Episode 35: Black And White

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_____ June 2, 2018 _____

This chapter is dedicated to Miss Hitha Rai, hitharai, my tiny best friend. She helped me with her wisdom in these two chapters as she is a Chess Champion and my very own Homie! She be the best and my cutest little star in the morning sky. I love you and you are everything and more!

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- rami -

"How would you know?"

"I told you I did my research. And, I did it quite well." I said. It was good to see the curious minds around me even if it was irritating sometimes. Now, another part of my long explanation. I went to another side of the room and pressed the 3rd row, 4th column drawer. It slid out beautifully. After all these years, with the wall of this room fully being drawers, I didn't need a guide to tell me which files were kept at which of the drawers.

"So, Homies, get ready for another of those What The Hell moments!" I said. It was good to talk to people other than aged ones for once in what felt like forever.

"You know, you really don't sound cool when you say all that. And yeah, thanks for the spoiler!" said Niha. I loved this girl. And now, we are doing this? Insulting, already? Well, I was in.

"I don't know how else to address kids of the present world." I pricked in and got frowns all over. Me and Swaroop had a hearty laugh at this.

For this one, I had to get inside KRI for a better understanding. So, I got up and signaled them to follow. I took my coat and walked out. It was still daylight! We jumped in through the window. I saw April's face. She had this fear in her eyes. 

When I first saw they were here, I was too late to catch them as I was busy with Team-Z when they were coming this way. So, I didn't do anything. But, when I realized they saw my painting and took the papers, I went crazy. Along with Swaroop I wrote that threat. I felt all my years' work is going to be drowned by these idiots and their stupid-ass curiosities. But later, when Murugan got involved, I wanted to see what will happen when they come here at night. So, I didn't even let them know that I was there until April saw me after the three dissapeared.  For once in my life, I felt a thorn prick me when I ran away from April, while she was there, pleading for me to stay and help her and then fainted. I was cold, I made myself cold after the blast so that nothing would ever affect me or come my way. But, after a long time, this girl showed me that 'One can make themselves cold but The Heart is there for a reason and it never fails it's existence!'. I put that fear in her and I regret it bad! 

"Okay. What do you guys see around?" I ask. I didn't want to look vulnerable right now.

"Umm.. KRI!" answers Jake. I laugh and smirk. "Wow."

"Wait! Now don't go telling us this building was built exactly like the palace back then and that this palace is a part of the past too!" April did have some wild ideas.

"No. No!" I said. Well, it was something related, though. "See the floor. Notice anything?" I ask.

"Yes, of course! I noticed it the first time I came here! It's like simultaneous black and white boxes, like a chessboard, but the boxes are very big and the surface is soft and stiff!" Nick said.

"Yes! You might be correct. And, see this.." I opened the wide blueprint I had taken from the drawer. I spread it on the floor. Heads covered over it. "This is the floor plan of the entire KRI! Notice anything? I'll wait!" I said and backed off from that and ran around the place blowing light whistles. Swaroop was right there, sitting on the stairs. I wonder how bored he got during the explanation session!

Whole 7 minutes passed without a breathe.

"Well. I don't see anything. There's only room walls here and naming of every room and where did all the Carpets go and the black and white floor.." Nick was cut off by Avi.

"..Don't you see it? It's a whole chess board!" he said. Yes! I knew these kids would get it.

"Eureka!" I said.

"What?" Niha asked.

"See. Imagine all these lines of walls and Carpets removed. Count the squares. It's 8 cross 8. This building is square!" He explains pointing at the 64 boxes with his hands moving all over the blueprint. "But, why Rami? Why is it like a chessboard?" He along with 4 more curious faces looked straight at me.

"Well. When I first saw it I too had that question in my mind. Why? Because at that moment, which was years back, I took even the slightest of my doubts and went around to solve it. So, I researched about this too and the story behind the setup is very weird, but then, I don't know, it kind of makes sense."

"What is it?" asked Nick folding the blueprint and handing it to me.

"Okay. As you know, KRI was established, I mean inaugurated 6 years back. But, the building took 1 and a half years for the making with all this in mind." I sat on the stairs pointing at everything around me. "And, this astonishing project was given in the hands of an architecture, Mr. Satyadevan Seth. I went through his previous works of designing buildings and never was any of the designs Vintage and the 19th century types like this one here. He also got a lot of fame and name after he did this Masterpiece! See this.." I handed them a small file with all the newspaper cuttings that gave all the praises in his side. "That's the reason why I made NEWSTOP! I got free access to all these news that was in the HOT LIST in it's times." Everyone smirked at that.

"Okay. So, what's with him? I mean, these newspapers say about his interviews and stuffs and it is just normal answers and praises!"

"Well, look deeper. See the one with the question answer thing in page number 13? See the the 7th question. Read it for me, will you?" I asked Nick.

"Sure.

Question: So, Sir, you weren't trained to do antique and ancient designs like KRI. How did you even master it and get a design like never before?

Answer: Oh! Yes, I'm trained in modern interior and architecture. But, this design, it just came! And I was so sure of it, and see where we are!

What is with it?" Nick ended.

"Well. It is true!" I said.

"What?"

"That idea did come to him just like that! Okay. Sit down, I'll explain." They all settled down near the stairs and Niha was helped by Avi who insisted on sitting on the stairs when she was offered a chair by him. He helped her sit and sat right next to her. He did care a lot. I read his conversations with April and I know the whole story, boy. He has no idea! And Jake, he is doing great with people. I understood he wanted to talk to me, and I ignored him on purpose. He thinks he isn't doing right to T, but he is! Let him suffer for a while with the guilt.

"So?" I was dragged out by Avi's loud So!

"Huh? Oh yeah. So, as you know, KRI was established 6 years ago. And, everyone thought, the work in there also started then itself. That was wrong. The work of Infinity had started during the construction of KRI itself, a year and a half prior to it's inauguration! You just came from a building right, the one, that isn't in the blueprint I just showed you? That is the place where the initial work started. This building was given to us a year and a half later! This.." I opened another blueprint. Crowd surrounded me. "..this was the initial plan of KRI."

"But, this is totally different!" claimed Avi. "How did he even get this from that?" He looked all around

"Exactly. Hence, I went after our architect too." Another proud moment for me. Hacking was what brought me here and KRI is what made me an encyclopedia, I know freaking everything now, even History, my least favorite subject!

"Wow! This is awesome! What did he say?" April laughed.

"Well. As I said, the new blueprint came to him from nowhere. He said that one day, due to some foundation wiring errors, he had to stay back here, I mean, there, in that building along with the Scientists for one whole night. And, it so happened, he was given a small room to sleep in as there were lot of noises heard in others compared to this one. This room was next to the then lab where Infinity Research was going on. He slept off and in his dream or whatever that was, he got the idea of this beautiful place and then next morning he had the urge to do it and the present foundation, which was already constructed supported it too. Hence, in a day, he changed the whole scene of how KRI looked. He said, every detail just came to him in that dream of his. I say, it wasn't the dream, it was Infinity. Infinity wasn't contained until it came to this building. So, I feel, it spread to the rooms adjacent and somehow went into his head's dream! I mean, I don't know if they had even done Infinity back then, but I feel it was Infinity that gave him this idea. Because, there is a connection between this place and history!" I didn't know how else to explain them. This made no sense!

"What is the connection?"

"The floor. The Chess Board!" I said. Now, it is going to be another hard explanation I have to be ready!

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Foo! I know you wanted more of Rami's POV, and I promise I will give it in the coming chapters. Also, Jake's secret is another surprise..!

Love you all for your patience and interest on this book.

And yes, this book will soon be complete in 5-7 more chapters max. I am so gonna miss writing it and also the excitement following! I'd love your feedbacks and suggestions for the story until now. Love y'all!

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