"Oh my goodness! Dr. Ritu Mishra?!" Huda exclaimed, his hand instinctively covering his mouth in disbelief.
"Wait, wasn't she flirting with our Shahrukh since the start of the year?" Pooja reminded them, her voice filled with astonishment.
"I don't think she came here for revenge," Alekh muttered, deep in thought.
Naina took charge and asserted, "We need to find out why she's here." With determination in her eyes, she snapped a photo with her phone and swiftly sent it to her family and Rajveer, accompanied by the text "Naveen's GF."
Yudi put forward his suggestion, saying, "It would be wise for us to monitor her closely. Let's observe her activities and find out what she's up to."
Curious about the starting point, Pooja inquired, "Where should we begin?"
Naina proposed a plan, "Why don't two of you keep an eye on her interactions within the academy? This way, we can determine if she has any accomplices." Addressing Alekh and Yudi, she assigned them the task, considering their exceptional memory for faces and names. Turning to Ali and Huda, she continued, "You two will discreetly search her office for any suspicious evidence." Naina then directed Pooja and herself, "We will bug her room and closely monitor her activities there."
Further details were laid out as Naina instructed, "Yudi, ensure you install hidden cameras in her living room and, if possible, attempt to hack her phone for additional information."
After neatly organizing the photos in a box to return to Nair, the group prepared for their assigned tasks. As they gathered, the two orderlies arrived to retrieve the boxes and transport them back to Nair's room.
Pooja inquired, "Where should we start then?"
Huda playfully reminded her, "You should begin in the mess's kitchen. Don't forget about the kheer deal we made."
Pooja responded with a glare, clearly remembering the playful agreement. Alekh assured her that he possessed cooking skills and would assist her in the kitchen. Ali, although not skilled in cooking, expressed his willingness to lend a hand in any way possible. Yudi and Huda took it upon themselves to seek permission from Suriji for the culinary endeavor. Naina announced that she would cover the cost of the required ingredients for the kheer before excusing herself to find Rajveer.
Entering Rajveer's room without knocking, Naina found him engrossed in his laptop. However, before she could utter a word, Rajveer spoke up. "Yes, Naina, I saw it," he stated, indicating he was aware of the matter she wanted to discuss.
Naina closed the door behind her and settled on the couch beside Rajveer. "So, what's your opinion?" she inquired, eager to hear his thoughts.
Rajveer took a moment to gather his words. "As I looked into Naveen's case files again, I discovered something intriguing. Just like me, Naveen was also assigned to this academy as an OSD. He was here for the same mission I'm currently on," he revealed.
Curiosity piqued, Naina pressed for details. "What kind of mission, and how does it relate to his case?" she probed.
Rajveer let out a sigh, indicating the sensitivity of the information he was about to disclose. "What I'm about to tell you is strictly confidential. Do not share it with anyone," he emphasized, ensuring Naina's understanding. Once she nodded in agreement, he continued, "Naina, our country possesses several highly potent weapons that can only be activated with nuclear triggers. The locations of these triggers are closely guarded secrets, yet somehow our enemies always manage to discover them. To prevent that, officers like me are assigned to protect them. Four years ago, KMA served as one of the hiding locations for these triggers, and Naveen was stationed here to safeguard them. He was arrested when a trigger was found in his bag as he was leaving the academy grounds. The circumstances of how it ended up there remain unknown, as Naveen never revealed the details. The trigger locations were subsequently changed. However, for some reason, the triggers were brought back here, and I have been assigned to protect them," he explained.
Naina's mind raced with possibilities, and she gasped, her inhuman brain working at high speed. "Rajveer sir! What if Dr. Ritu seduced Naveen to steal these triggers? Considering her previous failed attempts, what if she was sent here to try again? Could her insistence on dating you be part of the plan?" she speculated.
Rajveer pondered her words, carefully considering the implications. "It's quite possible," he murmured. "I should discuss this with Colonel Shakti. He might have some insights. As for you, will you inform your family about this?" he inquired, seeking her perspective.
Rajveer couldn't help but notice how deeply involved Naina's adopted family was in her life. They seemed to be aware of every detail, from Naveen's case to Bhargav's involvement, and even their own love life. It struck him as unusual that Naina openly shared such confidential information with them. As an army officer, Rajveer felt uneasy about divulging such sensitive matters to ordinary people. He contemplated whether he should address this concern with Naina or not.
Naina's snap of fingers brought him back to the present, jolting him out of his thoughts. "Where are you lost?" she inquired.
"Oh, nothing. Just wondering... Are you planning to inform your family about this?" he asked.
"Of course. How else can they assist me?" Naina replied matter-of-factly, as if the question itself was peculiar.
Rajveer hesitated for a moment before expressing his concern. "Listen, Naina... I don't think it's wise to involve your family any further in this matter. The individuals behind this conspiracy appear to be highly influential, and there's a risk they might harm your family."
Naina smiled, displaying confidence in her family's ability to protect themselves. "They can take care of themselves. Don't worry. I have to go now. We managed to convince Pooja to make kheer as dessert for today's lunch, and we're all helping her with it," she informed him, rising from the couch.
"Okay," Rajveer acknowledged.
"Oh... and I think it's best if you refrain from sharing details about Ritu with anyone else. Remember, Thomas mentioned that Colonel Handa from headquarters approved her posting here? It's possible he could be involved in this as well... and who knows who else," Naina cautioned.
"Hmm. I'll keep that in mind," Rajveer assured her before they parted ways.
With a wry smile, Rajveer pondered over the apparent double standard in Naina's actions. While she freely shared her every thought with her family, he was bound by strict confidentiality in his investigation. "What a double standard my girl has!" he mused to himself, finding it endearing in its own way. However, upon further reflection, he understood the reasons behind Naina's actions. Naina's adopted family had been there for her since the very beginning, protecting and nurturing her. They had earned her trust over time, creating a strong bond.
On the other hand, the higher-ups at the headquarters seemed to be entangled in a conspiracy against their own officers. It made sense that Naina could place complete trust in her family, while Rajveer had to be cautious and limit his trust to his commandant officer. Realizing this distinction, Rajveer acknowledged the importance of maintaining confidentiality in his investigation. He knew he could rely on his commandant officer and a select few trustworthy individuals, but he had to be cautious about sharing sensitive information with others.
...-...
...-...
...-...
[*** Extreme Blood and gore alert !
Skip this part if you don't want to read the details of his torture. Part 1]
Abandoned mill,
00:30 hours
Clad in a snug and comfortable black cat ear onesie, Naina made her way to the mill. The cozy outfit provided warmth and a touch of whimsy, but it also served a practical purpose. Naina pulled the hood over her head, ensuring that her face remained concealed. This precaution was crucial, as she didn't want anyone to recognize her while she sneaked in or out of the academy.
"Welcome back, kid... do... what are you wearing?" Thomas asked, his voice filled with incredulity.
Naina glanced down at her cozy cat ear onesie and shrugged. "It's comfy," she replied nonchalantly.
Jeremy, who had joined them a few hours ago, couldn't contain his amusement and let out a snicker. "Cute," he teased, unable to resist poking fun at Naina's attire.
"Boys, don't tease your sister," William chided, reprimanding them for their behavior. Thomas rolled his eyes in response, while Jeremy continued to snicker. Despite their playful banter, there was a strong bond of affection and protectiveness shared between them.
Naina ignored her dorky brothers and stepped up to where Bhargav was still hung up by his arms. There was something more though. She noticed that there was a large metal barrel kept right underneath him feet. She could smell the fresh blood. Her eyes roamed over his barely conscious form and her eyes caught that there was a puncture mark just at his ankle vein. In slow flow, blood was dripping down that puncture wound and gathering in that barrel. In another word, Bhargav was left to watch himself bleeding to death slowly and he wasn't able to do anything.
"Hello, Major Bhargav. How are you doing?" Naina asked casually.
"Peachy." he replied snarkily.
Naina smiled. "Still not in mood to talk?" she asked.
Bhargav scoffed. "These people are civilians and you're a coward's sister. You won't kill me." he told her confidently.
"Oh my! Let's see if we can change your view tonight." she told him with a smile. "Thomas, I need a sharp knife." she requested.
Thomas brought a trolley filled with all kinds of knives and surgical gloves. "Here you go." he said before he grabbed a paper cup and dipped it into the barrel. Bhargav watched in complete shock as taking the now blood filled paper cup, Thomas went to lean against a nearby wall and started taking casual sips from it like he was drinking tea. Jeremy and William also did the same thing. All three men stood leaning against the nearby wall, sipping the blood and chatting in low tone amongst them. Like it was a completely normal incident.
"W-What the f-fuck are they doing?!" Bhargav exclaimed, startling Naina who was selecting with knife she wanted to start with.
Naina glanced at her family and replied with a shrug, "They are just enjoying a midnight snack."
"SNACK! They are drinking blood! HUMAN BLOOD!" Bhargav shouted, freaking out.
"SHH... don't shout. It's annoying." Naina scolded him, "Now, will you answer my questions?" she asked.
"No! You're all crazy!" Bhargav spat out. Finally, he was starting to have a feeling that he was not going to survive this encounter.
"Rajveer sir was right. You're annoying." She muttered grumpily. Then, without any further warning, Naina selected a surgical knife and started cutting the skin of the back of his leg. She started separating the skin from his leg a little at the time.
Bhargav's scream echoed through the abandoned mill. Blood started pouring down at a faster pace now. Naina bound a band above his newly cut skin and tightened it so that he doesn't die faster.
"Will you speak?" she asked.
"Yes yes."
"Good. You will tell me everything you know about Naveen Bhaiya's case?" she asked.
"I will." he replied. He was frightened to death. He couldn't believe that this crazy girl had actually started skinning him.
Thomas and William moved him and made him sit one of the chairs. Jeremy moved the blood-filled barrel to the side and set up the camera. He made sure to only focus the camera towards his upper body.
"Start with introducing yourself." Thomas ordered before coming to stand beside Naina, still sipping blood from his paper cup.
[***End of gore part 1]
"I am Major Bhargav, the arresting officer in Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia's case," he began, his voice trembling. "Two days prior to Captain Naveen's arrest, my superiors, Colonel Bajaj and Colonel Handa, informed me about the female spy sent by our boss, Eagle. The spy was tasked with stealing nuclear triggers during the Alumni night. If she failed in her mission, her backup plan was to frame Captain Naveen. I was instructed to ensure his arrest and do everything in my power to prove him a traitor. In return, I was promised a promotion," Bhargav divulged, his words pouring out in a rush.
Naina listened intently, her eyes widening with each revelation. Bhargav continued, "The spy had managed to ensnare Captain Naveen through a honey trap. He was deeply in love with her and placed his trust blindly. So, when he discovered that it was his lover who had orchestrated his downfall, he was left in shock, unable to defend himself. Seizing the opportunity, we swiftly court-martialed him before he could gather his wits. I was not involved in his subsequent imprisonment. However, I heard from my boss that Captain Naveen was being given slow poison and was on the brink of being killed during his transfer to another prison. But somehow, he managed to escape. When our men eventually found him, he was already dead... a bullet wound piercing his chest. My duty then was to transport his body back home," Bhargav concluded.
Naina's brow furrowed as she sought to unravel the motives behind the targeted actions. "Why was Captain Naveen singled out? It appears that your superiors were determined to eliminate him," she inquired, her tone laced with curiosity.
"Our boss, Eagle, uses KMA as a front for his illicit weapons trafficking network. Col. Bajaj oversees the purchases and sales, while an insider handles the day-to-day operations. Captain Naveen grew suspicious and was getting dangerously close to exposing the truth. Our boss suspected that Captain Naveen had discovered his true identity as well," Bhargav revealed, his voice filled with a mix of fear and resignation.
Eager to uncover more details, Naina leaned forward, her eyes locked on Bhargav. "And who is this insider?" she pressed, her voice filled with anticipation.
Regretfully, Bhargav shook his head. "I do not know," he admitted, regretfully.
Naina nodded and let out a deep sigh, contemplating the immense suffering her brother had endured. Thomas placed his hand on her shoulder, offering sympathy and support. Although he couldn't fully comprehend her emotions, he could empathize with her pain.
... - ...
Captain Raveer's room
KMA faculty quarters
04:30 hours
Rajveer was jolted out of his drowsiness as his phone began ringing. Groggily, he reached for the device and blinked repeatedly to focus on the caller's identity. Seeing Col. Shakti's name on the screen, he quickly sat up and answered with a polite greeting, "Jai Hind, sir."
"Captain Rajveer, something has occurred here at the headquarters," Col. Shakti Chandra urgently informed him.
"What is it, sir? You seem quite stressed," Rajveer inquired, now fully awake and attentive.
"First, tell me, when did Major Bhargav leave KMA?" Col. Shakti asked.
"Um... sometime early yesterday morning, most likely. I didn't see him during breakfast. Why do you ask?"
"Yesterday morning, we discovered his jeep abandoned on the side of the road, about a mile from the academy. It appeared to be an accident. However, Major Bhargav was not present at the scene. We assumed he might have been rescued by civilians or had gone to seek assistance on his own. But..." Col. Shakti paused, taking a deep breath, "He was just found a few minutes ago... at the entrance of the Military headquarters," he revealed.
"That's... good news, isn't it? I mean, was he severely injured in the accident? Who brought him from the accident site?" Rajveer inquired, perplexed by Col. Shakti's evident distress.
[*** Extreme Blood and gore alert !
Skip this part if you don't want to read the details of his torture. Part 2]
"Captain Rajveer... it seems he was taken from there against his will... and he was tortured from the looks of it. Have you ever heard of the 'Blood eagle' torture method?" Col. Shakti asked.
"Blood eagle?! No, sir. It doesn't sound familiar."
"It was a torture method rumored to be used by the Vikings. This torture method allegedly involved carving the victim's back open and cutting their ribs away from their spine, before the lungs were pulled out through the resulting wounds. The victim would lie in a prone position and be kept alive as their back was sliced open, their ribs were detached from their spine, and their lungs pulled through the opening to create a pair of bloody "wings."." Col. Shakti explained.
"That's horrifying." Rajveer commented, barely being able to control his urge to vomit.
"Yeah. Someone had tortured Major Bhargav using this method and placed him right at the entrance of the headquarter. No one knows when he was kept or how they transferred him. He was still alive... barely conscious, but alive. Before medical help could be called though, he breathed his last." Col. Shakti informed.
"What the hell? I mean, he was corrupt but... who could do something like this?" Rajveer exclaimed in shock.
[***End of gore part 2]
"That's not all, Captain... there's more to it."
"What else could there be, sir?" he inquired, unsure if he was prepared for the information.
"They left behind a note. It contained a chilling message: 'The punishment for what he did. Eagle and his men should be aware that I'm coming for you. You're next.'. We verified that the note was written using Major Bhargav's own blood," Colonel Shakti elaborated.
"Eagle?! But only a select few were aware of Major Bhargav's association with Eagle and his anti-national group," Rajveer pointed out.
"That's precisely why I contacted you, Captain. How did you come to know about Bhargav's involvement with Eagle? Who provided you with this information?" Colonel Shakti inquired.
In that moment, Rajveer felt as if he had been struck by lightning. "Well, the truth is, sir... My girlfriend is extremely possessive and protective of me. So, when Major Bhargav started taunting me about Naveen, she took it upon herself to take action. She asked her family to investigate Major Bhargav. A few days ago, her brother informed us that they had discovered circumstantial evidence of Bhargav's corruption and solid proof of his indirect connection to Eagle," he explained.
"Your girlfriend?! But Captain, how did your girlfriend become aware that Major Bhargav was taunting you?" Colonel Shakti asked, feeling perplexed. As far as he knew, Captain Rajveer was single.
Rajveer's face turned even redder, realizing he had forgotten to inform his commanding officer about this recent development. He cleared his throat awkwardly and replied, "Um, she... She's actually a first-year cadet here."
"Captain Rajveer, who usually keeps his distance from women, has a girlfriend. How interesting," Colonel Shakti teased. "Hold on a moment... Captain, you allowed a civilian family to get involved in such a sensitive matter?! What were you thinking?!" Colonel Shakti scolded him angrily, finally grasping the implications of Rajveer's earlier statement.
Rajveer winced. "Sir, I only found out about it when her brother contacted her during our mentorship camp. I had no prior knowledge of their involvement," he muttered, anticipating further scolding.
"I hope you realize just how many things were wrong with that sentence," Colonel Shakti dryly remarked.
"Sir, it seems I'm continuously digging my own grave here. Perhaps I should inquire about how her family learned about this and then provide you with a detailed account?" Rajveer suggested.
"No. I think I'll personally come over and have a face-to-face conversation with your girlfriend," Colonel Shakti firmly stated. "By the way... is there anything else you'd like to share with me before I arrive?"
Rajveer blushed even harder. "Um... She's also my protégé," he mumbled.
"Wow... and?" Colonel Shakti prompted.
"She's aware that I'm investigating Naveen's case, and she's been assisting me with it," Rajveer admitted.
"You... I've heard that love is blind, but you seemed to have become dumb as well," Colonel Shakti remarked, pinching the bridge of his nose in disbelief. He couldn't fathom how one of his most competent officers had turned into such a Romeo. "Have you even considered the possibility of a honey trap? What if this is a setup?" he questioned.
"Trust me, sir, when I say this, it's not a honey trap. I have complete faith in Naina, and she wouldn't do anything to make me regret it," Rajveer asserted confidently.
"Fine. If you're that certain, I'll be there by lunchtime," Colonel Shakti informed him before ending the call.
Rajveer sighed, knowing that he would face more scolding from both Colonel Shakti and Naina the next day. "Hopefully, Naina can convince him of her innocence," he muttered to himself. "Major Bhargav was despicable, but who could have gone to such lengths to torture him? This feels personal," he pondered. "Although, there are two people who despised him enough to go to these extremes, considering what he did to Naveen... Naina and me." Rajveer's mind froze momentarily. "No, no, no... what am I thinking? Naina was at the academy the entire time... but her adopted family wasn't. Could they go to such lengths for her?" he wondered, becoming lost in his own thoughts.
One thought after another raced through Rajveer's mind. As a result, he couldn't fall back asleep and waited restlessly for his alarm to go off.
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A/N:::Those of you who hate Bhargav as much as I do, did you enjoy his torture?
Those of you that didn't read the gory parts, did you at least managed to get that Naina had tortured him before killing him?
How do you think would Rajveer react when he learns that Naina had killed Bhargav?
Did you enjoy Col. Shakti's scoldings? LOL