After the family meeting, for the first time, Athavan said he was going out to meet someone. Dhiviya somehow felt reluctant to let him leave. He promised her he would be back in one hour. She didn't want to be separated from Athavan even for a second. Then she knocked her own head. "Why am I feeling like a little girl?" she whispered to herself.
Outside the apartment, a brown Bentley was waiting for him. The driver quickly opened the door, and Athavan entered like a boss. Though he still wore a simple dhoti and shirt, the man who stepped out was nothing like the Athavan inside the apartment. The softness in his demeanor had vanished, replaced by an unshakable presence that exuded dominance.
The Bentley glided through the city before pulling up to a towering complex. The AD Tech Corporation logo gleamed against the night sky, its presence as formidable as the man now stepping inside.
Athavan walked into the building with effortless authority, heading straight to the elevator and taking it to the top floor. As the doors slid open, a long stretch of people stood in standby formation on both sides of the walkway. Upon seeing him, they immediately kneeled.
"We welcome the Supreme Commander!" they shouted in unison.
Athavan raised his hand, signaling them to stand. Without a word, he walked straight to the office at the end of the hallway. Inside, Raghavan, Mathew, Drona, and Suruthi quickly stood upon his arrival. They were about to kneel, but Athavan immediately stopped them.
"No need. We are now living among ordinary civilians. Keep military ethics for the battlefield. The same goes for all our soldiers," he stated firmly before taking the main seat in the room.
Drona Singh stepped forward. "Drona Singh, Rank 6 Officer, reporting, sir. Since we are abandoning military formalities, please allow me to pay my respects in our way for once."
Without waiting for a response, Drona gave the Devil Liberation Army's unique salute and kneeled. Raghavan, Mathew, and Suruthi followed.
"Raghavan Manoharan, Rank 4 Officer, pays my respects to the Supreme Commander."
"Mathew Murali, Rank 4 Officer, pays my respects to the Supreme Commander."
"Suruthi Damotharan, Rank 4 Officer, pays my respects to the Supreme Commander."
The Supreme Commander was the ultimate ruler of their secret organization. For years, they had heard legends of the past Supreme Commanders, but the current one—Athavan—was the most powerful and resourceful of them all. Since he took control five years ago, they had shaken the dark world. Some labeled them the true moral police of this era. Their admiration for Athavan ran deep.
"Rise." Athavan's voice was firm. "All of you were selected through rigorous shortlisting and training by my closest comrades. We all share the same belief in building a better world, free from conspiracy and corruption. Saving the innocent is our priority. A storm is brewing, and we must be ready for the crisis ahead.
"I inherited the position of Supreme Commander from my predecessor for this very reason. But due to personal matters, I have stayed away from our primary objective for the last nine months. Now, I know that my enemy and our organization's enemy are one and the same. They are an unshakable giant, but we will cut them down, step by step. To wage war against them, we must be stronger than ever. Tech City Island is only our first step. We must remain in the shadows until we reach Phase 3.
"Your mentors are under surveillance, which is why I remained hidden in my hometown. There's a mole embedded deep within our ranks, but I have it contained. From now on, you answer only to me. You have been away from the organization for a long time, and almost no one besides your mentors knows of your existence. You will have no further contact with them until Phase 3 is initiated. From now on, you may only use the resources tied to your current identities. No aid will come from the main ranks. Are you clear?"
"Yes, Supreme Commander!" all four responded in unison.
"From this point forward, address me as Mr. AK, alias Athavan, son of Kathirvan. I am a businessman, the Chairman of AD Tech Corporation. Shortlist new talents from various fields and integrate them into AD Tech.
"The 20 Devil Troops warriors gathered here were personally trained by me five years ago. Each one faked their death and vanished into the world, operating under deep cover. Now, they are back—reassembled for the mission ahead. Mathew, you will oversee them. Use them to train a new batch of warriors. Inmates, gangsters, fighters—whether bulls or cocks—they will all be bent to obedience in their hands. Use them to take control of all underground forces in this country.
"Drona Singh, you will oversee all legal matters for us. You will have many headaches coming your way, so be prepared to expand your legal team.
"Suruthi, I will need you to assist me with personal matters for some time. Join my wife's company and get close to her. Your only task is to assist and protect her."
Suruthi's expression faltered, disappointment flickering in her eyes.
Athavan's gaze sharpened. "I know you expected a different role, but don't mistake this for insignificance. My wife is the one person I cannot afford to lose. That makes your task the most critical of all."
"Raghavan, I have mobilized two trillion dollars for our current endeavors. I could only manage this small sum for now due to the very reasons I just explained. You may use some of this capital to raise more funds."
Raghavan felt depressed at hearing two trillion dollars referred to as a "small sum." Even though he was a billionaire, such an amount was unfathomable.
"Don't worry," Athavan continued. "I have some ideas for you to work with. I have some unlaunched products you can utilize."
With that, Athavan stood and began walking out of the office with the same commanding aura.
Drona Singh quickly stopped him. "Sir, I have something to report. It's about the earlier incident."
"Follow me and brief me on the way. I promised my wife I'd be back in an hour. I only have 15 minutes left." Athavan didn't even slow his pace.
The four officers exchanged glances, struggling to process what they were witnessing. The Supreme Commander—the man who had just shaken their very core—was now moving with the urgency of a soldier on borrowed time, all because of a promise to his wife.
Suruthi let out a quiet sigh. "Now I see it… I really do have the hardest mission of all."
The End.