Chapter Twenty Three
"Do you know what you're doing?" Naina asks Sherry as she prepares to head down to the lake after dinner. "Don't forget that he's dangerous, you need to be careful."
"I'll need to make it up as I go along." Her friend admits. "But I think I can tip him over the edge enough that he'll compromise himself."
"Remember that he hates to have his competence or authority questioned. He loves the power that he has and the ability to use that over others. You need to hint just enough that you know something that he backs off."
Sherry nods. "If it fails then we'll move to the next plan, one way or another we'll get him out of the way before Diwali."
"Good luck," Naina tells her with a warm hug. "If all goes well maybe I'll have some good news to tell Raj when he calls tomorrow night."
"Are you planning to hand any of those photos over to me at all? Because if they find them on you, you'll have a lot of explaining to do."
"I'll just say that I was safeguarding them for you." Naina answers, grinning for a moment before she becomes serious once more. "Aalekh and I will be nearby as well in case you need us or Captain Abhimanyu fails to turn up. Do you have Yudi's recorder on you in case he says anything incriminating?"
Sherry nods. "Yudi was surprisingly good about not asking me why I wanted it. I think he doesn't want to be held responsible for whatever we're doing."
Aalekh steps forward, a gentle hand on her arm. "We'll see you afterwards. We'll be ready to step in if things go too far." He promises her.
"Let's do this then." Sherry says grimly, turning from them to head down the path. She knows that they'll follow at a distance, she'd picked the spot where she would meet Bhargav in advance so that there would be cover for Naina and Aalekh to hide in and to conceal Captain Abhimanyu's approach.
She had slipped a note beneath Bhargav's door that morning, and Aalekh had told the details to Abhimanyu immediately after their class, pretending to want to check some details of their homework.
Major Bhargav has shown them enough evidence of his desire to prove his own superiority the last few weeks that Sherry is certain he won't be able to resist the opportunity to meet with her and display it once more.
Sure enough, he is already waiting in place and she surreptitiously clicks on the recording device as she approaches, not wanting to make him suspicious by doing so later.
"My, my, my, Cadet Sherry. I wouldn't have thought I would be your chosen faculty member for a moonlight rendezvous by the lake."
Sherry raises her eyebrows. "Are you suggesting that you think I could possibly find you attractive? I like men with a little more hair."
"Or a lot more." Bhargav sneers at her. "How do you like that rumour? It's the next one I'm considering spreading about you. One way or another I will get you out of here, girly."
"Well, you're not doing too well so far, are you?" Sherry comments in almost a bored tone. "I'm sure you thought your initial plan was so clever and yet you failed all the same, didn't you? It must be so difficult to not be able to manipulate everyone into getting what you want."
"Don't patronise me." Bhargav snarls. "And don't think that I'm finished with you yet either."
"How could you be? After all, you need to uphold your end of the bargain with my father don't you?" Sherry pauses, waiting to see Bhargav's expression and satisfied at his reaction when she does. "What? You thought I wouldn't figure it out? I've known since day one."
"I might have to give you a bit more credit." Bhargav sneers at her. "If you've figured that out then you must know that I'll succeed one way or another."
Sherry looks back at him as if considering. "What did he say he would give you? I should warn you that he isn't the most reliable man at keeping promises, both as a father and a politician."
"Oh but he's always kept them to me." Bhargav's eyes gleam as he takes a step towards her. "Even if he hadn't promised me something in return, I would still do this for him. He can make or break careers and I'll continue to rise if I remain with him."
Sherry's heart beats faster, there's something about the phrasing he's used, she knows she's on the edge of a discovery and she needs to keep pushing.
"Now that's strange because I know that my father never helps anyone unless there's something in it for him as well. What benefit could he possibly see in helping the career of a psychopathic bootlicker like you? He has enough of those around him already. I don't think he'll do anything for you even if you do get rid of me from here, there'll be nothing for you in the end."
Bhargav laughs, his hand snaking out to grab her arm and Sherry prays that the others don't overreact at the contact when she's so close to hearing what she needs to.
"I'm not a fool, and I only invest my own time when there's returns. For the favour I did your father earlier I was made a Major, and once I deal with you the rank of Colonel won't be far off. Make things easy on yourself and leave by your own choice, because I won't give up until you're gone, I owe him too much. You're not naive, you know how these things work."
It clicks into place then as Sherry stares at him, the reminder of a long ago conversation with Abhimanyu.
"He was in charge of Raj's investigation and trial." Abhimanyu's voice had been purposefully quiet. "And he did everything he could to see Raj convicted. I've always thought that there must have been someone else pulling the strings; that he rose through the ranks quickly afterwards precisely because of the favour he'd done for that person."
"You..." Sherry swallows past the bile in her throat. She has to be smart, she has to ignore the desire to throw up at the realisation and see this through. "You truly didn't care about ruining an innocent man's life in your quest for power."
Bhargav shrugs. "Who was I to decide if he was guilty or innocent? That was the judge's decision. All I had to ensure is that the investigation wasn't too thorough, that nobody dug too deep. For all I know, Captain Rajveer Singh Shekhawat really was guilty and your father just didn't want to be implicated along with him."
"And if I was to report you to the anti-corruption bureau and suggest that they take a good hard look at your dealings and assets, what do you think my father would do then?" Sherry asks, her eyes narrowed. "Would he step up to save you or would he ask someone else to deal with the problem like you dealt with Bhaiyya?"
"You wouldn't." Bhargav hisses, "You wouldn't dare to place your own father under suspicion."
"Wouldn't I?" Sherry stands up straight, pulling her arm from his grasp. "You think I give a damn about him? I remember every word of this conversation, and I've met some very powerful men through my father, including some who now oppose him. I know some journalists who would simply love a story this juicy if I was to serve it up to them. Proven or not, your career would be ruined."
Far too quick for her to react, Bhargav reaches out and grasps both of Sherry's upper arms, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh. "And perhaps your father would think it best if I was to get rid of you here and now before you tried that. Poor Cadet Sherry, so tragically drowned in the lake; did she slip or was it a suicide after all her troubles?" He manoeuvres her closer to the edge, beginning to drag her as Sherry starts to feel real fear. "Is that what you want or are you going to forget everything we just spoke about?"
She looks into his face, looming so closely in front of hers and knows that he means to do it. This man will not let anything get in the way of his quest for power, not someone's innocence or someone's life.
"Major Bhargav, what the hell are you doing?"
Sherry does not think that she has ever been happier to see Abhimanyu than she is now as he runs up to them, his expression half panicked and half furious. With one hand he shoves the Major backward, wrenching Sherry from his grasp with the other and pushing her behind him.
Major Bhargav licks his lips nervously. "And here we have Captain Abhimanyu, so conveniently here on a midnight stroll. Maybe you really did have a rendezvous set up after this."
"Cut the crap, Major, and tell me what's going on right now. Why did you have your hands on the cadet like that?" He risks a glance backwards, gaze raking over Sherry as if to ensure that she really is fine.
"He was going to drown me in the lake." Sherry tells him. Her voice shakes only a little, she hopes she still sounds defiant.
Abhimanyu does a double take, staring at her for a moment until he takes a threatening step towards Major Bhargav. "That had better not be what was about to happen, Major, or I..."
"The cadet is joking." Major Bhargav bares his teeth in a semblance of a grin. "You know how she is. Cadet Sherry and I were discussing a matter we needed to resolve."
"Yes, and Major Bhargav had just agreed that he would be leaving the academy tonight." Sherry grits out. "He's understood that all I want is to finish my training successfully and that I don't want to be involved in any political manoeuvring."
"Have I now?" Bhargav's eyes narrow in her direction.
"Yes. You see, if I'm left alone then I can forget everything we just discussed but if my father was to become involved or if you were to remain here..." Sherry trails off suggestively even as she clamps her hands together to stop them from shaking. "Then I really might want to catch up with some old friends of mine to share some news."
"And if that's made impossible?" His gaze is cold as he looks past Abhimanyu at her, too involved in their negotiation to worry about what the Captain overhears. "If the last option that we discussed comes true?"
"Then don't forget that as much as I might wish I wasn't, I am still my father's daughter. I will always have a fail safe plan."
They stare at each other, a stalemate, as Abhimanyu keeps his eyes on Bhargav, almost willing the other man to make a move. Finally, Bhargav nods. "I'll be gone shortly and we can both forget that this conversation ever took place. Well played, Cadet Sherry, right down to the decision to have your ardent admirer appear as a witness when you most needed to be saved. I won't ever forget this but you're safe for now."
He gives her a mock salute before turning on his heel, making his way back to the academy. Sherry watches him go, counting under her breath until he disappears out of sight. Reaching into her pocket she clicks off the recording device before she hands it over to Abhimanyu with a shaking hand.
"I need you to keep that safe, don't... don't let anyone know you have it and don't listen to it yet. We'll need it, we'll..." She stops, struggling as her breaths become quicker.
Abhimanyu places it in his own pocket before he places a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What happened, Sherry? What on earth was that all about?"
"He..." suddenly she can't hold it in anymore and Sherry collapses to her knees, dry heaving as her breath comes in shaky gasps. "I didn't know, I swear I didn't know."
"You didn't know what? Sherry, please, talk to me. What did he do to you?" For a moment Abhimanyu takes a step as if he's determined to go after Bhargav then he looks back down at her, clearly torn.
It only takes a moment to decide and Abhimanyu is on his knees beside her, pulling her to his chest as his arms go around her, one hand cradling her cheek. Sherry weeps, both from shock and anguish, and he holds her tightly, rocking her slightly as if to calm her. "I truly didn't know." She gasps out between her tears
"What is it, Sherry? What happened here tonight? You came to try and convince him to leave but something else happened. Was he really trying to kill you?"
She nods and twists in Abhimanyu's grasp, turning to face him. Almost of its own volition, Sherry's hand comes up to mirror Abhimanyu's, laid against his cheek. It is warm under her palm, the hard line of his jaw comforting against her fingers.
"I goaded him, hoping to make him admit something incriminating but I never expected what he was going to tell me. He revealed too much and I saw it in his eyes, he would have killed me then if he could have. He said he was going to drown me in the lake and make it look like a tragic accident."
"Thank god you told me what you were planning, if you'd really been alone with him..." Abhimanyu leans down to touch his forehead against Sherry's, and she hears his long indrawn breath as he closes his eyes.
"I didn't expect it to go that way but I..." her thumb finds the corner of his mouth as he leans into her touch. "I knew I would be safe, I knew that you would be there when I needed you."
It's a surprise when he kisses her, his lips pressing urgently against hers for a moment as he brings up his second hand to cup her face. Just as quickly he's pulling back again, an apology on his lips that Sherry won't let him finish before she pulls him forward once more.
For a few short blessed moments that is the only thing that matters, his lips against hers, surging forward, their shared breaths, her hands tangled in his hair. For a few short moments that is all that exists in the world.
Then Abhimanyu pulls back, shaking his head, even as he continues to cup her face, looking down at her with such tenderness. "I'm so sorry, Sherry. That was inexcusable and I... let's get you back to the academy straight away and get you checked by Dr Shalini. Your friends must be worried about you too."
Her friends. Sherry realises belatedly that Naina and Aalekh are most likely still nearby somewhere waiting and she's just kissed her teacher in front of them.
Sherry attempts to stand, but her legs are shaking too badly, collapsing under her even as she attempts it. She's shaking like a leaf and all she really wants to do is curl up in a ball and continue sobbing. She hadn't known, she really hadn't.
"Here, put your arms around my neck, you can do it." Abhimanyu coaxes her, helping her to place them before he lifts her up, his own arms securely around her. He struggles on the slope and Sherry wishes she could tell him to put her down but it's a comfort to be held at a time like this.
They are halfway to the top when Naina and Aalekh come running towards them, breathless.
"Do you need help, Sir?" Aalekh asks as Abhimanyu shakes his head, silent as he concentrates on bringing her up safely.
"We were about to intervene when we saw Captain Abhimanyu running towards you both." Naina explains, "So we stayed back. Are you alright, Sherry?"
She nods mutely.
"We followed Major Bhargav when he left, to check where he was headed. He was yelling at an orderly to get his jeep ready to leave."
"Good." Abhimanyu grits out. "I wish we could have done more to him."
"We will." Sherry promises, cold steel in her voice. "We can now."
"Then you got something?" Naina asks, unable to keep the excitement from her voice. "It worked?"
"I did." Sherry looks at Naina then and feels her breath hitch again at what she knows she must tell her. It's vital that this is told to Raj as soon as possible and Naina will be speaking to him tomorrow. "Naina, I..."
They've just entered the academy, the halls blessedly clear of cadets now that lights out is in effect. Abhimanyu brings them to the clinic's door before he sighs, realising that Shalini has gone to her quarters. "Stay here for a moment cadets, while I fetch the doctor."
He places Sherry gently back on the ground, waiting until Naina and Aalekh wrap their arms around her to keep her upright before he lets go, hurrying down the hallway.
"You saw everything?" Sherry asks.
"We were a second away from stopping him when Captain Abhimanyu intervened. I wish you hadn't risked yourself like that."
"It was worth it for what I found out. Do you think he's gone now?"
"I'm not sure, we wanted to get back to you as quickly as possible so we came back once he had entered the academy."
Sherry mentally calculates the time it would have taken them. "Then you didn't, ah..."
Aalekh raises an eyebrow. "We did see that bit. At least until we turned away."
She turns bright red. "Not a word and especially not to Captain Abhimanyu."
"He would be getting rather a few more words from me if he hadn't saved you." Naina comments but it's easy to see she's not angry. "Sherry, what..."
They're interrupted by Abhimanyu returning with Doctor Shalini who quickly unlocks the door and ushers them inside, getting Sherry to lie down on the bed while she examines her. It is a quick few minutes while they wait outside until she once again opens the door, a stern expression on her face as she looks at each of them in turn.
"Cadet Sherry is clearly in shock and there are bruises developing on her arms. Would one of you like to tell me what's going on?"
"It's already been handled." Abhimanyu responds grimly. "Just tell us what she needs."
Shalini looks like she'd like to protest his dismissal of her concerns but after a moment's hesitation she continues. "She needs rest and I would like her to stay here overnight so that she's close by to me in case she needs something. She should be fine by tomorrow."
"I can stay with her, ma'am." Naina quickly volunteers. "That way I can fetch you if she needs something."
"Apun bhi, ma'am."
"Thank you, Cadet Naina, that would be a good idea, I'll let Lolitaji know where you are. Cadet Aalekh, I believe it would be better for you to make your way back to the boys hostel before Suriji notices you're not there."
He nods, laying his hand on top of Sherry's briefly before he turns to leave. Shalini turns to where Abhimanyu leans against the wall, his gaze fixed on Sherry as he frowns, clearly still worried.
"Are you waiting for my dismissal, Captain?" She prompts him.
He turns to her as if having woken from a daze, staring for a moment as if he hasn't quite heard her before he shakes himself. "Not necessary, Doctor." He takes a step closer to the bed and then seems to stop himself, pausing where he stands and clearly still reluctant to go.
Sherry looks back at him, willing her eyes to say everything that she currently can't. She will have to tell him the truth sooner or later, but let it be tomorrow.
When he looks back at her she realises that he really is an open book and that what he feels for her...
"Get some rest, Sherry." Abhimanyu says finally, before he turns from her and leaves the room.
Shalini watches him go, clearly amused, before she turns back to the two cadets. "Cadet Sherry, I'll give you a painkiller and if you would like I can give you a tranquilliser as well, to calm you down and help you sleep."
Sherry shakes her head. "I need my wits about me, ma'am. Just the painkiller please."
Once she has taken it, Shalini leaves another in reach if she should need it during the night with instructions to wake her if they need to. They thank her as she leaves before Naina locks the door after her.
Taking a seat next to Sherry on the bed she hugs her friend tightly, careful to mind the areas on her arms where bruises are likely to develop. "I was so scared for you, it took everything in me to hang back the first time he grabbed your arm."
"It's good you did," Sherry responds grimly, "Because I found out far more than I expected to. I never knew, Naina, I never even suspected. I swear I didn't."
Seeing that Sherry is once again on the verge of becoming hysterical, Naina takes her hands, squeezing them. "It's alright, you're alright, now count your breaths with me. Time them as I count." She takes Sherry through the exercise that Raj had once done with her, so long ago now. Naina keeps counting until Sherry's breaths once again slow, until Naina can see the panic fade slowly from her eyes.
"What happened that made him so angry? Was he really going to hurt you?"
"He said too much and I threatened to expose him. He said it would be simpler if he were to kill me and make it look like an accident."
Sherry says it so matter of factly that for a moment Naina stares, the words taking a moment to click into place. She pulls her friend into a tight hug once more, holding on. "We should never have risked it. I want Raj to be proven innocent but not at the cost of your life, never that."
Sherry begins to cry as Naina holds her, the stress and shock of the last hour catching up on her as Naina rubs her back comfortingly. "I still haven't told you, when I tell you..."
"What is it? You'll feel better when you let it out."
Sherry takes a deep breath. "I told you that Captain Abhimanyu suspected someone had bribed Major Bhargav with a promotion to rig my brother's investigation." Naina nods, remembering. "It was my father."
For a moment Naina is too shocked to react. "Your father? Are you sure?"
Sherry nods. "I pushed him, told him I knew my father had told him to get me out and that I doubted he'd get anything in return. He admitted everything."
"And you got it on tape?"
"Every word."
"Thank goodness." Naina sighs, "I'm so sorry, Sherry, I can't even begin to imagine how you're feeling right now. If he did that.."
"Then he must have been involved in the conspiracy that framed Bhaiyya in the first place, which means that he's a traitor." Sherry grits her teeth together, determined not to cry again. "I've known for awhile now that he wasn't a good man but I never thought..." she pauses suddenly, a horrific thought striking her. "My mother... do you think that's why? Did she find out and..."
"We'll get the truth from him somehow." Naina states seriously, "And he'll receive his punishment, I promise you that. I know how much it hurt Raj to learn that Gehlot had condemned him, now to find out that he was the one behind it all..."
"Do you think it will change how he sees me?" Sherry asks, even as the logical part of her brain tells her it wouldn't. "Will he still want me as his sister? I could handle everyone else turning against me, but not Bhaiyya."
"Sherry you're family. You're Raj's family, you're my family and I'm certain that for Aalekh you're family as well. Your father's actions don't change that. You're here, fighting to prove Raj innocent, and when the day comes that the truth is revealed, nobody will be able to doubt where your loyalty lies. I won't let anyone turn their backs on you, they'll have to fight me first."
It's enough to get a weak laugh out of Sherry and Naina smiles to see it.
"Now get some rest. Tomorrow the others are going to ask you what happened and I'm going to have to tell Raj about your father."
The reminder is enough to turn Sherry serious again. "I couldn't bring myself to tell Captain Abhimanyu tonight but I know I'll have to tell him tomorrow."
Naina's lips quirk, "You're still calling him Captain?"
Sherry buries her head in her hands. "I still can't believe you saw that. Please don't let him know that you saw it."
"Well..." Naina's eyes sparkle as she prepares to tease her friend. "Perhaps I could find some way to sneak it into my conversation with Raj tomorrow."
"You wouldn't dare!"
Naina laughs. "You're right, I wouldn't. I don't know why you're worried about telling him though Sherry, it isn't going to change the way that he feels about you." Naina pauses. "Although I feel like I should be reminding him that he shouldn't be feeling quite so much while he's still your teacher."
"I think we can all agree that these are quite unusual circumstances, unusual enough that a few of the rules can be waived."
"There had better not be too many rules waived." Naina mutters and then suddenly blushes. "I didn't mean it like that. Although definitely that shouldn't..." she waives her hand is if to finish off that sentence.
Sherry snorts, finding Naina's embarrassment far too funny. "Did you and my brother ever..."
Naina turns bright red. "How can you ask me that? Of course we didn't! We were in the middle of a forest and... and your brother is a gentleman."
"I was going to ask if you ever kissed." Sherry finishes slyly and Naina goes to hit her before remembering her injury.
"Go to sleep, Sherry!" She tells her, making her way over to Dr Shalini's couch. Still laughing, Sherry lies down.
She had been brought to this room in shock, sobbing and almost broken. There's a type of magic to Naina, she knows that truly. It's no wonder that Raj had fallen for her, with all of her determination and fire.
It's best by far if Naina is the one to tell Raj the truth of who trapped him and tomorrow he will finally know it.
A/N: Thank you to Neha, who just commented as a guest on the 1st chapter so might take some time to read this 😊 I hope you enjoy catching up on the rest of the story!