The Crimson Conspiracy

by David Singh

  'Who are you?' Majumdar hissed at RK.

  RK looked at him in pain.

  'A politician like you cannot pull such a stunt off. Bloody–who–the–hell–are–you? '

  Gangwar gave him a blank stare.

  Game wasn't spoilt. Worse! Game's over.

  ? They were hardly a kilometer away from Gangwar. The GPS tracker showed the calculations on the screen with 1 millimeter scaled to 1 kilometer. Makker had joined Samarjeet.

  'VB, we are together.' Makker said.

  'Yeah. There you are. Reach the place then I will update you.' They both recommenced their hike across the hills. It took them

  ten minutes to reach the place. The brick structure in the shallow valley was visible clearly in the bright sunlight. 'Yes VB. We can see the place now.'

  'Where exactly are you now?'

  Makker reached his hand little out of the rock cover and waved it in long arc several times for Cartosat.

  'Alright. Got you.' Finally Vir Bhadra Singh said, 'from your location, do you see the far opposite corner inside the area, just on the farther side of the river curve? It's the largest structure.'

  Samarjeet panned his binocular and said after a while, 'the one behind the two rooms?' 'Yes.' Vir Bhadra Singh said, 'Killer is there. I have just seen some frantic movement of people in the area. I suspect some kind of trap there however it is very unlikely that they might know that we are coming but be careful anyway.'

  Makker put his binocular back on and scanned the area carefully. 'I don't see a bird out there waiting for us.'

  'Seeing no activity is another sign of lurking danger and trap.' Samarjeet said.

  Vir Bhadra Singh added, 'I suspect that there are landmines below the stones the way they were hopping and keeping balance over select stones. They all had followed the same track to cover the distance between the gate and the pathway down to the valley.'

  'How could they remember which stones had mines below them?' Makker murmured, 'there must be some kind of sign.' He again scanned the stones through binocular but noticed nothing unusual with particular stones.

  'VB, can you replay the video there to see which track they walked over?'

  'I can but it is very difficult to direct you to a particular stone on radio. What if a single step goes wrong?'

  Samarjeet and Makker went quiet in thought for a while. Then Samarjeet spoke, 'VB, you said they entered through the gate.'

  'Yes.'

  'Mines are for enemies who steal their way in. From gate only friendlies enter.'

  'You mean, before and at the gate, there can't be any mines?' Makker said.

  'Exactly. If we somehow reach the gate…'

  'Impossible without being seen, Retriever.' Vir Bhadra Singh countered the idea.

  'Hold on.' Makker said, 'VB, can you describe us the side of this place over the river curve.' 'Give me a while.' Vir Bhadra Singh said. After a few moments' pause his voice came over, 'that side is a steep slant covered with dense vegetation running down into the narrow river bank. I think the bank is just a swamp there. But I bet there is no scope of land mines. I got your idea Terminator.'

  'Retriever.' Makker said, 'take the round, reach there and enter the place. Sweep the area. Stay unseen. Do not engage anyone. If you see someone, stay put until you find the way out. Keep me updated at every turn. I keep a watch from up here anyway. After the sweep, give me a go ahead.'

  'Fine.' Samarjeet said and climbed down the small hillock to take the rough, stony path to the left side to find his way around the valley. It took him another ten minutes to reach the desired point. Using the rappelling bow and grips it was not a big deal for him to climb up the steep slant. After another few minutes he quietly jumped inside avoiding the thorny bushes he had already noticed.

  'Destroyer and Wiper! On your mark.' Vir Bhadra Singh's voice came over, 'You see Killer's location. It will take you around ten minutes to reach here. Terminator will signal you.'

  'On our mark VB!' Mohan replied. 'All the best Retriever, Terminator.'

  'Got it Destro! Thanks.' Only Makker replied. Except his breathing and a few birds singing, Samarjeet didn't hear any noise. It took him ten more minutes to sweep the area completely. He was tempted to enter the huge hall where device was showing Gangwar's location but first spotting and removing any threat was imperative. Entire place was stuffed with bricks, crushed stones, uncrushed rocks and several sacks of cement and sand arranged in stacks of varied heights and size.

  'Seems all clear here. You can come over.' Finally he signaled Makker.

  'You try to locate Killer but don't engage anyone. Wait for me.'

  'Sure.' Samarjeet said. Slowly, he made his way towards the hall in the farther corner. He first took the complete round of the hall. No one. Hall had a long gallery like entrance with a sharp bend. Stepping noiselessly, like a cat, he crossed the distance along the gallery and

  peeped inside carefully. There was an opening in the floor. Then he heard someone speaking. He looked around and back to the opening. The voice was emerging from the basement. It was the voice of a young female in rage.

  ?

  Majumdar's entire expressions and body language had altered. He was now turned into a troop commander.

  'Raghav, take this duplicate to the village, along the other route.'

  Majumdar referred to Gangwar.

  Venu climbed down the basement with other men. 'Dada, all

  explosives are laid as you have instructed. Entire place is ready to blow

  up in an instant.'

  'Good Venu. Explosives are not seen from outside?'

  'No dada. We have placed them inside the cement sacks.' 'Where is the slave detonator?'

  'Right behind the big rock at the side of the gate. It will go

  unnoticed since enemy is not going to enter through gate.' 'Excellent. Now we will move from here. Venu and two men will

  stay here. Watch for the intruders. As you see them coming, return down here, go along the exit and then, Venu, you press the master

  detonator.'

  Venu nodded, caressing the master detonator device in her hand.

  'Let us move then.' Majumdar said and tossed the GPS device, extracted from Gangwar's thigh, into a corner. 'There goes their RK. Let the fools come for it. Move.'

  Following the regular drill all the men, except a handful, moved out to the secret exit. Then Majumdar was supposed to move out and after him, others, covering him.

  As Majumdar was about to make a move, Venu said, 'dada, I need to talk to you something very important.'

  Majumdar turned towards her, 'we can take it up later, no?'

  'It can't wait. Question of life and death. And alone.' Majumdar shrugged and smiled. 'Go on. Whose life and death? Mine or yours?'

  Venu didn't reply and looked at the other men. 'It wouldn't take

  long.'

  'You all wait for me outside.' Majumdar addressed the men, 'I am

  just coming.'

  The men left, leaving behind the two alone. Venu pulled out the

  hand gun from her waist and trained it on Majumdar. Majumdar's

  eyes spread in shock.

  'In all these years, now is the time we are totally alone.' She hissed

  under her breath.

  Majumdar instantly understood her intent. 'So you are still with

  Rajanna. Where is he?'

  Venu laughed her head off then replied, 'he has been right below

  your noses. He is with the commandos in ex-Salwa Judum's disguise.

  Chandra Pulla Rajanna aka Bapu Rajanna is Raju Bopanna.' 'How could he get the air of this mission? I had kept it hidden

  from you too earlier.'

  'I have no idea about it but fact is, he has outsmarted you all. That

  night of partition, Rajanna had left me in your group. He needed

  someone to inform him on your activities but you never trusted me

  enough to let me get somewhere near you. The real plans were al
ways

  known to a few. Still I don't know how you discovered that police is using RK to reach you.'

  'Killing me will do no good to anybody my dear. Think of the people who count on us.' Majumdar tried to stall the talk. 'People? People need someone who can do something for them. Making a few dams, opening a few schools and talks with the state will bring no good to the people. State understands the language of bullet.'

  'You and Rajanna are mad fools!' Majumdar shouted in desperation and then softened, 'this abduction plan is also to get the innocent tribals free and strike peace talks with….'

  'Peace talks! All sham of yours. We know where you are going. You want to sit there in the House as one of them.'

  'Venu, why don't you get this? In six decades what have we achieved? Now is the time to represent our people. Get them into mainstream as voters. Maximum good I can do for them is through democratic approach.'

  'See! Rajanna is right. You speak their language now. Coward leaders like you will achieve nothing in another century. You…'

  'Venu, with your approach, what do you think, would happen? What is happening? They are killing us like pests. Soon we will be wiped off. Their last big Operation Green Hunt had been very successful. Days are not far when anyone would hardly believe that some tribals really existed here. This is no more People's War. I want to make it People's Voice in the parliament. Democracy is the only…..'

  'Enough of your bullshit! Rajanna had asked me to finish you as soon as.....'

  'If you are doing this for Rajanna then it's too late.' Suddenly Majumdar's eyes caught a vicious spark.

  'What do you mean?' Venu's tone turned soft in puzzlement.

  'At this time, my men would have already wiped him out along with his bunch of monkeys at the temple.' 'No!'

  'We have had a trap set for that ex salwa judum Raju and his men at the temple and now you tell me that he is Rajanna that means your

  leader must already be lying there in the jungle killed like a pig. The kind of death he deserved long back.'

  'No!' Suddenly Venu's eyes turned wet with tears, her voice caught a touch of agony. 'Yes. It is Majumdar left now who can do everything for you. I promise you will have Rajanna's place in my group. I suggest you hand me your gun.'

  'No.' Venu grit her teeth in fierce rage, 'I know, you will kill me too, you monster! You will destroy everything that comes in the way of your greedy ambition. Prepare to die now. You don't deserve to live you scum. Like those commandos, no one will ever find your corpse intact. You…'

  Her sentence remained incomplete. Someone jumped down into the basement through the opening.

  ? Samarjeet heard the female young voice saying: 'I know, you will kill me too, you monster! You will destroy everything that comes in the way of your greedy ambition. Prepare to die now...'

  She is going to kill Majumdar! Samarjeet whispered in the radio. 'Terminator, Majumdar is under life threat. I have to intervene.'

  The female voice was going on: '….You don't deserve to live you scum. Like those commandos…'

  'Go ahead.' Makker replied.

  'Stay alive boy.' He heard Vir Bhadra Singh's nervous tone. 'Sure I will.' Samarjeet replied and jumped into the basement through the opening. In the first second he saw a young girl holding a

  hand gun trained straight at the man in front. In next instant many things happened together. Samarjeet shot at the girl. The bullet hit her somewhere in the chest. Her body spun around taking the momentum of the bullet. Impulsively, she pulled the trigger of her country made pistol. The bullet went ricocheting around somewhere. The man – Majumdar - pounced at the girl – Venu – taking her down on the floor. The plunger of the master detonator in Venu's other hand was pressed under her weight.

  Several ear shattering blasts were heard overhead, outside in a rapid sequence. Suddenly the basement rumbled as if a massive earthquake had struck. With a crack, the front wall of the basement tore into two. The ceiling sunk down. A dozen bricks fell down right over Majumdar wounding his back and head badly. Samarjeet looked around. There was an iron folding chair. He grabbed it and kept it over Majumdar's immobile body. He was just wondering whether Majumdar was dead or alive when the ceiling made a loud crack. Samarjeet jumped towards the stack of cement sacks beside the left wall, but before he could make it, the ceiling came down, bricks knocking Samarjeet down to the floor. Entire stack of cement sacks wobbled and came down crashing over him. Something heavy hit his head.

  The crackling voice over the radio made no sense. Head gear was badly damaged. The radio fell silent and Samarjeet's mind plunged into a sudden recess of darkness. ? Once Samarjeet was inside, Vir Bhadra Singh could not see him except for his location on GPS. He got Cartosat steered around to have an eye on Makker who was now climbing up the hind steep wall, taking the same route which Samarjeet had taken.

  Samarjeet's voice came over the radio, addressing Makker. 'Terminator, Majumdar is under life threat. I have to intervene.'

  'Go ahead.' Makker replied.

  'Stay alive boy.' Vir Bhadra Singh said, nervously wetting his lips. 'Sure I will.' Samarjeet's reply was heard.

  After a few moments, on their radios, Makker, Vir Bhadra Singh,

  Mohan and Sathya heard two continuous gun shots, the shrieks of two or more persons then a series of deafening blasts accompanied by a loud crack.

  'Retriever. You okay!?' Makker shouted. Retriever! Come in.' Vir Bhadra Singh almost screamed in desperation.

  Sathya was shouting, 'VB! What happened!? VB!'

  Sakshi and Naidu were flabbergasted.

  'Retriever, you okay? Retriever…' screaming on the top his lungs, Vir Bhadra Singh stood up in his place mortified with the fear of the worst. Then his voice chocked and died in his throat. To his horror, with eyes spread to their limits, Vir Bhadra Singh witnessed the disaster on the screen.

  Entire structure in the valley was blown up as if it had been sitting on a live, raging volcano.

  With great deal of effort, Vir Bhadra Singh found his voice back, 'Destroyer, Wiper move in. Retriever dead. Terminator down. Move in, move in, move in!'

  ? The blast tore up a cracked opening in the wall rendering the grip of the rappelling rope loose. Already shocked Makker suddenly felt weightless. To his horror he discovered that he was going down in free fall with a lightning speed. Before he could even curse his bad luck, he hit the ground - the river bank. Then he thanked his stars. It was the marshy patch around the river. The marsh was dry and hard but devoid of any stones. He tried to spring up and cried with pain that ran down his left arm and up his neck. His left shoulder was mildly fractured. He gripped the rifle and pulled himself up clenching his teeth to fight the pain and shock. Next moment, he forgot all his agony. Something else became the priority – his life.

  Before he could hear the shots, one bullet hit his body armour. Several other stuffed with a 'swoosh' into the marshy land around him. One bullet brushed past his temple. He dived flat onto the ground and hurriedly crawled his way towards the nearby by foliage, bullets pitter-pattering around him. Before he could reach the cover he heard a familiar sound of a brief burst of shots followed by agonized shrieks. It was the crack of SR 25 Sniper Rifle. Suddenly the rain of bullets halted.

  He dragged himself behind the bushes when he heard the voice on the radio, 'this is Friend. You okay, Terminator?'

  Delighted to discover that Malwanker had not obeyed his command to hit the cave, Makker replied, 'Left shoulder shattered, Friend, but can move and kill. Position.'

  'At your five o' clock. Enemy at your two o' clock. More than fifty in number.'

  'Let's have them all then.' Makker winced with pain. Vir Bhadra Singh's voice came over the radio, 'Destroyer, Wiper! Enter the scene from north across the river. Enemy would be at your straight twelve o' clock. Terminator and Friend right below. Get them out and return to Hole.'

  'Half way up VB.' Mohan replied.

  'Just count three hundred and hang on pals. Arriving.' Sathy
a replied.

  ?

  Vir Bhadra Singh received Rajeshwar Karma's call on his cell phone.

  'How is it going Colonel?' Karma's calm voice asked, 'any updates?' 'I need to see you in person.'

  'What happened? Any bad news?'

  'Operation Crimson Crackdown is a fiasco.'

  'What? What happened?'

  'My two boys are missing in action. Three are fighting with…..' 'What about Majumdar?'

  'Cannot say anything as of now. Possibly dead.'

  'No. He can't be dead. I need him alive. This mission was to

  capture him alive.'

  Mean bastard is just concerned with his politics.

  'RK!' Vir Bhadra Singh kept aside the formal air, 'chances are, he could be alive but right now things are completely off the way of plan. I have two of my precious men missing. I need to call an emergency meeting on this. In three hours time we are meeting at your place. We will arrive unseen.'

  'So I take that current status is: Majumdar has either escaped or died. Mission is a debacle and you have lost control on the situation. Am I right Colonel?' No one had ever dared talk to him like that. Shaken by the grief of Gangwar's and Samarjeet's likely death and sudden unexpected failure of the mission, Vir Bhadra Singh could not bring himself to say 'Yes' to Karma's question.

  'Let's meet first.' He spoke in a grave tone and disconnected the call himself on the state's ruling party's national chief.

  Then he turned his focus on the screen showing the aircraft - VTOL Nelcopter ZX002 – carrying Mohan and Sathya, armed with Shipon SLRS entering the area which was soon going to be converted into a small war zone.

  ?

  Labhandi Village, Raipur, Chhattisgarh

  The beautiful farm house was sprawled in immense expanse of over a hundred acres – roughly 1000 meters by 500 meters – just next to Labhandi village outside Raipur, parallel to AH 46, near College of Agriculture.

  The western end had a dense mango orchard covering one fourth of the area with little maintenance being the off season. Remaining part of the farm house was covered with beautiful garden around the place enveloping a two storey house in the centre. At a distance were servant quarters, garage and a cow shed. At right angles to the main house, a few feet away, was a huge ornate party hall. It looked single storey but was actually made over a basement housing a small kitchen equipped with all the stuff required to organize a party.