Agent 024

RIDDLES

"So I guess we're done?", I said drawing the meeting to a close.

"Are we, Aviral?", Aradhya asked.

"Jeez yes. No more fooling around missions. You got it.", Aviral said holding his hands up in surrender with a playful smile.

"Alright then see you tomorrow guys.", Roger said as we parted.

Our phones pinged all at once.

Looking at her phone Aradhya asked, "What's this?"

"Our seniors want an impromptu meet-up.", Irrfan said.

"Who's excited!", I screamed with a fist bump into the air.

"Only you.", Roger chimed in and we proceeded to the basketball court with me dragging Roger by the shoulders.

"Welcome freshers!", a girl with a high ponytail and multiple piercings greeted us.

"What is it like a ragging session?", one of the first years spoke up.

"No, one of the let's get to know each other session.", a guy in black shirt and cargo pants joined the girl and his tone implied anything but what he said.

"Please don't get to know me.", Roger whispered into my ear and I laughed.

"What's the one thing that you have here that you love the most?", the senior asked. "That reminds you of home family friends whatever"

"You're done here. See you around juniors.", the seniors finished making us do the task and hurdled among themselves to discuss whatever this was.

I looked up at the senior who had just finished speaking. This was too easy - this couldn't be it. I looked at him trying hard to figure out what was happening.

He happened to look at me at that very moment and nodded with a playful smile on his face - almost evil. And then it dawned on me.

"Shit", I mouthed as I connected the dots in my head.

He shrugged.

"Quick what did you people write in the chits.", I asked my team.

"My dream catcher. My best friend made it for me and honestly it's the only reason I've been able to get any sleep these days.", Aradhya stated.

"My hoodie, why?", Aviral asked.

"And you wrote the precise correct location of your things?", I confirmed.

"Of course it was a test of memory.", Roger replied.

"But that wasn't all", Irrfan said leaving the sentence for me to complete.

"Oh it just became a game of hide and seek.", I sighed.

"Not my frigging hoodie.", Aviral said as we all ran. Even he didn't need any persuasion this time and was the first out of the court.

Aradhya and I ran into our hostel and sifted through our stuff.

"Shit", I said as I found my dabba of mom's ladoos missing.

"Shit.", Aradhya said from across the hall.

"Not my ladoos. You messed up bad here.", I said as I checked my cupboard again and again but all there was - was a card - With a message - Welcome to the team.

"That's it?", I asked flipping the card in and out looking for any map, code - something.

"There has to be a code this was a test right, if there's a problem, there has to be a solution."

"The ink could be hidden.", Irrfan prompted as we all met in the common room.

"Like what?", Aradhya asked.