Chap- 14 Volcano
Sleepless nights, quarrels, heartaches had continued for quite a few weeks now with both their egos and emotions swinging sides like a pendulum and during this period Shravan had tried multiple times to approach Suman to give him a chance to explain but Suman had always cut him off and avoided being alone with him. Suman did not know whom she was angry with, was it Shravan or she was angry with herself as she was unable to get a grip on her emotions. Her heart says to go to Shravan and know his side of the story while her mind said he might not tell the truth if he has not told you till now. Shravan’s looks made her feel weak and every time he pleaded her resolve to remain angry grew weaker by night and stronger by day. She was a wreck now with bags under her eyes, depleted hunger, reducing zeal in her work. Shravan was no better than her, he smoked more and drank every night to sleep. This had slowly started impacting their work. Sash had called both in the room and had decided to give them a piece of mind. He said “I do not know what is wrong with both of you but in this critical juncture I want you both to work as a team ,keep your personal issues away and make progress. You both are not kids and if you are do not expect me to babysit you”. Suman was upset this time that Sash who had always guided her and encouraged her had literally warned her and she was aware of the glaring sloppiness in her work. She stood on the terrace sipping her coffee as she counselled herself to put her act together and not to forget the reason why she was here. She had to forget about Shravan if he is not interested in her and move on. Though she repeated the line in her mind but every time she did that all memories assailed her and instead of making her strong,she felt they were breaking her more. That day Shravan had approached her again and she could not help but ask “Why Shravan, why is it important for you to explain to me. You do not owe me an explanation, it’s your life, you can do whatever you like”. Shravan had given a sad smile and said, “It’s my life that’s why I owe you an explanation and it’s you because”. He had paused a little and said, “you are my life”. The look in his eyes and the quiver in his voice had broken through her resolve and Suman decided that she would speak to Shravan soon, she was tired of fighting her feelings and she just wanted one answer from him, what was her place in his life.
Next day morning meeting had lot of breakthroughs. To begin with the people who had attacked Suvan in Chennai were indeed driving the red car Suman had noticed during their chase. Their informer and IOs from Chennai NCB informed that they were into some country liquor business which had flopped and then one of their friend in Karwar had given them this work of working as the transporters of contrabands in this route. They were also looking at processing stuff hence those old buildings to be used as labs and the kidnapped kids were being used as mules to transport contraband. The police had got hold of one of them and some information was coming from that questioning.Interesting to note was that our Target B also travelled quite a lot to Karwar and apparently belonged to Karwar. So they had two routes now to explore, the sea route in Karwar and the border route along Rajasthan from where the lehengas came from. The communications team had managed to crack and had got some assets who are part of the social networking group where the information is sent as to where the contraband is being landed and where they can get it from. Interestingly one of the college boys who is an addict from one of the colleges in Bangalore had revealed that there was a pizza joint which supplied them the contraband. From the financial side one crucial information was that a certain religious foundation in Dubai(for confidentially named NGO A) was transferring regular amounts to a quite awell-known NGO in Mumbai (NGO M)and from this NGO it was being transferred toan NGO in Andhra(NGO X) which apparently is a front for funding terrorist activities. It would be difficult to prove that this organization in Dubai was transferring to this Andhra NGO as there is no direct transaction mapping between NGO A and NGO X but a significant amount or rather specific percentage of the total amount coming from Dubai gets transferred on a specific date to this NGO X in Andhra plus this organization in Dubai had helped our main target setup so called business when he was in Dubai. There were too many coincidences to ignore this information. The money could be passed on from India to Dubai through hawala which will be very difficult to prove is what worried Sash. The team strategized that they would follow the hawala trail with XYZ imports and look for evidences in the other parts of the business rather than proving the hawala connection. Some arrests like the man in Chennai and their confessions would give crucial inputs but cannot be used as evidences since its highly likely they would deny in court. Sash asked Saheb and Shravan to go to Rajasthan and specifically to Ganganagar because seems the lehengas were traced back to this place. He warned them to be extremely careful and continuously co-ordinate with the local NCB and local police. The place was notoriously known for its contraband trade and if they sniff something, they will simply be lethal and at no point they should try to be smarter than required. Sash andSuman would go to Karwar soon as there were too much connections from that place and they need to do a little snooping there. Before they dispersed Sash warned Shravan and Saheb to be extremely careful in their pursuit.
TheOperation Sangam memo read:
Main Target-->SR Reddy
Target A -->XYZ imports
Target B -->Truck Driver
Drugs procured(Rajasthan across borders)
Karwar (not proven but suspected)
Target B moves the consignment to Andhra and Odisha Maoist region -->Suspected
Target unknown moves consignment to cities current distribution channel pizza joint
Money collected from drug sale sent through Hwala to Dubai-->Difficult to prove
Money sent to terrorists from NGOX (Dubai) to NGO M(Mumbai) to NGO X(Andhra)-->link to be established
Post their meeting Suman had something to post to her Ratna Masi so she went out to the nearby market to the courier office. As she was about to finish her work and go back, she spotted the Iyengar’s bakery with freshly baked stuff being laid out and the smell wafting from the freshly baked made her salivate and she decided to pick up some stuff from there. She picked up some cream rolls, some sandwiches and some cookies realizing that she had suddenly, a surge in her appetite and a skip in her step with her resolve to speak to Shravan. She was stepping out of the shop after paying up when someone called from behind and she turned to come face-to face with Devika. It took a little while for her to realize that it was indeed Devika as she had seen her last time in her official uniform and here, she was there informally dressed with quite a stylish attire which gave an ample view of her assets. Devika walked to her and effusively extended her hand and gave Suman a brief hug even before she could shake her hands. She was surprised by Devika’s over the top reaction when she continued “Officer I can’t thank you in words what you have done for me. Anish told me that you fought those thugs and managed to save my Shravan’s life. I don’t know what would have happened if the knife would have run right into him. Come down sometime to my place. Maybe one of these weekends when Shravan comes down you can come with him and we can have dinner together”. Suman smiled a tight smile and replied “ Thanks for that but it was really my job so I did not do anything special” and even before Devika could say anything Suman walked out. Suman was feeling dizzy when she walked into her workplace straight to her den, the terrace where she knew nobody would be there at this time of the hot and sweaty afternoon. She stood there trying to control her emotions as she kept trying to swallow the lump that was forming in her throat. Suman stretched out her palms and held the handrails and she flinched when she touched them as they had got heated up in the hot afternoon. Everything that she had shared with Shravan went through her like a cinematic vision and then Devika’s words came back to her and she clutched the handrails as tight as she could as the heat seared in threatening to burn her palms, but she did not care.The pain within her seared her insides and a hollow wind within seemed to rattle against her ribs. She felt she would break any moment and then she heard him calling softly “Suman, I will be leaving tomorrow for Rajasthan and will be there for a week. Cant you give me a little time to explain myself”.
That was it and the volcano inside her which she was trying to hold till now bust out and she unleased her fury on Shravan. Suman almost shouted out “I don’t want nor I am interested in any of your explanation. You go to Devika or any other girl,it has nothing to do with me and you have nothing to do with me”.
Shravan was beyond shocked at her outburst. He had been trying to reach out to her for weeks now, although she had softened but had not listened to him but today he was going for a dangerous mission and all he wanted was some time from Suman.Shravan had enough of it and he could take no more so he said “So you have nothing to do with me, even if something happens to me in the pursuit in Rajasthan, it does not bother you”.
Suman: As I said I don’t want anything to do with you, just go , go from here, from mylife.
Shravan : Is that all you want, for me to go , go away from you.
Suman : Yes, just go
Suman felt better letting it all out and she turned around to see the place where Shravan stood some time back void. Her heart lurched and she thought “Did I say too much” but her mind said “For two timing me & Devika he deserves it. Poor Devika she does not even know what her Shravan was doing”. Suman came down after an hour, she had managed to wash her face and control herself. There was a lot of work, so she immersed herself in doing that with that occasional urge to see if Shravan was around, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Suman came back late in the night as usual and noticed that Shravan had not returned yet or maybe he had gone to sleep early. Shravan had left the office after their small interaction and had not come back. Suman had kept thinking about their conversation and run it again and again over in her head. Was she wrong about taking this too much far? But, he had been with her and never told her about Devika and that he visited her during weekends, they had been so close, as her skin had goose bumps remembering their little adventure on the beach. She missed him, her heart craved for his touch but her mind reasoned that he himself had confessed himself falling for every girl so she should keep away.Her heart argued that his intense looks, his care was that all fake? Her mind said it was a way probably he mastered with all girls, he is two-timing you.Her heart said “did you ever ask him maybe he would have told “. Her mind said “Wasn’t it obvious with his hints where this was leading to, he should have told before getting close to you”. Her heart said “Are you scared of admitting your feelings for him in the fear of rejection”.The debate continued and Suman did not realize when she drifted off to sleep.
Note: A bow to all those who have liked and commented. You inspire me to do better.
I am sorry if the chapter made you fee sad but don't worry the story will have a happy ending so some roller coasters on the way. Shravan's story coming up in two chapters
Arjun
Cricket
