The Path Less Travelled.

Cracking the code : Part two.

He came nearer, his eyes red and moist, and without thinking abt consequences, enveloped her in a tight hug.

They stood there, lost in each other, for a long time. Or perhaps it was just moments. It was difficult to judge, as for them, time stood still.

Finally, Raj let go of her, and turned around, wiping his eyes on his sleeve, embarrassed that he had lost control in this way.
How could he not though. What he had been going thru, since the last few weeks, was already driving him insane.
But what had happened 3 days ago, was the final straw.

( Note : More about what happened, in the next chp)

Naina : Sir ....sir plz..plz bataiyye...baat kya hai. Mai..mai aapki kya help kar sakti hoon...sir..main..ham sab..we can help. Please bataiyye na sir.

She couldn't take it, couldn't see Raj in such a state. He had always been calm, whatever the crisis. Always had a plan. However, this time, it seemed, he was falling apart. And she couldn't see him like that.

Raj : You...cant do anything..
I mean, you cant do anything more. You have already helped me a great deal, by..agreeing to...this..this..
He stopped, unable to articulate what it was. Could it be called a wedding? Or a marriage or contract? He left it there.

Raj : (Continuing)Aur...I think, tumhe ab jana chahiye. Tumhare parents intezaar kar rahe honge na.

Naina ( in her usual stubborn way) : Nahi sir, mai kahi nahi ja rahi. You have to tell me. Ye sab kya hai. Aap...aap kyu pareshan hai?

Raj( feigning calmness) : Naina...maine kaha na...i am just...stressed because of work..
As for this...marriage, you gave me your word. I...can't tell you why, right now. You will know, eventually, but...now's not the time.

Just then, there was a knock.
It was Dr. Shalini.

Wo..its late Naina. Hame chalna chahiye.

Naina looked at Raj, pleadingly.
Raj shook his head, indicating he cannot say more.
He walked to where she was standing.

Raj : Naina....I..thank you... for..this.
I..just want to say, thnks...and..take care...
Um..I..will..see you,....soon.

He extended his hand.
She took his hand. Both of them unwilling to be the first one to let go.

They just kept looking into each other's eyes, Naina was unable to answer, as her heart wrenched at the intuition, that something bad was to happen.

Two days after this, she heard Raj had been arrested, on charges of murder and treason.

.......

Present.

It was a good thing Alekh thought abt contacting Yudi, because as soon as he saw the code, he knew what it was.
It was related to the one thing Yudi knew the most about.

Computers.

Alekh : Tujhe kuch samjh rayela hai kya?
Yudi : Ofcrs Chief!
Alekh was surprised. He hadn't thought Yudi would understand it so quickly.

Alekh : Tereko sach me samajh aa gaya?
Yudi : Yes dude. This is something I will recognise, even if you wake me up in the middle of the night and ask me.
Its binary code.
Alekh : Bi...kya?
Yudi : Binary....computers ki bhasha.
Alekh : Computers ki bhasha?
Yudi : Yes dude....hmm...lemme explain.
Suppose you want to pick this scrap of paper in your hand. What happens?

Alekh picked up the scrap. Kya what happens? Aise utha leneka, aur kya.
Alekh said, in his typical no-nonsense way.

Yudi : (patiently)Haan dude. But tumhare brain ne tumhare haath ko command diya, which enabled it to move its fingers in such a way, so as to let you pick up the paper.

Alekh(feeling Yudi was getting off track ) : To iska isska code si kya lena dena?

Yudi : Ye code wo bhasha hai, jisme computer ka brain command deta hai.
Computer programs are sets of instructions. Each instruction is translated into machine code - simple binary codes that activate the CPU (the brain).
Programmers write computer code and this is converted by a translator into binary instructions that the processor can execute.
The processor is like your hand. It obeys the command.
Samjha?

Alekh looked a little confused by the technical jargon, but got the gist.
Ohk...samjha.
Par ab?
Isko solve kaise karneka?.

Yudi : Simple hai bro...thora calculation hai bas.
I will do it right now.

Yudi set about converting the binary into decimal.

Soon enough, he had an answer.

2300.

Alekh looked at the ans he had circled.
Ye to ek aur number hai.
2300....
Kya ho sakta hai.

Both started thinking.

Yudi : 2300...count ho sakta hai, kisi cheez ka...shayad date ho sakti hai?
23rd.. of what but...if we take the year to be 2000? Because of the 00.
Still dosent make sense.

Alekh : 2300 meter??
Kisi cheez ka measurement hua to?
Koi file....or box..

Yudi : 2300 meters above sea level! Could be some place where we need to be!!

Alekh : Ha...ye ho sakta hai.

Yudi : Wait...mai google karta hu.

He checked.
Dude...exact 2300 metres above sea level to koi jagah nahi hai...yaha nazdeek me.
I am sure ye nahi hoga.

Alekh : Kuch army se related hona chahiye.

Shit!!

2300 hrs!!
They both said together!!
Yes!! We did it!
Both hugged each other in delight.

The next moment, both their faces fell.
2300 hrs what??

Yudi : Chief wo chitthi me aur kya hai?

Alekh : Bas wo bacche ka naam...aur.... Sir ke ghar ma address.

Alekh stopped short. He had been confused by this before. Raj had told him the name of the orphanage, and told him that the name of the child he was supposed to meet was written on the scrap. Along with the address of his house.
It became clear to him, finally.
They were supposed to be at the address he had given, at 2300 hrs.

He checked his watch. It was 10:35.

He checked the address. It was of an area, about half an hr away.

Alekh looked at Yudi.
Apun samajh gaya. Chal. Time nahi hai. Raaste ne batata hu.
They ran out, got on the bike Yudi had got, with Alekh driving, and sped off into the night.