*From & To Sathish* - Thread 4 - Page 88

Vaanathai Pola 27

Thangamani the librarian looked at the clock that showed the time to be 2.00 pm and looked at the new faculty member and just as he was wondering if he should or should not, the subject of his wondering asked him, ' what is it Mr.Thangamani? Please, you can ask me anything that you wish too?'

Thangamani smiled, ' please, don't bestow on me such liberty for I don't dish out the same to others as I stick to my work at hand. But then it would be rude of me if I don't answer your question after having been asked so directly. I was just wondering if you had anything to eat as yet as the time is 2.00 pm already.'

Radha Krishnan shook his head, ' not yet. Somehow, food and eating it timely has never been a major priority to me.'

' And yet you are built like a sleek fighter' thought Thangamani and said ' Mr.Radha Krishnan, your Tamil is perfect and I was wondering which part of the state you come from?'

Radhu smiled, ' From Kumbakonam but my Tamil, although perfect has no native roots in the state for my family kept moving all over the place.'

Thangamani realized that there were many layers to the new member and that it reflected his own layers and decided to leave the man to his space, smiled and said,' Okay then, we will catch up later for I have some work to do in the library and also have to start preparing the list of books that are required for the next year.'

Radha Krishnan asked him, ' who supplies our books? for I have been wanting to pick up a few books myself.'

Thangamani replied, ' Almost all of our books are supplied by Higginbothams and some specific books are procured from Odyssey book store, Adyar.'

' Thank you, Mr.Thangamani and I will see you later in the evening or at dinner time.'

Radhu informed the Peon Shekar that he was stepping out to do a bit of shopping and then called his aunt and new boss Girija Padmanabhan and told her the same.

Girija asked him if he was planning to drop into the hospital and Radhu said he was and ending the call, used the Uber App to book a taxi to go to Odyssey, Adyar.

Since it was just late afternoon, the traffic was light and the cab made quick work of the distance and dropped him off at odyssey in about 35 minutes.

Radha Krishnan paid the fare and stopped to weigh his choices of stepping into the store or go eat something before entering the store and decided that he would do enter the book store for if he found the books that he wanted then he could read and eat at the same time.

The choices we make, the slight deviations that we take, the paths that are made indeed lie in the hands of some master controller and the simple decision to enter the book store was about to turn his life upside down.

When one of the attendants asked him if he needed help locating a book, Radhu politely waved him off and told him that he would browse the place and try finding it himself.

Rows after rows of books stood as walls inside the large store and he stopped at the new arrivals and then slowly and leisurely strolled around the store and picked up some chocolates for his new and tiny acquaintances and placing them in the jute bag proceeded to the other side of the store which was largely vacant.

His eyes searched row after row and then he turned to enter the last row and bumped into a woman who was carrying an armful of books of which a few dropped to the floor and she immediately said, 'sorry, my bad.'

Both their eyes went to the books on the floor and then looked at each other and into each other and connected.

She stood about 5ft7 and she stood dressed in a white saree with a coloured border. Her long hair was braided and it laid casually like a cord of black silk across her left shoulder.

She looked at him with the most beautiful eyes and Radhu thought to himself, ' the same eyes and yet not the same eyes but filled with the same spirit.'

She looked at him, 'the same eyes, the same light and yet in a different spirit.'

Both went down at the same time and Radha Krishnan helped gather the books that had fallen to the ground and their fingers grazed a few times as they both knowingly and unknowingly reached for the same book.

Radhu smiled and she reflected his smile and yet he could see that it was one that was filled with immense pain.A pain that could have only one point of origin, loss. The loss of a loved one and a very recent one at that.'

He looked at her and at the books that she was carrying, ' can I carry some of the books for you?' and she nodded and whispered ' yes, please.'

They stayed with books in their hands and they stayed with their eyes glued to each other asking, ' who are you, stranger?'

Radhu smiled and said, ' Hi, my name is Radha Krishnan.'

She smiled and said, ' Hello Mr.Radha krishnan. I am Kavita Duraipandi Arumugam.'

Radhu smiled, ' Can I just call you Kavita while you call me Radhu.'

Vaanathai Pola 28

“I believe in love at first sight

but I will always believe

that the people we love

we have loved before.

Many, many, many times before and when we stumble

through grace and circumstance

and that brilliant illusion of choice

to finally meet them again, we feel it faster

each time through.The one glance

that set life alight is two sets of two eyes

staring through the layers of lifetimes and stolen glances

and first kisses and hands held;

the brace against the weight and unrelenting tide

of waiting. I believe in love at first sight

but am not burdened with the misconception

that it's a first sight at all.” Tyler Knott Gregson

It had been a brief few moments when Kavita and Radhu had forgotten where they were, who they were and why they were there. Love at first sight maybe but I, your writer think it is the connecting of souls which is at work. For, souls are where the real beauty lies and only through a soul can you really see, connect and love a person, totally, madly and deeply. Only friendship comes close, real close to this sacred emotion that two souls share and bond themselves with.

In that single moment, you think ' I will live for you and die for you. I will live for your happiness and I will breathe so that you can breathe. I will bear any pain and am willing to sacrifice everything for you.'

If Radha Krishnan was an ordinary human being, an average joe then he would not have sensed movements around him but then he had been trained to ignore everything, even love, sacred love and he turned quickly, left and right and saw two huge men rushing towards them.

Kavita's moment too was broken as she saw Radhu's head twist subtly in both directions and with a smile raised her hand and both me stopped and then took a few steps back and then turned and faced away from them.

Radha Krishnan looked at her, ' Security guards and two of them. You must be someone very important.'

Kavita smiled and said, ' a little bit Mr.Radha Krishnan. I am sorry that I am unable to call you Radhu for I am not very comfortable calling people by their first names until I have known them very well.'

' Okay. So, that means I too then have to call you by your mouthful of a name which I don't mind. But, is it Miss or Mrs?'

A beautiful blush filled her eyes and lifted her lips and yet Radhu could clearly see her pain and he whispered softly

' We come to go

We go to come

and we have that moment in between

called life and that fleeting connection

called love

so, live in and for that moment

and I will live on happier

in your moment of happiness'

Kavita's ghost of a blush filled smile slowly was erased from her lips and eyes and filled themselves with a film of tears and bending her head she slowly walked away to the counter and Radhu followed her and they were themselves followed by the security men.

Placing the books on the counter beside her, Radhu whispered to Kavita ' Bye Miss. Kavita Durapandi Arumugam and I hope that we stumble into each other again.'

' Why address me as Miss? how can you be sure that it is not Mrs, Mr.Radha Krishnan?'

Radhu smiled, ' I know it because I was searching for you and you were waiting for me to come in search of you.'

Saying 'Bye for now' he turned and walked away and disappeared from her sight and there was nothing she could do but stare at the space that had been occupied by him.

Kavita wanted to run after him and she would have if she was an ordinary person but she could not for she was now a Cabinet Minister in the State of Tamil Nadu and the daughter of Minister Durai Pandi Arumugam.

The manager of the odyssey bookstore personally approached her and wished her a Happy Pongal and gave her the bag that contained the books that she had purchased.

Kavita thanked him and wishing him and all the store's staff a Happy Pongal, hurried towards the entrance hoping against hope to catch a glimpse of Radha Krishnan.

But, it was in vain for he was not there and sighing sadly, Kavita got into her vehicle wondering what had just happened.

Vaanathai Pola 29

“First best is falling in love. Second best is being in love. Least best is falling out of love. But any of it is better than never having been in love.” Maya Angelou

Love. what is love and what is that zing thing that makes us fall in love with another human being? Is love a different experience when it comes to man and woman? Does a man feel love differently than what a woman feels?

As Kavita's Government vehicle sped away with an escort Police commando vehicle behind it, Radhu's eyes caught sight of both of them as he sat in the cafe that just a few doors down the Odyssey book store. His eyes captured the registration numbers and his brain instantly stored it away for further reference.

The chicken sandwich, salad and tea was placed in front of him and turning to the waiter who had served him, Radhu smiled politely and thanked him and began to eat his first meal of the day, his thoughts full of Kavita.

' you are too old to be falling in love you silly idiot. So, get your priorities right and do not waver from your purpose of being in Chennai at this moment' thought Radha Krishnan as he slowly went through his meal.

But, cupid had struck his arrow and had struck deep into Radhu's soul and cursing angrily and chiding himself for what he was doing, he made a call and waited and eventually it was answered by his old friend from Kumbakonam.

' Is everything going okay? are you all right?'

Radhu replied that all was well.

' what is it then? you know that they will be trying to track you and through you, they will track me too?'

' I know' Radhu answered and hesitated and then plunged right into the matter, ' I need help with some registration numbers.'

The old man from Kumbakonam cleared his throat, ' so, you have isolated some suspects in this problem concerning your dad?'

' No. Although I do suspect a few people, I have yet to ascertain the nature of their involvement and that is going to take some more days or maybe a week at the most.'

The old man from Kumbakonam fell silent and then spoke calmly and in a tone that was much like an advisory one ' Stop wasting time and get to the matter as quickly as possible. I am sorry but all hell has broken loose and they have begun to sift through the bodies and it will be only a matter of time before they realize that you are still alive. Then it will be too late to set things right or explain what the hell you have gotten yourself into.'

Radhu waited for a few seconds until he was done and then mumbled, ' about the registration numbers' and the voice on the other side spoke, ' message them to me.'

' okay' and ending the call, Radhu quickly typed in the numbers and then added the word ( Govt).

Kavita looked at the police officers who were assigned to her as her personal bodyguards and who were both dressed in matching blue safari suits and requested them to bring the books into the house.

One of them, SI Kanakaraj, a veteran Policeman had worked with Kavita's father for more than ten years and was well known to the family and had also been very close to her late brother Vijay Bhaskar.

He looked at the other police guard and nodded and after the man left, looked at Kavita who looked at him curiously ' Kanakaraj anne, enna. Are you okay and is all well with your family?'

SI Kanakaraj smiled happily ' amma, how can we not be okay when we are working for you? all are well and they wanted me to wish you a very happy Pongal.'

And then hurriedly added, ' Please don't think of me as being insensitive for I know that the death of Vijay Iyaa still casts a shadow on all of you.'

Kavita sighed and asked, ' thank you anna. But, you did not hang back just for this chat, so out with what is on your mind.'

SI Kanakaraj shyly replied, ' It is not what is on your mind but what is on my phone that I wanted to send you on via WhatsApp and I just wanted to take your permission before doing that.'

Totally confused, Kavita asked, ' enna, some new tiktok, meme or some twitter troll photova?'

SI Kanakaraj, ' Sorry amma, but I think I will answer your question by sending the photos after you say it is okay.'

Kavita totally puzzled, ' okay.okay. Anuppunga. let me see what these mysterious photos are with my own eyes.'

SI Kanakaraj smiled and then his voice became a bit gruff with emotion as he said, ' amma, you are like a daughter to me and like any father, I too wish for my daughter's happiness more than anything.'

Kavita did not know whether to laugh, cry or scream and then finally sat down and picked up her phone and looked pointedly at her bodyguard, SI Kanakaraj who got the message and reached for his phone and then said cryptically, ' I have deleted all the pics. trust me for I swear it on my children's lives' and quietly exited the private study that also worked as her own office space.

Kavita looked at the screen on her phone and saw the Whatsapp red notification saying 5 and tapped on the app and saw that they were from SI Kanakaraj and wondering what the heck was going on, she pressed on the name angrily and the five pics downloaded and filled the screen.

The five pics were of her and Radha Krishnan kneeling and looking at each other with books in their hands in the Odyssey book store and Kavita's heart began to beat and gather speed for she knew that their chance meeting had indeed been real and not an illusion.

Vaanathai Pola 30

It was about 5.00 pm when Radhu entered Global hospitals and made his way to the neurology section of the hospital which had its own ICU ward and it was one of the few super-speciality sections that existed in Chennai.

He opened the door to the room in which his father, Brigadier Rajashekar Varman lay in a deep coma and saw Girija Padmanabhan, his aunt, the older sister of his father sitting beside her brother holding his right hand.

She turned slightly to her right and smiled at him and said ' come Radhu, sit with us two old people and when you leave, hopefully, you will leave behind a little of the glow of your youth and strength.'

Radha Krishnan pulled the chair that had been placed against the wall in the corner of the room and setting it close to Girija, sat down and covered her hands that held her brother's hand in it with his own large hands and said lovingly, ' my strength is for you both and will always remain thus.'

' Thank you, Radhu. In my heart, I know that you meant every word that you just said ' Girija replied and glancing down at the comatose Rajashekar said, ' they just finished sponging him down and also with his physiotherapy routine. What is very surprising is that he has not shown even the slightest sign of a bed sore.'

Her voice changed a wee bit with her next question, ' so, how was your day at The Flock?'

Seeing a smile lighting his lips and eyes, she asked, ' You have taken to the place and its tiny inhabitants it seems.'

' just the three of them, Meena, Appu and Pappu who I had the chance to meet after you left.'

' So, you also met the librarian Mr.Thangamani?'

He nodded, ' yes. Nice gentleman.'

Girija who had been looking at his face nodded and then slowly turned her attention back at her brother and then asked him tentatively, ' will you stay with us? at least until my brother returns back to us, safe and sound Radhu?'

Seeing his tranquil expression, ' it is not only me that is an old person but the entire faculty is made up of old people, retired people and we have been charged with the duty of tending to the children of the flock by my brother.'

She playfully pinched the comatose Rajashekar's thigh, ' dei Raja, you have immense reserves of strength and will power which the rest of us mere mortals do not possess. How are we supposed to match up with your drive and zeal and also at the same time take on and face all the problems that are surrounding us at The Flock?'

She felt his hand and she felt the immense power that seeped through it even though he was barely touching her and heard him say, ' I am going to stay here with you and The Flock and I promise that I will not leave until all the problems have been sorted out once and for all.'

Girija took both of Radhu's hands in hers and looked at his palms and with widening eyes stared at them and then slowly looked up at the stranger who had entered their lives and she sensed her brother in him and she sensed her brother's soul in him and nodded and said, ' Thank you. Thank you very much.'

Slowly getting up she said, ' I will be back in a few minutes for I have some matters to discuss with the doctor. Please, stay until I come back.'

Girija Padmanabhan came out of the room and then walked down the corridor and called The Flock's librarian Thangamani and spoke to him for a few minutes.

Thangamani master spoke in his typical measured style of speech, precise and to the point and he spoke to Girija Padmanabhan, ' Ma'am, The little monkey trio took to him instantly and I think they took to him even better than they took to Brigadier sir. In my humble opinion, that means the man is beyond reproach of any kind for a child's soul is a far better judge of a person and if they instinctively went into his arms, then that means they trust him, totally.'

' What about you Mr.Thangamani? what do you make of Radhu?'

' Ma'am, he passed you, he passed the children and yes, he has passed me and so that means he is trustworthy, although...'

' Although what Mr.Thangamani? Please be frank and honest with me.'

Thangamani master said, ' Ma'am, you know I served under your brother and with him in the Kargil war. So, with that knowledge and experience, I am telling you that Mr.Radha Krishnan is an army man too and I think he belongs to some very elite commando force.'

' What, Radhu is an army man, a commando?

' I think so ma'am and my instincts are never wrong.'

Girija worriedly, ' what am I supposed to do now Mr.Thangamani?'

' Hire him this very moment and make him take charge for he is what The Flock needs right now. A protector, and a guardian angel.'

A learned man was once asked to explain the difference between Religion and Spirituality. His response was profound:

▪Religion is not just one, there are many.

▪Spirituality is one.

▪Religion is for those who sleep.

▪ Spirituality is for those who are awake.

▪ Religion is for those who need someone to tell them what to do and want to be guided.

▪ Spirituality is for those who pay attention to their inner voice.

▪ Religion has a set of dogmatic rules.

▪ Spirituality invites us to explore within and get attuned to the Universal Rules.

▪ Religion threatens and frightens.

▪ Spirituality gives inner peace.

▪ Religion speaks of sin and guilt.

▪ Spirituality leads us on the path of emancipation!

▪ Religion represses everything which it considers false.

▪ Spirituality transcends everything, it brings us closer to our Truth!

▪ Religion invents.

▪Spirituality helps us to discover.

▪ Religion does not tolerate any question.

▪Spirituality encourages searching questions.

▪ Religion is human. It is an organization with rules made by men.

▪ Spirituality is Divine, without human rules....leads us to the Causeless Cause!

▪ Religion divides between us and them.

▪Spirituality unites.

▪ Religion follows the concepts of a sacred book.

▪ Spirituality seeks the sacred in all books.

▪ Religion feeds on fear.

▪ Spirituality feeds on trust and faith.

▪ Religion makes us to live in External Reality.

▪ Spirituality lives in Inner Consciousness.

▪ Religion deals with performing rituals.

▪ Spirituality has to do with the Inner Self.

▪ Religion feeds on internal ego.

▪ Spirituality drives to transcend beyond self.

▪ Religion makes us renounce the world to follow a God.

▪ Spirituality makes us live in God, without renouncing our existing lives.

▪ Religion is a cult.

▪ Spirituality is inner meditation.

▪ Religion fills us with dreams of glory in paradise.

▪ Spirituality makes us live the glory and paradise on earth.

▪ Religion lives in the past and in the future.

▪ Spirituality lives in the present.

▪ Religion creates cloisters in our memory.

▪ Spirituality liberates our Consciousness.

We are not human beings, who go through a spiritual experience.

We are spiritual beings, who go through a human experience.

Vaanathai Pola 31

Kavita sat in the gathering darkness as dusk approached with the cloak of night racing behind it and she sat with her hands clasped in front of her, lost in thought.

' I fell in love for the very first time and I lost him to someone else. I had but one brother but I lost him too and now I neither have the heart or will to love and care again. I have become a spinster at 32 and yet here I am with my blood racing as if it is on fire and my heart beating as if it is in some kind of race with time and life' she thought to herself and slowly got up from the sofa and went to her father's room.

Her father, a senior Cabinet Minister had suffered a massive heart attack a few months ago on hearing the news of Vijay's death and was now recuperating after undergoing triple bypass surgery. But, it would be another few months before he would be fully fit again although he was already pottering around the house and making a nuisance of himself.

She found both her parents in the large kitchen and folding her hands, she stood watching them as her mother was busy frying something which had once been alive and kicking while her dad was standing nearby cutting onions and crying as he sliced them into thin slices for the onion raita.

She slowly and stealthily raised her phone and clicked the sweet moment and also shot a few videos of her dad, the senior-most member of the current ruling party's cabinet telling her mother, ' vendaam chellam. garam masala vendam. Use our own recipes and flavours. Garam masala is okay for pav bhaji but not for namma Madurai chicken recipe.'

Kavita slowly moved in for a closer shot and was caught red-handed by them and rather than being embarrassed at being caught filming her parents sweet moments, she told them loudly, ' please continue and let our people know that our lives are no different from them and is filled with the same masalas and onions.'

Duraipandi Arumugam not knowing how to react after being captured in this funny but intimate scene, wiped his eyes with his veshti and then slowly folded his hands and pleaded, ' Kavita, ammadi. vendaam da. Please don't share this stuff with the public for there will be surely some people who will comment badly about it.'

Kavita used the edge of her saree and with gently wiped the tears that the onions had sprouted in her fathers eyes and placing a soft hand on his chest said, ' Minister appa, it does not matter what we post, there will be a few A..eh...s to say something bad and filthy about it. Have you forgotten the number of bad comments when Amma's death was posted on YouTube? Forget those nutcases for they live out their tiny, rat-like lives hiding in some hole in the ground.'

Sharadha Arumugam looked at her husband and nodded slightly but could not cheat her daughter for Kavita caught her mothers subtle signal and folding her hands on her chest, asked, ' enna. What is going guys?'

The moment her mother said, ' ille, vanthu, namma sonthakaaranga,' Kavita realised what was going on and anger flared like twin suns in her eyes and she stared at them so harshly that both her parents looked away more out of guilt and pain than fear of her legendary anger.

It took a few moments but Kavita calmed herself down and said, ' I am going to speak my mind and I hope, really hope that you understand what it is that your only remaining child is saying.'

Duraipandi Arumugam reached for her, ' vendaam Kavita, there is no need for such pleading words and there is no need for you to speak your mind for we know you and understand you very well.'

Kavita raised her right hand and her dad knew that it was a signal to shut up and time to listen and so both the parents looked at their only child as she spoke her mind, ' I know and accept where you are coming from when you keep bringing up the topic of marriage, again and again after every few months. But, I say what I have said then and will say it again and again. I am not ready to get married, at least right now and not to some doctor or engineer and fly away to the states or Uk.

I have a full-time job now and have no time to be playing goody, goody wife to some man I have never met before. I am not saying that I don't want to get married, just that I am not ready right now.'

She looked at both of them, ' if you find it difficult to see and face your unmarried daughter every day, then just tell me so and I will move into the house that has been allocated to me by the Government.'

Relaxing and smiling slightly, she looked at her mother, ' the food smells good and I don't mind having an early dinner. Call me, when the food is ready and the table is set.'

Minister Duraipandi Arumugam and his wife Sharadha stood silently and watched the love of their life walk towards her room and then they waited for the loud bang and it came as the door to her room was banged shut in anger.

Kathai Solla Pogiren Action, Cut

I have lost count of the number of times that I have heard the word " Action" being said by the director on the sets where I am working and facing the camera. Before it can be said, " roll camera" is said and the cameraman starts the camera and replies " Camera rolling" and then the word " Action " is delivered and we the actors begin to act and emote and say our lines. Once, the shot is done, the director again yells " Cut" and the camera stops and that means the end of that shot.

" Action, Cut" maybe the same words, commands issued by the greatest director, God when it deems and sees fit to give life and take the same back each and every one of us. Sadly and funnily, each of us has different roles, different lines to act out. Some, rare few take on the roles of the hero and heroine while others take on the supporting roles and I wonder just how God chooses the ones for the comedy roles.

If you are of the types of comedy that are present in films, they are Slapstick, Farce, and Satire and lest we forget Black Comedy.Farce involves ridiculous, improbable situations.Black Comedy is humour that makes fun of serious subject matter such as death and religion. Offensive to some, hilarious to others.

Combine all four kinds of comedy and in my humble opinion, you have life and our temporary states of existence. Like the joker who has a permanent smile plastered on his face, all the while crying behind his mask, many of us are doomed to that state of the joker.

The beach is a beautiful example of life for just as the sea washes up rubbish, dead stuff and other unspeakable stuff on to the shore, life too washes up many sorts, kinds of people from all walks of life and I too am one of them.

Silly, slighted, angry, betrayed, vengeful, head in the clouds, head stuck up their backsides and more, many more are the characters that I meet and sadly see myself reflected in most of them.

I smile and look up at the morning sky and whisper, ' Can't I just reflect you instead, big boss?'

Attitude and arrogance always find someone who is better than you...

Cristiano Ronaldo in an interview said he was sent to this world by the God of Football to teach the world how to play Football.

A few days later, Lionel Messi was asked how he felt about Ronaldo's statement.

Messi replied, "I don't remember sending him!"

Vaanathai Pola 32

The iceberg floats on the open sea and yet we see only a bit of it sticking out while the rest of its bulk is hidden below.

The darkness that lies at the heart of all evil in evil men is darker, blacker than the blackness that is space. Maybe, the colour black has always been associated with evil and violence because it is a colour of the night in which we have no sight and that is a terrifying prospect. We see, we meet, we greet and yet we see nothing that lies at the centre of a person's soul and that is something which we will never know unless and until the person is pushed to the limit and his actions reflect his soul and its true purpose. Satish

Girja Padmanabhan came back into the room after having spoken with The Flock's Librarian Thangamani master and sitting next to Radhu informed him that he was going to be in charge of The Flock.

Radha Krishnan sighed wearily, ' Ma'am, don't you think it is a bit too much and too early for all these decisions. Frankly speaking, it is all a bit too dramatic for me. I have given you my word that I am going to be here and do what I can do to help The Flock and preserve my childhood hero, the Brigadier's legacy. I don't need to take charge of The Flock to do my best when I am already willing and ready to do it.'

Even though his words were brutally frank and honest to the point of hurting, Girija respected them and smiled and replied, ' This is exactly why I need you to take charge for you will not take crap from anyone and will not dish out the same to anyone, importantly to me. This is who my brother was and that is what the Flock needs right now.'

Coming closer to Radhu, Girija said, ' The holidays are over and The Flock has to be ready for the return of the children and for the daily activities to resume again.'

Her gaze returned to her comatose brother and she gently brushed back his thick, wavy hair, ' Raja is equal to five men in energy and was the epicentre around which everything orbited and with him out of the picture, things will unravel and deteriorate fast and then it will all be too late.'

She looked at Radhu, ' I see the same strength in you and I think that you are the right man for this job. Sorry, purpose.'

She took Radhu's hands and pleaded, ' don't do it for this old woman's sake but do it for your childhood hero that lies here as a tree that has been struck down. Do it for the children who looked up to him and to him for strength and guidance. Lead the Flock for now and we will talk about it after a few days.'

Vaanathai Pola 33

Mossad short for HaMossad leModi meaning "Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations", is the national intelligence agency of Israel. It is one of the main entities in the Israeli Intelligence Community, along with Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security).

Mossad is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counterterrorism. Mossad is separate from Israel's democratic institutions. Because no law defines its purpose, objectives, roles, missions, powers or budget and because it is exempt from the constitutional laws of the State of Israel Mossad has been described as a deep state. Its director answers directly and only to the Prime Minister. Its annual budget is estimated to be around 2.73 billion dollars and it is estimated that it employs around 7,000 people directly, making it the second-largest espionage agency in the Western world, after the American CIA.

The Israeli Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, known around the world as Mossad, is one of the most difficult spy agencies to locate. In Israel, it's a closely guarded state secret, and attempts by amateur sleuths on the internet have frequently misidentified its headquarters.

General V.K.Singh, Additional secretary, RAW placed the receiver back and looked at Raman, ' our seats to Tel Aviv are booked for 9.25 PM tonight.'

Raman smiled and shook his head and whispered, ' F..k..g unbelievable.'

' What is so unbelievable, Ram?'

Raman looked at his boss and spread his hands and wide and replied, ' This moment here. Me being here and flying out to Tel Aviv and for what, to meet people who run Mossad, one of the most secretive and dangerous spy organizations in the world and people who even the CIA and KGB fear and fear for all the right reasons, boss. Put yourself in my place and think back just a few months ago and I was just your garden variety advocate taking a bus every day to go to the High court and handle cases that involved taxes and property disputes.'

Still smiling,' But now, I am a spy and that to me is just F..k..g unbelievable. Don't you think so?'

V.K.Singh, ' It is and it is not. Come to think of it, you are exactly where you belong, right here in the intelligence business. You will be surprised about the backgrounds of some of the recruits in our organization.'

' I know boss for I already met a few of them back in Chennai when we were hunting Dhanraj Malik aka Jamun.'

' Oh, you mean those four kids, Preetha, Shaji, Balbir and Sukhi Ram.'

Raman nodded and V.k.Singh continued, ' we catch them young and we catch them bright and early and just as they are getting ready to enter the rat race of life and employment. But, your case was a bit tricky and an accident.'

Raman looked at him with a blank expression and V.K.Singh smiled and said, ' You would be a killer at the cards table with that blank expression although I know and recognise that flicker of a questioning look in your eyes.

Yes, you were purely an accident and I must admit that you are here purely on merit and style of working.'

Leaning forward, V.K.Singh said, ' we don't get many people like you who can think and act on their own and who don't come running to us for every command and decision. But the most significant factor in your being here is that you are a born leader and one most people will follow with faith and conviction and that includes me too, my dear Ram.'

Raman still with a blank face looked at his boss and thanked him and said, ' I will do my best, sir.'

' Boss, there is just one small matter left on the table and that concerns my family.'

V.K.Singh's eyes turned serious and he said, ' Ram, the less they know, the better for them. I trust your judgement, my boy and I hope you remember that for every moment of your life and the rest of it.'

' what do you mean?'

' Ram, you are now working for RAW and you are a fulltime employee. You might or might not be on the radar but the moment you board the flight tonight to Tel Aviv, you are marked and so is your family. You become part of a fie, a database and will be marked either as any enemy or friend by all the Intelligence agencies from all over the world.

For example, I can guarantee you that you are already on the radar and watchlist of Pakistan and China and they will be assessing every bit of detail they gather about you.

But, the moment you step out of the flight and on to Jewish soil, your face will be beamed all over the world and you bet, you will be a person of interest for the CIA, MI5, KGB and many others. You are now a player and a part of the team called RAW and you are now playing in the big league.

So, think twice, thrice and wisely before you confide and share what you do with your family.'

Raman cursed again, ' ' F..k..g unbelievable' and V.K.Singh laughing cursed back, ' you better f..k..g believe it my young tiger.'