BSSB Headquarters -
Dakka 02
In a press conference, Indro stood behind a podium, surrounded by a forest of reporters' microphones. His expression was grave as he addressed the gathering.
"We are working swiftly to find a solution to this emerging threat. The appearance of these creatures is unprecedented, and we need more time to understand the situation before taking decisive action. Thank you," Indro said, preparing to end the conference.
"Wait, sir! We're not finished," a female reporter interjected, her voice tinged with frustration. "The events of the past few days have been nothing short of catastrophic. And yet, no international assistance has been offered. This suggests that relations between Bangladesh and other countries might be strained."
"First, let me clarify that what occurred was not natural, and it was beyond the scope of any conventional response," Indro replied calmly. "The lack of international aid has nothing to do with our diplomatic relations."
"So, who will be held accountable for the deaths of hundreds of thousands in just one hour? And you mentioned that these new creatures might be linked to the December 30th incident," another male reporter pressed.
"That's our working theory, but we're not certain yet," Indro admitted.
"If that's the case, then why is the entire world facing a similar threat? We need answers!" the female reporter demanded.
Indro's patience was wearing thin. "I'm not a god. I don't have all the answers. But I assure you, we're doing everything we can. Please, have faith in us."
"You can't just brush off our questions like that. The entire nation is waiting for an explanation," a different male reporter insisted.
Indro took a deep breath, then responded, "On December 30th, a kaiju attacked in Mexico. Tell me, where did that creature come from?"
"That's well-known—it was a kaiju. In Mexico, only two people died, but here in our country, even yesterday, 30 civilians and three Soul Sorcerers were killed by much smaller creatures," the female reporter countered.
"Exactly. Kaiju have been recorded in history for over two thousand years, yet no one knows their origin. Why is that?" Indro asked, and the room fell silent.
"Let's move on to another mystery: superhumans with superpowers . Scientifically, it's impossible, yet a few months ago, ordinary people discovered they had powers. We studied their DNA—it's identical to that of any normal human. How do you explain that? Or what about the origin of Soul Sorcerers? We don't know, do we? This situation might be similar," Indro continued.
"So what's the plan now? We have Soul Sorcerers to combat souls, but what about these new creatures? Even Soul Sorcerers couldn't stop them; in fact, some were killed," the first male reporter pressed.
"We're fully aware of that, which makes our situation even more challenging. Modern weapons are ineffective against souls, and if Soul Sorcerers are falling to these creatures, it complicates things further," Indro acknowledged.
"Sir, we've seen that some individuals, who aren't Soul Sorcerers, have successfully fought off these creatures. We saw them saving people in the 3rd city of Dakka. Why not find these people and form an organization similar to the Soul Sorcerers?" the female reporter suggested.
"It's too early to consider that, but it's something we have in mind," Indro replied cautiously.
"So, are you going to wait until more people die? Don't you care about the lives of our citizens?" the female reporter pressed, her tone sharp.
"We are doing everything in our power to protect the people. Please, trust in our efforts," Indro said, his voice firm yet weary.
—----
**In the Clothing Store**
Tamim's aunt, the woman he had been speaking to, was scanning a few dresses, carefully folding each one before placing them into a shopping bag.
"Thanks for the help, Aunt," Tamim said, grateful.
"You're welcome," she replied with a smile. "I'm just not great at handling cash, so I've been having a few issues. I really need to hire a cashier as soon as possible, but the problem is, I specifically want to hire a woman, so it's taking some time."
"What's wrong with hiring a man?" Tamim asked, curious.
"Well, you see, all my employees are female, and I'd like to keep it that way," she explained.
"Isn't that a bit sexist? I don't mind, but that's what people might say," Tamim pointed out.
Just then, Fiza interrupted, her voice bright, "Tamim brother, are you going home?"
"Yeah, I think so," he replied.
"Aren't we supposed to play? You've been talking with mom this whole time," Fiza said, her face scrunched up in annoyance.
"Maybe another day," Tamim replied, trying to dismiss the idea.
"Pleaseee… Pleeease play with me! I need another player for this game, and I really love it," Fiza begged, her eyes wide with innocence and a sweet, pleading expression on her face.
"Um… okay, but what's this game about?" Tamim asked, giving in.
Fiza quickly grabbed her tablet and placed it on Tamim's lap. Showing him the screen, she explained excitedly, "It's called 'Snakes and Tails.' There's a ball on each side—your side controls your snake, and my side controls mine. If my snake bites yours ten times, I win. If you want to win, you have to bite my snake's tail ten times."
"Alright… seems simple enough. But I'll play only once," Tamim agreed, and the two of them started playing.
As they played, Tamim's aunt was busy on her phone, occasionally glancing up. She noticed someone entering the store and called out, "Oh, Tanjuma! You were supposed to come yesterday. Your dress is ready—let me grab it for you."
Tamim and Fiza continued their game, and soon enough, Tamim lost.
"Hehehe… I won, I won!" Fiza cheered, jumping up from her chair.
She spotted Faria and ran over, screaming playfully, "Tanjuma sisy! Boo!"
Tamim looked back , surprised to see Faria. Faria was wearing a high neck black swater and a black pajama.
"What's she doing here? And how does Fiza know her?" Tamim thought.
Standing up holding his shopping bag he thought " Whatever" and looked at his phone and thought " I have to go home"
Noticing that his aunt was not nearby , Tamim thought, "Great. I think I should leave."
Without a second thought, he walked toward the door and exited the store.
---
Fahim's Home
Fahim was sprawled out on the sofa, watching the live conference from BSSB on TV. Frustration was etched across his face as he listened to the news.
After a while, he turned off the TV and lay back, staring at the ceiling in exasperation. "Ugh… my life sucks. I'm completely useless right now. All this chaos is deeply connected to me, and here I am doing nothing," he thought bitterly.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Fahim got up, walked to the door, and opened it. Standing before him was Foisal, dressed in civilian clothes, with several others in BSSB uniforms standing behind him.
"We're from BSSB," Foisal said, flashing his badge.