THE NEW FACE

ABOUT THE STORY:

In order to write this story, I took up research on face transplant surgery and further saw the American film Face/Off to know the details for my story. Even I read three to four short stories about it and saw Yevadu-Boomerang film, that's based on this surgery. Aftermath, I started to work on this story. Due to some strong violence and action sequences involved, it's meant for Adult and matured readers only.

"Whatever happened, happened for the good. Whatever is happening, is happening for the good. Whatever will happen, will also happen for the good." This is one of the quotes from Bhagavad Gita about life.

Many of us have different ambitions, different goals and different agenda to get fulfilled in our life. But, we get intruded in between our path by some way or the other. The one, who crosses all those hurdles and attains victory is considered as the winner.

10:30 PM BAY-OF-BENGAL, HYDERABAD, INDIA:

As the place is turning to the darker side slowly, people start to move from Bay-of-Bengal in Hyderabad. Two couples: Aravinth and Meera also gets up from the sands and proceeds to get into a bus, which is boarding for New Delhi.

As Aravinth sits inside the seats, Meera asked him: "Why are we going to New Delhi, Aravinth?"

Aravinth replies telling, "Meera. I have been asked by my boss to get my bike(with new features like car seats and Airbags to prevent accidents) approved in New Delhi office. For that, we are going along with the prepared files about the bike."

She feels elated and tells him, "I am eagerly waiting to see your new image and avatar through this new bike technology, you created."

He jokes her asking, "When are we going to get married? We have first night, romance, etc, etc. right?"

She hits him with a smile and they were travelling in the bus. While the bus is going, three to four cars stop in-between. Along with those cars, multiples of car surrounds the bus.

FIVE MINUTES LATER:

Five minutes later, three henchman enters inside the bus and upon seeing them with their few more henchman, Aravinth starts to bash them up severely. However, one of the three henchman David captures Meera, which he notices as she called his name.

"We told you right. Don't go behind innovation, don't be too much intelligent, etc, etc. While you didn't even obeyed our words and now, you are proceeding to get approval from government ah?" A henchman asked him.

"If you all do like such means, how politicians like us could make politics about accidents, etc. da. Your death would be a lesson for the one, who goes beyond innovation and trend." Another henchman said to him.

David keeps his knife in the throat of Meera.

"Please da. Don't kill her. What I did is wrong! I will give up this research. Please don't kill her. Please." Aravinth begged him, with his tearful eyes.

"If you have already obeyed us, we won't have gone to this extent da. Happy journey." David said and slits Meera's throat.

Devastated, Aravinth shouts and cries aloud pain. While, Meera struggles to breath with her neck, bleeding with blood. As Aravinth gets stabbed multiple times, Meera tries to call him by showing her hands and finally, leaves a last breath of sound, indicating that she have died. Because, her eyes also goes up.

Seeing her brutal death as his final vision, Aravinth faints with tears in his eyes.

"David. Our work is over. Burn the bus da." One of the henchman said. They burns the bus. Driver and so many people gets burned along with Meera.

However, one of the rescuer from a hospital notice Aravinth to be alive, by seeing his heartbeats. He takes him to the hospitals.

"Oh my god! Call doctor Anandan." One of the doctors said.

Doctor Anandan comes and one of the specialists asked him, "Did you see that boy?"

"Yes. I have seen him."

"70% of the body have got burned. His face have also got more damages." The doctor said.

"Already, facial tissues are exposed to heir. Anytime, it can cause problems to his brain." Another doctor said.

"Even his vocal cords are affected." One of the doctors said.

"In his body, he have got stabbed in 24 places, sir." One of the doctors said.

"Isn't that an accident?" asked Anandan, to which Rajasekhar blinks. While, that doctor told him, "I am unable to understand this only sir. Even after these attacks, how could he survive this attack?"

"He wishes to live. He wants to live."

"No chance for this sir."

"He believes that he would be able to survive. Can't we trust ourselves to save him?"

"But, he is in coma Anandan. If anything happened to him in the operation theater means, who will take the responsibility?"

"He is my responsibility, sir." Anandan said to him and signs the document for the surgery.

Aravinth's face gets transplanted in the operation theater by Anandan and his face is covered by bandages, with trips going all over his body.

FIVE MONTHS LATER, 10:00 AM:

Five months later, Aravinth suddenly wakes up from his coma after remembering about Meera's death. He tries to run away from the place by letting his trips down.

Anandan controls him by pleading and tells, "This is not your life. This life have been given by me. Calm down. Please."

"Sister. Open the bandage from his face." She takes a scissor and starts to open the bandage from his face. While doctors looked eagerly for the result of the surgery.

"Open your eyes." Anandan said.

After opening the bandage from his face, Anandan tells him: "In your life, you wouldn't have experienced this kind of a surprise right. Be ready for it."

Aravinth sees his face through the mirror and gets shocked. Because, his face have been replaced as such. But, his eyes alone being blue.

Anandan tells him, "The Surgery is very complicated. It's not a normal surgery. Be patient for some days. You would come to learn about everything slowly."

Aravinth escapes from the hospital, the next day, having decided to avenge the death of Meera. At first, he targets David. While, he have rounded up two other henchman along with the Politician Devasagayam, who conspired this attack to stop him from launching his new found technology in Bikes.

First, he kills David by causing artificial lightning, after following him for Ten days secretly near to an abandoned building. Then, he targets the other two henchman and follows them for five days.

As they have been busy with guarding politician Devasagayam, he goes near to them with a gift box, that contains poisonous Scorpion. After giving it to them by disguising as a salesman, he proceeds to go away from there. The two died by leaving poisonous signs of the Scorpion in the roads.

Devasagayam realizes that, someone is targeting him and decides to remain alert. Meantime, Aravinth completes some formalities, that have to be done due to his face transplant surgery. After this, he successfully submits the report about his bike launching by re-writing the report and details of it.

It gets launched successfully, which earns Deva's wrath. He goes along with his henchman to Aravinth's house, where he tries to search for him. At that time, one of his henchman notices a few traces, that Aravinth have left to finish off Devasagayam.

He realizes that Aravinth have taken revenge against them for Meera's death. To stop the launching of the bike(since he can't make politics of road accidents) and to bring him there, he kidnaps one of of close friends. On Learning this, Aravinth goes there along with police officers, who were investigating the case of the three men's death.

They successfully rescues Aravinth's friend. When Devasagayam was about to kill Aravinth forgetting his position as a Minister, a police officer shoots him out of self-defence and kills him.

Aravinth rests in peace, as his revenge gets fulfilled. He receives larger appreciation for launching the bike and for his helping hand to prevent the road accidents. Upon seeing his face, a man in Hyderabad becomes feared and informs to a notorious ex-Home Minister George Krishna, "He is alive sir. That Sai Adhithya is still alive."

"Hey. How could he survive da? Nothing should remain or to be spoken about him. Finish him off da."

The henchman goes with his few men to Coimbatore and he tries to attack Aravinth. However, he bashes them off and when trying to ask about the strange man's identity, he jumps off cliff into a river bridge and eventually dies.

"Someone is still alive in Deva's gang." Aravinth said by sitting in the corridor of a building. While telling this, he suddenly notes a mirror and analyzes, "They have came for this face. Not me. Who is he? Whose face is this?" He shouts by pointing out the face.

TWO DAYS LATER:

Two days later, Aravinth returns back to his house and randomly recalls the words told by Anandan, after he waked up from his coma.

Aravinth then, calls Doctor Anandan and tells, "Doctor Anandan."

"Yes. Who is this?"

"I am only, sir."

"Where are you now?"

"I am in Coimbatore, sir." He arrives to Coimbatore from Hyderabad.

Aravinth then tells him, "When I called you, you didn't even asked me how are you and instead asked me where are you. Then means, what happened? Whose face is this? Who tried to attack me? Why did you give me this identical face?"

"The face that I have given to you is not a guy, as you think."

"Who is he?"

"My son....My son Sai Adhithya." He said to him. Aravinth continues to hear what Anandan is telling him.

FEW DAYS BACK, HYDERABAD:

Sai Adhithya's father Anandan is a reputed surgeon in Hyderabad. Since the demise of Adhithya's mother, he have been shouldering the responsibilities to raise him up with care, love and affection.

Adhithya completed his course in Nuclear Physics and joined ISRO laboratory after finishing up exams and training as per their guidance.

Adhithya's wish is to create a Hydro-Nuclear weaponary for the country. As per his formula, it's mixed with Hydrogen and Nuclear components. He have used the law theory of nuclear reaction.

Since his college days, it's his dream project. If this mission becomes successful, India's position would be equal to that of USA and UK countries. He have been working for this mission for two years by sitting in the laboratory and finally, his mission was a success.

For a leave period, he have returned to Hyderabad. The same time, Adhithya's junior Kamalesh was jealous of his project. To defeat him off, he meets George Krishna in his house.

Because, George is attempting to bring an USA Nuclear Industry to the state after being bribed with an amount of Four Hundred Crores. If this industry comes in India, employment rate would increase. But, pollution level would also rise up and health issues would be a prominent factor in the country.

The minister have further been bribed by them to put a halt for the research and preparation of any weaponries in the country. In none of the Indian states, these factories weren't allowed. The minister henceforth assigned Kamal as his spy for informations and learns about this from him.

Threatened and feared a little, he decides to stop the mission and searches for the details of Adhithya and his family. He comes to know about his father Anandan.

As a means to stop his project, George Krishna creates rumours about the upcoming weapon project of Union Government with the help of the Media Channels, whom he have bribed with lots of money. However, it all goes in vain after a famous YouTube channel owner Ram, a firm supporter of BJP have created awareness about this among the people.

Then, he meets Anandan in the hospitals.

"Hmm. Instead of coming into politics, we could have built hospitals I think. Keeping this much properties, why your son is unnecessarily joining ISRO saying that, he is going to serve the nation, etc? Already your wife died. You are widower. Shouldn't you take care of your son? What are you seeing? If he goes, won't you become an orphan? He is doing things bravely and bold. We won't be patient hereafter." One of the henchman of George said.

"There is a saying in Bhavavad Gita. Human Life Is Full Of Battles: Never Shirk In fear – Fight To The Last, Stand Your Ground. The Supreme Power has created an even human being in a separate way – or will we say, Everyone is a MASTERPIECE. When every action you do turns negative against your goal, do not shirk in fear. My son is always a masterpiece." Anandan said.

"The reason for your arrogance?" asked George.

"My son. He would do what he said. Prepare for getting defeated da." Anandan said.

"Having lost your wife, you are itself...."

"Hey. Many would say like this to me. But, she didn't go simply. She have gave me a pouncing tiger as my son."

"Brother. Father is also a tiger only." He angrily gets up and tells, "You would see the political game soon sir. Bye."

George continues to spread rumours about the Missile using the media as his bait. Additionally, he creates bad statements against the Central Government. As a result of this, he is terribly hit by them. CG gives full support for Adhithya.

Additionally, they sends spy with Adhithya. He notes down a lots of illegal activities like Sand Mining, Bribery and other corrupted activities in the state. They takes it as an evidence and threatens George with it.

Angered that he had been trapped, George sends his goondas to attack Adhithya. However he bashes them all severely and further manages to make the mission successful. Due to this act by George, he gets dismissed by the Chief Minister in order to avoid further complications.

George decides to retaliate back by brutally murdering Adhithya. Henceforth, he comes along with his henchman Hari(whom he trusts a lot). There, Adhithya was travelling in the same bus, in which Aravinth was going with Meera to New Delhi.

Adhithya was beaten up severely and got stabbed by Hari. Despite getting stabbed, he manages to finish him off brutally to death. As a means of revenge, a violent clash ensues between the group. In that, George emerged victorious by finishing off Adhithya. As most of the fight took place outside the bus, he wasn't able to save Meera.

He sends his body to Anandan, who becomes heartbroken initially. The same time only, Aravinth also got admitted in the hospitals with burn injuries. As Aravinth looked exactly like Adhithya, he decides to transplant his face to Aravinth, instead of a simple plastic surgery.

PRESENT:

"To live a life, you wanted a new face. To make our country best, I wanted my son's face. That's why I have taken this decision." Anandan said.

Aravinth remained silent. While Anandan further said, "I have thought to tell about these things to you, at that time itself. But, you have gone out to take your revenge. From that time, I am searching for you."

"What happened after Adhithya have left from the ISRO laboratory?"

Anandan takes him to the ISRO laboratory and in the car he tells to him, "Go. Go and ask to your boss what had happened after you left the lab! You would come to know of it."

Through Adhithya's boss, Aravinth comes to know that, "After Adhithya have left the Lab and reportedly rumoured to have ran away as per the false statements of George(who is now Finance Minister), the Missile launch have been put in halt. Since, he only knew the formula for the launching."

Aravinth then meets Anandan who tells him, "To accomplish this mission, they tried to do their best for making this a success with his motivation. If he have been alive means!"

"He is alive only sir." Aravinth said to him, after which he looked at him, in gaze.

"Eventhough I have survived, many thought me to be leading a flawed life. But, your son faced everything bravely and is still now living in the minds of the laboratory people. I will live. Live as your son sir. To fulfill your son's wish of accomplishing this mission successfully."

Since, Aravinth too have done a post-graduate course in Nuclear Science, he manages to prepare a new formula for the weaponary of Sai Adhithya. With this, he launches the weapon successfully.

After three days, the weapon successfully comes back to ISRO. This earns the wrath of George. He sits wailing for his one more defeat. George is then, arrested by CBI as per Aravinth's evidence against his atrocities.

Aravinth then returns from ISRO to meet George in his office. As he is going out with the CBI, Aravinth tells to George: "Lord Krishna said, “The meaning of Karma is in the intention. The intention behind the action is what matters. Those who are motivated only by desire for the fruits of action are miserable, for they are constantly anxious about the results of what they do. You are in the same way. Adhithya was killed. But, he lives with me by giving a new face to me."

George goes by bowing his head down with the CBI. While, Aravinth goes along with Anandan to start a new life with him. While he sees a reflection of Adhithya smiling at him.