At 5 am, Manik reached UNI-TECH.

He prepared a coffee and went to his cabin. Took out a file from shelf, sat down and turned on his PC.

Manik suddenly turned pale. He was in shock. He started breathing faster while getting more and more tensed. He rushed outside to Mukti's PC, turned it on and it was not responding. The computer was HACKED!

(Manik had a function installed on his computer that if anything happens to any computer system of the company, he will be notified. When Mukti's PC was hacked, he got notified. That's why he was shocked.)

Manik went back to his cabin and started to recover Mukti's computer data but he failed. He was tensed now. He kept on trying but the results were same.

By 6:30 am, Abhimanyu, Mukti, Alia, and Dhruv came. They directly went to Manik. They were confused and surprised to see Manik being pale and tensed.

Dhruv - Manik! You ok? What happe........

Manik - Mukti! How many files were there in your computer? Any confidential information regarding game, further plans and company?

Mukti - Huh? Why suddenly? mmmm....... I think the file regarding development process of the game and the design. This one is confidential and others are common. But why you asking suddenly?

Manik - (held his head and was feeling down) Your computer is hacked!

Mukti- What!! (she ran to her computer, checked it, she was not able to log in as it was not responding) (throwing mouse from her hand) Damn it! (she was burning in rage) Who the hell dared to mess with me? I will kill him! Seriously. Abhimanyu! Find out who did it!

Abhimanyu - I am checking!

Everyone was trying to find the person behind it but everyone failed. Manik was feeling too down while Mukti was in rage. Everyone was trying to calm them down.

The game was on it's last step but now.....

Alia- Manik, what can be consequences for us?

Manik - (sighed in grief) We could end before starting. This game was our first work but now its design, development procedure, ideas.... everything is stolen by someone. That person could develop and release it.

Dhruv - But we have already developed the game. We will be done in a day or two. We can launch it first.

Manik - We still haven't signed with Pace as distribution partners. It will take minimum two weeks to reach the stage of signing deal. And...... till distribution it will be four or five weeks that means around a month in total.

Dhruv - Then call them right now! Discuss the contract and sign!

Manik - No! Until we find the hacker, we can't talk about it or sign the deal.

Alia - What the hell, Manik! Why? Why we can't?

Manik - Because.. If Pace finds out this hacking incident, that we were not able to protect our own ideas, and programs, we might have major trust issues with them! Also..., if this hacker develops the same game and launches it within a month we will be doomed. That will be end to our careers.

Abhimanyu - Shit! Then what to do now?

Mukti - Isn't there any other way Manik?

Manik - There is!

All - (straightened their backs and came closer) What?

Manik - Find the hacker!

All - (throwing themselves back on the chair) Argh!

All went in deep thoughts.

Alia - This hacker must be professional as none of us is able to find him! But who?

Mukti - Any of our rival companies?

Dhruv - Never. If it would really have been our rivals then they would not have made computer go blank instead would have hacked secretly and would have gathered all information just like eavesdropping!

Alia - Exactly! This person is a professional definitely and someone who knows about our game very well. Someone who is interested! I just can't understand, what this hacker exactly wants? This game can't be developed within a month no matter how much staff you gather. Also, he has good knowledge of tactics. (sighed) I am confused!

Everyone was trying to find the hacker. The other staff was not informed as they all were on holidays. Manik asked everyone to not tell Nandini, Navya and Kabir about this matter. Their days and nights started to pass in tension but there was no clue for this hacker. They would go home less and spend more time in front of computers.

After few days,

Everyone was in Manik's cabin. Manik got a mail on his computer. He went to check. As soon as he opened Mail, he turned pale. Others gather round him. They looked in computer and turned pale. It was the mail from the Hacker.

Mail =

Mr. Manik Malhotra and team....,

I thought you all are great but you all turned out to be the opposite. I gave you three days, but you were not able to find me. Shame on you!

Whatever, forget it! Lemme come to the point! I am interested in your game from the time I have seen it in public presentation. You really left an impression on me!

There's a link at the end of the mail, open it! We can have a chat.

Looking forwad to it,

Your HACKER!

Manik opened the link and it was a chatting area created for temporary and personal use.

Manik - Hi! Who are you? Why you hacked the computer? What are your intentions?

Hacker - Hello! Manik Malhotra, that's not like a businessman. No businessman put forward so many questions on the first encounter! I am really disappointed.

Manik - No one is here to serve your satisfaction. Stop beating around the bush! Come to the point!

Hacker - Oops! I am scared! Mr. Malhotra got angry..... Manik, come on I am helping you in finding me. I know you want me to keep chatting for some time so that you can get in my device. But what's the rush? Chat with me first then do it! And yeah, don't worry. I am too experienced in this field. I know all these techniques. You will never be able to find me at your own will.

Manik - So, you turned out to be smart and not just a hacker and programmer. What you think I am a fool, I know very well that this chatting program we are using will delete our chat within half an hour and I would be left with no proofs that I ever chatted with you! You are just passing the time so that we can chat for long and the program will keep deleting it!

Hacker - Mr. Malhotra turns out to be tooooo..... smart. I am satisfied with this answer from a newbie.

(Mukti - This hacker is really something! Playing with our patience. I just want to beat him up now!)

Manik - I am flattered enough. Can you come to the point?

Hacker - Sure. why not? Let's be serious now!

Manik - hmm

Hacker - I like your work. It's really great. Really more than what we could expect from newbies.

Manik - So?

Hacker - I want to purchase the game from you!

(Manik and others were shocked to read this.

Alia - Who does he think he is?

Dhruv - Exactly, we worked so hard on it and he just...!

Manik - quite. Lemme talk!)

Manik - We are not interested in selling it.

Hacker - But I want it!

Manik - But we aren't willing to sell it!

Hacker - Mr., I am asking sincerely and ready to give money in return. Agree to it or I have my ways!

Manik - We don't care what ways you have. This is our game!

Hacker - You think I care! (smirks)

Manik - Who the hell are you? (full of rage)

Hacker - Since you are this interested in knowing. I.... am...

Manik - ..??

Hacker - MK!!

(Their eyes widened after reading it.

Dhruv - The great hacker and programmer, MK?

Alia - (hit Dhruv) What great? More of a loser he is!

Mukti - It's better to make his complaint to the cyber safety!

Dhruv - Mukti is right!)

Manik - You better stay in your limits MK. We will make cyber complaint against you!

Mk - You think they will believe it. I have helped them in solving more that half of the total cases. They will never doubt me! You will only waste your time. Let me tell you, You have two options only. Either sell it to me or I will develop mine and with the same employees. I... will... take away your employees!

Manik - You would not be able to! I trust them!

MK - That..... Time will tell! I am giving you two days! It's Saturday! I will contact you again on Monday evening,

3 pm! Bye!

As soon as Manik read it the program disappeared! Manik tried to find it but failed.

Manik and all sat down with sad faces.

Abhimanyu - We are really caught between a rock and a hard place.

Mukti - No way man! We are not going to choose either!

Alia - Right. We need to find other way Manik.

Abhimanyu - And yes, Manik. Lemme tell you, we don't care about others, we four will never leave you.

Manik - (smiled) Thank you, guys! (sighed) Don't worry! We will find a way out!(all smiled)

By 5 pm,

Manik received lot of emails suddenly. Manik and Dhruv went to his computer to check while others kept working on recovering data. Manik opened mails on phone while Dhruv on the computer! They both looked at each other in the way they understood what they want to say to each other. They saddened.

Mukti noticed.

Mukti - What's wrong guys?

Manik - ahb.... Everyone has resigned except for four!

Alia, Mukti, Abhimanyu - What!!!

Dhruv - Hmmm.. Manik received mails from all!

Manik - (sighed) I never thought that this day could come. When we would end even before the start! This MK wants the game. When we refused to sell he got all our employees. Seeing the situation, it would not be difficult for him to develop it within a month or two. We are doomed! (he buried his face in his arms)

Nandini - So what, Manik? You are going to accept your defeat and give up on your hard work?? huh?

All - NANDINI!!!