The Promise (SAMPLE ONLY)

Chapter 6

The next day, the deafening sound of the rotating blades of a helicopter filled the air as it landed in the middle of bright green fields. The chopper waited while Vikram and Vishal continued to give instructions to their assistants on what was needed to be done during their absence.

A few minutes later, Pooja interrupted. "Vikram," she said. "It's time for the bus to arrive. Here are the tickets." She handed them over.

Tanuj handed a small folder to Vishal. "Your new driver's licenses," he said.

Soon, the brothers got out of the chopper with their carry bags and walked towards the other side of the road.

Pooja and Tanuj let out a deep sigh of relief. It had been quite a hectic week. Working as Vikram and Vishal's personal assistants had never been a cakewalk. They had to put in equally long and hard hours as their employers. And added to that was the chaos from the last few days to prepare their employers for a perfect charade.

Tanuj let out another sigh. "Do you think people would believe that they are both down-on-their-luck lower-middle-class men seeking employment? Rather than billionaires who would one day inherit a company whose GDP is a little more than that of a small country?"

Pooja stared at the two men heading towards the place where a bus would soon arrive. "We both worked our asses off to prepare them for that look. So, I really hope people believe them." Even as she said that, she knew that she personally wouldn't believe that they were anything but themselves.

Even with their modest clothing, the way the Saaho brothers carried themselves was a dead giveaway. They looked like people who were used to commanding rather than taking orders.

***

A red colored bus arrived within five minutes of waiting.

"Where to?" the ticket collector asked.

"Srirampur." Vikram got on the bus and handed the tickets. He chose the front-row seat and Vishal sat next to him.

"You know it's odd," the ticket collector said while handing back their tickets. "Usually this bus is brimming with people seated inside and also with people seated on the top of the bus. Earlier this morning when I checked, the tickets were sold out as usual, and I thought we would have full capacity."

Vishal shrugged. "Strange indeed." He was the one to order Tanuj to buy out all the tickets to the bus which would take them to the village.

"So whom are you meeting in Srirampur?" the ticket collector asked.

"No one in particular," Vishal replied. "We heard so many good things about the village that we decided to find jobs there. Maybe we'll meet with the head of the village."

The ticket collector nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yes. Mr. Suryaprakash will definitely help you. He helps everyone in need. Although..." His eyes swept over Vishal and Vikram. "Although I'm not sure what men like you would do in a village."

"Men like us?" Vikram asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You both seem like you're from the city and accustomed to the city life. And you seem to be doing well, too."

Vishal frowned. He and his brother had specifically worn cheap, modest clothes and even packed accordingly.

"Maybe it's just the way you're dressed, I suppose," the ticket collector added.

"We decided to dress... in our best clothes when we're looking for jobs."

The other man didn't look convinced by Vishal's explanation, but he nodded. "Mr. Suryaprakash always gives opportunity to people in need. He will definitely hire you both."

That little piece of information was part of the investigative report they'd received of Suryaprakash Gulati.

The man continued to chat, giving them pretty much the same information they'd learned in the last few days. Finally, their stop arrived. "It's a thirty-minute walk from here."

Thanking the man and the driver, Vikram and Vishal got down from the bus. As soon as the bus drove away, Vishal pulled his tucked shirt from the waistband and crumpled it slightly. And then, he messed up his hair before finger-combing it randomly.

He reached a hand to mess up his brother's hair. Vikram moved away with a frown.

"Come on, bro. We need to look the part," Vishal insisted. "That means you don't show up with neatly styled hair with an expensive gel in it. And now that I think about it, maybe you should lose a button or two from your shirt."

Vikram continued to frown. "I'm fine," he said. His eyes fell on a tap at a distance where large earthen pots of drinking water were also kept to the side. He walked to the place and turned the tap on and kept his head under it. Then standing back up, he finger-combed his hair. But he left his shirt neatly tucked in. He drew a line when it came to his clothes. Cheap was fine, but shabby definitely was not.

Vishal laughed. "Let's go,big brother. Let's get this charade over with."