The man was about to kick Karthik right in his stomach but stopped when he spotted few college students walking down in their direction. He looked down at Karthik and said, "You have a Lucky day today." Yes, if you consider getting punched in the tummy and wrecking your car is a sign of good-luck. Then it's a lucky day for me!
Karthik lay flat on the ground, staring at the man as he got into his truck. He started the engine and drove away.
Karthik sighed with relief when the truck was out of his sight (In fact, he was grateful that the man only hit him once in his stomach). He got up, brushed off his shirt and pants and glancing around, he slipped back in his car. He reversed and pulled the car back on the road.
As he drove, he glanced at the rear-view mirror. A guy with dark black hair, olive tanned skin and meticulously shaved cheeks stared back at him.
He was born in India and also studied most of his law in India. And when he was twenty-six, he moved to Sydney and has been practicing in Sydney for Six years. "Six years of suffering," he sometimes joked while thinking about his past experiences in Australia. Six years of loneliness and hard work. He was acclimated to work hard but loneliness was the thing he feared enduring.
He rounded a corner and entered the redwoods area. The road was now surrounded by beautiful houses that sat in the midst of the beautiful hedges.
He glanced at the house with blue color rooftop and spotted a silver color car parked in front of the gate.
After driving for another fifteen minutes, a glassy building rose into view. His office.
He parked his car in the parking lot and made his way toward the lift. His office was on the twenty-seventh floor. His assistant Jane greeted him when he entered the office "Mr. Ford has been calling you," she said.
Daniel Ford was the owner of a pharmaceutical company named "PharmaGen," mostly indulged in cancer research. Karthik had been working as his attorney for past three years.
Karthik lifted his eyebrow. The pain in his stomach had now faded. "Is it again the land problem?"
"No. Er-Why are your pants dirty?" She asked.
"It's nothing," Karthik said gingerly, "I'll talk with Mr. Ford. Can you bring me a cup of coffee?"
"Sure," Jane said and strolled to the door and before she went out of his sight, Karthik caught her glance at his pants and snicker.
He sighed and stared out the big glass Wall, at the long skyscrapers, and the row-houses below him. The scenery was quite intriguing. He has been seeing this for four years and still it felt so fresh.
The room was pretty big for an office with a huge desk in one side of the wall.
He went over to the telephone, wondering why didn’t Mr. Ford call on his cell phone. He picked up the telephone receiver and dialed Mr. Ford's number. And waited. Mr. Ford himself received the call, which was not a good sign.
"Hello—" Karthik said.
"Where the hell are you?" Mr. Ford roared.
Karthik pushed the receiver away from him and held it as if he was holding a snake. He could still hear Mr. Ford yelling over the phone. He took a deep breath and placed the receiver back to his ears.
"...I want you here now! In my house. Talk with these people. Tell them that I don't have anything to do with it!" Mr. Ford said.
"Talk with whom?" Karthik asked.
But Mr. Ford had already hung up the phone.
Karthik stared at the sky and muttered. "Great..."
Jane entered with a hot coffee. "Your coffee." She smiled. "Are you going somewhere?"
Karthik nodded. "Mr. Ford has summoned me to his house. I have to leave now."
"This Coffee?" she asked.
Karthik groaned at the searing coffee. "I'll drink it later," he said and trotted toward the door. But he had no idea that from this very moment his life was going to change completely.
2
The silver car stood silently before the gate, glinting in the sunlight. It stayed like that for few minutes—and the door beside the driver seat slowly opened and a man ducked out of the car. The man was sturdy in posture and had sharp features. He turned, looked back and nodded and moved toward the door. Carefully, he crossed the garden and reached to the main door. Squatted before the door and got to work.
Two more men were sitting in the car, and were keeping watch for the man, who was working on the door. He waved at them, which meant the door was now open. They both got out of the car and glancing around, went over to the door.
"Good job, Mark," One of them said.
"She is not home. We can't go back without her," Mark said.
"Let's first find the thing we are here for. We'll deal with her later," the guy close to the door said and went through the door. He lead them through the entryway and then onto the hall.
"Start the search," He said, "Look everywhere. Look at everything—if you have to break it—do it."
Three of them started searching the house. They pulled out the drawers, ruffled the clothes, broke the pots, smashed the photo frames. After one hour of their fruitless search, one of them groaned. "Man! It's useless. I don't think that she has kept it here in her house."
"Keep searching you idiot," Mark snapped and ascended the stairs. They kept searching. Slowly the anger and frustration rose over them and fogged their mind. They kept swearing. "Where the hell that bitch kept it?"
Mark went in the bedroom. Everything in the bedroom was disoriented. He had searched it five times—everywhere, frames, locker, pots, drawers and also in the bed. Feeling frustrated, Mark again searched the room and again, as he had thought, only failure greeted him. Slouching his shoulder, he moved away from the bed, and abruptly stopped. They had searched the bed. But not below it. He quickly lied on the floor and pushed his hand below the bed and groped the floor. His hand hit something metallic. He tugged but whatever that thing was didn't leave the floor. He quickly got up and started moving the bed.
The other two came in the bedroom. "What are you doing?" They asked in unison.
"Help me," he shouted. His face had completed turned red. Together, they moved the bed. Below it, hidden from the world was a trapdoor. It was locked. Mark unlocked it and pulled it open. He gazed and yelled out a triumphed laughter.
3
Mr. Ford's house stood at the far end of the Point Piper, the most expensive suburbs in Sydney. His mansion was a large three-story structure, surrounded by water on three sides.
The sea surface shined like an enormous mirror. More than two dozen yachts of all sizes were moored in the harbor. Few small boats sailed on the warm breeze; the smell of salt had pervaded the afternoon air.
The sun beamed down as Karthik pulled his car in the parking shed. He stepped out from his car, and spotted three black sedans and one police car already parked in the shed. He slammed his car door shut. He winced at the wrecked headlight as he made his way toward the main gate.
He stared at the sea. Then at the dots of the dark boats at the horizon and wondered about taking a leave. A long vacation. He looked away from them and spotted a small boat bobbing on the water a few feet away from him. There was a woman on the boat and she was staring at him through her binoculars. That's weird, he thought.
Karthik saw a policeman standing in front of the main door, he could easily tell from looking at his face that the policeman was not pleased to see him. Oh, no. forget about vacation...
Karthik crossed the parking lot and headed toward the gate. The policeman stopped him from passing through the double-doors.
"Whoa! What's wrong?" Karthik asked.
"Who are you?" The policeman snapped and gauged Karthik from head to toe with his brooding eyes.
"Uh, I am Karthik Peri. Mr. Ford's attorney," Karthik said and pulled out his card, and showed it to the policeman.
"Hmm." The policeman nodded. "You can go in, but first you will have to pass through a little security check."
Karthik didn't protest. "Just make it quick."
Karthik made his way through the bright, fancy doorway and in
to the colossal main hall.
And the sight of the hall made his legs rubbery. He saw two older looking men meandering around, talking on their cellphones. Two senior inspectors were chatting in a corner. And he saw Mr. Ford seating on the opposite sofa with a bald guy, Carl Hancock, the famous officer from the Interpol. Interpol? Oh no.
He strolled toward Mr. Ford, trying to figure out what Mr. Ford must have done to bring Interpol to his house. That to one of their best officers.
Seeing Karthik walking toward him, Mr. Ford jumped to his feet. "Oh thank god!" he said and marched toward Karthik. He moved his hands around Karthik's shoulder and led (Practically Pushed) him toward Carl Hancock. Karthik didn't resist.
Carl Hancock stood on his feet and offered his hand. "Carl Hancock."
"I know who you are," Karthik said excitedly. "I still can't believe I'm standing with the person who solved the biggest bank robbery case of the decade." He shook hands with Carl.
Carl smiled and nodded. "Well, that was not that difficult."
"But how did you find the robbers exact locations? And—"
"I did not call you here to talk about the bloody bank robbery!" Ford interrupted.
Karthik rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes, sorry, what's the matter, Mr. Ford?"
"Interpol..." Ford said, glaring at Carl. "They think that I have something to do with the kidnapping of Dr. Alex bill."
Alex bill? What the hell! His mind started racing, too many questions to ask. Finally, he said. "When? Where? Why? Who kidnapped him? And where is he now?"
Carl smiled. "He was abducted from France. The sources said that he was having his vacations there with his wife and his two sons."
"And your source also informed you that I kidnapped him? Huh?" Mr. Ford said.
"I never said that," Carl said, correcting him.
"Then why you want to interrogate me?" Mr. Ford complained.
"He worked for your company," Carl said in-a-matter-of-factly way.
"That doesn't mean I kidnapped him?"
"Mr. Ford..." Karthik said, trying to calm him down.
"They want to interrogate me? That too in a police station? What's wrong with interrogating here in my house?"
Karthik realized what Mr. Ford wanted. He knew that Mr. Ford visiting the local police station for interrogation will not be a pretty good news for the company's future. And besides, what's wrong with interrogating him here?
"I think my client is right," he said, " You just can't take him to a police station when there is no proof that he is involved in... Kidnapping. This will destroy the Company's image."
"Image? Your most precious scientist is missing, and you people are worried about the image? And you know what? The news channels already know about it. It's already in the news."
"My god." Mr. Ford groaned and slumped on the sofa. Karthik's body turned stiff. "But—"
"Forget it!" A woman said at the top of her voice. "I am done. Bored of your stupid talks."
Karthik turned and saw a dark haired woman sitting on the sofa behind him with a blond woman. Karthik knew both of them. The black haired woman's name was Sara Ford, daughter of Daniel Ford, and the blond woman's name was Piper Watson, Junior scientist and also the student of Dr. Alex bill. He wondered how long they have been here? And how did he not notice them?
Piper looked dreadfully weak. She was wearing a green shirt and blue jeans. Her hair was tied behind her head in a ponytail. But Sara was clearly angry and was also looking damn attractive. She was wearing a black one piece—well money can buy your great clothes and beauty products.
She roared. "I am leaving now. And you are not stopping me."
"Honey." Mr. Ford tried to calm her down. "You can't leave what if they kidnapped you, too?"
But Sara didn't listen, she just stomped out of the hall and was gone.
Mr. Ford sighed and shook his head.
Karthik looked at Piper, she averted her eyes. So, he stared back at Carl. "You can't take my client to a police-station," Karthik said firmly.
Karthik's authoritative tone seemed to have hit Carl hard. He glared at him. "Stop me," he said and charged toward Mr. Ford.
Karthik moved between them. "You don't have enough authority—" Before he could complete his sentence, Carl grabbed his collars and said. "Don't teach me about authority! Do you get me?"
Karthik miserably nodded, he did not trust himself to speak.
"Good," Carl said and glanced around. Everyone was staring at him, aghast. He let go of Karthik's collar. "I'm sorry for my misbehavior," he said in an official tone."Okay, but I'll come back and will take your client with me. For sure. We are leaving," He announced, and all the officers pulled their files and briefcases and started moving toward the main door.
"And Miss..." Carl told piper, "He was the third scientist to be abducted this month. I'll suggest you to stay more alert..."
Piper miserably nodded.
"Third scientist?" Mr. Ford asked glaring at him.
"Yes. Two of them worked in the project O..."
"Project what?" Piper asked.
"I can't tell you, it's a classified information," Carl said, and he left.
Mr. Ford sighed with relief when all the officers from Interpol and police were gone. "Karthik thank you,” he said.
Karthik smiled. "It was my job, sir."
"I'm sorry for what he did to you," Mr. Ford said solemnly.
"It's okay, sir," Karthik said and glanced at Piper. She will think I'm a big coward, he thought, shaking his head.
"I think you should leave. You are a very busy man. And can you drive Piper to her home?"
"She did not bring her car?"
"No, they brought her here."
"Then that silver car?"
"Silver car?" Piper said, narrowing her eyes.
"No, nothing. I'll drive you home." Karthik said quickly. He had no intentions to look more stupid in front of anyone.
4
Piper Watson glumly stared out the car's window at the passing buildings, under the bright, blue sky.
She was the third child of Arthur Watson and the only daughter to be born in the family without sickle-cell anemia.
Sickle-cell anemia is a severe hereditary form of anemia in which a mutated form of hemoglobin distorts the red blood cells into a crescent shape at low oxygen levels. Crescent shaped hemoglobin is very brittle and breaks easily because of this number of hemoglobin in the person’s body decreases and he dies. So, she was a kind of miracle in the modern genetics. Her rare condition, and also the illness of other women in her family was the reason that inspired her to study genetic engineering. Simply speaking, to find a cure.
The afternoon air felt hot and heavy against her skin. Her blue eyes gleamed as if reflecting the sky. She was sitting in the shotgun seat, next to Karthik, who was driving the car.
He kept glancing at her and kept nervously drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.
"You okay?" he Asked her in a hushed voice.
Piper said nothing. She just kept staring at the passing buildings.
Dr. Alex Bill is missing, She thought. My mentor is missing.
Her first meeting with Dr. Alex Bill had happened two years ago. But still felt like yesterday to her. They were sitting in a hall for the orientation. She sat in the front row, eagerly waiting for the Nobel prize winner to show up. She checked her watch and the hall fell silent. She looked up and saw Dr. Alex Bill walking onstage. The students stood up.
"Don't need to stand guys," Dr. Alex Bill said, "Good morning everyone."
They wished him back.
"I hope you guys know my name. If you don't, then I'm going to kick you out of this room."
They all laughed but Piper. Do all Noble prize winners talk like this?
Dr. Alex Bill caught her staring at him in horror. "I'm kidding girl," he said.
Of course, you are, she thought, faking a smile.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"Piper," she said softly.<
br />
"Okay, Pipes." At this, the hall erupted in laughter. Piper felt like sinking into the chair. She felt her face warming up, turning pink. But she actually liked the nickname.
"Pipes..." Karthik said a little louder, pulling her attention back at the present.
She turned away from the window. "Huh?" She said, almost whispering.
"You okay?" He asked softly.
She nodded and gazed down at the floor, and swallowed hard. Then was about say something, but stopped and again resumed staring out the window, mulling.
Karthik felt a twinge of concern for her. He sighed, and returned his attention back to driving.
Karthik stopped the car in front of the gate. His eyes sweeping around, searching for the silver car he had seen before, but there was nothing. No sign of any car. He frowned. He was sure that he had seen a silver car.
"Thanks," Piper whispered, opening the car's door, but she caught the confused expression on Karthik's face.
"What are you looking for?" She said.
He shook his head. " I just..."
Piper gazed intently at him, waiting for an answer.
"Would you like to have coffee. I know some good cafe—"
"No. Thanks for asking." She forced a smile and climbed off from the car. She made her way to the main door. Karthik gazed at her, waiting for her to safely enter the house.
Seeing that she had reached the main door without collapsing, he turned on the engine. The car droned. He had barely touched the accelerator when her voice floated across the garden and into his ear. "Hey listen!" She called. "Maybe a cup of coffee would not be a bad idea!"
***
"Two espressos," Karthik said to the waiter.
The Waiter smiled. "Anything else, sir?"
Karthik gazed at piper. "You want something?"
"No, Coffee will do."
He raised his eyes from Piper to the waiter. But before he could say anything the waiter nodded and left.
They sat at the center table in the giant shady room. Pale sunlight poured in through the giant, tinted-glass windows.
Border of the sun Page 2
