Harry had the most unexpected expressions now. Peter took out the vial in which Ramesh's blood was kept. The blood that made the skin capable of conducting heat. The blood that replicated satellite cells in the body. That potion was injected in the blood. This was Ramesh's lifetime work and now it seemed useless to him.
"Peter, now may I ask you how is it that you have this vial. That is Ramesh's blood I suppose.", Harry asked.
"Surely it is", Peter responded, "Took it out secretly when everyone fell asleep last night.
"And why was that?"
"Again, intuition!"
"Mr. Parker, you have done a great job.", Sapna exclaimed while all of them watched Ramesh burning into the flames, "Your intuition was awesome I suppose."
"How is it?"
"Ramesh's blood was the result of his hard work and if he was the chosen one for the demeanour, he'd have those neurons that made him different from others. If someone of the same blood-group takes his blood, the probability increases that the same person is also eligible."
"What if that person is not?"
"We have no other way. And also, the blood group should be the same. When Rajeev injected the potion in him, it did not work. Ramesh's blood group is rare and matches mine. Also, his genes were those I had. Therefore, the probability increases further."
"I remember his blood group to be B negative.", Harry asserted.
"That's the same in me!", Peter exclaimed.
"But, Peter, she's her mother. Her probability to become a demeanour is greater than that of yours."
"Accepted! What about her age?"
"I am 40, Mr. Parker... Not Much... You're 33. Not a big deal"
"Final! We are going to experiment on her."
Peter was not satisfied with this decision. The Chalice Of Demeanours had been used and could not be created once again to know what happened. Peter told no one he had one more vial in his pocket and was thinking of something different.
The funeral was completed. Ramesh was the one who knew what were Charlotte's intentions and about her betrayal but that boy was now in ashes. No one knew what were Charlotte's next steps but she was well acquainted with the fact that she was not worthy to kill Harry the same way as Ramesh. She was surely thinking of Peter but Harry kept Peter safe from the core of his heart. Ramesh's death had deepened the feeling of vengeance from Oliver exponentially. The Indian Rituals were complete and the team had moved to the headquarters. The city that was flourishing outside had people gathered in front of the office. Everyone wanted to know what had happened last night. Police found a way out for the friends. They were made to reach the office. Mental pain was teasing the whole team. All felt lonely without Ramesh. The Spirits was like a family for the team. Employees were allowed to enter the office. Harry, again, had decided to to go on air and steal the attention of all for good.
David, who spent the most time with Ramesh, kept himself concentrated for hours. He was a bit startled by the situation.
At about five in the evening, Harry, in his office went on air through video cameras and live conferencing.
He wiped all his tears, activated his bravery demeanour and then fearlessly did what everyone wanted. He started, "Ramesh Bhatia! The Indian boy, I was connected to from my deep within. His death is now official. Even my conscience is not aware of what I am up to...None of my team members even are...People say it was Maniac behind this all and the sticker portrayed it. Maniac was in a hurry and had to leave the room as fast he was able to. Therefore, this time it was a sticker. The head of the Investigation Committee Of the United Kingdom and one of my dearest friends, Peter Parker, believes it to be a betrayal. I don't say that it's David or Valencia or even Charlotte. I trust them and I am well aware that they can't deceive me. The Investigation shall continue after the war. But when I proclaimed that I needed the extremity of Demeanours, I was right though it was opposed. Ramesh, as everyone knows, was one of those in the team I wanted to unite. Without him, I am afraid I don't stand a chance in front of him, the antagonist. His member not only stabbed Ramesh but also our hearts. I have no words to describe this mayhem. I also fear auguries that were shared might not delineate but ensure Earth's extinction. I suggest people be ready for anything. Now, I cannot guarantee or even give you hopes about my triumph. But, I pledge Ramesh's soul, if there is one, that his revenge will be taken... In these months that passed, we lived like a family. Different countries, culture and religion did not separate the unity of the Spirits. I realised that today. He also made me understand that I should amend my original statement for the Spirits. The original was- The Spirits is the team that completes me. It is the team of those who are different. The amended one is emotional, at least for me- The Spirits is the family that completes my conscience. It is the family of those who are different. And should I add- Let's Do Something Different.", Harry emotionalised everyone listening to him, " I also want to announce that I know each and everything of my past but that remains a secret to the world. I have no desires to proclaim that now because that'll be scientifically disputed. I will if I win this war. I shall leave today here and look for an alternative. We need to figure this hard-work demeanour problem."
Harry, today at night, told everyone to be safe while he dissolved himself in Mesoteph Mythology. He was looking for an answer to the current situation but he didn't find anything satisfying. When the page of REVILO NORBOS turned up among the old stacked pages of the book, he found nothing. But if that was a future prediction, it did not predict anything about the upcoming war. Rather, he tried to understand that very next page which claimed something that was correlated to time. Harry believed it prognosticated something about the war. But that was written in old Cygnian language and no one understood it. It was something that was beyond expectations but Harry left the topic to remain tensionless in the situation which was already stressful. He did not want to engage his mind in something else.
Next day, he took Peter with him in his office to mull about the hard-work demeanour problem. Sapna was brought to that place. Valencia was left with David to help him settle his vexation and normalise their faces of bewilderment.
Peter came instantly to the office. Harry started with some talks related to the upcoming devastating war.
"What is it you need?", Peter asked.
"I am not able to come out from Ramesh's grief! It's just too astonishing. Who the hell is this Maniac if it isn't Robert Brooke?", said Harry highlighting the word Maniac.
"Move On, Harry, once and for all."
"It's easy to say, Peter. I will lose the whole world without him. The fate of this world rested on his shoulders."
"We'll win this, Harry. Maybe this is the fight not only about demeanours but also about mindsets between you and him. But if it is, we have some probability that Sapna will replace him!"
"You believe she can?"
"Personally, I don't but we have no other way to move. And what Ramesh faced was faced by his mother too. Maybe there is some chance!", Peter added.
"Well, Peter I have been seeing that you're writing many bedtimes and short stories. A new hobby?"
"Yes, it is...I like to write. Surely, a beginner but that's satisfying!"
"I know you'd be writing well. Tell me something. Any poem or bedtime.", Harry knew Peter that he would not do anything worthless.
"Yeah! I have been working on a poem based on our ventures. Well, I have written only two paras. Not much... Listen...
These 24 years of my life
Gave me time to reflect upon
This complex time we are all going through
This desolate path we walk upon
The path of jealousy, hatred and vengeance we cognize
And the rampant we fear
Makes me recollect a story
The story which I personally adhere"
"That's brilliant, Peter... I just loved it. Complete it. I want to listen to it. The whole of it"
"Oh! Thanks"
"Well, today is 17 December...I suppose"
"Yes, it is!"
"The Final fourteen days. These five years passed so quickly! You know I have been planning about the place which will be attacked. I think this office is the most vulnerable place. He'll attack directly here."
"He'll know what we're up to. I still suspect betrayal!"
"We can't help it. If someone's deceiving us, we have no time left to find that vermin...", Harry now tried to change the topic, "I was monitoring the practice of these people...Those who joined the Spirits. They're quite fast learners. They are cooperating brilliantly and their basics are awesome."
"How?"
"What how? Isn't it good?"
"It is but how? These were supposed to be ordinary people. Don't you think it's weird?"
"Peter, Edwin has chosen them. He might have chosen the best. He has much experience."
"Still, it's uncanny..."
"No, it's profound. Well, BPTD has been out of trend these days. No news about any attack. Any news about them?"
"No...Not as of today... Maybe, they also want this world to fight. To terrorise people, they need this world and that'll be possible when the world is far away from extinction"
"Possible...I was trying to decode that page in the book, Mesoteph Mythology. That 'time' page you told me. But I think it foretells something about the war... Maybe my loss."
"Maybe! I had a question if Earthians could travel through portals?", Peter asked.
"Yes, Peter. They cannot open it but can travel through it. It's wormholes, you know!"
"I am ready for the experiment...", Sapna broke in, "Have his blood?"
"Yeah! I know how to inject it. Learnt it in the orphanage. Extra books!", Peter asserted.
He brought the injection in his pocket. Took out the first vial. Examined her arm and then found her blood vessel. He, then, injected the blood in her. Sapna felt the same Ramesh felt for the first time. She was in pain and much dreadful. She understood how Ramesh would have felt. She observed her arm getting evolved. It was all muscular and the same as Ramesh's. She was made to rest. Given chocolates to satisfy her mind's pain. Then she was sent to her room for some rest. She, though fainted, was moved to her room.
Harry also left his office for some rest. Peter, secretly entered Ramesh's room and took the shield Ramesh was making in his hands. Cared it like if it was Ramesh. That shield was too strong and Peter decided to use it in the battle. On second thoughts, he took out that another vial from his pocket. He gawked at that flask. Then he rubbernecked to his arm. Thought something over it. With a deep sigh, he examined his blood vessels and then without thinking about any side effects, he injected that vial of blood in him. He, consequently, felt choked and instantly fainted the moment he injected it.
-To Be Continued
(Abhinav Srivastava)
Well written!
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