HORIZON 1.1

Part-10

It's been hours. Shiva was standing outside the financial center, waiting for someone. The sun had reached the head, and the air was warm. The financial district, always bustling, was deserted now.

Someone would sometimes appear within hours. These were the same individuals who put all of their Jules into trading. People who valued Jules over all other considerations.

However, Shiva had not yet seen the person he was waiting for.

"Hello, Karn. Do you really believe he works here?" Shiva was speaking to Karn with his wrist close to his face.

"I'm fairly certain. Do you think my information is false? Have I ever made a mistake before?" Karn said it from the other side.

"I've been waiting for hours. He is not here."

"This doesn't concern me. However, the information I provided to you is accurate. He works in the financial center. I doubt he'll show up for work when the city is in disarray. It was you who went looking for him there. Okay." Karn hung up from the other side.

Shiva looked at his band to see what time it was and chose to stay a bit longer. He saw the entire city in front of him, silent and terrified. There was a time when the city was always filled with moving vehicles. Traffic jams used to be common everywhere, from the air to the roads, but not anymore.

Shiva was kind of relishing this new city.

"Hi, Mr. Could we speak for a moment?" When Shiva noticed a man leaving with a suspicious demeanour, he fled to him. Shiva came on his way and asked.

"Not right now, Mr. Sa... I have to leave now." The man paused in the middle of his sentence and turned to face Shiva.

"Shiva. That's me. Do you recognize me?

"I've come across your profile on social." The man spoke tensely.

"I guess the entire city knows who I am now. But I think we've already met." Shiva replied.

"Please excuse me, but I have to leave." The man attempted a sideways turn.

"You don't remember things well, Mr.—or should I say Nick?" Shiva spoke behind him.

"Nick!"

"We met at Paranormal HQ a week ago." After approaching the man again, Shiva stated, "I heard Paranormal fake their identity to civilians, but you are faking your own personal life from your own family."

"What are you attempting to say?"

"Are your spouse and children aware that you are not employed at the financial centre? You have fake skin and work with Paranormal, and you have lied to them all your life."

"You're insane. You have no idea what you want to say. Don't make me call the police." A taxi had just pulled up on the road as the man got closer to it. "My taxi has shown up. I need to go."

"I won't hesitate to share this evidence with your family." Shiva made an attempt to intimidate him by pulling a serious face. "I wonder what they'll think of you if they find out about your second life."

"Well, you're threatening me." The man stopped, his expression stern. "People find it prohibited to discuss Paranormal, and now you're trying to intimidate one. We don't care about you, civilians. If we only think to act, your entire life will be meaningless."

Shiva was unaffected by his threat. Shiva had a smile.

"If I'm doing this for the right reason, it doesn't matter who is against me. It makes no difference." Shiva responded, "The synchronization reports you provided were forged. There's something dangerous going on within Zone. And you and your boss, I think, are the ones with the most information. People haven't left their homes in weeks; there is chaos throughout our city. Tell me everything you know, please. Till I discover the cause, I won't give up."