State: Rajrath (Independent)

Location: Sunna Port

At the 'Sunna Port', near the bay area, early in the morning. Two men stood right at the periphery of the port, gazing at the horizon. From the endless horizon, a group of small rowboats are making their way, sailing against the tide, arriving from the sea to the port. An expression of happiness begins to show in the eyes of the two men.

Six boats arrive at the shore with cargo stocked; the sailors get off the boats and greet the two men who had come to welcome them; Charun and Dev.

Charun and Dev respond professionally and then go about inspecting the cargo the sailors returned with. They skim through the cargo which mostly consists of electrical boards and a green powder-like substance.

"It's a good haul this time", Charun speaks inspecting the last bag.

"Indeed it is and on top of that we don't have to pay back our investors." Dev cheekily replies. Dev carefully observes the boats something catching his eye, "The boats are damaged. 'Echeneis'?"

[Echeneis- Fish with a mouth that resembles an opening of a funnel, they have fat lips and a very strong body, they usually hunt on aquatic birds, insects, and animals. They attach their mouths to the prey's bodies like a leech and then drag them underwater, killing them by drowning and then feeding on them. They often trouble travellers but attaching to a boat and pulling it underwater]

"An entire lot of them. These damned fishes make travel really hard. Good thing we had Rishu with us." One of the sailors replies, pointing at the youngest member of the expedition, a young boy barely out of his teens.

Dev looks at Rishu and calmly nods while Charun gives a more wholesome smile.

"Infiltration is becoming difficult; security was tighter than usual this time." Another sailors adds on.

"How many more times do you think we can pull this off?" Charun enquires with his arms folded.

"With Senthil gone this was bound to happen, we won't be able to pull this off for long now. Harbir and Aguero are also getting restless." Dev begins to walk back towards the port.

"No point complaining when we're responsible for it right?", Charun follows carrying one of the bags.

Dev smiles coyly, without looking back.

***

State: Merram (Central)

In an alleyway street with by lanes adjacent to it. A tall upright man with un-kept long brown hair falling over his face and a short crunchy beard on his face walks in a carefree manner, whistling a sweet tune that sounds like a lullaby. A long deep scar is visible on his neck which spans across the entire girth of the lower neck. The man calmly walks along these by-lanes wearing a thing grey shirt and black trouser-like pants. He walks slowly with both his hands in his pockets as if he's strolling around a park. He takes a turn and walks into another by-lane, at the end of the by-lane stood another man. The man with the scar on his neck walked to the man standing and then spoke when he reached near him; "Longtime...Ehimay"

The man who was standing against the wall responded to the statement with a warm smile and then spoke.

"It's certainly been long Migai."

"Were you there this time?"

"Unfortunately I was late again, she had already left by the time I reached the place."

Suddenly Migai's calm composure begins to break, hesitatingly he asks, "My daughter?"

"I couldn't find her, I'm sorry." Ehimay replies with a regretful expression.

"ONE... killed all of them?"

"Yes, Just like before, everyone was dead"

"She took no one?" Migai enquires with eager eyes, clenching his fist inside his pockets.

"No Migai, everyone accounted in the town was dead, in fact, there were more dead than accounted for."

"She could have abducted a traveller or an immigrant..."

"Something like that", Ehimay sighs, "We'll never be able to decipher."

"Hmm...what about the spike in radiation?"

"It was just like you confirmed, the radiation level was off the charts for the last six months, and when ONE arrived it all disappeared."

"The men we had posted there..."

"Dead, she knew about them."

"Ohh" A dejected look appears on his usually dull face, "Do...they have any families?"

"None" Handing a piece of paper to Migai he continues, "These are the areas that we've predicted might be over the radiation markings we're aiming for."

Migai pockets the paper without even looking at it, "Remember the plan Ehimay...we're going to act soon. Something big is heading our way. Stay alert."

"Yes."

"Move out and keep trying to find my daughter, I'll call for you in time. And Ehimay if you come across ONE...RUN!" He puts great emphasis on the last word.

Ehimay nods and heads out in the opposite direction.

Migai rests against the wall and slaps his chest with his fist. The communication device on his waist makes a soft buzzing sound. Migai un-holsters it and brings it close to his ears.

Over the device, martin speaks in a shrill voice, "Migai sir the 'Atisi' have blocked the forensic report we were supposed to get. We have instead been given a different case."

[Atisi- The peacekeeping force of the Central States, they are directly under the 'Representative of the State'. Sometimes also referred to as the sword of the Representative]

"This was under expectations...do as the 'Atisi' say. Tell me where this new case is. I'll be there." He attaches the device back to his waist.

Again resting against the wall, he sighs, the gloomy silence is broken by the churning sound Migai's stomach makes.

"Huh...I'm hungry."

***

Two cops in the uniform stand outside a lane, one of them being Martin who is interviewing the street peddlers and homeless for any information. With them is a relatively young girl about sixteen years old who looks completely distraught.

The two policemen spot Migai walking up to the lane while chewing on a maize dandy. Martin walks up to him.

"Sir it's a sixth-tier case, it's not worth your time. We'll take care of it."

Migai without saying anything moves up to the body, he wears his gloves and crouches on his knees to inspect the body. "Do we have the murder weapon?"

"No sir, we're still looking, it seems to be a knife based on the wounds."

Migai injects his fingers into one of the wounds on the body of the old man, blood oozes out dripping on the worn-out shirt the old man was wearing.

"Have you taken any of his belongings?"

"No sir, there was nothing on him"

"Anything in surveillance footage?"

"No sir, the usual it's not working"

Migai removes the gloves from his hands and puts on the usual black gloves he always wears, "Any family members or friends?"

"Just one daughter", Martin points towards the young distraught woman.

"This is his usual route from work to home; he's a construction worker at a site not far from here. I think it's the usual; he was just unlucky returning home after curfew hours and got butchered by a bloke trying to be a member of the 'Society'." Martin concludes.

"You're again getting ahead of yourself." Migai warns him still observing the body.

"I figure his house isn't far from here?"

A surprised Martin promptly replies, "No, it's just 2 minutes from here, at the near end of this lane."

"Did you inspect the house?"

"Not as of now sir"

"Fine, I'll do it." Migai walks up to the daughter of the deceased.

"Hello miss, I am an officer at the crime branch my name is Migai"

"Hello, I'm Vrinda", stuttering and choking on her own saliva due to the excessive crying.

"Miss, would you mind me escorting to your home?"

With a moment's hesitation, "Sure."

Story By: Four Eighty One

(The story, character, and art are all original pieces of work, kindly do not use without permission)

Contradiction (Part 2), Releases tomorrow

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