"So, that's the plan, " shravan said to Ranjith. ..

   " you won't move in until you told to be. .."

Ranjith nodded thoughtfully, "seems like a good plan. .."

     Adorned with blue uniform,the same as that of the security team, shravan camouflaged himself with thick layer of beard and moustache three fourth of his face. ..He veiled his sharp eyes with an aviator. .then, it was perfect to be Sikandher Singh, a  special security guard for Mr. Steve. ..

  Shravan shifted nervously in seat, as the motorcade accompanying Mr. Steve made its way through the grand main gates of vikram s palace.

The commandant of the commandos looked shravan sourly. He hadn't been told why shravan was part of this team. Only that one of his men had to be pulled out at last minute to accommodate shravan that was actually a special request from Mr. sukla. ..While he was unhappy with Shravan's presence, he was curious about his job over there. ..the worst part was that he had been instructed to allow shravan to detach himself from the security team once they were in the palace, to allow him to carry out his mission. His mission ofcourse , hadn't been disclosed. ..

The motorcade came to a halt. Three vehicles ahead, shravan could see vikram welcoming Steve duely. ..they both disappeared into the palace, closely dogged by the security forces. ..

   " ok. ..everyone disperse. .."  the commandant ordered, eyeing weird at shravan. ..they had orders to secure the palace, but were not supposed to enter. ..

  Shravan got down from the van. .."thank you sir "   . He nodded to the commandant  

      " this is where I have to leave your team. .." the commandant nodded back curtly. ..shravan headed off in the opposite direction. ..

     There was no way the security forces would allow him to follow vikram and Steve through front door. ..He had to find another way into the palace. ..

    This was easier said than done. ..vikram s place was a virtual fort that had been sophisticated and swarming  with black guards, his own security system ..

   Shravan walked through trying to get around..Though shravan was camouflaged with the uniform, the black guards threw a questioning look. Thankfully no one  challenged  at him. ..

  As he rounded the house, he noticed an open window with no grills. ..He looked around quickly. He barged in easily over the low window and landed into the well furnished room that more or less resembled a study. ..

  He pressed the collar button -a transmitter device and spoke huskily. ..

" Ranjith. ..I am on. ..guide me. ..do you copy that. .?"

Ranjith who was leaning at the system with his head gears,  located shravan on screen with a red dot  ...replied,

" Roger that. ..go ahead. .."

    Shravan glided to the door of the study and opened it to look up and down the corridor. It was deserted. .He stepped into the passage

   Which way I have to choose. .?they must be preferably  at the basement since its not a transparent interaction ....

" Ranjith. .."  shravan called softly. ..

  " shravan. ..choose the right side. ..wait  a second. ..someone is approaching. .."

Ranjith instructed shravan as per ramnath ' s  map on the palace. ..He observed the movements with a helicam. ..

  Shravan waited those men to cross the corridor. ...

" now. .." Ranjith guided  shravan to move. ...

  The corridor ended at the passage perpendicular to it. ..

" left. . "

Shravan heard Ranjith and turned to left side .A short walk brought him to a stairway going downstairs. ..

  A basement. ...

Cautiously, he made his way down the stairs which was barely illuminant. ..He reconfirmed his personal gun at its socket. ..taking a deep inhalation,  He tried the door to unlock and the door opened silently. ..

      He stepped in and stood still for few seconds to let his eyes adjust to the deeper gloom within the room. ..

It seemed to be some sort of conference room. ..a semicircular table occupied the space with chairs around it. ..

  " Ranjith. ..are you following me. .?"

Ranjith seemed to be disconnected. ..perhaps the signal strength was less at basement. ..but , shravan had little time to wonder as the voices were floating down the stairs. ..With the shock, he realised that vikram and Steve were heading to the basement straight away. ..

   Now, he had to be fast. ..a quick glance over the room showed him few places to hide. ..He chose a small desk that stood at the corner near the doorway. ..

Shravan squeezed himself into the hiding place, the lights came on and he heard vikram s superlicious voice. ..

" welcome to my paradise Mr. Steve. ..."

   Shravan hold his breath , and gave all his ears at their conversation. ..

  
  " is it safe to speak here. .?"

Vikram laughed at Steve s query. ..

" do you think I am a fool. .?I have developed my own software to scrap any kind of electronic devices. ..you could only make calls. ..that's it. .."

Steve grinned satisfactorily. ..

  'Device jammer. ..!!  So only Ranjith couldn't copy me. ..impressive. ...!!!'

  Shravan's forehead beaded with perspiration. ..

 
  'Even now, I may not be able to tap their conversation. ..but, this time I won't return empty handed. ..'

   Shravan was  keen to their every move. ..

  " shall I connect the call. .?"

Vikram asked intriguing. ..

" What are you waiting for. .?Steve replied enthusiastic. ..

  Shravan could hear some touch tones , that vikram dialed some numbers. ..

   Shravan made himself adjusted to focus them. surprisingly,the wall behind them was a virtual screen which was connected with the call  where some more men sat up in a semicircle somewhere in the world. ..

  " good day to us, gentle men. .."

  A purely European accent swung up from the otherside. ...

    " I am not pleasing with these kind of conferences. .."

Another voice taunted vikram. ..

   Shravan widened his eyes in disbelief that on the other side were, the important officials of the governments around the world. ....

'So, it's an ugly truth that vikram wasn't alone. ..he's funded with the developed countries directly. ..'

  
     While vikram was hesitating a moment to reply, Steve pointed the newspaper. .

" vikram. . Either I wasn't happy with this. ..how could it even happen. .? I wonder why you chose a woman as a target. ..leave it. ..that's your headache. ..I found nothing to bather. ..but, now can you see this. .?Your government is almost ready to launch the satellite. ..that means. ..you are not the one who's capable  to do our job. .."

  Steve swung the newspaper at vikram. ..

  Vikram went through the headlines. ...

  The satellite to Enceladus would be scheduled to launch by two weeks. ..the official count down would begin by 168 hours. ...sivan. k .director of ISRO. ...

   Vikram threw the daily ,shrugging his shoulder. ..

" listen. ..I could blow the satellite even at last minute. ..it's not at all a matter to me. ..i agree ,i chose a girl who had been  one among  the research team only because I wanted the minimal damages, guess what. .?afterall, it's my country. .."

Vikram smiled sheepish. ...His smirk was as cruel as a witch. ..

  " but now ,I have to take me to the safer side. ..if someone catches me red handed then everything would turn into a zero. ..so, I promise you all that I would stop the ISRO project at any cost. ..but, before that. ..give me time to take care of my position. ..Is this okay now. .?"

" yea. . We trust you. .when are you going to demonstrate us the new weapons. .."

  Everyone's eyes glistened to vikram s reply. ..

" why not now. .?"

      " After a cup of coffee. .?"  Steve demanded. ..

  As vikram intercom for two coffees, a girl in a chef's attire rolled the trolly in which had been arranged neatly with coffee mugs and a coffee pot. ..

  She politely handed over the coffee filled mugs to vikram and Steve. ..

   While sipping the coffee,  Steve had a top to toe look at the girl. ..she had her pony tailed hair upto  the shoulders. .her almond eyes were blank unable to decode her thoughts. ..her rounded face and sharp nose added a bit extra beauty to her ...

" wonderful. .."   words rolled out from Steve. ..

  " pardon sir. .."  she asked, handing over the paper napkins to him. ..

   The voice hit shravan which made him to broke out a cold sweat. ..courage he had so far deserted him to recognizer the feminine voice. ..

  'Sumo '

Shravan's heart beat heavily hammered. ...he was panting  muted as though he had multiple puncture over his airbags. ..