Oh,take me back to the start
"Where the hell is my bracelet? Neel?" Riya muttered to herself as she jumped around the messy apartment, then looked over her shoulder. The man, as usual, was engrossed in his laptop like a zombie. His glasses came to the edge of nose, threatening to fall anytime.
"Neel?" He hummed this time, distracted, "Hey, here!" When he still did not turn, she muttered to herself as she looked for the black beaded bracelet, a gift from the man himself. She was neither into jewellery nor sentiments, but that was one thing she did not part with, especially since the moment the two became exclusive.
"It will be somewhere, there." He answered, still distracted and Riya stopped, a funny look on her face. For a moment, she forgot the urgent phone call she had received to leave for crime scene and just stared at the man.
"Well, it was. Now it's not." At the sarcastic tone, Neel turned. She was slightly irritated that he was smirking now.
"Might have vanished."
"Yeah? How?"
"Magic." He made a blowing gesture with both hands and she snorted, looking sideways as she shook head. She was getting late and this back and forth will go nowhere. Limping as she adjusted her shoes, she pressed a kiss to the man's head.
"What's the plan for today?"
"Googly." He answered.
"Take a shower." At that, he gave her a semi glare, "Trust me."
She yelled a Bye! Which he returned half -heartedly, and the door closed behind her.
Riya snapped out of the memory when her mind realized, even amidst the fogginess of the past glimpses, that people around her had gone quiet. She snapped her out of it, and surely enough found several pair of eyes looking at her with various degrees of concern.
The ETF team along with Rahane had decided to gather in Raghu sir's residence to brainstorm about the upcoming meet. The Agent had a different kind of energy today, the earlier grouchiness vanished as he realized his organization had a solid lead now to stop Haqqani's transfer. The team was slightly taken aback at the manic energy, but Raghu sir, thankfully, took over, albeit a bit skeptical himself.
All Riya could think when she stepped inside was this was the place where everything had truly begun.
"I zoned out." She stated, sighing in resignation, but steeling herself to not to let it happen. Some looked away, some nodded in sympathy. Before anyone can ask futile questions like 'Are you fine?', she sat up straight, "Can someone repeat what I missed?"
Turned out, nothing much. Rahane had finalized everything from his side- his Boss had given go ahead signal for any and everything necessary to get Neel. ETF, Police officers along with IB-RAW agents will be around the meet location to keep an eye. Shree had cracked the message in minutes when she showed him- it was co-ordinates for a location on the outskirt of Mumbai, an abandoned warehouse to be specific. Sameer had remarked it was typical, like a low life criminal, and even as Aisha had glared at him to shut it and he did, Riya could not deny the cliche.
The planning went like this- Riya would go inside the location, all alone. She will be bugged and will have hidden cameras. At first, she will try to coax him to come to police, assuring she will be there. They were expecting a conflict, Neel won't agree to it, most likely will ask her to help him escape country. The team was supposed to sweep in then. Take him in custody, fly to IB HQ. Case closed.
Everything over.
"The thing is," Arjun spoke up, staring hard at ground, "I think we are underestimating him." Everyone looked at each other in confusion, even Riya frowned as Aisha looked at her.
Raghu sir cleared throat, "Rawte, can you clarify?" At that his head snapped up, his gaze lingering on Riya for a moment before shifting again.
"He is the Magician, right? He had allegedly helped a terrorist mastermind to create a spy network. Are we really supposed to believe he will just walk into a warehouse, just like that?"
"He loves her." Rahane replied, and Riya had to brace herself against the words. Some love it was.
"Does he?" Arjun asked, leaving the agent momentarily speechless. "Is it feeling or he just need a trust worthy person on whom he can count to escape?"
"Rawte does have a point." Aisha spoke up, giving him a nod, "He was in danger. He still might be, and he contacted her. He need an escape plan, and he is just . . . " She stopped, glancing sideways again at her former best friend. Taking pity on her and to stop this continuous flow of awkward silence, Riya finished for her.
"Using me."
Rahane cleared his throat, "And he trusts her, why? Cause feelings. We are also counting on it, are not we?" Exhaling, he asked in impatience, "Besides, what's the point?"
"I think what Rawte is trying to say is that, Agent Rahane," Raghu sir replied as everyone turned to look at the older man, "Neel Sahaay will come prepared. Probably more than us. We know about him, what he did all these years. How much does he knows about her, about us? If he did his research, and put two and two together, this plan might not go this smoothly. Might go dangerous, even." His eyes settled on Riya who looked back blankly. Sir was always like this, looking outside box. Nobody had even thought in this manner.
"So we need to be two steps ahead." Sameer muttered into the tensed situation.
"Make it six." Rahane spoke through gritted teeth, already making plans in his head, "I will even bring snipers, just in case." Nothing will go unseen, unprepared. No gap. He won't let happen Delhi part 2 this time, the madness stops now.
Once the meet up was done and Rahane had left, Riya found herself outside the residence, looking into nothing as she leaned onto the SUV. 2 days to go until this ends- she strangely looked forward to it, also at the same time her heart pounded to think about what's next. For so long she knew only this, and even when she was prepared to leave the path of revenge she had something. Seeing Neel again, realizing his treachery and pushing him to something unknown was not something she ever envisioned, and she did not know how her mind and heart will cope with it.
Shree came in front her vision and she stood up slowly, giving a small smile. He pushed his glasses up, thinking to say something but his lips wont move, which surprised her. She was always fond of him, and he was frank, seeing him hesitant to whatever it is, was different.
"Got something on mind?" His head snapped up at her question and he blinked, momentarily blank. Shree was preparing the questions in his head, bursting to ask, but he also knew it was way inappropriate and he had no right. But now she had noticed, and there was no way she would let it go.
"I am not sure I should ask."
She gave a surprised smile at that, "Try." The tech genius took a deep breath, then made his mind to ask.
"You ever looked at me and thought . . . " He let his question unfinished but she got it anyway.
He always had this in the back of his head that Riya was fond of him the moment they met. Shree was the first person she warmed upto, called him 'Genius' and was protective of him. He never understood why, and when Neel's story came out he had an inkling- they both were into similar career paths. His mannerisms might remind her of him. But then Neel became the villain of the story, and even when nothing changed from her side, Shree wondered if deep in her heart she sees any similarity between them.
If she resents him.
"You should not have asked that." Riya spoke quietly, and Shree cringed inside to make her upset.
"I just wondered . . . "
"I understand. But no." Clenching her jaw, she looked sideways, "You and him are nothing alike. Don't even go there."
Shree was relieved, also slightly cautious at her expression. Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut. Lowering his head, he spoke sincerely.
"I am sorry it turned out like this."
She exhaled, "Yeah, me too."
The duo stood in silence for a while, before Chotu came to join them. Shree nodded at the two and left quietly, Sameer waiting for him as he stood on the other side. Riya glanced at the duo, then took in the giant man's restrained expression, remembering the whole Chaurasia issue which was just solved. There was no SIT and hearing was in their favor, but Aisha had concerns about how hard Chotu had taken the whole issue.
"I am bad at peptalk." His head snapped up in surprise as she started, none of them prepared for the impromptu speech, "But looks like you need some."
He sighed, "You are probably going to say the same thing. Not my fault, don't take it personally."
"First part, yes." She nodded, "It was not your fault. It was a collective failure, you, me, the whole ETF, those guards who were supposed to be there, the local PS. We as a group failed."
"I was there when he tried to . . ." He paused remembering Rakesh's first suicide attempt.
"So was I. But I was not there when Rakesh did a murder-suicide on live tv, was I?" He opened his mouth to counter argue but she shook head, silencing him, "Yeah, family issue. But should have been there, yes?"
"I should have been more careful. You were not there, but that excuse nothing. I can't . . . " He paused, looking remorseful as his voice went down, "I can't forget."
"Then don't." She softened her tone, meeting his eyes, "You should never forget your mistakes. Gather them, keep them in the back of your head. So that you are prepared for the next. This happened, but it should not repeat." She certainly won't repeat hers, Her inside hardened at the thought. Never again.
Chotu gave a small smile at her speech, "And you say you are bad with peptalk."
"Well," She drawled, both of them moving to get inside SUV, "Someone else would have been better. Sameer certainly, would had been."
He shook his head, his smile widening. "Everybody else would have said to forget."
"You should never." Her tone became serious, and with surprise he realized it held sadness as well. "When you try to forget, you do stupid things. And it leads to losing people." She was staring ahead, and Chotu followed her gaze. The other ETF SUV consisting Sameer and Shree had left.
Frowning, he stared at the woman, wondering how she lost them or why.
"Friday the 13th." Sameer muttered to himself, his eyes going over his team mates. The day had arrived to get Neel Sahaay and, hopefully, see him for the first time since they all have heard of him. No amount of preparation and brain storming can calm their pounding hearts.
The ETF team along with agents from IB, Rahane included of course, stood 1 km outside the warehouse location. Riya was wired, and her each steps will be monitored by IB tech team and Shree. They will see what she sees and hear what she hears, and Aisha had drilled it into her skull to not even think about removing any of the bug. Riya just stared at the threats- there was no sarcasm or wit, but a steely determination.
Good, Sam thought to himself. This has been going on since forever and should end today.
"Good luck." Rahane nodded to them all, his gaze lingering on the ACP before he left, talking to his agents through his earpiece. Shree moved next- he had a separate van with all the equipment and he will be there, connected with Riya, rest of ETF team and IB agents.
Aisha turned to look at her, slightly worried but pushing it in the back of her head. There will be plenty of time to analyze the emotions later, "It's time."
Riya nodded at that, taking a deep breath as she straightened her spine.
"Keep an eye. We are here, we will be here. And don't . . . "
"Remove the comms. Yeah, got it." At her casually spoken words, Aisha shook head, then squeezed her hand. The ACP gave a rare smile at that, reciprocating the gesture. She had gone though as much as she did, juggling the responsibilities of handling a team and her friend. She will be indebted to her for the rest of her life.
Once the Director moved, Riya's eyes fell on the men. Chotu shook hand, and when it was Sameer's turn, she could not meet his eyes.
"Um,"
"Oh come here." Sameer pulled the woman into a bear hug, startling all of them. He did not forget the previous incidents and he would probably have nightmares about her crashing car or ways to hurt herself, but this moment was not about his worry. She needed all of their support and he would not let himself stew on something else.
Especially in case things go south.
Riya stood stunned for a moment, then asked softly, "Am I forgiven then?"
"No." He released her, squeezing her shoulders, "There will be plenty of time for that later." Looking at the direction of warehouse, he finished, "Let's get this over with."
Arjun was next, and none of them knew what to say or do. Physical touches were not something they did, and comforting words did not seem like will do any good. Riya stared at the man cautiously- she had unloaded a lot on him and there was no time to go over it. She wondered how he was taking it.
On his part, the Second -in-command was speechless. There was a lot of thing he wanted to do- hug her like Sam did, say something encouraging. But what to say to a woman who was going to catch her former lover? There was no time for condolences, nor motivation. So he settled on a nod, trying to look brave. Riya smiled at that, her lips moving upward slightly, returning the action.
"It's time." She said to all of them, the trio murmuring 'Good luck'. She moved, not once looking behind in case her courage fails her, but her teammates could not get their eyes off her. Just like Raghu sir said, had her back from the moment she walked away.
Once the figure vanished, Aisha turned to the men. Gone was the momentarily vulnerable friend, it was the ETF Madam Director who stood there, "Let's move."
And it began.
Riya looked around the abandoned warehouse, taking in each and every details as she walked in. She heard the static in her ears, assured that the team was with her. Her gun was secured behind her back and she touched it, just in case.
It was insane that she needed it to meet Neel, but then . . .
"You see anything?" Rahane's voice rang in her ears and she whispered a soft No. He exhaled in impatience, ordering his team mates to keep an eye. Deep inside, she also shared his impatience- she had hoped Neel would be here when she arrives, but Raghu sir was probably right. He is planning two steps ahead and most likely keeping an eye on the surroundings before he enters.
Something fell behind her and she jumped, the gun immediately pointed at the direction of the sound. There was a commotion in her ears, then Aisha asked, "What was that?"
A pigeon flew away and Riya sighed, lowering her gun, "Bird." The pounding of heart had started again and she tapped her feet impatiently, trying to control her breath. The team could hear everything and she did not want to worry them.
"Relax." Arjun murmured, and strangely enough, she did. A rare smile came on her lips.
"Thanks Boss." He did not answer, but she could picture the smile on his face.
Time passed too slow for her liking and something inside her felt off. Gut feeling, just like she had when she saw the body in morgue and felt it was not Neel. She looked around once again, seeing no familiar figure walking in. Frustrated and slightly worried that this was a mistake, she ran fingers through hair.
"He is not here." She muttered to herself.
"He will be." Rahane answered but she shook head, looking around the dark premises once again.
"Something is wrong." She clenched jaw, but before she could say anything else the static in her ear grew. Unable to take the sound, she yanked the earpiece away, shaking it before putting it again.
"What . . . "
"Ri." She froze on place hearing the familiar sound, her hand on earpiece as she stood in an awkward posture. Heart in throat, she looked around once again wildly, but she was all alone in the big, empty premises. Neel had hacked the communication channel, just like once he had hacked Raghu sir's phone to message her.
Two steps ahead.
"You are not here." She said unnecessarily.
"The Van." He said and she cursed in mind, "Your team's IT guy gets a separate space? Impressive."
And then she was running, with only one thing on her mind- Shree. If he was hurt, and if he was, how much. How and when could wait, she needed to see him. Just when she was rushing through the warehouse, a bullet richoted off a wall near her. Momentarily stopping, she glared at the direction. Fucking, good for nothing, RAW snipers.
"Also, drop those camera bugs." She jerked at the voice, following his words as she started running again, out of the dark warehouse towards the van's location. The bullets flying around her were forgotten, "Even though I have disabled them, your team will see only darkness . . . "
She threw away the earpiece, and the babbling subsided. She was on her last breath when she saw the familiar van, and yanked open the door. Inside, Shree was tied to a chair with ducktape on his hands and mouth, his eyes growing wide behind his glasses as he vigorously shook his head, asking her not to come in.
The first thing she saw after Shree was the gun in Neel's hand, then at the man itself. It felt as if air was sucked out around her, as if the time has frozen. He looked different- he had the glasses, but he was leaner, he stood differently, his eyes were sharper.
It's probably cause he was.
She got inside without another word, closing the door shut behind her. Neel looked down at the gun, giving an embarrassed shrug.
"Just for safety."
Stopping herself from cursing him or rushing to Shree, Riya asked, "This was not necessary."
"Really?" Incredulous, he asked. The gun in his hands moved as he spoke animatedly, her wary eyes watching each of the movements, "The cavalry is here. I would not have gotten to meet you."
"I am here now."
"I can't speak like this." He looked down at Shree, "We need to leave." Shree protested at that and he turned, at the same time Riya motioned at the IT guy to keep quiet.
"He is annoying. He tried to knee me in balls." Neel spoke in irritation, then he looked at her. She saw the familiar fondness on his face, just like she remembered all those years ago. For a moment she thought what if this shitty situation did not occur. What if he was not a criminal mastermind. What if he was a not a liar and possible murderer.
What if he did not have a gun in his hand and tied her team mate into a chair.
He took a step towards her, about to hug her and she reached for the gun in her back. Just when their bodies were about to meet, Shree, bless his soul, kicked the former at the back of his knees. Neel stumbled on Riya, losing his balance, and she took the opportunity to grab the gun. The Hacker was distracted and confused, but soon caught up and struggled for the gun. She hit him in abdomen and in the tussle, the gun fell far away from the both of them. Riya then reached for her own gun but Neel, already sensing this move, reached for it as well.
"The hell, Ri?" He hissed, the barrel of Gun pointed towards him. Riya, to her credit, moved it away- she did not want to accidentally blow his face off. She met his angry eyes, opening her mouth to speak even if this has gone sideways.
The Gun went off and the three of them froze. Silent for one moment, Shree started to scream through his fold.
"Shut up, moron!" Neel hissed, moving away from Riya and glaring at the former over his shoulder. Standing up with great difficulty, he kicked the chair and the IT expert fell on the floor sideways. His side burned at the contact and eyes turned foggy- he realized later it was not because of the pain. His glassed were broken.
The only thing he could see was hazy outlines of two of them moving out, the feminine figure on Neel's shoulder.