A Twist of Fate (Slow Updates)

18

Ananya pulled out the cushioned chair at the end of the conference hall. Most Police officials had already grabbed seats around the round table and there was a buzz of excitement in the air. Ananya wanted to be as inconspicuous as one can be because she was unable to calm her nerves and she had this strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't fathom how she had managed to tangle herself in the thick of this plot.

The anxiety she felt with the disappearance of Vikram was also mounting every second. Despite trying to ignore her feelings for him, her heart was worried about Vikram. Ananya was growing concerned about his welfare and had been almost tempted to ask about Vikram but she didn't know if asking about him would lead to further problems for her in the current situation so she kept her mouth sealed. The less said the better.

Lunch had been a boring affair. Thakur had been very charming and it was clear as daylight that he was trying to flirt with her but Ananya was just not in the mood. Had she met him during an evening out with friends in one of the breweries of Gurgaon or a pub in Delhi, she would have definitely flirted back but after the heartbreak she endured, she was not even interested in listening to him.  Unfortunately for Ananaya, despite her attempts to get some information on why she was here,  Thakur hadn't been too forthcoming with any helpful information. So, Ananya had calmly endured his flirting and given basic information about herself to keep the conversation rolling.

Just when she sat down in the chair with a now grumpy Bhushan in the next seat, the Police officials collectively stood up in attention. She too stood up dispassionately just as the DCP walked in with authority followed by a few more Police officers. Ananya gave a passing glance to the men that followed the DCP, she spotted Thakur, Mandal and noted that the three unfamiliar men walked in behind them. She gave a cursory glance to the first two police officers. Finally her eyes landed on the third Police officer and she couldn't control the involuntary gasp of shock that escaped her mouth. Bhushan and a few of the officials seated before her turned around sharply to look at her. Ananya realized that her shriek had been quite loud, thankfully, the men at the other end of the conference hall hadn't heard her exclaim.

She could feel her face go numb, her heart palpitating with acceleration, and strength leaving her legs as she stared at the third man. "Afternoon Gentlemen. Please sit." She heard the DCP's booming voice as he occupied the head chair of the round-table. The other men sat in the chairs adjacent to the DCP. Ananya plopped down to her chair as well but her mind was blank. Her arms broke into goosebumps and her hands turned ice cold. Ananya couldn't take her eyes off him.

Vikram sat before her very eyes.

Right next to the DCP, Vikram leaned forward to whisper a few words to Mandal as if it was an average day at work for him. A tsunami of emotions washed over her as she noted his crisp tan uniform, his immaculate hair, and the stars at his shoulders. The golden badge of 'IPS' shined under the afternoon light, suddenly making her feel like a complete idiot.

This was ALL a set up.

Here she was naïve and stupid, worried to death about him trying to comprehend the whole situation, unable to go home, worried about his and the children's welfare while he turned out to be a self-sufficient Police Officer, sitting there shining like a newly minted one rupee coin.

A whole lot of things suddenly started making sense to her mind- his position explained the pistol he carried around and his sudden disappearance in early mornings and the presence of men behind their kitchen door. What she still couldn't comprehend was the role of the children and why was she the 'chosen' one to assist him in this operation. She was not even in the Police for heaven's sake. What use was she in this whole scheme?

Then a new thought occurred to her and a wave of anger and betrayal washed over her and tears gathered in her eyes. This man was a liar and everything about him was a lie. He had not bothered to tell her anything about himself or the given situation and she was stupid enough to have given him her heart. Well, not only her heart but her body as well. Not only had she been intimate with him, she had actually enjoyed it. It had not been a fling or a one night stand for me. She wasn't this stupid. She had done it because she still had feelings for him. Feelings so deep that she might need therapy to come out of it all.

Fresh tears pricked her eyes as she stared at Vikram. The fact that he still had the ability to hurt her after all these years shocked her and she berated herself for sleeping with him. Colour creeped up her face and she felt her face and ears turn red as she saw his hands held together before him. Those hands had touched her intimately and with such tenderness that she flowed ahead with her feelings. Vikram had made love to her so effortlessly and with passion that she had been unable to resist and had participated with full vigor. Ananya felt such a ninny sitting here pining for him when he had not even acknowledged her with a glance.

The DCP was still talking, however, she hadn't heard one word. She was unable to take her eyes off Vikram who was looking very grim and kept his eyes strictly on the DCP. In that moment, in his stern and serious demeanor, he looked like a complete stranger to her. The last few days felt like they happened a lifetime ago and suddenly Ananya felt overcome with exhaustion.

"...Vikram." The DCP said his name in a bold authoritarian tone that brought Ananya out of her reverie. Vikram stood up and walked to the projector screen just as the room was plunged into darkness and everyone turned their attention to him expectantly.

"In our last briefing session... we knew that Suresh Rolta was the man behind the Faridkot drug mafia and responsible for infiltration of drugs in that area." Vikram said in a crisp voice. A voice accustomed to giving orders that are always carried out. A picture of Suresh Rolta flashed on the projector screen. "We also know that after the raid on Suresh Rolta, our senior officer Vrinder Gill was severely injured in the operation and we had serious cause to believe that his family was under threat from this man. So, the Police had decided to provide protection to his children by hiding them in a protection house in Shimla."

Vikram took a pause and looked directly at Ananya- making eye contact with such a grave expression on his face that made Ananya flinch in terror. "Also, we have reason to believe that Ms. Ananya was being stalked by his son Sahil Rolta." Vikram pressed the next image, which showed a picture of an unknown man next to Ananya's car. Ananya gave an involuntary gasp.

"This man is Raju. He is one of the confirmed men of Sahil Rolta. Raju has been spotted around Ms. Ananya's whereabouts for quite some time now. We have reason to believe that he had been stalking Ms. Ananya." Vikram clicked a button and another picture appeared before the. This time Ananya was shocked. Her hand trembled a little in her lap. It wasn't that she was scared, hell, she had gotten her share of threats in her professional life but this one was clearly meant to be carried out. She stared at the photo displayed on the projector. What was uncanny about the picture was that that man Raju was actually standing under the balcony of her house in Delhi and though Raju was on the phone, Ananya could be seen watering the plants in the background. Clearly, she was under threat from Sahil Rolta.

While she was staring at the picture with her mouth open, Vikram had been gazing at her intently.

"Ms Ananya was a clear target of vengeance." Vikram said and looked at her with clear eyes and no expression. "And this is where Ms. Ananya can be of great assistance to us." Vikram said in a hard tone. "Because now we are going to allure Sahil Rolta with Ananya here." Vikram pointed towards her and all the Police men turned their eyes towards her. "I hope you will cooperate with me, Ms. Ananya." Vikram said sardonically, almost challenging her to say 'no.'