𝐘𝐫𝐤𝐤𝐡 𝐗 𝐀𝐫𝐣𝐮𝐧 ❝𝐀 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲❞

𝐈𝐈.

𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞!!

𝗠𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗶

ETF team had yet again proved its worth. They had yet again nabbed a dangerous criminal who had been out to kill infants mercilessly. But the issue was that though they didn't get bodies, babies were still getting lost. At first, the team was afraid that they had somehow missed the actual killer. But then one word from the crime journalist's rambling about her new report and the second-in-command got the hang of the case. The case of black-market adoption. Though they had the killer, the case wasn't over yet.

Sakshi: Hamaare paas zyada time nahi hai. Already 8 bachhe gayab hai. And their parents are getting hysteric.

Rathod: Right. Wakt kam hai humaare paas. But jo karna hai hume hi karna hai. Shree, hospital ki CCTV footage nikalo. Sakshi, tume media ko sambhalo. Dhyaan rakhna, koi bhi investigative detail case khatam hone tak media me nahi aani chahiye. Is that clear?

Sakshi: Okay Sameer.

Rathod: Aayesha aur Chotu, tum dono apne aadmiyo ko lagao. Pata karo kaha kaha aise illegal dhande chal rahe hai. But remember, sirf nazar rakhne ko kehna. No actions are to be taken without orders. Chote bachhe hai, khud baith bhi nahi sakte. We can't take a risk.

Aayesha and Chotu: Yes sir.

Rathod: Riya, tum records check karo. See if you get any connecting points.

Riya: ...

Riya didn't hear him. It was as if she was in deep thoughts.

Rathod: Riya?

Riya: Uh? Ye-yes sir?

Rathod: Are you okay? Dhyan kaha hai tumhara?

Riya: Um- Sorry sir. I am fine.

Rathod: Alright. I asked you to check the records and analyze if we have similar points anywhere or maybe connected cases.

Riya: Yes sir.

Rathod: Team, mai aur Rawte commissioner sir se milne ja rahe hai. Meeting hai, it will take approx. 3 hours. Collect the information and continue your work.

Everyone (except arjun): Yes sir.

Rathod saw Arjun as he moved out of the conference hall without a word. Typical Rawte.

While the bosses had left the office, the ETF team had a ton of jobs to do. Not only did they have to work on this case, but they also had to complete previous case files. Whereas, Liza had to submit her forensic analysis for the same. Aayesha and Chotu gave instructions to their men and came back to the office to complete the previous paperwork. Not that they liked it, but right now it was the only option. The rest of the team was busy collecting information and so they had no option other than completing their files and getting them signed by Riya. Yes, Riya. The third-in-command of ETF. Senior Inspector Riya Mukherjee. She had been promoted after her stunt during the X-Zora virus case. It took her almost two years to be back to ETF. But now, she was no more afraid of shooting. Though she still preferred hands to guns, she didn't hesitate to shoot when necessary. She had seen too much in those two years. Not that her life before had been easy, still those two years of her life made her what she was today. She still loved pink. But now, she hated blue. She still wore her pink flowery clip, but it no longer accompanied her office look. She still carried pink pens, but now she didn't mind them getting damaged or dirty while on any case. She still had her obsession with cleanliness. She still asked questions. She still drank coffee. She still went around throwing her data percentages. Yet she wasn't the same.

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

𝗨𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗿

𝗚𝗼𝗲𝗻𝗸𝗮 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮

It had been a month since Akshara was back. A month she came to know that it wasn't Aarohi who called her back. A month filled with Aarohi's hatred for her. Did she hate her so much?

Aarohi didn't know what to feel when she her sister in front of her after so long. She was happy. She wanted to be happy. But again, she saw her mother. Her dying mom. Her nani's words. Her Bade papa's words. And she stopped again. No. She hated Akshara Goenka. She hated her.

𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲

Birlas were no ordinary family. They were doctors and they took pride in their profession. Even the P.H.D. doctor Harshvardhan Birla had that. But his wife Manjari Birla was different. She was neither a medical doctor nor a P.H.D. doctor. She was a classical singer. A person who understood music. But was never taken into consideration. And now her talent stayed inside the four walls of her room.

Though the Birla family was full of doctors, it didn't mean that everyone was a doctor. There were exceptions like their eldest daughter-in-law, who is a journalist. Neil Birla had his own IT company and Anisha Birla, who had fought with the family and now was training as a criminal psychologist. Nishtha Birla on the other hand was still studying in school.

Mahima (on-call): Yes, right. Don't worry. Vo kuch post-operation symptoms hai. There's nothing to worry about it.

She put back her phone only to find her younger sister in front of her with a glass of juice. She smiled taking the juice, as she shook her head.

Mahima: Manjari, ghar me naukaro ki kami hai kya? Tum kyu karti ho ye sab?

Manjari just smiled at her elder sister as she went back to her work. Her son would be up soon. And he needs to have his coffee made by her.

Mahima Birla loved her sister to bits. She could never stand Harsh badmouthing her sister and always kept giving him double of whatever he does to her sister. She knew her sister was naïve but she wasn't weak. Yet Mahima loved her only till the time it didn't cost her reputation and power. Mahima in a way was more like Aarohi. Yet different from her.

Parth Birla didn't like to be in the hospital. Yet he never for once-neglected his duties. He always went to give consultations, and treat his patients, but never stayed there like his brother and parents. While his wife on the other hand was a true workaholic.

Neil Birla was always the jugadu son of the family. Specially jugadu bhai for his bro. His set up was also the result of one of his jugads. But now when he had started, he made sure to give his best in it. And he was doing it. Slowly, but he was getting there.

Neil: BRO??? BRO???

Abhimanyu: Kya hogaya neil. Kyu gala phaad raha hai mere bhai.

Neil: Bro, mai to sirf gala phaad raha hu. Aap to puri body hi phaad daaloge uski.

Abhimanyu: Mai body nahi phadta neil. Operation karta hu. Surgery is the word. Aur tu kiski baat kar raha hai?

Neil: Wahi aapki regular customer. Madam ko headache hai. Bulawa aaya hai aapke naam ka.

Abhimanyu Birla was the best surgeon in the whole of Rajasthan. He was his Tau ji's prodigy. And he did everything to live up to those expectations. But in situations like these, he did had second thoughts about being a surgeon. He would have rather been a P.H.D. doctor maybe?

Abhimanyu: Tension mat le. Aaj uski neuro-surgery hi schedule karwa deta hu. ek hi baar me maamla khatam.

If only he could kill the minister's daughter. That dubi hui Ruby. But damn! his Hippocratic oath wouldn't allow him to.

Hello people. So, the next chapter is here.

Do tell me what you think of this.

Till the next time, take care and be safe.