Chapter 3 - The beginning....
A nervous Sampatha saw into the eyes of her friend, “Sorry Sam... lekin Malhar has put his foot down. I am extremely sorry. Patha nahi kya karungi...”
“Kar bhi kya sakthi ho Maya, meri wajay se tumne kaafi kuch kho dhiya. Main tume aur khone nahi dhungi.” she replied but Maya grabbed her hand, “Sam please jo hua stop beating your self over it. Gost writer project ko maine haan kaha. Project ke liye Tipsy ne haan kaha. Uss analysis ke liye Maddy ne haan kaha. We could not have known... ever.”
“Jithna bhi comfert karne ki kosish karo, kahani vahi par phir se chali jaayegi na Vishi jahaan par shuru hui thi. Na maine uss teacher ki sexual advances ke baare main tum logon ko bathathi aur na yeah saab hotha. Sexual advance mere saath tho nahi tha, tho main kyun note karun yeah saab? Chup chap aank bandh karke rehethi, ek adharsh student bane chod kar ek dosth bane chali gayi.” Sampatha’s eyes grew moist and angry when suddenly the sound of Malhar’s jeep came on the front pouch. “Sampatha chai banadhena, fresh hone ja raha hoon. Thodi dheer main nikalna hoga.”
“Banadhungi.” she called back holding back her tears, getting up, continuing to talk to Maya, “Uss ek din ke wajay se kithni saari zindagiyan barbaadh hogayi. Tumhari, Tipsy ki aur Malhar ki... shadhi tho hogayi lekin kya faidha? Hum saab badhal gaye hai. Puri thara... aur Atharv... usne tho apna pyar ko dhiya... muskuraana bhul gaya hai. Bhas natak kartha hai. Mami se, mai se, mama se, aou sahib se aur aaba se bhi phir bhi kisi ko kuch nahi patha... hum saab ne apni zindagi ki khaas hissa kho dhiya. Puri thara!”
As they walked towards the kitchen, their voice was low enough to not get carried over but the eyes who watched them could read her emotions... almost... after all even though Maya was in her perfect appearance as usual, in a black short kurtha with white palazo pants printed with black floral designs and a duppata to match. Her hair was tied in a half up half open style with silver long earrings. Set up with a single bangles on her wrists, the make up too light... Sampatha on the other hand was out of her element, dressed in a light onion pink kurti with matching bottoms, along with white mesh duppata with small floral prints of several floral colours and some leaves in various shades of green. Her hair tied up in a messy bun as her hands shook... the point was clear!
An upset Sampatha was boiling a pot of tea when talking to Maya in soft tones when she Kalyani watched from afar, unable to hear what they said. She watched as her cousins face become even more pale and filled with worry. The other’ girls face filled with sadness and guilt - something ripped inside her like a bandaid. It was enough for her to go marching in towards the man in the bedroom, he had just got back from duty. He was changing the clothes when she marched in, fuming...
“MALHAR JI AAP AISE KAISE KAR SAKTE HAI APNI BIWI KE SAATH? SAMPATHA RO RO KAR AANKEN SWOLEN HOGAI HAI.” she yelled at the man who sighed rubbing his forehead, “Kalyani... tume puri kahani nahi patha. Please zyadha thang math karo. Aacha hoga agar tum apni padai main dhiyan dho.”
“Nahi karungi. Muje Sampatha ki tension ho rahi hai lekan aap ko kya hai, vo tho aap ke liye ek bacha paidha karne waali machine hogi lekin mere liye meri behen hai.” she screamed but something broke inside him as he slammed the door on her, “Bache paidha karne ki machine? BACHA PAIDA KARNE KI MACHINE? TUME PATHA BHI HAI KYA AISE AURATH KAUN HAI JO BACHA PAIDA KARNE KI MACHINE BAAN JAATHE HAI. TUME PATHA BHI HAI KI HUM KISKE AGAINST LAD RAHE HAI? KAISE LOGON KE AGAINST LAD RAHE HAI? TUME YEAH BHI NAHI PATHA KI TUMHARI MA TUMHARI WAJAY SE SUICIDE KAR DHIYA.”
It felt like a thunder had struck her, her whole body grew cold... “Maa... madhuri... madhuri ne meri wajay se suicide kar dhiya?”
“MALHAR, ch-chai pilo pehele. Kalyani tum bhi. Come on it will calm your nerves.” Sampatha was shaking as she tried to force the stuff into her cousins hand when Maya handed Malhar his tea and snacks. “Aise kuch nahi tha, tum cases ko confuse kar rahe ho. Vo dusri Kalyani thi... chup chap pilenena.”
Sampatha instantly caught on, “H-haan vo dusri Kalyani thi. Kaafi confused hojaathe the Malhar, tum dhonon ko almost same time mile the. Umar lag bak ek jaisi...” for a moment, a shaken Kalyani sipped the drink Sampatha fed her while Maya glared daggers at Malhar mouthing pagal ho kya? It was Sampatha who was dealing with the shaken girl, “Kalyani, jaab tum humari zindagi main aayi thi, thab ek aur Kalyani ne apni ma ki mauth ko cause kiya bhas vahi hai. Malhar... Malhar confuse ho gayie the.”
Kalyani gulped the drink, still shaken, half conscious of the action being taken, Sampatha managed to push in nearly half a glass of the hot beverage into her. “M-may-a y-ya-adh hai? Vo aa-yi thi na vo d-usri Kalyani...”
As another gulp was pushed into her Malhar tried to cover up his mistake, “Haan Kalyani, vahi hai.”
It was when the last drop went in that, she saw through it, his biggest lie of all, “Haan Kalyani... ek aur Kalyani hai jiske wajay se main confuse hogaya tha.”
The effect was opposite, “Nahi Malhar ji aap jhuut bol rahe hai. Uss din jab main vahaan station main aai thi, thab aap ki vo constable ne bathayi thi. Sirf ek hi case hai, suicide ka, kaafi ajeeb cheezen judi hui thi meri Madhuri ki mauth se... kaafi saval kar thi rahi... lekin aap aakar muje lekar gayi. Uske baadh hi aap ne aur Sampatha ne Anupriya se meri gaurdianship le liya. Aur muje vahaan jaane hi nahi dhete... aur Sampatha? Sampatha use pehele kabhi mujpar ithni nazar kahaan rakthi thi? Exams ke baadh mere liye phone lekar aayi thi na? Aur collage bhi local dundne lagi hai? Hai na? Upar se aap ne Anupriya ke saath meri exam likvadhiya. Alag se... aur yeah bhi promise kiya ki agar main local main karungi tho Anupriya ko bhi usi collage main adimition ke liye koshsih karenge... vo saab kuch vahi interview ke baadh thi... Malhar ji? Malhar ji vo constable thi na? MALHAR JI VO CONSTABLE THI NA? MALHAR JI VO CONSTABLE THI NA?”
Tears filled her eyes as she realized the truth, anger filling her she began running out! As she ran across the place, desperately, the tree of them running behind her desperately... till they lost her at the door. “KALYANI. KALYANI... KALYANI!”
The hunt took some time, but it was when Anupriya called her, they knew where she was, “Kalyani aayi hai Malhar, bahoth ro rahi hai... hua kya?”
“Galthi hogai mai. Main vahaan aaraha hoon... aakar sab kuch bolna padega use pura sach.” he added, turning to the other two women, stareting at him, “Sorry girls!”
“Tum jao Malhar... main... Madhuri ki saari research work ki copy lekar aathi hoon. Kalyani has the rights to know.” Maya replied, “Sampatha, tum kuch chinees kaane ka basic preparations karlena. Final touches vahaan jaakar banadhenge thab thak main copying work kar lungi. Malhar, tum pehele niko, hum baaki kaam karke aathe hai.”
Nodding Malhar left quickly, when Maya and Sampatha began doing their respective works. When he arrived at Ahalya Nivas though the sight that met him was a crying Kalyani with her grand father sitting next to her on the swing, her stepmother coaxing some water into her. “Kalyani...”
Her eyes where filled with sadness when it met his, her grandfather at his nod left the seat, pointedly making Anupriya stay with them, with a move of his hand. It was once he left that malhar began speaking, “Kalyani, jo main bathane jarahi hoon vo ek bahoth ajeeb si baath hai lekin kaafi zaruri bhi hai. Tume tumhari parents ka kaam ke baare main kya patha hai?”
“Madhuri aur Athul ka kaam? Zyadha kuch nahi... Madhuri ek customer relations incharge thi, aur Athul unhi ke liye kaam kartha tha. Researcher types ka kaam kartha hai, ek support system ke thara se. Usse zyadha kabhi nahi batha the... kyun?” she asked looking at him surprised, “Kyunki, Kalyani, tumhari baba ne ek kaafi badi project main involved the, U.N se judi hui. Ek aise project jismain kaafi saare log kaam karthe hai, human rights department, kuch scintists aur upar se Interpole bhi involved hai. Saath saath... kuch private investigators bhi... aur kuch educators bhi hai humari group main.”
“Aap ki group main mathlab? Aap hai kaun?” she asked, Malhar dipped into his wallet where he kept his I.D card. From behind it he pulled out another one... similar, instead it did not have the local area but the most scary words implanted in them, “Interpole? Organized crime? Asian Branch? Investigator? Aap?”
“Haan Kalyani. Aur sirf main nahi, hum sab, Tipsy, Maya aur Sampatha bhi. Sampatha ek analyst hai jo crimes ko dhek kar details dhekthi hai. Maya meri thara ek investigator hai. Tipsy bhi! Aur hum jho bhi dete hai, Sampatha ko dete hai... vahi saari details ko filter karthi hai. She works from home.” Kalyani’s eyes grew further wide, “Jo dhiktha hai vo hai nahi Kalyani... maine hi Sampatha ko vo kaam dhilvaya. Issiliye humne apne saath Sampatha ko London lekar gaye the. Kalyani - Madhuri P.R main nahi, balki networking main thi, she was an undercover cop. More like a basic level investigator, logon se milthi thi, jithna hosake data gather karthi thi. Ek case main nahi, kai saare cases par first level analyst thi aur upar se apne kaam par best thi. Issiliye use Goa par station kiya gaya tha, vahi par zyadha se zyadha floating population tha. Aur Athul mama... vo ek analyst nahi the, crime investigator the, local organized crime liaison jo floating authorities aur local authorities ke beech ek bridge bankar kaam karthe the. Isi liye unka personality intna blendable maintain kiya. He had connections in the most critical spots!” a pale faced girl listened with rapt attention, till she finally rattled off several names she had met, on oddest of occasions, “Sab ke sab Athul ke contacts the Kalyani. Information pass on kar rahe the.”
After thinking she added a few more names to the list... Malhar responded instantly with either suspect or interpole or suspect! A shaking girl had now taken comfort in Anupriya's arms, who rocked her gently as finally the biggest question came up, "Madhuri Meri wajay see suicide kyun ki thi?"
“Wajay tum thi yeah tho patha hai Kalyani. Isse aage kuch nahi. Note main sirf ithna lkiki thi ki main Kalyani ki aankon main sharam nahi dhek sakthi. Usse behethar main mar jaathi.” he added, “Suicide note tha ya kuch aur? Nahi patha tha lekin haan use compleat karne ki mauka nahi mili thi ithna tho confirmed thi.”
“Lekin agar Madhuri suicide karne ki soch rarhi thi tho phir kyun shadhi ki kapdon ko pehenkar karegi? Aur vo bhi bina apni note katham kiye?” she asked, “Exactly Kalyani, vahi hume bhi shak hui thi. Hume laga ki Athul mama ji ne force kia une vo note linke phir phenk dhiya. Vo bul gaye the ki asli suicide note main na insaan ithna kam details nahi likega. Zyadha likega... detail main likega... aur phir jaab aakri saans lethe waqth Madhuri ne Anupriya kaha tho phir note main kyun nahi thi? After use apni mauht ki zimidhari Anupriya par daali thi tho kyun note main nahi thi? Sirf tumhari naam kyun thi?”
“Aur Madhuri tume kyun nahi face kar na chahathi thi, yeah ek aur savaal hai humare liye Kalnayi.” they turned around to see Maya holding a stack of papers, a backpack on her shoulders and near her was a better groomed Sampatha, a food carrier in her hand. “Mathlab?”
“Umm Kalyani, Vishi tume samjadhegi, thab thak main tumhare liye chinees bana rahi hoon. Chup chap khaana hoga.” she snapped but Maya grabbed her hand, “Sam, baito kahani tumse shuru hui thi humse nahi. Mai aap please khaana gharam kijiye.”
Sighing, she picked up a copy of the photo and showed it to Kalyani... it was Sampatha dressed in school uniform, four more girls near her, Maya pointed to each of the girls! “Jainsi, science thi, Laila, design main thi, Sampatha tho tum jaanthi ho, history aur economy le chuki thi, finally iski namam thi Kavitha, Child care main specialize karthi thi... har ek apni field main naturals the... they were being groomed for ‘families’ and more. Lekin, haan, last level par ek teacher aaye the kuch specific fields par. It was a large, prestigious school so kaafi kuch offer karte the. Uss waqth hume nahi patha tha, lekin use ek subject main muskil ho rahi thi... exam fear... khas kar spellings ko lekar. Bechari ko dyslexia thi... jisko kaafi deal kar chuki thi lekin sirf aur sirf biology main kushkil hothi thi. Aur vahaan par tho, ek spelling mistake aur marks cut jaathe the... jiski dhar se vo spellings ke area main cheat karthi thi. She was smart! Lekin ek teacher ne usse pakdh liya... Kalyani... he pushed her with a demand for compromise... anel sex. She was promised so purity par compromise impossible thi but that is still sexual intercourse... dar gayi thi aur Sampatha se share kiya.”
“Haan Kalyani, uss dhin baki dhonon school par the. Hum, vaade par aarahe the, puja ke liye. Kaafi upset thi... finally sab kuch bol dhiya muje. Maine Maya ko email kar dhiya, madhath mange. Muje nahi patha tha, ek dosth ki izzath bachane ke kathir uski saath saath hum sab ki zindagi ko barbaadh kar rahi thi.” she added, tears flowing down her eyes, “Lekin Kalyani... issi waqth... kuch aur bhi hua tha. Jiske saath saath kuch aur bhi hua tha. Uss hack and expose par humne sirf ek teacher ko expose aur barbaadh nahi kya, uske saath saath ek network ka key point ko bhi expose kar dhiya. A human trafficking network jiski shipping unit thi, Goa main. Bina jaane ke main akun hoon, Madhuri athiya ne Jaansi ko contact kiya... aur use kaafi details nikalne lagi thi. Uski aur hum logon ki madhath se us teacher ki belongings se ek unke network ke kaafi details nikal paye the. Aur almost ek hazar ladkiyon ki consignment ko bachaliya. Lekin unfortunately hackers trace main yeah teenon phas gaye the... aur video main hone ke waje se... meri Jaansi ko unlogon ne...”
When Sampatha broke down crying, Maya stepped in, “Jaansi ko ek raath sketch daal kar gang rape kiya gaya, phir maar hiya. Aab thak prove nahi kar paye hai ki vo ek momentary gang rape nahi ek planned organized crime ka naqaab tha. Uss raath Jaansi ke paas us teacher ko phone thi, jo gayab hogayi thi...”
A horrified Kalyani looked on when the biggest part of all came out, “Jaansi Atharv ki mohobath thi... uss dinin usi ki killers ko duundne ke liye Atharv ne vahaan aaya tha. Paison ke liye evi ka... desperate tha... gusse main tha... lekin sabse chupa kar raka tha.”
“Aur maine galthi se use pakad va dhiya.” she replied, “Sirf vahi nahi, un logon se highlight bhi karvadhiya. Issiliye Malhar aur maine Atharv ko yahaan bail main rak dhiya. Aazadh tho hoga, lekin kai ja nahi payega. Aur mai uski thabyath ki dhekbaal tho kr legi.”
As Kalyani continued to cry Malhar hugged her allowing her to cry in his arms, soothing her as felt the breath soothe... when Maya got up leaving the file there. Pointing towards the door indicating she was leaving since time was running out. Once she was out, she got into her black ford everest, connecting her phone to the car, a soothing music began playing. The drive was long, till she stopped at a temple, and made a call. “Mandhir main hoon.”
“All right, drive up back, vahi se jayenge.” came the voice on the other side, once she drove up to where a group of men stood, one of them walked up to her window. He had a build similar to her, but with more soft muscles “Hay baby doll. Ready to see what is behind door number two?”
“Anything that would make me forget your sexy face?” she asked smiling at the man getting out of the car, “Meri sexy face, Ms. Vishvamaya Jaising unforgettable hai. This does not even come to a three. Come on! Teara hi bandhon ke expertise ke andhar hai par thoda ancient think you can get them on it?”
“Dhekne dho na baba.” she laughed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder taking to see the consignment in front of them. It took a moment for her to answer, “Digitalize and send me the copy. Main ukno bijwathi hoon. I am sure they can help.”
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