Invitation

Sanjay woke up with a lingering unease. His first instinct was to check the news—he needed to know what had unfolded after yesterday's storm.

"Iris, update me on the news after yesterday's events," he said, keeping his voice steady despite the tight knot of tension in his chest.

A brief pause, then Iris responded.

[Host, the stock market suffered a massive collapse and was temporarily shut down. The Prime Minister addressed the nation, vowing to punish all those involved in the fraud.]

Sanjay sat up, rubbing his temples. That was expected. Still, hearing it confirmed made it feel more real.

[The CEO of LunarTech, Raj Malhotra, fled to the UK before he could be implicated. Several ministers connected to the scam were suspended, and numerous arrests were made across different sectors.]

[Bank managers, administrators, police officers, and even multiple NGOs were found complicit.]

Sanjay frowned. The deeper this went, the worse it looked. But then, Iris dropped the real bombshell.

[There are unverified reports of shootouts across the country. While no major news agencies have covered it, my calculations estimate that nearly 10,000 foreign agents were either arrested or eliminated during the crackdown.]

His breath caught. "Ten thousand?" he echoed, stunned. "But I only provided information on around a thousand agents."

[Yes, Host. The intelligence department interrogated those captured, and it turns out that most of the names we shared were high-ranking handlers. Each of them commanded multiple operatives, leading to a massive uncovering of hidden networks.]

Sanjay exhaled slowly, the weight of it settling over him. He had expected fallout, but this... this was on another level. The sheer scale of infiltration within the country sent a shiver down his spine. How long had they operated in the shadows, unseen? And if he hadn't exposed them, how much longer would they have continued?

His pulse steadied. There was no turning back now.

Pushing aside his thoughts, he asked, "Did you contact the lawyer regarding my case?"

[Yes, Host. He called this morning. Given the scandal surrounding LunarTech, it's highly likely that the case against you will be dropped due to lack of evidence.]

Relief flooded through him. He let out a slow breath. "That's the best news I've heard so far."

Without LunarTech's financial backing and political connections, the legal threats wouldn't last long. If the LunarTech company was facing government scrutiny and possible bankruptcy, they wouldn't have the resources to drag him into a prolonged court battle. Before, they could have stalled the case indefinitely, draining him financially, freezing his bank accounts, and choking his software distribution.

That might have been their plan all along—to corner him, force him to flee abroad just to keep his business alive.

But now, the tables had turned.

He had taken precautions, hiring one of the best lawyers money could buy, even if it had cost a small fortune. Iris had recommended him based on an impeccable track record, and so far, it seemed like the right decision.

For now, things were falling into place.

But not for everyone. Thousands of investors had lost fortunes in the stock market crash. The corrupt politicians and executives caught in the scandal were facing ruin.

What should have taken a decade had unraveled in mere weeks—all because of his interference. Within a month, the government collapsed after a no-confidence motion passed in parliament. The public, already enraged by the corruption scandal, lost all trust when it was revealed that high-ranking officials had been colluding with foreign powers.

No amount of damage control or political maneuvering could salvage their position. In a shocking turn, many members of the ruling party betrayed their own leadership, voting against them.

A new government formed swiftly—one that, at least for now, seemed free from external manipulation. The majority party took control, promising reforms, stability, and a fresh start.

Sanjay leaned back in his chair, absorbing the weight of what had happened. He had changed the course of history. The Prime Minister who was originally supposed to take power a decade from now had not yet stepped forward. Instead, a close political ally of his had taken the position. A deviation, but not a drastic one.

He sighed. I didn't expect things to move this fast.

His phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts.

It was a model from 2003—one he had purchased recently. His advanced device from the future wasn't compatible with networks of this era, and in public, he needed something functional for calls. Not that he relied on it much. His augmented interface was more than enough for communication.

He picked up. "Hello?"

A woman's voice came through the receiver. "Hello, Mr. Sanjay Sharma?"

"Yes, speaking."

"I'm calling from the Prime Minister's Office. You are invited to attend the oath ceremony three days from now. Can you confirm your attendance?"

Sanjay blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected this.

"Of course. I'll be there."

"Thank you for your confirmation. You will receive the itinerary via email shortly." With that, she ended the call.

Sanjay lowered the phone, still processing. An invitation to the oath ceremony? It was a great honor, only few received. But more than that, it meant he had caught the attention of the new leadership. With everything that had happened—the financial upheaval, the exposure of corruption, and the crackdown on foreign influence—it was inevitable that the new Prime Minister would be aware of the immense pressure foreign powers had exerted to suppress his software.

Still, he felt no concern. It wasn't as if he had committed a crime. There was no reason for him to hide. And with his augmentations, he wasn't worried about personal threats. Even if an entire military unit came after him, he doubted they could do him any real harm.

His parents, however, were a different matter. They need protection.

There weren't many high-level security firms in Guwahati. He would have to look for one when he traveled to Delhi. It would be best if they had personnel from military or intelligence backgrounds—people who understood real threats.

He made a mental note. That will be my priority when I get there.

Although only he was invited, he asked his parents to come along. But they refused, citing work and family responsibilities they couldn't ignore. He understood, but a part of him wished they would have reconsidered. The situation was changing rapidly, and he wasn't sure how deep the consequences of his actions would run.

The next day, as he stepped out of the airport in Delhi, he took a deep breath. The air felt noticeably cleaner compared to what he remembered from a decade later. Strange how something so small stands out.

Scanning the crowd, he quickly spotted a chauffeur holding a placard with his name. The driver, sent by the hotel, gave him a polite nod.

All his arrangements had been handled by the Prime Minister's office—hotel, transport, everything. He hadn't lifted a finger.

After signaling to the driver, he got into the luxury sedan from a five-star hotel and leaned back. Being taken care of like this feels... new.

After checking in, he immediately rented a car with a driver—since he was still underage—and headed to the security agency he had contacted in advance. They met all the criteria he had been looking for.

The office was located in Aerocity, a prime business hub. The moment he stepped inside, the receptionist wasted no time in notifying her seniors of his arrival.

Within a minute, he was ushered into a sleek conference room, where he met Rajesh Thakur, the head of the agency.

Rajesh was a broad-shouldered man in his late forties, his posture straight and his eyes sharp with the disciplined gaze of a soldier. A former special forces officer, he had founded the agency after retiring from service. Now, his firm handled security for high-profile clients, and judging by the efficiency of his staff, it was clear they were among the best in the business.

He greeted Sanjay with a firm handshake and got straight to the point. "I've read your requirements. Let's discuss how we can secure your family."

The conversation flowed smoothly as Rajesh introduced the agency's history, its operations, and the personnel at their disposal. They had ex-military operatives, intelligence officers, and specialists trained for high-risk scenarios.

When the discussion shifted to Sanjay's specific needs, Rajesh recommended a ten-man team.

"This should be more than enough to ensure your family's safety," he said, sliding a file toward Sanjay.

Iris immediately ran a background check. Within seconds, she confirmed that the selected operatives were top-tier professionals—retired elite forces with impeccable records. More importantly, they were loyal and unlikely to be bribed or compromised.

With Iris's silent approval, Sanjay proceeded with the contract negotiations.

In the end, they settled on a price—five million rupees per month.

The security package included special bulletproof vehicles, which Sanjay needed to order through them. The cost of weapons, tactical gear, and other essentials was covered in the contract.

Their only requirements? Daily rations, which they would cook themselves, and a place to stay.

Sanjay made a mental note to call his father. We'll need to build a security house. Fortunately, their ancestral land was large enough to accommodate two buildings. Constructing a small but well-equipped security facility wouldn't be an issue.

Once the contract was signed, he made the initial payments, covering the cost of the bulletproof cars and miscellaneous expenses. The team was scheduled to arrive within a week.

Everything was falling into place.

For now.