Chapter 01 - Overnight Journey

1:30AM - 31st December 2017, Present day.

I would like to title it as dreadful hours of darkness. Startled incident which woke me midnight, and I was frightened because of a phone call which came from long distance. A phone call which made me pack my belonging's without subsequent opinion. A phone call disturbed me such a way that even I fragmented the sleep of thin fair handsome hunk, my cousin, Sachin a business tycoon. I still remember the way the voice over phone asked for help, I still remember strident voice which said "Start immediately; things are complex here"

Was it a nightmare? I checked on phone log to confirm once more while I was about to carry my luggage. It's a sudden unendurable collision at late hours. Sachin sat blinking his eyes observing my movements. Sachin's name is apt, he is so amiable that every member of my family expected his presence during every special occasions. And he is also a diligent business man never spent a penny without a profit and regularly kept his eye monitoring each and every activity stretching himself into micro management, and he is considered as the apex of the Indian telecom industry. It would not be wrong if I admit that a relationship between Sachin and his works are uncompromising in terms of quality output, this in other end has tarnished his image in the eyes of competitors but mesmerized the clients.

This night he seems to be too lethargic due to big turkey dinner with a half bottle of whisky, an advance party for New Year eve. It was just 1hour before we had been to bed, a phone call disturbed the serene time.

What made him to call me and tell so? I asked myself, glancing at the wall clock.

Mr. Adyapak is my counsellor, a well know Fabian, author, public figure, and I never anticipated such a frightening message from someone whom I admire the most. He was well known for his eccentricities, often researching and conversing about mathematics, and about world's mythology. Even with the rise of many mathematicians, my team still believed Adyapak is the paragon for all other adorable Mathematicians.

I can clearly make it out, his voice was not usual, was he running? I was pretty sure with great difficulty he was trying to put out his words. An intransigent personality, is requesting someone who he trust more to reach him at the earliest, and as I know he never bent his legs nor stretched his hands in front of anyone begging for help. His agonising voice delivered the incomprehensible situation where he is seeking help who can immediately stretch his arms towards him; it might be the reason for choosing me.

I felt, it is not the right time to extrapolate on whatever has happened or happening at this time with Adyapak. But, I was pretty sure that he wanted to delegate something important in the stipulated time which he had to pass a message over phone.

Sachin was screeched at me while packing his luggages. "I am pretty sure you are playing with me. You know the importance which I give for sleep. You are terribly incredible species on earth. We could have planned the trip early in the morning. Is it necessary now? Its 1:30. What made you to take such a resolution overnight" his undisciplined angry voice was unmanageable. His red sharp eyes pointed at me warning drastically and tried his best to abstain the journey. Although I was unhappy that the Sachin couldn't understand the unexplainable situation of mine, I appreciated his candidness about why he was not ready to move with me. He was worried about wasting his time on a unplanned trip, it seems paradoxical, but nonetheless, it is true.

He erred in thinking that the decision of overnight journey is not at all convincing and he showed his indignant towards it. Probably, he had no modicum idea which happened over phone few minutes before.

Few things which are confidential can't be shared with your loved once and I was bound to those ethics. Professionalism is so, whoever it might be Mother, wife, brother or friend officially there is no place for emotions, that too when you are serving for your motherland.

Lift door hissed open, hinting someone's invading the corridor. Four flats in my floor and we live in one flat, and other three are vacant, not sold yet. Who would be that? A message from my confidante mentor made me to be aware and cautious. Keep calm and watch out for the first step of the opponent/enemy/a danger, be ready with plan A and Plan B before fighting against fear. Rather, it was the first lesson which I had learnt from the secret organisation headed by Mr Adyapak.

My perception came true when the footsteps paused exactly at the locked entrance door of my flat #401. I guess someone is checking us from a key hole. I signaled Sachin to shut his mouth for a while, to breathe slowly and not to give single hint of our presence in the flat. The men outside were meandering through the corridor. We waited for an extremely long time, man didn't move from the premises of flat. A whispering voice from corridor made us confirm that there are two or more men waiting for us outside the flat with a purpose. We waited with silence understanding the unwanted consequences which might arise henceforth.

It is a gated community small apartment located at the middle of city, if someone has to pass the barrier and enter the floor means that is via gates passing the security guard at down stairs. It is even tougher during night times as the watch dogs are left untied in the parking lot.

Who is on other side of the wall?

Shadow which appeared below the entrance door hinted about armed man waiting outside to harm us. Silence broke when someone initiated knocking the door, in fact breaking the door.

It's futile to wait until the strangers enter in and to fight against them, as it is bleak to go against armed men without knowing their strengths.

It wasn't easy to break 40mm wooden door with a sharp weapon, we had exceptional amount of time to get into plumbing shaft for an immediate escape.

Plan A is to run away from the place, if the attempt to escape fails, then stick to Plan B, face the danger face to face.

Along with Sachin rushed towards bathroom. Inched towards plumbing shaft to make sure my heavy built body fits in. It had a good space, which helped us to use plumbing pipes as ladder to get down to basement parking area.

Noticed the blood stains on the luminous basement floor, Dead dogs on the driveway, CCTV cameras have been trashed down; Neck cut security guard crawling down on floor, counting his last minutes of life.

"What's going on?" Sachin whispered into my ears. I had no answer, pointing towards car I asked him to get into it. We checked all around once more before getting into car to ensure no one is following us and we are safe. As the car passed the main entrance gate we noticed that the security guard inhaled his last breath and fell down on ground dead.

Tears came out with nervousness. Sachin drove intensively hitting the accelerator, and speed picked up within seconds. As an avertive caution in nervous situation, Sachin drove as if it's the last day on earth.