Priyanka sighed and asked, ‘So how is Akhila?’
‘Hot right?’
‘You’re sick,’ Priyanka said as she tried to suppress a smile.
By then, Raj had powered his laptop on and was trying to find the toll free numbers to block his cards.
‘Okay, my team is here. I’ll see you soon,’ Priyanka said, ‘can we have lunch together?’
‘That feels bad. Have I become that distant?’
‘Twelve forty five-ish,’ she said and stepped out of the cubicle backwards, bumped into the office boy Gopi and tripped.
Raj reached to stop her from falling but was late. After her failed attempts to balance herself she landed on her bottom and gave out a squeal of pain.
Raj lifted her as Gopi apologised repeatedly. After sitting her on a chair, Raj waited for her to stop groaning. She held her right hip and looked at Raj. A very feeble smile appeared on his lips.
‘Don’t laugh Raj,’ she said and the smile spread across her face. Raj laughed out loud seeing her smile. Gopi stepped closer and apologised again.
‘It’s ok Gopi, not your fault. We are both having a bad day.’
Raj sensed that Gopi did not understand what Priyanka meant
‘I lost my wallet in the bus Gopi. That's why she said that.’
‘I am fine Gopi,’ Priyanka said clutching her hip, ‘Carry on with your work. At least you are doing something meaningful.’ Gopi apologised again and left. Priyanka smiled at Raj.
‘It’s not funny anymore. Should I do something?’ he asked pointing to her hip. ‘No thanks!’ She got up to leave. Akhila hurried into the cubicle and bumped into Priyanka. This time, she did not have the time to attempt to balance. It was a clean fall and she landed on the same side again.
‘I am so sorry,’ squealed Akhila. This time, Raj had to hold Priyanka by her hip and help her up. When Akhila apologised, Priyanka said she’s fine and asked her, ‘Can I borrow your boy for a minute?’
‘Raj please walk me till my desk.’ Raj held her by her arm and walked her to her seat. Gopi appeared, ’Is it that bad madam?’
‘No Gopi, Madam fell again.’ Raj said grinning broadly from behind Priyanka.
‘Don’t laugh sir. Madam is in pain,’ Gopi said and walked away.
Priyanka punched Raj in his stomach with her elbow.
‘So much for coming to see you in the morning,’ she said as she sat at her desk.
Raj knocked her on the head and left.
Gopi appeared in front of Raj an hour later, ‘Sir, you lost your purse?’
‘Yes Gopi. Did you see it somewhere?’
‘No sir,’ Gopi smiled.
‘What is it Gopi?’ Raj asked.
‘If you want to get ID cards, tell me sir. I can help.’
‘How Gopi?’ Raj asked, partly relieved and partly suspicious.
‘I have one friend sir. He can arrange.’
‘Original?’
‘Original sir.’
‘How much will he charge?’
‘How many IDs sir?’
‘Three’
‘Okay sir. I will ask rate and tell you sir.’
At half past noon, Raj walked to Priyanka’s desk. ‘How’s your hip beauty?’
‘My hip is beautiful.’
‘You’re sick. What about lunch?’
‘Buy something. We’ll have it in the pantry. I don’t think I can go out.’
Gopi was going around asking people if they wanted him to buy lunch.
He reached Priyanka’s desk and asked, ‘What about you madam?’
‘I’ll get it myself Gopi. Suggest me some good places nearby.’
‘Come with me sir. I’ll be going in five minutes.’
‘Sure.’
When they stepped out of the office, Raj put on his coolers. ‘You look good sir,’ Gopi said.
‘Thank you Gopi. So when can I get the ID cards?’
‘Sir,’ Gopi said with excitement, ‘we can meet that person on the way back sir.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes, sir. His shop is nearby.’
‘Don’t you have any commission in this?’
‘No, sir. He is my very good friend sir. If he gives, I will take.’
***
‘Mr. John, can we put this laboratory under watch?’
‘What do you think you will get out of it?’
‘You might want to see this,’ said Alison as she placed a printed news article on John’s desk. The header read ‘Shanghai Daily.’ The chief picked his land phone and spoke to one of his subordinates. Before ending the call he said to the person on the other end of the line, ‘Put them on watch. Monitor everything. Who comes in, who goes out, what comes in, what goes out. Everything.’
He slammed the phone hard.
***
With two Briyani parcels in hand, Raj followed Gopi, who held multiple food parcels, into a narrow street lined up with mobile accessory shops. Raj had never understood why shops selling the same goods chose to flock together.
Gopi entered a hideous looking building and took the narrow flight of stairs to the second floor, adjacent to a shop that had a yellow board with black letters that read ‘xerox’ with Raj in tow. Raj saw a shabby board painted Kumari Marketing.
A man, whose face was obscured by the shadow of the goods placed on the table behind which he sat, was busy peering into an object in his hand.
‘Anna,’ Gopi said and the man looked up. He was a fair, and had a balding head.
‘Gopi!’ The man walked towards them. Raj noticed that the man stood only till his shoulder.
‘Hello sir!’ Raj extended his arm. The man shook Raj’s hand firmly and asked how he could help. Gopi was quick to explain what had conspired.
‘If you have a copy of your documents,’ the man said, ‘it will be easier for me.’ Raj noticed that the man spoke English fluently.
‘I should have copies. How long does it usually take sir?’
‘Call me Ajay. It takes about two weeks. We are dealing with Government bodies’ The man laughed.
‘Yeah, right!’ Raj laughed along, ‘I’ll let you know once I find the copies.’
‘Sure! Send it through Gopi.’
‘Thank you,’ Raj said and turned to leave. The man asked Gopi, ‘Have you eaten?’
‘No,’ Gopi said and lifted the parcels he held, ‘after they all eat, I will eat.’
‘Take care of your health Gopi,’ the man said, ‘you are the head of your family now.’ The object in the man’s hand caught Raj’s attention.
‘What is that sir?’ he asked, ‘looks like a micro version of a printer cartridge.’ Ajay laughed and said, ‘this is a custom made car component. Cars of driving schools are fitted with this when used for tests.’
‘What does it do?’
‘This component connects the brake and the clutch levers. When one presses the brake, the clutch gets pressed anyway but not the other way. Beginners usually fail because the car goes off when they slow down. It won’t happen if this component is fitted.’
Raj raised his brows.
On their way back, he asked Gopi, ‘So you are the head of your family?’
Gopi laughed and said, ‘Ajay sir always tells me like that. My father died few years back. I have my mother and sister to take care of. He always reminds me that. He is a very nice man. Sometimes he gives me part time work and good wages.’
Chapter 7
‘Doss,’ said Bala, ‘you have a SIM card right?’
‘Yes, it’s a Dubai number,’ said Doss.
‘We can make calls right?’
‘Yes, we can,’ said Doss and pulled a chit out of his belt and handed it to Bala.
Viki hurried to the school block while the movie was still on. He flipped a switch outside a classroom off, before entering it. There were no doors in the whole of the school block. It was a precaution against someone accidentally being locked ins
ide a room for the campus was huge and cry for help would not be heard in the other blocks.
Squatting on the floor next to an electric outlet point on the back wall of a classroom, wearing rubber chappals, Viki fished out his keychain. The ring had a key and a tiny cylindrical rod. He twisted the cylindrical rod and a screw driver head slid out of the free end. He quickly unscrewed the four screws on the board with the electric outlet. He then pulled the board out, careful not to touch the green wire though he had turned the main off. He put a finger into the hollow behind the board and groped for an object, which he eventually found and pulled out. His other hand was in place to catch the bundle, wrapped in polythene, that fell out. He quickly stuffed the bundle in his pocket, fitted the board back in place and left. I hope the battery is not dry.
After the school was put to sleep by the wardens, Viki and Bala headed to the washroom. Though it was not the safest place, it was the easiest to evacuate or hide. Viki quickly opened the back panel of the Nokia 1100 and inserted the SIM Bala handed him. Viki heaved a sigh of relief when the screen came live. The startup tone and screen light were disabled.
The school did not permit students to possess electronic devices and the punishment was severe, if found. But Bala and Viki travelled often as athletes and thought the risk was worth taking. They could have submitted it at the school office and asked for it when they travelled, but the thrill having a secret phone gave them was too much to let go.
***
John was walking by Alison’s cabin she called out. ‘Chief, Canine Delight is on the news again.’
‘What is it this time?’
‘Same thing. It’s on Escambray, a regional newspaper of Cuba. The company says they are in no way related to the shelter where the dogs died.’
‘Chief, there’s another thing I noticed,’ said Alison and did not wait for Mr. John’s acknowledgement to continue, ‘the news I showed you the other day was from China. And today we have similar news from Cuba. Both these countries don't give a fish about testing on animals.’
‘That’s obvious,’ said John.
‘Yes, and these two shelters were found by an animal welfare activist.’
‘When the country does not have a legal mechanism to deter testing on animals, it’ll only logical that such activists crop up. Someone has to stand up for it’
‘Yes,’ said Alison, ‘this intrigued me and I read more about the activist. He says in both the cases of mass testing, all except four dogs died.’
‘And these four dogs are Indian breeds,’ she said and screwed her eyes before reading from the screen, ‘Raja-pala-yam, Kanni, Combai, Chip-pi-para-i.’ She made a sad face and said, ‘I have never heard of these.’
John nodded. He never had a pet dog but he had worked with a number of police dogs. He knew Alison was a canine lover and that she was very fond go her golden retriever. There was a picture of her with her pet pinned to the cabin wall.
‘I am going to write to him,’ said Alison, more to herself.
***
Raj accompanied Priyanka home in a cab. He helped her up the stairs and then into her room. She sat on the bed and Raj sat opposite her. He always thought her eyes were beautiful. This was the first time he was looking at them long enough to take in the entire beauty. She placed her hand on his. The only window in the room rattled.
‘It’s going to rain,’ she whispered. So lost was Raj in the beauty of her eyes that he did not notice how close she had come. Priyanka felt her eyes close involuntarily when she felt the warmth of his breath on her cheek. The sound of raindrops hitting their window only added to the tension building between them. Their lips barely touched when the phone rang.
‘Is that sign good or bad?’ asked Priyanka.
‘Why should it be a sign?' asked Raj ignoring the ringing phone and stroking her hair.
She held him firmly and kissed his forehead. The ringing subsided.
She held his face in her hands and pressed her lips against his. Their eyes closed and the phone rang again. The kiss did not break. The phone was ignored for the third time. Priyanka was on his lap with her hands around his neck feeling his passion in the way he held her.
She broke the kiss when the phone rang for the fourth time.
‘Get it over with Raj,’ she said, stretched and picked the phone from a table and handed it to him.
Raj answered.
***
‘Hello’
‘Hello. Is this Raj?’ Viki whispered.
‘Who are you?’
‘I am Geetha’s friend. My name is Viki.’
‘Is Geetha with you now? How is she? Where is she?’
‘She isn’t with me now. She gave me your number. I am a student in the school she works. She is okay.’
‘Oh man! Viki. See how God helps.’
‘Leave him alone now. Listen to me.’
‘Yes, tell me.’
‘I have a mobile phone. I don’t have a local SIM card. I want you to send one to me. Geetha can then call you when she is alone.’
‘I will send you the SIM card. Give me the address.’
‘Listen. You cannot send a SIM alone. Parcels and letters are checked by the school. They should not be able to find the SIM that you send to me. Use your brain and send it somehow’
‘I will send it. Your address?’
‘Vikram, twelfth standard, St. Jack’s International Residential School. Find the rest of the address online. The “From address” should be Mohan, 49 Gandhi street, Adyar, Chennai-20. He’s my guardian.’
‘I will find out and I will send the SIM immediately. Please tell Geetha I am alright. Tell her I am really fine and...’ Raj’s voice trembled, ‘I will come and get her soon’
‘Sure brother. You and Geetha aren’t alone. You have us on your side.’
‘Thanks. I don’t know how I can repay you for this.’
‘One condition. We are risking our asses a great deal to make calls. So put out all formal talks and stuff. Even Geetha has to risk a great deal to talk to you. Make sure every conversation matters.’
‘I get it. Thank you so much. Thank you.’
‘What did I just say?’ Raj laughed and said, ‘Fine. Tell Geetha I am fine.’
‘Sure. Bye.’
‘Bye.’
Bala saw that Viki could not hide the feeling of triumph. Viki felt good about himself for helping Geetha and Raj. I will have a girl someday. I will love her madly.
***
At nine in the morning, Gopi was going about doing his work. Raj called him and asked, ‘When do these cellphone shops open? I need a SIM card urgently.’
‘I can get it from Ajay anna. He will activate it immediately.’
‘Then get me one.’
‘Did you get your IDs sir?’
‘Oh no Gopi. I forgot about that. We need ID to buy a SIM card right?’
‘Yes sir. For that your office ID is enough.’
Gopi collected a photocopy of Raj’s official ID and hurried to Ajay’s shop. The previous nights rain had left a lot of puddles on the road. With his full white uniform he had to watch out for motorcycles and other people splashing water on him. When one large puddle blocked his way, he jumped but did not land as he planned. Stepping on water, he let go of the paper he was holding to balance himself and it fell, the printed side touching the dark water first. He was quick to pick it up but Mr. Raj looking out of the paper was soiled beyond recognition.
Gopi felt bad. Raj sir is already is distress. He made up his mind almost instantly. He continued walking towards Ajay’s shop. The photocopy shop at the ground floor of the building was just opening. He got a photocopy of his Voter’s ID and went upstairs.
Ajay asked no questions. He gave Gopi a SIM card and said it would be activated in the next two hours. ‘What about your friend’s IDs? Did he get the copies?’
‘Not yet. I will keep you posted.’
‘Okay Gopi. Good day’
/> Entering the office with pride that he had managed a crisis, Gopi headed to Raj’s desk to find him looking up something on his laptop. On the screen was the picture of a school. One of those high class schools, the kind shown in movies. After scribbling the address of the school on a piece of paper, Raj asked Gopi, ‘When will it get activated?’
‘2 hours sir.’ Raj walked out of the office and into a stationery shop across the road.
The screen behind a window of the office was drawn aside and moist eyes peered through them. She felt pain clutch her heart. The phone call had upset everything. She felt anger towards Raj, the next moment towards herself. She had imagined her first kiss for years and now it would remain incomplete. Priyanka wiped her tears and went back to work.
Raj saw the package one last time before dropping it at a Professional courier collection point. In it were pencils, erasers, pens, rulers and a geometry box The SIM card was buried inside an eraser. Raj had carefully wrapped the plastic back on the eraser in such a way that it would pass unsuspected under the eyes of the wardens who scrupulously checked every package that entered the school. I will wait for your call Geetha.
Chapter 8
The number on the screen made Raj’s knees buckle. He swiped the answer key with a shaking finger and placed the phone to his ears. When there was silence on the other end, he said, ‘Geetha.’
‘Raj,’ he heard faintly, the voice he loved.
‘Geetha. I feel life returning to me only now. Where are you?’
‘Waiting for you,’ she said. Raj thought he heard soft sobs and it pained him.
‘You won’t have to wait for long.’
‘Do you,’ began Geetha but was cut short when Raj said, ‘Shhh!’ He knew what she would ask. She always needed him to answer that question.
‘Yes, I love you.’
The sobbing grew louder and the call got disconnected.
‘Sir, customer,’ Gopi said coming up behind Raj, who was still holding the phone to his ears.
‘I will come. Give him tea or coffee.’ He had figured out by now what ‘ Sir, customer’ meant.
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