Virtual Evidence : Part 8 (Last)

A SciFi/Crime Fiction

by Zeashan Zaidi

This time Inspector Rafael and Morrison were on a long journey in their car.

“We have arrested the chairman and submitted the file to high command. But why are we not disclosing such a big news to the press?” questioned Morrison.

“High command hasn't permitted us yet. They will investigate this case at their own level and then disclose it to the world.”

“But where are we going now?”

Virtual Evidence : Part-7

A SciFi/Crime Fiction

by Zeashan Zaidi

Inspector Rafael and Morrison were present at GloTecht Office. They did not bother about the reception and directly entered the Chairman’s room. The chairman obviously welcomed the unwanted guests with a cold look.

“How can I help the gentlemen?” he managed to maintain the ice look.

“Help yourself brother. You are under arrest” Inspector Rafael unveiled the suspense.

“What for?”

“We book you under acts of planning and plotting for murder. You murdered Mr. Ashok” Rafael declared.

“Why would I do that? He was the best. My confidante. I trusted on him with any deadline and where are the proofs?’’ Chairman completely rubbished Rafael’s statement.

“You really want that”, Morrison assured with an equally matching ease.

“We have booked the bookie you hired for this serene cause” Rafael elaborated.

“What bookie? What cause? What the hell are you talking about”, chairman maintained the poise.

Morrison lost it on the Chairman. He grabbed him by the collar. “The Sudani you hired to kill him. You bloody murderer. Stop playing the cards. We have the trump you moron. The Uranium. We know every nook and corner of your plan.”

“Do you admit it?” Rafael intrigued.

“Else we have methods”, Morrison stared with an ice look.

“He needed to die.” Chairman collapsed like a sand castle.

“He knew about the Uranium and he wanted to spill the beans. But he was no saint. He was getting a big amount for that.” Chairman continued. Morrison and Rafael adjusted on the chairs in front and the Chairman did the narratives.

“Although this city is being planned in a country. But the finances are shouldered by a friend country, which is a big power. But the real purpose behind all this friendly help is Uranium and the country does not know about it.

The selected place has vast uranium reserves. Plan was to create secret passages for transferring uranium to this country underneath this ambitious project. The country which is a host to this new city plan will never get to know this. Very thing was planned.”

“But why this fuss? Why did not that nation tell the country about this? They could have cracked a deal?” Rafael was curious.

“May be the country would have bid high or cracked the deal with some other country. While this ‘friend’ country was getting it for free.” Chairman elaborated.

There is one more point. He continued, “Most of the uranium reserve comes under Algerian territory which is not cordial with that friend nation. If the uranium secret would have been spilled then things would not have been in favour of that nation, while after making the city that reserve will also come under ‘friend’ nation through secret tunnels.”

“Hmm…Ashok knew about the uranium and he made a deal with Doculeaks!” Morrison tried to weave the patches.

“He almost prepared a file for that but we replaced it with Algerian animosity and their role in Ashok’s murder.”

“I still can’t figure how you cracked it.” The man did it so perfectly. There wasn’t a single evidence.” Chairman took a deep breath.

“Well, every crime has a loophole. Even if the crime is initiated by a big power. Because all the big powers fail under the ‘superpower.’” Rafael looked up. The chairman was poised and calm again as if nothing happened.

To Be Continued...

Virtual Evidence : Part-5

by : Zeashan Zaidi

GloTecht was not just a company. It was an international label and thus was the case. Investigation Bureau of that country was soon responsible for carrying out all the possible investigations.

Inspector Rafael, a Portuguese origin was the chief investigation officer, who, along with his team, scrutinized the murder place. He did not get any evidences initially.

Virtual Evidence : Part-4

SciFi Story

by Zeashan Zaidi

The work began to weave this new city. Pipeline was being laid for water facilities. Most of the workers, worked day and night. They all belonged to the nearby countries.

Ashok settled down in an AC tent amidst the hot temperature. The place already seemed a city. A migrated lot of workers from nearby cities, group of workers from GloTecht, tents, vehicles, instruments and everything on the planet seemed right there.

Ashok indeed had a great plan of action. However he hardly managed himself with 52 degrees outside. His face flushed red whenever he went out of his tent for regular rounds.

Suddenly...

Virtual Evidence : Part-3

SciFi Story
by : Zeashan Zaidi

Only Ashok knew how bad these three days have been for him. He wanted the clock to stop till he completed the drafts. Charts, stats, graphs, labels, blue prints everything was in order. 

Ashok eagerly waited for everyone to reach the conference hall. He wanted to make a grand entry at the venue with his grand project plan. This was his moment indeed.

“GloTecht International….where we just do not build….we  construct.”, Ashok began with a poised tone. He did not know how many pairs of eyes were stuck at him…but one thing for which he was sure was; this plan would definitely work. A massive structure glitched on the big screen in front of the projector.

“For establishment of a new city in a desert the most essential need is the water. So first we plan about water supply and storage.” he continued.

“Being a vast desert, the place has two sources for water supply; one is the river Nile and the other one is the sea which seems to be an apt choice, owing to the requirements.”

It was dark and he was not sure if the chairman agreed to his points. 

Fighting the interruption of thoughts, he proceeded, “We would lay a pipeline from the sea to a nearby plant converting the saline water into fresh water. A storage pond would be responsible for keeping that water.“

“What is the need of pond? We can supply direct to homes through pipelines.” someone queried more out of animosity than curiosity.

“For a living city the establishment of a good ecosystem is required and that needs a big pond.”

“And what about the temperature? The high temperature of that place will convert water into steam in minutes.” this problem was raised by the chairman.

Ashok loved to argue sensibly and he hit back confidently, “In that case, we have the finest team of engineers at GloTecht who will made big umbrella like structures with adjacent solar panels. These structures will reduce the atmospheric temperature.”

The hall echoed with claps as Ashok thanked everyone and for the first time he noticed the chairman. Ashok was satisfied with that proud look on the Chairman’s face.

Ashok nodded to greet him and he almost rushed towards him to congratulate.

“Mr. Ashok, start working on this project as soon as you can. Let me sign off all the formalities. I don’t want to delay this wonderful project anymore.”

“Sir, which country has invested on this project”, Ashok asked out of curiosity.

‘Well, I am sorry I can’t disclose that. Security reasons you see. But you’ll get to know once this city starts to breath. I hope you understand gentleman.”

“I certainly do, Sir”, Ashok replied meekly.

*****

To Be Continued...

Virtual Evidence : Part 2

Sci Fi Story

by : Zeashan Zaidi

Ashok adjusted himself comfortably on the chair, when office boy knocked, less on the door, more at his thoughts about the nightmare he and Vaishali saw together in their respective dreams.

“Sir, Mr. Chairman wants to see you in the conference room.”

“What for?” he inquired with a settled irritated look.

“I saw him proceeding with other officers in the conference. Some urgent call I guess”, the peon replied gathering all the inputs he had since morning.

Ashok checked on his tie knot in the door reflection and pushed. Who’s who or GloTecht was present in the conference hall and it did not take him more than a few seconds to realize that peon was indeed right. An urgent call it is.

Chairman was stuck at some point on the globe placed before him and he did not break his stare game with the globe to welcome Ashok with warm looks like any usual day.

“Welcome Mr. Ashok.” he merely announced Ashok’s presence with words. Ashok sat opposite and waited.

“We have this huge yet crucial construction project Mr. Ashok and you need to work on the design and map.”

Ashok nodded with a yes, waiting for the chairman to elaborate.

With his eyes still stuck on a specific area of the globe, Chairman continued, “Actually you have to plan a whole city. A City which does not exist yet. A city which would be made by GloTecht International.”

And with this declaration the two eyes opposite to each other.

Chairman’s eyes had the conviction and trust over his employees while Ashok’s eyes gleamed with confidence and proud over this opportunity.

“And where is our new city”, Ashok managed to control the adrenaline rush over the excitement.

Chairman swiftly rotated the globe to the other side to disclose what he was stuck upon.

“Sahara desert.” he announced a brief yet confident announcement.

“It is absolutely impossible.” Chief Engineer blurted out.

“It is what Mr. Mehra?” Chairman settled his eyes on Ashok while he talked to the Chief Engineer. “GloTecht never heard of that word you just said.” He confidently kept looking at Ashok and smiled.

Ashok felt he had some packets of energy restored into him with that confident smile his boss had.

Not breaking the eye contact Ashok interrupted him with conviction, “I guess we will meet after three days, when we have a design plan to discuss.”

Ashok smiled back.

“Good luck then, three days it is.” Chairman nodded at Ashok like a proud employer and left the conference hall.

*****

Life was no better for Ashok with fame, name and reputation. And with this project he would nail it in the industry.

“I don’t think you should take that.” Vaishali argued for the fifth time. They have been discussing Ashok’s project since tea and the argument continued over another tea till it was time for the dinner.

“Don’t you see similarities with the nightmare we went through yesterday? It all fits the blocks perfectly. First we see an African…harming you in the dream and now you get a project all the way from the same place.” Vaishali continued in panic.

Ashok was affectionately looking at her. He fell for her again for the billionth time. She still could not say the African murdered him, actually slaughtered him brutally. But all Vaishali could say that he harmed him.

“Ok, but what will I tell them that I can’t take the project because my wife and I apparently had the same dream last night? Sounds okayish. I guess he will understand.” Ashok picked up the cellphone and pretended to dial controlling his laughter.

“Arey. NO. Vaishali grabbed the cellphone. This sounds so orthodox. What will they think of us? You take the project. I will call the priests and do some chants” Vaishali declared.

*****

To Be Continued...

Virtual Evidence : Part-1

Sci Fi Story

by : Zeashan Zaidi 

20…18…14 …he tried to settle the AC temperature, room was already snow cold…but he continued to sweat profusely….twice he tried to wipe it off his forehead. It took him a few seconds to realize that the shirt sleeve he was using to get rid off the sweat was damp enough to do the needful.

He needed a glass to pour down his throat, now that he was feeling thirsty; he was numb enough to feel anything in the 14 degree Celsius room temperature. But, he needed a glass to ease his chocked throat. Eyes wide open, he approached the refrigerator.

Three gulps and he drank the whole bottle down his throat. He caught hold off himself and switched on the rewind mode. He dreamt something unusual and scary. May be a nightmare, weird yet terrible one. He was trying to clear the blurred images of the dream.

“Are you alright? I have been waiting since half an hour.” On hearing wife’s voice, he took a deep breath and nodded a weak smile, “Nothing, let’s go.” 

“I just had a nightmare, Ashok.” 

He froze while adjusting the pillow. It seemed like he knew what she would be told next.

“I saw someone brutally slaughtering you with a knife”, Vaishali, his wife continued to speak in the same hushed up tone as if she did not want the idea to leak...not even to the walls.

Not believing on what he heard, Ashok startled, “How is that bloody possible? We cannot see the same thing at the same time. That is freaking scary.”

Ashok was as pale as an autumn leaf…just about to be crushed. Vaishali also did not want to react, and she chose the same.  

“How did he look like?” Ashok was losing it badly.

“Just like a big black python, a giant in fact. He seemed African; he was too dark to be recognizable even.”  Vaishali drew the sketch swiftly with all the right words she could.  

Ashok stared into the absolute, “Absolute similarity. It is just too unreal to be real. I saw the same.”

Both of them were shivering with what they figured moments ago.

Ashok was the Chief Architect at GloTecht, a construction company. He found a soulmate in Vaishali and exchanged vows to be with her forever. Although he paid heavily for that as the families resisted the alliance and he moved forward towards a new life with Vaishali. She proved to be worthy of the priority and trust Ashok rested upon her because she definitely was a wonderful wife.

*****

To Be Continued.....