The fog lights of the heavily dented sedan flickered as a last attempt to illume but did not succeed. It was not the first component failure suffered by Lillian’s car and whatever that remained screamed for an overhaul. At least, the dents were present before the nth hand purchase. Several taunts, close shaves and breakdowns later she planned on to save to buy a new car. So, Lillian decided reach work early each day so that she could clock in more hours.

Before she could mouth a curse, a Mack rammed straight into the bonnet. The bumper pivoted the car for a quarter of a circle before the hood squashed against the truck’s windshield. It all looked like a perfect choreography, straight from an action flick. Gravity pulled the weight of the car and the vehicle retraced the arc. The driver of the truck, fatigued and maybe inebriated decided to flee the scene. Lillian had not passed out by then. She realized that she was pinned down to her seat. The shock took her voice away and the tattered covers were slowly soaking up red. Lillian lived for another four hours till traffic started when the fog cleared.

The post mortem report ascertained excessive blood loss as the cause of Lillian’s death.

The car was almost as good as it was before the accident except for one vital component when investigators confirmed that the seat belt that was one of the few working parts of the car which malfunctioned after the impact and did not retract out.

Mike Callaghan was bored of his work. With almost no vacation for ages and rather pain causing nature of his job (not to himself, though), he was left with no option but to consider resignation. But his employer won’t let him go. After all he was their best man on the field.

Mike missed all of his kids, who were now grown up enough to play with neutron guns. His lovely wife, whom he had promised a hundred more, would be waiting for him to plant his seed in her. The forthcoming trip to Somalia was the last thing on his mind.

Working with the merchant navy ensured his globetrotting under guise. But Mike wasn’t happy. This was going to be his last assignment. Mike had decided to put his foot down and demand a transfer at the least. Upon reaching the shore, Mike headed straight to the daily flea market of the town and opened a vial full of a gooey green goop that vapourised as soon as it came in contact with damp air. Soon the people Bossaso would be inflicted by a disease never known to man, only to spread it across the Dark Continent.

Not a tough job, but Mike had been doing this for aeons. Mike sat down on his desk and relayed a message across to his boss:

Agent Nebula: Project Africa Immunity Drain successfully deployed. Effects will be seen over a period of 22 years. 1.7 billion Humans targeted to be affected.

P.S.: I need a vacation.

Nebula unzipped the human skin-like polymer on his body and stretched his tentacles. Travel was tiring. Soon the slimy creature went to sleep to dream about his family. And that an inter galactic ship would soon come to take him home.

“Admiration and love are two different things.” Rajiv clarified.

“Puh-lease…” Reena said with half closed eyes.

“No really…you never really understand what I try to say…ALL THE TIME!!” .The conversation was going to get spicy for sure.

“Yeah right! Who would? When your ‘lover’ tells you about a new girl from school or college or work who he ‘admires’…ALL THE TIME!” Reena air quoted and threw her hands in frustration.

“But…” Rajiv had no particular response in mind and hoped that Reena would interrupt him right there.

“What do you want to prove? Am I not good enough for you? Do you long to see them in me?” A closed ended question was the last thing that Rajiv wanted to answer.

“See, you are just making a mountain out of a molehill…” Of course he HAD to say something, although clichéd.

“I am sick of these girls…” Reena was in no mood to listen. Or was she just pretending to be angry? Old trick women endorse to bring out all the truth.

“Ok…let’s go for an ice cream?” Rajiv could have tried better.

“Not helping…”

“A drink…will that be fine?’

“Its 10 in the morning!!”

“Alright let me do something that I never did for those girls. Stay right there sexy, I’ll be back in some time .” Reena had no idea what Rajiv was up to.

Rajiv put his robe on, gave Reena a peck on her nose and left.

While Reena was looking out of the window at a nest built by a weaver, Rajiv emerged from behind the curtains with a tray with two cups of coffee, sandwiches and lilies that he managed to pick from Mrs. Sharma’s garden.

“That’s what I am talking about Raj. Come to me baby…” Reena curled and motioned both her index fingers.

“Oh! That smile reminds me of Tanya…did I tell you about her?”

“YOU ARE A DEAD MAN!”

“Wow, that is spectacular!”, Katie exclaimed the moment she pushed the heavy door and entered Mr. Dudley’s study.

She was already panting by climbing eight floors of the almost abandoned building. She bolted the door behind her and pinned hair back.

“Useful.”

Katie drew a deep breath and took a few more moments to let the view from the old fashioned windows sink into her.

The antique Mahogany desk caught her eye. It smelled musty but a certain scholastic touch was still attached to it. It surprised her that the desk was clean. An empty bottle of scotch stood by the corner of the desk. There was a photo frame. Grace was smiling.

The one room apartment badly needed a clean up. Scientific journals, random notes and old books lay strewn all over the study.

“Its been 15 years…will he even recognize me?”

Katie had traveled some 3000 miles searching for her grandfather. From whatever traces Mr. Dudley had left and all that Katie could lay her hands upon, Stockholm was the last possibility. Mr. Dudley had just left one day. No notes, no phone, no wire, no nothing. He left behind his wife and a government provided scientists’ quarter.

No reason could have been associated to his sudden disappearance. The people at the lab had no clue about his whereabouts. Neither were the police able to trace him.

“He hasn’t worn his glasses. Shouldn’t be far away.”

Katie waited.

*****

Click.

Katie’s heart was pounding.

“Uhhh….hey who are you? How did you get in?”

“Hi! Mr. Dudley…just some simple science and mechanics”

“How do you know me?”

“I am…”

“Katie?”

“Oh my God, is that you Katie?”

“How long?”

“Three years. You don’t have to explain.”

“But…”

“Makes no difference.”

“Why did you think I was alive?”

“Because you promised me that I can be your assistant once I am 21.”