ArhiSS|Synchronizing Forces| Chp13Pg39 19th Oct - Page 22

Anjali didn't know what to do. She couldn't think clearly. The messages made no sense to her. "Address to be extracted from Comp. Database"? The more she thought about it, the more she got nervous. And what in the hell did 'SSO' mean? Those three letters were running around her head repeatedly, just like lot of tweeties fly around Silvester's head just after having failed in a plan. She in fact read it once as SOS instead of SSO. She was feeling so giddy. She then decided to check the mail. She went to take the new iPad, her Chote had gifted last month, for her birthday. Logging in in her account, there was a new mail flashing just right then. She clicked on it, hoping it wouldn't be one of those messages she'd been receiving that night. Muttering a silent prayer she opened it. And bang! Just what she thought; it was again from the peculiar "SSO" but this time she at least what it meant.

"Social Security Organisation"

Yes, that was it. Things appeared to fall in place. It was the most secretive, concealed organisation that ever existed. But Anjali had always thought it always had been a rumour. Everyone always took it light when someone specified its name. But she always used to wonder how come such a rumour arose. And when she used to see the facial expression of the narrator, she used to laugh at them for dreading after all a 'rumour'. Even now, she couldn't actually believe it. Scrolling down, she swallowed as soon as she started reading it.

"

Ms Anjali Malik,

I understand that this is hard to take in. I'm pretty sure that you had been thinking this whole organisation was an imprudent, baseless rumour. All agents presently functional had the same conception; well I'd say more of a 'misconception', as you now have.

But let me tell you, SSO exists.

We here at SSO are always in search of talented, skilled operatives simultaneously while we are dealing confidential cases. Our latest case pointed towards close acquaintances of yours and that's when we knew more about your capability. We are glad to say you've been selected for being one of our credible agents.

Through our organisation, you can contribute a lot to the nation and even the whole world. Our organisation's prime motto is to keep globizens all around the world safe and sound.

We are not compelling you to join. It's all up to you. If you are willing to contribute your part for the well-being of the world, you are requested to meet me at our Head Quarters. As you'd have been informed, please extract the address from the computer database. We have encoded the address in the basic codes of your elemental OS. It might be confusing. You'll understand when you restart your hardware.

Thanking you for your patience,

N.Malhotra..

Mr Nithin Malhotra,

Chief, SSO,

India.

P.S. And before I conclude, I want to add one more important detail.

We need you in the present case we're dealing.

And the person involved in this case is none other than your brother, Mr Arnav Singh Raizada A.K.A Arnav Malik.

<This message is programmed to be terminated after one reading. >

"

The world almost came crashing for Anjali, as soon as she read the last few lines of the mail' All she could think was "Chote'.!"

~*~

As rays of sunshine got filtered through the curtains, they found their way into the room where Arnav was sleeping. Feeling the subtle warmth of the rays on his eye lids, he could no longer sleep. But the first thing that came to his ever-calculating mind was one person who seemed to suddenly have utmost importance in his life. "Khushi" he whispered as just hearing her name roused a sea of emotions inside him. 'Arnav, you're crossing your limits' said a distant voice in his mind. But now he was clear with himself. He was no longer going to listen to his mind.

He got reminded of the previous night when Khushi had called him at midnight. His eyebrows shot up when he saw the time on his mobile. It was 12.30AM. He was wondering what could've made her call him at that time of the night. He, getting out of the bed in one swift movement, made his way to the hall, trying to look presentable by making over his hair with his bare hands, looking at the big, man-sized mirror on the house's wall. Being a designer, Varsha insisted on having big mirrors on the walls at some places, so that whenever she fabricated a new style, she could sport it on her and check on the walls while she walked, giving a ramp-walk view. Arnav had always said that it was not a very 'ergonomic' idea, thanked her now as it proved effective. He didn't want to be all sleepy-faced and droopy-headed when he was going to see her. 'Who her?' asked his heart, naughtily. "Well, her!" he said out aloud by mistake.

"Who 'her'?" Arnav heard Varsha popping her head out from the edge of the sofa.

"Nothing!" said Arnav cursing himself for his absent mindedness.

His eyes searched for Khushi but she was nowhere to be seen. He casually walked to the balcony <way too casually, that Varsha could actually see that he was trying to act 'normal' > hoping to see her there. He was giving side-way glances at Varsha, checking if she was observing him. But he saw her fiddling with the tea-bag, taking it out of the milk dropping it again and repeated the same thing. He wondered how a mere tea-bag could fetch so much of her attention. He peeked inside the kitchen to see if she was there. But to his disappointment, she was not there too. Out of frustration, he muttered a mute "Dammit!" under his breath.

"If it's Khushi you are looking for, she isn't here." said a distant Varsha, who appeared to be engrossed in her own chain of thoughts.

He was about to ask her where Khushi had gone, but stopped. Her expression was so lifeless. She, for a minute, looked a lot older. He had never seen her so vague, and preoccupied. Concerned, he went, sat near her ant kept his hand over her shoulder. "Varsha, is everything alright? You look so worried. What happened?" he asked her in a soft voice.

Shaken from her thoughts, she just was blank. "It's just nothing, Arnav." she replied unnerved.

"You're hiding something from me. Come on; tell me what's bothering you."

"I just got reminded of those days, when we first joined at Harvard. If you hadn't' I don't know what would've happened' I don't know if I'd be here, alive''-" Varsha was cut off by Arnav.

"Shhh! How many times have I told you NOT to talk about it or why, even think about it?" Arnav asked in a distressed voice.

"Thank you, Arnav. Thank you so much!" Varsha said, tears of gratitude flooding her eyes.

"Stop! Not another word, Varsh!" he said, comforting her. He just wanted to divert her from those unsolicited memories. He knew at an instant, what to do. He knew she was fond of teasing him. He was actually going to provoke her into teasing him. 'Unbelievable!' he thought to himself.

He rose up from there and headed straight to Varsha's room. A surprised Varsha wondered why. "Why are you going there? What do you want?" asked she.

"Um'I want' I mean' I thought of'" he dragged.

"What is it? Oh! I get it! You were searching for Khushi, weren't you?" asked Varsha who regained her composure. After all, who can afford to miss the opportunity to tease Arnav Singh Raizada?

Arnav was happy on the inside that The Normal Varsha was back. He kept the drama going. "No. I wanted to call di. My mobile's battery has drained. That's why I needed your phone."

Just then Arnav's mobile beeped. It was a facebook notification. Arnav had kept it on the tea-table when he had sat down with her. 'Dammit!' he thought. Before he could reach it, Varsha pounced on it.

"I didn't know your mobile could work even after the battery has drained! Hmmm' Let's see' What do we have here?" Varsha started playing with his mobile.

Before Arnav could snatch it from her hand, she shoved it away from his reach.

"Just one day and you both have started speaking with each other during the night, huh? This is not fair!" she chirped.

Arnav rolled his eyes. Varsha's phone rang. She took the phone to see who it was. It was from Khushi.

"Hello, Khush!" Varsha attended the call.

"Hey, Varshly, my dance session's over. Can you come and pick me up?" came the reply from Khushi.

"Yeah. I'll be there in 20minutes. Buh bye!" she ended the call. She thought of getting ready to pick Khushi up but came to a halt as she got a sparkling idea.

She faked a call, and was acting as if she attended it.

"Yeah, this is Varsha here." "Oh!" "Okay, I'll come to office in just half an hour." "Yeah, I'll come as soon as possible." "Bye!" Varsha spoke hastily on the phone.

After she had cut the call, Arnav asked Varsha who it was.

"It was an urgent call from office. Hey, Arnie! Can you go pick up Khushi from her dance practice? I need to go to office, but she's waiting there for me. Please don't say no!" pleaded Varsha who had mastered the art of acting naturally in front of Arnav by now.

"But where is it?" asked Arnav, who had no choice but to go.

Giving all the details for the way to class, Varsha went to her room. Peeping out from her room she checked if Arnav had left. She called Anjali the minute he had stepped out. But Anjali didn't pick her call.

"Di never misses calls. I wonder why she isn't picking up the phone!" Varsha said to herself and went to get ready in her room.

'It's going to be a long day!' she thought.

~*~

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