Chai Banarasi

Chapter 2

Vicky was still praying in his corner Shiv temple when he heard disturbances in back of the room.

God forgive him, but he was surrounded by idiots.

He completed his prayers and turned around to see one of his lower level workers talking to his right hand man, Amrit.

Then Amrit raised his hand, hit the man hard in the face and had the guy escorted by his men, presumably off the premises of Vicky's house.

"What is it?"

"Nothing brother. Some girl is asking questions about you and the idiot came here without any information on her other than confirming her gender." Amrit said touching Vicky's feet.

Vicky said shaking his head, "Find everything about the girl, and while you are at it, find how much she knows about us."

Amrit left taking a few men with him, and Vicky started getting ready to make rounds of his tea shops.

***

Vicky was on his third check-up when he saw her.

Girl was too high class and expensive looking to be sitting as cosy with Nandu Dada as she was. She slowly stood up from where she was sitting on the benches as he approached.

Behind her, her saw Amrit pointing to her. Oh! So she was the curious little bird asking around about him.

He nodded to Amrit.

He will deal with her after he was done making round.

***

When Amrit met him outside his house Vicky knew Amrit had every bit of information about her that there was to know.

After greetings, Amrit went straight into things he had found about the girl.

"Her name is Anita Vaish. Parents are dead and left her with an inheritance she can live off for a while. Owns an apartment in Civil Lines. Is a painter. Don't know why she is following you unless things are tight and she started collecting information about you. Either way, it would be better to know from her. What do you say? Should I get her a lifted?"

"Nothing on her Facebook?"

"Nothing anywhere. Makes her look even more suspicious."

"Hmm... she looks about my age. Maybe guys are harassing her. But she must have a place to sell her work?" Vicky asked.

"Her neighbours said that she told them she sells in a gallery in Delhi. Uses courier for mobilising everything," Amrit supplied like he was not sure neighbours could be tursted.

"Sells in Delhi and lives in Banaras?" Vicky said. After deliberating over it, he gave the orders, "Okay, get her lifted. I am feeling like getting a painting made of me."

Orders given, Vicky now just had to wait for his new bird to arrive and find why she is twittering with everyone so much about him.

***

Amrit called him early next morning saying that he had the girl down in the basement.

Her eyes were open when Vicky arrived, but her mouth was still gaged with what appeared to be a handkerchief.

Taking a scythe to her neck, Amrit spoke, "You scream and I'll chop your head off. Understood?"

Her gag was removed when she nodded.

She noticed Vicky as he came into the lit area and her eyes followed him as he came nearer and sat in the chair in front of her.

"Why am I here?"

Vicky was surprised with how steady and no-nonsense her voice was. "Why are you asking for so much information about me?"

"I asked a question first."

"I'm not the one in position of disadvantage."

She appeared to think the question over then nodded, as if her consent was necessary for Vicky's men to make her speak.

Still, things done without making too big a mess are always good.

"I saw you at one of your stalls and felt like painting you."

"That doesn't require asking bout for me."

"I cannot paint people well if I don't know them. The collection of information was out of necessity."

"Don't most people click pictures for stuff like that?"

"Yes well, most people don't like to have their pictures taken by strangers without consent."

"And collecting information about them as if you are a stalker is perfectly fine?"

The bird looked uncomfortable for first time at this. Now he was getting somewhere.

"What do you say, I let you go and come to you every day so you can draw my portrait and give it to me in exchange of you not telling anyone about this kidnapping and anything you might have learned about me?"

"Does it matter? You just own a lot of small tea shops."

"Does not change that fact that I have business rivals."

Vicky looked up to see Amrit looking confused. He'll have to explain his plans about the girl later. Right now, he had to get the girl to say yes.

"Well? We can just put you in a sack and let you swim in pure embrace of mother Ganga."

Vicky saw fear flash in her eyes before she composed herself again.

"I would prefer being alive."

"We have a deal, then."

Vicky looked back up at Amrit, who looked like he still didn't know if they should believe the girl. Well, only one way to find out.

"Let her go. And, make sure that our guest reaches her nest safely."

After Amrit returned from escorting the girl to her house, Vicky said, "I want two men on her at all times. If everything goes according to plans, we can count Delhi as one of city in our business plans."

Till now, being a union territory along with National capital had kept Delhi out of Vicky's reach. Hopefully girl will help. Whether she knows of her part depends on what he finds out about her.
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Hello fellow Homo sapiens! Hope that conversations don't sound too awkward. I'm still trying to see how they can sound better and more natural. Do give me tips if you have any.

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