by Sweth Water
For a considerable amount of time he talked, Summer just nodded and wetted her lips; maybe her mouth was watering because of the sherry. Taking had tasted it last year, and he’d to admit that anyone who had a good taste would not miss the given chance.
“At what time?” Rolls asked, his fingers drumming the glass.
“It was evening. Around 5 p.m.,” he sighed.
“You were the only one who she called that day?”
“Yes.”
“I will have the people do the needful. It’s risky though, telling you. People who have the agent wouldn’t be from some local gang. You said some serious business is going on. Weird. An agent is kidnapped, the Department is breached, losing satellite. Two days? Powerful people can be behind it.”
“How much powerful?” Summer asked.
Rolls eyed her. He took a long gulp, leaned to the table. “I didn’t get your name. What was it?”
“Summer.” she said.
“You work with Taking?”
“Yes.” Summer was frustrated. “How much powerful?” she asked again.
“Too much powerful to start World War III. Information shared with other countries, especially about covert operations, can be dangerous. You both should be careful. Whatever predator is there in the world will come for you too.”
“Covert operations?” Taking was puzzled. “As far as we know, they didn’t take anything.”
“Who told you that?”
“They told at the Headquarters.”
“Taking,” he turned his head to him, his eyes were fixed in his, “don’t trust them. Take my advice. I know these people more than you do. They will make you believe something, and you will take the bait. Your answers lie at the Headquarters.”
“You came across any group like that?” Summer asked.
Rolls nodded. “Yes, but they would not risk breaking into the Department. Anonymous you said? I heard about them. Clever group. Actually genius group. They will not leave a trace behind.”
“What do you mean?” Taking’s hands rested on his legs, wiping sweat.
“The people you arrested, they can’t be from Anonymous group. Even the smoke you can’t see if they burn something. Leaving the people behind. No, it’s not how they work. It must be a bait to attract them. You sure they are not working for you?”
“Not for me. Summer?” Taking asked her.
“No. I would know any ongoing operation in the city.”
“I will take that that both of you are in the dark. I heard of breaching before the incident,” Rolls sighed, “there was a chance of them going there. I don’t know the names. It was a discreet operation by some high officials. You were kept out of the loop, it seems.”
“Someone knew about it?” Summer was shocked.
“Yes.”
“Who? Government?” Taking asked.
“If I have to guess, then, yes, the government knew about it. They set the platform for their people to get in touch with Anonymous group. Again, it all is just a theoretical talk. You may want to talk with the President.”
“Is it possible that government has Gin?” Summer asked Rolls.
It never crossed Taking’s mind. She was good in connecting the dots.
“Maybe. The chances are very unlikely. Taking is the one who found something in the Lufghan State Police department, not her. He should be with them. It is getting complex. I need more sherry.”
Rolls opened the bottle and found it empty. “Damn. I am going to get a new one. Sit tight.”
And he was gone.
“Taking?”
“I can’t believe this. He is making sense. Intel that he’s is good.”
“So, you okay with it?”
“No. I am not. This is all a theory, what if she is not with the government people? What if the body we found ... it was of Gin’s?” Taking opened his mouth, and cursed himself.
“Government won’t do something like that just to protect a secret operation that even Top One and the police are not aware of.”
Abruptly, he looked at her. “Don’t use that word here. Ever. He doesn’t have any idea which agency I work for. And it should remain in that way. Otherwise he would become a liability. Then the dirty work will start – putting a bullet in his head.”
“I am sorry.” She walked to the shelf where the wines were. She found a water bottle and drank it without any glass.
“The State Police and local police department don’t know anything, Summer. You don’t know what governments can do. Some of them, they can even kill their kin. This is a bloody game of power which doesn’t have any rules and boundaries.”
“I thought you were loyal to your country.” She corked the bottle, stood there, waiting for his answer.
“I am loyal to my land, not to the government.”
Rolls came after ten minutes. He’d two big wine bottles in his hands. “Found only these.”
He placed the bottles on the table where they sat at. “Anyone near you who can tell about it?” he asked Taking.
“I need to check in the files. They won’t be using the computers to store this information. You said you heard of someone going in the Department just to get to Anonymous?”
“Yes.”
“What were they supposed to take from the Department, I mean the genuine group?”
“That information I don’t have. Your arrested people should talk before my men find someone who knows something, because it may take a while to get hold of them.” He drank the wine directly from the bottle. From the corners of his lips drops were falling, he wiped with the back of his hand. Like a mad elephant he was drinking.
“How good this theory could be?”
There was a grin on his face. “How many times it was wrong?”
“I wish it were true. I really do. Here we are talking about Gin. Wrong conclusions could take her life.”
“Trust me, Taking. I know the people who give me the words. Even you will be shocked to hear the names.”
“And you can’t share that with me for sure.”
He took another sip. “You are good in it. This is how it works. You don’t give the names of your sources to anyone.”
“I was not expecting that from you.”
“Sorry, friend.”
Summer spoke up. “So, these people who were arrested, are they some hackers or common people used for the bait? Because sending someone into the Department was no easy task. One of them was shot in the leg, it could have been worse.”
“They can be hackers. Going inside the building without getting caught was a troubling thing.”
“You know any Anon?”
“No. I never met them. They are imposters like some government people in the top agencies. They could be anyone. You. Taking. Me.”
“But you said you met them.” Taking said.
“I met someone like them, not Anons. You should be an Anon to meet them, or officers or agents hunting them. People like me never cross paths with them.”
“That is very unfortunate. I thought you had contacts everywhere.” Summer had bitterness in her voice.
Rolls coughed and put the bottle on the table. His chin still had the wine. And Summer’s words changed his tone. Some disdain in his voice, “Anything else that I can do for you? I am feeling sleepy.”
He was tired. Taking never stayed for that much longer. It was past midnight and they should leave now. It was enough for them to absorb till tomorrow evening. He could make some calls, and to the President, too, to get the details.
Taking shook hands with him. “Thank you. Call me when you are in trouble.”
And they were out.
Summer started her personal car and drove away from the house.
“Anonymous took something from the Department, Summer.” Taking was somewhere else, his words came out though.
“What are you talking about?”
“There was no possible way to approach them before any burglary, so they decided to do that to get in touc
h with them. This group, Anonymous, doesn’t have a head to do the things. Small groups make the organisation and then connect with each other.”
“You seem to know many things about them. Encountered them in the past?”
“No. But we people know how they do the things in the world they live in. We need to find only one person who will connect us to them. Firstly, I need to check the CCTVs in your office to get the scoundrel who added the chip in the motherboard. In the morning, we will do that. Be sure to give me all the names that you have.” Taking said.
Summer nodded. “Sure. I am confident that you will not find anything. I know my people.”
Chapter
13
It wasn’t a dream. Coal never dreamed with eyes open. The voice was of Rose. He admitted to himself that she was alive. Somewhere far from him she had been living. He had many stories and theories to prove his point. She didn’t die. She might have her own reasons to live far from him, but he wanted to meet her. Wanted to see the pretty face of the woman he loved so much. Wanted to talk with her one last time before they go to different paths.
It couldn’t be a coincidence.
He had talked with Baldwin, and then Fog. The call log in his phone was deleted by the program that he was using to clear the phone memory, and malfunctioning of the server deleted all the call records of the few phones. Fog had asked him to show proof. He didn’t have any. Fog advised him to go home and rest.
Clock on the wall was showing it was 3 a.m. He was awake. Lying on the bed didn’t give him any sleep, so he came out and sat on the couch, flipping through channels. Like a statue he just sat there.
The bell rang.
He breathed and walked to the door. Who could be at that time?
His hand was on the gun in the wide cupboard next to the door. He picked it. Thieves were not common, though the precautions were necessary. People wanted him dead. It was loaded.
He opened the door.
March was standing with her daughter. She was in a pink nightgown, and her brown hair was dishevelled.
“Hi!”
“Hey! Are you all right?” He let her come inside and put the gun in the cupboard. “What are you doing at this hour? Didn’t you sleep?”
“I saw the light was on. Wind just went to the office for some urgent work, I thought of checking on you. You okay?”
They sat on the couch, and Sun was on the big couch to his left. She was sleeping; her fists were close and had a sweet smile on her face. Coal forgot everything by seeing her face.
“Coal?” she asked.
“Sorry.” He turned his face. “I am ... I am good. Couldn’t sleep, so came outside the bedroom and switched on the TV.”
“But it is on mute.”
“Ah ... I was not actually watching it.”
“You want to talk?”
Coal knew she would not believe either if he told her. Everyone was a stranger to him. Even Baldwin had said he needed rest. The proof that they needed was lost and only the thoughts were left. March was different from them, he was certain. She was a good friend and she should trust him if he told the story.
The story of his dead wife calling? She would call a shrink and fix an appointment for him. She cared for him. This burden of believing that his wife was alive he had to have alone. Maybe he was not lucky.
He just shook his head and sighed. “Not really. You want some tea?”
“Now?”
“Was hoping to have it. Didn’t get the time.”
“Don’t make it strong.” She smiled.
Coal put a kettle for tea and opened the cupboard. All the boxes were as they were when Rose was alive. She had told him that nobody would be cleaning his mess if she died. That day he was so furious at her for using those words, words of her dying. And now here he was. Living with the truth of her words.
“Sugar?” he asked.
“Without sugar.”
“You said Wind gone for work. That early?”
“He ... he said he had some work.”
“Didn’t hear the car starting though. Maybe I was lost in the thoughts.”
“You came ... you came early last evening?”
“I was not feeling well. Fog told me to go home and take some rest.” He had gone to the Headquarters to talk with those Anons and the other person who helped the people to kill him. His whole focus was on the call that he received. The only thing that he did was ask the questions to them. There was no vibe to torture these people. Fog took him to his cabin, and Coal told him about the call.
When the tea was ready he poured into two mugs. Sun was sleeping and her hands were open now. He looked at her and handed the mug to March. “She is so lovely, March.” He sat on the couch beside her.
“I know. My mother told me she has my eyes.”
“I am sure she is right.” He used few words.
March sipped from the mug. “You coming for lunch?”
“Today?”
“It’s Sunday. Wind will be in the house. You two guys can meet and talk over the table. It’s been ... it’s been a long time since we ate together. You should come. I insist. Sun also missed you. The day you had her in your arms she was so happy. Actually telling you the truth that was the first day when she had a broad smile.” March settled herself on the couch.
“I don’t know. Fog will call me.”
“Coal, please. If you don’t want to come, you should have a proper reason. Not ‘Fog will call me.’” She smiled and her white teeth sparkled in the light.
“March.” And this certain urge to tell her about Rose calling him came again. Stronger this time. He was becoming weaker each day. But the call changed everything. He was clinging to the hope that he would meet her some day. March could help him in that.
“Yes?”
“I want to talk with you.”
“Are you all right?” His face had the expressions that she never saw in her life. She was concerned now. About him.
“I will sound insane. I think ... I think Rose is alive.”
“What?” Her voice was just a murmur. “What are you saying, Coal. I ... we did bury her.”
“Please listen to me,” he stopped talking, kept his mug on the table, and breathed heavily. “I got a call yesterday. I was asleep or going to sleep, she said my name, March. I know her. I will know if she calls me. I lived with her for years. It can’t be just hallucinations because of bereavement. No. I know her more than my life. It was her, March. Trust me.”
“Coal—”
He cut her in the middle. “It’s been weeks. How would she be living alone? I dialled her number, it was not reachable. Maybe she called from a phone booth or the network was lost. Maybe because of the thunderstorm the call was not completed. There are chances that she is alive.”
March let him talk and sighed. “Did you remember the cell number?”
He looked at her. For a second he believed she was with him; she wanted to see Rose as much as he wanted. That was good. At least there was someone who trusted him. “No. I was sleeping ... going to sleep.”
“Did you have enough sleep at night before that?”
“I ... I was working on the case.”
March shook her head.
“It was her, March,” his voice was a little louder. “I know my wife. She called me. Wanted to know how I have been living without her. How I am holding up. She missed me as much as I missed her.” He burst into tears.
She took him in her arms.
He cried loudly. “I don’t want to live, please. I want to be with her.”
She just sat and let him say the things that were on his mind. Her shoulder soaked his tears and his weight was somewhat pressing her. “Coal. It’s all right. I can understand. It’s over, Coal. She is gone. But she will always be in our hearts. She was an amazing wife and a friend. We all miss her.”
He cried more, his sobbing was louder than most of the people she had met. She didn’t believe a word he said; Coal was sure she was just l
ike those strangers he met in his office who just pitied him. Rose’s face was circling in his head, calling his name as if in pain. His hands around her shoulders, he wiped the tears with his hands.
“I am sorry.” he said.
“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine. Wind and I are always here for you. Just come for lunch.”
She was gone after that.
Coal sat in his bedroom and cried once more. He’d never cried in front of someone, not even in front of his wife, for a long time. Crying will make you weak. But it was not in his hands now. Maybe now he realized what pain was and how it changed people. He slept after that.
His sleep was dreamless. Though he wished someone would call him. Maybe his wife.
Next day he woke up at 11 a.m. It was Sunday and the work was not much in the office; they had no lead to work upon. Even if he went there, Fog would tell him to go home. He just shrugged and stretched himself.
At the corner of the bed he sat, his legs dangling. After weeks he was awake without a headache. Crying at night and no alcohol had a role in that. For days he’d drunk at night. Today was a different day.
He cleaned the mess in the bedroom; all the clothes and bowls were there, he would eat and cry and sleep. Nothing more. He did the dishes and made some tea. He switched on the TV and sipped the tea. It was not on mute this time.
The incident of barging into the house had created a hyper situation in the city. Some people were leaving the city. The news reporter was showing the people behind her, tens of them were there, sitting in the cars with their families. The Office didn’t give any official statement. A terrorist attack they might be considering. Even Coal didn’t know what it was.
His phone rang. He went to the bedroom to get it.
It was Holl.
“Are you all right?” Holl asked as soon as he picked to answer.
“Yes, what happened?”
“I saw the news on TV. They are saying you were attacked!”
