Suraj wore his shades on as he looked at Chakor and then at the girl lying dead and said in an authoritative tone,
"Spare me the bookish homework, Agent Chakor.I still firmly believe it is some other guy, rather some fan of the Zodiac Killer, but not the zodiac killer himself!"
Chakor sighed in agitation as she heard him negate her theory, as usual, and when she thought to burst out a second time now, Agent Ajay tried doing his bit of easing down the situation to avoid another bomb of an argument between two of the best Detective agents, and with levity, he said,
"On a lighter note though, even if it is the Zodiac Killer or someone else, dude is a psycho, isn't it? I mean look at these cryptograms.They are all in the shape of a scorpion!"
Chakor sighed looking at Ajay and said, "That's because the Zodiac Killer is a November born Scorpio, Agent Ajay!"
.
"Man! These Scorpio zodiac freaks can be real weirdos at times! Vengeful, masterminds.Gives me the creeps dude!"
Vivaan averred animatedly while Chakor had a small smirk playing on her face as she added to that in a rather mocking tone, "Yes, of course! Those are the basic traits of a Scorpio! No wonder, Suraj Rajvanshi here is a Scorpio too!"
The dig she took at Suraj made everyone's mouth flung open, and Chakor should have thanked her stars that Suraj was wearing his shades, else the way his eyes shot daggers at her at this moment, she would have been robbed blind.
"Let's go!"
She told the team, before leaving the spot, sparing one callous look at Suraj, while he only tugged his coat closer to his chest.
"Didn't know you are a Scorpio too man!"
Ajay said looking at him while Suraj gave him a cringe-worthy look and left the spot, not before uttering. "I am an October born Scorpio! Not November!"
.
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HEAD OFFICE
"..And so I believe sir, we are looking at the Zodiac Killer here.The back to back murders on Tuesdays with same pattern prove our point further.I know we would need to wait for some more leads to get this fully cemented,but I guess we can take this forward with this lead that the Zodiac Killer is back!"
Chakor stated confidently as their department head, Mr.Abhay heard her perspective minutely.
"I beg to differ, sir!"
It was Agent Suraj's turn to give his two cents, and utilize with full audacity, his right to "freedom of speech."
Although that was one point where Agent Chakor damned the existence of human rights!
"Why so, Agent Rajvanshi?"
Their boss Mr.Abhay questioned with inquistiveness while Chakor rolled her eyes, not giving even two hoots to the upcoming theories of the ever-arrogant Suraj Rajvanshi.
"As Agent Chakor said about the patterns,the ways,the timings, I don't doubt that all of these do hint at the culprit being the Zodiac Killer, sir.But I have analysed the wounds inflicted on the victim's body very well.Those ciphers are not done so professionally like the Zodiac Killer.And so I am sanguine it is rather some wannabe trying to imitate what he or she would believe to be the "art" of the true Zodiac Killer.This killer is simply a fan trying to follow the footsteps of his so-called idol!"
Suraj said with authority yet again, and while Chakor only shook her head at the absurdity that she thought his words inflicted in the whole scene, Mr.Abhay shared a different overview and with a thoughtful face,said, "I see, Agent Rajvanshi.You do have a point here."
Chakor looked at him wide-eyed, while Suraj deliberately watched her with a proud smirk, making her furious all the more.
"But sir, I told you, we should not concentrate on any angles.I.."
Chakor tried to argue but was stopped midway, as Mr.Abhay spoke,
"I am sorry Agent Chakor.I'm not taking any sides here, but both of you have two very valid points and I want the case to be taken forward from both the directions."
"But this doesn't even make sense!"
She muttered to herself but her voice was audible enough for Suraj to hear, and he took the opportunity of the fact instantly as he taunted her, "That is what happens when you pay more attention to who is a vicious Scorpio in the team, rather than concentrating on the case!"
Chakor's mouth flung open as she cursed him under her breath and would have possibly shot him using her revolver the very next second, but Mr.Abhay's loud voice caught them both off guard.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
"what is it with you both?Always trying to pull the other down?It's so disappointing to see two of the best Detective Agents behave worse than reckless teenagers!"
"I..I am sorry, sir."
Chakor was the first one to apologize, with her head bowed down, and Suraj soon followed suit, though the sound of his sorry was as negligible as the need for "p" in the word "psycho."
"You both are a part of a TEAM.You are team-mates! We have a mission! Ever day, with every case.So please keep whatever differences you have, from whatever sphere of life, and learn to work together.Is that understood?"
The 50-year old man waited to hear from the two most stubborn yet best agents he had, but when he didn't hear anything and only saw them exchanging glances at each other, he barked again,
"IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"
"Yes sir."
This time they said in unison and the middle-aged man nodded with narrowed eyes and said, "Good then! Back to work!" before disappearing into his cabin.
.
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"Don't think I will forget what you said some time ago, all right?"
Chakor was the first one to grit through her teeth, looking at Suraj.
He rolled his eyes and said, "Good! I don't even want you to forget.And anyway, a fact remains a fact! You take EVERYTHING at face value,Agent Chakor!"
Chakor narrowed her eyes as he siad that.
"WHAT? Don't believe me? Fine , I will tell you!"
He said with a thoughtful face, acting like he's recalling stuff with retrospection.
*********
WILL SURAJ BE ABLE TO TELL IT?
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-ANGEL SUKOR-
