An Imperial Affliction

Chapter 13 - Observation is actually obsession

Observation is actually obsession, making them feel restless unless they know it all.

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Since days, actually weeks, he is noticing her fidgeting, the restlessness. Granted, her impatience for anything can rival his own, and is part of her traits, but from some weeks it's stronger. It's almost like she is anticipating something, but that something never happens.

She brainstorms on cases harder, bickers with Sameer a little bit more, compliments Shree far more than she would ever do, does that passive aggressive thing with Director Kapoor occasionally. But when it's all over, it's quiet, when none is watching, she broods, gets lost in something, rubs her thumb and finger next to it and taps her foot impatiently.

But he notices, he always notices and wonder what it's all about.

Then he put it under category of 'Unknown traits of ACP Mukherjee'. His brain had actually made a list like that sub-consciously, not that he will ever admit.

Today, the tapping of foot made him snap, finally not able to take her desperation for something unknown anymore. They were near the ETF SUVs and were going over theories one moment, and the next moment all is silent and she is brooding.

"Oh just stop it!" he exclaimed, making her turn to him and frown.

"Not the first time tapped my foot. Didn't know it was causing so much trouble." She scowled.

His jaw locked, "It's not about foot. You are doing it for weeks, what is it? What are you expecting?"

He should have known simple questions piss her more than a full blown argument.

"That calls none of your business." She was totally pissed and he realized it was just her to blow off steam, by fighting with him, like she did last time and before that in Gym, "And if my foot is causing so much trouble, I am leaving."

And she actually did, making him wonder just how much her anticipation for something is messing with her head that she is doing such silly things.

They didn't found her back in ETF, but found Director Kapoor with an identical scowl on her face near the Discussion room door like hers.

"ACP Mukherjee won't be joining you for this case." she sounded annoyed. Everyone frowned, and Sameer, the brave heart, approached the angry Tigress.

"Did she say why?"

The Director just grabbed his hand and thrashed a post it note on it, "If you can decode it."

The post it note merely said --- Taking time off - There was no name on it, but the words were so like her.

"I take it no letter then." he added good humouredly, giving the note to the Second in command. She grumbled.

"When the last time she said she would leave a paper, I should have known better." It looked like she wanted to stomp, but she left without doing it, letting them get back to work.

He wondered if the something had finally occurred.

Rawte found her 30 hours later in ETF office, at 3 in morning, behind a desk full of files and angry expression on face. She touched the coffee mug near her and something must have been off because she looked murderous, glaring at the poor inanimate thing. He remembered she almost never drinks ETF Coffee.

"McDonalds is not open at this hour." He said in lieu of knocking door, arms crossed over chest. The annoyed expression vanished from her face, for some seconds earlier playfulness was there.