PART-4

 

Naina was sitting in her cabin looking into some files. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

"Good morning." It was Huda.

"Hey! Good morning Huda. Akele? Where's Raj?"

"Woh already records room mein pahunch chuka hai with Lieutenant Sharma."

"In that case what are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you. After all you are the boss here."

"Oh! Then let's go."

They left for the records room. As they reached there they saw Rajveer looking into a file and Alekh was checking out file cabinets as if searching something.

"Good morning Raj. Good morning Alekh." She greeted them warmly.

They looked up at her and answered her greetings though not with the same degree of warmth.

"Good morning Ma'am." Alekh answered and returned to his search.

"Naina... I suppose it's not gonna be that good a morning for you."

"Why? Isn't everything going well? I mean... any problem." She looked concerned and traces of worry showed up on her face.

"Looks like."

She turned to Alekh.

"The rifles that we received from the head office last month... We can't locate its file."

"What? How is that possible? Look again Alekh. It must be somewhere here. Aur kahan jaa sakti hai?"

"Naina are you trying to say you have no idea about where that file is?" Huda asked.

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Naina you are the in charge of this base... Remember!"

"Huda please... I am the tentative in charge from last one week. The file was Major Rastogi's responsibility."

"That's exactly the way it is... It WAS his responsibility but right now it is yours."

"Huda... Wait a minute. If it's not here then possibly it's in Major Rastogi's cabin. I'll just check."

"Quickly Captain Singh." Rajveer commanded.

"Sure."

 

Naina left and returned in about 20 minutes.

"I am sorry gentlemen to keep you all waiting. It took longer than what I expected. But here's the file."

She gave it to Rajveer and they checked the file.

"Naina... tentative hi sahi but you are the chief.... In sab cheezon ka tumhein dhyaan rakhna chahiye." Huda sounded concerned.

"I guess you are right." She looked at him apologetically but his reassuring smile made her feel better. A faint smile came on her face.

 

Rajveer and Huda continued looking into the files for around 3 more hours. There was no other problem they faced. It went on smoothly. At the end of 3 hours, they both declared that they were through.

 

Their next destination was The Ammunition Room. Lieutenant Alekh excused himself for some important piece of work while Naina took them there. This time there was no goof up like the last time. They entered inside the room and began the inspection. They carefully examined each and every rifle, guns and other ammunitions. Naina was looking into the register brought in by Subedaar Khan. It had the records of issues made from the ammunition room and also the details of the staff's entry, exit and purpose of entry in the ammunition room. The place wasn't accessible by all and without a legible reason no one without appropriate authority was allowed inside.

 

"Who are the people who have full access to the ammunition room?" Captain Rajveer enquired.

"Duty hours mein Major Rastogi, me, Lieutenant Alekh and Subedaar Khan."

"And off duty?"

"Only Subedaar Khan and otherwise Major Rastogi but these days it's me.... Since we are the only ones in the possession of the keys."

"Whose duty is it to ensure that the arms and ammunitions are in good condition... I mean good working condition." Huda further enquired.

"Subedaar Khan looks after them."

"Then Subedaar Khan, can you please explain me what is this?"

They turned around to look at him and found him with a rusted rifle. Naina rushed to check it.

"How is this possible?" Naina was alarmed.

"Naina I think I should be asking this question and you should be among the one answering it."

"Huda Major Rastogi ne jaane se pehle khud ammunitions ki condition check ki thi. May be isi liye woh file unke room mein thi."

"I hope you realize what you are trying to say. Whatever you said implies that all this happened in your supervision or rather the lack of it." Rajveer said while showing her another rusted rifle.

"I need to see that file again." He added.

"I'll just get it." She said in a depressed tone and left to get the file. She immediately came back with the file and by that time they had found a few more such rifles mixed in the others.

 

Naina was petrified to see that as she returned. She had no explanations for this. Rajveer took the file and checked out something. He showed it to Huda. Their reactions changed in a second.

"I don't think you can say that there is no problem at this base camp. It looks like there is a huge mess around you Captain Naina Singh and how much you already know about it, we'll have to find it out."

 

Rajveer's words sent shivers down her spine. She could not figure out what was happening and how.... or rather why.

 

"What are you talking about?" She had to summon a lot of courage to ask this because she knew the answer is not gonna please her in any case. Her face showed her restlessness and worry. Huda looked straight at her for a while before he finally answered her.

"These are not the rifles which were issued to this base. They should not have been here because they don't belong here. The serial numbers on the rifles don't match with the records produced by you. You are in a big trouble." His voice softened a bit as he said those last words.