#22 I love my country, and I love you!

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Shiva

The sun is setting when Shiva steps out of the police station, a determined look on his face. That little talk with Sweety helped him regain his senses.

His nice, long chat with the inspector just ended. A search party was put out to find the runaway criminal, and the officers were already at work.

It's entirely likely for the culprit to flee the state of Uttarakhand, but with police on the lookout for him everywhere, he shouldn't be untraceable

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It's entirely likely for the culprit to flee the state of Uttarakhand, but with police on the lookout for him everywhere, he shouldn't be untraceable.

Shouldn't the SI have informed him earlier? Why did he give in to despair? Now those questions make little sense. Not when he must focus on the present.

He'd laid down the groundwork. Now, all that's left is to keep going down this path and also request Samridhi's help. He'd dropped her a hint, soon he'd reveal the entire picture. With her on board, things should proceed evenly.

Shiva walks down the street when a fluttering tricolour flag catches his eye. His breath catching in his chest, he lets his gaze linger on the flag, lamenting the fact that it slipped his mind that today is republic day!

Normally while out on the field or with his regiment at the army quarters, or even at home, he'd never forget about such an auspicious occasion. So how did it slip his mind today?

Well, it's a saving grace that his duties towards the nation are the very cause for this mishap.

Though he's ashamed, he's glad for this last-minute opportunity to pay his respects.

He's got little time left. Somebody will be here to take the flag down.

Smiling, he raises his right palm to his forehead in a salute when a rather strong gale cuts off the thread holding the flag.

Who in the world would use such a flimsy thread or was this gale way too strong?

Shiva has to close his eyes against dust swirling up in the wind, but from the corner of his eye, he can see the flag coming off the harness and flying off.

That was a single burst of air. The wind settles into a gentle breeze but the damage is done.

The flag is now drifting down the clifftops.

Where will it land? Will it be in tatters? If so, that's a huge humiliation to the nation!

As the only person around that has witnessed the adversity, Shiva is determined to get his hands on the sacred piece of cloth.

He breaks into a run and doesn't hesitate to trudge down the hilly terrain that frames the edge of the street.

Climbing down the clifftops is precarious. His sudden actions now catch the public eye. Within a minute a considerable crowd is gathered on top, curious people wondering what's going on in a quiet town like this. Some are even shouting that he shouldn't commit suicide.

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