The Abysmal Chasm

Chapter 22

Over whose death Virat had cried,  that Sada looked very different from the Sada in lockup. This Sada looked weak and lost, but the faint smile he wore on seeing Virat was still the one Virat had seen when they used to be best friends.

Sada started with. "I am sorry, Virat. But, you know, right, it wasn't personal. You were coming between me and my objective, and I was overpowered by you, so I had to do what I did."

Virat was disgusted not at Sada but at himself. "So when you were asking for that promise for protecting your child—you knew you were going to escape?"

Sada did not answer. To avoid looking into his friend's eyes, he started fiddling with his fingers.

Virat banged his fist on the table. "Why did you ask me for that promise?"

Sada took in a deep breath. "I needed you to believe me. When I asked you for that promise, I knew you'd get right to it. Virat Chavan jyachi pakki zaban...I needed you to get away from there so I could execute my escape plan."

"And me, an idiot, I gave up my everything to protect your wife and your son, Sahas."

"My son? He is already here? Virat am I a father?"

"Stop acting, Sada! Don't tell me you don't know already?"

"No Virat—after escaping from the morgue, I went back to my group's designated meeting place, but no one was there. I somehow managed to get the bullet out. I waited for a few days. It appeared the entire team in the Nagpur camp disbanded. I recuperated enough to get back to Gadchiroli. That's where I learned that you had taken Shruti away from the camp. I did not tell them that you were doing that at my request."

"Enough of your stories Sada! Where is Shruti?"

"What do you mean? Shouldn't you know where she is?"

"No I don't know and now she has got my wife abducted."

"You mean Sai, right."

"Yes, Sai Kamal Joshi. But..."

"Sai, didn't you tell me she's a medical student? Someone named Sai saved my life —is it a coincidence?"

"No, coincidence! That's my wife. And your wife has her! So stop wasting my time."

"Virat, I know it's hard to believe me, but I don't know where Shruti is. The last time I saw her was before we set off for our mission to kill the home minister. Both of us went over our two plans."

"Two plans?" Virat had heard about the third plan which Shruti executed so meticulously. Now Virat needed to probe if Sada was in the know or not.

"Yes. You know me, I always have an option B. If our original did not work, we had a backup one. In fact, as you know, our first plan failed—a bomb blast did not stop you and your team. So we had to resort to our option B, which, thanks to you, failed as well. So how could I give in?"

"So your escape, was that part of a plan C?"

"No, Virat, I improvised. I had to get away as my mission remained incomplete and I needed to get back to my wife and child. After getting away from your lot, trust me I have just been trying to stay alive. Your bullet nearly succeeded. Your wife saved me."

"And my wife, who saved your life, is missing. Shruti has her...please Sada if not for me please save your savior."

"This doesn't make sense. Why would Shruti want to kidnap Sai?"

Virat was more or less convinced that Sada was telling the truth. He did not have the heart to tell Sada that his wife had moved on and planned a life with Virat. Virat did not want to tell his friend how he lost all of his, but he needed to. To bring Sai back, Sada was required to know everything.