Beginning the chapter by thanking all my viewers , voters and commenters.

Moving on... 💃💃💃

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

Chapter 11 - Revelations

Ragini looked around to find everyone looking intently at the chip that Sanskar was pointing at. 'I wish he would just break the suspense and speak up already. What's the use of such a dramatic pause? Its not like the chip is going to jump up and eat us.'

"So what does it do? Make robots have their own brains or something?" asked a clueless Ragini.

Sanskar was about to answer her, but Laksh interrupted.

"I hope not. I don't want a real Skynet!" Laksh shivered at the thought.

Sanskar rolled his eyes. "It's not wh-" however, Sanskar was interrupted again.

"What's skynet Laksh?" she asked in complete confusion.

Laksh looked at her in shock and indignation. "Haven't you seen the film Terminator, Ragini? How could you have not seen such an awesome film?"

"Um...I'm not much into sci-fi."

"Unbelievable!" he shook his head at her. "Anyways, in the film, the artificial intelligence called Skynet comes alive and tries to put an end to human race!"

"What!? Are you saying this chip will do something like that?!" she exclaimed in fear.

"It might!" Laksh panickedand turned to Sanskar. "Sanskar Maheshwari! Why the heck would you keep such a dangerous thing around you!?"

"Its not Sky-"

"He's right! Why would you keep something like that? Are you crazy!" Ragini accused.

"Would you two shut up for a minute so that I can explain!?" Sanskar shouted, finally reaching his edge of his patience. "It isn't Skynet and neither is it any kind of artificial intelligence!" he shouted in frustration. "Stop making a scene."

"Oh. Then you should have told it first hand. Couldn't you have told it before?" Laksh huffed out. "You're the one shouting in the first place. We would have understood if you explained nicely."

'The heck! I would have if you both gave me a chance to speak!' Sanskar was about to voice his thoughts, when his father, Raj Maheshwari, interrupted.

"Sanskar beta, let me explain everything to them."

Sanskar sighed. "Ok dad." He wanted to argue, but relented.

Mr. Maheshwari turned to Laksh and Ragini. "This chip is not just any other computer chip. It has the capacity to bypass any security system and hack any information from any computer, not matter how high the security is. This chip can also operate from a remote distance. You don't need direct connection with the computer you want to access."

"Wow! Cool. This means that I could hack into the college files an-" Laksh stopped abruptly when he saw Mr. Maheshwari glare at him.

"Don't forget that also I'm your Principal."

"Sorry Sir."

Mr. Maheshwari continued. "This chip was invented by me, my best friend Vishal and another person named AIok Singhania. We thought that once this chip was done, we would give it to the government. However, me and Vishal never thought that Alok would betray us."

On seeing Ragini and Laksh's confused looks, he started narrating the past events.

*flashback, 20 years ago*

"We present to you 'Xcaliber'! The chip that would change the face of technology." spoke a man from the platform, as he and his two friends revealed the chip for all the audience to see. It was a gathering where famous personalities from different fields of technology were present. All were gathered to see the 'Xcaliber'.

The reporters were the first ones to question them "Mr Raj Maheshwari. Now that you three have invented this new technology, what do you plan to do with it?"

"Me, Vishal and Alok have decided to hand it over to the government. Such a powerful technology shouldn't be given to just about anyone. It should be used for the betterment of the country."

At once, the audience broke out into applause. Soon various questions regarding the chip were raised, to which the three men answered efficiently.

Once the craze settled down, Raj turned to Vishal and Alok. "Congratulations guys. We did it."

"Yes Raj. We finally did it." answered Vishal with a smile. He looked towards the audience and spotted the ones he was looking for. "Look there. My sons are waving at you. They are so young, but they have learnt to use tech that even adults find difficult. They're big fans of yours."

Raj turned to where Vishal was pointing. He saw a woman siting with a baby in her lap, while two boys were jumping in there seats, waving towards him. He smiled and waved back. "Your kids are beautiful."

"Thanks."

"I wish I could bring my family here too. Too bad they are in Pune." he admitted in a gloomy tone. "Anyways, what were the names of your kids again? I keep forgetting them." 😅

Vishal rolled his eyes and was about to reply, when he heard Alok speak.

"We built the chip, but for what? Just to hand it over to the government? What did we get?"

Raj and Vishal turned to look at him in shock. "What are you saying Alok? We are doing something for our country. Besides, we will be famous!"

"That isn't enough for me Vishal. I want more. It's too small of a reward."

Alok spoke with a malicious glint in his eyes, as he brought the glass of wine closer. "I want that chip."

"Alok, we agreed to this. Such powerful technology should not be possessed by anyone but the authorities." Raj uttered, grabbing the chip.

"You really think that the government would not misuse it? Do you really think they would only use it if necessary. Such power in anyone's hands is dangerous. So give it to me. I will keep it safe." Alok assured. But the sinister smile he gave as he came towards Raj spoke millions.

"Alok, stop this. Have you gone crazy? Stop this madness right now!" Vishal shouted, coming between Raj and Alok.

"Madness? You haven't seen my madness. I'll show you what my madness is!" saying that, he took out a gun and pointed it at Raj. "Give me the chip if you want to live."

Seeing this, the entire audience froze in shock. The guards tried to move forward to the platform, but they were stopped by some other men. They were Alok's men.

Seeing this Vishal turned to Alok in anger realizing that Alok betrayed them. "So you had all this planned from before Alok?"

Alok chuckled darkly. "What can I say? I'm amazing, aren't I?" Alok removed the safety from the gun and pointed it at Raj's heart. "Hand over the chip. I'll only count till 3. One........two......th-" however, before he could finish, Vishal moved forward and grabbed the gun. They grappeled with it, each trying to steal it away.

The gun fell off of Alok's hand, but not before it went off. At once, chaos broke out among the audience at the sound of the gun shot. Using it as a distraction, the security guards took out their guns and started firing, while Alok's men did the same.

Alok tried to reach forward for the gun, but Raj kicked it away. Raj began to hit Alok and was getting the upper hand, when Alok managed to break free and escape into the crowd.

Raj was about to rush after him, but he heard a soft voice call out to him. He looked back to see it was Vishal, lying in a pool of his own blood.

"VISHAL!" He turned Vishal on his back. To his horror, he saw that the bullet had went through his heart. "Vishal, don't worry buddy. I'll call the ambulance right away. Don't worry, alright? Everything will be fine. Hold on buddy, hold on."

Vishal gave a bitter laugh "Q-quit ly-ing Ra-Rajm You a-always were a b-bad li-liar." he stuttered out, barely able to speak.

"Stop talking idiot! You're making your injury worse!" Raj spoke, barely holding back his tears. His best friend was dying and he felt helpless. He heard the sounds of gunfire between the guards and Alok's men in the background, but he paid it no mind.

Vishal placed a hand on Raj. "Raj, by-y the time a-an ambul-lance gets here, I'll al-already be dead. It...it's no use. But...but I want you to sav-ve my wife a-and children. Go Raj. Please...pl-please save th-them." Vishal gasped for air.

As Raj watched his best friend struggle for breath, he couldn't help but glare at the chip. "Alok was right Vishal. Even the government shouldn't possess such power. And this chip is nothing but trouble. Look what it caused!? We should destroy it."

"Are you c-crazy Raj? We spent h-half of our lives in this project. Do you reme-mber how m-much effort we put i-into it. You and Alok w-were involved in it, but... but it was my l-life. Its like...like half of m-my life went away in-" he gasped for air, but continued speaking "In making this thing. I can't destroy it! I-its my life's purpose!"

"Then what do you want me to do with it Vishal? It's nothing but trouble!"

"Promise m-me. Promise m-me, you will give it to my boys. I-I could already s-see the genius in t-them. And I-I know they will m-make good use o-of it." Vishal said, drawing large gulps of air. "I.. I think my t-time is near."

"Shut up! You won't die, alright!? You still have to irritate me till old age, remember?" Raj was crying openly.

Vishal gave an amused laugh "I guess...I guess my t-time is up. But...but please save my-y family. And give t-the chip to my s-sons. Go! Its...its my dying w-wish."

Raj didn't want to leave his friend, but couldn't deny his friend's last wish. He nodded and gave Vishal one last hug. He then rushed towards where Vishal's family was.

He carefully avoided the gunshots and went to the table from where he had seen the two boys waving at him earlier. When he got there, he found only Vishal's wife, with her baby in her arms, hiding under the table among the chaos.

"Where are your boys?"

"I don't know! I don't know. They had been near the buffet with my brother when the gunfire broke out. Please find them." she spoke out in between tears.

"Your brother? I thought only you and your kids were here."

"No, my brother was here too. Please find them!"

"Don't worry Shikha. I'll find them. But for now, come with me please." He took her hand and pulled her through the crowd.

As he reached the entrance, he rushed to his car. "Driver! Take this woman away from here." he turned to her "You can't go home or my house as Alok might go after you there. Do you know any other place you could go?"

"My-my brother! He doesnt live here, but was staying in a hotel in this city for a few days for business matters. I could go there." she reasoned. "But...but what about my boys? And where is Vishal?"

Raj looked down in sorrow. He didn't have to speak more as she understood that Vishal was dead. "No no no! Oh my goodness. Vishal no!" She broke down crying.

"He died saving me. I'm...I'm sorry I couldn't save him. But I promise I'll find your brother and your boys Shikha." saying that he rushed inside again.

*flashback end*

"Did you find them?" asked Ragini with curiosity and worry. Although she didn't know those people in Mr. Maheshwari's memory, she felt sad for them. Her heart felt heavy as she thought of what the family had to go through. 'No family should go through such loss and disaster.'

She saw Sanskar's father grip the seat harder and close his eyes in sorrow. "I couldn't find them. I searched the entire place, but they were no where to be found. However, that isn't what pains me most. What is more tragic is that Vishal's wife, Shikha. She...she never got to reach the hotel."

Ragini and Laksh gasped, while Mrs Maheshwari and Sanskar looked on with sad eyes as they had already heard the story from Raj before.

"A few hours after the incidents at the gathering, the driver I had sent with Shikha called me. He was barely able to talk, but he told me that some men had caught them. However, he said that he managed to hold them off and help Shikha escape with her child. That was the last thing he said before he died."

"So you mean they are alive, right?" Laksh asked hopefully.

"I...I don't know. I don't even where her brother and her two boys are. The next day after the incident, I went to the hotel where her brother was staying. I didn't know his name, so I asked the manager if he saw any man come there with two little boys. He told me that he did see them, but they had left the hotel that morning. Only thing I found out is it that Shikha's brother's name was Vinod." Raj held his head in his hands in despair "Not only did I fail to save his wife and little baby girl, but I also couldn't keep track of his boys and Vinod. I failed my best friend. I completely failed him!" he cried in a pained voice.

"Its not your fault dad. You tried your best to save them. You did everything you could!" Sanskar tried to console him. However, his father put his hands over his face, trying to hide his teary eyes. No words could console him of his loss.

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To be continued...

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹