The Enemy Within

Chapter 5

Noida, outskirts of New Delhi – 1st March 2020 – 6:30 p.m.

Major Kumar, a 70-year-old septuagenarian, is happily pottering about in his garden, in front of an old-styled but well-kept cottage. He keeps snapping out instructions to his gardener-cum-handyman in a stentorian voice on how to pull out the weeds growing on his flowerbed.

Sitting there in his wheel chair, no one would ever picture this old gent as an ex-Army man and Intelligence honcho. The only giveaway was his authoritative voice. He sucks on the pipe sticking out of his mouth and waves it around using it as a pointer for his instructions.

An Uber cab drives up and a 30-something man jumps out of it looking excited.

Rohan Kapoor runs up to the old man and touches his feet seeking his blessing. Major Kumar pats him on the head and then gives him a bear hug, "I was waiting for you... Happy Birthday, my boy."

Rohan wheels Major Kumar into the cottage. The house is well kept but sparsely furnished. One of the walls in the living room has 2 big photo frames with garlands on them. There are trophies and medals displayed all around.

Major Kumar wheels himself to the bar cabinet and takes out two glasses. He pulls out a bottle from behind a row of other bottles, "We are meeting after so long – I know you have been busy. I've been saving up this Scotch whiskey especially for your birthday. I know how much you love Scotch."

Rohan looks at the bottle appreciatively and smiles, "You spoil me, Sir." He points to his watch, "Isn't it rather early to start?"

The Major looks at him slyly, "You can wait if you want, I don't look at the time for these things."

Rohan laughs out loud as Major Kumar smiles and pours out two large drinks.

They click their glasses together and take a sip, "I've told you a number of times not to call me Sir. I'm retired now and I feel like I'm back on the job when you call me that."

Rohan laughing "Sorry, but some habits just cannot be changed. How are you keeping busy after retirement, Sir?"

The Major gets serious suddenly, as his gaze flickers to the garlanded pictures on the wall – one of an elderly woman and one of a young man in the full dress uniform of the Indian Air Force. He sighs and takes a long sip, "What's left for me now? After Rahul passed away in the air crash and Anjali's heart attack all those years ago, I'm only left with yelling at the housekeeper and the gardener..." he laughs out loud.

Rohan smiles then turns serious, "Sir, you always have me – you know I'm just a call away. I have had no one left in this world since my parents passed away all those years ago. Rahul was like a brother to me from our boarding school days and you all became like my family."

Both of them stare at each other for a long moment.