Aarav slowly started walking around, staring at the faces of the Bulls present in the room. “In Sri Lanka, when he said that the master didn’t want to hurt us”, Aarav spoke pointing towards K. “I started having my doubts after that. Why would a master want us dead one day and not on the other? The only possibility was that the evil master had met us in the meantime. Yet K started a fire at the place and left us all for dead, that means he ignored the explicit orders that were given to him, add that to the fact that he almost killed you when they attacked at your office. It meant that even he didn’t know who his master was. He must have been receiving instructions anonymously. Then after coming to India, when we were waiting at the Chennai Airport, what you said the previous day struck me hard.”
“What?”
“Remember when we had a fight at your home? When I tried to convince everyone that Mrs. Jayaratne could be the evil master? You said that what if you were the evil master? What if the Bulls shot at you because they didn’t know who they were taking orders from? And that was the first time that I doubted it”, he said as he went near Aanya and started to untie the rope which bound her hands.
“But it doesn’t make sense”, Rehann interrupted. “If each master watched over only a single master, and if she was watching over Mrs. Jayaratne, it means that The Administrator was supposed to keep a watch on The Artist , right? So if the Prime Minister was the only one who knew that Indira Chatterjee had the Book of Arts, how did she come to know of her identity?”
“That was the only thing which kept me believing that the Prime Minister of the country was behind all of this. Because whoever watched over the first master, had to have murdered her. It was the only logical thing to follow.”
“Then how did you know it was me?” Shayna spoke getting curious.
“Internet is an open book my dear”, Aarav replied as he pulled up a photo in his mobile phone. “And I had to only search a couple of links before I found your graduation photograph.”
“What does it mean?” Rehann asked.
“It means that they went to college together, Indira and Shayna. I will guess that you were good friends?”
“Great friends”, she replied. “We lost contact after college and only met around fifteen years later. By that time of course, I was who I am and she was a popular actress. It hardly took me any efforts to know her secret. Once she got drunk, she spilled all the beans in an instant. But I was a good master you see. I wanted to protect our secret at the time. And when she told me all about it after only a few drinks, I wondered what she might have already told to others and what she might tell under the influence. She was a habitual drug abuser. So I took my time. Recruited these fine gentlemen through my contacts and unleashed them on her.”
“The Broods of the Bulls? Fancy name I must say”, Aarav said as he analyzed Shayna and started circling around her slowly.
“Wait! So the whole story about the Bulls being a secret group of assassins during the time of the first mutiny in the Ring was made up?” Rehann asked.
“Of course”, Aarav replied. “I was right when I said that I had never heard about their presence in Indian history. How could I hear about them when they didn’t exist? I should have known that something was amiss at the time.”
“I had to have weaved a story when I came to check in on you that night at my penthouse. I wanted to know the extent to which you were involved in with the secret of our society. Few drinks and a kiss later, I knew everything”, she said while winking at Aarav.
“So what now, you’re going to kill us?” Rehann spoke to her angrily.
“Oh no. If I wanted you dead, I could have killed you all the very first night. I had ordered my men to kill you all and retrieve the book first but I didn’t know that they followed you to my office. Now of course, I couldn’t have given away my reality, so I played along. I observed you all that night. Probably a little more than I should have and decided that it would be a waste to kill you.”
Aarav smiled as he stood before her. “It’s not happening.”
“What?” Shayna asked.
“You know what”, he replied coldly.
“You have to do it. You don’t have an option.”
“Do what?” Rehann asked, confused.
“Get the Book of Strategy.”
Rehann accompanied Aarav in his laughter. “You want us to kill the Prime Minister and bring the Book of Strategy to you?”
“Kill. Kidnap. Beg. Whatever it takes”, she replied calmly.
“It is not a bloody movie”, Rehann shouted. “You cannot just simply show up before the head of a country and kill him or kidnap him or ask him to give away the biggest secret he has been keeping from people like us.”
“This quest is over”, Aarav said. “All that violence. All those deaths. They were all for nothing Shayna. It is impossible to get the book from the Prime Minister. This hunt is officially over.”
“I beg to differ”, Shayna replied. “You know the day before yesterday, Aanya told me about everything. About how you deciphered the code in her father’s letter and how you helped her in discovering the Book of Alchemy. And then, you yourself murmured to me about your intellect and your abilities when we sat on that beach in Sri Lanka. I think that if given correct motivation, you can do it.”
“I know your plan. I know what you intend to do. And it is absurd to even imagine that something like this can work.”
“You know what I plan to do?” she asked, surprised and impressed by his wits at the same time.
“Obviously.”
She walked towards him and took her right hand up. She touched the scar on his face and then darted her blue eyes into his. “Well why don’t you surprise me then?”
He continued staring at her with anger, cursing himself every second for trusting her beautiful smile. “You are not dressed like that just to make an impression on me”, Aarav continued. “You have to go somewhere. Maybe for a wedding.”
“You never cease to amaze me”, she continued.
“A wedding?” Rehann asked, confused.
“The daughter of the Chief Minister of the state is getting married tonight at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. He is in the top brass of the national party. The Prime Minister of the country will definitely be there to bless the couple. It’s all over in the newspapers today if you skip the part about the mysterious murders of the Director General of the World Health Organization and her husband.”
“Still bitter about that?” she asked him mischievously.
“Those people were murdered”, Rehann shouted at her. “You had them killed. How can you live with yourself after everything that you have done?”
“I have to see the bigger goal. I cannot let petty emotions distract me from focusing on the treasure.”
“And what will you do once you have the treasure?” Rehann continued.
“Can you imagine the kind of power I will have if I have the treasure of the gods?” she went closer to him and uttered with authority.
“You are already a bloody billionaire. How much power and money could you possibly crave?”
“That is the sad thing about you ordinary people. You think that becoming a billionaire is comfortable in itself. You think that once you have enough money you’ll live happily ever after. But it is only when you rise to my level that you understand that the game has just begun.”
“You are mad”, Rehann continued.
“People always call others mad when they can’t grasp what great men are doing.”
“Or maybe they call others mad because the others indeed are… mad”, Aarav joined the talk again.
“Oh honey. I thought you will understand. But you are like them after all.”
“I am indeed.”
“Alright then”, she spoke while taking in a deep breath. “Play
time is over Aarav. We have to find a book.”
“And how do you say we do it? By gate crashing a wedding?”
“I’m the CEO of one of the biggest banks of Asia and have also donated a lot in the state’s drought relief campaign. I was invited to the wedding, Aarav, and you will be my date.”
“And you plan to murder the Prime Minister at this wedding?” Rehann argued, still unable to believe Shayna’s plan.
“God no. We’ll do things as we have done so far. We were able to convince Harsha Jayaratne to hand over her book. We’ll do the same with the Prime Minister.”
“And what if he doesn’t?”
“Then we will improvise.”
“Not a great plan”, Aarav interrupted.
“Oh you always underestimate the charm of a woman like me.”
“Charm doesn’t get you what you want. It wouldn’t work.”
“Worked on you.”
Aarav looked away, trying to gaze at the sea from the narrow windows. “What if I say no?”
“I’ll blow her brains off”, Shayna said, pointing towards Aanya.
“You’ll kill us anyway once you get your hands on what you want. Better do it now.”
“I don’t want to hurt her just to convince you. Don’t force me to, Aarav.”
Aarav looked intently into her eyes, unwilling to budge and stood his ground. She too looked at him, hoping that he would agree. But when after some time he didn’t, she decided that she had to take an action.
“K”, she said. “Start skinning her the way you did with Mrs. Jayaratne.”
K, himself surprised by the order, asked N for a knife and slowly started walking towards Aanya.
“NO!” she screamed as two Bulls went ahead and held her tightly while K trotted towards her direction.
“Have you lost it Shayna?” Rehann screamed at her.
“U. Punch him with every word that comes out of his mouth.”
U went ahead and grabbed Rehann.
“You are mad Shayna. Aarav do something…” he managed to speak before U started landing punches on his face.
K walked further and passed a smile as he placed his blade on Aanya’s crying face before looking back towards Shayna for a final order.
“Do it”, she said after glancing at Aarav’s face.
“NO!” Aanya cried.
“Okay stop”, Aarav finally broke only to watch K retreat the knife.
Shayna walked ahead slowly and leaned towards his right ear as she seductively whispered, “Never underestimate the charm and the power of a woman. It is the deadliest weapon created by the gods themselves. Get ready for the party honey. I will spoil you tonight.” She kissed him on his cheek before moving back to the room where she came from.
Chapter 8: Burnt Hopes
Aarav and Shayna arrived at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel at around eight in the night in a black Jaguar XJ. Splendid, was a small word to describe the grandiose of the Taj Hotel. They arrived before the iconic building, its famous red dome lit up by bright lights and adorning the skyline of Mumbai. The hotel was opened in 1903 and became the first building in India to get a trademark. The main building stood seven story tall and was accompanied by comparatively newer twenty-two story Taj Towers, standing as the bearer of an India, progressing into a new era while proudly exhibiting its glorious past.
“I’m always amazed by its beauty”, Shayna spoke as a valet opened the door for her. “The dome always draws me back to cherish India’s rich history. I’m sure that you’ll appreciate it Aarav.”
“Why?” he retaliated as he got out from the other side. “It’s Indo-Saracenic revival architecture. It was a favorite style of the British architects at the time of their occupation in India. They combined their understanding of the Indo-Islamic and Indian architecture and pooled it with Gothic revival and Neo classical styles. The dome you seem to be appreciating so much is Florentine Gothic in nature. So what reminds you of India’s rich history is actually symbolic of one of the darkest times of India, when the British occupation and their oppression of Indians was at its peak.”
She walked closer to him and corrected his bow. “You are pulling off this tuxedo I must say. I can hardly listen to what you’re speaking when I am busy admiring you.”
“Then you should’ve listened to me when I said that this won’t work.”
“You like the cameras, don’t you?” she said as she pulled him closer and stopped before the paparazzi who were gathered outside the hotel to click the photographs of the dignitaries.
“Not when I am walking around with a bruised face”, he replied as they entered the hotel.
They were soon guided away to the massive banquet hall, where many famous politicians, businessmen, cricketers and Bollywood stars were gathered. They were being served delicious foods and impeccable wines and were enjoying the lavish wedding to the fullest. Aarav darted his eyes all around, his problems with his shyness emerging every now and then as he would see a famous personality walking ahead and greeting Shayna, while he limited himself to carrying a forceful smile and turn his eyes somewhere else. He was terribly self-conscious and would try to imagine what the other person was thinking of him as they would glance at his beaten face and imagine all sorts of things.
“The Prime Minister isn’t here”, he spoke to her as he dragged her to a corner, away from the people gathered in the hall.
“I believe he’ll drop by in sometime. His plane left for Mumbai more than two hours ago.”
“Keeping tabs, are you?”
“I cannot become careless, at least not now when you and your friends know my identity and are still not on my side.”
“You’re a fool if you think that we’ll ever be on your side.”
“I am not evil, Aarav. I am just seeing the bigger picture here.”
“Wait! Does murdering people not make you evil anymore? Have they changed the rules?”
“Ashoka and his army killed hundreds and thousands of people to find this treasure. Still you praise him as the greatest emperor of India? I’d say that your personal judgment is blinding you to put your opinions against me.”
Aarav didn’t speak. He grabbed a wineglass instead and started gulping it down hurriedly.
“Slow down honey, we have all night”, she teased him seductively.
“There is still time”, he spoke in a strong voice, suddenly getting serious.
“Time? For what?”
“For you to stop this. You don’t have to do any of it. I know you. I was with you. You are better than this.”
“I know I am better than this. That’s why I am chasing the treasure.”
“By killing people? By hurting innocent men? By the turning on the very society to which you swore an allegiance to?”
“I’m not in a mood for debates Aarav. Look. Is that the captain of the Indian Cricket team? I think I haven’t met him before. Let me go around and work my charm a bit”, she said as she tried to walk ahead.
Aarav held her hand and pulled her towards him.
“Stop it. Enough with your pretentiousness. End this now and come with me”, he tightened his grip on her hand. “You don’t have to do this. Please.”
“Oh no!” she uttered after a long pause. “You didn’t fall in love with me, did you?”
He kept staring at her with his moist eyes. “What if I say that I did?” he relied with a heavy voice, admitting his love for someone for the very first time in his life.
Shayna stood shocked. She hadn’t expected this. She had a moment with him and she enjoyed it. But little could she have imagined that Aarav Kohrrathi was in love with her.
“You’re in love with me?” she questioned him, still surprised.
He didn’t say anything but kept staring into her eyes.
; “You can’t be serious?” she said as she tried pulling her hand away from him.
“That day in Sri Lanka, when we sat on the beach, soaking in the rain and admiring the beauty of nature. That was the real you. You didn’t care about money or power. You didn’t care about anything material at all. You cared about the rain which was showering upon your skin. You cared about the ocean whose waves were storming before you. You cared about the moment we were living. You… you cared about me.”
“I didn’t”, she tried looking away.
“Yes you did”, he held her again. “And I… I cared for you. For the first time we weren’t thinking of the treasure, or the ancient secret, or the fact that killers were chasing us. We were just thinking about each other, with each other. And that was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.”
She didn’t have the courage to look into his eyes.
“Shayna”, he said as he held her face with both his hands. “I love you.”
She wanted to say something. She wanted to say a thousand words. But she wasn’t able to muster the courage to open her mouth. She looked away suddenly as she saw the crowd going silent and accumulating near the door.
“Here he comes”, she spoke while composing herself as they both watched a very lively Prime Minister enter inside the magnificent hall. She pulled herself away leaving Aarav standing behind and staring at his feet. He wiped away a hint of a tear from the corner of his eye and picked up two glasses of wine, passing one over to Shayna as they gazed at the Prime Minister.
Mr. Amit Jain, the son of a cobbler from Ajmer who went on to become the fifteenth Prime Minister of India, carried an aura of brilliance around him. He was completely bald, kept a light French beard and dressed himself in the best of Indian attires. His friends said that he was the most talkative person alive on the planet. His enemies said that he was the shrewdest person who walked the Earth. But they all said that he deserved every bit of respect that he had garnered from his people. He was an extremely humble man, maybe because he tackled poverty in the early days of his life. But the way he had risen up the ranks of his party spoke loads about his dedication and his ethics. He was a beloved figure, across all sections of the society; a riveting task for a politician of his stature.
Secret of the Himalayan Treasure Page 13