27. Teleportation bus

As Ruchi left the city, the soldiers beckoned Sambh to come with them. With a mix of apprehension and curiosity, he asked, "How are we going to leave the city?"

One of the soldiers replied, "With the teleportation bus."

No sooner had he spoken than a dark, swirling channel of light appeared in the air beside him—a spectral doorway to another realm. One by one, the group stepped into the luminous portal, and Sambh followed, his heart thumping in both excitement and uncertainty.

Inside the bus, Sambh found himself surrounded by neatly arranged seats in two rows. Each seat was already occupied by soldiers who exuded a calm efficiency. He approached one soldier sitting near a window and inquired.

"How long does it take to reach there?"

The soldier glanced at the digital display affixed to the wall, its numbers ticking steadily. "It will take exactly one minute," he answered in a measured tone.

"This teleportation bus is unique. While you can see the outside world, our presence doesn't affect it at all."

Peering out the window, Sambh could see children playing in the streets, women chatting, and elders slowly walking along familiar paths. Puzzled, he remarked, "I don't see the bus outside, but I can clearly see the children playing."

"How is that possible?"

A nearby soldier smiled and explained, "The bus has its own special feature. It projects a view of the outside world to us inside, yet it remains invisible to those outside, ensuring that our passage doesn't disturb their lives."

Another soldier, stationed near what resembled a gate, joined the conversation. "It really depends on how long you want to stay here," he said, pointing to a sleek keyboard on the wall. The screen beside it displayed minutes, seconds, and hours in a continuous flow of digital time.

He tapped a few keys, setting the timer to one minute.

"Our journey will last exactly one minute," he stated.

Then he moved to sit beside an empty space next to Sambh, offering him a reassuring nod. He looked back at the red light glowing in the keyboard there.

Just then, a bell rang, and a gentle voice echoed throughout the bus: "Dear passengers, please be ready; we are about to depart in a second."

Almost instantly, secure belts automatically tightened around every seat. The bus's scanning system began its verification process with a calm, robotic cadence: "Please confirm your verification."

A soldier beside Sambh spoke up, "We are the law enforcers of the Golden City, Batch No. 0689. Beside me is a new arrival, and we are taking him to the jury for his arrival permit." The system then intoned.

"VERIFICATION COMPLETED."

"The bus will start soon."

With that final message, the bus surged forward. A cool, almost surreal sensation filled the cabin as the vehicle shifted its course. Outside, the familiar cityscape slowly gave way to a breathtaking view: the bus was ascending a mountain, its path flanked by fields of wildflowers and blooming trees that painted the landscape in vibrant hues.

As the bus climbed to the top of the mountain, the scenery transformed once more. Soon, it descended into a bustling market—a hive of activity filled with all manner of creatures mingling in the busy streets.

Amid the lively throng, Sambh's eyes were drawn to an old rabbit near a corner. Dressed in a long white coat and tie, the rabbit was energetically shouting," Ice cream! Ice cream!" as he peddled buckets of the sweet treat.

A soldier nearby chuckled and said, "Can you please wait for a while? We're quite hungry from our long morning."

At that moment, the bus came to a halt right beside the rabbit's stall. The aroma of freshly made ice cream filled the air as the rabbit eagerly prepared a bucket, accepting a few golden coins that a soldier dropped through the window.

The old rabbit then distributed portions of ice cream to everyone inside the bus. This whimsical pause provided a brief respite from the rigid structure of their journey—a small moment of delight amid the mystery of teleportation.

No sooner had they finished than the bus resumed its voyage. The scenery outside shifted dramatically once again, this time revealing the vast expanse of an ocean. Waves crashed rhythmically against a distant shore, and schools of fish darted wildly beneath the surface. The soldier who had just served the ice cream turned toward Sambh, holding out another serving.

"Please, have some ice cream," he said kindly.

Sambh accepted the treat with sincere gratitude. "How did you manage to secure it from outside?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity.

"If you had taken more than your share, wouldn't that have been noticed?"

The soldier laughed softly and replied, "This bus won't allow any extra items to enter, as it can detect and block unauthorized objects. Besides, it's designed to ensure that our presence doesn't disturb the outside world."

With a smile, he added, "Don't worry—they wouldn't have felt our presence anyway. The market was too crowded for us to buy anything outside."

Another soldier teased, "You ask a lot of questions, Sambh. Curiosity can be a virtue, but sometimes it leads to unexpected discoveries." Sambh simply nodded, savoring the ice cream and the ever-changing view outside the window.

Yet, as the bus continued its journey, a subtle unease began to ripple through the cabin. The digital display on the keyboard flickered, and a low, ominous vibration pulsed through the floor. The soldier near the gate frowned as he studied the screen. "This is unusual…" he murmured, almost to himself.

Sambh leaned forward, concern etching his features. "What's happening? Are we in danger?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The soldier's eyes met his, and he replied, "I'm not entirely sure, but it seems the teleportation system is encountering interference. We might be approaching an unexpected destination—or perhaps something beyond our control." His tone was serious, carrying an undercurrent of foreboding.

Another soldier, his expression tight with worry, added, "Remain calm, everyone. We have protocols for such anomalies. But if this interference continues, it may permanently alter our course."

Just then, the intercom crackled to life once more: "Attention all passengers, an unexpected time displacement event is imminent. Please remain seated and brace for further instructions."

At that moment, the bus shuddered violently, and the screen flashed a cryptic message: "Destination Unknown." Outside, the view dissolved into a chaotic swirl of colors and shapes, and the gentle ocean scene transformed into a surreal, shifting panorama.

Sambh's pulse raced as he absorbed the sudden turn of events. His quest to meet his father now seemed entangled with forces far beyond his understanding. The soldiers exchanged tense glances, their expressions a mixture of resolve and uncertainty.

Then, as the bus lurched again and the intercom repeated in a distorted tone, "Prepare for immediate temporal re-alignment," a deafening silence fell over the cabin. In that heart-stopping moment, Sambh could only wonder: What awaited them at the end of this unpredictable journey?

The bus plunged into the unknown, leaving his fate—and that of everyone aboard.