The building appeared remarkably elegant in daylight. At first glance, no one would guess it is the Security Agency Office Building.
That was the first thing Bhramak noticed, and it unsettled him the most.
In front of him stood a 24-floor, square-shaped concrete building with a blue curtain wall.
There were no guards at the gate, and no banners or insignia large enough to attract attention.
If someone passed by it every day, they would never suspect that anything inside required secrecy.
It looked like just another tall corporate headquarters rather than a government office, among many scattered throughout the city.
Yet his dreams had shown him this place far too vividly. Bhramak stood in front of the gate for a few moments longer than necessary, the job invitation letter neatly folded in his pocket.
He checked the office address in the email again, even though he believed it was correct. Everything lined up: the office address, the building, and the location all matched, creating an unsettling sense of familiarity.
He wondered to himself, "Is it just a coincidence, or could it be something more?"
He walked through the gate and entered the office building.
-
The office hall was designed for efficiency rather than comfort; this space prioritized function over warmth to facilitate quick work and save time.
The office hall was spacious yet modest. The ceiling was high, and the lights were bright but comfortable. People moved with purpose, engaging in no idle chatter and with no phones in hand. Every desk was occupied, and every employee worked quietly, creating an atmosphere of professionalism, discipline, and good training.
Bhramak approached the intake counter and presented his job invitation letter to the woman seated behind it.
She appeared to be in her late forties, with her hair neatly tied back and her posture straight. Her eyes moved from the letter to Bhramak's face.
She took a moment to pause.
Her gaze sharpened, as if she were matching him to someone already in her memory. Then her expression shifted, becoming smooth.
"Dear sir, could you please give me a moment?" she said calmly. She picked up the office telephone, dialed a number, and spoke in a low voice that Bhramak could not hear. Her eyes remained fixed on him as she listened to the response.
After less than a minute, she ended the call.
"Please proceed to the inner hall," she said, gesturing slightly to indicate the direction. "Please show your letter again at the next desk."
Upon hearing 'Inner Hall', he wondered if this system was meant for a small branch office.
Bhramak nodded without giving it much thought, concealing his surprise.
Inner hall.
He had expected to complete some paperwork or possibly a preliminary test before the interview.
As he approached the secured door, a quiet realization began to settle in his mind.
This recruitment process was unlike any other.
-
The moment Bhramak stepped through the secured door, he felt uneasy; the surroundings were too different from the outer hall, as if it were a completely strange phenomenon.
The air felt different from the outer hall, as if an unknown, mysterious energy flowed through it.
It is neither colder nor warmer, just... heavier as if sound itself behaves differently here.
The inner hall was slightly smaller but more stylish, resembling the headquarters of a Sci-Fi movie.
The walls featured subtle geometric patterns, precise and unfamiliar. Security cameras were present but not easily noticeable.
The people inside were fewer, moving back and forth as they completed their tasks.
That in itself was unusual.
As he glanced at the second intake desk, he noticed another woman seated there.
She glanced up as he walked toward her.
For a moment, Bhramak forgot how to breathe after seeing her.
Looking at her, Bhramak felt liberated from the world; no rules applied to him.
Upon hearing a soft, mesmerizing voice, he felt as if he were in heaven, surrounded by celestial singers singing just for him.
Her appearance was not overly dramatic, no extravagant clothing or forced elegance, but something about her presence demanded attention.
The word "Goddess," which comes from an eastern myth, briefly crossed his mind without much deliberation.
However, looking at her, you can't determine her actual age. If you observe her behavior patterns, you'll realize she could be older than your father, as experiences come with age.
Suddenly, his instincts kick in.
This reaction was completely ridiculous.
He wants to break away from her gaze, but his will forces him to stay focused, especially at this moment.
-
She accepted his letter with a warm smile and a slight nod as she scanned its contents.
"You can take a seat," she said. "You will be called shortly."
As Bhramak stepped back and took a seat, he noticed something unfamiliar.
The individuals in this hall appeared different from those outside.
Their body language and gaze were completely unusual.
He noticed a person standing near the wall, his posture relaxed. However, Bhramak could swear the air around him bent slightly when he shifted his weight.
Another woman flipped through a file without touching the pages, as if the paper were moving on its own.
His rational and logical mind immediately dismissed the observations.
Illusions, fatigue, and overthinking.
This is a government security agency, so it is expected to have advanced technology.
However, his intuition tells him otherwise.
Before he could think about it further, his name was called from the interview room.
-
The room where the interview took place was simple and minimalist, as though it existed only to observe those who entered.
The interview room was simple, almost intentionally so. It featured a round table, four chairs, and neutral lighting.
Three interviewers sat across from him: two men and one woman, all dressed professionally and wearing expressions that revealed nothing.
Without deep observation and sharp instincts, you can't tell if they're human or not. Bhramak sat down in the chair. As he observed them, he felt a dangerous, mysterious, unknown power emanating from them.
Bhramak looked back and saw the door close softly behind him, with no human interaction.
"Relax," one of them said. "This is a conversation, not an interrogation."
Bhramak nodded. He had already observed that the walls were noticeably thicker than needed.
A sense of fear began to rise inside him.
The interview started with standard questions.
Education, background, and motivation.
Then, the tone changed.
"Could you share your observations from your journey to this city?" one interviewer asked casually.
Bhramak wondered and blinked once.
"Like?" he asked.
"Your observations and experiences in this city over the past week," the woman replied, "pertain to this room."
He hesitated briefly because he never believed these questions mattered to them. However, for an Investigator, observation is crucial, so it's a reasonable question.
He has also wondered how they know he has been staying in this city for the past seven days. A little sweat has formed on his forehead.
If it were simply a task, providing him with an answer would be easy; however, it is not that straightforward. He paused for a moment, then began to discuss the train journey, how people naturally formed groups without realizing it, the performers he observed at the station, and the city's sighting of the same man.
He discussed the city's construction cities, how workers avoided eye contact, the rest of the cities, and even awkward moments in offices, including interviewers' strange body language.
He spoke in a decorated manner.
without presuppositions
Once he finished speaking, the room fell silent.
Suddenly, they laughed as if he had told them a joke, and then Pens moved.
"Did you feel anything unusual that really bothered you?" another interviewer asked.
He was taken aback and thought, "What kind of question is that?" Then he answered without hesitation.
"Yes," Bhramak replied honestly. "However, I chose to ignore it.
"Why?" The interviewer asked.
"Feelings are unreliman'swithout without evidence." A faint smile appeared on the man's lips.
"Solid reply."
After hearing that, he took a moment for himself. Then came a sentence with" mischief in its smile that changes everything.
"Your brothers often speak of you," one interviewer told him.
Bhramak maintained a neutral expression, though his thoughts were stirred. V "nkat and Vishak had always been "protective, but this felt different.
"They tend to do that," the interviewer said casually.
Bhramak paused briefly before inquiring, "How do you know about 'hem?"
The interviewer did ot smile during this session.
"We understand," he said calmly. "There is no need for you to have the rest of the information at this time."
The answer revealed more information than it hid.
This invitation, this city, was not a coincidence. "You were called 'here because your approach to solving problems differs from most investigators," another person added. "Your work, if you succeed, will not be limited to ordinary cases."
"Your compensation will reflect this, resulting in a higher salary. Please note that this information is confidential."
Uncommon cases need to be addressed properly.
Bhramak listened in silence, absorbing their meaning.
More questions formed in his mind about his brothers, the building, and the people he had seen in the inner hall. Can't he stop them before they could react?" his lips.
It would be unwise to ask" this time.
"Curious, "ty cannot wait."
Sile" ce is often the best response.
"Get ready for the second stage," one of them instructed.
"What will "t involve?" Bhramak asked.
The woman met his gaze with unwavering steadiness.
"A trial," she said. "Not all candidates finish it."
As he prepared to leave, one thought became clear in his mind.
No matter what the second stage involved, it would not challenge his knowledge.
It would challenge him to confront what he might encounter.
For the first time since arriving in the city, Bhramak felt certain of one thing:
The world he believed he understood had already changed beyond his comprehension.