Karan's POV:

Present Timeline [2008]

But it was all too late now.

After several hesitant moments of typing and deleting the text, we finally sent the message.

We still wanted to back out, but it wasn't possible to undo what we did.

It was a simple 'hey,' but it was still nerve-wracking to await the response.

Minutes felt like hours as we stared at the screen, watching the little dots indicating the other person was typing. The anticipation was palpable, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.

Jay started pacing in his room again. "Do you think they'll respond?"

"Calm down, Jay," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "It's just a text. Let's not overthink it."

Arav, who had been silent, finally spoke up. "Are we sure this is the right person?"

"We're about to find out," I replied, my eyes fixed on the screen.

The dots stopped, and a message appeared. "Hey, who is this?"

"Well, here goes nothing," Jay muttered as he sat down.

"Should we tell them everything?" Arav asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Not yet," I said firmly. "Let's see how they respond first."

I typed back quickly, "Hi, it's Karan. How are you?"

Jay glared at my direction, "You should've put my name in there. I told you."

I shrugged. "We might as well use any name."

There was a pause and then another message came through. "What is this about?"

I could sense the tension in Jay's eyes as he shot his question. "Do we mention QD?"

"We don't want to get too ahead of ourselves."

I typed, "I just found your profile and something about your description and the curve of your name made me think you'd be an interesting person to talk to."

There was a longer pause this time. The seconds ticked by and I could feel the anxiety building in the room.

The response came at last. "Walking into a villainess' dungeon with a brave face. Quite the challenge, aren't you?"

Arav looked at me with concern. "I told you it was a bad idea."

"I know," I replied, "but it might be the only chance we have at getting some answers."

Jay clenched his fists. "Then let's do it. We can't back out now."

With the plan set, we spent the rest of the day preparing. We knew we were stepping into unknown territory but we also knew we couldn't let fear hold us back.

It was time to change the tides.

Maya's POV:

Timeline of Events [2004]

It was time to change the tides.

The thought had been brewing for months, simmering beneath the surface as I went through the motions at QuanDatum.

With all the rumors and hushed whispers and my investigation leading on dead ends multiple times, I decided it was simply not worth to worry about things that were beyond my control.

I stumbled upon an article about a company leading the charge in Artificial Intelligence. The future was being forged in the crucible of innovation and I wanted to be a part of it. The company's name was NexaTech, a beacon of progress and possibility.

I spent the next few weeks meticulously preparing, updating my resume, brushing up on the latest AI developments and practicing for interviews became my nightly ritual.

Every evening I'd sit by the window, the city lights flickering like distant stars and immerse myself in the world of AI.

The interview at NexaTech was grueling but exhilarating. I walked into their sleek, modern office with its glass walls and open spaces, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement.

The receptionist greeted me with a warm smile and I couldn't help but notice the energy buzzing in the air. This was a place where ideas came to life.

"Ms. Maya? Its your turn now." the interviewer said, breaking my reverie.

I took a deep breath and followed her into a conference room. The panel of interviewers, composed of sharp-eyed professionals, scrutinized me as I took my seat.

"Tell us about your experience with data scraping at QuanDatum," one of them began, a middle-aged man with silver-rimmed glasses and a no-nonsense demeanor.

I launched into my well-rehearsed spiel, detailing my work with enthusiasm and precision. I spoke of the challenges I faced, the solutions I devised and the skills I honed. They listened intently, nodding at intervals, jotting down notes.

"And why do you want to transition to Artificial Intelligence?" another interviewer asked, her eyes piercing and curious.

"AI is the future," I replied, leaning forward slightly. "It's a field that promises to revolutionize industries and improve lives. I want to be at the forefront of that change. I believe my background in data can provide a unique perspective and contribute to the development of smarter, more intuitive AI systems."

They exchanged glances, seemingly impressed. The questions grew more technical, diving into algorithms, data structures and problem-solving scenarios.

I held my ground, drawing on my experience and the extensive research I'd done. By the end of the interview, I felt drained but hopeful.

A week later, the much awaited response greeted me.

❛I shall take the heart, for brains do not make one
happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world.❜
— L. Frank Baum