Spies & Spice (Completed)

Chapter 23

Three days later:

New Delhi :

Anosha hurried down the steps taking two steps at a time. As she crossed the car park in quick strides, she saw Sam parking her bike. There were grocery bags hanging along the handles of the Scooty.

"Hi Anosha, how are you?" Sam greeted her in her usual cheerful way.

"I am good, I mean I am okay..." Anosha answered her a in fluster as her glum face reflected her tone.

"What happened Anosha? Why are you looking so..." Sam stopped midway as she noticed Anosha's tearful face.

"Hey what's the matter?Are you not feeling well?" Sam reached Anosha in quick strides and held her arms gently.

"There's nothing wrong with me. It's Victor... He was admitted in our hospital yesterday. I had no idea. I was trying to contact him for the past week or so, but his mobile was coming as switched off. I thought he had just gone... I mean it is quite usual for him to go offline when he is working in remote areas, so I didn't bother again. And I was so busy and exhausted with all the new routines at the hospital that I had no time to think about it. But yesterday, I came to know that he got injured in Goa few days ago, and now they have shifted him to our hospital here. I was so devastated. I begged and begged Dr Ghoshal to make me his assistant, so that I can help him in treating Victor. I stayed at the hospital till late last night. He is okay now, but I was so worried." Anosha wiped her tears off.

"I am sorry for all this.. it is just stupid of me, he is perfectly fine." She added, feeling embarrassed.

"Hey, don't be silly. Of course you should be worried, he is such a good friend of yours. And even if you are a doctor, you would still feel worried about him isn't it? Probably more because you know more about his condition than the rest. Oh!! This is so terrible. Can I come and see him? What are the visiting hours at your hospital?" Sam asked anxiously

"Hmm no no.. He is still not allowed to receive any visitors at the moment. But I will tell you once he is ready."

"Oh..I understand. Come on, I will drop you at the hospital." Sam offered.

"Thanks Sam! You are so kind, but its fine. I called for the taxi and it should be here any moment. Your mom must be waiting for you for the groceries. I will see you soon." Anosha waved to her with a smile and left, leaving a worried Sam behind.

Misha and her Nani should be home anytime soon, now that the holidays are coming to an end. But still, she needed to break this news to her dear friend. Sam hurried with the grocery bags towards their apartment.
****.

Rajiv Malhothra and Ajit Doval sat across the desk of Dr Ghoshal in his rooms at the BMS speciality hospital. Ajit Doval keenly observed Dr Ghoshal. He seemed a bit nervous, even though he was an expert doctor who was vouched for, by all the top surgeons. May be it's his general nature, Ajit reconciled himself because Dr Ghoshal otherwise remained quite focused and even strict in his treatment of Victor.

Victor got transferred to the Delhi hospital more than a day ago, but Dr Ghoshal did not allow any visitors as Victor's vitals were causing some alarm after the journey.

"Mr Doval I really appreciate you coming over here so promptly on my request, even though you are such a busy man. Considering the security status of our patient and the overall scenario," Dr Ghoshal coughed nervously and continued, " I thought it would be best if I speak to the top officials rather than anyone else about Victor's health."

"Thanks Dr Ghoshal, and I don't mind coming at all. Please don't hesitate, and tell me everything." Ajit smiled at him.

"Hmm, I know that you guys are keen to speak to him and the doctors at Goa also mentioned that he's required in testimony for some case. Look... all that is immaterial to me. Victor, though he is physically fit othewise, is not in a good shape right now. The angle at which the bullet hit the body and the emergency operation that was done, there is still lot of scarring around the two bullet wounds. Also some glass shreds got embedded in his face and we might have to perform some skin grafting on his face. As the medical team in Goa had no record of his previous medical history or what he was allergic to, the anesthetic and some of the post surgery medicines they used, worked a bit adversely on him. And he is also showing acute signs of depression. I understand that there was another fatality where Victor was injured, and the report here says that he was heard to be talking and crying in his sleep as to how sorry he was..."