Voices of concern and alarm rang out through the room almost immediately after those words were uttered.
After all it had been declared as a hopeless science to try and enter other realms to stop monster overflows but this changed things.
By dramatic proportions.
"How the hell do small time smugglers have access to such technology?" Gazen asked.
"We are still in the process of figuring it all out but there's a widespread believe that its of a foreign origin." One of Arman's subordinates said with a low voice.
"So others have been exploring realms already while we've been sitting on our asses all along?"
"Not entirely true," a new voice spoke just as the door to the conference room opened and an older man in his late 40s stepped in. The head of 3A, Ranit Singh.
For a man of his age he carried himself remarkably well, not a movement wasted not a slouch in his posture. You'd think he were a successful businessman with experience but his eyes gave away a ton of baggage he willed away everyday to his mind's recesses.
"Sorry for the interruption and late arrival." He motioned for the ones who had stood up to take their seat as he sat down next to Arman, "but yes, we have known of the existence of realm travel for quite sometime now."
"For how long?" Ahlad asked, a faint paranoia creeping in his tone.
Ranit sat in his favorite position during discussions, his face partially behind his folded and intertwined fingers as he thought his responses behind an invisible curtain. He looked straight at Ahlad before answering.
"Three years. Since we started the Awakener-for-hire programs."
A collective groan went through the entire room. This was a massive betrayal, no doubt. Everyone seemed to agree on that except for Kala who was enjoying the drama of the mortals.
"You know it wasn't making sense then but it does now." Tara quipped up and Ahlad asked,
"What? The hiring programs?"
She nodded, "mmhmm. More like rental programs though."
When foreign countries realized a vast majority of their populations lacked the numbers of Supers compared to India, huge attempts at poaching and wooing of native talent had turned into a cold war of sorts. This time for the use of Awakener talents.
To combat this threat, the 3A had devised a rental proposition. Where Awakeners from the subcontinent could go aid in combat against Rakshasas or train potential recruits from said countries while ensuring their loyalty.
"It was more than just that." Ranit broke in the commotion with his voice, "we got to know about the advancements the other countries were making into the Realms and their learnings from them were shared with us, provided we helped them too. Only then did we know that active travel between realms was already an existing thing but we didn't want to share it on their insistence."
"What about the advisory then? That no beings currently in the world can survive inside Realms? Is that bullshit too?" Gazen asked furious at the coverup.
Ranit thought long and hard before replying a little lower in tone this time, "that theory is now very much questionable but we're cautiously optimistic."
Sounds of disapproval rang across the entire room.
"Still doesn't explain why a random smuggling operation has access to such tech," Ahlad spoke through the noise.
"I think it is an advertisement of sorts. The very availability of this footage, in an otherwise gutted crime scene, should be evidence of that," Arman said, a bit nervously.
"The foreign power–debated to be China, wants to maybe show that it has developed its own way of doing things after their spat with the Western Nations."
"The Chinese?" Gazen's voice was one of many who were surprised.
"We contained it," Ranit began with a defeated sigh and changed the topic a little, "but its the internet. By now all intel agencies are deconstructing the footage. Some have even reached out to examine the busted equipment."
"Look the point of this entire ceremony here today is to make you all aware of what is happening and why I want all of us to work together. There's a new Front opening every other week. The more we push the Rakshasas back, the more they organize on another side."
Ranit almost seemed to be pleading though his tone gave no such impression. It did show the 3A's desperation for a united force though.
"I don't know boss," Kala said scratching the table with his index finger, "even though I'm no mortal myself. I can clearly sense a feeling of distrust amongst everyone here towards you and your group."
The silence spoke for itself as Ranit looked around at everyone, his gaze unflinching at the mixed bag of reactions. So he decided to double down further.
"The Chinese are here now, our neighbors were already testing us. Soon the West will too. We barely stopped the poaching threat but with this news," Ranit shook his head, "all hell will break lose. Every other two-bit Awakener will want to try his hand at entering a Realm under the sponsorship of a foreign government. Maybe an even more capable one than ours."
"Look just tell us what you wanna do." Ahlad asked a bit frustrated with where the conversation was going.
Ranit heaved a sigh of relief, "thank you for bringing me back to that."
"A joint investigation firstly. Looking into who was the manufacturer and inventor of said equipment. But most importantly to discuss a proposal from the Americans. They say they have a working theory into Realm travel."
"They already have a way to travel too I suppose?" Gazen asked.
"Yes. They do. But they lack the skilled manpower we possess for explorations."
"What's their ask then?" Tara asked, shuffling forward a little.
Ranit looked around the room, glad at the attention he was able to keep them on.
"They want us to send a powerful set of skilled Awakeners as a team to their country."
"A strong team of Awakeners. Is that all?" Tara asked again.
"Not just strong but level headed. Loyal too. We don't want them shifting sides overseas you know." Ranit chuckled, feeling a bit at ease than before. "And this is from our side by the way. The loyalty part."
"Is this emphasis on character really necessary?" Gazen smirked.
Ranit who always found Gazen intolerable clicked his tongue to check himself from saying something unruly.
"If we go through this. It's not a domestic matter anymore." He paused before continuing, "It's going to have repercussions for the entire human race. And let's not be naive, this is going to be filled with agendas involved . So yes character is the least imperative metric I urge upon."
Tara looked around at the group who were mulling over it and turned to Ahlad, "any thoughts on how we go about this?"
Ahlad shifted his sight from her to Ranit.
"We could use the Annual Awakener competition to recruit for the team. It's a wide pool to choose from."
Many murmurs went by with most nodding in agreement while some remained skeptical.
"Just the winners or all the participants as possible recruits?" Tara asked.
Ahlad shook his head, "monitoring from start to end. Just winners and losers won't do a thing. We need characters who are loyal? Submissive even? Then all should count."
"So is that agreed then?" Ranit turned to gauge everyone's response when Gazen's hand shot up.
"Who's gonna lead the team? I won't play second fiddle to anyone."
"Form the team first, then we'll talk about leadership." Ranit scoffed and looked at Kala who was the most disinterested person till now, yet he was staring at the screen behind where Ranit was.
"You're being awfully silent."
Kala snapped up and sat straight, "oh you know, the affairs of your realm seldom interest me. But that over there," he pointed to the still grab of the security feed, "that is pretty fascinating. Where's the guy now?"
"We're still searching for him. Why?"
Kala paused and bit his finger with a sly smile on his lips.
"I'm just saying whoever that is, he is one strong dude."