Chapter 12
Maanav stirred the extra sugar sachet and revelled in the ripple formed on the surface of his coffee, the impeccable brown surrounded by the pristine white of the ceramic cup. Watching the whirling beverage reminded him of its striking similarity to his life. He had barely got back his bearings after the ‘accident’ on ‘duty’ and had struggled for almost a month to get back his fitness levels. He had yet to reach the zenith of his abilities, but he couldn’t stay at his house anymore. The nightmares were turning to be a regular affair and he was itching to get back to the field.
However, he received a communication that he was discharged from the special ops because of an error in judgment about calling in the helicopter through external sources instead of the special ops handlers. While the higher-ups knew the latter would have been futile given the terrain, they had to go by the book to dismiss him from special-ops service. Another factor remained that his face had been revealed to the enemy. Given today’s digital status, the enemy would have by-hearted his facial contours by now and his disguises would be useless as well. But Maanav knew it all came down to the ego tussle between his handler and the higher-ups. His handler was close to Capt. Rawat, had a special liking for his skills. There never was a single deviation or a mishap in the past 5 years that he was in the core special ops execution team.
They were making a big deal of this so-called indiscretion…
Had it been even a year ago, Maanav would have fought his way into the team but surprisingly he didn’t mind getting out. He had tendered his e-resignation as asked and to his handler’s utmost irritation, he had ‘walked out’ of the special ops unit for good.
It took him a while for the bullet injury to heal and Shiv and Padma had been his strongest support system. They were away in Padma’s father’s constituency but they were in touch every day and Shiv counselled him daily after dinner. Words from his friend meant more than any other counsellor out there. He was healing well.
Even after recovery, he contemplated changing fields and starting a professional shooting arcade or joining Shiv’s SPS. The invitation was open and he knew his friend would welcome him with open arms anytime in his life. He wanted the best of both worlds… be an operative in the field as well as become a coach for developing international-level players. He dreamed of making avail of resources to the students from lower socio-economic strata.
“Penny for your thoughts, Bullet…?” Shiv’s baritone disturbed the circular ripples in his coffee and Maanav looked up. He stood up even as Shiv rushed towards him and pulled him into a hug. They stood like that for a while as Shiv patted Maanav’s back and right then Maanav’s decision was made. He was joining the SPS.
They sat on the sofa next to each other and Maanav stared at the now cold coffee.
The four friends could sit still for hours and yet communicate a lot without speaking. Such was their bond.
“Nightmares troubling again?” Shiv asked.
Maanav shrugged and chuckled. “Shadow… how was it when you first met Padma after years?”
Shiv raised an eyebrow and smiled. Maanav was happy to see his best friend look content and… happy in domestic bliss. No one at a glance would know that beneath the external gentlemanly veneer rested a deadly operative who could kill with his bare hands and without anyone having an inkling of what happened…. Shiv would merge into the shadows…
“It was surreal. You know how we were in the gurukul… just treating everyday as a new one and going on with our lives just because we had to. But Padma made me realise that I had something to look forward to… in fact a lot of it. She was the reason for me to live… to survive despite all the curveballs life threw my way. Am I making sense?” Shiv grinned as he turned around his signet ring, a special engagement gift from his father-in-law, the current guardian minister of the province.
Maanav looked at his friend and having known Shiv closely for years he knew his friend had changed for the better. Family life was doing him good. He looked up at the painting on the wall above the desk in front. Nature often helped him calm and the waterfall looked so serene and real, he could almost hear the gurgles. Would he ever find that sort of contentment? Or would he keep running around in circles…? He wondered.
“What is it, Maanav?” Shiv asked softly and Maanav knew that when Shiv took his given name instead of the alias, he was dead serious.
“I wish I could tell you, Shadow… but I don’t know what it is. Something is troubling me… something about an unfinished business. Something rooted in those flashing nightmares. Then there’s dad’s last letter and whatever he called a ‘gift’. It feels like life has come a full circle and I am back to the starting point, clueless.”
“Have you thought about the next step…?”
Maanav nodded. “I want to join SPS. I want to get back to the field… being an operative helps me cope with… all that.”
Shiv stood and walked towards the French window that looked at the freshly manicured lawn outside brimming with the seasonal blooms. “Bullet, you are always welcome to join me here. God knows I need someone reliable and work is pouring. I have operatives but no one is trustworthy for some of the projects… you know we are bodyguards just on the surface. Our job goes beyond being protectors, we are investigators as well as operatives. The field jobs entail risks to lives but not so much as the special ops… you know that, don’t you?” He turned to look at Maanav. “…so think carefully… because in the special ops, we were responsible for ourselves and our higher-ups could toss us away if we were caught. But now we will be responsible for the person we are entrusted to protect. All said and done I will not want you to accept anything just to escape your past or life’s reality. It may put you and the one you protect at risk. And Maanav…” Shiv walked towards Maanav who had stood up and was standing still in his combat mode. Some things couldn’t be changed… Shiv smiled. “… my friend, you are also family to me. A brother… so…”
Maanav looked at Shiv and understood what he meant. Nodding he spoke. “I understand, Shadow, but being an operative on the field gives me immense satisfaction. I can’t stay still behind a desk… I will rust all over… Please, Shiv, I want to go on the field. I need to find answers but I won’t, unless I am out there and my brain gets the needed stimulation.”
Shiv stared at his friend for a moment and walked behind the office desk. He opened his laptop and brought it to where Maanav stood. They both sat on the sofa yet again and Shiv placed the laptop on the center table.
“Here is a project… Directly from Captain Rawat’s reference. I can’t entrust this to anyone except to Razor or you. Razor is busy with a special-ops case in a location only I am privy to. Lolita… well she is fighting her inner demons and I am watching her carefully. So that leaves you. You are perfect for this project…you come recommended for this one…”
“…I will take it up…. Wait… what did you say? Recommended?” Maanav abruptly spoke.
“You should hear me out, Bullet, before you make a decision,” Shiv spoke softly without smiling this time and Maanav knew the guy was serious. He only nodded.
Shiv opened an encrypted email from Captain Rawat.
Shadow,
A package has arrived for safe custody. It needs protection… not just the package but the owners as well. The package is sensitive and has information regarding national security and should be handled with care. The agent assigned should not only handle the package and protect it along with the owners, he/she should also be able to decipher the package before officially handing it over to the intelligence.
This is a long-drawn war… and the information is crucial. If fallen in the wrong hands it can lead to an unimaginable catastrophe.
Shadow, I think your SPS is the best resort with us. The intelligence has asked for covert help and we must get this done with utmost care. The enemy is always a step ahead and it’s time we step up our game. There is no restriction on methods used and I leave it to your discretion.
However, I have a recommendation. Bullet has been discharged from the Special ops and I think he is the best operative for this job. I want him to take this up… for both a professional and personal closure.
Confirm with me and I shall get the details to you.
Capt Rawat.
“What does he mean by personal closure?” Maanav was curious.
Shiv walked towards the window yet again and stood still with his hands folded in front of his broad chest. “Bullet, you were brought to the gurukul by Capt. Rawat, right?” he asked after what seemed like ages and both were lost in thought.
Maanav nodded. “Yea… he did. He was my dad’s friend. I think he knew him a lot better than I.” he sighed and sagged further into the office sofa. He rested his head on the back edge of the sofa and stared up at the spotless ceiling. The beautiful design made of plaster of Paris and neatly painted with earthen hues gave a strong yet demure effect to the eyes that instantly calmed the mind and instilled confidence. This was Padma’s idea through and through and once again Maanav was happy Shiv had her in his life.
“Maanav you should get that letter from your dad and that gift as well…”
Maanav sat up abruptly. “Why…? Why do you ask for that?” His heart began to pound. Why did that topic have such an effect on him?
Shiv walked back to the sofa and sat next to Maanav placing a large warm calloused palm on Maanav’s and unclenched his fingers. Maanav was instantly reminded of the Gurukul early years where Shiv would often console him, whenever he got into a fight or was reprimanded. He let Shiv hold his hand, even as a sense of calmness began to settle in.
“Look, Bullet, Capt Rawat knows everything that’s there to know about us. If he has recommended you for this job then he must be serious. We both know he doesn’t use so many words but this letter proves otherwise so this is important… way too important. If he feels you are the right choice then it has to do with that last gift from your father as well.”
Shiv’s soft words were like a balm to his injured soul.
“But Shadow, I want to be as far from that as possible… have been doing it for years, now.” Maanav rubbed his face with the other palm and realized he was sweating despite the AC on full blast.
“Maanav…” Shiv’s warning tone made him pull his hand away but Shiv grasped it harder. “…For God’s sake, it’s been years and you have been suffering… for no fault of yours. Those nightmares, the unanswered queries about your dad or what he left for you… those need closure, man! You are dying every day. Don’t I know that? You are a mess, Maanav and its high time you get into the depth of all this instead of running away and…” Shiv held up his hand as Maanav began to interrupt and continued. “… You must resolve this once and for all. After that what you do with your life is up to you. But you have to see this through.”
“Ok Shiv… I shall do this, the way you said, though I don’t understand the correlation between all of these.” Maanav sighed yet again.
Shiv nodded and replied to the same email in yet another cryptic message.
Padma walked in right then with an office boy holding a tray of freshly brewed coffee and little Kartik let go of her hand to rush to Shiv who scooped up the squealing kid into his arms.
Maanav was entertained for the next 10 minutes as Kartik regaled them with his antics. His woes were pushed to a corner while he grinned for the first time in weeks or was it months? Suddenly, the laptop pinged with an incoming email and Padma knew it was time for them to leave the two alone.
As soon as she left with a grumpy Kartik who didn’t want to be separated from his father, Shiv opened the email and began the decrypting process. After about 5 minutes of innumerable code input, the email from Capt. Rawat flashed before them.
Shadow, Bullet,
Glad its Bullet who is doing this. Time can’t be more correct… stars can’t be more aligned. Bullet, you must take this to its logical conclusion. Get your father’s blessings on board. Your bodyguard duties begin as soon as you land in Mumbai. The message with the address details of the package and the owners will be in your text on the special number delegated to you. How you do this is upto your discretion.
Capt Rawat.
Shiv opened his locker and took out a box filled with burner phones. Taking one out, he typed in some code and handed it over to Maanav. Maanav opened the new message from Capt Rawat and almost dropped the phone as he swayed. Shiv steadied him and took the phone from his hand to read the message.
Package: a crude model of an assembled computer.
Owner: The brother-sister duo,
Naman Mohandas, Age: 18y. Nityashree Mohandas (Alais Nitya) Age: 26y
Location: Mumbai (check the GPS coordinates)
©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.)
