Ch30: A Race Against Time

 Written by Kavya and Concept by Sidhant First go to previous blogs if you have not already....

With a wealth of information at hand, they knew it was time to act. They decided to return to Dev's office while Sam received medical attention. Back together, the three recounted Sam's words verbatim.

Hearing the part about "an egg full of rendel" and the "important room" in Buckingham Palace, Dev had a sudden realization. The newly installed Wi-Fi enabled LED bulbs in the ballroom for the Duchess of Cambridge's charity gala became his prime suspect. Smart bulbs, while convenient, had vulnerabilities. Hackers could potentially activate actions not intended by the user.

Combining all the pieces, Dev concluded that Rendel might be hidden within these bulbs. Time was of the essence. The gala had already begun, and the Duchess could utter the triggering phrase, "to a better future," at any moment.

Dev immediately contacted the Queen's office, explaining the possibility of Rendel in the bulbs and the urgent need to stop the Duchess. However, the palace's vast size meant the message might not reach her in time.

The only alternative was to hack the bulb system again. Shree, already familiar with the process, jumped in with Dev. Working together, they infiltrated the system, detected the malware, deleted it, and automatically shut off the bulbs.

Moments later, the message reached the Duchess, and the party was swiftly relocated. A team of experts donned protective gear and entered the ballroom, confirming the presence of Rendel in the bulbs.

The team had averted a disaster. Everyone acknowledged Shree's invaluable contribution. After all, she had located Lady Patricia and devised the plan to capture Sam. "Long live the queen," they all declared in unison.

However, the victory felt precarious. The crisis might have been postponed, but its root cause remained. They needed answers.