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Chapter 22 - The Surprise Visitor

  The Moscow bound train squeaked and drummed a monotonous rhythm , running over the long track of steel, so fast that the passing greenery whatever left from the snow fall became a hazy blur. Raul tried to look out the window, but the windows are beaded and the snow beating on it like flying ashes from post apocalyptic skies. Inside Raul was blanked out with his thoughts a curious mixture of cozy and bored, all of him itching for the destination that will come eventually and the actions after. Raul was lost in his thoughts again, thumbing through the book in his hands, he began to focus on his thoughts which had exploded in his mind like that of a forked lightning. These sudden flashes of thoughts animate those Frankenstein monsters, that you once feared. He has been through this fun house and that not so funny sequence of scares. Chasing the thoughts are like exploring a cave, a dark place and the sudden flashes animate some imagery, giving it a skewed perception. There’s no good...

Chapter 21 - India - Flash Back

The window is so large it reminded him of a store-front. Raul was looking out the large window of Mr. Wilson's Global HQ.  It's triple-glazed and so clear that the panorama is like a high definition screen at a movie theater. At the distance the hue of the evening sky splattered across the panoramic landscape. The clouds stood embossed upon that artistry of the skies. The birds traveled past, buffeted by the winds that whistle through these towers. He felt as if standing among those clouds. The real estate, a miles high looked so futuristic. The city below is so far away it's like another world, those ant-like people and all their problems are of no more consequence than like those temporary static on intercom. It was less than 24 hours Raul had gotten back to St.Peters berg from Houston. He was trying to sleep off his jet lag when his phone rang. It was Mr.Wilson. In less than an hour after that call,he was at the Global HQ. He has been to this same room a few rare tim...

Chapter 20- Kirov Station

Raul sank back into the seat, propped up a pillow behind his head and laid back leaning on it. He closed his eyes and began thinking of a plan which he has to execute at Moscow. The people he is going to meet is from one of the large business corporation named Index Inc., having their business interests across the domains from agriculture to space science. He is very sure that this mission he undertook is like a long distance marathon with hurdles. Raul could hear the sound of boots along the corridor, from outside his cabin. He could hear people talk and some muted commotion. He turned and  looked outside the window, saw a couple of soldiers walking along the track with their rucksacks.  The train had made the stop for the soldiers to board the train. A couple of minutes later, he felt the train move and gain speed to the next Station. He pulled out his feel good book- The Alchemist from his backpack and started flipping through the pages. He has read it a thousand one t...

Chapter 19- Back at the Hotel

Raul walked a few paces down the road to get into the taxi. The driver pulled away with him in the rear seat. Raul felt that he was clutching the bag unusually tight, as he felt the fatigue on the knuckles. He could now feel the full gravity of the situation. Raul understands the nature of  technology a bit too much and technically it only takes a flip for a flop..a flop for the whole mission he undertook. He looked outside through car window on the left and tried to take deep long breathes to calm himself down. The car was going through a beautiful country side, but his aesthetic sense was on off mode. The nervous kind of energy was devouring him doing tango with anticipation and his brain seemed to be focused on the tango. He understood the full mental stress of this kind of chess he play. There was no pardon or trial moves in this game. The reality is as real as it gets. "The game of information warfare is more like a chess game played in the real world at the mental leve...

Chapter 18- First Assignment (Continued)

As moments ticked by Raul understood the gravity of his first solo mission. It  seemed like so much fun at the start. It's still fun if he could pull it through. He was lost in thoughts while doing all his morning chores. In the shower, he stood leaning on his hands against the wall, the water pouring down on his back, calculating and recalculating all his moves for the day at the Law firm. He thought he heard the phone ring. Closing down the shower, he listened and it was indeed the phone ringing back in the room. He wrapped a towel around him and got out of the bath. It was Mr.Wilson. "I suppose, everything is in order Raul!" asked Mr.Wilson. "Yes sir. It is. I have already asked the hotel to get me a cab by 9:00 AM" "Good luck. " and he disconnected the call. Raul rushed back into the bath to dry  himself and got ready to go. He wore a blue shirt, black jeans and a gray cardigan on top of it. He looked in the mirror and chuckled. He arra...

Chapter 17 - First Assignment

He must be nearing the Kirov station. The world though blanketed in snow, Raul recognized the features of the land that stretched ahead of him.The train rocked him gently as he looked out through the window along the corridor next to his Cabin. He was waiting for the provodnitsa to open the cabin door for him. The winter trees stood like a song half sung, unsure of the melody to come. Only when the wind breathes warm once more, will they recall the rolling words and unfurl them green in the sun. Until then they are mute, forlorn in the wind. Far in the distance, the city stood upon the hill in the gathering gloom. Each building jutted into the darkening sky as if it had been drawn on with charcoal. Raul  got back into his cabin and pulled apart the window curtains to let the sunlight inside the cabin. The scent of lemon grass still lingered in the cabin. The winter sunlight is watery and cold, without color radiated back from either grass and leaf, without the warmth of summer,...

Chapter 16- Walking away from Jane

"What do you call that..infatuation..Yeah..that is the right word." said Raul. Every detail of that day was etched into his brain like an Etch a Sketch. Sitting in a crummy diner, Raul looked out at the street. The street drenched in gloom. The faded figure of skyscrapers outlined the distant horizon. High up above, the clouds lit up in purple and orange. The heavens had begun its foreplay for an intense rain tonight. The street was dark like the tea he was drinking. Ghostly figures moved about the street, hurrying as if haunted. "Raul, I am sorry, it ended up this way!" said Fabrice. "It's okay, I knew how its gonna end, because I was working against my intuition, all the way from day one on this." replied Raul. .. .. Few months back, Raul was on a date with Jane; a few months after Jane started working with a bank in Ryazan. It was a December with the wintry sun, shining into the brightness of the day. The sunshine and cold, the sparkle and...