“We can do it tomorrow too, but I have one question. No, two questions. One. How are you involved in all this?? And Two, what is this society’s name?”
Dad laughs.
He looks at me and then sighs.
“Okay, I will need to bring you up to date. We can do it with the rest of them, or I could just call you on your phone?”
“Call me, sure.”
“We don’t mind listening in,” Lexie says.
“Alright. Those of you who want to go, can go. Babygirl, you are staying here tonight, no risks to be taken for your safety. Vee, could you please set the phone with the Study TV? Then I can bring her up to date?”
====
As soon as we exit the living room, the whole mansion has a sort of an open plan. One short flight of stairs up is another living area, which seems to be the one more used than the one we were all in. One wall is lined with books. While another one has a huge 60 inch screen. On the far side of it is one bedroom, that I can see from the open door. We turn around and go up another flight of stairs. There are three doors here, two on the left side and one on the right.
Vince takes the farther door on the left and opens it. It opens to a beautifully furnished study. Wood panels line the walls. One whole wall is pinned up with a huge ass map of sorts, with photos, names, red and green lines running through it.
Vince goes to the screen on the wall opposite to the map, where a 42 inch TV is mounted, and connects the phone to it.
Dad’s face comes on screen and I almost run to him. I miss him. I miss him so bloody much. He is all I have.
“Where are you Dad? Can I see you? I miss you,” I tell him solemnly.
His eyes shine with unshed moisture that he quickly rubs off.
“I miss you too Baby girl. Soon, I hope. We will meet soon. Now come on, let’s bring you up to date before the others join us.”
I nod and sit on the couch facing the TV screen. Vince comes to sit next to me, and Lexie sits on the other side.
The others filter in behind us.
“So where do you want me to start? Vince, any suggestions?” Dad says.
“Probably best to start at the beginning Pa.”
Dad nods.
“Ada you know how you started training when you were ten years old, right?”
I nod.
“It was because your mother had been killed. She was killed by someone called The Liberator.”
I gasp. The Liberator?
“He is someone who believes that he is going to liberate everyone from the clutches of greed and power. He has always been someone who craved power, in the most sickening way. He wants power, not because he wants to empower others, but because he hopes to eliminate everyone else who is in direct competition to him. I know the others filled you in on Gods’ history lesson. Liberator is blessed by the Creation God, Brahakta.”
I interrupt him. “I don’t understand. Who is he? How does killing Ma help him? And why would the intruders take his name?”
“That’s what. Seems like they know the connection between him, me and you. Now let me finish.
“I met Shakti when we were kids. It was literally love at first sight. What people don’t know is that Shakti was one of the most gifted and fierce warriors of her time. Twenty five years back, there were seven such master warriors in the world. Who had surpassed Level Twenty of the Divine Warrior training. This training isn’t commercialized like karate or taekwondo is. You know that. But this recap is as much for the others’ benefit as it is for yours.”
I nod and gesture for him to continue.
“This training is said to be designed and gifted to the most noble and worthy warriors, by the Gods themselves. Warriors and masters can nominate their prodigies to be trained. The prodigies have to pass the trials. Only once it is passed, are they accepted and trained by The Sensei. The other prodigies who fail at the trials, can still be trained by their respective masters, but seldom does anybody make it out completely intact without winning.”
Vince inhales sharply. I look at him but he is focussed on Dad. “That is why you never allowed us to enter the trials?”
Dad nods.
“You all were as it is being trained by the best. So it didn’t make sense to take the risk.”
“How does Ada know about it?” Vince asks.
“If you will let me continue then maybe your questions will be answered,” Dad glares at him.
“Sorry Pa.”
“So, twenty five years ago, there were seven warriors in the world who had passed the trials and were being trained by Sensei. Shakti and I were two of them. The others were Arya, Vishwa, Borysko, Eoin and Guy. We trained every day with the other five, from the time we were six years old. Only Borysko was a little older than us. We trained, we studied, we sparred, we lived together in the Ashram like a family. Living with someone for twenty years, does that to you.”
Dad smiles into the distance, clearly reminiscing about the old days.
“Once we crossed Level Fifteen, we were asked to consult on cases - conspiracy theories, murders, cults, you name it. We did it if it fit our outline. We helped treasure hunters understand the clues. We were like we have ‘creative consultants’ these days. We offered our intelligence and creativity to the clients and suggested different ways of doing things. We were also actively involved in teaching young apprentices. The seven of us? We were close, really close. Until one day, we weren’t.
“Shakti and I got married right about the time when we were getting threats from a cult. Our lives literally became targeted. The seven of us had almost completed Level Nineteen by the time, when we became pregnant with Ada. Almost everyone in our seven was settled, having found their better halves. But the moment we had Ada, Shakti decided that she no longer wanted to be a part of all the danger. The same feelings were echoed amongst all of us. Except for Borysko, who had not found anybody to give it all up for. The rest of us though… We discussed it with our Sensei and it was decided that we could no longer put the lives of our kids on the line.
“We all finished our Level Twenty and the six of us went our separate ways. Only Borys stayed back to complete his training. Shakti and I had saved a lot of money and we had some smart investments. So we travelled the world a bit, and homeschooled you. We stayed in touch with the others, of course. Like I said, we were a family. After being discreet over our initial years, we found out that the Cult had been disbanded and there was no threat to our lives anymore. That was when we made a plan to meet. All of us were going to be in one place after three years. Borysko had just completed his Level Twenty One and what better way of commemorating this accomplishment of our friend than a get-together, right? That too on New Year’s Eve.
“We were supposed to meet in Peru, and Shakti, you and I were going to fly from the Andamans. But just four days before we were supposed to fly, we were hit by the Tsunami and all flights were cancelled, as you might as well imagine. All connectivity was cut off. For days on end. We were safe. We survived, Shakti and I helped save countless others. And you Ada, I don’t know if you remember but you so fiercely helped everyone else too. People were surprised that a four year old could swim and save dogs and cows stuck in houses, or other parts of the islands. But you saw that more importance was given to save families and human beings. Very few people were risking their lives to save animals. And you dived right in.”
He gives me a proud smile. I remember, of course. I will always remember. The first time I hated the “adults” around for not giving the same priority to animals.
Dad then looks to the others and says, “Our girl jumped in freezing waters, and saved more than eighty dogs and husbandry. She saved humans too, sure. But she selflessly, tirelessly, with her tiny little body swam to and fro, to the sunk houses, to parts of the islands where animals were trapped. Everyone was surprised how she even came to know that animals were trapped there. To which she just said when you really want to know, God shows you. Yeah, she was pissed at adults.
Luckily, Shakti and I saved everyone we could find. Else she would have hated us too.”
He laughs and I roll my eyes. Vince looks at me and gives my shoulder a squeeze.
“You really meant it earlier, didnt you?” he asks quietly.
“What?” Dad asks.
“Earlier when we were talking and filling her in, she got emotional knowing that animals were killed. But now it makes sense. She was always like this.”
“Yes, my daughter has always been the voice for those who cannot speak.” There is pride in his eyes again.
“Anyway, as I was saying, we were delayed by the Tsunami. We couldn’t get out of there till after the 10th of January. When we reached Chennai to take our flight to Peru, thinking everyone must still be there, and probably worried when they couldn’t get in touch with us. While we were waiting for our flight at the Airport, the news channels were talking about a family that was slaughtered. We didn’t pay much attention to it. I tried logging into my email then, and because the internet was still shitty those days, by the time I was able to access my email we had boarded.
“I remember reading an email that chilled my blood and I couldn't move until the air hostess made me turn my phone off. Shakti met my eyes and saw the terror that must have been there.”
He stops for a while, a haunted look in his eyes.
“What happened?” I ask him when after a whole three minutes he hadn’t spoken.
Chapter 13
Year 2005
Cael
Shakti is tired and so is Ada. I just hope the others aren't losing their minds with worry. I hope they enjoyed their time, even without us being there. I can’t wait to meet everyone. It would be the first time the kids will all get to meet each other.
The email finally opens and my eyes land on the subject “URGENT”. It is from Sensei. He never emails. So I click it and wait for it to load.
The airhostess is announcing and urging us to turn our phone off.
The email opens.
THE TSUNAMI SAVED YOUR LIFE. THEY WERE KILLED. BE SAFE. CALL ME AS SOON AS YOU CAN
The bloody fuck!?
“Sir, please turn your phone off.” The sharp voice of the airhostess rings in my ears. I look at her and turn my phone off. I look at Shakti and she knows something has happened. Her hold on Ada tightens and I can only hope that my baby girl stays safe wherever we are going.
====
We land in Peru and find Sensei almost immediately. I had contacted him during our layover in Singapore. As soon as we reach him, he steps forward and hugs me fiercely. When I lean back, I see tears in his eyes.
I have never seen him cry or show any emotion, until that day. He turns to Shakti and hugs her as tightly, lastly turning to Ada, who takes to him almost immediately, playing with his braided hair.
“What happened?” Shakti asks him, eyes glistening.
He looks at Ada and says, “let’s get to the house. It would be better if she is sleeping for this.”
Ada falls asleep during the cab ride to the house where the murder had happened. We enter and I burn hot with anger. It was gruesome. They were tortured for information. And killed mercilessly. Shakti and I can sense these things. We seven were magical, after all.
Were… the thought leaves me breathless.
Grief so deep overpowers me that I fell to my knees. My brothers. My sisters. My niece and nephews. All gone. Who could have done it?
I look to Sensei but he is frantic. Looking around everywhere.
He mumbles they must be here somewhere. What does that mean? Shakti hears it too and comes to him.
“My children, your brothers and sisters somehow miraculously managed to save the kids.”
All breath leaves my body.
“How do you know?” Shakti whispers.
“Guy was alive when I reached here. The police were everywhere. But just before he was taken away by the paramedics, only to be proclaimed dead on arrival, he told me to save the kids.”
Shakti looks to the sky, probably thanking God for small mercies. Tears leave her eyes as she clutches Ada to her chest.
She keeps Ada with her while we all search the mansion for the kids.
“What are we looking for Ma?” Ada’s small voice asks.
“We are looking for some people, baby. They should be here. Would you like to help me find them?” Shakti asks her.
Ada nods. And they both go off in one direction of the mansion. While Sensei and I take the other parts.
Fuck this! Two hours of searching and nothing.
“Ma, I think we need to go to the water.”
Before either of us could respond, Sensei speaks in his stern voice. “We have important things to do little girl.”
Again, before either Shakti or I could respond, Ada gets up, looking angry and pissed off. “You, old man, I am not talking to you. I am talking to my Ma. Unless you are Ma, you keep quiet please.”
What?
I look at Shakti, who is as flabbergasted as I am. And Sensei? He looks speechless. If it wasn’t a tragic situation, we would probably be laughing at Sensei’s face right about now.
“Ma, I feel that we need to go to the water. Remember you always tell me that if you really want to know, God shows you. I really wanted to know what you were looking for and I felt that I needed to go to the water. The same feeling I got when I went looking for people in water.”
What people?
Oh, the animals. In Andamans.
That had us jumping out of our seats.
“Are there any bodies of water nearby?” I ask Sensei.
“There is a pool house next door where they used to go and take the kids. Let’s see if what she felt is there.”
Shakti and I stiffen at Sensei’s words. It is the tone and words he uses to gauge warriors. But as we look at Sensei, he is looking softly at Ada. It is another first. I have never seen him look at anybody like this. Maybe except at Shakti at times.
We are at the pool house and it is empty. But Ada has a plan. She starts leading us and we follow her to the locker rooms. She leads us to the farthest locker and stands there.
“Here. I think..” she says, pointing her little hands at the locker.
We all frown. There is no way that five kids could be here inside this locker door.
But we open the door nonetheless. It is the usual locker, but with no racks or shelves.
I look all around it when a tiny lever on the back panel catches my eye.
I go to pull it but am stopped by Ada. “Dad, I think there needs to be a password,” she says, frowning.
Shakti and I frown too. But Sensei is looking at her with awe and wonder that I have a mind to take my daughter away from all of this.
“What password?”
“I don’t know. I just feel that there needs to be one.” My baby girl says in her little voice.
Then she looks at Sensei and says, “OMan, you told something to a kid. Or asked. What is it?”
“OMan?” Sensei asks her.
“Old man.”
Shakti stifles a giggle. But Sensei full-on smiles.
But then he thinks, having remembered something. He raises his hand and starts knocking on the back panel of the locker.
.. / .- -- / - .... . / -... . --. .. -. -. .. -. --. / --- ..-. / . ...- . .-. -.-- - .... .. -. --. --..-- / - .... . / . -. -.. / --- ..-. / . ...- . .-. -.-- .-- .... . .-. . .-.-.- / .. / .- -- / - .... . / -... . --. .. -. -. .. -. --. / --- ..-. / . - . .-. -. .. - -.-- --..-- / - .... . / . -. -.. / --- ..-. / - .. -- . / .- -. -.. / ... .--. .- -.-. . .-.-.- / .-- .... .- - / .- -- / .. ..--..
Morse code.
‘I am the beginning of everything, the end of everywhere. I’m the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space. What am I?’
We all wait patiently. Then we hear a single knock.
.
Morse code for E.
The answer.
The lever shifts, from inside.
The back panel opens. My brea
th leaves me.
The back panel opened to a panic room of sorts. Enzo opens the door, he has grown bigger, a year older to Ada. From behind him I see the haggard faces of the other kids.
Shakti picks up Ada and moves back, so that Sensei and I can help them.
We raise our hands and help them out, one by one.
As soon as the kids are out, Enzo stands and looks at Sensei, “you came…” He looks so tired.
“We came.”
The kids look around. Their eyes falling on Ada who just smiles. And then my little girl opens her back pack, and takes out chocolate bars and hands to them with a bottle of water.
I meet Shakti’s eyes and see fear and sadness in gallons there. My heart is breaking for these kids. We don't know for how long they were in there, whether they had anything to eat or not.
I look at Sensei, and find him looking at Ada.
I feel something monumental is happening at this moment. But as Shakti starts leading the kids out so that we all can get to a hotel, Sensei turns to me and says the words I have never dreamt I ever would hear.
“I think Ada might be the one.”
Chapter 14
Ada
“What do you mean? What are you saying?” I ask Dad. I vaguely remember that time. I remember saving the animals. But not much after that as we soon started my training with Ma after returning from Peru. But… this means…
“She saved us…”
Enzo’s voice whispers from behind me.
I look at Dad, waiting for his response.
“Yes, that is what I'm saying baby girl. You led us to them. When you were four. Ash, Lexie, Enzo, Vince and Ryan are the kids that were saved. You all are the kids of the seven warriors.”
I look at Vince and he is having as difficult a time believing this as I am.
“But I don’t remember much of anything….” I say.
“You all were kids back then. Four and five years old. Do you want to hear the next part?” he asks.
“Yes, Dad.”
Circle of Time: An urban fantasy (The Kazi Chronicles Book 1) Page 6