Dedicated to vasusetia
You are my brother from another mother... I can never forget you or the fun times we've had. You are supportive and just the brother I always desired to have. Hope all your dreams come true. Thank you❤

"Rivers never follow one single course... They change direction with time and distance... Happenings and circumstances tend to be like rivers... Unpredictable, unexpected and sudden."

-Elegiac_Damsel

____________________

17th September 2019

Sampurnaa's pov:

The new discovery was yet to be revealed to the world. I had secretely got in contact with Frieda's midwife, 24 years ago, in the village with help from Arpita.

With the minister and his son, dead, Frieda missing and Mr. Sequira seemingly unaware, the major unanswered question for us was, 'How do we prove that Mr. Vijay Desai was Frieda's son?'

The court hearing was scheduled to begin at 12 pm.

I was in the office early at 9 because I wanted to go through the archives. I just wanted anything that would join the dots and connect everything together. There was one forgotten file which contained details about shut down, old and abandoned factories in and around Mumbai.

I really don't know what prompted me to do what I did... But I started turning the pages in the file and reading all the details.

I spent more than an hour in the room going through the same file when finally something caught my attention.
There is an abandoned farmhouse in Panvel near one of the abandoned factories. The factory was a clothes manufacturing unit belonging to Mr. Sequira. We have to go there once!!!

It was past 10 when I left the archives and records room and proceeded towards my cubicle in the office. I needed to apply for certain equipment that would help me get details about Ms. Frieda Sequira or more appropriately, Ms. Anya Siddiqui.
.......

12 pm

The court hearing is about to begin. Today, Sridha and her friends are not here. They have examinations and assignments at the college. Her parents were unable to come too owing to an emergency. The courtroom is surprisingly empty. I was sitting next to Indrayan and Zakir since the seats were vacant and so was Arpita.
The defendant appeared bored.

Mr. Sequira was soon brought into the courtroom just as the judge took his place. I had not yet informed anyone about my secret plans of going to Panvel sometime this week. All that would have to wait though as the cross examination began.

The defendant went first and she immediately called Mr. Sequira's chauffeur so he could tell the court about Ms. Frieda Sequira's 'disappearance' since that night when Zeenat had been shot. The chauffeur revealed the escape route that had been used by Mr. Sequira and his sister. Apparently, they had bribed one of the officers of the Colaba police station. They had tapped phone calls just as I had suspected in order to get deeper details about our plans.
The hearing was quite uneventful after that and the judge had also got a petition from Sridha. She had requested him to postpone the next hearing since she had examinations.

The next hearing was announced to be on 11th October.

My face lit up at that. Durga Puja ends on 8th which means that I can actually go to Kolkata!!!

I refrained myself from squealing out excitedly.
The judge announced the adjournment of the court for the day and we rose to pay respect.

Once he was out, a grin made its way on my face.

Now to check flight prices!!

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

Indrayan's pov:

Sampurnaa's theory is bizarre but quite possible. How can she declare Vijay Desai to be Frieda's son? Moreover, if that was the case.... Then why would the minister be killed?

It is all a mess!

The hearing at the court was quite uneventful. It was just the driver, Mr. Sequira, the defendant, Zakir, Mrs. Arpita, Sampurnaa's doctor, Sampurnaa and I anyways. No one else had turned up for the hearing.

The next hearing is more than 3 weeks away.
Once the court trial was over, I walked out. I have nothing much to do for the next few weeks. Since this is a major case that I am dealing with, I had refrained from taking up another.

I was walking to the parking lot when Sampurnaa's voice stopped me.

I turned to look at her. She had a grin on her face. Something had made her really happy.

I just waited patiently for her to tell me about her latest discovery or anything that had induced this sudden change of mood in her.

"Let's go to Kolkata!" she said excitedly

"Kolkata? For what?"I  asked surprised. I had honestly expected her to be excited about some new leads that she may have got on Frieda Sequira.

"Durga Puja of course!" she replied in a duh tone

The sudden realisation dawned over me as I realised the date.
That explains her excitement.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't be going. She can obviously though!

Sighing I decided to burst her bubble, "I am not going."

Her smile dropped at that.
She crossed her arms across her torso and then looked at me in an intimidating way.

"Why not?"
"My grandmother lives there." I replied without thinking.

She looked at me like I had been circling around Saturn.
Taking a deep breath, I clarifed myself, "My grandmother wants me to get married. Whenever she speaks to me, she tries and blackmails me into marrying. She'll say, 'Aamar boyesh hocche baba. Tor bou ke tui aamar mrityu r aage ghore tulish'
(i am growing old, son. Get married before my death!)
If I go to Kolkata, she is bound to invite girls and women I'll never be interested to meet and she will definitely amplify her blackmailing and acting skills considering the fact that her ,70th birthday is coming up."

Sampurnaa looked at me with an 'are u serious look' before laughing out loud.

I glared at her.

She silenced herself and then tried to look at me seriously.

She bit her lips and I know for a fact that she was holding back her mirth.

Finally, after what seemed ages, she bothered to reply.

"Get married then! Two birds with one stone. 1.You get a wife and 2. Your family and your grandmother both sit relieved and happy. Moreover since your grandmother so desperately wants you to get married so she can meet her granddaughter in-law, it is only fair that she gets to fulfill her heartfelt desire."

She said the last part seriously. I don't know what got into her.

I held her hands and asked her to look at me. She looked a bit tired for some reason.

"Have you stopped eating again?" I found myself asking her this

She shook her head as a faint smile formed on her face.

"Maa ensures that I get to eat healthy and filling food every day."

I nodded.
"What is troubling you then?" I asked her.

"Your grandmother! She loves you a lot. She has just that one wish and expectation from you! Forget that! She lives in a city far from you. She is unable to spend enough time with her family because they live far away from her. Even if you are sick and tired of her insistence on getting you married, you should still go and spend time with her. Trust me! She will be over the moon if you care to spend this year's puja with her."

That got me to see the situation in a different way!
Maybe Sampurnaa is right! I had a really stupid reason anyways.

"Up for coffee?" I asked her.

She had a hesitant look on her face.

"I... actually... Don't... Have... Umm...umm... I don't have... Enough... Money." she replied stammering.

I sighed at that. Of course she doesn't! Who the hell asked her to spend every single penny she had on her family?

"I wouldn't have asked you to pay anyways!" I replied.

She stood there, her head lowered and cheeks red. She isn't someone who would accept anyone else's money on any pretext.
"I am asking you as a friend. Not as your lawyer. Is it still a no? Or a yes?"

She looked at her watch. It was 1.30 pm. She was silently thinking. After sometime, she nodded in affirmation and I asked her to sit down in the car.

...........

Café Metro, Marine Lines

We both ordered our usual coffees. Me, a latte and Sampurnaa, a black coffee, no sugar.

"I am ready to go to Kolkata." I broke the news to her

She smiled at that.

"Good for you! I want to go too. I will get privilege leaves. I am not sure about the fare of flight tickets to Kolkata though."

"When are our parents, Abhimanyu and Adrija leaving?"

"They are leaving on 1st. October. They will return back on 14th."

"I cannot be away from work for that long. What about you?" I asked her

"I guess it will be better if I go on 3rd after work and return on 9th in the morning. That way I will be able to attend all the days of Puja."

"I guess the same goes for me"

We were silent for sometime.

"Umm... Can we check the flight prices?" she asked me hesitantly

"Sure!"

The flights which would be perfect for us was on 3rd October at 11 pm and 9th October 7 am.

The total fare for the two of us was approximately Rs. 24000.

I did some mental calculations in my head. So did she judging from her solemn and serious look.

I knew she was going to throw tantrums about the money, so before she could, I paid for all 4 tickets.

"I purchased the tickets" I announced.

She looked at me and then burst out, "You did what! I don't have enough money to fill petrol in my scooty! I can only pay back after 30th September that too after I receive my salary!"

I chuckled.
"I wasn't asking for it immediately anyways!"

She took out her notepad and began scribbling numbers there. She added together several numbers and then subtracted other values.

I waited patiently for her to say something. Finally, she decided to enlighten me.

"I have credit card payments to clear so I can pay you the amount only after that is done. By 3rd. October, before we board our flight... You will get the money transferred to your account."

"Okay madame!" I answered a bit mockingly.

Something caught my attention.
Credit card?

"Why did you swipe your credit card Sampurnaa? You just began with your career and life? You are new to everything! Spending huge amounts on credit can push you into a debt trap."

She kept silent.
I continued, "I got things for everyone... Well let's be practical... I can afford that because I have been working for years now! I know for a fact that you spent a lot on my family as well. You could have just got things for your parents, Abhi and Adrija! Why did you push your financial limits? Why? It isn't necessary!"

Her reply shocked me in a good way.

"They are my family too! As long as Dada and Boudi are tied together in matrimony and as long as Dada remains a part of my family; they are my family too. You are a part of my family too! Your family and mine are not different. As long as there is friendship, relationship and love between the two families... It will always be our family!"

I smiled at that little speech she gave.

Why are the girls I meet as prospective brides not like her?

Wait... What?!!

I have definitely got crazy!

I brushed aside my thoughts.

......

"Would you care to tell me what is the new discovery that you made?" I asked her finally unable to hold my curiosity.

She smiled slightly,"How do you know that I have made a new discovery?"

I rolled my eyes.

"The last theory you came up with has caused great havoc to me because there are no proofs... Isn't it obvious that Ms. Sampurnaa Roy would be going about for some evidence or the other?"

She smiled, "Guilty as charged. I do have a new discovery... But that involves snooping around."

The moment I heard this, my jaw tightened. Not again!

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

Sampurnaa's pov:

His face looked really comical to be honest!
I mean I agree that the past experience was really a bad one... And that the snooping around did not go as planned... But what's the harm in trying again?

"I was going through certain files in the archive about abandoned buildings and factories in and around the state. They can be used by criminals as hideouts as well. One such factory is located in Panvel and there is a farmhouse nearby as well. What's more is the fact that the factory belonged to Sourire and Co.!
That can actually be a brilliant hideout for Anya! What's more is that the factory had been shut down abruptly without any specific reason. We might end up uncovering some unsolved mystery in the past!" I told him all I knew excitedly

He groaned in reply, "I am not going to be involved in all this!"

I decided to play my final card.

"I was thinking of going there once at night in order to spy on the factory and the farmhouse. If you are not interested then I will go alone."

That seemed to catch his attention as he glared at me.

"You are going nowhere alone! Especially to spy on a wanted criminal who has a gun she has used for murder and one who has been involved in a human trafficking and prostitution racket!"

I shrugged.
"Well... Being a journalist, it is my duty to take risks! I am not afraid of anyone!"

"It is not about how brave you are! Or even about your duty! Going to an abandoned factory at night is suicide! What if there are criminals? What if they do something to you?" he asked me in a strained and frustrated voice

My last retort came out without one last thought, "You don't care anyways! If you did then you would have agreed to accompany me."

His face reflected hurt at that... How could I accuse him of not caring? He rescued me from compromising situations and I return him with this ungratefulness?
But I couldn't take back the words that had already spilled out of my mouth.

His gaze bore into mine almost piercing through my conscience. I did not say anything.... The silence did the talking...

"Silence is sometimes the best answer."
                                               - Dalai Lama

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

19th September

11 pm

Indrayan's pov:

This woman needs to be awarded a Grammy!
Her emotional words literally landed me here at Panvel this late at night.

Ma'am Sampurnaa is leaning against my car like some superstar who has come for shooting. I don't know what she told at home. If her parents come to know of her new mission, they might as well land in hospital.

She has all the mini microphones, cameras and even a recorder for snooping around. We have bluetooth speakers for hearing anything that may be relevant. She has set up a mic at the door of the factory and a camera has been inserted inside the room through a broken window.

The factory seemed really dark, deserted and lifeless.

I don't think there is anyone who can actually live here. I told Sampurnaa the same, but I am guessing that she has read too much of Dan Brown and watched a lot of CID on SonyTv. She was adamant on coming here.

I even tried to convince her to inform the police... But this is what she had to say:

Sampurnaa: the last time we informed the police, a woman died and two criminals escaped because someone had been bribed. I am not very keen on informing them. What if the same thing happens this time?".

Me: This is about our security. What if something happens?

Sampurnaa: Exactly my point! This is about our security. Like last time, if our plans get decoded by Anya... We might as well bid farewell to our lives and justice! If we need help from the police, we can call them up! Moreover, the Colaba and Mumbai police; who you are acquainted with cannot help you there since Panvel doesn't come under their jurisdiction.

I had no choice but to give in at the end!

It was close to 11.35 by my watch.

Sampurnaa was doing something on her phone. We both had dressed up in black from head to toe for hiding at night.

We had been standing for half an hour and no one had come to the factory.

I was about to say something to Sampurnaa when she gestured me to keep quiet.

I looked at her curiously. She forwarded her phone to me.
A video was on and from what it appeared to be... It was a live recording.

There was zero clarity as the video seemed to have been shot in a dark room with no light. My eyes could detect movement on the screen... But it was difficult to decipher what was going on.

I looked at her inquisitively.
She came near me and signalled me to bring my ear near her.
I was 5'11" while she was 5'1"
I bent down to her level.
She brought her lips closer to my ears and whispered, "What you saw was the footage from the camera I inserted inside. There was some movement inside. There is someone there."

My eyes widened at that.

.....
12 am

We had been monitoring the factory for over an hour. No one had come out. The video footage did show movement but there wasn't enough light.

All of a sudden, the factory lit up with lights. Light seeped out from the broken window where the camera had been inserted.

I caught on some sound that seemed to be coming faintly on my bluetooth.

I motioned Sampurnaa to try and listen while focusing my hearing as well.  I could hear a few voices speaking in faint whispers, "The...b....have...bbbb....pppacked."

"Good...."

The rest of the conversation was pretty incoherent.
The only thing that could be figured out was that someone was planning to go somewhere.

We both hid near the main door of the factory and checked if our phones were on silent mode.

We waited for a few minutes and footsteps started approaching the place we were standing. Sampurnaa caught my hand in nervousness, anticipation and excitement.

The door opened and a woman stepped forward with a bag hung over her shoulder. We couldn't make out if it was Anya a.k.a. Frieda.

The woman went out and got into a car that had been hidden in the factory compound. She drove away.

I wanted to follow her but Sampurnaa held me back.

She whispered in a low voice, "There is someone inside. Inform the police about the number of that car. Ask them to look after her. We'll be here. The number was TN 02 ** ***3."

I nodded and sent a message to Zakir. He would inform the police on our behalf. Now we had to discover what was going on inside...

..............
1.00 am
Sampurnaa's pov:

It was pitch dark in the factory once again. The lights which had been switched on were off again. Indrayan and I had been standing outside for so long!

I had not even informed my parents before coming here. I just told them that I had a late night shoot for the weather news and that it could well be past 3 am for me to return home.

The camera had been on for a long time and there had been not much movement since the mysterious woman who had left. A sudden flicker of light caught my attention. I turned my head abruptly... It was near the factory's electrical room. Someone had lit a torch!

I was about to scream but a hand clasped over my mouth preventing me from doing something stupid.
It was Indrayan!

He had seen what was happening. He had dialled the emergency number for the police and connected to the Panvel district police for immediate help. He had also called the fire brigade for an inevitable emergency.

My frantic eyes met his calm ones.

He removed his palm from my mouth and I exhaled before expressing what was on my mind in a mild whisper, "Who on earth is this? There are people inside too! What is going on?"

He bent down to my level and spoke in my ear, "For that we have to wait and not react. The woman who was caught on the Sion-Panvel Highway was Anya. If we have to know more; we simply have to be patient and cool."

"But... Fire?!" I asked him

He looked at me gravely, "We can do nothing now. Wait. The police will be here in sometime and if destiny has it for us... The mystery will finally be unveiled."

We both stood there still like silent spectators....

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

To be continued...

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A/N

Hi!

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Shubhadittya