O N E: Innocent

5 years ago

-Grace-

@-Grace-

CHAPTER ONE

Innocent

CIA Headquarters Langley, Virginia

He slowly caressed the pencil in his hands that rested on the huge red stained maple in front of him, while he stared at the carpeted floor at the end of the room, with a lowered gaze.

Taking in the natural cold metallic scent of the Head Quarters mixed with his own woody cologne he sighed closing his eyes.

"You cannot always do what you want!" her eyes gleamed at Vivan 

"yes I can! I am your husband! And you will do exactly as I tell you to!"

"don't you even dare to raise your voice in front of me"

"Shut the hell up!" he yelled as he moved towards her through the mess scattered on the floor.

She fell against the wall and blood started to flow from her forehead, she instantly fell unconscious and the little Vivan left the room in agony.

He cried as his innocent brain could not digest the violence his eyes were witnessing. He hugged his teddy bear tight and closed  his eyes shut in an attempt to block all the chaos.

He opened his eyes and exhaled deeply as he felt a heavy burden on his heart, a sudden unease. Glistening fresh sweat started to appear on his temples despite the coolness of the air conditioned room.  

He looked at his surroundings and realized the sudden decrease in the hustle bustle of the office. The eagle clock on the opposite wall  read 11 pm.

Another day he had overworked, another day he had stayed late. Everyone else had left to their homes, to their awaiting families. He laughed to himself, who did he have to get back to? No one was waiting for him.  Did he even have a home? Or was it a mere bricked shelter?

The questions were endless and answers unfounded. 

He opened his laptop for some last minute wrap up and saw a popup informing him of a new email in his inbox.

Sir,

I have just received the transfer details of the new officer who will be joining us in two days from Washington. The details are attached. 

Best,

Caleb. 

p.s. I know you are still at work, do me a favor and leave for home. 

He smiled. Despite the professional relationship they had shared Vivan had found a sincere friend in Rohan. A refuge of sorts. It was funny the way he obliged him in the first part of the email, and instantly ordered him near the end.

Sadly reality did not only revolve around such simplicity. Life was a gift or curse, perhaps it was a mystery and the beauty of it lied in remaining one. 

He closed his laptop, placed it inside its carrier and grabbing his coat and keys Vivan made his way towards his Porsche in the secluded reserved parking.

*********

The chilly winds of Washington swished and swashed against his clean shaven cheeks.

His eyes narrowed as he took a sip of his steaming hot coffee and stared into the crowds of the city.

"I cannot teach these buffoons!" fumed the Mastersahib as he flared his nostrils and his  traditional mustache remained firm like always. He grabbed his black leather wristlet and jumped on his bicycle as he fixed his turban and strode away.

"Mastersahibbb mastersahibb" Amma called after him with an outstretched arm as she walked fast after the mastersahib, making sure her head scarf didn't fall.

As the mastersahib disappeared from sight, she turned to the two giggling boys and placed her hands on her hips as she gave them "the glare '' demanding explanations.

The two as usual made an innocent face and held their ears.

"sorry Amma, won't happen again" the two said in unison

Despite the repeated mischief, unable to remain mad at the cutest and the most innocent faces she enveloped Ashar and Apsaar in her arms as a genuine smile appeared on her lips.

The constant ringing of his cell phone brought him out of his reverie and he exhaled as the air left his lungs into the chilly night.

"hello…yeah"

He stared at the half filled mug as he carried a conversation halfheartedly with one of his seniors.

"yeah, ok ..thanks"

He disconnected the call before entering his room and closed the French doors of the balcony behind him.

After some last minute packing he went to bed with a thousand emotions, a gazillion unanswered questions and a few hours of sleep.

The times had been passed, the innocence had been robbed, all there was left was a cruel dark reality. The sooner it was accepted the easier it would become to survive.

In a blink of an eye, Amma's harmless but love filled scolding had turned into strangers' words that were equivalent to a thousand knives, mischief with Apsaar had taken a new turn in the form of loneliness, and mastersahib's temporary anger had turned into a permanent torture by the hands of the world.

*********

"why don't you sit down? Your constant pacing is irritating me" 

She gestured with her hand to make a point, unable to concentrate on the case she was given to study.

"something is wrong, definitely, im sure of it" he continued to pace back and forth, paying no heed to her question, adding on to her confusion and irritation.

"ok whats the matter?" 

Khirad finally gave up on the case she was unable to study due to uninvited annoyance.

"he is hiding something from us, for sure" he finally spilled, to her surprise.

"ohhh so that's what you are worried about" 

She settled back in her leather chair throwing the pencil on the desk that she had been holding.

"don't take it lightly, its not a trivial matter"

An attempt to transfer his curiosity to her.

"relax Rohan, he's not hiding anything, I’m sure it's just the work load" she tried to reason.

"workload?" 

He chuckled at her reason. 

"you know he works more than all of us, and he never gets tired, I think its something personal" 

Rohan, now starting to feeling deeply concerned for his friend looked at Khirad with seriousness. 

"Could be, but its not like he will tell us, has he ever shared any problem from all these years we've known him?" 

She raised an eyebrow as she placed her forearms on the maple desk, her crisp cotton shirt making creases at the back of her elbows.

"True, but I want to know. He should tell us I mean it will only help him, does he not trust us?" 

Rohan finally took seat on one of the sofas. His voice talked of concern and a tinge of hurt for lack of trust. 

"its not about that, you know he trusts us, he considers us his family, you gotta have patience, he will open up when he's ready"

Khirad reassured him in a soft voice being well aware of the complexities of human emotion. 

Deep down she felt the same as Rohan, but she also knew some things were better unknown.

Vivan was that book of secrets, that could be beneficial if opened at the right time, but could be disastrous if exposed at the wrong moment, even if it was in the hands of the right person.

"if you say so" 

He breathed a sigh and got up to leave, the popping questions subsided momentarily at the back of his mind.

"any news on the Washington guy?" 

She looked up from the file as she expressed her curiosity, before he made his exit.  

"you mean the new officer?" 

Rohan turned to her , holding the handle of the dark brown door.

"yes..that.." 

 "yes.. I've got news"

He placed  the palm of the right hand on her desk, while fisting the other one that now rested on his hip. 

Before she lost her calm due to his irritating habits Rohan finally spoke. 

"Officer Ashar Hussain, joining us in two days, coming from Washington, will be working with the executive staff, and will be assisting boss in major cases"

He said in one breath as a matter of fact.

" Interesting" came her reply.

Rohan made an uninterested face and left to resume his pending work.

Even though Khirad had resumed with the case she urgently wanted to work on amidst Rohan's blabber, her mind kept wandering off to that mysterious officer she was to meet in two days. A little voice in the back of her mind firing all kinds of questions about the Washington guy.