"I don't think it is Bhaiya's hallucination. Veer is smart enough to destroy the CCTV footage. Or at least mess with it."
Listening to Rudra, Om rubbed his head. They all were reeling from the shock that Veer had reached the Hospital. They were still not sure about it though. The CCTV footage from the Hospital had come clean. But there was an entry in the Hospital's visitors log book. Someone had written down Shivaay's room number with no name. So either someone had wrongly put Shivaay's room number in it or Shivaay was still hallucinating and making up things in his head or Veer had indeed come. In any case, they had a reason to worry.
"I don't know Rudra," Om squared his shoulders. "I really don't know."
Rudra looked at Bhavya. "What do you think?"
"Just tell Khanna to be on a high alert. Let's not take chances. What I think is of no use..." she mumbled.
Om nodded. "You are right."
"Anyway Bhaiya," Bhavya leaned ahead in her chair and placed a file in front of the two brothers. "I want to show you something."
They glanced at the papers in the file. They were bills for an investigating agency. And they were billed to Shivaay.
"What is this?" asked Om.
Taking a breath, Bhavya told them. "Our hunch was right. Shivaay Bhaiya knows about Annika Bhabhi's past. He had her investigated. Or rather, her past investigated. And turns out, she has a deep connection with the Oberois and the Kalyani Mills fire."
Om and Rudra looked at each other. Shivaay never hid things from them. Or he did and did it so well that they have no idea. Not knowing how to feel about that, Rudra croaked, "What is it?"
"Annika's father was blamed for starting the fire. That's what the media and police reports say. And sadly, he passed away in the incident too..." replied Bhavya. "I am guessing, Bhaiya does not want to hurt her. She will be disappointed if she comes to know that so many people died because of her father."
Rudra and Om absorbed Bhavya's words for a moment. Then Om spoke. "No Bhavya. That can't be it. Shivaay has been having terrible nightmares these days. And every single time he has woken up, he has screamed and begged for Annika Bhabhi to stay. Let's assume that this is a real situation. If Annika Bhabhi's father is at fault, she would want to stay with Shivaay. Isn't it?"
Rudra blinked. He thought for a while. "You know if Mr Kapoor started the fire then also Bhabhi would stay."
Bhavya nodded. "Yeah. The only time she wouldn't stay is if someone from the Oberoi family is the culprit."
"Does that mean..." Rudra gasped. "Shit."
Om held his forehead. "Shit, indeed!"
"O..." Rudra whispered. "What are we gonna do?"
"I wish I knew..." Om hung his head. "The one who might know a few things is so sick that I really don't want to harass him. Or should we?"
"No Bhaiya..." Bhavya rejected the idea at once. "We are not asking anything to Shivaay Bhaiya. He will understand something is wrong in one minute. And then things will get out of hand. For real. You know how impulsive he is."
Om sneered. "Yes, I know."
"He anyway has an idea that we are lying to him. Yesterday he kept asking me to show him the scans of his heart. He wanted to see the 'damage'. I somehow changed the topic. We cannot ask him..." added Rudra.
"Then what are we going to do?" mused Om. Eyeing Swetlana's limp figure in the chair, he said, "So far we have a twice poisoned witch, a who-started-the-fire mystery, a supposed half brother, a weird aunt. And all this is somehow linked with the murder attempt on Shivaay. Where is Sherlock Holmes when you need him?"
Rudra chuckled wryly. "Our sasta Sherlock is probably sleeping after a heavy dose of Doxepin now."
Om laughed. "Wait. Let me give Bhabhi a call."
He called Annika. But instead of Annika, Shivaay picked up the phone. He drowsily greeted, "Hey, Om."
"Shivaay?" Om's eyes widened. "How did you pick up the call? Where is Annika?"
"She is sleeping. She is so tired poor thing.." Shivaay whispered. "I picked up the call before it could disturb her. I can't sleep. My head is about to blast open."
"I see you are back to your old ways..." Om said disapprovingly. "You really need to rest Shivaay."
Shivaay's voice was still low. "I know, but that's what I do all day. Rest and rest. I also skipped on the sleeping pill today so I cannot get myself to sleep. Anyway, leave that. I was waiting for you. When are you coming back?"
Om's eyes dated to Rudra and Bhavya. "Why?"
"I wanted to tell you something..." said Shivaay.
"I will take a while to reach the Hospital, Shivaay. Why don't you tell me now only?" suggested Om and swiftly switched on the speaker.
There was a beat of silence on the other end and then Shivaay breathed hard. His voice lowered to an unbelievable whisper. "Fine. I had a nightmare this afternoon. We were standing somewhere...all of us. And then Roop Bua set all of us on fire and laughed at us while we all burned."
Bhavya's hand flew to her mouth. Rudra closed his eyes.
"What the fuck, Shivaay?" Om groaned. "What's wrong with you?"
"I know..." Shivaay sighed. "I haven't been able to sleep after this. But I don't know why do I feel like I know something about her. I just don't remember about it now. I don't know if I had her investigated or...had she called me? It is bugging me so much."
All three of them looked at each other. Om cleared his throat. "Was Swetlana in this nightmare too?"
"No..." answered Shivaay. "Just the Oberois. Just an Oberoi burning the other Oberois."
His words made Om's breath hitch in his throat. "Okay Shivaay. Why don't you try to sleep a little? I will be right there. Yeah?"
"Okay..." whispered Shivaay. "Come soon. I am waiting."
**********************************
So. I am bored again. Bye. But good morning also.
