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Chapter 21 Reality check… all revealed

Priya Gole
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Chapter 21 Reality check… all revealed

Chapter 21

The office room was now a flurry of activities with Shadow at the helm of things. Captain Rawat too was a constant feature as he barked orders to his office back in wherever he was. Nitya could only stand and anticipate as the gravity of the situation began to sink in. What did her father unearth that cost him his life? This was huge and concerning National security. What was her father upto? He had passed on such vital information…

How she wished this was revealed years ago… before her father was called a traitor and their family shunned. Would her mother be sane? Would Naman have received better treatment and support options? Maybe she would have got a proper education and overall… stability and a carefree life where she didn’t have to look over her shoulders all her life.

Blinking back tears, Nitya watched Maanav and Shadow draw all possible information about torpedoes and their use.

“So boys…” Captain Rawat roared and startled Nitya. “,.. we have on a conference call the defence secretariat… and the home Minister himself. We have to update him so he can take care of the bureaucratic matters. I strongly feel we will need that.”

Nitya sat in a dark corner of the office watching the scene unfold. The huge screen now had the who’s who from high offices and their screens were shadowed. She wondered why because they were all in public lives anyways.

“That’s because they are in this mission on a classified basis… they can’t reveal themselves. It’s a façade you see… to cut the bureaucratic red tape….” Maanav whispered as if hearing her thoughts. He seemed to know her more than herself. She was so glad he was with her… else she couldn’t have coped with this mayhem.

“Here’s the status…” captain Rawat’s voice boomed through the speakers and all the others in the office were looking with rapt attention. Shadow and his team were all prepped up to fire the keyboard while Maanav sat next to Nitya holding her hand. “…This terror conspiracy was launched way back in early 2000s or probably even before that but received a shot in the arm after the 9/11 US attacks. The funding had to be diverted somewhere else so Yemen became a hotbed. The proximity to large number of ports was critical part of the reason to consider attack by the sea route. And the reason for the attack was the age old… Babri Masjid demolition….” Captain Rawat sighed and Nitya saw him rub his face. she was sure the man was fatigued but he didn’t let it show through his voice as he continued.

“… so gentlemen as you see here…” he put up a slide showing the sea route from Yemen to Mumbai. “…Its not an impossible task. 26/11 was done so from our neighbouring land but the planning and the needed technological advancement were provided from Yemen so given our good relations with the country, no one would suspect them. In fact, I have on good record the authorities there have been clueless about what was happening clandestinely right under their noses.”

Nitya realised she had gripped Maanav’s palm. He placed a warm palm over their clasped hands. “don’t worry, Nitya… this is the beginning of the end. I promise…” He whispered and she nodded. She realised she had become an emotional mess ever since Maanav had returned to her life. She loved him more than anything… always loved him but it also scared her. She had lost a lot in life. What if she lost him as well? What if something happened to Naman? A flood of negative thoughts sent a shiver down her spine. She felt Maanav’s grip tighten as they continued to hear what Captain Rawat had to say.

 

“… The 26/11 attack on Mumbai as we already know happened via the sea route and they had planned a follow-up attack immediately in December. The November attack was called the ‘BUTT mission because of the chief perp involved in the same. He was tried in a court in the neighbouring country. The second attack was to have taken place in a more severe form. However, because of the vigilance by Dr. Mohandas, that attack was prevented but the physical preps were all done…”

“What do you mean by the preps?” A member of the defence secretariat questioned.

“Dr. Mohandas sent the details to us cryptically. He was sure those people would target his family if he directly sent it… it also could have fallen into the wrong hands instead of coming to us… Dr. Mohandas would have probably aimed for one of the two outcomes… either destroy it all… so it would never work. The perps had spent too much and they would suffer losses that would render them useless. The second would be getting it all decoded by someone trusted and someone highly intelligent. This is difficult to find amongst the enemy. That worked and here we are. But at that time the attack was a few days apart after 26/11. So, all their other preparations would have had to be in place.” Captain Rawat explained.

Shadow stood and nodded at everyone as he took over the explanation. He put up another slide. “As you see here, Yemen has a 1200-mile coastline. Of which 4 of these ports are heavily guarded. 3 of them are major ports. It over all lies in the South Western corner of the Arabian Peninsula so quite a bit of it is secluded from us and our western coastline. If there has to be an attack, they have to use a port for the activation and technology… that means they will require a port that’s not in function. In the last 15 years, there have been a couple of ports that have been rendered dysfunctional and are used to repair and build ships….”

Captain Rawat took over. “…I have sent a word across through our informer network to check for anything untoward happening in one of these two ports… meanwhile here is my research…” he put up another slide. “… Ul-Ad-Fitoor has been dysfunctional from early 2008 and even to date because of the difficult underwater terrain for ships it has not been in use….” He put up another slide. “… If you see, the projection of this port area to the Arabian Sea to Mumbai coastline is a straight line despite the distance. Also, the waters midway are politically in a no man’s territory, unclaimed by any country. So anyone is free to use them. However, the vigilance these days is strong so whatever has to be done has to be done underwater. “

Maanav walked towards the monitor. “Hence the use of ‘Torpedoes’. They had planned this earlier which means the torpedoes are already present… underwater. Undetected so far.”

“Yes, Bullet.” Captain Rawat agreed. “…Today’s torpedoes are highly advanced, incorporating guidance systems, propulsion technology, and various sensors… even way back in 2008 the technology was pretty good. However, since it was a top-secret mission, it had to be taken care of without the watchdogs of the world… Hence…”

“…Hence my father came into the picture…” Nitya found herself talking. Everyone fell silent and no one attempted to stop her as she walked towards the monitor that showed the Yemen coastal strip. “…he deactivated and scrambled the codes to destroy the attack plans…” She looked at Captain Rawat. “… didn’t he?”

She felt him nod slightly and slumped to the floor even as Maanav rushed to her. he helped her stand and she felt all her energy drain away as she clung to him for support.

“My Appa was never the traitor… he gave up his life to safeguard the national interest and even after his death today his son continues the legacy… my brother decoded it all… unscrambled it all… we aren’t children of a traitor… we aren’t.. at fault … we … are … not … responsible…my appa…” She felt breathless even as her chest constricted. The anxiety attack which she thought was a thing of the past came back with a vengeance she didn’t know existed.

Right then there was a loud beep on the monitor. Shadow rushed towards his instrument panel and looked at Captain Rawat wide-eyed. Captain Rawat nodded and signalled something to his back office… what must have happened? Nitya found the world around her begin to spin. There was a cacophony of keyboard clicks and all those present virtually simultaneously talking. In all that she could only make out two words that penetrated her fudged brain… ‘connection lost’. Oh God … NAMAN!

She saw a blurred Maanav frown and speak something as he held her close… was he shouting? She couldn’t make out her ears were ringing and her chest was… goodness she couldn’t breathe anymore… was she whimpering? She couldn’t tell… was she dying? She didn’t know… what would happen to Naman then? Would Naman be alive or join her in the other realm?

Before she could think more, darkness claimed her…

 

©priyanayakgole

(Disclaimer: This is a piece of fiction using the backdrop of the attack that happened and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. This doesn’t attempt to change history or facts.)

Short story (200 words) ‘Dear Margi’

Priya Gole
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Short story (200 words) ‘Dear Margi’

Here’s my featured entry: It brings us immense pleasure to inform you that you are one of the winners of the June 2024 BTBFolio Writing Challenge.

Thank you team Beyond the Box.

The prompt was the picture attached.

‘Dear Margi’

The air around the Himalayan cliff was invigoratingly crisp, carrying the earthy petrichor and windy murmurs. Eager to move after being cooped up for hours due to relentless rains, I had embarked on this trek while my teammates lazed behind in the retreat.

But…I was lost. My phone died, and fear crept in as darkness approached. I heard a ruffle and heavy panting amidst the cacophony of the breeze and growling thunder. Heart thudding, I inched ahead to see a stray dog sitting precariously on the cliff’s edge.

As tears meandered down my cheeks, the dog stood up, wobbling ahead and I began following it in blind abandon. Dark pregnant clouds hovered dangerously close even as staccato lightning lit up our path and soon, I reached my retreat to the relief of my teammates. The stray disappeared into the woods before I could react.

Later, sipping hot chocolate with torrential rains outside for company, I wandered around the library. A portrait of a dog on a cliff caught my eye. It was the same dog. The mug slipped from my hands as I read the caption.

“In loving memory of ‘Margi,’ the stray who always showed tourists the right path.”

 

(Word count: 200 excluding the title)

 

Blogchatter half marathon series: Blog 1: MY DICHOTOMY

Priya Gole
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Blogchatter half marathon series: Blog 1: MY DICHOTOMY

My dichotomy… my essence

 Whenever incidents like the Kolkata RGKar ones happen, we are shaken to the core and we begin to question everything around us. The biggest being, who am I? What is my essence as a woman in her mid-40s?

My essence in the tapestry of my middle-aged life weaves strength and grace. As I meander the travails of transiting through the autumn of life, I am faced with a myriad of issues pertaining to my health, finances, profession and, of course my family! When faced with the curveballs life throws in my direction I have learnt to welcome them with a smile. My resilience is an unyielding flame dancing strong… braving the winds of adversity, a testament to the above fact.

As a paediatric professional, I face challenges everyday as we traipse through a plethora of issues. But my specially-abled angels in clinic, have taught me the biggest lesson in life… never to give up and here I am.

Within me is the young goody-two-shoes girl who always toed the line her upbringing etched for her. I am grateful to my school teachers who honed my skills and my headstrong mother who was always the sturdy oak that opted to be uprooted in the chaotic storms of life rather than bend. Being emotional gives me a heightened sense of empathy, a vital requirement in my line of work and also a main ingredient as I strive to be a better human.

My soft inner facet fosters an openness to communication with everyone that facilitates the formation of numerous connections and friendships. I refrain from concealing my emotions.

I have been an overachiever and an all-rounder as a student and that continued for years later. Unfortunately, my self-expectations snowballed into alleviated personal standards for myself. This soon metamorphosed into a palpable undercurrent of anxiety and before I knew I was battling anxiety attacks with the slightest of triggers. Despite my profession and being in the penumbra of understanding mental health, I couldn’t handle it all. It reached a pinnacle when as a new mother, overwhelmed and exhausted, I grappled with an unsettling impulse to throw my week-old firstborn out of the window….

It was then I understood the reality called ‘post-partum depression.’ and that it exists, not just in books. The underlying currents of high emotional fragility turned a catalyst for accepting my imperfections, beginning the first step…

I began to approach life with greater passion, a zeal that was untouched. As I multitasked as a person with multiple roles at home and as a professional, I was able to handle it all with a little counselling and family support. I could bring energy and enthusiasm to my pursuits.

As the years passed, I settled into a rhythm but an intangible void remained. My creative streak yearned to be unleashed and paint my life’s walls with hues of imagination and optimism. Being an avid reader, I longed to be the creator of the character that I lived in the narrative. I longed to be the orchestrator of the tribulations of an imaginary character by breathing life into it. In short, I wanted my imagination to run amok….

That’s what led me to writing. Penning down emotions made me seek refuge in an imaginary world where I wielded the beacon to travel through the labyrinth of emotions. It brought me out of a dark zone. I soon began my episodic stories and my reader base increased. Almost all the readers composed of women in the age range of 20 to 70! The dynamic interaction with women from different walks of life helped me gain profound insight into their lives.

I wrote tinges of erotica as I played around with language and soon my readers were hooked to it. Eventually, I emerged as a hurricane, defying the challenges that came my way in this literary pursuit. My readership increased and I recognised and accepted the alternate facet of my personality… the other side of this coin called “I”

In the initial days of dabbling in the genre, I often thought of adopting an alias… given the limited understanding of navigating the bleary line between literary erotica as an explicit narrative vs erotica as an art.

But I realised I was unleashing my emotions and creativity for catharsis so I didn’t want to conceal myself behind the veil of a pseudonym. My stories gained popularity and my readers… almost all women began to wait for the chapters.

It all seemed alright for over a year but soon few men in my circle of authors and friends came to know about the genre I often dabbled with. While most of them were appreciative, in sporadic cases where they seemed to cross the line, I politely ghosted them or in extreme cases blocked them. However, they were all strangers in the virtual world and I barely knew them even on social media, which is a façade anyway.

One day, however a close acquaintance crossed the boundaries of decency when in the garb of a drunk stupor, passed derogatory remarks on the content in question, getting obscenely personal. He became outright explicit in expressing his fantasies and that was uncalled for. I felt reduced to a mere object of his warped desires. It seemed the years-old friendship was a fluke. Everything upright he stood for seemed like this huge façade beneath the garb of virtue.

Very recently someone ventured into the realm of personal commentary on my timeline. There was a presumptuous assertion that personal attacks or scathingly piercing comments came with the territory. I had the ‘audacity’ to write about something so blasphemous that deserved a whiplash….

All this, just because I wrote erotica? What gives anyone the right to demean an individual because of the creative choices the individual makes? I strongly believe the essence of artistic expression lies in its diversity where the creator can explore boundaries catering to her sensibilities and passions.

After all, true creativity lies in transcending above preconceived notions, doesn’t it?

So just like a coin gains value from both its sides, the complex symphony of my duality forms a harmonious whole… that’s me. Ultimately, it’s the amalgamation of the two sides that bring out the depth and richness of one’s character.

 

©Priya Nayak-Gole

 

Chapter 20 The plot unravels

Priya Gole
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Chapter 20 The plot unravels

Chapter 20

The cacophony of the instruments buzzing around in the office acted like a balm to Nitya’s disturbed soul. She wanted to do something… anything to take her mind off the horrendous thoughts of what may be happening to Naman. His signals were coming in if Captain Rawat was to be believed. The man still wasn’t showing his face but was constantly in touch with them giving them updates about Naman. Apparently, the boy was on the move still which meant the location was till not final.

Captain Rawat had been firm not to interfere right now though they had all the capacity to free Naman. Nitya was aghast initially but knowing that Naman was safe and given the involvement of her father indirectly, she felt it in her veins to trust her brother. She was proud of the fact too. However, the sister in her wasn’t… she was anxious.

Maanav was working in tandem with Shadow’s technical staff to decipher the letter and she looking in awe at the man who faced something similar from the same enemy. His father had died in the line of duty in the same tragedy that had struck her…. He had bounced back and while she was yet to learn the details about his life; she was proud of him for the man he had become. She saw him as being the epitome of concentration… he was like that. Whether it was for the country or whether it was in bed….

Nitya shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to think about her personal affairs with Maanav. She felt eyes on her and looked up to see Maanav staring back at her… He smiled and an unsaid message passed between them. Something told her he thought about the same situation that she did as well… She blushed despite everything and looked away. She thanked God for Maanav and Shadow and of course Captain Rawat… she was grateful that irrespective of what happened in her life in the last 15 years, these people had her back. She wouldn’t have known what to do. No wonder her father had asked her to take help and he had been specific, too. Maanav. Maanav’s father, too had been specific. And that was because her father wanted it that way…

Could it be that their fathers were blessing them from wherever they were?

She blinked back tears. Her father was stuck in something sinister and yet he thought about her well-being… She deeply wished to clear his name. And the process had begun. The letter had to be decoded.

A shriek filled the air as she startled and she saw Maanav thumping his fist in the air. Shadow patted him and she knew he had decoded the letter. Captain Rawat was back on the screen again.

The translation of the letter was put up on the large screen along with the original letter lines.

The translation read:

 

 

Qui totum vult totum perdit

He who wants everything loses everything.

De omnibus dubitandum

Be suspicious of everything.

Factum fieri infectum non potes

It is impossible for a deed to be undone.

Pisces lethale in aquis profundis

The lethal fish in deep waters

dona felis summis

The gifts are trigger alerts

missio non perficitur

Mission to not be accomplished

circulorum ut nec in aquis usque

Ripples shouldn’t be found in still waters

 

“So, here’s all open before you…” Maanav declared as he read the translated letter aloud.

There was a pin drop silence as everyone began to decipher the messages hidden in between the lines… with the buzz of the instrumentation for company.

“Nitya, child…” Captain Rawat’s soft voice came across from the speakers and Nitya was touched at his changed tone. “… You knew your father at a personal level… I know you were just a child at the time but I have seen first-hand at how perceptive you were even then. Your father was always proud of you. So think about the depth in these words and help us out. Maanav this applies to you as well.”

Maanav walked closer to Nitya and they stared at the words.

“Appa… he wanted us to ‘save all’….” Nitya spoke softly and she felt Naman’s strong presence and aura urging her. At that moment it felt her father had also played a role in getting them together from wherever he was. “… so, we now know that he was warning us about the next attack” Nitya looked at Maanav and he nodded in affirmation.

“When he mentioned ‘take help’ it meant me, and you all by association…” Maanav added.

Shadow moved closer to the screen. “Let’s take one line at a time… Nitya can you make out the first line? He who wants everything… what do you think it meant?” he asked her.

“I think… he was speaking about himself… he wanted it all…” Nitya added, choking on her voice. “…and then he lost it all.” She broke down. Maanav held her close and she was grateful he was there. He was her pillar of strength, especially at that moment. Shadow got her water and she had a couple of sips trying to stabilise herself. None of them tried to rush her and she knew how imperative it was that they finish on time.

Sniffing on her tissue she read the next line and pondered. “My appa was suspicious of everyone… I think he meant Kamble kaka… the Judas. He must have found something about his involvement at that time…”

No one interrupted her and she was relieved. Maanav didn’t let go of her shoulder and she was grateful for the physical contact.

The third line was confusing everyone… what deed was her father talking about that couldn’t be undone.

“I think I have figured this…” Maanav answered her thoughts. “… I think if you consider the Morse code messages and the series of events at the time… Your father meant he couldn’t stop 26/11….” She felt a shudder run through his body and knew instantly there was some connection.

Maanav hugged her closer with one hand and supported himself on a nearby table with the other. He turned towards her. “I lost dad… on that horrific day… in the line of duty… Details aren’t known to date… just him… rest all of them we got their videos or something… No information about his death though…” he looked down again as emotions got the better of him. This time it was her turn as she turned and hugged him. he hugged her back and placed his face in the crook of her neck. She felt him breathe heavily trying to contain his emotions as unanswered questions kept popping up…  She didn’t care about the audience and no one interrupted them.

What on earth had happened to their fathers? Everything was so messed up. She rubbed his back and eventually, he sighed as he moved away. He held her hand as they both looked back at the screen.

The next line ‘lethal fish in deep waters’ didn’t make much sense… so after pondering for about 15 minutes, they decided to move on to the next one.

“By gifts did he mean the package that he sent… this instrument that Naman used all this while?” Nitya questioned everyone.

“Yes indeed. It is… it also includes Maanav’s gift from his father…” Captain Rawat spoke after a long time. “… that last line in the letter about completing the gift circle probably means that both had to be combined. It did work… the musical note was completed at Maanav’s house that morning…”

“Yes… the next line probably means that the mission shouldn’t be allowed to accomplish i.e… it should be prevented at all costs….” This was Shadow. “…We know by now that Nitya’s father had tried to prevent the next attack and, in the process, sent the packages to his family and Maanav’s father…”

Two lines still remained to be deduced…

The lethal fish in deep waters

And

Ripples shouldn’t be found in still waters

Everyone stared at the two lines put out separately… It meant the attack has something to do with the ‘water’. Was the enemy planning an attack from the water route just like 26/11? But they would know that the security would be tight.

Captain Rawat continued to speak. “They wouldn’t have tried something similar… it would be something ingenious through the water mode itself… the shock element is in place. It would be something that would still catch us unawares…What could it be?”

“That mission had to be aborted because Nitya’s father prevented it… but the fact that they are in the country for a while and have been after the instrument meant its still in the pipeline…” Shadow filled in.

“Yes…” Maanav ascertained. “… And from what Nitya heard that evening in Virar, it meant, they have planned it this December on the 6th… We are a few months away and they barely have time to prepare it… it must be something extensive that takes this much time to get ready… what is it?”

The excitement and the adrenaline rush were palpable in the room as they collectively approached the resolution of the clues left behind by Nitya’s father.

“What creates ripples in the water?” Nitya suddenly popped up a question.

There was a sudden hush and immediately Maanav spoke… “that song ‘ripples’ played after the gifts were combined. Just check out the lyrics…”

Shadow immediately got to work and soon there was a page on the large screen.

For an hour a man may change
For an hour her face looks strange
Looks strange, looks strange
Marching to the promised land
Where the honey flows
And takes you by the hand
Pulls you down on your knees
While you’re down a pool appears

 

The face in the water looks up
And she shakes her head as if to say
That it’s the last time you’ll look like today

 

Sail away, away
Ripples never come back
Gone to the other side
Sail away, away

The face that launched
A thousand ships
Is sinking fast, that happens you know
The water gets below
Seems not very long ago

Lovelier she was
Than any that I know
Angels never know it’s time
To close the book
And gracefully decline
The song has found a tale
My, what a jealous pool is she

Sail away, away
Ripples never come back
They’ve gone to the other side
Look into the pool
Ripples never come back
Dive to the bottom and go to the top
To see where they have gone
They’ve gone to the other side

 

Maanav rushed to the screen that showed up when the music played. Shadow helped by putting in some codes, probably the ones Naman had used. If there was anyone who could learn from Naman it was Shadow. Nitya watched in awe as the song began to play and the Morse codes sprag up… the Initial lies were decoded.

“Just notice these fresh codes…” Maanav pointed out. “… they weren’t there earlier because we ended the music after the initial lines…” he looked around at them in excitement. “…but there were fresh codes and they came in when the music changed in a strange way…not present in the original…”

“Yes… I agree…” Nitya piqued in. “…I remember this music appa used to play often… but these lines sound different…”

Maanav played it over again and again. They even played the original to compare… this went on for half an hour and then Maanav rushed to the where the lyrics were put up and marked five lines. “Here…” he declared. “… these are the lines where the lyrics change…”

Everyone came closer and Shadow got the lyrics together.

The face that launched a thousand ships

Is sinking fast, that happens you know

Dive to the bottom and go to the top                                                                            To see where they have gone
They’ve gone to the other side

 Maanav turned towards them and put up a question. “So what do you all think? What can be the ‘face’ that launches…? that causes ships to sink? Something that dives to the bottom initially but strikes upward…? And comes in from the other side… obviously to hit us…?”

He looked at everyone even as Nitya stared wide-eyed.

Shadow straightened to his complete height anger shimmering on his rugged face and Nitya realised the man was very tall… he was a giant.

Captain Rawat who had been silently observing the proceedings so far suddenly spoke. “There can only be one answer to all of this… Given the technological advancement available at the time only one thing sounds logical… getting all the above points together especially the ripples on the surface….”

“And that is…?” Nitya moved closer to Maanav fear creeping up her spine in anticipation of what would come.

“Torpedoes…” Maanav declared his voice laced with anger and gripping Nitya’s hand tighter.

“BLOODY HELL…” Shadow roared. “…the F&%$#@s are planning the attack using Sailing torpedoes…”

 

©priyanayakgole

(Disclaimer: This is a piece of fiction using the backdrop of the attack that happened and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. This doesn’t attempt to change history or facts.)

Chapter 19 The Judas

Priya Gole
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Chapter 19 The Judas

Chapter 19

Nitya stared at Shadow, stunned to the core. She almost stumbled as she tried to turn around and Maanav held her. Tears welled up as she remembered how easily Sajid alias Ashfaq had coned her. She had resigned to the fact that he would be her saviour despite all the red flags and the only fact that saved her from the folly was, Naman disliked the guy with a vengeance.

How could she trust someone like him? Why didn’t she bother to get any inquiries done? But she knew Sajid would have had an air tight background, given the lengths to which he had gone and tried for years to trap her. She hugged herself as she shuddered.

The intercom rang startling the trio. Shadow answered that and went to the main screen.

“Guys come here… my team has decoded the morse code message.” Shadow hurriedly booted up the large screen.

The message scrolled upwards as a couple of lines came to light.

PREVENT NEXT ATTACK

DECEMBER 6TH

BEWARE JUDAS IN MIDST… UNBELIEVABLE

The trio stood staring at the sentences. Shadow was pondering over it.

“What… what did Appa mean by Judas…? who?” Nitya asked Shadow.

“What have we missed, Shadow?” Maanav walked towards him.

“I am trying to figure it out. While its certain there was an attack that couldn’t take place that year, it is probably planned for this year… we barely have the time. But besides all that, I am concerned with… who… I.e who is the traitor amongst us?” Shadow fumed and began to pace the office confines, his huge body making the large place look small.

“That is not possible, Shadow, Captain Rawat has vetoed all of us here, including Naman. And you know already that nothing escaped the Captain’s hawk eyes.” Maanav declared looking sheepishly at Nitya.

“Wait… we were checked?” Nitya asked, hands on her hips.

“Sorry, Nitya… but that’s protocol. We have to veto all our clientele. By now you must have realised we are no ordinary bodyguard service. So captain Rawat does that for us. He has given us the few cases that we have successfully resolved. This was the first major one. Obviously, he wouldn’t be complacent….” Shadow explained as he continued. “… But looks like he missed something this time… This has been relayed to him. Let’s focus on what we have here till then…”

Just then there was a siren that shattered the silence of the room and it was so loud that it felt the walls were trembling with the impact.

“Security breach…”  Shadow screamed into a walkie talkie.

Nitya looked wide eyed as Maanav took out a walkie talkie and began to communicate with someone. There was a flurry of activity all of a sudden and before she could react, Shadow walked towards the huge monitor and clicked on a few buttons. The CCTV high resolution footage came to life and Shadow zeroed in on one of them.

“Para 4, come in… I see movement there. Get me a visual…” Shadow spoke into the walkie-talkie. One of the many windows was maximised and Nitya saw few people in black overalls dragging two people… covered and tied. Oh goodness…

Oh God that was Naman for sure… that walk was unmissable.

“NAMAN…” Nitya screamed as she ran out of the office as fast as her legs could carry her. Followed by Maanav close on her heels.

She barged into Naman’s room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She kept calling him while Maanav began to check into other rooms. The orderlies and the few other operatives began to comb every corner of the house. Naman was nowhere to be found.

Nitya was a crying mess when she suddenly held Maanav’s hand. “Maanav… where’s Kamble kaka?”

The search now included kaka as well but right then Shadow walked in signalling a halt to the proceedings.

“They have been taken away. Both of them…” He declared, rubbing his face apologetically looking at Nitya.

“WHAT…? Where…? HOW…? HOW…?” Nitya looked at Shadow and Maanav, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“The tunnel has been breached. They walked out of the tunnel… and took the other route at the intersection… the place where you guys rested when you came over. The other direction goes to Maanav’s place…” Shadow was lost in thought.

“But why did Naman just go like that…? Are you sure he wasn’t dragged…?” Nitya clasped her hands as fear sent shivers through her body. Maanav gripped her palm, but this time she wasn’t able to calm down.

“But Shadow, that tunnel didn’t have cameras, right? Just one at the entrance and exit… because of the technical difficulties… I remember you mentioning that.” Maanav quipped in.

“I had alternative arrangements. I had recently installed a wireless modem with seven camera attachments throughout the tunnel. It was an experiment and I am glad because we caught the duo voluntarily making their way out.” Shadow sighed hands on his hips as he contemplated the possible scenarios.

“Wait… what are we waiting for? We should get moving… they are in danger… Oh My Goodness, my Naman… does he have his medicines with him? What if he gets a seizure?” Nitya began to panic.

“Nitya, don’t worry…” Maanav held her shoulders. “…Naman is very important to them… they will protect him.”

She shrugged his hands away and stared at Maanav, tears continuing their onslaught on her cheeks.

“Nitya… look at me, please…” Maanav tried to reason.

Shadow cleared his throat. “I am getting a call from a private number… its probably Capt. Rawat. Let me connect and see what he has found out. The rest of you check if anything’s missing and we re-group in the office in 10 minutes.” Shadow walked out of the foyer where they stood.

The others left too, and Nitya and Maanav stood with solemn looks.

“So, was that the reason everyone wanted to protect my brother…? Because he is important? To solve that goddamn riddle my father made up years ago?” Nitya spoke amidst the strangling of her voice due to the clogging of emotions.

“Nitya, it isn’t like that…”

“Then what is it, Maanav? I am grateful for all that you did… Naman bloomed like never before… but for what? Just to shrivel into his shell, yet again?” She furiously wiped her face.

“Nitya, calm down sweetheart…” Maanav attempted to hold her shoulder but she moved away.

“NO Maanav… NO… It’s all my fault. I let caution to the wind… I was selfish about my needs. I didn’t know what was happening around me… my Naman. I would have noticed something…” Nitya looked at Maanav with panic-stricken eyes.

“Stop blaming yourself, Nitya… trust me, please… I promise you, nothing will happen to Naman. He will be back unscathed. I promise…”

Right then Shadow called them to the office.

When they reached there, all operatives had gathered around the console.

“Capt Rawat checked in and here’s some shocking news… There indeed was a Judas amidst us… not just now, but even 15 years ago… And Nitya, your father was right, as always.” Shadow spoke softly, looking at Nitya, contrary to his image of being a tough taskmaster.

“Oh God, it is Kamble uncle… the wolf in sheep’s clothing…” Maanav declared much to Nitya’s chagrin.

“WHAT…? How come…? That’s not possible. Kamble kaka was dad’s closest friend and… he was the only one who supported us all these years. I don’t know what would have happened if not for him.” Nitya found herself defending kaka. She couldn’t believe this was happening. First Sajid now kaka? “…What on earth is happening. Kaka was so against Sajid for me…  Why would he do that…? NO something is wrong here…”

“Nitya, Captain Rawat will tell us the details in a minute.” Shadow spoke, clicking on a few buttons. The screen came to life again and this time there was a black screen with a silhouette of a man in a dimly lit room.

“I believe its time for some revelations now that Judas has struck…” A loud strong voice boomed over the speakers and Nitya was jolted from her reverie. Wait she had heard this voice somewhere it was so familiar.

The voice continued. “We had him under our Radar for a while but I didn’t want to warn you all else he would have got a signal too… but now we have proof of his connections with the enemy… his cell phone was monitored till he left Maanav’s home. He had a burner stashed along. He didn’t call else your monitors would have caught him. He had a game going on … a video game that he used to communicate with them…”

“No doubt he loved playing them with Naman…”  Maanav said.

“That’s correct, Maanav. But my team just transcribed the details thanks to the brilliant boy in your midst. Manoharan’s son is a genius way ahead of his father… he left loopholes in the game software… because he probably had his doubts. Kamble couldn’t operate anything for crying out loud… he used Naman’s help all these years…” the voice continued and right then it struck Nitya…

“WAIT… It was you… that year in the camp in Himalayas… after the blast… you saved my life… didn’t you…?” Nitya spoke to the Silhoutte.

“Listen up, girl. That isn’t important now…” the Voice was curt. “… What’s important is that I have got on the loopholes in the video game and we are trying to get the details of the communication. But what we have received so far in a gist is, Kamble was one of their informers… He had it going well so far but he didn’t expect SPS getting involved. He had thought it would be easy like it had been all those years ago….”

“Wait… please wait…” Nitya held up her hand, tears streaming down her cheeks. “… Kaka always helped us… ALWAYS. Not just being there for us during crises, but even with money… What do you mean that he did it back then? What exactly did he do?”

The voice paused before he spoke again. “Kamble… from what we have gathered till now, was chosen for this role because he was close to your father who was making the special software… He was the one who lured your father into that job which he otherwise wouldn’t have taken up. Despite all his brilliance, your father was a very emotional person. But your father went two steps ahead… first he got on board Commander Deshmukh, our Maanav’s father and second, what no one anticipated, he arranged for that information to be sent to his children. No one would have doubted the move. Kamble knew there had to be something so he got closer to you all. Fortunately or unfortunately, he was an acquaintance form our Army days and was in touch with me. He gave the impression that he was protecting you, Nitya and Naman. But on the contrary he was giving information to the enemy. That’s why he arranged for you to move in with him once Naman decoded the mystery in the instrument….”

“So… where is Naman now?” Nitya’s worried voice squeaked even as Maanav held her close.

“He is safe, Nitya. Because he has the information that no one does… The genius boy has taken the game console with him… Kamble must have allowed it to keep him occupied and even as we communicate here, I am getting signals from the game. We are tracking them… don’t worry. We need to know their main location and what’s up their sleeve….” The voice explained.

“So… my brother is a bait…? How could you…? He is a special needs person.” Nitya wailed as she collapsed on to the floor and Maanav held her.

“Nitya… Nitya don’t you worry. I promise nothings going to happen to Naman.” He gave her water and supported her as she sat up.

She gripped his hand. “Maanav, Naman is innocent. He may not be able to recognise the enemy… what if something happens?..”

“Nitya, Naman is the smartest kid on the block…” the voice of Captain Rawat spoke. “… there were so many pieces to the puzzle but the kid single handedly got them all together… we have a lead only because of him. He is still communicating with us… Don’t worry…”

“But why did they take him with them? His instrument is here… what can he do without the instrument? It was this cursed instrument they have been after. They destroyed my mother’s sanity and now they were after Naman…” Nitya tried to explain.

“For planning our next step or to know what they are truly after, we need to decode your father’s letter, Nitya… it’s the final piece in the puzzle.” Captain Rawat’s sombre voice came across through the speakers.

Shadow typed in something and Nitya’s father’s letter’s copy flashed on the huge monitor.

“Nitya, can you make out anything here?” Captain Rawat asked.

“No… no… Oh goodness… I just can’t… I am blank.” Nitya couldn’t stop crying.

“Nitya…. my child. You must gather yourself for the sake of, not just Naman but the country… The same country for protecting which, your father laid down his life like the umpteen soldiers guarding our frontiers… Nitya, Now is the time for us to take this saga to its logical end… this must end. Your family’s turmoil has to end.” Captain Rawat ascertained and this time his voice held a lot more than power.

 

A sudden silence fell in the room as everyone of them assembled in the office focussed on the letter trying to figure out if it was a scramble of letters… trying to decode whatever it was.

Dated: 29/10/2008

Nitya,

I don’t know when this will reach you… I am sending this… secret channels. It’s not… well here… I can’t help it, child… Sorry for everything… You must save all… Take help. Read carefully….

Qui totum vult totum perdit

De omnibus dubitandum

Factum fieri infectum non potes

Pisces lethale in aquis profundis

dona felis summis

missio non perficitur

circulorum ut nec in aquis usque

Here lies it all….

Please do… Get the gift-circle completed…

Love

Appa

“The gift-cycle was mentioned in dad’s letter to me, which we now know… the instruments were compatible and the music was completed.” Maanav deduced what they already knew.

“Save all… means saving the country…” Shadow piqued in.

“Oh Appa…” Nitya wailed. “… what on Earth is this…? How can I make out… this is just Latin and Greek…”

“WAIT…” Maanav roared. “…WAIT… LATIN… that’s it. This is in Latin. Now I got it why it felt familiar… yet so unfamiliar.”

“What do you mean, Bullet?” Shadow asked.

“My dada had once enrolled me in a class to learn Latin… I left it in 10 days but a few words stayed in my mind… I had forgotten about them but today it just struck me…” Maanav rubbed his face.

Shadow signalled to his tech team and one of them gave him a thumbs up…

“Its not just regular Latin… these are Latin phrases… creative Latin phrases…” Shadow declared and continued admiration shining in his voice. “…Nitya, was there anything your father didn’t know…?”

 

@priyanayakgole

(Disclaimer: This is a piece of fiction using the backdrop of the attack that happened and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. This doesn’t attempt to change history or facts.)

 

 

Book review: The Sleep Walker’s Lullaby

Priya Gole
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Book review: The Sleep Walker’s Lullaby

Author: Dr. Sohil Makwana

The tagline for the title is ‘Cunning minds… deadly intent.’

This completely sums up the entire plot and is superbly crafted, leaving no loopholes. The author, a doctor, has weaved the plot intricately in the tapestry of deceit and science.

The story takes place in a secluded manor in Goa where the shadows are shrouded in mystery. A gifted psychiatrist, Dr. Kadam grapples with much more than his patients. While he is struggling to bridge the gap between delusions and hallucinations and confront his inner demons, his life goes for a toss. His beautiful wife is found murdered in the manor and he is the suspect. The circumstantial evidence all points towards his involvement.

However, Netra, his tenacious lawyer, strives to claim insanity in a high-octave courtroom drama. Things go their way even as the diligent law enforcement and the prosecution are left licking their wounds.

But the plot unravels from this point. This turns out to be a sinister game involving multiple players but most of them, unmindful that they are being played all throughout.

There is in-depth psychiatry and unfolding of the mysterious mental health parameter that the author has very well described and brought to light.

The story is about how intricately the destinies have been intertwined. The twist in the end leaves the reader perplexed and wanting more!

Short Story: The Last Dance

Priya Gole
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Short Story: The Last Dance

prompt: This was a 250-word flash fiction for the following prompt for Artoons Writers room

May be a graphic of text

 

The Last Dance

The roar of the ‘devotees’ filled the night, many drunk to oblivion in the garb of celebrating Goddess Yellamma. The amalgamation of the musical instruments attempting to strike a chord rang through the temple walls, adding to the cacophony even as the odour of sweat and grime of the gathered locals blended unequivocally with the floral and incense fragrances.

Priyamvada adjusted her ankle bells, looking around her chamber, the dark glowing corners reflecting her tanned palor. It was the 14th of August and close to midnight. Straightening her hourglass figure dressed in finery she wondered when the Devadasi’s duties changed to catering to the lecherous mortals. But she had her work cut out. The next day was a historic one if the doctortai was to be believed.

Priyamvada’s fourth baby had been mercilessly snatched away from her womb, yet again… but this time doctortai had said it would be for the last time. Tai had mentioned about some legal Act in place but it didn’t seem any of these monsters adhered to it. The same men who worshipped the goddess treated her forms as objects to satisfy their banal urges.

That night, she quickly finished her performance and ran. She ran through the woods till the dark sky paved the way for the auburn dawn… it was morning. By now the poison in the food would have acted and the monsters would soon meet their makers.

It was a new day and not just the country; she was free too.

 

 

Book Review: The Eyes of A Killer

Priya Gole
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Book Review: The Eyes of A Killer

Author: Reecha Agarwal Goyal

The story belongs to the protagonist Naina, who is an ASP (Mumbai Police) and is entrusted to solve the case of serial killings rattling the city. The clues are concrete at each crime scene and Naina discovers the MO. As she delves deeper into the investigation, she discovers the horrific underlying darkness beneath the tip of the iceberg. It takes her to Nera, a small town in Nepal and then enfolds the gory details of women trafficking and the eventual push into the flesh trade.

While this happens, a shocking revelation on the personal front, parallelly, shakes Naina to the core. Is this an act of vigilantism? An act of revenge? Is taking law into one’s hands appropriate for whatever reasons? These are the questions that are raised before the reader.

The author has beautifully woven the plot, and the story is fast-paced. The character arcs are well-defined. The twist towards the climax is unexpected—a very riveting read.

Chapter 18 And they meet…..

Priya Gole
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Chapter 18 And they meet…..

Chapter 18

Maanav dropped Nitya on his bed. She didn’t have the time or the sense to look around in the subtle lighting in the room but it was definitely larger than hers. The bed was harder but she didn’t complain… all that mattered was the man in flesh and blood staring at her as if she were his prized possession. It made her feel very special with a strange sense of belonging. She had been fiercely independent from childhood but now she wanted to just be completely dependent on him.

He stood at the foot of the bed as she lay, staring into each other’s eyes as if a story was written in their depths. At that moment the world had stopped in time. It was just the two souls in the room ready to merge into each other… years of longing and the urge to make up for the lost time all worked towards getting them closer than ever.

She raised her arms. She wanted him more than her next breath. It was as if he was waiting for the invite, he sprang on top of her balancing himself on his strong arms, on either side of her chest. He barely touched her and she yearned for him to make his move…

“Gosh, Nitya… I have dreamed of this… for years… even as I wondered where on earth you were. I wanted to do… I mean words can’t express what I am feeling right now, sweetheart…” The look in his eyes, the twinkling sparkle in the sheen of moisture in his eyes, melted her insides. It was right then she realized, she was in love with him. Probably always was.

“then… then don’t wait Maanav… please…”

She barely spoke when his lips crashed on hers. She was lost in it as she shut her eyes to everything else around them. His weight on her increased, but she wasn’t complaining especially when she felt his manhood call for her attention near her belly. One of his hands touched her waist. She knew she didn’t have an hourglass figure and she used to be conscious earlier but with Maanav nothing mattered.  She felt beautiful… period.

After the first bout of claiming her mouth he slowed down, his kisses were softer as if he were savoring a delicacy. His tongue explored her mouth in ways she never knew could excite her driving her to the edge… a dangerous edge as she lifted her hips upward, trying to feel him more… closer… tighter.

His hand trailed above and made its way beneath her loose t-shirt. His fingers lingered at the edge of her skin as if taking their own sweet time and not disturbing the personal moments of intimacy. He came on his elbow and flattened the roaming palm on her belly, the warmth of his calloused touch sending shivers down her spine. She arched further seeking more of him, like a glutton seeking his favourite food. His hand moved upwards and reached her aching mound. His kiss faltered briefly as he took the mass in his hand gently yet firmly, caressing the piece of flesh till he plucked at the nipple. She gasped and let out a cry that sounded strange to her as well. The roots of arousal that were seeded from their kiss earlier in her room began to proliferate rapidly and she began to quiver as he plundered her mouth while constantly kneading her mound. He rubbed his arousal on her pelvis and the act through their clothes was strangely taking their intimacy to newer levels.

Nitya heard a strange sound and realized it was her… she was moaning. She couldn’t wait anymore…

“Maa…. Maanav…” She panted releasing the kiss. “… I want… I want more…”

Maanav smiled and the tiny act almost threw her off the pinnacle of pleasure. He moved downward and away from her. Pulling her up close to him he peeled off her t-shirt in one swift move… She was glad she didn’t wear a bra. She lay back on the bed while he did away with her track pants and the flimsy excuse for a panty. He stared at her with a longing that created flutters so deep she arched her back, urging him to get closer.

“Gosh, Nitya… you are going to be the death of me… you are stunning…” Maanav whispered hard.

Within a few seconds, he had his clothes off and stood before her in his royal glory. She had never seen a completely nude man before. In her past experiences, they had always done it with their clothes on… But this time watching Maanav stand with his arousal saluting her in its hardness, she was thrilled to no end… she felt like a woman starved for days… just that she was starved, not for food but for being with Maanav, not just for days but for years.

Maanav crawled on his fours and resumed his position above her. He had moved between her legs and instinctively she opened her thighs to welcome him. She felt a slight pinch when he entered her softness, looking at her all the time. she quickly engulfed him in her warmth as he began to rock looking at her all the while. She was greedy and pulled him closer even as she continued to arch her back. Feeling his strong chest against her softness was so arousing she didn’t know if she would last longer. Right then he continued his onslaught with his kiss. She was rising up towards the cliff.

Suddenly he increased his pace and at the same time quickly moved his hand between their chest and pinched her nipple. That was it… she was thrown off the cliff unannounced as she screamed her orgasm. He muffled her sounds with his kiss and soon she felt him harden further and the warm release of his seed filled her even as she milked him further with the after-effects of her release.

They lay in each other’s arms, spent and Nitya tried to remain awake even though sleep was closing in. Maanav had got a warm wet cloth and cleaned her making her feel like a queen… his queen. Now he held her in his arms and she had never felt safer and cherished before.

“Um… Nitya…?” Maanav purred and she thought she would be ready for another round if not for the fatigue setting in.

“Hmmm…?”

“We… we didn’t use protection… I mean… I got carried away… Nitya… I…” Maanav was fumbling for words.

Nitya chuckled. “Its ok Maanav, we are cool. I am on the pill.”

“Oh… but why are you on the pill?” Did she sense some jealousy? Or was it a concern?

“Actually, my cycles were not regular and being a physical trainer I had to get my dates in order. So…”

“Nitya…” He hugged her closer spooning her. “… I am so sorry that you had to go through the hardships… but I promise, it’s going to be better now onwards…”

Nitya felt a tear fall from the corner of her eye as sleep claimed her.

The next morning, she woke up alone. Maanav probably was up and exercising. She stretched and decided to get back to her workout as well.

She walked back to her room, smiling. Her mood was upbeat and she felt chirpier than ever before. She freshened up got into her tracksuit for a workout and went to the in-house gym, Maanav had mentioned the earlier day.

What she saw in front of her stunned her to the core. Naman was working out under Maanav’s watchful eyes. He had lifted tiny dumbells and was happily manoeuvring them imitating Maanav who did them with huge ones. Nitya teared up instantly. Naman’s therapists had said he needed to get into weight training to improve his mobility and strength so he could eventually improve his coordination. But Naman had never wanted to and she was too occupied to force it upon him.

She was in awe of the patience Maanav showed Naman. She didn’t disturb them and continued with her workout drawing a mean sweat… more so because of the hots for the man who had drawn up sweat for himself as he trained like a mad dog.  By the time she was done with her cool-down stretches, Naman had left and Maanav walked towards her dripping with sweat. She saw he locked the gym door on his way.

Sitting before her on his hunches, he said. “How about some freshening up before we go for breakfast?” he winked at her and her heart skipped a beat. She shrieked as he lifted her and took her to the attached sauna cum shower area. He left her to adjust the temperature and the fixtures as she looked around. It was a sleek, marble-finished space with a glass-enclosed shower, warm wood-paneled sauna, mild ambient lighting, and luxurious fixtures throughout. She felt she was in a movie scene…

Within a minute her clothes gathered at her foot as Maanav stood before her watching her with an intensity like he would gobble her up right away. Slowly the sauna came to life even as they hugged each other, and he claimed her mouth like a man starved for days. Warm steam caressed her skin while his hands roamed over the expanse of her back, settling at her buttocks. She gasped as he compressed them and hoisted her up. She quickly folded her long legs around him as he took her beneath the large shower. He didn’t want to let her down. Instead, he walked with her till her back touched the warming tile. He switched on the shower and as the gush of hot water cascaded down their bodies, his kiss deepened. Water pooled above her chest where they were joined. He let her down as he picked up a loofah and poured a little body wash… oh it was her favourite scent. Citrus!

He built up a lather and rubbed her body… across her chest, neck, arms, armpits, torso, stomach and legs. He worked his way upwards from her toes as she stood connected to the wall otherwise, she would have lost her balance in the frenzy of her arousal. His hands halted at her secret apex and as he pressed his hands around her hairy mound, she arched her back.. the water continued to fall on her face and it was then he took in one of her tight nipples in his warm mouth. She was on the fast track as the loofah was replaced by his fingers as they found their way into her wetness. She was in mid-air… ascending the pinnacles of pleasure rapidly. Her breath quickened. He released her and instantly hoisted her and as she balanced herself gripping his strong muscular shoulders, he slammed into her. He stilled as she engulfed him and then began his pace.

They didn’t last more than a minute. With barely a few strokes she screamed and gripped him tightly as the waves of pleasure shook her completely. And the next moment he grunted as he spilt into her… their pleasure cries mingled with the shower’s splash and the whispering dips on the glass panels around them. She slid down his body and they embraced each other beneath the unrelenting water.

Maanav switched off the shower and procured two bathrobes.

Holding her close he whispered into her ear. “I can’t wait for tonight, sweetheart… look what you have done to me….”

She shivered and stood on her toes as she spoke into his ears, mimicking him. “And its my turn tonight…” She got back and he hugged her tightly.

“Continue speaking like this and I won’t get any work done today…. Shadow may wonder what we are up to… common let’s get back to our rooms. Meet me in the office after breakfast.” Giving her a pat on her buttocks that made her squeal, he rushed out of the gym. She followed him after 5 minutes. The thrill of hiding their encounters from the rest of the people in the house was fun, she thought.

Soon they were assembled in the office and Naman was already hitting the keys. Nitya felt guilty about enjoying herself while danger stared at them outside the safe walls.

Maanav brushed past her and pressed her palm as he made his way next to Shadow. How did he know to calm her down?

The screen came to life as Shadow and Maanav stared at the footage. It was from a drone near Maanav’s house. A couple of people walked around the perimeter checking with people around about the location of the members after the blast. Shadow was on a call with someone who gave him the update.

“Wait… pause this… right here…” Nitya blurted not taking her eyes off the screen.

Maanav did it even as Shadow disconnected the call and looked at her and back at the screen.

“What is it Nitya, do you recognise anyone?” Shadow asked softly.

“Yes… that guy with a slight limp… I know him… see that bandage on his forehead?” Nitya pointed.

“Who is he?” this time it was Maanav as he walked closer to her.

“Its… Sajid aka… Ashfaq…” Nitya spoke in a whisper still scared from the memories in Virar that night.

Kamble kaka came ahead at that moment and adjusted his glasses as he stared at the screen.

“Oh yes…. this is Sajid. The rascal… look at the audacity… after all that’s happened.” Kaka cried out.

“Actually…” Nitya cleared her throat. “… from what I heard that evening, Ashfaq is being coerced into doing all this… he was forced to know me and date me….” she looked at Maanav who was frowning. “… not that we did though… but he was there a few times when I needed help with Amma or Naman…”

“Naman don’t like… no no… Sajid no no…” Naman began to rock and before Nitya could rush towards him, Maanav was right next to the boy and held his hand.

“Hey buddy, you don’t have to like anyone, alright? If you hate someone then go ahead… Its alright.” Maanav spoke to the boy and Naman instantly ceased rocking.

Shadow got back on the phone with his members on the other side of the glass wall. Nitya couldn’t hear much of the conversation but Shadow stood to his full height before her.

“Nitya, this was a huge breakthrough… I wasn’t getting much intel on that front. We will run a check on this Ashfaq… we will get something concrete soon. Meanwhile, I want you to tell us what exactly did you witness in that place that night…”

Nitya nodded. Kaka accompanied Naman for a video game session in his room. While here in the office Nitya sat across Maanav, Shadow and the other office operatives as she revealed what happened that evening in Virar. She was trembling by the time she came to the part where she fell and before making a run for the exit… and right then despite having an audience, Maanav was instantly next to her. If the others had an opinion on this, none of them showed it and Nitya was thankful for their discretion. Because she needed Maanav more than her next breath.

Shadow paced along the length of the office and none of them understood why… he stopped He indicated something to the other operators and they all got busy with their computers… Suddenly Shadow’s face lit up and he smiled.

“Nitya… we just got a tiny breakthrough…”

“What is it?” she waited with bated breath.

“I was getting a dead end every time I tried investigating this case… however I decided to go to the root of it all and guess what… we got a lead. About this Ashfaq.”

“Oh…” Her palm was cold and Maanav engulfed it in his warmth.

“What is it about Ashfaq, Shadow and what link?” Maanav was curious as hell.

“Well here goes. I checked how the parcel was delivered to your old residence 15 years ago… we traced stuff from there. Though it was ages ago we were lucky to get a docket number because digitisation had started post Y2K. So all data since 2003 is now available… Courier companies at that time were limited to a few and this was an international parcel. Your father sent it through someone he trusted and that man didn’t have the means to do it through hawala channels and went the direct legal way… leaving footprint behind. But…”

“…But what?” Nitya was impatient.

“But if we got this information so did they… hence they caught up with the man who did it all. It was a housekeeper-level man called Kadir. Your father trusted him probably and made him send the package…”

“So… Kadir is related to Ashfaq? I heard bits of it that evening from that man, who had threatened my mother.”

“Yes, Nitya…” Shadow replied. “… Ashfaq is Kadir’s grandson who had been forced to do this job in India.”

©priyanayakgole

(Disclaimer: This is a piece of fiction using the backdrop of the attack that happened and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. This doesn’t attempt to change history or facts.)

Book review: The Vale Dweller

Priya Gole
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Book review: The Vale Dweller

Author: Naveed Qazi

This story isn’t just another ordinary tale… it’s the grim reality of life in the troubled Kashmir valley from the eyes of a person who has grown up right in those circles. It’s a life story in a beautiful paradise marred by socio-political mess that has been there for ages. The protagonist speaks about his life in the valley, taking the reader on a picturesque sojourn and one feels as if you are a part of that part of town. He gives a firsthand account of the gut-wrenching situation that has uprooted the lives of locals beyond salvage. He meets different people across spectrums of life and we get a glimpse of those specks through their lenses. The reader learns that Kashmir isn’t different from any other state in the country… all the locals want is peace. They just want a life not tarnished by violence and uncertainty.

The vale dweller is a simple man, and it remains to see how much he can embrace the epochs of the city he lives in or does he represents the dirge for a dying city.

It’s a great read and the author’s writing style is intelligent. Without naming organisations, he has metaphorically used them and the reader can conclude accordingly.

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