The Black Flames

Chapter 8 - Missing

Ved crossed his hands across his chest and turned away from Dan and Pritam. Kiara immediately waved her hand, grabbing his attention.

Ved walked over to her.

As soon as Ved was within earshot, Kiara propped the question,

"What happened, Ved? What happened to the box?"

Ved sighed and looked up at her, "It's gone, Kiara," her face went white, but Ved continued, "It was in Officer Dan's car. Dan called Pritam, so he got out of the car, locked it, and went to talk to him. When he came back, the box was gone. Apparently, someone opened the locked car door and took the box."

"But did they see who it was? Or did anyone else spot someone?"

Ved shook his head and looked away.

"But there are so many people around! How could someone break into a police car and steal evidence in broad daylight?"

Ved just sighed, "Dan is fuming right now, Kiara. Pritam is working on it."

Kiara wiped her face. Her father's box that surfaced after almost two decades suddenly vanished from plain sight. Clearly, someone realised it was still intact.

Looks like Ved was right.

"You know, they must have realised the box survived the crash," Kiara told him, "It was the box that was the target, Ved, not the scientists. I think...they were just unfortunate collateral damage."

***

Kiara and Ved sat lost in thoughts until Ved interrupted her, "I need tea. Would you like some?"

"Sure, where can you get some?" Kiara asked.

"I'll make some at home and bring it," Ved stepped out, leaving Kiara with her explosive train of thoughts.

Who would want my father's box?

What's that amber liquid? Is it the same medicine that Dad told me could save millions of lives?

Who would go to the lengths of crashing a plane and killing people to get that box?

And now that it's gone, will I ever see it again? Did we just lose a breakthrough medicine that could save lives?

Tears threatened to fall free again, and her head was about to explode. Kiara started massaging her temples with both her hands when some movement behind her pulled her attention. She turned around to see what it was.

Ved had returned with two mugs in one hand and a flask in the other. He cleared his throat on arrival, seeking her permission to enter.

Kiara gave a brief smile, acknowledging his presence in the room.

He came inside and went straight to the table in front of the TV. He brushed aside the glass shards on the corner of the table with his bare hands and put the flask and mugs down. The moment he opened the flask, the fresh aroma of ginger and cardamom filled the space, lifting Kiara's brows up.

"That smells good. Sorry for the trouble, though," she told him, her head throbbing.

"I hope it tastes well, too," he handed her the mug.

She closed her eyes, inhaling the aroma before taking a sip. It tasted better than it smelled.

"This is easily the best tea I have ever had, Ved. Thank you."

Ved smiled at her remark. But without looking at her, he said, 'Thanks."

Kiara wanted to ask him where he had learned to make it, but Ved shot a question in her direction first.

"So, do you have an idea who may have taken the box?"

"No idea, Ved. Honestly. Why would someone put the lives of those scientists in danger just to destroy the medicine?"

"The medicine?" Ved caught her.

Kiara froze for a moment realising her mistake. There was little she could do now.

"Ummm... I cannot be sure, but I sort of related it to what my father had told me eighteen years back. While he was with PrismCare, he was working on some medicine that could save millions of lives. I just thought that liquid inside the box could be the same thing?"

"But why would you link those two? It could easily be something else. I mean, the DNA results aren't back yet. We don't know if it was your father on the plane," Ved put forth his thoughts.

Kiara looked away from him. Maybe it was time to tell him the whole truth?

But it is too soon. I just met him a few hours ago! Logic intervened.

Sensing her hesitation, Ved asked,

"It's okay if you feel it is confidential,"

For some reason, that did the trick. She felt she could trust him.

Kiara took a deep breath and revealed slowly, "I.. could.. open.. the.. box.. with my birthdate."

Ved was confused, "What do you mean?"

"It had a dial pad inside. Since I had seen the box with my father all those years ago, I used the same passcode that my father had put in. It worked. And that proved that this box belonged to my father. Still."

"Oh my God, Kiara. What.." he trailed off. He didn't want to recite the obvious conclusion in front of her. If the box belonged to her father, what about that scorched body?

Kiara knew what he was thinking. She went silent and fought back tears.

No!

"I want to wait for the DNA test results before jumping to any conclusion," she told him.

Ved came closer and knelt next to her wheelchair. She got the feeling that he was about to hold her hand and console her, but he didn't. Instead, just looked into her eyes and asked,

"I am sorry for even suggesting that."

A sad smile broke through, and Kiara assured him, "You didn't suggest it, Ved. It has been coming up since that body was recovered from the plane. And I know I will have to accept whatever the DNA test confirms."

A tear tore through her self-control, and fell down. She folded her hands together and hid her face behind them. She didn't want to cry in front of him. She never broke down in front of anyone.

Ved put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. He gave her a moment and then told her,

"Kiara, I think we need to find that box. The person behind this nicked it off from a police car at a crime scene. They would make it a priority to destroy it at the earliest, that is... if..."

Kiara knew what he wanted to say. She looked at him and completed the sentence for him,

"...if they haven't done it already."

***

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