear view of the bungalow. Compared to his other abilities, ''urban climbing'' was just complimentary. A cold wind breezed past his face. It felt refreshing. The city was calm in the night with vehicles passing through the road occasionally.


    A sneer appeared on Aditya''s face as he said, "You know what I am talking about. Since you are stuttering, it means that the time is not ripe for others to know about this. But since I know, then you people would hunt me, right? That''s great. I am staying in Bangalore. Come at me with your full force. I want to see what you bastards are capable of?"


    The other voice regained it''s calm as words infused with fury were heard, "You will regret these words." Aditya scoffed as he cut the connection and initiated a self-destruction protocol in the mobile which he left with the ''Special'' mobile. No one would be able to trace that mobile back to him.


    This self-destructive mechanism was quite easy. All Aditya had to do was install an expandable polymer inside the phone, which could be triggered by electricity, remotely. This polymer would borrow the charge from the battery to destroy the chip in the phone and burn the battery itself, subsequently.


    Aditya knew what Tya meant when he said that the ''1'' and ''0'' of the binary code seem to merge. That was not a typical mobile processor. It was a ''quantum'' processor core, and that technology was way ahead of contemporary times.


    Aditya had heard that military technology is usually ten years ahead of the technology available to civilians. So he was not sure if this phone was a product of military or belonged to ''those'' people. Aditya threw a bluff at the opposite party, and it paid off. Now he was sure that Raipath family was in cahoots with ''that'' organisation.


    "Boss, I knew you would be here," Thomas panted a little as he came from behind. Aditya nodded as he continued to look below. When he figured out that Raipath family might have a connection with that ''organisation'', he did not take chances as he ordered his followers to disperse. Aditya wanted to see the efficiency of these people. Aditya was quite satisfied with their response rate.


    Thomas also looked at the bungalow. It was dark, and he could see the outline, clearly, from such a height. Suddenly, he saw the bungalow go up in flames in a few seconds. His body trembled as he looked at these flames, "Boss, who are these people?" Aditya did not reply as flames reflected in his pupils. Finally, he knew where to start.

 119 - Unprepared

    It was a Sunday morning. Aditya (Ishaan) sipped lime juice as he gazed at the urban landscape visible from his office. It had been four days since a state political leader, Shashank, had been killed by Naxalites (far left radical insurgents). Aditya went on with his life, as usual. He had spoken provocative words at that time. But he was not foolish to bang his head against the Raipath family, especially when he knew that the Raipath family is being supported by that ''organisation''.


    Aditya had informed his elder sister Saira about this information. It was a fact that Saira was a better judge of these things as she had a broader perspective than him. Saira was startled when she heard Aditya''s discovery.


    Saira did not expect that one of the most prestigious families in the Capital, was colluding with ''those'' people. She took a long time to digest this information and figure out the implications of this news.


    But in the end, Saira disclosed a piece of disappointing information. She asked Aditya to forget about it. Saira said that the administration had not yet decided on their stance, regarding that ''organisation''. Legally, it was not a ''banned'' organisation. The Raipath family were not liable for collaborating with ''them'', and the case would not survive in a court. She said that the country was mulling over its options. The delegates of the top nations have met over this issue.


    Even if these countries decided to go against that organisation, India would definitely won''t prefer to be at the forefront of this fight. For all practical purposes, that organisation has not gone against India''s global interests. At least, not as much as it went against US''s, Europe''s or even China''s.


    So if the government made a big fuss over the relation between Raipath and that ''organisation'', it would be counter-productive to its original intentions. Also, India had accepted the technological aide from that ''organisation''. Otherwise, Saira''s robotic arm would not be possible.


    Aditya had remained silent when he heard these words. He had finally realised that the country''s intentions and his own goals did not intersect. He could also understand the hesitation of the country''s top leaders. After all, this was an ''organisation'' which even the highly developed nations could not go against and were forced to form alliances. He could not expect his country to change its stance based on his problems.


    Aditya did not reveal the news about the undeveloped ''pockets''. He had decided that those will become his bases. But the plan had to be changed a little, now that Aditya found out Raipath family''s robust background. He had to narrow his area of operation. Aditya chose only 15 villages, which were on the shores of the Arabian Sea, as his first base.


    As they say, '' every cloud has a silver lining''. Now, as long as, Aditya managed the local leaders efficiently, his base would be completely safe. His base would be under the protection of Raipath family and the organisation behind them. He was like a bird occupying other''s nest.


    Though the Raipath family knew that someone was digging their information, they did not know the real intention of Aditya. They could not imagine that Aditya had plans for these poor, undeveloped territories. The Raipath family did not question those local politicians that Aditya had brought under his wing after that night. Raipath family figured out that Aditya was someone from their rival families and was investigating them.


    Fortunately, Tya discovered the unusual nature of the mobile before Aditya could state his real purpose to Shashank. His choice to sit in a dark corner and the masks worn by his followers effectively cut off any clues. Aditya had already formed a habit of avoiding surveillance cameras when he was ''Rudra''.


    Tya had also warned Aditya that the unique mobile phone had sent a malware through wireless transmission. It happened when the other person on the phone was talking to Aditya. Any mobile device within a 10-meter range would be affected by this malware. If it was someone else who was there, their mobiles would have been hacked easily. All their information would have been transmitted to Raipath family. Raipath family could have easily hunted that person with that information.


    Luckily, Aditya, had all of his followers install the mobile OS that Tya had made the other day. Due to this, whenever these people accompany their boss, all of these devices go into an airtight mode. No gateways are left open. It was no different than a dead phone. Even regular calls are not possible until Tya releases the lock.


    Even a quantum core processor couldn''t do much when a smartphone was utterly isolated. Of course, if the mobile had even one open portal, Tya''s mobile OS could not stop the malware from spreading. The working of Quantum computing and standard classical computing was just not the same.


    Aditya had asked Tya if hacking this Quantum core with an ordinary computer was possible. Tya had replied in the affirmative. Only, he had to utilise 46 microcomputers (standard PCs) to work together to hack into that small mobile. That too, it was also only possible because Tya was the one doing it.


    Tya explained in simple terms that if you take a typical processor is compared to two hands, then the quantum core processor had 500 hands. No matter how strong your two arms are, they can''t stop hundreds of hands coming at you from all directions.


    Tya assured that if Aditya could get that quantum core technology, he would be able to create an Artificial Intelligence, based on the soul particle. Though it will be nowhere near the actual thing, it would still be a miraculous creation. One had to know that Tya had lived in the quantum realm for millions of years.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    During that time, the only thing that Tya did was to study the quantum realm. During the first meeting of Aditya and Tya, Tya had said that he had explored his world thoroughly. It was not an exaggeration but the truth.


    The knowledge of the quantum realm was something that the humanity dreamt of knowing. The laws which were active in the Quantum realm was very different from reality. This difference led to the formation of a deep gorge when it came to applying Tya''s knowledge of the quantum realm to the real world. So, one could imagine the anticipation of Aditya when Tya said that he would be able to replicate the knowledge of the quantum realm into the real world. Whatever it was, it was going to be phenomenal.


    That was the reason that Aditya had spent four nights in Tya''s realm (30 days), to master a few branches of engineering. Aditya, who was slowly sipping the lime juice, relished the sweet and sour taste. He looked at the black, fingerless glove covering his right hand, with satisfaction in his eyes.


    That glove was the product of his time spent with Tya. His index finger was completely covered with dark leather, as blue laser-like light emitted from the tip of this finger. His middle finger was covered with porous wool material. The glove looked a little bloated but was not too abnormal. There was an exquisite design on the back of the glove.


    Aditya had finally constructed a convenient and efficient mechanism for transmitting and receiving electrical impulses. This cool-looking glove was made up of a microprocessor, which was the size of a nail. The circuit board was flexible and thin. There was a Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) module, which could achieve transmission speeds of 100 GB/sec. The blue laser-like light was the transmission point.


    Though light transmission was very fast, it had a drawback. It could not pass through solid objects and long distances. It was only convenient when Aditya was in his home or office. So, Aditya fitted a micro WiFi module also, but the speeds were just 1-2 GB/sec.


    This whole equipment was powered by ultra-thin lithium-ion polymer battery. It was .5mm in thickness but held a very high charge. It was a hybrid between a supercapacitor and a battery. It was thin, bendable and handy. Aditya had to get Maahi''s help to get this cutting edge technology in a short time.


    Aditya assembled this equipment and found that it was very convenient. He had come a long way from attaching patches, with wires, to his fingers or piercing his nerve with a needle. This glove facilitated high-speed communication between Tya and this world without requiring Aditya to act. His body was just a passive medium. Aditya could concentrate on his daily activities while Tya began his favourite hobby of ''knowing everything''. As long as it was available on the web, be it Internet, Deep Web or the Dark Web, it was within Tya''s reach.


    Aditya could not get the quantum computing technology from ''those'' people, but it did not mean that he couldn''t get it from other sources. Aditya knew that quantum computing research was still in its starting stage. The speed of these quantum computers was not higher than that of ordinary computers.


    But, Aditya could utilise this crude technology to build his version. Tya could create the ''Artificial Intelligence'' using this machine. Even though this computer might not be able to achieve a desirable outcome, it will be a good start.


    Aditya wanted Tya to acquire all the contemporary knowledge of research on Quantum Computing. Be it Google, Toshiba, Lockheed Martin, D-Wave or Baidu, Aditya wanted everything. One hour after the glove was put into operation, Tya had taken over the operations of over a hundred supercomputers from all over the world.


    Tya did not go for the top 100, though. Tya was executing programs at a remarkable pace and breaking into all networks with ease. Aditya felt that if they was a ranking list for computer viruses, Tya would take the first place, hands down.


    Tya detected another separate entity which was permeating the whole web. Tya recognised that this entity belonged to that ''organisation''. Tya couldn''t fight that program. But, as he was equipped with the computing capabilities of many supercomputers, Tya camouflaged his activities and his digital footprints. He was practically invisible to the enemy on the web. This meeting could be considered as the first contact between that ''organisation'' and Aditya.


    Aditya sighed when he saw Tya presenting the secret recipes of those multinational fast-food chains or the formulae of famous beverages. These recipes were supposed to be one of the most highly protected secrets. Sometimes, Aditya felt that Tya and that ''organisation'' were not supposed to exist in this world. He thought that, somehow, both of these anomalies were connected. Aditya further guessed that the secret would become apparent when the ''dreamworld'' ended.


    Aditya shook his head as he felt he was speculating too much. He finished the juice as he looked at people fitting an IBM mainframe computer in his office. Kapil sir and Gagan had tried to dissuade Aditya from buying this computer. They felt that this mainframe was too costly and unnecessary.


    They said that a minicomputer would be sufficient. (a standard PC is a ''micro computer''. Minicomputer could satisfy hundreds of users'' computing requirements. Giant corporations usually utilise mainframe computers.)


    Aditya remained adamant and had the company spend 10 million USD for buying this model. Supercomputers are famous for doing a singular mission at very high speeds. But Mainframe computers are known for their ability to execute multiple programs at high rates though they can''t catch up to the speeds of Supercomputers.


    Tya required this mainframe computer to monitor the other Supercomputers'' functioning effectively. Now that Tya was connected to the web, it was only a matter of days that Aditya starts building his supercomputer. He would not have to rely on others. The cost of manufacturing a supercomputer and a quantum computer was going to be on the scale of hundreds of millions of dollars. Aditya had to do something about it.


    Aditya had asked Taarini to keep tabs on all Raipath family-related members, living in Bangalore. Taarini was the ruler of the underworld in this city. She had informers covering many professions, including beggars, goons and street vendors. If she wanted to find or trace someone in Bangalore, she was better equipped than even the police. Taarini did not ask any questions and agreed.


    Aditya felt that he had taken all the right steps in his path of increasing his capabilities and influence. He had befriended Taarini, helped her become the empress of Bangalore. Aditya started his own company to earn money, fame and if possible, contact with that ''organisation''. He had started his gang whom he was training for future tasks.


    But in the end, when he had finally discovered a path to rescue his parents, Aditya painfully found out that he was still unprepared.


    Aditya had come a long way from being the clueless student that he was three months back. He missed his mother''s words of wisdom and his father''s harsh words filled with care. Aditya swallowed the bitterness in his heart as his eyes brimmed with fighting intent.

 120 - Office Story

    "Boss, you cannot ask us to work on weekends. It goes against the National Holiday Act of our constitution," Gagan said in an adamant voice. He had planned to take Fenny to a resort for some relaxation. It was good for her health and the baby. Now his irresponsible boss, who doesn''t show his face on a weekday, suddenly asks them to come on a Sunday. It is unacceptable.


    Gagan would never have dared to talk like this if it was a typical boss. But Aditya did not have the aura of a boss, even a little bit. So, people who worked for him tended to forget that this person could fire them. Also, Aditya did not administer the concept of ''rewards and punishments'' to have a good hold on his employees. He usually overdid the rewards part and ignored the punishments. But this was only applicable to these people who worked under ''Ishaan''. The same could not be said for those under ''Rudra''.


    "Is there a law like that?" Aditya asked with mild amusement as he looked at the disgruntled expression of Gagan. Aditya had already decided to give a day off on Monday, beforehand.


    Tya had already displayed the mentioned law in his mind. He also showed all the related court cases and the various judgments on this topic.


    "Of course, there is a law like that. Otherwise, how could we employees protect ourselves from being exploited from you guys?" Gagan said in a confident tone. He did not know about that law. Gagan had heard one of his relatives talking about that act. Also, it''s not like he was going to book a case against his boss for asking them to work for one weekend.


    Gagan or any of the other employees liked their boss very much. Ishaan had god-level programming skills, was jovial, and the employees always felt relaxed around him. It was just that their boss did not seem to like to come to the office. He would pass instructions and forget about them, which left them feeling as if their work was not essential to their boss.


    Aditya smiled as he asked Gagan, "then, when are you going to file a case?"


    Gagan was stunned when he heard these words. He coughed as he said, "well since it''s the first time, let''s leave it. Why did you ask us to come?"


    Aditya also grinned and did not poke further. He knew that the law was only applicable to the public sector; it had no hold over private companies. But he did not puncture Gagan''s hope. In a way, these people were being pampered by Aditya. For one, the plan that Aditya had for these employees has become a little inconsequential. Now, he did not have very high expectations from them. Aditya just wanted a group of people to do the standard and straightforward work for him.


    Aditya did not have a lot of requirement for technical expertise from these people, anymore. Tya could easily do the work of a corporation, all by himself. So, he did not care about these people''s efficiency as long as they had good work ethics and met his expectations (which were very low). Aditya did not have plans to make huge money from this company after he saw Tya''s prowess on the web. It was just a matter of time before he found a more convenient method of making money.


    Aditya would be satisfied as long as he made a reasonable sum from this company. This money was for ''legal spending'' while the funds that Tya ''earned'' was not convenient to show off.


    The three objectives that Aditya wanted to fulfil as ''Ishaan'' were ''Money'', ''Fame'' and ''Bait''. Money is not a problem anymore. Fame and being a ''Bait'' are interconnected to the purpose that Aditya was contacted by that ''Organisation''. With the new clue he found, in regards to Raipath family, Aditya did not place much importance on this objective as well. But he did not completely disregard it as an additional clue is always welcome, but it was not critical anymore.


    On the other hand, Aditya had more significant plans for Thomas and others. They were going to be critical in his plan for rescuing his parents. Their place was something that Tya and Aditya could not complete. That was the reason that he did not mind exposing his camouflaging technique to these people. They would know about it in the future anyway. So, Aditya spent more time on training them. This preference of Aditya led to him being unavailable to Gagan and others.


    By this, it did not mean that Aditya did not have any plans for these people anymore. It was just that training these people was not his priority right now.


    "Didn''t I ask only you and Kapil sir to be here? Why did so many people come along?" Aditya asked as he looked at Jagvi, Charita, Abhiram and others who were looking at him from outside the room. Some were examining the mainframe computers with enthusiasm.


    Gagan looked at those people as he said, "Well, some wanted to take your guidance, and some wanted to see you as you have not come even once in the last week. Boss, how come you are so busy that you can''t come even once?"


    ''Because I have to go to school,'' Aditya bitterly thought but did not speak. If he was not regular to school, in the first week itself, he might end up hurting Maahi. So, Aditya did not have time to come to the office. Aditya had decided that he would wait for another week after which he could take up the role of being an ''irregular student''. Even Maahi couldn''t complain much. There was a cultural fest followed by a sports day in the coming week. Aditya decided that he would wait till the sports competition was over.


    Aditya had quite a few plans for the coming months. Finally, Aditya had the first-hand experience of the entity in the web that was protecting the interests of that ''organisation''. Tya gave a list of requirements which Aditya had to implement if he wanted to track his parents'' whereabouts through a phone call. Also, he had to establish his base in those 15 villages.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Aditya had plans to visit Mumbai as it was the base of the ''Organisation'' in India. He wanted to see if he could find any other clues. Now that he knew about Raipath family''s link, it would be a lot easier. Aditya was quite surprised that the Raipath family had not made any movements in regards to his provocation. Everything was normal on their side.


    Aditya had three theories behind that action. One, the Raipath family did not care about him, like how an elephant ignores an ant. Two, they were too busy with some critical mission, to deal with him. And three, this was the most dangerous, they were already weaving a net for him, but their actions were so secretive that Aditya could not perceive them.


    Aditya had Thomas and others lay low for a few days. With Tya''s new abilities, it was not hard for Aditya to watch his back.


    Aditya shook his head lightly as he stood up and walked towards his employees. Now that he was here, Aditya might as well train them a little. He turned off the Li-Fi (blue laser-like light) in his glove as it could not function when he moved. Also, it would be distracting for others. The Wi-Fi module turned on automatically.


    Abhiram and others asked their doubts about the ''Web 3.0'' application, which was going to be their first product. They were very excited as this application was fabulous. It allowed people to see clothes in 3D and even try them on, without having to go to the store. So if one wanted to see if a pair of shoes suited his feet, he could take out his smartphone and use the rear-view camera to view your feet. The application would construct the pair of shoes over his feet, based on his feet size and the shoe design.


    So, one could see if the shoe fit or if they were any discrepancies. The same went for clothes or jewellery. This application improved the shopping experience and removed the trouble of returning clothes if they didn''t fit you. They were many companies working towards this goal, but Tya''s ''Augmented Reality'' algorithms pushed all of them behind by many years. Once this product was released, Aditya was sure that their company would rake in hundreds of millions of dollars in the form of investments.


    Aditya expression hardened when he saw that the distracted appearance of Charita. Her eyes would become glassy when she looked at him as if she was thinking about something else.


    "Pay attention to the project, or I will kick you out of this company," Aditya coldly warned as he looked at her with a stern expression. First of all, he did not have much time to train them. And, when he finally got the chance, this woman was not taking advantage of it. Aditya had not hired them to play love games. He did not mind a little fun, as long as they did their job. But if she was going to let it affect her work, he will not think twice about firing her.


    Charita lightly shivered when she saw the grim expression on Aditya''s face. She did not expect that Ishaan was capable of such harsh words when she saw his cold expression. Her eyes reddened as Charita pursed her lips to stop them from quivering. Her fingers mildly trembled as she started taking notes. Jagvi was also shocked, but she did not make a sound.


    Aditya resumed his speech as he explained his plans and vision for this application. As long as anyone asked a doubt, Aditya would explain it citing many interesting examples. He would also cover all angles, taking those problems into account, which they might encounter in the future.


    Aditya wanted Kapil sir and Gagan to employ a few maintenance services for these mainframe computers. After a few hours of training, just as Aditya was about to wrap the lesson, his phone rang.


    Aditya looked at the name and went straight to his room. Aditya as ''Ishaan'' had a deep, baritone voice, different from his voice which was still, in the state of development. It was Taarini who called him, so he had to modify his voice. After making sure that no one was around, Aditya accepted the call.


    "Aditya, do you have some time to spare, tonight?" Taarini asked in her characteristic cold voice.


    "Yeah, sure. Is everything all right?" Aditya asked with care.


    "Yes, nothing to worry, I wanted to speak about something," Taarini said as her voice softened a little.


    "Okay, I will be there." Aditya did not ask any details as it was more convenient to talk in person.


    Aditya cut the call and stepped towards the open kitchen in the main office space. As these people had come to meet him on the weekend, he felt that he had to treat them to some delicacies in today''s lunch.


    Aditya went for continental cuisine today. With the help of Tya, he could prepare the most authentic dishes. He selected Roast Lamb Salad, Stuffed Jacket Potatoes, Chick Pea Soup and Batter Fish. Jagvi came to help him as usual, but Charita sat as she stared at her laptop screen.


    Aditya sighed as he looked at Charita. Aditya asked as he arranged a salad around the lamb meat, "Jagvi, is Charita from a filthy rich family?"


    Jagvi looked puzzled as she nodded at Aditya. Aditya nodded as he deep-fried the potatoes in oil. He then asked, "Is she the only child and pampered very much?"


    Jagvi giggled as she nodded. She understood what Aditya was implying. Aditya shook his head as he muttered, "no wonder."


    Aditya arranged a dish, especially. He took it and placed it in front of Charita. She did not even look at the plate as she continued to stare at the screen. Her small, delicate nose wriggled a little as a fragrant aroma of the dish caused her to salivate. She swallowed her saliva and ignored Aditya.


    Aditya looked at her gulping motion with amusement as he said, "alright, I should not have spoken harshly to you before. Come, eat."


    Charita''s lips trembled a little but did not budge. Aditya gritted his teeth as he remembered all those gifts that she had given him before. She had also put a lot of effort into her project if you ignored the last few days. Aditya apologised, "I am sorry, okay."


    Wah!


    Charita''s mouth opened finally, but instead of smiling, she started crying. All her grievances about Aditya''s harsh words or the fact that he already had a girlfriend, came spilling out. Aditya was dumbstruck when he saw Charita crying. He instinctively looked around to see if his father was here.


    During his childhood, he had once bullied Kumari, which resulted in her crying. When his father had found out about it, he¡­, in short, it was a nightmare.


    Aditya doubted if he did the right thing when he saw Charita crying. He did not know what to do. Aditya looked at Jagvi for help who shook her head helplessly, but her eyes were filled with relief. She was happy that Charita was finally releasing her grief.


    Aditya couldn''t ignore her, so he patted Charita''s shoulder as he said, "Don''t cry, everything will be alright."


    Before Aditya could check if his comforting worked, Charita sprang from her chair as she hugged him tightly in front of everyone and continued crying. Aditya instinctively raised his hands to push her away, but in the end, he could only stand helplessly.

 121 - Plans

    It was a few minutes before the lunch bell rang. Aditya yawned as he looked at the sleeping figures of Kumari and Kranthi on both sides. He was a little envious of the fact that these people could sleep. Since Tya had activated ''Cellular Regulation'' ability, sleep was not a necessity anymore for Aditya. Of course, he could sleep if he asked Tya to produce ''Melatonin'' hormone from the pineal gland, regulate his body temperature, breathing and heart rate. But, it would be ''artificial''. Even when Aditya yawned, it was due to psychological boredom but not due to tiredness or lack of oxygen levels in the blood.


    Yesterday, it took a full hour for Charita to calm down. Comforting girls was not Aditya''s forte. He had never faced this situation with all the girls or women that were related to him. Even though Charita calmed down in the end, she took advantage of the fact that Aditya was in the defence to make a request. She wanted to see Aditya''s girlfriend. How could Aditya accept? Technically, Ishaan doesn''t have a girlfriend, but Aditya does.


    When Charita saw that Aditya was hesitating, she started to have suspicions. Did her boss lie to her about being in a relationship? Charita became remained adamant about this demand, and so Aditya had to agree in the end.


    "Maybe I should just fire her and be done with it," Aditya thought, but he knew that he couldn''t do that. Just like Maahi said, he was not good at rejecting a woman''s advances. Well, if Charita was not so beautiful, it might have been easier to do so. But, if Aditya was sure of one thing, it would be that, he did not have the time to afford.


    Let alone, Charita, Aditya did not meet Maahi after that day and was only in contact through phone. Maahi had called the other day and was speaking about how her mental capabilities seem to have become sharp. Her working efficiency has also increased exponentially and was wondering if it was because Aditya untied her heart knot.


    As his powers increased, the time that Aditya had to spend, to utilise those powers for reaching his goal efficiently, also increased. In the beginning, Aditya remembered going for ''fight'' training by elder brother Munna and come home limping every day. The rest of the day was repairing cars and studying. Now, studying has been taken over by Tya and ''fight'' training was finished. There were no gang wars, giving warnings or extortion. There was no opposition for Taarini in Bangalore anymore. The building work of the iconic tower had started and was proceeding with no obstacles.


    Now the game had stepped up. Aditya was dealing with powers on whom he did not have a complete grasp. Aditya had created three separate identities for security purposes, but in the end, these identities entirely occupied his time. Aditya also felt that his workload would only increase in the future. Speaking about Taarini, Aditya had gone to meet her in the evening after office work was finished.


    Aditya was surprised to see that most of Taarini''s followers were absent except for a few core members like Munna and Raghav. Aditya had sent Faisal and others to tax haven countries like Mauritius to open a bunch of off-shore companies. Aditya was planning to create foreign bank accounts which could be used to store Tya''s ''illegal money''. But he did not know what happened to other followers of Taarini.


    When asked, Taarini had said that these people were sent by her to visit scenic places in India. Taarini knew that the final war with the Mumbai Mafia Alliance and others was particularly bloody. It would be a surprise if these followers of her were not mentally traumatised. In the end, they were also humans and not demons. So, Taarini had spent quite a bit of money so that they could take a break for a month. Her plan was for them to stay around these tourist spots to calm their mind and steady their heart. This vacation might help them to come out of the shadow of that night.


    When he came to know this, Aditya was reminded once again that Taarini was different from other leaders. As to why Taarini had asked him to come, it turned out that she was also planning to leave Bangalore for two days. Taarini was not going to some tourist place but to bring back the children in her orphanage. Even when those children were sent away, Taarini had gone personally to place them in that village.


    When the situation in Bangalore had turned violent and bloody, it was the first thing that Taarini did. Now, the conditions in Bangalore had settled down, and she had come out as the final winner. Taarini wanted to bring those children back. It was clear that she missed them dearly. Taarini wanted to know if Aditya would like to accompany her.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Aditya had struggled a little when he heard her request. Where did he have the time to go on a leisure trip? Aditya had plans to go to Mumbai. But when he thought about how it was the first time that Taarini had asked something like this, he agreed.


    Taarini had helped him when he needed someone to guide him the most. Her training, introduction to firearms, fighting and the underworld contacts. Aditya learned a lot under her tutelage. In a way, ''Rudra'' was someone that Aditya created, based on Taarini''s character. Aditya was grateful for each of these things that Taarini did for him. Maybe it was not a bad idea to relax for two days.


    Taarini agreed to wait for the cultural fest in his school to be completed. So, the tour was set for the weekend. When Aditya was about to leave, he asked if Taarini could get a good set of archery equipment and Taarini nodded. Aditya planned to gift this equipment to Kumari.


    Aditya and Tya had figured out a new plan to make a lot of money. It was pretty simple, i.e. to sell information. Now that Tya could hack into almost any computer (except that ''Organisation''), Aditya planned to become a trader of secret intelligence. For example, he could hack into the server of a construction company and sell it''s ''quotation'' details to its rivals. He could sell the secret recipes of a multi-billion dollar food chain company to others. Each famous company has a competitor who would willingly pay a massive sum of money to know their opponent details.


    That was the plan for the initial capital. Once Aditya got a fixed sum, Tya could start investing the money into the stock market. For an anomaly like Tya, it was effortless to study the patterns of stock markets. Many companies were employing Artificial Intelligence to do the same thing nowadays. This method was Aditya''s way of earning money to fund his plans. After Faisal had completed his job, Aditya will begin his ''Intelligence'' trading centre.


    The lunch bell rang as Aditya emerged from his thoughts. He turned to look at Kumari who was sleeping and thought, "it''s better if this girl took up archery rather than doing this. As for White buffalo, he will most probably inherit his father''s car service centre and live a happy life."


    Aditya saw Javed, the obese mathematics teacher, walk away without even glancing at the students. Aditya shook his head as he woke up Kranthi and dragged the drowsy Kumari along to their school''s old canteen.


    Aditya looked at the flowering trees beside the old canteen. Spring was about to start, and many of these trees were covered in beautiful flowers of diverse colours. Aditya was not enjoying the view, but he was savouring the memories associated with these trees. There were flowering trees like the African Tulip tree, Cassia Fistula (golden shower tree), Gulmohar tree (Flame tree) among others. He planted some of these trees with the help of his mother.


    It was his mother who had procured these saplings when he was eight years old. It was part of an environmental project at that time when students were required to plant tree saplings. The school administration allocated this plot of land for this project. His mother taught him to use the various gardening tools at that time. Her laughter, which was like a summer-rain, lingered in his ears.


    Aditya gazed at those fully grown trees which were in full bloom for a brief while before continuing to the canteen. They were a few students in a different school uniform waiting at the entrance. It was Bhadra and others. Since Aditya had joined the school, either he would visit them during lunch, or they would come to the old canteen. They would change the place each day as Aditya and others did not mind where they ate as long as they spent some time together. But for some apparent reasons, Yu Yan would also stick around.


    Kumari suddenly became active as she jumped towards Kavya and Anupama and started chatting excitedly. Aditya and others also talked about some usual things. The topics revolved around the upcoming sports competitions and cultural fest.


    Kavya, who was talking with the girls, looked suddenly at Aditya and said, "Bhadra, don''t you think that Aditya would be perfect for that role in our skit."


    Jatin, who was eating a sandwich choked when he heard these words. The corner of Bhadra''s mouth twitched when he heard these words. He turned to look at Aditya with pity in his eyes. Anupama giggled when she heard Kavya words but nodded. Aditya caught these reactions but still asked, "Which role is it?"


    Kavya said, "I will tell you if you agree."


    Aditya squinted his eyes at Kavya and ignored her. Kavya turned her eyes at Bhadra who coughed and said, "Adi, it will be fun."


    Aditya looked at Bhadra and Jatin who seem to be trying hard to keep their faces straight. He sighed as he looked at Kavya, "Okay, I will do it. Should I come to practice or something?"


    Kavya shook her head hurriedly as she said, "no need, it is enough as long as you come at the time of play."


    Aditya''s brows wrinkled as he looked at Kavya doubtfully but still nodded in the end. He was going to become occupied with other things after this cultural fest. So, he might as well have some fun with his friends.

 122 - The Deadline Approaches

    "Hey Harry, office hours are over, let us go catch a drink," Kevin said as he walked up to a lean person who was working on his system. Kevin rolled his eyes when he saw that Harry did not respond. He had noticed that Harry seem to become more paranoid and restless as days went by.


    Harry would spend most of his time in this command centre. Kevin doubted if he was even going to his home. Harry''s rumpled appearance indicated that all the workload had taken a toll on him. Harry''s skin had gained a sickly complexion and became pallid from the lack of exposure to sunlight. From time to time, he would be muttering under his breath and talking to himself.


    Kevin felt pity when he saw those bloodshot eyes. He knew why Harry was behaving this way. It was not just him, a cloud of gloom hung over the whole military command centre these past few days.


    The countries which had come together to discuss the ''Organisation'' have decided not to ignore this threat anymore. A panel had been found comprising leaders of the Elite countries who would start negotiations with that ''Organisation''. If the ''Organisation'' failed to comply with their demands, then war was inevitable.


    Anyone who knew anything about that ''Organisation'' would understand that once military action was taken, the scale of the war would be colossal. Some have started referring to this war as ''The Last War''. Because after this war, humanity might lose all its war-making potential. No one was sure if the countries which plunged into this war would come out the same.


    That ''Organisation'' has ''advised'' against such an action. It had given a time limit within which all these countries had to stop going forward with this alliance. And, if these countries did not comply with this request, then there would be ''consequences''. The message was simple and straightforward. But, this one letter was enough for some prominent countries among the European Union to take a step back.


    Kevin had mixed feelings when he heard this news. The coming days were going to be crucial in deciding the future path of humanity. No wonder everyone felt a heavy sense weighing on their hearts.


    Kevin felt it too, but he was able to close his eyes and divert his mind with distractions. Kevin knew that he was not a suitable material to take up this responsibility. Since Kevin could not do much, he might as well try to ignore. It was fine as long as Kevin gave his all.


    But Harry was not that kind of guy. He truly loved his country and was willing to bear the responsibility even if he knew that there was little he could do. He would stretch his mind and body to its utmost as long as he felt that he would make even a tiny bit of difference. Kevin knew that and admired him for it.


    Harry was currently trying to hack into the server of an agricultural company. This company had been recently acquired by the ''Organisation''. Three years ago, this company had come out with a new variety of wheat which they named s ''G1''. These seeds were sent for validation to the three regulatory authorities which are the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).


    When eminent agricultural scientists conducted studies on these seeds, the results were astounding. This plant was the ideal variety of wheat variety whose value could be equated to its weight in gold. The protein content was gluten-free and 35 per-cent in comparison to the standard 11-13 per-cent. It could grow in all weather conditions or soil varieties. The water required was also very less.


    This wheat plant was not susceptible to pests and did not require pesticides. The yield was a mind-blowing nine metric tonnes/ acre (average yield is 4.4 metric tonnes/ hectare). The taste was also better, and the wheat had many other micro-nutrients hitherto unseen in different wheat varieties. Another shocking characteristic was that even if it rained during the harvesting season, the yield or the storage of this wheat was not affected.


    Until now, no negative aspect of this wheat variety was found except that it will cause the collapse of all the other agricultural companies. Another effect was that the cost of wheat-related food items was going to plummet, and it was going to be a significant leap for humanity towards eradicating malnutrition.


    These seeds have already come into circulation in countries belonging to Central and South America. There was no visible adverse effect. It was ideal in all aspects. It was so perfect that all the agricultural scientists were put to shame.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    The most shocking aspect was that the results of this variety were entirely put under the wraps. In the last three years, no one, except for the relevant authorities, knew that such a plant was going through regulations. All these results have already spread into the public domain. The people have started questioning the government''s motives in delaying the approval for these seeds. (The average time taken by the government to authorise the usage of a GMO seed was three years)


    This shocking discovery alerted the government of the infiltration of this ''Organisation''. Obviously, without internal support, such astounding results could not have been kept a secret.


    The US Cyber Command suspected that the files (both electronic and physical) about these seeds were artificially implanted in these regulatory authorities. But it could not come up with factual evidence. The ''Organisation'' did not leave any clues. This situation was not limited to the US; the same thing repeated all over the world. It was as if the ''Organisation'' did not even care about masking their contempt towards these countries'' regulations.


    As the information about this ''G1'' variety has leaked into the public domain, there was very little that the government could do to stop this approval. The influence that the ''Organisation'' had in the country through its corporations could not be underestimated.


    Harry and his team was currently tasked with the mission to infiltrate the servers of this agriculture company. The government wanted to know if these seeds were as perfect as they seemed. They couldn''t believe that the ''Organisation'' would give out such a variety, at such a low cost, without an underlying purpose.


    But, no matter how much Harry and others tried, they couldn''t get in the company''s system. But Harry did not give up. This means was the only way that Harry could keep his mind steady. He had heard a piece of worrisome news, a few days back.


    Amanda was missing. No one knew if she had abandoned her duty on her volition or if something terrible happened to her. This info was an extra concern for Harry as if his plate was not full with other issues.


    Harry let out a breath as he stretched. He couldn''t complete the mission. He felt that no one else could do it as well. It was like he was armed with stones and wooden pikes to destroy an iron fortress wall.


    Harry''s eyes lit up when he remembered his friend ''Addy2219''. Maybe he should ask for his help. Addy had never disappointed him when it came to the ''Art of hacking''. It was not convenient for Harry to contact Addy from his office. He felt warm when he saw that Kevin was waiting for him.


    Harry accompanied Kevin to a bar and sat in a corner as Bmore club (Baltimore Club) music played. As usual, they ordered National Bohemian beer and soft crab sandwiches. The replay of the ''Super Bowl'' finals was playing on the Television. The ''New England Patriots'' were playing the ''Atlanta Falcons''.


    "Harry, shall we go for a movie? ''John Wick: Chapter 2'' is playing," Kevin asked as he dug into his sandwich. Harry shook his head as he indifferently looked at the match while he drank a little. His eyes became cold when he saw an ad playing ''MYNE technologies, reaching for the stars''.


    Harry noticed that negative news had occupied the media space. Corrupt politicians were being exposed, human rights violations of the US army in foreign countries have emerged again with new leaked videos. The most prominent among these was the sex scandal between a US diplomat and a Saudi prince.


    Though he did not have concrete evidence, Harry felt that ''those'' people were planning this ''White and Grey Propaganda'' against his country. Their target was the ''demoralisation'' of the masses. It seems like this ''Organisation'' wanted the citizens to lose faith in their system and country.


    Any system is not perfect as the human being himself is riddled with negative aspects. But when the population was exposed to this rotten part only. It creates a false impression that the situation is dire. This impression deals a massive blow to people''s psyche and makes them anxious and confused.


    Harry was one of those few who knew that war had already started, but the current battlefield was the minds of people. It was ''psychological warfare''. The success of the ''Organisation'' was evident. Many eminent people and think tanks have come forward to oppose the government''s move to create an Alliance.


    Harry had to agree that these people did have a point. The ''Organisation'' had not done anything to harm anyone. The companies under them are the most law-abiding and contribute significantly to the country. The government, on the other hand, does not have a clear idea about the real purpose of that ''Organisation'' except that it was slowly undermining their influence.


    The destruction of the Zumwalt- class submarine and the deaths of ''Blood water mercenaries'' were classified information, and the citizens were kept ignorant about these acts of aggression. The civilians did not know that this ''good and responsible'' corporation had methods of creating monsters who could take down a whole military squadron single-handedly.


    The populace did not know that this organisation was the one behind the new drug, which was making many university students into drug addicts. The ordinary public was not aware that this organisation possessed highly advanced military technology, which caused quakes in the hearts of military leaders.


    The one source of solace for Harry was that all the countries had recognised the underlying danger of this ''Organisation''. The response has been mostly positive, and all the leaders are on the same page.


    As the one who was privy to all this information, how could Harry remain peaceful when the ''deadline'' set by that ''Organisation'' was approaching? Harry''s heart could not stay calm when he thought about the possible retaliatory actions planned by those ''anomalies''. There were four days to go, and the clock was ticking.

 123 - Arrows (1)

    Kumari huffed and puffed as she slightly bent to support her arms with her knees. Sounds of applause rang from the stands as some of the students came forward to congratulate her. Drops of sweat fell from her beautiful face, which had a slight blush on her cheeks. Kumari''s small mouth opened and closed as she took big gulps of air. Some strands of her jet-black hair stuck to her face because of the sweat. A triumphant smile could be seen as her eyes filled with delight.


    "The first prize for the Women''s 400m sprint goes to Ms Kumari Desu. It has to be mentioned that Ms Kumari has won the 100m and 200m sprint also. Hearty Congratulations," a resonant voice was heard from the podium near the race track.


    Kumari tittered as she controlled her breathing and wiped her sweat when she heard these praises. It was such a relief from all the scoldings she had to endure whenever her grades were announced. Kumari couldn''t lose this chance to show off. She changed her ''running'' clothes to a standard sports day uniform, which was a white shirt and sports pants. The colour of socks and your shirt collar represented your house (red, blue, yellow & green).


    After that, Kumari ran towards the gallery to find Kranthi along with Rahul (little pig) waiting for her.


    Kranthi grinned at Kumari as he ate Kaju Barfi (a bite-sized, flat diamond-shaped sweet made of cashew nuts and milk) with relish. He said, "Kumkum, exemplary performance, no one can match you. Even Adi also only got a silver in running race."


    Kumari smiled, "thank you, Kranthi. Where is that fellow? I don''t see him here." she looked all over the stands and the race track but couldn''t spot him.


    Kranthi shrugged as he said, "who cares, maybe that fellow is sulking in a corner for not getting gold."


    Kumari scoffed when she heard these words, "Adi, sulking? No way. His skin is thicker than our school wall. More like, he should have gone to flirt with some innocent girl."


    Kumari wanted to find Aditya so that he could accompany her to go to the archery range. She wanted to see it but, usually, that place was filled with IC (International Curriculum)students. As Aditya had friends in that batch, it would be more convenient if he went with her.


    Kumari looked at Kranthi, who seemed to have stopped breathing so that it wouldn''t disturb him from eating. She said with some exasperation, "White buffalo, enough. These sweets were given by my mother so that I could eat them after the competition."


    Kranthi grinned as he continued to eat, "it''s alright, you wouldn''t eat them anyway. Who doesn''t know that you hate sweets? It''s funny how your family owns a popular sweet shop, and you turned up this way."


    "I don''t hate sweets, I just find them tasteless," Kumari snorted as she grabbed a piece of sweet from the box and took a bite.


    Kumari did not like it, but she needed to eat something. "Alright, I am going." she wanted to find Aditya as soon as possible. Kumari did not have a phone, as they were not allowed to bring them to school. Still, some students (like Aditya) brought smartphones, but Kumari''s or Kranthi''s family did not allow it. She had to search for him physically.


    The weather was pleasant with white, fluffy clouds hanging around in the crystal blue sky. The air was filled with happiness, enthusiasm and merriment. The sports for children who were younger than 12 years was done in a separate section of the school. Parents of younger students were allowed to visit on this day.


    Kumari smiled when she saw these children running around giggling, playing with slides, see-saws and other playthings. Parents were cautioning their children to pay attention to their safety, and a few teachers were supervising the competitions like spoon and egg, book balancing and other fun games. There was a medic in the corner, to take care of first-aid if any accident happened.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    If there was something that their school possessed in excess, it was land. Two centuries ago, when those missionaries bought the property for their school, it must have cost no more than five bugs.


    Just as Kumari was about to leave as she couldn''t find Aditya, she heard a female voice calling her. Kumari turned to see Anupama and Kavya walking towards her. She smiled at them and waited.


    Anupama smiled as she congratulated Kavya, "Congrats, I heard that you won all the sprints." The sports uniform was the same for both NC and IC students. So to an outsider, everyone dressed the same as they both belonged to the same school in the end.


    "Thank you," Kavya nodded as she looked at Anupama. After the incident at the new cafeteria, Kumari had become good friends with all of Aditya''s old classmates in the International school. After befriending Anupama, Kumari understood the reason that Aditya fell for her. Anupama possessed a unique temperament and charisma. Even Kumari was attracted to her. She felt that Aditya''s taste in girls was similar to hers. In the past, both of them liked Sameera and even fought over her.


    "What about you?" Kumari asked Anupama and Kavya. Anupama shook her head as she said, "I am proficient in fencing and Kavya is a professional swimmer. Both of these sports were not included, so we are free."


    Kumari nodded, "What about Bhadra and Jatin?"


    It was Kavya, who answered Kumari''s query. She had a hint of pride in her voice as she said, "Bhadra bagged gold for Shot-put and as for Jatin," Kavya scoffed, "he is not into sports."


    "Where are you going, Kumari?" Anupama asked as she looked with her dark honey-brown coloured pupils.


    "I am looking for that idiot Adi so that he could accompany me to the archery range which is behind the school building," Kumari said but paused as she looked at Anupama with shining eyes.


    Anupama understood Kumari as she smiled and nodded, "If you don''t mind, we can come with you." Kavya also nodded as they had spare time, anyway.


    "Okay, let''s go, I know a shortcut through our old school building, it will be quicker," Kumari forgot about Aditya as she held Anupama''s hand and pulled her along.


    There was a large wooden podium being built, in front of the old school building. This ground was the location for the cultural festival which was going to be held the next day. Kumari would receive the medals on this stage.


    A white cloth was being used to cover these wooden structures. After this the decoration of the podium would begin, using colourful sheets, lights, balloons and other things. This year, many prominent people would be attending this annual day because of the new students (IC). The existing auditorium was not sufficient. Before a bigger hall could be built, this temporary podium was the alternative.


    Just as they were nearing the school building, Anupama stopped Kumari as she spotted a girl in the distance. Kumari also looked at the girl and remembered that she was the cute East Asian girl who seemed to have a crush on Aditya.


    Yu Yan was sitting on a bench alone as her face seemed to have become a red apple. She looked in the distance in a daze. Yu Yan was smiling and blushing as if she recalled something sweet but shameful at the same time.


    "Yu Yan, right? Is everything alright?" Anupama asked when she saw Yu Yan''s behaviour. Yu Yan''s body shook when she saw Anupama and others, but her blush deepened for some reason. She stuttered, "Sen...senior Anupama, I... I am fine."


    Kumari saw some symptoms as she asked, "did you see your elder brother Aditya?"


    Yu Yan trembled when she heard ''Aditya'' and her fists held her clothes tightly as she nodded, "I saw elder brother Aditya going towards the archery range. I will be on my way, seniors." Yu Yan escaped.


    Anupama did not hear Yu Yan''s words as she confirmed her suspicion. ''Adi, if I come to know that you did something to this cute, naive girl, I will break your bones."


    Anupama had her suspicions but did not jump to conclusions. Kumari and others made way for the school building. Once they cross the building, the archery range was a hundred meters away. The ancient Banyan tree which had more than 100 aerial roots, was behind the archery range.


    "Ha, God is on our side, brothers. The fish had fallen into the net on its initiative," a burst of maniacal laughter was heard which send chills running through Kumari''s body. When she turned her head to see, she was shocked to discover her obese mathematics teacher, Javed, coming towards them along with two other men.


    Kumari recognised these men as janitors in her school. All of them worked in this school for many years, and Kumari knew them. She could not understand the change in their behaviours. Her heart almost stopped when she saw a handgun in each of these people''s hand. At this moment, she knew that something terrible was going to happen. Anupama and Kavya had also seen these guns, and their reaction was similar to Kumari.

 124 - Arrows (2)

    Kumari was about to drag Anupama and Kavya to escape, but a person fired the gun. Kumari''s eye closed tightly as her body trembled when she heard the loud noise. Kumari did not feel any pain or hear any cry from the other two girls. Instead, she heard a distinct crack as if hard surface had been broken. Kumari opened her eyes a sliver to discover that the man fired the gun into the wall beside her. Her pupils trembled when she saw the proximity of the shot fired.


    People, in the surroundings, ran away when they heard the gunfire and Javed did not stop them. In a few seconds, the whole ground was empty as people stood at a distance and watched. At the same time, many police vehicles rushed into the field.


    "You three girls, follow us," Javed sneered when he saw these vehicles. He seemed to have already expected them to come. Javed pointed his gun at Anupama and walked. He turned towards the other men and said, "brothers, among these three girls, there is a daughter of a state minister and an heiress to a famous pharmaceutical company. As for this girl, take her as well, so that we can have a person to kill so that those Indian dogs take us seriously."


    Kumari''s body violently shook, and her face became pale when she heard these words. They were going to kill her, and they talked as if it was an ordinary thing. She could not believe that the calm and silent mathematics teacher was, in fact, a terrorist.


    "come on, move towards the podium, I want to perform a show, today," Javed cackled with glee in his small eyes. The three girls quivered when they listened, they looked at each other and climbed the stairs.


    "Javed, don''t you dare make a move on these students," an indifferent female voice was heard as a woman walked from one of the police vehicles. She did not have a gun in her hand, but she did not look disturbed as if everything was in her control.


    ''Elder sister Saira,'' Kumari gasped when she saw the woman as a small hope rekindled in her heart. She knew this person.


    Saira also recognised Kumari. She did not expect that the list that Aditya had passed to her would end up affecting his close friend. Javed was not on the list given by Aditya, but the elimination of all the spies and terrorist organisations resulted in an unexpected chain reaction.


    The intelligence agency for whom Saira worked, discovered the existence of other rats. These people were outside the control of Pakistan agencies. These groups were rattled when they caught a hint of the Indian government''s elimination of similar organisations. People like Javed were heads of such organisations. They did not have a choice but to come out of their holes. Either they could wait for people to kill them or they could do something outrageous so that even their deaths could mean something.


    People like Javed were leaders of sleeper cell groups. Only they were privy to complete information about people who worked under him. Others did not have a way of obtaining this information. Javed possessed the exclusive knowledge and codes which could ''activate'' these sleeper cells. So, once Javed was killed, the whole network of sleeper cells would collapse as no one else could contact them.


    This factor was the reason that Javed did not start indiscriminate killing like most terrorists. He was aware that if he was killed, all the years which he had to spend in brainwashing innocent youth would become worthless. So, Javed wanted to escape using a hostage so that he could activate all the people beneath him to cause as much destruction as possible.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Javed sneered when he saw Saira, "I did not expect that you guys would be so quick. It looks like I was right in catching these girls. But before that, I have something I have to do. Something which will force you, people, to pay more attention to my demands. If I see you guys make any suspicious movements, I will kill two instead of one."


    Saira''s face hardened when she heard these words. She had already arranged a sniper to take a position, but it was not possible as they were three people. One could guarantee that the hostages would be safe. Even if a sniper was ready to take the risk and took a shot successfully killing a terrorist, the other two would kill the hostages. Saira did not have three snipers at the moment, and any delay might result in the death of an innocent schoolgirl. Saira could only depend on ''him''.


    Kumari''s heart shook when she saw that Saira was not able to dissuade these people. She forcefully controlled her fear and trembling. Visions of her parents, Sameera and Aditya, started flashing in her eyes. She looked at Anupama and Kavya.


    Anupama was looking at her with regret and apology in her eyes while Kavya was filled with anxiety. Anupama regretted that Kumari was affected because she was with them. Kumari shook her head at Anupama, she understood her feelings, but it was not her mistake.


    Saira looked at Javed and said in a soft voice, "Javed, We can promise you that we will not touch you or your family. We will arrange safe transportation for you and your followers. These girls are innocent, and they are just young children. If you want a hostage, you can take me. I was the one who was responsible for identifying your people. Look at me. I don''t have any weapons on me."


    Javed snorted with contempt as he said, "I know you people, don''t take me for a little child. I have my methods for escaping and do not need your help. As for the hostages, I am fine with these tender girls. Let me express my sincerity by sacrificing a lamb."


    Javed pointed his gun at Kumari and said, "girl, you seem a little familiar to me. You must be one of my students, right? Do you know why I didn''t care about having a good rapport with my students? It was because there will come a day when I will kill each one of you with my own hands. Why would I want a relationship with my victims? So today will be your last..." Kumari shuddered when she heard these words. She closed her eyes as she bade goodbye to all her close ones in her mind. When Javed was about to continue, he noticed a cold glint in Saira''s eyes as she looked at him.


    Before Javed could notice anything, his eyes almost popped out as a piercing pain spread from his neck. His body, below his neck, lost control as he collapsed, he could feel something sticking from his neck. Gurgling sounds came from his throat as he tried to breathe but couldn''t. The last thing that Javed saw was the shock reflected in everyone''s eyes as they looked at him and his followers. His eyes rolled up as he died, thinking about where his plan went wrong.


    Kumari''s palpitating heart skipped a beat when she heard a small, indiscernible sound and then felt some warm liquid sprinkle on her face. She also felt the temporary stage shake a little and heard dull, heavy sounds behind her back. Kumari did not dare to turn to check it. But when she saw elder sister Saira running towards the stage, Kumari touched her cheek to feel it. Her pupils shrank when she saw that it was blood. She was not hurt, so from where did, the blood come?


    Kumari saw that Anupama was looking at the rear side, but there was no expression on her face as if she was frozen. Kavya was too afraid even to notice that something had happened. Kumari clenched her teeth and turned around. She noticed three rigid figures lied behind them without moving. Kumari gasped when she saw a piece of dark, gloomy metal poking out from each of these terrorist''s neck. There was also a stick at the back of their necks. They were arrows!

 125 - Release

    Sometime ago,


    "Faizal, don''t move, if you get hit, then don''t complain," Aditya shouted as he had a devilish smile on his face. Aditya''s body formed a perfect ''T'' shape. His feet were shoulder-width apart, and his bow shoulder was low & relaxed. Aditya squared his shoulders and pulled the string so that it almost touched his nose tip. His weight was evenly distributed, and his body was perfectly relaxed with no unnecessary tension in his bow arm muscles. Aditya''s eyes shrank a little bit as he released the bowstring.


    Faizal''s heart almost stopped when he saw his boss aiming the arrow at him. A dark red apple, with some dark spots, was sitting comfortably on his head and his boss was some 40m away from him. Although he knew that Aditya had never missed before, it did not help keep his heart steady in the least. What if this was the first time he missed?


    Faizal almost cried when he heard his boss''s words about complaining. If his boss missed, he might not even have an opportunity to complain. He felt that he was the unluckiest person in his gang to have been selected by his Big Sis Taarini to follow Aditya. But he did not dare to make even a tiny movement.


    Faizal had never imagined that when he brought the archery set from Taarini, it would turn out to be this way. All the happiness and relaxation, he had enjoyed in Mauritius, was thoroughly gone. It turned out that Aditya wanted archery set for competitions and Taarini had bought a ''hunting'' set. Now that this set was not useful, his boss started ''playing'' with it and him.


    What pained Faizal, even more, was that his boss had kept an almost spoiled apple on his head citing that ''food should not be wasted''.


    Faizal looked at the three other candidates who were also trembling with fear and cursed them in his heart. All four of them had a fun-filled tour. Every day they would wake up to luxurious services and sleep fully drunk. They all made promises to each other that they will be brothers for life and that not even boss could separate them. Dhanush was particularly dramatic as he cut his thumb with a fruit knife and made a ''blood'' oath that he would give his life for his brothers.


    Now when Faizal required these brothers the most, all three of them were busy avoiding eye contact with the boss. They feared that if they tried to dissuade Aditya, they would become the next tools of target practice, instead. Dhanush kept the apple on his head. He lightly whistled as if this thing did not have anything to do with him.


    Thud!


    The apple blasted into pieces as the arrow dug into the aerial root of the Banyan tree. Yes, that was where Aditya was practising. Showing his skills or bullying Faizal was not possible to do in the actual archery range.


    "Again," Aditya shouted with mirth as he took another arrow from the set. They were all kinds of arrowheads in that sachet ranging from broadheads (hunting large game) to bullet point (small game), fish point to target point. Everything was available, even Aditya''s blood started boiling when he felt the razor-sharp steel blades on the broadhead point. This arrowhead could easily penetrate even the thickest of bones. He took out a target point and attached it to the arrow. These arrows were safe and harmless.


    Aditya had to do something to cool his head. Even now, a small flame raged in his heart when he thought of what happened in the gymnastics gym. Yu Yan had asked him to watch her practice artistic gymnastics as she wanted to know how her form was.


    Aditya knew that it was most probably just an excuse, but he still played along. Aditya was never one to avoid these things. So he was not surprised that there was no one in the gym when he and Yu Yan went. Aditya couldn''t help but swallow when he saw Yu Yan in her training clothes, which caused an itch in his heart. She was very appealing in that dress. The way that Yu Yan moved as if she did not have any bones in her body was alluring.


    Aditya had to agree that Yu Yan had the potential to become a professional. She was very flexible, and her movements flowed effortlessly like water. Her feats were enchanting and pulled him into a trance. After some time, for no apparent reason, Yu Yan ''strained'' her back. Aditya knew that this was an ''opportunity'' that this little girl was giving. A slight blush could be seen on her dimple cheeks.


    Aditya took it up as his duty to ''fall into this honey-trap'' and started massaging Yu Yan''s back. Her skin felt soft, and her bones were pliable. Aditya doubted if all the gymnastic performers had the same kind of body. He utilised his unique knowledge of the human body to give the best massage. Aditya slowly loosened her muscles and tendons. With his experience, Aditya could easily see the small irregularities in the circulation of blood in Yu Yan body, and he corrected them.


    Most of the people think that there is not much connection between mental stress and physical body. But Aditya knew that it was false. Every positive thought and happy experience or negative thought and a dark experience affected the body. No one was able to have perfectly happy lives in this modern society. There was bound to be tensions and stress. After a while, these mental pressures manifest in the form of strained nerves and clogged blood vessels.


    Aditya could tell these places from a simple touch, and he targeted these places to correct the irregularities. Of course, since Yu Yan was just in her teens and her body was filled with vitality, these problems were negligible. But when she turned forty, these small things will cause significant aftereffects to her body. But with Aditya''s extensive understanding of the human body, he could remove these hidden dangers and bring Yu Yan''s body to its most natural state.


    In the beginning, Yu Yan was trying to get closer to Aditya by using this outdated plan given by her ''expert'' friend. But when she felt the effects of Aditya''s massage, she lost herself in the euphoric experience. It was as if Aditya was removing her stress and worries, one by one, with this sturdy but warm hands. She felt light like a feather as if her body was filled with air. Her eyes blurred as she looked at the dedicated expression of Aditya.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Yu Yan bent forward to kiss him. But before she could go any further, an arm stopped her. Aditya lightly knocked on her head, "grow up first." Yu Yan giggled as she stuck her tongue out when she saw the care in Aditya''s eyes. Aditya rubbed her head playfully and took his leave.


    If Aditya was a normal seventeen-year-old kid, then he might not have thought deeply about this and moved according to his instinct. But Aditya had spent 28 years of life in the ''dream world'' which made it impossible for him to act on such impulses anymore. It did not mean that Aditya would change his ways. That was not possible, but he would have a line which he would not cross.


    "Boss, you can''t do this," Faizal protested when Dhanush came to keep the fifth apple. Aditya looked at Faizal with mild amusement as he asked, "and why is that?"


    Faizal rebellious expression vanished when he saw Aditya''s expression. A piteous expression replaced it as he pleaded, "Elder Brother Adi, we had spent a week in a foreign country just for you. We also got those new registrations and foreign bank accounts made for you. It is alright even if you do not reward us, but you should not punish me like this."


    "Oh?" Aditya looked at Faizal as he asked, "Then, what should the reward be? A 3000 USD massage at the Heavenly Pavilion?"


    "That would be aweso¡­ Ahem, what are you talking about, Boss?" cold sweat started forming on Faizal''s forehead. He instinctively looked at the other guys who shook their heads with apprehension in their eyes.


    "Oh, you don''t know about the ''heavenly pavilion?" Aditya asked with a surprised expression, "How much did you spend to get the job done?"


    "50,000 USD, Boss, the confidentiality of these accounts were hard to get hold off," Faizal said as he was starting to feel that his boss seemed to know something.


    Aditya nodded as an audio file started playing from Faizal''s smartphone. Faizal''s voice could be heard saying, "Boys, today let''s enjoy ourselves. I have found a place called the ''Heavenly Pavilion''. The ''hardworking'' women who reside there are on the next level. You can''t find them in India. The services offered by them will be once in a lifetime opportunity. These are trained professionals."


    Faizal gulped when he heard these words. He tried to shut his phone down, but it did not respond to him.


    Dhanush''s voice was heard, "but big brother, what would Boss say?"


    "Pfft! Who would tell the boss? Let me tell you, even though our boss looks cool, he still a small kid. These are affairs of elders and Boss does not need to know. He is an amateur in this issue. Come, let''s go. I will manage everything. Boss wouldn''t even get a whiff of this matter. Laila is waiting for me." Faizal''s excited voice was heard.


    Faizal trembled when he heard his words and then looked at Aditya, who was looking at him with a smile on his face. ''Finished'' was the only thought running in Faizal''s mind.


    "Boss, this was nothing, we were¡­ BOSS!" Faizal was frightened when he saw Aditya pulling the bowstring. He did not even have an apple on him; where was this black-hearted evil boss aiming? Faizal scrambled to find an apple to place on his head.


    Just then Aditya''s smile froze when he heard Tya''s words. "Adi... Kumari, Anupama and Kavya are in trouble. Save them."


    Aditya had hacked into the school server and surveillance system on the day that he joined. One of the minor tasks of Tya was to keep an eye on the happenings in the school. It was not for any particular purpose but a protocol designed by Aditya. Wherever he was, all the electronic surveillance (connected to the web) in the surrounding two kilometres should be under Tya''s purview.


    So, when Tya saw that these girls were in danger, he immediately notified Aditya. The CCTV footage was directly seen by Aditya in his mind, through Tya''s glove in his right hand. Aditya''s eyes became cold when he saw Javed''s sneer and the frightened expressions of Kumari and Anupama. He could tell the conversation through lip reading.


    Aditya knew that time was essential. He knew that straight distance from his position to Kumari was 109m and increasing. But the old school building was in the middle. The time was not sufficient as Aditya observed that though Javed was earnest about ''killing'', with his ''Sensifull'' abilities.


    Just then, he saw his elder sister Saira come. He immediately contacted her and asked her to strand Javed and others in one place for a few seconds. Aditya knew that he had to take down the three men at once. Otherwise, he would be endangering the lives of everyone.


    If he had a gun, he could have taken them down smoothly as the duration of the bullet taken was negligible. But again, the building would be an obstacle. Aditya had to calculate multiple factors for an accurate shot. Force applied on the bowstring, weight of the arrow, material and aerodynamic design of the arrow tip, distance of trajectory, angle of release, air friction, wind direction and speed.


    On top of that, these three people were moving at an irregular pace. With the distance between them was varying at an inconsistent rate, things became even more complicated. The time taken for the arrow to reach the target would change based on the angle of release, and the distance travelled. So, Aditya could not take a clear shot as he watched them move towards the podium.


    Aditya sighed a breath of relief when he saw that Javed and others stopped on the podium. Through the CCTV surveillance and his elder sister''s spy equipment, Aditya was able to get an accurate picture with his supernatural calculating abilities. He had already utilised this ability once when Faizal had gone to give a warning, but this shot was going to be more intricate. Aditya had already connected ''deer hunting'' broadheads to three arrows. The blades glittered in the sunlight which was able to pass through the dense Banyan foliage.


    Faizal and others noticed that their boss''s expression looked grim and did not disturb him. Aditya prepared the arrows and adjusted the settings on his compound bow. Aditya''s brow slightly wrinkled when he saw that Javed was behind a wooden structure. This wood was protecting him from a possible impact.


    Now, Aditya had to fire two times separately for Javed and the other two men. He kept two arrows in his mouth and changed the angle of release so that the first arrow had to travel a longer distance and consumes more time. Aditya had to delay the arrow by 0.67 seconds before the other two arrows caught up. The first arrow had to travel a longer distance and stay in the air for a longer time.


    Aditya had to curve the first arrow a little to avoid that wooden structure, but the other two was more straight forward. Although it felt like a long time had passed, Aditya had completed his preparation in a few seconds. His hand muscles tightened as he pulled the arrow. Aditya looked at the gaps of the foliage, from which the sunlight was coming.


    Aditya pupils shrank a little as he released the arrow. Before the string could come back to its original position, Aditya had already placed the two bolts in position. He changed the ''angle'' a little and released.


    Faizal and others looked the quick release with awe in their eyes. They said a silent prayer for those victims of their boss''s arrows.

 126 - Play

    The next day,


    "Hey Adi," Kranthi excitedly called as he went forward to give a bear hug to Aditya. He was wearing a traditional red coloured Kurta with golden dhoti (customary men''s garment) and was looking unusually handsome.


    "Stop dude, my shirt will be wrinkled if you hug me," Aditya moved to the side as he dodged Kranthi. Kranthi looked at Aditya with a hurtful expression as he said, "Adi, how could you be like this? What happened to the BFF (best friend forever) oath that we took when we were in fifth grade? Is avoiding a wrinkle on your shirt more important than my hug?"


    "Stop overacting, White buffalo. I am wearing is a new shirt. Today is the cultural fest. The night when average girls become beautiful and beautiful girls become goddesses. I spent a lot of time to dress up so that I could have some good time with them. How can I show myself to these damsels with a rumpled shirt? So, this evening, I am not your BFF. Our oath resumes from tomorrow morning. Now go and try if some girl might be interested in you." Aditya said in a haughty tone as he scoffed at Kranthi.


    Aditya donned a silky black slim fit shirt with a white coloured collar on the inside. In addition to that, he wore khaki coloured jeans with dark brown casual shoes. Maahi had bought these clothes for him.


    Kranthi looked at Aditya with anger as he said, "Adi, since you are pushing me away to mingle with some girls. I curse you that no girl would be interested in you today and you will also become a laughing stock among them." Kranthi stomped off after he said those words.


    Aditya snorted when he heard those words, "as if there are things like curses. Okay, time to enjoy." He walked as he looked at the extravagant decorations. The school has not shied away from spending money to satisfy the eminent personalities, who were coming today.


    It was evening time, and bright lights illuminated the venue. These lights cast diverse shadows on the old school building as they passed through the trees. Boys and girls of various ages were present. Some were helping with the decorations while some were socialising. As it was a school, not much ''skin'' show was allowed. So most of the girls turned towards ethnic wear.


    Aditya was shocked by the fact that, after the fiasco of terrorists, the school still went ahead with the programs. The shocking incident had denigrated into a topic of gossip and nothing more. As they were no casualties, even the media did not seem to be interested.


    The fact that these terrorists were shot by arrows was pressed down by elder sister Saira, so this information was not leaked. Devoid of this exciting part, the failed attempt of these terrorists was submerged by other critical incidents.


    On the same day, there was a similar incident in the Capital in which two civilians were killed. That news was given more comprehensive coverage. The only news related to this affair was that the Chief Minister of the state would address this issue, in a public meeting. The meeting was going to be held tomorrow morning.


    But the anti-terrorist squad took the matter of arrows seriously. Many officers had scanned the school for the saviour but couldn''t find anyone. The fingerprints on the arrows were fake anyway as Aditya had modified them with Tya''s camouflage ability, before shooting. All the electronic evidence was edited by Tya as well, so no visuals of Aditya or Faizal and others could be found. As for Faizal and others, they had already escaped with the archery equipment while Aditya went to meet Kumari and others.


    Aditya had expected to get some ''advantages'' from the traumatic experience of the girls. He thought that at least one among Kumari and Anupama or both (if he was lucky) would come for his assistance. Aditya anticipated that they would hug him tightly and cry because they were frightened. Reality disappointed him as neither of them did anything even remotely like hugging him. Anupama remained calm while Kumari came over and described her experience.


    Indeed, both girls were shaken, but they turned out to be stronger than Aditya expected. It was a good thing but a little disappointing. Yu Yan might have climbed onto him if she was present in the same position. He remembered when she had almost cried when Karan had bullied her.


    If there was one thing that changed completely after this incident, it would be that Kumari was smitten by the ''Art of Archery''. Even before this fiasco, she was attracted to archery. But those three arrows seemed to have imprinted themselves in her heart. Kumari had also tried to find her saviour, but how could she succeed when no one could. Only Saira was privy to this information.


    Elder sister Saira was impressed with Aditya''s skill display. As strange as it sounded, she was gratified that Aditya had taken the final step of ''taking a life''. Saira was even more happy at the way that Aditya handled himself. It was clear that his psyche was not affected. Aditya had to thank Taarini for this phenomenon. He had confronted this issue and resolved his heart knot, beforehand, because of her warning.


    It sent chills running over Aditya''s back when he thought what would have happened if he was not mentally prepared. If he had hesitated even for a few seconds, Kumari would have been killed. Aditya would have to live his whole life regretting his indecisiveness. Also, if he had released the arrow in time and Kumari was saved, Aditya''s heart would have been affected because of these deaths caused by him. But neither of them happened. This event increased Aditya''s gratitude for Taarini''s timely wake-up call.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Saira had also warned Aditya that something terrible might happen in the next two days. She asked him to be careful and vigilant. When Aditya revealed that he would be leaving the city for these two days along with Taarini, Saira let out a sigh of relief. She did not disclose any information as it was related to that ''Organisation''. Even with Aditya''s skill, Saira did not change her opinion that he should stay away from ''those'' people.


    "Elder brother Aditya, how am I looking today?" an adorable girl''s voice pulled Aditya from his thoughts. Aditya''s eyes lit up when he saw Yu Yan, who was looking splendid in a black and gold Chinese traditional dress (cheongsam). Golden embroidery glittered on the black silk material.


    The dress hugged Yu Yan''s body tightly, revealing her gymnastic figure. A pair of long black heels accompanied this dress which pushed Yu Yan''s height to the level of his neck. Her dark, straight hair was styled into a Chinese braided bun along with two glittering earrings. Yu Yan looked a few years older in this dress, but the baby fat on her cheeks gave her away. Her eyes formed crescent moons as she smiled at Aditya and walked towards him.


    "oh, looks like we have a little princess here. I wonder why she sounds like Yu Yan, though?" Aditya said as he put up a ''curious'' expression as he held his chin with his hand.


    "elder brother Aditya, I am Yu Yan. You are too much," Yu Yan pouted her lips as she stamped her feet. Aditya laughed as he pointed at his black shirt, "I did not expect that we both will wear matching colours. Come, let us go and find the others."


    Yu Yan also giggled as she said, "Elder brother Aditya, my mother brought this dress for me from Beijing. I liked it when I saw it. So, I wanted to show this dress to elder brother Aditya."


    "Oh, I never asked before. How did you end up in India?" Aditya curiously asked. Now that he was becoming accustomed to Yu Yan, Aditya wanted to know about her.


    Yu Yan smiled when she saw that Aditya was interested to know about her. She answered, "my father has a company in Bangalore, which acts as a medium for Chinese companies to invest in Indian startups. He had come to India in the late 1990s as an exchange student to the Capital and had stayed here ever since. My mother was a Chinese diplomat who was stationed in India at that time. Both of them met, fell in love and got married. I was born in China and grew a few years there before I came to live with my father."


    Aditya nodded when he heard Yu Yan''s background. He had heard that many Chinese companies were willing to invest in Indian startups. Many of these startups have become famous and successful also. Aditya and Yu Yan conversed as they made way for the school building.


    "Adi, come here. Where have you been? I have been waiting for you?" Kavya shouted in a hurried voice. Kavya looked pleasant in a white and gold Anamika dress.


    "Why are you waiting for me?" Aditya asked when he looked at Anupama in the distance. Anupama looked fabulous in a peach coloured short peplum shirt, paired with rust dyed Indian raw silk bell bottom. The dress encapsulated contemporary embellishments and fused in harmony with an elusive design.


    Aditya smiled at Anupama as he allowed himself to be dragged by Kavya. Kavya led him into a makeup room and pushed him into a chair. She turned towards Anupama and said, "Anu, I want you to get him ready."


    "Ready?" Aditya asked as he looked at Kavya with a puzzled expression. Aditya suddenly spotted Jatin in a peacock costume. He burst out laughing when he saw her as he teased, "Jatin, finally you realised that you are as ''proud'' as a peacock?"


    Jatin sneered at Aditya, "as if you are any better. Didn''t you always boast that your eyes were similar to a tiger''s? Now, not just eyes, you can also become a tiger."


    "What does that mean..." Aditya was about to ask when he saw Kavya come with a tiger costume. Kavya threw that tiger costume at Aditya, "Anu, I want him ready in ten minutes. We can have a rehearsal before the play begins."


    Aditya remembered the other day when Kavya asked him to play a role. Now he understood why Bhadra and Jatin looked at him with strange expressions. Aditya gritted his teeth when he imagined himself in this tiger''s costume.


    Aditya realised that his best buddies duped him. Also, Aditya was reminded of Kranthi''s curse of becoming a laughing stock. ''Did that fatty have black spots on his tongue?'' (There is folklore which states that whatever a person, with black spots on his tongue, says becomes true.)


    "Where is that idiot Bhadra?" Aditya asked Jatin while gnashing his teeth. Before Jatin could reply, Kavya, who was about to leave, stopped. She turned and looked at Aditya with a sharp gaze, "What did you call Bhadra?"


    "Hehe, it''s nothing, sister-in-law. Please be on your way," Aditya forcefully smiled at Kavya. Kavya snorted as she went away. "Yu Yan, you come with me," Kavya held Yu Yan''s hand and went towards the stage. Aditya escaped with the tiger costume.


    Jatin couldn''t hold back his laughter when he saw Aditya dressed in a tiger costume. All his elegance had vanished. Anupama''s lips pursed as if she was trying not to laugh. Aditya knew that he could forget about having any fun today.


    Aditya sat on the makeup chair while Anupama came and started to apply a little touch-up on his face. She drew black stripes on yellow base so that his face could integrate perfectly with the costume. A pleasant fragrance drifted into Adiya''s nose as Anupama face came near his eyes.


    After Anupama was done with the work, Aditya made sure that Kavya was not present and asked Jatin, "where is that jerk?" Before Jatin could answer, a voice was heard, "are you talking about me?" Aditya turned to discover a sturdy figure in a bear costume. Aditya doubtfully asked, "Bhadra?"


    The ''Bear'' nodded. Aditya sat in his place, looking resigned when he saw Bhadra''s costume. If Kavya did not leave Bhadra, why would she spare him?


    A peal of soft laughter escaped Anupama''s lips as she could not restrain herself anymore. Aditya looked at Jatin and asked, "What is the theme of the play?"


    "It''s a basic theme ¡ª environmental conservation and protection. The play starts with a group of villagers cutting down a forest. After some time, wild animals start appearing in the village because the forest has been cut. Some people get hurt because of the tiger and bear attacks. The humans realise their mistake and stop cutting the forest and plant new trees. The wild animals go back to the forest." Jatin answered.


    Aditya felt that the people might sleep in the middle of this play. He held his forehead and asked, "who was the genius behind this play?"


    "Kavya, of course."


    "No wonder."

 127 - Tides of Change

    7:32 AM,


    Zhongnanhai, Beijing, People''s Republic Of China.


    Zhongnanhai is a former imperial garden in the Imperial City, Beijing and is adjacent to the Forbidden City. It serves as the central headquarters for the Communist Party of China and the State Council(Central government) of China.


    A group of dignified officials were silently standing as if they were waiting for something. From time to time, they would cast their vision towards the person in the middle. He was the current president of China and the most powerful person in the world, according to Forbes. He had an aura of dignity and authority around him as he stood in the front. All the officials tried to be in their best form as they accompanied him. Most of them did not know the reason that they were summoned.


    An orange glow could be seen in the east as the sunrise started. The weather was cold, and the surroundings were calm. The president was currently holding a piece of paper in his hand. Though he seemed serene in the outside, the same could not be said for his heart. He looked at the piece of paper in his hand once again. It read:


    The whole world is filled with murk,


    the people all are drunk,


    The sun beyond the mountains glows;


    The Yellow River seawards flows.


    You can enjoy a grander sight,


    By watching the west in the morning light.


    Mr President, it is regretful that you did not heed our warning. Though people wake up every morning, they don''t truly awaken and continue their small, worthless lives. We are in the process of creating a perfect world, and it is a pity that you do not wish to accompany us on our way to the stars. But my Lord is merciful. He has decided to give you the last chance. Look towards the west during sunrise, today. We sincerely hope that this will be sufficient to steer your thoughts into the right path.


    Yours faithfully


    Wang Lin, Public Affairs Department, Nirvana


    Suddenly, all the people heard sound some sounds as if a flight was nearing. It was a no-fly zone, and yet they saw a commercial aeroplane flying towards them from the east. Soon their puzzlement turned to horror when they noticed that the plane was in descent.


    No warnings have been issued. Even the air defence mechanisms were unresponsive as if they have been shut down. The President did not lose his cool as he looked at the descending aeroplane. The security guards surrounded him.


    Just them, more sounds were heard as they saw three more flights coming towards them from other directions. All four of them were Chinese commercial airliners. Their speeds increased as they came closer. Gasps were heard in the group as some people thought of something horrible. The President''s pupils shrank as he saw those four flights become larger.


    By this time, the sound from those planes was too high, and many people closed their ears. They watched with terror as the colossal flights moved a few hundred feet above them.


    BOOM!


    No one would have seen a more horrifying incident as the four civilian air-crafts crashed into each other at once. The incident happened above a park which was on the west of Zhongnanhai. Flames rained from the sky as the trees in the park were set aflame. People ran for shelter and escaped in all directions. The sound was heard even tens of kilometres away. Shocking cries was heard as many people looked at the flames rising into the sky. The officials didn''t know what was happening as they looked towards their leader.


    The President maintained his serenity, which calmed the officials a little. As long as the leader was calm, he will be a pillar of support for the followers. But if one carefully observed, they would find the fingers of the President holding the paper, was slightly trembling.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡­


    10:02 AM


    A Podium in front of the Public Hospital, Bangalore, India


    "Ranganath, how is the work with the iconic building? Is it going to be finished as planned?" the chief minister asked the old man beside him. This person was the same Chief minister who had given the contract to Taarini with the guarantee of Maahi and the Ahuja group.


    "The work is progressing at a good pace. The building will complete before the election notification comes. Ms Maahi and the Ahuja group are giving their full support. Even I find it shocking. So no worries there, it is bound to help you gain additional favour in the educated class." Ranganath replied with a reassuring smile.


    The Chief Minister smiled when he heard these words, "As long as my social welfare schemes work out with the poor class, then it won''t be hard to win the second term." the chief minister walked up to the podium and greeted Vandana Sharma who was a minister in his cabinet. She was an active worker and an ambitious woman.


    "Welcome, Mr Chief Minister, everything had been prepared," Vandana Sharma smiled as she led him. The Chief Minister smiled as he said, " Ms Vandana, I heard that you wanted me to meet some person?"


    Vandana Sharma smiled as she said, "Yes, he is Mr Ishaan, who is a very successful entrepreneur. Some people are hailing his Startup as the new revolution in Bangalore''s IT industry. I thought, maybe you could spare some time to meet him. He has become the idol for many software professionals. It would help our image as an entrepreneur-friendly government if we could establish good relations with him."


    The Chief Minister smiled as he said, "Why not? I would be glad to meet him."


    "Thank you, sir."


    The Chief Minister waved towards the followers of their party and the civilians who had gathered to support him. The people who had gathered excitedly shouted slogans fo support and hailed the chief minister. He smiled as he took a mic and spoke in a clear voice, "thank you for supporting our party. I am very grateful and honoured by your presence. With your blessings, we have established a separate dialysis unit in the public hospital with a capacity of five hundred people. From now on, no poor person will be denied dialysis treatment."


    Whistles and cheers sounded as the chief minister calmed them down and began a little propaganda for his party. Suddenly, he noticed that a group of unknown people were walking up the stage. His brows slightly wrinkled when he saw that the police were not able to stop them.


    These people were dressed in the same set of dark clothes. The clothes seemed to have been made of unique material as they flowed like water when these people moved. They all wore black masks. The only difference was that the person who seemed to be their leader had a red vertical line across his left part of the mask. Anyone who came near them was sent flying away with a punch no one got up afterwards. These people walked in a slow and steady pace.


    The security guards did not waste a second as they opened fire on these people. The chief minister felt his heart skip when he saw that these people did not stop even after firing. He could see the tinkling sound of metal falling on the ground. The Chief Minister (CM) could not believe that such a technology existed.


    The CM tried to put a smile on his face as he asked, "Fellow citizens, why are you disrupting public order like this? If you have any problem, we could talk it over. I assure you that I will try to help you."


    The leader had dark eyes which sent chills running through the CM''s spine. He took out a metal capsule and rotated it clockwise. A blue light sparkled, and all the electronic devices in the range of one kilometre stopped working. These included cameras of media personnel, phones, hospital equipment, traffic lights, some cars, even CM''s mic. The leader sneered, "How can a puny leader like you help me? Why would I even be here if it was not for your country leader''s foolish decision? So, if you want to blame someone for your death, blame your central government."


    "Death?", the CM''s face paled when he heard these words. Before he could continue, the leader punched his chest. The leader''s movement was at such a high speed where ordinary people felt like the leader''s hand did not move at all.


    The CM''s rib cage collapsed as the pieces of those ribs punctured his heart and lungs. His body collapsed on the stage while everyone stood frozen like a statue. No one had expected that death could come so quickly and in such a straightforward manner. Vandana Sharma stared blankly as the CM''s pupils lost their focus.


    "Boss, we have info on the special mission that young master Andrews has given us?" a person in the dark robes asked the leader. These followers seemed to have ignored other people entirely as if they were not worthy of their attention.


    The leader who had a scarlet line on his mask nodded and said, "Let''s go."

 128 - Tides Of Change (2)

    10:32 AM


    Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan


    Today was the final launch of the ''longest-serving rocket in history,'' i.e. Soyuz U. The Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, was launching the Progress MS-05/66P resupply mission for the International Space Station.


    Following confirmation of the most probable cause of the Progress MS-04 launch failure on 1 December 2016, Roscosmos had ordered a complete third stage engine replacement on the last remaining Soyuz-U carrier rocket. This engine will be used to launch Progress MS-05 to the International Space Station.


    There was a solemn atmosphere permeating the mission control room, in Moscow, as the countdown of the last minute started. After the failure of the previous rocket, the success of this rocket launch was crucial.


    Twenty-seconds before liftoff, the Soyuz-U''s four strap-on boosters and core stage engine began their ignition sequences, ramping up to full thrust for last-second health checks before the vehicle was released from the pad.


    4


    3


    2


    Boom!


    Before the four boosters could even ignite, the whole rocket exploded into a massive ball of bright yellow fire. The sound reverberated across miles. Silence reigned the launch control room as scientists could not figure out what happened.


    The project director, who remained the most calm asked, "run diagnostics, and I want to know what went wrong."


    Just as he was about to join the investigation as well, he received a notification from the Central Command. He felt his blood freeze when he heard the news. 89 of the 153 satellites that Russia operated in space have stopped responding a few minutes ago. The announcement came from the ''Main Space Intelligence Centre''. The administrator has ordered to stop all activity and report back to the headquarters.


    ¡­


    13:32 / 01:32PM


    Paris, France


    Built-in 1889, the Eiffel Tower stands 324 meters (1,063ft) tall and held the title as the tallest building in the world for 41 years, until the Chrysler Building in New York City took over.


    A group of school kids were excitedly shouting and chattering as the elevator ascended slowly. All the other tourists were recording or observing the 10,000 tons marvel of modern human history.


    There was a guide explaining the exciting facts of the tower while some people enthusiastically listened.


    "Gustave Eiffel used latticed wrought iron to construct the tower to demonstrate that the metal could be as strong as stone while being lighter."


    "The Eiffel Tower is 1,063 feet (324 meters) tall, including the antenna at the top. Without the antenna, it is 984 feet (300 m)."


    "The tower was built to sway slightly in the wind, but the sun affects the tower more. As the sun-facing side of the tower heats up, the top moves as much as 7 inches (18 centimetres) away from the sun. The sun also causes the tower to grow about 6 inches."


    "There are five million lights on..." before the guide could complete, the children started shouting, "Look I see a woman there, what is she doing?"


    The elevator operator also stopped the lift when he saw that person. He thought that this person was here to commit suicide. The reputation of the Eiffel tower has been tarnished by the suicides of more than three hundred people. If this person also took her life here, it would further affect the image of ''symbol of love'' of the Eiffel tower.


    The person who was standing on the edge of the second platform which was 380 ft from the bottom. She looked young and was gorgeous with keen, emerald eyes. She looked at the structure beneath her feet with contempt in her gaze as she muttered, "Iron lady? Symbol of Love? More like a gigantic black smokestack and a solidly riddled suppository. Even the Notre Dame, the Tour Saint-Jacques, the Louvre and the Dome of Les Invalides are more pleasant to see. It''s a good thing that this is the last time I will see this rotten iron piece."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    The woman looked elegant in a black fur beret and black-white checkered coat. She took a small glass bottle from her pocket. The glass bottle was transparent and contained a clear liquid which flowed like water. She opened the container and sprinkled a few drops onto the metal floor beneath her. The fluid made sizzling sounds when it came in contact with the metal. The metal began to liquefy slowly.


    The woman ignored the shocking transformation of the floor beneath her. She turned to look at people behind her and leapt. The children in the elevator screamed when they saw that the woman jumped while some people tried to prevent these children from seeing any further.


    Thud!


    Cracks spread outward from where the woman landed. She stood up and dusted her clothes a little and walked away as no one around her dared to stop her. Before the police could come, she had vanished.


    After a few minutes, the Eiffel tower which had stood erect for 128 years started violently shaking. The moment the authorities detected the disturbances, they activated the emergency protocol. In thirty minutes, everyone was evacuated. Before everyone''s shocked vision, the majestic tower collapsed an hour later.


    The woman looked at the people who were terrified with an indifferent expression and walked away. She was supposed to pour the full content of the container on all four sides. Doing that would not have given the time for these people to evacuate.


    ¡­


    15:32 / 03:32PM


    Margate, United Kingdom


    This place was the most beautiful coastal town in England. Margate is a seaside town in Thanet, Kent, South East England and lies 15 miles (24.1 km) north-east of Canterbury.


    The sandy beaches, the shell grotto and other attractions have kept Margate as the leading seaside resort in the UK.


    T. S. Eliot, who recuperated after a mental breakdown in the suburb of Cliftonville in 1921, commented in his poem The Waste Land Part III-The Fire Sermon:


    On Margate sands.


    I can connect


    Nothing with nothing.


    This beautiful city was ravaged by an unknown tsunami with waves reaching 10m. The seawater flooded a full kilometre into the city. No prior warnings were issued, no deep-sea tsunami detection buoys sensed an earthquake. They were tens of casualties and hundreds of injuries. No one had expected such a disaster would strike Margate.


    ¡­


    White House, Washington, D.C. USA,


    The President looked at the person who was leisurely drinking a cup of tea in front of him. For the first time in his life, the president was not sure about how he felt. He had witnessed the most horrifying events. The President felt that nothing that he had experienced in his life could come close to what he felt the last 24 hours.


    First of all, two men appeared in his quarters without the knowledge of anyone. No alarms were set off, and no security measures were triggered. It was as if they were always there, and the president was the trespasser. Then the president was invited to sit in his own home as the television screen turned on.


    Before the president could talk, he saw four Chinese commercial airliners crash into each other in Beijing. Then, the president witnessed a Provincial leader being murdered in cold blood when he was campaigning in India. This tragedy was followed by the destruction of a rocket and a considerable chunk of Russia''s space satellites.


    Just when he thought that he had seen it all, the president saw the Eiffel tower collapsing. What sent chills running down his spine was one of the persons who were with him had regretfully muttered, "Sarah is too soft. No one died."


    Then, the president saw a tsunami devastate a beautiful coastal city in the United Kingdom. ''these people could create artificial disasters also''.


    After everything the president had witnessed, he could not bring himself to doubt if the tsunami was just a coincidence. He had spent hours sitting with these people and yet no one came into the room. It was as if no one noticed his absence. It was astonishing that when such chaotic incidents were occurring in the whole world, no one felt the need to report to him.


    Each time that the President hoped that this disaster was the last, he was proven wrong. Every time he would fear that the next catastrophe would be happening in his country. The president felt that his heart could not take this stress anymore.


    After he watched the peaceful town in the UK get devastated by the wave, he lost his patience and restraint. The president stood up and shouted with cold fury, "If you want to destroy us, then do it. Don''t play these games. What do you people even want from us?"


    The person who was drinking the tea smiled when he saw the furious expression. He shook his head and said, "it is regretful that you still don''t get it. We don''t want to kill you," the person looked at the president and said in a grim tone, "we want to train you."


    "train?"


    "Yes, there is a war coming. We need some foot soldiers. It is as simple as that." the person continued to drink.


    The person set the cup down and stood up, "We will bring you out of your well-like world view and expand your horizon. Frankly, if we did not think that your species held a little value, things would have been more simple. Anyway, the warning has been given. If you continue on this path, we will not meet again. Don''t think you have weapons which could decimate the world many times over. Those mean nothing to us and frankly, even if you want to commit suicide, you need our permission to do it."


    The president blankly looked as the two people walked towards the door. "Wait, species?" he looked at the person and asked a doubt which was in his heart, "Are you people, aliens?"


    The person stopped at the doorway but did not turn back. He slightly turned his face to see the president from the corner of his blue eyes as he scoffed, "Aliens? We are gods."

 129 - Travel

    The same time when the Chief Minister was killed in Bangalore,


    "Adi, I can''t find any electronic surveillance around here," Tya muttered. Tya was given a task by Aditya to make sure to keep an eye on any unusual incidents which occur in the range of two kilometres. Now, Tya couldn''t find any CCTV cameras in the surroundings.


    Aditya smiled as he said, "it''s because we have entered the National Highway (freeway). There are no buildings here, let alone cameras."


    Aditya had promised Taarini that he would accompany her on a journey. Taarini wanted to bring the children, who were under her care, back to the city. She missed them a lot. Aditya also felt that this trip was timely as he could relax his heart and mind. After what happened at the school, it was good to take a break.


    It was only Aditya and Taarini in the Hummer. Munna and Raghav and a few others were following behind in other cars. Aditya was the one driving as Taarini sat in the front passenger seat and gazed at the agricultural fields as they passed.


    Taarini looked exceptionally charming today as she wore a navy lace casual shirt with a spread collar and curved hem with scalloped edges. It was matched with a pair of dark blue jeans. Taarini''s wavy hair was loose and lazily lied on her shoulders. Her usual cold and aloof countenance was replaced with a peaceful and gentle smile on her face. Taarini''s eyes glittered like stars in the night sky. Her eyes swept a glance at Aditya, who promptly turned his attention to the road. The smile on Taarini''s lips curved a little bit.


    Personally, Aditya felt that Taarini possessed the most beautiful lips he had ever seen. Her upper lips and lower lip are compatible with fullness in the middle. Her face, when matched with these lips, add extra elegance to her. Usually, Taarini''s cold and icy demeanour made people unable to appreciate those full lips. But Aditya had this rare opportunity, and he was grateful for it. Her side portrait was indeed a mesmerising sight for Aditya. It was as if, today, Taarini had brought out her whole charm, which she had been hiding all this while.


    "Adi, you like her, don''t you?" Tya asked.


    "Yes, why are you asking?" Aditya asked as he drove the car. Hummers were not famous for their speeds, so it did not excite Aditya even a little as he comfortably cruised at around 160kmph (around 100mph). Everything was under his control even if he spared a large part of his attention on Taarini''s gorgeous profile.


    "Then, why can''t you do similar things with her like how you did with Maahi and Hamsa? I know that those are the only times that you truly relax," Tya innocently asked.


    Aditya almost lost control of the car when he heard these words. He apologetically smiled at Taarini as he berated Tya, "Tya, it is not as simple as you think. Concentrate on using other''s mobiles within the range to utilise as surveillance. See if any of them are connected to the web, they could serve as extra eyes for us. Also, there is surveillance in the toll gate and on the National Highway to catch speeding drivers. Check them out."


    Aditya remembered Raghav''s words just before they started on the journey. He confronted Aditya before Taarini came, "I am not like others who keep words on their mouth but do not speak them. So, let me make this clear to you. Little miss has sacrificed a lot for you, more than you know. I know that you are some big shot family''s heir, so little miss did not lose anything in the end. But, you know that she was prepared to lose a lot for the sake of you, even to the extent of offending Raipath family. I have never seen little miss do such things for others."


    "Anyone can see that little miss cares a lot about you. So, heed my warning. If I discover that you have hurt Little miss in any way, I will kill you. I don''t care if you are big-shot or strong or can accurately shoot. As long as there is a breath in me, I will hunt you down. I had already warned you before, and I am warning you again for the last time. I know that you haven''t disappointed my expectations until now and hope that day never comes." Raghav did not wait for Aditya''s answer and walked away.


    Aditya did not get offended about those threatening words as he could perceive the underlying motivation of Raghav. The reason was the care and affection that Raghav had developed for Taarini whom he had watched grow up since she was a little kid. Though he addressed her as ''little miss'', Aditya could feel a fatherly love in Raghav. Aditya also knew that Taarini had to change her plans because of him, more than once.


    If Taarini had kept to her course, she would have become a full-fledged businesswoman. But because of several other factors which also included Aditya, she had to modify those plans. Even if she did not reveal, Aditya knew that Taarini was using her connections to get news about his parents.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Aditya thought about how he had met her. She had taken down more than ten bulky people with just a staff. When she was back-stabbed by one of her underlings, he had saved her. Aditya could not help but laugh when he thought about how he threw gravel stones. He had come a long way from throwing stones. He was carrying a handgun in his pocket as if it was completely normal.


    Suddenly, Aditya heard a peal of soft laughter. He turned to see Taarini lightly laughing as she looked at her phone. Aditya was slightly intrigued, "what is it?"


    Taarini looked at Aditya strangely with her lips pursed as if she was suppressing a laugh. She handed the phone to him. Aditya''s mouth opened in shock as he saw the video which was playing on the phone. It was a video where a little girl who was about seven years old, hugging and beating a person dressed as a tiger. The person was no one else but him. Aditya was reminded of the last night''s disaster.


    In that play, which focused on environmental conservation and protection, Kavya had got seven to ten-year-old children to play the role of villagers. When asked the reason behind this, she replied that the contrast of the massive size of the wild animals (Aditya, Bhadra and Jatin) and the ''small'' humans (children), would convey the message better.


    When it was Aditya''s turn to ''scare'' the villagers, he pounced on a ''villager'' to injure him. The kid who was acting as the ''injured'' villager cried in pain as per the script. Things went downhill at that moment. All the villagers were supposed to run away in fear. But a ''Village woman'', who was a little girl in disguise, came and started beating the ''tiger''(Aditya). The girl seemed to have forgotten that this was an act and shouted, "Bad kitty, leave my brother. I will kick you if you harm him."


    At that moment, Aditya did not know what was happening as he tried to scare the girl as well by making roaring sounds. But the girl ignored everything and punched him wherever she could reach shouting words like ''bad kitty'' in a cute, angry tone.


    Aditya tried to hold her hands and stop her, but as soon as he held her hands, the girl started loudly crying. Aditya released her immediately thinking he had wounded her. But the girl stopped crying and started hitting as if nothing had happened.


    The play, which was supposed to be dull, turned into a farce which cracked the audience up. In the end, Aditya started running all over the stage while the girl chased. After some time, the girl also targeted the bear (Bhadra) and peacock (Jatin). The audience saw a rare sight where a little girl chased three grown boys.


    "Hehe, who sent this to you?" Aditya asked with a hollow laugh. He was not sure if Taarini knew the real identity of the ''tiger''.


    Taarini looked at Aditya with an amused expression as she said, "I have recently joined a chat group, a girl called Kumkum uploaded this video in that group."


    "Who else is there in that group?" Aditya hastily asked. He needed to know how much damage had been done by that idiot woman.


    "Me, Saira, Maahi, Hamsa and Kumkum. It was Maahi who added me to this group." Taarini replied.


    "Oh," Aditya slowly nodded as he returned the phone to Taarini and drove. He could imagine the coming days where he had to prepare himself for being endlessly teased. Maahi would make sure that no one forgot about this incident. Maahi and Kumari was the most potent devil combo anyone would avoid encountering in their life. Taarini shook her head and chuckled as she looked at Aditya''s dull face.


    "I am surprised that you were able to remain calm enough to act in a play after your first kill," Taarini praised as she looked at Aditya.


    Aditya smiled, and as he was about to speak, Tya interrupted, "Adi, the state Chief Minister that we saw in Neela Palace on that day, has been killed."


    "When?" Aditya asked as his face turned serious. Taarini also noticed his change but remained silent.


    "Five minutes ago."


    "How?"


    "Even though the CM was killed in a public place, no one managed to record the incident due to temporary malfunctioning of all electronic equipment. But I got the footage of suspicious people from the surrounding places after the incident. Look for yourself." Tya promptly said.


    The one thing that Aditya liked about Tya was that he always remained calm. Tya would show any emotion like fear, worry or horror at these types of news. Tya''s clear voice helped Aditya to accept this news with a steady heart as well.


    Aditya saw a wide range of videos where he saw those people with masks and black clothes. Aditya said a silent prayer for the Chief Minister. He had seen him before as Tya had said. In the morning hours, he had seen the video of the plane crash in Zhongnanhai, Beijing. Aditya could tell that this was the retaliation of that ''Organisation'' like Saira had hinted.


    Although he knew that this had nothing to do with him, the capability and the insolent killing, shocked him to the core. These incidents alerted him to the danger that this organisation posed to those that opposed them.


    "Tya, anything else? Keep me updated. I feel that there are going to be more incidents of this nature. Keep a lookout." Aditya said as his face returned to normal as he smiled at Taarini, who was looking at him with slight concern.


    "Well, there is something that I have to tell," Tya said in his adorable tone.


    "Go on."


    "There are some people who are rapidly approaching us."


    "Who are they?"


    "I don''t know, but they are dressed in similar clothes like those who killed the Chief Minister." Tya casually replied.


    "What! Where? I can''t see them." Aditya looked at the rearview mirror but did not discover any other car except Raghav and Munna''s. Faizal and others had been sent by Aditya to Shenzhen to get some Hardware parts for his plans.


    "They are about two kilometres away and rapidly closing in. Their cars are faster than ours." Tya said.


    Aditya''s eyes shrank when he heard these words. He asked, "Do you think that they are here for us?"


    "well, not for us but Taarini. Look at the footage from cameras, which are placed for catching speeding drivers."


    Aditya saw the footage and noticed that a visual screen in one of the cars portrayed a Hummer and Taarini''s photo. His expression turned grim. It looks like things were going to get ugly today.

 130 - Set Up

    Aditya increased the speed of the Hummer. He activated ''Slow Timing'' as he needed time to think. It had been many days since he needed to use this ability. Aditya had a hunch that this ability was going to turn out very useful today.


    From the footage, Aditya could see that those people were driving a fleet of Range Rover Sport Aspec PLR610R. H3 (Hummer 3) top speed is 198 kmph (123 mph) while the other side had high speeds of 280 kmph (174 mph). They were bound to catch up if they stayed on the highway (freeway).


    Aditya could get off the highway and take a route that did not require high speeds but better control in rough terrain. Aditya felt his heart sink when he saw that all roads, near this route, lead to some human settlement (village, town, etc.). Aditya knew that these people did not value human life, in the least. Wouldn''t he be endangering the lives of many innocent people by leading these wolves to those places?


    A little hesitation was seen in Aditya''s eyes, but, soon, it was replaced by raw coldness. He knew that he was not ready for this fight, but that did not stop him. Aditya was not aware of the kind of abilities these people possessed. Were all of them as strong as Bunny? Did they have any hi-tech equipment that he did not know? How could they kill the Chief Minister? How were there no recordings of the incident when it was done publicly?


    There were many variables, but Aditya would not leave Taarini when she was in danger. After everything that Taarini had done for him, Aditya would not be able to forgive himself if he turned his back to her.


    "Tya, see if you can get into RISAT-1 or any other earth observation satellites, be it Indian or any other country''s. Get the National Highway (freeway), which is ahead, vacated by issuing an aircraft emergency (Issued when an aircraft has malfunctioned and is forced to land in the middle of the road). Take Elder sister Saira''s help if you need." Aditya started to think of all measures, which would increase his chances of survival.


    "Yup, let me see if any satellites are above us currently. Usually, most of these satellites are placed in sun-synchronous orbit, enabling them to move around the world," Tya replied as he got to work.


    Aditya sent this information to Saira. He was sure that Saira would try to help, but he did not know if she could make it in time. Aditya also wanted Saira to have the Police help in keeping the road clear. He did not have any extravagant demands of having the police come to rescue him as these people were clearly above their calibre and paycheck.


    Aditya took a deep breath and turned towards Taarini. He had to reveal a few things to her beforehand.


    "Mentor, we are in danger," Aditya spoke in an earnest tone. Taarini had been observing Aditya for some time and knew that something was bothering him. So, Taarini solemnly nodded, "go on."


    "Do you remember when I spoke about a secret organisation that had taken my parents away?"


    "I do."


    "They are coming for us, and it is not for peacefully chatting with us," Aditya said as he grabbed a bottle of oil mixed with all kinds of nutrients. This bottle was his ''fuel''.


    "So, what is your plan?" Taarini asked straightforwardly. She understood the hidden meaning in Aditya''s words and trusted him wholeheartedly. Also, she did not ask if these people were coming for Aditya. It was as if it did not matter to her if they came for Aditya or her; she was going to fight alongside him.


    Aditya paused when he heard Taarini''s words but immediately recovered and said, "I want you to send Raghav and others away. They won''t be helpful in the least and might even get injured in the process."


    Taarini nodded her head as she picked her phone to call Munna. She placed the phone between her ear and left shoulder as she opened a compartment and took a handgun, Sig Sauer P226X5, out. She opened the ammunition box and filled the twelve rounds as she talked with Munna.


    Aditya looked at how calm Taarini appeared and steadied his heart as well. After all, it was going to be his first bloody engagement while Taarini was used to living on the edge of life. Aditya started drinking the oil. Though it was uncomfortable, he was not in a position to complain. This bottle was 6000 calories combined with a formulated mixture of amino acids and other nutrients.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Adi, I have the visuals from the satellite. There are five cars. You will see them in about ten seconds," Tya''s cute voice was heard.


    "Awesome, now get me the visuals of everything going within a twenty kilometres range. I doubt that these five cars are the only teams dispatched. Also, we can''t forget those who killed the Chief Minister," Aditya spoke as he also took out his 1911 handgun. This handgun had the record of shooting 27 rounds in 3.7 seconds.


    One could imagine the terrific release speed of ammo. But, conventionally, high release speed was not a desirable feature as a person in armed conflict required efficiency and accuracy. Fast shooting wastes a lot of bullets and has a high rate of inaccuracy. But that was not the case with Aditya as he did not have to worry about efficiency and accuracy.


    "Tya, do you remember the idea we had about the telescopic lens?" Aditya asked as he saw the cars behind him take a diversion. Taarini had not revealed the truth but gave a pretence to Raghav and Munna.


    "Are you sure? It might be excruciating," Tya worriedly asked.


    "Go ahead, also modify my face and physique a little so that these people can''t see me as ''Aditya''." Aditya said as he turned towards Taarini, "mentor, I have to ask you to remain calm. I am more abnormal than you might have already guessed."


    Taarini was puzzled when she heard these words. Just as she was about to ask, Taarini gasped when she saw Aditya''s face started to transform. Aditya''s face was oval, but now it became broad and squarish. The colour of his hair changed from black to dark brown, and a rough beard grew. Even the complexion of his skin lightened.


    Taarini knew that Aditya''s abilities bordered on superhuman powers, be it his accuracy, memory, comprehending skills. But she never imagined that Aditya could change his appearance. Taarini looked at this process with wide-open eyes but did not make a sound. She handled it quite well.


    After Taarini recovered her composure, she asked an important question that sprouted in her heart. "Is the previous appearance also a camouflage?"


    Aditya shook his head as he answered, "That''s my original appearance." Taarini felt relieved for some reason when she heard these words.


    "Aditya, brace yourself, the lens fibres in your left eyes are going to start separating," Tya notified. Before Aditya could do anything, an intense acute pain pierced his mind like a needle. This theory was something that Aditya and Tya had worked together intending to increase his visual range.


    The concept was to separate the lens in his eyes into two parts. Lens was a transparent, biconvex structure in the human eye, which is like a translucent mirror. The lens is separated into two parts, with one being concave while the other is convex. Clear fluid and muscle fibres separated these two mirror-like parts.


    Tya could achieve this through the ''Cellular Manipulation'' ability. The lens are made up of cells called ''simple cuboidal epithelium''. So, Tya could control them. So with this process, Aditya lens could function like the most efficient terrestrial telescope. It was supposed to grant high resolution and clarity by adjusting the focal length and the focal ratio between the two parts. Many complicated calculations are required to achieve this, but it is not a problem for Tya.


    Aditya felt as if pins were being pricked one after the other into his left eye. Transformation of one eye was enough. Aditya regretted ordering Tya that he should not numb the pain receptors. Sweat started rolling from his forehead as the pain continued.


    Aditya looked at the rear-view mirror with his right eye, to discover a fleet of cars approaching them. Though Aditya was in pain, the control he had on the vehicle was not affected a bit. The piercing pain vanished, replaced by a little radiating pain and even that pain disappeared after a second. The speed of Tya''s work was the only good thing about this process. The redness in his left eye slowly receded; no one could notice any difference between his two eyes.


    Aditya smiled assuredly at Taarini, who was looking at him with concern and turned his attention towards the front to check the effectiveness of this procedure.


    In the beginning, Aditya could only see a blur when he closed his right eye and left his other eye open. Before Aditya could inquire Tya about this, the vision slowly focused in a similar way how a professional camera works. Aditya opened his mouth, in shock, when he saw the patterns of a bird perched on a tree which was a kilometre from him. What shocked Aditya, even more, was that the bird did not go out of focus when he was moving in such a high speed. Aditya watched the bird''s eye movement as it pecked the tree branch for insects.


    Everything seemed so close and bright. Aditya could see the license number of vehicles which were quite far from him and also a few people who were working in the distant paddy fields. Aditya felt his confidence increase as he looked at all these details. Aditya''s experience was almost the same as that of a blind person gaining eyesight. It was as if he did not have ''true'' sight until today. Aditya was, once again, reminded of the astonishing potential that Tya''s abilities possessed.


    ''Nice'', Aditya thought as a small smile appeared on his face. He held the gun in his hand as he prepared to greet some people who were eager for passage to reincarnation.


    It was true that Aditya was not ready to face these people, but it was equally valid that these people were also not prepared to meet him. They could not imagine in their wildest dreams that what was going to hit them.

 131 - Auxilia

    "Rai, now that you are back in your motherland, are you feeling nostalgic?" a masked black male asked as he drove a Land Rover. Their car was at the forefront of the fleet.


    "Nah, after everything I saw and experienced, do you think that I will waste my time with worthless, illusory things like nostalgia?" Rai, who was a bronze complexioned male with a muscular physique scorned. Rai also wore a black mask. Vincent and Rai had been in the same team for the last three years as both of them had joined the ''Auxilia'' at the same time.


    ''Auxilia'' was like a recycle bin for the military division of the ''Organisation''. Any failed experiments which resulted in people, who remained alive and functional, would be sent to this group. It was an aggregation of ''faulty'' pieces.


    As they were all trained in conventional warfare tactics and other fighting techniques, they were allowed to take up low-level jobs. For example, today, their leader, was tasked with killing a small provincial leader in India. These missions were the only way to gather merit points. As long as they reached the required credit score, they would be given a second chance to undergo trials.


    If they had not known the ''Organisation'', they might not have cared about trying for the second chance. But, they had seen the strength of the ''successful'' people with their own eyes. The prospect of gaining superhuman abilities was too tempting for them. Attractive enough to kill or die. Rai had seen a fifty-year-old elder man transform into a twenty-year-old sturdy youth while vincent had seen a youth lift an M1A1 military tank with his bare hands.


    The transformation was not just in appearance; it was the vigour, vitality and strength. Except for the appearance, these people did not deserve to be seen in the same light as average humans. Those people had successfully stretched their normal life span and abilities. Going with what they had heard, these people could live for three to four hundred years. And, that was merely the first phase. In their eyes, the Organisation was no different from a gateway to heaven and everlasting immortality.


    One could imagine the level of hope and promise this ''Organisation'' held for them. The feelings they possessed towards this ''Organisation'' almost touched the level of fanaticism. It was as if a new world had been opened for them, and they were one of those lucky people to gain early entry. An unprecedented ''World Order'' was dawning, and they were going to be ones owning the ''real'' power and wealth.


    The things that the ''rejects'' from ''Auxilia'' could do to get an extra chance were few, and the competition was high. So, the best way to quickly get this opportunity was to become ''informal'' goons for some higher-ups.


    The ''Organisation'' looked like a single entity from the outside. But with all the power that it held, it was impossible not to have any interest groups within. Notably, they were some families and corporations which were quite influential. For example, their leader, Zamir, who was a ''Centurion'' (commanded 80 people), had sought the shelter of the Blackwood family.


    Blackwood family was one of the top-tiered families in the Organisation. Their current task was not an official one, but it was going to be off-the-record. If the Blackwood Family was not endowed with high authority, Zamir would not have dared to act this way. The punishment for crossing the limits of a mission was no different from seeking death.


    Young master Andrews was the one who issued the order to eliminate the underworld boss of Bangalore and take over the mafia. Others may not know the reason behind this action, but how could Vincent and Rai not know? A future was coming in which the legitimate governments were going to be reduced to lowly puppets. These governments would be left to maintain law and order so that society does not become chaotic, which might lead to unwanted deaths of the most valuable resources (humans).


    The grand ambitions of the ''Organisation'' required human capital. The Organisation did not care about any other resources as much as it cared for humans. It needed a large number of humans for its experiments and army. So the family which held influence over the most significant human population was bound to trump other groups within the Organisation.


    China and India were the two most populated countries with no other stiff competition. The US and Indonesia were placed in the third and fourth, but the difference was massive. So, both China and India were hot pies in the eyes of these families. Even between China and India, though China was more populous, India turned out to be a more desirable choice.


    The ideal age for ''Genetic Awakening'' was children from 10-24 years. The population of the same age group in India was 242 million while in China it was only 185 million. The choice was clear. Young master Andrews had placed his sights on South India. He could not dare to think about competing in North India, which was being fought over by many families and interest groups.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Zamir was supposed to establish his influence in Bangalore and spread southwards. This mission was informal and unwarranted by the Organisation as it has not deemed it the right time yet. But, behind the scenes, the fight for power had already started. Young master Andrews had implicitly instructed that this mission should be rapidly dealt and the loss of human lives should be kept minimal.


    It turned out to be convenient for them as there was only one underworld boss of Bangalore, i.e. Taarini. Vincent and Rai laughed with delight when they heard that this mafia boss had left the city with minimum protection, which made conditions even more favourable. As if the situation was not optimal enough, the cars which were following the underworld boss suddenly took a detour and left her, for an unknown reason. It was as if God wanted this woman to die today.


    Zamir had divided his subordinates into two groups. One group would follow him as he accomplished the official task while the other group would deal with Taarini and her gang. The Raipath family of India, which was subordinate to the Blackwood family, had provided two sets of transport vehicles. A fleet of ordinary cars (Land Rovers) and another squadron of low level ''modified vehicles''. These modified cars were gifted to Raipath family by the Organisation itself.


    Just like Taarini''s armoured Hummer, these ''modified'' cars were not good at speed. Vincent and Rai, who were both captain of ten-man teams, were using the fast cars. They did not think that these ''modified'' cars were a necessity to take out a small underworld boss with zero military backings. Vincent felt that using these modified cars was equivalent to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. So he and Rai opted to leave half their men to drive these ''slow'' cars while they went ahead and completed their mission.


    Vincent and Rai were trying to get into the good graces of their leader, Zamir. Zamir was different from them. He was a ''partially'' successful product. If a ''failed'' products like Vincent and Rai were as strong as eight adult males, then one could imagine the strength of Zamir. In unarmed combat, even a hundred special forces could not defeat him.


    According to the protocol, the mission that Zamir was tasked with did not warrant bulletproof clothes. But young master Andrews had made it possible using his influence because he wanted to guarantee the ''other'' mission. Rai looked at the thin cloth material of his clothes. He could not imagine how such a delicate material could effortlessly stop bullets, but it was the truth. Rai had experienced this wonder for himself.


    Even though they had these clothes, no other equipment issued by the ''Organisation'' could be used during this informal task. Every piece of hi-tech equipment is connected to the mainframe (artificial intelligence). So, if they could not provide a legal authorisation of the Organisation for utilisation, this equipment will not activate.


    The Organisation had zero tolerance for people who violated these regulations. So, unless one had a sturdy backing, one should not think of doing shady things. Zamir was doing precisely that; hence, they had to make do with ordinary weapons.


    By ordinary weapons, Vincent and others had access to the most sophisticated military equipment that humanity had developed until today. But yes, when compared to the weaponry of the ''Organisation'' these automatic rifles and armour-piercing rounds were indeed ''simple''.


    "Man, this Taarini chick is one of a kind. It will be nice if we could taste her once before we kill her," Vincent said as he looked at the portrait of a stunning woman before them.


    "Of course, Indian women are the most beautiful. You can find all kinds of girls like fair, dark, bronze, East Asian etc. We could have some fun after we complete our task but not now. You don''t want to mess up in the last moment. We need to be the ones who kill her if we want to have an opportunity to get our second chance. We have almost caught up to the Hummer," Rai said as he pointed at the black metal beast in front of them. At their current speed, they would overtake it in a matter of seconds.


    "According to our info, this Hummer is American ballistics level IV armoured. It can take quite a few shots from an AK 47 rifle, let me see if the information is credible." Rai said as he took out an M4A1 assault rifle and turned the safety off.


    Just when Rai was about to position himself, Vincent and Rai saw the driver window open as a hand carrying a handgun was seen emerging. The hand pointed the gun towards them, but they could not see the face of the person as he did not turn towards them.


    "Oh, looks like these ants know that they are in danger and are attempting to launch a pre-emptive strike," Vincent scoffed with disdain. Even though they did not get superhuman powers, they had inherited the contempt that the members of the ''Organisation'' had for ordinary humans. Not for a moment did Rai and Vincent believed that there would be any danger in this mission, given their abilities.


    "There is at least twenty meters distance and both of us moving in high speeds. Do they think that they could attack us? These people are cute, aren''t they..." before Vincent could continue, he heard a crack sound.


    Vincent whipped his head to see a small mark at the space between the eyebrows of Rai. If Rai had not worn the bulletproof mask, he would have become a corpse by now. Before Vincent could think that it was just a fluke, warm blood splashed on his face as a second bullet hit Rai''s head. The round went through the eye hole of the mask, which was the only unprotected part. Rai''s lifeless body slowly leaned on him.


    Vincent blood froze when he saw this scene. He still remembered laughing how they did not require these bulletproof clothes when they were about to start on this mission. There were masks which protected eyes as well, but Vincent and Rai were not eligible to wear them. Only Zamir had that kind of cover which was black with a vertical red line.


    Vincent''s heart skipped a beat as he looked at the hand; he could not see the face of the person even now. He felt as if they had gone into a snake hole expecting to find a small defanged snake and instead awakened a sleeping dragon. Before Vincent could think of turning the vehicle around, another bullet hit his left eye, and everything went dark after that.

 132 - Road Rage

    "Damn! These guys have bulletproof clothes and masks," Aditya lightly swore as he looked at the rear-view mirror. He killed the remaining people in Vincent and Rai''s car. It took two seconds and five rounds to kill four people. It was quite slow when taking into consideration that the world record was eight shots in a second. Aditya had to take a little more time to shoot in this situation.


    Though Aditya had killed Vincent who was driving the car, the car was still moving without any change in its course as it drove adjacent to Taarini. The steering wheel was moving of its own accord.


    Aditya filled the magazine again as the capacity of a 1911 handgun was eight rounds, and he had used five. If he shot at the next car, a single person was going to be left out, and he might raise a ruckus. Also, it was not guaranteed that a human would die after being shot in the head. There was a ten per cent chance of surviving. So, it was good to fill your magazine when you had the time.


    Aditya did not know that because of shooting through the eye, he got lucky. All the members of the ''Auxilia'' were fitted with small chips to monitor their life signs like pulse rate. It was a simple mechanism which was implanted to make sure if a person was alive or dead. This device would be activated if the heart stopped beating, and this would notify all the nearby forces of this fact.


    If Aditya had shot at the brain stem and damaged it, the heart would have stopped immediately. But because of shooting through the eye, the brain stem of the people in Vincent''s car did not get affected directly. The heart would continue beating for about a minute. This phenomenon gave him the chance to catch the other people unaware.


    The people in the cars behind the first car were under the impression that the fight had started. They were also getting ready to equip themselves. Their unpreparedness demonstrated their carelessness as they felt that it was quite a simple mission. They did not know that the fight had ended even before it started.


    Even in this dire situation, Taarini could not help but titter when she heard Aditya swearing about the bulletproof protection of the enemies. Those people seemed to be protected from head to toe but still couldn''t escape death. Even though she was acquainted with Aditya''s proficiency in shooting, Taarini could not help but feel shocked when she saw the actual application of these skills in real-time.


    "Mentor, I need you to climb into that car and get all the weapons and ammo you could find. also, try to get those bulletproof clothes and mask as well." Aditya said as he continued shooting at the second car. This fight ended in a second. One could imagine the speed of Aditya''s shooting. In a matter of three seconds, eight people had been killed. The second car also moved without any change in its course.


    It was Tya who was controlling these cars. Nowadays, every high-end car was computerised and was controlled through electrical circuits, and the entertainment equipment in the vehicle was connected to the internet. It was a piece of cake for Tya to hack these cars and take over the controls. The drivers were kept under a false impression that the vehicles were moving according to their wishes. But it was Tya who was controlling all five cars.


    "Adi, five more cars are quickly catching up and I can''t control them as they seem to equipped with the same quantum core that we had previously seen (Raipath family''s underling - politician)," Tya''s cute voice was heard as satellite images, and camera footage of these cars were displayed in Aditya''s mind.


    "F**k," Aditya cursed in a low voice as he shot at the third car and killed another four people. Aditya felt that the situation was becoming critical. Those eight vehicles seemed to be the same size as the Hummer but were faster than him.


    "How much time do we have before they catch up?" Aditya asked as he reloaded his magazine. Another nineteen rounds were remaining.


    Crack! Crack!!


    At last, the people in the previous two cars noticed that something went wrong. They had started shooting at the Hummer. Aditya and Taarini instinctively ducked but realised immediately that their vehicle was armoured. It can take quite a few shots.


    The rear window of the Hummer was getting riddled with shots as Aditya fired at the fourth vehicle. He had activated ''Slow Timing'' and ''Sensifull''. The movements of every one of these people were as slow as a snail in his eyes.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Aditya could ''see'' the trajectories of every bullet by looking at the guns and their positions. Not a single bullet could touch him. Aditya could predict the target of rounds, even before they were shot. He would quickly move his hand out of the path of the fire. Also, the accuracy of these people was nowhere near his skill. So, Aditya could practically ignore most of these rounds and had to watch out for stray bullets.


    But Aditya had to accept that these people adapted quickly. While Aditya was killing the people in the fourth car, the people in the fifth car covered their eyes with their clothes and ducked down. They did not even bother to shoot at Aditya. Aditya could not find any openings. Even the driver ducked down into his shirt. He did not seem to care if the vehicle crashed. He hit the brake only to discover that the car was not in his control anymore.


    "Adi, you have thirty seconds before they appear. These cars were moving almost similar speed to us, but suddenly they picked up speed and are now racing towards us. It looks like they have some speed boosters added to their engine. Even if you change to a Range Rover, it is not going to help." Tya replied.


    "Mentor, now," Aditya said as he looked at Taarini. There was no time to delay. Taarini nodded as she climbed out of her car into the next vehicle. She did not doubt Aditya''s words for a second as the shooting continued. The wind whipped across Taarini''s face as her air flowed along with the wind. Her body was very flexible to begin, so it was easy for her to move through the windows. Tya lowered the window of the other vehicle for Taarini to enter.


    Before Aditya asked Taarini to climb onto the other car, Tya had moved the last vehicle to come towards Aditya''s side. The people in the previous vehicle were shocked when they saw that their car went out of control. They did not make any movements and remained cowering under the protection of their clothes. Aditya did not shoot and kept an eye on them.


    Taarini climbed into the car and grabbed the assault rifles and ammo without caring the blood or the dead bodies in the least. There were even a few M67 grenades which lit up Aditya''s eyes. These were going to come in handy. When Taarini tried to remove the clothes from the dead bodies, the fabric broke into pieces as if it was very fragile and could not handle her force.


    Both Taarini and Aditya was shocked when they saw this happen. Either the material expired with the death of the person, or it was somehow specific to the person who wore it. It was clear that Aditya and Taarini could not utilise them for their protection. Aditya sighed at this equipment. It would be false if he said that he was not shaken with this display of technological advancement. How was he going to save his parents without similar equipment?


    A brief calmness ensued as the vehicles moved in high speed. Fortunately, the national highway (freeway) was almost vacant in this stretch. The few cars which were present did not get affected in these shooting ¡ª one of the main reason being that Aditya finished the fight in a few tens of seconds. Tya moved each of these Range Rovers to circle the Hummer.


    "TAARINI, COME BACK," Aditya shouted with cold sweat forming on his forehead. He had spotted machine guns sprouting out of these cars'' bonnets. Taarini grabbed what she could before jumping into the Hummer. Just as she fell in her seat, the Range Rover that she jumped from got riddled with bullets.


    Aditya breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Taarini was safe. Five vehicles which emitted a gloomy feeling had come into view. Two men were riding sports bikes, escorting this fleet.


    "Tya, do it," Aditya muttered, as he maintained the highest speed possible. Taarini''s face became cold when she saw even more vehicles. She could sense that the situation was not favourable. It was already a miracle that they could remain unscathed after killing the first twenty men.


    Taarini looked at Aditya''s calm expression along with his sharp gaze. She felt steady and secure as if as long as she was with him, no one can harm her. Aditya was the only person other than her elder brother, who could give her this feeling. Taarini opened her mouth as if to speak but did not do so in the end.


    Three out of five Range Rovers, which were circling them, slowly formed a straight line behind the Hummer. These cars were going to act as shields for them. The fourth car was placed on taarini''s side to defend her. The fifth vehicle which carried people who were alive remained within gunshot range of Aditya. Aditya knew that the Hummer could not stop the firing from those machine guns. He needed extra protection.


    Leon, who was in charge of this fleet, could not get over the shock that he was experiencing at the moment. He had received the news from the people from the last car. A single person had killed sixteen of their men including Vincent and Rai, who were Leon''s seniors. Everyone''s life indicator had stopped responding, which meant that they had died.


    His pupils shrank when he saw the three cars form a line behind the Hummer. Leon''s heart gradually calmed down as his gaze became cold. They were soldiers who did not fear death. Leon was shocked with the prowess of the opposite side for a moment. But it did not mean that he was scared. Leon had seen stronger people achieving even more spectacular feats in the ''Organisation''. He just had to treat this person similar to them. Even though Leon did not know how the opposite party could control those cars, it did not make any difference to him.

 133 - Dire Situation

    Leon started giving a slew of commands with a cool head. " I want to blast those cars to pieces ¡ª concentrate shooting on these cars. I want everyone to imagine this person as similar to our leader, Zamir. But this person is not bulletproof, nor does he have any hi-tech equipment. We can easily take him down as long as we stuck to our fight and pace."


    "Rock and Brad, since you are driving bikes, you can move past the cars and keep that person busy. Don''t let him relax. After the three cars are out of the way and the Hummer is exposed, I want three of our cars to shoot the iron hooks. We have got to stop that vehicle and encircle that bastard. Our cars are bullet-proof, and we need not fear his bullets."


    The people, who were cowering in the last Range Rover, realised Aditya''s intentions to use them as shields but did not dare to move.


    The five ''modified'' cars started firing at the three vehicles. Within five seconds, the last car of the line got disabled and got out of control. In the next ten seconds, the car in the middle burst into flames and blasted into pieces. One of the grenades in the car was accidentally detonated which led to a lopsided explosion. This explosion initiated a chain reaction where all the other shells also exploded. The blast affected the vehicle before it and pushed it out of the way, leaving the Hummer out in the open.


    Leon smirked when he witnessed the explosion. It looks like the enemy was going to die early. Just as Leon was about to order to continue firing, he saw a hand threw three metal balls and two metal balls on the road in continuous succession. There was a reason that M67 grenades were called ''baseball'' grenades. They were spherical and convenient to throw.


    Leon''s eyes shrank when he saw the grenades rolling towards there vehicles. He hurriedly shouted, " dodge those grenades." But the high speed of the cars did not make it possible to change the course in the last second.


    BOOM!


    The grenades blasted precisely in front of their bonnets. Even though these cars were armoured, it did not mean that they could come unscathed from these explosions. Especially when the position of the blast was so accurate.


    " Not one of the cars plummeted," Aditya bitterly muttered as he looked at the last two grenades in his hands.


    "At least, you took their machine guns down," Taarini comforted as she smiled at Aditya. Aditya could not help but grin when he saw Taarini trying to assuage him when both of them were in equally dangerous circumstances. In a way, given Tya''s abilities, Aditya had more chances to survive this ordeal while Taarini was completely vulnerable. But still, it was Taarini who was serene. Aditya resolved to save her at all costs as he continued driving.


    Leon gritted his teeth when the firearm mechanism got disrupted. He coldly gazed at the Hummer as he said, "Three cars should prepare the iron hook. I want them shot when we reach sixty meters of distance from that car."


    Leon prepared his gear as the fight was going to be in close quarters now. He knew that any hi-tech gadgets could not be used because the ''Organisation'' would not allow it. These cars were gifted to the Raipath Family, hence could be used.


    "Fire," Leon commanded when he saw that range was enough. The front part of their cars opened to reveal a piece of equipment which resembled a small Ballista (ancient missile weapon) with a sharp, shiny bolt of considerable size. The bolt was ejected at almost the same speed like a bullet. There was a steel rope attached to the end of the bolt like a fishing line.


    "Damn," Aditya shouted as he tried to get the car out of the way. But the Hummer was never suitable for such flexible manoeuvres. Aditya managed to dodge two, but the last bolt sank into the Hummer''s body. Immediately his speed reduced as the Hummer was now dragging another vehicle along.


    Aditya grabbed an assault rifle and shot at the steel wire. No ordinary human could shoot an assault rifle with one hand and in such an awkward posture. But Aditya''s strength was not just for show. He was capable of carrying the gun and could also remain unaffected by the recoil.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    The steel wire did not snap with one bullet. Aditya aimed for the same spot repeatedly. Even if the steel was uncommon, it could not handle ten armour-piercing rounds in the same place. It snapped.


    The Hummer jerked forward after it was freed. Before Taarini could rejoice, she heard Aditya swear as two other bolts sank into their car. The speed plummeted. Before Aditya could shoot them, Aditya''s side was submerged with rapid gun firing. Aditya ducked back into his seat as he saw the two bikers who were shooting at him. The wing mirror blasted to smithereens in that gunfire. These bikers were within ten meters and dangerously close. Bikes gave flexibility to these men to take better shots.


    There was no space for Aditya to move in this barrage of rounds. He had to wait until their cartridges were emptied, which was dangerous as there was no time to spare. Taarini also crouched in her seat as she saw Aditya trying his best to avert the danger. She knew that these people were way out of her league. Taarini could not help but think that things were not going end well for them.


    "Tya, use the car with those people to smash into the bikes," Aditya said. The car which was on Aditya''s side stopped suddenly in front of those bikes. This manoeuver forced the bikers to prevent their firing and dodge the vehicle.


    This delay gave Aditya a much-needed break, he raised his gun and fired at one of the bikers to discover that even their helmets were bulletproof. Aditya swore as he shot at one of the bike''s fuel lines. These bikes were not modified. Hence the first bike went up in flames. The flames consumed the driver. Before Aditya could target the next bike, the biker ducked towards Taarini''s side to avoid Aditya.


    Aditya''s heart sank when he saw a huge car smash towards his side. The other vehicles had caught up in the time that Aditya was delayed. Another car pushed the Range Rover on Taarini''s side and leaned towards the other side of the Hummer. The Hummer was sandwiched between two metal beasts while two vehicles were fifty meters away, securing the iron hooks.


    The Hummer was forced to a stop as the two cars, which held onto it with the iron hooks, started to reverse. White smoke started rising from the Hummer and the other two vehicles due to the friction between the road and the tires. The last car came and horizontally stopped in front of the Hummer, thus blocking it in all directions. Leon got off from this car as he sneered at Aditya, he could finally vent his feelings.


    Aditya gazed at these people calmly as he reloaded his assault rifle and packed a couple of grenades into his pockets. He turned and looked at Taarini. Taarini was surprisingly calm as she also gazed at Aditya and smiled. Both of them knew that things had gone downhill, but neither of them was the kind who readily accepted defeat.


    "Did you have a lot of fun killing my men? Now let us see who''s going to have the fun?" Leon sneered as he started indiscriminately shooting at the windscreen of the Hummer. The people from the two cars, which were blocking the hummer, also opened their windows and started shooting at Aditya and Taarini.


    The window glass became dented and opaque due to the cracks formed by the bullets. Apart from the sound of firing, Aditya and Taarini felt as if they were separated from the world. Taarini grabbed Aditya''s hand as she asked softly, " Even if you do not say, I can tell that these people are here for me. If they were here for you, there would be guilt and remorse in your eyes, but it is not the case. I only see care and concern in your gaze, so you don''t have anything to do with this sudden attack."


    " If it was not for you, we would have been killed without much hassle. Adi, I want to know something. Do you regret accompanying me to the village?" Taarini asked as she earnestly looked at Aditya''s eyes.


    Aditya finished reloading his gun. He turned his gaze towards Taarini. Aditya looked at her with bright, limpid eyes and smiled. Taarini''s heartstrings quivered when she saw those eyes. She understood what Aditya wanted to convey, even if he did not say a word. Taarini gave a brilliant smile to Aditya and grabbed a rifle.


    "Start shooting when on my word," Aditya said as he grabbed the rifle in one hand and a short sword in the other. This short sword was very heavy and thicker than a standard sword. A typical sword was made to cut and stab, but Aditya''s short sword had another purpose as well.


    This sword was made especially for Aditya and gifted by Taarini. It was made with L6 type steel with alloys of nickel, titanium and chromium added to increase the strength. The sword could bend 130 degrees without permanent deformation. Taarini smiled when she saw Aditya drawing the sword, which was gifted by her.


    "Adi, the window on your side will break in 1.6 seconds, and Taarini''s side will break in 3.4 seconds. Also, Raghav and Munna are coming to aid us." Tya said. Aditya pointed the rifle to his right and was about to notify Taarini. His movements paused when he heard the latter half of Tya''s words. But before Aditya could say a word, the scenario completely changed.


    A black Armoured BMW X5 smashed into the car which was blocking Taarini''s side. No one had expected that someone would dare to cause trouble. The stationary vehicle could not remain unaffected when hit by another armoured car with unstoppable momentum. It plummeted towards the front, clearing the blockade on Taarini''s side. A few men got down from that car and started shooting at the people who were targeting Aditya and Taarini.

 134 - Chase

    "Raghav!" Taarini gasped when she saw the men who were shooting at the people in masks. She did not think that Raghav and Munna did not leave on her orders.


    Aditya''s expression paused for a moment before shouting in a loud voice, "RAGHAV, GET THE F**K INTO THE CAR."


    Did these idiots think that it was a typical gang war where people with guts won over the people who backed down? Aditya could see, through the cracks of the windscreen, that aside from the initial disturbance caused by the armoured car crash, no one even ducked when Raghav and others fired.


    The bullets bounced off Leon as he looked at these local gangsters with mild amusement. These people were simpletons with no knowledge that the world was not the same anymore.


    When Munna had conveyed Taarini''s orders to leave, Raghav had acquiesced and drove away. But after a few moments, he felt that the order was sudden and untimely. Munna also felt the same way, but he did not want to disobey Taarini. Raghav, on the other hand, did not have such restrictions. He immediately took a U-turn and tried to catch up.


    Raghav noticed the five Range Rovers passing them but did not overthink about it. But after some time, when Raghav and others were catching up to Taarini, saw another group of vehicles pass. Raghav had a bad omen and increased the speed of their car to the highest. Even Munna stopped dissuading Raghav. It was better to be safe. It was alright if Taarini gave them a scolding.


    After a few seconds, they heard gun firing in the distance. Moreover, this firing felt like a few machine guns were firing at the same time. Raghav''s blood froze when he heard these sounds as he looked at Munna.


    Just as they turned a curve in the National Highway (freeway), Raghav was greeted with loud sounds of grenade detonations. He saw the five cars, which had passed them some time ago, go up in flames. What shocked them was that the vehicles were mostly unaffected by these blasts.


    There was a distance of 100 meters between Raghav and these cars, but the gap did not decrease but increased. In the smoke, rising from the blast fire, Raghav and Munna discovered, to their horror, that these cars were engaging with a Hummer. They could recognise this vehicle even in their sleep. Raghav''s blood boiled as he did not care about maintaining the balance of the car and other safety measures. He just stamped the accelerator as if he wanted to destroy it. Raghav would not allow anyone who dared to harm their little miss, to live.


    Raghav and Munna had to witness the fight from a distance but were unable to help. They saw Aditya shooting at a biker and the iron rope. Aditya''s presence calmed them down a little. In Raghav''s eyes, Aditya was a freak of nature and was better than them in all aspects. As long as Aditya was fine, it meant that Taarini was alright.


    But Raghav and Munna''s heart lurched when they saw the bullet wounds on the Hummer which made it almost irrecognisable. When they saw that these cars had surrounded the Hummer and stopped it, Raghav did not even think for a second before ramming into the vehicle which was on Taarini''s side.


    Even though the crash rattled Raghav and others a little, it did not cause much damage as they were braced for the impact and the airbags inflated and absorbed most of the force. Raghav was the first to get down and start shooting, along with a few of his underlings. Munna was stunned a little because of the crash and required some time to regain his composure. After all, he was in his late forties.


    Raghav had mistakenly thought that his entry would tip the scales of the fight in their favour. He opened his eyes wide open in shock when he saw that not even a single person was hurt after getting shot. Just then, Raghav heard Aditya''s shout asking him to get back into the car. Before he could fathom the meaning behind Aditya''s words, Raghav saw a person raise a rifle at him and shot at them.


    Four bullets dug into his torso as he slammed against a car and fell. Raghav looked at the blood flowing from these wounds as he was confused. He saw two of his followers lie beside him motionlessly as blood spilt from their bodies as well.


    "RAGHAV!" Taarini screamed in anguish as she forgot everything and opened the car door to run towards him. All the memories of Raghav surfaced in Taarini''s mind. Everything felt slow as if time had stopped. After her elder brother''s death, it was Raghav who took care of her and comforted her. He would even wear clown costumes to cheer her up when she was depressed. Now, when Taarini saw Raghav get shot, her mind went blank.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The remaining biker, who had stopped near Taarini, sinisterly laughed as he raised a handgun and shot at Taarini. The bullet hit Taarini in her abdomen as she was thrown off balance. She seemed to ignore the wound as she tried to regain her balance and go towards Raghav.


    The Biker wickedly cackled as he prepared to deal the final blow. He aimed for the head. The Biker would score a few extra merit points if he killed the target. Other people also joined in the laughter as they felt that the mission was accomplished. They seemed to have forgotten that there was another person inside. Only Leon remained vigilant. But suddenly, a shadow figure held Taarini and dodged. The biker''s heart froze when he saw the eyes of the person. Suddenly, the biker felt as if he had made a grave mistake.


    The biker did not think twice as he shot at the shadowy figure, which was two steps away from him. He heard a metal clang sounds, but the figure did not stop even for a second. Instead, four people in the background got hit by bullets in their eyes and died. Cold sweat started forming on Leon''s forehead when he saw this scene. The biker was in no better position.


    Before he could do anything, a sword pierced through the gap of the neck and the helmet. The last thing that the biker remembered was those eyes filled with fury. There was a saying in the military. Within the range of seven feet, a fight between two people carrying a sword and a gun would result in the person with a sword winning. This saying fits Aditya perfectly.


    VROOM! BANG!


    Before the others could fire, two Range Rovers, one from the rear and one from the front, collided with the cars surrounding the Hummer. These two cars were purposefully sent further away by Aditya so that they could help him in a crucial moment. He had not thought Raghav would come to save them. Aditya looked at Taarini''s bleeding wound as grief flashed through his eyes. He had to get Taarini treated as soon s possible.


    Using this commotion, Aditya lifted the biker with the short sword and threw him aside like a ragdoll. He mounted the bike and securely held the wounded Taarini in front of him. The fact that he had a thin physique helped matters. Aditya knew that placing Taarini on the back would not be safe for her. He raised his rifle to take down a few people while they were busy recovering from the car crash.


    Aditya''s left hand was adjusting the throttle of the bike so that he would be able to drive singlehanded. Tya could not hack into this sports bike for some reason. It was a yellow Yamaha YZF-R1.


    Leon was one of the few who was vigilant and escaped the car crash. He did not think that this cornered demon would make such a move. Leon cursed himself for getting out of the car as Leon remembered that the opponent was a godly marksman. He covered his eyes and tried to shoot at Aditya, blindly. Before he could fire, his gun was shattered to pieces. It was Aditya.


    Before Aditya could wipe these people out, the two cars which restricted the Hummer with the iron hooks, caught up. Out of thirteen people, seven had been killed, two had been disabled because of the car crash, and the one (Leon) was disarmed. The remaining three people were not in the position to take any action. Aditya finished adjusting the throttle and started the bike.


    "Adi, Raghav..." Taarini said in a faint voice. She knew that she had made things difficult for Aditya by succumbing to her emotions. Taarini had realised her mistake the moment she got shot.


    Even now, Taarini did not think about the blood loss she was having from the wound in her abdomen. Her stomach was hit, and the acid in her stomach was leaking into the cavity, causing lethal damage to her other vital organs. But she did not think about the searing pain and the prospect of dying. Instead, she wanted to know about Raghav''s health condition.


    "Don''t worry, I will take care," Aditya said in an anxious voice. He knew that Taarini situation was no better. He had to get her treated as soon as possible.


    Munna had dragged Raghav into the car, during this clash. The enemies did not have the time to bother with these weaklings when they were trying hard to stay alive against Aditya.


    The other two underlings of Taarini had died because of headshots. Fortunately, the armoured car was still functioning. Tya took over the control and started driving them in the opposite direction.


    Aditya had sent a message to Saira to save Raghav at all costs. He knew that Saira had access to a drug which had rapid regeneration powers at the expense of vitality. As long as Raghav had a breath of life in him, he should be safe.


    Aditya could not do the same thing with Taarini as these people might not care about Raghav, but Taarini was the prime target. He had to get her away to safety first before treating her.


    White smoke emerged as the rear tire burned when Aditya raised the throttle. He had a tiny window of a few seconds to escape. Aditya released the front brake and the bike shot forward through the gap created by the car crash. Aditya continued shooting at others until they were at a safe distance. Two cars were on his tail, but they couldn''t catch up as their speeds were identical and he had an early start.


    "Mentor, don''t worry. Everything is going to be alright," Aditya said as the wind whipped his face. He could feel Taarini''s vitals dropping at an alarming rate. Aditya changed gears as he reached the highest speed possible in this road. Aditya squeezed through the traffic and passed vehicles like a phantom. He did not care about avoiding collateral damage when Taarini''s life was at stake.


    Taarini raised her head as she looked at Aditya''s disguise and jested in a weak voice, "I prefer your original face." Aditya forcefully smiled as he looked at the pale face of Taarini.


    "Adi, there is a helicopter approaching us at a rapid speed," Tya''s said. Aditya''s heart trembled when he heard this.

 135 - Overpass

    "Who is in the helicopter? is it elder sister Saira?" Aditya hoped that it was someone on their side, but Tya''s answer disappointed him.


    " No, it is someone from the opposite party. Many warnings from the official authorities but the helicopter has not responded. Also, I can''t hack into that helicopter because it has a quantum core also." Tya replied.


    "Elder sister Saira is also on the way, but it looks like she won''t be able to catch up in time," Tya said as he gave details about Saira''s position.


    Aditya''s expression became chilly when he heard these words, "Tya, get me satellite images of the route in front of me."


    "Sure."


    Aditya''s eyes lit up as he went through the images. He gave a set of instructions to Tya as he cut through the traffic.


    Soon, Aditya heard a faint chopping sounds unique to a helicopter. He turned back to see the chopper. Aditya''s left eye was able to catch a man in dark clothes wearing a mask standing near the door. He could tell that this man was different as he had a vertical faint red line on the mask. The helo was a transport kind and not fitted with any military equipment. The volume of the sound grew as the helicopter quickly caught up.


    After a few minutes, Aditya saw an overpass in the distance. His left eye squinted lightly as every vehicle within a kilometre range came in his view.


    RATATAT!


    Aditya''s left hand swung the sword towards his back as he deflected the bullets fired at him and Taarini as a chopper flew past. Many vehicles were hit, and some plummeted while some caught fire. Aditya did not even glance at the helicopter as he could determine it''s position from the sound. As for the firing, he could see it through the wing mirror.


    Zamir''s eyes widened when he saw Aditya deflect the bullets with a sword. He had seen this done before, but every one of them were elites in the organisation. Zamir did not think that this was possible for these ordinary ant-like humans as well.


    " Halt above that flyover, you four people get down," Zamir ordered his men. The chopper reduced its altitude to 20 feet as the four men jumped and landed on the road. The few vehicles on the way stopped when they saw the armed people.


    Aditya sliced his way across the chaotic traffic as he entered the overpass. His eyes narrowed when he saw the four people barring the road. Aditya looked at a truck in the distance, which had stopped with other vehicles, and modified his plan of action.


    "Mentor, I need you to go back," Aditya said in a low voice but did not receive any reply. He noticed that Taarini had closed her eyes. Aditya shook her as he could not allow her to faint. Taarini opened her eyes as she looked at Aditya and gave a small, assuring smile.


    Aditya''s heart clutched when he saw Taarini''s smile. He said, "Mentor, we are almost there."


    Those four people started shooting while Aditya was seventy meters away from them. The bike moved in a zigzag motion to escape the bullets while Aditya aimed at the back of an overloaded Indian truck. This truck was carrying massive wooden planks which weighed significantly more than the optimum capacity of the vehicle (such overloaded Trucks are a common sight in India).


    "Mentor, try to hold me as tightly as possible," Aditya said as he added a joke, "Hug as if I were your husband." Taarini did not verbally respond, but Aditya felt Taarini''s arms tighten around him.


    The bike did not slow and maintained the same speed. After shooting at the metal chains, which were restraining the wooden planks, for a few times, they broke. Aditya also aimed at the lock and handle of the rear end of the truck. After which, he also shot the rear tires of the vehicle, causing the truck to incline backwards. Aditya threw the rifle away as it had served its purpose. Two pins also fell along with the gun.


    This action caused the back of the truck to open and resulted in the wooden planks sliding onto the road. These wooden planks stacked one above the other, forming a temporary ramp-like structure.


    Zamir''s pupils shrank when he saw what was happening. He held a handgun and aimed at Aditya, who drove the bike behind that truck and onto that ramp.


    The bike flew into the air for about fifteen feet. Aditya and Taarini immediately felt a sense of weightlessness. With this jump, Aditya could not reach the height of the chopper. He held Taarini firmly with his left hand and kicked the bike beneath him with his full power. Aditya had cut the fuel lines of the bike using his sword with a sharp stab. This kick of Aditya allowed him and Taarini to stay in the air for a couple more seconds. It also caused the change in the direction of his and Taarini''s momentum.


    The bike crashed near those people who had jumped from the chopper on Zamir''s orders. The motorcycle caught flames, causing dense black smokes to rise. This dark smoke acted as a screen to block the vision of these people so that they could not shoot at Aditya and Taarini when they were suspended in the air.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    In the instant that Aditya stayed airborne, almost motionlessly, he threw the last two grenades with his right hand towards the helicopter''s wings. Aditya''s pupils contracted when he saw Zamir aim a handgun at Taarini.


    Aditya could not change the position of Taarini as both of them were airborne, and there was no way. Aditya moved Taarini to the side a little and placed the sword in the path of the bullet. He used both of his hands to support the sword as he had the feeling that this bullet was different based on the design of the gun. Zamir fired the weapon.


    Crack!


    The sword that was made to withstand even armour piercing rounds broke against this bullet. The bullet passed through Aditya''s right hand, damaging the glove of Tya. After passing through the hand, the bullet pierced Aditya''s right lung and lodged there. If Aditya had not changed Taarini''s position, the round would have shot through her heart.


    Aditya felt a piercing pain in his chest when the bullet dug into his flesh. But, he did not allow this wound to affect him as he rotated as he placed himself below Taarini. If his calculations were accurate, they had a chance to escape.


    Zamir saw the grenades flying towards the chopper''s blade. But he could not stop them as he had utilised this time to shoot at the target. Zamir''s eyes became stern when he saw Aditya save Taarini at the risk of his life. This action spoke volumes about Aditya''s attitude towards Taarini.


    Zamir watched Aditya and Taarini fall towards the railway line. He was sure that they would die after they hit the ground as the height was enough to kill a human. Also, Aditya was in no position to prepare for the fall.


    BOOM!


    The helicopter''s blades blasted into pieces because of the detonation of grenades. The engine and the motor caught flames. The helo crashed on the overpass.


    At the same time, a train passed at high speed from below the flyover. It was a freight train and was transporting cotton stacked bags which were being taken for processing. Aditya and Taarini fell accurately in these cotton stacks which absorbed their fall and did not injure them fatally. Aditya groaned in pain as he took the most damage from the fall. He was already shot once, so the pain was almost unbearable for him.


    All the witnesses to this scene gasped when they saw a human figure stride from the flaming debris of the helicopter. It was Zamir. He was a ''partially successful'' product in his ''Genetic Awakening'' trial. It was not easy to hurt him, let alone kill him. Zamir dusted his clothes as he stood on the corner of the overpass and coldly gazed at the train in the distance. His eyes glinted as he muttered, "was it luck, or did he plan to escape in this way? If it is the latter, this person was very dangerous."


    Zamir looked at the sky as he watched four military choppers rapidly approaching him. It looked like he could not stay here for a long time. If news got out that he had engaged with the country''s military, not even the Blackwood Family could save him.


    Zamir established a connection with his subordinates as he ordered, "the target is marked, and both of them are critically wounded. The male, who is the main aggressor, is bound to die. I want the female to be killed in a way that it can''t be linked to us." Zamir cut the call and walked towards the cars which were waiting for him. After he got in, all the vehicles rushed in different directions. The helicopters, which were approaching, also dispersed to chase the targets. It was going to take some effort if Zamir and others had to lose them.


    Blood spilt from the bullet wound into Aditya''s lung and airways. He was almost drowning in his blood. Aditya coughed blood as the cotton stacks were dyed red. It was fortunate that this railway line was not electrified. Otherwise, there was no way Aditya could jump.


    Aditya did not care about his situation as he checked Taarini, who remained motionless. Her chest was feebly moving as blood trickled down from her wound. The acid that had leaked from her stomach had prevented blood from clotting, leading to severe blood loss.


    "Mentor... Mentor... Taarini, wake up," Aditya nudged her as his heart became tensed. Taarini opened her eyes as she looked at Aditya. Aditya could feel her gaze slowly losing focus as Taarini looked at him. It felt as if she was looking at the blue skies behind him. Her lips moved faintly, but no sound came except for faint breathing sounds.


    "Taarini, hang on. You are going to be alright. Everything is going to be fine," Aditya said as he lifted Taarini and jumped onto a passing train. Aditya threw his and Taarini''s mobile on the first train. Tya could remain invisible on the web without the enemy organisation noticing it, but if the enemy organisation wanted to track their mobiles, Tya could not stop it.


    Aditya had to make sure that those people were not able to track them before starting the treatment. He groaned in pain as he landed on the second train; his injuries were worsening by the moment. Blood flowed from his right hand as he removed the glove and threw it away.


    Aditya waited for a few minutes before another freight train entered his view. He held Taarini and jumped onto that freight train consisting of open Hopper wagons filled with grain sacks. Aditya did not want to take chances. His glove had been destroyed, and Tya was not able to hack into the nearby devices anymore. Aditya remained on the run as it was the best way to ensure safety.


    Aditya chose to remain on a moving train so that he could concentrate on treating Taarini. He did not care about the place that this train was headed. Aditya would be getting off in ten minutes, where there was a hospital in the vicinity. He had memorised the location.


    Aditya had targetted the chopper because he knew that if they wanted to escape, the helicopter could not be allowed to remain intact.


    "Adi, you are poisoned. This poison is enough even to kill around five hundred healthy, adult males. Even though you are safe, don''t move anymore and sit tight," Tya''s voice was heard. But there was no urgency in Tya''s voice as this poison was not a life threat for Aditya.


    "No wonder, I felt my head spinning," Aditya muttered as he coughed even more blood. Dark black clot formations could be observed in that blood if one looked carefully. It was fortunate that he was the one who was hit. With Tya and the fuel (oil packed with nutrients) that he had drunk before the fight, the poison was no threat to him.


    "Tya, enough about me. I want to know about Taarini''s condition," Aditya said as he observed the bullet hole, in his right chest, starting to close and heal at a rapid rate. Aditya removed his shirt to look at the gaping hole in his chest. It was a shocking sight, and the blood had stopped leaking out.

 136 - Healing

    A metal piece could be seen as it was slowly pushed out from Aditya''s wound. The flesh and muscles around the wound were healing, which caused the round to be pushed out. Aditya gritted his teeth as he reached out to the projectile and pulled it out.


    Taarini''s body trembled as she opened her eyes and looked at Aditya''s wound. Her eyes blurred as she knew what had happened on the bridge. Even though she was helpless to change anything, she had witnessed Aditya''s actions. Aditya had also taken the fall so that she won''t be further hurt. It would have been nice to spend her life with him. But, unfortunately, she had reached her end.


    Taarini could not feel anything anymore. Her vision was slowly becoming dark. Taarini''s sense of touch was almost gone, and she couldn''t feel any pain. Her brain was shutting down due to lack of blood supply. She had lost a lot of blood.


    Dying by Aditya''s side was not bad either. She had never profoundly thought of how she felt about Aditya. She had many reservations in her heart whenever she thought about getting close to Aditya.


    For example, Aditya was younger than her by many years. He seemed to have an ambiguous relationship with Maahi. Aditya did not seem to have any interest in her and treated her with respect instead of intimacy. Taarini had always been prepared to live a solitary life until she met Aditya. At this moment, when Taarini looked at Aditya, she knew the answer. Though it was already late, Taarini felt relieved.


    Aditya noticed that Taarini had regained consciousness. He threw the metal piece away as he held Taarini and said, "Mentor, there is nothing to fear. There is a hospital nearby. In ten minutes, you are going to be treated, and everything is going to be alright," Aditya comforted Taarini repeatedly. It was the only thing that he could do.


    Aditya was not sure if Taarini''s condition could be treated, but as long as she was alive, everything was possible. Only a hospital would be sufficiently equipped to prolong a person''s life.


    Aditya moved near to Taarini so that he could hear what she had to say. Taarini looked at Aditya and muttered, "cha...change back."


    Aditya understood Taarini and turned himself into his original form. Taarini looked at Aditya''s face as if she wanted to imprint him in her mind forever. Her lips curved into a small smile as she said in an almost inaudible voice, "rem...remember me. Think about me from time to time."


    Aditya''s heart shuddered when he heard these words. He had thought that since Taarini had regained consciousness and was able to talk, she was safe for the moment. Aditya did not imagine that Taarini would speak her last words. He could see Taarini''s eyes dimming as they lost focus. Aditya always felt that stars were shimmering in Taarini''s dark eyes, but now he could not see them.


    "Mentor! Hold on for some time. Just a few minutes and everything is going to be fine," Aditya roared as he held Taarini and shook her body. But he received no response except for the smile that lingered on her lips. Aditya''s mind became blank as he felt Taarini''s body start to lose its warmth.


    "Adi, I have a way to save her," Tya''s cute voice was like a voice from the Heaven for Aditya.


    "What? Can you save her? Why have you waited until now? Please, quickly save her," Aditya pleaded Tya.


    "Do you remember when I told you about the next ability that was going to be activated, which was called ''Gene Regulation''?" Tya activated ''Slow Timing'' on his own. He had to state the consequences of Aditya''s actions if he chose to save Taarini. Every second was a minute when ''Slow Timing'' was activated.


    Aditya noticed that Tya had to say something crucial, but his mind was filled with Taarini''s last words. Still, he listened to what Tya had to say. Aditya nodded when he heard Tya mention ''Gene Regulation''. Tya had indeed expressed that this ability would make it possible to make Aditya''s body into a laboratory. Tya would be able to produce any chemical or enzyme or protein in the cells itself without the use of any external equipment. Even Aditya''s human genome shackles would be broken unleashing the full potential of genes.


    "What about it?" Aditya asked. He gazed at Taarini who was surrounded by a bleak aura.


    "Well, the dark energy required to activate this ability had not been accumulated yet. If everything went as planned, it would take another two and a half months. But now I could forcefully withdraw your soul particle''s potential to cause a massive surge of dark energy into your soul particle. This action will help me to artificially simulate the ability of ''gene regulation'' for a few minutes and create the chemicals which could save Taarini." Tya said.


    "What are the repercussions?" Aditya had calmed down by now as he heard these words. If this could be done without any adverse effects, Tya would not have to explain Aditya.


    "All your dark energy reserves would be depleted. The potential of your soul particle to attract dark energy will be affected. You have to say goodbye to ''Cellular Regulation'' ability for a month at least."


    "Also, don''t forget that the healing molecules that I have to create in your body won''t come out of thin air. I will have to use the chemicals available in your body. I will need rare elements like molybdenum, selenium and Vanadium to save Taarini."


    " These elements are scarce, and I will have to break down your body cells to accumulate these molecules. This breakdown of your cells will have serious repercussions on your body and brain. I won''t be able to undo these repercussions until the ''Cellular Regulation'' ability is reactivated." Tya listed out the effects one by one.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Do it," Aditya immediately replied when he heard Tya''s reasons. None of these reasons could outweigh the regret and remorse if he let Taarini die in front of his eyes. Particularly, when he knew that he was in the position to change the outcome.


    Aditya would love to have been one of those protagonists who can make rational, cold decisions. But sadly, he was not one of those. Aditya based his decisions on his emotions and heart rather than prioritising the future over the present.


    Aditya knew that he was jeopardising his parents'' safety by choosing to save Taarini now. They say that the way parents talk to their children becomes their inner voice. In that way, Aditya''s inner voice was influenced by his father and mother.


    His father''s words would be something like, "Are you trying to save us by refusing to help a woman in need? I might as well die rather than living with the memory that my life was rescued by sacrificing a helpless woman''s life."


    His mother''s words would be something like, "Adi, do you think that you will be able to save us if you let Taarini die? Are you confident that you could save us? Do you know the real capabilities of the ''Organisation''? When you are not even sure that you could save us, why do you have to stop yourself from helping Taarini? The only constant in every human life is death. Adi, the real question is whether your death was worthy. So, if I die because of this delay, I will be satisfied that my son has grown."


    Aditya bitterly smiled when he thought about his father''s and mother''s imaginary response. Aditya''s father had a rather simple outlook while his mother had always been deeply insightful about human life. Her perspective deviated from common sense. But his mother was happy and peaceful all the time. Aditya, as a kid, always found solace in her lap.


    Tya got to work after he heard Aditya''s agreement. Aditya could feel his body change. He felt a piercing headache for some time before it was replaced by lightheadedness. His body was filled with vibrant energy, which made him think that everything was possible.


    "It is lucky that you were poisoned. That poison contained many key elements that we need. Adi, place your right hand on Taarini''s wound. Also, I am manufacturing a pain killer opioid, which is hundreds of times more potent than morphine. It will help Taarini go through the healing process without having to suffer and prevent her mind from breaking down. A typical human brain is not made to handle this pain." Tya said. He had started doing the needful when he received Aditya''s assent.


    Aditya placed his right hand over Taarini''s wound. Plain transparent liquid started flowing out the sweat pores from his right palm and drenched Taarini''s wound. The injuries began to heal at a visible pace. Aditya was shocked when he saw this immediate reaction. He also noticed that his hand was becoming thinner and paler. Aditya''s skin on his right hand was also getting wrinkled as if it was getting dried. Aditya did not worry about this as he knew this adverse effect was nothing in comparison to what was about to come.


    "What chemical is this?" Aditya asked when he saw the speed of recovery. He saw Taarini''s closed eyes start to move beneath her eyelids. The pain of the healing process was hard to bear as new nerve cells were formed and were exposed to a barrage of painful stimuli.


    "This is the compound that I had created based on the formula from the chemical found in elder sister Saira''s blood. I have modified it to reduce the side effects and improve the therapeutic effect. Adi, I am creating the second compound, and I need you to deliver the drug directly into Taarini''s blood."


    Aditya brows wrinkled as he asked, " Where is the second chemical substance being made?"


    "Your salivary glands. There is a chemical called opiorphin in human saliva, which is seven times more effective than morphine. I have modified it to increase its potency." Tya said in an innocent tone.


    "And how am I supposed to deliver it directly into her bloodstream? It''s not like I carry an injection in my pocket all the time," Aditya asked as he felt a liquid well up in his mouth.


    "Adi, don''t you know that drugs could quickly be absorbed into the bloodstream through the blood vessels in the tongue? An immediate effect is also achieved through this route. There is also a separate class of medicine known as sublingual and buccal medication based on this property. So, you have to administer the drug into Taarini''s mouth," Tya said as if it was not a big issue.


    Aditya gulped his throat without swallowing the drug in his mouth. Wasn''t Tya asking him to kiss Taarini? He could collect his saliva and make Taarini drink it, but Aditya did not want to do it for some reason (Ahem).


    Taarini woke up to a searing pain in her abdominal region. All the vital organs, which were damaged by her stomach acid, were healing at a quick speed. Of course, it was going to be very painful. Taarini wanted to open her eyes but could not do so. Just as the pain became unbearable, Taarini felt her mouth opened by a soft but firm object. It felt like a small snake as it wriggled around her tongue and released a warm, sweet liquid into her mouth.


    The moment that liquid came in contact with her tongue and mouth, Taarini felt the pain decrease. Soon, the pain was replaced with a euphoric feeling. Taarini felt her worries melt away in this pleasant, addictive feeling. Slowly, her tongue started to wrestle with that soft object as it demanded more liquid. The smooth object lightly trembled when Taarini''s tongue moved, but the inflow of the liquid increased.


    Taarini''s hands wrapped around Aditya''s neck, unconsciously, as she pulled him closer to her. Aditya also forgot about the purpose as he immersed himself in this fabulous experience. Aditya always felt that Taarini''s lips were the most beautiful pair of lips he had ever seen. He couldn''t resist himself from biting them.


    Taarini''s eyes trembled when she felt her lips bitten. She opened her eyes to discover Aditya kissing her. Aditya did not have a shirt on, and his right hand was on resting on the wound on her waist, except, there was no wound and severe scarring could be seen in its place.


    Taarini could feel a warm sensation in her abdomen as well see the skeleton-like right hand of Aditya with loose skin around it. Her pupils trembled when she remembered the various superhuman abilities that Aditya displayed. Aditya had somehow pulled her from the jaws of death, and she did not know that the cost that he had pay to achieve this feat. Taarini looked at Aditya''s closed eyes.


    Aditya felt Taarini wasn''t responding to the kissing and opened his eyes in doubt. Aditya trembled when he saw the cool gaze of Taarini. Aditya wanted to stop and get up so that he could explain, but Taarini''s hands held him in place as she started to kiss him. Aditya also stopped caring about the explanation as he began to attack her full, ravishing lips.


    Both of them seemed to have forgotten that they were not in their best states. Aditya''s body cells, which included even some of his peripheral neurons and brain cells, were broken up so that the healing medicine could be made. Taarini was weak after losing so much blood, and the energy required to heal her organs was not less as well. Aditya became unconscious. It was his body''s recovery mechanism kicking in while Taarini slowly slipped into a deep sleep as they recuperated in the moving freight train.

 137 - Train

    Tchik Tchik Tchik!


    Zooosh Zooosh!


    Tchik Tchik Tchik!


    Taarini woke up to the sound of rhythmic metal spring compression and expansion, along with the squeaking sound produced by the movement of metal wheels on the railway track. Her body felt light and brimming with energy. Taarini did not feel any pain or discomfort.


    The first thing that she noticed was the bright, white orb hanging in the sky among the sparse clouds spread around. It was night time and a full moon at that. Hundreds of dazzling stars surrounded the moon but failed to eclipse the moon''s irradiance. It was a beautiful sight.


    Such a sight had become all but extinct in the urban nightscape because of the smog, buildings and air pollution. The crisp, silvery light sprinkled upon Taarini. She felt as if these rays were healing her tired heart and exhausted soul as a small smile spread across her face. Taarini did not think about the events that had shaken her as she did not have the energy to figure them out.


    Taarini turned her head a little to notice Aditya, who remained static and motionless. He lay beside her with his face leaning on her shoulder. Aditya''s face looked thinner and paler, but his breathing was steady. Taarini was not sure if Aditya was unconscious or just in a deep sleep. The sight of the dry, shrivelled hand of Aditya resting on her smooth, scarless waist tugged at Taarini''s heartstrings. She recalled the clear liquid which was secreted from Aditya''s right hand. This liquid had cured her at a breathtaking speed and brought her back from the lap of death.


    The excruciating pain of the healing process was numbed and replaced with a feeling of euphoria because of the liquid from Aditya''s mouth. Taarini''s cheeks reddened when she remembered the scene where she pulled Aditya into a kiss. Her mind was not in the right state at that time, and Taarini had not restrained her innermost desires.


    Taarini moved Aditya''s hair away from his face to get a clear view of the person, who had saved her from danger not once but twice. The first time could be repaid as Aditya did not endanger himself in the process of helping her, but the second time was different. Aditya came very near to dying because of her. He had also taken a bullet for her. On top of that, Aditya had cured her with some miraculous means which had taken a toll on his body. Taarini did not know what to make of this incident.


    Cold, mountain wind breezed over Taarini''s stunning face as she stroked Aditya''s cheeks. She looked at him with an affectionate gaze. Taarini''s smile widened as she inhaled the pure and refreshing night air. This look on Taarini''s face was impossible to appear if Aditya was awake. The moonlight illuminated Aditya''s face but the shadows of the tall trees, on the side of the tracks, would submerge them in exciting patterns of light and darkness from time to time.


    The train was moving through a forest area adorned with mountains and valleys. Apart from the sound of the train itself, the surroundings were mum as if the whole forest was asleep.


    Aditya''s eyes, behind the closed eyelids, slowly started to move from side to side. Taarini''s warm eyes froze up, and her smile vanished replaced with an aloof expression.She did not plan to let Aditya know her innermost feelings yet. After a few seconds, Aditya opened his eyes.


    Aditya took a few moments to register the surroundings as he turned to look at Taarini who was watching him. Aditya smiled as he asked in a slightly weak voice, "How are you?"


    Taarini''s heart quivered when she heard the frailness in Aditya''s tone. "I''m alright, thanks to your treatment. But how did you end up in such a weak state? What happened to your hand?"


    Aditya shook his head with a smile as he said, "It''s a long story. It''s good to know that you recovered. As for my hand, it will be fine as long as I eat some food."


    Aditya removed his hand from Taarini''s waist. Her warmth lingered on his fingertips. He looked at Taarini with an apologetic expression, "About that kiss..."


    "I know that it was required for treating me. Don''t mention it again." Taarini interrupted Aditya and stopped the topic from going in a direction, which was uncomfortable to her.


    Aditya nodded and did not continue. He knew that Tya''s painkiller liquid had the effect of stimulating euphoria, and so Taarini''s actions were most probably influenced by this chemical. Aditya did not think in any other way.


    Taarini felt relieved and a little disappointed when she saw Aditya stop talking about the kiss. Aditya got an idea of the direction they were moving, from the position of stars and the moon. Taking the time taken and the average speed of the train, Aditya could know the place that they were in, with little calculation.


    According to him, they should be somewhere in the Western Ghats (a mountain range that runs a stretch of 1,600 kilometres parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula). The fresh, clean air relaxed his mind as he conversed with Tya.


    "Tya, what is my body''s condition?" Aditya asked. Even though Aditya did not show it, his body was not acting normal. Aditya could not move his limbs as he wished. He had to concentrate a lot to keep his body steady. Aditya had never felt this weak in his life. He felt as if he had become an older man - frail and delicate. This condition was the consequence of healing Taarini without adequate preparations.


    "Adi, your dark energy reserve is depleted. Because of straining your soul particle to acquire the ''Gene Regulation'' ability temporarily, your other abilities have also been affected. The good news is that your soul particle has formed a new bond with Taarini''s soul particle, which has increased the input of Dark Energy. With this, you will be able to get back your abilities in a week." Tya said in a cute voice.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "What! I formed a bond with Taarini''s soul particle?" Aditya asked Tya as he looked at Taarini''s aloof expression as she gazed at the forest. Aditya knew that some special conditions are required to form this bond of which kissing was one of the criteria. But kissing was not the only criteria as could be seen from failing to form a bond with Kumari when she had kissed him in school.


    Neither Aditya nor Tya could figure out the way one''s emotions affected the soul particle bonding to each other. But Aditya was sure that one had to have sincere feelings as a prerequisite for this bond to form. Aditya did not delve deeply into this topic as this was not the time.


    "Yup, I have also observed an interesting phenomenon. Your soul particle seems to be evolving into something completely different from its original quantum state. This change had begun when I had bonded with you. This process hastened since you started forming new bonds. But I don''t know any details of this modification or the possible effects it will have on you." Tya said.


    "Forget it. It''s not like I can do anything about it," Aditya shrugged it off. Despite all his prowess and skill, he got his ass handed to him by those bastards. Aditya could tell that the ''Gene Regulation'' ability was mind-blowing from the way that Tya was able to manipulate and create chemicals. Maybe he could turn this around if this ability was activated.


    Aditya was not sure if that ability will be even enough when he remembered that hi-tech equipment like bulletproof clothes, modified cars etc. These people were sent here to kill Taarini, a small underworld leader of a city in India. These people were not the best of that Organisation. But they were already enough to take over a city, in Aditya''s opinion.


    Aditya''s perspective of that Organisation has broadened from this encounter. He could tell that these people''s abilities were not something he could take on now. Aditya changed his plans accordingly. It seemed like he would have to study the organisation by himself before he could get the accurate idea of what he was facing. Aditya planned to complete his supercomputer and Quantum computer before making a move.


    Aditya turned towards Taarini, who was gazing at the moon and asked, "What is your plan of action?" Aditya had a plan for Taarini, but he wanted to know her idea and feelings.


    Taarini turned her gaze at Aditya as she questioned, "Aditya, can you tell me about those people who attacked us?"


    Aditya nodded his head. Taarini had the right to know who was targetting her. He briefly explained how his parents went missing, about Bunny, information from Uncle Ramu, the Raipath family and the hints he got from the dark web through Tya''s ability.


    "So, according to you, they planned to kill me so that they could take over the underworld of Bangalore?" Taarini asked as she let the information given by Aditya sink in. Before, Saira had shared some knowledge but did not go into details as she felt that Taarini didn''t need to know.


    "Yes, that is the only reason I can think of. It looks like the people from the Organisation are plotting something," Aditya nodded as he said.


    No one would have expected that power politics within the Organisation would force some people to make a move before the scheduled time. Aditya or even Andrew Blackwood from the Blackwood Family, for that matter, did not imagine that this fiasco on the highway will force the Organisation to speed up their mission. The world was not going to be the same anymore.


    "I will stay with the kids in the village. You could stay with me and leave when you are completely cured." Taarini said as she looked at Aditya.


    Aditya shook his head with a smile as he said, "I don''t need a long duration to cure myself. It''s fine as long as I eat wholesome food. I will have to depend on you until then. As for you, I think it is a good idea for you to lay low until these people could be sorted out."


    Aditya knew that he did not have the ''Cellular Manipulation'' ability anymore because of loss of Dark Energy. But, Tya had utilised the small window of ''Gene Regulation'' ability to create a few significant masses of ''Stem cells'' all over his body. These stem cells had the best property of healing any organ or part of a human body (Pluripotent). As long as Aditya could provide the required energy, his body will be cured of its own accord because of these ''Stem cells''.


    Taarini nodded when she heard Aditya''s words and turned quiet as they enjoyed the rhythmic music of the train and dark forest outline under the radiant moon. Both Aditya and Taarini felt a kind of tacit understanding between them. It could be because of the bond between their soul particles.


    Aditya noticed a shooting star among the twinkling stars. He had heard from his friends that making a wish when you see a shooting star would fulfil that wish. So, he closed his eyes and made a wish that they come out of this situation safe and sound.


    Aditya saw that the shooting star was still there when he opened his eyes. Just as he was about to show it to Taarini as well, he noticed that the light was growing bigger. Aditya thought it was an aeroplane and not a burning meteor. The light was becoming more evident in the night sky. Aditya''s left pupil contracted a little when he saw that the ''aeroplane'' seemed to be changing its direction.


    Taarini held Aditya''s hand as she said, "Sit steady, we are approaching a bridge." Aditya turned his gaze towards the bridge, which seemed to have been built long ago. He could see all kinds of vegetation and moss growing on it in the moonlight. It was an ancient bridge, and Aditya could not see any safety wall on either side of the bridge as well. If he slipped and fell, it was guaranteed that he would not fall on the bridge but directly into the chasm. There seemed to be stream below, but Aditya was not sure.


    At that moment, when the train had started crossing the bridge, a green laser-like light erupted near Taarini and Aditya. Aditya''s pupils shrank in shock when he saw the light emitting from the metal projectile he had pulled out from his chest. It was shot by that person on the chopper with a uniquely designed gun.


    Aditya''s heart trembled as he looked at the sky. It was not an aeroplane or shooting star. It was a bloody missile. It was targeting that laser light emitting from that metal piece. The missile was approaching them at a supersonic speed.


    "Taarini, run as fast as possible towards the front of the train and jump when the train reaches the other side. QUICK!" Aditya roared as he looked at the missile approaching.


    Taarini''s body shook when she heard Aditya shout at her. But, she did not move as she looked at Aditya. Taarini had noticed the green laser and also followed Aditya''s eyes to look at the missile. She got the gist of their current precarious condition.


    Aditya knew that he was in no condition to move, let alone run. He made way for that projectile. He wanted to throw it away so that the missile would follow it. Just as Aditya was about to pick up that projectile, it evaporated leaving an illuminating radium-like mark in its place. Aditya''s heart sank when he saw this happen. They were a few seconds before they were blasted to pieces.


    Aditya made way for the corner. He had decided to try to jump from this rail bridge. This action was better than waiting for his death without doing anything. But he was not sure if he had the time even to make the leap. The bright moon also hid behind clouds as if it did not want to watch this happening. Darkness shrouded the scenery as if it was the shadow of death looming over Aditya''s life.


    At that moment, a pair of strong but slim hands wrapped themselves around Aditya''s waist. Aditya''s soul shuddered when he saw that Taarini had not run away like he had asked her to do. When he was about to scold her, Taarini calmly held Aditya and leapt into the dark abyss.


    BOOM!

 138 - Phase II

    Somewhere in the Congo Basin, Africa,


    A warm wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things. There was a large, circular opening in the thick woods which was covered in all kinds of small trees and plants. One look was enough to see that this opening was artificially made.


    There were many small artificial hills, streams and waterfalls in this setting. One could find all kinds of Tropical plants here in the state of lush growth. The climate was humid, and tall canopy trees surrounded this opening. The great Maobi trees reached as tall as 70 m around this area, making this opening look like a fortress protected by a green wall.


    The air was filled with cheerful sounds of birds like a Black Casqued Hornbill, Congo Peafowl and others. A female could be seen tending to flower plants in the opening without a hint of worry or apprehension that wild animals surrounded her ¡ª animals like mountain gorillas, Giant Forest Genet, Chimpanzees, Bonobos, Pygmy elephants and other animals. There was even a leopard resting in the shade of a small tree with its eyes closed. It did not show its usual ferocious nature, and the other animals were not bothered by its presence either.


    This beautiful woman looked perfectly in sync with the nature around her as she nursed a broken branch of a Blue Passion Flower plant. There was a small smile hanging on her full blazing red lips. A yellow-throated Cuckoo perched on her fair and delicate shoulder and emitted cheerful sounds. The woman''s skin was glowing with vigour and vitality, and her emerald green eyes sparkled as she patched the broken branch with focus. Even the flower plant seemed to be waving its leaves and branches as if it welcomed the woman''s touch and presence.


    The woman''s hair was a shade of warm brown which mainly flattered her emerald eyes. The hair reached her shoulders in waves. She had let it remain loose without any form of styling. But this look of hers perfectly synchronised with the surroundings.


    If her ears were sharp, no one would doubt that they had finally seen a forest elf. The woman wore a mustard & navy blue colour-blocked scoop neck T-shirt and blue cut off denim shorts which revealed a pair of long, straight legs.


    One peculiar future of the wild animals around her was that they did not behave like they usually do in their natural habitat. Almost every animal was doing some garden work. A mountain Gorilla was digging the soil while a bonobo was planting seeds in an orderly fashion. A pygmy elephant could be seen watering these plants with its trunks while an Okapi could be seen digging water trenches with its hooves. Another Chimpanzee was picking ripe fruits, flowers and vegetables.


    Another peculiar feature was the amount and the size of the plants, flowers and trees along with the tropical fruits hanging on them. For example, the banana tree was a full 25m in height (record height is 15m), and the banana bunch hanging from the tree reached the ground. One could imagine the abnormal growth of the tree. The Durians looked like they needed four males to lift them. Every tree showed more substantial growth than usual. Even the flowers were vibrantly coloured and exuded all kinds of fragrances.


    The woman''s smile receded as she got up and gave a look at these animals. Within a few seconds, these animals left this place. She washed her fair, flawless hands with clear water in the nearby stream as she looked in a direction.


    "R''Gana, what is it?" the woman asked even though no one could be seen. But, she spoke, a figure materialised from the shadow of a tree as if he had always been there.


    "Hey, Sarah," a male youth dressed in black clothes leisurely walked into this opening at a steady pace. The youth had pitch dark short hair and electric blue eyes. His face was thin and sharp, and his eyes gave an eerie feeling when one looked at them. Black fume-like vapour could be seen lingering around his body, but Sarah was not perturbed with this phenomenon.


    This youth was the one who had met the President of the US a few hours ago and had just come back. The woman called Sarah was the one who had destroyed the Eiffel Tower.


    "Sarah, I have a tiny request, which needs your help," R''Gana said as he picked up a carrot and dusted the soil from it. He took a bite and nodded his head as he said, "Sweet."


    "Why are you here? You did not need to come if it was a small request, personally," Sarah asked as she wiped her hands. She knew what R''Gana was talking about, and she did not want to go along with his request.


    Sarah liked to be alone and disliked any ''intelligent'' company. She felt like this since she was forcefully separated from her home. Sarah avoided R''Gana all the more as she found him repulsive at best.


    "Well, the Captain gave the reins of the Organisation to both of us. I need you to second my motion for the Apostles to follow the order. That''s the protocol," R''Gana cheerfully said. He threw the carrot after taking a few bites. A few root-like structures surfaced from the soil and dragged the bitten carrot inside.


    "Is it an S level order?" Sarah asked as she wrinkled her brows. Only orders higher than ''S'' level required both their authorisations.


    "SSS", came the answer.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "Do you want to move into Phase II? Forget it. The time is not yet ripe," Sarah shook her head as she looked at R''Gana with a sharp gaze. Gana flinched a little when he saw that gaze. One might erroneously presume that Sarah was a person with a soft and weak personality, but nothing could be more wrong. She could fight on par with the Captain if she was enraged.


    R''Gana knew that he was the weakest among the three members of the team. He also knew that Sarah would not agree to his request, but since he had come, he was prepared.


    "Yup, that was the reason that I have come here. The Captain was right about the nature of this species. These people work wonders when you push them to a corner. This method is the best way to ensure that we can inspire the best potential in them. You had said the same in the beginning," R''Gana said.


    Sarah nodded as she said, "So, you want to give a boost to the general population so that they could be used to as a hone to our followers? But what about the chaos and the deaths that are going to follow because of this intervention?" Sarah asked as she looked at R''Gana with chilly eyes.


    R''Gana gave a wicked grin as he said, "Well, you see, our followers in the organisation have become drunk with power. It can''t be that you have failed to see the signs of character decay? These bastards have become too lazy for their good."


    " The way they are neglecting the true purpose of the Organisation makes me doubt if they even care about it. They are fighting for influence in this tiny place. I feel nauseated just by thinking about their lack of foresight and broader vision."


    " You know, Sarah? Yesterday, a single human, a normal one, took on half a Centuri (80 Auxilia) all by himself and came on top. These Auxilia were even equipped with our bulletproof clothes and masks and modified cars."


    Gana chuckled as he continued, " That human would have escaped if not for the ''Poison Mark'' round given to every Centurion (leader of the Centuri - Zamir). And, do you know what that person''s profession was? He was just an underling to a small mafia leader in a city in India."


    " At that moment, I felt that we might have missed many such candidates with high potential because of the lack of the right conditions. Didn''t you tell the same thing to the Captain when we came here for the first time? I had not agreed with you at that time but after all these years..."


    "What I asked the Captain was to come clean with the humans and negotiate. We would give them advanced technology and help them accelerate their evolution while they would provide the workforce for us. I never have and never will support the creation of an anarchic state where strength rule while the weak are exploited," Sarah cut in as she glared at R''Gana.


    R''Gana shook his head as he said, "we can''t reveal our origins until the opportune time. As for deaths, unless such a situation was created, you think these humans will unleash their full potential? Don''t tell me you do not see the signs of stagnation around you?


    R''Gana sneered as he said, " Unless we stir up things a little, we can forget about utilising these people. It''s not as if this fight has nothing to do with humans. ''They'' don''t spare anyone. Either humanity joins them or us. What would you prefer? As much as I like to think otherwise, we are the more benevolent masters, which in my eyes is no different from a critical flaw."


    Sarah remained silent when she heard these words. She knew that R''Gana was speaking the truth, but it did not stop her from shaking her head, "it is not the right time to initiate Phase II. A lot of unnecessary death can be avoided if we wait for two more years. And, don''t give me some example of a person showing great potential as you and I both know that a single instance should not influence our policy."


    "What if I say that the ''Barrier'' has presented a problem?" R''Gana muttered as he looked at Sarah.


    Sarah''s emerald pupils shrank when she heard these words. R''Gana''s words hammered on her heart as numerous thoughts bombarded her mind one after the other. Sarah knew that R''Gana would not joke about these things. She raised her eyes to look at R''Gana and asked, "How? Wasn''t it supposed to give us an advantage of 35 to 40 years?"


    R''Gana shrugged his shoulders as he said, "Who knows? It''s not like technology was our strong point. Those bastards are the ones who created it, we just stole it and utilised it for the first time. Problems were bound to happen. The Captain is already looking into the problem as we speak. He also seems to think like me, and that is the reason I am here, to convince you."


    R''Gana scoffed at Sarah as he continued, " Sarah, you have to get your priorities straight and should not let your heart cloud your mind. We all are forced to make hard choices. Remember your home..."


    "ENOUGH, go with Phase II. You have my permission. But don''t you dare think about Phase III. Now get out," Sarah''s heart constricted when her home was mentioned. R''Gana touched the soft spot in her heart. R''Gana chuckled as he vanished on the spot.


    Sarah knew that R''Gana did not care about the potential of humans. He only cared about the chaos that would be caused by the introduction of Phase II before the preordained time. R''Gana was like that naughty kid who pours hot water over an anthill on a small inkling. It was just that the humans were no different than ants in his eyes.


    The reason that Sarah agreed to this request was that she did not trust the Organisation that they created to follow their orders to the very end. The Captain had little time to deal with these matters while Gana was too spiteful about humans to think about these things.


    It was only Sarah who had studied humans as a species in detail. She had spent a lot of time learning the world cultures, history and languages. Sarah knew the characteristics of humanity and its various races. She knew that humans as a species were still in the adolescent phase of their evolutionary path and were highly prone to manipulation. They have not shed their primitive survival instincts which prioritised self-protection over that of the wellbeing of the society as a whole.


    Sarah had studied about a few people who were ahead in the curve and had sacrificed their lives for a small part of society (race, country, state, religion, etc.). But the number of such people was one in a million or even more rare, and it was not enough in her eyes.


    The implementation of Phase II is in humanity''s favour and will bring out the best of them to the forefront. Given the power of Sarah''s background, she did not fear the betrayal of the Organisation while they were here. But the enemy was similarly powerful and highly manipulative. Only the trustworthy would be allowed to walk with them. Sarah sighed as she looked at the brightly lit sky.


    Every living being in the cosmos is precious and unique. At the same time, the fear of destruction of one''s home trumps all virtues. It was the same with Sarah. She needed strong subordinates. If she had to be harsh and ruthless to protect what''s precious to her, she was ready to sell her soul.

 139 - Soul Evolution

    Height: 73.4 ft (a little more than six stories)


    Speed of Impact: 75.26km/hr


    Time of Impact: 2.13 seconds


    These numbers ran through Aditya''s mind as he felt the cold wind whip his face. He could not see anything. But, thanks to his abnormal brain, he could calculate the distance of the fall. He calculated it using the rate of change of the sound of the water beneath them.


    Aditya did not know the depth of the stream in the ravine. It could be anything between kneedeep to more than ten feet. He did not know if he could survive this fall as his body was weak and frail before this fall. Aditya gripped Taarini''s hands tightly so that they would not separate after the fall. He also tried to change the angle of fall so that they could come out with fewer injuries.


    Aditya knew that if they land flatly, on their bellies, they would be killed. He also knew that the depth of the water was in question. So, if Aditya placed his body like those professional divers, he was bound to go deep increasing his chances of smashing himself into rocks at the bottom. Aditya tried to achieve a perfect balance between the two extreme criteria. Taarini refused to move her body as she wrapped her hand around Aditya.


    SPLASH!


    No matter how strong Taarini and Aditya held to each other, the fall and the water pulled them apart. Fortunately, the depth was more than five feet. The rapidly streaming water and Taarini''s body broke the fall for Aditya. But he got cut when his body hit the jagged rocks at the bottom, after separating from Taarini. The fall knocked the air out of his lungs as he saw nothing but darkness around him.


    Bang! SPLASH!


    Just after a few moments of Aditya''s fall, the train wagons fell one after the other in the water in the form of blazing debris. Aditya was lucky that the water was moving at a fast pace pulling him along. Otherwise, he would have been smashed to death by this metal junk and bridge parts.


    Aditya was a good swimmer. Even in this weak state, Aditya tried to streamline his body so that he would rise above and move forward at the same time. He needed to find Taarini as soon as possible.


    Splash!


    Finally, Aditya emerged as he too deep gulps of the night air. He frantically looked around in the hope of finding Taarini but could not find her in the darkness. The only source of light was the burning bridge, which he could see in the distance as flames rose in the night sky. The fire and the sounds of destruction broke the peace in the jungle as high-pitch sounds of all kinds of animals and birds could be heard.


    Aditya started to feel weak as he expended the little bit of energy at his disposal to search for Taarini. He shouted her name at the top of his voice but did not get any response. Aditya was about to search in another direction when he saw a body in the moonlight floating in the distance. Aditya did not think about anything as he swam towards the body.


    It was Taarini. The water waves crashed against her body as she was pushed away from him. Aditya reached her and caught her. Taarini was unconscious, and she had sustained severe injuries. Aditya''s heart pained when he saw the cuts across her body. Her clothes were also damaged in some places.


    Just as Aditya was about to drag Taarini to the shore, the water stream turned into rapids. These rapids had a high steep gradient causing an increase in the water velocity and turbulence. This action caused great strain on Aditya''s body as he had to expend a considerable amount of energy to hold Taarini and stay afloat.


    Aditya refused to let go of Taarini as he tried to steer their way towards the shore, but the rapids continued, and he failed to escape. After a few minutes, Aditya''s body stopped responding to his commands. His muscles were craving for energy, and his body started spasming. Aditya helplessly looked on as his fingers let go of Taarini, on their own accord, as he also slipped into unconsciousness.


    ***


    Gasp!


    Aditya''s body jerked as he woke up and opened his eyes. His body was paining all over, and the pain was unbearable. Aditya tried to move his hands only to find that his hands had been tied with sticks and cloth. It looked like a primary method which mimicked a cast that is used to encase a broken limb. He couldn''t move them, but when he tried to move, he felt a stinging pain in at least five parts in his right hand and one spot in his left hand.


    Aditya''s breathing became stabilised when he saw that he was lying on a traditional Indian Rope Charpoy (wooden cot made with jute ropes). It was firm but cushioning at the same time. His body felt a little sore, which made Aditya question the amount of time he had been unconscious.


    Aditya observed the room in which he was present. It was a room with mud walls and a thatched roof supported with wooden beams, with no light bulb or any other electrical equipment here. There was an oil lamp placed in a corner which was not burning. Sunlight was shining through an oval-shaped window and Aditya could see a mosquito mesh hanging over his bed.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    The mud walls were coated with red earth and rudimentary designs made of white colour could be seen drawn around the windows and the walls. Aditya could see that these paintings depicted hunting, fishing and farming scenes, festivals and dances. Humans and animals were drawn using geometrical shapes. Aditya guessed that this white paint was made from rice paste or acrylics.


    Aditya noticed a few metal utensils and a pot containing water in a corner along with a sack of onions.


    Aditya heard cheerful sounds of children coming from outside which pacified most of Aditya''s concerns. He also listened to some elderly, mature human voices but could not understand their language. Aditya turned his attention back to his body.


    "Tya, what''s the condition of my body?" Aditya asked as he started to feel the areas of pain and discomfort. Aditya felt hurt in some areas in his legs and some areas of his abdomen.


    "I don''t know. Remember, you lost all abilities," Tya''s cheerful voice sounded in his mind. Aditya felt his heart become steady when he heard Tya''s voice.


    "Tya, it''s so good to hear you," Aditya said. Even though Aditya did not show it, he always had this inexplicable fear that there will be one day when Tya would not reply.


    With that fear out of the way, Aditya asked the next most important thing in his mind, "Tya, do you know what happened to Taari..."


    Before Aditya could complete his words, the door to the room was pushed open. A female, dressed in a red tribal women''s clothes, walked in. Aditya looked at the woman and couldn''t believe his eyes.


    "Taarini!"


    Aditya would have loudly shouted, but when he opened his mouth, he felt his throat dry and voice hoarse. Taarini looked gorgeous in these tribal clothes. She had almost homely feeling around her devoid of the usual icy aura which frightened people around her. The dress was covered in exotic, ethnic designs and was embedded with small mirrors which glittered in the sunlight. Her hair was covered with similarly designed cloth, and a few hair locks were visible as they rested on either side of her face. Taarini had a refreshing feeling around her. She had a red dot in between her eyebrows.


    Taarini''s hands, which were holding onto a wooden bowl, trembled when she saw that Aditya was awake. She hurried towards Aditya and asked, "are you alright? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?"


    "Forget about me. How are you? I saw you injured with my own eyes. Have I been unconscious for a long time?" Aditya hurriedly asked as he looked at Taarini. She seemed perfectly fine.


    "Well, the tribals had rescued both us. In the beginning, my wounds were indeed severe. But I recovered from these wounds in a matter of hours. Tya said that the reason was the medicine that you had infiltrated into my bullet wound. He said that this drug would remain in effect for three days in my blood." Taarini explained as she looked at Aditya with a smile. There was a twinkle in her eyes as she looked at him.


    "Oh? So, that''s what happened. Wait!" Aditya was shocked as he looked at Taarini with wide-open eyes. How could she know about Tya? Why was she speaking as if it was perfectly normal?


    Taarini mildly chuckled when she saw Aditya''s expression. She walked towards Aditya''s side as she set the wooden bowl which contained hot, steaming soup. Aditya''s eyes lit up when he saw that these tribal clothes left her side waist uncovered. Taarini, with her perfect athletic physique, had stunning curves. Aditya could see a drop of sweat rolling down her waist as she bent down to place the bowl on a small table made from bamboo wood.


    "Adi, Taarini has nice curves, right?"


    "Maahi, those curves are not just nice but godly. There is no imperfection to be found. Wait, MAAHI?" Aditya was shocked to hear Maahi''s voice inside his mind. He felt that things were becoming stranger by the minute.


    Aditya felt like crying when he saw Taarini look at Aditya with a calm gaze as she covered her waist and said, "So, this is what you think under the cover of that innocent face."


    "Tya, can you please explain what is happening before I lose it?" Aditya implored.


    "Adi, how are you feeling? Elder sister Taarini, have you seen the wounds. I know that Tya said that Aditya could heal on his own, but I still feel that he should be admitted in a hospital," a soft, melodious voice was heard in Aditya''s mind. Aditya''s heart trembled when he heard this voice. Is it not Hamsa''s voice?


    Aditya felt his throat dry up when he heard the voices of Maahi and Hamsa. His heart became turbulent, but it was in a good way and was heartwarming. He was in the care of his loved ones, what more did he want?


    Taarini sat beside Aditya as she began to unwrap his the white cloth bandages around his legs and hands. "Hamsa, I have yet to see the wounds today. I have also made the soup according to your requirements." Taarini''s voice was heard in Aditya''s mind, similar to Maahi''s and Hamsa''s.


    "Adi, after you had fainted, you had begun to drown in the rapids. I was forced to simulate ''Cellular Regulation'' ability to keep you afloat by forcefully blocking air in your cells. The Dark Energy seeking ability of your soul particle was affected before this, so I had to see if I could stimulate Maahi''s soul particle and utilise that energy for you."


    "During that process, I saw your soul particle transform once more, causing changes in the bonds you shared with Taarini, Maahi and Hamsa. Didn''t I say before that your soul particle was evolving? This transformation seems to be one of the unintended consequences."


    " So, because of this change, you have established telepathic communications with Hamsa, Maahi and Taarini. Since this communication was established using Dark Energy and your soul particle as a basis, I can manipulate it. Each of you are now able to share each other''s sensory experiences completely."


    Aditya listened to Tya''s explanation as he saw Taarini working on his wounds. There was an unpleasant odour coming from those bandages like some herbal medicine had been applied.


    "Taarini, what about you? How did you end up here?" Aditya asked as he looked at Taarini''s beautiful side profile.


    "Well, you and I both were rescued by these tribals that night. We were found by the tribals who had come to investigate the explosion. After I woke up, I discovered Tya in my mind. It took a little time for me to accept, but when compared to your unusual abilities, I was able to accept it easily. When I was thinking of taking you to a hospital, It was Tya who said that you and I would be fine and hospitalisation was not needed."


    "Since it was better to stay low profile after what happened, I decided to stay here to look after you until you recovered," Taarini said as she observed the wounds. There was heavy scarring over his wounds and Aditya could feel the itch coming from those scabs.


    Aditya calmly gazed as he saw Taarini wash his body with a wet cloth, "How many days have I been unconscious?"


    "Three days."


    "How is Raghav?"


    "Out of danger."


    "Good to know," Aditya''s heart completely settled down when he heard that Raghav was fine. A couple of followers had been killed, which was the only loss on their side. Given the abilities that those people possessed, it was the best and most optimistic outcome.

 140 - An Unusual Experience

    "What''s going on, today?" Aditya asked as he propped himself with a crutch and took a seat on a wooden bench. Most of the members of the tribal village were busy making preparations for some social gathering.


    Aditya appreciated the beautiful scenery in which the village was situated. He felt like it was straight out of a beautiful poem. Aditya gazed at the surrounding hills, which were gently sleeping, blanketed in greenery and foaming waterfalls. Aditya saw a group of spotted deer and peacocks roaming near the village. The singing of the great hornbill was pleasant to hear.


    The valley, in which the village was situated, was filled with dewy grass along with buds, tiny colourful flowers and small streams of rainwater. Aditya felt rejuvenated by basking in the morning sun as he watched the tall mountain in the distance enclasped in fog.


    Aditya was also wearing a Tribal dress though it was not as exotic as Taarini''s. It was a red shirt-like upper garment and a white dhoti. A dhoti is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around 4.5 metres (15 ft) long, wrapped around the waist and the legs and knotted at the waist. Completing his ablutions all by himself was quite a task, but Aditya did not want to take Taarini''s help even if she volunteered. He felt a little bashful.


    Some people were setting up a wooden pole which was coated with turmeric and covered in sacred red markings. A few women drew ornamental designs on the ground with chalk powder and other colours, around the pole. Some were making garlands with wildflowers while some were using mango and banana leaves to decorate the area.


    Aditya noticed a few men busy with carrying provisions while the women were active in dicing vegetables and cooking in large metallic utensils. Large chunks of wood were being thrown into the clay stove as a massive fire blazed inside. Large cans of ghee (clarified butter) could be seen placed beside the stove.


    Some youthful girls were bringing vessels filled with milk and curd from their own houses and placing them near the food preparation area. They were dark-complexioned and beautiful. Aditya nodded his head politely at them as they giggled and gossiped among themselves. Aditya did not dare to do any ''socialising'' as he did not know the culture followed by this tribe.


    Aditya had heard from his mother that they were some tribes which absolutely prohibited any form of contact between males and unmarried girls. Aditya knew that tribals placed a lot of importance in adhering to their customs and traditions. These people had saved him and Taarini, and Aditya did not plan on offending them.


    "It is a marriage ceremony. I heard that the bride and bridegroom have to circumambulate around that pole seven times. The village head will be overseeing the ritual." Taarini sat beside Aditya as she explained.


    It turned out that Tya, who had always enjoyed learning new things, had learnt all the languages of the world available in every database. The language of this tribe is known as ''Patnuli'' and Tya had learnt this language. With the help of Tya, Aditya and Taarini did not have a lot of difficulty in communicating with these people.


    India was filled with people speaking around seventeen hundred different languages, and this was one of those languages. All the scriptures and literary work of these languages have been digitalised and secured for future generations. Tya got this knowledge from that source.


    "Is that construction related to this marriage as well?" Aditya asked as he pointed at a group of men who were building a new hut. The hut was almost finished. A person was painting designs on the red walls with a white paste and a bamboo brush.


    Taarini nodded with a smile as she replied, " all the villagers help build a new hut for the newly married couple to reside after their marriage. It is their tradition." Aditya felt inspired when he heard these words.


    Aditya had thanked the village head for rescuing Taarini and him. He had asked if he and Taarini could help the villagers in any way. The village head had brushed off Aditya''s favour saying that they did not need anything and that it was the village goddess who had saved him.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    With Aditya''s ''Sensiful'' ability, he could tell that that the tribals genuinely did not expect anything from them. They seemed perfectly content with their lives, and Aditya was just a temporary guest for them and nothing more.


    The village head had requested Taarini to stay and bless the married couple before leaving, to which Aditya could only oblige. They had mistaken Taarini and Aditya as a couple, and both of them did not bother to correct them.


    Kids had surrounded Aditya as they were curious about the newcomers. Aditya narrated a few stories to them and explained life in the city. The kids were fascinated, and Aditya had a good time with them. He promised that he would bring a lot of gifts the next time he visited.


    It was quite a surprise to Aditya that this tribal area came under the ''undeveloped pockets'' of Raipath Family. No wonder, Aditya could not see the reach of civilisation in this part. Even the nearest transportation point was thirty kilometres away. Aditya would have to make the trip on a bullock cart.


    Older women who could not participate in the manual work would gather children around them and narrate mythological stories infused with moral lessons. After some time, mothers would drag these children away to bath them. Kids were only allowed to go after they wore new clothes and had eaten food. These children would either play among themselves or gather around these older women for more stories.


    As Aditya was taking in these unique experiences, he suddenly felt a slight disturbance in his mind as he looked at a distance. It was as if something was present in that path. Aditya took the help of home-made crutches and made his way in that direction. Taarini wanted to accompany him, but Aditya turned her down.


    As Aditya slowly walked, he could feel the disturbance growing inside him. Aditya walked for some ten minutes before he stopped near a place. It was an area filled with thick vegetation and ancient trees with lush canopies. The trees were sacred figs.


    Even in the bright daylight, Aditya could not see anything. He stood on the boundary as he mulled if he should take a look.


    "Young master, what are doing here?" an old man asked Aditya with a smile on his face. Aditya also smiled at him and asked, "mister, is there any speciality about this place." Aditya had already learned this language and had become quite proficient in it.


    "Yes young master, this place is the sacred land of our ancestors. We believe that when we come here and raise our concerns, our ancestors will hear our prayers and do the needful." The elder spoke as he looked at the trees with reverence and awe in his eyes.


    "Oh, I was looking around. Forgive me if I have trespassed this area," Aditya sincerely apologised and was about to go back.


    The old man stopped Aditya as he chuckled, "It''s alright, young master. If you have come here, it is only possible if the ancestors have permitted you to come. Feel free to stay as long as you want." The old man walked away. Maybe because Aditya spoke their native language, the old man felt nothing but goodwill towards Aditya.


    Aditya remained for a long time as he gazed at these trees before making his way back to Taarini. The preparations were complete, and the marriage ceremony had started.


    A group of musicians played exotic instruments which produced unique sounds. Aditya was fascinated by the sounds produced by blowing into a bamboo pipe, which the locals called as Kolu. The drums, which were known as Tambette, produced stimulating sounds.


    Aditya took part in the festivities with delight as he gave his best wishes to the couple. He was shocked to see that the people being married was similar in age to him. The boy was eighteen, and the girl was sixteen. This marriage was illegal according to the law but, clearly, Aditya did not see anyone enforcing the law in this village. Aditya conversed with Maahi and Hamsa for some time about the preparations to leave. He would be going in the early morning of the next day.


    The food was served in fresh banana leaves. The banquet consisted of all kinds of varieties like wild rice, lotus stem curry, durian fried rice, lentil stew, curd and some dessert. Taarini helped Aditya eat as he couldn''t sit crosslegged on the ground due to his wounds. According to Tya, his injuries will be cured in a week. And this was taking the ''Stem cells'' into account. Without the stem cells, Aditya would have to spend months in the hospital and undergo many surgeries and painful rehabilitation.


    As the evening set in, the celebrations became more colourful with the addition of liquor. Oil lamps were set up all around the village. Folk songs and dancing around the bonfire, ruled the evening. The alcohol was called as ''Ippa Sara'' which was brewed by the villagers, themselves. It was made with boiling water, dry flowers of the Mahua tree, jaggery and some other ingredients.


    Aditya''s body swayed in intoxication as he drank this liquor. Hamsa did not want him to drink, but he did not care. Aditya needed this feeling to lay his concerns for the future aside. He had a silly smile on his face as he looked at the folk dances.


    Seeing many people move, rhythmically and in a unique pattern gradually pulled Aditya into a trance-like state. His eyes slowly became glazed as he leaned onto Taarini, who had accompanied him the whole day. Taarini softly gazed at Aditya who had dozed off. After some time, she helped him up and led him inside.

 141 - Back To School

    Aditya gingerly climbed down from the car with the help of an elbow crutch. His right hand was securely wrapped in a plaster cast, held in position with a sling around his neck. There was a cast around his right leg as well, as he slightly limped. His body had suffered from eight fractures; none of them was fatal. Otherwise, nothing could have stopped Hamsa and Maahi from rushing to the tribal village.


    Tya had warned Maahi that the Organisation could monitor her movement because of her connection with Taarini. Maahi''s company was the financier to the Bangalore iconic building project taken up by Taarini. After Hamsa had said that Aditya''s body condition was not in any danger, Maahi heeded Tya''s advice and stayed.


    Even though Tya was not able to directly know Aditya''s health status, he could guide Taarini to do the preliminary check-up. Tya was undoubtedly the epitome of human medical knowledge unsurpassed by anyone. In fact, Tya''s education was not limited to the medical sciences. Tya had utilised entirely the potential of the glove made by Aditya and had secured thousands of terabytes worth of data.


    Aditya had stayed at Maahi''s suite after he had returned to the city. He had given a brief explanation as to what happened on the Highway (freeway). Maahi remained quiet before revealing that Tya had shown her what had transpired, down to the minutest detail. Aditya was surprised that Tya was able to transfer information through his soul particle to others.


    Aditya did not need to delay the construction of his very own personal supercomputer as long as he could get the components smuggled. Faizal and others had returned from their tour of East Asia. They had visited Shenzhen (China), Taiwan, South Korea and Japan to place a wide variety of orders of components.


    Faizal represented different engineering colleges, software companies and statistical organisations from India to place specific orders to different companies. Aditya did not want to look conspicuous by placing a large order under the name of a single company. He also did not procure from one company either.


    Aditya would have to manufacture some key components by himself as no company would be willing to sell their latest technologies. Also, Aditya could not afford the price of these technologies, which was placed in tens of billions of dollars. It was better he worked on it himself as Tya was privy to this latest technology. Aditya would also have to assemble these components by himself.


    Aditya had a plan to reduce this workload, but it will have to wait until Tya was able to activate the ''Cellular Regulation'' ability again. It would take a week for this, almost the same amount of time required for him to recover completely.


    As for the source of Aditya''s money, it was a wide range of cold beverage formulae and also that of uncarbonated ones. Tya did not hack or steal any corporate secrets to get this information. Aditya had to drink the said beverage and Tya could give a detailed list of the chemical constituents of that liquid. It was the same way in which Tya was able to discover the presence and the molecular formula of the unique drug in Saira''s blood.


    So, Tya had held an ''unofficial secret bidding competition'' on these formulae in the dark web. In the beginning, no beverage company took his claims seriously, but when they saw their own beverage formulae being revealed, the situation changed.


    Aditya''s eyes had shined when he saw the amount of money being deposited in the various bank accounts. These bank accounts had been opened by Faizal on Aditya''s behest and were completely secure thanks to Tya''s interventions. So, the funding for the components of the supercomputer was not an issue.


    Fortunately, the bidding took place on the night before going on the trip with Taarini. Otherwise, Faizal would have to return emptyhanded, and Aditya''s plans would have been delayed by weeks.


    "Are you sure you could manage yourself?" a mature female voice was heard as Aditya was mulling over his thoughts.


    "Yup, no problem," Aditya smiled as he nodded at his elder sister Saira, who was in the driver seat of the vehicle. Saira was the one who took care of Aditya after he had returned to the city. She had taken him to a military hospital and had him thoroughly diagnosed.


    Aditya was allowed to leave only after the doctor had given a clean chit. The doctor was utterly shocked at the speed of Aditya''s healing and wanted to look deeper, but was stopped by Saira. The doctor knew enough to keep his mouth shut. He knew Saira and the kind of her work. The unusual nature of Aditya''s body was the reason that Saira had taken him to that military hospital.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The pain in his right arm and leg bothered Aditya a lot as he walked. Aditya wanted to spend some time with his friends after what had happened in the past few days. He needed something to occupy his mind and divert him.


    Aditya had killed too many people at once and had escaped death many times in a day. He had almost lost a close friend in his arms. It would be a lie if Aditya said he was not psychologically affected by these events in the least.


    "I may have to leave the city for a few days. Maahi will take care of you when I am gone," Saira said as she gazed at Aditya with eyes filled with concern. Saira had never expected that her little brother would have to face the might of the Organisation in this way. This meeting was too early. The move of the Organisation by choosing to attack the underworld of Bangalore left her puzzled. According to her, this was not the way the Organisation functioned.


    What left her even more shocked was the fact that Aditya was able to kill more than twenty members of the Auxilia, all by himself. After Saira and others had arrived at the spot, it took eight military choppers, ten squads and thirty-five hours to hunt the remaining members. Even then, the leader had escaped and was rumoured to be hiding in Bangalore. Saira had thought of incorporating Aditya into her team but did not ask Aditya as she felt that he was still young. She wanted to give him some time.


    During this hunt, Saira''s superiors were expecting to be contacted by the organisation but was surprised to receive no response, of any kind, from the Organisation. It was as if the fate of these people had nothing to do with them.


    "Okay, take care and call me if you come across any issue," Saira said as she started the vehicle and drove away. Aditya gazed as the car went out of sight. He did not fear that the Organisation would link him to the killing of its members, as he was confident of Tya''s camouflage technique. Aditya saw many police vehicles as they patrolled the roads and conducted random checks of cars and people.


    The city was filled with a kind of dull, gloomy haze. What more could be expected when the Chief Minister of the state had been killed in cold blood, a few days ago. If the Chief Minister had a natural cause of death or at least a suspicious death, it would not have created such a disturbance. But, the Chief Minister, with all his protection, was killed in front of the public and media personnel. Although no electronic evidence had been retrieved, everyone knew what had transpired. It was an open secret.


    All sorts of public institutions, schools and offices had remained closed for three days. Aditya was not sure whether they had been closed because they were mourning the loss of a leader or just plain terrified about the circumstances of his death.


    There were all kinds of rumours circulating around the death of the Chief Minister. They ranged from a conspiracy of the rival political party to a retaliatory strike from a terrorist organisation. The people seem to perceive that the times were changing. Aditya could see a sense of restlessness in the people as they went to work.


    "Adi, what the ..?"


    Aditya heard an exclamation as he entered the school. He turned to see Kranthi making his way towards him as he pushed students aside. Aditya smiled as he said, "slow down White buffalo; it was just a small accident."


    Kranthi panted as he hurried with his heavy stature with Rahul (little pig) following on his footsteps. He examined Aditya and calmed down only after he failed to notice any glaring wound. Kranthi held Aditya''s right hand as he asked, "how did it happen? You were perfectly fine the other day."


    "Fatty, that is why it is called an accident. Just chill, I will be perfectly alright in a week," Aditya reassured as he looked at Kranthi. He felt warm when he saw his friend''s concern.


    "Why did you need to come to school with these injuries. It''s not like you are going to miss anything?" Kranthi said as he bent down to examine Aditya''s right leg. Kranthi was aware of the fact that Aditya knew the syllabus like the back of his hand.


    "Well, it is boring to just stay at home," Aditya grinned as he unwrapped a mango-flavoured lollipop and placed it in his mouth. Rahul came over and carried Aditya''s school bag as he said, "elder brother Adi, where have you been the past few days? It had been chaotic in the city. Do you know that the Eiffel Tower has collapsed? Our Chief Minister had also been killed. And, there is a video circulating on the internet where four Chinese civilian aeroplanes crashed into each other. Many are saying that it is a fake video, but it looks quite realistic to me."


    Aditya smiled as he nodded at Rahul. It would be false if Aditya said that he was not shocked at the destruction of the Eiffel Tower. Saira had replied that these incidents were the Organisation''s way of giving the last warning. She said that these incidents were successful at driving the message home and the temporary alliance had been abolished.


    Unless there was an unexpected change in the status quo, there was no way that any country was willing to act against the Organisation. Aditya had asked Saira if any one of the nuclear-armed nations consider the nuclear option. Saira had replied in the affirmative.


    If things continue the way they are, Saira was sure someone would take that step, and no one knew when it would happen or if it will be successful. But Aditya could tell that Saira was not optimistic about the success of a nuclear attack.


    Aditya shared the same feeling, from the technological superiority of the Organisation, it would be foolishness to think that they did not have a countermeasure in place. Aditya remembered the missile which had tracked them and hit the train. The newspapers stated that the train accident was caused by the poor state of the bridge infrastructure.


    "Okay dude, today we have a zoology lab. Let''s go and dissect some cockroach mouthparts," Kranthi said as he held Aditya left hand and supported him. Aditya smiled as he limped towards the school; the pain did not bother him anymore.

 142 - A Small Surprise

    "Adi, did you see the latest bombshell in Bollywood? She is, practically, loaded with sexiness from top to bottom. She is nailing the athleisure look and the seductive pose for the camera. One can''t have enough of those leg muscles..." Kranthi excitedly said as he showed an image to Aditya.


    Aditya was paying attention to selecting a big cockroach from the basin when Kranthi nudged him. The bowl was full of chloroform-dipped cockroaches, and they were as good as dead. Everyone was wearing latex gloves and disposable masks. Aditya could see the girls grouping in one place and maintaining a distance from these cockroaches. Cockroaches and girls do not get along with each other.


    Aditya took a glance at the picture of an actress who was flaunting her athletic physique, wearing a racerback white sports bra. She paired the bra with satin silk flare pants with thigh-high side slits. With her pink lips, dewy make-up and an effortless look, the actress looked alluring. She rounded off the glamorous yet laidback look with open tresses and soft dreamy curls.


    "I know her, she is Shraddha Khanna, right?" Aditya said as he went back to selecting a cockroach. Even though this actress has not yet bloomed in the Bollywood industry, it would change in the coming years. Aditya knew that she would be one of the leading actresses in Bollywood for at least eight years and would even leave a mark in Hollywood. Aditya could not say that the same would repeat now as times were changing.


    "Yes, so you too got your eyes on her? Isn''t she gorgeous?" Kranthi chuckled as he checked other pictures of the same actress.


    Aditya smiled when he saw the revolting expressions of the girls of his class as he held the cockroach. Aditya was reminded of a joke; he had heard in the dream world. A cockroach''s last words to a married man who was about to kill him - " Go Ahead and kill me, you coward! You are jealous of me because your wife is afraid of me and not afraid of you." Aditya chuckled as he shook his head.


    Aditya held a cockroach by its antennae and placed it on his dissection board. He held the forceps in his left hand as he looked at Rahul and asked, "Rahul, could you please hold the head of this cockroach while I removed the mouthparts?"


    "Sure," Rahul smiled as he delicately positioned the head of the cockroach between his thumb and index finger.


    "Awesome," Aditya praised as he slightly squinted his left eye. Even though Tya''s ''Cellular Regulation'' ability was lost, the biological modification of his left eye remained intact. This transformation gave him both telescopic as well as microscopic vision abilities. Tya had constructed new nerves which controlled the positioning of these unique lenses and connected them to the visual cortex of the brain.


    Aditya was able to look at the mouthparts magnified many times without losing visual clarity. He could also see the segregation joints of the different parts as he held the forceps and started the process.


    Aditya poured glycerin on a glass slide on which he started placing the various parts one by one in position. Kranthi also put down his mobile phone and started following Aditya''s actions. Aditya would guide them from time to time.


    Kumari was not in the lab along with them as she had not opted for ''Biology'' subject. She was clear about what she wanted to become, i.e. an engineer. Kumari also raised a ruckus about Aditya''s wounds but calmed down after making sure that he was fine. She also stated that Aditya''s accident was nothing in comparison to her being almost killed by a terrorist.


    Aditya grinned and nodded when she expounded the philosophies of life that Kumari had comprehended when she was in the life and death situation. "Adi, life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced. You have to be thankful for the present," Kumari stated as she looked at Aditya with an ''all-knowing'' gaze.


    Aditya had to expend a lot of energy to stop himself from laughing in front of Kumari. He knew that Kumari did not genuinely get these ideas and was merely quoting some memes. But as she went on narrating the ''deep mysteries'' of human existence, Aditya could not hold himself any longer and burst into a peal of laughter. That was the last time that Aditya saw Kumari as she stormed off with a look that told Aditya that he was in deep trouble.


    The teacher, who was supervising the process sternly ordered the girls to pick up cockroaches and do the required procedure if they hoped to avoid failing the assignment test. The girls grudgingly complied, but frequent high-pitch squeals of girls filled the lab as they saw the legs of some cockroaches twitching.


    The teacher was impressed with Aditya''s quick and perfect presentation of the different parts and praised him in front of the girls. This praise won Aditya quite a few glares from his female classmates.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The class was about to be completed, and the teacher, who was responsible for the practical lesson, informed the topic of the next course. "We will be studying the identification of stages of gamete development, i.e., T.S. of testis and T.S. of ovary through permanent slides (from grasshopper mice) (T.S. - Transverse Section). I don''t want anyone to be absent for that class as it is an important topic for the exam." The teacher glanced at Aditya when he said those words as he was the most irregular student in his class.


    Aditya wryly smiled as he packed his dissection set and disposed of his mask and gloves. "Adi, do you know that your friend Anupama''s mother, Vandana Sharma, has become the new Chief Minister of our state? I had forgotten to tell this important piece of information after seeing you injured," Kranthi asked as he also packed his tool kit.


    Aditya raised his eyebrows in surprise when he heard Kranthi''s words. He did not expect that Vandana Sharma would be able to bank on this misfortune. Aditya knew from his dreams that Vandana Sharma had always been an ambitious woman and would rise to a vital position at the national level in the future. But because of the sudden death of the Chief Minister, she was able to grow quicker than the dream timeline.


    Aditya shrugged as he did not think that this change would affect his plans in any way. Rahul said, "many exciting things have taken place in the last few days. Elder brother Kranthi, don''t you think so? Remember the gunfight on the NH-47? I heard that even a chopper was taken down along with many cars. This incident took place minutes after the death of the Chief Minister."


    " I had never heard of such an incident before. Also, I heard that a new variety of rice is now available in the market. It is called ''African Rice'', and I heard that it is highly nutritious and cheap at the same time. I heard that one could not eat more than fifty grams of that rice..."


    Kranthi cut off Rahul as he said, "forget those things, Adi I heard that the new mathematics teacher is beyond gorgeous and is in a separate league of her own. It''s lunchtime, let us go see if the rumours are true."


    Kranthi did not wait for Aditya''s approval as he started dragging him along. Rahul also forgot about his conversation and followed Kranthi. Aditya did not have much interest in the beauty of the mathematics teacher as long as she did not turn out to be another terrorist. After Aditya''s multiple experiences, both in real life and in his dreams, he did not get as excited as his previous self at the sight of exquisite women. He didn''t know if it was a good thing or not.


    On the other hand, Aditya was more interested in ''African Rice''. But he did not need to ask Rahul about more information as he had more reliable channels of information.


    Kranthi stopped at a distance where one could get a clear view of the Principal''s office. Aditya did not know whether to laugh or cry when he saw a group of boys waiting as they chatted excitedly about the new teacher. It looked like they were as excited about the new teacher as Kranthi and Rahul.


    Aditya was about to sit near a bench as his right leg started to pain. Just then, he heard Kumari''s voice behind him, "look, didn''t I say that Aditya would definitely come here as well. You did not believe me when I said."


    Aditya''s heart skipped a beat when he turned his head to find Kumari and Anupama looking at him with different reactions. Kumari had an evil grin on her face while Anupama had a complicated expression in her eyes. Even though Aditya did not care about Anupama''s impression of him, he felt like spanking Kumari''s buttocks until they blossomed.


    "Adi, how are you doing? I heard that you have met with an accident," Anupama asked with concern as she approached him. Aditya could tell that her concern was genuine. He smiled as he said, "I am fine. I will be alright in a week. I heard that your mom had become the Chief Minister, congrats."


    Anupama shook her head and continued to inquire about Aditya''s body condition. She did not talk about her mother, and Aditya knew that Anupama did not have a healthy relationship with her parents. It would remain that way in the future unless there are drastic changes in this timeline. Even when Anupama had been hospitalised in the US (in the dream world), it was Aditya who had spent six months with her. On the other hand, her mother had only come to visit a handful of times.


    While Aditya was conversing with Anupama, he heard gasps of shock and surprise from his behind. What surprised him was that even the expressions of Kumari and Maahi had changed. Kumari had shock written all over her face while Anupama''s look was mixed with some anger along with astonishment.


    "Aditya, did you know this?" Kumari asked as she looked at him. Aditya was puzzled as he turned, "What do you mean..."


    Aditya''s words stopped when he saw a stunning woman walking out of the Principal''s office. She was dressed in a maroon kurta with an off-white scarf (Dupatta) draped around her neck. The woman looked like a flawless sculpture carved out of the most beautiful jade without a single blemish. A pair of maroon tasselled drop earring dangled from her delicate, pale pink ears. Aditya did not imagine that ''she'' would take up teaching in this school as he muttered, "Maahi."


    That''s right; it was Maahi. Aditya remembered when he asked Saira about the absence of Maahi when he was getting checked in the hospital. Saira had mysteriously smiled and evaded the question. Aditya also did not delve deeper as he thought Maahi must have been busy. It looked like she wanted to surprise him. Aditya was shocked, to say the least, at Maahi''s decision.


    "Tya, were you aware of this?" Aditya asked as he looked at Maahi''s exquisite figure.


    "Yup, but Maahi did not want to reveal it to you," Tya replied in a timid voice as if he was afraid that Aditya would get angry at him. Aditya did not get mad at her. Instead, he felt warm in his heart as he gazed at Maahi.

 143 - A New Future Unfolding

    In the shade of the ancient Banyan tree, in the rear end of the school, a couple snuggled each other. Aditya lowered his head and rested his head on Maahi''s shoulder as he wrapped his left arm around her delicate and supple waist. He breathed in a lily fragrance which was elegant, pleasant and simple. Her medium length hair moved with the wind and tickled his face.


    Maahi hugged Aditya tightly as she leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes. She did not talk for a long time, and Aditya did not interrupt her. She enjoyed the warm breath of Aditya on her swan-like neck. A gentle breeze would cause rustling sounds, from time to time, as dried leaves on the ground moved.


    The mellifluous call of a cuckoo punctuated the silence as Aditya slowly caressed Maahi''s back. He knew that since Maahi brought him to this place, she had something important to discuss. Aditya knew that he and Maahi could converse through the bond between their soul particles, but it did not feel ''real''. Aditya or Maahi would prefer a plain and simple conversation.


    After a few minutes of uninterrupted silence, Maahi raised her head, stood on her toes as she kissed Aditya on his lips. It was not an intense or a passionate kiss but rather a short and quick one. Aditya shifted his gaze downwards, stopping at Maahi''s vermillion lips. They were soft with a glossy allure, Maahi looked intently into his eyes as she held Aditya''s head with her small hands.


    After both of them parted their lips, Aditya smiled and said, "I am fine. Sorry, if I had caused you to worry about me."


    Maahi gave a small smile. She said in a clear voice along with a limpid expression, "The next time you decide to put your life at risk for others, just remember my words. If you end up dying in the process, I will make sure to kill whosoever you were trying to save before following you in your death. Got it?"


    Aditya''s heart quivered when he heard these words. He could tell with his ''Sensifull'' ability that Maahi meant what she said. He gulped as he nodded at Maahi.


    Visions from the dream world consisting of Maahi''s last message surfaced in Aditya''s mind as he gazed at the petite figure in his bosom. Maahi had given the reason as to why she stayed away from him for ten years. "At that time, I questioned myself if I was the right person for you, and I failed to get an absolute answer. So, I decided that I would stay away from you until the day I was sure that I wouldn''t harm you by staying with you. Because I won''t tolerate anyone liable to harm you in any way or form, even if it is me."


    Maahi smiled when she saw that Aditya got her point and kissed him on his cheeks. "I know that you have gained a way to rescue your parents through Tya. I will not stop you in your endeavours, and I will help you to the fullest extent of my abilities. But I hope that you remember that you are the most important person in my life. I will not forgive anyone or anything that will result in driving us apart."


    Aditya gazed at Maahi''s face as his arm tightened around her. He knew that he was not going to change his plans just because of these words, but Maahi''s opinion meant a lot to him. Aditya did not plan on dying, but the previous clash reminded him that he had little information about the Organisation''s capabilities and capacities. The Organisation continued to surprise him at every corner catching him unawares.


    The only viable step that Aditya was left with was to complete the supercomputer and the quantum computer. He planned to gather a few quantum cores from the enemy communication devices as well. Since the organisation had decided to take over the underworld of Bangalore, Aditya would have ample opportunity to get them. This city was his playground, after all.


    Aditya knew that Tya did not reveal most of his secrets like the ''dream world'' or ''Tya''s origin'' or the way they met. Maahi and others only knew that Tya was some ''supernatural entity'' who was attached to Aditya through some accident. They had not forced Tya to answer any sensitive information. In fact, Taarini did not speak with Tya except about matters which are related to Aditya.


    Suspicion had arisen in Aditya''s heart about the connection between Tya and Maahi. Aditya had asked Tya whether Tya was able to detach himself from Aditya''s soul particle and latch onto Maahi''s or other soul particles. Tya had replied in the negative. He was only able to access those soul particles which were bonded with Aditya''s. So, Aditya''s soul particle was the medium through which Tya could communicate with others. In the end, it was only Aditya''s soul particle which was perfectly compatible with Tya.


    "The Raipath family has taken over the ''Iconic Building'' project. The government has unilaterally cancelled the contract citing Taarini''s dark history. The police currently want Taarini on multiple charges of fraud, drug trafficking, smuggling and extortion. This ''Government Order'' was one of the first decisions taken by the government after Vandana Sharma took the Chief Minister seat." Maahi stated as she took a marker pen and started doodling on Aditya''s arm cast.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Aditya deeply inhaled and nodded when he heard this news. Taarini had wanted to use this building as an opportunity to leave her dark past behind. She desired to give her elder brother''s followers a new and peaceful beginning. Now, this one chance was taken away from her.


    Aditya could imagine Taarini''s disappointment and rage if she heard this piece of news. He had one more reason to kick the asses of the Raipath family. Raipath family would not imagine that they had provoked a ''Frost Empress''. Without Aditya, they may have gotten away with this action, but with him in the equation, things would be different.


    Aditya asked, "how much did you lose because of this contract?" He knew that Maahi had also invested in this project and was one of the stakeholders.


    "Not much, a little over 33 million USD," Maahi said as she finished writing on his cast. Even before Tya''s existence, Maahi was a genius in managing finances and investments. But with Tya diverting a good chunk of dark energy to her soul particle, Maahi was nothing short of a monster with unbelievable comprehending and calculating powers. So, with her vision, Maahi could earn this amount in a matter of weeks.


    "So, how long are you planning on remaining as a teacher?" Aditya softly asked as he played with Maahi''s dark hair.


    "Till your exams are completed," Maahi replied.


    "Those are just two months away. How did you get the principal to accept?" Aditya asked with a grin.


    "I bought the school and its parent organisation." came the reply.


    Aditya opened his mouth in surprise when he heard that Maahi had bought the school. He nodded as he asked, "what are your ideas about the changes in the world?"


    Maahi became grim when Aditya asked this question. She looked at Aditya with a serious expression as she replied, "I think that the Organisation is planning something big. The ''Modified Food Grains'', new drugs for incurable diseases and a bunch of new civilian technology has become available for everyone at meagre costs. It is almost as if they want to create a Utopian society."


    "I heard that a new chemical formula for cement had been released into the market and it is vastly superior to the contemporary composition. It has aced through all the quality barriers like temperature, float and setting tests. The construction costs are going to fall to a record low."


    " I heard a new fuel is also going to be introduced, which is pretty cheap but gives more energy output than even rocket fuel. It is also eco-friendly as fossil fuels are not required to produce it. It is synthesised by fermentation of ''Genetically Modified Bacteria''. The fuel is some special structural modification of hydrogen fuel. It is currently undergoing trials in almost all major economies. If this gets through, oil-based economies and interest groups would be in for some nasty surprise."


    "Then, there is the brand new range of food grains which are healthier, tastier and cheaper. I heard that they could grow in extreme climates with very less water consumption. No pesticides or fertilisers are required. I heard that a new variety of earthworms had been created and these earthworms are capable of turning barren, infertile land to fertile in two months. In brief, labour prices and cost of living are going to become very cheap, and the quality of living of the world population is going to take a giant leap."


    "Also, the most critical information that I received," Maahi looked at Aditya with a sharp gaze as she continued, "is that there is talk about introducing a uniform international currency. If it is true, then the economics of the entire world are going to change forever."


    Aditya''s heart shook when he heard Maahi''s information. Although her information was still vague, it was more than enough for him to realise that the world was going to transition into something very diverse from the ''dream'' timeline. Even though Aditya knew that all of these changes were desirable, he felt intense restlessness inside his heart.


    Maahi looked at Aditya''s expression as she nodded, "I feel the same way. Though these changes are good for humanity, I can''t even fathom the consequences of these changes will have on society, as a whole. Transformation of behavioural patterns, global economic scenario and diplomatic relations would be astonishing, to say the least. Also, this information is something I pieced together from different sources. So, I am not sure about the authenticity of this knowledge or the time in which these changes will take place."


    "Well, I think that this is good as well," Aditya said as he gazed into the distance.


    "Oh, how is that?" Maahi questioned as she smiled with a glint in her eyes.


    "Don''t you feel that the Organisation is finally opening up a little? As if the Organisation has decided to reveal itself. Doesn''t it make it easier for me to grab hold of them if they come out of the shadows?" Aditya smiled as he looked at the gorgeous woman in his arms.


    Maahi chuckled when she heard Aditya''s words as she shared the same thoughts. No enemy is as fearful as the one in the dark. As long as the enemy surfaces, no matter how terrifying he turns out to be, there will always be a chance to defeat them.


    "Well, do you think that you can take on this giant?" Maahi posed a question as she glanced at Aditya. She wanted to know Aditya''s attitude towards the Organisation. Aditya''s perception of the Organisation will have a subtle but crucial influence in his plans. Maahi was concerned if Aditya would let his emotions get to his head and aim for something unrealistic.


    "I just want to save my parents," Aditya replied as his left hand formed a fist. It had been 213 days since his parents were taken away. Maahi smiled when she heard these words as she kissed Aditya and said, "Don''t worry, we will."

 144 - Silence Isnt Golden Here

    Hus97: who has got some info on the G356 cotton variety and the source of the seeds?


    bill_nye_the_russian_spy: I have it. sending...


    Hus97: thanks, we have new data on the SAB (SuperAntibiotics) drugs. Sharing here for reference.


    hugs_for_drugs: thanx dude. Somebody in the chat had asked about the drug resistance and sensitivity profiles of PR-1 Biotic bacteria. Dropping here...


    name_not_important: @Hus97, how are you doing? I heard that you were ill.


    Hus97: @name_not_important, I am fine. The new medicine introduced by the Myne Pharmaceuticals works wonders. It is ironic, but there is no need to be hypocritical. The products of the Organisation are genuinely marvellous.


    hugs_for_drugs: well said, @Hus97.


    bill_nye_the_russian_spy: @mama_karma, hear hear.


    mama_karma: STFU @bill_nye_the_russian_spy. @Hus97, it is good to have you back. The plan of ''Eagle Islands'' needs your satellite data.


    bill_nye_the_russian_spy: Hmph! If Addy was here, we would have all the information we required. Dunno what happened to him. @Hus97, do you think he is compromised?


    Hus97: @bill_nye_the_russian_spy, nope.


    hugs_for_drugs: @bill_nye_the_russian_spy, Boss is invincible.


    Addy2219 has joined the chat...


    Addy2219: Hey, guys. How''s it going?


    mama_karma: Addy, what happened? I was waiting for the data on the links between the Russian Oligarch ''Pyotr Ven'' and the ''Nirvana'' (branch of Organisation).


    hugs_for_drugs: BOSS, you are finally here. We missed you sorely. Muah! Muah!


    Addy2219: Sorry guys, I was involved in a small accident. I am fine now. @mama_karma, I got the data, though.


    mama_karma: Got it.


    Hus97: Hey Addy, you are quite relaxed for an administrator of a group made for sharing knowledge on the ''Organisation''. Even @i_was_a_mistake remained active for the past thirty-six hours. You do know the significance of our mission, right?


    i_was_a_mistake: @Hus97, is it a compliment or an insult?


    Addy2219: @Hus97, I know the importance. Don''t worry; there are going to be no problems with our plan.


    hugs_for_drugs: Forget the plan; it''s been pandemonium since the past few days. Boss, what do you make of the actions of the Organisation? They have released all kinds of stuff into the market for almost free of cost. I want to know your thoughts.


    Addy2219: Well, I am not sure yet. But taking the way that the Organisation functions into consideration, it is safe to assume that its intention is not pure.


    mama_karma: Pfft! Like we need you to tell us that.


    Addy2219: Hehe! (Emoji - scratching head) I think @Hus97 has got a good idea. He was one of the pioneers of this group. I just provided the technical expertise required to keep this group secure from the ''Organisation''.


    bill_nye_the_russian_spy: I concur, @Hus97, tell us your idea.


    Hus97: This is too early to jump to conclusions. According to me, these changes are just the beginning and a sort of required measures to prepare the stage for something. The ace has not yet been revealed.


    bill_nye_the_russian_spy: Hmm...


    mama_karma: I agree. But let us take this further. The most glaring consequence of these actions are a significant reduction in ''Poverty'', ''Illness'' and ''Malnutrition''. For some reason, I feel as if the Organisation is treating us as lambs which need to be fattened before butchering. The power balance of the world order is going to tilt towards the other side.


    Addy2219: Good point, @mama_karma. Also, I feel like this step was made in a hurry. It is apparent by observing the lack of preparation from the Organisation. One need to note that many eminent people and companies had been revealed to have contacts with the Organisation because of these sudden changes. Blackwood family from the UK, Salieri family from the US, Klatten family of Germany etc.


    hugs_for_drugs: Yes, @Addy2219, I got news about the Wang Family from HongKong and Raipath family from India are also involved. Many covers had been blown because of this move. If the Organisation took a few years to accomplish what they did in the past few days, this would not have happened.


    Hus97: @Addy2219, so you mean that the Organisation lacks time due to some reason? Who can cause the Organisation to change its plans and make it rush?


    mama_karma: that''s a scary proposition @Addy2219. Doesn''t it mean that our enemies may not be limited to the ''Organisation''? Sigh! But I have to agree that The Organisation move does seem to be inadequately prepared.


    hugs_for_drugs: Well, everyone, please calm down. The other party might not be our enemies. Remember the old saying ''Enemy of my enemy is my friend''. Also, It''s not like we are the only ones responsible for the whole of humanity. Each one has their capabilities, and we have to do our best and leave the rest to others. Boss, what do you think?You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Addy2219: Negative. An alliance is only possible between two ''equals''. Something or someone who can cause the Organisation to change its plans might not even bother to look at us. Even if they pay attention, it might be no different than how the Organisation treats us.


    hugs_for_drugs: Boss does have a point there. Looks like I am too optimistic to my own good. Boss, what are you doing?


    Addy2219: Well, I am at a hospital. My friend was injured a few days back, and I am accompanying him. I am currently eating a soft and crispy dosa with coconut and mint sauce. It''s a beautiful and cool evening here...


    hugs_for_drugs: Nice try there, Boss. Almost got me thinking that you were an Indian. LOL


    Addy2219: ...


    "What are you doing?" a weak voice interrupted Aditya as he was having a conversation on his laptop. Aditya was struggling to eat dosa with a spoon and fork as his right hand was injured and he needed his left hand to type. It was quite an ordeal. It would have been a lot easier if he used his bare hand.


    "Chatting with some friends," Aditya raised his head to smile at Raghav who was resting on the hospital bed. Raghav had a pale face and was heavily bandaged around his torso. A female caretaker was extracting juice from sweet lime for him. She was appointed by Taarini to look after Raghav as she couldn''t personally attend to him.


    Although the drug was administered to Raghav by Saira, his wounds and blood loss was nothing to joke around. The drug that Aditya used to save Taarini was an upgraded version of the original product. That was the reason that Taarini healed at such a rapid pace, but it was not the same case for Raghav.


    Also, Raghav was shot four times while Taarini was only shot once. Raghav needed to stay in the hospital for a few weeks before getting discharged.


    "Was it your female friends?" Raghav asked with suspicion in his eyes. Aditya looked at Raghav with amusement as he asked, "does it make a difference?"


    "Hmph... maintain some distance with your female friends. I don''t want to see you fooling around with girls," Raghav replied with a serious expression. Since he found out that his Little Miss liked Aditya, Raghav had seen this little kid as Taarini''s future husband. He did not want Aditya to indulge in debauchery, which might cause pain to his Little Miss. Raghav had decided to keep a close eye on Aditya so that he does not go counter to Taarini''s expectations.


    Aditya looked at Raghav funnily when he heard those words. He shook his head and was about to continue chatting, but the door to the room was opened. Munna walked in with some fruits; his followers stayed at the entrance and did not enter. Munna nodded at Aditya as he asked Raghav, "How are you doing?"


    "I am fine, elder brother. Have you talked to Little Miss, how is she doing?" Raghav attempted to sit as he enquired Munna. Aditya rolled his eyes as he pressed a switch which caused the bed to bend upwards so that Raghav''s upper body was comfortably raised.


    "Big Sis is doing great. You know that she always relaxes whenever she is with those kids, right?" Munna gave a reassuring smile as he sat beside Raghav. Both of them talked about some miscellaneous things while Aditya dived back into the chatroom.


    Tya created this chatroom. Aditya had named it as ''Silence Isn''t Golden Here''. Numerous firewalls protected this chatroom and camouflaged using multiple encryption algorithms. As long as the members of the chat group were not compromised, the Organisation couldn''t detect their work on the dark web.


    Though Aditya did not reveal the criteria for joining this chat group, he had done thorough background checks on every member. Tya would check whether a person was clean and if he shared Aditya''s passion for fighting the Organisation. Even if one of the members were compromised, the Organisation could not get the details of others. Only Aditya possessed complete information. He had memorised everything leaving no physical or electronic evidence.


    Only after Tya certified a person as ''reliable'' did Aditya send an invite to him. The members consisted of people from all countries. As long as Aditya felt that a person could help him gather even a tiny bit of information, he would recruit them.


    Aditya had to prove that he was not a member of the Organisation more than once. The members were highly suspicious of him in the beginning. Aditya''s skill in coding and hacking, the information that he possessed about the Organisation was very crucial and helped the group members many times. After a month of knowing each other, they were able to slowly accept this chatroom as something genuinely distinct from the reach of the Organisation.


    Another primary reason that they accepted this space was simply that they had no other choice. Many people who grasped a good idea about the Organisation''s capabilities knew that ''no one was safe in the web''. Be it ''Dark Web'' or ''Deep Web'', everything was within the Organisation''s range.


    Aditya''s web space was like donating water to a person who was dying of thirst in a hot, scorching desert. Even if the liquid turned out to be poison, they were some people who were willing to take the risk. This uncertainty was the reason that they were very few members in the chatroom, twenty-three, to be accurate. Most of the members either lost their close ones to the Organisation or they have realised the danger posed by this secret Organisation to their society.


    The members did not know the criteria followed by Aditya to invite them to the chat group, but they had no choice but to believe him. In a way, the knowledge that was shared here was so sensitive that these members could be charged with treason under any country''s laws. But these people believed that some things were far more critical than following their country''s laws. This belief was amply rewarded in the end.


    The first major success was jotting down the supply lines of the Organisation. The members were able to identify the various materials, which were being consumed and produced by the Organisation. It was not an abridged version that Harry knew from the US sources, but a complicated web of connections which also consisted of the black market, smugglers and mercenary routes.


    In this way, a massive database of information on Organisation slowly accumulated in this chatroom. Not every person or country was privy to every bit of knowledge about the Organisation. Many people, who had tried to create an aggregate source of this knowledge failed, solely because the Organisation destroyed them before it was completed.


    All forms of communications had the shadow of the Organisation in it. Even when the crudest forms of communication were used in which no electrical appliances were involved, the plan still failed. Many people had been corrupted and sworn allegiance to the Organisation. These people have accepted that the Organisation was the panacea to all the evils of human society.


    The infiltration of such people in every organisation had made such attempts futile. Aditya''s chatroom was probably the only successful model of communication where one need not fear betrayal as long as the Administrator, i.e. Addy2219 was on their side. This was the risk that these people were willing to undertake.


    There was a significant event being planned by the members of this chat group in a few days. The member ''hugs_for_drugs'' had connections with the pirate groups from Somalia. He had received a tip-off that a few members of the Organisation were travelling back and forth to the Eagle islands in the Indian ocean. Those islands were deserted and a perfect spot for making a move on them. The members had decided to have these people ambushed.


    Addy2219: I have a request for the members participating in this mission.


    Hus97: @Addy2219, go ahead. After all the help that you have given us, fulfilling your wish is the least we could do.


    Addy2219: Thanks, @Hus97, I need the quantum cores that are available in communication devices of the people from the Organisation. If I could get my hands on one of these, I am positive that I could hack into the Organisation network. The more, the better.


    Hus97: What the ...


    hugs_for_drugs: I knew that Boss was invincible. (Proud emoji)

 145 - A Coincidental Meeting

    Aditya closed his laptop and looked at the two middle-aged men, who were busy in conversation. He needed to discuss with Munna about some things, but he waited until Raghav was finished. Aditya finished his food during this time. He was quite depressed having to eat outside food as the food made by him would taste many times better. Maahi had offered to send food, but Aditya dissuaded her as he was not sure where he would be at any given time.


    "Munna, what is the progress of the construction of ''that'' place?" Aditya enquired as he stood up to wash his hand. The female caretaker cleaned the table even though Aditya asked her not to do so.


    Aditya had wanted to build a base for his secret operations. He knew the importance of concealing his actions as the things that he would be constructing in that place should not come to light, whatsoever. Building a supercomputer and a quantum computer was just the beginning. Sometimes, Aditya liked to think of this base as his ''Batcave''.


    One needed to know that Tya was currently a repository of all the latest technologies known to humankind. Even though the glove was broken and Aditya lost his ''Cellular Regulation'' ability temporarily, Tya already possessed a lot of knowledge.


    Once Aditya got back this ability, it was just a matter of time before Tya completely absorbed everything. Potentially, at that time, Aditya should be able to construct anything from a military tank to a rocket which can do space missions. So, Aditya wanted to have a secret base for himself. He had turned to Taarini for help as she was only one with the required capability, whom he could trust completely.


    According to Tya, the AI (artificial intelligence) that he would create based on Aditya''s soul particle would have enough capacity to hack into the Organisation''s network. Even if it could not access the core technologies, infiltrating into the periphery devices of small level personnel should not be a problem. At that time, Aditya would be able to gain the enemy''s advanced technologies as well.


    Taarini had given a piece of land which covered an area of 245 acres (around 100 hectares). This location was situated forty kilometres away from the city and convenient for Aditya to move back and forth. Munna was appointed by Taarini to assist Aditya in this endeavour.


    Munna sent the female caretaker away as he replied, "I have employed every resource from the ''unorganised sector'' as you requested. The labour, equipment, finance etc. are under the radar and kept secret. Each underground bunker is being built by a different team of engineers, labour and contractors using the set of designs given by you. It will take a week to complete the first bunker and a month to complete the rest."


    "Just a week?" Aditya was shocked at the speed of the construction even if he had requested it to be confidential. The first bunker was the place that Aditya was going to build the supercomputer and the quantum computer. Aditya planned to build separate bunkers at different depths and have them connected through tunnels like an anthill.


    Aditya would connect these bunkers using tunnelling equipment himself. Tya was the one who designed this structure based on Aditya''s requirements. Aditya planned to establish a solar powerplant on the surface as a coverup. Also, the supercomputer and the quantum computer were going to require massive amounts of electric power to run. Money was not a problem at the moment.


    Munna smiled as he said, "Big Sis had ordered to give priority to your requests. So, it was made possible. Also, we had a lot of workers remain idle due to the cancellation of the construction of the ''Iconic Building''. I employed them here."


    Aditya nodded as he said, "That''s good to know. I require that place to be completed as quickly as possible."


    Munna nodded and remained silent. Previously, he had always been sceptical about Aditya and maintained vigilance towards this boy as he had come near Taarini in dubious circumstances. But after what happened on the highway (freeway), Aditya had genuinely gained Munna''s and Raghav''s acknowledgement and trust.


    Munna had seen the terrific capabilities of those people, who had downed Raghav in a few seconds. Even then, Aditya was able to kill those people and save Taarini. It was enough proof of Aditya''s loyalty and capacity.


    A new era was coming, and Munna knew that his ability was not enough to keep Taarini safe. They needed Aditya to safeguard their little miss. So if Aditya had any requirement, Munna and Raghav would go to any length to fulfil it.


    "The arrest warrant on Taarini is still in effect, right?" Aditya asked as he switched on the television and tuned to a news channel.


    "Yes, but no one is genuinely making an effort to catch her. It might be because they assume that she was killed or maybe because of Taarini possessing the handles of many corrupt politicians and police officials in her hand. Either way, Taarini is safe as long as she doesn''t knock the doors of the police headquarters," Munna answered.


    Aditya nodded as he said, "It is safer for Taarini to stay in that village for a few days. The true danger does not come from the government but the Raipath family. I have a small plan to get the government to withdraw the warrant and stop Raipath Family from focusing on Taarini. I will have to recover completely before implementing this plan, though."Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Oh?" Munna''s and Raghav''s eyes lit up when they heard Aditya''s words. Even though they acted as if they did not care, having a warrant against Taarini and the influence of the Raipath family was always a hidden danger. Even they could not move freely at the moment. For example, Raghav was admitted in this hospital under a false name to avoid unwanted problems. Aditya nodded as he looked at the two men.


    "Also, those people and the Raipath family who did this to us will pay for their actions," Aditya added as he watched the news channel. Munna nodded while Raghav smiled as they thought that this kid was looking more pleasing to the eyes.


    On TV, a male news anchor was reporting, "North Korea has agreed to the US''s offer of peace talks. The President is expected to send a delegation of diplomats to North Korea in a few days..."


    ...


    Aditya walked out of the hospital with the help of a crutch. The pain in his right leg was gone for the most part. He was waiting on the side of the busy road for Munna''s subordinates to bring the car. Munna had offered a lift to the garage and Aditya had accepted.


    The street was busy in the evening filled with street food vendors and people who were shopping. All kinds of salivating fragrances filled the air, but Aditya did not care as he had just eaten to his full. Aditya gazed at the people who were bargaining with the vendors and gossiping among themselves happily. He sighed as he felt a little jealous of their ignorance of the rapidly changing world around them. If his parents had not been taken away and Tya had not existed, Aditya would most probably be one of those people. He would also come here to have a night snack with his parents.


    Aditya got down from the pavement when he saw that the car that he was waiting for was approaching. Suddenly, a two-wheeled scooter changed its direction and rushed towards Aditya. He had very little time to react, but his left leg bent a little, and his body shot back to the pavement with a quick leap. No one saw this movement, but Aditya''s reflexes and his leg strength were bordering on superhuman. His body was modified by Tya, after all.


    Crash!


    The scooter hit the pavement, and the two persons on that vehicle fell along with a lot of baggage. The scooter''s light was flickering, and the front wheel was still rotating while producing a metal friction sound. People gasped when they saw this accident and started to gather around. Some people came forward to help lift those big grocery bags.


    Aditya''s pupils contracted a little bit but immediately relaxed when he saw his ''assailants''. ''Was it fate? His own employees almost hit him?'' Aditya mused as he saw two stunning women, who were lifting themselves from the ground.


    One of the women was tall and had a light olive complexion and an athletic physique. She wore a dusty pink coloured, round neck T-shirt with stripe detail along with a pair of blue jeans. The jeans were a tight skinny fit which fully brought out the charm of her long, shapely legs. Her long, black hair fell like waves on her shoulders.


    The other one was shorter, possessing a milky-white complexion and the graceful curves of a mature woman. This woman wore a red and black printed T-shirt with stripes and stars along with a pair of black high-rise treggings. She had shoulder-length chestnut colour hair.


    These two women were none other than Charita and Jagvi. It was Charita who was driving the scooter. Both of them did not look as if they were seriously hurt, but a few skin-deep wounds could be seen. A little blood was flowing out from Charita''s palm. The heavy baggage seemed to have worked at a cushion, thus, absorbing most of the damage.


    Aditya had an amused expression on his face as he approached the two girls who were helping themselves up. He did not bother helping as both of his hands were occupied. Both of them were shocked when they saw Aditya''s casts. They had almost hit an already injured person.


    "Sorry, did you get hurt?" Jagvi apologised as she asked Aditya with a smile. Just as Aditya was about to answer, Charita jumped in the middle as she started accusing Aditya in a loud voice, "Hey kid, why were you standing in the middle of the road? Don''t you know the traffic rules? Or are you trying to extort money from innocent girls like us by acting as if you were involved in an accident?"


    Aditya was speechless when he heard these words. He turned to look at Charita with a twinkle in his eyes. "Excuse me," Jagvi gave an apologetic smile as she dragged Charita back. She looked at Charita with exasperation as she asked, " what are you doing? It is clearly your mistake, and you are actually blaming the kid?"


    Charita looked at Aditya dubiously as she whispered in a low voice, "Jagvi, I know that it is my mistake. But if I agree, then what would happen if the kid threatens us to call the police. I am on a budget, and that was the reason that we had to go to the hypermarket to get cheap wholesale deals."


    " Who would imagine that the baggage would be so heavy for us to carry on a scooter and lead to this accident? So, let me deal with this kid. He seems to be an innocent guy. A little frightening ought to get him to back away from demanding money from me. We are young, defenceless beautiful girls, the public should support us if I act a little." Charita spoke with confidence. Aditya was speechless when he saw through Charita''s plan. He could easily discern Charita''s words by ''lipreading''.


    "Hmph, you would not have to be on a budget if you didn''t spend your entire salary on buying gifts for our boss." Jagvi rolled her eyes as she retorted.


    "Don''t bring Ishaan into this topic. He is mine. You are jealous that I won the coin toss the other day and grabbed the chance to seduce him." Charita snapped at Jagvi and turned towards Aditya who was looking at them with a strange expression.


    "Look, kid. I am a kind woman, so I won''t make things hard for you. The repairs for this scooter should be around 2000 bugs (28 USD). As you are young and it is normal for kids like you make mistakes, I will forgive you and not complain to the police. As I am forgiving, give me a 1000 bugs (14 USD) and each of us will go our ways." Charita said in a stern voice as if an elder was disciplining the young.


    Charita was pleased to see that the opposite party was not speaking a word. It seemed like her plan was a success. Just as she was going to continue her act, she noticed that Jagvi was hurriedly pulling her sleeve. Charita turned to look at Jagvi when she saw that a group of burly males surrounded both of them. They all had solemn expressions as they were looking at both of them.


    Aditya chuckled as he looked at both of their expressions. He looked at a person and ordered, "Get them both in the car." The hearts of both Charita and Jagvi skipped a beat when they heard the kid''s words.

 146 - Marriage and Birthday

    A grey Toyota Fortuner (SUV) cruised through the city''s traffic. It was followed by two other similar vehicles as they maintained a fixed distance from each other. The night scenery of this bustling city was beautiful. It was filled with vigour and vitality. This city held many profound truths within it. One of the ultimate realities that it teaches is showcasing the apparent differences between the ''haves'' and ''have nots''.


    The city changes every few minutes on the journey; the downtown was flicking between affluence and poverty. There are streets of upmarket stores, smooth black and glass exteriors, fancy names in fancier lettering. The kind of places with perfumed atmospheres made all the more inviting by music and well-groomed subservient staff; exchanging their tokens of upper-class life for the swipe of a credit card. While on the other side, you can notice the poverty, the run-down shops, slums. People in this part were satisfied if they could eat two meals a day.


    Aditya had never known the luxurious and affluent life of the creamy layer of the society, but at the same time, he did not experience real poverty and hunger. If he had a choice, he would very much like to keep it that way. His mother was particularly caring for the poor and the hungry. Aditya remembered that she would always apportion a part of the family income to donate food at the local temple on every Saturday.


    Aditya, as a child, would also accompany his mother on those days. He would help her in distributing the food parcels to the beggars and other poor people, who would gather near the temple''s entrance. Aditya would hear some people criticising these beggars as people who are too lazy to work. They would state that one should not encourage them by donating food or money. When Aditya talked about this with his mother, she would smile and keep silent.


    But one evening, when Aditya was resting his head on his mother''s lap while gazing at stars, his mother talked about this issue. She said, "Adi, people are not homogenous. Each one has his unique story and problems. Some people may be disabled while some may be disease-ridden. Some people might be lazy as they say, but it is not our place to judge them. Because judging other''s faults does not result in changing them, but it does disturb the peace in our hearts."


    " So, unless you can take responsibility for their problems, you shouldn''t overthink about them. Most of the people whom we meet in our lives are like those floating twigs which come together in a flowing stream. After some time, a small wave will push those twigs away from each other to their own destinies. During those small interactions, we should do what we can, for them, and forget about them."


    Aditya breathing quickened when he remembered his mother. He wanted to immediately ascertain his mother''s safety by calling her but did not dare to act on this whim. Aditya reined his impulsion when he thought about the possibility of knowing his mother''s location if he exercised patience. It was going to take a few weeks at least before Aditya could successfully assemble the supercomputer. That too, considering Tya''s help.


    Aditya planned to build a set of mechanical, robotic hands for Tya to control. Then, Aditya would have an extra pair of helping hands (instead hundreds of them) for assembling the supercomputer. Of course, it was after the ''Cellular Regulation'' ability was reactivated.


    "Ri...Right," a mild, timid voice interrupted Aditya thoughts as he turned back. Charita shrank her neck when she saw Aditya turn back but still managed to say, "we need to take the lane in the right to reach our place."


    Aditya''s mouth twitched when he saw how frightened Charita seemed. Jagvi remained calm and collected, on the other hand. She was gazing at Aditya with mild interest and curiosity. Aditya sat on the front passenger seat while both women sat in the rear along with their groceries. One of Munna''s subordinates was driving the vehicle. He continued on the path pointed by Charita.


    Aditya wanted to drop these women at their place so that they will not have to drive the scooter with that heavy luggage and risk getting wounded again. Both of them could be said to be his friends, and he did not want to see them get hurt. Aditya had bought some band-aids, disinfecting solution and cotton swabs to treat their wounds. Both of them had taken a full course of tetanus vaccination and so, did not need to get injected after the injury.


    Previously, when they heard Aditya''s orders to his men, Charita and Jagvi had prepared to shout for help. But, they calmed down when Aditya divulged that he was a neighbour and friends with Ishaan, their boss. Aditya had said that Ishaan had shared the photos of his employees with him and that was the reason that he was able to recognise them as Charita and Jagvi.


    Both of them believed him after he answered a few questions about Ishaan and their office. Charita and Jagvi accepted Aditya''s proposition as they also felt that their scooter was in no condition to drive with its flickering headlight and screeching sounds. Aditya got one of his men to get the motorcycle repaired.


    After some time, the car stopped in front of a residence. The locality was peaceful and pleasant. There was no disturbing sounds except for some dogs barking in the distance. It was rare to find such places in the city. These streets had an ancient aura around and them and were one of the untouched parts of the city. They were huge trees towering both the sides of the road and most of the houses had their own gardens.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Aditya knew that it wouldn''t be long before this area was marked for development and high-rise apartments substitute these buildings. He liked the ambience of this area. It turned out that Charita and Jagvi were residing here as paying guests. Aditya was surprised to see that this place was near the garage, where he lived. The distance should not be more than a few kilometres.


    Charita and Jagvi got down from the car and thanked Aditya for his help. Aditya waved his hand as he said that he would contact them after their scooter was repaired. They exchanged each other''s phone numbers. Aditya asked if they needed help to carry the bags, but they refused his help, and he did not insist. The driver started the car and made way for the garage.


    "Jagvi, what do you think is the background of this fellow? He looks like he is in school but is being followed and protected by a gang of bouncers," Charita said as she patted her chest. She had not recovered from the fright of being surrounded by those brawny people. Even though Aditya did not do anything improper except for frightening them with those first words, she added him to her blacklist.


    Jagvi glanced at the leaving car as she said, "Charita, don''t you feel that this kid feels similar to Ishaan? I think that both of them are not just neighbours."


    "Ishaan? This little kid? Hmph, there is no comparison at all. My Ishaan is charming, although this kid is also handsome, his physique is nowhere near Ishaan''s. Come, let us go." Charita brushed off Jagvi''s words and picked the heavy bags as she made way for the elevator. Jagvi also shook her head and followed Charita.


    "Charita, weren''t you saying something about your elder brother''s marriage?" Jagvi asked as she entered the elevator.


    Charita''s face became red with anger when her brother''s marriage was mentioned. "Hmph! That idiot went ahead and fell in love with some girl, and now he is marrying even before me. I always wanted to pair him with you so that we could be together. Also, he did not spare a thought to his sister, me, who has been lovelorn since the past few days. Look at how I am going to play with him and his would-be."


    Jagvi chuckled when she heard Charita''s words. She knew that Charita was from an affluent family, unlike her. Charita preferred to live with her own earnings so that she would not have to succumb to her parents'' influence in deciding her life partner. Charita wanted to take this vital decision into her own hands. Otherwise, Charita did not need to live thinking about her budget.


    ...


    Aditya climbed out of the car with little difficulty as the vehicle stopped in front of the garage. He grabbed his school bag and told Munna''s subordinates to leave. Aditya made his way into the garage as familiar sounds reached his ears. Sounds of electric drilling and sparks flying in all directions. The loud noises of faulty engines roaring, revving, clanking, and the metal on metal contact sounds would always calm Aditya''s mind.


    Aditya nodded at Chakri, who was busy working on an engine. It was nearing the end of the day''s work, and everyone was tired and sweaty.


    "White buffalo, what are you doing here?" Aditya asked when he saw Kranthi and Rahul going over some notes. Usually, Kranthi won''t come to the garage during this time. Kranthi and Rahul raised their heads to see Aditya and a bright smile spread over their faces.


    "Adi, just in time, come help me with this vector algebra. Calculate the angle between two vectors with these magnitudes..." Kranthi hurriedly asked. He held on to Aditya and pushed him into a chair as he shoved a few notebooks into his arms.


    Aditya looked at Kranthi''s anxious expression and asked, "Bro, what happened? Why have you suddenly become interested in solving mathematical problems?" They were no exams in the vicinity, according to Aditya''s knowledge. Even if they had examinations, Aditya had not seen Kranthi pumped up like this, previously.


    "Exactly, elder brother Aditya, I have been asking the same question. But, big brother Kranthi would not answer me," Rahul added as he curiously looked at Kranthi.


    "Aditya, don''t act like you don''t know. Who do you think is going to come to teach mathematics from tomorrow?" Kranthi asked Aditya.


    "Mathematics? Maahi... oh, so that''s the reason that you are so worked up about," Aditya nodded as he looked at Kranthi with pity in his eyes.


    Kranthi had many traumatic childhood experiences with Maahi, who had taken upon herself to tutor Aditya and his friends. Except for Aditya, all the other people were subjected to hours of gruelling study. The most critical aspects of this tuition were the punishments doled out by Maahi if someone failed to reach her expectations.


    As her methods usually brought out astonishing results, even the students'' parents were thankful and supported her. If the teachers association were to know about Maahi''s punishments, Aditya was sure that she would be in trouble. The penalties were not as simple and straight forward as corporal punishment. Maahi did not like to beat children. Even Maahi''s disciplining had imagination and creativity in them.


    Kranthi had once failed to do homework. Maahi had left him in a room, all alone, and had him watch the ''Insidious'' horror movie. Kumari had to clean her home and do all the chores for a full month. Kranthi was made to do 30 laps around the school ground once as a punishment. If Maahi spotted two girls fighting, she would tie their hair together and leave them. Even though Maahi''s penalties were a little over-the-top, the kids liked her just the same. She possessed the charisma and charm, which kept the students hooked to her.


    Sometimes, Maahi would let the students punish one another. Many kids who had small grudges against each other would utilise this chance to get back at their rivals. This method was a ''Divide & Rule'' policy adopted by Maahi so that they will not unitedly rise against her. The tuition hours were no different than a reality game show for Maahi, where she was the ''Big Boss'', and Aditya was a player with ''Complete Immunity''.


    Aditya was the only one who was never punished and could do pretty much anything. This positive discrimination made him a common eyesore to every student. Many of them bore a grudge against Aditya but did not dare to touch him as they knew that Maahi was behind him.


    "Aditya, are you coming for Anupama''s birthday party tomorrow? Even I have been invited, thanks to you. I have never been to a birthday party of Chief Minister''s daughter''s birthday," Kranthi jumped with excitement along with Rahul.


    Aditya nodded with a smile. Of course, he was invited. Aditya needed to go to this party as he wanted to meet the members of the Raipath family and observe them, first hand.

 147 - Music and Dreams

    It was a bright morning. The day was warming up as signs of spring were apparent in the air. One could feel that the flowers were colouring the world for the warmer days to come, waving in the breeze like a smile born of the cosmos - happiness in brilliant shades.


    Students were coming to the school in small groups as they excitedly gossiped with each other. There was still half-hour time before classes started. Some kids were playing football, basketball and other games. Students carrying sports kits related to badminton, table tennis, martial arts and archery could be seen exiting the school grounds.


    They had to fresh up and return for the academic classes. Thirty minutes were more than enough to bath and get ready. Typically, these students resided near the school, which made things convenient even if their coaching dragged a bit.


    Aditya sat on a wooden bench, under an old sausage tree, along with Yu Yan. He was listening to gentle flute music with an Airpod in his left ear while Yu Yan had the other one in her right ear. Yu Yan had asked Aditya to come earlier so that he could give suggestions on her music arts. She wanted to ask a favour from Aditya, related to this tune. The time was nearing for her to submit her e-portfolio.


    The music was elegant and ethereal as Aditya''s soul merged in the rhythm. His eyes were closed as he was held spellbound in rapt silence. Music had always had the power to influence a person''s mood.


    Though Yu Yan''s reason was a little forced, Aditya was, indeed, proficient in playing the piano and a few other instruments. He had participated in many programs and had helped give background musical assistance to many singers in his previous school. Aditya had also created a few musical scores on his own, and they were not half-bad.


    Aditya''s mother had taken a keen interest in training Aditya in musical arts since he was a kid. She, herself, was a talented musician who was partial to the Sitar (a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music).


    Aditya had also obediently learned the arts as per his mother''s wishes until he reached adolescence and started having rebellious thoughts. And then, one day, he stopped going to those classes. Aditya''s mother tried to persuade him to continue, but seeing that Aditya remained stubborn, she did not insist again. Aditya had a decent talent and potential in regards to the musical field, but he neither had the interest nor the passion.


    Since Tya had transformed Aditya''s body, the required amount of sleep had significantly been reduced. So, Aditya woke up early and reached school as requested by Yu Yan, who was already waiting for him with some snacks.


    Recently, The dream world had been quite monotonous. Aditya, of the dream world, was a complete mess with an unstable mindset. Even, after a few years, he had not recovered from Maahi''s death.


    Aditya had completely focused his energies on his races and the charitable trust that he had established so that he would not break apart. Many people, including his parents, advised Aditya to retire but ''racing'' was the only thing that kept him going. Without racing, Aditya feared that he would become a chronic alcoholic and a drug addict.


    Otherwise, he would not know what to do. Amanda, the bodyguard, arranged by Maahi, accompanied Aditya and guarded him along with a supporting team. Both of them had become accustomed to each other''s silence.


    The technology of the 2030s was rapidly advancing as were the quality of life of people. The Asian countries were on a rage, in terms of economy, taking advantage of their demographics and globalisation. Aditya''s father had risen in position in the CERN laboratories, thanks to the research funded by Maahi.


    Aditya had heard something about a new research project taken up by his father pertaining to Dark Matter and the ''origin of life & consciousness''. Aditya''s mother accompanied his father and would visit him from time to time. Aditya''s father would also come every few months, but both the father and son had conversations rarely. Usually, the time would be spent in silence.


    Aditya''s contact with his friends had significantly reduced, which was his mistake. Everyone had their own lives, their families and their careers to take care. Anupama, on the other hand, had become his closest friend during these hard times. She had not married again.


    Anupama''s mother, Vandana Sharma, had become a central minister in the cabinet and wielded high power and influence. Anupama would always be the one to congratulate him whenever he completed the race. She did not care if he won as long as he was not hurt.


    Anupama did not care about her parents'' power and wealth. She did not have thoughts about depending on them. Anupama, herself, was an accomplished individual, and her agricultural corporation was doing well. Even though this company was not established to be profit-oriented, it did become popular among the farmer communities and gained her a lot of reputation.


    Anupama would take a few days from her busy schedule and would accompany Aditya in London, every three months. She would bring news of his other friends and relatives along with some fresh organic Indian agricultural produce from her farms. After all these years, Anupama had become a close friend with Amanda and would gossip about each other''s life experiences from time to time.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    The Raipath family was finished, and Aditya did not have to deal with any active threats. Amanda and her team easily dissolved the few dangers which he faced. She was a professional when it came to looking after his safety and beautifully accomplished her job.


    In these years, Anupama and Aditya had quite a few beautiful memories with each other. They travelled all over the world. But it did no result in any romantic relationship. In a way, both of their hearts had long died. A thing like love became an unaffordable luxury for them. But they did share a special place in each other''s lives.


    Aditya was amazed when he saw how his life (dream) and Anupama''s life had turned out to be in the Dreamworld. He was even more stunned when both of their lives intertwined again, after everything they had to go through. Each one brought support to the other during crucial times.


    In all these dreams, Aditya still could not identify any piece of information that linked the ''Organisation'' to the ''Dreamworld'' or the origin of Tya. He had even begun to doubt his conjecture that these things were inter-linked.


    Yu Yan had worn a white cotton shirt and a blue knee-length skirt. She had her hairstyle changed to a shoulder-length bob hair with side bang. Yu Yan also curled the ends of her hair for a delicate finish. It looked simple and pleasant when matched with her round face, dark pupils and a small nose. There was a pink coloured ''Hello Kitty'' hairclip attached to her hair, which made her look even cuter than she was already.


    Yu Yan leaned towards Aditya with her eyes closed as she enjoyed this moment with Aditya. Both of them heard the ''Moderato'' part of Sergei Prokofiev''s Flute Sonata as Yu Yan''s personal project was based on this piece.


    Aditya was impressed that Yu Yan had chosen such an intricate composition to study. Even though she was not required to play this high-level composition, it took guts to touch this classical work. Usually, upperclassmen in musical college played this composition.


    "Are you sure that you want to do this?" Aditya asked Yu Yan as he removed the Airpod. Yu Yan confidently nodded as she giggled, " Aditya, you don''t have to worry as I have been practising this tune for a long time. My father had always liked this tune, and I intend to play this work as a gift for my parents'' wedding anniversary."


    Aditya nodded as he asked, "So, how can I help you?"


    "Aditya, could you please play the piano part of this composition for me? I want to make a recording of this composition and gift it to my parents," Yu Yan looked at Aditya with blinking eyes and pressed lips. The pitiful expression was skillfully achieved.


    Aditya nodded and even before he had opened his mouth, Yu Yan had jumped and punched the air. Aditya grinned when he saw how this little girl was dancing. It might be hard for someone to play this composition without good practice, but Aditya was different. He could do it as long as his right hand was healed.


    "When do you have to record this tune? I am going to need a week before my right hand is completely cured," Aditya added after Yu Yan had calmed down. Yu Yan nodded excitedly, "Don''t worry, Aditya. My parents'' anniversary is in the coming month. I will be leaving for Beijing at that time. It is alright as long as the work is done in this month."


    "Oh, will you be going to Beijing?" Aditya asked as he stood up to leave. The bell will ring at any moment.


    "Yes. My mother had recently risen in her position from the ''Foreign Affairs Ministry'' to the ''Central Foreign Affairs Commission '', which is of the higher tier. She is currently a member of the ''Foreign Affairs Office''. Because of her promotion, my family has been invited to some wedding related to the top official. As it coincides with my parents'' wedding anniversary, my mother asked me to come along. So yeah, I will have to leave next month," Yu Yan smiled as she held Aditya''s left arm even if he did not need her support.


    "Oh," Aditya nodded as he made way for his class, "Yu Yan, you should go to your class before it is too late."


    "It''s fine," Yu Yan shook her head and continued accompanying Aditya. She held onto his left arm firmly with her thin and delicate hands. Yu Yan could not be considered as tall, but she was not short either. Yu Yan seemed to be similar in height to Charita and Maahi.


    Aditya sighed Yainternally when he saw Yu Yan''s actions. It does not take a genius to know that this little girl fancied him.


    "Oh, little sister Yu Yan, how have you been?" a delicate, mature voice, like silver bells, was heard from behind.


    A smile appeared on Aditya''s face as he knew the owner of this voice. Who else could it be other than Maahi? Aditya and Yu Yan turned around to face the gorgeous woman, who was holding a few books in her arms.


    Maahi was dressed in Indian formal ethnic clothes today. There was a dress code for both male and female teachers in the school. Even though the colour and design was not restricted, the type of clothes one could wear was limited.


    Maahi wore a navy blue printed Kurta (a long tunic) and a pair of green trousers with a matching scarf (dupatta). The scarf was opaque and had an ethnic design on his border which complimented the whole dress. Maahi had a capable and stern aura around her. She looked a Yu Yan with a smile that was not a smile.


    Yu Yan''s face changed as she released Aditya''s arm. The smile on her face faltered as she said, "I have been good, elder sister Maahi. It has been a long time since we met. How are you doing?"


    Yu Yan had not forgotten the sharp tongue of Maahi when she insulted Anupama in the old school. She had dreaded Maahi a little, ever since. Even if Maahi had not done anything to her, Yu Yan''s delicate and softhearted nature made it hard for her to get over that incident.


    Maahi''s eyes glinted as she said, "I am doing great, little sister. Thank you for asking. Have I disturbed you guys? Since I am going towards Adi''s class anyway, let me drop him off. You can go back to your lessons. What do you say?"


    Yu Yan nodded her head vigorously as she said, "Yes, elder sister Maahi. Aditya, bye. Have a good day." She turned and walked towards her school building with her head facing the ground.


    "Maahi, you scared her away. Why do I feel that she is afraid of you? Do both of you share a history?" Aditya asked as he saw Yu Yan''s departing figure.


    "Nothing worthwhile to talk about, anyway. That girl is too soft, and I like it. You will have to handle her very carefully. A small harsh word is enough to break her heart, especially from you. Here is your lunch, don''t eat at the cafeteria. I am planning to upgrade the canteen, but it will take a few days. Then, you can eat there," Maahi said as she handed a lunch box to Aditya. She walked away without waiting for him. Aditya also made way for his class as he mulled over Maahi''s words about Yu Yan.

 148 - A Novice

    Just as Aditya was entering the class, he was stopped by a classmate. He was a little shorter than him, had curly, dark hair and bright eyes. Aditya remembered that his name was Magan. He was one of the new classmates that had joined after he had left this school. Aditya did not have the will or the time to make new friends and get to know each classmate. Due to this reason, he did not know much about this group.


    In fact, they were very few students from the original group, as most of them had transferred to other junior colleges. Aditya mostly stuck with Kranthi, Rahul and Kumari. As for others, he would exchange some pleasantries during interactions in labs or corridors. Apart from the usual formalities, he did not try to develop ''real'' relations with any of them.


    The other students had also tried to befriend Aditya by inviting him into their groups or gatherings. But when they saw that this classmate was ''slow'' or ''unresponsive'', they also started ignoring him. Aditya did not go to any of the ''outings'' planned by his classmates like visiting a mall or an entertainment centre.


    Because of Aditya''s attitude, most of the students also ignored him and did not bother with him. The only thing they paid attention was to Aditya''s relationship with the class & school belle, Kumari. Kumari had always been the second most beautiful girl after Sameera, in the school ratings.


    Sameera had this ''perfect'' aura around her, which discouraged many boys from pursuing her as they felt that they did not deserve her. Sameera was diligent, kind, helpful and possessed a humble character. She did not trash talk about anyone and genuinely tried to help those classmates, who needed it.


    When Aditya was caught together with Sameera, kissing each other, he had incurred the ''holy wrath'' of many of the old students. It was quite an eventful time when Aditya would come home dirty and covered with bruises, almost every day. No student revealed anything to anyone, about these scuffles as it was about the honour of the bro-code. They solved their problems with fists like ''men''.


    Kumari was not the same way. Although her beauty was in the same league as Sameera, Kumari had a lot of flaws in her. She was not studious, slept during the lessons, got frequently scolded by the teachers and regularly got into fights. These traits made her ''more approachable'' and encouraged many to pursue her.


    After Sameera''s ''death'', a year ago, Kumari had become emotionally ''non-responsive'' like an ice figurine. Many boys had tried to woo her but failed in the end.


    Everyone had noticed the change in Kumari, two months ago - That was the time when Aditya spent a month accompanying Kumari. She had become more cheerful and open. If one could ignore Kumari''s chest size, she was indeed peerless in terms of facial features and her long legs. Since Karan was wooing Kumari, they did not have the guts or the capabilities to become love rivals with him.


    At the moment, Kumari was ranking at the top. Kumari''s classmates could not hope to outpace a rich young master like Karan. As long as Karan pursued Kumari, they had little to no chance. But for some reason, Karan transferred schools and did not continue pursuing Kumari. Karan''s absence opened up an opportunity for others.


    But, just when some boys were preparing to try wooing this girl, a boy had become an obstacle to everyone. It was someone who was rumoured to have an affair with Kumari when both were in the tenth grade.


    Most of the boys gave up when they saw Kumari acting intimate with Aditya. But after a few weeks, doubts began to crop in their minds when they saw that both Aditya and Kumari acted more like close friends rather than lovers. There was a rumour that Kranthi, who was a friend to both Kumari and Aditya, had unconsciously revealed that both of them were only friends.


    "Aditya, can I ask you a question?" Madan asked as he looked at Aditya. He had enough, dealing with all the rumours and not knowing what to believe. So, Madan had decided to ask Aditya and get to the bottom of this issue. He did not want to waste any more of his time with speculations.


    Madan needed to confirm, if it was worthwhile to try to woo Kumari or if he should try another girl. He was not some guy who was picky about choosing girlfriends as long as they were above average. Of course, Madan would try to pick up the best girl out there. But if it was not possible, he would go for the next best until he finally succeeded.


    Madan had quite a unique and optimistic view of life. He did not have any ''high'' expectations from his ''would be'' girlfriend. These days, Madan felt that this was the time for him to delve into the realm of love. Most of the topics that his friends discussed these days revolved around ''love'' and ''girlfriends''.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    In the beginning, Madan was not interested in these topics as he was a gamer, who took this hobby very seriously. He aimed to create an international gaming team and become a professional gamer. Outside his studies and games, Madan had little to no time left to consider love. But as time went on, his friends'' gossips finally rubbed off him, and the ''flower of opposite sex attraction'' finally bloomed inside him.


    With that, Madan began watching all kinds of romantic movies, reading novels and formed a list of expectations from his ''imaginary'' girlfriend. His young blood boiled when he thought about all the exciting things, that he could do with her.


    Madan had a few fantasies to fulfil. For example, he wanted to have a beautiful girlfriend to show to his friends and have them drown with jealousy. Madan wanted to watch a romantic movie while holding hands with his girlfriend and kissing each other. His girlfriend should take care of him and love him completely.


    Madan dreamt of having a beautiful girlfriend, who he could completely trust and spend the rest of his life, together. Madan had completely lapped up all the fictionary romance ideals, which were entirely unrealistic. He envied his friends, who were already pursuing their love interests and some had already succeeded.


    Aditya looked at the person in front of him with mild interest as he said, "Sure, ask away."


    "Is Kumari your girlfriend?" Madan asked straightforwardly.


    "No."


    "Does she have a boyfriend?"


    "According to my knowledge, none."


    "Thanks, bro, if you need any help in the future, come find me," Madan patted Aditya''s shoulder. he turned around to leave.


    "Wait, why did you ask these questions about Kumari?" Aditya questioned when he saw that Madan was leaving.


    "Of course, so that I can make her my girlfriend," Madan answered with a smile, "Aditya, don''t you think that Kumari is lovely? It will be great to have her as my girlfriend."


    "Oh, are you sure? What do you know about her?"


    " Nothing much, but I am sure that she is a good, kind and a sensitive girl," Madan confidently answered.


    Aditya almost choked when he heard this appraisal. He looked at his classmate with a little pity in his eyes as he asked, "What do you have in mind?"


    Madan lightly punched Aditya as he laughed, "Hey bro, don''t worry. I will not eat her. Of course, we will do the usual stuff like roaming around malls, pubs, discos, parks etc. We will share a lot of romantic moments like those we see in the movies."


    Aditya''s pity increased as he looked at this hyped-up kid, caught in an illusion. He was now sure that this kid had no idea how relationships worked and was a complete novice. This fellow was sure to be gobbled by Kumari if she came to know that he was pursuing her.


    Aditya could not see a fellow classmate getting duped. So he said, "Madan since you called me your brother, I have an advice for you. Why don''t you think twice about proposing to Kumari? Maybe you should observe her for a few days before making the decision..."


    "No," Madan cut off Aditya as he said, "I know that you are jealous that Kumari did not choose you and, instead, will choose me? But you have to learn to let go. Take my advice as a professional gamer; move on. You see, don''t force it if there isn''t a flow, let it go. Don''t worry. I will look after her well."


    With those words, Madan did not wait for Aditya''s response and strutted back to his place, which was far away from Aditya''s. Aditya sighed when he heard Madan''s words. He said a silent prayer in his heart, hoping against hope, that Madan won''t be traumatised for life after Kumari finished with him.


    Aditya shook his head and went to his seat. Even if he took Madan''s age and inexperience into consideration, Aditya found that this fellow was too naive by all standards. He pushed these thoughts away from his head as he started typing a list of materials on his phone. Aditya needed these products for manufacturing the quantum computer. Faizal was responsible for the smuggling operations.


    Kranthi was frantically revising his mathematics notes. He was going through all the formulae and theorems. Fear was contaminative, and so Rahul also kept his head down as he went through his notes.


    Kumari came after some time and sat beside him. She did not talk to him and remained immersed. It did not come as a surprise when he saw her holding mathematics notes in her hand. Her lips were moving as if she was silently revising the syllabus. It came as quite a shock to Kumari when she saw that Maahi was their new mathematics teacher. The dread of her childhood memories resurfaced. Kumari didn''t want to experience those penalities again.


    The first period was English literature. The teacher was an older man, who was a few years from retirement. He had a head full of white hair, and his voice shook a little when he spoke. This teacher was what you would call a Grammar Nazi. He would give zero credits for the entire answer if he found a single grammatical mistake. Today''s lesson was ''The Invisible Man ( unabridged) by H.G.Wells''.


    Aditya had already read that book many times. He could narrate the story, word to word, with his eyes closed, at any time. The Invisible Man was a novel about how science can lead to trouble if it gets isolated and unrestricted by morality. Aditya was a fan of Herbert George Wells, who was aptly called ''The father of Science Fiction''. He was famous for his works in the science fiction genre like ''The Time Machine'' and ''The War of the Worlds''.


    Aditya saw that Kranthi and Kumari did not bother with the English class and continued reading mathematics. Taking the age, eyesight and attitude of the English teacher into consideration, it was safe to assume that he did not know a single student who sat in the last bench.


    Aditya saw Madan fervently gazing at Kumari, who was too busy to notice him and shook his head. He closed his eyes and went to the quantum realm as he could not see this disaster, waiting to happen. Aditya would rather chat with Tya about the plan for the evening. Today''s motion after Anupama''s birthday party was crucial for the ambush plan of the Eagle Islands.

 149 - The New Teacher

    Time passed, and the bell for the mathematics class rang. After the English teacher slowly left, all students burst into excited chattering as they were eager to see the new mathematics teacher, whose beauty was rumoured to be off the charts. The girls talked in groups and joked about the boys drooling about this teacher. Only Kranthi, Rahul and Kumari were busy revising their notes.


    These students were at the peak of their adolescence, and their blood was no different from a highly reactive fuel. A small spark was enough to get their blood boiling. Many students were floored when they had seen the new mathematics teacher, the previous day.


    Aditya could already foresee Maahi receiving tons of love letters from the students. Especially, nowadays, the popularity of teacher and student romance is at an all-time high in the category of romance fictions. The appearance of Maahi, thus, triggering a few fantasies was entirely in the ''normal'' range.


    Only a few people knew that Maahi and Aditya were related. But many had done their investigations and found that Maahi was a young billionaire, who was a self-made businesswoman. She was the CEO of a giant financial corporation and had reached that position in just five years. Let alone students; even their parents would be excited if they knew that such a prominent person would be taking lessons to their children.


    Maahi''s status deterred most of the boys but excited some boys even more. The blooming of ''true'' love between a ''princess'' and a ''pauper'' was another popular romance genre, after all. These boys fantasised about a love which crossed all barriers of age, the wealth and social status. The teenage mind was a beautiful thing. (Author: me being sarcastic).


    Those students who missed the opportunity to see the new teacher were even more excited. Others had highly exaggerated the rumours about her appearance. At least, that was what Aditya felt. Maybe it was Aditya, who could not genuinely gauge Maahi''s beauty, as he knew her since he was a child. Aditya was too familiar with her to have a new perspective on her appearance.


    As the students waited with bated breath, the click-clack sounds of solid heels on the tiled floor were heard. A woman in her early twenties gracefully entered the class with poise and confidence. The room became stark silent when they saw Maahi''s delicate figure and charming, oval face. Her eyes were deep, earthy brown - the colour of the earth after torrential rains.


    Maahi looked at the class, and her eyes glinted as she spotted Aditya. But she did not act as if she knew him, which was what Aditya would also prefer.


    "Hello, everyone. My name is Maahi Kapoor, and I will be teaching Mathematics for the eleventh and the twelfth grade. As there is a little over a month for the Pre University Exams to begin, I will be covering the last few chapters. I will also make sure that every one of you are well prepared for the coming exams, and achieve satisfactory results in my subject. I hope that you all would utilise this opportunity to improve your test results."


    "As we will only know each other for two months, let us skip the student introductions and get on with the class."


    Maahi reached for a chalk piece and started to write on the blackboard. Today''s topic was ''Linear Programming''. Kranthi and Kumari heaved sighs of relief when they saw that Maahi did not reveal any intention of asking questions.


    Aditya grinned when he saw their expressions, he was reminded of the past. Each time Maahi came, all his friends would be busy studying, while Aditya would chill and take pleasure at their misfortunes. Of course, afterwards, he would be targetted by the whole group with Kumari leading the troop, when Maahi was not present.


    When Maahi was writing on the blackboard, someone whistled from the back of the class. Aditya, Kranthi and Kumari shook their heads when they heard this whistle. That fellow, Vishal, had a deathwish.


    Maahi slowly turned around and asked, "who whistled?" The class remained silent as the one who did it was the class bully, Vishal. If they ratted him out, it was no different than painting a target on themselves. Even though getting into the good graces of the new teacher was something highly attractive, the risk was just not worth it. Also, ratting out classmates was usually looked down upon by everyone.


    Aditya, Kranthi or Kumari knew who did it but did not bother to tell Maahi. They knew that Maahi had multiple methods at her disposable to catch the culprit. Instead, they wanted to see what way she would use.


    Maahi cooly gazed at the class and started teaching, "Previously, you have learnt systems of linear equations and their applications in day to day problems. Now, we shall apply the systems of linear inequalities to solve some real-life problems like..." Maahi did not raise the question about the whistle again.


    Maahi had a way of enchanting the audience. She could take even the most boring subjects, and make them attractive. Maahi always understood people and knew how to get them to do things. Capturing the attention of these immature teens was just too easy for her when she dealt with investors and billionaire clients on day to day basis.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Maahi had a serene look on her face as she explained complex terms with fascinating anecdotes and metaphors, for the students'' understanding. From time to time, when some student performed well, a small smile would appear on her face, which lightened up the whole class. Many boys felt their hearts skip a beat when they saw that smile. Many students paid more attention and tried to outperform each other just to get a glimpse of that smile.


    Watching Maahi draw diagrams on the board or just plain writing as she held the chalk piece with her slender fingers, was a delight in and of itself. The way her fingers and her arm moved or the graceful handwriting or the accurate diagrams, along with her charismatic voice, formed an abyss which pulled everyone into it.


    Time passed too quickly for everyone, and they were baffled when Maahi stopped the class as they were only a few remaining minutes, before the lunch bell rang. Maahi gave a small smile as she dusted the chalk powder off her hands. She said, "Since there are a few minutes left, why don''t I tell you all a small horror story?"


    Aditya rolled his eyes when he heard Maahi''s words. He wondered when she would lose her interest in horror stories. All the students excitedly nodded when they heard that the new teacher would narrate a horror story. If the students had been charmed by Maahi''s appearance in the beginning, now they were bewitched by Maahi''s teaching skills.


    There was no comparison between Maahi and the previous teacher, Javed. The only time that Javed did anything close to amusing was when he turned out to be a terrorist and got killed by an arrow. Maahi started her narration in a calm, steady voice.


    - So a man was standing on the side of the road, hitchhiking in the middle of a rainstorm on a dark and moonless night. Time passed slowly, and no cars went by. It was raining so hard that he could hardly see his hand in front of his face. The man was growing impatient as it was getting very late. He was afraid of being stranded on the road for the whole night, in this horrible weather.


    Suddenly, the man saw the headlights of a car approaching over a nearby hill. The car was moving very slowly, approaching and appearing ghostlike in the rain. It slowly and silently crept toward him and stopped.


    Wanting a ride real bad, the guy jumped in the car and closed the door; only then did he realise that there was nobody behind the wheel, and no sound of the engine to be heard over the rain. The man''s heart shuddered when he saw this, but he was too scared to move.


    Again the car moved slowly forward, and the guy was terrified, too scared to think of jumping out and running. He had already confirmed that this was a ghost car. The guy saw that the car was approaching a sharp curve. He was too scared to jump out and started to pray for his life. The man was sure that the ghost car would go off the road and into the river, and he would surely drown!


    But just before the curve a shadowy figure appeared at the driver''s window and a ghostly hand reached in and turned the steering wheel, guiding the car safely around the bend. Then, just as silently, the hand disappeared through the window, and the hitchhiker was alone again.


    Paralysed with fear, the guy watched the hand reappear every time they reached a curve. Finally, the guy, scared to near death, gritted his teeth and jumped out of the car and ran into the town.


    Wet and in shock, he went into the nearest bar and told everybody about his supernatural experience. The man''s heart was beating violently, unable to calm down. A silence enveloped the room. Everybody got goosebumps when they realised the guy was telling the truth, about the strange car and the ghostly hand that guided it on its way.


    Maahi paused the narration as she looked at the students who were completed engrossed in the story. She moved the few strands of hair on her face behind the ear and continued. Even Aditya wanted to hear the ending.


    Maahi said, " At that moment, two men walked into the bar. They were dripping wet, and as they took off their rain gear, they looked around the room. Their eyes came to rest on the hitchhiker."


    "Look!" said one of the men, "There''s the idiot who jumped into our car when we were pushing it in the rain."


    The whole class burst into laughter when they heard the last words. Maahi also smiled as she looked at them, "I had laughed as much when my friend had narrated this story to me. He is a nice guy who had a small mole on his left ear, similar to the student who whistled at the beginning of the class."


    Almost every student swung their heads to look at the backside of the room. In the last bench, a tall boy was busy looking at his image in a geometry box with a glassy finish. Vishal was checking if he had a mole on his left ear. Unfortunately, Vishal couldn''t find it and raised his head with doubt only to realise that Maahi was looking at him with a smile that was not a smile. At that instant, the boy realised that he was caught. Vishal had a bad omen when he saw the new teacher''s gaze, as he gulped.


    Aditya laughed when he saw Vishal''s expression as he packed his books. The students also realised how they had become instruments in pointing at the culprit, in the end. Some boys looked at Maahi with dread while some looked at Maahi in the way a fan looks at his favourite celeb. The bell rang, breaking the tension in the class atmosphere.


    Maahi picked up her books and walked away. Before she exited, Maahi looked at Aditya who realised that she was cautioning him to not eat at the canteen. Aditya nodded as he took the lunch box that she had given him and accompanied Kranthi and others to the cafeteria. Bhadra had asked him to come as he had some big news to share.


    Anyway, Aditya had to give his wishes to Anupama on her birthday. If Aditya did not have to experience the dream world, he would have settled with a simple verbal greeting. All those years in the dreamworld of spending so much time together and sharing beautiful memories. Aditya could not ignore Anupama or things related to her anymore. He had also prepared a special gift for her.


    "Adi, let''s go shopping in the evening. I have to look good in Anupama''s birthday party. I want to try a sheath dress. What do you say?" Kumari asked as she caught up.


    "Sure," Aditya nodded as he also had to buy some party clothes.

 150 - Lunch

    Aditya had an aggrieved expression on his face as he ate his lunch. His lunch box had three layers. The first layer was a salad which consisted of green leafy vegetables like broccoli, lettuce, legumes and some lentils. Another layer was a little better and contained fruit salad consisting of strawberries, apricots and Jackfruit.


    The last layer was what kept Aditya going. It contained a spicy salmon dish along with a can of yoghurt, which made him gulp as he resisted digging into the bowl. The whole diet was aimed at giving him high amounts of natural sources of calcium, vitamin D and C. These food items were beneficial to heal fractured bones.


    Aditya knew that if he ate the salmon first, he wouldn''t be able to eat the salads, especially the broccoli. So, he began eating the vegetable salad first. But reality betrayed Aditya. Before he could finish the salad, the salmon was poached by Kumari.


    Aditya stared at the girl beside him who ate the dish with gusto while he chewed a piece of lettuce inside his mouth. The bitter flavour made it even more hard to look at Kumari, so he focused on his second layer. At least, he had the fruits.


    A warm, spring breeze enlivened Aditya''s mood as he ate. The canteen was undergoing an overall renovation, and the tables had been arranged in the garden for students to use. It was a refreshing experience to eat under the trees. Aditya would have enjoyed it if not for having his lunch taken.


    But the tragedy of his lunch had not yet ended. The fruits were grabbed by a white buffalo. Well, to be fair, Kranthi was much better than Kumari. He gave a vegetable sandwich, containing persimmon, cucumber and mint sauce, in exchange. Kumari, on the other hand, did not seem to have the thought of giving up her lunch. She had always been a glutton, yet managed to remain slender. Where was all the food going?


    Aditya was reminded of those days when Sameera would bring delicious food for him every day. He would drag her into the shade of the banyan tree, away from Kumari, and gossiped while eating lunch. Sameera was always gentle and had a comfortable aura around her. Aditya did not know if where she was at the moment.


    Just as Aditya was reminiscing about old times, Bhadra and others came and sat on the other side of the table. Aditya smiled at Anupama as he said, "Anu, wishing you a Happy Birthday and many more to come."


    Aditya had stopped addressing Anupama as Anu since the dreams had started. At that time, he knew that she was not interested in him. In the present dream world, Aditya and Anupama had become the best of friends. She had accompanied him for many years and helped him a lot. Because of that, Aditya did not notice anything different in calling Anupama as ''Anu'' at the moment. Anupama slightly raised her eyebrows when she heard Aditya as she smiled back.


    Kumari and others also gave their greetings to Anupama. Anupama was in her school uniform and did not wear a new dress. In school, students wear allowed to wear the clothes of their liking on their birthdays.


    Anupama was looking radiant and had a bright smile on her face as she came and sat beside Kumari. She thanked Aditya and others for their wishes, and she started conversing with Kumari. Ever since the terrorist incident where Kumari, Anupama had become very close to each other.


    Anupama had built a wall around her heart and mind, which made it hard for people to get close to her. A traumatic incident, where it was a matter of life and death, facilitated the quick transition from acquaintances to close friends. The fact that Aditya once had a crush on Anupama and that he had a small affair with Kumari, strangely helped matters.


    Aditya stuffed the last spoonful of salad as he looked at Jatin as he asked, " Jatin, working on anything exciting lately?"


    "Well, this is not the place to speak about the exciting things that I had been doing," Jatin grinned as he continued, "you should ask Bhadra, his elder sister''s getting married."


    "Oh! So that''s the news that you wanted to share with me?" Aditya asked Bhadra as he took a bite of Kranthi''s sandwich.


    Bhadra smiled as he nodded, "Yup, my elder sister found her better half. Just a few days ago, my mother was talking about employing a marriage broker. So, my elder sister opened up about her lover. It was quite a surprise to everyone. My parents were tensed when they came to know this matter. But it worked out well, in the end."


    "And your parents agreed to this marriage?" Aditya asked as dipped the sandwich in yoghurt. He had no idea how it was going to taste and wanted to find out.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The acceptance of love marriages varied a lot in India. Some families were cool with their children choosing their partner. And then some families preferred to select the partners to their children. It mostly depended on the families, themselves.


    Jatin scoffed as he said, "Well, the bridegroom''s family is as rich as Bhadra''s, if not more. I heard that the bridegroom, himself, owns a unicorn startup, and is quite good looking. However, you see, the bridegroom is the ideal candidate. As long as one possesses high social status, wealth, and is professionally competent, barriers like caste, religion, place of origin do not come into play anymore. Try loving a poor fellow, and we will see all kinds of obstacles popping up."


    "No, there are many families who accept their children''s choice even if the opposite person is poorly placed in society," Kranthi said in a righteous tone. Bhadra smiled at Kranthi, but one could tell that he did not agree with him. Kranthi was a novice when it came to the customs of the ''Haves''.


    Frankly, Aditya was no better. His parents'' marriage was a classic example of the way families reacted to a love marriage if they felt that the lover was not well-matched with their daughter or son. Aditya had no idea about how much the situation had changed since the last twenty years. Aditya knew that most of the wealthy class in the past were family-based businesses instead of successful individuals.


    India, like most other traditional, eastern societies was a collectivist society that emphasised family integrity, family loyalty, and family unity. The interests of everyone, in the family, were interlinked, and a change in the status quo would have far-reaching implications.


    So, the families had to be extra careful about who they were letting into their family. This new person would positively or negatively influence the business, leading to the rise or fall of the company. Thus, the whole family and the coming generations were going to be implicated because of this new person. A lot of things changed in the past two decades of prosperity, but the remnants of the past linger around.


    Aditya''s mother had spoken about this issue with him when he had revealed that he had a crush on Anupama. Aditya was just a stubborn teen at that time and so brushed off her words. His mother had smiled and said that if Anupama truly fell for him and their parents became an obstacle, Maahi will help. Aditya smiled as he ate the sandwich when he remembered his mother.


    Jatin turned towards Kranthi as he said, "Do you watch a lot of movies?"


    "Yes, why?"


    "As expected."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Kranthi, Jatin, leave it. Bhadra, has a date being fixed for the marriage?" Aditya asked as he grudgingly looked at Kumari sharing his salmon dish with Anupama.


    "Yup, it happens to be after our final exams next month. It is convenient for us as we will be free, at that time," Bhadra said with a smile.


    "After the exams?" Aditya slightly frowned as he had plans to visit Africa at that time. By that time, according to Tya, he would have activated the ''Gene Regulation'' ability, and he would have the capability to deal with the Organisation, at last.


    Aditya would not delay his plans for something as small as a friend''s elder sister''s marriage. He nodded at Bhadra while he started making up excuses for skipping this event, in his mind.


    "Adi, you might be thinking that this marriage will be over in half a day time. Bhadra''s brother-in-law wanted a full-fledged Indian marriage ceremony. A big fat Indian wedding. You will have to prepare yourself for spending at least a week with us. I am informing you so that you won''t find any excuses to skip this event. Bhadra will be busy with all the preparations and hosting. You will have to be with me if I have to survive through the marriage," Jatin added as he looked at Aditya.


    "The marriage ceremony will take a whole week?" Aditya faintly muttered when he heard Jatin. These filthy rich people sure have a lot of money to spend. Aditya conveniently forgot that, currently, he had tens of millions of USD at his disposal. He could be safely addressed as one of those filthy rich people.


    "Why do you have to look after the arrangements? Aren''t their professionals who do this kind of stuff?" Kranthi asked with curiosity. He was interested to know more about this wedding.


    "Well, there are such people, and we will indeed employ them. But I have to supervise them and act as a mediator between them and my family so that the arrangements keep up with my elder sister''s taste. You may not know, but my elder sister is very particular about the fine details. If I mess up her marriage, even a little, I am finished. That is the reason that I want you guys to help me in the preparations," Bhadra replied with a smile as he looked at Aditya.


    Aditya replied in the affirmative as he would help Bhadra, in the preparations, as much as he could. But beyond that, he could only apologise. As for the marriage itself, he might have to skip the whole thing. Kranthi conversed with Bhadra about the wedding while Aditya felt his stomach rumble. He was thinking about buying some food at the cafeteria.


    Just as Aditya was about to get up, he discovered Yu Yan timidly walking towards him. She handed a box to Aditya and explained, "Aditya, this is mutton stew. In China, we call it as ''y¨¢ng r¨°u p¨¤o m¨®''. It can help to heal your injuries faster. I had got it made for you..."


    Aditya did not wait to hear the explanation as he grabbed the box and opened it. He pulled a chair from the adjacent table and said, "Come, sit. Also, today is elder sister Anupama''s birthday, go greet her."


    Aditya dug into the hot, steaming stew before someone else can grab it from him. Instead of noodles, this stew used bits of unleavened bread, which soaked up the rich flavour. Combined with chilli sauce and pickled garlic on the side, the taste was delicious.


    Aditya was going to skip the afternoon classes as he had to meet up with Thomas and others. A few materials had to be given last-minute touch-ups. As he had to accompany Kumari for shopping in the evening, it was better to take care of these small things.

 151 - Kumaris Intentions

    "Hello uncle, I am Aditya... Kumari''s friend, remember?"


    " Yes, uncle, that''s me. I had recently transferred back to this school. No, uncle. Kumari and I are just friends. There is nothing between us. The tenth-grade incident was a one-time thing."


    "Kumari had recently become friends with a girl named Anupama. I am sure you also know."


    "Oh? You don''t know? cough..."


    "Yes, uncle. She is Anupama, the present Chief Minister''s daughter. Anupama was my classmate in the school, I previously studied. She had invited all of us to her birthday party."


    "Yes, uncle, Kranthi and I are also attending this party. Also, I have friends who are currently Anupama''s classmates. There will be no problem, uncle."


    "I will look after Kumari, uncle. Don''t worry. I will make sure that Kumari will call you every hour. I will make sure to drop Kumari at home before it is late."


    "Security issues? Uncle, the Chief Minister, will be present. How can there be any security issues?"


    "Cough... I know that the previous Chief Minister was murdered, but it''s not like it is going to repeat every time."


    "Should I talk with aunty? Sure, uncle. Hello, aunt Lalitha, How are you doing? No, nothing is going on between Kumari and me..."


    Aditya had cold sweat running from his forehead by the time he had finished convincing Kumari''s parents. He looked at the excited girl who was getting her final makeup touches in the studio. Anupama recommended this place.


    After school, Aditya had come back to pick up Kumari. They had gone to Taarini''s mall. Even though the government wanted Taarini, these properties were legally not under the name of Taarini. Also, the sources of these properties were linked with many prominent banks. The government couldn''t seize these properties without a strong reason. So, Taarini''s wealth or businesses had not been affected, except for the ''Iconic Building Project'' cancellation.


    Maahi did not expect Taarini to cover the losses that her company incurred because of investing in this project. But, Taarini had handed over the amount to Maahi''s company in the form of shares of immovable properties.


    Taarini did not like being indebted to others, and Maahi appreciated it. The Galaxy Mall was worth more than a hundred and fifty million USD, so Taarini had allotted a part of the shares to Maahi''s financial company to make up for the losses.


    Kumari had bought a candy apple red sheath dress with off-shoulder styling, short sleeves and a straight hem. She had opted for a wavy hairstyle for her shoulder-length, which made her look soft and fluttery. Kumari also bought a pair of beige-coloured ballerinas with a textured canvas. When Aditya saw her elegantly walk towards him, he doubted if this was the same little devil whom he knew as his classmate.


    Aditya, on the other hand, wore a burgundy solid, casual blazer with a crisp white shirt inside. He matched them with a pair of slim black trousers and white loafers. It was pretty simple. Aditya''s thin physique prompted him to wear many layers of clothes. If it was Ishaan, a simple white shirt (exact fit) was enough to get the girls drooling. Sadly, that was not him.


    Aditya was sure, given his injured condition, he was not going to get any second looks in the party. So, he did not stress on his appearance and dressed casually. Aditya looked modest and straightforward with a harmless smile and spotless face.


    "Did my parents agree?" Kumari asked as she walked out of the studio, with a bright smile. She was quite satisfied with her modern look. The studio did not even charge Kumari as she was Anupama''s recommendation.


    "Yes, but the process sucked half my lifespan. Kumkum, I have a doubt. What would you do if your parents did not give their permission? Were you so confident that they would agree that you bought the dress and even got the makeup done?" Aditya asked as he got into the elevator with Kumari.


    "Pfft," Kumari laughed as he patted Aditya''s shoulders. "If they had not agreed, I would have said that you had forcefully carried me away and that I am helpless. As I am a cute, innocent girl, of course, they would believe me, and you would be in trouble. So, getting their permission was not for my good but your''s."


    Aditya rolled his eyes when he heard these words. This girl was asking for it. Aditya retorted, " How can I ''forcefully'' drag you in my present condition?"


    "Well, aren''t you related to some underworld gang? I would say that you got a couple of lackeys to do the job," Kumari shrugged as she got into the rear of the car, which was a black jeep. A tall, muscular youth was in the driver seat.


    Faizal jerked when he heard these words. He was ordered to work as a chauffeur for today''s trip as Aditya was injured. Kumari smiled at Faizal as she said, "Elder brother, are you also a lackey of Aditya?"


    "Enough with the nonsensical talk. Who told you that I am connected to a gang?" Aditya knocked Kumari''s head as he also got into the car.


    "Argh! White Buffalo," Kumari grudgingly replied as she took out a small mirror and checked if Aditya spoiled her hairdo.


    "Also, why do you want to come to this party, anyway? Don''t you think that you will be the odd one out? You don''t know anyone but me, Anupama and a few others. Anupama would not have the time to accompany you. You can only stick to me."You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    " Also, these kinds of gatherings are more about establishing new contacts among the cream layer of society. The people, the culture and the gossip, will be completely different. This decision is nothing but keeping yourself in a difficult situation."


    " I am sure Anupama would understand if you didn''t come. You may look like you care about these branded clothes and the rich life, but I know that this isn''t the case. Look at Kranthi, he knew this and did not come even if Anupama invited him. I had even lied to your father that Kranthi was also attending to reduce his fears." Aditya earnestly said as he looked at her. Faisal had started the vehicle, and they were on their way to the venue. Aditya had to make some things clear for Kumari.


    "Hmph! Why do I have to tell you the reason? Also, don''t worry about babysitting me. I won''t be a burden to you," Kumari snorted as she turned her head away to look at the flow of traffic. It was late evening, and the flow of vehicles was a little bearable.


    Kumari felt complicated in her heart when she heard these words. She knew that every word of Aditya was correct. She did not like to go to the party even if Anupama was her new friend. Anupama may have a lack of real friends and value her relation with Kumari a lot, but it was not the same for Kumari. Kumari had tons of friends similar to Anupama.


    Moreover, it''s not like Anupama was the same as Sameera or Aditya that she would prioritise their requests above her comfort. She was just an ordinary friend in her mind. The main reason that Kumari wanted to come to this party was that she wanted to spend this time with Aditya.


    Kumari knew that her feelings towards Aditya had transformed into something more. After the demise of Sameera, Kumari had gone into depression for a few months. Her mind had become vulnerable and chaotic. Even though she had friends, they couldn''t help her much as they did not match her relation with Sameera.


    At that time, Aditya was studying in a different school. Kumari had wanted to go to him many times but had restrained herself so that she could spare him the pain of Sameera''s death.


    After some months, Kumari came to know that Aditya had some accident, and left that school. She was also informed that he was staying in Kranthi''s garage. Kumari tried but could not restrain herself anymore and so met him and revealed Sameera''s death news.


    As Kumari had hoped and expected, Aditya had accompanied her for a whole month on almost every day. He would take her to all kinds of places, markets, bazaars, flower displays, movies, restaurants and shopping. Aditya had pulled her out of her shell and opened her mind once more. He would always bear her stubborn mentality and harsh words. Aditya occupied the same place as Sameera in her hearts, and so his care reached her inner being.


    Unknowingly, Kumari had started thinking about Aditya. What was he doing? What happened to his parents? Is he alright? How much was he suffering beneath that smiling face? The more she thought, the more she became concerned about him. Even though she did not look worried when she saw Hamsa acting close with Aditya, she felt as if ants were biting her heart.


    Kumari knew that Aditya had changed a lot in the time that he was away. He became more calm and mature. While, she seemed to have stuck at being an immature girl, who was always making things hard for others. Kumari feared that if she revealed her true feelings, Aditya might leave her, thus causing her to drown in the darkness from which he had pulled her out.


    Kumari knew that both of them were in their teens, and they had a lot of time before selecting their life partners and getting married. She hoped that Aditya would become hers, in the end.


    So, Kumari did not lose her hope and decided to stick with him. She wanted to know more about Aditya and his life. Going to Anupama''s birthday was Kumari''s way of achieving this task. Kumari had realised that Aditya had these rich friends, who had a different lifestyle. She had heard Bhadra, Jatin and others talk about some foreign destinations, exotic hobbies like collecting expensive watches, participating in charity auctions and whatnot. Frankly, these discussions were unfamiliar to her.


    Aditya did not seem to have any difficulty in making conversation with them. He would, instead, lead them in these discussions. This fact made Kumari realise that there was a side of Aditya that she was unaware, and this increased her curiosity. It was like his figure was enshrouded in some illusory mist that Kumari had to pierce through to know.


    So, Kumari thought that by going to Anupama''s birthday party, she would somehow mingle in that circle, and become closer to Aditya. She knew that this was an idea, which was full of loopholes, but she wanted to try. Kumari knew that even if Aditya lived the simple life, he had a billionaire sister behind him, who would get him whatever he wanted. She also knew that Aditya''s mother had an affluent background.


    Kumari, on the other hand, was from a standard middle-class family with no exciting backstories. So, she could only force herself to stick to Aditya by acting stubborn, rude and insensitive, so that he would focus on her.


    Aditya shook his head when he looked at Kumari, who refused to talk with him. She had this stubborn expression with pouted lips, like how a small girl acts if she was denied a lollipop.


    After a half-hour, the jeep entered the ''Brigade Enclave''. It was a forty-acre campus, which consisted of a trade centre, a mall, hospital, a five-star hotel, an international school, a club, a human-made lake and a luxury residential complex. This enclave was cut off from the city and was built adhering to international standards.


    The trade centre was a 328ft, 32 levelled building which boasted itself as one of the tallest building in Bangalore. It offered commercial space for use. Maahi had mentioned before that she had bought a whole level for her company''s purpose. Aditya did not know if Maahi was coming for this party.


    The enclave was exquisite, consisting of aerial walkways, landscaped gardens, lakeside cafeterias with stunning water views. Many people, could be seen walking on the sideway, on this warm and pleasant evening. There were some foreign expats as well. Kumari had never visited this part of the city, and her face was full of unconcealed awe as she gazed at these structures.


    Faisal drove the car into the adjacent nine-level parking area. Bhadra and others were waiting for them here. Everyone had dressed accordingly, and their eyes lit up when they saw Kumari climb out of the car. Jatin even whistled. Kumari was looking gorgeous, and their opinion was the same as Aditya''s.


    Kavya wore a black and white polka-dotted midi, which came with an uneven hemline that instantly made it more visually appealing. She came and held Kumari''s arm as she walked with her while introducing some things. Everyone here understood that Kumari was novel to this kind of place, and so they acted accordingly.


    If these people were those who valued the economic capital of a person over their moral worth, Aditya would not have befriended them in the first place. Kumari, who was a little restrained, in the beginning, slowly started opening up thanks to Jatin''s jokes or Kavya''s gossip. Aditya was a bit relieved when he saw her. He and Bhadra walked in the rear end of this group, as they talked about their old friends who would be coming to this party.