The Eighth Night [Now published on Amazon]

Part 7

June 20, 2022

"Okay, let's get started with this," said Vikrant, sitting across from Swadha and Abhimanyu, who were already looking over the copies of their latest note from their unknown nemesis. "We have stationed officers around the hostels and declared high alert throughout the city for any questionable activities."

"Any matches of fingerprints on the note, sir?" asked Abhimanyu.

"No common matches across the notes that we have gotten so far. There was one stray print tracing back to some Deepak Jindal. I have assigned a team for trailing him. What have you discovered from the note?" Vikrant's eyes turned towards Swadha, who had not looked up at him since his return.

She had completely devoted her attention to the note, her eyes flicking back and forth, tracing the words. Vikrant waited for her to disclose what she found.

"I think the use of words 'haughty' and 'pride' is significant," said Swadha. "Both almost mean the same. Why would the kidnapper reiterate it, especially when he or she is so meticulous about everything else?" She looked up from the note with crinkled eyebrows, looking at Vikrant and Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu's eyebrows furrowed in consternation, and then let out an exhale of disappointment. "There is some alternative meaning that we are missing."

"It is the Pride Month; June of every year. Could it be that 'pride' that the kidnapper is pointing at? The one associated with the LGBTQ plus community?"

A twinkle appeared in Swadha's eyes. "Yes! And we observe it religiously in the college. So, maybe, it is someone from the community who is not in a serious relationship because the note says that - about not loving and being naughty. And someone who is haughty. I also think that the name of the person hides in the note, like the last time for Amrita." The twinkle in her eyes melted away, replaced by the reminiscence of the fate of her dear friend.

"Yeah, I think that profile makes sense. Let's go through the list of students from the college and maybe we can find a match in the name somehow, and then we can see if the profile matches." Vikrant took the file comprising the interns' batch student details and distributed the sheets between the three of them.

Swadha appeared puzzled as she looked at the other two reviewing data from the interns' batch as well. "So, we're assuming the target is someone from my batch?"

"That seems to be the connecting link so far." Vikrant shrugged. "So, let us go with it, and if we do not find a match, we can go over to the other batches then. In fact, let me contact the rest of the team and let them gather information about the members of the community from this college." He walked away to make the call to his immediate junior to instruct her about the plan.

Swadha and Abhimanyu scanned through the names as Swadha tried to recollect any piece of information that she could, and the list acted like a prompt for her brain to profile and connect faces to the names.

She was reserved and selectively social, and she knew Lekha would know better about their batch mates' relationships -current and past - but she also knew that Lekha would allow the tide of upsetting emotions to drown her, unabling her from properly helping them.

"Swadha, Adheer means restless, right? I guess it can also mean peaceless." Abhimanyu forwarded the sheet towards her where he had underlined the name of the guy whom he was speaking of.

Swadha took a deep breath as she ruminated about the previous victims, despite her best efforts to avoid doing so.

"I know him, Abhi. He fits our criteria, but if we assume our batch is the target, then I think we should also assume that our next victim would be a female because so far, all our victims have been females."

He raised his eyebrow in question. "But you say he fits our criteria."

"Yes, he does. But I know one more person who fits as well, who is a female. Also, her name literally means 'peaceless'. Nishanti Verma."

Swadha slid her sheet of paper toward Abhimanyu.

He read through the details listed parallel to her name and forwarded it back to Swadha. "Makes sense. I hope our assumptions don't fall flat."

"You have deployed security around the hostels, anyway. Adheer Rajput is a resident of the boys' hostel, so you'll nab the kidnapper even if tries to kidnap him. But the focus should be on Nishanti Verma, according to me."

Her intuition cautioned her she was missing some link between the victims, but she shrugged away from it for failing to fall into a pattern she was searching for.

"Nishanti Verma, it is."

Vikrant, standing by the door, who had listened to their conversation silently, gave his approval. Her logic was sound, and he felt inclined to accept her version.

⨳ ⨳ ⨳

"Sir, it is about the time for sunrise. Nishanti Verma is still in her room and I was here for the whole night. She is safe. I think we made a mistake," said Suhani on her phone. Nishanti, who was sitting across from her on her bed, eyed her fearfully, hoping that she no longer faced the threat of being abducted and could have her room to herself.

"Any activity around the girls' hostel at all?" asked Vikrant. He wondered if they had successfully thwarted the kidnapper's attempt or simply scared them away.

"Absolutely none, sir. It was eerily quiet."

"Okay. You can come back at nine AM after stationing some officers there." Vikrant disconnected the call. He could feel that something was amiss, and what was more disconcerting was not knowing what exactly.

"Sir, Adheer Rajput! His whereabouts are unknown! He was the victim that the note spoke of!" With Abhimanyu's words, Vikrant's blood ran cold and his worst fears turned into reality. Multiple confrontations awaited him and he knew nothing was going to be easy henceforth.