An ETF Case SS.- Last Part: Pg 22 - Page 4

PART 2:

Sakshi and Aisha were already at the office talking over a cup of coffee.

Sa: yaar, ye Liza kab wapas ayega? Jabhi koi leave lethe hai na, I miss them terribly.

Ai: missing... Ya jalan...

Sa: infact dono...

They smiled and continued their talks.

Ai: aur ye Sree kaha gaya? Wo tho late nahi hotha hai.

Sa: shayad traffic me phas gaya hoga.

Chotu also joins them with a cup of coffee.

Sa: oye Chotu, Sree kaha hai?

Ch: Sree mere beta thode na hai... aajayega...

Sa: ohk...

Arjun reaches the office and walks in. His eyes naturally darted to a closed cabin. It's closed for some time now. He didn't like it even a bit.

He abruptly took off his eyes and walked in. He found Sree's area empty too. That never happened before. Sree was always on time and used to be there checking any new updates and informing it to him.

"maybe with the gang" he thought.

He looked over to the hall, where they sat sipping coffee and chatting. Aisha saw him and poked others. They were soon in their way to the hall.

They got in and settled with a good morning.

Ar: any updates?

Ai: nothing special sir. kal ka case ke paper works ho chuka hai. aur koi naye case abhi thak nahi aya hai.

He looks at the file. "Sree kaha hai?"

Ch: abhi thak nahi aya sir.

Ar: kyu?

Ch: um. Patha nahi. I'll call him.

He tries his phone. Its ringing but none picked it.

Ch: sir, call nahi utha raha hai.

Sa: maybe he is stuck in traffic.

Ar: hm... Chotu try to contact him.

Ch: yes sir.

He goes out trying the phone.

Ar: Sakshi, pichle case me jo materials tum mujhe diya tha, I would like to see it again.

Sa: ok. I'll bring it.

She goes to her cabin and collects material. An officer comes over there and hands over a letter for her. She wonders who had sent it as there was no sender's name.

She opened it and gasped. There was a photograph. It was taken from a distance, but the precision was good. It showed her father on his bed. She was so worried to see the pic.

Why would anyone take such a pic and send her? She was worried. She called Mr. Pradhan, the head of the security in charge for her dad.

Mr. Anand, a well known ex-IAS officer was hit with a fate that made him bed ridden for years together. He was her support and now he was in bed, unable to move or respond. Its almost 3 years now that he was in coma. Being a part of the government's best official; he was always at the gun point many a times. But his honest activities lead him to this fate. He was given the best possible security and treatment and each day she passed with the hope that he would wake up soon.

Pradhan took the call.

Sa: hello uncle, its me Sakshi.

Pr: ha bolo beta. Kaise ho?

Sa: uncle, dad kaise hai? everything alright?

Pr: haan. He is fine. mien yahi hu, apke ghar. Kya hua? You sound tensed.

She informs him about the pic.

Pr: ye kaise mazak hai. don't worry, beta. I'll ask my boys to search the surroundings. Trust me, apke dad ko kuch nahi hoga.

Sa: I trust you uncle. Mien bas thodi dar gayi thi.

Pr: its ok beta. Send me the copy of that pic. I'll see to it. and don't worry.

She takes a pic of it and sends an MMS to him. She was wondering if should inform the matter to someone. First of all, she had never said about her dad to anyone. So where should she start?

Suddenly Chotu came that way. "Sakshi, chal... jaldi"

Sa: kya hua?

He didn't answer and rushed out of the hall. She followed him, keeping the pic safe in her bag. The whole team was moving out.

Meanwhile inside the hall:

Ch: sir, Sree call pick nahi kar raha.

Ar: Aisha, trace his call.

Within minutes she came back. "Sir, Sree ka phone uske ghar pe hi hai"

Ar: its high time that he come back. Aur wo apne phone ghar pe nahi bhool saktha. Lets check him.

They left the hall and Chotu asked Sakshi to follow them.

Sree's home:

They reached his home. Arjun went to the door and checked. It was not locked, that already gave him negative vibes. They walked in. Everything seemed alright, except that Sree was not there. His phone, bag and gun were safely placed on the table.

Ch: gun aur bag yaha table pe? He never keeps it here.

Ar: Search inside.

They reached to his bedroom.

Sa:Arjun...

She pointed to the wall.

"Just a beginning..."

Someone had painted it over there. They knew they were late.

Ai: iske matlab...

Ar: someone took him from here. No sign of violence. Matlab, wo already yaha tha.

Ch: par kaun hosaktha hai?

Ar: jo bhi hai, bohot bada panga liya hai. I won't spare him. Chotu, Aisha, search around. Kuch tho milega.

They search around. They could see the temper in his eyes. And all were worried about Sree.

Ch: I hope wo teekh hai.

Sa: don't worry, he will be fine.

Ar: Sree yaha kuch tho rakha hoga, burgler alarm jaisa. He wont keep his home as simple as this.

They search and find his apparatus. Someone had already seen to it. It was completely destroyed.

Ar:koi bada khel khela hai. kuch tho hai jo hamare nazar me nahi aya hai.

They search for a while and goes back, with the video feeds available.

***

Same time Sree wakes up. He was still feeling dizzy. His head hurt a lot. Last thing he could remember was getting to his home. A day of work was too tiring, that he had even skipped his dinner to reach home. Everything was smooth till he entered home. But then someone placed a towel on his nose from behind. He could smell chloroform. He tried to struggle, but in vain. Someone was too strong. He fell on the ground and hit his head on the edge of the table. And everything went blank.

He tried to look around. It was all dark. Nothing could be seen. Slowly his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He could only tell that he was in a room, but no window. There was air circulation, maybe he was in some basement. He tried to move, but he was tied to a chair. His head felt heavier and slowly he fell dizzy.

***

The team analyzed the video. It had stopped at 8 pm. Maybe that was the time when someone had entered Sree's home. He should be real good. Else it would have been tough to work on Sree's apparatus. But who??

Aisha had a call and moved aside of the hall. She looked a bit tensed.

Ai: Mom... please..relax. mujhe kuch nahi hua. Kisine aapko darane ke koshish ki hai... listen please... I am fine... Maa, I'm in between a very important case. I'll call you back. And don't worry. I. AM. FINE.

She turned back to them.

Ch: Kya hua?

Ai: kisine ghar pe ek letter bheji hai. ke mere jaan ko katra hai. Aur mom bohot dar gayi hai, dad already operation ke baad rest me hai na.so she cant tell him. tho mujhe call kiya.

Ar: letter kisne likha, ye patha hai?

Ai: nahi sir, koi address nahi hai. it may be a prank.

Sa: it may not be...

All looked at Sakshi, who was literally shocked.

Ai: kya hua Sakshi? You look really tensed.

Sa: wo... wo...

Ar: bolo, kya hua?

Sa: aaj sabere mujhe bhi ek latter mila...

Ar:WHAT?? Aur tum abhi keh rahi ho?

Sa: thab Sree ke baath leke sab tensed the. isliye nahi bathaya.

Ar: damn... dikhao..

She opens her bag to take the letter, and an officer comes in.

Off: Sir, aapke liye ek letter choda hai.security ke paas. Ek lady, burkha me ayi thi, aur kaha ke aapke informer hai. aur ye letter Sree Sir se related hai.

Arjun takes the letter. "ye kaunsa informer hai?"

He opens and finds a CD. "Aisha..."

She plays the video. It showed a room. A chair and... Sree was tied onto it... he was unconscious.