#2

Ashok continued to have his drink. The men in the party cheered loudly with the wine glasses in their hand. Ashok kept his half filled glass on the table and walked out of the party hall. He drove his car out of the hotel premises. He drove the car through the empty road at night. The car arrived at his quarter where he parked it outside the house. He came out of the car, locked it and went to the door. He rang the doorbell. A couple of seconds later it was opened by Nilima (in her early fifties). He came in.

She asked, " How was the party? "

He removed his blazer and kept it on the couch.

" The usual one. I didn't have the dinner there. "

He sat on the couch and kept his phone on the side. There was a thermos on the centre table. Nilima came before the table. Ashok looked at her and asked her for the glass.

" Glass. "

She went to the kitchen.

She said, " I thought you would come home after having the dinner at the party that's why I didn't cook anything. "

" I am not hungry, Nilima. "

She came to him. She kept the glass before him and sat on the couch in front of him. He poured the water into the glass from the thermos.

She said, " I was saying that do you know Harshit? "

" Mr. Mehra's son. "

He had the water.

" Yes. He is a probationary officer at the bank. He has been employed there for seven months. "

He nodded.

" I know. He is currently posted at Ludhiana. I spoke to his father around a week ago. "

" Why don't we talk to him about Harshit and Ritika's marriage? "

Before he could respond his began to ring. He picked up his phone.

" It's Ritika's call. "

" Talk to her. "

He attended the call.

He answered, " Hello. How are you Ritu? "

A male voice came from the other end.

" Oh, so you call her Ritu by the nickname. "

" Ritu? Where is my daughter? "

" She's here with us. She is safe so far. "

Ritika was sitting on a wooden chair with her hands and legs tied with chair and her mouth was wrapped by a duct tape. It was a dark room with a yellow dim light where there was only a window. The caller, Razzaq (in his mid thirties) was standing by the window facing outside. Another man, Nawaz (in his early forties) was having biryani in a plate while sitting by a table at the corner of the room.

Razzaq said, " Mr. Dwivedi, your wife might be sitting before you. You won't like to disturb her. "

Ashok looked at his wife who tried to ask but he left the couch and came out to the lawn.

He said, " I'll send you money right now. Just don't hurt my daughter. "

Nawaz washed his hand in the washbasin in the bathroom.

" If we really wanted money, then we would have kidnapped someone affluent. We are looking for something else. "

" What do you want then? "

Nawaz came to Razzaq. He took the phone.

He said, " Mr. Dwivedi, are you listening? "

" I am listening. "

" You are coming to London next week. "

" I'll be there as you say. "

" But not with bare hands. You have to come to recieve your daughter with something which we are actually interested in. "

" What? "

Bui Anh (in his early fifties) was doing meditation at a meditation centre. He was alone there. He was a Vietnamese old man who used to reside in the city of Da Nang. His phone beeped which was kept beside him on the mat. He opened his eyes and picked up the phone. He saw a message notification on the lock screen. He opened his chats and read the message.

' Today is the chance. Don't delay. Respond. '

He replied, ' Okay. '

He stood up. He kept the phone in his pocket. He folded the mat. As he came out of the meditation centre, his three disciples passed by him before greeting him. He nodded his head and gave them a smile as a reply.

Hamid (in his mid forties) was driving a blue mini truck. He saw a checkpost where two first class constables were alerted. The road was blocked by. He was stopped by them. The first constable came to him.

" Papers. "

Hamid took out the paper from the glove box and gave it to him. The constable went through the papers and gave it back to him.

Hamid asked, " Can I go now? "

" We need to examine your goods in the vehicle. "

" Where is Phan? "

" Why? "

" Call him. "

The constable took out his phone and made a call. There was a cabin built by the checkpost. Sergeant Shi Phan (in his late thirties) came out of the cabin. Hamid waved his hand to him. Phan called him. Hamid came out of the truck. Phan went back to the cabin. Inside the cabin, Hamid kept two rolls of money on the table.

Phan asked, " Where is the packet? "

Hamid took out a brown packet and kept it on the table. Phan picked up a knife from the cutlery and made a slight cut on the packet. He poured a small amount of white powder on his palm. He smelled the powder and was mesmerized by the smell.

" Have you brought more? "

" For now there is only one for you. I'll bring you more once I go to Mexico again. "

Hamid came out of the cabin. Phan made a call to the constable.

He said, " Clear the way. "

The second constable lifted up the checkpost. Hamid drove the truck away.

He smirked.

" Stupid people. "

Bui Anh did his prayer in the Cao Dai Temple. He came out of the temple. He wore his slippers and went to an open gypsy where Vihaan was sitting on the passenger seat.

Vihaan said, " Done? "

Bui sat on the driver's seat. He ignited the vehicle.

Bui said, " He has filled the pockets of the sheriff here that's why Phan doesn't let any law enforcement officer reach the cartel. "

" Is he also the member of their cartel? "

" Phan? Kind of but he doesn't know their routes. He only cares about the money. The man you are looking for works as the courier for them. "

" I only care about him. "

Bui's gypsy was parked at a roadside in front of a square.

Vihaan asked, " For whom he does come to meet here? "

" Can you see you the woman there? "

There was a small dry cleaning service store across the road in front.