Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 38- The First Domino

CHAPTER 38

THE FIRST DOMINO

"Karan Sir ji kitni buri tarah waat lagayenge?" Bala whispered, leaning over to Chitra. Monami's gaze dropped. She fidgeted with her hands nervously.

"Kya lagta hai? Yeh khaali corridor mein kyun bulaaya hai?" Suman ji asked nervously.

They all straightened up into a neater line, seeing Karan turn around the corner. Ustaad ji trailed after him, holding a box of something in their hands. Karan crossed his arms, pausing right in front of them.

"Iss box mein toothbrushes hain aur cleaning supplies hain", he started. "Shuru ho jaaiye. Yeh corridor saaf karna hai aapko. 7 din ki punishment, 7 corridors. Shayad phir itne busy hoge ki yeh sab stupid kaamon mein koi dilchaspi nahi rahegi."

"Toothbrush se?" Koel asked, her jaw dropping open slightly. He nodded. She closed her mouth, nodding slightly.

"Wait kya kar rahe ho? Chalo", he said.

Monami was the first to move, grabbing one and moving to one end of the corridor. The others followed, grabbing the supplies.

"Kitna boring hai", Sid said after half an hour of scrubbing silently. "Main thak gaya hoon."

Chitra sighed. "I am #bored too. Yeh kab #khatam hoga?"

Monami felt tears well up in her eyes. She pushed them back, scrubbing more diligently. "I am s-sorry", she choked out. "M-Meri w-wajah se s-sabko p-punishment mil g-gayi. I am-"

"Teri wajah se kuchh nahi", Suman ji interrupted. "Hum sabne uski coffee mein mirchi daalne ka plan banaaya tha. Sabne rules todhe."

"Sahi kaha", Prem ji said. "Tumne hume aane par majboor thodi na kara tha."

"Itna load mat liya karo, Doctor Madam", Bala said. "Dimaag jwaalamukhi ki tarah phat jaayega."

"Chill, Monami", Koel said.

"Yeah", Monami murmured quietly.

'Chill', she told herself. 'Chill kar. Mausum bhi chill, tu bhi chill. Sab chill.'

"Waise... next week Diwali Break hai", Koel said happily. "Main finally apne Mendhak se milungi."

"Monami", Prem ji said. "Uss din tum hume woh mithai ke baare mein bata rahi thi, na? Jo tumhe bahut pasand hai. Humaare lekar aana."

Her fingers paused. "P-Prem ji, m-main gh-ghar n-nahi jaa r-rahi. S-Sid le aa-aayega."

"#Why?" Chitra asked.

"Woh... Woh P-Papa gh-ghar par n-nahi honge. Toh j-jaane ka k-kya f-faida?" She lied. She offered them a smile. "Y-Yahin p-par b-better hai." She glanced at Sid. He was staring at her with narrowed eyes. She glanced back down at the floor quickly.

"Koi baat nahi, Doctor Madam", Bala said. "Maine suna hai academy mein bhi Diwali par achha khaana banta hai." She smiled at him, nodding. The others fell into an excited discussion, talking about their plans for the holiday week.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"We can't afford to alert the spy", Karan said. "Humaare paas zyaada clues nahi hain and agar woh dormant ho gaya, we hit a dead end. Yeh spy ek time bomb hai and we need to diffuse it."

Colonel Batra hummed, looking at the information that was spread on his table. "Yeh Virat, do you really think he's in the academy?"

"I don't think so", Karan said. "Main aaj subah hi spies ke baare mein padh raha tha. Since spies ka padke jaane ka risk kaafi hoti hai, woh kisi ko bhi contact nahi kar sakte. Sab kuchh usually ek handler ke through hota hai." He tapped the picture. "I think Virat is the handler. Woh bahar se sab kuchh dekh raha hai."