[SS - Yeh Dooriyan] Chapter 2. updated! 21/01

She wasn't there. One needn't be a detective to notice such a void within their headquarters.

Under the pretense of going in for his favourite drug – his cutting chai – Arjun walked into the kitchen space to scan for Riya. The kitchen was void of any human traces, and he quickly turned to go back to the boys, where Rawthor was briefing Shree and Chotu about their recent case. Having known the details, Arjun allowed himself a fleeting moment to control his nerves.

So what if she wasn't here? It shouldn't matter to him.

But dammit, it did!

As he showered early in the morning, his thoughts had gone back to his last conversation with Riya. Unwillingly – for he had willed himself to not think about her – he couldn't help but feel ashamed of the way he had belittled her, the last time they spoke.

Yes, she was a novice. Yes, she was unused to shooting, and was terrified of causing bodily harm – let alone kill – on the job. And yet, he had been a certified arse with her. He didn't understand why, but as he readied himself for the job this morning, he had promised himself that he'd pull RIya aside the first moment he had, and apologize to her.

Truth be told, he didn't want to be mean to her – to displace his anger towards the world on her. But every time he saw her, he saw everything he had failed in at life. Every time she was unwilling to shoot, he remembered his deceased wife, and how he was helpless in saving her.  Whenever Rawthor asked Arjun to partner with Riya, Arjun felt himself coil with tension. His nerves would be heightened and protecting Riya would become the first mission, barring his duties towards his country. For he was too young to live the rest of his life knowing he had failed two women in his life.

And so Arjun chose the easy way out and constantly told Riya to leave. Leave the fieldwork, leave the headquarters, and go back to the desk job, because there she truly would be safe.

Miles away mentally, he had to be tapped at on his shoulder to come back to the present.

"Look alive, Raute. You're not being paid to daydream on the job," Rawthor wasn't going to pass a chance to make a dig at Arjun. "I just told the boys to follow us in the second car. We have a mission to finish."

And with that, the four left.

Many hours later, after the case has been solved, the paperwork done, and the criminals behind bars, the four returned to headquarters once again. Although Arjun had thought about Riya constant during the hours, he hadn't asked why she hadn't turned up on the job. Perhaps another one of her "family emergencies" had come up, he thought with a slight roll in his eyes. 

"You can say whatever you like Shree, but without Ri this place has lost its charm.. And it has only been the first day,"   Chotu lamented.

"You're right Chotu. Maybe we can call her up tonight, and see if she wants to grab dinner, or a few drinks. I miss her!" Shree added.

His interest piqued, Arjun decided to ask the boys what was going on. Trying to keep his tone as nonchalant as possible, he asked, "miss? She was here yesterday. She'll probably be here tomorrow. No need to go all Romeo-like on her Shree." He added with a shrug in his shoulder.

Smartening up for being overheard by their superior, Chotu and Shree coloured. When they said nothing, Arjun raised his eyebrows.

"No sir, you've been mistaken." When his eyebrow raised even further, Chotu quickly added, "Riya's gone. There was a vacancy at her old department, and with the experience she has with being on the field, she got a promotion. She now has her own team of analysts  who do the research and report to her. To be quite frank, she hold a position that's higher than yours!" upon seeing Arjun clench his fists, Chotu trailed off into silence.

Shree, on the other hand, had missed this slight detail. As soon as Chotu stopped, he took over in praising his favourite colleague, wanting to have his two-cent worth heard. "Yes sir, she started today. She'll be so good there! Even Rawthor sir gave his recommendation for her. Even though she got this offer many weeks ago, she didn't want to leave. But yesterday, I think it might have been as soon as she came back from your car trip - she had a quick word with Rawthor sir, and they did her transfer for today. She works on the 11^th floor, but we wont be able to meet her. She's quite busy. There is lots of responsibility on her slim shoulders."

As Shree was going on about Riya, Chotu had tried to stop him many times. Failing at each attempt, and seeing Arjun sir ready to blow his top, he'd quickly decided to work on more paperwork, and let Shree dig his own grave. As soon as Shree had mentioned "slim shoulders" however, Arjun had dropped his chai cup unceremoniously on the table, and stalked out of the office.

"Man what the hell is wrong with him now?! Who'll clean up his mess? Seriously, Arjun sir needs to learn to control his anger." Shree complained, as Chotu grinned at himself. He always knew Arjun sir had a special something for Riya. Today, his hunch was confirmed.

Arjun stalked out of the office, and without thinking of his actions, without finding meaning within his stride, made way to the elevator, pushed the button for the 11^th floor and bolted out as soon as the elevator doors opened 

Turing a deaf ear to the receptionist outside the office labeled "Senior Analyst – Riya Mukerjee" in gold plate, he burst into her office, closed the door, and crossed his arms across his chest.

Riya, who was facing the sidewall as she was laughing sweetly into the phone, didn't take notice until she heard the door close loudly shut. Looking up, her expression froze, and she hung up the phone with a quick "I'll see you tonight" before disconnecting.