Chapter 1
He is balancing at the peak of an immensely tall building. He is waving his hand to the world with a wide smile on his face. He is overwhelmed at the screaming and shouting he hears from the people standing at the foot of the 200 floors building trying to catch a glimpse of their successful role model. He sees banners of his face, as tall as the building, shooting up all over the city, all at the same time. A rhythmic tune of his name engulfs the surroundings and entertains his ear. A steady appreciative pat is gifted on his back which takes him to heights of pride. Suddenly he senses the pat getting stronger turning into a shove. The melodious tune is intercepted by a loud voice, a sweet one though. Furrowing his brow in concentration to hear what is spoken, he realises it is his name. Someone is shouting his name, close- into his ears and trying to push him off the building. Panic strikes him as he turns to look at the face.
Gagan! Wake up!' screamed a voice in his ears. It's easier to wake a rock! Get up Gagan!'
He opened his eyes to look at the beautiful woman looking over him with impatience and frustration.
It's your stupid phone. Just pick it up and get out of the room- please,' she said, not so rudely. Bundling her hair, she turned to the other side of the bed with a huff. Gagan, in a sudden, realised the source of the interrupting voice in his brain. His wife. His hands stuttered over the bedside table to hunt for his phone whose ringing had gradually increased. With his 5th successful attempt, he picked up the phone and squinted his eyes to look at his unwelcome caller. He sat upright immediately. A dreadful thought emerged. Something must be wrong else the caller wouldn't have disturbed him at this hour of the night. He looked at his wife who was already fast asleep. The ringing stopped. He walked out of the room to talk to the caller.
"Sam!" said Gagan returning the call. He heard intently to the voice on the other side. "Will be there right away".
It was 2 am and it was the third straight night Gagan was going without a proper sleep. He crept silently into his room and picked up his yesterday's clothes, a deo and his specs and left without waking up his wife. He sighed in relief at his first mission being accomplished. Slipping into his greasy clothes, he grabbed a chocolate bar from the refrigerator for the road, wrote a note for his wife to be found in the morning and stuck it on the refrigerator's door. He ruffled his pockets to check for his car keys, closed the main door behind him silently and jumped into his Mercedes to reach his destination. Things weren't looking good.
Gagan Aryan was an average looking man. Round face, average height and above average weight, he was that sort of a man who was usually connected to the words smart' and wise'. His always furrowed eyebrows and his rimless spectacles added to his image. Coming from a simple upbringing, Gagan had always been a man of dreams and ambitions. He wanted to break the chains of his modest family and create a place for his own, do something which no one ever dreamt he could do. He was someone who had gradually climbed up the ladders of his life- his career, one rung after the other, meeting every challenge with respect and endurance, learning from every fall and accepting his every success. He was not behind money. Money had never given him happiness. Success and name gave him the happiness and satisfaction in life. He wanted to be an inspiration to everyone. He wanted to be a highly respected figure in the society. He was now the COO of the nation's largest automobile manufacturing company. Has he achieved what he wanted in his life? Yes. He was extremely content with his life. At 51, looking at his future, looking at the ladder he had been climbing, he felt he had reached the top. He might not be the owner of the company, but he held more power than the owner. He was known for his shrewd strategies. He was considered to be someone responsible for the turnaround of the company. Apart from being the COO, he also sat on numerous advisory committees for several organisations- both government and private. He had no step to take further. Perhaps he could get a new ladder. But he didn't want to. He wanted to lead his life now, spend time with his family. His current position still offered him with innumerable challenges. He wasn't someone to turn his back. He wasn't someone to run away from a problem just because it wasn't his own. His company was like a family to him. He wouldn't let anything tatter his company's name. He would go to any lengths to make sure his company's name is always on the good records- to any length. Even now, he was driving towards a threat which has been menacing to ruin everything that he had built over the years.
Two days ago, April the tenth, Sunday, a drastic turn of events had made his life quirky, though he wasn't directly involved. His boss and his long time driver friend, Rajeev, were on their way home from a launch party. To no one's knowledge behind the reason for the action, his boss had got down on the middle of the highway forcing his driver to go home alone. The car, in which his boss should have been present, was rammed by an out of control truck killing the driver instantly. The truck driver was severely injured and was admitted in a hospital. His boss was livid when he heard the news of his friend's death and blamed himself for it. He reasoned that he was the intended target which made Gagan think if that was indeed the plan behind the accident- to kill his boss. He had informed the police about his doubts which was duly noted down. At the same time, he could see his boss raging in wanting revenge. He wanted the truck driver to meet the same end as his friend.
Parking his car in the buzzing Yeshwantraj Multispeciality Hospital, Gagan was escorted by a security guard to a van stationed at the end of the parking area, hidden from plain sight. The van was a surveillance room in disguise. Monitors and equipments covered every inch of the space. A tall, muscular man with deep brown hawk eyes acknowledged Gagan's presence through the dark windows of the van, and got out, letting the security escort take his place inside.
"What's going on Sam?" asked Gagan, adjusting his spectacles and combing his short curly hair with his fingers. "What is Shlok doing here?"
"I hoped you would answer that, Gag," replied Sam gravely. Sam was a tough looking man in his mid 40s. He was the Head of Security for the Karmarkar Business Empire (KBE). Gagan recruited him when he had just started a small security service company. Though technically Gagan was his boss, they both were great friends and shared great respect and trust for each other. "I got a call from the watchman of Mr Karmarkar's house saying the boss had left the house driving his car without his security guards. My men trailed him here. He is in the third floor now where Rafi, the truck driver is admitted. I pulled a favour from the hospital security manager and got the transmission of the live feeds of the CCTVs to our system. We have Mr. Karmarkar talking to the police now and seems like the police aren't allowing him inside. He looks agitated."
Gagan looked at the old man in the multiple monitors, apparently in some kind of a heated argument with the police.
"I will go and stop him. Did you try his phone?" asked Gagan as he dialled his boss.
"He doesn't have his phone with him. I tracked it. It is in his house. Third floor is heavily secured. I couldn't go and stop him," said Sam, frustration evident. He hated when his protocols were breached. He was very strict about his security measures being followed by everyone, including the top boss. "Mr Karmarkar had received a call on his mobile from one of the numbers from this hospital. Next moment, he left the house. This could only mean he was sent for here."
"Or- he wanted to meet Rafi desperately? He asked someone to inform him about Rafi's health and may be Rafi is conscious now and he was informed about the same? Don't forget Sam, Shlok is our boss! He is always one step ahead."
"I think that could also be the case. I spoke with one of the ward boys in charge of Rafi's room. He said Rafi regained consciousness and wanted to meet someone. He thought he heard him say Mr. Karmarkar's name."
"And hence the hospital called Shlok! It's simple as that. Shlok wanted to come here. The old man!' raged Gagan. "He is getting difficult day by day. Don't know what he is up to now." Gagan paused wondering the options. "Whatever it is, we have to stop Shlok from meeting Rafi. Shlok has already created enough problems for us. I don't want to add one more to that list- especially murder."
The men stayed silent surveying their surroundings and calming their inner nerves. The popper trees waved left and right on a constant rhythm sending hot wind.
"I have got my men to pounce at every little ounce of suspicion," said Sam, speaking suddenly and reaching out to the Phablet connected to the surveillance equipment. "See these two men? These two went inside Rafi's room after he regained consciousness. This was around 1 am. Afterwards, one of the two left the floor, while the other- this one- is still in the floor and is also standing near the police."
"Could be Rafi's family," suggested Gagan.
"Could be. But the other man- he hasn't left the building. He is still sitting in the reception, doing nothing. That makes me suspicious."
"No movement is always suspicious. Could it be some kind of a trap?"
"Why not? You yourself shared your worries right? That the accident was meant for killing Mr. Karmarkar and not Rajeev? What if the ploy is still on?" Sam shrugged with his tone becoming angrier. "What if Mr. Karmarkar was lured here so that someone could execute him? And here is our-," Sam just about managed not to curse his boss, "who just can't keep his security guys around him."
"Can weapons be taken in?" asked Gagan, seeing his boss turning away from the police in frustration on the monitor. He realised he couldn't ignore the threat hanging above his boss' life. He believed the accident was definitely targeted to kill his boss. He didn't know who wanted to or why. But he knew that whoever it was wouldn't rest just because his first plan failed.
"Not possible at least on the third floor," said Sam. "There are too many police around. It would be a huge risk."
"We still don't know if Shlok is here to harm Rafi or if someone else is going to harm Shlok. Keep an eye on the guy at the reception. I'll go and stop Shlok or at least be with him. He has a lot of answering to do later for his erratic behaviour," said Gagan as he left the place. Though he had put on a patient demeanour, he was raging inside. He, Sam and everyone else were doing so much for his boss, to protect and safeguard him and yet his boss had been so careless about everything and had landed himself into trouble. The first time- getting out on the deserted highway proved lucky for him, but he couldn't ride on his luck all the time.
"Keep the comms on!" shouted Sam to the retreating figure. He had arranged for a special communication network which was used in times of crises. Gagan switched on his phone and enabled the secured communication and plugged in his Bluetooth device. He could hear Sam and Sam could hear him.
Yeshwantraj hospital was an area of heavy buzz. It was located at the heart of the city and was the go to hospital for the majority of the creamy layer. It was 2.30 am yet the entrance of this multispeciality hospital didn't cease from having people lined up in hundreds. Telephones were ringing and mobile phones were singing in competition. Emergency wards were swarmed with patients and family and the reception area was crowded beyond the limit fixed. People without places to sit, stood by the entrance hindering the rushing of critical patients on stretchers. There was chaos and mayhem every time a critical patient was rushed in. Family shouting for doctors or wailing in misery, doctors calling for emergency supplies, nurses screaming for unhindered way- it was the perfect setting for a busy hospital. This was one place where no one gave heed to others but themselves. A perfect place to do something secretly- a perfect place to commit a crime unseen.
Gagan entered the reception and caught a glimpse of Rafi's visitor who was pretending to read a newspaper. Giving a thoughtful glance, he began climbing up the stairs to the third floor. He realised his age and weight was catching up as he struggled for breath even before he reached the first floor. Panting heavily, he slowly climbed the remaining of the stairs. He could hear the silent snickering from Sam.
Stop it!' Gagan retorted. He knew he had to cut down on his junk food and start doing some physical activities, much to the advice of his macho friend. He has gained tremendous weight in the past few years and had been the constant target for Sam. What happened?' he asked as his friend who had become very silent suddenly.
"Gag! The police are letting our boss inside Rafi's room," informed Sam, observing all the happenings from the surveillance van. "Rafi's visitor- he is making a phone call- the guy at the reception is taking a call. Can't hear what the conversation is about. There is definitely something going on, Gag. Boss is inside the room with Rafi now. Get there soon."
"Why did the police suddenly allow Shlok inside? Did you try to warn the police that Shlok isn't in the right state of mental health?"
"I did. I talked to the policeman in charge who is on the floor right now. His name is Anubhav Sinha. He said he has made a note of it. That's it. This is madness, Gag. I just can't understand what exactly is going on."
Gagan could feel the tension in Sam's voice. Sam being nervous wasn't a good sign.
"Don't let the reception guy out of your sight," said Gagan reaching the third floor, sweating and panting. He could see how highly secured the entire floor was. Uniformed police dotted every corner of the floor. He wondered why such a high level security was given for a mere truck driver.
For the past few years, with his boss' health deteriorating, Gagan had taken full control of the KBE, on an unofficial capacity. The business was operating on dangerous grounds economically, with tough competitors both nationally and internationally. Shlok was a man with an amazing ability to outrun every single competitor with his clever tactics which had rightly helped the company reach heights in due course of its growth. From a meagre automobile service shop owner, he had jumped over every hurdle successfully, and importantly, very quickly to become the owner of a large automobile manufacturing company. He was always ahead of his competitors in the race. The new players brought in their own brand and creativity, but nothing could beat Shlok's vision. There had been many controversies, scams and innumerable legal issues thrown at him, which he had dodged victoriously without losing his reputation. But now he has grown old and irrational. The threats too had turned life threatening.
As much as Shlok had been the one lauded for every success the company had garnered over the years, Gagan always had a huge part to play, especially taking the company to the international level. His contribution never went unnoticed, but he was someone who preferred standing behind. Not that he was modest, he wanted to be noticed even when he stood behind. He was always noticed. The past few years, Shlok had grown completely dependent on Gagan. From sitting on management meetings to dealing with labour unions, Gagan was always with him, guiding him with his decisions. Ironically, looking back, it was the other way around when Gagan had joined the company 25 years ago. Shlok was his mentor and he was the one who had guided and taught Gagan every nuance about business. Was their relationship a mentor-mentee one? Or a boss-employee? Or perhaps brotherly? Or maybe just pure unbreakable friendship? It was very hard to define the bond they shared. But for one, it was air tight. There had been many instances in the past when their relationship was tested. It was very well known that the reason behind KBE's enormous success was the solid partnership between Shlok and Gagan. If that was broken, there were all chances of KBE sinking. Many a times, Gagan was fed with the idea of starting his own company and becoming the boss himself. But no amount of jealously or greed could destruct the bond between Shlok and Gagan.
Gagan wondered, in recent years, why he had to put up with Shlok and his nonsense antics. Why he had to work under someone else when he was capable of running his own business? Why he took immense care and concern for his boss, his company and his family? Why he put Shlok above everyone, above himself? He could never decipher an answer for those questions. Somewhere he had grown too fond of the old man, the person who had taught him everything and made him what he was now. He couldn't turn away though Shlok himself had asked him to build his own world.
Cutting to the present, the policemen lodged near the entrance of the corridor banned Gagan from walking any further. Rafi's room was at the end of the corridor. Sam could hear Gagan arguing with the policeman. Gagan was trying to reason saying Shlok might harm Rafi. He informed them that Shlok was still upset over his friend's death and considered Rafi responsible for it. He vowed to kill Rafi and he might as well do it if they didn't stop him right away. The policemen replied the patient and the visitor were constantly observed through the window and there was nothing to worry about.
Gagan moved away from the police. May be he was overacting. Shlok wouldn't kill someone, would he? How much ever furious he was, he wouldn't harm anyone physically. But he hadn't been in his mind for the past few months. Still...Gagan turned to look at the policemen standing by the door, looking through the window. The police wouldn't let someone get harmed deliberately. But why did they restrain Shlok in the beginning but then let him in now? Was there a catch somewhere there? Was it a trap? Could the police be involved in some way? What if the issue isn't Shlok harming Rafi but the target being Shlok himself? What if the entire thing is a plan to assassinate Shlok? The accident plan failed. So could this be the next attempt? But how?
"Stay in the floor, Gagan," said Sam breaking Gagan's thoughts. "Don't go from there. What do you gather from Rafi's visitor?"
"There is nothing but worry on his face. He is desperately trying to see what's going on inside the room. He has one hand on his phone, with his finger ready to press a button." He and Sam had to stop whatever was going to happen. The wrong outcome would have serious repercussions on several fronts. "I think it's some kind of a trigger, Sam."
"I don't think it's an explosive," laughed Sam at his own poor joke. "Weapons can't be brought in through the main entrance. It's heavily guarded and the security is very tight. So there is no way any attack could be conducted from inside."
"From the outside then? Windows!!!!" exclaimed Gagan. "What if someone had entered the room through the window and is already present inside the room? I think Shlok is the target, Sam. Someone is going to try and kill him and escape through the windows."
Gagan could hear Sam shout out instructions to two of his men to run to the side of the building which had the window to Rafi's room. In a matter of few seconds, the two men nailed the elaborate trap laid in front of them.
"Gag! You are partially right. But there is no one inside the room waiting. There is someone hanging outside the window. Probably weaponed," said Sam immediately giving out instructions. "Outdoor teams, chase to the left side of the Mother Theresa building immediately. Suspect clinging to the wall. Don't shoot. I repeat, don't shoot. Stay out of sight but keep your eyes on him. I don't want our suspect to be alarmed. Gag- you have to get Shlok out of the room."
Gagan tried breaching the policemen, but in vain. He even told them of the imminent threat, but they were tied by orders. They didn't care for his laments.
"Gagan! The reception guy is heading towards the power room. He is definitely going to seize the electricity in the building and whatever is planned is going to happen then. He has somehow got access for the power room. My men don't have. Not sure if they can stop him."
"Try stopping him somehow, Sam. If he turns off the power, it would cease the power of all the machines. Patients may die!"
"I'll see what I can do," replied Sam in a hurry.
Gagan realised he had to act in the way he was good at and physical fight wasn't definitely his strength. He moved away from the entrance taking his phone out. Within few seconds, he began shouting and calling the police in charge, Anubhav who was standing near the Rafi's room. "The Commissioner is on the line. He needs to talk to you immediately!" This line always did the trick.
The assassin was clinging outside one of the numerous windows on the wall 24 floors. He was peeping into one of the windows- the window to Rafi's room. The left side of the Mother Theresa building faced one of the compound walls of the massive hospital land which meant it was on the edge of the finish line of the hospital. It was a deserted area and whatever space was available between the building and the compound wall was used as a dumping ground. Sam stationed himself behind a tree like the rest of his guys, his eyes not leaving the clinging man. He contemplated his options. If he announced his position: 1. the guy might surrender or 2. might lose his balance and fall or 3. might even jump deliberately to evade questioning or 4. in worst cases- take the shot at the Head of KBE before any of the above could happened. From the look of it, the guy looked a trained assassin. The body language proved that. He could shoot the guy in his leg and instruct his guys to safely secure him somehow, but that involved lot of risks, operationally and legally. As a security service company, he had the license for weapons and to use them when the need arises. The need was in front of him. But somewhere, he hesitated to issue a shoot order because he wanted the man alive. The man could be one of the ways or probably the only way to know who had been plotting to kill his boss. His boss might be at threat at the moment, but he had the opportunity to put a complete end to that threat by keeping the clinging man alive and safe.
Anubhav understood Gagan had fooled him to get closer to the room. He pulled Gagan back from the door roughly catching him off guard. Though Gagan wasn't someone known for his physical strength, he was a man of willpower. He could do anything if he wanted to. He shoved the strong hands of the policeman back and reached the door. He peeped through the window to see Shlok talking with Rafi. A sight of relief escaped him seeing his boss in a calm conversation with the patient. The next second, he could feel the tough hands on his shoulders pulling him back from the door. Gagan look around at his restrainers, two bulky policemen with their leader shouting orders. The rest stood around watching the show. Rafi's visitor was nowhere to be seen.
Coinciding with all the intriguing turn of events on the third floor and on the side of the building, pitch darkness rained all over the hospital covering the entire place in black. Panic struck Gagan and Sam. They knew that the moment had arrived for the assassin to execute whatever the plan was. The darkness disturbed Sam's observation of the clinging man. His eyes scurried the wall to focus on the target. Without knowing where exactly the man was, he couldn't risk shooting. It wasn't just inside the hospital, darkness plunged outside too. He couldn't take a blind shot. Several windows were open and there were other patients' life he had to consider. At the same time, one certain detail gave him relief. If he couldn't see anything in the dark, so couldn't the clinging man.
Gagan used all his might to overpower the two men restraining him. Succeeding and without another thought, he dashed into the dark room unsteadily, diving into the darkness of uncertainty. His eyes, still not accustomed to the black surroundings, searched for the slightest of the movement. Neither could he see where the patient was nor could he detect where his boss was. Was his frail looking boss still seated by Rafi or did he walk away? With a calculated assumption, he walked to his left where he had seen his boss sitting previously. His ears shot up hearing movement to his right side. He heard Sam telling him not to make the slightest of the noise or flash any sort of light. That would give the clinging man his chance to finish his job.
Just as he planned how to tackle the situation, his once clever boss did the extreme opposite of what was called for at this dangerous hour. Shlok switched on his phone to shed some light into the room, to grace himself with the faces of the tenants of the room and to calm his otherwise frantic mind. The little bright light enabled Gagan to see the clinging man at the window with his gun edging inside the room.
In the next few moments, so many things happened that it would be very difficult to arrange them in order. Gagan jumped over Shlok to pin him down on the floor, to shield him from the shot. A muffled sound of the barrel emerged and a loud groan followed with thudding footsteps filling the room. The power returned turning all black into all white.
Gagan sensed the non-movement of his boss under him. Terrified, he slowly lifted himself, his heart drumming. Had he squashed his boss to death with his weight? He saw his boss lying unconscious but there was no sign of blood anywhere on his body. He checked his pulse instantly to sense the slow but stable beating. Relief. He realised the owners of the footsteps, the policemen, weren't standing beside him or Shlok but were standing beside the bed. He craned his neck around to peep through the gap in between the tall legs of the standing policemen. He could see the white legs of the cot discoloured to crimson. He immediately understood the entire story- the entire plot. Shlok was never the target. Rafi was.
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