Operation Camouflage

by Amit Sidham

  On the screen, she saw two warriors coming out of the gate with Dhara on the shoulder of one of them and the other one providing a cover, just in case there were any perpetrators outside not affected by the gas. The warrior carrying Dhara got into the chopper and the pilot announced, ‘Dhara safe, no sign of any injury. Tiger 2 heading back to the headquarter. ETA six and a half minutes. Tiger 4 waiting at ground zero. Confirm course of action.’ Avanish had put this conversation on speaker for everybody to hear an update on Dhara.

  ‘Elephant 1 already on way, reaching ground zero in one and a half minute. Standard operating procedure to be followed,’ instructed Avanish.

  Standard operating procedure meant bringing back all the perpetrators to the headquarter for interrogation. Tiger series were small choppers capable of carrying four persons. Elephant series as the name suggested were ones big enough to carry an elephant or fifty odd perpetrators in this case.

  Meanwhile in Tiger 2, the pilot had connected with the headquarter through a video call. Aadi took Ritu in front of the camera. Once Dhara came to consciousness it was important that she does not find herself again with unknown people. The warrior administered Dhara the antidote and slowly she started opening her eyes. The warrior smiled at her and pointed his finger towards the screen. Dhara saw Ritu and Aadi. Aadi spoke to her, ‘Dhara my child, no need to worry now. The uncles there have rescued you from the bad guys and they are bringing you to us in five minutes.’

  Ritu could not control herself and started crying again. Jivika gave her a hug for comfort.

  Tiger 2 reached the headquarter and Dhara came running in the arms of Ritu and Aadi. Ritu held her in an embrace and did not leave her for what seemed like an aeon, all this time tears flowed from her eyes.

  Aadi, with the help of Raj, his robot quickly carried out a full body scan of Dhara and confirmed no injury or presence of any foreign substance in her body.

  Avanish spoke to Aadi, ‘Chief, your family needs you now. You may go to your apartment to spend time with them. We will take care of things here.’

  ‘Yeah’ nodded Aadi and with Dhara and Ritu started making a move towards his apartment.

  Ritu thanked Avanish and his team. And when she was leaving, her eyes met Jivika’s. She felt that she saw something strange in her eyes. Something was not right.

  Reaching the apartment, Aadi decided to take a break and disconnect from everything for a few hours. He even decided to have dinner with his family at the apartment itself and ordered some of the best delicacies. They played some board games, Dhara told them stories from her school and when dinner arrived, they all sat at the dinner table to have dinner together. While Dhara seemed extremely happy to be with both of them together without the disturbance of any calls, messages, mails or television, Ritu on the other hand was lost in her thoughts.

  She had still not forgotten the look in Jivika’s eyes, which were disturbing her continuously. After dinner, they all retired to the bed and Dhara fell asleep listening to a story from Aadi. Even back home, she would generally fall asleep before Aadi had completed his story.

  Aadi asked Ritu, ‘I see something is troubling you. Go on. Speak out.’

  Ritu said, ‘When I first met Jivika, I felt she has her eyes on you. But ignored, thinking that as a wife’s unnecessarily insecure feeling. But today when I saw her hugging you, I felt it was more than a friendly one and lastly when we left the security room, the emotions in her eyes disturbed me. Tell me frankly, what’s going on in her mind? What’s between her and you?’

  Slightly complicated to explain but let me try, ‘She knows she is in love with me. I know that she is in love with me. She knows that I know that she loves me. And she knows that nothing further can happen beyond this.’

  ‘And, what about you?’ was Ritu’s next question.

  ‘For me she is a friend, a colleague. My feelings for her are same as the feelings I have for all my other colleagues. Nature of her role does make her work closely with me and that’s when the flame in her heart would have ignited for me,’ replied Aadi.

  ‘You have spent an equal amount of time with her. Didn’t the flame in your heart ignite?’ quipped Ritu sarcastically.

  ‘Have you ever seen a candle with two flames baby? My heart is already ignited for you. There’s no scope for a second one. So you don’t have to worry about her or any other lady for that matter,’ was Aadi’s equally witty reply.

  ‘I trust you. But knowing there’s no future for her feelings isn’t it important that she forgets you and settles down with someone who loves her?’ asked Ritu.

  ‘Don’t you think she understands this? She is mature enough. Give her time and let her come out of this on her own,’ replied Aadi.

  ‘For how long has this been going?’

  ‘To my knowledge, around five years’

  ‘And you still believe she will forget u? What if she doesn’t? Does this remain like this forever?’

  ‘Unfortunately, yes. She is very determined. Always gets what she wants. And if someone tells her something cannot be done, she goes all out to ensure it happens. She is not a woman who can be forced or persuaded to act against her wish. Doing so could have strong repercussions. It’s like teasing her, telling her you can’t get it. Hence it’s best that she herself gives up this goal.’

  ‘But couldn’t this be dangerous for me, for Dhara?’

  ‘She will never be a threat for you or Dhara. Had that been the case why would I have ever allowed her to pick you up in the past?’

  ‘So whatever I say, you are not going to listen to me. You men are all alike. Even after being one of the most powerful person in this world, I guess it gives you a boost to know that a smart and beautiful woman like her is in love with you?’

  ‘Well, if that’s what answers your question, so be it,’ he said winking at her.

  She said ‘Men will be Men, always’ and turning her back towards Aadi pretended to fall asleep.

  Aadi got up and going to the other side of the bed embraced Ritu and apologized, ‘I was just joking dear.’

  Ritu did not say anything. Her breathing became faster and she held Aadi more tightly.

  What Aadi had said about strong repercussions earlier was unfortunately true. Hence, he had let Jivika know his awareness about her feelings for him and at the same time treated her no differently. Neither a difference compared to the way he treated her earlier nor any difference in the way he behaved with her or any other colleagues. Like all his comrades, she was extremely important for him. He could not afford to lose her. And that’s the reason he had given her time to come out of this herself. Her feelings towards Aadi started as a friend, friendship turned to respect, respect developed into love and now the love was turning into infatuation. He felt something needed to be done about it soon.

  Chapter 24

  JUSTICE FOR TIGERS

  10th January 2017, 8:00 am

  Aadi, Samir and Avanish were having a meeting over breakfast next morning.

  Aadi asked Avanish, ‘Who was behind the kidnapping?’

  Avanish put on the TV and changed the channels till he got the news he was looking for. ‘Shaunak Chawla, Chairman of India’s leading pharmaceutical firm commits suicide at his residence. Doctors confirmed death due to excessive intake of sleeping pills. The police have found a suicide note that says due to the continuously declining sales of his company and the surmounting pressure from financers to clear the debts he was taking this step.’

  Avanish spoke ‘By the time we reached there he was already dead. He had probably realized that it was just a matter of time before we reached him. Inspite of his meticulous planning, in spite of succeeding in breaching the robotic security and kidnapping Dhara, we got her back even before he could put forward his demand. The intent and the actions do not seem convincing. My network is scrutinizing further.’

  While they were still discussing what would he have even achieved from this kidnapping, their eyes went on the other headline for th
e day, ‘Kolkata sessions court to announce its verdict in the Tigress poaching case, actor Rocky Zutshi’s fate to be decided today.’

  This was an old case that had been dragging along for twelve long years. During his vacations in the Sunderbans, twelve years ago actor Rocky Zutshi had been accused of hunting a Royal Bengal Tigress. Some villagers claimed to have seen him posing with the carcass. The police had registered an FIR and taken the actor into custody, but he was released on bail within three days. The case went on dragging for years together, sometimes due to non-availability of the actor and sometimes due to transfer of the judge. Five years later the bus by which the witnesses were once travelling for the hearing met with an accident, and killed all thirty five people onboard. The families of the witnesses had however kept the case alive and brought it to this stage.

  ‘Will he be convicted today? If yes what will be the punishment?’ asked Avanish.

  ‘I doubt’ replied Aadi, ‘And even if convicted, he will spend a night in jail, and be out on bail tomorrow with an appeal for justice in high court.’ Looking towards Samir he continued further, ‘I think it is time for repeating history.’

  Samir understood, Aadi was referring to their first meeting, the episode of the builder who had encroached the lake.’ Samir was thinking on the lines of a discreet operation, similar to the builder’s case. But Aadi’s words took him by surprise.

  Aadi continued further, ‘Let’s set up our court outside the sessions court and bring out the truth.’

  Avanish was equally surprised on knowing Aadi’s thoughts. He turned his gaze towards Samir and saw him shivering. Avanish understood, something extremely dangerous was running on in Aadi’s mind.

  After the initial shock mellowed down, Samir was looking towards Aadi in awe; with respect, appreciation and wonder simultaneously. Aadi had a unique approach of dealing with challenges. Where a genius mind would focus on coming up with a phenomenal answer for the problem, Aadi never thought of finding one. His mind would be on overdrive finding a way to capitalize on the problem, to convert the problem into an opportunity and the answer to the problem would be just a by-product of the larger solution.

  And that is exactly what Samir had read in Aadi’s mind now. Even after ten years of their togetherness, novelty, speed and uniqueness of Aadi’s thoughts astonished Samir and other folks at GALAXY.

  Just two minutes ago Aadi saw the news and his mind was ready with an approach to not just tackle the situation but capitalize on it. And… capitalize not just today but once more within a year in an unthinkable, unimaginable, never before manner.

  While Samir had read Aadi’s mind and convinced with the approach, Avanish was still unable to believe his ears. They were very good at discreet operations but carrying out an operation in the open was going to be a first for them. He asked ‘Are you sure Chief?’

  Silently sipping his smoothie Aadi replied, ‘Yes enough of discreet operations. Let the world know the truth and let the hunters know what will happen to them for an unpardonable crime.’

  Avanish understood this was not a decision made in a fit of anger, not that he would have challenged it but Aadi’s calmness confirmed that this was a well thought out plan.

  Samir quickly briefed Avanish on things he needed to know to carry out that day’s operation. There was neither the time nor the need to brief Avanish on the future plan at this moment. Avanish quickly prepared his team for the operation and within minutes eight choppers flew out of the head quarter.

  Rocky Zutshi reached the court at 9:57 am. The hearing started at 10:00 am and at 10:45 am the judge Ravikisan Mehra announced his verdict, ‘Due to lack of substantial evidence the charges against the accused Mr Rocky Zutshi could not be proved and hence the court acquits him of all charges pertaining to this case.’

  On hearing the verdict there was a huge smile on Rocky’s face and he looked towards the judge with piercing eyes. The judge lowered his gaze and silently got up from his seat.

  While the eyes of the family members of the villagers who had kept this case alive were filled with tears, the atmosphere had turned into a celebration. Rocky’s fans started garlanding him. Outside sweets were being distributed. Aadi, Samir and Avanish had silently observed the court proceedings and the three of them left in three different directions to carry out their intended tasks.

  Media surrounded Rocky and started asking him questions.

  Rocky’s advocate replied ‘Justice was to prevail. How can a person who is a philanthropist at heart who runs a shelter home for the stray animals even be accused of committing such a crime?’

  Rocky humbly replied, ‘All accusations against me have been proven false and the honourable court has acquitted me of all the charges. It’s taken twelve long years and it has been emotionally challenging for my family and me. But I had full faith in our judiciary and the honourable court. I have gone through a lot of mental trauma during this time and hence now if you excuse me I have a flight to catch. I am going on a vacation to Vegas with my family for a bit of relaxation.’

  Meanwhile, Avanish snatched a garland from one of the fans and on the pretext of garlanding Rocky, moved closer to him.

  Next moment the atmosphere was filled with the sound of a hard SLAP. The commotion was replaced with a pin drop silence. Immediately four armed men appeared and surrounded Avanish, not to arrest him but provide him cover.

  ‘Come’ said Avanish and catching hold of Rocky and his advocate started taking them towards the lawn. Rocky tried to escape from his grip, but he was no match to Avanish’s strength.

  Police came running to the scene but before they could do anything, one of the armed men covering Avanish fired on the gun of one of the policemen, forcing him to drop the weapon.

  ‘This shot could have been on the chest also. But we do not intend to cause any harm. Don’t force us,’ said Avanish.

  Next moment one of the fans tried to leap on Avanish with a knife in his hand. One shot from the laser gun and the hand lay five feet away from his body. Avanish repeated ‘I said don’t force us.’

  The crowd was now frightened. By now Avanish and group had reached the lawn where the area had been cordoned off and a makeshift court created. There was an elevated platform for the judge and on the ground level one chair in an enclosure for the accused. There was no chair or enclosure on the opposite side for the witness. Samir was waiting for them on the lawn.

  The police had also followed Avanish and Rocky. Meanwhile Aadi reached the lawn with the judge. Aadi whispered something in the judge’s ear and the judge asked the police to lower their guns. Avanish made Rocky sit in the chair meant for the accused. Aadi requested the judge to take a seat on one of the benches meant for the people who come to see the court proceedings and he himself went on the elevated platform and sat at the place meant for the judge.

  The proceeding began. Samir connected wires of a lie detector to Rocky and started questioning him.

  SAMIR: Who killed the Tigress at Sunderbans twelve years ago?

  ROCKY: I have answered all the questions in court. Who are you to ask me this?

  Another hard SLAP from Avanish

  AVANISH: Answer what you have been asked. You have played games inside, the real case starts now.

  SAMIR: Who killed the Tigress at Sunderbans twelve years ago?

  ROCKY: I don’t know.

  The lie detector results were projected on a giant screen for everyone including the accused to see and it indicated a lie.

  SAMIR: Who killed the Tigress at Sunderbans twelve years ago?

  ROCKY: Help, what is happening? Where are the police? (Looking at the judge) What is this nonsense happening in front of you? This is contempt of court. How can you sit there silently?

  Having witnessed the two slaps, one shot on the policeman and a broken hand of one of the fans, no one dared to speak. Media was also silently covering the ‘Breaking News’

  JUDGE: I am as helpless as you are now. Do as you are being asked to do.
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  SAMIR: Do not test my patience. Who killed the Tigress at Sunderbans twelve years ago?

  ROCKY: Well if you insist and now that the court case is over and if that satisfies you, I did.

  The lie detector indicated the answer as true. And, people in the crowd started looking at each other.

  ROCKY: What will you do? You will kill me. Mind you, you will not be able to escape from this place. Media is covering everything. You cannot do anything to me. Very soon, Special Forces will arrive here. You can scare these policemen without proper weapons. But what will you do once the Special Forces arrive?

  SAMIR: Why did you kill?

  ROCKY: It takes a strong man to hunt a Tigress. What are you trying to prove with this stupid machine of yours? What do you think the people do not know who killed the Tigress. They all know it and hence respect me for my courage. A coward like you will never be able to hunt one.

  AADI: Case over. Next accused.

  Avanish picked up Rocky and made his advocate sit on the chair. Samir connected the lie detector to him.

  SAMIR: Were you aware about your client having killed the Tigress.

  ADVOCATE: Yes

  The lie detector indicated the answer as true.

  SAMIR: Still you defended him. Why?

  ADVOCATE: As per the law every person is entitled to get a counsel to defend his case. I have done nothing wrong. I have done my job of defending my client.

  The lie detector indicated this answer also as true.

  SAMIR: As per law, person is entitled to put forward his point of view about the truth, not to manipulate facts.

  SAMIR: What was your personal interest in defending him?

  ADVOCATE: He is a high profile celebrity. He would have anyways escaped. By helping him I intended to get some money and fame.