Operation Rooppur - I

25th February 2031
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport
10:36
Naser was leaning to his black Mercedes-Benz, looking at people entering and leaving the terminal. He wouldn't be here on a Saturday morning but he couldn't stop himself after hearing his best friend Sohel was coming back from BMA today. His mind started wandering through the memory lane. Their school days, when the 5 of them would stay together, have fun, and just live their everyday life like there's no tomorrow. Ovi running after girls, Tahmid climbing other people's trees to steal fruits, and his and Sohel's failed attempt to stop them.
"Naser...Naser...NASER.....MR. NASER SIDDIQUE"
Naser came back to the present time hearing someone screaming his full name. He glared at the person screaming his name and asked, "Who are you, Mr? How do you know my name?"
"Why wouldn't I know my best friend's name?", The man replied.
Naser looked at the man again, this time giving a close look: 6′2″, handsome, slim but muscular body and a head full of black back-brushed hair. The man was looking at him and smiling.
"Sohel?" Naser asked reluctantly.
"Of course. Lt. Sohel Chowdhury at your service."
Naser smiled profoundly but still couldn't accept that this guy was Sohel. Yes, his face resembles Sohel's, but nothing else matches. Where's that 5'9", a little bit on the healthy side, Sohel? Naser brushed his thoughts off and said,'' Come on, get in. And put that stupid duffle bag in the boot." while getting on the driving seat. Sohel put his bag in the boot and entered the car beside Naser.
"So, how's everyone else?" asked Sohel.
Naser replied while exiting the airport, "I'm now one of the researchers in nuclear power. Tahmid's running a travel agency. Ovi works at Bangladesh Bank, and lastly, Mitaly returned from training last year and is now working at CMH while waiting to be enlisted. But you tell me where were you all this time. You were supposed to return last year, but you didn't. You didn't even contact us once in these 4 years. We tried to contact you via BAHQ, but they wouldn't tell us anything about you. And last night you suddenly called and said you were in Tokyo and would return today. What the hell were you doing in Tokyo?"
Sohel smiles a little and says, "That information is classified as my friend, but I'm back now, aren't I?"
"But still....We were so worried, you know. When Mitali found out you didn't come back, she was really worried. She almost cried when no one would tell us where you were."
Naser looked at Sohel and his face became serious. So he decided to stop for now. The car ran through the elevated motorway towards Gulshan.

25th February 2031
Gulshan - 2
11:42
The car stops in front of the building. Naser looks at Sohel and says, "go inside and wait in front of the lift. I'll put the car in the garage and meet you there in a minute."
Sohel gets out of the car and proceeds to go towards the boot to take his bag but Naser urges to leave it saying he'll send someone to get it. So he enters the building and goes towards the elevator. He wonders just how rich has become his friend. Naser comes and stands beside him
"Let's go."
They enter the elevator and the elevator starts going up. They stop at the 14th floor. They get out and stop in front of a big door. Naser says,"Come on. Go in."
Sohel opens the door and just as he entered the house, a girl around 23-24 came up to him and slapped him. He was shocked for a second. But before he could understand the situation the same girl hugged him out of nowhere. Now he was actually confused. As he looked in front of him he saw Tahmid and Ovi smiling. He understood what's going on and freed himself from the girl's bond. He looked at the girl and said, "You know that slap hurt, Mitali."
"You deserved it."
Sohel looks at Naser and says, "Why didn't you tell me they were here?"
Naser shrugs and says, "it was a surprise."
"And Mitali, why the fuck did you hit me that hard. A little harder and my teeth would fall out."
"You deserved it for not contacting us at all and making us worried."
Sohel's face hardens again as his actions seem to have hurt his friends. Naser notices this and sends Sohel upstairs to freshen up.Sohel goes up and sees a big hallway with doors on each side of the way. He couldn't help himself from thinking, "How much does he earn?"
"Your room is the second door to the left." Yells Naser from downstairs.
He enters the room and sees his bag in front of a closet. He wonders again who bought that bag up and when? But he stops thinking about it and loses his clothes. He brings out a towel and a pair of free clothes and enters the shower. After spending almost half an hour, showering he comes out. As he goes downstairs after dressing up he sees everyone sitting in the living area talking and laughing. He thinks about how their friendship hasn't changed a bit even after staying these much time apart. Tahmid notices Sohel standing on the stairs looking at them and says, "you if you do that type of things I just might think you're a creepy stalker"
Sohel smiles and joins them. After reminiscing about their old days a bit Ovi proposed an idea.
"You know we've reunited again after all these years so why don't we all go on a little trip?"
They all think it would be a good idea and start talking about where to go. As they were talking Sohel gets a call. He takes out his phone and gets serious seeing the caller. He says to his friends,
"I got to take this. You guys keep thinking."
Sohel gets up and goes upstairs. After around 10 minutes he comes down and proposes, "Why don't we go to Pabna. We could visit the Nuclear Power Plant along with the beauty of our countryside."
Naser jokes, "Or we could send Ovi to the mental hospital there to fix his running after girls problem"
They all laugh at Naser's Joke. Naser again says, "of course. Let's go. I had to go there in a few days anyway for a field inspection."
Sohel and Naser looks at others for answers. Tahmid says,"Let's go. I'm all for beauty."
Ovi jokingly says, "Let's go. I might finally get a girlfriend there."
Mitaly says, "Everyone agrees, so why not?"
Tahmid puts one hand up in the air and screams, "Let's get ready for Operation Ruppoor."
They all laugh but only Sohel's laugh was fake. He thinks If his friend knew what's going on, forget laughing. They wouldn't even agree to go there.