"Good morning, students of Kolar. My name is Vishva Pratap Raghavan, but you may know me as the National President of Bharat."
The entire class was flabbergasted. Why is the president giving us an informational message? What does this mean?
Once they understood the significance of the message, everyone focused intently on the video, eager to hear what the literal PRESIDENT of the country had to say. Mr President took a sip of water and began speaking:
"I won't waste any time on formalities; I’ll get straight to the point. Officially, our war against Pakistan may have ended, but the danger has not vanished yet."
The students looked perplexed. Whispering began among them...
The President continued spontaneously:
"High Nixtom City is one of the largest cities in Bharat, and it is home to the greatest school in this nation—the very school you attend." The video then displayed graphic visuals, showcasing HS Kolar at the top of several lists and leaderboards. These included photos and newspapers highlighting the achievements of HS Kolar's unique education system, as well as statistics showing that a majority of top scorers in Bharat come from HS Kolar. As these graphics were shown, the president’s voice continued uninterrupted.
"That's not all. This school has students with the highest potential from all over Bharat and even from around the world. So, it's safe to say that you kids are the true future of this nation’s development, and the 'enemy' knows this..."
Suddenly, the screen went black as the president concluded his sentence.
Whispers among the students grew louder:
"What is the president talking about? Is he serious?"
"Why is such critical information being shared with us?"
"Could our city really be in that much danger? And if it is, what are WE? Supposed to do about it?"
After a few seconds, the scene transitioned back to the president's residence, and he continued:
"To be clear, my fellow citizens, the end of the Rakvill War against Tirop was... 'Abrupt.' Neither side reached a definitive conclusion. Because of this, the 'enemy' might be dissatisfied and could try to reignite the flames of war."
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The scene shifted to a video of a burning building, 2 out of its 6 windows were exuding smoke and a fifth of its orange-tinted walls were turning grey, Around the building were armed soldiers running chaoticly. The president's voiceover resumed:
"As you can see, we are already witnessing attacks from anonymous organizations. The nation of Tirop has denied involvement and claimed ignorance, which is hard to believe. However, for diplomatic reasons, we have to accept their stance..."
The scene cut back to the president.
"...that, and all the factors such as the importance of this school and the city, along with its proximity to the border…" The scene cuts to show an aerial view of HS Kolar.
"...make this school the prime target for a Terrorist invasion."
The entire classroom falls into absolute silence. In a room full of people, the ticking of the clock's hands is clearly audible. Eyes widen, and heads turn, seeking comfort in each other's eyes. They realize that the horror they once thought was left behind—gone, dead, never to return—was still alive. Waiting…waiting to strike in the dark.
The scene cut back to the president. His eyes are slightly squinted, his expression sombre yet calm, with a sense of empathy. He continued:
"I know hearing this may have left you shocked, scared, anxious, nervous—all those fearful emotions. I understand; you’re still just youngsters, trying to make the best of your school lives. But this is an important message you need to understand. Because even though you are young, you aren’t just any 'bunch of youngsters'..."
The scene transitions slowly to a compilation of various photos of students of Kolar receiving prestigious awards from around the world.
"... You all are the students of HS Kolar; you are the pride of this entire nation, the seeds of a better future. Geniuses in every field.
The responsibility I am about to give you is not something kids should have to worry about, but with great regret, I have to assign you a task…"
The screen cuts back to the president. As he continues his speech, he makes a fist and lightly taps it against his chest as a sign of respect and gratitude for strength and loyalty.
"...The task may be challenging, but I am absolutely confident when I say that the students of HS Kolar will triumph over any challenge given to them…"
After hearing the president’s reassuring yet intimidating words, the students are both scared and awe-struck, fearful yet somewhat excited. It felt as though they had been given a promotion, directly from the president himself.
The scene cut to footage of the school campus, showing men in black suits and sunglasses. The camera angle made it appear as if the viewers were looking upto them—they looked tall, strong, and intimidating.
"We have our special forces stationed all across High City. You may have even noticed some of them while walking to school today. These agents are here to protect you, and I assure you, they are very good at their jobs. But remember, not all enemies come with tanks or carry guns and rifles. Some arrive with friendship, employment, trade, or even education…"
As the president says this, a quick succession of photos flashes across the screen. These images are of the Kolar classrooms, taken from the inside. For a brief second, it looked as if a photo of Abhi appeared in the video. Abhi noticed this, his eyes widened, and he looked surprised but quickly calmed down. Perhaps he thinks it’s just his imagination? After all, it seems implausible that his photo would be included, as the video started just minutes after he sat down in the classroom.
Upon hearing this, students squint their wary eyes.
The president reappears on the screen:
"What I am saying is that there are enemies hidden in plain sight. Outsiders, like these special agents, could never uncover the enemies from within, no matter how skilled they are.
We need agents who belong to this city—citizens with connections to its people and its land. What I’m saying is that we need you to be our agents, to protect this land and the people within it…"
The screen displays graphics of tourist attractions and beautiful landmarks in the city, as well as visual references to its culture.
"...Now, even I am not heartless enough to ask a group of 16/17-year-olds to physically protect anything. What we need is your mind. The students of Kolar are among the most educated and intelligent in the world. What we… No, what I ask of you is to be the eyes of this land: to find any information you can about potential enemies, keep a lookout on your surroundings, and report anything suspicious to your teachers. In urgent or emergency cases, you may even report directly to the agents stationed around the city. This task is extremely important, as the combined pool of information you produce will far surpass what our limited agents can accomplish alone."
The students start whispering among themselves:
"Oh my God, are we really being given such an important responsibility?"
"I don’t think I’m ready for this; it’s so scary."
"But think about it—why would the president trust us with this if he didn’t believe we could handle it?"
"You’ve got a point."
"Also, you are responsible for keeping this interaction between us a secret. You can tell your parents, but that’s the only way the word gets out. Remember, this is for your safety and the safety of the nation."
The scene transitioned slowly to the Tricolor Bhartiya flag waving in the sky. This image stayed for a few seconds before fading back to the president's room.
The video zooms in until only his deep brown eyes fill the screen as if he’s looking directly into the soul of the viewer—ominously…
In a slightly more forceful tone, the president says:
"One last thing. Although I’ve tasked you all with gathering as much information as possible, I must remind you that Rakvill remains in absolute lockdown. Since the first war in 1969, no one has been allowed to enter or leave Rakvill.
In rare circumstances, this rule has been overlooked and violators forgiven, but researching Rakvill is still strictly forbidden."
..........