
Epidemic

When Men Play God

Dr. Kalyan C. Kankanala

www.kalyankankanala.com
Published by Literators Publishing

For mor books visit www.literatorspublishing.com

Literators Publishing, No 40, 2nd Floor, JC Industrial Estate, Kanakapura Road, Bangalore – 560062. Karnataka. INDIA.

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Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Coming Up

##  ******Prologue**

Munich, Germany

Heavy snowfall and icy wind did not deter Dr. Schumann from heading to his laboratory on a Sunday morning. Getting off the U-Bahn at Odeonsplatz, with morning coffee in one hand and umbrella in the other, he stepped on to the escalator, pondering over his experiments with the deadly virus. The viral infested nerve cells had not been responding to any of his compounds, and it was very frustrating for him. Over the past five years, the Max Planck Institute had pumped more than 10 million Euros into his research and he was disappointed that he had not been able to deliver any results so far. After he was conferred with the Nobel Prize for his path breaking work on retroviruses, expectations had multiplied manifold and he wanted to prove himself worthy of this title.

Certainly a rare disorder, the viral infection of the nervous system was deadly and fatal. It slowly killed the central nervous system leaving the individual in a vegetative state in less than three years. Like every other day, Dr. Schumann hoped to see positive results from his experiments as he walked through the Hofgarten towards the institute, located next to the Royal Residence and the Englischer Garten at Odeonsplatz. From the laboratory, one could see the picturesque palatial lawns in the front and the beautiful Isar River making its way through the Englischer Garten on the right.

Walking past the front office of Max Planck, he greeted the front desk executive and headed straight to the third floor, taking the stairs two at a time. Once in his lab, he put on his coat, sanitized his hands and extracted three Petri dishes. Carefully placing them one at a time under the electron microscope, he peered at their highly magnified images. The first two dishes didn't have any living cells, and he could feel his heart sink as he moved to the third dish. He was slightly taken aback and frowned in disbelief as he looked again for confirmation. All the cells in the third dish were alive and devoid of any signs of infection. How many ever times he looked, the picture did not change and his disbelief turned into elation. Looking at the snow filled English garden and the frozen river, he smiled triumphantly. Another retrovirus had succumbed to his intelligence, and it was empowering to say the least.

A week later, Dr. Schumann had uninvited visitors in his lab. They ransacked the place and stole lab notes and materials. Among the stolen items were Dr. Schumann's lab notes on particular compounds used against the nerve virus. Despite relentless efforts of the Bundespolizei, the German Federal Police, the whereabouts of the perpetrators remained a mystery. It continues to remain a mystery to this day.

Twelve Years Later

## Chapter 1

Hyderabad, India

Siren blaring, an ambulance snaked through a sea of vehicles. The driver strained to keep the vehicle moving in the heavy, evening traffic. Some good Samaritans let the ambulance pass, but most did not bother to give way. Fortunately, the ambulance's windows were well covered, and no one knew who was inside. Else, many would have gathered around it to take a peek at the celebrity it was carrying.

When the sirens reached the junction at Punjagutta, the young traffic cop acted swiftly and efficiently. He stopped vehicles from all other directions, frantically waving and urging vehicles ahead of the ambulance to move out of its way. The driver, David, a veteran in his 50s, heaved a sigh of relief as he approached the green light. Normally, it would have taken at least 20 minutes to pass through the junction and he was relieved to make it in less than two minutes. He braked smoothly at the junction and swerved to the left. The traffic was clear and David stepped on the gas, determined to hand over the patient to expert doctors at Charaka Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), while he was still alive.

This patient was special, very special for David. He was one of his favourite cricketers, Raj Singh, a talented batsman in the Indian team. David had recently watched him take the Indian cricket team to victory in a match against Pakistan, scoring 6 boundaries in a single over, elevating his status to that of a hero. David had watched many of Raj Singh's performances live and had even taken his autograph on one occasion. The athletic young man was reduced to a pale lifeless figure and David could not bear to see him in that state.

Once Singh had been loaded, David moved quickly to take him to CIMS before it was too late. He took several patients to the hospital daily, and understood the importance and urgency of his role in saving their lives. Doctors at CIMS are the best at what they do and he was confident that Singh would be in good hands. As he drew close to CIMS, David switched on the wireless communication system in the ambulance and informed the critical care supervisor of their arrival.

On entering the last leg of the journey, David accelerated uphill, urging the ambulance on. Just when he thought there were only few minutes left to make it to the hospital, he came upon an obstruction in the road. Right in the middle of the narrow road was a lorry off-loading rice sacks into a grocery store.

##  ******Chapter 2**

The narrow road to the hospital was lined with grocery shops and wholesale stores on either side. Despite diligent efforts, the hospital administration had not been successful in regulating the movement of transport vehicles on that road, and sometimes ambulances carrying critical cases had to wait for a while before getting through. David swore loudly as he came close to the unmoving lorry and braked.

Turning on the speaker system in the ambulance, he yelled, "Move the lorry out of the way. Serious patient inside. Move!"

The lorry did not move, but a young man wearing a khaki shirt jumped off its carriage, and ran into the grocery store.

"AP 27 3421. Driver of yellow colour lorry. Please move immediately. Patient in serious condition," David shouted again.

The lorry did not move, and David started honking while he waited. Unable to bear the tension, David took a quick peek into the cabin, and swore again. Singh was vomiting blood and the young doctor in the cabin was injecting something into Singh's vein. David could never bear the sight of blood and started shaking uncontrollably. He had to take several long breaths and talk himself out of it before regaining some control.

Just when David thought if Singh would breathe his last, a well-built man in a pink turban, a black t-shirt that looked two sizes small and what looked like a blue wrap-around skirt appeared. David leaned out of the window and bellowed, "Move the lorry, man. Do it fast." The turbaned man quickened his pace, but that did not satisfy David. "Faster, Sir," he shouted again. The turbaned man was too slow for David and he kept honking to urge him on. Annoyed, the turbaned man turned around, glared at David and mouthed a cuss word, but to David's relief, kept going. When he reached the cabin of the lorry, he hauled himself into it effortlessly and started the engine.

David kept his foot on the accelerator, ready to move as soon as the lorry moved. But, instead of moving forward, the lorry moved backward. It came ominously close to the ambulance making David swear. The speaker system was still switched on and several passersby turned to look. Just as when David thought that the lorry was going to ram into the ambulance, it released a tonne of smoke and hurtled forward.

David steadily followed the lorry and floored the accelerator pedal as soon as it was out of the way.

##  ******Chapter 3**

As soon as the ambulance reached the holding point, the awaiting medical team of doctors and nurses swiftly loaded Singh off the ambulance and ushered him to the Emergency Room. Dr. Sridhar Muppavarapu, the Chief of Critical Care at CIMS was at the entrance of the Emergency, waiting for the patient, very impatiently. His team got going as soon as Singh arrived and he stood back watching his best doctors at work. Dr. Sridhar's piercing brown eyes kept moving from monitor to monitor, which displayed the status of Singh's erratic vitals.

After an initial dose of treatment, Singh's vitals began to stabilize and Dr. Sridhar took the opportunity to call Dr. Krishna Mohan, the Chief Physician, to take a look. Then, while a nurse was collecting blood for tests, the heart monitor went off. Soon thereafter, everything changed in a flash.

Dr. Sridhar watched helplessly as all vitals went out of control. Singh was gasping for breath and he had to be put on a ventilator immediately. As doctors and nurses stood around him infusing medicines to get his vitals under control, blood started to ooze out of his orifices. His pulse fell quickly and he went limp in under a minute. The well trained emergency team tried to revive him using defibrillation and other techniques, but nothing worked.

Shocked by the quick turn of events, Dr. Sridhar stood motionless, staring at the young cricketer. That was the third fatality that day and all three cases had ended in an almost similar manner. Dr. Sridhar did not know the cause of their death, let alone what treatment to administer.

As he stood there, feeling completely incompetent and worthless, a calming hand touched his shoulder. Dr. Sridhar turned around to face Dr. Krishna, a short, silver-haired man with a round face. The usual sparkle was missing in Dr. Krishna's eyes, and he looked grim, very grim.

"Don't lose heart, Sridhar. You are doing your best."

"But Sir, we are ..."

"I know. This is the third case today and we really don't know what to do." Dr. Krishna said, examining Singh's body.

"Yes Sir." Dr. Sridhar nodded grimly.

"I am afraid this is turning into an epidemic. And to make matters worse, I think we are once again facing an unknown force. Come with me," Dr. Krishna said, turning around.

Taking one last look at the lifeless body of the talented cricketer, Dr. Sridhar quietly stepped out of the Emergency Room and followed Dr. Krishna.

Outside the Emergency Room, David was pacing back and forth. Just like every other time, David could not drive away after dropping off a patient, and decided to wait until he learned about his well being. When he caught sight of Singh's stretcher being rolled out, headed towards the mortuary, his heart sank. He remembered with a pang, how confident he was that the doctors at CIMS would save his hero.

David found it difficult to resign to the fact that it was all over for his champion. Legs feeling limp, he slowly made his way to the waiting room and slumped on a sofa. Then, covering his face with trembling hands, he sobbed like a child.

##  ******Chapter 4**

"Good Morning! It is 9 a.m.. Good Morning! It is 9 a.m.," the talking alarm clock droned in monotone. It took two long minutes and fifty announcements from the alarm clock to wake Arjun up.

"Didn't I just go to sleep! How is it 9 o'clock already?" he grumbled, silencing the alarm clock with a tap on its head.

The clock was a wedding gift from his best friend, Jainath Sagar, who was a victim of Arjun's unruly slumber throughout their time together in the hostel. Cursing the rude clock, he remembered Jainath telling his bride that the talking alarm would be a blessing.

Shreya Nair, Arjun's wife, is a celebrated classical dancer and one of the sought after performers in the country. At the time, she was on a performance tour at Cochin and Arjun had only Neo for company. Neo was a well built, but not a particularly well-mannered Labrador retriever. He was more than just a pet to Arjun and Shreya. They loved him immensely and pampered him unreasonably. Neo had access to everything in the house, but their bed. When Arjun rolled out of his bed, Neo was gaping at him expectantly.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, Neo started barking, commanding immediate attention.

"First me, then you," Arjun said patting him.

Then, he rushed to the washroom, shutting the door on Neo's face. Thoroughly disappointed, Neo sat on the doormat squealing his dissent. To Neo's surprise, Arjun, who normally took 30 minutes for his morning rituals, walked out in five.

"I got a good start to my day, fast and furious. Let's see how you fare," he told Neo as he walked to his wardrobe.

Quickly slipping into his tracks and t-shirt, Arjun picked up his cane and walked out of the apartment on the 30th floor, Neo by his side. The top floor gave Arjun privacy and kept him from the hurly-burly of the noisy life downstairs, but he hated elevator rides, especially the waiting part.

Unlike Arjun, Neo had more pressing concerns than boredom on his mind and barked at the elevator until it arrived. Arjun and Neo literally ran into the lift as soon as the doors slid open. Fortunately for them, the elevator did not stop until it reached the ground floor.

Once the doors opened, Neo broke into a sprint, pulling Arjun with him. Ignoring Arjun's commands to take it easy, Neo dragged him right out of the gate. As he held the leash and scampered with Neo, Arjun was lucky not to bump into the curious watchman and a more than curious bystander. When they exited, Neo couldn't hold it in any longer and wasted no time to finish his job. He went to his regular pole and relieved himself, leg held up in salute.

When Neo was done, Arjun decided to get some coffee at Smith's Coffee Shop. The coffee shop offered him a threefold benefit; he could get some good coffee, the old lady, Mrs. Smith, who ran the coffee shop, read out the newspaper for him, and Neo's favourite poop spot was on the way there.

"Three birds in one shot," Arjun said aloud, heading towards the shop.

Everything on the road interested Neo, and Arjun had to tug hard at the leash to dissuade him from pursuing them. The road had no sidewalk, and Arjun used the tattered edge of the road to guide him as he walked. His cane moved at consistent semicircles as he strode ahead.

After passing the second speedbump, Arjun turned left when he heard the ominous beat of a bike coming their way.

##  ******Chapter 5**

For reasons unknown to Arjun, Neo utterly detested the sight and sound of both the bikes and bikers. He would let a car or a bus pass without moving a muscle, but never a bike. As the bike neared them, Neo assumed an aggressive posture and readied himself to pounce on the rider.

"Take it easy buddy," Arjun tried to cool him down, but that did not work.

When the bike got closer, Arjun placed his hand on Neo's head and patted, but that also did not have any affect. Foreseeing dire consequences if he did not act quickly, Arjun let the leash loose and made the move he had practiced several times as a wrestling student. Without warning, Arjun quickly threw his hands around Neo, and held him in a modified version of camel clutch.

"Just relax. Relax...," Arjun kept saying as the immobilized Neo wriggled to free himself.

"No. No. Don't move. It will hurt," Arjun said to Neo, who was now growling at the biker.

Neo failed in his attempts to free himself, and Arjun couldn't help feeling proud of the wrestler in him. Once the bike's sound faded, Arjun released the grip and held the leash again. Thoroughly disappointed with the turn of events, Neo stood still refusing to move. Arjun had let a golden opportunity to attack the bike pass and Neo was furious with him.

"Come on buddy. Every dog has its day. You will also get a chance," Arjun tried consoling, but Neo was not convinced and stood his ground.

"How about a chew stick with chocolate topping when we get home, eh? Chew, Chew, Chew...," Arjun repeated several times until Neo understood what was in store if he co-operated with him.

After a bit of negotiation, Neo relented and Arjun got going again. On the way, Arjun stopped at Neo's poop spot, but Neo acted as if it meant nothing to him. Arjun decided to give Neo another chance on their way back home, and moved on.

Two minutes later, Arjun walked into the small, well designed coffee shop, with a broad smile on his face. Mrs. Smith was happy to see Arjun, and greeted him warmly.

"Arjun, can I take Neo for a walk?" Riya, Mrs. Smith's young daughter asked, excited to see Neo.

Riya loved dogs and Neo jumped joyfully when she approached him. Arjun happily handed the leash over to Riya, and she raced out with Neo on her heels.

"Here you go Arjun, your favourite coffee with two spoons of milk, loads of water and just a touch of sugar," Mrs. Smith said, handing him a cup.

"Is your beautiful wife still in Cochin?" she asked, sitting down at the table, facing Arjun.

"Yes, Mrs. Smith. She will be back tomorrow."

"Excellent. Let's see what's making headlines today," she said, picking up the newspaper.

Raj Singh's death was all over the first page and Arjun heard intently as Mrs. Smith read the horrifying news. Having played for the school cricket team before losing his vision , Arjun loved the game and followed it closely. He had heard about Singh's ill health but had not expected it to be fatal.

When she finished reading the article, Arjun said sadly, "The world has lost a gifted sportsman, Mrs. Smith."

"It is sad, Arjun. Really sad. It seems that the doctors are unable to pin point the cause."

Following a short discussion about the unfortunate end of Singh's life, Mrs. Smith went on to other news. When she reached the entertainment section, Mrs. Smith went quiet.

"Boring Bollywood news, isn't it?" Arjun commented.

"No. There is something very interesting. And very important as well."

##  ******Chapter 6**

"This young man made news!" Mrs. Smith announced to her customers.

Arjun's fair complexion turned red as Mrs. Smith continued.

" ... He is representing the famous actress, Snigdha Chopra, in an important case. He deserves a loud applause."

Everyone in the coffee shop started clapping, and Arjun was completely embarrassed. He did not know how to respond and simply sat still, smiling awkwardly.

"Well done," Mrs. Smith said, patting Arjun on the shoulder.

"Thanks Madam," Arjun croaked, nodding.

"Congratulations ... Great ... All the best."

Arjun acknowledged wishes of the customers, nodding in the direction of their voices.

When everyone finished wishing him, Mrs. Smith sat down and started reading the news for Arjun.

"Hot Celebrity Puts Celeb in a Spot

Snigdha is arguably the hottest actress in Bollywood today. The box office success of her movie, Half Pyaar, has made her the most sought after heroine in the industry. She is the heartthrob of youngsters and masses, and has been rated as the most influential female star of the decade by FilmStar. Not surprisingly, Snigdha has been getting endorsement offers from many business houses.

Two months ago, Snigdha engaged the services of Celeb, a leading talent management company in India for managing her endorsement contracts. Celeb got her some very big offers, but their relationship seems to be going south.

Yesterday, Snigdha sued Celeb in the Hyderabad High Court alleging mismanagement of her profile, unjust endorsement and breach of contract. She has alleged that Celeb violated her rights by using her photos and videos in certain advertisements without her authorization. The case was filed after she saw an ad on TV, in which she was shown sensuously endorsing men's undergarments.

Annoyed, Snigdha has dragged Celeb to the court. She is represented by a young Intellectual Property Lawyer, Arjun Mamidi, an upcoming attorney, not much known in legal circles..."

Pausing here, Mrs. Smith said to Arjun, "Well, that won't be for long."

Arjun smiled awkwardly, and Mrs. Smith continued reading.

"Speaking about the case, Snigdha said, "Celeb must be taught a lesson for its rash behaviour and rude attitude. How dare they take me for granted? What is even more unbelievable is that Celeb's representatives feel they did me a favour! I will show them their place."

Although Snigdha is not going after the undergarments company, it has also been made a party to the case. Arjun Mamidi, Snigdha's lawyer, is a graduate from a small law college in Hyderabad, and this is apparently his first case. He is blind and runs a small law firm and has no clients to boast of.

Given Celeb's reputation and size, Snigdha's words, according to many legal experts and critics, were immature and uncalled for..."

Arjun could not take it anymore.

Holding his rising anger, he politely said, "If you don't mind, Mrs. Smith, can you please stop reading?"

"Okay, Arjun. I understand," Mrs. Smith said sadly.

Arjun was very upset that he was on national news and Snigdha broke their arrangement on keeping him out of the media. He could feel his blood boiling and decided to leave before he said something inappropriate. Apologizing to Mrs. Smith for leaving abruptly, Arjun paid for the coffee and stepped out. Mrs. Smith knew Arjun's sentiments about discussing his blindness and saw him off at the door without comment.

Outside, Riya handed Neo's leash to Arjun. On his way home, Arjun tried hard to put Snigdha's insensitivity out of his mind and tried to focus on the hearing scheduled for the next day. It was in fact a big day for Arjun. It was his first court appearance, in his first big case.

##  ******Chapter** 7

The emergency staff at CIMS were popularly called 'Guardian Angels'. They got this name after having managed to revive a police officer who was thought to be dead after being shot several times. The advent of the mysterious, killer disease had slightly damaged their reputation, but they were keen on setting it right again.

As more and more people succumbed to the epidemic, the Guardian Angels felt helpless and were losing confidence fast. Owing to the incessant pressure, some doctors privately contemplated not admitting patients with specific symptoms, but did not dare to express their views openly. Patients kept on coming in and the Guardian Angels kept on working, almost mechanically.

Their chief, Dr. Sridhar was always by their side, making time for every case and working harder than everyone else. That morning, he was running from bed to bed, checking on the status of the patients, when his phone began to buzz. He picked up the call from the Ice Breakers, and despite the anxiety, Dr. Sridhar broke into a smile. Quickly giving instructions to his deputy, he rushed out of the Emergency Room to meet the caller.

The caller, Dr. Steven Puttaiah, belonged to the special team formed to identify the cause of the mystery disease. The team constituted of specialists from different departments. Under Dr. Krishna's supervision, they have been working round the clock to uncover the cause of the killer disease. Though no concrete results were seen in the first few days of research, Dr. Sridhar felt confident that the specially skilled team would get a breakthrough, sooner than later.

Hearing out what Steven had to say, Dr. Sridhar hurried towards Dr. Krishna's chambers.

##  ******Chapter** 8

"What news do you have for me?" Dr. Krishna asked when Dr. Sridhar entered his cabin.

"Sir, the Ice Breakers seem to have cracked it!"

"Really! What did they find?"

"Steven told me that the cause of the disease is a retrovirus."

"Uh huh? Which retrovirus?"

"It looks like a mutant strain of the HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which is responsible for AIDS. But, unlike the HIV, this strain is fast-acting and aggressive. It attacks all kinds of cells, including those responsible for immunity. As a result, the patient is exposed to a number of infectious agents and succumbs in less than a week. Steven is calling it the Immune Killer Virus (I-Virus) and the disease, the Immediate Immunodeficiency Syndrome (IIDS)."

"Hmm well, we are at least not clueless anymore. Administer the anti-retrovirals used for AIDS and inform me how patients respond."

"I have already instructed the team to do that Sir."

"Good, Sridhar. Now let's hope for the best."

As Dr. Sridhar was leaving, Dr. Krishna said, "Call an emergency meeting of the Medical Association. Inform all our departments, centers and alumni."

"Yes, Sir. Consider it done."

##  ******Chapter** 9

The pounding footsteps in the drawing room woke Neo up. He was in the middle of a lovely dream licking Trinity's nose, a Golden Retriever of the snooty old couple next door, when he was rudely startled out of his sleep by the sound. Neo's uncontrollable and roguish behavior at the sight of Trinity often landed Arjun in a quarrel with the couple.

Images of Trinity still in his head, Neo lazily walked into the drawing room and stretched. As the thumping of footsteps got louder, Neo peeked in its direction and just managed to move out of the way of a charging Arjun. The spectacle of Arjun running back and forth in the drawing room was not unusual for Neo. His human did this habitually when his wife was not around. However, things were different when Shreya was at home. All three of them went to the gym, where Neo played with kids, while Shreya helped Arjun hop machines.

As Arjun turned around for his next round, Neo barked a 'Good Morning' and climbed onto the sofa. He loved sitting on the sofa to watch television every day. To his joy, that morning, the television channel was tuned to tennis, his favourite game. Sprawling on the sofa, he turned his attention from Arjun to the final match of French Open, where Federer was battling Nadal.

At the tennis court in the apartment campus, Neo loved watching kids play. He stood by the court and watched the ball in fascination as it rallied from player to player. When a ball came in his direction, Neo grabbed it and ran away at lightning speed. He was subsequently forced to return it, but sometimes he got away. And because of this habit, Neo accumulated a sizable collection of stolen balls. Though Arjun and Shreya got him toys from the pet store, the stolen, hard-earned tennis balls were his favourite.

Following the ball, Neo sat watching the television, ready to grab it when it slipped out. During an advertisement break, Neo considered tailing Arjun, who was now panting, but decided against it. On an earlier occasion, he had tried meddling with Arjun during his exercise and had ended up locked in a room. Neo was now enjoying his tennis, and was in no mood to take any risk. He sat happily watching the long rallies as Federer sweated it out against the machine-like Nadal on the clay court.

Following the exercise, Arjun slowed down and jogged directly into the bathroom. He was not going to walk Neo that morning as Shreya would arrive in an hour and would take care of him all day. She was returning from a long performance tour across the country, and would pamper Neo to the core. After every long trip, Shreya made it a point to spend quality time with Neo at the expense of Arjun's insecurity. Though he did not have a problem with it, Arjun felt very strongly that she loved Neo more than him. However, none of these thoughts were on his mind at the moment as he was completely occupied with the hearing scheduled during the day.

Following the strenuous workout, Arjun stood under the hot shower for a good five minutes, letting the water wash over him.

"All good things have to come to an end," he said aloud, forcing himself out of the shower.

Wearing his court attire, Arjun went through the arguments in his head for the nth time. Shreya had personally pressed his clothes for the occasion, and he looked neat in his black coat over white shirt and pants. Picking up his gown and band, Arjun stepped out of the bedroom, into the drawing room. Wagging his tail, Neo walked to Arjun, expecting a nice pat on his head. But, to Neo's surprise, Arjun did something that Neo neither expected, nor liked.

Standing before Neo, Arjun started rehearsing his arguments. Normally, his rehearsals were targeted at Shreya, but in her absence, the duty fell on Neo. Neither Shreya nor Neo was interested in Arjun's legal discourse and only pretended to be listening to him. It was no different this time. Neo understood nothing, but threw a queer expression at Arjun whenever he raised his voice. He felt like jumping on Arjun and pulling his new coat, but did not, owing to the stick in Arjun's hand.

After half an hour of Greek and Latin, Neo finally understood something.

"Good boy, I appreciate your patience," Arjun said, as he tossed him his favourite cream wafer.

Neo loved wafers and did not even notice Arjun leave as he gobbled it up with unbridled concentration.

##  ******Chapter** 10

Fenil Jose, Arjun's legal assistant, was waiting for Arjun outside the apartment complex. As soon as he stepped out of the gate, Arjun walked towards the familiar sound of Jose's car horn. Jose's old Maruti car produced a wail like sound, which was easy for Arjun to identify. On seeing Arjun, Jose quickly got out of the car and helped him into the passenger seat.

Jose was a typical example of the Negrito race, the first inhabitants of Kerala. He inherited most of their physical characteristics such as dark complexion, round head, broad nose and curly hair. Like them, he worked very hard and was one of Arjun's strengths.

Having worked with a leading senior counsel for more than ten years, Jose was well versed with legal formalities, Court proceedings and dealing with Court officers. He took care of all the filing and other procedural aspects for Arjun. Managing clients came naturally to Jose, but his habit of blabbering was sometimes a cause of annoyance.

"When Jose gets going," Arjun always told Shreya, "even God looks for his ear plugs."

Used to Arjun's exaggerations, Shreya did not believe him until she experienced Jose's babble first hand. One day, when Jose came home, Shreya made the terrible mistake of asking Jose about his food interests and a pleasant evening turned into a discourse about Jose's passion for bananas. Jose went on about his never-dying love for the fruit till it was time for him to leave.

While Jose explained about varieties of bananas and how he liked to eat them, Shreya nodded silently, a forced smile plastered on her face. Jose's banana speech went from types of bananas and differences in their tastes to baked bananas, fried bananas and even banana wine. Shreya tried several times to break the conversation, but that did not work, and Jose was unstoppable.

"You look absolutely ready to argue," Jose commented, while Arjun adjusted the car seat to suit his tall frame.

"I am as ready as I can be my dear Jose," Arjun said, smiling.

"Great. We must win this case. A victory will mean a lot for us."

"Yes, I will do my best."

When Arjun was set, Jose started the car saying, "Today, I had an excellent boiled banana for breakfast. Things will surely go well for us."

Not understanding the connection between boiled banana and the case, and also, not keen on finding out, Arjun simply nodded his assent. As soon as the car started moving, Arjun shut Jose out, and started revising the arguments in his head once again. Unperturbed by Arjun's apathy, Jose continued talking as he drove through tiny roads to avoid traffic. When they took a turn at Raj Bhavan, the Governor's house, Arjun heard Jose say something about the various types of banana ice creams described in the banana encyclopedia, Go Bananas. Arjun involuntarily smiled for the nth time at Jose's fascination with the fruit and made a mental note to gift him the book for his next birthday.

He then shut off again, and opened up only when they were close to the Court. He was pleasantly surprised to hear that Jose by then had moved on from bananas to coconuts.

Interrupting Jose, he asked, "Do you know when our case is scheduled?"

"It is listed for 11 a.m., but you can surely expect a delay," Jose replied.

##  ******Chapter** 11

The High Court parking was full, and they had to drive for about three kilometers to get a parking slot. From there, they ambled towards the Hyderabad High Court, arguably the most ornate Court in India.

The High Court of Hyderabad is a three-hundred-year old building, which was once the palace of the Nizam Sultan. It was built in the 18th century in the Moghul style of architecture. Like many buildings of that style, it was surrounded by large gardens interspersed with water bodies. The building had a large, ornate dome made of marble, and many smaller domes surrounded it like sentinels. Decorated minarets standing at different corners of the structure added to its magnificence.

The Court stood elevated on a platform and flights of steps led to large archways on each side. The 30 Court rooms, located on the ground floor, had staircases leading to the chambers of the judges on the first floor. The administrative offices of Court clerks were located in the basement and were accessible only through a narrow passage. Various artistic carvings of gods, ancient historic personalities and animals adorned the walls of Court rooms indicating the influence of Hindu architects at the time of construction. Once they stepped into the Court, people were transported to a different time and place.

Though the building was ancient, the Court had most of the modern facilities one can imagine. All Court rooms were air conditioned and had state of the art technology for display, presentation and case docketing, among others. The judges in the Court were among the most progressive in the country and pronounced landmark decisions. The Court also held the honor of sending several judges to the Supreme Court, many of whose judgments are extensively cited even today.

Arjun and Jose cautiously scaled the stairs to the arch that led to Courts 10 to 17. Despite the state of the art facilities and aesthetics, the Hyderabad High Court was totally inaccessible for the disabled. The lack of ramps, long stairs and twisted hallways made it very inconvenient for disabled persons to navigate.

Taking his own time, Arjun climbed the rugged stairs to the Court slowly and carefully. It took Arjun and Jose fifteen minutes to scale the fifty odd steps. Once they reached the top, they had to pass through a metal detector before entering the hallway. After the bomb blasts at Delhi High Court, stringent security measures were implemented at all Courts in India and nobody was exempted from scanning and frisking. A tight-lipped security guard checked Arjun and Jose, while another scanned their bags.

Once the security check was done, Jose led Arjun to the designated Court Room through the hallway.

When they were halfway through, an old lawyer approached Arjun and asked, "What is that stick you have in your hand Sir? And why do you wave it like that? You may hit someone."

"That is his walking cane. He cannot see and uses it to move around. Moving it in arches is a standard protocol," Jose said, before Arjun could respond.

Arjun hated these questions and knew what was coming next.

As expected, the old lawyer asked, "What exactly is the problem? His eyes look absolutely normal to me."

Jose was about to launch into an explanation when Arjun said, "Which way is Court 11, Sir?"

Before the old lawyer responded, Arjun held Jose's hand and bolted forward. Arjun heard the lawyer saying something about taking a left turn as Jose took lead and helped Arjun round the corner. Once inside, they sat in the last row of the lawyer's pergola and waited for their turn. Two cases were scheduled before their case, Snigdha Chopra Vs. Celeb Group and Others.

##  ******Chapter** 12

"All rise," the Court attender yelled at the top of his voice to make himself heard over the noise.

Arjun and Jose stopped talking and stood up along with other people in the Court.

Nodding, Justice Bala Murugan quietly walked to the bench and sat down. Everyone in the Court took their seats as soon as he sat. Then, the Court clerk announced the first case in the Cause List.

The lawyers representing the parties in the case informed the Judge that they were trying to settle the matter. Justice Murugan heard them patiently and adjourned the case to give them enough time to conclude their discussions.

"This is a fit case to settle out of Court. Come back with good news," he said, smiling.

"The angry old man seems to be in a good mood today," Jose whispered to Arjun.

"Shh. Keep your voice down. He will throw you out of the Court," Arjun warned Jose.

Justice Murugan had a volatile temper, and was easily prone to anger attacks. He blew hot and cold very quickly, and even the most senior of advocates treaded carefully in his Court. Arjun was well aware of Justice Murugan's temperament, and did not wish to take any chances that day.

The next case was a Company Law matter, and Justice Murugan stopped the Senior Counsel as soon as he started.

"What the hell are you referring to, Counsel? Are you not aware that the Companies Act was amended substantially in 2013?" he yelled at the top of his voice.

"Your Lordship may be aware that the legal principle continues to hold good even if the statutory language was amended," the Senior Counsel responded calmly, unperturbed by Justice Murugan's outburst.

"Do not try to cover up Counsel. Your craftsmanship will not help this time. We are dealing with a procedural lapse here."

The Senior Counsel started saying something, but thought better of it. He had a scowl on his face, and he gazed at his junior angrily.

"Counsel, I will post this for another day. Come back with better preparation."

"Much obliged Your Lordship," the Senior Counsel said, and quietly slipped out of the Court.

Tensed about the change in Justice Murugan's mood, Arjun started talking to himself and taking long, deep breaths, but that did not calm him down. When the clerk called their case, Arjun shakily stood up to go. Holding his hand, Jose led him to the well of the Court. The entire Court was now quiet, and everyone, including the Judge watched with great interest as Arjun made his way towards the bench.

"Who are you, young man?" Justice Murugan asked when Arjun stood before him.

"Arjun, Sir. Arjun Mamidi Your Lordship," he stuttered.

"Hmm. Who are you representing?" Justice Murugan asked, raising his voice.

"I ... Sir ..."

"Snigdha, Your Lordship. In the case of Snigdha Vs. Celeb," Jose said, showing no hint of fear.

"Ok. Where is the Counsel for Celeb?"

"Counsel for Celeb," the Court clerk yelled, peering around the Court.

No one came forward. Celeb's lawyer was absent.

"Ok. Which hearing is this?"

"First hearing for interim order Your Lordship," the clerk replied.

Before the Judge made up his mind, Jose whispered, "Arjun, plead that you wish to present the case. Plead now before he adjourns."

Gathering himself, Arjun managed to say,

"Considering ... considering the damage being caused to my client, I ... I beg Your Honour to allow me to present the arguments today."

Justice Murugan contemplated for a while and said, "Let us give the Counsel for Celeb another chance. We will decide in the afternoon."

##  ******Chapter** 13

Dr. Vishnu Sharma got a message on his cellphone which brought life to an otherwise boring day. He had been posted at the Peripheral Health Centre at Palem, a remote village among Nallamala Hills in Andhra Pradesh. The counter in his cell phone said, '192 days done – 173 days to go.' He had configured the countdown on his cell phone to motivate himself to complete the mandatory rural posting at the isolated village.

Dr. Vishnu missed the city life and longed to return to it, where he felt he belonged. The calm and sparsely populated settlement, livestock, fields and streams were exciting at the beginning, but he soon grew wary of it and missed the pace of the city life.

The message read, "Emergency meeting on the I Virus epidemic. At CIMS, Hyderabad campus, 4 p.m. Please join if you can."

His role model, Dr. Krishna, was organizing the meeting and Dr. Vishnu was not going to miss it at any cost. He gave instructions to the nurse, quickly packed his bag and hurried. The plan was to reach CIMS at least two hours in advance, change up in the duty room and head to the meeting.

Dr. Vishnu's journey from Palem started with a five kilometer walk through the forest to the Krishna River, where he took a boat to get to the other side. He then sat on the riverbank for an hour, waiting for the only bus that came to the village. Then, Dr. Vishnu stood in the crowded bus for two hours, which rattled every single bone in his body, before dropping him on the highway. There, he waited for another two hours in the scorching heat before another packed bus heading to Hyderabad came along.

The meeting scheduled by Dr. Krishna began as planned, in the conference hall of CIMS at 4 p.m.. In attendance were around two hundred doctors, many of them in person and some on video conference. All of them were expecting a treatment plan from CIMS for the fast spreading viral epidemic. Their hospitals were filled with dying patients, and no treatment regime was working. They were all frustrated, and looked forward to the meeting.

##  ******Chapter** 14

"Doctors, Thanks a lot for making time to attend the meeting at such short notice," Dr. Krishna said, standing up.

"The last few days must have been tough, very tough for all of you."

"Yes Sir," some said, while the others nodded.

"At CIMS alone, more than fifteen patients have died. We merely stood watching them die, not knowing what to do."

At this point, he paused for a while before saying, "This epidemic is wreaking havoc. People have been looking up to us to save their loved ones, but we, for a long time, had no clue about what was causing the disease.

The first step towards solving a problem is identifying the cause of the problem. Dr. Sridhar and his team have been able to identify the cause of the epidemic. I will let him give you the details. Hopefully, we will soon have a remedy for this dreaded virus."

Dr. Krishna sat down, and Dr. Sridhar stood up.

"I know that all of you have very little time, and I will get straight to the point without wasting any time on niceties.

The cause of the fast spreading disease is I Virus. It is versatile and more deadly than the HI Virus. The working title we have given to the syndrome is Immediate Immunodeficiency Syndrome. For convenience, I will refer to it as IIDS. I hope that is fine with all of you."

"Dr. Sridhar, it does not matter what you call it. What is important is how to treat it," one of the doctors commented.

"I disagree Dr. Harsha. We must have a common term to refer to the disease. That will help us communicate easily," a young lady in the first row responded.

"We agree with Dr. Latha," several doctors sitting by her side said.

"But, Dr. Harsha is technically right. Any name for a disease has to be in conformity with the guidelines released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). We can convene another meeting for naming the disease and decide after a proper discussion," an old man suggested.

Dr. Latha was about to respond when Dr. Krishna intervened.

"Let us not waste our energy on this. CIMS will refer to it as IIDS for now. You are free to call it what you like. We will discuss possible treatment options now."

Everyone agreed, and Dr. Sridhar continued.

"We have tried several anti-viral medicines to treat IIDS. Our team tried all drugs used for AIDS. But, there is no impact, whatsoever.

We tried Aciclovir, Combivir ..."

Dr. Sridhar started reading the list.

When he was half way through, the front door by his side opened and a tall, young man entered. He was dishevelled, and in his crumpled shirt and jeans, he looked completely out of place. Dr. Sridhar stopped speaking, and many people in the room looked at him angrily.

"Sit over there," Dr. Krishna said, pointing at the last row.

Embarrassed, Dr. Vishnu hurried to the end of the hall and sat down.

Once Dr. Vishnu settled down, Dr. Sridhar resumed reading the list of drugs, and when he was done, he asked, "None of these medicines are showing any results. Has any one of you tried any other drug?"

"We tried several antibiotics but none of them work," Dr. Latha responded.

"I am not surprised. This is a viral infection, isn't it?" Dr. Harsha commented.

"But, for secondary infections ...," Dr. Latha was saying, but Dr. Sridhar cut her off.

"Do any of you have any treatment ideas that might work?"

No one responded, and the hall was quiet for some time.

"Ok. We have provided some documents about the mode of action of I Virus. Kindly review the documents and let us know if you wish to discuss any treatment plans," Dr. Sridhar said.

Then, he was about to close the meeting when Dr. Vishnu spoke up.

"Sir, actually," he said, clearing his throat.

Several heads turned around and glared at him for the interruption. Involuntarily, Dr. Vishnu stopped speaking.

"Go on young man. You are free to express your opinion," Dr. Krishna encouraged him.

"Sir, I think one drug works."

"Do you know what you are speaking?" Dr. Harsha tried to rebuff him.

"Harsha, let him speak. What is wrong with you today?" Dr. Krishna said angrily, and asked Dr. Vishnu to continue.

Dr. Vishnu started narrating his experience.

##  ******Chapter** 15

"I recently attended a conference organised by the German Pharmaceutical Corporation, Berminger, which as you know, specializes in drugs for viral infections. During the conference, I was given samples of a drug called NerVir. Berminger claimed at the conference that the drug works very well against viral infections of the nervous system."

"We are aware of NerVir and its use. Can you get to the point?" Dr. Latha intervened.

"Latha, sit quiet until he is done," Dr. Krishna said, glaring at her.

"Sorry Sir. Very sorry Sir."

"You continue young man. What is your name by the way?"

"Vishnu, Sir. I recently graduated from CIMS."

"Good. Continue Vishnu.."

"Few days ago, an eighteen-year-old boy was brought to the Health Centre at Palem, where I am posted now. He had high fever, low pulse rate and was vomiting blood. It was late in the night, and I had very few options to treat him.

In line with my training, I put him on intravenous fluids and gave injections to control bleeding and temperature. As the Health Centre had run out of antibiotics, I decided to administer NerVir, the only antiviral in my possession," he said guiltily.

Observing no negative reaction from Dr. Krishna, he continued, "By the next morning, the patient was better and I continued the same treatment. I called for support, but no one showed up for four days. By the time support arrived, the boy had improved substantially and we did not see the need to move him to CIMS. In seven days, he recovered completely, and left the Centre."

The story was unbelievable, and everyone sat silent. All of them looked at Dr. Krishna for a response.

"Vishnu, have you maintained a record of the treatment you had given?" Dr. Krishna asked.

"Yes Sir, I did. It is right here on my cell phone."

"Can you email it to me right away?" Dr. Sridhar asked.

Dr. Vishnu emailed it, and Dr. Sridhar brought it up on the screen for everyone to view. Except for NerVir, there was nothing extraordinary about Dr. Vishnu's treatment. After a short debate, many doctors agreed to try NerVir, and report their results to CIMS. Before leaving, they agreed to meet again after a week.

When the meeting was over, Dr. Krishna walked down to Dr. Vishnu, and said, "Thanks a lot for your inputs Vishnu. You cannot begin to imagine what this means for us."

While Dr. Krishna shook hands with Dr. Vishnu, Dr. Sridhar asked, "Vishnu, would you be interested in joining the IIDS team at CIMS?"

"Yes Sir," Dr. Vishnu replied without hesitation.

##  ******Chapter** 16

"Your Lordship, my client, Snigdha is a popular Bollywood actress," Arjun started his arguments after the lunch break.

Celeb's attorney did not show up, and Justice Murugan agreed to hear him.

"So what Counsel? How is that relevant for this case?" Justice Murugan interrupted.

Arjun was taken aback and could not respond immediately.

After a bit of prompting from Jose, he said, "Your Lordship, my client's case is about celebrity rights, and establishing her celebrity status is important."

"I am aware. What I don't understand is how acting in a Bollywood film makes one a celebrity?"

The question was in Arjun's comfort zone, and he had no difficulty in answering it.

"Your Lordship, the test for determining whether a person is a celebrity is to find out if the person is recognized by the public and followed by the public. Snigdha's celebrity status is largely attributed to the success of her film, Half Pyaar. The film broke all box office records and gave great recognition to her not only in India but also across the world."

Pausing here for a few seconds, he continued, "Half Pyaar put Snigdha before the eye of the public, and took her from anonymity to well-known status. Your Lordship, successful Bollywood films give popularity and career boost to actors and actresses. Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Salman Khan, etc., are today celebrities merely because of their films."

"Some of them are famous, or rather infamous, for other activities also Counsel," Justice Murugan commented, smiling.

"I agree Your Lordship. Even wrongful activities can make one a celebrity. People like Auto Shankar, Veerappan and Dawood Ibrahim are also public figures in India."

"Your Lordship, I have submitted volumes of evidence to prove my client's celebrity status. Since the release of Half Pyaar, Snigdha has been the subject of at least one news report every day. She also won several national and international awards such as Film Fare's best actress of the year and Best Asian face of 2015 at the International Film Festival."

Justice Murugan intervened as Arjun went on to recite Snigdha's achievements.

"That is enough Counsel, you have convinced me that she is a celebrity. You can proceed to the next point."

"Much Obliged. Your Lordship, every Celebrity foregoes a bit of her privacy to the public, but in return gets publicity rights. She gets the right to stop unauthorized commercial endorsement by use of her persona. Name, image, likeness, voice, signature, identity, etc. form part of a celebrity's persona."

"Counsel, don't waste your energy on explaining what publicity rights are. I am well aware. You get to the point."

"Your Lordship, by using my client's videos for endorsing men's undergarments without her permission, Celeb has violated my client's celebrity rights."

"But Counsel ...," Justice Murugan started, but stopped immediately.

##  ******Chapter** 17

Snigdha entered with two bodyguards and a sizeable crowd following her. In contrast to her modern appearance on the silver screen, she was traditionally dressed in a plain sky blue chiffon sari. People in the Court stared at her open mouthed as she bowed to the Judge and walked to the visitors' gallery.

The Court filled up quickly after her arrival, and every one started talking. Justice Murugan decided to act before things went out of control.

Banging his gavel continuously, he said, "Silence, silence ..."

"Oh my God, she looks stunning," an old lawyer whispered to his junior.

"Yes Sir. She is one of those truly beautiful actresses. She looks better in person than on the silver screen."

"Now I know why you youngsters go nuts about her."

As soon as she sat, Snigdha looked at the Judge and smiled pleasantly. Gazing at her wide eyed, Justice Murugan returned her smile, and adjusted his glasses. Noticing their wordless exchange, many people in the Court couldn't help grinning.

"She has floored the angry old man also," a lawyer commented to his friend.

When his moment with Snigdha passed, Justice Murugan turned to Arjun and said, "Counsel, you may proceed with your arguments now."

"Your Lordship, by using Snigdha's identity for men's undergarments, Celeb has not only breached terms of the contract with my client but also violated her publicity rights."

"Can you show me that advertisement on your phone," an old lawyer quietly asked his junior.

"Counsel, how exactly did Celeb use your client's identity?"

Lordship, Celeb made a video of Snigdha endorsing men's undergarments without her permission."

"How can they make an endorsement video without permission? Don't they need your client to act in the video?"

"Your Lordship, yes of course Snigdha's physical presence is required for making her video. But, Celeb does not have the right to use a video they have shot for endorsement for any sort of advertisement whatsoever. Snigdha's specific permission has to be taken to use her video for endorsing products."

"Wow. She looks really sensuous," the old lawyer whispered, looking at the video on his phone

"

Reviewing the file, Justice Murugan said, "According to Clause 11.2 of the contract between Snigdha and Celeb, Snigdha's permission is not required for every single product endorsement. Is my understanding wrong?"

"No Your Lordship. Your understanding is right."

"In that case, you do not have a case."

"But, Your Lordship, permission under Clause 11.2 cannot be abused by Celeb. They have the right to enter into normal endorsement contracts, but not ones that may harm my client's reputation adversely. For such deals, they have to specifically seek Snigdha's permission"

"Normal? The contract does not even use that term, and I don't think you can read any restrictions into such a broad clause."

"Listen to me. I will read it for you.

Clause 11.2. Snigdha hereby grants Celeb the right to enter into endorsement contracts of any nature on behalf of Snigdha. Subject to provisions of Clauses 9 and 10, any or all elements of Snigdha's identity or persona may be used for endorsing any products or services they deem fit.

Clauses 9 and 10 deal with consideration payable to Snigdha and confidentiality. I am unable to see any scope to read restrictions on use of Snigdha's persona for endorsement from those contract clauses."

"But Your Lordship, that does not mean that Celeb can use Snigdha's persona for any purpose. They must act in good faith and cannot act in a manner detrimental to Snigdha's interests. Though it is not expressly written, such a condition is implied."

"I don't think so Counsel. Even if I were to agree with you, how can you say that the advertisement of undergarments harms her reputation? Your argument is too remote to merit any attention."

"Your Lordship, if we look into the intent of the parties to the contract ..."

Justice Murugan cut him off.

"I am dismissing the suit," he said looking at Snigdha sadly.

"But Your Lordship ..." Arjun tried to protest, but Justice Murugan was not in a mood to listen.

"Next case," he said, preempting any further discussion on the matter.

Everyone in the Court looked at Snigdha to see her reaction. On hearing Justice Murugan's pronouncement, Snigdha's smile vanished, and she stood up to leave. Most of the people in the Court followed her out, and her bodyguards had to work very hard to keep autograph mongers away.

Outside the Hyderabad High Court, a large group of youngsters gathered to see Snigdha. They rushed to the gate as soon as she stepped out, and the security officers had to ask for reinforcements to control the crowd.

"Madam, will you appeal?" one reporter asked.

"Did you lose because of your lawyer's inexperience?"

"Will you continue to work with Celeb?"

"Why did you choose a blind lawyer for such an important case?"

The reporters kept asking, and Snigdha kept walking without uttering a word. She held her head high and photographers got good shots of her for their reports. A triumphant smile replaced her sad face as soon as she was safely seated in her car, away from the reach of prying eyes.

Dejected, Arjun and Jose stepped out of the Courtroom after the crowd dispersed. They bumped into Celeb's advocate in the hallway.

"Good job guys," he said, extending his hand.

"For what?" Jose asked.

"For playing your role to perfection."

"What role?" Arjun asked, confused.

Smiling, the advocate said, "You helped Snigdha get good publicity. We got great coverage because of you."

"Because of me?"

"Yes. How often do reporters get a combination of a celebrity and a blind lawyer to report?"

"Is that why we were hired?" Jose asked, annoyed.

"Yes, I suggested Arjun's name to Snigdha. I have a hearing now, see you later.

You guys owe me a party."

Arjun could not believe what he heard. If losing the case was disappointing, the fact that he was used for publicity infuriated him. He hated when anyone even referred to his blindness, and this was way too much for him to accept.

##  ******Chapter** 18

Everything changed for the doctors at emergency care unit of CIMS after the meeting. The game changer was the revelations of Dr. Vishnu about NerVir, which everyone started referring to as the 'wonder drug.' When NerVir started showing positive, unexpected results, their demeanour changed from despondence to confidence. NerVir's effect against IIDS was magical, and patients recovered quickly, in three to seven days of administration of the drug.

Very happy about how things had turned out, Dr. Sridhar kept a close eye on the progress of the epidemic. Despite NerVir, he noted that the odds were still stacked against patients. The death toll was rising, and he called for a press conference to announce their findings about NerVir. Though their team was still working on the specific mechanism of action, Dr. Krishna and Dr. Sridhar felt that they must inform every one about NerVir's therapeutic effect against IIDS and save as many lives as possible.

Dr. Vishnu was now a respected member of the emergency care team at CIMS. Though it was only luck that led him to the treatment, he received no less credit. His positive attitude and uninhibited humour made the emergency care unit a fun place for everyone.

Journalists from various newspapers, television channels, radio stations and other news agencies poured into CIMS for the press conference. At exactly 11 a.m., Dr. Sridhar walked to the dais in the conference hall with Dr. Vishnu by his side.

"Good Morning everyone.

Thanks a lot for coming all the way to CIMS for this update on IIDS. We have identified the cause of the fast spreading epidemic. It is a virus, much powerful and deadly than the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. We are calling it 'I Virus.' It causes IIDS, a state of complete compromise of the immune system in a very short period of time.

Our specialists have identified that an antiviral drug by the name NerVir manufactured by Berminger is very effective against the viral infection. The special team set up by CIMS is now working on a comprehensive prevention and treatment program as we speak. Our emergency doctors have been able to save several lives and we are working towards taking the treatment to different peripheral centres as well."

After a few innocuous questions, the first tricky question came from a beautiful journalist.

"I am Amala George, senior reporter of India News," she introduced herself.

"There are rumours that this drug is being used out of context. Can you please throw some light on the mechanism of action of NerVir?" she asked, locking eyes with Dr. Sridhar.

Looking straight into her green eyes, Dr. Sridhar calmly said, "We have found that NerVir works against I Virus. It is an approved drug for viral infections."

"Doctor, Drug Controller's records show that this drug has been approved for viral infections of the nervous system. Here, you seem to be suggesting its use for a different disease. Are hospitals legally allowed to use it for treating IIDS? Do you even know how exactly it works?" she retorted.

Smiling at her, Dr. Sridhar said, "That is an absolutely valid question, Ms. Amala. I Virus infects nerve cells among other cells and we are very much within the limits of the Drug Controller's approval of NerVir."

Amala was about to ask another question when another journalist intervened, "I am Subroto Mukherjee from the Deccan. Hospitals, I believe, are responsible for treatment, not experimentation. We heard that the drug was tried on a patient, by a very junior doctor with no experience or research background. How can you experiment on patients as if they were guinea pigs?"

He pointed his pen accusingly at Dr. Sridhar while asking the question.

"We know that the drug works and as I said it is a drug that has been approved by the Drug Controller after appropriate trials. We don't need to do any experiments," Dr. Sridhar said seriously.

"But, is it true that a junior doctor found that this drug works?"

"Yes, it is true. He is the one who found that NerVir works against IIDS and is today saving many lives," Dr. Sridhar said, pointing at Dr. Vishnu.

While the photographers took Dr. Vishnu's pictures for their reports, he added, "He may be young, but he is a qualified and licensed doctor."

During the rest of the conference, Dr. Sridhar gazed time and again at Amala, who acknowledged his gaze with a smile. Following a few harmless questions, Dr. Vishnu announced that the conference was over and they walked out quietly leaving the journalists clatter behind. Dr. Sridhar turned around and gave Amala a wide smile before stepping out of the conference hall.

When they reached the emergency, a doctor hurried to them and said," Sir, we have a problem."

## **Chapter** 19

"What is it?" Dr. Sridhar asked.

"We are running out of NerVir."

"What is the problem? Can't you call Berminger and place an order?"

"Our pharmacists have been in touch with them. Berminger's representatives are saying that the drug is out of stock."

"Out of stock?"

Dr. Sridhar couldn't believe it. He reached for his phone and made some calls. When he was done, he rushed to Dr. Krishna's cabin. Once again, Dr. Sridhar needed Dr. Krishna's advice and guidance.

As he barged into the room, the two police officers standing at the door did not dare to stop him. When he entered, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Yesu Ratnam, greeted him warmly.

"Hello Dr. Sridhar. You will live a hundred years. I was just asking Dr. Krishna about you," he said smiling.

"Hi Sir. How are you doing?" Dr. Sridhar asked, returning the IGP's smile despite his anxiety.

IGP Ratnam is a good friend of Dr. Krishna, and Dr. Sridhar liked him for his honesty and commitment to public safety. IGP Ratnam started his career as a Sub-Inspector and quickly worked up the ranks sheerly by his hard work and extraordinary performance in the field. The intensive care unit of CIMS had treated him for ten long days when he was shot in action, and most doctors in the hospital knew him very well.

"I am well. Very well Doctor," the IGP said, standing up.

At the door, he shook hands with Dr. Krishna and Dr. Sridhar.

"Ratnam, you must get at least eight hours sleep every day. Start today," Dr. Krishna advised.

"I will try my best doctor. Do let me know if there is anything I can do for you. Dr. Sridhar looks very distressed."

"Thanks Ratnam. I will surely call if we need your help. Take care."

Closing the door, Dr. Krishna asked, "Tell me Sridhar, what is wrong?"

"Sir, we are running out of NerVir."

"That is hardly a problem. Place a large order with Berminger."

"We spoke to them Sir. They are saying that they are out of stock and are working on ramping up the manufacture of the drug. They informed us that it may take about six months to cater to the increased demand of the drug."

"Hmm."

"Also, they have hiked the price of NerVir from Two Thousand Rupees per course to Forty Thousand."

Mulling over Dr. Sridhar's revelation, Dr. Krishna asked, "Money is not an issue. I will sanction the funds. Are they the only suppliers of the drug in India?"

"Yes Sir. They are."

"Can we request another company to make it for us?"

"No Sir. We can't."

"Why not?"

"Because Berminger holds a patent on the drug, and the three companies that have the Drug Approval are not willing to make it until the patent expires. I called and checked with the CEOs of the companies."

"When does the patent expire?"

"It has eight more years to go Sir."

"Can't they sell the drug under another name until then?"

"No Sir. They cannot legally do that. They could have done that if Berminger had only a trademark. As they have a patent on the drug, no one can make or sell the drug under any name."

"Oh! Is that so? What can we do now?"

"Sir, can you speak with Mr. Strauss?"

John Strauss, CEO of Berminger India picked the phone on the first ring. He knew Dr. Krishna very well and was indebted to him for the business from CIMS.

"John, we need supplies of NerVir urgently. Can you help?"

Strauss hesitated before saying, "Doctor, our manufacturing plant is working round the clock to meet the increased demand. As you know, the demand for the drug is very high, and we are trying our best to increase production."

"Are you open to allow another company manufacture the drug until the crisis is over?"

"That is a decision I cannot make, Dr. Krishna. Our Munich office handles patent licenses."

"Who is in charge of that?"

"I will check and message the details to you Doctor."

"Ok. Thanks John. You have been very helpful."

Then, Dr. Krishna placed another call.

Two minutes later, Health Minister of India came online.

"What can I do for you Dr. Krishna?"

After quickly briefing him about the situation, Dr. Krishna asked, "Can you do anything to help us?"

"I will speak with Berminger's representatives and put in a word. Beyond that I am not sure if the Government can do anything at this point."

"The epidemic is taking lives by the day, and I was wondering if the Government can ask Berminger to allow other companies to make the drug."

"Dr. Krishna, this is a free country, we cannot force anyone to do anything. I will try my best to assist you."

Thanking the Health Minister, Dr. Krishna disconnected the phone. He was dejected with the outcome of the calls and looked lost.

"What did he say Sir," Dr. Sridhar ventured.

"Some diplomatic words. Nothing worthwhile. These politicians forget promises very fast Sridhar, I shouldn't have called him."

"But Sir, after his son's miraculous recovery, he said that he would do anything for CIMS."

"He told me that he will try to help. That is what he meant I guess."

"What do we do now Sir?"

"Let us wait and see if either of them responds. In the meantime, you discuss with our team and come up with possible options to resolve the issue."

Nothing they tried worked, and the supplies of NerVir dwindled fast.

## **Chapter** 20

Jose tried his best, but could not bring Arjun out of his gloomy mood.

"Arjun, believe me, you did a great job today. Please do not feel bad about how Snigdha used us in the case. That does not and cannot take away the good work we had put in," Jose reiterated before dropping Arjun at his apartment, but that had no effect on Arjun.

"Don't worry Jose. I will be fine. See you," Arjun told Jose before getting off the car, and walking away.

Jose waited until Arjun went out of sight, and dialed Shreya.

The elevator was crowded, and its snail like progress didn't help Arjun's mood.

"What the hell!" he cursed softly, when the elevator stopped for the nth time.

Thankfully, no one spoke to Arjun, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he reached thirtieth floor. Arjun walked to his apartment and kept pressing the bell until Shreya opened the door.

Shreya was playing the flying disc game with Neo when she heard the bell. The disc was Neo's favourite toy and the game never tired him. Shreya threw the disc across the room and Neo, true to his retriever instincts, brought it back to her. This game went on with Neo prompting a tired Shreya to throw the disc again and again. The sound of the bell put an end to Shreya's troubles as Neo rushed to the door and waited for her to open it.

"Hi handsome," a very excited Shreya greeted him.

In spite of the unpleasant frame of mind he was in, knowing Shreya is back made him very happy, and he raised his hands in anticipation of an embrace. But, instead of Shreya, Neo was on him.

Neo pounced on Arjun, and was uncontrollable for a while. During one of his excited jumps, Neo's sharp nails caught Arjun's pants and tore them cleanly, exposing his underwear. Yelling at Neo, Arjun rushed into the house and landed in Shreya's arms. They hugged and kissed, while Neo jumped to find his spot between them.

"I missed you Arjun."

"I missed you too," Arjun said, tightening his grip around her.

"Will you tell me what happened in the Court today?" Shreya asked.

"Where do you want me to start."

"From the time you got into Jose's car," she said, smiling.

She led Arjun to the sofa and they sat down. Neo settled by their side as Arjun began. Shreya heard him keenly, and did not interrupt until Arjun got to the end.

" ... Snigdha used us for publicity. That bloody ..."

"Don't say it Arjun. You must not stoop down to their level."

"But, can you believe it. She hired me because ..."

"Because you are one of the best."

"No."

"Yes."

"Did you do everything you could to protect your client's interests? Did you perform your duty as an officer of the Court?"

"Yes I did, but ..."

"Anything beyond that is not in your control. Snigdha's conscience is not your problem, it is hers."

"Shreya you don't understand ..."

This time, Shreya stopped Arjun by locking her lips with his. Arjun lost his train of thought, and felt a sense of calm take over him. As they kissed, Arjun was transported to a different world, a world where nothing else mattered, a world without boundaries, a world of love.

This was exactly what he felt when he kissed Shreya for the first time on a busy sidewalk several years ago.

"I Love You Arjun," Shreya had said without mincing words, just two days after they met for the first time.

Arjun nodded blankly and Shreya kissed him right there, in the middle of Brigade Road. It was during the long kiss that Arjun made up his mind about Shreya's proposal. If a crowd had not built around them and started clapping, Arjun would not have ended the passionate kiss.

It all began when Arjun and Shreya landed at Bangalore for a competition.

## **Chapter** 21

Bangalore, India

The atmosphere at National Law School was electric. The most prestigious Moot Court competition in India had begun, and law students from 32 colleges were on campus. Arjun and Shreya were among them, Arjun representing Reddy Law College, Hyderabad, and Shreya representing the renowned Kerala Law School, Trivandrum. Many boys tried hard for the attention of the most beautiful girl on campus, but Shreya's mind was elsewhere.

Shreya was swept off her feet by Arjun's charming personality at first sight. From the moment she saw him, she just couldn't take her eyes off him. Shreya tried to speak with him several times, but could only manage to get hold of him after the competition was over.

No one expected Arjun's team, from an obscure college, to even pass the first round in the competition, but they were all in for a big surprise.

During the closing ceremony, the Professor announcing the winners of the competition said, "The young men from Hyderabad crushed National Academy of Law in the first round, beat National Law School in the second and thrashed Kerala Law School in the finals to emerge as victors. The winner of the NLS Moot Competition is Reddy Law College. ... "

The same Professor later pronounced Arjun as the Best Student Advocate of the year. The applause continued for a long time as Arjun stood up, picked his cane and made his way to the podium to receive his award. Shreya's team was called to receive the second prize, but Shreya did not go to the stage with her collegemates. She stopped on the way to speak with Arjun, who was returning with his trophy.

"Arjun, Congratulations," she said, holding his right hand with both her hands.

"Thank you Madam," Arjun said, smiling.

"Can I meet you for coffee after this is over?" Shreya asked, squeezing his hand.

Her team was waiting for her to collect the award, and everyone was looking at them.

"Please. Please," she persisted, seeing discomfort on Arjun's face.

Some students sitting by the walkway repeated her plea.

"Please, Please," they chorused.

Arjun nodded, and she ran to the stage. She literally grabbed her award from the Chief Justice of India and was back in a flash. The applause this time lasted longer.

That evening, after three cups of coffee and a laughter-filled conversation, Shreya proposed to Arjun. That was their first date, but that was enough for Shreya to make up her mind. Though Shreya completed her law degree with a gold medal, she decided to pursue her passion, classical dance. Unlucky with his job hunt after law school, Arjun decided to start his independent legal practice.

Three years later, Shreya informed her parents about her intention to marry Arjun. Her father was not at all happy and did not give his consent for a long time. He did not want his lovely daughter to marry a blind person. However, Shreya showed no signs of swaying, and he was left with no option but to approve

##  **Chapter** 22

Munich, Germany

"Good Morning," said Dr. Christian Muller, CEO of Berminger, looking impassively at the two visitors seated before him.

Dr. Muller's large frame, bear like hands and serious demeanour resonated dominance and authority.

Pouring the sparkling Adelholzener into his tall glass, he remarked, "I hope you realize that this opportunity has knocked on our doors when least expected. It is only common sense to make the best of it."

John Strauss, CEO of Berminger India and Karen Reddy, Marketing Head of Berminger India, had flown to Munich that very morning on Dr. Muller's orders. They sat motionless, waiting for Muller to continue. While on the flight, they had discussed about convincing Dr. Muller to license NerVir to a generic company to meet the increasing demand, but they did not dare to express their opinion. Dr. Muller's mood that morning dissuaded them from pursuing that course of action.

"We must make as much money as possible before the epidemic ends. As discussed during the teleconference, you must continue creating scarcity for NerVir until the death toll reaches a sizeable number, and then, make the drug available at a much higher price. Do you foresee any challenges with this strategy John?" Dr. Muller asked, picking a Pretzel from the bread basket.

"Christian, we have implemented your strategy to the word, but continuing with it for long may not be easy. Doctors, especially Dr. Krishna, will resist this move, and may seek government's help or use the generic industry to source the drug. Besides, it may not be good for our reputation in the long run," Strauss responded.

"Don't give me that crap John. I want to read about enhanced NerVir scarcity in the Indian News within two weeks. Use our patent on the drug and any other means to make it happen. The generic companies can be bought over. Can't they?" Dr. Muller asked, looking at Karen.

"I am not sure if we can buy over all of them Sir. Also, the Government may declare a national emergency and make the drug available under a compulsory license," Karen said tentatively.

"Don't worry about the Government. Our agent will ensure that any action from their side is delayed. Besides, even if a compulsory license is issued, it will take the manufacturer some time to produce the drug."

"But ..." Strauss attempted to protest, but Dr. Muller did not let him complete.

"I have invested two hundred million dollars in the Research and Development unit in India and what results have you shown John? Not even one molecule has reached the clinical trial stage so far. You better get this done or pack your bags," he said curtly before turning to Karen.

"Karen, I will issue a fund of three million dollars from the CEO's office. Show me the results and be the head of marketing, Asia, with a big bonus," Dr. Muller stated gazing at her intently.

Karen reluctantly nodded her assent.

"You have the license to pay or slay to get the job done. On your own now!" Dr. Muller finally said, standing up and heading out of the conference room.

Having worked with Dr. Muller for more than a decade, Strauss and Karen were aware that all the underhanded tasks expected of them were at their own risk. Though the rewards were always gratifying, they knew very well that Berminger would never come to their rescue if they were caught in the act.

They sat quietly for five minutes after Dr. Muller left and wondered about the task ahead. It was in fact very difficult for both of them. They wanted to convince their CEO to consider making profits through increased supplies of NerVir rather than creating scarcity, but had failed to implement the plan. Now, the road ahead was not only fraught with personal risks but also had a baggage of guilt to carry. By the time they left Munich, they came to a consensus on what must be done and hoped that it would not ruin their careers.

##  **Chapter** 23

New Delhi, India

The Union Health Minister, Pratap Singh was welcomed with deafening applause as he walked to the podium. Medical practitioners across the country loved him for his medical education and healthcare reforms. He is the youngest minister in the Central Cabinet and is very popular among youth circles. Clearing his throat, Pratap adjusted the microphone, and addressed the graduating batch at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

"Doctors, friends and country men, lend me your services and I will give you a nation free from disease," he started.

The crowd responded with a massive round of applause, much louder than the earlier one.

"Why do these youngsters love this corrupt, copycat man so much?" his Secretary Dongre, seated in the first row wondered.

Waiting for the cheering and whistling to subside, Pratap continued his well-rehearsed address.

"The good that men do lives after them but the evil is interred with their bones.

I took office with only one goal in mind. To burn the evils of medical practice and begin a new era of healthcare in India.

You, all of you, must join hands with me in this revolution and be remembered."

Pausing here to let his message sink in, Pratap went on.

"In all purity and honesty, you must stand together to guard the life and health of our fellow beings.

You are born for great things, born to alleviate pain, born to cure disease and born to make life worth living.

These are testing times. Times that need tough action from all of us. We must leave our individual interests behind and work for the interests of the public.

On this day of graduation, I urge all of you to take an Oath. Will you?"

"Yes," the hall burst out in unison.

"This man doesn't move a muscle if he sees no benefit for himself. Why are people so stupid?" Dongre mumbled, looking around at the euphoric students.

"Good. Very Good. Raise your right hand and repeat this after me," the Minister continued.

"On this graduation day, we vow to strive to serve humanity without any expectation."

Everyone in the hall repeated after him.

"We will give our souls to rid this nation of disease."

"We will make this world a better place to live in."

He finally said, "We promise to give our lives for this cause, and nothing can take our commitment away from us. Nothing can and Nothing will," he emphasized.

Everyone repeated his words with great enthusiasm.

When the graduation ceremony was over, Pratap walked to his car greeting people and shaking hands. Once the car started, Dongre brought up the IIDS issue.

"Sir, the viral disease is spreading fast, and we must do something about it."

Visibly irritated, Pratap asked, "How many deaths so far Dongre?"

"Sir, about forty as per our reports. But, that information is not reliable as most Government Hospitals have not sent their reports," Dongre responded.

"That number is nothing to worry about Dongre. Take it easy."

"But Sir, the numbers could be at least ten times more, and CIMS seems to have found a treatment option as well. They are saying that a drug by the name NerVir works very well against the infection, but there is an acute shortage of the drug. In my opinion, we must take quick steps to facilitate drug access before it is too late."

"My dear Dongre, it is never too late. There are two important issues here. One, the drug, NerVir, has not been approved for treating IIDS and we cannot take any action unless the Drug Controller General authorizes its use for the disease. Two, the drug is patented and I don't want to interfere at this stage. Our government is already under lot of pressure from the US Government, European Union and the Innovator pharma lobby to strengthen our patent laws. Any thoughtless step from our side can jeopardize our free trade agreement negotiations and economic progress."

"But Sir, people are dying and unless we do something, it might turn into a national crisis. The government may be in serious trouble," Dongre said desperately.

"Alright Dongre, I see your point. Issue a Health Advisory outlining a few actions to prevent the spread of the disease. Also, arrange a press meet. We will issue a statement that Government Hospitals are on red alert and that they will take all steps to counter IIDS.

Send a circular to all hospitals about the same. Advise them not to try any unauthorized drugs."

Dongre was furious, but kept it to himself. He acknowledged Pratap's instructions wondering how long the Minister would play with people's lives for private gain.

##  **Chapter** 24

Hyderabad, India

Arjun sat in his office at Banjara Hills, listening to the morning news. The two thousand square feet office at the plush Hyderabad Business Centre was the courtesy of Arjun's parents, who bought it for him with a part of their retirement benefit. Owing to their army background, Arjun's parents were not very expressive, and seldom emotional, but, when Arjun sat on his cozy executive chair and gleamed, groping his expansive work desk for the first time, they could not hold their tears.

Shreya personally selected and arranged furnishings in the office to suit Arjun's comfort and mobility. Despite resistance from Arjun, she spent a substantial portion of their savings on facilities and ambience. Although it was not as plush as large law firms, everything in the office was neatly organized and well maintained. The simple wooden door at the entrance opened into a reception area, which had a U-shaped counter and an L-shaped sofa for visitors. The reception was currently unmanned, as Arjun did not have the resources to appoint a front desk executive.

The glass door next to the reception counter opened into a large empty hall. The hall was minimally decorated and had three paintings depicting the Second World War. These highly valuable possessions were installed by Arjun's father after overruling his son's reservations about their relevance in the office.

The conference hall, Arjun's chamber and Jose's office were accessible from a passage at the end of the hall. While the passage went straight into Arjun's spacious chamber, the doors to the left and right led to Jose's office and a conference hall, respectively.

Arjun's chamber had an executive table, a comfortable leather chair, a wooden sofa set facing the table and a closet. The executive table accommodated Arjun's reading and writing equipment including scanner, slate, stylus and speakers. Along with his laptop, these were Arjun's essential work equipment.

Arjun used sophisticated screen reading and scan/read software to work. While the screen reading software read out everything on the screen and helped him use the computer efficiently, the scan/read software enabled him read books and other printed material to a certain extent.

The closet had a coat hanger, shelf for clothes and a large storage cabinet. Two black coats hung on the coat hanger. Arjun kept a glossy steel cane, two back up slates and a stylus in the cabinet. The heavy metal cane, gifted by a close friend, had a semicircular handle with engravings on it. Though the cane had a majestic appearance, it was uncomfortable to use and Arjun saved it only for special occasions.

The conference room where Arjun met his clients had a round glass table with a projector, six chairs and a bookshelf filled with large volumes of books on different laws. Though Arjun could not read hard copies, he obsessively added many books to his collection.

"Old habits die hard and you cannot feel a soft copy in your hands. Can you?" he asked, whenever Shreya questioned his wits.

Shreya loved reading these books out to Arjun and did not complain.

Jose sat in a relatively small office opposite the conference room. His office was the only unorganized part of the facility. Except for the computer and the printer, the rest of his things were scattered everywhere. Office stationery, printed paper, books and many other items were thrown all over the place. He often forgot where he kept things and, to Arjun's displeasure, wasted most of his time searching for things. He locked important materials in the drawers of his desk, but had to always hunt for the keys.

That morning, Jose sat in the conference room, cutting out reports on Snigdha's case from various national and local newspapers. He planned to showcase all news clips citing Arjun in the room. Jose was working on the last newspaper clip when the phone rang.

"Hello, Arjun's office," he said, picking the phone from the conference table.

"May I speak with Arjun?" the caller asked politely.

"Who is calling?" Jose enquired.

"Sridhar, Doctor Sridhar."

"Just a moment doctor."

"Hello, Arjun here."

"Hi Arjun, How are you?"

"You Idiot. Where have you been all these years?" Arjun asked, recognizing the voice.

"Arjun, I should be asking you that question," Dr. Sridhar responded.

"Never mind, how the hell did you get my number?"

"Bond has his secret sources. Google is one of them."

"Is Facebook another one?" Arjun asked, laughing aloud.

The loud, cacophonic laughter reminded Dr. Sridhar of his school days with Arjun. They spoke for almost an hour before Dr. Sridhar got to the point.

## **Chapter** 25

Next day

Arjun paced back and forth in his office, waiting for Dr. Sridhar's arrival. They had not met for ten long years, and Arjun was excited about their reunion. Jose sat on the wooden sofa, eyeing him quizzically.

When the bell rang, Arjun turned to Jose.

"Yes Boss. I am on my way", Jose said before Arjun spoke.

As soon as Jose left, Arjun walked to the door of the conference room and waited. When he heard Jose return with Dr. Sridhar, making small talk, he stepped forward and extended his hand to greet his friend. Disregarding Arjun's outstretched hand, Dr. Sridhar punched him in the stomach.

"Ouch. That hurts you fool, my muscles are not rock hard anymore," Arjun said, clutching his stomach.

"You won't have the stomach for many things after getting married," Dr. Sridhar said, laughing triumphantly.

Moving with great speed, Arjun landed a hard hit on Dr. Sridhar's shoulder, and said, "Do you have the muscle to take this?"

"You idiot, you have not changed at all.

I have gotten used to being beaten up after getting married."

"Aha. You are also married then. Who is the unlucky girl?"

"Her name is Amala. She is a news reporter."

Jose, who was a silent spectator until then, said, "I know Amala. She is with India News right?"

"Yes."

"Arjun, she wrote about Snigdha's case yesterday. Her theory is that we colluded with Snigdha for publicity purposes and wasted the Court's time."

"I can't blame her," Arjun said, smiling.

"Don't take Amala's news report on face value, Arjun. She saw you argue in the Court and thinks very highly of you. I actually got your phone number from her," Dr. Sridhar said.

"Really?"

"Yes Arjun. I came to know that you were in Hyderabad only after I saw your picture on her computer and read the news report on Snigdha's case."

The bell rang again and this time Jose came back with Dr. Vishnu. Quickly introducing Dr. Vishnu to Arjun and Jose, Dr. Sridhar got to the purpose of his visit.

Jose got hot coffee as soon as they sat down to discuss.

Picking his cup of coffee, Dr. Sridhar said, "Arjun, we need your advice and help with respect to a serious issue that involves patents."

"Can you give me details Sridhar?"

"Of course. That is why I am here."

Starting with the demise of Raj Singh, Dr. Sridhar took Arjun through the series of events that followed. He explained how they found the cause of the deadly disease, and how Dr. Vishnu accidentally identified that NerVir works against the virus. Thereafter, he proceeded to explain about the deliberately created scarcity of the drug and CIMS' attempts to acquire it.

"It is a very frustrating situation Arjun. We have a drug to treat IIDS, but we cannot use it because a company owns a patent on it. People are dying by the day, and we, doctors, are merely watching helplessly.

It hurts. It really hurts to see people die when a medicine to save them is available but we cannot use it because of some stupid legal hurdle," Dr. Sridhar said seriously.

"Why don't you ask one

of the Indian pharmaceutical companies to manufacture and supply the drug?"

"We tried Arjun. After Berminger refused to supply NerVir, we contacted many generic companies, which had the ability to make the drug."

"What did they say?"

"Most of them did not have the drug approval to manufacture and supply the drug in India. Two of the three companies that had approval refused to make NerVir because they had strong business relationships with Berminger and were promised Pay for Delay deals."

"What are Pay for Delay deals?" Jose asked curiously.

"They are deals to delay launch of generic versions of a drug. Innovator companies pay large sums to generic companies before patent expiry to delay launch of competing generic versions. Some patent holding companies give manufacturing contracts to generic companies to supply the drug and prevent them from selling it themselves."

"How do generic companies benefit from these deals?" Jose asked, scratching his head.

"My dear Jose, as I said, they get handsome pay packages from companies like Berminger which stop them from making cheaper versions of patent expired drugs. As there will be no other drug in the market, Berminger will make money by selling the drugs at a much higher price. It is a win-win for both," Arjun explained.

Dr. Sridhar continued, "After a bit of persuasion, a company by the name, Moon Pharma, agreed to make the drug, but if we handle the patent problem. As you must be aware, Berminger is very aggressive with its patent strategy and is well known in the pharmaceutical world as a big bully. The CEO of Moon Pharma is worried about Berminger's cut throat tactics and it does not have the resources to defend Berminger's actions."

My boss, Dr. Krishna, proposed to Moon Pharma that CIMS would take care of Berminger and the patent case if Moon Pharma is willing to make and supply necessary quantities of NerVir. We need your help to strategize against Berminger and defend Moon Pharma if a patent suit is filed. I hope you will be able to help us," Dr. Sridhar asked, looking at Arjun.

"What about the government? If this epidemic is spreading fast, the government can declare a national emergency and make the drug available. Did you try that route?" Arjun asked.

"Yes, we did try that. We went all the way to the Health Minister, but he is not convinced that this is a serious issue. He informed us that the number of deaths was not alarming, and that the Government will wait and watch for a few more months.

Also, the Minister has expressed doubts about the effectiveness of NerVir, as the mechanism of action and side effects of increased doses of NerVir are not known. Our team has heard from reliable sources that Berminger has bought over top officials to delay declaration of emergency for a few months."

"How about applying for a compulsory license to make the drug? Have you considered that option?"

"We were informed that the general compulsory license route would take long because we have to first approach Berminger for a commercial license, and then file an application for compulsory license if Berminger refuses."

"That is true. In the last few years, Indian Patent Office has rejected several applications on procedural grounds," Arjun commented.

Arjun could not believe the story that was presented. Although he had previously heard about unscrupulous behavior of pharma companies, he was nevertheless shocked to learn about Berminger's selfish and ruthless strategy to make a few extra bucks. He wanted to take up the case to teach the Company a lesson if not for any other reason. However, before making up his mind, he had to clarify one thing.

"Sridhar, tell me frankly. Why did you come to a junior lawyer like me? I am sure it is not because we were school friends."

"Arjun Sir," Dr. Vishnu spoke up for the first time during the discussion, "We actually decided to come to you because you are Dr. Sridhar's friend and because he trusts you. Our superior, Dr. Krishna, believes in personal relationships and always emphasizes on trust and faith. He asked us to work with you as Dr. Sridhar has personally vouched for you.

Besides, all leading patent lawyers in India work with Berminger or other patent holding companies like Berminger. There is a direct conflict of interest and knowing Berminger's strategy of buying out people, we did not want to take a chance with any of them."

"I think you are our best choice Arjun. If you are the same Arjun I know from school days, you will not give up until we get justice. We wanted someone who would put his heart into the job and does not have any conflict of interest whatsoever," Dr. Sridhar added.

"Looks like you are stuck with me then," Arjun said smiling.

Besides taking up a good cause, Arjun felt that the case could be a wonderful steppingstone for his career. It would give him great experience and if he could somehow pull it off, it would be his door to the league of top patent lawyers.

"Thank you," Dr. Sridhar and Dr. Vishnu said in unison.

"No. No. I must thank you for giving me this opportunity," Arjun said, holding Dr. Sridhar's hand.

Before leaving, Dr. Sridhar asked, "Arjun, I would like to invite you to my house for dinner this Saturday, Amala wants to meet you. We want to meet your wife Shreya as well."

"Can I check with Shreya and confirm?"

"Of course, dutiful husband," Dr. Sridhar said, punching Arjun once again.

As he quickly walked away, Arjun said, "I will get you next time. You better be on your guard."

"Bye Sir. Bye Jose," Dr. Vishnu said, smiling.

After they left, a security guard arrived and handed over a notice to Jose. The notice read that the generator was being replaced and there would be no power back up for a few days. The power generator at the HBC has been giving issues since the day it was bought. The administrators had been going back and forth with the dealer and they had finally decided to get a replacement for the defective one before the warranty period expired.

"Not a good start for us Jose. We may have to put in long hours for this case and it will be difficult for us if there are power cuts."

"Don't worry Arjun, Jose here; No fear. I will get an inverter for the computer."

##  **Chapter** 26

Though she was a mother of two school going kids, Karen could easily pass off as a college student. Her petite frame and short hair cut defied her strong character and willpower. She was known among her peers as a tough taskmaster, who would go any distance to deliver results.

In the competitive world of pharmaceutical business, it is impossible to get everyone to see eye to eye on a particular subject. But Karen came very close to accomplishing the impossible. On her return from Munich, she contacted companies that had drug approval for making and selling NerVir in India. Methodically, she managed to lure all of them except one, Moon Pharma, to work with Berminger. To her misfortune, CIMS had gotten to Moon Pharma first, and she sat in her cabin thinking of a plan to entice the company.

"Hello Madam," her executive assistant interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes, young man, what can I do for you?" she asked smiling.

"Madam, Mr. Satish is here to see you."

"Please send him in right away. Also, can you please arrange for some black coffee for us?

Karen had called Satish Kumar, Head of Strategic Alliances, for a meeting to discuss about possible collaboration with Moon Pharma. In her mind, Satish was a dumb chauvinistic pig with a pea-sized brain, and Karen hated working with him. But despite her discomfort, Karen had to involve him in the process, as Berminger's protocol required his approval for forging a strategic relationship.

"Good Afternoon," Satish said curtly, slumping into the chair opposite Karen.

The coffee arrived and Satish pushed the cup away saying, "Block coffee sucks Karen. Get a cold coffee for me."

"But Satish, you have been having black coffee all of last week," Karen protested.

"You just don't get it Karen. Unlike you guys, I change with time," he responded in a mocking tone.

"What a Moron!" Karen thought, before getting to the point of their discussion.

During the next half an hour, she managed to convince him about her strategy to handle Moon Pharma. She used their CEO's name whenever there was serious disagreement.

## **Chapter** 27

Three Days Later

Arjun and Jose arrived at 10 a.m. half an hour before the scheduled time of meeting. Though it was a Sunday, CIMS was packed and they had to squeeze their way to the admin block.

"What are these people doing here? Don't they have any work?" Jose said, looking around.

Arjun did not feel the need to respond.

"Take me to the reception Jose," he said, ignoring the comment.

"You are right in front of the reception."

"Ok. Is anyone there?"

"Yes Sir. How may I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"We are here for Dr. Krishna."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Yes. We have a meeting scheduled at 10:30 a.m.."

The receptionist checked the laptop a few times and asked, "Are you Mr. Arjun?"

"Yes."

"Please follow me Sir."

They followed him through a series of hallways into a large conference room. The room had a massive oval table with over fifty chairs and state-of-the art technological amenities, ranging from video conferencing to wireless communication systems. The receptionist politely guided them to the chairs on the left of the presentation screen. Once they were comfortably seated, he served them hot coffee and biscuits before taking their leave.

While Arjun powered his laptop, Jose looked around open mouthed.

"Wow. What a place. I have not seen anything like this before. It is both aesthetic and scary."

"Come on, Jose. What can be scary in a conference hall?"

"Well, Arjun, this conference hall has four scary skeletons at each corner. They are of different sizes and features," Jose said, continuing to scan the room.

"It is written that each of the skeletons represents different races that lived in India thousands of years ago."

Arjun loved history, especially natural history, and he was now very interested.

"Are any names written on the skeletons?"

"Yes, one says 'Dravidian' another one says, 'Mongo.'"

"It must be 'Mongoloid.'"

"Yes Arjun. They must be mango growers. Looks like they got the spelling wrong."

Ignoring Jose, Arjun asked, "Are the others 'Negroid' and 'Aryan?'"

"Yes. How do you know that?"

"Can we touch those skeletons?"

"No Arjun. They are in glass cases. Do you want me to try opening this one here?"

"No. No," Arjun said, placing his hand on Jose's shoulder.

"What else is there Jose?" he asked.

"There are various transparent glass houses, which have some kind of weird looking creatures."

Arjun listened with riveted attention as Jose read out the labels of biological materials stored in the glass houses before he moved his attention to the artworks in the room.

"There are sculptures of various individuals such as Charaka, Hippocrates, Aristotle and many more," Jose said, gazing at the walls.

"Wow. Jose, you actually know what they look like and can identify them?" Arjun asked, impressed.

"No Arjun. I am reading their nameplates and have no clue about who they are. Isn't Charaka the person who made Chandragupta the king of kings? Why is his photo here?"

That grounded Arjun's assessment of Jose's history knowledge and he realized how grossly he had overestimated him.

Without making any effort to hide his disappointment, Arjun said, "My dear Jose, you are confused between Chanakya and Charaka. The person you are speaking about is Chanakya and the sculpture you are looking at is that of Charaka, the great doctor of ancient times."

"Oh. Ok. That is interesting. They do sound similar though. By the way, there are some very high quality pens here, do you want one?" Jose asked enthusiastically.

"Don't be silly, Jose. Please don't take them. I will buy you a whole pack of pens on our way to the office.

Can you please help me connect my laptop to the projector?"

Just as Jose connected the projector cable, Dr. Sridhar entered with Dr. Vishnu.

"Hi Arjun. Hello Jose," Dr. Sridhar said, shaking hands with them.

Once they sat down, Dr. Sridhar said, "Dr. Krishna will arrive in a couple of minutes."

##  **Chapter** 28

At exactly 10:30 a.m., Dr. Krishna arrived with his entourage of scientists and physicians. He directly walked up to Arjun and thanked him profusely for agreeing to take up the case. Arjun was humbled by the great man's kind words and did not know how to respond. He simply smiled and shook hands as Dr. Krishna introduced his team to him.

When they were about to take their seats, a short, hefty man entered with a young lady on her heels.

Dr. Krishna rushed to greet him. "Welcome Dr. Singh. You are just in time," he said.

"This man is too large for these chairs Arjun. And he is accompanied by a beautiful girl," Jose whispered.

Then, Dr. Krishna introduced them to Arjun.

"Arjun, I am very happy to introduce you to Dr. Lucky Singh from Moon Pharma. This is his daughter and assistant, Ita Singh."

"Dr. Singh, this is our patent attorney, Arjun Mamidi. He drafted the strategy document I had forwarded to you."

"Oh. Great to meet you Mr. Arjun."

"Very happy to meet you as well Sir. This is my colleague, Jose."

They shook hands and settled down.

As soon as Dr. Singh sat, Jose whispered, "This is unbelievable, Dr. Singh somehow managed to squeeze into the chair. I think he has lot of liquid fat that re-adjusts itself."

"Sshh. Keep quiet Jose."

"Arjun, can you please take us through your strategy?" Dr. Krishna asked.

"Of course Sir," Arjun started.

"Our plan is simple. Moon Pharma will start manufacturing NerVir and supply it to CIMS and other hospitals. As Moon Pharma has drug approval, we will have no issues from the regulatory perspective. Doctors can use their discretion to prescribe NerVir for IIDS patients."

"What do we do about Berminger's patent on NerVir?"

"Nothing," Arjun said.

"What do you mean nothing? Berminger sent us a notice yesterday. They are saying that they will take stringent legal action if we make the drug," Ita said, irritated with Arjun's response.

"You don't have to worry about the notice. That is standard language. Our strategy is to do nothing about Berminger's patent until they initiate action against us. We will infringe their patent, and wait for them to take action."

"But, isn't that illegal?"

"It is, but we will nevertheless do it. Under the law, it is the patent holder's responsibility to stop infringing actions, and Berminger will most certainly file a suit against Moon Pharma, CIMS and others involved. We will be ready for them when they sue us.

They will most certainly target getting an interim injunction to stop us from making and using NerVir during the pendency of the suit. I will do my best to prevent such an order."

"What if they file a police complaint and get us arrested?" Ita enquired.

"That won't happen Ms. Ita. Patent infringement is not a criminal offence. They can only initiate civil proceedings."

"Why do you suggest that we violate the patent and commit an illegal act? Can't we take permission from the Court in advance?" Dr. Krishna asked.

"Yes, we can try that option, but Berminger will contest the action, and it may take us a while to get a decision from the Court."

"How long?" Dr. Singh asked.

"I can't say. It can take months, and there is no guarantee that the Court will give us permission.

As I see it, we need this drug immediately and we cannot afford to wait as the death toll is rising."

"You are right Arjun," Dr. Sridhar said, and all other doctors nodded in agreement.

"What are our risks if Berminger sues and wins?" Dr. Singh asked.

"The Court will hold you liable for patent infringement, and may ask you to pay damages."

"What kind of damages?"

"As it stands today, Courts do not grant very high damages in India. It could be two or three crores. But, things are changing and we may have to pay a larger amount.

But Sir, this is the worst-case scenario. I am confident that even if we lose, we can still get away with a small amount of damages based on grounds of public health emergency."

"How about your fee?" Dr. Singh asked.

"Don't worry about that Sir. I am not working for a fee here," Arjun replied.

"CIMS will take care of all legal expenses and will pay you for any losses you may incur. We can sign an agreement towards that end," Dr. Krishna told Dr. Singh.

Then, turning to Arjun, he said, "Young man, I like your strategy. We must defy this money hungry Berminger and do what is right for the people.

People are dying by the day, and I need supplies of NerVir immediately. We must not stand and wait helplessly.

Dr. Singh, are you okay with the plan?"

Dr. Singh thought for a while and looked at his daughter, who nodded disapprovingly and passed him a note.

Dr. Singh studied the note and took his time to respond. Everyone's eyes were on him, waiting anxiously for his response.

Gazing at Dr. Krishna, Dr. Singh finally said, "We are with you. Let us do it."

"Excellent Dr. Singh.

How much time will you need to start supplying the drug?"

"Everything is ready. The first batch should be out within a week."

"That is great. Do you need any advance from us?" Dr. Krishna asked.

"No Sir. We will deal with that later."

"Anything else young man?" Dr. Krishna asked Arjun.

"Nothing for now Sir."

Dr. Krishna, Dr. Singh and others thanked Arjun and left.

Once they were gone, Dr. Sridhar asked, "Do you need anything from me?"

"I need some information to file an application for a compulsory license over NerVir."

"But, I thought we are not taking that route," Dr. Vishnu said.

"Yes, we are not taking that route, but it may have its value during the court hearing."

"OK. Can you send us an email on what information you need from us?"

"Already sent!" Jose responded.

Then, as they walked through the long hallways of CIMS towards the exit, Dr. Sridhar enquired, "Did you check with Shreya about visiting us for dinner?"

"Yes, does Saturday work for you?"

"Yes, it surely does," Dr. Sridhar said, opening the car door for Arjun.

"Excellent. See you on Saturday then."

##  **Chapter** 29

Dr. Singh delivered NerVir as promised, and within two weeks, the medicine was available once again. Moon Pharma's factories worked round the clock, and the company started supplying NerVir to CIMS and several other hospitals across the country.

When Berminger realized what was happening, it tried hard to prevent Moon Pharma from manufacturing the drug. From threatening calls to strongly worded letters and legal notices, the company tried many tactics. It went to the extent of threatening hospitals and doctors of dire consequences if they used the drug to treat patients. Berminger even filed criminal complaints against some doctors, but couldn't stop NerVir from reaching patients.

Arjun was in his office discussing a case with Jose when he received a call from Dr. Singh.

"Hello Mr. Arjun, how are you?"

"I am fine Sir. How are you?"

"Fine. I just got a call from Karen, Marketing Head of Berminger. She wants to meet me," Dr. Singh got to the point.

"About what?"

"I am not sure. She was very vague about the purpose. She spoke about some kind of a business deal."

"Hmm. That is interesting."

"What should I do?"

Arjun contemplated for a while before saying, "Confirm the meeting Dr. Singh. Please inform her that your patent attorney will be joining you."

"Sure. Am glad that you will be coming along."

...

When he ended the call, Arjun said, "Berminger has asked Moon Pharma for a meeting."

"What for?" Jose asked, curious.

"I don't know. Probably to threaten in person. It could also be to buy out Moon Pharma."

"Do you think Dr. Singh will fall for that?"

"You never know. As people say, there is a price for everything Jose."

"But, that rule does not apply for Dr. Krishna, Dr. Sridhar, and many others like us."

"It doesn't. And I hope Dr. Singh is such a person."

"Do we need to go for this meeting Arjun? Isn't it a waste of time? As it is, we are short of time ."

"I think it would be useful to go Jose.

We may be able to learn what is going on in their minds, and may be, delay the impending suit. If we can push the suit by even a day, it would mean a lot for ailing patients, who are in serious need of the drug."

"How do you actually plan to delay the case Arjun?" Jose asked cynically.

"I don't know. Maybe get them into a sham business discussion about partnering or collaborating."

"Do you think they will fall for something like that?"

"I doubt it, but it is worth a try."

"Ok. Is Dr. Singh's daughter coming as well?"

"I didn't ask. Why?"

" Nothing specific. I generally asked," Jose said, and changed the topic.

##  **Chapter** 30

Arjun and Jose reached Hotel Taj Banjara before time. They made their way to the coffee shop and found the eight-seater corner table reserved in the name of Berminger. Once seated, they ordered coffee and waited for the others.

"Ita has not come with him," Jose whispered, dejected, when he saw Dr. Singh at the door.

"Are you disappointed?" Arjun asked, smiling.

"No. Why would I be disappointed?" Jose said defensively.

Within a minute of Dr. Singh's arrival, Karen entered with Satish. Their meeting started immediately with cursory pleasantries.

"Dr. Singh, thanks for agreeing to meet us at such short notice. We have a lucrative business proposal for Moon Pharma," Karen said, getting straight to the point.

"That's fantastic. Can I know a bit more about the proposal?" Dr. Singh asked enthusiastically.

"We are looking at a hundred million dollar manufacturing contract to supply NerVir and two other drugs to Berminger."

"Yes," Satish intervened, "Berminger wishes to give Moon Pharma a chance to redeem its illegal acts. Sign this contract, and we will let you go."

That statement was followed by an uncomfortable silence at the table.

The waiter broke the silence by asking, "May I take your orders?"

"Yes ..." Satish was the first to respond.

Once the waiter left, Karen started the discussion again. She was furious with Satish's inappropriate intervention and tried her best to salvage the situation.

"Berminger has been following Moon Pharma's commendable progress over the years, and we really want to work with you. You have one of the best manufacturing facilities in India, and we can take advantage of that for mutual benefit. If you agree, Berminger is willing to sign a five-year manufacturing contract with a one million dollar advance. We can process the advance by tomorrow if you sign the term sheet right now."

"Ms. Karen, can you give us some time to review the terms?" Arjun asked.

Ignoring Arjun, Karen said to Dr. Singh, "We do not have lot of time on hand. Most terms are pretty standard. You can take a few minutes to review and let us know."

"But, Ms. Karen, I have no context whatsoever. This is too general and preliminary for me to be making any decisions here. Why don't you send us a proposal? We will review and revert at the earliest," Dr. Singh said.

"Dr. Singh, you must understand that you are not in a position to demand anything. Our CEO is very upset with your illegal actions," Satish interjected.

"What illegal actions?" Jose asked.

"Making our patented drug without permission. If you do not agree, we will make you pay for your violations..."

"Satish, that is enough," Karen cut him off.

"Dr. Singh, unfortunately, we do not have lot of time on hand. I am forwarding the term sheet now. Can you review it and let us know by tomorrow?"

"You must agree if you want to avoid stringent action from Berminger. We will not rest until you are bankrupt," Satish intervened again.

Losing his temper, Arjun said, "Are you here to threaten us? You are looking to make money out of a national emergency at the cost of people's lives. Dr. Singh is trying to help doctors save lives, and instead of helping, you are trying to intimidate him.

I am sorry to say that your tactics will not work with us."

"You blind fellow, how dare you talk to me like that? I will remember this and make you pay."

Arjun was about to respond when Dr. Singh put a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Ms. Karen and Mr. Satish thanks for considering us. We will review the terms and let you know if we are interested," he said calmly.

The end of that meeting marked the beginning of the patent war.

##  **Chapter** 31

Next evening, Dr. Singh wrote to Karen requesting for time to think about the terms of the proposed collaboration between Berminger and Moon Pharma. Karen did not respond to his email. Instead, they received another legal notice asking Moon Pharma to "cease and desist from infringing Berminger's patent on NerVir. Arjun responded immediately, and within a week of the final notice, Berminger filed the patent infringement suit against Moon Pharma at the Hyderabad High Court. CIMS and several other hospitals were also made parties to the suit.

The news immediately made headlines and was splashed all over the world by the media.

Talking to news reporters about the suit, John Strauss, CEO of Berminger India stated, "Berminger takes violation of its patents very seriously. We will not spare any expense or effort in stopping illegal acts of Moon Pharma. Patent thieves like Moon Pharma must be brought to justice."

When news reporters contacted him, Dr. Singh gave a well-rehearsed statement.

He said, "We will fight this case to the very end. We will fight for ailing patients. We will fight to save lives.

Dr. Krishna is with us, and the entire medical fraternity of India is with us. We are not afraid of Berminger. ..."

Arjun filed his response to Berminger's plaint immediately to avoid an exparte order without hearing his side of the case. He let Jose handle calls from the media. Jose's phone rang incessantly, and his enthusiasm diminished with each call. Tired of answering the same set of questions again and again, he finally decided to switch off his phone.

Considering the importance of the case, the date for hearing Berminger's application for interim relief was immediately fixed. Representing Berminger was Parasuveera, a renowned senior counsel, who specialized in IP matters. He was one of the best IP attorneys in the country, and many multi-national companies were his clients. His success record was impeccable, and judges at the Hyderabad High Court treated him with great respect. His presence in the Courtroom was often enough to get a favourable order for his clients.

Arjun knew that his chances of success were very slim, but he kept working. He compiled a huge repository of judgements, reports, statistics and medical data with the help of Jose and Shreya.

"Do you need any more information?" Shreya asked after a long, tiring day.

"No. I don't think so. This will be enough for now.

But, I need some energy to assimilate and articulate this information. Can you get me some coffee?"

"I will give you something better," Shreya said, kissing him deeply.

Jose, who had just opened the door to the conference room, turned around and left for his cabin. He decided that his work could wait for a while.

##  **Chapter** 32

The noisy air conditioner could not cool Professor Saran Das's head that was getting hotter by the minute. Following the phone call that morning, he cancelled all appointments and sat at his desk, pondering about the task on hand. The caller had asked for a favour, at a price he could not refuse. The more he thought about the task, the tougher it seemed.

Most jobs the person gave were usually simple and the challenges that came along easily surmountable. All the Professor had to do to get his reward was write an article with a given agenda or speak at a forum as per directions. His knowledge of patent jurisprudence and ability to twist philosophy at will made earlier projects very easy for him. But now, Professor Das was asked to convince one of his best students to stay away from a patent case, and he had no clue about how to go about it.

"Why the hell did I get myself into this mess? When will this man stop asking?" Professor Das wondered, looking out of his window at the lush green lawns of the law school.

Professor Saran Das is one of the most prominent academicians in India in the field of Intellectual Property. As a member of numerous advisory panels constituted by the Government of India, he played an important role in defining the legal and policy framework for intellectual property, especially patents, in the country. His opinions are highly regarded and valued and his articles are extensively cited in national and international forums. After completing his doctorate at Harvard Law School, Professor Das joined the intellectual property department at the Academy of Law, Hyderabad. His focus for research during his doctoral program, and for many years thereafter, has been on patent issues in the pharmaceutical sector and their impact on public health. His publications have played a vital role in defining India's policy on the subject and his book entitled 'Pharma Patent Strategy' is considered as the bible on the subject by many professionals, courts and patent offices across the world.

Being a technology savvy individual, Professor Das is very active on the Internet and has a sizeable followers on Twitter and LinkedIn. His blog called "Patent Animal" is one of the most popular blogs. He started the blog as a hobby and never expected it to attract the attention and popularity it garnered. Although he is continuously criticized for the half-baked research studies and personal opinions published on the blog, Professor Das writes regularly and has more than ten thousand readers. He uses the blog effectively to expose corruption, influence policymaking, and further specific interests and agendas of select parties.

Professor Das is the most popular IP academic in India and is considered by many as the God of Patent Law in the country. After successfully forcing patent holding Pharma companies to provide low priced drugs for treating the rapidly spreading Swine Flu in India, the savants and erudite professionals of the pharma industry nicknamed him 'Generic Das.' He took the name as a compliment and never attempted to stop its viral propagation.

Professor Das was a staunch advocate of generic-friendly patent regime in India for enabling access to essential medicines and was successful in influencing several amendments to patent law with respect to the same. However, his philosophy has transformed notably over the past two years and he now takes a different stand. Professor Das's recent publications strongly support patent holding companies and he argues in all his latest articles that it is time for India to start giving importance to patents on drugs.

When questioned about his change of stand, Professor Das simply states, "The generic holiday must end and promotion of research must begin in India. I believe that strengthening our patent system and favoring patent owners will help in developing medicines for many India-specific diseases."

Surprised by his change of stand, the generic lobby wasted no time in alleging that he had been bought over by large multi-national companies. A magazine went to the extent of publishing a story entitled 'Domestication of Generic Das by Pharma Majors.'

During his student days, Arjun enrolled for Professor Das's seminar course on drug patent law and knew him very well. He excelled in the course and was chosen by Professor Das for a government project on drug pricing and patent linkage. Later, they went on to publish a joint paper on their research. Arjun learned a great deal while working with the professor and had very high regard for him.

Arjun and Jose were wrapping up their preparation for the first hearing in the Berminger's case when the phone rang. Professor Das was on the line and he wanted to meet Arjun that evening at a coffee shop near the Law Academy. Although Arjun was scheduled to go to Dr. Sridhar's house for dinner, he agreed to meet him.

The meeting was scheduled at 7 p.m. in the evening and Arjun had only an hour to spare. Having worked closely with him, Arjun knew that Professor Das was a punctual man and did not wish to be late. Arjun and Jose literally ran to the car and got going immediately.

As the car picked speed, Jose told Arjun about certain fish recipes of Prof. Das's home state, West Bengal.

"You know, Arjun, Kerala fish dishes taste better than Bengal dishes without a doubt. The difference between them is like the difference between salt water and fresh water," he said, almost drooling.

Amused with the statement, Arjun asked, "What in the world does that mean Jose?

"Well, Arjun, salt water tastes salty and fresh water has no taste. That is the difference."

Taken aback by Jose's response, Arjun sat still, working hard to take his mind off Jose's elaboration of the difference between salt water and fresh water animals. Turning his mind to the meeting ahead, he wondered what Professor Das might want to discuss so urgently.

## **Chapter** 33

CafeVana was unusually busy that evening. Jose scanned the coffee shop, and spotted Professor Das at a corner table that was barely visible from the entrance. The professor smiled when he saw Jose leading Arjun towards him, through the clutter of chairs and tables.

When they reached, he involuntarily stood up and held Arjun's hand.

"How are you, Arjun?" Professor Das asked warmly.

"I am very well, Sir. How are you doing?" Arjun responded, smiling.

"As well as I can be. Teaching this generation is getting tougher by the day, and I don't get as much time as I wish for research."

"You still manage to publish a lot Sir. I read your recent article on changing pharma patent landscape in India and learned a lot from it."

"Did you read that one? I am glad to hear that you still find my articles useful.

By the way, congratulations for your excellent performance in Snigdha's case. Newspapers had some very good things to say about you."

"Thank you Sir. Actually, Jose and I handled the case jointly," Arjun said, placing a hand on Jose's shoulder.

"Wonderful! What would you like to have gentlemen?" Professor Das asked, waving at the waiter.

"Coffee Nirvana for me," Jose said instantly.

"I will have a cold coffee," Arjun responded.

"One Coffee Nirvana, one cold coffee and my usual Espresso," Professor Das told the waiter.

As soon as the waiter left, Professor Das said, "Jose, can I have a private word with Arjun?"

"Sure Sir."

"I will send the coffee to you," Professor Das said as Jose went in search of another table.

When Jose was out of ear shot, Professor Das got to the purpose of the meeting.

"I read in the news that you are representing Moon Pharma and CIMS in the Berminger case. Is it true?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good. Very good.

How confident are you about winning the case?"

"As confident as I can be Sir. As you know, we have an uphill task on our hands. It will not be easy, but we are well prepared."

"I understand your predicament Arjun. As I see it, you are fighting a losing battle."

"Why do you say so Sir?"

"Well, there is tremendous pressure on India to show that it has an amicable patent environment. That is one of the roadblocks in getting foreign investment, and Indian Government is keen on getting it right. Berminger must win this case to make foreign companies feel that we are serious about patents."

"But Sir, the Government has no control on Courts. Also, we have a serious epidemic on hand, which is taking lives by the day. I am confident that the emergency will trump everything else."

"Arjun, if you believe that the Government has no influence on the judiciary, you are not fit for legal practice.

Epidemics come and go, but inventions and innovations live on. Lives of a few people must always be sacrificed to serve the larger good of humanity. To keep us going, we need new drugs, and for that we need patents. A mistake here can tilt the delicate balance towards disaster.

Can we let the human race perish for the sake of few lives? No, we can't afford to do that."

Arjun did not know what to say. He sat dumb founded, disbelief read all over his face.

The waiter's arrival interrupted Professor Das's monologue. After helping Arjun with his cold coffee, the Professor directed the waiter to Jose, who was seated on the other side of the coffee shop.

Once the waiter left, Professor Das said in a hushed voice, "I heard from reliable sources that Berminger is willing to go any distance to protect and enforce its patent rights. NerVir, I have been told, is a very important drug for the company. Appearing in this case may not augur well for a young lawyer like you."

"How so, Sir?" Arjun managed to ask.

"Arjun, you must be taking up cases for large companies. You must work for clients, who can pay you very well, and must avoid smaller fish. Also, once you represent against Berminger in a case, no large company will ever work with you again."

Lowering his voice at this point, Professor Das said, "Berminger is looking for a good advocate to represent them in a couple of cases at the Delhi High Court. If you agree to give up this case, they will take you on immediately. I have already recommended you very strongly."

Arjun was now shocked. He couldn't believe that his good Professor was lobbying on behalf of Berminger. As far as he was concerned, his meeting with Professor Das was over.

"I am very sorry Professor, I think I will have to leave now. I have a dinner meeting to attend," he said, standing up.

"Arjun, listen to me. It is not safe to take up this case. You must not put your associates and family in danger."

Arjun was now disgusted and was in no mood to listen. He just wanted to get away from there. Opening his cane, he took three quick steps only to bump into the next table. The light weight table toppled, crashing everything on it.

"You idiot! Are you blind?" the girl seated at the table yelled at Arjun.

"Yes, and I am very sorry ...," Arjun was saying, when Jose came to his rescue.

"Mind your words," he warned with a pointed finger, before guiding Arjun out of the coffee shop.

When they were comfortably seated in the car, Jose said, "The meeting did not go well I reckon."

"No. It did not."

Arjun quickly briefed Jose about the discussion, but Jose was not as shocked as Arjun.

"I wonder why Berminger is scared of a junior lawyer like you," he said.

"I don't know Jose. I have been thinking about the same thing since Professor Das made his proposal.

Looks like we are going to have some fun in this case."

"Whatever happens, we will surely see lot of action." 

## **Chapter** 34

Thanks to Dr. Sridhar's precise directions, the house was not difficult to locate. To Arjun's delight, Shreya was already at Dr. Sridhar's home, and came to the door to welcome him along with Dr. Sridhar and Amala.

Once Jose left, they settled down in the drawing room to drink.

"How did your meeting with the Professor go?" Dr. Sridhar asked, taking a sip of whisky.

"It did not go too well," Arjun said sadly, taking a large gulp.

Arjun just couldn't get over the shocking revelation about Professor Das.

"What happened?" Shreya asked.

"Well, he asked me to withdraw from the case."

"Really!"

"Yes, he even threatened me with dire consequences if I don't pull out."

"Absolute stupidity. Did that bother you?" Dr. Sridhar asked, putting his glass down.

"No, not at all. I am finding it a little difficult to accept the transformation in Professor Das."

Shreya placed a calming hand on Arjun's shoulder and said, "Don't let it bother you my dear."

At that moment, Amala arrived with a large tray of starters.

Placing it on the table, she said, "Why are you people so serious. Is everything ok?"

"We were chatting about Arjun's meeting with Professor Das," Dr. Sridhar said.

"He is one publicity thirsty, self-centered fraud. I reported about his motives, but no one took me seriously.

Don't waste your time on him. Let us forget Professor Das and have some fun," Amala said, sitting down.

They obeyed her command, and forced themselves off the topic. While Arjun and Dr. Sridhar chatted about their school days, Amala quizzed Shreya about her dance adventures. Their discussion then moved on to Amala's work as a news reporter, and then to music, reading and cooking, before returning to their husband's antiques.

After chatting about their classmates and their whereabouts, Arjun and Dr. Sridhar finally got to their history teacher, on whom both had a serious crush. They tried finding their teacher online, but were disappointed to find nothing about her.

Their conversation went through the night and it was 3 a.m. when they all finally sat for dinner. No one was sober by the time they hit the bed.

Arjun and Shreya woke up at 11 a.m. next morning and left after having a delicious brunch with Amala. Dr. Sridhar had to rush to the hospital after receiving a call from the emergency, and could not join them.

"All the very best Arjun. You must teach that bloody Berminger a good lesson," Amala said when they were leaving.

"That's the plan!" Arjun responded confidently.

He tried hard to push Professor Das's words out of his head, but they kept coming back.

"Dire consequences?" he couldn't help wondering what that meant.

##  **Chapter** 35

Through its landmark judgments in emerging areas of informatics, entertainment, sports and intellectual property laws, the Hyderabad High Court has been paving way for a new era of legal thought. Unlike several other High Courts, which take up cases only on appeal, Hyderabad High Court has the jurisdiction to deal with cases, valued at more than twenty lakh rupees as a court of first instance. Owing to Berminger's claim of two hundred crores as damages for infringement of its patent on NerVir, the case comfortably fell within the jurisdiction of the Hyderabad High Court.

The case was presented before Justice Som Shekar, one of the three judges in the Court, who were generally posted on intellectual property cases. He was the only Judge with a strong science background among the Judges in the Court. Since most patent cases required an understanding of science and technology, Justice Shekar was the default judge for all patent cases.

The Judge's courtroom was one of the calmest rooms in the High Court. Contrary to some of his brethren, who yelled and screamed through court sessions, Justice Shekar went about things in a peaceful and organized manner. Although he was soft spoken, Justice Shekar was firm and thorough with his work. He was an honest man who strived for social justice. Public interest was his primary criterion while deciding cases and most of his judgments leaned in its favour. Many called him "the Common Man's Judge" and businesses dreaded appealing to him.

Quoting large-scale violation of its patent on NerVir, Berminger's counsel pleaded for an urgent hearing on its interim application for temporary injunction. Courts generally give such orders to stop infringing actions during the pendency of a case after duly balancing interests of parties in the suit. Factors like prima facie case, balance of convenience, irreparable damage and public interest are weighed to decide if a temporary injunction should be granted. Bearing in mind the public interest implications of the case, Justice Shekar posted the case for hearing immediately.

On the day of hearing, 25 cases were posted before Berminger Vs. Moon Pharma, and Jose informed Arjun that their case would probably be due for hearing at around 4 p.m. If it was up to him, Arjun would have gone to the court in the morning itself to witness proceedings in Justice Shekar's Court. But Shreya ordered him to stay back for lunch, and he couldn't defy her. It was an auspicious day, Vishu, the Kerala New Year, and she did not want him to leave without having the traditional 'Kerala Sadya' lunch at home.

## **Chapter** 36

At 4 a.m. that morning, she woke Arjun and led him to the pooja room to see the splendid 'Vishu Kani.' Although Arjun could not see the ornamental arrangement of flowers, fruits and gold coins when he opened his eyes, he could feel the heat of the flame that was lit before Lord Vishnu's idol.

Neo tailed them with the hope of taking an apple from the arrangement, but didn't act on his instinct after seeing the long stick placed next to the Kani. Though Shreya never hit him and only threatened him with it, Neo dreaded the stick and always stayed away from it.

After the ordeal, Shreya went to work in the kitchen and Arjun happily hit the bed again. He woke up only at 8 a.m. and took an hour-long walk with Neo. When he returned, Shreya gave a list of chores to be completed before the arrival of Dr. Sridhar, Amala and Jose for lunch. As instructed, he watered the plants, cleaned up the sofa and dusted the furnitures.

Breakfast was corn flakes with milk and Neo's favourite apples, which Arjun shared with him grudgingly. In spite of Neo having finished his breakfast, Arjun got only one quarter of a piece of the apple for himself. Neo gulped down each piece given to him within seconds and waited for the next one without giving Arjun time to eat.

Jose arrived with a big bouquet of rose flowers. Shreya loved flowers and was pleased with Jose's gesture. When Jose arrived, Neo was locked up in the bedroom as he was afraid of dogs.

Thanking Jose, Shreya said, "Arjun, you must learn from this handsome young man, and get me flowers regularly."

Delighted with Shreya's comment, Jose said, "Madam, I will be happy to get flowers for you whenever I come."

"My dear Jose, you can give the flowers to me and I will give them to my wife," Arjun said, twisting Jose's ear.

Dr. Sridhar and Amala arrived with packets of sweets and greeted everyone a very happy vishu.

"You look gorgeous darling!" Amala told Shreya, giving her a light hug.

Shreya was dressed in a traditional Kerala sari, an elegant off white cotton sari with a golden border.

"Shreya, if you don't mind, can we have lunch? Our ever busy Amala has to rush for a press meet after this," Dr. Sridhar requested apologetically.

Everyone was hungry and gladly went to the dining table to begin the delicious Kerala feast. The traditional vegetarian meal began with banana chips and buttermilk and ended with a traditional dessert made of jackfruit and rice. Rice was served with 'avial' made of different vegetables, ripe mango curry, sambar, rasam, beans curry and curd. While Jose enjoyed his meal, Amala, who hailed from Delhi, struggled to eat most dishes on offer.

"Awesome chakkapradhaman, Shreya," Jose commented, as he devoured his second bowl of the jack fruit dessert.

Amala watched impatiently as he took his third helping of the dish and ate unhurriedly. She literally ran out as soon as Jose placed the empty bowl on the table.

It was 1:30 in the afternoon when Arjun, Dr. Sridhar and Jose left for the Court.

##  **Chapter** 37

When Arjun, Jose, and Dr. Sridhar reached the Courtroom, Dr. Vishnu was waiting for them outside.

"You look nice and tall today," Jose said, holding Dr. Vishnu's hand.

"You look shorter than usual Jose," Dr. Vishnu responded with a straight face.

Both of them burst out laughing instantly. Thanks to the long hours they had spent together to prepare for the case, Dr. Vishnu and Jose had become good friends, and enjoyed pulling each other's leg.

"Do you know those girls? Everyone seem to be interested in them," Dr. Vishnu asked, looking across the corridor.

"I know them very well. That tall girl looks very pretty. Doesn't she?"

"Yes, she does. Can you introduce me to her?"

"Stay away Vishnu."

"Why?"

"They are Parasuveera's juniors, and our adversaries."

"Oh. Really?"

"Yes. I do not know the tall girl's name, but the girl standing by her side is Samantha. She specializes in scowling and frowning. She was Arjun's classmate."

"It is a small world. Isn't it? Tell me more."

"Samantha is a ruthless advocate. She can't accept anything less than victory. She has the reputation of stripping her rivals in the court." Jose told Dr. Vishnu, grinning.

"Oh, is it. I hope she is not arguing today, Jose. I really don't want to see you stripped," Dr. Vishnu said, moving away from Jose, in time to avoid a friendly punch.

Arjun, who was having a muffled conversation with Dr. Sridhar, turned around on hearing Samantha's name. Samantha was not only his classmate, but was also his best friend at Law School. She was an aggressive and competitive individual and hated it when she didn't get her way. Arjun and Samantha represented their college in various Moot Court competitions and won a handful as a team.

Despite their success, their relationship fell apart at a Moot Court competition at Bangalore. Arjun won the best mooter award and Samantha felt that she deserved it over him. She read, researched and even helped him during his arguments, only to see him get the award. Samantha concluded that Arjun got the award because of sympathy votes from evaluators and that she would never be able to succeed if she worked with a blind person. Her victory in the next competition without Arjun in the fray confirmed her conclusion.

Samantha never spoke to Arjun since then and treated him as her rival. Arjun tried to sort things out between them several times, but never succeeded. He always wondered what went wrong, but never understood.

Arjun met Shreya at the Bangalore competition and assumed that Samantha did not like him spending time with her. Though they never kept in touch after college, he kept track of where she was and what she did. Both of them preferred intellectual property law during college and aspired to be IP attorneys. They both achieved success in their own ways and were now locking horns with each other. Arjun is ready for the challenge and anticipated the fight that lay ahead. He was well aware that he was not only dealing with the legendary Parasuveera, but also his gritty associate, Samantha, who would spare no effort to emerge victorious.

##  **Chapter** 38

"How much time do we have before the case begins?" Dr. Vishnu asked Jose.

"About two hours if the case comes up today."

"Ok. I will be right back," Dr. Vishnu said, and walked to the girls standing and chatting in the corridor.

"Is this seat taken?" Dr. Vishnu asked the tall girl whom he wasn't able to take his eyes off from the moment he had set them on her.

"That is the lamest icebreaker I have ever heard. Tell you what. Come back with a better one and I shall save you this imaginary seat," she retorted.

"Hello, I am Vishnu," Dr. Vishnu introduced himself, sheepishly extending his hand.

Samantha ignored him, but he had the tall girl's complete attention.

"I am Angelina. She is my senior, Samantha," she said shaking hands with a smile.

"Can I call you Angel? You do look like one," Dr. Vishnu said, flirting.

"Lame again! and no, you cannot call me Angel," Angelina replied.

That way, they started chatting, and kept chatting for almost an hour. Samantha occasionally glared at them, but they remained unfazed. Time flew, and Dr. Vishnu was enjoying Angelina's company.

When Angelina told him about her love of Bollywood music, Dr. Vishnu instinctively asked, "SP and YD are coming to CIMS on Sunday. Do you want to go for the show?"

"Are you asking me out Vishnu?"

"Yes, I am."

Angelina thought for a moment before nodding her assent.

"Dinner after the show?'

"Now, you are going overboard."

"Please Angel. The restaurant I have in mind is close by."

"Only if you agree to not call me Angel," Angelina said, smiling broadly.

"Deal. But only if you agree to stop smiling."

"You ...," Angelina was about to respond when Samantha called her.

They quickly exchanged numbers and parted. He walked back to his group who were huddled at the end of the corridor.

"Why are you sleeping with the enemy?" Jose asked in an accusatory tone.

"Are you jealous Jose?"

"Why would I be? That girl is too tall for me."

"By the way, her name is Angelina," Dr. Vishnu said smiling sheepishly.

....

At 5 p.m., Jose checked with the Court clerk, and informed them that their case hearing had been rescheduled for the next day. This was good news as that meant an extra day to use NerVir without interruption. As they left the court, Dr. Vishnu looked around anxiously for Angelina, but she was gone.

##  **Chapter** 39

The conversation with Dr. Muller kept playing in Karen's ringing head.

"Karen, I was expecting an order in favour of Berminger. You let me down," Dr. Muller said as soon as Karen answered his call.

"But Sir, the case did not come up for hearing today.

"Don't give me your stupid excuses. You did not get the job done, and you must own up to it."

"Sir, if the Court does not hear ..."

Dr. Muller cut her off.

"I am sure you can find a way to manage the Court. When you can bribe a minister, why not the judge? Everyone has a price Karen. Find it."

"But, Justice Shekar is honest and incorruptible."

Dr. Muller laughed aloud before saying, "I did not know such people existed in India."

"I don't care what you do Karen. Just get the damn job done."

The line went dead before she could protest, and Karen sat back, thinking about the call.

"Bloody Muller. Why am I taking all this from that idiot? Disrespectful dog," she shouted in her head.

After blowing hot for a while, she called Samuel Reddy, her husband.

"Hey Honey, I need some help."

"Yes babe, I am all ears."

Karen told him what she wanted.

Fifteen minutes later, Karen placed another call, and a hoarse voice answered.

"Yes."

"Sam referred me," Karen said tentatively.

Though Karen's husband, Samuel Reddy, had assured that the person was best at what he did, and would leave no trace, Karen was shaking.

"Sam told me that you might call. What can I do for you Madam?" the man asked respectfully.

Taking long, deep breaths to bring her voice under control, Karen explained what she wanted.

##  **Chapter** 40

Ibrahim picked the lock and slipped into Arjun's office without any trouble. He smiled as he quietly closed the door and locked it. The security system at the Banjara Business Centre was a joke, and he foresaw no problems in completing the job on hand.

He switched on the lights and took in the layout of the office. Ibrahim was not worried about leaving any fingerprints as he was wearing gloves. After a bit of scanning, he found what he wanted, a half-worked piece of wood under the reception desk. He picked it up and walked into Arjun's office.

This was an odd contract for Ibrahim. People never approached him for such menial work. It was a simple 'break and take' job, which he would not have accepted if the money were not so good. Ibrahim had to break some equipment and take some files. An advance of ten lakhs was already transferred into his account, and he would get another ten when he finish the job.

"Wouldn't finishing the damn lawyer be a better option?" he thought, looking around.

"But, that is none of my business," he told himself when he spotted Arjun's reading equipment.

Ibrahim slammed the piece of wood into the scanner, which broke instantly. The slate, Jose's computer, projector and other gadgets followed suit. Ibrahim then started searching for the files he had to carry with him.

Today a hired gun, Ibrahim was once a military assassin, who specialized in eliminating targets without a trace. He could kill by several means, and chemicals are his specialty. By nature, Ibrahim was a rebel and never followed instructions to the till. However, he accomplished the toughest of tasks, and his superiors turned a blind eye to his roguish behaviour.

In 2007, Ibrahim was assigned to assassinate a senior government official, who was taking refuge in England. Ibrahim planned the assassination well and accomplished the task perfectly. However, the military later realized that they killed the wrong person and had to put the blame on someone. Ibrahim was made the scapegoat and held liable.

One rainy night, Ibrahim managed to escape from the high-security military prison and slaughter the officers responsible for framing him. He then returned to his hometown, Hyderabad, where he offered his skills for a fee. Today, after more than hundred contract kills under his belt, Ibrahim was pleased that he was no longer with the military. He had enough money in the bank to last him ten lifetimes, and he was a free man.

The best part of Ibrahim's job was that the majority of targets he was asked to kill were non-combatants, and therefore, totally risk free. He maintained utmost anonymity and was an autocrat when it came to the task; he only had to answer to himself. His last contract was to kill two Deputy Inspector Generals at the police academy. Dressed as a bartender, Ibrahim served poisoned drinks to the targets, who succumbed in fifteen minutes. The confusion that ensued helped him escape without much trouble.

Since the murdered officers were of high rank, the police forces were very keen on capturing the perpetrators. Despite deploying their best officers and resources, they could not even sniff Ibrahim's scent. To avoid public embarrassment, they framed the wrong person and closed the case within six months. Following the success of that job, Ibrahim's confidence in his abilities and commission per contract reached an all time high.

Although the assignment at hand was an easy one, he thought it through and planned for all eventualities. Ibrahim was meddling with the lock to Jose's desk, when he heard something.

##  **Chapter** 41

Unlocking the door, Arjun and Jose entered the office chatting.

"What is that smell?" Arjun was asking Jose, when Ibrahim struck.

"What smell ...," Jose could not complete.

Ibrahim's blow on the neck numbed his brain, and he fell unconscious. His head hit the floor with a sickening thud, jolting Arjun.

"Jose! What happened? are you alright?" he asked, extending his hand in Jose's direction.

Ibrahim could have sent Arjun to Jose's state immediately, but decided to have some fun. He enjoyed playing with his victims before the kill. The uncertainty and fear on their faces gave him great joy.

"No, he is not. Do not move," Ibrahim said, snatching away Arjun's cane.

Then, before a dazed Arjun could process what was happening, Ibrahim took his mobile phone and broke it.

"Now, move backwards, very slowly," he ordered.

Arjun did not respond. His mind was processing the situation.

"Now," Ibrahim yelled.

Arjun obeyed and took a step back. Arjun's face was impassive, and Ibrahim was not happy.

"Let me give him some pain. That will get some fear out of this guy," he told himself, taking a step forward.

As soon as Ibrahim made his move, Arjun sensed it and shielded his face. His left hand caught Ibrahim's well aimed blow at his nose. Arjun's hand hurt like hell and he quickly moved away from Ibrahim.

Cursing, Ibrahim was about to attack again, when the power went off, plunging the hall into darkness. Realizing his opportunity, Arjun quickly shifted position, and punched in what he felt was Ibrahim's direction. He followed that up with a forceful kick. The first blow got Ibrahim on his mouth, stunning him. The kick landed hard on his ribs, crashing him to the floor.

As soon as Ibrahim fell, Arjun knew that he had the advantage. Thinking quickly, he ran to his cabin and retrieved the heavy, steel cane. He opened the drawer and picked the spare stylus also. Slipping the stylus into his pocket, Arjun ran to the door and waited.

Ibrahim recovered quickly. He couldn't believe that the blind lawyer had over powered him. His ego was bruised, and he was angry, very angry.

"Let me teach the blind bastard a lesson," Ibrahim mumbled as he walked towards Arjun's office.

Ibrahim was at the door when a heavy metallic instrument hit him. He jumped back, holding his head. Feeling blood on his face, Ibrahim cursed loudly.

Encouraged by the success of his first attack, Arjun went for the kill. The plan was to hit the intruder out of his wits. Holding the steel cane in front of him, he ran forward.

The electricity came back at that moment, and Ibrahim saw what was coming. He quickly moved away, letting Arjun hit the wall. The strong impact sent a wave of pain through Arjun's hands, and he lost his balance. Ibrahim was on him in a flash.

Like Jose, he hit Arjun hard on his neck. Arjun lost consciousness instantly, and fell heavily on the floor. Ibrahim kicked him repeatedly until he was satisfied.

He wanted to finish him off, but remembered his contractor's instructions and restrained himself.

"I repeat. Do not harm the blind lawyer. Just break, steal and warn," the contractor had said.

Kicking Arjun one last time, Ibrahim got to the task on hand. He opened the filing cabinet using Jose's keys, found the files and walked out of the office, whistling. On his way out, he pulled out a folded paper and stuck it on the door.

##  **Chapter** 42

Jose shook Arjun, but there was no response. Fearing the worst, he checked Arjun's pulse. Relieved to feel the movement, he placed a call to Dr. Sridhar.

As he waited, Jose took an inventory of his body. Except for his head, which was hurting very badly, the rest of his body seemed fine. He tried rousing Arjun, but there was no response. After trying different things, he fetched a mug of water and sprayed some on Arjun's face. To Jose's relief, Arjun stirred after the second attempt. He tried to get up, but the pain in his abdomen was too severe, and he fell back.

"Are you alright Arjun?" Jose asked, kneeling by his side.

"Yes. I am ok," Arjun said, taking a long breath and forcing himself up, despite the tearing pain.

Ignoring the discomfort, Arjun surveyed the damage with Jose's help. All his reading equipment was in tatters, and the Berminger files were missing. He could not believe that Berminger had stooped down to such a level. The only positive aspect of the whole affair was that Berminger was scared of losing the case, and that bolstered Arjun's confidence.

Jose saw the note left by Ibrahim when he went to the reception desk to call Dr. Sridhar again. It was pasted on the main door. He read it to Arjun.

"BACK OFF and LIVE."

"What does this mean?" Jose asked Arjun, scratching his head.

"They are threatening to kill us if we do not withdraw the case," Arjun said, smiling.

"Really?"

"Let us test them," Jose said, laughing.

"Sure. If that is what you want, my dear Jose."

Dr. Sridhar arrived with Dr. Vishnu within fifteen minutes of Jose's call. Following a quick physical examination, they loaded Arjun and Jose into the ambulance and headed to the hospital for clinical evaluation. After performing a scan, Dr. Sridhar was relieved to note that there were no internal injuries. Except for a few cuts and bruises, Arjun and Jose were medically fine, and fit to go home.

Dr. Sridhar drove Arjun home, and Dr. Vishnu offered to accompany Jose. By the time they reached home, the painkillers took their full effect and Arjun was drowsy. After tucking Arjun into his bed and mumbling a few calming words to a worried Shreya, Dr. Sridhar stepped out with a heavy heart.

Waiting for the elevator, Dr. Sridhar reflected on his recent conversation with Arjun; while he drove Arjun home.

"Jose told me about the warning. I will understand if you want to withdraw from the case."

Arjun smiled before saying, "They will have to do much more to put me out of this case."

"But ..." Dr. Sridhar tried to protest, but Arjun did not let him.

"You know what this case means to me Sridhar. Don't you?"

"Yes."

"Good. Get me three copies of the evidence we lost. You have soft copies right?"

"Yes I do. Consider it done."

....

The elevator arrived, bringing him back to the present. As he descended, Dr. Sridhar couldn't stop the tears that trickled out of his eyes. 

##  **Chapter** 43

Next morning, Arjun was playing tug of war with Neo when Jose called.

"How are you feeling Arjun?"

"Much better than yesterday," Arjun said, struggling to hold on to the rope as Neo pulled hard.

"Great. That is wonderful news.

Our case may be heard post lunch. I will come at around 12 in the afternoon to pick you."

"Ok," Arjun said panting, making a last attempt to stop Neo, who was now jerking the rope away from him.

The call and the game ended at the same time. Neo ran his victory run around the drawing room, holding the rope in his mouth. When the run was over, Neo stood before Arjun, awaiting his reward.

"Well done Neo," Arjun said, tossing a cream wafer to him.

Neo caught it in mid air, and wasted no time in gulping it down.

Sitting on the sofa, Arjun thought about the eventful evening. He felt a little groggy and his stomach ached a little, but that did not concern him. If anything, the pain reminded him of his responsibility, and inspired him to give Berminger a run for their money.

"Did Jose call about the case?" Shreya asked, sitting by Arjun's side.

"Yes."

"Do you have to go for the hearing?"

"Yes, wouldn't you go if you were in my place?"

"I would, but ..."

"Don't worry my dear, I will be fine," he said pecking her cheek.

"Be careful," she said, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"I will."

"Do you want some chai?" Shreya asked, standing up.

"Yes, I need it very badly," Arjun said, following her to the kitchen.

Switching on the gas, Shreya asked, "Why are you stalking me?"

"I want to help you," Arjun said, hugging her from behind, and placing his chin on her shoulder.

"Stay like that without touching anything, and I promise some great tea today."

Realizing that something was going on, Neo walked into the kitchen. He tried to squeeze in between them, but Arjun did not let him. After some failed attempts, he sat down looking at Shreya with pleading eyes.

When the tea was ready, all three of them sat in the drawing room and enjoyed it. Arjun and Shreya had tea in their mugs, while Neo drank his chai from a large bowl.

Jose picked Arjun as planned, and they headed to the Court. Dr. Sridhar called Arjun while they were on the way.

"Arjun, I will not be coming to Court today. The hospital is full with IIDS patients, and I do not feel like leaving my team. I have asked Vishnu to join you.

Hope that is alright with you."

"No problem at all. We will handle this.

Is the NerVir treatment working?"

"Yes, the results are much better than expected. The viral infection is spreading fast, but the death toll has reduced. Moon Pharma has increased supplies of the drug, and we are working hard to make it available to all hospitals and health centres."

"Great. I am happy to hear that."

When they reached the Court, Jose asked, "Do you think we will win this case?"

"I really want to Jose. But, I think the odds are stacked against us."

They met Dr. Vishnu outside the Court and headed to Justice Shekar's Courtroom. Angelina was standing outside the Court, checking the hearing schedule.

"Hi," Dr. Vishnu said, walking towards her.

She smiled, but did not wait to speak with him. She hurried to call her senior.

##  **Chapter** 44

The case was called at 4:40 p.m., 20 minutes before the court was due to close for the day. Parasuveera and Samantha arrived with Angelina carrying a huge pile of books and materials. To everyone's surprise, instead of Parasuveera, Samantha stood up to make the submissions. With a humble bow, she started her arguments by reciting the statement of facts.

...

"... Your Lordship, this case reflects the Respondents' lack of respect for the law of the land. CIMS, Moon Pharma and other Respondents in the case willfully infringed my client's patent. We informed them several times about our patent rights and legal consequences of violating those rights, but they did not care, they did not care about our patents, they did not care about patent laws and they did not care about our court system and legal system.

For this, they must be made to pay Your Lordship. They must be made to pay for infringing Berminger's patent rights, for disregarding and neglecting the law, and most importantly, for injuring the public interest. Their infringing actions must be stopped to put a hold on any further injury to public good."

"How dramatic? Let us raise an objection," Jose whispered to Arjun.

"Objection My Lord, Counsel is making unfounded statements," Arjun said, standing up.

"Respected Counsel must learn some respect. This interruption is unnecessary," Samantha retorted loudly.

"May I proceed Your Lordship," she then pleaded in a dramatically transformed, soft voice.

Nodding, Justice Shekar said to Arjun, "Sit down Counsel. You will get your turn."

"You may proceed Counsel," he said to Samantha.

Samantha bowed and continued. She was well aware of Justice Shekar's affinity to public interest and gave that perspective to all her submissions.

"Your Lordship, patents promote the progress of science and technology for the benefit of public," she said, with emphasis on the phrase 'benefit of public.'

"Patents grant exclusive rights over inventions for a limited period of time.

Why do we need these exclusive rights Your Lordship? What purpose do they serve?"

Pausing for a few seconds to allow her questions to sink in, she continued, "Exclusive rights encourage inventors to invent and investors to invest. They allow inventors and investors to come together and bring inventions to the market.

Who benefits when these inventions reach the market?"

This time, Samantha did not pause, she immediately answered her question, "It is the public Your Lordship, the general public.

The patent system does not grant protection forever. A patent expires after twenty years, and thereafter, it enters the public domain, the domain where any person in the public can use it freely, without any limitations.

Who is the beneficiary of the patent system?"

Here, she once again paused for a few seconds before proceeding.

"None other than the public, the general public.

The patent system is for public good Your Lordship. It has always been so.

If there is no patent system, there will be no inventions, and no benefit to the public. Your Lordship, many inventions in this room, that bench you use, that chair you sit on, that fan, that projector, that light, your phone, your laptop, your medicines and many more inventions we use daily are the result of the patent system," she said with great emphasis, dramatically pointing her finger at each of the objects.

Justice Shekar smiled at her dramatics and nodded in agreement.

"The Judge seems to be convinced with her arguments. Have all these been really patented?" Dr. Vishnu asked Jose quietly.

"Yes."

"Wow. That is news to me."

As Samantha continued, Dr. Vishnu looked at Angelina and smiled. Angelina looked at her senior Parasuveera and was relieved to note that he was completely occupied with his prodigy's arguments. She returned his smile with a wink.

At that point, Samantha got into a philosophical discourse about the underpinnings of patent law. The excitement that seemed to be building quickly died away. Her pleading from thereon was like a boring lecture and it almost put everyone to sleep. Jose slipped into a nap within two minutes and several people in the court looked detached. Even Justice Shekar, who was usually very alert, struggled to stay focused as she continued.

When she was quoting Lord Denning, Dr. Vishnu felt like running off. Hardly anyone present heard her story about Justice Story's judgments. When she was citing Justice Burger, Jose woke up and told Dr. Vishnu that he was feeling hungry.

Unlike many others in the Courtroom, Arjun was alert. He heard Samantha carefully. He was pleasantly surprised with the progress she had made with her advocacy skills. He made copious notes as she proceeded.

"Your Lordship, patents and drugs are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other, and one has no meaning without the other.

Patent system's incentives to invest and invent promote pharma research and development and bring novel drugs to the public. Thanks to the patent system, we today have drugs for AIDS, Cancer, Diabetes, Tuberculosis, Malaria and many other life-threatening diseases. Without patents, many critical drugs wouldn't see the light of the day.

Your Lordship, Patents bring much needed medicines to the public, Patents help in treating life-threatening disorders, Patents safeguard public health and Patents save lives.

Without Patents Your Lordship, there will be no drugs, no healthcare and no public good."

"Objection Your Honour. The counsel is wildly extrapolating and misleading this Honourable Court," Arjun said loudly, standing up.

"I am aware of that Counsel. And am noting your objection."

Once Arjun sat down, Samantha continued, "Your Lordship, Berminger spends about two billion dollars every year on research and development and brings only one or two drugs to the market. On an average, my client spends approximately one billion dollars per drug it brings to the public.

As you can see, this pharma business is fraught with great risks, and returns are not always lucrative. Many companies invest in Pharma Research and Development, and fail to recoup what they have invested. Several companies shy away from pharma investments because it is too risky."

Samantha stopped here for a moment to let this sink in.

"Your Lordship," she continued, "my client Berminger is not a company that stays away from risks. Berminger in fact takes big risks and makes investments in discovering drugs for some of the most deadly diseases that threaten the very existence of humanity. It does so with only one object in mind Your Lordship; and that is, public good, purely public good.

Berminger invests in pharma research for health of the public, good of the public and interests of the public. That is what drives my client, and nothing else."

Samantha was in full flow when Justice Shekar interrupted her and informed that the arguments may be continued the next day. Samantha requested for five minutes to complete her submissions, but Justice Shekar did not oblige.

"You may start afresh tomorrow, Counsel," he said with an element of finality, stood up and walked towards his chamber.

Jose was pleased that the day was over, and happily turned to look at Dr. Vishnu, who was in a different world altogether. He was busy mastering the art of eye and sign language with Angelina.

Smiling, Jose said, "Sir, it is time to say good bye."

Dr. Vishnu waved to Angelina and reluctantly followed Arjun and Jose out of the Courtroom.

##  **Chapter** 45

Karen did not stop, she kept swimming. Normally, a long swim calmed her down, but it was not working that day. The butterflies in her stomach just kept multiplying as she finished one lap after another.

When she had no energy left, Karen forced herself out of the pool. One of her friends greeted her, but she did not respond. She was fully occupied and her brain was not accepting signals from any of her senses.

She absently walked into the changing room, dried herself, changed and walked out. She just couldn't believe that her career depended on the result of a Court case. She couldn't do anything about its outcome, and that made her feel vulnerable.

"I must do something," she said to herself, pulling out her mobile phone and dialing a number.

"Yes," Parasuveera answered on the third ring.

"Sir, Karen from Berminger. Is there anything I can do to help with the case?"

"Nothing for now. Just sit tight until the arguments are over."

"How long will that take?"

"As you are aware, we finished half of our arguments today, and the rest will be completed tomorrow. After that, the Respondents will argue, and we will get some time for rebuttals."

"Ok. What will happen if the Respondents' lawyer does not appear?" Karen asked hesitantly.

"We may get an order tomorrow. Why do you ask? Are you planning to convince them against appearing?" Parasuveera asked curiously.

"Something like that Sir," she said.

As soon as she ended the call with Parasuveera, Karen placed another call. The conversation was short, but the instructions were clear.

##  **Chapter** 46

The heavy, early morning rain flooded the roads, but that did not prevent Arjun and Neo from going for their routine walk. Unlike everyday, the roads were empty and Arjun decided to take a different route to Mrs. Smith's coffee shop.

"Neo, easy. Slow down," Arjun said as they rounded the first corner outside the apartment campus.

Like many blind people in India, Arjun used road humps and sidewalks as sign posts. He took a left at the first road hump and walked straight for more than a kilometre. He thought about the impending case hearing and wondered if he would get to argue that day.

The two gangsters waited in their nondescript van. They belonged to the Ganta gang, which made money out of kidnapping and abduction. Normally, they abducted people and demanded money for their release, but this time it was different. To their surprise, someone paid them ten lakhs and asked them to abduct a blind lawyer.

Their instructions were simple.

"Take the lawyer, hold him until evening and let him go. Do not harm him in any way."

Puffing on his bidi, the older among the two said, "Do you think this guy will surely take this route?"

"Yes, he is blind and takes the same route every single day."

"How about his dog? Are you sure it only barks and doesn't bite?"

"Yes, I am sure. It is a lab, a docile dog," the younger one said confidently.

Then, they sat quietly, waiting for Arjun.

Arjun walked slowly, working hard to control Neo's research instincts. Neo wanted to study everything on the road carefully before leaving it behind. Pulling Neo away from the newly installed, public trash bin, Arjun took a right at the next road hump.

"Here is our man. Move on my signal," the young abductor said.

"Ok," the older man replied, eyeing the dog fearfully.

As expected, Arjun walked straight, but to their surprise he took a left turn instead of walking into their trap.

"Get in. Let us go after him," the young man said, thinking quickly.

They started the van and sped towards Arjun. Arjun felt tires screech behind him, and he instinctively walked to his left, pulling Neo with him. The young abductor got off the van even before it stopped, and pounced on Arjun.

##  **Chapter** 47

Arjun did not understand what was happening, but Neo understood that his human was in danger. He broke away from Arjun and lurched onto the attacker. This took the gangster by surprise, and despite frantic efforts, he couldn't avoid Neo's jaws. Neo managed to bite the man's thigh deeply, and take away a chunk of flesh. Shrieking with pain, the gangster turned around and ran to the van.

"Neo! Are you alright?" Arjun asked confused, as Neo chased the gangster.

Neo got to the gangster just when he reached the van and bit his bum. He pounced for another bite, but the gangster shut the van's door just in time. Disappointed, Neo jumped up and down by the door barking loudly.

The older gangster was half way through when he saw the dog attack his partner.

"Didn't you say that this dog does not bite?" he grumbled, as he watched his partner flee.

He thought about running back to the van, but decided against it when he saw Arjun. The blank, confused look on Arjun's face encouraged him to go ahead with the plan. Taking out the anesthetic spray, he hurried to Arjun, who was now groping with his stick and walking in the direction of the dog.

When he got close to Arjun, the gangster positioned the bottle and sprayed. Arjun felt the liquid on his skin, and involuntarily shielded his face with his hand. But, that did not prevent the chemical from reaching his nostrils, and he slowly collapsed. Arjun's cane fell off his hand, and he hit the ground hard.

The gangster bent down to lift Arjun onto his shoulder when Neo struck. Neo bit the man's nose, and pulled hard. The man yelled so loudly that Neo was stunned and went still for a moment. That helped the man keep his nose intact. Covering his bleeding nose with one hand, the gangster turned around and ran for his life.

When he regained his senses, Neo raced after the gangster, but couldn't get to him in time. Cursing and honking loudly to distract the dog, the older gangster started the van, and sped away. Neo ran after the van until it went out of sight, and returned to Arjun dejected.

Neo licked his unmoving master's face, but Arjun did not respond. He pulled his shirt, barked loudly and licked again, but there was no change.

Ten minutes later, Mrs. Smith's daughter Riya, who was walking by came to Arjun's rescue. She fetched her mom and a few others, who carried Arjun to the coffee shop. They placed him on the warm carpet in the coffee shop and sprayed water on his face, and he recovered quickly.

When she opened the door, Shreya was shocked to see Arjun and Neo's condition. Arjun's shirt was muddy, and Neo's face bruised. As soon as she saw them, Shreya ran to get her first aid kit. Mrs. Smith and Riya helped Shreya clean Neo's wounds while Arjun explained what happened.

"Bloody bastards," Riya said when she heard who might be behind the attack.

"You must watch out for trouble," Mrs. Smith said, placing a hand on Arjun's shoulder.

Shreya did not speak. She applied antiseptic cream on Neo's face while tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Are you ok?" Arjun asked, squeezing Shreya's hand.

Shreya did not respond.

"I am absolutely fine. Don't worry," Arjun tried again.

"This is not done," Shreya finally said, wiping her tears.

Taking a deep breath, she added, "We shouldn't let them get away with this."

##  **Chapter** 48

"Berminger is a thorn in the fish," Jose said angrily.

"What?" Arjun asked, amused.

"Thorns do not let us eat fish peacefully and Berminger does not let patients take medicines peacefully. We will remove the thorn and let patients eat the fish."

Jose's analogy was crude and naive, but Arjun nodded his assent. Though he was not very polished, Arjun knew that Jose's heart was at the right place.

"Hold on," Jose held Arjun's hand to let Parasuveera and his juniors enter the Court hall.

Angelina looked at Jose enquiringly as she passed them. Jose shook his head indicating that Dr. Vishnu would not be coming to the Court that day. Angelina was visibly disappointed, but she courteously held the door open for Arjun and Jose.

...

The Court went quiet as Parasuveera rose. Though he was in his late sixties, he looked very fit, tall and imposing. The man was a legend in the world of patent law and most often dictated terms to judges, who yielded to his superior knowledge of the subject. Even the unflappable Justice Shekar sat up in anticipation when Parasuveera stood up.

"Your Lordship, this is an open and shut case, and I do not wish to waste your precious time. Public interest and public good are at the core of my client's case, and it is only just, fair and reasonable to grant an injunction without any further delay."

"How is this such a straight forward case Counsel?" Justice Shekar asked.

"I am glad you asked My Lord.

Berminger holds a patent, a patent granted by the Indian Patent Office. The patent is valid and has not been challenged so far. The Respondents do not deny that they are infringing the patent."

"Is that so?" Justice Shekar asked, turning to Arjun.

"Yes, Your Lordship. But, the grant of a patent does not give rise to presumption of validity of the patent. Also, we are going through a public health crisis and the infringement is excusable."

"That, the Honourable Judge will decide," Parasuveera said sternly.

"Your Lordship, the Respondents have accepted that they are infringing the patent. So, my client has a strong, irrefutable prima facie case. This itself is enough for Your Lordship to grant an injunction, but I will show how the actions of the Respondents are causing irreparable harm and why the balance of convenience and public interest tilts heavily in Berminger's favour."

"Arjun, say something and stop his flow," Jose whispered.

"Your Honour, the circumstances of infringement must be considered for determining prima facie case. Respected Senior Counsel is misleading the Court by not mentioning the fast spreading viral epidemic."

"You must watch your tongue Counsel," Parasuveera thundered, glaring at Arjun.

Arjun was taken aback, and was about to protest when Justice Shekar said gently, "Counsel, be seated. You will get your chance."

##  **Chapter** 49

"Your Lordship, if an injunction is not granted immediately, the loss to my client will be irreparable. No remedy under the law will be sufficient to compensate the loss suffered by my client as a result of the infringing actions of Respondents," Parasuveera continued.

"How is the harm irreparable Counsel? Doesn't your drug have a price?" Justice Shekar asked

"Yes, it does. But ..."

Justice Shekar cut him off.

"In that case, we can easily assess the monetary loss based on number of units of NerVir supplied and compensate you for the same. Can't we?"

Bowing humbly, Parasuveera said, "With due respect Your Lordship, I beg to disagree with you. By infringing my client's patented drug, CIMS and Moon Pharma are not merely causing monetary loss, they are killing the incentive offered by the patent system. They are destroying the incentive to invent, which was responsible for bringing NerVir into existence in the first place.

What is the result of this Your Lordship?"

Pausing for just a moment, Parasuveera said, "The result is serious harm to my client's dedication and commitment towards development of new drugs for the benefit of mankind. Isn't that irreparable loss to public interest afforded by Berminger?

Of course it is. No one can deny that.

How can you account for this harm in the form of monetary compensation Your Lordship? It just cannot be done."

"That was clever," Jose said to Arjun.

"Shhh. Quiet."

"Counsel, are you implying that supplying the drug to needy patients is causing irreparable harm to public interest?"

"Great question," Arjun said to Jose softly.

"Your Lordship, I am saying that allowing Moon Pharma to supply the drug without due consideration to the company that created the drug causes irreparable harm to development of new drugs for public good. This is akin to killing the golden goose for one egg."

"What has a goose got to do with patents?" Jose said a little too loudly, drawing a burst of laughter from people around him.

Justice Shekar hit the hammer to restore silence and asked Parasuveera to proceed.

"The harm to my client outweighs any hardship to the Respondents. In fact, no harm will be caused to Moon Pharma if this injunction is granted while grave injury will be cause to my client."

"How about harm to patients?" Justice Shekar asked.

"Berminger is selling the drug. Needy patients can happily buy it from Berminger. Can't they? Is it wrong to expect patients to buy a drug that is patented by my client?

No, not at all. My client would be legally wronged if it is done any other way."

Justice Shekar tried to say something, but Parasuveera did not let him.

"Your Lordship, prima facie case, balance of convenience and irreparable loss, all three factors are in Berminger's favour. I pray for an immediate injunction to prevent further injury to my client's rights. The illegal acts of Moon Pharma and CIMS should be stopped immediately.

My Lord, you must uphold the ends of justice, equity and good faith. You must protect public good, safeguard public interest and promote public health by putting an end to Respondents' utter disregard for the law, disrespect for my client's patent rights and willful patent infringement."

The Court went silent when Parasuveera reiterated his prayer loudly and emphatically. Every one was convinced when he was done that Berminger deserved the injunction. Justice Shekar looked at the clock briefly before turning to Arjun.

"Counsel for the Respondents may now present his arguments," he said without emotion.

"All the best," Jose whispered as he led Arjun to the well of the Court.

##  **Chapter** 50

"Your Lordship, I pray for another date to present my arguments," Arjun said, bowing.

"Objection My Lord," Parasuveera was up on his feet in an instant.

His juniors Samantha also stood up immediately, but Angelina did not stir. She simply looked at them dispassionately.

"He is trying to delay the case, and you must not permit it," Parasuveera yelled, stepping towards Justice Shekar.

Justice Shekar nodded impassively, and looked at Arjun for a response.

"Your Lordship, Counsels for Berminger argued for two days. Only twenty minutes are left today and I will need at least two hours to present my case.

Also, we need some time to review some of the submissions made by the respected Senior Counsel," Arjun said calmly.

"You had enough time for that. Didn't you?" Justice Shekar asked.

"Your Lordship, we did. But, the prosecution history of the patent was so extensive that we couldn't go through it completely in all countries."

"That is just an alibi to postpone the hearing. The Respondents have no case My Lord. They have admitted that they are infringing the patent in their written statement. You must grant an interim injunction today to stop their infringing activities. Your Lordship can always vacate it if you think they have a case. Though I don't think that is possible," Parasuveera said loudly.

On hearing Parasuveera's commanding tone, Justice Shekar's calm face turned angry.

"That is for me to decide Mr. Parasuveera. You must hold your tongue on such matters.

In my Court, I expect you to behave in a manner that befits your stature as a Senior Counsel.," he said, raising his voice.

Taken aback by the Judge's counter attack, Parasuveera could not muster an immediate response.

Glaring at him, Justice Shekar hit the hammer and said, "I am adjourning this hearing to Monday."

He then stood up and walked out without another word, leaving a shocked Parasuveera behind.

"What was that all about?" Jose asked Arjun when they were outside.

"I did not expect Justice Shekar to adjourn the hearing by four days. I think Parasuveera really annoyed him."

"Yes, he did. I could see it on the Judge's face.

How does this adjournment help us?"

"Well, I think we achieved two things by postponing the case today. Doctors got some extra precious days for using NerVir. If we finally lose, this I hope will save at least some patients."

"I am sure Dr. Sridhar will be happy to learn the news. What is the other benefit?"

"Parasuveera did a great job, and I wanted to neutralize the effect. I think the gap will help us to some extent."

"Do we really need to review the prosecution history of the patent?" Jose asked.

"No. I don't think so. I just made that up to get an extension."

##  **Chapter** 51

Karen couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Did you say that Moon Pharma's lawyer asked for time to review prosecution history of our patent in other countries?"

"Yes. why are you so concerned? Do you have anything to hide?" Parasuveera asked.

"Max Planck Institute filed an opposition against our patent in Europe. We got the news only today morning. I was wondering how they got the information so fast."

"Arjun did not mention anything about an opposition. On what grounds have they opposed the patent?"

"On inventorship grounds. They are claiming that we stole NerVir from them, and that Dr. Schumann was the true inventor."

"Have they submitted any evidence to prove their claim?"

"I don't know. Will have to check on that," Karen said after a short silence.

"You better find out fast. That can kill our case."

"Is it that serious?"

"Yes, it is."

For once, Karen did not have to think much about what she must do.

##  **Chapter** 52

"Sridhar, I think we managed to get some extra days for our patients," Arjun said as soon as Dr. Sridhar answered the call.

"That is good news. Dr. Vishnu just briefed me about what happened in Court today."

"Good. I will skip the details then."

"Are you free today evening?" Dr. Sridhar asked before Arjun disconnected.

"No. Sridhar. I am not. Why?"

"We are organizing a fund raiser to combat the epidemic. S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Yesudas are coming to CIMS. I was wondering if you could join us for the show."

"I am a big fan of SPB, but I don't think I can make it. Jose and I will be working over the weekend."

"Is this for our case?"

"Of Course, it is."

"Ok. I won't insist then.

Do you think Shreya might be interested?"

"I will check with her. She loves Yesudas, and may decide to come."

When he hung up, Arjun asked Jose, "Did you speak with Dr. Vishnu about the case?"

"No. I didn't. Why?"

"Dr. Sridhar said that Dr. Vishnu briefed him about the case. But Dr. Vishnu did not come to the Court, and I wonder how he got the information so fast."

##  **Chapter** 53

Dr. Vishnu checked his watch for the eleventh time and scanned the parking lot once again.

"Will she come?" he thought aloud, walking towards the gate.

It was past 7:30 p.m., and Dr. Vishnu could hear SP Balasubramanyam's voice from the auditorium. He was singing the ceremonial invocation song, and Dr. Vishnu wondered if he should just give up the wait and return. His mind told him to head to the auditorium, but his heart did not let him.

"Come on Angel. Don't let me down," he kept repeating in his mind, walking back and forth, eyes fixed on the gate.

Two minutes later, a red car sped towards him and halted with a squeal.

"Hi handsome. Get in," Angelina said, opening the door.

Dr. Vishnu shook himself out of his reverie, gave her a broad smile and complied.

"You look stunning," he said, gazing at her appreciatively.

"You don't look too bad yourself. I love your kurta," Angelina said, giving him a side ways look.

"Am glad you like it," Dr. Vishnu said, gawking at her.

"Stop staring, and tell me where to park."

"At your service Madam. Please go straight and take a left. There is a spot reserved for Your Honour at the end of this line."

"Thanks," she said, punching him on his shoulder.

Angelina parked the car, and Dr. Vishnu was by her side as soon as she got out.

"May I take your hand," Dr. Vishnu said, bowing.

"You certainly may not. I would have considered it if you had bothered to hold the program till I got here.", she said slipping her hand into his.

Hand in hand, they quickly scaled the stairs and were in the auditorium in no time. Inside, they found seats in the last row and settled down to melodious music.

...

"I am starving," Dr. Vishnu said when they stepped out of the auditorium.

"Me too. Is there a place nearby that serves quick food?"

"Yes. There is a small restaurant round the corner. Great food, but you might have to ignore the ambience."

"Let us go," Angelina said, starting the car.

...

As they walked out of the restaurant, Angelina said, "Thanks a lot Vishnu. I really enjoyed the evening. We must do this again."

"Does that mean you are leaving?" Dr. Vishnu asked with a sad face.

"Yes. It is 11 P.m., and my Dad will be worried if I don't get home soon."

"No time for coffee at my place?"

"No," Angelina said immediately.

Noting the disappointment on Dr. Vishnu's face, she added, "Maybe another day. Now, I have to go."

Dr. Vishnu waved until Angelina's car went out of sight. His heart was beating fast, and he felt a vacuum he had never felt before. He stood at the gate for a very long time, before placing a call to Jose.

##  **Chapter** 54

"Do you want to buy some chocolates?" Shreya asked, stopping at a counter.

"No. When did I start eating chocolates?" Arjun asked angrily.

Ignoring his response, Shreya said, "I see some good liquor chocolates here. Thought you might be interested."

"Why do you force me like this?" Arjun asked irritably.

"Relax honey. I pulled you out of the office to give you a break, not to fight with you."

"Shopping is a relaxing break for you, not for me. I find shopping stressful."

"Ok. Got your point.

Which ones do you prefer?

Rum and Raisin, Wine, Vodka or Cognac?

We have Tartufi , Neuhaus and Vosges."

Arjun was now interested.

"Let us buy three packets of Neuhaus. Pick assorted collections."

"Why three?"

"One for us, and the remaining for Dr. Sridhar and Jose."

"I got them."

As they proceeded through the super market, Ibrahim couldn't take his eyes off Shreya. He found her absolutely beautiful and inviting. From the way she looked at Arjun, he knew that she adored him and did not like it at all.

"

...Ibrahim got his first opportunity when Arjun was at the shoe section.

"I will be right back," Shreya said to Arjun, placing his hand on the shopping cart.

"Where are you going?"

"I want to quickly check new arrivals in the ethnic section. Just stand here. I will be back in a minute."

"But, didn't you just buy new clothes," Arjun protested, but Shreya did not respond.

Smiling, she quietly walked away. Left with no other option, Arjun decided to check the shoes in the aisle by his side. He was examining the second shoe with his hands, when Ibrahim made his move. Discretely pulling out his custom made silenced gun from his pocket, he walked towards Arjun. He kept his head down to dodge monitoring cameras.

When he got close to Arjun, Ibrahim directed the gun upwards and placed his finger on the trigger.

##  **Chapter** 55

"Sir, are you looking for shoes? Can I help you?" a sales woman asked Ibrahim.

Swiftly placing his gun in the pocket, Ibrahim turned around and smiled.

"I am looking for running shoes," he said, pointing at the rack by Arjun.

"Sir, if you don't mind, I will help this gentleman first. Is that alright?" the sales woman asked politely.

"No problem at all," Ibrahim said, shrugging.

As the sales woman went to help Arjun, Ibrahim couldn't help feeling that something about her did not fit in. She was dressed like a sales person, but her demeanour and body language told another story.

As Ibrahim brushed the thought away and waited, he heard Arjun say, "I am absolutely fine Madam. I am just passing time until my wife returns.

I hope you wouldn't mind me touching these shoes."

"No Sir. Not at all.

Do you want me to brief you about these brands? You can just listen to me and do not have to buy them."

"Ok," Arjun said reluctantly.

Five minutes later, Shreya returned, and they continued their shopping expedition.

"Thank you Madam," Arjun said to the sales woman, smiling broadly as they left.

When shopping was done, Shreya and Arjun walked out of the mall with three, large bags. As they stood there, waiting for their car, Ibrahim decided that it was time to act. He stood behind Arjun in the crowd and pulled out his gun once again. Positioning it low, he aimed at the kidney. He would send a bullet into the head once Arjun was down after the first shot. The confusion that would ensue, he thought, would facilitate his escape.

Ibrahim was about to pull the trigger when something hit his hand, clattering the gun to the floor. Then, before he realized what was happening, three men were onto him. They quickly hand cuffed him and led him to a police jeep.

Inside the Jeep, Ibrahim recognized the sales woman, and everything fell in place. He cursed himself for committing such a silly error despite the alarm bells in his head.

"Sir, Avanti reporting," the officer said over the communication system.

"Go on Avanti. Did you get the bastard?" IGP Ratnam asked.

"Yes Sir."

"Good, get him to headquarters. I would like to chat with him."

As soon as they got home, Arjun got a call from Dr. Sridhar.

"Are you alright?" Dr. Sridhar asked, concerned.

"Yes. Got away without even a scratch."

"That was close though. I just spoke to IGP Ratnam and he said that the man is a hardcore criminal and is not opening his mouth."

"Why were the police following me?"

"After the earlier attacks, Dr. Krishna requested IGP Ratnam to keep an eye on you. IGP Ratnam takes Dr. Krishna's requests seriously and had placed five of his best officers on the job."

"Oh. Thanks a lot Sridhar. Please convey my gratitude to Dr. Krishna."

"Come on Arjun. This is nothing compared to what you are doing for us. It is in fact our duty to protect you."

"Alright Sridhar, we will meet in the Court tomorrow," Arjun said, changing the topic.

"Bye then. See you tomorrow in the Court."

##  **Chapter** 56

"Your Honour, Berminger does not deserve an injunction. It has utterly failed in making out a case for grant of an interim injunction," Arjun started his arguments confidently.

"With your permission, I would like to recite the facts of this case. May I?"

"Go ahead," Justice Shekar said, smiling.

"Much Obliged Your Honour.

My client, Charaka Institute of Medical Sciences, is a well-known Institution in India. It is dedicated to patient welfare, medical education and research."

"Counsel, all of us know about CIMS. Why don't you make your point."

"As you wish, Your Honour.

Following the unfortunate and surprising demise of Raj Singh and several other patients, CIMS and the medical fraternity was in a fix. They did not know why people were dying, let alone treating them. Deaths were reaching epidemic proportions, and doctors did not know what to do.

The situation was bad, Your Honour, very bad.

Under such dire circumstances, my client not only identified the cause of the deadly disease to be a killer virus but also found a method of treating it. CIMS' doctors found that Berminger's NerVir can be used to control the viral infection. They tried the drug, and it produced unexpected, positive results.

Initially, Berminger supplied NerVir to CIMS and other hospitals without any issues, but as the number of patients increased, things changed. As the demand for the drug increased, the company doubled the price. At one point, Berminger simply refused to supply the drug. The company's executives said that they were scaling up production of the drug, but that never happened.

NerVir became scarce, and finally unavailable."

"I object My Lord," Parasuveera interjected.

"What are you objecting Counsel? Isn't he just stating his side of the facts?" Justice Shekar asked.

Shreya, Jose and Dr. Vishnu watched the proceedings anxiously, while Samantha and Angelina were confident and relaxed.

"Counsel is making assumptions about the existence of a viral epidemic and presenting it as a fact. My Lord, he has submitted no proof to substantiate his claims of the so-called 'fast spreading epidemic.'"

Arjun expected this objection and was ready with his response.

"Your Honour, it is a fact that there is a viral epidemic and people are losing lives by the day. More than thirty people died at CIMS alone during the last two months. You will find hospital records corroborating the same in Exhibit 7."

"I contest the accuracy of those records My Lord. Many of those documents have been signed by Dr. Krishna, who is the Director of CIMS, the first Respondent in this case. The evidence is tainted by self interest and bias and is unacceptable.

Also, if there is such a serious epidemic, why has the Government not declared an emergency? This emergency situation, My Lord, is a mere figment of the Respondent's imagination."

"Your Honour, I accept that the Government has not taken any action. But, does that mean there is no problem? Does the Government act whenever people face a problem?

No Your Honour. All of us know it doesn't. Else, we wouldn't be having food shortage, poverty, pollution, health crises and so on.

The fact that the Government is not taking immediate steps to address a health issue makes the situation even worse. Without Government support, CIMS and other hospitals have to work much harder to combat the health crisis.

Exhibit 9 of our evidence includes several news reports covering the epidemic, and whether Berminger agrees or not, the epidemic is a reality."

"My Lord, Supreme Court has held in many cases that newspaper reports are merely hearsay, and cannot be accepted as valid evidence. Besides, none of these newspapers talk about the numbers the Counsel is citing.

And most importantly, they cite CIMS as the source of information, raising questions about their accuracy," Parasuveera retorted.

"But ...," Arjun tried to respond, but Parasuveera cut him off.

"My Lord, the Respondents must not be permitted to mislead the Court, and it is my duty to bring that to your attention," Parasuveera stated loudly, before sitting down.

Nodding, Justice Shekar made a note, and said, "Do you have any other evidence Counsel?"

Noting the blank look on Arjun's face, he asked, "Something like a report from an independent authority or organisation such as WHO, Medical Association or any NGO?"

"No, Your Honour."

"OK. Why don't you proceed with the rest of your submissions?"

Parasuveera had shaken the foundation of his arguments by creating doubts about the epidemic, and Arjun looked beaten. Everyone in the Court gazed at Arjun as he stood quietly, taking long breaths to compose himself.

##  **Chapter** 57

"Would you like to take a short break, Counsel?" Justice Shekar's voice interrupted Arjun's thoughts.

"Yes Your Honour," Arjun said gratefully, bowing.

Shreya, Jose and Dr. Vishnu huddled with Arjun outside the Court.

"You are doing just fine," Shreya said, holding his arm.

"Arjun, just present what we have prepared. Whatever happens, we must submit our side of the story," Jose said.

Dr. Vishnu stood silently as Shreya and Jose tried to calm Arjun and help him regain his confidence.

While they were speaking, an old lawyer approached them.

"Very sorry to disturb you people. May I say something?" he asked.

"Sure Sir," Shreya said, smiling.

"You are doing a great job young man. Parasuveera is trying to derail you. He does that when his case is weak.

Don't let that affect you. Just ignore him, and say what you have to say.

All the very best."

Patting Arjun on the shoulder, the old lawyer left without another word.

"Do you know him? Shreya asked Jose.

"Yes, everyone in the Court knows him. He is Vinod Kantipudi, one of the most respected, and senior most lawyers in this Court."

When the Court resumed, Arjun took off from where he left his arguments.

" ... Your Honour, on one hand, NerVir was not available, and on the other hand, the number of patients was increasing alarmingly. It was very frustrating for conscientious doctors at CIMS. They couldn't see people perishing though there was a drug to treat them.

They tried everything possible to get the drug from Berminger. Unfortunately, Berminger not only refused to supply the drug but also increased the price substantially. CIMS requested Berminger to permit other companies to make the drug, but that was also unequivocally refused.

Dejected and disappointed, CIMS approached Moon Pharma for help. Moon Pharma agreed to manufacture the drug, and we applied for a compulsory license. The application is still pending, and we have no hope that it would be heard in the next six months.

Left with no other option, my clients decided to make, supply and use NerVir for the benefit of patients. They decided to do this until the epidemic passes and the infection is brought under control."

Parasuveera was on his feet again.

"My Lord ..."

"Your Honour, Exhibits 2, 3 and 4 contain the evidence of communications with Berminger and the application for compulsory license. Honourable Senior Counsel may review the said Exhibits for proof of my statements," Arjun preempted Parasuveera.

Laughing, Parasuveera said, "My young colleague misunderstands me. I do not have any objection with respect to that evidence. Some of those communications form part of our records as well.

I am worried about something much more important My Lord.

How can they decide to manufacture a patented drug without permission, My Lord. Isn't that patent infringement?

By their own admission, CIMS and Moon Pharma are intentionally and willfully infringing Berminger's patent. Isn't that enough for grant of an injunction?

My Lord, you must put an end to this farce and grant an injunction immediately."

Arjun responded instantly.

"Your Honour, we do not deny patent infringement, but that is not the crux of my argument. I am just ..."

Parasuveera did not let Arjun complete.

Interjecting, he literally shouted "My young friend is wasting the Court's valuable time by making futile submissions. The viral epidemic he is talking about is a figment of his imagination and doesn't have even an iota of truth. He has great future as a playwright, but not in a Court of law, where only facts are valid.

They are infringing my client's patent, and that is a fact. That hurts public interest, and that is a fact. They are causing irreparable harm to public good, and that is also a fact.

The rest is fiction.

Your Lordship, you must put an end to this stupidity, and grant the injunction we prayed for in the interests of justice, fairness and good conscience."

Parasuveera's outburst had a numbing impact on everyone in the Court. It was totally unexpected, and a long silence followed. 

##  **Chapter** 58

"Counsel, you must watch your words, and behave in a manner that befits your stature.

If you use such disrespectful language or tone again, I will hold you for contempt," Justice Shekar warned, breaking the silence.

"Now, you please sit down Mr. Parasuveera. I know how to conduct the case, and you need not advise me on what to do."

Turning to Arjun, Justice Shekar said courteously, "You may continue with your arguments Counsel."

"Your Honour, my clients' actions are desperate efforts to treat patients and save lives, not attempts to profit from Berminger's patent.

Berminger is obviously upset, very upset that my clients stand in their way. Why else would the company resort to threatening doctors and hospitals? A bonafide person would not stoop to such levels."

"Objection My Lord," Parasuveera's loud voice interrupted Arjun's submissions once again.

"Overruled," Justice Shekar said instantly.

That brought a broad smile to Arjun's camp. Angelina was impassive, but Samantha was scowling as Parasuveera slowly sat down.

"Patent law promotes public interest by bringing new drugs to the people," Arjun continued.

"But the exercise of patent rights does not always benefit the society. While some patent holders use patents rightfully, and ensure that the needs of the public are adequately met, others misuse them and abuse them for commercial gain at the cost of societal needs.

My Lord, there is nothing wrong with the Patent System, but there can be serious detriment to public good if the system is used for selfish ends, without paying heed to the lives of people. My clients acted only when Berminger resorted to self driven, exploitative behaviour.

We respect patents and will continue to do so as long as they are used for public benefit.

But, if the patent gets in the way of saving lives from a fast spreading viral infection, my clients, Your Honour, will not hesitate to put the patent aside and serve patient interests. That is exactly what they did here."

Parasuveera stood up again, but Justice Shekar waved him down.

"Your Honour, respected Senior Counsel has raised doubts about the basis of our case, the existence of a viral epidemic. His objections are in fact valid, but can we completely rule out that there is no epidemic based on his submissions? His arguments at best raise questions, but does not prove beyond doubt that there is no medical crisis.

In such a case, isn't it fair to place the benefit of doubt in favour of the problem.? Isn't that the safest route to take? So, if an epidemic does exist, we can work towards controlling it. If that is not the case, Berminger can be compensated.

Your Honour, combining the communications in our possession, hospitals across the country have reported more than six hundred cases of IIDS. If this is not an emergency, then what is Your Honour?

Before the utility of NerVir was discovered, the fatality rate was almost hundred percent. Once NerVir was available, doctors have been able to save many patients. All my client is praying for is permission to use NerVir until the epidemic passes," he said earnestly.

"But, My Lord, our client is ready to supply the drug. Why should they resort to patent infringement when the drug is available? Can't they buy the drug from Berminger?" Samantha said vehemently, standing up for the first time during Arjun's arguments.

Parasuveera looked at her and thought about saying something, but decided against it.

"Your Honour, if Berminger is willing to supply the necessary quantities of NerVir, and if the drug is provided at a reasonable price, my client will be happy to buy the drug from them. The price they are demanding currently is thirty times more than Moon Pharma's price."

"Is your client willing to supply sufficient quantities of the drug until the epidemic passes?" Justice Shekar asked Parasuveera and Samantha.

"How can a hospital decide the price My Lord? Shouldn't the patent holder have the right to decide the price of the drug? Shouldn't Berminger recoup the money it had spent on Research and Development? Isn't this Berminger's choice?

I find the suggestion absurd and cannot even suggest it to my client," Samantha responded before Parasuveera could speak.

She was about to add more, but Parasuveera cut her off.

"My Lord, Berminger is willing to supply some quantities of the drug for free under its 'Patient Care' program. However, reducing its existing price, I am afraid might not be possible. But if Your Lordship so suggests, I can check once again with my client."

"Why don't you check with your client today? We will continue the hearing tomorrow," Justice Shekar said, and adjourned the matter for the next day.

##  **Chapter** 59

Karen heard Parasuveera intently as he recited the events in the Court.

"What are our options?" Karen asked when he was done.

"How about supplying NerVir at a reasonable price for a few days? Later, you can revert to your original strategy," Parasuveera said.

"No. That is not an option. Our CEO will never agree.

Are we going to lose the case?"

"Our chances are not too good," Parasuveera admitted, rubbing his brow.

Karen did not respond. She couldn't. That spelled the end of her career at Berminger, and the money she was dreaming for. She could barely control her tears.

"To what extent are you willing to go," Parasuveera asked, breaking into her despair.

"Any extent," she croaked.

"There is one option. But it is very expensive."

"Money is not a problem," Karen said hopefully.

She heard intently as Parasuveera outlined the plan.

As soon as Karen left, Angelina picked her cell phone and stepped out to make a call. 

##  **Chapter** 60

Chief Justice Manikantan Iyer welcomed Justice Shekar warmly.

"Please come in my Learned Brother. It is an absolute pleasure to see you. How about some coffee?" he offered.

"Sure Mani. It has been a long day," Justice Shekar said, shaking hands with the Chief Justice.

While they waited for coffee, the Chief Justice made some small talk.

"How is your wife doing?"

"Busy as always."

"I saw her interview on TV the other day. She is doing some great work in rehabilitating rape victims."

"Yes. She is quite dedicated to the cause."

"How about your daughter. Is she still interested in law?"

Justice Shekar was responding when the coffee arrived; but his daughter's interest was not the Chief Justice's concern. And so, as soon as the office boy left, the Chief Justice got into the agenda of the meeting.

"I have a proposal for you," he said, handing a cup to Justice Shekar.

"What is it?" Justice Shekar asked.

"I just received a letter asking for nominations to Supreme Court positions. Would you be interested?"

"Sure. Isn't that every Judge's dream?" Justice Shekar said smiling.

"Wonderful. I was just asking as a matter of formality.

Consider your name recommended strongly."

"Thank you Mani. I am glad that you consider me worthy of it."

When Justice Shekar stood up to leave, the Chief Justice said, "Shekar, there is a small matter I would like you to take care of."

"Sure. What is it?"

"Tomorrow, you must rule in favour of Berminger. Grant the injunction, and your nomination will be on its way."

Justice Shekar was thunder struck. He stood speechless, gazing at the Chief Justice with a shocked expression on his face.

"Simple give and take my friend," the Chief Justice said, walking him to the door.

Justice Shekar absently shook the Chief Justice's hands and slowly walked to his chamber.

##  **Chapter** 61

"Counsel, did you discuss with your client?" Justice Shekar asked Parasuveera.

"Yes, My Lord. Unfortunately, my client is finding it difficult to compromise when it is on the right side of the law. Berminger holds a patent and has the right to stop infringing activities.

Agreeing to the Respondents' proposal would be like siding with criminals."

Justice Shekar heard him patiently and nodded.

"I understand Counsel. We will proceed with the case then."

Smiling, Parasuveera bowed and sat down. Samantha looked very relaxed, but Angelina was very anxious. She tried hard to get Dr. Vishnu's attention, but for some reason, he was not looking in her direction.

Jose stood up along with Arjun and led him to the well of the Court. Dr. Sridhar and Shreya watched anxiously as Arjun started his submissions.

"Your Lordship, Berminger holds a patent, but a patent does not grant exclusivity under all circumstances. Patent rights are subservient to public interest, and when there is a health crisis, they must make way to access to medical treatment. Medicines are ..."

Justice Shekar stopped him.

"Counsel, do you have anything else to add? You have repeated this argument several times, and it is clear."

"Yes, Your Honour."

"Get on with it."

"Your Honour, a patent is not presumed to be valid. It can be challenged and revoked at any point of time before the twenty-year patent term expires. One of the grounds for invalidating a patent is wrongful obtainment.

If someone steals or wrongfully acquires an invention from another person, his patent deserves to be revoked."

Pausing here for a moment, Arjun said, "Berminger has stolen the NerVir patent Your Honour. The drug was discovered by Dr. Schumann, a Nobel Prize winner, and Berminger has wrongfully obtained it from him.

The opposition proceedings started by the Max Planck Institute at the European Patent Office substantiate this."

As Jose handed the documents to the court clerk, Parasuveera and Samantha were on their feet.

"My Lord, I object. That opposition is still pending and no decision has been delivered so far," Samantha shouted, stepping forward.

Parasuveera was about to add something, but Arjun beat him to it.

"Your Honour, yes, the proceedings are pending. But, Berminger failed to keep the Court informed. It is a material fact, and Berminger withheld it with full knowledge. That is the very essence of inequitable conduct," he stated amidst objections from Parasuveera and Samantha.

Parasuveera and Samantha were now yelling at the top of their voices, but Arjun did not stop.

One who approaches the Court with unclean hands does not deserve an injunction, which is an equitable remedy. Equity cannot be extended to Berminger simply because the company has not approached this Court honestly and truthfully.

The proceeding before the European Patent Office questions the validity of the patent Berminger is trying to enforce, and their prima facie case falls on its face," Arjun shouted, but no one could hear him.

Noting that Arjun was out numbered, Jose joined the yelling match. As the unintelligible war of words continued, supporters of both sides joined the fray by lending their voices. Within a few seconds, the Court was cacophonic, and Justice Shekar had to use his gavel to bring things under control.

##

## **Chapter** 62

"Can you make out anything?" Arjun asked Shreya.

"No. His face is impassive. I can't read anything from his expression," Shreya whispered.

"I think we lost the case. Justice Shekar just smiled at Parasuveera. Shit," Jose said a little too loudly.

Many people turned around and glared at him.

"Hush. Stay quiet." Dr. Vishnu said to Jose.

Dr. Sridhar sat by Arjun's side, clasping his hands. The tension was evident on his face, and the sweat on his forehead made it evident.

Clearing his throat, Justice Shekar started speaking.

"I had to think hard to arrive at a decision in this case. Both the counsels submitted very valid and compelling arguments. While the Learned Senior Counsel, Parasuveera, and his associates presented the role of patents in today's social context, the young lawyer put forth a spirited defence on behalf of doctors and patients.

Patent incentives are important to promote progress of public good. The patent system has served, and continues to serve, its purpose well. The novel drugs invented by Berminger and patented are examples of the benefits afforded by the patent regime.

However, when confronted with a crisis, it is well accepted across the world that patents must yield to public interest. This principle assumes utmost importance when the patents relate to life-saving drugs. There is no dispute about NerVir being a life-saving drug."

"Why can't he just pronounce the order? Why this lecture?" Dr. Vishnu asked Jose.

"Judges enjoy the suspense, and this is his moment of glory."

"Are we facing a medical emergency? CIMS and hospitals have submitted letters and affidavits in support of the same. But, I do not find the evidence completely convincing," Justice Shekar continued.

"Didn't I tell you? We are losing this case. They somehow got to Justice Shekar as well," Jose said softly.

Nodding, Dr. Vishnu looked at Parasuveera's camp.

Parasuveera and Samantha were grinning, but Angelina looked anxious.

"The last submission of the young Counsel helped me make up my mind in this tough case. Berminger has withheld important information about patent validity from this Court and have not been completely truthful. Inventorship is at the core of patent law, and I am led to believe that their conduct has been inequitable.

After weighing all factors, I am inclined to deny Berminger's application for interim injunction. The full order will be made available in a day."

The Court instantly burst out in a loud applause. Everyone congratulated Arjun, and Shreya's joy was boundless. Parasuveera's face fell, and the trademark scowl was back on Samantha's face. Angelina was very happy, but did not show it.

Justice Shekar hit the gavel twice and silenced the Court.

He then said, "I will leave you with something to remember.

If Patents are for Public, Public will be for Patents. If Patents are for Patients, Patients will be for Patents.

Else, Patents do not have a bright future."

Everyone clapped until Justice Shekar stood up and left the Court.

##  **Chapter** 63

The conference hall at Taj Banjara buzzed with excitement. Berminger's silence after the Hyderabad High Court's decision was going to be broken, and the hall was filled with journalists.

"Good Morning," a soft voice interrupted their conversations.

Standing at the podium was the new Head of Marketing of Berminger India, Pallavi Gopal.

Once everyone settled down, Pallavi said smiling, "Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen.

We are very grateful that you could make time for this press conference at short notice. Our dynamic and inspiring CEO, Dr. Muller, flew over as soon as he heard about the judgment. I would like to invite him to speak."

Dr. Muller stood up and quietly walked to the podium. Strauss accompanied him and stood by his side. A sad expression occupied Dr. Muller's face when he started speaking.

"It is disheartening, very disheartening to see the situation in India. When I learned the news, I was disappointed, frustrated and terribly annoyed. I just couldn't understand how some people could take the decisions they did. After all, we are in the business of saving lives, and not taking them.

Before I stepped on the plane to come to India, I took two important actions. First, the person responsible for this unfortunate situation has been fired. Ms. Karen Reddy, who was responsible for depriving the much needed drug to patients, is no longer with Berminger."

Several journalists raised their hands and started talking at the same time.

"Were you not aware?"

"How is that possible?"

"We don't believe this ."

Stepping forward, Pallavi said, "I request you to kindly allow him to finish his statement. You may ask your questions when he is done."

Once silence was restored, Dr. Muller continued, "Berminger will make NerVir available to all hospitals in India for free. For no cost whatsoever. They do not need to pay us even a paisa for the drug.

We will continue this program until the deadly viral epidemic passes. We are dedicating several manufacturing facilities to produce this drug and will make it available in more than sufficient quantities. As long as Berminger is with them, patients will not perish due to drug scarcity.

Berminger will fight for patients' lives, Berminger will support and assist doctors, and Berminger will do everything in its capacity to help India tide over this disaster."

When Muller was done, someone from the back clapped, and that was followed by a loud applause. Muller, however, did not stay back for questions, he thanked the journalists, handed the mike to Strauss and left on the pretext that he had an important meeting with the Union Health Minister. Strauss fielded a few innocuous questions before closing the press conference.

As soon as she walked out of the press conference, Amala placed a call to Karen. The phone rang and kept ringing by her side, but Karen did not answer. Instead, she picked the phone and threw it at the television. The phone hit the screen, fell down and broke open, but that did not affect the newsreader, who was telling the world about Karen's heartless attitude towards patient's lives for the sake of money.

##  **Chapter** 64

"Have you been waiting for long?" Angelina asked, hurrying to the table.

"I can wait for you for a lifetime," Dr. Vishnu said, standing up, and taking her hand.

"You should give up medicine and take up cheesy writing. You will beat Chetan Bhagat at his game."

"Not a chance. This world does not have enough for two of his kind.

Besides, my creativity is just for you," Dr. Vishnu said, grinning.

Angelina gazed at him briefly before saying, "Let us place the order. I am starving."

"How about some wine?" Dr. Vishnu asked.

"No. I don't like wine. I will have a beer."

"Which one?"

"Kingfisher Strong."

Dr. Vishnu asked for red wine, beer and a non-veg platter. Once the drinks arrived, they sat back and started chatting. The view of the Hussain Sagar Lake from the rooftop restaurant of Ohri's 1857 was breathtaking, and the pleasant breeze set the stage for what Dr. Vishnu had in mind.

"By the way, I did not thank you for helping us in the case. Your tip off about the opposition to Berminger's patent by Max Planck Institute in Europe helped us win the case," Dr. Vishnu said.

Waving him off, Angelina said, "You don't have to thank me. I did it for myself more than for you. I was finding it difficult to accept my client's cold-hearted behaviour, and just couldn't sit back and watch."

"Didn't you step on your professional ethics and risk your career to do this?"

"Yes, I think I did. It was a worthy risk though, and my professional future was the last thing on my mind when I took the decision to pass the information," Angelina said, gulping down her beer, gazing at the moon.

Dr. Vishnu looked at her softly illuminated, strikingly beautiful face, and wondered for a moment, just for a moment if he was good enough for her.

Quickly pushing the thought aside, he blurted, "Angel, I have fallen in love with you."

Angelina's mesmerizing eyes settled on Dr. Vishnu's anxious, sincere face. The silence that followed sent Dr. Vishnu's heart into over drive, and he held the wine glass tight. The few seconds that passed seemed for Dr. Vishnu like eternity.

Without taking her eyes off him, Angelina took another gulp of beer, and responded.

"I have been in love with you for quite some time now. Was wondering when and how you would propose."

"I have been roaming around with this for the right opportunity," Dr. Vishnu said, producing a crumpled rose from his trouser pocket.

Angelina took the rose, studied it and placed it carefully in her handbag, before saying, "I will give you one chance, just one more chance to make up for this heinous proposal."

Dr. Vishnu took Angelina's hand, kissed it, and said, "Thank you. I will surely ..."

Angelina did not let him finish. She leaned forward and locked her lips with his.

##  **Chapter** 65

May I have your cell phone number Madam? Mr. Arjun is currently in a meeting. I will give you a call when he is available."

Jose opened his diary and noted down the number before thanking the caller.

"Who is it?" Arjun asked, when he was done.

"Some guy called Dr. Kalyan Kankanala wishes to chat with you. His secretary called for an appointment."

"Who is Kalyan?"

"No clue. Let me ask Google."

"This guy works with a firm called BananaIP Counsels. Looks like he is one of those pompous patent attorneys."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he is all over the place. Wait a minute...

This guy is not just an IP Attorney. He teaches, runs a trust and even writes novels.

Must be one of those jobless attorneys. How else can he do so many things?"

"That conclusion is premature.

Anyway, why does he want to meet me?"

"Don't know. His secretary did not tell me."

"And you did not ask?"

"Sorry Arjun. She had a very pleasant voice, and I got a little carried away. Can we call her back today evening?"

"Sure. Why not?"

The bell rang, and Jose ran to get it.

"Look who is here," Jose said, gesturing his companions to be quiet.

"Sridhar? What a pleasant surprise?" Arjun said, smiling.

"How did you guess?" Dr. Sridhar asked, clearly surprised.

"I didn't guess. Your perfume gave you away."

"That is wonderful young man," another voice said.

"Dr. Krishna! Welcome, it is a privilege," Arjun said, standing up immediately.

"Am glad that you did not forget my voice Arjun."

"It is a voice I will never forget Sir. Please come this way. Jose, let us go to the conference room."

Once they settled down, Dr. Krishna said, "Thanks a lot for everything you have done for us Arjun. I wanted to personally meet you and express our heartfelt gratitude for your kind help.

Dr. Sridhar and Dr. Vishnu told me that you were brilliant in the Court. You saved many lives, and we owe you a lot."

"Please don't say that Sir. All of you are dedicating your lives for the welfare of patients, and I am happy that you gave me the opportunity to contribute in a small way.

Besides, I did nothing spectacular. Luckily, things fell in place."

Dr. Sridhar and Jose sat silently as Dr. Krishna and Arjun spoke. Jose offered to get coffee, but Dr. Krishna and Dr. Sridhar politely refused.

When they were done, Dr. Krishna shook hands with Arjun and said, "Please accept this cheque from us Arjun. This is nothing compared with what you had done, and I hope you will be kind enough to accept it.

Dr. Sridhar told me that you refused payment, but I will be sad, very sad if you do not take this."

Arjun wanted to protest, but thought better off it. He did not want to disappoint the great man and reluctantly took the cheque.

"I will see you in the evening," Dr. Sridhar said as they left.

After seeing them off, Jose pulled the envelope from Arjun's hands and looked at the cheque.

"I can't believe this," he said, sitting down.

"What is it?

"Twenty Lakhs. Dr. Krishna gave us a check for twenty lakhs."

Read the next novel in the series – The Arjun Chronicles.

"Pirates of Bollywood"

In Kalyan's second legal thriller on Intellectual Property, Arjun goes after pirates in the city of Bollywood, Bombay.

About The Author

Dr. Kalyan C. Kankanala

Dr. Kalyan is a storyteller and scribbler from Bangalore, India. He writes legal thrillers, crime mysteries and short stories. All his novels have blind protagonists and are well researched.

Professionally, Dr. Kalyan is an Intellectual Property Attorney. He works extensively with technology driven companies, film/music production houses and creative upstarts. Dr. Kalyan also teaches at premier institutes such as IIM, Bangalore and NLSIU, Bangalore. He earlier served as the national expert on IP for United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and was the member of animal ethics committee of Astra Zeneca.

Select Reviews of Dr. Kalyan's Novels

" ... There is suspense, violence, heroism, love, social commitment, humanism, poverty, law, legal analysis, arguments and much more in this novel which makes it a pleasurable reading. The novel has professional value which recommends itself to be read by lawmen (law teachers, law students and advocates) and entertainment value which recommends itself to be read by all."

– Professor CS Patil, Director, KSLU, Writing in Journal of Entertainment and Sports Law (For Pirates of Bollywood)

"A blind lawyer, a virus outbreak, a dog that dreams and a patent infringement case. Dr. Kalyan Kankanala's debut fiction, Road Humps and Sidewalks: The Path less travelled is an engrossing fast-paced legal thriller"

– Deepa Padmanabhan, The Hindu (For Road Humps and Sidewalks – Republished as Epidemic)

"But one thing is sure you simply can't take a coffee break while enjoying the read-more addictive than caffeine! ..."

– Jayashree Roy, Renowned Book Reviewer (For Pirates of Bollywood)

"Finished it in one sitting. Just couldn't put it down. This... IP law thriller has all the hallmarks of a winner; corporate espionage, attempted kidnapping, foiled hits, court room romance, a corrupt Chief Justice and a David v Goliath battle over patents for a life-saving drug."

– Dr. Caroline Ncube, IP KAT (For Road Humps and Sidewalks – Republished as Epidemic).

DR. KALYAN'S BESTSELLING BOOKS

Epidemic

A legal thriller from India on the theme of pharma patents and access to medicines.

"A Blind Lawyer, A Virus Outbreak, and A Dog that Dreams, Dr. Kalyan Kankanala's debut novel is a fast paced legal thriller. ..."-The Hindu

Buy Now

Pirates of Bollywood

First legal thriller on film piracy, organized crime and Bollywood mafia

Quoted by reviewers as a book you just cannot put down, even for a coffee break.

Buy Now

Young Intellectuals

Young Intellectuals' takes a look into minds of select IP Professionals, whose contributions are making more than a noteworthy difference to the progress of science and creative arts.

Buy Now

Fun IP, Fundamentals of IP

The best book ever written on the basics of intellectual property for beginners. It covers fundamentals of patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, industrial designs, etc.

"Short, precise and very well written, Dr. Kalyan Kankanala's Fun IP is the best book for non-lawyers and students. ..." -Journal of Intellectual Property

Buy Now

IP for Start Ups

A short must read on intellectual property for start-ups, entrepreneurs and small entities.

It hit the bestseller list in law category on Amazon Kindle within two weeks of launch.

Buy Now

Social Media and IP

This short book gives an insight into various forms of IP created on Social Media and their business relevance. It outlines possible business opportunities and related IP risks

Buy Now

Nurturing Genius

First Indian book on intellectual property for children. A must read for creative and intelligent children.

Buy Now

Discovery of Ideas

A must read for corporate and businesses, the book discusses how discovering ideas, inventions and creations can aid businesses in building intellectual property assets and gaining business value.

Buy Now

Intellectual Property of Fact and Fiction

Of Fact, and Fiction

This book is a select collection of Dr. Kalyan C. Kankanala's popular works on intellectual property law. It contains three of his bestselling books on the subject.

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The Oath

When Medicine Clashes with Law! Dr. Krishna, a conscientious and kind-hearted doctor, is arrested and put on trial for treating naxalites, a banned war group. Many police officers are killed in encounters with naxalites, and the police are looking for payback. They want Dr. Krishna to pay for treating naxalites, to pay for the massacre of their officers, and to pay for their failure. They mount irrefutable evidence against Dr. Krishna, and the Public Prosecutor has never lost a case. With the system stacked against him, can Dr. Krishna survive the legal onslaught? Does his ageing lawyer have enough in him to defend a lost cause? Set in Zala, the hot bed of naxal activity in India, The Oath narrates a gripping, entertaining and intellectually stimulating tale of the clash between Medicine and Law.

Buy Now

Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel is a compilation of works by Dr. Kalyan. This includes:

The Oath

Epidemic

Pirates of Bollywood

Buy Now

#

##  Coming Up

The Dravidian (God's Own Tribe) - A Traditional Knowledge Thriller

Visit www.kalyankankanala.com for more information

About the Publisher

Literators Publishing

Literators Publishing is an independent publishing house founded to publish books on just, fair and reasonable terms for authors. Breaking away from models of Traditional Publishing and Self Publishing, which are based on terms not favourable to authors, Literators Publishing establishes a win-win model that benefits both authors and publishers. Favourable contractual terms, transparent reporting, efficient rights management, well defined royalty rate, and innovative distribution systems are some tenets of its publishing model.

Powered by patented technology, competitive pricing and innovative platforms, Literators Publishing aims at making book writing and publishing a lucrative option for authors. In addition to standard modes of distribution through physical and electronic means, Literators Publishing opens doors to adaptation into cinematographic works, character licensing and merchandizing, interactive content publishing, etc. Literators Publishing endeavors to convert every book it publishes into a profitable venture.

Founded by Dr. Kalyan C. Kankanala, an acclaimed author, IP Attorney and Rakesh Krishnan, a marketing expert, and Madhava Rao, a dedicated accountant, the publishing house aims to take book publishing and distribution in India to a completely different level. Literators Publishing started its operations in May, 2016, with publication of 'The Oath', a Medico-Legal Thriller. The Publishing House also holds licenses for some of Dr. Kalyan's best selling books in physical and electronic formats.

Visit www.literatorspublishing.com for more information.
