On the evening of Diwali, Alekh and Naina dedicated their day to the orphanage while William and Natasha spent their time at the old-age home. After playing with the kids post-lunch, Alekh and Naina spent hours lighting firecrackers. Thomas and Jeremy later joined them and had fun together after sunset. They left only after the kids had dinner and were tucked in for the night. Alekh and Naina then changed into comfortable clothes and spent hours reminiscing past memories, both good and bad, by the pool under the starry sky.
Alekh recounted how his father had been a laborer and passed away in an accident when Alekh was just five years old. His mother raised him for a few years before she too fell ill and passed away, leaving Alekh with nowhere to go. He ended up in an orphanage but escaped at the age of 11 and fell in with a group of delinquent boys in his neighborhood who taught him how to pick pockets. And thus began his career as a pickpocket.
Naina confided that she had been overwhelmed by the confusion that engulfed her after waking up to her new life. Initially, she had no memory of her past, but as her memories started to return, she felt as though she was being tortured from the inside out. She recounted the moment when she had learned the devastating truth about her family and how it had made her feel.
The following day, Alekh and Naina spent time with their family and left early for the academy since they had to report for duty the next morning. Upon arriving, they sensed an odd tension among their friends and decided to investigate separately. Naina approached Pooja while Alekh approached Yudi and Huda, as they noticed Ali distancing himself from the group.
"What's going on? Why is Ali standing far away from our group?" Naina asked Pooja.
Pooja gave her a sorrowful look and explained what had transpired while they were away. BC had announced that the Military Hospital was to be opened to the general public due to a pandemic-like situation, and the injured soldiers were transferred to a temporary medical camp at KMA, which the cadets and faculty had set up in just two hours. Pooja was instructed to place an order for medicine from the local hospital, but she and Ali got caught up in a conversation, and she forgot to do so. As a result, one of the injured soldiers almost died due to the lack of necessary medicine. However, Huda's veterinary knowledge proved to be a lifesaver in this situation.
On the next day, Huda and Ali watched a match without seeking permission, as it was still their Diwali vacation. However, BC took offense to this, and Pooja was upset that they had not invited her to come along. In her anger, she decided to complain to Ali's father about his forgetfulness in placing the medicine order. BC overheard her and contacted Ali's parents, who expressed their disappointment in their son's behavior. As a result, Ali began to distance himself from the group.
Naina frowned at Pooja and said, "Pooja, what you did was wrong. I understand you just wanted to tease him, but we all know that Ali is sensitive about his family. You shouldn't have included them in the first place. Moreover, when you realized that BC misunderstood, why didn't you tell him the truth? You could have bent the truth a little and claimed that you lost the number of that hospital and were looking for it, that's why you couldn't place the order on time. He might have scolded you, but the situation wouldn't have worsened like this," she told her sternly.
"I was really scared. You weren't there, and what if BC had decided to cut my connection to this academy permanently?" Pooja told her teary-eyed.
"Okay. Let bygones be bygones," Naina said with a sigh. "We'll do something about Ali. But for now, give him time," she advised.
The drill commandant arrived, and there were orders to run 15 miles to start the day. After their run, they had breakfast, and Naina rushed over to Rajveer's room as she still hadn't met him since her arrival. She took precautions to remember his scent so that she didn't attack him by mistake. She burst into his room and cheerfully greeted him, "Good morning, sir!"
Rajveer turned as soon as he heard the door open. He greeted Naina with a warm smile. "Good morning, cadet. How was your vacation? Did Alekh have fun?" he inquired.
"It was good to be able to spend time with my family after being apart for months. Alekh also enjoyed being fussed over. My mom even gave him his own room... which I think embarrassed him. He's not used to being the center of attention like that. But I'm sure he'll get used to it soon enough. The shy smiles he would get when my mom or dad would tell him something revealed his secret," Naina shared, giggling.
"That's great. I'm glad he enjoyed himself. Would you like some tea or coffee?" Rajveer offered.
"No, thanks. By the way, you didn't tell me if you liked your Diwali gift or not," Naina reminded him.
Rajveer blushed a little. "It was a nice surprise. Thank you, Cadet," he said with a small smile.
"So, I heard your vacation was eventful too?" Naina asked.
Rajveer sighed and shook his head. "Did your friends tell you what happened with Cadet Ali?"
"Yes. I told them to give Ali some space to calm down before trying to talk to him."
"I gave the same advice to Cadet Ghai. Anyway, I have some news," Rajveer said, looking serious.
"Hmm?" Naina prompted.
"Three days from now, an officer from headquarters is coming to inspect the Academy. This same officer was responsible for arresting Naveen, and he's corrupt. He did everything in his power to convict Naveen even when the evidence against him was weak at best. Naina, be careful. Don't react if he tries to taunt me about Naveen. It's best if he doesn't find out about your relationship with Naveen," Rajveer cautioned.
Naina furrowed her brow as she sifted through her memories of Naveen's case. "Major… Bhargav, right?" she asked, seeking confirmation.
"Yes," Rajveer replied.
"I'll ask Tommy to do a background check on Bhargav while I keep an eye on him from the front line," Naina decided.
"And be careful not to get caught talking to me privately. Bhargav won't hesitate to ruin someone's reputation for his own amusement. It's okay to talk in a group setting, but don't come to my room from the door," Rajveer warned.
"Understood. I'll use the window," Naina replied with a nod.
"W-What? That's not what I meant," Rajveer stammered, feeling flustered.
Naina was too focused on strategizing for what was to come to even smile or snicker, as she might have done in another situation.
...-...
...-...
...-...
That night, Naina was reading her late brother's diary when she heard the sound of a vehicle approaching the academy's main building. Curious, she snuck out to investigate and spotted a bald man with a broken left arm exiting a jeep and heading towards the building.
With an evil smirk, the man declared, "Let's see how capable this academy's cadets are!" before making his way to the academy's PA system.
Realizing that this must be the corrupt Major Bhargav, Naina quickly returned to her room and climbed into bed just as the emergency siren blared through the PA system. Pooja, who was also in the room, was so startled that she fell off the bed. Naina asked her if she was okay, barely suppressing a smile.
Pooja responded, "I'm fine... but who is this unwanted caller ringing our phone so late at night?"
"Let's go find out. Hurry," Naina suggested, putting on her shoes. The girls went outside and found all the other cadets gathered in the academy courtyard.
Naina had made sure of one thing: to make her illusions stronger. If Bhargav had been her brother's arresting officer, then it was possible he could have gone to their home and seen her photos. That's why she ensured that while others could see her normal face, Bhargav would see something else: a girl with lots of pimples, a big nose, sunken cheeks, and a slight mustache.
All the faculty members joined the cadets, looking around in confusion, and BC was furious. He angrily demanded to know who had played the emergency sirens when there was no emergency. That's when Bhargav made his grand entrance. He introduced himself and said he wanted to catch the cadets off guard, which was why he arrived earlier than scheduled. Then he told BC he wanted to test the cadets and their capabilities to see if the academy was worthy of staying open.
The cadets were instructed to make rounds of the academy's training ground while carrying a bicycle until sunrise. Naina calculated that they still had four hours left. When the cadets reached the ground, they each received a bicycle. Naina started slow and advised her friends to do the same.
"Sir told us to make rounds of the ground. If we're slow, how can we cover the whole place?" Ali questioned.
"Ali, sir told us to make rounds carrying these bicycles. He didn't order us to keep a certain pace. As long as we continue making rounds of the ground like he ordered, we're not breaking any rules. And Ali, keep my advice always in your head: 'Work smarter, not harder'," Naina said firmly.
Ali always had a different kind of respect for Naina since she explained why he shouldn't be embarrassed that a girl felt comfortable with him. He never even thought of himself like that. But the fact that Naina had such a noble thought of him made him respect her in return. Especially as he witnessed how she tried everything in her power to help her friends do better, encourage them while making sure to do well herself. So, Ali nodded with a thankful smile and started the round with his group.
Ten cadets gave up after the first hour. Yudi almost gave up after the second, but Naina joined him and said, "I'll help when we're out of view, but today, you cannot give up. This is your chance to prove to everyone that you're one of the best cadets of this academy. Got it?"
"Thanks, Naina," Yudi huffed, gulping down saliva for hydration. When they were out of view from the faculty members, Naina took hold of one side of Yudi's bike so that he could rest his hands for a while. This gave him enough energy to continue further.
Pooja also almost gave up after the third hour. Naina joined her and reminded her that she was a hockey player and a good player never leaves their game in the middle. "And it's a chance for us to prove to those misogynist idiots that girls are not less than any boys," Naina added.
"You're sending the right message, Naina. We'll show them," Pooja grinned with renewed energy.
Naina kept reminding her friends not to give up until the sun was seen rising. The sight of the sun gave the cadets a boost, and they picked up their pace to complete their impromptu drill. As the sun came up and the drill finished, Naina, her five friends, and a few other cadets were still standing. Bhargav gave them a thoughtful look while BC looked proud. Rajveer was barely hiding his smile.
"Hmm... this is interesting. I was expecting to see no capable cadets in KMA anymore, but it seems there's still some hope left for this academy," Bhargav commented snidely before fixing his hat and leaving.
"Good job, cadets. Dismiss," BC told them before leaving. As soon as BC left the ground, all the cadets still standing fell to their knees, exhausted. Rajveer, Suri ji, and Shailini started giving them water and asking about their well-being.
Rajveer handed Naina a water bottle and said, "I saw what you did, and I must say, I'm proud to have you as my cadet. Not only did you stop your friends from giving up, but you also gave them the morale boost they needed."
Naina shrugged and said, "A good friend never lets their friend stray. I was just trying to be a friend."
"Cadet Naina, sometimes, that's what gives life new meaning," Rajveer told her before leaving to join Suri ji and Shalini.
... - ...
After showering and changing into their uniforms, the cadets convened in the mess hall where Bhargav had arranged another surprise for them. They were required to consume a mixture of raw eggs and milk, with no other options available. Naina struggled to keep it down, but eventually managed to expel it from her stomach discreetly. She had an urge to go back to her room and drink some blood to remove the taste, but she knew it would make her late for the drill.
During the drill, Bhargav enforced shorter haircuts for all the boys before commencing the exercise. Despite their best efforts, the cadets couldn't seem to do anything right. However, Naina was able to save her friends from the worst of it with her quick thinking.
That night, Naina climbed through the window of Rajveer's room and found him sitting on his bed, reading a book. "Hello, Cadet Naina," he greeted her casually, as if he had been expecting her.
"Hello, sir," she replied, standing in front of him.
"So, you managed to successfully complete Major Bhargav's training phase 1. Well done," he commented with a smile.
"Other than the raw egg thing, everything else was manageable," she replied with a shrug. "Sir, I sent Thomas and Jeremy to look into Major Bhargav. I'm sure they will have something soon if he's corrupt," she informed.
"Naina, tell them to be very careful. Bhargav is really cunning. If he even gets a hint that someone is looking into him, especially a couple of civilians, then he might do something really bad," Rajveer warned.
"They will be fine, I'm sure. So, how was your day?" she inquired.
Rajveer gave her a startled look. "My day? It was... it was a little tense but okay," he replied, getting flustered at the question, as no one had ever shown interest in how his day was going.
"I saw how that bald-headed Bhargav was taunting you in the faculty corridor. What's his problem with you?" Naina asked, scowling.
Rajveer tactfully ignored the name-calling and replied, "He knows that I'm Naveen's best friend, and we had a huge argument during Naveen's trial."
"Oh, that makes sense," she nodded thoughtfully. "Then you better be careful as well," she added.
Rajveer felt a warm feeling inside. A smile bloomed on his face without his knowledge. "I'll keep that in mind," he assured her.
...-...
...-...
The next morning, the situation took a turn for the worse as all the faculty members were asked to observe the day's drill for some unknown reason. While the cadets were performing their drill with Bhargav, he began talking about traitors. Behind him, four training dummies were placed with their heads covered. Despite the cover, Naina's sharp senses allowed her to perceive what was hidden underneath. She stiffened at the sight and quickly signaled Rajveer. She mouthed the word 'Naveen' and tilted her head towards the dummies, indicating that they were a representation of him.
Puzzled, Rajveer frowned and turned his attention towards the dummies. "Why did Naina mention Naveen while looking at these dummies?" he wondered. Soon enough, Bhargav uncovered the dummies, and Rajveer clenched his teeth in anger. He prayed for patience and also prayed that Naina wouldn't react. He was determined to keep her away from Bhargav's gaze as much as possible.
Naina stared at the photo of her brother that Bhargav had stuck on the dummies' heads. Though she knew she couldn't show any visible reaction, she made a vow to herself. "I promise to take revenge on Bhargav for this. He has no idea who he just crossed," she thought to herself.
As Bhargav gave Rajveer a taunting smile, Naina tilted her head, connecting the dots. Bhargav was not only here for inspection but also to harm Rajveer in some way. "Naveen bhai's case... that's what connects Bhargav and Rajveer sir... Could it be that the culprits involved in my brother's case are powerful and influential enough to control an army officer for their dirty deeds? What if they found out that Rajveer sir was investigating Naveen's case, and sent Bhargav here to stop him?" Naina barely concealed a gasp as she realized the possibility.
"How dare they? First they harm my brother, and now they're trying to harm my mate? I'll tear them apart before they do anything like this," growled the vampire inside her with anger.
Bhargav ordered the cadets to take turns and stab the dummies as if they were killing the traitor, Naveen Singh Ahluwalia. Naina was glaring at Bhargav when Alekh told her firmly, "Don't think too much. They're just dummies. Stab them and forget. And if it's helpful, imagine that dummy as that baldhead."
Naina smirked and nodded. When it was her turn, she flawlessly completed her task. However, instead of returning to her position like the other cadets, she turned towards the faculty members and raised her hand like she was in a classroom.
BC noticed her raised hand and asked, "Do you have a question, Cadet Naina?"
"Yes, sir. With your permission, I would like to speak freely," she told him.
Rajveer straightened up instantly with a worried look on his face.
"Yes, of course, cadet," BC told her kindly. He had a soft spot for her, as he had noticed how she always helped and encouraged her fellow cadets to do well while not compromising with her own tasks.
"Sir, is this man... um... Mr. Aloo lia... alive?" she questioned, making a confused face as she pointed at the dummy with Naveen's face.
Major Bhargav stepped up to her and corrected her. "His name wasn't 'Aloo lia', Cadet. It was Naveen Singh Ahluwalia."
"No offense, sir... but how does it matter?" Naina asked him with annoyance on her face.
"No, cadet. He's dead," BC answered before Bhargav could reply.
"Then, my question is, sir... why are we practicing killing an already dead traitor when we could've been practicing on a live one? I mean, no offense, but... this is not a medical school where we have to practice on the dead to apply to the living. It's a military academy where we should be taught how to catch traitors alive, how to trap them, how to investigate them, how to judge them, and THEN... how to punish them. What exactly are we learning in this particular drill by stabbing a stupid dummy with a stupid dead man's face? And why do all the dummies have male faces only? I mean... does the military think women can't be traitors? Or has the army never caught a female one? Does that mean our enemies could send their females into our country to spy on our secrets and get away with it? What's going on here?!" Naina questioned at a rapid pace, allowing everyone to understand what she was saying but not giving anyone the opportunity to interrupt before she finished.
Everyone stared at her with their jaws dropped to the floor. The faculty members were at a loss as to where to begin answering her questions, and the cadets were too impressed to speak. Alekh had to work hard to hide the smirk that bloomed on his face when she started talking.
Bhargav was speechless. First, he had no idea that anyone could say so much in one breath. Second, when he had planned this drill to taunt Captain Rajveer, he hadn't expected any cadets to raise questions about it.
BC recovered first. He cleared his throat and said, "Those are some really good questions, Cadet Naina. Since Major Bhargav had thought up this drill, I'm sure he'll have your answers. So, he'll tell you. See you around." and hurriedly left the scene.
Major Nair also followed BC and left without answering her questions.
Naina turned towards Bhargav with an expectant look on her face, as if she was really expecting him to answer her. "Sir?" she called out.
Bhargav gave her a deer-caught-in-headlight look and awkwardly cleared his throat before saying, "Cadet... you spoke so fast that I almost forgot what your first question was. Give me some time, and I'll give you an answer after I remember what your questions were," trying to dodge her questions altogether.
Naina gave him a bright smile. "No problem, sir. I remember them clearly. I can repeat my questions again and again. And I promise... this time I'll speak slower," she told him angelically.
Bhargav gaped at her. He had planned on running away from her questions, but she was planning on repeating them. "I have some work at the moment. How about I answer them later?" he suggested. "Dismiss everyone," he added before leaving.
Naina turned towards the rest of the faculty members with an innocent face and asked, "Why did it feel like Major sir ran away?!"
Captain Rajveer, Dr. Cpt. Shalini, and Suriji burst into laughter while S.M. Lolita facepalmed.