It was morning, and the room was flooded with bright light. Shiv woke up on the double bed, his eyes snapping open. He placed his feet on the cold floor and walked toward the balcony. As soon as he stepped out, he looked down, and his eyes widened in shock—he was on the 55th floor, with the entire city spread out before him. The balcony was a narrow, sleek space with a glass railing, a small luxury white chair, and some stylish minimal planters.
"What is this? Where am I?" he muttered, his voice filled with wonder.
Just then, the door opened with a soft sound. Shiv turned to see Vikram walking in, looking effortlessly stylish. He was wearing a fitted black silk shirt with a subtle pattern that highlighted his muscular physique. He paired it with light-beige pants, creating a sharp contrast. Around his waist was a sleek black belt with a circular gold-toned buckle, and a Rolex watch gleamed on his wrist. His look was powerful and classy—pure 'King' vibes without being flashy.
Shiv's mouth hung open. "Vikram... is that you?"
Vikram gave a confident, relaxed smile. "Yeah, it's me. You've only seen me in that academy recruiter uniform until now."
"But... you're incredibly rich!" Shiv remarked, his eyes still fixed on Vikram's clothes. "And where are we?" He looked around at the modern furniture—the large double bed with soft white bedding, the dark wood paneling, and the floor-to-ceiling glass window with a long grey lounge sofa and a stylish oval coffee table.
Vikram walked over to him. "We are at the YOY Hotel, a 250-story building with a brown, white, and silver facade. You can see the clouds and the sunlight hitting the heights from here, just like you saw outside."
"Okay, but when did we get here?" Shiv asked, confused.
Vikram replied in a slightly crude tone, "While you were snoring in the taxi last night. I got a call right after you fell asleep, so we shifted here."
"A call from who?"
"I got a call from the JFL Organization," Vikram stated.
Shiv looked puzzled. "What organization is that?"
Vikram looked at him with sharp, tired eyes. "The same organization that helped when the academy was attacked. They're the ones who informed us about the attack—did you forget already?"
Shiv's eyes widened as he clenched his fists. In a quiet voice, he said, "Right... I did forget."
Vikram stared at him intensely. "Did you forget, or did you choose to forget?"
Shiv looked away, shame written all over his face. He turned back and asked, "What did they say? Is it about Piya?" Hope flickered in his eyes.
Vikram spoke from behind him, "No. Actually, it's about you."
Shiv spun around. "About me? What?"
Vikram's tone turned serious. "Have you forgotten that you are the vessel for a devil?"
"No," Shiv said, "but why bring that up now?"
Vikram explained the organization's purpose. "Their job is to research threats and eliminate evil organizations. That's why they called."
Shiv's eyes grew large. "Do you mean... they want to kill me?"
"No. If you were an ordinary human, they might have killed you by now," Vikram calmed him down.
Shiv grew tense. "Then what's the catch?"
Vikram spoke in a grave tone, "They want to take you. They won't kill you, but only as long as you assist with their research and remain under their control."
"Research? But I'm not a scientist!" Shiv protested.
Vikram sat down on the stylish white chair on the balcony, framed by the stunning city lights. "They want to conduct research on you... or to put it bluntly, experiments."
Shiv's neck went dry, and sweat broke out on his forehead. "You mean they're going to experiment on me?"
Vikram nodded. "Yes."
"But what did you tell them?" Shiv asked, fear evident on his face.
"I've stalled the matter for now, but not for long," Vikram said. "If you don't go, they'll use government support to take you. Once the government gets involved, even I won't be able to help. And if the media finds out a devil's vessel is in India, big nations will attack and use force to claim you."
Shiv stood there, stunned. "Then what do I do? Piya died because of me, and now I can't even take her revenge."
Vikram closed his eyes. "I have a way to save you from these experiments."
Shiv's eyes brightened with hope. "What way?"
Vikram stood up. "Let's go, it's time. Get ready and meet me outside the hotel. I'll tell you there. Hurry up, or I'm leaving without you."
Thirty minutes later, Shiv went to get into a black car outside the hotel. The roads were wide, filled with stylish people. As he sat in the car, he asked, "Vikram, where are we going?"
"Fasten your seatbelt, Shiv—it's about to be a wild ride!" Vikram said with excitement.
Inside, Shiv's heart was pounding. 'I forgot Vikram is a dangerous driver! God, please save me just this once, I'll never sit in his car again!' Just then, Vikram swerved past a shop, clipped a stall, and sped ahead. Shiv screamed for help. They hit a traffic jam, and Vikram growled, "Of all the times for traffic!"
Shiv thought, 'Thank God, you actually saved me for a moment.' Then he asked, "Vikram, you said you had a plan?"
"Yeah, it's actually not that complicated," Vikram said calmly. "I've informed Vima Grandmaster. He's the one person in India the government supports and no organization can touch."
Shiv asked in confusion, "But why? And how did the Grandmaster get involved?"
Vikram looked ahead; the traffic cleared, and he floored the accelerator. Shiv gripped his seat tightly. They finally stopped outside the Firelex Shopping Mall. They entered through massive glass gates into a world of branded shops, shimmering marble floors, and modern chandeliers. The high-end ambience was filled with blue, green, and red lights.
"Why are we here?" Shiv asked.
"We're meeting someone," Vikram replied. "An officer from the JFL Organization—a Two-Star and a One-Star."
"But why meet them?"
Vikram explained, "The Grandmaster is stronger than India's toughest warriors, so you're safe from the government, but there are still people who could leak your identity to the media. Grandmaster is strong, but not strong enough to fight all Six Great Nations at once."
Shiv clenched his fists and looked down, feeling useless. 'Everyone is doing everything to save me, yet I'm still not "capable" in their eyes. I can't do anything.'
"Don't think like that," Vikram said, reading his thoughts. "And by the way, you actually know one of the officers."
Shiv's eyes widened. "What? I know them?"
"Yes, you'll see for yourself," Vikram said.
Shiv walked toward the food court with newfound intensity. 'Who could it be? Kavya? Ravi Bachchan? The Principal?'
Vikram pointed, "We need to go to that back table on the left."
They sat down. Shiv remarked, "You said we were meeting the officers?"
"Yes, but it seems they are late," Vikram replied.
Shiv scoffed, "Wow, even top-secret organization officers are late?"
Just then, a voice came from behind. A man approached wearing a patterned white shirt and matching pants. He wore a stylish blue cap with 'Oyo' printed on it. Shiv looked up and froze. It was Arav Sharma.
Shiv was in total shock. "No way... you're with the JFL Organization?"
Arav gave a sharp smile. "Yes, I am."