Pursuit (Completed)

Nine - Part A

Ayaan fell on to the chaise in Ankush's cabin. Starting with the alarming call the previous evening, the time went too slow as he reached the factory. He had asked for the whole plant to be evacuated and all electricity and gas connections to be ceased.

The issue started at a heating chamber when a foreign element mixed with the required substances for a type of medical equipment. A chamber door leading to the control centre next to it was left open. The foreign element, when heated at a high temperature, released carbon monoxide which leaked into the control chamber. There were six people in the room when the operator felt the symptoms of others not feeling well and sounded the alarm before passing out. The staff could bring them out, but before they could approach the heating issue, the furnace went off in a blast, crumbling the thick fibreglass protective barriers.

The six people were sent for immediate medical attention. Four hours later, in the early morning, doctors declared they were not in a critical state. The blast did lead to burn injuries to the rescuers, but fortunately, there were no deaths.

Ankush sent a cursive glance at him only to return his attention to the plant manager briefing regarding the accident. Ayaan had to call him as it was too massive an incident for the chairman not to be present. At any time then, they were expecting the police to arrive for investigation.

Ayaan checked his phone. There were messages from his Mom and Dhruv asking if everything is fine. He couldn't answer what he didn't know. So he ignored the messages.

---

This was the first accident in the decade that particular plant had been in operation. From the manager's briefing, they had to examine what was the foreign substance and how did it enter. However, the blast had destroyed hopes. The devastation mixed the surrounding elements into the ashes. So it would be a gruelling task to check for the elemental evidence.

A police inspector knocked on the cabin door. Ankush was expecting them. Ayaan raised from his place and came to stand next to him. "Mr Agnihotri, this is considered the improper handling of hazardous substances. If the victims place charges, it would be under carbon monoxide poisoning and occupational health hazard. Although they have not pressed charges yet, we will have to arrest you for endangering the lives of your employees."

Ankush sighed as he heard the inspector count his charges. For a moment, he thought of involving Ayaan as he was the Operation Director. However, they needed Ayaan to be free of any charges to complete their property transfer. Not a needle must harm him. Otherwise, he and Chhaya would have to bid farewell to what they had planned for over two decades.

"I understand, and I will cooperate. Ayaan, call up Siddhant and ask him to come to the station." Ayaan nodded to his instruction.

---

Ayaan Agnihotri did not know where he was headed. The direction Aakriti provided could not be replaced. He called their family lawyer, Siddhant Arora. After a lengthy explanation, the lawyer agreed to meet Ankush in the police station and arrange for the bail.

Turning his attention to the business matters, he called for the Accounts manager who was reporting to Aakriti. "Can I have the status on the payments? I don't want to deal with another suit."

"Ayaan, Aakriti usually locks in the payments 25th of the month. However, last month..."

'She passed away on 22nd', Ayaan completed the sentence by himself. "What do you suggest we do now?"

"We can pay off some key suppliers to keep the ball rolling. Without their material, our production will come to a halt by the end of next week." Ayaan agreed to the suggestion.

"There are some miscellaneous costs that ma'am used to keep aside under maintenance category. Those numbers are never fixed nor in the same range. What amount should we set aside this month?"

Ayaan thought what exactly could be the miscellaneous cost. He asked for the compilation of past six months to get an idea.

Another challenge in his way was his authority to dapple into the money matters. While he could only advise, his Aunt turned them into her decisions with rarely a modification. Now wearing her shoes, he still didn't have the official "Go" from Ankush, when it came to releasing payments.

For someone else, it would be an obstacle. For Ayaan Agnihotri, it would be an opportunity he would surely exploit.

Meanwhile, Ayaan called Deepshika. The phone rang four times before going into voicemail. He tried again, but couldn't reach her. Worried, he called her apartment landline. No one answered the call there. His anxiety shot up as he rushed to her apartment. The door was locked. He entered the code Deepshika gave him earlier when he was a frequent visitor, especially after Aakriti's death.

The apartment was empty, as there were no items Deepshika had placed on certain shelves. The bedroom was in order, but the wardrobe was open ajar, with no clothes that were once there.

He checked for the backpack she had shown him as Aakriti's belongings. The backpack was nowhere to be seen.

---

"I'm going back", Deepshika said in a normal tone. Well, as normal as possible in her situation. Her throat was dry. Her adrenaline rushed at the speed of an aeroplane in the air. She was still in her sweatpants and tee shirt, with a cardigan thrown on to make her outfit presentable.

After sending the two emails, she called her mother. After that call, she switched off both her brain and heart. She retrieved the backpack with its contents from Aakriti's room. At a courier office, she placed the backpack in a carton box, sealed it and wrote an Australian address with P.O. Box number. From there, she directly left for the airport, getting on the first flight towards Sydney.

"Why would you do that?" Ayaan asked. Even over the phone, the icy tone chilled her ears. He was going to think she too left him midway, just like his biological mother, just like her father. And, he would be right in thinking so.

"I don't have a reason to be here. You already fired me."

"I didn't fire you." Four words left hanging in the air as if any more explanation was not deserving or was excessive.

"Ma'am, we are taking off. Could you please switch off your mobile phone?" The air hostess asked.

"Ayaan, I've got to go." In more than one way. "Good luck with your mission."

She hung up without listening to the reply.

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What do you make of Deepshika's action?

What would Ayaan do now?

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