SS: Interpol (Part 31NEWWWW Pg. 53 Taj Mahal) - Page 3

Originally posted by: Writer_Soul

If there was a way you could take over writing of Imlie, instead of the idiots high on regressiveness.

Loving how story is progressing.

I am surprised how regressive it got. After they made her a girl with a brain who could make her own way. I really don't understand why it became this saas-bahu-bahu drama.

Wonderful writing. I had tears in my eyes while reading. A very painful story indeed. I really wish the writers of the show get Imlie to talk to Aditya in the same way that you have written. Let her get out of his life soon. Time is a great healer. Please continue. It is so much more better than the crap they are showing.

Dear Mary

did a second and a third reading of the second chapter and realized that this is the best course of action taken.

here adi has behaved as he should. hopefully we will get Adilie back in your story at least.

even i am waiting excitedly for chapters ahead.👍🏼

Regards

FF

Part 3:

Two years later...

Imlie lay awake in her hostel, staring at the pillow she held close in a hug.

Imlie: It's a big day for me, Babusahib. You know, I am giving the best student speech today at graduation. Isn't that great? And you know who the speaker giving me my graduation diploma is!? Hamri district ki, Dr. Kanhaiya Kumar. Also a self-made man. He's fair, like you, he thinks everyone is equal, even if they are village people like me.

She brushed the some imaginary hair from the top of the pillow, Babusahib had such beautiful locks of hair.

Did he ever think of her? At least sometimes, maybe by accident?

Imlie smiled sadly. Mein bhi kya sooch rahi hoon. He's probably dropping off his son/daughter in a playgroup or starting off his day with Malini Didi. He wouldn't have time to think of me.

She got up to get dressed.

Aditya to the sweet vendor: Please make sure the shehhed is pure.

Sweet vendor: Of course, sir. All my sweets are made from the best products. Big order from you today. What's the occasion?

Aditya: Oh, just this and that. It's for the office.

Imlie put on her gown and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Dadah, Amma, Nani, and Pari were coming to her graduation today. It was a big day. She wanted everything to be perfect. This was her dream come true, her original dream. She already had a job offer. She would soon rent a two bedroom, no, three bedroom home. For her, Dadah, Amma, and Nani. They will all live together. Imlie forced a smile on her face to fight off the hollow feeling she was feeling. This was everything she ever wanted.

Aditya knocked and came into his boss' office.

Sir: Are, Tripathiji. Isn't it soon time for the broadcast?

Aditya: Yes, sir, everything is ready for that. I just came to share some sweets with you.

Sir smiled: Kis khushi mein?

Aditya smiled: It's supposed to be Imlie's graduation day, Sir. She is graduating at the top of her class. I saw it on the JNU website. It's a big day for her.

This supervisor looked at him intently: I gather you will not be seeing her?

Aditya looked at the ground: No, of course not, sir. You know I swore to her, I wouldn't. But, (he forced a smile) we can still be happy for her. This is her favorite sweet, please try it.

Sir took a piece: Aditya, I don't know what to say. Perhaps you shouldn't scour the web for any news of her. Perhaps, it's time to move on from a memory.

Aditya: I can't, sir. It took me two years to adjust to the idea of not having her in front of me. Looking for news of her is all I can do without breaking my promise. And...she's not just a memory. She's very much here, in the same city.

Sir: Very well, Tripathiji. It is your personal life. Please take care, I just want what is best for you.

Aditya nodded.

Sir: I gather you will not want to cover Dr. Kumar's visit to this school for the graduation ceremony then? It is a politically charged event, that's for sure.

Aditya: I can't, Imlie is giving the main student speech. She won't want me there.

Sir: Yes, of course.

A month later...

Aditya searched Imlie on Linkedin. Nothing. What? How is it possible she doesn't have a job yet? She is best student from her class!

He looked on the school website. Nothing. Of course this wasn't anything new, she already graduated.

Oh god, did she end up going to Pakdandiya? He couldn't ask anyone or go there. She wouldn't like it. She didn't want him to contact any of her family. That meant the whole village.

He scoured all the sources he could with his best journalistic research practices. Prakash. Nothing. Well, he was not that promising anyway. No surprise that "Pari" had no web presence. The closest thing to social media he could find of anyone was Amma's friend in Pakdandiya and all she shared was pictures of her crops and accidental status updates.

Adi thought about getting his sources to check on her family, but then thought better of it. Imlie would see that as a violation of her privacy. He couldn't seek out Dadah or Amma. Not even indirectly.

Adi decided to call Dev Chaturvedi in an act of desperation.

Dev: You know son, she was very clear when I followed her to JNU after she left your house. She only had one father and it was Satyakam. She did not want to me to even provide any financial aid or the benefit of my name. I and my family made her living a living hell until that day, I couldn't see any reason to refuse her demand to stay away. I know as much as you do. I saw her graduation speech on YouTube. That's the last I know.

When Aparna came to Aditya's room an hour later, she found him hunched over his work table. She put her hand over his hair and petted the nape of his neck, like he always liked to be soothed since he was a baby.

Aparna: Adi, I made kheer today. I put rosewater in it today too, and all kinds of nuts. Come downstairs and have some with the family, beta.

Aditya looked at her with bloodshot eyes. He was breathing heavily like he was trying hard not to cry. Aditya got up and shut himself in the bathroom.

Aditya searched for her many times over the next few months, but there was no trace of her. How is this possible? This was the internet for god's sake! She could be traceable even if she went to the farthest corner of the world.

Finally, the realization dawned on him...

Did she marry and change her name? Aditya's heart sank as he searched every Imlie on earth listed on various social media sites. What would be so wrong in her doing that anyway? She deserved a last name. And maybe she somehow noticed that he searched for her. Maybe she did not want to be found. She really wanted to start afresh. Maybe she even changed her first name.

This is the pain that one as when you can’t find just a tiny bit of info just so you can breathe and move forward.

Adi broke the one person who was everything but the promise made and he had to keep because he had no right after everything that happened was killing him inside but he brought this on himself so he can not blame anyone else.

please continue

Originally posted by: screen22

This is the pain that one as when you can’t find just a tiny bit of info just so you can breathe and move forward.

Adi broke the one person who was everything but the promise made and he had to keep because he had no right after everything that happened was killing him inside but he brought this on himself so he can not blame anyone else.

please continue

I am happy to see you can feel his pain. That means the writing worked.

Originally posted by: Marybarton

Part 3:

Three years later...

Imlie lay awake in her hostel, staring at the pillow she held close in a hug.

Imlie: It's a big day for me, Babusahib. You know, I am giving the best student speech today at graduation. Isn't that great? And you know who the speaker giving me my graduation diploma is!? Hamri district ki, Dr. Kanhaiya Kumar. Also a self-made man. He's fair, like you, he thinks everyone is equal, even if they are village people like me.

She brushed the some imaginary hair from the top of the pillow, Babusahib had such beautiful locks of hair.

Did he ever think of her? At least sometimes, maybe by accident?

Imlie smiled sadly. Mein bhi kya sooch rahi hoon. He's probably dropping off his son/daughter in a playgroup or starting off his day with Malini Didi. He wouldn't have time to think of me.

She got up to get dressed.

Aditya to the sweet vendor: Please make sure the shehhed is pure.

Sweet vendor: Of course, sir. All my sweets are made from the best products. Big order from you today. What's the occasion?

Aditya: Oh, just this and that. It's for the office.

Imlie put on her gown and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Dadah, Amma, Nani, and Pari were coming to her graduation today. It was a big day. She wanted everything to be perfect. This was her dream come true, her original dream. She already had a job offer. She would soon rent a two bedroom, no, three bedroom home. For her, Dadah, Amma, and Nani. They will all live together. Imlie forced a smile on her face to fight off the hollow feeling she was feeling. This was everything she ever wanted.

Aditya knocked and came into his boss' office.

Sir: Are, Tripathiji. Isn't it soon time for the broadcast?

Aditya: Yes, sir, everything is ready for that. I just came to share some sweets with you.

Sir smiled: Kis khushi mein?

Aditya smiled: It's supposed to be Imlie's graduation day, Sir. She is graduating at the top of her class. I saw it on the JNU website. It's a big day for her.

This supervisor looked at him intently: I gather you will not be seeing her?

Aditya looked at the ground: No, of course not, sir. You know I swore to her, I wouldn't. But, (he forced a smile) we can still be happy for her. This is her favorite sweet, please try it.

Sir took a piece: Aditya, I don't know what to say. Perhaps you shouldn't scour the web for any news of her. Perhaps, it's time to move on from a memory.

Aditya: I can't, sir. It took me three years to adjust to the idea of not having her in front of me. Looking for news of her is all I can do without breaking my promise. And...she's not just a memory. She's very much here, in the same city.

Sir: Very well, Tripathiji. It is your personal life. Please take care, I just want what is best for you.

Aditya nodded.

Sir: I gather you will not want to cover Dr. Kumar's visit to this school for the graduation ceremony then? It is a politically charged event, that's for sure.

Aditya: I can't, Imlie is giving the main student speech. She won't want me there.

Sir: Yes, of course.

A month later...

Aditya searched Imlie on Linkedin. Nothing. What? How is it possible she doesn't have a job yet? She is best student from her class!

He looked on the school website. Nothing. Of course this wasn't anything new, she already graduated.

Oh god, did she end up going to Pakdandiya? He couldn't ask anyone or go there. She wouldn't like it. She didn't want him to contact any of her family. That meant the whole village.

He scoured all the sources he could with his best journalistic research practices. Prakash. Nothing. Well, he was not that promising anyway. No surprise that "Pari" had no web presence. The closest thing to social media he could find of anyone was Amma's friend in Pakdandiya and all she shared was pictures of her crops and accidental status updates.

Adi thought about getting his sources to check on her family, but then thought better of it. Imlie would see that as a violation of her privacy. He couldn't seek out Dadah or Amma. Not even indirectly.

Adi decided to call Dev Chaturvedi in an act of desperation.

Dev: You know son, she was very clear when I followed her to JNU after she left your house. She only had one father and it was Satyakam. She did not want to me to even provide any financial aid or the benefit of my name. I and my family made her living a living hell until that day, I couldn't see any reason to refuse her demand to stay away. I know as much as you do. I saw her graduation speech on YouTube. That's the last I know.

When Aparna came to Aditya's room an hour later, she found him hunched over his work table. She put her hand over his hair, the nape of his neck, like he always liked to be soothed since he was a baby.

Aparna: Adi, I made kheer today. I put rosewater in it today too, and all kinds of nuts. Come downstairs and have some with the family, beta.

Aditya looked at her with bloodshot eyes. He was breathing heavily like he was trying hard not to cry. Aditya got up and shut himself in the bathroom.

Aditya searched for her many times over the next few months, but there was no trace of her. How is this possible? This was the internet for god's sake! She could be traceable even if she went to the farthest corner of the world.

Finally, the realization dawned on him...

Did she marry and change her name? Aditya's heart sank as he searched every Imlie on earth listed on various social media sites. What would be so wrong in her doing that anyway? She deserved a last name. And maybe she somehow noticed that he searched for her. Maybe she did not want to be found. She really wanted to start afresh. Maybe she even changed her first name.

Beautifully written. Please do share the next part as eagerly waiting to read how this story pans out.

This is exactly what we are looking for, this is what Adi deserves for what he has done with Imlie but i would also want Malini to regret all that she has done and realize the mess she has made and accept her faults as well.

But i am happy with the way the chapter has grown it is really nice to see AKT in pain. Amazing i am so happy to read it.👏

8 years later...

Aditya on a call with his boss...

Sir: Have you landed safely, Mr. Tripathi?

Aditya: Yes, sir.

Sir: Be very careful, Aditya. This is a very sensitive case. Whatever you cover cannot come out in the open now or else, national security may be at risk. I want you to document any efforts of toppling the right wing government, but make sure none of the authorities see you as a threat to their plans. And I mean both the right wing and the Indian authorities, or any other powers involved.

Aditya: But sir, are you sure that RAW is involved? This seems out of scope for them. I mean, what are the our interests here anyway?

Sir: That is what you have to find out. I have a source claiming that it is RAW's biggest operation, but I cannot be sure. Let's not forget that this is not their first international mission - if it is true. We want to report the truth, but we do not want to stand in the way of current events or be a threat to their efforts. If we can crack this case, Bashkar Times will reach new heights. No other news channel has any inkling of what is happening. That is why I have sent my best reporter there.

Aditya: I will be mindful of that, sir. We are merely reporters, we cannot afford to become the story. But it could easily be Interpol, right? I mean, they are truly the international policing body India is involved in. What is to stop them taking part in this coup?

Sir: It could, but Interpol will not be involved in any ground action and from what I hear, there may be some actual ground ops, if it comes to that. Be very careful, Aditya. Wherever you go, have the tracer so that we know where you are. Your safety is very important to us.

Aditya: Very well, sir. Thank you.

Aditya roamed the city for a few days, pretending to be a clueless tourist. He visited the Parliament and took the tour inside. He took in the sights of the beautiful buildings and cafes. The city was beautiful, it had the old-world charm, but if you walk outside the tourish circle things start to crumble. There are places a person of color needs to be on guard at night if they are outside city limits. His research said there were night raids by Neo-Nazis looking for someone to beat up. If you were Roma (gypsy), you had to be especially on edge these days. Aditya looked like them because he was Indian by heritage just like the Romani. They did not speak the same language, but none of that mattered for the right-wing goons.

There was an undercurrent of anxiety around this right wing government; especially for the people who did not fit the right-wing government's idea of "proper Hungarians." In the day time, in the tourist areas however, none of that was as apparent as it was at night when he roamed around the outskirts of the city, camera at the ready, to capture any skirmishes. He had to run into them sooner or later. This was apparently a culture of fear at this point, this country came out of Communistic fear-mongering only to sink into the hands of racist fear-mongering.

Adiya's informant in Budapest told him over coffee on the right bank that there was some kind of dinner at the New York Kavehaaz at night, involving the right-wing Prime Minister. The informant thought it might be a good place to start to look for some real news.

Informant: Don't go seeking trouble in the streets. That kind of petty stuff is not news. Go where the powers are, if there is to be a coup, it will happen around them.

Aditya: I know, but I don't have that kind of access. Does that Kavehaaz have a place where I can go unnoticed? Are the VIPs accessible there?

Informant: Yes, yes, it's a big tourist draw. The dinner will be upstairs in the presidential balcony, you can be downstairs by the entrance/exit. Taking pictures should be okay. Just be wary of what is happening around them. I will keep you informed of his whereabouts as I find out about them.

Aditya smiled: Thank you.

If Imlie could see me now, Aditya thought ruefully as he sipped a coffee and waited by the door of New York Kavehaaz that evening. "Seeking trouble," isn't that what the informant called it? It was terribly exciting - life risk or no risk. This was where the story was and this is where he wanted to be. Reporting on the edge was the only thing that fueled his fire these days. Imlie would never approve, but she herself was a magnet for trouble. She would find it all very thrilling. He smiled to himself thinking of the time they bugged the table of the Delhi bhai. They made a good team, while it lasted. She was probably married now with kids, living a good life - hopefully with a good man like Prakash who adored her and never disappointed her.

Aditya rose up to take leave as the PM rose to leave on the upper balcony.

What is he doing? Is there a back exit?

Aditya quickly grabbed his camera and followed the PM and his aides like a clueless tourist, taking pictures of the ornate decor all around. The other guests at this place were too busy enjoying their night in these beautiful interiors to notice anything other than their party.

Aditya saw the PM leave by the kitchen entrance and followed.

Someone grabbed him by the arm: No, enter.

That was the thing, there was a language barrier between the people here and himself. If they were not dealing with tourists, they did not speak English. And Aditya did not speak Hungarian.

The kitchen staff member: No no. Go (she pointed in the opposite direction as the main entrance hall).

Aditya backed off to avoid a scene. He looked frantically around and saw the men's room. He stood on a commode and looked out the sliver of a window. There he was, the PM, being abducted at gunpoint!

Damn! This is the story!

He frantically made a run for the janitor's closet he spotted on his way into the bathroom and found a way out into the loading dock. Lucky escape!

He made a run for the black cars where he saw the PM struggling. He just prayed his camera had enough charge as he approached the commotion.

Something shot at him from behind and he fell like a pile of rocks, face first, on the ground. His body writhing in pain, Aditya looked around, unable to move his neck. The PM was put in the black car along with his aides. The leader of the abduction stood apart and watched coolly as a sniper knocked the last of the party into one of the cars. The agents taking them on were all in black, their faces covered, hands in gloves, feet in combat boots that could crack a shin in one go. Just black from head to toe. He could only see their eyes, barely visible, often under sunglasses. Some of them got in with the party and sped off.

He missed it. He missed the story!

The lead agent and some of the others huddled together to discuss something.

One of them shouted something in French from behind him. Probably the one that got him. Aditya could not turn. But the agent in charge who just sent off the PM looked around and down at him.

"Arrêtez!!!"

The agent ran toward him, jerked something off his back, and turned him over.

Aditya's shaking did not stop. Was he just electrocuted!? What was that...a taser!?

The agent got on top of him and held him firmly down by the shoulders to stop him writhing uncontrollably.

This man was small. Strong, but a tiny man nonetheless. Ha, Bond fans will be disappointed when they see what real agents look like, Aditya thought as he tried to regain control of his muscles.

The agent held him gently by the cheeks. Aditya looked up straight into the eyes of Imlie.

He blinked. Was he having a seizure? It couldn't be Imlie! How can Imlie be here, in Budapest...kidnapping the Hungarian Prime Minister!!!?

But it was a woman. He could tell that at this point. Seizure or not, this was a woman's weight. A tiny woman. She was straddling him and keeping him from shaking. He couldn't speak and neither could he hear anything other than French gibberish between his arresting agent and this woman. No, this wasn't Imlie.

She crouched down and placed her head against his heart. Her small hands pressed against his chest as she listened.

Aditya startled up. Nishant was crouched over him now.

Nishant: Calm, Bhai. Calm, you are okay. You are safe.

Aditya looked this way and that, breaking out in cold sweat: Where am I!?

Nishant: At a hospital in Budapest. I came immediately when I got the news. Your boss is here too. You had a concussion, so take it easy.

Aditya: I saw Imlie! Nishu, I saw Imlie!

Nishant appeased: I am sure you did.

Aditya: Not in a dream. I thought...I thought I saw her when I was tased by the PM's kidnapping agents. (It sounded ridiculous even to his own ears).

Nishant: It must have been a shock. So is that what happened? You saw the PM being kidnapped?

Aditya: That happened, the PM got kidnapped, didn't he?

Nishant nodded: Yes, there was a coup. No one knows how though. He's disposed and there's a caretaker government for the moment. He's unharmed though, under house arrest in France somewhere.

Aditya: If that happened, then, I saw Imlie too! I am not imagining it. I saw Imlie, here, in Budapest! At the coup of all places!!!

Nishant sighed: You always see Imlie, Bhai. You have been hoping to run into her everywhere for the last ten years. Maybe that is why you saw her, because you suffered a concussion. Apparently, you fell on your head. If you got tased, it makes sense.

Aditya insisted: But I saw her.

Nishant: The brain shows you memories and all kinds of jumbled thoughts when you are in a confused stage. It happened to me too, when I had a seizure back when I was first diagnosed. I saw Pallavi in a wedding dress (he smirked). I saw my deepest desire.

Aditya grabbed Nishant's hands: No, no NO! Imlie was in those black kidnapper costumes! Face covered. She wasn't in any wedding dress.

Nishant, frustrated: If her face was covered, how did you see her?

Aditya, angrily: I saw her eyes! They looked right at me. And she spoke fluent French!

Nishant tried to soothe him: Right...fluent French. You have been taking pain medication and have been asleep for the last 20 hours. Maybe you put the two together after the fact. It was a traumatic event, it's natural, don't overthink this stuff. You saw the agent last when you passed out and then during your lie-in, your brain put the agent together with Imlie.

Aditya deflated: I don't know. It felt so real.

Nishant: It always does. That's the brain for you. They say the heart is irrational, but if you think about it, it is the brain doing all the thought-processing. All the senses come from the brain, the heart is just a pump.

Aditya rolled his eyes.

Well, what did you think? Was this part boring? Too far off script? Write to me and tell me if I should continue.

It's good please continue