Somoy periye jaye, nodir sroter pray (Time flows like a river)
- Confucius
Neither the Bengali proverb nor the great philosopher explained about the stagnant water in the river and its relation with time. So if the water is stuck, time is stuck as well? The minutes seconds and hours will be frozen at the same place? Nothing will happen or the events just occurred will continue to play like an old recorder stuck in gramophone? Or as there is no flow, there is no time?
People say God made Universe and Man. everything that happened and will happen is all God's will. It's hard to believe the person, who created us, our Father, can be so sadist to throw all BS at our face every day. Holy books say without pain, we won't value happiness. We have to face it all and still be good, so that we can die peacefully and go to heaven. As if Earth life is not enough, another version to play in heaven and hell.
Atheist like me negates the existence of God. Man born out of genetic mutation. We created civilization, relationships, wars, and everything. We created the sense of time, and these proverbs that doesn't make sense when you are going lunatic, but pretending to come across as a tough one. We created these false invisible masks on our face so that someone else doesn't exploit us; we created the sense of security, or the lack of. We created it all.
We also created tragedy, bloodshed, death, enemy and revenge.
What we could not create is a way to shut it all. The Universe. The people. Everything we created. there is no way we can shut our door on universe and just curl up in our room, waiting for our hair to go grey and heartbeat to stop. It doesn't work like that. We have to go out every day. Face it all. Still be good.
Life is a war. Goodness is overrated. God is non-existent.
Across the city of dreams, Mumbai, Police Commissioner Raghu Ram sat quietly in his study room, staring at nothing, his fingers barely holding the frame of his Glasses. He looks deep in thought, but if the small drops of sweat are anything to go by, the man is in tension. The phone call that came just a few minutes ago shook the old man profusely. His daughter has been kidnapped, the man had said, and had also demanded 50 lacs of money. Money is not the issue, he has plenty, but right now he is torn between the duty of a father and his ideology as a Police commissioner. The threat on his daughter's life making him to do second guesses, he can't endanger her, but he can't just throw money at those scumbags to save her life, what kind of example that action will set?
Suddenly he shook out of his zoned state, deciding something. He put on his glasses, searched in his drawers for something while typing a number in his cell. It rang twice before a female voice on the other side picked it up.
"I need your help." he said, and exhaled a breath.
"Where were the security guards when this happened?" ACP Arjun Rawte, the second in command of ETF, asked Raghu sir, who sat on the big fluffy white sofa, looking older than any of the members of ETF ever seen him.
"Sheen has this habit to sneak out under their watch." Sir answered, pinching his nose, "I am going to have serious talks once she is home. Then with the guards."
Aisha Kapoor, the director of ETF, eyed the old man sympathetically, "Don't worry sir, we will bring her home." to which he nodded, shaking off the emotion and trying to focus on it logically.
"So she went for jogging at 7 am, without the guards." Shreekant Sen aka Shree, the IT head of ETF, said while looking at his seniors, "and it was not pre planned. Which means. . .? "
"Someone or some people were keeping an eye on her." Sameer Rathore, another officer from ETF finished for him, "they must have followed her from days, waiting for the right time."
"Sir, the local police station inquired many people from the park if they have seen anything." Chandrakant Patil, aka Chotu, the commando of team informed them all, "so far, nothing."
"Check her friends, college, and any place she visited in last 4-5 days. Even interrogate the security guards, ask if they had seen something suspicious." Aisha ordered, eyeing Chotu and Sameer and they both headed out. Shree went with several other officers to tap the telephone lines and Raghu sir's cell. Three pair of eyes followed him, and Rawte was the first to break the silence.
"Sir, if you have any suspect, which can do this."
"I am working for the department for 20 years, Rawte." Raghu sir smiled a little, "there are plenty suspect."
"Still, sir," Aisha pressed, "anyone important? Who had directly threatened you or something?"
Raghu sir shook his head, "there are many, but they knew better than to attack my family."
Aisha sighed, and after a while, silently ordered Rawte to leave her alone with the senior officer. He nodded ever so lightly, heading out to join Sameer as he interrogates the security guards. He walked toward the backyard, his eyes roaming everywhere, a habit he had developed over the years when he saw something.
Or rather, someone.
A girl, whose back was faced toward him, is talking with the maid of house who was gesturing wildly while pointing at the house. No doubt, spreading the news about kidnapped commissioner's daughter. something clicked in his head witnessing the scene, it's been 1 hour Raghu sir received the call for ransom and nobody but local PS and ETF knew about it, not even media, so who's the girl? He had come to Raghu sir's house enough time over the years for dinners and gatherings to know the neighbors, and she doesn't look like any of them, even though he can only see her back.
Sheen was followed before her kidnapping, is this girl keeping an eye on the investigation? An enemy?
He noticed the maid now leaving, but even after several minutes the girl was still standing there, not moving an inch. Something was wrong; Rawte figured and proceeded to talk to her. He touched the gun tucked behind, just in case.
"Excuse me." he called out, and the girl turned to face him. She was beautiful, barely his age, but the tightness around her jaw and steely eyes made her look much more authoritative. She looked someone with a mission, someone with a motive.
A stalker with a pretty face, so that none can doubt, he thought in mind, eyeing her.
"What?" the girl replied, narrowing her eyes. She was looking at him too, and he can see her mind going overdrive mode. He prepared himself.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, purposely straightening his back to intimidate the girl. The girl's lips curled up in a mock smile, but the steeliness in eyes didn't go.
"Just standing on road."
"You are standing here for couple of minutes." he took a step toward her to intimidate more, "looking at the house. Who are you?"
"None of your business." the girl dismissed and proceeded to leave, but he was not letting her go that easily. He raised his hand to hold her by elbow, but that was the biggest mistake of this day.
In a flash of second, he found his cheek pressed on the bonnet of their ETF car with a loud BANG and his right arm twisted behind his back. His left hand hung uselessly and tried to grab something of her, but the pressure of his neck increased. His male ego admitted at last, the pressure was painful and she was good in combat skill.
"Never." he felt her lips over his ear and struggled more, but she didn't lose her hold. After some seconds later he heard an angry "What the hell!" and then he was again standing on his feet, rubbing his neck and wrist which was throbbing painfully.
"What's going on in here?" Rawte was burning with embarrassment; out of all people raghu sir had to witness the scene. He glared at the girl, who looked unapologetic, but at least now she can't go anywhere. Even Aisha and Sameer were here.
"Mukherjee, why you were manhandling my officer?" Aisha asked angrily, glaring at the girl. Rawte was shocked, how does she know her? Even Sameer looked puzzled, his eyes meeting his.
"Your Officer" the girl made the word sound nasty, "attacked me, Director." she gave him a look, before turning to face Raghu sir. He sensed the tension in air and cleared his throat.
"I can't believe someone fought you back, Arjun. Not just someone, a girl with barely 60 KG weight." Sakshi Anand, the crime journalist and another member of ETF teased Rawte as she walked through the gate, after hearing all about it from Sameer, "surely you are losing your touch."
"Want to make that headline tomorrow, Sakshi?" he asked sarcastically, to which the journalist laughed.
"No, Police commissioner's daughter's kidnapping is a better headlines." her face became serious, "btw, what's the progress?"
"Sorry to discourage you, Sakshi," Aisha heard the headlines comment as she walked toward her officer and spoke up, her face perfectly composed but her eyes giving away the annoyance, "but it won't make headlines. We don't want media attention."
"But it's a big news!" the journo protested.
"It's someone's life." Aisha argued back, giving her an icy stare. Sakshi knew better than to argue, so she just mumbled, "my boss won't be happy if someone else publishes this."
"None is going to publish any. I will make sure of that. Surely that's okay for you?" Aisha could not help the mocking tone. Sakshi was an unnecessary addition to team, a nuisance at crime scene and dangerous situation. Despite being told off countless times, she don't stop coming with team during shoot out, and someone has to stay with her to babysit. As a crime journo, she lacks the seriousness, which is refreshing at sometimes but annoying at most. She treats the sensitive cases objectively, not taking it by heart, which might be good for her work but even after years of work Aisha can't reciprocate her attitude.
Sakshi nodded, clearly displeased. Rawte rolled his eyes at her antics and turned to the director, interested in the girl and her relation to this case, "so, officer Mukherjee is going to work with us?"
"ACP Mukherjee." Aisha corrected and Rawte's eyebrows rose in surprise, "yes, she will."
"But why? Raghu sir doesn't trust ETF can handle this alone?" he didn't understand what's the need of another officer, correction, ACP. He noticed the small frown in Aisha's forehead and sharp exhale.
"He needs her. So we will work together." she dismissed the conversation, "Let's go inside. The kidnapper gonna call anytime."
"You already involved police and ETF, but don't bring them while you delivering money. 50 lacs, cash, and alone. we will inform the location later. don't try anything cunning or else you will get back your daughter in pieces."
the line went dead. Shree shook his head as his whole team turned to his eagerly. he could not track it, the call bounced from 4 different tower. the caller was smart, didn't give much time to track it.
"What now?" Raghu sir asked after some moments, looking at Aisha.
"Prepare the money, Sir. we already blocked the city and spread Sheen's picture everywhere. they cant escape city with her. even our informers are looking for her. anytime we will get something on her. don't worry Sir." she assured. she looked at her team and everyone spread out, Shree tried to minimize the search location for Sheen, Sameer, Arjun and Chotu calling every PS for update. Sakshi looked back and forth to the team, and to ACP Mukherjee, who was kneeled down and listening to the recorded ransom call. Aisha's eyes followed her, and after some 4 minutes she looked frustrated.
"care to explain why are you listening to the call repeatedly?" her voice barely contained annoyance. Mukherjee looked up, now removing the headphones and stood up, walking to Shree.
"Did you minimize the location?" she asked sharply. the techy was startled at her sharp tone, not expecting. he blinked for a couple of time, steadying himself.
"I did. 4 km radius."
"Any Mosque in that area?"
everyone frowned at the question. Shree frowned but sensed it will be better to search than ask questions. Raghu sir stood up and walked to her.
"Mosque?"
Mukherjee removed the headphones and played the ransom call. she turned on the volume, and after some tough listening everyone could hear the Azaan in the BG of the caller.
"there are 2 mosques in the area." Shree informed.
"Based on the barely audible sound, I can say the kidnappers are staying 2 km away from Mosque." Sameer spoke up, somewhere along the line finishing his call. the team looked at him proudly, maybe even Mukherjee, if her curious glance to his side is anything to go by.
"I am getting the map." Shree informed as the team gathered near him. Raghu sir gave a thankful nod to Mukherjee, to which she nodded back. Rawte, who just finished his call, looked back and forth to his team and Mukherjee who looked deep in thought.
after some 10 minutes shree handed over the maps. Aisha divided the team into two part, she Sameer and Chotu will go to the first mosque while Mukherjee, Rawte, Shree and Sakshi will go to other one. the team headed outside, and Rawte heard Aisha saying quietly to the other woman, "stick with team."
"Anything, Director." she even made Director sound nasty, Rawte thought to himself.
in the SUV Mukherjee didn't say a word, still deep in thought. Rawte noticed her shaking her left foot absent mindedly as Sakshi from the back seat threw percentage of kidnapper who turn out petty criminals and idiots in air. they reached the mosque after 45 minutes, and Sakshi stopped right infront of the other woman to introduce herself as she adjusted her gun to her side.
"We were not introduced. I am Sakshi Anand, Crime journalist from Mumbai Local."
Shree gave a look to Rawte, both not sure how this will go. Mukherjee frowned ever so lightly, looking straight in her eyes.
"Why you are in team?"
Rawte looked away to hide his smirk. the very same question he ask himself everyday but never asked Sakshi. she didn't seem to mind.
"Shadowing the team. reporting their cases. giving them media coverage."
Mukherjee sure as hell didn't look convinced with the answer, but shrugged, "ACP Mukherjee."
"I knew your name. you look familiar, ACP." Sakshi smiled cheekily, and she stiffed slightly. before Rawte can make head or tail of that, Shree spoke and all of them started their hunt. the local police with them covered other side, and the four of headed toward the south of Mosque, each of them connected with other teams through radio and bluetooth. they showed pictures of Sheen to many, but none can recognize her. after some 1 hour, a boy recognized the picture and said several people brought her in today in a chawl away from basti. the team headed toward the direction, not before Sakshi pressed 100 rs into his palm.
"You sure want to come with us?" Mukherjee directed her question to Sakshi as they were some 300 metres away from the chawl. Rawte rolled his eyes, keeping silent and Shree spoke up before Sakshi did.
"She is used to it, Ma'am. You wont be bothered."
Mukherjee didn't say anything, looking back to the chawl. the team stealthily headed for the chawl while informing others to reach here. they kicked open the front door, pointing gun ahead of them, and with disappointment they found out the chawl was empty. there were signs of people staying here, so surely kidnappers with Sheen were here but they left. how they knew ETF and Police were coming here, its a mystery.
after some 30 minutes Aisha along with rest of ETF reached there. the forensic expert, liza d'cruz with her team took all evidence from crime scene, though barely possible but in a hope to find something out of it. the director clearly didn't look impressed, having come so close to find Sheen and start all over again.
"How did they know we are coming?" Sameer wondered aloud. Rawte frowned, and his eyes found Mukherjee, who was staring at ground. suddenly, she looked up and met his eyes. he barely had time to bash himself for being caught staring when she spoke up, her eyes going over the team.
"Something is wrong."
Aisha looked at her annoyed, "what is it?"
"Its not for money." Mukherjee explained, "50 lacs is not a big amount. they got Comissioner's daughter, they were obviously planning from a long time to kidnap her. just because of money, I don't buy it."
"in 87% cases kidnappers ask for money, Riya." Sakshi chimed in, her eyes twinkling as Mukherjee's eyes hardened, "right?"
as rest of team mate looked at each other, trying to remember if either Raghu sir or Aisha called ACP Mukherjee by her first name, because sure as hell she didn't introduce herself, Mukherjee's eyes hardened, "you are forgetting rest of 13%, Miss Anand."
the crime jounro got the message loud and clear, ACP Mukherjee doesn't like her first name. she fixed her stare at her for some seconds, before meeting rest of team, "its not about money. I think they wanted us to figure out their hide out somewhere near Mosque. they are cunning, very cunning." she muttered, "they are planning something else, Money is nothing."
at the same time Chotu got a call. the team waited for him to finish the call and he spoke up, "the kidnappers called again. asked Raghu sir to come near port in 1 hour with full cash."
The team held their breath as Raghu sir walked away from them toward port no. 14 with the black briefcase. Shree had fixed a small GPS tracker into the money so that they can pin point the kidnapper's location. the 1 km area of port no. 14 were filled with hidden police officers, ETF officers and snipers, if anything goes wrong, they will kill the kidnappers. Shree remained in the SUV outside port with Sakshi (who was rather unwilling) to listen to transmitter fit into Raghu sir's shirt and track the money, while rest of team headed toward port with gun ready at hand.
Aisha instructed Chotu and Sameer to head, and turned to Rawte, "stay here with her." pointing toward Mukherjee. she looked outraged.
"I am not staying here." she argued, challenging. Aisha matched her glare with her own.
"You are, with him. and its an order." she raised her voice before either Rawte or Mukherjee can speak up. her eyes fixed on the other woman, and she added in somewhat softer tone, "cant let an arrow to fly around freely."
after she left, Rawte cant help the frustrated muttering, "babysit duty." he cared less that the other officer heard him.
"You are not tied with me, so go rather than sulking." she snapped. he turned to face her, trying to contain his frustration.
"Director's order."
"Disobey it. she don't bite." she answered sarcastically. he looked away, understanding that trying a normal conversation with her is impossible. for the first time, he felt bearing Sakshi is much better than spending five minutes with her. as he continued to sulk, Mukherjee continued to pace here and there, giving him additional headache. she looked desperate to run away, and if she does, he have to break a sweat to catch up with her, her earlier strength show off still very fresh on his neck.
suddenly, she stopped pacing, making his head throb again. she then walked toward him, stopping only when there are only some inches left between them. she clearly don't understand what is private space.
"Give me your phone." she demanded. he gave her an incredelous look.
"I cant go anywhere but can use phone, right Arjun?" apparently others cant use her first name but she can, sue her! he exhaled another frustrated breath and rather slammed the phone on her palm. she took it and headed away, searching for a number.
"Shree." he was surprised she called Shree, and walked toward her to hear more, "how far is the nearest camera from the exchange location?"
Shree answered something he could not hear, but whatever it is it was not right. she snapped the phone shut and clutched it tightly, pacing once again. he wanted to know, but not wanted to start another conversation with this woman. she was rude, arrogant, and clearly lacked social skills. she cant even pretend to be nice, looks like softness and being nice is not in her dictionary.
"what is it?" he could not bear the suspense. she stopped pacing, once again invading his private space.
"there is no camera near exchange site. they carefully picked the place. shree cant inform team if anything goes wrong."
"snipers are there, and even police hidden." he pointed out.
"don't you get, Arjun? these guys are clearly professional, very cunning. they will figure out the snipers and police." she went backwards while eyeing him and started pacing again, clenching and unclencing her fists, "it will be too late for the snipers or police to get to Raghu sir if something wrong happens. I don't think they brought Sheen here."
"So what's their plan? why so much elaborate plan for only 50 lacs?" he wondered, totally getting her logic but not getting why someone will go to such lengths. then suddenly an idea crossed him.
"what if they are after Raghu sir?" she stopped pacing as his words hit her, staring at him.
"then why not kidnap him? why go after Sheen?"
"he is always surrounded with guards. only during the exchange he will be away from any guards." Rawte explained, "its hard to kidnap him during it, but easier if you have to kill 50 police officers and make a scene in his house or office any other time."
she eyed him for a moment, thinking about his words. she then handed him over the phone.
The team circled around the dead body of one of the kidnapper, Ramesh, as per Shree's info. Rawte's call came at the right time, Raghu sir had barely reached port no. 14 when out of nowhere a black bolero came and tried to drag him inside. the snipers were quick, and soon the bolero was running away from the scene. Ramesh tried to drag Raghu sir and he was left dead by his other gang mates. The old man was clearly shaken, but he was handling himself quite well. he gulped down the water Sakshi handed him over and eyed at the ETF team.
"now what?" Chotu asked, "they were targetting Raghu sir, and failed."
"they wont free Sheen." Sameer spoke up, his tone apologetic, "she is too much of a risk. by now, she might have seen their faces. they cant leave her."
"in 67% cases kidnappers kill their victims, regardless of the ransom." Sakshi chimed in, and 4 pair of eyes glared at her, the bad statistics not helping.
"I had read somewhere 34% journalists lack brain to mouth filter, and 90% of them suffer from TMT syndrome." Mukherjee added with a mixture of barely contained anger and sarcasm.
"What's TMT?" Shree asked, the ever curious.
"Too much talk." the other woman explained, and Rawte for the second time in day had to look away to hide his smirk. how can one person can be so infuriating and can make one laugh? he didn't even know someone like her ever existed.
Sakshi was clearly offended, and opened her mouth to reply, when Aisha gave her a icy stare, effectively shutting her up. Sameer cleared his throat, he was also busy to hide his amusement, if the softness in his eyes is anything to go by.
"We have blocked every exits of city, bus stops, airport, roads. they cant leave city." Aisha informed sympathetically to Raghu sir, who nodded.
"what about sea?" Rawte wondered. he was not the only person to think about sea, even Mukherjee looked up, first to him, then to Aisha. the latter looked curious, then took out her phone and ordered for surveillance on sea sides as well.
9 hours later, the ETF team along with Coast guards and police were chasing the kidnappers on several speed boats. the kidnappers were smart, because of the waves none could take a direct shot at them, and they were using Sheen as a shield so that the driver of speedboat was safe to drive. everyone was shooting at them, and now remained only 2 of them, one driving while the other shooting back rather agressively.
others watched in horror as ACP Mukherjee suddenly stood up, rather gracefully and balanced herself quite well as she shot repeatedly toward the 2nd person, barely flinching from his bullets, and made him fell from speedboat as her bullets hit his leg and right wrist. soon others overtook the speedboat and arrested the lone offended. the team smiled contently as Raghu sir ran toward Sheen and gathered her in arms, the 17 year old sobbing loudly in her father's chest.
while all were busy watching the Father daughter reunion, Chotu and Rawte helped other officers to take the kidnappers to hospital. as he finished, Chotu walked away to receive a call, and Rawte heard Director Aisha Kapoor's angry whispers someplace behind him.
"That was reckless."
"There was no choice." came the detached reply of ACP Mukherjee.
"You cant put everyone at risk!"
"Only I would have died if the bullets hit me, so relax."
"This was supposed to be team work."
"Glad to be with your team. Goodbye." again the sarcastic tone, and then Rawte watched as ACP Mukherjee walked away from the scene without any backward glance. as she left, he could not help but feel the sense of disappointment in him. sure, he despised her from the very start and throughout the day, the way she humiliated him by showing her strength, her sarcasm or lack or tenderness, but there was a great deal of mystery into her as well. he didn't know why raghu sir chose her to be with ETF, or she agreed, clearly not interested to work in a team. How or why Sakshi know her first name, why does it feel Director Aisha Kapoor know her? The ever present fire in her eyes, the recklessness, its all part of her but somewhere it doesn't fit with her. he also noticed, not sure if its something or just nothing, that Mukherjee clearly could have taken head shot but chose to shoot on limbs only. why she did that? he was not sure he will know them ever, then he snorted, thinking he barely controlled himself to explode on her, if they spent any more time, surely hell will break loose.
what was her name, again?
oh yes, Riya. someone who can sing well.
he wondered idly if she sings as he walked back to his team, watching her vanishing in front of his eyes.
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