The fires of spring

Cracking the code : Part one

Pooja had forgotten all about the cryptic sms that she had received in the morning, by the time she came to the mess for lunch in the afternoon.
She saw Huda sitting at a table, for once, strangely quiet, a piece of paper in his hand, looking as if he was trying hard to think something, (which looked quite comical on him to be honest).

Pooja : Oye Huda, tera call kaha atka hua hai??

Huda looked up at Pooja and said "Yaar Panjaban...dekh na....ye kaisa code hai. Pata nai kisne bheja hai mujhe."

Pooja looked at the code in Huda's hand.

21st December 1999. Whats in a name.

Huda :Yaar kya ho sakta hai ye??..Tere ko kuch idea hai. Oye...oye punjaban kaha kho gai?

Pooja : Yaar Huda, mujhe ek sms aaya tha aaj subhe....mujhe laga by mist wrong number se send hua hoga.....par..

H: Par kya?

P : Par usme bhi yahi taarikh likhi thi...aur likha tha ki

H : Kya likha tha??

P : " The truth about him"
Ye kiske baare me ho sakta hai...aur sirf hame ye msgs kyu mile hai?

They are discussing this, when Ali Alekh and Yudi  walk in.

They come to Huda and Pooja's table, after grabbing their lunch trays.

Ali : Kya baat hai Pooja, aap kuch khoyi khoyi si lag rahi hai.
P: Yaar Ali, aaj subha subha hum dono ko ye msg mila hai. Pata nai kya ho sakta hai ..koi code lagta hai. Ajeeb hai
Ali looks at the scrap of paper, so do Yudi and Alekh. Pooja has written the msg she received, beneath the one already written.

Ali suddenly remembers the phone call, and tells the others about it.

Alekh : Uss din zarur kuch hua hoga. Shayad academy k library me kuch news miljaaye? Ya phir internet pe try maar....

Accha idea hai Alekhbhai....
He turns to Huda and Yudi : Hum library jaate hai...aap log internet pe try kijiye.
Pooja : Main tere saath aati hu Ali.
Ali : Thik hai, chalye.

.......

Abhimanyu is sitting in the academy grounds, beneath a tree. Finally, after battling with himself for two days, he has made up his mind. Made up his mind to go with what his heart says. And his heart says he should trust his friend, even as his mind asks him not to.

.......

H : Yaar Yudiye, Internet use karne k liye to permission chahiye hogi na, ab kya kare?
Y : Kuch bahana banana hoga, per permission dega kaun?
Capt. Rajveer is our best bet I guess.

Huda stiffens at the mention of Raj.He dosen't want to see him, after recent events.

H: O nai oye Yudiye, agar Captain ko code ki bhanak laggai, to wo to turant crack kar lega.
Y : Dude accha hai na, hamara kaam ho jaayega.
H : Tu paagal hai kya, kahi us code me kuch aisa waisa huva to? Tu permission ki tension mat le, main dekh lunga.

(Huda goes to Major Bhargav, tells him they need to access the net to research on some codes for their exams, Major Bhargav, to his surprise, gives him permission without asking a single question)

Huda to himself : Yaar ye to bada hi aasaan tha. (Straightens his collar) : Ab meri personality hi aisi hai, log kuch keh hi nahi paate mere aage.

Smirking, he goes along, to brag about his success to Yudi.