Unfazed

84. Haunting Memories (Harsh)

(Hey guys - I haven't found the right media for this - but I can imagine some sort of high octane gaming music in the background. So I've linked some gaming music in the media there. Hope you understand how that makes sense in my twisted little brain!

Cheers!)

"Hello? Iqbal Bhai? We have just left the station", I said, as Shambhavi's colleague drove us onto the main road towards town.

"Harsh – they had been moving consistently until five minutes ago – but out of the blue, they took onto road off Ring Road. Dev is getting close to them – but I don't think he knows where they are. He will assume they have gone straight – I tried calling, but he isn't answering his phone", said Iqbal Bhai in a worried voice over the speaker phone.

Without waiting for anything, Shambhavi immediately pulled out her phone and called Dev. Trying hard not to panic, I struggle to keep my voice levelled when I ask, "Okay – Iqbal Bhai.. What is on that road?"

"Harsh.. from the satellite websites, I can only see that it is deserted and as of now, there hasn't been any movement on that road for the past ten minutes, except for Dee's phone and one car – which is a white sedan from what I can tell you", he says. I confirm it to be Viren's car but it doesn't ease my nerves.

"Deven! Deven – Listen.. After you go past the Petrol Pump on the left on Ring Road, there is a small road that goes off the main road – take that. Viren has taken Deeksha there. Iqbal Bhai just told us", says Shambhavi, startling all of us. Then she puts Deven's call on speaker as well.

"I... Okay.. Will.. There", is all we can hear as the wind of the road whizzes past him. Before we can say anything else, though, the line drops and we can her no more.

Suddenly though, a thought occurs to me and before I can fully comprehend my own thought process, I blurt out to no one in particular, "He has taken her back to the old lake and warehouse."

While everyone looks at me in confusion, Iqbal Bhai says, "Yes – there is a lake at the end of this road they are on – but no warehouse."

I tell Iqbal Bhai that we will call him in a bit and cut the call, before telling the others in the vehicle with me, "In college, my group of friends and a group of seniors had a prank war going on – and though Viren was friends with those people, he never participated in the pranks.

One of my group members had poured water on all their bags when they were out of class one day and in that process, Viren had gotten really mad about something. He had told us he would make us pay someday," I narrate as quickly as I can get across to them.

"But – if that is the case, why would you work with him?" Shambhavi asks.

"I.. Honestly, I had thought I would never get a job after the whole restaurant issue – and obviously, back then I didn't know that he was behind that also. So I grabbed the first opportunity I could when he told me that he had a start-up and was willing to offer me a job" I confess.

"But then – I must also tell you this – I tell him after my interview with him for the start-up that I am really sorry about the whole thing and that it is really nice of him to be doing this for me and now, looking back, what he said to me then makes a lot of sense", I continue.

"What was that?" Shambhavi's colleague, a seemingly experienced man, asks me.

"He looked at me dead in the eye and said: I am only the channel for whatever happens, Harsh. If you have done something wrong, it will come around to bite you – no matter how far you run or try to hide."

Shambhavi and her wise-man colleague share a look but don't say anything. However, I knew better than to ignore the "This-Cant-Be-Good" message in it.

If only I had known how ominous his words had been, then – I would have never taken up the job or trusted him. Now, I was worried he would hurt someone I love – like Deeksha – or even Deven or Alana.