AvNeil: Chase Against Time

Chapter Twenty Seven

After having tried for a couple of times, Ananya had finally managed to send DD away. Ever since she gained consciousness, he had been watching over her. 'Sir's order,' were his only words of explanation when she had her brows arched questioningly at him. Of course, that would explain why he had to keep whispering back into his phone in every ten minutes. 'Updating his precious Sir,' her eyes rolled at the thought. However, she had finally managed to convince him that there wasn't to worry about her and also, that she needed some rest. So he wouldn't be required.

A knock on her doorstep interrupted her thoughts. Unwillingly, she moved across the room and answered the door, least interested. She was greeted by the worried look on her best friend's face, while his unruly curls hid the creasing of his forehead. "I don't like this even the slightest bit," Ali muttered as he carefully embraced his arms around her in a side hug.

"Neither do I," she admitted while stepping aside for him. It was only then that she had noticed two people dressed identically, tailing him. Her eyes zeroed at them as the last one pushed the door close.

"Cleaners," Ali stated. "I thought, you could do with some help in getting the mess in your apartment cleared," Ali's words were rushed as he reasoned. The two uniformed cleaners didn't waste time and got onto their work. However, Ananya was still puzzled but she chose to lean against the headboard, comfortably seated on the bed.

She saw one of them fishing out a gadget and checking each and every corner, while the other straightened things around. All this while none of them spoke. When finally things were cleared and her apartment looked like it was earlier, they sighed. "All clear," spoke the one who held the detector, "no bugs, no other device planted," he added.

Understanding dawned upon her as she realised what it was. She narrowed her eyes at one of the uniformed cleaner, who was none other than her other best friend. Zeenat. Definitely, she had to be the one to plan such a visit in disguise. Aman would never endanger their plan for anything while Ali didn't have a reason to. Being relatively new to the team, Ali couldn't have planned any of it.

"We were restless and had to know that you were fine," Zeenat stuttered in a quick response. "But before that we just had to check that the place is clear," she added further while she glanced around the room once again.

"Di," Aman dropped his hat and wrapped Ananya in his protective arms. His concern clearly visible.

"I am fine, Aman," she mummbled into his arms.

"Yeah, with a bullet wound on you," there was an edge in Zeenat's words as she spoke. Of course, she was furious.

"Danger comes as an add on with our assignments, Zee," Ananya reminded calmly. "And this isn't the first time, I am wearing wounds on my body," her words got them silenced.

"Anyways, do you have the footage on you?" She directed her question at Aman to which he nodded. "The society, the passage and," her words stilled and her eyes settled onto the camera installed at the far most corner on the ceiling of her apartment. "And this one as well," she added further.

"Yup," Aman unzipped his bag, revealing his laptop as he plopped next to Ananya on her bed. He quickly started with his work, without any further prompting. Ali and Zeenat too sat on the bed, concentrating on the screen.

The screen dark yet clear for them to figure out the details of the attack. As soon as the attack played on the screen, Ananya was pushed to relive the moments of horror. However, somewhere she had her own doubts. Was it that easy to trap this serial killer? It was difficult to believe that they could get it arrested this easily. With suspicions clouding her mind, she watched the attack closely. She didn't want to miss out on any clue. And she wouldn't.