SS2 (V) - Pg 9 Updated Oct 23 - Page 6

When Aryan entered the cabin he glanced at Dipika and was not surprised to see her surprised wondering….. He knew it was not only the information Peter had given them but Peter himself who had caused the reaction….

Aryan: (Smiling a little) Strange hunh?❓

Dipika: (Glancing at him) Weird!!! Kabhi nahi socha tha…. Vo…. Uska kaam… Aur iska ye roop…. Really weird!

Aryan: (Shrugging his shoulders) Human!😕

Boxer: Lekin hume to problem me daal ke gaya…. Looks like Suman did plan a kidnapping…. And if this is true… With her dead, how do we find Niyati?

Dipika's eyes found Aryan's and both had the same concern….😒

Dipika: Suman ne plan zaroor kiya tha, lekin vo use akele nahi kar sakti thi… She needed help… Isiliye to usne Peter se madad maangi… Aur kidnap ke reports se pata chalta hai she had alibi, when Niyati was kidnapped...

Aryan: Haan… Peter ne mana kar diya, lekin iska ye matlab nahi ki usne kisi aur ko isme shaamil nahi kiya ho…. Aur to Peter ne kaha that ki Bobby ka naam lete hi Suman bahut dar gayi thi… Phir kuch dinon ke baad hi vo jaake Bobby se jail me kyun mili thi?

Boxer: Kaheen Bobby se vo is plan ke baare me baat karne nahi gayi?❓

Dipika:(Disbelievingly) After all he did to her and who still scared the living hell out of her?!😵

Aryan: (Thinking🤔) True… Then why did she go to meet Bobby after all this?

Boxer: Dead end again?

Dipika: Hume Vishal ko batana chahiye Suman aur Peter ke conversation ke baare me… We should send him a copy of the interrogation CD…

Boxer: (Glancing outside) Zubin hai… Main ussse keh deta hoon CD ko Vishal tak pahooncha de… (Looking at the watch) He should be at his office… Call karke pooch lete hain…

All this while Aryan had been deep in thought… This case was going round and round in circles… There was no positive lead, no proper witness… How do they narrow the suspect?

Aryan: I think we should look at the details again… First list down all people Suman had contact with… Not only Suman but Bobby and Niyati also… Sabke naam list karke, usme se start karte hain… Next would be motive…. Motive ko narrow kar dein to zaroor hume gunegaar pata chal jayega…

Dipika: Haan approach sahi hai… Lekin kal aaj nahi… Time dekha hai?❓

Aryan glanced at the watch and at her… Of course… It had become night…. And they didn't even realize it…. How fast the time had flown?

Come to think of it, she was talking to him normally… Which means did she forget what had happened? Was she back to her usual self?😛

Boxer: Haan mujhe bhi nikalna chahiye… Haseena will be waiting…

Dipika: (Packing her laptop) Waise Boxer Haseena ki tabiyat kaisi hai? Last checkup kaise gaya?

Boxer: (A fond smile forming on his face😳) Wonderful… Babies are fine… Sandhya ne delivery ka ek tentative date diya hai… After another month she can confirm… Koi complications nahi hai…

Dipika: (Walking to the door, smiling😊) Very good… Matlab vo bahut perfect health me hai… Aise samay man aur tan dono ka khayal rakhna hai…

As Boxer nodded approvingly she stopped at the door…

Hesitating a little she turned around and noticed Aryan looking at her…

Dipika: Ghar jaa rahe ho?❓

He didn't react for a while, but seeing that she was waiting for his response he merely shrugged his shoulders mumbling something unintelligible…

Dipika: (Exasperated at his reaction, said sternly) Ghar jaa rahe ho!

This time it was not a question… But a statement…. Rather an order…

Aryan: (His mouth twitching a little😉) Alright! Thodi der me…

As Dipika looked at him disbelievingly Boxer said hastily…

Boxer: I will take him with him… Main dekhoonga ki vo office chodta hai…

Dipika glanced at Boxer smiling thankfully…. Without another backward glance she left the cabin and the office… Her heart had so much wanted to look back….. To wish him good night…

But….

She needed time to slow down…. Everything was going too fast for her own good… Just yesterday it seemed like they were together… Today again they were far… Too much good in too little time…😔

Aryan walked to the parking lot with Boxer…. He didn't like it the least… She didn't say good night…. He didn't say good night…. And a good night which he would not have said in the normal way, if they were not far like this… Not just words…

He shook his head thinking at the abrupt dismissal of day… Why was she so confused? He knew what he did with Rakesh was not correct… But it was not totally wrong either… She had seen him like this before… She had been angry with him for his behavior… But she had never reacted like this… Been away from him…😒 Of course she had been angry... But she had shown her anger outward, never like this, been just professional...

He had to talk to her… Make her understand…. And understand himself…😕

Vishal walked absent minded into the CBI office…😕

How he had driven to the office? No idea…

Parked the car? No idea….

Walked inside? No idea…

But his deep thoughts were brought to a stump when he bumped into a group of people leaving the building… Startled he looked up and stumbled backwards few steps…😲

He saw a surprised, eyebrows raised face studying him curiously… The owner of the face was surrounded by a group of people…. One carrying his briefcase and coat, two other carrying files and they had apparently been in discussion… And the group had a stunned, almost eyes popping out expressions on their faces….😵

Seeing who he had bumped into, Vishal stuttered…

Vishal: I… I… So...

The owner of the face cleared his throat loudly and Vishal stopped abruptly… He knew well enough that clearing of throat meant, he was not pleased and Vishal was not to continue…

The man turned to his assistants… Taking the coat alone he said….

Man: (In a surprisingly deep and strong voice for his age) Keep them in the car! (Turning to the other men) We will discuss it tomorrow!

One curt nod and the group scattered leaving the man and Vishal alone in the wooden paneled lobby…

The man observed Vishal who had his head bent refusing to look at those piercing eyes… The shrewd eyes through gold rimmed glasses kept the gaze fixed on Vishal who had the feeling he was been x-rayed… He always had this feeling with this man… He could never escape from those piercing needle eyes…

The man shook his head disapprovingly….😒

Man: Come!

The man turned and walked back briskly… He climbed three stairs… Walked along a long corridor and reached the door at the far end… Removing a set of keys from his coat pocket he opened his door…

All the while Vishal had walked meekly behind the man not uttering a single word, nor even daring to breathe heavily lest he was heard….😕

Closing the door behind him the man went over to his desk… He put his coat on the back of the chair…. Pushed the glasses up his lightly balding head…. Picked the phone and dialed intercom…

Man: Shyam?

...

Man: Pantry khula hai?

………

Man: Thank you! Do chai bhejhna… (Glancing at Vishal) Aur ek separate flask me, bade waale flask me bhi bharke bhejhna…. Khane ko kuch hai?

………

Man: (Thinking🤔) Do sandwich aur do biscuit packets!

………

Man: (Smiling😊) Haan humara to hamesha der raat ka kaam hota hi to hai…

He put down his phone in the same style he had picked it and turned around… Folding his arms across his chest he glared at Vishal… Pointing to the sofa seat opposite his desk….

Man: Sit!

Vishal obeyed without a word and without a glance at the man… The man sat opposite to him in the other single sofa seat…

Man: Straight!

Vishal who had sat hunched back straightened his spine but still didn't look up…

Man: Look!

And this Vishal was not sure how he was going to obey… But he had to… He had never… Ever disobeyed a direct order from this man…. Taking a deep breath he looked up finally at the epitome of perfectness in front of him… The epitome of style…

The one and only man who could ever control Vishal in the CBI… The only man he ever respected and trusted so much that he had never once questioned him or his actions or his decisions ever in his life… Even if they were made for him...👍🏼

The man who was responsible for what he was today… The man who had been the backbone of his career… The man who in turn trusted and respected Vishal… The man who considered him very near to a son….😳

Vishal's professional role model… His professional father…

Harish Raghavan!!!!!!!

The deputy director of CBI… Vishal's mentor!

When Vishal had joined the police force, he was as carefree as every other young man roaming the country… He had not given much thought about what he was going to do with the power he had as a police officer… Of course his intentions were definitely to serve his country… But exactly what he was going to do out of the way to make a difference? He had never given much thought…

One of his daredevil expeditions in the police department had brought him to Harish's notice… He was not the deputy director then… Just another high officer in command… In charge of a branch of covert operations CBI handled… He had studied Vishal's excellent academic records, his service duty and recruited him in the CBI… And since then there was no turning back…⭐️

Vishal's existence was not known in CBI until two years back… Reason… The covert operations Vishal was assigned…. Courtesy… Harish…

The operations Vishal handled were very secretive in nature that very very few in the CBI office knew its existence… Certain operation details were not even disclosed to the director of CBI, though the director and deputy director knew about the existence of such operations…

It was under him that Vishal studied his career…. Knew what he was… Knew what he could… Knew what he had to do… During Vishal's absence undercover, Harish was the only person who could find him if required… And he was the one who had signed for Haseena to be Vishal's personal assistant…

And these details none in the CBI knew… Even Haseena didn't know that Vishal and Harish were close… In the CBI division, they knew Vishal and Harish were on speaking terms, but never knew to what extent… Because both of them knew well not to disclose the nature of their relationship in public…. If they could help it…

Vishal looked at him and was not surprised to see that Harish was not looking back at him but was browsing a magazine, the glasses perched on the tip of his nose…

Harish's police records were impeccable…. No one could find any black mark in his career… Many had tried to taint of course…. But that had made him yet more stronger… More fearsome…. Because he had the tendency to give back to people ten times what he received… No one tried to mess with him… Of course his fearsome demeanor existed only outside this office cabin… Towards his enemies…. But with his sub-ordinates he was the best boss one could find!!!!

Tall, almost the same height as Vishal… A little balding… Streaks of grey hair making him look more elegant… He was a native from South India... He had removed his coat and tie…. But when he wore them and walked the corridor with his gleaming flat edged shoes…. Everyone definitely looked at him in awe….👍🏼

Meritorious awards would have decorated a full wall of this office…. But they were all locked up at his home, in a wooden cupboard…. He didn't consider them as decors to show off or things that should be seen often… He often said and believed that they would one day take over your head….⭐️

You had a power and you should yield it…. You should control it and get it to do the best you can get it to do….

Misuse… Hate would be a lesser word to describe his feelings against it…. He literally loathed it!🤢

Harish: (Chuckling turning a page😆) Today's fashion… Look at the dress this guy's wearing Vishal… Oh ho… Aaj kal be bachche bhi naa… I never understand… (Looking up at Vishal smiling😊) My grandson… He is like this… Very fashion statement… Humare zamane me to ladkiyan hi in sab me dhyaan deti thein… But of course it has helped you many a times to disguise yourself….

Vishal just gave a feeble smile but didn't reply anything… Harish looked at him for a while and went back to his magazine browsing all the while talking….

Harish: Sara has been asking about you!

This time Vishal reacted and looking at him said…

Vishal: Sara sir? How is she?❓

Harish: (Smiling😉) Oh finally you decided to talk?❓

Vishal slight smile vanished and he became sober again but Harish continued as if not noticing anything….

Harish: Well she is fine! Bahar ka kaam karte karte ab humare ghar ko bhi nahi chod rahi hai and her mother is not pleased… (Chuckling) Mother and daughter are bickering over it…. But you know Paro… She doesn't like change… Sara was saying that if Vishal was there you would have convinced her!

Vishal smiled… 😛 More than family…. Harish's family knew him very well with the countless times he had visited them at home… But all they knew was Vishal worked with Harish…. Nature of work…. No one knew…. And he considered Sara to be near as sister….

Harish was blessed with two children… Elder daughter Saraswathi, married to a famous business man, mother of a handsome son, aged five… Second son Ritvik had done his masters in computers in UK and was now running his own private computer firm…👏

Just then there was a knock on the door... After Harish announced permission to enter the pantry boy came in with the refreshments…

Harish: Ah Shyam! Thank you!😛

Shyam nodded to both of them and left the room…

Vishal and Harish had spent countless times in this office, during night hours… Hours when they were planning missions…. It had to be the nights because they could exchange data without anyone been aware….

Harish poured two cups of tea and extended one to Vishal…. Vishal looked at the cup but didn't take it…. Moving it closer to Vishal Harish said…

Harish: Have you ever won an argument with me? 🤔 (Thinking) Except on cases?

Vishal: (Immediately) No sir!😕

And silently Vishal took the cup… He didn't drink it immediately… There was a loud clunk which suggested Harish had kept his cup forcefully on the table and this was his cue… Silently Vishal took a sip of the tea and he was surprised how he felt…. This was Harish's favorite blend… The pantry knew what type to get him… A pinch of the right amount of chai masala with ginger and he always had doubts that it also contained a spoon of green tea leaves, which gave it a strong flavor…Anyways…. It was refreshing… His mind cleared… The fuzziness he had felt since evening vanished and finally he managed to look up with a clear gaze at Harish….😎

Harish was looking at him smiling, leaning back in the sofa, hands rested on the sofa's hand rest and fingers intertwined…. He knew…. He understood his protegee…. He was smart, intelligent and one of efficient, best of efficient officers he had met in the life time…. But one small thing he always needed was…. The push… If things didn't go proper he became restless…. Finally he would however get what he wanted, but he would not have the confidence all the while… Would make mistakes arriving at the right solution, very late…. Which was the case now…😔

Since the kidnap case was given to him, he was not his self…. Harish knew that where women and children were concerned Vishal wanted immediate answers…. And this time answers were getting delayed which was not his style… If the case was given to him at the start Harish knew by now the girl would be sleeping peacefully at her home…. But the metro police department had blundered because of which they were behind time….

He waited patiently till Vishal finished his tea and had kept the cup down…

Vishal: You always know sir!😳

Harish just gave a small nod and shrug….

Harish: Of course… Other wise I wouldn't have given the case to you!

Immediately Vishal's face clouded and and agitation returned to his face…. Harish's face also darkened…. If Vishal was worried, there was definitely something to worry about….

Harish: Speak!

It was as if this was what Vishal was waiting for… He poured everything…. Every detail about Niyati he had gathered…. Every detail about the twin murders…. His worries that there was something he was missing… And above all, that he was no where near to finding the girl!!!

It went on for the next fifteen minutes…. Details about the cases… And his emotions….

Harish listened patiently and after Vishal finished…

Harish: You have done very well Vishal!👍🏼

As Vishal opened his mouth to counter him Harish shook his head and stood up… Walking around…

Harish: You have really done very well… Your Special Squad buddies too… This is a really good progress… But maybe we should look at a different angle now…

Vishal: We are sure there is some link definitely missing here…. Assuming Suman was responsible for Niyati's kidnap…. Now she is no more… Meaning whoever murdered Suman might have Niyati… It is also possible that the person who killed Suman didn't actually know she really had Niyati… Again assuming… First we need to remove this suspicion….😕

Harish just looked on and Vishal continued…..

Vishal: Sir… Assuming this, but unless we know who murdered Suman we can never find Niyati… But then it might become very late…. That girl would now be alone with no one to take care of her, with Suman gone… And seeing Suman's history we doubt she would have had an accomplice to achieve this…😔

Harish: (Thoughtfully) Okay…🤔

Vishal continued….

Vishal: Of course this angle will be cleared once Suman's murderer is found… On which the Special Squad team is working… We have to leave this to them… I needn't tell them to rush things on this case… They know sir…. Everyone there is worried about Niyati too…

Harish: Parents?❓

Vishal: I am not entirely sure the parents have got anything to do with the kidnapping… After all the custody case is still in the court…. But we did receive the kidnap call… Both parents seem to be distraught… (Added as an after though) Of course they could be acting… But they didn't seem have done anything… Vasundhara and Rakesh's phones are been monitored… Vasundhara's house is under surveillance… Aryan has Rakesh been followed… They didn't contact anyone….

Harish: Relatives?❓

Vishal: No sir… They do not have anyone close… Distant relatives who are geographically also distant….

Harish walked around the room thinking… This was confusing… Generally kidnapping was always done by familiar people… And two thirds of kidnap cases were done by blood relatives…. Very rich people's kids were the only exceptions where they were genuinely kidnapped for money… But in such cases the kidnappers would call immediately and try to get their money as soon as possible… Not wait for so long…

Waiting for so long to even make the call was creating suspicions….

Harish: (Turning to Vishal) You are not on the field… Outside… You have something on your mind!

This was not a question… But a statement…😊

Vishal: (Standing up) I was thinking about looking up at old kidnap cases with similar patterns sir…. Find out anything common…

Harish: That's a wonderful idea… You are doing good… (Casually) So why this worry?❓

Vishal: (Subdued voice😕) Hope it is not too late sir… With Suman dead and not exactly knowing whether she was responsible… I…

Harish: (Standing face to face with Vishal and looking straight into his eyes) Believe in yourself… That girl is alright… We got a call… It says definitely she is fine… Otherwise no one would make the call…. You are going in the right direction… You have something to work on… And I have full faith in you… Stop thinking about anyone else… Think out of the box… Come out of the case… Try to look it from a third person's view… Observer… Only observe…. Don't get involved… You will find what you want!👏

If one thing Vishal knew about Harish was, he was truthful… This meant his words were not mere mutterings… But belief and strong faith…. As this feeling washed over him his face cleared...😛

Harish: (Smiling😊) Good! Need any help? I can stay back…

Vishal: No sir… I can manage… I know before tomorrow I will find the answers….

Harish nodded encouragingly and clapped Vishal on his shoulders…

Harish: Go on! (Indicating the flask) You have a long night… Take the tray!

Vishal nodded and carried the tray… Harish grabbed his coat and came behind him locking the door… Together they walked back down the corridor….

At the second floor landing…

Vishal: Thank you sir!!😊

Harish: (Climbing down the stairs) Be sure to call home and inform them you are spending the night at office…

Saying Harish bade bye backwards and disappeared from view…

Vishal smiled… There was not much they had talked… Or rather Harish had talked… Mostly they had just been together, each silent spectator when the other was talking… But that had done the magic…. His mentor always had that flair to make him feel at ease… Ease his bodily and mind pain without any physical massage… He turned right to go to his office… Placing the tray in his office he went to the evidence locker in the ground floor, at the back of the building… Signing in at the security desk, he collected all the kidnap cases from last five years and returned to his office…

He remembered to message his mother that he would be staying late in office!😳

He put in all the CDs of the interrogations and kidnaps' calls… Copied them into this system… Put the interrogation CD of Peter that Boxer had delivered to his office and last Niyati's kidnap call….😕

Once that was done… He let them play it continuously and walked around the room… Pouring a cup of tea, he picked the topmost case file and opened it… As the tape played in the background he read the case details…. Occasionally having a bite, a drink…

The nature of the case…. Kidnap was new to Vishal… He had assisted many such cases before, but he had never handled one separately… So he never knew how a police man's mind would or should work in these situations…. But there was always a first time….👍🏼

This might suggest why he was not able to point the correct direction immediately… But reading the case files and listening to the tapes was giving him experience equivalent to that of handling all the cases!!!!⭐️

As the night grew dark the light inside the room sharpened!!!!😳