Chapter 14

Nitya clutched at her chest as if trying to stop her heart’s pounding. She couldn’t believe her eyes… Was she dreaming? No… not if her gasping for breath was any proof. What was happening?

“Nitya, are you alright?” Maanav’s concerned voice penetrated her painful fugue. “…Nitya, look at me…” His strong yet soft hands gripped her arms and she then realized she had bent over trying to breathe.

She stood up and his handsome face blurred as the film of unshed tears stood still. She shut her eyes and a sudden sense of relief flooded her body. She looked at her brother, who stood still and amused. Since when did Naman have an ‘amused’ facial expression? Wait…

“What… what’s going on, Maanav?” She moved towards Naman and the boy… the traitor stared happily at Maanav as if she didn’t exist.

“Naman, my dear, are you alright? Didi is here… don’t worry, OK?” She tried to pacify Naman.

“Nitya, the details will have to wait, but before that, we must get out of this place. There isn’t much time before their handlers get here.” Maanav was back to his combat mode. Wait… combat mode? Maanav was a soldier? Or Police or commandos…?

Nitya just blinked cluelessly trying to absorb what she heard and what stood in front of her. Why would the government send their forces for her? She chuckled and then got serious… of course if they wanted a stake in whatever the enemy was looking for. Her father’s crude computer! She shook her head.

“Nitya… we must leave… NOW” Maanav was firm, and she was startled to look up worrying about Naman who got anxious whenever someone raised his voice before him. But to her surprise, he was holding Maanav’s hand.

On autopilot she walked along with the two of them and Maanav gripped Naman’s hand and gestured to him to be silent. It was then Nitya realized Naman was muttering something. If there was someone else out there, he would call for attention.

Maanav gestured for her to follow him. He moved deeper into the abandoned warehouse and Nitya couldn’t figure out anything in the dark. But she held Naman’s hand who in turn held Maanav’s and somehow miraculously Maanav led the way in the dark. Nitya was lost in the maze of a path that probably was a tunnel-like structure. She eventually could hear traffic… above her. Oh, goodness, were they underground? She was terrified for Naman… he would have a meltdown usually. But he was the epitome of manners at the moment.

Within moments, they emerged through some shrubs and she released the breath she didn’t know she was holding. They crawled out on their fours and to Nitya’s surprise, Naman despite his poor motor coordination, did well and beamed as he looked up at Maanav. Maanav in turn patted Naman on his shoulder. “Well done young man, I am so proud of you.”

As Naman reveled in the praise Nitya was teary… gosh she was crying at the drop of a hat these days. Was she compensating for her lack of emotions in the last decade and a half… she didn’t know. But today, somehow seeing Maanav take charge brought back old memories and emotions as well. The sense of being protected… to her surprise despite all that was happening she was relieved… She didn’t know anything about Maanav. He was as good as a stranger, but she didn’t mind at all.

Maanav gave a cautious look around and as Nitya blatantly stared at his lean muscular frame with overgrown curly mane tied into a ponytail behind his head, and his day-old stubble, her heart skipped a beat. Feelings she never thought existed sprang up to say their hellos. She knew it was futile to let the lingering feelings from childhood sprawl into adulthood, but somehow, she wasn’t able to clam them up.

She gulped and looked away hoping she wasn’t easy to read. It would be embarrassing… Maanv would think she was an idiot.  Who pined for their childhood friends? She had put those emotions in a locker deep behind in her brain… to never use them. She couldn’t afford it to date. She had loads of responsibilities. Still did.

Besides the most important point remained. She had no one else in her life in the past 15 years… she didn’t have the luxury and no guy would be interested in a girl with baggage as her… Well, Sajid was there but as it turned out it was all a farce. She shuddered and folded her arms tightly to her chest. Maanav probably had no such issue… he seemed to have grown up well and moved on in life while she was still stuck behind in age. For all she knew, he had a girlfriend waiting for him….

But why was he here? How did he know all this? And the million-dollar question… what was his effect on Naman… the boy was smitten. It never happened before.

“Maanav, I…” she began when he held his hand up to silence her. It was then she heard the vehicles. She looked around at them. They were standing at the backdoor entrance of the large warehouse and she was sure Maanav put up a latch behind them when they entered the dark tunnel or whatever it was. So, while it wasn’t easy for the enemy to find them, it wasn’t impossible either if those people searched in detail.

Maanav gestured to Naman to sit still on a rock and the boy obeyed. He looked at Nitya and gave her a reassuring nod. They stood still and fleeting heard screams and yells before the vehicles drove off. It was then Nitya heaved a sigh of relief.

“Finally… we are safe…” she whispered.

“…for now, Nitya.” He completed her statement, and she looked up at him questioningly.

“I promise to answer everything, Nitya, but for now please listen carefully. I shall take you back home and you must quickly pack up everything…. Mind you, EVERYTHING. We are moving elsewhere.”

“Wait… please wait, Maanav… I need to know…”

“…And you will. I promise you, Nitya, if it weren’t for your lives in danger and a matter of national security, I wouldn’t have displaced you. But we must…”

“I have to inform Kamble kaka… er… the person with whom…” Nitya began to explain.

“…He knows… in fact, he will be accompanying us as well… he must have packed his stuff by now… we need to rush.” Maanav didn’t wait for her but walked up to Naman.

“So, young man, are you ready?”

Naman seemed to have a strange bounce in his clumsy steps as he let Maanav hold his hand and take him to a vehicle hidden beneath a canopy of dry leaves and wilted bougainvillaea creeping over a rusted old foyer…

Nitya followed in silence. The vehicle was a simple XUV but one look at the interior as she got in, and Nitya knew this was no ordinary vehicle. Who was Maanav after all?

As instructed, Naman waited with Maanav in the vehicle while Nitya rushed home to pack up her and Naman’s stuff and looked hopefully at a daper kaka. But he only smiled. “All for the best, Nitya… we must trust him from now on.”

She carefully unplugged the computer and packed it with kaka’s help. As they reached the gate of their housing society, they heard an explosion. Shocked, they turned around even as people began to run around them. Kaka’s house was on fire and a portion of the building was blown away…

“Oh my… oh my God… Kaka… look…” Nitya tried to scream from her clogged throat. But right then a hand tugged her and took her stuff. Maanav dragged her as kaka joined them. Soon they were on their way even as a fire brigade passed them. Maanav drove in complete control as they passed the busy by-lanes. Next to him on the passenger seat, Naman sat still gripping his precious computer close to his chest. But from the looks of it he wasn’t agitated or uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Nitya was a mess. She clasped her hands together on her lap as she sat staring at the escaping exteriors, barely registering what she was seeing. Kaka sat next to her in the back seat and occasionally patted her back.

As they passed the city outskirts from the looks of it… she suddenly paid attention to her surroundings. Her body ached with the excitement of the day and now it was evening… she was fatigued and hungry as well, having skipped breakfast.

“Where… where are we going?” She asked no one in particular.

“We are en route Pune… maybe another hour or so…” Maanav spoke softly, sending shivers through her body. She looked at him through the rare view mirror but he had his goggles on so she wasn’t sure if he was looking at her.

She wondered how both Maanav and kaka not looked bothered about what just happened.

“kaka… about what happened back home…”

“Nitya… I knew this would happen.” Kaka sounded so sure.

“How, kaka? You mean you had an idea the enemy would make us ash?”

Kaka only nodded.

“But kaka how can the timing be so precise? Had we been there moments later, we would have met our maker by now…” Nitya was still unconvinced.

“Nitya, for that you must thank this young soldier. He was there last night and discovered the booby trap. I don’t know how the buggers did that despite my top-notch security … they knew the dead areas in the CCTV coverage. The explosive device was set for today and that meant they had planned something for you and Naman….there was one in your home too which he diffused but this couldn’t be.”

“…Wait a minute, kaka. Maanav was at home? Last night? When?”

“You were sleeping soundly, and we didn’t want to disturb you. We wanted to lure them out….”

“…What about the neighbours? Did something happen?” Nitya shuddered at the memory of the visuals from the afternoon.

“you were aware the Sisodias from the same wing are away for a family wedding. So are the Pants for some pilgrimage. Mrs. Mathur the only senior citizen was arranged to be at the doctor’s clinic. Her son was informed in advance…”

“…and he agreed easily? No questions asked?” Nitya was flabbergasted.

“When we played the national security card, he had to agree. Nitya, don’t worry… that was an old dilapidated building anyway. The real crisis is now on our hands. There is a lot at stake here…” Kaka looked outside.

“But kaka… why did you not tell me all this? Naman was in danger. What if…”

“…Nothing will happen to Naman. Not on my watch…” Maanav declared and her brother looked at him. She saw hero worship in the boy’s eyes. Something that she had never seen before. What was happening?

Maanav opened the dashboard and passed around the protein bars. “I am sorry but this will have to suffice for now. I don’t want to take chances of being spotted in transit. We should have the advantage and lead even as they come to terms with their failure, yet again…”

Naman wolfed down the bar and Nitya handed him another one. There would probably be sugar rush for the boy, but a hungry Naman was worse than that. She ate a bar and suddenly sat up.

“Wait a minute… Maanav, what do you mean by ‘again’? Had they tried this earlier as well? When?”

“Later, Nitya. Right now I need to focus, both on the road and my surroundings. To check of someone has followed us… I promise, I shall answer everything… later.”

Nitya sank in the plush seat and soon fell asleep. The stress must have taken its toll for she was dead to the world.

Suddenly there was a jerk and Nitya woke with a start.

“…Yes Shadow, I get it. No… I don’t see any such vehicle. So are you sure…? … Ok then… all clear? Ok… then get a visual of the house…Ok… ok… roger that.” Maanav spoke on his handsfree and clicked the part in his ear.

“Wha… what is it? Have we not reached yet?” Nitya was confused.

“Just another half an hour. Pune traffic was bad, and I had to take various route combinations to make sure we weren’t being followed. But be rest assured. We are safe…. For now. You can continue with your rest…”

“No… no I am ok. Thanks.”

Soon they were parked outside an enormous bungalow. The area was secluded and the bungalow seemed to be cozily resting like an oasis in a desert. The bungalow was a single-story structure, blending traditional Indian architectural elements with a tinge of modernisation. Nitya didn’t know anything about architecture or home interiors, but the exterior featured warmth, an earthy colour palette with white-washed walls, terracotta roof tiles, with a simple, sturdy wooden door and few windows. She felt a sense of calmness settling in.

Surrounded by greenery, immediately around it, a well-maintained garden filled with vibrant flowers, and tall trees enveloped the bungalow, providing a tranquil retreat from the city’s activity. A stone pathway led to the entrance, where a shaded verandah welcomed her. Nitya had only dreamt of visiting such a place… wait… this was one of the silly discussions on dreams she had with Maanav as kids in that park.

She immediately turned around to see Maanav standing with her luggage in his hand and staring back at her. Did he remember that as well? The setting sun behind his head set a halo elevating the warm ethereal glow and the serenity of the nostalgic moment. Her heart stopped and she turned back to the front door. It was open and Kaka and Naman had already gone inside. The nameplate that read ‘Deshmukh’s’ was embossed on the door and the brass shone beautifully in the fading sunlight falling on it.

However, as she walked in, a contrasting world greeted her. unlike the exterior, the walls inside were bland and painted with neutral tones. The living room was spacious yet sparsely furnished. The walls were devoid of any paintings, hangings or even pictures as one would expect in such housings. It looked… lifeless. The windows weren’t large as she had thought and even the one overlooking the backyard was shut and bolted.

It was then she was reminded of the stark reality of the reason they were here.

Maanav and Naman walked inside even as kaka took a breather on the lone rocking chair facing the shut window… lost in thought. Before she could talk to him, he shut his eyes and she sighed. Kaka had a hectic couple of days too, given his ill health and the excitement that followed… all for keeping Naman and her safe.

She would check her living quarters later, she thought. She decided to make a light dinner for them. She didn’t know if she could take the liberty, but she had to think of Naman and the boy would soon get agitated if not fed. Besides, she had her growling stomach too… not to mention an ailing senior citizen and of course Maanav who had been on his toes non-stop.

The kitchen was a blend of old-world charm and modern convenience, with wooden cabinets, granite countertops, and state-of-the-art appliances. It opened up to a small dining area with a wooden table and 4 chairs beside the artfully designed cutlery cabinet and a stocked mini-bar. The soft glow of a pendant light above gave a cosy atmosphere to the setting and Nitya wondered how would it be if Maanav and she had their meals right here with their family…

Now, where did that thought come from?

Nitya shook her head and walked into the kitchen. The fridge and the cabinets were stocked with minimal cooking items and she wondered if Maanav lived alone or had a housekeeper or… anyone special to cook for him.

She decided to refrain from the specific line of thought and focus on the task at hand. Soon she had prepared a simple meal of lintel khichidi and potato fry sabji. She prepared masala chaas from the readymade packets and suddenly realised for the first time in her life she had prepared something that was not Naman’s favourite alone. While Naman liked this it wasn’t his favourite. It was Maanav’s comfort food. It struck her that subconsciously she had ended up doing this. She wondered if Maanav even liked this after so many years.

When they were kids, he loved this only when his dad prepared it which was rare. It was understood given that he grew up without his mother’s care. But Nitya didn’t know what had happened in over the last 15 years. Their worlds had changed…  Nonetheless, food was the least of their concerns in this uncertainty.

She stood staring at the food on the dining table when Maanav walked in smelling fresh from his bath. She turned to look at him and her heart skipped a beat… yet again. He was dressed in a simple white vest and track pants. His long mane made a halo around his head while his bulged lean muscle screamed for her attention… She looked up into his eyes and found them staring back at her. Gosh… he had caught her drooling. She was sure from his amused look that he could see her blush. But that look was gone as quickly as it had arrived.

“Um… Maanav, I just cooked a little dinner. Sorry but I should have asked you first… actually Naman…” She began to fumble looking all over but at him.

“…Nitya… it’s fine. You can you as you please here. Consider this your home and be comfortable….” He said softly even as Nitya looked at him. “…I mean, if we are comfortable and cool then Naman will be at ease.”

Without waiting for her response, he walked out to call Naman and kaka for dinner.

Nitya didn’t know how to address the tsunami of the cacophonic feelings in her heart… She was confused, bewildered and happy all at the same time.

Naman was bouncing happily. He had freshened up and changed for the first time without her help. The buttons of his night suit were clumsily put, but Nitya was happy to see him in high spirits and she knew it was because of Maanav. The boy worshipped the floor he walked.

After serving them she walked out of the dining room to freshen up herself before having dinner. Maanav had told her to take the second bedroom on the right and he had given Naman the first bedroom. The feel of hot water on her aching muscles was a good relief and as soon as she walked out of the attached bathroom into the bedroom in a bathrobe, before she knew she fell asleep on the soft double bed.

The furious growling of her stomach woke her from her slumber and she realised it was 11 PM on her mobile phone. She decided to eat a quick snack or the remainder of the dinner she had cooked and searched all over for the light switch. She hadn’t bothered earlier as the glow from the bathroom light had shown her the way. But she had just shut it and fallen in the bed, tired to her skin.

She stood on wobbly legs and even hit her foot on the edge of a study table before making her way to the door. She turned the knob and as she was about to pull it open; she heard Maanav. He was probably speaking on the phone and he was in his room right opposite hers. The door was ajar.

“…yes Shadow, all’s fine. The parcel is retrieved and is safe. The handlers too…. yes… tomorrow… I shall start the mission tomorrow… the boy is very complaint… not to worry. Yes shouldn’t… take long….” the remaining words were swept away as Nitya shut the door, her hunger all gone.

So Maanav was on a mission? And Naman and she were just pawns in the game, were they? What else did she not know yet?

She opened the door again to confront Maanav and a wave of dizziness hit her hard. Before she could speak, she hit the floor and darkness consumed 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.)