The Men in Dark | Episode – 07

K L V Saivardhan Reddy

What happened previously? Click here to read

Halt in the journey : An unexpected discovery

Aarushi shut the door and turned around towards Prerna, both of their faces lighting up with excitement for a few seconds. But later  Aarushi’s face carried a bit of confusion.

“What is it, Aarushi? You should be happy that you found a lead, but your face looks a bit low,” Prerna asked with concern.

Aarushi sighed, trying to articulate her thoughts. “Prerna, he said that they looked like strangers and that the old man was soaked in rain, which means the old man is probably a guest. I’m thinking about whether that kid in the wheelchair could be TMD. But a kid can’t possibly be this strong in covering his identity. Then who is that kid? And why does he have the logo we found on the envelope in his house?”

Prerna pondered for a moment, then replied, “It’s definitely strange. Maybe the kid isn’t TMD but somehow connected to him. Maybe the old man and the kid are part of something bigger. We need to find out what their connection is.”

Aarushi nodded. “You’re right. I need to approach this carefully. I can’t afford to mess up this time; this might be my last chance after all.”

Prerna placed a reassuring hand on Aarushi’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out together. Let’s go check out Krishna Vilas and see what we can find. We’ll be cautious and observant.”

“No! Prerna I cannot involve you in this. I cannot carry guilt if something happens to you because of this. I will take care of this on my own.” said Aarushi.

“Aarushi! I know the warning note you received at the temple may scare you the most,” Prerna said, her voice filled with concern. “But listen to me. We will be careful. Moreover, I can’t stay here alone until I know the whereabouts of Karthik. Let me accompany you.”

Aarushi’s face hardened with determination. “Prerna, it’s not just about the warning note. I don’t want anyone close to me getting hurt because of me. That’s how it has been till now.”

Prerna interjected, “But—”

Aarushi cut her off, her tone firm and commanding. “You can come with me, but on one condition. You have to promise me that you won’t get involved in this investigation. I know you want to help, but I cannot allow that.”

Prerna, her excitement dampened, lowered her head and replied in a disappointed tone, “Okay, I promise.”

“Good. Let’s get out of here and head to Krishna Vilas,” Aarushi said, grabbing her handbag and phone.

“What about the letter? Shouldn’t we look at it first?” Prerna asked, her curiosity evident.

Aarushi hesitated but then decided, “Leave the letter. It won’t go anywhere.” She placed the envelope in her handbag and continued, “Take the food. We can eat in the cab on our way to Krishna Vilas.”

Prerna, still excited despite the slight setback, grabbed the food and followed Aarushi downstairs to catch a cab. They found one at the corner of the street and instructed the driver to take them to Krishna Vilas in Ram Nagar.

“How long will it take to get there?” Aarushi asked anxiously.

“We should be there in half an hour, provided we don’t hit any traffic,” the driver replied.

“Okay, then let’s get moving without any delay,” added Prerna.

As they started their journey, both Aarushi and Prerna, feeling the pangs of hunger, opened the food and began to eat. Just as they were about to finish, the car suddenly came to a halt. Frustration evident on her face, Aarushi leaned forward to look out the window.

To her surprise, they were stuck in a massive traffic jam. Prerna got out of the car to investigate and quickly realized that only their lane wasn’t moving.

“Aarushi, it’s just our lane that’s not moving. Let’s go to the front and see what’s happening,” Prerna suggested

On hearing the prerna’s suggestion, Aarushi stepped out of the car and they both headed towards the block where the traffic jam had originated. As they arrived, they saw a row of the costliest cars halted across the road.

“What is happening here?” Aarushi demanded angrily. “Who the hell parked these cars in the middle of the road?”

A man in a light brown uniform approached them. “Madam, our—”

Before he could finish, Prerna interrupted, her eyes widening in recognition. “Hey, Aarushi! Isn’t that the logo we have on the envelope we received?” She pointed to the top of a towering building beside where the cars were parked. “It seems to be the same.”

Aarushi’s gaze followed Prerna’s finger, and she saw the logo emblazoned on a large sign at the top of the building. Her heart raced as she realized they had stumbled upon an important clue.

“Who are these cars for? What’s going on here?” Aarushi asked the man in the uniform, trying to keep her composure.

“Madam, our owner has urgent work here. He went inside, and we are waiting for him,” answered the man in the uniform. While he was speaking, a man in a black suit emerged from the building, followed by two heavy bodyguards and a person running alongside him, holding a diary.

The man in the black suit tossed his phone to the person with the diary and started barking orders. “Make sure the car is ready. I need to be at the next location in ten minutes,” he said briskly.

Aarushi and Prerna exchanged a quick glance, realizing the opportunity before them. The man’s face was not clearly visible as the crowd surrounded him, but they caught glimpses of his commanding presence. Even the media had reached him, begging for a few minutes of his time.

A random lady nearby was shouting, “Oh my god! This is my crush, Mr. Aviraj, the CEO and Managing Director of Sri Ganesha Group of Companies and one of the most eligible bachelors. Hope I get a selfie with him this time.”

Aarushi leaned towards Prerna and whispered, “What is Mr. Aviraj doing at this building? This is not one of his office buildings. We should not get diverted.” Pointing out a less crowded path, she continued, “We need to escape from the crowd this way and find out why this building has the same logo as the envelope.”

Prerna nodded, understanding the urgency. They discreetly made their way through the crowd, avoiding the media and curious onlookers. As they approached the building’s entrance, Aarushi noticed the logo more clearly. It matched the one on the envelope exactly.

At the entrance, there was the same logo on the wall behind the receptionist with the name “Ripples” under it.

Seeing the logo, Aarushi slapped her forehead in realization. “Damn! How could I forget that it’s the logo of Ripples Company?” she muttered to herself. She quickly grabbed Prerna’s arm just as she was about to approach the receptionist.

“Wait, Prerna,” Aarushi continued, pulling her back, “There’s no point in questioning them. It’s just a company logo.”

Prerna looked determined. “Then it means someone from here left that envelope for you. We can find out who that person is by asking. Give me the envelope.”

Aarushi hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, you might be right. Let’s give it a try.” She took the envelope out of her bag as they approached the receptionist.

The receptionist looked up with a polite smile. “How may I help you, ladies?”

Prerna stepped forward, her voice steady. “I received an anonymous letter with your company logo on it. I think one of your employees sent this. I have great respect for your company, so I came here first instead of going to the police. Please help me find out who sent it.”

The receptionist’s smile faded into a look of concern. “I’m really sorry for any trouble this has caused. May I see the envelope?”

Prerna handed the envelope to the receptionist. As she examined it, her eyes widened in shock. “This isn’t from one of our employees.”

“But the symbol on it is your company logo, right?” Aarushi pressed, noticing the receptionist’s alarmed expression.

The receptionist nodded slowly, lowering her voice. “Yes, it is our logo, but it’s not used by any of our regular employees.”

Aarushi and Prerna glanced at each other, their eyes widening with a mix of excitement and apprehension. They were on the brink of discovering something significant.