Chapter 6 - Purgatory
Rajveer
"You shouldn't have done that, you know." Irfan tells you as you both return from your latest mission. "They'll figure it out eventually."
"I didn't do anything wrong," you reply defensively, "I didn't sign my name, I didn't reveal that it was me." You hadn't even used your nickname for her, as much as a part of you had ached to be able to write Captain Naina 'Ah' Singh.
"It doesn't matter…" Irfan informs you, "They don't like you establishing contact with the outside. You're lucky that they didn't catch you."
"And are you going to tell them?" you ask him.
"No, but it doesn't mean they won't find out anyway."
There is a surprise waiting when you return to base, a serious looking young man that you don't recognise but that Irfan does.
"So Gunny, the freed bird returns to the cage." Irfan jokes, but there is a pain evident in his words. Irfan knows that his clipped wings will never allow him to fly away.
"I had some time off, wanted to check on you," the stranger says without any expression, "And I had heard…"
"That we had a new member?" Irfan finishes for him, "Had to replace you somehow, though it was a tough job. Captain Gunraj Randhawa, meet the man formerly known as Captain Rajveer Singh Shekawat."
And Gunny, who had previously seemed to be a stone, suddenly shows a hint of expression. "You… are Captain Rajveer?" he asks.
"I was." You tell him, because now… you are nothing.
A ghost only.
"I know your best cadet." He continues without expression, and despite the fact that you know he's waiting to see your reaction, you can't help but take a step forward.
"Naina…" you say, before you manage to stop yourself. "How?"
"When they were in the detention centre… I was asked to kill her," he shrugs, "It was Lala's orders, if I hadn't found out in time…"
"Don't assume you would've succeeded," you inform him, "I know my best cadet… she would've fought until the last breath, she might have killed you instead."
"It's not so easy to kill me." He replies, seeming almost… amused.
"When did I say it would be?" you ask him, your expression hardening, "And if you had succeeded… then nothing in this world would've stopped me from tracking you down and finishing you off myself."
"Well this has been a great first meeting, death threats and all," Irfan breaks in, "At least leave something for the second one."
"I thought that you were dead." Gunny tells you, "They believe you're dead."
"I am dead," you reply to him, "If not physically… then in every other way."
"It's funny then… that your heart still seems to be working." He states, an almost smirk on his face.
You know exactly what it is that he's hinting at.
And sure enough, the traitorous thing keeps beating away.