An Imperial Affliction

Chapter 4 - Knowledge is power

Knowledge is power, observation is an interesting perception. its also another way to rub others face on it

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The phone rang for 3rd time, effectively earning an irritated growl at 2 AM at morning and wiping off all trace of sleep from Rawte's mind. he saw the caller and composed a sigh, "Director."

"important case, Nehru Museum, M.G. Road" came her reply. he exhaled another breath, already getting out of bed.

"i will inform others." he replied, then paused, his mind going over the latest addition to their team, "but I don't have any contact no. of . . "

"ACP Mukherjee?" she supplied, "i will take care of that." and she hung up, not before rising questions in his mind that how she will know the other woman's phone no. but then, she is the head, she knows everything.

Aisha groaned after realizing she dont have any no. of the ACP either. she glanced at the watch in her wrist, and pressed the call button in her contact list, holding breath.

"Is this that much serious?" came the reply of Raghu sir, rough from sleep.

"I have important case, and my whole team is not here." she didnt mention the other woman but he realised it. he chuckled at it.

"you dont have any contact no. of her, dont you?"

she was silent for a beat, "i . . . it skipped my mind." she confessed, somewhat surprised at the slip. he sighed.

"she does this to people." she could hear shuffling in the BG, he was getting out of bed, "wait a sec."

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she cut the call both times, an irritation creeping in her mind. she was already in this shady, too loud disco in a revealing dress, waiting for a lead her informer told her about. the lead didnt arrive yet, and the music was making her head hurt. she doesnt hate music, but something about barely making sense and cheap lyrics, horrible female voice and bar dancers moving in little to imagine dresses made her blood boil. she needed this lead, its been too long and she needs something to go on.

the phone rang for the 3rd time and she picked it up, her voice low and barely controlled, "there better has to be good reason to disturb me right now."

"and there has to be better reason for you not to arrive at a crime scene right now." came loud voice of Aisha, "where are you?"

"address." the former answered after a beat, and she sighed, giving the address.

"ETA 20 minutes." she replied.

"i need you in 12." the director ordered. ACP Mukherjee flashed an irritated glance to the door once again, hating to leave behind this lead, then smirked without any humour.

"Dont blame me then." the call ended.

some 11 minutes and 47 seconds later she was infront of Nehru Museum. the police and ETF was already there, yellow ribbons of DO NOT ENTER were everywhere along with officers, curious onlookers and press vehicles. she walked straight to the yellow ribbon and was about to cross it when one officer stopped her, eyeing her from top to bottom.

"ID, Ma'am." the policeman obviously thought low of her. she straightened her back in an attempt to intimitade him, taking out the small revolver from her purse w/o looking into it and flashed it on his face.

"will it help?"

"Let her in." came a male voice behind the officer, who already looked startled by her showing off gun, then somewhat taken aback as the 6 feet ETF commandar Patil came to his peripherial vision. the man backed off, letting her inside, as Chotu looked dazzled by her appearence.