Chapter 22: Unexpected Visit (1) - Ghostly Arrival
[ A.N - I hope you liked the teaser chapter. Forgive me for teasing you like that ;p but the story will continue from where we left off in volume 1. Here's hoping for a rewarding reading experience when you finally get to the meat of the story. ]
[ If you do dislike foreshadowing do let me know, would love your feedback! ]
*****
{ 31st Dec | Home | Zone Y }
{ Four Days Since Evolution }
Vikram had been slouching at home getting served by Maya and browsing the Forums for different information that was relevant to his future.
He was making sure that he was not caught in a similar scheme like in the Dandi Forest. Retrospection was an integral quality of a successful general.
*Ding Dong*
Maya ran up to the door at the first hint of activity. Having lived like a trapped mouse for the past week, she was feeling suffocated and just wanted to get out.
Ever since moving into the new house, all she had done was practise the "Prana Breathing Technique" that Vikram had gifted her.
Vikram didn't mind Maya's proactiveness either, in fact, he encouraged it.
'If I'm going to raise you, you better make some effort to earn your keep', was what he thought. Even if had decided against throwing her out of the house as he had originally planned, he couldn't have a freeloader living in his house. He was quick on calculations that way.
If not for his obsessive desire for repaying revenge and gratitude, Vikram would have even already thrown her out.
Vikram's only bottom line in life was his self-interest. As long as Maya didn't make a large dent in his resources and didn't endanger his life in any way, Vikram had no qualms about keeping her alive for the time being. Money was only a matter of time for a licensed Shika after all.
Moreover, Vikram's hands were tied because of Avi. Even if Avi's instincts were gone from his body after the purification ritual of the Evolution, he wasn't free of Avi's identity as he still carried his face, life, and the watch.
Faking an Identity in Diaspora was not an easy task even with a mountain of wealth, let alone for someone who was practically bankrupt at the moment. Not to mention, Dais-watch was too precious of a resource for Vikram to make him discard Avi's identity.
Not only did Vikram require a stable identity to enrol in the College, but Avi's past actions were also shrouded in a lot of mystery that he had yet to fully understand. Vikram doubted that it wasn't just a coincidence that Kane from the Kumbha family decided to possess Avi of all people.
'According to the Association's Manager, Root Domain will unlock some time in February. I just hope that he will reserve a seat for me after their initial investigation like he promised, if not?', Vikram's gaze turned cold for a second.
Vikram required Avi's identity to enter the Root Domain as Association's candidate, but he was also worried about Kane's last statement before his untimely death at Vikram's hand.
"Haa-! You can torture me all you want but you'll still get nothing about my Mission!! You are a dead one already anyway. You don't know the wrath of the Zodiacs! Hahahaha"
'Just what the hell did you do before your death-?'
Vikram could access many of Avi's memories, but not all of them. Especially the part before Vikram came to possess was a blank page.
**
"Yes. Dovici Residence"
Maya coughed the gate open and a stout long-legged woman was standing at the door.
"... Miss, how can I help you?"
Despite the coughs and her dry voice, she showed the proper decorum of a lady from a respected house.
"Ooh! You must be that brat's sister. At least, you have good manners"
Judy spoke in a prickling tone, scanning the barely 5 ft. girl from top to bottom as she did that. Quickly getting disinterested in her due to her weak body.
"... Hi, My name is Judy and I'm from Shika Association. I'm here for Avi Dovici."
Maya's nostrils flared and her eyes went wide as she stared at Judy. She couldn't believe that the association still dared to show their face.
*huff huff*
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT WITH MY BROTHER!"
With an increased heart rate and her trembling hands, Maya's directed blood lust startled the unsuspecting Judy.
Maya wasn't just angry though, if she had the prowess, she would have made Judy kneel on the ground and rode on her till the Association's building and burn the whole damn thing down.
She felt unexplainable wrath at Association because of how Vikram was treated.
She had watched Vikram struggle to breathe, writhing from pain, shedding hardened skin like he was some reptile; all because the association had forced his genes into a state of extreme volatility due to their test.
On top of that, Vikram had lost an arm and his body would never be the same as before. Even if there existed technology to regrow severed limbs, how were two orphans supposed to earn that kind of money?
'I can't let this woman near bhaiya!', she thought as her anger rose through the roof.
"What!", Judy was flabbergasted.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Just then, a peal of rowdy laughter was heard from the living room that was 10s feet away from the main door.
Vikram had burst out laughing at the bewildered face; Judy didn't know how to handle the 12-year-old girl in front of her.
"It's fine. Let her in"
Maya's anger suddenly disappeared as she heard Vikram's laughter, however, she didn't back down and didn't let the association's dog step a single foot inside.
"Bhaiya-!!", she exclaimed, imploring her brother to think twice about it.
"Go train in your room or something. I've business with her"
This time Vikram wasn't laughing. He didn't like repeating his words and Maya felt the seriousness in his tone.
She protested with a childish expression and puffed up her chest, but let Judy in regardless.
There was no way she could disregard her brother's request. Avi's voice was like commandments to Maya.
Judy, who was shocked before, was again thunderstruck by the sudden change of atmosphere. Maya's deathly stare had, in an instant, changed to a childish pout.
'Is she a psychopath too? both siblings are dangerous'
'... having heart-wrenching bloodlust at such young age. I'm an Earth-level Shika for god's sake!!!', she thought disappointed at her own self for being taken aback by a mere 12-year-old unawakened girl.
*****
"So Ms. Judy, what happened to my request?"
Vikram asked with a cunning smile.
'Request my a*s', she smiled back without replying.
"... or does the Association really trust their PR team?"
"Stop-!!", she raised her hand to put a stop to all the pretending, "... don't remind me of the PR nightmare. I'm already at the end of my wit thinking about how you found out about us in the first place?"
Judy took a seat opposite Vikram on the navy blue sofa and took out a folder from her bag.
"Hmm...", Vikram pretended to think as he put down the coffee mug, "... considering association's loss in Zone D, you aren't far off with your assessment about what a sh*t-storm it would be for your PR team. Hehehe!"
Judy's hand froze and she glanced fearfully at the 17-year-old boy sitting in front of him.
'He is too dangerous to be left alive. Why did you have to choose him of all the people Boss-?? Just Why-??', she asked.
Vikram knew how to rattle his enemies mentally more than anything else. His philosophy in the war was that the battle of wits and words was as important as the battle of fists and swords. (that rhymed! ;p)
'Those who control the narrative, write the history.'
He remembered how information warfare had allowed him to divide the 12 pagan tribes and take them off one by one over the course of just two years.
"Anyway, your 'requests' were approved and everything is mentioned in that document."
She threw a folder onto the table as she picked up the self-heating coffee jar and poured herself a cup without taking the host's permission.
"... and although you are smart for your age, I'll still warn you. If you backstab the association you'll have nowhere to run on the whole Blue Planet, so choose carefully-!"
Vikram simply nodded to Judy's childish threat and picked the folder up.
'I know at least 3 different locations where your Association can't reach me in this continent alone, not to mention the whole Planet'
*****
{ 10 Minutes Later }
[ ... REDACTED -
[ ... Project VAANI
[ ...
[ ... REDACTED
[ ...
[ ... *black lotus stamp*
Vikram's hands trembled slightly and his throat was dry as he reached the end of the Document.
'Lotus is involved with Root's Investigation-????'
'... this was not mentioned in the novel at all. Why is Lotus here?'
'... this is bigger than I thought. Does she know about the Lotus?'
He sneaked a glance at Judy who was sipping on the coffee aloof and discarded his thoughts.
Judy was also monitoring Vikram's expression before, but she didn't make it as obvious as Vikram that she was checking him out.
'What does he know for him to make such grave expressions?'
Lotus, aka Panchadasha Padma or 15 Petal Lotus was the collective secret society that oversaw every grain that moved on the continent. The authority of Lotus was only second to the Akashvani - the god of the blue planet, and that meant something.
The 15 person council was made up of 12 Zodiacs, Union Bank, Shika Association, and a secret powerhouse that no one knew who he was. Even the influential people outside the Lotus only knew about the 14 members.
'Dammit! If Lotus is involved, it is not a matter of 'should'. I must be in the first team entering the Root. I can't let them ruin my plans'
"Ms. Judy"
Vikram threw the document back on the table and looked at Judy with serious eyes.
With his fingers against each other in an open Namaste and eyes like an astute businessman, he was nothing like a 17-year-old orphan Resident that had awakened only a week ago.
"Yes-!?", reflexively, she asked in a formal tone.
"I would like to change the contents of our agreement!"
"What-!?"
"That is not possible. You already know that the Boss is being generous here. I'm warning you, do not take our kindness as cowardice-!!"
She was firm and angered, speaking with a resolute tone that signalled that they were already at the bottom line in this negotiations and won't go further.
"You should listen to me first", Vikram said calmly, which Judy took as a sign of him blackmailing her further.
The cosy living room with the sun directly pointing at the centre suddenly felt like it was covered in a thunderstorm as the tremors passed with Judy as the centre and waved the furniture away from her.
She let out a stream of gene power equivalent to a Spirit-level Shika and it put Vikram in a tight spot. His heart started to beat faster and his hairs turned like sticks because of the goosebumps he was having.
As if the thermostat had stopped working, the room temperature suddenly rose by 10s degrees.
Judy's hair furled up in a rage, its colour changing from the light brown to the red rose as if she was a Fire God Incarnate.
* phiss *
However, a second right after, the temperature of the house suddenly dropped and her hair fell down as if nothing had changed.
"WHAT-!! WHAT HAPPENED-?"
A bewildered Judy suddenly went on an extreme high alert due to her powers being turned ineffective by the mere words of a rookie Resident.
"What did you do?", she groaned.
She tried to jump at Vikram who she believed was trying to silence her, but was again surprised when her body didn't move at all.
She felt stuck in an invisible cage, unable to move even a single inch from her place.
"What-! What is this power? Who are you?"
Judy glared at Vikram with bloodshot eyes.
If not for her restraint she would have probably beheaded Vikram in one swoop of her arm. Her heartbeat had started to race like a rocket with rage.
'What happened?'
'... huh-? she can't move?'
Vikram who saw all of it had reacted a little late but he too was baffled by the sudden change of mood from cosy to hot to cold in a matter of seconds.
His body unanticipatedly started to shiver and he felt cold along the line of his spine.
Just when he was starting to analyze what was going on, he heard a chill voice.
~This is my house! How dare you tarnish my home with your filthy powers~
Vikram was shocked to see a woman in a white dress appear out of the wall and scream at Judy.
She was the second most beautiful woman he had seen in his life after his step-sister.
Her pale yet glowing skin was mesmerizing even for him who had had countless partners in his life and enjoyed a life of wastrel when not at war.
~Huh!?~
Jane, the ghost's eyes landed on Vikram next.
Shocked to see Vikram staring in her direction as if he could see her, she was distracted for a second and her suppression of Judy wore off instantly.
"huh-? I can move again-?!!"
Judy was not sure what had happened, but she didn't dare to take immediate action.
Being unable to use her powers or even move an inch from her place, more than shame, was proof of how she was only an ant right now.
"I'm sorry, I was taken over by my emotions", she said apologetically with an embarrassed face, "... I'll listen to what you have to say first"
"I... It... It's okay!"
'Can't she see the women in the white dress? Why is she not bothered by her presence?', he thought internally instead.
Vikram looked at Jane next, making Judy also look in the same direction.
'Is someone there-?'
She thought of Vikram's weird behaviour.
*gasp*
'... wait, is someone powerful enough to suppress me standing behind me and hiding their presence?'
she was puzzled.
Having realized that there could be someone protecting Vikram and listening to their conversation, she became more cautious of her actions.
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katha_vachak
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