

### Secret organization in Haridwar

Prashant Shukla

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Prashant Shukla

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Chapter 1

He was shouting. He was dreaming. He was shouting in his dream. His body was in pains. Real as well as imaginary. He was trying hard to move his legs, run; his hands were trying frantically to defend himself from blows and to some how manage to get free from the stranglehold of his captors. But alas! He was not at all able to do anything and his captors were holding him in their vice like grip and taking him where he did not want to go.No.....I don't want to go......NO......He woke up drenched in sweat. His T-shirt was soaked in sweat and he was feeling cold. Unnatural cold as the temperature was showing 25 degrees at the panel of his AC and outside it would have been not less than 38 degrees even though it was around midnight. But midnight in last week of May in Delhi is always this hot but he was feeling cold. He was Amit Sharma, IIT and IIM graduate who was working with a multi national company but the important thing is he was working....as he is not in any condition to go o office. He is constantly under delusion that he being stalked and his life is in danger. He has nightmares and is currently under going treatment with a well know psychologist of the city. Few months back Amit was a regular guy earning more than he would require for next two lives. He was genius of sorts and had made big leaps in the corporate world. He was South East Asia Head of the company and had every thing which a guy of 30 years would want from life. Except he was lonely. He had friends and girl friends. He used to part in weekends like others of his age but even in those parties he always felt lonely. There was something missing in his life. And he craved for it. He never was introvert type but the feeling of loneliness never left him since he started growing up. Not that he was brought up in a single child family. Actually he was brought up in a joint family in Varanasi, holiest of cities and had a very good childhood. But then in his heart he was very lonely. He always wanted to find out why but would never get any answers. He was very fond of sitting at ghats of Ganga for hours alone if would get chance which he seldom got as he was constantly surrounded by his brother and cousins. In reality he never got to sit alone on any ghats all of 30 years of his existence on Earth.

Now he was sitting alone in his flat at midnight and feeling nothing exalting as he thought he would be while sitting at ghats of Ganga. He was feeling fear. Fear of being hunted. Hunted by a force so strong that his powerful family would also be rendered useless. He was now feeling like a rabbit pursued by a dog...no by pack of dogs, all hungry and lusting after his blood. He had very powerful reason to be afraid of these forces even though his psychiatrist and also his personal detective have time and again told him that he has nothing to fear. But he never actually believed them as his own subconscious has been telling him that there are reasons to be afraid of. He did not try to sleep again but started writing down what he remembered from his dream as was told by Dr. Singh his psychiatrist. He kept his dream book since he started going for treatment to Dr. Singh as the good doctor insisted on he jotting down every bit of information so that he can be told by the good doctor that there is nothing to be feared. Every bit, every detail he has written down has convinced Dr. Singh that Amit was suffering from post traumatic problems. The problems which started after his miraculous return, his return from death. His detective, Narendra Parmar, was also convinced that there was no danger to his life. He was even more convinced than Dr. Singh as he never saw anyone stalking Amit or being suspiciously moving around his house or office. Even after two months, now trusted friends of his, Dr. Singh and Narendra did not offer him solace he so desperately wants from them.What happened two months ago? It is more than two months, two months and 6 days precisely. He came back from dead. For, he was all, left as dead by his family and friends when his car was found washed up at a bank of Ganga near Haridwar more exactly three months and 21 days before is miraculous return. He was gone for 45 days. Gone without a trace. His car washed up at the bank and the all his belongings were in it without any hint of Amit. It was as if he was not even in the car when it fell some where in the Great river.

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Chapter 2

Two months and six days back Amit regained consciousness in a hospital in Haridwar. He woke up with a sharp pain in his arm. When he opened his eyes he found himself in a hospital bed wearing a patient uniform and a nurse has just injected him with something. "So you have finally risen from your sleep?" Asked the nurse smilingly. "Where am I?" Asked Amit, his arm still given him minor pain. Suddenly he realized he was in a hospital which is not usual for him. He also realized that his whole body is feeling exhausted if not pained. "You are in a hospital in Haridwar." Answer the nurse. "How did I arrive here?" Trying to sit on the bed. "You don't remember?" Seeing his face she could tell he was sincere in his question. "You really do not remember?" Now it was the nurse's turn to be astonished. "I do not remember." After a brief moment he again asked "What is the date?" "19th March 2012." Was the reply. "What?" Amit froze. His face became unrecognizable. The nurse thought he had a fit. She rushed out of the room to call the doctor on duty. She came in with the doctor where they found Amit out of his bed trying to go near the calendar which was hung at far side of the wall. "You can lie down on your bed young man." Said an old but good natured doctor. And he put Amit on the bed with some resistance from the patient.

"I just anted to see the date" innocently said Amit. "I think I have told you today's date Mr." came the nurse's reply "Is there a problem young man?" doctor asked suddenly troubled by a thought that the new comer may not be at best of his own faculties. "Yes doctor. The problem is that yesterday when I crossed Haridwar it was 3rd February and the nurse is telling that instead of 4th of February its 19th of March. I am at least happy that it is 2012 and not some other year in the future other wise I would have missed 21/12/2012 which I am curiously waiting to arrive." Sincerely answered Amit "Well Mr. Amit Sharma it is 19th of March and the nurse here is correct in this regard." Replied the doctor who was nearly 60 years old by his looks. "Can you please bring all the today's news paper"? asked the doctor to the nurse. She promptly went out to bring the daily newspapers so that the new patient can be made to look at the reality.As the nurse went out the doctor had look at the eyes of Amit. "You don't look like under influence of drugs". "I don't do drugs doctor" annoyingly said Amit. Suddenly he remembered something. "How did you know my name?" "It was mentioned in your driver's license and your employee id card" said the doctor. "Oh" seeing his wallet on the table near the bed. The nurse came with assorted new papers of both Hindi and English editions. As Amit took them from her he was afraid to find the date as exactly told by the nurse. "But doctor it cannot be possible" suddenly his face turned to that of pure terror.The old doctor shook him by his shoulders gently and bring him to this present day. "Do you remember how you came here?" "He asked the same question to me doctor" said the nurse before Amit could reply. Doctor looked at the nurse and she finally spoke "You were admitted by some pilgrims who found you on the road to Haridwar" He remembered. He was running, running and shouting "No....No...." Some one was after him and he fell down loosing his consciousness. "Do you remember how you got there on the road?" asked the doctor softly. "Doctor I am not able to remember anything which happened to me the time I was in my car. My car! Where is it doctor? Have they also found my car?" asked Amit in a low but impatient voice. "I don't think they told anything about any car, did they?" asked the doctor turning towards the nurse.

"No doctor, nothing about any car" was her reply. "But there ought to be the car by which I was going up in the mountains" said Amit nearly fighting off the fear which was engulfing him as he had started to feel that someone was after him. "Which car are you talking about?" asked the doctor who was getting nervous about this new patient. He feared he might have lost his memory and would become a burden upon the hospital to track his family. "I was in my car a Tata Safari, black" said Amit absent mindedly. His eyes were seeking something far far away. His mind was racing with the car. He was driving alone in his car. He had crossed Haridwar and was tracing the serpentine road up towards the mountains. He was feeling relaxed and his heart was warming up the vacation he wanted in the woods for so long and was now finally going to enjoy every minute in the solitude. Suddenly a bike coming from the opposite direction came in his view. "Oh God! What the hell?" He swerved to his left to avoid hitting the bike. Doctor was looking intently in his face when he saw the face of the nurse. It had started turning white. "What happened to you" asked the doctor to the nurse. "Have you seen a ghost"?"He is a ghost" She declared, almost shouting and horrified. "What?" Doctor and Amit asked at the same time both surprised. "Doctor he is a ghost" said the nurse now panicking. Her face turning to almost white with fear as if blood has been drained from her by some force. "I am no ghost" said Amit. His voice also showing signs of panic and looking at the doctor for reassurance. Doctor looked at the nurse and the Amit. He was sure about the ability of his nurse and he had seen at situations working tirelessly and fearlessly when even his capacity had sometimes failed him. He knew she was not someone to be frightened easily. Then why was she afraid and what was the reason?

"Doctor, have you forgotten the wrecked Tata Safari they fished out of the river sometimes back?" asked the nurse, her face still white with fear. Doctor tried hard to remember and then it flashed. Yes there was a wreck of a car fished out of the river sometimes back and it had really been astonishing as no body was ever found, not even after days of searching. And there had been people searching for the body who had come from distant place and the locals believed that they were the relatives of the person driving the car. They were very well connected as not only they brought their own men to search but the administration was also taking interest in the matter. The driver of the car, thought to be deceased at that time was the son of a well known political family of Varanasi and was working in a company which had offices all over the world. Due to these reasons there had been many theories circulated in the daily news papers local as well as national. People were putting forward different types of stories about the person. He was killed by rival family or by someone who wanted to settle score with his family. Or he committed suicide as he had an affair with such and such. Or the girl with whom he had an affair or her family members had him killed. All kind of nonsense people could think off in a small town was going rounds and had also found favors with the daily news papers as well as the news channels.

"Did you had an accident" asked the concerned doctor. He was sure that the person was very much alive even though he may be the same man who went missing and after few days everyone forgot about him except his family members who may be waiting in hope of his return. The news hounds got something better to talk about so they moved on or they themselves got bored about splitting every minute aspect of his life and trying to create a monster out of him as they had tried. Now the doctor clearly remembered the talk shows trying to make some sort of an introvert sociopath which he disgusted as during his long service in medical field he never came across a single man who can be dubbed as one. "It seems so doctor. But even then how can you explain me missing so many days of my life?" asked Amit with serious concern. Doctor himself was trying to resolve this mystery but he new he was not good at anything mysterious. He told the nurse to go and check the pulse and temperature of Amit. She reluctantly started to move in his direction very slowly and cautiously which seen by the doctor was asked to hurry up. His mind was trying to thing about someone who might help this miserable person now lying on the bed of the hospital where he worked.

"I don't think he is a ghost nurse and even if he is one then also it is your duty to give him all the care you can give him." Said the doctor very impatiently. Nurse looked at him not knowing whether he was joking or out of his mind as she was sure that he cannot be serious. The look on the face of the doctor made her hurry up things. She took the wrist of Amit in her hand and against her fears it felt very human to her touch. She was relieved but even then she had her apprehensions. His pulse was normal and the temperature was also normal. Nothing was looking out of context and this had her worried again as under such circumstances it would be normal to have high pulse rate!

"Do you remember anything about the mishap" asked the doctor again. "None" was the short reply by Amit. Then his eyes suddenly lit up. "My family does not know I am here. I want to call them. Where is my cell phone?" He looked around him in search of his cell phone which was not there. "You had just your wallet on you when you were brought here" said the nurse now feeling secure enough to give a faint smile to Amit."Then it must be lost some how" said Amit trying to figure phone was stolen or it just went missing as the days from his live are missing. "May be when you had that accident it must have fell some where. Do you know the number where you want to call?" asked the doctor? "Yes. Do you think I would forget the phone numbers of my family members? Doctor I don't know if you know me but I seldom forget numbers even though I may or may not remember the names or faces." "Then you must be good at Mathematics?" said the doctor smilingly Good then most of them out there doctor as I did not became part of coaching brigade while I cleared IIT entrance." Said Amit with pride in his eyes which doctor thought may be of a self centered egoist but he let this idea pass off quickly as the person sitting on the bed till now does not showed any hint of being a egoist and therefore he did not have to think like that off him. Doctor gave Amit his cell phone and asked to call his family and tell them he is safe and in a hospital in Haridwar.

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Chapter 3

Amit was sitting on his bed after writing about the dream he had just now. He was feeling eerily cold and that feeling had not gone even though it had been nearly an hour since he was awake. He was trying to remember if anything he had missed about his dream which he had not written down. But now after an hour most of the facts from tonight's dream have receded from his waking memory. He wanted to talk to some one but was not able to make his mind to whom to place a call. Ever since his return from the dead everybody in his circle have took care of him and his family was against his living alone in Delhi. His mother wanted to come to stay with him which he somehow managed to stall. He wanted this mystery to resolve and till then he did not wanted to put anyone in danger. He could have placed call to dozen of people and they would not had been angry with but would have pleasantly talked to him even at this ungodly hour in the night. This he was sure of but the thing he was not sure was to whom to call. He knew it was so much late that it was very early. He did not want to disturb anyone so much as did not want to alarm that person. Every one around him had been nervously living, even sensing the danger and fear he was living in. No body told him how they were afraid about him but the looks in their eyes or the change of tone in their voice was enough to tell him how much they also wanted him to live normally as he used to before he went to that fateful vacation.

After too much deliberation he cancelled every of his friends, girl friends and lovers knowing well that anyone from the last two groups would be thrilled to talk to him. It was not that his friends would hate him to call at this hour but they would not been thrilled like the members of last two groups. He could come up with only two persons to talk to one was his younger brother and the other a distant relative from his mother's side. He knew he could call his brother anytime and he would be there like a rock for him as they both have been for each other all their lives. But this second person was a very recent addition in his life. Amit had known him since his childhood but had always hated his manners and politics. But now he knew there is a bond developed between them since his return even though he was totally confused how such a thing could happen. After all he had hated the man all his life and the man had known Amit's feeling about him very well. Even then the bond had grew stronger by each passing day and he had become second most important person in Amit's life after his own brother. Was it fate or just pure coincidence he could not fathom but he was very much sure about the strength of his relationship with this man. He decided to place a call to this man as he knew that his bother would be alone at this hour of night and he thought that it would be better not to disturb him. He dialed a number which was personal and secret. Very few people in the country had such numbers. He always wondered how such number could come in the possession of a person who was dubbed public enemy by most of the left wing thinkers even though they thought him as a mere nuisance than anything more.

"Are you ok son?" asked the man who had a strong voice. "Yes mama ji I am fine" answered Amit as politely as he could. His voice was sincere and he was genuinely polite to his mama ji. This was not the case few months back. He used to hate this man's guts and would always try to tell him how much he liked him but not even acknowledging his presence when they came face to face. "I had a dream and was not able to sleep again..."

"Its good that you called me." Said mama ji. "Actually I have disturbed you and I am sorry for that but you know I can seek your help as no one is able to do so" Said Amit almost feeling guilty of calling him at this hour. "You should not feel guilty about calling your own mama" said the man laughingly. "What did you dreamt about son?" he asked with concern. "The same, usual stuff. Someone was trying to take me away and I was trying to fight him." Said Amit feeling afraid all of a sudden. "Did you win this time?" his voice was low but reassuring. "No. They were able to take me". "Where? Did you see the place son?" his voice was now really concerned. "No but they threw me against my will and then I woke up." Was all he could say. He was not hiding anything from him and even though he had tried to see the faces of his captures as told by Dr. Singh he was not able to do so. All he could remember was that they were trying to take him somewhere and he was not willing to go with them. "I think there is nothing to worry about son. Were you able to see who they were?" "No I was not able to see their faces. Dr. Singh also had told me to try and look at their face so that I may be able to recall at least one of them and then he may be able to deduce where I was when I was missing" said Amit slowly

"Do not get disheartened my boy. I have told you that I will personally help you to solve this mystery. Have faith in me my dear." His voice was clear and Amit felt his fear somehow going away. He had this feeling of being safe with mama ji since his return. And he was very much puzzled about this feeling. How could he feel safe around a person whom he had hated all his life. And how could such a person give only love to him even though he knew that he was hated by Amit? Such possibility never existed in the world Amit lived. Love and respect was given only to some who reciprocated and not to the one who gave hatred instead of love. Second puzzle for Amit was that how could mama ji who has so much hatred in his heart for almost every thing and every one could be able to give love? Is it not unnatural? May be or may be not. Now is not the tight time to solve the puzzles of mama ji's behaviour. Right now he has to solve mystery of his life or one can say life after his death. He had been thought to be dead by everyone in his family except mama ji when his car was taken out of the river but his body not found. He was told by every family member he met after his return that when mama ji heard the news of his disappearance he was shocked but not worried. He just said nothing will happen to Amit. And he was sure of it as he was sure about he being alive. Sometimes Amit felt ashamed about his behaviour towards mama ji before. But how could he know. He just reacted towards him as a normal person would have reacted. And this was also told to him by mama ji himself few times after his return when he was more guilt ridden than normally he is around him.

Thinking about things he could not comprehend his mind drifted away and he fell asleep. Amit woke up hearing the door bell. He jumped up when he saw the sun has gone too far up in the sky. He must have slept for very long than usual. As he went to answer the bell (it must be the maid to clean the house) he felt slight headache. Through the eye hole he saw that it was really the maid as it was eight in the morning, the usual time when the maid arrived. He checked his cell phone. No calls or messages. People do not bother him till ten in the morning when every body starts calling up at the same time. His psychiatrist has become his personal doctor and the detective his friend. He meets his psychiatrist and detective every day. At about ten he would start from his flat in Dwarka to reach his doctor's office in Safdarjung. It is not more than 30 minutes drive but do to rush hours he usually manages to get there by 11:30 A.M. Narendra has his office near by so Amit either meets him in his office first and then go to the doctor's or he calls Narendra to the doctor's. Amit likes to meet both his close friends as he calls them together. Even Dr. Singh likes to have Narendra during his sessions with Amit so that he may arrive at some point so as to remove the fear from his mind that he is being followed by people having sinister designs.

Amit got ready in half an hour and then had his breakfast to milk and bread. All along he was thinking about the things he has been thinking since he opened his eyes in the hospital bed in Haridwar. Where was he those 45 days? Why was he not able to recall anything about the accident or about those days? Where did he spend those days? Since then he always remembered something about where he had spent those days but has not spoken about it to any one. Not even to his doctor friend. But as the brutality of his dreams is increasing and they are getting vivid he plans to tell Dr. Singh about things he remembered about the place where he had been. He was very much sure that the doctor would be skeptic about his memory. He would tell him that it is again his mind playing tricks and it is only his mind making things so as to heal those things which he chose not to remember. Amit was late to his appointment with his doctor. It was nearly noon when he entered the lobby of the building where the office of Dr. Singh was situated. The doctor was doing well to have an office in such a locality. When he first came to meet Dr. Singh and saw the building he thought that he came to a wrong address. But since then he has been sure about two things: People in Delhi in general are getting crazy and that Dr. Singh is very good at what he does. Only problem with Dr. Singh is that he is taking Amit as his regular crazy types which he is again sure that he is not. He is just not able to remember few days of his life. Just that and nothing more. And he is also sure that there are people involved in his memory loss and that they are hell bent to remove Amit from the picture completely.

As he entered the doctor's office he was greeted by the smiling skeleton. The personal assistant of Dr. Singh is a young girl but Amit thinks she is a skeleton. Also Amit thinks that she is in more need of the doctor's help that he has. She is wafer thin and really puts her mind hard at keeping herself as bony as she could. Amit sometimes has to wait for other patients to come out when he is late for his appointment and during those times he has develop good relationship with this skeleton. "How is my good skeleton feeling?" Asked Amit smilingly. "As usual" said Nisha. This was the name of the skeleton. "Which is?" asked Amit innocently but his eyes were giving hint of mischief.

"Bored and frustrated" replied Nisha. "Why so" again smiling and thinking that who ever is in should come out as soon as possible as he wants to tell the doctor things he had been hiding from him. "Bored because you will are the only charming person coming today and you will be going in very soon and frustrated because even after so much efforts I have increase in my weight" said Nisha. "How much did you gain?" Amit was happy to learn that he was due in next. "400 g". "What" He was amazed as how much she is hurting herself by reducing and keeping her weight at that level. She was good 5 ft 2 in and her weight was 35 kgs! "You need a psychiatrist" said Amit rolling his eyes. Well Sir! If you do not I know I work as personal assistant of a well known psychiatrist and I can assure you that I do not need one. "When am I due in?" Amit asked getting impatient

"You can go right in. I was just trying to flirt with you." Said Nisha and giving him a wave to go in. "Nice of you to tell me so soon" He said smiling and opened the door.

Inside he found Narendra sitting with Dr. Singh. "Where have you been? We were getting worried" asked Narendra. "Worried or feeling relieved?" Amit with a mischievous smile. "Why relieved?" asked Narendra with mock wonder "Having being able to get rid of me?" said Amit innocently. "Do you think we are such heartless people that we do not have any care about our families?" said Narendra with mock anger. All the three started laughing. Having been seated Amit looked at Dr. Singh. A tall man, he had a good physique even at his age. He must be around 65 but walks tall and most probably frequents the gym. "So...? Any progress?" asked the doctor. "I had the dream again" said Amit. "When?" asked Narendra. "Just when I was about to open the door of this room! When do you expect me to have a dream? It was at night." Said Amit with mock annoyance "Ok Ok I got the point." Narendra said defensively. Dr. Singh was keenly watching the face of his patient. His face was telling him that something was amiss but he did not venture himself as it would be best that the thing should come out first from the side of the patient. "I want to tell you something which I have not discussed till now." Amit said after some thought after he saw that the doctor was studying his face rather than being involved in playing with the group.

Dr. Singh and Narendra shared a knowing glance. "What" asked Amit "Are you hatching a conspiracy?" "Nothing of such sorts but we both agreed that you have something hidden which we were speculating upon." Said the doctor "And what according to you is that?" asked Amit with some annoyance. "Why are you annoyed?" asked the doctor. "I am not annoyed" said Amit in little bitter tone. "But dear boy your tone tells us that you are very annoyed with something or someone" said the doctor seriously. Narendra again felt that the session has started to get serious and he even though was invited by Amit in all the sessions against the wishes of the doctor had good sense not to interfere in any serious talks between the doctor and patient. There was a long silence during which Amit kept fiddling with his hands anxiously and the doctor just studying his mannerism and keenly looking at his face. He never took his eyes off Amit while noting his hands at work. Doctor wanted Amit to come out first because as he and Narendra had discussed privately Amit had guilty conscious and it was because of it he was suffer from paranoia and was hiding some very terrible truth. Doctor in his heart did not believe a word what Amit said to him every day about those dreams and being followed by someone. He was very sure that the some one which Amit feared following him is already dead either killed by Amit accidentally or in cold blood. He was also sure that one day Amit would come up with some tale which would describe the place where that terrible thing happened and then he hoped that Narendra would help in finding the place and solving a crime thus releasing Amit of his guilty conscious. He knew involving Narendra would be not ethical but other than this there was nothing he can do apart from going to the police which would be the breach of doctor-patient confidentiality.

After about ten minutes of thinking and making his hands move Amit finally said "I always had been able to see someone and few things in the background in some of my dreams." Bingo thought the doctor and Narendra at the same time and their eyes met briefly. The doctor is really good than he is given due thought Narendra. He had hit the bulls eyes fortnight ago when they were discussing Amit and his dreams and paranoia in one of the sessions when he was late. This is going o be interesting was the thought going in the minds of both the doctor and the detective. Whom did he murder? His girl friend or boyfriend? Jealousy or some other guilt drove him to madness? Where has he hidden the body? Or was it an accident involving someone totally unknown during that vacation trip during which he panicked? These sort of questions were coming in the minds of both Dr. Singh and Narendra. They were in for a big surprise. They were thinking they had cracked the case and would be able to free Amit of his guilty conscious and then tell the laws take their own course. But they were never anywhere near the truth. This case would test not only their believes but also their sanity. Unaware of such thoughts in minds of both the person whom he grew to trust he was trying to find words through which he can tell them what he wanted to say. It was going to be difficult for both of them but it has to be done now to retain his sanity and to seek help of Narendra in this matter. Where should he begin? Should he tell the truth or hide something for now? After some thought he decided to tell the whole truth and he looked up. Dr. Singh was looking at the face of his patient and when he saw him lifting his face the look in his eyes told him that he was ready to fight his guilt and tell the whole truth. One was ready to tell the truth and the other was ready to receive it but for both of them the truth was different. And both of them were wrong for considering it the truth. Truth was far much deeper than even Amit could comprehend. And this was the reason why he was not able to get a grip on it. And this was the reason why they had to suppress his memory.

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Chapter 4

With the doctor's cell phone in his hands Amit dialed the number with the STD code of Varanasi. It would be picked by his mother, aunts or cousins. "Hello" said the voice. Had he dialed the wrong number? The voice was week and he was not able to put a face to that voice. "Hello" the voice came again. It was week and had pain in it. He was wondering who it can be. "Who is it" said it. Oh my God it is my father but what happened to him. Why is he sounding so week. Is he all right? "Papa it's me Amit." There was complete silence at the other side. He thought the connection had gone dead. He looked at the cell phone but it showed the line was well connected. "Papa it's me Amit" he again said. Suddenly he could hear only heavy breathing and then came rush of sounds which were cries from the other side. Finally the voice said "It's really you my son?" He also chocked feeling that it was his father who was crying. All the agonies of his disappearance were being washed away with those tears. He concluded that it was his disappearance what caused his father's voice to become so weak. He replied with chocked voice. "Yes papa it is really me." Tears started rolling down his face.

After half an hour when the doctor returned he found Amit busy laughing in the phone. Amit had asked for the doctor's number and given that at his home. They had dialed in his phone. He gave his phone to Amit and went for the rounds. This particular patient has taken most of the time this morning and he was very much late for his usual rounds. As he came back from his rounds he saw Amit laughing. He was happy that this has ended happily after a very bad beginning. But the doctor was in for a big surprise which would eventually lead him to ask his elder brother, a psychiatrist in Delhi, to help this patient. That would change the life of his elder brother for ever, he was not aware of. On seeing the doctor Amit said something slowly in the cell phone and ended the conversation. "Thank you doctor. Today I came to know how deeply they all love me and how badly they missed me. Do you know they took me as dead?" said Amit with tears all over his face. The tears were of joy, of being found to be alive and being loved. On seeing his face the doctor insistently liked Amit. Here is a good man who loves his family and is loved by them thought the good doctor. "I am happy for you young man. I hope that you remember where have you been and how you ended on the road to be found by the pilgrims?" asked the doctor Face of his patient twisted in agony. "I have not been able to remember anything since I crossed Haridwar." Was his answer. There was so much sincerity in his voice and innocence in his face that the doctor understood that the young man lying on the bed of the hospital was telling the truth and he genuinely wanted to know what happened to him. At that moment he thought that he would get a chance he would help this young man. He did not know that he would be getting that opportunity very soon.

Next two days were uneventful for Amit. He just waited for his someone to come and take him home. He was taken good care of in the hospital and there had nothing to worry. All he did was to rest while taking medicines given by the nurse. On the third day his father and brother arrived and took him home back Varanasi. For the next week he was kept busy by visiting family members and friends. All he could answer for various questions was that he could remember anything happened to him during the period he went missing. Sincerity of his answer was enough for them to believe him. Then he came back to Delhi to join his job. His family was against him being staying alone in Delhi as they were worried for his safety. But they could not do anything else than to bow down to his wishes. He was stubborn and they knew he would not allow them to tag him. On the first day back in the office he was given a grand welcome where almost every one in the office was present. It was a sort of party which he never expected from his colleagues. He was nearly in tears on finding them so much happy on his safe return. He returned home at around 10 in the night to find his brother, Ashok, in his living room watching TV. "What the hell are you doing here?" he was happy to find him but was worried that there may be others also who came along with him and he was not in the mood to humor them at this hour of the night. "Just came to see if you are all right". He lived in nearby Noida and had keys to his apartment. "Hope you are alone" asked Amit eyeing the room half expecting others jumping out of shadows to surprise him. And how much would he hate such surprise even though he would not be able to say so. "Yes I am very much alone. You wanted someone else to come along?" Said he mischievously. "No way. I am totally exhausted and would not like anyone to intrude my life right now." Said Amit putting his bag on to the table. "Had dinner or you want me to order something?" "No I came here after have my stomach full as I knew they were giving a party in the office on your return" smilingly. "You brought these?" asking his brother the question even after he knew that it could only be him as he did not had time to fill in the fridge eying the beer bottles. "Yes, I thought you would be thirsty" again smiled. "Do you want something?" Amit sensed that his brother want to tell him or ask something. "Yes" answered quickly Amit did not wait for any more words and went in the bed room to change after a quick bath. When he came out to the living room his brother was glued to the television watching some talk show. He went near as volume was down to hear what they were talking about. Before able to hear anything he saw a scroll flashing. "give you view at this number" "What are they asking about?" asked Amit thinking that it must be again some unnecessary question put to viewers about some unnecessary thing. "You do not know?" surprise was written on his brother's face. "How could I know? I just came in now!" was his reply. They gone to a small break and advertisements where playing on the screen. "If you ask me these people should be hanged publicly, how can they turn a private grief into a spectacle?" his brother was furious. "What happened? Why are you so agitated?" Amit was surprised by his brother's out burst. "They have asked the viewers to give their opinion on where you were those 45 days!" his brother said getting angrier by the minute. "What?" It was now his turn to raise his voice. "There you go! You do not have any idea how these people turned the whole thing into a circus. They just are unrelenting. I had to persuade them to slow down on their witch hunt they were conducting since you disappeared." Said Ashok seriously. "Persuade!" He did not want to imagine how Ashok was able to persuade these guys but he knew it would have been any where near being a polite request. He knew his brother can be quite persuasive if he want to be. "What did they do?" asked a surprised Amit putting the television off. "Hey hey what are you doing?" Ashok getting worked up. "It is not nice for children to watch TV at this hour. It is not a good habit." Said Amit smilingly. "But I wanted to know the views" Ashok said with all the sincerity he could muster in his voice. "So that you can hurl abuses at them? What will happen? Would they be able to hear you?" asked Amit getting annoyed. He knew Ashok actually loves to watch such useless talk shows and then hurl abuses at the television to frustration off his chest. But now he did not want to his brother to get all pumped up. All he wanted was a quiet chat before they went off to sleep, if it was possible. Ashok looked at Amit with pleading eyes. Amit knew he had to distract him from the views of the talk show guys so he asked him the reason he was here. "I came here to ask you the same question" replied his brother. "Which is what?" questioned Amit. "Where had you been all those days?" was the question Ashok dreaded he had to ask his brother. "I have told this many times, I do not remember" replied Amit with some annoyance in his voice. He had started to feel that it would have been better off that he would have allowed his brother to the television instead of questioning him. But this had to be done with as he could not run from Ashok for ever. He had to be made to look at his memory loss as truth. "And how do you suppose that I should take that for an answer?" quizzed Ashok. "As truth" replied Amit. "And why is that so? It is such a lame excuse" said an amused Ashok "This is what you think it is? A lame excuse?" queried Amit. "Yes it a lame excuse! How can I believe that of all persons you have a memory loss? "You never ever forget anything in your life and now you just forgot where you have been for past 45 days. How convenient?" sarcastically replied. "There is no reason to be sarcastic here. I think you of all people should believe me." Said Amit with emphasis. "But you have not given me any reason to believe you. Have you? You just went out that day messaging me that you would be out for some days. You did not even bothered to call or tell me in detail where were you going. And what we get to after two days? Your favorite car being fished out from the river and no trace of you in it. " replied Ashok with sadness in his voice. "So that is the reason" Quipped Amit. "What reason" annoyance of in his eyes. "That I went for a vacation with you or not even telling you. You are just jealous that I might had fun without you." Said Amit with twinkle in his eyes. "As much I know you, you do not have it in you to have fun without even telling me." "Then why do you accuse me of such thing?" "I am not accusing you. I am worried that something might had happened to you without anyone of us ever knowing about it. And that is what we thought for so many days that you were all gone and would not return" sadness in his eyes was very much there for Amit to see. He was getting sucked in the conversation which he dreaded that he would have to regret sooner than later. He obviously had no idea where had he been for so many days but for now he was happy to be back and also enjoying a little attention which he got from all. "Look my dear brother, nothing happened to me and I am safely with you all now." Said Amit forcing a smile on his face. "But where were you going?" enquired Ashok. "For a quiet vacation. I wanted to be out to a place where there was no one to disturb me" his eyes vacant in a distance. "So you staged you own accident" mocked his bother. "There is no way that I would have deliberately put my favorite car into the river. Do you think I would do that?" was answer to his brother. "I can really believe that you would not have done that thing to you precious car." "Then why do not you believe me?" there was anger in his voice. "Because I am not able to comprehend that you of all people can forget some thing" was an honest statement from his brother. He was having trouble to digest the fact that his big brother forgot something. "But I really did forgot it." Said a smiling Amit. How Ashok hated Amit when he flashed one of his smile always thinking that he would get what he want just by a smile. There was some significance in it as Amit was always able to get his way by flashing his smile. "You really do not remember anything about those days?" sounding worried for the first time. "Do you think I would lie to you?" innocently asked Amit. "No you will never lie to me that I am sure of." Was his brother's reply. "Then why you doubt me?" "I do not know" "If the interrogation is over then I would like to sleep. It had been a busy day for me in the office." Said Amit standing up and going towards his bed room. "Ok you go I will watch some more rubbish on the television and then would go to sleep" "Ok, but do not spend the whole night abusing those guys on TV." "Ok good night" Ashok woke up suddenly on the sofa he fell asleep while watching the TV. He thought he heard Amit shouting. Then hearing nothing he thought he must have dreamt about it. He switched of the television and started to go towards another room to get some rest then he heard it again. "No...I don't....No.." Ashok rushed to his brother's room which was at least not bolted from inside. He saw his brother trying to fend himself from something or someone invisible. He switched on the light and shook Amit. He opened his eyes and watched intensely around him. "You are in your bed room bro." told Ashok. "Take this water" Ashok brought a bottle of water for him. Amit was sweating and was dazed to find Ashok besides him even though he was relieved to find his brother at this time. "Do you want to tell me something now" asked Ashok after handing a bottle of beer to Amit. "I do not know where to begin?" said Amit after taking two sips from the bottle. Ashok waited for Amit to calm down and sat besides him. He let Amit take his time to gather his thoughts. "I have been having nightmares" "I don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to detect that" said Ashok. "I feel like someone is stalking me, someone who wants me to keep quiet. They want to take me away in my dreams but I somehow escape them." "Who are they?" inquired Ashok. "I don't know. I never see their faces.". "Since when did you start having these dreams?" questioned Ashok. "Since I came back" said Amit innocently. "That also I know but specifically when?" asked Ashok with probing eyes on his brother's face. "It first started when I was in Varanasi". "Ok. Anything you can tell me about those dreams? Who they are or why they want you to take with them" "No. I have no idea why I keep dreaming the same dream." "You need help" said Ashok concluding the conversation "Sleep tight and we will talk about this in the morning." He switched off the light and went to sleep while emptying the bottle in one large gulp. He came to here to find something which was worrying him and he was glad he did came. Since his return his brother had vacant eyes even though he tried to behave normally in front of others. But Ashok had seen something frightening in his eyes and knew he should confront him alone. Now what he needed was professional help and he knew exactly whom to call. In the morning Ashok dialed a number given to him by the doctor in Haridwar hospital. He had said specifically that he should keep this number as he is sure that Amit would need professional help sooner or later. He was very keen to help him and therefore was giving Ashok phone number of his elder brother who worked a psychologist in Delhi. He wanted Ashok to take Amit to his brother if and when he needed. "Hello" asked a deep voice. "Is it Dr. Singh" inquired Ashok. "If you have dialed DR. Singh's number then it must be him. May I know who is calling and how you got my number?" asked the voice. "I am Ashok Sharma and your number was given to me by your brother in Haridwar" replied Ashok. "Oh ho! Mr. Ashok, brother of Amit Sharma, I presume." Said the voice which had cheered up. "Yes doctor" "How can I help you?" "I want you to help my brother" Ashok explained everything to the doctor. "You can come at my office around 11 this morning. Please note down the address" The doctor gave Ashok the address of his office. Now is the time to tell Amit about this. He feared Amit may put up some resistance in seeking help from a psychiatrist. But he knew he had to take him to the doctor to help him. "Would you like to get up?" Ashok said while entering the room of Amit. "I am already awake and would like to lye down as I am having a mild headache" his eyes were slightly red and swollen. "You did not sleep well? Did you?" "No" "Get up and get ready, we are going to get help for you" "Help? Now only a doctor who treats mad man would be able to help me" "That doctor is called psychiatrist and that where we are going" Ashok was stunned to here that Amit was also thinking on same lines. He took it as good signs as there would not be any resistance from his brother in seeking psychiatric help. "And you a psychiatrist just by yourself?" asked Amit "or did you looked at yellow pages?" "I would had preferred and online search." Said Ashok with mock frustration "No I did not look up in any book or internet and I did not know him all by myself. The doctor at the Haridwar hospital gave this number to me." Ashok said looking in his brother's eyes. He wanted to shout at him for going all alone to his vacation which was the reason he was having the problems. "That doctor gave you number of a psychiatrist? That sounds puzzling. This psychiatrist must be his brother I suppose." "How do you know? This doctor in Delhi is the elder brother of the doctor in Haridwar. He had told me that while observing you and seeing your condition he had concluded that you may require help from a psychiatrist." "Wow! I think I have developed ESP. I just told you two things which you wanted to tell me. I really need a psychiatrist. Lets go and see the doctor. May be he can cheer me up." "And I would like to you to meet someone else." "Who?" "Someone I trust and I hope he would be able to keep track of things around you" "He! I hoped a she instead of he" "You would but right I don not think you should fool around" said Ashok. "I thought I was the serious type in the family" said Amit jokingly. "Yes you are still and for now I would like you to be more serious than ever." "Ok boss what ever you say. I think you know what you are doing." "Lets hope every thing turns out right" "Yeah me too" said Amit with all the hope he could muster. They reached the address given by the doctor to Ashok five minutes before. Amit on looking where they had reached said "I think that doctor played a joke on you. No way that you can find a doctor's clinic in here. Any office here would be of some high flying finance guy or a lawyer" Ashok was also having his doubts. It was an area which would be better of for a financial business office than a clinic of a psychiatrist but then who may know this doctor may be doing very well in terms of patients. And after all people now are not too much afraid to take help of a psychiatrist for metal problems. "Let us go and find out if he is for true." "After you" said Amit. He was hoping that they would not find the address given by the doctor. He did not wanted to come here but also did not want to start an argument with his brother so he came as he knew that Ashok would bring him here even he had to practically carry him on his shoulders. On the second floor they found the name of the doctor. "So this is the right address" In there they were greeted by smiling Nisha and were shown the door of the doctor's chamber. Dr. Singh talked about things and said he would like Amit to come the next day alone. Then he would think what should be done in this matter. They paid the fee and went out. Then Ashok parked his car in front of another building and asked Amit to come along. They stood in front of a door that proclaimed to be an office of private detective. "Private detective?" asked Amit amusingly. "Yes I want you to take his help. See what he can unearth" "You are really serious about this aren't you?" asked Amit. "Yes I want you to be free from what ever is troubling you soon as possible" They enter the office to find just a table and four plastic chairs in the room. The walls were without any hangings or photographs. It felt that there was not much work for the person who had this place. A tall fellow came in along with them in the room. "How are you my boy" said the person looking directly at Ashok. "Hahaha. I hoped to find you in your chair" said Ashok. "Well as you can see there is not much work here so I tend not to sit here." Said the man. "So what brings you here?" "This is my elder brother Amit" They shook hands. Amit felt pain while grasping the hand of the man. He was nearing forty by looks and was well built. "I think I can guess what I have to do" said the man introduced as Narendra Parmar by his brother. "Have been hearing a lot of your episode lately" "Not my fault" said Amit defensively "Yes but media is trying to make it like you are guilty of something" said Narendra laughingly. "And what is you take on this?" asked Ashok while sitting on one of the chairs. "I don not have any opinion on it. Most of the time media is trying to sensationalize things which are not appropriate. And there are people who know how to handle media and many a times they play it right and get unwanted sympathy by using media for themselves. " said Narendra Amit thought he is going to like this man. He spoke from his heart which is a bad thing to do in the business he was in and that may be the reason he was not doing well. "Tell me how can I help you?" asked the detective looking towards Amit. "I don't know. It was Ashok who brought me here" "So Ashok you tell what you expect me to do in this case" "Actually I wanted your opinion" "My opinion would not matter much right know. The do not know any facts but what I gather from the rubbish they have been doling out since you disappeared is that" said Narendra looking at Amit "you are in big trouble" "And that is why we are here" said Ashok. "I know that but what do you want me to do? Keep Amit out of trouble or solve the case? Because solving the case may unearth something which ought to be kept hidden, from your brother's point of view." Said the detective "I know what you are getting at" said Amit "But be assured I do not have any thing to hide. I am sure of it as I am sure that I am sitting here." "Means you remember where you have been all those days when you were missing?" asked Narendra "No and that is the real problem" answered Amit. "Yes it is the only problem as far as I can see". There was a brief pause as every one sitting there was having his own thoughts on the matter in hand. Then Ashok said "We have started looking for help and you are not the first person we have been to" "Really? Whom have you met other than me?" "No one from your fraternity I can assure you but we have been to Dr. Singh the psychiatrist" said Ashok. "It seems both of you really want it to be solved" asked Narendra. "Yes sooner the better" said Amit. "I guess I can at least try to help you and then see where do we get in the end. But unlawful activity from your part would not help you if you me to handle this." "I do not think I did any think unlawful ever to be afraid of" said Amit. "We will see" said Narendra and asked Amit to come the next day after meeting with the doctor.

****

Chapter 5

On Sunday after a week Ashok had taken Amit to the psychiatrist and the detective he called Amit. "How are you?" "Fine and have really made friends with the doctor and the detective. I have also persuaded Narendra to sit with me during the sessions with the doctor. Both were furious with the idea but I managed to make them see my point." "Yes I know you can make any one see your point even though there may be none. By the way you sound you are making progress." "I am not making any progress and neither do the doctor or the detective. I just loose money every day to them" "I do not think money is a problem for you. Is it?" "No it is not a problem but it does not mean that I waste it" "My opinion in this regard is different from yours." "Now tell me what do you want?" asked Amit. "Why would I want something from you" said Ashok. "Otherwise you would not have called me on Sunday. I know you are very busy on Saturday and Sunday." "Yes I want you to do something but not for me" "Yes then for whom?" "Somebody wants to meet you" "Who" "well..." "Have you fixed date for me?" "I need not do that for you. It is always you who had been fixing me" "So who is the one who wants to meet me" "Mama ji" There was a long silence at both the ends. "Look he really wishes you well and desperately wants to meet you." "Ashok you know how I feel about him and even then you want me to meet him?" "Yes because he was the only person who was sure that you will return and now he says he can help you solve your problem" "Really"" "Yes. When everyone of us had lost faith and given up every hope of seeing you again he always said that nothing will happen to you and one day you will come back to us." "But you know I do not like him" "It is not about liking him man! He wants to help you even though he knows about your feeling towards him. That is why I am calling to tell that he would be there in say next five minutes and you be ready for him" "What 5 minutes? How can you do this to me?" "Bye" "Wait wait..." Ashok had hung up. Mukesh Gautam that is their mama ji was a distant relative from their mother's side. And as she did not had any brother he used to come on every rakhi where he may in the world. He was a hard core right wing politician who worked his magic behind the scene. He had all kinds of people working for him and had backing of most of the right wing politicians. There was a rumor that it was the politicians required his backing more than he required their's. He had shown it to few small time politicians that this may be the case when they tried to turn on him. But Amit hated him because of his right wing inclinations. He had always something or the other to say for people belonging to other groups, castes and religion. And as Amit has seen by his own experience it is all in the mind of people and there is no difference among them other than the way they pray. The door bell rang and Amit had to answer it reluctantly. He opened the door and he saw mama ji standing there with a box of sweets in his hands. Handing the box to Amit he said "I had it made specifically for you. It is you favorite." He kept the box o the dinning table when mama ji insisted "Open it my boy take a look I had it made for you". He reluctantly opened the box and smiled when he saw the contents. The man he hated not only remembered his favorite sweet but had it made for him. "You like it son?" "Yes" said Amit smilingly "Now bring me a glass of water and then we can sit and talk". Amit brought him water and some snacks. He sat in front of him and look ed at him quizzingly. "What?" "Nothing, just curious to know you are interested in solving my problem." "Why should I not be? You are the son of my sister" "But I have not been any way nice to you. Actually I have hated you." "Yes I know it my son. It is because of the brand of politics I do. And I do not want you to get involved in this. All I want is to help you and I think you need my help." "How can you help me?" "By making you remember where had you been and making you understand the consequences of it. My son you have gotten yourself in the midst of a long battle between good and evil and now I think you do not have any choice but to become a part of it. You may survive the ordeal or you may be lost to it but in either case you do not have any choice. And I really do not know why this is happening to you and if I had the power to stop it I would have done it but even by giving my own life I would not be able to stop it so son would have to be very careful from now on and do what you have to do." "What are you talking about mama ji" asked a curious mama ji. He had doubt that he was not in control of his faculties and lost his mind. "Do you know why you don't remember anything of those days?" trying to be calm and explain him with care. He knew the thing he wanted to tell Amit would come as surprise to him and that he was also not much aware of the working of the people involved even though he was certain that they were very powerful group. Actually the most powerful group ever existed. And he also knew he could not fathom how Amit got messed up in their business. "I do not remember because..." How can one know how one does not remember something thought Amit "I don't remember." "You mean to say you do know or you don't remember?" "I don't know should be the correct answer I guess" replied Amit amusingly. "Well you cannot remember anything which they do not want you to remember." Said mama ji. "Who are they mama ji" He was now beginning to like this scenario. It was like getting in some sort of mystery thing. "They are The mystery." Said mama ji, half shocking Amit to think that mama ji was reading his mind. "Which is?" Amit was beginning to get curious. "The mystery – it is something which is not known" said he with a sad voice. "Then how come you know about it?" said bemused Amit. "I do not know anything about it. I am not that intelligent or lucky to know anything about it. All I have known is that there is a group who is as mysterious as mystery itself and the people of that group are responsible for your loss of memory" "How do you know" "Before I tell you anything else I would like to make sure that what ever I say to you and what ever you learn would remain only with you. You would not discuss it even with Ashok or your psychiatrist friend." This was getting interesting thought Amit. Mama ji was looking as serious as ever and there was no mischief in his face. Amit could feel the sincerity in his face. "I think I can keep a secret or two." Said Amit smiling. "My boy what I am about to tell you is not just some secret. It is The Secret. Till now I was very few of the people alive who knew the existence of it who are outsiders and seeing you in danger I think you should know it. And to be honest with you I also don't know much about the people involved leave alone the secret. Even for me it is secret." Said mama ji with a scared face. What is he talking about? Is this work of some secret society like I read in novels and other books of non fiction? But these are basically religious groups with some hidden agenda to convert every one in the world to their religion or to rule the world. And if mama ji knows something than he should be in the opposite camp as he is a hard core Hindu who would have nothing to do anything remotely linked with any other religious groups. Such were the thoughts running in the mind of Amit. He was looking scared as well as curious with mama ji getting worked up with some powerful people. "Tell me have you seen this anywhere or do you recall seeing this?" mama ji put the paper he took out from his pocket in his hand. Amit unfolded the paper and saw a strange design in it. "What is it?" "Think hard and tell if you can recall seeing this anywhere?" "I don't think so" handing back the paper to mama ji. "Keep the paper with you son. Think over it. May be it will occur to where you saw it then we can wok things out." "Mama ji you do not understand. Even if I had seen this design I do not remember." "Do you know what it is son?" "No I have not the slightest idea" "It is the symbol of power. Any one with this symbol has to be regarded with utmost respect." "Why? What is it?" asked Amit getting curious. "Don't you recognize it?" "It looks familiar of sorts" "Yes it is very familiar. It is the design of the conch" "The conch? But what has it to do with power" "I am not very sure but it is used as the design of the most powerful group ever existed." "I never thought that you were a person who thought secret societies are real mama ji" said Amit with twinkle in his eyes. "Son this is not a matter to be joked around. These people exist and they are very serious in keeping their secret secret." "And you know this as you are also in that secret society and know they want me join them?" asked Amit half amused

"No son as I have already told I am not that much intelligent or lucky enough to be made a part of that group even though I would love to be in the group but I know someone who is very much a part of it. And through I came to know when you had that accident and also that you were safe. But since you returned that person has been missing, either gone into hiding or dead by now. And I am very much afraid that you may be in grave danger" So that is how he was so sure that I would return thought Amit. But what sort of danger can he be in? The thought was exciting even though dangerous. "What should I do now mama ji?" asked Amit as he was interested to know more. His intellectual appetite has suddenly been awakened by the tale told by mama ji. He was curious about the group even though he half expected to some sort of scam. He went to the kitchen and brought some things to eat and drink so that they can continue their talk without feeling hungry. They started munching the snacks brought by Amit. For sometime no one spoke. Both of them having their private thoughts and concentrating more on the food than anything particular. Then mama ji spoke. "I accidentally came to know about their existence many years ago." "They did not harm you?" asked Amit. "They never harm anybody" "Then why am I in danger?" "Because you have done something which you were not supposed to do when you were with them" "And what is that?" "I do not know for sure but something which led them to become your enemy" Do you really think that it is what that happened?" "I can not be sure of anything son right now but I think it should be prudent on our part to play safe." "Tell me how you came to know about these people and what exactly are they?" "I think you know I did my PhD in Sanskrit?" "Yes after doing one in physics" "Yes after doing one in physics." There was a hint of sadness in his voice. "During my research work I went to different places and met different people. It was during such visits I went to a very small village in Himachal Pradesh. It was said that a very old manuscript was in possession of a man living that village for many years. I thought that the manuscript would have been in the family for generations and no one would had bothered to do something about it. You must know better than me about the intellectual scenario of our country." "Yes I now as I am also the part of money making generation who has passed out of engineering institute to do a course in management and work for multi nationals" "Don't feel guilty about it. One has to earn his living and there is nothing wrong in it." "You are saying this mama ji? And I thought you are one of those nationalist who abhor every thing which is even remotely foreign." "I said it is not wrong in the current scenario. If the circumstances would had been better then people like you would have stayed in your chosen field of work and have done some thing useful. But I think anyone sane enough should never take science in this country" "Mama ji you are looking like a case of grapes getting sour" "Do I?" "Yes very much." "Do you think it was due to sour grapes I left teaching and science and joined politics?" "Every body does" "No my son it was not the case of sour grapes. The system made me do what I have done overtly. When I was not able to get the job I was qualified for then there was not other way to support my family. And I never wanted to leave the country to work for others." "Yeah but it is one and the same thing" "Is it? Now can you tell me how much money has been spent on functioning of any thing related to science and technology since we gained independence?" "I think it would be in billions" "Yes and how many of our so called great scientist have gone on to win Noble prize?" "There are two or three of them" "I am afraid to say that none. The three of them who won it did it by working in foreign institutes and with foreign funds. We stopped producing home grown Nobel laureates after independence" "But I think you were against anything foreign?" "Who told you? I am against us following anything blindly may it be foreign or local" "Take the case of Hargovind Khurana. We feel pride when we talk about him but no one looks in to the matter closely." "Which is?" "Which is why he had to go and work in United States? Why was he rejected in Panjab University if he was so much qualified? And no one ever bothered look into the workings of the eminent scholar who was selected in his place. Who was he? What did he contribute to our country which Khurana would have not been able to do? If these questions would have been answered the year he was nominated for Nobel Prize our science would have grown to be actual world class." "Leave it we would never come to any conclusion even if we debated on this our whole life because people in our country do not bother and it is not just us. It has been for centuries. Our ancestors were responsible for what we are suffering. Their apathy has become part of our genes. And we work according to it." "You were telling me about that manuscript" said Amit after some pause and seeing mama ji not willing to say more. "Yes the manuscript. I feared that it must be the case of apathy for the family members that the manuscript was not able to see the light of the day. And I was wrong." "Meaning?" "There was no family. It was just that man. A man no one remembered for how long he had been in the village. The oldest person I met before meeting him was nearing hundred years and he told me that his great grand father has seen him. They all regarded him as saint and did not tell any outsider about him." "Then how were you able to get to know about him?" "I had my ways of knowing" smiled mama ji mischievously after long time "I had good references and also I made friends first and then asked questions. I was told by the old man that I would be surprised by the looks of the man I sought and also that he is a recluse." After a brief moment of insight he continued "I was told by the villagers that he lived the house which was situated at the far end of the village up the hill. I climbed for half an hour to reach the house which I found to be well kept even in such wilderness. It was a big house made of mud and looked beautiful. I looked around to find someone but was not able to do so. Then I stated to knock the door when I heard a voice which said to come in. In there I found a man around fifty sitting on a wooden chair reading something. He looked up and smiled at me. I just felt all my fatigue vanishing just by seeing him smile. I touched his feet and sat in front of him. He asked me who I am and what I wanted from him. I told him I was searching a manuscript for my research and was told that I would find it with the owner of this house. Now I seek him for that manuscript. He told me he was the owner of this house. I thought he was joking on which he said that he was not at all joking. Then I came to realize he was reading my mind. Then it suddenly came to me that the old man had told me getting surprised on seeing this man. I asked him about his age to which he replied that he do not remember as he had stopped counting many years back. He said that he had the manuscript I sought but it would be of no help to me. I wonder why is it so on which he just smiled and said that he would not show it to me and even if I saw it I would never put it in my research." "Was this the same man who told you me being kidnapped by that secret group?" "Yes he was the same person, but you were not kidnapped by them" "For me it is one and the same. So what happened when he told you that he would not show the manuscript?" "I was sad when he said no on my face. I tried to persuade him but he was reluctant to talk any thing about that manuscript. Then we talked about other things and all of sudden he said that I should leave at once. I told him even though it is getting late I will get the last bus to Shimla in the evening on which he stood up and went in the house and locked the room. I waited for him to come out and when he did not I just said I am going and came out. Back in the village I met the old man who had shown me the way to the house and thanked him. He was surprised to know that the owner of the house had actually met me but had laughed when I told him that he threw me out of the house. When I reached Varanasi I was shocked to read the news paper." Mama ji stopped talking and stared long at nothing. He was obviously thinking about the long gone days. "Why were you shocked?" "Hmm? Where was I? Yeah as I read the news paper I was shocked because of the news that a bus coming to Shimla had an accident and all the passenger had died. It was the same bus which I would have taken if I had not started for that house when I started. That old man had saved my life." "How is it possible?" "He is one few men who are trikal darshi!" "Mama ji you are a scientist. Do you really believe in such rubbish?" "At that point of time I was shocked and a bit shaken and I also reacted like you are reacting now. Then after few months it became clear to me." "How?" "I inquired about than man with many pundits in Varanasi, Allahabad, Rishikesh and Haridwar. I even went to numerous small places and tiniest of villages to find information about the man. What I found was a mix of folk lore and ignorance. He was not a man who existed on this planet. I was very much surprised that many of the scholars acknowledged the existence of the manuscript I was searching but they told me that it had lost to time and it was totally impossible to retrieve it. One scholar even tried selling me few pages saying that it came from the original manuscript. As the money he asked was very small I purchased those pages from him knowing fully well that they were fake." "Then what happened? I hope you went back to the person for the manuscript?" "Yes I finally went to that man but after 7 or 8 months after I was satisfied that no one here knew that such man lived among us and he had the manuscript which could change the way we live. Few of the scholars whom I met said they have heard some stories of a man believed to more than 600 years old who that manuscript but they said as they knew that such long live was not possible they never gave importance to this legend. Every scholar who said he knew would talk about a man who was more than 600 years old. Now this was a interesting information because if it was just a myth then the age would have been different at least in some cases but as a scientist when same reading comes every time then the chances of your results being correct is more than it being just a coincidence. So I had a clear picture in front of me that this man is real and he is more than 600 years old and he also had that manuscript I sought. Now all I had to do was to go to him and ask him once more to let me see that manuscript. And to go to him every time in every few months till he lets me a look at those pages of which the legends say that they could change the future of the mankind." "Interesting! Did you succeed in your quest?" "Well before that I had my thesis to submit. And after doing that I was planning to meet that man for the second time. As I was going through some papers I saw those papers which I purchased from a scholar. He had told me that they were from the original manuscript. I had just dumped them with my other papers and till had not looked into them. I kept them with my luggage so that I could read them during my journey. On train when I started to read them I had changed my mind of meeting the legendry old man. I got down at the very next stop." "Why?" "They were not what I expected them to be. They were not fakes. They were the original papers. I was surprised that the scholar had given me the real papers for such small amount. Even in those times if he had sold them to some collector he would have been rich beyond imagination. I wanted to ask him why he was so generous to me." "And I hope you were not able to meet him and no body was able to tell where he went." "Don't be sarcastic. Yes you are right in one thing I did not met the man from whom I had purchased the paper. But I met someone waiting for me with the person's message." "What was the message" "Just this design and four words told to me by the messenger" Pointing towards the paper Amit had put on his lap while taking to him. "What words" "You are not ready" "What? Then you must not be able to find the old man also?" " No, went back to his village and found him sitting exactly where I found him the first time. He saw me and smiled. I asked him why did he not tell me that the bus would face an accident and that he could have saved so many lives. He just laughed and asked if I would have believed him when told about the accident which had not occurred. He did not even bother to hide that he knew about the accident and as for as saving lives he said was not in his hands to change what has been written. All he can do is guide someone who can be guided. Then I showed him the paper left for me by the man who sold me the pages of manuscript along with the manuscript. He took them and looked at me quizzingly. I told him every thing on which he again laughed. He told me that I had met a very great man and was not able to recognize him. Then he told me that the papers are very real but even then they are fake. He told me to look at some caracters and asked me if they were used at the time when the manuscript was written. I looked at the papers and the realization dawned on me that even though the papers looked real they were fake as some characters were new as compared to the age of the papers. I kicked myself of not recognizing this earlier." "Yeah but you were too happy to see those papers so you were bound to make such mistake." "Yes that is why the man who sold me the papers had left the message that I was not ready. I asked about these words of his to the person sitting in front of me and he told me that I should not bother about them as when I would be ready I would know. That I realized was the word trick used by many people in different eras in almost all religions. Then I decided that I would not ask for the manuscript again but with that decision a realization came that when I would e ready I would not need that manuscript. Later on he told me that the papers were real" "What? How is it possible?" "Because they were copied from the real manuscript. And they were with me, actually they are kept in my house even now. But since he had told me the truth about those pages I keep them in a safe." "It all fine, this story of yours but where do I fit in? Why did they kidnap me?" "You did not fit in the story at all. You parachuted yourself in the middle of a story which had no use of you. You do not remember but you had a accident on your way up." "So? This gave them right to kidnap me?" "No one of their scholars saw you while you car went down the river. He saved you by jumping in the river and pulling you out of the car." "How can you believe this? Have any idea how rapid Ganga is up there? How can some one jump in those waters and pull out a man from a car moving in those rapid waters? Not even a trained life saver can accomplish this without some danger to himself and you are saying a Sanskrit scholar did this?" "I did not say a Sanskrit scholar. I said their scholar." "And what is the difference?" "Huge! Once their scholar every thing is possible to you. You become one with the Universe. There is nothing you cannot accomplish. You can go anywhere without restriction and do anything without even moving a finger. You become a real super human. And people living there are not all scholars. Very few graduate to become scholars." "Really? And how do you suppose that I should take this?" "As truth." "How can one become so called super human?" "By practice and ancient knowledge" "Ancient knowledge? And practice what?" "The way of living. And ancient knowledge is true knowledge preserved by those living in total isolation" "I think way of living can be interpreted differently by different people. And as far as ancient knowledge is concerned I think such thing exists." "It exists. I have not been there but I am sure of it but how can you deny it? You have been there and seen it with your own eyes even though you do not remember now. And as far as way of living is different for different people I think you are wrong again because there is only one way to live and it is not followed by any one you normally see. And that is the reason different people live different kinds of live and they suffer different kind of things because they do not follow the way of living." "So mama ji tell me what is the way of living so that I can also become like one of those enlightened men" "Son there is no need to be impatient or to mock me. Just hear me out." "Ok." "I was telling you that you were saved by one of their scholars. He as a scholar was not one of the ordinary people there but one of the few selected who have reached their zenith of existence. He took you with him. Then I do not know what happened but you were thrown out and because of that you have to be very careful." "I think you are not telling me everything." "No I am not telling you every thing. I am not entitled to tell you any at all but because you are in danger I had to tell something so that you take care of yourself and be prepared for any eventuality." "You think I should go to the police?" "And say what? Your life is in danger because of a secret organization? And what will they tell you? Yes sir we know some of there members and we will arrest them?" "Even I knew just two of them of which one had vanished many years before and the one who became a mentor of sorts vanished just after you returned." There was slight anger in his voice. "It was not my fault that the old man disappeared" "Son I do not know if it was your fault or not but I am not blaming you for that. You had to do what you did. But police will not help you. Even the detective you have hired who not be of any use. You have fled from them once so I believe that if you keep yourself ready for any eventuality then you will succeed in keeping them off." When he saw the piece of paper given by mama ji Amit asked "Did you asked the old man about this design?" "It is not a design. It is symbol of the ultimate power. I had asked him about him on my second visit. It had become constant theme of our talk when we used to meet at his house. First he had told me that it is a calling card and people who know the significance of this symbol will allow you entry anywhere and with this you can unlock anything you want if you know how to use it. The old man as cautious enough not to tell me how to use it. I even had a ring made of the exact design out of gold and had made it a point to wear it when I went to certain places And you would surprised that there are people who know the significance of this symbol even though they may not know what it is. But those who know about it respect one who has this." "I think it is more out of fear than respect." "Yeah I would also had thoughts like you on hearing this but son I did not go wearing that to a political rally or a political meeting. I wear this to places where you find serious discussions between scholars of Sanskrit." "About religion?" "Religion has never been for me something to talk about, it has always been a personal thing for me. You will never find me at any religious discourse. They have always said that I think I am superior to them. But they are wrong because what I feel only I can tell and no one can tell me how to feel about some thing. Hearing to a religious discourse for me like hearing some one telling me how to feel when I eat a favorite sweet or how to feel when I put my hand in burning fire. How can some tell what I will feel? They are my sense organs and only I can say how I feel." "Wow! Have you told this idea to people you ask vote for?" "Yes they know my thoughts and they respect my privacy." "But they are right wing politicians!" "No they are politicians. No one is right wing or left wing. They are all there for votes. They take a stand where they think they can fool you to give them votes but from inside they are all the same." "Then why you support them?" "I have supported them because they are the lesser evil in the fray." "But from the looks of it they look like they are the biggest evil here" "No it is a wrong perception. And to tell you the truth, they are all evil of same scale. No one is better than other but with my leanings I would not have a good member of either left or centre so I joined the right wing. I am here not because I like their policies. No I am here because I have to maintain my standard of living which my family is accustomed of. I can live like a monk but do you thing anyone in our family can do it?" "Its great sacrifice you are making" said Amit scornfully "You have never visited my home that is why you do not believe. Yes you will say it has cost what could have been used to build many houses for poor people. But son I have a very small room where I live and don't even use a bed to sleep in. The food which I eat is also different which others in my family eat." "And why do you do such thing?" "Because I do not like living lavishly. Not because I had to cheat or betray people who had faith in me but because I never had a taste for such opulence. It has nothing to do with my faith. I believe in heaven and hell but believe me going either to hell or heaven is not permanent and is also not much decided by things you do here." "Then what is it decided up on?" "Many things but the deeds you do are never decided by you only. Under different circumstances and experience you may do things differently on a given set of time and space. It is a relative thing." "I don't think Einstein would have though about relativity like this?" "Why not? He knew under same set of conditions different people would come to different conclusions so under different set of circumstances why a same person do things differently? I do not think it is very hard to digest. Actually it is very simple." "Then please enlighten me" "Suppose that some one in dire need of money is walking down a road and he finds a bag full of money. He decides to use it. You will say he committed sin by not giving it to authorities. Now imagine same person with no need of money finding same bag. What will he do? He will return it to authority. Now again imagine the same person with first set of condition without bag on the road. What will he do? What can he do other than just walking down the road? Same person with different set of conditions can do things differently and thus change the outcome of a time-space event." "What is this? If he was honest then however the conditions were he would have returned the bag to authorities. And if the person was dishonest then he would find some other thing to commit crime." "You are living on a delusional world. Son there is no absolute good or absolute evil. Every thing is relative." "Whom am I taking to? A physicist or a literature guy?" "You are talking to a religious man who knows his physics well to know that there is nothing absolute." "Not even God?" "God? What is God? Can you tell me?" "I am not a theologian and I don't think even such a person can tell what is God" "No? Then let me tell you what is God. God is e=mc2 ." "Its equation which can tell few things but I doubt it can tell anything about God" "You are right relatively but it can tell about God of almost all the people." "But it cannot tell your God?" "No. I will tell you the difference in few minutes. First tell me what is common between all the avatars anywhere in the world?" "Nothing" "Wrong there is one thing common to almost all the powerful avatars. Those who have changed the world, those whom people were not able to forget in a hurry." "And what is that" "Chaos. The common factor is chaos." "What?" "Yes just think about the time before the avatars. You will find chaos in the place where these avatars occurred." "Ok I got your point but how does the equation you gave have anything to do with avatars?" "it has to do every thing. What does e stands for?" "Energy" "what does m and c stands for" "Mass of an object and a constant for light" "Good!" said mama ji smilingly Now can you convert mass or for that matter "matter using this equation?" "Yes I think we can" after doing some mental calculations "How?" "By slowing down the speed of light but it is not possible" "Then you do not know the potential of human mind. Look when every body became fed with the chaos they started to seek some supernatural help. They were told that if they call for help then God will come to their aid. The people collectively started thinking about someone coming to help them, save them from the chaos. Just think how much energy was concentrated at a single thought! Thought that someone will come to help. It did not happen overnight but the collective magnetic force of the human mind eventually forced the cosmic energy to slow down and present itself as an avatar. That is why my so you will also not find a real birth with any of these avatars. Because they always manifested themselves and therefore its either virgin birth or "Bhay prakat kripala" meaning The great one has manifested himself. You just have to put "c" in the denominator and reduce it then energy will be converted into mass when "c" becomes 1" "Wow! A theory about virgin births! You should get Nobel Prize in physics mama ji. I don't know and nor will I put my mind in it." "Yes for now you have to remember that you have to be careful but not over cautious."

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Chapter 6

After the first meeting with both Dr. Singh and Narendra he had become friendly with them. It was not a matter of choice as with his recurring dreams and paranoia Dr. Singh told him not to go to his office and gave him a medical unfit certificate. These two were the only persons he had real talk with for days therefore he became friendly with them. Apart from them only Ashok and mama ji were the other two persons in his life for now and he had cut himself from rest nearly completely. He used to avoid meeting people in person but used to talk on phone and exchanged e mails. Dr. Singh had told him how his brother had told him that he may come to seek help as he had given his number to Ashok. The younger of the brother's had also told that he would be a good case for him as Dr. Singh was interested in studying paranoia in amnesia patients. Amit also came to know that Narendra Parmar was a relative of Dr. Singh and elder brother of Ashok's best friend.

These two friends were sitting in front of Amit and thinking of the consequences of his confession. They did not want him of guilty of any crime but their deliberations have given them ample indications about what Amit was going to say. And they were dreading that their worst fears about Amit was about to come true very soon. It was for the first time Dr. Singh was wishing that his theory failed. But after every wish both of them that every thing told by Amit was indication of his sub conscious guilt and that it had to come out in the form of a dream which would eventually tell them a place where the scene of crime was situated. It was decided by both of them that they would go together to that place and would take Amit along with them. They feared that Amit would be able to prevail up on them if any one of them went alone with them. And Dr. Singh had to go with Amit to that place to bring out the guilt hidden in him.

"I am able to see a lake, a garden with trees laden with fruits and plants with flowers. Fruits and flowers are bigger than what we usually see around and they taste and smell far much sweeter than they do here. Also I am able to see just one man every time I dream." "You can taste and smell in your dreams?" asked astonished Narendra. "He could if had visited the place. His mind would tell him what taste and smell to remember for various fruits and flowers. But tell me about the man you see. Is he know to you?" said Dr. Singh hoping the man would be someone known to Amit. "I do not remember if I ever visited that place and as far as I can remember I have never seen such man all my life" answered Amit. Dr. Singh and Narendra looked at each other thinking their own thoughts. Narendra felt his hopes rising and Dr. Singh was also getting hopeful but he was more cautious in his thoughts as he knew if Amit was such a man he feared he was then he can be very deceptive as well as dangerous when everything finally will come out. So as far he was concerned he was just keeping his fingers crossed and hoping for a better end than his mind was actually willing to acknowledge. He feared that he actually have grown to like Amit. "What kind of a man do you see in your dreams? And does he look different or alike every time?" "He does look the same every time. He is very tall, with handsome face." "What is this person's age?" "He is very old but does not look old" "What do you mean by that? Have you seen his birth certificate indicating he is old?" "No I did not see the certificate which indicated his age but he has a very long beard and longer hairs which he has tied on his head and all the hairs including his eye brows are completely white. Not a single strand of hair is black." "Ok I got your point. And how large is that place?" "Very large indeed as I can see mountains in the background." "That is interesting" said Dr. Singh. "What is interesting" asked Amit and Narendra. simultaneously. They looked at each other and started laughing. It was becoming a habit of both of them to ask the same question together. "That you did not dream of place where you could put a name to it and neither had you seen someone whom you know." "But how many places would have a lake from where one can see mountains? We can also narrow down the place starting around Haridwar and moving say 100 km around it." Said an excited Narendra. "Wow! Narendra is a real detective! And I thought you did had anything better to do so started the office to make everyone else believe that you had something to do." Said Dr. Singh smilingly. Narendra threw a angry gesture towards the doctor but inside he was feeling elated by the compliment given by him. Amit was also smiling at Narendra. "I think Narendra is correct and we start searching such place right away." "Right away?" Both of them startled and had their apprehensions surface again. "But we have to pack our belongings and have to tell our families that we would be away for some days. And Amit I will had my appointments which had to be cancelled and some rescheduled." Said Dr. Singh trying not to sound nervous. "Who said anything about going away? Are you old guys thinking I want to really go back to the place of which I keep having nightmares daily? No Sirs' I would be sitting in my room and searching it instead. Have you guys ever heard of internet?" said Amit with mock frustration. Both of them gave a sigh of relief when it dawned on them that they could easily hope to narrow down to few of the places just by searching with right key words. So it was decided that Amit and Narendra would go and search for such place and Dr. Singh also ventured that he would ask in brother in Haridwar if he himself knew of such a place or if he can find someone like some travel agent or guide who knew of such place. With this they took leave and Dr. Singh dialed his brother. Internet search gave names of many lakes around Haridwar like Bhimtal Lake, Devaria Tal, Dodi Tal, Hemkund Sahib, Kedar Tal, Masar Tal, Nachiket Tal, Sahastra Tal, Satopnath Lake, Sat Tal etc but none seemed the likely place as they were too a public place for them to no on notice things that would have happened to Amit. Then they next searched various Ashrams which could have a lake and Mountain View. Amit knew their quest for such place is futile at least on internet because even if the place which he sees in his dreams exists it would not placed on the net. Every passing search which ended without any positive increased their frustration which was growing more in Narendra. When they called it a day it was 4 in the evening and they had not eaten any thing. Feeling very much hungry they planned to eat out at a near by Grover's Dhaba and wait for Dr. Singh to find some thing. Meanwhile they had informed every thing about their search on internet to Dr. Singh and he also said that such place which came in his would be not there on net. As they waited for their orders to arrive Amit had his cell ringing. Monitor showed unknown number and there was no number to which he can call back. He let it ring and waited for the call to end. Then as soon as the call ended he push redial and but no response. All he got was "Please dial the correct number". In just a few minutes again his cell rang and showed the same unknown number again. He showed it to Narendra who was sitting in front of him and staring a young girl seated at the next table. He just said pick it and kept staring, then his eyes suddenly lit up "Wait, let me talk."

"Hello" said Narendra in Amit's cell phone. "Is it Mr. Amit Sharma" said a voice which was firm and authoritative. "If you have dialed Mr. Amit Sharma then its him" said Narendra cheerfully. "I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation you are in otherwise you would not be fooling around at least with me." Said the voice. "Who am I talking with" Narendra restraining himself to be as polite as he could. "It is none of your concern but I have a warning for you, stop fooling around with that doctor and the useless detective" said the voice in very serious tone. "Do you know threatening is still a crime in India last time I checked" said Narendra with controlled patience. "Yes it is a crime when you have someone to punish but my case you can never come close our shadows" said the voice in a calm but threatening manner. "We will see about that and I do not think I am so lame to be frightened of man who hides beside a secret number. And if you think I cannot trace it then my dear Uncle you are very wrong." "I am serious and I hope you have actually understood what we can do. And as far as tracing this number is concerned I would not bother because even an executive order would not be able to trace this number. Please stop your search and try to live peacefully as you did before and no harm would come to you. But if did not pay heed to this then no more warnings will be given and there would by a summary execution and you will never be traced as you had already seen that can be arranged easily." The line went dead and with it Narendra's face started turning white with fear. They had been wrong about Amit all along. He is actually a victim and people involved are very powerful. Nearly untouchable by any force in the country. He had to tell this to Dr. Singh and have to upgrade the safety around Amit. "What happened? You are turning white! Have you seen a ghost?" said Amit. Yes there are real ghosts thought Narendra, ghosts because they cannot be traced. "No it was not a ghost but some one very near to a ghost." Said Narendra. "What are you taking about? Who the hell was that?" asked Amit getting agitated. "We were wrong about you and you are in some serious danger. I have to beef up you security and I think its time we should get some one outside help also." "First we should eat something and then discuss" said Amit on seeing the waiter bring them their order. Narendra also kept quiet because he knew Amit would be able to eat peacefully if he knew nothing about the danger he is in. While eating Narendra messaged Dr. Singh "Don't go anywhere and cancel any appointments. Amit in grave danger." Just after one minute cell of Narendra started shouting that he had a message. It read just one word. "Waiting" from Dr. Singh

Narendra was constantly looking around while they eating as the place they had chosen for their lunch was completely open and was besides the road. When he was not able to see anyone suspicious he concentrated more on his plate but was vigilant. As soon as the bill was paid he caught hold of Amit and nearly dragged him towards Dr. Singh office. It was just few minutes walk from where were standing but Narendra wanted him to be out of road as soon as possible. Something was telling him that they were under constant watch. He was getting worried about Amit. What has he got himself into? It seems it is beyond his reach. He had made a decision to seek outside help and it was up to Dr. Singh and Amit to give permission. And even without their permission he would try and seek help. They found Dr. Singh waiting when they reached his office. Nisha waved them in as soon as she saw them. "Will you tell me what are you so afraid of?" asked Amit who was made to keep quiet and just walk by Narendra. They had just ran hand in hand for five minutes to reach the office and had not even taken the lift but had taken the stairs for safety reasons. "We owe an apology to him" said Narendra sitting in front of Dr. Singh "He is in real shit. May be he is buried in shit even now as we talk." "Apology? What for" asked Amit Narendra looked at Dr. Singh for help. "Son we thought you had either murdered or accidentally killed someone and it was that guilty conscious that made you forget those days. And if Narendra think we owe you an apology then I am sorry for that" Amit saw Narendra had hung his face and even Dr. Singh was looking sorry. "You two are pulling my legs isn't it?" said Amit playfully hoping this would be one of their tricks. "No Amit we are really sorry. We really thought you had done something horrible and as you were not able to cope up with the extent of your guilt you lost your mind." "Are you two out of your mind? And all this time I was thinking you were my friend!" said Amit not really understanding what they were telling him "I think I should leave" he got up to go when Narendra caught his arm and made him sit. "Do not behave like an emotional fool. You do not know the extent of danger you have got yourself in. And professionally we were right by including you as the guilty party. Dr. Singh will elaborate on it" "Yes son if we had to help you we had to include you also as guilty party. And all you dreams were saying that you had guilty conscious. And that is why we wanted you to takes us to the place so that I could have helped you see the truth and thus release you from you guilt." Said Dr. Singh with genuine voice. "Why did you think I was guilty of something?" asked Amit feeling betrayed. "Now we can fight over it after we have solved the mess you have put yourself in. For this fight we would have our whole life time but to have that longer than one day more you have to tell us what have you done to have such powerful enemies?" said Narendra. "I think you are forgetting something here Narendra, he does not remember anything" said Dr. Singh "And what are you talking about?" "I will tell you. I had a call from an unknown number which he listened into. Since then he was behaving like this" Amit then went on to tell Dr. Singh everything that happened before they came into his office. "If I had not known Narendra I would have thought he was really pulling your leg" said Dr. Singh "What are you afraid of Narendra and who had called?" "Some one very powerful" was all Narendra could muster. "He has been repeating this since he got off that call" complained Amit. "I am so sure of this because the call came from an unknown number. With number display facility in every cell phone we can see the number of the dialer every time if the number is not saved under some name." said Narendra. "Even a child knows this Narendra" said Dr. Singh getting impatient. "But there are some numbers which do not show up because they are secret. Even the person calls a hundred times from that number it will not show. But the problem is not an unknown number. The problem is that the threat call from an unknown number" "And why is that more important than the number not showing up? Just imagine a girl talking to me with such number and I not getting to know who she is" "Precisely because of this such numbers are not freely distributed. There is a strict protocol to be followed to give anyone such a number and private citizen seldom get a chance to own such numbers because it costs huge amount and the paper work involved is very cumbersome. It involves high level clearing. Even with my large number of friends at very high level I was not able to get one as they reject my application on the grounds that I was a private detective and I could misuse it to blackmail someone." "He had done it once" said Dr. Singh to Amit. "Leave that story for some other time. The most serious thing here is that you cannot trace a call from such numbers. There is no mechanism to trace such calls and you cannot take the help of service provider also as they would be useless as they do not keep a record of such calls. It is total black out and worst nightmare scenario." Said Narendra. "This means we have a very serious situation on our hands" Dr. Singh said after some time of silence among them. "It means either a high level government silent Amit mission is on or some one very powerful but private citizen is out to take revenge. And which ever the case is true we are caught between rock and a mountain." Said Narendra. "What can I do?" asked Amit. "Just keep quiet for know and try to think anything which can help us. And I would like both of your permission to bring outside help. I am going to beef up his security but I don't think it would be of any help as my men are not trained killers." "I think you have permission from both of us." Said Dr. Singh looking at Amit who nodded. First Narendra placed a call to his deputy and told him to bring at least 10 men and place them at different positions around office of Dr. Singh. Next he placed a call to some in IB. "Hello _doctor_. Don't say anything. I have called you to seek your help. It's a matter of life and death. Just come at the address I will be messaging you." He put an end to the call and messaged the person Dr. Singh's address. "Is he a real doctor?" asked Dr. Singh curiously. "No doctor is his code name. When matters become seriously out of hands then _the doctor_ is called. And puts the danger out clinically so the name." Both of them understood the hidden meaning in the words left unsaid by Narendra. "Don't look so gloomy, he is my friend and he owes me big time." They waited for _the doctor_ to arrive and in the meantime Dr. Singh and Narendra gave a detailed outline of their suspicions against Amit. On hearing their story Amit had a huge laugh. He knew he got some ammunition on them now to pull their legs. They were trying to be cheerful but in their heart they were all depressed about the situation. The silence was broken by a call on Narendra's phone. As he hung he told his men have arrived and taken their positions. For a brief moment Amit felt he should forget every thing and go on living his life as usual. Then he felt guilt of being such a coward on seeing the faces of his two friends who were ready to fight for him even knowing the dangers involved just for the sake of friendship. Dr. Singh on sensing what Amit was thinking said "If you want to back off I would not think less of you." "Are you reading my mind" exclaimed Amit. "No but it is all written on your face" replied Dr. Singh. "No, I will not back off as it is my life they want to control and I refuse to be controlled" said Amit with conviction. "Then we are with you" said Narendra which was also seconded by Dr. Singh. Just when Amit was about to say something his cell phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was mama ji who was calling. "Hello mama ji I was..." "Where are you son, I am coming to pick you up. Just tell me and I will be there as soon as possible" said mama ji, his voice betraying his emotions. "I am at Dr. Singh..." "Ok I know that place. I will be there in one hour. Don't leave till I reach there" said mama ji in hurry and the line went dead. "Who was it?" asked Narendra seeing shock on face of Amit. "Mama ji. He said he was coming to get me. I think he knows that I got that call." "How could he?" asked Dr. Singh "Have you told anything about to anyone else?" "No I have not but I was planning to tell him at least" said Amit. "How could he know?" asked Narendra this time "Have you hiding something else from us?" "There is something more" said Amit feeling guilty "but I cannot tell you anything till mama ji arrives as he can shed more light on it as I did not took it seriously before but as mama ji also knows about the call then I think I should have taken it seriously" "If he really knows about that call then you should have thought about what he had told more seriously" said Narendra feeling good that they were about to get some more help from unseen quarters. "But what he told me is beyond comprehension" said Amit. "Really but if he knows something this then it definitely makes sense even though whatever you thought about that previously." Said Narendra. Just then Nisha buzzed in "Some one is asking for Narendra Sir" Narendra got up and went out and brought someone who looked a college professor from outside but on keen observation government was written all over him. Narendra gave him a detailed outline to the newcomer and after telling him his fears he kept quiet. "I don't think I would be able to trace a call from such a number if you want me to do that. But I can put a word to someone who can be of some help to us in this matter. And I can give two men apart from what veer you are having, I think you have ten around the building right now" said the newcomer with a smile "that will make then 12 member team. I think that will be sufficient. And if something serious come up and I think I will take it upon myself to get involved but pray that it never comes to that." "Yes I know what that means and we will pray that the matter does not become that serious." "I will do it but it will be strictly unofficial so think there will be much help coming our way" said the one whom they called doctor. "Yes we know that" "Sir, someone is insisting on seeing Mr. Amit Sharma, he is saying he is his relative" buzzed in Nisha. "Send him in and don't call again even if there is an earthquake and leave when your time is up." Said Dr. Singh. Walked in mama ji whom rest of them have seen only on television or news papers sometimes or may be new comer may know who he was more personally. "My God you have team of yourself ready here." Exclaimed mama ji as he saw three more people sitting in the office. "I expected you sitting here alone with the good doctor here" silently acknowledging the new comer while shaking his hands will all. Both of them played as they did not know each other and were meeting for the first time. But the silent call for help had been delivered and acknowledged. "How safe is this place?" asked mama ji. "We have 12 men around" said Narendra. "There is no strength in numbers. You don't know what you are dealing with" said an anxious mama ji "Two of them are expert" said Amit for the first time "Government or private" asked mama ji "Government" said Dr. Singh "You don't understand the best commandoes also don't stand a chance against the force we are up against." Said mamaji "I think time is up for any more secrecy and we have to come out in open so that the players involved can know the level of danger they are in and the amount of life threatening situation they would be subjected to if they carry on like this." Said the new comer for the first time since mama ji came in "Go ahead and enlighten us" said Narendra "As far as I know they are totally invisible and even our best experts have came out with nothing substantial since you roped me in" said the new comer turning towards mama ji "You know each other?" both Amit and Narendra cried out loud and then seeing each outer bust into laughter. They did it again! "Yes but don't ask how and why" said mama ji "All I can tell you that tried to get them out since Amit disappeared but we were not able to trace even a hint of him. As if he had disappeared from the face of the earth. Then when were returned we tried to gather something from those pilgrims who had left him at the hospital but that also drew blank and since he" pointing towards mama ji "flagged red we have been on few trails but every one of them turned out to be a dead end. As if they don't exist but I have seen their work myself and I can vouch that they are real and a very dangerous enemy to have." "That was good speech doctor but what the hell are you taking about?" said Narendra getting annoyed for not able to grasp any thing his friend has said. "It is very complicated and I do not think it would safe for us to continue here even though I think anywhere is safe from them only till they wanted it that way." Said mama ji "so we have to move from here. I think our government fried here may know one such place. And if I am right he has it ready for us to leave?" "Yes it is ready and we should not delay and leave right away" said the government agent. "I will not leave until someone tells me what is going on here" said Narendra "So you can stay or bear with us till we are safely in that place." Said his friend Eyeing his friend with anger gave up his protest and thought it better to tag along instead of being left behind. He was not liking as the things were developing too fast and he was not in control. "The vehicle is in the basement and we will follow the stairs to reach it." Said the so called doctor. As they reached the basement they saw a big SUV with tinted glass rolled up was standing alone in the basement. Office hours were up and every one had gone home or to somewhere else. They all got inside the large vehicle and saw that only the driver was there inside. Once inside they were asked to put the blinders over their eyes as they were about to go inside a government installation which none of them was entitled to see. They covered their eyes reluctantly and then the vehicle started. It moved on the roads of Delhi idly some time increasing the speed and some times moving around very slowly. After half an hour of such moves it continued with a constant speed towards its destination. The half an hour driving was just to throw the passengers off the trail if anyone was trying to map the movements. Even though it was not necessary with the current lot of passengers it was a protocol which was to be followed every time. Every one including the driver was having his own thought. The man driving the vehicle was one of the brightest up coming agents. He was the only one of the lot who was worried. Rest of them where busy in their thoughts so they had no time to worry. This young man had every right to be worried. He had to return home at the earliest as his newly wedded wife had told him that she would eat anything till he shows up. And he was about to panic as it was going to be time for his duty to be off but there were no signs which indicated that he would be able to go home. And therefore he was the worried person of the bunch of men sitting in the vehicle.

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Chapter 7

The man whom they called _the doctor_ was indulged in his own thoughts. He was grateful to the man sitting in the vehicle but whose public image was of the one who spread hatred among the communities. This he knew was far from truth but he also new that the man had made such image of him with utmost care so that the real world would never come to know of the things he did. He remembered that if not for this man he would have been part of the majority of people of his community who live at the fringes. If not for him he would have been totally lost. It was one of the late mornings when he was called by this man. He went to him all the hate and ignorance of a young man. He stood there in front of him all proud and erect. Why should he bow to him even though the old caste based customs would have him bow before the man who was Brahmin and he was the so called a low caste man. Even then he did not feel any fear and why would he, he thought. "Have a seat" said Mr. Gautam pointing to one of the chairs lying vacant around him. As he had approached Mr. Gautam had asked people sitting with him to leave. He wanted to this young man alone. He said on the chair hesitantly, not knowing where this meeting would lead. Would he be asked by the man whom people think is capable to doing many things to discontinue his agitation? He was a front man of a member of his community who had gained position seldom known to member of his community. He had risen to be a power player and now being a young man he had chosen him to be his front man in all the matters. "Do you know why have called you?" asked the man who had called him "I think yes" not knowing how to approach this delicate issue "And what would be your answer?" asked Mr. Gautam "How do you think I should answer?" he questioned with blazing eyes. He was filled with disgust for not only this man but for all the people who had oppressed people of lower castes since ages "You should answer as a man of intelligence which you are and not as man who feels that he is a servant of another man." Was Mr. Gautam's reply showing no signs of any reproach towards him. He was surprised by the answer given to him. Has Mr. Gautam acknowledged him as a man of intelligence or this is a game he was playing with him so that he loosens his stand. He was getting confused. "I don't understand" "How would you when you have put a blinder over your eyes. I have called you not to keep you from doing the work you are doing now. I have no interest in the petty politics you are working with that fool who thinks he is a great leader of your community. People sitting at the top are using him for their own good and he is thinking that he is really running the show. You will that in coming few days the agitation you are running would be asked to stop by none other than the man who is making you to agitate. And he will not even bother to tell you why. He would just summarily ask you to back off. It is a game always played by people at the top. You don't have the vision to look that far right now. But this is also not the reason I have called you. This could have been told in front of all the others sitting right here. The reason I have you alone talking to me much personal. You should now that I also belong to the same village as you are." He nodded and was surprised to see where the discussion of heading "It is a family matter so I deemed it fir to sit alone and have a chat. What do you think are you going to do about that? " asked Mr. Gautam with affection "About what, I am not able to understand what are you talking about?" "I am talking about the imminent marriage of your sister. She is about to be married and you are facing a problem on that front. I have called you to discuss that matter and not politics with you. You as a man who is from my village is like a family member to me." "What? How do you know?" He was totally dumbfounded, not knowing what to say or think "I have made it my business to know about the well being of people living in and around my village. Now just tell me what you are planning to do about it" "I have asked my leader for some financial assistance and he has said to me that I should not worry about anything. She being my sister is a daughter to him and he would take care of everything." He said with anger as he was not going to talk about his family matters with a stranger "I know what has he told you but has he offered any assistance till now or is he offering just words?" He hung his head. Words were the only thing being offered by his leader till now and people like him think that words were enough of them. "I take that as no. I know that you need assistance and also know that you so called leader of the community would not give you any assistance without asking something in return. So tell me what I can do for you and when shall you start preparing for the wedding. But before we carry on further you have to promise me that you will not tell this to any one. If anyone asks then tell that I had called you to back off you agitation." What is he saying? Is he going to help me without letting me tell anyone? Why is he doing this? He was totally confused. "Do you promise?" "I do not have to promise anything as I am not going to take help from you. I know you would use this to advertise yourself and would try to buy our votes for your party. I know how you people of so called upper castes stoop low to get votes." He said as the actual reason for this asked for help came to his mind. Mr. Gautam was going to do politics using his sister's wedding as a platform." And I have people of my own community willing to offer all the help I need" He stood up and started to go "Do not hesitate to come to me when you need me" Mr. Gautam just said behind his back low enough that only he could hear. After few days he was back at Mr. Gautam's place sitting exactly in the same place as he was on the day he was called by him. He was surprised that even though he had come on his own he was offered to sit. Even his leader had never offered him a chair to sit. "Can we now discuss the wedding of your sister?" He asked with the same affection as he had on the first time. His face was sincere like it was on that day. How foolish had he been on that day. He had blind faith on the leader of his community and he had crushed his faith. He was thinking about the words of Mr. Gautam. "He would ask him to back down. He would ask something in return for the help" And how true those words came. Just two days after he left Mr. Gautam's offer and returned to his agitation he was asked to back down by his leader. He went to him to ask for the reason. He wanted to continue as government was about to relent under pressure and that would help members of his community. He went to beg him to allow continuing the agitation. He saw his leaders sitting with members of the political party in running the government. He became afraid because he had seen those faces only in news papers and posters but seeing them in flesh and blood was something else. Now he was sure that there would be no reason to continue the agitation as the government had sent its own people to settle the issue and see that the people agitating would get their due. He felt that now all his troubles would vanish. And not sitting in front of Mr. Gautam he felt how wrong was he to think like that. He was asked to stop agitating by his leader. He told him that government has made an offer and he has accepted it. Then they all laughed and people around him congratulated him. He also congratulated his leader for a successful agitation. He stood there for people to leave so that he can have quiet word with his leader about his sister's wedding. His leader asked him what was he waiting for on which he said he would wait. On hearing that his leader uttered such an abusive word to him that he was taken back. He had never heard his leader using such foul language to anyone lave alone himself. He considered himself to be his deputy now. How can he use such language for him? He could not understand. He just kept standing when he again shouted to tell the reason for waiting. He was getting angry on him intruding their meeting. He said he would wait outside on which he said no and asked to say whatever he wanted to say now. Hesitantly he asked for the assistance he promised for his sister's wedding. "Oh that, what a fool are you. Why are you feeling ashamed of asking? These are now family members and on should feel ashamed in front of his own family. Does he?" asked the leader "No" he replied "So what would I get in return?" "Return? Sir I do not have anything to give it to you." "I think you have something which would be appropriate not only for me also these new friends would be also find it a fitting gift. I don't think you should deny us that gift. After all we would be helping you and if every thing goes as planned I would ask the Chief Minister to at least keep you as a helper even on temporary basis. You should know how difficult it has become to find a regular job now a day. I think you are a graduate? " "Yes sir I am a graduate" This was all he ever said to his leader. When he heard what he had asked for his feet started trembling and darkness covered his eyes. All he could hear was the laughter and obscene words used by those people sitting and standing around. When he was not able to take it more he ran. He ran till he fell and when he regained his strength he ran again. Since then twice words came from his leader offering assistance but also reminding him of his return gift. When he did not gave any reply only a threat came from him. Keep quiet, don't utter a word of this. The next day when he ran from his leaders house he saw in the news papers that his leader had been made a minister in the government and was given a cabinet post. Now it came to his mind why all those people were congratulating him. It also occurred to him that this agitation was only staged to make him a minister in the government. As his leader had won as an independent candidate he was free to go with any party and was bargaining since the formation of government that he should be made a minister. And with the opportune time he found someone he could use as his puppet and got the prize he wanted. Now he realized that people who publicly tried to messiah of the down trodden communities were actually the monsters who tried to take even the remaining dignity which they had. "I am sorry Sir" apologizing sincerely "Do not apologize as you did what you felt was good for you, your family and your community. How were you to found that they are the real wolves? I do not say that wolves do not exist in our community as they are more in number than expected and found every where. And let us do not waste our time in such useless matter and discuss what is more important." "I do not have anything to give in return" said he fearing that he might also ask somewhat similar return and he cannot give what these hounds are after "Why do you think I want something in return" "That monster asked me some thing in return which I would not give even if he took my life" said he with anger rising in him "I know what happened in there and I assure you that he had been told that you are out of his reach. He has been specifically warned that if he ever tries even to put his eyes towards anyone of your family then things can go horribly wrong for him and think he is too shrewd not to understand the meaning" "How can I ever repay you, Sir" "If you really want to repay me then come to after the wedding is over and then we came talk about that." Said the man smiling. Then for few weeks every thing went smoothly and finally his sister was sent to her home and the wedding over without any fuss. Mr. Gautam had declined the invitation as he did not want to be seen as helping him. He was out of the country during the wedding on some important work. No one ever found out that it was Mr. Gautam who actually funded the whole wedding and some of them present actually abused him privately for acting as he was and not even blessing the newly weds. And he could do nothing but to just sit there and here the abuses hurled at Mr. Gautam. He was so much ashamed that he was not in a position to defend the man because of whom the wedding was taking place. After the wedding Mr. Gautam called him when he came back o the country. A ticket for him for Delhi was given to him by one of aides of Mr. Gautam. He went to Delhi for the first time and was made to stay in the very house where Mr. Gautam was staying. This was unfathomable incident even by his terms. How could he stay in the same house under one roof? But he did what he was told. In the morning he was called for breakfast and found that he had to share table with Mr. Gautam. Again this was not possible in his village even in the next century. But he did what he was asked to do. "So are you really going to repay me or were you just trying to impress me with your words?" asked Mr. Gautam smiling "I don't have anything to give you" "Yes you have." He brought out a paper from his pocket and handed over to him. It was advertisement for a government job. He was surprised. What it has to do with the repayment? "Just fill the form and give it to Mr. Sunder, he will do the rest. You stay here till the exams are over because you have to taking coaching to clear this exam. And stop worrying about your family." "But what will I say to them?" "Tell them you got a job here. Every month a fixed amount would be given to your mother" "I do not have money to stay in Delhi leave alone pay for any coaching. And how will I send home money?" "Who said you need money to live here? This is one of the places I own and I do not run a hotel here. And your admission has been made in one of the best coaching institutes in Delhi. You just stay here and study hard and leave the matters of money for me. You just worry about clearing the exam." Within few months the exams were over and when results were out he was surprised to find his roll number is the list of the people who have been selected for interview. He had studied hard but there had been rumors that big players had used money power to get selected and he had nothing to give so that left it on his fate to decide his future. Just as he was thinking about his next move Mr. Gautam walked in with a news paper in which results were declared and a box of sweets. He gave a tight hug to him and put a sweet in his mouth. He then just said then he should work hard and prepare of the interview and leave his family matters to him. Every week he used to write a letter to his mother telling her different types of lies about his job. His younger sister used to reply his letters saying that their mother was very happy. Now he wrote them about this exam he has cleared and told them that if he cleared the interview then he may get a government job. After one week the reply came that they were very happy to hear that he had cleared the exam and need not worry about the outcome of the interview as he had already done them proud by clearing the exams. In the coming days the interview was also over and he again cleared it. On the day the final results were declared Mr. Gautam came to him and said that he had to return home. He gave him a ticket to return and said that there would be some more time he would had to wait for because there would the necessary background checks and after that he would have to join. As he came back to his village there was huge celebration the following night and he was one of the first who had cleared an exam and got selected for a government job from their community in all the villages near and far. During the celebrations there was usual eating and dancing and merry making. It was there someone said that he should go and thank their community leaders. He asked why he should thank them. "Son you don't know but it is because of their struggle and sacrifice that we were given reservations in government jobs during independence and when one of gets a government job it is just because of them. So we should be humble in our success and thank them." "Yes it is true" said many of the voices "But I don't think he would ever go. He even forgot to thank our leader by whose assistance his sister got married" He was shocked "By whose assistance did my sister got married?" "Our leader helped you to get your sister married and even got you a job in Delhi. What you had done to him was disgraceful but now that you got a job you should go and thank him for all his sacrifices for us otherwise you can leave this village for ever" said few voices. This was also seconded by many more. They all wanted him to thanked their leader for getting selected and getting his sister married. How on earth did such thing come to their minds? Have they gone mad? "You do not know who helped me for my sister's wedding and how did I got the job in Delhi. Your leader had nothing to do with it." "It was his sacrifices due to which you got this government job. You would have even cleared the exam without reservation. You should go and thank him." "I did not got selected because of reservation. I never applied for reservation. I fought on unreserved seat and cleared it all on my own merit and not because of any leader's sacrifice." The whole crowd was stunned into silence. How is it possible for a member of their community to be selected for a government job with using reservation? It cannot be true. He was laying false claim because if anyone could clear only through merit from our community then our leaders would not have struggled for reservations. They could not have sacrificed for something totally useless. They all concluded that he was stating false and that he had to be made to see some sense. Just when the crowd was about to attack him he pulled out a piece of paper and said "Have a look here. I have the admit card for the exam in my wallet. You can all see the category mentioned for yourselves." Someone took the paper and after reading it became dumbfounded. Someone took it from his hands. In a very short time the little piece of paper had been into many hands and who ever read it became speechless. How can this be ever possible? A member of their community getting a government job just by his sheer merit without using reservation meant for them. Just when someone was about to protest the crowd cheered for such a success was not even possible in their dreams. They had their true hero in front of them. They all forgot about thanking their leaders and enjoyed the remaining night as they never did before retiring finally for night. In space for two months all the necessary documentation and background checks were completed and he left his village to join in one of the most secret and feared organization in the country, Intelligence bureau. He did well because of his skills and rose to be called as the dreaded doctor.

During second year of hi joining he met Mr. Gautam and informed him that he had received information that his erstwhile leader had met with an accident and had died on spot. Mr. Gautam did not showed any surprise but had just told him that he had not paid heed to his warnings and thus had met his fate. Later on he learnt from his sources that the leader was not scheduled to be there where his car met accident. He was too far from his scheduled route. When he inquired more he saw that the minister had died just few kilometers from his village. He was more intrigued and was about to launch a full blown search behind the motives of the minister being there when he received a call from Mr. Gautam. He went to meet him and was surprised to hear that he did not want him to carry an unofficial inquiry on the minister's death as the government had already announced an official one and he was sure that the truth will come out. "How did you know I would be searching for reasons of his death?" "If I have not forgotten the gift he had asked from you then I do not believe that you had forgotten it." "I have not" "All I can say is that your fears were true and he was going to your village for only one reason" "I would have killed the bastard if he had even toughed my younger sister." "But then it would had been too late. He would have gotten what he wanted but just thank God that it did not happened like it" winked Mr. Gautam and went away. He had since then tried to find out things that let to the accident but he with all his skills was not able to found out how or why did the minister met the accident. And the more was unsuccessful the more he became sure that Mr. Gautam had something to do with it. He since then vowed he would do any thing for him when ever such time come and that he would be indebted to him for all his for saving his family honor. As Mr. Gautam never raised that issue his also respectfully never tried to find anything more. For him the inquiry was over and he satisfied with the decision of the judge. Such person had to be executed. He also investigated the exams and results which he cleared. He had worked hard for it but even then he had his doubts on being selected. A village lad getting selected in a national level exam is a romantic thought but it really happening was nearly impossible. He thought that Mr. Gautam had somehow rigged that exam and interview in his favor. He was able to find that someone high had put enough pressure so that the exams were held in totally fair environment and no one who was not eligible how ever high his sources are should not be selected. He was told by one of his informants that it was one of the cleanest exams ever held since 60s. He also found out that the scale tilted in his favor in the interview when the board came to know that he belonged to a scheduled caste but did not opt for reservations as he had faith in his ability and he did not want to use the crutches of reservations.

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Chapter 8

Dr. Singh was in deep thought. He was thinking about the call made by his brother from Haridwar about Amit. He got interested in his case as his brother told him that on initial examination the patient has shown signs of amnesia as well as paranoia. He was told that the amnesia is true and not likely to be forged. And that the patient now mumbles in his dreams which will definitely become a problem in near future for the patient as he becomes fearful from his dreams and it looks like he is running from some one. Dr. Singh took the call from Ashok who had been given his number by his brother. His brother wanted to help Amit and had made sure that DR. Singh treats him.

Now sitting in a government vehicle and blindfolded for his own safety he is thinking how all this would turn up. He was confident till this early evening, before Narendra called, that Amit was hiding something and his amnesia and paranoia was due to something terrible and it had led to his guilty conscious. Now as the events have unfolded in the evening he was avoiding any guesses further in this matter and was content that had allowed him to come with them. He would rather be part of the team solving this mystery than be sleeping peacefully in his bed.

Narendra was having similar thoughts. He had known Ashok long enough that he was a good lad. He was best friend of his younger brother since their college days. Now when he had asked for help in Amit's case he could not refuse even though he had a busy schedule. He had maintained an uninspiring office to be unburdened by useless case of spouse following or trying to find out about future bride/groom etc. His office did not inspire confidence in people who did not know him. And therefore he was able to take his own cases and solve them. And he had a very busy schedule. But since Amit's case has come up all the rest have been given to his deputies and he takes a look at them either at home or the main office where rest of his team works. But no one knows that the place is used as office of a detective agency. He was hopeful that something would come around in Amit's case but the recent turn of events have totally had him perplexed. He was expecting Amit to be in danger but the danger would be such great he had never imagined. What that this lad done to incur the wraith of people so powerful was beyond his comprehension.

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Chapter 9

Mama ji was sitting next to Amit. He was glad that he had reached Amit in time and also that he had asked for official help in the matter which had an inquiry going in the related matter since two years. Even though nothing substantial ever came up but it was made sure the people involved in the inquiry that there is some very deep conspiracy going on. The extent of it and the danger it posed had not been unearthed but something was going on. This was a disadvantage of involving asking for help from the government. If there is something they do not understand they see it as danger for themselves. He knew that people involved in this case were far from dangerous but Amit had done something which had angered the usually calm elephant. And he knew once an elephant is stirred up it takes a lot of effort to pacify him. And this is what happened in this case.

Amit became involved in this case when he had an accident and was saved by one of them. But when he went to of their places which even mama ji has not be fortunate of see he did something which he would have been better off by not doing. The actual events were unknown to him but the amount of pressure being put up by them on Amit has made it clear that they want this matter to be dead and buried for ever. And this is exactly what he is ought to stop. He has to stop anything from happening to Amit. He is too precious for his family. He cannot allow anything too happen to him. But since last month he had been told by various sources that the danger level around Amit is increasing and it would be better that Amit stops his treatment and investigation. He had tried different things to stop Amit from doing what he was doing but he was stubborn and had unknowingly invited danger to himself. Now is the time coming when his resources and tack would be tested more than ever and he would be very sorry if was found wanted. But he knew that the possibility of him be found wanted is very much. He knew them. He knew they had never failed all the centuries they been in existence. And he prayed that they would see sense in not harming Amit and leave in peace because he knew that they will never be able to win by force. They were mightier than all the forces of world combined. They were the only valid force on earth. They were keeper of the ancient knowledge and owner of real power. They were the ones world once knew and dreaded. Now they are after someone he cared for and he knew he would never be able to keep them from taking him.

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Chapter 10

The vehicle stopped. They all expected to be asked to take off their blindfolds. The order never came. All of them were nervous. They heard gates been opened and hands helping them climb down. They were led by hands to some place. At one point they were asked to stop and then they heard gate of a lift opening. They were asked to go in. They went in and heard _the doctor_ asking them to remove their blindfolds when they heard the gates closing. The lift had started to move. They did not see anything out of ordinary with the lift. It reached to 3rd floor and came to s stop. The doors opened they were asked to move forward. They a corridor leading from the lift and few rooms were visible as doors of some of them were open. They were taken to one of those rooms. It was large and had comfortable sitting arrangements. They made themselves comfortable and started to feel relaxed. _The doctor_ said first. "I think now the time to play games is over." Looking at mama ji he questioned to which he nodded "I would like to tell you first that this is not an unofficial help. An official inquiry into the working of the group which is posing a danger to Amit is going on since two years. I am afraid to tell you that they are a very dangerous group and we have till know not been able to capture any of their members nor have we been able to find any of their hideouts. Even after two years we are just shooting in the dark" All of them were surprised on hearing this. Amit was the most dejected of the lot. He was thinking if the government was not able to find even a trace of them then he was destined to be doomed. It was a total disaster as far as Amit was concerned. "I think there are few gaps here and things no one here knows apart from me even though some of you may be aware of few facts. So I will begin will begin the narrative and try to fill in as much detail as possible. I think we don't have to leave any soon? " mama ji asked looking at _the doctor_. He said no. They can stay there till they wanted and had asked every one to inform their families that they would be out. Narendra said he would not require as his family members are accustomed of his not returning for days a t a stretch as they know hazards of his job. Dr. Singh called his home and told that he will not be able to come home tonight. Then they all waited for mama ji to begin. "It started nearly two years back when he came to me for help regarding a missing person" said mama ji looking at the government agent they knew as _the doctor_ "I had known him since his childhood days and he sometimes came to consult me." He paused thinking how to present the information without sounding too much absurd. He knew that when for the first time someone hears about the presence of this secret organization the sheer impossibility to the thing sometimes makes the listener think it as a fairy tale. And knew he did not have much time to go into all the details. He had only this night and the coming morning may bring them even at this undisclosed place. "The person concerned was an eminent Sanskrit scholar and he has gone missing. He was father of a well connected man and so he was told to look into the matter as the place where that scholar went missing was well known to him. This was the reason he came to me as the missing person was also known to me and I happened to know the place and people around. There people were not even willing to help local police so there was no question of helping a government employee who came there from Delhi. I made some inquiries and with his help I was actually able to locate the exact spot from where that man went missing. And after that his trail went cold. Dead cold! Not even a hint. It was similar to what happened to Amit. But as the family members were mounting pressure I had to use of the contacts which I had seldom used and never to find a missing person. But somehow it made sense because I the direction of my thinking was right then that man would be the first one to know the whereabouts of the missing scholar." Looking at the faces of Narendra and Dr. Singh mama ji paused and said "Please bear with me. It will all be clear in just few minutes." Then looking at Amit he continued "I am talking about the old man I told you about" "That 600 years old man?" said Amit "Yes he same one. I knew he would be the only person who could help me" "A six hundred year old man?" asked surprised Narendra and Dr. Singh "Now you are pulling our legs. We are not here to hear some fairy tale bull shit" said Narendra "Yes I think Narendra is right. As far as I know it not possible for any one to live up to 600 years. It is not medically possible" "Dr. Singh your medical since is too primitive. The people we are talking about have thousands of year's old technically advanced science at their disposal. And 600 years is not very old from their point of view." "I think now you will say that they are aliens." Said Dr. Singh "Aliens?" asked Amit trying to thin if this could be the possible reason of their technical advancement? "No Dr. Singh they are not aliens and I can assure you that they are more Indian than you can find anywhere on the planet." Said mama ji with emphasis He then told them how he came in touch with this person. "What is the manuscript about?" asked Narendra "I am surprised that you ask this question as when I told this to Amit he did not bother to ask." Looking at Amit sharply but feeling pleased about Narendra. "I do not think we have time to go into that but I can tell for know that the information we comes to public knowledge can be explosive. So as the man told me about it, I thought the less I knew about it the better as in that case no one can force me to tell about it. When I went to meet him I had strictly said that I should not be followed. But you cannot depend on government people to do the right thing can you?" asked mama ji looking towards _the doctor_ "And he took us for a ride for two days left us 500 km away from the place wanted to go. And I am not able to understand till now how was he able to give us the slip." Said _the doctor_ smiling "That is a trick I will not teach you." Said mama ji returning his smile "The old man told me that the missing person should left alone by his family members and he is not willing to return. He has found peace and will not return at any cost. He told me that I should be happy for the man. I said I am happy but asked him what should I tell the government/ He told me that that it was not his concern and went inside his study closing the door on my face again. I came back and told him that I cannot help him and he is lost for ever. I told him that the search should be called off as there is no chance that he would be found. Some days later a decayed body was found which the government claimed that it was the missing person and thus the family members were pacified. But the report had reached all the way to the highest level and they had issued a notice to search and destroy. They took the existence of the organization as a threat on to themselves. It was very small thinking but then people sitting there cannot be blamed. Since then he keeps asking about them and has made it a habit of keeping two guys constantly watching me" "Do you know about it?" asked _the doctor_ in amazement "Yes since the first day they appeared. How do you think I have survived so long even after there are so many enemies who want me rather dead? And as I have told you so many times my intelligence network is far better than what you people have." "How did you know that I was in danger today?" asked Amit "I was informed by the same old man. He had told me that he tried to persuade them to leave the matter of Amit but he told me the things he had stirred up when he was there was not something to left alone. He said they did not want to harm him but wanted him to stop the things he was doing." "What things am I doing? And you had told me that the old man had also vanished?" questioned Amit "They want you to stop looking for answers. And yes the old man had vanished and therefore the danger you are in is immense as he came back just to warn me about you" Hearing this every body sensed the fear in their body moving steadily "I think what are they afraid of and why they wanted Amit to stop nosing around with me and Narendra." Said Dr. Singh Every body looked at him surprised. He had been sitting and listening all the while that they had even forgot that he was present with them. "They are afraid that Amit might remember things he had forgotten. And that could be only one reason for this." He looked at them letting this eureka moment pass and continued "Either he was hypnotized or he was given a some mind altering drug. Chances of he being given a drug would be less as I don't think that any drug would have life long effect. But as I have been told that there are people alive who are more 600 years old then even such drugs may be possible. But a simpler explanation can be hypnosis. They are afraid that if some how I am able to reverse it then Amit would remember everything. Would be a problem for them?" Dr. Singh asked looking at mama ji "It would not be much of a problem as of he being able to get to their place. But yes if he has learnt few things there they would like it to be secret." Said mama ji "Why will he not be able to take us to the place where they are hiding?" questioned _the doctor_ "First you have to remember that they are not hiding there. Second they can defend it against any force so they do not have to fear Amit finding that place and most important thing is that without their help even Amit cannot reach them even if he remembers how to reach the place." "Why is that so?" asked Narendra "Because it is not situated on this dimension." Said mamaji "Means that they are aliens. They do not belong to our world." Said Narendra "I think I have had enough for the night men living more than 600 years and now this other dimension thing. I think I will leave" said Dr. Singh and stood up to go "Sit down Dr. Singh. This is not you clinic where you can run your whim. This is delicate situation and after Amit you are under most danger." Shouted _the doctor_ Dr. Singh was shocked at his outburst and felt that it was safer to sit down and listen to this absurd talk than to provoke any of these man men. He started having doubts that these are really mad men and he was struck here with them. "What do you mean Dr. Singh is in danger doctor?" questioned Narendra "Means have tried to call him three times since they called Amit. I had it stopped otherwise Dr. Singh also would have had the taste of their medicine till know." Said the agent now in control of himself. "Can you do that?" asked Narendra getting more interested "Not that we do it all the time but yes we can do it when required and have proper authorization. And for this particular mission we have authority do any and we can use any amount of force which we deemed fit to control the enemy." Said _the doctor_ "They had tried to call not only Dr. Singh but also you and Ashok. I had those calls stopped but I hope I would be able to stop them instead of just their calls." "Were you also called mama ji" asked Amit "No he would not be called by them as they do not threaten their own members." Said _the doctor_ smiling at mama ji "Yes I know but don't be afraid, its only me who knows and the secret will go with me on my pyre" Everyone else was looking at mama ji accusingly. "How can you do this to me. You have betrayed me all along." Said Amit "No he is not involved" said _the doctor_ "I am their outside contact and I do not know what they do and where they live. All I do is to take care of their functioning in this world." Said mama ji feeling somewhat guilty of not telling this himself "Actually what I believe is that he is one of only a handful of people they trust to make contact" said _the doctor_ "Yes I am just one of the 6 people alive who know their real mission and the reason they exists. I have by luck risen to find myself nearly at the top of their group which work in this outside world." "I think we all deserve an explanation from you mama ji" said Amit On seeing their determined faces mama ji knew he would not be able to sweet talk his way out here. However great the danger is, he thought it would even be wise to let them know some of the truth about history. But he knew that it would come as a shock for them and it would more than the proverbial bitter medicine. On seeing the reaction of Dr. Singh he was afraid that these people are not ready to digest the truth. It takes long hard work and mostly self study of old documents them one came be ready for the truth he was about to tell them. It would be like telling them that the earth is actually flat and the satellite images are also hoax. Reluctantly he started as there was no way out of this situation. "Before I being you have to remember few facts. I have never visited the place they live and work. I have never met more than two persons who are the members who live there. I know the things I am going to tell you because I have learnt them form old manuscripts which had survived even after all the invasions and from the people who more about them and occupy higher positions than me in the group. I was made a member of the group after my second visit to the old man." "So this is a secret society" asked Dr. Singh "Not like the one you are a member of Dr. Singh" said mama ji pointing to the ring he had on his finger on which Dr. Singh smile but kept quiet. He was a freemason but it was more of an old buys club that a malevolent secret society. "I don't know where to begin. It has a history which even the most learned scholars in the organization do not know. I do not think there are more than to three people alive even in there who know when the organization started exactly. Initially it is said that they were just a museum like organization and secretly kept everything they thought would become important in history. It used to work overtly for many centuries but as their wealth increased by collecting many riches from around the world they became a magnet for various kinds of people, people who wanted a part of their wealth. It was this time that they had to take decision to go underground. With this their number started to decrease as people were only hand picked after watching them for long and then made members. But it was not a problem for them as with their vast riches included vast knowledge. Their actual power was not the artifacts, gold and precious stones but the knowledge they had which they had accumulated painlessly since the dawn of civilization. They had worked out what knowledge to use and what not to use. And because of this they had made them selves powerful But even with power to rule the world they had not forgotten their real charge that is to remain just the keepers of knowledge and wisdom and keep collecting everything they thought would be of importance." "Then how were they able to increase their numbers?" asked _the doctor_ as he felt that this was a significant question "They did not increased their numbers but they used the knowledge and power to increase their age. They had all the knowledge about plants and medicines using which they increased their life span many folds. Most of you must have heard one of their common legends. The fountain of youth, it was one of the most common legends, a myth propagated by their long life spans." "Fountain of youth has been a legend in almost all the religions of the world. It is said to situated somewhere near Himalayas, in Ancient city of Shangri La or Shambala or Agartha." Said Narendra "You know the legends so tell me where did Amit disappear?" "Some where near Haridwar" said Narendra "No I mean the place about the legends" It came to Narendra and he was excited "Near Himalayas" "And what to do legends tell about the Shangri La?" asked mama ji "That it is a city which is hidden some where in Himalayas and the people there live a long life. Also that they have a very advance technology" "Good now tell me that how can you hide a city?" "You cannot hide a city. And Agartha is said to some mythical underground city which was somehow connected to long lost city of Atlantis." Said Dr. Singh "Actually you can hide anything by just shifting the way light is reflected from it. Initially they tried this but as they continued their advancement they discovered that it was easier to hide something by shifting the planes of existence that is changing dimensions than by changing the reflection pattern of light. Because by changing the pattern of light reflected one can only make the object disappear from the view but it would stay at the same place. They feared that some day some one would be able to come to their place and then their secret would be revealed so they took everything and disappeared in other dimension. And as far as it being underground is concerned it is a metaphor used by them to tell their story. People can easily understand something being underground than it being in other dimension. It was a story made to tell people who used to work for them in this world." "You do not have any difficulty in understanding something being in other dimension" asked Dr. Singh "It is because mama ji is PhD in physics." Said Amit with some pride on which both Narendra and Dr. Singh were surprised. "I thought you were just a mischief monger with some knowledge of Sanskrit" said Narendra "It is myth propagated by him and he is also having a PhD in Sanskrit" said the doctor "Enough of me. The legend was made at the time the world was plunged in dark ages 8 thousand years ago. At that time people would were recruited by telling them of a world which was underground more easily than by telling them that it existed in some other dimension which was not easy for them to understand." "There was nothing at that time. It is a period before even the pyramids were made. They would have existed at that time leave alone their going to some other dimension" said Narendra who was supported by Dr. Singh "You two have been reading that is good but the history is not really written in those pages. The real history has always been modified if not destroyed by the conquerors. To be able to get a realist picture of what had transpired in past is nearly implausible if not impossible. You have to get hold of the written materials which were true in the words and be able to read in between lines. And then also it may be not possible to have a really good picture of past." He paused a little to see if there was any comment from tem but as they were not forthcoming he continued "I was telling you the times when they made a decision to shift their base in other dimension. It was darkest of ages we had seen and the ignorance which crept in those times were the real cause due to which our civilization suffered a crippling blow and has till now not able to completely recover. It was never due to foreign invasion that we suffered. Those invasions were result of the ignorance resulting from the aftermath of what happened before the dark ages." "What are you talking about?" asked Dr. Singh not able to grasp the period which he was talking about. What happened in history so long ago which caused the Dark Age he was talking about? He was getting sure that here was a real nut case. "I think you all know what I ma thanking about but you do not realize it as real history but take it as a myth or imagination by some. I am taking about the great was that took place 8000 years ago." He paused for some time thinking how to tell them something which they have heard since their childhood but have never thought it as their own history. These men are learned people but they never took the thing he is about to tell them as facts. They always thought of those things as stories. I am taking about the greatest was ever fought on the face of the earth. I am talking about Mahabharat! He thought that he would never be able to tell the truth. The truth which was as bitter as there can be one. He knew that people would never believe even if shown the evidence of it. The forces involved in actually planning of that war wanted the people who were the doers to become the followers. And how true their foresight was? With a single war they converted the whole population of people brilliant in there works in someone who were not even able to think for themselves. It was conspiracy beyond imagination. Something which had plunged the whole humanity into a dark period from which it has not been able to recover. He knew that people involved with the decision had their own reasons but then even they never thought that it would come even better than their original plan. How happy they would have been to see the outcome of their nefarious plan. For all he knew it was the worst threat the humanity ever had. "What?" They all shouted in unison. "Yes. But why are you guys so pumped up?" "Because it is a story by someone who lived not more than 1500 years ago and not a part of history which happened 8000 years ago as you are saying" said Dr. Singh "And how do you know that what you know is correct and what I am telling is wrong?" asked mama ji "First every history lesson tells us. Second there is no record of any battle having fought and third there is absolutely no record of the places told in the epic." Said Dr. Singh "Really? And you take to the face value of the books where these things are written?" asked mama ji "I will try to clear your doubts and answer all your questions one by one. First tell me who wrote these books as you said that every book tells us that it was a story?" "Well every historian has told the same thing. I cannot specifically name a particular book" answered Dr. Singh looking at others for some help "I will tell you. These books were written by the British writers who did not want our coming generations to know what glorious past we had. This was a psychological war fought over generations through books. As a student of psychology I think you can understand its significance Dr. Singh." Said mama ji "And later on people born here but studied on the books written by foreign authors thought that they were being told the correct history. It was the slave mentality and is evident even now. We are not able to think for ourselves and feel that whatever we are told is right. Tell me why there is not much mention of Mahmud being forced by Jaipal many times before and his victory only told in the books? It is also because of the reason that the history at that time was written by people who had won they thought if better that removed anything which would show them vulnerable. Do you have any record that those epic were written by someone living 1500 years ago? I don't think you would have any. You will never find any record saying some one named Manu lived around the timed he told to be by our so called historians. But even though they are not able to find any records they think that these people would have lived after the Christian civilization was formed again which was missionary fabrication of facts otherwise how could they claim that the God they asked others to follow is old enough to be followed. And again our so called historians followed the missionary propaganda because they were afraid to be called as orthodox and uncultured. I think Dr. Singh is of right age to understand this as during his younger days people use to laugh at yog and ayurved and when it came back from West as Yoga and Ayurveda it became a hip thing. And I am very much confident then if the so called history is altered by the Western historians the same people who laugh at the scriptures as being mere imagination of some drugged up poet would overnight convert and call them as their own." "It is possible but till that happens I would like to go by the history which is prevalent know" said Dr. Singh "As for you second that there is no record of the battle being fought you are miserably wrong as there is ample records and they have been dubbed as of Harappan civilization as the people digging up those sites had no vision that they might be of older eras and something might have happened there even though at many places the radioactivity was found to way high, which can only be due to one reason that is a nuclear fallout as there were no mines found. As far as the third point you raised that the records of places mentioned in those epics then please go not very far from the coastlines surrounding Gujarat and will find ample evidence of Dwarka being present even now under the Ocean." "I do not think that any historian had ever said anything about radioactivity around those areas." Said Dr. Singh "Yes you will not find any evident of that sort in the contemporary history books. And they are not there does not mean that it did not happen. If it was to be claimed that such an event occurred in past then they would not be able to say that the civilization they represent was the inventors of such miracles as they claim. And then there are vested interest of the people who fund such expeditions and would never allow such findings coming out in public. Can you tell me why Oppenheimer quoted Bhagvad Gita after seeing the first nuclear explosion? And why is that our scriptures give a very accurate descriptions of a nuclear explosion? And why would some Western scientist learn Sanskrit let alone quote Bhagvad Gita?" said mama ji "This does not explain anything." Said Narendra "Does it not? Then what would explain it? People coming from past and saying it themselves?" asked mama ji "I was talking about the dark ages after the great war was fought. It was evident to Lord Krishna that humanity would under prolong period of ignorance and he had to do some things to save for the future." "You are trying to say that Lord Krishna was the founder of this organization?" asked Amit not able to understand what he was hearing "No, he was not the founder of the group. It had existed far beyond in the history but yes he knew of its existence and was the leader of it during his times. If you have read Shrimad Bhagvad then you must know that he had called Udav to him and gave him ancient knowledge during his last days on earth. And it was during those sermons to Udav he had told him what to do about the organization once he leaves his body. When Udav came to become the leader of the organization he started massive changes in the set up of the organization which are followed even to this age. He was the one who had ordered them to start searching for alternate place to the base of the organization and after his demise they were able to fulfill his wish." "When did this occur, I mean which date and year" asked Dr. Singh "The exact date and year are known only to people who are the members and who have attained certain level of initiation." "So if are saying that this organization is so old and so powerful why did it not interfere when India was attacked by foreign powers and when we were enslaved." Asked Amit "Because it is not what they are. They have a very strict code of non interference and they do nothing that can change the course of future abruptly. It can bring about very negative developments world over and people have not developed their faculties to assimilate such kind of changes overnight." "This looks like some sort of government bull shit" said Narendra said smiling "No it is not. They have developed a code of conduct which is older than all the nations of the world. They have existed even before the current civilization was even formed. Their wisdom is beyond challenge and their ethics beyond ordinary minds." Said mama ji "But to us they are looking like a bunch of crazy murders who are after the life of our friend here" said Narendra "I have told him before and to all of you that they wanted him to stop what he was doing. They did not want Amit to remember anything he saw in there. And to save their secret they can go to any lengths. And let me tell you that this is the first time since they shifted to other plane of existence that their secret is being so boldly threatened even though I know that it was all done with good conscience and you did not intended any malice." Said mama ji "How could we as even know we are not willing to take their existence as real." Said Narendra "But there are in Amit's mind things, which he ever remembered, can tell the world of their existence and it is precisely what they do not want to happen." "Can you tell me when did you came to that Amit was in danger?" asked Dr. Singh "Just today" said mama ji "But I was aware that they are keeping a watch on him since many days back." Said mama ji "Can you say when was Amit put under surveillance." Asked Dr. Singh "I cannot be sure of that but it many days before. Why are you asking this" said mama ji putting pressure on his memory trying to remember the exact date when he came to know that Amit was under surveillance "I am not sure but I think that the date may be important and it could be linked to some important event" said Dr. Singh "which led them to become interested in Amit. I do not think that he was under their watch since he returned?" "No he was not. I am absolutely sure of it." Said mama ji "Meaning that they had left him for good but something happened which made them change their mind" said Narendra who was supported by Dr. Singh "And I think that it had be a major event which had wide publicity and they were sure that Amit might hear it" said Dr. Singh "But even then what would Amit be able to do?" asked the man whom they called _the doctor_ "He could do just one thing they feared" said Dr. Singh smiling "Remember" said Amit and Narendra together and started laughing "Yes remember. That event is somehow linked to his memory and they fear that when he hears about it, he can regain his memory." Explained Dr. Singh even though he had doubts himself on this theory "Is it possible doctor" asked the agent "Yes it can very well happen" said Dr. Singh and on hearing this the agent went out of the room without giving any reason. They started talking among themselves about the things mama ji said and Amit kept pulling mama ji's legs to be naïve enough to believe in such stories even though he was a scientist by training. "Being a scientist does not mean that one shuts his mind to other things. Actually a scientist should have a open mind so that he can receive the knowledge and not become to narrow minded to ignore the facts when showed to him." At the same time _the doctor_ returned with copies of various types of news papers and magazines. He was followed by one more agent who was carrying similar but large collection. "I have brought all the news papers and magazines published since Amit returned. I would like us to divide and read. Keep reading loud those headlines which may seem to have impact on larger scale and those which can be said to breaking news." Dr. Singh was impressed by the decision taking ability of this agent and he told others that they should do it as it may help not only gain his lost memory but also help them somehow in this case. They kept reading headlines and telling Amit who was sitting and listening. There were usual suspects. Accidents, abnormal cold weather condition in Europe, regime changes in Africa and unrest in Middle East. Arab world was being torn apart by such unrest which were unprecedented. Western world crossing swords with Iran, bomb blast in India but at a foreign embassy vehicle (unusual in the sense that it was for the first time Indian citizens were not the target!), India loosing in test matches and in one-dayers also in Australia. "Wait!" shouted Amit "Go back, I think I have heard it from some one" "What India loosing test matches" asked Narendra "No" smiled Amit "back, I felt something strange about one of the news." "Sir, will you please..." a head entered the room and asked _the doctor_. He went out and came back after sometime with tension all over his face "Bad news?" asked Dr. Singh on seeing him. Amit was trying to think hard what had triggered a feeling in him which told him that he knew something about that event. They were again repeating the headlines which they had read aloud before Amit had stopped them. On hearing Dr. Singh saying something about bad news they all stopped what they were doing and looked up "Not bad but terrible news. Two of the agents were found unconscious near Amit's apartment. When the team forced in his apartment nothing out of ordinary was found but the agents were not able to recall what happened to them." "They will not kill anyone. Even Amit will not be harmed as far as I know. He may have his memory permanently altered or he may be taken by them" said mama ji "And this somehow should make me feel better" asked Amit "I have ordered that the teams who are in field should have at least four members and have asked for reinforcements for this place. And how are things developing here?" asking Amit "I thought you said to stop when I was called outside" "Yes I think I felt some thing familiar about some news. They are repeating what they had read." Said Amit in response "Western world crossing swords with Iran, bomb blast..." "Stop" shouted Amit with excitement "repeat it again" "Western world.." "No... let me see it" Amit took the news paper from mama ji and began reading but he did not felt anything familiar Then something occurred to Dr. Singh "Iran bomb blast" and he stopped. Amit felt his heart skipping a beat. "Say it again" "Iran bomb blast" "Yes it is it. I have heard it some where" said Amit with excitement all over his face. His heart was pounding his chest "But there is nothing of such sort that Iran has anything to do with a bomb blast" said Narendra looking at the news papers kept in front of him. He was sure that the recent bomb blast on an Israeli embassy car was not a handy work of Iran. It must have been some plot of terrorist organization. Iran had been friends to India and it cannot do such things here. "It were two different news items read out by two different people but when they came out one after the other they formed an association in Amit's mind. I am sure he has heard Iran and bomb blast together some where" said Dr. Singh. The agent came up to Dr. Singh and said "I think I should thank you. I have a feeling that we may be able to solve this by the end of this night." "May be" said Dr. Singh but now he was having a second thought as even if they are able to trigger something in Amit's mind he may not be able to be of much help if this organization really has its head quarter in some other dimension. "I know what are you thinking but I don't think you are taking the story told to us seriously?" asked the agent "But if was to be found true then we will be back at square one again." Said Dr. Singh. Narendra was asking mama ji if he knew that Iran bombed that car of which he said it was for the government to say. He is not authorized to give any comment. On realizing that it was not some reporter asking and question he just smiled and kept quiet. Amit was trying to think hard that why these two unrelated head lines had caused his mind to relate to something. And what was the thing he was not able to comprehend. Narendra was repeating Iran bomb blast, Iran bomb blast over and over again as the CD has got stuck suddenly after running smoothly for sometime. "Iran bomb blast Israel" said Dr. Singh try to add a new dimension to the words said by Narendra, hearing which Amit eyes popped out. "Yes that's it. I know it for sure." Said Amit jumping up and down with excitement "What are you sure of?" asked mama ji "That Israel was bombed by Iran" said Amit "This has not happened and pray that it never happens in future also" said the government agent "No no it has happened and it has happened in our country" said Amit impatiently. "What are you talking about" said Narendra getting frustrated "That Iran bombed Israel in India" said Amit "Yes I am sure of it. They knew that Iran was going to do something against Israel in India. I must have asked them to stop it but they ignored my appeal. They said they would not interfere. I must have then tried to run and warn people but they must have dumped me on the road after erasing my memory." Said Amit "Some of it can be true. They keep track of events and have known to have their spies everywhere. But I am not sure that how Amit gained information as they never give such information to anyone. It is all fed into a very large and sophisticated parallel processing unit and they do their things with it. I am not sure what and how they use the information. And again it was not possible for Amit to find his way back without their help as he would not know how to come back in this dimension." Said mama ji "That would mean only two things: Either he had inside help or that the place exists on the same plane as we do." Said Dr. Singh "The first option sounds better to me as Amit would be able to have any information only if there was an inside help and the same help was also responsible for Amit's escape." "But do know any thing about Iran or Israel so why would I be given a specific information about them? And why me?" asked Amit "Someone inside is not happy with their "we mind our own business policy" and when he heard about Iran's plan to bomb Israel embassy car he thought of doing something about it. With Amit already with them he thought that he might tell Amit and ask him to inform the authorities thereby avoiding the explosion. But somehow his plan was thwarted mid air by them as they let Amit go but put a plug in to so that he did not remember anything which occurred there." _The doctor_ tried to help by putting forward his own theory. Discontent in enemy ranks was the first thing he wanted to happen. "Yes may be what he said just now is true or some other version may be correct. But the basic problem here is that the theory given by our friend here is based upon discontent among the people about the policy in the organization. This could never occur as when some gets inside he never wants to come out. Time cease to have any affect on the body of the people living there. One can live forever and be able to serve the organization. They have developed such drugs that it virtually stops the process of aging. And the yog and meditation also help in increasing and enhancing the life. It is a virtually a paradise in there. And only those people are selected who had been screened for any kind of late mental changes. They have left nothing to chance. If there is anybody inside then he is there only because the organization knew he would be faithful and when he is inside the organization helps people stay faithful." Said mama ji "But even in paradise there can be a revolt" said Narendra "Yes but you are thinking it as some sort of secret organization which has its members kept under control by drugs and force. This is far from truth. They have a well developed city in there with population of over 5 million. The organization I speak of had seen that it would a problem to keep people working for them without providing them what they want. Every body has been provided with a family support. Even the new recruits are given a family to live with. And what you all have been thinking all along, it may come as surprise that most of the new members are recruited from the city itself and not from among us so the question of revolt and betraying the organization would never occur." Said mama ji "Yes but then it becomes more plausible that some one inside wanted to se our world and had bargained Amit to take him with him in exchange of information." Said Narendra "Yes I can agree with you but there is a small problem people who are born in there do not know the existence of us." Said mama ji smiling "What they do not know we exists?" asked Narendra "No in the same way that we don't know that they exist." Answered mama ji "A beautiful plan." Said Narendra "Yes it was made by Udav on orders of Lord Krishna." Said mama ji Amit was trying think and get some information out of his brain. His mind was working in overdrive and then also he was not able to come to any solution. Even though Iran bomb blast Israel had triggered something in his mind he was not getting at any conclusion till now. "But what had Iran and Israel do with all this?" asked Amit "I don't think anything particular. Iran is in the similar situation Iraq found itself in about few years ago. At that time Saddam was the enemy number one and he was to be eliminated. For this only solution was WMD. An elaborate hoax was created and world was made into believing that Iraq was going to acquire WMDs very soon. And with evidence of WMDs mounting United States had no other option but to attack Iraq and save the world as Iraq was not helping the IAEA to monitor its nuclear plan. How could Saddam have done it even though he wanted because there was no nuclear plan running in his country? Which ultimately resulted in sudden elimination of Saddam. No one bothered to carefully look and investigate why he was murdered. The similar situation is again being put for Iran and I don't know why people are so blind that they are not able to see what is going on. Iran is equally to be blamed. I don't know whether they know what plans are being hatched against them but in their blind nationality they are stopping the people who could help them. IAEA is a puppet in hands of US and UK but there are countries that do not always follow them but Iran in its rage is turning blind. It would result in similar occupation of the country by US led forces and then what their blind egoistic nationalism would do is beyond my thinking. Israel is playing its part to perfection. It is surrounded by hostile nations and has withstood their hostility with sheer determination. But now it is singing the song US wants it to sing. I do not know what will happen for sure but for current regime in Iran future looks grim if they continue to play macho." "Your analysis is very good mama ji but what has it all to do with me?" asked Amit "I am not sure" said mama ji in reply. He had no idea what Amit to do with Iran and Israel and bomb blast in Delhi. He was sure that they knew about the conspiracy and but not sure that regime in Iran would be so foolish to take out a diplomat in India which is friendly to both the countries. And if Israel attacks Iran then it would be good bye for the present regime. India was the only country where the bomb actually exploded when and where it was intended to explode. Even though one more explosion occurred in Thailand it had occurred when the terrorists were trying to shift the bomb. But in India they did it with accuracy and fearlessness. For India has been a very soft target to terrorism. And authorities always take cover under the vastness of the country, huge population and long and porous borders and hurting of religious sentiments. If they can catch the perpetrators of ghastly attacks on Samhauta express and some other bomb blast which were linked to Hindu terror then why were they not able to catch perpetrators of other attacks? Was religious minority having sentiments? He was not in favor of any kind of terror. That is always bad who ever does it. But people try to color even terror attacks. When a police man is killed no one ever sees his religion but if some terrorist is killed every body starts shouting from the roof tops that it is religious persecution. We are happy to keep attackers of parliament and Mumbai happy providing for their food and security but we are not able to stop harassment of the Sadhvi Pragya. Why such double standards? Media men always have time and resources to find and take interview of naxalites and family members of slain terrorists and naxals. But they never even bother to see the plights of the families of the brave soldiers and police men killed in line of duty. No wonder we are thought as soft targets and if things continue to be as they are then the time is not far when other nations would also try to fight their wars in our streets. It is quite possible that the bombing may be just the beginning. Interrupting the chain of his thoughts cell phone of someone came to life. He saw that it was Dr. Singh was picking up his phone. As the government agent tried to look in to the cell phone Dr. Singh said that it was ok as it was of his brother. "Hello" "Yes Amit is with me." "I will ask him" with one hand over the cell phone "what is the color of your cell phone?" "It had a red back cover with black key pad, Sony" Dr. Singh delivered the information into the cell phone and his face was showing the signs of shock "Ok" "Yes I will tell him" "who is he?" " Ok" "yes will do" Then he saw _the doctor_ giving him a signal not to hang up. Dr. Singh again palmed his cell and looked at him "Has some one found the cell phone of Amit" asked he even though it was even evident from the one sided talk that it was found and someone took it to the doctor in Haridwar. Ask your brother not to let him go and please ask him where he is so that I can send some one immediately and have that man under protection. I think if you can persuade your brother to accompany them then it would be better. Dr. Singh did what he was asked. He eventually persuaded his brother to go with the agent coming to take the man who had found the cell phone under protection. As the address was given to the agent he made it sure that he reached there within five minutes. When the agent arrived Dr. Singh got a call from his brother and he was made to talk with _the doctor_ this side so they were sure that both of them went with the government agent and not with someone posing as one. When all of this was over everybody looked at Dr. Singh to tell what had happened. "My bother had asked travel agents and guides to tell him about any location which had a lake view as well as mountain view but was not frequented by many when Amit told me about his dreams today. It seems that one of the travel guide stumbled up on the cell phone of Amit and he took it to my brother as he recognized his photo." "Where did he find my cell phone?" asked Amit "Some where near old ruins which no body frequented. The travel guide had gone there with his friends to have a party as it was his off day." Said Dr. Singh "I think we should be start for Haridwar as soon as possible" said mama ji and stood up "What happened?" asked _the doctor_ "The legend says that one of the door ways to that place lies through on old ruin some where near Haridwar." Said mama ji anxiously. All of them sat silently waiting for others to say something. But there was nothing to say. It was clear as day as the door said in the ancient legend had been found and they only had to go there and see for themselves what lies on the other side. "Sir you have to see this" said an agent putting his head in the room. The doctor went with the agent and they were left pondering their next move. As _the doctor_ came in he had something in his hand. He asked Amit if he recognized it after giving it to him. Amit saw what was in his hand and looked at mama ji. "It is for real! For heavens sake try to heed my warning. But where did you get it" asked mama ji "I thought you would never ask" smiled _the doctor_ "It was found in the closed fist of one of agents found conscious" "The ones found near my apartment" asked Amit just to be sure "No he was on a different mission and had just came back. He was found unconscious right at the corner of this road. We are being watched but we are not able to see them. It is turning out to be a nightmare" said the doctor "Tell me about it" said Amit "We have to leave at once" said mama ji impatiently "My faith in you is wavering now" "I have asked my men to make the arrangements and we can leave for Haridwar as soon as possible." Said _the doctor_ They all sat with growing impatience and a feeling of the danger was creeping in. Would I be able to find it? Mama ji was thinking that he may be able to al least see the gateway to the other side. He knew he was not ready even now and he was willing to wait for the opportune time to cross over. With things happening so fast there may not be time to come back. And if that happens he would miss his family. But he was readying himself for any eventuality. Even for a final crossover. Dr. Singh and Narendra were still not convinced about the existence of such organization even though mama ji said that the up on finding the pendent resembling a conch there was no way anyone can doubt its existence. Amit was fondling the pendent given to him. He was not converted to mama ji's side but had felt something more potent when he had touched this pendent. He wanted the story to be true but he was not able to see why he was running from them. Why did his dreams so horrible when mama ji was telling that the place was virtual paradise? "No one said anything about Amit telling Dr. Singh about his dreams" said _the doctor_ "Today Amit had told us about his recurring dreams but today he told certain information about them which he had withheld so far. On the basis of that information I had told my brother to do some research. I think the trouble was worth taking. Even if nothing comes out of this, at least Amit got his cell back." Said Dr. Singh with smile on his face "What about the pendent?" asked _the doctor_ again "It is the symbol of power. The calling cards of those who live there on the other side. People who are here on this side are not given the pendent but they use the same symbol on a golden ring. The symbol has to be made of a given dimension and should always be of gold. It was the symbol favorite of Lord Krishna. Udav had it used as the symbol for the organization in the memory of his Lord." "What metal is this made of" asked Amit with the pendent in his hand "It is gold. No other metal has ever been used by them to make their symbol." Said mama ji "Gold? It is white in color" said Amit shocked "Yes it is gold. Gold kept at certain temperature and molded under specific pressure results in white color." Said mama ji "How much gold do they have?" asked Narendra "More than the gold of all the nations combined" said mama ji "How did they got it? Do they have gold mines every where?" asked Narendra "Did we ever had gold mines in the quantity to be called as the golden bird?" asked mama ji "What do you mean?" questioned Narendra. He knew India had just one gold mine which has also being abandoned. He was sure that people in older times would have got all their gold from other sources while trading with them. He was not sure what were the things they used to trade in? "So tell me how did our ancestors got their gold?" said Narendra "You are not privileged enough to be given that information" said mama ji and on seeing his face Narendra thought it better to keep quiet. "How is the agent who was found with the pendent." Asked mama ji "He is fine except he cannot remember anything. Two of our agents have reported that they saw him struggling against something but they did not see anything so they fired in nothingness he was clutching." Said _the doctor_ "Suddenly he fell and both the agents ran towards him fearing that they might have hit him. He was unhurt and regained consciousness when water was sprinkled on his face. When he opened his fist he found this in it. But they did not found the two bullets they fired." "Oh my god have they hit one of them? The bullets would be able to do much harm to them but if they took this as a sing of aggression then we are doomed." Said mama ji nervously Cell phone rang and mama ji answered it when he saw that it was from his home. He heard and his face went white. He was just able to say that nothing valuable was in it and then he hung up. "I have been disowned and they have kicked me out of the organization." Said mama ji with a very sad face. His voice had lost its charm. It seemed that all the vital force was sucked out of him. "What happened? Who was on the other end" asked Amit nervously "It was you mami and she told that they have found my small safe opened and lying in the backyard. Some body took every thing which was kept in the safe." Said mama ji "What had you kept in that safe? Had no one saw anything?" "It had the papers I purchased and thought that they were part of a very old and mysterious manuscript along with my ring of the organization. Nobody ever saw what was in it. It was they who had done it. No one saw anyone or anything going in or coming out. It had to be them. There is no other explanation." It was getting more and more mysterious with every passing minute. Someone was trying to terrorize them. Dr. Singh was seeing this as a perfect psychological attack where you demoralize your enemy into subjugation without directly dealing with him. He was sure that who ever was behind all this was not only clever but all resourceful, someone with very long reach. He had doubts over the agent and mama ji but he was afraid to share it with others because one of his doubts over Amit had been useless. "A classical case of psychological terror attack" Said _the doctor_. "along with tactics to create panic and doubts in the minds of your enemy. I am sure the person or persons involved had have training in such tactics. But I am not able to think who they were" Sincerity on his face made Dr. Singh kick out the doubts over the people sitting there. They were all being played and the player was strong and shrewd. They had be strong and support each other to come out of this. And as his brother was also involved he was trying to be more vigilant. "I think we should have our meals and then start immediately" said _the doctor_ "Dinner at this hour? Its too early" complained Narendra "Yes I know but as we are to leave soon and because we will not stop before reaching Haridwar I think it would be better if we eat. You would be famished when you reach Haridwar and I do not think we would have time for even breakfast in Haridwar. So instead of facing the enemy empty stomach eat and I think even though you two may not want to eat now don't let go of having dinner at your government's expense that too the finest it can buy. And I am the two Brahmins here would not like to let the opportunity go by." With this every one laughed and as the plates were being arranged they felt some tension dissolving with the fragrance of the food hitting their nostrils. "Good food is always a stress buster" said mama ji adding to the laughter even though he did not had body of have a typical pundit or even a politician, he had an appetite of a Brahmin he was. Every body has his chance to take a dig at him while eating but he took every thing in his stride and enjoyed his meals. He never allowed tension to come in between his food. But with someone taking away the precious items laying in his safe it took all his concentration to be able to laugh and eat with others. He was not going to spoil the mood of others just because he was not able to keep his things safe. They reached Haridwar without any problem. As they reached the government rest house where they had their agent and two locals including the younger Dr. Singh they had a big problem waiting for them. They saw police at the gates. Dr. Singh was talking to on of the senior officer and another official looking man was standing around looking lost. As they got down the vehicle _the doctor_ went ahead of them and asked the man looking confused and lost what happened. He instantly recognized him and stood erect. Both the men chatted as the rest of the party waited near the vehicle. They saw that the man was indicating towards someone and recognizing him as the younger Dr. Singh they all started moving towards him in a hurry. On seeing four men coming towards Dr. Singh the police men present there panicked and without knowing who they were or what they wanted charged towards them without any warning. _The doctor_ rushed to the police men and he had to catch hold of the stick which was about to hit the senior Dr. Singh on his head. He then pushed the police man who was going to strike the blow and held his identification card over his head and shouted, "If any one else tries to do anything without my permission I will have him put in jail." Dr. Singh (junior) had also rushed in the middle of the battle which was just thwarted. Along with Dr. Singh (junior) the senior police officer who was talking with him came running. As he approached he was trying to see the identification card held by the man ho had just arrived. By now Dr. Singh (junior) and shouted the police man and had told him that he was about to hit his elder brother. Releasing his mistake he apologized profusely and went far away from the group trying to look busy. Every one was anxious to know what happened while they were on the road. They were equally curious to find the local police at the spot as it was not a good sign. They all went inside the rest house and _the doctor_ ordered the police to move out as the inquiry going on was beyond their reach and jurisdiction. The senior police man tried to assert his authority claiming that the crime had occurred in his area and he was responsible for everything that went on in his area so he also would be part of the investigation. _The doctor_ knowing that this fight over the jurisdiction would take precious minutes away from them dialed a number and told the situation to the person at the other end. As they were trying to sit in a room they saw the senior police officer come in. Then as he took few steps in the room his cell phone rang. Seeing the number he picked it up and whispered "Sir" as he stood erect. He just stood there listening and then hung up. He took a look at the group of people sitting in front of him and turned around. He literally fled from the spot and took his circus with him. On seeing the scene developing in front of them they were not able to their laughter in check. "There is a very bad news" said Dr. Singh (junior) looking at the man who was sitting besides him but looked lost and confused. "First tell me what did you do to that police man, he fled as all his life depended on the speed he could get away from here" asked Narendra looking at _the doctor_ and laughing "He has good nose and having seen us coming in a big vehicle all the way from Delhi and with a local man missing he thought that this was chance to make money. He is so blind in corrupt practices that he even refused to recognize neither him nor me even though we had shown him our cards. He had told him, our agent here that the card could be a fake and he did not recognize him as a government agent. I know how to deal with such men knowing that our biggest problem here is lack of time so I called some one in Delhi who called his superiors and then you saw what happened" concluded the agent with a broad smile "Corruption is such a big problem in this country that even government officials are harassed by their counterparts in other departments. That police man was also trying to threaten me and had said that he would let this matter go away if I coughed up money" said Dr. Singh (junior) "Why were they here anyhow?" asked mama ji taking a mental note of the man and thinking that he would deal with that man later. "The travel guide who brought in Amit's cell phone has disappeared. The officer you had sent in was with him but he is not able to recall how the guide went past him. He is totally confused" said Dr. Singh (junior) "How can this happen?" said Narendra feeling angry "I don't know and I swear that I had nothing to in this matter." Said the man sitting besides Dr. Singh (junior) "I know you did not have any hand in this. Do not worry no body will blame you" said _the doctor_ "I have asked others to go and bring the friends of that man who were at the party." Said the man "Good move but don't count on any one returning with anyone of them. If anyone is successful I would be surprised." Said _the doctor_. He was getting surer that the enemy was too clever and is not only thinking ahead of them but is always two steps ahead. This was the time when he did not need any mismanagement but the sudden appearance of local police may have disturbed any clue however small that might have left behind of the man/men who took away the travel guide from their custody. The agent who was assigned to protect the guide and Dr. Singh (junior) suddenly remembered something and took something out of his pocket. He handed over the piece of paper to his senior from Delhi. As he looked at the paper surprise went all over his face. "Why did you send other in search of the guide's friends when you had this?" _The doctor_ asked him "I knew what we are fighting here and what is at stake. I was told about the attack on the three agents when I had called Delhi in the evening. Therefore I was trying not think about the paper in my pocket so that they would be bale to read my mind if they were able to do this. And to confuse them I ordered other to go and seek his friends." Said the man "Very good thinking young man" said _the doctor_ "How and why the police did came here?" asked mama ji getting angrier over the police man by the minute "It was my fault" said Dr. Singh (junior) "I called them when I saw him coconscious and the guide missing" "Now what? What shall we do without the guide?" said Narendra "We cannot do much without any guidance and for that we have to wait for the day light and hope that the others can find any of the friends of the guide who were in the party. Even if they were not able to find them we would try to get the information about those ruins in the morning as it is possible that if one of the guides knew there location then others might also know them." Said _the doctor_ putting up finger on his lips and passing the piece of paper to them. When they saw what was it they all realized the importance of keeping their mouth shut. It was the map of the location where the travel guide had found the cell phone of Amit. The agent had been good enough to have him make a map of the place. This is where they would start of to first thing in the morning. As they found that they could reach their destination without the help of the guide they started to feel relaxed. Narendra switched on the television and put a news channel on. The news item was about the current election in some states and whether the common man suffering due to corruption would bring about a change in the state's government of the current party will continue for the next five years even after the charges of rampant corruption. Mama ji laughed when he saw the face of the man asking questions to the panel of politicians sitting in his show. He recognized him as one of the men who came to head quarters to take back their monthly allowance. These men talking about corruption are the ones responsible for corruption. Why media focused on fast performed by few people who knew how to manipulate media but never showed a single clipping about a monk sitting for fast unto death over the River. He ultimately died due to his fast and all people heard about the dead monk were 5 minute news. But these people did not slept while covering for fast by group of people who fled from different posts of government and the one who did fasting had been notorious for drinking behind the back during the fast. But the media highlighted that 74 years old was fasting for the corruption to end. Was he going to make magic wand with which the corruption would end or did the media and the people coming out to support the old man ever thought how a man of his age could live without eating and drinking anything for so long? Everybody was happy to be there at the ground where the fast was organized but no one bothered to ask where did the money was coming from to provide for the food and snacks been provided at the ground to thousands of people. Why our people were so gullible? Hwy they had to find a hero in a 74 year old man and believe him that he could fast without eating anything for so many days? Why do our people had to believe in men and women who themselves have been corrupt in their dealings. "What are you thinking mama ji?" asked Narendra "You are also calling me mama?" asked mama ji "Do you have a problem with that?" asked Narendra smiling "Why should I have" smiled mama ji "Then answer me what were you thinking, first you started with a smile then all of sudden you became serious." Said Narendra "I was thinking about corruption. It is eating away at our very roots like termites making us weak but look who is talking about corruption. This man on screen is one of the most corrupt men I have known. He moves around in circles collecting bags and briefcases full of notes. And he is the most ardent supporter of that old man who fasts for many days and even then had strength to walk a long distance." "You do not support him?" asked Dr. Singh (senior) who had been till now "No I don't support him. He never actually fasts. He is making a fool out of all the people who think that he is fasting. And take a look at his team. All well know in corruption. A man, who passed out IIT, did his education subsidy and instead of joining an engineering branch private or gove

rnment he joined some thing totally different. Then there is a police officer who provided a international killer to write his autobiography, but would that police officer provided the same to thief who was unknown to everybody?" Is this not a part of corruption?" asked mama ji "Then even I am corrupt by your standards mama ji" said Amit "Yes of course you are" he replied "Then how would then corruption end according to you?" asked Narendra "It will not end overnight as these people want. They do want real corruption to end. I have my own sources who have told me that the whole circus is being funded by various foreign funding agencies who have also funded the uprisings in Africa and Middle East. Look what have they then by creating the circus out of it. Every government officer is afraid of taking a decision, as it might be come under scanner of the people fighting for erasing the corruption. Everywhere the developmental work has been affected. This is what you want. End of development?" asked mama ji "But corruption should not be allowed to flourish in the name of development." Sadi Dr. Singh (senior) "True but you will not be able to remove corruption in a single day. This has no quick fix remedy. It has to start at home. Do not give the traffic police a hindered rupee note to avoid chalan, stop paying money to get quick gas connection. See the most developed nations are at the bottom of the corruption list. One has to learn to be patient to route out corruption. Let the development carry on and in years to come you will see that our level of corruption has gone down. Development and corruption are related inversely. One goes up the other goes down. But in initial days of development one has to face rampant corruption. I am not favoring people indulging in corruption but it I the necessary evil which will live out its life in our life time if we allow the development process to continue." Said mama ji "As we will develop as a nation the government will have surplus to invest in infrastructure and that will feed further development increasing the net income of common man. That will increase the patience and tolerance level of people out there and they will feel less obliged to get their work by unfair means. To stop corruption one has to learn to develop patience." "I was thinking I was hearing someone giving lecture on art of living" said smiling Amit "Well if you learn the art of living you will understand there is no need to hurry for anything, how important you may feel them, you then develop patience and then you do not feel any need to bribe your way to get that thing. End of corruption!" said mama ji "But you are part of a political party and how can you be removed from corruption" asked Narendra "I do my work as said in Bhagvad Gita but I don't involve myself in it. I do it from being outside. You do not that I am not in any political party. Whoever comes to me I help them. Due to my leaning some come to me naturally and some avoid me completely." Said mama ji "I have always given but no one can blame me for taking" "But what about ..." "I think we should call it a day as we would be very busy tomorrow" said mama ji looking at the watch. It is going to sunlight very soon.

Taking cue they all stood up and went to there respective rooms. No one was able to sleep as they were all worked up thinking about the events of the days. Amit was relaxed of them all. He was trying to think how he came out of the place where the people are able to remove memories from the minds all by himself. Mama ji was thinking about the old man who had warned him of the coming danger. He was afraid of his safety but he knew with the powers he had he was one of the untouchables of all the people in there. He was among their greatest. But would he able to resist so many of them. He had shown the day which had passed that he was able to resists them but for how long? And why was he helping them? Did he have some vested interest or it was just out of compassion he was helping. Or was he of some higher design which he had not him till now. Such were the questions coming in the mind of mama ji. He was also thinking about the burglary in his home. Was he really be shown the door or it was a warning? Or some other forces involved in this so there have being factions developed even in such a powerful organization?

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Chapter 12

In the morning every one was out in the yard seeking warmth of sunlight. None of them had slept for more than half an hour. They took their bath and were out fresh. After some light chat Narendra suddenly asked "Where is Amit" "He must be taking bath and would be out soon" said Dr. Singh smiling "But did not hear anything from his room" said mama ji how had occupied the room adjacent to his "When I was coming out thought he would be here before anyone of us" They all started feeling sense of foreboding about Amit late arrival. They all leapt forward towards the room he was in. He was asked to stay in the room farthest from the entrance. This may somehow provide some safety they had thought. Now with Amit not showing up they had sense that something would have gone terribly wrong. As they approached his room they feared that they may find the doors opened. They tried to push the doors but they held their places. The doors were locked from inside. They started banging when they did not got any reply from Amit. It was time that they broke the doors. They were feeling their hearts beating on their chests. It would be a great tragedy if something happened to Amit. Then the doors opened and Amit stood at the entrance of the door feeling confused.

"Why are you all banging the doors so loudly" asked Amit feeling agitated that he was not allowed to sleep peacefully "What? You had all of us worked up. We were about to break this door." Said Narendra "I was sleeping as it is still too early to wake up" said Amit innocently. "And I thought that we were here because we worried about you" said Dr. Singh (senior) "Just get fresh and come out as soon as you are ready" said disgusted mama ji "Can you imagine he was sleeping? And I was not able to sleep because I thought he was in danger" said Narendra "You are being paid by him so that he can sleep peacefully" replied Dr. Singh (senior) playfully "I think you are right" said Narendra shaking his head thinking how someone can sleep with all this danger around "I think it is good for him that he had some sleep. Most of his troubles are because he was not getting enough sleep" said Dr. Singh (senior) They all agreed that it was god for Amit to have slept. Then they went out in the sun laughing at this recent development. When human mind is at worry even a simple problem becomes a life or death situation. Without thinking that Amit might have been sleeping that all thought that something had happened to him. In the end it resulted in a great anti climax. But they all were happy at this ending than something having happened to Amit.

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Chapter 13

Amit came out within half an hour and was constantly put at the ends of their jokes. "What would the Maharaja of this great rest house would like to have in his breakfast now that his Excellency has finally woken from his slumber?" said Narendra bowing his head in an exaggerated fashion. Every body laughed at this comic gesture of his. Amit was feeling ashamed as he was sleeping and rest of them had to worry about him. "Breakfast is ready" the keeper of the rest house announced "Lets eat some thing then we can start" said _the doctor_ Every body entered the dining hall and had little breakfast as every body was eager to know what they would find at the ruins. They were not able to imagine how a gateway to another dimension would look like. They were all excited but nervous a s they have felt the power of the enemy who stood in their path as an immovable force. They stared as soon as they came out of the rest house. They had to take the vehicle for up to ten kilometers and after that they would have to travel by foot for nearly 5 km on foot through the forest. The 5 km trek would not be easy and they did not have any guide with them and they were not sure how accurate the map was which they had with them. As they were about to start two more agents arrived. They informed that none of the friends who attended the party where the guide found the cell of Amit were able to recall the location of the place. Two of them told that they partied at two known tourist locations while three others gave three different locations. They were confident of themselves and id not looked as if they were telling lies or hiding something. On hearing this team from Delhi concluded that the enemy had reached those people first and had implanted a wrong location in everybody's brain. Dr. Singh (senior) to say that it was near impossible for some to achieve this so fast but he thought to keep his suggestion to himself after thinking about the events unfolding since previous evening. Now it seems that any thing was possible and that they were living in a fairy land where normal laws do not apply. Everybody was perplexed when they saw Amit ran towards his room. After some deliberations they were about to send someone after him but it was not needed as they saw him coming out again with the cell phone the guide had found in his hand. He came to them with a smile but was surprised to see their faces. "What?" asked Amit "Don't ever do that again" said _the doctor_ "Do what?" "Bolting without giving prior warning... " and then he smiled which made Amit relaxed. "I just had a thought about having this phone with me to the place where we are going. It might come in handy. I did not had chance to look in but it may have some pictures of the place in it." Said Amit enthusiastically "Don't break any sweat on that as even if you were allowed to take pictures they must have deleted them before you were able to run from them." Said Narendra "Yeah but by taking a chance I would not be loosing anything" said Amit "Go ahead but do not feel disappointed if you don't find any thing useful" said Narendra As they stared to drive off, suddenly one agent arrived. They were able to stop the vehicle just in time so as to avoid the in coming man being hit by it. He informed them that the guide was found asleep in his home. He caught him when the guide came out of his house in the morning. He said he did not remember anything about being at the rest house and he insisted that he returned home directly from his work. He had no idea that he met Dr. Singh (junior) the previous evening. And he told that he did not remember anything about going to the party. "Great! Now what?" asked Narendra getting frustrated "We are not changing our plans even if that fool is not able to remember anything. And we even have the map of that location. We can reach it without him helping us. We will decide what to do when we reach there." Said _the doctor_ "I think he is right. Even the legends say that the doorway is through some ruins." Said mama ji They started to move. Everybody sitting there was praying that no other interruption come. There ride was uneventful and they reached the spot from where they had to walk on foot fairly safely.

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Chapter 14

Somewhere in Delhi the GPS tracking system was giving accurate information of the vehicle moving in a particular direction. When they stopped it was noted by someone in Delhi. People monitoring noted the exact location and orders were issued for a team to be dispatched to reach the exact location within five hours from now. On looking at old records of the place the team monitoring the movement concluded that they had reached a spot which would take them to some old ruins. There is nothing other than it so they must be heading it. The team had been dispatched for the ruins directly and it will reach the spot from the other direction. They were happy that now they have location of the enemy and that they would be able to remove the threat for ever.

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Chapter 15

"Now we have to walk" said Dr. Singh (junior) about the long walk ahead. He was not worried about himself as he used to take such walks but he was worried about his elder brother who was more used to comforts of a city and he was thinking that it would be better that his brother stayed in the vehicle. But as he knew that he would be left alone here he did not spoke his thoughts not wanting to disappoint his brother who was looking excited at the thought of reaching the heart of the problem. They continued their walk over the old trail made clear by frequent walking of people coming to see the ruins even though it was evident that the trail was not frequently used. But it was there and it meant that something was there in the wilderness. The team continued it walk and people started to talk and absorbed the surroundings. They felt elated by the surroundings and any sense that they were going in a lion's den was felt. The surroundings were such that it made them cheerful. There were plenty of greenery and birds in the forest were merrily going about their business. It was something that made the atmosphere around more alive. It was not like walking for a trek where people do not hear any sound for miles. The whole forest seemed too alive and happy. The party continued to trek along and passed water among them. When about half of the distance was covered, mama ji asked them to carry on as he would like to take some rest. As they continued, Narendra got worried that mama ji would fall far behind them so decided that he would trek back and come with him. As Narendra approached the place where they left mama ji he was surprised to find him missing. Feeling warned he started to search for him. It then when he saw smoke rising behind a tree. He smiled and walked to the tree. "I think I have caught you smoking" said Narendra coming on the other side of the tree With a surprise the chillum fell from mama ji's hand. He was not smoking tobacco but something else. "What are you smoking here?" asked Narendra now his chance to be surprised as mama ji picked up the chillum and refilled it with some weed and a dark brown to black substance. "It is the gift of nature and the quality found in these parts is better than what we find in the plains. It's here and in Himanchal that we can get the finest quality of these." Said mama ji enjoying the surprise which was evident from Narendra's face "But it is not legal and nor is good for health" said Narendra "I would have it rather sold in general stores if you ask me. Our laws have been borrowed from the British and they have distaste for every thing beautiful. And as for as it being bad for health, do I look as some who is anything but in pink of his health?" said mama ji smiling "But ..." he wanted to say something but he did not have words for his thoughts "But what? Do you want some" mama ji asked trying to hand him the chillum "No way. I do not smoke" Narendra took few steps back from where he was standing "It would not bite. You don't have to run like a child and don't need to make faces as well. It is your choice but for years I have not found anything bad about it. And it keeps mind fresh." "I have mind fresh even without these poisons" "Who said these were poisons? I know the artificial ones made in the laboratories are harmful for mind as well as body but these natural stimulants are good for mind. They are non addictive but give a good high." Said mama ji "Who said that they are non additive?" "Except the government and people who get money for various sources to propagate false information about various things no one ever says that these natural things are addictive in nature. They are just clean and green fun!" "I think after this case is done and dusted I would rather be as far from you as possible. You are bad influence to have around" said Narendra "How bad can you tell me? Lets talk on the way. I have finished my daily dose" said mama ji "Ok" They walked fast enough to catch the rest of the team before they could reach the target.

"Where were you guys? We were getting worried about you two" said Amit "We got discussing some moral issues." Said mama ji smiling at Narendra who also smiled back. He was shaking his head in disbelief. How can a man who was so highly regarded by many can have hobbies like a common man? He is just a bad influence to have around he concluded. A charming, bad influence. He has to learn a lot from mama ji. They rested of some time at one place and had water go round. When everyone had water they continued their journey. Even now Narendra was not able to believe what he had seen and heard back there. He wanted to talk about this with Dr. Singh (senior). He was interested in picking his brain on its psychological issue. He knew he can wait for that talk as there are pressing items on the job card right now and if they failed to finish them then it would be good bye to any talk with anyone. They have come along a long way from any habitation and if they failed even finding their bodies would be difficult. They were not aware that a back up party was also moving towards the ruins for some other direction. The party dispatched by the orders of someone sitting in Delhi hoped to reach the ruins good time but they did not know that this party had a map for the ruins and they would reach the place more than three hours before the second party can even see those ruins. After a long walk up the hill they suddenly came to s spot from where the ruins were right in front of the. All they had to do was to go down the trail and they would come right in front of these ruins. _The doctor_ was having other thoughts. He was sure that the place would be guarded even though they did not met a single soul till know and no body felt that they were being watched. Human subconscious was a reliable friend in such circumstances and no body pick any negative vibes coming from any direction. They did not felt piercing eyes following them. All they felt was fresh and alive forest. They could have been walking around some park in Delhi. Even though it was strange not feel any thing malevolent they were glad to reach the ruins without any mishap. "It is quite strange that we have arrived here without any resistance." Said Dr. Singh (junior) "Yes I was expecting some more bravery from the enemy that we are in its territory" said Narendra "It is not showing any signs of its presence only because we are in its territory" said mama ji "They know very well that we may not be able to cross the line to enter their domain even though we are standing right in front of they citadel. We may not even find the place from where we can go in as we do not know where to look for." "Yes I think it may be the case" said _the doctor_ "Or it may be that we are at the totally wrong place" This was something every one was thinking but no one was willing to air his thoughts. All of them were quite amused in not finding any resistance to their march towards the enemy camp. All they felt was calmness and peace. No negative vibes anywhere. "It could be they want us to find them so that they can torture us after catching us." Said on of the agents accompanying them "As far as I know they can torture us even without catching us" said mama ji "but they don't believe in torturing people. Why would they torture anyone when they can read someone's mind to get the information? And you torture only to get the information otherwise you are a psycho killer which I know for sure which they are not." "I think two of us would go down and have a look and then rest would come if the place is clear" said _the doctor_ "Do you think they would be aware of our presence till know?" asked mama ji "I am not letting you guys reach those ruins before me"

He started to walk before everybody and rest of them just followed him. The agents were ready for any kind of surprises by the doctor had to agree with mama ji that even if they did not show their presence they would have had know their movements through the forest. The only reason he could think of them not showing themselves till know is that they were not bothered by their presence. And he was hoping to use this over confidence of theirs to his advantage. As they reached the front of the ruins they were surprised that how such a place could be left unknown to the world. Even though the place was completely in ruins and there was no wall which could be said to have stood more than 5 feet in height the place oozed grandeur. The building in it time would have be a marvel to look at. It would have been one of the magnificent pieces of the whole empire which ever it was. It may have been the seat of the government itself. All of them forced their memories to think about the empire which could have built this but none of them could think of any. The architect was amazing and they were not able to match with any of the old architecture they have seen in Delhi or anywhere in India. Even ever confident mama ji had his jaw dropped in awe. "Who could have built this place and how in the hell has this place not on the tourist place till know." Asked Dr. Singh (junior) He considered himself as someone like an authority on local tourists and religious places. He had till now not even heard of such a place, not even in rumors. "They place keeps itself out of the memory of the people who have visited it." Said Amit "What did you say" asked Dr. Singh (senior) "How can someone forget a place so magnificent" "As I had forgot about it. It has all come back to me when I stood in front where once the door would have stood." Pointing in the direction from where they entered. "I do not know how or from where to enter but I am sure that the gateway to the other side is somewhere through these ruins. I can sense them waiting for us." "People be careful from now on, be very careful. The enemy can attack form any side and on to any one." Shouted _the doctor_ pulling out a gun "I do not think we would need it" said mama ji but every other agent had a gun in his hands now. "We cannot defeat them. We can only pray that we can persuade them to let us go." "Even if we cannot defeat them I would like to make so much damage that they will not forget in a hurry and would think twice before interfering in our matters again." Said _the doctor_ with an angry voice

Dr. Singh (senior) was keenly observing Amit who was looking at peace since he put his legs here. The calmness around Amit had assured Dr. Singh (senior) that they had nothing to worry about. He was busy developing a new theory which could tell why the events took such turns as they have. And as much he saw Amit he was sure that for now he is right. He wanted to tell the agents that there is no need of weapons here but he let them have it so that they also can feel safe. Feeling safe was most important in such situations. If one felt safe then the chances of him taking a wrong decision decreases. And he wanted them not to take a single wrong decision. Amit stood in front of two pillars separated by a distance. They might have formed a doorway in distant past when this building would have been in ruins and people would have used to actually lived or worked in it. He was closely watching those two pillars. They were made of some metal and they were as smooth as they could have been. They did not show any signs of rust or any other form of damage. It reminded Dr. Singh (senior) of the Iron Pillar in Delhi. But here the two pillars were shining as if glowing from within.

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Chapter 16

The three agents have moved in three directions on the orders of _the doctor_. He had been following the rest of the team but wanted them to secure rest of the ruins. He did not want them be surprised by the enemy. Slowly and steadily they went about do their task. They had concentrating so hard that even if some one went behind their back they would have been able to see him. They all completed a full circle of the ruins and returned to the exact spot from where they started. There was no one. In the whole ruins they were only three souls. Not even a sign that some one had been there. The place was eerie as they found out now. There were no foot prints anywhere. Even though there was enough dust that their boots were filled with it, the place did not allow any footprints to remain. They could see only last two footprints. Rest used to vanish by some magic. All three of them were afraid for their lives. Seven men have disappeared right behind their back when they were not looking. None of them heard anything and no one ever shouted. They tried to contact the outside would through their cell phones and other devises but were not able to raise anyone. They had decided to wait here till the evening and then make camp for the night outside the ruins. They would try to search the ruins again tomorrow if they were not able to find the rest of the team today and then would leave this place the next evening to report their superiors about this. It would be up on them to decide their next move if they are not able to find these men who had disappeared.

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Chapter 17

Amit kept on looking at the pillars and Dr. Singh (senior) was just behind him watching his every move. He also started to look at those pillars. The rest of the men were busy looking at other places trying to find any clue. Then it happened. Amit smiled. Following the line of sight Dr. Singh (senior) also saw what Amit was seeing. He also smiled and then he gestured Narendra to call everybody. All seven of them had assembled there as the rest of three had gone searching the ruins. "What is it?" asked a curious Dr. Singh (junior) "Have a look there" Dr. Singh (senior) indicated with his finger Then they all saw and smile spread over their face. A small rabbit was munching grass which was growing there. But there was not grass anywhere else. They all followed the rabbit and amount of grass cover grew as they moved. It increased with every step and after few steps they were standing in the middle of a vast lawn. They looked up and realized that they were not in the ruins. They were some where else. All of them froze. No one was able to move a single muscle of his body except for those who helped the movement of eyes. They watched around them. They were able to see a lake in front of them and mountains beyond. There was no one around. Sensing some one at the back all of turned around. Again they froze. There were people standing and staring them. They had looks of amusement on their faces. They looked like common people but had radiance around them. They all were looking like anything but the enemy. Suddenly _the doctor_ pointed his gun at them which Dr. Singh (senior) sensed in advance and tried to pull his hand back. "There is no need of guns here Lal Singh" said one of the men standing and staring The doctor and mama ji both were surprised at the man call him as Lal Singh as this was his real name but no one knew it. "Yes we know your real name but there is nothing to worry about. Your secret will be safe with us." Said the man who obviously looked like the leader of the bunch. They could have been anyone from north India and wore every thing from T-shirt, jeans to full sleeves and tie. We are hear to welcome you. You have passed in your test and hopeful will not regret coming here. "I think you have recovered you memory" asking Amit He was looking perplexed. Why was he frightened from them? Why did he not understand the meaning of his dreams? The dreams he was having were not dreams. They were something which actually happened right here. And he was not running away from them. He was struggling to get away from them so that they did not throw him out. He actually wanted to live here. He did not want to go to the world outside. He remembered everything.

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Chapter 18

"Yes everything has come back to me." Said Amit smiling "Why were you trying to kill him" asked Narendra "They were not. They were trying to push me out of here but I was not willing to leave this place. Have you ever felt what one feels when he made to leave the paradise?" asked Amit looking at Narendra "We do not have much time. Your people have dispatched a team which would be arriving at a place where we have guided them. You all have to be there before they arrive. But before that I believe you would want the answer to your questions, most importantly Mukesh you would be worried as hell?" said the man doing the talking for the bunch "All in good time. First we will take you to the only place where you can visit in this place for now. All your questions would be answered there by some who knows almost everything about this place. Let's go then" said the man and when they blinked the scene in front of their eyes had changed. "Is this magic?" asked the agent accompanying Lal Singh "If it is then I have not heard about it" replied Lal Singh "Welcome my dear fellows "said a man standing from a chair and coming towards them. He came to them and took them by their hands and made them sit where he was sitting. "I hope you would not mind what you all have to undergo to reach here" said the man now sitting in his chair "As if you will let us remember them, let alone our minding them" said Amit smiling "No we would let anyone of you forget this experience. You have my word. Actually most of you will be able to remember about all these events some years from now and some of you will remember them completely just after one week." Looking at Lal Singh he said "I think you would have report to deliver. Do not worry about it. We will let you know to include in that report and what to exclude. I promise that after reading your report your government would be indebt to you for your service to the nation and would reward you beyond your wildest dreams." "Now if any one has questions them I would like to answer them." Said the man smiling and looking at everybody "What was the place we came in through" asked the young agent "It was our head quarters before we shifted to this place. The place used to enormous. It had many levels and had huge basement also." "What happened to Amit?" asked Narendra "Good question as without understanding it you would not be able to understand the obvious question coming in every ones mind." Said the man "He had an accident when he was driving, he had avoided a bike but was not able to see that another vehicle was just behind it and to avoid hitting it he changed his direction plunging in the river. He was saved by one of our scholars and was brought here. He was in delicate condition and we thought that he would not survive. We did our best and he was up and running within a week. He was given a free run here and he was able to see many things which we have collected here. By accident he came to know about few of the events that were going to occur in the world outside. He was enraged to here that we were not going to stop those events from happening. We tried to made him see that we are mere collectors of information and items of the era which we are in. We do not interfere in the happenings of the world. He used to argue with anyone and everyone here that we should change our policies. W concluded that his young age and uninitiated mind would be a bad influence around here so everybody agreed to let him go to the world he came from. He was not willing to go so we had to remove him by force." Said the man stopping to look at their faces "So those were the things which actually happened and not mere dreams?" asked Dr. Singh (senior) "Yes they did actually happened" said Amit "Then why did you had him under surveillance" asked Narendra "Because of you two" pointing towards Dr. Singh (senior) "When we came to know that he was visiting you we knew w had to o something as he may remember the past events." "But when we saw changed our minds when we came to know that we can actually bring you here and be safer than trying to erase your memories against your wishes. But then we had someone else to contend with" pointing towards the government agents sitting among them "One of our scholar who was living in the outside world since centuries had to be removed from one of his favorite houses as you people were getting dangerously close. And as you would have seen and realized, we cannot risk people letting know about us" "But if you made your presence know to public then I don't think you would have anything to fear?" said Dr. Singh (senior) "I am sorry that a student of human mind would say such thing. We would have everything to fear if anyone knew of our existence. Do you know we have every kind of information? The information that will change the way you people live. Those that will change the way you look at the world. Every thing you people take for grated would be changed for ever and you would not be able to live with that. There would be absolute chaos every where in the world. We have been recording the events of the world so back in time that for you the time did not existed at those times. What would you think if people around the world would get to know how exactly they came to being on earth? How do you think they would react certain truths about men they have come regard as messiah, avatars or even God? How do you think they would react when they would learn that the history they have come to believe was fabrication done by the people they trusted?" asked the man who was looking old but young simultaneously "There would be total breakdown of the way people live and think. We do not want any of such things to happen. We are the keepers of information and someone who destroys the world." "But the world ought to know the truth" said Amit just biting his tongue when those word came out "Yes I have told you before and am saying it again. The people are getting aware. They do not need others to tell them what to believe. They are looking for information themselves. As the population of such people will increase then real truth will told. But not by us. There are people who have been sharing ideas with others throughout history. Even though they do not have all the facts and some of them are absolutely wrong they will let out the truth slowly and the real truth will immerge eventually. We will even record it but will not play any part in releasing the information." "But till then the whole humanity will live in ignorance?" asked Dr. Singh (junior) "Have that ignorance caused much damaged? You will say there have been wars all around but my dear look at the world. It has resilience and it heals itself. Even after wars and other great catastrophe the world is alive and kicking. And as some has said ignorance is bliss. You don't have to worry if you don't know what to worry." "So all this was really like a test?" asked Lal Singh "Yes my son this was all a test." "What happened to the old man whose family now believes that he is dead?" asked Lal Singh "He is very much alive and is living here. He has keen intellect and I think he will grow very fast." Said the man "He is already grown up" said Amit smiling "I meant he would increase his knowledge and grow in spiritually" "What will happen to us" asked mama ji "The team will return and we will monitor all of them. As and when we think they are ready they will be informed of our decision. Then if they will want they can come here and live."

"How old are you?" asked Narendra "Older than you can ever imagine. No one knows my age here and I like to keep it that way. May be if you ever return I might tell you some day." "No one ever dies here?" asked Dr. Singh (junior) "Well one can live as long as he like and when he gets bored of living in the paradise for long then he can ask a leave from this body and then he can reborn anywhere inside, outside or anywhere else out there" pointing towards the sky "What is this place called" asked the young agent "People don't have a name for it as they do not know that this place exists but Agartha, Shangri-La and Shambala are the names which had been given to something very similar to what we have in there" "That means you have a fountain of youth in real?" "Yes it very much real. It was present on earth. We actually found it here in this plane." "Are there worlds with intelligent life out there?" asked Dr. Singh (junior) "It is the attitude we are afraid of. You people are so much egoistic that you think that this tiny planet is the only one in the big wide black world which could harbor life." "I did not meant it that way" "Yes you meant it that way" said the man winking at Dr. Singh (junior) "If I say yes then you would ask me if they seen them or have visited them. All I can say is that in my long life, which I mean that it is very very long, I have not able to see all the different planes which exists on this planet. I have explored few planes and was even surprised to find some serious intelligent live there and have privilege of meeting other intelligent life forms. Right now we are in the middle of forming an alliance so that we can share the information we have with each other in that way we would not have to worry that the information would be lost he some mishap takes place. For more information you just have to wait till you come back, if you come back." "What is more important to you a person or the information" asked Dr. Singh (senior) "This is a loaded question. But for the sake of answering I would like to inform that our existence is merely for the sake of gathering information. But I can also assure you that we have never taken a life of a person ever to gather any kind of information." "But there are many people who would never part the information they are privilege to have" "I have seen your ring Dr. Singh but even if you had not brought that ring with you I knew who you are. But I can say this much that the kind of information you are taking about is also not too difficult for us to gather. Actually you have till not made your mind to understand that such information is not older than us. We were before anything substantial ever happened on earth so what is history for was just present for us in distant past and you do not forma secret society to contain an information which is part of the present. Do you understand what am I trying to tell you?" "I think yes, but that will mean that you what it is?" asked an excited Dr. Singh (senior) "Yes, but my dear man, don't even think about getting it from us. We do not pass information about brothers even to brothers themselves." Said the man smiling "But you could tell me..." Dr. Singh (senior) stopped and the look on his face was of dejection when he saw the face of the man "No my dear. Nothing in this world comes free. You have to earn it. And information is at its premium best." Dr. Singh (senior) understood the meaning of the words the man had said. He kept his head down and pondered over them. All the others were at total loss except of mama ji at what had transpired between these two. "Do you have information just of us or do have it of everything that happened around the world?" asked the agent who was junior to Lal Singh "I know what have you be reading for sometimes now. And yes we how made those lines in South America and who built those pyramids in Egypt and Mexico. But put pressure on your mind young man. History is not all that romantic as it is made by some of the people working with the words. And yes there is lots of information out there kept secretly from the world outside this place. And yes there has been conspiracies going on. But they do not know about us. Till we are doing our work there can be no secrets and no conspiracies which some people do know of. I think Dr. Singh here may like to illuminate you when you two meet outside" said the man looking at D. Singh (senior) with mischief in his eyes. The agent looked at Dr. Singh (senior) with eyes like a puppy wanting to be cuddled. He did not got any response from the old doctor. "Do you have the fossils of dinosaurs and dragons?" asked the young agent "Yes we have great collections of them. The dragons were nothing but flying dinosaurs." "Do you think the great flood occurred?" asked the young agent "Hahaha, young man you are trying to be too clever. Ok. If you want to hear the truth then all I can say that if something present in the mythologies of all the religions of the world then it may not be coincidence and something like may have occurred." "But that may also mean that they had common roots" said mama ji trying to take the conversation to other direction from where it was going "Correct. But in this case it has been written in books and scrolled on caves of civilizations which have never met. But I agree with you that it would also mean that they would have same roots. Or it would mean that people were free thinking and have assimilated information of others as their own. I would like to give examples of the Greek Gods and Hindu Devtas. They are so common that sometimes if one reads the stories from both sides together then one may think that they are stories of one and the same. I would not hazard a guess from you people but think over it. It may have been same at the beginning." "So even the demi-gods had some truth?" asked the young agent "What do you think of Pandavas? Were they demi-gods in Greek sense?" asked the man The young man was getting excited. It was turning out to be a joy ride in Disney Land which started as a nightmare. He would try to get more information. "Young man do not rush ahead of yourself. You may get hurt. I know some one for your age it is all very exciting but do not think you can get every thing from me. You will get only that much for which you have passed the test. Nothing more." said the man sternly "Ok then tell me why am I here and those three were left behind?" asked the young agent "Do not stand up and start dancing. Even you have me stumped for answer with your question all I can tell you that you will get the answers you want in due course of time. Not before that." The young agent was happy that he was able to get something from the shrewd old man. Now he was sure enough that he would have those answers. And for that he was satisfied. He did not want the old man to get unduly agitated and so he thought it best to keep quiet till some one else asks a question which can lead him to ask more. "I think you would be one of the best candidates to work for us in our alliance." The young agent heard the man inside his head. As he looked up he saw him gesturing with his eyes to keep quiet. He was feeling that his heart would burst with joy. He knew what that meant and he thought to keep quiet for now. "I would ask your thoughts on drugs" said Narendra looking at the man and then at mama ji smiling "I was thinking that you may not find courage to ask this question. Look we have a very large farm where we grow every thing we need. We also grow those substances of which you are asking about. One needs to go on a high from time to time. I would recommend to you that you should also try it some time. It provides opening of mind and senses. And only if ones mind is open then can one feel the power of God. I know your next question but don't you think if every body is illuminated and have their minds open who will need these governments and organized religions? Think over it you may find the answer to your question even by applying your own brain." Said the man smiling to mama ji "Don't think this as a hoax" Narendra heard the man saying inside his head. He looked at him. He was looking at him smiling. "Yes I can do this" said he again in his head. Narendra thought that it would be better not to think anything for now. He wanted the man to put some in mama ji for leaving the habit of smoking and he is telling me that not only he and others here do it he was trying to get him to smoke. "What kind of a place is this" he thought and he again hear the man in his head "Paradise"

"What is God?" asked the young agent "and I feel or see him by taking weed?" "You are one hell of a brave man." Said the man smiling at him "God is pure energy and one opens his or her mind the energy gets a chance to get inside. How one is able to feel or see God depends on various factors. Previously and even know you required guidance for religion but as humanity will again progress the need for someone to hold hand and show what to do to feel God would be felt less and less and people will be able to actually see for themselves what they have to do to raise their spirituality and every body will be able to find his or her own path towards enlightenment. And when such time will come people will not need any organized form of religion as they would see it as it should be seen. A part of life, something to be growing with and towards it." "Then what is evil?" asked the young agent again "Do not push you welcome here young man" said the man with a smile threatening to turn into laughter "I have never come across anything which can be termed evil. Evil was made up by those people who wanted man to be kept under their clutches, who always wanted to rule over humanity, who wanted to subjugate man kind. All my life and I have lived for long, I have never come across anything on which that term can be used. Yes there may be times some one does something bad but that does not mean that it is evil or it happened because of evil. People used certain methods to get energy which they use it for all kinds of bad purposes but that does not make that man evil or that energy evil. What I have found is that there is always good hidden in even the worst kind of life forms and I have chance to meet many kinds of life forms." "But certain religions say that evil do exists" asked the defiant young man "I cannot comment on that but what people say in the name of religion is the problem of the religion. How can you blame a religion for something done in its name? Religion is not an entity which can do work. Blame should be put on people who do things in the name of religion or say that it is the religion that says this or that. I know you want to know who he was if he was and what he did to bring the wraith of someone writing a book. Well young man all I can tell you know that you would be pleasantly surprised to know what he did." "That means he existed?" pop came the question "Think whatever you want but you are not ready, my dear boy. But I think you have passed the test for which you were brought here. You should be ready to go to the next level very soon and I think you know someone who can help you in this regards." He saw that a little smile had sprouted on the face of Dr. Singh (senior) "You all wanted to know the real reason for bringing you all here. Now I think you are ready for the truth. We are hiring and this was a recruitment process. And all I can say is that we give better compensations than anyone around the world" Every body seated there was unsure what to make of the last words said by the man. Tow people were grinning unable to hide their excitement. One was happy and rest totally confused. Narendra was the most confused of the lot. "I did not apply for the job and am not interested in it. You guys are too mumbo jumbo for me. I would not be able to stand here even for one day." Said he but got only smile from the man who was sitting there. It was like some bizarre dream they were stuck in together. Nothing seemed to real and even though they did not find that people on this side were really killers it was not good feeling for some of them They would had it well if it had turned out to be all guns blazing battle. It was too much of an anti-climax with some bizarre questions and even more bizarre answers. Lal Singh was not sure how would he be able to file the report. He was sure that if he filed what had really happened here then either he would be given a desk job or there would an end of the place where they were sitting. And he would not be happy with both the outcomes. He wanted a solution and wanted it fast enough. "How were you able to find alternate plane of existence?" asked Dr. Singh (junior) "as from what I have read hand heard huge amount of energy would require achieving such feat." "Now this is what I call an inquisitive mind. All of you came through the doorway and everybody saw the dramatic change of the surroundings. But none of you had this question in mind. It is because of such inquisitive mind ordinary people have been able to perform extra ordinary feat. And coming to the answer to your question doctor yes currently people believe that to move from one plane of existence to another would require enormous amount of energy. But as you have seen that there was input of excess energy when you came through the gateway. All I can tell you for now is that as light bend to give different colors we were able to use similar property of energy along with light to be able to find and open different dimensions. It did not require enormous amounts of energy. And subsequently you would also be able to use this in many other things when you people would be able to discover how to use this property of energy." "It can be used for space travel" said the young agent excitedly "I knew this would come from your mouth" said the man feeling pride in the young man "But could this be used for time travel" asked the young agent again "Time travel would be possible only when some one discovers a method to completely change the time-space fabric. The energy required of this is enormous and it is not very practical. Because you never end up in the same time-space zone and any change you do would not affect the time-space from which had started. Even if some achieves in exacting the coordinates of flight in time-space fabric it would be nearly impossible to return in the same coordinates and see the changes done by the traveler as when a change has been in time-space fabric in past then it alters the whole fabric and existence of the traveler in the same coordinate would never be possible in future so no question of him coming back ever. It is a paradox which many of us put their minds in but never have been able to get a satisfactory answer. Even as very small change like pushing some one standing just in front would have such an enormous affect in time-space fabric that the chances of the parents of the traveler meeting down in the future become very slim if not impossible. And when he returns to his time-space coordinates he would never find the change he did when he was back in time as the change made by him would have occurred in some different time-space coordinates. It has been for us more of philosophical than some thing of a practical question. "But the same technology could be used to travel in far deeper dimensions but then again there is the risk factor involved as no one has been able to say for sure that how vast this whole system is as there are world beyond worlds and worlds within worlds. One can never be sure what type of life form one may encounter in such kind of voyages." "But there is another way one can travel back in time, without disturbing the time-space fabric. Anything done in past would remain as such and would not result in complete change in the present. But again there is a catch. One does not return exactly in same place from where he started. Suppose Amit starts from his apartment and goes back in time using such a device to say exactly 100 years back. Where would be emerge? At the place where his apartment stands 100 years back in time? No. He would not be able to do so. In fact he would immerge in space 100 years back as earth would not have reached the spot where it know in 2012 in 1912. So he would be far away from earth. To go back and do any meaningful change he would have to reach earth so in order to do that in such a case he would have to have a time-machine which should also act as a space craft. The more the time one goes back in time more distance he has to travel in space to reach the earth. Again it would be of not much practical importance but any change done by this method would be permanent and not bring about a change in time-space fabric." "I think your time is practically over as you now would be given lunch and after that you can take some rest. The second team dispatched from Delhi would be arriving at the coordinates given to them soon so better hurry up. I would meet you people again and would like to help Lal Singh in his problem. Now you all better move for lunch"

"What was all this?" asked Narendra to Dr. Singh (senior) when they sat for lunch. "I was not able to follow most of the things he said. And do you think he older than you? He looked he was even younger than your brother here. May be as old as mama ji but not even close to you." Dr. Singh (senior) kept quiet. He was busy thinking of implication of the information he was told. He knew, as brother of an old fraternity, that there are secrets in this world and he also knew that there are some secrets which should be kept as secrets. No good would ever come on acknowledging existence of such secrets. This was one of such secrets. And he was sure that the man was not younger than him. He was as old as he told. He was nearly an immortal. May be one of those who have been mentioned in old Hindu scriptures. May be even older than those. Amit was asking mama ji if he would like to ask the man about people taking away his ring and papers. "I think if he deems it fit them he would himself tell me. I don't need to ask the question. If I deserved any explanation then I would be provided one otherwise not. And do not find any problem in it." Said mama ji "If possible I would like to ask one more question" said the young agent "Yes why not, I think you will never stop having question. You have been behaving like a child since you got to ask the questions" said Narendra Dr. Singh (senior) thought that even though Narendra was getting frustrated by the questioning of the young man but unknowingly he had hit the nail in the head. One can only grow till one keeps asking questions. That is why child grows, because it asks questions. The children who do not ask any questions or who are afraid to ask are not able to grow mentally. As people grow old either they forget to ask questions or they feel ashamed to do so. The young man like a child did not feel ashamed to ask questions. And he was sure that this quality of his would help him achieve what he wants. One should not be ashamed of being child like as a child is never ashamed of anything. It is only when it grows up he becomes afraid of things, even to ask questions. He turned to the young man and congratulated him. "Well done young man. Never forget that to grow you have to know and you will only be able to know if you ask questions. If you stop asking questions you will stop growing. Keep it up." He saw a big smile come on the face of young agent. He was beaming like a child. He looked at the ring on his finger and smiled knowingly. "When would the team arrive?" asked the man to someone "In about one and half hours" he replied "Ok then they would have sufficient time to rest and get refreshed." Smiled the man and went off "I hope you all had the lunch to your liking" said the man when they all returned "Yes" said all. All very feeling contended after having their stomachs filled with food. "We have seen about 50 people in here since we arrived and have seen people from the length and breadth of India. But we have not seen anyone from outside. You don't have them working here" asked Narendra "We do not discriminate on the basis of nationality or race. Yes we do have them but there number is far less that is why did not see them. And they are outside helping us then inside." "What about discrimination based on religion" asked Dr. Singh (junior) "For us it is unimportant. For people outside religion may be the sole purpose for living but as we have found the true religion comes from within and it does not live in some temple or church or mosque. For us your distinction based on religion do not exist, it all one and the same. We have seen everybody and have felt the significance they had on lives of people but then for us it is not significant enough." "If you permit, I have a question" said the young agent "Go on""Do you people brew?" "Yes of course. And why would you think we would not brew and ferment? We have eve finer tastes in life than the people born with golden spoon in outside have. We like all kinds of beverages and have developed fine quality of microorganism to help us get the finest beverages" "But that would cause you liver to get damaged" aid Narendra "Yes it would if one does not control the quantity, but then tell me that is there anything which does not cause harm when done or used in excess? We have proves that even meditation when done in excess what a body can tolerate causes problems. Milk when used in excess causes stones and heart problems. There is nothing in the world which when used in excess will not cause harm. Being skeptic in excess also causes harm" smiled the man "I would like to thank you for enduring so much trouble and coming here. I would sincerely hope that in due course of time we would meet again. If possible I would make an offer the next time we meet. Now I would like you to take some rest." when they all started moving he said "I would like to meet Amit and Lal Singh in private" The two of them waited for rest of them to move out. "Lal Singh when you will reach your office you will find a file. Every thing has been written in it. You would not have to do anything. Just read that file and memorize it before making copies and submitting as your report. When you will reach outside you will find the three of your agents. You will also find the second team. Tell them they we had abducted you but you fought with as Amit was able to remember our power plant you were able to destroy it along with everybody in there. Also tell them that you had lost one of the members of your team. Tell them that he sacrificed himself to let you all out safely before detonating the bomb which blew up their hiding place." The man smiled as he said Taking cue he went to rest of the members of his team. He was sure that Amit would be left here and he would have to show him as the dead member. "Son I am happy that up kept the faith I had put in you. Now the time is coming again for your return. Time has not come for you to stay with us. Yu will find a friend and guide outside and he will help you attain the level to become a permanent member of this place. You will find a ring in drawer of your cabinet. Keep it well and safe. Along with the ring you will also find some papers. Study them well and try to find some meaning in those pages. Hopefully you will attain enlightenment much before."

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Chapter 19

They all were put together in a huge hall and given comfortable beds to rest in. As soon as they lay on the bed they fell asleep. They were being watched by two men. "What do you think will happen to them" asked the old man who used to live in the village out there "I do not know. I am not interested in future, I am a collector of past and present." Said the man who had talked to those men sleeping comfortably "Will they all return" "I would like it to happen that way but I don't worry too much about future. It takes away the pleasure of living and enjoying the present." "I think the second team will reach there in some time from now." "Yes have them ready; they are in for a big surprise." "Don't you think they should be told about this" "No then it talk away the charm. I would like them to decipher what happened. It would a test for them and I would also enjoy seeing the surprise on their faces. Lal Singh is sure that Amit has been chosen to stay here. It would be a shock to him when he would found out that someone else is missing and Amit is with him" "You have always been a mischievous person. Even at this age you have not grown up, always behaving like a child" "Why should I kill my inner child? It always has been fun seeing surprise on the face of men when they least expect the things which happen to them." "Do you think he is ready" asking about the man whom they have chosen to keep in this place "I was not my call alone. The group had decided in unison and I have taken a decision based on finds of people who I know are best in this regard" "Hopefully it would be a good decision but I fear how about the reaction out there" "You worry to much." Said the man who was older of the two "Even with the wisdom of so many years you think too much about the reactions out side. They will forget about it soon enough. They have too much going on in their lives to bother upon a missing man. And the beauty of the whole thing is that they wont even realize that he is missing." "What about him. Won't he miss his family? He loves them too much" "If he is ready he won't miss them. He would see the bigger picture. He is already living a life of a monk." "Are you sure about the young agent? Is he ready for such huge task?" "I have never felt surer. He would turn out to be the find of the ages. And we will take all the precautions before taking him in. After all this would be our next big thing after we shifted here. And will do anything to endanger it." He was serious. "When it is time do what you have to do" said and went away The old man who used to live in the village outside was left thinking about the turn o events. He knew he would miss the life he lived out in the village. Now he would have to find a new place to live as he was not very comfortable living in here. He has already found a tiny hamlet in south of India where he was born and a place in the Northeast. He would take his decision soon after this matter outlives it longevity. He was not sure how these men here would take the decision made by the man who was just standing there. He always felt awe in front of him. He was always an introvert so he never developed the courage to be friendly with him. He not even knew the name of the man leave along his age. But he was certain that in him he has seen the longest living man on earth. And for this he would always feel proud of. Would he ever be able to know who the man is, is a question that always come to his mind but he is too much afraid to ask the direct question. And he also knew that even he gets to know the truth it may not come out as something too significant. Now they are going through one of the most significant period in the history of the organization and he was glad that he is inside than outside to see for himself how the history would be rewritten again. He knew there would be some changes in their records as some who are missing would be put in and some new records would be added. There is a long gap in the history of man kind which even they do know nothing off, a period of dark and unimaginable that it had been completely wiped out of the memory of man kind. Now they would get a glimpse of that horrid past. He hoped that nothing significant occurred in that era but knew that mere existence of man kind at that time and its continuity beyond those dark ages was significant enough. Humanity has a habit of taking itself out even from the darkest of pits it digs itself in. Some time after they had slept for more than one hour someone said "Its time" and some else did what he had to do. "They won't be feeling good about this" he thought doing what he did.

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Chapter 20

Bang! There was and explosion and another just after the first. In a matter of few seconds they heard at least eight to ten explosions depending upon how fast they woke up. All of them were surprised to find themselves out in the world again, in the ruins. As they stood up rubbing their eyes and trying see through the dust and smoke which was all over the place, they were surprised to that the ruins they we in were not the same where they went in. Most of them even did not remember if it was a different ruin. Something happened when they slept thought the two who had remembered everything. They were surprised and felt some what betrayed for letting them say good bye. They were thrown out of the paradise when they were sleeping. How ironic of it. They slept thinking that the worse is over but now when they are awake everything seems to back as they started. "Keep them safe" someone was shouting "What is happening" Amit heard Narendra asking "I do not know" said Amit "There was some kind of explosion" In next few minutes they were all safely out of the ruins. They all sat in a group. The team which was dispatched to destroy this place had nothing left to do other than helping these people they found when they arrived. As the team was approaching the ruins, they heard explosions. They all ran towards the ruins and found that everything and collapsed and these people were the ones left behind. They were glad to see the men safe and unhurt even though they were confused as how they came out of the explosions totally unhurt. The sound and amount of damaged inflicted on the round suggested that the explosions were very powerful and they did not thought that they would be able to find any survivors. "Have you accounted for everybody" asked some one "No one of them is missing" said other "We were told that we would find ten people but here they are only nine." They all looked at each other to see was missing among them. They were surprised to see mama ji missing. "Mama ji is not here" said Amit standing up and looking around desperately to find him. "Amit sit down" said Lal Singh "Your mama ji has sacrificed himself to save rest of us. Don't let his sacrifice go in vain" He was thinking why is he feeling that the words coming out of his mind did not made any sense. He was confident that it would be Amit who would be asked to make that sacrifice an not the his old friend. His mind was in total confusion. "What happened out here" asked the man in charge of the team. He had acknowledged Lal Singh and was sitting with them, trying to make sense of what happened here. "They were terrorists." Lal Singh was saying "They had developed some sort of mind altering device and had also made this place their hideout. We were captured by them. With help of Amit and his mama ji we were able to free everybody and his mama ji triggered the explosions when we made out the place safely." "Where is that place?" asked the man in charge "I can only see some debris and nothing is making sense." "Everything was completely destroyed in those explosions. Don't you hear them? How can you expect something to be around for you to salvage and report when the explosions were of that nature" said Lal Singh feeling a ting of sadness on the loss of his dear friend. "Ok let's move you out and we will do what is necessary here" said the man in charge. They were taken to the place where they had left the vehicle in which they came. Then they were taken back to Haridwar. All of the were having doubts on the story told by Lal Singh and every one was sure that the ruins were farther from the place where they left their vehicle but all decided to keep quiet till they were left alone. In an hour when everybody had given their statements and everything was duly recorded by the men who came there on orders given by someone in Delhi they were left alone. Now safely away from the men who were asking various questions they were able to air their views freely. "What the hell happened out there?" Narendra was the first to say anything "Hell happened" replied Lal Singh "What else you think happened? I have lost a dear friend and Amit his loving mama ji. But did it have to be him. I would have done a better job in saving all of you and he had insisted that it have to be him." Lal Singh was dejected that he was not able to save his friend and mentor who had done so much for him. "But I think there is something else which we are all missing" said Dr. Singh (junior) "I don't think that the way be were brought in Haridwar was the same way we went out and according to my memory the distance to the ruins was also less when we came to the vehicle than we the distance we had to cover to reach those ruins from the place we left the vehicle. Is it just me thinking or everybody else feels the same" "I think that you are growing old, my dear brother" said Dr. Singh (senior) Everything happened fast after this. Dr. Singh (junior) went to his home feeling somewhat unsure about the whole thing and rest of our team went back to Delhi. The next morning brought more surprises for every one of them. The news papers were having headlines of a terrorist cell being destroyed. They ran a story which vaguely told that it was related to the case of Amit and his disappearance. The story also told that it was Mukesh Gautam, a distant relative of Amit who had sacrificed his life in saving the other members of the group who bravely went to find the real truth behind the strange happening which was going on since Amit had returned. It accounted for everyone in the group not telling the names of the government agents but gave the actual number of people in the group. It also told the readers that the government has sealed the area and has made it out of bounds to public so as to keep them safe from any danger. What the danger was not told and no one was interested in knowing it as every body was busy feeling safe them asking questions.

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Chapter 21

As Lal Singh arrived in his office from Haridwar he directly went to his cabinet and saw a file kept there. He read it very carefully and made copies of to be submitted to various desks in next hour. On reading the report submitted by Lal Singh the government came out with a statement which was widely reported by all the news papers in the morning. Lal Sing found the report in the filed as he was told he would find. In the report it was given that they were forced at gun point to go in the structure made by the terror group in the ruins. It was in the structure that Amit remembered that at one place huge amount of explosives and fuel was kept. The report said that with help Amit, Lal Singh was able to free the members of the group and was able to take them to safety after which Mukesh Gautam detonated the explosives sacrificing himself to save the others. In the report which Lal Singh was reading was given that it was one of the right wing Hindu groups who had developed mind altering device through which they wanted to free the land of people of other religion. They were hatching a wide ranging conspiracy which was thwarted in its bud by daring sacrifice of Mukesh Gautam. On receiving the report government officials were very happy. The party running the government got ammunition to attack the opposition. In two days some of the report was leaked to media houses. After that long hours of debate started on various news channels about how more dangerous the right wing Hindu militants are than the very large and world threatening terrorists of which even western countries are afraid of. The people sitting in various news channels talk shows were saying that government should put an to such terror and that by killing the right wing Hindus there will be no infringement of human rights. These are the same people who openly advocate the human rights of the terrorists and naxals operating in the country. They went on air telling that Hindus should be killed even for thinking of planning an attack on other communities while the members of other communities should not be even touched even if they attack the parliament or bombed Dalal Street. By doing so they argued that the members of other communities and tribals are venting their anger against the system who was unjust to them and because of this they can go on killing innocent people without a word from the establishment. After all we are the largest democracy in the world. For hours after hours the so called arm chair intellectuals came in news channels after news channels and praised the government for the fictious killings done by it. For them the sate had done the right thing by eliminating them. But then also they were angry as the bodies of the dead terrorists were not shown to them. They wanted to see the mutilated bodies of the so called terrorists and then had debated that if they were mutilated enough or the government had let them die much intact under pressure of the opposition. Some of even went to such lengths as to say that government should from now declare a cash prize to people who kill the right wing Hindus and the uniformed men who dare to kill the terrorists of other communities and naxals should be dismissed from the force and hanged. This was the only way, they argued, to show the world that we are the largest democracy in the world. Anything less, they said, would make people of other countries think that we lack leadership and that would be wrong as one of the speakers stood up and took out an X-ray film showing that he had brought it as a proof to show everyone that had a backbone.

Debates like this went on and on and threatened to spread like wild fire. For two continuous days every news channel was showing the similar talk shows and those who could afford high profile (because they demanded huge amount of money) people they settled for lesser known persons. No one cared for the people who went there and did what they did. No one even shed a drop of tear for the man of who even the government said he sacrificed his life for our safety. Then it happened. Amit was thinking why these people did not say it before. He was watching a news channel which had national coverage. It happened so suddenly that if Amit may have missed the time it started. And when it started other news channels also picked it up and within an hour the focus of the debate had shifted towards it. Some one in that news channel said the unthinkable. "I do not think that Mukesh Gautam sacrificed himself." Hearing it Amit was shocked but he knew it would be coming sooner or later. "He was a mad dog. He never wanted anything good to happen in the country. He always advocated the rights of majority. He never wanted the minority to rule the majority. I think he had blown himself up thinking that up on his death the people would rise against the minorities. I am sure he planned the riots to occur after his death and even he did not planned I am very sure that he would have wished that after his death some riots should take place." On hearing the man speaking such things about mama ji Amit felt that he would throw up any minute. Within two minutes his cell phone rang. He did not have to look at it to know who was calling. He just picked it up. "Have you heard what this bloody idiot is saying" it was Ashok at the other end. He knew nothing about what happened in Haridwar and thought that mama ji had really sacrificed himself to save the others. "Ashok let them say anything they want. It would diminish the things done by mama ji. We all know he was a brave man and would have never anything that would jeopardize the safety of our country. Brother change the channel or if are not able to do it come over here." Ashok hung up saying he would be there as soon as possible. The so called intellectual who was actually an idiot was saying live on air "as I had already said now the time has come for us to show the world that we are the largest democracy and we will not tolerate any threat to our country. I propose that we should hand over the governance to the minority community and show the world our solidarity." There was clapping on hearing the man by some people sitting in the crowd. "I would like to take this opportunity to request the government that it should step down at this hour and give the charge of the government to the minority community and if government is not strong enough to do such a good thing then I request that we the intellectuals of this great country should let the government know that we would not sit idle and see the minorities suffer at the hands of majority. The majority community thinks that in a democracy it can do what it wants. But I would like them to know that we the intellectuals of this great country go at any lengths to give the minority the charge of government." "How would you plan to do such a noble thing" asked the stupid presenter "I will ask every intellectual to sit on fats unto death" say the even more stupid man On hearing this no one asked why this stupid man will not himself sit on fast unto death. As the debate was getting stupider by the minute on this channel other news channels also picked it up. Every presenter started asking the people invited to the talk show (after giving them huge sums) to give their views on the man who had died. The news channels have changed the word 'sacrificed' to 'died' and no one argued against it. Then the endless debate started which told the listeners that how bad the man was and how he deserved this death. Government for the first time showed that it was strong and asked the news channels to stop the non sense they were dishing out. It was stern order and the news channels quietly followed it to the word. Government had given due recognition to the sacrifice of Mukesh Gautam and the opposition party had demanded that Bharat Ratna should be awarded to Mukesh Gautam. They had even planned that during elections they would field Amit and ask votes in his name. Mukesh Gautam even in his death would come to help his party they thought. Some of the party bearers were ruing over the chance missed. They were asking that Mukesh Gautam had actually harmed them. He lived for one month then he should have. If he had died one month earlier then they could have easily encashed his death and won the election in his state. Mukesh Gautam was sitting with the old man in the other plane and grinning that he was being debated by the variety of news channels and the party had even named him as contender of Bharat Ratna. He knew this was all politics and that they would be as happy in his death as they were when he was alive. He did not give them another thought.

He was thinking about the events the day he died for the world. He woke up and found every body gone. He was surprised to see that the group did not even bothered to wake him up. Cursing them he went to see what made them busy. He was not able to find anyone. Suddenly his hand went to his neck. He was feeling that some was there. He held it in front of his eyes to see what it is and then the truth came to him. He had been chosen. In his neck the chain with the symbol of the organization was hanging. He had been given an opportunity to become a true member of the organization which he was serving for so many years from outside. Then it came to his mind that every other person would have gone to the world outside. He felt a slight pain in his heart for not being able to see anyone he loved for the final time. HE was not given a chance to say good bye. But he knew the ways of the organization. They never inform you beforehand that they would be taking you in. They do not allow any good byes. In this way they can maintain secrecy. He was wondering what the people would say about him when they reached the out side world. He was confident that the matter would have been planned well in advance. The reason for the burglary also was clear to him. You cannot have both the symbols. And you are never allowed to hand it back. It is the organization that gives it you and it is it which takes it back. Amit was feeling sad about what happened to mama ji. He would have like to have him with him. He wished he knew more about him. But all his life he had hated that man and now when is gone he was missing him. That is how nature works. In mysterious ways. No one is sure what would happen in the moment which will come next. But Amit has become a hero and was even asked by the party to join it. Amit was going though some papers he wanted to see then he came across a package. As he opened it he saw some pages in it. They were in Sanskrit. He went though them and was not able to understand what they were. He was about to keep those papers back wondering how they came about in his cabinet he saw something shining inside the bundle which ad the pages. He took it out and saw it. Tears swelled his eyes. He remembered everything. He knew mama ji was safe. He knew that he was made an outside member of the organization. He put the ring on and it fitted perfectly on his finger. He had to wait for his first assignment. Then he remembered that the first assignment had already been given to him. He again took those pages out and tried to read them. He had learnt Sanskrit in his school days but that like ages ago. And even if he had remembered he would have been able to read what was written here. He needed an expert. But before finding an expert he needed to brush up his Sanskrit. He knew exactly where to go. He had a clear vision of his goal and was very much satisfied to know that mama ji was safe. Dr. Singh (senior) had just put down his cell phone. It was Narendra on the other side. He was not feeling well as the people on the news channels were taking about the death of mama ji. He also kept calling him mama ji for his own sake. Dr. Singh (senior) had told him not to bother about them as they were fools and did not know what they were talking about. He suggested Narendra to ignore them. Dr. Singh (senior) was thinking about the events of past two weeks and that how had they changed his live. All his life he had been searching the truth. Now he had been given a chance to see for himself what truth is. He was not sure that he would like to take this chance or that he would pass it. Then he thought that it would not be in his hands to take or pass it. There are forces with higher power and they would do whatever had to be done. "Sir, there someone here who says he is from the government and wants to meet you immediately" interrupted Nisha "Send him in" said Dr. Singh and was some what surprised that someone from the government has come to see him at this hour. It was already late and he would close shop for lunch. What the topic was he would end it soon and go for his lunch. He was in the mood to talk with any government man. "Hope you are fine doctor" said the man coming in. Dr. Singh was surprised to see the man in front of him. He was the young agent who had been with them in there. "I don't think I am interrupting something" "No of course not" said Dr. Singh "I hope you have not forgotten you promise" said the young agent "Which promise are you talking about young man" said Dr. Singh. He was having difficulty that the young man sitting here remembered something about those events in there. He had talked with everyone who came out except him and no one was very much sure what exactly happened. He was confident that those people only left him with those memories and rest had them not clear enough to be able to tell everything. Now this man was sitting in front of him and behaving like he remembered everything. "Smart moves by the guys in there" said the young agent "They knew that the government will use all kinds of tactics on people who came out to get the information they needed so they releaved them of their memories except two of us." "What are you taking about" said Dr. Singh "You know exactly what I am saying" said the agent "You know they even that the GPS tracking system of the vehicle we went in rigged. It led the second team to the place where they found us. They believe that it was the place where we went in and came out. They don't suspect any thing different. How they achieved I would love to learn but as the old man in there said before that I have to find teacher who can illuminate my mind" "Why are you here agent" asked Dr. Singh getting irritated "To find my teacher" "And who that be" "You are" "Why do you think so" "Because they left you with all the memories intact" "This is no reason and I do not think what you are talking about" "You are getting paranoid" "I am not" "Then why are you suspecting me?" "I am not suspecting you of anything" "Yes you are. I can read your mind" Someone was watching this conversation but the agent did not bother about him because he knew he was of no consequence. All he wanted was to learn. He knew the events had left him craving for more. They had just increased his appetite many folds. And he knew he had play by the ancient rules to subside the hunger burning in him. He knew he was ready and wanted to confirm if his would be teacher was also ready. "Obviously you can read my mind" said the doctor getting more frustrated "Do not get frustrated. I know you want to go for lunch. I think I know a perfect place where we can sit and talk" He knew this will be beginning of a long and fruitful friendship. He was willing to bet his life on the fact that he would be inside the place he wants to be in within next 10 years and he was willing to endure anything to achieve his goal. He did not have anything to look forward to. His life has taken a turn which was unaccepted but it turned out to be the best turn of events in all his life. "Did you know that they used Iran bomb blast Israel as a trigger ...." Narendra became more successful detective after his name was all over the news papers following the events in Haridwar. The more busy he became more unsure his mind became. He was beginning to see that there is something else in the world. Lal Singh was promoted and was given sole in charge of a new anti terror division in the bureau. He was getting for himself but he kept searching answers. Dr. Singh (junior) after retirement came to Delhi and started his successful practice but he got more and more involved with his brother and his dealings with the young agent. Amit continued to work for multi nationals but did not forget to continue studying Sanskrit and searching for the expert who can tell him the meaning of the words written in the pages.

Mukesh Gautam became one of the important members of the group who were dealing with the conditions of the exchange of information among the different worlds for the organization.

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