Ayona and Sameer came back to the precinct without further talks. There was a comfortable silence over between them with occasional humming from Ayona. She was smoothly humming some song which sounded happy.

"Good to know you are having a good time here Ayona." Sameer said.

"I am. Arry is content. We are making progress. I made new friends." She said. Sameer nodded. "And you." That caught his eye.

"Me?"

"Yes. A big part of my life here is you. I believe I have spent more time with you than anyone else. You are understanding of my ways and cause. So thank you." She said holding his hand for a bit to show that she meant those words.

         They reached in to find everyone waiting for them. Arjun was looking into some files.

"Good all of us are here. So.. What you found out?" Sameer asked.

"Rathore, as Shree said our victim travelled to major cities a lot. Today we got to know that he travelled to Bangalore more than other cities." Arjun said.

"Yes sir. And he also transferred a big amount in small installments to various charities in Bangalore. They are planning a something big in Bangalore." Shree said.

"Can I see those bus tickets?" Ayona said.

      Sakshi handed her over. As both the girls poured into those tickets everyone else waited for them to finish. Ayona was from Bangalore and Sakshi spent a lot time there.

"This one goes from Agara to electronic city..." Ayona said.

"That's right. And see this one is an airport bus. This much fares is from airport to Koramangal I guess. Ayona I think it's a route. Wait let me open the road map of Bangalore." Sakshi said while opening her tab. Ayona shook her from her arm while showing her another ticket..

"These two are getting along." Lizza said.

"It's work Liz.. They both are professionals. I think they are involuntarily getting along for work." Shree said.

"I hope they stay like this." Chhotu said.

"Guys.. See this.. Sakshi print it fast." Ayona said.

"On it Ayu.. Shree get that from printer." Sakshi said absentmindedly, still looking at her tab. Only Arjun noticed she called Ayona by her nickname. To someone who behave like hate each other, it was odd. But he shrugged it off.

"Ok.. Here.. This is the route that he travelled a lot in Bangalore. Over and over again. I believe he is marking the time and places." Ayona said.

"In Bangalore buses have a number and a letter. The routes are assigned to numbers and timings are upto the letter. For example 101 is from Agara to electronic city. The 9 o clock will have 101A. 9.15 will have 101B. Like that." Sakshi said.

"Yes. So he was marking time and place around this Route. Which is so happened to be fall on a circle inside the IT hub of our country. It's a serial bombing everyone. Right in the heart of Modern India." Ayona said.

"Good Gracious.. How do we stop it?" Lizza asked.

"We have to go to Bangalore." Ayona said.

"Before that we need to know the date and time." Arjun said. "Ayu can you find out from your sources?"

"One thing bothering me Rowte. What's the connection of drugs in all these. And why and who killed Horo?" Sameer said.

"Drugs?" Arjun asked.

"Yes Arry.. There were designer drugs involved. The place we got the first body it's a hunting ground for drug dealers." Ayona said. "But right now we should stick to the bomb part."

"Ayona is right. Let's wrap for today. Tomorrow morning we will plan for Bangalore." Sameer said. "Go home everyone."

"Dinner anyone? I'm starving." Ayona said.

"Or we can go to dinner before going home." Sameer said.

"Let's go to our place. We will get some take out on the way." Ayona said.

"I'm in." Lizza said.

"Me too." Sakshi said

"There is a great Italian place on your way Ayona." Shree said as he hold Ayona by her arm and started walking. Followed by Chhotu and lizza.

"Guess we are again eating at your place Rowte. Are you ok with it?" Sameer asked.

"I can let Ayu make life decisions for me. She is all I have left to a family. If having her here with me involves some Socialization with my colleagues then it's totally fine." Arjun said.

       Sakshi gave a sharp look to them before leaving towards the door. Sameer was now sure that Ayona was a great addition to their team. That day they had a great dinner and drinks. The stories of Ayona was a great entertainment during dinner.

"You have a great taste in food Ayona. I would never dare to order something I don't know on the menu." Liza said.

"I saw the ingredients and it was basic herbs, parmesan cheese and classic Italian sauces. What could go wrong.." She said.

"Chicken is good but the wine. It's incredible. Why I never tried rose wine before?" Liza said.

"I think Rose wine should be staple drink in Mumbai. It's always summer here." Ayona said.

"She would know about wine. Ayu is a borderline alcoholic." Arjun said.

"I enjoy various alcoholic drinks. Wines, cocktails, champagne, etc. Because it's an art to it. The chemistry between various drinks in various ratios. The brewing of wine and beer. It's fascinating for me. But I assure you Arry I do not have a drinking problem as you think so. I don't live for wine tasting." She said.

"I haven't been to a wine tasting in ages. Last time I went in Goa, it was crap." Sakshi said.

"If you wanna go for wine tasting then there is a small town in France. Chianon. Best red wine ever. I really wanna go again." Ayona said.

"Ladies.. Will you stop being so stereotypical ladies?" Shree asked.

"Why? Our talks are moving over your uncultured little mind speky?" Liza asked.

"It's ok. Chhotu.. What happened you don't like your food?" Ayona asked.

"No.. It's good. Mujhe ye wine nai jam raha hai Ayona." Chhotu said. Ayona laughed before saying

"There is a beer in the fridge."

"Thank you.." Chhotu said happily before leaving.

"Ayu make a great Italian too. She knows about this cuisine Lizza. Maybe that's why her guess was right." Arjun said. Every were little surprise that he actually participated in their chitchat.

"Is that so?" Lizza asked.

"You should make us then some time Ayona." Shree said.

"Ok.. Some time then." She said.

        That dinner went well. After everyone left Arjun and Ayona made themselves cups of coffee and talked late into the night. They were just happy in the moment. Next day when they reached to face a tensed Sameer. As soon as they entered the room he exploded.

"I knew that drugs were shady.. We should not have leave them be." He said.

"What are you talking about Rathore?" Arjun asked.

"Ayona the drug dealers we met yesterday are dead." Sameer said.

"But it was too initial stage. No one knew about it yet. We didn't even reported it." Ayona said.

"Maybe we were followed." Sameer said.

"No sameer. We were not. I think we have a mole. Someone in this room leaked it." Ayona said. "Maybe unintentionally."

"Oh my God.. " Sakshi said.

"What did you do now?" Ayona asked irritated.

"I wrote about it in my blog. About drugs and your act. I swear I didn't post it yet." Sakshi said.

"Does anyone has access to your blogs? Editors.. Colleagues.." Arjun asked.

"Except for the IT team here.. A group of editors." Sakshi said guiltily.

"Fantastic.. You just screw up our best lead right now.. You stupid stupid girl." Ayona yelled and the whole office stopped what they were doing to listen in.

"Sameer I promise I will find out who got into my drive. I have a software in my home computer it can track it." Sakshi said.

"I'm not sure if I can help you Sakshi. I have to suspend you from this mission." Sameer said.

"I messed up twice in two days. As much as I hate Ayona's gut I have to say that she maybe right. I'm not capable of such level of delicate case. I should leave these to you professionals. But before you suspend me please give me a chance to rectify my mistake. I want to find who ever that is." Sakshi said before leaving.

         She was really upset with everything but more importantly with herself. How could she made such mistake. She reached home and went straight to the computer. She was searching for anyone who visited her blog when she hear a safety of a gun is being lifted. Someone was behind her.

"You don't have to search for it Sakshi. I'm right here." A man's voice said. She turned to face him. She recognized the man. He worked at the precinct. "Remember me?"

"I do. Vijay. I showed you my blog that day when Ayona sent me to office from the crime scene."

"Yes. Women.. So easy to manipulate. Two lines of sympathy and you typed your email and password in front of a virtual stranger because you were jealous. Over a man.. Seriously.."

"Ayona was right. There is a mole."

"Ah.. Ayona.. That bitch. Walks around like she owned the place. She had been a real threat to our operation.

"I would have agreed to it if you weren't pointing a gun at my face. What now your master want me dead?"

"This.. No. No. Don't make yourself so important sakshi.. He doesn't give a damn about you. This is just me covering my own track. Although it would have been a deja vu for him. Killing another of you."

"Shree can trace you even if you kill me."

"I know that Shree is good. But he will need time to trace it. When I log in to your blog to see what Ayona did, who she talked to about the drugs I used your ID. So Shree can only reach me if he trace the IP address. Until he reach there I will vanish. I wish I didn't had to kill those junkies you know. Or you. India will be off limit for me. Ah.. Anyway there are 194 other countries I can call home.... Ok.. Say goodbye to..."

"Drop your weapons.. Get on your knees.. Now.. " Ayona, Sameer, Arjun, Chhotu and some other police men came out from hiding. Vijay dropped to the ground as he was handcuffed.

"You knew?" Vijay asked.

"No. I didn't know it was you. But I had my doubts that there was a dirty cop." Ayona said. They took him away. Sakshi was breathing heavily. Of course she was very scared.

"You ok?" Ayona asked her.

"Damn you Ayu.. Thodi der hojata to wo mujhe marne wala tha." Sakshi said.

"Sorry yar.. We needed him to confess. Aur koi rasta nai tha." Ayona said giving her a side hug.

"Wait a second. Ye sab planned tha?" Sameer asked.

"Let's go to the precinct. Main sab batati hun." Ayona said.

(In office)

"Let me get this straight. From day one, the fight, the hatred, Sakshi's termination request, everything was an act. You two were known each other all this time." Sameer asked.

"Yes. I actually had two friends here when I came. Arry and Sakshi. Difference is Sakshi known about my relationship to Arry but he didn't know about her." Ayona said.

"I know Ayona for years. We were in college together. When I came here and saw Arjun I told her everything. As much as I got involved in this team I got to know about things that mattered to both of them. So I kept connection with Ayu." Sakshi said.

"Sakshi found out a mole that has been working for a special case in this department way before I came along. When the same case came to me, we planned all this to catch the mole." Ayona said.

"What case you are talking about? This case came out of nowhere." Sameer asked.

"This isn't random Sameer. The bomb, the drugs Ayona coming here isn't random at all. She has been working on a case for very long. This is very closely related to a long run case in this department and personally to you and Arjun." Sakshi said.

"Arry.. I found him. I found Sikandar."

AN

Hy guys..
I have been busy with my other books which get me less time and energy to continue this. But there will be occasional updates. Like this. If you are following this book. Please have patience. It's actually the comments of you guys that made me write this.
So credit actually goes to you all.

Tell me how it was..

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