The Vile.

Chapter : 72

A Keyring?

"Here, see these. We have found nothing. You can give it another glance if you want. You guys knew him better." Maya says.

"It would've been better if Vasudha would've been here. She could've found the possible clues easily, isn't it?" Nihal says.

"No worries. I believe Abhi will be able to find out clues as well, if there is any. He used to be Abhay da's closest. And about Sudha, she is out on another mission. That guy, Ekansh, he has grown some weird liking towards her. She is practically keeping him busy and distracted while we work on the clues here." Derek explains.

"Ekansh is failing to keep his calm anymore. We can't take any risk. He wanted to take us on a trip, if we would've said no, he would've gotten suspicious once again. And if you're clever enough you'll know what he wants, he wanted to spend time with Sudha. He wouldn't have accepted it the other way around. So here we are." Abhirup says.

"That's a new for Ekansh. However, here, take a look at this." Saying so Maya hands Abhirup a small carton box. Taking a deep breath he holds the box and places that on the table of the private cabin of "Bliss, the cafe". His hands start trembling for the first time in so many days. This, this box is the last hope for them, last hope for Sudha, last hope for Abhay.

"Do you want me to open it for you?" Maya asks cautiously and Abhirup looks at her, surprised. He hated her for her snobbish personality, her audacity, for so long. But now when she is actually offering to help him he sees the sincerity in her eyes. He simply nods yes to her question.

Maya slowly opens the box revealing the things they have found with Abhay.
She starts bringing out the things one by one.
Sunglasses, a watch, a laptop bag.

She then opens the laptop bag, bringing out a laptop, a diary, a few pens, an umbrella, a water bottle and a wooden rectangular key ring, curved on it is a name in cursive "Abhay". At the very bottom of the cartoon box are the clothes he wore on that fateful day, all teared and stained with old dried up blood.

The very moment Abhirup's eyes fall on the clothes they tear up.

"Are these..?" Abhirup asks, to which Nihal nods.
He and Derek both zone out for a few moments. They have spent so much quality time with Abhay together, that the mere thought of him going through this inhuman torture twists their heart from inside.

Maya and Nihal doesn't fail to understand what's happening. They have not known him personally but still they feel the pain, the injustice and these people, they have seen him up close. Their pain must be unbearable.

"Uhm, I know it's pathetic to look at these clothes, but D' wanted us to keep everything as it is. So we did what he ordered us to do. And trust me, he must have had his reasons. But we have to hurry up. Please check the things, if you get to find anything." Maya says bringing back their attention to the work at hand. Derek immediately opens the diary and then turns on the laptop but Abhirup keeps looking at something else, something that's practically the most unimportant amongst the other things.

"Why are you staring at this?" Maya asks him curiously, when she finds him looking at the keyring.

"Because.... because I have forgotten." Abhirup answers, absentmindedly.

"Forgotten what?" Nihal asks.

"Forgotten how to open it." Abhirup responds, still staring at the ring.

"Open? This is a key ring Abhi." Derek adds.

"Yes, but as far as I can remember........ it's also a pendrive." Abhirup says raising his head and looking straight at Derek.