NAAZHIGAI Part 7

The journey time was less than 3 hours. I had informed all, that we got Nithi back so they were all ready to welcome Nithi though it was 4 in the morning. They were so happy to see Nithi, Aunty had tears, and uncle had silent emotions. After all the welcoming there were friends, Maya, Prathi and Karthi. They all started chitchatting and updating whatever happened.

Prathi: Nithi, glad you are back, can’t hear Subhu’s laments for another day.

Subhu:  Ahem

Prathi: You'll never believe what happened to me today. I am sitting in my office...

Maya: Guess what ‘Task Squad’ just said?

Prathi: I'm in the middle of a story here.

Maya: Sorry, you finish.

Prathi: I'm sitting in my office, and guess who walks in.

Maya: I'm invited in two colleges as guest lecturer.

Prathi: Maya!!

Maya: Arey Yaar, You weren't finished?

Prathi: Yeah, do you think "Guess who walks into my office" is my story. The head of the magazine walked into my office.

Maya: If you're starting another story, at least let me finish mine.

Prathi: It's the same story.

Maya: It's really long.

Prathi: He just came in to tell me that he's so happy with my work......that he wants me to be the new Marketing manager.

Me: This is really the "best day of our lives."

Maya: Oh, hey! I’m getting a hike in my income

Prathi: I get to hire my own assistant.

We were so happy that we were back together and added to that Prathi and Maya were climbing their career ladder bit fast.

Nithi: Girls, you both are great, now whoever is gonna compete and give us the expensive treat, wins.

Both of them looked at each other and smiled.

Maya: Nithi, you are the one who is back from Mars or wherever you have been, you are gonna treat us tonight.

Vicks: Let’s block Nithi’s calendars tonight provided he is not lost again.

We laughed as we were getting ready for work. I was still not sure who took him, by now they would have known we took him. They dint get anything in return for taking him. What was the motive? 

Why dint they come looking for him again? What was he involved in? I had multiple thoughts flashing in my mind for which I dint have answers. Vicks and I couldn’t ask him more when he dint know anything more than us, we decided to protect him and follow on the leads that we got.

Prathi and I went to office. Prathi had to interview for her new assistant.

At Prathi’s cabin:

Prathi: You were at this job for five years, Natasha?

Natasha: Yes Mam.

Prathi: That's very impressive, Natasha. I just have one last question for you, How did I do? Was this okay?

Natasha: What Mam?

Prathi: I've never interviewed anyone. I've never had anyone work for me.

Natasha: Oh you were great Mam.

Prathi: Well, thank you so much for coming in. All right. We will notify you on the results and next steps.

Guy: Hello.

Prathi: Hi, yes, I'm sorry. The film directors building is next door.

Guy: I'm here about the assistant job.

Prathi: Really? Okay, well, then, all right. Well, just have a seat there. So, what's your name?

Guy: Abhay

Prathi: Go on.

Abhay: That's it. That's my whole name.

Prathi: That's your whole name. Okay, let's just have a look-see here.

Abhay: I haven't worked in an office before. I don't have much experience...

Prathi: What are you talking about? You got two years looking for job...two whole summers managing to work as an apprentice without pay which shows your keen interest to learn than to earn.

Abhay: It's lame, I know. But I'm a goal-oriented person, eager to learn...

Prathi: Just hold on a second, please. Hey, Subhu...

Cell phone chimes…

Me: Hi, sweetheart. you are in the next cabin right? What's with all the whispering?

Prathi: No, I just don't know, how do you decide who to hire? I have it down to two people. One has great references and a lot of experience. And then there's this guy...

Me: What about him?

Prathi:  He's so pretty I want to cry. I don't know what to do.

Me: Come on, you know what to do. You hire the first one. Don't hire assistants because they're handsome. Do it because they're qualified.

Prathi: I hear you. You make a lot of sense.  Okay, you're right. I'll hire Natasha tomorrow. Dumb, pretty, perfect-for-the-job, Natasha.I'll call you back

Prathi: Sorry to have kept you waiting, please submit your certificates and I shall call you, I mean inform you tomorrow on your results.

Abhay: Okay Mam, Nice Meeting you.

Meanwhile at Vicks home:

Vicks: Dai, See if this key strikes a bell.

Nithi: No Vicks, I don’t know what this key unlocks.

Vicks: You have lost your mobile, bike and memory. We are going to get all that back somehow

Nithi: Sure Vicks, I’m even more concerned in knowing the details. So how are we gonna do that?

Vicks: I have few ideas, if it works out for you we can take it forward. But whoever did this to you must be very powerful atleast to erase one’s memory for a part of his life. We don’t know what we are dealing with, the prints that we got in the house doesn’t match to the one in the database. Do you remember atleast debugging the circuit?

Nithi: No da, whoever did this has made me look so stupid. Please bear with me till we find out Vicks.

Vicks: Okay da, we will send an invite welcoming info from anyone who had seen you in those two days. We might get some leads. Meanwhile we can try for a psychiatric visit for hallucinating and triggering you inner memory. We have to find what that key means, lets brainstorm what it can be.

Nithi: A suitcase? A bag? A locker?

Vicks: A house? A cloak room safe? A safe deposit box?

Nithi: There are all possibilities it could be anything, can I get a mobile phone, I need to keep in touch with mom and dad to check if they are okay, can you arrange one Vicks?

Vicks: Yes Nithi, Shortly.

Nithi started to skim through all the letters, none of which were significant, insurance monthly reminders, promotions to book stores and wedding invite from his college friend. His inbox was filled with 189 mails. He read them all one by one, promotions for online sites, bill for his postpaid mobile, etc.

Vicks: Its evening Nithi. You have to get dressed up for dinner treat.

Nithi: I’m dressed already

Vicks: You and your dressing style, Really? White shirt for grey pants? Whatever..

We all gathered in a themed buffet restaurant. Nithi sat opposite to me, Prathi near me and all others around.

Nithi and I went for a refill on our main dish. Prathi whispered something in Maya’s ears.

Vicks: Maya darling, what’s going on?

Maya: I can't tell you. It's a secret.

Vicks: Secret? Friends aren't supposed to have secrets. We love and respect one another too much.

Maya: But still, no.

Vicks: We should tell each other everything. I don't have secrets from you.

Maya: Really? So tell me what happened to Nithi in college when that junior girl proposed to him?

Vicks: No, I can't do that.

Maya: I'll tell you what Prathi said.

Vicks: Okay. So Nithi was in the library as usual doing nothing. I was with him. I saw a girl peeping from outside the window. The girl was so cute and innocent

Prathi: Ahem…

Vicks: Ok Ok… Let’s skip that part. She all of a sudden came to our table. And called Nithi and said she loved him. And he said “I don’t think we can be even potential friends, now will you please excuse us”

Maya, Prathi: Awww…That’s pretty straight. No wonder why she cried.

Vicks: What was Prathi's secret?

Maya: She said Nithi has good dressing sense compared to you.

Vicks: What, his dressing sense???? And that's it? I gave up Nithi’s rejection story for that?

Maya: That's right. You lose, chump!      

Prathi hi-fied with Maya

Nithi all of a sudden came to us saying, I got a welcome mail from Bank Of India.

Maya: Welcoming you as what, the CEO of the bank? What’s so exciting?

Nithi: Hold on guys, welcome mail from Bank of India, Shriharikota

Maya, Me, Prathi, Vicks: What??

Nithi: Yes, a few minutes back the hotel manager welcomed me on our first reservation in their hotel when I remembered scrolling down the mail from BOI earlier, I ignored it thinking it was some promotion. Now I guess I must have been there and did something which might answer all our questions. Baaam…………That’s it

Me: Nithi, pretty much the right piece to set the puzzle right. Okay, Call the manager right away

Nithi: Sir, this is Nithin, I visited the bank a few days back. Is there any way I could open an account for my friends for 5 lakhs each?

Bank Manager: Hello Sir, Ya I remember, you were the one who wanted a locker in our bank. We value our customers and our customer service is the best in the country. Sure you can, our branch is open 24/7. You can also deposit in your nearby branches. Additionally, we also have BOI star personal loan scheme with minimum 10000 to maximum 2 lakhs.

Nithi: We will be more than interested Sir, thank you for your service.

Nithi: Guys, the guy is chanting some “Insurance is subject to market risk” story, but I’m sure we need to go to Sriharikota. The mission impossible is now possible!!!

To be continued…..

NAAZHIGAI Part 6

Prathi: Subhu, lets go to office, I understand the pain but will that bring him back?

Me: We will find Nithi with or without the police. I'm sure of that. Now come with me, we will go meet his parents; it’s definitely going to be a loss for them missing their only son. We might help.

We went to Nithi’s home, his dad didn’t go to work since yesterday morning, he has a chain of medical shops in the city. He stayed with aunty not to let her alone.

Uncle: Come Subhu, feel yourself home. Do you want coffee, I can make some??

Uncle was a sweet person, he dint want to upset us showing he is depressed and down.

Prathi: You have not tasted my preparations right Uncle, today is the day. Let me make.

Uncle, Aunty and I settled in the hall. The showcase had a picture of Nithi in a green backdrop probably taken during their family trip in college times. It also had other pics of him during his archery times and a photo with him and his parents. He had that charismatic smile which I can’t take my eyes off when I heart a sob. Aunty was crying.

Me: Aunty, don’t worry he is just out there for good, he is a good guy. See when he is back he is definitely going to be with all of us.

Aunty: No Subhu. All the evidences show that he is on his own. Why should he go away like this, uninformed? Why should he stage his own disappearance? He is such a soft guy, he has not thought any bad to anyone.

Me: You have seen the superhero movies right, the hero is, in his everyday identity, is a normal guy who lives one among the people in the city. In reality, there is less than meets the eye: though he leads a selfless life, crime-fighting accounts for most of his night hours. Nithi might be out there to save the world. If people would have taken him then they are going to call for a ransom which we are gonna pay. You also know Nithi is a bright guy right, he will find his way out. So in any case we need not worry.

Aunty was looking at me speechless listening to the way I talked, her tears stopped. Uncle had his first tear in his eye. He wiped it away before aunty could see him. I was sure that it made an impact on their distress yet I tried hard to stop flooding tears myself. I knew they miss him so bad.

We came back home, Karthi was with Subhu playing and I found his bone collar dollar that Nithi got.

Me: How are your studies going Karthi?

Karthi: Hmm, fine Akka.

He kind of had something in mind which was very obvious that he is finding difficult to tell.

Me: Karthi, Is there anything you want to tell me? You can tell

Karthi: Akka, Nithi Anna said I have to find out what I’m naturally good at and that would be what my heart wants. He said I’ll succeed if I follow that passion as profession. So I decided to brainstorm within myself when I ultimately found out my passion was to design circuits. I designed a circuit that acts as a bug and a GPS inbuilt, it is of the size of an ant, I dint tell anyone except Nithi Anna, he was my role model. It had a defect in it, for which I had asked him help. It was with him that night when he went away, if he is in bad hands he would’ve definitely tried to debug it and switched it on. Can we try to remotely see if can reach him akka? I was not sure if he had enabled it but we can try.

He is Nithi V2.0. Silent Sages and Blank intellectuals.

Me: Definitely Karthi. Show me we will see what we could get.

We worked on the remote trigger for the circuit for the whole day; it’s been a 2 days since he was lost. Karthi in his 15 years of age was more than a genius; he was a savior, we were able to find out where Nithi was, Yes Nithi debugged the circuit, and it transmitted signals. His location was now at 13.7178°N 80.2000°E, Irukkam Island somewhere near Sriharikota .

We dint know why Nithi was taken to Sriharikota and with him debugging the circuit we were definitely sure he needed help. We decided to tell only a few, since we dint know whether he was there for certain. We told Vicks dad, Vicks and Prathi.

Uncle sent along with us a trusted police official, Krish, we decided not to take the forces there which might alert the kidnappers who so diligently took him away.

The location was a house that was abandoned. There were few houses in the perimeter but the area was not deserted. As per the instructions from Krish, we watched the movements and activity in the building before we’d make a haste entry. 

Vicks was sorry for judging Nithi and he was ready to do anything to save him. We dint see anyone coming out or going inside the house. It was evening by then. We decided to go in. So we went to nearby tea shop ordered for 2 teas to be sent to the building.

We told the small guy on what he should do, we asked him to knock the door, if nobody responded then look inside the window on what he could see. The guy was bold enough to help us. 

As expected nobody responded, he looked through the window and came back running to us. He said there was a guy who was tied to a chair and started to describe about him. I showed Nithi’s photo to him, he was positive, “Yes Akka, Yes, it’s him” We asked him if he could see anyone else. He said none. And the lights were off. The room was big and empty and there was no human activity.

Krish asked us to stay behind and decided to enter the house. He asked us to call the local forces if he dint come back in exactly 24minutes and asked us to start the timer. If they could see someone entering the house he asked us to divert them by talking to them, find if they had weapons else spray chloroform that we had brought. If we could find signs of weapons on him he asked us to stage some drama so that he is confused and still for 12 minutes.

We were so terrified on the plan and we watched the timer ticking.

It was 22 minutes and we saw Krish coming out with Nithi. 

We were dumbstruck, we sticked to the plan, we had called for an ambulance and it was ready. 

We took Nithi and rushed to the nearby hospital; he was so pale and weak. On the way we tried to wake him up. Vicks splashed some water on his face, crying and asking him to get up. I was able to feel Nithi’s pulse. His pulse was almost equal mine when I heard it. I just saw him without taking my eyes off.

Krish said he must have been there only recently, the footprints were fresh in the dirt and swept the building for prints and said it has to be tested. He also got a few clues that could lead us to the kidnapper.

Me: Doctor, Is Nithi fine?

Doctor: Yeah, he is fine

Me: Then why hasn't he regained consciousness?

Doctor: We're running some additional tests to find out, but at this point, we don't think there's any cause for alarm.

Me: But we'd like to stay with him, keep him company, if that's all right.

Doctor: Of course.

All 3 of us sat beside him, in few minutes the doctor wanted to run few tests, so we stepped out.

Vicks: So we still don't know what happened to him?

Me: No.

Krish: No trace evidence on Nithi's clothes. But I did find a key sewn into the lining of his pants.

Me: What kind of a key?

Krish: I'm not sure, but it has "23" stamped on it. That mean anything to you?

Me, Vicks: No.

Doctor: Nithin's awake.

Me: It's wonderful news...Oh, oh! I am so relieved!  And we have to be right there when he started to wake up.

Doctor: First thing he did was ask for him. You are Vignesh right?

Vicks: Yes Doctor, Did he say where he had been?

Doctor: You know, we don't know what he's been through, so perhaps that question can wait.

Vicks: Can we see him Doctor?

Doctor: Yes you can

Vicks: Hey.

Nithi: Hey, Just so you know, the doctor said that hugging will speed my recovery.

Vicks: Hugging can wait, Nithi.

Nithi: Right. Sorry. I guess a put a little kink in our project plans.

Vicks: Yeah, is that supposed to be a joke?

Nithi: What do you mean?

Vicks: I mean tell me what happened.

Nithi: Was on my way home and this black SUV...

Vicks: No, no. After that.

Nithi: After the accident?

Vicks: Yes, after the accident.

Nithi: I was here.

Vicks: No, before here, Nithi. You were found in an abandoned house near Irukkam island

Nithi: What are you talking about? An i….sland, I was in a crash with a black SUV, a-and then I woke up here.I mean, I-I don't... I don't know. I was... I was unconscious.

Me: So the black SUV and waking up here, that's all you remember?

Nithi: Right. Yes. Why?

Vicks: Dai, what are you telling? Come back to your senses. Subhu, is he mad??

Me: You've been missing for four days. Okay Relax Nithi, you have taken your meds so you might be kinda confused, we shall talk later, Vicks come.

I took him out and we went to see the doctor to ask what’s happening

Vicks: Doctor, What do you think is going on with him?

Dr.: Well, Mr. Nithin shows no sign of a psychosis or break with reality, nor does he exhibit 

cognitive deficits other than his inability to recall the last 4 days.

Me: So is it possible that he underwent trauma, and he's blocking it out?

Dr.: He may have, although I didn't see any evidence of that. Maybe his memory will come back once he's had some time to readjust.

Me: It very well might. Then what he needs, maybe, is to get back to his life, his routine, the people who love him. Can't we just take him home?

Dr.: Of course, of course.

Me: Oh, thank you so much. What I do is not an exact science. I wish it were. I wanted to be a doc. This could still be the result of emotional trauma.

Dr.: There are also drugs and drug interactions that can trigger memory loss,  but...

Me: But what?

Dr.: ...I can't exclude the possibility that Mr. Nithin simply walked away from his life, for whatever reason, and facing that fact is just too humiliating for him.

Me: So you think that he could be pretending not to remember?

Dr.: As I said, it's a possibility.

Vicks and Krish were running with discharge formalities. I was with Nithi.

Nithi: To say I owe you an apology would be an understatement.

Me: I don't want an apology, Nithi. I just want to understand.

Nithi: Well, you know me, Subhu. I wouldn't just leave.

Me: I know Nithi. We found the place where you were staying.

Nithi: Where?

Me: What difference does it make?

Nithi: Because I want to go there. Maybe it'll help me remember. Whatever happens, I need answers. And so do you.

Me: No, you are not going anywhere before you see your parents and others. You owe them that much.

We booked a cab to our place….

The cab arrived and I helped him take his seat next to mine. There was silence as usual but our eyes did the talking. I showed my earphones asking him if he wished to take one. He smiled and nodded. The climate was exactly how my mood was, pleasant, serene and peaceful. We listened to “Neeyum Naanum” a song from a yet to be released Tamil movie. It went like

Female Voice:

Neeyum Naanum Sernthey Sellum Naerame
Neelam Kooda Vaanil Illai
Engum Vellai Maegame
Poga Poga Aeno Neelum Dhoorame
Maegam Vanthu Pogum Pokkil
Thooral Konjam Thoorumae

En Atcham Aasai Ellamae Thalli Pogattum
Enthan Inbam Thunbam Ellaamae Unnai Saerattum

Nee Vaendumae
Entha Nilaiyilum Enakkendru Nee Pothume

Male Voice:

Oli Illaa Ulagathil Isaiyaaga Neeyae Maari
Kaattril Veesinaai
Kaathil Paesinaai
Mozhi Illaa Mounathil
Vizhiyaalae Vaarthaai Korthu
Kannaal Paesinaai
Kannaal Paesinaai

Nøøru Aandu Unnødu
Vaazhavaendum Mannødu
Penn Unai Thaedum Èn Veedu

Nithi suddenly held my hands tight. I was happy that I could bring back Nithi, bring back Nithi in my life.

To be continued....

NAAZHIGAI Part 5

6 A.M Today:

“Stop crying now and tell me, where did he go? Prathi asked.

“Nowhere to be found”, I repeated again.

Prathi: Did you call Maya? Ask her if she knows, or call his parents they will know where he is off to.

Me: I called her and all of our friends; nobody vouched to see him, Nithi’s parents are so worried. That idiot drives fast too; at least he wore his helmet Prathi, his mobile seems to be dead since midnight. Vicks says his panic button alerted him at 11:14P.M which means he is alive but in danger

Prathi: Stop your Holmes deductions now, and tell me what our next step is gonna be. Should we file a complaint? Did you ask Vicks dad on what could be done to accelerate the search?

Me: Vicks and his dad are out searching in the routes for signs and traces

My phone rang before I could complete my statement. I picked up in the first ring.

Vicks:  Nithi!!

Me: What happened Vicks, where are you?

Me and Prathi rushed to the spot. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I ran towards his bike which was burning besides a bush

Uncle(Vicks dad): He's not here. Any where.

Prathi: Even with a fire that hot, there'd still be traces around uncle. He's got to be nearby.

Me: You really think he......He's here. He has to be.

The Police arrived to the spot. They had the scene sealed. There was the photographer and they had the forensics to sweep the scene. A guy quite well built approached us.  Prathi and I had our media IDs.

Uncle: I'm Deputy General of Police, The man that was with the bike is one of our own. We need to scrub every inch of this area. I'll get my men on it. You have search-and-rescue dogs? I'll call them in.

The guy saluted him and proceeded with the investigation with the people around the locality.

Me: We need to help them, Vicks.

Vicks: I'm gonna search up near the road. Maybe Nithi managed to bail out before his bike crashed.

Me: All right, we'll start on the bike; see if we can tell what happened or where he went.”

Forensic guy:  The engine seems to be hot. With the leakages in the tank we could tell someone's in that seat, so your man was definitely at the wheel.

[Cellphone rings, beeps]

Vicks: Hello. Hey, Subhu. Walk to the back of Nithi’s bike

Me: What for?

Vicks: Just do it, okay? Check the passenger rear side. Tell me what you see.

Me: Looks like it took a hit on the right side, busted a taillight.

Vicks: That's 'cause Nithi got bumped by some vehicle and run off the road. I got debris up here. All right, ask dad to call local traffic police. Maybe those pieces can help us I.D that vehicle.

Forensic guy: DGP Sir, I think I got something. Tracks. Going from the bike up to the road. but it looks like three people. See the two troughs in the dirt? Made by heels from a pair of shoes. So he was run off the road. Then dragged from the bike.

Me: Nithi got grabbed!!

Uncle: I had the team set up roadblocks, to stop and search every vehicle. We figured that the car that

ran Nithi into the ditch may be the same car he's in now. Local P.D. is canvassing to see if anyone saw any vehicles leaving the area.

Prathi: What about Nithi's cellphone?

Uncle: His provider says it's shut off. Contacted the IT team to see if it could be turned on remotely. 

It's a long shot, but you never know.

Prathi: Everything that can be done is being done.

Me: Prathi, don't tell me that. They took him. We need to do something.

Prathi: Then tell us about yesterday night. Was he nervous? Did he indicate in any way he was being followed?

Me: No, he was just......normal. He was normal.

I thought of his innocent stare and how he smiled as he gave me the gift.

Uncle: Hey, the team says they may have a witness. Guy runs a fruit stand up the road.

We went to meet the guy at the vicinity.

2P.M Today:

Fruit stand guy: Yeah, I definitely saw a Pulsar AS200, go by around the time you're talking...dead black. It was different in the way it was designed.

Yes Nithi is a huge fan of bikes. So he had his wheels assembled from a different set. It looks huge than normal.  

Me: That's Nithi's bike.

Uncle: What about any cars after that?

Fruit stand guy : Uh, let me think. There was a Scoda, an Ikon, an SUV.

Uncle: No one's gonna run him off the road with Scoda or an Ikon. Talk to me about that SUV.

Fruit stand guy: It was an SUV 500...black with tinted windows and chrome wheels.

Uncle: How is it you happen to remember it so clearly?

Fruit stand guy : Because I saw it twice. He passed heading north. Then he blew by again. maybe 10 minutes later.

Me: They were headed south off of ECR with Nithi.

Uncle: I'll put out an all point check on the SUV 500. I'm gonna call state police, have them set up checkpoints at every road leading off of ECR. The IT team just called. They were able to remotely activate Nithi's phone for a few seconds.

Me: Did they get a location?

Uncle: Yeah, he's still on the ECR. According to his GPS, as of 10 minutes ago,

Me: Not far the way I'm gonna drive.

Prathi and Vicks joined [Tires screech]

Vicks: It says Nithi's GPS puts him at a hundred feet into this junkyard. State police are 10 minutes out. They want you to wait for backup.

Me: Not a chance in hell. It's right over there. 85 feet and closing…………..There. Black SUV. So he's in there.

[Metal whirring] I ran as I saw the Car being demolished by a huge crusher

Me: “No. Stop! Do not move! On the ground! Freeze! Don't move! On the ground now! What have you done?!”

“Subhu,  We got him! We got him!” Prathi and Vicks shouted

Vicks: Why did you do this? Your only option is to give me answers.  You were in the junkyard when that SUV came in. Who was in it? You're not a criminal mastermind, so start talking. Who had you crush it? Was NIthi in the car? Was he alive?

Vicks squeezed his finger hard

Junkyard guy: Aah! You're gonna break my finger!

Vicks: And then after that, there's nine more, so tell me what I want to know. Start talking.

Junkyard guy: I got nothing to say.

Me: VIcks, he knows who took Nithi. Well, he's never gonna give them up. Whoever they are, he's 

way more afraid of them than he is of you.

Vicks: Fine. We'll try another angle...For now.

We surrendered him to uncle.

Prathi: So, we are dead-ended on the SUV.

Vicks: Ran the vin number. Turns out that it was stolen from a cab driver. They booked the car on rent, gave a sedative to the driver during the journey, abandon him in an isolated place and fled with the vehicle.  Dad has called for help from CBI. Their team wants to meet us.

8P.M Today:

We reached Vicks home.

CBI officer: I just have a few questions.

Uncle: VIcks, They can help. Let me talk to Nithi’s parents and let them know.

CBI officer: I understand running around  this case puts you in a terribly difficult position. But I need to talk to you about Mr. Nithi.  Outside of his family, you're the one who knew him best.

Vicks: Yeah, well, he didn't have any problems with... gambling, money, drugs, affairs, so we can skip all of that.

CBI officer: I understand he was headed to the ECR when he was abducted. Who knew he was making that drive?

Vicks: Subhu, her family and me..

CBI officer: I'll need their names.

Vicks: I've got a list. But they're all friends and family, do you think that this could be a ransom kidnapping?

CBI officer: If it is, we'll be ready. It's standard protocol to set up a trap-and-trace in the event kidnappers call. We'll also monitor family cellphones.

Vicks: You sound like you don't expect those phones to ring. Do you know something that I don't? I just keep coming back to how much easier it would've been to grab Nithi in the city. Instead, they took him on ECR after he dropped me. Do you think that this has something to do with me?

CBI officer: You and Mr. Nithi worked a lot of projects together. Could someone you worked with taken revenge?

Vicks: Yeah. A lot of people. There was competition but nothing was personal.

CBI officer:  I'll start by taking a run at the junkyard guy. You go through your project files, come up with a list of potential suspects. Keep me apprised of what you find.

He left Vicks confused and upset. We had dead ends and unanswered clues. The day was turing into night but still had no idea where Nithi was.

Me: We're gonna figure this out, okay? don't get lost in worst-case scenarios.

Uncle: The officer ran junkyard guy’s cell records. Right before he crushed that SUV, he got a call from a number.

That must be the guy who ordered him to squash that car, and why he's so scared to talk.

Vicks: Who is this guy?

Uncle: One named Vincent.

Vicks: I-I met him. Nithi knows him. He Is our client…………………… I’ll call him.

Vicks talked to the client. After all the explanation we got the crux of the conversation

Vicks: Vinnie, you said that you wanted to help him. This is your chance. Tell me why you’d get the SUV crushed

Vinnie: Nithi asked me to. We struck a deal.. But I never met him.

Vicks: Then how did you get paid?

Vinnie: We used a drop. He left a bag full of cash in a dumpster in the lower east side right after the 

SUV got turned into trash.

Vicks hanged up.

Vicks: Nithi is in on this. He planned the whole thing.

Me: Maybe it isn't really him. Just think about it.

Vicks: Were you aware he withdrew a large sum just before we went to Philippines

Me: Yes. It was for your trip.

Vicks: It's the same money that NIthi used. I clarified the numbers

Me: That's not possible. That's because you're locked into your own version of events, He went 

through this charade just to stage his own disappearance? Why?

Vicks: People are complex .We may not understand their blank behaviors all the time.  Maybe he had a breakdown or a personal crisis. And maybe there's a secret side to the man that nobody knows. Including you.

I dint believe what Vicks was speaking. I prayed to God that the day should be a dream. It was a long day. I wrote a page in my diary.

Day and night collide with one another.

I see my books next to yours
Milson Boons next to Meditations
Low-priced paperbacks next to leather bound classics
Mismatched like us
Comfortable, close to each other yet in our own lives
Now you will live separately, New stories to be told
There will be gaps where you once were like missing colors in the rainbow

I know afterwards there comes a time when what used to be said becomes unuttered
There comes a time when the seen becomes invisible & the touchable becomes unbearable to be around
threatening the life it belongs to
Here comes that time when all what is needed is love…yet love is not found!

Where are you Nithi, Come back soon, My tear placed a full stop to this statement.

To be continued…….

NAAZHIGAI Part 4

Then: Nithi works along with Vicks in an online venture in cloud which is a breakthrough innovation, and fetched them the title of “youngest entrepreneurs” in India, while Prathi and I work for a top magazine in the city. Maya teaches at the same college we studied in and Karthi is in his 12th Standard, Subhu has given birth to 4 little puppies.

Nithi and Vicks were visiting southern Philippines for an international decoding competition. They spent two weeks snorkeling and swimming in the clear blue water, eating food cooked with fresh coconut, simultaneously celebrating the victory as top hackers in the event. Nithi had saved money from his part time work as a Java Developer in IBM InfoTech so that he and Vicks could make the trip. They’ve had jobless mornings, foodless noons, sleepless nights, and hopeless lives before they got hold of this place. It was not all rainbows and unicorns for them to reach this point.

People, who now appreciate them as being great, once criticized them for all their ideas and projects. Their criticisms helped both of them to shape themselves better

While the so called “4 people” in the society said "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

Nithi and Vicks felt “You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs”

Some of which though sounded funny were then bided by investors in the market. All the fantasizing and boring classes and real time crisis that they faced in their lives helped them to fruitfully generate solutionised ideas.

·         Task Squad- is a mobile-responsive platform which introduces young people, eager to undertake paid work, to organizations who are looking to fulfil short term staffing needs (Root: Maya’s hunt for becoming a community teacher and her despair)

·         Portable eye examination-app to test the power and defects in your eyes(Root: Vicks’ long time wait with Theju in an eye hospital for each and every test)

·         Light powered by gravity-is a device that generates light from gravity. It takes three seconds to light the weight, which powers 25 minutes of light on its descent. The product is pitched as an alternative to burning dangerous and expensive kerosene lamps in the developing world. (Root: Karthi’s laments on how he used to study without power in their area)

·         Wearable device for sight loss- is a finger-worn device that helps users to read printed text. Wearers scan a text line with their finger and receive an audio feedback of the words on the page. (Root: Maya’s Braille classes for blind)

·         Panic button- is an app to help human rights defenders call the alarm when facing attack, kidnapping or torture. It transforms a user’s smartphone into a secret alarm which can be activated rapidly in the event of emergency, alerting fellow activists to the danger their colleague faces so they can get help faster. (Root: Karthi’s rescuing mission)

·         Botanicalls- If you own some plants, but regularly forget to water them, then Botanicalls is the device you've been waiting for. By setting up the kit, your plant will notify you via Text whenever it needs watering, ensuring that you don't neglect it. (Root: Nithi’s terrace farm)

·         Unlock your door with NithiKnock-a hack which lets you unlock your door with a 'secret knock.' The hack also sends you an SMS alert every time the door is unlocked so you can keep an eye on who is entering and leaving. (Nithi’s dad being locked out when Nithi doesn’t open the door for him at nights)

Nithi and Vicks unpacked all the imports that they brought from Philippines

Nithi distributed all the gifts at my home, he had got a Black Knight cologne spray for Theju, a handheld device for my dad, kitchen cutleries for mom, a hi fi home security system for Vicks’ dad, Xbox for Karthi and a bone dollar for Subhu, headphones for Maya and Prathi

And for me??? Nothing that I could notice. These guys have never changed. I was like a fish out of water suffocating literally of disappointment. I coughed so that I could get their attention.

Nithi: “Subhu see what I’ve got for you from Philippines”, showing a plain black t-shirt.

Okay now this is the best gift this guy could get??!!! “How thoughtful Nithi. This is what I wanted to buy” as I winked at him.

They all wrapped up their gifts after exploring it and moved on to sleep, when Nithi kick started his Pulsar. Vicks gave me a small box full of sand and a small board asking me to empty the sand in the board. I had no idea what these guys got for me, I waved them Good Night till they left off my sight.

 I went to my room where I changed my pajamas and wore the black tee that Nithi got for me.

I took the sand and emptied it in the board, I switched off the light when I saw the sand being lit up and the board vibrated to realign the sand to a pattern that said Subhu with a heart at the end. I was just elated at what he got for me. When suddenly I noticed my t-shirt glowing hearts in red.

The equation is always a polynomial between us. My love for Nithi is not love; it always ends in a squabble but there is some kind of spark that ignites my heart in the dark just like the T-shirt he got. I seriously don’t know if its love or defined by any other synonym of it. Vicks was always there for me as a soul mate and brings a sense of peace, calmness and happiness when I’m around him.

I slept as I smiled though I planned to bully both of them for what they’ve got for me.

When I woke up, I heard the news that Nithi dint reach home after he dropped Vicks at home.

Today:

“Stop crying now and tell me, where did he go? Prathi asked.

“Nowhere to be found”, I repeated again.

Prathi: Did you call Maya? Ask her if she knows, or call his parents they will know where he is off to.

Where did he go?? What happens after that?? Did Vicks have any idea where he is upto??

This is the first time Nithi had given something so romantic to Subhu?? Is it his last signature of love?? For the answers you have wait for the next blog… Keep guessing…