T minus 5 years

The journey begins

Over the next few days, Rajit managed to help Vikram get his bank accounts activated and also a few credit cards. He offered to buy a new smartphone for Vikram but Vikram outrightly refused. "I can't be in your debt, Rajit" he said. "You know I still feel guilty" he referenced to Rajit's death. Vikram told Rajit about the phone and the data it had.

"You won't be in my debt, Vicky. I just want to ensure you are doing well in this timeline. Plus, if we are spending time to figure out what is to be done next, you need to stop thinking about who owes whom. We all will owe each other and that is why we are even doing this together. So stop this nonsense and let me buy you a smartphone"

"Rajit, no! I think I should have enough money to buy it. If not, I'll wait till the end of the month for it. My salary always came on the 30th of the month, right"

"Vikram, any time we lose is time that could be used to start the new timeline. Now, shut up and let me buy you the phone. If you are so adamant about not wanting to be in debt, pay me back when you get money, okay?"

Vikram thought for a moment. Rajit made sense. He could keep arguing on money but it is valuable time lost. God knows how much time it'll take to build a time machine, he thought to himself."Fine, Rajit. We'll do that. On one condition, the moment I get the money you will accept it without pouting and making stupid arguments about how I need it"

"Deal" Rajit said. "Now, let me order it for you. Is there a preference?"

"Honestly, no. I don't even remember the phones that were in 2015. I have a phone from 2020 and I'm pretty sure that no amount of money can buy me a phone today that is even close to the performance I get on my phone"

"Yeah. But you also can't get the phone to a service station. So, be careful"

"Yep. That's why I need a phone, right. Get me a good phone, Rajit. It should have good performance, long-lasting battery, quick charge, within budget, and a decent camera"

"Why do you need a camera?"

"The easiest way to collect data. No one knows you're taking a picture and you capture all the information that you need"

"Man, you've become sneaky"

"Well, you'd also need to become. I think the work I was doing was in secret. I've been thinking, Rajit. What I was doing back then, what we were doing back then was not an open thing. Partly also why people were interested in it. I mean, think about it, Rajit. A machine that can change time? Wouldn't that be the dream of many people?"

"Yeah. It makes sense, I didn't think about it till now. What were you working on in the future?"

"I don't know yet but I don't think a time machine was one of them"

"Why do you think so?"

"If it was the time machine, then it would be towards the time machine towards which the fire would've been. Not somewhere else. I ran, basically, I was pulled towards in the other direction, Rajit. Something else was being done there, Rajit"

"What do you think it could be?"

"A number of things come to mind. I know it's related to physics. We were doing a lot of work with Physics, I know that I've been working on something dangerous. I'll try to remember but so far, this is what I remember"

"Okay. What could be so dangerous that a time machine was left unprotected?" he asked.

"Physics, particularly quantum physics, and special relativity help you understand and build various things that can actually end the world or the universe"

"You mean, like a bomb?"

"Yes. There are black hole bombs, but those are not easy to make at all. I mean, why would anyone want to make a black hole bomb?"

"Then what do you think? Does a black hole bomb need a de-contamination center?"

"No. Black holes have so much gravity that they would instantly take in anything that is close enough...Wait!" Vikram said. "A de-contamination center is used mainly in biological labs" Vikram sat down and looked worried. His face was buried in his hands.

"What does that mean? Vikram, what does that mean?" Rajit used his full name.

"De-contamination is used in biological labs to ensure that the specimen being used is not contaminated by the atmosphere. If I was working in a lab that had a de-contamination lab, it means there was some sort of a biological experiment. It is possible... wait, is it possible?" Rajit knew the words that were coming out and also the reaction immediately after.

"Vicky, calm down. It may not be true"

"Was it bio-war? Was I part of a bio-war?" Vikram realized. Nooooooo!