Tchik Tchik Tchik!

Zooosh Zooosh!

Tchik Tchik Tchik!

Taarini woke up to the sound of rhythmic metal spring compression and expansion, along with the squeaking sound produced by the movement of metal wheels on the railway track. Her body felt light and brimming with energy. Taarini did not feel any pain or discomfort.

The first thing that she noticed was the bright, white orb hanging in the sky among the sparse clouds spread around. It was night time and a full moon at that. Hundreds of dazzling stars surrounded the moon but failed to eclipse the moon's irradiance. It was a beautiful sight.

Such a sight had become all but extinct in the urban nightscape because of the smog, buildings and air pollution. The crisp, silvery light sprinkled upon Taarini. She felt as if these rays were healing her tired heart and exhausted soul as a small smile spread across her face. Taarini did not think about the events that had shaken her as she did not have the energy to figure them out.

Taarini turned her head a little to notice Aditya, who remained static and motionless. He lay beside her with his face leaning on her shoulder. Aditya's face looked thinner and paler, but his breathing was steady. Taarini was not sure if Aditya was unconscious or just in a deep sleep. The sight of the dry, shrivelled hand of Aditya resting on her smooth, scarless waist tugged at Taarini's heartstrings. She recalled the clear liquid which was secreted from Aditya's right hand. This liquid had cured her at a breathtaking speed and brought her back from the lap of death.

The excruciating pain of the healing process was numbed and replaced with a feeling of euphoria because of the liquid from Aditya's mouth. Taarini's cheeks reddened when she remembered the scene where she pulled Aditya into a kiss. Her mind was not in the right state at that time, and Taarini had not restrained her innermost desires.

Taarini moved Aditya's hair away from his face to get a clear view of the person, who had saved her from danger not once but twice. The first time could be repaid as Aditya did not endanger himself in the process of helping her, but the second time was different. Aditya came very near to dying because of her. He had also taken a bullet for her. On top of that, Aditya had cured her with some miraculous means which had taken a toll on his body. Taarini did not know what to make of this incident.

Cold, mountain wind breezed over Taarini's stunning face as she stroked Aditya's cheeks. She looked at him with an affectionate gaze. Taarini's smile widened as she inhaled the pure and refreshing night air. This look on Taarini's face was impossible to appear if Aditya was awake. The moonlight illuminated Aditya's face but the shadows of the tall trees, on the side of the tracks, would submerge them in exciting patterns of light and darkness from time to time.

The train was moving through a forest area adorned with mountains and valleys. Apart from the sound of the train itself, the surroundings were mum as if the whole forest was asleep.

Aditya's eyes, behind the closed eyelids, slowly started to move from side to side. Taarini's warm eyes froze up, and her smile vanished replaced with an aloof expression. She did not plan to let Aditya know her innermost feelings yet. After a few seconds, Aditya opened his eyes.

Aditya took a few moments to register the surroundings as he turned to look at Taarini who was watching him. Aditya smiled as he asked in a slightly weak voice, "How are you?"

Taarini's heart quivered when she heard the frailness in Aditya's tone. "I'm alright, thanks to your treatment. But how did you end up in such a weak state? What happened to your hand?"

Aditya shook his head with a smile as he said, "It's a long story. It's good to know that you recovered. As for my hand, it will be fine as long as I eat some food."

Aditya removed his hand from Taarini's waist. Her warmth lingered on his fingertips. He looked at Taarini with an apologetic expression, "About that kiss..."

"I know that it was required for treating me. Don't mention it again." Taarini interrupted Aditya and stopped the topic from going in a direction, which was uncomfortable to her.

Aditya nodded and did not continue. He knew that Tya's painkiller liquid had the effect of stimulating euphoria, and so Taarini's actions were most probably influenced by this chemical. Aditya did not think in any other way.

Taarini felt relieved and a little disappointed when she saw Aditya stop talking about the kiss. Aditya got an idea of the direction they were moving, from the position of stars and the moon. Taking the time taken and the average speed of the train, Aditya could know the place that they were in, with little calculation.

According to him, they should be somewhere in the Western Ghats (a mountain range that runs a stretch of 1,600 kilometres parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula). The fresh, clean air relaxed his mind as he conversed with Tya.

"Tya, what is my body's condition?" Aditya asked. Even though Aditya did not show it, his body was not acting normal. Aditya could not move his limbs as he wished. He had to concentrate a lot to keep his body steady. Aditya had never felt this weak in his life. He felt as if he had become an older man - frail and delicate. This condition was the consequence of healing Taarini without adequate preparations.

"Adi, your dark energy reserve is depleted. Because of straining your soul particle to acquire the 'Gene Regulation' ability temporarily, your other abilities have also been affected. The good news is that your soul particle has formed a new bond with Taarini's soul particle, which has increased the input of Dark Energy. With this, you will be able to get back your abilities in a week." Tya said in a cute voice.

"What! I formed a bond with Taarini's soul particle?" Aditya asked Tya as he looked at Taarini's aloof expression as she gazed at the forest. Aditya knew that some special conditions are required to form this bond of which kissing was one of the criteria. But kissing was not the only criteria as could be seen from failing to form a bond with Kumari when she had kissed him in school.

Neither Aditya nor Tya could figure out the way one's emotions affected the soul particle bonding to each other. But Aditya was sure that one had to have sincere feelings as a prerequisite for this bond to form. Aditya did not delve deeply into this topic as this was not the time.

"Yup, I have also observed an interesting phenomenon. Your soul particle seems to be evolving into something completely different from its original quantum state. This change had begun when I had bonded with you. This process hastened since you started forming new bonds. But I don't know any details of this modification or the possible effects it will have on you." Tya said.

"Forget it. It's not like I can do anything about it," Aditya shrugged it off. Despite all his prowess and skill, he got his ass handed to him by those bastards. Aditya could tell that the 'Gene Regulation' ability was mind-blowing from the way that Tya was able to manipulate and create chemicals. Maybe he could turn this around if this ability was activated.

Aditya was not sure if that ability will be even enough when he remembered that hi-tech equipment like bulletproof clothes, modified cars etc. These people were sent here to kill Taarini, a small underworld leader of a city in India. These people were not the best of that Organisation. But they were already enough to take over a city, in Aditya's opinion.

Aditya's perspective of that Organisation has broadened from this encounter. He could tell that these people's abilities were not something he could take on now. Aditya changed his plans accordingly. It seemed like he would have to study the organisation by himself before he could get the accurate idea of what he was facing. Aditya planned to complete his supercomputer and Quantum computer before making a move.

Aditya turned towards Taarini, who was gazing at the moon and asked, "What is your plan of action?" Aditya had a plan for Taarini, but he wanted to know her idea and feelings.

Taarini turned her gaze at Aditya as she questioned, "Aditya, can you tell me about those people who attacked us?"

Aditya nodded his head. Taarini had the right to know who was targetting her. He briefly explained how his parents went missing, about Bunny, information from Uncle Ramu, the Raipath family and the hints he got from the dark web through Tya's ability.

"So, according to you, they planned to kill me so that they could take over the underworld of Bangalore?" Taarini asked as she let the information given by Aditya sink in. Before, Saira had shared some knowledge but did not go into details as she felt that Taarini didn't need to know.

"Yes, that is the only reason I can think of. It looks like the people from the Organisation are plotting something," Aditya nodded as he said.

No one would have expected that power politics within the Organisation would force some people to make a move before the scheduled time. Aditya or even Andrew Blackwood from the Blackwood Family, for that matter, did not imagine that this fiasco on the highway will force the Organisation to speed up their mission. The world was not going to be the same anymore.

"I will stay with the kids in the village. You could stay with me and leave when you are completely cured." Taarini said as she looked at Aditya.

Aditya shook his head with a smile as he said, "I don't need a long duration to cure myself. It's fine as long as I eat wholesome food. I will have to depend on you until then. As for you, I think it is a good idea for you to lay low until these people could be sorted out."

Aditya knew that he did not have the 'Cellular Manipulation' ability anymore because of loss of Dark Energy. But, Tya had utilised the small window of 'Gene Regulation' ability to create a few significant masses of 'Stem cells' all over his body. These stem cells had the best property of healing any organ or part of a human body (Pluripotent). As long as Aditya could provide the required energy, his body will be cured of its own accord because of these 'Stem cells'.

Taarini nodded when she heard Aditya's words and turned quiet as they enjoyed the rhythmic music of the train and dark forest outline under the radiant moon. Both Aditya and Taarini felt a kind of tacit understanding between them. It could be because of the bond between their soul particles.

Aditya noticed a shooting star among the twinkling stars. He had heard from his friends that making a wish when you see a shooting star would fulfil that wish. So, he closed his eyes and made a wish that they come out of this situation safe and sound.

Aditya saw that the shooting star was still there when he opened his eyes. Just as he was about to show it to Taarini as well, he noticed that the light was growing bigger. Aditya thought it was an aeroplane and not a burning meteor. The light was becoming more evident in the night sky. Aditya's left pupil contracted a little when he saw that the 'aeroplane' seemed to be changing its direction.

Taarini held Aditya's hand as she said, "Sit steady, we are approaching a bridge." Aditya turned his gaze towards the bridge, which seemed to have been built long ago. He could see all kinds of vegetation and moss growing on it in the moonlight. It was an ancient bridge, and Aditya could not see any safety wall on either side of the bridge as well. If he slipped and fell, it was guaranteed that he would not fall on the bridge but directly into the chasm. There seemed to be stream below, but Aditya was not sure.

At that moment, when the train had started crossing the bridge, a green laser-like light erupted near Taarini and Aditya. Aditya's pupils shrank in shock when he saw the light emitting from the metal projectile he had pulled out from his chest. It was shot by that person on the chopper with a uniquely designed gun.

Aditya's heart trembled as he looked at the sky. It was not an aeroplane or shooting star. It was a bloody missile. It was targeting that laser light emitting from that metal piece. The missile was approaching them at a supersonic speed.

"Taarini, run as fast as possible towards the front of the train and jump when the train reaches the other side. QUICK!" Aditya roared as he looked at the missile approaching.

Taarini's body shook when she heard Aditya shout at her. But, she did not move as she looked at Aditya. Taarini had noticed the green laser and also followed Aditya's eyes to look at the missile. She got the gist of their current precarious condition.

Aditya knew that he was in no condition to move, let alone run. He made way for that projectile. He wanted to throw it away so that the missile would follow it. Just as Aditya was about to pick up that projectile, it evaporated leaving an illuminating radium-like mark in its place. Aditya's heart sank when he saw this happen. They were a few seconds before they were blasted to pieces.

Aditya made way for the corner. He had decided to try to jump from this rail bridge. This action was better than waiting for his death without doing anything. But he was not sure if he had the time even to make the leap. The bright moon also hid behind clouds as if it did not want to watch this happening. Darkness shrouded the scenery as if it was the shadow of death looming over Aditya's life.

At that moment, a pair of strong but slim hands wrapped themselves around Aditya's waist. Aditya's soul shuddered when he saw that Taarini had not run away like he had asked her to do. When he was about to scold her, Taarini calmly held Aditya and leapt into the dark abyss.

BOOM!