Trixy and The Crescent Of Rana

CHAPTER 33 : STRATEGY

Ezhil considered the tete-a-tete particularly a successful one, more so as she reflected more over the fact she had managed to whistle before Linga, with the sharp Val that had been gleaming in his hand, had taken a limb or two off her. He also talked a great deal more than she had anticipated him to, until he took the Iyanar stance with the Val.

The Val, in particular, was the very reason they had decided to go to such lengths in the first place. They had been monitoring his movements for one week carefully and observing his habits, since they received a positive response from the Forensics Division on the dollar. He had been regular in his habits and as far as their observation went, had zero anomalies. He had not gone to work since his murder attempt of Sarat. The newspaper boy deposited newspaper and milk every day in the post box and Linga came out every day, only to fetch the two and return inside again. What he could have been doing, locking himself all day inside was still a mystery.

The involvement of a White Ops member and the sight and proof of an original Val had placed the Squad 5 in a new prominence and rendered its members in wild spirits. They were highly determined to make this mission a success and procure the Val no matter what. Even if the Chief and Aravind hadn't expressed much of their hopes, they too were just as excited as the others.

Objectively, everyone understood that the Val carried more significance than the man himself. The reason being the man in his seventies might drop dead anytime while the sword would live another seventy without difficulty. Or so they hoped. Much to their disappointment, the old man was showing no signs of dropping dead anytime soon.

"It is a delicate situation," is what the Chief said in the conference hall, during their first strategic meeting that was held an evening over a week before, "Men who have fought the war have proved to be very unpredictable in my experience. Their minds operate very differently. You can never say what they might do."

"Don't worry about our lives, Chief," declared Dan, "We are more than able to fend ourselves. One, about to expire, deranged old geezer will never be enough to beat us down."

"We'll see. You guys underrate the war too much. Toughness of men who had faced it is incredible. In my estimation, it would take at least two Aravinds to beat one White Ops and none of you are half way to Aravind's fortitude. It's not going to be easy, especially if you insist on venturing in by yourselves and keeping Aravind out only as back up. But as much as I fear for your lives, I also fear for his and his sword. The Val is exceptionally precious. Not a single specimen of it had been out since Independence. I wonder how much he is willing to risk not to part with it."

Only Aravind was able to take the hint. "Are you saying he might try to suicide?"

"I'm suggesting it as a possibility among hundred others. If he decides to kill himself when we catch him unguarded, how can we be sure he won't attempt to end his life so that the Val could be prevented from falling into other's hands? We also know nothing of his atrial abilities. Our only guess is he is a Raw. But a lot of Raw users have some other ability too. We might capture him and still fail to procure the Val."

Everyone began to ponder and discuss over the different possibilities for the next hour but Maahir was the one who proposed the idea which gradually developed into the plan they finally opted. He suggested he and Ezhil should pay a visit to Linga and let him know they were aware of him being the murderer. Linga should be, he reckoned, already in a weak opinion of them and would immediately try to silence them, if they provoke him in the right manner. And once he decides to finish them, and subsequently reveals the Val, others can intervene and fight him off.

But the idea wasn't as welcome as it ought to have been by the others. Maahir had got discharged only a few days back and hence they regarded it too reckless of him to face Linga alone and Ezhil was not a fighter anyway. They weren't really confident about him provoking Linga to induce him to take up the sword either. It seemed too vague for an efficient and credible plan. But since no one proposed anything better and Ezhil professed enough courage and will to shoulder the plan by herself, she was allowed to go alone, or with Quiroshi alone.

Still, they weren't convinced Linga would take up his sword against her, however weak she might present herself to be. He might view her too gentle for him to attack or suddenly lose all will to fight after talking with her. Like the Chief had stated, the possibilities are numerous. Still, it was doubtless this was their best bet.

The moment Linga launched his attack, Ezhil was to whistle and team was to assemble inside. How they were to was the next question.

Vikasa and Dan were assigned the only glass window in the living room. She, being a Bond Breaker, would break through the window with as much ease as she would with the door.

"Glass," she said, "is not even a true solid. Breaking it to enter will be child's play for me. I assure you I will be inside the room before the whistle ends."

Fraudin was to breach the kitchen wall from outside and let himself in along with Dev and Shri. Maahir alone would use the door way to come in. He had recovered nearly completely and only had the scar across his chest to remind him of the mishap. Yet that he wasn't ready to fight was everyone's unequivocal opinion. Still, he insisted on being present at the scene, no matter what. It was going to be a big party alright.

Things didn't go exactly as they had planned though. Maahir found the door locked unexpectedly and had to dash in and break the door to stumble and roll in awkwardly. Vikasa, just as she stated, made her appearance in perfect time and manner and Dan followed after her.

Fraudin broke the wall good, but probably too good. A large chunk of the broken wall came flying past the glass window, through which the previous two had just entered, and only Vikasa had time enough to duck under. It hit Dan hard and straight, knocking him well off his feet.

This was the first blotch on their plan. Dan was supposed to plunge straight at Linga, immediately on arriving, to take him by surprise and keep him busy. But now, he was lying down, pressed to the ground by a piece of wall and Linga had had his own leisure to observe and make his move, which he did with exceptional expediency.

It did not take him long to discern the weakest link in the chain - Ezhil. He dived straight at her who had been standing in front of her, thoroughly unarmed, like a lamb reared for slaughter.

Ezhil, terrified at the sudden approach, immediately declared it a foul. She had been, so far, regarding herself a mere 'referee' in this game whose only job, she supposed, was to watch the match between others and blow whistles whenever appropriate. Getting attacked, after blowing the first whistle, was never in the agenda!

Quiroshi's brave bark and abrupt attempt for a bite paused Linga only for a negligible amount of time. He kicked on Quiroshi's stomach glibly and sent him off the path with extraordinary ease. In his next step, his sword glided across, piercing the air, bolting for her neck. And it would have found the neck in the next second and cut her off into head and trunk neatly, only if Maahir, who had squatted after the roll, only a few feet behind her hadn't leapt forward right away and planted his Silamb upright on her side in the nick of time, obstructing the Val sturdily and reverberating soundly.