kaya SS updated Page 6 part 3...29/july - Page 4

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Ananya parked her two wheeler in her parking and looked at it with a yearning. Someday this place will be a parking for my BMW and that too earned from my own sweat and blood. How romantic does this line seem she thought?

"Abhi Kabeer sir hotey to boltey passena aur khoon romantic tumko hi lag sakta hai." She was giggling at that thought while waiting for the elevator. Which suddenly opened and the watchman looked at her with the same gleam of affection in his eyes that he had held tightly on to for past 8 years.

This family had moved in this awesome 3600 squarefoot apartment in one of the best complexes 20 years ago. Ananya was just five and Armaan was not even born, since then this place has been their safe haven. The only respite she had in past 8 years. Her father Mr Sudhir Kashyap was Director Vigilance at that time. He had disposed of his lands in Kashmir successfully to purchase this flat. Being born with a silver spoon she had never wanted for anything. Her world was perfect, she was an ace student and a daddy's perfect girl. Until her father apparently commited suicide while pursuing the land mafias. She still recalled Kabir was first to write a news piece asking for a CBI probe in this case. He strongly believed that Mr. Kashyap had no reason to end his life. It all started with that article and spiraled upwards till people came out on the streets in support of her father. 8 years back her father's death had led to an India wide march against corruption and political influence on investigations. She still had so many cuttings safely tucked in her fangirl file that Kabir had written about her father. It was that movement that brought justice to her father. Within four years of his murder in this very house, his murderers were handed over a guilty verdict and a lifetime in jail. Then onwards started her affair with journalism and Kabir. She felt her head spin, she had been without food for nearly 12 hours. Sweat had beaded up on her forehead and she patted it with the back of her sleeves and along with it she also successfully removed any trace of wetness from her eyes.

A worried look on her mother's face told her she was in no better state.

"Kya hua phir pareshan arrey main kaam ke liye gayi thi ma" Ananya told her in a tired and exasperated tone. "Kuch khane ko hai kya."

"You freshen up and I will re heat the dinner." Instead of any replying Ananya sat down on the dining table.

"Phir kuch nahi khaya poora din." Anita looked at her with concern and Ananya took out the two wrappers of muesli bars that Anita had forcefully placed in her bag. It was her way of saying thank you for always doing what was right for her. Ananya started gulping down her dinner at an unprecedented speed. She had refused Kabir's dinner proposition because she knew her mom would be waiting for her.

...

KKN was in a state of pandemonium, and worse effected was Khalid. One moment he was excited the other he was scared. Kabir had decided to air the news by 10 AM and had informed the opposition about it. The opposition was ready to take over the assembly session once the news was broken. Khalid had called for Ananya.

"Oh welcome my dear" He enveloped Ananya in a rabbit hug. After all you could not call Khalid a bear.

"Wow that was some welcome."

"And that was some reporting." This came from Kabir

"Thank you."

"You are welcoming me Khalid and I thought that you were looking for my replacement." Ananya said.

"What? Where did you get that notion from?"

"Suna tha kahin kissi roz."

"Galat suna tha. You are our star."

"Stars do fall." Malvika said entering his office.

"I wish you had learnt to knock Malvika."

"Can we start with our meeting Khalid?" She again looked at him totally unaffected by his sarcasm. Kabir ushered all three of them to the main conference hall and began.

"OK so the breaking news at ten AM, we will be covering the PS and HM sending money to CMO for keeping quiet. Ronnie prepare the blinkers. This is just one part of the footage but this is definitely not the nuke I was talking about. The best part is yet to come." Kabir could hardly contain his excitement. He used to say that "Khabarein nasha hai" Ananya could clearly feel him high today. No doubt a good story to him was his own brand of ecstasy (MDMA) and she knew it firsthand that this could be far more lethal than the white powder. She was glad she was the reason behind his bliss today. Little did she know while news gave him unparalleled high Ananya formed his foundation. His very base to stand tall on. Kabir looked at her with such profound pride that Ananya had to lower down her eyes. She crossed her fingers and sent a silent prayer to the lords above that she may always be able to hold his trust and keep it safe.

"We have heard this so many times today Kabir, I only hope your claims do not fall flat on their face." He totally ignored her and her comment, not even deeming it fit for a response.

"The Health Minister has kept locked up in his house a 13 year old girl. She is his play thing. Within the next 20 minutes the police will raid his house and rescue the child, who happens to be his household maid's daughter. Not only that his wife and his own son will be moving out on him. They will become the prime witness and depose against the Minister." Now it was Ananya's turn to be surprised. She had been working on the medical college admission scam for quite sometime. In the course of her research and investigation she found incriminating evidence against the minister and his sinful indulgence with a child. She discussed it with Kabir and he asked her to work on that aspect and unless she is hundred certain she is not supposed to disclose it to any one. Not only certain she would need fool proof evidence to back up her accusations. They were not only grave but also could topple the government entirely. The opposition could bring a no confidence motion. The Supreme court of India could take Suo-motto action. Given the current situation of Judicial activism in its full glory this would be an added feather to their cap. The impact of this story would ruin the family of the health minister perpetually. She needed solid evidence to back up her speculations.

While Ananya was intelligent she was impulsive and emotional and mostly did not follow through with the story to its logical end. She was prone to leaving it with loose ends putting her credibility to question. Ananya had discussed this case solely with Kabir and had worked under his guidance. Ananya along with her stinger and Laxman had carefully casted a trap in the sea with the most luscious baits possible. They had let their phones be tapped by authorities and had used it successfully as a diversion. Never had they discussed the victim in their telephonic conversations. The victim's mother was taken in confidence slowly but surely and was later used to wire the house of the HM. Ananya had also paid the Computer assistants in the health ministry to get the computers of the Health minister wired and shared with the temporary watch out built in the Opposition party head office across the street. The opposition was taken into confidence and given assurance that they would be given whatever evidence would be accrued. In all it was one articulately crafted journalistic expedition that she would always be proud of. Kabir had told her that she would not be openly or covertly given credit for this venture in fact it will be handled by as few people as possible and her name would never be out in the open for her own security. She would only be given the credit for the medical college admission scam nothing more. She knew she could trust him with his life. Ananya was starkly surprised at Kabir's information about HM's wife and son deposing against their patriarch head. What could have brought this change in their attitudes? They were not comfortable with what was going on in their home but they did not protest then what brought them to fore. She will talk about this to Kabir when alone though inherently she had some idea as to what would have happened. She was brought back to the present by Ronnie Kicking her toe.

She looked across her to see Malvika looking at her in utter disbelief.

"Was this all done by her?" There was a lot of disdain in her which Malvika did not care to hide.

"No not by me. I am as surprised by this news as much as you are. I am only responsible for the sting operation at the CMO's house." Ananya very easily ducked to avoid the hit as suggested by Kabir. As of now Kabir and Khalid were the only people in KKN who knew that she was behind procurement and production of both the footages. She casted a furtive glance towards Kabir from under her eyelashes. Her Huge eyelashes that fanned her cheeks were always a good cover to steal a glance every now and then without being noticed. If only she knew what effect this act of her's had on Kabir. If only she knew that he had been aware of these glances even before his soul soaking confession. If only she knew every time she did it Kabir's heart skipped a beat like a teenager. If only she knew it was the incongruity of innocence and sensuality compressed into her female form that at that moment Kabir could think of sin and sin alone. He averted his gaze from her, though he knew she was seeking his approval with those lowered eyelids but for now he needed to grip his sanity tighter.

"This footage was procured by me through a new stinger that I have associated with." Kabir said with a disnctive finality in his tone that marked Ananya's statement as approved. Moreover the world knew that she was at CMO's residence and since Tarini too only had this piece of info, It was clear that Ananya had accomplished this task in total obscurity.

"Ronnie work on the blinkers, Manav you would be presenting this news. Richa go with the OB van to the HM's home to cover the arrest now." Richa exited without much ado. "Saas Bahu and Ranjish will be covered by you along with the weather report." Kabir looked at baby. "Malvika we need a dedicated weather consultant and I need this done asap. We need to make weather reporting more interesting and attention grabbing." He casted a disproving look at baby once again. "I don't appreciate a single minute of prime time being wasted in unnecessary chitter chatter and assuming that our viewers are fools. You and Rohan will be doing a short 20 minute segment today at 4 PM covering child sexual abuse also"

"It is too short a notice to invite the panel or prepare a brief." Malvika protested vehemently

"We don't need a panel. This won't be a debate but it would be a showcase to the level of awareness in people towards child abuse. Would it be difficult Ms. Kashyap for you to come up with the verified statistics relevant to this topic in next couple of hours."

"Absolutely not sir. We are looking at stats for FIRS filed and pursued in such cases. Then charge sheets filed and trials completed and quantum of punishments and acquittals in such cases, then of course the available health stats of such victims. Procuring these data is as easy as it can get from the government departments and various NGOs."

Kabir could not utter a word for nearly half a minute. She was perfect, he finally said

"Precisely perfect. Am I grammatically correct Malvika?" She fixed him with a look that coruscated vengeance and animosity. Kabir took a deep breath and fixed her with a lopsided grin as to say you get this for ruffling my feathers with my dear snack time not so long ago. A statement said and understood very well by both the parties. Such is the impact of both love and repugnance, the parties affected by any of these profound feelings understands the other like a back of the hand. One resulted in complete destruction and pain, while other led to liberation and bliss. Kabir took a deep breath to stabilize him self. Of late he had become a pendulum always achieving peaks of either side of emotions, being forever in state of movement. He needed to achieve peace and it was not possible without having Ananya at his side forever. "Rohan please be ready with a questionnaire for young women and men in the age group of 18-45 addressing child abuse and bonded labor. Ms Kashyap you will be on the road targeting this age group in places like malls and colleges. Rohan make the questions as hard hitting as possible. We need to show the society a mirror. I think you can work out the rest Malvika with Ronnie, Aisha and Gautam (the editor and the program producer). I am all set for a hell of a day." he ended with a victorious look and an affectionate smile fixed at Ananya. It did not go unnoticed by anyone except ofcourse the subject who was once again lost in her dairy.