PART 54

ACP Arnav Singh Raizada entered the S.T.F. office simply whacked.The day had taken its toll on him and he was drained both physically and mentally.He made his way through the silent lower landing towards his cabin wearily when one of the cleaning staff came up to him.

''Sir,I found this lying there,near the elevator while cleaning.''The man said,handing out a small,black device.

ASR gazed down at it,startled.

''You found this near the elevator?''He asked,taking the object in his hand.

''Yes Sir,it was lying there.I thought it must be of some use.''The peon replied.

''Ok,you may go.''ASR said dismissively.

He turned the device and checked it thoroughly for the epigraph of S.T.F.,futilely. The device was a spying camera and he could tell with iron-clad surety that it didn't belong to S.T.F. as all their electronic gadgets had the epigraph of the Intelligence Agency emblazoned on them.

ASR's mind started whirring.He remembered the attack on him and khushi as they were returning after a meeting with the Commissioner of Gurgaon about which nobody,but Police officials had known and his doubts of infiltration. The spying camera found in the office now had provided the perfect testimony, justifying his doubts.

If that was true then national security was at stake as S.T.F had highly confidential data concerning  the same like name and identity of Indian spies stationed in other countries,especially in the Iron curtain ones.Any sort of breach could destroy everything that they had built up with years of tireless labour!

Engrossed in his abstraction,ASR didn't notice when he went towards the elevators,but suddenly he noticed Chandru coming that way,looking extremelyu worried.ASR moved in a blur and immediately hid behind the nearest pillar, dropping the camera discreetly.

His intuition was proved right as Chandru spotted his camera and lifted it up in utter relief,almost kissing it.

''Thank God,I found it,otherwise boss would've slaughtered me!''Chandru gasped,clutching the camera tighter.

He glanced up and down the corridor and immediately droppeing it in his shirt pocket he moved away stealthily,absolutely oblivious to his nemesis.

ASR stood still,staring at the vanishing figure of Chandru his fury rising.He remembered colliding with Chandru on the very spot after hearing the news of blast on Devnagar Bus Stand.At the time he was so preoccupied with ensuring khushi's safety that he was beyond noticing anything,but as he thought of it now he concluded that the camera must've fallen from Chandru's pocket at that time.

Wordlessly he took long strides towards his cabin,devising a scheme.He needed to reach to the boss of Chandru!

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A glorious dawn chased away the bleak darkness and painted every surface in bright,buttery yellow,bringing with it new hopes and new challenges.

''Lavanya,have you gone nuts?''Aman asked incredulously even before Lavanya had stopped narrating her brainwave of curing khushi's buaji's constant pestering on marriage with Shyam.

Akash,Aman,Lavanya and khushi  were huddled  in the cafeteria of S.T.F., sipping cappuccino.

''Have you got a better plan?I'm all ears then!''She hissed irritably,looking at her beau.

''La,be a bit reasonable.That kind of things work only in Soap operas and not in real life.You should seriously stop watching those godawful shows.''Aman tried to be reasonable.

''He's right Lavanya!Even if we pull this out and buaji does believes it,there is bhai.I mean,you know it very well he will never approve of this.He may as well guillotine us for even thinking.You know his principles!''Akash voiced his opinions.

''Chicken through and through!Ok!Don't help us,but that's not going to deter me.I will help my best friend at any cost!''Lavanya growled changing her tactic.

''Don't misunderstand us La.We are only thinking about the possible repercussions!You know your plan is quite risky.......but of course life is quite insipid without a twinge of adventure,so I guess full steam ahead!''Aman changed his train of thoughts,quailing under Lavanya's narrowed  eyes.

''I guess I'm going to be left out.So.I may as well join the wagon!''Akash sighed,giving up.

Lavanya beamed at khushi squeezing her hand gently.Everything was set!