Even with the perfect amphitheater design, the hall never felt more sorted. There were plasma screens all over the staging area, arranged by the order of 'by floor' and 'by angle' and a central bigger screen for any focused view. This was accompanied by screens having 'camp view', 'trucks' and feeds coming from the drones. Men in uniform sat by the screens observing each move made by the pitcher which twisted and broke things continuously in the screen.
One of the soldiers came towards the Colonel.

'We are ready sir, your command.' He almost shouted. 

Colonel swelled his chest again. 'Yes, prepare for attack.' 

'Right sir.' He marched off following the orders.

The Colonel picked up his radio transmitter from a front row seat and repeated the orders. Coincidently the main screen changed its display from the pitcher to camp one. A jeep installed with a missile launcher ignited and advanced towards the facility. Sneha had always been fascinated by army jeeps and armors. Her eyes glued to the screen admiringly. The best part was that the nightmare would be over.
Five armed men swarmed the front door and broke it open by a gunshot.

'They could have asked for the keys.' Mukesh signed.

Jai and Sneha gave him a look.

'What?' Mukesh shrugged his shoulders. 'It is better than spoiling such a pricey door just to act like a Robocop.'

The mini launcher was moved forward aligning it in a straight line with the main entrance. The mouth of the launcher was inclined at sixty degrees to avoid collision with staircase. The officer standing next to the launcher signaled for load and fired it. The missile went beeline in the direction of facility.

The central screen switched the display from outside to the inside of facility chasing the path of the missile. An air of relaxation filled the hall as they saw the green monster turn its mouth and swallow the cylinder full of death. But then all went quiet and everyone stared at the screens. The soldiers outside the facility inclined their heads to hear the speculated blast.

The central screen remained unexcited. The soldiers monitoring the screens exchanged baffled looks. The Colonel, witnessing this unexpected turn of events climbed the stage and banged on the computer table.

'Why is that bloody hell of a plant not exploding?'


***

'That damm of a thing is supposed to kill a village, why didn't it blow?'

The team was back in the guest room, with a single change, a befuddled Colonel.

The energy of the room was depressing not because of the skipped lunch time but because nobody had any anchored theory of what just happened. Jai stood by the window watching uniformed men discuss the unusual case they ever took in hushed voices. He adjusted his specks by his finger than turned to face Sneha standing across the room. She looked pale yet the way her bangs fell on her forehead made her look beautiful. Her hands were folded tight into each other and she was letting puffs of distress.
He turned his gaze to Rajeev Sir who sat on a chair with his elbows on the table and his hands punching his forehead spasmodically. He looked calm but Jai knew his brain was dementing. He would consider Rajeev Sir justified if he decides to take out the gun from the holster around the waist of Colonel and shoot his dumb assistants.

'I asked you something Dr. Rajeev, please I need some answers.' Colonel asserted.

'I am sorry Colonel, but as you can see this is not as easy as 'boom bang and finish'. I need some time to evaluate the situation.'


Rajeev Sir knew the situation was bad but he didn't expected this. The plant swallowed a missile. A freaking missile! How on earth could this happen? All things considered, it was still was a plant, it should have exploded. This day was going phenomenally bad. His two major projects, handled by his two most talented assistants had just crashed and burned. His beloved facility, his life's work was hoarded with commandos. A pompous Colonel was getting on his nerves by constant quibbling. And the worst of all, he didn't have any clue of what his next action should be.

'Can things get any worse?' As this thought crossed his mind, he heard someone knocking on the door.

'Come in' He shouted.

'Sir.' A head peeked in.

'Trisha! What are you doing here? I told everybody to go home.'

'Ah, don't you remember.' She closed the door behind her.

'I went to take Dr. Link and Dr. Courtney from the airport.'

Rajeev Sir looked like he was going to faint.

'What?' He asked, his eyes popping out. 'Who?' He choked.

'The guests for the seminar sir. Didn't you picked them?' Trisha wavered, which was attenuated by her squat body. 

'What's wrong? And why are so many army men here?' She swallowed, her eyes petrified.

'I hope you took them to their hotels.' Rajeev Sir asked neglecting her query.

'I..I was going to..but..but'

'BUT, BUT WHAT?' Sir asked with urgency.
Trisha shrieked, 'but they wanted a tour of the facility beforehand to familiarize themselves to the location of the presentation.'

'Where are they now?' Sir asked suddenly short of breath. 

'Outside.'

'Outside what? The hall or the room?'

Instead of getting a reply, he saw the room open and a nondescript old man entered the room followed by a hefty woman.

'May I introduce myself?' He asked with a pleasant smile and jolly British step.

'Dr. Link, Madam Courtney, welcome, please.' Rajeev Sir said struggling to keep his voice calm. He got up clumsily and wobbled to the door.

'It's a pleasure to meet you.'
They shook hands.
 Sneha escorted them to the couch. Jai and Colonel remain unperturbed.
'I..how was your flight? Can I get you anything or would you like to rest?' Sir said uncertainly.
'Rajeev, I am glad to meet you son. I would like you to meet Madam Courtney.' He waited till they acknowledged each other.

'Rajeev is a big fan of yours Miss Courtney. When he knew I happen to know you, he said to me 'you are bringing her for the presentation Dr.Link. Make it happen.' He laughed alone on his poor imitation of Rajeev sir's voice.
Sensing the tension in the room, he changed his manner.
'Is everything ok Rajeev?' He asked concerned like an old friend.

'Yes, yes, yes.' Sir choked.

'Three times doesn't make it true, does it? Try four.' Dr. Link said gently.

***

Dr. Courtney, a middle aged woman with comely yet strict features, sat with absolute no expression on her face. Her air of suavity felt gratifying but something about her pointed nose conveyed superiority. She smiled politely when Dr. Link laughed but didn't encourage it. She heard patiently the complete account of recent events as Rajeev Sir narrated without interrupting him with unnecessary questions. Even after the 'missile story', her expressions maintained her dignity. Meanwhile, the Colonel left for the seminar hall along with Jai, Sneha and Trisha. On the way, Sneha explained Trisha of the proceedings that took place since she had left for the airport while Jai logged on Rajeev Sir's laptop to browse research papers.


'Hmm.. Things don't look good Rajeev.' Dr. Link said than realized it wasn't worth mentioning. 
'But, I will be glad to assist.'

'Now, now, Dr. Link.' Dr. Courtney said in her accent.
'We can't do that.'

'Why not?'

'If that thing is as described, don't you think our lives would be in danger?' She complained.
'I want to go back.'

'Oh! Come on Courtney. How many times does a scientist get to be in such a venture?' Dr. Link protested.

'Everyday.' Dr. Courtney replied.
'I have been involved in twenty five major endeavors and they all were outstandingly interesting and successful, unlike this.'

'Courtney, it's a request, one friend to another.' Dr. Link pleaded.

'Huh, O'alright you old yokel, but if I die, you be prepared to be haunted for the rest of your remnant life.'

Dr. Link laughed enjoying the humor. 'I will be honored.'

Getting on his toes he turned his face to Rajeev sir.
'Rajeev, call your Chipmunks.'
'Chipmunks?'

Dr. Link waved his hand explaining, 'Well one of them shares the exact frame of glasses with Simon.'

'Ah, Jai, we call him local Harry potter, but this one is better.' Rajeev sir interrupted.

'The short chubby one is cute like Theodore and the beautiful dark haired girl is wearing a red sweater like Alvin.'

Rajeev Sir smiled at last reference inferring the relevance.

***

Dr. Link was glad that he didn't get to show his presentation which would have looked ridiculous compared to the animated display of the pitcher on screen. Even Dr. Courtney forgot her British manners in shock at first sight, yelling, 'What the fhh..Hideous creature this is!'

After adapting to the screen they closely studied the actions and morphology of pitcher and made notes tapping harder than required on their tabloids.

Sneha, Trisha and Jai stood next to Rajeev sir and Colonel Singh forming a semi-circle, in front of the first row, staring the foreigners. Sneha was impressed to see a seventy year old not requiring glasses to watch or write notes, that too a scientist. She liked Dr. Link immediately. His delightful nature and wit made him a pleasant personality. His red hair intrigued her and so did his subtle eyes. Sneha could definitely say that he must have been a dashing man in his youth.
Dr. Courtney on the other hand was a mighty gal buttoned up in her strict British ways. She rarely gave a smile during introductions and her combed, shoulder length blond hair, her neatly pressed blazer and frequent use of antiquated words gave an impression of a nonsocial lab geek. Something about her was still warm though. The odd thing was that Sneha continuously felt a sort of connection or relation with her.

'You sure we can take their help?' Colonel asked Rajeev Sir.

'Yes definitely.'

'And you sure they won't tell on us?' Colonel asked keeping a strict eye on Dr.Courtney.
'What are you? Nine?' Rajeev sir replied irritably. 'No they won't.'

Colonel's deputy quelled his smile. He had never seen Colonel nervous before. Colonel noticed.
'I fight humans Dr. Rajeev, this is weird for me. I am not a Colonel from Avengers.' He said.

'So we understand each other. We are in a difficult situation.' Rajeev sir replied and saw both guest approaching him.

'Back to guest room?' Rajeev sir asked Dr. Link as he descended from stage.

'No, no, the last row will do. Spare my bones dude!' Dr. Link said making everyone chuckle, except Dr. Courtney.

'Ok, sweetheart, please hand me all the notes you have on the pitcher plant and the super media.' Dr. Link requested Sneha. 

'Young man, you go with her.'

Jai nodded and left.

'And now, who is the best person here to ask for Coffee?'

***

Jai and Sneha silently divided the bundle of documents saved from Rajeev sir's cabin. They skimmed through the pages exchanging awkward glances.

'Everything is going to be fine.' Jai said, deciding to break the ice, after all he had overreacted before.

'Yeah, and I should make sure it does.' Sneha said sternly.
 Jai looked up. He had never seen Sneha so grim. She was still mad at him.

'Sneha, I ..I didn't mean what I said before.' Jai said in an apologetic voice.

'No, you did.' Sneha snapped. 'You did and for future reference, please don't do me any favors.'
She carried her pile of documents and marched out leaving Jai in dismay.

Moments later, five coffee mugs, piles of papers and four scientists lay on the floor of the seminar hall, brainstorming. Dr. Courtney refused to sit on the ground so she took the last seat. Playfully Dr. Link sat beneath her occupying the last tier which was then nested by Rajeev sir, Sneha and Jai, following his lead.

'You see here.' Dr. Link pointed his finger at a 3D picture of the monstrous pitcher on his tabloid screen. 

'The fungi, as predicted, has incorporated its genome into the plant making its enzymes functional in all cells of the plant body. Thus, the complete inner lining or the endoderm of pitcher has the power of digestion.' He continued to explain switching slides. 

'Now I want you all to watch the video of its encounter with missile carefully and focus on its morphologic change.'

With that he pressed the play button. Jai, Sneha, Dr. Courtney and Rajeev sir watched intently as the missile approached pitcher and then vanishing itself.

'There.' Sneha startled. 'The neck recoiled.'

Dr. Link's mouth curved into a grin.

'Yes, you see, the missile was supposed to blast in approximately say 0.9 seconds. The pitcher shrank its neck in reflex taking 0.2 seconds and in 0.4 seconds the neck lining reduced the missile to traces. After 0.9 seconds, first, there was nothing much to explode and secondly, whatever was left, got absorbed in the gut region even faster than it would have in the neck region.' He paused seeing panic gliding their faces.

'We can do this, but you people have to remember to take breaths from time to time.' He tried to pacify them in vain.

'What are we going to do?' Jai asked fidgeting with his glasses nervously.

'We need to buy more time.' Sneha answered, absent mindedly in her thoughts. 

'How and what will it do?' Rajeev sir inquired.

'I don't know 'how' but it will help us to deviate fungal enzymes at the neck from destroying ammunition to explode the whole thing.' Sneha replied giving herself a neck massage. Her head suddenly felt heavy.

'Exactly.' Dr. Link said lighting up.
'If we can hamper its neck region from attacking first, we have a chance.'

'The thing can eat gunpowder, what will work?' Jai said wrinkling his nose. 

'We can try acid?' Rajeev sir suggested.

'So, should I send my men with acid?' Colonel asked, appearing all of a sudden. 

'We are just looking at the alternatives right now.' Rajeev sir got testy. 
'I will report you when we have something concrete.'

'We do require a trial run. I say let them carry forward.' Dr. Courtney interrupted. 

'Are you serious?' Rajeev sir asked unbelievably.

'Yes, I most certainly am. I require this to envision how pitcher would buck acid.' She replied calmly. Then overlooking Rajeev sir opening his mouth in protest, directed Colonel.

'Colonel Singh, please arrange ten glass bottles of half liter capacity, ten liters of concentrated acid and an equipment to plunge it inside the pitcher.' She finished feeling like Queen Elizabeth.

Trisha entered the hall followed by Mukesh carrying more coffee mugs. They saw Colonel giving instructions crudely on his radio transmitter so crossed him to hand over mugs to the rest. 

'Any update?' Trisha asked sitting beside Sneha while Mukesh returned to Colonel. 

'Minor experiment, acid bombs.' Sneha said tilting her head.

'Hmm. What's the aim?' Trisha asked removing lid from her coffee mug.

'See if there is something that still effects this monster.' Sneha searched her bag for aspirins. 
'Hey its really nice of you to stay.' She said bolting a pill.

'Shouldn't you go? You do have a kid.' She asked realizing it was past seven o' clock. 

'Oh, it's no big deal.' Trisha waved her hand taking a sip.

'I talked to Pradeep. He will put the kid to bed.'

'Your husband is great! He is so supportive.' Sneha mused.

'Well, he knew what he was getting into. We dated in college.' Trisha said casually from the rim of her coffee mug.

Her stunted body didn't gave the impression of a lover or authority, but somehow Trisha had managed to bag a great life partner and all the administrative jobs given. She was head of two high profile research works, editor of a biotech magazine and still had agreed to be in-charge of instrument facility and board of institute. She never showed any trouble making deadlines. She took work with a smile on her face and completed it with effective results. She was married and had a five year old son but never used them as an excuse. Sneha looked up to her for inspiration in many ways. Although Trisha had an awfully huge appetite for gossips, Sneha still considered her as an idol women. Perfect balance between work and life.

'Your coffee sir.' Mukesh handed coffee mug to Colonel Singh. 

'Thank you. Ah.' Colonel coughed making Mukesh to look up.

'You are the head of security here, right?' Colonel asked raising his brows. The wrinkles on his forehead signified his age.

'Yes sir.' Mukesh answered.

'Finally a man I can speak to. We must share the same sense of amenability.'

'Like you!' Mukesh asked, unable to apprehend where this was leading to.
 He casted suspicious eyes on the Colonel then said, 'I am a very ordinary security man Colonel Singh, you care to explain what is that you want exactly.'

'I want names Mukesh, the people behind this. When the committee will need a name I want you to stand up and be a witness.'

'Why don't you ask Rajeev sir?' Mukesh said, folding his arms.

'Dr. Rajeev is reluctant to give any, he says it is a misfortunate accident.'
Colonel took a deep breath before continuing. 'But we both know that's not true.'

'And what makes you think I will give you names?' Mukesh replied keeping his composure. Colonel lowered his head and took a sincere tone.
'We both are guards Mukesh.'
He took off his cap using his right hand than wedged it under his left arm.
'I guard our country. You guard the facility.'

Mukesh listened intently.

'When someone tries or hurts my country, I defend it and put the responsible behind bars.' Colonel continued narrowing his eyes. 

'What intrigues me is, what will a reputable guard do to bring justice to his facility?'

Mukesh sir remain expressionless. He spoke giving no signs. 
'What will I get?'

Colonel peered into his eyes. He searched for his venal attribute.

'A generous reward money with a commemorative medal should be enough.'

The two men stood staring at each other.

'It's a deal.'

***

The pitcher had destroyed the entire left wing of the facility. The roof was still intact, but it was just a matter of time. The pitcher had grown in size rapidly, the gun powder of missile didn't have any negative effect on it. The hyphal appendages moved in wave motion, sliding on each other using the sticky fluid secreted by its pores. The pitcher wiped out everything. The centrifuges, refrigerators, burners, glassware, laminar chambers, spectrophotometers and wooden furniture. All were food. The appendages had demolished the facility's second floor, the pitcher was using its suction to engulf the debris. The soldiers on the monitors teeny saw the pitcher disengage the appendages trapped under the rubble and crawl the wall to reach the third floor. The grisly green creature crept everyone from its sight.
Fortunately the commandos about to attack it saw it as a red dot on their navigation systems. It was a tricky mission. The commandos were instructed to keep their distance from the outgrowths, as once tangled, there would not be an easy escape. The commandos also had to avoid thirty feet zone of void, in which they could be plucked in the pitchers mouth straightaway.

An armored truck entered the campus. It stopped in front of camp four. Two soldiers went on the back of the truck to drop its bar.

'I thought you would be back by now.' A solider emerged from inside. 
He was in his army green uniform but without any cap or helmet. He was six feet, with broad shoulders complementing his stalwart good looks. His skin had perfect tan matching his brown eyes.

'We thought so sir. But we got something weird here.' One of the soldier's answered.

'Ah, I was wondering why there is nothing on the news.'

'Colonel runs a taut ship.' replied the second solider.

'He is the man. Nobody else can get helicopters, missiles and an entire unit working unnoticed.' Lieutenant Vaibhav jumped out of the truck. 
'So, what do we have here?' He asked.

'Plant gone wild. Sir, no disrespect but this is ridiculous.' Solider complained.

'How so?' Vaibhav asked.

'The thing is all kinds of messed up. We can die. But the sad part is that if I die, what will my wife tell my kids?' The solider heaved. 

'Daddy died fighting a plant not Pakistan!'

Vaibhav and the other solider chortled. 

'Nobody is dying. Colonel Singh would never let anyone die under his watch.' Vaibhav assured him.

Another commando marched up to him. 'Lieutenant, Colonel wants to you to report in seminar hall.'

Vaibhav nodded and relieved commando. He took out his cap from his front pocket then strutted towards the seminar hall.
'Lieutenant Vaibhav reporting sir.'
'Have you brought the required units?' Colonel asked in his grave voice signing on a letter pad. 
'Yes sir, ten units of light anti-tank launchers, 84 caliber. 300m range.'
'Excellent, prepare the launch.' Colonel ordered.
'Yes Sir!'

There was something more than his charming looks that made Sneha look at Vaibhav with such intent. It was familiarity. But she couldn't put a finger from where. She was aware that she was staring now, she needed to break her gaze before somebody notices. 

Oh, O, too late. The sturdy Lieutenant came up to her. He noticed her glare and now she was going to embark upon the most embarrassing conversation she would ever have in her life. He halted two feet away from her, scanning her from head to toe.
His mouth curved into a smile as he spoke, 'Mafia'.

Sneha stood up openmouthed. 

'Don't call me that, I am a scientist here.' She replied with equal candor.

'I should have guessed you would be here. Where there is trouble there is you.' He teased her. Sneha's mind played Jai's voice again. May be she was bad news. Everybody else was sure.
'Wow, you just became the fastest man to hurt me.' She blurted truthfully.

'Hey.' Vaibhav's voice melted.
'That's one of the things to love about you.'

'It is?' She mocked in amazement.
The gallant smile was back.
'Major part of your charm.' He said with gleaming eyes.

'That and I don't want to be beaten up by a girl in this uniform.' He added playfully.

Sneha laughed. A memory of her school days flashed in her eyes.

'I never hit you,' she said.

'But you did bully me.'

'You are such a liar! I did not! I was the school prefect and your shoes were never polished.'

It was Vaibhav's laugh that filled the hall this time. The Colonel eyed his from afar.

'Hey, I have to go now. But you don't consider yourself forgiven. I will catch up with you. Bye.'
Saying that he marched out of the seminar hall with a wink.

***

The anti-tank was a launch weapon which could hit targets from a distance of 300 meters. Vaibhav helped the unit to install the setup at ten different places. The launchers were arrayed in a circle around the facility. The muzzle of each anti tank peeped at an opening directly towards the pitcher. Each launcher had to fire one liter of acid filled in eight millimeters wide tubes. 

Vaibhav had retreated from the screen when he had seen the creature at first. It was unimaginable. It reminded him of inverted octopuses. He looked at it with complete awe which converted into absolute detestation.

'All set.' Vaibhav shouted over the transmitter from camp four, east of facility.
They had set up small screens inside the canvass tent which showed mini versions of the ten commandos like toy action figures.

'Affirmative sir.' He received from the other end of the line. 

'Fire.'
Ten shots were fired in succession with great recoil. Three tubes were smashed by violent motion of pitcher's arms. One tube was encircled in its enormous appendage. The rest made it to its mouth. The pitcher shivered vehemently as the acid burned its vase shaped mouth. Yellow fumes evaporated from its open surface but no significant damage could be seen. 
Everyone was dejected by the results.

All of a sudden the pitcher wiggled wildly and threw the tube in its appendage towards the east door of the facility. Vaibhav stood in front of the monitor in stupor. They didn't anticipated a counter strike.

'Everyone, out of the tent now! Jump!' He shouted like a mad man. 

As they got out, they saw the tube right in front of their eyes, closing in on them rapidly. Everyone dunked to the ground as the tube hit the tent burning it severely.

'Sir, are you alright?' A solider asked lifting Vaibhav from the ground.

'That went well.' Vaibhav said putting his left hand on his bleeding forehead.