Things happen. Sometimes those things may make you happy or make you worry. Sometimes they happen to be really strange stuff that makes no sense at all.
Prologue
Some strange incidents in his life prompt Manu Mohan, the son of a rich rubber planter from Kanjirapally, Kerala, to have a keen interest in paranormal phenomena. At Gurukulam, a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan, Manu learns Jnana Yoga (The Yoga of wisdom) under Maharshi Ganesh Yogi (Guruji) who is widely known as an authority on all four branches of yoga. Besides Jnana yoga, Manu also gets advanced training in AI and psychokinesis, an extreme psychic activity related to the phenomenon of mind over matter.
In simpler terms, psychokinesis refers to the extrasensory capability of a person to move bodily matter with the control of his/her thoughts. Earlier this was called ‘telekinesis’ and it was believed that such movements were the work of ghosts and spirits.
After graduating from Gurukulam, Manu invested more time to practice psychokinesis. Somehow it didn’t work according to his plan. Frustrated, he went to Stanford University to study computer science with a specialization in AI and robotics.
The Interview: 02/02/2020
Manu Mohan is interviewed by Hubert Bose, the renowned television talk show host and journalist on CNN. Both men are seated on a stage under a circle of soft light; the audience is barely visible in the semi-dark hall.
HUBERT BOSE: “… Now that your company ManNa has created a couple of humanoids, have you thought about their deployment? Where would they fit in?”
MANU: “They can be a boon to any project that requires a dedicated and disciplined workforce. One area of use, in particular, is deep space exploration where prolonged space travel can be a limiting factor for us humans.”
HUBERT BOSE: “How about deploying them in the defense forces? Or, for space research and espionage?”
MANU: “I haven’t ruled out any options.”
The host asks Manu the question he least expected: his uncanny ability to shape-shift and escape from danger or even vanish into thin air!
HUBERT BOSE: “They say you can evade danger and death with great ease?”
MANU: “That needs some explanation…”
(BOOM!)
There’s an explosion. Glass and wall panels fly. Manu and the host get startled and jump to their feet. Masked men have taken over the TV station. They storm into the studio with explosives and deadly weapons.
One of the intruders takes aim and fires at Manu. Manu takes a shot on his chest and another one on his head. He falls back and lies motionless on the floor while the TV host stands frozen with an ashen face.
The whole incident is broadcast LIVE on TV!
A masked man talks into his cell phone in a hushed voice: “Got him. Shall I bring him over?”
VOICE FROM THE OTHER END: “No. Check him out thoroughly. Make sure it’s him.”
One of the masked men rips open Manu’s dress and inspects him. He looks surprised by what he saw. It’s not Manu they shot but a humanoid; a replica of Manu! A masked man talks into his phone:
“It’s not HIM. It’s just a dummy!”
The Story Begins
Though he hated the slush and salt on roads after a snowstorm, Manu Mohan never complained. It was his decision to go to Baltimore and establish ManNa (derived from Manu & Naran), the artificial intelligence (AI) research lab, overriding protestations from Naran Nair, his business partner. It was only after ManNa was awarded lucrative projects by the Defense Department that Naran relented. Nevertheless, he still remains a thorn in Manu’s side. The reason why Manu tolerates Naran’s tantrums, French leaves, and misdeeds is his ability to convince people of his novel ideas and make those ideas work; with exemplary results. However, the Cyborg Project that he initiated seems to be going nowhere. The absence of Naran makes it impossible for Manu to do it all alone. He wondered why Naran hadn’t invested any time in his pet project lately.
A strange voice wakes up Manu from his nap. Was it a dream? Did he really hear it? He couldn’t be sure. But one thing was certain: he was not at home. It took a while before it dawned upon him that he was sitting in front of a workstation at ManNa. And he didn’t know how long he was dozing off there tonight.
Phew! Manu got up and looked through the huge glass window at Inner Harbor below. From the 15th floor, the panorama was magnificent under a cold dark sky. Barring a disabled vehicle being hauled onto a tow truck, and a police cruiser with its flashing lights in front of the Renaissance Hotel, the streets were practically empty.
For a good reason. It’s snowing heavily.
“What? Snow in April? Another nor’easter?”
Manu couldn’t believe it. Blame it on climate change.
“Whatever,” Manu didn’t care. Other thoughts were already weighing heavily on his mind. Like, where the hell’s Naran? Why won’t he answer or call back?
On a clear night, the Bay Bridge and beyond can be seen from here. Tonight the Domino Sugar sign appears to be a fussy blob of red color. Baltimore is already under a thick blanket of snow. The Bromo Seltzer clock appeared to have frozen at 1:55 am. It’s better that he got out now before the roads turned treacherous even for his Range Rover, Manu told himself. He shut down the workstation and searched the closet for something to wear in the snow. A Patagonia Venn parka that rarely had seen any heavy snow hung like a relic in the closet. It looked appropriate for the night.
Did he hear someone calling his name? It seemed the voice was coming from the very room. His iPhone suddenly woke up and chirped. He almost jumped out of his skin. A text message flashed: <GURUJI ILL. He wants to see you ASAP.>
“Is it a prank?,” he wondered.
Manu paused for a moment before picking up the phone and dialing back. He waited eagerly. There was no response. The call didn’t even get connected.
“Something is fishy,” Manu looked around as if he was searching for an answer. “Maybe I’ll find out. Soon.” He turned on the Range Rover that was parked in the basement remotely with his mobile phone. The vehicle should be warm enough by the time he reached it. He set the office alarm, shut the door, and made for the elevator.
Manu looked around as he came out into the street. The streets were empty. A heavy fog hung above the waters of Inner Harbor where the cold air above and the warm waters below met.
Deserted streets and sidewalks had become a heap of snow. The snow kept falling steadily and it created fuzzy halos around the street lights. It looked like a typical Hitchcock movie set.
Manu walked towards his Range Rover. Something moved in the alley. A hooded man, let’s call him Hoody, appeared from the shadows. Both hands tucked into his coat pockets, he approached Manu.
HOODY: “Gimme your wallet.”
MANU: “There’s no money in it.”
HOODY: “OK. I’ll take the vehicle, then?”
Manu lobbed the car key to the hooded man. The key hit the man’s chest and fell on the sidewalk.
HOODY: “You m—-r f—-r! Pick up the key and give it to me.”
MANU: “You pick it. Now it’s yours.”
Manu sensed someone was behind him. He turned around and faced Bulky, a giant in an Under Armor coat.
MANU IS IN DOUBLE TROUBLE. HIS HEART RACED FAST AND SWEAT FORMED UNDER HIS COAT… COLD SWEAT!
Bulky grabbed Manu by the neck and held him in a chokehold. He pushed Manu towards Hoody.
MANU KNEW HE HAD NO CHANCE OF ESCAPE FROM CERTAIN BODILY HARM OR EVEN DEATH.
HOODY: “You smart ass. I’ll cut you up before I try the car. Now get me the f—ing key!”
Bulky pushed Manu’s head down towards the key on the sidewalk.
As Manu reached for the key Hoody stamped hard on his hand.
The searing pain made him cry out: “AMMA!”
HOODY: “Pull him up. Let me see this sissy clearly.”
As Bulky tightened his grip on Manu’s neck, he struggled for breath.
Bulky pulled Manu up and made him face Hoody. He took out a switchblade and pressed it against Manu’s chin. A close look at Manu made him hiss like a snake.
HOODY: “You Indian crap!”
The epithet angered Manu, and it showed on his face. Warm blood rushed into his cold head. Manu knew something strange was happening to him. All the fear left him, and a new energy flowed from some unknown source. With a quick twist of his hands, he grabbed the man behind him by the neck and leaped high into the air. A heavy kick on Hoody’s underbelly sent him crashing into the slushy street like a doll. The sudden thrust propelled Manu to fall back with Bulky onto the sidewalk.
Manu and Bulky lay there with Bulky’s grip still intact on Manu’s neck. Manu struggled like a fish on a hook.
Hoody crawled through the slush towards Manu with the knife raised for a strike. Manu knew he had no escape but tried hard to get Bulky off his back. But the choke hold stayed intact. Hoody lunged forward and thrust the knife into Manu’s chest repeatedly. The knife went deep into Manu’s body as if it was made of butter. The knife went past Manu and hit Bulky’s chest and it hurt really bad. The knife met his heart and pierced it. Again and again. Bulky shrieked with pain.
BULKY ROLLED WITH PAIN AS THE KNIFE WENT PAST HIS HEART REPEATEDLY.
His gasps and shrieks echoed through the quiet alleys of Fells Point. There was not a single soul around to hear his cries for help.
Hoody got up puzzled and stared at Manu who was already on his feet and in disbelief. Hoody took another long look at his fallen friend and darted off into the dark night.
BULKY WAS DYING. SHOULD MANU LEAVE THE SCENE BEFORE HE IS IMPLICATED BY THE POLICE?
Manu looked at the fallen man again. A beat cop heard Bulky’s cries for help and alerted the EMS. The policeman came running towards Bulky but to his surprise, Manu noticed that the officer didn’t see him even though he was standing next to the fallen man!
Soon a paramedic walked straight through Manu as if he never existed!
MANU: (Holy Molly! Did I die? Am I seeing ghosts?)
IT TOOK A WHILE BEFORE MANU REALIZES THAT HIS LEARNING AT GURUKULAM SAVED HIS LIFE. PSYCHOKINESIS… IT WORKED. MANU ALSO REALIZES THAT IT WORKED WHEN HIS LIFE WAS THREATENED THE MOST!
MANU: (At last… it worked!)
———-000—————
Read on… It’s today!
Manu woke up with a heavy head as if he had been thrown out of a bad dream. Was it a dream? He looked around but could hardly make out anything. However, one thing rang true: he was not at home, and he was not alone.
Sitting with him was a pain that ached all over his body.
Manu closed his eyes and tried to backtrack the events of the previous days. It took a while before he could pinpoint an event that was still fresh in his memory.
Read on… we’re back!
Manu opened his eyes. Staring eagerly down at him were a couple of familiar-looking faces. Somehow, he could not connect those faces with any familiar names. Manu tried to make sense of all that he was seeing. He looked eagerly at each face for an answer. None of them offered any.
“HOW’S HE DOING?”
It sounded very familiar. Sounded just like Naran.
MANU: (“Naran?”)
NARAN: “Thank God you’re alright. You’re a fighter, Manu. A fighter.”
MANU: “What’s going on? Where am I? Why am I in shackles?
Tell me.”
NARAN: “You’re in the ICU at Johns Hopkins Hospital. It’s a long story; we’ll talk later.”
A NURSE: “You were delirious the whole night, and we had to sedate and shackle you.”
NARAN: “You need rest, Manu. Good night.”
The room returned to its quiet, semi-dark mode as everyone left Manu alone to himself.
MANU: (“Something doesn’t look alright. Is it the room? The nurses? Or Naran?”)
They all looked anything but human. The deadpan look of everyone, including Naran reminded Manu of the characters in that old Sci-Fi movie Tron. Something is not alright!
MANU: (“I got to get to the bottom of this whole thing. How did I end up here… and where am I really?”)
—————— 000 —————–
The lights came back as a team of nurses and a doctor entered the room. They brought with them a massive instrument that looked somewhat like an MRI scanner. Manu knew he was going in for another rude shock of his life.
Slowly everything started to make sense. He is in Baltimore but not at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Chances are that he is at Naran’s secret lab. Wait a minute! This place looks so familiar now. Isn’t it his own maximum security research lab at Tide Point?
A ‘doctor’ approached Manu. He carried with him something that appeared to be a syringe with a couple of translucent cables attached to it.
Then Naran loomed large above Manu. He looked deep into Manu’s eyes. Those eyes flickered just once without even batting an eyelid!
A humanoid, in Naran’s garb?
Yes, a NARANoid!
NARANoid: “You already might have got a handle on things around here. To make a long story short, I have to let you know that your associate, Dr. Nair, is no more. We have taken care of that nuisance already for you. Now you can relax.”
MANU: (“He sounds smarter than Naran! Let’s see what he’s up to.”)
NARANoid: “You may be thinking about your fate. Don’t worry, we already have plans for you too. You will not suffer like Dr. Nair did. I can assure you that. But remember one thing: no fooling around with your magic here.”
MANU: (“I have no way of knowing if my psychokinesis would work in this situation. Got to get hold of Guruji somehow. Oh my! What happened to MAN-A, my own humanoid that I created after me?”)
NARANoid: “You seem to be unconcerned about the turn of events for you. That’s strange! You can ask whatever you choose to ask. But don’t act smart. Remember,
I have inherited a lot of the bad boy characteristics of Dr. Nair, my creator.”
MANU: “You are right about that. I am not unduly concerned about my fate because it’s already worked out; I am not concerned about yours either. Your fate is already decided.”
NARANoid: “You talk like Norman Vincent Peale! Positive thinking! There’s nothing to look forward to. You’re a done deal. Finito! You may say your last wishes or prayers now. My assistants are impatiently waiting to zap you out.”
The ‘doctor’ and nurses started attaching wires and tubes to Manu’s head, chest, and arms. Another nurse placed the large syringe closer to Manu’s forehead.
Manu knew it had to happen now or never. His psychokinetic power worked best when his life was threatened the most. It is a matter of time, life, and fate.
NARANoid: “Now watch this! This is going to be the beginning of the rule of Us, the so-called machines! Now, let’s give this genius what he deserves: a painless transition from flesh to fumes! It’s an easy and simple way for him to vanish without his black magic!”
OK. Let’s begin…
Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning and a cloud of smoke that made everything in the room go static. Naranoid and the rest of his crew froze in their stride and slowly slid onto the floor in a heap of molten metal and plastic.
The wires and tubes attached to Manu flew away from him as if they were repelled by some invisible force.
Manu got up and looked around. What he was hoping for has happened. Psychokinesis! It worked.
From the cloud of smoke emerged a beaming Guruji and MAN-A.
GURUJI: “Didn’t I tell you TRUTH NEVER FAILS!”
MANU: “YES, MASTER!”
————0000————
On a hillock south of Baltimore, there is an old mansion with an outhouse reminiscent of the Castle of Count Dracula of Transylvania. It boards no bats or vampires, however. But if at all a bat lived there, you could call him Dr. Manu Mohan. He lived the life of a recluse after Lisa Chatterji’s disappearance and hardly anyone knew if anybody lived there.
Manu was in the middle of a pleasant dream when his sixth sense woke up and alerted him that someone was in his bedroom. How could it be possible in a house that is more secure than Fort Knox? Manu remained calm and thought about ways to tackle the situation. Pretending to be still asleep, he turned around in his bed and saw a ghostly figure standing by the window silhouetted against the early morning light that filtered through the curtains.
Manu closed his eyes and tried to backtrack from the events of the previous days. It took a while before he could pinpoint an event that was still fresh in his memory. Slowly everything started to make sense.
The man at the window turned around and sat on the chair facing Manu. He pulled down the hood as if to reveal his real identity.
Manu got up from his bed in bewilderment. He couldn’t believe his eyes! Sitting in front of him was Naran! Or was this another fake one like the one he had encountered earlier? As if he had read Manu’s mind, the intruder spoke in a low voice, “It’s me… Naran, the real one. Manu, I need your help! There’s not much time left. The cyborgs are after me and they will be here any minute!”
Manu didn’t want to get into another tricky trap of Naran, his erstwhile business partner. His skulduggery far outweighed whatever he had rendered for ManNa. However, Manu was not born with a maleficent attitude and it came to play in Naran’s favor. He couldn’t give up on Naran easily.
Manu: “How come? You were with the cyborgs. You programmed them into what they have become: nasty machines.”
Naran: “I don’t have much time to explain. You may not believe me even if I have told you the truth. It’s Lisa who was behind all that and she wants to get rid of me at any cost. She could be after you too!”
Naran got up, walked towards the window, and waited for what he was expecting!
It didn’t take much time for Lisa to arrive. Without much ado, she approached Naran. A Photon-X gun was still in its holster dangling innocently from her belt. Manu noticed that she looked as pretty as she was before her disappearance.
Lisa lifted her hands to grab Naran by his neck. She could have been trying to strangle him or trying to kiss him. But there was no time for Manu to do the guesswork. He got up and stood between Lisa and Naran in a flash and snarled, “Not so fast lady! You won’t leave here in one piece if you plan to get aggressive and nasty. You better tell me where did you disappear and why are you in my house uninvited?”
Lisa tried to answer Manu but choked on her words each time she tried. One thing turned out to be true: what they have with them is not a cyborg. Cyborgs never laugh or cry. They are programmed to look grim and deadly.
Manu took a deep breath and sat down. He could now rest easy knowing that Lisa was not going to kill him after all.
But what happened next belied his belief. Lisa turned around and fired once. Naran slid down into a heap of molten plastic and metal onto the Super Kazak hand-knotted wool rug and clung to it!
——————————————–
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