We decided that we will go to the Indian places first because it will be time saving and cheap. We decided that we will go to Delhi as it’s the capital of India. We decided that we will go after one week because Shaan will have to book the tickets.
I didn’t want to stay alone at my house as I was very scared. Even Josh was scared so we decided that I will stay with Shaan and Josh will stay with Rob. This was done and I was going to sit in a Limozine. I didn’t actually care about that because I wanted to live my life. I didn’t know Shaan would take such an expensive hotel as The Oberoi and take a different room for me. I think that cost some Rs.40, 000.
I was getting a hell lot of SMS’s from my friends and I bet Josh’s inbox will also be full of their SMS’s. When I didn’t reply, they thought I was with my parents.
Once, I went to the mall and I ran into my friends. I totally forgot that we had organised a party today because the exams of a person were getting over today and we could celebrate. When they didn’t receive any message from Josh and me, they gave up on us. Now, when they saw me, they were suspicious about me. Akaash asked me, “If you were in Bangalore all this while why didn’t you answer back to our SMS’s.
“What SMS are you talking about? I didn’t receive any SMS.”
“Oh! C’mon man! Now don’t act like you don’t know. Check your inbox.”
“Fine.” I check my inbox and I knew about the messages they had sent me. I pretended to be surprised and exclaimed, “OMG! When did you send me so many messages? I didn’t notice them!”
“Ya! Ya! Now don’t act so surprised. Are you joining us for the party?”
“Ya! Sure. Where is Josh? I thought even he had to come?”
“Ya! But he is just like you. He didn’t answer our messages.”
“Oh! OK.”
“Gimme fifteen minutes. I’ll change, get some cash and come. Fine?” I ran to my room, changed, grabbed some cash and went to Shaan’s room to tell him where was I going and things like that. Then I ran to the mall and there they were waiting for me after buying the tickets for an English movie. I was wearing a skin tight jeans and a cool, guyish shirt and I had some Rs. 2, 000 in my pocket thanks to Shaan. We went to the movie and it was a good one. We went to a restaurant there and ate lunch. The food was very good and we ran into Josh. This guy, after seeing all of us, starting running to the exit. I ran behind him calling his name and, when he stopped, I went to him and told him, “Listen. They will get suspicious and will start asking us questions. Best would be to come and join us.” He saw the reasoning and came and join us. But, Akaash was very suspicious about what was going on. Though, after that, seeing that there was no more suspicion, he cooled down. We went to a shop to buy some things. Everybody bought a Tzinga that is why I thought that even I will buy one. We had a competition ‘How Many Tzingas Can You Drink.’ Akaash won the competition. He drank eight Tzingas. I drank only two.
After the celebration I ran to the hotel where I came to know that the flight has been preponed and we have to run to the airport now. I hurriedly packed my bag and went to the airport. There were Rob and Josh waiting for us. We ran to them and they told us that the flight leaves in one and a half hour. That means that we have time to check in and for security check in. Till the time we reach the gates, final boarding will be going on.
It happened as we assumed. When we reached the gate, the board there wrote final boarding. We were the last passengers to board the plane. We were to fly to Delhi to save the lives of Josh and I. I couldn’t believe that it was starting. I was getting tensed and excited. We all had different seats. Before closing my mobile, I texted Josh, Rob and Shaan about how I was feeling. Josh texted me back that he was feeling the same way. Rob texted me that that was the way a person feels when he had to save his own life. Shaan texted me that I just have to calm down and wait till our lives are safe and out of harm’s way.
I wanted to laugh on Shaan’s message. After all, who could calm himself down when he had to save his life and didn’t know what was coming. The flight started and the person beside me started grumbling away about how the ears pain when the plane is suppose to land or take off, and when the plane was actually taking off, he made such a racket, screaming in my ears! The plane had to be stopped and this man had to be taken down as his ears had some problem which could lead to deafness.
Now, the place between one guy and I was empty. When I saw his face, it was pale and scared as if the next minute a bomb would fall on him. One more thing I noticed about him was that he looked exactly like Josh. He was about my age and I don’t know why was he so scared. I think because he was alone. I had at least three people with me. It could be that he had no one. I was so concerned about him that I, without thinking again, asked him if he was alright. He didn’t reply, but shrank much more in the seat, looking at me with a very scared expression as if I was his captor and any moment from now I would take out a gun, keep it on his head and press the trigger. I just let him be. I tried to read a book, but my mind kept on wandering on the adventure we were going to have. The more I tried to concentrate the more it wandered off. I just closed my book, frustrated that I couldn’t get my mind off things and couldn’t just read my recently bought book.
At that moment, the air hostess came with the food. I took the tray she was handing out and prayed to God for it to be something good. When the air hostess gave the tray to the guy sitting next to me, he refused. The flight had one more hour to go and I didn’t know when he was going to get his food. So, I took the tray for him and kept it on his table. I thought that if he doesn’t eat it, I would insist him to eat the food.
When the guy saw that I was so concerned about him, he became a little brave and that was a relief. I really didn’t want to be sitting next to a timid boy who acted so much like a girl. He started a conversation with me.
“What’s your name?” He asked me.
“Hi, I’m Rocky.” He looked confused and I told him, “My name is actually Rima but I like being called Rocky.”
“Oh Ok. My name is Jordon. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too. Um… are you alone on this plane? I mean, where are your parents?”
“My parents are not going to come with me. They hate me.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I have this quest to save my life. When my parents came to know about it, they just let me down. I had to use my pocket money for this adventure.”
“Can you tell me more about this adventure?”
“Sure. My team and I mates killed these aliens who landed on Earth a million years ago. Now they’ve risen and are after all of us. I don’t know if my partners have received the message or not.”
“Excuse me.”
I got up from my seat and went to Rob, Josh and Shaan. I beckoned them to come to the lavatory area. Josh shot a crazy look at me and I mouthed the words ‘It’s important.’ He shrugged his shoulders and came after us.
There, I asked Rob, "Is there one more person with us, who is suppose to be saving his life? Just answer in Yes or No. "
"Promise me you won’t be upset with me."
"It depends."
Rob took a deep breath and continued, "Yes. Yes, there is one more person who is saving his life alone and he is in need of us and we are in need of him."
"What is his name?"
"Jordon Rai."
"The person sitting next to me."
"Is he related to Rocky and me?" said Josh.
"Yes, he is. He is the oldest in all three of you. Thirty seconds older to you, Rima."
"That means we are triplets!" exclaimed Josh.
"So, should I tell him all about us?" I said.
"I think you should." Rob answered.
All of us started to go to our seats and before I could go I told Rob, "Never ever try hiding anything from me, Rob."
He just nodded his head in guilt and went away to his seat.
I decided I will not get straight to the point. I started a conversation with him, "Soooo why haven’t your parents come with you?"
"They didn’t want to risk their lives for me. Say I'm a disgrace to the family. Brought me up just because they were 'children lovers'. Huh! I don’t see any truth in that. Sometimes I think they aren’t my real parents. They act so weirdly."
"Ahhhh. And you told them about this thing?"
"Ofcourse I did, believing that they will support me. Instead they turned their backs on me. Now I know for sure they don’t like me or they wouldn’t have done this. In a way it is good that I went from there. I heard them planning a plot to kill me and make people think it as I committed suicide.
"OMG! How did you manage to escape?"
"This adventure."
Rob came to me, smiled at Jordon and whispered in my ear, "Tell him fast. Delhi has come. Very short time to the airport."
At this, I came straight to the point. "Jordon, we are your companions. That is Josh and me. We are all actually siblings. You are the oldest, then comes me and then Josh. Each thirty seconds difference. You have to stay with us."
"Seriously? Oh, That is such a relief. I thought there was something in you that I possessed."
"Ok. Are you with us?"
"Yes."
After five minutes, we were landing in Delhi. The place I had been so often to stay with my grandma and my uncle and here I was. They didn’t even know I was here and I couldn't go meet them. I had only a week here. I had to find this unusual thing. Now Jordon also had joined us that means that we have double the expenditure. Just because Rob said that we are siblings doesn’t make us siblings. I had to know the truth which was the proof.
“Ok. So which hotel are we going to? Seven Star?” I asked.
“No. Nine star.” Shaan replied.
“What the hell!”
“Yes. I have so much money that I can give luxury to people whose life is at stake.”
“Shaan, don’t make us feel helpless. I am telling you. Its gonna be very bad for you.”
“I was not making you feel helpless. I was just making you see the practical aspect.”
“Can we please stop fighting and start searching for a taxi?” Rob said. We all nodded.
Jordan was acting weird. He didn’t go ask Shaan for an autograph, nor did he ask what was going on here. Why were we acting as if we are family? I suppose a person who is going to die doesn’t get all these in his head except saving his life, no matter what he has to do. I didn’t know why, but now I felt neither excitement nor fear. I just felt as if I have come here for a holiday. Actually, part of it was a holiday. The other part was work.
I was filled with these thoughts all along in the taxi. I came out of my dream world when Josh started shaking me vigorously. I am like, “Ouch! What the hell is your problem? Can’t you sit quietly for some time?”
“I was sitting quietly for two hours, my darling. The hotel’s come. Get up.” Said Josh.
“Why are you calling me ‘darling’?”
“Because you are my darling.”
“Shut up, dude. Please. Do you have any sense in you? No. Dude, we are out of Bangalore, ok? Now keep quiet.”
He first glared at me and, seeing everybody around, shrugged his shoulders and walked towards the hotel.
I was getting out my things and mumbled under my breath, “What’s up with him? Why is he so irritating today?”
When we went inside to book the rooms, I understood why was he acting weird today.
When I went inside, I saw that Shaan had already booked our rooms and I knew mine will be different and I will be all alone in my room. I was happy with that thought. Whenever I was in my room, I would be able to do anything. But, I got the shock of my life, when I had to share my room with Josh. When I went inside my room and I saw some more suitcases. I walked here and there to see who had come into my room by mistake. When I went to the bathroom side and tried opening the door, it wouldn’t budge. When I was going to call Shaan for an explanation, the bathroom door opened and Josh came out of the bathroom. I looked shocked. What is this moron doing in my room?
Though, Josh didn’t look shocked at all. When he saw me he just commented saying, “Oh! You came? That is good.” I couldn’t speak or move a muscle of my body. I was staring at him opened mouthed and he didn’t even notice!
When I came out of my shock, I asked in a very angry tone and, in my anger, shouted, “What the hell are you doing in my room? Get out of here right now! I told Now! NOW! Get out of my sight!” I think I didn’t scare him much. He just came to me and took my face in his hands, and said, “Now, now, my darling. Stop acting like that. It will be much better if we share a room than waste Shaan’s money. Wont it? Now come on stop cribbing over it. I told him that we can share one room and our Rocky is a person who compromises, right?”
I tried to cool down my anger and said in a much more calmed tone, “Stop-calling-me-darling.”
“Why? After all you are my girlfriend.”
“What?! How dare you?! You dare to call me your girlfriend? Wait.”
I go out of the room and go to Shaan’s room and started banging on it. Shaan opened the door looking irritated and as if I had interrupted him in something.
“What?”
I get a quick glance inside. I cool down my anger and I ask him, “You believed Josh when he said that I am his girlfriend? You know we are siblings. Then why did you put both of us together? If you wanted to put, you could put Jordon also with us, right?”
“Ya. I know and I didn’t believe him. As I knew you both were siblings and that is why I put you in the same room. And, as for Jordon, we have just met him. That is why I put him in the other room.”
“I order you to put Jordon in the same room as Josh and me. Right now.”
“I can’t do it right now.”
“Fine. Then I’ll wait outside your door till you have done it.”
He gave a sigh of tiredness and went to the phone and told to cancel the room Jordon was staying in.
After he did that, he came to me and said, “Fine?”
“Yes. And who is that girl on your bed?” He just banged the door on my face. I started laughing secretly. I went to Jordon’s room and told him to shift to our room because Shaan had cancelled his room. Without any complaint, he took his bags and came with me.
I knocked on my door. When Josh opened the door and said, “Hi Baby.” And came in, followed by Jordon. When Josh saw Jordon, he pulled me aside and asked me, “What the hell is he doing here?”
I said as loudly as I could, “Oh, he? Shaan couldn’t afford one more room and that is why, he send Jordon in our room. First, he thought that he would take him in his room, but I offered to take him. After all, all of us siblings.”
Josh started fuming on this. I smiled at him and went from there to help Jordon set his bed. That night, I slept down and the boys slept on top. I couldn’t believe that I would be sleeping with two boys. I was insane!
The next day, when we were at breakfast, I told everyone how Jordon and Josh were hugging and sticking together when I got up today morning. When everybody, else was out of earshot, I again asked Shaan who that girl was. He replied, “Rob. Nothing considering me.”
“Then, why did she get up when you came to open the door?”
“She was practicing something. I don’t know what. I didn’t want to ask her. She was waiting for Rob. I slept on the ground because of that.”
“Ohhhhhh.”
I ate my breakfast without a word. And then it happened. On that breakfast table. My mum started calling me. I couldn’t help but ignore it. She continued calling me and, I, getting fed up, put my phone on silent. Then, I texted her not to call me and not to make a police complaint saying I was missing because I am safe and sound, but I can’t tell you where I am or why have I gone there. Thank God she listened to me or I would have gone mad listening to the phone ringing every two seconds. We were going to go and search for the things we needed. Then, I suggested that we better Google about Delhi, come to know what things can be found here and, then, search for the unusual things. At that time a question came into my mind. “Hey, Rob, a thing which is found here can be from any other country or that thing should be found nowhere in the world?”
“Good question. It should be found nowhere in the world.”
All of us said together, “Shit!”
I said, “Sooooo, that type of a thing can be only from space and the things from space are not going for sale. If it was for sale also, it would cost millions of dollars.”
“You’re right. Now, what should we do?” said Jordon.
“One minute. Jordon you know how to read this language, right?”
“Yep. Very true.”
“Rob, give me that paper.” Rob handed me that piece of paper with a slight frown on his face.
“Jordon read this paper and translate it to all of us right now.”
“Right. It says that –
“In direct speech.”
“Ok. ‘You, in name Jordon Rai, Rima Rai and Aryan Rai, are in great danger of being killed by some aliens who you killed one million years ago. As this is your last life, I, God, thought that I should give all three of you a chance to live. You need an archaeologist just to translate this to you or you don’t need an archaeologist at all. You need a celebrity to fund all your trips –
“Wait a minute. We don’t need an archaeologist for this trip.”
“Ya. So? We don’t have an archaeologist.”
“Rob is an archaeologist.”
We all looked at Rob. Rob was backing away, smiling guiltily. He was about to make a run for it, when I caught him.
“So, Mr. Rob, what is all this about?” I asked him.
“None of your business.” He snapped back.
I knew why. The whole room now was surrounded by assassins. He was going to kill us. I didn’t believe this.
In my trance, I loosened my hold on Rob and he got free.
“Aha!”, said Rob, “look what happened to these stupid young teens and this ‘big’ celebrity Shaan. Very sad. Very sad. All four of you are going to die soon because you didn’t listen to me. Gave the paper to that dog Jordon to read. At least I could have had a trip of my life if this Jordon hadn’t come in the between. You know what, I am actually a fake archaeologist. The scripts people get to me to read. I just make some stuff up and involve myself in it. Then, I go with them wherever they go. If they come to know about me – He spread his arms and looked around at the assassins – “well, you can see. So, I am very sorry my friends. Unfortunately, every person I have assisted came to know about my secret. So, I think, I have killed hundreds of people and I never get caught. So, guys at the count of three you will be in heaven. Any last wishes?”
“Of course. I want to say everyone goodbye and meet you in heaven to all those who are going die.” I said.
“Go on.”
“Guys, a close circle, please?”
All of us were in a very close circle and I started, “Guys, there is not much time to waste. I will tell you what to do. There are eight men in here, including Rob. We all are going to take on two of them, each on the count of two, i.e., when Rob says two. I will take on Rob. Put them on a heap and I will call the police. Any questions?”
“No,” everybody answered. We stood in a row and Rob started counting.
“One… Two… -
“Now!” I screamed and all of us jumped on two of them each.
I jumped on a person just next to Rob and took his gun. I opened it and took out all the bullets in my hand and hid it in my pocket. I offered him the gun back.
I think he hadn’t seen me taking out the bullets.
The second he got the gun right, he just started shooting. I was staring at him with a surprised expression on my face.
I snatched the gun from his hand and refilled the bullets. I gave the gun back to him. He thought that still the gun was empty and just took the gun from me. The mouth was pointing in his direction. He didn’t see that. He just pressed the trigger. The bullet went right through his head. I hated to see that sight and almost fainted when the thought struck me. I had indirectly killed that person. I got myself to my senses and looked here and there for Rob. I spotted him amidst the confusion created by Josh. I went to him and tapped him on his back. He turned around suddenly as if somebody was going to kill him. I waved a hand to him and he smiled as if in response.
Before he could react, I punched him hard on his face. He went back in clutched his mouth in pain. He took his hand off his mouth, the way they do in Hindi movies, and saw blood on it. He got so angry that he came charging on me like a mad bull. I think it was my instinct, I just caught his head and send him banging to the closest wall. I dust my hands as if saying my work is done here. I left him there and started walking to help the others. Just immediately, I was chocking. Rob was chocking me. I elbowed him badly in his stomach and he went back. He made a face in the pain, but
I think, he shouted something and I couldn’t hear him in the noise.
I went back to him and punched him in the face. I said aloud, “You are a good punching bag.” I started hitting him on his whole body. He was shouting with pain. I was just laughing at the state of him and, I think, I started hitting him softly (even I’m a human being) he caught my hand and twisted my hand. I shouted on the top of my voice. Suddenly, he started losing grip on my hand and started to act as if he was getting chocked. I was looking with confusion on my face.
“Go, Rocky, make a run for it. I’ll handle him!” It was Josh. With one hand he was chocking an assassin and with the other hand he was chocking Rob.
“You sure?”
“Dude, let me be a hero once. You are a victorious hero in the apartment, Shaan’s a hero in India and Jordon is some tragedy hero.” I smiled at him and ran out of the hotel.
Everybody gathered around me and asked me if I’m all right. I made up some story and told them that Rob had started beating me up. At the right time Josh came and took him single handed. With the other hand he beat up someone else and I ran out of there. At that time, Josh came out of there carrying a sack. All of us knew who was in there. Josh came to us with the sack and asked us, “So, Police Station or Junk Yard?”
“We were looking for this gang from a long time. They used to kill many people and you people have done us a big favour catching them for us.” Said the inspector to us, after putting Rob in jail. His hearing will be tomorrow and we are sure he will be hanged or will be sentenced for life imprisonment. Though, we didn’t want to see that happening, so we just heard the praises from the inspector.
We went back to the hotel and I asked Jordon to continue with the instructions manual, as we all started calling it.
“‘You need a celebrity to fund all your trips. You need stuff which the cities are popular for. The cities are,
Alaska, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Detroit, Florida, Hiroshima, Holland, Houston, Jackson, Kolkata, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Mississipppi, Missouri, Mumbai, Nagasaki, Paris, San Francisco, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney, Texas, Tokyo, Toronto, and Venice. You have to follow the order given or the things you buy will be of no use. You also need weapons which are a dagger, a pistol and a knife each. While the celebrity is with you, he is also in the same danger as you are. Trust no one. Stay together and when there is some accident or something unusual happens, then the aliens are very near you. It’s like a hint. You should follow the hint. If you have to escape from there, go in the opposite direction from the scene. You should be quick and not stop to see what will happen next. If at all you stop, you will be facing the worst of the worst. Remember each one of you need each other.’ Oh God! We will have to follow the order! Now we will have to go to Paris first! That is such a waste of time and money!”
“So, guys, the journey to Delhi was a waste of time and money. Lets head to Alaska and see what does the journey to Alaska bring us.” Said Josh, which was so very true. Meet you in Alaska, people!
