Anil: A Son Beyond Tomorrow Chapter 5

The next morning, scientists were going through the time travel records. Manimaran was supervising them when a young scientist came and handed him the report. Manimaran asked, "So all the records are perfect, right?" The young scientist replied, "Yes sir, but one person’s data is confusing." Manimaran asked, "Whose data?"

The young scientist said, "It is Anil’s, sir. His time of departure from that area seems slightly unreal. The records show that he lived in the past for one year, sir. But according to Anil’s statement, he lived there for only two weeks."

Manimaran looked at the records and said, "Hmm, it is clearly mismatching. Also, he is the only one who used all the gold coins. Check the watch he used. Contact the maintenance team and examine it. If there is any defect, bring it to me."

The young scientist said, "Yes sir," and left the place. As he left, Manimaran whispered, "I need to ask him during a personal interview." Manimaran then started attending to his other work.

On the other side, Vishal, Godson, Salim, and Anil were in the clinical room. All four of them were wearing light blue clinic patient shirts, short-sleeved and slightly loose, with ID tags clipped near their chests, along with dark track pants.

The doctors had been conducting numerous clinical tests since morning. Full-body scans, movement analysis, blood tests, and every other necessary examination were ongoing. The medical team was closely monitoring them for any health issues that might have arisen due to time travel exposure.

As the tests were on-going, Anil looked around at the others. Everyone was busy with their work. Anil noticed that this was his chance, so he said, "I have a nature call, so kindly." The doctor who was examining him said, "Okay, fine." Anil then made his way outside the room.

As soon as he got out of the room, he initially headed toward the bathroom. But once he realized that no one was watching, he quickly took a right turn and headed toward the time travel machine room. As he moved through the corridors of the Xentech lab, he made sure that no scientist noticed him. However, the CCTV cameras were still recording everything. He eventually managed to reach the time travel room.

Luckily, one scientist, Raman, was there. He knocked on the door. Raman came out and asked, “Hey Anil, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in the isolation room?”

Anil said, “Yes, but we had a medical checkup, so we are in the clinical room. I was heading to the washroom to pee. At that time, Manimaran sir asked me to call you, Raman. You’re not picking up the call.” Raman said, “Manimaran sir? I didn’t get any call.” Anil replied, “I don’t know. He only said he tried calling you but got a ‘network unreachable’ message.”

Raman said, "Okay, thanks, man." Raman left the room, and the door began to close. Anil blocked it with his foot and entered the room. The room contained four time travel pods. Anil tried to find the anchor watch. Luckily, he found it in a table drawer.

On the other side, Manimaran was with another young scientist. Manimaran asked, "So do you confirm that there is no fault in the watch?" The young scientist replied, "Yes sir, there is no defect in the watch. So it is clear, sir. Anil spent a year in the past. The two weeks he mentioned was a lie." At that moment, Raman entered the room.

Raman said, "Sir, did you call me?" Manimaran looked perplexed and said, "When did I call you?" Raman replied, "Sir, Anil told me that you were calling me, so I came to check." Manimaran frowned. "I did not call you."

Raman stood stunned. Manimaran’s expression darkened as a cold realization hit both of them at the same time. "Where is Anil right now?" Manimaran said, his voice rising. Raman answered, "He said he was going to the washroom."

The young scientists in the room started checking the CCTV feed. Raman’s face went pale. One of the young scientists said, "Sir, he is in the time travel chamber." Manimaran’s pulse spiked as he saw the CCTV feed showing Anil wearing the time travel suit.

He shouted, "No, no, no. Alert the security right now." The security personnel in the room quickly passed on the message. A group of security staff stationed in the time travel room corridors rushed toward the time travel chamber.

Manimaran was watching the live CCTV feed. Anil typed something on the computer and entered the time travel pod. "Why is he activating the time travel machine? Order the guards to go in," Manimaran said. The guard replied, "Sir, the guards are trying to enter."

In the time travel chamber, Anil took a deep breath and whispered to him, "Let everything go well." He tapped the blue button to suit up and then closed the pod. The guards were trying to enter the chamber, while Manimaran watched in shock. In an instant, the time travel pod began emitting light, and Anil disappeared.

Seeing that, Manimaran shouted, "Shit! What is wrong with Anil? Why did he use the time travel machine now? Something is fishy." Manimaran took a deep breath and said, "Raman, go and check the machine. I need to know which time he went to."

He looked at the young scientists and said, "And all of you, go through Anil’s belongings." They all nodded in agreement. Manimaran then walked out of the room.

On the other side, Anil landed in Tirunelveli in 2005. The date was 13th April 2005, and the time was 7:15 a.m., just a few minutes before the train to Mumbai was scheduled to arrive. He quickly made his way to Tirunelveli station.

Running as fast as he could, he finally reached the station. Out of breath from the long run, he looked around, trying to catch his bearings. Within a few minutes, he saw himself approaching the station. He was about to stop his other self.

At that moment, someone grabbed him from behind and covered his face with a cloth, making him completely blind. Anil shouted, "Who the heck are you?" but his voice could not carry outside. He was dragged by the stranger into a narrow, isolated alley. Anil was pushed to the ground and fell hard.

Anil freed his hands and quickly removed the cloth from his face. Due to the darkness, he still could not see the person clearly. Anil started shouting, "Who are you? Are you Manimaran? Vishal? Godson? Salim? I know you’re here, but give me a few moments and I will explain everything. I need to stop an event from creating a different timeline. You need to…"

The stranger stepped toward him, his face lit by the sunlight. He looked like Anil similar features, yet different in build and bearing. His hair was styled neatly, unlike Anil’s, and he carried himself with a quiet confidence. He was wearing a crisp white formal shirt tucked into black trousers, the clothes spotless and sharply pressed, completely out of place in the narrow, dusty alley. He looked at Anil and said calmly, “So my guess was right. You really are a time traveler.”

Anil, still in shock, asked, "Who are you?" The man smiled and said, "Well, I am Anil, Surya's son, from the future." Anil could hardly believe it. "It can’t be… I am Surya’s son," he said. Anil 2 gave him a sharp look and said, "I need answers from you."

Standing at the entrance of the alleyway was another time traveller, the machine’s creator, Kosaksi Pasapugazh. He wore a stone-grey T-shirt, his expression calm, as though he had been expecting this moment across timelines.

Both of them said in unison, "Pasapugazh sir!" Pasapugazh approached them and said, "So, you two are Anil, I guess." Both of them nodded. He continued, "Okay, fine. Come with me. We need to talk."

The two Anils now faced each other. What is the backstory of the other Anil? Where did he come from? And what are Pasapugazh’s intentions? The answers to these questions and everything that will unfold between them are yet to be seen.