An Unexpected Encounter

— A City of Firsts

Moscow, Russia.

The first thing Avika noticed was the cold.

Not the kind of cold she was used to during winter in India, but a sharp, unfamiliar chill that touched her skin the moment she stepped out of the airport.

Snowflakes drifted through the grey sky, landing softly on the roads, cars, and the shoulders of strangers rushing past her.

Avika stood still for a moment.

A silver suitcase rested beside her, one hand holding the handle while the other adjusted her coat.

She looked around.

The unfamiliar language on the signs.

The tall buildings covered in winter mist.

The quiet beauty of a city she had only seen through pictures and books.

A small smile appeared on her face.

"So... this is Moscow."

For a few seconds, she forgot about the busy schedule waiting for her.

The flight.

The conference.

The endless medical discussions.

She simply allowed herself to enjoy the moment.

But that moment didn't last long.

Her phone vibrated.

A reminder appeared on the screen.

Global Young Physicians Forum — Registration: 9:00 AM

Avika sighed softly.

Reality returned.

She wasn't here as a tourist.

She was here as one of the selected young doctors representing India at an international medical event.

And for Avika Malhotra, medicine was never just a profession.

It was a responsibility.

---

After checking into her hotel, Avika placed her suitcase near the bed and looked out of the window.

Moscow looked completely different from above.

The streets were covered in white, streetlights glowing against the falling snow, and people moving like tiny figures below.

Her phone rang again.

She already knew who it was.

"Did you reach safely?"

Her younger sister's voice came from the other side.

Avika smiled.

"Yes. I reached a while ago."

"Did you take pictures?"

"Already asking?"

"Of course. You went to Russia. Don't tell me you are planning to spend the whole trip inside a hotel room reading medical papers."

Avika laughed.

"I'm here for medicine, not tourism."

"That's exactly what someone who needs tourism would say."

Their playful argument continued for a few minutes.

Simple conversations.

Small jokes.

The kind of moments that reminded Avika that behind the title of doctor, she was still just a normal girl.

After ending the call, she looked at her phone screen for a moment and smiled.

Tomorrow would be a busy day.

---

The next morning, the Global Young Physicians Forum began.

The grand convention hall was filled with doctors from different countries.

Different languages.

Different cultures.

But the same purpose.

To save lives.

Avika walked through the hall wearing a professional expression, her ID card hanging around her neck.

She listened carefully during every lecture.

She took notes.

She observed.

When other doctors rushed to speak, Avika waited.

She believed that understanding came before answering.

During one session, a guest speaker presented a complicated medical case.

The room became silent.

Many experienced doctors looked thoughtful.

Avika looked at the information displayed on the screen.

Something didn't feel right.

She raised her hand.

"May I share an observation?"

The speaker looked toward her.

"Of course."

Avika explained her point calmly.

She didn't try to prove she was smarter than anyone else.

She simply wanted to find the answer.

For a moment, the hall remained quiet.

Then the speaker smiled.

"That's an interesting perspective, Doctor Malhotra."

Avika simply nodded.

For her, it wasn't about recognition.

It was about learning.

---

By evening, the first day of the forum ended.

As Avika walked outside, the cold breeze touched her face again.

One of the guest speakers had mentioned a small independent bookstore nearby.

"A hidden gem of Moscow," he had called it.

Curious, Avika decided to visit.

The bookstore was peaceful.

Warm lights.

The smell of old pages.

Rows of books waiting to be discovered.

For a while, she forgot she was in a foreign country.

She picked a novel from the shelf and smiled.

Sometimes, even doctors needed a break from saving others.

After buying the novel, she began walking back toward her hotel.

But somewhere along the way...

She took the wrong road.

The crowded streets slowly disappeared.

The noise of the city faded.

She looked at her phone.

1% battery.

A second later, the screen went dark.

"Great timing..."

She noticed a narrow alley that seemed to connect to the main street.

Thinking it was a shortcut, she stepped inside.

And then...

She heard a voice.

Cold.

Calm.

Authoritative.

"I asked you a question."

Avika stopped.

At the end of the alley stood several men in black suits.

One man was kneeling.

And standing before him...

Was the same man whose name made the world afraid.

Valerian Mikhailovich Orlov.

Her breath caught in her throat.

She slowly took one careful step backward.

Then another.

She only wanted to leave before anyone noticed she was there.

The soft crunch of snow beneath her boots echoed through the silent alley.

She froze.

Valerian didn't turn around.

His gaze remained fixed on the kneeling man before him.

Then, in a voice so calm it sent a chill through everyone present, he said,

"I know you're there."

The bodyguards immediately turned toward the darkness.

One of them spotted her.

"Boss... someone's here."

Only then did Valerian slowly turn around.

His cold gray eyes met hers.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

The snow continued to fall between them, as if the world itself had fallen silent.

Neither of them knew...

That one wrong turn in a quiet Moscow alley...

Would become the beginning of a story that would change both of their lives forever.

End of Episode 1

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