Shades of our Love

Broken Mirrors

Annika...a few months ago

Annika visited Shravaan again. She was convinced at this point, that Shravaan was probably used by the general to kill her father. But he looked so different in the CCTV footage she found it hard to believe that it was him. He was Shivaay's twin brother after all. But contrary to how he is today, at that moment, when he kicked the chair her father's life was balancing on, he looked confident. He looked ambitious. The prominent scar on his face also confused her. Perhaps the general marked him after all this? Whenever Shravaan interacted with her she couldn't help but think...It can't be him...It just can't be. He seemed to be still stuck in the past where Shivaay and he was separated. His mind was pure like a child.  "Anni...Anni...you came! Look...look what I found today! I went on a treasure hunt!" He pulled out an old trunk box. He opened it and invited Annika to dive in. "Where did you find this?" Annika asked surprised, as he was manacled for most of the day. She had finally convinced the general to let him out to get some fresh air, she hoped that he won't mess that up.

"I...I found it...in tunnel number 2!"  His eyes gleamed like a child with a trophy.

"Tunnel 2? But Shravaan...you have to be careful! General won't let it go easy, if you try to get out from here! I promise...I am in the process of taking you out...you will be home soon! Just be patient!" She held him by his shoulders reminding him of the risks.

" Okay..Anni...I won't again...but tunnel 2...it took me to an old office. There were so many treasures to hunt there!" He exclaimed.  Annika looked into the contents of the box. There was a rubber stamp with Oberoi group of Industries logo. There was some old papers, and some cassette tapes in it. One of the tapes had familiar hand writing on it. Annika took it to her hand, and observed it carefully. It was her father's handwriting. It was dated, and recorded a day before he was murdered.

"Err...Shravaan...you said...you said..tunnel 2 lead you to some office right? What else was there?" Shravaan scratched his head, and became busy with counting the shapes of the box.

"Shravaan...was it? Was it Kalyani Mills by any chance?" She asked, and he nodded, still obsessed by the box. Annika clutched the tape in her hand and she ran back up to where the 3 tunnels linked in this underground maze. She took a deep breath, took her phone flash light out, and started walking down tunnel No 2. At the end of the tunnel she found a small door way. Though her heart was thumping fast, and claustrophobia was kicking in, she crawled through it. Shravaan was right. She found herself in an old office that belonged to Kalyani Mills. This was it...This was the place her father was killed. Tears started pouring down, as she saw his desk that was covered in dust and cobwebs. She saw the chair that was toppled. She saw the old noose still hanging down from the ceiling. "ARRRRRGH PAPAAAA!" She screamed, as the video replayed in her head.

She gathered herself and saw an old tape recorder lying on the table. For her relief it came alive when she plugged it in. She played the cassette tape. It was a recording made by his dad. A voice diary.  "Today....the young Saab, came in...Shakti ji's son...he came in with Tej Saab. His name is Shivaay Singh Oberoi...but for some reason..he shook my hand and introduced himself as S.S.O.! I found it strange...When I looked at him is green eyes stared at me as if I am in some kind of trouble! I have seen him in pictures, and I am pretty sure he had blue eyes. Anyway...I know what I am going to do is not easy. Looks like Tej Saab, has trained Young Saab, well. He seem to be on top of everything already. They said they are coming back tomorrow and to keep all the ledgers ready. Maybe I can explain this all to young Saab. He's his fathers son after all. Shakti ji wouldn't have allowed any of this to go on! KRRRRRRRRRR" The tape got distorted. This means...S.S.O lied to her. He met his father the day before he was killed. He also had visited her dad on the day he died. No..Annika it can't be! He..he won't lie to you...She kept telling herself. All this time her heart was ruling over her head. Was she overlooking all the clues, because of her damn feelings? Her feelings? Was she in love with her fathers killer? Was she trying to protect her fathers killer because of these damn emotion called love?