The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
-Edmund Burke
5 days after Haqqani showed up in the heart of country, Agent Rahane was summoned to join a meeting between Additional Secretary of RAW South Asia section, A specialist on Afghanistan and Pakistan, IB Joint head, IB Deputy Chief to whom he reports, and some others. Seemed like a lot of development had occurred in the political sectors in this case, because when Rahane got out of it 4 hours later, his mind was reeling.
The summary of the meeting was - Haqqani is foreign nationality. He is a headache for his own country. RAW had green signal from his home country and Delhi to kill him off at any time they want to.
From approaching caution, they were now set on the mission to finish the Man off and take revenge on the behalf of those 7 dead agents who were tagged as normal citizens in the emergence of the situation. Rahane could not come up with any reason as to why they should not kill him, but if they do, there will be lots of unanswered questions.
He along with IB additional head raised this basic question, which the others took it, deciding to think about it and meet at a later time to take a final decision on it. He hoped they are not going all guns blazing on Haqqani, because he, for one, would like to ask what the man was thinking, walking into a charity ball like its' a walk in a park. He sure has some ulterior motive, and he would hate to be stonewalled by something else after they had killed him off.
He doesn't like obstacles.
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Inside an inconspicuous black Mercedes Benz car, Azeem Haqqani was moving through the nearly empty national highway at a lightning speed to the outskirts of Mumbai, his face hard. A few hours ago, he was enjoying his breakfast at a five star lavish hotel. It went to hell from that.
RAW is after him now.
Last he had heard, Indian government was not approaching him, too spooked after the South Delhi incident. What made them change their stance, he is yet to figure out, before he goes dark and saves his skin from them. He was also worried about what he had heard, that they are after him to kill him. Nobody in his circle had ever heard of RAW going all red after anyone, they always, always, procrastinate, find any other way. Also, to be quite honest, those agents in Delhi were not RAW, and even they were, RAW is not known for vengeance.
He wondered what changed all of a sudden. To be more accurate, in one night.
But before that, he needed to remind the government why they were not coming after him earlier. They needed to remember, and change their stance once again.
He searched for a number in his contact list as the car zoomed past the verdant forest, a cottage in the peripheral vision.
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"Whoa, is not that the benefactor?"
Rathore asked to none particular, his eyes fixed on the news of the LCD screen hanging on the wall in the waiting room of Raghu sir's office. Beside him Aisha looked up from a magazine she was reading, reading the headlines emerging at the bottom.
"From the charity ball?"
"Yep." The Senior Officer confirmed, "He is most wanted Man?" Then shook his head, "Dixit should have done his research. He will be in trouble now."
By the time Aisha finished listening to the full story, Sameer was too quiet, "Anything on your mind?"
"It makes sense now." He looked at her, "Remember I told you Agent Rahane was there?"
She nodded, "His department must have sent him."
"The nerve of this man . . . can't even call it stupidity. He showed himself, why? Must have a bigger picture."
Before Aisha could answer to that, Raghu sir along with IB Deputy Chief were coming toward them, the former signaling them toward meeting room. The four of them entered, and the next 2 hours passed on the discussion of Virus case. At the end of it, they were right where they had started, with no added development.
They made small talk as they walked towards the entrance through where they entered, their car drove by the valets. Raghu sir and the deputy IB chief mostly spoke, Aisha and Sameer standing beside respectfully and thinking when they could get out, that's when something zoomed past the deputy chief's ear.
He looked confused for a moment, but beside him it was already hell breaking loose. The hole on the wooden door frame looked suspiciously like bullet. Before he knew, Sameer was pushing him on the floor, Aisha doing the same to Raghu sir. Then another shot was fired, this time near their feet. By then, every police officer realized what was going on, and they divided into three parts, those who shot back (rather fruitlessly) at the direction of the bullets coming, those who ran in that direction, and those who made a makeshift human wall over the four of them, letting them move inside the office and away from cross firing.
It was only when they were inside they noticed the ETF Director had taken a bullet.
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The ETF team ran like bat out of hell the moment the tires of the SUVs screeched into a halt in front of the hospital, parking rules be damned. They stalked past relatives of patients, doctors and nurses through the stairs, and reached the floor where the Director was kept. After being updated on her health, they all breathed a sigh of relief, now focusing their remaining energy on the bastard who did this. Even Sameer, who looked clearly haunted, wanted to do something as a payback, anything but replaying in his mind over and over the horrific moment when they realized she was shot.
The Police was on a Man hunt throughout the city, looking everywhere for the Man who attacked the central Police HQ and shot at their Commissioner. The said commissioner along with deputy chief and rest of ETF were brainstorming at the hospital right then over who attacked them, going over names of various mafias and underworld Dons.
Meanwhile, ACP Mukherjee, who was the champion of rule of vengeance, could not bring herself to mix with others and plan the destruction of gangsters who attacked them. She felt sick, at this hospital, at others for not feeling this burning fire inside which she is feeling but choosing to focus on revenge which was the easy way, sick at the gangster who shot at the woman who is closest to her to a family, even though most of the time she doesn't act civil, at all, towards her, and sick at the God whom she has so much faith, to let it happen. What's the point of believing on an idol made by clay and human hands then, if it could not save the one person who doesn't deserve any crap the universe throw at her?
She gave a disgusted look at the Ganapati idol at the end of passageway, which was illuminated with oil lamps and smelt of marigold.
You are not worth of her faith. She said to him. The calm, serene look on the idol made her feel like the God was mocking her. It made her turn on her wheels and move the hell away from it, leaving the revenge planning team and shitty smelling phenyl.
She was not planning to peep inside the room where Aisha was kept, but her feet betrayed her. Standing outside a room and separated only by a door, she regretted so many things at once that her head was spinning.
She regretted to see the strong, protocol abiding woman lying in a hospital room, surrounded by machines and looking intimidate by them. She regretted how each time the former tried to mend their once-upon-a-time friendship, which was damaged, even though she had no reason to. She regretted every time the former called out on her bull, giving her a way to come clean, but she chose not to take them. She regretted seeing the disappointment in her eyes and yet choosing not to do anything with that. She regretted coming back to her life. She regretted befriending the small town girl who had a heart of pure and strong backbone on the first day of Academy. She regretted meeting her, because she had not, it would not have hurt so damn much seeing her inside that room.
The last part was too selfish, but then, she was always selfish when it comes to people close to her.
She regretted it most when Aisha opened her eyes inside, sensing someone's stare, and looked around, before meeting hers, and when she moved away from the door and stalked past it, unable to meet her eyes.
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"It was Haqqani." The Deputy chief of IB informed the ETF team, sans the juniors (Because . . . ) in his cabin, 5 days later, "The shot was directed at me, the Director was collateral damage."
"Which will leave a lifelong scar." Sameer said bitterly, "But then, when will plastic surgeries come to rescue, eh?"
The Deputy chief and Rahane gave a bemused look at the tasteless joke, while Arjun picked up, "There is a manhunt on him. Why he will not run but send people after you?"
Well, it was a question which goes deep into some well buried secrets, so the Deputy took the easy way out, cover story, "Haqqani is a madman. He believes in payback, when we sent men for his arrest, he sent his own. It's all game for him."
"He should not have been allowed in the country at the first place." Sameer scowled.
"We are still looking through the obvious security loopholes." Rahane spoke this time, eyeing the duo even though his gaze linger on the ACP standing in a corner of room, not speaking at once, looking at them with a blank expression which he didn't understand. To his reply, she opened her mouth, putting him on edge, at the same time relief filling in.
"That will accomplish what?"
Nobody had the answer for this, and an uncomfortable silence followed. Arjun was the one who asked the real question again, not some tasteless humor or dark comment.
"Any news of Haqqani?"
"No, but we are close to him." The Deputy replied. Instantly, a nagging question which was driving him crazy in the back of mind, came out of his lips.
"Haqqani is an international criminal who is on most wanted list of many countries. How come our administration is going after him all out, without any red tape or bureaucracy, and no other countries seeking justice putting their foot down? And since when IB hunt down Man by flashing his face on news channels? It's not like you had exhausted all resources, right? Why going with so much aggression behind him? What's the main story?"
It's not like the IB deputy chief didn't anticipate this question, but wanted this question to appear at the end, or maybe never. He thought for a moment to skirt around the topic, or to give another cover story, but he had witnessed firsthand what stubborn species can be these ETFians, and decided against it in exchange of a rare moment of truth.
"Haqqani is despised in his own country. The government doesn't want a liability hanging over their head, so when our foreign affairs ministry approached them, they gave us green signal to eliminate him, so that their hands were not dirty." He paused, "But of course, we can't just kill him, he can prove himself to be valuable. In fact, it was me and Rahane who were most vocal about and let them rethink about their approach."
To this, something flashed in the eyes of the ACP along with the Senior officer, and it only intensified when the deputy chief mentioned how they came close to arresting Haqqani in the hotel he was staying, but he slipped off at the last moment.
"Excuse me." Sameer nearly ran out of the room, not being able to stand inside and listen to IB deputy and the big picture of his department anymore. For his 'More info' and 'Asset' policy their Director was shot, who is going to be responsible for that, Haqqani or them?
"But situation has changed now, yes?" ACP Mukherjee said in her usual low, growly voice, which seemed like a default setting in these past couple of days, "He sent shooter after you, is this not sufficient for your approach to be changed?"
The Deputy gave a sardonic smile, "If we have to change our approach every time some unsub decides to come after us, we won't have any work done in this place." Sobering up, he explained, "Haqqani is much bigger than me, or any other person. Capturing him alive not only will give us advantage over his country, but we can discover many hidden operations on our soil and other countries. He is a big fish, an asset. Vengeance have to take a backseat in here." He paused, then added sympathetically, "I understand your point . . . "
"You don't. You can't." The ACP dismissed before storming away from the room, turning on her wheels. Rawte sighed, rubbing his temple. In a way these two are embarrassing his department, but he can't bring himself to bash them for their behavior. To them, Haqqani is a threat who tried to harm one of them, so he should pay for that. For IB, he is an asset, threat be damned.
Outside there was a loud commotion which made the remaining trio, Rahane, Deputy Chief and Rawte come out to witness what happened. What they saw made their eyes pop out of socket, the shooter, whom they captured not too long hours ago, was missing a tooth and blood was coming out of his mouth, whom the IB agents were dragging away, semi glaring the two ETF officers who remained standing with a cool expression on their face, giving away nothing. Suspiciously, it was Sameer's knuckle which was bruised.
For some reason, IB didn't make the ETFians pay for it immediately. Arjun didn't know what to make of it, maybe they are saving it for some time else, or that they are allowing this one vengeance for ETF, as 'Big Fish' is out of their reach.
The incident remained in the corridors of IB, so when the trio returned, one of them less than good shape, the office was curious. Sameer shrugged, giving a lie about how his hand got stuck in elevator, giving a look to Riya, who didn't give away anything. If anyone had a doubt about how the knuckles look like he punched someone, they didn't mention.
The Best friend duo found themselves in the medic room after Liza had finished patching up Sameer, telling him conspiratorially that, if he had punched the shooter, then he should take her hearty wishes, and Rawte walking in at the same time the Doctor left. He sat beside the senior officer, silence following them.
"Is this lecture time?" Sameer asked casually, wrapping and unwrapping his bandage. His best friend sighed.
"Do you want me to?"
"No." He stopped playing with the bandage, "Your words will go waste." He stared at a particular space in floor, a twisted smile coming on his lips, "I wanted to kill him, you know? It's pretty dark though, to think about killing someone, but I can't bring myself to feel any remorse about it." He now looked at him sharply, "What that makes me?"
"Human." Arjun said simply. The former inhaled a deep breath, nodding slowly as he processed.
"What we won't do for them, eh?" He gave a small smile. Arjun smiled too, shaking head.
"What we won't, indeed.''
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So, it was official. It was all her fault.
Staring back at her own reflection in mirror in the washroom adjoining locker room, ACP Mukherjee fumed inside silently, like challenging her reflection to counter argue. Surprisingly, it didn't. Every fiber of her being agreed to her that it was her own fault. Everything was her own fault.
That burner phone was a trap. If she was not so desperate to jump the line of protocol and took the help of her personal IT guy, the IB would not have walked right into it and the series of shits would not have followed. If by any chance IB itself could have walked right into the trap, at least Haqqani openly would not have targeted them, declared a war on their country soil. It didn't make sense, but the bottom line was, her team would have been safe. She would have been safe.
Her sole reason to work on her 'Personal' case alone was pretty selfish, she wanted to take the credit, satisfy her inner demon. With time people associated themselves, which was inevitable, still she had the ultimate consolation prize, when she will get the person responsible for her lover's death, she will be the one to kill him. Pretty straight forward plan. Until she got Nasir and all spiraled away. Never in wildest dream had she thought her own action will harm people near him, life threatening harm. Never.
Her reflection blinked in a repeated motion in the mirror, looking like it was fighting back the irritation in the eyes.
Her phone rang and she picked up without even looking, "Yeah." Her voice was tight, in control.
"Hey." She nearly jumped out of her skin when Aisha's voice came from the other side, "Did I disturb you?"
She is certainly cutting off her guilt trip time, but she was not going to say that, "No. Anything urgent?"
It was pretty harsh, but Aisha didn't seem to mind, missing a couple of beat before asking, "You doing good?"
Riya had to laugh, "I am not the one lying in hospital."
There was a sharp intake of breath, "You didn't look good." The smile vanished, "I saw you the other day, through glass door. Why didn't you come in?"
She had to swallow hard before answering in a rough voice, "I hate hospitals."
Aisha huffed, not really taking her words at face value but playing along, "Fine, I will be home tomorrow. Come there."
"Maybe I should stay away." Riya said quietly, sadness quoting the words which would have sounded cold normally. She cleared her throat once before Aisha can say something to it, determined to let them both think she just didn't say that, smiling ruefully, "Get well soon, Director. People are breaking rules in your absence."
With that she cut the call, hurling the phone across the washroom wall, shattering it into pieces.
It was 3 AM in morning, and in the absence of Director, Rawte was the one who had to finish Director-ly duties which occasionally ate up his sleeping time. Yawning slowly, he was pouring himself a mug of coffee, when the sound of breaking something came from Locker room. Looking around, he put the mug on the nearby counter, curious as to who was there, because he thought he was the only one who was left.
His feet carried him to locker room, then the bright light of washroom, the door of which was open pulled him towards it and before his brain and limbs can communicate, he was walking right into it.
Which proved to be the right time, as Riya's fist was about to hit the mirror. His hand came between the two in the last moment, instantly curling around her fist and pulling it down. She took measured, controlled breath, like any movement might spontaneously combust her. He took in her every expression carefully.
Even though half the time he has no idea what the wild and unpredictable ACP is doing, he is not an idiot. The injury of Director hit her hard, barring Sameer of course, even though she chose not to attract attention to herself like every other time, and from the look of it, she blames herself, even though he has no idea why, or how. But then, he does not know everything about her. Still seeing the self- loathing in her eyes was not easy for him.
It aches.
It felt like eternity had passed yet no words were exchanged between the two. She neither gave any indication that she noticed his presence, nor she pulled her fist from his curling fingers, just stood still. As he watched her, waiting for any movement, he realized he was holding breath, like the minimal action will set her off.
"I don't think I can take anymore." Her lips barely moved, words spoken in careful control as evident from her voice modulation. Just when he thought they will continue this silent treatment . . .
He realized it's not the guilt she is talking about, but all the things which tormented her the moment she walked into their lives, with the addition of past baggage. How on Earth he started to know her this much well, he had no idea.
"So what you want to do?" He whispered, like rising his voice will ruin her rare moment of talking, taking a small step toward her without even noticing it, "Run?"
"Maybe that will be better." She still didn't meet his eyes.
"Don't run." All hesitancies and soothing voices were gone instantly. Damn it. He moved ahead, stopping only when he could feel her irregular breath on himself, "You can't run, not now." Not ever.
"Why not?" She asked carefully.
He had to bite his inner cheek to compose himself, "You have come so far. Running away will ruin everything you have worked for." The work about which he has no idea. But his lack of knowledge can be dealt later. She didn't answer to his reply, neither asked anything. The silence made him pretty antsy, it's not like she is one of those people whose faces are mirror of their soul, but seeing her like this made his stomach drop. He didn't want her to punish herself for something on which she had no control.
When too much time passed and he thought she is done talking to him for the night, he tugged her forward, "Let's get out of here." He muttered, pulling her behind him. She didn't refuse, letting him drag her wherever he wants to.
They ended up on the stairs, sitting side by side, soft light covering them like a fluffy blanket on winter night. He stared at her, getting impatient, doing that foot tap which he picked from her, beside him she was perfect picture of stillness. If someone didn't know her, he or she can say she is sitting pretty calm, if unusually erect.
He jumped slightly when she opened her mouth, voice low and cracking, "I don't want anyone else to get hurt."
His heart ached for her, "Hey." He lowered his head slightly, hoping to catch her eyes, in which he succeeded, her jaw fixed in careful control yet the eyes giving away the vulnerability, "Nobody's going to get hurt."
"I don't think I can take anymore." She whispered this time, looking away, lost, confused, at the same time pain filled in her eyes. Against his better judgment, he put his arms around her and pulled her closer, their heads touching. The last time he had seen her emotionally exhausted, in that gym months ago, she was not this much effected. Even in the worst of time she kept herself in check, didn't she? That bomb case, when she was dying due to a virus, when her secret was threatening to come out, every single time she handled it. Seeing her like this, in a way it made him terrified about what may come, because the strongest person among them is falling apart, what chances the rest of them have?
It was a short term peace in the midst of war.
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Everyone cheered as Director Kapoor made her way into the bullpen, smiling and nodding at everyone. Some handed her bouquets, some shook her hand, and some were content with the wolf whistling from far, like a soldier had returned from battleground. In a way, she had, and the ETFians joy were boundless.
Her eyes caught the ACP in a corner, but before she could blink the former was gone.
Sitting in the silence of her cabin, she sighed, leaning back on the headrest. What a crazy couple of days. It was supposed to be a regular meeting, like the countless others ETF had with Raghu sir and IB deputy. She was shocked when the bullets start firing, and before anyone could make sense of anything she went down, adding more to the chaos. She already berated herself for the lack of defense.
In the hospital and later at home, while she was recuperating, she came to know that Haqqani was the mastermind behind it. It made sense, but again, she was shocked that a wanted Man in this country will wage a war against the law enforcement itself. It must have taken an amount of power and audacity on his behalf to plan and execute this. She wondered what's his endgame, because the way she is perceiving this, he is going down. Its' the Union versus one Man.
Keeping aside the whole 'Got shot' thing, she still had her own departmental mysteries to solve. It may have been months, but the Nasir case was still on her mind. The only reason she didn't confront the ACP was . . . well, will it solve anything? She would out rightly deny any allegation, or just give a bull story, neither of which the Director is interested in. From her talk with Raghu sir, she knows that the ACP had reached Nasir before his death. She wondered if she was any closer to that unsolved case, even though recent circumstances had halted the improvement.
Calling her was not a tactical move to loosen the knot of already tangled thread, rather a spontaneous action on the Director's part. A part of her, when she woke up at hospital and was surrounded by family and friends, wanted to see her there, and when she didn't, was very disappointed, maybe even hurt. But with time, as she got better, she remembered even before she met her loved ones and doctors, her eyes had fallen on the ACP who was standing so far away from her, the two separated only by a glass door. The anguish in her face had startled her when she later remembered, arising questions in mind why she was not with her, why she kept her distance?
In rare moments when she had vented her frustration about the ACP to Raghu sir, who neither accepted nor denied that the former was up to something, he had said maybe the reason she was keeping her distance is because she doesn't want her around, which sounded suspiciously like what the ACP had said to her months ago in a late night in Gym. Keeping aside her frustration that two grown up people is not treating her like fellow grown-up, she often wondered what Raghu sir meant, as she knows when Riya had said that, she meant she was too far into her 'personal' work and she didn't want the Director to witness how far she had fallen. But now, the worst had happened, now the Director found herself thinking what if the ACP feared exactly this. And if, she did, the Director wondered how far she is gone, she much she knows, and especially, what will be the consequences.
These are some questions which she cannot get answers of. But she knows one thing, if some big thing is about to happen which will hit them next, and if the ACP knows about it, she won't let them to tackle it blind. Contrary to what the world thinks, ACP Mukherjee is eccentric, but not crazy. Even if her chaotic manners and actions lies deep thinking and planning. The shooting was probably an accident, it's possible the Director is just adding some random point to another.
She can't, for the life of her, answer from where does this faith comes from, even though the person of her faith has never shown an amount of faithfulness.
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Lost in her thought-world, the Director failed to notice the breaking news behind her, on the mute LCD kept on the table.
Haqqani has been captured.