**October 6, 2025, Airport**
Sonia and I stood frozen at the airport desk. The guard's words echoed: "Flight DL-147. Already boarded. Gate closed 20 minutes ago." Sweat dripped down my back, my bruises throbbing from the run. Rohit was gone—up in the air, flying to Miami and Elena. Sonia's face went pale, her hands shaking.
"We were so close," she whispered, tears in her eyes. "What now?"
I pulled out my phone, staring at the flight tracker. The plane was already taxiing. No way to stop it. The system pinged in my head, cold but steady.
> **[SYSTEM ALERT]**
> **Quest Failed: Intercept Rohit.**
> **Rohit airborne. No immediate access to Miami (logistics, funds, visas blocked).**
> **Quest Update: Uncover the Truth – Remote Mode Activated.**
> **New Objective: Gather intel on Elena remotely. Prepare for long-term recovery.**
> **Hint: Search Elena's digital footprint. Failure escalates her control.**
My stomach dropped. Failed. Just like that. No magic fix, no sudden skill to teleport us there. We were stuck—broke, no passports ready, no money for a last-minute flight across the world. Sonia sank onto the bench, burying her face in her hands. "He's gone. For good?"
I sat beside her, my raw knuckles stinging as I gripped her shoulder. "Not for good. We'll see him some other time. I promise. We'll call, email, find a way. Elena can't keep him forever."
She looked up, eyes wet but nodding. "For Angel. For your mom. Okay. Let's go home."
We took a slow rickshaw back. The city blurred past—horns, dust, people rushing. My mind raced: Rohit in the sky, Elena waiting. How do we fight that from here? Sonia stayed quiet, staring out the window. I wanted to punch something, but my fists were too sore.
**Goldy's House, Late Afternoon**
Mom waited at the door, her face full of hope that twisted my gut. She saw us and froze. "Did you...?"
I shook my head, helping her to the couch. Sonia sat on her other side. "We missed him, Mom. The flight took off. He's on his way to Miami."
Mom's breath hitched, tears spilling. "My boy. All alone. Why didn't he say goodbye?"
Sonia took Mom's hand. "Aunty, it's not his fault. Not really. We think Elena—his wife—she's... controlling him. Making him act cold, push us away."
Mom blinked, confused. "Controlling? Like how?"
I sat across from them, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. "He's not himself, Mom. When we talked this morning, he snapped—called us kids, Sonia an outsider. But it felt wrong, like someone else was talking through him. He left early, turned off his phone. It's her. We saw it in his eyes."
Sonia nodded. "I've seen guys change like that before. Someone bad whispering in their ear. We tried to stop him at the airport, but... we couldn't."
Mom wiped her eyes, her voice small. "What do we do now? We can't go to Miami. No money, no way."
I leaned forward, forcing strength into my words. "We wait for him to land. Call again. And we dig—online, friends, anything about Elena. Who she is, why she's doing this. We'll get him back, Mom. For Angel too. She needs her big brother."
Mom squeezed Sonia's hand, then mine. "You're good kids. But it hurts. The house feels empty already."
Sonia hugged her. "We'll fill it with plans, Aunty. Goldy and I—we're in this together."
I nodded, but inside, the system's failure burned. No penalties, but the clock was ticking. Elena had the upper hand. But I wouldn't let her win. Not yet.
As night fell, Sonia crashed in the guest room. Mom went to bed early, exhausted. I sat alone, staring at my phone. Rohit's voicemail beeped in my head. One day down. How many more?
The house felt empty after we told Mom everything. She hugged us both, her tears soaking my shirt, then went to bed early, whispering, "Call me if his phone turns on." Sonia crashed in the guest room, saying she'd help search for Elena in the morning. I sat alone in my room, staring at the wall. My bruises ached, the casino fight a distant memory compared to this—Rohit gone, the quest failed, Elena winning. The clock on my phone showed 8 PM. Twelve hours until he landed in Miami.
I flopped on my bed, feeling useless. "What now?" I muttered. The system had gone quiet after the failure alert, like it was judging me. Then it dinged—soft, like a game pop-up, but with a gold glow that made my skin crawl.
> **[QUEST UNLOCKED]**
> **Title: Beginner's Protocol – Train to Become Powerful**
> **Objective: Complete daily training routine**
> **Reward: +1% Power Sync per day completed, cumulative stat boosts**
> **Status: Active (Ongoing – No Time Limit)**
> **Warning: You are being monitored. Skip a day = forceful teleport to a random location within 100km.**
I blinked, sitting up. "Daily? Now? Rohit's flying to some witch in Miami, and you want me doing push-ups forever?" The screen pulsed, ignoring me. I tapped the objective, and a new window opened.
> **[Training Method: Strength & Endurance – Beginner Level]**
> **Step 1: Bodyweight Circuit: 30 push-ups, 40 squats, 20 lunges per leg. No breaks.**
> **Step 2: Stamina Drill: Jog in place for 10 minutes. Keep moving.**
> **Step 3: Core Routine: 25 sit-ups, 20 leg raises, 60-second plank. Breathe through it.**
> **Step 4: Recovery Stretching: Touch toes, hamstring stretch, shoulder stretch. Hold 30–60 seconds each.**
> **Step 5: Hydration: Drink 500ml water. Plain. No excuses.**
> **Step 6: Cool Down: Lie flat. Reflect. Repeat every day.**
I groaned. "This is stupid. I'm beat up from fighting goons, not some gym rat." My shoulder throbbed just thinking about push-ups. But the warning flashed: *Forceful teleport. Random spot. 100km.* What if it dumped me in a ditch or some creepy woods? No thanks. Someone—or something—was watching, and I wasn't testing it tonight.
"Fine," I grumbled, rolling off the bed. The room was small—bed, desk, cracked mirror. I cleared space, feeling ridiculous. Started with push-ups. One, two... by ten, my arms shook, the bite wound screaming. "Ow. Come on." I powered through to 30, collapsing like a sack of rice.
Squats next. Forty. My legs burned from the rickshaw ride. Ten felt okay, twenty made me curse under my breath, forty left me wobbling like a newborn deer. Lunges were worse—20 per leg. Forward, back, forward... my knees begged for mercy. I bumped the desk twice, nearly knocking over a lamp.
Jog in place for 10 minutes? Torture. Socks slipped on the floor, sweat dripped into my eyes. I tripped over a shoe at minute five, but kept going, panting like an old dog.
Sit-ups: 25. I curled up, down, up... my abs (what abs?) protested. Leg raises: 20. Flopping like a dying fish. Plank: 60 seconds. Held for 20, arms shaking, then collapsed at 45. "Close enough," I gasped.
Stretching was a joke. Toes? I bent and waved. Hamstrings? Pulled gently, hissed in pain. Shoulders? Rotated slow, feeling every bruise.
Finally, water. Gulped 500ml from a bottle, tasting like defeat. I lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling. "Why this? Rohit's the problem, not my push-up count."
The screen dinged again.
> **[DAILY TRAINING COMPLETE]**
> **Power Sync: 23% (+1%)**
> **Note: Daily routine activated. Complete every day for steady gains. Strength builds resolve against threats like Elena.**
I sat up, surprised. Just 1%, but it was something. No big rush, no end date—just grind every day or get zapped somewhere random. My muscles burned, but I felt a tiny spark, like the system's prepping me for the long fight. Teleport dodged—for now.
Sonia knocked softly. "Goldy? You okay? Heard grunting."
I opened the door, sweaty and sore. "Yeah. Just... working out. Long story."
She raised an eyebrow. "Tomorrow, we search Elena. Rest up, hero."
I nodded, closing the door. Every day. For Rohit, for Angel, for Mom—I'd do it. One percent at a time.