Dedicated to vasusetia Happy Birthday Bhai! This chapter is for you! One of those who are helping me walk the path of life today.
....

"Not all storms come to disrupt your life; some come to clear your path."

-Anonymous

_______________
17th October
Sampurnaa's pov:

The court hearing is scheduled to be at 10 a.m. today. I woke up at 6 and have been on the move since then.
My parents, Dada and Boudi got back yesterday. They had extended their holiday because they had to invite our relatives for my marriage and obviously shop for the requisite things.
Maa wanted to show me my wedding saree, but I asked her to keep it hidden. I'll see it directly on my wedding day.

Boudi was back with an entire suitcase filled with new sarees! She is attending the wedding from her brother's side for the first two days and from our side on the next two days.
I am supposed to leave the house at 8, so I can reach the court on time. The string operations have already started being conducted.
The new joinees and interns have been disguised and enrolled into a few colleges. So far, things seem to be okay at the colleges. We are going to begin surveying the pharmacies today.
...

It was 7.45 when I was reading the newspaper while sipping my morning coffee. Maa walked into the dining room and I wished her 'good morning'.
She smiled and replied.
We both sat down after that.

"Did you apply for leaves?"
I nodded in affirmation.
"I will be granted only 2 PLs. As for the other two; I will have to work on my off-days for two weeks, so I can get compensatory leaves."

"When's your off this week?"
"I don't have an off this week. I will take my off next week. Make it 25th i.e., Dhanteras."

My mother instantly brightened up.
"Perfect!" she exclaimed brightly.
"We'll go jewellery shopping then." She announced

"I don't want any new jewellery ma!" I whined.
"You do need new jewellery, Shona. It is your wedding!"

I agreed half-heartedly.

'Gold prices are soaring up every moment as we speak... Will it not be too much?' I thought to myself.

Maa looked at me and I knew from her expression, that she was well aware of my thoughts.
She sighed.
"We have been saving up for your wedding jewellery since your father's retirement. We both have a fixed deposit in the bank for that purpose."

Indian parents and their elaborate future plans!
I shook my head at what she had to say. My watch displayed the time as 7.55.
I got up quickly and bid maa farewell.
The day ahead was going to be long.

....

I reached the court at 9.55! There was a political rally going on, owing to the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra! The roads were jam-packed. Since I had work till late tonight, I had got my scooty for easy mobility.
I entered the court in a haste. Sridha looked at me like I had landed from Mars. She looked at her watch and then looked at me. I quickly apologised and then took my seat.

Zakir smiled at me, mouthing a 'good morning' while Indrayan was engrossed in some pictures that he was going through.
There was no time to go and disturb him... So I stayed put in my seat.

The bailiff soon announced the justice's entry and all of us rose.
The trial began upon his green signal and Indrayan requested to call Anya to the witness box again.
...

Anya seemed to have regained her attitude and composure. She stood tall in the witness box with confidence dripping through her body language.
What has got into her now?

Indrayan addressed the first question to her.
"How did you know the minister?"

The defendant did not allow him to go further or even Anya to say anything! She simply stood up shouting a shrill 'Objection!'

"Objection, my Lord! The prosecutor is asking my client personal questions that are indirectly about her character."

We all waited patiently for the judge's take of this. I saw the prosecutor clenching his fist. From what I see, the question is justified. At least he did not have the audacity to ask Anya about her sex life with him!

The judge replied with an 'objection overruled.'

The cross-examination proceeded.

"I met the Minister through Arpita di at Palghar." Anya said, replying to the question asked earlier

I turned abruptly to look at the same woman who had told us a different story. According to what she had to say, she did not know who was the father of Anya's son i.e., Vijay.

My attention was diverted when Indrayan asked Anya the next question.
"Were the two of you in touch before Vijay's death?"

Anya took a deep breath and then began speaking,
"Vijay's father and I did not meet even once after his birth. I gave my son to him right after I gave birth. My son was brought up in his farmhouse by a nurse and I would go to visit him sometimes. I did not meet Vijay's father all these 24 years!"

"You did not even meet him during any public appearance or have you been in touch with him?"

"Objection! The question asked is irrelevant to the case, Your honour!", the defendant, Vanita chimed in.

Before the judge had the chance to react to anything, Indrayan did something I had never seen him to since the trial began.
He snapped at the defendant almost instantly.
"Your honour! This is relevant to the case! The defendant is barely giving me time to get my point through! I insist, your honour, on getting her answer on this."

The judge looked at both the lawyers as did the rest of the spectators in the courtroom. They both had challenging looks on their faces.
Finally, the justice gave his verdict on the matter.
"Objection sustained. The prosecutor may proceed with the questioning though. Please keep out of matters that may be irrelevant to the case. Defendant will get the chance to keep her views later."

Indrayan and Vanita both acknowledged the justice and the latter took her seat.

"Ms. Siddiqui, please answer the question that was asked. Your honour! This has something to do with the case which is why I am insisting on this! This is relevant!"

The justice nodded solemnly.

What is it that it is so important now?

Indrayan turned towards Anya waiting for her answer.
She replied.
"I did meet him once or twice... But the meetings were purely limited to professional agenda."

"Ms. Siddiqui, the last question that I would like to ask you is, how many people knew that Vijay was your son and the minister's?" Indrayan asked Anya

Anya thought at length and answered,
"My brother did not know whose child I gave birth to, neither did Arpita di or my mid-wife. The nurse who raised Vijay knew. The minister, his late wife and his late mother also knew."

Indrayan looked satisfied with her answer.
"Your honour", he began after turning towards the justice.

"The only reason why I was asking these questions is that I just got access to phone records, including the text messages and WhatsApp messages. The minister has been continually threatened from various pre-paid numbers. The police tried to track the place from where the blackmailer may be from... But what has come out after thorough investigation is that the SIMs have been purchased from different cities all over India. Moreover, no two locations from which the texts were sent match. All the locations are different."

I was taken aback at the new revelation. Just as we felt that all the paths were closing in on us... A new path just appeared out of thin air!
But why did he not tell me?

I felt a bit betrayed at the fact that Indrayan did not take me into confidence. I was involved in every single thing associated with the court case and its proceedings!

I made a mental note to not talk to him. But now, the proceedings are far more important than such meagre grudges.

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

Indrayan's pov:

I know that I had dropped a bomb in the court... And I know that the biggest bomb had been dropped on Sampurnaa.
Even though I wasn't looking at her; I could just predict her reaction.
She must be feeling betrayed and undoubtedly furious. But that I'll have to manage later.

I went to my table and Zakir forwarded me a printout of call logs and another with the text messages on the Minister's phone.

"Your honour! These are the call logs and the messages that the minister had been receiving since 6 months before his death. I have submitted a copy for your inspection and also for the defendant beforehand."

I could see the justice going through the list that I had submitted. The defendant frantically took out her file and rummaged about for the required prints.
A good 5 minutes passed as the justice analysed the details. The courtroom was becoming restless and a hubbub had broken out.

The justice banged his gavel and demanded silence.
The defendant read through everything and then said callously, "May I ask the prosecutor, your honour, what this proves? And how exactly is this related to my client and her son, and all the other questions that had been asked?"

"There is relevance, Ma'am defendant." I replied, addressing her directly.
I turned to the justice with the papers in my hand.
"Your honour! I would request you to turn to the 2nd page of the text messages.
As you can see, my lord, I have highlighted a few lines:
'... your darkest secret will be out to the public...'
'... there's a child who was born...'
'... what would this cultured nation with diverse people think if they knew their representative's truth?...'"

I read the lines aloud for the benefit of the people in the courtroom.

Once I was done telling everyone about the basic layout of each message, there was a stunned silence in the courtroom.
The justice looked at his watch.
It was 12.30 p.m.

He looked at the faces of the people and then back at the paper in his hands.

"Prosecutor, this evidence is bona-fide as it has the seal of the National Cyber Force. So, you needn't prove its genuineness. However, I would need some more evidence such as names and suspects so the case can be taken forward. Please present this High court of justice with something that will help in the proceedings."
He paused and then continued.
"The court will proceed with the hearing on the next date, i.e., on 24th October, 12 pm. The court is adjourned for the day!"

The justice banged his gavel as he stood up from his seat. We all rose as he left the courtroom followed by the bailiffs and the court stenographers.

I turned back towards where Sampurnaa had been seated. But she was nowhere to be seen.
God! Why is this woman so hot-headed all the time? She did not even wait for an explanation!

I sighed in annoyance and requested Zakir to pack all the files and papers securely while I went for some work.
He raised his eyebrows at me teasingly, but I glared at him in return.
Annoyed, I walked out of the courtroom searching for that journalist who had apparently disappeared in a fit of anger.
....

I saw Sridha and asked her if she had seen Sampurnaa, but she was even worse than Zakir!
"Why do you want to meet her to be brother in-law?"

I rolled my eyes at her girlish teasing. Why do people have to annoy you the most when you are already annoyed?!

But before I could say anything to her, Sampurnaa's voice made me turn to look behind immediately.
"Bye, Sridha! See you next week! I have some work, so I have to leave."

Work?
Damn! The string operations! How could I forget?

She was speed-walking and I followed her, jogging while dodging several people who came in my way.
"Sampurnaa! Wait!", I called out.

Each and every passer-by turned to look at me but Sampurnaa chose to ignore everything and walked away.
I went behind her again finally catching up after 2 minutes. She does walk fast!

I went and kept my hand on her shoulder hesitantly. Let's just hope she doesn't create a scene and send me to jail!
She stopped walking and stilled.

"Sampurnaa, please listen to me once!", I tell her in a low and gentle voice.

She did not respond, but she stood still.

"I know I have no excuse that is justified! I am sorry. It is just that I got the data from the DCP today in the morning at 6."

She turned towards me completely this time, causing me to remove my hand from her shoulder.
She glared at me.
"At 6 in the morning?
First thing: Don't you know that I am an early riser?
Secondly: You must have requested for this data long ago... So why did you not tell me anything?
And lastly: You did not even bother to ask me about the string operation! Tomar mone nei! Tai na? (You did not remember! Right?)"

I took of my spectacles and wiped them with my handkerchief guiltily not meeting her eyes.
I could feel her glaring at me.

"I am sorry." I told her meekly. Maybe being meek and soft-spoken would cool her off a bit!

She tried to keep a hard expression but failed miserably. Her cheeks lifted as she smiled and shook her head.
"It is okay! I am getting late anyways... So I can't carry my anger to my work with me anyways! Hence, you are forgiven this once."

I smiled at her and she waved and walked away.

Sigh!

Dad was right! Men do have to apologise around, a lot!
........................

Sampurnaa's pov:

I did not hold on to my anger for long.
It was fun to see him all worked up though! And that mighty criminal lawyer... Just apologised to me... In a meek tone! Thank God no one was around!
Or else he would have lost his reputation!

I wasn't headed to the studio today. The string operations were already underway at a few colleges in South Bombay and Navi Mumbai. We are first looking into the private colleges; since the students are usually well off there and can afford to buy drugs.
I am supposed to go into a pharmacy as a customer and try to find out if drugs are available anywhere. We have 20 pharmacies on our list. I am covering 10 of them.
There are two in Linking Road, one in Turner Road, one in Colaba, two in Khar, 3 in Mahim and 1 in Dadar.

My target is 2 today.

They are fairly big and have been known to stock almost all expensive medicines and injections.
My first stop was Colaba as it was near the court. My colleagues and crew handed me a small mike and adjusted the recording device and camcorder on my overalls and tested their working.

After I had rehearsed and been assured about the working of the devices, I walked around the pharmacy observing the different customers. There were very few college students lurking around.
I entered when a bunch of college boys entered the pharmacy. I stood in a corner pretending to look at the cosmetic products that had been displayed.
Alas, it was a total false call! The boys had come in to buy condoms and protection!

I sighed and decided to buy a bar of medicinal soap and leave.

I again stationed myself outside the store. I had to take rounds around and do random activities that would seem normal and not raise suspicion in passer-bys.
I stood out in the heat and sun for 3 hours before a high school or first year college student entered. I entered again and this time went and stood with her at the counter.
The man who was in charge of the store came and greeted the girl. She seemed to be a regular.
I handed over the only prescription I could find at home. It was Boudi's and the medicines were vitamins and other nourishment and nutrient supplements. Might as well buy her medicines for her!

The girl asked for a strip of Nicotine Chewing Gums that people use for quitting smoking.

Why would she want Nicotex?

I quickly took my medicines and paid for them, before exiting the store behind her. She was walking towards a nearby park. A group of students were standing there. I went and stood away from them, but near enough to hear their conversation.

One boy asked the girl, "Did you get the gums?"

The girl replied, "Yes, bhai. I did."

The boy seemed to be older than the girl.
He smiled at her and then said, "Thanks sis! And yes, you completed the dare successfully!"

I felt like banging my head against a wall! All this for a dare!?!?

I turned abruptly and made my way back to the pharmacy. It was 5 pm.

I decided to go to the next destination. We can always return back later to this!

Moreover, this place seems to be safe as of now.
I informed my crew and we left for Dadar.

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

Dadar

The pharmacy is located on a very busy street. There are more customers here as this is a pharmacy cum super market.

There are many people shopping for Diwali that is 10 days away. The streets are jam packed and the shoppers and hawkers are anyways taking up too much space. It would be easier for me to hide because of the shoppers... But it is definitely going to be difficult making my way past this vast ocean of people!

A woman bumped into me all of a sudden just as I was making my way past the crowd. She had a few shopping bags in her hand. I apologised and was moving ahead when I heard her calling me, "Sampurnaa??"

I looked at her shocked!
Oh My God!
In a minute, we both were engulfed in each others' embrace.

"It is so good to see you, Priyanka! It has been so long!" I breathed out

"Yes. It's been 5 years! I tried to call you, you never picked up!" she complained.

"You changed your number!"

"You were also using a different number in the USA, I guess. But, you could have found me on Facebook!"

"I am not on Facebook!" I told her in a duh tone.

Just then a woman pushed her way past me. It was then that I realised that I had work to do.
I looked at my watch. It was 5.30 pm. I had to be on my way now!

"Priyanka! My old SIM is active in India, now. I'll talk to you over the phone. I have to be somewhere now!"

She smiled and said, "Of course Ms. Journalist! See you soon."

...

4 hours later

It would have been better had I spoken to my highschool bestie, Priyanka instead of wasting 4 hours on a fruitless string operation!
We found nothing suspicious. Everything seems to be pretty normal and organised.

I guess we'll have to keep surveying the other places or return back to these two at odd hours. So far, nothing!

...

It was 11.30 when I returned home. I had my own keys and I opened the door and entered. Dada was working on his laptop in the living room.
I passed by him and said hello.
He smiled and informed me that Maa had kept some food for me to microwave and eat.

I wasn't really in a mood to eat so late at night, but I was a bit hungry. Hence I ate up whatever I could.

Dada was still engrossed in his work even after I was done eating.

"Hi Dada!" I told him while sitting down on the sofa beside him

"What are you doing?" I asked him
"I am making the monthly report!" he replied not looking up

I nodded. He must have had a lot of work the entire day and now this!

"Can I help you with it?" I asked him
I had sort of been better at computer than him. So I always helped him with such work.

"No. I don't want to remain dependent on you. You will be shifting out soon enough anyways!" he told me mechanically

I looked up to look at him. There was a strong emotion in his eyes; even in his weariness and fatigue, his brotherly instincts had kicked in.

To be honest, his words hit me like a thunderbolt! The realisation sunk in! I will have to move out and away from everyone!

Fighting back the stupid lump that appeared in my throat, I got my next words out, "He is your wife's brother! Ask him to shift his base here!"

My stupid talks made Dada smile.

He asked me to retire to bed immediately as it was very late.
When I asked him about himself, he assured me that he would be done in 15 minutes.
Dada escorted me to my bedroom and switched off the lights. He would always do this since I was 5 and he was 10.

I went to bed with mixed thoughts and feelings.
I was thinking about the case...
About the actual criminal...
The string operations...
My future...
And most importantly, how would I live without all of them?

Eventually, with all this on my mind, I felt myself drift off to sleep.

..................................................................................
To be continued...

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A/N

The next update will not be before next week! Please bear with me! I have a lot on my hands now! Academic commitments calling!

Thank you for your love and support. Thank you for giving my story a chance!

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Cheers,
Shubhadittya