Scarred Love - Chapter 41

“WHAT!?” Viman stood up in attention, his entire body going numb for some seconds.

Kabir grabbed Manna’s arms and asked, “What do you mean he is missing?” shaking him a little.

Mayank burst into the office panting hard clutching the tab in his hand like an anchor. When Manna looked at him with hope, he just shook his head.

“Dammit! Would any of guys tell us what’s happened?” Viman fiercely asked losing his patience.

“He went for a meeting yesterday evening at about 6 pm. We told him not to drive but he insisted. He came out of the meeting at about 8:30 pm and the security car was following him. But the security car lost him near Siri Fort” Mayank said clearing his throat.

“And?”

“15 minutes later, they found his car at Hauz Khas but it was empty. Hukum was not there. His laptop, mobile phone and other papers that he was carrying were lying inside the car but he wasn’t there,” Manna said in one breathe his body shaking with anxiety.

“So? Bhaisa has done this before. Check the hotels, you should find him in any one of them,” Kabir said sighing with relief.

His elder brother was the most unpredictable person in this whole world. His disappearing act was a synonym with his character. He stays hidden for a couple of days and then suddenly comes back when he feels like.

“But this time it’s different,” Mayank said looking from Kabir to Viman.

Viman sat down with a huff and looked at him with irritation. What ‘s wrong with this man? He of all the people should get used to Rudra’s eccentric streak.

“Mayank, don’t panic so much. This is normal for Rudra. As Kabir said, check the hotels.”

“We have done that but still nothing. And then, this morning this was……” he abruptly stopped looking at Manna who was holding an envelope in his hand behind his back.

Viman suddenly sat up straight and his eyes narrowed. He stretched his hand and Manna gave him the envelope reluctantly.

Kabir instantly came behind him as he started opening the envelope.

Viman pulled out a stamp paper and two smaller envelopes; one of them was addressed to him and the other to Ishani. He quickly opened the one addressed to him and started to read. After a couple of seconds, the letter slipped out of his hands and fell on his desk.

Kabir saw his brother’s calm look change to an anxious and worried one within seconds and instantly he knew there was something grossly wrong. He picked up the letter and started reading it aloud as Viman stood up from his chair.

“Viman,

I am going away, don’t know where but I have to. But I promise I’ll be safe; however if anything happens to me, you know what to do. Anyways, there’s something for Ishani in the envelope along with the land deed for her NGO. Give it to her, please.

And Viman, please don’t try to find me.

Rudra.”

Of all the times, he has disappeared, this is the first time he has written a letter. Now he could understand Mayank’s and Manna’s panic.

“Where did you find this?” Kabir asked folding the letter.

“In his office. It was on his desk,” Manna said handing him another piece of paper.

“This was there in the office security room in an envelope for me. The morning shift guard gave it.”

Viman took the letter from Kabir and opened it.

“Manna,

I need you to be with Kabir and Viman, and the family. Don’t leave their side even for a second. Tell Ram Singh to keep a watch on Ishani. I don’t know where I am going but I won’t be returning. There is an envelope in my office on the desk. Give that to Viman once you read this letter.

Take care.

Rudra.”

Viman clutched the edge of the table hard trying to calm his raging emotions. Every cell in his body was instructing him to find his brother but his brain was telling him that he couldn’t.

The security system in SGH was Rudra’s brainchild. He knew every loophole and the way the whole thing worked hence dodging it was piece of cake for him. So, there was actually no point of taking help from Mayank or any of the security people.

If Rudra didn’t want to be found then it was impossible to find him.

“Did you check Genus?” Viman asked in a hopeful voice.

“We did, but still nothing,” Mayank replied and then looked at the GPS on his tab to see if there is anything at all.

“Manna, who delivered your letter to the security room?”

“We have checked that too but there is nothing in the camera.”

Dammit!

Rudra knew every camera position in the office so he must have done something to shut the one near the security room.

“Just one clue; there was a code override for the security room camera at about 4:30 in the morning today. But that was not done from inside but outside. I’ve tried to trace the device but nothing.”

“It must have been done by Bhaisa himself,” Kabir said as walked up to his brother.

“Bhai?”

“We can’t find him I know that. But we still have to try.”

Present Day

Ishani was sitting on the sofa thinking about everything that has happened till now when the ringing of the doorbell interrupted her thoughts. Sighing, she got up and walked towards the door. As she peeped through the hole in the door, her eyes widened.

Manna!

Quickly she opened the door and looked at him questioningly.

“Ishani Ma’am, has Hukum come here?”

“No, why?”

“Manna!” Viman warningly glared at him.

“It’s nothing Ishani, don’t worry.”

Taking the envelope from Mayank, he gave it to Ishani.

As she opened the envelope, the land deed fell out and she surprisingly looked at Viman. He gestured her to read it and the moment she did that her surprise turned to shock.

Rudra had transferred the ownership of the land to Children of Joy.

She looked up at Viman with a shock written all over her face.

“Why?”

“Can we come inside?”

Something was wrong; Ishani could sense it from his grave tone and the ever twitching jaw muscles. Suddenly something flashed in her mind and her pulse accelerated without fail.

“Where is he? Is he okay?”

“He is missing.”

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