Chapter 5

kunchu

@kunchu

Part 5:

He didn't know what made him to walk towards the detention room. Mr. Rawte was leaning back on the chair with his head on the headrest. Thinking of what Sameer had spoken. His chain of thoughts ceased as the door opened. He saw the same face about whom he was thinking.

Arjun stayed back at the door for a while. His father was watching him. It seems he was awake from a deep thought. And somewhere he felt it was related to him.

Arjun walked in and looked about trying to put forward what he wanted. There was a single table and chairs on it either side. At last he sat opposite to his father. He kept a constant gaze for a while and then he saw his father pulling away his look. He was looking at the gun that he had placed on the table.

Father looked upto him with a smile. "tumhare naye dost... huh?"

He knew the reference was to the gun.

Dad: nahi... ye tho pehle se hi tumhare dost thi... bachpan se...

Arjun didn't want to start it all over. He cleared his throat and voiced up.

Ar: kya koi aise hai jo apko bhasaana chahthe hai?

That question was out of the blue.

Dad: tumhe aise kyu lagtha hai? oh... don't tell me you are trying to save me and all that.

Ar: I am not. Agar aap gunah ki hai.. then I wont try to save you. But I want to know this.

Dad: why?

He was waiting for the answer. But he knew his son. He wont say it loud. He was wishing that his son would say it loud. He knew Arjun was still beating around the bush.

Ar: why?? case mere team ke saath hai... I should know it.

Dad: hm...

Was his dad disappointed? Was he expecting another answer? He was not sure.

Ar: so aisa koi hai? any business rivalry?

Dad: I don't think so... itna bhi bada dushman... No...

Ar: Vinod ko fire kyu kiya?

Dad: he broke my trust?

Ar: kyu? did you expect something from him too?

That was a straight taunt. Dad got it clear.

Dad: I have already left expecting something from others... long back...

Tit for tat reply.

Ar: Shekhar ko kabse janthe ho?

Dad: jabse ye business deal horahe the, thabse Vadhera aur Shekhar ko jantha hu.

Ar: aur unke wife ko?

Dad: no. I don't know her.

Ar: hm...

He waited for a while and then stood up to go out.

Dad: tumhare team kaha hai?

Ar: out. Kyu?

Dad kept his silence. Arjun turned to him and stood hands crossed on his chest.

Ar: public ko lagtha hai ke mien apke favor me case chalunga. They don't want me in this case.

Dad: and I know ke aise kuch nahi hone wala. Maana hum dono ke raste alag hai, par ek bath tho hai... Rawte's never change their word they have taken. Be it me or you. Mien apne kaam kar raha tha. aur tum apne. I am sure you wont do anything stupid as they think so.

So he still took him as a Rawte. He turned to walk away but was stopped at the door.

Dad: hosake tho apne gusse pe control rakhna. Aaj kal papers me kafi dikhthe ho tum.

Arjun felt it funny. Who was teaching him to control his anger? The same person from whom he have inherited it. He walked out still thinking.

His father was keeping a track of him through papers and media. But he has missed to know what was going on in the other end.

He reached the hall to meet Sree in his work station.

Ar: Sree mujhe us Vinod ke bare me information chahiye. ASAP.

Sr: yes sir. Sir, Chotu ke logone bathaya ke Shekhar ek restaurant gaye the. kafi time waha kisika wait kiya. Aur fir chale gaye.

Ar: kisse wait kar rahe the?

Sr: patha nahi. Wo nahi mile the.

Ar: fir?

Sr: fir wo apne car me baita? Kafi time thak apne mobile ke saath tha. Shayad wo decide kar raha tha ke call karu ya nahi. At last he messaged to that number. Aur ye wo message hai.

Arjun took the slip and read. "why didn't you come?"

Ar: tho wo ussi ka wait kar raha tha. We have to look ke ye partner' hai kaun. Maana ke wo ek GF ban sakthe hai. par yaha se nikalne ke baad wo seedhe aise kuch karega... its strange.

Sr: aur jo bhi hai... wo jantha tha shayad ke hum usse follow kar sakthe hai.

A: hm.. uss number pe hamesha nazar rakhna. Aur Vinod ko bhi.

Sr: aap Vinod pe kyu shak kar rahe hai?

A: Vinod... unke bohot purane PA tha.

Sree noticed he was not taking names.

A: he knew his business inside out. Par kuch hua hai jo unn dono ke beech daraar bana hai. as far as I can remember, Vinod was too much depended on him. he used to avoid his personal matters for work. Then what happened? We should know.

Sr: ok sir.  

Arjun walked away and Sakshi came to Sree's place.

Sa: kya hua?

Sr: sir kafi tensed hai. wo unke dad ke PA Vinod ke bare me patha lagane chahthe hai.

Sak: ok...

Sr: sir stressed hai. he was coming from detention room.

Sak: hm. Stressed tho hoga hi. Un dono ke beech kithna bhi duri ho, rishta tho hai na...

Sr: site pe kuch mila? Rathod sir kaha hai?

Sak: wo Aisha ke saath Vadhera ke office gaye hai. staffs se bath karne. Ek kaam karthi hu. I'll look into Vinod's matter.

Sr: ok that wil be fine. mujhe kuch calls trace karna bhi hai.

Sakshi moves ahead to work. She saw Arjun still in his cabin. His face said he was upset. To be caged inside a room was difficult for him. She wondered how he was still holding on. It was not the typical Arjun who obeyed Sameer's words without questioning. Maybe he was indeed disturbed by the turn of events.

She kept looking at him through the glass doors and walked away.

Night:

All were assembled in the hall and Sakshi came in.

Sak: Arjun, meine Vinod ke bare me patha lagaya hai.

Arjun looked at Sree.

Sak: sorry Arjun, Sree already had some work in hand. Isliye meine dekh liya.

Ar: bolo.

Sak: Vinod kafi saal se Mr. Rawte ke PA hai. un dono ke beech ke problems shayad kuch misunderstandings se shuru hua hai. kuch staffs se meine patha lagaya ke ek din Mr. Rawte ko patha chala ke Vinod ne ek dusre company ke saath bhi hath milaya hai. unhe bohot gussa aya. Par Vinod ne ye baath saaf saaf inkaar kiya. He said he was innocent. Par jo sabooth unke boss ke paas the, wo Vinod ke khilaaf hi tha. I think koi Vinod ko frame kar raha tha. But at the end, Mr. Rawte didn't wait to hear out Vinod and fire him.

Ar: not a wonder.

All looked upto him and they knew he was speaking from experience.

Arjun stood and walked away to the boards still deep in thought.

Sak: Arjun... ek aur bath hai.

Arjun looked upto him. As usual Ms. Publicist have kept the most valid point to the end.

She looked knowingly to his straight look.

Sak: mien firse uss restaurant gayi thi jaha Shekhar kisika wait kar raha tha... waha ke waiter se thode bohot bathein ki... aur...

Ar: aage bolo.

Sak: Shekhar ek do baar waha Vinod se mile hai...

That was the turning point.

Ar: tho ye hai... Shekhar ke someone in his life'. Sree track down Vinod and his location.