Seven Years Later

YEAR 2017

NEO BANGALORE

AVALON IMPERIAL ACADEMY

Seven years have passed since India was stripped of everything. Even its name. And now it had become a slave of the Avalonian Empire. Its new name is Colony 25.

"Do you ever study!!!!" Prishu screamed at top of her lungs causing the easy-going Kabir to stand up from his seat running fast towards the Teacher's table and hiding behind it.

"What the hell Prishu! I got an awesome forty in maths today" he replied somewhat risking his life.

"Yes but you didn't complete the homework or the project and you were listening to music in class"

"How did you know about the last one?! You are a psychic or what?" Kabir replied totally taken off guard.

He couldn't believe that she saw him doing it, he had double-checked the surrounding when he had put on his headphones and yet she had seen through his masquerade.

"Shut up and get over here. I need you to complete your project"

"Not doing it!"

"For the sake of God. If you don't come here in three minutes I will make sure that you are not sent home until you complete all your work and also give every test you have scored less than thirty"

"Demon!! You are a demon!!" Kabir screamed in terror or acted at least. At the same time, Cosmo entered the classroom carrying a book in her arms and her eyes scanning the class trying to find a particular person.

"Cosmo nice timing. Please save me from this demon!" Kabir shouted overjoyed.

"I am not a Demon!"

"Will the two of you shut up!! I am trying to sleep over here!" Avinash screamed from the last bench. He had been trying to get a wink of sleep for the last ten minutes but thanks to the usual theatrics of Kabir and Prishu, he couldn't.

"And dude just accept it. You listened to music while in class she knows it I know it everyone knows it but we don't care but she's trying to help so accept it!!"

"Cosmo you needed something?" Kabir asked Cosmo totally ignoring the fact that he had just been given a life learning speech.

"Yes. I was trying to find Sidharth. Have you seen him? I have been trying to call him ever since the morning and since we all are in different class I couldn't catch hold of him."

"Sidharth huh… he was there for the first class but he disappeared after that." Prishu replied.

"And talking about that guy… Wait!" She quickly took the teacher's register and went through the data.

"I knew it. Him again!!"

"What happened? What did he do?"

"He is bunking his classes again!" Prishu replied with rage. She couldn't believe him. Even though he promised not to skip classes just yesterday he still made a run for it.

"You didn't know?" Kabir asked as politely as he could. "He is in the Northern zone of the city."

"Huh! I am so gonna kill him when he comes back!!!"

Around The Same time

30 KM away

Northern Zone (Neo Bangalore)

"Achoo!" Sidharth Zou had the loudest sneeze of his life along with a striking cold running down his spine.

"Why am I feeling so cold in this hot summer?" He asked to no one.

The city of Bangalore was not what it used to be. Seven years ago it was also one of the cities which had taken heavy damage but due to its strategic positioning as well as development potential, Avalon decided to build the city anew.

The new city Neo Bangalore was built upon the ruins of the old. One can say the new city was built upon a graveyard. However, within seven years the city had surpassed what it used to be all those years ago. The economy has shot sky high as well as the development of the technology has been skyrocketing ever since the Avalon took hold of the country.

And now it was referred to as the New Silicon Valley of the world. Some of the world largest manufacturer and tech corporation had built up their headquarters in this huge metropolitan city.

It was now a concrete jungle filled with high rising skyscrapers, big shining billboards and some of the biggest companies in the world.

And the Northern zone was the hub of big names.

The sun was hiding behind the dark clouds which had enveloped the ever-changing blue skies of the city. However, there was a gust of cool wind blowing through the congested roads and alleys of the city making it less hot then it was supposed to be.

Sidharth was having a really bad day.

First, he had to change five Metros to reach the Central Square and just when he was about to board a taxi, the stupid Imperial Police had to seal off all the roadway leading to the Northern zone.

'Great just great!!'

He had no choice other than to make the 20km uphill walk all the way from the Central Square metro station till the biggest building of Neo Bangalore.

The Odysseus Tower.

The road leading up to the tower was filled with police barricades at every two KM and were making a thorough check of everyone who wanted to pass.

Those who weren't carrying the Avalon Colony 25 ID were sent back to the Central Square. Luckily for Sidharth, he had his student ID as well as the invitation letter from the CEO of Odysseus Neha Agarwal which also gave him a VIP treatment from the security forces.

"Sidharth Zou. Welcome to the Northern Zone of Neo Bangalore. May I kindly know the reason for your visit?" The security guard asked politely.

Sidharth couldn't see his face as the forces now wore a special armour which covered their faces with a blue-black helmet making it impossible for anyone to know who's on the inside.

This armour is called the Achilles V1 and was developed by Odyssey right after the war ended. It was a special order placed by the Demon King himself as he didn't want his lovely police force to be in any kind of mortal danger by the angry mobs.

The armour was designed in a way that it could withstand around 200 round of bullets and five missile strike making it the strongest armour in the world. It covered all the parts of the body except their eye, making it the only vulnerable part of the entire armour.

"I am here for the Unveiling ceremony of Nemesis Delta held at the Odysseus Tower.." he then searched his bag and took out the invitation card signed by the CEO herself. " And here's the proof."

The official looked at the official Avalon emblem and he then escorted him personally to the Odysseus Tower.

It wasn't every day that an officer from the Imperial Police escorted a student?

'Just what kind of ceremony is this?'

"I was surprised to see an Ex Indian student to be here?" The officer tried to initiate a small conversation. His voice carried the typical Indian accent making it easier for Sidharth to talk with him. Nevertheless, he won't make a mistake as of to lower his guard in front of a pet dog of the Demon King.

"Actually I just happen to know the CEO and she knew about my love for new techs so she just sent me a letter inviting me here"

He replied confidently without any uncertainty in his voice.

"It's good to see that young students are taking interest in these except for just staying inside their houses." The officer replied while laughing a bit.

"Thanks!" He replied with a fake smile plastered on his face.

"Do you know what kind of tech they are launching today?"

"It's some kind of nano gear or so I have heard"

Sidharth didn't want to disclose that he was here for watching military weaponry getting deployed so he lied again, his poker face unwavering.

"Is that so?" He asked cautiously as if trying to assess the boy walking behind him. " But I have heard that they are going to deploy a brand new weapon for the Imperial army?"

He wasn't expecting that. Sidharth wasn't expecting a any named officer to know such information. Because he and the CEO were the only people who knew about the deployment of the weapon. They had even published the fake news on the paper about the nanotech launch so that they can keep the rebels clear from storming the place.

He walked cautiously with his mind trying to figure out what to say next.

'Who is this guy? If he knows about the deployment he is definitely with the rebels or is he not? Could he be the personal guard of Neha or maybe someone who works directly under the King... Ugh, what should I do?'

"We're here." The officer announced with his hand holding the gates to the Grand Odysseus Tower open for his young guest his black eyes having a hint of happiness.

Sidharth quickly entered through the gate. He had decided to leave the subject untouched as he felt he would be dragged into something hellish of he did but for some reason, his senses weren't allowing him to do so.

And so out of impulse he blurted out.

"How do you know about it?!"

With his back faced towards Sidharth, he replied "I just heard some people discussing it back in the station. Come on you didn't think that I am part of some kind of resistance group or rebel?"

Even though he spoke like any ordinary person yet Sidharth could feel some kind of malice within him. It was similar to what he himself had but it was far greater than his own and yet he couldn't understand it.

"Can I know your name?" He asked nervously.

"Yeah, why not. Raghuvir... Raghuvir Patel." The officer replied. "And Mr Zou if you follow this road you will reach the Northern exit. We have some Police armoured vehicles stationed over there in case of emergency you should approach."

He paused and then started again.

"Not like anything is going to happen but still you know for your own safety as a fellow Indian"

He swiftly walked away from the building leaving a baffled Sidharth behind.

"You're late!"

In his seventeen years of life, Sidharth had never been so close to dying as he was today. Just a minute ago he had an encounter which had left him sitting on the edge and now was the bone-crushing hug from the CEO of the Odyssey.

"Can't breathe!" He gasped.

"Oh Sorry! Sorry!" Neha quickly loosened her grip around the seventeen-year-old boy allowing him to finally breathe.

"You were going to kill me!! Neha!" He shouted in a strangled voice. He was breathing heavily still recovering from the bone-crushing hug a few seconds ago.

"Sorry! I just got excited when I saw you and I have been waiting for you since six in the morning and Kabir doesn't let me hug him anymore!"

"If you want to arrive early at least mention it on the card! It was written that you need to arrive at 11 and I reached her ten minutes before the given time!"

"Oh! Did I forget to write?" She replied completely oblivious of the situation she was in. "Well can't help it then... Tee-hee "

'Did she just Tee-hee'd me!! I am never coming back here!'

"Anyway since you're already here let's go to the seventh floor I want to show you the Nemesis!!"

She then grabbed his hand and dragged him with lightning speed.

"Come on fast!! We're going to be late!"

"I told you we have ten more minutes to spare!"

"But Cammie doesn't know I am here and if she finds out I am dead!" Neha informed him. Her face covered by fear for the first time during the entire encounter.

This was nothing out of the ordinary though. Neha Agarwal has always been regarded as the genius prodigy who is said to take birth once in a century so all of her weirdness is compensated by the stuff she does.

She has achieved stuff that no one in their twenties could ever imagine. She had her face featured in the cover of time's magazine six times in the past two years, she has already bagged three noble prizes for Physics, Chemistry and Economic science and has been nominated for peace prize this year.

To the world, Neha Agarwal was the Genius Prodigy who will change the world forever but for those who are close to her, call her Eternal Weirdo. After all, all she does is make new stuff, day in and day out and she's supposed to be the CEO of her parent's multinational Billion Dollars company and yet she pushes all the financial work either on her secretary or Kabir her younger brother.

"You know you should start paying attention to your looks. Otherwise, you are definitely going to remain single for life"

"Ohoh Sidharth Zou is giving me advice on how to dress up." She replied eyeing him in a teasing manner. "Don't tell me you have fallen for me!. If you have it's all right you know I am just so pretty o can't help it.."

"Huh! Ask me the same question in the next millennia I might say yes"

"What?! But I thought…." There was brief silence she closed her eyes took a deep breath calmed herself only to begin again. "Ugh do you even know how many people have proposed to me till now"

"Zero"

"I meant in the future tense!" She was trying hard to defend her dignity which was crumbling as swiftly as the wall of Jericho. However, for Sidharth, it was nothing more than a simple way of trampling her so-called self-esteem.

And he was enjoying it.

"Oh, you meant that machine you built. Oh, nice life partner you know. He will always…."

"Can you please erase yourself from existence!"

"Sorry can't do," Sidharth replied nonchalantly.

Neha opened her mouth to counter his comments but was swiftly cut off by her amazing elite secretary who had just entered the elevator her brown eyes furious as she stared at the shrinking figure of Neha...

"I..I can explain?" Neha stuttered while hiding her flushed face in her hands.

"For the matter of fact she can't" Sidharth pointed out. "And She's trying to run away!"

"You were supposed to be helping me!!"

"What the hell are you doing down here at the lobby. We have to go through the final can test as well as the software run and check if the Proton engine is working properly!!" Cammie thundered at her.

It couldn't be helped after all it was the unveiling ceremony of the new generation weaponry for the Avalon military forces. You wouldn't want anything to go wrong? Would you.

And with the amount of time and energy they have spent on the Nemesis they wouldn't want it to become just some piece of metal junk which will be discarded without ever being deployed.

"Sorry sorry I will be right back! I just need to grab a coffee from the shop at Central Square. It will barely take a min- ow ow it hurts" before she could have said any further Cammie grabbed her by her ears and dragged her towards the ninth elevator.

"Sidharth I am sorry for this but will you be able to reach rooftop without her help," Cammie asked politely her personality suddenly making a 360.

"Ye-yes" Sidharth stuttered in the back of his mind only one sentence echoed. She's Pinnacle of evil!

"Good"

"Hey hey stop! We were having a really important conversation about my future husband!"

"Even if you were the last woman on earth no will marry you" Cammie commented more like stated a fact.

"What did-"

And the duo's banter was cut off as the sliding door of the end closed taking the two towards the unknown floor.

"Well, then I should go to the rooftop terrace….. I guess?" He murmured to no one in particular.

Unknown to him the newly built Odysseus Tower was often referred to as the Concrete Labyrinth and without proper navigation skills, one can easily get lost in this mega-structure.

Without wasting any time he started walking towards the elevator closest to him. Since he was already late he couldn't find any other guest at the lobby so he was on his own to find the way to the rooftop.

Well, how hard can it be? I just need to take the lift… Only if it was that simple.

The Odysseus Tower comprised of two high-rise buildings connected together through the lobby. Tower 1 or the main building was the destination where the ceremony was being held while the second building or Tower 2 was the R and D department where the researchers spent their times creating new stuff.

Sidharth had to take elevator number 4 from the lobby and then change to elevator number 19 from the hundredth floor which would take him to the rooftop directly.

This was the information that was supposed to be written in his invitation card however that was not the case.

Sidharth's onyx black eyes twitched with annoyance as he read the contents of the letter.

'Since you are so smart I am not going to write how to reach the rooftop. So figure that on your own' this was accompanied with a squinting face with tongue emoji.

Th….that st..stupid CEO!!!!! I will get back at you for this!

Without thinking about it further he simply ran towards the fire exit and took the stairs.

This is stupid but this will take me directly to the rooftop!! Ugh, I so so much hate you Neha!

A/N HERE YOU GO!!! THE NEW CHAPTER IS UP. MAN ITS BEEN A YEAR SINCE I LAST SAW THIS CHAPTER. I LOOKED FOR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS' AND CORRECTED IT SO I THINK THIS ONE SHOULD BE BETTER THEN LAST ONE.

WELL SO LIKE ALWAYS HAPPY READING!!

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