Chapter 59

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 58 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

Headquarters-

Arjun and Riya found Rathore, Chotu and Ayesha at the entrance.

Riya: aap sab yaha kyun hai?

Chotu hugged her happily: Ri tu aa gayi?

Riya smiled: ha

Ayesha: ma’am aapko pata hai, kal lunch time pe na Sakshi aayi thi canteen mein, uski toh band baj gayi hai already

Riya: pata tha mujhe… kuch nahi honewaala uska

Ayesha smiled sheepishly: maybe, but ab tak uska chodne ka koi iraada nahi hai

Riya: frankly, I don’t care, agar woh paas ho jaati hai toh humare liye ek aur asset hoga nahi hoti hai toh liability kam hogi

Ayesha: ha woh toh hai

Arjun: yahi khade rehna hai?

Rathore: Shree aur Liza bas aa hi rahe hai. saath mein conference room jaana hai

Arjun: kyun?

Rathore: pata nahi

A few minutes later, the technical expert and forensic expert came in. They headed to the conference room.

Vikram was already present there along with two other teams. One of them had three people while the other 5.

Vikram: aao, aao, baitho

Arjun: what the hell is going on?

Vikram: patience Arjun, patience

Arjun glared at him. If one more person asked him to be patient, he was going to cut off his head. And of course, it was not going to be his darling. Vikram glanced at Riya and gestured to Arjun. Rolling his eyes, he nodded.

The exchange did not go unnoticed by Rathore. He took his seat silently.

Rathore: are we still waiting for someone?

Vikram: ha in fact, two

He had barely finished speaking when the door opened. Another team came inside. Liza and Riya recognised some of them. It was the ATS. They exchanged smiles. The head of their operations found himself staring at Riya. The middle aged man stepped forward.

Man: uh tum… tum I’m sorry mujhe tumhara naam nahi yaad, Mukherjee right? Uh Rita?

Riya: nahi Riya, I’m sorry maine aapko pehchaana nahi

He smiled warmly: I wouldn’t expect you to either. hum jab pehli baar mile tum bahot choti thi and the second time let’s just say haalat waise the. DIGP Rishab Dixit.

The name sounded familiar but she still couldn’t pinpoint. He made things easier for her.

Rishab: main Rajiv ke saath kaam karta tha, woh mera senior tha

Riya: oh ya, ha mujhe aapka naam yaad hai

Rishab: tum bhi force mein aa gayi uske peeche?

Riya answered sheepishly: ha waisa kuch hi

Vikram: Rajiv kaun? Woh ATS ka DCP? The one with the record of most bomb diffusals?

Rishab: ha wahi

Vikram stared at Riya: tum uski beti ho? oh god! Maine bhi kaam kiya tha uske saath ek do case par. That explains so much about you!!

Arjun laughed and immediately turned it into a cough. Riya glared at him whilst elbowing him on the side. The others stared at Riya in shock, courtesy of both the information and her actions.

Shree: Ri! Tune kabhi bola nahi tere dad bhi force mein the

Riya: woh, uh, baat kabhi nikli hi nahi

He squints at her: right

She giggled silently. Rishab turned back to Riya.

Rishab: Rajiv never met a bomb he couldn’t diffuse and when he did (sighing) he never returned but woh aaj bhi ATS ke sabse behtareen officers mein se ek hai. Aaj bhi woh humari wing ke liye ek inspiration hai and I’m sure use tum par bahot garv hoga

Her eyes moistened: thank you sir

Shree gave her a side hug, making her smile. Just then, the door opened again.

Vikram: ah about time, chalo jaldi baitho

The new team stood between the ATS and another team that had arrived.

Vikram: ok humare paas team introductions ka time nahi hai so we are going to do only team introductions

The others exchanged confused glances. Vikram pointed to one team at a time in order, starting from the ETF.

Vikram: so ETF, ATS, Crime Branch, CID and R&AW. Sab ek dusre ko dekh lo ki kaunsi shakal kaunsi team ki hai

Except R&AW, they were all confused. Why was every major department called in? Something was definitely wrong.

Vikram: tum sab ko yaha isliye bulaya hai kyunki Mumbai ki band bajne waali hai

Arjun: Kya keh rahe hai aap sir? Humare paas toh common sense hai hi nahi

Vikram rolled his eyes: anyway! So… (his mind staggered for words) kaha se shuru karu? ok! ETF ki ek source ek fallen drug mafia aur trafficking mein hai. Usne intel di hai ki use aur kuch aur logon ko Mumbai bheja gaya hai, Sikandar jo ki us gang ka leader hai woh kuch bada plan kar raha hai, baahar ke logo ke saath 4 din baad

Chotu whispered: humari kaunsi source hai waha?

Liza gestured to remain silent.

Vikram: and! Aap sab ko pata hai kuch dino pehle ek low intensity blast hua tha, woh case ETF se ATS mein gaya and unhe dump data analysis se ye pata chala ki sleeper cell network active ho chuka hai. Mumbai mein 99 patake futne waale hai

The ground beneath everyone gave away.

CID officer: 99? Freaking 99 bombs?!

Rishab: I’m afraid so, and woh bhi agle kuch hi dino mein. Sleeper cells involved hai toh unhe end moment pe hi active kiya jaata hai

Vikram: right! And crime branch ko tip mili hai ki kam se kam 200 kg TNB shehar mein aaya hai

R&AW: pata tha toh roka kyun nahi?

Crime Branch: kyunki aane ke baad pata chala?

The officer sighed and nodded.

Vikram: And! Sabse zaroori baat, R&AW ke paas intel hai ki IM ek attack plan kar raha hai par woh directly involve nahi hone waala. That means, woh ye attack kisi aur se karwaane waale hai. (taking a deep breath) you’re all smart people, ab in chaar kahaniyon ke beech kya connection hai, ye mujhe batane ki zaroorat nahi hai

Pin-drop silence settled in the room.

Crime Branch: lekin ek drug dealer aur trafficker, terrorism mein kyun ghusega?

R&AW: the said guy is a fallen king, shayad waapis apne aapko mukamal karne ke liye

Arjun: aur firse na girne ke liye

Rishab: toh jo ETF ki source hai, woh hume information nahi de sakta ki un logon ne explosives kaha rakhe hai ya woh kab kya karne waale hai?

Vikram: Use ye nahi pata ki kya karne waale hai, unhe sirf itna bataya gaya hai ki woh 4 din baad kuch transfer karne waale hai aur use sirf apne baare mein pata hai, they have all been split

Riya(thoughtfully): suicide bombing? Shayad unhe pata bhi nahi ki woh kya karne waale hai. Frankly, aise gunde khud ki jaan daav par nahi lagayenge

R&AW: the bad news is ki 99 jagah hai, the good news is ki 99 jagah hai

Crime Branch: what?

CID: uska matlab hai ki 99 jagah ka pressure hai lekin ye Mumbai hai, hum thode bahot andaaze toh laga hi sakte hai ki kaunsi-kaunsi jagah unki list mein definitely hogi

The other officer nodded.

ATS: ugh! Hume bas is Sikandar ko pakad lena chahiye

Arjun: nahi

ATS: kyun nahi? woh khud ye attack plan kar raha hai toh….

Arjun: woh akela nahi kar raha, tum logon ne hi kaha ki sleeper cells activate ho gaye hai. Agar kahi bhi, kuch bhi gadbad ho gayi toh woh log na jaane kaha kaunsa bomb fod denge, itna bada risk lena theek nahi hai

Riya: 87% cases mein explosives humesha insaan ke pehle pahunchte hai, agar sleeper cells aa gaye hai aur Sikandar ke admi bhi aa gaye hai toh iska matlab saare explosives shehar mein hai, aur ho sakta hai ki woh 200 kg se bahot zyaada ho

CID: agar ye bombs fut gaye toh ye shehar toh jalega hi saath hi saath desh ki economy tut jaayegi

R&AW: exactly, upar se political drama hoga woh alag. Agar sarkar gir gayi toh vacuum ka faayda humare dushman desh aasani se utha sakte hai. A freaking war could start! Isliye hume is plan ko kuch bhi karke nakaam karna hi hoga!

Crime Branch: red alert jaari karenge toh public mein panic failega aur unhe bhi pata chal jaayega ki hume pata hai, woh log choukana ho jaayenge

CID: and shayad plan prepone bhi kar de

Rathore: hume Sikandar aur bombs dono ko saath mein handle karna hoga otherwise it’s impossible

Vikram: isliye tum sab ko ikatha kiya hai. I need people who I can trust in-charge. Obviously local police ka support tum logon ko rahega lekin coordination karna tum logon ka kaam hoga

Rathore: aur ek aur baat, media. Hum jaise hi local police ko involve karenge, media mein baat zaroor leak ho jaayegi ki humari koi drill chal rahi hai

Vikram groaned.

Rishab: hume kuch aisa karna hoga ki media chup rahe ya fir distracted

A CID officer rolled his eyes: and we know woh kitna chup rahegi

R&AW: distraction hum log kar lenge woh bhi aisa ki hum thodi general security badha sakte hai. local police ko hum situation nahi batayenge till the main day when we have to execute.

Vikram: hmm, that sounds good lekin tum log karoge kya?

She smirked and said: hum R&AW hai, humare paas har insaan ki kaali kartoot ki files hai. pichle saal Latur ki sugar factories mein scam hua tha, aur humare pyaare se agricultural minister usmein involved hai. bas info leak karni hai

Crime Branch: lekin aise mein toh political pressure bad jaayega hum sab par, bhale hi tum log uske bina kaam kar sako lekin police department ki working par zaroor asar padega

R&AW: home ministry ko pehle se hi inform kar denge

Arjun(angrily): and sab khatam hone ke baad woh minister ye bol ke chut jaayega ki usne humari help ki

R&AW: woh toh waise bhi chut jaayega, is desh mein kab ministers ko saza hoti hai? zyaada se zyaada jail ke VIP section mein rahega kuch mahine, fir heart problem, waha se hospital, fir human rights waale use ghar pahuncha denge

Vikram rolled his eyes. As much as they hated the system, it was true. Arjun shook his head.

Rishab: hm, power waale toh interfere nahi karenge lekin opposition ka kya? Kisine sarkar giraane ke liye dange shuru karwa diye toh?

Riya: hum progressively kar sakte hai taaki un logon ko kuch react karne ka time hi na mile. 4 din baad attack hai. Aaj Thursday hai matlab Tuesday ko attack hai. Hum do din baad, scam ki news leak kar sakte hai aur fir Monday ko unhe arrest karenge. Opposition waalon ko bhi ulti-seedhi planning karne ke liye thoda time toh chahiye. Home ministry se kahenge ki woh media se kahe ki woh is maamle mein press ko apna statement Tuesday shaam ko denge. Tab tak toh woh log sirf news channel debates mein khush rahenge. Fir Tuesday ko toh hume humara kaam karna hai, usi scheduled press meeting mein woh briefing de sakte hai attack ke baare mein

Rishab stared at her for a second: tum bilcul Rajiv ke jaise baat karti ho

Riya flushed: oh (lowering her gaze) thank you

Vikram: hm, ye idea acha hai. toh ek problem toh solve ho gayi ab plan of action ki baari

CID: Sikandar aur 99 bombs, hum shehar ko divide kar sakte hai bombs ke baare mein pata karne ke liye

Crime branch: fir bhi itne bade shehar mein kaise dhundhenge?

ATS: sabse pehle hume potential targets ki list nikalni hogi but be very well assured ki dusri bahot saari jagah target par ho sakti hai

Vikram: right, Sikandar ki side par ETF kaam karegi, R&AW will have good intelligence for you guys, tum log aasani se us par dhava bol sakte ho

Rathore: nahi!

Arjun glared at him while Riya looked in worry.

Rathore: sir, ye bevkufi hai. Goa ke aadhe log mujhe aur Rawte ko pehchante hai including Sikandar ke admi! Humara waha jaana matlab use immediately pata chal jaayega

Vikram: tum log Monday raat ko nikloge aur Tuesday ko attack karoge toh use pata nahi chalega

Arjun: aur Sikandar ke paas admiyon ki kami hai, jo hai woh bhi zyaadatar Mumbai mein hai. His fortress is weak!

Vikram: correct, bhale hi woh tum logon ko jaanta hai lekin Arjun ne hi pichli baar uski gang udayi thi, woh kab kaise move karte hai ye sirf woh jaanta hai so obviously tum log waha jaoge

Rathore sighed. Sending up a silent prayer, he agreed.

Vikram: ATS aur R&AW sleeper cells ke baare mein pata kar sakte hai, Crime Branch aur CID explosives ko trace karne ki koshish karegi. On D-Day, tum chaaron ko bombs plant hone se rokne hai nahi toh fatne se rokne hai.

R&AW: tab tak hum Sikandar ke baare mein pata karte hai aur media ko sambhalte hai, baakhi sab targets identify karenge aur jitni ho sake utni intel gather karke unhe confirm karne ki koshish karenge

Vikram nodded: ha, tum logon ka base of operation tumhare offices hi honge, roz-roz tum sabka yaha aana media ko khatak sakta hai

R&AW: ha Tuesday ke liye, hum ek safe house arrange karenge. Waha aap sab ke technical workers hum sabko coordinate karenge. Apart from that, hum yahase nikal ne ke baad aap sabko ek joint database ki link bhejenge jaha par hum saari teams apni information update kar sakenge, we don’t want miscommunications and double work. Your tech departments can handle that

Vikram: aur main home ministry se baat karta hun

R&AW: na maane toh humse kehna, humare paas aur bhi files hai

Vikram chuckled: sure

Rishab: sounds perfect (rolling his eyes) dekhte hai execute hote waqt kaisa hota hai

CID: bas ek cheez baakhi hai

Vikram: kya?

CID: Is operation ka naam

Vikram smiled: oh ha

The R&AW officer smirked: Operation Sugar Fire

A few others giggle in agreement.

Vikram: ok boys!

All the women collectively glared at him.

Vikram gulped in fear: and girls... any questions?! (silence) ok then, dismissed!! Arjun stay back

He waited till the others left.

Vikram: Riya?

Arjun sighed: usne kaha ki woh baad mein batayegi

Vikram: lekin woh gayi kaha thi? Aur usne mera naam kyun liya?

Arjun shrugged.

Vikram squints at him: tumhe pucha nahi?

Arjun: pucha tha

Vikram: usne kya kaha?

Arjun: thoda kaha, thoda baad mein

Vikram: aur tumne jaane diya? pata nahi karoge bahar se?

Arjun softened: nahi, mujhe us par bharosa hai

Vikram glared: tum mujhe puri baat bataoge?

Arjun: aap usse dur rahiye! Jayiye jaa kar home minister se baat kijiye!

Before Vikram could say anything else, he left.

Vikram mv “kya admi hai? itni baar bola ki main uski side par hun fir bhi possessive hota rehta hai. Riya kuch bata kyun nahi rahi? (he sighed) I hope tum dono safe raho.”

He fished out his phone to get an urgent appointment with the minister………………………..