"…so, when I was about 10 years old, I kinda fell off a bike while trying to impress a girl from the neighborhood. She, of course, didn't care much, but I ended up with a scar on my knee that reminds me of that time when—"
"Hey, hey!" the cop interrupted, waving his hand in the air, trying to cut off the flow of words. "What the hell does that have to do with the package you were carrying, huh?"
Raj stopped talking, blinking a few times as if processing the question.
"Uh… nothing, really. I just… thought it would help give context to my situation, you know? It's just that—"
The cop sighed deeply, rubbing his face with his hand. "Just shut up for a minute. Let's get back to what matters here. I'm trying to figure out why you were running from the police with a suspicious package. Focus on that."
Raj sighed, trying to adjust himself in the chair, the handcuffs digging into his wrists. "I already told you everything I know… that's it. There's nothing else."
The cop snorted, leaning over the table, his eyes locked onto Raj's. "You think I'm an idiot, huh? That story you told is clearly bullshit. Seriously, a Russian with an eyepatch, a wrench, and an MMA gang?" He shook his head, disappointed. "Look, let me give you some advice. Real life isn't like those ridiculous movies you watch."
"Now tell me something, Raj. Is it really worth going to prison just to protect someone who, without a doubt, doesn't give a damn about you? You think these guys are gonna lift a finger for you? Or are they gonna leave you here, sinking, while they go on with their lives? Think hard about that." He stood there, waiting, as if he already knew the answer.
Raj remained quiet for a few seconds, his gaze dropping, as if he were considering the cop's words. Silence hung in the air, and the cop began to believe he had finally broken Raj. Maybe, finally, he'd hear the truth.
"So, what do you say, huh? Who gave you the package? Who were you delivering it to?"
Raj took a deep breath, raised his head to the cop, and… opened his mouth.
"Okay, I'm gonna tell you the truth…" he started, in a serious tone, and the cop even leaned in closer, ready to listen.
"So… I was in the middle of a park, right? And… suddenly, a woman appears, wearing a… yellow raincoat. It was a sunny day, but she was wearing that raincoat. Then, she told me she was a secret NASA agent, undercover on an intergalactic mission! She needed me to deliver a top-secret package to save the world because… I'm the only astrophysicist with the right credentials for the job."
The cop closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, like he was on the verge of a meltdown.
"And you won't believe it," Raj continued, "but the package had an… alien formula! Yeah, a formula! If it falls into the wrong hands, the world, officer… the world will end."
The cop let out an exasperated sigh, placing his hands on the table. "You've got to be kidding me…"
Just as the cop was about to confront Raj again, a laugh echoed from outside the room, breaking the tense atmosphere. Jake walked in, still laughing, a wide grin on his face.
"Let him go, Chris. Raj's already figured it out," Jake said, casually waving at the cop.
The cop, Chris, sighed and pulled the bag off Raj's head, revealing the sweaty and confused face of the Indian man. "When did you realize this was a test?" Chris asked, crossing his arms.
Raj took a deep breath before explaining, trying to organize his thoughts. "Look, at first, I was genuinely terrified. The chase was real, the fear was real. But after reaching the location, some things just didn't add up."
Jake and Chris watched him closely, and Raj continued, gesturing with his hands. "First, I arrive at an abandoned factory, and no one's there. I mean, if it were an important delivery, shouldn't someone be waiting, right?"
Chris crossed his arms, intrigued, as Raj went on. "And then came the cop. You knew exactly where I was headed. How? I was dodging cars, making sharp turns, and yet you followed me straight to the factory. How did you know the destination? That made me question whether it was really a coincidence or something staged."
Jake nodded, clearly pleased with Raj's observations.
"But what really made me suspicious was the isolated location. Why take me to an abandoned factory in the middle of nowhere if you wanted to bust me for something illegal? It didn't make any sense to do it in such a remote place. The isolation felt more like a staged scene than a genuine police operation. Besides, if it were serious, shouldn't there have been more cops around? The whole setup felt… off."
Raj paused, looking at Jake, who was watching with an amused expression. "But I was sure just now. When you called me 'Raj.'"
Chris raised an eyebrow. "And what does that have to do with anything?"
"I never told you my name. How did you know who I was?"
Jake burst into laughter again, clapping his hands. "There it is! The guy's sharp on the details." He stepped closer to Raj, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "This, Raj, was just to see if you'd sell out your crew to save your own skin. We wanted to see how far you'd go."
Raj was still processing the situation, but Jake continued, locking eyes with him. "The thing we value most around here, Raj, is loyalty. We wanted to make sure you wouldn't screw us over the first chance you got."
Chris relaxed a bit, leaning back in his chair. "By the way, I'm Chris. Jake asked me for a favor, and here we are. You know, Raj, you've got guts, I'll give you that. Never thought you'd outrun the cops like that. If I didn't have the address, I never would've found you."
Jake shook his head with a grin. "I told you, Chris. The guy's got potential. Not everyone has the balls to make a run like that. And the best part… he didn't rat us out."
Chris smirked. "You played it well, Raj. It's not every day I see someone so far out of their comfort zone pull it off like that." He leaned forward, looking Raj in the eyes. "But seriously, man… don't come up with another one of those alien stories. It was hard to keep a straight face."
"I'll leave you guys to talk." Chris said as he walked out of the room.
Raj finally relaxed, feeling the tension drain from his shoulders. He wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or pissed off for going through all of this. "So… it was all a test?"
Jake nodded, still smiling. "Exactly. And you passed."
Raj sighed and looked at Jake, shaking his head. "Look, Jake, I really don't think I'm cut out for this. I'm an astrophysicist, man. I'm not a gangster or anything like that. I enjoyed riding around on the bike, it was fun, but I've got a life outside of this world."
Jake watched him closely, letting Raj continue.
"I've got a career, a family… I can't just get involved in something like this. With all due respect, it's not my thing."
Jake gave a small smile. "I get what you're saying, but one thing doesn't have to do with the other. Let me tell you something: Tommy, for example, is an amazing chef. And Mike? Man, Mike's a loving family man, the kind who takes his kids to school and everything. At the end of the day, they're all part of the Eagles."
"No one's asking you to give up your life. We get together to ride bikes, but we're not gangsters. Calling us that is a bit much." He paused, watching Raj's reaction. "We're just a group of friends who come together to enjoy life. And, yeah, handle a few 'businesses.'"
Raj immediately crossed his arms in a defensive gesture. "Business? I can't get involved with anything illegal! That goes totally against my religion. My mom would kill me and my dad would disown me!"
Jake laughed and then picked up the "package" Raj had been carrying the whole time. "Relax, man. Open this."
Raj hesitated but ended up opening the package. Inside, he found a neatly wrapped jacket, identical to Jake's and the other members', with an eagle emblem embroidered on the chest and back. It was the Eagles' jacket.
Jake smiled and gave Raj a light slap on the back. "It's yours, Raj. Everyone here has one of these. And just so you know, we haven't sold drugs in years!" He laughed again. "Our real business is something else."
"So, what do you guys do?" Raj asked, still a bit skeptical.
Jake leaned back in his chair, relaxed. "We invest in tech startups. A while ago, we found a few small companies that were starting with this new thing called 'cloud computing.' You know, the idea of storing files and data in the cloud without needing physical servers. We invested in some of those companies, and man, these guys are geniuses. I think, in the future, this could blow up. We're already seeing the first profits."
Raj frowned, thinking. "Cloud computing? That sounds… interesting. Doesn't seem illegal."
"It's not," Jake laughed. "In fact, it's pretty legit. We're keeping an eye on a few other things too, like social networks that are popping up. But this is just the beginning. We're betting on the future, Raj. And what you do outside of this? It only adds to the group. You don't have to stop being an astrophysicist or doing what you love. Here, you can have both."
Jake looked at Raj with a smile on his face. "So, what do you say? Are you going to be a part of this, or are you going to keep just staring at the stars?"
Raj looked at the jacket now in his hands, took a deep breath, and smiled. "How can I say no?" He put the jacket on, adjusting it on his shoulders. "I guess I'm in."
Jake slapped Raj on the back, harder than expected, almost knocking him off balance. "Welcome, Raj!"
Without realizing his own strength, Jake left the room, pulling Raj along with him. As soon as they opened the door, all the members of the Eagles were gathered in the hallway, waiting.
"Hey, everyone! Raj is in!" Jake shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.
The room exploded with cheers, shouts, and applause.
One of the members, even more excited, raised his arm in the middle of the crowd and yelled, "On to the nearest bar!"
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A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Leave your message of support for the author, and if you haven't reviewed the work yet, do it! It helps the book and motivates me to keep writing. A kiss on the belly button, and see you tomorrow. ┏( ͡≖ ͜ʖ ͡≖)┛