Genesis

by Tej Pratap Singh

  “Just get us in there. Rest we will handle,” assured KC. “No one will be able to comprehend what will happen there tomorrow! Knowing that we have intruded is a far-off thing. Don’t worry Mike,”

  “Never mind that,” said Mike. “strange things are happening in this town anyway. I don’t even want to ask what you meant by saying, what you just said. I’m just glad that you are back,” said Mike looking at KC as KC smiled back.

  “We need to reach here exactly,” explained Kamal digging his finger on the paper sheet. The particle accelerator chamber was right under his finger.

  “That is a high security zone,” said Mike seriously. “You… don’t just walk in there.” Mike thought for a while… and then he looked at KC and Kamal. “Naa…, you won’t be able to do it. Will have to think of something else.”

  “What?” asked KC. “What is it that we can’t do?”

  “Oh no forget it,” said Mike. “I have a plan, but you won’t be able to do it.”

  “Why not?” asked Kamal. “What does it involve? Maybe, we could do it.”

  “A Chef… I could take you in if you act as a chef!” said Mike candidly.

  “A cook?” questioned KC.

  “Not a cook! A ‘chef’,” repeated Mike.

  “We don’t know the ‘C’ of Cook, let alone a chef,” laughed Kamal.

  “We will do it,” said KC. “Desperate times call for desperate steps. We will cook… without killing anyone!”

  “All right then,” laughed Mike. “The LIGO facility has scientists working 24/7 in shifts and a canteen is operational round the clock. I can get the two of you in during the 0300 am shift - in the morning! When you get in, don’t talk to anyone. But make sure you look at all the security cameras properly. You should be seen and visible. Cook grilled toasts with black coffee - a favourite there. You will carry the same to the office complex exactly at 0700 hrs,” continued Mike showing the exact location of the routes to be taken within the facility on the blueprint.

  “You will then use your chef IDs to get in to the office complex. A camera has facial recognition software there. Since you would have been working there for about four hours, the camera would have picked you up and would allow access. Once you are in, dump the toasts, don’t let anyone eat them… you’ll blow your cover if you do! Move straightaway towards the Particle Accelerator chamber. I’ll give two separate ID cards to get in there. Once you are there, the cameras will pick you up again. Although they will sound an alarm in about 10 seconds. Even I can’t stop that alarm from going off. After that… I’ll lose my job,” said Mike as he sipped his whisky while he sat on his sofa contended, with a smile on his face.

  “We’ll have 10 seconds to do our thing,” concluded Kamal. “And Mike you’ll not lose your job!”

  “Your thing?” repeated Mike.

  “Aaa…, don’t ask Mike,” interrupted KC. “Just trust me, no one would believe that we entered there. People will see the cameras but will not believe them.”

  “What! Are you going to…vanish into thin air?” laughed Mike.

  “Something like that,” chuckled KC. “Just tell me one more thing,” asked KC. “The security cards that you are going to give us, were they operational last year as well? Or are these new ones?”

  “These ID cards are being used since this facility opened up,” replied Mike. “They’re encrypted and safe, we haven’t changed them since.”

  “Perfect,” said Kamal, “these are our tickets. Easy in, easy out.”

  “Well…boys, why don’t you get some sleep then. You got about five hours to go,” said Mike.

  “See you at two,” said KC as he sat on the sofa and switched on Mike’s laptop.

  “Really!” chuckled Kamal. “You want to check mails now!”

  “I am not checking mails,” replied KC. “I am learning how to make a grilled sandwich. I am not about to leave anything to chance. I am not going to do this again! I have had enough re-takes, thank you very much.”

  “I am coming for you Jenny,” said KC to himself. “and this time, I’ll not fail.”

  * * *

  It was two in the morning as Mike went around the house trying to wake up KC and Kamal. Kamal was the first to be found and then together they started to look for KC. He was nowhere to be found! Finally, after some yelling and thorough searching they found KC, sleeping on the kitchen slab.

  “Wake up KC,” said Kamal shaking him. “Get ready, will you. We got under an hour to reach the facility. Come on.”

  “Yes… Yes, I’ll have a café latte and a toast please,” muttered KC in his sleep as he continued to sleep talk. “It’s not - ‘just coffee’. It’s the right mix of coffee beans and milk… Aaah!”

  “OK then. Allow me to get you back to reality,” steamed Kamal as he splashed a pitcher full of water on KC’s face!

  “Holy Mother of the universe,” gasped KC as he rolled off the slab back to his senses. He was on the floor as he looked up at Mike and Kamal staring at him.

  “What?” questioned KC. “Why are you all staring at me!”

  “It’s 2 am KC. We got to run!” explained Mike.

  “Not to mention we got to make sandwiches there too,” added Kamal.

  “Ha ha…” chuckled KC. “Check out the toaster.”

  “I better find something worth my while,” warned Kamal as he opened the toaster. “Wow! That smells delicious,” declared Kamal as the fragrance filled the room. “You made sandwiches!”

  “I officially can cook sandwiches now,” declared KC as he raised his hand up towards Mike as he pulled him up.

  “You have been up all night? Trying to cook toasts?” asked Kamal leaning on the kitchen slab as he munched on the sandwich. “Good job, good job.”

  “Well then, toasts are taken care of now, coffee you can handle,” said KC pointing at Kamal.

  “Done deal,” replied Kamal.

  “OK boys, I’ll meet you on the driveway at 0230 hrs. Only carry essentials,” stated Mike. “Once we get there… you know what to do.”

  It was 0230hrs as Kamal and KC came out of the house and saw Mike waiting for them standing next to his car. They looked at each other… wondering how they were going to fit into his little car!

  KC shrugged his shoulders. “We got to go!”

  Somehow, they stuffed themselves into Mike’s two-seater car. Kamal’s face almost squashed against the window glass as Mike closed the door on his side. “I can’t breathe,” gasped Kamal. “Must…open… window.”

  “Wait… I think I can reach for the roller lever,” claimed KC as he slipped his hand between Kamal’s legs and just about managed to reach the door lever to finally roll the window down.

  “Aaaaaah!” exclaimed Kamal as he took a deep breath. “Your car Mike, could kill somebody.”

  “It’s meant for two!” defended Mike. “And look at you two, tall grown up men. Of course, there is no space here for the three of us… Now get down, stay low. Nobody should see the two of you as I drive out of my driveway…”

  “Get down! Are you kidding me?” said Kamal in disbelief. “Heights of optimism… there is hardly any space here to move a muscle and you are telling us to - get down!”

  “Oh, come on just… duck down a bit,” replied Mike trying to look back but couldn’t!

  “Really…duck down,” chuckled Kamal. “If I look any further down, I’ll lose my face into my knees! Unless you have a dimensional portal down there, I don’t think we can even move an inch!”

  Mike rolled his keys to start the car. And in the fourth attempt, it started. The car moved at a snail’s pace. The added weight was too much for the little car!

  “Don’t worry baby,” said Mike tapping his car on the dashboard. “You can do it, just 15 miles to go!”

  “15 miles,” repeated KC taking a deep breath as they came out of t
he driveway. Everyone stuck as they were. One turn to another turn, one signal to another, they slowly made their way towards the LIGO.

  Up ahead in the near distance, KC noticed few cars parked along the road. As they approached closer, KC could just about make out a familiar logo printed on the rear window of all the cars. It read - LC. ‘Where have I seen this before?’ thought KC. “Oh no!” shouted KC abruptly. “Stop the car, stop the car! Mike… Turn the car around. Don’t go straight.”

  “What… What happened?” exclaimed Mike at KC’s sudden outburst. “I can’t stop her now. In the middle of nowhere. Won’t be able to start her again!”

  “That’s LC’s logo. Lurton and Co. Those guys nearly killed me the last time around. They will be looking for me like bloodhounds. If they see me… we are finished,” explained KC as quickly as possible.

  “OK… I’ll turn,” confirmed Mike. Mike tried to free his right arm to turn his steering wheel. Kamal moved as far left as he could, which was not much actually. KC moved ahead till his face was squashed against the wind screen and finally Mike just about freed his arm trying his best to turn the steering quickly.

  “KC, move your leg back,” said Mike.

  “I can’t,” replied KC. “Take it up. Up,” said Mike hastily as they almost reached the Lurton Co cars parked up ahead.

  The men standing outside their cars caught sight of what was happening - a tiny car filled up to the brim and moving everywhere but straight!

  “I am moving it…” exclaimed Mike, “…it’s turning!” Just then, the car stopped! Bang in front of Lurton’s men!

  “Damn the clutch,” wailed Mike.

  The men looked into the car, bemused. KC tried to look away, knowing the inevitable was going to happen! He couldn’t even turn his neck.

  “Look down… look down,” advised Kamal.

  “You think…” said KC sarcastically. “I can’t even bloody move my neck.”

  One of Lurton’s men smiled at KC realising whom they had just found! He took out his pistol and knocked on the window pointing his pistol down, indicating Kamal to roll down his window.

  “Howdy fella. Fancy meeting you here!” said the mob boss sarcastically. “Why don’t ya ’all come out? Let’s have a chit-chat really quick then.”

  Kamal once again stretched his arm as much as he could and opened the door. Almost instantaneously Kamal and KC literally spilled out of the car.

  “You too papa,” said the mob boss pointing his pistol at Mike. “Care to join us.”

  KC and Kamal got up as Lurton’s men carefully pointed their guns at them. They were very much aware how dangerous and hazardous KC could be.

  “I am Duke. Thanks to what you did to our boss Lurton. I lead the pack now. We have been looking for you… for years. There was not a single corner around the world where we didn’t search for you. It was almost like you vanished…! I thought someone got to you before we did. But here you are, and what luck. … all the places in the world, your car had to smoke out right in front of me… ha-ha,” laughed Duke.

  “Now… I am going to kill you. What a pity, no one to see this, no one to witness history being created. Boss would have been so happy,” added Duke pointing his pistol towards KC.

  “Oh please! Spare me the chitchat,” fumed Kamal. “Just pull that trigger if you have to or let us pass. Must you give a whole introductory speech!”

  “Are you totally kidding me right now?” said KC and Duke together as Duke cocked his pistol and placed it on KC’s head. “Which one of you wants to go first?”

  “Take it easy Duke,” reassured KC, “I have nothing against you. Just walk away.”

  “Oh…really?” laughed Duke. “You took out more than half of my gang, my boss. Do you know how much our value depreciated in the market because of your actions? And you are saying… Maybe I’ll start with your pops here and then your buddy.”

  “Look Duke, walk away now… and I’ll do nothing. Go live your life, I give a damn. But if you piss me off now, I swear you’ll be joining your boss Lurton in hell,” warned KC.

  “Whoa… look at your cheek,” said Duke as he took out his second pistol and raised both his hands towards KC’s head. He also took two steps back. He had heard how fast KC could be. He had taken out Dozer and his five goons empty-handed. Must be something!

  “Don’t make me do this Duke,” said KC again. “I don’t want any more trouble. I have had enough. Just leave me alone. I am on my way to do something very important.”

  “No,” said Duke as he further took two steps back and cocked his second pistol as well.

  “Dammit,” said KC as he pulled his sleeves back and clenched his fists, hating what he was about to do. KC retracted his leg a bit to make enough space to volley it towards Duke without giving his intentions away. KC was about to make his move when, Kamal and Mike out of nowhere took out their pistol and shot the hell out of Duke and two of his gang members standing beside him.

  “I am not your papa,” said Mike irritated. Everyone was dumbstruck including KC. The remaining gang members made a run for it.

  “What! You two had a pistol all along!” shouted KC at Kamal and Mike. “Why didn’t you shoot before? Wasted so much time. Duke had me all worked up...!”

  “Well…I was just waiting for them to get completely distracted,” replied Mike.

  “Yeah that’s right,” nodded Kamal. “Standard procedure.”

  “I don’t believe this,” said KC shaking his head. “I’m never taking a car ride with you guys again!”

  “Well then boys… we are on a tight schedule… Let’s get going,” said Mike as he sat in his car. “Boys, where are you? Let’s go,” continued Mike when no one joined him in the car. Mike came out of his car. “Come let’s go, what’s the hold up?” he enquired again.

  “In that car! Hell no,” declared Kamal. “Our brothers left us a shiny BMW here. You can breathe in it! And did I mention… it moves. We are going in this.”

  “What! You are serious?” said Mike.

  “Mike come on, we got to make up the wasted time,” said KC frantically. “We got to move fast!”

  “Alright, alright,” said Mike, “I’ll just park my baby to a side.”

  Half an hour later, they reached the LIGO facility. Mike got them through the security check and right outside the kitchen.

  “Alright boys, cook your way into the lab and best of luck. I will have to peel off now,” said Mike as he hugged KC. “I have loved you more than my boy. I don’t know whether I’ll ever see you again, but I want you to know that I’ll always be there for you… and... carry on then…!” sobbed Mike almost in tears.

  KC hugged him back. “You’re like the father I always wanted to have,” said KC as he placed his left hand over Mike’s heart. “You’ll always be with me. No matter where I go.”

  “Go on then boy,” said Mike covering his tears with a smile. “God speed.”

  “You’re the man,” said KC as he tapped Mike on his shoulder and turned around firmly.

  They walked straight into the kitchen looking into all the security cameras on the way. On entering the kitchen, none of the staff even bothered to look up at KC and Kamal. Everyone was so engrossed in his or her own task. It didn’t matter to them that two new faces were amongst them. KC looked around, all he could see was fruits, salads, bread, butter and coffee.

  “Is this all they eat around here!” whispered KC.

  “Of course,” replied Kamal. “They need to stay awake.”

  “Get to your counters,” came an unfriendly voice. Kamal turned around to see the head chef gazing at him. The head chef had long curly hair and his spectacles had such huge glasses that Kamal could see the chef’s eyes magnified thrice as much, almost as if his eyes would fall on him! He had fountain pens of three different colors in his top pocket.

  ‘Damn’ thought
Kamal, ‘he looks no less of a scientist.’ The only thing that broke his screened appearance were massive-sized serving spoons he carried tucked into his belt. Three to be precise. All of different sizes.

  “Gentlemen, get to your counter. You only have an hour left. Get your toasts and coffee ready,” demanded the head chef.

  “Sure thing boss,” replied KC promptly as he and Kamal quickly turned around and walked away looking for any board or marking that would point them to their respective counters.

  “Wait,” said the head chef suddenly.

  KC almost instantaneously started to think of various possibilities and scenarios to get out of a thick soup - if they were caught. KC had come a long way to let this opportunity go away.

  ‘By today evening I will be holding Jenny in my arms and nobody can stop me!’ he thought.

  Cautiously, they turned around as the head chef once again examined them head to toe.

  “Hmmmm… ah…” muttered the head chef. “I think…you…”

  KC and Kamal looked at each other as their faces turned pale. Just behind the head chef, they could see five security guards moving towards them.

  “Mike told me about you…” continued the head chef as KC quickly picked up a steel pan – just in case! “I think you… Jo, should make ‘Russian salad’ and you Kamal, should make Cardamom tea! Mike recommended you two. That’s why you are here… Better do a good job. Go on now, move along.”

  KC took a sigh of relief! “Thank the universe,” he whispered, as he looked at Kamal.

  “How the hell do you make a Cardamom Tea?” said Kamal stumped.

  “I have no idea!” replied KC. “Manage… We will have to manage! That’s our only way to the Particle Accelerator chamber.”

  “No mobile network here. Can’t search the net,” exclaimed Kamal. “All those years of training and countless special ops, and at the end I am going to be caught because I can’t make cardamom tea!”