_____ February 2, 2018 _____

- april -

So, plans started. Who is going to do what. Yeah, expect for T, who had his earphones on, f*cking all the time. We were all busy and he didn't even bother. He is a complicated guy, rather an asshole! Whatever. I like Avi and Jake. They're kinda cute. Niha and Hastha are also adorable. But, T was just too arrogant. Seemed like there was something serious going on in his life. 'Everyone has problems, dude!' I badly wanted to tell him when he arrogantly dismissed the topic and being a part of this.

"April and Niha, you guys find out the news articles regarding KRI from wherever you can. Newspapers would be the best source! There's a place named 'NEWSTOP' where there are really old newspapers saved in the computer as well as paper. I'm sure you'll get something there. It's near the college here. Jake and I will go to one of my tuition teacher who was a lecturer in KITES until his retirement 3 years ago. I'm sure he'll know something. Hastha, you take on the internet! I'm sure you'll find us something useful." Seemed like​ Avi had this all planned! Didn't seem like we got the theme just 2 hours ago.

"Okay. We'll do this all day tomorrow?" Jake added.

Nods.

"I can do mine today." Hastha seemed excited too. She had a cute smile even if the braces were too big for her teeth.

"Haha! Sure. Do it whenever you're free. And keep updating us. We need a group guys, so we can talk. Give me all your numbers and I'll create a WhatsApp group."

Number exchange. APRIL PROJECT. Avi, seriously? I expected more. Suddenly felt like I was in school again!

And in 2 minutes, the group was formed.

"We can even talk in conference calls. Girls, don't put yourself in much trouble, okay? I mean, don't go to unknown places. Inform we wherever you're going. You both are new here. So, that's why. Wait! If you want take T with you." This was pure ... . I even realized, this guy likes, loves Niha! His eyes was thundering the worry and the care. Aww.

"Seriously Bro? I said I don't want to be a part of this." Jake already had T's earphones in his hands.

"But you have to be. I'm not giving you any work here, okay. All I'm telling is join them. You can do that at least. They'll do the work. Please man!" Avi's puppy face worked!

"Ya, whatever. But I STILL WON'T BE A PART OF THIS!" Damn, this guy!

"Thank you guys for listening to me on this one. I'm going to make sure everything will be fine." Avi gave an assuring smile.

See, that's why I told yes on the first place. After coming here and talking to guys, I felt so different. I didn't fit here at all! Even at the age of 18, guys were unsure of their decisions and some even regretted coming to KITES. After a whole week of bullshitness, for the first time I saw a human who was sure of what he said. I was thankful that people like this exist here. I instantly told a YES in my mind when he proposed the topic, not knowing the consequences that would arise. Also, when Avi spoke, I realized, there was something to this KRI that was way more than just letting it's truth out to the world. It was personal! There was something that made him talk, that made him want to let the secret out. He wanted the secret. World was just a reason. And that something was so strong that he didn't move an inch with his confidence. Damn!

I never really let myself be close to people here, but right now, with this team, I suddenly stopped missing home. Wow.

After the discussion got over, I went home. Located a little far from the Mangalore city, Grandma's place was a peaceful and an amazing place to live.

2 acres of land, in the middle of which was the house. It was ancestral, with bricks and cement all over the walls, covered by peach paint. 5 bedroom independent, two- storeyed house was way to big for two old people to live in. I had always stayed in resorts, hotels and apartments back when Dada settled and was often transferred to different countries. But since 6 years, I had my apartment in Delhi so that I didn't have to leave with them everywhere. It was affecting my education and health. But I guess, staying alone made me more numb with day, and more of a drunkard by night. I partied a lot back in Delhi. I didn't know what else to do staying alone in an apartment. Studying was however the night before the exam work. One night stands, maximum two, was my longest love life. 4 love stories were already done and since then, I stopped going out with guys. Realised all are Assholes. Life sucked me to the core in Delhi. But now, it was like I found myself back again in this place. So peaceful and beautiful. I often went to the natural pool outside the house. It was so cool. The river flowed in and out of the pond smoothly. Keeping my feet there and letting the water sway it was the best feeling ever! No party could ever do that! Coming home everyday was never this exciting. Not even once did I feel like partying! Strange.

I was a whore back in school! Yeah, I myself am telling that! The girl who only had one night stands with guys much elder than her, the girl who had a vagina open to the world, the girl who went on breaking long relationships as she wanted to sleep with the guys, the girl for whom respect and self-worth was a 0 on 100- I was that girl. Haha! Bothered me a lot before. I even have some of my nerves cut for that. I survived though. Never really had a girl friend who wasn't a Bitch. Only thing these girls wanted to know, was how many guys I ever slept with and then done! End of friendship. Now, Making stories time! If I told them 2 guys, they used to make it 6. If I told them them the truth and told 4, it was already infinity. Ha! How people killed me there. Slowly slowly. Inch by inch. I was the best outgoing student in 9th grade and in 3 years, welcome to the whore list. Actually, I let them do this to me. I started judging myself depending on what they told me. Started treating myself like shit! F*ck that! I came here for a new start. And I guess I am getting one. Hope these 6 people won't be anything like them. Hope.

Next day, we all met in the date palm groove of KITES. That place was beautiful, like those Arab country parks that have the same trees arranged in a mannerly way. I wonder how these trees survived this atrocious weather of Mangalore. Raining at any place, any time and then it's sunny all of a sudden! Like whatt!

We gave the team members and the team leader names in the office. Avi obviously. Everyone wanted him to be the leader. He happily took it and again, made my day.

We parted our ways at 10. T was with us, again on his earphones. We literally dragged him with us. God! It would have been better if we would have gone by ourselves.

"It's okay if you don't wanna come. At least stop with this th.. thing that you're doing, whatever that is!" I couldn't keep it in anymore.

"Ok, bye. See you tomorrow then." he just went. Niha stopped me from stopping him.

"Bye, T. Take care." Is all she said.

She then told me about his complicated love story and the break up. Oh!

"He just needs some time." She assured me.

Oh my God! The racks were eternal! Me and Niha, stared at each other, and the racks, and again at each other. We were in NEWSTOP. It was near our college, 10 minutes walk. We decided to go there first, before the Archive Information Center of Mangalore.

There was a middle aged man sitting there with thick white beard and exceptionally odd glasses. His face went all spicy when we asked about information on KRI.

"No one's asked this for years! Since 10 years this place exists and no one! Where did you guys come from!"

He took us to one of the 4 rooms in that place. Pointed at, basically the whole room and said, "You'll find it here."

He sat right in the room with us. It was like he was watching us. Maybe thinking we might steal.

We even asked him to specify which of the rack, but, he just said he didn't know. This room had newspapers of 2010-2015. The other rooms had 2000-2010, before 2000 and after 2015 newspapers.

Niha was really fast in searching. She finished the whole rack when I was just in a row. Newspapers flooded the racks along with the dust. There were papers from everywhere. Almost all Major Indian languages. Most papers had Kannada writings on them. Niha knew a bit of Kannada, so she took over those.

We got a lot of newspapers regarding the blast news. The Man in the room was too weird. Kept checking every paper we kept aside.

The blast occured in 2011, October 22. Until then, news that flashed the papers were only praising the place. But after that, OH GOD! The rumors. I suddenly felt that KRI was me. I even wondered how did these news persons even believe all that? Illiterate would know better.

Niha didn't speak a word while I was telling her stuffs I saw and understood while going through the papers. "Not here, April. We'll talk when we're with everyone else, okay?" I never liked anyone cutting me out, but I didn't say anything. I knew somehow she told it for my good.

We got a lot of news items there. We also asked the Man about the Archive Center.

"You kids really planning on going there? They're only going to suspect or shoo you off. You better stop with this KRI thing. Ain't going to fetch you anything." I'm never gonna come to this place ever again.

"Ya. Sure." Is all Niha said while we picked our newspaper photocopies.

"I don't like old men poking noses. It's best we keep quite rather than argue. I'm sorry for cutting you off back there. I didn't want that man to hear anything about, Why KRI! The project topic is a a secret, remember?" And I thought she's like one of them dominating ones.

"Hey! That's okay. You were totally right back there. I should shut my mouth!"

It was already 1 o'Clock when we finished this work and were heading to the Archive Centre when Avi called Niha.

He wanted us to stop whatever we were doing and head back to KITES. Whatever we got till now was enough he said.

At 2 o'clock, we met again in the grove.All of us were there, including Hastha who wasn't there in the morning.

"After college, me and Jake went to Mr. Kamath's house. When I told him about the project thing, he said he already knew. Always an upto date person. He asked about our theme. I told him our idea in brief. He lost his mind. He went crazy. He swore on all the Gods to kill the man who gave the idea. I told him it was me. And then, he suddenly calmed down and started.."

Avi took out his phone and played a recording. Smart.

"Well. I've been to KRI only once in my life. I can still not forget how wonderfully it'd been built in that 1 acre of land . 8 years ago, on the day, March 12th, 2009, the KRI was inaugurated and established after one and a half year of its construction and working behind scenes. Financed by the government and the KITES management, everyone thought that Mangalore will go to a next level in science field because of this wonderful establishment. Whatever was going on inside KITES was not known by anyone. It was highly confidential. All I knew is that scientists from various parts of India, joined together to create something fabulous, something about which even the lab assistants of KRI didn't know, something which would revolutionize mankind. What it was, How did they did that, How the blast took place, No one knew. Who survived, who were involved is also unknown. Overall KRI was a bundle of secrets and mysterys. As I told you I went there only once. Everything inside that building of KRI was computerized. The entrance door, the middle walls, doors of every room, every window and even the exit too; for no one other than the ones involved in the experiment, could enter, or even peep. I remember seeing the Nuclear Room, where it was told to us, the group of teachers who went there from KITES, that experiments takes place, 18 hours a day! The machines that were imported from top countries, the ideas that were taken from so many brains, the infrastructure meant to be seen, and the number of people involved; all this together was KRI. Even the media was not allowed to enter. It was our pure luck to get a chance to enter that. We had to swore on life to not tell anyone this. But, I Guess it's time people knew, as you said. After it's functioning started, and indeed, was going on very successfully, 2 years later, that was in the month of October, 2011, a blast took place. Everything was burnt down, all the papers all the hard work, all the scientists too. I guess you know that, Tanav. I'm sorry. No one knows the cause yet. Some said it was all pre-planned plan, some said ghosts were involved, but till date no one knows what the reason was. Only the person who were in it, and survived knows, I suppose. All I know is this much and I hope that you get some more info about KRI. If you do please call me and let me know. I dare you, if you people put yourselves in trouble. OKAY? I understand your situation Avi, and I know why you want this.. "

He paused the recording suddenly.

"Hey! What is it? Why did you stop? What are you hiding, Avi?" I asked him snapping his phone off his hands. He tried, but couldn't fight me.

I resumed the recording. "It still has effects on your family. He was a great man. He was too young to die like that. But boy, he would never want you to fall in trouble while letting the world know what he died for, would he? Just let go of this ASAP. Kanishk is always there with us, okay?"

Wait. What!?

"Even I didn't know about this. Jake? At least you can tell." Niha suddenly got worried. Actually, everyone did. Including T.

"See. Now you know why I was telling NO." T actually had a face of regret. He knew.

"This was all personal? Avi?" Hastha asked.

"Yes." Was all Avi could say.

"Kanishk was Avi's first cousin. 15 years elder than him and an extremely intelligent human being he was. One of the scientists who got into KRI! While all the others were in their 40's, he was the only one in his 20's." Jake spoke.

"And?"

"And, the day the blast occured, his dead body was sent home. Hardly very few bodies were recognizable. But, Kanishk's body was recognizable, as he was just entering the building when the blast occurred and too much of damage wasn't caused." He let out a sigh.

"And.. Avi saw the body."

God! I felt so broken at that moment. This is why he was so strong in his decision. He badly wants to know what happened to his brother. Even after all these years? I must say, Kanishk is one lucky guy. At least he has someone standing for him.

"He thought maybe now we actually can find out what happened as during that time his family was shut out by the management without reasons and proofs."

Everyone sighed!

"So, now, we are going to continue the project topic?" T asked. Why does he have to come back to being himself all the time!??

"Maybe not. It's literally pointless." said Avi. Gloomy face didn't suit him.

Hastha suddenly spoke.

"This might help, I guess. Internet says this. KRI was the primary investment target to all the successful businessmen, who wanted to increase their name and business by financing it, but the KITES management never allowed any entrepreneur to involve, as they had no plans of exposing their secrets to the people. So, all the people who were rejected by the KITES management, kept an eye on the functioning of KRI. It was like they wanted revenge from the ones who denied them. So, as 52% of investigation says, when the authorities were in the building, along with the working and managing staff, one of those rivals set a bomb that burnt the whole thing down. Though I don't frankly believe what they are saying, but still that's the only thing that we can believe right now. I'm like 50% sure that this was a set up. 50% sure it was an accident. And, wait! As for as revenge is considered, it is quite impossible to do a direct attack on KRI, as might have happened, because KRI had one of the best in class security and I don't think anyone could throw a bomb from nowhere to set the blast. One square kilometer of that area was under continuous watch with laser lights and high definition cctv surveillance. So, planning a disaster was out of the way. Without a plan, it's impossible to get that place down. So, I think whatever happened, happened inside KRI, accident or on purpose, and this something is all a mystery. A mystery, so well planned and executed that it made the world forget that KRI even existed!"

That was something.

"Hmm. Thanks Hastha. But, I kinda knew all that already. Newspapers are new though. I never read any of the news during those days. Guys, let us chuck the topic okay? As I said, it's pointless. It's been 6 years! Let's take a sane topic and do some real work. Our future depends on this. I went mad at one point. Now I realize it's actually a blank space. And I don't want trouble." He gave up?

"Excuse me, Mr. Tanav Chowta, you might be the leader here, but right now it's about the team. While team is ready to do this right now, wtf is your problem? You let out all this fire of knowing something new and doing something 'Creative' in us and then you back out? No ways. I spent a whole day in those racks, and when I thought I got something, I ain't gonna let it go in vain. We are gonna keep continuing and searching until the full stop pleases to visit us. Who's with me?"

"What something?" We went closer to her.

She had a newspaper cutting printout in her hand. I don't remember that one. One by one everyone read it. Silence.

"Guys. Don't you think a visit to KRI would be good now?" I slowly threw the stone in the pond. It leaped well!

"Yes!"

"No! In not in." T!!

"I guess it doesn't matter, T. I wanna go." said Niha.

"Me too." Jake and I said together.

"When?" Hastha joined.

Avi saw the clock. "Right now?" It is 4:15 already.

"My curfew in the hostel is 6 o' clock as it's the first month. I won't be able to join you. You guys go! Fast. Wait, how are you planning on going?" Said Hastha.

"I'm calling Nick right away. He'll get the car. And guys.. I don't want you to come. We don't know why that news was published even. It is dangerous. I don't want you guys..."

"Oh! Shut up." He was badly interrupted.

"You guys!" Was all Avi could say with a smile. "And T, Nick will definetely drag you in. You have to come!"

"Aghh! I know that."

This would be weirdly fun. Suddenly I feel like I'm on for Mission impossible! It's just another evening, April.

Wait, who's Nick?

________________________________

That was one long Episode, Phew! I'm hoping you guys are enjoying the characters of my story as your reading their POV's. I promise you'll know more about them as episodes pass by.
Right now, the only thing I would love is your feedbacks and comments on the paragraphs you like/dislike, about the character descriptions and also about your thoughts on how the story would go. You votes will also give me some more confidence that I'm going the right way!
You have no idea how much I love you for reading this ❤. 

-Disha
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