" There are no secrets that time does not reveal. "
- Jean Racine

Indrayan's pov :

I had to leave Sampurnaa there because she wanted to get to the end of all this. I had met with the deputy commissioner of police who had assured me tight security of the brothel. Sampurnaa's tracker, camera, recorder and Bluetooth earpiece were working properly.
Her parents and colleagues had been frantic with worry. I did not get to meet them personally as I had to prepare files, statements, papers et cetera for the impending court case on Saturday.
I did get to speak to her senior and her father over the phone. I let them know of Sampurnaa's decision and the security arrangements.
Her father enquired about her physical and mental state and I could hear her mother sobbing in the background.

Sigh! They did have an overly dedicated and stubborn daughter.

Yet somewhere hidden behind all that strength and courage, dwelled a sensitive and loving woman whose heart bled when she saw the helpless and vulnerable women who were compelled to live in a brothel and sell themselves each and every day.

It was noon. I had slept till 11.30 am as I got zero sleep during the night.
I decided against going to the court. Instead I prepared for the greater challenge that waited ahead for me on Saturday.
Moreover, I had to keep up with the updates presented to me by the police and the reporters waiting outside the brothel where Sampurnaa was.
I had ensured the involvement of a lady officer or two who could disguise themselves and sneak in to be closer to Sampurnaa for her safety.

I had my fingers crossed. The day was bound to be long. I had to go back to the red light area at night.
There was a mystery we were close to solving... And I can just hope sitting in my office now... That all goes well... That all is revealed.
It was around 4pm when I was planning to go and visit Sridha and her parents for briefing them about the court proceedings.

Just then my phone rang. The person on the other end ranted out... My ears went deaf after what he said... The phone simply slipped out of my hand falling on the floor.
A clear indication that disaster was inevitable.
...........................

Sampurnaa's pov :

I opened the door. Some woman was standing there.
From her way of dressing, I could make out that she was not a sex worker or a prostitute.
Even though, she was dressed up in a not so sophisticated way, her presence screamed power.
I lowered my head and was walking past her when she pulled my arm and I jerked towards her.

She looked at me in a scrutinising way and then said, "You are the one who Sir wanted me to meet and prepare. "

I looked at her bewildered. Prepared for what?
She must have interpreted my thoughts, "You! You are the one sir in the next room wanted me to prepare for his friends tonight. There will be around 5 men coming and two of them are from abroad. You must be dressed up well. "

It was then that I realised what she was talking about.
As if on an impulse, my hands started shaking visibly. The woman saw my hands shaking and then looked at me again,
"You've been with men before right? "

I was about to say no when it hit me that my denying this would raise questions. After all I had been in a room with a man according to everyone else in the brothel.

I nodded.
"I hope you have experience. " she stated.
I asked exactly like an idiot, "In what?"

The woman sighed helplessly as she spoke out again, "Don't answer that for me. I already know you have none from your question. "

Given the serious situation, I was not exactly amused yet my own idiocy was bringing an equally stupid grin on my face.
The woman shook her head and simply asked me to follow her.

I followed behind. She took me to the same room I had been in and locked the door. She handed me different lingerie to wear, something I normally wouldn't. Then she handed a small gown that was red in colour and backless. It was way too tight and was making it difficult for me to breath.
The woman then attempted to do some make up but I requested her not to. She agreed for some unknown reason and then curled my already wavy hair. I had no idea how I looked.

That was the last thing I was interested to know. There was more work to be done... One of them being escape.
................................

Indrayan's pov :

I was driving as quickly as I could while speaking on the phone through the Bluetooth earpiece,
"How the hell could you allow this to happen? You are telling me someone simply came to know about our plans and the lady officer who was supposed to go has backed out all of a sudden? "

It was the deputy commissioner of police who had called me to say that all the ladies who were supposed to disguise in order to be used as bait for the sex workers had apparently backed out.
Moreover, the police walkie talkies had been tapped by some advanced mechanism which the cyber team had been trying hard to understand and decode.
Some information had been intercepted from the police computers and a warning mail had also been sent to the DCP.

The message read,
'We know you have been trying to interrupt our work. Your officers have been warned and sent away from the red light area. Any one else sent here would never get to see daylight ever again.
Signed ,
Your master'

I was baffled to read the signature. The sender had signed as 'your Master' while addressing the police as if he/she is emphasizing on his/her superiority.
So far, nothing had been written about Sampurnaa so we were relieved that she was safe. Most of the policemen who had been involved for shadowing and securing the brothel had refused to remain there. A few still stood guard obeying the given orders.
The women blatantly refused to be involved in any way. Even after direct orders from the commissioner, they refused.
It was all a mess. Our perfectly mapped plan was now changing course rapidly and amidst all this remained Sampurnaa who has been compelled to be where she is without any backup or protection.

I was on my way to the commissioner's office. I had to go and speak to him. Make a detailed plan and then move ahead.
One mistake from our side could cost a lot, perhaps even a life...
.................................

Sampurnaa's pov:

I had been locked into the room for an hour now. It was around 5pm or so the position of the sun and the old clock on the wall said.

I was pacing around the room thinking hard. Indrayan told me someone would be here to help me out, some lady officer in disguise. So far, I had been left to fend for myself. A few hours from now there would be nothing left to fend for if I did not do something now.

The window on the second floor was high but could be jumped from if someone was desperate enough, like Sridha.
But this time, there was a safety grill on the window.
After a girl's escape and my breaking the window pane, this time, the owners of the brothel had been cautious enough.

I could definitely not escape in any way other than the door or a secret doorway.

Secret doorway?
May be I can just look around for something.

..............................

Indrayan's pov :

The police commissioner said that his hands were tied. He couldn't push someone on a mission or operation forcefully.
He was ready to send those who were willing to go but had no choice when it came to the ladies.

The deputy commissioner and I were now going to go to Jannah. I was supposed to enter in disguise just as I had last time and no policeman could enter with me. Especially after the warning.
The other reporters had tried to enter the brothel but had been caught by a few women in the lanes.

After the three new women escaped with us, this was expected. They were obviously going to enhance the level of security in the area.
We had to be more careful this time.

It was 6 now and the sun had just begun its descent.
With the setting sun, the moon would rise and the sky would darken... Which meant, night time was about to begin in Mumbai's red light area i.e., the place was about to get crowded with more and more people.

Sampurnaa would definitely not be safe there alone if we failed to reach on time.
......................

Sampurnaa's pov:

I had been knocking on the walls and the floor of the room with the hope of finding a trapdoor or a hiding hole or something like what is shown in detective shows.

I had literally wasted an hour on this pointless activity which had yielded no result.
My concern for myself was now incredibly going up as I knew it was just a matter of time before the men invited by Mr. Sequira came in.

I even opened the bed's box with the hope of hiding there but the chances of not going being discovered were only as good as coming out alive... Both tending towards zero.

There was no way I could escape. It was 7 now.
I was truly trapped and even in a moment like this I couldn't help but remember the many crime shows in which the criminal escaped through secret doorways.

I went inside the washroom to wash my face.
I had aged a bit in these few hours. Worry, concern, nervousness, anger and panic visible on my face.

"I wish a miracle would happen. I wish a prince would come and carry me away. I wish my fairy Godmother visits me and helps me escape in a carriage. I wish Lord Krishna helps me. I wish Goddess Durga helps me. "

I never realised I was speaking out random things loudly and in a childish way, caught in a trance till I heard a distinct knock on the door.

I wiped my tears and my face as I went to open the door.

It was Zeenat.

She had got me some water. She handed me the bottle of water and turned to leave when I pulled her inside the room clutching her hands.

She neither pulled away nor resisted.

I latched the door and asked her, "Why? You understand everything. Yet? "

She looked at me and then broke down.
Amidst stifled sobs, she told me, "I was just 10 when my father married me off. I was married to a man older than me who was well educated. I did not even know what marriage meant back then. I was young and just a girl. I had not even reached adolescence. When I was sent to my in-laws place, I got to know my husband better. He was a businessman just starting out. He had this brothel which was run by his sister. His sister injected me everyday with something. I was too young to understand that they were giving me steroids to boost my growth and development. By the time, I turned 11, I had the body of a woman. My husband raped me repeatedly. He would use me like trash. I was still young. I had no idea what he was doing. I did not know it was marital rape. All I knew was that I was in pain."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, "When at the age of 13, I got pregnant, my husband had been going on frequent business trips outside and couldn't be with me. I had no idea about his business or anything that he did.
My sister in law got me checked by the doctor regularly. Since, I was young and my womb was not strong enough to hold a child, I miscarried."

She started weeping.
I offered her some water and allowed her to calm herself down.

She continued a while later even though she was in mental pain, "The doctor also told me that I could never be pregnant again since I had been given heavy doses of steroids and had miscarried at such a young age.
My husband and his sister, they gradually started selling me each day. Every single night some stranger would come into my room and get to sleep with me in exchange of money.
They sold me each night! I lost everything! The man I called my husband tricked several other girls and after a few years, by the time I was 25, he had established himself as a prominent businessman in India and abroad. This brothel has always been his sister and his dark secret."

I listened to all that she said patiently and then asked her, "Why do you not help others then? "

She let out a small sarcastic laugh and then said, "You think I am blind? I may be 40 now, but I grew up with an experience much beyond my age and years. I saw the men who escaped with the new girls but did not raise the alarm. I saw the man who had specifically come to meet you in disguise. I saw the fire hidden behind your tears.
I am way past those tears now. I have succeeded in killing all my feelings. I am just a puppet in my husband's hands.
I saw the policemen standing on guard outside and he suspected something was amiss. I was hit brutally and eventually told him everything. I had to. I did not tell him anything about you but I don't know for how long you can be safe. "

I was shocked at what she revealed. And then asked her that one last question which had been troubling me, "Is he your husband? "

She nodded with a sad smile, "The world knows that man as a successful CEO but to someone like me who has suffered, he would always be a demon. One that feels only for money. He may have got everything in his life now along with his witch sister, Frieda, but he shall never be a man with values and virtues. Mr. Victor Sequira aka., Md. Ibrahim Siddiqui shall always be what he always was behind the facade of a rich and successful man i.e., a criminal! "

I had guessed Mr. Sequira's involvement but never imagined this dark a secret to be hidden away from the world.

"Zeenat, can you please help me escape? " I asked her looking straight into my eyes.
Before she could reply, someone knocked at the door.
It was Frieda!
I hurriedly got up and so did Zeenat. She grabbed the water bottle before opening the door as I straightened my expression.

Frieda looked at me in an intimidating way before asking me to be ready for my guests who were waiting down.
I nodded and she left.
Zeenat appeared again in front of me and slowly nodded her head reassuring me... But her eyes expressed all the fear and scepticalism that she wanted to hide.

I heard people coming up the stairs as she shut the door.
I had no idea what was to come my way...
All I could do was wait and anticipate. And simply hope and pray for some miracle to happen, so I could get myself and the other women out of all this unscathed.

......................................................................

To be continued....
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A/N

Is it to cliche? Is it too bad? Or am I doing alright?
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