________________________________________________________________________________
- Brooklyn, New York -
- April 24, 1939 | Evening -
The Stark Expo was a carnival of color and chaos. Everywhere you looked, there was something new, something shiny. From sleek cars to brilliant gadgets, the air was electric with ambition. The whole city of Brooklyn seemed to be pulsing with life as the greatest minds, the most powerful men, and the sharpest suits gathered to witness the future unfold.
Tonight was Howard Stark's night, but the true spark had already ignited — and it wasn't the glint of repulsors or the roar of engines. It was the quiet, unassuming booth at the far end of the Expo hall — the Rajvanshi Tech display. At this point, anything coming out of Bharat was seen as a novelty and a constant source of curiosity among Americans, much like the rest of the Western world, which was growing tired of the steady stream of grim news from Europe. Stories of Nazi atrocities, constant skirmishes, and the looming shadow of a war — although not officially declared by any side — made it clear to those in the know that the conflict, soon to become a world war, had already begun in Europe. Many newspapers, news agencies, and even some government bodies spun facts and built conspiracy theories around Bharat and its new technologies invented by Aryan Rajvanshi, partly to distract the public from the dark headlines. This kept ordinary people in the West in a constant state of wonder about anything emerging from Bharat. So when news broke that Howard Stark had shared a friendly talk with the Samrat of Bharat, Aryan Rajvanshi himself, and had convinced him to open Bharat's economy — along with getting the Rajvanshi Group to participate in this year's Stark Expo, obviously another case of spinning around the facts by the western news outlets — it became a massive hit among tech enthusiasts and science lovers across America.
—
The crowd was still buzzing from Howard's show, but the murmurs around the Bharatiya booth were different. There was a palpable sense of curiosity, even awe. The kind of awe that comes not from the flashing lights or the staged drama, but from something that felt deeper, older — and, above all, more real.
Elias Varga stood back, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd. He was used to watching people, reading their faces, their movements. It was a game of patience for him. This was a game where power wasn't always visible on the surface. He'd been in the business long enough to know that true influence hid in the shadows, behind conversations, between contracts.
Beside him, Marina sipped her wine, her expression unreadable as she surveyed the scene. Her hand rested lightly on his arm, but her gaze was fixed on the stage, where the Bharatiya engineers had just begun to explain their work.
The screen before them was alive with color, images blooming and shifting, sharp and vivid in ways no one had expected. The crowd was silent, and for a brief moment, it felt like time itself had paused, waiting to see what came next.
The first piece they showcased was the advanced display technology, or "Drishya," as the Bharatiya had called it. It wasn't just a projector; it was a living image. Colorful, bright, and crisp in a way that made every other screen around them look dull and outdated. Even Stark's gleaming machines seemed to pale in comparison as the images swirled around them — landscapes, faces, scenes from everyday life, captured and displayed with an uncanny clarity.
It was, In every sense, magic made real. The crowd was spellbound. Scientists from all over the world, businessmen with their greed-filled eyes, and even the press — they were all caught in the same web of wonder.
As the camera technology followed, the amazement only deepened. No more black-and-white photographs. No more grainy film reels. The Bharatiya had just shattered the very foundation of how people understood images and memories. A camera that could capture the world in full color, not just freeze it in time but store it forever, with no film and no processing. It was the kind of thing that could change entire industries — from journalism to entertainment, education to personal memory.
But then came the real moment, the one that had everyone holding their breath.
A simple machine, no larger than a desk lamp. A flat screen. A few buttons. But when the Bharatiya engineer stepped forward, he pressed a few keys, and the screen came to life. Words and numbers scrolled across it, fast and fluid, like a living thing.
"This," the engineer said softly, his voice carrying through the stunned silence, "is a personal computing device. It will allow you to store information, calculate complex problems, and design the future all from a single desk."
A gasp rippled through the crowd. A computer. A real, working personal computer. This was the future — right there, in front of them.
Howard Stark, standing backstage, leaned in, a genuine smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Even he couldn't help but be impressed. The world had just changed. And it wasn't by his hand.
The engineer didn't dwell on the device for long. He simply smiled and gave a nod, allowing the crowd to process what they had just seen. He made it clear that this wasn't for sale. Not yet. But the implication was clear: Rajvanshi Tech had just shown the world something that would make every other invention look like child's play.
The applause, when It came, was slow at first, as if the audience needed a moment to fully understand what they had just witnessed. And then it grew, rising like a tidal wave, echoing through the Expo hall.
Elias watched the reaction with quiet satisfaction. He had known Aryan's vision was more than just tech. It was a new era. And he was right there, at the heart of it all.
Marina, ever the pragmatist, glanced at her husband, her eyes flicking over to the figure on stage. "Do you think Stark will try to partner with them?" she asked, her voice low.
Elias' lips curved into a subtle smile. "Stark doesn't partner unless he knows he can control the game. But Aryan… Aryan doesn't play by the same rules. Stark might learn that the hard way."
The scene was alive with movement now, people crowding the booth, asking questions, exchanging business cards, making deals in hushed tones. The world had just watched Bharat pull back the curtain on its future. And for the first time, the world understood what was coming.
—
The applause still lingered in the air, drifting like the last crackle of fireworks when Elias felt a shift beside him — a presence so quiet yet so sudden that Marina's arm tensed against his. Before either of them could speak, a familiar young voice slipped in, calm but warm.
"You're right, Mr. Varga. Stark doesn't know Aryan like we do."
Elias turned so sharply that Marina let out a small laugh at his reaction. There, standing next to them as if he'd been there the whole time, was Karna — barely eighteen, slim yet having muscular frame if one looked carefully, dark hair falling over eyes that glinted with a restless sharpness. His easy grin made him look like any other curious young man at the Expo, but Elias knew better. Underneath that casual charm was one of Aryan's sharpest blades.
"Karna!" Marina said, pressing a hand to her chest in mock shock. "You'll start giving me wrinkles, child, sneaking up like that."
Karna laughed, a quick, boyish sound that softened the hum of machines and murmurs around them. "My apologies, ma'am. Old habits."
Elias tried to glare but ended up shaking his head instead, hiding a smile behind the edge of his glass. "One of these days, you'll announce yourself like a normal person."
Marina nudged Karna playfully. "Tell me, does Sofia know you're here?" she teased, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Or should I write her a letter saying her favourite Bharatiya spy is wandering around America without saying hello?"
A faint flush touched Karna's cheeks, though he masked it quickly with a half-smile. "I think she's far too busy with her studies, ma'am. And besides—"
"Oh, nonsense!" Marina interrupted, waving her hand. "Last time you two were in Bharat, she wouldn't stop talking about your late-night walks in the palace gardens. Don't think I didn't hear about it."
Elias cleared his throat a little too loudly. His face stayed calm, but Karna caught the subtle edge in his eyes. "Enough, Marina," Elias said, voice gentle but firm. "He's here on work, I'm sure. When did you get to America, Karna?"
"Few weeks ago," Karna answered simply, shrugging like it was nothing. "Came along with the Rajvanshi Tech engineers to help set things up."
Marina raised a brow, half-accusing. "And you didn't think to visit us? You know our door is always open to you."
Karna's grin softened into something smaller, more respectful. "I wanted to, truly. But there were… some things to settle first. Small errands for Samrat Aryan." His tone made it clear enough — things not to be discussed here, under so many ears and eyes.
Elias nodded once, understanding flickering in his sharp gaze. Karna was more than just a young friend of Aryan's. He was the Hidden Flame's ghost — the one who stepped where even shadows hesitated.
"Well," Marina said, her teasing giving way to warmth, "you know you're family. Next time, no excuses. Sofia will be heartbroken if she knows you were here and didn't come by."
Karna gave her a little bow, half-mocking but genuine. "Then I'll owe her an apology in person."
They stood there for a while longer, leaning into the soft lull between showcases. The noise of the Expo was a comforting hum around them — machines whirring, voices weaving together in half-laughs and cautious deals. For a brief moment, it almost felt normal. Just three people talking, not a secret thread of a much bigger web.
But Karna's eyes, though bright with youth, kept drifting — past them, toward the edge of the main stage. Howard Stark was deep in conversation now, all charm and polish, speaking with a man in a stiff military uniform. The officer's medals caught the light with every stiff nod. They were close enough to watch, too far to hear.
Marina caught the flicker in Karna's gaze. "Business?" she asked quietly.
Karna didn't look away. "A bit," he said, voice low but casual. "Just making sure Mr. Stark's new friends aren't planning anything too interesting tonight."
Elias chuckled dryly. "Always working, aren't you, boy?"
Karna gave him a crooked grin. "Only because Aryan told me to, sir."
He touched Marina's hand lightly in farewell, gave Elias a respectful nod, then slipped away so smoothly it was as if he'd never been standing there at all. One moment he was in the warm circle of their company, the next he was just another shadow among the shifting lights.
They watched him for a heartbeat, then lost him completely. Marina shook her head, half-smiling. "Our Sofia could do worse."
Elias only grunted, hiding the twitch of his mouth behind his glass. "He's still too young."
And somewhere beyond the safe circle of small jokes and soft laughter, Karna followed. He drifted through the press of suits and stagehands, his steps silent, his outline flickering when someone turned to look. The moment he hit the edge of the Expo's floodlights, he simply melted — the light bending off his shoulders, his shape slipping into the shifting patterns of the fairgrounds.
He kept his eyes fixed on the officer who had just slipped out of Howard Stark's confident circle. Somewhere behind them, the future was on display for all to see. But in this small slice of shadow, secrets moved in silence, watched by a young man who was more ghost than boy.
And with a flicker of thought, Karna disappeared entirely — the hum of the Expo swallowing him whole as he trailed the officer into the dark, the Hidden Flame burning quiet and unseen beneath the glitter of the world's bright tomorrow.
________________________________________________________________________________
Thanks for reading 🙏 🙏.
If you are liking this story so far please support this novel through the power stones and let me know your thoughts in the comments and please review the book with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ if you deem it worthwhile.