by Sweth Water
Richer and Tom had different aspirations even though they were raised at the same place by the same parents. Tom was more of doing something great for the nation, but Richer was more of living a peaceful life. It was not because he was a craven, no. He was a great brother to Tom, and he was always there when Tom needed a helping hand.
After their parents died in a plane crash, they both were left alone in the house. Richer took care of his younger brother and spent days in the streets to have a decent job to give Tom the education that he himself couldn’t have. It was the dream of their parents to send both to the big universities. Only Tom did the graduation, not from a big university but the one which gave him a job in the IT sector. Later he left the job and joined the police to fulfil his dreams.
Richer had switched so many jobs before Tom finished his college. And then he stopped when he rented a place and started selling vegetables and fish. Soon his place started getting bigger and people were coming every day to buy grocery items. Before Tom finished his college, Richer had bought the rented shop.
Tom waited.
“What a pleasant surprise, Park?” he said after he’s done with the call, and nodded to Tom. “What are you buying today? Should I show you some fish? We got it a few minutes ago. As fresh as you like.”
“I want toys, Uncle Richer. Dad brought me here. Do you have toys here?” he asked innocently.
Tom and Richer laughed.
“We will go there too, Park. Let’s have something to eat in dinner. You want to have some spicy beef or fish?” Tom asked his son.
“Anything will be fine if they are tasty. You have salmon?” Park asked.
“I am sorry, Park,” Richer said. “The last piece was sold before you came. We have halibut. You want to try it?”
“Halibut? I never tasted it. Will it be good, Dad?” Park asked.
“Yes, Park. Should we buy that then?” Tom asked, smiling.
“Sure. Thank you, Uncle Richer. I will try and tell you if I like that.”
Tom took a basket and filled it with the fish and bread and sausages and onions. To make a tasty fish, he had everything at home. But sausages and onions he didn’t want to miss. They’d make any food delicious.
Park waved to Richer after the billing.
Tom drove the car and stopped at a toyshop. Park was excited to get his eyes on the toys he saw on TV. On his birthday, he would get the toy he asked. Even the expensive toys Tom had gifted him to fulfil his childhood with all the happy moments.
For thirty minutes they stayed there. Park was leading the way, going to different aisles and asking his dad to hand him the toys at the top shelves where his hand couldn’t reach. Park used his hands to explore them and shook his head many times. He never bought anything that failed to give him happiness. They looked at the card games too.
“You want to buy that, Park?” Tom asked him.
His eyes fixed at the card games, not saying anything.
“Park?”
“Yes, Dad?”
“Want to buy that?”
“No. I don’t know how to play it. I never had a game like that.”
“I can teach you. These are wonderful games.”
“Are you sure?” he turned his face, frowned.
“Yes.”
“They looked boring to me.” Park saw the card games again. “I will buy it because you are saying it’s an interesting game. But I will buy another toy and game too.”
“Okay.” Tom laughed.
Tom took the card game.
They passed few more aisles and bought some rubber toys, and, finally, the bill was made.
In the car, Park opened everything he bought. He was smiling. “Thank you, Dad. All my friends had this game but me. I can tell them now that I have it too.”
Tom didn’t say anything.
“You know, Dad, I told my friends that my father is a cop. They respect you more than their own dads.”
Park was in no condition to understand the difference between a cop and an agent working for RAAD. Maybe in few years Tom would be able to explain that, or Park would know it from somewhere else. “What their dads do, Park? You asked them?”
“Yes. Some of them are at the delis, and manufacturing firms, and some engineers. None of my friends’ dads are in the police. My school teacher asked us what we wanted to become in the future. Everybody said they wanted to be a police officer like you are to protect the nation. I said that same thing too.” He took the rubber horse and kept it in front of him. “You should come and visit me sometime and tell the stories to my friends and teachers. They would love to hear from you.”
The rubber horse was shaking with the speed of the car. Park caught it when it fell. Tom had no answer or words for what his son said. He was not what Park was thinking of him. Tom was more of a ghost than a hero. A deep breath he took and looked outside the window.
You shouldn’t be what I am, Park. I will make sure of that.
Chapter
11
Only black ash they could see in the fields. Some barns were torched down here. There was nobody who could tell them what happened. And the only person who was here was not reachable.
Taking had told the Commissioner of Police about the disappearance of Agent Gin. It had been three days. Her phone was not reachable, and neither did she call him. He was told to keep it in this way, so he didn’t inform the Office about it. But some steps he should be taking, and that was to involve the police.
Summer and five police officers came to the location where Gin might have disappeared. Taking didn’t even know if she was chasing a lead and gone dark, or she was killed. It’s not what she would be doing. There was something missing that he needed to find out.
Summer kneeled and touched the ashes. “It’s cold. Burned days ago. She called you from here?”
Taking looked at her. “I am not sure. She was on this road when she called me. The exact location is not known to me.”
“Some good fifty miles we have here.” Summer sighed. “I will have the men check the whole road. We should be able to find her soon.”
“She travelled most of the path, that’s what she said over the phone. That means we need to check after thirty or forty miles.” Taking said timidly.
“Let’s roll then.”
Summer sat in the SUV and drove for couple of miles. Another SUV was behind them. Both the cars had the latest equipment and configuration given by the Headquarters. It was not easy to change the settings of the car manually. For Taking, it was as easy as opening a can.
“It is very unlikely, but any relatives in the city where she might have gone?” Summer asked.
Taking shook his head. “We are running a big operation here. Leaving it in the middle is not what Top One does. And her relatives are not in this city, if you are considering the possibility.”
“What was she working on here?”
“She didn’t tell. She ordered to keep my mouth shut. Once in my lifetime I didn’t follow the order.” Taking sighed. “Madam President must be informed if we don’t get her by end of the day.”
“Sure. Any other agency knows about her whereabouts?”
“RAAD knows the operation. Agent Tom and his team were working on tracking the people looking for a chance to attack. He was informed later about the breach in the Department.”
“So he doesn’t know about her, I will take it like this.”
“You are right. He doesn’t know. The only person Gin talked to before disappearing was me, I believe.”
“Did you check her call logs?”
“The data got erased in the database because of the malfunctioning of the device. Careless people were working on that and fired after the incident. That was the only lead that I had before I came to know about the database.”
“Any backup?”
“None that I am aware of.”
“Any enemies?”
“Definitely. Our job includes daily threats and a long list of enemies. I am sure
you would have too. Don’t take it in an offensive way. That is the truth.” Taking wound down the window. “My concern here is ... I think the breach in the Office, or the attack on the officer has something to do with it.”
“Means?”
“Someone tried to kill a guy named Coal. He survived, minor injuries.”
“Any reasons?”
“Agent Tom’s report said the information passed to him. Officer Coal would be called soon. The Headquarters knows it. I sent the email before coming here.”
“Did Agent Gin know something?”
He eyed her. “What do you mean?”
“I mean she knew something that had a role in her disappearance? People usually disappear when they know something important. You said you were close to her?”
“Yes.”
“Personally?”
“Excuse me?”
“Just asking.”
“She is a good friend of mine. Doesn’t matter if we are close personally or professionally, she would tell me anything that I should have my focus on.”
“Is there any chance that people who broke into the Office’s system kidnapped her? She must have known who was behind the breaching. What you say?” Summer slowed down the car.
“Actually, that can be true.”
“Explain.”
Taking said nothing. His eyes fixed ahead on the road.
“You can tell me anything, Taking, that can help us to find your partner. Nobody is here in the car except us, and no device to send the information; our devices are off.”
Taking showed some reluctance. “She ... she called me to know about this road. I told her I found something in the motherboard that led to the breach. That can be the case.”
“In my office?”
“Yes.”
“Who is it?”
“I am not sure yet, Summer. It was the work of a professional. Changing something in the motherboard without malfunctioning is hard to do by common people.” He stopped talking and looked at the rear-view mirror. The other car was right behind them. “Who has the access to the room?”
“You are saying one of my officers did that? That is an outrageous accusation, Taking.”
“I am sorry. I told you what’s on my mind. Help me here, please.”
“Some analysts and me.”
“Anyone you suspicious of?”
“No. They can’t do that. I am sure of everyone who is back in the office. Someone must have come in the office under the eyes of the guards.”
“Keep it to yourself.”
“I will.”
The car stopped after few minutes and they both stood near another burned farm. Taking was not an expert but his instincts told him it was burned on the same day when the last one was torched down. The place was bigger than the other. How many were there?
“Same thing.” Summer said. “I need a full inspection of the place. Anything or anyone that is related to Gin will be enough. We have passed some good miles that this place can be where she called from.” She told the other officers who stood afar from her.
“How can you be sure?” Taking asked her.
“I am just guessing based on what you told me. And the shards of the glass there,” she pointed with her finger, “show the possibility of her to be here.” She turned her head to Gol, “Check the surrounding. See if you can find something.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gol said. He was a new joiner in the Lufghan State Police.
Summer had read his file. He was working in Earling before he was transferred here; his wife was a patient of asthma. She quit the job weeks back. There were not many operations he’d been into. It was his first big operation that could give him some recognition.
“Was she hit?” Taking crouched near the broken glass. “It looked like the windshield glass. Someone was tracking her.”
“Same guess I have. Anyone knew she was travelling on this road?”
“No, unless Anonymous has her. They hacked into the satellite, they must have known her location.”
“We need to be careful. These people look more dangerous than we thought.”
Gol shouted something that he didn’t hear. Summer ran towards him, Taking behind her. He was standing near the ashes. Pungent smell was making it hard to breathe. Rest of the officers stood a little farther, still looking around.
“What is it?” Summer asked.
“Look at this.” Gol pointed with his hand.
It was a dead body. Everything was black. Legs were not completely burned. The face was showing a big opening near the mouth where fire did its work. Under the bones, a small ring was lying. Its condition was so bad that it was not possible to identify the person with the naked eye.
“Taking?” Summer muttered.
His eyes fixed on the head. “I don’t know. Call the forensic team. Let them examine whatever is left.”
“Gol.”
“I am on it.” He slid his cell phone and punched the buttons.
Taking went away from the location. Summer stood there, waiting for Gol to answer. “They are on their way. Max forty minutes.”
“Okay,” Summer sighed, “let them take whatever they want. I need the report as soon as it is ready. IDing the body is a top priority.”
She walked to the car. Taking’s back was to her. He had tears in his eyes, she was sure of that. She thought of not talking to him but sit in the car and go. Nothing from her or Taking was required, all was on the forensic team. She wished it was not Gin’s body. She forgot the way Gin talked to her over the phone. Maybe she was in a hurry or running out of time that’s why she talked in a rude way.
The moment she punched the gas, her mind was clear of whatever they thought back there. Summer made a U-turn.
“Taking?” she asked. Didn’t want to talk, but had to know how he was holding up.
He didn’t say anything, trying hard to keep the tears in his eyes. “I am sorry. Did you say something?”
She had met so many people in her life. The place where Taking was was a dark place to live even for a minute. Every minute is like someone knifing you in heart and you are still alive. “You want to talk?”
“She ... she should be all right.”
“I promise you, Taking, I will find her. I will have every single officer looking for her in the city. Will send an A.P.B to all the agencies and the State Police.”
“It has been days, Summer, days of knowing her last location. Whoever has her will not be in the city. In three days you can go to hundreds of miles. Which direction they would have taken her is not conceivable. Only one way I can see.”
“And?”
“That might lead us directly to Gin.”
Chapter
12
It was midnight. Dogs were barking in the streets. Only two people were roaming there. Their hands under their blazers where the guns were. Guns to stop the screaming of people who could alarm others. They went in a dark street and knocked the door of the second house.
Air was swirling around them. Street cameras were not working in that part of the city. Complaints had been raised by the people. It would take weeks to fix each one of them and then sync with the database of the Lufghan State Police department.
“Who is here?” Summer asked.
“An old friend.” Taking knocked again.
“Cop?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“Top One has many people working for them who don’t work for any other government firms. These people only know the money or freedom, nothing else. Information they can give you.”
“So you have money?” Summer eyed him.
“No, but I have a gun and the power to keep him away from the bars. It gets more words than money.” He smiled.
Someone switched on the light and the room gleamed. Taking had knocked this door tens of times in his life. Never once he was disappointed. The man behind this door was a god, who knew everything and everyone. Top One would have put him behind the bars
, but the man was so valuable for them that they couldn’t. Some men do good things outside the bars, even if they deserve to be in a cell.
An old face looked at them. The man was in his night dress. His beard was trimmed and had white hair on the head. He was more than sixty. More than thirty years of his life he had spent doing what was illegal. Nobody caught him. Top One was protecting him. He scanned outside and looked at the woman next to Taking. His eyes squeezed a little and then nodded to Taking.
“Can we come in?” Taking asked and smiled. “It is a little cold outside.”
He gave the way to them and locked the door once they entered.
“Nothing but the colour is changed. Wait ... you bought new paintings. It’s cool, Rolls. You have another mustang. Of course it is yours; you wouldn’t have something hanging as a painting that doesn’t belong to you.”
“Sit,” he told them. His voice was thick. “Some sherry?”
“Now?”
“You are not on duty, are you?” Rolls asked and poured one glass for himself.
“Not officially. I can have some water.”
“For you, young lady?” he asked Summer.
“Nothing.”
“You sure? I have every expensive brand of alcohol that you’ve heard in your life.”
“Thank you for asking. I am fine.” Summer said, her eyes moving with his hand pouring the water.
Rolls sat next to Taking, giving a glass of water to him. He took a sip of brown sherry. “Stopping by at this hour means something serious. I was wondering you hadn’t come here for months. How is it that Rolls’ help was not needed?” He chuckled.
“It’s Gin.”
His face wore confused expression, frowning. “Is she all right?”
“I do not know. So I come here.”
“What?”
“She is kidnapped, I guess.” Taking drank the water in one gulp and put the glass on the table. If it’s not Gin whose body we found.
“If your people are getting kidnapped, then we should start thinking about our safety,” he laughed a little, ignoring the seriousness of the situation. “When did it happen? And where were you?”
Taking told him everything. He was the man who had the links to local gangs or kidnappers who might have taken her. Telling him this was no mistake. He trusted this man more than Summer. They had the mutual understanding of the world they lived in; it was not safe. People like Rolls were helping Top One to stop the city reaching on the verge of starting riots and looting.