New ArHi FF: The Unpardoned - Ch02, Pg 06, 28/04 - Page 4

Originally posted by: jyoti_l

ah ha...he returns...the time has come...

revenge is the game...n it has begun...

continue soon...

thnx for PM...

Yes. The game has just begun. You are welcome for the PM.
EI

Liked it...would love to read how story develops...contnu soon

Hey!!!
Thanks sooo much for the pm
Awesome begining but do you by any chance have AR or ArSh version of it...I don't read Arnav khushi FFs

This seems very interesting. Khushi's character is specially intriguing. Would love to read more. Please do add me to your PM list. Thanks!

Really interesting update.

Originally posted by: EmilyIsaac

Hello Prasanthi,

No one recognizes me as Ling anymore. Thanks for bringing old memories back.
Interesting thought there - what would you call a future where its past is laid out because a specific future is desired? Tell me what you think about this one...

I will update thrice a week which should be a good pace, no?

Thanks for dropping by Prasanthi.
EI

Originally posted by: AngelTeen

Really interesting update.

Arnav's quiet ruthless determination would unsettle the readers, something mirrored in Shankar's character's reaction.

Great job.

And Khushi got introduced too and made an impression.

Very well written. Update soon.

PS - I just got to know you are Ling (from Prasanthi's post) - Man, I loved your Apollonian and Dionysion! It was just so different and fabulous!

Thanks AngelTeen. I am very glad to hear that you remember me as Ling. Arnav's goal is fixed. It's only a matter of time now.

Chapter 2:

"I'll take it." A woman in her late-fifties told the young girl who was holding a ten inch by five inch jewelry case. Other women who were seated in table next to her hung their mouth for a moment forgetting to breathe. That necklace cost a lot. But then again, it was Mrs. Solanki of the Heiwa group of companies. The conglomerate had weaved its web into many industrial domains making them truly diversified.

Mrs. Solanki stood up and nodded at the organizer who was having a private display of classic renaissance jewelry. The organizer rushed towards the woman deep in gratitude and an unexplained, unnecessary apology. Suman Solanki wasn't the kind of woman who was fazed or impressed with this kind of people.

"It wasn't bad," she gave her a nod of approval. The organizer, a woman in her late forties smiled brightly and thanked her over and over. Writers from magazine and the people who covered events such as these, smiled. The organizer knew that her business had just gotten the boom that she had been hoping for. A positive feedback from Mrs. Solanki took one to places.

"Paul, what is Kathy up to?" She asked the man who was walking three steps behind her with folder in his hands. Paul had been with Solankis for three decades and had started working for the family as soon as he had graduated from college. He was their most trusted aid and probably knew everything the family did.

"What kind of trouble is she in again?" She asked walking briskly towards the car. The chauffeur had already had the door open for her and she walked right in without missing a beat. Paul hurried around the car and slipped next to her.

"There was an incident at the club last night. We handled it early this morning," he replied.

"Why wasn't this handled last night itself?" The concern in her voice wasn't for her daughter but for what her daughter represented - the company, the family and everything that they had built in last two decades.

"We got the call a little late ma'am. The inspector in charge arrested the children on spot and took them to the station by the longest route. We came to know about it only two hours later," he replied thumbing through a file.

"What happened to her security detail?" She asked slipping on a pair of sunglasses.

"She gave them a slip after one hour of partying in another club. She along with couple of her friends snuck out and went to this club where she was busted for possession of substance." Paul said. He looked up and saw the woman next to him. In all the years he worked for the family, he had never seen emotion on her face - at least one that would portray what she was exactly feeling. She wore a mask of emotions itself which never truly betrayed what she was really thinking.

"Get her new security detail. Put her in house arrest when she gets sober. The case should be closed and get me Rao." She said tonelessly. Paul immediately dialed a number on his phone and handed it to her.

"Rao, your law firm gets exorbitant amount of money from Heiwa given how you are our primary choice of lawyers. Next time, you better get the case closed within minutes if not seconds. And, I need to know why it took more than five hours to get my daughter out of police station. I need a report in next one hour." Without waiting for a response, she hung up.

*****

The apartment was sparsely furnished and the ambiance was exactly like he preferred - sober and simple. He walked inside his room and looked around. All this clothing were neatly hung in closet and there walls were bare. He didn't like things like paintings or photographs to be hung on the wall. He walked inside the closet and gave it a once over. He had requested his father to alter a part of closet that would be opened with a combination of numbers entered on an electronic pad. He found that electronic keypad when he pulled a thin wooden tray that was hidden under the last row of the shoe rack. He checked his phone for the combination and once reconfirming his memory, he entered the numbers.

The fake wall slid across and the closet lengthened another four feet. Workbench ran across its breath and five boxes were already placed. He removed his jacket, loosened the tie and opened the first box.

After six hours, he had the two decades worth of information on every Solanki up on the wall. At its center were Suman Solanki and her husband - Vikrant Solanki.

*****

"Where the fu*k did this deal go wrong?" Sunil Solanki yelled at the team of men who were supposed to make the deal happen. It was the first time in fifteen years they had failed to renew their most prestigious ammunition deal. In past few years the relationship between Heiwa and DRDO seemed strained though Heiwa had publicly and most vociferously denied the allegation. It wasn't the money that flowed with defense contracts the Solankis were interested in; it was the pride of being associated with the defense as one of the largest ammunition provider to the army and the perks it offered in other areas as well.

Sunil Solanki, thirty seven year old, heir of Heiwa was infamous for his temper. Their homegrown law firm had spent much of their resources in fixing the mess he created during his college days and avoiding slander suits. Defense renewed contract with their primary vendors every three years and for the first time, Vikrant had given Sunil the responsibility to work on the proposal. It was sort of a test to check his ability to lead the company.

And Sunil had mucked it up.

"When we met the lobbyist three weeks ago he said that the renewal was just a formality and the deal was ours," the chief analyst spoke.

"And none of you basta*ds check who else had submitted the tender along with us?" Sunil's temper was rising by the second.

"Sir we checked. None of them came around as potential threat to our tender because this time except for us, there was only one."

"Who is that?" Sunil asked pouring himself a glass of scotch.

"It's not a very old company and was started about eight years ago. They have been providing ammunition in smaller quantities and also do export. They were never in our radar all this while because we never really crossed path. This is the first time they applied tender in this category."

"Who owns this company?"

There was ruffling of papers across the room.

"He is someone by the name Arnav Raizada."

(TBC)

Music Companion: Blowin' in the wind by Peter Paul & Mary

Reserved I am.