Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 29- Changing Relationships

CHAPTER 29

CHANGING RELATIONSHIPS

Monami smiled a little, bouncing on her feet in excitement. She lightly knocked on the door.

"Come in", Karan's voice called. She pushed open the door, entering the door. He glanced up. "Baitho." She sat down on the edge of the bed, closest to the desk. He handed her some papers. "Upar department ka naam likha hai- security, arms, tech etc. Sabko sort kar do."

Her excitement dimmed a little. Was he not serious about the extra strategy class? She began to sort the papers, her mouth pulling down in a frown. 'Woh bahut busy hain, Monu. Kal suna, na, kitna kaam tha. Tere liye itna time kyun nikaalenge woh?' She sighed a little.

"Chinta mat karo", Karan said. "Strategy ka extra kaam bhi dunga tumhe." She glanced up in surprise. She blinked. Could he read her thoughts? "Yeh saare kaam bhi khatam karne hai, na, mujhe? Jitni jaldi hoga, utna zyaada time tumhe de paunga. For... for strategy, of course."

She smiled a little, nodding. "Th-Thank you. F-For ex-extra class."

Karan nodded a little, scribbling the words he had written countless times on various documents quickly. "Classes bachi hai aaj ki tumhaari?"

"E-Ek. M-Military Geo-Geography", she said. He hummed. "Aa-Aapki?"

He shook his head. "Nahi." He sighed a little happily. None of the annoying cadets today. She chuckled a little. "Kya hua?"

"Aap b-bahut kh-khush l-lag r-rahe ho." She chuckled again. "Aapko k-kya cl-classes leni p-pasand nahi?"

"Depend karta hai, kaunse subgroup mein hai. Tumhaare subgroups mein sab efforts daalte hain, toh it's nice teaching you guys. Bravo mein usually mann karta hai ki unn sab ko jungle ke janwaaron ka khaana banaa doon."

She laughed slightly in surprise. Karan paused in surprise, glancing up at her. He had never seen her laughing. "H-Ho g-gaya", she said, handing him the organized papers.

"Thank you", he said. He scribbled the signature on the page he was writing on, before keeping it aside. "Chalo, ek baar strategy ka kaam de deta hoon tumhe." She nodded eagerly. He produced a file and gave it to her. "Yeh ek mission ki details hain."

Her jaw dropped open slightly. She pulled out the papers. They made a thick bunch. "Ek m-mission?"

"Sab kuchh hai is mein. Reports, backgrounds, relevant information, irrelevant information. Jab bhi koi agent kisi naye mission ko join karta hai, toh aise hi files milti hain use."

"M-Mujhe so-solve k-karna hai?"

He shook his head. "Nahi. Yeh sirf pre mission details hain." He paused slightly in thought. "Aisa socho ki tumhe kisi jagah par raid karni hai. Toh iss file mein yeh likha hai ki woh jagah kahan hai, kaisi hai, suspicious kyun hai, yeh sab kuchh. Attack plan wagere baad mein karenge. Sabse pehle, tum yeh poori file padhogi, important information ko sort karogi jo mission mein help kar sakti hai. Strategy banaane ka sabse zaroori step- aapko jo facts mile hain, us mein se dushman ke baare mein jitna pata chal sake, woh sab pata lagaana."

She nodded a little. "K-Kab t-tak?"

"Kal raat." Her eyes widened. She glanced down at the thick bundle of papers. "Kya hua?" He smirked a little. "Nahi karna?"

She glanced up at him. "K-Kal raat m-mess mein?" She asked.

He nodded. "Haan, mess mein." He grabbed some more papers. "Usse pehle, yeh saare papers date ke hisaab se arrange karo." She nodded, accepting them obediently.

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Sanju pushed the food around her plate, staring down at it.