A Twist of Fate (Slow Updates)

16

Ananya looked at the hand that held her in an iron grip and let her angry reflect in her eyes as she gave Mandal a cool look. "Unhand me." She mentioned to him in a menacing tone.

"Then you stay where you are." Mandal replied back in an equally cold tone. Ananya pulled her hand back just as Mandal let her hand go and turned back to look at the road. "Besides, even if you run away now, you would be easily caught..." Mandal added, looking at her through the rear view mirror. "We are just 10 minutes away from the Police Station."

"Why are you taking me to the Police Station?" Ananya asked, trying to ensure that her voice didn't quiver. Though she felt a little scared and nervous, Ananya knew she had to apply her lawyer's mind here and ensure she managed a call to either her father or Mr. Bhushan. They could testify that she hadn't done anything illegal or prohibited under law. Soon enough, her mind hopped to Vikram- what was he doing there? Is he doing something illegal or prohibited under law? Where were the children? Were they safe? Importantly, where was he? Is he an offender? An accused? If yes, then what offense had he committed? Oh God! Is Vikram a proclaimed offender? Did he kidnap the children? Oh God?! Was she an accomplice?

She face turned pale and she felt sick as all sorts of scenarios crossed her mind like a wild stallion galloping through the countryside. She took a deep breath. She knew she needed to take stock of her situation and her mind. Ananya didn't have complete information and there was nothing she could do without complete information. Therefore, she needed to maintain her calm and extract information from this man because so far, he was the only source and unfortunately, he hadn't been forth coming with it.

Ananya made herself relax and sit back in the seat as she closed the car door. "How do I believe that you are actually a police man and are indeed taking me to the Police Station?" She asked him sardonically.

"Well, you just have to take my word for it." Mandal replied curtly. Soon, the lorry ahead moved forward and they made their way down the road. Ananya framed another question to him, "Am I under arrest?"

"Are you implicating yourself?" Mandal countered Ananya nonchalantly.

"No. I don't even know why I am being taken to the Police Station." She replied coolly. Ananya had calmed down now and soon most of the fog in her mind cleared. She was sure she'd find a way out of this mess.

"You will soon know." Mandal replied and moved the car towards a road with a billboard that stated 'Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, District Solan-173212' and the road led up a mountain. Ananya looked out the window as they ascended the road and soon arrived at the Police Station.

The Police Station was buzzing with activity- five Police vehicles were parked in the courtyard, men both in uniform and civil clothes were making their way in and out of the Station. There were a few tea and snack stalls along with small photocopy and printing shops. Mandal parked the car right in front of the main entrance and jumped out the door. A constable near the door and ran to greet him with a salute and quickly took the car keys from him. Mandal walked up to the entrance and beckoned Ananya to join him. Ananya sighed deeply- she was both weary, tired and irritable at this point, but she knew she had to cooperation, especially as she still didn't know why she was here.

Ananya stepped out the car and turned to follow Mandal into the Police Station. One of the first things that Ananya noticed about the Station was that it was an old building simply standing erect due to its sheer willpower. Though it looked like it had been painted lately but the windows and the door needed polishing. There were a few pipal tree samplings growing from the roof of the building and there was a huge banyan tree in the courtyard.

On entering the station, Ananya noticed that the Station had a stale odour of sweat and snacks and also that the building was considerably colder than outside. Ananya felt goosebumps break out on her skin. She rubbed her left arm nervously with her right hand. The place was crawling with policemen and a few random civil clothed men sat on a bench wearing expressions of weariness and under confidence.

"Is DCP Sir inside?" Mandal asked a constable sitting outside the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police.

"Yes Sir. Though he's inside in a meeting with a few people." The constable replied. Mandal simply nodded and went and sat at his desk. The nameplate on the desk read 'Mandal' and there were a lot of files on it. Mandal soon leaned back and opened the window behind him, ensuring that the stale odour didn't stay around his desk.

"Ram Prasad!!" Mandal yelled as he turned back to look at Ananya. "Ram Prasad!"

A lean old man around the age of 58ish with white hair and hardly any muscle on his body came running towards Mandal.

"Yes Sir." He saluted to Mandal.

"Why do I have to yell for you? Why are you never present here when I return to the office?" Mandal asked as he stacked the files on his table.

"I had gone to the toilet Sir." Ram Prasad replied sheepishly.

"You go to the toilet rather too often, Ram Prasad. I hope every thing is alright?" Mandal asked him with a raised eyebrow. Ram Prasad chuckled nervously.

"What to do, Sir? I have to go when it comes."

"Okay. Listen..." Mandal's tone turned professional. "... get a chair for madam to sit and get two cups of tea." Turning to Ananya he asked her "You will have a cup of tea?"

"Yes. Sure." Ananya replied, feeling like an outsider in this pantomime. Ram Prasad placed a rather dirty plastic chair near her feet and gave her a small smile.

"Good. So two cups and get some snacks." Mandal turned back to Ram Prasad.

"Yes Sir." Ram Prasad turned around just as Mandal called after him, "make sure you get our tea with washed hands." Mandal shot Ram Prasad a knowing look.

"Yes, Sir." Ram Prasad said and chuckled nervously again.

Ananya looked at Mandal in surprise and disgust. Mandal shrugged and turned back to his files on the table.

***

Now what happens next? and what happened to Vikram?