Cold Love
Page 1
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real person, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Text copyright ©2016 by Amieya Prabhaker
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the author.
Front Cover design credit: Kunal Prasad, KreativeLens.com
Cover Image credit: Lilkar, Dreamstime.com
Prologue
In today’s world, geographical distances have diminished tremendously, bringing people from around the globe closer together. However, the forces dividing us have grown stronger, more complicated and increasingly mysterious. Drugs, narcotics, ransom, terrorism and corruption have become inter-twined in our daily lives, forming a complex invisible web.
Few can break the shackles of this complex web, the Chakravyuh. In every age, such a web requires a true warrior to break through and emerge victorious. This is the story of one such modern warrior, Arjun, eager to break those complex shackles while struggling to reach for that ever-alluring peace… and love.
This story explores the dormant aspirations of billions of people who want to see the India-Pakistan rivalry to come to an end. It compares the India-Pakistan rivalry to that between the US and USSR during the Cold War. An endless strife still continues unabated between all the major intelligence agencies of rival nations. Such a cold war, though invisible to the outside world, drastically alters the lives of those involved in it, inevitably crushing their emotions and families forever. However, any such war needs a vanquished and a victor, to arrive at its culmination.
Dedications
This book is dedicated to my wife, Shalini, and to our beloved 5 year old son, Aaryan. This book would have never materialized without my wife’s support and understanding. Thanks to my family for standing by me in good and bad times, and for enduring my numerous idiosyncrasies...
…including the numerous late nights that went into completing this book.
Acknowledgements
A heart-felt thanks to my dear friend, Abhishek Kumar Jha, for taking the time to review the very first draft of this script. Thanks to my family, especially my dad, who has always believed in and encouraged me in all my endeavors.
Special thanks to my friend Kunal Prasad (Kreativelens.com) for his valuable insight on creative content and for the cover design of this novel.
Last, but not the least, thanks to my editor, Devaki Khanna for editing my novel. This book would not have materialized without the tremendous work that Devaki put into the novel.
Inspiration
Abdul Kalam- a great scientist, visionary and President - I had the privilege to meet the great man years before he became the President of India. His talks on satellite and missile technology coicidend with my keen interest in geo-stationary satellites, radar and communication systems in the 3rd year of my Electrical engineering course at IIT Kanpur.
Prof Sanjay Dhande, IIT Kanpur- a Padma Shri recipient. One of my rapid prototype designs for DRDO under Dhande Sir was used in a combat helicopter by IAF at heights of over 5000metres in the Kargil War.
Contents
THE EXECUTION
ACT 1: IDEA…INITIATION
Information… Insight
The Welcome
Management School, Mumbai
Re-igniting an Old Friendship
ACT 2: VISION…FORMULATING A STRATEGY
Strategy 101
The Revelation
A New Morning
A Walk in The Park
The Picnic
ACT 3: KICKOFF…EUPHORIA FOR REACHING THE SKIES & THE REALITY
Day in Court
The Trump Card
Reshuffling the Cards
The Nadir
Dreams
ACT 4: PLANNING…EXPECTATIONS AND TARGETS
The Invitation
In Jammu, Near the LOC
A Party for Two
The Media Release – Setting the environment
Let the Games Begin
Party… Love and War
Act 5: DELIVERING RESULTS…SETTING DIRECTION
Dreams…and Nightmares
Crossing Dams - Bridging Barriers
The Golden Bangles
Information and Intelligence
Exploring and Resolving Unknowns
ACT 6: THE FINAL EXECUTION…THE LEAP THAT REALLY MATTERS
Beautiful Hills… Revisiting the Past
Sitting Ducks
The Execution
Segregating Roles and Duties
All the Pain… No Gain
Trick or Treat
The Gateway- Stealing Away
Act 7: STRATEGIC OUTCOME…POST IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW
The Backlash and Counter Attack
The Outcome
The Final Move…Rest in Peace
About the Author
About the Novel
THE EXECUTION
Along the outskirts of Mumbai, the clear blue skies and blue ocean merge in a beautiful union, amalgamating seamlessly over the distant, picturesque horizon. The view is enhanced by the tall brown and orange mahogany trees lining the hills across the coastline. A motorbike is racing down the valley, over the meandering roads, its shining side-metal glimmering intermittently, reflecting the sunshine in between the tall trees.
Arjun bends low as he maneuvers another sharp curve on his motorbike, speeding through the beautiful valley. Riya, on the pillion, is clutching him tightly.
“Arjun! Slow down!”
Arjun turns around to look back at her from the corner of his eyes, but revs up the acceleration further. Riya shakes her head, telling herself, “I’m sure you are deriving a lot of pleasure from my fright!”
She still trusts Arjun, despite his boyish recklessness. Riya digs her nails deeper into his leather jacket, nervously clinging to him. Her beautiful, long, jet-black hair flutters about in the strong breeze. She swirls her hair in one swift move to get it off her eyes, and then immediately hides her face in Arjun’s back, made extremely nervous by the speed. A moment later, feeling mischievous, Riya teasingly moves her lips close to Arjun’s neck and nibbles gently at the side.
Arjun barely twitches his neck, ignoring Riya’s antics, instead choosing to concentrate on the meandering road ahead. Then Riya gets her teeth into Arjun’s neck, biting him deeply and leaving a prominent red mark.
“Hey!” Arjun looks back at Riya, feeling the pinch of the bite.
Glad to have gotten her man’s attention, Riya returns to the comfort of embracing Arjun’s back, where she hides her face and clutches tightly onto his jacket. She closes her eyes as the motorbike continues to race through the beautiful valley, moving into the suburbs of the city and gradually towards their home. Arjun parks the motorbike on the front patio by the large garden, and rushes in hastily, without a word to Riya, leaving her behind, somewhat surprised at his sudden haste.
Arjun calls his mother, “Maa!”
There is no one inside. Arjun quickly checks both floors of the house. He rushes back to the patio, as he suddenly hears a loud scream from Riya.
“Arjun!”
When Arjun reaches Riya, she is aghast and pale, speechlessly staring at the garage. Arjun shakes her up, “What’s up, Riya? What’s happened?”
Just outside the garage, Arjun’s parents, seated in his yellow convertible, are splattered in blood. Riya falls down on her knees in dismay, covers her face with her hands and blacks out. When she regains consciousness, she can hear the overwhelming noise of a helicopter ambulance that fills the landscape, with dust billowing all ac
ross it.
Arjun’s sister, Puja has joined them and is also rushed into the helicopter alongside her injured parents. Arjun is about to slam the door shut when Riya, suddenly realizing what’s happening around her, rushes in and grabs Puja’s hand.
“Riya, please take care of Arjun, will you?” Puja asks her friend.
Riya nods affirmatively, still holding on to Puja’s hand. She is still confused, finding it difficult to come to terms with what just has happened.
“Bhaiyya, when will you come?” asks Puja.
“Not yet, Puja, not yet. I need to take care of things here.” Arjun shuts the door of the helicopter as it takes off, throwing another puff of dust into the air.
“Arjun, what has happened?” Riya buries her face in Arjun’s shoulders, sobbing. She receives no response from him. Arjun holds Riya with one hand, his expression stolid, as he looks into the skies to watch the helicopter gradually turn into a tiny spec. Riya and Arjun are left outside his house, alone, distraught and confused.
Sinister thoughts shroud Arjun’s consciousness. He realizes that this bloodshed is a result of his carelessness, a spillage from his own actions…and this may just be the beginning. A sudden realization dawns upon him that lives are at stake here because of his actions…and lives will be lost. He cannot let his near and dear ones suffer for all that he has done. This may be the beginning of one long, gruesome game.
ACT 1: IDEA…INITIATION
6 months ago
Information… Insight
In a secluded government building in Geneva, Arjun is seated in a dimly lit room looking intently at a computer screen. The beautiful Jet d'Eau fountain is visible at a distance on Lake Geneva through a small window of the room. His attention, however, is focused solely on the computer screen. A satellite image with a rotating refresh sign hovers over the page.
“C’mon! C’mon!” He taps his fingers impatiently on the table. The screen changes to show a new message – ‘Entering Geostationary Satellite system WAN.’
His eyes gleam with excitement, as he moves to the edge of his chair, leaning towards the screen. However, at that moment a pop up appears – ‘Session not authenticated. Logging out!’ He types vehemently on the laptop, but in vain, as the page closes down. He chucks the pen next to the laptop across the desk, and rocks back on the chair with his hands behind his head, still staring stolidly at the screen. There’s a gentle knock on the door.
“Come in”. He hastily shuts his laptop off as a well-dressed Caucasian male in official uniform enters.
“Hello Arjun. This has just come in.” The officer drops a file onto Arjun’s desk.
Arjun picks it up immediately and starts reading. A minute later he pauses to look at the officer, standing at his shoulder. “Thanks Martin. So the transaction has taken place?”
“Yes Arjun. The deal is on. We don’t know what the money is for, but it has certainly exchanged hands.” Martin pauses and walks to the window to gaze at the view. He turns around to look at Arjun who has started reading the file again, “This file contains all the details you need. All the people you need to know about.” He pauses for a moment to gauge Arjun’s reaction but finds none. “It’s time for you to pack your bags Arjun! … Mumbai is calling, my friend!”
Arjun nods gently, this time with an air of gravity on his face. It’s time to return home. India, here I come!
The Welcome
Two lavish houses, set in extensive and elegantly landscaped gardens in Navi Mumbai, are enclosed by high boundary walls, with security cameras and surveillance points at regular intervals. The gated entrance is guarded by security personnel. Though flamboyant, high security is not uncommon amongst the rich families in Mumbai.
The two houses are occupied by the Sinhas and Saxenas—the families of Arjun and Riya respectively. Both these families have been associated for almost three generations now. Amit Sinha and Varun Saxena migrated to Mumbai from Chikhodra, a small village near Anand, Gujrat. Amit and Varun, who were childhood friends, worked hard to extend their business, offering a range of dairy products sourced from their village, to a larger market in Mumbai. This took them some time, since they were determined to provide high-quality ethically sourced products, and they invested in advanced machinery to keep the products fresh. The company flourished and they fostered excellent commercial links, selling to several reputable retailers, restaurants and wholesalers. The two friends built their houses next to each other within the same compound in Navi Mumbai.
Both the houses were based on a similar plan with an entrance lobby, a large living and dining room, a family reception, kitchen, washrooms, a library, sports and gym on the ground floor. The second floor consisted of a family room, a master ensuite bedroom, two children’s and one guest room. The two bedrooms had a separate balcony each, leading on to the common garden between the two houses.
In the large living room, Arjun’s mother Kamla is shouting instructions to servants. Her best friend and neighbour, Shanti is by her side. Shanti’s daughter, Riya, is returning after completing her studies from Nanyang University, Singapore. Coincidentally, Arjun is also flying back from Cern University, Switzerland, on the same day. Both the houses are buzzing with activity, as the families get ready to welcome their kids back home.
“What are you doing, Ramu kaka? Please hurry up!” Kamla shouts at one of the servants, “Arjun’s flight must be about to land soon.”
“Arjun is returning after such a long time,” exclaimed Shanti. “It feels as if this house will be back to life again!”
“Yes Shanti. You know after Arjun’s studies from California when his dad agreed to send Arjun to Switzerland for further research, he said to me, “Kamla, how far is Geneva anyway? A five-hour flight and you will be in Switzerland. You can visit Arjun anytime.” Kamla sighs heavily, and pauses, recalling the day that Arjun left the house for his higher studies abroad.
“Huh!” Kamla continues, “But how many times did I visit my son? Just once! Despite everything, getting out of the country is such a hassle. Your Riya also studied in Singapore but how many times could you visit her? It’s good that at least she visited India more frequently during her vacations.”
“It’s such a beautiful coincidence, isn’t it, that both Arjun and Riya are going to join the same MBA school in Mumbai?”
Kamla nodded, brimming over with motherly affection.
Arjun’s dad, Amit, laid great emphasis on education and he spotted Arjun’s exceptional capabilities early in his childhood. After excelling in his school exams in Mumbai, Arjun took SAT exams for higher studies in the University of California, Los Angeles for his degree in software engineering. Subsequently he joined CERN, Geneva for his research. Arjun always had an ingrained interest in nuclear physics and joined the world’s leading institute in Switzerland.
Riya and Arjun studied together in the same school in Mumbai. Thereafter, Riya joined Nanyang University in Singapore for her Masters in Social Entrepreneurship. Her parents were extremely supportive of all her decisions; this support enabled her to participate at will in all the activities that interested her.
“Riya and Arjun had such a wonderful friendship as kids, isn’t that so? They couldn’t stay away from each other for a single moment … and yet they were always fighting and creating mischief all the time.” Shanti continued.
“Time flies by so fast, right? Our kids have grown up!”
The two ladies continue their discussions as an army of servants busily cleans up the house. Puja, Kamla’s daughter, dressed elegantly in a pair of jeans and a top, enters the room. Puja and Riya have been best friends since childhood. They have only been apart for the last three years, when Riya left to study in Singapore. Riya’s elder sister, Priya, was married and lived with her family at the other end of Mumbai.
“What’s this mama, you haven’t got ready yet?” Puja asks anxiously, “Bhaiyya’s flight will land soon and Riya’s flight is just half an hour after that. We should leave quickly.”
“Arjun? Where are you calling from?” Everyone is alarmed as Puja continues to talk on the phone. “What? … Then which flight will you be on?”
“Is everything OK, beta?” Mr. Sinha enquired with a concerned look, “Give me the phone Puja.”
“One minute, Papa… (Pauses) Yes. OK.” Eventually she puts down the phone, with an extremely anguished and disappointed look on her face. “Papa, Arjun is not on board this flight. He said he’ll come either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, depending on how quickly he can finish his work.”
“What!” Mr. Sinha exclaimed, with rumblings from the rest.
“Is Arjun all right beta?” Kamla enquires, obviously extremely concerned at the sudden change of plans.
“Yes mama. He said he had some last minute work and couldn’t call earlier due to the time difference.”
Everyone begins to discuss this latest development, obviously disappointed at the last minute change in Arjun’s plans.
“Oh mama, Arjun will miss his first day of induction at the school tomorrow!” Puja sighs deeply in disappointment.
The family members continue their mumblings and discussions as flight announcements continue in the background.
“Oh! That’s the announcement for Riya’s flight. Look at my friend, mama; even her flight is before schedule. And my stupid brother!” Puja shakes her head in disappointment.