Chapter 9- The Old Farm House
Back at Atlanta Inc. Raul maintained his cover, as an operative for Mr.Wilson. His constant engagements with the CEO went unnoticed by others, as he also headed the R&D (Research and Development) division, directly under the purview of the higher offices.
The tasks assigned to him by Mr.Wilson were becoming more complex and time consuming. Raul had been an operative for so long now that he no longer remembered what it was like to be himself. He was either the person undercover, roles he adapted to so well and it was like an alternative life. When he immersed into his assignments, he was the professional, executing orders, giving reports and being debriefed. The man he had been, the one who skipped stones into the winter ocean , who painted oil paintings and pencil sketches, was all gone. Mr.Wilson really knew how to feed the lone wolf inside Raul. Wilson have found a way to do his job nice, neat and clean.
It was a Sunday late afternoon in June . Mr. Sunil Joseph, his former manager had invited him home. He lived 20 Kilometers away from Raul's home town. Sunil owned spices, orchids and natural latex plantation near his home. After moving out of Atlanta Inc., Sunil was completely engaged in his agriculture business, at least that's what Raul learned about him. It's been a long while Raul has visited this farm house.
Raul has been there many times before. Fresh air, tall grass, and trees. These are a few of his favorite things. All are found on Sunil's farm.The farm, sprawled across huge span of open land at the foot of two mountains. All that breaks up the view are a few scattered shade trees and fences.The very first building you see while driving up the curvy track is the farmhouse. It's a small, cream colored house with a porch that spans the entire front side. On the two sides are orchid gardens with orchids of every color known to man. The bright colors of orchids are a stark contrast to the muted color of the house itself. His farmhouse was a means of solace for Raul, to break free from the mundane.
Though rich, Sunil lives in this modest farm house near his very large plantation. He has 2 large guard dogs and Raul never got accustomed to them. They scared him. It was from this farmhouse Raul made his solo enterprise level project after joining Atlanta Inc. It was a private project for a friend of Sunil. Upon his request, Raul and Joris decided to develop a web portal for Sunil's friend. They worked on this project during the weekends. Raul did the coding and Joris designed the graphics for it.
The attic of Sunil's farm house was where the real estate portal was born on a December, closer to the new millenium. It barely took them 6 weekends but many cups of black tea to finish the project. It was fun, working late night and into the day, the duo were workaholic.
..
..
Raul drove his old Mitusbishi Lancer and was on his way to meet Sunil.
As he progressed, the weather seemed to change at a fast pace. The ash cloud like of a volcano rolled in with booming rumble. He was not sure if he could reach at the destination before the weather turned bad. The thunder seamed to crack the air, as if the very heavens might split apart. It declared to all the raw power of nature and gave fair warning of the wrath that was to come.
Raul ducked with each thunderous boom. He knew it was silly but he couldn't help it. It sounded like a mountainous rock rumbling down, about to roll him flat. Maybe if it was the sound alone he'd adjust, but the cold rain and flashing forks kept him stuck in adrenaline mode. The untamed power reverberated and echoed across the horizon. Without waiting for the storm to ease he hurried his car towards Sunil's home.
Raul reached near Sunil's home. The rain fell so thickly that the wipers couldn't keep up. The visibility was very much reduced to under ten feet. The track, more like a rocky path to Suni's home was rugged with loose gray pebbles and occasionally small boulders. It ran through the side of the farm. The downpour has made the track into a muddy stream that flowed furiously into a canal to its side.
Raul took out his phone and dialled Sunil.
A few minutes passed and he could make out the shape of Sunil's jeep through the left window. Raul, parked the car on the side of the road, got out and walked briskly towards the waiting jeep.
..
..
"That's some rain" exlaimed Sunil.
"Sure it is...sure it is" replied Raul.
The 1980 Willys jeep, rocked us from side to side as we traversed the rocky path. The cigarette smoke from Sunil's cigarette filled his lungs as he sat inside the jeep gripping tightly on the handle.
The rain battered the canvas top mercilessly. Thunder rumbled at a distance, as we literally tumbled over the path. The tires of the Willys slipped and slithered in the muddy track.
Finally, we reached a curve where the track leveled out into a much better shape. Sunil drove the Jeep into the driveway and into the garage adjacent to the farm house.
..
..
Raul got out of the jeep and ran into the porch of the farm house and waited for Sunil. A muted luminous light of the solar lanterns came from inside the farmhouse.
"Raul..Come in" the voice from the inside of the farmhouse seemed very familiar.
"The world was getting too small for comfort."-Thought Raul
The tasks assigned to him by Mr.Wilson were becoming more complex and time consuming. Raul had been an operative for so long now that he no longer remembered what it was like to be himself. He was either the person undercover, roles he adapted to so well and it was like an alternative life. When he immersed into his assignments, he was the professional, executing orders, giving reports and being debriefed. The man he had been, the one who skipped stones into the winter ocean , who painted oil paintings and pencil sketches, was all gone. Mr.Wilson really knew how to feed the lone wolf inside Raul. Wilson have found a way to do his job nice, neat and clean.
It was a Sunday late afternoon in June . Mr. Sunil Joseph, his former manager had invited him home. He lived 20 Kilometers away from Raul's home town. Sunil owned spices, orchids and natural latex plantation near his home. After moving out of Atlanta Inc., Sunil was completely engaged in his agriculture business, at least that's what Raul learned about him. It's been a long while Raul has visited this farm house.
Raul has been there many times before. Fresh air, tall grass, and trees. These are a few of his favorite things. All are found on Sunil's farm.The farm, sprawled across huge span of open land at the foot of two mountains. All that breaks up the view are a few scattered shade trees and fences.The very first building you see while driving up the curvy track is the farmhouse. It's a small, cream colored house with a porch that spans the entire front side. On the two sides are orchid gardens with orchids of every color known to man. The bright colors of orchids are a stark contrast to the muted color of the house itself. His farmhouse was a means of solace for Raul, to break free from the mundane.
Though rich, Sunil lives in this modest farm house near his very large plantation. He has 2 large guard dogs and Raul never got accustomed to them. They scared him. It was from this farmhouse Raul made his solo enterprise level project after joining Atlanta Inc. It was a private project for a friend of Sunil. Upon his request, Raul and Joris decided to develop a web portal for Sunil's friend. They worked on this project during the weekends. Raul did the coding and Joris designed the graphics for it.
The attic of Sunil's farm house was where the real estate portal was born on a December, closer to the new millenium. It barely took them 6 weekends but many cups of black tea to finish the project. It was fun, working late night and into the day, the duo were workaholic.
..
..
Raul drove his old Mitusbishi Lancer and was on his way to meet Sunil.
As he progressed, the weather seemed to change at a fast pace. The ash cloud like of a volcano rolled in with booming rumble. He was not sure if he could reach at the destination before the weather turned bad. The thunder seamed to crack the air, as if the very heavens might split apart. It declared to all the raw power of nature and gave fair warning of the wrath that was to come.
Raul ducked with each thunderous boom. He knew it was silly but he couldn't help it. It sounded like a mountainous rock rumbling down, about to roll him flat. Maybe if it was the sound alone he'd adjust, but the cold rain and flashing forks kept him stuck in adrenaline mode. The untamed power reverberated and echoed across the horizon. Without waiting for the storm to ease he hurried his car towards Sunil's home.
Raul reached near Sunil's home. The rain fell so thickly that the wipers couldn't keep up. The visibility was very much reduced to under ten feet. The track, more like a rocky path to Suni's home was rugged with loose gray pebbles and occasionally small boulders. It ran through the side of the farm. The downpour has made the track into a muddy stream that flowed furiously into a canal to its side.
Raul took out his phone and dialled Sunil.
A few minutes passed and he could make out the shape of Sunil's jeep through the left window. Raul, parked the car on the side of the road, got out and walked briskly towards the waiting jeep.
..
..
"That's some rain" exlaimed Sunil.
"Sure it is...sure it is" replied Raul.
The 1980 Willys jeep, rocked us from side to side as we traversed the rocky path. The cigarette smoke from Sunil's cigarette filled his lungs as he sat inside the jeep gripping tightly on the handle.
The rain battered the canvas top mercilessly. Thunder rumbled at a distance, as we literally tumbled over the path. The tires of the Willys slipped and slithered in the muddy track.
Finally, we reached a curve where the track leveled out into a much better shape. Sunil drove the Jeep into the driveway and into the garage adjacent to the farm house.
..
..
Raul got out of the jeep and ran into the porch of the farm house and waited for Sunil. A muted luminous light of the solar lanterns came from inside the farmhouse.
"Raul..Come in" the voice from the inside of the farmhouse seemed very familiar.
"The world was getting too small for comfort."-Thought Raul
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