Op Rooppur I :Introduction

25th February 2031

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport

10:36

Naser was leaning to his black Mercedes-Benz, looking at people entering and leaving the terminal. A scrawny-looking man in his early 20s, small, jelled, black hair and brown eyes. That'd be enough to describe Naser. A rich man with rich looks. He wouldn't be here on a Saturday morning, but he couldn't stop himself after hearing his best friend Sohel was coming back from BMA today, or he would be if it were normal. But no, he was a whole year late and somehow ended up in Tokyo of all places.

He thought, "The hell was he doing in Tokyo? He's going to get a good beating for making Mitali cry."

His mind started wandering through the memory lane. Their school days, when the five of them would stay together, have fun, and just live their everyday lives like there's no tomorrow. Ovi running after girls, Tahmid climbing other people's trees to steal fruits, and his and Sohel's failed attempt to stop them.

"Naser...Naser...NASER.....MR. NASER SIDDIQUE"

Naser came back to the present time hearing someone screaming his full name. He glared at the person screaming his name and asked, "Who are you, Mr. How do you know my name?"

"Why wouldn't I know my best friend's name?" the man replied.

Naser looked at the man again, this time giving a close look: 6′2″, handsome, slim but muscular body, and a head full of black back-brushed hair. The man was looking at him and smiling.

"Sohel?" Naser asked reluctantly.

"Of course. Lt. Sohel Chowdhury at your service."

Naser smiled profoundly but still couldn't accept that this guy was Sohel. Yes, his face resembles Sohel's, but nothing else matches. Where's that 5'9", a little bit on the healthy side, Sohel? Naser brushed his thoughts off and said,'' Come on, get in. And put that stupid duffle bag in the boot." while getting on the driving seat. Sohel put his bag in the boot and entered the car beside Naser.

Naser said, his voice sounding angry, "So? Why are you a whole year late?"

Sohel replied in a plain voice, "That's classified."

Nasser sighed and asked, "What were you doing in Tokyo?"

Sohel replied in the same voice, "That's classified too."

Naser was starting to get irritated but he decided to stay calm for now.

"So, how's everyone else?" asked Sohel.

Naser replied while exiting the airport, "I'm now one of the researchers in nuclear power. Tahmid's running a travel agency. Ovi works at Bangladesh Bank, and lastly, Mitali returned from training last year and is now working at CMH while waiting to be enlisted. But you tell me where you were all this time. You were supposed to return last year, but you didn't. You didn't even contact us once in these 4 years. We tried to contact you via BAHQ, but they wouldn't tell us anything about you. And last night you suddenly called and said you were in Tokyo and would return today. What the hell were you doing in Tokyo?"

Sohel smiled a little and said, "As I said, that information is classified, my friend, but I'm back now, aren't I?"

"But still....We were so worried, you know. When Mitali found out you didn't come back, she was really worried. She almost cried when no one would tell us where you were."

Naser looked at Sohel and decided to stop for now as he saw a serious expression dawing on Sohel's face. The car ran through the elevated motorway towards Gulshan.

Unknown Location

A Japanese man in his late 50s was sitting in an office room. He had a square face with a sharp jawline and had dark eyes, which had a piercing look. A man wearing an olive-coloured military combat uniform entered the room. He had a tablet in his hand. The Japanese man asked, "Did you contact greed?"

The man replied, "Yes, sir. He was reluctant at first, but after some negotiations, he agreed to do the job."

"That's good. Send a few men from the Phoenix Company in civil attire for support."

The man seemed reluctant as he said, "Uhm, sir. There's a problem."

"What is it?"

"Our spy in the area has noticed SNA presence. One of them was really close to greed."

The man was leaning in the chair. As he heard the sentence, he sat back straight and said, "Hmm. I thought we were being covert. How did they find out?"

"We don't know yet. What should we do?"

"Wait." The man picked up a telephone kept on the table in front of him and called someone. A little while later, he started talking.

"Hello. How's Project Spectre coming along?... Hmm. Hunt's experiment is working, huh? No, that won't work. We don't need to blend in. How's Ito doing?... Hmm, incomplete, huh? Ok, send some of the best you got right now... Yeah."

He put down the telephone and said, "Ito's sending his men for the job. You don't need to send anyone. Anything else?"

"No sir." The man bowed and left the room. He leaned back on the chair and said, "Just you wait, nah, Maria. Daddy will take care of the Seven Nation Army for you."

14: 45

Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong

A woman and a man, both in their early 20s, got out of the terminal. Both of them only had a carry-on case with them. The man said, "What is the boss thinking? Going off alone and living me with the Ice Queen over here?"

The woman gave a glaring look and said, "Huh? Who're you calling Ice Queen? I'll kill you."

A female voice came from their earpiece: "You know you can't do that. Calm down now. You should stop too. peabrain. The LT gave you two a job to do. Focus on that, yeah?"

The woman said, "Hmm. We should do that. Let's go, Jacob."

Both of them got on a taxi.