Chapter 21

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The next day, Rohan and team are dressed in business suits as they walk into the office building, just before 4pm. As they walk into the plush office, Rohan hands a newly printed card to the secretary. She checks their names with the schedule on her computer and asks them to follow her into a cabin. Mr. Abdul Karim is sitting behind a huge desk in a plush cabin with a nice view. He is dressed in a suit and is wearing a lot of gold. He gets up to greet them.

Rohan puts on his best corporate demeanour, "Good evening, Mr. Karim. I'm Rohan and this is my team from Surveillance Systems Inc."

Mr. Karim shakes hands with all of them, "Good evening, please take a seat."

As they settle in, Rohan begins, " We are a startup and we develop some of the best surveillance systems in the country."

Karim looks at him puzzled, "Well, I have never heard of your company before, how did you take an appoint with us?"

Rohan smiles, "Just visit our website or our social media handles, Sir. We have been in the business for over two years now. Our sales representative got in touch with your secretary and got the appointment a couple of weeks back."

Karim shrugs, "She seems to have no recollection of it at all. I have glanced through your site though. Let me warn you upfront, I work only with the best, and I don't like my time being wasted."

Rohan nods confidently, "Of course, Sir, we expect nothing less from a man of your stature. My colleague, Sunny will take over now."

Sunny buttons up his suit and sets up his laptop. He begins his presentation while walking around, drawing stuff on the white board in the office, and flipping through the presentation slides. Karim starts looking more and more impressed and begins nodding a lot.

"So that is how we plan to make sure your buildings are the safest ones around," Sunny says in conclusion.

Karim smiles and looks at him, "That was very impressive. Are you sure you can deliver all that?"

Sunny looks at him confidently, "Well Sir, you can be rest assured, we can deliver all that and more."

Rohan finds the opportune moment to jump in, "In fact, we just finished a project in Jaisalmer a couple of days back, at one of the best hotels there. Have you ever been to Jaisalmer, Mr. Karim?"

Karim's face suddenly looses its colour. He takes a sip of water, "Yes, in fact I was there just last week. Lovely place."

Jack adds, "Oh yes, after the launch, we went on one of those dune bashing expeditions. What fun that was!"

Tanya takes up the cue immediately, "Yes, I've never had so much fun. You should have tried that, Mr. Karim!"

Karim looks at her with a serious expression, "Actually I did. I had done it in Dubai and wanted to experience the same in India too. But it was not a very pleasant experience for me."

Tanya looks at him in surprise, "You didn't like it?"

"Let's just say, I witnessed an unpleasant incident."

Rohan begins to tighten the screws, "Hey, I heard some of the drivers talking about someone being killed on the dunes and a tourist vehicle finding him. Hope that wasn't it, Sir?"

Karim looks at him hesitatingly, "Yes, actually it was. It was the most awful sight I have ever seen."

Rohan looks at him sympathetically, "Please accept our apologies for bringing up this topic. It must be painful for you to live through it again."

Karim starts to relax as he takes another sip of water, "Actually, you are the first people I've mentioned this too. It's like a weight off my chest."

"Glad to be of assistance, Sir. If you don't mind my asking, what actually happened out there; was he dead and you'll just chanced on him?"

Karim relaxes a bit and runs his hands through his thick hair, "No, we actually saw him rolling down the dune. By the time the driver and I reached him he was already dead. The other guys reached him first. One chap, who I think was a doctor, said he was dead."

Rohan feigning surprise, "How did everyone take it?"

"Everyone was scared to death. There was another Indian gentleman in the back seat - he was half British, the doctor. I think he said he was from London. The other chap was very quiet, the very academic type. Hardly said a word, just mentioned he was there to study Archeology – he was Egyptian, I think. And then there was Juan Carlos, the Spanish singer too."

"A Spanish singer?"

Karim laughs out loud, "Yes, I also found that strange. He said he had come down for a long gig in Goa. So before he went there, he wanted to take in some sights of the country for inspiration and culture."

He suddenly looks at his watch, "I'm sorry, we really digressed from your presentation. I have another meeting lined up in a few minutes."

He looks at Sunny, "I hope you can give me a good costing for that surveillance plan. Then we can look at doing some business together."

Sunny smiles reassuringly, "We will give you the best deal, Sir. We will get back to you in a couple of days."

Rohan and team come out of the posh office building and head toward their car. They don't register a man standing across the street and sipping a cup of tea at a roadside tea stall surreptitiously watching them – the same man who slipped the pill into Bakshi's drink!

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