PHASE III
CHAPTER 39 AIMING HIGH
Megha's mind settled down to utter calm after all the excitement during the day, like how the surface of a lake become still once the ripples subside. It was evening and she was sitting on the park bench, contently watching Nanhi play with Mohan on the lawn.
She had phoned Prerna as soon as she came back to the quarters, made her promise not to speak a word to another living soul and then, poured out her discovery. Prerna believed her instantly and said that she had felt all along that Mohan couldn't be a terrorist or something. As Prerna started speculating his real identity, Megha firmly told her to stop it there: since it had become obvious that he's harmless, they wouldn't speak about his profession again and cause any danger to him or themselves inadvertently.
Even though she had told that to Prerna, possibilities flew in and out of her mind. Finally, her mind arrived at the idea of him being a police officer sent for a secret mission. His keen, intelligent eyes, and smooth, fluent, authoritative talking supported her theory.
As she sat there, observing him playing with Nanhi, doubts again flooded her mind. He may be intelligent and authoritative, but she couldn't imagine him as a police officer, wielding pistol and fighting criminals. His mannerisms reflected excellent schooling but were never the disciplined ones that you expect a police officer to have. His personality never held any harshness or strictness; he was rather a spontaneous, witty and kind person.
She sighed heavily and stopped trying to deduce his profession - whatever it is, she has realised that it is for the good of people; she will come to know about it somehow when it is time for her to know. Having put her thoughts to peace, she resumed observing the two, playing without any bother.
Mohan's hair was right now littered with green leaves of various sizes. Nanhi had ordered him not to shake them away till her play finished: according to her, he was the King and the leaves were his crown. He obeyed her commands and played along excellently. Once she finished decorating his hair, Nanhi led him to the bench on which Megha was sitting.
"Will you get up from there, chachi? This is our King's thr-thr.." she stuttered.
"Throne. This is my throne." Mohan completed the sentence with authority and stood solemnly in front of her, trying to look as regal as possible in his current outfit.
"But Miss Megha, you can sit on one end if you become my Minister." He offered kindly in a high-and-mighty tone.
Megha swallowed the laughter bubbling inside her. Deciding to play along, she got up and bowed before him:
"How kind of you, Your Majesty. I'm honored." she said.
"Who is your majesty, chachi?" asked a confused Nanhi.
Megha knelt in front of Nanhi and explained solemnly:
"That's how you should call the King, my dear." she explained.
"Oh, ok. Your Majesty, let me pick more leaves and make you a necklace. Till then you and your Minister can discuss how to rule this kingdom." Nanhi suggested happily.
"As you like it, my Princess." Mohan said as he sat down on the bench. Megha too sat down next to him.
"Ok, I'll be back in a minute." Nanhi bowed in front of Mohan just like Megha did earlier and delightedly scampered off to the nearest bush to pick leaves.
“So, tell me.” Megha probed.
“What?” Mohan seemed earnestly confused.
“Didn’t I tell you to come prepared with an explanation for my nickname, Mohan?” Megha reminded with a don’t-fool-me look on her face.
“Oh... As you know, our meetings - or rather, encounters - have not been pleasant. And, I didn’t know your name then. So, as I narrated that disastrous land mower episode to Guru, I might have referred to you like that.” Mohan explained abashed.
He looked up at her.
“Who imagined that he would keep it in his head even now?” He exclaimed apologetically.
Megha chuckled softly and reassured him:
“It’s quite okay. In fact even I have made a nick name for you: Mr Disaster.”
Mohan was stunned for a moment. A cunning gleam lit up his eyes afterwards.
“So, both are guilty. Let’s forgive each other then.” He struck the deal.
Megha rolled her eyes in exasperation, but still, smiled and said :
“Fine. Forgiven. All previous accounts balanced - wait a minute...”
Megha paused, opened her bag and took out the syllabus.
"Here is your syllabus. I would've returned your sweatshirt also, but Nanhi accidentally upturned the milk bottle on top of it. I've washed it, but it is still drying. " She said apologetically.
"Hey, it's ok. No problem." he waved off her apology and accepted the syllabus from her hands.
"Thanks for the syllabus." he tucked it inside his jacket. As he was doing so, a small lime green leaf fell from his head.
Megha chuckled, bent down and picked up the leaf from the ground.
"It seems Nanhi has made you Green Uncle literally." she said amused.
Mohan took it from her hand and tucked it back into his wavy hair. Megha was startled by his action.
"Let her enjoy the joys of childhood before the responsibilities of adulthood start troubling her." He said wistfully, looking adoringly at Nanhi.
Megha followed his gaze and noted affectionately that Nanhi was arranging the various flowers and leaves she had collected in a row, apparently trying to decide which all should be given the privilege of being chosen for the Kings' necklace.
The wistful note in Mohan's voice reminded her of the responsibility which he was carrying right now on his shoulders.
"I heard your discussions with Guru this afternoon. If you don't mind, can you tell me whether he got the proof he was looking for?" She asked in a whisper.
Mohan looked at her for a moment, then returned his gaze to Nanhi and replied in an equally low tone:
"Not yet, but we'll get it soon."
"Then, you'll go." She stated rather than questioning.
"We should. Our Boss has told to do just that much." he said.
Noting the uncertainty in his voice, she turned her gaze to him and prompted:
"But?"
He seemed surprised that she had noted the hesitation in his voice. After a surprised look in her direction, he went back to observing Nanhi.
"But this does not guarantee the imprisonment of the real hands behind all this drug business. We'll be catching just the victims, maybe a few small fishes also. But the real sharks will still roam around freely, searching for new preys." he said.
"Won't the Police obtain information from the people you catch?" She asked.
He laughed humourlessly.
"They are highly loyal to their Lords - they won't speak a word. Even if they did, do you think the law will believe the words of people who have become half mad because of drug use?" he asked.
"So, you plan to do something to catch the sharks." Megha said. Again, this was also a statement, not a question: somehow, she knew.
Mohan didn't turn around this time. He just smiled a fraction, acknowledging her tone and then, replied with determination:
"Yes."
"How do you plan to do that?" She asked.
"Guru said that the students here talk among themselves in codes. So, even if we trace their numbers or overhear their conversations, we won't understand much. Only an insider will know it." He stopped and then turned to face her. He kept looking at her intently and Megha felt as if he was speaking to her without words.
His grim expression bothered her.
"Why do I feel that whatever he's going to do is quite dangerous? Only an insider...." She thought and suddenly, her confusions cleared. She could see what was going on in his head: he was going to infiltrate their gang.
"You are going to become the insider." She stated, third time in a row.
But this time, it didn't bring an amused smile in his lips. He just returned to stare at Nanhi.
********************
"This is the third time she's reading my mind. Now that she has realised that I'm going to associate myself with danger, the flood of requests to stop will ensue. Or she’ll pick Nanhi up and hurry off with a hasty good bye." He thought bitterly and turned his face away from Megha.
"I know it may be dangerous, but I also understand that this job, whatever it is, is your passion." She said.
Mohan was completely startled by her words and couldn't help turning around to look at her.
"I won't tell you to stop, Mohan." she continued. "Just keep it in mind that if you ever need any help, we are here, always." She assured him.
Mohan was overwhelmed by her words and the blazing sincerity and solemnness in her eyes.
As he was about to thank her, Nanhi came running. She climbed onto the bench and stood between him and Megha. She carefully tied the leaf-necklace around his neck and jumped down.
"Your Majesty, from now onward, you are the King." she said and bowed down.
"Ok, but only if you become my little Princess." Mohan said. He knelt in front of Nanhi and took her tiny hand in his.
"Ok, Your Majesty, I will. You'll look after and protect this Kingdom, won't you?" She asked.
"Yes, I will, My Princess." He said gallantly.
"And look after yourself also." he heard Megha add.
He swept Nanhi off into his arms and stood up. Megha too got up from her seat. He looked at her over Nanhi's head and promised:
"I will."
********************