Chapter 15

BitterBerry

@BitterBerry

PS: free to use.

A/N: The past in Italics in case if you feel there is any confusion.

Plus, there will be a note below this post. Kindly pay attention to that one. 

[MEMBERSONLY]

[NOCOPY]

Chapter 15 

I sneaked out love thinking he didn’t notice. But I realised later, he never really noticed.

Riya Mukherjee 

Her POV

I don’t understand ACP Rawte. His desperation to settle things between us. And why now? This is not the man I knew before. And I am not the woman he was used to. The equations have changed.

He did apologize to me? ACP Arjun Rawte don’t say sorry. A man of his ethics, who doesn’t rely on emotions to control him. He appeared like a chauvinist when I met him the first time. But a pure misunderstanding on my part. In reality he didn’t bother. He didn’t bother who else are there in the team. Didn’t bother who else is expecting anything from him. But there was a lot of adrenaline between the two senior officers which they didn’t care to hide. It was when Shree told me about his drastic past I realized what made him like this. This cold, calculated, never out of focus, instinctive and always out of the book. I saw different a shade for every bit of indifference he showed towards us. He didn’t fit in the rules set by the division. He didn’t appease with the chiefs regulation. Yet he remained as a part of the team. The team needed him on a real front and he? You cant find a black spot in his career. But you can’t avoid how life painted him red.

What was he expecting from the team? It always appeared as if something was just making him stay in ETF even if he didn’t want. I never understood what’s the bargain. I thought he was emotionally bland, instead he wore emotions on his sleeves like a fresh cut on flesh, blood still oozing out. He thought he could do with the mask of indifference he was wearing. But he didn’t realize how terribly wounded he looked from outside. He was restless, always too tormented with everything. That was not the problem. The problem was his restlessness started bothering me too. It suffocated me too to see him like that. I wasn’t sympathizing with him. How could I? I haven’t been there where he was. But it was something else. Something beyond my comprehension.

I never realised I was this drawn to him until he was standing right in front of me at the gunpoint. He screamed he’s out of bullets. A calculative mind like him wouldn’t let himself exposed to a petite criminal like that. He came out, letting his guards down. Stood there giving that man a full chance to shoot him. I wanted to call out for his stupidity but it wasn’t. Because I wasn’t sane myself. I acted fast and pulled the trigger. He knew I’d do that. Then and there, I realised I couldn’t see him in between the line of life and death. He trusted me enough to let his life dangle in between my stupidity and ineptitude. Yet, he didn’t trust me the other day.

Why? Just why didn’t he trust me? This thing has haunted me for years. I let my brain to gauge every angle of that situation that demanded him to act otherwise, yet he didn’t. The officer in him should have. But he was erratic just like he thought I was. He trusted me enough to risk his life when he said he didn’t have anymore bullet left to defend himself. He trusted me enough when I didn’t trust myself to pull the trigger. But didn’t trust me that day?

Now I am back to Mumbai even though I had no plan to get involved with ETF. Isn’t it fate all the way? Fate that brings you back to things you have struggled to let go all your life. And now I just can’t ignore the fact that the person who wrecked havoc in my life is just a door away from me. My life was always in wrecks. Wasn’t it? And he just played the catalyst breaking me a little more.

I cant forget the remnants of that day. I wanted to say something else. But all he thought was I wanted to talk about the gibberish I throw at him while drunk? How could he? 

That night something else happened. The outbreak was sure deliberate but it wasn’t sudden. The impact of it has been thoroughly measured by the conspirator. When I checked into the hospital index, the first patient with such a case arrived at sharp 3 am. When the municipal water tank wasn’t even dispatched. 

His medical report reflected him having all the symptoms that’s inflicted him by the bacteria but on a lower level. And he took the longer to give up. His blood reports confirmed the infection.

There was everything strange about his case. So I dogged deeper. I found out that he was a security guard who worked in  central laboratory for infectious diseases. He didn’t belong to all other locations from where most of the people came. It was no coincidence that just after his admission to this hospital, the city falls into the fatal danger of an incurable infection. The reason was unexplained! Had it been done by any terrorist organizations we would have received calls of demands and ransoms, but nothing happened.

I found the address of The central laboratory for infectious disease and made my towards it. I didn’t know Arjun sir will be there. He looked too indifferent to me that I felt my existence doesn’t matter around him. So I kept mum without bothering him much. Later I informed Rathod Sir about my findings.

Now that we know Dr. Shukla was missing we had no one but him to doubt. By his actions it didn’t appear that he was trying to hide. It appeared more like he was buying himself time to execute whatever he has planned. And he was audacious enough to leave a trail behind as if challenging us to chase him.

It was past midnight when Chotu added us all on conference. And he was positive. The motive was clear. Chotu managed to dig up a missing report filed by Dr. Shukla. He reported about his missing father. Later his body was found from a municipal tank, with broken ribs and shrieked spinal cord. That explains why Dr. Shukla chose the water tanks to spread the infection.

He was so blinded by his revenge that he forgot what he was capable of. A Grade F scientist with breakthrough theories and inventions. All of it was washed up with his revenge and made its way straight to people’s life.

To get the whole picture of how he is involved, Rathod sir asked Shree to go through the videos again. And we were right. There was manipulations in those recordings. It clearly showed how Dr. Shukla came back at 5 am in the morning, sneaked into the lab and made that call from another system.

That security guard was admitted at the hospital at 3 am. Dr. Shukla arrived at the lab at 5 am. There was a two hour or gap. Enough for him to get to the water tanks and add the bacteria in them. And then he came back to make the calls. Then he took something from the lab in a box.

The first thing in the morning I did was, i went to the lab to check up on the missing things. If he took the bacteria before 3 am then what did he take with him the last time he left?

I got a call from Shree. And we were right about the manipulations that was done to the CCTV. Shree sent me that in my phone. It took longer than required to reach. There was no doubt that, Dr. Shukla was the one who handed the contaminated water bottle to the security guard after drinking it himself. The doctor at the city hospital said that the security guard took longer than others to collapse.

Then it hit me hard. Dr. Shukla also had water from that bottle. How come he still was still alive and managed spread the bacteria? There could be only one explanation for this. Dr. Shukla is immune to XoraII. He can resist the bacteria.

Immediately I rushed to Dr. Shuklas and looked more into his house which looked more like a lab. Surprisingly all the stocks that we saw before were empty. I saw burnt papers on the floor, smoke still emanating from them. I immediately called for the CSI team for quicker analysis. I was yet to discover what his intentions were.

He was blinded by his emotions to take revenge of his father’s death. He has already done that. What now? All the activities in his house indicated that he wants to destroy every evidence of his work as a scientist. I checked the refrigerators that were in his dining hall. They were empty too. I checked for the trash bin of the house, nothing there. 

As per the CLID, entire inoculum aliquots were missing along with something else called as antibodies. As far as I am aware antibodies are used for direct treatment where active immunity fails. Did Dr. Shukla found a cure to XoraII? Did he injected himself with the antibodies to stay immune to that bacteria? 

I saw a hope in this. He destroyed many lives but he’s the only one who has the power to save those people as well. I got a text from Shree immediately which said they were able to locate him. There was a positive response. He said, he and Rathod Sir are already heading for the location. He immediately sent me the location to my phone. It wasn’t far from Dr. Shuklas house. I tried to call Rathod sir to tell him about my findings. But no response there. He just didn’t pick up the call. I refrained myself from calling Arjun Sir as he wasn’t really ready to listen to anything that I said regarding the case. It would be pointless to call him. I hurried to the location so that I will reach there in time before they kill him.

What I saw there took my breath away. This couldn’t be happening. I saw Dr. Shukla at gun point, and the person holding the gun was none other than Arjun Sir. My hold tightened on my gun.

Dr. Shukla was unafraid. The gun aimed at him didn’t really faze him. In his hand he had a vial. I saw the color of the vial. It was in an amber bottle. This couldn’t be the bacteria. It could be the antibody he engineered to immunize himself. There was a look of victory on his face.

“Sir, STOP”. I screamed as Arjun Sir tightened his hold on his gun. Everything happened very fast. He pulled the trigger, and I jumped into action. Thankfully the bullet didn’t hit any of us as I pushed Dr. Shukla to the ground. The gun from my hand fell.

“What the hell are you doing Riya?” Arjun Sir screamed, still aiming the gun at Dr. Shukla. My whole body pained due the intensity with which I fell on the ground.

I looked at Arjun Sir, begging him to listen to me. “sir please leave him, he can’t die. He’s important for us” I said. 

 I saw Dr. Shukla pulling out a gun from his back. How didn’t I notice that he had a gun which was pointed at him? I quickly crawled on the ground and finally found my gun.

“Sir, DON’T KILL HIM. His life is important. He knows the cure” I kept on screaming but he still wasn’t ready to lower his gun. Instinctively I aimed my gun at Arjun Sir and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit his hand and his gun fell on the ground.

I didn’t spare any look at him as I focused on Dr. Shukla to disarm him. He aimed the gun at me. I moved closer to him.

“I know you are immune to it”. I tried to convince him into drop his gun. Instead he aimed the gun over his head. His eyes blank, his forms retreating. Never in my life I have seen someone taking death as a blessing.

I lunged at him making him fall on the ground. My hands reached for his hand that was holding the gun. He dropped the vial on the ground breaking it. What a huge waste. “You could save thousands of life doctor and I promise I will help you out of this situation.” I tried to convince him again . 

“You don’t know how it feels without a father. How it feels not knowing where he is. Not knowing he might be dying somewhere...”. It hit me hard. I didn’t want to listen to whatever he said. I didn’t want to see the reality of it. This is not the time for it. I have to stop him.

I  was struggling under his body as my hands tightened around his gun. I rolled to right side holding his hand still on the ground but the force was applying on my body wasn’t enough to hold him stable. In a swift move his gun reached in between our bodies, it was a fine chance for me to release the mag. My grip tightened around that glock 20 and I pressed the release. A wave of relief washed over me as I finally saw the mag falling out of the gun. And that was when I heard a trigger. My eyes drifted towards Dr. Shukla as he wasn’t anymore making any struggle. His body stilled against mine as I saw blood soaking his shirt. His breathing slowed, yet his eyes had a gleam. He didn’t looked like he was in pain. He was asking for death and he is finally getting. 

“You can’t make peace without suffering. You can never save them?” his last words laughed at all the efforts I put into saving him.

His words kept ringing in my head. I felt trapped in his anguish. I couldn’t get a way out of it. I couldn’t save them. We had a way to save all of them but now we don’t have it. Dr Shukla didn’t just die. He took away all the hope of a possible cure for the disease he spread deliberately.

Several images flashed in front of my eyes. Hospitals. People being rushed inside. People on stretcher, the thin white fabric over their body. A wistful declaration of their demise. I couldn’t couldn’t take that anymore. 

I felt dizzy. I couldn’t take this anymore. 

You are failure.

You failed everyone.

You can never save them.

“No”! I can never get out of this. I can never get out of his grief. Aspirin cant make me forget. I sat upright on the sofa. I didn’t know when my eyes became heavy and pushed me to the depth of this agonizing slumber. But I knew, I was going to wake up to those haunting words. Same bloody nightmares. For how long will I allow myself to this suffering?

You cant make peace without suffering.

Didn’t I suffer enough?

No amount of apology can’t suffice the damage that was done that day. It would be selfish to blame him completely. My ineptitude was all the way to be blamed. I allowed him to doubt me. I allowed him to question my efficiency. I was weak in front of him. And every time I look at him now, something reminds me of my failure.

I ruined my professional relationship with him. I shouldn’t have involved feelings. Shouldn’t have involved emotions. Shouldn’t have expected a happy picture which was nothing but an illusion. I shouldn’t have believed Dr. Mehra. I took life lightly. I should have known, my life was far away from a happy picture.

The room wasn’t as dark as it was before. I made my way towards the window and noticed the dawn breaking into the sunrise. It had been years since I had a clear picture of what a sunrise looked like. The best thing about this apartment is this. It doesn’t leave you with a new hope for the day. It doesn’t take away the nightmares, but it surely tells one thing. Its just another day.

The bandage on my right hand looked red, blood still staining the cotton. I was in that same hospital gown they made me wear. I hate everything about this hospital thing.

I walked towards my bedroom to check if I still have anything old left to wear. Chotu did a nice job with the cleaning and arranging things. I am surprised how he managed to keep this place alive even when I wasn’t here all these years. It appeared as if I have never left. I opened my old wardrobe and it still had some of my old shirts. I took out a white one, that was the first thing I noticed when I opened the wardrobe, a matching pair of faded jeans would look nice. I found that too. When I finally changed from the hospital gown, I felt more relieved.

Never in my life have I thought that I will come back here, stay here again. Everything about this morning felt out of routine. I didn’t hear my angel wishing me good morning to wake me up. It’s a Sunday. She should be calling me by now. Where the hell is my damn phone? Even if I will find it out it would be of no use. We survived last was enough for me. I wasn’t expecting my phone to survive that though. Maybe Shree could help. Damn I missed our coffee too. I have to reach the ETF office soon. This place is making me feel disconnected from the world without a phone. 

I felt acid churning in my tummy. Checking in the fridge would be pointless. I don’t have my phone to order anything. Damn that phone! I have to go down and take a taxi for office. All my belongings are in the hotel. And where the hell is Anshu? I haven’t heard from him since yesterday. I just expected him not to go for another hide and seek game!

So I decided to leave for ETF and sprinted towards the door. That’s when the doorbell rang and I opened the door. I wasn’t really expecting them to be here anyway. I saw Aisha and Shree standing in front of me. I noticed the little red tin in his hand. Even though I was shocked, I didn’t let them wait and invited them inside.

It was weird how Kapoor and Shree were looking at me. I might look like a sleep deprived woman. But they were giving me looks as if I look like a meth addict.

“you two sneaked out like thieves. What were you thinking?” Shree asked roughly once he was inside. 

“I am fine Shree, there is a little pain but I can manage.” I was really glad and relieved to see Kapoor all okay. I don’t know how I would have matched my eyes with Rathod sir if something would have happened to her. 

“I just wanted to see if you are fine”. Kapoor said and I smiled at her gesture. She didn’t have to come here and ask about my well being but she did. It felt nice. It felt welcoming. Shree didn’t say anything and directly made his way to the kitchen. I didn’t bother asking him what he is up to. Its usual. He is used to run errands at my home. So I allowed him just like before. He’s cold, but he is not out of behaviour I guess.

“How did you know I would be here”! I asked. 

“Shree said, he left you with Arjun Sir last then the guards of coast guard office said you two went for a stroll but never came back. We were worried so we just called Arjun Sir. He said you’d be here ”. How can they just leave me with this ACP all the time. Even Shree didn’t care enough to stay? 

“You should have taken some rest. You look tired.” I said. I tried to understand the woman sitting in front of me. She was mad over the fact that I killed their suspect. Chotu said she could be the female version of my dear Mr. Neighbour. But no, both of them are just far apart. Over friendly? I don’t think so. Concerned? Yes. 

“I just felt restless after what has happened. Couldn’t sleep.” I understand whatever happened the previous night was traumatic even for me. This thing hasn’t stopped bothering me of all other bothersome things happening in my life. There must be some reasons why that boat was there? Why Girish followed a pattern and risked his life. How he died despite being an efficient fisherman whose life never left the shore? Why those armed men were using raw stealth technique to get off the radars?

Shree came back from the kitchen with two cups of coffee. I didn’t know I had stuff in my kitchen to make coffee. Didn’t I say he is used to run errands at my home? And finally he placed the Coke on the table. So our previous coffee date is set with caffeine dominating and of course with an extra audience. Not that I mind.

I took the coke, pressed its lid and touched the can to my lips. This is the relief I craved for. The jitters in my mouth, the sweetness of this liquid and essence of caffeine. Shree shook his head maybe with annoyance.

“Rohit is still unconscious. We can’t get into any discussion without him. It’s going to be more complicated now, even Navy is involved. How did you find him here”? Shree asked. Whatever he was speaking could be complex, not complicated. The complication will be only between the Navy and Coast Guards. Not for ETF or NIA. Everything about the situation of the previous night is questionable. And the ministry will never let it go. What more? There will be more patrolling. But then it will end there. Even if there will be anything that should be under the surface, DIA will handle that. So I zeroed my concern for the case I have in my hand only. 

“I keep my records. He happened to be just at the right place. And there is something else. Mohit was leading the rescue operation”, I know the bomb I dropped here. Shree brought down the coffee from his lips and stared hard. Lieutenant Mohit Srivastav happened to be the last person I expected to be there. He was hell worried for Rohit and hell amused upon seeing me. So it’s not preplanned. Of course he’d come to save his best friends ass. And find his ex girlfriend drowning just beside. Even if it was raining hard I couldn’t avoid his gaze. The boyish charm he always plastered upon his face gone somewhere with aging. His hard jawline, rustic body and tanned muscle spoke a different story about him now. And didn’t I notice the navy suit? But that didn’t surprise me. ACP Rawte did.

“Mohit Srivastav!” shree exclaimed. If there was anyone who wouldn’t be happy with having Mohit around, that would be Shree. Even though it didn’t matter to me it mattered to him. His stiff posture upon hearing Mohits name clearly indicated he’s not pleased with this. 

“that rescue guy? Thank God he was there. I am truly thankful to him. He saved all of us.” Kapoor said, oblivious to the past we four share.

“I guess we will see him around. Until this is sorted”. I said. “hey can I borrow your phone, I need to call someone”. I totally forgot about the phone. Did I lose it in the water?

“We didn’t get lucky with our phones.” Kapoor just faintly smiled. Of course we weren’t. “ so I dragged Shree here to fix our phones”. She said and pulled out two cell phones finely wrapped in a plastic bag. Shree took a clear look at the phones and moved to his laptop. 

“you have scrapped your displays. There’d be salt in your motherboard. Speakers broke and you’d probably never hear whatever the other one saying if this thing ever get to start.” He finished after analysing the condition of our phones. 

“I will try retrieve all your data but it no less than any trash now.” He didn’t wait for our response and started running data retrieval software on his screen.

“Where’s Chotu?”

“I sent him to get all the records of Girish from police station. Thought we would need that”. Kapoor replied.

“Nice.” I didn’t say anything and waited for Shree expecting some positive response about our phones. 

“I think you’ll just need new phones. And there is still time before you get your data retrieved.” That was his final statement about our phones. Kapoor and I stared helplessly at our phones. 

“Shree, give me your phone. I need to make a call.”

“I informed your boss. He was worried for you but he said he’d see you in the office. He has a lead”. Shree informed. That relieved me. But if he has some lead this must be about Hussain. And if he wants to share it, I am sure it’s related this doctor. I muttered a thanks later.

My doorbell rang again. Who is it now? Kapoor signalled me  to wait and went herself to open the door. 

“Good morning sir”! she revealed ACP Arjun Rawte as she opened the door wide. I wasn’t surprised this time but I noticed a bunch of wildflowers in his hand with an aggravated expression on his face.

“these flowers look so beautiful Sir, did you bring this for Riya?” She asked. I knew it was for me, but he didn’t bring it. The previous annoyance was back to Shree. ACP Arjun just placed the flower on the desk nearby the door and stepped outside. “Good morning Aisha. I hope you are fine now.” “Yes Sir.” She replied wondering what happened to her previous question to him.

“Shree, are you done here”? He asked. Shree stared at his coffee and muttered “five more minutes sir.” The only thing I can expect now is Liza bragging in with some forensic report along with the crime journalist and Rathod sir. Then my home would just look like ETF lounge. My mind travelled back to the lead Shree said Anshu found.

Kapoor and the ACP sprinted outside and I didn’t bother looking at them afterwards. “You know you can just throw it somewhere”. Shree said looking at the bunch of flowers as he stood up and followed Kapoor outside.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Precap:

"What's wrong with you Arjun. Why dont you think about yourself first. If something would have happend to you. How could you just go risking your life like that everytime". Sakshi Anand dropped her camera and worriedly wrapped her arms around me. I hated it when someone's overly concerned about me. But I don't know what to do with this woman.

My eyes searched everywhere amid the dust finally settling down to the ground. ACP Riya Mukherjee was leaning over the SUV with her glares on, now in a layer of dust. She put her glares down, and stared in my direction, her face presented no hint of single reaction.

She moved around, opened the SUV door and took out something. I saw the water bottle in her hand as she finally marched towards us.

"Are we done overreacting"? She asked as she waited for something. Upon hearing her voice Sakshi finally broke apart and stared hard at the woman standing next us.

"Dont you care at all?" She asked irritated. She handed me the bottle of water and I slowly took it. My mouth felt horribly dry with a hint charcoal and dust. I could have done anything for the water she had just given me.

"It doesn't really matter. You know! If I care or not", saying so she went around inspecting the blast site.