Judaiyaan [ON HOLD]

Exposed

“I'm waiting for the crate of beer you promised me.” Darshan said. Samar and he sat down in front of a fire they built to warm themselves. They built it from coconut husks and timbers. Thanks to Darshan's smoking habit, he kept a lighter in his pocket which later they used to light wood. They let the women sleep in the tent.

Samar nodded. “I remember. You will get that as soon as we are in better circumstances.”

There were not many stars in the night's sky. But Samar still lost at it. His eyes stared blankly with hands hugged his feet. The night breeze made all parts of his body shiver but he had nothing to keep him warm other than the fire. His mind was empty with no thoughts. It was the first time since the accident he thought about nothing. He only saw the faces of his dearest people up there. Samaira, his father, his late mother, Sania, decorated the sky wonderfully.

“So? What exactly brought you to the ship?” Darshan put his hands closer to the fire. He did not know what hour it was. But with the cold breeze hitting his skin, he was pretty sure that it was near to midnight. He turned his head to the back watching Mahika and Ruhani sleeping peacefully in the tent. Samar and he agreed to give their jackets to the women. They needed it more than him.

Samar chuckled and turned to look at him. “What exactly brought me to the ship? Ruhani, of course!”

Darshan pierced his eyes, looking at Samar who was laughing with all his heart. He could not keep his hand still to not slap Samar in the shoulder. It landed right near his arm wound which made him grimace.

“Behenchod! I am the one who is supposed to be playful! Keep your cool image and stop stealing my character.” He said. Samar could only rub his arm which felt a bit sore because of the slap. But he did not take it seriously. He even kept his laugh in his face when Darshan rolled his eyes.

“Forget it. I don't need your explanation. After all, ain't no spy will expose his own cover, right?”

“But you just exposed my cover.” Samar stopped his laugh. He pulled out the necklace he wore from his shirt. Darshan rounded his eyes and stared at the pendant curiously. It was not a diamond. Not even a heart-shaped pendant. It was an iron capsule with a silver chain. He noticed the necklace from the first day they came on board. But he really thought that it might only be Samar's new taste in fashion. Turned out he was wrong.

“Yes, I am spying on the Adani family. For the army.” Samar took off the necklace and let Darshan examine it while he continued the story. He saw no hope of ever returning home so he decided to share the burden with his buddy. He had been keeping this secret alone for two years and it was the first time he has told anyone outside the army.

“The family engaged in a big conspiracy. Illegal arms selling and terrorist funding. The capsule you are holding contains a microfilm. The evidence.”

“Shocking.” Darshan lifted his eyebrows while still examining the capsule. “Then? What did they get to do with the Army?”

“They are not real players. The Adani is only a puppet for a group of high ranking officers in the army. These officers are apparently very keen to provoke a war between India and Pakistan.”

Darshan stared at Samar with big eyes for a long time. Long enough. His ears listened to Samar and his mouth opened into a big 'O'. The revelation took him by surprise. His heart beat faster as Samar told him more about the Adanis' secret business. He was worried about his position. Nikhil Adani, Kunal's elder brother, was his close business colleague. Nikhil was the CEO of Adani Entertainment and Darshan invested a sum of money in it. Now he was wondering if Samar ever knew about his connection to the Adani family.