Naina

I distractedly look at everyone talking and laughing, all the while straining my head of look at the entrance every few minutes.

'What is taking Rajveer so long?' I wonder, looking at my watch.

It is already 2100 hours now. About two hours have passed since everyone arrived at the party and Rajveer is still nowhere to be seen.

He had walked out of his quarter earlier, citing he needed to discuss something important related to the mission with Lt. Chaubey. But that had been around four hours back.

Is he fine? Should I go and check?

I remember him telling me that he will be meeting Lt. Chaubey inside the academy. But I did not ask him where they would be meeting.

I should have asked. Why didn't I?

Sighing, I tear my gaze away from the entrance to look at Abhimanyu Sir after hearing him call my name.

"What's the matter, Naina? You have been looking lost ever since you arrived to the party," he asks, and although his words sound innocent, I do not know why, I feel slight unease looking at the glint in his eyes.

"Umm, nothing, Sir. With this year's final exams approaching, I have been preoccupied with the thoughts of studies nowadays," I lie. Because studying is seriously the last thing on my mind right now.

The first one being where Rajveer is and whether he is fine.

Second one being wanting him to see me in this Sari that I have worn especially for him.

And the third one being why Abhimanyu Sir is acting hot and cold with me. Ever since I shouted at him inside Rajveer's quarter, he has been behaving differently around me. 

Sometimes he sounds apologetic when he talks with me about how he might have been letting down Naveen due to his behavior with Rajveer. But there are other times when I hear a hard edge in his voice when he talks about Rajveer. 

Although I have told him countless times that I do not want to change my mentor, he keeps insisting that he will be better mentor for me than Rajveer because he defeated Rajveer in the appraisals.

It is times like that when I have to try hard to keep my cool and not roll my eyes at him.

If only he knew the real reason behind Rajveer's defeat in that final round.

Well, it's not defeat too. He withdrew from the task, not wanting to shoot that apple on my head because he did not want to take risk of causing me harm in any way. Even slightest chance of hurting me was not the price he was willing to pay for winning that appraisal.

My heart fills with warmth as I recall the way Rajveer had taken me in his arms after the appraisals. The way he had kissed me, the way he ha--

"By the way, where is Raj?" Abhimanyu Sir's voice snaps me out of my reverie. "I had told him I want to leave past behind and let go of all the bitterness that seeped into our relationship. But I guess by not attending this party, he is sending me a clear message that our friendship cannot be mended.

"I know Raj seems ideal to all of you cadets, but he also has his weaknesses, Naina. Take an example of tonight. If he was an ideal person that he portrays himself to be, he would have easily let go of everything I told to him in my blind jealousy and forgiven me. But he did not. This shows that...."

On and on Abhimanyu Sir goes, talking bad about Rajveer and I stifle my yawn, seriously getting bored of him saying same things about Rajveer over and over.

I also realize that this had all been a farce. All his talk of leaving his resentment behind and mending his friendship with Rajveer was nothing but his pathetic attempt to show he can be a better person.

But in reality, he is still the same. The same bitter person who loves to show everyone that despite being the best and kind man out there, no one loves and respects him.

"You know, I was so hurt when Malini....," he was still going on and I could not bear it anymore.

"Enough, please, Abhimanyu Sir," I tell him, cutting him off in between. "I have no idea what you are thinking of achieving by badmouthing Rajveer Sir in front of me, but whatever it is, let me tell you that you won't ever achieve it.

"I have such trust and respect for Rajveer Sir in my heart that no one can shake it. Not you, not anyone else. So, please keep all these nonsensical talks to yourself.

"Forgive me for I know I am overstepping my mark here by talking this way to you, but you cannot saunter around here and try to slander another teacher in front of his students.

"And since you have already broached this topic, Rajveer Sir has not come yet because when I had met him earlier he told me that he needed to tend to an important work. He also said that if he was late or could not attend this gathering, he would tell you the reason after returning and you would understand.

"So, this notion that you have about Rajveer Sir not being here because he is unable to let go of the bitterness that has seeped into your friendship is completely wrong. Also, that so-called bitterness was only from your side, Captain Abhimanyu. Rajveer Sir have always tried to reason with you and have always considered you his friend even at times when you didn't consider him your friend.

"This is the last time we are having this conversation because I am seriously tired of listening to your silly talks about being butthurt over something that happened so many years back. And I am also tired of explaining why you are wrong every time you bring up that conversation. So, please, spare me."

Abhimanyu Sir grits his teeth as he looks at me. "You will regret this, Naina. You seriously will."

The way he says it makes a shiver run through me.

If I was feeling uneasy in his presence earlier, that uneasiness has now unfurled into fear. There was something in his intent gaze, something in his sharp voice that made me worry.

Suddenly, Rajveer's face flashed in my mind.

"What do you mean?" I ask him, sucking in a shaky breath when he smiles at me. It was one of those sending-chills-up-your-smile. Not at all pleasant.

"You will know soon, Cadet Naina Singh. Very soon," he says, and abruptly walks away from me to join the others.

I stand frozen on my spot, in dilemma about whether to follow Abhimanyu Sir and demand answers from him, or to go out and search for Rajveer.

After a second of dwelling on it, I rush out of there to search for Rajveer.

***********

THREE HOURS BACK

Rajveer

Getting inside my jeep, I drive out of the academy, going to the place where Chaubey has called me.

In the text that he had sent me regarding the location, he also had mentioned that it was some kind of abandoned house.

I wonder what is up with him. First, he said he would meet with me at 2300 hours inside the academy. Then, he called me saying he has already reached the academy and would like to discuss everything with me early because he has plans for later.

But when I reached the room inside the academy where I told him to be, he was not there.

Frustrated by what he was doing, I called Chaubey several times, but he did not receive the call. I kept waiting for him inside that room for about thirty minutes but he did not show up.

And finally, when he called, after making me wait for all that time, all he said was he would be sending me a location of where he is and requested me to come there alone as it was a matter of national security.

His voice was urgent and he sounded scared too. Since I have known him, that was the first time I heard such panic in his voice.

He told me he would send me his location and asked me to be there as soon as possible. That too without letting anyone else know about it.

I didn't like it. He said it was a matter of national security. That is why I told him I would be calling our commanding officer and tell him everything so the backup can be sent to the location and also we call all do everything we can to contain whatever threat it is.

But Chaubey vehemently denied, telling me that if I involved any other soul in this, it will cause irreparable damage.

With that said, Chaubey had hung up the call and I had been left hanging in dilemma whether or not to call Colonel Chandra and inform him about this.

After a few minutes of careful thinking, I decided to come here first. Chaubey had said there would be irreparable damage, so it is better to first know what is going on and prevent that damage before involving other officers into this.

There has been a niggling restlessness present within me since the morning, and that only increases as I get down from the jeep after reaching the location that Chaubey had sent me and start walking toward the house.

Reaching the door, I take a deep breath to curb my restlessness, and pry the door open, scrunching my nose when I am suddenly hit with the sharp smell of something pungent.

The inside of the house was dark, too dark, for me to see anything. Still with the faint light coming from outside, I find the switch board on the wall at the left side of the entrance.

Flicking it, I try to turn on the light, but it does not work. I try other switches too, but none of them turns on the light.

"Chaubey, where are you?" I call out, taking out the handkerchief from my pocket to cover my nose.

I frown when I do not hear any answer from him.

With my nose still covered, I walk further inside, coughing now as the smell gets stronger. Even my eyes water due to it.

"Why are you not answering, Chaubey? Where are you?" I call out to him again, taking out my phone when I again do not hear any reply.

Dialing his number, I wait for him to pick up the phone, but immediately get on alert when I hear the ringtone coming from somewhere inside.

Something is off.

This smell, the lights not working, Chaubey not answering when his phone is ringing inside this room. 

Something is definitely amiss.

Letting go of the handkerchief, I take out my gun and hold it with both hands, readying it to shoot if needed.

When the ringing of Chaubey's phone dies, I hear a soft whimper coming from a corner.

As I walk there, I again take the phone out of my pocket and turn on the flash light. My eyes widening as I take in the scene in front of me.

Chaubey was leaning against the wall. His clothes tattered, body bloody, a knife lodged to his stomach.

"What the hell!! Who did this to you?" I run to him, already dialing for ambulance.

But before I hit on the call button, Chaubey lurches forward and takes the phone from my hand. Throwing it away.

"What a--"

"So..sorry," he manages to whisper.

Before I could ask him why he threw my phone or why he was apologizing, he grips the gun that I had been holding.

"What are you doing, Chaubey?"

"Fo..for my co..country," he barely utters, pressing on the trigger, getting the gun fired right into his chest, and his blood smearing my face.