Cold Love (18 page)

Arjun moves his hand to wipe the tears off
her cheek. “Sorry!” Riya turns her face away to hide her tears. She takes a
moment to gain her composure back. “Can I ask you something Arjun? How did you
join RAW?”

Arjun looks down at the grass, does not
reply for a few seconds.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t
want to.”

“No it’s not that. Remember Riya, when I
was in Switzerland and I would not come home for the summer vacations. Mama
used to complain that if Riya comes home for her vacations why did I not do the
same?” Riya looks on, listening intently.  

“In Switzerland, I inadvertently came
across a social media site that was stealthily recruiting militants from France
and Germany for Syria and Iraq. I brought this to the attention of the
authorities there. After a few months, a senior RAW official approached me. He
told me about a newly formed strategic intelligence wing within RAW that
focused on information technology and data as a means to safeguarding India’s
geo-strategic interests. I was extremely interested and discussed this with Papa
when he came to Zurich on one of his business trips. He consented to my
decision to join RAW but we did not tell anyone else. I would return to India
during my vacations and instead of going home, I used to go to the training centers
in Gurgaon and Dehradun. I also continued training partially in Europe, under
the supervision of existing RAW agents stationed there. Over the next two years
I got involved in several joint international covert operations between MI6,
Mossad, CIA and RAW, to crack the racket of militants’ recruitment social media
websites. I was like a software hacker getting into their network, tracking
them using their internet footprints. The operation was a great success, and
that got me instant recognition within the newly formed RAW wing. As you know
in my final year, I also patented a security software product and created a
private limited company to launch it just before my graduation. I continued to
be its non-executive director and it also acted as a guise for my covert
operations in Europe, focusing specifically on exposing militant organizations
in west Asia, Europe and Africa.”

“And I used to think I know you very
well Arjun!” Riya laughs gently, “All the while that we used to go about with
our little pranks and jokes and everything… I never realized I was dealing with
a top secret agent as a friend.”

“It’s nothing like that. Anyway, tell me
Riya, did you meet Krish again after Afghanistan?” Riya shakes her head in the
negative, still looking away from Arjun, “And hey…when did you learn
gymnastics?” Arjun enquires further.

Before Riya can reply, Arjun’s mobile
starts ringing. He immediately excuses himself from Riya to walk a few steps
clear of her. “Yes Krish. Ok! Thanks for letting me know buddy! … Good to know
my market value is
₹
2 crores. I’m ready! …. Yes, I am with
Riya; we were talking about you and all your adventures. Anyway, I will speak
to you later. Thanks for the information buddy.”

He turns around to see Riya right behind
him.

“What is
₹
2 crores Arjun?”

“I’ve hit a jackpot dear!” 

 “Won’t you share it Arjun?” she half
smiles, “Please tell me seriously.”

Arjun walks to the motorbike, “Huh! You
don’t want a share of this lottery. C’mon, we have to go.”

He kick-starts the motorbike with one
swift move as Riya follows him confused, but quickly hops on behind him. Arjun
revs up the engine, and starts with tires screeching dust off the sand by the
road. He immediately accelerates and races ahead at top speed.

 “Arjun! Why are you driving so fast?”

Arjun looks back at her from the corner
of his eyes, but revs up the acceleration further.
He has a sudden urge to get back home.
Till now he had been alone in this battle and had always felt confident about
himself. He had taken bold risks, and his unique blend of courage and
exceptional intelligence led to amazing results in covert operations around the
world. These achievements led to his sudden rise in the ranks within the
department.

But now, things were different. Love,
often a pillar of strength, is also a brittle glass house that can be shattered
by a single stone. Has he overlooked the safety of others around him, whilst
being pre-occupied with his work? He wants to get back as quickly as possible
to the safety of his house. The news about a hitman on his lookout did not come
as a surprise. However, in this open valley and countryside, he could be a
sitting duck for any sniper. More important, Arjun was really concerned about
Riya by his side, and he glances back at her, as he notices Riya’s mischievous
nibble on his neck. As a response Arjun instead revs up the engine further, as
Riya desperately clutches on to him as the racing motorbike sped through the
picturesque valley.

Arjun makes sure to meander through the
roads and keep under the shade of the tall mahogany trees lining the roads
along the valley. Riya is oblivious to what Arjun was thinking and preferred
simply to dig her face in Arjun’s back and close her eyes peacefully in his
embrace.

Sitting
Ducks

Meanwhile, back at Arjun’s home, his
parents were about to go out shopping… a follow-up on the engagement ceremony.
Mr. Sinha notices Arjun’s sports car parked in front of the garage, blocking
the exit.

“C’mon, my love! Let me take you out
today in my son’s convertible instead,” Amit picks up the sunglass and Ferrari
cap lying on the seat. He opens the passenger side door for Kamla, bowing low
in a romantic gesture. She smiles and graciously sits on the passenger seat.

“Huh! As if you’re taking me out for a
drive to Khandala or somewhere.”

Mr. Sinha put the sunglasses and Ferrari
cap on and looks in the rear view mirror.

“Do I look handsome in these sunglasses
Kamla?”

“No!” Kamla replies jokingly, “my son
looks more handsome than you. Oh! Don’t know where he is!”

“We spoke to Riya, isn’t it? Don’t
worry, Kamla she will take good care of Arjun. She is such a lovely girl. I
think she loves Arjun very much.”

“Yes! I know she does. Arjun is lucky to
have a girl like her. Puja has told me, that they are deeply in love. Even
though they have not told each other. You know… Puja saw Arjun’s picture in
Riya’s personal diary the other day!”

“Oh really? Kids!”

“Listen, I think we should not delay any
further. It’s good we exchanged shagun and gifts, but please speak to Arjun
when he is back and then let’s speak to Mr. and Mrs. Saxena. I want Riya and
Arjun to get engaged as soon as possible.”

“Ok Kamla, you are right. Let him come
back. I’ll speak to him”, he readjusts his cap, “Man to man talk! Huh?”

The sports car engine roars loudly as
Mr. Sinha looks up in the mirror again, “Whatever you say Kamla, I am looking
like a hero in these sunglasses and Ferrari cap?!”

Both laugh. The car slowly comes out of
the drive.

“Yes you are! Let’s go now my hero, should
we?”

As the car emerges from the garage, a
sniper’s finger twitches eagerly, barely inches from the trigger.
He is perched precariously,
but surely, almost a kilometre away at the roof of a skyscraper. The sniper
quickly puts a silencer on to his sophisticated long range rifle and carefully
aims at the driver in the car. The cross wire shooting range points to the
middle of the Ferrari cap as its target.

Just as the hitman is about to pull the
trigger, Mr. Sinha bends over to kiss his beautiful wife. The bullet hits the
seat head cover, splattering it with tufts of feather and foam flying across.
The sniper reloads the gun immediately and the next shot hits Mr. Sinha on his
shoulder. A third shot hits Kamla’s arm as she tries to cling to her husband amidst
the confusion. Another bullet follows immediately, and pierces right into the
heart of the driver wearing the Ferrari sports cap.

The sniper has taken the shot
with such artistic precision that none of the security guards notice the couple
lying unconscious in the car in each other’s arms. The sniper vanishes
stealthily walking briskly down the stairs of the tall skyscraper, into the din
of the bustling city.

. 

The
Execution

Arjun’s motorbike is racing
in from the distance. Arjun drives in through the gates of and parks the
motorbike on the front patio of his house by the large garden. He gets off and
rushes in hastily leaving Riya behind, who is somewhat surprised at Arjun’s
sudden haste.

“Ma! Ma!”

There’s no one inside, as Arjun checks
both floors of the house. He rushes out of the house as he suddenly hears a
loud scream from Riya outside.

“Arjun!” 

Arjun shakes her. “What’s up Riya?
What’s happened?”

With another loud scream, Riya clings to
him and then points feebly towards the garage. Just outside the garage near the
driveway, Arjun’s parents, seated in his yellow convertible, are splattered in
blood. Riya falls down on her knees in dismay, covers her face with her hands
and blacks out. When she regains consciousness, she hears the overwhelming
noise of a helicopter ambulance, with dust billowing across the landscape.

Arjun’s sister, Puja, joins them and is
also rushed into the helicopter alongside her parents. Arjun is about to slam
the door shut when Riya, suddenly realizing what was happening around her,
rushes in and grabs Puja’s hand. Puja asks her friend,

“Riya, please take care of Arjun, will
you? Bhaiyya, when will you come?”

“Not yet, Puja. I need to take care of
things here.” Arjun shuts the door of the helicopter as it takes off, throwing
another puff of dust all around.

Riya is still confused, finding it difficult
to come to terms with the activities around her. “Arjun, what has happened?”
She buries her face in Arjun’s shoulder, sobbing. She receives no response from
him.

Arjun clasps Riya with one arm, his
expression stolid, as he looks up at the skies to watch the helicopter
gradually turn into a tiny spec. Riya and Arjun are left down below, alone,
distraught and confused.

Sinister thoughts shroud Arjun’s
consciousness.
Killings are
common in his line of work, but there are rules even in this brutal business.
One of those unwritten rules is not to target family members. It has never been
personal in such covert operations. Even though brutal killers, agents actually
respected each other as professionals, as they were only soldiers fighting a
war for their respective countries.

But
today’s bloodshed had broken that code.
Arjun should have sensed the warning,
but it came too late, and, worse still, he was too slow to react.

“
How
could I have been so careless?” Arjun clenches his fist in anger, whilst still holding
Riya in his arms.

He cannot allow those he loves to suffer
for his deeds. This gruesome game has to end.
He has to ensure the safety of his family. Thankfully, RAW
is taking care of his parents as the ambulance helicopter is flying them to a
secret hospital, located in a remote area.

“I’ll be back soon, Riya,” Arjun
gently removes his hand from Riya’s
shoulder.

“Where are you going Arjun?” Riya is
still motionless with shock.

Arjun doesn’t respond; instead he goes
on to speak to the security personnel, gives a few instructions and gets into a
car. Riya’s parents have arrived by then and the security
personnel have secured the area. His
mobile rings as he drives his car out of the compound.

“Don’t worry son.” The voice on the
mobile is that of the director of RAW, “We’ve already got the best doctors in
this world flying in. They will be here in the next few minutes. Trust me;
nothing is going to happen to your parents.”

“Thank you, Sir.” Arjun is still too
dazed to respond.

“Listen to me very carefully son. You
know the protocol. This is between you and the hitman now. The money has been
paid; he cannot turn back. You have all the resources at your disposal. Do what
you have to do to find him… eliminate him! Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Sir; I will.” Arjun switches
off the mobile as his car races away.

For the next two days, there’s no sign
of Arjun as Riya and her parents wait anxiously for further news. The message
conveyed to them is that Arjun’s parents are off to a secure location, whilst
Arjun is still busy taking stock of the situation. Commissioner Pratap is close
to the family, but there is no sign of Arjun, and Riya is unable to contact
Puja, whose mobile is unreachable as well.

Finally, on the third morning Arjun
texts Riya, “Doctors are looking at Papa and mummy. Both are still critical. I
am tied up with work. Please follow every instruction that Pratap uncle and the
security personnel give you; speak to you soon.”

Riya calls him immediately, but to no
avail. Needless to say all her calls and messages continue to go unanswered. 

“Why is Arjun not picking up the phone
Papa? I have messaged him so many times. What is he doing? I want to meet Uncle
and Aunty!”

“Beta,” Mr. Saxena hugs his daughter,
“Give him some time. He will come back. Trust me.”

“Papa, what has happened… why?”

Shanti comes over and hugs them both as
they huddle together on the sofa.

“I am very scared jee. Why have the
special security personnel asked us not to leave our house over the next week?
Why is there so much security in the first place?”

“Don’t worry Shanti!  By God’s grace,
everything will be fine. I am sure Arjun is doing what he should do.”

Riya and Shanti are not convinced but
they simply cling to each other.

The next morning, Riya enters Arjun’s
room, and sees the bedclothes neatly tucked in. This is the same house that was
full of life a few days ago when the family celebrated the engagement ceremony
of the daughter of the house. Why has Puja not bothered to call her? Her best
friend, her soul mate… all her calls have been unanswered, and no messages have
arrived or been responded to. Does a single bullet break all the ties, bonds of
friendship and generations of love? It has certainly shattered the lives of the
two families. Riya walks around a bit and goes into Puja’s room. She looks out
of the window, and then goes over to sit on the bed. She closes her eyes for a
minute holding the pillow. This is where she had slept alongside Puja, chatting
through the night after Puja’s engagement ceremony. Her eyelids close for a few
minutes as she drowses into sleep.

The very next moment, the sight of the
dreary desert with a mercenary holding a child flashes into Riya’s dreams. She
sees herself admiring the lofty mountains and the white barren terrain as her
hair flutters in the wind. As the man turns around, he moves a gun from his
hand to the child’s head…

“No!” Riya wakes up screaming loudly.
She starts crying, thinking about her living nightmare, gets up, walks around
the room disturbed and then eventually rushes out of the house.

The world around her has toppled upside
down and she can only wait for her love to return to set it right. … Will he set
everything right, please? How would have she known that Arjun had other plans
in his mind?