without looking at Doctor Fahim.
“He needs to believe he himself has chosento become a part of the project.” Doctor
Fahim said quietly. “Otherwise we will neverbe able to obtain his trust and cooperation.”
“As if we did not have enough to worry about.” t
he General muttered. “Now we have to
waste time on the emotional problems of a teenager as well.” General Bakshi finally turned to
look at Doctor Fahim. His voice had an edge to it as he spoke.“As you yourself pointed out
to the boy, the stakes involved in this matter are very high, doctor. The childish insecurities
of a fourteen year old are the least of our worries at this point.”
“These „i
nsecurities‟ need to be resolved from the start, if the project is to have any sort
of a success, General.” Dr Fahim looked at General Bakshi with a slight frown. “Your tough
love approach would in this case be detrimental to the project. It is necessary that Neel learn
to trust us if we are to help him get used to his new abilities and work with us. Without his
cooperation this project will not succeed. Please try to remember that we are not discussing
the training of one of your army recruits, but a young and impressionable boy. A boy,
moreover, who has recently been through a singularly terrifying experience.”
“
An experience that would have been fatal, had it not been for the serum.” the General
retorted.“A serum that is the property of the Indian defense force. That makes the boy, at
least in part, our property as well.”
“That serum is no
t important.” the doctor spoke quietly, but there was a hint of steel in
his voice.“The boy is.I know you are more concerned with results, but I‟m afraid I place a
higher value on lives than on your ambitions for the army.” the General was a tall man, but
Doctor Fahim was taller still. No trace remained in DoctorFahim‟s eyes of the gentleness
that Neel had seen there. His hardened gaze reminded General Bakshi that this was no
ordinary civilian he was talking to.
“
Be that as it may, I hope you understand our agreement.” the General said coldly. He
walked over to the table and placed the mobile in his pocket. “This turn of events may have
forced our hand, but at the first sign of incompetence in the boy, he will be removed
immediately from the program, and we will find some other way to deal with this situation.”
Doctor Fahim nodded, his gaze relaxing. “But in the meantime, while we try to make
this new endeavor a success, I trust we will have your full support?”
“I shall perform my duty as is expected of me.” the General said as he turned to leave
the room.
CHAPTER 3: Unfamiliar Territory
The next evening Neel returned home with his mother. It was a relief to be able to get
back to his house. His time alone in the hospital room had been spent in learning to keep his
mind under control, a control that he found easier to maintain in peaceful surroundings. His
mind had a disconcerting habit of speeding up whenever his attention slipped, and he had
found that it was usually outside excitement that made him lose control.
The ride back had been extremely unpleasant. Alone in the quiet hospital room he had
not realized just how acute his hearing had become. All through the trip home he had been
starting from unexpected horns and traffic whistles. The chatter of passing groups of
pedestrians had broken his concentration entirely. He had been pretending to sleep all though
the ride to avoid talking or moving at all to hide his increased speed. It was only after turning
into the quiet street in front of his house that the noises lessened slightly. It took several
minutes of pretending to be drowsy after waking up to gain time to rebuild his concentration
and get his speed under control.
While his mother paid the driver, Neel got out of the taxi and gazed up at his house. It
was an old house, one of the earliest buildings in their colony. It showed its age in
“He needs to believe he himself has chosento become a part of the project.” Doctor
Fahim said quietly. “Otherwise we will neverbe able to obtain his trust and cooperation.”
“As if we did not have enough to worry about.” t
he General muttered. “Now we have to
waste time on the emotional problems of a teenager as well.” General Bakshi finally turned to
look at Doctor Fahim. His voice had an edge to it as he spoke.“As you yourself pointed out
to the boy, the stakes involved in this matter are very high, doctor. The childish insecurities
of a fourteen year old are the least of our worries at this point.”
“These „i
nsecurities‟ need to be resolved from the start, if the project is to have any sort
of a success, General.” Dr Fahim looked at General Bakshi with a slight frown. “Your tough
love approach would in this case be detrimental to the project. It is necessary that Neel learn
to trust us if we are to help him get used to his new abilities and work with us. Without his
cooperation this project will not succeed. Please try to remember that we are not discussing
the training of one of your army recruits, but a young and impressionable boy. A boy,
moreover, who has recently been through a singularly terrifying experience.”
“
An experience that would have been fatal, had it not been for the serum.” the General
retorted.“A serum that is the property of the Indian defense force. That makes the boy, at
least in part, our property as well.”
“That serum is no
t important.” the doctor spoke quietly, but there was a hint of steel in
his voice.“The boy is.I know you are more concerned with results, but I‟m afraid I place a
higher value on lives than on your ambitions for the army.” the General was a tall man, but
Doctor Fahim was taller still. No trace remained in DoctorFahim‟s eyes of the gentleness
that Neel had seen there. His hardened gaze reminded General Bakshi that this was no
ordinary civilian he was talking to.
“
Be that as it may, I hope you understand our agreement.” the General said coldly. He
walked over to the table and placed the mobile in his pocket. “This turn of events may have
forced our hand, but at the first sign of incompetence in the boy, he will be removed
immediately from the program, and we will find some other way to deal with this situation.”
Doctor Fahim nodded, his gaze relaxing. “But in the meantime, while we try to make
this new endeavor a success, I trust we will have your full support?”
“I shall perform my duty as is expected of me.” the General said as he turned to leave
the room.
CHAPTER 3: Unfamiliar Territory
The next evening Neel returned home with his mother. It was a relief to be able to get
back to his house. His time alone in the hospital room had been spent in learning to keep his
mind under control, a control that he found easier to maintain in peaceful surroundings. His
mind had a disconcerting habit of speeding up whenever his attention slipped, and he had
found that it was usually outside excitement that made him lose control.
The ride back had been extremely unpleasant. Alone in the quiet hospital room he had
not realized just how acute his hearing had become. All through the trip home he had been
starting from unexpected horns and traffic whistles. The chatter of passing groups of
pedestrians had broken his concentration entirely. He had been pretending to sleep all though
the ride to avoid talking or moving at all to hide his increased speed. It was only after turning
into the quiet street in front of his house that the noises lessened slightly. It took several
minutes of pretending to be drowsy after waking up to gain time to rebuild his concentration
and get his speed under control.
While his mother paid the driver, Neel got out of the taxi and gazed up at his house. It
was an old house, one of the earliest buildings in their colony. It showed its age in
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