Madam Sirr 2

Chapter 35

35. A New Mission

The conference room baked in a silence that prolonged, the members sitting rigid and tensed around the round table. The waves of cold air piping through the AC did nothing to calm the 4 officers whose eyes were glued to the white screen in front, their faces grim and silent, listening to the Commissioner's case details.

Haseena sat at the back, her mind squirming with an uncomfortable weight, sandwiched between her personal life and her duty. Her eyes fell upon Amar and Anubhav, her heart staging a cold war on both fronts. She sighed, her breath mixing silently into the air as she wrestled with the direness of the mission and her inability to make a decision.

"Ms. Malik!" The Commissioner's sharp voice sliced through the silenced tension in the room. She raised her eyes and nodded at him before stepping forward to the front.

"Ms. Malik will oversee the necessary details."

The commissioner left as the officers pushed back their chairs and saluted him in a haste of urgency.

Time fled as the team busied themselves amongst the paperwork, analyzing leads and examining case reports whilst building their rapport and dynamic as a team. Haseena broke the meeting for lunch, her gaze fixing upon each member as they left.

"KS, a word?"

KS paused mid-step, turning toward her superior. The two women stood a few feet apart, a mutual understanding passing between them as the room emptied. Haseena's expression softened as she gestured for KS to sit beside her.

"KS did you talk with Veyom?" Haseena asked, her voice grated to a whisper.

KS clenched her fists, tendrils of her difficult conversation with Veyom attacking her mind. "Haan Madam Sir....it was difficult but he accepted it...." She said, her voice heavy with emotions.

Haseena's gaze mellowed, her hands resting upon KS. "And you, KS?"

"Madam Sir....I know it will be an adjustment but....I'm ready to do my duty..." her voice wavered, her heart reminding her of Roshni's warmth and Veyom's love.

KS gave a thin smile, her weariness evident but her resolve unbroken. The two women stood and walked toward the door, a quiet solidarity between them.

As the day wore on, Haseena dismissed the team and lingered in the room, sorting through the files. She was overwhelmed, the stakes of the mission weighing heavily on her while she grappled with her unresolved personal conflicts. She focused her attention to the files, the words swimming in her head. She didn't notice Anubhav lingering around the room, her attention already occupied.

"Haseena Ji" he called out, his husky voice dropping to a whisper.

Haseena looked up, startled, pushing aside her files. Anubhav settled next to her, his movements clumsy.

"What is it Anubhav?" she asked, her professional and stern voice cutting through him.

"Haseena Ji, I want to meet Ammi. I would like to apologize to her. I need to atone for my actions."

His head dropped down, Haseena staring at him with confusion and anger. A fire blazed in her eyes, memories of the darkened days resurfacing in her mind.

Days of the mission crawled back to her mind, her eyes resting on how Anubhav tortured her mother. Haseena knew that Anubhav had done his duty yet how could she ignore what he had done? Her mother had been traumatized, her health taking a toll for the worst. She closed her eyes, ignoring the invading rush of memories of those frightening days.