April’ 2004,
Austin, Travis County, Texas.

“Hello, Ralph. This is Malcolm representing JAPMI,” he said shaking hands, “I reckon the notice had been already circulated to the Career Development Centre by one of our Associate”

“Yup, Mr. Malcolm. I am the Recruiting convenor here and in fact I was expecting your arrival at this time,” Ralph said and they both took seats in the chamber.

“That’s great! We would like to begin with our process,” Malcolm asked.

“Sure. Let me check with your mode and setup,” he said and looked out on his desktop, “I see you have posted the OCR Job and decided to schedule the interview on campus,”

“Uh-huh,” he bobbed his head, “We’ve shortlisted handful of students,” Malcolm said.

“Alright, Will get them for the Screening in a few minutes at the Private Interview rooms,”

“Fair, how about the booth space?” Malcolm checked.

“It’s in the Brown Gym. One of the recruiting co-ordinator will assist you to your hotspot,” the asst. director phoned the co-ordinator.

Malcolm reached the UTA to recruit the students as an employer. Be that as it may, the motive was not to Interview the shortlisted students but rather it was to make a casual talk. It was to let them know who they gonna work with and it was to make them known of something unexpected.

The handpicked students were called together into the screening room, “Take your seats buddies,” Malcolm uttered. The young members complied with him and were seated.

“Do you know the company I represent?” asked Malcolm. He knew the students were aware yet he did the check for no joy.

“Yeah Mr. Malcolm. It’s JAPMI,” one of them answered.

“Uh-huh,” Malcolm sighed with his eyes, “So did you happened to hear about the Industry any time before?”

“Yup, we did hear,” the other student answered.

“Good. Saryu, Mruna and,” he cast his eyes on the other, “and… Jenny,” he said and continued, “Did you happened to see the guy behind you any time before?” he pointed his finger behind them.

What they had seen had come like a bolt out of the blue. “Aryan,” the three of them uttered in muted tones. They got up from their seats one after the other and Jenny was the first who got the lead out.

“Dude! Where have you been,” Jenny asked, “Where the fuck you were man?”

“We just hated your absence Aryan,” Mruna said, “Darling speak out,” she asked.

Aryan didn’t move an inch from where he installed himself. “Dear, talk to us. Where were you Aryan?” Saryu asked. The three of them looked earnestly for an answer from Aryan.

“I was on hibernation,” Aryan finally spoke, “for a learning,” he said.

“What?” Mruna enquired.

“Yup by the by, how are you all?” Aryan enquired.

“We are no good mate, we are no good,” Jenny said, “You just dropped to us all a message that you will be gone from the city but you fucking didn’t tell us why,” Mruna stepped in, “Yes and you even didn’t let us know on your return to the city,”

“That’s a long story,” Aryan said.

“Well you may wanna cut it short,” Saryu suggested.

“Alright but first, Mr. Malcolm let’s go to my place down here in the city,” Aryan looked at Malcolm, “Jenny will drive us to the house,”

“Let’s get going. We don’t wanna be late before we let them know of your accomplishments,” Malcolm said grinning.

“… and guys there’s no way I am gonna cut the story short. I will narrate the tale on our way to my place,” Aryan said, “Jenny pull the car,”

---

“I am sorry Aryan,” Jenny said, “We are really sorry for the loss,”

“Aryan, we are sorry dear and you made us proud; we are very fortunate to have you known,” Mruna talked her heart out, “we believed in you so much and we knew it, from the day you made it for the Apprenticeship, that you will make it possible for yourselves to be one among those successful entrepreneurs,”

“I am grateful for you darling,” Saryu stepped in, “There was a nagging in the group about our future after graduation and now in a way you brought us all together. This feeling is so amazing and I am ecstatically happy that we will work for your company,”

“It’s our company Saryu,” Aryan intervened.

“What do you mean?” Jenny asked.

“You don’t work for JAPMI. That’s not my company anymore, we work for my company that is our company,” Aryan said.

“…and what is the name of our company,” Saryu checked.

Malcolm stepped in, “we haven’t named the company Saryu,” he said.

“I had something in my mind, Mr. Malcolm,” Aryan said, “It was hovering around for a while. So I just named it,”

“Great! And what is it?” Malcolm asked.

“THE PHOENIX” Aryan said, “I made a choice with Kalki a while ago and now I am gonna make it one more, it’s the phoenix. We were in the pyre and it’s time for us to rise from the ashes.”

March’ 2004,
Garden City Park, Nassau County, NY.

“Congratulations to the head on his promotion to head – USA,” Aryan announced as Justin walked into the hall of Aryan’s residence. “What a journey it has been” Rekha said as she walked out from her room when she heard Aryan speaking to Justin.

“Thank you for your greetings,” Justin grinned, “I was informed on the same day of Aryan’s birthday. I was engaged in multiple meetings with the executive administration. So I was caught up all day and couldn’t make some time to stop by,”

“That’s very understandable Justin,” Rekha said, “Aryan have let us known about your schedule the other day, Anyway, congratulations and we are happy for you,”

“Where’s my…” before Justin finished asking, “Fiancée?” Aryan intervened.

Justin asked, “It was hard enough to play the trick on her, isn’t it?” he felt pity.

“Oh no way! She loves them,” Aryan dabbed his shoulder.

“Trick?” Rekha was bewildered. Aryan hopped in, “Mama we did the talking about the marriage of Shalini to Justin, remember?” Rekha answered, “Yes!”

Aryan continued, “And when we wanted it be a surprise element to her we weren’t anchored with the notion,”

“Uh-huh!” she nodded.

“So we had happened to nail it down with the support of Justin,” Aryan said and elucidated on the line of action.

“Stark Mad,” She commented.

“Mama…” Shalini was calling out at the hilt of her voice on her arrival into the hall. She was flabbergasted to see Justin standing in the hallway among the others. She loved him deeply inside her but she was in two minds to express it. She wasn’t aware of the subterfuge and Aryan didn’t take the courage to spill the beans about the plot to her as she would lose the pleasure she experienced. “Well, Shalini. I am having the hunch that you didn’t meet the would-be but it seems you did meet the lover” Aryan interrupted in the silence.

“Just because he had spoken a few fanatical words and slipped his visiting card into my hands, in any manner doesn’t make him a lover, lover!” She rejected the thoughts of Aryan, “I have respect for him. Story end!” she said.

Justin and Aryan were utterly taken aback after listening to her. They believed the ploy was executed to its perfection but they found themselves twisted in their despair, “So it looks like the story is going to have a bad end,” Justin expressed his displeasure, “May be we didn’t just do it in her way, the right way” he said and started to walk back.

“But…” Shalini stepped in and paused, “the fact that he cares for my family gave him the licence to be that one,” she said and turned back with shyness crawling into her eyes.

Aryan moved in haste towards Justin and signed him to hotfoot towards her. Justin did comply with Aryan and stealthily wend his way in the direction; He stood right behind her. Shalini didn’t discern his presence, when she suddenly gyrated she found herself slipped into the arms of Justin.

“Mama, got you something but let’s walk out to lend them the private the space,” Aryan uttered. “Ah! Sure we should,” Rekha smiled.

---

“So where have you been to?” Justin asked Aryan, “You dropped me at the city centre Starbucks and you left the place for?”

“I was out of the city,” Aryan said, “I met with the policeman, Mr. Vincent Louis,”

“But why?” Justin asked as he was taken aback.

“Long story short,” Aryan answered, “there’s lot happened with the Hadars, and there’s more to be happen with the Hadars,”

“I am sorry Aryan,” Justin recollected instances from the past, “I am sorry that I was not available in the country while every odd things were happening with the family. I had to leave for Japan and I was there for three months working on site with the clients. By the time I returned home the state of affairs were already settled by then. I had no clue of your whereabouts, I tried to reach out for you guys but I just couldn’t,”

“Justin, there is no need for any repentance,” Aryan and Justin took the seats in the veranda.

“Congratulation dear,” there came a voice from behind. Aryan and Justin traced back, “Ah! Professor Malcolm,” Aryan said and got up to his feet.

“Congratulations to you too, Aryan,” Malcolm voiced out on his rapture, “Please be seated,” he said.

Aryan didn’t see the light about the regards from Malcolm, “What’s with me, Professor?” he asked.

“There is something with you as much as it is with Justin,” He said.

“If there’s something that is not in my knowledge. You may wish to enlighten me,” Aryan said.

“Ten plus one is not going to help us anymore. We will be needing more of them,” Malcolm said looking at Justin. Justin reciprocated with his eyes and then both smiled from ear to ear.

“Ah! I see it,” Aryan sensed the vibes, “Steve and mates plus I, and we need more resources? But why?” he questioned.

“We will be in partnership with the Volkswagen Group. The contract is to commence from the next week that is the start of April. We are expected to be the engine assembly plant from the North American region for the Manufacturer. They see the prospect for a monthly production of at the least hundred engines for the phase one venture and it is assumed to go four fold as the relation ensues over time,”

Aryan was half-surprised about the tidings as he had already drew up conjecture from his past experiences. “Great,” Aryan said.

Justin stepped in, “Aryan, we have to name the plant and you may want to do it,”

“I will bring it to the notice when I think of something,” Aryan replied, “For now, we require resources and we do require a committee,”

“Yep!” Justin said. “What’s on your mind? You have any suggestions to increase the team” Malcolm asked.

“I do,” Aryan said, “It’s time to get back to them,”

“Who are they?” Malcolm asked. “You will know soon,” Aryan answered.